Good, good, VERY good variations..
Beaches, vineyards, mountains, Spanish architecture, culture & gourmet everything.. Santa Barbara has the lot
THE music blasting from the open car window was the Beach Boys classic Good Vibrations.
The car itself was a beautifully customised and polished piece of 1950s Americana in burnt orange, with a V8 engine that burbled just the right amount of menace.
The setting was the lights at State Street and West Carillo St, in Santa Barbara, California. And the driver was silver-haired and pushing 70.
Next to him was a guy on a blue and white road-racing bike, somehow achieving the impossible – a middle- aged man NOT looking ludicrous in Lycra.
And next to those two waiting for the lights to change was an electric shuttle bus, greening its way around the city’s streets and packed with tourists. We were on that bus.
The scene to our left, and indeed where we were sitting, summed up our trip to this remarkable coastal city 90 miles north of Los Angeles. You can be anything you want here, do practically anything you want (legally). And it all works. This place is simply beautiful. Stroll from its centre to the palm- tree lined wide sidewalk next to the beaches and suck in the magnificence of the Pacific Ocean.
Then turn 180 degrees and gaze at the Santa Ynez mountains that serve as a d dramatici b backdropkd to theh city. Santa Barbara – known as the American Riviera – suffered a devastating earthquake in 1925 that laid much of it to waste.
Catastrophic at the time. But city planners saw it as an opportunity to rebuild in the spirit of its Spanish, Mexican and indigenous Indian Chumash heritage.
The result remains a sophisticated, intricate cityscape of red-tiled roofs and white- walled buildings that you never tire of seeing.
We hopped off the bus in State Street and decided to wander. This main drag stretches down to historic Stearns Wharf and is packed with restaurants of all shapes, sizes, flavours, types and attitudes.
Outside tables, inside tables, people always seemed to be eating and drinking. Talking of drink, Santa Barbarab winei country i is gainingi i an international reputation. And to experience that we didn’t have to leave the city centre – at least not the first day.
The Urban Wine Trail is a collection of 23 wineries that have set up shop in the city and offer tastings. We tried several of the small producers while strolling.
Hugging
Next day we headed out on the coastal Route 101, hugging the rolling ocean on our left, and then turned right to cut into the Santa Ynez mountains and their sweeping, swooping roads. Our destination was the small town of Buellton, host of the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association tasting festival.
The sun was splitting the trees as we walked around, glass in hand and sampled ld and d sampled ld and d sampled ld from the wineries who had set up stalls under huge marquees.
Wines here are distinctive because of the rich loam soil and micro climates within the small area. Nearer the coast it is cooler, which is where pinot noir tends to be produced. Farther inland the temperature can be 5C warmer, leading to cabernet and merlot.
To accompany the wine, we had food. First at the buzzing Finch and Fork, in West Carillo St, which serves American themed dishes with a classic twist. We both had the most succulent (and largest) duck breast ever with celery puree and almond butter, while seated in a sumptuous leather and dark wood booth.
Next night we headed over to neighbouring Montecito, where Oprah Winfrey has a £ 50million h home. Our destination was the Biltmore Four Seasons hotel – and we enjoyed sensational seafood at our table overlooking the Pacific.
For our stay, we picked the Fess Parker hotel, just across the road from the beach. Our huge room o overlooked the ocean. Early mornings were a combination of coffee on our balcony and gazing o out at the cruise ships sailing by.
Nautical – and very nice. FFACTFILE: Rooms at the Fess Parker h hotel start at £120 a night . Contact: www.fessparkersantabarbarahotel.com. Dining: www. finchandfork restaurant. com and www. four s seasons.com/santabarbara.