A Staycation in Santa Barbara
Hi friends,
Last weekend, I was lucky enough to make my annual pilgrimage to one of my favorite places in SoCal, Santa Barbara. For those who might be unfamiliar with the coastal cities of California, Santa Barbara is north of LA about a two to three hour drive from my hometown in the South Bay. It’s a relatively small coastal town with State Street acting as the main street for the city center. There’s a beach trolley that goes up and down State Street to pick up tourists from the shopping area to the pier. It’s a quaint little town with it’s own community of outdoor enthusiasts, artists, and beach bums. To the ultra rich and ultra famous, like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Oprah, and Gwyneth Paltrow, Santa Barbara is the perfect escape from the Hollywood Hills complete with pristine nature and most importantly, privacy.
To me, Santa Barbara is a home away from home. Ever since my dear friend, Paige, moved to Santa Barbara to go to UCSB, I’ve been making the annual trek to enjoy its uniquely walkable small town charm.
Here are a few highlights from my trip:
What I Ate:
One of the things Paige specifically said she wanted to do together while I was visiting was make focaccia bread together. During the pandemic, baking was my therapy. I baked everything from matcha cheesecake to mille-feuille. With spring in full swing, I love baking focaccia bread decorated with local herbs and veggies. Here is the recipe I use religiously.
We also baked Trader Joe’s Blueberry Muffin Mix as a loaf. I forgot to take a picture of the final product, but it’s super easy and even better with a light dusting of crystallized sugar on top.
What I Wore & Shopped:
I packed a small carry-on size shoulder bag for my three night trip to SB so I didn’t really plan for each day to have a different look. Instead, I packed pieces that I thought could be multi-functional, wearable, and casual. Commentary for each photo goes from left to right:
The first day, I wore a vintage silk bustier top and an eyelet skirt I upcycled myself from an old dress during the pandemic.
Mujeres Makers Market: Features all female POC vendors selling everything from vintage clothing to handmade jewelry. I loved this velvet slip dress but it was a little bit too big for me.
The second day, I wore my thrifted For Love & Lemons tube top and Shop Marché silk pants.
The Closet Trading Company: A consignment shop featuring designer brands. There were so many beautiful dresses for spring (around $100+) all of which were from chic, trending brands. I loved this vintage Chanel hair clip and Celine heels.
Lewis & Clark: A whimsical store filled with so many treasures. From handmade homeware to French hair clips, there’s something for every romantic.
Noted: Something Paige and I have in common is our shared love for cute stationary. This store sells everything from journals to unique cards and little gifts.
Crossroads Trading: As someone whose been thrifting a large portion of my wardrobe, Crossroads Trading is my go-to. They always have current brands and gently used clothes at a relatively reasonable price. I love these pom pom slippers. They were too small but I would have paired them with a silk or linen summer dress.
Jake & Jones: An upscale boutique carrying all of the hottest luxury brands from Lemaire to Sandy Liang. If you’re someone with a higher budget to spend, this store is a one stop shop.
Where I Went:
Truly one of the best things about SB is the fact that it’s a walkable town. Though I’m grateful to be back in LA, that’s one of the things that I miss most about life in Paris.
The Santa Barbara City Hall: Where my friend, Paige, and her dear husband, Zach, got married. Yes, I was a bridesmaid 🤍 One of the best views of the town can be seen from the tower.
The Farmers Market: I tasted the best nut butters I’ve ever tried in my life. 10/10 would recommend.
The Blue Door: One of the best shops for antique furniture, vintage clothing, and everything in between. I could spend hours in this store alone.
Mollusk Surf Shop: One of my favorite stores in all of SB. The minimalist wooden furniture, the simple yet intentional collection of tanks, swimwear, and accessories gets me everytime.
From Thursday evening to Tuesday morning, I was virtually offline. By "offline” I mean I didn’t open any socials, only responded to practical messages regarding my ETA, and only used my phone to take photos/videos. Being present has been something that I’ve struggled with. As someone who thrives on a busy schedule, I’m always thinking about the next thing, the next project, the next place I want to visit. For my staycation in Santa Barbara, I really wanted to be as present as possible; especially since this trip is something that Paige and I talk about all throughout the year. We’re always making a list for the next creative projects we want to tackle together and there’s always a cool new spot to discover.
With the chaos of life itself these days, in many ways, it’s a luxury to be present.
The older I get, the more I value quality time, deep conversation, and offline connection. Since my I’ve based so much of my career and passion in fashion, it’s so easy to get caught up in the materialism of it all. When I’m in Santa Barbara, I feel the liberty to be removed from it all and time itself feels precious.
Frankly, the quality time that I’m able to spend with my friend Paige and her community if like minded people is what makes Santa Barbara always feel like home away from home. Not quite a local and never a tourist, I’m blessed to enjoy a short weekend in SB. A place so near and dear to my heart.
Much love from Santa Barbara,
Kiana
From self-discovery to different ways to be human, follow my dear friend, Paige on Substack.