Good Seed 2026

 

After the sweets were taken care of, we headed to Good Seed - Solvang's most reliable source of fine espresso drinks. I would never have imagined that finding a good cappuccino would be easier than finding a donut, but this was the case.

Aebleskivehuset fiasco

My first hankering was for a donut, but when that proved problematic I decided to expand my Danish vocabulary and try a famous Danish pastry with a long name. That also proved problematic because the girl selling them couldn't tell me a single thing about them, undermining what I'd hoped would be a cultural experience. So I gave up and drowned my sorrows in an apple Danish at Mortensen's Bakery, which wasn't half bad. I've always liked the light in here. Mrs. had an interesting horseshoe-shaped pastry.

clogs

The clog seen here - an advertising display in front of a shoe store in Solvang - is visually appealing. I'm just not sure how comfortable wearing such things in real life would be.

mini Danish village

 

We checked the progress of the mini Danish village being built at a busy Solvang street corner. Whatever the story is behind it, it makes for some interestingly weird photos.

unofficial trail

This trail near the mission piqued my interest and when I asked someone on it what the story was (there was a steady stream of strollers and dog walkers on it) he said it was a sort of locally-known-and-used "unofficial" trail with ties to the mission and the city.

Mission grounds

After breakfast we went for a stroll on the grounds of Mission Santa Inés. This lovely land is such a contrast with the streets of Solvang. The morning cloud cover was also a welcome contrast in this often hot, sunny valley.

"Best Breakfast" revisited

While my "Best of 2025" list didn't single out Craft House as the "Best Breakfast" of the year, it was. (It does show their Avocado Toast as the best in that category). On this morning I opted for the Eggs Benedict - also memorable - while Mrs. had the GF Breakfast Sandwich which looked simple but had a surprisingly complex and delicious flavor. A side of Breakfast Potatoes made everyone happy.