Five days before Christmas, when the house was decorated with joy, and the lights on the tree were sparkling, the wife and I had a huge fight. No, it wasn’t very jolly of us to have this fight, but we had it anyway, regardless of whether our yelling could be overheard by the kids or […]
The argument
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Home for harmony: From epic orchestral concerts to bluesy bar bands, 2015 beat with a steady rhythm of live music
It may be easy to sometimes forget, but music is all around us, all the time! No, I’m not talking about the background noise piped in through sound systems at the local department store, but the fact that on any given night on the Central Coast, you can find some great live music, you just […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Living is art: 2015 was a year brimming with creative output by local artists of every flavor
Every year brings its own unique challenges, and 2015 wasn’t any different, especially if you paid attention to some of the issues churning through the national and local news cycles. But as always, artists soldier through the world with a brave face, choosing to bring beauty into it, and sharing that beauty with the rest […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Eats in review: 2015 brought new restaurants, artisans, and the earliest wine harvest in memory
As we ring in a new year, it’s also a time to reflect on the good things we enjoyed in 2015 here on the Central Coast, good things like outstanding locally crafted wine, cutting-edge beer, fresh produce grown year round, excellent cuisine, new restaurants, and the creative artisans working so hard to bring us the […]
Posted inOpinion
Who’s your favorite Star Wars character and why?
Chris Erickson musician “Han Solo, because of his arrogance.” Brian Appiano restaurant owner “Chewbacca, he came to my fifth birthday party and it was awesome!” Samantha Hutson artist “Princess Leia, because she’s powerful and a woman.” Chris Rincon fumigator “Darth Maul, because he is a Sith.”
Posted inFood & Drink
2015 wine wrap-up: Reflections on a year of tasting in Santa Barbara County
As I look back at my wine country wanderings over the past year and through the hundreds of photographs that I’ve taken along the way, I realized how many experiences and wines that I have yet to write about in this column. So, before the year is up, I want to share with you a […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Finished business
You know how some people have that embarrassing dream—of showing up somewhere in their underwear? Well I’ve always been the opposite. My perpetual dream is that I will show up somewhere important and I’m the only one not in her underwear because apparently I didn’t get the memo. I don’t know why my sensibilities have […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria Philharmonic expands youth outreach with Nutcracker performance
View a video of the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society’s production of “The Nutcracker.” Scores of Santa Maria valley fifth graders lined the grass and pavement at the corner of Broadway and Morrison, patiently filing into the historic Ethel Pope Auditorium on the morning of Dec. 15. This was the second day of free youth outreach […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Maria actress Rebekah Alexander wins awards for web series
Santa Maria native Rebekah Alexander is the co-creator of Lunch Break Feminist Club, which discusses feminist topics with playful irony and humor, and was recently honored with two awards at the Hollywood & Vine Film Festival on Dec. 12. Lunch Break Feminist Club won the festival’s Audience Award for Best Web Series and the award […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Santa Ynez Valley Arts offers Small Works show through December
Santa Ynez Valley Arts showcases the work of several local artists in the Small Works show and sale, on display through Dec. 31 in the Guild Room at Gallery Los Olivos. The diverse show features small and price-friendly pieces of art that make perfect gifts. Featured artists include Kathy Badrak, Marianne Barnard, Susan Belloni, Dolores […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Los Alamos Valley Men’s Club donates to People Helping People
Representatives from the Los Alamos Valley Men’s Club (LAVMC) presented a $5,000 check to People Helping People, according to a press release. The donation was designated to provide Christmas gifts and food for needy Los Alamos families during the holiday season. “We are grateful to be able to make this donation now so that Los […]
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Standing Sun Wines welcomes artist Elizabeth Brandstater
Standing Sun Wines Art Gallery will host an open house event on Dec. 23 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., showcasing the work of acrylic, mixed media, and encaustic artist Elizabeth Brandstater. Brandstater is a Lebanese artist born to Australian parents who settled in America. She’s known for her large, abstract paintings and encaustic work, which […]