A Day Trip Getaway – Guest Blog by Bobbi Klein

Narrative and photos by Bobbi Klein.

Hiking Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California is a quick drive, bus or train ride from downtown LA. It’s a quiet oasis compared to Los Angeles offering outdoor adventures and a small town feel.

If you feel that it’s time for a getaway, try a day in Santa Barbara.

1. Hiking

There are numerous hikes that you can go on in the mountains. One of the trails lead you to Inspiration Point, where you can overlook the entire town of Santa Barbara and see out to the ocean. Another takes you to the old hot springs hotel that used to reside above the town. It’s a great way to get some exercise in and take in the incredible views.

2. Botanical Gardens

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is full of a variety of California’s native plants with a picturesque background of the mountains. Walking through the paths, you feel as if you have been transported to somewhere else. It’s an adventure taking the paths through the trees seeing the bright pop of color from the poppies and other flowers.

Botanical Gardens
3. Beach Time

Like other coastal California cities, the waterfront allows for people to sunbathe, take a kayak ride, watch the kite surfers glide across the ocean, catch a sailing regatta, and go swimming. For watching sailing regattas and water equipment rentals, the Marina is a must stop. After indulging in the fun, stop by On the Alley restaurant for a quick bite to eat.

For beach time, West Beach is perfect for watching water sports and East Beach is great for sun bathing and swimming. If you are driving to Santa Barbara, Padaro Beach is one of the quietest and cleanest beaches with easy surfing lessons. Just take the 101 and exit for Santa Claus Lane.

4. State Street

The main street in Santa Barbara houses the shopping and local restaurants all with the Santa Barbara architecture of white stucco walls and orange tiled roofs. After a day of hiking or on the water, enjoy looking around and seeing what the downtown has to offer before making your way back to Los Angeles.

Santa Barbara has something for everyone and is the perfect place to explore the outdoors!

Bobbi Klein is a lifestyle and travel photographer and creative director at Splendore. She loves traveling, helping people, and exploring. Connect with her on Instagram/Snapchat/ and twitter @bobbiklein. To see more of her work check out www.bobbiklein.com.


Teaching about nature=finding myself Part. 1

During the week of May 4-8, 2015, I was honored to lead 2 workshops for high school students. These workshops were part of an ongoing effort from the Holyoke Adolescent Sexual Health and Pregnancy Prevention Accountability Committee (HASHPPAC). HASHPPAC’s mission is to develop community-based, multifaceted approaches to decrease teen pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Holyoke, Massachusetts. For their ongoing campaign called “You Have Choices”, HASHPPAC decided to introduce workshops for the teens teaching them how to get involved in their community. The workshops were facilitated by organizations, the community, and Latino Outdoors was fortunate enough to participate!

It was extremely exciting to be asked to facilitate a workshop related to the environment. The first workshop took place at Holyoke High School. I had an amazing experience with 2 teens, Carmen and Tatyana.

Carmen & Tatyana

Carmen (left) and Tatyana (right). Two powerful teens from Holyoke, Massachusetts.

The first question I asked them was, “How do you define nature?”

   “Nature for me, is something beautiful, brings me peace, I listen to ocean waves before I go to sleep because it’s boring.” -Tatyana said

“haha. I love listening to the waves too! How is it boring? Maybe you mean you get so relaxed that it may feel boring?” – I asked

“YES! That is what I mean, it is relaxing. I can forget about the world and just be relaxed and in peace” -Tatyana added.

“Cynthia, can I say it in Spanish”- Carmen asked

“Por favor!” -Cynthia said

“La naturaleza es algo increíble, es bello y la necesitamos. Muchos no la aprecian y les estan haciendo daño. Tenemos que ayudarla.”- Carmen added

My heart was so happy to hear these answers, not because they were connected to nature in their own different, beautiful ways, but how I saw a reflection of me in these two powerful girls.

We proceeded to complete a Nature Scavenger Hunt that I adapted from the High Trails Outdoors Educational Center. One of the list items was to look for evidence of animals. We came across this tree, and saw ants and talked about how scary they look once you get close to them, yet how cool they are. Then we saw this “No Parking Any Time” sign being ‘eaten’ by this tree. tree & sign

 “Isn’t this incredible ladies?”- I asked

“Yeah, nature takes over.”-Carmen

“You can’t even see the sign anymore”-Tatyana

After the incredible conversation, discovery, and fun, we walked back to the cafeteria to hydrate ourselves and give ourselves props for completing the scavenger hunt! Later, we ended  our time together talking about how challenging it is to be a Latina and how many expectations are made by society of what we should look, be and act like. What was wonderful was me being able to see myself years back with the same frustrations as a young Latina and I was able to give Tatyana and Carmen the space to express themselves, be themselves, and cherish their grace as amazing young, powerful, Latina girls.

Those moments that are not accounted for in my curriculum design, are the ones that I find most precious, life changing, and incredible. This experience speaks to what Jose Gonzalez, founder of Latino Outdoors, mentioned “this is our voice, this is our heritage, these are our connections to these outdoors spaces” and by Tatyana and Carmen having a connection to the outdoors right at their school, we were all able to connect on a deeper level and empower each other as Latinas.

Que viva el poder.


Latino Outdoors Latino Conservation Week REI Giveaway!

Hello wonderful Latino Outdoors community of trailblazers! In celebration of Latino Conservation Week we are doing an REI gift card giveaway! We have TWO $100 REI gift cards to give away! This sweepstakes is a way to recognize you, our fantastic online community! We also want you to show us how you love and connect with the outdoors as well as sharing why you care about these special places.  We want you, your friends, familia, peers, and colleagues to go outdoors this week and show us how you enjoy the outdoors and why these places matter to you.

LO LCW REI Gift Card Giveaway cropped

Here’s what to do:

  • Go outdoors, take photos, and share them with us. Take selfies, landscape shots, action shots, stewardship, restoration projects, and any which way in which you enjoy, celebrate, and care about the outdoors.
  • Include a caption/statement. Tell us where you are, and why you love and want to celebrate your trail, park, river, public land, etc. Also tell us why it’s important to see more of our communities in the outdoors.
  • Use the hashtags. This sweepstakes will run on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. For all three platforms you need to use these four hashtags: #LatinoConservationWeek #LatinoOutdoors #VamosOutdoors #REI. You can use any additional hashtags but we’ll be looking for at least all four of these.
  • Tag your friends! Tag who you hike with, who you’d like to join you a bike ride, your favorite outdoor orgs or companies that help you get outdoors, and anyone else you want to share the joy of the outdoors with!

 

Additional platform info: If you use Instagram, you can tag us with our handle @LatinoOutdoors as well as using the hashtags. If you use Twitter, remember the character limit and tag us @LatinoOutdoors to ensure we’re notified. If you use Facebook, tag us to our Facebook page and you can share your post to our timeline.

 

So go out, enjoy the outdoors, and show us! Sweepstakes rules available below.

 

Rules and Eligibility

No purchase necessary. This sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia (except where prohibited) who are at least age 18 (or the age of majority under applicable law).  If you do not meet any of these requirements, or any other eligibility requirements in these official rules, you are not eligible to win a prize, and Latino Outdoors reserves the right not to award prizes to you.

 

The Sweepstakes starts on Monday 7/13/15, at12:01am and ends on Sunday 7/19/15 at 11:59pm (the “Sweepstakes Period”).  All entries must be received during the Sweepstakes Period to be eligible to win a prize.

 

How to Enter. Submissions must be posted to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook using at least these four hashtags: #LatinoOutdors #LatinoConservationWeek #VamosAfuera and #REI. You may enter multiple times but only one gift will be awarded per person.

 

Prize. LO LCW REI Giveway includes:

  • 2 $100 gift cards will be awarded, two participants will be awarded, one card per participant

 

Selection and Notification of Winner. Winner will be determined by a random drawing from all eligible entries, using an online randomizer the week of July 20-24. Need not be present in person to win. Winner will be notified by telephone, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram message. To claim the prize, winner should follow the instructions contained in his or hers notification.

 

Odds of winning a prize depend on number of eligible entries received.  ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OR USE OF ANY PRIZES ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNERAll Prizes will be awarded.  If a Prize is returned as undeliverable or otherwise not claimed within ten (10) days after delivery of notification, the Prize will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner selected by a second random drawing from all remaining eligible entries. All Prizes are awarded “AS IS” and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied (including, without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose).

 

General Release.  By entering the Sweepstakes, you release Latino Outdoors, REI, and all Released Parties from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, for any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Sweepstakes or delivery, mis-delivery, acceptance, possession, or use of or inability to use any Prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory.

 

Use of Winner’s Name, Likeness, etc.  Except where prohibited by law, entry into the Sweepstakes constitutes permission to use winner’s name, likeness, persona, hometown, and/or Prize information in all media now known or later devised throughout the universe in perpetuity for all purposes Latino Outdoors deems appropriate including, without limitation, for promotional and publicity purposes, without further permission or compensation.  As a condition of being awarded any Prize, except where prohibited by law, winner may be required to execute a written consent, confirming Latino Outdoors right to use such winner’s name, likeness, persona, hometown, and/or Prize information without further permission or compensation.

 

Winner List; Rules Request.  For a copy of the winner list or official rules send a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope after July 27, 2015 and before August 30, 2015:

 

Latino Outdoors

A Project of The Children Are Our Future

1840 41st Ave # 102-101

Capitola‎ CA‎ 95010

 

Miscellaneous.  The Sweepstakes and these Official Rules will be governed, construed and interpreted under the laws of the state of California, U.S.A.  Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of Latino Outdoors, which are final and binding in all respects.  Latino Outdoors reserves the right to change these Official Rules at any time, in its sole discretion, and to suspend or cancel the Sweepstakes or any entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes should viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, or other causes beyond {  control affect the administration, security or proper play of the Sweepstakes, or Latino Outdoors  otherwise becomes (as determined in its sole discretion) incapable of running the Sweepstakes as planned, in which event all Prizes will be awarded via a random drawing from among all eligible entries received prior to cancellation.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Latino Outdoors reserves the right to amend, modify, or cancel the Sweepstakes at any time without notice.  Entrants who violate these Official Rules; violate any law, rule, or regulation in connection with participation in the Sweepstakes; tamper with the operation of the Sweepstakes; or engage in any conduct that is detrimental or unfair to Latino Outdoors, the Sweepstakes, or any other entrant (in each case as determined in Latino Outdoors sole discretion) are subject to disqualification from entry into the Sweepstakes.  Any provision of these Official Rules deemed unenforceable will be enforced to the extent permissible, and the remainder of these Official Rules will remain in effect.  If you have any questions about these Official Rules or the Sweepstakes, please e-mail them to info@latinooutdoors.org

 

Sweepstakes Sponsor:

 

Latino Outdoors

A Project of The Children Are Our Future

 

1840 41st Ave # 102-101

Capitola‎ CA‎ 95010