Abingdon Living Mar - Apr 2020

Kayaking around Santa
Barbara harbour
24
It was perhaps my enthusiasm at this
opportunity that had me labelled a
‘Twitcher’ on this trip. On every dock
we manoeuvred around brought hoards
of enormous pelicans, gangly herons
and rather amusing loons to name but a
few. We even managed to paddle right
up to a raft of sealions. So much of the
wildlife on show were species that I had
never seen out of captivity, it was a very
special morning indeed. I can’t say I am a
particularly experienced kayaker, having
only dabbled on holidays in the past, but
I needn’t have worried. The Adventure
Company specialise in providing tours for
all abilities, so I was in safe hands!
A great way to experience the harbour
front is to sample some of the
specialities, and so with this we took a
stroll over to Stearns Wharf; California’s
oldest wharf named after builder John
P. Stearns. There we took some seats at
Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, and
were served an array of locally caught
seafoods, all washed down with some
local beer.
To garner more of an overview of the city,
we then took a ‘trolley tour’ via Santa
Barbara Trolley Co. This 90 minute tour
is lead by a highly insightful guide, who
relays all sorts of interesting facts about
the city, as well as a little local celeb
gossip on the side!
After a quick freshen up it was time for
a bite to eat. Cue...Cubaneo! Californian
Cuban cuisine served alongside cocktails
from Shaker Mill who neighbour within
the same premises. It is easy to see how
you could happily waste away an evening
here, and we did just that! With a cubano
sandwich in one hand and a ‘Bay of
Santiago’ cocktail in the other, you could
have easily fooled us into thinking we
were in Havana!
After another restful night's sleep, I
skipped breakfast in order to make room
for the immense amount of food we
would be sampling on the Eat This, Shoot
That! Funk Zone Food & Photo tour. A
three-hour expedition, this is a chance to
sample some of Santa Barbara’s finest
fodder, as well as learn a little more about
the city’s history, all while discovering
how best to maximize your photo-taking
ability, achieving the most Instagramworthy
images that will make you the
envy of all your friends.
The tour is also a great chance to get to
grips with the layout of the city. Santa
Barbara is made up of several districts,
one of which, The Funk Zone, has seen
its popularity boom in recent decades.
Comprising of a series of converted
warehouses, this contemporary district
is very much the place to be to sample
artisan foods from up-and-coming chefs,
and out-of-this-world Santa Barbara
Country wines. Shop fronts and walls
are adorned with graffiti murals and art
pieces; this district really is an everevolving
artistic neighbourhood that is
well worth a visit.
It was then time to travel up into the
foothills to our next hotel. And what an
iconic hotel indeed. The Belmond El
Encanto. Recently renovated in 2013,
Belmond El Encanto offers stunning
views of the American Riviera and a
whole heap of Hollywood glamour on
the side. This resort manages to feel
relaxed and low-key, while at the same
time feeling like the most exclusive place
on earth. Sitting poolside whilst sipping
a glass of ‘Belmond El Encanto Cuvee’,
life truly feels timeless up here. It’s little
wonder that it was a favoured getaway of
the Hollywood elite.
We made our way back down from the
hills to State Street for an Italian feast
at Due Lune Cucina. Serving fresh
ingredients and hand-made pasta, I
would have been mad not to order the
Linguine alle Vongole. This was paired
with some fabulous local wines, and the
staff couldn’t have been more friendly
and attentive. We topped off the night
with a nightcap at Pearl Social; an
intimate and beautifully furnished cocktail
bar. The night felt like a very classy affair
indeed.
Somehow, our final day had sadly rolled
around already! It was time to do a spot
of botanical sight seeing. Lotusland was
our destination. This 37-acre estate and
botanic garden is situated in the foothills
of Montecito, which is located to the
East of Santa Barbara. Purchased by
the rather marvellous socialite Madame
Walska (Google her, honestly!), she spent
43 years designing the gardens to her
liking. To say they were breathtaking is
an understatement. Home to all sorts of
exotic, rare collections of plants, this is
truly a garden like no other.
After another spot of wine tasting at
some of the local establishments (it
would be rude not to!), we made our
way to Bibi Ji for dinner. A modern take
on traditional Indian cuisine, Bibi Ji are
experts at pairing quality, local wines
with the most brilliant of dishes. The
moment came when the aptly nicknamed
‘Californian Gold’ was bought out; Santa
Barbara’s locally caught sea urchins.
Beautifully presented, and filled with
biryani rice, I couldn’t lie...I was a little
hesitant to try them. After all, my only
knowledge of them was to avoid standing
on them when on sandy beaches abroad.
I needn’t have worried. Creamy and
indulgent, they were fantastic.
What a dish. And what a trip.
Sea Urchins at
Bibi Ji Restaurant
At a glance
2 nights at harbor view inn
hotel, 2 nights at belmond
el encanto hotel, private
transfers and return
flights with Norwegian air.
Parking and lounge access
with holiday extras.
No1 Lounge at Gatwick
Airport (South Terminal)
from £26 PP
Harbor view inn - Nightly
Rates vary from $268.00-
$400.00
belmond el encanto -
nightly room rates start
from $560 (inc tax),
suites from $811 (inc tax)
www.santabarbaraca.com