Tag Archives: Leslie Dinaberg

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

Posted on by
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

Posted on by
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

Posted on by
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.

Mark Your Calendars for La Arcada Christmas Walk

Posted on by

La-Arcada-ChristmasThe spirit of Christmas—both past and present—is alive and well at this favorite annual celebration taking place on Wednesday, December 4, from 5–8 p.m. The charming, historic arcade’s holiday open house has all the trimmings including twinkling lights, costumed carolers, refreshments and the chance to tell Santa what a good boy or girl you’ve been this year (and even snap a photo if you’ve been really, really good!).

In its 19th year, the La Arcada Christmas Walk is a festive way to start the holiday season, and spend time with the whole family in a beautiful setting wandering down the enchanting, tree filled courtyard as it is transformed into a winter wonderland.  Hungry? Andersen’s, Cielito, Jeannine’s, La Arcada Bistro, Petit Valentien and State & Fig will all be open for dining that evening.

Photos with Santa are FREE (5 to 7:30 p.m.), as are fresh popped popcorn, treats in shops and the chance to sing-a-long to familiar holiday tunes.

Retail stores and specialty shops including Chocolats du CaliBressan, Coast 2 Coast Collection, Encanto, Hampstead Village, Kathleen Cooper Fine Papers, Lewis and Clark, La Tavola, Peanuts, Oliver & Espig, Renaissance, Socorro, The Barber Shop, Urban Optics and the new Isabella Gourmet Foods and Sanford Winery will extend their hours for this very special evening.  Art enthusiasts will enjoy visiting Gallery 113, Santa Barbara Arts, Waterhouse Gallery and the historically significant permanent collection of interactive sculptures throughout the Historic La Arcada Courtyard.

La Arcada is located at 1114 State St. between Figueroa and Anapamu streets.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on November 26, 2103.

Local Arts and Culture Nonprofits Join Giving Tuesday Movement to Encourage Nonprofit Support

Posted on by

image003First there was Black Friday. Then there was Cyber Monday and now we have Giving Tuesday on Tuesday, December 3.

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Ensemble Theatre Company, Ganna Walska Lotusland, Lobero Theatre Foundation, Music Academy of the West, Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, Santa Barbara Dance Institute, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Zoo, State Street Ballet, The Granada Theatre, and Wildling Museum have joined Giving Tuesday, a first of its kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners—charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform the way people talk about, think about and participate in the giving season.

Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the traditional kickoff of the holiday shopping season, the aim of Giving Tuesday is to inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the causes they support and ultimately help to create a better world.

Launched in 2012, Giving Tuesday welcomed more than 2,500 partners from all 50 states in the U.S. The collective efforts of partners, donors, and advocates helped fuel a 50% increase in online giving. Last year more than 50 million people worldwide spread the word about Giving Tuesday―resulting in milestone trending on Twitter.

Sounds like a lovely idea to us!

For more information about the Giving Tuesday initiative and to search participating nonprofits in the Santa Barbara area, visit www.givingtuesday.org.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 1, 2103.

Local Artist Christine Brallier Exhibits Mosaics and Signs Newly Illustrated “The Night Before Christmas”

Posted on by
book_coverMosaic artist Christine Brallier‘s first children’s book was recently released: the classic, The Night Before Christmas, newly illustrated with her stained glass mosaics.  Brallier spent four years creating the 15 mosaics for the book, which were made by hand cutting thousands of pieces of stained glass and fitting them together to form the images.
For the month of December, all 15 of her mosaics will be on exhibit at Granada Books,  1224 State St. The book is also available locally at Chaucer’s Books.
In addition, for the 1st Thursday event of December (Dec. 5), Brallier will be on hand at Granada Books where she will read and sign books, as well as share her mosaics.
For more information visit  www.cbmosaics.blogspot.com or www.cbmosaics.com.
—Leslie Dinaberg
Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on December 2, 2103.

Cocktail Corner: Enjoy Cocktails With Culture at 1st Thursday: After Hours

Posted on by
Figueroa Mountain Brewery

Figueroa Mountain Brewery

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg

It used to be that the fun was just getting started when 1st Thursday ended…but not anymore! Lobero Theatre, The Granada and The New Victoria Theatre have teamed up for a terrific new production: Historic Theatre District’s 1st Thursday: After Hours from 7:30–9:30 p.m., where you can enjoy your cocktails with culture every 1st Thursday.

Premiering on Thursday, December 5,  1st Thursday: After Hours  is a fun FREE event featuring entertainment by magician Mark Collier, bites from Sojourner Café, and beer tasting by Figueroa Mountain Brewery. This first one will be on the historic (newly reopened) Lobero Esplanade in front of the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.

In addition, the party also features a no-host bar and additional live entertainment.

This is the first of six “1st Thursday After Hours” celebrations with Santa Barbara’s newly formed Historic Theatre District in which the Lobero Theatre, the Granada Theatre and The New Vic are teaming up for new ways to access the best in Santa Barbara’s performing arts. After enjoying the exhibits throughout the downtown galleries and local shops, guests are invited to keep the fun going  in Santa Barbara’s Historic Theatre District.

Hosted at a different theater each month, the 1st Thursday After Hours will feature sips and bites from one of the Theatre District’s restaurant partners and live local entertainment.

“This creative partnership between the three theaters is a great example of cultural organizations coming together to increase access to the arts and expand their audiences, while engaging the community,” says Ginny Brush, executive director of the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission. “1st Thursday has become an immensely popular tradition for local Santa Barbara arts and culture enthusiasts, igniting the Cultural Arts District after 5 p.m. With the addition of ‘After Hours’ at the theaters, that energy can continue!”
The schedule of 1st Thursday: After Hours through the Spring is:
·       December 5, 2013 at the Lobero Theatre
·       Skipping January due to holidays
·       February 6 at The Granada Theatre
·       March 6 at the New Vic
·       April 3 at the Lobero Theatre
·       May 1 at The Granada Theatre
·       June 5 at the New Vic

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally featured in Santa Barbara SEASONS Magazine on November 29, 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.”

Cocktail Corner: Thanksgiving With Friends

Posted on by

Friends ThanksgivingA spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg

When I count my blessings this Thanksgiving season—gobble by gobble, of course—friends and family fall at the very top of the list.

So cheers to a happy holiday to all of you and yours … and a little bit of Friends fun to get us in the mood.

 

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.”

‘Yachts of Love’ Raises $156,000 for Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care

Posted on by
(L-R) Tom Parker (Chairman of the Charity Regatta), Robyn Parker (Regatta Steering Committee member), Lynda Tanner (President & CEO of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care), Rick Keith (Executive Director of the Foundation of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care). Photo by Rhianna Mercier

(L-R) Tom Parker (Chairman of the Charity Regatta), Robyn Parker (Regatta Steering Committee member), Lynda Tanner (President & CEO of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care), Rick Keith (Executive Director of the Foundation of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care). Photo by Rhianna Mercier

Friends and supporters of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care gathered at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club to celebrate the 9th Annual “Yachts of Love” Charity Regatta. The event benefitted Serenity House, and successfully raised $156,000 for the organization’s 18-bed inpatient residential hospice home.

Before the first gun went off to start the race, the Harbor Patrol did a ceremonial ‘Fire Dance’ complete with fire hoses to send the racers on their way. Nearly 30 sailboats competed in this year’s Charity Regatta, and in the end, Prevail came in first for the “A” fleet, captained by Celebrity Skippers Todd Pazier and Hugh Montgomery (both with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department). Jim Rampton, Battalion Chief of the Carpinteria/Summerland Fire Station, steered Bullet into first for the “B” fleet.

After the race, guests made their way back to the Yacht Club for a delicious barbecue dinner, and a final chance to bid on the silent auction items.

 

Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care is the leading nonprofit provider of comprehensive in-home health care. The mission of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care is to provide high quality, comprehensive home health, hospice and related services necessary to promote the health and well-being of all community residents, including those unable to pay. It serves the greater Santa Barbara area, and Santa Ynez and Lompoc Valleys and  is one of Santa Barbara’s oldest nonprofit organizations. For more information click here or call 805/965-5555.

—Leslie Dinaberg

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

PathPoint Wins Legacy Award at Clean Business Awards

Posted on by
Congratulations to PathPoint for winning the Clean Business Investment Summit’s (CBIS) Legacy Award for 2013. The organization—a locally-based nonprofit organization that provides services, programs, and opportunities for people with disabilities and disadvantages since 1964—is the first nonprofit to receive the prestigious award, which honors those who have demonstrated significant contributions to education, leadership, innovation and the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem to most effectively inspire and build new entrepreneurs while upholding the principals of Clean Business.
The award recognizes PathPoint’s nationally-recognized programs that support people with disabilities and disadvantages through employment, housing, and developmental training—enabling them to become integrated, productive members within communities. Thanks to PathPoint’s programs, more than 2,300 people in California each year are supported in their steps to live productive, independent lives within the five counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, and Kern. As a $24 million organization, PathPoint has an annual overhead of only 11% enabling it to give back 89 cents of every dollar that it receives to helping the people and communities it serves.
“This award is a validation to the men and women in our organization who have made it their life-long mission to serve people and communities,” says PathPoint president and CEO Cindy Burton, in her acceptance remarks. “We hope to continue with our work through collaboration with businesses and organizations who share our passion and mission to serve others.”
For extended more information, visit www.pathpoint.org.
—Leslie Dinaberg
Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on November 19, 2013.