Santa Barbara, CA
Que Sera Syrah (and Chardonnay)
Along California's Riviera, April I. Torrisi laps up the good life
How can you not love a town whose beauty inspires, and where viticulture and the other fruits of good living surround you? Driving from LA to Santa Barbara in a hybrid-powered Ford Escape, I was able to get a taste of these captivating surroundings for a few days while staying with a few other writers at the new, 97-room boutique property, Hotel Andalucia. Named after a region in southern Spain, the Spanish-styled property welcomed us with a gourmet four-course lunch of white asparagus covered in a cannellini bean puree, a goat cheese salad, a grilled John Dory fish with mussels, and a gooey chocolate cake sprinkled with chili pepper and dolce con leche ice cream on the side. Prepared by acclaimed chef Michael Reardon, the lunch took place on the hotel's roof deck, where blooming flowers of bougainvillea and jasmine, along with lemon trees, adorned every nook and cranny of the rooftop. With its tiled pool, outdoor fireplace alongside a Moroccan-tiled fountain, and terrace that can accommodate up to 200 guests, it's no surprise that the roof deck is frequently used for weddings and special events.
After lunch, we were scooped up by pedicab and transported to Santa Barbara's Historic Museum, an adobe-constructed venue that can be rented out for group events and can accommodate up to 200 guests both inside and outdoors in its flower-filled courtyard. There we learned about the native Chumash tribe, who were overcome by the Spanish in the 1500s, and the Franciscan priests who arrived and developed missions all along the coast of California in the 1700s. The famous Mission that resides in Santa Barbara is still an active Catholic church. Most of the town, however, was rebuilt in Spanish Revival style after 1925, following an earthquake that had left it in shambles.
Walking to El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, which features El Cuartel, the oldest building in town and the second oldest in California, we moved on to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, which houses the 1932 Portrait of Mexico Today, the only intact mural by world-renowned Mexican artist (and fiery revolutionary) David Alfaro Siqueiros in the United States.
Last but not least on the town tour was the Historic County Courthouse, a graceful Spanish-Moorish structure with Corinthian columns, historic murals, stenciled ceilings, Tunisian tiles, and a compelling lit clock tower. Other features are the 1800s jail wing, now charming; and the beautiful outdoor "Sunken Gardens," where special events take place, like the city's film festival.
Back at the hotel, a cocktail reception took place at the Ro Snell Art Gallery adjacent to the hotel's 5,000 square feet of meeting space spread across five meeting rooms. The gallery offers rotating works of contemporary local artists, while a permanent art collection, selected by Ro Snell, adorns the hotel's foyer, guest rooms, and 31 West, its restaurant and bar.
Our final day took us to Santa Ynez's wine country. Overlooking a vast landscape of trees and vineyards, I sipped Pinot Noirs and Sauvignon Blancs while our lively and knowledgeable guide, Lee from Cloud Climbers Wrangler Jeep Tours, transported us to three vineyards—Foley, Bridlewood, and Kalyra—on a tour we took was actually a Santa Barbara wine country tour that was inspired by the film Sideways. We traversed the same path as the characters did in their wine-tasting road trip, savoring Syrahs, Pinot Noirs, Merlots, Chardonnays, and Sauvignon Blancs along with our picnic lunch of gourmet sandwiches. Winding down near sunset, Lee took us the long way back to our hotel, on a mountain drive. Bundled up in blankets with the cool spring breeze intoxicating us, we watched the sun set behind the Santa Ynez mountains relishing every moment.