Santa Barbara | Jump For My Love

I decided to split our second day in Santa Barbara into two blog posts.  Mainly because we did so much (walked 5 miles in total!) and took over 350 photos. Plus, this was Monday, June 25th, the actual day of our wedding anniversary!  :) 

This was our 5th time visiting Santa Barbara.  We had never been during the summer before.  We also had never been when it’s been so clear, blue, and warm.  In June on the California coast, you usually get fog or marine layer in the morning.  That did not happen on this trip!  As soon as we woke up in the morning it was completely blue skies and clear.  The place we stayed at, Lavender Inn, was very charming and hospitable.  But one thing it lacked was sound insulation.  If someone were standing outside our room and talking in a normal voice, we could hear every word.  We could hear the tv in the next room.  We could hear people taking showers.  I think that was the most annoying part to me, because I’m a light sleeper.  We turned on the A/C fan just for the white noise and it worked.  Thank goodness for that!

Breakfast was included at the Lavender Inn.  And the setting was outside on the patio, in a very charming setting.


After breakfast, we headed out to the beach and Stearns Wharf.  We were only a couple of blocks from the beach and the walk there was very pretty.


So quintessential Southern California!


At the entrance to Stearns Wharf is a fountain with dolphins jumping.

Closer view of it from the pier side.


Cars and bikes and pedestrians are allowed on the pier.  But pedestrians have a lane to themselves so they don’t get run over. 


I love taking feet photos in different places, so I had to do one on Stearns Wharf.  Sidenote:  Todd doesn’t wear flip flops.  He never wears open-toe shoes or goes barefoot, because he tends to stub his toes and now he’s got “toe-anxiety”. 


A selfie on the pier.


Just loved walking on here and seeing the sights.










We brought our tripod on this trip and it proved very useful.  Tripod and self-timer is our secret for having many photos of the two of us together! 




Like I said, I’ve never seen the coastline of Santa Barbara so clear and blue before!






This one was super-cool.  We took our tripod into the lane for cars when no cars were coming.  We quickly set it up to take 5 consecutive shots.  Then we walked away from the camera and we got this shot.


Finally we got to the end of the pier and it was gorgeous.  Wide open and blue.  If you have small children you’d have to hold on to them, because there were no railings and they could easily fall into the ocean.


A look back at the coast from the end of the pier.


Another tripod shot. 


On the way back to the hotel, we decided to take some jumping shots on the beach.  This one is actually different than the first one I showed you.  The secret to the “jumping shot” is to set the tripod up for 5 consecutive shots on the self-timer.  Then right when the light start going off and it starts taking shots, shout “go” and jump at the same time as your partner.  You will get some shots of you NOT jumping, but out of the 5 shots you will have one of you both in the air!


This was the shot after the above one.  I landed already and Todd was still in the air. :)  Now you know the secret to the jumping shot.


We walked over to State Street for lunch. One of our favorite places to eat in Santa Barbara is Andersens.


It is a Danish restaurant and bakery and they have THE MOST delicious pastries!


Love looking at all the desserts.




The restaurant is very cute.  It has an upstairs seating area, but we’d never sat up there before.  We always sit outside or right inside the doors, like this time.






Todd got the beef tri-tip salad and he literally ate it in like 7 minutes.  He was very hungry and he also said it was one of the most delicious salads he’s ever had.


I had Crab Salad Napoleano.  It was good too.  I left the top part of the pastry behind because of too much carbs.  I wanted to spend my carbs on dessert!


This dessert was divine.  Strawberries in cream, with a marzipan pastry outside with chocolate on it.  We shared it and believe me, it was gone in 60 seconds.


One of our favorite places for coffee in Santa Barbara was called Northstar Coffee.  It closed!  In its place is this “Café Zoma”.  Todd was sad.  We didn’t go in.  Mainly because we have a new café to try out!


On the way to the new café, we walked by the Lobero Theatre.  it was such an awesome building.




Our next door neighbor Fred, who roasts his own coffee beans, told us we needed to go to Handlebar Coffee Roasters in Santa Barbara.


They roast their own coffee beans in this roaster.


Kim poured me this café latte.


Todd had an Americano with sugar and milk.  His & hers!


The owners, Aaron and Kim, used to be world class professional cyclists! As in, that yellow jersey is Kim’s.  She won the women’s Tour De France in 2009!  Aaron has won his share of major cycling races as well.


Todd being the cyclist-in-training, was in awe.  We asked if Todd could take a picture with them and they were super-nice to oblige!  So exciting!


After coffee, we walked around the area and saw these tiles explaining this area is Old China Town.  I love to read historical explanations like this one!


Right across the street from Handlebar Coffee is the old Presidio. 




Stunning white architecture against the blue skies.






And we walked by City Hall.  It was small and very charming.  This is part of the reason to love Santa Barbara.  It sure does have small-town charm.


More to come on the blog about the 2nd half of Day 2 in Santa Barbara! :)