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Saturday, February 10, 2018

SANTA BARBARA – First Impressions

What a beautiful town! I did not have enough time to explore the streets, the shops, the beaches, the restaurants. I woke up early to catch the sunrise by the ocean:

Santa Barbara

This was a 30 minute walk from my hotel. I almost wish I took a taxi instead, because it was still rather chilly. Pretty quiet spot at 7AM, with a few joggers and 2 men practicing their boxing by the shores. There’s a pretty steep cliff drop off at the edge of the plants in the image above. Be careful – don’t text and walk around here, you might just drop off the edge.

We then had a long day of inspirational talks and discussions about female leadership in tech, followed up a team building event of painting and wine. Our group of 30 famished women were famished by 5, and we walked over to Zaytoon, a restaurant with a beautiful patio serving Middle Eastern food. First things first, drinks!

This was the one with elderflower, quite tart:

Zaytoon

I had the mixed shawarma meats, which comes with rice and salad. The rice is mixed with spices, and THE FLAVOURS! It was actually quite a heavy meal, but before I knew it, I had finished it all. This combination of meat and rice is irresistible… Highly recommend visiting, for the food and the atmosphere.

Zaytoon Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Zaytoon

I sat at a table of coworkers I had never met before in my whole entire life. They work out of the offices in America, and it was awesome to get their perspective on work, life, culture. There are struggles around the world, from natural disasters (mud slide recently in Santa Barbara) to more personal events at home, yet everybody stays so positive. It's very encouraging.

What did I learn from this trip?
- Traveling to the West coast is much more convenient than the East. It’s warmer, so there’s less to pack.
- I work with some smart cookies, men and women alike, and we all have a common goal which really brings us together.
- Attitude, stay positive, good things will happen.

Where to next???

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