Somewhere on the 1,000-acre Jalama Canyon Ranch, there comes a point when the oak canopy clears, giving way to manzanitas. Standing on a ridgeline among vegetation and rolling hills, the vista reveals the ocean in one direction and the Santa Ynez River in the other. The scene at the Lompoc ranch is like a microcosm […]
Music, Arts & Culture
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc library organizes bilingual story times
Books and Bubbles is returning to Ryon Park in Lompoc on Dec. 19 at 10:30 a.m. The bilingual story time is geared toward toddlers and preschoolers, with games, singing, and bubbles. The upcoming theme, pajama story time, is a first for the program, run by the Lompoc Public Library. Representatives from Sleep in Heavenly Peace, […]
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Gallery Los Olivos artists participate in a communal exhibit
The annual group show at Gallery Los Olivos will be featured through January 2026. It’s an optional show for artists who are members of the gallery and will showcase a wide variety of work including photographs, paintings, sculptures, and ceramics. The show is called a Winter Celebration to encapsulate the diversity of media. “We try […]
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Jay Kelly is a heartfelt examination of fame and regret
Co-writer and director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Marriage Story) helms this dramedy written with Emily Mortimer about a famous film star named Jay Kelly (George Clooney) who in the twilight of his career reflects on his life. Always at his side is his devoted but harried manager, Ron (Adam Sandler), who’s constantly […]
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Sorry, Baby is a dark comedy exploring the continuing trauma of sexual assault
Sorry, BabyWhat’s it rated? R When? 2025 Where’s it showing? HBO Max This contemplative film offers up a slice-of-life story, one that focuses on Agnes, who’s played by the filmmaker Eva Victor. Agnes is a professor at the same rural arts college where she and her small group of friends attended. Lydie (Naomi Ackie) has […]
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The Last Frontier is a slow-burn thriller with moments of gripping action
The Last FrontierWhat’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Apple TV+ Created by Jon Bokenkamp and Richard D’Ovidio (The Blacklist), this action thriller series has an interesting premise. Can small-town Deputy U.S. Marshal Frank Remnick (Jason Clarke), with limited resources and a harsh locale, locate fugitives from a downed prisoner transport plane? Among […]
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One artist’s inspiration transformed a hay barn into a modern gallery among vineyards in Santa Ynez
In Indonesian, indah means beautiful. Artist Max Gleason and his wife have traveled to the country multiple times, and in 2022 they lived there for six months. Having learned a little bit of the language, indah stuck with him. “The word indah I thought was—no pun intended—a very beautiful sounding word, and the fact that […]
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Santa Barbara Master Chorale performs at Gainey Vineyard
Catch a family-friendly holiday performance on Dec. 14 in the vineyard with a glass of wine for the adults and cookie decorating for the kids. Headlining is the Santa Barbara Master Chorale, which will sing traditional Christmas carols featuring conductor David Lozano Torres and pianist Heather Levin-White. The program is scheduled for almost an hour […]
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El Ermitaño comes to PCPA
The Mexican Christmas play, El Ermitaño, returns to Santa Maria on Dec. 12 and 13. The hour-long show, hosted by the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA), is performed in Spanish and filled with music, comedy, and tradition. PCPA is partnering with actors from Tierra Blanca Arts Center, a nonprofit dedicated to offering multicultural art programs to […]
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If you saw Wicked, you’re going to see Wicked: For Good
Jon M. Chu directs this second part of the film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz spinoff Broadway musical, Wicked, which explores Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and her relationship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), the Good Witch of the North. (138 min.) Wicked: For GoodWhat’s it rated? PG What’s it […]
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Come See Me in the Good Light examines spoken word poet Andrea Gibson’s fight for her life
I first heard about this from comedian Tig Notaro’s podcast Handsome. Notaro is a producer on the film, but more importantly, she was a friend to the late Andrea Gibson and Andrea’s wife, Megan Falley. The two were Denver area poets, and Andrea lost their life this past year to terminal ovarian cancer. Come See […]
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Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking is a Wizarding World-centric baking competition
Whoever imagined this match-up certainly had nerds like me in mind. Do you like baking shows? Check. Do you like Harry Potter? Check. Well, Warner Bros. has managed to eke another production out of the magical series while putting the London set to use. Hosts James and Oliver Phelps, who played George and Fred Weasley […]