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It was a cool, gray morning when we left the Santa Maria Valley and headed for another girl-named valley, Santa Ynez. The valley, river, and nearby mountains all get their name from Mission Santa Ines (Spanish for Saint Agnes). The teen-aged, virgin Agnes earned her spot among the saints when she chose death over renouncing her religious beliefs. In her honor the mission was founded in 1804 and her name introduced to the area.

Our destination in the valley was the small old-world-style town of Solvang, the Danish capital of America. The name means “sunny field” in Danish and the area must have appealed to the Danish immigrants who founded it in 1911. The town’s architecture was designed to reflect the mother country with half-timbered walls, thatched roofs, and wooden storks on top (storks are considered good luck symbols in Denmark).

We arrived early in the morning which was wise since we had our choice of parking spots and were able to explore Solvang Park without dealing with a crowd. Since we were early we goofed off and took our pictures with the statue of Hans Christian Andersen, Denmark’s most famous author. The park was ringed by flower beds filled with bright blooms; it was very tidy and oh, so European.

Soon we spotted Uncle Russell, Aunt Kathy, and Cousin Jennifer ambling down the sidewalk, so we joined them. It was an enjoyable stroll around town. We let our noses lead us from one tasty bakery to another; Uncle Russell knew exactly where all the best treats were (he seems to have a bit of a sweet tooth…). The bakeries specialized in Danish pastries and cookies. We were even introduced to aebleskiver. The name translates as “little apple slices” which was how they were once made but the golf ball-shaped, pancake-like pastries have long since evolved. They are now lightly dusted with powdered sugar and served with raspberry jam.

After checking out all of the bakeries we settled in at Uncle Russell’s favorite for a pastry and hot chocolate break. By the time we had finished noshing the rest of the stores were open and we began our rounds. Prior to our pastry stop most of the stores sported signs proclaiming: “Closed”, “Shut”, or even:

I Have been obliged by ƒheer Weight of Fatigue to quit my Poƒt and repair to My Dwelling-houƒe, until I have fully recovered My Uƒual Compoƒure. All Patrons will find Me of a cheerful Demeanor, and in Readineƒs for Buƒineƒs or Conƒultation upon a return.

I want that sign! (See photo of the sign.)

Shortly before noon we had finished our browsing and Uncle Russell decided we needed to earn our lunch so we headed off to Nojoqui Falls County Park. After a half mile hike we were in view of the falls. The flow wasn’t raging but the creek had a steady stream and it was very scenic. The water drops roughly 140 feet into a small pool and off to the side is a nice seating area for relaxing. Rivaling the falls in beauty was the scenery on the drive to the park, it was hilly and wooded yet every so often a meadow would come into view—gorgeous.

Decidedly hungry by now Uncle Russell, Aunt Kathy, and Cousin Jennifer led us to Pea Soup Andersen’s in Buellton. As you might have guessed they feature pea soup. The restaurant began in 1924 using favorite family recipes including one for a hearty pea soup. The restaurant survived the highway junction realignment with the help of two cartoon characters, Hap-Pea and Pea-Wee. Their billboard facing Highway 101 features Hap-Pea: a large, rotund, sledgehammer-wielding chef, and Pea-Wee: his dimunitive, worried, wedge-holding co-chef. It is Pea-Wee’s great misfortune to help Hap-Pea split each individual pea. Considering that the restaurant goes through over 50 tons of peas a year that’s a lot of splittin’!

At the crossroads of Highway 101 and Highway 246 Buellton is considered the Gateway to the Santa Ynez Valley. To the east lies Solvang, and to the west is the town of Lompoc, which Uncle Russell, Aunt Kathy, and Cousin Jennifer call home. The name Lompoc is derived from a corruption of a Chumash phrase meaning “little lake.” The small town has three main claims to fame: the Mission La Purísima Concepción, fields of flowers, and nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Founded in 1787 the mission was originally established in what is now downtown but in 1812, which the Spanish dubbed El Año de los Temblores (year of the earthquakes) the mission was destroyed. It was relocated nearby but that location also failed to last. In the 1930s the mission was excavated and rebuilt by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Today the grounds are open to the public as a state park which encompasses just under 2,000 acres, a mere fraction of the earlier mission size of over 300,000 acres.

Though dwindling in size the flower fields are another long-standing Lompoc tradition. The plants aren’t destined for the cut-flower market but are grown for their seeds, which are harvested and sold in little paper packets. We only spied one large field with rows of bright colors. Although I snapped a photo, I didn’t have time to identify the flowers—but we know that they grow Sweet Peas, Larkspurs, Bells of Ireland, and Delphiniums, among others.

And lastly, VandyLand. The huge base sprawls across 98,000 acres on the coast. You couldn’t ask for a better location and the Air Force prizes the spot since it is a prime West Coast location for their space programs. At one time designed to support space shuttle missions, the base now focuses on ICBM test launches and the deployment of reconnaissance satellites. Though there were once high hopes for the base’s ability to stimulate the local economy, now residents just resent the base for claiming so much of the coastline.

After lunch we returned to Solvang to drop off our relatives at their car. Along the way we passed by the Hitching Post II, the sister restaurant to the one in Casmalia where we dined the night before. Though not the original location this one has upstaged the Casmalia one by playing a prominent role in the 2003 movie, Sideways. The mid-life crisis wine movie was set in and filmed in the Santa Ynez Valley which put the formerly unheard of American Viticultural Area on many oenologist’s maps. Unfortunately we didn’t have time for another dose of Santa Maria Style Barbecue. Sigh.

Last couple things before we leave the Central Coast Region. Ronald Reagan used to own Rancho del Cielo, a large ranch in the area. During his presidency it was dubbed the “Western White House” where he hosted not only Queen Elizabeth II but Mikhail Gorbachev. Totally random trivia, but did you know he was the only U.S. President to have been divorced? He was married to actress Jane Wyman before marrying Nancy. Interesting.

And speaking of famous people, here’s an infamous one for you, Michael Jackson. The pop star’s Neverland Ranch in located is the valley. Earlier this year it looked like he was going to lose the ranch to foreclosure but the latest word is that arrangements have been made and he will be able to keep it. That’s a whole ‘nother story that we aren’t going to get into here, besides its time for us to transition to northern California.

Photos: View our photographs from Santa Ynez Valley.

Notes: We visited the Santa Ynez Valley on 04/19/08.