Editor’s Pick: David Sedaris

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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!

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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

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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.”

Cocktail Corner: Wine Notes

The beautiful home of Westerly Wines, photo by Leslie Dinaberg

The beautiful home of Westerly Wines, photo by Leslie Dinaberg

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

Purely by coincidence, I spent the last two weekends tasting a number of limited production wines—while the number of bottles may be small, their variety is large and their quality is excellent.

Westerly Wines

First up was a lovely tour, barrel sampling and wine tasting at the Santa Ynez estate home of Westerly Wines. What a treat! Winemaker Adam Henkel played host for the private event. He’s a Kentucky-born charmer who came to the vineyard a few years ago, after a decade in Napa Valley making wines for Harlan Estate and Swanson Vineyards.

Westerly Wines Winemaker Adam Henkel with one of the ceramic "eggs" used in the white winemaking process. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

Westerly Wines Winemaker Adam Henkel with one of the ceramic “eggs” used in the white winemaking process. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

First of all, the estate is beautiful. Based in the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA, it was once part of a 3,900-acre horse ranch, Westerly Stud Farms, and horses still graze the neighboring estates. Our first wine was a 2013 Westerly Sauvignon Blanc, a bright, fresh and balanced wine that was perfect for a warm, spring afternoon. Then Henkel took us into the barrel room, where we sampled the 2014 Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay and the 2013 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, both of which were quite promising. This winery is state-of-the art, with reds fermenting in concrete conical tanks, French Oak and traditional stainless steel, while the whites cold ferment in concrete “eggs,” as well as small French Oak barrels and stainless steel tanks. It’s amazing the number of different winemaking vessels available, and Westerly seems to have them all on hand.

Then it was onto the picturesque dining room, where owner Roger Bower greeted us warmly. At lunch we tasted an excellent Bordeaux varietal, the 2010 Westerly Fletcher’s Red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. We also tasted the 2012 Cote Blonde, a blend of 87% Syrah and 13% Viognier co-fermented together to create my new favorite wine. It’s really nicely balanced and full bodied with a wonderful smell of dried apricots of flowers. Trust me, it’s delicious! It was a great introduction to these (new to me) wines. I definitely won’t be a stranger!

The winery is not open to the public, however wine club members are invited to special events and staff will be pouring at a number of upcoming wine festivals, including the 2nd Annual Santa Barbara Food & Wine Weekend at the Bacara Resort & Spa April 16-17. Click here for details.

The Garagiste Festival

Speaking of festivals, if you want to know what’s new and exciting in the world of wine, the Garagiste Festival is the place to be. Named for the 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, the festival focuses on producers of less than 1,500 cases, which means these are wines you are unlikely to find very easily. The Solvang festival had two days of Grand Tastings, with different wines poured a each one.

One of my favorites was the 2012 Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay from Seagrape Cellars, which is a side project for Buttonwood Farm Winemaker Karen Steinwachs (started with her late husband, Dave). Another festival fave (I was focused on whites) was Baehner Fournier Vineyards 2013 Sauvignon Blanc from Vogelzang Vineyard in Happy Canyon.

This is the special rose flight from Wine + Beer, photo courtesy JZPR.

This is the special rose flight from Wine + Beer, photo courtesy JZPR.

Wine + Beer

Rosé was also on the menu this week. As part of its one-year anniversary celebration, Wine + Beer in the Santa Barbara Public Market is offering a special “Drink Pink” rosé tasting series that runs through April 7 features some excellent local winemakers:

Tatomer “Spaatburgunder” Rosé, made of 100% Pinot Noir

Stolpman Vineyards Rosé, Ballard Canyon, made from 100% Grenache

Margerum Wine Company “Riviera” Rosé (97% Grenache, 3% Counoise and Cinsaut)

Dragonette Cellars Rosé, Happy Canyon (70% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre),

Liquid Farm “Vogelzang Vineyard,” Happy Canyon, made from 100% Mourvedre.

Tasting flights are only available through next week, but the wines—so perfect for spring —are all for sale by the bottle in this bustling tasting room. Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns. Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on April 3, 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.”

 

 

 

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.