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Travel diary: Santa Barbara and Death Cab for Cutie concert

By Tina - September 28, 2015

A group of friends and I had a mini vacation in Santa Barbara this past weekend. We made the trip out to see Death Cab for Cutie at the Santa Barbara Bowl.

We stayed at the South Coast Inn in Goleta for a little over $200/night - not cheap!!! But the hotel was quite nice. There was a pool (heated all the time to a wonderful 80-some degrees) with a jacuzzi, a ping pong table, a fitness center (which unfortunately is currently being renovated so we didn't get to enjoy) and a cappuccino machine. It was a happy caffeine weekend for me. I drank my weight in vanilla mocha lattes. The inn also offered free continental breakfast, which was quite good. They served the usual: bagels and assorted schmears, cereals, oatmeal, and fruit, but also the nicer stuff like bacon and sausages and waffles and frittatas. 
Hotel lobby
Hotel continental breakfast eating area
Hotel courtyard... felt like we stayed at a mini golf course
Double queen room
While in Santa Barbara, we did some major hiking. ...It was horrible. We hiked the Jesusita Trail to Inspiration Point. Wow was it intense under the sweltering heat. When we finally got up to Inspiration Point,  it was too foggy and the view left much to be desired. I felt so so cheated. Also California drought = no water in creek. 
Jesusita Trail :(
Not even close to Inspiration Point...
Rock says YOU DID IT!
Inspiration Point view
Inspiration Point view 2
We went kayaking the day after the hike at Shoreline Park. It was $15 per hour for double kayaks for students, which we said we still were (you know, like a liar) through the Santa Barbara Sailing Center (although the website clearly states $10 per hour for the students so maybe we didn't get the deal after all). Kayaking was so much fun. I've only kayaked in still waters before, so the ocean waves brought a sense of adventure.
Shoreline Park and boats
Kayak rental location
Kayaking on the beach 
Definitely the highlight of the trip was seeing Death Cab for Cutie. The opener for the concert was a band called Best Coast. They sucked. Everything about the band felt lame and predictable. The musicality of the group is comparable to these foxy felines and yes if you did not click on the link they are real cats in a band. Really though, the contrast between Best Coast and Death Cab made BC look and sound even more like a joke...
eh
Death Cab for Cutie!
But speaking of Death Cab, i luv!!!!! Their set list featured many songs from their older albums (love!) as well as songs from their newer albums (love 2!). Ben Gibbard sounds really great live. I also like his little upbeat side to side dancing he does while jamming. The best moment of the night happened during the performance of I Will Follow You into the Dark- a shooting star fell through the sky! Really pretty. The brief illumination in a way made the song feel even more hauntingly beautiful and bittersweet.
Santa Barbara Bowl entrance
Walking up the steps to the stage
The stage
Bad photo of Best Coast
Bad photo of Death Cab for Cutie
IMAGE SOURCE: http://csw2015.ece.ucsb.edu/Santa%20Barbara.jpg, http://www.granadatheater.com/files/2015/05/247d68db447319949bfa7cebff47390e.png, http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/2015/article/death-cab-for-cutie-new-album-title-20150112/180173/medium_rect/1420840139/720x405-DeathCabForCutie_2014_DCFC_WeAreTheRhoads_CR_0717-[original].jpg

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