Stunning Santa Barbara
Nov 5th, 2024, 10:17 PM
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Stunning Santa Barbara
I thought I'd share a trip report of four days in Santa Barbara, California. It was my first visit, and I had the pleasure of being hosted by my cousin who lives there. The goal was to have a getaway and reward myself for completing some work goals that I spent all of 2024 working on. I was there October 18 - 22, and the weather was stunning every single day.
I took the direct flight from SLC to SBA which lands a little before midnight. My cousin picked me up and we walked into her cozy apartment at midnight on the dot. We both had a good night's sleep and on Saturday morning over breakfast we looked over my list of recommended restaurants and activities. I had a few starred as must-dos which included:
Old Mission Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Courthouse
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
State Street
Stern's Wharf
McConnell's ice cream
Butterfly Beach
We looked over my list of recommendations and put together a great itinerary!
On Saturday, we started at Old Mission Santa Barbara, "Queen of the Missions." It's almost 250 years old and is the only one of the 21 California missions that has operated continuously.
My admission ticket cost $17 and included walking through the courtyard garden, church, cemetery, and museum. The architecture was beautiful. The religious imagery was interesting. I loved the plants all around. The museum is 5 or 6 rooms and I learned about the Chumash people that were subject to this mission. The museum does a decent job of providing learning opportunities for this people and culture and acknowledging the abuse they incurred by the Franciscans. The mission expresses a desire for reconciliation with the Chumash community.
Don't miss the opportunity to walk around the Mission Rose Garden in front of the mission. This was a beautiful start to our Saturday!
We next drove downtown to the Santa Barbara Courthouse, which is a great place to visit to get oriented to city. The architecture is gorgeous! The gardens are lovely! It's free to visit and you can get lost wandering around and looking at all the details.
We started by taking the elevator up to the bell tower and overlook. You can see in all directions, from the ocean to the mountains and all the site-seeing stops around town. We also just happened to be up there when the clock struck 12:00 and got to listen to the bells.
This is one of the most beautiful public government buildings in the US, and it's so quaint to think that this is a functioning courthouse. All the beautiful rooms are used for court cases! Weddings happen here too.
After our visit we ran across the street and got a snack at Secret Bao. It was so good, I would definitely go back and try more things on the menu.
I need to end this post, so I will post the rest of my trip over the next few days. There is still tons to share.
I took the direct flight from SLC to SBA which lands a little before midnight. My cousin picked me up and we walked into her cozy apartment at midnight on the dot. We both had a good night's sleep and on Saturday morning over breakfast we looked over my list of recommended restaurants and activities. I had a few starred as must-dos which included:
Old Mission Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Courthouse
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
State Street
Stern's Wharf
McConnell's ice cream
Butterfly Beach
We looked over my list of recommendations and put together a great itinerary!
On Saturday, we started at Old Mission Santa Barbara, "Queen of the Missions." It's almost 250 years old and is the only one of the 21 California missions that has operated continuously.
My admission ticket cost $17 and included walking through the courtyard garden, church, cemetery, and museum. The architecture was beautiful. The religious imagery was interesting. I loved the plants all around. The museum is 5 or 6 rooms and I learned about the Chumash people that were subject to this mission. The museum does a decent job of providing learning opportunities for this people and culture and acknowledging the abuse they incurred by the Franciscans. The mission expresses a desire for reconciliation with the Chumash community.
Don't miss the opportunity to walk around the Mission Rose Garden in front of the mission. This was a beautiful start to our Saturday!
We next drove downtown to the Santa Barbara Courthouse, which is a great place to visit to get oriented to city. The architecture is gorgeous! The gardens are lovely! It's free to visit and you can get lost wandering around and looking at all the details.
We started by taking the elevator up to the bell tower and overlook. You can see in all directions, from the ocean to the mountains and all the site-seeing stops around town. We also just happened to be up there when the clock struck 12:00 and got to listen to the bells.
This is one of the most beautiful public government buildings in the US, and it's so quaint to think that this is a functioning courthouse. All the beautiful rooms are used for court cases! Weddings happen here too.
After our visit we ran across the street and got a snack at Secret Bao. It was so good, I would definitely go back and try more things on the menu.
I need to end this post, so I will post the rest of my trip over the next few days. There is still tons to share.
Nov 6th, 2024, 04:19 AM
#2
I’ve visited Santa Barbara a few times, and I can definitely relate to how beautiful and charming the city is.
It’s great that you got to experience the iconic Old Mission Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Courthouse—both are must-sees.
The views from the courthouse bell tower are incredible.
I also loved walking around State Street and grabbing a snack at one of the local spots.
If you have time on your next visit, I highly recommend checking out some of the wine tasting rooms along the Funk Zone for a different side of Santa Barbara.
It’s great that you got to experience the iconic Old Mission Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Courthouse—both are must-sees.
The views from the courthouse bell tower are incredible.
I also loved walking around State Street and grabbing a snack at one of the local spots.
If you have time on your next visit, I highly recommend checking out some of the wine tasting rooms along the Funk Zone for a different side of Santa Barbara.
Nov 6th, 2024, 10:37 AM
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Hi Mag,
This is a great TR! My fave photo was the Superior Court hallway with the drapes reflecting on the old floor tiles.
We just days ago booked our first ever trip to SB. It'll also be our first February trip.
So I was delighted to see your TR and look forward to the rest. Will be interested in which McConnell flavors you both chose.
However, your final foto was cruel and unusual punishment: I can't eat for two days just now, due to a medical fast requirement.
I am done. The stunning
This is a great TR! My fave photo was the Superior Court hallway with the drapes reflecting on the old floor tiles.
We just days ago booked our first ever trip to SB. It'll also be our first February trip.
So I was delighted to see your TR and look forward to the rest. Will be interested in which McConnell flavors you both chose.
However, your final foto was cruel and unusual punishment: I can't eat for two days just now, due to a medical fast requirement.
I am done. The stunning
Nov 6th, 2024, 02:47 PM
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Lovely photos of a lovely town. I live in the hills by the mission and up from the courthouse. We can see the courthouse from our yard as well as the Arlington theatre tower. I went to college here many years ago and ended up in the Bay Area but we came to SB to vacation with our kids every year as they grew up. Used to rent a small cottage on Miramar beach and also stay in the old Miramar hotel as well as the El Encanto hotel up on the riviera. Feel very lucky to live here now and appreciate the architectural beauty and stunning geography of this location. We love the food here and Secret Bao is great (anybody want suggestions I’m happy to message). The courthouse is spectacular and has wedding’s out on the lawn almost every day. The lawn across from the mission fills up with people and kids and dogs every afternoon and evening. We play in a bocce league at the historic Arnoldi’s restaurant and my husband loves the golf courses and paddle boards most of the year. These pics are from my patio and you can see the courthouse in the picture with my dog. Today I especially appreciate my slice of blue Heaven.
Nov 6th, 2024, 04:29 PM
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Wow, lots of great responses from American Riveria enthusiasts! Thanks for sharing.
Continuing my Saturday reporting, after Secret Bao, we stopped in The Book Den book store. I like to look for a souvenir book set in the city I'm visiting, but I didn't find anything I wanted. We walked over to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. I love how close all of these stops were to each other. Made for a delightful afternoon of strolling.
It cost $15 to visit the museum. It's small, but feels grand and well done. I enjoyed the exhibitions. They had ofrendas set up throughout the galleries, which added a lot of color and festivity. They told us the next day, Sunday, there would be a big procession outside of the museum and free entry for a Day of the Dead celebration. Be sure to go to the gift shop after visiting the museum. That's one of my favorite things to do. I always find a few things to take home.
After our museum visit, we were now on State Street, where there are SO MANY fun shops and restaurants. It's a pedestrian-only street, so you can really just wander and hit up whatever interests you.
I loved seeing all the Bird of Paradise plants. We went into a fun consignment shop that sold all kinds of women's costume apparel and secondhand designer stuff. I checked out Anderson's Bakery that had been recommended to me. They let you sample their pastries! When we passed Lokum, I had to go in, because it had also been recommended to me. I bought a couple types of Turkish baklava. It was worth trying, but I probably wouldn't go back for more. My cousin recommended getting gelato at Tondi, and it was amazing! I would go back there in a heartbeat. The flavors I got were vanilla cream and chocolate hazelnut. They had so many options that looked amazing and lots of vegan options too.
We wandered and wandered until we made our way towards our very early dinner reservation. We stopped at the Santa Barbara train station and wandered over to the Moreton Bay fig tree, which is behind fences, and I wouldn't have known it was there without Kate showing it to me. It is believed to be the largest of that species in the United States. I think it's fenced up to protect it now.
When I read through my list of recommended restaurants, Kate lit up at the thought of going to Loquita. She said it's one of her favorites and had only been a couple time before. We were lucky enough to get a same-day reservation, so we arrived at 4:30 for a dining room table. They have great patio seating too, if you can score a reservation at one of those tables.
Loquita is a Spanish restaurant, and I was excited to try their menu and compare to some of the food I had in Spain last year.
It was good! I wouldn't say it was life changing, and it was certainly pricey. I thought the paella was a little burnt on the bottom, to be honest. But it was good and exciting and fresh and the restaurant was beautiful with great service. After dinner we walked all the way back up State Street and stopped in lots more shops along the way. I saw the grand Granada Theater and thought it would be fun to see a production there some time.
That wraps up my first full day in Santa Barbara!
Continuing my Saturday reporting, after Secret Bao, we stopped in The Book Den book store. I like to look for a souvenir book set in the city I'm visiting, but I didn't find anything I wanted. We walked over to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. I love how close all of these stops were to each other. Made for a delightful afternoon of strolling.
It cost $15 to visit the museum. It's small, but feels grand and well done. I enjoyed the exhibitions. They had ofrendas set up throughout the galleries, which added a lot of color and festivity. They told us the next day, Sunday, there would be a big procession outside of the museum and free entry for a Day of the Dead celebration. Be sure to go to the gift shop after visiting the museum. That's one of my favorite things to do. I always find a few things to take home.
After our museum visit, we were now on State Street, where there are SO MANY fun shops and restaurants. It's a pedestrian-only street, so you can really just wander and hit up whatever interests you.
I loved seeing all the Bird of Paradise plants. We went into a fun consignment shop that sold all kinds of women's costume apparel and secondhand designer stuff. I checked out Anderson's Bakery that had been recommended to me. They let you sample their pastries! When we passed Lokum, I had to go in, because it had also been recommended to me. I bought a couple types of Turkish baklava. It was worth trying, but I probably wouldn't go back for more. My cousin recommended getting gelato at Tondi, and it was amazing! I would go back there in a heartbeat. The flavors I got were vanilla cream and chocolate hazelnut. They had so many options that looked amazing and lots of vegan options too.
We wandered and wandered until we made our way towards our very early dinner reservation. We stopped at the Santa Barbara train station and wandered over to the Moreton Bay fig tree, which is behind fences, and I wouldn't have known it was there without Kate showing it to me. It is believed to be the largest of that species in the United States. I think it's fenced up to protect it now.
When I read through my list of recommended restaurants, Kate lit up at the thought of going to Loquita. She said it's one of her favorites and had only been a couple time before. We were lucky enough to get a same-day reservation, so we arrived at 4:30 for a dining room table. They have great patio seating too, if you can score a reservation at one of those tables.
Loquita is a Spanish restaurant, and I was excited to try their menu and compare to some of the food I had in Spain last year.
It was good! I wouldn't say it was life changing, and it was certainly pricey. I thought the paella was a little burnt on the bottom, to be honest. But it was good and exciting and fresh and the restaurant was beautiful with great service. After dinner we walked all the way back up State Street and stopped in lots more shops along the way. I saw the grand Granada Theater and thought it would be fun to see a production there some time.
That wraps up my first full day in Santa Barbara!
Nov 6th, 2024, 04:56 PM
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Wow, lots of great responses from American Riveria enthusiasts! Thanks for sharing.
Continuing my Saturday reporting, after Secret Bao, we stopped in The Book Den book store. I like to look for a souvenir book set in the city I'm visiting, but I didn't find anything I wanted. We walked over to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. I love how close all of these stops were to each other. Made for a delightful afternoon of strolling.
It cost $15 to visit the museum. It's small, but feels grand and well done. I enjoyed the exhibitions. They had ofrendas set up throughout the galleries, which added a lot of color and festivity. They told us the next day, Sunday, there would be a big procession outside of the museum and free entry for a Day of the Dead celebration. Be sure to go to the gift shop after visiting the museum. That's one of my favorite things to do. I always find a few things to take home.
After our museum visit, we were now on State Street, where there are SO MANY fun shops and restaurants. It's a pedestrian-only street, so you can really just wander and hit up whatever interests you.
I loved seeing all the Bird of Paradise plants. We went into a fun consignment shop that sold all kinds of women's costume apparel and secondhand designer stuff. I checked out Anderson's Bakery that had been recommended to me. They let you sample their pastries! When we passed Lokum, I had to go in, because it had also been recommended to me. I bought a couple types of Turkish baklava. It was worth trying, but I probably wouldn't go back for more. My cousin recommended getting gelato at Tondi, and it was amazing! I would go back there in a heartbeat. The flavors I got were vanilla cream and chocolate hazelnut. They had so many options that looked amazing and lots of vegan options too.
We wandered and wandered until we made our way towards our very early dinner reservation. We stopped at the Santa Barbara train station and wandered over to the Moreton Bay fig tree, which is behind fences, and I wouldn't have known it was there without Kate showing it to me. It is believed to be the largest of that species in the United States. I think it's fenced up to protect it now.
When I read through my list of recommended restaurants, Kate lit up at the thought of going to Loquita. She said it's one of her favorites and had only been a couple time before. We were lucky enough to get a same-day reservation, so we arrived at 4:30 for a dining room table. They have great patio seating too, if you can score a reservation at one of those tables.
Loquita is a Spanish restaurant, and I was excited to try their menu and compare to some of the food I had in Spain last year.
It was good! I wouldn't say it was life changing, and it was certainly pricey. I thought the paella was a little burnt on the bottom, to be honest. But it was good and exciting and fresh and the restaurant was beautiful with great service. After dinner we walked all the way back up State Street and stopped in lots more shops along the way. I saw the grand Granada Theater and thought it would be fun to see a production there some time.
That wraps up my first full day in Santa Barbara!
Continuing my Saturday reporting, after Secret Bao, we stopped in The Book Den book store. I like to look for a souvenir book set in the city I'm visiting, but I didn't find anything I wanted. We walked over to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. I love how close all of these stops were to each other. Made for a delightful afternoon of strolling.
It cost $15 to visit the museum. It's small, but feels grand and well done. I enjoyed the exhibitions. They had ofrendas set up throughout the galleries, which added a lot of color and festivity. They told us the next day, Sunday, there would be a big procession outside of the museum and free entry for a Day of the Dead celebration. Be sure to go to the gift shop after visiting the museum. That's one of my favorite things to do. I always find a few things to take home.
After our museum visit, we were now on State Street, where there are SO MANY fun shops and restaurants. It's a pedestrian-only street, so you can really just wander and hit up whatever interests you.
I loved seeing all the Bird of Paradise plants. We went into a fun consignment shop that sold all kinds of women's costume apparel and secondhand designer stuff. I checked out Anderson's Bakery that had been recommended to me. They let you sample their pastries! When we passed Lokum, I had to go in, because it had also been recommended to me. I bought a couple types of Turkish baklava. It was worth trying, but I probably wouldn't go back for more. My cousin recommended getting gelato at Tondi, and it was amazing! I would go back there in a heartbeat. The flavors I got were vanilla cream and chocolate hazelnut. They had so many options that looked amazing and lots of vegan options too.
We wandered and wandered until we made our way towards our very early dinner reservation. We stopped at the Santa Barbara train station and wandered over to the Moreton Bay fig tree, which is behind fences, and I wouldn't have known it was there without Kate showing it to me. It is believed to be the largest of that species in the United States. I think it's fenced up to protect it now.
When I read through my list of recommended restaurants, Kate lit up at the thought of going to Loquita. She said it's one of her favorites and had only been a couple time before. We were lucky enough to get a same-day reservation, so we arrived at 4:30 for a dining room table. They have great patio seating too, if you can score a reservation at one of those tables.
Loquita is a Spanish restaurant, and I was excited to try their menu and compare to some of the food I had in Spain last year.
It was good! I wouldn't say it was life changing, and it was certainly pricey. I thought the paella was a little burnt on the bottom, to be honest. But it was good and exciting and fresh and the restaurant was beautiful with great service. After dinner we walked all the way back up State Street and stopped in lots more shops along the way. I saw the grand Granada Theater and thought it would be fun to see a production there some time.
That wraps up my first full day in Santa Barbara!
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Nov 6th, 2024, 05:00 PM
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More interesting TR material from you Mag. Love the whale-with-the-sweater sign logo.
Did you happen to catch the 'Evening with Rick Steves' notice among your poster collage shot?
Where were you in Spain? We just returned 2 weeks ago.
I am done. the Cali coast
Did you happen to catch the 'Evening with Rick Steves' notice among your poster collage shot?
Where were you in Spain? We just returned 2 weeks ago.
I am done. the Cali coast
Nov 6th, 2024, 06:48 PM
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macdogmom You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful area. I can picture where you live because we drove through some of the beautiful neighborhoods between the Mission and Montecito. I also walked past many of the restaurants you mentioned. Good to know there are lots more options to try. I'm hoping these visits with my cousin can become a tradition. We're already talking about what to do next time.
zebec I didn't notice the Rick Steves poster! It looks like that event isn't until February of next year. Maybe during your trip to SB? I went to Barcelona, the Costa Brave, up into France for a day, and to Mallorca last year. It was heaven on earth.
zebec I didn't notice the Rick Steves poster! It looks like that event isn't until February of next year. Maybe during your trip to SB? I went to Barcelona, the Costa Brave, up into France for a day, and to Mallorca last year. It was heaven on earth.
Nov 6th, 2024, 07:02 PM
#11
For a visit outside of winter, check for anything on at the Santa Barbara Bowl. Sofi Tukker is closing the 2024 season on Nov. 7th. The 2025 season will start in April.
It's a lovely venue, and we've seen some great performances over the years.
https://sbbowl.com/images/made/db9ba...0_600_s_c1.jpg
It's a lovely venue, and we've seen some great performances over the years.
https://sbbowl.com/images/made/db9ba...0_600_s_c1.jpg
Nov 6th, 2024, 07:30 PM
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Sunday morning I went to church with my cousin and then we came home and changed and headed towards the beach. We got lunch at East Beach Tacos. It was so good!
Then we walked towards the water and the Sunday Arts and Crafts show among the palm trees.
I thought I'd buy a souvenir here but didn't end up committing to anything. There was a lot of nice stuff, though. We walked to Sterns Wharf, and I didn't take any photos of that! We made a spur of the moment decision to see how much the Lil' Toot boat ride cost. Only $10! It's a water taxi that takes you from the wharf to the pier (or marina area). They make it fun with music and take you out to see Sea Lions and drive you through the marina to look at all the expensive boats. I think it's an inexpensive way to get out on the water and would be fun for kids too.
Lots of pelicans too.
We docked at the pier, and you can walk around the boats. This is where the Maritime Museum is. We didn't go, but I've heard great things about it. A tip is there's an elevator near the admission desk for the museum where you can take it up to an observation deck. It's a visitor center with a ranger who will chat with you about anything you want to know. There are outdoor sofas on a deck and you can sit and watch the boats and people watch. It was empty when we were there. I think it's a great place to check out that people might not know about.
We walked out along the Harbor walk and even to the Point Castillo breaker path. I tight-rope walked along that path for a bit, but turned around before going the whole way.
Then once again, we walked all the way back to the car. The night was still young, so we drove through some incredible neighborhoods and also stopped at Chaucer's Books, which is a popular independent bookstore in SB. We had dinner at home. I'm also including some of the pretty avocado and citrus trees in my cousin's yard. There was one mandarin orange tree with mostly green oranges on it. There were a couple at the very top that were orange and looked a little overripe. I picked them and ate them and they were delicious!
Then we walked towards the water and the Sunday Arts and Crafts show among the palm trees.
I thought I'd buy a souvenir here but didn't end up committing to anything. There was a lot of nice stuff, though. We walked to Sterns Wharf, and I didn't take any photos of that! We made a spur of the moment decision to see how much the Lil' Toot boat ride cost. Only $10! It's a water taxi that takes you from the wharf to the pier (or marina area). They make it fun with music and take you out to see Sea Lions and drive you through the marina to look at all the expensive boats. I think it's an inexpensive way to get out on the water and would be fun for kids too.
Lots of pelicans too.
We docked at the pier, and you can walk around the boats. This is where the Maritime Museum is. We didn't go, but I've heard great things about it. A tip is there's an elevator near the admission desk for the museum where you can take it up to an observation deck. It's a visitor center with a ranger who will chat with you about anything you want to know. There are outdoor sofas on a deck and you can sit and watch the boats and people watch. It was empty when we were there. I think it's a great place to check out that people might not know about.
We walked out along the Harbor walk and even to the Point Castillo breaker path. I tight-rope walked along that path for a bit, but turned around before going the whole way.
Then once again, we walked all the way back to the car. The night was still young, so we drove through some incredible neighborhoods and also stopped at Chaucer's Books, which is a popular independent bookstore in SB. We had dinner at home. I'm also including some of the pretty avocado and citrus trees in my cousin's yard. There was one mandarin orange tree with mostly green oranges on it. There were a couple at the very top that were orange and looked a little overripe. I picked them and ate them and they were delicious!
Nov 7th, 2024, 07:57 AM
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It’s south of us and happily winds have died down today. Hope they can contain and put it out soon. Fall is our fire season and unfortunately we don’t get much rain until later in the winter and it hasn’t rained here in any appreciable measure since last spring.
Nov 7th, 2024, 11:50 AM
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Mag, thx also for that pair of bookstore reccos - Mrs Z had just inquired of me whether I'm across any during research.
Picking produce fresh from a tree, doesn't get any better!
Btw, we once honeymooned all across Utah.
Your uni basketball coach Mike Matheson was our fearless guide. Great guy, nephew of your former Governor.
I am done. the lil Toot
Picking produce fresh from a tree, doesn't get any better!
Btw, we once honeymooned all across Utah.
Your uni basketball coach Mike Matheson was our fearless guide. Great guy, nephew of your former Governor.
I am done. the lil Toot
Nov 7th, 2024, 01:19 PM
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Monday was our "further afield" day, and actually turned out to be my favorite day. I wanted to see a little of Montecito, so we drove around some of the neighborhoods. We stopped at Butterfly Beach. It was neat to see the grey, foggy weather that morning.
I wanted to visit Godmothers bookstore in Summerland. It opened this fall and locals Oprah and Megan Markle spoke at the opening events. I read that Oprah gave the suggestion for the name of the bookstore. "Godmothers are the loving presence in your life who are there by choice. They are our constant cheerleading section, watering the magic seeds within us, pioneering and lighting the path before us." The store was really nice and had a great mix of contemporary literature, classics, and a great vintage selection too. There's a cafe on one side of the building, but we didn't eat there.
Nearby are several more cute shops and stores. I like the one called Farm to Paper. I'd been looking everywhere for the perfect Christmas tree ornament to represent my travels to Santa Barbara, and I found a unique handmade one there. There was a pomegranate tree out front and a really cute farmer's market stand. We bought slices of apple tarte there that was so delicious!
We asked the sales lady at Farm to Paper for lunch recommendations. She listed a few options and we settled on Fort and Field. I'm so glad we did, because it was my favorite meal of the whole trip! The cafe there is simple. You order at a counter and go find a table to sit at nearby. They have some around the building near a fountain and some across the parking lot in the midst of orange trees. I got a roast beef sandwich and a cup of sausage, kale, and potato soup. It was all so delicious. The store inside is immaculate with beautiful home goods. I found one little treasure to take home for my kitchen.
We then kept driving to Carpinteria. We spent some time at the State Beach there, which was beautiful and well-kept. Afterwards we explored the town and found more great shopping and treats.
My cousin recommended this ice cream place called Rori's. She likes it better than McConnell's, so we had to compare. I agree this place was amazing. We both got the lemon curd mini ice cream cone.
I found my favorite shopping spot of the whole trip--a boutique called Carpinteria Beach Company on Linden Avenue. I spent a chunk of change on pretty things. The sales lady was so sweet and good at her job! ha ha. I'd also read about the popular Robitaille's candy store, which we walked past, but it was closed. This was a Monday, so we expected to find some things closed. It would be fun to visit if you're ever in that area.
So this was pretty much a perfect day of beaches, shopping, good food. It was still early afternoon when we headed back to Santa Barbara, so I'll share the remaining adventures of the day in my next post, which will probably be the last.
I wanted to visit Godmothers bookstore in Summerland. It opened this fall and locals Oprah and Megan Markle spoke at the opening events. I read that Oprah gave the suggestion for the name of the bookstore. "Godmothers are the loving presence in your life who are there by choice. They are our constant cheerleading section, watering the magic seeds within us, pioneering and lighting the path before us." The store was really nice and had a great mix of contemporary literature, classics, and a great vintage selection too. There's a cafe on one side of the building, but we didn't eat there.
Nearby are several more cute shops and stores. I like the one called Farm to Paper. I'd been looking everywhere for the perfect Christmas tree ornament to represent my travels to Santa Barbara, and I found a unique handmade one there. There was a pomegranate tree out front and a really cute farmer's market stand. We bought slices of apple tarte there that was so delicious!
We asked the sales lady at Farm to Paper for lunch recommendations. She listed a few options and we settled on Fort and Field. I'm so glad we did, because it was my favorite meal of the whole trip! The cafe there is simple. You order at a counter and go find a table to sit at nearby. They have some around the building near a fountain and some across the parking lot in the midst of orange trees. I got a roast beef sandwich and a cup of sausage, kale, and potato soup. It was all so delicious. The store inside is immaculate with beautiful home goods. I found one little treasure to take home for my kitchen.
We then kept driving to Carpinteria. We spent some time at the State Beach there, which was beautiful and well-kept. Afterwards we explored the town and found more great shopping and treats.
My cousin recommended this ice cream place called Rori's. She likes it better than McConnell's, so we had to compare. I agree this place was amazing. We both got the lemon curd mini ice cream cone.
I found my favorite shopping spot of the whole trip--a boutique called Carpinteria Beach Company on Linden Avenue. I spent a chunk of change on pretty things. The sales lady was so sweet and good at her job! ha ha. I'd also read about the popular Robitaille's candy store, which we walked past, but it was closed. This was a Monday, so we expected to find some things closed. It would be fun to visit if you're ever in that area.
So this was pretty much a perfect day of beaches, shopping, good food. It was still early afternoon when we headed back to Santa Barbara, so I'll share the remaining adventures of the day in my next post, which will probably be the last.
Nov 7th, 2024, 02:44 PM
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After our day driving through Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria, we headed back to Santa Barbara. It was still afternoon, so we decided to go back to State Street and try the ice cream at McConnell's. It's popular for a reason! I liked it. I think the flavors I tried were churro and caramel brownie. If I had to choose between Tondi's, Rori's, and McConnell's, I think I would just be sure to revisit all of them again, in that same order. Tondi's is the most decadent because it's thicker gelato. Rori's is organic and refreshing and delicious. McConnell's had that homemade taste and great flavor options.
We still had the whole evening ahead of us, so Kate took me to Hendry's Beach, which was so beautiful. I think it was the best of all the beaches I saw.
That wraps up most of my visit to Santa Barbara. If there had been more time and energy, I'd have liked to go to the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens and check out a few more restaurants, like Broad Street Oyster Co. and fish tacos at On The Alley. I also would really like to visit Lotusland. It books out several months in advance. This is one thing that Kate and I want to do next time I visit.
Tuesday morning we stayed home and grabbed a farewell lunch at Sun Sushi. It was good, fine. Seemed a little overpriced and not that much better than many other sushi places I've been to, even here in Utah. Then it was a quick drop-off at the Santa Barbara airport, which is charming with only 5 gates. I understand it used to be even smaller. It was a wonderful vacation and something to mark off my bucket list. I hope my experience can be helpful to anyone else planning a visit to Santa Barbara!
We still had the whole evening ahead of us, so Kate took me to Hendry's Beach, which was so beautiful. I think it was the best of all the beaches I saw.
That wraps up most of my visit to Santa Barbara. If there had been more time and energy, I'd have liked to go to the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens and check out a few more restaurants, like Broad Street Oyster Co. and fish tacos at On The Alley. I also would really like to visit Lotusland. It books out several months in advance. This is one thing that Kate and I want to do next time I visit.
Tuesday morning we stayed home and grabbed a farewell lunch at Sun Sushi. It was good, fine. Seemed a little overpriced and not that much better than many other sushi places I've been to, even here in Utah. Then it was a quick drop-off at the Santa Barbara airport, which is charming with only 5 gates. I understand it used to be even smaller. It was a wonderful vacation and something to mark off my bucket list. I hope my experience can be helpful to anyone else planning a visit to Santa Barbara!
Nov 8th, 2024, 07:46 AM
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I love the airport here although its destinations are limited and one usually has to go to a bigger hub to get very far, But always preferable than driving to LAX! Looks like you did a wonderful tour of the area. Carpinteria is a charming old school beach town that has become very popular as prices keep going up in SB. Lots of restaurants opening up in Carp and three of my favorite places in SB are going into a small public market on Linden Ave. And definitely go to Lotusland if you come back. It’s stunning.
Nov 8th, 2024, 11:35 AM
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Mag, so where'd you go for that day in France? Just curious.
You had a good experience rendezvousing with your cousin. We have a similar consideration, albeit likely just for a day. My childhood best friend and his new wife operated a B&B in Paso Robles til recently. They still live there. We have not seen each other in decades and I am considering contacting him with a mind towards us all enjoying a lunch together down in say, SB, Goleta or Carp. But its complicated on several levels. His previous wife was our band's final singer, an award-winning talent (think Ann Wilson) who along with my above pal, moved from Toronto then joined a cult in Santa Monica back in '84. I dunno...
Macdog, today we have to choose between booking a future flight to that airport after arriving in LA or taking the Surfliner train up to SB. And then vice-versa. It is clearly more eco-friendly to do the latter so that's where we are leaning.
I am about to post a new thread asking for SB tips and advice, both from locals plus past visitors.
Please don't anyone here hesitate to weigh in.
I am done. the Cali coast
You had a good experience rendezvousing with your cousin. We have a similar consideration, albeit likely just for a day. My childhood best friend and his new wife operated a B&B in Paso Robles til recently. They still live there. We have not seen each other in decades and I am considering contacting him with a mind towards us all enjoying a lunch together down in say, SB, Goleta or Carp. But its complicated on several levels. His previous wife was our band's final singer, an award-winning talent (think Ann Wilson) who along with my above pal, moved from Toronto then joined a cult in Santa Monica back in '84. I dunno...
Macdog, today we have to choose between booking a future flight to that airport after arriving in LA or taking the Surfliner train up to SB. And then vice-versa. It is clearly more eco-friendly to do the latter so that's where we are leaning.
I am about to post a new thread asking for SB tips and advice, both from locals plus past visitors.
Please don't anyone here hesitate to weigh in.
I am done. the Cali coast
Nov 8th, 2024, 12:19 PM
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Mag, so where'd you go for that day in France? Just curious.
You had a good experience rendezvousing with your cousin. We have a similar consideration, albeit likely just for a day. My childhood best friend and his new wife operated a B&B in Paso Robles til recently. They still live there. We have not seen each other in decades and I am considering contacting him with a mind towards us all enjoying a lunch together down in say, SB, Goleta or Carp. But its complicated on several levels. His previous wife was our band's final singer, an award-winning talent (think Ann Wilson) who along with my above pal, moved from Toronto then joined a cult in Santa Monica back in '84. I dunno...
Macdog, today we have to choose between booking a future flight to that airport after arriving in LA or taking the Surfliner train up to SB. And then vice-versa. It is clearly more eco-friendly to do the latter so that's where we are leaning.
I am about to post a new thread asking for SB tips and advice, both from locals plus past visitors.
Please don't anyone here hesitate to weigh in.
I am done. the Cali coast
You had a good experience rendezvousing with your cousin. We have a similar consideration, albeit likely just for a day. My childhood best friend and his new wife operated a B&B in Paso Robles til recently. They still live there. We have not seen each other in decades and I am considering contacting him with a mind towards us all enjoying a lunch together down in say, SB, Goleta or Carp. But its complicated on several levels. His previous wife was our band's final singer, an award-winning talent (think Ann Wilson) who along with my above pal, moved from Toronto then joined a cult in Santa Monica back in '84. I dunno...
Macdog, today we have to choose between booking a future flight to that airport after arriving in LA or taking the Surfliner train up to SB. And then vice-versa. It is clearly more eco-friendly to do the latter so that's where we are leaning.
I am about to post a new thread asking for SB tips and advice, both from locals plus past visitors.
Please don't anyone here hesitate to weigh in.
I am done. the Cali coast
Paso Robles is about 2 1/2 hours away so it’s a bit of a long trip for lunch.
