"Life is like a camera...Focus on what's' important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don't work out, take another shot!"
—author unknown
After having croissants and coffee for breakfast at Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro in Montecito Cecile and I went to The Funk Zone, formerly old warehouses and factories in downtown Santa Barbara. The twelve block area includes funky art studios, antique studios, wine tasting rooms, restaurants, and bars. We shared lunch at the Dawn Patrol before taking an Uber to Mission Santa Barbara founded in 1786 by Spanish Franciscans. Nicknamed “Queen of the Missions,” this historical landmark has enchanted visitors for centuries. The church overlooks the Pacific Ocean. We toured the nine-room museum filled with ancient artifacts, stunning sculptures, statues and sacred, peaceful flowering gardens, including exotic cacti majestic palm trees and a historic cemetery.
After getting our 10,000 steps in we returned to the Montecito Inn, took a well-deserved nap and had dinner at Tre Luna (Italian for three moons) Restaurant on Coast Village Road in Montecito. This was our second time back. The other evening we had an antipasto platter, minestrone soup, salad, and focaccia on their outdoor patio. It was amazing. This time we reserved seating inside the restaurant. Tre Luna is a five-star-rated eatery that has an old school Italian appeal with warm wood decor and black and white vintage celebrity photos from the 1940s and 1950s that line the walls. The jazz background music and Italian folk songs from my childhood added a classy, nostalgic vibe.
Our waiter, Raphael, a Brazilian of Italian descent took good care of us. Fifteen minutes after we were seated and ordered a glass of wine, Cecile informed me that she sent me a text. How odd I thought. I’m right here? We struck up a conversation with a fun couple seated next to us and I forgot about the text. Their names, Juliette and Michael had moved to Montecito from Newport Beach a few years ago. They ordered pizza and ravioli and Cecile and I shared a salad, appetizer, and split an entree called Gargenelli Alla Calabrese (penne pasta with spicy sausage, tomato sauce topped with melted mozzarella). It was superb.
After Juliette and Michael bid us farewell, Cecile and I finished our dinner and I said, “Oh, I forgot about your text."
I picked up my cell and read her message: “Don’t turn around! Carol Burnett is sitting at the window table behind you." As it turned out we finished eating dinner and exited at the same time as the beloved 86 year old actress, comedian, singer, and writer, best known for her groundbreaking television variety show. She was with Brian Miller her husband 23 years her junior.
Afterward, we had gelato at Scoops down the street and returned to our suite. I resumed reading Oliver Guide, a sharing resource based on recommendations from travelers like ourselves. I noticed fellow traveler, Courtney Leary wrote about Tre Luna, describing it as an old school Italian place to eat where Carol Burnett was also seated at the table next to her. All I could think of was the late New York Yankees catcher, Yogi Berra who following serendipitous experiences was fond of saying, “It’s like De Ja Vu all over again."
Carol Burnett was known by her viewers' for tugging on her ear lobe at the end of her show to let her grandmother Mabel whom she called Nanny to let her know she was fine, and that she loved her. Later, it meant, "Hi Nanny. I’m fine. I love you. Your check is on the way.”
Stock photo of Carol Burnett
