There is good news for restaurateurs and chefs on the Central Coast. If you put soup on your menu, I guarantee you will have at least one loyal customer who will order it every time: me. I won’t bore everyone with too many details (as I have before) about why I think soup is the […]
Orcutt’s Old Town Mexican Cafe delivers on flavor
Posted inNews
Festival of Frill: Get some decorating tips from a Christmas tree pro and more in our annual Holiday Guide
“You have to start with a Hallmark Christmas movie,” Leigh Collier says without a trace of irony in her voice. She laughs as I audibly groan, a moment that describes our friendship perfectly. On this particular Monday at the end of October, Marry Me at Christmas kicks it all off. It’s a new release, fresh […]
Posted inOpinion
What do you have planned for the holidays?
Rod Gibbs retired engineer/tutor “I’m going to be playing with my children.” Ulises Perez student/server “I’m going to LA to spend time with my mom’s family.” Annalise Ketz student/tutor “For Thanksgiving I am going to be spending it with my family. And two days after that, I’m going to be at the Santa Maria Applebee’s; […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Holiday Guide 2017
Christmas obsession: When it comes to filling a house with holiday cheer, it’s all about excess and magic!
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Gillian Wilks
Last year, as a sophomore on the Santa Ynez High School varsity volleyball team, Gillian Wilks admits she “barely said anything” all season. At the time she was more comfortable letting the juniors and seniors on the team lead the way. “I observed how the seniors would play, and what I could do to make […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local cross country standouts compete in CIF Southern Section races in Riverside
Rather than go to school with their peers on Nov. 9 and 10, top cross country runners from six Santa Maria-area high schools hopped onto team vans or buses, and headed south. Though they had slightly different starting points, the runners shared the same destination: Riverside City Cross Country Course. There, they were joined by […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Chef Steven Snook shines at First and Oak in Solvang
For months now I’ve had First and Oak on my list of must-try spots, and I finally broke down on a chilly Tuesday night and ventured out to Solvang to see what everyone’s been talking about. It turned out to be one of the best dining experiences of my entire life. First and Oak’s concept […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Q-and-A
Way way back in the day, New York magazine used to have a regular feature which shined the spotlight on local celebrities, politicians, and socialites. It was a list of questions designed to assess what kind of New Yorker the person was and give insight into some of the more intimate details of a prominent […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
LOCAL NOTES: Tri City Sound Chorus welcomes local ladiesto join in on holiday singing
The iconic Christmas scene of yore wouldn’t be complete without the image of the tight pack of Christmas carolers standing on a doorstep with sheet music in hand. But for the women who sing in the Tri City Sound Chorus, a local chapter of the Sweet Adelines International, they ask locals who want to hear […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Holiday marketplace returns to Solvang
The Wildling Museum is hosting its seventh annual Holiday Marketplace on Dec. 3. Admission is free from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a special members-only preview at 10 a.m. The marketplace features more than a dozen local artists and craftspeople. Booths will be placed throughout the museum so visitors can also view museum exhibits. […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc Civic Theatre debuts new comedy production
The Lompoc Civic Theatre will present An Inplausible Claus, a holiday-themed comedy written by Nikki Harmon showing Dec. 1 through Dec. 3. The play tells the story of a “meeting of two improbably paired friends,” according to a statement from the play’s director Chris Jeszeck. The play will also feature a second half hour of […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Local youths get free trip to Katy Perry concert
Twenty members of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Maria Valley attended a Nov. 10 Katy Perry Witness World Tour in Los Angeles as guests of Katy Perry, Global Citizen, and Boys and Girls Clubs of America. They are the winners of a contest sponsored by Perry, a former club member herself, who encouraged […]