EPICURE Early Spring 2020

EPICURE escapes
When it comes to traveling, shockingly enough I had yet to
actually get round to visiting the USA. This also came as a
surprise to my fellow journalists on this trip. Our two nations
are bound together by much history, an overlap in religion, a
common legal system and language, so how had I not visited at least
one state at one time or another?
Who knows. Our family holidays didn’t stretch that far I guess. Which
may explain my eagerness when I was offered the chance to explore
Santa Barbara. Quite the destination for a first time visitor to the USA!
Aptly nicknamed ‘The American Riviera’, Santa Barbara is situated
90 miles (a 2 hour car journey) north of Los Angeles, tucked within
a south-facing pacific coastline on one side, and the rolling hills that
stretch into the Santa Ynez Mountains on the other. But it is its charm
and sense of style that makes this small city so tempting - indeed it is
a hotspot favourite for the rich and famous, with a whole host of A-list
celebrities calling Santa Barbara home.
If there’s one things that strikes you, it’s that Santa Barbara doesn’t
really feel like a city at all. There’s no hustle and bustle here, instead
just a wonderfully laid-back, chilled vibe. Infused with the spirit of
Spain, we were informed that 6.8 magnitude earthquake near enough
flattened the city back in 1925. Devastating yes, but like a phoenix from
the ashes, this proved the making of the city in terms of architecture,
as the city planners were convinced to rebuild the city in a unified,
Spanish Colonial Revival style inspired by the historic Old Mission
(founded by Spanish Franciscans in 1786). Red-tiled clay top roofs and
white washed walls litter every building, and in addition to the climate,
give the city it’s Mediterranean charm.
Our first stop; checking in to the newly developed North Wing of
Harbor View Inn hotel. A premier beachfront hotel, Harbour View Inn
is centrally located within the city, and made for a fabulous base to start
our trip. My room featured a very inviting king size bed, complimented
by gorgeous modern Spanish Colonial furnishings, and to top it off - a
balcony view, a chance to sip on a morning coffee and watch the world
go by. But not yet. First; dinner!
We made a short walk around the block to Loquita Restaurant for
some authentic Spanish tapas. Created as a love letter to the Spanish
origins and history of Santa Barbara, Loquita’s showcases a medley of
paellas, charcuterie, cheeses and seafood. We were offered a sample of a
variety of dishes on the menu, with the squid ink seafood paella being a
personal favourite of mine.
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