 Tanya's Daily Scoop Covering the West Coast & the World CURRENTLY IN: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |  Elisa's Daily Scoop Covering Long Island and NYC's Outer Boroughs CURRENTLY IN: LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK |
Driving through Santa Barbara, CA (c) travelincousins.com
| Hello out there. I'm so sorry that I've been MIA since getting back to SoCal. My days have felt like marathons from an early start to a late finish of non-stop doing things and running around. And then yesterday not so bright and early - because in all actuality it was dark and early as we were back on the road and heading to Fairfield, CA.  It was only a one nighter but there was plenty to do up around the Bay Area. This 6 hour drive is like the quiet before the storm. I have quite a number of things to take care of (work wise) once I get up there that I'll hardly have a minute to pick up my head and look up. In more fun news, I woke up a few mornings ago and saw a picture of the National Park of American Samoa.  Credit: nps.gov Of course I got to thinking as to just how lovely this looks and then one thing led to the next and now I'm thinking of perhaps going there in 2021 and adding an exciting island voyage to America Samoa onto my Hawaii Vacation - that I am currently working on. Another few trips that I have yet to add to my calendar are a Mother/Daughter trip to Chicago. And a couple of Mountain Biking trips to Moab and to Southern Oregon. Well, my day and night got a little crazy, frustrating and long...very long. Turns out that the fuel gage wasn’t reading accurately and we ran out of gas on the freeway late at night. Fortunately we have roadside assistance. However we still sat for almost 2hs waiting for help. I’ll let you in on a little secret...I was not a happy camper. I was quite upset and rather impatient as I was waiting. Checking into my hotel and going to sleep around 3a. And then this morning happened. All I wanted was to stick to my schedule, have a smooth day and get home at a reasonable time. I guess that was asking too much since I happen to still be in San Francisco right now and the minivan I was suppose to go back in was officially missing! These are my not-so-fun-adventures. Maybe I’ll have a boring day tomorrow. Cheers, -Travelin’ Tanya | Howdy!! Pretty sure the warm weather may be over - it's a brisk 36 degrees at the time of this writing! And what I can say with all certainty is that I'M LOVIN" THE CHILLY WEATHER!!  (c) travelincousins.com Suited up in my North Face jacket, I headed out for an invigorating walk this morning. Between the warm sun shining down and the cool air, I'm happy to say that my day was off to a good start!!  Bright sun - Chilly Air (c) travelincousins.com  Had my shadow to keep me company! (c) travelincousins.com Walking-wise, I've been averaging 3-1/2 miles daily. Of course there are the days when I hit the 5 or 6 mile mark, but today was not one of them. Tanya was back on the road yesterday and today heading north to Fairfield, CA, and we happened to chat with each other just as she was passing through Santa Barbara. If you haven't visited this coastal city, you might want to put it on your travel list. Located approximately 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles, the city is promoted as the "American Riviera", because of its rather Mediteranean climate, Santa Barbara lies between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. As a result of its lovely weather, it is a year-round tourist destination renowned for its downtown beaches, and Spanish architecture. Tourism makes up more than one billion dollars per year for the local economy, If you can believe it, evidence of human habitation of the area begins at least 13,000 years ago. According to Erwin Gustav Gudde, in California Place Names, "in 1602, Spanish maritime explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno gave the name "Santa Barbara" to the channel."  Santa Barbara Harbor (c) travelincousins.com There are a number of buildings within the city worthy of visiting that reflect the Spanish settlement history that dates back to the 18th century and this is evident by Santa Barbara's dominant Spanish Colonial Revival and the related Mission Revival architectural styles. The first permanent European residents were Spanish missionaries and soldiers under Felipe de Neve, who arrived to the area in 1782. The Presidio of Santa Barbara was built in this same year to fortify the region against expansion by other countries including England and Russia, The Presidio Chapel, built at the same time, which grew into the Apostolic College of Our Lady of Sorrows, now Our Lady of Sorrows Church. The present church, consecrated on the 147th anniversary of the founding of the presidio on April 21, 1929, remains one of the most beautiful churches in California. Mission Santa Barbara, "The Queen of the Missions," is located on a rise about two miles inland from the harbor, and is an active Franciscan mission and place of worship, sightseeing stop, and national historic landmark.  (c) travelincousins.com If you plan your visit over Memorial Day weekend, you can enjoy the annual chalk-art festival known as I Madonnari, with works of art created on the asphalt in front of the mission, and food stalls set up and music. Other tourist attractions include The Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a red tiled Spanish-Moorish structure, provides a view of the downtown area from its open air tower. Santa Barbara Harbor and the waterfront is both a place to take in the scenic view as well as a destination for a variety of activities. From boat rentals, kayaks, Stand Up Paddleboards (SUPs), jet skis, and sunbathing on the beach, to a Maritime Museum, restaurants, deep sea fishing, scuba diving, a water taxi, and whale watching, there is no shortage of things to do. Stearns Wharf, located in the harbor became the longest deep-water pier between Los Angeles and San Francisco when it was built in 1872. Named for its builder, local lumberman John P. Stearns, the wharf served the passenger and freight shipping needs of California's South Coast for over a quarter century. The city also has a plethora of festivals and annual events that include:
Lots of fun!! On this note, I'm going to sign off for today. -Cheers, -Travelin' Elisa xoxo |
