Santa Barbara - Exploring the American Riviera. March 15th to 17th

Earlier this year I had the chance to drive south on the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles to San Diego. This week I had the chance to drive north two and a half hours from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. This was one of those bucket list drives that everyone should do that is always documented in guidebooks. On the left I had panoramic views of the Pacific and on the right when I wasn’t looking at mountains on the right, I was admiring the $10 million homes scattered throughout the landscape. The only bad thing about my drive was that I was in a Nissan Versa versus a Porsche 911 which would have been so much more fun hitting those turns in. Mile after mile I was amazed by the natural beauty of the ocean, the mountains the landscape as it ever changed. Even when my GPS took me on a wrong turn, I was met with surprise and delight. About 35 mins outside of Santa Barbara, I was told to make a left turn which led me through acre after acre of beautifully manicured and vibrant green farms scattered with strawberry, tomato, raspberry and celery bushes as well as sod farms and lemon trees. In fact the fruit and nut production for this area represents about $1.7 billion in revenue for the county.

After getting back on track, I finally pulled into Santa Barbara…which is considered one of the most beautiful destinations in California due to the 50 miles of beautiful coastline, pristine beaches, great weather and access to world-class wineries. In fact Santa Barbara earned the label “American Riviera,” because of it architecture and Spanish culture which dates back to 1542.

My home base for this trip was the gorgeous Bacara Resort and Spa which was located in the town of Goleta just north of the city.

Bacara Resort and Spa is, quite possibly, one of the most beautiful places on earth. Inspired by the feeling of the Mediterranean and the architecture of Santa Barbara, the property’s Spanish Colonial origins have also been described where heaven and earth come together. What is truly undeniable about Bacara is that its physical location on one of few remaining ecosystems cannot be minimized in any way. The property’s location is without equal, setting Bacara apart from other California coastal properties. Bacara, by its very nature, location and offerings, has garnered a world-class reputation and is universally recognized as one of the “great luxury resort destinations” and a new addition to "my favorite hotels in the world listing."

While I was at this gorgeous resort for work, I did have the chance to truly enjoy some of its world-class amenities including its signature restaurant Angel Oak. We sat on their patio and enjoyed panoramic views of the Pacific just as the sun was setting and setting the sky afire. But the views weren’t the only things that wowed me. The food (and drink) was just as memorable. We had the chance to enjoy a delicious crab cake and fresh shrimp the size of my thumb, but what really got me excited was their Abalone Pasta which featured fresh abalone farmed from the ocean one mile up the coast from the resort, all set upon a bed of house made angel hair pasta, rainbow chard and a lemon burre blanc. Yes, I had my seafood theme going, but given the ocean was about 40 steps from my seat I thought that it was the right thing to do.

If you remember, there was a famous moving that revolved around the Santa Barbara wine region – Sideways staring Thomas Haden Church and Paul Giamatti. The movie follows two buddies as they hop from winery to winery learning the art of winemaking while getting into trouble along the way during their last single-guy bonding experience. Home to over 100 wineries, Santa Barbara is a great place to drink in the sunsets. I was lucky to get to pair my meal with delicious locally produced wines including a 2014 Pinot Noir from The Paring Winery located just north of the resort in the Santa. Rita Hills. I also had the chance to enjoy a delicious Syrah Blend called “India Ink” from the Kuleto Estate Winery from the Napa Valley.

We also had the chance to enjoy dining al fresco at The Bistro which was their pool side three meal restaurant which also enjoyed panoramic views of the Pacific. The Bistro was named one of the top 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in the United States by Open Table. And I will tell you this, the food was just as delicious as the view. The restaurant had just launched a new menu, so we had the chance to try quite a few items including a new ham and cheese flatbread pizza, ceviche that was super refreshing, French fries which were dripped in a spicy pickle aioli and fried avocado tacos that were set upon a fresh flour tortilla and a black bean hummus. These items paired with a delicious brewed ice tea had me living in pure bliss.

While I was in town I also had the chance to do a quick tour of the Four Seasons Resort at The Biltmore that was steps from the Pacific and set within a lush jungle garden. The resort felt like it was in need for an update, but was definitely pretty neat to explore given the history and affection from the Hollywood Elite. This resort also had two restaurants which showcased fantastic views and an interesting mix of offerings. My next stop was to the Belmond El Encanto – Santa Barbara’s only 5 star resort. This resort was set up in the hills and showcased some of the best views in the area. This resort felt very comfortable and residential in nature.

After visiting two of the top resorts in town, I was dropped off in downtown Santa Barbara so I could explore the area before I had to meet my colleagues for dinner. The main drag is State Street and included a wealth of shopping in a very laid back atmosphere. And I guess this overall mindset followed how they ran business given the number of boarded up storefronts. This area was definitely great to explore and had a number of nooks and cranny’s to explore all infused with Spanish influence. The one place that caught my eye during my walk was the Santa Barbara Brewing Company mostly because they had all the basketball games going for the NCAA Tournament. I joined the rambunctious bunch at the bar and asked the bartender for their #1 selling beer. She brought me their Number A IPA. Now I usually will enjoy any beer put in front of me…but I have to stay I definitely struggled through this one. It was a cute place, but probably won’t be back to this one.

After knocking this beer out, I began on my journey back north towards the restaurant I was meeting a colleague at for dinner. Somerset Restaurant was supposedly the hottest joint in town and given that I was dining with the General Manager of the best restaurant in town, I knew I was going to be on a culinary rollercoaster that night which would be unparalled to anything I had ever experienced.

From the outside, the white façade blended into the neighborhood and if not for the small silver sign, you would never know where it was. After entering the restaurant, I was wondering if I was in the wrong place as the indoor dining space reeked of 70s décor. The hostess led us to the outdoor dining area which was situated amongst 100 year old olive trees. Knowing that Somerset was helmed by Lauren Herman a James Beard Award Winning Chef, I knew a truly unique dining experience was about to take start. The theme of the restaurant was Farm to table California cuisine with light French and Italian influences. Over the course of the night we enjoyed excellent food, creative cocktails, well curated wine lists and knowledgeable serviced that tended to float from table to table. We worked our way through a very tame list of appetizers including Brurata drenched grilled asparagus and Roasted baby carrots all infused with goodness before diving into a spaghetti dish with (fresh Santa Barbara caught) uni, lobster bisque and nori breadcrumbs. We ended with a delicious coconut lime tart for dessert. Each course was well paired with a delicious beer never seen before including an Icelandic White Ale from Einstok Olgere brewery and Belgian styled Saison from Brasserie Dupont Brewery called Foret. Now this one was a bit of a surprise when I told the waiter to bring me something new. I did enjoy this beer but might have picked another one given the bottle was $16…but it was delicious.

Now leaving paradise was just as easy as getting here. Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) was a small 5-gate commuter airport and prides itself on being only one stop from the world.

All in all this was a very fun destination to get out and explore rich with history and excitement. I definitely see myself visiting again, but this time bringing either my wife or my family. With lots to see and do, I know the boys would have a great time here.