Wearing (Hers): MINX BOUTIQUE dress | CONVERSE shoes
VIOLET RAY backpack | RETROSUPERFUTURE sunglasses
URBAN OUTFITTERS bandana

Wearing (His): LACOSTE polo | LEVI’S jeans
SPERRY shoes | RAY-BAN sunglasses | SHINOLA watch
JOHN HARDY beaded & leather bracelet

It was midnight. Michael and I lay in bed as pillow talk helped facilitate a plan for our day off in the morning. We’re lucky enough to have Mondays off together at the moment, and we always try to make the best of them. I jokingly suggested wine tasting in Santa Barbara: a place I’d never been, but have always wanted to see. To my surprise, Michael agreed to the idea. I jumped on buying train tickets for 8 AM the next morning so he couldn’t change his mind. Ticket confirmation was trip confirmation.

After a hectic morning trying to plan the unplanned trip, we made it to the train station without an extra minute. The ride was smooth and surprisingly quick – we occupied our time with music and the view and arrived right before 11. The train station is right in the middle of the Funk Zone, Santa Barbara’s beachfront art and industrial zone where most of the wineries reside within walking distance. After wandering for a minute to get acquainted with our surroundings, we stopped at our first winery before lunch.

Area 5.1 was exactly our speed. While the aesthetic and theme were contemporary in nature, the wine was by far my favorite of the day. Our sommelier, Chad, was friendly and knowledgeable. I’d hardly call myself a wine expert, so I love taking these opportunities to learn about what I like and dislike in a glass. After trying their selections and getting a rundown of the area from Chad, we left excited to keep exploring.

But first, lunch. We found a place called Savoy Café & Deli online and began the ten-block walk in its direction. Our path led us down State St, the major street in the area. There were a few boutiques and antique stores we stopped in, but the street was also packed with brand stores and restaurants. After getting distracted more than once, we made it to Savoy. The atmosphere was bright yet cozy with an eclectic interior that made you feel at home. We each ordered a sandwich from their signature menu – so good. While we didn’t try anything else, they had a salad bar that looked delicious and a little coffee counter. This will definitely be a stop the next time I’m in the area.

With full stomachs we walked back toward more wineries. Our second stop was Grassini Family Vineyards. It had a much more upscale feel – The interior had the most incredible reclaimed wood bar that lent to a vintage feel. The wine was a little pricier and just as good, but they aerated the red wine in a way that I’m not accustomed to. We finished our tasting and kept moving. We stopped at McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream when we passed it again on State St. Let me say, there’s a reason for the hype surrounding this place. I could live inside of their Salted Carmel Chip. So. Good. Then it was time for more wine.

Kalyra Winery is where we found ourselves next. Fun fact: some scenes from the movie Sideways were filmed here! The atmosphere was very casual in contrast to the last winery, so it was easier to feel comfortable sitting at the bar. Our sommelier was friendly here as well, and we tackled their (pretty large) tasting menu with small talk and smiles.

After this, we found ourselves walking along the boardwalk and out onto the pier. The slow lifestyle was apparent as we walked along the harbored boats and fishermen. We spent a long time sitting at the end of the pier, which had no rails on its sides, just enjoying each others company and looking in the water. After a while, we wandered over to Stearns Wharf just to see the area. With about 30 minutes left until our train, we headed back to the main street. We had a little time to kill, so we ducked back into Area 5.1 for one more glass of what ended up being our favorite of the day, their 2014 White Light. We loved it so much we bought a bottle. Now we just have to struggle with when to drink it…

Our 7 PM train down was just as smooth as the one going up, and we got back to Orange County by 11. While it was a little hectic getting to the station early that morning, the day we had made up for it ten fold. I’m always an advocate of being spontaneous, and this day pretty much summed that up. If you have the time to spend with someone you love, do everything you can to make the best of it. Making memories is what life is all about!

A few similar items that Michael and I wore: