Carpinteria Again

Alright, I don't know what it is about moving lately but I seem to have been doing it quite a bit lately. Maybe I should be a travel writer? As many of you know already, I've been in a state of flux for awhile, really ever since I left the sunshine state for the other sunshine state and have been trying to put down new roots. This is the second time in four months that I've moved to Carpinteria. What is it about this place that keeps drawing me back? Carp, as the locals call it, is a small seaside town located somewhere between Summerland and La Conchita (where I was until recently) and boasts the safest beach in California or may be the U.S. or possible even the world. I'm not sure why its beach is considered so safe but it may have something to do with all the rules associated with using it. The town itself is really convenient in that it has all the essentials but they're all individually owned little businesses, not much in the way of chains. We do have a Starbucks but we have two much better coffee house, one I frequent called Caje and the other is Coffee, Bean, and Tea Leaf. We also have a very good vegetarian/vegan restaurant called Chamomile Cafe. We have a one-show movie theatre, which is fine by me as one show is about all I can do at any given time. My apartment is centrally located behind the library (on the east), the fire station (on the south), and the grocery (on the north). So eating, reading, and rescue are all within easy access.

I've met some very cool people in this town, predominantly at Caje. One of the baristas and his girlfriend live in the most charming trailer. Really! It's very cool and sits on its own piece of land with a little fence around. They have it decorated like a traveling gypsy caravan which is so me. They're great people! Angela is a massage therapist and Kevin is a true "jack" of many trades. His current "jack" is as a barista. Although I can definitely vouch for his culinary skills too. He's an inspired chef. He's one of those cooks who can instinctively pull ingredients together and somehow it turns out great. I'm also an instinctual cook but my creations are best only served to myself.

The other day while having my morning latte at Caje I met this artist who does these incredible and organic-like sculptures using scrap metal. He creates functional pieces like tables and chairs and planters, some of which are displayed at the cafe. Anyway, as we were talking, I learned that his family has been in the area since the early 1800s and at one time had a building supplies business that was like the home depot of its day. I believe it was through the family biz that his art came.

And, this is shows how interconnected people can be or it's like a six degrees of separation thing, where there is this customer who I've seen in Caje periodically and it turns out she is my roommates friend. And, both she and Heather (my roommate) are into natural health and healing through natural means. Evidently they try all kinds of different things and are currently experimenting with some product made from water that has been effected by meteors and magnetized. I don't entirely understand it but according to them it is very effective.

Oh, this is interesting (I hate that word but it comes up in my writing all the time), there is a very cool flea market that comes to town once a month and they set up right in front of my house. I can literally look out the living room and kitchen windows and see stall after stall of vendors selling all kinds of kitch, jewelry, and other miscellaneous stuff. Our house shares the property with the local history museum and I believe it's the history museum that sponsors the market. There's also a pretty decent farmer's market every Thursday where I can get all kinds of organic veges and fruits and home baked goods. All this goodness within a short walk. Luv it!

What else can I say but that Carp is cool and it'll be my home for now.