Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara this, and Santa Barbara that, and everything about Santa Barbara is so great.... this is what we heard from people all over California (and Oprah.) It actually was lovely. And we had a terrific guide. Our couchsurfing host was the best! We watched awesome surfing where people were doing all kinds of old school tricks on their boards. Hand stands and crazy stuff. Check out that guy hangin 10. They make it look so easy! Anyway, our host took us all around town to the mission, to see the lights, to eat excellent gelato made by an old Italian man's hands, and the best burrito I've ever had (probably made by a Mexican's hands but I didn't meet the chef that time.) 

Our host also drove us out to Ojai to see a local musician named Emy Reynolds play her music. Her drummer, Piper, was amazing. We enjoyed some greasy bar food and felt very welcome in boring old Ojai. Then on the way home, our host got pulled over because he was driving too fast.... and he got a ticket! I felt so bad but he was okay with it. He said receiving a ticket makes up for all the times he didn't get one. Good attitude! He's also a photographer and asked us if we'd model for one of his class assignments. Something to do with lighting. The first picture of him is one I took with my lower class camera. The flash on my camera triggered his equipment to flash and my picture turned out completely black.... until I messed with it in iPhoto. It looks so horrible and it makes me laugh when it's displayed next to his pictures. Anyway, Phillip Van Nostrand. He's good. Check out his website! Like every other coastal city in California, we enjoyed Santa Barbara, but it's crazy expensive to live there.