Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Celebrate mixology and the harvest with live music at Rock 12 Distillery

Rock 12, a Lompoc distillery, grows its own fruit to infuse homemade spirits. It’s the county’s first farm-to-glass distillery, according to its website, growing apples, apricots, and quince that make their way into cocktails. To celebrate the end of the growing season, Rock 12 is hosting its annual harvest party with live music and libations. […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Bugonia is a paranoia-fueled black comedy about misinformation and conspiracy

Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Killing of the Scared Deer, The Favourite, Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness) directs Will Tracy’s screenplay loosely based on South Korean writer Jang Joon-hwan’s screenplay for Save the Green Planet! (2003). The story follows conspiracy theorist—Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis)—who believe Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle remake isn’t as good at the OG, but it has its moments

The Hand That Rocks the CradleWhat’s it rated? R When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Hulu The 1992 original was a chill-inducing affair starring Rebecca De Mornay as Peyton, the new nanny for the Bartel family. For my money, I’ll watch the original over this remake, but this new version also packs a punch.  This time, […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Local production company Room for Cream Films screens a handful of shorts on Nov. 8

Room for Cream ShortsWhat’s it rated? Not rated When? 2025 Where’s it showing? Saturday, Nov. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m., The Department, 986 Quintana Road, Suite B, Morro Bay Room for Cream Films—Alex Raban and Jenny Gosnell’s film production company—presents a variety of its short films this Saturday in Morro Bay. The evening opens […]

Posted inFood & Drink

After a community harvest, Cuyama Buckhorn plans to use its homegrown olives in as many ways as possible

Olive trees have been part of the Cuyama Buckhorn’s story since Ferial Sadeghian and her partner bought the property in 2018. They started remodeling the hotel and made a push to bring more drought-tolerant greenery to the 2 1/2 acres. ā€œWe worked a lot to make sure that we are doing the right planting that […]

Posted inNews

Protests and partisans: Locals weigh in on Proposition 50, California’s attempt to redraw congressional districts

Come Nov. 4, all eyes will be on California when eligible voters cast their ballots containing only one item—Proposition 50. The measure would authorize temporary use of new state congressional district maps through 2030, directing the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to resume its map-drafting duties in 2031. Spearheaded by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Proposition 50 is […]

Posted inNews

Solvang considers spending $8 million on a new City Hall building

The former home of Thrifty Ice Cream was briefly on a short list of spots Solvang officials are eyeing for potential City Hall expansion. ā€œWhat if we just retrofit the Rite Aid?ā€ Solvang City Councilmember Elizabeth Orona said after City Manager Randy Murphy informed the council that some departments—including Public Works, Community Development, and Parks […]

Posted inOpinion

Slippery slope

What brought us here? A tit-for-tat escalation of actions that we all agree are bad—and yet we’re doing it anyway.  It started in the Texas Legislature, which—after a show of resistance from state Democrats (who ran away so there wouldn’t be enough legislators to vote)—voted in August to redistrict its congressional districts mid-decade to add […]

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