Story & Photos by Barbara Beckley
No, really. WHO? KNEW? A hip, cozy find. With just the right amount of quirky chic – in the middle of, like, nowhere. And once you experience it. You want to return again and again!
“There it is!” The mid-century neon sign had a cheery look. Welcoming me to the “Cuyama Buckhorn” after my two-hour drive from LA north on the I-5, then left onto CA 166 into New Cuyama and the Cuyama Valley – aka “The Hidden Valley of Enchantment.” Located in Santa Barbara County, the Cuyama Buckhorn is also two hours east of Santa Barbara.
The Russel Drawing Room
Walking across the resort’s street-front patio, I opened the glass doors. More cheeriness in the form of my favorite décor – mid-century modern, with a twist of Western, in a classic mid-century living room. Turns out Brentwood-based interior-designer and Cuyama Buckhorn co-owner Ferial Sadeghian loves mid-century as much as I do. And (like me) has a mid-century home in Palm Springs.
But this is farmland. Ringed by the scenic Sierra Madre foothills and Los Padres National Forest. And I guess once California bears, as evidenced by the cute (stuffed) brown bear I hugged at the check-in desk. A hint of all the fun to come.
GOOD TIMES!
Stylish accommodations and amenities. Crazy off-the-grid activities. Exceptional cuisine. Health. Wellness. The Cuyama Buckhorn is an amazing stay.
Built in 1952 as a motel and community hub for Atlantic Richfield oil workers, vintage postcards picture the Buckhorn as a Palm Springs-like pool party, cocktail scene. An irresistible buy in 2018 for Ferial and co-owner Jeff Vance, who were looking for “a remote property to provide an unexpected experience for travelers,” Ferial told me as we sipped tea in the newly christened Tea Room.
Say what. Tea in an old motel? Yup. Just one of Ferial’s wonderfully unexpected experiences. Using her keen sense of style, love of cooking, and attention to detail, Ferial has unabashedly transformed this 21-room property into an oasis of surprises.
Author Barbara shows her toy goat to one of the herd
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Like Goat Hiking. Trekking with real goats on the Back Country Ramblers Club Goat Hike. Photo opps galore! “The goats are shy,” explains Sam Seidenberg, the Buckhorn’s lead bartender and “Dad” to the five darling goats. So, the goats carry the gear and stay close to Sam, while we hike behind the goats, exploring the canyons, rock formations and valleys and learning the local stories and wisdom of the Sierra Madre foothills.
Sound Bathing on The Lawn with Karen Jaffe
Sound Baths on The Lawn. Ferial has capitalized on the serene location to incorporate health and wellness into the Buckhorn’s activities’ menu. Lying on a resort-provided mat on the shady lawn, I didn’t mean to. But the harmonious tones and healing sound frequencies of the one-hour sound bath led by Karen Jaffe of Laguna Beach, founder of Sound Nectar and Ferial’s friend, were so relaxing I dozed off in utter bliss. Mother Nature agreed. As doves in the trees cooed in harmony with the soothing tones.
Author Barbara marvels at a real Jujube!
Farm-to-Glass Cocktails! And Jujubes! Again – Who knew! Jujubes aren’t just vintage movie candy. They grow on trees! In the Cuyama Valley! Served in the cozy Buckhorn Bar, beneath antlered buck heads. Of course I had to order the Jujube Fruit Spritzer. I was sitting next to the jujube farmer! Alisha Taff, who owns the Rock Front Ranch jujube orchards (justjujube.com). “Tasty…Slightly savory,” I thought, sipping the hand-crafted spritzer of Calvados brandy from Marie-Framboise, fresh jujube juice, and Jujube Mead from the Cuyama Beverage Company made with Alisha’s jujubes and Alisha’s pure honey.
Baby Carrots. Amazing! The baby carrot was invented in the Cuyama Valley in 1984. Like, Who Knew.
The Abalone Tostada – a taste sensation from Executive Chef Hugo Vera.
Jujube Salad – another Buckhorn Surprise!
Michelin Star Cuisine. Ferial is aiming for Michelin status at the Buckhorn Restaurant. Not a pipe dream, given Executive Chef Hugo Vera’s seasonal farm-to-table fare (literally, some farms are across the street) with a focus on quality, creativity and sustainability. My Abalone Tostada was heavenly. Delicate abalone strips, avocado, herbs and salsa macha. Other wonderful menu choices: Sweet Potato & Stinging Nettles tamale; creamy new potatoes; Short Rib and Cuyama apple glaze; Dried Jujube Salad with market greens, kiwi vinaigrette and pistachios; and Grilled Oyster Mushrooms. For dessert: Rock Front Ranch Honey & Shiso Ice Cream, with rhubarb, snap pea granita, and hyssop. Perhaps best of all. Authentic Santa Maria-style BBQ made in the Cuyama Buckhorn’s historic red oak grill.
Not your usual event spaces.
Unique Spaces. Okay. Who’s gathered in “The Reflection Ring”? Only here, I’m sure. In this 80-foot intentionally built outdoor space using circles as the age-old symbol of protection. Ideal for wedding ceremonies, sound baths, out-of-the-box think tanks. Also, the Outdoor Classroom, with a fold-down screen. Two of the many scenic outside spaces accommodating up to 500 people. Inside venues include The Tea Room and The Russel Drawing Room for a max of 150 attendees. For hipper than hip weddings, the Buckhorn welcomes up to 75 guests.
The Pool at Sunset – Welcome to The Hidden Valley of Enchantment
PUNCHING IT UP
Like a magician, Ferial has changed everything – without changing anything! Using her talented eye to add tons of cool new features that make the Buckhorn better – but not different from the vintage jewel she and Jeff fell in love with. Like the dreamy new pool and large jacuzzi overlooking the valley. Adjacent barrel-shaped sauna with glass windows for sunset viewing. A professional grade Bocce Ball court where the old pool was.
Original art courtesy of the Buckhorn Artist-in-Residence program. One of the resort’s many local involvement opportunities. Another is the Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back, which allocates $1 of every night’s stay to the Cuyama community.
Author Barbara’s Guestroom
CHARMING ACCOMMODATIONS
Cowboy hats above the bed. Vintage books and a complimentary S’mores Kit atop the bed and nightstand. Both a welcome “Howdy” to my Deluxe Queen Room, No. 4, curated with custom-built furniture, plush bathrobes, linens, and local LA-made Further Bath Products. A little bit Western. A little bit vintage. All comfy cozy chic. My picture window overlooked The Lawn.
Patio Perfection outside author Barbara’s Guestroom # 4
Better yet. My spacious, low-walled patio put me ringside to all the action. Fire Pits for S’mores under the stars, The Lawn, The Ranch Table for chatting and dining; the Bocce Ball Court, the pool, hot tub, barrel sauna, everything!
Co-owner Ferial Sadeghian is hands on. Behind the counter at The Buck Stop Coffee Shop.
RISE & SHINE
Breakfast at The Buck Stop Coffee Shop was as vintage cool as in 1954. Except now the comfort food is deliciously farm-to-table. And the Cup a’ Joe is craft brewed. Sitting at the counter, I enjoyed the incredible Avocado Toast, on house-made focaccia with radish, pickled onion, smoked feta and crispy red fife grain; and conversation with the two motorcycle guys next to me. They’d cruised in from LA and were planning a weekend ride through the valley. Turns out the Cuyama Buckhorn has been a favorite motorcycle stop for decades. Even more so now, as they and other riders love the changes, they told me. “My father was a motorcycle guy after he retired,” I said. “I wonder if he and his buddies came here in the ‘70s and ‘80s?” “I’m sure he did,” they agreed.
MORE TO EXPLORE
Adventure isn’t limited to motorcycle enthusiasts. The countryside is teeming with things to see and do. Explore the Carrizo Plain National Monument, it’s California’s largest natural grassland. Drive through Cottonwood Canyon’s rolling hills. Hike in Aliso Canyon. Visit the Cuyama Oaks Ranch Petting Zoo. Wine-taste super Cabernet Sauvignon at Sagebrush Annie’s, Santa Barbara County’s first winery. Arrange a curated E-bike tour with Pedego Electric Bikes. See jujubes growing on the trees! With advance notice arrange a tour to Rock Front Ranch’s jujube orchards. And check the Cuyama Buckhorn website for special events. Ongoing fun includes gourmet wine dinners and Moonlight Cinema outdoor movies on The Lawn every Friday at 8 p.m.
BUT DON’T JUST TAKE MY WORD…
The Cuyama Buckhorn roadside resort is a Michelin Guide Hotel. And its wine offerings just received a 2024 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
Now we know! 😊
