Thursday, November 02, 2006

Customized Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen of My Favorite Things about Santa Barbara in the Fall:

1. Fewer tourists - Of course, you're all welcome here, but its nice when we locals get to get out and around a bit more without a bunch of people complaining about the one-way streets, asking why the eateries are so small, and (worst of all) saying, "So, you're basically like L.A.?" No. Emphatically NO.
2. Avocado Festival. What's not to love about cheerleaders and a vat of gaucamole?
3. Delightfully brisk evening walks. Christie and I did an 'all-uphill' walk the other night.
4. School back in session, full swing. It cuts down on the number of insane partiers in the down-town region. Notice I said "cuts down", not 'eliminates".
5. Earlier darkness = I'm pleasantly surprised when it seems like midnight and is only ten.
6. Wedding season winding down - a bit of a breather for us. May I stress a BIT, and only in November, if that.
7. Trader Joes' Triple Ginger Snaps - Made with fresh, ground and crystallized ginger.
8. I really appreciate the trees we have that do turn colors. Yes, we do have them.
9. The sky turning a darker blue, crisp outlines of the Channel Islands in the distance.
10. Excuse to eat clam chowder with a sourdough bowl at Brophy's.
11. I can wear my "black sheep": Eight feet of ultra-soft, black chunky-knit lambs' wool that is sooo soft, and so very warm. Scott bought it for me, and while I shrink from even touching it in the summer, I'm looking forward to it being "cold*" enough to wear it (with a tank top and sandals or a cute dress, of course) now. *Cold = 55 degrees Farenheight
12. The light during the time between two and five pm is pure amber.
13. Other people's fireplaces, nostalgia semi-acceptable.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Awesome list, Maya. Those are pretty much my favorite things about S.B. in the Fall as well (aside from the weddings and uphill walks, lol). I love that huge tree on the corner of Alamar and State Street that is by the creek - it always changes with the seasons.

Dawn said...

sb in the fall. the way the mission looks in the twilight. The absence of the marine layer. Lighting the fireplaces at Cold Spring Tavern (where I worked fo 6 years). Brophy's. How I miss brophys. I miss 55 being cold. Now, 55 is short weather. It was always nice getting rid of the tourists. Your list makes me want to come back to SB for a visit. don't I wish I could.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I miss fall in SB! Maybe I'll come up for the avocado festival. Gotta check the date on that.

Maya said...

Oh man! The Avo fest is the first weekend in october...but you're welcome any rate....ALL of you!