Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

Here is another delightful experience to add on to my tasting journey. From the outside, it looks like any other Danish-type restaurant here in Solvang, but what you don’t see is the deliciousness of all the menu items. They have been there for 6 years and it’s truly one of the best restaurants in the valley.

The staff will warm your heart, they are casual but want you to enjoy a great dining experience.

Here’s What I Tried:

Starters:

Crispy Brussels sprouts, shredded Grana Padano, Applewood smoked bacon, fig balsamic reduction. I tried many of these Brussels sprout dishes in my tastings, but these were uniquely special. The bacon and sweet fig balsamic was a great combination.

Bacon Wrapped Diver Scallops, with Tabasco aioli, greens, vinaigrette. What a perfect way to start a delicious meal. These scallops are so delicate, with the wonderful taste of bacon wrapped around the scallops like little presents.

Sautee of Shitake Mushrooms with Madeira, herbs and toast. This is a very fragrant dish as the earthy mushrooms are the real stars of the show.

Mains:

Seafood Pasta with its rich wonderful garlic flavor. This is an exquisite pasta dish, very fresh seafood, all of the wonders of the sea in one dish.

Country-Style Meatloaf, with buttermilk mash, succotash, bacon gravy bacon crumbles and chives. A very hearty meatloaf, with a great white gravy, just what the doctor ordered.

Three Little Pigs, with bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, creamed spinach, potato cakes, and sweet vermouth pork jus. A very innovative dish, with savory pork flavor, simply terrific.

Pumpkin Seed Crusted Rack of Lamb*, Crispy potato-asparagus hash, yellow pepper sauce. Big juicy lamb chops with a great inspiring sauce.

Salmon. Nice big wild caught salmon with rice pilaf and fresh vegetables. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned.

Desert:

An ice cream sundae with chocolate covered bacon and lots of caramel sauce, amazing!!!

Wine’s I tried:

Prosecco. This is a light effervescent prosecco, pair it with the scallops. Trust me, you cannot go wrong.

Storm, Sauvignon Blanc. This was a perfect combination with the garlic packed seafood pasta.

Melville Chardonnay. This is a no brainer. Try it with the salmon.

Stolpman, Syrah. Try this divine wine alongside the Rack of lamb, it’s jammy, round chewy consistency will blow your hair back.

Additionally, they serve Mini buttermilk biscuits with jam (strawberry preserves) as their bread, it is top-notch.

The interior is fully decorated with pigs. There’s a sculpture of three little pigs on the wall and the ambient background music is very simple and calm. This serves as a backdrop for their scrumptious food. Did I mention that they love dogs and are pet friendly.

In the Santa Ynez valley there’s an incredible number of fun surprises that await you and Succulent Café is one of them. You’ll just have to come here and experience it for yourself to truly understand what I’m talking about.

Succulent Café Wine Charcuterie

1555 Mission Dr.
Solvang CA 93463
(805) 691-9444

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From the outside you would never know what this hotel is all about. It’s located on highway 246 on the way to Solvang, and it looks just like every other Danish style building that this area has to offer. Once you’re in the lobby you get a hint of what the rooms will look like, but honestly you just must come here for a stay to fully understand what I am about to describe.

The rooms are extremely tasteful, offering every kind of amenity you desire. There are muted colors of grays, black, brown and beige, very quaint. You will be indulged in a distinctive European Style with their uniquely appointed guest rooms featuring classic French furnishings, decorative fireplaces and lavish comfort. The beds are extraordinarily comfortable and cozy. I stayed in a suite with two separate bathrooms. In addition to this, they have a lovely indoor heated pool and a quiet outdoor Jacuzzi.

It is centrally located in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley wine country and is within walking distance to Solvang world’s famous stores and bakeries. They also offer a free shuttle to the Chumash Casino, this enables you to do some gambling during your stay.

All the rooms include their delightful free breakfast buffet: scrambled eggs, bacon with lots of delicious bread, yogurt, etc. It offers a wide range variety of food that you need to start your day fresh. Additionally, you can get a rejuvenation treatment by selecting one of their spa suites or relax at their heated indoor swimming pool.

Hadsten House is a six-time award winner, honored with the Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame by TripAdvisor. This unique accolade is granted only to those venues that have won the Certificate of Excellence for five years in a row. Certificates of Excellence can be earned only by receiving consistent great reviews on TripAdvisor.

Furthermore, they offer a wide variety of room types: Premium King, accessible King with Roll-in Shower, Premium Two Queen Beds, Premium King Spa, Accessible King Spa with Roll-in Shower and the Premium Suite.

One bedroom suite comes with adjoining suite featuring the King Bed and two bathrooms. For couples, the spa room is very romantic. It comes with a big Jacuzzi bathtub and other amenities like TV and a fireplace in the main room.

They were nice enough to have me as their guest and host a dinner at their bistro. Hotel guests with children of 12 years old and under, eat dinner for free when dining with their parents at the Hadsten House Restaurant.

Appetizers:

Lobster Bisque, Oven-baked with a golden puff pastry top and accented with a dash of sherry wine. The presentation is very appealing, the soup itself for me did not have enough lobster flavors, but they do put in some very nice chunks of lobster in the soup.

Fried Calamari with buttermilk-marinated and served with chipotle aioli. This is a very light batter with nice well-seasoned flavor.

Salad:

Warm Spinach with baby spinach, red onion, cave-ripened blue cheese and candled pecans in a house-made bacon-balsamic vinaigrette. The nice fresh spinach contributes greatly for a healthy salad.

Pasta:

Wild Tiger Shrimp Pasta with angel hair pasta, creamy white wine and roasted clam sauce, mushrooms, smoked bacon, wild tiger shrimp, shaved Parmesan and roasted tomatoes. I loved this pasta, it has a very distinctive shrimp flavor that just pops into your mouth.

Sea:

Pan-seared diver scallops with Parmesan risotto, fresh greens, house pickled onions & white truffle oil. The truffle infused risotto is just wonderful!

Butcher Block:

Filet Migñon, 8 oz, filet medallion with seasonal fresh vegetables and crème fraiche mashed potatoes. The cut of meat was very tender and the mashed potatoes were delicious.

Pork Chop, grilled 10 oz., topped with Apricot Fig chutney, served with herb-crusted baby red potatoes & grilled market-fresh vegetables. They have a very creative way to make pork chop, and the figs were out of this word.

Dessert:

Créme Brulee, Tahitian vanilla bean custard capped with a caramelized sugar crust. It’s as good as a crème brulee can get.

The wines I tried:

Chamisal, Steel Chardonnay- Central Coast, 2013. For some reason, wine was not included in my tasting, but I had to try the basics. This wine went great with the shrimp.

Vincent Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate-Santa Ynez Valley. Very distinguished Cabernet, was an amazing combination with the filet.

Everything about the Hadsten House has so much more than meets the eye. From its lovely appointed rooms, to its location, you simply can’t go wrong by staying here. My amazing stay and dining experience will become a staple in my future trips.

Hadsten House – Inn Bistrot Spa
1450 Mission Drive
Solvang, CA 93463
www.hadstenhouse.com

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Sometimes you can’t help to deal with what life offers you on any given day or evening. This was one of those nights. I ordered a Hibiscus Lemonade, and a Filthy Martini from the bar. I was just settling in with my cocktails and looking over the menu when the party next to me seemed to be having a problem, the elder gal who appeared to be someone’s mother started choking. Her son attempted to do the Heimlich maneuver but failed. The gentleman sitting to my left said he knew how to do it so he proceeded to grab the choking women and pushed the food downwards instead of upwards with his powerful strong grip. The woman quickly recovered and asked where her food had gone. At this point, I was feeling faint and nauseous from this whole experience and wondered if I could get through my tasting. However, I pulled myself together and had one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in a long time.

This is a very unique concept, what used to be Terravant Winery Restaurant had its name changed to Bottlest. Regardless, its truly a special unforgettable experience no matter how you look at it. The wine is also a really wonderful, enticing experience. There is a part of Terravant wine company where you can make your own custom wine. They have wine kiosks in which you insert a credit card in and choose from an array of options: a taste, to a half of a glass, to a full glass. In addition to this, you’ll get a taste of some of the world’s most exceptional wines.

Vlad Stojanov, General Manager/Beverage Manager, Certified Sommelier. Vlad joined Bottlest from Bacara Resort Santa Barbara, where he managed the resort’s beverage program and rebuilt the on-site restaurant’s wine cellar. Vlad’s wine and hospitality career highlights include his work in high-end, international resort locales such as Belgrade, Serbia; Montenegro and Cancún; and stateside, in Lake Tahoe and Martha’s Vineyard.

Owen Hanavan, Executive Chef, who comes to Bottlest from Santa Barbara dining phenom Barbareño, where, as Head Chef, he helped open the restaurant. Chef Hanavan’s culinary résumé includes time spent at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara and the Michelin-starred COI Restaurant, in San Francisco, among other stops.

Bar Menu:

Refreshing: Hibiscus Lemonade, house infused hibiscus vodka, house lemonade. Sweet and sour but with a great ability to be thirst quenching at the same time.

Classis: Filthy Martini, Tito’s Vodka, optional dry vermouth, olives. Really the best martini ever, and the classic very martini large glass is what this drink is all about.

Small plates:

Lamb with Meatballs, potato chip, mint, phenomenal presentation, bursting with lamb flavor.

Caesar with Parmesan, rye croutons, Caesar dressing, they do a special method of getting the dressing on each leaf and you can taste every bit of it.

Beef short ribs with Carrot puree, roasted carrots, parsley, preserved Meyer lemon. Very festive and delicious, you could really have this as your entrée.

Yellowtail with Poached tuna, rice cracker, nori vinaigrette, micro cilantro, inventive and creative, for the fish lover.

Cheese board with Dried fruit, spiced nuts, pickled mustard seeds, strawberry jam. Gorgeous delivery with every bite, a new sensation, just loved this cheese plate.

Main Plates:

NY Strip with Soubise, duck fat potato, chimichurri, crispy leeks, this is a very large portion, the crispy leeks adds on another element, and what can I say about the duck fat potatoes, yum!

Sumac Rack of Lamb with Farro, roasted beets, tzatziki, red wine sauce. My favorite dish of the evening, the combination of beets and tzatziki is off the charts, and the chops are cooked to perfection.

Wild King salmon with Beluga lentils, spring vegetables, Meyer lemon. This is another fantastic dish, with very tender wild caught salmon and the lentils are a great compliment to the sweet salmon.

Here are the Desserts I tried:

Bay Leaf Ice Cream, really an interesting concept, but a perfect way to end this glorious meal.

Seasonal Citrus Pannacotta with Poppy seed meringue, citrus compote, nice and refreshing and the poppy seed meringue goes the extra mile in winning your heart.

Wines Tasted:

NV Crushed Prosecco, light effervescent went great with the yellow tail and poached tuna appetizer.

2013 Alma Rosa Chardonnay, nice light Chardonnay, ideal with the Cesar salad.

2014 Bottlest Chardonnay, you could drink this with any of the cheeses on the cheese board and be super happy.

Arcadian 2008 Chardonnay (sleepy hollow Santa Lucia Highlands). The best of the Chardonnays in my opinion, but what do I know, to each his or hers own. You would be missing something if you don’t try this with the salmon.

2014 Compilation Pinot Noir, lovely with outstanding color, I like a good Pinot with salmon but it also went well with the lamb meatballs.

2012 Compilation – Rutherford – Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a great bold Cabernet that paired great with the NY Strip steak.

2012 Coomber Family- Beckstoffer George III Vineyard – Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is an all around meat paired wine.

2013 Bottlest – Syrah, I just loved this wine with the Lamb chops, pretty much a no brainer.

2012 Zinfandel “Full Tilt Boogie”, Ground effect. This very berry Zin, worked for me with the beef short ribs.

2012 Late Harvest Viognier, Lucas & Lewellen, not much of a desert wine drinker but it was nice with the Bay Leaf Ice Cream.

2012 Late Harvest blend “Grazia”, Svago Buono, sweet but drinkable and I would pair this with the Seasonal Citrus Pannacotta.

I firmly believe that Bottlest will cause a buzz here in the Santa Ynez valley amongst locals, tourists and soon it will be hard for people to get a reservation. It has all the makings of a top-rated restaurant; just give it some time and people will notice.

Bottlest
805-686-4742
35 Industrial Way
Buellton, CA 93427
http://bottlest.com/bistro/

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This was a huge surprise. I stopped in for lunch and really had the best, freshest experience there. I met Michele at The Vintners event where he invited me to try out the cuisine.

It’s in a modest shopping center, but not on the street, right in the heart of Solvang, but if someone didn’t tell you about it you would have totally missed the boat.

Toscana, Pizzeria, Tapas, Enoteca is owned by Chef Michele Mancuso and partners. Chef Mancuso is a long-time resident of the Santa Ynez Valley. Originally from Italy, he studied Culinary Arts in Firenze which is in the center of Toscana—the inspiration behind the name.

He wants people to call his restaurant an Italian Pizzeria; his mission is to serve authentic Italian flavors. They want your visit to not just be a regular meal, but to have a truly immersive Italian experience. There is no pretentiousness or snobbish attitude, just good fresh food.

Their grand opening was on February 24th. Micheal said it was so good to have the support of our fellow Solvang businesses.

Here’s what I tried:

Pizza:

Boscaiola with tomato mozzarella mushroom sausage truffle oil. This pizza is very delicate with a nice thin crust, just like I remember in Tuscany, Italy. The sausage and the truffle oil are simply wonderful.

Quattro Stagioni with tomato mozzarella artichoke sausage mushroom arugula.The artichoke really just adds the right flavor to this fantastic pizza.

Insalata & Tapas & Secondi:

Arugula e Parmigiano with arugula parmigiano olive oil lemon dressing. Very simple with perfect ingredients makes for one healthy fresh salad.

Melanzane alla Parmigiana with eggplant baked with mozzarella marinara sauce and parmigiano. This baked eggplant is sweet with a remarkable tomato sauce and just the right amount of garlic and Italian seasonings.

Polpette al Sugo with meatballs mozzarella marinara sauce and parmigiano. A very good rendition of this Italian classic, the sauce is scrumptious.

Lasagna Toscana with classic meat sauce. Each dish has a little bit different red sauce, this lasagna has a distinct flavor and texture that is up there with the best lasagna dishes around.

Carpaccio di Salmone with smoked salmon arugula capers red onion lemon olive oil dressing. The salmon is smoked with a great soft texture; it goes great with the spicy arugula, what a good combination.

Dessert:

Coconut Sorbetto, served in a coconut, creamy smooth absolutely delicious.

Peach Sorbetto, served in a peach. If you have never had one of these sorbets from Italy you must try it.

Wine:

Alma Rosa Chardonnay, this wine went great with the smoked salmon, very fruity flavored, forward with a bit of oak, outstanding!

Their Emblem is a fleur de lys from Florence. There is butcher paper on all of the tables. The rustic interior is simple and designed by Michael himself, with a wall mural of Italian arches with the backdrop of an ocean and flowers. There are wood floors, the walls have black and white photos of Italy, with great barstools that are made from wine barrel parts. They play very fitting music: Michael Buble, Andrea Bocelli, Céline Dion and other talented musicians similar to his music genre.

They use local products from farms in Santa Maria, eighty percent of their customers are local. Michel was born in Calabria but has lived in this area for 16 years. He also has the great honor of choosing the wines that are served.

They’re eager to offer you a truly immersive authentic Italian experience providing you the finest food with a quaint, vibrant atmosphere.

Toscana – Pizzeria, Tapas, Enoteca
485 Alisal Road, Suite 163
Solvang, CA 93463
1-805-697-7445

https://toscanabymancuso.wordpress.com/

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Now this is what I call luxurious. The setting couldn’t have been any better. For Friends is located in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, right smack in the middle of the very charming downtown area, and less than five minutes from Los Olivos and Solvang. This immaculately detailed seven-room boutique bed & breakfast lies in the heart of the Santa Barbara County Wine Country and is surrounded by rolling hills, cattle ranches, horse farms and over 100 gorgeous vineyards.

You can walk to most of the restaurants and even the local cowboy-dancing bar, Maverick Saloon. Everything was at your fingertips, what a great experience!

What I truly loved about For Friends Inn is their uncompromising hospitality. They really do their best to make your stay memorable, just like you’re in someone’s very elegant home. You can relax and make friends at the same time at For Friends Inn.

Completed in 2005, For Friends Inn was built in the fashion of a large Craftsman farmhouse. Great care has been given to combine Wine Country and the New West with a touch of elegance to create a perfect wine country getaway for couples and friends seeking a brief respite from their busy lives.

For Friends Inn features seven luxurious guest rooms in three separate buildings. All of the rooms offer a king-sized bed, large private bathrooms and are elegantly appointed, providing an array of personal touches and all of the desirable amenities one deserves. There is free Wi-Fi in each room and everywhere throughout the property. Each room includes air-conditioning as well as its own fireplace and private balconies or porch. There’s also a gorgeous Wine Garden with a large deck, patio and gazebo for outdoor gatherings. As well as a huge wraparound front porch, family room with a river rock fireplace. Other amenities include laundry facilities with detergent, an easy-light gas BBQ, security gates, a private parking lot, and even adult dogs up to 40lbs welcomed for an additional fee. The main house has five luxurious rooms complete with private balconies, walk-in showers, tubs, and working gas fireplaces or stoves for a more romantic atmosphere. Those with private tastes may enjoy the cozy Carmichael Cottage or the truly unique two-story suite in the Sunstone Tower. You can also rent the whole property for a big group they call it For Friends Manor. Friends and family can enjoy the comfort and amenities of this spacious estate all to themselves. There is a huge kitchen with two ovens, two sinks, two dishwashers, and microwave. There’s even a full complement of dishware, cookware, flatware, and everything you need for entertaining a large family gathering.

They graciously offer a Friendship Pass which entitles you over $300 in complimentary wine tastings at over 30 excellent vineyards, and over $50 in free appetizers at local restaurants.

You can also enjoy a short, leisurely stroll to some of the Valley’s best restaurants and entertainment, just steps away in downtown Santa Ynez (no need to drive). Later, your evenings can be spent lounging on the Inn’s large wraparound front porch, strolling through the peaceful, lighted Wine Garden, or relaxing on a private balcony with wonderful views of the Valley’s surrounding mountains and infinite stars above.

They serve a decent three-course breakfast that changes every day. The fabulous meal includes many scrumptious homemade specialties like granola and fresh baked bread or rolls that are always available. You also have your choice of scrambled eggs or a casserole quiche type of a dish. They also have a happy hour in the floral Wine Garden or comfy front room with wine and nibbles, a great way to meet the other guests and socialize.

The staff is remarkable, always having a smile and giving you just the right amount of information needed to have a memorable vacation. You are in the best part of the world, and have all the tools to drink great wine and be in the lap of luxury the whole time, what a concept.

However you spend your time at For Friends Inn, you arrive as guest and leave as a friend.

For Friends Inn
1121 Edison Street, Santa Ynez, CA.
http://www.forfriendsinn.com
* Note some content was taken off of their website

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Probably one of the most unique tastings I have ever done, because instead of my choosing off the menu and pairing my delicacies with wine, the food was pretty much buffet style with some offerings, but really not what I am used to.

Owner Alberto is extremely charming; he should have planned better for my visit. I can see if I had gone on a night when it was order off the menu anything you like, I might have been able to really review Eleven Wine Lounge. But Eleven Wine Lounge was part of the Vintners Wine event during the day and did not want to do their usual service. The ceviche I tried was actually from the wine event during the day, and as good as it was it still was a let down from my usual tastings. If you want a food reviewer to speak kindly of you and your establishment then pull out all of the stops and make there night memorable. I see that their reviews online are good, but unfortunately for them I did not taste any of their food off of menu, so I am unable to comment.

The interior is very inviting with all of the great tables, floors, chairs etc. all hand made by Alberto himself. I did try two nice white wines that would have been great with his scallops or his oysters, but I had to enjoy them on their own merit, which was still pretty spectacular by my own standards.

So there you have it, a very quick review for a very unmemorable evening, sorry Alberto, I really adored you and your stories, really wish I could have felt the same about your food. Maybe next time I can actually try your food from your menu, if there is a next time.

Eleven Wine Lounge
3640 Sagunto St
Santa Ynez, CA 93460
(805) 691-9134
elevenwinelounge.com

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Festival Grand Tasting at Riverview Park (Buellton) – The 35th Annual Santa Barbara Vintners New Release Festival Grand Tasting at the beautiful River View Park in Buellton, the heart of Santa Barbara Wine Country. The Vintners Festival is the largest new release tasting of Santa Barbara County wines of the year.

In a grand tradition this county’s amazing culinary experiences and wine pairings did not disappoint. I try to go every year, and I am always amazed at what this perfect region has to offer.

2017 Participating Wineries:
(*indicates a first time participating winery)

Aether Wine Company, Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, ampelos cellars, Andrew Murray Vineyards, Au Bon Climat, Babcock Winery & Vineyards,Baehner Fournier, Beckmen Vineyards, Bernat Winery*, Bien Nacido & Solomon Hills, Blackjack Ranch, Brander Vineyard, Brewer-Clifton, Brophy Clark Cellars, Buscador Wine*, Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard, CA’ DEL GREVINO, Cambria, Carr Winery, Cinque Stelle Winery, cnagy wines, Coquelicot Estate Wines, Crawford Family Wines, Dascomb Cellars, Demetria Estate, Dierberg & Star Lane Vineyards, Dragonette, Ferguson Crest, Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, Fiddlehead Cellars, Flying Goat Cellars, FOXEN & foxen 7200, Gainey Vineyard & Evan’s Ranch,Grassini Family Vineyards, Hilliard Bruce , HITCHING POST WINES, Holus Bolus*, Imagine Wine, J. Wilkes, Jaffurs Wine Cellars, Jamie Slone Wines, Kaena, Ken Brown Wines, Kenneth Volk Vineyards, Kitá Wines, Koehler, Lafond, Lavender Oak Vineyard, Longoria, Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, Lumen, Margerum Wine Company, Martian Ranch & Vineyard, Melville Winery, Montemar*, Nielson, Pali Wine Co.,
Palmina, PENCE, Presidio Winery, Presqu’ile, Qupe Wine Cellars, Rancho Sisquoc, Refugio Ranch Vineyards, Rideau Vineyard, Riverbench Winery, Runway Vineyards,Rusack Vineyards, Sagebrush Annies, Samsara Wine Co., Sandhi Wines, Santa Barbara Winery, Section Wines*, Silver Wines, Solminer, Stolpman Vineyards, Sunstone Winery, Sweetzer Cellars, the Central Coast Group Project, The Sanger Family of Wines, The Vincent Vineyards and Winery*, Toccata wines, Toretti Family Vineyard, Turiya Wines, Whitcraft Winery, Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards, Zotovich Vineyards and Winery.

Participating Restaurants and Food Purveyors:

Angel Oak at Bacara Resort & Spa, Babe’ Farms Inc., Ballard Inn & The Gathering, Table, Bara’s Fresh Almond Pate, Barbareno, Biker Spice, Bistro at the Hadsten House, Black Bow Sweets, California Coast Naturals, Cattaneo Brothers, Cowboy Ike’s Wine Jelly, Eleven Wine Bar, First & Oak at Mirabelle Inn, Hitching Post II,Jessica Foster Confections, Leonardo’s Cucina Italiana, LunaOlivo, Mesa Salsa Company, New West Catering / Industrial Eats, Olive House, Petros Kafe, Pico Restaurant, Red Hen Cannery, Santa Barbara Popcorn Company, SB Paella Catering, Scratch Kitchen & Bar, Starting Gate at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott, Suro Cha Inc, The Lucky Hen Larder
Valley Grind, The Good Lion.

Sponsors:

MNS Engineers, Inc., is a multi-service infrastructure consulting firm, specializing in construction management, civil engineering, and land surveying services. We have served the transportation, water resources, government services, and federal markets for over 50 years, and look forward to future expansion in these areas. We have a proven track record and a profound commitment to bettering our local communities. Our purpose is to make a positive difference in people’s lives every day, by focusing on our clients, to solve their unique project challenges and deliver affordable, top-quality results.

WineSpectator.com, launched in October 1996, is the most influential source of wine information on the Internet. The website features more than 250,000 wine ratings, tasting reports, news and features, editors’ blogs, videos and other original content you won’t find anywhere else.

Rabobank, with a century-old heritage of community banking, Rabobank continues to influence positive change in the communities we serve — investing our financial resources and volunteer time to make them great places to live and work. This tradition reaches back to our roots as a local bank serving the needs of rural Dutch communities — and it’s still very much alive in our California business today.

Classic Party Rentals, pristine beaches, majestic mountain backdrops, and enchanting vineyards. There’s an endless array of breathtaking locations to throw a party in beautiful Santa Barbara. And Classic Santa Barbara offers an equally vast array of party rental equipment to bring your vision to life. Whether you’re hosting a wine and cheese reception on a vineyard, or an elaborate wedding on sandy shores, we’ve got you covered from tent top to tabletop. No job is too big or too small for us to plan, staff, set up and take down. It’s just one more way we put your party on a pedestal.

Touring & Tasting, over the past two decades Touring & Tasting Marketing and Media has grown to become a leading force in the wine tourism industry. In addition to producing the national, bi-annual publication Touring & Tasting magazine, the company offers innovative, multi-tiered marketing and promotional programs to wine country businesses. 2014 marks the launch of our new Marketing Services division, providing a full menu of marketing and media services. Touring & Tasting is a leader in promoting wine tourism as an industry through partnership events such as the Wine Tourism Conference, the Wine Bloggers Conference, Wine Tourism Day, and numerous regional wine festivals and events.

Vintage Nurseries, it’s always growing season at Vintage Nurseries where we continue to expand our production, improve our service and maintain our reputation for industry leading innovations. Vintage offers the highest quality and best selection of certified grapevines. As one of North America’s largest grapevine nurseries, we’re able to keep production costs low and pass the savings on to you. We also set the standard for service, with free hot water dipping for pest control, free trimming, graft waxing and palletization, too. Our great selection and extensive inventory can meet even the largest orders so add it all up and you’ll see why Vintage Nurseries is proud to be number one.

Wine Country this Month, launched in early 2007, Wine Country This Month-Central Coast has been serving the rapidly developing wine regions of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. This edition is available at more than 750 locations throughout these counties and mailed outside of the market to key distribution points in the South Bay of San Francisco, the Central Valley and points south in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Filled with the same colorful and valuable content as the Northern California edition, this has quickly taken hold as the “go to” publication for visitors and professionals who serve visitors of the Central Coast.

Noble Productions is a video/tv production company that produces non-traditional type television marketing – meaning we typically film 30 minute shows that feature one or more businesses. We are unique in the way that we are able to feature our 30 minute shows on local cable channels. We currently air on Charter channel 25 (Nipomo-San Miguel) and Comcast channel 27 (Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Ynez Valleys). We work hard to establish long term relationships with cable media so that we can offer our communities a local channel that highlights the Central Coast.

Arrowhead® Brand 100% Mountain Spring Water is part of what is now Nestlé Waters North America, which began in 1976 as a company that imported the famous French sparkling water, Perrier® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water. The company developed at a time when Americans were looking to get in shape, eat better and generally adopt a healthier lifestyle. By the early 80s, Nestlé Waters North America was adding high quality domestic waters to its product line, such as Arrowhead® Brand 100% Mountain Spring Water, which joined the company in 1987. Today, Nestlé Waters North America Inc. is the largest bottled water company in the United States, offering many of the nation’s most popular regional brands.

El Dorado Broadcasters, LLC owns and operates fifteen radio stations in the western United States, including markets in San Luis Obispo, CA, Santa Maria, CA, Victorville, CA, and Yuma, AZ. El Dorado Broadcasters, LLC specializes in providing entertainment and information for each of the local communities we serve, as well as creating opportunities for our advertisers via our on-air and online properties.

Santa Maria Sun Times, The Sun has been published for over 11 years covering local news and entertainment each week. Fast Facts: Circulation – 19,000, Northern Santa Barbara County, Distribution day – Thursday.

KEYT, News channel 3, providing local Central Coast news daily.

Edible Communities, Inc. is a publishing and information services company that creates editorially rich, community-based, local-foods publications in distinct culinary regions throughout the United States and Canada. Through our publications, supporting websites, and events, we connect consumers with family farmers, growers, chefs, and food artisans of all kinds. We believe that every person has the right to affordable, fresh, healthful food on a daily basis and that knowing where our food comes from is a powerful thing. We are a for-profit, member-driven corporation — individuals who own our publications are local-foods advocates and residents of the communities they publish in — a business model that not only supports our values, but also preserves the integrity of our member publications and the communities we serve.

So much of nature’s bounty and so little time, you would have to spend a couple of days tasting and sipping all of this glorious wine and tasting this very delectable food. The setting too will make you want to pack your bags and move her immediately. I just say to my readers next year get ready to have one heck of a culinary experience, come out and enjoy.

www.sbvintnersweekend.com/festival-grand-tasting.html

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Ron Meyer was honored with Simon Wiesenthal Center Humanitarian Award Ceremony at a very politically charged gala. NBC Universal vice chairman Ron Meyer received the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Humanitarian Award at the organization’s 2017 National Tribute Dinner, aka the Oscars for L.A.’s Jewish community.

Jeffrey Katzenberg chaired the dinner, which was presided over by SWC founder and dean, Rabbi Marvin Hier, a two-time Oscar winner and member of the Academy. Past recipients included Katzenberg, Elizabeth Taylor, Billy Crystal, Jim Gianopulos, Ted Sarandos, Harvey Weinstein and Jon Feltheimer.

Rabbi Meyer H. May, the Executive Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museums of Tolerance, called out the recent desecration of Jewish cemeteries and “creeping uptick” in anti-Semitic hate crimes as a reminder of the constant battle against hate.

Ice Cube served as the evening’s emcee. “I know I may not be the most obvious choice to host tonight’s evening,” the rapper joked to the audience at the Beverly Hilton before getting serious. “But we’re not living in obvious times. Racism, we all know, is a disease. It’s a disease that fights your spirit, it’s a disease that attacks your well-being, and it attacks your humanity. It tries to make you feel less dignity. So we all have to stomp out racism wherever it is.” “Tonight, we’ve come together from our diverse backgrounds and personal journeys to stand united against intolerance,” the rapper added. “Recent and ongoing events have only made nights like tonight and this museum’s mission more urgent. So we’ve come together to raise our voices not because our backgrounds and journeys are the same, but specifically because each and every one is unique. It doesn’t matter where we started on our journey of tolerance, we each must decide where we are today, what unites us, and where we want to go tomorrow, together.” Ice Cube also praised Meyer, describing him as a “straight shooter.” “He gives people like me a chance to tell my stories without a filter, without the gatekeepers,” the star behind Universal films “Ride Along,” “Ride Along 2” and “Straight Outta Compton” explained.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, who has co-chaired the tribute dinner 25 times, added, “In recent times, forces have been released in our country — and around the world — that are intolerant and intolerable.” The former Dreamworks CEO then quoted Wiesenthal. “Long before the internet, social media, fake news, here’s what he said: ‘Technology without hate can be so beneficial for mankind. But in conjunction with hatred, it leads to disaster.”

While others talked broadly about the current cultural climate, Barbra Streisand, who presented Meyer with the Humanitarian Award, specifically called out Donald Trump’s administration. “We are living under an administration that deliberately omitted Jews from its Holocaust Remembrance Day statement. We are living with a president that, in his own words, wants to ban a specific religion. All this while the president praises authoritarian leaders and calls our free press the enemy of the people. This is a president who uses words calibrated to incite the beast in people, not the best in people. “After her political speech, Streisand called out the best in Meyer, describing him as “fiercely loyal,” “caring,” and “extremely generous.” And she described how his commitment to the Museum of Tolerance was personal, as both Meyer’s parents escaped Nazi Germany. (Survivors of the Holocaust were also in attendance at the gala.)

Many other studio executives were in attendance, including NBC Universal’s Steve Burke, Paramount’s Jim Gianopulos, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, and MGM’s Gary Barber. Nir Barkat, mayor of Jerusalem, and former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa also attended. Universal Pictures Chairman Donna Langley, 20th Century Fox Film Chairman and Chief Executive Stacey Snider, MGM Chairman and Chief Executive Gary Barber, Imagine Entertainment co-founders Brian Grazer and Ron Howard and Academy Award-winner Michael Douglas, among others.

The night’s other honorees included Reverend Johnnie Moore, the late Roddie Edmonds, and the late President of Israel Shimon Peres, who were awarded the Medal of Valor.

The event served as a celebration of the Center’s 40th anniversary and raised $2.65 million in funding, a record. Attendees also got an interactive tour of the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, opening in 2018, with the hopes of battling Anti-Semitism and promoting tolerance and human dignity worldwide.

A lovely cocktail reception started the night followed by a sit down dinner. Everyone was filled with energetic conversation about politics and the importance of stopping the Anti-Semitic climate permeating in our society. Most of the celebrities and studios heads were approachable and eager to share their point of view. The grand moment of course was when Ron Meyer accepted the humanitarian award and spoke. I was very pleased that I was able to partake in such a prestigious affair.

http://www.wiesenthal.com

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On this perfectly sunny day in Los Angeles, I was treated to the best healthiest lunch in town. Poke 2 Go is a food truck, with all of the food trucks this one offers some seriously fresh tuna in the form of a Los Angeles obsession, Poke. There are so many brick and mortar shops opening up daily offering this great old Hawaiian tradition. Poke 2 Go sets the tone for the freshest poke in town.

The truck is only on the West Side, In Playa Vista and in Venice. It is kind of hard to find but worth every second of searching. You can also check out their location on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Poke-2-Go

Poke 2 Go was created by LA chef Jeremy Ryan and designed to bring high style, high quality restaurant meals without compromising value and taste.

Here’s what I tried:

Spicy Poke – Raw Ahi Tuna, OG recipe plus spicy mayo and Sriracha®.

Wasabi Poke – Raw Ahi Tuna, dash of wasabi, “The OG” recipe, plus black sesame seeds.

Aloha Poke – Sweet, Island flavor, Raw Ahi Tuna, Aloha soy sauce, sesame oil, white sesame seeds, seasoned rice vinegar, sea salt, and crushed red pepper.

Original Poke – “The OG”, Raw Ahi Tuna, Yamasa soy sauce, sesame oil, & white sesame seeds.

Kale Salad – Kale Salad – A healthy alternative Kale, brown rice, avocado, chopped carrots, white onions, macadamia nuts, Yamasa soy sauce, sesame oil, and white sesame seeds. The Kale salad is huge and offers an alternative for a vegetarian, and it is delicious.

Add Ons & Sauces: Avocado, Kale, Carrots, Seaweed, Pickled Ginger, Jalapenos, Macadamia Nuts, Sriracha®, Wasabi, Crushed Red Pepper, Chili oil, Chili flakes, Spicy Mayo, Masago (fish eggs).

Each poke has it’s own individual style, and you can add the toppings of your choice. The real deal here is the very fresh, large chunks of Ahi Tuna that has on top of each bowl, they really don’t scrimp, lots of luscious tuna. My favorite is the Aloha Poke with a drop of sweetness, from the rice vinegar, for me really makes all the difference.

Not more to say other then when you in the mood for really terrific Poke’ that stands alone in flavor, ingredients, and has the freshest Ahi Tuna then check out the Poke 2 Go food truck.

https://www.poke2go.com/

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Locanda del Lago, or “Lago Santa Monica” as the locals call it, has been a mainstay of the Santa Monica beach community since it opened in 1991. Located, just steps from the sand and right on the Third Street Promenade, Lago draws first-time tourists as well as longtime fans to its inviting patio and warm interior. They offer Northern Italian specialties, many gleaned from the cuisine of Bellagio on Lake Como. The ultimate upscale restaurant experience, with exceptional flavors and meticulous, friendly service. It’s a favorite of foodies, celebrities, locals and travelers. The freshest seasonal ingredients available from the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market are served in traditional and innovative recipes, and pastas, focaccia, desserts and gelato are house made daily. The popular bar offers Happy Hour nightly and distinctive Artisanal cocktails.

My waiter Simone Zonca from Lake Como was the best source of information about the region. Chef George Washington accommodated my every need with his delicious cuisine, and his hysterical name. My handsome host, Mirco from Bologna, in Los Angeles for the past 3 years, with his wife and 2 daughters. Before this he worked at Michelin restaurant, Il Porto in Italy. He prides himself on a great wine list that is his choice.

The interior is upscale casual with nice peach faux walls and a round, double-tiered candle candelabra in the middle of the room. There is a Pasta bar on the far end of the restaurant, with a large outdoor wrap around patio. Ambient music sets the tone for a nice dining experience. Their customers are, families, Italians, dates, girls out for dinner. My dining neighbors Liana and Enzo, who have been married for 30 years, love the food at Locando Del Lago, they are from Caserta Italy, speaking to them brought me right back to Italy.

Here’s what I tried:

Insalata Cardini, Romaine, creamy anchovy-parmesan dressing, focaccia croutons. They use famers’ market lettuce that they get fresh every week and the dressing was wonderful as well.

Vitello Tonnato, Roasted & Chilled Veal, Genoa Tuna Caper Aioli, Micro Rainbow Greens, Shaved Parmesan. This is very popular in the Lake Como region, and its very light and a great way to start your meal.

Zuppa Di Farro E Mare, Farro Soup, Calamari, Little Neck Clams, Tiger Shrimp, Black Mussels, Tomato, Seafood Broth. Like an Italian chicken soup but without chicken, instead just great seafood broth with fresh clams, shrimp, calamari and mussels, and the faro is an added bonus.

House made Burrata, Chef Daniele’s Signature Burrata Cheese served with your choice of the following, Eggplant Caponata, Grilled Crostino. House made burrata should be enough to make you order this terrific menu item, but the sweet eggplant caponata will also make you glad you did.

Pizzoccheri Alla Valtellinese, Wheat Pappardelle, Roasted Garlic, Savoy Cabbage, Yukon Potato, Creamy Bitto Cheese-Sage Fondue. This is such a crazy dish, who would think that a cheese fondue would work so brilliantly with pasta, but it does. The whole combination is just something you can’t describe until you try it.

Seafood Risotto Do Marre Arborio Rositto, Black mussels, Manila Clams, Tiger Shrimp, Scallops, Langoustino, Seafood Broth. The clams, scallops just pop in your mouth and the risotto has a very subtle seafood essence.

Hand Torn Tagliatelli with short rib ragu, by far my favorite dish of the night. You can tell that the pasta is super fresh, the short rib sauce has all of the short rib packed in flavors, just wonderful. Pasta’s they make: tagliatelle, lasagna, torn pasta, and ravioli.

Salmone Al Finocchio, Scottish Salmon, Taggiasca Olives, Sauteed Cherry Tomato & Fennel, Grilled Lemon. This is a small piece of salmon, with a nice zest from the onions and olives.

Creekstone All-Natural Skirt Steak, Salsa Verde, Grilled Crostino. Nice tender skirt steak, with a great grilled flavor.

Pollo Arrosto Al Limone, roasted half debones, all natural chicken, Lemon sauce, and Parmesan roasted potatoes. Very fragrant sauce filled with lemon flavor and the roasted chicken simply delicious.

Here are the Wines I tried:

Camara Chardonnay Italy Provincia di pavia, this wine was a pleasure to drink with this great risotto di mare.

Barbaresco “Ca Grossa” Cascina Rabaglio, full bodied, aroma of cherry. I love this wine with the hand torn pasta with short rib ragu, what a great combination.

Barbera Torti Lombardia, bold juicy wine went great with the skirt steak.

Dessert:

Tiramisu Lady Fingers, espresso Vanilla – Mascarpone Cream, Cappuccino sauce, this tiramisu is really as good as it gets, done to perfection.

Lago’s wine list has received an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator every year since 1995 and has over 400 selections from Italy and California. “Don’t miss the Ossobuco alla Milanese” – Gourmet Magazine. “There’s no better place to people-watch than at the outdoor patio” – Frommers. “Recommended” – Michelin. “Perfectly crafted pastas” – Zagat. “Best Italian Cuisine” – Los Angeles Times.

Farmers/Purveyors: Santa Monica Farmers’ Market: Coleman Farm, JJ Lone Daughter Ranch, Weiser Farm, Tutti Frutti Farm, Jaime Farm, Wong Farm, Santa Barbara Pistachio Co., Fairhill Farm, Tamai Farm, Sycamore Farm, Lily’s Eggs, Niman Ranch, Durham Ranch, and Clean Fish. They always follow the suggestions of the Seafood Watch by Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Information on Owner West Hooker-Poletti:

Born in Milan, West Hooker-Poletti spent much of his youth in Lombardy’s well-known capital city and later in Bellagio, the idyllic village in northern Italy known as “the pearl of Lake Como.”
Moving to the United States at age 18, intending to establish his career in the hotel industry, Hooker-Poletti enrolled at Cornell University’s renowned School of Hotel Administration, graduating with top honors.

After earning his degree, he became assistant food and beverage director at the Mayfair Regent Hotel in New York. At the time, the hotel housed the world-famous Le Cirque restaurant and its legendary owner Sirio Maccioni, who imparted many wise business pointers to the young manager.

Upon returning to California, a strong entrepreneurial spirit moved Hooker-Poletti to conceive of his own dining establishment, and in 1991 the restaurateur opened Locanda del Lago in Santa Monica. “Lago truly started as a window into my past,” he notes. “It focuses on the cuisine I grew up with and the flavors I know best.”

West leads the restaurant along with his wife, Karin Fumagalli, and their 2 children. The family can often be found dining on the patio and enjoying the fruits of their labor. Stop by and say hi!

Megan Heritage, General Manager:

If the chef at Locanda del Lago is the restaurant’s soul, then General Manager Megan Heritage is its heart. Respected, highly regarded, and a favorite of her staff and Lago’s patrons, Megan’s superb operation of the restaurant is a key reason for its popularity and success.

Megan, who has worked at Lago since 1996, began as a server then promoted to lead server/trainer, assistant manager, and eventually General Manager. Most notably, Megan was concurrently studying Electrical Engineering at California State University, Long Beach, as a full time student, where she graduated with honors. As a grad, Megan received many offers to work as an engineer, but her passion for the restaurant industry prevailed. She accepted the position of General Manager of Locanda del Lago and continues to grow and improve all aspects of the restaurant. In 2006, Megan enabled expansion of the company by opening Caffé Bellagio and running both locations simultaneously.

Megan currently works very closely with the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Monica Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Downtown Santa Monica in order to support the community as well as aide Santa Monica to become an internationally recognized destination. She currently is the co-chair of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce’s committee PeBL, Professionals emerging as Business Leaders and sits on the Hospitality Committee. She was also the implementer and ambassador of Lago’s green certification and an integral part of Lago winning the Grand Prize at the 2015 Sustainable Quality Awards.

If you want a truly authentic Italian dinner with all of the bells and whistles then Locanda Del Lago is for you. I will make this wonderful cuisine a habit in my monthly restaurant outings.

Locanda Del Lago
231 Arizona Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
http://www.lagosantamonica.com/
* Note some content was taken off of website

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