Sunday - Spring Adventure with your hosts, WMM & Nigel

Okay, so it is snowing again.  Sure I could wallow in the terrible truth of a guest who has stayed on a little TOO long, but no, I am choosing today to cheer myself up with Spring. 

I am not the first to be penned in by a winter that has gone on forever.  For the ultimate "it is a FRIGGING long winter movie" that also happens to be a musical (and no comments about its inherent sexism - both against men and women) and which happends to be a favourite of all members of the chez WMM household, lets start with a little spring reverie from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  This movie has fabulous singing and dancing, including the immortal musical lament "A man can't sleep, when he sleeps with sheep..."  Of course, Spring finally arrives and the whole farm is alive with new babies and a lot of brothers and soon-to-be-brides running around giving each other moony eyes as they want to make babies too, but it is the 1950s and they need a preacher.  But this will get us in the mood for the rest of the post!





There, don't you feel all ready to embrace spring now?

What shall we do first?  Well it's first thing in the morning, and we need to do our makeup.  I suggest we head over to Louise's wonderful blog Ingredients and get our eyes done in a wee tiny bit of blue.  You don't think you would like blue?  Well, I think you can give it whirl and it is Sunday after all and who's going to see you anyway?  Oh wait, a lot of people, once you keep reading.  But dammit, it's spring, let's try it!

We are going to need to wear some colour folks, it is spring and the blacks and greys that I wore so fetchingly must be replaced today by something a little gentler.  I forgot to tell you (and actually forgot about it myself till yesterday as the weather has been so wretched) that I picked up the following v neck sweater at Banana Republic in NYC.  I had a 40% certificate, thanks to GetFresh (THANKS!) and paid $44 for it. 

It is 52% silk, 35% poly and 13% cotton and it is very soft.  I think I will wear it with my khahi minnies and around the house, an old pair of hugo boss turquoise ballet flats.  I need to look spring-y where we are headed.  Will update with a picture later.  Do you think it is too much to have a little turquoise on my eyes with this sweater?  Wait - don't answer that, I am going to do it anyway!  Better that I don't know your thoughts and I will sally forth as if I have your full love and support!

Okay, I am dressed.  Let's go to lunch shall we?  There are a lot of us, so I suggest an outdoor cafe.  I checked the weatehr for Paris.  Only 3 degrees there this morning.  Then I thought so many of you are lovely Americans, so perhaps we would go somewhere warm AND local.  So there is a reservation for us all at the Shoreline Beach Cafe in Santa Barbara.  Now I've never been to Santa Barbara before, but the weather looks quite nice today and can't you see us all sitting outside together?  Waiter - more pinot grigio, please!  Bourbon for the Scot over there!

Now some of you will have winged in from far away, so I suggest you might want to go get a room somewhere.  I suggest, since time and money are no object to the likes of us this fine Spring Day, that we all hole up at the Montecito Inn, which appears to me to be just the kind of establishment for people like us.

Comfort is so important for these trips and we will need a spot with a spa AND a bar and nice accommodations:

I'm suggesting that since it is Sunday, we stop at the Santa Barbara Mission for some spiritual guidance before we head off for the wine tasting afternoon.  However, this is the perfect Spring Day, so really, feel free to do whatever you want to do!

Some of you may prefer to shop...Just make sure you have your platinum cards, darlings - you will need them!

I would suggest a gallery or two as well. Culture you know!

I suggest we all meet for dinner and if that is the case, I would also suggest dressing up a little.  I mean, my goodness, you are at one of the finest Inns in town and who knows who may pop in for Sunday dinner? Is that Oprah?  Oh sure Oprah, you and Stedman can join us, just don't hog all of the conversation....

I think I'll wear this little Alexander McQueen Hummingbird dress, that was a recent gift from Nigel, who has come into some sort of inheritance.  It is bad form to ask a chimpanzee where their money has come from, so I am keeping mum and just enjoying the fact that he wanted to fly us all to Santa Barbara!  You must go and take a proper look at this print, though I guess you will see it when we meet for drinks before sitting down to our sumptious dinner.

After dinner, we will be whisked away to the historic Arlington Theatre.

Oh you can check the schedule all you want - looks like there's nothing on tonight, right?  Well Nigel has been busy!  We will see a lovely little double-bill: Mumford and Sons, who will have us on our feet, and then Diana Krall, who will soothe us before we had back to our Inn, happy with our lovely spring day!

There - what a day we have had!  And you know what, while I was writing our itinerary down, the snow has slowed a bit and I can even see some brightness in the sky.  That's what a nice overnighter to Santa Barbara can do for you!

See you on the beach - and stay safe out there!!!