Tag Archives: California Missions

The Sampling Santa Barbara Bit

So does this happen to you too?  Are there close by places – not necessarily bucket list-y ones, just cool sounding ones – that you mean to visit but you never seem to get to?  I lived in LA for more than 25 years before getting out to nearby Joshua Tree National Park. At least […]

The Echoes Cross the 101 Bit

Springtime greetings! Just got back from a really refreshing getaway in Northern California! I decided to take my time on the trip and drive up from LA on Highway 101 which runs through California and on to Oregon and Washington. It even took me across the glorious Golden Gate Bridge! Fellow Angelenos know our local […]

Santa Ynez Valley: The What’s With the Names Bit

So just a couple-ish hours’ drive northwest from LA is a favorite destination I’ve been so pleased to get back to. It’s the Santa Ynez Valley! The area’s got diverse and dramatic beauty, lots to do – and some pretty eclectic overlays of history! As local place names suggest, the valley includes multiple cultures at […]