Shopping in Carp

"This place hasn't changed in fifty years," my travel buddy commented.  He should know.  He grew up here.  I have friends, however, who travel the sixteen miles south of Santa Barbara to shop and come home with the greatest stuff, so I decided to see for myself what Carp (short for Carpinteria) had to offer.   

La Vina Grande Tile Mural

I kept getting distracted by the art though,  and the beach at the end of Linden was just too tantalizing to pass up.  It's really hard to stay focused on shopping when the Pacific Ocean is at your doorstep! 

 I hit the jackpot over on Maple Street at the Twice as Nice Consignment Boutique.  I found a J. Crew orange cashmere sweater, which looked unworn, for only $25.00, and how could I resist this leopard print cowboy hat?  The woman helping me said, "That hat is so you!"  It's really, "So Mimi!"  And sure enough when I tried to take it off her, she growled at me.  "Don't even think about it."

Uh-oh.