Hurry to Catch “Runaway” in Downtown Santa Barbara

Runaway, courtesy photo.

Runaway, created by Greg Corso and Molly Hunker, courtesy photo.

You’ve still got a few more days to catch “Runaway,” commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara and on loan to the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture, this exhibit is installed in the Historic Storke Placita (700 State St.), until September 30.

“Runaway” was created by Greg Corso and Molly Hunker of the award-winning design and architecture collaborative, SPORTS,  whose work is inspired by the line between everyday experiences and the unexpected with a lively dose of curiosity and playfulness.

Runaway, courtesy photo, was on view earlier at Stearns Wharf.

Runaway, created by Greg Corso and Molly Hunker, courtesy photo, was on view earlier this summer at Stearns Wharf.

The pop-up exhibit, which has been seen around town in various locations, responds to the vivid light and colorful skyscapes of Santa Barbara comprising three bright, building block parts configured in different orientations throughout the neighborhoods from which it is sited. The modular structure seeks to connect visitors to the natural landscape—and each other. By contributing bold, contemporary design to Santa Barbara, “Runaway” serves as an aesthetic catalyst and central meeting point for interactive contemporary art projects.

Leslie Dinaberg 

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on September 26, 2017.

Cocktail Corner: Lights, Camera, Cocktails

Grassini's beautiful tasting room in El Paseo was one of our stops on the Eat This, Shoot That! tour. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg

Grassini’s beautiful tasting room in El Paseo was one of our stops on the Eat This, Shoot That! tour. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg

Wining and Dining With Eat, This Shoot That!

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

Jamie Slone was a fun wine tasting stop on the Eat This, Shoot That! tour. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

Jamie Slone was a fun wine tasting stop on the Eat This, Shoot That! tour. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

Combining food and wine with photography is a great way to tour Santa Barbara, even for locals. We recently went on the new Eat This, Shoot That! trek through the Presidio neighborhood and the new Wine Collection of El Paseo and it was so much fun.

Led by photographer and foodie Tara Jones, owner of Eat This, Shoot That!, our tour met up at the historic De la Guerra Plaza, then we made our way to Hoffmann Brat Haus in Paseo Nuevo, where we were treated to a sausage sampler, including the classic German Hoffmann Brat, the Beer Brat, the Spicy Brat and the Mango Habanero, among others. Not only was the food tasty, but Jones offered some useful photo tips like, “when photographing food you should try different angles to put the plate in the foreground and the setting in the background,” and “spritz a little bit of water or lemon on the items to make them look even more appetizing.”

Our next stop was Jamie Slone Wines, (23 E. De la Guerra St.) a beautiful tasting room where, in addition to tasting limited production varietals from the best local vineyards, they also had visual aids—big, beautiful maps—to help explain the terroir and terrain and relate it to the excellent wines we were tasting.

Jim Clendenen’s Au Bon Climat was our next stop, and his distinctive wines—we tasted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir—didn’t disappoint. Nor did our much-needed nibbles at C’Est Cheese, just a quick walk through the Presidio neighborhood. As we walked the cobblestone pathways of this historic area, Jones offered local lore about the area’s rich culture, as well as pointing out a few short cuts that were new to me!

Some of the nibbles from C'Est Cheese. #regram @fit_lexy.

Some of the nibbles from C’Est Cheese. #regram @fit_lexy.

Margerum Wine Co. was our next tasting spot. Owner/winemaker Doug Margerum (one of the top local names in the industry) was there to greet us that day, which made our stop even more special. We also enjoyed tasting wines at Grassini Family Vineyards, (El Paseo, Suite 6) always a welcoming and charming experience, and Happy Canyon Vineyard, where Executive Winemaker Sean Pitts shared both wine and horse (the family is every bit as passionate about polo as they are about wine) stories with the group.

It really was a great way to spend the afternoon! To learn more, visit EatThisShootThat.com.

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns. Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on May 1, 2015.

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

 

Editor’s Pick: David Sedaris

EP-3

David Sedaris, courtesy of Robert Banks

Author David Sedaris is a must-see on May 4, when he regales us with hilarious anecdotes, not-yet-published writing and excerpts from his mega-best-selling books. His laugh-out-loud satire and engrossing storytelling have won him an avid following worldwide. Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St. 8 p.m. 805/893-3535, artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Spring 2015.

Editor’s Pick: An Evening with BESO!

EP-2

Courtesy Sings Like Hell

Gypsy rock band BESO is a hybrid that crosses traditional Romani music with rock music. The group’s all-star lineup of internationally renowned musicians has brought drive and passion to the genre. Their love for tradition collides with modern sensibility, transforming Gypsy rock into a vibrant new beast: darker, faster, more danceable, more blues, more Gypsy. BESO’s indelible fingerprint brings jazz manouche to a new generation and the 21st century. This April 25, Sings Like Hell show is a real treat for music lovers. Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. 8 p.m. 805/963-0761, lobero.com.

–Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Spring 2015.

Editor’s Pick: Charles Lloyd & Friends

EP-5

Charles Lloyd, courtesy of the Lobero Theatre

Jazz at the Lobero presents Charles Lloyd & Friends Featuring Bill Frisell, Greg Leisz, Reuben Rogers and Eric Harland.

Tenor giant Charles Lloyd brings together his favorite musical partners, including members of his New Quartet and guitar luminary Bill Frisell. Saxophonist Lloyd’s supreme improvisational talents and passion for cross-pollinating jazz with rock established him as one of the key figures in the development of fusion and world music. “Every Lloyd concert is unique. And this one, with special guests Bill Frisell and Greg Leisz, was a striking display of contemporary jazz improvisation at its finest” (International Review of Music). April 28 at Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., 805/963-0761, lobero.com.

Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Spring 2015. 

 

Cocktail Corner: Brunch at the Outpost

Outpost cocktails, courtesy photo

Outpost cocktails, courtesy photo

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

While I’m not quite one of those people who believe that brunch without booze is just a sad, late breakfast, I do believe that just about everything is better with bacon, especially day drinking!

Outpost, at the Goodland Hotel in Goleta, is a great place to hang out any time of day, but their recently added brunch is particularly delish. Sit outside if you can; poolside is a perfect, relaxed place to start your day with one of mixologist Chris Burmeister‘s creative concoctions like the Oaxacan Bracer, made of Mezcal, cantaloupe juice and lime, or the Corpse

Outpost brunch, photo by Leslie Dinaberg

Outpost brunch, photo by Leslie Dinaberg

Reviver #2, with Gin, Orange Curacao, Cocchi Americano, lemon juice and absinthe rinse (to get you in touch with your inner Van Gogh, who was known to indulge from time to time). They also have bottomless Mimosas, along with Bloody Marys, Bellinis and more creative Chevy Chasers like the Knickerbocker (made of Rum, dry Curacao, raspberry and lemon), the Red Snapper (with Gin, smoked oyster, horseradish, caper and cranberry juice) and the Smokemosa (made with Scotch, orange juice and sparkling wine).

I’m guessing Chef Derek Simcik might have had a cocktail or two to warm up his creative juices when he developed the brunch menu. I don’t know how else to explain the impulse to create a housemade “pop tart,” chock full of straight from the farmers’ market filling! Trust me, they’re delicious! (and I’m not usually a fruity sweet person).

The patio at the Goodland, photo by Amy Barnard

The patio at the Goodland, photo by Amy Barnard

Actually it’s all delicious. We loved the Buckwheat Griddle Cakes, made with candied pecans, white chocolate custard and whipped brown sugar butter; the Market Benedict, with asparagus, Serrano, poached eggs, crab béarnaise and hash browns; the Chilaquiles, made from corn tortillas, avocado puree, crème, chorizo salsa and a sunny side up egg, and of course the bacon, available with a traditional egg, toast and hash brown combo; on a torta with scrambled eggs, avocado, queso fresco, black bean puree and hash browns or as a little something on the side.

The Outpost at the Goodland is located at 5650 Calle Real in Goleta, 805/964-1288, Outpostsb.com. Brunch is served on weekends from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns. Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on April 17, 2015.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Cocktail Corner: Good Wines, Good Causes

Fork & Cork 2014, photo by Eric Roland Photography

Fork & Cork 2014, photo by Eric Roland Photography

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

Santa Barbara winemakers are a generous bunch. They constantly get hit up to donate wine to charitable events, and do so with stunning regularity, often pouring the wine themselves, and always with affable smiles on their faces.

A few causes that are particularly near and dear to the wine/food community have their own fundraising events coming up soon, and lucky us, we get to sip and savor and support them in style!

Coming up on May 3 is the 2nd annual Fork & Cork Classic, which brings food and wine aficionados together to benefit Santa Barbara County Foodbank. Held at the Montecito Country Club, this delicious fundraiser features tastings from an array of select wines and special dishes prepared by over 20 of Santa Barbara’s top restaurants and chefs, including Bella Vista at the Four Seasons, Blue Owl, Ca’DarioEmpty Bowls Noodle Bar, Finch & Fork, Industrial Eats, Jessica Foster Confections, Julienne, Montecito Country Club, Patxi’s, Santa Barbara Yacht Club, Succulent Cafe, The Secret Ingredient, The Pasta Shoppe and Whole Foods.

Participating wineries include Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, Ampelos Cellars, Beckmen Vineyards, Blair Fox Vineyards, Consilience, Marianella & Tre Anelli, CORE Family Winery and Deep Sea by Conway Family Wines.

Additional wineries include Falcone Family Vineyards, Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, Nagy Wines, Pegasus Estate Winery, Scott Cellars, Silver Wines LLC, Turiya Wines, William James Cellars, Whitcraft Winery and Zaca Mesa Winery & Wineyards.

Also pouring are Ascendant Spirits, Caribbean Coffee Company, Cutler’s Artisan Spirits, Island Brewing Company, Pressed Juicery, The Real McCoy Rum and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

100% of the event’s proceeds will benefit the Foodbank’s 300 local nonprofit partners who supply nutritious meals to Santa Barbara County residents. Last year alone, the Foodbank served 140,575 people—over 25% of the local population, including 50,000 children.  For more information or to purchase tickets visit http://www.forkandcorkclassic.org.

Fork & Cork 2014, photo by Eric Roland Photography

Fork & Cork 2014, photo by Eric Roland Photography

Also back for the second year at the Bacara Resort & Spa is the Santa Barbara Food & Wine Weekend  April 16—19 . I’ve written about this before but this is a great event for a good cause: The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts. Child herself created the foundation, and the mission is to honor and further her legacy, which centers on the importance of understanding where food comes from, what makes for good food, and the value of cooking.  It is a grant making, nonprofit which primarily funds research and scholarships for professional culinary training as well as other activities in the fields of gastronomy and the culinary arts.

Among the highlights this year is a special Saturday Night Grand Dinner & Reception with Kurt Russell featuring GoGi Wines, Hudson Bellamy Wines (inspired by actress Kate Hudson), and Ampelos Cellars. Russell will tell the stories behind the wines, their inspiration and their unique qualities driven by how they are grown and blended in the renowned Sta. Rita Hills AVA and there’s also a VIP access-only wine reception with live music followed by a four-course “ranch to table” dinner with his wine pairings.

Also on tap for the event is an educational lunch with Los Angeles power couple and celebrity chefs, Suzanne Goin (Lucques, AOC & Tavern) and David Lentz, chef/owner of Santa Barbara’s The Hungry Cat; cooking classes with famed chefs and cookbook authors, including Jim DodgeAnne Willan and Virginia Willis; a Neighborhood Tasting & Market that explores Santa Barbara’s top up-and-coming food regions, including Los Alamos, Arts District and the Funk Zone and while lot more.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit BacaraCulinaryWeekend.com.

Kurt Russell, photo by Isaac Hernandez

Kurt Russell, photo by Isaac Hernandez

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns. Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on April 10, 2015.

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Local Lowdown: Lucidity Festival

Lucidity Festival

Lucidity Festival, Courtesy of innermusephotography.com

This experiential arts and music festival brings together a top-notch line-up of musical talent, along with multi-sensory art installations, themed environments and educational speakers, as well as more intimate settings for personal connections.

Now in its fourth year, Lucidity Festival offers workshops and presentations on subjects such as breathwork, consciousness, health & healing, permaculture, social change, world peace and more.

Turning dreams into reality is an underlying theme. As the organizers wrote: “When we become lucid in our dreams, we realize ourselves as infinite potential, we let go of fear and we are free to create that which we want to see in the world. Bring those visions, those possibilities and that delicious conscious energy with you to Lucidity and wake up in the dream.”

Lucidity Festival 2015: Kindred Quest opens for camping at midnight on Thursday, April 9. The music starts on Friday, April 10, and runs through Sunday night, April 12. For tickets and information about camping, visit lucidityfestival.com.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Spring 2015.

Style File: Double Duty Beauty

We’re all about multi-tasking these days, so anything that can help streamline my morning routine gets a thumbs up Merle Norman CC Broad Spectrum SPF 30in my book. Here are a few double duty products we’ve been loving around here.

Merle Norman CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30

One of my favorite trends continuing into this season is the nude or more natural looking face. Designers like Stella McCartney, Chloe, Narciso Rodriguez and others show off their latest designs with velvety smooth faces and natural pink lips. Merle Norman‘s new CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is a great way to achieve smooth, light coverage, while evening out skin tone and providing a nice sunscreen as well. It’s made from good natural stuff— Watermelon Rind, Lentil Fruit and Apple Extracts—and it also features Lumiesse, which contains a stable version of Vitamin C to deliver Murad Invisabluryouthful radiance. I’m all for that!

Murad’s Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 

Murad’s Invisiblur is another great multi-tasker I’ve tried recently. Made from ingredients like Shitake Mushroom Peptides, Black Currant, Rosemary and Goldenrod Extracts (sounds like a great salad), this new product treats the visible signs of aging, blurs imperfections, and protectse.l.f. Studio Bronzer against UV damage. Plus it feels great on your skin!

 

e.l.f. Studio Bronzer

Multitone Bronzers are the ultimate product to give you a nice glow, with a mix of a few different shades that can be worn separately or swirled together for natural-looking warmth. To get even more out of your palette, use the pink or peach tones as blush and swipe the earthy brown shades on your lids.

Lush UltrabalmLush Ultrabalm

This versatile balm can be used all over your body! A great product to stash in your purse or glove compartment, it locks in moisture, protects skin, soothes scrapes and burns, makes your lips shiny and even tames flyaway hair in a pinch!

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on March 24, 2015.

 

Local Lowdown: Harvesting H2O

Harvesting H20

Courtesy of Skywell

Who says you can’t produce anything out of thin air? Imagine filling your glass with clean, fresh drinking water made from the air. While it may sound like science fiction, Skywell LLC has developed a series of products that create air water, a new source of water designed to be a sustainable alternative to conventional drinking water sources.

At a recent event at Hotel Indigo, which is one of a dozen Southern California hotels and businesses piloting the company’s first models for free in a “first-glass program,” Skywell co-founder and president Jonathan Carson reminded guests that Luke Skywalker’s character in Star Wars was a “moisture farmer” before becoming a Jedi.

Check out the new technology in the lobby of Hotel Indigo, 121 State St., (with an updated version later this year) or at UCSB’s Bren School. For more information, visit skywell.com.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Spring 2015.