She was the pioneering TV cook who brought French cuisine to the American public. A foodie who loved to share her passion, Julia Child spent much of her life in Santa Barbara and Montecito.
Now, a trolley tour is boarding Julia fans from around the country to showcase some of her favorite places.
"This is only our second tour, so it's brand new to us. We are just trying to incorporate Julia Child into our historical tour," explained Teddi Drew, Vice President of Santa Barbara Trolley.
The special tour was part of the week-long Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, which culminates over the weekend, and celebrates Julia’s connection to the area.
"We get two stops. We stop at one of her favorite ice cream places, and then we also stop at her favorite winery," said Teddi.
Our driver, Chuck Drew, counts the last passengers aboard as they take their seats for the two-and-a-half-hour excursion.
"The trolley we had custom-built for us is designed to look like an old streetcar with all the brass rails on the outside. It was actually built in 2015," said Chuck.
"[The tour] is a good mix. You're going to get some of Santa Barbara history. And just little tidbits about the area, as well as the Julia Child information. And almost every time we do a tour, even with locals, we have people say that they've learned new things," he said.
The tour takes us past some of Julia’s favorite restaurants and haunts, stopping off to sample her favorite ice cream and see the Julia Child rose, which is in bloom at the garden.
Some of those aboard share a passion for Julia, some are just happy to have an afternoon out with friends. It all ends with a wine tasting.
"Anything affiliated with food, anything associated with that, I'm in," said one passenger.
"I've always used her cookbooks," said another.
"I love Santa Barbara. I didn't even realize she lived here at one time, so I thought, 'How cool,'" said another.
There’s also a self-guided walking tour to follow in Julia's footsteps. They’re hoping the trolley tour will return as a more regular fixture.
