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Leslie Dinaberg’s Articles

Best Dressed Monk Brings a Fresh New Style to Coast Village Road

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Owners Kira and Allen Gold, courtesy Best Dressed Monk

Owners Kira and Allen Gold, courtesy Best Dressed Monk

Fashion-forward men have a new place to shop in Montecito with the opening of Best Dressed Monk last week (1275 Coast Village Rd., 805/324-4600, bestdressedmonk.com).

Santa Barbarans turned out in full force to welcome this dapper new addition to the chic Coast Village strip. Founded by owners Allen and Kira Gold, Best Dressed Monk is a premium men’s clothing line featuring organic fabrics, tailored tunic shirts not meant to be tucked in, luxurious textured scarves, and polished safari-style jackets. 

Allen conceived of the collection following a seven-month retreat at a Buddhist hermitage in the company of 15 monks and nuns. Upon returning stateside, he noticed that men like him, who don’t wear suits but still want to appear elegantly casual in their dress, were “majorly lacking” in options. After ten years of development with his partner Kira, a former costume designer, Gold launched Best Dressed Monk, which uses earth-friendly textiles and manufacturing processes, wherever possible. All manufacturing takes place  in Los Angeles.  The 850 sq. ft. retail space was designed by architect John Mike Cohen.

In a generous nod to the spirit of the season, the Golds donated 20% of the opening-night sales proceeds to the Dream Foundation.

Plans are underway for the line to launch an e-commerce site in January and add additional stores in other markets later in 2014.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Actor/local resident Billy Baldwin, courtesy Best Dressed Monk

Actor/local resident Billy Baldwin, courtesy Best Dressed Monk

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 10, 2103.

Cocktail Corner: Ocean Vodka Makes a Splash With Great Taste, Organic Practices

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Photo by Kristin Hettermann, courtesy Ocean Vodka

Photo by Kristin Hettermann, courtesy Ocean Vodka

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg |

A little bit of the ocean came with my family to the desert last week, when I brought a bottle of Ocean Vodka on vacation to Palm Springs. This craft distillery—which recently announced its expansion into rums, whiskies, bourbons and organic liqueurs and is sold locally at BevMo, Lazy Acres and Vons, among others—bills itself as “the only spirit in the world made with the sun, ocean and organic Earth.”

Based in Maui, just a short drive from Maui’s Kahului International Airport, Ocean Vodka is produced about 1,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean, with breathtaking panoramic views of the North and South Shores of Maui, the West Maui Mountains and 10,000 ft. Mount Haleakala. Given the location, it’s not surprising that the company now offers public tours and tastings from their 80-acre organic farm.

The tours include information on sustainable and organic farming practices through abundant fields of organic sugar cane; a local history of Hawaii sugar cane farming with species identification; organic spirits distillation with state-of-the-art equipment, including a 60-foot tall column still; and green manufacturing processes in a 6,000 square foot solar-powered bottling center.

In addition to producing what I can attest to as a very nice, smooth vodka, this place is also very green: The Ocean Vodka Organic Farm and Distillery utilizes solar panels to power 100% of the operations of the distillery and facility.  The sugar cane is organically farmed on rich, volcanic soils without the use of synthetic pesticides or herbicides, and mature sugar cane stalks are hand-harvested for processing.

Martini Garden and Gift Shop. Photo by Jessica Pearl, courtesy Ocean Vodka

Martini Garden and Gift Shop. Photo by Jessica Pearl, courtesy Ocean Vodka

The place even has a Martini Garden, designed specifically for martini lovers, and growing fresh, local ingredients such as Kula lavender, local citrus, passion fruit, pineapple and strawberries.

Not only that, since its inception in 2005, Ocean Vodka has given a portion of proceeds to oceanic preservation and conservation causes, such as Oceana and Surfrider Foundation.

Sounds like we’ll have to take our next family vacation in Maui!

Meanwhile, here’s their recipe for a Spa Cosmo, straight out of the Martini Garden, to put you in an ocean kind of mood no matter where your travels take you!

 

 Ocean Vodka’s Spa Cosmo

Ingredients

2 oz. Ocean Vodka

1 oz. Pomegranate Juice

1/2 oz. Cointreau

1/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

Dash of Simple Syrup, if Needed

Orange Twist (or Cucumber) for Garnish

Combine in a mixing glass and shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with lime twist.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 6, 2103.

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.”

New Greeting Cards Support Santa Barbara High VADA Students

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Santa Barbara Dolphins by Tessa Dewell

Santa Barbara Dolphins by Tessa Dewell

The Visual and Arts Design Academy (VADA) students at Santa Barbara High School are actively participating in raising funds for their Academy by launching a new line of greeting cards to show off their talents and raise money at the same time.

This effort includes Holiday cards, Santa Barbara Landmark cards and Thank you cards.  The artwork for each card is designed by a student and, thanks to Boone Printing, 100% of sales will go directly to the VADA program.

VADA is a school-within-a-school where art is infused into everyday learning, which gives the students a strong, rounded and practical skill set for life after high school.  For many students, VADA is the difference between going to college or not, says Friends of VADA board president Dina Barton.

To purchase these beautiful cards or to make a donation, please go to VADAsbhs.org or email friendsofvada@gmail.com.

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on November 30, 2103.

Local Arts and Culture Nonprofits Join Giving Tuesday Movement to Encourage Nonprofit Support

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image003First there was Black Friday. Then there was Cyber Monday and now we have Giving Tuesday on Tuesday, December 3.

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Ensemble Theatre Company, Ganna Walska Lotusland, Lobero Theatre Foundation, Music Academy of the West, Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, Santa Barbara Dance Institute, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Zoo, State Street Ballet, The Granada Theatre, and Wildling Museum have joined Giving Tuesday, a first of its kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners—charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform the way people talk about, think about and participate in the giving season.

Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the traditional kickoff of the holiday shopping season, the aim of Giving Tuesday is to inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the causes they support and ultimately help to create a better world.

Launched in 2012, Giving Tuesday welcomed more than 2,500 partners from all 50 states in the U.S. The collective efforts of partners, donors, and advocates helped fuel a 50% increase in online giving. Last year more than 50 million people worldwide spread the word about Giving Tuesday―resulting in milestone trending on Twitter.

Sounds like a lovely idea to us!

For more information about the Giving Tuesday initiative and to search participating nonprofits in the Santa Barbara area, visit www.givingtuesday.org.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 1, 2103.

Local Artist Christine Brallier Exhibits Mosaics and Signs Newly Illustrated “The Night Before Christmas”

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book_coverMosaic artist Christine Brallier‘s first children’s book was recently released: the classic, The Night Before Christmas, newly illustrated with her stained glass mosaics.  Brallier spent four years creating the 15 mosaics for the book, which were made by hand cutting thousands of pieces of stained glass and fitting them together to form the images.
For the month of December, all 15 of her mosaics will be on exhibit at Granada Books,  1224 State St. The book is also available locally at Chaucer’s Books.
In addition, for the 1st Thursday event of December (Dec. 5), Brallier will be on hand at Granada Books where she will read and sign books, as well as share her mosaics.
For more information visit  www.cbmosaics.blogspot.com or www.cbmosaics.com.
—Leslie Dinaberg
Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 2, 2103.

Sullivan Goss Presents 100 GRAND, 2013

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100grand2013smallIn what has quickly become a favorite Santa Barbara holiday tradition, Sullivan Goss presents the fifth annual 100 GRAND exhibition, curated by Susan Bush and featuring 100 WORKS OF ART FOR $1,000 OR LESS. 

Opening on 1st Thursday (December 5) and running through February 2, this exhibition has become “an incubator of emerging talent, an entryway for beginning collectors, a holiday celebration in the art community and an ever timely reminder that everyone’s life is improved by the addition of original works of art.”

100 GRAND features paintings, drawings, photographs, assemblage and sculpture by emerging and established artists that are priced to sell and sized (for the most part) to fit into smaller spaces. Contemporary curator Susan Bush was able to secure work from many of last year’s best­selling artists, but there are also 17 artists who have never shown with Sullivan Goss before.

Featured artists include: Will Adler, Sean Anderson, Meredith Brooks Abbott, Erik Berg, Ken Bortolazzo, Liz Brady, Lisabette Brinkman, Phoebe Brunner, Chris Chapman, Carlyle Chaudruc, Connie Connally, Joann Dufau, Mehosh Dziadzio, Pamela Enticknap, Peggy Ferris, Priscilla Fossek, Nancy Gifford, Dane Goodman, Robin Gowen, James Taylor Gray, Ruthy Green, Jason Hadley, James Hapke, Holli Harmon, Tracey Sylvester Harris, Derek Harrison, Kristen Hawkes, Cynthia James, Scott Kahn, Masha Keating, Philip Koplin, Mary­Austin Klein, Dan Levin, Mark Lozano, Clare Little, Laurie Macmillan, Virginia McCracken, Susan McDonnell, David Molesky, Jennifer Moses, Amalia Mourad, Zoe Nathan, Hank Pitcher, Lisa Pedersen, Rafael Perea, Angela Perko, Kimberley Pratt­-Shiber, Ian Putnam, Paula Re, Erik Reel, Maria Rendon, Brad Reyes, Joan Rosenberg­-Dent, Jourdan Ross, Lindsey Ross, Caren Satterfield, Susan Savage, Susan Shapiro, Elena Siff, Leslie Lewis Sigler, Barry Spacks, Nicole Strasburg, Marlene Struss, Makeda Tekle­-Smith, James David Thomas, Susan Tibbles, Casey Underwood, Taj Vaccarella, Sarah Vedder, Deborah Veldkamp, Roe Ann White, Monica Wiesblott and Abigail Zimmerman.

Sullivan Goss—An American Gallery is located at 7 E. Anapamu St. For more information click here.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on November 29, 2103.

‘Yachts of Love’ Raises $156,000 for Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care

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(L-R) Tom Parker (Chairman of the Charity Regatta), Robyn Parker (Regatta Steering Committee member), Lynda Tanner (President & CEO of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care), Rick Keith (Executive Director of the Foundation of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care). Photo by Rhianna Mercier

(L-R) Tom Parker (Chairman of the Charity Regatta), Robyn Parker (Regatta Steering Committee member), Lynda Tanner (President & CEO of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care), Rick Keith (Executive Director of the Foundation of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care). Photo by Rhianna Mercier

Friends and supporters of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care gathered at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club to celebrate the 9th Annual “Yachts of Love” Charity Regatta. The event benefitted Serenity House, and successfully raised $156,000 for the organization’s 18-bed inpatient residential hospice home.

Before the first gun went off to start the race, the Harbor Patrol did a ceremonial ‘Fire Dance’ complete with fire hoses to send the racers on their way. Nearly 30 sailboats competed in this year’s Charity Regatta, and in the end, Prevail came in first for the “A” fleet, captained by Celebrity Skippers Todd Pazier and Hugh Montgomery (both with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department). Jim Rampton, Battalion Chief of the Carpinteria/Summerland Fire Station, steered Bullet into first for the “B” fleet.

After the race, guests made their way back to the Yacht Club for a delicious barbecue dinner, and a final chance to bid on the silent auction items.

 

Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care is the leading nonprofit provider of comprehensive in-home health care. The mission of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care is to provide high quality, comprehensive home health, hospice and related services necessary to promote the health and well-being of all community residents, including those unable to pay. It serves the greater Santa Barbara area, and Santa Ynez and Lompoc Valleys and  is one of Santa Barbara’s oldest nonprofit organizations. For more information click here or call 805/965-5555.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on November 20, 2013.

PathPoint Wins Legacy Award at Clean Business Awards

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Congratulations to PathPoint for winning the Clean Business Investment Summit’s (CBIS) Legacy Award for 2013. The organization—a locally-based nonprofit organization that provides services, programs, and opportunities for people with disabilities and disadvantages since 1964—is the first nonprofit to receive the prestigious award, which honors those who have demonstrated significant contributions to education, leadership, innovation and the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem to most effectively inspire and build new entrepreneurs while upholding the principals of Clean Business.
The award recognizes PathPoint’s nationally-recognized programs that support people with disabilities and disadvantages through employment, housing, and developmental training—enabling them to become integrated, productive members within communities. Thanks to PathPoint’s programs, more than 2,300 people in California each year are supported in their steps to live productive, independent lives within the five counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, and Kern. As a $24 million organization, PathPoint has an annual overhead of only 11% enabling it to give back 89 cents of every dollar that it receives to helping the people and communities it serves.
“This award is a validation to the men and women in our organization who have made it their life-long mission to serve people and communities,” says PathPoint president and CEO Cindy Burton, in her acceptance remarks. “We hope to continue with our work through collaboration with businesses and organizations who share our passion and mission to serve others.”
For extended more information, visit www.pathpoint.org.
—Leslie Dinaberg
Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on November 19, 2013.

Lobero LIVE presents Dawes with special guest Blake Mills

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The wait is almost over: the Lobero Theatre will be re-opening in December 2013 after completion of Encore: Lobero preservation work! Kicking off the Lobero LIVE Encore Season is a performance by California-based roots rock band, Dawes, and special guest Blake Mills on December 11.

While the city of Los Angeles has been both an inspiration and a home to the four members of Dawes, they found themselves traveling East last fall to record their third album, Stories Don’t End, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with newly enlisted producer Jacquire King. Stories Don’t End spotlights the group’s maturing skills as arrangers, performers and interpreters who shape the raw material supplied by chief songwriter and lead vocalist Taylor Goldsmith into an artfully concise and increasingly soulful sound. Opener Blake Mills has already stacked up a career’s worth of gigs as a session and touring guitarist, playing with a diverse array of musicians that span from Lucinda Williams to Fiona Apple. His flawless technique, uncanny confidence, and unique interpretation of every piece of music he touches has turned Mills into one of the most in-demand players in the music business.

Tickets for Dawes with special guest Blake Mills are on sale now at Lobero.com.


—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on November 17, 2013.

Jazz at the Lobero announces the Encore Season Lineup

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The folks at the Lobero have been hard at work preserving and enhancing Santa Barbara’s home for great jazz, and can’t wait to welcome guests back to a refreshed, and even more intimate, Lobero Theatre for an unforgettable series. The Lobero’s new seats offer more legroom and better sight lines than ever before. Plus, improved airflow and enlarged restrooms guarantee this will be the most comfortable Jazz at the Lobero season yet.

Starting things off on February 18 is a ferociously talented quartet featuring Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Grammy darling Esperanza Spalding and Leo Genovese as “The Spring Quartet.” On March 14, celebrate 60 memorable years of the Newport Jazz Festival; headlined by Anat Cohen, Karrin Allyson and other treasured alum. To close out the series, they’ll bring you an evening with Branford Marsalis and his brilliant quartet on May 7.

Jazz at the Lobero Series Tickets are on sale now, Single tickets will be available November 30. Series subscribers enjoy 20% off single ticket prices, and are the first to know about new events. Jazz VIP ticketholders can also look forward to exclusive receptions with complimentary appetizers and cocktails before each performance.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS Magazine on November 16, 2013.