Natural Cafe has been a fixture in the Santa Barbara area for many years, and has been quite successful at spreading its "No red meat, vegetarian friendly" gospel. Natural cafe has been so successful at targeting a vegetarian/vegan friendly niche that there are now over 9 locations in Southern California, which is quite impressive for an independently owned food chain.

Now I know what you’re all thinking. Usually when someone throws around the terms "healthy fast food", "vegetarian friendly" or anything like that, people instantly flash back to that Simpson’s episode where Lisa becomes a vegetarian and she proclaims at the Family BBQ that she’s made "enough gazpacho for all!". Well, I'm going to tell you that just because The Natural Cafe touts itself as a healthy alternative to fast food, does not mean that you’re confined to cold soup and tofu bricks as some might expect (I know, shocking isn't it?). I'm one of the biggest carnivores I know, and I actually quite enjoy the natural cafe.

Natural Cafe, while having vegan and vegetarian friendly options, also has fish, turkey and chicken based dishes. They also offer a wide assortment of appetizers, shakes, salads and even offer a children's menu for those parents who are looking to raise their kids to eat healthy. Instead of having the traditional "French Fries" as sides with the meal, Natural Cafe offers blue chips with salsa or salad garnish instead. All of the dishes on the menu are moderately priced (usually between 6 and 10 dollars) and are probably 10 times fresher and better for you than you'll find on most fast food menus. My favorite all time dish is the Gobbler Burger; a turkey patty based burger covered with sprouts, Thousand Island dressing, and red onions. I was actually skeptical about the gobbler burger at first (who puts sprouts on a burger?) but it has become my Natural Cafe staple, and i actually really like sprouts now. Another good dish is their chicken enchiladas, which are sure to please. Their blueberry shake is also one of my favorites and, although a tad expensive ($3.50), tastes absolutely amazing, and is made with fresh blueberries!

Now I know right off the bat this place not appeal too everyone. Healthy food places, like Natural Cafe serve dishes which are naturally very low in sodium and fat, which means that they're not as flavorful as some other places: its is after all healthy food, and you can only dress it up so much until, well, it becomes unhealthy. Some people might find this place not their cup of tea for other reasons; sorry steak and burger fans, but no red meat is offered on their menu. But if your one of those people who wants to make their eating habits a little healthier, lose a couple pounds, or just try something different without spending a lot of money, I would definitely recommend Natural Cafe.

There’s nothing fancy about South Coast Deli, it’s your typical looking sandwich spot, but what separates this place from the pack is the sheer variety of sandwiches they offer. Combine that with fresh ingredients and hearty portions of Deli meat and you've got yourself a great lunchtime spot to keep all the co-workers happy…that is until they actually go back to work.

The menu ranges from hot and cold sandwiches to salads, all of which are priced reasonably, usually between 6 and 8 dollars. Their sandwiches range from the normal run-of-the-mill sandwich like the Turkey Hoagie, to the exotic such as the Flank Steak Panini, all of which are rather tasty. You can also add chips and a drink to your sandwich, or try one of their freshly made smoothies. I recently ordered the Roast Beef Hottie (Roast beef w/ melted hot pepper jack, garlic-tabasco mayo, ?lettuce, tomato & red onion) for $6.95.

I’ll admit, at first I was intimidated by the ingredients, but after overcoming my initial fear, I bit into one of the best sandwiches I've had in Santa Barbara. If nothing on the menu tickles your fancy, or you’re just very picky, then South Coast also lets you build your own from their variety of meats and cheeses for $6.75. Unlike most Delis in the area which are somewhat stingy with the ingredients, South Coast tends to be a little more generous and pile on the meat for you, giving you more bang for your buck.

If all of you don’t have the time to go out to lunch, you can also call South Coast and have them cater, which is very convenient for offices that are especially busy and can’t meet a deadline with a growling stomach.

One downside of the South Coast Deli in Goleta is that it is located right across the street from a large hospital, so lunch hours can get a little hectic and the wait may be a little longer than normal. Also, the parking lot is rather small and is shared by a few businesses, so sometimes you might have difficulty finding a spot. Other than these two minor problems, South Coast Deli is a great place to eat lunch.

Hopefully this article has helped you pick a great sandwich spot and will be the end of your co-worker lunch time woes…well, at least for now.

Fun

If you are a fun loving person, there are many places in Santa Barbara that can bring out your date's sense of fun. You cam take your dare to museums, wildlife parks, beaches, concerts, movie theaters and sporting events. You can also do fun activities like kite flying, horseback riding, and picnicking at the parks or beaches. These places will help you and your date relax and definitely have a great time.

Nightlife

When you want your date to be more exciting and fun, the nightlife in Santa Barbara will provide you with many choices. You can take your date to nightclubs for dancing, comedy clubs for a good laugh, karaoke bars for singing and bars for some great music. Places offering these forms of entertainment include Indochine, O'Malley, Madison, Brewhouse and Blue Agave.

Places To Dine

Every date requires a nice place where you can eat. Looking for a restaurant in Santa Barbara is not at all difficult as long as you have an idea of the kind of food you want, the ambiance (casual or formal) provided by the restaurant and your budget. Some notable restaurants in Santa Barbara include Brophy Bros (Seafood), Carlitos Cafe & Cantina (Mexican), Edomasa (Sushi), and Bucatini (Italian).

Romantic

Because of Santa Barbara's natural beauty, romantic places need not be expensive. Relaxing walks, picnicking and watching the sunset are just among the many romantic activities that you can do on the beaches. The best romantic places include the Leadbetter Beach, West Beach and Goleta Beach.

Dating in Santa Barbara is really a wonderful experience. All you need to do is be yourself, relax and let Santa Barbara's charm do the rest.

A local favorite is the Los Olivos Cafe where the wisteria covered patio welcomes any who enter. Most will agree that the amazing combination of tasteful wine and delicious food is what brings them back to the restaurant time after time. On the wall you can see an impressive selection of Santa Barbara County wines as well as the large fireplace and bar that connects the cafe to the Los Olivos Wine Merchant.

The Los Olivos Cafe is a part of the Los Olivos Wine Merchant. This merchant has one of the biggest selection of Central Coast wines that are available anywhere. You can even access this merchant from your home with the easy online store. They also offer their famous gourmet products such as the Los Olivos Cafe Bread Dipping Oil, Muffaletta, and Olive Tapenade. You can find these products online or in California if you are lucky enough to visit.

Emilio's Ristorante is located on the waterfront in Santa Barbara and has been a favorite for both the locals and visitors for the past sixteen years. The owner and staff have been known for consistently treating their guests to a five star dining experience. They offer a great menu selection that was created by their own team of talented chefs. With the delicious meal combined with professional customer service you will sure to leave with a smile on your face.

Emilio's also serves family style dinners with four course meals starting at $45 per person, and the five course meals starting at $55 per person. It is hard to find an unsatisfied guest leaving this establishment. The atmosphere at Emilio's is intimate and the staff that runs the establishment is always friendly. The meal is defiantly worth the price.

You can find Spanish-Mediterranean architecture lining the streets of downtown Santa Barbara. At one point this area had a Native American Chumash population for thousands of years until the European era began in the 18th century. Unfortunately, the oldest architectural hodgepodge was destroyed back in 1925 when an earthquake flattened the local businesses. The town that stands today is the same that rose out of the rubble.

The town of Santa Barbara is known for its red tiled roofs and white stucco walls which form a backdrop to some of the Spanish Revival architecture. In Santa Barbara the beaches are lined with palm trees and are refreshingly clean. Though the downtown area has been replaced by an upscale shopping mall the area has still been able to keep its quaint friendly character.

After the infamous earthquake of 1925 the town was rebuilt with the image of Spanish Colonial past in mind. There are many arcades that are connected to shops, cafes, and restaurants in a pedestrian friendly way that helps non locals get around easily.

State Street is home to a variety of diners, coffee bars, night clubs, and book shops. In the center is El Cuartel, a two hundred year old barracks that is the second oldest building in California. El Cuartel is home to historical exhibits and a scale model of the small Spanish colony.

Wooden Stearns Wharf is a half mile away from the town's center down State Street. It was originally built in 1872 and was almost destroyed by a fire in 1998 when the pier was in flames. Since then there have been massive reconstruction efforts and it is now home to an arrangement of shopping, dining, and beautiful beaches.

Whether you dress up or go casual, you will be able to find a place that suits your needs in Santa Barbara. At night, the street comes alive with the sound of music. The Cafe Buenos Aires offers an Argentine menu and a canvas covered courtyard that has a fountain in the middle. They have live music that is either Latin or South American Smooth Jazz and area for you to dance.

Naturally, you can come dressed up or wear casual clothing, both are accepted here. The music, dancing, and Mojitos should keep you warm, but in case they don't, the overhead heaters will take away the chill. Great music, great mood, and amazing food, what more could you ask for?

Rocks has three different bars to keep the drinks flowing, as well as patio seating, indoor dining upstairs, and a nightclub downstairs that comes complete with live music and DJ's. Rocks is known as being the most popular martini lounge in Santa Barbara and is the place to be for the young club scene. They have an awesome crushed velvet martini that is made from fresh blackberries.

Indochine is a step away from the lower State Street bars that are jammed packed with college kids smashing drinks and acting crazy. In fact, Indochine is a boutique, champagne, and vodka lounge all in one. It is beautifully decorated with Chinese and Thai furnishings and features a mosaic of crushed glass that had been salvaged from old stoplights in San Francisco.

Santa Barbara is a great place to go to have a fun night or weekend out. There are many places to choose from and they are all close together.

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is located in Mission Canyon is intended to display California native plants in their own natural setting. There are about five and half mile of hiking trials that wind throughout the garden. The Mission Creek flows through the area and even has a rock dam that was constructed in 1806 by Native Americans.

In 1926 landscape architect Beatrix Farrand designed the garden. By 1936 the main focus was the plants that were native to the California Floristic Province. In 1983 the garden officially became a Santa Barbara landmark.

People can also tour the historic Franciscan Mission of Santa Barbara that includes twin bell towers and amazing gardens. It was founded in December 4, 1786 which was the feast day of Saint Barbara. In the beginning years there were actually three different chapels built, each becoming larger than the one before.

After the great earthquake of 1812 that destroyed most of the existing buildings they began the construction on the current Mission. Then again during the 1925 earthquake the towers suffered major damage but were rebuilt. The inside of the church has not been altered in any way since 1820.

Found on Stearns Wharf is the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Ty Warner Sea Center. Here you can experience live tide pool animal encounters, and a theater that explores the Santa Barbara Channel. You can also go through a tunnel that is inside a 1,500 gallon surge tank to observe sea stars, urchins, and more. You can even be an oceanographer at the museum. You are able to take ocean samples and get a close up view of the ocean life through professional video magnifiers.

The place was pretty laid back. You can order your food and drinks up front and they will bring everything out to your table. The woman at the register was really friendly and seemed to know all the locals that came in. I always find this to be a good sign – they gotta be coming back for a reason right?! They have a chips and salsa bar to hold you over until you get your food and I thought the salsa was really delicious and fresh.

After looking over the HUGE menu, I decided on the carne asada nachos and my boyfriend decided on a burger and tri tip baked beans. My nachos were amazing – probably the best I’ve ever had (seriously). The BF loved his food as well (although he was picking at mine the whole time!). The amount I ordered was enough to feed three people and I could definitely see myself coming back with a big group of friends. Just as we were leaving, we saw a big group of parents bike up with their kids in tow. They settled in at two tables, crayons and coloring books at one table and nachos and drinks at the other. They had the right idea for a beautiful sunny afternoon and I definitely will be joining them next weekend.

Last month when my company held their annual retreat here, I was able to experience it first-hand. The land is surrounded by woodlands with a creek running through the grounds. Small houses are dispersed throughout the area far enough from each other to provide a sense of seclusion for those who stay there. I felt relaxed the instant I passed through the cobblestone gates.

Individuals, groups and conferences have been hosted at the La Casa de Maria to total 12,000 guests in the past year. However, you would never know it when you wander throughout the grounds; I couldn’t hear or see a single soul a minute after wandering away from the main building. The reason being that others are likely occupied with the many activities the center has to offer. From recreation such as swimming and tennis to more relaxing choices including meditation courses and yoga seminars, this sanctuary provides plenty of activities to relax your body and mind. In addition, they provide organic meals fresh from their own gardens. After spending a day at a work conference at the La Casa de Maria I was much more relaxed than had I lounged on the couch. I can’t imagine how I would have felt after a weekend of relaxation in one of their cozy little cottages. I highly recommend you try it.

There are a couple really great places to take your family out to eat in Santa Barbara. Luigi’s Pizza and Pasta is the closest option we have to Chuck E Cheese and I must say the food is much tastier. They have an arcade and game room and a separate party room for private events. Zodo’s Bowling and Beyond also has an arcade and over 20 bowling lanes. Located in Zodo’s is Z’s Taphouse and Grill, a full service restaurant and bar with great food you can have delivered right to your lanes. My favorite Santa Barbara restaurant and one of the upper-scale child-friendly locales is Arnoldi’s Italian Restaurant. Aside from a great menu of Italian classics, they have a patio area with a Bocci Ball court so your kids can run amuck while you watch them from your dinner table

All in all, Santa Barbara is a pretty relaxed place and you will find that most places will happily accept your family (jeans and all!) into their venue. If you didn’t have time to burn off some extra energy at the beautiful beaches here, then the above options will work wonders to feed and entertain your kids.