05 November 2013

Trip report: Los Angeles and Santa Barbara

Nick had a conference in Pasadena right around our fifth anniversary, so we worked it out with the grandparents to leave the children in Chicago and took our first-ever vacation together. Yes, we've known each other for 27 years, but this was our first vacay. 

First up was Santa Barbara. We stayed near the beach and found the most New England-y place in the pier for dinner. It was lovely. And three of my first four meals in California were tacos, thanks to Baja Fresh, the place on the pier, and the world-famous-thanks-to-Julia-Child's-patronage La Super Rica. I've come to the conclusion that the desert and the traffic and the sun aren't really my thing, but I could live on those tacos. 

But before my third taco meal, we found a lovely knitting shop, Loop and Leaf. Full range if Brooklyn Tweed plus a trunk show, Habu, and a wall of Madeline Tosh. On top of that, the owner has a shop rabbit! The whole place had a lovely vibe, and I highly recommend visiting should you be in the area. 

Then is was back to LA proper and on to the Getty. A friend of mine from way back in the days when I answered phones the the Boston Phoenix now works at the Getty, and we managed to meet up with her for a little tour before closing. The Getty is such an interesting place. Such a modern space with amazing gardens, and then there is this art collection. 

The rest of the visit was pretty mellow (for me - Nick had to be on a panel discussion Saturday morning). Our food focus shifted to Pacific rim with Vietnamese spring rolls from one strip mall store front and amazing dumplings from another. In LA it seems the less inspiring the environs, the more inspired the food.

With all the driving and flying, I knit most of a sweater. Yup. The Cephalopod Traveller ombré set from Rhinebeck did not even enter the stash and is now a top-down contiguous pullover graduating from light up top to dark at the hems. No picture yet, since I've decided to redo the hems (turned isn't working for me). Soon, though. Well, once I finish my application for this great job and deal with a big, stinky child support problem and get my submissions together for Enchanted Knits and ... There's probably laundry and vacuuming and dinner to make in there, too. Ah, well, I can still think of being awoken by seals barking in SB :)

Santa Barbara morning
Colorful tiles at our hotel
Visiting Loop and Leaf
La Super Rica - where Julia Child got her taco fix
Hollywood sign way off in the distance. Once Nick pointed it out, I felt like Meg Ryan trying to spot the Eiffel Tower in French Kiss - I couldn't really spot it (at least not from the car such that I could get a decent picture).
In the garden at the Getty. We had a lovely private tour with my friend Melissa (we worked together at the Boston Pheonix many moons ago). Did you know that the Getty bought a marble quarry in Italy so that everything would match?
Happy anniversary! Selfie at the Getty. 
Riding the tram back to the real world in my Wavelette. Perfect sweater for fall in LA, btw. 
RUOK? Freeway sign!


Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo, Kathleen 




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