Veronica Taylor Black's Slice of Life
Veronica Taylor Black dishes on her favorite locations among California's central coast, and the looks to go along with them...
The magic of this place I’m lucky enough to call home isn’t just in the ocean views or the beautiful architecture. It’s in the little rituals. The coffee shop you visit every morning, the restaurant where your children know the menu by heart, the bookstore where everyone knows your name, the garden you return to every season…
Summerland
I spend a lot of my time in Summerland. As the Founders Circle Director at Godmothers, you can find me there most days, and landing a job so deeply rooted in community has truly been a dream come true. Not to mention, I get to wear cute outfits, host events, conduct onstage interviews, and work in a bookstore that somehow feels like a Nancy Meyers film come to life.
Godmothers Bookstore: One of my favorite spaces in the store is our Founders Lounge (pictured), where I host everything from cocktail parties to intimate private dinners. It has become such a special gathering place for our community and one of my favorite parts of the job.
And then, of course, there is the very important business of eating...
My Summerland must-eats:
Dart Coffee — My daily oat milk cappuccino. At this point, it’s less of a recommendation and more of a ritual.
Tinkers — Order the mini burger and French fries. Trust me.
Field & Fort — My favorite yogurt parfait, and an ideal stop when I want something delicious but slightly more virtuous.
The Nugget — Nuggies and a very effective martini. Enough said.
Montecito
Montecito is a jewel box. There are treasures tucked around nearly every corner. Of course, there’s Coast Village, which is one of my favorite places to spend an afternoon walking, shopping, and eating. But I always encourage visitors to go a little deeper and discover some of the places that make this community so special.
One of my absolute must-sees is Lotusland. It’s one of our most beloved local treasures and the kind of place that reminds you just how magical this part of California can be.
Wunderkind: For shopping, Wunderkind is gorgeously curated, whether you visit the Upper Village or the Coast Village location. Philip Manghisi has an incredible eye, and I’m thrilled to say we are no longer living in what I once affectionately called a “sartorial desert.”
And then there’s the food...
Pane e Vino in the Upper Village is a family favorite. In fact, my son has earned the nickname “Prince of Pane e Vino” for the amount of time we spend there. It’s one of those places that has become part of our regular life rather than simply somewhere we go out to eat. For a special night out, San Ysidro Ranch is hard to beat. And when I’m craving an amazing chicken Milanese, I head to Tre Lune.
