Goleta

hedThumb_sm_543 Goleta, adjacent to University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) and home to the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, hugs the coast about 12 miles west of Santa Barbara. The Spaniards initially named the place "The Good Land", but the official name changed to Goleta after a schooner with the same moniker arrived here in 1822.

Sniff. Is that the scent of lemon you detect wafting through the air? Yep. Lemon orchards once dominated the landscape; they're still here, and Goleta celebrates those lemons in a big way during the California Lemon Festival in October. Lemons aren't the only produce that's fêted in Goleta. A cornucopia of culinary delights is harvested from Goleta's fertile farms and sustainable gardens and served up in area restaurants and local farmers' markets year round. Wash it all down with locally brewed beers at Hollister Brewing Company, a big player in Santa Barbara's burgeoning microbrew scene. Head for Goleta for outdoor adventures: Fish on the pier, surf at Campus Point, kayak and spot wildlife in the Goleta Slough, and hike on the bluffs above miles of beaches. Kids - take your parents to the Goleta Valley Depot and Railroad Museum to ride a miniature train, and walk the grounds around Stow House, a restored 1890s Victorian.

When planning your stay in the Santa Barbara area, keep in mind that Goleta hotels deliver accommodations to meet any taste or budget, from luxury locations to the discount names you know and trust. With so many things to do and see along The American Riviera®, you're sure to be satisfied no matter where you stay.

Summerland

hedThumb_sm_554 The town's name says it all: it's a classic California beach town. Swing off the 101 at Evans Avenue, just a few miles south of Santa Barbara, to the coastal enclave nestled between verdant hillsides and sparkling beaches. Stroll along Lillie Avenue and browse for antiques or unique home furnishings. Fill up on omelets or burgers at a Summerland restaurant, and then shop for swimsuits and head for the beach! On the way, stop at blufftop Lookout Park, just above the waves, and take in the killer views

Solid Wood Furniture Design ideas, Stools Inspired by Chess Pieces?!

log furniture, stools inspired by chess pieces These solid wood furniture items are reminiscent of chess pieces, showing a creative interpretation of modern stools. The round geometric forms and simplicity of unfinished wood add a beautiful look to the seats, improving their functionality and allowing to add natural accents to interior decorating.

These stools come in various shapes that create a chess set of fabulous pieces. Designed by Giorgio Bonaguro, these unique furniture pieces reinvent stools, adding a storage spaces for magazines.

The Alfiere stool features an attractive form, interrupted by a large diagonal cut in solid wood piece which acts as a magazine rack. The Regina stool looks elegant, and the Pedone stool brings a simple round shaped into interior decorating.

Local Artisans Market

Artisans Market Every Friday afternoon at La Cumbre Plaza and every Saturday at the Goleta Valley Community Center, local artisans gather to sell hand-crafted, gourmet artisan foods, including fresh breads, baked treats, jams, snacks, and more.

Bill introduced in Congress for 1,400-acre Camp 4

A Northern California congressman has introduced a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to take the 1,400-acre “Camp 4” property in the Santa Ynez Valley into trust for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. While seeking to add the agricultural land at the northeast corner of highways 154 and 246 and Armour Ranch Road to the reservation as sovereign land rather than private property through the federal fee-to-trust process, the tribe has also sought acquisition through legislation in Congress.

If made part of the reservation, the land would become exempt from local and state taxes and local planning and zoning laws.

Purchased in April 2010 from Fess Parker Enterprises, the Camp 4 property, which is the size of Solvang, would be subdivided to solve a housing shortage on the reservation with the construction of 143 single-family homes on part of it.

Check Out 1 of My Awesome Sales From Last Week!

3052 Lucinda Lane, Santa Barbara

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Single level, well maintained, San Roque home. Large LR w/FP, built-ins, & big windows that allow for lots of light. Eat-in kitchen w/lots of cabinets. Formal DR w/sliders to back garden. Both bedrooms have good closet space. Nice size back garden w/covered patio. Attached 1-car garage with lots of storage. Listed For 659,000 SOLD FOR $690,000!

 

Jack Hanna: Into the Wild

Jack Hanna Into the Wild November 3, 2013

Host of the Emmy-winning TV series, Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild, and the new show, Jack Hanna’s Wild Countdown, "Jungle Jack"—America’s favorite zookeeper—comes to Santa Barbara for the first time. Listen as he recounts stories of globe-trotting exploration in search of amazing creatures!

Sample the award winning wines of some of California’s most popular vintners!

Sample the award winning wines of some of California’s most popular vintners!

  • May 02, 2013 - December 26, 2013
  • Recurrence: Recurring every 2 weeks on Thursday
  • Times: 10AM-2:30PM, actual times may vary, subject to availability
  • Admission: $119 per person includes transportation, tasting fees, and lunch.  Group rates available.

We’ll take care of all the details while you enjoy the heart of Santa Ynez wine country!  Transportation, wine-tasting fees, lunch, knowledgeable guide and discussion of wine making as well as natural & human history included. Actual dates may vary, minimum numbers required on all tours.

Enjoy a perfect pairing of exquisite wines and delicious cupcakes in Santa Ynez!

thumb_SBACo-CupcakeWine April 25, 2013 - December 26, 2013

Recurrence: Recurring every 2 weeks on Thursday

Times: 10AM-2:30PM, actual times may vary, subject to availability

Admission: $130 per person includes transportation, tasting fees, cupcake pairing and lunch - Groups of 6 or more $119 per person

Sample scrumptious, wine-infused cupcakes paired with some of the best wines in Santa Ynez!  Lunch is also included with this unique and tasty tour.  Actual dates may vary, minimum numbers required on all tours.  Perfect for special occasions and group rates are available!

Carpinteria

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Carp, as the locals call it, lies 12 miles southeast of Santa Barbara. The native Chumash used to build canoes here, using naturally seeping tar to seal the boats. When the Spaniards happened upon the boat builders in the late 1700s, they named the place carpinteria, or "carpentry shop."

Carpinteria is a quiet, coastal town with a charming main street peppered with family-owned restaurants and mom-and-pop shops. Stroll down the main drag, Linden Avenue, all the way to tranquil Carpinteria City Beach. Just a few steps down the sand, Carpinteria State Beach, known as the "World's Safest Beach," is bordered by the "Tar Pits," sticky embankments that the Chumash Indians used to waterproof their canoes. Farther south, visitors can walk across the bluffs and peer down to the harbor seal rookery where pups and their parents lounge on the beach.

For more outdoor adventure, drive just a couple miles south to Rincon Point, where you can watch surfers rip world-class waves. Then wind your way through the rural valley that stretches beneath the foothills and craggy mountains - it's filled with flower nurseries, polo fields, avocado farms and horse ranches.

Solvang

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You know you've entered Solvang when the horse ranches along Highway 246 give way to windmills and half-timber buildings with thatched roofs. Danish settlers founded the town in 1911 near Mission Santa Ines. Nearly everything they built celebrated Scandinavian life, from pastry shops and cobblestone courtyards to smorgasbord stations and fairytale houses, dubbing charming hamlet the "Danish Capital of America." Solvang celebrated its Centennial in 2011 with a packed calendar of memorable events and things to do, including a royal visit by The Prince Consort of Denmark.

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