Santa Barbara Fair and Expo April 29 - May 3

"Let's Get Moo-ving!"

Let’s get MOOving! Celebrate the active lifestyle at the 26th annual Santa Barbara Fair and Expo. April 29-May 3, 2015 at Earl Warren Showgrounds. It’s a magical place that will put a smile on your face!  Carnival Rides, Farm Animals, Fair Food and Fabulous Entertainment are all on tap for your visit.

COWabunga! Surf’s up and so is the fun of the Carnival Midway. With more than 30 rides and attractions, you will zoom into an action packed world of fun, only at the Santa Barbara Fair & Expo!

Fun for the Children! Your children will have a wonderful time as they ride on a real Pony and see the exotic animals in the Petting Zoo. The Kid’s Carnival will excite and delight you and your children. You’ll hoot with laughter at the All Alaskan Racing Pigs as they run around the track, jump the hurdles and compete for the honor of being the fastest little piggy in all of the Fair.

Now Playing on a Stage near you! Discover some great talent when you stop along the way to relax and enjoy great entertainment on the Fair and Expo Stages. Music, Illusions, Dancing, Magic and more will keep you and your family amazed and entertained for hours!

Showcasing the active lifestyle! Visit Warren Hall to see the expo showcase of local foods, wine & beer, arts & crafts, horticulture and fine arts displays.  You will love tasting free samples of the featured desserts, appetizers and other scrumptious foods in the Fair & Expo Cooking Contest, offered daily at the Santa Barbara Fair & Expo.

Santa Barbara Fair and Expo is now a non-smoking fair, to help celebrate your active lifestyle, smoking will not be permitted in the fair, concession areas, carnival midway, livestock barns or exhibit areas.

See the great exhibits! Take your family to visit the Exhibit Building. Here, you will enjoy the interactive displays. You will also be able to see artwork, photography, pottery and many other projects entered by children from our community. For complete info on how to enter in all areas of the Fair, please visit the Exhibitor page on this website or call 687-0766.

Don’t stop til you get enough! For thrills, excitement and entertainment your whole family will love with memories that will last forever…come to the Santa Barbara Fair and Expo where the fun never ends!

Presale Tickets on sale until April 28 at Earl Warren Show Grounds

3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara; 805 687-0766 

for more information, click here

Morocco in Your Own Garden, by Virginia Hayes

Morocco in Your Own Garden

by VIRGINIA HAYES 

Inspired by Morocco, Virginia Hayes of Lotusland brings the Mediterranean to the garden. 

Efficient water features, lush but water-wise plantings, and beautiful pottery are hallmarks of

these outdoor spaces. This design is ideal for the drought-conscious designer.

(all information and photos from Eye In The Day Newsletter) for more information

Morocco in Your Own Garden

California gardens, especially those in Southern California have long utilized the concept of outdoor rooms. Countries with warm, dry climates around the Mediterranean basin have been creating miniature oases outdoors for centuries. Taking a cue from them is one way to replicate both the feel and appropriateness of this style.

Moroccan gardens provide great examples of the restrained use of water to create a lush setting in outdoor courtyards and passageways. Even while reducing your water use in the landscape, you can create an intimate, yet luxuriant garden space by taking inspiration from arid North Africa. Gardens there are generally central to the dwelling, both to provide privacy and protection from the heat and winds.

One of the key elements of these enclosed spaces is limiting water use. The Arabic word for a garden of this type is riad and usually refers to the central fountain or ornamental pool. The fountain need not be large to provide a bit of cooling to the air as well as a sense of peace and luxury in a climate where water is scarce.  It is possible to recreate that feeling with a simple water feature created from a glazed pot and a small, efficient pump instead of building a large fountain.

Another feature is the exuberant use of color. Colorful pots, a painted wall or gate as well as bright flowers make for a vibrant and even joyful setting. Vivid glazed tiles, whether on the patio floor or the surface of a fountain, also contribute to creating an exotic paradise.

Plants can be used as well and they do not have to be those that require a lot of water. There are many that are drought tolerant, yet lush-looking. Large leaves give a more topical feel and species such as bird of paradise, aspidistra and pygmy date palm do well in containers. Succulents are a great choice; from cacti to agaves and aloes, they thrive on little water and their foliage provides drama and color. The Canary Islands is home to a wonderful group of succulents, the aeoniums, whose fleshy leaves grow in large, showy rosettes and would be perfect choices. Even the humble geranium (Pelargonium) is sturdy and produces flowers nearly year round. Assemble several plants in one container to provide a miniature landscape or group individual pots together, mixing and matching your color palette.

Image Credits:
Moroccan Garden – Creative Commons, Chelsesa Flower Show Gardens by Rictor Norton and David Allen is licensed under CC by 2.0
Plant Image – Creative Commons, BCSS gloucester branch auction – The national agave collectionby stephen boisvert is licensed under CC by 2.0 

All information from Eye of the Day Newsletter.  Eye of the Day is an amazing Garden Center located in Carpinteria. Two of our fountains come from their Center.  Stop by this gorgeous garden center any day (except Tuesdays) to feast your eyes and meet owners Brent and Suzi Freitas

Eye of the Day Garden Center is located at 4620 Carpinteria Avenue 93013

805-566-0778

Brent and Suzi Freitas

for more information go to their website by clicking here

2nd Annual Food and Wine Weekend April 16-19

DAILY Pop Up Art Display

All weekend long, discover 24 information artworks by The Lexicon of Sustainability located throughout Bacara.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16  Dinner at The Lark • 6:00 – 9:00 pm (offsite) Four-course, family-style dinner featuring local Santa Barbara produce from Ellwood Canyon Farm paired with Figueroa Mountain Brewery beer. $85 per person, plus tax & gratuity

FRIDAY, APRIL 17 Winemaker for a Day with Foley Family Wines (offsite) Santa Ynez Valley This five-hour group outing includes tastings and private tours with the winemakers at Firestone, Foley and Lincourt Vineyards, finishing up with a cult cabernet at the Foley Tasting Room at Bacara. Transportation to and from Bacara, lunch, cheese and wine tastings are also included. $225 Cattle Ranch Tour • 11 am – 2:00 pm (offsite) Learn about the development of the grass-fed, sustainable beef operation at Historic Rancho San Julian run by Jim Poett's daughter, Elizabeth, and relax under the century-old grape and wisteria arbor to enjoy a traditional Rancho lunch seasoned by a discussion with the father/daughter team as they describe the trials and quirks of growing food, raising cattle, and keeping all generations involved and committed to the ranch.

$150 per person, includes lunch Opening Reception & Screening • 6:00 – 8:00 pm Bacara Ballroom Terrace & Screening Room Wine reception presented by the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association. Enjoy more than 40 varietals by the region’s top winemakers preceded by a special video tribute to Julia Child by Dorie Greenspan, the multi-award winning baking authority and author, and Geoffrey Drummond, Julia’s former TV producer and director. $125 per person

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 Saturday Morning Classes •

9:00, 10:00 and 11:15 am 3 classes for $100 Bacara Salons 9:00 to 9:45 a.m.

Choice of:  Secret life of bees with the Santa Barbara Beekeeper’s Association  Panel discussion on Santa Barbara’s unique culinary community with local journalists 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Choice of:  The story behind the installation of Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian  Overview of Santa Barbara’s local food movement with the region’s top food producers  Wine & food pairing featuring chef-prepared small plates by the Santa Barbara Yacht Club and handcrafted Westerly wine

11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Choice of:  A culinary history talk on the origins of the modern cookbook with Anne Willan, author of The Cookbook Library  Three short film screenings presented by Douglas Gayeton and Laura Howard Gayeton, the masterminds behind of The Lexicon of Sustainability  A fun yet educational way of deductive wine tasting with Foley Family Wines Saturday Celebrity Chef Lunch • 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. Ocean Lawn at Bacara Enjoy the culinary talents of celebrity chefs and restaurateurs, Suzanne Goin and David Lentz, operators of the acclaimed restaurants a.o.c., Lucques, Tavern and The Hungry Cat. The Los Angeles chefs will present a locally-inspired lunch, complemented by original or lemon country loaf from Crazy Good Bread Co. and one glass of wine by Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards. End the meal with McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams. $59 per person, plus tax and gratuity

Saturday Afternoon Classes •

2:00, 3:15 and 4:30 pm 3 classes for $100 Bacara Salons 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Choice of:  Personal stories about Julia with Alex Prud’homme, Julia’s great nephew, and Santa Barbara area chefs  Master class in collecting the best cookbooks with cookbook agent Lisa Ekus  Cooking demonstration with Pastry Chef Jim Dodge

3:15 to 4:15 p.m.

Choice of:  Cooking demonstration of Richard Lambert’s famed Santa Barbara Tamales-To-Go tamales and salsas  A primer on New Southern cooking with French-trained Southern chef and cooking authority, Virginia Willis  A mock debate with Los Angeles Times Food Editor Russ Parsons and The New York Times cooking writer Kim Severson on where today’s center of the American food universe lies

4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Choice Of  Chocolate truffle demonstration with Santa Barbara’s master chocolatier, Jessica Foster, and Palmina Wine pairing  Mayet Cristobal, Executive Chef of Getty Center Museum, brings the authentic street food flavors of her childhood in Manilla to Santa Barbara. Class includes a Margerum Wine Company tasting  Val’s favorite Julia recipes, a cooking demo with Valerie Rice of Eat, Drink, Garden Saturday Night Grand Dinner with Kurt Russell •

6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Bacara Ballroom Join actor and apprentice winemaker Kurt Russell for a truly special evening featuring his label, GoGi Wines, as well as Hudson Bellamy Wines (inspired by actress Kate Hudson) and Ampelos Cellars. Kurt will present the stories behind the wines, their inspiration and their unique qualities driven by how they are grown and blended in the renowned Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County. This exceptional evening includes a wine reception with live music followed by a four-course “ranch to table” dinner with Kurt’s wine pairings. $199 plus tax & gratuity ($250 total) Saturday Night Movie Screening •

8 p.m. Join us at Bacara’s own 211-seat Screening Room for a special movie screening of A Year in Champagne. Prior to the film, toast to this special evening with a complimentary glass of champagne and a local chocolate tasting. $25

SUNDAY, APRIL 19 Neighborhood Tasting • 

11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Bacara Courtyard A not-to-be-missed event! Taste your way through the region’s most talked about culinary neighborhoods within the beautiful surroundings of Bacara. This delightful afternoon includes live music, farmers’ market shopping, a complimentary glass of beer and more than 30 restaurant, produce and artisan tastings $50

All tickets must be purchased online at www.BacaraCulinaryWeekend.com or NightOut.com
for more information, click here

A Day in the Life of Beautiful Santa Barbara

This is why the Santa Barbara Area 

is known as Paradise!

 View from the Breakwater towards Stearn's Wharf

 View of the Dolphin Fountain at the head of Stearns Wharf

The Santa Barbara Boat Harbor

Leadbetter Beach

A picture Postcard of the Santa Barbara Riviera

View of Leadbetter Beach from Shoreline

View South from Shoreline

Shoreline Cafe across from SB City College

Sunset views

and for a video tour of Santa Barbara, click the link below

Free Prom Dresses Available for High School Girls starting April 11.

Operation Prom Dress

10 am - 2 pm Saturdays, April 11, 18, 25; May 2, 9, 16

3-5 pm Wednesdays April 15, 22, 29; May 6, 13 and 20

Assistance League of Santa Barbara

1259 Veronica Springs Road, Santa Barbara

Free Prom Dresses Available for High School Girls at Assistance League Boutique

By Mary Heron for the Assistance League of Santa Barbara | Published on 03.24.2015 3:33 p.m.

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Starting April 11, the Assistance League of Santa Barbara will be open for all high school girls wishing to borrow — free of charge — a dress for her senior prom.

There will be over 500 new and almost new dresses in all sizes, with many from award-winning designers.

The Prom Dress Boutique will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays April 11, 18 and 15 and May 2 and 9, and 16, and from 3 to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays April 15,  22 and 29 and May 6 and 13.

Be sure to bring you school ID. There is ample parking and a friendly staff will be waiting to assist you.

Dresses are available to all girls attending a high school prom regardless of economic need.

The boutique will be located at 1259 Veronica Springs Road, off Las Positas Road.

— Mary Heron is the public relations chair for the Assistance League of Santa Barbara.

Saturday April 4th Santa Barbara Public Market Spring Fling

Spring Fling and 1-Year Anniversary — Saturday, April 4, 2015

It’s been one year since we opened our doors… time flies when you’re having FUN! Join us as we celebrate our One-Year Anniversary with a Spring Fling on Saturday, April 4th  from 10am – 8pm! The community is invited to the Public Market for this FREE event to commemorate this exciting milestone. There will be special springtime food samplings, cooking demonstrations, family festivities, and live music. The 14 merchants that make up our dynamic collective have worked hard to deliver an outstanding culinary and epicurean experience, and we can’t wait to toast a successful first year of local culture and cuisine!

Starting at 10:-00 am on April 4, the celebration begins in The Kitchen with a visit from the Easter Bunny, along with egg decorating crafts – family fun for all ages! The afternoon will be a springtime culinary festival of food tastings, cooking demos and classes. From 2pm – 5pm, a Tasting Passport will be your ticket guide through the market to experience seasonal food tastings at participating market merchants. Get stamped at each merchant, and turn in your completed Passport for a chance to win prizes throughout the day. Festivities continue with Santa Monica Seafood fishmongers in The Kitchen at 2:00 pm for a lesson in how to filet a fish, and more. The Spring Fling schedule of events is as follows:

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Saturday, April 4th, 10am – 8pm

• 10:00am – 12:00 pm – Easter Bunny visits The Kitchen + egg decorating crafts
• 2:00 pm – Santa Monica Seafood Spring Cooking Demo
• 2:00pm – 5:00pm – Food Tasting Passport; sample food tastings from participating Merchants! Get stamps and turn in your completed passport for a chance to win prizes.
• 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Live Music

The Santa Barbara Public Market’s One-Year Anniversary Spring Fling is a free event and open to the public. Please call(805) 770-7702 for more information.