Three cones stand together, each one showing the signs of havoc from some unwieldy and apathetic force. They have been burned badly, and yet are still deeply beautiful. The jarring and angst-ridden imagery is the work of ceramist Amiko Matsuo, whose work is on display at the Foxworthy Gallery in Santa Maria in an exhibit […]
Ceramist Amiko Matsuo brings Pyrometric’s powerful statement to Foxworthy
Posted inFood & Drink
La Perla Market and Deli is an authentic treat in Santa Maria
In the late 1990s, I was stuck working the worst possible job in the history of time. I was writing copy for a law firm’s fledgling website and hated every minute of it. Lawyers, y’all. Anyway, one of the highlights of the job was my cellmate (or office mate, however you see that), Brenda. She […]
Posted inNews
Spotlight on: Barnstormers Aero Services
Since he was 19 years old, René Minjares, now 70, has called the sky home. He got his start flying small engine planes in Hawthorne, California, when he was just a teenager. After earning his pilot’s license, he joined the military. As a Marine in the 1970s, the fighter pilot flew F-4 Phantoms in Japan, […]
Posted inOpinion
What is one thing you would change about downtown Santa Maria?
Jeff Brubaker transportation planner “[Enforce] slower auto speeds and make it more comfortable for walking and cycling.” Eve Southworth teacher “Bike lanes.” Rozairo Miralles design engineer “It needs more stores for sure. It looks kind of gloomy right now.” Cara Meche graduate student “What I really want to see is more local independent shops.”
Posted inNews
Central Coast brewers prep new beers for sipping during the holiday season
Outside Naughty Oak Brewing Company on a particularly chilly day in early October, patrons are reaching for cover, bundling their summer-tanned legs into fleece blankets, and hiding their hands from the season’s first cold whips of wind. As the light spills from the setting sun into the Orcutt brewery, owner Stephen Kitts is busy in […]
Posted inFood & Drink
J’s Burgers has cheap burgers and other bites that don’t fall short on flavor
Don’t let the size of J’s Burgers fool you. It’s a small joint, with some tables inside and a small counter and soda fountain. Nondescript, lacking any dominant decorating theme or over-the-top merchandising, J’s is a quiet space still growing after just four months of being open. But what J’s lacks in ornamentation they make […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Rebeccamendations
I guess I’m going through a black bean phase because I am also completely head over heels for the black bean tostadas at Natural Cafe (pictured). They are really refreshing and extremely filling but not too heavy. Pick them up at 2407 S Broadway, Santa Maria. 937-2735. Bob’s Well Bread is doling out these divine […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Burlesque performers coming to Santa Maria
Pin-Ups on Tour is partnering with local American Legion Post 56 for a WWII style vintage variety and burlesque show on Oct. 28. Julia Reed Nichols, founder and chief pin-up, said the event is about recreating the bawdy fun of Vaudeville theaters that sprang up throughout America before and after World War II. Nichols said […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Lompoc announces photography contest winners
The city of Lompoc Recreation Division announced the winners of its Lompoc Valley Photography Contest. The contest was open to all Lompoc Valley residents 5 and older, and was held on Saturday, Oct. 14, at the Dick DeWees Community and Senior Center. In all, 70 photos were submitted for the contest. Winners along with first-place […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Fremont Theater in SLO hosts New Times Music Awards on Nov. 3
The ninth annual New Times Music Awards is set for Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Fremont Theater in downtown SLO. Five genre category winners are scheduled to perform and compete for the night’s Best Live Performance award, known as the “Newties.” Bands scheduled to perform include The Tipsy Gypsies, The Creston Line, 33 […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Quiz night
Local pubs have started hosting quiz nights. Patrons can show up, overpay for an IPA, and then test their IQs on hard-hitting world trivia, like when did MC Hammer release the hit single, “U Can’t Touch This”? For the record, it was 1990. Do you want to know how I remember this? It’s obvious, I’m […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Central Coast Chordsmen hold a benefit barbecue for Youth in Harmony program
The classic image of the barbershop quartet is a uniquely American phenomenon, with the iconic straw hats, striped vests, and bowties. But the visual imagery is the easiest part of the equation—it’s the a capella harmony singing that is the real challenge. The Central Coast Chordsmen is a local chapter of the Barbershop Society, and […]
