There is barbeque, and there is BARBEQUE. BARBEQUE is a life event…it only happens once every few years, if you’re lucky. It is the perfect marriage of tender meat, and sweet or savory sauce. BARBEQUE is heaven. I had a little bit of heaven recently, in one of America’s best cities for barbeque…Dallas.

Off the Bone Barbeque is almost a religious experience. The meat is so tender that it literally falls off the bone. It was so good that I went twice on a recent weekend visit to Dallas. The first time, I had the two meats plate: brisket and smoked pecan baby back ribs, with spicy three meat charro beans and potato salad. Oh, and of course, sweet tea. The sweet tea was true Southern, good sweet tea. The meats were tender and juicy. The sides were appropriately yummy. On my second try, I had the ribs again (I think I’m addicted), with honey spiced baked beans and spicy fries. Basically, you cannot go wrong at this place. Any meat, any sides…all delicious. Mr. Harvey, the owner, is there to make sure all of his guests feel comfortable. It really feels, and tastes, like you’re at a relative’s home. By the way, the desserts are also killer.

The only problem is, I feel like I’m going through pork withdrawal. If only Off the Bone would open a West Coast location…

I love quick getaways. Not as much as I love an extended overseas trip, but it’s definitely the next best thing. My husband and I just got back from one such trip to the Santa Barbara area. If you have not had the opportunity to take a drive up the California coast, do it! The views are absolutely breathtaking.

We stayed at the Bacara Resort & Spa, where we swam and sunbathed to our heart’s content. The poolside drink service was fantastic. Then there was the food…it was only my second time in the area, and I was just as impressed with the restaurants we chose this time as I was the first.

We had breakfast at Jeannine’s in Montecito, where I had THE BEST French toast I’ve ever had—and I have eaten a lot of French toast in my lifetime. This is not just any French toast. It is their “famous banana Kahlua French toast.” Translation: yummy Challah bread topped with bananas sautéed in Kahlua with butter and brown sugar. There are no words for how delicious this was. I also sampled the breakfast burrito, which was almost as good. Their coffees and pastries were also amazing.

Lunch was at Los Agaves in Santa Barbara. It was my second time, and I was not disappointed by my return trip. The chips and salsa are great. The guacamole is the perfect consistency and flavor. The classic combination dishes are good—great crispy tacos, sopes, and enchiladas. The really special dishes are the ones with seafood (enchiladas and tacos).

Our dinner choice was Santa Barbara Shellfish Company at Stearns Wharf. The wait was a little crazy, but it was completely worth it. We started with shrimp cocktail, which was pretty standard. I had the lobster bisque, which was ok but lacking in the lobster department. My husband had the clam chowder (with bacon!), which was delicious. We then dug into a whole Maine lobster, lightly grilled, and a huge local crab. It was the best seafood meal I’ve had on the West Coast, by far.