Local favorite band King Bee performs at Dargan’s on New Year’s Eve, courtesy photo.
A spirited toast to the New Year! By Leslie Dinaberg
There’s no shortage of great ways to ring in the New Year in Santa Barbara County! Here are a few options to start 2018 off in style:
King Bee at Dargan’s, courtesy photo.
Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara’s Gingerbread House, courtesy photo.
With the smoke starting to clear, we’re all in need of a little holiday cheer. I recommend you check out the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara‘s incredible gingerbread house!
To honor the Resort’s 90th anniversary, talented Pastry Chef Javier Franco and the rest of the pastry team created a stunning replica of the Resort out of gingerbread using 70 lbs. of powdered sugar. Pastillage, fondant, cooked sugar, royal icing, chocolate and gingerbread were the main components used for the construction and most of the pottery is made of pastillage, a type of icing that is similar to gum paste. This incredible creation took 1,500 roof tiles, all hand-made and hand-painted.
Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara’s Gingerbread House, courtesy photo.
Mini ice cream cones were used to make the pine trees, red hot gum sticks make the entrance driveway and pathways, the windows are made of clear sugar and the 140+ year old Moreton Bay fig tree is made of white chocolate. This masterpiece, along with a beautiful display of Christmas decorations are on display at the resort lobby until New Year’s Eve. All are welcome to stop by and view Chef Franco’s amazing creation.
Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara’s Gingerbread House, courtesy photo.
Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara is located at 1260 Channel Dr.
Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara’s Gingerbread House, courtesy photo.
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on December 21, 2017.
Allegretto Vineyard Resort evokes an Italian Estate, with views overlooking grape vines and olive trees. Photo courtesy Allegretto.
CAB is definitely king in Pas o Robles wine country, and rich, velvety, complex cabernet s auvignon makes up almos t half of all the grapes grown acros s Pas o Robles .
The offerings range from boutique wineries to high-production facilities , and with s ome as s is tance from the Pas o Robles CAB Collective, we did our bes t to s ample as many CABs as we could.
Ancient Peaks Margarita Vineyard, photo by Matt Wallace, courtesy Ancient Peaks.
Where to Sip
Five dis tinct s oil types are the key to the unique wines of Ancient Peaks Winery, whos e es tate Margarita Vineyard is the only one in Santa Margarita Ranch AVA. Originally planted by the Robert Mondavi family, the current ranch owners —the Filipponi, Ros s i and Witts trom families —took control of the vineyard in 2005. In addition to a charming tas ting room and the delicious food at Ancient Peaks Café, the winery offers pers onally guided vineyard tours Wed.-Sun. mornings, followed by a private tas ting and chees e and charcuterie (reservations required). ancientpeaks.com
Hope Family Wines has a dis tinctive lounge-s tyle tas ting room pouring five unique labels : Liberty School, Aus tin Hope, Treana, Candor and Troublemaker. Try the big, intens e Treana red, a clas s ic Pas o Robles blend of cabernet, s auvignon and s yrah. hopefamilywines.com
By appointment only (and worth it) is a vis it to Hoyt Family Vineyards, where you can bring a picnic and feed the goats and chickens as you s ip on s ome amazing wine. Try the sophisticated 2012 cabernet s auvignon, which won Bes t of Clas s in the San Francisco Wine Chronicle. hoytfamilyvineyards.com
Another lovely s pot to s ip is Brecon Estate, a boutique s us tainably farmed es tate winery producing an old-vine cabernet s auvignon. Brecon’s award-winning s mall batches of premium wines s ell out quickly and cannot be purchas ed anywhere els e. breconestate.com
DAOU Vineyards, photo by Zak Klobucher.
One of the lovelies t views , in a region that’s full of them, is DAOU Vineyards and Winery. Brothers Georges and Daniel Daou s earched all around the s tate to find an unrivaled terroir for producing cabernet sauvignon, a ques t that eventually led them to the gorgeous DAOU Mountain in the Adelaida Dis trict. Res ervations are recommended to sip excellent wine while overlooking the vineyards , with panoramic views from 2,200 feet. daouvineyards.com
Where to Eat
Opolo Winery offers pairings on the patio, as well as delicious homemade s aus age and charcuterie, pizzas , s alads and s uch. Idyllic vineyard tours are als o available, which include the tas ting room, distillery, Inn at Opolo, a walnut orchard and more than 70 acres of vines . opolo.com
Offering excellent wine-country cuis ine in a beautiful s etting, Cello Ristorante & Bar features creative but acces s ible dis hes made from regionally farmed and foraged ingredients , alongs ide an extensive wine list. allegrettovineyardresort.com/dining
A long-s tanding farm-to-table favorite, Thomas Hill Organics s ources a wide variety of ingredients from local purveyors to offer a dynamic array of bold, imaginative dis hes . thomashillorganics.com
Where to Stay
Nes tled among 20 acres that include wine grapes and olive and fruit trees , the eclectically elegant Allegretto Vineyard Resort brings owner Doug Ayres ’ s ingular vis ion to life. The impres s ive property evokes an Italian vineyard es tate, with 171 gues t rooms and suites, a wine bar featuring the res ort’s own private wine label, a s pa, a pool and cabanas , manicured gardens , a beautiful Abbey, hundreds of antiques , a 12,000-s quare-foot piazza, and art and artifacts everywhere the eye can s ee. Allegrettoresort.com
This story was originally published in the Winter 2017-18 issue of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine.
Santa Barbara International Film Festival Virtuosos Award—honoring (clockwise from top left) Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Hong Chau (Downsizing), Mary J. Blige (Mudbound), Timothée Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name), Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick), and John Boyega (Detroit)—takes place on Saturday, February 3, at 8 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre. Courtesy photos.
Santa Barbara International Film Festival Virtuosos Award will once again honor many of the most notable performances in Hollywood this year. The award, presented by UGG, takes place on February 3 at the Arlington Theatre.
“2017 has seen a variety of breakout performances,” states Roger Durling, Executive Director of SBIFF. “We are thrilled to celebrate this diverse group of actors who have earned their place as some of the most talented individuals working in the industry today.”
The group will be recognized for their breakthrough roles in 2017 and careers thus far. Daniel Kaluuya gives a star-making performance as the unsuspecting yet resourceful Chris Washington in the speculative thriller Get Out. Bringing to life the enduringly popular comic book character of the same name, Gal Gadot balances formidable prowess and a genuine sense of hope in her role in this summer’s critically praised, conversation-changing Wonder Woman. Hong Chau delivers an inspiring performance in the social satire Downsizing, in which she brings humor and compassion to the role of Ngoc Lan Tran. In Detroit, John Boyega gives a captivating turn as Melvin Dismukes, a security guard who is falsely accused of killing three men on one of the most horrific nights in American history. Based on a true story that he co-wrote, Kumail Nanjiani brings comedy, pathos, and dramatic stakes to The Big Sick as a man whose girlfriend falls into a mysterious coma. In Mudbound, renowned singer/songwriter Mary J. Blige delivers a powerful and solemn turn as Florence Jackson, a mother struggling to maintain land in 1940s Mississippi. In Call Me By Your Name, Timothée Chalamet gives a brilliant and heartfelt performance as Elio, a teenage boy who begins a relationship with his father’s assistant.
Prior recipients for the award include Dev Patel, Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Ruth Negga, Alicia Vikander, Rosamund Pike, J.K. Simmons, Eddie Redmayne, Quvenzhane Wallis, Rooney Mara, Melissa McCarthy, Andrew Garfield, John Hawkes, Hailee Steinfeld, Jacki Weaver, Carey Mulligan, Saoirse Ronan, Gabourey Sidibe, Casey Affleck, Marion Cotillard, Viola Davis, Sally Hawkins, Richard Jenkins, Melissa Leo, Ellen Page, Amy Ryan, Michael Shannon, Brie Larson, Jared Leto and June Squibb.
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on December 20, 2017.
Gary Oldman will receive the Maltin Modern Master Award from Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 2, courtesy photos.
Gary Oldman, who is getting critical acclaim and Oscar buzz for his role as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, is set to receive the Maltin Modern Master Award at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Oldman will be honored for his longstanding contributions to the film industry and Leonard Maltin, for whom the award was recently renamed after, will return for his 27th year to moderate the evening. The event takes place on Friday, February 2, at the Arlington Theatre.
“Gary Oldman has dazzled audiences for decades with an array of brilliant performances,” states Maltin. “With Darkest Hour, he has once again proven that he is a force to be reckoned with, and a true master of his craft.
The film takes place during the early days of World War II, as the fate of Western Europe hangs on the newly-appointed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Oldman), who must decide whether to negotiate with Hitler, or fight on against incredible odds. Directed by Joe Wright from a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, the film also stars Ben Mendelsohn, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James and Stephen Dillane.
The Modern Master Award was established in 1995 and is the highest accolade presented by SBIFF. Created to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry, it was re-named the Maltin Modern Master Award in 2015 in honor of long-time SBIFF moderator and renowned film critic Leonard Maltin. Past recipients include Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Bruce Dern, Ben Affleck, Christopher Plummer, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, Cate Blanchett, Will Smith, George Clooney and Peter Jackson.
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on December 19, 2017.
Cabrillo Boulevard, as it once looked. Note Los Banos del Mar pool in the foreground. Originally built in 1901, it was rebuilt with a Public Works Administration grant after the 1925 Earthquake and opened in 1939. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
You never know where story inspiration is going to come from.
When my brother-in-law, Eric States, casually mentioned that he was creating large-scale metal prints from vintage postcards that belonged to long-time local businessman and philanthropist Peter Jordano, I was intrigued. Especially when Eric said the collection was “impressive.”
The word impressive was definitely an understatement. It turns out that Jordano owns about 6,000 pre-1950 Santa Barbara postcards, all meticulously organized into photo albums that document the history of Santa Barbara’s waterfront and downtown development, as well as the leisurely lifestyle of days gone by.
A significant part of Jordano’s collection is from Osborne’s Book Store, a retail fixture on State Street until it closed in 1987, which published hundreds of Santa Barbara postcards. The postcard collection also parallels the Jordano’s history.
The Masonic Temple. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
Beach scene. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
Oil wells off the coast of Summerland. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
De la Guerra Plaza courtyard with cars. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
El Encanto hotel. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
A 1923 postcard of the beach at Castle Rock from the Osborne’s Book Store collection. The remainder of Castle Rock was removed to build the Santa Barbara Harbor, which was completed in 1930. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
El Paseo Restaurant during Fiesta. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
Santa Barbara street scene. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
Old De la Guerra mansion. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
El Paseo Restaurant. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
The Santa Barbara Mission, just after the 1925 earthquake. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
The family-owned business started in Santa Barbara in 1915, with four brothers, a family loan and a little grocery store on State Street. On March 1, 1915, the first Jordano Bros. opened at 706 State St., making deliveries by horse and buggy.
By the early 1970s, Jordano’s had weathered two world wars, the Depression and a number of minor recessions; had 18 stores throughout Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties; and operated a distributing business stocking hotels and restaurants. One son from each of the original four brothers joined the family business, including our postcard collector Peter C. Jordano, who leads Jordano’s Inc. today.
Under Jordano’s leadership, the company diversified into what it is today: a distributing conglomerate including food and beverage distributors, a kitchen supply business and an institutional foods distributor. Now it’s a multi-million-dollar corporation with more than 500 employees.
Jordano’s postcard collection has also continued to grow and, with help from Eric’s painstakingly high-resolution reproductions, will be digitized and preserved for generations to come. Here is a selection of our favorite postcards from the past. To view more of the collection and for more information about metal prints, visit santabarbaraphotographs.com.
Santa Barbara State Teachers College on the Riviera, the predecessor to UCSB. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
Mar Monte Hotel and East Beach. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
Winter bathing on Miramar Beach. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
Winter bathing on Miramar Beach. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
An overview of State Street. Image from the collection of Peter Jordano.
This story was originally published in the Winter 2017-18 issue of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine.
The final 8 Days {an Edible Hanukkah Collaboration} takes place on Dec. 19 at K’Syrah Catering & Events, courtesy photo.
A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg
The first night of Hanukkah is December 12, and that night also kicks off an awesome edible Hanukkah collaboration between two Santa Ynez Valley Chefs—PICO’s Drew Terp and Brooke Stockwell of K’Syrah Catering & Events—on an eight-day foodie fest building up to a final eight-course, seated dinner with wine pairings—featuring some of Santa Barbara Wine Country’s Jewish winemakers.
The “8 Days” event begins on December 12, with the first Hanukkah candle at PICO restaurant (458 Bell St., Los Alamos) and Chef Drew’s reveal of a new Hanukkah-themed dish hinting at the courses destined for the final night’s seated, eight-course dinner. Diners at PICO will be able to view all six nights’ special dishes, but will only be able to order the dishes as they are “lit”–in other words, “Dish #1” will be available on night one and all subsequent nights, whereas on night three, guests will be able to order Dish #1, #2 and/or #3. In addition, winemakers scheduled to pour at the final night’s event will pour their wines at PICO on select nights of candles one through six.
The last two evenings of 8 Days {an Edible Hanukkah Collaboration} take place at K’Syrah Catering & Events, courtesy photo.
Then, on Monday, December 18, the second-to-last night of Hanukkah, the holiday party travels to K’Syrah Catering & Events’ venue (478 4th Pl., Solvang), where a ticketed reception will showcase eight different Hanukkah-inspired plates in a passed hors d’oeuvres format. A cash bar will also be available that evening, offering a full bar plus creative craft cocktails entailing ingredients traditionally used in Jewish holiday celebrations. Tickets for the food portion of the evening of December 18 are $25 per person if purchased through December 13, or $30 per person if purchased after December 13 or at the event entrance, and are available at 8-days-edible-hanukkah-collaboration.eventbrite.com. (Cash cocktail bar is not included in the ticket price.)
The finale takes place on Tuesday, December 19 at K’Syrah Catering & Events and includes an eight-course collaborative Hanukkah menu from Chef Drew and Chef Brooke and an optional selection of associated wine pairings.
Here’s the delicious sounding “8 Days” Finale Menu” (Wine Pairings TBA)
1 — Potato latke, smoked salmon, black pepper, salmon chicharrónes, crème fraîche, chive oil
2 — Roasted beet salad, honey vinaigrette, goat cheese crouton
3 — Fritto Misto (zucchini, winter squash, apple, fennel, with sage brown butter emulsion)
4 — Savory Kugel (kale, cipollini, gruyere, challah breadcrumbs)
5 — Parsnip latke, grilled quail, pomegranate, with charoset
6 — Braised brisket, fermented apple sauce, grilled root vegetables, smoked sunchoke cream, crispy taro root
7 — Olive oil cake, cherry soup, bay leaf chantilly lace
8 — Apple beignet, dulce de leche, sour cream ice milk
Tickets for the Tuesday, December 19 finale event run $85 per person with optional wine pairings for an additional $40 per person, and are available at 8-days-edible-hanukkah-collaboration.eventbrite.com (advance ticket purchase is required).
Courtesy 8 Days {an Edible Hanukkah Collaboration}.
Are you cooking your own meal this Hanukkah? Israel’s leading wineries just released a food and wine-pairing guide for the holiday, offering an innovative spin on matching wine with traditional Hanukkah dishes.
The guide, from Israel’s Golan Heights and Galil Mountain wineries, and their North American importer, Yarden Inc., calls for creative pairings such as gewurztraminer with potato latkes and sour cream. “The spicy and off-dry notes of the gewurztraminer will accentuate the subtle spices of the latkes,” the wineries suggest. “The medium-bodied viscosity will work great with the cream.”
However, if you are among those who prefer applesauce with your potato pancakes, the wineries suggest sauvignon blanc should be your go-to bottle. “You will want a bit more acidity to go with the underlying acidity in the applesauce,” the guide says. “The dryness of the sauvignon blanc will make the applesauce taste slightly sweeter; and the grass and herbal notes will bring out the earthiness of the potato.”
Other creative twists include viognier with sweet potato latkes and applesauce, and chardonnay with zucchini latkes and sour cream. For those who prefer to head straight to the classic jelly doughnuts, the wineries suggest a moscato as “the perfect foil.” Download the entire, free guide here.
Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.
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.”
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on December 6, 2017.
By Leslie Dinaberg, Managing Editor
Tuesday, November 28 is designated as #GivingTuesday, when those who are able are urged to make donations to support local nonprofits. Now entering its sixth year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving—as a counterpoint to Black Friday and Cyber Monday buying—that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy and is fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.
Here’s something to consider when you make those donations: not only is art good for the soul, it’s good for the wallet.
Did you know that Santa Barbara County’s nonprofit arts and cultural organizations comprise a $200 million industry? According to a recent national study—Arts & Economic Prosperity 5, conducted by Americans for the Arts—which collected data from 250 regional partners, including Santa Barbara County, this number supports the equivalent of 5,857 local jobs and generates approximately generates $20 million in local and state tax revenue.
As Randy Cohen, Vice President of Americans for the Arts stated, in a recent presentation at the Santa Barbara County Arts Symposium, “When you invest in the arts you are not investing in a frill, you are investing in a healthier Santa Barbara.”
“Art is not the cherry on top of the split, it’s one of the bananas,” said Keynote Speaker and Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu, sharing how the arts revitalized New Orleans post-Katrina.
According to the Americans for the Arts study section on Santa Barbara County:
And if those numbers don’t grab you, there are some heartfelt stats that support the arts. According to another Americans for the Arts survey by Ipsos Public Affairs, an overwhelming majority of Americans believe that the arts improve the quality of our personal lives and our communities.
For more information about the Giving Tuesday initiative and to search participating nonprofits in the Santa Barbara area, visit www.givingtuesday.org.
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on November 26, 2017.
Holidays at the Canary, courtesy photo.
A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg
The rooftop of the Canary will decked in the spirit of the holiday season this December with a special holiday Sip & Swirl Series.
First up is Dec. 7 with Bubbles Sip & Swirl, where guests can enjoy sparkling wine from top labels like Taittinger, Laurent-Perrier, Henriot and Gruet.
The Dec. 19 Sip & Swirl features Bourbons and Cabernets and will showcase cab producers such as DAOU, Freemark Abbey and Grassini, as well as bourbons from local and domestic distillers like Breaker Bourbon Whiskey and Four Roses Bourbon.
Holidays at the Canary, courtesy photo.
Both events feature festive décor, music and cheese pairings, as well as local chocolates for sale, and select wineries taking bottle orders.
The Canary Holiday Sip & Swirl series will be held on Dec. 7 and Dec. 19 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35, and can be purchased at NightOut.com, or at the door. The Canary Hotel is located at 31 W. Carrillo St.
Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.
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.”
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on November 25, 2017.
Courtesy photo.
In the spirit of the holiday season, two Santa Barbara-based companies have partnered for a holiday giving campaign. LUX LED Lighting is teaming up with Unite To Light—a nonprofit organization that provides portable, solar-powered lamps to people living without electricity—to do some good this holiday season.
With every purchase of a LUX LED Lighting lamp, the company will donate a solar lamp for Unite To Light. Whether from disaster, lack of infrastructure, or inability to pay, Unite to Light aims to bring light to those who would otherwise live in darkness.
Courtesy photo.
“1.2 billion people are currently without electricity, including many in our own backyard who have been affected by the recent hurricanes and wildfires,” says Roger Edgar, CEO of LUX LED Lighting. “Our team was motivated by Unite to Light’s dedication to providing an effective solution to those living in darkness, and we are proud to contribute to that mission.”
The giving campaign will kick off on November 24, in conjunction with a 30% site-wide Black Friday discount that will be available on LUX LED Lighting’s website. The campaign will extend through December 26, providing ample opportunity for consumers to join the charitable mission. Products can be purchased by going to www.store.luxledlights.com.
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on November 21, 2017.