The lobby and library of the new Hotel Californian. Photo courtesy of the hotel.
Santa Barbara bounces back from a tough winter with creative energy and newly strengthened camaraderie.
Is it a laid-back college town? A surf-bum way station? A luxe paradise of villas and palm trees? All of those things, for sure, but also much more. Beyond its almost-too-perfect coastal beauty, Santa Barbara is also a city full of style and spirit. That spirit, you might recall, was tested in December 2017, when California’s biggest wildfire on record charred the surrounding hills. The city itself was largely spared, so its residents immediately got to work hosting benefit concerts and selling “805 Strong” apparel to help their impacted neighbors rebuild. As the first post-fire summer begins, there’s a renewed sense of vigor and purpose. Innovators continue to make over the town’s warehouses and historic buildings into centers of cool, and the food scene just keeps getting edgier. But there’s still a lot of work to be done, so if you come across a craft fair or beer tasting that supports the relief efforts, by all means, pitch in.
(Published in the June 2018 issue of Sunset)
