No matter how you chew it, 2018 was a mouthful. In Santa Maria and Orcutt, new ventures dotted the landscape, as an ever-changing and evolving populace sought out more unique eats. The Santa Ynez Valley continued to increase its presence as the dominant local food scene. It was a year I Rebeccamended everything from big […]
REBECCA ROSE
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Shining stars: Arts on the Central Coast crossed new boundaries in 2018
Another year has come and gone, and for the greater Santa Maria Valley and beyond, the arts proved it still has a strong foothold in the community. And it was a busy year for local artists. Everything from ballet to poetry to abstract art to photography and stage seemed to ascend to an ever-higher perch, […]
Posted inNews
Neighborhood places signs to deter apartment dwellers from parking on public streets
A pair of signs placed in a residential neighborhood aim to deter local apartment dwellers from parking on public streets, but it is unclear if they are legally permitted. The signs first appeared on Dec. 20, on two entrances to the Classics on Leigh Street and Bello Road, a Bradley Square housing development on Bradley […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Orcutt Community Theater takes latest production, ‘Rumors,’ to a new venue
A nearly-dead body, a missing wife, and a gaggle of colorful party goers help kick off Orcutt Community Theater‘s latest production. The theater group is bringing Neil Simon’s award-winning Rumors to Orcutt, from Jan. 11 through 20, in what they hope will be another attempt to showcase the strength of local talent and their commitment […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Anthony’s brings Southern roots to Guadalupe
The minute I tasted the baked beans at Anthony’s, a new sports bar in Guadalupe, I instantly recognized something familiar. The smoky sweet beans had something different about them–a little kick of a heat that finished smooth at the end. I hadn’t tasted anything like this in years, but I instantly recognized the strong Southern […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Artist John Card celebrates long history with Valley Art Gallery
John Card has drawn since his earliest days growing up in Montana, but it wasn’t until his retirement on the Central Coast that his “spare-time diversion” became a more serious artistic endeavor. Since then, Card has expanded his range of media and has become a familiar face in the local art scene. For more than […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
CORE Winery welcomes SLO and Santa Barbara poets
Cal Poly Professor Sarah Grieve and Santa Barbara poet Gudrun Bortman are set to present readings from their work on Jan. 12, as part of CORE Winery’s ongoing Second Saturday poetry night. Grieve, who holds a Ph.D. from Arizona State University, is a lecturer in the English department at Cal Poly. Her poetry has appeared […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria Public Library offers local history series
The Santa Maria Public Library announced a new free local history series, titled “Heart of the Valley,” in partnership with local historian Shirley Contreras. The history series will feature a speaker every month, focused on local history in the Santa Maria Valley. Jay Hardy, CEO of Hardy Diagnostics and owner of Moxie Cafe, will kick […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Solvang’s Good Seed Coffee delivers on fresh small batch coffee and organic eats
The first thing I learn about Leyla Williams is that she is full of non-stop energy. I was told this before I spoke to her, but nothing could have prepared me for her endless supply of joy and fervor, especially when it comes to talking about her and her husband Brad’s coffee shop, Good Seed […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Elverhoj Museum of History and Art hosts Danish artist Hanne Stovring
As Esther Jacobsen Bates walks through the main gallery of the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art, it’s clear that something feels very different about this latest exhibit. “You can see that big influence of [New York City],” she said, pointing to a large canvas marked by swoops of bright whirling colors, making out the […]
Posted inNews
Santa Maria city attorney Gilbert Trujillo to retire
The city of Santa Maria announced that longtime City Attorney Gilbert “Gil” Trujillo is set to retire from his position, effective Dec. 28. Trujillo served 16 years as Santa Maria’s city attorney. His tenure includes work on the recent transition to district elections in Santa Maria, as well a 2012 measure for a citizens’ oversight […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Wildling Museum hosts nature-themed workshop
On Jan. 5, the Wildling Museum of Art and Nature will host Nature Abstracted, a three-hour workshop for teens and adults. The workshop features an explanation and demonstration of how to create abstract acrylic paintings from natural settings. Participants are asked to bring a photograph (by themselves or someone else) taken in nature. The […]