Santa Barbara Strangeness on the Net

Santa Barbara has worked hard, as a community, to retain a traditional feel; there are the red tile roofs, the carefully preserved historic buildings, and the restriction on structures above a certain height. The combined effect is soothing and a little old-fashioned.

Nonetheless, our town is modern enough to have a significant presence on the Internet. From individual weirdos who share their bizarre views with the world from the safety of a blogging platform, to small groups of odd ducks who pursue their hobbies via the Web, we have weirdness of all kinds displayed on the Internet for the world to see and marvel at.

Among those Santa Barbarans who maintain an Internet presence and yet are strangely not so visible in daily life is the Santa Barbara Accordion Club. We have to wonder: Do they play only in the dead of night, in their own homes – hopefully safely behind a protective barrier of soundproofed walls? Or do they share some kind of practice space with the Santa Barbara Jugglers Association? Just add some bears and a clown or two – and earplugs for the audience – and we could have our own local circus.

Thankfully, there are sites devoted to quieter and less potentially projectile-laden pursuits. There is the group who organizes Santa Barbara Quilting Retreats, or if you’re looking for something a bit more active, there’s the Santa Barbara Sandcastle Festival.

All of the above are available for Santa Barbarans looking for some unusual excitement – although how much excitement may be found in quilting or playing the accordion can be safely left to the imagination of the reader.

Until next week, spend your time wisely. Read up on some fascinating accordion facts, or check out the history of the soap opera named after our fair city, which apparently has quite a following in France. For today, that’s all from the annals of Weird Santa Barbara – I’m late for my accordion lesson.