Exploring Santa Barbara anew
Twentyeight years are quite a span of time. When visiting a place after all that time you’re bound to notice differences — at least in most locations. Visiting Santa Barbara takes you back in time because while busier than in the past it still retains the ambiance that has always made it appealing.
Visiting in the middle of a fall week meant less tourists. Freeways were quiet. We turned off Highway 101 at the sign to the Santa Barbara Mission. My companion complained about the narrow streets but I loved viewing the surroundings — well maintained older homes because Santa Barbara has a population limit to which it has adhered for years. The Mission appeared on a hill across from a green park and homes in Spanish architecture.
Father Junipero Serra and his Franciscan followers first opened the Mission in 1786 after founding the Carmel Mission. Actually, the Spanish first set foot here in 1542 to claim the area for their country. The Chumash Indians lived here for thousands of years and today are one of the region’s largest employers. (Isn’t that interesting?)
According to the Santa Barbara publicity blurb, in the early 20th century Santa Barbara was the movie-making capital of the world. Charlie Chaplin built a hotel and Jimmy Cagney owned a wharf. Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh were married here and John and Jackie Kennedy honeymooned at a magnificent beach resort.
Because my companion and I had done the inside tour, we only reviewed the history of the Mission as well as photographing its well maintained outside structure. Along the parking space outside the Mission were fading paintings that were still quite spectacular, perhaps done for a past festival. What we hadn’t remembered was the size of the total complex — obviously still a very active part of Franciscan life.
Driving toward downtown we passed many well kept older homes both large and small. Especially fun was a court built in the 1930s — six small residences (three facing three) in a landscaped courtyard with the buildings still sparkling white with red roofs. Finding a parking place at noon was a little difficult because everyone seems to go to lunch downtown — as we learned when we returned to the car later and saw many empty spaces.
The walk around several blocks of the downtown area brought the enjoyment of viewing buildings following a Spanish and Mediterranean theme. This gave a delightful continuity. Even the large county complex followed the theme with Spanish-style buildings scattered over a few blocks. The main county building included a large park and fountains. Banks were in abundance — at least eight and perhaps more. Especially interesting was a small addition to one Union Bank building — an adobe structure built in 1826 when the Spanish occupied this area.
The Granada Theater on State Street has been the center of the city’s cultural life since it was built in 1924. At 14 stories it is the only tall building in town and also with Spanish architecture. During its heyday it featured entertainers from Al Jolson to Tony Bennett. For awhile it fell into disrepair, then was totally restored and re-opened in 2008 and now has a steady diet of entertainment.
Completing Santa Barbara’s theater district are the Ensemble Theater Company and the Lobero Theater — both beautifully restored. The Ensemble features plays while the Lobero is a meeting place for the entire community. After our walking tour of restaurants, banks and commercial establishments, we drove west to the beach and harbor area. No parking problems here. The many hotels and inns along the north side of Shoreline Drive and across from the water have all been repainted brightly. When you think of how long these hostelries have been here — at least 50 to 60 years — they have been well maintained and are a delight to view. Naturally, we walked to and onto Stern Pier to explore the restaurants, shops and views. It’s just as much fun as previous visits plus a great view of Santa Cruz Island and the oil platforms to the west.
Visiting Santa Barbara was a walk back in time and fun to experience once more. They call themselves the American Riviera. Their Spanish and Mediterranean style mansions make this a good description. Plan a visit and have a fun time. Dixie Kathleen Crowell Belletto, the amazing lady I wrote about last year, recently celebrated her 101st birthday and still is full of life. For example, in setting a day for another interview I had to work around her dial-a-ride trip to the Fitness Center. Her daughter Lita Wallach said her mother has always been totally positive and active, obviously the reason for her longevity.
Happy Thanksgiving.