The most challenging part of scheduling a weekend away for four married women who have 18 children between them? Deciding where to eat.
This was a 50th birthday get-away. At this point in our lives, the children are mostly self-sufficient and our husbands can capably handle any emergencies that might arise.
So, in the days leading up to our overnight
in Santa Barbara, the discussion about which restaurants we should visit dominated our group text. Suggestions about shopping, coffee and hiking came in a very distant second.
Because we travel together regularly, and each of us has proven specialties in researching different activities, a promising itinerary had taken shape by the time we left on Friday afternoon.
Our first stop was in Ventura for coffee at Room Service in the renovated Gas Works building. The industrial brick and corrugated steel structure has been converted to a shopping and dining destination and its charming courtyard is perfect for sharing coffee and conversation.
We continued driving north, exiting the 101 at Summerland. After browsing at Godmothers bookstore, we headed for Butterfly Beach, well known for its sunset views. We found convenient street parking and followed the stairs down the bluff to the sand, where others with the same idea were gathered. The sunset did not disappoint. We soaked in the fading daylight and tried capturing the shifting light and colors with our phones.
With evening setting in, it was time to check in to our hotel. The Mar Monte's beachside location is ideal for a Santa Barbara visit. Whether you prefer to soak in the ocean view from their patio firepits or walk palm-lined Cabrillo Boulevard to Stearns Wharf, the hotel puts the best of Santa Barbara within easy reach.
That includes Toma Restaurant & Bar, a small, lively Italian eatery near the harbor that Brenda suggested.
Everything we ordered was delicious, but the scallop and shrimp duo and grilled pork chop were especially noteworthy. After all the discussion, Toma exceeded our expectations.
Since we planned to return home after dinner on Saturday, we agreed to a slow start in the morning. After everyone was ready, we made our way to Helena Avenue Bakery for coffee and breakfast. They are known for their handmade bread, but I appreciated their plentiful gluten-free options.
Fully caffeinated, we drove to Douglas Family Preserve to stretch our legs with a walk through the bluff-top eucalyptus grove and take in the views overlooking Arroyo Burro Beach.
My friends joke about my preference for hiking over shopping, but I'm always willing to visit The Blue Door. It's a thoughtful antique store featuring pieces curated from nearly 20 collectors. In other words, it's not jammed with merchandise, and you're likely to discover items not found elsewhere.
We paused our shopping to recaffeinate at Dart Coffee, which has to be one of the most pleasant places to sit and sip. Their garden seating across the street is a hidden gem, with tables placed around shade trees.
After spending the afternoon browsing along lower State Street and the Funk Zone, dinnertime found us at nearby Santo Mezcal, an upscale Mexican eatery known for its creative seafood dishes and excellent margaritas. The four of us agreed that it too exceeded our expectations.
It was time to begin our drive home and the transition from a carefree weekend of talking, shopping and eating to mom mode. We arrived back to Santa Clarita to find everything mostly in order at our respective houses.
After many group texts of reflection and appreciation, the discussion turned toward a new, urgent topic. When are we doing this again?
April Harnish lives in Castaic, which could do with more gluten-free options.