Catch The Super Trio at The Great American Melodrama Theatre before the final curtain closes on March 7. “In a universe brimming with superpowered folks, three friends flipping burgers at a fast-food joint get the chance of a lifetime: an internship to become The Super Trio,” according to the Melodrama. Enter antagonist Minerva, who threatens […]
The Melodrama presents its first production of the year
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Solvang Theaterfest offers VIP package for 2026 season
Get the most out of your experience at the Solvang Festival Theater by signing up for the Star Patron program to see three shows performed by the Pacific Conservatory Theatre. Members will receive tickets for three shows this summer on Star Patron nights as well as access to pre-performance and intermission receptions with guest speakers, […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Crime 101 is a multi-threaded crime thriller about a multi-million-dollar heist
Bart Layton (The Imposter, American Animals) directs his adaptation of Don Winslow’s 2020 novella of the same name about thief Mike Davis (Chris Hemsworth), whose series of heists along the 101 freeway draws the attention of Detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) and intersects with the plans of disgruntled insurance broker Sharon Combs (Halle Berry). (139 […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Playing Gracie Darling is a thriller about a séance gone wrong
Playing Gracie DarlingWhat’s it rated? TV-MA When? 2025 to present Where’s it showing? Neflix Child psychologist Joni (Morgana O’Reilly) is mother to teenager, Mina (Chloe Brink), but when Joni was 14, her best friend, Gracie Darling (Kristina Bogic), disappeared under mysterious circumstances following a Ouija board session in a cabin in the woods. Joni can’t […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Earth’s Greatest Enemy documents U.S. military’s environmental destruction
Earth’s Greatest EnemyWhat’s it rated? Not rated When? 2026 Where’s it showing? Friday, Feb. 20, at Cal Poly PACSLO (6:30 p.m.; $10 student, $20 general at pacslo.org), and Saturday, Feb. 21, at Cuesta College CPAC (12:30 p.m.; $15 at eventbrite.com) Wife-and-husband documentarians Abby Martin and Mike Prysner (Chevron vs. The Amazon) spent five years on […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Lompoc’s Sea-Stainable makes 100 percent natural pet snacks
Jesse Crouse-Tell doesn’t routinely eat the dog treats he makes, but the ingredients are 100 percent human grade. In the early days of his company, Sea-Stainable Pet Food, the business owner had to try his treats because he wanted to know how they tasted. “I’ll take little nibbles of stuff here and there, just to […]
Posted inGet Outside
A quick trip through California’s national parks
TRAILBLAZING Two and a half years ago, my brother hatched a scheme to visit every one of the U.S. National Parks. We’re not talking about drive-through visits—this plan involves camping in the parks whenever feasible and truly experiencing what each one has to offer. We started in California. Farthest south is Joshua Tree National Park, […]
Posted inGet Outside
Mayhem Canines teaches dogs to ditch the pavement and hike San Luis Obispo County’s great outdoors
TRAILBLAZING Think your furry companions can handle something a little more hardcore than a walk around the park? Alissa Loftus of Mayhem Canine has your answer. “Hiking is much more efficient, much more stimulating for the dog,” she said. “They’re not just being marched around the pavement. They get to run and jump, get dirty, […]
Posted inGet Outside
Central Coast State Parks Association is celebrating its 50th anniversary
TRAILBLAZING Working for the Central Coast State Parks Association (CCSPA) brought Executive Director Sierra Emrick closer to the bluffs, tidepools, and 7-mile shoreline she already had ocean-deep feelings for since childhood. “I grew up in Los Osos, and Montaña de Oro was my ‘heart park.’ The park I just loved, and—I felt—raised me and taught […]
Posted inGet Outside
California Trails Survey gathers public input to guide future recreational access in the state
TRAILBLAZING Most people don’t view their daily dog-walking route or preferred trail for running as valuable input that could directly impact the future of outdoor spaces. But the California Trails Survey, spearheaded by the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and California Department of Parks and Recreation, is calling for experiences like that from trail users […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Los Padres ForestWatch’s new fundraiser combines the great outdoors and wine
OUTDOOR KITCHEN Six friends braved a very muddy Baron Ranch Trail in January with a goal in mind: to end up at LaFond Winery and Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills for a glass of wine. The hike was difficult and wet, so not everyone was able to finish, but it was fun and beautiful […]
Posted inGet Outside
Food builds connection at Tomorro Farm
OUTDOOR KITCHEN Most of us encounter food at the very end of its journey. It’s stacked neatly in grocery stores, polished and predictable, with a price tag. A red pepper, for instance, may look perfect, but you don’t know who grew it or what the land it came from looked like. A nagging curiosity about […]