Anyway, up early to a very glum Santa Barbara day. All grey. No worry, it did actually turn into a stunning afternoon as the clouds eventually burnt away.
Met with Laura (GM) and Scott (VP of Sales & Marketing) for breakfast and plotted the day. I have this thing about toasted English muffin, fried egg and ham ... with a bowl of blackberries! Ten days in a row ... is it a Heinz ketchup thing?
SO - start with drive up to the Canary. It opened in January 2008 and has just 97 rooms & suites. It started life as a hotel and then became an old folks home ... before becoming a hotel again ... It's the sister property to Shutters (Santa Monica) and Casa Del Mar ... both legends ...
I love it ... it's intimate ... full of happy staff ... and there's not a bag of pretence to be found. Lovely.
My suite - The Canary - is around 120 square metres. It's a fusion of classic and contemporary design ... with Spanish hacienda style and turn of the century American Arts & Crafts melded together in a happy souffle of comfort. The bed is awesome - a 4-poster - raised a couple of feet off the ground.
Learnt about oysters from Exec Chef Brian Parks ... and ate three of them! I am not a fan ... but I have not been sick so it could not have been THAT bad for me! Brian does NOT eat oysters! Lucky man ...
Interviewed Laura at the Pool/Roof Terrace (6th floor) in the sunshine ... she is awesome! Fun & serious at the same time ... and coiner of the new phrase - ... "whackadoodle gazillionaire ... "
While the boys filmed the hotel, I bought cigars and ventured into the "Banana"! I love it there!
Off to a party now.
Song of the Day: Thriller - Michael Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtyJbIOZjS8&feature=featured
Weather: Absurd to the Wonderful
lounge
lounge
balcony scene - a cigar break
brian parks - exec chef (& yes - i AM getting darker!)
helping the oyster down with gravity
tim under cover
laura mciver - general manager
awaiting a massage! bedroom in background!
