CARPINTERIA IF YOU GO
Chrisman Channel Islands Center:
This educational center will open in April at 4994 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria; www.ccislandscenter.org.
Robitaille's Fine Candy: Opens at 10 a.m. Tuesday-Sunday at 900 Linden
Ave.; www.facebook.com/RobitaillesCandy/.
Corktree Cellars Wine Bar & Bistro: Open from 4to 9p.m. Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 9p.m. Wednesday-Sunday at 910 Linden Ave.; www.corktreecellars.com.
Little Dom's Seafood: Open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends at 686Linden Ave.; www. ldseafood.com.
Lantern Tree Books: Open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and until 7 p.m. on FridaySaturday at 892Linden Ave.; https:// lanterntreebooks.com.
The Spot: This cash-only burger spot opens at 10 a.m. daily at 389 Linden Ave.; www.facebook.com/TheSpotCarpinteria.
Santa Barbara Hives: Open from 7 a.m. to 3p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 8a.m. to 4p.m. Sunday at 516Palm Ave.; https:// santabarbarahives.com/.
BrewLAB: Opens at 4 p.m. WednesdayFriday and noon on weekends at 4191 Carpinteria Ave., Suite 8; https://brewlabcraft.com/.
Rincon Mountain Winery: Open from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday-Sunday at 4187 Carpinteria Ave., Suites 1-2; https:// rinconmtn.com/.
Che Argentinean Empanadas: Typically open from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and noon to 8:30 p.m. Saturday at 4191 Carpinteria Ave., Suite 5; http://che-empanada. com/.
Apiary Beverage Company: Opens at 2 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. weekends at 4191Carpinteria Ave., Suite 10; https:// drinkapiary.com/.
Sade Turkish Coffee: Opens at 9 a.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. weekends at 4189 Carpinteria Ave., Suites 1-2; https://sadeturkishcoffee.com/.
Chocolats Du Calibressan: Opens at 10:30a.m. Tuesday-Saturday at 4193 Carpinteria Ave.; www.chococalibressan. com.
The exterior of the Chrisman Channel Islands Center features benches in the shape of islands and a statue of Juana Maria, the “Lone Woman” of San Nicholas Island who inspired the children's book “Island of the Blue Dolphins.”
Carpinteria, a small town some 12 miles outside Santa Barbara, says it is the home of “the world's safest beach,” and for 90 years, newspaper adverts have boasted of its clean, wide sands and lack of rip current.
For me, at least, the only danger here has been blotches of tar sticking to my feet.
It comes from an inland pit that outcrops onto the beach, and still oozes and glistens today. It was mined by the native Chumash people to waterproof their plank-built boats, and the carpentry of their village inspired 18th century Spanish explorers when they renamed the area.
On a clear day you can see oil rigs out in the ocean, but they are dwarfed by the outlines of several of the Channel Islands beyond. A total of eight make up the archipelago, and they are explored at the new Chrisman Channel Islands Center, which officially opens to the public April 4.
“We hope to expand to include all the islands right down to Baja California,” says executive director Emily Duncan, explaining that the center was the longtime goal of the Santa Cruz Island Foundation and especially Marla Daily, who has spent decades writing and researching islapedia.com, a website of more than 2,000 people whose lives intersected with the islands.
The center showcases a variety of artifacts from and about the islands, plus the industries based there in the past and present: cattle raising, wine-making, fishing, seal hunting and pottery, as well as tourism, art and even military use.
Outside, the native plant garden
is dotted with