Friday was my mom’s actual birthday. I posted my memory of spreading her ashes last year — a few days early. Mom was on my mind the past weeks. I was feeling the milestone.
Good thing I thought about how I might be feeling in advance. I had a plan. We scheduled a weekend getaway in one of my favorite places. Santa Barbara. We celebrated Mom’s birthday there. I was with friends, incredible views, a fun hotel, food, food and more food. It was a wonderful way to spend the weekend.
Here are photos from Santa Barbara:
We arrived at the Santa Barbara Airport on a sunny afternoon.
A view from our friends’ backyard.
Views from our hotel’s rooftop pool. It was breathtaking! What a surprise when we walked out on the rooftop. I had no idea it would be spectacular.
Hotel lobby. I loved how the hotel was decorated in a Spanish Colonial Revival mix with Moroccan flair.
Here we are in the mirror, with a courtyard behind us in one of the hotel’s three buildings.
Morning walk on Stearns Wharf.
Looking back at Santa Barbara from the wharf.
Where is your favorite place to go to treat yourself to a special getaway?
I’m reminded of a song by Lenny Kravitz, “Fly Away.”
These gorgeous photos make me want to grab my hat and hop on the first plane to Santa Barbara. What a wonderful way to lose the blues and grow a greater appreciation for life and enjoy all of the wonder that is waiting for us to discover. The hat-and-hop trick won’t work for me at the moment, but thanks for sharing your travels for the rest of us to enjoy. My emoji’s are broken, but if they weren’t, you’d see a big smiley face here. 🙂 Oh—and a heart, too.
I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. I took so many it was hard to decide which to post! Everywhere I looked, I saw beauty. It really helped my blues.
What a nice way to focus on self care EA- spending a few days in such a beautiful place that you know so well and have great memories of. To find your namesake boat waiting just for you, the ocean and a gorgeous hotel… Your plan was perfect!
Thanks, Deb. We planned this a few months ago. I’m so glad we did. I normally don’t do a treat like that for myself, but it was so gorgeous and felt good to be in Santa Barbara.
I know it’s a special place for you EA. I wonder, are you ever torn about moving to Arizona- ever think about going back to CA to stay? I have been daydreaming about the future and aging and such and even though I have always said I would never leave WA I sometimes wonder…although I know no other place would feel like my real home.
Interesting question. I wouldn’t go back to Palm Springs. I feel like I closed that page. As for California, or Santa Barbara, it’s not affordable for retirement. My husband realized he would have to work until the day he died in CA. Everything from electricity, gas, groceries, taxes is too expensive. For example, we paid more than $1,000 a month for electricity May through September. I’m happy to enjoy our vacations there. It took me awhile, but it felt like I was “coming home” yesterday when we got to Arizona.
Thanks for all that info EA! My jaw hit the floor when I saw your cost for electricity over such a short time! I get the entire retirement factor. That is huge for me as well. I’m glad you feel settled and in the right place in AZ 🙂
My jaw hit the floor every month the electric bill came in during the hot months! Gas was $6.50 a gallon during our Santa Barbara vacation last August. That was a shocker, too. I miss California, but I’m enjoying Arizona and believe we made the right choice.
Santa Barbara! The first thing I think of is Shawn and Gus in Psych. What lovely place to visit. Thanks for taking us along.
I have never heard of Shawn and Gus in Psych. I’ll have to look that up. Santa Barbara has been a wonderful place for us to visit every year for our entire married life.
You didn’t watch Psych? It’s was a hoot, if’n you like lighthearted TV shows.
I googled it and watched a couple minutes. It’s funny! Thanks for introducing me to it.
Wow, gorgeous! I’m so glad you were able to enjoy a special getaway.
My eyes were overwhelmed, it was so gorgeous. We also walked to the Marina for our favorite fish tacos!
Awesome! What a great trip it must have been!
It was amazing. For the past 10 years, we’ve gone in August. It was such a treat to go during the Spring, to get a taste of summer vacation early.
Very good planning Elizabeth to have time away from home on this poignant occasion. Beautiful pictures.
Thank you. 😊 It was exactly what I needed.
I’m glad it was a great outing
Wonderful weekend. 💕
😍
Love Santa Barbara. I always like to see new places, so I’m the wrong one to answer that question!
Santa Barbara — so beautiful and has so many memories for me, including my son going to UCSB and my visits. I think seeing new places is a good answer.
💕💕
What beautiful pictures, Elizabeth. That lobby and view from the rooftop is spectacular. I love that you anticipated the milestone and scheduled something in advance. Nice getaway!
I am proud of myself for thinking ahead and planning this trip. It was so fun and beautiful.
The perfect antidote!
😊
Gorgeous, gorgeous! 🥰😉🥰
My eyes and brain were on overload from all the beauty. 💕
Sounds like a great getaway. Gorgeous, too! I think I’m ready for a little of that, too. My mother’s 88th birthday would have been this coming Saturday. The first anniversary of her death will be in May.
Yes, you are exactly where I was this past weekend. I’m so glad I got out of the house and planned something special. I looked at it as a celebration of Mom’s birthday.
Santa Barbara is one of our favorites too, although we often go a bit further north to Los Olivos. It looks like you had terrific weather!
$1,000 a month for electricity? Holy cow. Ours is closer to $175 for gas and electric for our house. Maybe it was because you lived in the desert?
I love Santa Barbara and I’m glad you love it too. It sounds like you have really good bills for your home. Our electric bill was closer to $1,200 a during the hottest months of the summer. Crazy, but it’s hotter in Palm Springs than where we live now. Also, we lived in a house built in the 1930s without modern dual-paned windows. Our Arizona house is bigger, 20 years old, and we rarely have a bill that hits $200. Our water bill in Palm Springs was $250 a month. It’s $100 here plus trash. It all adds up! My kids never understood why we sold the house they grew up in. If they paid the bills, they would.
Love the painting and your beautiful photos, Elizabeth. Thanks for sharing this special weekend. I miss my mom and dad too, even though it’s been many years since they passed. We love Santa Barbara too, but lately, we enjoy driving north into wine country. Sonoma is a favorite, and it’s only an hour away. 🍷🥂
Thank you. I have never been to Sonoma but I’m sure I will in the future. Our DIL grew up there. She wants us to visit with her.
I’m sure you would love it!
What a fabulous plan Elizabeth, changing locations is a wonderful to ease the pain of celebrating a birthday of a loved one who has passed. I like to slip away to the lake, that’s my happy place, and it shelters, heals, and distracts my thoughts. What a beautiful location, Santa Barbara, and a gorgeous hotel. Lovely. Hugs, C
It was such a perfect getaway. I was able to celebrate and think of Mom in peace.