What I bought on vacation

Santa Barbara might just be the best shopping city in the world.  This black patent leather purse was purchased at Yellowstone (527 State St, Santa Barbara (805-963-9609, sorry, can't find a website, just the plethora of yellow type pages places).  The purse is big enough for a cell phone, camera, flat brush, IDs, money and keys.  Sometimes you just want to carry a tiny, tiny bag but sometimes you don't.  The strap, which is long enough to go over your shoulder, tucks into the bag when you want a clutch.  Cost: $32.

This picture does not due this dress justice.  I bought it at Black Star (430 State Street, Santa Barbara 805-962-5611, ditto from above on the website).  It's cotton, lined, sits right above the knee and was only $18.  

World Market (aka Cost Plus/World Market, 610 State Street, Santa Barbara 805-899-8311, http://www.worldmarket.com/home.jsp) appears to be working their way across country so maybe they'll be here soon.  OK, you can purchase on line, but it's so much more fun to fly across the country and wander around.  

Cafe du Monde coffee ($6.99/lb) is, if you like strong coffee, what you want.  So what if it looks like mud when you add milk.  It packs a wallop and tastes good too.  I bought one can of decaf as an experiment and stocked up until I get out there again.  

These cocktail picks were in the 50% off section and cost something ridiculous like $1.75.

I had lunch, as I always do, at Natural Cafe (508 State Street, Santa Barbara, 805-962-9494, http://www.thenaturalcafe.com/).  It consisted of a bowl of roasted red pepper soup (with chicken stock and cream) and a decent sized salad with lots of goodies included jicama and a peach smoothie and bread for, I think, less than $10.00 and I got to sit outside.  Natural Cafe has never disappointed me.