Kate, Author at Two California Sisters

Sampling gourmet vegan food at Oliver’s in Montecito

vegan food Small plates Olivers Montecito CA — A few small plates to share

Reposting from June 2020: I’m heading to the Central Coast to see Kate and a few friends, and I thought this would be a great opportunity to repost one of Kate’s first updates. The vegan food really was delicious at Oliver’s!

Last night we ventured out for vegan food, our first dinner in a restaurant since COVID-19 arrived. My friend Lauren and her husband have rented a vacation house in Santa Barbara for the month of June to escape to the sun from Seattle. Lauren’s husband (who is also named Steve, like my husband) is a die hard vegan so we wanted to be good hosts and take him to the latest vegan food hotspot.

My husband and I very rarely eat even vegetarian meals, so we were a little skeptical going into it. I had heard rumors that the food was good (despite being vegan) from a few non-vegan friends. And when I looked at the Oliver’s site, I knew it was going to be a beautiful space. And it was time for us to broaden our vegan food horizons.

Fun things to do on Fall trip to Jackson Hole

We recently planned a last minute Fall trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with some friends. One quick lesson we were taught – Jackson is the town, Jackson Hole is the area! And it helps to travel with the same fun pals– we all know each others’ travel preferences.

A few fun outdoor activities in Santa Ynez Valley

We moved out to the Santa Ynez Valley earlier this year. It is about 40 mins from Santa Barbara but a very different experience. It is the home of the local wine industry which is what initially brought us out here, but we have loved finding lots of new fun outdoor activities in Santa Ynez Valley. There are great restaurants, hikes, big rides and it is just a slower pace of life.

Checking out a terrific farm stand at Finley Farms

We are discovering new things all the time with our move to the Santa Ynez Valley. One great example of this is the farm stand at Finley Farms.

Tips for a great weekend trip to Charleston, SC

We were recently in Charleston with friends and I wanted to share a few found nuggets. If you haven’t been to Charleston and like a bit of history, beach and amazing food, get your ticket and go!

A trip to Taliesin West for inspiration during an Arizona weekend

Steve and I recently visited friends in Phoenix for a long weekend. Most of our visit consisted of catching up and relaxing; it was actually a perfect weekend! For a little culture, our hostess bought tickets for us to visit Taliesin West. I didn’t really know what to expect except that is a compound built by Frank Lloyd Wright. After our visit, I’d definitely recommend a trip to Taliesin West to anyone visiting Scottsdale.

Living an amazing life in Santa Ynez Valley!

Champagne tasting!

Horses, cows and pigs 🙂

Beautiful scenery and walks…

Yes, that’s what our life in Santa Ynez Valley has consisted of recently!

farm animals — We’re out in the country now!

Amazing weekend of fun at Taste of Santa Ynez Valley

Steve and I attended a great wine and food weekend in the Santa Barbara wine country a few weeks ago. The Taste of Santa Ynez Valley is a four day, six town celebration of the restaurants, wineries and activities across my new home. I’ve written before about how much I love this area. And the wonderful November weather makes this a don’t-miss event!

couple at wine tasting — Kate and Steve having a great time at the Taste of Santa Ynez Valley

It’s the final weekend for the corn maze in Solvang!

Steve and I are spending a lot more time in the Santa Ynez Valley. So when we stumbled upon a corn maze in Solvang, we had to stop to check it out. It’s the final weekend before the maze and pumpkin patch wraps up for the year. So I wanted to share why I think you should head out there!

Getting inspired by wonderful houses on a Santa Barbara house tour

After Amy shared her Lamorinda house tour experience this spring, I was eager to find a Santa Barbara house tour. There is a national organization called AIA – American Institute of Architects that hosts Architect Tours across the country. They have hosted these in Santa Barbara for quite a while, and I have always wanted to attend. We didn’t have one for the last couple of years, but we did in early October this year.