Santa Barbara

We've been desperate to get away for a while now, so we took a weekend trip down the coast to Santa Barbara. We stopped a number of times along the way to stretch our legs and discovered that Norah's favorite past-time is crawling (and kind of walking) in the back of the Prius.



We stopped in San Luis Obispo for lunch and ordered her something off of the menu for the first time. A piece of toast and a piece of cheese. Big time stuff!

We stayed at the beautiful Inn of the Spanish Gardens. The pictures don't do it justice. It's a spectacular place. I especially loved the courtyards, which I apparently failed to take a picture of at all.




Norah and I both loved the giant bathtub best.


We walked around downtown on Friday evening and then ordered in room service. Norah ate 4 kalamata olives in 15 seconds (and then threw up on the hotel comforter).

We spent Saturday morning at the Santa Barbara Zoo. It is relatively small, but very well maintained, and the landscaping is just spectacular. Norah had it made in her comfy stroller.

She was the most taken with all of the birds. I suspect it was because they were colorful and made sounds she could hear.

She especially loved the flamingos.

She had no opinion on the elephants.


See what I mean about the great landscaping?



The giraffe habitat was huge and there were about five of them milling around.

You could pay $5 to feed the giraffe from your hand. Give her a few years and Norah's going to love that.


After the zoo we drove to the ocean.

Even though it was cold, I was insistent that Norah get to put her feet in the ocean. Thanks BVZ for the photograph of this momentous event (and my giant ass).


Back at the hotel we changed her into her SPF protective swim gear and went to the pool.

I thought she would be scared of the water, but she didn't hesitate a bit. Next time we'll put her head under water.



We had a fun dinner out on Saturday night and then headed home early on Sunday. It was a quick trip, but a much needed vacation. Weekend get aways may not be the same post-Norah, but family vacations are awesome. We plan to go on many more of them.