Constantly inspired by her surroundings, Valley Art Gallery’s current featured artist is always on the lookout for potential subjects, no matter where she is or what she’s up to. “If I have time, I’ll sketch. Otherwise, I’ll take a picture,” said local artist Elinor Plumer, who often refers to her own drawings and photos before […]
Valley Art Gallery highlights whimsical paintings by Elinor Plumer
Gina’s Piece of Cake plans to open new Orcutt satellite bakery
Finding the perfect spot for a second bakery location was no cake walk for Gina Martin, owner of Gina’s Piece of Cake in Santa Maria. “We have looked in Orcutt for quite a few years. And then after COVID hit, we figured we’d stay put,” Martin said. “There were different locations that we looked at, […]
Local author holds talk in Los Olivos on new wildlife book
UCSB professor Peter Alagona will host a talk about his new book, The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities, at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley in Los Olivos on March 2, starting at 7 p.m. Alagona’s book addresses topics centered on wildlife populations in cities in North America. Since World War II, cities throughout the U.S. […]
How much does providing shelter to the homeless cost all of us?
Now that the “unsheltered” (homeless people) are being provided with what the homeless advocates call adequate temporary housing, how much is it costing? In Lompoc a few months ago, the city decided to “clean up” some property east of the airport so it could be leased to farmers (previously the homeless had trashed the place […]
WEDDINGS 2023
IIt’s always a beautiful day in one of the state’s most iconic destinations, and a wedding set in a vineyard or on the coast will never disappoint. While the location is a large part of planning a wedding, there are a lot of little things that can make or break the big day. For this […]
Health & Wellness 2023
Health and Wellness isn’t just about exercise and diets, it’s also about accessing medical health care and knowing how to protect your body. But not everyone knows how to obtain preventative care, and youth don’t necessarily graduate from high school with the information they need to understand sex or the proper ways to safeguard themselves. […]
Thanks, ‘Sun’ and ‘New Times,’ for keeping us informed!
I appreciate your continuing to deliver the New Times as well as the Santa Maria Sun and the Santa Ynez paper to the Village Market in Vandenberg Village. It is good to keep up with southern San Luis Obispo County activities. Once the new Village Inn reopens, please consider including them as well. I particularly […]
BINGEABLE: THE LAST OF US (2023-present)
BINGEABLE: THE LAST OF US (2023-present) Where’s it playing? HBO Max What’s it rated? TV-MA We’re now halfway through the first season of this video game-based zombie TV series, and if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, what are you waiting for? This very compelling drama has continued to improve exponentially after the first […]
BINGEABLE: POKER FACE (2023-present)
BINGEABLE: POKER FACE (2023-present) Where’s it playing? Peacock What’s it rated? TV-MA The concept is no stranger—a human lie detector uses her powers to right wrongs. I think of the show Lie to Me from 2009 about the guy who read and analyzed micro expressions. We don’t know where Charlie’s (Natasha Lyonne) gift comes from […]
‘Lumberjacks in Love’ is a hilarious musical affair
In this season of submitting income tax returns, the stars of Lumberjacks in Love are filing their axes. The Great American Melodrama’s latest production centers on a group of lumberjack bachelors in a small Midwest community, circa 1912. Hilarity ensues after a bizarre misunderstanding between two of the lumberjacks results in the purchase of a […]
Solvang Theaterfest announces spring concert lineup
In mid-February, Solvang Theaterfest released its spring lineup of upcoming outdoor concerts, scheduled to be held at the Solvang Festival Theater between the months of March and May. The concert series will kick off with urban jazz duo Peter White and Richard Elliot, who will perform on March 24, starting at 7 p.m. White is […]
Orcutt Children’s Arts Foundation holds annual gala
On Feb. 25, the Orcutt Children’s Arts Foundation’s 2023 gala will take place at the Radisson Hotel in Santa Maria, starting at 5 p.m. The event will include live and silent auctions, live music, live comedy, and more. Tickets to the event and more info on this year’s gala are available at my805tix.com.

