Righetti High School students and staff mourned the death of a popular English teacher after hearing about her passing when they returned to school on Aug. 17. Deanna Byrne passed away sometime over the weekend of Aug. 14 in Ashland, Ore., according to a statement from the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District. Superintendent […]
SHELLY CONE
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Great expectations: Rush concerts attract cargo shorts, long man-hair, and really nice guys
There are certain expectations I have when I go to a rock concert. I expect to get beer sloshed on my shoes by a tall broad-shouldered man when he spontaneously begins cheering and thrusts the two beers he’s holding in the air. I expect that at some point I will wait in line for 20 […]
Posted inNews
Chumash want to build a stronger community
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians launched an advertising campaign designed to create a positive dialogue with the community and to correct misinformation about the tribe that tribal representatives say exists in the community. For years the tribe has faced vocal criticism from opponents of some of its community projects. Tribal Chairman Vincent Armenta […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Bars of health: Local baker Taino Sweets takes a new direction with Nutri-U
Quinoa, edamame, and dark chocolate have become buzz words in the health food industry appearing on dinner plates increasingly often. They generally don’t appear in candy, but when they do they can make a surprisingly complementary component that satisfies the craving for something sweet. One Santa Maria business is scoring big with its combination of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Hanger management: Lo Mejor de Jalisco offers a new experience
It was hot and muggy, and we were on a quest for Mexican food for dinner. Yes, there are a lot of delicious options on the Central Coast, but we wanted something specific. We wanted something authentic but original. We wanted an atmosphere that would transport us to someplace that matched the warm, unusually humid […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Food stuff
Sometimes the best food experiences don’t involve real ‘food’
Like most kids his age, when my son was about 5 years old he wanted to start his first entrepreneurial enterprise. “I think I want to start a business. I want to have a stand outside, and I’ll have a selection of cheeses for people to try. Oh, and I’ll have some lemonade too.” Yes, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Jack’s Restaurant in Orcutt gets new owners
Can a restaurant be the happy ending to a love story? As the new owners of Jack’s Restaurant celebrated with a recent ribbon cutting surrounded by friends, family, and fellow merchants it certainly seemed so. It was a passion for food and service that brought owners Chris and Terri Salazar together, and as they celebrated […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Meat-filled delight: Floriano’s in Lompoc takes the art of burrito making to new highs
At first sight it may seem like Floriano’s restaurant in Lompoc has a bit of an identity problem—caught between being a butcher shop and a restaurant—but at first bite it all becomes clear. The unassuming Mexican restaurant looks like a small specialty market from the outside, but this Lompoc gem has gained a huge following […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Dog sense
With some dog owners it’s easy to see who has all the smarts
There is a joke I’ll see on the Internet every now and again, and it says that if alien life were to visit and see us they would think dogs ruled. To the foreign mind, seeing a person following on a leash behind a dog and picking up that animal’s poop, makes it obviously clear […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Slow and low: Rancho Nipomo BBQ knocks the pulled pork out of the cantina with smokin’ style
When you live in a barbecue town, everyone has an opinion on where to get the best barbecue. So an innocent Facebook post asking for suggestions can quickly become a heated debate. That’s not so when the first suggestion is to try Rancho Nipomo. Located at the junction of highways 166 and 101, Rancho Nipomo […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Orcutt fusion: Niya restaurant brings contemporary Asian-style cuisine to old town
Walk into Niya Restaurant in Old Orcutt and a stately elegance is immediately apparent. Suddenly, any illusion a visitor may get from the “old” in Old Orcutt fades away behind a contemporary modern aesthetic and the aromas of fresh fusion happening in the kitchen. Of course, it’s more than design and aromatics that make a […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Spring fever
Love is in the air, and in the water, and on the front porch
Spring fever has hit our house something fierce. It’s like a sexy rainbow squatted over my house and peed spring pheromones. It seems like in every crevice and eave of our house, birds have set up nests. Right on my front patio, inches from my front door, a hummingbird built her itty, bitty nest in […]
