Tag archives: Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Maria-based PCPA theatrical conservatory’s Santa Ynez Valley summer season takes place at the charming Solvang Festival Theatre, the recently renovated open-air amphitheater in downtown Solvang. Launching the four month run of shows under the stars is Waitress, the “deliciously empowering” story of Jenna, a server and talented pie-maker. Trapped in both an abusive marriage […]
The final concert in the current Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series takes place at 4 pm on Saturday, May 17, with the fourth annual Young Artist Showcase featuring young musicians from around Santa Barbara County performing at St. Mark’s in-the-Valley Church in Los Olivos. Admission is free. The Valley also represents in midtown Santa Barbara […]
Anna Vocino and Loren Tarquinio have lived in the Santa Ynez Valley since just before the pandemic, when the formerly L.A.-based power comedy-writing-producing married couple turned their “getaway escape patch” into their full-time home. More than five years later the married partners are joining with two other couples with entertainment and/or winemaking backgrounds to produce […]
The mastermind behind the whimsical Future Perfect wine brand is also the driving force behind the inaugural Corkscrew Comedy Festival, slated for this weekend. It’ll be three days of stand-up comedy across multiple venues in the Santa Ynez Valley. Barrels of wine – and laughs – guaranteed. “I’ve always loved producing,” says Doench Stricker, who’s […]
This past month the Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance showcased its annual Wine & Fire Weekend, highlighting the rustic charm and viticultural prowess of Santa Barbara County’s celebrated wine country. Nestled within the larger Santa Ynez Valley AVA, Sta. Rita Hills is acclaimed for its unique maritime climate, a key factor in producing stellar pinot […]
Actress Virginia Madsen got an Oscar nomination for her role in the 2004 film, Sideways. Twenty years later, she’s still feeling the impact, and enjoying it. “It changed my life,” she told me during a recent conversation. “And it’s still so alive, this movie. It became a cultural phenomenon, and there are very few movies […]
Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley makes its grand return this month, though you could really say this will be the feast’s true premiere. The pandemic put on the brakes after the event’s first year. And while last year marked its official post-Covid return, all signs point to the 2023 rendering of this multi-day, multi-city, […]
I’m swaying in a heavenly hammock on the porch of an absolutely charming room (#18 of 18 guestrooms) with views of the creatively landscaped central courtyard at the Hotel Ynez and life is good. Located just off Highway 246, in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, and nestled between Solvang and Santa Ynez, this […]
Nonprofits often have to work closely with banks to help support their growth and launch new initiatives. Like a horse and rider working together, the bank can help the organization get to where it is trying to go. As part of their ongoing goal to give back to the community, Montecito Bank & Trust (MBT) […]
This winter, public officials asked restaurant owners, workers, and diners to mostly stay home as lockdowns once again took effect. Now that progress is being made with vaccinations going up and COVID-19 cases going down, restaurants are opening up again just in time to unveil spring menus and debut new outdoor dining spaces. That means […]
A stunning 554-acre ranch once owned by McDonald’s mogul Ray Kroc in the Santa Ynez Valley is up for grabs, for $29 million. Kroc and his wife, Jane, a former secretary to the actor John Wayne, bought the property in the Happy Valley area 16 miles from the late singer Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch in […]
When Eli Parker launched his pet project, Epiphany Cellars, 20 years ago, his dad had doubts. “He was not thrilled with what he perceived to be a distraction at the time,” says the vintner, referencing Fess Parker, the Disney icon who launched his eponymous wine brand in 1989. Ten years in, the label, anchored on […]
Have you seen all the promos for Restaurant Week? It’s a national phenomenon throughout the winter season, actually: destinations leveraging the appeal of their top chefs (and the allure of value) to entice consumers and beef up foot traffic during a historically slow travel time of the year. Santa Barbara’s Restaurant Week returns February 21 […]
Little known fact about the 2004 cult film Sideways: if George Clooney and Brad Pitt had gotten their way, the heartthrob pair would have seen their own names on the movie’s marquee. Director Alexander Payne turned them down, though, opting instead to cast lesser known names that wouldn’t steal the spotlight from the story or […]
The pinot noir you buy at the local shop is, almost always, that winery’s latest release, and usually its youngest wine. A younger pinot – from the 2017 vintage, for example – usually delivers exactly what we pinot lovers want: it’s fruity and fresh, soft and supple, luscious and delicious. Vibrancy and flavor make a […]
The folks at Fess Parker Winery are already in the holiday spirit! The winemaking team at the sprawling winery in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley sent out a notice last week highlighting “Wines for the Holiday Table.” They hand-picked three wines that they feel “could help create a fun-filled holiday,” according to a […]
A 400-acre estate in the Santa Ynez Valley that belonged to the late actor James Garner is up for grabs. Garner, star of the TV series The Rockford Files, who died in 2014, commissioned the property, Rancho La Zaca, in the ‘90s with architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen designing a 8,000 sq. ft. house showcasing the […]
