A New Year of Wonder

Do you have a moment in your day that highlights how fast time is passing? For me, it is at night when I turn down the covers of our bed. It seems I just did this and yet, intellectually I am aware that it was closer to 24-hours ago. 

Recent studies have shown that one of the reasons for this is that as we age, we are creating fewer new memories. Remember being in 9th grade and watching the clock tick (almost backward à la Ferris Bueller)? That is because when we are taking in a plethora of new information, the time seems to expand to hold it all in. But often as we get older, we don’t often challenge ourselves in the same way.

Many longevity experts will advocate for doing something new each day like varying your route to the grocery store, trying a new café, or challenging your brain at a mind bender like Sudoku. But as I look forward to the new year ahead, I suggest we challenge ourselves in a different way; one filled with wonder.

When we prepare for a trip, I always check that city’s calendar of events to make sure we catch whatever is on offer. A new exhibit? A sensory experience? An Indonesian restaurant listed as a Must Not Miss. But here? In my own town? Almost never. As in, really never. 

This year, I plan to experience my hometown of almost 20 years as a tourist. Not every day, of course, but at least a few times each month I plan to try something new and look at my own beautiful city through the eyes of a tourist. 

While there are so many, here are the first 24, enough for two every month. I hope you will join me on this challenge (or make your own list!) and see Santa Barbara through the eyes of wonder.

1. Wildlife Kayaking Tour.

2. Tour the Santa Barbara Courthouse.

3. Have a picnic in The Rose Garden near the Mission.

4. Walk Hammond’s Meadow Trail to the beach.

5. Plunge in the hot springs up Cold Spring Trail as a reward for the hike to get there.

6. Saturday lunch at Brass Bear in The Funk Zone.

7. Catch the sunset at The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach.

8. Visit our newly renovated Museum of Art.

9. Eat some insanely good noodles at Empty Bowl in The Public Market.

10. Spend the day at the spectacular Santa Barbara Zoo and check out Zoo Lights before January 15.

11. Take a tour of Lotusland.

12. Experience sunrise yoga at Meditation Mount in Ojai.

13. Drinks or even a coffee at the El Encanto Hotel. Just walking in the doors feels like you are on vacation. Stack on a movie at The Riviera Theatre for a quintessentially Santa Barbara outing.

14. Stroll around the Japanese Exhibition at El Presidio Santa Barbara State Park on Canon Perdido.

15. No visit to Montecito would be complete without experiencing a sunset at Butterfly Beach.

16. Hang out and have lunch at Shoreline Café. Get a beach table, dip your toes in the sand and I swear it feels like you are in Mexico.

17. First Thursdays! On the first Thursday of each month, experience art, music and theater in our very own downtown Santa Barbara.

18. No self-respecting resident can ignore the cultural breadth of the UCSB Arts & Lectures series with an offering of literary, musical, dance and speaker series that any city 10 times our size would be proud of.

19. What about the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden? Yes, I say!

20. Holy moly! I almost forgot the Santa Barbara International Film Festival! For a little town, we sure have an impressive film festival each February.

21. Walk along the marina and grab some fresh fish at the seafood market, lunch at On the Alley, rent a paddle board or just watch the boats. Magical.

22. Visit the enchanting Bellosguardo, the Huguette Clark Estate.

23. The Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. Wander around the exhibits, see the hawk and owl handlers, and be sure not to miss one of the Planetarium presentations.

24. Bike or walk the Cabrillo beach path. Every time I do it, I marvel out how very fortunate we are to see this in our lives each day. The beach, the boats, the seagulls, the cafés and the oh so many dogs I meet. Pure bliss.

I can’t wait to get started. And, for once I know I will not overpack! From all of us at the Montecito Journal, we wish you a happy, healthy and wonder-filled year ahead.