Cocktail Corner: Downtown Art & Wine Tour

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

downtown art and wine tourGreat art & wonderful wine make excellent bedfellows, especially when you add in fabulous food (which they do) at the 2014 Downtown Art & Wine Tour, which takes place on Thursday, May 22 from 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Stroll along State Street with fellow art lovers. Each venue is paired with a restaurant and winery for you to savor. Venues include: The Painted Cabernet; Artamo Gallery; Santa Barbara Frame Shop & Gallery; Bella Rosa Galleries; Oliver & Espig; Metropolitan; Indigo Interiors; Distinctive Framing ‘N’ Art; Santa Barbara Arts; Churchill Jewelers; Ca’Dario Gallery and Captured Spirit Photography.

Wineries include: Babcock Winery; Sanford Winery; Buttonwood Winery; Grassini Family Vineyards; Au Bon Climat Winery; Deep Sea Wines; Fess Parker Winery; Santa Barbara Winery; The Brander Vineyard; Armada Wine & Beer Merchant; Windrun Vintners and Presidio Winery.

There are also nibbles at every venue and still more tasty food at the Final Party. Participants include: Brasil Arts Café; Cielito Restaurant; State & Fig; Enterprise Fish Company; Blush Restaurant & Lounge; Chase Bar & Grill; Los Arroyos Mexican Restaurant; Ca’Dario Pizzeria; Savoy Café & Deli; Chuck’s Waterfront Grill; Alchemy Café; Finch & Fork; bouchon Santa Barbara; Opal Restaurant & Bar; Sugar Cat Studio cupcakes, Caribbean Coffee and from the Santa Barbara Public Market: Crazy Good Bread Co., Culture Counter, Santa Monica Seafood and Wine + Beer.

Downtown Art & Wine Tour flyerThe festivities are followed by a Final Party at The Santa Barbara Club (1105 Chapala St.), featuring Cutler’s Artisan Spirits doing tastings, as well as pouring a specialty cocktail created just for the tour, the “A&WT’ini,” along with yet more wine, food, music, dancing and fun. AMS Entertainment will capture the memories and DJ Darla Bea will keep your feet moving and fingers snapping throughout the evening. Plus, a silent auction will showcase wonderful gifts and packages, all benefiting the 62nd Annual Downtown Holiday Parade.

Tickets are $75 for the tour and Final Party and are on sale now online at this link or in person at the Arlington Theatre Box Office or  the Downtown Organization office (27-B E.t de la Guerra St., open Mon.-Fri 9 a.m.-4 p,m.). A limited number of tickets are available and advance purchase is a must. Check-in begins at 5:15 p.m. at The Santa Barbara Club. For more information, please call 805/962-2098, ext. 24 or visit santabarbaradowntown.com.

Hope to see you there!

Cheers!

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.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on May 9, 2014.

Cocktail Corner: Viva la Fiesta!

Paradise Cafe Margarita, courtesy photo

Paradise Cafe Margarita, courtesy photo

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

Margaritas are part of the DNA of Santa Barbara and—along with buying Cascarones and seeing old friends—one of my favorite ways to celebrate Old Spanish Days. My son was born on July 27, 1999 and once I got over the initial euphoria, the first thing I wanted to do was drink a Margarita. After all it was Fiesta time and that’s how we do it around here.

There are lots of wonderful places to get Margaritas this weekend (and any weekend for that matter). Here are a few of my favorites downtown:

El Paseo Restaurant (813 Anacapa St.) is one of the oldest and best places to celebrate Fiesta, and their El Paseo Margarita, made with Hornitos, Citronage and Grand Marnier always yummy. Rumor has it my late father-in-late was known to drink these out of lovely seniorita’s shoes during particularly lively Fiesta celebrations. I guess we’ll never know, but the legend lives on.

Carlitos Cafe Y Cantina (1324 State St.) also has terrific Margaritas made with fresh juices, not to mention a fun patio for people watching.

You also can’t beat the beautiful Spanish-influenced interiors of Cadiz (509 State St.)  for cocktails, and their Margaritas are sublime.

Paradise Cafe (702 Anacapa St.), as I’ve written before, has simple, straightforward and consistently delicious Paradise Margaritas, poured straight up on the rocks, with Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila.

Casa Blanca, (330 State St.) with its intricate tile work, is one of the most beautiful restaurants in town. Try the Prickly Pear Margarita for special treat, made with El Charro Reposado Tequila, fresh prickly pear and a dash of triple sec, lemonade, fresh squeezed OJ and fresh squeezed lime.

Cielito Restaurant in La Arcada (1114 State St.) has a to-die-for Millionaire Margarita made with Don Julio 1942, Grand Marnier 100-year and fresh lime juice on the rocks but if the $35 price is too steep for you, I also recommend their spectacular Blackberry Margarita, made with Peligroso Blanco, Leopold’s Rocky Mountain Blackberry, fresh lime juice and agave syrup.

With a name like Blue Agave (20 E. Cota St.) it’s no surprise that this place has a long menu of Margaritas. Try the Guava Margarita (Guavarita?) for a delicious fruity variation of the classic.

No matter which direction your taste buds take you, all of these Margaritas taste exactly like a Margarita should: with enough tang to make your lips pucker, enough sweetness to make everyone look prettier and enough Tequila to make your companions smarter, more and wittier, if not downright hilarious.

Via la!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Originally appeared in Santa Barbara SEASONS Magazine.

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.”