⭕ ~ I will be hiking the Cotswolds Way and Thames Path in 2017 ~

~ Home Exchange Anyone? ~

~ I am seeking to exchange from 4 - 12 weeks: My Santa Barbara, California for your UK Flat, Home, or Cottage, between 2017, June - 2017, October for my UK holiday ~

~ I am seeking a short term private home exchange of my California for your England (or Scotland) for 4 - 8 weeks (up to 3 months) in 2017. I plan to visit the UK between June - October 2017, for a minimum of 4 weeks (with a maximum of 3 months). So, the home exchange can be for 4 - 12 weeks, with 6 months maximum.

~ California is stunning! Spend up to three months seeing the coastal towns, early English, Italian and Spanish California, breathtaking California geography, Pacific Ocean, rivers, mountains, Redwood forests, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles & Napa Counties famous wine countries, Eastern Sierras, Joshua Tree deserts, Hollywood, San Diego, Mexico - the great Golden State; a leisurely California holiday with an ideally located stunning Central Coast home base.


Ideally, I would like to do an exchange for a fully-equipped apt/flat/cottage/home that is in the following areas:

YOURS IN UK, ENGLAND:

~ GLOUCESTERSHIRE, COTSWOLDS HILLS AREA/A.O.N.B.** - Central Cotswolds A.O.N.B., and, or Surrounding the Cotswolds Hills; OXFORDSHIRE.

~ NORFOLK, EAST ANGLIA.

~ NATURE RESERVE AREAS: Westonbirt National Arboretum, Wychwood Forest National Nature Reserve, Forest of Dean, Whittlewood Forest, Sherwood Forest, Windsor Great Park (A Home Swap near these areas would also be welcomed).

~ ALSO OPEN TO SCOTLAND.


MY EXCHANGE IN CALIFORNIA, USA:

~ Santa Barbara, CA ~ Comfortable and cozy fully-equipped 1 Bedroom/1 Bathroom apartment in Santa Barbaras highly sought after Upper East Side. The apartment has a full kitchen and a full shower-over-tub bathroom. My well-maintained apartment building is within short walking distance to the downtown center. Nicely situated, it is just a short walk away from the citys busy main cultural, shopping, business center, and there is a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean from this peaceful location! The apartment is Mid-Century Californian Style, built in 1962. It exudes the architectural style of the sleek and simple Mid-Century era, and the building is nicely maintained. There is a galley-like kitchen with the original butter-yellow 1960s Thermador electric wall oven and a matching butter-yellow electric cook-top (hob). The small kitchen while designed in 1962, is still quite efficient and equipped with many chefs-essentials. The bathroom has a shower-over-bathtub with the added charm of the original 1960s chemist-type medicine cabinet! The dining room has a large picture window for an airy and private view of the zen-feeling green bamboo outside. The new 42 round dining table was made exclusively by Knoll Designs for DWR. It is a Eero Saarinen designed pedestal table, and has a white marble top with soft grey veining. There are four new Charles Eames designed Eiffel Chairs with crisp white molded seats and chrome steel bases, made by Herman Miller. There are three main rooms: living room, kitchen, bedroom; and one bathroom. The apartment is light and bright with windows in every room. In short, the apartment feels a bit like stepping back into the iconic 1960s, when less massive California apartments were smaller, yet somehow more authentic, elegant and stylish. It is an uncluttered, quiet and cozy haven in a city filled bustling activity.

WHERE:
~ Santa Barbara, California. ~ Population: 90,000. ~ Small, Affluent Urban Setting.
~ On Californias Pacific Coast, perfectly situated between San Francisco and Los Angeles/Hollywood.
My apartment is located in the highly sought after Upper Eastside neighborhood. It is near the historic Santa Barbara Old Spanish Mission a California landmark. This advantageous location is in the middle of all the best places to walk to/visit in Santa Barbara ~ and all the while situated in a quiet tree lined area. The quiet neighborhood is filled with varied styles of historic California homes (mostly from the early 1900s-1960s) and with parks and soothing gardens for relaxing, making it a great sightseeing and walking part of town. It is a quick 15-20 minute walk into the downtown business/shopping areas, where you will find bistro-style food, culinary markets, fresh California cuisine, gourmet burgers, fine dining, beautiful wine tasting rooms, and small boutiques of every kind tucked around every corner. You can quickly catch a trolly and hop over to the new Funk Zone near the beachfront area, where there is another crop of the latest new wine bars, gastro-pub restaurants and a number of California style breweries/pubs, that have settled into refurbished old warehouse buildings, by up and coming millennial proprietors.

WHAT:
~ Sunshine, Outdoor Activities, Fun, Food, Culture ~ A walking California small city; with many restaurants, wineries, theaters, art, symphony, ballet, jazz, live classical music, film festivals, cocktail clubs, numerous nightly events and trolleys. There is also hiking, cycling , swimming, yoga, gyrontonics and kyaking right within the city. When that is finished for the day, everyone is thinking about evening dining choices. There is no shortage of excellent restaurants and old world fine dining. Santa Barbara has fresh seafood, savory organic meats, luscious coastal wines, and delicious artisanal cocktails. There are American steakhouses, fresh culinary cocktails, fresh seafood, wonderful and varied Italian restaurants of all kinds, Spanish tapas, British Pubs, American breweries, Swedish cuisine, Thai food, pubs, Fish & Chips, and Indian, Greek, Himalayan, and Japanese Sushi that are all within a 15-30 minute walk from the apartment, or a 5 minute drive if you are really eager. With its beautiful coastline, local farms and ranches, and wine-country influences, Santa Barbara is a culinary paradise. International chefs from every part of the world are here to tickle your fancy.

WHY:
~ A Walking City ~ Transportation is excellent; with trolleys, taxis, buses, bicycles, pedi-cabs, cars.
However, the best part is that my apartment is within walking distance to almost everything. There are city buses, yellow taxis, red trolleys for longer journeys, hop on-and-off express trolleys for errands and such, and they are all easily available. It is just a few minutes walk in any direction: to the city bus lines, trolleys, the Amtrak train depot, shady parks, and to the numerous city landmarks. Santa Barbara is a Colonial town built by the Spanish royal crown, and it is a joy to get lost among the many hidden alley-ways, delightful nooks, and public courtyards. No car is needed within Santa Barbara, as it is an excellent walking city, and my apartment is perfectly located for walking nearly everywhere.

~ Beautiful Historic Architecture & Spanish Gardens ~ Santa Barbara is considered one of the most beautiful colonial cities in California, and it is a joy to walk around this charming Spanish-architectural gem, with discreet old world alleyways, to discover many fine restaurants, wine bars, and shops tucked here and there.

~ The Pacific Ocean & Sunny Blue Skies ~ Stretches of pristine beaches for sunbathing and swimming in the blue Pacific Ocean, trails and bluffs for walking/running/hiking, ocean breezes, and stunning sunsets all ablaze are here.

~ Stunning Sights, Scented Air & Magical Lights ~
Also, there is no shortage of mental stimulation with the Santa Barbara Public Library, Universities, Colleges, Museums, Banks, Post Offices, Symphony, Ballet, Musicals, Contemporary Dance Companies, Lectures, Current Affairs, and many independent coffee roasters nearby. You will also enjoy the abundance of fragrant gardens everywhere! Enjoy a relaxing stay in my cozy and snug Santa Barbara apartment, located near the Old Mission Rose Garden. Additionally the Santa Barbara train station has daily trains that will pick you up at the Train Depot, and with a short trip along the scenic California Coast it can deliver you into downtown Los Angeles in about one hour. See the LA-MOMA, Getty Museum, the Fairfax & 3rd Food Stalls, or shop on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills without the hassles of parking a car.

HOW & WHEN:
~ Date Timeline ~ Initially, I hope to exchange my apartment for your flat, cottage or home from 4-12 weeks, up to 3 months, between July - October 2017. I have included a fair amount of info here, to be as helpful as possible about my apartment. I am looking for a 1, 2 or 3 month exchange; more specifically, in the Cotswolds Hills of Gloucestershire and/or the Norfolk County areas, and hope to give a clear idea of what one might be exchanging into.

~ 1960s Apartment Style With State-of-the-Art Entertainment ~ My apartment is not completely remodeled to todays standards, and it is smaller than current mega-mansion standards, but it is nicely built with a cool subdued elegance, and I have furnished it in a similarly 1960s elegant style. It is a quiet and cozy haven in a city filled bustling activity. The 1962 apartment is in quite good condition, with all new double-paned locking slider windows. In terms of state-of-the-art technology: there is a new 52 Sony Bravia Flat Screen LED Television that is sleekly wall mounted for your full cable television & movie entertainment. In addition, you would have internet guest use of my 25 Apple iMac desktop computer as well, in case you do not have a laptop or iPad. The apartment has WiFi/Internet/Cable TV.

~ Occupancy ~ I will be looking for 1 or 2 people maximum to occupy my apartment, due to the fact that it is only a one bedroom (and there is only 1 bed). A solo traveler is ideal, although, a couple will also be considered. Those who are attentive to their use of my home, and who take excellent care of the apartment, will be considered for possible future rents/exchanges. Also, you can choose to have the housekeeper continue to come every week, or every other if you choose, to keep the apartment dust free and in squeaky clean condition, and to do the laundry. In yours: I will be one person. My flat is lovely to come home to, as it is quiet, uncluttered, soothing, and a cozy haven in a small city filled with bustling activities.


YOUR EXCHANGE IN UK (Gloucester/Norfolk/Oxfordshire/Wychwood Forest, Forest of Dean...):

My apartment is not a vacation rental business, and I am therefore interested in a similar private home exchange during my visit to the UK in the upcoming months. Proximity to National Wooded Forests and Nature Reserves are the focal point of my upcoming trip to the UK. Ideally YOURS is within or quite near (WALKING DISTANCE) to a picturesque village or a market town, for grocery shopping, banks, dining, and one that has NATIONAL RAIL TRAIN SERVICE WITHIN THE MARKET-TOWN CENTER, as I may not have a car initially.

Finally, I am a highly responsible, happy, well-educated, lively female (50s,) of good character, who is neat & tidy (I never leave towels on the floor, clean and put food & dishes away, and place the duvet neatly back over the bed every morning). I will keep your home neat and clean; as that clears & refreshes my mind for the day ahead. I love both country & city alike, and seek a walking & hiking holiday this year, and would love to see more of England (forests) & Scotland (Highlands). I am a non-smoker, and my apartment is a non-smoking environment as well.

I am interested in a UK village or market-town home exchange:
~ Seeking home exchange for my 2017 UK visit.
~ Summer/Fall 2017: between July - October 2017.
~ Seeking UK flat/cottage/home/semi-detached/(or fully equipped apartment on country estate).
~ Yours in Gloucestershire, Cotswold Hills, Norfolk, East Anglia, Oxfordshire. (See above)
~ Yours very near UK village or market-towns. (England; also open to Scotland)
~ Yours very near UK National Rail Train Service (via walking, taxi, bus...).
~ From 4 - 12 weeks, up to 3 months.
~ Summer/Fall 2017: sometime between July through October 2017.
~ There is flexibility with my dates.
~ To exchange homes straight across; (no money exchanged on either side).
~ Mine a lovely 1 bedroom/1 bath flat apartment.
~ Mine has a fully-equipped bright kitchen.
~ Mine 1960s mid-century modern (i.e. small, elegant Mad Men style living).
~ Mine very near Santa Barbara city center; banks, dining, business, shopping, groceries, coffee shops.
~ Mine very near downtown California AmTrack Train Station (via walking, taxi, trolley, buses).
~ PLEASE, SERIOUS AND RESPONSIBLE INQUIRIES ONLY. NO SCAMMERS! (So, please send pictures of your home exchange with your reply).
~ References on my behalf given upon request (with Serious Inquiries only).
~ References on your behalf will be REQUIRED from you as well.
~ You may contact me via the email above.

~ I have included a few pics of the my apartment, some of the parks/walking trails very close to the apartment, and of Santa Barbara. - to give a sense of the overall picture. I can send additional photos of my apartment, UPON YOUR SERIOUS EMAIL INQUIRY WITH SEVERAL PHOTOS of your own home exchange.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. ~