Don’t tell anyone in Santa Barbara it’s November 27th – it was a summer day here if I ever saw one.

There were sailboats in the harbor, toes in the sand, and bikers all over the place. I had to get some work done in the morning, but after I wrote I had a nice lunch with a friend at Flavor of India – widely considered the best Indian restaurant in town.

It was only the second time I’ve had Indian food in my life – so I’m in no position to talk restaurants – but I had the Chicken Tikka Masala and it was delicious. Tender chicken in what is essentially a spicy tomato cream sauce. It seems like a really good entry-level dish to the Indian cuisine, perhaps a good transition for someone who enjoys Italian food.

That makes two good experiences with Indian – looks like there will be a third.

After the meal I took a walk around Elings Park and checked out the paragliders and the sparkling Pacific. It was such an amazing day today – seventy degrees and noticibly clear. These are the days I’ll miss when I head East – when the weather is simply paralyzing and it’s just a pleasure to exist, to be present for the visions of paradise and the relaxation you feel within yourself.

It was a great send off – I’m headed to Puerto Vallarta tomorrow.

We have an early flight (6:30 a.m.), but that means an early-afternoon arrival in Mexico.

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