So: Kelly and I have been together for little over a year. We had decided to move in together after realizing we were perfect for each other during our travels together. All that was needed was a city to live in, a condo in it, and ALL THE FURNITURE. My family knew all about Kelly, but I hadn’t formally introduced her yet, so before we signed the lease on our fabulous new place (we decided on Seattle, for proximity to my sons), we decided to make a quick trip down to Santa Barbara. Kelly doesn’t have to introduce me to her parents- they passed on years ago, and she is SO GLAD she doesn’t have to- she was nervous enough introducing me to her sister. Have any of you been divorced after a long marriage and had to introduce your new significant other to your family? For me it was a strange mix of being a confident adult and nervous teenager- such a bizarre feeling!
We packed our bags and headed to the airport. With both excitement and a wee bit of edginess, we boarded our Alaska Airlines flight to Los Angeles. This has been my favored way to visit for a long time, as the drive up from LAX is quick and easy and there are so many choices for cars to rent there. If you choose going up highway 1, it’s a little slower, but if you’ve rented a convertible it’s a wonderful introduction to the southern California sun and a lovely drive.
We stopped at a nail salon for quick pedicures and then headed up, arriving at the Hotel Santa Barbara late in the evening. This is a great little hotel in an excellent location at the bottom of State Street. There are several restaurants within a short walk, the beach and wharf are just a couple of blocks away, and you’re right by the Funk Zone- breweries, winery tasting shops and lots of live music. It’s an energetic scene to enjoy on warm Southern California evening.
We chose a junior suite for our stay. It was large and comfortable with a great bed and plenty of room to get ourselves dressed without stepping on each others toes. We went for a walk up State Street on our first evening, stopping in for a late Vietnamese dinner at Saigon. We headed back full and sleepy.
We spent the morning lounging over coffee and chit chat in our pajamas, as usual, then met up with one of Kelly’s old friends for lunch (the first of the days introductions!) at Santa Barbara Craft Ramen. We took a walk out onto the pier and I mostly listened as Kelly and Kasey caught up on old times and new under blue skies and a warm sun.
Then, omg, we drove up to the parents place. This is where I grew up, and it was really enjoyable sharing the familiarity of the place with Kelly on our first visit together. The introduction was easy and informal, erasing the small fret we’d been feeling, and we spent a lovely afternoon chatting with mom and dad, and later with my sister and her husband over dinner.
We joined them again the next morning and enjoyed another couple of hours of chatter about travels and life and family and the joy Kelly and I have found in each others company, and then it was time to head back to Los Angeles for a night at the Millennium Biltmore before our flight back to Seattle, where a new chapter of our life, together, was about to commence- our application was approved and we only needed to sign!
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