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Santa Barbara 2008.

Published 28 September 2008 by matthew | | E-mail this post

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.