Local Poets on Ray Strong

Posted on June 9, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

Ray Stanford Strong, Lower East Side, New York City, Rainy Day Under the El, 1926-27. Oil on canvas mounted on board. SBMA, Museum purchase with funds provided by Robert and Marlene Veloz.

There’s a great, free poetry event coming up on Thursday, June 11, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

Local poets will follow Ray Strong‘s example in SBMA’s exhibition and write about the world “Beyond Santa Barbara,” while remaining true to their homegrown cultivated poetic visions. The event takes place on the front steps of Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St.

The museum also has a related exhibition, Ray Strong: Beyond Santa Barbara, running through June 21. Here’s the scoop:

“This intimate presentation of paintings and drawings by esteemed artist Ray Strong (1905–2006) highlights distinct moments within the artist’s practice over the course of 45 years. Featuring landscapes and cityscapes produced outside of the Santa Barbara area, the selected works from the Museum’s holdings offer a view of Strong’s travels and his lifelong interest in depicting the environment around him.”

Ray Strong: Beyond Santa Barbara is organized in conjunction with The Ray Strong Project, an initiative of Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery. This effort includes a series of events and exhibitions coalescing in June of 2015 at museums and galleries in the Santa Barbara area. This initiative will also produce the first monograph on Ray Strong and an online catalogue raisonné.”

For additional information, visit www.theraystrongproject.com.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on June 5, 2015.

Reel Cool Movies at the Granada

Posted on June 8, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

The Muppet Movie Get ready for a fun series of family favorite movies at the Granada this summer. The 2015 Summer Film Series offers audiences an especially rare opportunity to see memorable favorites on the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art digital 4K rear-projection screen at the historic Granada Theatre.

These family friendly films screen on Wednesdays throughout the summer.

June 10, 6 p.m.: The Muppet Movie (1979), G

June 24, 6 p.m.: Ghostbusters (1984), PG

July 8, 6 p.m.: E.T. (1982), PG

July 22, 6 p.m.: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe (2005), PG

August 12, 6 p.m.: Surf’s Up (2007), PG

August 26, 6 p.m.: Despicable Me (2010), PG

General Admission tickets are $10 with discounts for multiple series purchases. Click here to purchase tickets for each movie performance, or by calling The Granada Theatre’s Box Office at 805/899-2222. The theater is located at 1214 State St. For more information please visit www.granadasb.org.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on June 6, 2015.

Cocktail Corner: SB Passport … to Libations!

Posted on June 6, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

Courtesy Santa Barbara Passport

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

As far as I’m concerned, there’s almost nothing better than the buzzy fun of enjoying summertime cocktails with friends—but one thing that does beat that is getting a great DEAL on summertime cocktails with friends.

There’s a new player in town—The Santa Barbara Passport—that offers great deals on drinks this summer at 28 establishments for just 20 bucks. This cleverly illustrated, pocket-sized booklet offers loads of drink deals—you receive a stamp in your booklet upon redemption—and the specials will run all summer through Labor Day (September 7), providing ample time to collect stamps and explore.

It even includes a section on Beer 101 and Wine Labels for Dummies, as well as cocktail fundamentals for making—and ordering—classic libations like Negronis, Manhattans and Old Fashioneds.

Courtesy Santa Barbara Passport

“The Passport is the friend that helps you decide where to go for happy hour, on a date or a Sunday afternoon,” says Casey Berry, co-founder of the Passport Program, who describes it as “a curated guide to the beverage culture of Santa Barbara.”

Indeed, participating venues include some of my favorites:

Corks n’ Crowns: Gold or craft brew flight for 50% off

Pure Order Brewing Company: Pint for 50% off

“Santa Barbara offers not just a great nightlife, but the drinks culture is so diverse that you won’t be disappointed when sipping a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Funk Zone or a cold White Rascal beer at American Ale,” says Jane Pimcomrie, city manager for the Santa Barbara branch of the Passport Program. “The Santa Barbara Passport features enough wineries for wine-lovers, breweries for after work socializing, and unique bars for cocktail and spirits junkies. Plus it will make the heat of summer that much more enjoyable.”

Can’t argue with that logic. For more information or to purchase a passport, go 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 Magazine on June 5, 2015.

Cocktail Corner: Passport Weekend at the Urban Wine Trail

Posted on May 29, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

Urban Wine trail 2015 passport-poster-v3 A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

Have you been wanting to check out what’s new on Santa Barbara’s Urban Wine Trail? If so, then the upcoming passport weekend (June 5-7) is your perfect opportunity.

The annual festivities feature a Passport to the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail for the weekend, and a Red & White AVA Seminar. TheSanta Barbara Urban Wine Trail Passport will be happening all

Lafond Winery tasting room, photo by Mercedes Lowe

Lafond Winery tasting room is one of 26 wineries featured on the Urban Wine Trail’s special passport event June 5-7, photo by Mercedes Lowe

weekend long—Friday to Sunday—at all of the 26 tasting rooms. The Passport includes special wine tasting opportunities and complimentary tastings, including the chance to meet winemakers, reserve vintage exhibitions, light bites and live musical entertainment. Passport holders will also get a 10% discount on wine purchases at all member tasting rooms that weekend.

Guests begin their wine tasting adventures by picking up their Passport and signature logo glass at any one of the three check-in points, including Carr Winery, Santa Barbara Winery and Margerum Wine Company.

The tasting kicks into high gear on Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Wine Cask restaurant with the Red & White AVA Seminar featuring eight of Santa Barbara’s top winemakers. I went last year and this is a MUST ATTEND event for wine lovers who want to learn more about our region.

Guests can sip through and learn about all of the AVA’s in Santa Barbara County. Each of the eight winemakers will share one of their finest wines that represent the AVA where it was grown. Mitchell Sjerven, owner of the renowned Bouchon restaurant, will moderate the seminar and guide guests through each of these unique and notable wines.

Last year’s Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail red and white AVA seminar, photo SB Urban Wine Trail Facebook.

Presenting winemakers are some of the most respected names in the business: Margerum Wine Company – Doug Margerum; Santa Barbara Winery – Bruce McGuire; Pali Wine Co. – Aaron Walker; Sanford – Steve Fennell; Carr Vineyards & Winery – Ryan Carr; Jaffurs – Craig Jaffurs; Kunin Wines – Seth Kunin; and Riverbench – Rawley Hermreck.

Passport tickets are $75 and AVA seminar tickets are also $75, or you can purchase a VIP All Access ticket for $125, which includes both events.

Photo courtesy Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail.

Urban Wine Trail member wineries include: Area 5.1 Winery, Au Bon Climat, Carr Vineyards & Winery, Cebada Vineyard and Winery (inside Isabella Gourmet Foods), Cottonwood Canyon, Deep Sea Tasting Room, Fox Wine Co., Grassini Family Vineyards, Happy Canyon Vineyard, Jaffurs Wine Cellars and Kalyra Winery.

Kunin Wines, Lafond Winery, Margerum Wine Company, Municipal Winemakers, Oreana Winery, Pali Wine Co., Riverbench Winery, Sanford, Sanguis, Santa Barbara Winery, Silver Wines, Summerland Winery, The Valley Project (a.k.a. AVA Santa Barbara) and Whitcraft Winery are also on the trail.

For more information visit, www.urbanwinetrailsb.com.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on May 29, 2015.

Dream Foundation’s Flower Empower Luncheon

Posted on May 23, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

Kenny Slaught (Dream Foundation, Board Chairman & Peony Sponsor), Elizabeth Slaught (Peony Sponsor), Lynette Hall (Flower Empower Event Committee), Kisa Heyer (Dream Foundation, Executive Director) and Tristan Layton (Dream Foundation, Director of Corporate Sponsorships & Marketing). Photo by Kacie Fowle (Portraits For Causes).

The Dream Foundation’s Flower Empower program, like all of its programs, delivers kindness and compassion to those in need—but this particular act of kindness comes in the form of fresh bouquets, made and delivered with love to show people that the community cares about them, and that they’re not alone.

This simple yet power message was on full display at last week’s luncheon, held at Kevin and Christine Costner’s oceanfront meadow in Summerland and attended by approximately 225 supporters, including lucky me!

Waxing Poetic designed and donated these special one-of-a-kind charms for Flower Empower supporters. Photo by Kacie Fowle (Portraits For Causes).

This unique spot, with a killer view, celebrated the dedicated band of volunteers (roughly 15 per week) who assemble and deliver 150 fresh bouquets a week to hospices, cancer centers, nursing homes and residences throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Flower Empower volunteers have made tens of thousands of flower deliveries in from Goleta to Ventura since the program began in June 1994.

To refer a flower recipient, contact Dream Foundation with your name and phone number, the name and address of the person you’re referring, and why you believe they need flowers. Perhaps he or she has lost a loved one, is recovering from surgery, has received a devastating diagnosis, is having a first or last chemo treatment, is in the hospital or a rehabilitation facility. These people will receive flowers every other week.

Farm-to-Table lunch set up, photo by Kacie Fowle (Portraits For Causes).

The program is made possible by the generosity of our community growers and retailers. It currently receives donated flowers from eight Carpinteria flower growers and distributors and is being sponsored by local residents Tim & Diane Brown and George & Lisa Hagerman.

Event hosts and Flower Empower volunteers Shirin Rajaee and Alan Rose of KEYT served as emcees. Nora McNeely-Hurley was the Flower Empower Luncheon Honorary Chair, and several supporters were honored at the event, including Special Volunteers of the Year, Roger & Robin Himovitz; Volunteers of the Year, William & Lauren Bonds; Youth Volunteer of the Year, Casey Slaught; and In-kind Donors of the Year, Jean-Michel & Jill Marie Carre, owners of Chocolats du Cali Bressan.

For more information about the Dream Foundation, click here.

Diane & Tim Brown (2015 Flower Empower Program Sponsors) with Valerie Banks (Flower Empower Coordinator). Photo by Kacie Fowle (Portraits For Causes).

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on May 21, 2015.

Cocktail Corner: The California Directory of Fine Wineries

Posted on May 22, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

CA Directory of Fine Wineries

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

The newest volume of The California Directory of Fine Wineries: Central Coast Edition (Wine House Press) takes a good thing and improves upon it, which isn’t always that easy to do.

Editor Tom Silberkleit has the tough job of navigating through hundreds of Central Coast wineries and tasting rooms and selecting the very best places to sip and savor throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Then writers K. Reka Badger and Cheryl Crabtree (both frequent Santa Barbara Seasons contributors), joined for this edition by Daniel Mangin, get to write profiles of the top 50 destinations, which each feature lush, full-color photographs by Robert Holmes, along with sidebars listing locations, specialties and nearby attractions.

It’s no surprise that this beautiful, visually-appealing book is featured in most of the top hotel rooms in the county. It would also make a great gift for the wine-loving people in your life.

Carhartt Vineyard tasting room, courtesy California Directory of Fine Wineries Facebook page

Among the Santa Barbara County wineries that made the cut are Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, Beckmen Vineyards, Blair Fox Cellars, Byron, Cambria Estate Winery, Carhartt Vineyard and Carr Vineyards & Winery.

Also featured are Costa de Oro Winery, D’Alfonso-Curran Wines, Demetria Estate Winery, Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery, Foley Food & Wine Society and Foxen.

Grassini Family Vineyards, Hitching Post Wines, Loring/Cargasacchi Tasting Room, Pali Wine Co., Sanford Winery & Vineyards, Silver Wines and Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards are also featured in The California Directory of Fine Wineries.

Byron tasting room, courtesy California Directory of Fine Wineries Facebook page

“There’s a lot more activity in the Funk Zone this time around,” says Crabtree, who wrote the majority of Santa Barbara County entries. The update includes the addition of a number of Santa Barbara urban wineries, including Pali, Silver Wines and Blair Fox in the Funk Zone, and Grassini, in the downtown El Paseo Wine Collection. There is also the addition of the Foley Food & Wine Society at the Bacara Resort & Spa, where you can taste from a large portfolio of Foley-owned wineries.

This visual feast of a wine book is available at Chaucer’s Bookstore, 3321 State St., as well as some of the local tasting rooms and wine-related venues.

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 Magazine on May 22, 2015.

La Primavera Fiesta Kick Off

Posted on May 20, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

El Presidente Cas Stimson (center) celebrating at La Primavera, photo by Fritz Olenberger

Last weekend was the official kick off for the 2015 Fiesta season, La Primavera, where El Presidente Cas Stimson unveiled the official Fiesta theme, poster design, and pin.

The theme, Fiesta Romántica, states Stimson, “recalls the time in the early 19th century when people met at parties filled with music and dance… that lasted for days! During this charming era, young men wooed their ladies with music and song under the moonlight. Old Spanish Days continues this romance of people coming together in celebration with their best friends and spouses. As has been the case with many visitors and residents of Santa Barbara, my wife Kathy and I met during Fiesta 25 years ago.”

La Primavera was held at the historic El Paseo Restaurant. Here’s a look at the event, featuring photos by Fritz Olenberger.

The 2015 Old Spanish Days poster, photo by Fritz Olenberger

Celebrating at La Primavera, photo by Fritz Olenberger

Erin Graffy de Garcia, celebrating at La Primavera, photo by Fritz Olenberger

2015 Spirit of Fiesta Alexandra Freres celebrating at La Primavera, photo by Fritz Olenberger

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on May 13, 2015.

Cocktail Corner: Carr Winery’s New CrossHatch Label

Posted on May 18, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

Winemaker Ryan Carr’s new CrossHatch label, photo courtesy Carr Winery

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

Creativity can often come from shaking things up a bit, which is exactly what winemaker Ryan Carr has done with his new label, CrossHatch, a project focusing on co-fermented blends from Santa Barbara County vineyards. After making only single varietal wines for 11 years, Ryan wanted to try something different. He and his wife Jessica came up with the idea of CrossHatch, inspired by cross hatching, an artistic technique that uses closely spaced intersecting lines to create shading, definition, and form in a drawing.

2012 CrossHatch Rhone Blend, Santa Ynez Valley, courtesy Carr Winery

Ryan adapted this technique to the winemaking process by harvesting multiple varietals on the same day then crushing and fermenting them together.

According to Carr Winery Marketing Manager Kayla Bonnin, “the idea of co-fermented wine is nothing new. Some of the best and oldest wines in the world are made this way, but with the microclimates of Santa Barbara it really adds another layer to the process. Co-fermentation brings out and creates flavors in the wine that would not have existed otherwise. This makes the CrossHatch wine truly one-of-a-kind.”

The labels are also quite unique, inspired by the antique winemaking equipment Ryan and his dad have collected over the years and created by local artist, Thomas Van Stein, who used the crosshatch technique to draw the crusher, corkscrew and basket press labels.

2012 CrossHatch Bordeaux Blend, Santa Ynez Valley, courtesy Carr Winery

There are three blends in the first CrossHatch portfolio (and lucky me, I got to try—and give a thumbs up to—all three:

2012 CrossHatch Bordeaux Blend, Santa Ynez Valley – $28 bottle 250 cases produced

Made of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, these two Bordeaux varietals add up to a beautiful garnet color with notes of cherries and jalapeños.

2012 CrossHatch Rhone Blend, Santa Ynez Valley – $25 bottle 225 cases produced

Made of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah to create a big, bold and spicy wine. It paired perfectly with Santa Maria style tri-tip.

2014 CrossHatch White Blend, Santa Ynez Valley – $17 bottle 154 cases produced

Made of 70% Viognier and 30% Marsanne, it’s not wonder that the makers described this white blend as “sunshine in a bottle. ” It’s a perfect summer wine with a beautiful golden color and a crisp finish.

For more information, visit www.carrwinery.com.

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on May 15, 2015.

Pacific Pride Foundation’s Royal Ball

Posted on May 15, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

(L-R): Linda Wallem-Etheridge, Jane Lynch, Jason Collins, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Don Roos, Dan Bucatinsky, and Joanna Kerns, photo by JP Montalvo.

Pacific Pride Foundation (PPF) hosted its Fourth Annual Royal Ball fundraiser last month at the Bacara Resort & Spa. The sold out event attracted 500 guests and a host of local Hollywood celebrities. Among the stars out that night: Jane Lynch of Glee fame was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld, Veep) presented Pacific Pride Foundation’s first ever Advocacy Award to Award Winning Director/Screenwriter Don Roos and Emmy award winning actor Dan Bucatinsky.

Danny Franzese, co-star of Mean Girls and the HBO series Looking; Marisa Tomei, actress and producer; Mary McCormack, actress, writer, and producer; Michael Morris, television director and producer; Linda Wallem, actress, writer producer; Jeff Perry, actor; Linda Lowy, casting director; Jason Collins, NBA Basketball star and Brunson Green, film producer and president of Harbinger Pictures, also attended the event.

(L-R) (back row): Pacific PrideFoundation Board of Directors: Marco Silva, Ralph Barbosa, Lamar Pugh, honoree Dan Bucatinsky, MicheleHock, honoree DonRoos, Solomon N’dungu, Alan Rose, Jessa Tucker Riley and Auralee Bunch. (front row): Go-go dancers from The Abbey in West Hollywood, photo by Joel Conroy.

Each year, Pacific Pride Foundation hosts the Royal Ball to bring together gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) people and straight allies to share a memorable evening of fun and celebration of our diverse community, all in support of Pacific Pride Foundation’s vital programs and services for the LGBTQ and HIV communities.

The mission of Pacific Pride Foundation is to advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community; care for people living with HIV; and prevent the transmission of HIV. For more information, please visit www.pacificpridefoundation.org/.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, photo by Joel Conroy.

Costumed greeters welcomed guests to the Pacific Pride Foundation’s 4th Annual Royal Ball. Photo by Isaac Hernandez.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on May 13, 2015.

Cocktail Corner: Lights, Camera, Cocktails

Posted on May 2, 2015 by lesliedinaberg

Grassini’s beautiful tasting room in El Paseo was one of our stops on the Eat This, Shoot That! tour. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg

Wining and Dining With Eat, This Shoot That!

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

Jamie Slone was a fun wine tasting stop on the Eat This, Shoot That! tour. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg.

Combining food and wine with photography is a great way to tour Santa Barbara, even for locals. We recently went on the new Eat This, Shoot That! trek through the Presidio neighborhood and the new Wine Collection of El Paseo and it was so much fun.

Led by photographer and foodie Tara Jones, owner of Eat This, Shoot That!, our tour met up at the historic De la Guerra Plaza, then we made our way to Hoffmann Brat Haus in Paseo Nuevo, where we were treated to a sausage sampler, including the classic German Hoffmann Brat, the Beer Brat, the Spicy Brat and the Mango Habanero, among others. Not only was the food tasty, but Jones offered some useful photo tips like, “when photographing food you should try different angles to put the plate in the foreground and the setting in the background,” and “spritz a little bit of water or lemon on the items to make them look even more appetizing.”

Our next stop was Jamie Slone Wines, (23 E. De la Guerra St.) a beautiful tasting room where, in addition to tasting limited production varietals from the best local vineyards, they also had visual aids—big, beautiful maps—to help explain the terroir and terrain and relate it to the excellent wines we were tasting.

Jim Clendenen’s Au Bon Climat was our next stop, and his distinctive wines—we tasted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir—didn’t disappoint. Nor did our much-needed nibbles at C’Est Cheese, just a quick walk through the Presidio neighborhood. As we walked the cobblestone pathways of this historic area, Jones offered local lore about the area’s rich culture, as well as pointing out a few short cuts that were new to me!

Some of the nibbles from C’Est Cheese. #regram @fit_lexy.

Margerum Wine Co. was our next tasting spot. Owner/winemaker Doug Margerum (one of the top local names in the industry) was there to greet us that day, which made our stop even more special. We also enjoyed tasting wines at Grassini Family Vineyards, (El Paseo, Suite 6) always a welcoming and charming experience, and Happy Canyon Vineyard, where Executive Winemaker Sean Pitts shared both wine and horse (the family is every bit as passionate about polo as they are about wine) stories with the group.

It really was a great way to spend the afternoon! To learn more, visit EatThisShootThat.com.

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns. Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on May 1, 2015.

LeslieDinaberg.com

Leslie Dinaberg Editor & Writer

Tag Archives: Santa Barbara Seasons

Local Poets on Ray Strong

Reel Cool Movies at the Granada

Cocktail Corner: SB Passport … to Libations!

Cocktail Corner: Passport Weekend at the Urban Wine Trail

Dream Foundation’s Flower Empower Luncheon

Cocktail Corner: The California Directory of Fine Wineries

La Primavera Fiesta Kick Off

Cocktail Corner: Carr Winery’s New CrossHatch Label

Pacific Pride Foundation’s Royal Ball

Cocktail Corner: Lights, Camera, Cocktails

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