Pineapples like it pretty dry. Bananas like the water, but if you put a soaker hose around them and then mulch over it, you can get by with less watering. You could probably even do a plastic/bark mulch over the soaker hose.
Palms do well in dryer conditions. Yuccas can look tropical mixed in with other things.

sandy,

wow! pineapples -- never, ever thought of them! bet the deer won't eat those spikey things! great suggestion.

i have seveal yuccas and aloes (which I love). But want plants that will give me more of a "south of france" look. I really, really want to find a landscaper who can help me out, but none to be found her in my area of northern california (santa cruz). so I'm on my own. everyone says that this is the best way though, because in he end, I'll love it more because it'll be "my design" when it's done :-)

Lush but drought tolerant plants might include:

Bird of paradise (both reginae and nicolae)
Many palms (european, afghan, phoenix, triangle)
bougainvillea
yuccas
cordyline
agave
edible ficus
orleander (with extra watering)
philodendron selloum are drought tolerant and surprising tolerant of the coolness.
strawberry guava
loquat
citrus trees
cycads