Back in February, The Astronomer, June, and I spent a weekend in the glorious Santa Ynez Valley. The region’s hillsides are incredibly lush at this time of year and beckoned me back even though I was just in the area last fall. A Friday through Sunday trip is never enough, but it scratches the itch well enough.

We stayed at the Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos for the weekend. The historic site, which served as a stagecoach stop in the late 1800s and a Prohibition-era hang in the early 1900s, is newly renovated and reimagined by Auberge Resorts Collection. We were lucky enough to be one of the first guests.

The two-bedroom “Oak” cottage had a magical way about it. Even though it was practically new, the space managed to feel comfortable and lived in. It must be the well-preserved bones of the place.