Diana Basehart Foundation Gets Donation from Silverhorn Jewelers

Front: Ruby (namesake of Ruby's Friends Fund at Silverhorn). L to R: Carol Ridding, Silverhorn + Ruby's owner; behind Alice is Troper with Tootsie (a recipient of funds from DBF for Tootsie) and Diana Basehart with her Little Nell. (Mo McFadden)

Front: Ruby (namesake of Ruby’s Friends Fund at Silverhorn). L to R: Carol Ridding, Silverhorn + Ruby’s owner; behind Alice is Troper with Tootsie (a recipient of funds from DBF for Tootsie) and Diana Basehart with her Little Nell. (Mo McFadden)

Visitors to Silverhorn are often greeted by the store’s mascot, a six-year-old Shiba Inu dog named Ruby.  The friendly pup is a mainstay of the iconic Coast Village Road jewelry store owned for 30 years by Carole and Michael Ridding, longtime generous supporters of area nonprofits.

The Ridding’s team shares their love of animals, and recognize the need to help less fortunate ones.  They were determined to do something and so the Ruby’s Friend’s donation fund was born in 2010. The fund provides an annual donation to an organization assisting domestic or wild animals in need.

The 2013 recipient of Ruby’s Friends $2,500 gift is the Diana Basehart Foundation which has as its mission is to help elders and others on limited incomes care for and keep their beloved companion animals by providing support for veterinary, behavioral and nutritional needs; while also minimizing the number of animals being turned over to shelters.

“There are so many worthy causes in our community and we support a good deal of them, but I always feel a special and painful tug at my heart for helpless animals that are not able to express their own needs.  My husband Michael and I are so blessed to have a business which will allow us to make a difference to some of the creatures who share the planet with us,”  says Carole Ridding, CEO and President of Silverhorn.

Silverhorn is located at 1155 Coast Village Rd. in Montecito and at the Four Seasons Biltmore, 1260 Channel Dr. in Montecito.

For more information about Diana Basehart Foundation go to http://basehart.org.
—Leslie Dinaberg
Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 26, 2013

Les Marchands Presents New Year’s Eve With Pierre Péters Champagne & Raw Bar Extravaganza

Brian McClintic and Eric Railsback of Les Marchands (photo by Emily Railsback)

Brian McClintic and Eric Railsback of Les Marchands (photo by Emily Railsback)

Looking for something elegant to do this New Year’s Eve? As the ball drops, the bubbles rise. when Master Sommelier Brian McClintic and Sommelier Eric Railsback, managing partners of Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant (131 Anacapa St. in the Funk Zone), showcase the best in Champagne and include a Santa Barbara seafood feast to ring in 2014.

The stars of the 2013 hit film SOMM celebrate the passing of 2013 and the arrival of 2014 with a spectacular party befitting this paean to fine wine producers.
Pouring plentifully for solo guests and couples is Pierre Péters, the Champagne produced in France by the family since 1919. This champagne will be accompanied by a raw bar for the ages—replete with Blue Fin Tuna, Oysters on the Half Shell, Local Uni with Burrata and much, much more.
Space is extremely limited; tickets are available for purchase on the Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant website.
—Leslie Dinaberg
Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 23, 2013

Cocktail Corner: Notable News

Blue Tavern's Pisco Sour features Porton Pisco, angostura bitters and cinnamon tincture. (courtesy photo)

Blue Tavern’s Pisco Sour features Porton Pisco, angostura bitters and cinnamon tincture. (courtesy photo)

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

Winemaker Doug Margerum‘s first release from his new brand, BARDEN came out earlier this month. Margerum says, “The BARDEN collaboration is the pairing of my dream to make the ultimate expression of Santa Barbara County grapes and winemaker Jason Barrette’s acute craftsmanship and skill. BARDEN showcases a fusion between Jason’s southern hemisphere and worldwide winemaking experience, our access to the top vineyards and the philosophy and knowledge we both share in what makes a wine world-class. The BARDEN trade name is my middle name and its English meaning is ‘Lives near the boar’s den’ … thusly we have adorned the label with an image of the wild boar that is pervasive in the vineyards of Santa Barbara County.” The wine, which retails for $87,  received 92-93 points from Tanzer and can be ordered by emailing tastingroom@margerumwines.com. |

Acclaimed mixologist Deysi Alvarez at the hot new restaurant Blue Tavern (119 State St., 805/845-0989) utilizes a unique blend of cultures as inspiration for her cocktail menu, which features classic drinks made with housemade tinctures and small-batch spirits. The Margarita features Espolon tequila, house orange reduction, fresh lime Juice, agave nectar, and Gusano salt; the Mojito de Martinique showcases Clement Rhum VSOP and clement cane syrup; and the Old Fashioned takes a trip to South America with the replacement of bourbon with mezcal. Blue Tavern’s wine list  focuses on local vintners, many of whom have tasting rooms in the Funk Zone, just blocks from the restaurant.|

Nikki and Jeff Nelson, owners of Liquid Farm, the small production wine project focused on Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay and Happy Canyon AVA Rosé, are plowing through this year’s early harvest in a boutique winery space within the newly-established, local coop facility, the Buellton Wine Center (65 Los Padres Way, Buellton) with the help of friend and winemaker, James Sparks. Located just half of a mile north of Firestone Walker Brewing Company and Taproom Restaurant, Liquid Farm joins seven other Santa Barbara County wine producers in the Coop, including Bonaccorsi Wine CompanyLarner WineryCasa Dumetz Wines and Municipal Winemakers. Michael Larner, the visionary behind the new Coop, has transformed two adjacent industrial buildings into private, individually walled-off wine production spaces outfitted with communal harvest equipment and resources, as well as cooperative common areas. |

As part of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival celebration, from January 30 – February 9, Film Feast 2014 will take you and your taste buds on a culinary journey of cuisine and libations, made famous in Santa Barbara. Local talents and ingredients have come together to produce award-worthy tasting flights. Nominees include “The Graduate Wine Flight” at Au Bon Climat Wine Tasting Room and The Jim Clendenen Wine Library (813 Anacapa St.) which includes eight wines comprised of four sets – one older and one younger vintage of the same wine.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 27, 2013

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.”

Hospice of Santa Barbara Light Up A Life Stars Available Through December

 

Courtesy Hospice of Santa Barbara

Courtesy Hospice of Santa Barbara

Looking for a special way to honor a loved one this holiday season? Hospice of Santa Barbara—an organization that “volunteers” its free professional counseling and care management services to more than 700 children and adults every month who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one—recently hosted its 30th annual holiday Light Up A Life celebrations in Goleta and Santa Barbara and its 20th anniversary celebration in Carpinteria, inviting families and friends to gather to celebrate the lives and memories of their loved ones. Hundreds of lights and stars illuminate memorial trees at each site through the month of December.

Light Up A Life memorial stars will continue to be sold throughout December at the following locations:

Anna’s Bakery in Camino Real Marketplace (7018 Marketplace Dr., Goleta)

Lovebird Boutique & Jewelry Bar (7 E. De La Guerra St., next door to Casa De La Guerra)

Curious Cup Bookstore (929 Linden Ave., Carpinteria)

Peebee & Jay’s (1007 Casitas Pass Rd., Carpinteria)

Montecito Bank & Trust (1023 Casitas Pass Road, Carpinteria)

Hospice of Santa Barbara office (2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite 100) and at hospiceofsantabarbara.org or by calling 805/563-8820.

A $15 or more donation is suggested for each star, and all proceeds support Hospice of Santa Barbara. Stars may be hung on Light Up A Life trees located at:

Camino Real Marketplace, Goleta (on the corner plaza between Pier One and Hollister Brewing Company)

Casa de la Guerra, Santa Barbara

The Seal Fountain at Linden Plaza, Carpinteria

–Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 22, 2013

Cocktail Corner: Cocktails and Cookies for Santa

Ocean Vodka's White Christmas Cocktail, photo by Jessica Pearl

Ocean Vodka’s White Christmas Cocktail, photo by Jessica Pearl

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

Maybe your Santa Claus drinks milk with his cookies … but after a long night’s journey up and down chimneys delivering gifts, mine prefers a good stiff adult beverage.

Here are just a few of Santa’s favorite Christmas Eve cocktails (click on drink names for links to the full recipes).

Santa Sleigh Cocktail from the always-festive Sandra Lee of the Food Network features brandy, amaretto and ice cream. Yum!

Bourbon and pear puree are the primary flavors in this delicious Santa’s Little Helper from bartender Kris Doyle via laist.com.

Want to tickle Santa’s Whiskers? Try this concoction of 42Below Honey Vodka and Angostura Bitters from Mixologist Pete Gugni via about.com’s cocktail section.

Vodka, amaretto and cranberry juice create a refreshing red splash for Santa’s Helper from Chris Nease at celebrationsathomeblog.com.

Leave it to Rachel Ray to create the Tipsy Santa cocktail, featuring bourbon and ginger ale.

Our friends at Ocean Vodka came up with the White Christmas, a tasty treat featuring peppermint extract and Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur.

Finally, we’ve got 12 Days of Christmas Cocktails from the fabulous folks of Tablespoon.com. Try the Spice “Cake Batter” Shots to give your night an extra festive kick.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

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

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: Holiday Gift Guide

Wine Sweaters by Skedouche (courtesy photo)

Wine Sweaters by Skedouche (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg |
From cocktail kits to barware, here are some of our favorite gift ideas for anyone who loves cocktails.

1. Julibox Membership

Fruit of the month clubs are great, but wouldn’t the drinkers in your life prefer a cocktail of the month instead? Enter Julibox, where each month they’ll get to try two great cocktails. Designed by world-class mixologists for easy home preparation, packages include ingredients for two of each cocktail.

2. The Drunken Botanist

There’s a good reason that Amy Stewart’s The Drunken Botanist is on so many “best of” year-end lists: growing cocktail friendly plants is a hot trend right now, and this fascinating concoction of biology, chemistry, history, etymology and mixology is a really fun read.

3. Crystal Head Vodka

Talk about a cool gift! The Crystal Head Vodka bottle was designed by none other than Dan Aykroyd (with John Alexander) and it’s the official vodka of the Rolling Stones’ 50th Anniversary. This is the perfect gift for the rock ‘n roller in your life who likes to drink the good stuff.

Tray by Rock Flowers Paper (courtesy photo)

Tray by Rock Flowers Paper (courtesy photo)

4. Cocktail Trays by Rock Flower Paper

As any hostess knows, the secret to great cocktails is at least 50% presentation. These beautiful trays (available at Santa Barbara Museum of Art Gift Shop) are available in a variety of designs to brighten up your presentation and make your cocktails shine.

5. Wine Bottle Sweaters From Skedouche

Ugly holiday sweaters are a seasonal tradition, so why share the tackiness with your wine bottles too! A perfect Secret Santa gift, these sweaters are guaranteed to generate laughs.

6. Amina Ceramic Tile Coasters

Give your drinks a taste of Santa Barbara with these handcrafted ceramic tile coasters (available from The Santa Barbara Company).

7. The Gentleman’s Guide to Cocktails

This retro-inspired cocktail guide includes suave cocktails for the debonair men (and women) in your life. Author Alfred Tong teaches you how to mix a margarita with mojo, a gimlet with grace, and a piña colada that packs a punch (Available at Industry Home).

Courtesy After Five Catalog

Courtesy After Five Catalog

8. Personalized Bar Signs

For the home bartender who has everything, look to the Goleta-based After Five Catalog for personalized bar signs for every style and taste.

9. Saddle Leather Cocktail Shaker

Add a monogrammed initial to this beautiful leather cocktail shaker and you’ve got yourself a thoughtful and practical gift for any cocktail enthusiast (available at Pottery Barn in La Cumbre Plaza).

10. The World of Pinot Noir

The delicious world of Pinot Noir is coming to the Bacara Resort Feb. 28–Mar. 1. Why not treat your loved ones (and yourself) to a delicious weekend of grape immersion.

Cheers!

 

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

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.”

Share the Gift of an Experience

GiftofExperience1-704x400Nothing beats the gift of a memorable experience…except perhaps one that you can share with your loved ones. Here are some holiday gift suggestions that can be appreciated together.

Santa Barbara Beautiful

When it comes to enjoying our gorgeous city, the options truly are endless. One of the best ways to soak in the soul of Santa Barbara is to get out on the water. In the early winter months, Condor Express whale-watching charters follow migrating California Gray Whales as they pass through the channel (805/882-0088, condorexpress.com) and Adventure Sailing Charters (805/794-8703, adventuresailingventura.com)offers boats to the Channel Islands, as well as surf trips.

Landlubbers will love a membership to Lotusland, which provides priority access to 37 acres of spectacular collections of exotic plants (805/969-9990, lotusland.org). Members of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (805/682-4726, sbbg.org) not only get free entry to this living museum, but also support the garden’s mission of conservation, education and scientific research. Garden lovers, not to mention history buffs and architecture aficionados, will love a tour of the historic Casa del Herrero (805/565-5653, casadelherrero.com), an elegant Montecito estate and National Historic Landmark. For a truly adventurous gift, take to the skies with Santa Barbara Helicopter Tours (805/845-4500, helicoptertoursofsantabarbara.com), offering wine tours, whale watching trips and Channel Islands flights.

Wine and Dine

Oenophiles will appreciate the plethora of tasting and transportation options offered by Wine Canyon Tours (805/453-7047, winecanyontours.com), Sustainable Vine Wine Tours (805/698-3911, sustainablevine.com) and Cloud Climbers Jeep Tours (805/646-3200, ccjeeps.com), among others. Got a sweet tooth? Santa Barbara Adventure Co.’s Tasty Cupcake and Wine Tour (805/884-9283, sbadventureco.com) is simply delicious.

The Show Must Go On

Why not treat that special someone to passes for Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which runs Jan. 30–Feb. 9 (805/963-0023, sbiff.org) and offers a variety of packages that include movie tickets, parties and tributes and awards ceremonies. Classical music aficionados will love series tickets to Santa Barbara Symphony (805/898-9386, thesymphony.org), the “Met Live In HD Series” at Music Academy of the West (805/695-7931, musicacademy.org) or CAMA’s International Series (805/ 966-4324, camasb.org). If the play’s the thing, then the Broadway Series at The Granada is just the ticket (805/899-2222, granadasb.org) for big musical performances, while the black-box intimacy of Center Stage Theater (805/963-8198, centerstagetheater.tix.com) hosts a terrific variety of plays and performances, including the locals’ favorite Speaking of Stories (805/963-0408, speakingofstories.org) reader theater series.

Catch Some Culture

Museum memberships make great gifts. Santa Barbara Museum of Art (805/963-4364, sbma.net) members have access to the museum’s renowned exhibitions, grand opening events and other special activities, as well as a connection to a vibrant community of art lovers. MCASB (805/966-5373, mcasantabarbara.org) also cultivates a unique arts community. Its members form a society of contemporary art lovers, patrons and artists who actively participate in the intellectual and artistic life of the museum. Another great way to catch some culture is via UCSB Arts and Lectures Series (805/893-3535, artsandlectures.sa.ucsb.edu), which has about a dozen terrific ticket series to choose from—or you can build your own.

Get Active

The gift of physical fitness is a gift that keeps on giving. Why not give golf lessons (805/968-1541, sandpipergolf.com), try stand up paddle boarding (805/881-2115, supadventuressb.com), or yoga at Core Power Yoga (805/884-9642, corepoweryoga.com) or Yoga Soup (805/965-8811, yogasoup.com). Los Padres Outfitters offers beach horseback rides, day rides or pack trips for horse lovers (805/331-5961, lospadresoutfitters.com), while Rancho Oso (805/683-5110, rancho-oso.com) in the beautiful Santa Ynez Mountains is a great place for beginning riders to get comfortable with gentle horses and on guided trail rides.

DIY

Learn to paint (and sip local wine) at The Painted Cabernet (805/963-9979, paintedcabernet.com), a perfect place for a date-night gift. Market Forays cooking classes and culinary adventures are also a great gift for someone who would enjoy a guided shopping tour through local farmers’ markets and the fisherman’s market, followed by a hands-on cooking class and five-course feast (805/259-7229, marketforays.com). Brooks Institute Extension (805/690-7629, workshops.brooks.edu) offers a variety of excellent workshops for photographers of every level to improve their skills.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in the Winter 2013/14 issue of Santa Barbara SEASONS Magazine.

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

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

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

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.