#Shades and shutters Ocean View DE

[betterblindsshadesde]

Better Blinds & Shades

Better Blinds in Ocean View & Millsboro DE: Better Blinds has locations in Ocean View & Millsboro and is a proud neighbor of all the communities in Sussex County, DE

We have been serving Sussex County residents for years and looking forward to providing their window treatment, blinds, shades and shutters needs for many years to come.

Why Choose “Better Blinds” of Ocean View & Millsboro, DE to ensure a Better Experience for Homeowners?

Offering the highest quality window coverings at an affordable price, along with Free installation and a 100% guarantee, has made us one of the best window treatment installers in Sussex County with many satisfied clients.

Available to you is a complete line of high-quality blinds, roller shades, sheer shades, layered shades, romans, sliding panels, and interior shutters, all installed by certified professionals that will arrive on time and complete the job as promised.

Flexible payment options including all major credit cards and 0% financing to qualified buyers. Call us today to schedule a Free in-home consultation.

" We sell and install high quality Blinds, Shades, and Plantation Shutters for your residential home. We have been selling and installing custom window treatments for over 10 years. We are locally owned and operated and serve the Ocean view, DE and surrounding areas.”

��We carry world leading brands and offer free in-home consultations. We pride ourselves on being punctual and dependable. Most products are installed within 4 weeks. Give us the opportunity to earn your business. Call or text us to arrange a free in-home consultation!"

Shades and shutters Ocean View DE

[betterblindsshades]

Better Blinds Shades

Better Blinds of Ocean View and Millsboro DE serves Sussex County including Lewis, Rehoboth Beach, Fenwick, Bethany Beach, and Dagsboro with over 10 years of experience designing, selling, and installing window treatments to include blinds, shades, and shutters.

Offering the highest quality window coverings at an affordable price, along with Free installation and a 100% guarantee, has made us one of the best window treatment installers in Ocean View and Millsboro DE in Sussex County with many satisfied clients.

Available to you is a complete line of high-quality blinds, roller shades, sheer shades, layered shades, Romans, sliding panels, plantation shutters, and interior shutters, all installed by certified professionals that will arrive on time and complete the job as promised. Contact Us at 302-402-6180 or 240-440-1220 and read our reviews.

Visit Our Website

[havana-great-time]

September 7th, 2022. La Habana.

Mis vidas —

Once again you find me tired beyond my usual norm. This heat and the newness of everything does not provide me with the energy I would like to have to complete all that I wish to do.

My first class of the day was Historia de la Cultura Cubana, consisting of me and four other girls, who all know each other well. They showed me the forbidden spiraling staircase to the roof; certainly not a permitted activity, but well worth the wonderful views of el Vedado. The class, too, was fascinating, debating the existence of high and low cultures and its definition over time.

I returned once again to an internet park for my rather unfortunate and ever-present applications, and from thence home.

After lunch, I saw my first rain in Cuba, and oh! What an incredible wonder! It began with rumbling thunder and heavy grey clouds, from which emanated the occasional fat raindrop. Within moments, the drops turned into a deluge, with all the speed and intensity one would expect from a tropical storm. My skirt hem was well soaked by the time I arrived at the university, though my host family had had the foresight to remind me to bring a umbrella, protecting me from the worst of the water. The lack of drains turned the very street into a flooded river, and it was absolutely glorious. Only alas! For even the furor of the rain could not abate the heat.

Though its professor talked immensely rapidly, Nación y Sociedad en Cuba, 1868-1902 was also a thrilling class, and points its focus toward the foundation of the nation rather than its current manifestations.

Today, you will be pleased to know, I found a convent — a grand building in pale yellow and green, archways permitting entry into a veritable oasis of calm, where palm trees shaded the courtyard and wrought iron graced the walls. Its library does not open until the 18th, but rest assured that I will return here often.

I also joined two of my fellow group members, J and C, who live closest to my house, in a walk along the Malecón. The interminable heat did not aid the pleasantness of the walk, but neither could it shutter the everlasting beauty of the ocean.

My host grandmother tells me, quite frequently, that my Belarusian is quite Ukrainian; born not 100km from the border, I am hardly surprised.

A final note on wardrobe: should you ever find yourself in Cuba, my frieds, I would not recommend wearing a blue button-up in combination with a navy skirt. It is, it seems, the uniform of Cuban secondary schools.

Con amor,

MICHA.

[architectnews]

Hale Mau’u, The Big Island Hawaii

Hale Mau’u, The Big Island, Hawaii Property, Luxury House Photos, Architecture Development

Hale Mau’u on The Big Island, Hawaii

May 14, 2021

Hale Mau’u on Hawaii

Design: Walker Warner Architects

Location: The Big Island, Hawaii, Central Pacific, United States of America

For anyone who has never visited Hawaii’s Big Island, it can be surprising to discover that a vast arid plain occupies a significant portion of its western side, sloping gently down from the Hualalai Mountain to the coastline. Tufts of golden-green grass spring from the crumbled bed of black lava rock, with lacy Kiawe trees scattered throughout.

When Walker Warner Architects was asked to design a vacation home in this setting, the design team decided to fully embrace the quiet beauty of this unique landscape. The project was named Hale Mau’u. In Hawaiian, hale (pronounced ha-lay) means house, and mau’u is a type of native grass.

The 2.9-acre site had several innate qualities — such as its location at the end of a cul-de-sac and its long driveway approach — that allowed the team to create what architect Greg Warner refers to as “an illusion of isolation.” In his words, “This site is unique in its ability to capture the ocean view and mountain view simultaneously. Not all parcels get that. The arrangement of the 4,817-square-foot compound had to do three things: catch the mountain view, catch the ocean view, and then block the view of the neighboring houses.”

From overhead, the site strategy is clear. A single raised boardwalk, floating respectfully above the ground, forms a linear axis pointing towards the mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. This pathway runs through a grassy courtyard, and around three sides of this central space the long, low hales are loosely clustered, like a village. On the fourth side of the courtyard lies the swimming pool, with a view of the ocean beyond, and the island of Maui rising up on the horizon.

According to Warner, the clients made it clear from the beginning what they really wanted: “A house like no other. Resort community architecture tends to fall back on a commonality of building types, but these clients wanted something very unique.” With this open attitude, they bought in immediately to the idea that a home on the dry side of Hawaii could provide circulation between rooms entirely on the outside, using covered walkways that wrap around each of the individual structures.

The first building you encounter is the main hale (2,318 square feet), which contains the shared spaces: living room, kitchen, and family room. Passing through this building you arrive at the courtyard. Flanking the courtyard on both sides are the living quarters: on one side, a single hale for the grand bedroom suite (995 square feet), on the other, a long hale with a row of additional bedroom suites for family and guests (1,504 square feet). Each bedroom opens directly onto the central lawn. Each of the en suite bathrooms has its own shower (five in all), and uniquely, not a single shower is indoors.

All of the main rooms, including the bedrooms, are equipped with large barn doors, so that when fully opened there is little distinction between inside and out. The living room has this feature on both sides, allowing the landscape to sweep through the house from the mountains down to the sea.

These doors were fabricated with gapped boards, so that when they are closed for privacy or shade, fresh air and light can still filter through. When lit from inside at night, the open gaps give the buildings a resemblance to warm glowing lanterns.

Perhaps the most striking and original visual elements of the project are the roof forms, which are long gables with eaves designed to be narrow at one end of the building but wide at the other, carefully oriented to provide extra shade where it is most needed.

The roof cladding material is copper with standing seams but laid up in random widths. This technique converts the appearance from something common and utilitarian, to something intriguing and vaguely organic, which Warner describes as being similar in texture to the trunk of a coconut palm.

Hale Mau’u on The Big Island, Hawaii – Building Information

Walker Warner Architects project team Greg Warner, Principal Thomas Clapper, Senior Project Manager Dan Baciuska, Matthew Yungert, Boyce Postma and Darcy Arioli, Architectural Staff

Consultant team Architecture: Walker Warner Architects Landscape: David Y. Tamura Associates Builder: Metzler Contracting Co. LLC Lighting Design: Anna Kondolf Lighting Design Structural Engineering: GFDS Engineers Mechanical Engineering: Hakalau Engineering, LLC Electrical Engineering: Morikawa & Associates, LLC Civil Engineering: Aina Engineers Inc. Geotechnical Engineering: Geolabs, Inc

Materials/Fabricators Siding: Bald cypress, stained grey Exterior walls: Board-formed concrete, custom coral and graphite finishes Decking: Ipe, clear stain Roof: Copper standing seam roofing Soffits: Bald cypress, clear stain Steel doors: Painted steel doors and windows, by Jada Windows Sliding wood screens and shutters: Slatted bald cypress, stained grey, by Northstar Woodworks Exterior doors: Bald cypress, stained grey, by Northstar Woodworks Supporting columns: Painted architectural exposed steel Flooring: Polished concrete topping slab, custom graphite finish Interior walls: Plaster, custom color Ceiling: Bald cypress, clear stain Casework: Oak, stained grey Countertops: Concrete, custom finish Plumbing fixtures: Satin nickel, by Watermark Wood products supplied by Arc Wood & Timbers and finished by Jitner Painting

Photography by Matthew Millman

Hale Mau’u, The Big Island Hawaiii images / information received 140521

Location: Hawaii, Central Pacific, USA

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A recent Hawaii house on e-architect:

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Comments for the Hale Mau’u, The Big Island Hawaii page welcome

Website: The Big Island, Hawaii

The post Hale Mau’u, The Big Island Hawaii appeared first on e-architect.

[myhouseidea]

Kloof 145 is a project designed by SAOTA. Accessed from Kloof Road, which winds along the western slopes of Lion’s Head, this site is positioned in the wind-protected suburb of Clifton. Years before any development was introduced, this slope was conceivably covered by indigenous forest and fynbos. Today, however, the area is developed and enjoys spectacular views over the sandy beaches, boulder outcrops, and Twelve Apostles mountains towards the south and sunset views over the Atlantic Ocean. Photography by Adam Letch

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The first aspect of the project that required addressing was the steep slope that would have to be excavated to accommodate the structure. The home was conceived as an arrangement of staggered blocks that rise along the side of the mountain, with the upper, private levels becoming appropriately shielded from both visibility and street-level noise.

‘The conceptual approach to the design was to reinstate the qualities of a natural landscape,’ says architect Phillippe Fouché of South African architectural firm SAOTA, who lead the project. The lower part of the building, an independent apartment, is then expressed as ‘a heavy stone plinth’, its gabion-walled exterior and cocooning interior of dark-stained oak and off shutter concrete reflecting the strata of the mountainside out of which they emerge. On top of this is a transitional space that is expressed as a green terrace and braai area, representative of what would have been the landscape’s foliage level. All levels of the house are connected via a sculptural timber staircase, like a folded ribbon that, appropriate to the home’s design narrative, gradually lightens in tone as it rises.

A vertically slatted box hovers over the terrace, allowing the forest bushwillow trees below to grow into this level, with screens that can be opened or closed to adjust the amount of natural light filtering into the interior, ‘as if you were sitting in the shade of a large tree’. The structure was engineered from a durable yet lightweight aluminium in a finish that mimics the different tones of bark, a durable solution to weathering Cape Town’s capricious seasons.

‘Above this, the living level is set back considerably to follow the slope of the mountain, resulting in added privacy and acoustic buffering while creating the perception that one is on a platform, connected to the surrounding views,’ says Phillippe. ‘The space is visually extended via the introduction of a courtyard towards the mountainside, which allows for ventilation, light and, again, an opportunity for planting.’ The concrete ceiling of this level, shuttered with rough-sawn planks, championing its raw texture. This emphasis on natural materiality can also be seen in the wooden floors and timber-clad scullery in this space. The scullery also forms the base of a mezzanine-level private study, which is accessed via a bridge that spans the length of the room.

The uppermost level, the master bedroom, sits above the tree-tops and as such the materials – white marble, pale timber – and use of skylights express a feeling of air and openness while fold-away glass walls welcome in the full expanse of the view.

CREDITS: Projects Name: Kloof 145 Project Location: Cape Town, South Africa Architects: SAOTA Project Team: Phillippe Fouché, Nilene Slabbert, Mias Claassens & Thabiso Nkoane Engineers: Jeffares & Green Afrika, De Villiers & Moore Quantity Surveyor: SBDS Contractor: Cape Island Construction (CIC) Interior Designers: Cecile & Boyd Lighting Consultant: Professional Illumination Design Landscaping: Nicholas Whitehorn Landscape Design

Kloof 145 by SAOTA Kloof 145 is a project designed by SAOTA. Accessed from Kloof Road, which winds along the western slopes of Lion’s Head, this site is positioned in the wind-protected suburb of Clifton.

[crissybetterblinds]

Offering the highest quality window coverings at an affordable price, along with Free installation and a 100% guarantee, has made us one of the best window treatment installers in Sussex County with many satisfied clients. Available to you is a complete line of high-quality blinds, roller shades, sheer shades, layered shades, romans, sliding panels, plantation shutters and interior shutters, all installed by certified professionals that will arrive on time and complete the job as promised.

Better Blinds Ocean View, DE 19970 Sussex County 302-402-6180

Better Blinds Shades Millsboro, DE 19966 Sussex County 240-440-1220 https://betterblindsshades.com/

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[scottdonaldinfo]

Window treatment sales & installation contractor, Better Blinds is expanding into Delaware cities

(May 28, 2020): Better Blinds, a well known Window treatments sales & installation Contractor in Ocean View, DE is expanding its reach into a number of Delaware cities located in Sussex County that includes Lewis, Rehoboth Beach, Fenwick, Bethany Beach, and Dagsboro. It will now offer the chance to the residents of the above mentioned cities to enjoy the industry standard for varied interior plantation shutters.

It offers the Faux wood and Wood blinds, available in over 30 colours for the local Sussex County homeowners in addition to free installation. Furthermore, it offers a large variety of fabrics choices for incorporating a one of a kind glass door solution. The organization takes ultimate pride for the ability to create and develop a robust collaborative relationship with the customers, while offering the highest quality window coverings. Aiming to offer cost effective solutions to the customers, Better Blinds ensures the entire line of their high quality products cater to everyone’s budgetary needs.

The diverse line of products include high quality blinds and shades, roller shades, layered shades, sheer shades, romans, interior shutters and sliding panels. Offering flexibility at the fingertips, Better Blinds ensures convenience for the customers to pay using all major credit cards along with 0% financing to the qualified buyers.

About Better Blinds:

Better Blinds is a Window treatment sales & installation contractor that offers high quality blinds, shades and shutters for the modern homes of today.

For more information, feel free to browse https://betterblindsshades.com/

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[queenstandoor-blog]

An Ultimate Guide to Best Beach Clubs in Bali

If you are on a vacation in Bali, there are many things that are worth a try that island offers.  From Bali’s best beaches to best wellness retreats or exploring various arts, foods and drinks, and much more. There’s always a side left unexplored at Bali. One cannot only lie in the sun all day at the beach. Bali has the perfect beach clubs when it comes to partying at awesome beach clubs.

Bali has some of the great mix of beach clubs at the southern coast of the island spread across nearby islands and hidden below pristine cliffs. These beach clubs have brought Mediterranean style vibes to tropical island. Here are all the best beach clubs in Bali where you can have a great time on the coast:

1. Ku De Ta

Ku De Ta is one of the most famous hotspots on the island. It is situated in Seminyak. The club has taken the bar upwards for making the nightlife. The club also provides dining in-front of beach. It also features dedicated areas for dining and drinking. The club offers a modern and minimalist approach to architecture. The Tree Bar features playful shades and textures reminiscent of a tropical forest setting. There are many international dishes on offer at Ku De Ta. It also has own in-house international DJ team that compile its own series of compilation albums and present chill-out moments. While in Seminyak, you can also try out many places that serve delectable Indian cuisine in Seminyak.

2. Potato Head Beach Club

The club is the most happening and chilled-out venue in Seminyak. It has a very quirky architecture which includes the patchwork of old and worn teakwood window shutters. The beachfront bar is surrounded by grass where people usually sunbathe. An infinity pool along with standing tables is arranged around the grounds. A small kids pool is also arranged at the Potato Head beach club. International DJ and celebrities take the stage in front of an ocean backdrop and lively crowds gather at the central lawn. Potato Head Beach Club also plays regular host for international EDM festivals. There is a variety of foods that you can choose from seafood, authentic Indonesian cuisines and casual pizzas.

3. Surf & Turf Beach Club

Surf & Turf Beach Club is a great beach in Nusa Dua if you want to have some light beers and bites, cocktails and some adventure thrills at its waterpark. It has a beachfront view. The water park has several waterslides including a circling slide called the ‘space bowl’ which is a huge hit with the young vibe at heart. If you are craving for Indian food, then you must try the best Indian food in Nusa Dua which serves the delectable Indian food across Bali.

4. HQ Beach Club

This is the very famous club at the hotel Grand Inaa hotel, Kuta. It has a beachfront venue fit for holidaying with families and friends. It is located on the Kuta coastline. There is a swimming pool on the raised platform right next to the beach. There is a lap pool sandwiched between two different restaurants serving Japanese and other regional specialties. If you are craving Indian food, then you must try the best Indian food in Kuta which serves the delectable Indian food across Bali.

5. Vue Beach Club

Vue beach club is located in the surfer neighbourhood of Canggu. It is a part of Lv8 Resort Hotel and has a massive beachfront with complete ocean views.  The club has a sleek cosmopolitan feel thanks to the elaborate cocktails served at the bar and the international DJs regularly spinning at the decks. The music ranges from ambient house to pumping EDM, depending on the event and time of the night. Vue Beach Club is ideally positioned for sunset gazing over the Indian Ocean while sipping a cold drink or enjoying dinner off the international menu

There are many other beach clubs that encompass a perfect blend of view, music, fun activities, food, and drinks. Just let yourself go with the flow and you will discover incredible places that you have never thought of. The atmosphere in all of these beach clubs is something you want to soak up, so give yourself a break and get hypnotized by the beats. It has everything from the traditional, bohemian to the Mediterranean aesthetic and ambiance. Don’t forget to visit the best Indian dining in Bali for a flavourful experience.

[biofunmy]

36 Hours in Santa Barbara County

With its Mission-style facades and showy tropical foliage, Santa Barbara could be a commercial for the California good life. It can be easy to underestimate the struggles of a place so seemingly flawless. But Santa Barbara has had a tough few years. From the devastating wildfires in 2017 and 2018 to the flooding and mudslides that followed, the county has experienced more than its share of trauma. Yet if it weren’t for the charred chaparral faintly visible on the surrounding hillsides, the average visitor might never know. This is, after all, a place that’s good at reinventing itself. That spirit is on display at the new Hotel Californian, which sits on the site of a grand beach resort that was destroyed — just weeks after opening — by the 1925 earthquake that defined modern Santa Barbara’s architecture and character. Smack in the center of Southern California’s spectacular coastline, the county is surprisingly rural. In its multigenerational ranches and farms, its remarkably undeveloped public beaches, and the expansive Los Padres National Forest, Santa Barbara County offers glimpses of California before it got crowded.

Friday

1) 3 p.m. Sweet stroll

Start your visit in the city of Santa Barbara with a cone at Rori’s, a decadent ice creamery in the Santa Barbara Public Market, which serves organic ice cream in flavors like Black Pepper Pistachio, Root Beer Float or vegan (coconut milk-based) Tropical Wild Berry. Cones start at $5.50, so take advantage of the kid’s happy hour (3 to 5 p.m. daily, when cones are two for the price of one). Then, drive up past the historic Old Mission Santa Barbara, a striking colonial structure representing a tragic history, to the 78-acre Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, established in 1926 and devoted to pre-Columbian native species. Shake off your travels with a walk along the garden’s meandering pathways, alive with the sound of bird calls and chirping insects. Find a shady spot beneath a coast live oak or coastal redwood and appreciate the plant life — species like the Russian River Coyote mint and the Canyon Prince giant wild rye — that thrived in the area’s temperate climate before the arrival of the Europeans.

2) 5 p.m. Magic Hour

Head downtown and explore the city’s paseos, plazas and parks, including Alameda and Alice Keck parks, twin parks and gardens that, combined, include a koi pond, exotic trees like Canary Island date palms and Hong Kong orchids, and Kid’s World, a community-constructed wooden play structure that overflows with shrieking children. On State Street, Santa Barbara’s main drag, stop for Apéritif Hour ($10 Sunshine Spritzes, made with Aperol alternatives like Cocchi Rosa and Cappelletti aperitif wines) at Satellite, an outer space-themed restaurant and wine bar with a menu designed by the chef Emma West of the beloved, now shuttered, Julienne Restaurant. Satellite serves sexy, distinctly California dishes like Rad Toast ($7), the Yoga Pants Salad ($16), and Smoked Shrooms ($16) in a casual, bar-like setting with a mod décor of avocado-colored bench seats, framed newspaper clippings of the moon landing, and film reels of early rocket launches and moon walks projected on the wall. While the food is meat-free and the wines lean “natural,” Satellite doesn’t take itself too seriously. Then, snag a bike at downtown’s Bikes to Go rental station ($10 per hour, $35 per day) in the open-air Paseo Nuevo mall, and cruise downhill to the pier for the ultimate pre-dinner show: a Pacific Coast sunset.

3) 8 p.m. Special occasion

The 10-table, largely unadorned dining room at Yoichi’s is deceptively modest. It feels like stepping into the home of an extraordinarily gracious host. It makes sense, then, that this kaiseki-style restaurant, which specializes in multicourse meals, is a mom-and-pop establishment. Opened in 2015, the restaurant, named for its chef and co-owner Yoichi Kawabata, serves a seven-course, $125 prix fixe menu that builds on itself — from the zensai (appetizers) to owan (soups), the mukouzuke (chef’s choice sashimi) to the yakimono (grilled dish) and mushimono (steamed and simmered dish). Small plates arrive one after the next, featuring complex dishes with clean flavors, including the Jell-O-like water shield and briny snails, pickled plum in bonito broth and egg custard soup with rockfish. By the time you’re sipping a complimentary glass of yuzu sake at the end of your meal, the cumulative effect of the experience feels more like a brilliantly executed concept album than mere nourishment.

Saturday

4) 8 a.m. Burritos and books

Get an early start at Super Cucas, an out-of-the-way Mexican grocery with a meat counter, dried chiles in bulk, and 20 varieties of breakfast burrito — including an Energy Burrito stuffed with the region’s signature meat, beef tri-tip, vegetables, scrambled eggs, cheese, potatoes and housemade salsa ($7.99) — starting at 6 a.m. Alongside a Mexican Coke, they’re an ideal early morning, pre-surf session, eat-by-the-beach breakfast. Then, head to Chaucer’s Books, an independent bookstore so charming it warranted a love letter (in essay form) from the writer Pico Iyer. Pick up a beach read, a book on local history, or let the kids loose in the store’s children’s corner, which feels like a literary wonderland for little people.

5) 10 a.m. Go Go Gaviota

Drive north along a stretch of Highway 101 that includes two of California’s most stunning state park beaches, Refugio and Gaviota. For a mellow morning paddle along this spectacular, white sand and palm-tree-adorned coastline, schedule a kayak tour ($119 per person, lunch included) — at least a week in advance is recommended — with Santa Barbara Adventure Company. After a quick beginners-friendly tutorial, float over forests of kelp, the fastest-growing plant on the planet, while learning about Pacific marine ecology and watching for seals, dolphins and brown pelicans. Or, if you’re up for an arduous but rewarding hike, take the Gaviota Hot Springs-Trespass Trail ($2 parking fee), which climbs over 1,000 feet through wildflowers and blooming agave plants for a dazzling view. Or, skip the hike and head for the “hot springs” — lukewarm, crystal clear, sulphuric-smelling and shaded by a single palm.

6) 2 p.m. Wind into wine country

Cut inland across a landscape of giant boulders, chaparral and ranchland until you reach Buellton, a town that was, until recently, most famous for a nearly century-old road food institution, Pea Soup Andersen’s restaurant. In the last two decades, the Santa Ynez Valley’s wine-growing reputation has begun drawing not only wine enthusiasts, but the restaurants to feed them. For a lunch of oysters topped with fresh uni ($8), white shrimp with pancetta, chile and garlic ($13), beef tongue pastrami Reuben ($16), smoked pheasant with basil and citrus ($14), and exotic wood-fired pizzas (think skirt steak, tomatillo and queso fresco, $15), stop into Industrial Eats, which is named for its location in an industrial park surrounded by breweries, wineries and distilleries.

7) 3:30 p.m. Wine country, itself

Pence Vineyards and Winery, on Route 246, is a working cattle ranch that grows Burgundian varietals, mostly pinots and Chardonnays, on a creatively landscaped vineyard with a pond, trails and an appointment-only tasting room. If you’re not a drinker, or traveling with children, head instead to Solvang’s Ostrichland ($5 admission), where you can buy a pan of bird feed ($1) for the farm’s 100 or so ostriches and emus. The gift shop sells the bird’s oversize eggs. Then, hop over to Los Olivos, an impossibly cute town that overflows with tourists on weekends, and stop into Story of Soil, a tasting room manned by the husband of the winemaker, Jessica Gasca, who focuses on single vineyard, single varietal wines, including a standout Gamay, that have a cult following.

8) 6 p.m. Dine Outside

Drive down Route 154 from Los Olivos, past Cachuma Lake, to Cold Spring Tavern. This former creekside stagecoach stop at the top of the San Marcos Pass has been a staple of California road trip culture since 1865, before the automobile was invented. A wooden shack draped in ivy and filled with Old Western charm and tchotchkes, from taxidermy to wagon wheel chandeliers, serves the region’s famed tri-tip grilled over red oak and has live music in its backyard, where picnic tables offer extra seating. Or, for a more cosmopolitan dining experience in the city of Santa Barbara, sit beneath the strung lights on Loquita’s side patio, where quintessentially Spanish dishes like pan con tomate (pan de cristal — a ciabatta-like Spanish bread — with grated tomato, garlic and herbs, $9) and pulpo (Spanish-style octopus with black garlic aioli, lemon vinaigrette, potato purée and pickled red onion, $22) mix with the gauzy atmosphere in ways both intoxicating and magical. The restaurant, which is one of the restaurateur Sherry Villanueva’s many hits (including popular local spots like Helena Avenue Bakery, The Lark and Tyger Tyger) also offers a drink list heavy on Spanish wines, sherries, vermouths and gin and tonics. Don’t miss the Loquita Martini with an El Bulli olive ($15).

9) 7 p.m. History theater

Built in 1930, on the site of the once-grand Arlington Hotel, the Arlington Theater in the city of Santa Barbara was built in the era’s characteristic Mission Revival style. A former movie theater that still sometimes hosts films and festivals, the 2,000-seat Arlington features a Robert Morton pipe organ that rises onto the stage during musical performances. While the Arlington’s interior is painted to create the illusion of a Spanish night, its stage flanked with illustrated villas and stars overhead, the Santa Barbara Bowl sits on a hillside dotted with Southern California mansions. A venue with an ocean view, the Bowl was funded by the Works Project Administration and carved into a former quarry in the 1930s. Designed to accommodate the Arabian horses that are a staple of the annual Fiesta celebration, the venue now hosts a mix of big name acts — from the Raconteurs to Lionel Richie — and other performances and events, like the Santa Barbara Mariachi Festival, from spring into the fall.

Sunday

10) 9 a.m. Surf’s up

Carpinteria’s Esau’s Cafe is an old school breakfast diner with bright orange vinyl booths, housemade muffins cooling on the ledge of an open kitchen, hot sauce containers crowding the diner counter, and — because this is California — surf posters on the wall. A nearly 90-year-old institution, Esau’s serves heaping platters of diner classics along with some California-centric riffs, like the roasted Pasillo chile relleno omelet ($13.95) and the so-called “Basic Breakfast” with a mahi-mahi steak and eggs ($11.95) in place of the more conventional beef steak. After breakfast, head up the coast and across the train tracks to join the locals at Padaro Beach — or, as it’s known here, Santa Claus Beach.

11) 1:30 p.m. Made in Santa Barbara

The Funk Zone’s Seaside Makers Collective opened last year in response to the economic toll the city’s recent hardship was taking on the area’s artists and artisans. The shop’s handmade crafts, jewelry and body products — including a skin-care line made from the byproducts of the local wine grape industry, and jewelry made from local sea glass and abalone shells — are great gifts and souvenirs, evoking Santa Barbara’s personality while supporting its craftspeople. Around the corner, The Blue Door is a multistory emporium of vintage and antique housewares, furniture, clothes and more. Along with its eclectic used goods, the shop also carries some Santa Barbara-made products, like a line of beach-inspired candles from Santa Barbara Apothecary Company, in scents like San Isidro Lavender, Surfer’s Point, Ellwood Eucalyptus, and, amusingly, Montecito Money.

Lodging

With a look designed to reflect California surf culture nostalgia, Kimpton Goodland (5650 Calle Real, Goleta) has yoga mats and turntables in every room (starting around $250), an on-site record shop, bikes to borrow and a courtyard pool.

Part of Shelter Social Club, a small local chain of vintage motels that have been stylishly rehabbed, Agave Inn (3222 State Street, Santa Barbara) is a basic, budget-friendly option with a bit of character and 13 rooms starting at $139.

For affordable, family-friendly accommodations near the beach, look for Airbnb rentals in the Mesa neighborhoods — East, West and Alta — which have gorgeous views, attractive historic homes, and are close to the Douglas Family Preserve and Hendry’s Beach, and not far from downtown. Prices for an entire cottage or guesthouse start in the mid $100s.

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Envelopes 1-3

Standing in Heathrow Terminal 2 we found Andrew. We stopped to say hello and he asked us where we are going. We gave our standard reply to date. We don’t actually know. Then we explained the Blind Experience concept and asked Andrew if he’d be happy to film us whilst we opened our first envelope. He agreed. Full of unanticipated nerves we began to open the envelope and as I pulled the paper out I saw the image of Christ The Redeemer statue and started jumping around. Jules pulled the rest of the paper out and we saw a caption that read “Christmas in Rio”. I felt so happy and excited, as Rio has been my dream destination for a long time. Jules was thrilled too that we were going to such a fun-filled, hot, colourful place for Christmas, that neither of us had ever visited, that we could both explore together.

So, we set off on the first leg of our journey. First stop Lisbon. Where Jules thought he saw Mo Farah. He didn’t. Then a 10 hour overnight flight to Rio de Janeiro. Which literally translates as January River. I woke up as the plane was descending over the most beautiful hill tops covered in morning mist and little hats of white cloud. I had no idea the geography of the country was so undulating and mountainous. This birds eye view was truly breathtaking, exotic, but tranquil in the pink and golden sunrise. You could see settlements nestled between the valleys and orange dirt tracks snaking between them. This rural landscape then morphed into an urban one, as ramshackle flat-roofed, pastel coloured buildings and high rises, as well as dusty, soon-to-be traffic-laden roads, came into view. Even more impressive was the Atlantic Ocean and coastline that suddenly appeared. Broken up with jungle-covered headlands and bays, with sandy sweeps of beaches. A huge rocky peak of granite and quartz loomed out of the dark blue sea above the harbour, on a peninsula of Guanarabara Bay. It’s name is “Sugarloaf Mountain”, coined by the Portuguese in the 16th century, who named it so in reference to the important sugar cane trade of Brazil.

As we stepped off the plane I side-stepped a giant moth. Marco and us have a running joke about big moths, so that caused us much amusement. I wanted to move the moth to safety, but Jules said it would hurt her, so we left her sitting there. As we walked through the airport the first thing we noticed was the smell of humidity, wet and tropical, just like the Amazon rainforest we imagined. In our excitement to explore Brazil immediately, the long wait at customs was quite challenging, and I did lots of loud British sighing in my boredom. We entered the arrival terminal with our luggage, eyes peeled for a man with a sign.

The sign read “Julian Gallagher” so I jokingly waved goodbye to Jules and the man, and wished them a happy honeymoon whilst I looked for a sign with my own name on. But this didn’t exist. Jules therefore kindly let me come in his and Pedro’s taxi to the hotel. We drove past the oldest and most dangerous favella in Rio, and became immediately aware of the very real poverty that exists in Brazil today. No one from outside the more dangerous favelas are advised to enter or visit them. You may remember a recent news story of a tourist being shot in front of her family by members of a drug cartel whilst looking for water. I’m sure her lesson has been firmly learnt. There are tours of favelas operating, but these come with the obvious ethical dilemmas inherent in “poverty tourism”.

It was an exciting ride through the streets of Rio, and our knuckles turned white in moments as the taxi joined the highway crossing all four lanes following a casual, solo glance in the wing mirror. We began to climb through the beautiful cobbled streets towards Saint Therese, thankful for their speed-reducing function. Many of the taxi drivers won’t actually take people to this area due to the damage done to their tyres and suspension we learned in due course. We admired the graffiti and street art adorning so many of the city’s walls as we entered this affluent area of the city, sitting above Rio laid out below. Our hotel was a stunning oasis of calm in this crazy place. Palm and mango trees, vibrant flower beds, and a beautiful fountain with carp surrounded the old colonial style ex coffee plantation buildings, now converted into a hotel. The place smelled amazing as you walked in, and immediately we were reminded of Anran where we got married, due to the wooden, sculptural decor and white-washed walls. We were given a tour of the hotel which sits over several levels and had a lovely restaurant and bar on a terrace. Jules was particularly pleased with the timing of our arrival, as we arrived in the middle of a professional photo shoot by the pool involving lots of young Brazilian models in swimsuits and bikinis posing for the camera.

We were shown to our room which was very spacious with the biggest four poster bed we’ve ever seen, and a beautifully converted dark grey slate bathroom. The view over the hills from our white-shuttered bedroom windows and bathroom was gorgeous too, and the colonial Portuguese influence was clear to see in the other buildings around. We got the giggles soon after entering our bedroom when it became clear the couple in the room next to us may well be on their honeymoon too. We’ll let you guess as to why we thought this!

Soon after arriving and showering we decided to get out and see Rio. We therefore headed down to Copacabana Beach to see its famous sands. It was extremely hot and we soon stopped for a drink on the beach, only after seeing a man dressed as Santa with a full white beard cycling past on a bike. It was pretty touristy, so after more Santa spotting, which seemed very funny in 30 degree heat amongst tanned Brazilians playing volleyball and running along the promenade, we searched for a lunch spot. We used Trip Advisor to find a more traditional place selling seafood, and found a lovely place a 10 minute walk from the beach. It was small and cool with fans going full blast. The whole menu was in Portuguese so we used trusty Google translate to work out what we wanted to order. An old couple on the table next to us offered their assistance in helping us to order. The man spoke really good English and had lived in London in the 1960s. They had been married for over 50 years and stole a few cheeky kisses over the table. We explained we haven’t yet made a whole year of marriage, but are hoping for 49 more like them. We cheersed our cold beers, which are always served in ice buckets in Brazil…perfect. We chose a couple of delicious piles of fried fish on platters garnished with lime and red onion, and covered in hot sauce. Yum. And by the time we left the bar, we were hugging and kissing each other goodbye like old friends. The Brazilians we met were all so warm and friendly, with a chilled vibe, and fun sense of humour. They make you feel so welcome wherever you go.

Feeling refreshed from sitting in the cool, and energetic after our delicious meal, we ventured to “Sugar Loaf” mountain and went up by cable car. At the top there are the most stunning views of Rio and its beautiful bays. It was a real tourist trap, but was listed as the number one thing to do in Rio, so we couldn’t miss it. As the heat only seemed to increase, soaking the back of her clothes whenever we sat down, we decided the pool was beckoning. So back to the hotel we went, and dived, quite literally, into the pool. After a refreshing dip we lounged on the sun beds, me in the shade as usual, Jules in the sun, as always, and enjoyed some ice cold coconut water straight from a real coconut. After some sun, reading, and snoozing, we headed out for our evening meal in a treetop restaurant, where we opened our second envelope! We learned we would be going on a walking tour of Rio’s street art. This was right up Julio’s street, and he was really looking forward to it, as was I! Jules had done a similar activity in Buenos Aires and loved it.

So we were up early the next day for an amazing brekky at the hotel. Its contemporary dining room had stunning smooth concrete floors, and single-paned industrial steel windows over-looking the local area and its European style buildings. All of the food, including some very exotic fruits, was beautifully displayed, and coffee and tea was served from elegant silver pots and trays. I noticed that bowls and cups were particularly tiny, not sure why. I think we ate the world’s tiniest pancake there!

After our breakfast we set off on our 4 hour walking tour of Rio’s graffiti scene. We met Edmundo our guide for the day at a hotel by Copacabana Beach. He is from Rio and was very knowledgeable about all aspects of life from the favelas, where he runs tours, to politics. We saw a huge array of street art during our time with Edmundo. It was really encouraging to see that there are a significant number of female street artists creating work all over Rio. Graffiti and street art does not have the reputation it has in the UK, and is respected by people and commissioned by organisations and the government. A particularly incredible piece we saw in Downtown Rio was commissioned by the Olympic Committee of 2016, when Rio hosted the Olympics. It consists of faces of people from the five continents, but on a huge scale, in the most vibrant colours (see our Instagram). The talent of these artists is completely mind-blowing and it would be a challenge for anyone not to find beauty in it, and to be impressed by it. There were lots of political messages of peace and equality symbolised in the art, and told within their stories, such as empowerment of Black Africans, revealing these young Brazilian creatives’ social conscience and fight for justice.

Despite Edmundo’s best attempts to preserve our health by standing in the shade as much as possible whilst showing us the art, by the end of the 4 hour tour in the scorching heat, we were gasping for water and desperate for a cold shower, and I had a banging headache. We took a taxi and found refuge in a small restaurant in Saint Therese near our hotel run by a lovely couple. We ate the Brazilian version of fried chicken and salt cod fritter, both delicious, and walked back to the hotel. Jules opened a little extra Christmas envelope from me after we had cooled down with a shower, and learned he would be paragliding on Christmas morning! That evening we went for a delicious cocktail in the bar and then over to the restaurant for our Christmas meal, which Brazilians have on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day. We agreed have never felt less Christmassy, but were so happy to already have had such an amazing 2 days.

We arrived at Pepino Beach the next morning after a mini Christmas present opening session and a particularly terrifying taxi journey. Whilst waiting for Flávio to take us to the take off point we received the most wonderful news. My friend Georgie’s daughter Tansy had arrived safely on Christmas morning weighing 7.5lb after a long slog. What Happy Christmas news indeed, welcome to the world little Tansy, I can’t wait to meet you!

We were driven up Pedra Bonita mountain at breakneck speed, and were strapped into our paragliding harnesses. We watched several paragliders and hang gliders launch themselves off the take off pad, one not very successfully, which was rather terrifying, and then it was Jules’s turn. I filmed his launch which was pretty smooth and watched as the winds pushed him and his pilot up and away into the skies. Then it was my turn. Me and my pilot were strapped together, and I was told just to keep walking, and to keep my ankles crossed in flight, and legs relaxed. I wasn’t quite prepared for the strong force that lifted us quicker than expected into the air, and the pilot later explained back on the ground, that he hadn’t been either. I’m glad I didn know that at the time. It all felt pretty safe though, and it was amazing looking down over the mountains and buildings below, and seeing the sparkling ocean in all its glory from above. It was still and quiet up there, and as close to flying like a bird as either of us have ever been. It was quite challenging to let go of the Go Pro and open my arms “like a bird” as instructed, and I quickly grabbed back onto the harness. I also experienced a nausea akin to the feeling of seasickness, as did Jules, and was very grateful to land smoothly on the beach after a series of vomit-inducing circles as we came down from the sky, but what an experience for Christmas Day 2017, and we were both very pleased to have done it. Our pilots kindly uploaded all the Go Pro videos and pictures onto Jules’s phone for us to remember our flights for years to come. Lunchtime, and off for some food and a Coca Cola to soothe our dizzy tummies, as well as some delicious ice cream. Then we went back to the hotel to lie on loungers in the shade drinking ice cold coconut water. What a perfect Christmas!

In the evening we cracked open a bottle of bubbly and spokes to our families who were very much missed. It was wonderful to see their smiling faces round the Christmas dinner table, and we decided to open our third envelope whilst on FaceTime speaking to my family. And it revealed that we would be off to Lima, Peru, in the wee hours of the next morning! We were totally thrilled, and I immediately thought of how much our friend Poppy would enjoy that we were going to Paddington Bear’s birthplace! Stay tuned for our next update from country number 2!!!…….