Swedish Vibes in Santa Cruz

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A walk through downtown Santa Cruz reveals what you’d expect – hippie-dippie clothing shops, vegan eateries and artisan coffee nooks galore. But unceremoniously nestled at the northern end of downtown lies Agency, a break from the Santa Cruz stereotype.

Quietly offering contemporary home goods and northern-European vibes, this feast-for-the-eyes is my window shopping fantasy. The store’s transfixing merchandise begs to be touched, photographed and daydreamed about for days afterward.

The walls are a delight for the eyes – covered with golden clocks, hand-painted local art and shiny metallic accents that somehow all work together. Tables methodically strewn with simply-colored, blocky kitchenware make me reconsider everything in my utensil drawer at home.

Nothing would please me more than to transform my home into an Agency showroom – once I become a millionaire, of course.

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Agency’s house-brand furniture line, Telegenic California – a distinct mid-century modern furniture style.

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Octopus art installation and working water gauge on the Santa Cruz Wharf next to Splash! restaurant.

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Wood-strewn beaches from a big storm didn’t keep us from enjoying the Beach Boardwalk this Saturday afternoon. Photographing all the candy-colored rides and food shack displays was a treat in itself – though the fried Twinkies and cotton candy were even sweeter. Gotta love year-round carnivals close to home!

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Sky Gilder ride

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Cliff Hanger ride

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Ferris Wheel and Rock-o-Plane rides

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Cyclone ride

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Neptune’s Kingdom arcade

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Undertow roller coaster

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Last stop, Verve Coffee Roasters downtown. We love this well-known Santa Cruz staple for serving up savory cups of freshly roasted coffee, sourced from sustainable farming relationships that exceed Fair Trade minimum standards every day. Maybe one day we’ll visit their cafe in Tokyo!

Verve Coffee Roasters has grown from a local Santa Cruz, CA operation with six employees to a world-renowned coffee company with over 150 employees and nine storefronts, and more on the horizon.

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