Hunting for Treasure in Santa Cruz -- CH&D's Kristin Ammon searches for unique home accessories, art, and antiques in one California's most colorful beach towns

Time was when you headed to Santa Cruz for beach, sand and surf, but not shopping. Well things have changed. The flourishing coastal community is chockfull of quaint boutiques, galleries and shops, many selling one-of-a-kind art and accessories made by local craftspeople and artists.

Pacific Avenue is the hub of downtown. Devastated by the 1989 earthquake, the street was rebuilt as a Parisian-style boulevard with leafy sycamore trees and sidewalk cafes. Today you'll find fine restaurants, a 21-screen cinema, and stores that stay open late on weekends to catch post-movie strollers. Following are some highlights of what the area has to offer:

ARTISANS GALLERY
Since 1991, owners Juleen and John Lisher have kept this light and airy gallery well-stocked with a wide range of arts and crafts. Though established as a coop, the shop has expanded to include international as well as local artists, including French-born Marie Gabrielle, who paints cheery watercolors of local landscapes and beaches, and David Kendall, a glassblower known for his colorful hummingbird feeders. Other popular items include hand-turned wooden boxes, photography, and Bonny Doon's fragrant soaps and oils. Robert Held's paperweights and vases are also worth noting. Techies make the trek for the hand-thrown sushi trays to give as gifts for clients abroad.

MISS JESSIE MAY'S ANTIQUES
The real Jessie May dreamed of running a boutique by the sea, but it's her daughters and granddaughters who have carried out that vision. Opened five years ago, this adorable shop carries vintage home and garden décor, including Victorian deck chairs, wrought iron furniture, plantation shutters and settees. A stack of French baguette baskets adds a quaint touch to the entry. Besides furnishings, you'll find glassware, decanters, dainty teacups and wall sconces. Chandeliers and nautical memorabilia such as vintage clocks are also abundant.

STRINI ART GLASS
Famed glass artist Rick Strini opened this showroom a few years ago to showcase the same award-winning creations found at the New York Metropolitan and Smithsonian museums. Working from his Santa Cruz studio, Strini turns molten glass into stunning vases, pilsners, flutes, and tumblers inspired by the art deco and Roman eras. Look for every color imaginable, from bright greens to blues to oranges and yellow. Not to worry if you're buying as gifts; the store ships nationwide.

L.H. SELMAN, LTD., GALLERY
Yet more art glass can be found at this tiny gallery, owned by Larry Selman, a professor-turned-collector, who represents the finest glassblowers in the world. You'll find exquisite works by Paul Stankard, the Salazar brothers, and Lundberg Studios, among others. Selman is also an authority on rare and contemporary paperweights, which are displayed in the gallery as well as in a small museum in the back. One recent exhibit featured Russian paperweights from the mid-1800s.

CHEFWORKS
If you love to cook, decorate, or just eat, this is your place. Located in a light, airy building with wood floors and high ceilings, ChefWorks carries hard-to-find culinary tools and supplies for home and professional chefs. Inside the store are more than 18,000 cookware and bakeware items, including wine accessories, quirky gadgets and small appliances. You'll find obscure tools like croissant cutters, olive pitters, and grain mills. Pepper grinders, flambé pans, and rechauds are also in stock. If it's ethnic cookware you're after, check out the paella pans, couscous pots, and Moroccan tagines. Ricers, mortars, and knives from WustofTrident and Sabatier are other popular sellers.

ANNIEGLASS
Here you can pick up Ann Morhauser's handmade tableware at up to 40 percent off. Oprah Winfrey and Don Johnson are some of her celebrity fans, and Post Ranch Inn and Ventana use her plates as their house settings. Morhauser, who believes that food tastes better on a beautiful dish, founded her studio in 1983 when she produced the ornate Roman Antique series. Today you'll find a large selection of designs, including the Slab, the Triangle, and the Ruffle, which dates to 18th-century Europe. Allow time to browse. There are plates decorated with flowers, fish, stars, and shells, plus a palette of colors ranging from clear and frosted glass to lush, tropical hues.

MR. GOODIE'S
Owned by a former textile artist and theme restaurant designer, Mr. Goodie's is pleasantly crammed with an eclectic array of antiques and collectibles. A quick stroll through the shop reveals butter churns, cribs, hats, and quite possibly the city's largest selection of vintage Mexican and Italian sterling silver. If you're a tropics buff, the array of Hawaiiana is amazing, from precious Hawaiian shirts to cruise ship menus and kitschy inflatable palm trees. Other sections are devoted to art deco, Orientalia, and primitive items like Midwestern farm tools and decoys. Cookware ranges from 1950's funnels and rolling pans to bread boxes and baskets.

TIFFANY'S FLOWERS & ANTIQUES
This adorable shop has two locations. The one on Front Street is devoted to antique garden and country-style furniture and accents such as vintage floral pillows, throws, linens, garden ironwork, and architectural elements like old shutters and weathered French gates. Also in good supply are Parisian park benches, painted chests, and Normandy armoires. Accents range from lamps with custom fringed shades to black floral trays and gilt clocks. The Pacific Avenue store emphasizes flowers, but also stocks antique buffets and tables, distressed settees, and old French street signs and posters.

If dining is on the agenda, there are lots of fine restaurants to try. Gabriela's Café, 831.457.1677, is a longtime favorite for its Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. The café is named for the owner's daughter and set in a sweet little adobe-style building. At Oswald, 831.423.7427, you'll find a California-French menu, and Cloud's Downtown is famous for its icy dry martini guaranteed to quench any thirst. For overnight accommodations, try Pleasure Point Inn, 831.475.4657, a brand new bed and breakfast with a rooftop Jacuzzi and awe-inspiring view of the ocean.

Reprinted with permission from California Home & Design magazine. April 2003 issue.