83940 Tue Jun 25 14:15:24 -0700 2002 17 3 California 0 465934 I am planning a trip to Solvang with my husband on the 4th of July. I've heard that it's a small Danish town and there are some nice bakeries and restaurants over there. Do you know which one is VERY good? And I am also wondering if it's worth staying there overnight. If there are not many things to do in Solvang, we will just take a day trip from Los Angeles. Do you know what's going on in Solvang on July 4th? Please help me :-) Tue Jun 25 14:15:24 -0700 2002 0 sakura 1 465935 Solvang is a tourist trap---but then maybe that's what you are looking for. The surrounding area is very pretty (Santa Ynez, Los Olivos etc). The only place worth trying for dinner there is the Hitching Post in Buellton, just off of Hwy 101. But it's quite possible that they are already booked up for the 4th. It would be a long "day trip" from L.A. as it's 2 1/2 hours each and possibly worse in holiday traffic. Tue Jun 25 18:10:30 -0700 2002 465934 0 Bill T 2 465963 I have just looked up some information about Santa Ynez and Los Olivos. There are some wineries and it looks nice. We will definitely go there! Thanks. Thu Jun 27 14:19:06 -0700 2002 465935 0 sakura 1 465937 They have a 4th of July Parade. Check out www.solvangca.com Tue Jun 25 18:48:25 -0700 2002 465934 0 Sherry A 2 465964 I hope we will be in time for the parade! Thanks. Thu Jun 27 14:19:58 -0700 2002 465937 0 sakura 1 465955 we live in los angeles and did a day trip in february that stopped off at mortensen's danish bakery for pastry and coffee in solvang, the ostrich farm in buellton for emu and ostrich watching(on the road to solvang from 101), pismo beach(the monarch butterflies were up from mexico breeding at the time)and dinner at jocko's in nipomo. it was a very full day, but a nice change of scenery. you could also stop off at la super rica for some great mexican in santa barbara. Wed Jun 26 19:01:03 -0700 2002 465934 0 petradish 2 465965 Visiting bakeries is my top priority! I love bakeries. I will not miss Mortensen's bakery and some other bakeries too. Ostrich watching sounds interesting. Thu Jun 27 14:24:38 -0700 2002 465955 0 sakura 1 465970 My favorite bakery/deli/coffee/latte stop in Santa Barbara is Pierre La Fond, on lower State Street, just south of Cota. Muffins, croissants, cookies, and other rich and delectable goodies. Good for breakfast. If you're a chocolate lover, try their Farm Cake. It's a dark chocolate muffin with a chocolate chip cheesecake layer on top. Have no idea why they call it Farm Cake, but it is sinfully delicious - and they freeze well if you bring some home for later sampling. Thu Jun 27 16:14:48 -0700 2002 465934 0 LBQT 2 465985 Farm Cake sounds heavenly!! I love chocolates, croissants, muffins and everything. It's hard to find a good bakery for croissants in LA. Thanks for your information. By the way, do you know a good French or Italian restaurant either in Santa Barbara or in Solvang? Sat Jun 29 03:34:15 -0700 2002 465970 0 sakura 3 465990 I think "Chez Nous" in the SFV makes a nice croissant. Their baked goods are tasty and their meals are simply okay IMO. Sat Jun 29 13:19:34 -0700 2002 465985 0 Lotus 4 466004 Thank you for your information on Croissant! I checked the location in Taluca Lake and it is not so far from where I live, Pasadena. I will visit this place this week for sure! Sun Jun 30 18:07:38 -0700 2002 465990 0 sakura 3 465995 Haven't been in a few years, but Michel Richard's Citronelle was always good. It's in the hotel (Santa Barbara Inn?? I don't remember the name) that's just south across the lawn with the rainbow sculpture from the Doubletree on Cabrillo. I like Palazzio in Montecito (Coast Village Road) for Italian, for hearty portions of great pasta, served family style. Half orders easily feed 3-4 with leftovers. My all time favorite in SB is The Palace Grill on Cota, for cajun-creole style dining. I know there are fine French and Italian restaurants in SB; maybe other 'hounds can help out. As for Solvang itself, I don't know of any decent place to have a real meal. Plenty of snacks, cookies, ice cream, etc., but I draw a blank when it comes to real food. There's the Cold Spring Tavern, on the road that goes from SB to Santa Barbara past Lake Cachuma. It's an old Wells Fargo stagecoach stop. I thought dinner was overpriced and overrated, but it was an interesting experience. Steak, chops, game, and a historical building, off the beaten path. Sat Jun 29 19:35:39 -0700 2002 465985 0 LBQT 4 466005 Thank you for the info. We go to Santa Barbara quite often and Montecito is on the way. We will stop by some time! Sun Jun 30 20:22:47 -0700 2002 465995 0 sakura 1 465998 Hi, I have lived in the Santa Ynez Valley for almost twenty years. I have to believe that some of the posters that have answered your question haven't been here in a few years, because the dining situation has improved dramatically. First of all, Mortensen's is the bakery you want to visit. Their Danish pastries are very, very good. Take home some butter cookies, too. Dining in Solvang itself presents many options; for fine dining, I recommend the Cabernet Bistro, French cuisine. The chef is the owner, and he is putting out some great food. You inquired about Italian. You won't find any in Solvang, but if you go out to Santa Ynez, be sure to try Trattoria Grappolo, terrific food, as well as people watching. Extra points for celebrity sightings! Out in Los Olivos, two new entries; Brother's at Mattei's Tavern, and Patrick's Side Street Cafe, which might remind you of a Sonoma bistro, have been been great additions to the excellent Los Olivos Cafe. In the town of Ballard, Cafe Chardonnay will also please. In Buellton, the previously mentioned Hitching Post would be a great selection, as well. Back in Solvang, Meadows restaurant at the Royal Scandinavian Inn offers California cuisine and a very nice wine list, in a great patio setting. There are plenty of family style options also. Greenhouse Cafe, Paula's Pancake House, or the Solvang Restaurant all would make a good breakfast or lunch stop. I am probably leaving some out, but the point is, the dining choices have exploded here, and the quality is better than some of the posts here might indicate. Oh, one more thing, don't day trip, stay the night, to better enjoy the peaceful early mornings in our Valley. There are plenty of places to stay. Enjoy your visit, and thanks for coming. JT Sun Jun 30 08:48:27 -0700 2002 465934 0 JT 2 466006 The first thing I will do in Solvang is to go check Mortensen's Bakery! Cabernet Bistro sounds good, but Trattoria Grappolo interests me more than anything. After I read your msg, I checked some reviews on this Italian restaurant and found great comments from many people. Some restaurants you mentioned in Los Olivos look good too. Now, how many times can I eat dinner a day?? Thank you very much for very useful information. Sun Jun 30 20:34:17 -0700 2002 465998 0 sakura 2 466031 I decided to go to Trattoria Grappolo and called to make a reservation. To my disappointment, they are closed tomorrow! We will go to Los Olivos or maybe go back to Santa Barbara for more options. I can't wait to see Mortensen's Bakery, anyway :-) Thu Jul 04 02:20:33 -0700 2002 465998 0 sakura 3 466032 I was afraid of that. I know for a fact, however, that Cabernet Bistro is open. Also, Los Olivos Cafe is definitely open Have a nice trip Thu Jul 04 08:09:47 -0700 2002 466031 0 JT 4 466036 Solvang is a pretty little town and I loved it very much. Mortensen's Bakery was great. I bought several pastries and they tasted so good. Danish Mill Bakery had also many kinds of pastries, which I like a little more than Solvang Bakery and Olsen's. Greenhouse Cafe was a disappointment but other than that, we had really a good time! We went to Los Olivos where most of the stores were closed. So we decided to go to Santa Barbara for dinner and went to Ca'Dario. I think that Italian restaurant was a very good value. Fri Jul 05 01:46:44 -0700 2002 466032 0 sakura