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Vol 4. Issue 4 | $5.99
APRIL 2016
LIFE STYLE
SANTA BARBARA
MAGAZINE
&
HAPPIER &
healthier
weekend
ESCAPES
close to home
spring
it on!
travel
COUNTRY
PhotographedbySilasFallstich
WrittenbyMarisaHutton
ModelTaraBlanchardwithL.A.Models
StyledbyKaylaHernandez
HairandMakeupbyCarolinaMiranda
withCarlyleSalon&StyleBar
ManicurebyAquaSkin&NailBarusingLVXinFleur
Cowboy-upatCalifornia’spremiereduderanch.
CHARM
T
woyearsagoinasmallTexastown,
Iboughtmyveryfirstbeautifully
stitchedcowboyboots.Thatpair
ofexquisiteleatherartworkhas
remained,untouched,onthetop
shelfofmypicked-apartcloset,just
waitingforanexcusetobringoutmyinnercowgirl.
Finally,today’stheday.Alltooeagerly,Ipullthemdown
andshovemyfeetinside,prayingtheystillfit.Wishing
Iownedapickuptruckforthequick30-minutedrive
north,Ihopinmysedanandheaduptherollinghills
toCircleBarBGuestRanch.Mypartner-in-crime
fortheweekendturnsupthecountrytunesand
thesweetsoundofsoutherntwangtakesusaway.
SoonthegravelcrunchesbeneathmytiresandIlet
outalongrepressedexhale:we’rehere.Cabinswith
darkburgundywallsandcrispwhitetrimsurround
me.Ifollowthesignsleadingtothe“RanchOffice.”
Tomyleft,twosmilingfacesgreetme.OneisKathy,
theownerofthisremarkableproperty.Instantly,I
sensetheauraoffamilyandcommunity.Afterabrief
tour,weareledtoourcharmingcabinandsettlein.
Theclockstrikes5:00p.m.and,almosthypnotically,
wemakeourwayovertothebar.Sittingonleather
stoolswithourbacksrestingonsmoothanimalhide,
wesipourlemondropsandwhiskeysours.Amassive
stonefireplaceloomsbehindusandthewooden
wallsgivethesensethatI’minareal-lifeLincolnLog
Cabin.Thesoundofourchatterwithanearbycouple
andthebartenderechoesthroughtherusticbuilding.
30|APRIL201630|APRIL2016SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM|31
Happyhourcomesandgoesinan
instant,andamemberoftheclose-
knitstaffannouncesthatdinneris
served.Onlyafewfeetaway,weenter
adiningroomlinedwithasteaming
buffetandfilledwithtablesdraped
incheckeredcloths.Thesmellof
barbecuecapturesmysenses.With
steamedvegetables,garlicbread,white
beans,abakedpotato,tri-tip,chicken,
salad,andchocolatecake,there’snot
anemptysquareinchonmytwoover-
filledplates.AbottleofBallardLane
PinotNoirissetinfrontofmeand
Itakeadeepbreath,lookingatthe
foodandwineIamabouttodevour.
Agrandmotherandgranddaughter,
couplesyoungandold,andbest
friends—alldiningtogetherat
communaltables.Thissetupisexactly
whattheranchisabout:family.Once
youcometoCircleBarBRanch,you
areforeverconnected.Theranchhas
beeninKathy’sfamilysince1939,and
sheandherbrotherPatarethethird
generationtotakeover.Thepride
theyhaveinCircleBarBispervasive,
fromthegenuineexcitementoftheir
welcometotheirutterattentiveness
totheirguests.Theguestbookinthe
maincabinsaysitall.Handwritten
notesspraythepagesinanarrayof
penmanship.Ireadthewords“We
cannotwaittocomeback”countless
times,andIchuckleatthechildren’s
adoringreviews.Theranchreceives
nothingbutthehighestpraisefrom
newandreturningguestsalike.
AlthoughIhavebeenatthisoasis
foramerefourhours,thissliceof
heavenhasalreadytouchedme.
NightcapDress,K.Frank
StromJacket,AllorabyLaura
32|APRIL201632|APRIL2016SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM|33
VelvetDress,Rowan
CallenCorderoCuff,Bonita
StillwaterBelt,Rowan
HammeredHoopsCuff,Rowan
CimberEarrings,Rowan
ACMEBoots,TheBlueDoor
Darknesspeersinthroughthesurroundingwindows
andIlookdownattheplatesIhaveclearedalltoo
quickly.Withhalfabottleofwineleft,wedecideto
keepthenightgoingWeventureovertothegame
room,andputourbilliard,Ping-Pong,andfoosball
skillstothetest.Thecompetitionintensifies,and
weretreattothejacuzziinordertosalvagewhat
friendshipwehaveleft.Theduetofthefrogsand
windthroughthetreesprovidesbackgroundmusicto
theswirlingwaterandquietbanter.Finally,withheavy
eyelids,weretiretoourcottage.Undersubstantial
blankets,Iletthesilenceandtranquilityswallow
meandIdriftoffinpreparationforthedayahead.
Ourpurposefullyleft-opencurtainsframethe
sunlightasitpoursinat6:30a.m..Naturallyawakened,
weheaddowntothestablestowatchthehorsesin
theearlymorninglight.Wethinkwe’regettingan
earlystarttotheday,butthatisputtoshamewhen
wefindatleastfivecowboysalreadyhardatwork.
Mysensessoarwiththesoundofclinkingmetal,the
scentofleatherandthesightofaherdofhorses.We
exchangeafewpolitegreetingsandletthewranglers
getbacktoworkasweheaduptobreakfast.
Homemadefluffypancakes,savorybaconand
flavorfuleggscovermyplate,andIentermysecond
foodcoma.Luckilyourhorsebackrideisnot
scheduleduntil11:30a.m.,sowehaveasolidtwo
hourstodigest.Topassthetime,weheadupthe
carpetedstaircaseintotheloftedlibrary.Weeachsnag
awell-wornbookandstepoutsideontotheterrace.
Thethickgreeneryandthewhisperingfountainoffer
anicechangeofpacefromtheconcretecitylifeI
havegrownaccustomedto.Thiscocoonofpure
relaxationisnothingshortoftherapeutic.Myphone
isoff,Ihavenowheretobeandthereisnowork
tobedone;thisistheescapeIhavebeenreading
about.I’monly30minutesfrommyhomeandthe
bustlingcity,butIfeellikeIamlight-yearsaway.
Rejuvenated,Ihearthecloppingofhooves,andwith
aglanceattheclock,webidadieutothemainhouse.
34|APRIL201634|APRIL2016SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM|35
Wetrytowalkdowntothestablesinourbest
cowboyswagger,bow-leggedandall,butwe’re
outdonebytherealdeal.Countrycharmoozes
fromthesecheeryandgood-humoredmen.After
wesignourlivesawayandtakesomegoodcity-
folkteasing,Jackthewranglersendsusdownto
meetourhorsesandguidefortheday.Now,Ibet
thatalmosteverywomanhasdreamtaboutliving
outhercowboyfantasy,andIamnodifferent,so
whenRicksauntersoverandintroduceshimselfas
ourguide,I’malittlerosy-cheeked.Let’sjustsayhe
isproofthatthefantasydoesindeedexist.Sadly,
I’mquicklyputinmyplacewhenwithinminutes
hetellsmehe’s“Oldenoughtobemyfather.”
(I’dliketonote,however,thatthisiscompletely
unprovoked.)Withmyimaginationputtorest,we
continueupthetrail.Asahorsebackridermyself,
Idon’tknowhowyoucanbeatatrailrideupto
astunningviewwithlaughterandamusementthe
wholeway.Nomatteryourskilllevel,theCircle
BarBStablesallowyoutotakeridesforeither
1.5hoursorahalf-day.Wechoosethelighter
option,althoughuponreturningtothestables
Iimmediatelyregretthatdecision.Rick’sstories
ofguests,fromcelebritiestoweddingpartiesto
proposals,couldhavecontinuedforhoursandI
would’vebeenallears.Themomentmyfeettouch
theground,awaveofmelancholypoursoverme.
Myexperienceiscomingtoanend.Itrytodelaymy
departureaslongaspossible,butwithabutterfly-
inducinghandshake,Isaygoodbyetomyguide.
Ihaveofficiallybeenonthepropertyforamere
21hours,butIalreadyfeelconnectedtotheentire
staff.Kathy’scomfortingsmile,thegregarious
bartendersandtheentertainingwranglershave
allseamlesslyworkedtogethertoprovideus
withthebestpossiblevisit.Wehadmomentsof
peacefulsolitudeandexcitingexploration.In
myexperience,therearetwotypesofweekend
getaways:theonefilledwithlaughterand
adventure,andtheonefocusedonintrospection
andspirituality.CircleBarBRanchisboth.*
CIRCLEBARB
1800RefugioRoad
Goleta,CA93117
805-968-1113
circlebarb.com
LovelyBirdHat,Bonita
VelvetTop,Rowan
JBrandJeans,K.Frank
LisaEdwardsJewelryNecklace,Rowan
CLTCuff,Bonita
LDCJewelryCuff,Rowan
ACMEBoots,TheBlueDoor
36|APRIL201636|APRIL2016SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM|37

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