Off to Santa Barbara we go! After a beautiful run in their cute town of Camarillo, Val and I set out for another Californian adventure! Her Steve told us about an authentic Spanish food stand in Santa Barbara, so that's where we luncheoned! The Spanish settled California first, so that's definitely an authentic taste of the area.
The place was called... something I can't remember... and it was this cash-only, hole-in-the-wall type of place you'd only find if you were looking for it--which, of course, is usually a good sign of the type of authenticity you're hoping for! I don't remember the names of what we got, but here it is:
I think that's a beef taco and cheese sauce, which also came with tortillas, and the red stuff is watermelon water
The one on the left is a tamale, and the stuff with the white sauce was good, but shall remain nameless because I don't remember the name!
We left full and happy! Now, onward to the Santa Barbara Courthouse! Why are we excited about a courthouse? because it's the most elaborate, beautiful, classic courthouses in the country. People get married there (and not just a civil ceremony), it's one of the top attractions, and even though it was constructed in 1929, it was intentionally built to reflect the original Spanish culture. The murals on the walls are stunning, and the decor and building materials make you think you've stepped into Spain! Please see the pictures in the link at the end of this post.
Val and I went all the way up to the top of the tower in the courthouse, and though it was overcast and chilly, we got some great views! You can see the Pacific from there, and on the other side you can see the mountains. California has a little bit of everything!
And off we went to wander on! The sun came out and made the whole day warmer and even more beautiful. The streets of the downtown area, particularly State Street, are populated with cute boutique shops and restaurants. There are elaborate old theaters, still operating, and the city has done a beautiful job of landscaping! The Birds of Paradise flowers are my favorite:
Aren't they fun!
We found a cute coffee shop that does latte art and makes their pop tarts in-house, which is pretty cool, so we needed to stop in and taste what that's all about! There's a little area just off the main street with cute restaurants, shops, fountains, and statues, so we played around with them as well. One of the statues actually moves and plays music! I got my picture with Ben Franklin and the Declaration of Independence (I can't get away from the 18th century revolutionary stuff! Not that I want to!), and Val got a picture of her pointing to the CORRECT place of a dolphin's blowhole. See the pictures in the link below! ;)
By mid-afternoon, we thought we'd better go see some ocean and then head out to the desert for hiking before the rains started up again. We drove to the Four Seasons, which is a stunning venue all on its own, and looked around in there for a bit. And just across the street is Butterfly Beach! Santa Barbara's coastline actually points south, whereas most of California's coastline looks westward, so it was interesting knowing that and getting ourselves oriented that way! It was windy, but the sun had warmed things up considerably, and sound of the ocean was like sweet, warm music. Could it possibly be January? The sand was still wet from high tide and the morning rain, and there were only a few people out on the beach. It was peaceful, and beautiful, and wonderful. I can't wait to go back!
Off to Ojai! Ojai is a truly adorable little town in the desert. We took a windy, mountainous road to get there, with views of a lake and the sinking sun. It's a whole different kind of beautiful! The clouds had come back by the time we arrived, and it had already started sprinkling, so we opted to walk around the cute shops in town instead of going for a hike and risk getting caught in a storm! People there are so friendly! The buildings on the main street are Spanish-inspired, and I'm sure several of them have actually been there for many decades.
Night fell and we were ready to get home! Val took us home a different way, one that included a lovely view of the Pacific. We arrived back in Camarillo just as the sun was setting. The clouds had lifted, the rain had stopped, and as we drove up, and up, and up the hill, we saw the Channel Islands in the distance! Val stopped so we could get some pictures, and they were totally worth the wait! The last few mornings had been foggy, so the Islands in the distance didn't show up well until now. And how beautiful with the pink, orange, yellow, and red sunset as a backdrop!
But the best was yet to come. While I was sorry to leave Val, and I was so thankful for her and Steve's hospitality, I was looking forward to getting home to see Steve when he picked me up at the airport. I hadn't heard from him all afternoon, but I figured he was working hard and trying to get some things accomplished, taking advantage of not having me there to distract him. But I got a very suspicious series of texts...
Steve: Did you get upgraded tomorrow? Should be easy to check upgrade list on your phone. I'm curious.
Whit: Doesn't look like it. Seat is 30A.
Steve: Interesting. Do you have the [United Airlines] app on your phone? You can check the upgrade list for your name and number.
Whit: Looks like I'm #2 in line for an upgrade. They've already upgraded 12 people, and there's still one person ahead of me.
Steve: Anything else interesting about the list?
Whit: There's an OHA, S under my name...?
Steve O'HAlek: Wow, what a coincidence!
Whit: Weird.
Steve: I'm at SFO [San Francisco airport]. I decided to meet you in BUR [Burbank airport] tomorrow at 6:00am instead of IAD [DC Airport] at 7:00pm.
And that's when I called him! That is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me, and I get to marry that man! He'd been planning it for a week and a half, and he absolutely achieved the surprise! Val took me to the airport very early the next morning, and there he was! All the way in California, just to pick me up! That definitely made the trip home more fun and exciting. I love that man!
So there's the exciting tale! I miss Val already, but I'll be back out there soon! Thanks for the memories!
Santa Barbara: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100204097444408.1073741846.52700845&type=1&l=67c2aabf2f
