With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, love is in the air, and there’s never been a better time to schedule a few active dates with your significant other. From Santa Maria to Santa Ynez, there’s a smorgasbord of free or low-cost sports and learning activities available, allowing sweethearts the opportunity to bond in ways beyond the […]
Romance and recreation
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
CODY DEGRAFFENREED
The new kid in town, Cody Degraffenreed from Maryland, has led the Orcutt Academy High School Spartans to a 15-3 record (as of press time) this season. This maple-floor thief leads his team with 70 steals and his consistent scoring keeps adding numbers to his stats, which could overwhelm an accountant. Degraffenreed said he is […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Basket case
What one culture sees as utilitarian can sometimes have a much more complicated presence elsewhere. Consider the simple woven basket. For many African ethnic groups, the basket is much more than just a way to carry things. It’s a method of communication, an integral part of important ceremonies, and an art form. [image-2] Lompoc Museum […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Travel the high country
“The High Country of the Mind,” an exhibition of recent acrylic and mixed media non-representational paintings by abstract painter and instructor Craig Trapp will be on display in the Shepard Hall Gallery at the Santa Maria Public Library through Feb. 29. Trapp clears away the censors and expresses pure inspiration, unfiltered and unadulterated, in this […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
People and Places
“People and Places,” an exhibit of paintings by nonagenarian Gladys Efantis will be the featured show at the Cypress Gallery in Lompoc through Feb. 26. Efantis began drawing during childhood and has had a career in the arts and graphic design, working in many mediums. The Cypress Gallery is located at 119 E. Cypress Ave. in Lompoc. It’s […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Camera phone photography
Steven Boothe will demonstrate his process of creating mixed media photo collages at the Los Padres Artist Guild meeting, at 6 p.m., Feb. 10 at the Luis Oasis Senior Center, 204 Soares Ave., in Orcutt. Boothe uses simple digital and handmade filters on his camera phone to emphasize color and form, and combines found objects […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Songs for the environment
Singer-songwriter Amy Obenski will perform Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. at Howlin’ Byroom’s Music Exchange, 107 South H St. in Lompoc. Obenski’s songs are based more on reflections of everyday life than environmental musings. However, because music touring can be such a heavy burden on the environment, she turned this tour into one that could possibly […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
A British kind of love
We at Waterman Manor watched the Giants win the Super Bowl, not that I ever get that excited about the game. I must admit that I enjoy watching the commercials. A few of the ads that aired during the game were thought provoking and several were hilarious. The Teleflora commercial, however, was neither. It featured […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Heart and hope
A local nonprofit is throwing a party in celebration of love, hope, and creativity. The Poetic Justice Project is an organization for previously incarcerated community members to enjoy a creative outlet in the community. The upcoming Bleeding Hearts Valentine’s Bash is a benefit for the organization and will feature a few local bands, including one […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Follow it down
When the dust settles after a tragedy, what are sometimes left are questions that can never be answered and relationships that will never be the same. Santa Maria Civic Theatre’s performance of Rabbit Hole explores the aftermath of tragedy and the dynamics that go into finding normalcy again. Becca and Howie Corbett face a life-shattering […]
Posted inFood & Drink
‘The Sexy Wine’
Since when is high maintenance considered sexy? When it’s pinot noir. Legendary California wine pioneer André Tchelistcheff, who mentored several Central Coast winemakers, is credited with saying, “God made cabernet sauvignon, whereas the Devil made pinot noir.” The diva of wine varieties, pinot noir demands extra attention during the grape-growing and winemaking process, but the […]
Posted inOpinion
Emotions for everybody
A recent week was particularly rough. It was enlightening, but the process was tough. To share my “tough and enlightening” week with you, it is important that you have a little bit of history: It was four years ago that I started teaching a yoga class at a local nonprofit, UCP WORK, Inc. UCP WORK […]