As soon as you set foot in Solvang’s Chomp, a burger eatery with a striking logo on the outside, something feels very different. Chomp is something between an ultramodern European gastropub and a classic 1950s diner, with touches of whimsy around the edges. The huge chalkboard wall that spells out well wishes and messages near […]
REBECCA ROSE
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Poets Mira Rosenthal and James Cushing perform selections of their work in Orcutt
“How many times has apology/rimmed my mouth like lipstick? This is not/what I meant to tell you, the same old/kitchen sink, mold, the blooming mold.” The haunting yet subtle lines of the poem “Swallow” are an example of the beautiful simplicity of poetry. Frozen in a moment of static visual detail, a thousand intricate sentiments […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Allan Hancock College faculty members show off their fine art skills
The walls at the Ann Foxworthy Gallery are telling a story. The story is about growth, biological regenesis, cellular evolution, ancient earth processes, chemistry, community, and so much more, all told through a set of intricate and introspective works of art made by faculty members at Allan Hancock College. It’s another year of reminders that […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Poetry Out Loud competition winners announced
The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture has announced the winners of the regional Poetry Out Loud Competition. Josie Allen was crowned champion and Isabella Melsheimer was named runner-up. Both are students at Orcutt Academy High School. Allen and Melsheimer competed against 15 students representing five high schools. Each participating school held individual […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Painted chair raffle returns to benefit library
The Friends of the Santa Maria Public Library is once again sponsoring a painted chair raffle at Santa Maria Town Center mall through April 13. The raffle features local artists donating artwork, including chairs, desks, tables, and quilts in the theme of a book, author, or character. The event is open every day from 10:30 […]
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Betteravia Gallery showcases the student art exhibit Come Together
Hands clasped in loving solidarity. Two figures locked in the moment before a kiss. The view of a lemon distorted through a glass jug. These are all images featured in a new exhibit in Santa Maria that highlights the work of some of the region’s most promising young artists. Come Together features artwork created by […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Dragonette Cellars in Los Olivos stocks an elegant array of locally sourced reds and whites
It’s always a treat when you stumble into something that’s been right in front of you the whole time. That was the case recently with myself and an impressive local winery that’s carved out a niche on the Central Coast. Don’t let the size of Los Olivos fool you. Within its 2.5 square miles there […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Valley Art Gallery features Jill Iversen
Valley Art Gallery in Orcutt announced Jill Iversen as the featured artist of the month for April. Iversen’s collection, Down on the Farm, is available for view in the gallery from April 3 through 29. Iversen graduated from the Art Center School of Design at Pasadena and works in oil, acrylic, and watercolors. She is […]
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Gallery Los Olivos hosts three artists in April
Jo-Neil Boic, Sheila Underwood, and Patricia Watkins are all artists featured at Gallery Los Olivos in April. Boic is a fine artist, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, who lived and taught in Santa Cruz County before moving to Arroyo Grande. Her work features watercolors of landscapes and flowers. Watkins, a 10-year […]
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Culinary creator: Chef Steven Snook brings Michelin star skills to Solvang at First and Oak
On the day I meet Chef Steven Snook, he’s trying to manage a serious crisis in the kitchen. The refrigerator, undoubtedly one of the most vital tools in a restaurant, “decided to stop working,” according to Snook, who is settling in across the table from me, wiping away tiny beads of sweat as he gracefully […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Pantry pride: Stock your kitchen with the right spices
I have so many spice-related puns at the ready for this column. One of the secrets to being a successful home cook is having a well-stocked pantry ready at a moment’s notice to whip up something impressive for yourself or whatever friends you are trying to cajole into helping you move heavy furniture that weekend. […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc seeks sculptors
The Lompoc Valley Sculptors Guild, in association with the Lompoc Valley Arts Council, is seeking to install four outdoor public garden sized sculptures in Lompoc’s Centennial Square. Each sculpture may be in place for at least one year and will be replaced by new sculptures for the following year on an ongoing basis. The goal […]