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“A SEGWAY TOUR” OF THE AMERICAN RIVIERA

Once a quaint beach town where the wealthy flocked to enjoy its year-round warm climate and fresh ocean breezes, this historic hideaway is now home to celebrities, great cuisine, a lively art scene and natural beauty - an American Riviera on the Pacific. For a 21st century ride in this Cool City, we stepped aboard our Segways for a guided minitour of Santa Barbara, California.

Maria Camille, Founder and Publisher of The Beauty Show Magazine, Valerie Rodriquez, Co- Executive Producer, and I took a Santa Barbara joy ride with Trish Caron of Segway Tours, each on our own Segway, the stand-up, self-balancing and emission-free human transporter.

We Segway-ed around this Cool City stopping every now and then to enjoy some of its “best kept secrets”—everything from a dog-friendly hotel to an exotic home design haven, to eateries and spas. We motored noiselessly past sailboats and kayakers and circled the famous frolicking dolphin fountain at Stearns Wharf.

Our first stop was Avia Spa: The East West Sanctuary, for a tanning session. This Zen-like haven calmed our senses with its bamboo fountains and earthen textures of wood and stone. The full-service spa offers a customized facial with a comprehensive skin diagnosis. We poured over skin care products including Avia’s own line sold in the spa’s boutique.

Next, Trish led us to locally-owned Crimson Day Spa which uses only plant-based products. Crimson Day Spa’s signature facial features YonKa aromatherapy to restore health and beauty to the skin. The spa’s old-world architectural space with turn of the century rugs and elegant maple furniture provides an intimate retreat. We browsed its selection of organic clothing and jewelry, blissfully sipping a cup of herbal tea.

As we Segway-ed north on State Street’s sidewalks, Santa Barbara’s main drag, zipping past art galleries and palm trees, Trish explained that the Spanish arrived here in the 1500s, claiming the Santa Barbara region from the Chumash Indians.

Their military fortress, the Presidio, still stands. It’s an elegant whitewashed adobe structure which offers a perfect setting for weddings and chamber music concerts. Across the street, Le Bon Café serves up specialties such as salads, salmon and lamb—mostly organic and free-range. Vietnamese/French Chef Jean Paul Luvanvi and his co-owner mother Kim Shaw combine raw food with Pan-Asian textures to create eclectic health food. Jean Paul, along with his team of consulting nutritionists and physicians, offer nutritional workshops, catering and custom-designed menus.

Spanish, Mediterranean, and Moorish architectural styles dominate Santa Barbara and its landmark Courthouse is a gorgeous example of Moorish infl uence. The historic property features exotic sunken gardens and an 85-foot tall clock tower which we climbed for a stunning panoramic view of the city!

Three blocks away, The Taj Café offers patrons a taste of East India. Here, traditional village-style cooking bursts with exotic flavors as fresh spices meet ancient recipes. Dishes are lean, healthy and delicious.

Altamirano Mexican Grille serves traditional fl avors of Old Mexico. The family’s chicken mole is the best this side of Puebla! Carmen Ortiz, Altamirano’s owner who is affectionately called “mom” cooks without lard and offers vegetarian dishes, seafood and tender homemade tortillas.

Guiding us further into Old Mexico, Trish led us to the Mission Santa Barbara, the only California mission to be continuously used as a church by the Franciscan Order to this day. The Queen of the Missions, originally built in 1786, sits regally in front of the mountain’s dramatic backdrop. We spun 180 degrees to get a dazzling view of the Pacific Ocean! Back downtown at Paseo Nuevo Mall, we each ordered the Ruby’s Diner signature Vanilla Black Cherry Shake and vowed to return for their classic burgers, veggie dishes and french fries made with fresh Idaho potatoes cooked in healthy vegetable oil.

Time for bed! Santa Barbara hosts an average of 29,000 regional, national and international visitors per day. One of our favorite properties is Secret Garden Inn and Cottages/Bed and Breakfast. Guests can choose to stay in the main house, a cottage room, a suite or a private cottage. Owned and run by Dominique Hannaux, Secret Garden’s quaint gardens offer tranquility —and a yummy continental breakfast.

If you want to fall asleep to the sound of the ocean, and don’t want to leave Rover at home, The Beach House Inn is a cozy, dog-friendly, 12-unit get-away with high-speed internet access. Some units also have kitchens and fi replaces. Built around a flowered and shady courtyard, the Beach House Inn is the perfect choice for guests who like to gather and mingle over a cup of tea or a glass of Santa Barbara wine. From here, it’s an easy stroll to the beach and Tuesday’s Farmer’s Market on State Street.

We spent a few evenings together enjoying Santa Barbara’s rich artistic culture. The historic Arlington Theatre, the venue for the Santa Barbara Symphony and performing arts, also screens fi rst-run movies. Santa Barbara Museum of Art anchors the city’s many art galleries.

We couldn’t get enough of Santa Barbara’s elegant and eclectic style so we stopped in for a private showing of Molina Home Furnishing’s Moroccan pillows and a very hip global fusion of Moroccan, Spanish Revival, and Asian design.

On our next trip to Santa Barbara, we’ll take our mothers to Qui Si Bella Wellness Spa for its $50 one-hour massage or facial for seniors. Qui Si Bella, meaning “The beauty from within” in Italian, is a serene “getaway” blending holistic wellness with advanced beauty treatments. We can’t wait to return!

For more information call the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitor’s Bureau: (805) 966-9222.

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