Blogs from Solvang, Santa Barbara, California, United States, North America
Leaving London: Take Two, a flying LA visit & a 'warm' welcome back to NZ
Published: May 6th 2012North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » Solvang
December 9th 2011
Arriving back in London after our epic weekend in Copenhagen, there was no chance for a rest as I had a mere 3 and a half weeks left of my time in London! In that time I had organised plenty of catch ups with people who I might not see again for ages, and a lot of tying up loose ends. One of these was doing my final Hapkido grading up to Brown Belt, which I passed. I also managed a quick trip away with Hannah as we went up to check out Warwick Castle. We were extremely lucky as the weather was superb - crystal clear blue skies in November! We wandered around the town of Warwick first then walked around the Castle, watched a hawking show and I had more laughs at Hannah's expense ... read more
Highway 101 and a quick stop in Solvang
Published: May 11th 2010North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » Solvang
May 1st 2010
Our camping trip to Pismo Beach yielded fond memories and dreams of returning. Our road trip home was a canvas for the eyes. Highway 101 at every mile is picturesque and so very beautiful. It was a gorgeous day to drive home. However it teased us with desire to extend our trip to venture into wine country to get silly drunk drinking wine and while looking onto gorgeous landscapes. We made one detour, besides gas stops to the cutest Dutch town called Solvang. We saw it on TV program once and had to make it a must see stop since it was on the way home. We had brunch sitting in an outdoor patio where we enjoyed good food and a scene of what felt like a small European village Dutch town. We only spent about ... read more
SANTA BARBARA
Published: September 21st 2009North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » Solvang
Grand kids trip page 1
Published: July 24th 2009North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » Solvang
July 24th 2009
Gosh, a week has passed since my last blog. This was to be our grandkids vacation week but just before we were to leave on Sunday Dale was told that he would not get any vacation time as there is no other nurse to replace him. We’d already canceled Alaska when his job was iffy at best so flexibility became the key here. We decided to just come to the Santa Barbara area, try a beach first then Cachuma Lake 2nd. Dale drove the Mazda as he had to go back to work for 3 days while I drove the truck with RV. As we started into Carpentaria State Beach the clutch on the Mazda started burning up and was dead as he coasted into the park. It is at a garage just outside the state ... read more
santa barbara - monterey - santa cruz
Published: July 13th 2009North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » Solvang
July 13th 2009
hoi mitenand... am sunntig simmer vo hollywood richtig santa barbara gfahre.. ufem wäg no bi malibu verbi.. santa barbara isch meega herzig.. nöd z vergliche mit santa monica... viel chliner und heimeliger... ganz viel herzigi lädeli häts ka wo so chli retro sache ka hend... vo chleider über möbel und süsch gägäständ.. me het am obet mega schön chli chöne durs städtli laufe... ganz und gar üsi wellelängi gsi... am mäntig simmer den an besmo beach... da isch noch sata barbara... leider simmer mega entüscht gsi... mir hend gar nöd realisiert dasmor eigentli scho recht nördlich sind... s wasser isch iccyg chalt gsi... bädälä hät mor eidütig nöd chöne... den hämor üs entschlosse dasmor nochli meh richtig san francisco fahret... ufem wunder schöne highway nr. 1.. wow da isch genial gsi... e stross wo sich de ... read more
Pismo Beach & Santa Barbara
Published: May 24th 2009North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » Solvang
May 21st 2009
We finished off the breakfast bars for breakfast and packed our bags to move on for the 2nd last time. We drove the short distance down to take a closer look at Morro Rock. It was an overcast (foggy?) morning and there was a chill in the wind again. We took a few photos from the roadside, then ventured down to the waterside to get a better view. To our surprise, a sea lion emerged from the water just a few feet below us! It was catching fish for breakfast, with an eager gallery of gulls floating on the water around it. I'm not sure whether the sea lion had to surface to actually eat the fish, or whether it was just playing with the birds, but it seemed to be a game where the birds ... read more
Santa Barbara to Monteray via Big Sur
Published: February 21st 2009North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » SolvangFebruary 8th 2009
We make a few bad decisions trying to avoid Los Angeles but get within striking distance of the East Coast. We end up in Taft, a small town that boasts a correctional facility, some oil fields and a Dominos Pizza. We arrive exhausted after a seven hour drive and crash in a motel awoken early the next day buy locals shouting excitedly about the snow. It snows about once every ten years in Taft. There are two roads leaving the town and the one that we want to take is closed. We take a detour past Californian orange groves that are shivering in snow. We join the highway just north of Los Angeles and drive on to Carpinteria. We stay in a motel in an upstairs room decorated in a retro seventies style. A curvy orange ... read more
Lounging in Santa Barbara
Published: October 22nd 2008North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » Solvang
October 22nd 2008
I have been to Santa Barbara numerous times over the years, both personal and business. My prior stays were at the Biltmore, where I saw the famous financial guru, and one time hero, Louis Rukeyser. He was on PBS on Friday nights at 8 or 8:30pm as I recall. He had the driest sense of humor, and a comb over as bad as the Donald. But he provided great insights into the stock market, and helped me formulate my own personal investment philosophy. Some of his guests that were favorites of mine were Peter Lynch and Frank Capiello. But to me, Santa Barbara is a place for sun and fun. So, Sheri and I decided to take a quick long weekend flight to Santa Barbara and see for ourselves. We took a United puddle jumper from ... read more
Road Trippin'
Published: October 13th 2008North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » Solvang
October 7th 2008
Saturday 27th September to Tuesday 30th September, 2007 I had every intention prior to my arrival in the United States of utillising what little spare time I was likely to have by exploring this vast country as much as possible. I still have those same intentions but as I perhaps should have expected a combination of other commitments allied to a ‘sod it, the sun’s shining, let’s go the beach’ have meant things haven't quite gone to plan. However, with Phil away for the weekend I was finally prepared myself for my first mini road trip. My intended destination was to be the seaside town of Santa Barbara, one hundred and twenty or so miles north of Long Beach, further north if time permitted via the renowned and ingeniously named Pacific Coast Highway and at just ... read more
Solvang
Published: August 25th 2008North America » United States » California » Santa Barbara » Solvang
August 19th 2008
As our narrator has informed you in the last blog, we set off from Manzanar, heading west, with no real destination in mind. As it was Saturday, 08/16/08, and we had no place to stay until Monday, 08/18/08, we headed out in search of a campsite on the beach. We drove down the 395, 14, and 405 to the coast and arrived near Malibu. We wanted to find a place in southern California, and kind of take it easy heading up to Solvang. Heading up the Pacific Coast Highway, we stopped at every single national and state park there was…all of them were full. Finally, in Buellton, a whole 2 miles away from Solvang, we found a spot in an RV park. So we decided to spend the weekend relaxing, writing blogs, and recuperating from Death ... read more
