Festival Pick: World of Pinot Noir

World of Pinot Noir is coming to the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara March 5-7, courtesy photo.

One of my all-time favorite wine festivals is coming to the Central Coast next week. The 20th Annual World of Pinot Noir (March 5-7) brings together an impressive lineup of producers from the most exceptional and unique regions in the world with Pinot Noir enthusiasts for a weekend of celebration and education at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort & Spa.

The event kicks off on Thursday with the unique opportunity to visit the legendary Clos Pepe Estate Vineyard and learn firsthand about the history of winemaking — particularly Pinot Noir — on California’s Central Coast. This celebrated spot, now owned by WALT Wines, is not usually open for visitors, so don’t miss out on the exclusive kickoff for the 20th anniversary of World of Pinot Noir. I went to a media exclusive version of this event back in 2017 and trust me, you don’t want to miss it!

The tasting tour, coined as Mile Marker 60 referencing WALT’s 1,000 Miles of Pinot concept, includes a vineyard tour, moderated panel conversation alongside a vertical tasting, and a backyard BBQ with live music. Guests will embark on a guided shuttle from the The Ritz-Carlton Bacara to the Clos Pepe Estate Vineyard in on Route 246 in Lompoc.

Clos Pepe Estate, photo courtesy World of Pinot Noir.

Clos Pepe Estate, photo courtesy World of Pinot Noir.

Other events on Thursday:

Exploring the Elegance of Alto Adige Pinot Noir – Seminar & Luncheon

Take a deep dive into Italy’s preeminent Pinot Noir region, Alto Adige. Led by Tim Gaiser, Master Sommelier, the seminar and luncheon will explore the region’s rise as a Pinot Noir powerhouse, forecast its exciting future and delve into the wines of its top producers.

— Opening Night Party

Kick off the 20th Anniversary of World of Pinot Noir with a wine-filled feast and fête featuring Pinot Noir wines from all over the world poured by America’s leading sommeliers. This year, the main bar is hosted by the Carneros Wine Alliance and will feature a special selection of wines from the famed region. You’ll meet and talk with winemakers, indulge in tasty bites prepared by The Ritz-Carlton Bacara’s Executive Chef, Umit Kaygusuz, and dance the night away with DJ Malik. Click here for a peek at delicious menu.

World of Pinot Noir is coming to the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara March 5-7, courtesy photo.

Events on Friday, March 6:

— What’s Altitude Got To Do With It? – Seminar & Luncheon

Michael Schachner, Spanish and South American Editor at Wine Enthusiast, leads a winemaker panel discussion and tasting that explores the wines, the effect of elevation (or lack thereof), and the exciting future of these regions.

— Siduri: 25 Years of Cruising the Pacific Coastline – Seminar

Siduri winemaker Adam Lee facilitates a celebratory retrospective tasting. Explore the wines, along with Siduri’s partners in the vineyard, a handful of growers from this famously sunny yet cool stretch of coastline, who will share  stories about growing and making Pinot Noir together for the last 25 years.

—Friday Grand Tasting

Here’s your opportunity to do a true vertical tasting. The room is conveniently organized by region as you taste through more than 100 Pinot Noir producers from around the world gathered in the Ritz Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara’s Grand Ballroom.

World of Pinot Noir is coming to the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara March 5-7, courtesy photo.

—The Bollinger Experience – Seminar

This seminar (for passport holders only) explores Bollinger Champagne’s age-old winemaking artistry, the role of Pinot Noir in its bubbles

– The World of Pinot Noir’s 20th Anniversary Founders Dinner

The festival founders in attendance include, Brian Talley of Talley Vineyards, Dick and Jenny Doré of Foxes Vineyards & Winery, Anne Moses and James Hall of Patz & Hall Winery, David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyard, and Steve and Paula Dooley of Stephen Ross Wine Cellars. The wine will flow and the stories will unfold as guests enjoy a five-course menu prepared by Ritz-Carlton Bacara’s Executive Chef Umit Kaygusuz.

—The World Tour of Pinot Noir Pairings Dinner

Spotlighting the preeminent wines and cuisines from some of the most storied Pinot Noir frontier regions on the planet, including Italy’s Alto Adige, Argentina and Chile.

— Celebrating Bouchard & Champagne Henriot Dinner

The World of Pinot Noir has the honor of presenting Maisons & Domaines Henriot’s two most storied brands – Bouchard Père & Fils, one of Burgundy’s oldest estates, and the famed Champagne Henriot.

World of Pinot Noir is coming to the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara March 5-7, courtesy photo.

Events on Saturday, March 7:

– The Grand and Premier Crus of Burgundy – Seminar & Luncheon

This Burgundy seminar spotlights the region’s marquee designations: Grand and Premier Crus.

– Rosé Lawn Party – Presented by United Airlines

Always one of my favorite spotlight events at World of Pinot Noir, this “drink pink” event is held on the lush seaside lawn of Angel Oak, where you can’t beat the ocean view — especially while sipping  more than 50 of the best Pinot Noir Rosés available.

Rose Lawn Party at World of Pinot Noir, courtesy photo.

– Exploring the Neighborhoods of the Russian River Valley – Seminar

This winemaker panel discussion and tasting will explore “The Neighborhoods” of Sonoma’s famous Russian River Valley, home to some of the most sought-after Pinot Noir in the world.

– Saturday Grand Tasting

Here’s your opportunity to do a true vertical tasting. The room is conveniently organized by region as you taste through more than 120 Pinot Noir producers from around the world gathered in the Ritz Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara’s Grand Ballroom.

– Vintage Burgundy Dinner

Jay James, Master Sommelier and Chairman of SommFoundation, presents vintage Burgundy wines from their extensive cellar in this one-of-a-kind, six-course gourmand experience.

– The 20th Anniversary Soirée Dinner

Don your cocktail attire for an evening of epicurean delights, wine and dancing as you mingle amongst the legends of Pinot Noir and meet the rising stars. This special dinner features a walk-around mixer of the World of Pinot Noir winemakers, sommeliers, wine world celebrities and a gourmet menu prepared by Ritz-Carlton Bacara’s Executive Chef, Umit Kaygusuz. For a peek at the menu, click here.

– Bollinger: Le Grand Dinner

This special dinner is open exclusively to Weekend Passport guests to explore the pairing power of one of Champagne’s historic houses, Bollinger.

For more information on all of the outstanding World of Pinot Noir events taking place March 5-7, visit worldofpinotnoir.com. Hope to see you there!

Surviving the Era of Unlimited Distraction

A team of scientists is helping teenagers learn to calm and focus their minds

Tuesday, January 28, 2020 – 16:15
Santa Barbara, CA

Stress, distraction, unhealthy use of technology and rising rates of mental illness — life is increasingly tough for teenagers today, and educating them is a challenge at best. But researchers at UC Santa Barbara have found success in a new program to address those four themes, which stand out as struggles for the majority of high school students in the United States.

A new, evidence-based, online course that provides students with personalized attention training is being developed at the Center for Mindfulness & Human Potential (CMHP), part of the university’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. The course teaches students to focus their minds and manage their emotions so they can succeed academically.

Practicing mindfulness are (L-R) UCSB's Alissa Mrazek, Jonathan Schooler and Michael Mrazek. Photo by Matt Perko, UC Santa Barbara.

Practicing mindfulness are (L-R) UCSB’s Alissa Mrazek, Jonathan Schooler and Michael Mrazek. Photo by Matt Perko, UC Santa Barbara.

Twenty-five high schools around the country are currently using the course.

“We are quite encouraged by the enthusiasm that our program has received from both students and teachers. We are also heartened by preliminary findings of benefits for students who participate in the program,” said Jonathan Schooler, CMHP director and a professor of psychology.

In one study, published in the journal Education Sciences, the researchers surveyed 190 high school students before and after they completed the 22-day course. They found that students improved their ability to manage stress and regulate emotions. The study also revealed that students came to view their ability to focus as a trainable skill, and they felt more motivated and confident to train this ability. “We found that among the 82% of students who initially reported paying attention in class less than they felt they should, classroom focus significantly improved following our intervention,” Schooler said.

UCSB Center for Mindfulness & Human Potential (CMHP) app.

“Teachers everywhere are reporting that it’s increasingly hard to get students to actually pay attention,” noted Michael Mrazek, CMHP research director. “We’ve interviewed more than 200 high school teachers and principals over the last two years to understand their biggest challenges as well as their perspective about current challenges for teens. There’s a palpable sense of concern around increasing distraction, stress and mental illness. Individually, those are each distinct and important problems. Yet a lot of research has shown that mindfulness-based attention training is an elegant solution that can help address each of those issues. That’s why we’re so excited about finding the most effective way to bring this training into high school settings.”

Michael Mrazek, CMHP research director. Courtesy photo.

The project is primarily funded by a development and innovation grant from the Institute of Education Sciences, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of the grant is to use empirical research to iteratively refine a digital course that can ultimately scale to provide evidence-based training to millions of high school students in the United States. The online course includes not only four 12-minute lessons and daily 4-minute exercises for students, but also a teacher interface that makes it easy for teachers to enroll students and monitor their progress.

“We deliberately designed this resource so that teachers don’t need to become topic experts to be able to share attention training with their students,” Mrazek said. “When a teacher creates an account, they get access to facilitator training as well as their own personalized 22-day course. Time is a precious resource for teachers, so the course is largely plug-and-play.”

Alissa Mrazek, senior postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences, photo by Matt Perko, UC Santa Barbara.

Music plays an important role in most of the daily exercises. As Alissa Mrazek, a senior postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences, explained, the researchers have partnered with dozens of famous musicians to create training exercises for students. Students learn to focus their attention by listening deeply to music that is personalized to their preferred genre. “We ask students to try to keep their attention focused on the sounds they hear,” she explained. “Then when distractions arise, as they inevitably do, it’s an opportunity to practice letting go of that distraction and coming back to the music.”

Music plays an important role in most of the daily exercises.

Keeping the students engaged in the lessons is critical but also challenging, noted Michael Mrazek. “We’re constantly striving to use all of the best practices from educational psychology that optimize learning, and to implement them in fast-paced videos that resonate with a teenage audience,” he said. “It’s a delicate balance, and it’s forced us to develop a unique style that can both captivate and educate.”

Jonathan Schooler, CMHP director and a professor of psychology, photo by Matt Perko, UC Santa Barbara.

“I was skeptical initially, just because I thought that pairing a digital format with mindfulness is kind of antithetical, that digital programs are really one of the largest distractions for our teens,” said Gabriel Villegas, a teacher at Central Coast New Tech High School in Nipomo, which uses the course. The program soon won him over. “I tried it with some of our students, and they loved the music options that were chosen and they loved the lessons.”

In Santa Barbara, San Marcos High School teacher Jeffrey Bailey is also a fan. “The feedback that I got from the students was that they felt, especially when they had a stressful day, the program helped them to recalibrate and refocus, as well as to be able to notice their emotions a little bit more without judging themselves.”

Each exercise is designed to help students achieve a mental state of calm and focus. “What we’ve heard from students and seen in some of our data is that these 4-minute exercises give students an immediate way to relax,” Alissa Mrazek said. “We’ve also had teachers say that when they start class with an exercise, students are suddenly more present and receptive to learning because they’ve let go of some of the anxiety that they had before class.

“The exercises help you relax in the moment,” she continued, “but they also train underlying skills that can be used to regulate your focus anytime you start getting worked up about something.”

The program is designed to be a “tier-one universal intervention that can teach preventative techniques to every single student in a high school,” Alissa Mrazek said. “All students experience stress and emotional challenges, and they all need access to evidence-based tools that help them understand and care for their own minds.”

Noted Villegas, “I think there is a movement in schools to be teaching the whole child, kind of a more holistic style instead of just academics. We’re realizing that hasn’t worked very well with all of the anxiety, depression and suicide rates.”

But how would training your focus improve your mental health? “Most people think about attention in terms of how long you can concentrate, but it’s much more than that,” Michael Mrazek explained. “Attention is a fundamental cognitive capacity that works like a spotlight, influencing what you actually experience in any given moment. If you train that fundamental skill, it not only allows you to focus better on a test but also gives you much more influence over how you relate to your entire inner world.

“I’m so excited about this project,” he continued. ‘What we’re trying to accomplish is very challenging, but all of my life I wanted to do something that really makes a difference in the world. When we were awarded this grant it was the first time I felt like we had a genuine opportunity to do it.”

Originally published in The Current (UCSB) on January 28, 2020.

Pretty Persian Pastries

Pretty Persian Pastries, from 805 Living, Winter 2020.

For something sweet and special to share with loved ones this Valentine’s Day, check out Simi Valley–based ZoZo Baking Studio (zozobaking.com), where owner and pastry chef Fariba Nafissi brings international flavors to the 805. The heart-shaped kolompeh is a “traditional pastry that has no added sugar, and it’s naturally sweetened by dates,” says Nafissi. “Guided by an international palate, I use traditional Persian baking techniques to create interesting flavors.”

Each pastry is pressed with a handmade walnut-wood stamp, then carefully crimped. Her kolompeh comes in a strawberry-pistachio flavor, blueberry-almond, and the original, saffron-infused date. All of Nafissi’s treats can be purchased directly from the bakery or ordered online to be shipped. She also offers recipes and baking classes.

Photo courtesy ZoZo Baking Studio.

Photo courtesy ZoZo Baking Studio.

Photo courtesy ZoZo Baking Studio.

Photo courtesy ZoZo Baking Studio.

This story was originally published in the Winter 2020 issue of 805 Living Magazine. Click  here  to read the story as it appeared in 805 Living. 805 Living Pulse Winter 2020

High Impact Housing

High Impact Housing from 805 Living Magazine, Winter 2020.

Tragedy can sometimes lead to innovation. One example: Plant Prefab’s (plantprefab.com) new scalable prefabricated home, the Sunset Bud LivingHome, designed by Burdge Architects (buaia.com) and presented in partnership with Sunset magazine.

“As a resident and one of the leading architects in Malibu, Doug Burdge [founder of Burdge Architects] wanted his first LivingHome to be especially capable of meeting the needs of those who lost their homes during the Woolsey fire and who want a way to return to their property as soon as possible,” says Plant Prefab CEO Steve Glenn of the recent addition to his company’s LivingHome line.

Created in response to a City of Malibu program that allows victims of the 2018 fire to install accessory-dwelling units (ADU) as a temporary housing solution, the Sunset Bud LivingHome offers an efficient and flexible model for ADU-compliant properties everywhere.

The modular units can be configured in a range of housing sizes from studio (445 square feet) to two bedrooms plus a studio and garage (1,200 square feet), with prices starting at $315,000.

Originally published in the Winter 2020 issue of 805 Living Magazine. Click  here  to   read the story as it appeared in 805 Living. 805 Living Pulse Winter 2020