805 Living May 2017 by 805 Living

M AY 2017

MADE IN THE 805

Dedicated to the extraordinary. The exceptional. The unique.

Composition Li by Piet Mondrian

O FFICE L OC ATIONS : W ESTLAKE V ILLAGE • C ALABASAS • H IDDEN H ILLS

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lightsculptures The functionality of lighting with the intrinsic qualities of art give your room something to say. Handmade by artist Timothy J. Ferrie Studio: 31200 La Baya, Suite 305 Westlake Village, CA 91362 Email: tjferrie@me.com 805/276-5655 www.tjferrie.com

Discover Olivella — the all new signature restaurant at the authentically reimagined Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. It’s a true culinary achievement where valley-to-table cuisine comes alive with an adventurous California take on Italian gourmet. And, it has recently been honored as the only 4 star restaurant between LA and Northern California. Reserve your favorite table today.

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Beauty. Warmth. Comfort. (Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we do best.)

I n t erIor D esI g n | rem ar kab le r eso urc es

Left to right: Kristen Love, Genaro Lagdameo, Karen Shoener, Marcella Van Huisen, Carla Padour

960 South Westlake Blvd., Suite #6, Westlake Village (805) 418-1890 www.InteriorDesignWestlake.com

29201 LARO DRIVE, AGOURA HILLS, CA 91301

3807 BOWSPRIT CIR., WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91361

MORRISON HIGHLANDS

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16007 DICKENS ST., ENCINO, CA 91316

4420 ALONZO AVE., ENCINO, CA 91316

1465 EASTWIND CIRCLE, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91362

1171 DEEPWOOD DRIVE, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91362

3901 FRESHWIND CIRCLE, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA 91362

WESTLAKE ISLAND

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As highlighted on the cover and in featured article of 805 Living â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s April Home & Garden issue

Cal BRE# 01358509

Contents M AY 2 0 1 7 â&#x20AC;˘ M A D E I N T H E 8 0 5

FEATURES 68 Made in the 805

Produced by locals and beloved far and wide, these finds are worthy sources of Central Coast pride. By Elizabeth Turner Photographs by Gary Moss

Beer Made Here

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

The local craft brew culture forges a head. By Matt Kettmann and Mike Dawson Photographs by Gary Moss GARY MOSS

On the Cover The works of master surfboard-shaper Robert Weiner of Roberts Surfboards in Ventura stand ready to rip. Turn to page 68 for more about these and other quintessential 805-area creations. Photograph by Gary Moss

THE DATEJUST 41 The new generation of the essential classic, with a new movement and design that keep it at the forefront of watchmaking. It doesn’t just tell time. It tells history.

OYSTER PERPETUAL DATEJUST 41

rolex

oyster perpetual and datejust are ® trademarks.

Contents M AY 2 0 1 7 • M A D E I N T H E 8 0 5

62 38

60 Faces in the Crowd 60 Trevor Thompson

and Alex Blackmon The founders of Elevated Media fill a niche for digital content.

By Frances Ryan

Good Deeds

By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

and Oaks Christian School

98 Dining Guide

62 Counter Intelligence Smart options for elevated seating.

Pulse

44 Go Cambria

Finds

Insider

Thanks to these essential wares, the art of the picnic never looked so good.

46 Local Events & Family Fun 48 Hot Ticket 50 Show Your Support 52 Worth a Drive 53 Give Back

29 Tracking the Beat of the 805 33 Alfresco

By Jennie Nunn

36 Hello, Yellow

By Heidi Dvorak

66 Laguna Blanca School By Mark Langton Photographs by Brad Elliott and Mark Langton

Taste

86 FOOD: Savory Meets Strawberry The dessert-friendly fruit ventures into new territory.

P.S. Sketchpad

112 Home Brews of the 805 By Greg Clarke

In Every Issue

18 Editor’s Note 20 Masthead 24 Behind the Scenes

By Jaime Lewis

The season’s hottest hue is a ray of sunshine.

54 Mind Body Soul

Visit Us Online!

By Frances Ryan

By Elizabeth Turner

38 Stripe Hype Line up for spring’s latest trend.

Arts & Culture

805living.com Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest keyword: 805Living Check out the digital version of 805 Living on our website. It’s smartphone and tablet compatible.

56 Personal Tastes

By Frances Ryan

The Cottage Food Law brings home cooking to the marketplace.

40 Travel

By Joan Tapper

By Erin Rottman

By Heidi Dvorak

94 DINING OUT: A New Mexperience Restaurateur Carlos Luna showcases the premium spirits and sophisticated dishes of Mexico in a fine-dining setting at Santa Barbara’s Indigo Hotel.

Upgrades

DEPARTMENTS

By Matt Kettmann

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Become an 805 Living Insider! Sign up to receive “The Insider,” our free mid-month newsletter that provides additional suggestions for local events and activities, last-minute getaway ideas, and little extras—like food and wine tips—to help you get through the month. Insiders will also receive special offers, contest news, event invitations, and more. Subscribe at 805living.com.

60: GARY MOSS; 40: COURTESY CHILENO BAY RESORT & RESIDENCES

By Joan Tapper Photography by Gary Moss

90 WINE: Wine + Burger = Bliss Central Coast winemakers pair their juice with preferred patties.

W I L L I A M H E N R Y. C O M AVA I L A B L E AT W E ST · 9 5 2 8 S . S A N TA M O N I C A B LV D. · B E V E R LY H I L L S · ( 3 1 0 ) 4 70 - 9 0 6 3

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The Oaks Group at Morgan Stanley

ÂŠ2017 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

CRC# 1763342 4/17

Editor’s Note

“Buy local” has never meant more than it does today. 805 PRIDE RUNS ESPECIALLY HIGH IN THIS ISSUE IN WHICH WE CELEBRATE THE PRODUCTS MADE RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD. THOSE INNOVATIVE ITEMS HAVE HELPED ESTABLISH THE REGION’S reputation as a place where talent thrives. We live among creative, novel, and entrepreneurial producers, who work to shape the unique character of the 805 and make the rest of the world take notice. The region’s natural beauty is a powerful muse for the craftspeople, chefs, artists, and designers who live and work here. The sparkling ocean, rugged mountains, beaches, agricultural fields, and sun-soaked days make an impact on what’s created and grown here, and in turn, those goods come to represent the excellence within our community. We scoured the Central Coast to find inspired examples of locally made goods, and while it was near impossible to narrow the list, Elizabeth Turner writes about a wonderful mix of items representing the spirit of the region in “Made in the 805” on page 68. Our craft beer community is so hopping we could fill an entire issue with coverage of the burgeoning industry. Matt Kettmann plunges into the sudsy scene in “Beer Made Here” on page 76. Find out what happens when local chefs think “savory vs. sweet” when creating recipes using one of the region’s signature crops in “Savory Meets Strawberry” by Jaime Lewis on page 86. And, of course, there’s lots more to explore when you start turning the pages. It’s just going to get even more exciting around here in the years ahead, which is why I’m so grateful that bringing locally produced goods of all kinds to your attention has been a part of our mission since we first started publishing. We’ll have great local finds in every issue—especially this one. See you next month.

Lynne Andujar Editor in Chief & Publisher

GARY MOSS

edit@805living.com

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

LET’S EVOLVE YOUR IDEA OF VACATION. Nothing opens up the world like exploring the Galapagos Islands, and world travelers have been sailing there with us for more than 12 years. Now with three amazing ships, we offer the most comprehensive, all-inclusive vacations, satisfying every type of modern explorer. With our stylish staterooms, globally inspired dining, and intuitive service, it’s only natural for you to discover the Galapagos with us. Visit celebritycruises.com, call 1-800-CELEBRITY, or contact your travel agent.

EDITOR IN CHIEF & PUBLISHER

Lynne Andujar

edit@805living.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Bernard Scharf MANAGING EDITOR

Kathy Tomlinson DESIGNER

Sophie Patenaude PHOTO EDITOR

Gary Moss

photo@805living.com SENIOR EDITOR

Heidi Dvorak CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Mark Langton (Philanthropic Events), Jennie Nunn (Shopping), Erin Rottman (Travel), Frances Ryan (Fashion, Interior Design) CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

Jaime Lewis CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mike Dawson, Victoria Woodard Harvey, Matt Kettmann, Hana-Lee Sedgwick, Joan Tapper, Elizabeth Turner CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Greg Clarke RESEARCH EDITORS

Gaylen Ducker Grody, Grace Jidoun, Tajinder Rehal CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Gary Moss CONSULTING EDITOR

home furnishings

interior design

online w w w.c a b a n a h o m e .c o m

i n - s t o re santa barbara • san francisco

805 Living content may not be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopy, without the express written permission of the publisher. 805 Living is not responsible for loss of or damage to unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork, or any other unsolicited material. Unsolicited material will not be returned. 3Digit Media, LLC, and its affiliates, contributors, writers, editors, and publisher accept no responsibility for errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. 3Digit Media’s liability in the event of an error is limited to a printed correction. 3Digit Media does not assume liability for products or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility for claims made by the advertisers.

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Please recycle this magazine when you are finished.

805 LIVING, MAY 2017

SAN YSIDRO RANCH

More awards than any other hotel/resort in the United States.

#1 Favorite Leisure Hotel Anywhere in the world ... Forbes #1 Resort in the United States ... Travel + Leisure #1 Top 20 U.S. Hideaways ... Andrew Harper #1 America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants ... Wine Enthusiast #1 Top 20 Food + Wine Resorts ... Andrew Harper #1 Most Romantic Restaurant ... Santa Barbara News-Press #1 Diner’s Choice ... Open Table Grand Award - Stonehouse Restaurant ... Wine Spectator Hall of Fame Award ... TripAdvisor 900 SAN YSIDRO LANE, SANTA BARBARA, CA 805-565-1700

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Jennifer S. Vogelbach Home furnishings and design, fine jewelry, fashion jennifer@805living.com 818-427-3496 ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES

Dave and Karen Bottom San Luis Obispo County dandkbott@aol.com 858-472-3017

Ingrid C’deBaca Real estate, home builders, vacation properties, insurance ingrid@805living.com 818-597-9220

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Amra Neal Travel, entertainment, dining, food and beverage, education, health, fitness, beauty amra@805living.com 310-924-2631

Lisa Kitchin Automotive, financial/banking, mortgage, nonprofit organizations lisa@805living.com 818-268-8001 ADVERTISING DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Sophie Patenaude sophie@805living.com OPERATIONS MANAGER ACCOUNTING

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ADVERTISING QUERIES

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805 Living is published 10 times a year and is a property of 3Digit Media, LLC. 3717 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake Village, CA 91362 CEO

805 LIVING, MAY 2017

Behind the Scenes There’s nothing like buying homegrown and locally made products to foster a sense of community. Here are the made-in-the-805 favorites of our featured contributors. Matt Kettmann Grass Fed Uruguay Ribeye

Balsamic Reduction|Pea Tendril Pistou Shoe String Potato Fries|Arugula Treviso|Garlic Oil

“Scar of the Sea hard cider is a revelation in the beverage world, and it pairs perfectly with both the uni that Stephanie Mutz pulls from the Channel Islands and the mussels that Bernard Friedman farms off of Hope Ranch,” says contributing writer Matt Kettmann (“Beer Made Here,” page 76, and Taste/Wine, page 90). Kettmann is the senior editor at The Santa Barbara Independent and contributing editor at Wine Enthusiast.

Hana-Lee Sedgwick “My favorite local product has to be wine,” says contributing writer Hana-Lee Sedgwick (Pulse, page 29). “We’re spoiled here because we have access to such a wide variety of wine, and the quality is outstanding. It’s a product that brings people together to share stories and create lasting memories.” Sedgwick’s work appears in The Tasting Panel, Edible Santa Barbara, 7x7, and Santa Barbara Seasons.

Call now for a reservation.

“Organic strawberries from Harry’s Berries in Oxnard,” says contributing writer Elizabeth Turner (Mind Body Soul, page 54, and “Made in the 805,” page 68). “I’m always on the lookout for them at farmers’ markets, especially the sweet-tart Seascape variety.” Turner’s work appears in Prevention and Los Angeles.

KETTMANN: BRIAN HALL

Elizabeth Turner

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Behind the Scenes Our featured experts raise a glass in agreement when it comes to their favorite 805-created products. “My favorites are two that we grow: chardonnay and avocados. They pair well together.” —Brian Talley

For some of life’s questions, you’re not alone. Together we can find an answer. This year, resolve to stay on top of what you need to know and build a sound strategy around your long-term financial plan. Given potential volatility, making rational decisions based on the right insights—and your financial goals—will help you weather any market with confidence. Your UBS Financial Advisor can give you thoughtful, trusted advice and can incorporate your ultimate goals into a clear, actionable financial plan. That way, you’ll always know where you stand. And where you’re going. Stephen W. Davis, CIMA® Senior Vice President–Wealth Management Senior Portfolio Manager stephen.w.davis@ubs.com The Davis Group UBS FInancial Services Inc. 3011 Townsgate Road, Suite 300 Westlake Village, CA 91361 805-367-3680 844-892-2438 ubs.com/team/davisgroup

“From Santa Barbara, Telegraph Brewing White Ale Belgian-style witbier with orange peel, coriander, and local chamomile flowers.” —Justin M. Crider

(“Beer Made Here,” page 76) beer professor, Lama Dog Tap Room and Bottle Shop Santa Barbara

“Hoppy Poppy by Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.— great beer by a great family‑owned operation.” —Carlos Luna

(Dining Out, page 94) owner of Santo Mezcal and Los Agaves restaurants, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Westlake Village, and soon in Oxnard.

“Topa Topa Brewing Company’s Chief Peak IPA. Topa Topa is based in Ventura and has taprooms in Ventura and Santa Barbara.” —Robert Graham

CIMA® is a registered certification mark of the Investment Management Consultants Association® in the United States of America and worldwide. In providing wealth management services to clients, we offer both investment advisory and brokerage services, which are separate and distinct and differ in material ways. For information, including the different laws and contracts that govern, visit ubs.com/workingwithus. © UBS 2017. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC. Ad_31.00_3.5625x10.375_HY0216_DavS

(Arts & Culture, page 56) attorney, Matthew I. Berger Law Group, APC Santa Barbara

TALLEY: JEREMY BALL/BOTTLE BRANDING; CRIDER: BENJAMIN PRATT; GRAHAM: MATTHEW BERGER

How can I react less, and plan more?

(Taste/Wine, page 90) president of Talley Vineyards and Talley Farms Arroyo Grande

TOP INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE LENDER IN TOTAL PURCHASE VOLUME IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 2016 OVERALL TOTAL PURCHASE VOLUME LOS ANGELES, ORANGE, SAN DIEGO, SAN BERNARDINO, RIVERSIDE, VENTURA & IMPERIAL COUNTIES

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Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS ID#6606. Â© New American Funding. New American and New American Funding are registered trademarks of Broker Solutions Inc. dba New American Funding. All Rights Reserved. Corporate Office is located at 14511 Myford Road, Suite 100, Tustin CA 92780. Phone (800) 450-2010. 2/2017

COMING THIS SUMMER TO VENTURA’S WESTSIDE 3 EXCEPTIONAL NEW HOME NEIGHBORHOODS/ 3 COMMUNITY PARKS ALONDRA Stylish Townhomes Up to 2,045 Sq. Ft. and 4 Bedrooms From the Mid $400,000s

LADERA Single-Family Homes Up to 2,604 Sq. Ft. and 5 Bedrooms From the Mid $500,000s BARCELO Single-Family Homes Up to 2,971 Sq. Ft. and 5 Bedrooms From the Low $600,000s COMMUNITY PARK

ALONDRA RENDERING

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Introducing Solana Heights, a new family-friendly community located 2 miles from Ventura’s downtown and close to popular shopping and dining, the Pacific Coast and local freeways. To learn more, visit SolanaHeights.com.

Square footage/acreage shown is only an estimate and actual square footage/acreage will differ. Buyer should rely on his or her own evaluation of useable area. Completion and/or move-in dates are estimated. Plans to build out this neighborhood as proposed are subject to change without notice. The estimated completion date of the community park is Fall 2017. The date of actual completion could substantially differ from the estimated date. Prices, plans and terms are effective on the date of publication and subject to change without notice. Depictions of homes or other features are artist conceptions. This community is part of Maintenance Assessment District #23, which provides funding for streetlights on public streets and alleys, drainage improvements, sewer improvements, street and alley improvements, and parks and park facilities for all District residents CalAtlantic Group, Inc. California Real Estate License No. 01138346. 4/17

Pulse

JESSICA BEWLEY/SKYLINE FLOWER GROWERS

T R AC K I N G T H E B E AT O F T H E 8 0 5

LONG-STANDING ARRANGEMENTS

A few Central Coast wholesale flower growers make it easy for everyone to bring home the freshest locally grown blooms available. Skyline Flower Growers (skylineflowers. com), which has been in operation for more than 50 years, offers fresh-cut blossoms for purchase at its Nipomo location and at area farmers’ markets. Also in Nipomo, Eufloria Flowers (eufloriaflowers.com) sells from its facility and at 16 farmers’ markets. “Just like getting food directly from a local farm, selling flowers

to the public and through farmers’ markets gives people the opportunity to get the freshest, highest-quality products at a great price,” says sales manager Chad Nelson. In Agoura Hills, Far East Wholesale Flowers (fareastwholesaleflowers.com) purchases the majority of its stock from local growers to give the public access to the staying power of fresh flowers any time of year. “Everyone deserves to have really fresh flowers that will last,” says owner Stephanie Batarse. —Hana-Lee Sedgwick 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

Pulse A new Malibu development offers a local rarity—condos with luxurious amenities—for sale.

ROCKIN’ KINDNESS

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy, especially when it means owning a luxury home in Malibu, all year-round. It’s possible at Cavalleri (cavallerimalibu.com; from $1,230,000), a new Pacific Eagle development of 68 Spanish Revival– style two- and three-bedroom condominiums within a gated community. “There are limited condominium homes for sale in the area,” says senior vice president of development Hans Galland, “and this project will provide home-buying opportunities for those wanting to immerse themselves in the magic of Malibu.” Located on a 10-acre reserve just east of Pacific Coast Highway, the resort-style property offers high-end amenities, such as a 52-foot swimming pool and private cabanas, walking paths through a nature preserve, a yoga terrace, a fitness center, tennis courts, barbeques, and a meditation space. Airy, open floor plans include craft finishes, hardwood floors, spa-quality bathrooms, and gourmet kitchens. Luxury Attaché, a private concierge service, is on hand to assist residents with arranging personal services and shopping and entertainment experiences. It’s Zuma Beach–close and coastline cool. —Heidi Dvorak

FAMILY HARMONY Ventura resident Tim Curran (timcurranofficial.com) is one cool dude. He is a former world-champion professional surfer as well as a singer and composer whose songs embrace the heart and soul of his family. His new album, Alexander Road, is named for a road near the family ranch, where he and his loved ones spend time hiking and fishing. “A lot of my inspiration comes from my wife and kids and how much they mean to me,” says Curran. Now that’s one cool dad. —H.D.

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

accessible to people of all ages, and rock painting fits this vision,” says Moore, who set up the company’s first rock-painting station in Pismo Beach at an American Cancer Society Relay for Life of 5 Cities fundraiser. The rock-hiding movement calls upon artistry to stir both those who hide their painted rocks and those who find them. “It doesn’t take a lot of time or money for this type of random act of kindness,” Moore says, “and we hope it provides a source of inspiration to everyone involved.”  —H.L.S.

CONDOS: COURTESY OF PACIFIC EAGLE HOLDINGS; ROCKS: ANN MOORE/WANDERING ART CART; CURRAN: TAYLOR CURRAN

LIVING THE DREAM

Find a rock, paint a design or message on it, and then hide it for someone to find. It’s a national painted-rock movement and Ann Moore and Eva Nappier, owners of Wandering Art Cart (wanderingartcart.com), a craft workshop- and party-hosting company, are helping to spread it throughout the Central Coast. “Our vision is to make art and creative expression more

*Listed by Kevin & Tim Fitzgerald 805.558.2023

Enter for a chance to win the $50,000 GRAND PRIZE to renovate the good bones of your home. AND we’re giving away 12 weekly prizes of $2,500! VISIT WWW.BHHSCALHOMES.COM TO ENTER! WWW.BHHSCALHOMES.COM

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Phone: 805.987.3734

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TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND D.C., 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. ©2017 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.

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Finds S H O P P I N G / S T Y L E / T R AV EL

Leather-handled picnic basket ($70); Crate and Barrel at The Village at Topanga, Woodland Hills, crateandbarrel.com.

Alfresco

Thanks to these essential wares, the art of the picnic never looked so good. By Jennie Nunn 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

Finds 1 2

1. Bocce ball set ($150); Crate and Barrel at The Village at Topanga, Woodland Hills, crateandbarrel.com. 2. Pendleton “Montauk” cotton-rope hammock ($160); pendleton-usa.com. 3. Two-bottle neoprene wine tote ($18); builtny.com. 4. “Klipo” cutlery set ($5); The Container Store at The Collection at RiverPark, Oxnard, containerstore.com. 5. Bambu 11-inch plates ($15 for a set of eight); Crate and Barrel at The Village at Topanga, Woodland Hills, crateandbarrel.com. 6. Modulbox food storage with lime lids ($8 for small; $10 for large); The Container Store at the Collection at RiverPark, Oxnard, containerstore.com. 7. Retro steel beverage cooler ($50); worldmarket.com. 8. “X-Grill” portable grill ($62); Picnic Time, Moorpark, picnictime.com. 

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Wish you were here... follow us on social media

Finds Style By Frances Ryan

Hello, Yellow

2 3

The season’s hottest hue is a ray of sunshine. 1. Hermès “Cape Cod” watch ($2,825); Dejaun at The Village at Topanga, Woodland Hills, dejaun.com. 2. Roberto Coin “Princess” yellowgold ring ($990); Polacheck’s Jewelers at The Commons at Calabasas, polachecks.com. 3. Stuart Weitzman “Swiftycork” suede sandals ($398); Neiman Marcus at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, neimanmarcus.com.

4. “Micro Bowler” pebble-covered suede bag ($1,215); Tod’s, Beverly Hills, tods.com. 5. Lacoste polo shirt ($98); J.Crew at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, La Cumbre Plaza, Santa Barbara, Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, and Malibu Lumber Yard; jcrew.com. 6. Chan Luu “Honey Gold” lace bralette ($128); Sharon Segal and Nina Segal The Closet at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, facebook.com/ theclosetbysharonsegal.

7. Vince “Gavin” leather slides ($195): Vince at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, and Malibu Country Mart; vince.com. 8. “Tamiee” tassel bag charm ($75); Ted Baker at Malibu Country Mart, tedbaker.com. 9. Stretch chino shorts ($45); J.Crew at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, La Cumbre Plaza, Santa Barbara, Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, and Malibu Lumber Yard; jcrew.com. 

To view more, visit our Pinterest page, keyword: 805Living.

8 9

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

A legacy setting reimagined for modern living. Mela Contemporary Triplex Homes From the Low $800,000s Up to 1,943 Sq Ft and 3 Bedrooms Mela@CalAtl.com

Pera Courtyard-Style Homes From the Low $900,000s Up to 2,143 Sq Ft and 3 Bedrooms Pera@CalAtl.com

Limone Single-Family Luxury Homes From the Mid $1 Millions Up to 3,239 Sq Ft and 4 Bedrooms Limone@CalAtl.com

Amarena Single-Family Luxury Homes From the High $1 Millions Up to 3,906 Sq Ft and 6 Bedrooms Amarena@CalAtl.com

4 New Home Neighborhoods | From the low $800,000s to high $1 Millions | Community Pool and Clubhouse

No view is promised. Views may also be altered by subsequent development, construction and landscaping growth. Square footage/acreage shown is only an estimate and actual square footage/acreage will differ. Buyer should rely on his or her own evaluation of useable area. Plans to build out this neighborhood as proposed are subject to change without notice. The estimated completion date of the community clubhouse and pool is summer 2017. The date of actual completion could substantially differ from the estimated date. Prices, plans and terms are effective on the date of publication and subject to change without notice. Depictions of homes or other features are artist conceptions. Hardscape, landscape and other items shown may be decorator suggestions that are not included in the purchase price and availability may vary. CalAtlantic Group, Inc. California Real Estate License No. 01138346.

Finds Style By Frances Ryan

1 2

4 5

6 7

Stripe Hype Line up for spring’s latest trend.

1. Vix Paula Hermanny “Classic Drop” one-piece swimsuit ($188); Bonita Beach, Summerland, bonitasummerland.com. 2. “Saerani” cashmere sweater tunic ($350); Calypso St. Barth at Montecito Country Mart and Malibu Country Mart; calypsostbarth.com. 3. “Miller” patent leather sandals ($195); Tory Burch at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, toryburch.com. 4. Ruffled seersucker shorts ($60); J.Crew at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, La Cumbre Plaza, Santa Barbara, Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, and Malibu Lumber Yard; jcrew.com. 5. Clare V. flat clutch ($215); Madison Los Angeles at Malibu Country Mart, madisonlosangeles.com.

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

6. M.i.H. Jeans “Coler Flare” pants ($290); mih-jeans.com. 7. Dior “Split 2” sunglasses ($600); Barneys New York, Beverly Hills, barneys.com. 8. Rag & Bone “Amber” web-leather loafers ($395), Neiman Marcus at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, neimanmarcus.com. 9. Chan Luu “Dusty Blue Mix” tassel scarf ($130); Sharon Segal and Nina Segal The Closet at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, facebook.com/ theclosetbysharonsegal.  To view more, visit our Pinterest page, keyword: 805Living.

Finds Travel By Erin Rottman

WELLNESS IN SANTA BARBARA Rejuvenate on a personalized Wellness Retreat at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara with (clockwise from left) guided meditation, healthful chef creations served seaside at Tydes restaurant, and leisure activities like standup paddle boarding.

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Aiden Chase, who tailors the experience to beginners. Executive chef Marco Fossati has created a retreat menu using low-fat, high-fiber ingredients, with items like chia coconut pudding with mango, toasted pepitas, and fresh mint. One dinner is sourced from Eco Conscious Aquaponics, a Santa Barbara County farm that grows organic produce. The owners discuss the growing technique at the six-course dinner while participants enjoy avocado bruschetta and salmon with miso, broccolini, and fermented leeks. “You can get into your best shape,” Tobin says, “without having to deprive yourself or miss out.” >

HOT TIP The hosts provide a villa, a meal, and

a winemaker, while the guests provide a bottle of wine and a story. It’s The Winery Series @ Sunday Supper held at The Canyon Villa Bed & Breakfast (thecanyonvilla.com), a Tuscan-style inn in Paso Robles with four guest rooms. Free to guests who extend a weekend stay to three nights, the event begins with Wine Hour, when proprietors William Carter and Katherine Bloxsom-Carter invite winemakers from local small craft wineries to present their wares and guests to purchase a selection before sharing what prompted their choice during the meal that follows. “Wine and food and people coming together are really what we’re all about,” William says.

FOUR SEASONS RESORT THE BILTMORE SANTA BARBARA

he Spanish colonial Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara introduces a Wellness Retreat from June 7 to 10 (fourseasons.com/santabarbara/ spa/wellness-retreat; $4,000 per person or $6,100 per couple) that encourages guests to connect with nature while turning inward to focus on personal health. The retreat incorporates Four Seasons luxury, lush gardens, and ocean views, but the best part may be the end, a sendoff that includes a written plan for how to incorporate lessons learned into daily life. “A lot of retreats do such a good job helping you maintain your balance, but we send people home with a program,” says Nora Tobin, health and fitness consultant

for the resort, which coordinated the retreat to coincide with Global Wellness Day on June 10. Tobin’s Kale, Cardio, and Cocktail strategy offers a structured nutrition and fitness plan while accounting for busy schedules and business dinners. Before arriving, participants fill out a form to outline their sleep patterns, stress levels, food cravings, and health goals. Tobin reviews it and then conducts oneon-one consultations. “People open up to me with what they really struggle with. Some are comfortable doing this in a group setting, but I find it is much more valuable and personal to do it one-on-one,” she says. Beginning with sunset yoga in the Rose Garden, the retreat includes boot camp on Butterfly Beach and Pilates classes at Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club; two 50-minute spa treatments; optional outdoor activities like guided hiking in the Santa Ynez Mountains, biking along the coast, and stand-up paddle boarding at Butterfly Beach; and guided meditation with celebrity healer

R E D I S C OV E R Y O U R

HIDDEN HARMONY Set on the Central Coast of California amidst 20 pastoral acres featuring lush vineyards, olive orchards and edible gardens, Allegretto Vineyard Resort offers guests an exceptionally joyful wine country experience surrounded by uncompromising beauty. Featuring 171 spacious guestrooms and suites, luxury boutique Spa Allegretto, a tasting room opening this spring and the exquisite seasonal menus of Cello Ristorante & Bar, guests of this Tuscan-style resort will revel in their newly rediscovered inner harmony.

AllegrettoResort.com |

805-369-2500

2700 Buena Vista Drive, Paso Robles, California 93446 Wedding photography:

@ashleighanderik

Finds Travel

SAFE WATER PLAY IN CABO SAN LUCAS

nlike the waters along most Cabo San Lucas beaches, Chileno Bay is so deeply inset from the Sea of Cortez that the current rushes along its outer edge, leaving the rest of the bay safe for swimming. The 3-monthold Chileno Bay Resort & Residences (chilenobay.aubergeresorts.com; from $575) capitalizes on its location with beach volleyball, stand-up paddle boarding, sea kayaking, water biking, and snorkeling. “It’s very appealing to families with young teens and teenagers because there are things they enjoy,”

Set within Pendry San Diego, Montage’s first location of its new elegant affordable hotel brand, Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile features seasonal fare, a communal dining area with a coffee bar, and a marketplace offering ceramics, jewelry, and gourmet food products.

In a villa at Chileno Bay Resort & Residences in Los Cabos, a master bedroom and terrace overlook the Sea of Cortez and a deep soaker tub stands ready to pamper.

says general manager John Volponi. “Teens can take off but still be in sight.” The second Auberge resort in Mexico after Esperanza, Chileno Bay features a contemporary design. Marble-floored bathrooms have Mexican tile walls, and floor-to-ceiling pocket doors open wide to views of palm trees and the ocean. Amenities include three pools, one for adults-only, another for families, and a third for kids, as well as a spa, and a fitness and movement center. A 20-seat theater accommodates private screenings, and staff members supply various lawn games, such as bocce ball, Jenga Giant, and golf putting. Bartenders lead adult games, like TnT (Tacos and Tequila), a drinking version of Spanish bingo, at the beach bar.

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Poised at the high end of the financial spectrum, Montage hotels and resorts are known for luxury. Seeking to maintain its reputation for exceptional service while also appealing to an equally sophisticated crowd with a smaller pocketbook, Montage International has launched a new brand with its recently opened Pendry San Diego (pendryhotels.com/san-diego; from $325). Located in the Gaslamp Quarter, a few blocks from both the convention center and Petco Park baseball stadium, Pendry San Diego is a blend of industrial midcentury modern and deco style. Rooms feature Waterworks bathroom accessories and Bluetooth speakers. Upstairs is The Pool House rooftop lounge, Nason’s Beer Hall, offering local brews and vintage bar games; downstairs is the underground Oxford Social Club. Michael Fuerstman, cofounder and creative director of Pendry Hotels, says that Montage is creating “a bolder approach for younger travelers who appreciate design, art, and architecture.” At the same time, he says, employees undergo Montage-level training, cross-training through various positions, and continuing education. 

BEDROOM, BATH, AND TERRACE: COURTESY CHILENO BAY RESORT & RESIDENCES; PENDRY SAN DIEGO: CHRISTIAN HORAN

MONTAGE FOR THE MAINSTREAM

Regional support backed by institutional strength

W E L L S FA R G O P R I VAT E B A N K

The Westlake Village/Santa Barbara Wealth Management Team

Wells Fargo Private Bank offers the dedicated attention of our regional team backed by the strength, innovation, and resources of the larger Wells Fargo organization. We instill confidence in our clients by devising a strategy based on their unique needs while leveraging our national resources to extend the impact of their wealth, now and over time.

Wealth Planning Investments Private Banking Trust Services Insurance

To learn more about how your local Wells Fargo Private Bank office can help you, contact: Scott P. Hansen, CFPÂŽ Senior Vice President, Regional Director 805-564-2876

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Wells Fargo Private Bank provides products and services through Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., the banking affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company, and its various affiliates and subsidiaries. Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, member SIPC, a registered broker dealer and separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Trust services available through banking and trust affiliates in addition to non-affiliated companies of Wells Fargo & Company. Insurance products are available through insurance subsidiaries of Wells Fargo & Company and are underwritten by non-affiliated Insurance Companies. Not available in all states. ÂŠ 2017 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801 IHA-4221701

Go Cambria By Heidi Dvorak

Leave the Grind Behind Retreat to this peaceful village, where the pines sidle up to the sea.

Eat Food That Matters In Cambria, food is all about locally grown ingredients, lovingly prepared in evocative surroundings. At the Café (805-927-2890), generous home-style lunches are served inside a charming historic cottage filled with Victorian furniture and outdoors amid lush gardens. Expect excellent

Get cozy in Cambria (clockwise from far left): Nestle into the casual coastal style of Cambria Beach Lodge; stroll along Moonstone Beach; for a rustic vibe, settle in at Oceanpoint Ranch; shop for locally made art at Amphora Gallery; find Red Moose Cookie Company; add a wish to the inspiration pole at Muse.

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Drink From Local Vines Two tasting rooms offer very different experiences in terms of wine and ambience. The ultra-modern room at Moonstone Cellars (moonstonecellars.com) serves its wines sourced from Paso Robles and Monterey County. Equally happening but homey and rustic is Cutruzzola (cutruzzolavineyards.com), which exclusively pours pinots and rieslings from the estate’s vineyards. At either spot, late afternoon is prime time to mix and mingle with out-of-towners and locals ending their work shifts. Sleep in Style Ocean-close beneath majestic pines, the recently renovated Oceanpoint Ranch (oceanpointranch.com) features guest

TOP: © ZEISS4ME/ISTOCK.COM; BOTTOM: SHAY BELL

hot pastrami sandwiches and vegetarian specialties. The name Centrally Grown at Off the Grid (centrally grown.com), embraces the restaurant’s philosophy, but trumping the moniker are the rustic hilltop structure’s uncompromised ocean views, making it a prime location for Sunday brunch and weekday breakfast, lunch, or sunset dinner. Stellar dishes include roasted artichoke, seafood tacos, vegetarian Exotic Risotto, and the kick-ass La Jalapeña Margarita. Gaze up at the original ceiling made from Hearst Castle packing crates at Indigo Moon Cheese and Wine Shop, once a home built in the 1930s. The artisanal foods shop offers picnic fixings such as Iberico ham, local and imported cheeses, salami, prosciutto, fresh baguettes, and wine from

Brave & Maiden, Hearst Ranch, Laetitia, Harmony Cellars, and other local estates. Half of the fun of the Red Moose Cookie Company (redmoosecookie.co) is finding the store. Follow handscrawled signs to Tin City, a remote industrial park, where, in a tiny unit, the company’s made-from-scratch fresh-baked treats like Snickerdoodles, Peanut Butter Dream, and fudge brownies are sold. Get there early, because when the goods are gone (and that’s in a matter of hours) the doors close.

Sabor COCINA MEXICANA

ODERN MEXICAN CUISINE

cabins with rustic interiors, claw-foot tubs, fireplaces, and wood ceilings. The family-friendly hotel has complimentary continental breakfast, lawn games, and a private trail. Directly across from the ocean, the perky white cottages of the new Cambria Beach Lodge (cambriabeachlodge.com) exude a modern beachy vibe. Amenities include continental breakfast and the use of bikes and adventure kits with maps and binocs. See Nature at Its Most Breathtaking Fiscalini Ranch Preserve (ffrpcambria.org) is a protected habitat with spectacular cliff-side ocean views. A boardwalk caters to any ability level; ambitious hikers can venture down to the small cove at the trail’s south end to explore tide pools. Look out for whales, sea otters, coyotes, deer, and birds. Bring Home Heartfelt Goods Before entering Muse (cambriamuse.com), pin a wish on the storefront Inspiration Pole to offer the world a good intention. Inside, the gesture is indicative of the lovingly curated bohemian-inspired gauzy skirts, dresses, scarves, and handcrafted jewelry. The Shops at the Garden Shed (shopsatthegardenshed. com) is a must-visit marketplace of arts, crafts, plants, gifts, and clothing. The original Cambria Garden Shed (formerly an 1890s creamery) sells unique garden goods and yard art. Check out the JunkGirls’ inventive repurposed plant containers— trombones, toy ovens and trucks, even a mattress box spring. Another way to support the local economy and take home a bit of Cambria is by choosing a painting, sculpture, or piece of exquisite pottery or jewelry from Amphora Gallery (amphoragallery.com), which only exhibits works created by select local artists. 

 Outdoor Seating  Private Dining

 All Natural

CELEBRATE CINCO DE MAYO IN STYLE Valencia

Thousand Oaks

Bridgeport Marketplace

The Lakes at Thousand Oaks

23953 Newhall Ranch Rd.

2200 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Valencia, CA 91355

Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

661.259.9002

805.497.2457

Join us for our famous Mother's Day Brunch Buffet STAY CONNECTED

saborcocinamexicana.com

Insider EVENTS IN & AROUND THE 805 By Heidi Dvorak May 12

DEFYING DARKNESS

LEWIS BLACK: RANT, WHITE, & BLUE

Carnegie Art Museum, Oxnard. When the lights go out or the sun goes down, what beauty remains? That’s the subject of artist Joanne Julian’s newest exhibition. More than 30 graphite and sumi ink drawings from 2009 to 2016 represent her fascination for blackness; carnegieam.org. Through July 17

5/25

Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo. He screams. He whines. He’s an allaround kvetch. This king of rant yaps about anything that bugs him in general, putting a humorous spin on current events, social media, people, and anything that he perceives as insane or inane; calpolyarts.org.

A CERTAIN VIEW

May 18–21

Kavli Theatre Gallery, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. See how 15 contemporary artists from Ventura and Los Angeles counties perceive the world in various mediums. Meet the artists at a brunch reception on May 27; civicartsplaza.com.

PASO ROBLES WINE FESTIVAL

Paso Robles locations. A whopping 100-plus events are slated for this extravaganza, so set a pace to sip and flip for as many wines as safely possible. Take part in special dinners, a reserve event, seminars, a grand tasting, concerts starring Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin

Family Fun T H R O U G H 7/ 1 7

Here’s an Idea: At the end of a long week, what could be better than having a few laughs? Leave the kids and dogs at home and unwind at COMEDY UNCORKED, an evening of standup comedy, premium wines, and delicious small bites at The Tasting Room at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. These adults-only nights are slated for the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, so check the website to find out which national touring comedians are appearing; fourseasons.com/westlakevillage.

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Experience and Bryan Adams, vineyard tours, and barrel samplings; pasowine.com. May 21 STEINWAY STYLE

Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara. Attend a gala celebrating the conservatory’s 70th anniversary and AllSteinway distinction, which denotes a commitment to musical excellence with the acquisition of 55 Steinway pianos. Pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang perform; musicacademy.org. May 25 DARKNESS AND LIGHT TOUR

Santa Barbara Bowl. Join 10-time Grammy Award– winning singer and songwriter John Legend. Spotlighted is his fifth studio album Darkness and Light and special guest Gallant; sbbowl.com.

Through May 21

May 5–21

MAY 27–28

BIG FISH

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

ART IN THE PARK

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. With music, dance, and humor, this heartfelt story for adults and teens chronicles the challenges an adult son faces when dealing with his father telling extraordinary tales. Are they true? Or imagined? And in the end, does it really matter?; simi-arts.org.

Hillcrest Center for the Arts, Thousand Oaks. Follow Alice down the rabbit hole as she meets the Queen of Hearts, Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, Caterpillar, Tweedledee, and Tweedledum, with youngsters playing all the parts; yaeonline.com.

Libbey Park, Ojai. Take the kids for a little fine art culture as seasoned professionals and high school artists show their works at the Ojai Art Center exhibition. An educational youth pavilion gives kids the opportunity to talk to artists and take part in arts and crafts; ojaiartcenter.org.

Through July 28 PAINTING THE SKY: THE KITES OF TYRUS WONG

Malibu City Hall. Look skyward to see a panda, butterflies, birds, a caterpillar, and other fantastical creatures fashioned into kites by the legendary illustrator of the settings in Bambi. Wong passed away last year at the age of 106, but his creations still fly high; malibuartsandculture.org.

May 11–14 CONEJO VALLEY DAYS

May 27–29

Conejo Creek Park South Thousand Oaks. C’mon, enter the outhouse race at this community festival for fun and fundraising. Enjoy a children’s parade, carnival rides, and motocross freestyle exhibitions. Proceeds support nonprofit organizations; conejovalleydays.us.

I MADONNARI ITALIAN STREET PAINTING FESTIVAL

Santa Barbara Mission. Madonnari means “street painters,” and these talented artists aim to create approximately 150 4-by-6-foot and 12-by-12-foot pastel works. An Italian marketplace provides live music, food, and artistic wares; imadonnarifestival.com. 

FROM TOP: ELLIOT LEE HAZEL; ELEMENTS, 2016, MIXED MEDIA, PAMELA FONG

Through May 21

Nicole Van Parys and Gary Nesen One of Engel & Völkers Top 10 Real Estate Advisors in the World Engel & Völkers California proudly announces Nicole Van Parys and Gary Nesen as one of Engel & Völkers Top 10 Real Estate Agents in the world. Nicole and Gary will be awarded for their performance in Gross Commission Income. They will be honored for this outstanding achievement at the Top Agent Event in September in Paris.

Engel & Völkers Westlake Village 960 S. Westlake Blvd, Suite 10 Westlake Village CA 91361 westlakevillage.evusa.com Phone: +1 818 889 1602

Each Engel & Völkers brokerage is independently owned and operated. Any use of the term „advisor“ or „agent“ shall be replaced with the term „Sales Associate“ where required by local law. Engel & Völkers® and the Engel & Völkers Logo are registered service marks owned by Engel & Völkers Marken Gmbh® KG. This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. Additionally, depending on where you are located, an offering may require filing with your respective state authorities.

Insider

Hot Ticket

Book your seats now for these upcoming events. MAY

Through May 13: The artwork of eight California Lutheran University seniors—including Brittney Bednar from Agoura Hills, Ryan Cohen from Moorpark, Ashley Cruz from Simi Valley, and Makenzie Perry and Katherine Reaves, both from Thousand Oaks—are on exhibit in SHENANIGANS. The senior art show presents works representing a wide variety of media, including ceramics, charcoal, watercolor, oil, and digital painting, each interpreting the word “shenanigans”; California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, callutheran.edu.

For Sale | 1306 Bluesail Circle Thinking about buying or selling a home? Start the process out right by setting up an appointment with the Kaufman Real Estate Group. We focus on customer service and would love the opportunity to earn your business. Our team will help you get the most out of your real estate transactions.

805.870.5710

info@kaufmanregroup.com

For Sale | Westlake Village

For Sale | Oak Park

For Sale | Agoura Hills

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MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Through May 14: Witness the growth of cuttingedge technology at CLU FEST. The exhibition features emerging innovators in gaming, design, cinema, visual effects, and interactive media; California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, callutheran.edu. May 11: It sounds like a quirky movie, but DOS: TWO GIRLS, TWO GRILLS & TWO PAELLAS is

for SALE | Oak Park

For Sale | Oak Park

Through May 14: See what inspires the famed author and illustrator of books such as Mr. Wuffles!, Flotsam, and The Three Pigs in DAVID WIESNER & THE ART OF WORDLESS STORYTELLING, an exhibit devoted to the famed picture-book artist. On view are his original watercolors; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, sbma.net.

a hands-on cooking class taught by Ali Rush Carscaden, the owner of 15C Wine Shop & Bar in Templeton, and Refugio owner and 805 Living contributor Brigit Binns. Together, they provide instructions for cooking the paellas on Weber kettle grills. Get tips on creating a meat and cheese platter and making a dessert with dulce de leche ice cream, local honey, and spiced almonds. Wines are chosen to pair with the paellas and cheese and meat platter; Refugio Kitchen, Paso Robles, refugiopasorobles.com. May 13–14: Ooh-la-la! The Santa Barbara Symphony goes très Français and Great White Way for FROM PARIS TO BROADWAY. The program, conducted by Nir Kabaretti, includes Mozart’s Symphony No. 31, Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto with guest artist Zuill Bailey, Liszt’s Les Préludes, and Gershwin’s An American in Paris; The Granada, Santa Barbara, thesymphony.org. May 27: Give the kids some education on California’s history and culture of the late 1700s at HIDE & TALLOW MISSION LIFE DAY. Handson crafts, demonstrations, and lectures are conducted by experts; La Purisima Mission State Historical Park, Lompoc, lapurisimamission.org. May 28: Witness a performance given by the musical genius behind legendary songs such as “Good Vibrations,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” and “God Only Knows.” BRIAN WILSON PRESENTS PET

SOUNDS: THE FINAL PERFORMANCES is a one-

man show devoted to the Beach Boy’s iconic llth studio album; Santa Barbara Bowl, sbbowl.com. May 31–June 18: Find out about the little-known story of Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart— also known as Nannerl—in THE OTHER MOZART. The play chronicles the story of Wolfgang’s older sister, a keyboard virtuoso and composer in her own right; Rubicon Theatre, Ventura, rubicontheatre.org.

JUNE

June 3–July 9: Six students enter a contest, only one can win, and losers get a juice box. The pressure is on at the THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. Presented by Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi, this play humorously chronicles the backstories and grueling competition between a quirky group of preteens. Even the audience gets to participate, so sharpen those spelling skills; Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, simi-arts.org. June 15–July 2: Can a hideous creature learn to love and be loved? Find out as Belle enters its castle and its life in BEAUTY & BEAST, a tale as old as time. With singing candelabras, wise teapots, and dancing dishes, this musical love story contains unforgettable characters, elaborate sets, costumes, and composers Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman’s memorable score; Solvang Festival Theater, solvangfestivaltheater.org. June 19–20: The Music Academy of the West launches its first CLASSICAL EVOLUTION/ REVOLUTION CONFERENCE. Experts on music, technology, arts, business, and media engage in discussion about the evolution of classical music in present-day culture. Topics include the role of tastemakers and storytellers, redefining the live experience, development of virtual art, new financial models, audience development and diversity, and art as a response to social and cultural issues; Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, musicacademy.org. June 21–25: Floral heritage and colorful flower fields come to life at the LOMPOC VALLEY FLOWER FESTIVAL. This year’s theme is Small Town, Big Heart. Meet the Flower Festival Queen, take in the natural beauty, and enjoy a parade, a flower show, carnival rides, games, craft booths, musical entertainment, and an arts and crafts show; Ryon Memorial Park, lompocvalleyfestivals.com. June 22–24: It’s a street party, a chichi social occasion, and a riotous good time all in the name of vino. ROLL OUT THE BARRELS begins with the Barrels in the Plaza party featuring live music by Bear Market Riot, a grand tasting representing 32 wineries, and the culinary preparations of 20 San Luis Obispo County chefs. Buy a passport to SLO Wine Country to walk the vineyards, sample new vintages from the barrel, and attend tastings; San Luis Obispo locations, slowine.com. June 30–August 6: The 21st season of the KINGSMEN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, an out-

door theatrical event, features two Kingsmen Shakespeare Company productions: Love’s >

B E L M O N D E L E N C A N T O , S A N TA B A R B A R A

COME RAISE A GLASS. WE’LL RAISE THE BAR.

Insider Labour’s Lost and Julius Caesar. The first play follows the antics of the King of Navarre and his four companions who take an oath to devote themselves to three women-free years of studying and fasting. However, the Princess of France and her ladies arrive in Navarre and test their resolve. Based upon historical characters from ancient Rome, the second play deals with politics and deception; Kingsmen Park, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, kingsmenshakespeare.org.

JULY

CELEBRATE YOUR SPECIAL OCCASION WITH US —IN UNFORGETTABLE STYLE. FROM A BIRTHDAY LUNCH WITH FRIENDS TO A ROMANTIC DINNER FOR TWO, WE WILL CREATE A MEMORABLE EVENT. LINGER IN OUR GARDENS OR ON OUR TERRACE, AND LET US SPOIL YOU WITH SUPERB CUISINE AND WINES.

July 19–22, July 27–August 20: The story of the newspaper boys who were an integral part of the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York is told in NEWSIES THE MUSICAL. The plotline gives parents a smart way to teach youngsters a bit of history, with toe-tapping music and dancing; Marian Theatre, Santa Maria, and Solvang Festival Theater; pcpa.org.

Show Your Support Fun and fundraising go handin-hand at these local events.

800 ALVARADO PLACE, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93103 | 805 845 5800

MAY

May 16–17: The entire AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA race from May 11 through May 20 extends from South Lake Tahoe to Pasadena, but for stages 3 and 4, cyclists zip through 805 regions. So get a spot on the sidelines to view this colorful Tour de France–style race attended by world-class cyclists. The event is held in collaboration with AMGEN and the Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community, Patient Advocate Foundation, and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. Proceeds benefit cancer research; Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara, amgentourofcalifornia.com. May 18: Join forward-thinking women who advocate for health education and financial stability in an effort to support single mothers by attending the WOMEN UNITED LUNCHEON, hosted by the United Way of Ventura County. Civil rights activist Lateefah Simon takes the podium as guest speaker; Lundring Event Center, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, unitedway.org. May 20–21: One of the prettiest fruits around is the heart-shaped star of the CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, where attendees can immerse themselves in all-day family fun centered around the locally grown delight. Try these sweet babies deep-fried or chocolatedipped or in funnel cake, kabobs, parfaits, shortcake, beer, margaritas, smoothies, even popcorn. Cooking demonstrations, Strawberryland for kids, rides, attractions, and crazy contests also take place. Proceeds benefit local charities; Strawberry Meadows of College Park, Oxnard, castrawberryfestival.org.

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

May 20–21: RELAY FOR LIFE OF CONEJO VALLEY is a life-changing experience that gives everyone a chance to honor the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember lost loved ones, and fight back against the disease. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society, so participate and enjoy music, food, a silent auction, and other activities; Conejo Creek Park South, Thousand Oaks, relayforlife.org/ conejovalleyca.

CALCAGNO

&HAMILTON

MONTECITO & SA NTA BA R BA R A R E A L ESTATE

May 22: Hospice of the Conejo, serving the area since 1977, is an all-volunteer organization that assists individuals and their families dealing with end-of-life issues. Help the hospice continue to offer its free community programs by participating in the 30th annual CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT, which includes a martini mixer, auctions, and buffet dinner; Sunset Hills Country Club, Thousand Oaks, hospiceoftheconejo.org. May 27, June 24, July 29, August 26: Take a walk on the wild side and view the mustangs that once roamed the plains at a RETURN TO FREEDOM SANCTUARY TOUR. The docentguided walking expedition allows for observation of the horses who have taken refuge and provides information on their origins, history, and challenges to survive; Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary, Lompoc, returntofreedom.org. May 29: Remember what the holiday is really about and pay homage to those who gave their lives for the country at the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY. A morning patriotic program features the Santa Barbara Choral Society, bagpipers, and an address by keynote speaker Congressman Salud Carbajal. The ceremony concludes with a vintage warbird flyover formation called The Missing Man; Santa Barbara Cemetery, pcvf.org.

401 CHAPALA ST #215 offered at $1,235,000

Consistently

JUNE

June 4: Seven delicious courses made by seven Ventura County chefs kick off the CASA PACIFICA ANGELS WINE, FOOD & BREW FESTIVAL, but guests can also sip and eat as much as they wish. Throughout the day are beer and culinary competitions, live music, and a silent auction. Money raised goes to Casa Pacifica Centers for Children & Families to assist abused, neglected, and at-risk children and their families in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties; CSU Channel Islands, Camarillo, cpwinefoodbrewfest.com. June 10: Passing by gorgeous residences usually elicits comments like, “I wish I could see the inside.” PATH Santa Barbara makes it possible at the MAKING IT HOME TOUR, a fundraiser to support ending homelessness. Participants board a historic Santa Barbara trolley to tour four luxury homes and estates in Santa Barbara and Montecito. Each stop features food and wine pairings from chefs and local restaurants. It concludes at Cabana Home with live music and raffles; Santa Barbara and Montecito locations, sbhometour.org. June 11: Craft beer and fine wine team up to help raise money for local and international humanitarian projects at the OJAI WINE FESTIVAL. >

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Insider It’s the primary fundraising effort of the Rotary Club of Ojai-West, so take part in tastings from more than 60 California wineries plus 30 national and regional craft beers, topnotch cuisine, and lakeside dancing to music provided by Area 51; Lake Casitas, ojaiwinefestival.com. June 24: There’s nothing like the sight of mounted men on horseback playing an elegant yet rough-and-tumble game on an emeraldgreen field to get a well-dressed crowd atwitter. The SANTA YNEZ VALLEY POLO CLASSIC FUNDRAISER does just that as well as benefits People Helping People, a Santa Barbara County community service organization. Along with the mallet-packed action is a Champagne and appetizer reception, a silent auction, a buffet lunch, and the ever-popular ladies’ hat contest; Piocho Ranch, syvpoloclassic.com. THOUSAND OAKS

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June 24: Where’s the only full-dome planetarium on the Central Coast? It’s at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, along with a research library and exhibits focusing on astronomy, birds, insects, geology, mammals, marine life, paleontology, plant life, and the Chumash Indians. It goes without saying that sustaining this institution is imperative, so attend the annual museum fundraiser, the SANTA BARBARA WINE + FOOD FESTIVAL. Join other supporters under the oak trees for loads of savory and sweet bites, tastings, and a raffle; Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, sbnature.org. June 26: Show appreciation for farms and naturally grown food sources at the AGRICULTURAL DAY GOLF TOURNAMENT, sponsored by Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture. Better known as SEEAG, the nonprofit organization educates students about farm sources of food and how they contribute to nutritional well-being. Stay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, augmented by a Bloody Mary bar and farm-to-bar cocktails. Awards and prizes are given to the best golfers; Spanish Hills Country Club, Camarillo, seeag.org.

JULY

July 8: Slimy suckers, large and small, are the stars of the CENTRAL COAST OYSTER & MUSIC FESTIVAL, but the culinary delights don’t end there. Wines, brews, special cocktails, and other foods from local restaurants and caterers are ready for consumption. Five bands play throughout the day and art installations are on view. The festival benefits the nonprofit Guerrilla Gardening Club, which educates at-risk youths; Avila Beach Golf Resort, centralcoastoysterfestival.com.

Worth a Drive Venture just outside the 805 for these choice events. MAY

Through May 21: Eighteen top interior designers and six exterior designers get their talented

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

hands on the PASADENA SHOWCASE HOUSE for a major redo. This year’s home is a 7,479-square-foot English Tudor estate built in 1916. The home and garden are completely renovated in terms of landscape, color, wall coverings, appliances, flooring, furniture, art, and accessories. Tour the home, inside and out, and then enjoy lunch or dinner at the onsite restaurant and shop the merchant booths. Proceeds from the tour, one of the largest in the country, benefit music programs; shuttle service provided from the Pasadena Rose Bowl, pasadenashowcase.org.

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Through May 28: Learn about the arts and culture of the Middle Ages at REMEMBERING ANTIQUITY: THE ANCIENT WORLD THROUGH MEDIEVAL EYES, an exhibit of the works of

Greek and Latin literature that were copied by scribes and preserved. Three sections comprise the exhibit: Section one explores artistic forms across antiquity and the Middle Ages; section two encompasses the classical knowledge that was preserved by medieval scribes and artisans; and section three explores medieval understanding of the past; J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center, Los Angeles, getty.edu. May 13–September 4: It’s not too late to feel groovy. For those who remember or didn’t get to experience the Monterey International Pop Festival, get in on some of the action at the 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SUMMER OF LOVE.

Special events are slated all over the county to honor the anniversary, including musical performances, art and photography exhibitions, a blues festival, a county fair, and three days of concerts in tribute to the 1967 festival at the original venue from June 16 to June 18; Monterey locations; seemonterey.com.

Give Back

Whatever your interests, there’s a volunteer opportunity just right for you. Want to help a dog without a home, but the extra expense strains an already-tight budget? Become a foster parent for ANIMAL RESCUE VOLUNTEERS and all the costs of food and medical expenses are covered. The only requirement—other than giving the dog lots of TLC—is bringing it to the R&R Pet Lifestyle and Supply in Simi Valley every Saturday and, if possible, to Unleashed by Petco in Thousand Oaks on the first Sunday of every month, so it can strut its stuff for those who can consider giving it a permanent home. Who knows? That little fella might just wag his way into your heart; arvsimi.org.  Whatever your interests, there’s a volunteer opportunity just right for you. If you would like to submit your event or organization for possible inclusion in Insider, please email the information and a contact number/email to insider@805living.com. Please submit your request no later than 14 weeks prior to the issue in which you’d like the information.

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A perfect Mother’s Day treat, Osea’s Salts of the Earth Body Scrub (oseamalibu.com) blends mineral‑rich Dead Sea, Bolivian rose, and Himalayan pink salts with shea butter and botanical oils to get skin glowing. Get it at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa (ojairesort.com).

Blending yoga and acrobatics, AcroYoga is sometimes called “the yoga of trust.” Two participants, a base and a flyer, pair up to perform poses that build strength and balance, says Wren Schaefer, studio manager of The Aerial Studio (theaerialstudio.net) in Ventura. “You can go at your own pace, and there’s always a spotter,” she says. Try one of The Aerial Studio’s AcroYoga workshops, or take a class at DiviniTree Santa Barbara (sb.divinitree.com).

UNCOMMON SCENTS

Ojai-based artisanal perfumer Janna Sheehan’s Trance Essence (tranceessence. com) fragrances have attracted a cult following nationwide. Her latest quartet of eau de colognes for a new line, Ojai Wild (ojaiwild.com), features pure extracts of botanicals, resins, and woods sourced by hand in California. Choose from Pink Peppercorn, Juniper Berry, White Sage Leaves, and Redwood Leaves, available at deKor & Co. (dekorandco.com) in Ojai and beauty-heroes.com.

The practice of micro-needling promises to tighten skin and improve hyperpigmentation (dark spots) and acne scars. Options range in complexity from radio frequency–assisted needling performed by a dermatologist to DIY treatments carried out with a handheld derma-roller (imagine a tiny paint roller studded with hundreds of microneedles). The idea is to subject the skin to thousands of micro-injuries that jump-start natural collagen and elastin production and improve absorption of topical treatments. Does it work? “Few scientific studies show impressive results with derma-rolling alone, but there are several good studies demonstrating the benefits of radio-frequency microneedling,” says Ronald Moy, M.D., director of dermatology and cosmetic surgery at the California Health & Longevity Institute (chli.com) in Westlake Village. At Moy’s office an esthetician combines radio-frequency microneedling with an application of human epidermal growth factor “to help the collagen become thicker,” he says. “She’s seen some improvement with things like acne scarring, which is hard to correct.”

The High-Tech Facial The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village (fourseasons.com/

westlakevillage) recently became America’s first hotel spa to offer the In-Skin facial machine, an ingenious device that enables guests to upgrade a facial with cutting-edge treatments, including diamondtip microdermabrasion, oxygen, radio-frequency, and LED light, for $75 to $85 per add-on, says Damien Craft, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts senior spa director. “We have cards that we give to guests who’ve used it,” he says. “If you have that card, you can insert it into any In-Skin machine anywhere, and it tracks the settings that you used with every treatment.” In-Skin treatments are also available at The Spa at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara (fourseasons.com/santabarbara). 

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

TOP: © MILJKO/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; CENTER: © OJAI WILD 2017

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Arts & Culture By Joan Tapper

Personal Tastes

ams, jellies, chocolate goodies, dried grains, dehydrated vegetables and fruits, breads, biscuits, tortillas, cookies, and pastries, even roasted coffee—the best of these, we often think, are made at home. So it was a boon to fans of artisanal cooking when the California Homemade Food Act, known as the Cottage Food Law, went into effect on January 1, 2013. The statute allows people to produce certain foods in their home kitchens and sell them at farmers’ markets, craft fairs, bazaars, and similar events, or through a third party. The key is that the finished products—there are currently 32 approved—must not support the rapid growth of bacteria outside of refrigeration. For example, dairy products and eggs are approved if they are used in baked goods but not as fillings or frostings, and meat and fish are excluded. To help explain the law to prospective local entrepreneurs, associate attorney Robert Graham of Matthew I. Berger Law Group in Santa Barbara is holding a free informational workshop on June 11 at The Ojai Valley Grange. “My passion is in helping people start and grow small business, particularly in the food and beverage industries,” says Graham, who moved to Ojai in 2015, where he worked for the local Sustainable Law

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Group. Regulatory compliance is one of his current areas of expertise. “A lot of friends locally—makers who don’t want to rent out commercial kitchens—have been asking me about the law. I thought, if they have questions, so will others.” The ABCs of Cottage Food Law There are two types of registrations or permits: Class A registration is for direct sales, and Class B permits are for both direct and indirect sales. Both licenses last a year and are granted in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties after the Environmental Health Division determines that all requirements have been met. Class A allows applicants to submit an online self-certification checklist with their applications and labels prior to approval; however, Class B requires an inspection of the home kitchen by the local Environmental Health Division. Such a business can only make $50,000 in sales—not profit— and though online sales are permitted, the product must be picked up or delivered directly from the cottage food producer. The California Department of Public Health has decreed that mail delivery is not allowed. There are currently 102 Cottage Food operations registered and permitted in Ventura County.

The Cottage Food Law brings home cooking to the marketplace.

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Arts & Culture Santa Barbara County has more than double that number; San Luis Obispo County has 103. The advantage to the law, says Graham, “is that it allows microbusinesses to get started. Say there’s someone who wants to sell amazing cookies but can’t afford a commercial kitchen or packaging.” Someone can be certified, licensed, build demand, and get market feedback while saving money to take the business to the next stage. The Home Advantage Jennifer Smith, cofounder of Ex Voto Chocolates and Confections in Ventura, with her daughter, Sophia SmithGrunder, had been renting a problematic commercial kitchen when they found out that the Cottage Food Law had evolved to allow chocolates and caramels. “We got our permit in June 2015,” says Smith, who had a career as a lawyer and businesswoman before going to culinary school. “I would have gone into a shop if I could have. But it was expensive and too risky. The law meant that we could make our product at home and test it in the local market to determine which products our customers liked best.” Now, after almost two years of selling their hand-dipped and hand-rolled chocolates at the Ojai Certified Farmers’ Market, Ex Voto is moving into a brick-and-mortar shop. Not everyone has expansion in mind. Private chef Jason Banks has a Class B license to produce jams, jellies, and marmalades under the Chapala Farms label from his home kitchen in Santa Barbara and works elsewhere four days a week. “This is big enough for now,” Banks says. “It’s good for someone who wants a home business, maybe to make apple or pear butter once a year.” For Banks, whose wares often highlight unusual flavors, the biggest challenge is being unable to use all the tempting fruits he sees at the farmers’ market, so he has applied to have Meyer lemons and persimmons, among others, added to the list. Carlos Ramirez is just beginning the process of applying for a Ventura County license. A native of Nicaragua, where he has a small coffee farm, Ramirez studied agribusiness and food industry management at Cal Poly Pomona and got the idea of developing the Bonito Roaster company for his beans. He recognized that the Cottage Food Law would contain expenses. “I wouldn’t have to pay the cost of renting space in a commercial building,” he says, “even if I could. It enables me to have a life with my family and do what I’m passionate about from my house.” Expert in Sight Graham says his workshop will be directed toward people who are getting ready to fill out a Cottage Food Law application and may have read about the law online. The session will let them know what they need to do to ensure that their home kitchen passes inspection, and a representative from Ventura County will be present. “I believe local economies need to be strengthened,” says Graham. “Money from these businesses is reinvested in other small businesses and keeps money local. This law is a great opportunity to help do that.” 

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Faces in the Crowd By Joan Tapper Photography by Gary Moss

C Trevor Thompson (left) and Alex Blackmon

Trevor Thompson & Alex Blackmon The founders of Elevated Media fill a niche for digital content.

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

ombine a passion for the Central Coast with a penchant for making videos and a love of storytelling, and what do you get? If you’re Trevor Thompson and Alex Blackmon, you get Elevated Media Productions (elevatedmediaproductions.com), which creates award-winning branded videos. The two met as students at Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village in the early 2000s, and as avid surfers and skateboarders they hit it off right away. Thompson says he “always loved messing around with cameras and videos,” while Blackmon aimed to be a writer and an on-camera broadcaster before switching to a life behind the lens. After college they honed their skills at Fuel TV, a division of Fox Sports, but they wanted to make their own creatively fulfilling work and recognized a market for high-quality video content online. “We saw a need for brands to communicate,” says Blackmon. They launched their company in 2011 and made a strategic and lifestyle decision to base it in Westlake Village. Among their first clients was a friend from high school. Alec Avedissian was just starting his company, Rareform, which takes old vinyl billboards and upcycles them into accessories like wallets and backpacks. “That was our first lifestyle shoot,” says Blackmon. “After that, our product got noticed. We thrived, and so did he.” Word of mouth expanded Elevated’s client list beyond the 805 to a broad range of start-up and mainstream companies, and photo shoots now take place around the country and abroad. A recent assignment for Parachute Home, a bedding and fabric firm near Venice beach, took the pair to Portugal, which has a rich textile heritage and is where the company’s artisan-crafted sheets are made. “My favorite jobs are brands that resonate with us,” says Thompson. That can mean surfing and hiking or working with health-care and medical technology companies. “You get to know someone with an emotional story and you make a strong connection,” he says. The team has grown to include a writer-editor, a cinematographer, and a network of freelancers, but the two founders act as executive producers on all of their projects, overseeing them from start to finish. “We give our clients the personal touch,” says Blackmon. To be sure, staying attuned to changing technology and social media means constantly updating cameras and other gear. “We have the best equipment, and we want to stay at the forefront,” says Thompson, “but storytelling is primary.” As Blackmon says, “You can’t automate the creative element.” 

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Upgrades

Counter Intelligence Smart options for elevated seating. By Frances Ryan Turn to next page >

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

COURTESY OF REJUVENATION

“Nicolle” steel counter stool with leather seat ($369); Rejuvenation, West Hollywood and Culver City; rejuvenation.com.

Upgrades 1

3 2

1. Palecek “Fritz Rope” 24-inch barstool ($1,503) with twistedrope back and upholstered seat; The Sofa Guy, Thousand Oaks, thesofaguy.com; and Celadon House, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, celadonhouse.com. 2. Arteriors “Wyndham” swivel counter stool ($630) with polished-nickel tripod base; Cabana Home, Santa Barbara, cabanahome.com. 3. “Alpha” brass-lacquered iron stool ($219) with woven seat and back; cb2.com.

4 4. Henredon “Madison” oak barstool ($5,391) with brushed-black nickel accents and upholstered seat and back; Designs of the Interior, Westlake Village, interiordesignwestlake.com.

5. Theodore Alexander “Club Leg” stool ($1,914) with mahogany seat and cast brass legs; Alderman Bushé Interiors, Thousand Oaks, aldermanbusheinteriors.com. 6. Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines “Span” metal barstool ($169) in blackened bronze; Home Santa Barbara and Home Santa Margarita; homesantamargarita.com.

7 8

7. Greenington “City Lights Paris” cognac bamboo and steel barstool ($599); For Your Home Furniture, Ventura, fyhfurniture.com. 8. Bernhardt “Soho Luxe” upholstered barstool ($1,099) with acrylic legs and stainlesssteel frame; Alderman Bushé Interiors, Thousand Oaks, aldermanbusheinteriors.com. 9. Hickory White biscuit-tufted “Morris” barstool (from $1,725) with ash legs and frame; Designs of the Interior, Westlake Village, interiordesignwestlake.com. 

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Good Deeds By Mark Langton

Laguna Blanca School

Viva Laguna, this year’s spring benefit auction for Laguna Blanca School (lagunablanca.org), took place in early March at Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara. The soiree embraced an elegant Spanish theme, replicating the atmosphere of the Feria de Sevilla, one of Spain’s most popular festivals. The crowd enjoyed bidding in live and silent auctions, watching flamenco dancers, and indulging in authentic tapas and sangria. Opened in 1933, the school is private and coeducational, serving grades EK–12 with a comprehensive classroom curriculum as well as athletics and arts programs at its Montecito and Hope Ranch campuses. Auction proceeds benefit program enrichment and scholarship funding.

1. Belle and Bert Regeer 2. Stephanie and Dewey Nicks, Shelley and David Neubauer 3. Kendle Evans, Marcy Jacobs, Michelle Madrid-Branch, Amanda Whalen 4. Erika Martin del Campo 5. Talya Engel, Marci Berg, Elizabeth Raith 6. Laura Wooster Dorfman and Blake Dorfman, Nathan and Anna Alldredge 7. Tiffany Pelletier, Cynthia McClintock, Rob Hereford 8. Michele White, Lizzie and Andy Tobias, Stewart White, Don and Kendra Sabino 9. Ryan and Stacey Fell, Brooke Green, Shem and Donna Brown

Photographs by Brad Elliott

1 5

6 8

Photographs by Mark Langton

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Oaks Christian School

Oaks Christian School (oakschristian. org), located in Westlake Village, held its annual gala auction at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village in mid-March. As always, the event featured live and silent auctions and a gourmet dinner. This year’s theme was California Dreamin’ and featured dancing to Woodie and the Longboards and several student performances. The private nonprofit preparatory school for grades 5 to 12 has comprehensive scholastic programs as well as instruction in athletics and the arts. Proceeds from the event help support student programs.

1. John Huffman, Sondra and Rob Black, Ginger Kohler 2. David and Helen Price 3. Jason McMaster, Jeff Morrow 4. Sharon and Alan Beard, Bill and Bev Dallas 5. Isabel and Calvin Ward 6. Ray Parker Jr. and Elaine Parker, Michelle and Mark Hiepler 7. Fatemeh and Matt Kirk 8. Nicky and Chelsea Slavich, Mary Kay and Jim Altizer 9. Nancy and Anthony Salcido

Capture Wine Country estate wines | live music

If you feel good about buying Americanmade products, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll feel great about some of the best things that are produced right here in the 805. Some are from established local institutions; others come from exciting up-and-comers, but every one of these local favorites represents life on the Central Coast in very personal ways. BY ELIZABETH TURNER PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARY MOSS

F U N I N TH E S U N

Boards That Rip

Roberts Surfboards, Ventura robertssurf.com

Master surfboard-shaper Robert Weiner is famous for making high-performance short-boards with names like the Dreamcatcher, the Meat Cleaver, and the Metamorph. He makes longboards, too. “We make boards for surfers of every level and every type of surf,” says Weiner, who still surfs most days of the week. “All the boards are shaped right here in Ventura. My factory is only three minutes from my home, and it’s five minutes from my favorite surf break.” Weiner began shaping boards at age 12 and worked for Oxnard-based McCrystal Surfboards before launching Roberts Surfboards in 1994. “I started doing everything myself and slowly but surely employed a lot more people,” he says. Things kicked into high gear after a number of bigname surfers, including Dane Reynolds, Tom Curren, Timmy Curran, and Jordy Smith, took a shine to the Roberts White Diamond, a short, wide board with a diamond tail. Buzz quickly grew online via surfboard design forums, and in 2011 Surfing magazine recognized Roberts as Shaper of the Year.

805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

MADE in the 805

Dani Stone (left) and Jules Allen pay homage to rock bands with their one-of-a-kind blazers at The Tribute Project studio.

COA S TA L S T Y L E

Rocker Couture

Tribute Project, Santa Barbara tributeproject.net

It all started with a pair of structured black-wool blazers that Santa Barbara designers Jules Allen and Dani Stone reinvented as sartorial tributes to the rock group Guns N’ Roses, complete with riffs on song lyrics, military details, original artwork, and custom linings. Next came an epic birthday gift for a Duran Duran–loving mutual girlfriend, unwrapped to partygoers’ oohs and aahs. As last year’s October date approached for the Desert Trip music festival (aka Oldchella), Allen and Stone’s

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

phones started ringing. “Everybody was calling us, saying, ‘I want a Stones!’ ‘I want a Pink Floyd!” Allen says. “We made a bunch of jackets.” The Tribute Project’s online boutique officially launched in January. The collection of one-of-a-kind blazers, bombers, jackets, and coats are Allen and Stone’s exquisite odes to rockers. “First it was almost making something for ourselves that just wasn’t out there in the marketplace,” says Allen, who made her name in fashion with her Allen Allen line of women’s wear. “What can I say? I’m a music and fashion girl.”

LO C A L FL AVO R S

Luscious, Organic EVOO

Ojai Olive Oil Company ojaioliveoil.com

Situated on the 50-acre Asquith Ranch in the eastern end of Ojai Valley, this boutique producer of award-winning olive oils has been family owned and operated since 1998. “My father started this up in the ’90s when he retired from his job,” says CEO Philip J.P. Asquith. When his father purchased the property in 1998, the big draw was a heritage grove of 500-plus Spanish Lechin de Sevilla olive trees and stunning views of the valley. “My father started making one type of bottled olive oil from this grove of 150-year-old trees and selling it at the Ojai Certified Farmers’ Market,” says Asquith. “It went very well and he enjoyed it. Bit by bit over the two or so decades since, we just kept expanding it.” These days, the 100-percent-organic farm also employs permaculture and biodynamic farming techniques. Over the years, they planted additional olive varieties, mostly Columella and Nocellara del Belice, says Asquith, who favors the Columella for its sweet, mild, and fruity oil. “It’s everyone’s favorite around here,” he says. Judges like it, too: The company’s Provençal Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, a blend of Columella and Picholine olive oils, won a gold medal at last year’s New York International Olive Oil Competition.

C R A F TED BY H A N D

Artful Lighting Rowan Chase Studio, Morro Bay rowanchasestudio.com

“I liked the idea of illuminating my abstract work,” says artist Rowan Chase, who in 2010 launched a line of table, floor, and pendant lamps featuring designs from his stylized landscape and fluid abstract paintings.

C R A F TED BY H A N D

Holy Grail Guitars

FAR RIGHT: FIONA BLEU GALLERY; OPPOSITE, TOP: JACQUELINE PILAR PHOTOGRAPHY; © FAITH HOCA/ISTOCK.COM

Parsons Guitars, Ventura parsonsguitars.com

An American luthier, whose client list includes Jack White and Peter Frampton, Randy Parsons uses hand tools, traditional methods, and endless imagination to create guitars that qualify as works of art. He lives in his 7,500-square-foot upstairs workshop next door to the Ventura Theater. In January, Parsons debuted his latest limitededition guitar, The Bat, at the National Association of Music Merchants’ industry trade show. The Bat’s body is constructed of 800-yearold cedar, and the ebony fingerboard is inlaid with aged copper. Even fancier are Parsons’ Wonderland Guitars, which start at $50,000 apiece. “There’s the Red Rabbit, the Red King, the Red Queen,” says Parsons. “Part of the guitar is an elaborate inlay. We hand-cut all these pieces of jewels and shells, about 50,000 pieces. And that makes up this cool artwork up and down the neck.” Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page bought the White Mare.

Randy Parsons works on an inlaid guitar neck. F U N I N TH E S U N

Iconic Surf Wax

Mr. Zogs Sex Wax, Carpinteria sexwax.com

In the early 1970s, Frederick Charles Herzog III was running a small Goleta surf shop next door to the building where chemist Nate Skinner worked. The two started talking and decided to pool their expertise to create the perfect surfboard wax. The result was Mr. Zogs Original Sex Wax, an iconic brand of biodegradable surfboard, snowboard, and hockey stick wax. Herzog credits Hank Pitcher, an artist friend who designed the logo, with creating the memorable brand name. “I was Zog, right?” says Herzog. “Hank came up with Mr. Zogs and the other stuff, and put that all together for me. I looked at it when he was done, and it took me a while to get used to it, but then I decided, well, what the heck?” Today, at 72, Herzog still produces his industry-leading products from his Carpinteria headquarters.

Raised on a ranch in North San Luis Obispo County, Chase now toggles between traditional painting and hand-building lamps in his Morro Bay studio. “I get orders from around the country, and I also wholesale my lighting now,” he says. “It’s pretty exciting.” Still, he’s trying to keep it personal. Local cabinetmaker and friend Ryan Blackburn mills the walnut, ash, and birch pieces for the lamps’ bases. “I assemble the bases and sand and finish them,” Chase says. “I build every lamp. I figure if I keep making them and in some ways they’re made by people I have relationships with, then they’re still art.”

MADE in the 805

F U N I N TH E S U N

Bespoke Bicycles

Stinner Frameworks, Goleta stinnerframeworks.com

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Aaron Stinner builds bicycle frames to fit his customers.

LO C A L FL AVO R S

Crafty Drinks

Ventura Spirits venturaspirits.com

This 3-year-old California micro-distillery specializes in craft spirits inspired by the flavors of the Central Coast. Its neutral-flavored California Vodka is distilled from strawberry wine made with Oxnard and Santa Maria strawberries. Its topselling bottle, Wilder Gin, is characterized by local aromatic botanicals foraged by the company’s four founders, Anthony and Andrew Caspary, Henry Tarmy, and James Greenspun. “We go out and we forage for California bay leaves, yerba santa, purple sage, and sagebrush, and we also get Pixie tangerines grown in Ojai. We dehydrate the peels and store them in the distillery,” says Anthony Caspary. “We have a good variety of riparian ecosystems around here. We don’t have to go far to find a hillside covered in various sages and a ravine filled with bay trees.”

BIKE: NICOLE DATLEN/STINNER FRAMEWORKS

Aaron Stinner once managed Bicycle Bob’s bike shop. Now he’s a disrupter in the bike-manufacturing business, building custom steel and titanium bicycles and selling them directly to consumers and specialty retailers all over the world. “It all started with wanting to build a bike for myself,” Stinner says. “I’m on the taller side, and I never had a frame that fit me perfectly. Once people found out I could build frames from scratch, I started getting a lot of people knocking on my door.” Known for their clean, straightforward design, every Stinner bicycle is cut, welded, painted, and assembled with the individual customer in mind by specialists in Stinner’s Goleta workshop.

LO C A L FL AVO R S

The Ultimate Tortilla Chip

STONE: CHRIS BACA; ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES: COURTESY OF M c CONNELL’S FINE ICE CREAMS

Taco Works, San Luis Obispo tacoworks.net

When a Mexican fast-food place called Taco Works opened in San Luis Obispo in 1976, founder Ty Bayly had no idea the chips would become the main attraction. Aiming to distinguish his restaurant from Taco Bell, they served a free basket of fresh tortilla chips at every table. Customers loved the thin chips with the delicate crunch and distinct seasoning. “We basically came up with a kind of a season salt recipe, nothing dramatic, it was just a different kind of salt,” Bayly says. “But people started saying, ‘Wow, you should put these out in the stores!’ ” In 1978, Bayly did just that, and the rest is history. He eventually closed the restaurant to focus on chips. These days, Taco Works chips are ubiquitous in grocery stores and sandwich and deli shops throughout San Luis Obispo County. They can also be found in Costco, Smart & Final, and Food 4 Less stores in other parts of the state.

Janine Stone at work in her San Luis Obispo woodshop. C R A F TED BY H A N D

Built to Impress

If You Give a Girl a Saw, San Luis Obispo ifyougiveagirlasaw.com

Janine Stone didn’t know she was a woodworker until she needed an outdoor shoe rack and decided to build it herself. She borrowed a saw and discovered her true vocation. “Since opening my business, I have been flying by the seat of my pants every step of the way,” says Stone. Whether it’s reclaimed wood furnishings, geometric inlaid accessories, or custom builds for area businesses, she approaches each new design with curiosity and pure enthusiasm. “As a result, the aesthetic of my work is constantly evolving as I learn new ways to create and build,” she says. It seems to be working for her. Stone runs a thriving online shop and recently opened a 1,200-square-foot workshop in San Luis Obispo. USA Today readers voted her America’s Best Home and Garden Maker of 2016.

LO C A L FL AVO R S

Ice Cream for Purists

McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, Santa Barbara mcconnells.com

Founded in 1949 by Gordon “Mac” and Ernesteen McConnell, McConnell’s ice creams have been produced in the same downtown Santa Barbara dairy and creamery since the very beginning. Now owned by husband-and-wife team Michael Palmer and Eva Ein (he makes wine, she’s a chef), McConnell’s continues to make ice cream the old-fashioned way. “Long before using local ingredients became a thing, businesses like ours used ingredients from the immediate area because that’s what you did,” says Palmer. “The Central Coast is home to some of the best

ingredients in the country: The finest dairy, from cows that have the opportunity to graze on grass throughout the year. From organic, cage-free eggs to great, organic fruit and nuts, and so many other things, some of which are grown here and nowhere else in the continental U.S.” 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

MADE in the 805

LO C A L FL AVO R S

Singular Citrus Ojai Pixie Tangerines

Pixie isn’t a trade name. It’s a hybrid mandarin variety that has achieved cult status in California. Seedless and perfectly sweet, the lateseason tangerine ripens in March and April. Because Pixies require patience and extended exposure to heat and sun, the Ojai Valley has become the world capital for the kid-friendly fruit. Nearly 40 local family farms produce Pixies that are sold at California farmers’ markets

and distributed worldwide by Melissa’s Produce in Los Angeles. “The Ojai microclimate is really great for late-season citrus—any late season citrus, not just Pixies,” explains Emily T. Ayala, vice president of Friend’s Ranches (friendsranches. com), where Ayala’s grandfather, Elmer Friend, planted his first Pixie trees in 1970. “If you grow Pixies in an area that doesn’t have the right climate, the fruit just tastes flat. It tastes very watery and uninteresting.”

COA S TA L S T Y L E

Menswear That Works (and Plays) A collaboration between two surfloving New York designers who headed west when they started having families, Saltura is sustainably made menswear inspired by the California lifestyle. “Back in New York, we were weekend warriors. You work hard all week long, and on the weekend you do all the fun stuff,” says cofounder David Malina. “Here we notice people are really deliberate about weaving their fun stuff and family life into their everyday. That’s the person we want to cater to with Saltura. We want to create comfortable clothing that’s elegant enough that you can go into a work space, but it also provides flexibility and technical performance that would allow you to do these outdoor activities.” Sustainability and keeping it local are big priorities, says Addison Proctor, also a cofounder. “The majority of the fabric is knitted in Los Angeles. The cut and sew work is done in Ventura,” Proctor says. The design work and screen printing all happen in Santa Barbara.

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Saltura, Santa Barbara saltura.co

C R A F TED BY H A N D

Fine Leather Accessories

Make Smith Leather, Santa Barbara makesmith.com

Steven D. Soria grew up with leather-crafting. His father and great-uncle taught him the trade at the family leather shop in Santa Barbara. Seven years ago, Soria launched Make Smith Leather, his own line of minimalist bags, belts, wallets, and other accessories that let the quality leather and workmanship shine through. The goods are sold direct to customers online and in boutiques. “We’ve grown so quickly that we ship stuff all over the world,” Soria says. “We have a big presence in Japan and also New York.” The company’s creations are the star attraction at Make Smith– curated lobby shops at Shelter Social Club hotels in Santa Barbara, Ojai, and Los Alamos. Make Smith’s most popular designs are definitely the tote bags, says Soria. “I can’t walk down the street in the Central Coast without seeing one,” he says, adding that friends text him photos of women rocking their Make Smith totes on the streets of Brooklyn. Steven D. Soria creates Make Smith Leather’s beautifully tooled accessories entirely by hand.

COA S TA L S T Y L E

Hippie-Chic Perfection Love Tanjane, Ojai lovetanjane.com

With its hand-dyed natural fabrics and easy styling, Sonia Erneux’s Love Tanjane line of relaxed sundresses, sexy caftans, and other breezy pieces channel the groovy Ojai lifestyle. “Each piece is hand-dyed in Ojai and superpersonal,” says Erneux, who counts Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, and Nicole Richie among her clients. Originally a lingerie designer, Erneux grew up in Brussels and has lived in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles. But a visit to Ojai changed her life and her design approach. “I found Ojai supermagical, and I felt at home here immediately,” she says. “There was no way I was not going to live here.” After relocating to Ojai, she switched from lingerie to Love Tanjane. “I got really influenced by my life and the environment here to be less restricted, more gauzy and bohemian,” Erneux says. “Being in the country, I’ve become more creative, I think.” 

Beer

Made Here

THE LOCAL CRAFT BREW CULTURE FORGES A HEAD. BY MATT KETTMANN PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARY MOSS

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Twenty years ago, aside from some neighborhood brewpubs and an ambitious new outfit called Firestone Walker Brewing Company (firestonebeer.com), the Central Coast’s beer scene was as dormant as a vineyard in the dead of winter. But today, a hop-fueled, malt-powered giant of a craft-brewing movement is roaring, with about three dozen breweries of varying sizes and strategies pumping out lagers, ales, and boundary-bending beers from Paso Robles to the Conejo Valley. Firestone Walker is now a major player on the global beer scene—thanks, in large part, to the runaway success of a beer simply called 805—while smaller, newer outfits, from The Libertine Brewing Company in San Luis Obispo to Ladyface Ale Companie in Agoura Hills, are attracting the attention of craft brew cultists from across the country. So it’s high time to take a deep dive into the current state of brewing in the 805. What follows is our exploration, including a rundown of how the industry started here, an expert’s guide on pairing beer with food, a list of upcoming festivals, and suggestions on which bottles you should buy today.

In the Beginning . . . The Central Coast’s craft brew creation story goes like this: Brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker wanted to reuse their winery-owning family’s oak barrels, so they started experimenting > Home Brew (from top): Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company brewmaster Craig Keller and Jaime Dietenhofer discuss quality control at the Buellton brewery; a staffer at work among the tanks. 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

Tools of the trade: Views from inside Firestone Walker Brewing Company Taproom & Barrelworks in Buellton. (Opposite, from top) straightforward signage directs visitors to Draughtsmen Aleworks in Goleta; Tami Snow, one of the Draughtsmen leadership team, taps into the company stock.

in an unused corner of a warehouse on their Santa Ynez Valley estate. Out came their Firestone Walker Double-Barrel Ale in 1996, and then, as they grew into a larger facility in Buellton and now in Paso Robles, more flavors, like Union Jack IPA, emerged and quality consistently improved. “ ‘It’s what we drink around here’ was our motto,” recalls Walker, who says craft beer was an “eccentric” notion at that time, so they just wanted to brew locally made, quality beer that they would enjoy drinking, too. “Making Firestone Walker a household name in all three counties

Area and Arizona and putting the finishing touches on a facility in Buellton that can handle up to 110,000 barrels. Dietenhofer attributes the 805’s rapid rise of craft-beer brewing to the freedom the region had in its early days. Unlike San Diego, Portland, and San Francisco, where craft brew scenes were firmly established by the mid-2000s, the Central Coast wasn’t then saturated with breweries. “Since we had that tabula rasa, we were able to create a unique vibe and feel,” says Dietenhofer, who believes that allowed creativity to shine through a variety of

People want to try new things. … There’s always that expectation for new and that growth of our palate. That has definitely helped to grow the Central Coast brewing scene. [San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura] was our life’s dream. I fondly remember us throwing a press event in Santa Barbara having secured our 100th account and feeling like we had finally achieved a milestone.” As more Firestone Walker milestones mounted—repeat honors for midsize brewing company of the year at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup; extreme success with the 2012 launch of the 805 beer; growth of their wild and sour ale–focused Barrelworks aging program in Buellton; and entering into a partnership with Belgium’s Duvel Moortgat in 2015—dozens of breweries rose in their wake, from Barrelworks Brewing Co. down the street in Paso to Telegraph Brewing Company in Santa Barbara and Surf Brewery in Ventura. Expanding fastest has been Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company (figmtn brew.com), which opened its Buellton brewery and taproom in 2010 and quickly spread into five more facilities between Arroyo Grande and Westlake Village. “I don’t think anyone knew it would take off like this,” says Jaime Dietenhofer, who cofounded “Fig Mountain,” as it’s colloquially known, with his dad, Jim. That first year, they produced 600 barrels of beer but are now topping 20,000 annually. Already widely distributed across the Central Coast and Los Angeles, Fig Mountain is now expanding into the Bay 78

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beer styles. “Now the consumer expects a variety, from lagers to ales to sours. It’s not easy, but it keeps us on our toes.” The Central Coast’s long history of wine production also contributes to an elevated clientele. “There’s a level of sophistication that’s heightened the bar for breweries around here,” says Dietenhofer. “That makes the 805 and the Central Coast very unique in that way.” Tami Snow, co-owner of Draughtsmen Aleworks (draughtsmenaleworks.com) in Goleta, which celebrates its first anniversary this month, agrees. “People are educated about alcohol because there’s a wine scene that’s been here for quite a while,” says Snow, whose beers include diverse varieties such as Japanese rice lager and Russian imperial stout. “People want to try new things. Food is the same. Santa Barbara is a little town, but we have a lot of very good restaurants. There’s always that expectation for new and that growth of our palate. That has definitely helped to grow the Central Coast brewing scene.” David Walker, meanwhile, is betting the thirst for beer from the 805 will only grow. “I hope we will keep pace with the American appetite for craft beer, growing size only as our customers require,” he says. “We are deepening our partnerships with friends in the business and building a platform for the brewery for the next 100 years.”

Envelope Pushers Unbridled creativity abounds in the 805’s breweries, so here are some of the more boundary-expanding producers in the region, from north to south.

Libertine Brewing Company, San Luis Obispo libertinebrewing.com Winemakers love saying, “It takes a lot of beer to make wine,” but Libertine founder and brewer Tyler Clark loves drinking local wine when he makes beer. In addition to crafting notable sour beers, he’s constantly working to incorporate wine, wine grapes, and wine barrels into his robust seasonal batches, such as Halter Saison and Gose. And don’t be afraid if you see mint leaves and dried chipotle peppers in the mix. His visionary ways, which have included using hot rocks to cook the wort (liquid extracted from grain), are increasingly known nationwide.

Surf Brewery, Ventura surfbrewery.com and scientificseries.com This buzzing Ventura ale hub produces some of the smoothest sippers in the state but keeps it appropriately weird through their Scientific Series of barrel-aged beauties full of exotic ingredients. Recent highlights include the B-01 Belgian Style Tripel Ale with local orange flower honey and blood orange zest as well as the C-01 Imperial Amber aged in Belle Meade Bourbon barrels.

Casa Agria Specialty Ales, Oxnard casaagria.com Making funky, fruit-laced beers is what this 2-year-old Oxnard brewery is all about. On any given day the taproom might feature the ManGose (a mango-flavored German unfiltered wheat beer), the Eclipse Luminaire (a sour with apricots and blueberry), or the Sour Blinky (a tart wheat aged with blood orange and cranberry) ready to pour.

Enegren Brewing Co., Moorpark enegrenbrewing.com The most avant-garde concept about this Moorpark brewery is its adherence to tradition, due to a strong focus on lager-style beers. That doesn’t pigeonhole it at all, though, as its seasonal menu includes The Big Meat (rauchbier with beechwood-smoked malt), and The Ice Cream Truck (a milk stout brewed with cocoa nibs and coconut).

Ladyface Ale Companie, Agoura Hills ladyfaceale.com In addition to its flagship styles brewed on-site, this Agoura Hills alehouse and brasserie gets funky with its Archival Ales, whether aging tripel in California white wine barrels, Flemish red in Napa cabernet wine barrels, or adding the souring bacteria brettanomyces to its French bière de Mars. Mike Dawson contributed to this sidebar. 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

Does Lager Go With Lamb?

Q&A WITH JUSTIN M. CRIDER ON PAIRING BEER AND FOOD More than four years ago, Justin M. Crider became a certified cicerone, which is the beer world’s equivalent of a certified sommelier. About two-and-a-half years ago, he moved from New York City to Santa Barbara, and now works at the Lama Dog Tap Room + Bottle shop (lamadog.com) in the Funk Zone, where he leads regular classes on all things beer. What are the basics of pairing beer with food? What we usually look for are the three Cs of pairing: complements, contrasts, and cuts, as in cutting through. Obviously, with complements, you’re looking for similar flavors. If you have a burger or a steak that has a nice sear, then you look for a beer that has some of that caramelization or roast character, like a porter. For contrasts, you’re looking for more of a flavor that opposes the other but helps bring each other together. Take that same meaty, juicy burger and contrast with something lighter, like a nice session IPA. It doesn’t weigh you down, it has good dryness that offsets the heaviness of the burger, and has some nice bright citrus aromas and flavors that help cut through, which is also a good example of cutting. What’s another cutting example? A really great one that I love is blue cheese and oude gueuze, which is a spontaneous fermented blend of lambics, such as beers from the Zenne Valley in Belgium, that is nice and sour. That sourness cuts through the creamy richness and funkiness of the cheese. What’s a classic pairing? Raw oysters with dry Irish stout. The stout’s roasted dryness helps accentuate the fresh salinity of the oysters and can bring out their fruitiness, too. There’s even a style called oyster stout that brews stouts with either the shells or whole oysters in them. But I personally don’t care for that pairing much. My favorite with oysters is Belgianstyle witbier, especially when you’re talking about Pacific Northwest oysters. Telegraph Brewing Company’s White Ale is made with orange peel, coriander, and local chamomile flowers, so it highlights the delicate floral sweetness of oysters while also having some of the pear and honeydew character of other Belgian-style witbiers. It tends to be a bit drier than some other witbiers, which allows the sweetness of the oyster to shine. What about spicy food? One of the biggest intensity pairings is Indian food, like spicy curry, with the namesake IPA, which stands for India Pale Ale. The hops and bitterness match the intense flavors and spice of the food. But for me, your tongue is

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assaulted by all these spices, and when you throw hops in there, it just becomes muddled on my palate. So I actually like to pair that and a dark lager, which has more residual sweetness that cuts down the spiciness. Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. has developed a top-notch lager program and has won some awards for their dark lagers. Its Dunkel or Lighter Than I Look would both be great pairings for spicy foods. One of your favorites? Belgian witbier with cinnamon ice cream. Belgians can have a cinnamon or clove spice flavor, depending on the yeast trains being used and who’s making it. I did a pairing once in New York with ice-cream sandwiches. Try Draughtsmen Aleworks White Dwarf and snickerdoodle-and-cinnamon ice-cream sandwiches. Any no-nos? One pairing that is always good to avoid is anything that is high in hop bitterness with fatty and briny seafood or extra creamy cheeses. Their omega-3 fatty acids interact poorly with the alpha acids in hops, and it ends up tasting really metallic, like tasting a nickel. It’s definitely not recommended.

Justin M. Crider’s 805 Pairings TELEGRAPH BREWING COMPANY

telegraphbrewing.com White Ale with raw oysters: “In addition to citrus peel and coriander, they also use local chamomile. The gentle floral character blends with the pear and cantaloupe notes of the beer, which complements the fresh melon flavors and sweetness of the oysters.” ISLAND BREWING COMPANY

islandbrewingcompany.com Beach Day IPA with hamburgers: “It has this nice bright Valencia orange citrus–peel aroma and a little of that pine found in old-school IPAs. That gives it a good bitter backbone for some of the sweetness you get from a beef patty, especially if you add caramelized onions, which I usually do.” THIRD WINDOW BREWING

thirdwindowbrewing.com Walkabout Stout with double-chocolate fudge cake: “It’s brewed with local oranges, cocoa nibs, and vanilla beans, so it goes great with a rich dessert.”

Beer Bashes The best way to explore several breweries at once—while also chowing down on great food and listening to live music—is during one of the many beer festivals that hit the coast each year. Be forewarned, though, many sell out quickly, so use this guide as a plan for next year as well. MAY 20

Ventura, Surf & Suds surfbeerfest.com A beachy culture fest with local brews. MAY 27

California Festival of Beers californiafestivalofbeers.com This seminal SLO County event, which is billed as the oldest regional beer fest in the state, celebrates its 31st annual affair at Madonna Inn Meadows. JUNE 3

Firestone Walker Invitational firestonebeer.com The premier brewery bash on the West Coast, if not the country, with producers from New Zealand to Indiana. AUGUST 12

Carpinteria, Surf & Suds surfbeerfest.com The late summer version of this festival, a bit farther north. AUGUST 24

Thousand Oaks Brewfest tobrewfest.com This is the fifth annual—usually sold-out—event hosted by the Kiwanis Club, featuring the wares of 21 local and distant breweries. SEPTEMBER 10–17

Ventura County Beer Week venturacountybeerweek.com A weeklong exploration of craft beers ends with the three-day California Beer Festival at Plaza Park featuring 120 brews on tap. OCTOBER 14

Santa Barbara Beer Festival sbbeerrestival.com A benefit at the peaceful hilltop Elings Park, overlooking Santa Barbara and the shoreline.

The orange, coriander, and chamomile notes in Telegraph Brewing Company’s White Ale marry especially well with oysters.

Central Coast Beers to Drink Right Now BY MIKE DAWSON

SLO BLONDE LAGER

Central Coast Brewing San Luis Obispo centralcoastbrewing.com In the land of IPAs, this crew (which makes amazing IPAs, too) has been mastering the trickier art of making lagers. This built-for-hot-weather beauty will quench any thirst and pair well with spicy fare.

WAVE WRANGLER SESSION IPA

SLO Brew San Luis Obispo, slobrew.com This storied music venue has new shiny digs in downtown SLO and new, delicious suds to match. This easy-drinker is a perfect beach beer, delivering a sweet and floral dose of hops, minus the cottonmouth of heavier IPAs.

LUPONIC DISTORTION NO. 005

Firestone Walker Brewing Company Buellton and Paso Robles firestonebeer.com This latest limited-run beer is by far the best in the series since No. 001. It’s bright, crisp, and bursting with no less than four styles of American-grown hops and one from Germany. Since it’s ubiquitous, there’s no excuse not to try it before No. 006 replaces it.

FLATLANDS SAISON

Topa Topa Brewing Company Santa Barbara and Ventura topatopa.beer A farmhouse-style saison, this frothy gem bursts with juicy fruit aromas, green grass notes, and the right amount of sour. This beer is the ultimate suds soldier for ribs slathered in barbecue sauce.

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CZECH PILSNER

Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. Arroyo Grande, Buellton, Los Olivos, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Westlake Village figmtnbrew.com The Bohemians invented pilsner— not the Germans—and there’s a reason some 200 years later you can still get a pint of Czech Pilsner Urquell at the bar: It’s amazing. Figueroa’s is equally as good—sharp, crisp and thirstquenching—and it’s made by our neighbors.

THE DARK(ISH)

Third Window Brewing Santa Barbara thirdwindowbrewing.com If you’re a fan of stouts in the winter, you just found your new favorite summer beer. This rust-hued, low-alcohol lager retains its summer lightness, while skimming deftly through those seductive stout notes, like molasses, coffee, and caramel.

CERVEZA DE FIESTA

Telegraph Brewing Company Santa Barbara telegraphbrewing.com This is another Czech-style pilsner, but it leans on the lighter side. Superclean and refreshing, this golden gem washes down with bright citrus and cut-grass notes. As the name implies, it marries perfectly with Mexican fare.

PASO PALE

Silva Brewing Paso Robles silvabrewing.com With new digs in Paso Robles wine country, this craft outfit is already producing some legendary brews. Bursting with clean, not earthy,

hops and subtle tropical notes, this pale ale will punch away any dry-mouth caused by the Paso scorch-a-thon that is summer.

SCOTTISH HEAVY

Dunbar Brewing Santa Margarita dunbarbrewing.com Tucked in the tiny town of San Margarita just north of San Luis Obispo, Chris Chambers is quietly making some of the best big-boy beers in California. This fun take on Scottish-style ale is a must-try. Bold with toffee and baked hops, it swirls with lime and baked bread.

SERENITY

Five Threads Brewing Company Westlake Village fivethreadsbrewing.com Clocking in at 9 percent alcohol (that’s on the higher side), this Belgian-style golden strong ale masks it amazingly well, so be careful. Easy to drink, it’s teeming with apricot, baking spices, and golden raisins and is a perfect warm-weather break for the IPA heads out there.

VALHALLA IPA

Solvang Brewing Company Lompoc and Solvang solvangbrewing.com With so many IPAs out there and the trend toward lighter session IPAs, it’s refreshing to find one that still swings for the fences with boldness and pleasing bitterness. Stuffed with big earthy hops, it’s tamed (barely) by a slight bouquet of honeysuckle and rose.

BIG ISLAND BARLEYWINE

SCHÖNER TAG

LITTLE RINCON SESSION ALE

STATE STREET STOUT

Island Brewing Company Carpinteria islandbrewingcompany.com Barley wine is an acquired taste, and if you want a way in, this relatively gentle rendition is your go-to from the Central Coast. Big malt, bigger hops, and a sweet burnt-sugar taste coats the tongue.

Enegren Brewing Co. Moorpark, enegrenbrewing.com This Bavarian-style hefeweizen is hands down one of the best brewed in California right now. Not the easiest to find outside of the brewery, it’s worth the hunt. It packs orange-zest citrus with amazing brioche-yeast notes. It’s unfiltered, so it pours cloudy, but the flavors are as clean and complex as they come for this style.

Rincon Brewery Carpinteria, rinconbrewery.com With less than 4 percent alcohol, it’s astounding how complex this porch pounder is. Lemon, lime, and a healthy dose of hops, it’s not for impressing beer snobs, but if you’re at the beach or on a boat and are having more than three, sub these in for that massproduced stuff.

Santa Barbara Brewing Company Santa Barbara, sbbrewco.com This is an ideal summer stout: approachable, light, and food friendly. It’s an oatmeal stout but not with that on-the-nose wet oatmeal flavor. Instead, it’s rich with milky coffee, vanilla bean, and a hint of turmeric. Pair with Santa Maria–style steak.

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Ale Trails There’s a growing number of beer trails, guides, and apps to help you find a brewery you’ll love. Central Coast Beer Trail centralcoastbeertrail.com The public face of the nonprofit regional guild that connects Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo county brewers, this features both printable and interactive maps with three dozen locations that range from 927 Brew Company in Cambria to Rincon Brewing in Carpinteria. Santa Barbara Ale Trail santabarbaraaletrail.beer A combination printed map and digital app called Loyale that rewards dedicated brewery fans with prizes and deals, this connects the nearly 20 producers operating from Carpinteria to the Santa Ynez Valley. Ventura Off Market Street Tasting Trail offmarketstreet.com This urban route through Ventura’s warehouse district, west of the 101, includes wineries, restaurants, coffee roasters, and more, but the three breweries— Surf, MadeWest, and Poisedon— still attract regular visitors.  Tip: If you want to sample the best suds San Luis Obispo has to offer, catch a ride on Hop On Beer Tours (hoponbeertours. com). Tours are guided by cicerones, brewers, and beer connoisseurs, who can give you the lowdown and the inside skinny on every brewery. —M.D.

Draughtsmen Aleworks offerings at the Goleta taproom. 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

$495

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Taste FOOD / WINE / DINING OUT

Savory Meets Strawberry

The dessert-friendly fruit ventures into new territory. By Jaime Lewis

ed, ripe, and warm from the sun, a fresh-picked strawberry is a beloved bite in the 805. Certainly the sweet red fruit has its place in jams, smoothies, and desserts, but what about in savory dishes? Several local chefs blur the sweet-savory line, playing strawberries against unexpected ingredients that heighten their flavor to elegant effect. “We use strawberries for the fruitiness and tang,” says chef and owner Gwithyen Thomas of Aroha Restaurant (aroharestaurant.com) in Westlake Village of his Strawberry Goat-Cheese Salad with Champagne Vanilla Dressing. At Cello Ristorante & Bar (allegrettovineyardresort.com/dining) in Paso Robles, executive chef Eric Olson complements the fruit with the deep, tart flavor of balsamic vinegar in his Strawberry Crostini starter. And at The Shop, American Kitchen (yourshopkitchen.com) in Santa Barbara, owner Dudley Michael adds fresh strawberries to his house-made barbecue sauce to heighten its dimension and flavor. Try your hand at enhancing savory flavors with the most prolific fruit grown along the Central Coast via these recipes.

Developed by executive chef Eric Olson of Cello Ristorante & Bar at Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Paso Robles, this bright, cheery appetizer brings together strawberries and balsamic vinegar, a classic pairing from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, where balsamic vinegar is traditionally made. For this dish, “I like using smaller strawberries wherever possible because they sit better on the sliced bread,” Olson says. He suggests serving it with sparkling wine. Tips: If the balsamic syrup over-reduces, Olson suggests whisking in ¼ cup hot water. The bread can be toasted one day ahead and stored in a sealed container until the dish is ready to be assembled. Makes 20 to 24 crostini 1 cup balsamic vinegar (Olson prefers locally made Chaparral Gardens; chaparralgardens.com) 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1 loaf country-style bread, cut into ¼- to ½-inch thick slices ¼ cup grape-seed oil Pinch of kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

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1 pinch white pepper 1 teaspoon powdered sugar 1 pound local, organic strawberries washed, hulled, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices 8 ounces mascarpone, at room temperature 1 small bunch fresh mint, stems removed and leaves chopped fine Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt. Simmer until mixture is reduced to a syrupy consistency, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, toss bread slices with grapeseed oil, pinch of kosher salt, allspice, and white pepper until well coated. Place bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Place sliced strawberries in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and let sugar dissolve, leaving fruit with a glossy appearance. To assemble: Spread mascarpone on one side of each slice of toast. Top with a few slices of sweetened strawberries. Drizzle with balsamic reduction. Sprinkle with fresh mint and serve. >

STRAWBERRY CROSTINI

Slices of country-style bread are toasted, then slathered with mascarpone, topped with strawberries, and drizzled with a balsamic reduction for this Strawberry Crostini appetizer.

805LIVING.COM 805LIVING.COM/ /APRIL MAY 2017

Taste Food STRAWBERRY GOAT-CHEESE SALAD WITH CHAMPAGNE VANILLA DRESSING “We’re a New Zealand restaurant, but honestly, there’s so much great produce here that we like to highlight strawberries because they’re something the area’s known for,” says chef Gwithyen Thomas of Aroha Restaurant. For this simple yet decadent salad recipe, he suggests using the absolute freshest, locally grown strawberries available. Serves 4 CHAMPAGNE VANILLA DRESSING 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 tablespoons champagne vinegar (available at Sur La Table and other specialty grocers) 1½ tablespoons honey ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon hot water SALAD 2 cups strawberries, sliced 2 cups baby arugula 1 cup candied walnuts (available at Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s) 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled To make dressing: Using a small, sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. In a bowl, combine vanilla seeds or extract, champagne vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard. Slowly add olive oil and hot water. Set mixer to high speed and blend ingredients until emulsified. (Dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week. Let it come to room temperature before tossing with salad.) To assemble salad: Combine sliced strawberries, arugula, and walnuts in a large bowl. Add dressing to taste and toss salad. Transfer to individual plates, top with crumbled goat cheese, and serve.

STRAWBERRY BARBECUE SAUCE “This is a version of the first barbecue sauce I learned to make when I started cooking professionally,” says Dudley Michael, owner of The Shop, American Kitchen in Santa Barbara. The eatery, which opened for breakfast and lunch in 2012, features a grilled barbecue chicken sandwich on its menu that oozes with this sauce, a sweet and sour blend brightened with the flavor of fresh strawberries. As an alternative to liquid smoke, Michael suggests smoking strawberries in a smoker for 1 hour before incorporating them into the sauce.

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HAVE A STRAWBERRY FIELD DAY For fans of shortcake’s favored sidekick, the California Strawberry Festival (castrawberryfestival.org) in Oxnard is a must-attend event. Scheduled for May 20 and 21 this year, the celebration offers tried-and-true favorites such as strawberry shortcake, smoothies, and margaritas, as well as unusual treats like strawberry beer, nachos, and pizza, and even deep-fried strawberries. All proceeds from the food and drink booths benefit local charities. Don’t miss the Berry Blast-Off recipe competition, which challenges chefs and other cooks to create a unique and delicious strawberry-based dish in just one hour before a live audience. The contest draws competitors from all over the country. Makes about 2 cups 1 star anise 1 clove 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon powdered mustard 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 3 cups canned peeled tomatoes ½ cup black pepper 1 6- to 7-ounce can tomato paste 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled 1 tablespoon liquid smoke 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice In a large pot over medium heat, combine star anise, clove, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, red pepper flakes, and powdered mustard. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture has caramelized and turned brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cider and red wine vinegars. Sauce will form a hard crust at first. Mix until caramel is completely dissolved and smooth. Add salt, brown sugar, tomatoes, black pepper, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until sauce reduces by half, about 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat and transfer sauce to a blender (or use an immersion blender in the pot). To avoid being burned by hot liquid, do not fill the blender more than halfway; blend sauce in batches. Blend until mixture is smooth, then, with the motor running, add strawberries through small opening in lid. Strain sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Add liquid smoke, lemon juice, and more salt to taste. Chill 1 hour before using. Sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. 

Taste Wine By Matt Kettmann

Wine+Burger=Bliss Central Coast winemakers pair their juice with preferred patties.

uch hot air is spent extolling the epicurean virtues of serving rich red wine with grilled steak and crisp whites with chilled shellfish. But the best, most hedonistically pleasing pairings I’ve ever enjoyed, whether in a restaurant or at home, have come from chomping on a juicy cheeseburger and washing it down with a big glass of wine. There’s something about the combination of meat, cheese, mustard, ketchup, and soft bread that’s so utterly cohesive, delicious, and proudly American that it becomes the perfect foil for a wide range of wines. In my nearly two decades of hanging out with winemakers near and far, I know they all feel the same way. So, in honor of National Burger Month, I asked a few Central Coast producers to pair their favorite burgers with their own wines. This is what they had to say.

Patrick Muran, winemaker NINER WINE ESTATES SUPER PASO 2013 Paso Robles Geneseo District, $45 and RESTAURANT’S BURGER ninerwine.com, Paso Robles

Located on Highway 46 West in Paso Robles, Niner is one of the few wineries with an on-site eatery, simply called Restaurant. Patrick Muran is not afraid to plug its burger, which is sourced from Charter Oak Ranch, seven miles away. It’s topped with Truffle Tremor cheese, butter lettuce, onion jam, and black pepper aioli. To accompany it, he suggests his winery’s Super Paso 2013. “One foot is in Italy with a combination of sangiovese and barbera as the base and one foot in the Wild West, using any of 10 other varieties that we grow,” says Muran of the blend, which features 53 percent barbera, 25 percent cabernet franc, 12 percent sangiovese, 5 percent merlot, and 5 percent petite sirah. “It has enough spice, tannin, and roots to hold down this truffle burger.”

Kevin Sass likes the Short Rib Jalapeño Jack Burger at Pappy McGregor’s Irish Pub (pappymcgregors.com) on the Paso Robles square. He pairs it with Halter’s CDP Red Rhône Blend 2014, in which the grenache and mourvèdre accent the Wagyu beef and onion jam spice while the syrah and tannat bring the tannic weight to handle the intense protein. “The juiciness of the wine complements the juiciness of the burger, and the low tannin structure makes this combination extremely quaffable,” says Sass. “The duo is dangerous.” Jordan Fiorentini, winemaker EPOCH ESTATE WINES ROSÉ 2016, Paso Robles, Willow Creek District, $30, and EUREKA!’S BONE MARROW BURGER epochwines.com, Paso Robles and Templeton

Jordan Fiorentini makes powerful Rhône blends that she believes go great with “high-octane burgers.” Though she admits to only having a few bites every time her husband, > 90

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BURGER; © ANDREW CEBULKA/STOCKSY UNITED

Kevin Sass, winemaker HALTER RANCH CDP RED RHÔNE BLEND 2014 Paso Robles, Adelaida District, $32 and PAPPY McGREGOR’S IRISH PUB SHORT RIB JALAPEÑO JACK BURGER halterranch.com, Paso Robles

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Taste Wine

Manu, orders it, Fiorentini likes the Bone Marrow burger at Eureka! (eurekarestaurantgroup.com) in San Luis Obispo, which comes with porcini butter, charbroiled onions, horseradish-mustard aioli, and roasted Roma tomato. She knows her reds can handle it and even her racy grenache blanc, but Fiorentini prefers pink overall, selecting Epoch’s mourvèdrebased rosé. “The raciness and freshness of our rosé kicks this burger in the butt and keeps you going back for bite, sip, bite, sip,” she says. Brian Talley, owner-winegrower TALLEY VINEYARDS ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2014 Arroyo Grande Valley, $36 and ROOSTER CREEK TAVERN’S THE BURGER talleyvineyards.com, Arroyo Grande

A regional wine pioneer, Brian Talley prefers The Burger at Rooster Creek Tavern (roostercreektavern.com) in Arroyo Grande partly because the restaurant is close to his home. It comes on a brioche bun with honey mustard or garlic aioli, but he gets both. He suggests the Talley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir, which Rooster Creek Tavern pours by the glass. “It’s a great match with this burger as well as the ahi tartare appetizer that my wife, Johnine, usually has when we dine here,” says Talley. Dave Potter, winemaker MUNICIPAL WINEMAKERS BRIGHT WHITE RIESLING 2016, Santa Barbara County, $25 and THE BLUE OWL’S THAI BASIL BURGER municipalwinemakers.com, Santa Barbara

Dave Potter is one of the few producers to actually make his wine in Santa Barbara proper, so he knows the restaurant scene there well. To go with his Bright White Riesling, he likes the Thai Basil Burger at The Blue Owl (blueowlsb.com), which started as a late night pop-up and quickly became an all-day restaurant. “The herby and exotic flavors go awesome with aromatic and limey riesling, and the acid cuts through burger fat,” he says. Tyler Thomas, director of winemaking DIERBERG VINEYARD SANTA MARIA VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2013, $46 and S.Y. KITCHEN’S T-BONE TRUFFLE SLIDERS dierbergvineyard.com, Santa Ynez

“Do sliders count?” asks Tyler Thomas, director of winemaking at Dierberg and Star Lane vineyards. Thomas usually opts for burgers at Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn (brothersredbarn. com) in Santa Ynez or Sides Hardware and Shoes, a Brothers Restaurant (brothersrestaurant.com) in Los Olivos, but he also suggests T-Bone Truffle Sliders at S.Y. Kitchen (sykitchen.com). His Star 92

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Lane Vineyard cabernet sauvignon might be the expected pick, but instead he prefers the 2013 Dierberg Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir. “That vintage had a bit more richness and generosity,” Thomas says. “The truffle cheese on the slider with the earthy-fruit balance of the wine results in both being consumed quickly.” Steve Peck, red winemaker J. LOHR VINEYARDS & WINES TOWER ROAD PETITE SIRAH 2014, Paso Robles, $35 and VINE RESTAURANT’S VERMONT WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESEBURGER jlohr.com, Paso Robles

Red wine specialist Steve Peck thinks the Vermont White Cheddar Cheeseburger at the new Vine Restaurant (805-369-2393) near Paso Robles’ central square, is “killer” and plays well with J. Lohr’s Tower Road Petite Sirah. “We work really hard to tease out all of the juicy color from our petite sirah without the big tannins, and this pairing was bingo,” Peck says. “The rich vanilla aromas were a bonus.”

BURGER NIGHTS AT THE HITCHING POST II Three of the winemakers surveyed immediately responded that the most obvious choice for them was the burger served on burger night at The Hitching Post II (hitchingpost2.com) in Buellton, which used to be only on Mondays but now extends to Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Made of trimmings from the restaurant’s prime steaks plus hand-ground chuck loaded with the restaurant’s own Magic Stuff seasoning, the burger is cooked over red oak and is usually topped with cheddar, house-made bacon, and avocado. Customers won’t find it on the menu, and it’s only served in the bar area. It’s what Rebecca and Peter Work, proprietors of Ampelos Cellars in Lompoc (ampeloscellars.net ), crave. They grab a bottle of Ampelos Gamma Syrah 2012, Sta. Rita Hills ($35), order their burger with Canadian bacon and Swiss cheese, and twist the cook’s arm to throw a potato on the barbecue. “Our syrah

will match it perfectly and, before we know it, plates and bottle are empty,” says Peter. “My go-to wine for burgers is our Classic Cuvée 2013 red table wine, Santa Ynez Valley [$24], a blend of merlot, cab franc, cab sauv, and malbec, chosen from the most approachable barrels,” says Karen Steinwachs, winemaker at Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard (buttonwoodwinery.com) in Solvang, who gets her Hitching Post II burger–night special with cheese, grilled onions, and bacon. “It’s a wine for everyday casual pairing and imbibing.” Aaron Walker, winemaker at Pali Wine Co. (paliwineco.com) in Lompoc, opts for his Rancho La Vina Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014, Sta. Rita Hills ($60). “It’s got the masculinity to stand up to this serious burger,” he says. “The smokiness from being cooked over red oak plays wonderfully with the flavors in the wine. And it has enough acidity to cut through all that delicious fat. This is a true Central Coast mouthful.”

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Taste Dining Out By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

A New Mexperience

Carlos Luna showcases the premium spirits and sophisticated dishes of Mexico in a fine-dining setting at Santa Barbara’s Indigo Hotel.

own by the iconic dolphin fountain at the Santa Barbara wharf, in the construction zone mayhem of lower State Street, there’s a lot to be excited about. With the promise of La Entrada’s soon-to-open Hotel Californian, the recent grand opening of MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, and the nearby, ever-expanding maze of wineries, bars, and restaurants of the Funk Zone, this area has become more than a place to rent a surrey or buy flip-flops. It’s as enticing for newcomers as it is for locals. Restaurateur Carlos Luna recognized an opportunity to create a cozy oasis amid the bustle of increasing foot traffic and the adjacent train station by recently opening Santo Mezcal (Instagram: @santomezcal_sb) in the popular, boutique-style Hotel Indigo. The Guadalajara native brings experience from his mini-empire of Los Agaves Restaurants, earning a trusted reputation for quality casual food and hands-on hospitality. His latest venture aims to be a full service, high-end, chefdriven restaurant, a place to linger well past the dinner hour to enjoy a full bar, tequila flights, and the lesser-known namesake mezcal spirits. The white stucco walls, red roof tiles, and brick sidewalks that define Santa Barbara’s architectural style are an ideal setting for Santo Mezcal’s Mexican Riviera resort look. Luna chose the Agoura Hills–based Bitton Design Group, a 30-year veteran of hospitality design, to realize his vision. Eddy Bitton, president of the design group, set out to establish a unique identity for Santo Mezcal that succeeds on its own yet integrates with the hotel’s adjacent entrance. Inside the new restaurant, beyond a collection of black walnut tabletops and white marble counters, a long wall of tall, cove-like arches is softly illuminated, highlighting silhouettes of sculptural, black iron metalwork. Lining one wall are built-in wooden banquettes, with cushions of neutral-colored fabric held by brass rings and buckled brown-leather straps. The geometric glass lighting throughout is custom made. >

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Executive chef Ricardo Garcia (left) pushes the boundaries of Mexican food. The modern, elegant dining room (above) complements the hotel design while establishing Santo Mezcal’s unique identity and putting an emphasis on comfort. Opposite: Ceviche Verde, citrus-marinated halibut with apple, cucumber, pineapple, and jicama in cilantro-basil sauce.

Taste Dining Out Taking tradition to new heights (from top): Restaurateur Carlos Luna embraces his latest venture. An assortment of wine and spirits stock a cabinet backed by a brick wall in the bar where Sean Sepulveda’s creative beverages take cues from Mexican classics. Garcia and his team innovate in the kitchen.

But the main focal point is the bar, which commands the space like any altar would. Its reverse-lit iron and glass shelves hold premium spirits and are anchored to an exposed vintage brick wall, along with custom wine racks. The wood-fire grill, inherited from the site’s former restaurant, is used to sear items for dishes on both the cocktail and kitchen menus. Executive chef Ricardo Garcia, a childhood friend of Luna’s, trained at Escuela Culinaria Internacional in Guadalajara. After a stint opening a restaurant in Chicago, he came to California in 2008 as a chef at the first Los Agaves location on Milpas Street. Garcia’s knowledge of traditional cooking styles from Baja to the Yucatan is apparent in his popular family-style restaurants’ many specialty dishes, but Santo Mezcal provides an opportunity for Garcia to maximize his culinary potential. With an inventive, seafood-focused menu, Garcia and sous chef Pedro Vaca push the boundaries of Mexican food way beyond red enchiladas with rice and beans. The ahi ceviche is an eyecatching plate (the restaurant’s sustainably sourced fish comes from Kanaloa Seafood Market in Santa Barbara) with avocado, blackened corn, sprouted cilantro, a drizzle of guajillo chili oil, and an unusual, subtle garnish of corn tortilla ash carried over from an ancient Oaxacan tradition. Camarones Zarandeados is spice-marinated, shell-on shrimp char-grilled in the tradition of Puerto Vallarta, with microgreens, radish, and sliced jalapeños.

Santo Mezcal provides an opportunity for Garcia to maximize his culinary potential. Many of the house dishes come on tablitas, wooden planks, in generous portions ideal for sharing. The Tablita Pulpo a Las Brasas is grilled octopus with a roasted red-pepper dipping sauce and charred green onions on a bed of green pea-andpotato mash flavored with bacon. One option for meat lovers is the Tablita Rib-Eye sautéed in a rich bone marrow sauce and dramatically presented in a hefty, split bone with pickled onion and a martajada salsa of chile, onion, and garlic in a chunky roasted tomato base. The drinks menu is no less inventive with Sean Sepulveda at the bar. He’s used to pulling flavor profiles from “great Mexican chefs with a lot in their holsters,” Sepulveda says, having created beverages for Santa Barbara’s Cielito Restaurant and Cadiz Restaurant and Lounge before joining Luna. His daring but approachable offerings highlight classics such as the Mezcal Negroni, twists on classics like the Paloma with fresh grapefruit and mezcal (instead of tequila), and rotating seasonal concoctions that include infusions and simple syrups made from local herbs and fruits. At any of Luna’s venues, it is not uncommon to see him in his signature tailored shirt, welcoming guests and handing out menus. He clearly loves what he does. “I like to be around people or in the kitchen, seeing that my customers are happy,” Luna says. It’s sometimes hard to believe he is just one person, as he seems to appear everywhere, but it’s a fair bet that he’ll wrap up his long workday sharing a tequila or mezcal sipper with friends and patrons.  96

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

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The Guide W H E R E TO E AT N OW

Our aim is to inform you of restaurants with great food that you might not have experienced yet. The guide is arranged not by cuisine type, but by style of restaurant. “Fine Dining” choices have an elegant atmosphere and very professional service. Restaurants included under the “Foodie” heading are heralded for their wonderful chefdriven cuisine, regardless of atmosphere. “A Good Bet” listings are just that—solid, casual, and delicious. The “Fun, Fun, Fun” category brings you spots geared toward a good time. The “Lunch Bunch” listings are casual spots ideally suited for lunch hour. New listings will appear in The Guide in every issue. Please send any comments and suggestions to edit@805living.com. ON THE WEB: Visit 805living.com for more listings and to make quick and easy reservations at many of the restaurants listed here through Open Table.

Fine Dining

These restaurants have a skilled kitchen team, a lovely dining room, and great service. ANGEL OAK 8301 Hollister Ave. Santa Barbara, 877-783-6067 angeloaksb.com Steaks and Seafood Entrées $31–$65 or Market Price

Great Views, Romantic Located on the grounds of Bacara Resort & Spa, Angel Oak takes full advantage of its perch above the Santa Barbara County coastline and of the talents of its French-born executive chef, Vincent Lesage. The menu is modern steak house with a seafood twist. Starters include foie gras torchon with strawberry chutney, a seafood tower, and Dungeness crab cakes accented by local citrus sabayon. Main-course options include steamed halibut with pea-verbena puree, grass-fed New Zealand rack of lamb with house-made harissa, and certified Kobe beef ordered by the ounce. Desserts by the resort’s pastry chef, Brooke Martin, include new takes on Baked Alaska and other classics. Branden Bidwell, a familiar face on the region’s wine scene, is both general manager and sommelier, overseeing the restaurant’s 12,000-bottle cellar. In the sleek dining room, floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views of the ocean, echoed by the blue Amazonite quartz of the 25-seat bar.

ARTISAN 843 12th St. Paso Robles, 805-237-8084 artisanpasorobles.com New American; Entrées $14–$31

Vegetables from the restaurant’s own farm, sustainably raised meats, and an award-winning chef combine to form a temple of gastronomy in the heart of 805 wine country. Chef and co-owner Chris Kobayashi prepares seasonal food for daily dinners, and weekend brunches. An afternoon menu of small plates, wood-fired pizzas, and drink specials is available daily at the bar. Chris’ wife, Shandi, matches excellent wines to her husband’s cuisine.

MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

AUSTEN’S AT THE PIERPONT 550 Sanjon Road Ventura, 805-643-0245 pierpontinn.com New American; Entrées $24–$34

Named for a son of the Pierpont Inn founder, the restaurant is in temporary quarters while the original Craftsman-era section of the historic hotel undergoes renovations. The current dining room offers views of trees, sunsets, and slivers of coastline. Patio seating is surrounded by glass walls that retain the view while mitigating noise from the freeway below. Executive chef Jorge Espinosa oversees menus that cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The prime rib French dip is a midday favorite. Dinner options include steaks, pork chops, and sea bass with habanero-lime sauce. Sunday brunch served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. is an à la carte affair. Happy hour daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. boasts a $2 discount on every dish on the bar-bites menu.

BACARA RESORT & SPA 8301 Hollister Ave. Santa Barbara, 877-783-6067 bacararesort.com New American; Entrées $17–$43

Great Views, Romantic Unparalleled views of the Santa Barbara coastline are just part of the appeal at Bacara, where French-born executive chef Vincent Lesage oversees seasonal menus for each of the resort’s unique dining areas. (His modern steak house, Angel Oak, also is described under Fine Dining.) The Bistro offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner on an oceanfront patio with stunning views and a fireplace to helps keep patrons toasty well past sunset. Entrées by chef de cuisine Jeffrey O’Brien are reasonably priced given the setting: filet mignon with lobster mashed potatoes and cognac cream sauce comes in at $43. The Spa Café serves breakfast, lunch, and smoothies near an adults-only pool. The Bacara Bar is an in-the-round showcase for craft cocktails, snacks, and casual dinners, while the Foley Food & Wine Society Tasting Room offers hard-to-find wines by the flight, glass, and bottle.

UPDATE BELLA VISTA IN THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT The Biltmore Santa Barbara 1260 Channel Drive Santa Barbara, 805-969-2261 fourseasons.com/santabarbara/dining.html

Californian and Italian; Entrées and Sunday Brunch $20–$75

Great Views Named for its sweeping views of lawn, ocean, and sky, Bella Vista has a slightly Italian bent thanks to executive chef Marco Fossati. He uses local fish and organic farmers’ market produce, handmade pastas, and herbs from the chef’s garden at the resort to create such dishes as prime bistecca tagliata with salsa verde and crispy potatoes. Weekly specials include a Seafood at Sunset menu of shucked oysters and barbecued shrimp. (At the adjacent Ty Lounge, Fossati’s Mussel Madness Tuesdays menu features the shellfish prepared six ways and presented in cast-iron bowls from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.) The wine list offers local and international labels. Afternoon tea is served on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and requires reservations; call 805-565-8237.

BELMOND EL ENCANTO 800 Alvarado Place Santa Barbara, 805-845-5800 belmond.com/el-encanto-santa-barbara Entrées $28–$48

Great Views, Romantic The luxe Belmond El Encanto hotel perches atop its seven-acre hilltop property with sweeping city and ocean views. Settle in on the spacious terrace or in the elegant dining room and linger over artfully presented California coastal cuisine crafted by executive chef Johan Denizot. Local ingredients shine, including herbs from the chef’s garden and cheese made from the milk of Ellie, the resort’s cow. The seasonal menu features appetizers such as halibut sashimi and mains like king crab leg in lobster-chili broth and classic New York steak with a choice of sides. The wine list includes Santa Barbara County gems and globetrotting labels. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily, although Sunday lunch is replaced with a bottomless Bellini brunch.

Here’s a cure for the Monday blues: At Tierra Sur (tierrasuratherzog.com), the white-tablecloth restaurant at Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, the Tierra Sur International special event series features cuisine from a different country each week in May. To heighten the anticipation— and to keep the culinary team on its toes—the dinner’s country of origin won’t be announced until the Tuesday before it is served. But we can tell you this much: Each dinner, at $95 per person (discounts are available for Herzog Wine Club members), includes up to a five-course meal of appetizers, an entrée, and dessert. Bon voyage!

Afternoon tea (reservations highly recommended) is served Monday through Saturday. In-the-know locals and hotel guests take in the sunset, cocktail in hand, on the terrace.

CA’ DARIO 37 E. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-884-9419 cadario.net Italian; Entrées $15–$32

At the corner of Victoria and Anacapa streets, Ca’ Dario is somewhat off the Santa Barbara tourist path. That doesn’t mean it isn’t jammed with people twirling forks laden with al dente pastas sauced in Bolognese, or tomatoes with olives and capers, or smoked salmon with peas and tomato and cream. The Ravioli al Burro e Salvia is a fine example of a spinachricotta ravioli sauced in browned butter and crispy sage leaves. Steaks, lamb chops, and breaded chicken breast are quite filling. There’s a fresh fish special daily and sometimes a wonderful seafood risotto. Wines from Italy and the Central Coast line the walls.

CELLO RISTORANTE & BAR 2700 Buena Vista Drive Paso Robles, 805-369-2500 allegrettovineyardresort.com Italian and Mediterranean Entrées $12–$49

Romantic Within the new Allegretto Vineyard Resort, Cello showcases much of what lifelong forager and executive chef Eric Olson finds in dishes like foraged mushroom risotto, scallop salad, and acorn-oatmeal cookies. This upscale Italian restaurant also serves steaks, flatbreads, and seasonally inspired dishes composed of ingredients from local, sustainably operated farms, ranches, and fisheries. A serene covered patio with a boccie court and large iron fire bowls encourages eating breakfast, lunch, small plates, and dinner outdoors beside the substantial kitchen garden. Cello also boasts a strong garden cocktail menu and a wine list that includes a handful of impossible-to-get bottles.

UPDATE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE 2 Dole Drive Westlake Village, 818-575-3000 fourseasons.com/westlakevillage/ dining Californian and Japanese; Entrées and Sunday Brunch $15–$72

Trained at Michelin-starred restaurants in his native Spain, executive chef Jose Fernandez brings a refined farm-and-ocean-to-table approach to the resort’s elegant dining rooms. At Hampton’s, posh furnishings and waterfall views are backdrops for a Champagne brunch buffet with live jazz on Sundays. The more casual Lobby Lounge features waterfall views with breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a Sustainable Living Menu. Located near the lobby, Stir is open daily from 6 a.m. with a grab-and-go menu of baked-on-site pastries and savory options to go with cold-brewed coffee,

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gelato, and other treats. With its fire pits and urban vibe, The Lookout is a sophisticated outdoor spot to start the evening with a cocktail and a small plate or two. Open Fridays through Sundays, The Tasting Room features California labels and a menu of winefriendly nibbles. Sushi fans will want to visit Onyx, which gets its own write-up in the Foodie section of this guide. Valet parking is $7 with validation; selfparking is free for up to four hours with validation.

Mission

GIANNFRANCO’S TRATTORIA 666 Linden Ave. Carpinteria, 805-684-0720 Italian; Entrées $13–$28

Great Patio The family of owners welcomes you here with open arms. In good weather, opt for a seat on the back patio with its garden setting. Some customers always start dinner with a glass of wine and the calamari appetizer, which comes with perfectly grilled baby squid and shrimp next to a crock of slightly spicy dipping sauce. It’s a great idea. Salads are also quite nice and take advantage of the local growers. The pastas are lightly sauced and there’s a daily fresh risotto. Meats include grassfed free-range lamb chops and rib-eye steaks as well as farm-raised chicken. Giannfranco’s is open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Monday.

THE GRILL ON THE ALLEY 120 E. Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-418-1760 thegrill.com American; Entrées $11–$59

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Steaks and chops are legendary here and at the original Grill on the Alley in Beverly Hills, the ultimate power-lunch spot. At this location, whether out on the patio or in the dining room and bar, diners enjoy American comfort food with international flair. Sushi is available at lunch and dinner, and the menu’s friendly reminder that “any turf can surf” is an invitation to order jumbo prawns and other seafood with your filet mignon or dry-aged New York strip. Weekend brunch offers avocado toast, Niman Ranch slab bacon and eggs, and $15 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. Happy hour is daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., when you can make a meal of the specially priced lollipop chicken wings, spicy tuna rolls, and wood-fired cheeseburger bites offered with cocktails, draft beers, and wines by the glass.

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HOLDREN’S STEAKS & SEAFOOD 1714-A Newbury Road Newbury Park, 805-498-1314 and 512 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-965-3363 holdrens.com Steak House; Entrées $23–$49 (more for surf‑and-turf combos) Romantic, Sunday Brunch The décor is sophisticated enough for business, while the lighting is low enough for romance. Comfy seating and friendly servers encourage lingering. Appetizers, like the baconwrapped prawns stuffed with feta cheese and jalapeño, are hearty

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The Dining Guide enough to be main courses. Steaks are marbled, tender, and seasoned right. The signature Cowboy Cut is huge and sits atop a pile of spicy onion strings. All steaks come with sauce, a side dish, and a choice of soup or salad. Both locations are open for lunch on Monday through Friday; happy hour runs daily at both, on the patio and in the bar, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Newbury Park location serves a Sunday brunch menu of omelets, Tiki Toast, and more from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All meals are served inside or out on the patio at both locations.

The search for falafel tacos, turkey chipotle burgers, and chopped salads with a highprotein mix of beans, quinoa, and sunflowers seeds ends at Eureka! (eurekarestaurantgroup.com). With locations in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Woodland Hills, and other points north and south, the chain also has less virtuous dishes awaiting discovery on its new menu. The Butcher’s Flat Iron Dip au jus comes with caramelized onions and pickled Fresno chilies, while the Bourbon Barrel Cake features candied pecans, caramel, and a scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream. IL CORTILE RISTORANTE 608 12th Street Paso Robles, 805-226-0300 ilcortileristorante.com Italian; Entrées $18–$34

Il cortile is Italian for “the courtyard.” At this upscale restaurant at the edge of downtown Paso, the courtyard invites diners to breathe in beautiful evenings. A more intimate experience awaits inside, where diners find what the owners call contemporary Old World styling. Northern and Southern Italian dishes are the heart of executive chef and co-owner Santos MacDonal’s seasonal menu. Along with caldi (hot) and freddi (cold) antipasti, there is a section of the menu dedicated to mozzarella. Pasta, ravioli, and gnocchi have fresh, inspired flavors, hallmarks of being housemade. Secondi (main courses) cover beef, lamb, and seafood; osso bucco is particularly nice. The restaurant has a small bar area and a wine list that raises a glass to California’s Central Coast and Italy.

LUCKY’S 1279 Coast Village Road Montecito, 805-565-7540 luckys-steakhouse.com Steak House; Entrées $16–$69

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Black-and-white portraits of stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Sammy Davis Jr., Andy Warhol, and Julia Child adorn the walls of this upscale steak house in Montecito. The plates and napkins are monogrammed, the patio is tented and heated for year-round enjoyment, and the bar opens an hour before dinner service begins. Steaks can be dressed with seven different sauces, there are eight versions of potato side dishes, and the onion rings should have their own Facebook Fan Page.

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MASTRO’S STEAKHOUSE 2087 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-418-1811 and 18412 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, 310-454-4357 mastrossteakhouse.com Steak House; Entrées $30–$88

Live Music An expense-account vibe permeates this posh steak house and bar that also is known for its seafood. With quiet finesse, jacketed servers whisk sizzling plates out of the kitchen and onto white tablecloths. Steaks and chops are huge and tender; rich side dishes are served family-style. Salads are big enough for two as are desserts, which come with giant bowls of whipped cream. Seafood towers make impressive table decorations for those who want to indulge in oysters, crab claws, shrimp, or caviar. Selections from the sushi menu created for Mastro’s by chef Angel Carbajal include maguro lime rolls with chili tempura, and seared albacore topped with black truffle shavings. Orders of four or more sushi items are served on tiered pyramids that highlight each morsel. The Malibu Ocean Club location offers a spectacular ocean view and a weekend brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MEDITERRANEO 32037 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-889-9105 med-rest.com Mediterranean; Entrées $11–$105 (to share)

Great View, Kid-Friendly (breakfast and lunch), Sunday Brunch Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Mediterraneo provides plenty of dining options for locals and guests of the Westlake Village Inn, where it is located. Executive chef Lisa Biondi showcases local, season ingredients in starters such as Kurobuta pork belly with crispy white polenta and apple agrodolce, Italy’s answer to sweet-and-sour sauce. Entrées include an array of flatbreads, swordfish with sautéed rapini, Niman Ranch double-cut pork chops and oven-roasted carrots with rosemary garlic potatoes, and an 18-ounce free-range veal chop Milanese. The à la carte Sunday brunch choices range from light to decadent. Happy hour, on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., features live music, a $5 menu, and thematic food-and-drink specials (think Mozzarella Mondays and Truffle Tuesdays). Worth a splurge: classic and craft cocktails filtered through the imagination of mixologist and food and beverage manager Jacopo Falleni. Patios offer views of the lake or vineyard; a private room is available for special events.

UPDATE MR. CHOW 3835 Cross Creek Road, Suite 18A Malibu, 310-456-7600 mrchow.com Chinese Family-style service $60–$80 per person; à la carte service available

Romantic Located in the Malibu Country Mart, this Mr. Chow location shares a menu and sense of showmanship with its famous older brother in Beverly Hills. (Both offer hand-pulled noodle demonstrations.) Décor is minimalist, putting the cuisine in sharp focus. Favorite dishes include honey-glazed prawns with walnuts, enlivened with dabs of spicy chili sauce from the small pots found on each table. A threecourse Beijing Duck dinner ($78 per person) is among the prix-fixe, family-style dining options, which tend to be less spendy than going à la carte. A small-bites menu is available in the bar, where the cocktails change with the seasons.

THE RANCH HOUSE 102 Besant Road Ojai, 805-646-2360 theranchhouse.com Farm-to-table Prix fixe $45 for three courses, $55 for five

Romantic The Ranch House is much changed from the early 1950s, when it was founded as a pay-what-you-can vegetarian restaurant by Alan and Helen Hooker. But its sense of magic remains: A stream runs through the property, spilling into a koi pond with a bridge that leads to the gardens. Tables draped in white linens are tucked behind stands of bamboo and arranged on a sheltered patio strung with twinkle lights. (The table nearest the pond is a prime spot for marriage proposals.) Executive chef Sean Kingsbury channels the Hookers (who added meat to the menu in the 1960s) with prix-fixe dinners that continue to showcase local produce, some of it from the on-site herb garden. Don’t miss Kingsbury’s honey-glazed pork belly appetizer, which might come with strawberry-mango salsa one season and other accompaniments the next. No longer the 56-page behemoth it once was, the wine list continues to offer a solid selection. A note about the address: The Ranch House is located where South Lomita Avenue meets Besant Road, prompting Yelp and other online sources to place it at 500 S. Lomita Ave.

SABOR COCINA MEXICANA 2200 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-497-2457 saborcocinamexicana.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$24

Romantic, Sunday Brunch It’s flashy and fancy—not your usual Mexican cocina. Eat in the bar area where huge margaritas are being blended, or on the front patio while people watching, or in the main dining room with the massive chandeliers strung with red glass hearts. Chef-owner Leticia Hansen turns out beautifully plated entrées like chicken enchiladas with Oaxacan cheese and cochinita pibil, which is pork in achiote sauce. Her partner and husband, Mark Hansen, makes sure the dining areas are running smoothly.

SAN YSIDRO RANCH 900 San Ysidro Lane Santa Barbara, 805-565-1700 sanysidroranch.com American; Entrées $18–$56 at Plow & Angel; $38–$63 at The Stonehouse; Sunday brunch $75

Great View, Romantic, Sunday Brunch The five-star treatment at this historic resort starts the minute you turn onto the long drive lined with olive trees and lavender; it continues as you are greeted by a valet who whisks away your car from the circular entrance to its two restaurants, both overseen by executive chef Matthew Johnson. At Plow & Angel, the menu and setting are in keeping with a well-appointed tavern. Thick stone walls and a fireplace create a cozy space for enjoying barrel-aged cocktails and a menu of grilled flatbreads, beer-battered halibut and chips, and grilled New York steak with cognac peppercorn sauce. Upstairs, The Stonehouse dining room gleams with copper and burnished wood and has a sheltered terrace with views of Montecito. Seating is also available on outdoor patios below, furnished with a fireplace and fountain and flanked by loquat trees. At lunch, served Mondays through Saturdays, the rightfully famous BLTA is made with house-smoked bacon and Little Gem lettuce grown on the premises. A three-course market menu also emphasizes local ingredients. Served from 6 p.m. daily, the dinner menu includes house-made fettuccine with speck ham and carrot nage and Steak Diane prepared in the classic style—flambéed tableside. The list of wines and spirits is varied and deep. (Stonehouse is just one of 88 restaurants worldwide to earn the 2016 Grand Award from Wine Spectator.)

Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. includes starters, entrées, desserts, and free-flowing Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne. At $75, it’s a steal.

SUZANNE’S CUISINE 502 W. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-640-1961 suzannescuisine.com New American; Entrées $15–$28

Romantic Travelers to Ojai make Suzanne’s a part of their itinerary so they can explore what she’s up to in any given season. Relying heavily on the produce around her, Suzanne Roll turns out lunch and dinner dishes that are interesting and handcrafted. Breads for the sandwiches are made by a local bakery; soups change daily. You might see a rainbow trout grilled with rosemary and lemon or a stuffed Cornish game hen with an apricotmarsala sauce. The atmosphere is casual with seats on the back patio next to the garden and a most pleasant gurgling fountain and outdoor fireplace. For cooler weather, there’s also an enclosed patio. Note: The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays.

TIERRA SUR RESTAURANT AT HERZOG WINE CELLARS 3201 Camino del Sol Oxnard, 805-983-1560 tierrasuratherzog.com New American; Entrées $16–$58 Wine-Tasting Menu $70

Tucked inside Herzog’s winery and tasting room, Tierra Sur specializes in wine-friendly meals made with careful attention to detail. Executive chef Gabe Garcia, who’s also a fan of local, seasonal fare, maintains the Mediterranean vibe of the menu. Marinated olives, lamb bacon, and corn tortillas are made in-house. Tapas feature beet salad as well as pastrami and corned beef tongue. Watch carefully, and you may see your bone-in rib eye for two prepared on the patio’s wood-burning grill before it is served with kale and sous vide oyster mushrooms. Desserts are elegantly plated variations on sorbets and flourless chocolate cake. Surrounded by the coppery glow of the walls and the burnished-wood wine rack that frames the kitchen pass-through, diners may need to pinch themselves as a reminder that they’re at a kosher restaurant in an Oxnard industrial park. On Fridays, only lunch is served. The restaurant is closed on Saturdays in observance of the Sabbath.

TRA DI NOI RISTORANTE 3835 Cross Creek Road Malibu, 310-456-0169 tradinoimalibu.com Italian; Entrées $18–$33

Sunday Brunch It seems this unassuming little restaurant in the Malibu Country Mart is never without a celebrity. The tables underneath yellow umbrellas on the patio afford a view of the playground where nannies push swings stocked with rock stars’ children. Even though Malibu residents know what they want without opening a menu, chef

Francesco Velasco can still impress the rest of us with his handmade spaghetti, shaved truffles, local olive oil, and grass-fed beef. His spaghetti carbonara manages to be both low fat and delicious. His seasonal specials are a treat. The wine list is well-curated and matches the food.

Foodie Cuisine that shines

regardless of décor, service, ambience, or even views. UPDATE AROHA NEW ZEALAND CUISINE & BAR 30990 Russell Ranch Road, Unit C Westlake Village, 805-405-5054 aroharestaurant.com New Zealand fare; Entrées $26–$45

Kid-Friendly, Romantic, Sunday Brunch The spirit of aroha—a Maori word meaning “love”—is alive and well at this restaurant owned by husband-andwife Gwithyen and Justine Thomas. She handles marketing and social media, and as executive chef and a native of Auckland, he oversees the menu of beautifully plated cuisine from New Zealand and the Pacific Rim. Some artisanal products are flown in thrice weekly. New Zealand Ora King salmon is served with burnt orange sauce; lamb is paired with smoked purple potatoes and grape-mint salsa. A cloudlike Pavlova is among the desserts. A separate children’s menu is available. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. features breakfast and lunch fare, such as ricotta pancakes and a venison short-rib sandwich with hand-cut potato chips. Drinks include nonalcoholic sparklers, and beer, wine, and spirits from New Zealand. The bar menu of small bites (lump crab cakes, crispy pork belly) and “main grub” (fish and chips, steak and cheese pie) is available Tuesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Happy hour runs Tuesdays through Fridays and Sundays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; specials include $5 beers and wines by the glass and a $7 cocktail.

UPDATE BARBAREÑO 205 W. Canon Perdido St. Santa Barbara, 805-963-9591 barbareno.com Californian; Entrées $18–$29

This restaurant highlights ingredients from the Central Coast in menus that feature a few changes monthly. Head chef Justin Snyder focused on pastry in his previous culinary lives, evident from the carefully composed salads, tartares, and desserts that emerge from the kitchen. Recurring favorites include starters like avocado roulade made with hamachi crudo and coconut-oolong milk, and cheeky Eggamuffins featuring buttermilk blini stacked with Seascape cheese, speck, and shavings of salt-cured egg yolk. Hope Ranch Mussels with fennel and 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

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The Dining Guide mustard broth and slow-cooked Wagyu tri tip are also available, along with an extensive inventory of local beers and a wine list that recently garnered a Wine Spectator award of excellence.

BELL STREET FARM EATERY & MARKET 406 Bell St. Los Alamos, 805-344-4609 bellstreetfarm.com American; Entrées $10–$15

Kid-Friendly Farm-to-fork dining goes country chic at this spot in Santa Barbara County wine country. The tables are covered with butcher paper—the better to catch spills from glasses of regional wines while giving kids a canvas for crayon masterpieces. The deceptively simple menu features soups, salads, and sandwiches made with local produce, Cowgirl Creamery cheeses, and artisanal meats. Prepared on a rotisserie visible from the order counter, free-range chicken from Santa Clarita’s Huntsinger Ranch stars in the tamarind chickensalad sandwich served with house-pickled veggies. Assemble-your-own picnic baskets are available; ask about after-hours dinners with local vintners.

BIG SKY CAFE 1121 Broad St. San Luis Obispo, 805-545-5401 bigskycafe.com Eclectic; Entrées $14–$25

A comfortable artist and foodie hangout, Big Sky serves fresh market cuisine with a Southern inclination for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with a list of 20 local wines by the glass. Chef and owner Greg Holt prepares two types of soup (one vegetarian) from scratch daily and fish specials like wild-caught salmon in an ancho chili glaze made of harissa, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar or Thai catfish with tofu. Among the breakfast highlights are beignets and huevos rancheros; lunchtime offerings include a turkey burger with sweet potato fries and buttermilk-fried chicken salad with peppered walnuts and beets. In summer, market vegetables become gazpacho and green chili-flecked cornbread mini-muffins are perfect for dunking.

THE BLUE OWL AT CANON PERDIDO 5 W. Canon Perdido Santa Barbara, 805-705-0991 theblueowlsantabarbara.com American, Asian Entrées $9–$16

Chef Cindy Black must be some kind of evil culinary genius. How else to explain the existence of the Guy Fieri Busts His Britches Burger, made with Rancho San Julian beef, a poached duck egg, Stilton cheese, and fried cheese curds? It’s one in a series of ever-changing burger creations that appear on the dinner menu, along with Korean hot wings and Chinese pulled noodles, available on Wednesdays through Saturdays from 5:30 p.m. following a recent expansion to the storefront café. Black’s crab melt on ciabatta and banh mi sandwich with oyster-chili mayo remain draws at lunchtime. But the Owl really lives up to its name on Fridays and Saturdays, when the menu, available through 2:30 a.m., greets latenight crowds with munchies-slaying dishes like the Kimcheezer, a grilled cheese with house-made kimchi. Settle in at the communal table with a craft brew or rosemary lemonade for prime people-watching.

NEW BOB’S WELL BREAD BAKERY 550 Bell St. Los Alamos, 805-344-3000 bobswellbread.com European; Pastries and breads $1.50–$20, Entrées $7–$13

Located in a refurbished 1920s-era service station

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with its original Douglas fir floors intact, this artisanal bakery is well worth a visit. For the best selection, arrive at 7 a.m. on Thursdays through Mondays, when the doors open and aromatic scones, bagels, kouignamann, pain au chocolat, and other pastries come out of the ovens. Loaves of naturally leavened, burnishedcrust breads follow soon after. Special daily breads include pain aux lardons (Saturdays and Sundays), and gluten-free Centennial Loaf (Mondays). The on-site café serves breakfast and lunch (think avocado toast tartine, croque monsieur sandwiches, and grilled bread with pâté and onion-bacon marmalade) until 3 p.m. Graband-go items for DIY picnics include ficelle sandwiches made with French ham, Emmentaler cheese, and house-made butter. Check the Facebook page for details about monthly meet-the-winemakers gatherings that include food-and-wine pairings.

NEW BOTTLEST WINERY BAR & BISTRO 35 Industrial Way Buellton, 805-686-4742 bottlestbistro.com Californian Entrées $21–$33, Small Plates $13–$28

Located adjacent to Terravant Wine Company at the end of Industrial Way, Bottlest is inspired both by the neighborhood’s status as a foodie magnet and by the custom wine-blending and -bottling program that will be available to online and in-person patrons starting in mid 2017. Executive chef Owen Hanavan, formerly at Babareño in Santa Barbara, uses locally sourced meats, seafood, and produce in carefully composed small plates (bite-size lamb meatballs with mint, poached yellowtail with rice crackers) and entrées (16-spice pork shoulder, catch-of-the-day with creamy potatoes) served on dishes of varying shapes and sizes. Lunch and bar menus are more casual, focusing on salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. Local beers and creative cocktails are featured with 52 wines on tap for self-service using a card that tracks your choices. Most are from Terravant’s custom-crush facility, visible through a window in the dining room. A few are library selections sourced from other wineries in the region, giving diners a chance to try rare, cellared wines by the glass.

BOUCHON 9 W. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-730-1160 bouchonsantabarbara.com Wine Country Cuisine; Entrées $26–$38

Romantic Bouchon celebrates the local, from its carefully curated wine list to the craftspeople overseeing the successful remodeling of the garden patio at the front entrance. Executive chef Greg Murphy follows suit, using farmers’ market ingredients in dishes like pan-roasted local white fish with wilted dandelion greens or a soup featuring white carrots from Tutti Frutti Farms. (Murphy’s Foodie Stroll menu includes a tour of the Tuesday farmers’ market followed by a three-course meal with wine for $95 per person.) Add the gracious presence of proprietor Mitchell Sjerven and you have the ingredients for the first Santa Barbara-area restaurant in a decade to earn the AAA Four Diamond award for excellence.

DOWNEY’S 1305 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-966-5006 downeyssb.com New American; Entrées $29–$39

Romantic Locals adore this gem of a restaurant, giving it raves online and in guides like the Zagat Survey, where it scored 28 for food (out of a possible 30 points). Chef-owner John Downey draws from nearby farms and waterways for his produce and seafood. Foragers bring their treasures to his back door. His exquisite cooking is seasonal so the menu is ever changing,

but he loves potatoes, game meats, wild salmon, local seabass, and duck. The nightly tasting menu is an economical way to experience many different menu items in slightly smaller portions.

EMBER RESTAURANT 1200 E. Grand Ave. Arroyo Grande, 805-474-7700 emberwoodfire.com California-Mediterranean; Small Plates $10–$17, Pizzas $18–$20, Entrées $23–$32

Named for the wood fires used to cook the restaurant’s seasonal and farm-fresh dishes, Ember is the project of executive chef Brian Collins, an Arroyo Grande native who shares skills he honed at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos with his hometown. The menu, like the beer and wine list, is locally focused, changes monthly, and includes rustic specialties such as crispy kale and house-made fennel sausage pizza, Jidori chicken alongside a wedge of grilled polenta and farmers’ market veggies, and grilled rib eye served over roasted potatoes and topped with a decadent garlic confit and avocado chimichurri.

The year-round beer, wine, and culinary attraction known as Solvang 3rd Wednesday (solvang3rdwednesday.com) just got an update inspired by the success of Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Week. In addition to enjoying discounted offerings at beer bars and winery tasting rooms while strolling through the streets of Solvang on the third Wednesday of each month, locals and visitors alike can now sit down to a three-course, $25 meal made with ingredients sourced from the weekly Solvang Farmer’s Market. Check the website each month for a list of participating restaurants. FINCH & FORK 31 W. Carrillo St. Santa Barbara, 805-879-9100 finchandforkrestaurant.com American; Entrées $10–$35

Weekend brunch Located in the Kimpton Canary Hotel, the restaurant has its own entrance at Chapala and Carrillo streets. The vibe in the dining room is sophisticated but comfortable, words that also describe the locally sourced menu by executive chef James Siao. Creative starters, flatbreads, salads, and entreés change with the seasons for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. The latter, served from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, even has its own cocktail menu. The daily specials menu offers Siao’s famous buttermilk fried chicken on Tuesdays and a new pork dish every Thursday. The happy hour menu is so good they offer it twice a day on Mondays through Fridays: Early Bird is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Night Flight is from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Both feature drinks and snacks starting at $3. Go ahead and splurge on the $8 S&P wings, tossed in a sweet chili glaze and served with pickled celery.

FIRST & OAK 409 First St. Solvang, 805-688-1703 firstandoak.com California French; Small Plates $8–$19, Entrées $34–$38

Named for its address, this restaurant inside the newly renovated Mirabelle Inn is a showcase for the talents of British-born executive chef Steven Snook, a veteran of the Michelin Star– rated kitchens of Gordon Ramsay. Snook marries classic and molecular gastronomy techniques with local ingredients, creating a small plates– focused menu that changes with the seasons. Artful platings of butternut squash soup poured over brown-butter sage tortellini as well as sous vide carrots with a 63-degree (Celsius) egg echo the drama of the Belle Époque– inspired dining room. For spring, heirloom tomato consommé is ramped up with vegetables and preserved lemon and a spring wedge salad showcases baby gem lettuce, topping it with green goddess dressing, fresh herbs, and pistachios. (Outdoor patio seating is also available.) Co-owner, sommelier, and general manager Jonathan Rosenson oversees the wine list, which includes selections from his family’s Coquelicot Estate Vineyard, also in Solvang, along with other Santa Barbara County labels. France, Italy, Germany, and New Zealand are represented, too. Call for news about winemaker dinners.

FOREMOST WINE CO. 570 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, 805-439-3410 foremostslo.com American; Eclectic Small Plates $8–$16, Entrées $18–$35

In the heart of San Luis Obispo, this combination restaurant, wine bar and lounge, and burrata bar offers a metrorustic vibe and globe-trotting wine list. Chef Julie Simon’s menu pairs worldly flavors with ingredients sourced closed to home. Dishes include hoisin-braised duck leg and seared albacore with coconut-milk farro. The burrata bar serves several combos, like the Bee Keeper, pairing the creamy cheese with shards of chewy honeycomb, stone fruit or berries, fresh rosemary, and sea salt–roasted almonds. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. features chilaquiles with smoked chilies, tomatillo salsa, crispy potato tacos, and avocado toast with seaweed butter. Happy hour on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. includes $5 by-the-glass wine specials, a $5 to $7 happy hour menu, and draft beers.

NEW GRANADA BISTRO 1126 Morro St. San Luis Obispo, 805-544-9110 granadahotelandbistro.com Californian, French-Asian Entrées $14–$29

Romantic, Sunday Brunch Connected to the 17-room Granada Hotel, the bistro is both intimate and big-city urban, combining exposed brick walls with velvet upholstery and

an eclectic art collection. (Check out the sculptural “tree” on the patio.) Executive chef Kenny Bigwood’s seasonal menus start with creative small plates, sides, and cheese and charcuterie selections. Don’t-miss entrées include cherry cola–braised ribs at dinner, Cuban panini, and a chef’s selection bento box at lunch, and eggs Benedict made with corn bread, bacon, and chipotle hollandaise during Sunday brunch. The wine list focuses on small-production labels from around the world. Cocktails often include locally foraged ingredients like lavender, rosemary, and pink peppercorns.

INDUSTRIAL EATS 181 Industrial Way Buellton, 805-688-8807 industrialeats.com New American; Entrées $6–$20

To find this destination restaurant on Buellton’s aptly named Industrial Way, drive past the Central Coast Water Authority office and look for a building painted with floating sausages, carrots, and wine glasses. At night, a neon “Eats” sign points to the front door. Inside, you’ll find imported cheeses, house-cured meats, and locally sourced dishes by New West Catering owner and executive chef Jeff Olsson, making his debut as restaurateur. Frequent changes to the menu are noted by pull-down rolls of butcher paper behind the deli counter. Woodfire pizzas can be simple (rosemary with Parmesan) or adventurous (crispy pig’s ear salad with sriracha and an egg cracked on top). “Not Pizza” selections include veal sweetbreads with arugula and a beef tongue pastrami Reuben. Press Gang Cellars is among the local labels with wines on tap.

THE LARK 131 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-284-0370 thelarksb.com New American; Entrées $18–$42

Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone takes flight with The Lark, named for the Pullman train that once made overnight runs between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The past is present in the restaurant’s setting, a former fish market remodeled to include exposed brick walls, subway tile, a communal table atop vintage radiators, and private booths fashioned from church pews. As culinary conductor, executive chef Jason Paluska oversees a thoroughly modern menu that highlights local ingredients. Deviled eggs with jalapeño and crispy pancetta are popular starters to shared plates of roasted chicken served with black-pepper grits and black garlicglazed lamb shank, depending on the season. Craft brews and wines by the glass extend the artisanal spirit into the bar. Desserts by pastry chef Jeff Haines include honey cremeux with spice-roasted strawberries, pistachio crumble, lemon curd, and smoked vanilla ice cream.

MARIAPOWELL.COM 818.535.3303 MARIA@MARIAPOWELL.COM 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017 103 LIC#01240417

The Dining Guide UPDATE LES MARCHANDS WINE BAR & MERCHANT 131 Anacapa St., Suite B Santa Barbara, 805-284-0380 lesmarchandswine.com European; Small Plates $8–$16; Entrées $18–$30 Weekend brunch The vibe is Parisian bistro, but selections at this combination wine bar, restaurant, and retail shop in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone give equal opportunity to the United States and other countries. The by-the-glass wine selection is well-rounded, craft beer is available on draft and in bottles, and the cocktails showcase vintage and contemporary recipes. The menu by executive chef Weston Richards includes charcuterie, cheese platters, and artisanal toasts made with bread from the neighboring Helena Avenue Bakery (you’re also welcome to bring in a pizza from the nearby Lucky Penny). Dinner is served daily from 5 p.m. Monday Night Chicken & Waffles features Richards’ lemonbrined fried chicken and sourdough waffles with house-made butter and hot sauce. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. offers dishes such as shakshuka (a Middle Eastern poached-egg dish) and tres leches French toast.

When do members of the Luna family sleep? The founders of Los Agaves Restaurant (los-agaves.com) sites in Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Westlake Village (where a recent remodel offers more seating) have another Los Agaves on the way at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard. Just arrived: Santo Mezcal (Instagram: @santomezcal_sb), a new restaurant concept in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. Read more in Dining Out, page 94.

LIDO RESTAURANT Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa 2727 Shell Beach Road Pismo Beach, 805-773-8900 thedolphinbay.com Californian; Entrées $18–$44 Chef’s tasting menu $65 or $100 with wine pairings

Great View, Weekend Brunch It’s obvious that executive chef Jacob Moss is a Central Coast native. He uses the resort’s gorgeous beachside setting as the backdrop for dishes featuring local, seasonal ingredients. Morro Bay oysters are served on the half shell with tequila-lime vinaigrette; while Cayucos abalone might be paired with roasted butternut squash and maple vinaigrette one season and marinated nectarines and blueberry beurre blanc the next. Steaks, roasted lamb with cauliflower puree and balsamic spheres, and pizzas topped with leeks, bacon, and a fresh-cracked egg are also available. Desserts by Brandi McClellan-Toback range from the semi-virtuous (Windrose Farms apple pie on snickerdoodle crust) to the sinful (Chocolate Indulgence cupcakes filled with marshmallow fluff).

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MAD & VIN 1576 Mission Drive Solvang, 805-688-3121 thelandsby.com Eclectic; Entrées $16–$34

This restaurant located inside one of Solvang’s newest hotels is named for the Danish words for “food” and “wine.” You won’t find a single aebleskiver in the sleek but comfy dining room, but Mad & Vin still pays homage to Solvang’s heritage with a cheese fondue starter of melted Gruyère and fontina touched with brandy and the Nordic Caesar salad of local greens, white shrimp, and warm cheese croutons. At dinner, the lamb porterhouse with mint chimichurri and seafood hot pot, paired with selections from the primarily Santa Barbara County wine list, are not to be missed. Open from 4 p.m. on weekdays and from noon on Saturdays and Sundays, the bar is a Scandinavian-chic spot to meet friends for cocktails, like The Countess (think vodka, blood-orange shrub, and rhubarb bitters) and for bites that range from small, such as herbed olives, to large, like a rib-eye burger that also appears on the dinner menu.

MARCELLO RISTORANTE 140 W. Hillcrest Drive Thousand Oaks, 805-371-4367 marcelloristorante.com Italian; Entrées $13–$32

It’s hard not to love an Italian restaurant that serves crudo (the Italian version of sushi), bucatini pasta (long spaghetti-like strands that are hollow inside like a straw), and burrata cheese, especially when paired with prosciutto and grilled tomatoes. In addition to all that goodness, chef and owner Tino Di Marcello serves handmade cappellaci pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach, squash ravioli in butter-sage sauce, and osso buco. Every few months, five-course dinners are paired with wines for around $60.

MOUTHFUL EATERY 2626 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-777-9222 mouthfuleatery.com Peruvian, Californian; Entrées $9–$14

Kid-Friendly Don’t let the multicolored chalkboard menu or the solarpowered toy pigs decorating the dining room fool you: This order-at-the-counter café may specialize in salads, sandwiches, and what are called “powerbowls” in a fun, casual atmosphere, but chef and co-owner Luis Sanchez is serious about the food—witness Mouthful’s inclusion on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2015. La Sarita, a sandwich of house-roasted pork shoulder served with fried sweet potatoes and pickled red onions, gets its heat from an aioli made with aji amarillo, a pepper from Sanchez’s native Peru. Additions at dinner might include malbec-braised short ribs on polenta one night and savory chicken stew called aji de gallina the next. Desserts include alfajores, delicate shortbread cookies filled with salted caramel. The Foodies in Training children’s menu includes a turkey slider with fruit, yucca fries, and a drink, all for $6.

NOM TEQUILA GRILL 450 E. Harbor Blvd. Ventura, 805-652-5151 nomtequilagrill.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$22

Located inside the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach hotel, this casually upscale restaurant is named for the Norma Oficial Mexicana designation given only to distilled agave spirits made in Jalisco, Mexico. But diners may be inspired to refer to it as “nom nom nom,” thanks to the menu by executive chef Luis Martinez, a native of the tequila-making region. Ceviches come with plantain chips, while street-food options like barbacoa beef taquitos showcase housemade roasted tomatillo salsa. Entrées include chicken

in a savory mole, shrimp-and-crab meat enchiladas with Oaxacan cheese, and beef short ribs braised in ancho chilies and dark beer. Tequila is an ingredient in frijoles borrachos, an optional side dish, and in the guacamole borracho appetizer, which gets its smoky heat from morita chilies. Prefer your tequila straight up? Create a three-taste flight for $15 or $55, depending on how top shelf you go. (The Million Dollar Margarita made with Tequila Ocho Extra Añejo and Grand Marnier is a splurge at $55.) Visit the website for news of tequila-pairing dinners and other special events.

OJAI VALLEY INN & SPA 905 Country Club Road Ojai, 805-646-1111 ojairesort.com Various cuisines; Entrées $11–$60; Saturday Buffet Brunch $29; Sunday Bluegrass Brunch $49 The resort’s beautiful setting can be enjoyed by hotel guests and others who simply want to patronize the restaurants. As the fine-dining flagship, Olivella and Vine features California cuisine with a Northern Italian twist that comes courtesy of chef de cuisine Andrea Rodella. Beautifully plated dishes are served in dining spaces that include a private wine room as well as a veranda overlooking the first and final holes of the property’s world-class golf course. Olivella also offers a four-course prix fixe menu, available with or without paired wines, and hosts monthly winemaker dinners. Start the evening with small bites and craft cocktails, both made with local ingredients as often as possible, in the Wallace Neff Heritage Bar, located in the resort’s original golf clubhouse and named for the architect who set the inn’s Spanish Revival tone. Other dining options include the tranquil Spa Café in Spa Ojai, where light breakfast and spa lunch are served inside or on the spa’s poolside terrace. The Oak is famous for its casual but attentive lunch service on a shaded patio overlooking the 10th hole. It also serves breakfast and dinner and two styles of brunch: buffet on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and bottomless champagne with live bluegrass music on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Indigo Pool & Bar offers salads, sandwiches, and adult libations served poolside and in cabanas. The Pixie Café is located at the family-friendly Pixie Pool. Jimmy’s Pub offers a menu of pizzas, burgers, microbrews, and barrel-aged cocktails. Next door, Libbey’s Market + Boutique is the place to go for a quick sandwich and a scoop of McConnell’s ice cream.

UPDATE OLIO E LIMONE RISTORANTE AND OLIO CRUDO BAR 11 W. Victoria St., Suites 17-18 Santa Barbara, 805-899-2699, Ext. 1 olicucina.com Italian; Entrées $18–$41; Crudo Bar $12–$25

Husband-and-wife owners Alberto Morello and Elaine Andersen Morello treat their restaurants in downtown Santa Barbara like the gems they are: No ingredient is too good to employ. The organic extra-virgin olive oil from a grove near Alberto’s home village in Italy is so popular, patrons buy bottles of it for their own use. At the Ristorante, salads are fresh and the pastas and sauces are house-made. Standouts include gnocchi alla Riviera, which combines spinach-and-ricotta dumplings with fresh tomato sauce. With its glass shelves and glowing marble walls, the crudo bar is a jewel-box showcase for carefully executed dishes. Thinly sliced pieces of raw fish are accented with simple but excellent olio e limone (olive oil and lemon) and sometimes a bit more: Try the Atlantic Bluefin tuna belly with ginger vinaigrette and wasabi shoots for a meaningful experience. Selected appetizers, beers, cocktails, proseccos, and wines by the glass are halfprice during happy hour service available Sundays through Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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ONYX AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE Two Dole Drive Westlake Village, 818-575-3000 onyxrestaurant.com Japanese; Entrées $15–$45

Romantic, Great View A master at sushi, chef Masa Shimakawa also serves modern Japanese fare inspired by his training in Japan and influences from Thailand, China, and beyond. Cocktails and sake flights are available to pair with artfully prepared crab-and-smoked salmon rolls and with such dishes as roasted black cod and beef sirloin grilled in hoba leaves. Dinner is served Mondays through Saturdays at the sushi bar on the patio overlooking the resort’s waterfall and in the stylish dining room decorated with saltwater aquariums and the restaurant’s titular stone.

PEARL DISTRICT 982 S. Westlake Blvd., Suite 8 Westlake Village, 805-230-9944 pearldistrictrestaurant.com New American; Entrées $22–$38

Named for an industrial neighborhood in Portland that is attracting some of that city’s best chefs, Pearl District is the newest Conejo Valley restaurant from owner and former Oregonian Peyman Afshar and his longtime culinary collaborator, chef Richard De Mane. Décor at the Westlake Plaza location includes references to the Portland district’s 19th-century past (Edison-style lights, vintage street-grid maps), while De Mane’s menu is a delectable mix of modern-day wonders, such as the Six Minute Organic Egg appetizer served with crispy prosciutto, and elevated comfort food like sweettea brined pork chops with red garnet yam puree and cider-sage jus. Wine, beer, and craft cocktails are available. Doors open at 5 p.m. nightly for service that is equal parts sophistication and homespun hospitality.

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Q SUSHI & KIEU HOANG WINE LOUNGE 30770 Russell Ranch Road, Unit A Westlake Village, 818-540-3231 qsushi.com Japanese; Sushi and Sashimi $6–$22; Shared Plates $4–$18; Entrées $17–$32; Omakase $75+

This restaurant at the Shoppes at Westlake Village feels worlds away, thanks to its blend of traditional techniques, modern comforts, and one showstopper of a chandelier fashioned from found tree branches. Guests seated at a sushi counter of Breccia Imperiale marble can observe the creation of sushi, sashimi, and special rolls that showcase delectable cuts of Scottish salmon, Hawaiian and Japanese amberjack, and more. Playful options include the sashimi pizza, dotted with flower petals and miso beet cream. Others emerge from the serious heat of the robata grill, where pork ribs in miso BB“Q” sauce are prepared. The lunch menu served on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. includes quick-bite options like rice bowls topped with ume-glazed chicken breast or assorted sashimi; the prix-fixe Q7 meal option starts with edamame and albacore sushi and adds six kinds of sushi, sashimi, and hand rolls. The beverage list includes wines from Europe, the Central Coast, and, as promised, Napa Valley’s Kieu Hoang Winery. Beer, hot and cold sake, and beautifully garnished cocktails crafted from house-made elements like lemongrass syrup are also featured. Happy hour on Tuesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. offers special pricing on selected drinks, shared plates and more.

UPDATE SADDLE PEAK LODGE 419 Cold Canyon Road Calabasas, 818-222-3888 saddlepeaklodge.com New American; Entrées $26–$59

Romantic, Sunday Brunch Chairs woven from willow branches and game trophies hanging high on walls made of stone and wood speak to the rustic nature of this multistory restaurant nestled in the hills of Malibu. Executive chef Adam Horton is 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

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The Dining Guide back and overseeing menus that are both elegant and stick-to-your-ribs: wild-mushroom agnolotti and mesquite wood-grilled steaks and game are among the selections. Tasting menus and wine dinners are available. The outdoor patio is a spectacular place for brunch.

We’re awfully fond of the playful, rubber duckie garnish that comes with two of the cocktails at Bottlest Winery Bar & Bistro (bottlestbistro. com), located adjacent to Terravant Wine Company in Buellton. Made with Andrew John’s Premium Gin and a lemon twist, the Bathtub Martini is a direct reference to Sesame Street Muppet Ernie and his bubbly tune about bath-time fun. Less obvious is Lew’s Gimlet, mixed with Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Meyer lemon juice. We dare you not to smile or to take pictures for Instagram when either drink arrives at your table. SHEILA’S WINE BAR 330 N. Lantana St., Suite 32 Camarillo, 805-987-9800 sheilaswinebar.com New American; Entrées $10–$36

Some of the 805’s most creative—and most creatively plated—dishes come out of the kitchen at this familyowned restaurant in the Paseo Camarillo shopping center. Salads, pizzas, pastas, seafood, and steaks from the regular lunch and dinner menus are flavorful. But executive chef Ivan Medina really gets into action for the daily specials: A trip to the farmers’ market may inspire a pairing of wild striped bass and ramps served with their roots lightly fried for a bit of crunch or of braised pork cheek with honey-pickled burdock and roasted apples. Medina, a recent Culinary Institute of America graduate whose parents own the wine bar, is especially well versed in old-school preservation techniques, like making hoshigaki (dried persimmons). The wine list includes labels from California and all over the world. Many are available by the glass.

SIDES HARDWARE AND SHOES, A BROTHERS RESTAURANT 2375 Alamo Pintado Ave. Los Olivos, 805-688-4820 sidesrestaurant.com American; Entrées $14–$35

Brothers Jeff and Matt Nichols named their restaurant after a business that occupied the building in the early 1900s. The country-store vibe appears in the decorative tin ceiling and menu items like the Hammered Pig, a lunch dish of pork tenderloin that has been pounded thin, breaded, deep-fried, then served in a salad of arugula, pecans, and Parmesan or as part of a sandwich with apple-mustard seed slaw. Lunch options also include fish tacos, sandwiches, and an array of burgers. You can’t go wrong with the ever-changing chef’s burger by chef de cuisine Michael Cherney, who also lets loose with a new Taco Tuesday menu available at lunch and dinner each week. Dinner fare takes on an international flair: A banh mi-inspired appetizer pairs miso-cured bacon with steamed buns, mussels are served in coconut broth and red curry,

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and lamb sirloin comes with goat cheese gnocchi and maitake mushrooms. Desserts by pastry chef Stephanie Jackson are homey yet elegantly plated. Local wines are available by the glass and in carafes, supplementing the full bar.

SLY’S 686 Linden Ave. Carpinteria, 805-684-6666 slysonline.com American; Entrées $12–$55

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Sort of casual, sort of stylish, this Carpinteria gem is a must-visit. With its Vespa hanging over the bar, glass-wall wine room, and polished wood accents, it’s great for formal occasions. But the service is super-friendly and most of the patrons are comfortably dressed, so there’s nothing stuffy about an evening here, either. Chef and owner James Sly has been cooking for more than 40 years, and his cuisine tastes like it. You really can’t go wrong with anything on this American menu of steaks and seafood, but the abalone is a real treat. Unlike most chophouses, Sly’s offers a list of pastas as well as sandwiches and small cuts of steak for those who don’t have a huge appetite. Desserts are wonderful, too. Sly’s is open for lunch Monday through Friday, dinner nightly, and lunch and brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

NEW THE SPOON TRADE 295 West Grand Ave. Grover Beach, 805-904-6773 thespoontrade.com American; Entrées $15–$32

Great Patio, Sunday Brunch The Spoon Trade serves what chef Jacob Town calls “elevated comfort food” in a bright and comfortable neighborhood hangout. Classic dishes (think: fried chicken, pasta, and upside-down cakes) are reimagined with of-the-moment flavors and local ingredients alongside a progressive beer and wine list.

UPDATE S.Y. KITCHEN 1110 Faraday St. Santa Ynez, 805-691-9794 sykitchen.com Italian; Entrées $17–$37

Located on a quiet side street in Santa Ynez, this cozy spot is an oasis of craft cocktails and rustic Italian fare in wine- and- tri-tip country. Executive chef Luca Crestanelli lets his native Italian roots show in housemade pastas such as wild mushroom pappardelle, in a warm octopus salad with olives, potatoes, and cherry tomatoes. A lunch menu of salads, pastas, and oak-grilled meats and seafood is served Fridays through Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Also originally from Italy, mixologist and bar manager Alberto Battaglini makes his own bitters and stashes away dried fruits and herbs in glass jars that double as décor. Wine director P. Bingo Wathen oversees a wine list that includes local and Italian labels. Available Mondays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Aperitivo menu offers special pricing on beer, wine, cocktails, and light bites.

TRE LUNE 1151 Coast Village Road Montecito, 805-969-2646 trelunesb.com Italian; Entrées $18–$37

Tre Lune, or “three moons,” is part of the Montesano Group, which owns Lucky’s in Montecito and Joe’s and Bucatini in Santa Barbara—and it shows. The walls are dressed in black-and-white photos of celebrities from yesteryear, the floors are Old World wood, and the tables are covered in white linen. Teeny tiny chairs mounted high on the wall bear brass plates engraved with the names of regular patrons. A ring-shaped, rolled pizza-bread appetizer is stuffed with smoked mozzarella and braised radicchio. It’s crispy outside and delicious

inside. Pizzas from the stone oven can be topped with roasted eggplant, spicy sausage, or mushrooms and truffle oil. The wide selection of pastas are available in half or full portions. Veal scaloppine, rack of lamb, chicken Marsala, and even a cheeseburger round out the menu and support the extensive Italian wine list.

WINE CASK 813 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-966-9463 winecask.com Wine Country; Entrées $24–$38 Chef’s tasting menu $75 for five courses,, $95 for eight courses

Founded in 1981, the Wine Cask reinvents itself every time executive chef David Rosner goes to the farmers’ market. Local ingredients inform dishes at every turn, especially in the tasting menus that change weekly and sometimes nightly but almost always feature Santa Barbara County labels in the optional wine pairings. The regular dinner menu is a mix of seasonal mains and classical mains, the latter a collection of longtime favorites like wild mushroom risotto and pan-roasted local white sea bass. Desserts echo the elegant simplicity of the restaurant itself (bread pudding with bourbon-salted caramel is a standout). California wines are the focus of the international wine list compiled by wine director David Fainberg. Co-owner and vintner Doug Margerum also has one tasting room adjoining the restaurant, and a second, devoted to reserve wines, located elsewhere in the same complex.

A Good Bet Not too fancy, not too expensive, and a good experience all around. AL MULINO EATALIAN BAKERY & BAR 3709 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-379-0016 almulino.net Italian; Entrées $8–$40

This café in the Paseo Marketplace offers an authentic Italian experience throughout the day, starting with cups of espresso in the morning and ending with flutes of prosecco at night. In between, diners will find fresh salads dotted with ingredients like berries and goat cheese, sandwiches stacked with meats and cheeses imported from Italy, and on Mondays through Saturdays from 5 p.m., Neapolitan-style pizzas from the café’s brick oven, visible through a window next to the bar. Dinner specials might be handmade pumpkin tortellini one night and shrimp with arugula and cannellini beans the next. Gelato and pastries are from Carrara Pastries, another Italian-owned business in the 805. Happy hour specials are available at the bar on Mondays through Fridays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

BLUE TABLE 28912 Roadside Drive Agoura Hills, 818-597-2583 bluetable.net International; Entrées $8–$15

Live Music A few blue tables provide seating for outside dining at this charming deli with high-quality Italian eats for lunch and dinner. The indigo theme continues inside, where blue-wash wooden tables are topped with bouquets of fresh flowers. Different salads rotate through the deli case, and the list of sandwiches is written on a blackboard. (The proscuitto and burrata panini is not to be missed.) Pizzas, soups, cookies, and all other items here are made fresh daily. A small freezer carries pastas and sauces for home use, but anything on the

menu can be taken to go. You’ll want to stay for dinner, available daily from around 6 p.m. The menu of comfort-food classics includes eggplant Parmesan and spaghetti with organic ground turkey meatballs. Local musicians are featured on Wednesdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

BOLLYWOOD INDIAN RESTAURANT #3 860 Hampshire Road Westlake Village, 805-777-7100 bollywood3.net Indian; Entrées $10–$15

Fresh vegetables are used in the curries, masalas, and kormas at this casual Indian restaurant. Chicken, lamb, fish, and shrimp are prepared a variety of ways: in the tandoori oven, with coconut-milk sauces, and in spicy vindaloos. Naan comes topped with garlic, basil, cilantro, and onions, or stuffed with cheese or potatoes. Beer and wine are on offer, along with excellent yogurt drinks like mango lassi and Indian spiced tea.

BRENT’S DELI 2799 Townsgate Road Westlake Village, 805-557-1882 brentsdeli.com Deli; Entrées $6–$20

Kid-Friendly For amazingly good Reuben sandwiches on rye bread piled high with pastrami or corned beef, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing, you can’t beat this slick deli. The booths are cushy and roomy, leaving space for your tummy to expand as you down a four-layer slice of chocolate cake or a plate full of stuffed cabbage rolls. A separate bar also offers the full menu. The patio out back allows for even more seating. A counter up front expedites takeout orders. Brent’s Deli is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

CROCODILE RESTAURANT & BAR 2819 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-687-6444 treeinns.com Italian, Californian; Entrées $12–$22 With its Modernist lines (dig that zigzag porte cochère!), the Lemon Tree Inn offers a visual respite from Santa Barbara’s red-tile roofs. The hotel’s Crocodile Restaurant & Bar is a bit of an oasis, too, guarded by a primitive crocodile sculpture that often bears a grapefruit-size lemon in its mouth. Breakfast includes such I’m-onvacation treats as coconut-cinnamon French toast and eggs Sardou. Gourmet pizzas, pastas, salads, and sandwiches are available at lunch and dinner, but two dishes in particular keep guests and locals coming back time and again: The Wedge salad, topped with blue-cheese crumbles and pancetta, and truffled mac-andcheese, which is available as a side dish or an entrée. Happy hour runs daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Check the hotel’s website for news about wine events on the rooftop patio.

EGGS ’N’ THINGS 92 Daily Drive Camarillo, 805-987-4497

and 2955 Cochran St. Simi Valley, 805-527-0055 and 1542 Moorpark Road Thousand Oaks, 805-497-1711 and 27560 Newhall Ranch Road Valencia, 661-702-8664 and 4020 E. Main St. Ventura, 805-642-3190 eggsnthings.net American; Entrées $6–$11

Kid-Friendly You can order breakfast for lunch and lunch for breakfast at all five locations of this family-owned mini chain, a locals’ favorite since its first site opened in Camarillo in 1974. Breakfast meals come with a complimentary Swedish pancake, a crepe-like delight topped with blackberry preserves and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Service is friendly and efficient, offering bottomless cups of coffee while dishes such as Special Recipe Pancakes, Florentine omelets, turkey burgers, and steak fajita wraps come out of the busy kitchen. Each dining room is clean and cheerful; some locations are updated with glass-tile accents and murals that provide local color. In Ventura, that means dining near hand-painted images of surfers, the pier, and boats in the harbor.

ELADIO’S RESTAURANT & BAR 1 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-963-4466 harborviewinnsb.com American; Entrées $12–$25

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Great View, Saturday & Sunday Brunch It’s tough to beat the view of the wharf and the ocean from the open, spacious patio with a fountain in the middle. Eladio’s whips up breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily for guests of the Harbor View Inn and anyone else who stops in. Morning staples include vanilla-dipped brioche French toast, crab cake Benedict, and smoked salmon scramble made with locally smoked fish. New England clam chowder, cheeseburgers, ahi salad with mango salsa, and fish-and-chips in a Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Double Barrel Ale batter show up at lunchtime. Pasta, steaks, and fresh fish round out the dinner menu. Happy hour specials are available daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

FINNEY’S CRAFTHOUSE & KITCHEN 982 S. Westlake Blvd., Suite 2 Westlake Village, 805-230-9950 finneyscrafthouse.com American; Entrées $10–$25

Kid-Friendly The “craft beer spoken here” neon sign at the back of the dining room doesn’t quite say it all at this casual but polished gastropub owned by Greg Finefrock, a local whose childhood nickname inspired the restaurant’s moniker. In addition to the 30 brews on tap, you’ll find craft cocktails, California wines by the glass and bottle, and a fun atmosphere and menu that has something for everyone. Shareable appetizers include gluten-free buffalo cauliflower tossed in yuzu sauce and chicken-and-waffle bites that come with a tangy surprise: Tabasco-braised kale. The house burger is made with a 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

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The Dining Guide chuck, brisket, and hanger steak patty on a brioche bun. Other options include tacos, salads, and flatbread pizzas (don’t miss the prosciutto and grilled pineapple combo). Families and other groups will gravitate to the communal tables available inside and on the patio. Seating is first-come, first-served at the copper bar.

NEW FOOD HARMONICS 254 E. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-798-9253 foodharmonicsojai.com Gluten-Free; Entrées $7–$16

Ojai’s historic Arcade is the setting for this light-filled café specializing in gluten-free fare. There’s something for almost every diet, including vegan and paleo. Highlights include a raw vegan pizza that tends to sell out early in the day, the vegetarian sundara dosa with egg and sliced avocado tucked into a crepelike wrapper, and the bison burger accompanied by greens and sweet potatoes. Bison bone broth is available with optional add-ons like ghee and seaweed. Beverages include beer, wine, and turmeric matcha lattes.

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NEW GRABBAGREEN 2835 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-418-5959 grabbagreen.com Healthy; Entrées $8–$11

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this fastcasual gluten-free spot gives diners plenty of options for adding more fruits, antibiotic-free proteins, and dark, leafy greens to their diets. Newcomers are often greeted with a friendly “Do you want to drink your meal or eat it?”—a question that helps narrow the considerable array of choices. Pressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and collard wraps filled with yams, onions, and a choice of egg, steak, chicken, or veggies are on the menu with salads (aka Grabba Green bowls) like the Gulf of Mexico, made with avocado, shrimp, and spinach. Grain dishes (aka Grabba Grains) include the Indochin, featuring chicken, shredded carrots, spicy almond sauce, and noodles made from quinoa flour. A case of grab-andgo items is available for those eating on the run.

HARVEST KITCHEN & BAR AT HYATT WESTLAKE PLAZA 880 S. Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-557-4710 westlake.regency.hyatt.com Californian; Entrées $11–$29

Kid-Friendly Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Harvest welcomes hotel guests and the public alike. The dining rooms are sleek and comfortable with natural light, and patio and garden views. Locally sourced and seasonal ingredients shine in executive chef Daniel Buss’ housemade potato gnocchi with sautéed kale and English peas, roasted jalapeño and chicken flatbread, and the Chef’s Daily Catch with vegetables. The For Kids by Kids children’s menu features dishes created by Haile Thomas, host of the YouTube series Plant-Powered Haile. Furnished with fire pits and lounges, the outdoor patio is the perfect place to sample $5 cocktails and food specials during happy hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

HIMALAYA 35 W. Main St. Ventura, 805-643-0795 and 720 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-409-1041 himalayacuisine.com Nepalese, Indian, Tibetan; Entrées $8–$32

Live Entertainment Adventurous eaters will delight in dishes such as the Sherpa curry goat and chef specials featuring yak meat. Even the pizzas and burritos on the fusion-food portion of the menu are on the exotic side, since they’re

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made with naan and chapati from the tandoori oven. Vegetarian selections include bhindi masala, which is okra cooked with tomatoes and Indian spices. Feeling nimble? Try sitting cross-legged at one of the low tables set on a raised platform. The Ventura location serves beer and wine; the Thousand Oaks site has a full bar. Both offer a belly dance show about once a month.

JANE 1311 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-962-1311 and 6940 Marketplace Dr. Goleta, 805-770-5388 janeatthemarketplace.com janerestaurantsb.com Eclectic; Entrées $9–$25

Lots of interesting salads, sandwiches, and burgers are set down at lunchtime on small wooden and marble tables in this cute spot on State Street from the family that owns the Montecito Cafe. Jane is the name of the owner (Jane Chapman) and her grandmother (Jane Moody), whose pictures adorn the high walls. The loft seating and upstairs patio are cool and a bit secluded compared to the downstairs tables, which are always packed in the afternoon. The eclectic dinner menu offers pastas, steaks, and grilled duck breast. For dessert, the soft-serve ice cream is a fun choice, as is the coconut cake.

LINN’S RESTAURANT 2277 Main St. Cambria, 805-927-0371 linnsfruitbin.com American; Entrées $10–$34

Kid-Friendly What started as a farm stand is now a family-owned business that includes a restaurant, a gift shop, a café that specializes in freshly baked fruit pies, and the original farm stand, for those on a sentimental journey. No visit to Cambria is complete without at least one breakfast, lunch, or dinner spent at the combination bakery and restaurant, located in the seaside town’s historic East Village. Berries are a recurring theme on the menu, appearing in fruit-filled scones, glasses of olallieberry lemonade, and the raspberry-orangecranberry sauce served with roasted Shelton Farm chicken. Executive chef Matt Beckett is as skilled at whipping up comfort food classics (think beef Stroganoff and chicken potpie) as he is with gluten-free options and dishes featuring grass-fed beef from Hearst Ranch.

LOS AGAVES RESTAURANT 600 N. Milpas St. Santa Barbara, 805-564-2626 and 2911 De la Vina St. Santa Barbara, 805-682-2600 and 7024 Market Place Drive Goleta, 805-968-4000 and 30750 Russell Ranch Road, Suite G Westlake Village, 818-874-0779 los-agaves.com Mexican; Entrées $9–$17

Launched in Santa Barbara in 2008, this family-owned and operated group of restaurants has clearly struck a chord: Its original location is No. 16 on Yelp’s list of Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2016. The mix of authentic Mexican cuisine with casual but attentive order-at-the-counter service can now be found at four sites in and around the 805. Each offers the same menu of house-made tortillas, ceviche, salads, and burritos filled with all manner of seafood, poultry, or beef. Signature dishes include chiles Norteños, made with two poblano chilies stuffed with shrimp and Oaxaca cheese, and the show-stopping Land and Sea molcajete, a bubbling-hot mixture of meat and seafood with house-made salsa, avocado, chorizo, grilled onion, and nopal, served in a three-legged bowl carved from volcanic rock. Los Agaves restaurants in Santa Barbara and Goleta serve beer and wine as well as agave

At Prospect Coffee Roasters (prospectcoffee.com) in downtown Ventura, the posted menu of pour-overs, batch brews, and specialty drinks with names like Ventucky (made with nonalcoholic bourbon honey syrup) and Godzilla (matcha tea with milk, syrup, and ice) doesn’t tell the whole story. Those privy to the café’s secret menu also know to ask for Space Jam, a combination of bright orange Cactus Cooler soda on ice with a shot of espresso poured on top. The one-two punch of sugar and caffeine is so wrong that it’s right, at least for those times when you really need a jolt.

margaritas and micheladas. The newest spot at The Shoppes at Westlake Village has a full bar that offers top-shelf tequilas and drink specials. Diners who sit at the bar can order food there, too.

LOVI’S DELICATESSEN 24005 Calabasas Road Calabasas, 818-223-8777 lovisdeli.com Deli; Entrées $11–$30

Kid-Friendly “Delicatessen” seems like a misnomer for this sharp and sleekly designed modern restaurant and bar. A comprehensive menu offers standard deli fare like triple-deckers, house-made soups, and smoked fish platters but also features contemporary dishes such as Alaskan salmon, Mexican, pasta, and vegetarian specialties, and build-your-own salads with 65-plus ingredients. The restaurant consists of four spacious areas. A bright main dining room is designed with clean lines, earth tones, and stylish riveted steel tables. Another dining room has a full bar, and the beautiful shaded outdoor patio is a perfect place for Sunday brunch. Most impressive is a private glassed-in dining room that seats 30 and has an equally impressive wine cellar. Fifteen flat-screens are judiciously placed, so they don’t detract from the upscale vibe. Lovi’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily and serves breakfast all day. Daily happy hour is from 3 p.m. until closing. Catering and delivery are available.

MERSEA’S 3985 Avila Beach Drive Avila Beach, 805-548-2290 merseas.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$15

Great View, Kid-Friendly Located on the Harford Pier, this modern take on a casual seafood restaurant offers a lot of sightseeing bang for the buck. Indoor tables are placed near tall windows, and outdoor seating includes a row of colorful bar-stools at a counter that doubles as the pier’s railing for a stretch. (Look down: You just might spy an otter frolicking in the kelp.) The menu includes burgers, hot dogs, and veggie burritos, but seafood is the star at this spot operated by members of the family behind Dorn’s Original Breakers Café in Morro Bay and Duckie’s Chowder House in Cayucos. Highlights include a crab melt sandwich with avocado, chowders of both the Manhattan and

New England variety, and daily specials like garlic fries topped with blackened shrimp, blue cheese, and avocado. Decorated with whimsical octopus pendant lamps, the bar serves beer, wine, and cocktails.

MONTECITO WINE BISTRO 516 San Ysidro Road Montecito, 805-969-7520 pierrelafond.com Californian; Entrées $12–$32

Bistro fare takes on farm-to-table flair at this favorite spot in Montecito’s Upper Village. Chef Victor Carranza oversees wood-fired pizzas, house-made pastas, and entrées that include California sea bass with mussels in saffron broth and a hearty Watkins Ranch beef bourguignon. Craft cocktails are available as well as an international array of wines, including the restaurant’s labels, Lafond Winery & Vineyards and Santa Barbara Winery. The latter’s varietals are just $6 per glass during happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

NÎROJ KURDISH CUISINE 30313 Canwood St. Agoura Hills, 818-889-7888 nirojcuisine.com Middle Eastern; Entrées $17–$26

Romantic, Live Entertainment Dishes from the Levant, a region that stretches from Turkey to Egypt along the Mediterranean Sea, are featured in this unexpected jewel of a restaurant located in Reyes Adobe Plaza. Familiar items such as dolma, hummus, falafel, and baklava (served warm, by the way) are joined by those specific to the Kurdish people and culture, localized by the use of produce from area farms. Vegan soups include nîsk, a puree of red lentils with sundried mint and spices. Lahmajun pairs ground beef and lamb with tomatoes, onions, and chopped chili peppers atop thin-crust bread. Seating is at a glass-tiled bar or at round copper tables in a dining room decorated with colorful textiles and ornate metal lanterns. Beverages include Turkish and Kurdish coffees plus wines from Turkey, Lebanon, Argentina, and California. Belly dancers perform on Friday and Saturday evenings.

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POOKIE’S THAI CUISINE 900 Hampshire Road Westlake Village, 805-381-0094 Thai; Entrées $7–$13

Kid-Friendly Downstairs in the Water Court Plaza office complex, owner Pookie creates delicious Thai dishes for lunch and dinner daily. Lunch specials are a steal at $7 to $8 each. She also has a wide selection of interesting salads like the Outrageous Beef Salad with a spicy lime dressing and the protein-rich Yam Yai salad with shrimp, chicken, egg, and peanuts in a sweet-andsour dressing. Noodle dishes are generously sized and include the classic pad Thai and the interesting Hi Yo Silver with fried noodles, shrimp, and bean sprouts. Curries, vegetarian options, and fish dishes (such as the crispy sole with tamarind and chili sauce) give diners lots of great choices not found elsewhere.

PUBLIC SCHOOL 805 120 Promenade Way, Suite A Westlake Village, 805-379-3909 psontap.com American; Entrées $8–$28

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Named for the area code and the goal of offering guests “an education in the art of food and beer,” this gastropub makes the most of its schoolyard theme. Baseball mitts decorate one wall and happy hour is known as “recess.” (It’s also known as a bargain: Meal-worthy bites are just $4 to $6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays). More than 40 craft beers, most on rotating taps, are available to pair with executive chef Phil Kastel’s inventive fare. He earns extra credit for adding crispy fried capers to an appetizer of salmon “pastrami” carpaccio. Burgers, salads, and wood-fired flatbreads are lunch and dinner options; fried Jidori chicken and 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

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The Dining Guide waffles are on the breakfast menu, available from 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Organize your own field trips to Public School 612 in downtown Los Angeles and Public School 310 in Culver City.

THE STONEHAUS 32039 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-483-1152 the-stonehaus.com Mediterranean; Sandwiches & Platters $10–$17

Dog-Friendly, Great Views, Kid-Friendly, Romantic Patterned after an Italian enoteca, the aptly named Stonehaus starts each day as a coffeehouse, serving kale-berry smoothies along with baked goods, wraps, and breakfast sandwiches from Lisa Biondi, executive chef at the adjacent Mediterraneo at the Westlake Village Inn. It switches to wine bar mode in the afternoons and evenings, when the menu includes charcuterie and crostini platters, salads, panini, and desserts. The outdoor pizza oven is fired up nightly (check website for hours). Wine flights are arranged by regions, varietals, and themes. Patios overlook the waterfall and the working vineyard, which is open for picnicking on Stonehaus fare (check website for information about seasonal tastings and festivals). The picnic tables and bocce ball court are family friendly, and visiting canines get a water fountain of their own near the courtyard fireplace.

SUSHI PLANET 951 S. Westlake Blvd., Suite 114 Thousand Oaks, 805-379-9844 sushiplanet.net Japanese; Entrées $7 and up. Prices vary for sushi, sashimi, and premium rolls.

Tempura, bento boxes, udon, and sashimi are on the menu. But what this local chain is really known for is its colorful and creatively named rolls. The Saint Valentine consists of crab salad, avocado, tuna, salmon, and shrimp rolled in soy paper to form a teardrop shape; they’re served in pairs, which resemble hearts. Some of the simplest preparations are also the best: You can’t go wrong with tuna tataki, a beautifully plated dish of seared tuna cut into thin pieces and topped with slivers of jalapeño; baby spinach leaves and a sweet ponzu sauce help cut the considerable heat. Beer and wine are available.

Fun, Fun, Fun Look to these eateries for festive food, an upbeat atmosphere, and a good time. NEW ANDRIA’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & MARKET 1449 Spinnaker Drive Ventura, 805-654-0546 andriasseafood.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$24

Kid-Friendly No visit to Ventura Harbor—or to Ventura, period—is complete without a stop at Andria’s, a locals’ favorite since 1982. On weekends, the fast-moving line to order can stretch out onto the restaurant’s front patio. Additional seating includes indoor dining rooms decorated with vintage photos and fishing gear, and a protected patio with a view of the docks. Charbroiled fresh catch of the day dinners come with rice pilaf, bread, and a choice of salads. Some items are available in stir-fry dishes. But deep-fried is the preferred method of preparation for everything from onion rings (served

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in a towering stack) to halibut and chips, oysters and chips, popcorn shrimp and chips, and, well, you get the idea. The atmosphere is beach casual: Orders are called out by number when ready, and it’s up to diners to gather utensils, tartar sauce, and other fixin’s from a counter near the kitchen. Beer and wine are available. An on-site fish market is open daily.

UPDATE BOGIES BAR & LOUNGE 32001 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-889-2394 bogies-bar.com Spanish-California Small Plates and Entrées $4–$15

Great Views, Live Music Surrounded by greenery and water, this bar on the grounds of the Westlake Village Inn is a gorgeous place to get your groove on: Live music and/or club nights are scheduled nearly every night of the week. On the patio, wicker chaise lounges are arranged in semi-private groupings around fire pits and a bar counter looks onto the dance floor through roll-up doors. Inside, bronze curtains and silver wall sconces shimmer in the mood-setting darkness. (Some areas are available by reservation.) It all adds up to a great backdrop for a menu that includes happy hour specials like $3 draft beers, $5 glasses of wine, and dinner-and-drink duos ($10–$14) on Mondays through Fridays from 5 pm. to 7 p.m. Spanish influences are evident in dishes like paella and crispy patatas bravas with Fresno chilies and garlic aioli.

CAFÉ HABANA 3939 Cross Creek Road Malibu, 310-317-0300 cafehabana.com Pan-Latin; Entrées $9–$25

Sunday Brunch Café Habana isn’t limited to Cuban food or cocktails. Dishes represent all of Latin culture, from South American ceviches to Mexican grilled corn and huevos rancheros to Cuban pulled-pork sandwiches. Owner Sean Meenan is an eco-warrior while partner Rande Gerber brings in the celebs and keeps the nightlife hopping. The food is good, the cocktails are great, and the coconut flan is out of this world.

THE CAVE AT VENTURA WINE COMPANY 4435 McGrath St., Suites 301-303 Ventura, 805-642-9449 venturawineco.com International; Small Plates $3–$18; Salads and Sandwiches $7–$11

Saturday Brunch Patrons at The Cave conduct their own tastings via Enomatic machines, which dispense 1-, 3- and 5-ounce pours at the push of a button. Executive chef Alex Montoya’s creative, wine-friendly menu of shareable small plates changes on the first Tuesday of each month. Look for combinations like prosciuttowrapped pork chops with apricot-cashew stuffing and Arctic char with sinigang broth and tomato concasse, plus an assortment of pizzas, burgers, and desserts. (Save room for one of Montoya’s awardwinning frozen custards.) For the best acoustics, nab a table in the Barrel Room decorated with dozens of glass balls hanging from the ceiling. It’s also available for private events.

NEW THE COPA CUBANA 1575 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 103 Ventura, 805-642-9463 805copa.com Cuban; Entrées $12–$18

Great Views, Live Music This lively spot in Ventura Harbor Village may inspire you to book a flight to Cuba. Owner Andres Fernandez runs it and the neighboring 805 Bar & Grilled Cheese out of the same kitchen (the two eateries share a

phone number), but the Copa Cubana maintains its identity with a separate menu that includes a classic Cubano sandwich, the hash-like picadillo topped with fried eggs, and lechón asado, which is roasted pork served with black beans and yucca marinated in garlic. The dog-friendly patio, with views of nearby boat docks, is an especially fine place to sip a piña colada on a lazy afternoon. Live entertainment is scheduled most days, with an emphasis on Latin jazz.

DUKE’S MALIBU 21150 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, 310-317-0777 dukesmalibu.com Seafood; Entrées $14–$45

Great Views, Sunday Brunch Gorgeous ocean views are maximized in the dining rooms and bars of this large, Hawaiian-themed seafood and steak house, which in summer 2016 marked its 20th anniversary with updates to the décor and menu. Swinging chairs and a life-size bronze statue of surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku greet diners before they step through the front doors and into an interior filled with wood screens, glass mosaic tiles, and chairs sporting surfboard stripes. New dishes presented by chef Eric BosRau showcase regional ingredients in beautiful platings. Fresh fish is available in a variety of preparations, including Parmesan-herb crusted with lemon, capers, and macadamia nuts. Longtime Duke’s fans, take note: Your favorite coconut shrimp dish is back as coconut shrimp croquettes. Kimo’s Original Hula Pie remains as advertised. A Sunday brunch buffet is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit the Barefoot Bar for breakfast items (think loco moco and banana and macadamia nut pancakes) from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and Sundays. Poké tacos, fish and chips, and pulled-pork sandwiches are served daily.

NEW FLOUR HOUSE 690 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, 805-544-5282 flourhouseslo.com Italian Starters $10–$20; Pizzas $14–$18; Pasta $15–$23

With its sleek interior, dynamic menu, and portrait of Sophia Loren, Flour House isn’t just a pizzeria; it’s a love song to Italy. Co-owner and Salerno native Alberto Russo works magic with imported flour and a Stefano Ferrara pizza oven, the gold standard for traditional pizza napoletana. Simple and flavorful, each pizza emerges blistered and soft, with just a few toppings. Favorite pies include the Queen Margherita with San Marzano tomato sauce and buffalo mozzarella and the Nordista with pesto, mushrooms, speck, and fontina. Don’t miss co-owner Gessica Russo’s house-made pastas or the weekday night aperitivo hour from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., featuring cocktails such as the classic Negroni and Aperol Spritz as well as beer and wine, served with a complimentary plate of small bites.

LOS OLIVOS WINE MERCHANT & CAFÉ 2879 Grand Ave. Los Olivos, 805-688-7265 losolivoscafe.com Wine Country; Entrées $12–$29

This retail wine shop adjoins an all-day café with seating indoors by the stone fireplace and outside on the wisteria-covered patio. Cheese plates and olives are small bites perfect for pairing with wines at the bar. Salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and pizza comprise the lunch menu. At night choices get a little fancier with pot roast, lamb shank, pasta, chicken, steak, and fresh fish. The wine selection from the shop (available to diners) has more than 400 labels and specializes in picks from California’s Central Coast. Now that’s fun.

UPDATE OLIO PIZZERIA 11 W. Victoria St., Suite 21 Santa Barbara, 805-899-2699, Ext. 2 oliocucina.com Italian; Small and Shared Plates $5–$19; Entrées $15–$21

This combination Italian pizzeria and enoteca is brought to you by the owners of Olio e Limone Ristorante, the more formal eatery located next door. The Victoria Court setting includes a long bar with a peekaboo view of the pizza oven, plus small tables. Menu offerings include chicken, fish, and beef entrees, as well as pasta, antipasti, salads, cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and house-made dolci. The pizzas, with thin, chewy crusts, are individually sized and topped with excellent ingredients—sautéed rapini, spicy salami, cremini mushrooms, and black truffles among them. Lunch or brunch is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the dinner menu is available daily from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Wines from California and Italy are available by the glass, carafe, half liter, and bottle.

NEW PLATA TAQUERIA & CANTINA 28914 Roadside Drive, Suite 10 Agoura Hills, 818-735-9982 plataagoura.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$26

Plata means “silver” in Spanish—and a good time in the Whizin Market Square. The menu at this taqueria is homey but elevated: House-made tortillas and mix-and-match trios of soft tacos are featured, the latter with a choice of veggies or eight types of protein, including ahi tuna and short ribs. Spa Nachos are made with roasted cauliflower and crispy kale; guacamole is available in three variations, including tradicional and ranchero, made with bacon and roasted pumpkin seeds. Other standouts include chamorro de cordero, a chile-marinated lamb shank served with spinach tamales, and pollo con Elvia’s mole, named for chef Elvia Saldivar, who is co-owner with her husband. Nearly a dozen specialty margaritas star on the cocktails list. Pull up a colorfully upholstered stool at the copper-topped bar to enjoy $7 margaritas and other drink and food specials during daily happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

SWEETFIN POKÉ 6256 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Suite 1310 Woodland Hills, 818-888-8970 sweetfinpoke.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$14

Located in The Village at Topanga, this Sweetfin builds on the menu available at its sister site in Santa Monica and at poké restaurants in general. Fans of the fledgling chain (four more locations are on the way) will want to make the trek for the Avo-Coco Albacore bowl, made with pineapple, Fresno chili, mint, snow peas, and a sauce of avocado, coconut, and green sriracha. Other signature bowls include the Kale Snapper, the Shiitake Chili Tofu, and Spicy Yuzu Salmon, while BYOB (build-your-own-bowl) variations are nearly infinite. All bowls start with a diner’s choice of three bases not seen at other poké spots: citrus-kale salad, gluten-free kelp noodles with cucumber slaw, and bamboo rice milled with chlorophyll, for a boost of vitamin B.

TAVERNA TONY 23410 Civic Center Way Malibu, 310-317-9667 tavernatony.com Greek; Entrées $13–$37

This huge space at the northeast corner of the Malibu Country Mart is almost never closed and never empty. There’s always fun to be had: If the classical guitarists aren’t playing, the waiters might be singing, or the owner, Tony Koursaris, might be telling stories at one of the tables. Every meal starts with Greek-style country bread and house-made dip. The

roast baby lamb is a specialty of the house for good reasons: The meat is garlicky and mostly tender with some crispy bites. The accompanying potatoes are roasted with lemon juice and the carrots are cooked with dill. Greek coffee is a perfect end here.

TRATTORIA FARFALLA 160 Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-497-2283 farfallawestlakevillage.com Italian; Entrées $13–$30

The dark and sexy environs evoke both romance and fun, aided by a classical guitarist playing in the lounge area on Friday and Saturday nights. Excellent Italian fare from chef-owner Santino Coccia includes an extensive list of cheeses and a full-blown fresh mozzarella bar. Salads are created as either starters or main courses. The pasta list is long and has many interesting choices. Pizza, plus seafood like cioppino and branzino, and plenty of meats will satisfy most appetites.

Lunch Bunch Casual spots ideally suited for lunch hour. Enjoy!

CHAMPAGNE FRENCH BAKERY CAFÉ 180 Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-379-5911 champagnebakery.com French; Entrées $7–$9

A quaint bakery that harks back to France with chalkboard menus and large mirrors, this outpost of the chain is a welcoming place. Nice sandwiches, quiches, crêpes, and salads vie for your attention with an array of delicious baked goods including croissants, madeleines, custard brioche, and crispy palmier cookies.

FRESH & FABULOUS CAFE 401 S. A St. Oxnard, 805-486-4547 myfreshandfabulous.com American; Entrées $5–$11

Kid-Friendly The sandwiches here are served on house-made bread. Four different quiches are baked daily. Owner Magda Weydt is a registered dietitian so the salads and sandwich fillings have a healthful bent. There are also coffee drinks, cookies, and pastries to be enjoyed in this retro coffee shop in downtown Oxnard.

THE NATURAL CAFE 508 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-962-9494 and 361 Hitchcock Way Santa Barbara, 805-563-1163 and 968-12 Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-449-0099 and 840 New Los Angeles Ave. Moorpark, 805-523-2016 and 1714 Newbury Road Newbury Park, 805-498-0493 thenaturalcafe.com Healthy; Entrées $5–$9

Kid-Friendly The Santa Barbara State Street location launched all the others. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options make this a magnet for the health-conscious. The same casual menu is available for lunch or dinner with extremely reasonable prices. At night there are soup, pasta, and fish specials. Fresh vegetables abound in the Buddha Burrito wrapped in a wholewheat chapati. The Zen Burger is a Gardenburger done right. The Ranch Salad is a favorite with grilled chicken breast over baby greens with carrot, jicama, and feta cheese. 

TENNIS INSTRUCTION by

BRUCE PROCTOR

USPTA Certified Elite Professional All Levels and Abilities

805-990-7524 bruceprotennis@yahoo.com Lindero Country Club 5719 Lake Lindero Dr., Agoura Hills 805LIVING.COM / MAY 2017

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P.S. Sketchpad By Greg Clarke

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MAY 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

JUNE 2-4, 2017 June 2nd | Surf Movie Night Kick off this 3-day event with our Surf Movie Night: Big Waves on the Big Screen at the historic Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo. The legendary Chris Burkard will be premiering his movie “Under an Arctic Sky!”

June 3rd | Rabobank’s Barrel to Barrel Held on the ocean front lawn at the Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach, this event features live music by Joe Koenig & the Homewreckers, over 40 visiting wineries & breweries, local cuisines, and our Wine, Waves & Beyond themed auction! *This event sells out – purchase tickets early.

June 4th | 805 Surf Classic Presented by Still Frothy Contest heats offered at Pismo Pier for Longboard & Team Shortboard, Challenged Athletes, and Winemakers & Brew Masters. Alongside the Surf Contest, will be the 805 Classic Beach Party & Vintage VW Display. Enjoy a free concert on the beach with Live Music by Boomer Surf Band and Shane Stoneman, a festive Beer Garden featuring Firestone Walker Brewing Company, and delicious tastes from local food trucks.

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