Going to Santa Barbara With My Mother.

For those of you who do not know, the other day, my mom and I took the train up to Santa Barbara for an afternoon of food, fun, and exercise. The entire idea came about because a month or so previously, I had gone on a camping trip at Lake Casitas with my dad. That was my father-son time, and this was my mother-son time. Each excursion was incredibly special. I love the city of Santa Barbara, and in the days leading up to the trip, I was very much looking forward to returning.

 The train ride from Ventura up north is incredibly magical. There is just something about train travel that feels so majestic to me. On this particular route, the tracks are parallel to the ocean, and with the way the windows are oriented, it almost looks as if you are submerged in the water. It reminded me of my once-yearly flights to the San Francisco bay area on Southwest Airlines. Whenever my dad and I arrive in Oakland, it almost always looks as if we are going to land in the Bay, but then, right at the last second, the runway reassuringly pops up. This reminds me of the old adage: the journey is often more important than the destination.

 We planned to eat lunch at one of my all-time favorite restaurants in Santa Barbara, the China Pavilion. I have often frequented the place with my friend Anthony, but my mom had not been in months. I was overjoyed to reintroduce her to the dining experience there, which is something I so treasure. She ordered Imperial Shrimp, and I got my favorite—the Kung Pao tofu. I would dare to say that this is the best tofu dish that I have ever tasted. It was so delectable that I even ended up licking the back of the serving spoon that was handed to us by the friendly waiter, just to savor the Kung Pao sauce. It was almost as if I was a frisky cat, getting hooked completely and mercilessly on a toy loaded with catnip.

 Earlier that afternoon, it was my mother’s idea to visit the Santa Barbara Courthouse. I was stunned as I took in the majestic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, and very gob smacked to hear that the building was finished way back in 1929. The views from the top floor were almost too splendid to put into words. While I was there, I could not help thinking about how much I admire my parents, as the very prolific and hard-working lawyers that they are. I aspire to be as successful as them one day. Of course, as I’m sure you all know, I truly believe that any goal, no matter how seemingly out of reach it may at first appear to be, is almost always entirely possible to achieve.

To sum things up, I felt that that day was incredibly special—not exclusively because of how fun Santa Barbara is, but because of the fact that I got to bond with my mom. I was incredibly touched when she bought me an iced latte at Cajé Coffee, not necessarily because of the drink, but due to the kindness of the gesture itself. She was very attentive to our needs during the day, and I could clearly tell that she respects me as a both a fellow adult and her son. Additionally, my mom is an incredibly fun-loving person—so much so that any activity can be made more enticing if she chooses to participate. She is also a very giving and selfless person, in the fashion of my late grandmother. I truly feel that I share some of the same tastes as her—including Santa Barbara. I am very much looking forward to our next expedition up north.

Me & my mom in front of the Santa Barbara Courthouse.