The Lompoc Pops Orchestra will spread holiday cheer with its concert on Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. Prepare for a night of seasonal favorites, sing-along tunes, and surprise appearances by classic characters. The 60-piece orchestra has prepared popular carols and traditional melodies featuring performances by the Herman Family Quartet, the Opera San Luis Obispo children’s […]
Madison White
Posted inFood & Drink
Pono Pacific Kitchen launches craft vodka and gin label
When bartender Dylan Koch makes Pono Pacific Kitchen’s Water Lily cocktail, he gently shakes together gin, Cointreau, and Crème de Violette. Koch pours the cocktail into a Nick and Nora glass, the kind that “looks like it would be at a luncheon in the 1950s,” he described. “It’s going to be this beautiful blue color, […]
Posted inNews
Olive Grove Charter School approved for five more years
Superintendent Meg Rydman’s fondest experiences at Olive Grove Charter Schools are seeing students at their graduation ceremonies. With the charter school’s Santa Maria location set to continue educating through June 2031, she’ll have the opportunity to see future classes graduate there, too. The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) approved Olive Grove’s renewal […]
Posted inNews
Find one-of-a-kind treasures at The Garden Shoppe in Lompoc
In one word, Gale Dodds called her Lompoc consignment store “eclectic.” Even though it’s called The Garden Shoppe, vendors sell a little bit of everything, not just greenery. “It’s kind of hard to describe because we do have all of the handmade treasures that local people make … but then there’s all the other really […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A professional dancer brings his experience to Buellton with a performing arts space
At 17 years old, Jesus Solorio packed up his car—with his mom’s permission—and moved to LA to pursue professional dance. The Paso Robles native remembered settling into an apartment, ready to start a new chapter in his life. After a couple of touring jobs, including one with Disney, Solorio got picked up by Royal Caribbean […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
CalNAM ramps up holiday cheer with annual vendor market
Solvang visitors have the chance to gain free admission to the California Nature Art Museum (CalNAM) and meander through its annual holiday marketplace on Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be a free family craft from 10 a.m. to noon. “If you’re looking for unique gifts for your loved ones […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Submissions open for a new mural in Santa Maria
Artists are invited to submit proposals for a public art project at the Santa Maria Transit Center. The final design will be digitally produced, printed on vinyl, and installed on aluminum panels on the exterior wall of the transit center, located at 400 Boone St. “This project offers artists a unique opportunity to bring color, […]
Posted inEats
The Solvang wine bar serving rotating dishes and local pours
At Clean Slate Wine Bar, the menu changes nearly every day. Unlike other restaurants with laminated pages, the menu at Clean Slate is a big chalkboard that chef Melissa Scrymgeour erases and updates with new dishes. “That’s why we’re called Clean Slate,” her husband, Jason, said about their Solvang restaurant and wine bar. “She puts […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria’s public transportation system goes fully electric
Gamaliel Anguiano remembers when Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT) received its first electric bus in 2022. “It’s amazing to see how much the technology has improved over the last three years,” the transit services manager told the Sun. During the first week of November, SMRT was set to receive the last couple of vehicles it […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Take your mind on a thrilling adventure with a local’s audio drama series
A blind protagonist, Miranda Griffin, runs through a maze while a vicious werewolf chases her in episode 6 of Simon Machin’s audio drama, The Black Veil. Out of everything he’s done to produce the drama’s 13 episodes, this scene sticks out to Machin because he invented his own werewolf sound effect by modifying a dog’s […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
It’s the golden hour at Gallery Los Olivos
Garrett Speirs brings contemporary landscapes to Gallery Los Olivos with his latest exhibit, Five O’clock Shadows. The featured artist show will be at the gallery until Nov. 30. “These paintings are meant to be viewed both from a distance and close up,” Speirs said in an email to the Sun. “From a distance they are […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Celebrate mixology and the harvest with live music at Rock 12 Distillery
Rock 12, a Lompoc distillery, grows its own fruit to infuse homemade spirits. It’s the county’s first farm-to-glass distillery, according to its website, growing apples, apricots, and quince that make their way into cocktails. To celebrate the end of the growing season, Rock 12 is hosting its annual harvest party with live music and libations. […]
