Tag archives: Valentines Day

Lotusland Love
By Richard Mineards   |   February 27, 2024

Romance was definitely in the air when Lotusland, the 37-acre Montecito botanical paradise, hosted a Valentine’s Day event for 25 couples, one of whom was enjoying their 51st big day together. The tony twosomes quaffed flutes of champagne and enjoyed the self-guided tour of the exquisite gardens accompanied by flamenco-Latino music from Santa Barbara guitarist […]

In the Name of Love: Experts Choose Seductive Wines for Valentine’s Day
By Gabe Saglie   |   February 13, 2024

I blurted out the word “seductive” to my wife recently, though I was actually describing a wine we were sharing. The 2014 Pas de Deux ($65 at kukkulawine.com) from the Kukkula winery in Paso Robles’s Adelaida District is a 50-50 blend of syrah and grenache, a combination I love. This bottling was extra special, though, […]

Colors of Love
By Steven Libowitz   |   February 12, 2022

Transform Through Arts Theater’s annual Colors of Love dance show at Center Stage Theater returns to its usual Valentine’s Day weekend performance slot for 2022 after moving to August due to the pandemic last year, and the local collective’s approach to the concept of love has expanded in the interim.  “It’s evolved into more diversity […]

Uni: The Best Locally-Sourced Aphrodisiac
By Erika Tai James   |   February 11, 2022

Sea urchin have been a known aphrodisiac in Japan for thousands of years. Uni, as the Japanese call it, rose to popularity in North America in the late twentieth century, with Santa Barbara Uni becoming the most sought-after in the world. Uni has much to offer from a nutritional standpoint, fully loaded with a healthy […]

Love is in the Air: Local Dining Establishments Offer Outdoor Dining and Romantic Vibes
By Claudia Schou   |   February 11, 2022

Picnic benches, orange blossoms, and warm soft breezes. These days, dining is an outside affair as restaurants continue to exercise safety precautions and give diners a chance to indulge in one of the most celebrated days of the year.  Although restaurant owners and chefs are focusing on both patio dining and takeout options this Valentine’s […]

A Dozen Rosés: You’ll Love These Pink Wines for Valentine’s Day
By Gabe Saglie   |   February 11, 2022

It’s all about skin contact! An apropos start of a story about Valentine’s Day, I guess. But we’re talking wine here, and those pink sippers that look and smell and taste so pretty, they’re sure to be our go-to thirst quenchers this Valentine’s Day. That seductive hue is, indeed, the product of calculated contact between […]

Romance in the Library
By Kim Crail   |   February 8, 2022

In the mood for a steamy read or just a happily ever after? We could all use some healthy distraction these days and Montecito Library staff are preparing for one of our favorite displays: “Blind Date with a Book.” Rather than judging a book by its cover, author, or genre, let us surprise you with […]

Happy Relationship Day! A Time to Reflect on Our Precious Connections
By Rinaldo Brutoco   |   February 18, 2021

Ah yes… Valentine’s Day is here. Commercially, it’s a very successful day because merchants have historically used this “hearts and flowers” day to sell lots of sugary red hearts and flowers. And, having grown up as a Catholic, I’ve always experienced a certain sadness from learning how St. Valentine was beheaded for sending a note […]

Happy B-Day/V-Day… I Pray
By Ernie Witham   |   March 5, 2020

After about a decade of marriage, I came to the realization that my wife has a birthday every year. That was also about the time she told me that I had given her the same humorous birthday card four of those years in a row. She also showed me the three “unique” heart necklaces with […]

Vulnerability and the Heart
By Steven Libowitz   |   February 6, 2020

Jennifer Sommerville leads a special pre-Valentine’s Day workshop at Unity of Santa Barbara in which all are invited to come celebrate love with an exploration of what it means to be vulnerable through conversation, heart math and creative expression using multimedia arts and craft. The free 11:30 am workshop takes place in Unity’s community room. […]

Sweetheart Valentine’s Event
By Steven Libowitz   |   February 6, 2020

The new La Cumbre Center for Creative Arts invites all to share Valentine’s love at the new creative art center where the 24 artists including painters, sculptors, photographers, 3D printers and others occupying three spaces in La Cumbre Mall with studio and gallery spaces, classes, guidance and resources for artists have created special pieces for […]

Festival of Hearts
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   January 30, 2020

Friendship Center is hosting its 21st Annual Festival of Hearts on Saturday, February 8, at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. This festive pre-Valentine’s Day event features an elegant sit-down lunch with local wines and live music by A la Carte, owned by Jan Ingram and Henry Garrett. The theme this year is the Roaring […]

Will You Be My Valentine?
By Richard Mineards   |   February 28, 2019

Stylists at Richie’s Barber Shop on Coast Village Road proved they were a cut above the rest 24 hours before Valentine’s Day. Staffers Jessica Jay and Mary Tsushima visited the Friendship Center, a licensed adult day program for seniors, a tiara’s toss from All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church and set up a popup shop to enable […]

Artists Reception
By Lynda Millner   |   February 14, 2019

Friendship Center’s 20th annual “Festival of Hearts” was held at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort February 9. Several days prior to the event there was a display of many of the decorated hearts for the public to see. The showcase windows at Charleston Shoe Co. at 1017A State were chock a block full of […]

Festival of Hearts
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   January 31, 2019

Friendship Center is hosting its 20th Annual Festival of Hearts on Saturday, February 9 from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. This festive pre-Valentine’s Day event features a sit-down lunch and local wines, with live music by Montecito Jazz Project.  Since the first Festival of Hearts, the centerpiece of […]