Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

Halloween has come and gone, but Santa Barbara pumpkin picking memories remain.

The Happiest Place on Earth, Even on Memorial Day Weekend

This past Saturday, Meredith, Nat & I ventured to Disneyland. We set out early, fueled by Burger King breakfast, and braced ourselves for horrendous holiday weekend crowds. It was Meredith's first visit, and I had warned her that we might only get to do a handful of rides if the lines were too long, but I'm happy to report that we managed to hit not only the big name "Mountain" rides (Splash, Big Thunder, Space) but also some of the less-thrilling but more-charming classic rides, like Small World and Jungle Cruise [see animatronic baby elephant above]. The longest we had to wait for a ride was 20 minutes. Actually, the lunch line at The Golden Horseshoe was the longest we had to wait for anything, but the chili fries were worth it. All in all, a very successful visit. Some highlights of our happy day included:

- Meredith screaming so loudly on Big Thunder Mountain that the entire line of waiting riders were staring at us by the time the ride ended.
- Nat overcoming a traumatic childhood experience and riding Mr. Toad's Wild Ride without crying.
- Eating churros before noon.
- Getting to ride Space Mountain two times in a row after the attendant accidentally advanced our car instead of stopping it at the exit. Apparently, harmless mishaps abound at Space Mountain-- Disneyland fans might enjoy this video of the ride with the lights on.

And now for some photographic evidence. Funnily, we didn't manage to capture any pictures of us that actually demonstrate we were at Disneyland, so you'll have to take my word for it.

Jungle Cruisin'

Nat's funny face

Cotton Candy fingers

Nat getting in touch with his Japanese tourist side, and me holding the trusty map.
A ha! Finally some proof of Disneyland!

Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens

High / Low

My sojourn in Santa Barbara started off with a bang. On Thursday I had a lovely massage, and on Friday I went wine tasting. The wine tasting excursion was put together by JAL, who also happened to be out in SoCal (and you must read about her LA experience). J drove up for the day with her sister and her sister's friend. As it turns out, the friend and I had gone to the same small, private high school and graduated just two years apart, but since he was captain of the football team and I was president of the thespian club, our paths never crossed. The strange interconnectivity of our bicoastal foursome made for a confusing yet amusing introduction to our wine tasting cohorts: "Well, these two are sisters, these two live in LA, these two live in New York, but these two went to high school together." It was a busy week for my hostess with the mostest, Meredith, since her department was hosting visiting perspective PhD students, coordinating a graduate student conference, and presenting the culminating screening of a yearlong production project. But I got to tag along to all the various official and unofficial celebrations with the film & media studies posse, and that was lots of fun.

I was looking forward to an overnight visit from my mom and Matilda on Saturday, with plans of a delicious Easter brunch for close pals on Sunday. But on Saturday night, I came down with a mysterious illness that seriously harshed on my mellow. I'll spare you the details, but it wasn't pretty. I spent most of Easter drifting in and out of feverish sleep, listening to the laughter of the brunch guests playing wild games of Boggle. My diet was limited to the few foods and liquids that proved only mildly painful to swallow (hot tea, cold Gatorade, soup, and popsicles). I paid a visit to a friendly Santa Barbara doctor yesterday, who was kind enough to supply me with some of his antibiotic samples and sent me on my way. They must be working, because last night, I finally felt alive again. To celebrate, I ate my first real meal in three days. I chose pizza.

Crossed Off Life's To-Do List

Today on the journey up to Santa Barbara, Sprout got carsick. This happened once before, but I had figured it was a fluke. Turns out that the P.L.D. (poor little dog) does actually have some motion sickness issues. Nat was less than thrilled about Sprout's regurgitated gift, but I promised we would pull off the freeway the first chance we got and get the necessary cleaning supplies at a gas station. And guess where the next exit was? La Conchita! From the freeway, it appeared that there was a small gas station, but once we got closer we realized it was actually only a makeshift, one-man farmer's market operation. We ended up driving the through the entire town (all 3 streets) to get back on the right track, and despite the quickly congealing dog barf in the back seat, I found the whole experience quite enchanting.

In other news, we drove for several miles behind a mini-van with a license plate that read "NUDEGLO." Upon closer inspection, we discovered that the driver was an elderly woman with a handicap placard. Curious.

2 or 3 Things

There wasn't too much I was looking forward to about returning to NYC. It's cold here. But there have been a few little things that have cheered me up.

1. New light fixtures throughout the apartment! I didn't even know this was happening, apparently one day the electrician just showed up. It doesn't even bother me that they put a square shaped fixture on a round base, it's so much better than bare light bulbs.


2. Free treats for Sprout! Despite the frigid temperatures, I took her on a long walk the other day. While passing a local salon, a man at the door stopped us, asked if Sprout would like a free dog treat and invited us in. I was picturing one dog bone or something, but he gifted us with this cute little baggie of organic and homemade (by one of the hairdressers) doggie snacks.

3. Using my new bowl! While in Cali, Meredith, my mom and I went to Color Me Mine. I was quite pleased with how mine turned out, and so far have used it to eat cereal, chili, and mac n' cheese (though not all at the same time). It made each one taste more delicious.

Spoiled

It's going to be a rude awakening going back to NYC at the end of this week. I have adapted to the laid back California lifestyle, and have been relishing in all of the wonderful outdoor activities that can take place here, even in January. This past Saturday, for example, Ethan, Becky, Meredith & I ventured to Santa Ynez to explore wine country. We picnicked (for several long and lazy hours) at Kalyra. We enjoyed our treats from the farmer's market, the scenic view, and the several friendly dogs who periodically came by to check out any crumbs we might have dropped.

La Conchita

I have made the journey from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara dozens of times, but I've only recently started noticing a little town near Mussel Shoals named La Conchita. It's teeny tiny, and easy to zip by without noticing, but if you do happen to take a moment as you pass it, you'll find all the makings of a charming seaside village: handpainted signs for fresh produce and seafood (yesterday's offerings included avocados and lobsters), brightly colored but peeling paint on every house, and surfboards propped against old jeeps.I finally remembered to Wik up this little town today, and found a goldmine of California history (that made me miss 4th grade state history with Mrs. Leonard). Turns out that La Conchita is (unfortunately) best know for being the victim of two devastating mudslides in 1995 & 2005. Despite deaths, injuries, thousands of dollars of damage, a visit from Governor Arnold Schwarnzenegger, and the always impending threat of more mudslides, the town's devoted residents-- who Wikipedia describes as artists, beatniks, eccentrics, outdoor enthusiasts, and school teachers-- have remained lively and active, forming a community organization that is working on an oral history project documenting the unique history of this little town. Here are just a few of my favorite La Conchita facts:

- It was originally called "Punta Gorda," (massive point), a name first mentioned by a Spanish monk in 1817. It was first the site of Rancho El Rincon (lima beans being the principle product) and later an important destination for homesteaders in the 1860s.
- The first school was built in 1890, with 9 children in attendance (not bad considering there were only 17 children in the whole county.)
- The discovery of oil in Ventura County led to several attempts on the part of wealthy investors to mine oil in La Conchita, but no luck. The town remained a small and somewhat sleepy farming community and beachside vacation destination. In 1931, Mussel Rock Inn was built to serve visitors from Los Angeles-- it had a glass dance floor over the ocean. More and more beach cottages were built throughout the next few decades, many (foolishly) directly on the beach itself.
- There was no running water available until the construction of the Casistas Dam in 1959, but you could buy a jug of water for 25¢.
- In 1985, the La Conchita Banana Company was founded, and became a huge tourist attraction. Horticultural authories had claimed that bananas could not be grown in Southern California, but were proven wrong when over 50 exotic varieties were produced in La Conchita.
- Though it once encompassed a larger geographical area, today the town consists of only two streets parallel to the shore, and ten perpendicular. It is loved by residents for its breathtaking view of the Santa Barbara Channel, Mediterrean-like climate, accessibility to surfing, and community camaraderie.

I Miss Bah-roooo

Sprout came with for Thanksgiving in California, and she's going to hang out there with my mom and Matilda (her new BFF) until Christmas so that I can avoid dragging the poor puppy back and forth cross country two extra unnecessary times. It's only three weeks, and she's content living the laid back, pampered SoCal lifestyle, but I sure do miss her little paws trit-trotting around my apartment...

Right Back Where We Started From

Creature comforts. So nice to spend time in a house that has a fully functional kitchen, washer & dryer, and cable television. Not to mention I was surrounded by my favorite creatures.

Automobile. We drove a lot, and I finally conquered the freeways.

Library at the Getty Research Institute, where we were treated to an insider peek at some devices of wonder.

Introducing my two favorite pups-- Matilda & Sprout. Matilda was a wonderful hostess, she even got out her stuffed hedgehog to share.

Frolicking on Arroyo Burro Beach, and witnessing Sprout's first experience with the ocean. She was quite brave!

October 13th with MAB.

Relaxation.

Nat. Thanks for hanging out!

In N' Out. Cheeseburger with no tomato or onion, fries & a chocolate milkshake. Please.

Anticipation of returning soon...

On This Day in 2007

Looking forward to the 2nd annual.