Little did Cecile and I know we walking into a celebratory event marking owner Norma Corona’s 30 years at the popular eatery, Auntie Mame's in the Santa Cruz Moutains. The reason we wound up in Scotts Valley—25 miles from our home in Los Gatos—is I had to exchange a gift T-shirt at Cycle Sport. Across the way we saw decorations and a big Banner that read "Auntie Mame’s 30 Years with Norma: CONGRATULATIONS to our mom Norma."
Cecile had a BLT on toasted bread and I had a lean cheeseburger, fashioned to fit a long french roll rather than your typical round patty with a side of fruit. After lunch, we went to look at the colorful murals of Camp Evers, a historic settlement dating back to the 1920s right at this very spot that consisted of a small store, gas pumps, dance hall and tents that became a resort and rest stop for travelers. I especially liked the 3D effect of the antique cars.
Interesting History of Auntie Mame's:
Norma’s daughter Ashly Garcia, had written on Facebook “this restaurant is my mom’s world. She eats, breathes and sleeps Auntie Mames." And, Ashly should know, she grew up in Auntie Mame’s. Her mom was pregnant with her while she was waiting on tables. When her mom had her, she sat at the bar barely able to look over the counter. As the years passed she remained at the counter while watching her brothers Marco and Ivan bus the tables. Now, she helps her mom run the place. Norma began working at Auntie Mame’s in Scotts Valley in 1993 and in 2002 she purchased the restaurant. Ashly and her brothers are so grateful to all the customers for supporting their mom during some challenging times, especially during the pandemic, where they had to jump through all the bureaucratic hurdles in order to survive. The silver lining was outdoor seating being permitted and Ashly and her siblings willingness to hold down the fort with one cook and work without pay to get through the crisis of COVID-19 that affected so many restaurants.
