Sun, September 14, 2023

Temple of the People member Damian Rollison grew up in the Theosophical Society, hitting childhood benchmarks within the faith and then raising his own children within the Halcyon temple. While he did eventually leave the community, Rollison returned to the temple for its sense of community and the temple’s aim to find what unites all religions. In this second installment of a two-part series on the temple, Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal from the Sun’s sister paper, New Times, speaks with members to hear about misconceptions, why they joined, and their community [6].

In addition, you can read about what the status of the Santa Maria Riverbed realignment project is [4]; what organization Nat Fast’s artwork is raising money for [22]; and R&D Local Kitchen, a new Solvang pop-up [25]

photo by Jayson Mellom > Cover design by Alex Zuniga

• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) introduced two bipartisan bills aimed at helping the Central Coast curb the threat of forever chemicals in communities near regional airports, according to a Sept. 8 statement from the congressman’s office. Carbajal’s Clean Airport Agenda, which he unveiled at San Luis Obispo Regional Airport on Sept. 7, includes two new pieces of legislation that aim to help airports transition away from PFAS foams, enlist the federal government to help with that transition, and ensure federal agencies are keeping up with plans to phase out these toxic tools. “Access to clean drinking water is paramount to protecting the health of our communities. But federally required foams used at our airports have been found to contain chemicals that pose a grave threat to our drinking water and public health,” Carbajal said in the statement. “That’s why I’m introducing legislation that enlists federal agencies, the same ones that oversee sites like San Luis Obispo that are already fighting contamination, to help our airports clean up this public health threat, as well as hold them accountable for their plan to phase out these chemicals for good.” Some fire suppression foams used at airports contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which have been linked to health hazards including cancer and developmental harm. PFAS are classified as “forever chemicals,” meaning they do not naturally degrade, and pose an escalated risk for buildup if leaked into the groundwater of nearby communities, as it has been found in San Luis Obispo and other California communities.

• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) introduced the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience act to establish a permanent Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience within the Economic Development Administration (EDA), according to a Sept. 11 statement from Padilla’s office. Although the EDA has a long history of supporting disaster recovery and resilience efforts, there is no dedicated bureau or office to direct and implement the economic recovery support function activities of the agency. The legislation would formally create an EDA Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience, which could expedite deployment of resources and improve service delivery to communities. “Economic recovery and revitalization are crucial elements of post-disaster assistance,” Padilla said in the statement. “Even with federal assistance to rebuild damaged roads, bridges, and homes, communities can remain impacted for decades after a natural disaster. As extreme weather events become more frequent across the country, disaster recovery activities are increasingly critical to EDA’s mission of promoting more resilient economies. We must formalize EDA’s role in post-disaster assistance to better help communities prepare for, mitigate, and recover from the negative economic impacts of natural disasters.”

• Taking on the misuse of the California Environmental Quality Act to obstruct housing projects, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a measure to facilitate the development of much needed affordable housing at universities, according to a Sept. 7 statement from the governor’s office. “California will not allow NIMBYism to take hold, blocking critically needed housing for years and even decades. I thank Assemblymember Wicks and all the legislative leaders for taking on the status quo and clearing the way for our state to build more affordable housing,” Newsom said in the statement.” AB 1307 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) was passed unanimously in response to a court decision to block a new affordable housing development at UC Berkeley. The governor and Legislature supported the bill with $100 million investment in the 2022-23 budget. Under this new law, residential noise will not be considered a significant environmental impact under CEQA. In addition, the bill eliminates the requirement that public universities consider alternatives to the location of housing projects when specified requirements are met. m

Board of Supervisors invests in Santa Maria River realignment

Andy Guiterrez has seen the Santa Maria riverbed flood time and time again since calling Guadalupe his home in 1957.

Most recently, he watched the church where his mother’s funeral was held flood and an entire neighborhood get destroyed when a river levee breached during the January storms, he told the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 12.

“Help us,” he pleaded to the supervisors. “Have the hindsight to see what needs to be done. … Now we’re looking at El Niño, climate change, all this other stuff going on, it will happen again. It will.”

Guiterrez was one of more than 20 Guadalupe residents requesting the board to approve a plan and the funding to realign the Santa Maria River and create temporary solutions to prevent future flood damage.

“[This project] will assist and protect the disadvantaged community of Guadalupe; it will take hundreds of acres of farmland out of the river bottom and resume access to the Guadalupe dunes,” Public Works Director Scott McGolpin told the supervisors.

The river’s south bank breached during the historic winter of rain, flooding Pioneer Street’s church and homes, cutting off the Guadalupe Dunes and beach access and flooding the city’s wastewater treatment plant—releasing nondisinfected effluent into the river and the Pacific Ocean, McGolpin told supervisors. West Main Street was also destroyed when the river left its natural path, and the street is now considered part of the river bottom.

The project, which supervisors unanimously approved, will take $8 million in county funds to remove sediment and vegetation from the riverbed, realign the river, and provide HESCO Baskets—filled with sand, dirt, or gravel—to protect communities along Pioneer Street and help prevent flooding.

Normally the county relies on state and federal funding for these recovery projects, but both state and federal agencies determined that the issue was not an emergency and declined to provide additional funding, McGolpin said.

“On Aug. 4, the governor issued an executive order allowing work in waterways if they are dry to repair levees and remove debris due to historic rainfall. This executive order is why we are here today,” McGolpin said. “It will expire on Nov. 1 without an extension, and if the disadvantaged community of Guadalupe has got any chance this coming winter, the county of Santa Barbara has to take on a leadership role, as we’re finding no other level of government wants to do that.”

If the county didn’t take action, the flooded areas would become regulated waters of the U.S. by 2025, cutting off North County beach access, risking the closure of West Main Street, and losing acres

of farmland, Deputy Director of Water Resources Walter Rubalcava added.

“This is not a permanent fix; all this repair is temporary and subject to breakouts. The community needs to understand this is not a future long-term fix,” Rubalcava said. “However, in its current state, any flow can be problematic.”

Benjamin Pitterle, Los Padres ForestWatch’s director of advocacy and field operations, said during public comment that the nonprofit recognizes serious concerns about flooding, but he wanted the supervisors to understand that rivers meander and it’s a natural process.

“We have recognized that this part of the floodplain has been deeply encroached by agriculture, but with farming in the floodplain it’s not surprising that flooding has happened,” Pitterle said. “We aren’t saying do nothing, especially with respect to protecting homes and infrastructure, but we do have concerns with massive excavations of the main channel.”

Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson responded and said that the Santa Maria Valley is one large floodplain and the county’s been working on finding balance between agriculture and nature. The supervisors all agreed that this action needed to be taken because of the Nov. 1 deadline, but Nelson encouraged ForestWatch to be a part of the solution in this process.

Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino, who represents Guadalupe, said that he’s been impressed with Guadalupe’s resilience and was proud to see this project pass.

“Members of this board, they set aside their own interests. They have districts like I do; everyone put their project on the backburner and voted to spend a lot of money to support our most underserved community. Today you guys were public servants and you should be proud,” Lavagnino said.

—Taylor O’Connor

Santa Maria Planning Commission green-lights

Alvin Newton Apartments

A local developer’s plan to construct 82 new apartments in downtown Santa Maria recently gained unanimous support from the city’s Planning Commission, and backlash from a multistate labor union.

More than a dozen members of the Southwest Mountain States Carpenters attended the Planning Commission’s Sept. 6 meeting to protest the Vernon Group’s proposed six-story, mixed-use project on the southeast corner of Main Street and Broadway.

“I know you see seated all the orange vests. Can all of my brothers stand up?” Santa Maria resident Scott Zimmerman said during public comment, alerting his union peers—easily identifiable thanks to their bright safety vests.

“This is a fraction of the amount of membership we have in Santa Maria alone,” Zimmerman said. “You couldn’t fit them all in here.”

Zimmerman spent his allotted time during

public comment criticizing the Vernon Group for planning to rent out all 82 units of the Alvin Newton Apartments project at market rate.

“In the construction industry, people are still making wages from the 1980s,” Zimmerman said. “How are the people building this going to be able to afford to live in it? It just doesn’t happen.”

On Aug. 15, attorney Mitchell M. Tsai sent a letter on behalf of the Southwest Mountain States Carpenters to Santa Maria’s planning division that outlined a handful of complaints from the union and accused the project of violating the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The letter delayed the Planning Commission from reviewing the project, as its public hearing was originally agendized for Aug. 16. City staff drafted a response to debunk claims in the letter ahead of the Planning Commission’s Sept. 6 meeting.

Staff outlined its review of the project and the conditions it has met in order to be exempt from CEQA and responded to other assertions from the carpenters union, including its argument that the city should require the Vernon Group to hire local workers to construct the apartments.

Staff’s response was that there is no current city policy requiring project applicants to hire local workers.

Shortly before motioning that the commission recommend the project’s approval to the City Council, which passed in a 5-0 vote, Planning Commissioner Robert Dickerson scrutinized Tsai’s letter.

“The tactic of using last minute letters from attorneys to stop the process quite frankly, at best, is an annoyance. And at worst, it’s disingenuous,” Dickerson said. “There certainly are reasons to present things along this line for environmental concerns. If they’re genuine, then they should be brought forward. But not if they’re a tactic just to slow things, gum up the works, and delay things, for someone who’s trying to put a project together.”

Dickerson added that he agreed with statements from Glenn Morris, CEO of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, who spoke during public comment to support the project.

While Morris acknowledged that the marketrate Alvin Newton Apartments project “may or may not meet people’s expectations” of affordable housing, the project should be considered with the context that other downtown Santa Maria developments in the future will be “designed specifically for that affordable housing component.”

Morris commented on Tsai’s letter and its request for the Vernon Group to hire locally, before criticizing its invocation of CEQA.

“I think that the conversation about who builds a project is an appropriate conversation to have in the community. But it’s a conversation that should happen between the labor unions and the development community,” Morris said. “There’s a business decision that should be conducted through negotiation.

“Using the environmental laws in our state, which we take seriously in this community, as a smoke screen,” Morris added, “to try to bully a public agency into requiring a developer to give something that the group hasn’t been able to achieve on their own in the marketplace is an inappropriate approach.”

—Caleb Wiseblood

County seeks input on recreation plan

The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission is asking the public for insight on the county’s Recreation Master Plan at its Sept. 27 hearing.

The plan is a collaborative effort between county Parks and the Planning and Development Department to make changes to the county’s general plan policies and land use zoning codes to support recreation development in Santa Barbara County, Parks Assistant Director Jeff Lindgren told commissioners during the Aug. 30 meeting.

In order to understand community needs,

REALIGNING THE RIVER: Santa Barbara County is stepping up to realign the Santa Maria River after state and federal agencies denied funding for emergency repair projects.

Parks and Planning divided the county into five recreation areas—the Cuyama Valley, Lompoc Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Maria Valley, and the South Coast—and conducted “massive” public outreach with more than 40 public workshops and research to create a needs assessment.

“The outcome of a lot of that outreach, the takeaway, is strong support for new and improved parks and trails,” Lindgren said. “Third would be swimming pools, and there was some indication that park maintenance needs to be improved across the county and adding new and different types of recreation was well noted.”

Santa Maria and Guadalupe wanted more trails, sports leagues, exercise equipment, disc golf, swimming and aquatics, and dog parks, he added. North County communities tend to have younger children and lower income families, important aspects to recognize when addressing recreational needs.

“Guadalupe has the highest proportion of children and highest average household size; we also see they only have two formal parks in the city. There’s a community in need within Guadalupe,” Lindgren said. “Orcutt and Santa Maria have similar geographic areas and the Santa Maria Valley is the fastest growing region in Santa Barbara County. Those are important factors when looking at programing recreation in North County.”

In order to address community needs, Planning and Development will look at updating the housing, land use, and open space elements in the county’s state-required general plan and the zoning ordinances needed to implement changed policies, Planning and Development Director Lisa Plowman said.

“We will try not to create barriers, but incentives for onsite recreation, … incentives to developers like changes in height

requirements, setback,” Plowman said. “We’re going to work to weave incentives for recreation and housing to work in a collaborative way.”

Private landowners and developers who add a recreational opportunity to their land could see simplified permitting, increased intensity of use, a reduction or waiver of park fees, and the ability to open private campgrounds, RV sites, or a trailside cafe, Planning and Development Assistant Director Jeff Wilson said.

Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and SLO Counties President Claire Wineman said that the association supported the recreation master plan but wanted to make sure it’s compatible with the agriculture industry, as agriculture land can expand its use under this plan, she said.

“There’s places where this is a great fit, but we should be cognizant of those situations with somebody with intensive agricultural use next door,” Wineman said. “Now you’ve got a campground and glamping where people are paying hundreds and thousands of dollars a night and they are complaining because cows are mooing or you are night harvesting your vineyard.”

If there’s an area with more agricultural production, she added that she hopes there would be ample time to look at ground and local conditions before opening recreational opportunities, she said.

“Our main focus is ensuring there is ongoing production of agriculture [with] these new recreational uses if they do move forward,” Wineman said.

Send input, comments and questions about the Recreation Master Plan to tmitchell@ countyofsb.org or jlindgren@countyofsb.org. The Sept. 27 hearing will be held in Santa Barbara, 123 East Anapamu St., or streamed at countyofsb. org/1625/County-PlanningCommission.

Beyond Halcyon

Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series on the Temple of the People in Halcyon. The first, “Halcyon’s homily,” ran on Sept. 7.

BY BULBUL RAJAGOPAL

Halcyon resident Damian Rollison knew the Temple of the People as his sole faith growing up. Flip through the Images of America book about the tiny community between Oceano and Arroyo Grande, and you’ll see Rollison smiling out from one of its pages as a cheerful baby in 1970.

“My parents were married in the temple, and I was their first child,” he said. “I moved away for a little while, but I did grow up here and came back as an adult.”

Fourth Guardian-in-Chief Harold Forgostein conducted his Naming Ceremony (similar to a christening); Rollison actively participated in the Temple Builders group as both a child and teenager; fifth Guardian-in-Chief Eleanor Shumway married him and his wife at the temple; his own kids took part in Naming Ceremonies; and his mother conducted Temple Builder classes while his kids were around.

Since 1924, the Temple of the People has been the quiet meeting place of the Theosophical Society, with 35 members in SLO County and 300 worldwide.

“The Halcyon community is very unusual in its ability to hold onto that old-time sense of small community where everyone supports each other, cares about each other,” he said.

As a kid belonging to the Temple Builders group, similar to Sunday school, Rollison recalled lessons that focused on humanity’s inherent connection to nature and the importance of tapping into it.

The camaraderie Rollison felt with fellow temple kids didn’t always extend beyond the close-knit boundaries of Halcyon. In high school, for example, one classmate scoffed at his address during P.E. class.

“When I said I lived in Halcyon, he said they’re all devil worshippers,” Rollison said. “I was like, ‘I think I would know that, I actually live there,’ and he was unwilling to be convinced otherwise because somebody told him, and that was the truth for him.”

He added that anybody who actually comes to a temple service or class or meets Halcyon residents would quickly see otherwise.

“I don’t think anybody could maintain that misconception for five minutes if they actually got that exposure,” he said.

The temple’s progressive values appealed to Rollison once he entered adulthood, including its view of marriage—namely the removal of the “till death do us part” phrase.

“They have a phrasing instead where the couple promises to stay together until their love shall last,” he said. “That, to me, is an interesting acknowledgement that sometimes people change, and there’s a provision for that.”

Rollison returned to Halcyon after his last marriage ended. He lived all around the country as an adult but missed his hometown’s sense of community. He had studied other religions and even analyzed atheism, but throughout those explorations, theosophy’s aim of finding what unites all religions rang true for him. As did the temple’s motto: “Creeds disappear, hearts remain.”

Layers of faith

Temple treasurer Marti Fast’s eyes widened when she first stepped foot into the Temple of the People almost 50 years ago. It was the summer of 1975, she was 23 and had made her way to Halcyon after a performance at the Great

American Melodrama in Oceano. A lover of architecture, Fast was immediately enthralled.

“I remember my eyes just lifting up to the band of windows,” she said on July 27. “I just thought, ‘Wow!’ It was such a sacred space, but it was so unusual, and it captured me.”

The distinctive temple architecture still piques interest to this day. It’s a site of hallowed mathematics. A wraparound porch hugs the Blue Star Temple with 36 pillars—12 on each of the three sides of the convex equilateral triangle. They represent souls who arrived at spiritual truth that lays hidden within the temple, according to a pamphlet about the temple’s symbology.

The windows that caught Fast’s attention each have eight panes, which represent the union of Heaven and Earth. They’re placed high to symbolize the divine light that comes from above. Notably, the windows are glazed with a special opalescent glass that diffuses the sunlight into a more golden glow.

Fast, Allan Hancock College’s longtime art gallery director and fine arts instructor, felt right at home. So much so that she’s served as the temple treasurer for 25 years and continues to assist with the services.

Raised Episcopalian, Fast quickly found similarities between her faith and the principles of theosophy. She grew up learning about karma and reincarnation from her grandmother and mother.

“Reincarnation is hope in a way and stands for a chance to do things again. As human beings, we grow and learn from our mistakes. They both helped me practice the Golden Rule as a daily practice,” she said, referencing theosophy’s main principle: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The first person who introduced her to the temple was Arroyo Grande High School teacher Frances Campbell. Fast had made the move from her hometown, Santa Maria, and belonged to the founding company of the Great American Melodrama of Oceano. Francie, as she called her, became the “door opener” for Fast. It helped that she was also her first landlady.

“The first time we met, we spoke for three hours about the temple and spirituality,” Fast said. “She was my mentor.”

Fast still considers herself to be Episcopalian as well. One faith informs and supplements the

other. The link between the two is acts of service.

“I still have rootedness there [in Episcopalianism] that I don’t think will ever go away,” she said. “But the temple enhances every spiritual thing I have in my life. It validates that past, and no one has to give up the journey that brought them here.”

Some members arrived at the temple through journeys that spanned multiple countries. Rita Moiseyeva traveled to Halcyon in 1998 from New Jersey, but she first came to the East Coast in 1994 from Ukraine because of a Russian book that spoke about a theosophical community in the U.S.—Two Lives by Russian singer and theosophist writer Concordia Antarova. Moiseyeva and her husband, Sergey Moiseyav, sought out the Temple of the People once they got to the East Coast. A visit to the Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York brought them face to face with its director, and soon the conversation turned to the Temple of the People.

“He just pulled out of his pocket the phone number of the office in Halcyon! It was a miracle, and we had lost hope by then,” Moiseyeva said.

Moiseyav, her husband, called and spoke with then Guardian-in-Chief Shumway who encouraged them to visit in 1998. The family eventually became permanent Halcyon residents in 2000.

The biggest gift the temple’s given to her is unity. She felt it most deeply after her husband passed away a few years ago in an accident, and the Halcyon community banded together to uplift her. Just before he passed, her husband was in the middle of a construction project in the family yard. Moiseyeva was at a loss for what to do.

“I was a wreck; I asked Eleanor [Shumway], ‘What do I do with this now?’” she recalled. “It happened on a Wednesday. That Saturday … all the neighbors came and put everything to order and fixed and cleaned everything.”

Moiseyeva told the Sun that she never felt alone thanks to the Halcyon residents. She’s now the inner guard of the temple and helps London manage the services. Her daughter is also a member.

“I don’t know in what other geographical location would I have made it through,” she said. “It’s absolutely amazing that we are still here because those who came before us made it happen. They preserved it, kept it alive, and it still exists with the same intention.”

Service in the community

The Halcyon community may be quiet, but it’s not underground.

At the local level, residents advocate for resources from the Oceano Community Services District (OCSD). Current Temple

Guardian-in-Chief Rick London serves as Halcyon’s de facto mayor of sorts through interactions with the OCSD and other governing bodies like the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board

“When Eleanor let me know I’d be following her, I had been mostly connected with the spiritual side of the temple, not the residential side of the temple,” London said. “I ended up going up and representing her at the local regional water board meetings.”

London started attending these meetings a year before he became guardian-in-chief. The prime reason is to find an alternate source of potable water for residents. The original source— the Halcyon well operating since 1903—has been increasingly contaminated over the years by rising manganese levels.

“Then other chemicals started appearing, mostly from the area becoming more and more populated,” London said. “The Temple of the People owned the Halcyon well, and we were distributing the well water to about 67 homes.” The temple needed a permit to do that, and keeping that permit active required periodic water testing by the county.

A state-funded feasibility study found alternate solutions, but most of them were too costly for Halcyon. An affordable solution was to get water from the OCSD and retain the well water for irrigation. Currently, Halcyon residents fill up water from a reverse osmosis system that’s under lock and key. They pay a small monthly fee for that water connection.

“I’ve filled many a jug there,” London said with a laugh. “I expect us to be receiving [OCSD] water by probably 2025 as a way to bring potable water directly to households.”

The temple has also made itself known at the state and federal levels. Thanks to the petitioning efforts of Shumway and Halcyon resident Karen White, it became a historic district in 2017 after being nominated for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places by the California State Office of Historic Preservation.

In mid-August, a week after London attended the annual Temple Convention, he expressed satisfaction as he looked forward to the temple’s 100th anniversary.

“People had shared their thoughts on the convention theme: There is no going back,” he told the Sun. “You can’t go back to the way things were. But you can always return to the principles, the higher aspects of how we relate to one another.” m Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal, from the Sun’s sister paper, New Times, at brajagopal@ newtimesslo.com.

SACRED GEOMETRY: The temple’s dimensions hold symbolic value for its members. The roof rises in a pyramidal form to a point in the exact center of the building, meeting above the central altar.

PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM

Halcyon community members reflect on the Temple of the People and its past, present, and future role on the Central Coast

WHEN DEEP CALLS TO DEEP JOURNEYS OF THE SOUL FOR A CULTURE IN CRISIS

The challenges of our times are demanding more than just political reforms. They are compelling us towards journeys of the soul that will ask not only for great courage, but new understandings of power and inclusive leadership, new mythologies of collective heroism, more diverse communities and organizational models that are more sustainable ecosystems than hierarchical power pyramids. We invite you to engage with contemporary issues and the latest in depth psychological thinking and practices, join interactive learning sessions on the cutting edge of practice and theory, and explore all that Pacifica Graduate Institute has to offer for your personal and professional journey.

COPENHAGEN PRIDE: (From left to right) SYV Valley Pride Vice President Alyce Barrick, founding board member Harry Mullin, President Lauren Lastra, founding board member Adriana Reyes, and youth ambassador Aria VulDaugherty walked in Copenhagen Pride’s parade in midAugust, representing the Santa Ynez Valley in an international celebration.

More than a month

SYV Pride members reflect on their trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, for the European city’s Pride celebrations

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR

Walking in Copenhagen’s Pride parade and attending its weeklong celebration felt surreal, said Santa Ynez Valley Pride President Lauren Lastra.

“I think in many ways we’re still digesting the trip because there were so many takeaways, so many perspectives—life-changing moments that you still need to digest and be intentional and mindful for what that means here and our work in the Santa Ynez Valley,” Lastra said.

Lastra, Vice President Alyce Barrick, board members Harry Mullin and Adriana Reyes, and a youth ambassador Aria Vul-Daugherty flew to Copenhagen on Aug. 15 and hit the ground running when they arrived on Aug. 16, she said. They attended a private reception at the Denmark Pride ambassador’s home and seminars with fellow Pride representatives from around the world to learn about the experiences of LGBTQ-plus communities in other countries. Then they walked in the Pride parade and attended the festival.

“The parade and festival was an all-day event that really took over the entire city, not only in Pride Plaza but the parties and celebrations and events spilled out throughout Copenhagen,” Lastra said.

The nonprofit first came into contact with Copenhagen Pride and the lord mayor of Copenhagen earlier this year when the Solvang City Council rejected proposals to hang Pridethemed banners in the city, claiming the banners go against the city’s Danish roots. Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, lord mayor of Copenhagen, wrote to Solvang Mayor Mark Infanti in April, urging him to support his local Pride and LGBTQ-plus organizations.

“I think after the letter was sent, there was staff from Solvang City Council questioning the authenticity, questioning if Copenhagen Pride was a real organization, trying to fact check the mayor’s letter,” Lastra said. “I think [this trip] really puts, for lack of a better term, teeth behind the lord mayor’s letter to Solvang Mayor Mark Infanti, and [the lord mayor and Copenhagen Pride] really went above and beyond to extend their support to our community.”

SYV Pride’s international trip came together at the last minute, she said. One of SYV Pride’s youth ambassadors had been in contact with Copenhagen Pride’s Head of Secretariat Steve Taylor, who later invited them to join the celebration and panel opportunities.

The crew attended a panel on Pride in hostile areas where Pride or LGBTQplus advocates from other countries shared their experiences advocating for better representation,

supportive legislation, and a changed dialogue around LGBTQ-plus people, Lastra said.

“I think it definitely put us in check in regards to privilege. With great privilege comes greater responsibility,” Lastra said. “I think another takeaway is the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, especially around the trans community, ‘grooming’ and all this language we know; I was surprised to learn that anti-LGBTQ rhetoric that is fanned and flamed in the U.S., it’s rippled worldwide.”

All of the panelists said they’re hearing that rhetoric and it’s having a tangible impact and harming LGBTQ-plus communities around the world, she said.

“I think a broader frame is No. 1: It’s certainly affirmed that Pride is one of our greatest tools in fulfilling our mission of creating a safe, supportive, and empowering home for LGBTQ residents in the valley,” Lastra said. “With that, Pride is not just a month or a day, a parade, or a festival. Pride is 365 days a year.”

Moving forward, SYV Pride wants to expand its Pride events in June and evolve outside of Pride Month with workshops and events year round and grow its youth scholarship program for local high school seniors, she said.

“I think, in general, Pride celebrations are so important for our youth and allies to feel affirmed in their identities, to feel seen, to have a sense of belonging—outside of Pride or queer-friendly spaces, it’s hard to find. Being a part of the majority for a few hours, that is really important especially in your formative years,” Lastra said.

“I think especially for our youth seeing themselves reflected back in such public ways of celebration, there are no words to express how important that is.”

Highlight

Promote!

• The city of Santa Maria Public Library will host Chris Lambert, author of the podcast Your Own Backyard, Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. in Shepard Hall—421 South McClelland St. Lambert will share what it takes to create a podcast, including the tools and resources needed. Seating for this event is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit the library’s online events calendar at cityofsantamaria. org/library or call (805) 925-0994, Ext. 8562, for more information. This program supports the library’s mission of lifelong learning and promotes literacy and inspires self-expression. Follow the library on social media for updates on programming, resources, and services— Facebook: Santa Maria Public Library, and Instagram: @santamaria_publiclibrary. m

Send business and nonprofit information to spotlight@santamariasun.com.

Reach Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor at toconnor@ santamariasun.com.

Dr. Susan Rowland PGI Core Faculty C.G. Jung Award Recipiant

Dr. Leonie H. Mattison PGI President/CEO

Dr. Thema Bryant APA President

Roland Palencia Documentarian, Filmmaker

Dr. Emily Lord-Kambitsch PGI Myth Co-Chair

Dick Russel, Author James Hillman, Soul in the World Jemma Elliot PGI Counseling Co-Chair

Dr. Bayome Akomolafe Psychologist, Philosopher, Author

Dr. Dylan Hoffman PGI Core Faculty Jungian & Archetypal Studies

Did you know there was a 100-year-old Theosophical Society in Halcyon, SLO County?

57% No, I thought Halcyon only had a post office.

43% I’ve never heard of it but would like to know more.

0% I’m not a member but live near the Temple of the People.

0% I’m a member myself.

7 Votes

Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.

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© 2023 Sun

BY DONA HARE PRICE

When I read “the sea is boiling hot” in Lewis Carroll’s famous poem “The Walrus and The Carpenter,” I imagined a hot tub near the ocean. I never thought it literally would be our ocean or our beloved Maui burning to the ground.

I wonder whether Carroll was thinking about climate change when he wrote it. Climate change models appeared in The American Journal of Science in 1856, and “The Walrus and The Carpenter ” was published in 1871. The journal contains information about experiments conducted by Eunice Newton Foote, an American scientist who foretold climate change when she proved that carbonic acid placed in glass tubes would warm when exposed to sunlight. Her experiments led her to correctly predict that the Industrial Revolution would result in warmer temperatures and negative impacts on our Earth.

That was more than 167 years ago, the ocean is now “boiling,” and the damage to coral reefs and marine life is undeniable.

Why are we not demanding of our political leaders immediate enactment of policies to slow the devastation? Why aren’t we begging our neighbors to make small, climate-friendly changes in their lifestyles?

For the past 15 years, my husband and I have snorkeled the same reef on the Big Island of Hawaii. What got my attention and called me to action was recognizing that the reef I love has more dead spots than ever before, making it look like a coral boneyard. Beyond that, we are not observing the entire genus of fish that I noted on my snorkel maps from our earliest trips.

On a recent trip to the Big Island, I had a revelation about what it might take to get the average person’s attention.

This past May, a friend and I watched as tourists stood on coral, tramped through tidepools, and destroyed the young kelp necessary to a sea turtle’s diet. When I asked one

of them to use the designated entrance a few feet away, she responded, “I didn’t step on it, I roll my belly over it to get into the water.” Then I watched her damage the young kelp as she rolled her belly over it.

A few days later, I noticed a tourist emerging from an undesignated exit, bloody and banged up from bumping against the coral. I mentioned to another group of novice snorkelers that their vacation wouldn’t get ruined from an injury and an expensive trip to urgent care if they used the proper entrance to the sea. These tourists thanked me and entered the water without injuring themselves or the marine life. That’s when my friend and I realized it works better to appeal to a person’s self-interest. We felt as if we had cracked the code.

I’m no different. I, too, am more concerned about this particular Hawaiian ecosystem because it is so close to my heart. Climate change is remote, for the most part removed from day-to-day routines. It’s painful to hold the complexity, destruction, and devastation—until it impacted the reef that makes my heart happy.

The sea is boiling hot; my reef will be impacted; fish, dolphins, and whales will be harmed. Those people who live in island nations have long known this emergency was here and have sounded the alarm with ferocity, but until now it was their problem, not ours.

It is our problem, and it is our responsibility to take action. Taking action means understanding our impact when we: buy fast fashion, take that cruise on the mega ocean liner, and refuse to enact a nationwide plastic ban. Long overdue change begins individually and collectively as we demand immediate policies to avoid more irreparable harm.

It is time to ignore and marginalize the climate deniers—those same folks and corporations that profit from the status quo and are invested in, for example, oil and gas. Our voices must be louder than their profits!

How much more bloodied,

banged up, and economically impacted do we all need to be to enact real and meaningful policy today to staunch the devastation of climate change in the middle of a climate emergency?

Small local actions are the way to create longterm impact. A few ways you can start:

• Make public comment in support of our Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary: sanctuaries.noaa.gov/chumash-heritage.

• Join The SLO Beaver Brigade: slobeaverbrigade.com.

• Ask Atascadero City Council to deny a permit to store RVs in the Salinas River floodplain, which damages a fragile habitat.

• Research the Dana Reserve project and decide if the developers’ profit is worth the environmental impact; then email your thoughts to the SLO County Board of Supervisors. m

Dona Hare Price is a local Jewish activist, an avid snorkeler, and writer. Send a response for publication to letters@santamariasun.com.

WRITE NOW!

We want to know what you think about everything. Send your 250-word letter to Sun Letters, 2646 Industrial Parkway #200, Santa Maria, CA 93455. You can also fax it (1-805-546-8641) or e-mail it (letters@ santamariasun.com). All letters must include a name, address, and phone number for verification purposes; may be edited for space or clarity; and will be posted to santamariasun.com.

The quote was an error but the point is the same

After submitting my letter (“An open letter to the secretary of state,” Aug. 31), I discovered that I had included a quote I attributed to Donald Trump that was in error. My bad, “to err is human.” Subsequently, this error was pointed out to me, first by the editor, and again by Mr. Clive Pinder in his letter (“We’re entitled to our opinions, not our own facts,” Sep. 7). Consequently, I wish to issue a retraction of that quote and its surrounding text:

“By his own admission, he has not read and does not support the Constitution of the United States: ‘I haven’t read the Constitution, but, from what I’ve been told, most of it is a waste of paper, quite frankly,’ Donald John Trump, 45th president of the United States, after leaving office.”

I agree with Mr. Pinder, that none of us is entitled to “our own facts.” However, a withdrawal of my petition to the secretary of state is not warranted, since the body and point of my letter, even without that one retracted sentence, support the fact that Donald Trump gave, and continues to give, “aid and comfort” to the insurrectionists of Jan. 6, 2021, and is, therefore, not qualified to appear on the ballot (Article 14, Section 3, U.S. Constitution). It is unfortunate that this misquote became his focus and overclouded his ability to consider the facts.

Stephen Siemsen CW3, U.S. Army (Retired) Orcutt

Boycotts work, and we can boycott Big Carrot

If you are outraged by the Carrot Kingpins, Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms, seeking to hog water rights at the expense of Cuyama residents and their school, then boycott all their products. We can buy fresh and delicious carrots at our local farmers’ markets. Remember that the late Cesar Chavez organized the Wrath of Grapes Boycott back in 1968. Eventually the strategy was effective in improving the deplorable conditions of farmworkers.

Eva Uran Los

Osos

‘The sea is boiling’ It’s time to do something about climate change

Doing what’s right

After all else failed, Santa Barbara County stepped up for Guadalupe in a way that moved 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino to tears for the resilient community he represents and the board on which he serves.

“Today you were public servants,” Lavagnino told fellow supervisors after they unanimously voted on Sept. 12 to allocate $8 million in county funds to realign the Santa Maria River near Guadalupe. “You should be proud.”

In January, Guadalupe was inundated with river water for the fourth time in the last three decades, renewing calls for a permanent fix to the recurring issue. Displaced families slept in H-2A housing, temporary trailers, and on a gym floor. The disadvantaged community was also cut off from the closest outdoor recreational opportunity— the Guadalupe Dunes and beach.

And applying for aid from the state and federal governments to put the pieces back yielded squat. The county’s initial April application to the California Office of Emergency Services went missing somehow, and CalOES asked the county to reapply for the temporary fix! By the time state officials came out to tour the project site, water was no longer flowing so the state decided Guadalupe no longer had an emergency on its hands!

It’s just piles of debris in places that didn’t have it before. It’s just 20 families that were displaced from their homes due to the river flowing where it shouldn’t. But no emergency to see here!

“We wonder if that would have been the same case had CalOES acted on our initial application in April because that was 60 days later,” Public Works Director Scott McGolpin told supervisors.

With El Niño predictions on deck for the upcoming winter, McGolpin asked county supervisors to approve the project money by the Nov. 1 deadline.

“If the disadvantaged community of Guadalupe has got any chance this coming winter, the county of Santa Barbara has to take on a leadership role, as we’re finding no other level of government wants to do that,” he said.

So Lavagnino’s colleagues stepped up. Through the weird bickering and partisanship that have increasingly become enmeshed in the fabric of board meetings over the past couple of years, supervisors came together and made what was necessary happen.

“We all embraced a new county vision which emphasizes collaboration and camaraderie, putting people over politics,” Lavagnino said. “We are not adversaries. We are colleagues.”

Of course, not all the comments about the item were so loving.

For some reason, Los Padres ForestWatch Director of Advocacy and Field Operations Benjamin Pitterle felt that he just had to weigh in on the issue. It’s important, he said during public comment, to understand that rivers meander naturally.

“It’s not surprising flooding has happened,” Pitterle said.

He said ForestWatch was all about protecting homes and infrastructure but asked the county not to do too, too much reworking of the river channel and blamed agriculture for flood risks.

Well thanks but no thanks for the two cents, Ben.

Guadalupe is a disadvantaged community that deserves all the protection we can muster— floodplain or not. m

The Canary is all about building community resilience. Send ideas to canary@ santamariasun.com.

TWO TICKETS TO “YESTERDAY”

THE

Saturday, September 30 • 7:30pm Clark Center, Arroyo Grande

WIN

Tuesday, October 10 • 7:30pm Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly,

TWO

Sunday, October 22 • 7pm Clark Center, Arroyo Grande

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO A CAL POLY FOOTBALL GAME! Spanos Stadium, San Luis Obispo

LAS VEGAS BEATLES SHOW

TWO TICKETS TO THE CAL POLY ARTS SHOW “DREAMERS’ CIRCUS”

SLO

TICKETS TO JAMES GARNER’S TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY CASH

Hot Stuff

WOODWIND WIN

The Lompoc Pops Orchestra presents its fall concert, America the Beautiful, at the First United Methodist Church on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 4 p.m. Songs in the program will include “Embraceable You,” “A Foggy Day,” “American Salute,” “A Taste of Honey,” and other selections. Admission is $25 for adults, $5 for students with a student ID, and free for children ages 12 and under. Visit lompocpopsorchestra.com for more info. The church is located at 925 N. H St., Lompoc.

—Caleb Wiseblood

ARTS

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

ARTISTIC SELF ART STUDIO For adults ages 50 and over. Bring your art projects and supplies and work on them in a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere with other artists. This is a drop-in program. Wednesdays, 9-10 a.m. through Dec. 27 Free. 805-925-0951. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria. BALLROOM, LATIN, AND SWING DANCE

CLASSES Social ballroom, Latin, and swing lessons for all ages on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Beginner and advance classes. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. $45-$55. 805-928-7799. Kleindancesarts. com. KleinDance Arts, 3558 Skyway Drive, suite A, Santa Maria.

CHRIS LAMBERT: HOW TO PODCAST

Learn what it takes to create a podcast with host Chris Lambert, creator of the acclaimed podcast Your Own Backyard Users will also learn how library resources can help them on the road to finding their voice. This event is first-come, first-served; seating is limited. Sept. 16 3-4:30 p.m. Free. cityofsantamaria.org/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, 805-925-0994.

CRAFTWORKS: COMIC BOOK

SILHOUETTE ART Design your own work of art using silhouettes and comic books. Make something fun for yourself or give as a gift. Registration is required and this workshop is free. For patrons ages 18 and older. Sept. 16 10:30 a.m. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, 805-925-0994.

DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN

DANCE Classes available for all skill levels. Class sizes limited. ongoing

Everybody Can Dance, 628 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, 805-937-6753, everybodycandance.webs.com/.

LEARN CALIFORNIA’S OFFICIAL DANCE: WEST COAST SWING Learn west coast swing in a casual, friendly environment, taught by Texas state swing champion, Gina Sigman. Free intro from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Beyond the Basics ($10) is 7 to 7:45 p.m. $10 entry includes social dance (7:45 to 8:15 p.m.). Tuesdays, 6:30-8:15 p.m.

805-344-1630. Cubanissimo Cuban Coffee House, 4869 S. Bradley Rd., #118, Orcutt.

POETRY FOR SELF-CARE WORKSHOP

Looking for a new form of self-expression?

Poetry facilitation is the use of poetry to promote mental health. Workshop participants will be introduced to a poem and explore their reaction through writing or illustration. Registration is required for this workshop; for patrons 18 and older.

Sept. 17 2-3:30 p.m. Free. 805-9250994. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

LAUGH THERAPY STAND-UP COMEDY

2023 This comedy event will be a fundraiser for the Los Olivos Rotary Club. Sept. 20, 8-10 p.m. my805tix.com. Maverick Saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 805-686-4785.

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE An installation by Northridge-based artist Elizabeth Criss.

Through Feb. 1, 2024 wildlingmuseum.org.

Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-688-1082.

SEDGWICK RESERVE: A CONSERVATION

STORY Through Oct. 16 Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-688-1082, wildlingmuseum.org.

WOODLANDS Award-winning artists Deborah Breedon, Kris Buck, and Chuck Klein present their fall exhibition. Mondays-

Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. Free. gallerylosolivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos, 805-688-7517.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

EMBROIDERERS GUILD OF AMERICA The Bishop’s Peak Chapter of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America invites you to attend its monthly meeting. For more information, follow on Facebook or visit the EGA website. Third Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 18 Free. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach, 805-773-4832.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

ACRYLIC PAINTING WITH CATHERINE

LEMOINE Features a sunflower or trumpet plant. Become inspired and relaxed during this unique class. Call or text for details. Sept. 16 1:30-4:30 p.m. $45. 805-8634287. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, artcentralslo.wordpress.com.

ALL LEVELS POTTERY CLASSES A pottery studio in SLO that offers a variety of classes. This specific class is open to any level. Teachers are present for questions, but the class feels more like an open studio for potters. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. $40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.

ARTIST RIKI SCHUMACHER AT ART

CENTRAL GALLERY Schumacher’s work is pensive and introspective, inspiring one to take a solitary walk on a cloudy day. Wander in to reflect on her “delicious, wistful landscapes.” Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. 805-7474200. artcentralslo.com/gallery-artists/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

BEGINNING WATERCOLOR WITH JAN FRENCH Be introduced to the personality and potential of this tricky but dynamic painting medium. For beginners or

watercolor artists who would like to “loosen up.” Bring your own materials; list provided and supplies available at Art Central. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. through Sept. 28 $120 for four classes. janfrench.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-747-4200.

CERAMIC LESSONS AND MORE A private one-on-one and group lessons in the ceramic arts. Both hand building and wheel throwing options. Beginners welcomed. 805-835-5893. hmcruceceramics.com/.

Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

CLAY BABY HANDPRINTS Offers a unique experience of pressing your baby’s hand/ foot into clay so parents can cherish this time forever. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays $55. anamcre.com/babyhandprints. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

GEMS BY THE SEA Gems, minerals, rocks, and jewelry. Features unique handcrafted gifts by local artists, demonstrations of lapidary crafts, and children’s activities. Sept. 16 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sept. 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $5, free for ages under 12. 805-458-9350. facebook.com/ SanLuisObispoGemMineralClub. Veteran’s Memorial Building, 801 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.

INTERMEDIATE OIL PAINTING: ADULT

ART CLASS This class is for students who may have tried oil painting in the past but are looking to advance their skill levels. Color theory and proportion study will be a focus in the class. Mondays, 2-5 p.m. $30 per student or $75 for 3 classes. 805747-4200. artcentralslo.com/workshopsevents/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

INTRO TO OIL PAINTING WITH SPENCER

COLLINS The perfect class for those wanting to try oil painting for the first time. Guests discuss color theory, layering paint,

and how to use various media. For ages 16 and over. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $30 per class or $100 for 4 classes. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo.com/workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY AND ART

Owen and Kyoko Hunt from Kyoto, Japan offer classes for Japanese calligraphy (Fridays, 5:30-6:30 p.m.), a Japanese art called “haiga” (Fridays, 10-11:30 a.m.) and more at Nesting Hawk Ranch. Fridays $45. 702-335-0730. Nesting Hawk Ranch, Call for address, San Luis Obispo.

JOHN BARRETT John Barrett was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1952 and grew up in Manhattan Beach, California. He began pursuing his career as an artist in the late 1960s influenced by his great-grandfather, a painter. Through Nov. 27, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/ john-barrett/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

KIDS POTTERY CLASSES Enjoy making animal sculptures, bowls, plates, etc. Please arrive on time, not early, as venue uses the transition time between classes to sanitize. Designed to sign up on a weekly basis. Thursdays, 1:30-2:30 p.m. $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

LEARN TO WEAVE MONDAYS An opportunity to learn how a four-shaft loom works. You will get acquainted as a new weaver or as a refresher with lots of tips and tricks. This class includes getting to know a loom, how to prepare/dress a loom, and much much more. Mondays, 1-4 p.m. $75 monthly. 805-441-8257.

Patricia Martin: Whispering Vista Studios, 224 Squire Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, patriciamartinartist.com.

NUNSENSE The five nuns from Little Sisters of Hoboken put on a fundraiser to bury sisters accidentally poisoned by the convent cook, Sister Julia, Child of God. Fortunately, the remaining sisters all have hidden talents that bring merriment to this show full of “nun” puns. ThursdaysSaturdays, 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 2-4 p.m. through Oct. 15 $20-$45. 805-786-2440. slorep.org/shows/ nunsense-a-musical-comedy/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.

PARENT-CHILD POTTERY CLASS Make lasting memories with clay together as a family. For ages 6 and over. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon $70. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.

PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF THE CENTRAL COAST A self-directed fun group of dynamic artists who enjoy painting and sketching outdoors. Artists meet on site at various locations. Weekly plein air destinations are provided by Kirsti Wothe via email (mrswothe@yahoo.com).

Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-noon SLO County, Various locations, San Luis Obispo.

POTTERY: BEGINNING WHEEL CLASS

This series is a great intro to the pottery wheel. Students learn to throw various shapes, surface decorate, and glaze. Clay and firing included with admission. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $180. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SCAB PICKER: MOLLY SEGAL Los Angeles-based painter Molly Segal’s surreal largescale watercolors explore a world with finite resources, both natural and emotional, where we find ourselves grappling with insatiable needs and limited provisions. Mondays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through Oct. 13 Free. 805-546-3202. cuesta.edu/student/ campuslife/artgallery/index.html. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

SCULPTURE CLASS WITH ROD PEREZ

This weekly sculpture drop-in class gives an opportunity for potters to take on new projects and learn new techniques relating to sculptural work. Additionally, every first Friday of the month, a new project will be taught by Rod Perez for beginners. Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SENIOR CLAY CLASS Offered to the senior community as an outlet to explore the beauty of clay. For ages 60 and over. Caretakers welcome for an additional $20. Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

SEWING FELT ANIMALS FOR AGES

12-16 Four-week course for teenagers who want to learn how to sew. Students will learn the basics of hand-sewing and create cute felt animals (an owl or fox). All materials included. Sept. 20 1-2:30 p.m. $100. 702-335-0730. nestinghawkshop. com/workshops-andlessons. Nesting Hawk Ranch, Call for address, San Luis Obispo.

TINY POTTERS: WISE ONES AND WEE ONES

PAINT For ages 4 to 6. Kids have the option to paint animals and other subjects. Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. $30. anamcre.com/booking.

Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

VANESSA WALLACEGONZALES

Wallace-Gonzales is a Black-Latinx and Santa Barbara-based artist who uses elements of mythology to explore her identity and personal experiences. Through Oct. 2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805543-8562. sloma.org/ exhibition/vanessawallace-gonzales/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

VIRGINIA MACK: BEGINNING

WATERCOLOR

VEGGIE TALES AND FRUIT FABLES

The fifth annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day will take place at various farms throughout the Santa Maria Valley on Saturday, Sept. 23, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Festivities scheduled during the multi-venue event include tractor and trailer rides, behind-the-scenes tours, tastings, family-friendly activities, and more. Visit santabarbaracountyfarmday.com to find out more about the program.

This is a watercolor class designed to let you jump in and try out this engaging medium through experimentation. It’s designed for beginners and those with watercolor experience who wish to expand their knowledge of painting in watercolors.

To enroll please contact Mack via email: vbmack@charter.net Wednesdays, 1:303:30 p.m. $35. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo. com/workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

COSTA GALLERY SHOWCASES Features works by Ellen Jewett as well as 20 other local artists, and artists from southern and northern California. Thursdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. 559799-9632. costagallery.com. Costa Gallery, 2087 10th St., Los Osos.

FINE ART FUSED GLASS BY LINDA

HILL Linda Hill is a fused glass artist living and working in Los Osos. Linda has been working at her craft for more than 20 years and she loves color, patterns, shapes, and creating fused glass art. Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

FINE ART WATERCOLORS BY NANCY

JENSEN Nancy Jensen celebrates the simple joys of living on the central coast of California. In her watercolor paintings, she honors the fruits of the harvest in local vineyards, the springtime surprises of bright wildflowers, and blooming gardens and the Central Coast as a whole. Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. 29 Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

FOREVER STOKED PAINT PARTY Join us at the gallery, for a few hours to travel on a creative paint journey. You will receive as much or as little instruction as you prefer. No experience is necessary. Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. $45. 805-772-9095. Forever Stoked, 1164 Quintana Rd., Morro Bay.

GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE PRESENTS

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP SHOW: WILD AUTUMN A group photography show with Alice Cahill, Michael Johnston, Jessica Weiss, Lynda Roeller, and Liz Linzmeier. These wonderful photograpers will be showcasing their photographs of the wild animals, horses, seals, otters, whales, birds, and autumn mood scenes that our visitors love. Mondays, Wednesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. 29 Free. 805-7721068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.

METAL ART BY TRUDI GILLIAM Gilliam creates her sculptures using copper, brass, nickel/silver, and found objects. This new series of whales and birds uses copper and sea glass. ongoing 805-772-9955. Seven Sisters Gallery, 601 Embarcadero Ste. 8, Morro Bay, sevensistersgalleryca.com.

THE PLEIN AIR TEAM Acrylic artist, Nancy Lynn, and husband, watercolorist, Robert Fleming, have an ongoing show of originals and giclee prints of Morro Bay and local birds. 805-772-9955. Seven Sisters Gallery, 601 Embarcadero Ste. 8, Morro Bay, sevensistersgalleryca.com.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

30 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN SANTA MARIA/ORCUTT Community Partners in Caring is seeking volunteers to help support dependent older adults and seniors. partnersincaring.org. Santa Maria.

BOUNCING BABY STORY TIME Explore pre-literacy skills through music, movement, and visual stimulation, and promote a healthy bond between baby and caregiver. Learn, connect, and grow with other babies and caregivers. For 0-12 months. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. through Oct. 4 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

—C.W.

The two day celebration will include a celebration at LeRoy Park in Guadalupe from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. On Sunday, Sept. 17, the annual parade will start at 5th Street and Guadalupe Street at noon. Sept. 16, 12-5 p.m. and Sept. 17, 12-5 p.m. 805-720-8508. LeRoy Park, 11th Street, Guadalupe.

FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. 805-937-9750. oasisorcutt.org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt. GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check website for the remainder of this year’s group hike dates and private hike offerings. ongoing 805-343-2455. dunescenter.org. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.

PAWS TO READ Reading to dogs is a wonderful way for children to gain confidence while reading aloud. These dogs absolutely love books and are excellent listeners. No one pays attention to a child reading quite like a dog. First come, first served for time slots. Sept. 19, 3:30-5 p.m. 805-925-0994. engagedpatrons.org. Santa Maria Public Library (Altrusa Theater), 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.

SANTA MARIA COIN CLUB: MONTHLY

MEETING Coin collectors of all ages invited. Bring coins for free appraisals. Third Wednesday of every month, 7 p.m. 805-9373158. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

SMVGS MEETING Visitors welcome. Contact smvgs.org for program and location info. Third Thursday of every month, 2:15-4 p.m. Santa Maria Valley Genealogical Society, 908 Sierra Madre, Santa Maria.

VALLEY READS BOOK CLUB:

SEPTEMBER The Valley Reads is a monthly book club for adults featuring coffee, snacks, and lively discussion. The book selection for September is The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Sept. 16 2 p.m. Free. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, 805-925-0994.

CLUB COMITE CIVICO MEXICANO DE GUADALUPE 100TH YEAR CELEBRATION

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

CARS AND COWBOYS EXTRAVAGANZA

A benefit fundraiser for Santa Ynez Valley Community Outreach and the local Meals on Wheels program. Sponsorship packages are available. Sept. 16 1-5 p.m. $150. 805688-4571. carsandcowboys.com/. Santa Ynez Valley Community Outreach, 56 W. Highway 246, Buellton. SOLVANG DANISH DAYS Visit site to keep up with Solvang’s traditional festivities scheduled for this September. Sept. 15-17 solvangusa.com. Downtown Solvang.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

LOMPOC VALLEY BOTANIC AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY MEETING The Lompoc Valley Botanic and Horticultural Society will hold its first-ever outdoor meeting at Lompoc’s botanical garden, followed by a guided tour of the same. The public is invited to participate. Light refreshments will be served. Sept. 17 2-4 p.m. 805-450-3668. lvbhs.org. Burton Mesa Chaparral Garden at Allan Hancock College, 1 Hancock Drive, Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BEGINNER GROUP SURF LESSONS AND SURF CAMPS Lessons and camp packages available daily. All equipment included. Starts at $70. 805-835-7873. sandbarsurf.com/. Sandbar Surf School Meetup Spot, 110 Park Ave., Pismo Beach.

DONATION-BASED YOGA FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMTS, AND CARETAKERS Class schedule varies. Contact empoweryoga805@gmail for details and reservations. ongoing 805-619-0989. empoweryoga805.com. Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.

JIM CORRIDAN: THE VOYAGES OF WILLIAM GOODWIN DANA Departing in 1816 at the age of 19, William Dana circumnavigated the globe. He conducted trade in China, Russia, South America,

islands across the Pacific, and other areas. To learn more about the captain’s voyages, come visit. Sept. 17, 1-2 p.m. $8 for nonmembers; $3 for children; free for DANA members. 805-929-5679. danaadobe. org. DANA Adobe Cultural Center, 671 S. Oakglen Ave., Nipomo.

MOVIES IN THE PARK Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy watching Trolls with your family and friends. This free event will have food for purchase starting at 6 p.m. Sept. 15 7:15-9 p.m. Free. 805-773-7063. pismobeach.org/recreation.

Dinosaur Caves Park, 2701 Price St, Pismo Beach.

WEEKLY WATER SAFETY LESSONS

Facility advertised as open and safe. Give the office a call to register over the phone. Mondays-Fridays $160-$190. 805-4816399. 5 Cities Swim School, 425 Traffic Way, Arroyo Grande, 5citiesswimschool.com.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

BDSM 101 This monthly class from the Central Coast Kink Community provides a basic overview of kink, consent, rules, and information to help practitioners be successful and safe. Attendees must be 18 years of age or older. Fourth Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/ events/. Online, San Luis Obispo.

BEYOND MINDFULNESS Realize your potential through individualized meditation instruction with an experienced teacher via Zoom. This class is for those who wish to begin a practice or seek to deepen an existing one. Flexible days and times. Certified with IMTA. Email or text for information. Mondays-Sundays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Sliding scale. 559-9059274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

CAL HOPE SLO GROUPS AT TMHA Visit website for full list of weekly Zoom groups available. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays calhopeconnect.org. Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-270-3346.

CENTRAL COAST POLYAMORY Hosting a discussion group featuring different topics relating to ethical non-monogamy every month. Third Wednesday of every month, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/.

Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

DIVERSITY COALITION ANNUAL FUNDRAISER: GIVE FOR GOOD The inaugural fundraiser of the Diversity Coalition in SLO County. Give for Good will be an evening celebrating the richness of cultures and voices that make SLO County unique, while raising funds for programs. Sept. 21 5-8 p.m. $100 early bird admission; $125 general admission. betterunite.com/diversitycoalitiongiveforgood2023. Flying Caballos Ranch, 1150 Farmhouse Lane, San Luis Obispo, (805) 704-9634.

ENERGY CODE COMPLIANCE FOR ALL-ELECTRIC ADUS Get a walkthrough of an all-electric tiny home and learn how it does and doesn’t meet energy code compliance. Experts will share tips on what code compliance you should keep in mind for other tiny home or ADU projects in SLO county. Sept. 21 , 12-1 p.m. Free.

1-805-568-3508. 3c-ren.org. SLO Guild Hall, 2880 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.

GALA PRIDE AND DIVERSITY CENTER BOARD MEETING (VIA ZOOM) Monthly meeting of the Gala Pride and Diversity Center Board of Directors. Meets virtually via Zoom and is open to members of the public. Visit galacc.org/events to fill out the form to request meeting access.

Third Tuesday of every month, 6-8 p.m. No admission fee. galacc.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP A safe place for anyone suffering from the pain of depression. We do not criticize but do share our journey, feelings, and what works for us. We can meet in person or use Zoom if needed. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. 805-528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.

INTRODUCTION TO SHEEP AND GOAT GRAZING MANAGEMENT Grasp the basics of managing a grazing herd of sheep or goats, including grazing site evaluation, selecting an appropriate type of animal, identifying nutritional needs, and basic healthcare. Determine the different types of electric fence available for specific needs and how to deal with predators.

Sept. 16 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $50. 628-888-4012. cuesta.edu/communityprograms/rancheducation/index.html. Cuesta College Ranch Education Program, 3535 Education Drive, San Luis Obispo.

LGBTQ+ FED THERAPIST LEAD SUPPORT GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A pro-recovery group offering space to those seeking peer support, all stages of ED recovery. We understand recovery isn’t linear and judgment-free support is crucial. Share, listen, and be part of a community building up each other. Third Wednesday of every month, 7-8 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

LOTERÍA NIGHTS Enjoy a game of La Lotería Mexicana, a bingo-style game with colorful and beautifully-drawn cards. With drink specials and prizes for the winners. RSVP encouraged. Thursdays, 6 p.m. Free. drinkramblingspirits.com. Rambling Spirits, 3845 S. Higuera St. (inside SLO Public Market), San Luis Obispo. MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION (ONLINE MEETING) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.. Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-270-3346.

THE MONDAY CLUB SLO LIVING HISTORY TOURS Enter the iconic doors of the historic, Julia Morgandesigned clubhouse. Docents will take you back to the 1920s and ‘30s, while viewing the beautiful architecture, murals, and gardens. Sept. 18 1-4 p.m. TheMondayClubSLO.org. The Monday Club, 1815 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-541-0594.

OPEN HOUSE Come drop in for a reception of wine and cheese and meet the practitioners. Every Open House, venue features new local allied practitioners. Sept. 15, 6-8 p.m. Free. 805242-3103. slohealthcenter.com. SLO Health Center, 1495 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.

PLUG-IN TO LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION

Get inspired by local action, connect with others, and discover more ways to get involved with the SLO Climate Coalition. Attend virtually or in-person. Sustainable snacks and childcare will be provided. Third Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m. sloclimatecoalition.org/events/. Ludwick Community Center, 864 Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo.

Q YOUTH GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM)

This is a social support group for LGBTQ+ and questioning youth between the ages of 11-18. Each week the group explores personal, cultural, and social identity. Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

QI GONG FITNESS ONLINE Hosted by the San Luis Coastal Adult School. Gentle but powerful exercises for mind and body with instructor Gary West. Enhance your well being, improve your balance, and practice mindfulness. 19 weeks. Wednesdays, 9:3010:30 a.m. through Dec. 13 $95. 805-5491222. ae.slcusd.org/. Online, San Luis Obispo.

SHAKE IT OFF: WMW DANCE PARTY

Hosted by Women Making Waves. Visit site for tickets and more details. Sept. 15 5:308:30 p.m. my805tix.com. SLO Wine and Beer Company, 3536 S. Higuera St., suite 250, San Luis Obispo, 805-544-9463.

SLO CAL FOUR-WEEK EVENT There will be a curated selection of local products for marketgoers to purchase each week, as well as live musical performances and social media giveaways. Thursdays. through Sept. 21 SLOCAL.com. Downtown SLO, Chorro Street, San Luis Obispo.

SLO FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK

SALE Large pre-owned book sale with all proceeds benefiting the SLO Library.

Adult, teen, and children’s books; fiction and nonfiction; and more. Book pricing is $1.50 per inch. $5 per bag on Saturday. Sept. 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sept. 22 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sept. 23 9 a.m.-5 p.m. slofol.org. San Luis Obispo Library Community Room, 995 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-781-5991.

SLO LEZ B FRIENDS (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM) A good core group of friends who gather to discuss topics we love/ care about from movies, outings, music, or being new to the area. We come from all walks of life and most importantly support each other. Transgender and Nonbinary folks welcome. Third Friday of every month, 6:309 p.m. sloqueer.groups.io/g/lezbfriends.

Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

SLO RETIRED ACTIVE MEN MONTHLY

GET-TOGETHERS SLO RAMs is a group of retirees that get together just for the fun, fellowship, and to enjoy programs which enhance the enjoyment, dignity, and independence of retirement. Third Tuesday of every month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $31 luncheon. retiredactivemen.org/. Madonna Inn Garden Room, 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo.

SLO RETIRED ACTIVE MEN: WEEKLY COFFEE MEETING SLO RAMs is a group or retirees that get together just for the fun, fellowship, and to enjoy programs which enhance the enjoyment, dignity, and independence of retirement. Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. through Nov. 25 $10 coffee meeting. retiredactivemen.org. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo, 877-468-3861.

SLO SPEAKS: BRIAN BECKER Becker is the National Coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition, and has been a central organizer of the mass anti-war demonstrations that have taken place in Washington, D.C. over the past two decades. Sept. 16 7-8:30 p.m. Event is free. 805-317-6661. facebook. com/SLOSpeaks/. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall, 2201 Lawton Ave., San Luis Obispo.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE continued page 18

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R.A.C.E. Matters SLO presents a free screening of Wade in the Water, a documentary on the often overlooked history of Africa’s 1,000-year-old surfing tradition, at the Bay Theatre in Morro Bay on Monday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. A pre-party will be held at Babydudes before the screening, starting at 5:30 p.m. A Q-and-A with director, producer, and surfer Tony Corley will take place after the movie. Visit racemattersslo.org for more info. —C.W.

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE from page 16

SUNDAY EVENING RAP LGBTQ+ AA GROUP (VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM)

Alcoholics Anonymous is a voluntary, worldwide fellowship of folks from all walks of life who together, attain and maintain sobriety. Requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Email aarapgroup@gmail.com for password access. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. No fee. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.

TRANS* TUESDAY A safe space providing peer-to-peer support for trans, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and questioning people. In-person and Zoom meetings held. Contact tranzcentralcoast@gmail.com for more details. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Free. GALA Pride and Diversity Center, 1060 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-541-4252.

The Central Coast guide to all things food & drink

NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY

CENTRAL COAST WOOD CARVERS Learn the art of wood carving or wood burning. Join Central Coast Wood Carvers in Morro Bay at St. Timothy’s. Open for beginners, intermediate, or advance. Learn a wide range of techniques and skills. Mask Required. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, 805-772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org/index.html.

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CO-DEPENDENTS ANONYMOUS MEETING Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) is a Twelve Step recovery program for anyone who desires to have healthy and loving relationships with themselves and others. Meeting is hybrid (both in person and on Zoom). For information, call 805-900-5237. Saturdays, 1-2:15 p.m. Free. thecambriaconnection.org/. Cambria Connection, 1069 Main St., Cambria, 805-927-1654.

FREE SCREENING OF WADE IN THE WATER DOCUMENTARY: A JOURNEY INTO BLACK SURFING AND AQUATIC CULTURE Includes a “pre-party” at Baby Dudes at 5:30 p.m. Q-and-A with local surf legend Tony Corley after screening. Sept. 18 7-9 p.m. Free. racemattersslo.org. Bay Theatre, 464 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay, 805-772-2444.

PEACE DAY IN MORRO BAY Celebrate International Peace Day in Morro Bay with this program on sustainable development goals. Sept. 23 , 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Free. 805-771-9565. yeswecanpeacebuilders.org. Estero Bay UMC, 3000 Hemlock, Morro Bay. SHOP, SIP, AND STROLL Enjoy two delightful Thursday evenings exploring the best of Morro Bay’s Embarcadero and Downtown during the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce’s Shop, Sip and Stroll

event. Sept. 14 my805tix.com. Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce, 695 Harbor St., Morro Bay, 805-772-4467.

SOCRATES: DISCUSSION GROUP Group members present interesting and thought provoking topics of all sorts. Topics are selected in advance and moderated by volunteers. Vaccinations are necessary. Enter through wooden gate to garden area. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. 805-528-7111. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/.

TREES AND PLANTING FOR SURVIVAL Los Osos Valley Garden Club member John Mottman will present “Why Do We Hate Trees?”; a discussion about the mistakes often made in tree placement and planting. Talk will be followed by a Great Courses video presentation on “Planting for Survival.” Sept. 17 2-4 p.m. Free. lovgardenclub.org. First Baptist Church of Los Osos, 1900 Los Osos Valley Road, Los Osos, 805-528-3066.

FOOD & DRINK

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

FIFTH ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA

COUNTY FARM DAY A once-a-year opportunity to experience how the food we eat is grown. The day includes behind-the-scenes tours, tractor with trailer rides, tastings, giveaways, and kid-friendly activities. Sept. 23 , 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 805-892-8155.

SantaBarbaraCountyFarmDay.com. Farms throughout Santa Maria Valley, Multiple venues, Santa Maria.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT COSTA DE ORO Featured vendors in the series include Cali Coast Tacos, Cubanissimo, Danny’s Pizza Co., Chef Ricks, and more. Call venue for monthly schedules. Fridays 805-922-1468. costadeorowines.com.

Costa De Oro Winery, 1331 S. Nicholson Ave., Santa Maria.

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE INN Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, 805-332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

FRIDAY NIGHT FUN Karaoke with DJ Nasty. With Beer Bucket specials. Kitchen stays open late. Come out and sing your favorite song. Fridays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

PRESQU’ILE WINERY: WINE CLUB Call or go online to make a reservation to taste at the winery or find more info on the winery’s Wine Club offerings. ongoing presquilewine.com/club/. Presqu’ile

Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, 805-937-8110.

TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, 805332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.

THURSDAY EVENING BAR TAKEOVER

Call venue or visit website to find out about featured vintners. Thursdays stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.

WINE AND DESIGN CLASSES Check Wine and Design’s Orcutt website for the complete list of classes, for various ages. ongoing Varies. wineanddesign.com/ orcutt. Wine and Design, 3420 Orcutt Road, suite 105, Orcutt.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

HEAD GAMES TRIVIA AND TACO

TUESDAYS CLASH Don’t miss Head Games Trivia at COLD Coast Brewing Company every Tuesday night. Teams can be up to 6 members. Earn prizes and bragging rights. Kekas will be serving their delicious local fare. Fun for all ages. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. 805-819-0723. coldcoastbrewing.com.

COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave, Lompoc.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

BRUSHES AND BUBBLES Join ArtSocial805 at Letitia Vineyard Winery in Arroyo Grande to sip bubbles and paint. Tickets include a glass of bubbles and all materials needed to create your masterpiece. Additional wine will be available for purchase. Stay after for music and food. Sept. 17 10 a.m.-noon $60. 805-481-1772. artsocial805.com. Laetitia Vineyard, 453 Laetitia Vineyard Drive, Arroyo Grande.

EMPTY BOWLS 2023 Empty Bowls benefits families who are homeless or are facing homelessness. Receive a hand-crafted bowl generously donated by a local artists, and a coupon for a free bowl of soup from a participating local restaurant. Sept. 21 , 11 a.m.-1 p.m. my805tix.com. St. Patrick’s Church, 501 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

DOWNTOWN SLO FARMERS MARKET

Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. Downtown SLO, Multiple locations, San Luis Obispo.

QUEER TRIVIA Sip some cider, test your LGBTQ trivia knowledge, and learn new fun facts. Topic themes and hosts rotate each week. Prizes for winners. BYO food. Third Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. Free. 805-292-1500. Two Broads Ciderworks, 3427 Roberto Ct., suite 130, San Luis Obispo, twobroadscider.com.

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Visit SLO CAL is hosting multiple vendor booths, as part of its SLO CAL Crafted Program, at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market on Thursday, Sept. 14, and Thursday, Sept. 21, from 6 to 9 p.m. both evenings. The featured booths highlight products from local artisans, creators, crafters, and farmers. Vendors in the program include the Cayucos Collective, Root Elixirs, Hambly Farms, Mayan Collective, Yes Cocktail Co., Surf Gems, and more. Visit slocal.com for more details. —C.W.

HOT STUFF from page 18

MUSIC

SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS

FLANNEL 101 LIVE A 1990s tribute band. Sept. 23 , 3 p.m. my805tix.com. Blast 825 Brewery, 241 S Broadway St., Ste. 101, Orcutt, 805-934-3777.

FOLK DANCE CLASS For adults ages 50 and up. Learn folk dances from around the world. No experience is necessary. Every third Thursday, 2-3 p.m. through Dec. 28 Free. 805-925-0951. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

THE HOMESTEAD: LIVE MUSIC ON THE PATIO Check the Homestead’s Facebook page for details on live music events. Fridays, Saturdays The Homestead, 105 W. Clark Ave, Old Orcutt, 805-287-9891, thehomesteadoldorcutt.com.

LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda. Features delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

LINE DANCING FUN For adults ages 50 and older. Learn basic patterns and steps to some of your favorite music. This beginner-friendly class is for anyone that enjoys dancing. Wednesdays, 1:30-2:30 p.m. through Dec. 27 Free. 805-925-0951.

Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

LIVE MUSIC AT STELLER’S CELLAR

Enjoy live music most Fridays and Saturdays. Call venue or check website to find out who’s performing. Fridays, Saturdays stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.

MUSIC AT ROSCOE’S KITCHEN Live DJ and karaoke every Friday and Saturday night. Featured acts include Soul Fyah Band, DJ Nasty, DJ Jovas, and more. Fridays, Saturdays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

MUSIC LESSONS AT COELHO ACADEMY

Learn to play piano, drums, guitar, base, ukulele, or violin, or take vocal lessons. ongoing 805-925-0464. coelhomusic. com/Lessons/lessons.html. Coelho Academy of Music, 325 E. Betteravia Rd., Santa Maria.

SIPPIN’ SUNDAYS: WINE, MUSIC, AND MORE Enjoy a flight of six distinctively different age-worthy wines while listening to live entertainment presented by a local band, musician, or disc jockey. Features sweet treats from Santa Maria food vendors and local artisans. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. through Nov. 19 Free. 805-937-8463. instagram.com/ cottonwoodcanyonwinery/. Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria.

SUNDAY NIGHT FUN End the weekend with some good vibes. Music by DJ Van Gloryious. Sundays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, 805-623-8866.

UKULELE JAM SESSIONS This is a drop-in program. Play melodies and many songs with other musicians. Baritone ukuleles are available to use or bring your own. Music and music strands provided. Mondays, Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. through Dec. 27 Free. 805-925-0951. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.

SONGWRITERS AT PLAY HOSTS SONG CONTEST IN SOLVANG Come hear award-winning songs during Round 5 of this 10-month series. Up to 10 contestants play two songs each, three judges award three prizes, leading to a Grand Prize of $1,000 in the Finale, slated for April 2024. Signups in advance: stevekey57@ gmail.com Sept. 18 6:30-9 p.m. Free. 805-204-6821. songwritersatplay.com/ events. High Roller Tiki Lounge, 433 Alisal Road, Solvang.

WINE DOWN WEDNESDAYS Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.

LOMPOC/VANDENBERG

BANDA TORO Live music from Banda Toro, in celebration of Mexico Independence Day. Sept. 16 , 8 p.m. my805tix.com. Flower City Ballroom, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc.

GRUPO LA PROMESA DE TIERRA

JUAREZ Visit site for tickets and more details on the concert. Sept. 16 8 p.m. my805tix.com. Flower City Ballroom, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc.

LIQUID BLANKET A heavy tribute to Pink Floyd. Sept. 22 7 p.m. my805tix.com.

Flower City Ballroom, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc.

LOMPOC POPS ORCHESTRA: AMERICA

THE BEAUTIFUL On the program are several Gershwin pieces including “Embraceable You” and “A Foggy Day.” Additional pieces to be played include “American Salute,” “April In Paris,” “A Taste of Honey,” and “Someday, We’ll Be Together!” Sept. 17, 4 p.m. $5-$25.

LompocPopsOrchestra.com. First United Methodist Church, 925 North F Street, Lompoc, 805-757-8521.

SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY

KARAOKE EVERY FRIDAY Enjoy some good food and karaoke. Fridays, 5-8 p.m. 805-723-5550. The Central Grill, 545 Orchard Road, Nipomo.

NOTABLE SOIREE: MOZART FLUTE

QUARTET Scott Yoo and Alice Dade take you behind the music of Mozart’s quartet for flute and strings. In this informal one-hour event, you’ll learn about Mozart’s musical style. Event followed by a Meet-the-Artists wine and appetizer reception in the Sculpture Garden. Sept. 16 2-5 p.m. $85. 805-781-3009. festivalmozaic.org. The Monarch Club at Trilogy Monarch Dunes, 1645 Trilogy Parkway, Nipomo.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

15TH ANNUAL CUESTA ACOUSTIC GUITAR CONCERT WITH MARY FLOWER

Featuring local recording and touring artists Dorian Michael and Jennifer Martin. This popular concert will feature music of an assortment of genres, including folk, jazz, blues, and more. All proceeds from this concert benefit the Cuesta College guitar program. Sept. 16 7:30-9:30 p.m. $15; $10 for students with ID. tickets.cuesta.edu. Cuesta College Cultural and Performing Arts Center, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

ANYA HINKLE FEAT. BILLY CARDINE HOUSE CONCERT An intimate evening concert by award-winning, North Carolina-based Americana songstress Anya Hinkle, featuring Billy Cardine. Opening by Little Tyme. Sept. 21 6-8 p.m. $25. 702-335-0730. Nesting Hawk Ranch, Call for address, San Luis Obispo.

MO BETTA SUMMER JAZZ SERIES An evening of smooth jazz and some cool R&B. Sept. 15 7:30-9 p.m. my805tix. com. Bang the Drum Brewery, 1150 Laurel Lane, suite 130, San Luis Obispo, 805 242-8372. Enjoy an afternoon of smooth jazz and some cool R&B. Sept. 17, 4 p.m. my805tix.com. Bliss Cafe, 778 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo.

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY BAND The San Luis Obispo County Band performs a variety of music for the enjoyment of Farmer’s Market patrons. At the corner of Higuera and Nipomo during the third Thursdays of July, August, and September. Sept. 21 , 6-8:45 p.m. Free admission. 630-421-2556. San Luis Obispo Farmers Market, Broad and Higuera, San Luis Obispo.

SCOTT YOO AND GUESTS CHAMBER

CONCERT Join Scott Yoo and the visiting artists for the weekend’s culminating concert featuring three beautiful works of chamber music. Sept. 17, 2-5 p.m.

Tickets start at $35. 805-781-3009. festivalmozaic.org. Cuesta College Cultural and Performing Arts Center, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.

TWO DOG NIGHT This duo performs a rockin’ blues set. Visit site for info on additional acts and tickets. Sept. 15 7 p.m. my805tix.com. A Satellite Of Love, 1335 Walker St., San Luis Obispo, 805439-1604. m

ARTS BRIEFS

SLOPOKE presents 13th annual Art of the West Show in Solvang

ADAMS

Fast and curious Family of Nat Fast donates rare sketches to local auction fundraiser

More than 20 artists are participating in the 13th annual Art of the West Show, scheduled to open on Friday, Sept. 22, and run through Sunday, Sept. 24, at Flag Is Up Farms in Solvang.

The three-day exhibition of landscapes, seascapes, wildlife portraits, sculptures, and other works of art that celebrate the American West will kick off with its Opening Night Artist Reception on Friday, Sept. 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The reception will include live music from the Silver Mountain String Band, a folk and bluegrass group.

The showcase will remain open to the public on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

California-based artist Peter Adams (whose painting, Monument in Evening Shadows, is pictured) is the special guest artist and jurist of this year’s group exhibit. In 1981, Adams became the first American artist to travel and paint unescorted in the People’s Republic of China, according to press materials. Between 1993 and 2021, the prolific painter served as president of the historic California Art Club, which grew from about 80 members to nearly 3,000 members during his tenure.

Featured artists in the Art of the West Show will compete for recognition in six award categories: Best Animal Art; Best Figurative Art; the Artists’ Choice Award; and the SLOPOKE Belt Buckle awards for Best Painting, Best Sculpture, and Best of Show.

To find out more about SLOPOKE, visit the-slopoke.com. Flag Is Up Farms is a 100-acre horse ranch located at 901 E. Highway 246, Solvang. The Art in the West Show will be displayed in the ranch’s large horse barn.

Washington-based author holds free webinar with SYV Natural History Society

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

During an upcoming fundraiser, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Santa Maria will be auctioning off rare artworks by one of its most notable parishioners.

“Dad was very committed to St. Peter’s. He attended his entire life,” said Halcyon resident Marti Fast, daughter of late artist Nat Fast (1924-2013).

A prolific painter and scholar, Nat was well known in the local arts community for his vivid watercolor works as well as his roles as an art and art history teacher—leading classes at Ernest Righetti High School, Santa Maria High School, and Allan Hancock College during his decadeslong career—and one of the Santa Maria Arts Council’s founding members.

Marti and other members of the Fast family recently embarked on a joint trip down memory lane, assembling a collection of Nat’s sketches, archived in storage, with the intention of donating several pieces to St. Peter’s for its Sept. 16 fundraiser, Art in the Heart of the City.

“We got together as a family a couple weeks ago and went through many of the drawings and paintings that were left of our dad’s studio work,” Marti said. “A few of us have quite a few of dad’s works, so a couple pieces came right off the walls to contribute.”

Some of Nat’s felt pen drawings featured in the upcoming auction were the preliminary sketches that spawned the larger watercolor paintings he’s best known for, Marti said.

The Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society will host a free Zoom lecture with science writer and bird enthusiast Rebecca Heisman on Thursday, Sept. 21, starting at 7 p.m. Heisman will be discussing her book, Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration, during the webinar.

The author became fascinated with the various techniques that scientists use to study bird migration while working for the American Ornithological Society, according to press materials. Flight Paths marks her first book and was published during the spring of 2023. Visit syvnature.org for more info on Heisman’s upcoming Zoom event. m

Arts Briefs is compiled by Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood. Send information to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

“Dad would sketch regularly,” said Marti, who recalled her father’s threelegged stool that he’d take with him anytime he felt like sketching something outdoors, whether it was to capture a slice-of-life scene of strawberry pickers in a field or when finding a subject during one of his backpacking trips.

“He just had this gift of capturing nature and

movement and the joy of drawing,” said Marti, who described Nat’s artworks as giving off “some kind of contagious energy.”

One of the reasons Marti and other members of the Fast family decided to donate a collection of Nat’s sketches to St. Peter’s for its upcoming benefit was because it felt like a way to give back to an organization that has supported them over the years, especially during mourning and other times of hardship.

“We feel so connected to them, and we’re grateful as a family to be able to do this all together and help a place that has supported so many. It’s like being able to return some of the wonderful help and comfort we’ve gotten from the church over our lifetimes,” Marti said. “It was our family church growing up, so it’s kind of part of our DNA.”

Proceeds from the art auction will benefit the church’s various services, including its ongoing partnership with the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County to distribute food weekly to more than 200 local families.

Guests of the fundraiser will have the chance

to bid on not only Nat’s sketches, but the works of other Central Coastbased artists as well.

Vineyard landscapes by photographer Kirk Irwin and tile and glass murals by mixed media artist Jane Manriquez will be among the auction items.

The event will also feature paintings by Marilyn Hoback Cronk, a former student of Nat’s. Marti, who became an artist and art teacher herself, said that her father often spoke about how highly he valued his students.

“We would have the best conversations about teaching,” Marti said. “It was special to be able to talk through all that with him and what he loved about it and what made his students special.” In 2018, Marti retired from teaching at Hancock, where she used to enroll in art courses taught by her father.

“Back in those days, everything was slides and slide projectors,” Marti said with a laugh. During one of her father’s art history classes, she helped him switch slides as his unofficial “tech person” while he lectured.

“He was such an amazing teacher,” Marti said. “He had this wonderful way of bringing the best out in people, and I feel like I had a natural training through his mentoring.” m

Bid for Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood’s attention at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

Art and the city

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church presents Art in the Heart of the City, a benefit auction, on Saturday, Sept. 16. Artworks in the auction will be available to view starting at 2 p.m. Bidding begins at 2:30 p.m. in Parke Parish Hall.

Admission to the fundraiser, which also features light appetizers and a no-host bar, is $50. Visit stpeterssm.org for more info. The church is located at 402 S. Lincoln St., Santa Maria.

COURTESY IMAGE BY PETER

STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER: Attendees of an upcoming art auction in Santa Maria will have the chance to bid on a rare collection of late artist Nat Fast’s preliminary sketches, which often spawned the large watercolor paintings he’s widely known for, including pieces like Strawberry Pickers (pictured).

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTI FAST

ART ARCHIVE: Natalyn Fast-Huerth (pictured) and other family members of the late artist Nat Fast recently gathered to assemble some rare studio sketches by the painter in order to donate them to an upcoming fundraiser.

Showtime! Send gallery, stage, and cultural festivities to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF DANNY GEORGE

LOCAL LEGEND: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Santa Maria will soon be auctioning off artworks by Nat Fast (1924-2013), a prolific painter and art teacher who taught classes at Allan Hancock College, Santa Maria High School, and Righetti High School.

Femininots

Emma Seligman (Shiva Baby) directs and cowrites with star Rachel Sennott this raunchy teen black comedy about two besties and lesbians—PJ (Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri)— who are at the bottom of their high school’s social pecking order. When a rumor goes around that they spent the summer in juvenile hall, they gain a little street cred and devise a plan to sleep with two cheerleaders—Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber)—by starting a female self-defense club. (91 min.)

Glen: Here it is: the campy, outrageous, horny, queer comedy you didn’t know you needed. It skewers toxic masculinity while simultaneously flipping the gender switch on the now incredibly inappropriate teen comedies of the ’80s where rape was, you know, hilarious. PJ and Josie don’t lower themselves to taking advantage of intoxicated girls, but they’re not above spinning a web of lies to get into a cheerleader’s miniskirt. Their high school is a cartoonish cliché of what we think of high school where the football players wear their uniforms to class every day right down to their pads and cleats, and the cliques are well defined. Everyone knows their place. The star of the high school is Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine), the obtuse and cocky quarterback who’s dating Isabel when he’s not porking overzealous lesbian fight club member Hazel Callahan’s (Ruby Cruz) mom (Dagmara Dominczyk). This isn’t meant

to be realistic. Heck, stars Sennott and Edebiri are both 27 years old—hardly high school age. But I laughed hard throughout. Rude and crude and violent, it’s slapstick turned up to 11. Anna: What a treat this film was. Both Sennott and Edebiri pull off teenage girl to a T. PJ and Josie are both pining and whining to get laid by two popular girls who barely know they exist. Josie is more cautious and reserved, while PJ is all action, consequences be damned. When Josie comes up with a quick excuse to save them from expulsion by starting a female self-defense club, PJ is off and running with it. When word gets around that the rival high school is going to pulverize the weaklings and weirdos at Josie and PJ’s school, a group of misfits join the fake-nowreal club. Unfortunately, they haven’t found a way to hook the hotties yet, and PJ is especially determined to lure in Brittany and Isabel. It is raucous and bloody, and the club members all start sporting split lips and black eyes. When Annie (Zamani Wilder) points out they’ll need a teacher to sanction their club, PJ and Josie go to Mr. G (Marshawn Lynch), a teacher so disconnected they don’t think he’ll even attend a meeting. Surprise, surprise—Mr. G needs a new focus while going through his divorce and he shows up to watch these ladies duke it out. It’s all ridiculous, hilarious, and just plain fun.

Glen: This is absurdist comedy that will appeal to people who like humor by Monty Python, Broken Lizard, and the makers of South Park,

as well as ’80s fare such as Revenge of the Nerds, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. By the end of the story, the wheels have come off, and I loved it. Anna: The ending chaos is so over the top, so hilarious, and the perfect cherry on top to this film. Edebiri has been killing it lately with roles in The Bear, Theater Camp, and now Bottoms.

WHO IS ERIN CARTER?

What’s it rated? TV-MA

LIVE TO 100: SCRETS OF THE BLUE ZONES

What’s it rated? TV-MA

When? 2023

Where’s it showing? Netflix

Certain areas of the world are known as “Blue Zones,” regions where residents live longer than average. Netflix’s new series Live to 100 takes us around the world to explore what it is about these areas that sets them apart from the rest of the world and gives residents longer lives. From Okinawa, Japan, to the Greek island of Ikaria and Loma Linda, California, the series dives into what the people and traditions do to not just live an extended life, but live a happy, healthy life.

Common themes are areas where walking is a way of life; healthy diets centered on vegetables, fruits, and oils; and generational traditions. While it may feel intuitive that healthy eating and exercise are the key to longevity, there are many more unseen factors that come into play. In Sardinia, the town is built in the hills and therefore residents are walking at inclines more often, which keeps their heart rate up and cardiac health good. On Costa Rica’s Nicoya peninsula, longevity is attributed to close-knit families and keeping hard at work.

Informative and interesting, Live to 100 takes us on a beautiful tour of the Earth’s healthiest regions and gives us insight on how to extend our own lives. (four approximately 40-min. episodes)

—Anna

When? 2023

Where’s it showing? Netflix

Erin Carter (Evin Ahmad), a British substitute teacher living in Spain, has a quiet life. Her Spanish husband, Jordi (Sean Teale), treats Erin’s young daughter, Harper (Indica Watson), like she is his own. Erin’s hoping to get hired at the school full time; she loves her simple life. But one fateful evening, she and Harper find themselves in a grocery store during a robbery, and Erin is forced to protect herself, singlehandedly thwarting the stickup and bringing unwanted attention and enemies from her past.

Created by Jack Lothian (Shameless, The Halcyon, Strikes Back, Doc Martin), the seven-part action mystery slowly unwinds as we discover Carter’s violent past and where she and her daughter come from. The premise is tried and true—someone living a modest life when her past comes back to bite her, someone who seems mild-mannered but wields deadly skills.

Even though the story unwinds at an unhurried pace, the action keeps coming and the tension builds. I was invested in the story

With choices like those, her career is on a great trajectory. If you don’t mind a bit of blood and some crass moments, this movie is an absolute delight. Don’t miss out on this one! m

New Times Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: Erin Carter (Evin Ahmad) is a British ex-pat living in Barcelona with her husband and daughter when her mysterious past comes back to endanger her happy life, in Netflix’s Who Is Erin Carter?

and characters from the start, and I wanted to see where it was going. It’s the epitome of a bingeable series, and I would not be mad if Lothian found a way to bring this character back. (seven approximately 50-min. episodes) m —Glen

BAD GIRLS: Josie (Ayo Edebiri, left) and PJ (Rachel Sennott) are queer besties and high school outcasts who hatch a plan to score with two cheerleaders by starting a female fight club, in Bottoms, screening at Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria.

FOUNTAINS OF YOUTH: Author Dan Buettner travels the world to places where people

BY CALEB WISEBLOOD

While working at the same restaurant about a decade ago, two local chefs gradually learned how to converse with one another using only their eyes.

“We got to a point where I would look at him and know what he needed. He’d look at me and know what we needed when we worked the line together,” said Rene Ortega, who’s collaborated with Drew Terp in a handful of kitchen settings over the years.

Their first mutual workplace was Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos, where Terp was head chef and Ortega was a line cook when they met.

“He’s [Terp] like the bigger brother I never had—I have a lot of brothers, but you know what I mean,” said Ortega, who described Terp as a mentor who helped him find his

culinary voice. “He really took me under his wing and taught me how to appreciate food and how to respect it.”

Ortega and Terp also worked together at Pico Los Alamos. Terp was the original chef behind the acclaimed restaurant, where he started during its opening in 2016. He asked Ortega to switch over with him because they worked so well together, Ortega said.

“When he got approached to do Pico, he took me along with him, and the rest is history,” Ortega said. “When we first opened Pico, we could totally just read off of each other and do the whole service without even making any words.”

Ortega continues to share this sixth sense of sorts with Terp during work hours at the duo’s current venture— R&D Local Kitchen.

Ribs, risotto, sandwiches, and salads are among the various menu items at the pop-up kitchen, located at Brekkies in downtown Solvang where it debuted during the summer.

A popular brunch spot, Brekkies is open for breakfast and lunch daily. The eatery’s evening vacancy inspired Terp and Ortega to pitch the idea of starting a dinner pop-up three nights a week at the venue.

MAY THE PORK BE WITH YOU: Sous vide pork baby back ribs, with a side of loaded baked potato salad, is among the diverse offerings available at R&D Local Kitchen, a new pop-up eatery in Solvang.

RICH RISOTTO: The tutti frutti heirloom tomato risotto is R&D Local Kitchen co-founder Rene Ortega’s personal favorite item on the pop-up restaurant’s

A clever double meaning and wordplay on its two founders’ first initials, R&D operates similarly to a research and development department as both Terp and Ortega enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. Terp described the pop-up’s comfort food offerings as “stuff that’s very familiar but kind of reimagined.”

The loaded baked potato salad, for example, is the duo’s attempt at reconfiguring a loaded baked potato into a semitraditional potato salad. While the salad is served cold as expected, it’s topped with crispy bacon and a warm layer of melted cheddar.

The item is featured as a side dish with the sous vide pork baby back ribs, Terp’s personal favorite offering on the pop-up’s current menu.

“For me, right now, the kind of dish that I feel the most connected to and that I’d sit down and eat is the pork ribs,” said Terp, whose pop-up serves each plate of baby back ribs with housemade barbecue sauce.

With a selection that’s approachable to families—through a kids menu of pasta, hot dogs, quesadillas, and grilled cheese sandwiches—and adults looking to grab dinner, beer, or wine, R&D tries to offer “a little bit of something for everyone,” Ortega said.

The duo strives to keep menu items reasonably priced as well.

Dinner entrees on the pop-up’s current menu range between $9 and $16.

“We want people to be able to come in with kids and order food without having to spend $100 a person. You can’t even go to the movies anymore without spending that much” Terp said. “We want [R&D] to be approachable, specifically to people with families, but also people that don’t have families or don’t have to bring their kids.” m

Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood wants his baby back, baby back, baby back, baby back ribs. Send a bib to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.

CROUTON CRUISE: Each plate of risotto at R&D Local Kitchen is topped with a few rosemary focaccia croutons, sourced from Oat Bakery, an organic bakery with locations in Goleta and Santa Barbara.