I stood facing two portals at Brown Ranch Marketplace. The one on the right read Weight Watchers, the other Zizzo's. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee lured me left.

"Good Friends Great Coffee" seemed to be more than a slogan at Zizzo's, as the steady stream of customers seemed to be all on a first name basis. With 60 hot, cold, and blended espresso, coffee, tea and fruit beverages to choose from, plus the ability to mix and match to create your own gourmet specialty, my choice was not a simple one.

I chose a Mexican Mocha—with nonfat milk and no whipped cream as penance. The steaming twelve-ounce beverage with a shot of espresso was flavored with cinnamon, chocolate, and hazelnut. It tasted as marvelous as Kahlua and Frangelico but totally work-appropriate, and was just sweet enough.

Behind the scenes at the big move for Staff of Life

I have excitedly watched the transformation of a building on Soquel Avenue from that of an auto dealership into Staff of Life's new home. Now, a metal fence has been built around the entrance with a canopied roof. An open-air beverage bar and produce bins house things like colorful berries. It’s a good welcome into the store.

Mid-afternoon on the day before the grand opening, the large parking lot was full, as was bordering Darwin Street. There was an air of excitement as throngs of shoppers pushed carts through the aisles and greeted strangers. School children bagged their favorite vegetables.

An on-line reader named Ben commented on the Pu-erh tea I wrote about from Dynasty Chinese Restaurant on Portola. He suggested that Internet purchases were risky, perhaps either overpriced or counterfeit, and suggested I visit David and his staff at Chaikhana for a taste of the real thing. As I've lately been developing recipes for flavored iced teas, it's a good time to visit.

Chaikhana, which means tea culture, has possibly a hundred different teas, estimated tea maker Andrew, but I'm interested in the Chinese post-fermented style in which dried green leaves are rolled, dampened, and left to ferment and darken.

Ristorante Barolo adds homemade touches to its Italian specialties in the Historic Bayview Hotel

At eight in the morning I was craving Italian food so I headed into Aptos Village where the county's oldest hotel, the Bayview Bed and Breakfast Inn, houses Ristorante Barolo.

The breakfast room was originally a wrap-around portico of the home which was built in 1878. It was remodeled in 1883 to add the third story, where dormer windows protrude from the mansard roof. Likely the Italianate features were added then, such as faux cornerstone quoins and decorative triangular pediments over the doors and windows.

Santa Cruz's home of the original pizza dance has parlayed its expertise with dough and toppings into some tasty weekend brunch fare. The scent of strong coffee seemed unusual at Kianti's, but welcome on a sleepy Saturday morning. Breakfast Pizzas ($11.95/$19.95), pizza dough pastries ($6.95 to $7.95), and Scrambles and Wraps ($8.95) pair just as well with Bloody Marys ($5) and bottomless Mimosas ($10).

Four scrambles can be wrapped in a flour or whole wheat tortilla and are served with fruit, pasta salad, or chips and house-made salsa. You can also design your own scramble (or pizza) from an abbreviated list of your favorite pizza toppings.

Golden Palace brings luxurious Chinese dining to Midtown

Impeccable decor at the new Golden Palace is accompanied by friendly service, and with more than 170 dishes to choose from, mild or spicy, vegetarian or omnivorous, there are numerous tastes to be treasured.

At night, red paper lanterns and white icicle lights highlight the golden brick exterior. Inside I was greeted by a highly carved chair and familiar shimmering wallpaper. Golden Palace is a sister to Dynasty on Portola Drive in Santa Cruz, and our server said the owner designed everything, right down to his shiny black shirt emblazoned with a sequined dragon. New tall-backed booths offer privacy and are decorated with gilded plastic dragons, as is the circular table which seats 14.

In my columns I focus on the best edibles our local cooks and chefs have to offer, and avoid chain restaurants, especially national ones. I rarely eat fast food, anyway.

But, there are extenuating circumstances, like when the kitchen was being remodeled and I needed a quick breakfast for the school kids, or when the "low on iron" buzzer signals a Whopper Junior emergency. Now you've met the skeletons in my closet.

On one clandestine visit to McDonald's, I was intrigued by the ads for smoothies, yogurt parfaits and oatmeal. I scoffed, recalling the introduction of Caramel Frappe and its 450 calories, for 12-ounces! Could McDonald's actually smaller-size me?

Charming old-school service, fresh ingredients, and a bucolic drive make Scopazzi's a longtime favorite

In 1915 the original Scopazzi's Restaurant building was erected as a hotel by the Locatelli family, housing lumber men and, later, movie stars. The paneled Redwood Dining Room with open-beam ceiling was built in 1924, and the lounge added after the property was sold to the Scopazzis in 1955. There still remain china cabinets and a beautiful marble-topped buffet. And there still remains that old-school San Francisco Italian professionalism; from word-of-mouth orders to the kitchen, to table-side preparation of flaming specialties and dishes like Veal Scaloppine and Chicken Cacciatore.

We headed over to the harbor to experience the Johnny's Harborside Winter Wednesday Cioppino night. As an e-club member, I also had a coupon for two-for-one starters or salads. While "Fresh Catch Your Way" is still a mainstay of the menu, Chef Scott Delk, who arrived at Johnny's after the closing of Theo's, has added his own touch to the fresh and flavorful presentations.

Although Taco and Tequila nights are Tuesdays and Thursdays and house special margaritas are just $7, the combinations were too unique to ignore.