S is for stunning...

As I stood looking out over the beautiful city of Santa Barbara from the tower in the courthouse building, I had to wonder why I ever stopped reading Sue Grafton novels.  In case you aren’t familiar, Sue Grafton is the author of the alphabet series of murder mysteries set in Santa Teresa, the fictional Santa Barbara.  I supposed I drifted away from them because there are so many books and so little time, but now having had the great opportunity to spend time in that beautiful courthouse in that beautiful city, I think I will try to figure out which letter I left off with and go back and catch up with the series.  

Now was I on N or O…or maybe P??

Looking out over the roofs of Santa Barbara from the Courthouse Tower.

Water, framed properly.

Need a pay phone
Press *20

My well-traveled hat taking a much needed rest in the women's restroom.

Almost paradise...

We had some frequent flyer miles that were going to expire and they were burning a hole in Greg’s compass.  So he got out the map and decided we needed to go somewhere.  What we decided on was a week in California.

We had been to San Diego for a friend’s wedding and to San Francisco and Wine Country for our 25^th anniversary and I went to a conference in Long Beach a few years back, but we had never REALLY been to Los Angeles and environs.  So off we went.

We spent the first three nights in the very beautiful Santa Barbara where we took a side trip up to see Hearst Castle.  Then spent a night near the Santa Monica pier and then on to Los Angeles for three nights. 

I have to admit that I had no idea what to expect in LA, but liked it very much.  I couldn’t survive there for any period of time though…I’m way too old, fat and poor for that.  But it was fun to visit.

I took too many photos and it will take me a while to sort through them, but I will post a few of our first couple days in Santa Barbara…a place that seems very much like paradise.

In the garden of the old Santa Barbara Mission.

Taken from the tower of the Santa Barbara Courthouse.

This little fellow visited us at our hotel.