It’s a popular destination for politicians, celebrities, and royalty, and was recently named “World’s #1 Resort” by Forbes Traveller.
Scorpio (Oct. 24 – Nov. 21) “You’ll do what millions of others do and still feel like you’re contributing something different. It’s because you really are.”
Final installment of Steve and Emma’s Empty-Nest Adventures in Santa Barbara..
Part One: Quick Getaway to Santa Barbara
Part Two: Hotel Santa Barbara’s Grand Tradition
Part Three: Night TRAPs – Walk. Drink. Eat. Groove.
Part Four: Morning for the East Beach Grille in Paradise
Part Five: Authentic Lifestyles and Cozy Couches
On Sunday, the final day of our long Veterans Day Weekend we made arrangements to meet our fellow Scorpios for a quick sight-seeing tour of the Greater Santa Barbara highlights –
- The Ritz-Carlton Bacara,
- The El Enchanto Hotel, the
- San Ysidro Ranch and finally
- Montecito for dinner at the Honor Bar .
Scorpio (Oct. 24 – Nov. 21) “You want your work to be artful and useful, or you’d rather not turn it in at all. The thing is, you’re not the best judge of this today.”
Today was Sunday.
Dave dropped by the Hotel Santa Barbara for a leisurely continental breakfast in the lobby before heading down the coast near Ventura to catch his fill of waves.
After leaving our luggage with the Valet and making arrangements for picking up our car after our Montecito dinner we were picked up by our friends and headed north towards San Luis Obispo in search of the Ritz-Carlton Bacara.
Here’s how The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara’s website describes their 80 acre property:
“Low-rise villas with wrought-iron balconies.
Beaches that glow under the sun.
The water at your doorstep.
Vibrant blues and intricate patterns.
Food that is meant to be savored with the sunset.”
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara embodies the charm, beauty and energy of the Mediterranean
in the heart of Santa Barbara, offering ocean-view accommodations,
an indulgent spa and dining that celebrates local ingredients.”
Okay.
We agree on almost every point except for that part about being in the heart of Santa Barbara, right?
I’d argue that the Hotel Santa Barbara on State Street is in the heart of Santa Barbara, but I’m not a copy writer.
It’s Zip Code belongs to Goleta and expands to Gaviota and another section north of Solvang and Los Olivos.
Zip Code: 93117
Profile At-A-Glance (Fall 2017)
Life Stage: Singles, Couples, Midlife, Baby Boomers, Seniors
Community Neighbors:
08Y1S2, Executive Suites, 30-44, Couples, Midlife Success, Affluentials (Mission Viejo, CA)
12Y1C1, Brite Lites, Li’l City, 30-44, Couple, Midlife Success, Second City Society (Santa Fe, NM)
Community Neighbors:
Interim Middle Managers – PTIMM
22Y2S3, Young Influentials, 25-54, Mainstream Singles, Suburbs, Middleburbs (Tempe, AZ)
Community Neighbors:
24Y2C2, Up-and-Comers, 25-54 Single, Mainstream Singles, City Centers (Napa, CA)
35Y2C2, Boomtown Singles, 25-54, Mainstream Singles, City Centers, (San Marcos, TX)
Even as the neighborhoods become more remote as you fan out from Santa Barbara the degree of affluence and status falls within the upper 15% to 50% of all lifestyles.
Residents in the Wealthy Influential neighborhoods tend to be midlife successful couples also living in Mission Viejo, California and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The remaining lifestyles fall closer to the midpoint of affluence, are classified by Claritas as “Mainstream Singles” falling in the broad 25-54 year old age range – also calling Tempe, Arizona or Napa, California or San Marcos, Texas home.
Next up?
We back tracked and drove about 25 minutes on winding foothill roads until we arrived at the Belmond El Enchanto for drinks and an appetizer as we overlooked the Santa Barbara harbor
According to their website the resort was popular with the Plein Air School of artists.
“Belmond El Encanto’s former 1920s glory has been lovingly restored to become one of the most celebrated resorts on the West Coast.
The restoration process helped to highlight the original Spanish-colonial and Californian craftsman styles, with modern additions including a zero-edge outdoor pool and sumptuous boutique spa. Here, every sense is heightened.”
The Belmond El Encanto joins Stearns Wharf, The Santa Barbara Zoo, The Santa Barbara Bowl and tony streets with exclusive homes tucked away from sight.
Zip Code: 93103
Profile At-A-Glance (Fall 2017)
Life Stage: Singles, Couples, Midlife, Baby Boomers
Community Neighbors:
01M1S1, Upper Crust, 45+, Couple, Affluent Empty-Nests, Elite Suburbs (Half Moon Bay, CA)
10M1C1, Second City Elite, 45+, Couples, Affluent Empty Nests, Second City Society (Ft. Myers, FL)
12Y1C1, Brite Lites, Li’l City, 30-44, Couple, Midlife Success, Second City Society (Santa Fe, NM)
Community Neighbors:
24Y2C2, Up-and-Comers, 25-54 Single, Mainstream Singles, City Centers (Napa, CA)
27M2C2, Middleburg Managers, 55+ Couples, Conservative Classics, City Centers (South Lake Tahoe, CA)
You’ll find very few 25-54 Mainstream Singles in these neighborhoods. Instead you’ll see wealthy couples at midlife, in their empty nest years or nearing retirement, if they haven’t already.
The most affluent, upper crust lifestyle calls this part of Santa Barbara home, like they do farther up the coast in Half Moon Bay, California.
Watching the sun set over the channel almost lulled us into bliss. Until we collectively realized we had one more stop to make before dinner.
Higher up on more twisty canyon roads took us to San Ysidro Ranch in the Santa Ynez Mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
We peeked into an original 1825 Old Adobe Cottage as sunset light was beginning to fade.
Santa Barbara Independent writer, Tyler Hayden, put it this way.
“The ranch was originally part of a 1769 land grant by Charles III of Spain, 
served as a sanctuary for Franciscan monks before becoming a citrus operation and then eventually a hotel.”
“Spanning 500 manicured acres with broad views of the Pacific Ocean, the San Ysidro Ranch ― currently owned by Beanie Baby mogul Ty Warner ― consists of 41 cottages and suites, multiple wedding venues, and award-winning restaurants.
“It’s a popular destination for politicians, celebrities, and royalty, and was recently named “World’s #1 Resort” by Forbes Traveller.”
As the sunset, we were glad we at least got to see it while we strolled around the grounds and imagined staying here on some future trip.
The ranch shares the same zip code with Montecito and Summerland and includes the most affluent lifestyles – Wealthy Influentials and Wireless Resorters.
Zip Code: 93108
Profile At-A-Glance (Fall 2017)
Life Stage: Singles, Couples, Midlife, Baby Boomers, Seniors
Community Neighbors:
01M1S1, Upper Crust, 45+, Couple, Affluent Empty-Nests, Elite Suburbs (Half Moon Bay, CA)
08Y1S2, Executive Suites, 30-44, Couples, Midlife Success, Affluentials (Mission Viejo, CA)
14M2S2, New Empty Nests, 55+, Couples, Conservative Classics, Affluentials (Indian Wells, CA)
Community Neighbors:
09M1T1, Big Fish Small Pond, 45+, Couples, Affluent Empty Nests, Accumulated Wealth, Landed Gentry (Mammoth Lakes, CA)
11Y1T1, God’s Country, 30-44, Couples, Midlife Success, Landed Gentry (Boulder, CO)
Even more exclusive estates behind walls and private, gated driveways hide affluent celebrities and the rich and famous.
Could that be Oprah’s or Ellen’s compound over there?
We’ve always enjoyed spending weekends in Santa Barbara, especially at the Montecito Inn once owned by Charlie Chaplin.
On those getaways we’ve strolled along Coast Village Road to the Honor Market next to the restaurant for coffee and we ordered artisanal pizza to eat back in our room at the inn.
This was the first time we ate dinner in one of the booths surrounding the wooden bar in the center.
It’s not the biggest restaurant, which is maybe why we’ve ate and drank cocktails outdoors at their patio tables before.
Or maybe why our Scorpio friends warned us and then gave us a demonstration.
They told us there’s a rule that if you’ve finished serving a table on your way back to the kitchen, pick something up from a table.
“What?”
“Watch.”
And with that a server came by and started clearing our table of half eaten salad plates and rolls while we were still enjoying our conversation.
Scorpio stingers were at the ready when a half empty (or half full) beer glass became a table-passing- server target.
“Hold on there. I’m not finished. We’re not finished and we’re in no hurry.”
Especially, when it came to end-of-a-long weekend traffic flowing through Los Angeles and into South Orange County.
We joined other vacationers on Highway 101 heading south after 7pm.
As we neared Ventura for some reason my mind wondered to La Conchita.
We passed it on the way up.
I remembered it was prone to large landslides that have wiped out homes and even killed local residents.
The worse of these was the tragic slide on January 10th, 2005 when a huge rain-caused side killed 10 residents.
Okay.
Enough about natural disasters.
I didn’t want to spoil the good vibrations.
Closer to Ventura and the beach and waves breaking on the shore I wondered how long Dave would want to work remotely?
If he’d want to pick one of the zip codes that included neighbors closer to his age and interests?
But, that was a conversation we’d take up again at Thanksgiving, only a couple of weeks away.
Steps:
21) Spend the time to find the best place to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.
32) Plan extended seasonal vacations during summer and winter months. Group destination locations together in regional trips to explore what several bucket list towns have to offer in the general vicinity – with only a week or two vacation time to spend, we recommend organizing your itinerary by travel regions.
33) When you move, will your established neighbors share your same values? Does your new home have potential over the long-term to develop into a high appreciation real estate investment while being affordable for mid-life or empty nesters? Do the weather patterns in winter or summer make you want to live there year round, or only on a seasonal basis. Does your new community offer a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities?
You must be logged in to post a comment.