California Dreaming

Our final day on the road, I drove approximately 400 some odd miles. Shanti pulled a rare turn and woke up long before the sun. We both got going really early so we could make it to the house by early afternoon. The driving was relatively uneventful except for the mounting traffic as we approached Los Angeles. Our route had us skirt the worst parts of the city but we couldn't escape all of it. However, what a delight we were to find when we pulled into our new community. It's literally nestled into the side of a hill with the ocean on one side. La Conchita is a very small and eclectic community of unique homes and mobile homes placed hodge-podge over about 3-4 acres of land. The residents are all very friendly and we have a nice mix of artists, surfers, retired folks, and others. There isn't any commercial enterprises in the community at all. We are literally on the cusp of Ventura County and Santa Barbara County and the next closest town is Carpinteria. Each of the little beach towns around us have a unique character and lots of charm. On different days throughout the week, we can find a farmer's market wit a wide variety of organic produce. There are also the usual mix of commercial groceries and a wide variety of independent shops and restaurants. On our first night here, our neighbor took us to this cool frozen yogurt place called Yum Yum Frozen Yogurt where you make your own sundae your own way, like a salad bar, and then the cost is by weight. Mmmmm! Shanti loves that there are lots of vegan and vegetarian restaurants. One place in Carpinteria feeds the community for free on Thanksgiving. The whole area is stunning and the view from our balcony is of the Pacific. It's all good.