Santa Barbara Trip

We spent an enjoyable long weekend in Santa Barbara, CA introducing some new visitors to all the city has to offer.

We enjoyed drinks and dinner at El Paseo, and had a wonderful meal at Ca Dario, one of our favorite places for Italian food. Simply one of the best restaurants in town and a local favorite.

Our final dining stop was at Quantum, which was new for both of us. It was a mix of various fusion cuisines, but we were underwhelmed by the food quality and overall experience. Perhaps our move to the NYC metro area has influenced our restaurant expectations.

We spent an enjoyable day in the Santa Ynez valley, and enjoyed return visits to Melville Vineyards & Winery, Sanford Winery, and Sunstone Winery. We had a quick lunch outside on the patio at Los Olivos Cafe. The wine at Melville was excellent as usual, as well as Sanford. The ambiance at Sunstone is unparalleled.

A new stop on this visit to the valley was Kalyra Winery, as we were curious to see the winery that had been prominently featured in the movie Sideways. While the overall experience was interesting, we would not return for the wines alone.