California Love, Part 1. Can I go back already??

The hubs and I have travelled through California several times to fly on to Australia, Asia and Hawaii. A couple of years ago we spent a few days in LA (I LOVED it - had the FULL LA experience, including a cameo on the Jay Leno show! ;) and we will be back in LA in September, but that's about the extent of my California knowledge. Last week/weekend we had the opportunity to spend 5 days/4 nights in Santa Barbara and, seriously, I would move there in a heartbeat (sorry Louisville! xoxo). It was such a SMALL town and would be an awesome place to raise a family. After a ridiculous travel day full of mishaps, we wound up driving around at 3am trying to find a bottle of contact solution (our bags were lost). Everything was closed and dark. We pulled into a gas station and when hubs asked for a Rite Aid or something the attendant said, uh, this is SANTA BARBARA? Like we were crazy for thinking ANYTHING would be open 24 hours! LOL!

Freaky terrain over Denver:

Due to the mentioned travel mess, we drove from LAX to SB in the wee hours of morning dark and kept guessing where the water was/wasn't. I'm sure this is a gorgeous drive if you can see it! We checked in at the fabulous Fess Parker Resort and were THRILLED to wake up and find this view from our room's lanai:

The resort from the outside looking in:

Ahh... palm trees always make travel craziness worthwhile. At this point we had been in the same clothes that we left our house in for over 24 hours (3 flights, rental car, night in bed, still going) and weren't sure our bags would EVER arrive. They did, thank goodness, later that evening, but at least I had chosen my travel clothes wisely and had something cute to wear, even if I had nothing clean and no hair or makeup stuff. Walking around I soon found that the homeless population here is massive and the local non-homeless people look a little homeless, too. When I got stopped a couple of times and asked for directions, I figured that I looked just right! LOL! Here's what turned out to be the perfect travel outfit/made me look like a local:

C & C California tie dye maxi dress, Juicy Couture velour hoodie, Havaianas flip flops and a hilarious tote from Thursday Friday that looks like a Balenciaga.


Don't know much (anything) about bike racing, but there was an Amgen race the first day we were in SB? Our hotel parking lot was full of team vehicles, people signing autographs, etc.? Who knows. It was interesting, though.

The whole town was so beautiful and was so, so walkable. We walked everywhere!

 

Loved this shrimpy little palm tree:

We had our first dinner out at a hole in the wall that a local friend recommended, La Super Rica. Uh, it was basically a cash only walkup shack and there were entrees on the menu that were $1.55, so I was admittedly a little apprehensive. Food was GOOD, though! I said "gracias" when the man gave me my change and the hubs laughed and said the guy wasn't even Mexican. I still think he was, and I was just trying to be polite! LOL!

And, finally, our bags arrived! Woot! LOL! More on California to come over the next few days! :)

Clean CLOTHESSSSS! Yippee!!!!