This is what we call Miramar Beach. It is a stretch of beach in Montecito where the homes are right on the sand or right above the sand. It is old-style beach living. There are picture windows and old wooden porches and stairs that go up the sides of the houses to parking on the street above.
We recently spent a day on Miramar Beach. My brother and his wife were married up the road at the Episcopal Church where there is a little plaque or engraving that says, "Bide a wee and pray." I love that: Bide a wee...
When I was fourteen I stayed in one of these beach houses with Mother's friend Helen. I remember she had four children and lots of sand to sweep up every day. At night she would careen down the beach to the Miramar Hotel to have a drink in the bar with her lover.
She set me up with a blonde surfer and we went to the movies to see Endless Summer. He held my hand and I was so nervous. He was overweight and I was socially retarded, not generous with my affection at that young age.
The Miramar Hotel is no longer operating but some of the blue, the famous Miramar blue, is still visible. The reconstruction has been tied up in litigation for many years. It is sad that it could just not be restored to its original glory...though it was never really glorious...more like quaint.
My mother stayed two nights there when she had her 70th birthday, right before she had her first stroke.
Our day at the beach was fun but not as fun as it would have been 45 years ago!!