Good Eats Part 3: Best Sushi In Town

Over spring break I was able to go out to eat at two out of three of my favorite restaurants in town. All three of these happen to be Japanese cuisine, by far one of the best types of food. On Friday night I went out to eat at Arigato, a sushi restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara. What I looove about Arigato is the huge menu, so I can always switch it up when I’m there. On Friday I ordered the Eskimo roll, with salmon, asparagus, avocado, red onion, and spicy sauce. I highly recommend it. You can find a copy of the menu here.

http://www.gogobot.com/arigato-sushi-santa-barbara-restaurant

Arigato is on State Street between Victoria and Anapamu.

The second Japanese restaurant I visited this past week was Kyoto, on Saturday night. I came here with friends for a birthday dinner. What I love about this restaurant is how authentic it is to japanese culture. You are able to reserve private tatami rooms for bigger parties, where you even have to take off your shoes! The tatami rooms are closed off by sliding doors, and inside you sit on the floor with your feet on the ground underneath an extremely low table. The whole atmosphere is super fun and interesting, and the private room makes for a perfect birthday party or other celebration. You can find the website with the menu and more here.

http://www.santabarbara.com

The pic above shows the inside of the restaurant, with the normal tables on the left and tatami rooms on the right. Kyoto is on upper State street.

The last Japanese restaurant that’s my fave is Sakana, in Montecito. This is the usual place I go if I want sushi but unfortunately I wasn’t able to go over break 😦 Beware though this place is pretty pricy, although its soo worth it.

http://www.santabarbara.com

Go check this places out if you’re into sushi as much as I am!

Pool Daze

There’s nothing better than hopping from a steaming jacuzzi to a cooler pool, or vice versa. Thats why spending a good portion of my spring break by the pool was absolutely amazing. My friends and I got in the spirit by swimming around and soakin up that vitamin D.

 

Being able to transition from the hot weather, to the snow, and back again was soo fun for this break. My friends and I are so lucky we have access to this opportunity, and we were able to totally make the most of our break. I barely found myself sitting not preoccupied  at home, or having no idea of what to do with friends.

 

My friends and I made the most of one of our afternoons by kicking it off with a friendly soccer match and hopping into the pool as soon as we got hot from the exercise. The whole situation is just fun and ideal for spring break and summer coming up.

 

I hope to have countless days like these once school is out for good. Being able to relax and be stress free while having a good time with my friends is what I live for. This type of environment can provide me with just that, and makes for a good time for everyone there. Go hop in the water and get active!

 

 

Summertime Approaching

Although Santa Barbara didn’t have much of a winter, there is a definite change in the air as the end of the school year draws closer. Spring break coming up is definitely getting my friends and I in high spirits. By ignoring the horrible AP testing and finals in the also near future, summer is easy to look forward to.

Spending days by the pool are definitely something I look forward to as soon as we are released from school.

Soaking up the afternoon sun by laying on the grass and making flower crowns is a great way to spend 6th period soccer if you ask me.

Taking walks with good company can only be improved by a great view. Beach strolls are an awesome form of exercise, and a way to escape the stress caused by school or anything else.

Use your spring break to get out there and enjoy the sunlight, ocean, company, or whatever may come your way. This song should help you get in the mood for the best seasons of the year, spring and summer. Hope you all have a good one.

Good Eats Part 1: Jeanine’s Restaurant and Bakery

There are plenty of great restaurants and cafes around SB. My all time favorite breakfast place has to be at Jeanine’s, in Montecito. I often find myself here on Saturday and Sunday mornings with my friends after a late night. Today happened to be one of those mornings. Jeanine’s is literally the first and only breakfast place that comes to mind when thinking of somewhere to go with friends simply because it is the best.

maddie enjoying her fresh bowl of fruit

Jeanine’s is in the lower village of Montecito, a nice and centrally located place. The restaurant is always packed during prime breakfast time, around 10-11. It’s not uncommon for me to see at least a few people I know every time I’m there. There is seating both inside and outside, but on a gorgeous day like today my friends and I had to claim a seat outside to soak up the sun while we ate.

The Jeanine’s menu includes it’s famous french toast, a variety of breakfast dishes, sandwiches, hot and iced beverages, and delicious pastries. This morning I had the classic yogurt and granola with fresh fruit as a good start to my day, but I could not resist having a bite of my friend Marissa’s french toast because that is Jeanine’s specialty dish. I HIGHLY recommend the kahlua banana french toast, my all time fave.

Above are pictures showing the inside and outside of the restaurant. Both can be found on the Jeanine’s website, here. There is also a Jeanine’s in downtown SB off of state street. Although I am not there as frequently as the Montecito store, it is great as well a perfect lunch spot for shoppers downtown.