Happy Summer Solstice!

Early dawn — late sunset, today is the longest day of the year and the day we celebrate the first day of summer here at Shellbelle's Tiki Hut as does the rest of the Northern Hemisphere.

If your looking for the seashell competition/giveaway, I double posted today, so look at my earlier post and guess what seashell is in the picture!

What better day to also celebrate Father's Day! Even Google is celebrating Father's Day with their daily picture showing a father and daughter at the beach with a sand sculpture of the Goggle logo.


When I lived in California I would often spend the day in Santa Barbara for their annual Summer Solstice Parade. The parade has grown over the years and it is bright, colorful and fun! Typically I would be camping down the coast at McGrath State Beach the week of June 21st and then would head over on the weekend for the parade and festivities.

Santa Barbara is one of my favorite beach communities to visit. They have wonderful shopping and equally wonderful restaurants. My favorite place to eat is the Sojourner Cafe; they serve all natural food and buy from the local organic farmers. I can always count on the Sojourner for a great meal.

Sunday afternoons on Cabrillo Blvd. you'll find an eclectic mix of arts and crafts from local artists and I mean local — only Santa Barbara residents are there. Santa Barbara Zoo should also be on your list of things to do. Consistently rated as one of America's best small zoos, they are also partners with the USFWS Condor Recovery Team. Did you know that in 1985 there were only nine condors living in the wild? Because of this program, as of last December, there are now 167 condors flying free and another 160 in captivity for the breeding program.

Stearns Wharf was built in 1872 to serve cargo and passenger ships. In the 1930s, gamblers boarded floating casinos at the pier, and during World War II it was turned into a naval installation. Now, the wharf has shops and restaurants and is a great place to idle away an afternoon. Yes, there's lots to do in Santa Barabara! You have whale watching, winery tours, kayaking, horseback riding and don't forget the beaches! Beautiful, beautiful beaches and who could ask for more than that? So, if I've got you thinking about going to Santa Barbara next year for Summer Solstice 2010 besure to check out their website before you go. I just may see you there!

In the meantime, Happy Summer Solstice to you all, I hope you have a lot of fun wherever you are, all summer long!