The third Travelouge from California

Good morning Tuesday!

I hope your weekend has been good.

Now, I will take you along for our Cali trip again as I am writing my third travelogue. 

The Tuesday after Memorial Day it was time for Peter, Karolina and myself to head north.  We left  Los Angeles behind. Karolina picked us up at our AirBnB in Melrose with her car. Peter took over the driving and Karolina settled for the back seat.

OK, it IS NICE to leave crazy, busy LA behind …

Somewhat of a relief. As soon as you have left the craziest traffic behind the landscape turns more rural and the traffic thins out.

 

"Ventura Highway in the sunshine ..."

We were heading up the coast towards Santa Barbara where we had lunch and strolled around for a bit. 

Santa Barbara is so cute. We did not spend more than a couple of hours there, but I am sure we’ll go back again at some point. The June gloom loomed over us while we were there. It was SOOO gray until it finally broke midday.

 

Santa Barbara after the break of the  gloom.

After a good lunch, it was time for us to head inland.

Our next destination: SOLVANG!! 

You all might know Solvang from the EXCELLENT movie Sideways. Peter and I spent a couple of days in this little town back in 2016. We loved it!!

Karolina found an alternative driving route for us  going there this time around. A route that took us thru the country side and the mountains.

IT was beyond pretty!! AND also so dramatic!! THIS is the way to go getting to Solvang, you all!!! Head up route 154 (San Marcos Pass Road) instead of traveling on 101.

YOU will be in for a treat!!! In taking this road to Solvang, you’ll enter the town from the south.

 

San Marcos Pass Road.

We drove by a very pretty lake on the way to Solvang, Cachuma Lake.  Such a pretty area, but the lake is about to dry out. How extremely sad.  The drought in California is seriously serious.
Look at the grass, it is so dry that it has turned brown.

There is a state park by this lake, and you can camp there, rent a cabin or a yurt like the ones in the picture.

Solvang, you crazy, weird, quaint, quiet little piece of Denmark in the schmack middle of the Santa Ynez Valley.

It is so bizarre, and at the same time so cool! WE settled in at our hotel, Royal Copenhagen Inn. Peter and I stayed there last time we were in Solvang as well.

 

THIS is a good place to stay!

In the afternoon, we had reserved a table at a nearby winery!

I mean, you are straight in world class wine country when you are in Solvang. So, we drove to a nearby one and got wowed by the vineyard itself AND by the quality of the wine (honey, we’re not sipping Virginia wines now, haha).

Here at home Peter and I almost always buy wines from Cali. Virginia wines should only be consumed at local wineries while you are sitting there in the moment ;-). Otherwise, stay FAR away from Virginia wines, you hear!!!

 

Rideau Winery.  Such a great, great Vineyard!!

The gardens surrounding the tasting room were SO beautiful.

The roses in southern California ALWAYS blow my mind!

JUST enjoy life in the shadow of a great California live oak tree.

The tasting room.

The three of us ordered a flight of wine each and we settled down underneath a California oak tree that gave us so much needed shade.

It was HOT inland. WE SO enjoyed the hours hanging out at this winery. Priceless.

 

A flight for three at a California winery!

WITH a charcuterie board, of course!
You always start with the lightest white wines and go to the heaviest of reds ...

OH boy, do I feel good in this pic!!!

I love the California live oaks!!
More roses ...

In the evening, as we had returned to Solvang again, we headed out to a wine bar for another glass (Solvang is FULL of wine bars) and then we went out for a very simple (but good) hamburger dinner.

Karolina jumped in the pool as we got back from the winery.

Our hotel, we stayed in the bottom room to the right with the three windows.
Solvang is SOOOO adorable.

Solvang closes up its shops and restaurants early. It is a very quiet town. THAT works for me. We were in bed fairly early that night.

 

The next morning our road trip continued to … 

More about that in my next travelogue.

Have a good Tuesday and thanks for tagging along on this trip :-)