The Dtease Want You

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THE DTEASE WANT YOU

AND OF COURSE RESISTANCE IS, YOU KNOW – FUTILE (STORY BEGINS ON PAGE 5)

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The Radius Team.

Monumental Results. Every Time.

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S tate Street Scribe – Glam. Punk. Three-ring circus from Jupiter. You decide. The Dtease accepts your judgment.

Biweekly Capitalist – Jeff Harding gets down to business, number crunching the cost of T-shirts while analyzing free trade and NAFTA Gettin’ Fit – Chantal Peterson shapes up with Rachel and Kasey Camacho, fitness coaches and founders of the wellness program SBFITT Beer Guy – Zach Rosen breaks down a cold brew’s chemical composition, and explains how removing ethanol is done biologically and physically Behind The Vine – Hana-Lee Sedgwick raises a glass to the World of Pinot Noir, which will be uncorked March 3-4 at Bacara Resort & Spa

Fortnight – A comprehensive summary of February’s events, comprising Porgy and Bess; Valentine’s Day at Lobero; Welcome to Night Vale; Lobero hosts magicians; and David Cassidy at the Granada On Music– Chantal Peterson is in tune with musical collective Postmodern Jukebox and its leader, Scott Bradlee Plan B – Sister act: Briana Westmacott tells the tale of female siblings who have been different and full of surprises from the start

Creative Characters – Zach Rosen sizes up big man on canvas David Mark Lane, a digital artist with a flair for emulating painting and silk-screening What’s Hanging – Ted Mills looks beyond the walls of SBCAST on Garden Street, where Masha Keating’s display is one of an assortment of exhibits Business Beat – Chantal Peterson sets up shop and browses the aisles of Isla Vista Food Co-op, whose general manager Melissa Cohen has food for thought I Heart SB – What’s in store? Elizabeth Rose tries her hand at being a grocery cashier, but it’s her ego that cashes in.

SYV Snapshot – Eva Van Prooyen previews Carnevale – A Venetian Masquerade; SYV Cottage Hospital open house; Buellton Library on Fridays; First & Oak Restaurant; Solvang Friday music; Ping-Pong tourney in Buellton

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STATE STREET SCRIBE

by Jeff Wing

Jeff is a journalist, raconteur, autodidact, and polysyllable enthusiast. A long-time resident of SB, he takes great delight in chronicling the lesser known facets of this gaudy jewel by the sea. Jeff can be reached at jeffwingg@gmail.com.

Santa Barbara Has The Dtease.

It Feels Pretty Good.

(From left) Wilson Gil, Terry Luna, Sammy McPherson, Sjoerd Koppert, Mike Sharpe, and Josh McDonough (photo by Melissa Kepen • edited by Gabe Ruiz)

A Clean, Well-Lighted Explosion

S

omething truly indescribable is happening in downtown Santa Barbara. That was the rumor, anyway. As any local resident knows, something indescribable erupting in downtown Santa Barbara is about as likely as a huge radioactive lizard savaging the beloved It’s a Small World attraction with crimson fire and mayhem. I was intrigued but skeptical. Had some disruptive outlier

really managed to push through the permeable, potpourri-scented force field that surrounds our pleasant little town to rattle the ferns and startle the wheat grass crowd? And, like, what is this thing? A rock band? Well, yes and no.

More like a metal-bending glitter bomb from the 6th dimension. There. Does that clear things up? Oh, and they call themselves The Dtease.

Whiskey’s on a Friday night is a glowing hole punched into the darkness and we fall gladly in through the door.

Outside, a tastefully forged wrought iron Whiskey Richard’s sign announces the club with almost artisanal tact, but cross the threshold and the soul of the club envelopes you like a warm, ribcage-ratting blanket. The opener, Retrodemon, ends its roaring and surprisingly melodic set with a bombastic flourish, grinning revelers in front of the stage surging back and forth

like sea grass at storm tide.

In the break between bands the audience, amid happy shouting and high-fives, repairs to the bar to refresh, possibly with one of the club’s reported 100 varieties of whiskey and a hops chaser. On the dance floor, what looks like a wounded android is coolly surveying the goings-on as a handful of guys fuss over it in prep for the coming assault, and every so often one catches a glimpse of sharkskin suit slipping between the shadows. The crowd quiets as the tension builds. The infrequently ...continued p.16

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The Capitalist

by Jeff Harding

Jeff Harding is a real estate investor and a writer on economics and finance. He is the former publisher of the Daily Capitalist, a popular economics blog. He is also an adjunct professor at SBCC. He blogs at anIndependentMind.com

The $30 T-Shirt

I

checked out my closet to see where my clothes were made. My shirts were made in Vietnam, China, Peru, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Mauritius, Singapore, Thailand, and Turkey. My Levi jeans were made in Bangladesh, India, and Mexico.

I couldn’t find any clothing made in America. Maybe I didn’t look hard enough.

At Costco, you can get a nice all cotton T-shirt made in Peru for $12.

Think about all the jobs lost because of these cheap imports. If Costco was truly patriotic, why don’t they buy American made clothing? Wouldn’t that keep jobs in America? President Trump says that China and Mexico are stealing American jobs.

Cheap imports have led to a decline of textile mills and employment in America’s textile industry. Since 1990, employment in textile mills has declined from 503,000 to 111,000 in 2017 (BLS data). The anti-free trade protectionist lobby makes the argument that we need to protect jobs here from “unfair” competition.

They want the government to put big tariffs on imports to protect American, especially union, jobs.

The truth is that T-shirts are still made in America, but, apparently, you won’t buy them. You are the problem because you want the best products for

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the cheapest price. China and Peru and all the rest supply us with what we want because they can do it more efficiently.

Here is a question you should ask before you rally for tariffs against imports: if a flood of cheap imports are ruining America, why have jobs increased at the same time?

Look this chart from the St. Louis Fed (via economist Don Boudreaux at George Mason University): from 1975 to the present, both imports and U.S. employment have gone up, almost in synch (blue = jobs; red = imports): This is the opposite of what the opponents of free trade tell us.

It’s a fact that when we buy cheaper imported goods, some workers in America will lose jobs. But competition among companies, whether foreign or domestic, always causes economic disruption and job losses. Trade causes disruption. Commerce causes disruption. Technology causes by far the most disruption and job losses – a recent study estimates that 90% of manufacturing jobs were lost because of technological innovations (productivity gains created by capital investment in machinery and computer technologies).

Those poor workers in the music industry who churned out, distributed, and sold CDs lost their jobs because of iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and Amazon Music. No one seems to care about

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them. You can’t freeze time. This is the nature of the market economy where people are free to buy whatever they want.

Yes, tariffs can protect some union jobs, but it will be at the expense of the other 310,000,000 Americans who end up being poorer because they will have to pay more for union made consumer goods. With less to spend and fewer choices, we will buy fewer goods, and that leads to declining growth and lost jobs for other Americans. It’s a win-lose for union members and lose-lose for

Cheap imports have led to a decline of textile mills and employment American consumers.

Trump gained many supporters because he claimed cheap imports from China and Mexico were destroying American manufacturing. The facts there are also quite different: over the last 20 years of cheap Mexican and Chinese imports, American manufacturing output has increased by 40% and value added to products by American manufacturers have reached $2.4 trillion, an all-time high.

NAFTA, Trump’s much reviled freetrade treaty with Mexico, has been a boon for the country and especially Texas, which exports $92 billion of goods to Mexico (2015). It is estimated that this trade has created 382,000 new jobs in Texas. The U.S. Department

of Commerce says that Texas’s exports support more than 1,000,000 jobs in America. Cancelling NAFTA would be a disaster for America.

There is another side of free trade that protectionists fail to mention. Free trade competition has allowed other countries to produce things for us more efficiently than we can. That has allowed American manufacturers focus on what they do best. Apple designs products here and lets Chinese factories assemble them. Capital and resources flow away from inefficient companies into more productive ones. New technologies, new ways to manufacture, new ways to market, new ways to distribute = new American jobs.

For example, in 2014 the economy lost 55.1 million jobs but created 57.9 million jobs, a gain of 2.8 million jobs.

Economist Joseph Schumpeter called this “creative destruction.”

Let China produce the shoes, T-shirts, toys, and assemble iPhones. We produce and export high-value products such as “pharmaceuticals, plastics, fabricated metals, machinery, computers, and other electronics, motor vehicles and additional transportation equipment, and aircraft and aerospace equipment.”

Free trade deals such as NAFTA has given American manufacturers access to world markets where they can compete and thrive.

Despite what President Trump says, we have a dynamic, growing economy, and a standard of living equal to none. And free trade has been a major contributor to our prosperity.

No American consumer wants to have fewer choices and pay $30 for $12 Costco T-shirts.

Publisher/Editor • Tim Buckley Design/Production • Trent Watanabe

Columnists Man About Town • Mark Léisuré Plan B • Briana Westmacott | Food File • Christina Enoch Commercial Corner • Austin Herlihy | The Weekly Capitalist • Jeff Harding The Beer Guy • Zach Rosen | E's Note • Elliana Westmacott Business Beat • Chantal Peterson | What’s Hanging • Ted Mills I Heart SB • Elizabeth Rose | Fortnight • Steven Libowitz State Street Scribe • Jeff Wing | Holistic Deliberation • Allison Antoinette Art Beat • Jacquelyn De Longe | Behind The Vine • Hana-Lee Sedgwick SYV Snapshot • Eva Van Prooyen Advertising / Sales Tanis Nelson • 805.689.0304 • tanis@santabarbarasentinel.com Sue Brooks • 805.455.9116 • sue@santabarbarasentinel.com Judson Bardwell • 619.379.1506 • judson@santabarbarasentinel.com Published by SB Sentinel, LLC PRINTED BY NPCP INC., SANTA BARBARA, CA Santa Barbara Sentinel is compiled every other Friday 133 EAST DE LA GUERRA STREET, #182, Santa Barbara 93101 How to reach us: 805.845.1673 • E-MAIL: tim@santabarbarasentinel.com

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SBFITT

H

usband-and-wife fitness coaches Kasey and Rachel Camacho founded SBFITT, a holistic health and wellness program in September 2016, but things are accelerating quickly for this power couple.

What started as a passion project for the fitness-loving duo has gained such popularity that Rachel and Kasey decided to open a fitness training program for all those who were already part of the community they’d built via social media, events, and free workouts. Seeking a stronger sense of community in the Santa Barbara fitness community, they decided to create their own.

The Camachos are full-time professional and certified personal trainers and offer private training, group classes, health workshops, and free community events.

SBFITT is an acronym for “Santa Barbara Fitness in Training Together.”

Much of their initial visibility was gained through social media, which, let’s face it, is the best way to promote a passion project, regardless of whether it actually exists yet(!) Social media is all about ideas and images, and when

Husband-and-wife fitness duo Kasey and Rachel Camacho redefine what it means to be a “power” couple, offering new fitness program for Santa Barbarans (photo by Nikki Anne Spahn Photography)

the two come together and really work, sometimes it catches fire, and in the Camachos’ case, it did.

In a recent interview, Rachel explained, “The hashtag we created, #SBFITT, was what allowed everyone to connect with us, no matter if they were working out in a gym, with a trainer, or outside on their own. It allowed the people to promote for their unique health habits and the activities they were passionate about.

Groups of people started connecting through the hashtag, and friendships were made, and accountability started to integrate into what we were doing.” So, they decided to grow that online and free event-based community into an official business in September 2016.

Social media, however, is not what gives the Camachos their cred. Both are full-time certified professional trainers who offer a variety of services including private personal training, group classes, and health and nutrition workshops.

One of the more unique aspects of their business is that they started out by utilizing a variety of spaces in Santa Barbara. They thought that having multiple locations would help them reach a wider demographic and change up the class structure a bit, offering more variety and also posing creative challenges for the two of them as the trainers. They have used a number of outdoor spaces and beach areas around town, as well as multiple indoor spaces such as State Street Boxing, WuShU martial arts studio, and The Training Room.

That model has worked well up until recently when they realized that as their numbers grew, they needed to solidify a home base for SBFITT. They will soon be opening their own facility, where they’ll bring together all of the elements of what they do and offer as many classes and personal training sessions as they

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Despite that they are now a business and charge for their services, they still offer free weekly run clubs, workouts, outings (like kayaking, paddle boarding, hiking) and events they host throughout the year.

Most know that Santa Barbara is extremely saturated with fitness-related businesses and programs. Luckily for “wellness entrepreneurs” like the Camachos, there is a ton of demand in SB. Rachel says they are in the business of helping people stay healthy – which is a huge arena and one that changes rapidly.

“We constantly have to stay inspired to create the ultimate experience for those around us. Santa Barbarans value themselves; that’s why people here are abundant with health and positivity. We just want to generate more of that.”

One of the new programs SBFITT is offering is their “Booty Camp” – yes, booty. It is a weightlifting circuit training program just for women that focuses on the core and lower body. They use resistance bands, a variety of both heavy and light weights, and killer core work to target these lower body areas.

About Booty Camp, Rachel says, “We wanted women to understand how to strength train. It’s beautiful to be strong, and it’s important to embrace your body and how you look. Strong is beautiful.”

Amen, sister.

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GETTIN’FIT

by Chantal Peterson

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by Zach Rosen

Getting Away from Alcohol

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y the very nature of my job, I have to drink beer. On an average week, I will drink daily and it is rare for me to go more than two or three days without a beer. One to three drinks per day is considered to have a positive impact on health and is thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

These effects are noticed when people consume small amounts of alcohol (ethanol) every day rather than one big binge per week.

As part of an experiment, I recently decided to spend a week without drinking any alcohol. Overall, it was a wonderful process and one that I plan on doing more often. I didn’t find myself missing the effects of alcohol, but I did miss the flavor and carbonation of beer.

Although Pellegrino and unsweetened cranberry juice does make for a tasty beverage that satisfies the carbonation itch, nothing compares to the flavor of beer. Non-alcoholic (N/A) beers are a perfect way of getting the beer flavor without any of the ethanol.

Both BrewDog and Mikkeller have experimented with non-alcoholic beers and the German brewers in particular like to brew this category of beers.

Many of these breweries market their N/A beers as a health beverage, since it contains carbohydrates and other nutrients such as B vitamins and potassium that help the body recover after exercise. During the early days of the temperance movement, beer was suggested as a beverage of moderation and considered an alternative to alcohol, meaning liquor. During Prohibition, many breweries tried to stay in business by producing “near beer,” the term used for a low-alcohol (0.5% ABV or less) brew.

These days, there are some interesting N/A options on the beer shelves, though many of the brews can be a little simple in flavor or just taste different.

This is actually a result of how nonalcoholic beers are produced. The various techniques of removing ethanol from a brew can be split into two main categories: biological or physical separation processes.

Go Biological In fermentation, a yeast cell consumes sugar and produces energy, ethanol, and carbon dioxide. There are intermediate steps that occur and side reactions

Clausthaler produces both a Golden Amber and a Cascade dry-hopped, non-alcoholic brew

that can take place. By controlling the conditions of fermentation, a brewer can limit how much ethanol is produced.

Most biological techniques begin with the mash, the first stage of the brewing process where enzymes developed during the malting process convert the starches found in the grain into sugars.

Increasing the temperature of the mash can reduce the abilities of the enzymes, or even denature them where they are no longer able to perform.

This results in fewer sugars being produced that the yeast can consume and turn into ethanol. Some of these biological methods are used with a concentrated wort (unfermented beer) that is later diluted with distilled water.

This helps to further dilute any ethanol that was produced.

The first biological technique is to use a special yeast. Saccharomyces ludwigii is similar to lager yeast (S. uvarum), but it cannot ferment maltose, a primary sugar found in wort. When fermentation conditions are controlled, an ethanol content of 0.05% ABV can be achieved. Another biological method is to use an arrested fermentation where the fermentation is ended prematurely.

Typically, wort is aerated to introduce oxygen into liquid. The oxygen helps the yeast to propagate, growing the overall yeast culture. To produce an arrested fermentation, the wort is not aerated, which results in an extended lag phase where the yeast is consuming and metabolizing sugars but is not propagating or producing alcohol. The yeast is then filtered out and the beer is carbonated.

The downside of this technique is that the short fermentation time results in many fermentation precursors ending up in the final beer. This includes

Zach Rosen is a Certified Cicerone® and beer educator living in Santa Barbara. He uses his background in chemical engineering and the arts to seek out abstract expressions of beer and discover how beer pairs with life.

sulfur compounds and higher alcohols (think nail polish) that are considered “off” flavors in beer. Some of these compounds can be removed by running nitrogen or carbon dioxide through the liquid, a process referred to as “stripping,” though it requires a high level of analytic control. Lager yeast has been found to be preferable for an arrested fermentation because it results in fewer off flavors.

The final biological technique is called the Cold Contact Process, wherein fermentation is carried out at cold temperatures (35 to 39 degrees F) for an extended amount of time. Typically, a high concentration of yeast and a highgravity wort are used. Carbon dioxide is incorporated as a stripping agent, which helps prevent spontaneous fermentation and also rouses up the yeast, improving the contact between the yeast cells and the concentrated wort. The thick yeast slurry used can sometimes contain a good amount of alcohol, so oftentimes immobilized yeast is used instead.

Immobilized yeast refers to yeast cells that have been attached to a medium or a porous matrix such as agar or even polyurethane. Sometimes the yeast culture is contained behind a barrier such as a micropourous membrane or the cells have even been attached to themselves, forming clumps consisting of thousands of cells that are naturally immobilized. Calcium alginate is the most common material used, and the immobilized yeast pellets look similar to the silica gel beads you see in those little desiccant packets found in everything.

Immobilized yeast can be put into a fluid bed reactor where fresh wort is continuously pumped through the bed of immobilized yeast beads. This process produces high volumes of beer with only a 0.1% ABV and reduced carbonyl levels.

Ethanol is highly flavor-active and alters the character of other flavors. This results in non-alcoholic beers naturally having a different taste, most often noticed as the flavor of wort and thought to be the result of elevated levels of carbonyl compounds. Caramel malts are lower in fermentability than base malts and have been found to reduce some of

this worty character. You can taste this in Clausthaler Dry-Hopped Cascade, which has a similar caramel note as in their popular Golden Amber but has a grassy, orange zest character from the dry hopping. Erdinger Weissbier Alkoholfrei is a German hefeweizen that uses wheat malt to help reduce this worty character. It has 0.4% ABV and a hint of banana and red apple to the doughy wheat malt flavor.

Get Physical The physical processes used to remove alcohol from a fully fermented beer can be split into two groups: thermal or membrane processes. Thermal processes use heat to remove ethanol out of the beer. Since the boiling point of ethanol is lower than water, beer can be heated up to evaporate off the alcohol. This can be as simple as heating up beer in the oven; however, a distillation column is the traditional tool used in these types of processes.

Unfortunately, the heat involved during distillation can damage the beer flavor and darken the color. Instead of distillation columns, different types of evaporators are often used, each with their own pros and cons. These evaporators lower the contact time between the beer and the heat source, reducing the damage caused by the high temperatures. Decreasing the pressure in the system helps to lower the boiling point of ethanol, meaning that lower temperatures (86 to 140 degrees F) can be used.

Alternatively, membranes can be used to physically separate out the ethanol.

Dialysis and reverse osmosis are the two common membrane techniques used.

Physical processes in general have a tendency to take away some of the flavor compounds as ethanol is being removed.

The brewery will often have to further separate the removed liquid and isolate the flavor compounds so that they can be blended back into the non-alcoholic beer. Physical processes can result in low levels of ethanol, with 0.05% ABV or less being achieved. Bitburger Drive comes in both a pilsner and a radler style and uses a physical process to get the ethanol to a statistical 0.0% ABV. The pilsner is probably one of the best tasting N/A beers on the market.

Each process has its own pros and cons, and no one technique is seen as the best. Biological techniques result in premature fermentation off-flavors and physical processes often have an overt sweetness resulting from the heat used during processes. Fortunately, this segment of beer is growing and breweries such as Erdinger and Bitburger are pushing the limits on non-alcoholic beers, making it easier for all to be both alcohol-free and a beer drinker.

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Behind the Vine

by Hana-Lee Sedgwick

Hana-Lee Sedgwick is a writer, wine consultant and lover of all things wine and food. As a Certified Specialist of Wine and Sommelier, she loves to explore the world of wine in and around her hometown of Santa Barbara. When not trying new wines or traveling, she can be found practicing yoga, cooking, entertaining and enjoying the outdoors. Visit her popular blog, Wander & Wine, for wine tips, tasting notes and adventures in wine and travel: wanderandwine.com

PINOT IS KING AT WOPN

P

inot noir drinkers can rejoice with the return of the World of Pinot Noir (WOPN) to Santa Barbara March 3-4. The two-day event, which is held annually at the picturesque Bacara Resort & Spa, will showcase nearly 200 wineries from all over the world, bringing together producers and enthusiasts for a weekend of celebration through pinot-focused seminars, luncheons, tastings, and winemaker dinners. If you love pinot, this premier event is something you won’t want to miss!

Held every year the first weekend of March, World of Pinot Noir officially kicks off bright and early on Friday

morning with a two-part seminar series. The first part of the day includes several Premier and Grand Cru wines from Maison Louis Latour, the largest Grand Cru property in all of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. Later that morning, the seminar continues with a vertical tasting of Hirsch Vineyards led by Jasmine Hirsch, followed by a three-course luncheon prepared by the Bacara Culinary team.

Other events include a rosé lunch at Angel Oak restaurant, an exclusive Burgundy seminar and lunch, and a Pinot & Pâté pairing seminar. On Saturday afternoon, join a couple thousand other eager tasters in Bacara’s

Grand Ballroom for a pinot noir extravaganza known as the Grand Tasting. More than 100 producers and winemakers from California, Oregon, France, Australia, and more will be present to pour their wines for thirsty wine enthusiasts. Santa Barbara’s Foxen, Lumen, Fiddlehead, and J.Wilkes will be just a few of the participants. This is a great opportunity to taste pinot in all different styles under one roof.

Besides the Grand Tasting, one of the main draws of WOPN is the extensive offering of winemaker dinners both Friday and Saturday nights. These intimate dinners bring some of the biggest names in pinot to Santa Barbara, where diners will enjoy multi-course food and wine pairings.

Some of the highlights include dinners featuring the wines of Edna Valley and the Anderson Valley, a special barbeque and pinot dinner with the Hitching Post’s Frank Ostini, and a Rockstars of Pinot Noir Dinner honoring Sonomabased Merry Edwards Winery. The only problem? Deciding which ones to attend… and making sure your palate can handle all the delicious food and wine!

Don’t worry, if you happen to be

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out of town this weekend, you can still get into the pinot noir spirit earlier in the week. The long-standing Santa Barbara restaurant, Wine Cask, has partnered with WOPN to host a winemaker seminar and luncheon on Thursday, March 2. Spotlighting California pinot noir producer Kosta Browne, the seminar will focus on exceptional vineyard sites for pinot noir and the people behind them, followed by a family-style lunch.

Master sommelier Fred Dame will moderate the seminar, with a panel featuring the founders and winemakers of Kosta Browne, Pisoni Vineyards, Three Sticks Winery, and Anthill Farms.

Whether you are a serious pinot lover or simply a wine novice, there’s something for everyone at the World of Pinot Noir. It’s not only a celebratory weekend to honor the much-loved pinot noir grape, but also a great excuse to discover new wines and meet the people behind them.

Weekend passes and tickets for the 17th Annual World of Pinot Noir are on sale now at www.worldofpinotnoir. com. For the Wine Cask seminar reservations, email Wine@WineCask. com.

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10 – 24 FEBRUARY

by Steven Libowitz

Tell us all about your art opening, performance, dance party, book signing, sale of something we can’t live without, or event of any other kind by emailing fortnight@santabarbarasentinel.com. If our readers can go to it, look at it, eat it, or buy it, we want to know about it and will consider it for inclusion here.

Special consideration will be given to interesting, exploratory, unfamiliar, and unusual items. We give calendar preference to those who take the time to submit a picture along with their listing.

Unlikely Lovers and All That Jazz

F

ebruary, they say, is the month for lovers, and it’s a desperate love story that sits at the heart of Porgy and Bess, the Gershwin folk-opera about a disabled street-beggar living in the slums of Charleston, South Carolina, and his attempts to rescue a former cocaine addict and prostitute from her violent and possessive lover and her drug dealer.

The work has seen plenty of controversy over the years, largely because of its racially charged scenes, but has proven its popularity since the 1970s, becoming one of the best-known and most frequently performed operas.

Five years ago, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright SuzanLori Parks (Topdog/Underdog, Father Comes Home from the Wars) adapted Porgy and Bess for the Broadway stage, cleaning up some of the racial language and – more importantly – stripping the work down to a shorter form and for a smaller ensemble. Still, taking on the work amounts to one of more ambitious productions to date for the Ensemble Theater Company (ETC), which mounts Porgy and Bess at the New Vic Theater from February 11-26.

The cast boasts some Los Angeles area heavyweights, including NAACP Awardnominee Karole Foreman (Bess), who returns to the ETC stage after starring in Sweeney Todd and Intimate Apparel.

NAACP Award-winning and Ovation Award-nominated Elijah Rock makes his ETC debut as Porgy, sporting credits that include a recurring guest-starring role on Showtime’s Masters of Sex. Dawnn Lewis (Serena) starred in NBC’s A Different World and was the original star of Sister Act The Musical. K.B. Solomon (Crown) is a Basso Profundo with Washington National Opera, New York City Opera, and Seattle Opera, and Frank Lawson (Sportin’ Life) starred in the world tour of Rent.

ETC’s version of Porgy and Bess – set in the 1960s against the tumultuous civil rights era – still features all of the beloved songs, including “Summertime” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So”, albeit reorchestrated with a jazz feel by two-time Grammy-nominated music director Kevin Toney and performed by an onstage jazz ensemble. Tickets cost $20 to $75. Call 965-5400, ext. 109, or visit www.etcsb.org.

Viola for Valentines

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obert Schumann’s Dichterliebe (“A Poet’s Love”) is likely the most famous song cycle in classical repertoire, certainly one of the most heartbreaking in its range of emotion, both in the words drawn from the Lyrisches Intermezzo of Heinrich Heine (No. 2: “Many flowers spring up from my tears, and a nightingale choir from my sighs: If you love me, I’ll pick them all for you, and the nightingale will sing at your window”) and in Schumann’s settings that often serve as counterpoint.

If you and your beloved’s relationship is mature enough to recognize that love isn’t always hearts and flowers, you might consider spending Valentine’s Day with Heiichiro Ohyama, the 34-year veteran music director and conductor of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, who trades his baton for his viola in a special performance of the song cycle at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s Fleischmann Auditorium Tuesday, February 14, at 7:30 pm. Schumann’s work has been arranged for viola and piano, the latter played by guest artist Yi Dong, while Simon Williams, the chair of UCSB theater department, serves as narrator. The program also includes Mendelssohn’s Piano Quartet No. 2 in F Minor. Given that the concert is preceded by a wine and chocolate reception featuring Jessica Foster Confections and Fox Wine Company, beginning at 6:30

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pm, maybe maturity isn’t necessary at all – just a love for good music. Call 9630761 or visit www.lobero.com.

Creepy Coupling

O

n the other hand, if romance isn’t your thing at all or you just don’t care about holidays manufactured by Hallmark Cards, here’s a Valentine’s Day offering for you: Welcome to Night Vale live at the Lobero. The twice-monthly podcast done in the style of community updates for the fictional small desert town of Night Vale also features local weather, news, and announcements – all spooky and eerie – plus mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events.

Tonight’s live presentation of Welcome To Night Vale stars Cecil Baldwin as Cecil Gershwin Palmer – the podcast’s host, main character, and narrator – with singer-songwriter Erin McKeown serving as The Weather and live music

by Disparition, all performing “Ghost Stories,” their creepiest and most ambitious live show yet. So maybe leave the Valentine’s candy at home. Show time is 8 pm, and tickets cost $31. Call 963-0761 or visit www.lobero.com.

Epic Jazz at UCSB

T

he young saxophonist Kamasi Washington isn’t bound in by genres.

In his second year at UCLA, he went on his first national tour with hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg, then joined the orchestra of one of his biggest heroes, Gerald Wilson, later that year. Tours or collaborations with the likes of R&B legend Raphael Saadiq, Chaka Khan, Jeffrey Osborne, Mos Def, and Quincy Jones were interspersed with sessions with jazz greats McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Burrell and George Duke.

Washington received a great deal of notice for his work on Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly. But it was his 2016 album, The Epic – a 172-minute, triple-disc opus – that cemented his standing as a musician with the intellectual ambition to match his formidable talent. Washington’s own band The Next Step is a modern spin on a big band, which includes two drummers, two upright bass players, keyboard players, three horns players, a pianist, and a vocalist – a far cry from

Glenn Miller’s ensemble. A sensation at last year’s Coachella Festival, Los Angeles native Washington and The Next Step make their Santa Barbara debut Thursday, February 16, at UCSB’s Campbell Hall.

Tickets cost $25 to $40. Info at 8933535 or www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB. edu

How’d He Do That?

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ilt Larsen has been producing his all-star magic show since 1956, even before he opened the Magic Castle, the now-famous private club for magicians and magical enthusiasts that opened its doors seven years later. It’s Magic, the full evening family-friendly touring show culled from favorites at the club, has stopped by the Lobero annually for more than 20 years, with each year a new show featuring top magicians from all over the world. Among this year’s performers are the illusion team of Jody Baran and Kathleen, Chinese magician Juliana Chen, who won the All-China Best Magician competition back in 1986, modern vaudevillians Charlie Frye & Company, and Las Vegas-based illusionists Kyle Knight & Mistie. Expect dazzling sleight of hand, off-beat comedic magic, and mindboggling illusions. Your jaw might drop in awe. But don’t ask ‘em how they do it. Tickets run $20 to $80 for both the 2 pm matinee and 6 pm shows on Sunday, February 19. Call 963-0761 or visit www.lobero.com.

A Partridge Disappearing

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hanks to his role in TV’s The Partridge Family, David Cassidy became a big star before he turned 20 and was the lead singer for seven chart-topping Partridge Family singles including “Doesn’t Somebody Want To Be Wanted”, “I Woke Up in Love This Morning”, “Breaking Up is Hard to Do”, and of course, “I Think I Love You,” which was the best-selling record of 1971. Four more decades of recording, touring, appearing on Broadway and London’s West End and in Las Vegas followed. But now it’s all coming to a close.

Cassidy announced earlier this month that he’s ending his career at the end of the year, due to arthritis (though as some tabloids have mentioned, being arrested for DWI three times since 2010 might have taken its toll, too). Which means his last-ever date on the West Coast is right here in Santa Barbara on Sunday, February 19, a nostalgic night of music as Cassidy will perform some of his most popular songs and hit singles in a final trip down memory lane here in California, where it all began. Tickets for the 8 pm show cost $29 to $68. Call 899-2222 or visit www.granadasb.org.

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ON MUSIC

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by Chantal Peterson

A POSTMODERN JUKEBOX

Pianist Scott Bradlee of Postmodern Jukebox (Courtesy of UCSB Arts & Lectures)

M

y grandmother, a woman I admired very much, told me once that, “there is nothing new under the sun.” I found that statement troublesome and a bit irritating. But perhaps (I’m hoping) her statement was merely a metaphor to explain the Law of Conservation, which states that energy can be neither created nor destroyed, but merely

transformed.

I realize this may be a bit of a stretch.

But if it is what she meant, I think she might consider the musical genius of Postmodern Jukebox, a collective of musicians and performers who will be performing on Valentine’s Day at the Arlington Theatre, to be a beautiful expression of that old adage. Let me explain.

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Led by New York-based pianist and arranger, Scott Bradlee, Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ) takes contemporary pop, rock, and R&B hits and reimagines them in the style of various “oldies” from swing to doo-wop, ragtime to Motown.

Bradlee himself describes it as “pop music in a time machine.” The result is a captivating experience of nostalgia, firstclass talent, and contemporary musical favorites. My grandmother would have wanted to see these guys, and so do I. Bradlee has organically attracted some extraordinary talent. Many of the musicians they work with have heard about the project through their own networks, others came to it intrigued by the novel concept, and impressed by the amount of traction PMJ has gained, having risen to popularity through a series of more than 200 YouTube videos, all filmed in Bradlee’s own living room. Started in 2009, the PMJ YouTube channel now has more than 2 million subscribers and the ensemble performs on live stages around the world. One of their first videos, a 1920s jazz twist on the hip-hop hit “Thrift Shop”, scored a million-plus views in its first week.

Bradlee says he’s been producing a video every week since 2013. That is an impressive rate of production, especially considering that the talent is constantly changing. He works with a continuously rotating group of musicians—as many as 50 different artists have toured with PMJ, and a larger number have collaborated on the videos throughout the years. This dynamic, ongoing rotation of artists makes for a constantly evolving and ever-fresh repertoire of videos and live performances.

All the performers, whether on stage or on film, perform live together in the same room, at the same time – harkening back to the olden days when music was (gasp) never synthesized,

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auto-toned or programed – it was always live. Bradlee, in a recent interview with The Sentinel, explains why he loves live work so much, “Live recording and performing captures a moment in time an preserves it… there’s a spontaneous energy to it.”

One of the standout attributes of Post Modern Jukebox is the caliber of vocalists attracted to the ensemble, including American Idol star Haley Reinhart, who brings her polished but smoky and sensual voice typical of the jazz age to the work. Her sound, like so many of the PMJ group, is made modern by the charm, buoyancy, and ironic nod to pop culture that she brings to her performance. Check out her performance on YouTube in the ensemble’s remake of “All about that bass” to see what all the hype is about.

When asked what inspires him creatively these days, Bradlee says, “The fans inspire me. I didn’t have expectations when this started.

Sharing the videos, I’ve realized that this is a movement. People write me frequently and tell me how the project has changed them. When you know you have a lot of people relying on you and looking to you, you do your best work possible.”

Some of their work includes songs by icons such as Lady Gaga, Radiohead, Beyoncé, and even Vanilla Ice – but all reworked and performed as classic ragtime, blues, swing, or doo-wop tunes. This work is truly entertaining as it is brilliant and unique.

Postmodern Jukebox is brought to us by UCSB Arts and Lectures and will be performing on Valentine’s Day this year at the Arlington. A special treat for lovers of music and performance – and, given the date, for lovers in general.

For more information and tickets, call (805) 893-3535 or visit www.

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PLANB by Briana Westmacott When Briana isn’t lecturing for her writing courses at UCSB and SBCC, she contributes to The Santa Barbara Skinny, Wake & Wander and Flutter Magazine. Along with her passion for writing and all things Santa Barbara, much of her time is spent multitasking through her days as a mother, wife, sister, want-to-be chef and travel junky.

Writing is an outlet that ensures mental stability... usually.

S a n ta B a r b a r a Av i at i on

SISTERS, ELEPHANT FAIRIES, AND TWEEN AGE

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his is a tale of two sisters who were very different. One liked peanut butter; the other liked jelly. One ran around in circles on the grass, while the other liked to lie back on that green carpet and watch the clouds go by. One was quite tall and the other was not, which made them – at ages 9 and 11 – the exact same size.

Their differences could date back to the days they both entered this world.

One came two weeks past her due date and had a labor that lasted longer than a workweek, 42 hours to be exact. The other came one day early and after only three hours of labor. She came close to being delivered on the floor of Cottage Hospital. The word opposite doesn’t do justice.

As they grew, they continued to surprise us. One loved to sleep and at just six weeks old, she slept through the night. The other did not use the nights for rest; she woke up every hour of the night for an entire year. When they decided to speak, one declared “Hi!” as her first word, while the other chose “Bye!” At times, I was amazed they came from the same set of parents.

Of course, being sisters meant they shared many commonalities sprinkled in with their differences. Besides their shoe size, they both gravitated to the rope swings in our oak tree. They would pass hours dangling from those branches together. They both also liked horses and bikes and their dad’s chicken curry.

Throughout the years, one thing has remained constant: these sisters have always held hands. Everywhere they went; those digits were linked by plus signs. The trees were their ladders. The sidewalks were impossible paths for adults to comprehend; they had a joint imagination.

But the other night, I witnessed a shift. Tears streamed from my youngest Lila as she exclaimed, “Elli doesn’t want to play with me anymore!”

I attempted a remedy and walked over to Elli’s door, only to find it closed. I knocked and entered at the same time and was hit with, “MOM, leave me alone!” while her ears remained plugged into music. In a shocked stupor, I obeyed and closed the door. I returned to Lila’s tear-filled room and did some quick thinking.

Lila loves when I tell her stories, so

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I hope they will hold onto each other forever!

I jumped into a tale about a little girl who has an older sister who happened to grow up. The end of the tale involved an elephant fairy that comes to rescue the little sister to be her forever friend and playmate. Lila smiled and curled up in her bed with that elephant fairy while drifting off to sleep.

I tiptoed out and had a painful moment of realization. Elli is transitioning into a tween. I thought back to the time when Blankie was sewn to Elli’s hand. If we left the house without that piece of rag, we turned around and went back.

Should Blankie need to be cleaned, we would sit and watch the drier awaiting its fresh exit. Now, as Elli approaches 12 years old, Blankie has retreated into a corner of her bed.

It happens. Kids grow. When I looked at a tearful Lila and explained this reality, it broke my heart along with hers.

No doubt, the sister bond will forever be cemented, but the tween is starting to create small fissures. I believe my job will be to keep those cracks patched while allowing my tween to find her independence. The elephant fairy and I have a lot of work ahead of us.

BRIANA’S BEST BET

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s the girls grow, it has become harder to find activities that they both enjoy. One spot that is our goto at the moment is Cloud 10 Jump Club. Not only is it a great activity for all ages – the super small all the way up to teenagers – but it’s also a great indoor spot to fill some of the rainyday hours that February brings. www. cloud10jumpclub.com

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...continued from p.5

Wilson and Sammy timidly express (photo by Clovis IV) Sonic bliss with a side of SM

seen and somewhat mysterioso Dtease have a reputation; you don’t go out to a club to see a Dtease show. You go there to be a Dtease show.

Release the Genie Suddenly, a tuneful sonic blast (the Dtease Theme, it turns out) comes soaring out of the PA and everyone takes a drink as if bracing for something.

There is movement from behind me in the crowd, and I turn in time to see a guy saunter by in chains and bondage garb, urged on by an attractive and nearnaked young maiden with a cat o’ ninetails; my first indication that I won’t be

hearing an ABBA cover this evening.

And so it begins.

The following 40 minutes feel like uncorking the most seriously ADHD genie ever bottled. The crowd will morph from a mob in slack-jawed wonder to a delirious throng whose whirling madness is inseparable from that of the “band.” This constantly cresting wave of a show will combine intense interlocking chops, bolt-loosening audio, lasers, fog, limbs-akimbo crowd surfing, a bikini-fueled pillow fight and snowstorm of feathers, an airborne flying saucer, a glitter tsunami, an electrified singer doing the Wah-Watusi

on Whiskey’s crowded bar, some Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval S&M, and an unfortunate egg-headed alien “gray” tossed helplessly about the crowd in an ill-advised “Welcome to Earth” ritual. If I’m not mistaken, this is the dictionary definition of “Mayhem.”

Throughout the set, the place is completely unhinged (one might even say “liberated”), audience and band intermingling enflamed chakras in a shitstorm of pure kinetic Happy until the feedback loop feels like it will blow the doors off the place.

Those who’d hoped for more of a Captain and Tennille vibe are right out of luck. Although there is a Yogurt Land nearby if you need to douse the fire.

Welcome to planet Dtease.

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So. Dtease. Really? The name calls to mind a well-documented physical condition characterized by irregular heart rate, shaking, shivering, sweating, seizures, and incoherent hollering.

Check.

“The underlying premise is permission to go crazy at a Dtease show.” Wilson Gil, singer (for lack of a better term), is reclined uneasily in an easy chair at Rose Lane Studios, a state-of-theart recording palace hidden like the BatCave in a nondescript Carpinteria industrial park. The Dtease—Wilson Gil (lead vocals), Sammy McPherson (lead guitar), Josh McDonough (guitar), Terry Luna (bass), and Mike Sharpe (drums) – commune here regularly with a soft-spoken, storied impresario/audio pioneer named Sjoerd Koppert, a Dutchman with a dangerous twinkle in the eye and School of Classic Rock pedigree that can make a writer’s thinning hair stand on end. If you don’t know Mr. Koppert by name, you’re surely familiar with some of the company he’s been keeping since around the time The Beatles played Shea. He is Rose Lane Studios’s proprietor and father, and a (quietly) larger-thanlife figure in the rock firmament. And he has taken a shine to The Dtease. It

seems they remind him of something he thought had gone from the world.

Here’s the thing; The Dtease unpack a full-blown roof-raising, wall-to-wall, eye-goggling Rock ‘n Roll Circus in whatever space they’re given, and the audience is in the center ring. How they manage this is anybody’s guess. The Dtease in the wild throes of a gig seem individually larger than life-sized up there, viewed through laser-adorned fog in their shimmering suits. When Wilson is having an ecstatic onstage seizure, or is being passed around the club on the upraised hands of the maddened congregants like a flailing messiah, the band leaning into their instruments with Justice League of America postures and slamming out a seamless blast of gravelcrushing metronomic glory, Dtease is like a test-tube creation – a perfect rock n’ roll mutant-machine, grown in a lab and unleashed on a world starved for action.

“I would always rather see a new band trying really hard than an established band being bored onstage,” Sjoerd explains with a grin. “Someone told me this band had an incredible live show. I went to see them and I was immediately sold. If you look at my background and the bands I’ve worked with, apart from Floyd where everything was about the sound and the lights, the other bands like The Who, and even Yes – most of the bands I’ve worked with kicked ass live. The Dtease bring that back.”

Mismatched Super Heroes Save Gotham

The band, for all its unfiltered octane, looks like a drawer full of mismatched silverware, and that may be its strength.

They were clearly not assembled by the production team that built One Direction. Sammy is an 8-foot tall Will Ferrell type who speaks with the locution of a schoolteacher, and is onstage a gyrating, shredding madman in spaceshades. What’s more, he can also take Gil’s obtuse riff-descriptions (“…okay, I’m hearing nee-do-nee-do-da-da-danee-do...”) and turn them into actual

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all aspire to.” More murmured assent from the guys. “The Dtease are at their best when the whole thing heats up and we’re all about to come APART, and that’s when the crazy shit begins to HAPPEN!” General laughter. “And you know what? When we get to that place it’s one big thing, and The Dtease is everybody, and not just the band.”

There is a pin-drop silence, which Gil reads in a heartbeat. “Okay, that’s my spiel.” The band erupts in helpless laughter. Yeah, front man.

Laszlo and the Dream Revival Mike slams the skins in a beatifying ray of heavenly light (photo by Clovis IV)

musical figures.

“Thanks to Sam, I can actually improve my songwriting without having to become a better guitar player,” Wilson laughs. Terry brings the bottomend-ass-moving-hammer-blow to the soundtrack, and summoning chops from an unexpected place. “I was coming from an alt-country band and had been playing upright bass with a lot of technical stage stuff, lifting the bass into the air. Country is about the fundamentals… it seems like simple music but it’s really really f*****g hard to play traditional. You have to keep it uniform, and all those rules that seem like they would restrict you actually expand your vocabulary. You apply all those country rules to a rock beat and suddenly it just sounds more dynamic.

And,” he concludes matter-of-factly, “I was ready to play fast and hard. Dtease is it.” Mike is a mellow, beefy blonde teddy bear, polite and deferential until he’s behind the kit, at which point he becomes a polyrhythmic Hulk Smash, even ritually reducing his kit to smithereens at the end of every show – a practice that once drew curious commentary from none other than former Megadeth drummer Nick Menza [RIP] . “He came to one of our shows,” Mike says, “and came up afterwards and said, ‘What the f**k was that all about?! You do that every show?’”

“Yeah,” Mike answered without blinking.

Josh at a glance has a sort of surfer vibe.

His sympathetic features and Jesus hair would not look out of place in tie-dye, the former death metal guitarist whose highly technical speed fretting nearly cost him his tendons once upon a time.

That leaves us Wilson Gil, Dtease’s hood ornament and spiritual papa. He sums up The Dtease near the top of his lungs.

“Sure, come in and dance your ass off, feel FREE!” Gil shouts, leaning forward and spreading his hands, “But dig deeper and the show is about fighting power, fighting oppression, being on an equal footing, being okay with your body, being okay with sex, being okay with loving everybody! These are the higher concepts and truths that we

Back in 2011, Gil was coming off several nonstop, exhausting years of on-and-off touring throughout Europe with his Speed-Americana outfit, the Willful Sinners; a band that had grown organically from his countrified Bakersfield upbringing and later love affair with punk. Crushed cowboy hat, sleeveless T-shirts, tattoos, amps, and the abiding love of a European audience that has always been enamored of that America that wears its frontier heart on its sleeve, the Sinners were embraced everywhere they went. After endlessly touring the Continent for years, Gil’s band landed some final gigs playing military bases in forward positions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Gil’s Punk Americana band would don helmets and flak jackets and fly from gig to gig (base to base, that is) in Blackhawk helicopters over active territory.

Back in the States exhausted, spent, and disillusioned by the wars, even as he and the band had come to love and respect the soldiers doing the time so far from home, Gil fleetingly thought of calling it quits in music and leaving the U.S. for a time. Planning to hole up in Santa Barbara for the summer, save some dough, and beat it out of the country down to Costa Rica where he’d built a place, he met a guy, a change agent, really, named Laszlo. He somehow saw into Gil and took the wheel. His new musician pal infused him with a renewed spirit, to Gil’s own surprise.

They ended up forming The Dtease together, but maybe more importantly “Laz” feverishly talked Gil back into the rock ‘n roll sunlight.

“He was really ‘damn the torpedoes’ about it,“ Gils says now. “He said to me, ‘You still have a lot to give. Just tell me what you need and I’ll help you get it going. Let’s do this!’” They began auditioning people for an as yet undefined punk band that Gil figured would at least keep his chops sharp while he decided whether or not to head south, as planned. Then, as if by kismet, it all started to fall together. Wilson met Sammy McPherson, whose mad skills and desire to fly fit the newish band like

a glove. Band manager Cate Imperio came aboard and was instrumental in launching and defining the band’s glam-grenade persona as they grew into a working outfit, helping to shape the look and attitude that so stuns today’s audiences. And as band manager Cate brought another talent to the table, in shows working the cat o’ nine-tails with professionalism and verve.

Sjoerd “Between the sixties and seventies, the equipment became huge. In the midsixties, we were touring with a little van with equipment in the back. In the early seventies, we had semi trucks,” he laughs.

“And even then, at first we had the same crews, the same number of people!”

Sjoerd Koppert. In some circles this is a household name, despite the absence of a helpful vowel between the two consonants that begin it. Sjoerd (pronounced like the latter half of “assured”) hails from The Netherlands, but since the late ‘60s has been all over the map, so to speak, seeing much of the civilized world from behind, and in some ways within, a mixing board. In a nutshell, Koppert has worked with the biggest acts from the gilded age of classic rock. The Who, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, Elton, The Stones – Koppert has mixed them all. Perhaps more significant are his contributions to large-scale live sound design, and his pioneering of stereo and quadraphonic sound in huge-venue live music. Making a soccer stadium ring with the clarity and fidelity of a carpeted living room – that’s a challenge Koppert took early on, and conquered.

“There were no PA systems when I started. The biggest PA systems you could get at that time were boxes with five 12-inch speakers in them. Which sounded absolutely horrible. When The Beatles played Shea Stadium (in 1965), they had to borrow a PA from Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits because he had four of those boxes. It was a joke.”

Koppert’s own audio achievements so bowled over the industry at one time that a coveted six-page NME (New Musical Express) review of a world tourwrapping Golden Earring concert in London focused mainly on the concert’s sound. Koppert’s sound. The band was chagrined. “The guys are old friends of mine, but one of them in particular didn’t like it,” he says with a rueful smile.

So where does Dtease fit into all this? Sjoerd has plans. To date, he is overseeing video production for the band, and two albums (as they used to say) worth of material have been recorded and mastered. The Dtease are in the pipeline for a waiting world.

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“I want to bring back that intensity.

I want to show people how it used to be. It’s hard work if you want to grab the audience. These guys do that. The objective is a long tour, but we have to get the word out to allow that to happen.

These are experienced, solid guys, really great people. And they can play!”

Transcendence Gil is on a roll tonight. Something about him calls to mind Dennis Hopper in Apocalypse Now – a sort of amped troubadour. “The show lets us talk about things that are transcendent,” he nearly shouts, his thin rock ‘n roll torso twisting and twitching in the chair.

“It’s a transcendence that is built into the vibe of the show, man! We’ll have dancers doing different bits that in the show look wild and crazy, but when you look back on that stuff in the context of what the songs are saying… there is a ‘there’ there.” I picture the cat o’ nine tails and arch my eyebrows. “Rock ‘n roll isn’t happening any more,” blurts out Bettina Pavone, the band’s media manager. “These guys have tapped into that old-school rock ‘n roll. They’ve distilled it. Stooges, MC5, Bowie. I’d lost faith.” Gil’s eyes flash.

Several days later, Gil and I are on the phone. The previous weekend, The Dtease had played a packed club in SLO. I have him on speaker, and his excited hollering is causing my cheap Silvertone acoustic to hum in sympathy where it leans against the bookshelf. “The energy was just OFF THE HOOK! I was surfin’ the top of the crowd… pretty soon it was just this big movement. Transcendence!

Then something happened.” He pauses; a first.

“This one kid was so moved – he was on crutches. He made it through the middle of this surging crowd all the way to the front of the stage, I don’t know how. And then I saw that he only had one leg. He managed to get up there on the stage with me, handed his crutches off to someone and leaned into the crowd. He… he crowd-surfed from the front to the back of the room, and it was so f*****g powerful, the look on his face.” Another pause. “It was like, in that moment he was made whole. We were all him, and he was us. And he was me!

Everyone in the place was unglued with the feeling, but so f*****g connected. It blew my f*****g mind.”

Wilson Gil’s megaphone voice cracks for the first time; another form of sweet music. “It was unreal. It was everything I live to do.”

Check out The Dtease on April 28 at M8RX, 409 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Call (805) 957-4111 for more info.

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CREATIVE CHARACTERS DAVID MARK LANE

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t is undeniable that computers have changed the world. From auto-tuned music to CGI in films, computers, and digital media have also influenced our views on art and creativity. For digital artist David Mark Lane, computers are a modern tool for emulating painting, silkscreening, and other two-dimensional art forms.

by Zach Rosen

As a grade-school student, David had a natural inclination toward drafting and the arts, and in 1979 he attended an architecture program at the University of Colorado Boulder. That was the first year the university introduced environmental design courses, an architectural philosophy that foreshadowed the green architecture movement. Upon

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graduating, David moved to Vail, Colorado, and worked on resort design for a firm in the area.

He eventually moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, with the same design firm and had a client that had a project in Montecito. That endeavor led to another one in the area, and before he knew it David was living in Santa Barbara.

In the late 1980s, David had started using CAD drafting programs on computers but found that his fluency with drafting made it easier and quicker for him to illustrate by hand.

He would later scan his drawings and make any adjustments to them with Photoshop. This was the beginning of his relationship with Photoshop, and he began to play around with different filters and effects in his free time. His first experiments with Photoshop and art were trying to emulate Andy Warhol, and this inspiration is still a dominant theme in his work.

From Emma Stone to Jimi Hendrix, David has incorporated the images of celebrities into much of his work.

He has a current exhibit on display at the Abolish Blandness gallery (Studio A) located in SBCAST, where you can see a range of his art pieces.

He worked on his Nelson Mandela series the day Mandela was admitted to the hospital. In Mandela 1e, the colors of Mandela’s face and hair are accentuated by vibrant pixelations and sharpened with a wild background of neon colors.

Andy Warhol believed that squares (specifically 42 inches) were the perfect format for presenting portraits, and in another nod toward Warhol, David prints his portraitures on 14-inch aluminum squares. He has found that aluminum is a good material for helping strengthen the colors during the printing process.

Each image was colored digitally on a monitor, and David has found that the colors are most true to design when viewed digitally. There is a projector in the exhibit where he has a rotating selection of his works projected onto the wall.

Some of his pieces start off from scratch, beginning with a blank screen, while others are created from a photograph or existing image. Many of the textures laid into the image come from photographs that David has taken while around town or traveling.

From a photograph of a barrel cactus to one shot he took of paint spilled on the sidewalk, these images are tweaked, manipulated, and filtered until they are almost unrecognizable from their original forms.

One of the more recognizable themes in his work is his use of barcodes as a

way of providing texture and structure to the piece. The barcode has special meaning to David. The first time he saw a barcode was what first made him aware of the concept of digital. You will often witness warped and colored barcodes strewn throughout many of his images. This is most recognizable in barcode cut 2016, where a barcode has been cut and imprinted on itself, forming the impression of a cityscape with a cubist flair.

David sees a parallel between his work as an architect and as a digital artist with many of his artworks having structural elements in their design. In architectural drawing, he would often have to make adjustments by cutting and pasting parts of the illustration with a razor blade and tape. He is doing similar procedures in Photoshop, just using digital tools rather than mechanical ones.

Computers also allow him to save each step of the process and change color palettes and backgrounds on a whim, producing an endless array of variations of an image. This fluid process is reminiscent of architecture where “design never ends” and the architect must be expansive and flexible with a project.

One of the other textural techniques David uses in his work, he refers to as “mining pixels.” David will zoom in incredibly close into an image so that it becomes highly pixelated. Similar to looking at the brushstrokes of a Monet close up, this microscopic view exposes the patterns of pixels that make up the entire image and explores the limits of the digital swatch.

When he finds a series of pixels he likes, David will then copy that image and layer and color the different pixelated forms. In rising concern 1a1e, these pixels add texture to a series of geometric shapes colored in coppers, bronzes, and additional earth tones to give an organic feel to the piece.

David has learned many of these techniques through his decades of experience using Photoshop, and for his exhibit he wanted to share some of his knowledge with people.

Each Saturday in February, David will be teaching a class on different Photoshop techniques from 1 to 4 pm in the Abolish Blandness gallery (Studio A) of SBCAST. It is free to attend, and students can learn about image manipulation and the different range of tools and filters in Photoshop.

Feel free to swing by the gallery and peruse his collection of works while learning about how Photoshop can be a powerful tool for art.

Visit davidmarklane.com to see more of his works.

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WHAT’SHANGING? with Ted Mills Ted Mills is a local writer, filmmaker, artist, and podcaster on the arts. You can listen to him at www.funkzonepodcast.com. He currently has a seismically dubious stack of books by his bed. Have an upcoming show you’d like us to know about? Please email: tedmills@gmail.com

ART AND LOTS OF IT

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rtists think differently, have you noticed? We can’t help it. We’re jokesters, tricksters, loonies, madmen, nasty women, adult children, eternal questioners, juxtapositionists, taggers, flaggers, propagandists, anarchists, and fools. We don’t give you what you want. We throw things at you that you need.

To wit: Last First Thursday’s rainy night opening of Masha Keating’s current show at SBCAST (see below). In the middle of gallery I found several of Keating’s Russian female relatives and friends sitting around a card table stacked high with vodka, cheese, pickled fish, boiled potatoes, thick pumpernickel, and other goodies. Soon I was sitting with these ladies, learning how to properly pronounce “Nasdarovje” and getting better at it – strangely – the more I drank.

I was first told by Keating that the table was actually an installation called “Russian Village”, but later she copped to the truth: her relatives set up the table during the day’s install, and were having too much fun to leave. That’s how artists deal with situations – they turn them into more art. Did I venture out that evening wanting this? Nyet. Did I wind up needing this after a long, exhausting week? Da, very much.

SO, ABOUT THAT EXHIBIT...

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f Masha Keating’s name sounds familiar, it’s because she last showed her large format digital and oil paintings (I can’t tell the difference from afar) in Ojai a few months ago, but the deconstructed, flowery works are currently up at Studio C in SBCAST (513 Garden St.) for all to take in. Runs through February.

BETWEEN THE LINES

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eanwhile, across the hall from Keating’s show is a solo exhibit for Matt Rodriguez, who plays referee between a Marc Chagall and Keith Haring wrestling match and records the results on canvas. His larger works are stunning and reveal hidden messages the longer you look. There’s plenty of smaller works to pick up at a steal, if you are so inclined. Also through February.

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describe his take on the Reagan years, but as he works in soft and stuffed printed fabrics, that would not be apt. “Soft Actor” takes apart Ronald Reagan’s iconic body – the slicked back hair, the wave, the visage – and deflates them with understuffing or forcefully stitches them to sheets of wool, looking like pustules ready to burst.

Morning in America seems so long ago! Through April 30.

NO BORDERS HERE

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estmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art jumps into the discussion of immigration with its current “So Close and So Far” show, featuring works by Andrea Bowers and Marcos Ramirez ERRE. The two have been working together for years after Bowers brought students to ERRE’s Tijuana studio, and both examine borders, identity, and immigration through their installation pieces, including a Trojan Horse that faces both ways. We’re all immigrants now, man! (Wait, just checked – we always were, except for Native Americans.) Through March 25.

BETTER THAN A BOX O’CHOCOLATES

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usan Tibbles curates this February group show at the Santa Barbara Tennis Club (2375 Foothill Road) based on “LOVE”, so why not buy art instead of flowers this Valentine’s Day? Artists include Roxanne Aquiline, Lori Call, Katie Curry, Kate Klavan Doordon, Kim Flory, Donna Gallant, Pam Gartner, Rosemarie Gebhart, Jack Hewett, Beverly Jackson, Ginny Spires, Veronica A. Mishou, Don Zimmerman, Janna Valenzuela, Joan McMullen, Siu Zimmerman, and Cynthia Woo. That’s two men out of a group of 17. Ladies, make of that what you will.

TIMELESS WORKS

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mpressionist Meredith Brooks Abbott gets her fourth solo show “The Here and Now” at Sullivan Goss (11 E. Anapamu), and it runs through April 2. Her current landscapes of Santa Barbara County come filled with history and nostalgia, like a window into another time.

TAKE NOTE FOR NEXT TIME

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etritus-shaper Dan Levin teams up with found-object crafter Peter Fox for “Assemblage Bros,” opening February 25 at Gallery 525, 525 W. El Roblar Drive, Ojai. Get thinking about that carpool.

WORK ETHIC

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cott Trimble told me recently that he does two things: work all day as a paralegal, then come home and paints. His objective: one painting in one sitting. He now has thousands of paintings, though some get cycled and recycled, painted over, changed, tweaked, and re-used. His brutal but dreamy works are part of the current group show at 10 West Gallery (10 W. Anapamu), where he is the featured artist. Through February.

BURNING UP

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om Pazderka opens a dark, mystifying, and delirious show at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara (229 E. Victoria St.) this coming Friday called “Into Nothing: New Paintings in Ash and Oil.” While we are being deluged, Pazderka’s art comes out of that drought not too long ago. We get wildfires, clouds, cabins, and philosophers, all ghostly and dreamlike on an often burnt wooden base. This is art forged from an inferno. Check it. Through March 23. Opening reception, February 17, 5 to 7 pm.

POST-TEFLON THOUGHTS

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ucked away in the Bloom Project gallery at MCA Santa Barbara (Paseo Nuevo, upstairs) is the political art of Bean Gilsdorf. I wanted to say “pointed” to

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BUSINESSBEAT

by Chantal Peterson Chantal Peterson is a writer, travel enthusiast and a fine artist. She runs a content marketing business for wellness brands, and is an occasional contributor to various local and national publications. Contact Chantal at mypenlives@gmail.com or @moivelle on Instagram.

THE ISLA VISTA FOOD CO-OP

co-op, and that it was possible to incorporate fresh, organic food on a tight budget.

To this end, they started a project to create more accessibility in each food category in the store by ensuring that there were a number of items throughout the store offered at lower price points. The co-op makes lower margins on these items, but the gap is filled by huge boost in sales from Cal Fresh users, a number of whom have also become members.

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ONE MEMBER, ONE SHARE, ONE VOTE The members of the co-op are its foundation, they make it what it is – a cooperatively owned, democratically run business. Customers can choose to invest and be an owner, which gives each member access to financial benefits and an opportunity to have a voice. Customers can become members with a one-time fee of $150, which can be divided out into five annual payments of, say $30. Each member may buy one share, this means that each has equal weight and equal voting power: one member, one share, one vote. “Technically, my bosses are my peers in the community that have been shopping here and putting in a financial vote of confidence,” Melissa says.

Members can also run for board of directors. And if they don’t run, they can vote, of course. Board members serve two-year terms, and they commit to 8 to 10 hours a month. The Isla Vista Food Co-op’s annual board elections are coming up in later February. These elections offer a level of engagement that no other business can have: the customers own the co-op, so they can elect representatives that they feel best represent their voices in the community to help steward the co-op’s longer-term strategic vision and financial planning. Pretty cool.

ith all that’s happening politically, it seems like a fitting moment to talk about the successes of a homegrown local business whose model functions quite literally as an economic democracy in action.

Founded by college students in 1972, the Isla Vista Food Co-op is more than just a grocery store in the heart of IV. In a recent interview, general manager, Melissa Cohen, explains, “Since the beginning, the mission of the co-op has been to build community through food.” Prior to her position as GM, Melissa ran the education and outreach programs there, and through her decade-long tenure with the business, has seen big transformations in the business and the community it serves.

Today, she is excited about what she sees in terms of the level of diversity and participation that the co-op community is attracting. “I’m really excited to be watching the co-op become more accessible to a wider part of our community.

Particularly, I’m really excited about who I’m seeing shopping here now, especially as we’ve opened ourselves up to more conversations about Cal Fresh and food stamps, and what it means to be a high-quality food store that’s also accessible.”

For those looking for ways to make a direct impact in their community and vote with their dollar in a very practical way, business like the Co-op are where it’s at. MORE DIVERSITY Melissa articulates this idea well: “If ever there was a time where people were feeling Isla Vista as a whole is a diverse neighborhood, perhaps one of the most diverse disenfranchised and looking for ways to get active, this is something tangible to in all of the Santa Barbara area – particularly given the large Latino community and be involved in. I run a grocery store because it’s the most practical, most on-the- the International Student and family demographics. ground thing that I can do to make sure that people are not going hungry.”

Melissa says that shoppers at the co-op today are more diverse than ever before.

She attributes this in part to the highest-ever concentration of international students MORE ACCESSIBILITY at UCSB, Chinese students likely being the largest group. For example, she explains, It turns out that the IV Food Co-op has been taking food stamps since the day it at UCSB, 25 percent of people identify as Latino, there are also many Middle opened in ’72 and was one of first grocery stores in SB to accept them. But despite Eastern students, and the LGTB community is also growing, as people feel more that this facet was written into the operating mission, it hasn’t been a popular place comfortable identifying themselves. for shoppers using food stamps because of the common notion that health food The IV Co-op also runs a strong giveback program; about 30K is given back every stores were unaffordable – that is, until now. year via direct impact. They also host a slew of events and are active in resource In an effort to shift the paradigm, Melissa explains that about four years ago, sharing and educational opportunities— all of which are harder to quantify in the IV Co-op committed to making a stronger effort to de-stigmatize the use of dollars. They are engaged in what Melissa calls, “Regenerative capitalism.” food stamps. They started by educating community and staff and learning to be True to form, Melissa says it best: “Now is the time for direct community consistent with the language used to talk about these issues. One of the major goals action, and at consumer co-ops, every transaction is literally a transformational in the effort was to help people understand that they could afford to shop at the action.”

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IHeart SB

By Elizabeth Rose

I Heart SB is a social experiment in dating and relationships through stories shared with and experienced by a thirty-something living in the Greater Santa Barbara area. All stories herein are based on actual events. Some names, places, and timelines have been altered to preserve anonymity and, most of all, for your reading enjoyment. Submit stories (maximum 700 words) to letters@santabarbarasentinel.com.

THE EGO EXPERIMENT

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work at a grocery store as a cashier. To say it’s been humbling is an understatement.

Instead of seeking a job in a cozy little boutique (my usual fallback plan), I pursued this job to see if I could actually work without ego. That was my thought, anyway, as I filled out the application.

But a week after I started, I found myself crying on a park bench one afternoon.

The sun was shining. Kids were playing. I was miserable. Turns out, facing the ego is 1,000 percent more difficult than I thought. And the struggle’s only begun.

The first day as a cashier was great. My co-workers are really nice, and I was actually having a little fun. (Scanning groceries is kinda satisfying. I think it’s beeping sound of the machine.) There’s also a sense of anonymity that comes with this position, as if I’m playing a version of myself. It also brings a type of relief. I can just do the job and go home.

Absent is the need to succeed. The pressure to be “the best” is gone. Maybe this is what contentment feels like, I thought. Maybe I’ve finally found a little peace.

As the days went on, the novelty wore off and ego settled in But as the days went on, the novelty wore off and the ego settled in. What’s that guy’s problem? It’s only been 30 minutes since I clocked in?! My knees hurt. Why the F am I doing this again? I’m too good for this – I have a college degree!

That’s when it hit me: I was in the trenches. In the wretched bowels of the ego.

And the worst part? It oozed out to affect the rest of my life. I found myself in a bad mood about 80 percent of my day. Little things would set me off. A slight change of plans, for example, would shoot me down a hole of pessimism. I was the new critic in town. Nothing was good enough. Then guilt would set in because I fell for the ego’s dirty tricks. I seemed to retreat back to a place I worked so hard to get out of and willingly threw myself back in.

The middle of last year (the exact time I left my job, moved in with my sweetheart, and “risked it all” for the sake of love and adventure), I made a vow that I would delve deeper into my self. Go into the shadows of my psyche and really face personal issues that make me shutter at the thought. Alleviate emotional weight I’ve carried around for so long. Anger. Hurt. Unworthiness. Resentment. And a plethora of other hidden gems collected since childhood that can make a person feel less than warm and fuzzy.

I knew it would be hard emotionally, but for some reason I had it in mind that it wouldn’t be that difficult. Now that I’d made a conscious decision to face the demons, I would be able to observe each like animals at the zoo. Recognize them from a safe distance. Learn from afar. But no. The ego is a sneaky bastard. It’s gradual and can pull you into the suffocating muck of negativity before you realize what’s going on.

And I’m still working through it. Each day (hell, each minute) I have to reset.

I sometimes fantasize what it would be like to go back to the days of living unconsciously. How much easier it seems to turn a blind eye to bad habits and cycles to break. But I’ve gone this far and there’s no turning back now. My third eye is permanently open. Through this emotional discomfort, I see a little light.

If I try really hard, (like, really f ’ing hard) the halo of anger surrounding my heart dissipates, if only for a few moments. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does, softness and ease takes its place. The challenge is to remain neutral, observe emotions when they arise, and allow them to pass without clinging and deciphering them into oblivion.

I don’t want to be a person that feels “too good” for a job, certain people, or places on this Earth. I don’t want that to be me. So I trudge through, on my hands and knees, and continue to the battle with the ego. And I’ll strive to do so until I am able to find some space and clarity to allow my self to be free.

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SYVSNAPSHOT

by Eva Van Prooyen Keeping a finger on the pulse of the Santa Ynez Valley: what to eat, where to go, who to meet, and what to drink. Pretty much everything and anything situated between the Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains that could tickle one’s interest.

VENETIAN MASQUERADE, PING-PONG, AND SONG

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he Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale (SYVMC) presents “Carnevale – A Venetian Masquerade” for their annual concert fundraiser featuring entertainment, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, dessert, live and silent auctions, and raffle. The SYVMC has been “bringing music to life” in the Valley for 39 years.

They perform major choral works from the 16th century to the present with full orchestral accompaniment for classical, contemporary, and popular works, as well as new and original compositions.

The traditional Carnival of Venice is a festival famous for its elaborate masks and dress, and this year, music ensemble-loving supporters are encouraged to come bedecked, bejeweled, and beautified in Venetian finery or quite simply “whatever makes you feel fabulous for this lovely evening.” There will be prizes for best costume and best mask. Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres followed by an Italian fare buffet dinner, and a sparkling sip of Prosecco while listening to music and perusing the auction area. Items in the auction include overnight stays at sought-after winery estates, cases of wine, and helicopter rides. A winning raffle ticket boasts a twonight stay on Catalina Island, including round-trip “Commodore Class” boat ride to the island, dinner for the two nights including wine, a Bio-Hummer tour of the island, Zip Line, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the Catalina Casino. (Raffle tickets may be purchased from Chorale members prior to and at the event, and the winner does not need to be present to win). A dessert auction follows dinner, and the highlight of the evening will be a performance by a Commedia dell’Arte troupe and a fast-paced live auction.

The SYVMC orchestral musicians, vocal soloists – as well as musical director Michael Eglin and rehearsal accompanist Vera Kong – are all professional musicians.

The Chorale has connections with the schools, Buellton Recreation, Rotary, Santa Ynez Valley Jazz Band, the Solvang Music Conservatory, and all proceeds go to supporting the activities of the Chorale and Youth Ensemble.

When: Saturday, February 25, at 5:30 pm Where: Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall, 1745 Mission Drive in Solvang Cost: The cost is $50 per ticket, $500 to sponsor a table for eight partygoers including Champagne for the table. Tickets at the door are $60 and subject to availability.

Info: Reservations can be made at www.syvchorale.org or by calling (805) 3504241 through February 25.

EVA’S TOP FAVES: MY PERSONAL PICKS, BEST BETS, HOT TIPS, SAVE THE DATES, AND THINGS NOT TO MISS! OPEN HOUSE FOR A HEALTHY HEART anta Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital will offer free heart health assessments at an open house at the cardiac rehabilitation facility, to celebrate February Heart Health Month and Cardiac Rehabilitation Week. Attendees have an opportunity to find out their “heart’s age” in just a few minutes. Free blood pressure checks and cholesterol tests. Knowing your heart’s health risks can extend your life. Heart disease is the number-one cause of death in the United States, yet many people have no idea what kind of shape their heart is in. Many people who die suddenly from cardiovascular disease have had no previous symptoms; that’s why it’s important to be aware of heart health risks.

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Join us for some warm Irish hospitality, authentic food and excellent pints.

$10 daily lunch menu featuring over 13 items.

18 E ORTEGA ST., SANTA BARBARA • 11:302:00AM EVERY DAY 805-568-0702 • www.dargans.com •

When: Thursday, February 16, from noon to 2 pm Where: Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, 2030 Viborg Road, suite 108, in Solvang Cost: Free Info: Space is limited, and the cholesterol tests require a reservation by calling (888) 999-8262.

READERS AND STAR WARS NERDS UNITE! uellton Library presents a play-reading group for adult, teens, and children nine years old and up every Friday in February to read aloud together. Listeners are welcome, but there’s a part for everyone. The play this month is a satirical novel written by Ian Doescher titled William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope, in which the Star Wars epic is reimagined in glorious iambic pentameter. All are welcome. Call or email to reserve a spot and a script.

When: Every Friday in February from 4 to 5 pm Where: Buellton Library, 140 CA 246 in Buellton Cost: Free Info: buelltonlibrary@santabarbaraca.gov or call (805) 688-3115

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LOCALS NIGHT AT FIRST & OAK RESTAURANT estaurant Week is officially over, so if you missed your three-course meal for $20.17, First & Oak Restaurant’s executive chef Steven Snook hosts a seasonally curated, farmers market-driven four-course menu and wine specials for local residents every Thursday. “Locals Night” presents a 30-percent discount off regular dinner menu pricing. This new fine-dining establishment is tucked off the main thoroughfare of Solvang inside the Mirabelle Inn. The motivation behind First & Oak’s Locals Night is the mantra “Local Food, Local People”. The Locals Night menu will follow the restaurant’s tasting menu format, with courses representing each menu section: “from the Garden”, “from the Ocean”, “from the Farm”, and “to finish”.

When: Every Thursday evening for dinner from 5:30 to 8:45 pm. Next opportunity is Thursday, February 16 Where: First & Oak, 409 First Street (at the corner of Oak Street) in Solvang Info: (805) 688-1703

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MAKING THE SOLVANG FRIDAY MUSIC ROUNDS uck in and out of wine bars, taprooms, restaurants, and lounges throughout Solvang, and you’ll likely step right into live local music.

The top two consistent venues for Friday night music are Root 246 and Sort This Out Cellars.

Root 246 restaurant, lounge, and bar hosts “Music on the Patio” every Friday.

Enjoy your favorite songs under the heated covered patio. Root 246 offers a full menu of craft-based cuisine, one of the most extensive selections of local wines, whiskey, and craft beer in the area and signature cocktails.

When: Friday, February 17, from 6 to 9 pm with Happy Hour from 4 to 6:30 pm Where: Root 246, 400 Alisal Road in Solvang Info: www.root-246.com or call (805) 686-8681 Sort This Out Cellars presents live music in their tasting room every Friday.

Santa Barbara-based guitar and vocalist Conner Cherland is next up to perform at this lively wine venue complete with Tiki Lounge. Enjoy a classic wine tasting, glass of wine, or tiki-tail, as High Roller Tiki Lounge is the first and only wine bar exclusively featuring tiki-style wine.

When: Friday, February 17, from 7 to 10 pm Where: Sort This Out Cellars, 1636 Copenhagen Drive in Solvang Info: www.sortthisoutcellars.com or call (805) 688-1717

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PING-PONG TOURNAMENT ackspin, topspin, sidespin, corkspin – dust off your old Ping-Pong paddle and get ready for a friendly hometown tournament. If you have your sights set on higher, Olympian-like table-tennis goals, take this as an opportunity to fine-tune your offensive hit, loop, flip, and smash strokes and defensive push, chop, block, and lob moves. An Olympic sport since 1988 with event categories including men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, and women’s doubles, Ping-Pong will be among the next summer Olympic games in Tokyo in 2020. Pizza dinner is included in the entry.

When: Saturday, February 25, from 6 to 8 pm Where: Buellton Recreation Center, 301 Second Street in Buellton Cost: Ages 11 to Adult, $5 pre-registration, $10 at the door.

Info: www.buelltonrec.com or call (805) 688-7529

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SANTA YNEZ VALLEY...Come For The Wine…Stay For The Shopping

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Let’s Celebrate

A N OT H E R Y E A R !

Join us February 25

th

& 26th

for bubbly and tasty bites from Enjoy Cupcakes

And 25% OFF S TO R E W I D E

Enjoy live music from: Jade Hendrix 5pm-8pm Los Olivos location only

Every purchase enters you to

WIN A $200 GIFT CARD* Feb. 25th *minimum purchase required

Vino Vaqueros Horseback Riding Private Horseback Riding with or without Wine Tasting in The Santa Ynez Valley

Santa Maria Town Center 317 Town Center East

(next to Macy’s)

805-922-9195

Mon-Sat 10am-8pm | Sun 10am-6pm

Los Olivos

2920 Grand Avenue

805-697-7377

Mon-Sat 10am-6pm | Sun 11am-5pm

www.wildflowerwomenboutique.com

Call or Click for Information and Reservations (805) 944-0493 www.vinovaqueros.com

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