Cocktail Corner: Armada Wine & Beer Merchant

Owners Jaime Heer (l) and Tucker Huget relax at Armada Wine & Beer Merchant (courtesy photo).

Owners Jaime Heer (l) and Tucker Huget relax at Armada Wine & Beer Merchant (courtesy photo).

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

Tucked back in the beautiful courtyard space at 1129-A State St. is a great new place that is quickly becoming one of my favorite new hangouts. Armada Wine & Beer Merchant is the brainchild of Jaime Heer and Tucker Huget, co-owners, the two darling young businesswomen have created a comfortable yet sophisticated place to sip wine and beer from around the world.

“We love Santa Barbara County wines, but it’s fun to expand our horizons a little,” says, Heer, who became friendly with Huget when the two worked together at Carr Winery. Since then they’ve both learned a whole lot about beer while putting together the rotating menu of small‐production wines and craft beers from around the globe. Cheese and Charcuterie plates are also available.

Armada opened just last month, but I’ve already been there a few times and have shared tastes with friends, who also give the place a unanimous thumbs up.

The 2011 Santa Carolina Chardonnay from Chile is delightful, as is the fresh flavor of the 2011 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc from South Africa. The 2012 Tensley Syrah from Santa Barbara County is yummy, and the bubbly Medici Ermete Lambrusco Prosecco from Italy put a smile on my face. All of these wines are available by the glass or the bottle. And the nice thing is that “merchant” part of Armada Wine & Beer Merchant name means you can buy everything you taste, at very reasonable prices!

Armada Wine & Beer Merchant offers flights of wine and beer as well as libations by the glass or bottle (courtesy photo).

Armada Wine & Beer Merchant offers flights of wine and beer as well as libations by the glass or bottle (courtesy photo).

When I ask about what they’ve learned since starting the business, Huget says, “Above serving great wine and beer we find that customer service is of utmost importance. Our goal is to provide our guests with a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere where they can unwind with a delicious beverage while receiving friendly, genuine and attentive service.”

They’ve certainly achieved that goal.  The serene and airy space—designed by the talented Sarah  McFadden of McFadden Design Group—feels like yet another welcoming hostess, beckoning guests to sit down and sip at the bar or enjoy the comforts of home with lounge seating and larger tables as well as good tunes and  free Wi-Fi if you want to bring your laptop.

“We wanted to create a space for people like us, people that like to drink the good stuff; red, white, pink, bubbles and beer from all around the world,” say the owners, who say they got some stress relief and decompression time while sipping “Nacho’s Lemonades” on the patio at Playa Azul during the planning stages.

They are in the midst of booking some awesome winemaker and brewer events. Visit their website and like them on Facebook for updates on upcoming events and happenings at Armada, which is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1-9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 1-11 p.m. and Sundays from 1-6 p.m. (closed Tuesdays).

Hope to see you there!

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on March 14, 2014.

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.”

The Wild and Wonderful World of Orchids

Laelia orchid Splendid Spire “Rose Midnight” from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Photo by Chuck Place.

Laelia orchid Splendid Spire “Rose Midnight” from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Photo by Chuck Place.

Photographs by Chuck Place | Story by Leslie Dinaberg

The flowers themselves are not the only lavishly colorful component in the exotic  jungle of the orchid universe. Photographer Chuck Place—an avid grower of  cymbidiums and an eager chronicler of quirkiness—takes us on a lush visual  journey through the wild and wonderful world of orchids.

 

 

Lynn Pettigrew prepping a special cymbidium for the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show. Photo by Chuck Place.

Lynn Pettigrew prepping a special cymbidium for the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show. Photo by Chuck Place.

Meet the Collectors

“If roses are the flower of romance, then orchids are the flower of passion. Collectors through the years have risked life, limb and incarceration in their quest for yet another rare orchid to add to their hoard.”—Zoological Society of  San Diego.

The largest family of flowering plants, orchids are found on every continent except Antarctica. Among the many local orchid collectors whom Place photographed, he says that Don Brown “is like one of the godfathers of local collectors and growers.

Don Brown grows a variety of orchids using a reverse osmosis system to provide pure water. Photo by Chuck Place.

Don Brown grows a variety of orchids using a reverse osmosis system to provide pure water. Photo by Chuck Place.

He’s extremely knowledgeable. Hugely so. He’s got an international reputation.” A retired UCSB anthropology professor, Brown has several greenhouses and grows a wide range of orchids using a reverse osmosis system to provide pure water. Like all of the collectors shown here, he is also an avid competitor.

Bill Robson holding an Odontoglossum Yellow Parade orchid hybrid. Photo by Chuck Place.

Bill Robson holding an Odontoglossum Yellow Parade orchid hybrid. Photo by Chuck Place.

Lynn Pettigrew (in plaid) is shown prepping a special cymbidium for the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show. “He has so many cymbidiums, his collection has expanded to a friend’s backyard…he picks up hybrids at various orchid shows and just keeps building his stock that way. But essentially every time he brings in new plants, he has to give away some because he needs the space,” says Place.

Bill Robson (in green), shown in his shade house holding an Odontoglossum Yellow Parade orchid hybrid, is the former manager of Gallup & Stribling Orchids Visitor’s Center and what Place describes as “another highly knowledgable expert,” along with Paul Gripp, the former owner of Santa Barbara Orchid Estate.

 

(L-R) Curator of Malacology at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Daniel L. Geiger, Ph.D. ; micro orchids; Recently germinated cymbidium orchid seedlings are transferred to flasks at the orchid seedling facility at Gallup & Stribling Orchids. ; The next step in the process, cymbidium orchid seedlings germinate in flasks at the orchid seedling facility at Gallup & Stribling Orchids. All Photo by Chuck Place.

(L-R) Curator of Malacology at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Daniel L. Geiger, Ph.D. ; micro orchids; Recently germinated cymbidium orchid seedlings are transferred to flasks at the orchid seedling facility at Gallup & Stribling Orchids. ; The next step in the process, cymbidium orchid seedlings germinate in flasks at the orchid seedling facility at Gallup & Stribling Orchids. All Photos by Chuck Place.

The Science

Orchids thrive in many different types of environments, including the climate-controlled world of the laboratory.

As Curator of Malacology at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Daniel L. Geiger, Ph.D. has a unique advantage as an avid collector and grower of micro orchids. His job affords him access to scanning electron microscopes and focus stacking software to photograph these tiny orchids, because they are very difficult to see, says Place, as evidenced by the mounted specimens of micro orchids being prepared for viewing in a scanning electron microscope. “I don’t think these micro orchids are any harder to grow than any other kind,” says Place. “They’re all on bark.”

 

The Orchid Show

Photo by Chuck Place.

Lynn Pettigrew shows one of his prize-winning cymbidium orchids from the 68th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show. Photo by Chuck Place.

With a theme of “Complements and Contrasts,” the 69th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is March 14–16  at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real,  sborchidshow.com.

The oldest and one of the largest orchid shows in the country, this year’s Orchid Show showcases all of the many beautiful and exotic orchids from around the world. Featuring exhibits and floral arrangements by top local, regional and international growers, as well as vendors from all over the United States, South America and Asia, offering thousands of blooming orchid plants for sale, the show also offers demonstrations and lectures on orchid culture and related topics, says spokesperson Tammy Guerra.

Photo by Chuck Place.

Visitors enjoy the colorful beauty of thousands of blooming orchid plants at the 68th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show. Photo by Chuck Place.

In keeping with the theme, orchid displays showcase unusual contrasts and stunning complements and show how, while different, they can look beautiful when brought together as a whole. Competition is also an important component of the Orchid Show.

The Artist

Photo by Chuck Place.

Artist Suemae Lin Willhite. Photo by Chuck Place.

Artist Suemae Lin Willhite brings focus to the art of the orchid with her  dramatic Chinese brush paintings, often inspired by the thriving orchids  in her own back yard.

Willhite, who teaches Chinese calligraphy and brush painting, gives demonstrations of brush painting techniques at the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show. An award-winning artist with more than 40 years of experience in Chinese brush painting and calligraphy, her work can be seen in local galleries and is inspired by her grandfather, a well-known Chinese artist in Taiwan. Orchids—which symbolize grace and elegance in Chinese brush painting—are frequent subjects for Willhite’s artistry. Drawing her ideas from nature and spiritual inspirations, she says she paints, when inspired by a vision in her mind’s eye from a wide range of subjects and compositions, with a unique style of Chinese impressionism, abstract and her own fusion of East meets West. She paints with a joyful harmony that is apparent in her work as well as in the classes she teaches. For more information about Willhite, visit suemaeart.com.

Discover the Orchid Trail

This cymbidium orchid was grown by Lynn Pettigrew. Photo by Chuck Place.

This cymbidium orchid was grown by Lynn Pettigrew. Photo by Chuck Place.

The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show comes but once a year, but the diverse beauty of orchids is in full flower year-round along the California Orchid Trail. The area between the rugged Santa Ynez Mountains and the calm seas of the Pacific has seeded an industry that now produces more orchids than any other region in the country.

Five out of the seven growers on the California Orchid Trail are in Santa Barbara County (the others are in Malibu and Oxnard). From north to south, the local growers are:

Cal-Orchid, Inc.

Owners James and Lauris Rose keep a diverse inventory, reflecting the interests of not only the current marketplace, but also their many trips made to foreign locales, where James uses his sharp eye for the unusual to spot new treasures. Open 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday–Saturday. 1251 Orchid Dr., Santa Barbara. 805/967-1312, calorchid.com.

Dendrobium orchids from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Photo by Chuck Place.

Dendrobium orchids from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Photo by Chuck Place.

Santa Barbara Orchid Estate

Located on five acres of beautiful coastal Santa Barbara, the orchid estate is just 500 feet from the Pacific Ocean. Founded by Robert J. Chrisman, a legendary orchid grower, and now owned by Parry and Alice Gripp, the estate is one of the world’s foremost collectors and propagators of orchid species and hybrids, specializing in outdoor temperature-tolerant varieties. Open 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Sundays. 1250 Orchid Dr., Santa Barbara. 805/967-1284, sborchid.com.

Miltonia orchids, or pansy orchids, from Gallup & Stribling Orchids in Carpinteria. Photo by Chuck Place.

Miltonia orchids, or pansy orchids, from Gallup & Stribling Orchids in Carpinteria. Photo by Chuck Place.

Gallup & Stribling Orchids

Gallup & Stribling’s home farm occupies 48 acres in Carpinteria, making it one of the largest in the country. With more than 1.5 million square feet of greenhouse space, it is a state-of-the-art breeding, growing and distribution facility. Open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday and 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday–Sunday. 3450 Via Real, Carpinteria. 805/684-1998, gallup-stribling.com.

Orchids Royale

Orchids Royale grows mostly cymbidiums, but also paphiopedilums, miltonias and odontoglossums. They maintain 70,000 square feet of temperature-controlled greenhouses. Open by appointment. 5902 Via Real, Carpinteria. 805/684-8066.

Laelia orchid from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate.Photo by Chuck Place.

Laelia orchid from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate.Photo by Chuck Place.

Westerlay Orchids

Joe Overgaag founded Westerlay Orchids following his emigration from the Netherlands to Carpinteria. Later, he earned the distinction of being among the first in the nation to widely apply hydroponic growing technology to flowers. Winter hours: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday and 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Saturdays. Regular hours (daylight savings): 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday  and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays. 3504 Via Real, Carpinteria. 805/684-5411, westerlayorchids.com.

 

 

Originally published in the Spring 2014 issue of Santa Barbara SEASONS Magazine.

County Arts Commission Gives Leadership Award to Connie Rohde-Stanchfield

Connie Rohde-Stanchfield, director of the C Gallery in Los Alamos, addresses the opening night reception crowd at the “That Significant Thing or Moment” exhibition of cell phone photographs. Courtesy photo.

Connie Rohde-Stanchfield, director of the C Gallery in Los Alamos, addresses the opening night reception crowd at the “That Significant Thing or Moment” exhibition of cell phone photographs. Courtesy photo.

Longtime arts advocate, artist and educator Connie Rohde-Stanchfield was recently recognized by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors with a Resolution recognizing the 2013 Leadership in the Arts Award recipient. Third District Supervisor, Doreen Farr presented a Resolution from the Board of Supervisors stating: “On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, I congratulate Connie for her decades of work in the Arts in the North County and her significant role in bringing commerce and visitors to the Santa Ynez Valley, enriching the local arts scene, and supporting local schools.”

“Over the years, the Leadership in Arts award has given the Arts Commission an opportunity to publicly recognize the great achievements realized by exemplary citizens who through their vision, commitment, and dedication continue to infuse our regional arts and culture and increase access to arts in Santa Barbara County,” says Ginny Brush, executive director of the Arts Commission.

 

Connie Rohde-Stanchfield, photo by Jeffrey Bloom.

Connie Rohde-Stanchfield, photo by Jeffrey Bloom.

Rohde-Stanchfield has been an advocate for arts education for decades, first as the Director of the Family School in Los Olivos and and as the founder of Arts Outreach, a nonprofit organization, which still flourishes today and serves more than 3,000 students a year. It began as a small group of parents volunteering to share their talents in local public schools and through this hugely successful enterprise, has enriched the lives of thousands of local students.

 For more information visit www.sbartscommission.org.

 —Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on March 11, 2014.

Cocktail Corner: The Garagiste Festival

Courtesy Garagiste Festival

Courtesy Garagiste Festival

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

GARAGISTES (gar-uh-zhē-stuh)—which comes from a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their garages, who refused to follow the “rules” of traditional winemaking—may not be a well-known word around here YET, but it will certainly be flying off the tongues of the lucky folks who gather for the second annual “Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure” in Solvang March 29-30.

The garagiste movement is responsible for making some of the best wine in the world, much of which will be showcased later this month when 56 of Santa Ynez Valley’s and Santa Barbara County’s high-quality, limited-production commercial garagiste winemakers gather at the beautiful, Mission-style Veterans Memorial Hall, 1745 Mission Dr., Solvang.

Last year’s one-day event sold out and, in response to both consumer and winemaker demand, the nonprofit festival (which benefits Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture program) has expanded to two days full of tasting seminars, high-quality wines, first-time and “soon-to-break-out” discoveries, personal winemaker interaction and diverse varietals.

Courtesy Garagiste FestivalWith almost 50% of the winemakers pouring at the event for the first time—13 pouring their first vintage, and 80% lacking  tasting rooms—this festival offers a truly one-time-only opportunity for guests to discover some of the hottest, yet-to-be-discovered wines.

Winemakers pouring on Saturday, March 29 from 2–5 p.m. include: Archium Cellars*, Ascension Cellars*, Carucci Wines*, Casa Dumetz, Cholame Vineyard, Cordon Wines, Crawford Family Wines*, Dubost Ranch*, DV8 Cellars*, Graef Wines*, Ground Effect Wines, Harrison Clarke Wines, Kaena Wine Company, Kessler-Haak Winery, Kita Wines*, Larner Winery, Luminesce, Moretti Wine Co.*, Pence Ranch, Press Gang Cellars, Roark Wine Co., Ryan Cochrane Wines, Seagrape Wine Company, Shai Cellars, Tercero Wines, Transcendence Wines, Turiya* and Vinemark Cellars*.

Winemakers pouring on Sunday, March 30 from 1–4 p.m. include a-non-ah-mus, Baehner-Fournier, Bradley Family Winery*, Brophy Clark Cellars*, C. Nagy Wines, Calilove Winery*, Cloak & Dagger, Clos Des Amis*, Dascomb Cellars*, Desperada*, Dilecta, Fontes & Phillips*, Frequency Wines, Gioia Wines*, Guyomar Wine Cellars*, J. Wilkes Wines, La Fenetre Wines, LaZarre Wines, Montemar Winery*, Nicora Wines, ONX Wines, Plan B Cellars*, Refugio Ranch, Scott Cellars*, Solminer Wine*, STANGER Vineyards, Weatherborne Wine Co.* and Zinke Wine Company*.

(Wines designated with an asterisk * are new to the festival.)

In addition to the grand tastings, each day will feature one of the festival’s popular (and limited seating) morning tasting seminars. On Saturday from 11 a.m.– noon is Rhones Rule: The Wines of Ballard Canyon, focused on Santa Ynez Valley’s brand new AVA, Ballard Canyon, and featuring Michael Larner of Larner Vineyards, Larry Schaffer of Tercero Wines and Mikael Sigouin of Kaena Wine Company. Sunday from 11 a.m.– noon the seminar is A Pinot Noir Primer from the Roots Up, featuring Joshua Klapper from La Fenetre Wines, Adam LaZarre from LaZarre Wines and Clarissa Nagy from C. Nagy Wines.

The nonprofit Garagiste Festivals showcase high-quality, cutting-edge, small-production commercial wineries that produce fewer than 1,500 cases a year. “One of the most fulfilling things about Garagiste Festival events is seeing important new winemakers not only get discovered for the first time but, in many instances, explode out of the box,” says Garagiste Festival co-founder Doug Minnick.

“With Southern Exposure, Garagiste Events is proud to continue to serve as both starting gate and incubator for some of the Central Coast’s (and the world’s) most important small-lot winemakers and to offer consumers the unique joy of connecting with artisans whose passion and maverick spirit pulse through the terroir’ of their wines,” says Garagiste Festival co-founder Stewart McLennan.  “And all at an event that is heavy on fun and light on pretension—which is perhaps the thing we are most proud of. As our attendees will attest, Garagiste events are a blast!”

Tickets are now on sale at http://californiagaragistes.com/buy-tickets/.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns. Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on March 7, 2014.

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.”

Speaking of Stories: Audience Favorites

Speaking of StoriesSpeaking of Stories, through entertaining theatrical performances, provides South Coast residents with a rare opportunity to enjoy hearing fiction and non-fiction read aloud by stage and film actors.  This edition of the program is Audience Favorites, featuring:

E. Bonnie Lewis reading
The Nine Best Movies by Gregory Mcdonald

John Luca reading
The Impala by John Luca

Ed Romine reading
Dave Cooks The Turkey 
by Stuart McLean

Nick Woolf reading
The Three Fat Women of Antibes by W. Somerset Maugham

Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m. and Monday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Center Stage Theater, in Paseo Nuevo Center, upstairs at the intersection of Chapala and De la Guerra Streets.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on March 1, 2014.

Howard School Gets OK to Expand Capacity

Howard School courtesy photo

Howard School courtesy photo

The Carpinteria Planning Commission recently voted unanimously to allow The Howard School  to expand its enrollment capacity from 80 to 100 students.

Offering  pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade instruction, the Howard School, located at 5315 Foothill Rd. in Carpinteria, is the only school in Santa Barbara County that offers an education based on the Carden Method—a curriculum that cultivates development of the whole child, and focuses on teaching students how to think rather than simply what to know.

Courtesy The Howard School

Courtesy The Howard School

“It is important for us to create a nurturing, sound environment that equips children with the skill sets they need in order to go out and thrive in the post-education world,” says headmaster, Joel Reed. “The tenets of the Carden Method provide the ideal foundation for critical thinking, confidence-building, and a balance of self-reliance and cooperation with one’s community.”

The Howard School is accepting applications through mid-March, and the admissions materials are available online at www.TheHowardSchool.org, as well as the school’s office.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on March 2, 2014.