Posted by Before my daughter started her full time job seemed like the perfect time for a Mother Daughter road trip. We hit Pacific Coast Highway in my convertible, dance music blaring, and drove north towards Santa Barbara. It was a crisp California Autumn day, and we sang along as the waves splashed to our left and the mountains rose on our right. The first stop was Jeannine’s Gourmet Food Hall for lunch in Montecito, California. We ordered at the counter and grabbed a seat outdoors on their quaint Coastline road patio. It was delicious and relaxing.
After lunch, we headed up the road for about 10 minutes to reach our afternoon destination, Lotusland. We met our docent, for a 2 hour guided walk through their multiple gardens and grounds. Lotusland was started by a fascinating woman named Ganna Walska from Poland. She planted various gardens to preserve specimen plants. We learned about her multiple marriages, careers, and goals. We saw species of endangered plants, as well as artistic pathways, ponds, and aviaries.
By twilight, we headed north again to Santa Barbara and checked into our hotel, the Bacara Resort. Our room had a balcony and was situated near the spectacular pool and beach area.
When we woke up the following day, we waled up the hill to Ocean House for breakfast. A buffet and a view…what a combination!
We spent the day in the Funk Zone section of Santa Barbara. This part of town between the train tracks and the beach is home to wine tasting venues, local art, and outdoor cafes.
We stopped for lunch at The Lucky Penny and enjoyed a kale salad, chicken salad sandwich, and homemade chips.
We happily entered the spa after our day in Funk Zone, and were ready to receive our neck, back, and foot massages before driving to dinner. 
Dinner that evening was at The Lark on their outdoor patio underneath portable heaters. Luckily, I was given a lap blanket because the temperatures were in the fifties! The food was unique and farm-to-table fresh.
The following morning it was time to hit the road for our drive back to Santa Monica. London played disc jockey and we once again sang our way home.
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