the (re)public house | Brewed according to the Rheinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516.

28 September 2008

Santa Barbara 2008.

Published by matthew @ 14:01 | | permalink & email

Katie and I recently returned from our first trip to Santa Barbara. Our first...of many more to come. Santa Barbara quickly took place in our hearts as our favorite city in the United States, and we're going to make this a regular escape for us. It is that perfect blend of mountains, ocean, and town. It is commonly referred to as "The American Rivera" and is amazingly European. With a population of 89,000 in Santa Barbara, it is a small town, but a very nice one, no doubt. Next to Santa Barbara, you'll discover Montecito, which is where Katie almost clipped John Stamos in our grossly embarrassing gangster car rental (Chrysler 300). We had a great time of just hanging around, walking, sipping coffee, and dining. We did see a movie, which is rare for the two of us, but we watched it in The Arlington Theatre, which is absolutely amazing. Click the link and look at their banner to see a picture of the inside - it looks like you're in an outdoor theatre. It is actually very believable. The best dinner we had was our last night at Bouchon Santa Barbara, an excellent French inspired restuarant that was a Giada pick and is famous for their wine, listed as a top restaurant in the country by Wine Spectator. The food was absolutely splendid, the highest of excellence. It was a great way to end what was a perfect week.

Door of the Episcopal Church, right by our house.

Katie & I eating at The Boathouse. Excellent breakfast. We ate there twice, in fact.

The Mission. Later in the week, we saw a wedding held here.

View of the Mission from the gardens in front of the house I wanted to buy. It already sold.

The house is furthest to the right. Notice the park with rose gardens.

This is State Street. It's perfect.

View from atop Town Hall.

And another.

And another...with us.

Inside Town Hall.

Still Town Hall, this time with Katie.

If you live in Santa Barbara, I think you need a boat. A nice one is preferable.

Katie by Lake Cachuma, on our way to the wine country in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Luckily, we happened to also catch Danish Days in Solvang.

A Viking, circa AD 2008 California.

Solvang is a Danish town.

On our way back into Santa Barbara, we stopped of at Cold Spring Tavern to eat with bikers.

Though it looks cloudy, it has only rained once in Santa Barbara this year. The weather forecast is always the same: Perfect.

I'm contemplating the Pacific Ocean.

Below, you can make out The Boathouse, restaurant of choice. A Giada pick.

Beauty with a backdrop of beauty.

I guess this picture was to show that you can park at The Boathouse. Who knows.

The house we stayed in was very cute. It is owned by an artist and an architect, so you know...

The main room opens up to a courtyard...

...where we were often joined by Bootsie.

24 September 2008

Today.

Published by matthew @ 19:47 | | permalink & email

McCain suspended his campaign in order to return to Washington and help the country work through the current financial situation. He is basically going to back to work and serving the country as he has his whole career...both in military and in politics. Obama, however, is staying on his personal mission of speaking ambiguous messages of hope and change. McCain, however, as complementary of his past experience, is actually working on bringing this nation hope and change in the face of its current circumstance. Obama is being consistent with his entire political career - lending nothing to legislation, leadership, or progress within the confines of the Senate. Changing nothing, absent except when voting "present," and building celebrity through inspiring, ear-tickling words spoken from a hollow frame standing on a foundation of sand. McCain, however, is doing what he always has - putting action to his words. Country first.

11 September 2008

Dear Mr. Obama.

Published by matthew @ 17:22 | | permalink & email

09 September 2008

Welcome to the Republican Party.

Published by matthew @ 10:42 | | permalink & email

I got this story emailed to me from Katie the other day. I'm not sure if this has historical referent or was just written as fiction, but either way, the point is great.

Lesson Learned!

I was talking to the little girl of a friend of mine the other day who said she wanted to be President some day.

Both of her parents, who are liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, 'If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?'

She replied, 'I'd give houses to all the homeless people.'

'Wow - what a worthy goal,' I told her, 'but you don't have to wait until you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward a new house.'

She thought that over for a few seconds… because she's only 6.

And while her Mom glared at me, the little girl looked me straight in the eye and asked, 'Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?' and I said:

'Welcome to the Republican Party.'

Her folks still aren't talking to me.