In the weeds
The U.S. EPA bans an herbicide frequently used in Santa Barbara County for growing broccoli [8]
BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR
The Instigators: an amusing buddy flick [28]
Wild quilts in Solvang [26]
PHOTO CONTEST
eed prevention is changing for some farmers in the Santa Maria Valley, especially those who grow broccoli. The U.S. EPA recently banned an herbicide—its first in 40 years—often used to keep the weeds out of brassica fields. The chemical is tied to adverse health impacts, especially for pregnant women. Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor speaks with farm and farmworker advocates as well as the county about the issue [8]. This week, you can also read about what’s making local sea life sick [4]; a quilter who focuses on natural themes [26]; and a new boba tea spot in Solvang [29].
Camillia Lanham editor
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• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) applauded the Biden-Harris administration for announcing a change in housing policy to benefit veterans, a policy that he proposed as part of the recently adopted Home for the Brave Act, according to an Aug. 8 statement from Carbajal’s office. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will now no longer count a veteran’s disability benefits toward total income when determining their eligibility for HUD programs, ensuring these benefits are not the reason veterans cannot access housing benefits. Financial benefits for service-connected disabilities were previously counted as income when determining eligibility for housing assistance programs through HUD. As a result, many veterans were determined ineligible for these housing programs because their disability benefits placed them at a higher income level. Other agencies, including the International Revenue Service, do not consider veterans’ benefits for service-connected disabilities as income. “It is wrong to deny veterans access to housing assistance programs due to disability benefits they receive for service-related injury or illness,” Carbajal said in the statement. “This change will make housing more affordable and accessible on the Central Coast and across the country and support those who stepped up to defend our nation by ending this housing discrimination against our disabled veterans.”
• U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Chris Coons (D-Delaware) reintroduced the National OriginBased Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act, legislation to prevent future Muslim bans similar to the ones enacted by former President Donald Trump, according to an Aug. 7 statement from Padilla’s office. The bill would explicitly prohibit religious discrimination in our immigration laws and ensure that any use of the president’s authority to suspend entry into the country would be based on specific and credible facts, and be narrowly tailored to address a compelling government interest. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump promised to ban Muslim immigrants from the United States. Upon taking office, he tried to enact bans that were repeatedly struck down by the courts until the conservative majority of the Supreme Court ultimately upheld a much-altered version of the ban in a 5-4 vote. While President Joe Biden reversed these bans, the possibility of their revival remains. “No president should have the power to ban travel to the United States based on bias against certain religions or countries,” Padilla said in the statement. “Sadly, that’s exactly what we witnessed during the Trump administration in the Muslim bans, which Trump has promised to revive and expand if he were to be reelected. These discriminatory bans undermine American values as a nation of immigrants. We must pass the NO BAN Act to put permanent safeguards in place so these types of hateful abuses of power never happen again.”
• Gov. Gavin Newsom welcomed the California HighSpeed Rail Authority’s new CEO Ian Choudri after receiving board approval, according to an Aug. 8 statement from Newsom’s office. With more than 30 years of leadership experience in the transportation sector, Choudri takes the helm for the California highspeed rail project—a multi-phased rail development that would connect San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim—as all environmental reviews from Los Angeles to the Bay Area are complete, train set selection is underway, and station and track construction’s on deck. Choudri currently serves as senior vice president at HNTB Corporation, an American-based infrastructure design firm that has extensive experience working on federal and statelevel transportation infrastructure projects and systems. In his current capacity, Choudri serves as a national strategic advisor to multiple rail, transit, and transportation agencies that require an understanding and ability to navigate unique technical, regulatory, and financial challenges. “Ian’s deep experience and get-it-done attitude are impressive, and he’s taking control at an important moment for this project,” Newsom said in the statement. “Over the next few years, the dream of high-speed rail in California will become a reality, as we begin to lay track, design and build stations, and buy trains. Ian is the perfect steward for the next phase of high-speed rail.” m
SICK ANIMALS: Sea lions exhibiting symptoms of domoic acid poisoning—mouth foaming, bobbing and weaving, or staring off into space—are more aggressive and could chase, attack, or bite someone who gets too close.
Domoic acid sickens
Central Coast marine mammals, raises human health concerns
Mouth foaming. Lethargic and erratic behavior. Muscle spasms. Seizures. Death.
Up and down Central Coast beaches, sea lions are suffering the effects of domoic acid poisoning—a neurotoxin produced by a harmful algal bloom that comes around every few years, possibly because of climate change and runoff impacts, Dr. Sam Dover told the Sun.
“Sea lions are sentinel species, they tell us what’s occurring in the environment. They are the canary in the coal mine, so to speak, of the ocean,” Dover said.
While scientists still don’t know for certain what causes the algae bloom, many theorize it’s because of upwellings—when cold, nutrientrich water deep in the ocean gets pushed to the surface—warmer water temperatures; and/or sewage, agriculture, or freshwater runoff entering the ocean, he said.
“It’s human-related for sure. It’s an indicator that we’re not doing a very good job. We can’t control the upwelling, but we can control the pollution, the runoff. It’s an indicator that the environment is getting hit harder and harder every year,” Dover said.
Filter-feeding animals like mollusks, clams, oysters, and scallops consume the algae but experience no harmful effects. However, marine mammals, mostly sea lions, that consume high amounts of fish can get sick from the algae or die, Dover said.
The Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute rescues and rehabilitates sick marine mammals in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Animals in SLO County and Morro Bay have also been impacted, he added.
This is the institute’s third consecutive year responding to domoic acid poisoning-related issues. As of Aug. 8, the institute has seen about 10 animals per day on average and has rescued about 52 sick sea lions as of Aug. 8. More than 30 have died due to the poisoning’s effects, he said.
“We’re only two weeks into this one,” Dover said on Aug. 9. “Last summer was more intense than this one, but none of them were fun.”
In 2023, the institute responded to calls for 651 marine mammals exhibiting signs of domoic acid poisoning and rescued 97 sea lions along with encountering several dolphins that died after beaching because of the poisoning, according to the institute.
“Fortunately or unfortunately our volunteers are kind of used to it now, not in a good way,” Dover said. “It does take a toll; a lot of our volunteers get fatigued from it because if an animal dies there’s nothing we can do.”
Vandenberg Space Force Base also reported an uptick in sea lions stranded at Surf Beach and other beaches both on and off the base. The base is collaborating with the institute to respond to animals and complete testing, according to a July 30 Vandenberg press release.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued an advisory on Aug. 8 warning people not to consume sport-harvested mussels, clams, scallops, oysters, crabs, and lobster from Santa Barbara County because of high domoic acid levels. The advisory does not apply to commercially sold shellfish because certified harvesters are subject to mandatory testing and toxin monitoring.
The toxin can cause Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning in humans where they experience vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headaches, and dizziness. In severe cases, a person might experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, heart issues, or seizures.
“The naturally occurring domoic acid toxin can cause illness or death in humans. Cooking does not destroy the toxin,” according to CDPH.
If an animal has a small dose of the toxin, volunteers and veterinarians will give the mammals an IV and over-hydrate them to flush the toxins out of their system. The Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute will release them if they show signs of improvement, Dover said.
“We can also treat them with anti-seizure medication. The brain damage, the prognosis of animals with seizures is not good at all,” Dover said. “We also know there’s really limited treatment you can provide that’s actually going to work. Because of all that, most organizations are doing the same; we try on the ones that look like they might have a chance, but a lot of them will die.”
—Taylor O’Connor
Buellton considers historic incentives to fast-track a new bowling alley
With an aim to entice more business developers to work within Buellton’s limits, city officials are hoping to spare some expenses for a long-running bowling alley project in flux.
During its Aug. 8 meeting, the Buellton City Council directed staff to research ways to incentivize the project’s completion that could offset some fees associated with developing the Waypoint Family Entertainment Center, formerly known as Live Oak Lanes—a proposal that never came to fruition.
The proposed bowling alley with a Highway 246 address has undergone “a number of iterations” as it changed hands over the past 10 years, according to the staff report. A representative of the property’s current owners
recently approached city staff with a request that would mark a historic move on the city’s part if granted, City Manager Scott Wolfe said at the meeting.
“They have asked if the city would be willing to provide any sort of development incentive,” Wolfe said. “The city, to my knowledge, has never issued or offered a development incentive to bring development into the city.”
Wolfe recommended that the City Council consider making an exception “in this instance ... because there is a clear community benefit to this use being brought to the city.”
“Based upon public opinion that I’ve heard as well as opinion of the City Council over several years now, the city ... is, for a lack of a better word, desperately wanting to bring this use to the city,” Wolfe said. “There are a number of different types of incentives we could look at.”
The City Council greenlit Wolfe’s proposal for staff to study two specific incentive routes. One would offer the developer a rebate or refund of sales tax generated by the bowling alley, while the other grants a rebate or refund of the project’s property taxes.
“You could certainly do both,” said Wolfe, who estimated that neither option would result in “a tremendous amount of money.”
Buellton’s portion of the 7.75 percent sales tax rate in Santa Barbara County is 1 percent of the sales, while the city gets a portion equal to 16.52 percent of property tax collected (1 percent of the assessed valuation of a property), according to the staff report.
“At this point, they’re looking for any kind of assistance that the city might provide, no matter how small that might be,” Wolfe said. “They may also desire to see some kind of indication that the city is in favor of this project and is actively supporting this project. ... If they know that the city is all in, so to speak, it might help drive them and allow them to risk a little bit more in the construction of this.”
After Wolfe’s presentation, Councilmember David Silva voiced support for the refund/ rebate incentives because they’ll basically act as financial rewards for the project developers, “based on their performance.”
However, Silva asked staff if a cap limit was necessary, in case the bowling alley’s profits reach “astronomical” heights. City Attorney Greg Murphy said those issues will be addressed at a future public meeting if the City Council decides to direct staff to research the proposed incentives.
“I’m interested in looking at [options for] this project specifically, and in general to make the city a little more development-friendly,” Councilmember Elysia Lewis said shortly before the council directed staff to proceed with a study.
—Caleb Wiseblood
Lompoc Councilmember Gilda Aiello will not run for reelection, former planning commissioner to run unopposed
Lompoc City Council member Gilda Aiello (formerly Cordova) decided not to run for reelection this year after facing “a few unfair attacks on me brought on by a group of individuals who wanted to have me removed” during her last few years as a council member.
“It really was with a heavy heart,” Aiello told the Sun. “In the future, anything I do will always be with the good intention to genuinely serve the community and the needs of the community.” As of Aug. 13, former Lompoc Planning Commissioner Steve Bridge will be running unopposed for her seat in the 1st District this November. Lompoc residents wishing to run had until Aug. 14 to file—which was after the Sun went to press.
“It just got to a point where I feel like it’s my time,” Bridge said. “I’ve done all I could do at the Planning Commission, and I feel like it’s a good time for me to help the city.”
He said that he would like to help establish a transition center for people experiencing homelessness to go for resources during the day; he wants to run the city as a business and make sure the budgets are balanced; he supports development of the private space education center at Ken Adam Park; and he supports continued business development at the city.
“It’s always a matter of priorities and where you put the funding,” he said. “I’ll focus on economic development because I believe rising tides bring all the ships up.”
In her six years, Aiello served on the council that helped get Lompoc’s budget balanced after being in a years-long deficit. She helped purchase public safety equipment like new cameras and a radio replacement for police and emergency services; helped improve infrastructure at city parks; worked with the city’s community liaison officer to address homelessness; and helped reinstate patrols of vehicle encampments near the riverbed, she said.
“I was always trying to make sure we were being fiscally responsive and not just addressing unimportant things,” Aiello said.
In a July 30 video Aiello posted to her public campaign page on Facebook, she said that a few residents created a website and claimed that she lived outside the district, accused her of tax fraud, and accused her of using her position on City Council to leverage the property she owned.
In a March 7 post, she shared a statement from the Santa Barbara County Tax Assessor’s office showing that she did not receive such exemption and proving she was a resident in her district.
“When that wasn’t enough, they accused me of misappropriating funds for the nonprofit I served as president all while accusing me of having ill will of the land deal that was being negotiated by the city with a for-profit entity,” she said in the video.
In May, a Santa Barbara County grand jury report found that the city of Lompoc didn’t have a system of checks and balances in place to monitor how the city’s contracted tourism business improvement district, Explore Lompoc, spends money earned from city hotels that pay a fee equal to 3 percent of its nightly revenue to the city. Aiello serves on the nonprofit’s board.
The grand jury report accused the city of a “consistent lack of oversight” and accused Explore Lompoc of underreporting more than $500,000 in funds between 2020 and 2022. In response to the grand jury report’s allegation that the nonprofit underreported funds in its annual reporting to the city, Lompoc Management Services Director Christie Donnelly said during the city’s May 21 meeting that the city’s contract with Explore Lompoc doesn’t require annual financial statements or cumulative totals of excess funds in regular annual reports.
“Yet as we sit today, one of my biggest opponents and accusers is running to be your representative for District 1,” Aiello said in the Facebook video. “His platform: Integrity, transparency, and change. Yet he offered none of those things to me.”
Bridge told the Sun that Aielo has “a misunderstanding of who was posting those things."
“I think she’s given a lot of time and energy of her own to the city, and I have respect for that,” he said. “If someone runs against me, I plan on running a clean campaign, and I’m assuming everyone is going to try to do their best.”
—Taylor O’Connor
2024 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
8/17
8/24 Jill Knight
8/25 Billy and the Tingle
8/31 Blue Birds on a Wire
9/02
9/07
PROTECTING AG WORKERS: Farmworker advocates celebrated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s emergency suspension of dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate because of its links to detrimental health impacts on and risks, especially for pregnant farmworkerrs.
Protecting workers
U.S. EPA suspends the use of an herbicide commonly used on broccoli, including in Santa Barbara County
BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR
Broccoli contributed $86.7 million of Santa Barbara County’s $1.8 billion agriculture industry in 2023, sitting in fourth place among the county’s top 10 agricultural commodities, according to the 2023 Santa Barbara County Crop and Livestock Report. It’s also a crop that growers use dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or Dacthal) on for weed treatment—an herbicide that was recently suspended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) due to its health impacts on those exposed to it for long-periods of time, particularly pregnant women. The decision made history as the first time in 40 years that the EPA suspended a product.
Farmworker advocacy groups, including the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), celebrated the EPA’s Aug. 6 decision as a victory to protect the health and well-being of field workers after advocating for the change for years.
“We’re very happy with [the decision], but it also highlights how a lot of the safety of our farmworkers is dismissed,” CAUSE Senior Policy Advocate Erica Diaz-Cervantes told the Sun.
“There needs to be better policies to protect the safety of the farmworker community as they have been working through these hurdles.”
Growers and operators trust the EPA’s decision and work to comply with regulations, but there are concerns about identifying safe and effective alternatives for specialty crops on the Central Coast without risking the crop health, said Claire Wineman, the president of the Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.
“Of course, safety is the top priority, and we comply with the regulatory requirement, and I think … it highlights the extensive and robust regulatory process that’s in place and articulating the need for safe and effective products to grow produce,” she said.
In 2022, California applied more than 65,000 pounds of DCPA to broccoli (making up 35 percent of the state’s use), according to a May 2024 report from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
Santa Barbara County ranked fifth in the herbicide’s use, applying 10,955 pounds in 2022, an increase from 7,833 pounds in 2021, the report stated. SLO County sat just behind at 10,435 pounds applied in 2022.
EPA research indicated that pregnant women
The Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office regulates pesticide use at a local level by enforcing state and federal regulation requirements, conducting fieldwork inspections, and requiring growers to apply for a private applicator certification and submit pesticide reports on a regular basis.
“Products are constantly being evaluated, and this to me is an indication that the systems in place—it’s not perfect by any means, [but for] those people who are concerned with pesticides, this is a way or them to know that the system may not work in the way they want to, but I think it’s working in the way that it’s intended to be,” Chang said.
Santa Barbara County first learned that the EPA was considering a DCPA suspension in April. The county then identified “a handful of farmers” who use the herbicide or that used it in the last two years and informed them that they cannot use the product anymore. The county also provided a list of alternatives from California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
“Obviously we are going to follow up with the handful of farmers identified in the past two years or are using it. One of the things we typically do is headquarter inspections: These types of inspections [are] when we look at pesticide storage and those using it to make sure they don’t have it in store,” Chang said. “Something else we do on a daily basis is have staff out in the field monitoring the use of pesticides. Ag biologists will be out in the field, and they are aware of [DCPA].”
exposed to DCPA could experience changes to fetal thyroid hormone levels, and their babies could have low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ, and impaired motor skills later in life—some of which may be irreversible, according to the EPA.
“Based on current labels, some pregnant individuals could be subjected to exposures from 10 to 1,500 times greater than what is considered safe,” according to the EPA.
Countywide there are more than 32,000 migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, with an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 who are women of reproductive age (between 18 and 49), according to a 2023 UC Santa Barbara and UCLA evaluation report that studied farmworker maternal health.
“Just hearing about the backfall in that herbicide was something that is very big news, and the fact they took initiative to say, ‘Stop using this,’” CAUSE Senior Policy Advocate DiazCervantes said. “A lot of mothers have expressed developing health symptoms, concerns that it was exposure to pesticides, children with health issues. A lot of times, parents were not being validated.”
CAUSE has worked with San Francisco-based advocacy and research organization Center for WorkLife Law to advocate for more regulation around pesticide use, she said.
“Overall our mission is to support farmworkers and secure a workplace and paid leave not only during pregnancy, but while breastfeeding,” DiazCervantes said. “A lot of mothers have found it challenging. Before having babies, they take their clothes off and put it in a whole separate laundry bag. It’s different when chemicals are on your skin and you’re trying to nurse your baby.”
Diaz-Cervantes said she wants to see continued efforts to protect the health and safety of farmworkers, proper regulation enforcement and continued investigations into other chemicals involved in agriculture practices.
“Right now, we are really making sure farmworkers’ voices are being heard, connecting to elected officials who can push these issues, sharing experiences, and showing urgent need to go through this pesticide list and eliminating the ones that are proven to be extremely harmful to our community,” she said.
Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner Jose Chang has never been in a situation where a product has been taken off the market like DCPA, he told the Sun.
While Santa Barbara is one of the top five DCPA users in the state, Chang said that he doesn’t see the suspension being an issue for broccoli growth in the county because of the state-provided list of alternatives.
“I don’t foresee that being an issue, but there are other ways the growers can use ... mechanical control or manually pulling weeds out. I don’t see this being a very big impact especially because it’s only a handful of farmers using it,” Chang said.
While Santa Barbara County applied 10,955 pounds of CDPA, Monterey County applied 79,000 pounds of DCPA in 2022, followed by Imperial County at 26,047 pounds.
Grower-Shipper Association President Wineman commended the county’s early action to inform growers, adding that while there are alternatives, it’s a slow approval process and not often available to specialty crops on the Central Coast. She said it’s important to have more tools available to mitigate weeds to meet buyer needs and prevent diseases.
“That’s why an herbicide is important because you need crops that meet consumer and buyer standards, and pests and diseases can be vectored to other crops. Instead of managing weeds effectively, you have weeds in other food crops as well,” Wineman said.
Neighboring Monterey County’s lettuce industry suffered an estimated $150 million loss in 2022 due to weeds hosting the impatiens necrotic spot virus spreading across the valley, according to the Salinas Valley Tribune. The virus causes yellowing and stunting that can make lettuce unfit for market.
“It’s an example of the role of proper weed management in overall crop health,” Wineman said. “It’s helpful to have a variety of tools in the tool box. With fewer products, you have potential resistance issues … one type of product can create superbugs.”
Moving forward, Wineman’s concern is the cumulative effect of being able to address challenges like herbicide resistance.
“There is an ongoing commitment to advancement and improving technologies, but those solutions take time, aren’t always effective, and aren’t feasible for the small and medium growers to be able to pursue those alternative technologies,” Wineman said. m
Reach Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor at toconnor@ santamariasun.com.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 The
SLO Melges: The Wizard of Zenda
MONDAY, AUGUST
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23
Dominante Banda El Cerrito & Equipo
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23
City Ballroom, Lompoc Vision Board Making Pa y
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 Central Coast Comedy Theater Training Center, SLO Craig Nu ycombe “It’s Just A Lifetime” Screening and Conce
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24
SUNDAY,
SATURDAY, AUGUST
Coastal Wine & Paint Pa y SATURDAYS, AUGUST 17 & 31 Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough, Cambria
Cayucos Backyard Show featuring Ynana Rose
AUGUST 18 Private Residence, Cayucos
Your Jack, Chris Beland, Luke Francis & Max Maclaury
Bunker
with
Trivia
AUGUST 22-25
Bunker SLO
Selena the Show in the 805
Orcu
Spritzer Mixer
New leadership
Julio Roman is Pacific Pride Foundation’s new executive director
BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR
Julio Roman started his journey with LGBTQ-plus organizations as a client.
“I was looking for a safe space,” Roman said. “I was dealing with my feelings around being attracted to other guys, and this was a safe space to really be yourself. I was able to find a community of young men who looked like me, actively doing the work, and passionate about their work.”
To see other gay men taking control of their lives and serving the community drew Roman in, he said, adding that at 16 he landed his first role as an outreach worker to talk about HIV prevention—launching him into a career focused on LGBTQ-plus public health and addressing the community’s disparities, particularly surrounding HIV.
“The disproportionate infection rates in our community has always been a driving force to do the work. The HIV rates in white communities is 1 in 15, and the Latino community is 1 in 2, and it’s the same in African American communities,” Roman said.
Seeing a community that often isn’t seen and faces difficulties accessing adequate health care services motivated Roman to “amplify their voices and their visibility,” he said.
Roman helped create two LGBTQ-plus centers in Newark, New Jersey, and presented and published his public health findings on local, state, and national levels. He has successfully
Promote!
raised and managed millions of dollars for LGBTQ-plus causes, issues, and organizations. And on Aug. 15, Roman starts a new role on the West Coast as Pacific Pride Foundation’s executive director.
“I’ve always been drawn to organizations that have a strong history … around the HIV/ AIDS crisis with a harm reduction principle as a guiding force,” Roman said. “I have a passion for building programs and working with organizations that focus on changing lives for their constituents.”
Pacific Pride Foundation (PPF) has run Santa Barbara County’s only syringe exchange program since 2002 where people can bring in used needles in exchange for new ones to prevent the spread of diseases, including HIV.
“Working with a team that’s excited to work and looking for ways to expand their effectiveness truly gets me excited,” Roman said. “Some of my goals with coming to Pacific Pride Foundation is one: I want to take the opportunity to enhance and expand our staff’s current ability to deliver life-changing services.”
He’d like to add training and workshops led by talented individuals from around the country currently working in LGBTQ-plus advocacy and supporting their communities, he said.
Roman said that he’d like to build on PPF’s current foundation of harm reduction protocols in place, enhance how the organization is conducting HIV testing, and
increase awareness of PPF’s services and others conducting similar work. He added that he wants to put an emphasis on expanding PPF’s counseling services offered in Santa Barbara County along with therapy groups.
“We know after COVID, our members are feeling disconnected and not having that center of community. How can we create a safe space [with] those mental health services readily available to the members of our community?”
Roman said. “I have a passion for building programs and working with organizations that focus on changing lives for their constituents.”
Board Chair Cristian Arango said that Roman’s understanding of LGBTQ-plus safe spaces will help PPF establish new partnerships to help take a countywide approach. Prior to Roman’s arrival, Arango said that PPF has been working on developing its relationship with Santa Maria’s House of Pride and Equality.
“I think that’s going to be crucial for us to roll out the agenda of inclusivity and connecting with rural spaces,” Arango said. “It’s going to be a game-changer across the board, and Julio’s approach aligns with the board’s approach to take a countywide approach, not just city-based.”
Highlight
• Youthwell will hold a Hybrid Parent Wellness Workshop on Sept. 2 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. designed for parents and caregivers with tweens and teens. The free workshop will be accessible both in person in Santa Barbara and virtually via Zoom. The workshop’s focus will be on providing parents with tools and strategies to help support their children going through various transitions— whether it’s entering a new school or moving to a new community. Transitions can be challenging for the entire family, and this workshop aims to equip parents with the knowledge and confidence to help their children adjust smoothly and successfully to new environments. Register and learn more at youthwell.org/workshops. m
Reach Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor at toconnor@santamariasun.com
NEW LEADERSHIP: Julio Roman steps into his new role as Pacific Pride Foundation’s new executive director, with an emphasis on addressing LGBTQ-plus health disparities.
ATTENTION all former SMJUHSD Special Education Students
born 2000!
All records for any Special Education student that was born within the year 2000 and attended a Santa Maria Joint Union High School District school, your physical special education records are available for pick up at no charge from the District Office. All 2000 not picked up by June 1, 2025 will be destroyed.
If you have any questions, or to arrange a pickup date/time, contact:
Sandra Hernandez/ Dept. of Special Education
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District 2560 Skyway Dr. Santa Maria, CA 93455
805-922-4573 ext. 4311
ATENCION estudiantes anteriores de SMJUHSD nacidos en 2000!
Todos los registros de cualquier estudiante de Educación Especial que haya nacido dentro del año 2000 y asistió a una escuela del Distrito Escolar de las escuelas preparatorias de Santa Maria, sus registros físicos de educación especial están disponibles para recoger sin cargo en la Oficina del Distrito. Todos los registros del 2000 que no hayan sido recogidos para el 1 de junio de 2025 serán destruidos. Si tiene alguna pregunta, o para programar una fecha/hora de recogida, comuníquense con:
Sandra Hernandez/ Dept. of Special Education
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
2560 Skyway Dr. Santa Maria, CA 93455
805-922-4573 ext. 4311
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
Special Education - Child Find
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) seeks to identify, locate, and evaluate high school age students suspected of having a disability who may be eligible for special education services designed to meet their educational needs at no cost to families. This includes students that are highly mobile, migrant, experiencing homelessness, students that are wards of the state, and students attending private schools located within SMJUHSD boundaries. If you suspect your child has a disability, contact the school special education department or district office Special Education Department.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
El Distrito Escolar de las Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria Educación Especial - Búsqueda de Estudiantes
El Distrito Unificado de Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria (SMJUHSD) busca identificar, localizar y evaluar a los estudiantes en edad de escuela preparatoria sospechosos de tener una discapacidad que puede ser elegible para servicios de educación especial diseñados para satisfacer sus necesidades educativas sin costo alguno para las familias. Esto incluye a los estudiantes que son altamente móviles, migrantes, sin hogar, estudiantes que están bajo la tutela del estado, y los estudiantes que asisten a escuelas privadas ubicadas dentro los limites de SMJUHSD. Si sospecha que su hijo tiene una discapacidad, comuníquese con el departamento de educación especial de la escuela u oficina de Educación Especial del distrito SMJUHSD.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
What do you think about the bond measures on the November ballot?
43% They have my vote—school districts need funding!
43% I don’t have the means to support a bond measure.
7% I’m almost on board, but I need to do more research.
7% It’ll hurt my wallet, but it’s necessary. 14 Votes Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.
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The final sprint
BY JOHN ASHBAUGH
Last August, my commentary concluded with this observation: “One thing is certain: By next August, both parties will have completed their primary elections … and named their nominees. We already know the stakes in 2024: Nothing less than the future of our democracy, the security of our planet, and the conditions under which our nation may yet endure. Lincoln warned us in 1862 that ‘we shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth,’” (“We need to find common ground as we head toward the next election,” Aug. 17, 2023).
It remains to be seen whether we will “nobly save” our democracy in the November election, but the odds have improved measurably.
Democrats completed their virtual roll call of the Democratic National Convention and officially named Kamala Harris as their nominee for president, acting with dazzling speed and unity after President Joe Biden gracefully withdrew and endorsed Harris on July 21.
Then, Harris announced her choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for vice president.
Throughout the long, tedious months of this marathon of a campaign—at least until Biden’s stunning withdrawal—it looked as though Donald Trump had a clear lead over Biden: Earlier in July, Trump literally dodged an assassin’s bullet in Pennsylvania. The smoothly orchestrated GOP Convention in Milwaukee gave Republicans enough wind at their backs to consider “widening the map.”
Pundits talked about how Trump could put states like Wisconsin, Virginia, New Mexico, and even Minnesota and New York into play. Democrats were sleepless with anxiety (including myself!).
Together, Harris and Walz have effectively turned the tables on the entire race: Even before Walz was announced, several reliable polls showed that Harris was ahead or tied in six of the seven “battleground” states that will decide the Electoral College. Earlier this month, the average of the nation’s polls
from 538 showed that Harris was already out ahead of Trump in the popular vote, 45 percent to 43.5 percent, essentially a dead heat. It’s too soon to see any polls that would show how the choice of Walz will affect the all-important “battleground states.”
Of course, it’s only the Electoral College that counts. If Democrats can hold their three “Blue Wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, they could survive losses in the other battleground states of Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada but still end up with 270 Electoral College votes … a bare one vote majority of the country’s 538 electoral votes.
And here’s where it gets incredibly complicated: That one vote is gained from the deeply Republican state of Nebraska. For decades, Cornhuskers have awarded their three House of Representatives Electoral College votes by district. Two of those three votes will go to Trump, but the Congressional District surrounding Omaha is expected to go to Harris/Walz as it did for Biden/Harris in 2020 and Obama/Biden in 2008. Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that don’t use a statewide “winner take all” rule. Expect to see Kamala Harris and Tim Walz shucking corn in beautiful downtown Omaha in the very near future!
Harris chose Tim Walz as her running mate with this arithmetic clearly in mind. Walz has it all: He shares Harris’ commitment to progressive policies, but with a Midwestern emphasis on serving and speaking with rural voters. He won’t need anyone to show him how to shuck an ear of corn. He seems to have excellent chemistry with Harris—and with everyone. Walz is the personification of “Minnesota nice.” He’s likeable. Walz has been described as “everyone’s perfect brother-in-law.” He’s the ideal foil for the “weird” GOP ticket.
Now with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as the ticket, Democrats are sporting two fresh faces with ample energy—as well as 130,000 new volunteers and hundreds of millions of dollars in donations, many from first-time donors. With a spring in our step, Democrats are leaning into the remaining sprint to Nov. 5. As we approach the finish line, a resounding
Democratic victory is in sight—but even if it all comes down to that one vote from Omaha, it will echo through the ages.
And speaking of ages—now who’s the oldest presidential candidate in American history?
Trump complained about how his campaign had wasted so much money attacking Biden over his age and alleged “cognitive decline.” Now, all that focus on cognitive decline and wandering speeches is focused right back on Trump.
The GOP campaign can’t discuss their faltering, doddering old man Trump anymore. Instead, they’re falling back on tried-and-true attacks on Harris’ ethnic identity and gender. They’re counting on the widespread fiction that American voters are “not yet ready” for a Black female president—or a president of South Asian descent— let alone all three!
By now, voters are not only ready but eager to restore that proud American tradition observed since 1796—with only one exception in 2021: A peaceful, constitutional transition of power that defines us as a people. Let’s pray for that outcome, regardless of who holds the most Electoral College votes that’ll be ceremoniously carried into the Capitol and counted, state by state (including Omaha’s), on Jan. 6, 2025. m
John Ashbaugh never got past elementary calculus in math, but he can count Electoral College votes along with the best of them. Direct any challenges to his arithmetic by writing to editor@santamariasun.com.
How about a new set of ‘commandments’
In response to Mr. Ron Fink proposing that the Ten Commandments be displayed “in every school, library, courthouse, and city hall in the United States” (“What’s the fuss?” July 25): I can only reply that many citizens, myself included, resent being subjected to archaic and divisive Christian orthodoxy and dogma.
How about a new set of “commandments”: Thou shalt not attempt to steal valid election results, for example; or thou shalt not demean and disparage persons with different sexual orientations; or perhaps thou shalt not allow mentally unstable individuals to purchase automatic weapons. Maybe thou shalt not interfere with a woman’s right to control her own body would be a good commandment.
In other words, Mr. Fink, perhaps you should quietly follow your chosen beliefs and let the rest of us follow our own without the usual conservative Christian evangelical urge to shove your principles down our gullets. Just sayin’.
Michael Clear Solvang
Factual errors may get in the way of opinions
The editorial by Dan Dennis in the Aug. 1 Sun (“The stakes are too high”) was largely correct in its explanations of our national political situation. Good writing, Dan.
Unfortunately, there was a factual error early on which may have kept knowledgeable readers from giving full credence to his opinions. The repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act did not occur under former President Reagan but under President Clinton about 10 years after Reagan left office. Granted that it had been attacked and diluted by Wall Street and their political pawns for over three decades prior to that. Granted that Reagan undoubtedly contributed to those attacks and would have approved of the repeal. Granted that the repeal originated in and was supported by a Republican House of Representatives. But Clinton signed on anyway. That was probably a defining moment for me in deciding that, when it came to corruption in D.C., the Democratic Party (at least the “mainstream” part of it) was just as bad as the GOP.
Ron Holt Arroyo Grande
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to cancel DCPA—aka the pesticide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate; aka a weed-eating herbicide often used to treat broccoli and onion fields that’s associated with certain birth defects.
But officially canceling DCPA ain’t easy. It’s not like a clarion call to boycott your neighborhood racist coffee shop on TikTok. Or the right-wing “take down” of Bud Light for daring to highlight a trans woman in a commercial. (I see you all out there still drinking Bud Light.)
Canceling a pesticide involves paperwork. It would take months and months. The manufacturer could contest the decision. It’s time and resource intensive. It’s a whole thing, you know? And yelling in all-caps on Twitter isn’t an option.
Instead, the EPA reached into its back pocket to do something it hadn’t done in 40 years. The federal regulator issued an emergency suspension order, suspending its use indefinitely. Nobody can use DCPA. Bam! Canceled (but not officially).
Now, all of the growers on the Central Coast— from Monterey to Santa Barbara counites—who’ve increasingly relied on DCPA to help prevent weeds from infecting their broccoli fields with pests have to figure out a plan B.
I bet Lompoc City Councilmember Gilda Aiello (formerly Cordova) wishes she could have canceled the folks who tried to cancel her. It seemed like she had a target on her back for a while. She’s so over it that she’s bowing to the cancellation.
Aiello isn’t running for reelection due to “a few unfair attacks brought on me by a group of individuals who wanted to have me removed.” Well, it worked. Intimidation, organized attacks, they unfortunately work. It’s a bummer.
This group accused her of living outside of her district and of personally benefitting from her seat on the council—both of which she proved wrong. These folks were also upset about how Explore Lompoc, which Aiello sits on the board for, was spending tourism money—dollars they said the council didn’t keep close enough accounting of. That’s a legitimate concern.
Now, one of her alleged cancelers is running unopposed for her seat: former Lompoc Planning Commissioner Steve Bridge. And he’s ready to run the city like a business! Good luck, Bridge. That’s what got Lompoc and former City Councilmember Jim Mosby into trouble a few years ago (well, that and his big mouth). Lompoc isn’t a business. It’s a city providing services to and governing its residents. They’re different.
You know what else is different? Buellton
The land of art deco—well, not yet. Maybe in the future, as the city attempts to hammer out the infill development it’s looking for on the Avenue of Flags and elsewhere.
One such development? A bowling alley that’s been in the works for a decade and changed hands multiple times. The new owners of the land asked the city for a development incentive, aka dollar bills, y’all. Buellton’s never done anything like that before, but is considering it.
It’s just the kind of venue the city’s “for lack of a better word, desperately wanting to bring” to the city, City Manager Scott Wolfe said.
Plus, the city needs to be more development friendly, Councilmember Elysia Lewis said, who added she was interested in the options that could help.
That art deco requirement could go, I think. m
The Canary loves the past, but lives in the future. Send present tense statements to canary@ santamariasun.com.
10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM
AUGUST 24TH
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FARM DAY
LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZES FREE FARM TOURS AT 15 LOCATIONS ON SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FARM DAY!
Presented by SEEAG, Farm Day is a one-of-a-kind FREE event for all. Plan your day using the online Farm Day Trail Map, and discover the abundance of local agriculture that Northern Santa Barbara County has to offer! From 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM on Saturday, August 24th, follow your own trail and celebrate the hands and lands that feed us at 15 unique locations!
Free Farm and Facility Tours
Games, Activities & Raffles
Produce & Plant Giveaways
Field-to-Fork Tastings & Food
Fun for All Ages
Join us this year for the 6th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day, and...
“Meet the Hands that Feed you!”
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S a n t a B a r b a r a C o u n t y F a r m D a y i s p r e s e n t e d b y S t u d e n t s f o r E c o - E d u c a t i o n a n d A g r i c u l t u r e ( S E E A G ) , a 5 0 1 ( c ) 3 n o n p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n .
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Hot Stuff
MAPS TO THE FARMS
More than 15 farms and agricultural organizations will open their doors to the public in conjunction with the sixth annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day on Saturday, Aug. 24. Attendees can register in advance for various farm tours, occurring between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., at my805tix.com. For more info on this year’s Farm Day festivities, visit santabarbaracountyfarmday.com.
—Caleb Wiseblood
ARTS
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
THE AGITATORS PCPA’s take on Mat Smart’s acclaimed play. Aug. 22-25 Marian Theatre, 800 S. College Dr., Santa Maria, pcpa.org.
BALLROOM, LATIN, AND SWING DANCE
CLASSES Social ballroom, Latin, and swing lessons for all ages. 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.
DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN DANCE Classes available for all skill levels. Class sizes limited. Everybody Can Dance, 628 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, 805937-6753, everybodycandance.webs.com/.
GODSPELL A musical retelling of the Gospel according to Matthew. This extravaganza from the creator of Wicked is a must-see. Presented by SMCT. Through Aug. 25 smct.org. Santa Maria Civic Theatre, 1660 N. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
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. 832-884-8114. Cubanissimo Cuban Coffee House, 4869 S. Bradley Rd., #118, Orcutt.
POETRY FOR SELF CARE Looking for a new form of self-expression? Poetry facilitation is the use of poetry to promote well-being. Workshop participants will be introduced to a poem and explore their reaction through writing or illustration
with guest facilitator Dot Winslow. Aug. 18 2-3:30 p.m. Free. 805-9250994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. VALLEY READS A monthly book club for adults featuring coffee, snacks, and lively discussion. The book selection for August is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Please call the reference desk at 805-925-0994 ext. 8562 to reserve a seat. Aug. 17, 2-3 p.m. Free. 805-925-0994 ext. 8562. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL Sheryl Knight and Linda Mutti are awardwinning and celebrated artists and will be sharing their works at the Gallery Los Olivos. Artist reception is Aug. 3. Mondays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Aug. 31 805-688-7517. GalleryLosOlivos.com. Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos.
CABARET The iconic musical. Presented by PCPA. Through Aug. 25 Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang, 805-6861789.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG PATTERNS, SPACES, AND PLACES
With Neil Andersson, Deborah Breedon, and Chuck Klein. A talented trio of longstanding valley artists showcase their unique styles in painting and fine woodworking at the Cypress Gallery. Artist reception: Aug. 4, from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through Aug. 25 Free. 805-737-1129. lompocart.org. Cypress Gallery, 119 E Cypress Ave., Lompoc.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
ARTISAN MARKET A great opportunity to meet and support more than a dozen local artists in Cypress Ridge and the surrounding community. Artisans will showcase their original creations. Featuring painters, jewelry designers, fabric art, and more. Free parking. Aug. 17 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free entry. 805-720-0582. designsbytinalouise.com. FItForever Gym (Outdoor Lakeside Garden Patio), 1080 Cypress Ridge Parkway, Arroyo Grande.
DANCE FITNESS ART AND CULTURE FOR ADULTS Discover dance as a form of artistic expression and exercise, using a wide range of styles and genres of music (including modern, jazz, Broadway, ethnic). Tuesdays, 4-5 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. 510-362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
GALLERY AT MONARCH DUNES: THIRD QUARTER ART EXHIBIT The Gallery at Monarch Dunes in Nipomo at Trilogy is now displaying its 2024 Third Quarter Exhibit of original works of art from 17 Trilogy artist residents. The art displayed includes a wide range of techniques and styles as well as stunning photography. Aug. 17 1-3 p.m. and Aug. 24, 1-3 p.m. Free. Gallery at Monarch Dunes, 1640 Trilogy Parkway, Nipomo, 805-343-7500.
GUNSMOKIN’ Through Sept. 7 Great American Melodrama, 1863 Front St., Oceano.
OCEANO SEABREEZE MARKET Discover
Oceano is proud to present the Oceano Seabreeze Market. Featuring handcrafted artisanal goods and exclusive collections from local Makers, artisans, and curators. Enjoy shopping, food, drinks, music, and an afternoon of fun at the historic Oceano Depot. Aug. 17 12-5 p.m. Free. 805-779-1414. DiscoverOceanoCa.com. Oceano Train Depot, 1650 Front St., Oceano.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
ADULT BEGINNING WHEEL POTTERY SERIES This series is a great intro to the pottery wheel. Students learn to throw various shapes and more. $180 includes clay and firing. By signing up for a fourweek session, you are committing to a series of classes. Book online. Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. through Aug. 27 $180. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
ALL AGES SCULPTING WITH JOHN ROULLARD John a retired school teacher who patiently guides potters of all ages to sculpt and work on details and design. Saturdays, 1:30-3 p.m. $40. anamcre.com. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
ALL LEVELS POTTERY CLASSES Anam Cre is 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 time 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. Free. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo.com/galleryartists/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
BEYOND THE BASICS OF WATERCOLOR WITH VIRGINIA MACK This is a class for those who love imagining ways to further their visual expressions. A watercolorbased course, but one that branches out into other media. Third Wednesday of every month, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and
Fourth Thursday of every month, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $35 per class. 805-7474200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
CERAMIC LESSONS AND MORE Now offering private one-on-one and group lessons in the ceramic arts. Both hand building and wheel throwing options. Beginners welcomed. ongoing 805-8355893. 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.
CREATIVITY DAYS WITH THE SILK ARTISTS OF CALIFORNIA CENTRAL COAST An opportunity to work on your own projects and materials while picking up new skills among friends. Note: this event is held mostly every third Monday (attendees are asked to call or email to confirm ahead of time). Third Monday of every month $5; first session free. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-747-4200.
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.
LEARN HOW TO PAINT IN OIL WITH FRANK EBER Learn value, color mixing, edges, underpainting, principles of design, and composition. Start painting immediately while learning the foundations of oil painting. Tuesdays, 2:30-5:30 p.m. through Sept. 17 $295 for six classes. 805-747-4200. artcentralslo. com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
MARC MARON LIVE AT THE FREMONT THEATER All ages welcome. Doors open at 7 p.m. Aug. 23 8 p.m. fremontslo.com/ events/marc-maron-all-in-tour/. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, 805-546-8600.
MARIA MOLTENI: CELESTIAL
ANTIPHONY Celestial Antiphony creates a cycle of beats on the fingers and illustrates a childhood shortcut for praying the Rosary when beads have gone missing. The artist has returned to the modular, rhythmic orb-based practice of prayer, which transcends boundaries of faith and constructs of time. Through Nov. 11 Free. 805-543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/ maria-molteni/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo. MARIE SCHOEFF: ARTIST TALK A closing reception and artist talk for Marie Schoeff’s solo exhibition Between Ordinary. Reception starts at 4:30 p.m., followed by an artist talk at 6 p.m. in the Miossi Gallery in room 7170 on Cuesta’s San Luis Obispo campus. Aug. 15, 5-7 p.m. Free. 805-546-3202. cuesta.edu/student/ campuslife/artgallery/index.html. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo. MARIE SCHOEFF: BETWEEN ORDINARY An exhibition of unique prints and drawings that reflect a keen awareness of line, color, form, and the natural world. Marie produces intricate and nuanced overlapping shapes, forming worlds within worlds. Mondays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through Aug. 16 Free. 805-5463202. cuesta.edu/student/campuslife/ artgallery/index.html. Harold J. Miossi Gallery, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo. THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS (THE MUSICAL!) Enjoy five hilarious musical satires in one. Thursdays-Saturdays, 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, 2-4 p.m. through Sept. 15 $20-$37. 805-786-2440. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo, slorep.org/. OIL PAINTING: IMPRESSIONISTIC REALISM WITH FRANK EBER Learn how to paint lively, expressive oil paintings with a focus on color accuracy, mark making, and the interconnection of each element. Learn techniques to bring your painting skills to the next level. This class is great for intermediate or advanced painters. Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. through Sept. 17 $295 for six classes. 805747-4200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
Hot Stuff
RETURN OF THE MAC
The 11th annual Mac and Cheese Fest will be held on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 2 to 6 p.m., at the Avila Beach Golf Resort. Attendees of the local festival can look forward to macaroni and cheese selections from more than 25 participants, including chefs, restaurants, and caterers. The event also includes samples of wines, beers, and spirits, and is open to ages 21 and over. For tickets and more info, visit my805tix.com.
ARTS from page 22
SATURDAY FAMILY POTTERY CLASS
This family-friendly open studio time is a wonderful window for any level or age.
Saturdays, 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. $40. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
BRUSHSTROKES 2024 The Painters Group SLO’s annual juried California-wide exhibition, Brushstrokes 2024, shows at Art Center Morro Bay daily. and features a great variety of paintings in all painting media. Frank Eber is the show’s Juror. Through Sept. 16, 12-4 p.m. Free. 805-7722504. artcentermorrobay.org. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.
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.
DEATH TRAP A washed up playwright receives a script from a former student and decides to claim it as his own ... “But what to do with the student?” Aug. 16 - Sept. 1 By The Sea Productions, 545 Shasta Ave., Morro Bay, bytheseaproductions.org.
FINE ART TEXTILES BY GAY MCNEAL
This artist appreciates the multifaceted role that textiles have played in the art and material cultures of many societies. Her creative high comes from the process of trying out the multitude of techniques, both old and new, to create art and quilts. Through Aug. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
FINE ART WATERCOLORS BY VIRGINIA
MACK This artist’s inspiration comes from nature. Her passion is enjoying natural areas wherever she is and responding to each area through her paintings and drawings. She has made hundreds of journeys on the bay in her kayak and developed many pieces inspired by those journeys. Through Aug. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
JEWELRY BY MARJORIE ZLOTOWITZ
“Ever since we humans figured out how to string stones and bones, we’ve adorned ourselves with things we find aesthetically pleasing.” This artist loves the colors, shapes, and textures of natural
stones, various metals, and vintage beads. Through Aug. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
DAY OF HOPE 2024 Dignity Health, in partnership with the Santa Maria Times, is again proud to present the 11th annual Day of Hope, benefiting local cancer patients in need at Mission Hope Cancer Center. Teams will once again hit the streets to sell the special edition newspaper. Aug. 21 7 a.m.-noon Visit site for more info. 805-739-3595. supportmarianmedical. rallybound.org/dayofhope2024. Mission Hope Cancer Center, 1325 East Church St., Santa Maria.
DIVINE MERCY RETREAT With guest speakers, refreshments, and more. Aug. 24 8 a.m.-1 p.m. St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, 414 E. Church St., Santa Maria, 805-922-5826.
DOWNSIZING MADE EASY Hosted by Sea Coast Seniors. Aug. 23 , 10 a.m. my805tix. com/. Merrill Gardens, 1220 Suey Road, Santa Maria.
FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 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.
RAINBOW READS BOOK CLUB Join every month to read and discuss literature that focuses on LGBTQIA+ authors, characters, and themes. The selection for August is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. See sm.blackgold.org for available titles. Registration is required. Aug. 16 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. 805-925-0994 ext. 8562. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 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. Yearly membership: $20-$25. 805-937-3158. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.
—C.W.
SIXTH ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA
COUNTY FARM DAY Various Santa Barbara County farms, ranches, and agricultural organizations open their doors to the public. Visitors experience free behind-the-scenes farm tours, tractor with trailer rides, tastings, giveaways, and kid-friendly activities. Aug. 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 805-892-8155. SantaBarbaraCountyFarmDay.com. Farms throughout Santa Maria Valley, Multiple venues, Santa Maria.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
ADVENTURES WITH NATURE: OCEANO’S
BEAVERS Join State Park Docent Dan to learn about the beaver. Enjoy an easypaced walk around the Oceano Lagoon as we search for evidence and signs of beaver activity. Meet at the Oceano Dunes Visitor Center. Moderate walk (5 miles; 2 hours). RSVP at 805-474-2664. Aug. 17 10:30 a.m.noon Free. 805-474-2664. Oceano Dunes Visitor Center, 555 Pier Ave., Oceano.
AQUATIC BIRDS OF OSO FLACO LAKE
Join The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County for a short hike and explore the dune ecosystem and the aquatic birds of our lakes. Aug. 17, 9-11:30 a.m. Free. 805448-8012. Oso Flaco Lake, 3098 Oso Flaco Lake Road, Arroyo Grande.
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.
BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy the grace and flow of ballet. No experience needed. Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 p.m. $12 drop-in; $40 for four classes. 510-3623739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover 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. EMBROIDERER’S GUILD OF AMERICA
The Bishop’s Peak Chapter of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America invites you to attend its meeting on the third Saturday of each month. For more information, follow on Facebook at Bishop’s Peak EGA or visit the EGA website. Third Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 16 Free. egausa.com. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach, 805-773-4832.
FIVE CITIES REPAIR CAFÉ Handy
volunteers fix broken items for free at Oak Park Christian Church in Grover Beach. They repair bikes, clothing, outdoor gear and apparel, jewelry, small appliances, furniture, laptops, and phones. Aug. 17 1-4:30 p.m. Free. 650-367-6780. repaircafe5cities.org.
Oak Park Christian Church, 386 N Oak Park Blvd., Grover Beach.
FULL MOON YOGA, MEDITATION, AND SOUND BATH (AUGUST) Guided by the power of a full moon. An evening of celestial connection and soulful movement. Aug. 19 7:30 p.m. my805tix. com/. Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach.
GOLF TOURNAMENT HOSTED BY SOUTH COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Enjoy a day of golf with local business and community members. With sponsor opportunities to interact on the course and at dinner prepared by Old SLO BBQ. Best ball/scramble format. Infrequent golfers are welcome. Have fun while supporting the South County Chamber. Aug. 22 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $50-$2,500. 805489-1488. southcountychambers.com. Avila Beach Golf Resort, 6464 Ana Bay Rd., Avila Beach.
LET’S KICK IT: EMPOWER YOUR MIND AND BODY Hosted by WMW. Theme this month: Hear me Roar. Aug. 18 10 a.m.noon my805tix.com/. Avila Beach Pirate Park, 50 San Juan St., Avila Beach.
MULTICULTURAL DANCE CLASS
FOR ADULTS Experience dance from continents around the earth, including from Africa, Europe, and more. Described as “a wonderful in-depth look at the context and history of cultures of the world.” Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $10 drop-in; $30 for four classes. 510-3623739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
NATIONAL RELAXATION DAY AT SYCAMORE Celebrate National Relaxation Day at Sycamore Mineral Spring Resort and Spa. Enjoy a free day of wellness focused activations designed to set you at ease. Aug. 15, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 805-595-7302. my805tix.com. Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort, 1215 Avila Beach Dr., Avila Beach.
QI GONG FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE
ENERGY Experience the energy of Qi Gong through simple standing movements promoting flexibility, strength, relaxation, and increased energy. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, Qi Gong revitalizes and enriches your life. An outdoor class overlooking the ocean. Wednesdays, 4-5 p.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card with no expiration. 805-440-4561. pismobeach.org. Margo Dodd Gazebo, Ocean Park Blvd., Shell Beach.
SHAKTI GODDESS RETREAT Hosted by Aurora Adventures. Visit site for tickets and more info. Aug. 17, 1:30 p.m. my805tix. com/. Vibe Health Lounge, Contact for address, Arroyo Grande.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Looking for a fun and educational opportunity this summer? Join the aquarium’s Volunteer Team. No marine science experience is necessary. There are lots of ways to get involved. Check out website for more details. Tuesdays. through Sept. 30 centralcoastaquarium.org. Central Coast Aquarium, 50 San Juan St., Avila Beach, 805-595-7280.
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
ADHD PARENT SUPPORT GROUP Learn more about how unique ADHD is to each individual and the environments around them. Connect with other parents walking a similar road and learn new strategies to ease the struggle. Find out more online. Mondays, 6:30-7:30 p.m. through Aug. 19 Free. 805-242-8182. adhdallies.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
ADULT ADHD SUPPORT GROUP Learn more about how unique ADHD is to each
individual and the environments around them. Connect with other adults walking a similar road and learn new strategies to ease the struggle. Find out more online. Sundays, 7-8 p.m. through Aug. 18 Free. 805-242-8182. adhdallies.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo. AGING GRACEFULLY WITH PREVENTATIVE CARE “We can’t stop getting older, but we can shift our thinking about it.” Moving from “I can’t do anything about it” to “I have some control over how my mind and body ages.” Series sponsored by Unity Five Cities. Details from chris@peacefulpoint.com. Over Zoom. Wednesdays, 6-7:30 p.m. through Nov. 20 Love offering. (805) 489-7359. unity5cities.org. Online, See website, 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.
BRIDGING THE GAP: JOIN THE CONVERSATION The community’s support empowers this group to deliver essential services, while fostering healing, growth, and resilience among individuals affected by the justice system. Help forge connections within our broader community, nurturing safer, more inclusive neighborhoods. The group’s mission centers on restoration, healing, and fostering accountability. Aug. 16, 5:30-9 p.m. $75-$150. 805-242-1272. restorativepartners.org/bridging-the-gap/. The Fremont Theater, 1035 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
GUIDED ENERGETIC MEDITATION
Are you energetically sensitive? This reoccurring weekly class will be a guided Introduction to Energetic Meditation Techniques that will assist you to: clear your energy field, improve energy flow and energy boundaries, quiet and focus your mind, and be clearer about “Who You Really Are.” Mondays, 6:30-8 p.m. through Nov. 30 $22. 503-929-6416. elohiacupuncture.com/classes/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP A safe place to share life experiences with those who have depression or have had and recovered from the devastating effects of depression. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. through Dec. 30 Free. 805-528-3194. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION
(ONLINE) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, 805-270-3346.
QIGONG FITNESS ONLINE Register now for QiGong Fitness Online with San Luis Coastal Adult School. Classes begin in August. With Gary West, instructor. Mondays-Sundays. through Aug. 15 $115 per semester. 805-549-1222. slcusd.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
QIGONG ONLINE Register now for QiGong Online with Gary West, of San Luis Coastal Adult School. Great practice for balance, wellness, mindfulness, and vitality. Wednesdays, 9:30-10:35 a.m. through Dec. 12 $115 per semester. 805-549-1222. ae.slcusd.org. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
SLO NOONTIME TOASTMASTERS CLUB MEETINGS Want to improve speaking and leadership skills in a supportive and positive environment? During COVID, we are meeting virtually. Contact us to get a meeting link for info. Tuesdays, 12-1 p.m. Free. slonoontime.toastmastersclubs.org. Zoom, Online, Inquire for Zoom ID.
SLO PHILATELIC SOCIETY Stamp Collector? The SLO Philatelic Society (SLOPS) meets in the SLO UMC Conference Room on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Visitors welcome. For more info, contact SLOPS at slostampclub@ gmail.com. Third Tuesday of every month,
SIR FIX-A-LOT
The next Five Cities Repair Cafe will take place on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., at Oak Park Christian Church in Grover Beach. The group hosts events several times a year for the public to bring in electronics, toys, bikes, small appliances, and other items in need of repairs. Visit repaircafe5cities.org for more info.
—C.W.
1-3 p.m. 805-801-9112. San Luis Obispo
United Methodist Church, 1515 Fredericks Street, 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. $10 coffee meeting. retiredactivemen.org. Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo.
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
GROUP Learn more about mental health and coping skills to help you through your journey towards wellness and recovery. Thursdays, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. 805-5406576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo. TOUR THE HISTORIC OCTAGON BARN CENTER The Octagon Barn, built in 1906, has a rich history that The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County looks forward to sharing with visitors. Please RSVP. Fourth Sunday of every month, 2-2:45 & 3-3:45 p.m. Tours are free; donations are appreciated. Octagon Barn Center, 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo, (805) 544-9096, octagonbarn.org.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
CENTRAL COAST WOMEN RAISING
EMPOWERMENT CIRCLE Unleash your inner strength. Join this Women’s Circle for “Nurturing Resilience: Thrive Through Life’s Challenges.” Experience breath work, essential oils, coaching, dance, and meditation with certified coach Tami Charvet. Build connections and grow. RSVP required. Aug. 24 , 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $10 donation suggested. 805-2357978. gratefulbodyhealthcoaching.com. Grateful Body Health Coaching (Central Coast Women Raising), 375 Pico Morro Bay, Morro Bay.
CHISMOSAS Y MIMOSAS DRAG BRUNCH
Will be hosted by an incredible drag performer and Santa Maria native, Missy V, in both English and Spanish. Aug. 17, 11 a.m. my805tix.com. A Mi Manera Mexican Cuisine, 1701 N. Broadway, 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. presquilewine.com/club/. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, 805-937-8110.
SIPPIN’ SUNDAYS Every Sunday, come cozy up inside the tasting room and listen to great artists. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Free. 805-937-8463. cottonwoodcanyon.com.
Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria.
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
MELGES: THE WIZARD OF ZENDA
Visit site for more info and tickets to this documentary screening. Aug. 19 5:30 p.m. my805tix.com/. Bay Theatre, 464 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay.
MORRO BAY HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2004 REUNION It’s time to set your course (and mark your calendar) for an epic 20year reunion. Starts with a dance party at the Siren. Visit site for full lineup of events. Aug. 16-18 my805tix.com. The Siren, 900 Main St., Morro Bay, 805-225-1312.
MORRO BAY METAPHYSICIANS DISCUSSION GROUP A group of metaphysically minded individuals that have been meeting for many years now in the Coalesce Chapel. Club offers a supportive metaphysical based community. Members discuss a different topic each week. All are welcome to join. Fridays, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Suggested donation of $10-$15. Coalesce Bookstore, 845 Main St., Morro Bay, coalescebookstore.com/.
SCIENCE EXPLORATIONS Join the Morro Bay National Estuary Program for an afternoon to learn about local science, monitoring, and restoration projects. This event will have various speakers from the Estuary Program and Silvio Favoreto from Cuesta College, all speaking about eelgrass monitoring, restoration, and research. Aug. 17, 1-3 p.m. Free. mbnep.org. The Schoolhouse, 2180 Palisades Drive, Los Osos, 805-528-4169.
FOOD & DRINK
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
BUNCO PARTY AND BAKE SALE Join the Kiwanis Club of Santa Maria-Noontime for a bunco party and bake sale on Aug. 18. Tickets includes lunch. Aug. 18 12-3 p.m. $40. santamariakiwanis.org. Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave., Santa Maria.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
THE MACARONI AND CHEESE FESTIVAL
Vote for your favorite as the featured chefs compete for the best mac and cheese. Aug. 24 2-6 p.m. my805tix.com. Avila Beach Golf Resort, 6464 Ana Bay Rd., Avila Beach, 805-595-4000.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
MULTICULTURAL POTLUCKS Held monthly on the farm to connect us to our roots, our family and cultural heritage around eating food, as well as horticultural traditions of how people from around the world grow their food. Aug. 18 1 p.m. ourglobalfamilyfarm.com. City Farm SLO, 1221 Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, 805-769-8344.
SUNSET WINE/RAIL EXCURSION: SANTA BARBARA These fully-hosted, docent-led excursions will depart from the SLO Railroad Museum at 11 a.m. taking a motor coach to the Santa Barbara Wine Collective. Aug. 17 my805tix.com. San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum, 1940 Santa Barbara Ave., San Luis Obispo, 805-548-1894.
MUSIC
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS AEROROCKS WITH ALICES COOPER Tributes to Alice Cooper and Aerosmith. Aug. 17 5 p.m. my805tix.com. Blast 825 Brewery, 241 S Broadway St., Ste. 101, Orcutt, 805-934-3777.
HAPPY HOUR MUSIC SERIES Enjoy live music at the winery most Friday evenings. Check site for concert schedule. Fridays presquilewine.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, 805-937-8110.
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.
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.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
ANNUAL BLACK BEAR RESERVE
DINNER Dine under the the glowing bistro lights of a courtyard while you enjoy live music from James Rankin and Brian Kinsella, delicious food from Valley Piggery, and incredible wine. Aug. 17 5-7:30 p.m. 805-688-9339. zacamesa.com.
Zaca Mesa Winery, 6905 Foxen Canyon Road, Los Olivos.
PINOT AND POLO Spectators are welcome to catch a polo match while enjoying onsite wine tastings from Flying Goat Cellars, an MVP sponsor of the Polo Club. Aug. 18, 9:30 a.m. flyinggoatcellars.com. La Herradura Polo Club, 3720 Baseline Ave., Santa Ynez.
RHONE RANGERS TWILIGHT TASTING
Join the Rhone Rangers for an evening twilight wine tasting on the lawn at Rideau Vineyard in Solvang, featuring wineries from Santa Barbara County, Ojai, Santa Maria Valley, and Paso Robles. Event includes live music, cheese and charcuterie, and 100 plus wines to choose from. Aug. 23 , 5:30-7:30 p.m. $55 per person plus tax/fees. 800-467-0163. rhonerangers.org/ event-calendar/ event/twilighttasting. Rideau Winery, 1562 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang.
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. Free. 805-819-0723. coldcoastbrewing.com. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave, Lompoc.
LIVE MUSIC AT STELLER’S CELLAR Enjoy live music most Fridays at the venue. Call venue or check website to find out who’s performing. Fridays 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. MUSIC LESSONS AT COELHO ACADEMY Learn to play piano, drums, guitar, base, ukulele, or violin, or take vocal lessons. 805-925-0464. coelhomusic.com/ Lessons/lessons.html. Coelho Academy of Music, 325 E. Betteravia 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.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
JON FIREY PLAYS AT ARROWSMITH’S A professional film soundtrack artist and composer plays his own work as well as a great selection of cover songs ranging from folk, country, rock, and pop numbers. Aug. 24 7-10 p.m. Free. 805-686-9126. arrowsmithwine.com. Arrowsmith’s, 1539 Mission Drive, Solvang.
LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, 805-686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.
MUSIC IN THE GARDEN This ongoing summer concert series spotlights a variety of musical acts. Afternoon performances held on various Sunday afternoons throughout the summer. Through Sept. 1. Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang, 805-686-1789.
RUSTY LINDSEY AND FRIENDS PLAY ARROWSMITH’S The fantastic Rusty Lyndsey, Gavin Whelan, and Teresa Rey return to Arrowsmith’s for more of their soulful and beautiful music. All sing and play acoustic guitars with their own music or covers that include folk, country, and
MUSIC continued page 25
Hot Stuff
SADDLE UP
Pinot and Polo will take place at La Herradura Polo Club in Santa Ynez on Sunday, Aug. 18, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Spectators are welcome to catch a polo match while enjoying on-site wine tastings from Flying Goat Cellars, an MVP sponsor of the Polo Club. To find out more about Pinot and Polo, visit flyinggoatcellars.com.
rock-inspired numbers. Aug. 17 7-10 p.m. Free. 805-686-9126. arrowsmithwine.com. Arrowsmith’s, 1539 Mission Drive, Solvang.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
BANDA EL CERRITO Visit site for tickets and more info. Aug. 23 , 9 p.m. my805tix.com/. FCB, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc, 805-810-0714.
TROPICAL MAR AZUL DE JUAN CORCUERA Presented by FCB and Uribe Entertainment. Aug. 17 9 p.m. my805tix.com/. FCB, 110 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc, 805-810-0714.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
2024 LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE CONCERT SERIES These Saturday afternoon concerts are limited and will sell out, so make your purchase early to secure your spot. Saturdays, 2:305 p.m. through Oct. 12 my805tix.com. Point San Luis Lighthouse, 1 Lighthouse Rd., Avila Beach.
GROVER BEACH SUMMER CONCERTS 2024 Featuring some of best local and regional bands all summer long. Food, craft vendors, and activities for the kids. Free and all ages welcome. Sundays, 3-6 p.m. through Aug. 18 Free. 805-473-4580. groverbeach.org. Ramona Garden Park Center, 993 Ramona Ave., Grover Beach.
HYPERION 2.0: A CYBERPUNK DANCE PARTY All ages welcome. With DJs Frank the Tank, Jahselektah, and Cryptid. This show will also feature a hardware-based live techno performance by Gabe Miller. Aug. 17, 8 p.m. Free. my805tix.com/. Fuego in Grover Beach, 1187 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach, 805-710-6477.
KARAOKE EVERY FRIDAY Enjoy some good food and karaoke. Fridays, 5-8 p.m. 805-723-5550. The Central Grill, 545 Orchard Road, Nipomo.
TOBY Get ready for a wild ride through the heart and soul of country music with the ultimate tribute to the bad boy of country music, Toby Keith. This electrifying show is guaranteed to leave audiences on their feet, singing along to hit after hit. Aug. 18 7-10 p.m. $45-$65. 805-489-9444. clarkcenter.org/ shows/toby/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
SLOPICKERS A four-piece bluegrass string band based out of San Luis Obispo. Aug. 17 4 p.m. my805tix.com/. CongregationHouse, 11245 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo.
THE SURFACE ROCKERS A science fiction rock musical. Aug. 17, 5:15 p.m. my805tix.com. Bang the Drum Brewery, 1150 Laurel Lane, suite 130, San Luis Obispo.
YOUR JACK, CHRIS BELAND, LUKE FRANCIS, AND MAX MACLAURY At the Bunker. Aug. 18 , 6 p.m. my805tix.com/. The Bunker SLO, 810 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo. m
Arts
ARTS BRIEFS
Allan
Hancock College acquires
world-class piano for Boyd Concert Hall
Two Festival Mozaic musicians helped christen Allan Hancock College’s newest addition to Boyd Concert Hall. Earlier this summer, the college purchased a new concert piano, valued at $175,000, with funds from the estate of late piano instructor Patricia “Patty” Boyd.
In late July, pianist Susan Grace played the Steinway D concert piano during a Festival Mozaic Midday Mini-Concert, which marked the piano’s debut at Boyd Concert Hall. Grace was accompanied by cellist Alexander Hersh during the performance, which featured selections from Debussy, Webern, and other composers, according to press materials.
The concert hall is located inside Hancock’s Fine Arts Complex (building F) and its new piano addition will be featured in upcoming musical productions. The instrument will also be available for students and teachers to use as part of some of Hancock’s music programs.
A prolific music teacher, Boyd passed away in 2012. According to previous Sun reporting, the late piano instructor prepared a will that gave the bulk of her assets to the Hancock Music Department before her passing.
“Thanks to funding left by Ms. Boyd, we are thrilled to bring this truly remarkable instrument to our campus, where it will be used by students and faculty for years to come,” Allan Hancock College Foundation Executive Director of College Advancement Jon Hooten said in press materials.
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) was also a recipient of Boyd’s generosity, as the nonprofit received a bequest of $1 million after her passing.
“Even prior to the amazing million-dollar donation, she was still the greatest donor that PCPA had,” PCPA Executive Director Mark Booher told the Sun in 2013. “Every year she was giving a very substantial personal gift to the theater. She really put her money where her values were.”
Elverhoj Museum showcases contemporary ceramics in new exhibit
Hatch point
California Nature Art Museum’s walls are draped with quilted scenes of wildlife
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
Thanks in part to its multilayered surroundings, the eight-limbed star of Julia Laraway’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Tarantula looks like it could leap from the local quilter’s creation at any given moment.
“I just wanted to showcase our gentle giants of the spider world,” said Laraway, a Santa Barbara-based textile artist whose Spidey senses tingled a bit after completing her quilted ode to tarantulas.
“It was about 11 [p.m.] when I finished. It was kind of hanging on the back of my couch,” recalled Laraway, who made sure to shut the door behind her before getting in bed that night. “I was a first-grade teacher years ago, and I have three children ... I have read many, many books about art that comes alive at night.”
Now that the quilt is on display at Solvang’s California Nature Art Museum, Laraway can put some of her fears to rest, as long as she doesn’t hang out at the venue outside normal business hours, à la Night at the Museum. Your Friendly Neighborhood Tarantula is one of several quilts by Laraway featured in the museum’s latest solo exhibition, titled California, Quilted: Wild in the Oak Woodland. Spiders aren’t the only critters the textile artist chose as her subjects, as the display includes quilted imagery of birds, bobcats, and other wildlife, along with various facets of plant life.
For example, one of Laraway’s quilts depicts her all-time favorite tree, which she namedrops in the piece’s title, The Western Oak
The exhibit opened on Aug. 10
Natural habitat
Call (805) 688-1082 or visit calnatureartmuseum.org for more info on the California Nature Art Museum, located at 1511-B Mission Drive, Solvang. California, Quilted: Wild in the Oak Woodland opened in mid-July and will remain on display through January 2025.
The California Nature Art Museum is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
at the San Marcos Foothills. It’s among Laraway’s various pieces on display at the museum, where her solo exhibit opened in mid-July and will remain on display through January 2025.
“The quilt does not do it [the oak tree] justice in terms of ... it’s so big,” said Laraway, who hikes trails along the foothills often.
The San Marcos Foothills Preserve—a 301-acre open space located between Goleta and Santa Barbara—is home to “lots of beautiful oak trees,” Laraway said, but the specific oak she captured in her quilt has always stood out to her and her family. Her children have fond memories of climbing the large tree when they were young.
While offering scenic views of the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Channel Islands to hikers, birdwatchers, and other visitors, the preserve is home to hundreds of animal species, and many of these creatures become the subjects of Laraway’s quilts. For instance, 148 bird species have been spotted at the preserve, including chickadees, sparrows, and quails. Laraway pays tribute to the latter in her piece Quail Momma Quartet
“They sort of settle in and brood their chicks; their eggs, until the chicks hatch,” said Laraway, whose quilted quartet is divided into four panels, similar to the album cover of Let it Be
Each feathered member of this fab four is a quail rather than a Beatle though, but they probably have a thing or two in common with the “egg men” John Lennon used to sing about.
When Laraway’s Solvang exhibit opened earlier this summer, one of the first people to see the show was her mother, who was the reason Laraway took up quilting to begin with.
“I didn’t start sewing until I had children, and that was in the late ’90s,” said Laraway, who used to sew Halloween costumes and other outfits for her kids. “My mom kept telling me, ‘You need to quilt these, that’ll add texture and movement.’”
Laraway described her mother as an accomplished seamstress and quilter, who encouraged her to branch out and experiment with quilting and applique techniques as an adult. California, Quilted marks Laraway’s first solo showcase as a textile artist at the California Nature Art Museum.
“It’s been so fun,” Laraway said of the experience. “My mom was really pleased.” m
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood has never sewn a Halloween costume, but once fashioned a Ronald McDonald outfit solely from thrift store finds. Send quail mail to cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
Prolific ceramicist Marianne Steenholdt Bork is the featured artist of the Elverhoj Museum’s new solo exhibition, titled The Lion Has to Be Happy: Contemporary Danish Ceramics.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE
WEB OF HUES: California, Quilted: Wild in the Oak Woodland features several quilts by Julia Laraway that depict different walks of wildlife, such as Your Friendly Neighborhood Tarantula
COME QUAIL AWAY: Santa Barbara-based quilter Julia Laraway is the featured artist of the California Nature Art Museum’s latest solo show, which includes Quail Momma Quartet and other colorful pieces.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CALIFORNIA NATURE ART MUSEUM
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ELVERHOJ MUSEUM
THE TREE THAT KEEPS ON GIVING: Local textile artist Julia Laraway captured her favorite local oak tree in her quilt titled The Western Oak at the San Marcos Foothills, currently on display at the California Nature Art Museum in downtown Solvang.
Comedy of errors
Doug Liman (Swingers, The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow) directs this crime comedy about two hapless robbers—Rory (Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck, who co-wrote the script with Chuck MacLean)—who find themselves on the run with Rory’s therapist, Dr. Donna Rivera (Hong Chau), after their heist doesn’t go as planned. (101 min.)
a knack for humor along with their serious acting chops, and they bounce off each other well here. Rory is stoic and serious, and Cobby is a drunken motormouth. While the two don’t know each other from Adam when the film starts, they’re soon in a whirlwind run from both the police pursuing them and Mr. Besegai’s minions, who are also in hot pursuit to try and squash any evidence of their boss’s plan. Maybe I was just in the mood for this type of buddy flick, but I actually had a pretty good time watching these two blunder through their adventure.
THE INSTIGATORS
What’s
What’s
Matinee
What’s
Matinee
Where’s
Glen: The old “mismatched buddy film” formula is on display, with Damon playing a depressed former Marine and divorcee who owes so much money in alimony and child support that he can’t look his son in the eye. Affleck is a wisecracking ex-con who was put away for a crime he didn’t commit. Together, they’re hired by Boston crime kingpin Mr. Besegai (Michael Stuhlbarg), who wants them to accompany one of his minions, Scalvo (Jack Harlow), on a job to steal thousands in bribe money from Mayor Miccelli (Ron Perlman) during his reelection victory party. Pretty much everything they’re told to expect is wrong, the job goes sideways, and they’re suddenly on the run. It’s a fun premise with some laughs and a bit of heart. If I saw it in the theater, I’d be satisfied paying matinee prices.
Anna: The film hasn’t gotten great reviews on IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes, but I agree with you—it’s worth throwing some matinee money at. The good news is that if you have an Apple TV Plus subscription, you don’t even have to do that! I find both Damon and Affleck to have
LAND OF BAD
What’s it rated? R
When? 2024
Where’s it showing? Netflix
William Eubank (The Signal , Underwater ) co-wrote and directs this action thriller about drone pilot Capt. Eddie Grimm “Reaper” (Russell Crowe), supporting a Delta Force team sent to rescue a CIA spy held by Abu Sayyaf terrorists. After a brutal firefight with the terrorists, Sgt. JJ Kinney (callsign “Playboy”) (Liam Hemsworth) appears to be the only surviving member of the Delta Force. What follows is an action-packed but also somewhat overly complicated and disjointed tale of heroism and neglect. Reaper’s supporting crew on Nellis Air Force Base are more interested in March Madness games than in extracting Playboy and the CIA spy in a mission gone wrong.
Released in theaters in February, the film bombed, making only $6.5 million. It never came to SLO County as far as I can remember. It clearly wants to be a Black Hawk Down -style gritty rescue flick, and it has its moments with some wellstaged action and a solid cast, but it’s a tad too didactic in its criticism of the American military and modern warfare. Still, Crowe stands out as the determined Reaper, who
Glen: The cast is solid, including Alfred Molina as Besegai’s right-hand man, Richie Dechico. And let’s not forget Ving Rhames as the Mayor’s muscle, Frank Toomey, and Toby Jones as the Mayor’s sleazy attorney, Alan Flynn. Our two knucklehead main protagonists have people coming after them from all sides, but their secret weapon is Rory’s therapist, Dr. Rivera played by Hong Chau, who’s got great comic timing and is hilarious as the pair’s “hostage” who never stops trying to help Rory work through his mental anguish. We like Rory and Cobby, even if they don’t really like each other, because they’re both sympathetic characters. We want Rory to reunite with his son. We want Cobby to get his act together. It sounds ridiculous, but his time as Dr. Rivera’s kidnapper is probably the best thing that could have happened to him. Breezy and fun, The Instigators is not going to win any awards, but if you’re in the mood for a lark, you could do worse.
Anna: Dr. Rivera definitely rounds out the trio, and it’s pretty funny to see her therapizing Rory as they drive through their high speed chase. She’s annoyed by Cobby but also drawn to him—there’s something charming about his incessant chatter and quippy jokes. Her addition to the duo brings a whole new dynamic to the team. Perlman pulls off corrupt politician in a big way—his giant head and sinister stance give him big Batman villain vibes. It may be a
IT’S JUST A LIFETIME: A PORTRAIT OF CRAIG NUTTYCOMBE
What’s it rated? Unrated
When? Saturday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. ($33.98 at my805tix.com)
Where’s it showing? The Cambria Center for the Arts (1350 Main St.)
simple buddies-on-the-run film, but it has heart and humor, and I don’t really need anything more from it than that. Affleck and Damon are surrounded by a cast of characters that add to the fun. It may be fluff, but it hits the spot. It’s worth a watch. m
Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey from New Times and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
wants to see the mission through. If you’re an action fan, it’s worth a look. (113 min.)
Tim Ursuliak and Carman Cookson-Hills co-direct this documentary about retired handyman, local musician, and irascible character Craig Nuttycombe, who in late 1967 formed the duo Lambert & Nuttycombe with Denis Lambert, recording their A&M Records debut, At Home (1970), in Sausalito. They were going to be the West Coast’s answer to Simon & Garfunkel, with their sparkling harmonies and hooky folk sounds. Shortly after a second record, As You Will (1973), they went their separate ways due to Lambert’s drug addiction. Now decades later, this deeply charming portrait of Nuttycombe, who recorded his A&M Records solo debut, It’s Just a Lifetime, in 1978 before taking a long hiatus from music, offers an intimate view into the artist’s life post fame. He’s continued to make music on a smaller scale, and he’s made a beautiful, artsy life on the Central Coast, living in a trailer park with a dog, … always a dog. The documentary came to be when
HOT PURSUIT: Hapless robbers Rory (Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck) go on the run with Rory’s therapist after a heist, in The Instigators, streaming on Apple TV Plus.
the filmmakers lived with Nuttycombe for three weeks, documenting his memories and musings. After the screening, Nuttycombe will be joined by Bob Liepman (cello), and his former Café Musique bandmates Brynn Albanese (violin) and Duane Inglish (accordion) in concert. (87 min.) m —Glen
PHOTO COURTESY
REAP THE WHIRLWIND: U.S. Air Force drone pilot Capt. Eddie Grimm “Reaper” (Russell Crowe) works to protect a Delta Force team under attack, in Land of Bad, screening on Netflix.
MUSIC AND LIFE: It’s Just a Lifetime: A Portrait of Craig Nuttycombe screens at the Cambria Film Festival on Aug. 24.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TIM URSULIAK AND CARMAN COOKSON-HILLS
Teapot jackpot
Las Vegas-based boba chain links with Solvang on Copenhagen Drive
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
One Las Vegas resident’s decision to shift careers and buy a boba shop 19 years ago was a gamble. Amy Zhang-Warthan’s roll of the dice paid off though, as she and her husband Kevin Warthan now own 15 shops across three states, including one in downtown Solvang.
When she bought her first in 2005, ZhangWarthan was a single mom and real estate agent with a lot on her plate.
“It was a lot of work when my kids were young,” she told the Sun over email. “Quickly I realized I couldn’t do both, so I made a decision to give up real estate and focus on running my boba shop.”
Zhang-Warthan bought the store—No. 1 Boba Tea in Chinatown Las Vegas—about 12 years after moving to the U.S. from China to attend business school and earn her MBA.
Smooth moves
Visit hyggebobatands.com for more info on Hygge Boba Tea and Smoothies, located at 1665 Copenhagen Drive, Solvang. The shop is open Sunday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“Purchasing this small shop [gave] me one more layer of stability,” she said.
During her earliest days at No. 1 Boba Tea, she’d often bring her young children to work. Sometimes her daughter would nap on the store’s large sugar bags, which sparked a unique case of associative learning.
“Eventually she climbed onto sugar bags when we were shopping in Smart & Final thinking that’s her bed,” Zhang-Warthan said.
After she married Warthan, the couple gradually expanded their boba horizons over the years and opened several more shops in both Texas and Nevada. They still live in the latter state.
Warthan said he often jokes that “our successful marriage was responsible for the successful business ... since the second location was opened after we got married.”
“Maybe not,” he continued. “But the ability to work together definitely helped both our marriage and our businesses succeed.”
This year marked the couple’s Central Coast debut in the heart of downtown Solvang, when Hygge Boba Tea and Smoothies opened its doors in January.
The chance to bring a new boba joint to the Santa Ynez Valley was a silver lining for the couple, as the opportunity arose during a difficult period, Warthan explained.
“During COVID, my mom passed away and we had to wait a long time to have a service in person,” Warthan said. “After that service in the Monterey area, we decided to take the long way home back to Vegas and drive through Solvang—partly for the beauty and partly because my mom was Danish and Norwegian.”
Naturally, the visit lasted longer than a typical pit stop once the couple decided to park and hang out awhile.
“Of course, we had to get some aebleskiver and wander the streets,” Warthan recalled. “Lo and behold, there were a few empty storefronts on Copenhagen [Drive].”
Warthan said his wife’s “eyes lit up” with an epiphany.
“She started the process by contacting the landlord and talking to the neighboring business owners,” he said. “The rest is history.”
Among the Solvang shop’s milk tea selections, Warthan’s personal favorites include the earl grey, London fog, and lavender milk tea. The venue’s menu also features a variety of flavored green and black teas, fresh fruit smoothies, and power juices.
“I prefer a healthy lifestyle. Drinking tea is
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HYGGE BOBA TEA AND SMOOTHIES
BUBBLE KI: The Central Coast gained a new bubble tea spot in January when Hygge Boba Tea and Smoothies opened its doors in downtown Solvang.
STRAW AND ORDER: Hygge Boba Tea and Smoothies’ expansive menu offers patrons a variety of boba teas, green teas, black teas, fresh fruit smoothies, and power juices to choose from.
WARM AND INVITING: Guests of Hygge Boba Tea and Smoothies can take advantage of the venue’s comfy lounge-style seating by a fireplace.
part of it,” Zhang-Warthan said. “In addition, I want to give customers more choices like power juice, with a lot of fruits and vegetables blended together so we keep all the fiber, and with very little sugar added.”
Initially the couple planned to regularly sell pastries from local bakers and other collaborators at the shop for patrons to
“We missed opening during the busy Christmas season, so our first few months were slow. It was hard to keep fresh pastries on the menu, so we have temporarily removed them,” Warthan said. “We are looking at adding tasty snacks in the future and more retail tea bags and tea wares.” m
fog is calling
Hello Summer
