Photos Sophia Dentzel
Why get stuck in traffic heading to tourist traps when you can get your hands on the land — and take in amazing views while you’re at it? Get in touch with the Sage Trail Alliance and do a good turn for the community, and maybe make a few new friends while you’re at it, too.
peek-a-boo views around each curve. Just off the APS, Franceschi Park is the best place to watch the sunset. It offers Pacific views in the shadow of a creepy-in-a-cool-way 19th-century house. Share a cozy moment at one of the picnic tables with the group of locals who make the pilgrimage there each evening to watch the sun slip behind the mountain peaks in bursts of violet, orange, and pink sherbet. Santa Barbara has long been heralded by those in the know as a hub for artists and creatives. Come out to see the funky, diverse, and inventive artwork behind the scenes on 1st Thursday Art Walk, a monthly opportunity for locals and visitors to immerse themselves in the arts community. The highlight of this night is the crowd at the Youth Interactive Collective. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to have a tailormade memory there—visitors can choose specific fabrics, beads, paints or patterns, and local art students will make
a custom piece for you in real-time. Why buy an overpriced tchotchke at a tourist shop when you can support young artists by commissioning a tailor-made keepsake? Have you ever heard that the best way to see a place is to explore with someone who lives there? Take it from me, your local aficionado: For a transformational time, seek out the less-obvious pockets of town during your next trip to Santa Barbara, the American Riviera.
Photo Rebekah Beeghly
1st Thursday allows locals and visitors alike to interact with local artists, and buy treasures you won’t find in gift shops. The Youth Interactive group also creates made-to-order, one-off art while you wait. 52
Winter 2019
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