805 Living June 2018

J U N E 2018

THE SPORTING LIFE

SILVERHORN Grand Reopening

FOUR SEASONS RESORT T H E B I LT M O R E S A N TA B A R B A R A

805.969.3167 I MONTECITO, CA 93108 I WWW.SILVERHORN.COM

coastaoro.com

coastaoro.com

BECAUSE HELLOOO SUMMER. NOW OPEN AT THE SHOPPES AT WESTLAKE VILLAGE.

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+ Fat Reduction + Wrinkle Relief + Rejuvenation & Resurfacing

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BOOK YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION 805-367-5711

You are going to need a valid pilot’s license.

For the plane, too.

The nation’s first and only standalone AMG® showroom has landed at Mercedes-Benz of Thousand Oaks.

With over 3,000 square feet of iconic, modern design, the AMG Elite Performance Center is the latest manifestation of 50 years of fanatical dedication to the pinnacle of automotive performance. Come experience the soul-stirring rumble of hand-built V8 motor, or configure your dream machine in life size on a video screen that’s bigger than most garage doors. The world’s fastest family finally has its own home, and it’s right here in Thousand Oaks. Fly on in any time.

Mercedes-Benz of Thousand Oaks

3905 Auto Mall Drive Thousand Oaks, CA (805) 371-5400 www.mbzthousandoaks.com

31275 LA BAYA DRIVE WESTLAKE VILLAGE CA 91362

818 889 0487

CONEJOHARDWOODS.COM

REPLACING YOUR WINDOWS AND DOORS? This guide is a must read.

Download your FREE Simplifying Window and Door Replacement guide from Marvin® Windows and Doors.

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Do yourself and your home a favor and download this guide today.

Go to myfreewindowguide.com and get your FREE informative guide to replacing windows and doors.

©2018 Marvin Windows and Doors. All rights reserved. ®Registered trademark of Marvin Windows and Doors.

Contents JUNE 2018 • THE SPORTING LIFE

FEATURE SPECIAL 14-PAGE EDITORIAL: BEYOND TRADITIONAL SPORTS

70

GET A MOVE ON!

Think outside the box—and the baseball field, tennis court, and swimming pool.

Put a new spin on fun this summer: Try your hand at a less conventional sport, like freestyle Frisbee or disc golf.

10

JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

GARY MOSS

By Joan Tapper

THE CELLINI MOONPHASE A unique interpretation of the cycle of the moon, combining classical elegance with a contemporary touch.

It doesn’t just tell time. It tells history.

CELLINI moonphase

rolex

and cellini are ® trademarks.

Contents JUNE 2018 • THE SPORTING LIFE

90

Good Deeds

41

68 Junior League of Santa Barbara and TOARTS

By Mark Langton Photographs by Chelsea Elizabeth and Mark Langton

DEPARTMENTS Pulse

35 Tracking the Beat of the 805

By Heidi Dvorak

By Jennie Nunn

52 Local Events & Family Fun 54 Hot Ticket 56 Show Your Support 58 Worth a Drive 59 Give Back

44 Beachy Keen

Mind Body Soul

Finds

41 Holding Court

Get in the game with these tony tennis accessories.

Make waves this summer in surf-ready styles.

By Frances Ryan

46 Travel

By Erin Rottman

Go

50 LOS ALAMOS: Foodie Foray This tiny town garners big epicurean buzz.

12

Insider

60 Defining Health

A Westlake Village–based wellness facility participates in a groundbreaking project to help map the factors that contribute to wellness and illness.

By Linda Kossoff

Upgrades

65 Active Ingredients

By Heidi Dvorak

Celebrate a sporty spirit with a casual space devoted to dynamic décor.

On the Cover A daring moment for two mountain bikers is immortalized

by Keith Pytlinski of Legacy Shooter (legacyshooter.com) documentary photography service.

For more, see Pulse, page 35.

By Frances Ryan

JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Taste

84 FOOD: Raising the Bar

With input from a local nutrition expert and two chefs, these three easy, make-at-home snacks are sure to boost energy and taste delicious.

By Jaime Lewis

88 SPIRITS: Still Life

Tracking down bracing whiskies in the 805.

By David Gadd

90 DINING OUT: A Regional Showcase Uniting local vegetables and meats, house-made ingredients, and great wines, Pico in Los Alamos treats diners to all that the wine country has to offer.

By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

93 Dining Guide

P.S. Sketchpad

104 Extreme Sports for 805 Multitaskers

By Greg Clarke

In Every Issue

18 Editor’s Note 24 Masthead 28 Behind the Scenes

Visit Us Online!

805living.com Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest keyword: 805Living Check out the free digital version of 805 Living on our website and on issuu.com. It’s smartphone and tablet compatible.

Become an 805 Living Insider! Sign up to receive “The Insider,” our free mid-month newsletter that provides additional suggestions for local events and activities, last-minute getaway ideas, and little extras—like food and wine tips—to help you get through the month. Insiders will also receive special offers, contest news, event invitations, and more. Subscribe at 805living.com.

35: LEGACYSHOOTER.COM; 90: GARY MOSS

35

44

What will you create?

Shown: Paonazzo Marble Slab, Stardust Ziggy Glam, Stardust Hexagon in Midnight

What will you create?

Tile & Stone Showroom Stone Slab Gallery 16719 Schoenborn St. Los Angeles, CA 91343 818.280.8300

Tile & Stone Showroom 8750 Melrose Ave. West Hollywood, CA 90069 310.659.1234

Authentic, handcrafted natural stone and ceramic tile, since 1952 walkerzanger.com

NOW OPEN •We Deliver •Compounding •Pet Prescriptions •Immunizations •Fine Gifts•

2900 Townsgate Rd #105, Westlake Village, CA 91361 805.371.4000 WWW.BURTSRX .CO M

Our other locations: 2333 Borchard Rd, Newbury Park, CA 91320 430 Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

Barry Garapedian

Seth Haye

Top 400 Advisors in America

Forbes Top Next-Gen Advisor

—Financial Times

(#2 in CA and #16 in USA)

FRONT, LEFT: Seth Haye: Executive Director, Financial Advisor; Barry Garapedian:

Top 40 Under 40

Managing Director–Wealth Management, Financial Advisor; Gregory Givvin: Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor; BACK, LEFT: Anna Quirino-Miranda: Client Service Associate; Carlos Garcia, Financial Advisor; Elisa Decker: Assistant Vice President, Relationship Manager; Stephanie Hartmire: Senior Registered Service Associate; Clint Spivey: Relationship Manager; Lanelle Morin: Client Service Associate

—On Wall Street

The Oaks Group at Morgan Stanley | 805-494-0215

The Financial Times Top 400 Financial Advisors is an independent listing produced annually by the Financial Times (March, 2017). The FT 400 is based on data gathered from advisors, broker-dealer home offices, regulatory disclosures and the FT's research. The listing reflects each advisor's status in six primary areas: assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, experience and online accessibility. The award does not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients. The rating may not be representative of any one client's experience and is not indicative of the Financial Advisor's future performance. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors pays a fee to The Financial Times in exchange for the rating. Source: Forbes Magazine (July, 2017). Data provided by SHOOK TM Research, LLC. Data as of 3/31/17. SHOOK considered Financial Advisors born in 1980 or later with a minimum 4 years relevant experience, who have: built their own practices and lead their teams; joined teams and are viewed as future leadership; or a combination of both. Ranking algorithm is based on qualitative measures: telephone and in-person interviews, client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports.

Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking. The rating may not be representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of the Financial Advisor’s future performance. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors pays a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. For more information see www.SHOOKresearch.com. On Wall Street's Top 40 Under 40 asks brokerage firms to nominate their top young brokers. Of those nominated, On Wall Street bases its rankings on quantitative and qualitative criteria. Financial Advisors are ranked by their annual trailing-12 month production (as of Sept 30, 2014). The rating is not indicative of the advisor's future performance. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its financial advisors pay a fee to On Wall Street in exchange for the rating.

©2017 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC

CRC# 1913332

10/17

Editor’s Note

Why the Sporting Life Is a Good Life RECENTLY, WHILE RETURNING FROM A TENNIS LESSON, I SAW A MAN WITH A PROSTHETIC LEG RUNNING ON A LOCAL JOGGING PATH. A LITTLE GIRL, WHO WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD AND, I ASSUME, the man’s daughter, kept pace right beside him. The dad was running in beautiful form, as if to convey to his daughter, “Don’t ever let anything hold you back.” She was pushing herself so hard, but really it seemed like she was communicating to her father, “You got this.” And I was left wondering who inspired whom to hit the road that morning.

All I know is that I certainly felt inspired by the two of them. Having enjoyed playing tennis much of my life, it’s clear that one of the underlying ideas of participating in a sport is to push yourself—and others on your team.

But of course, life’s not all about team sports. Just check out our feature story “Get a Move On!” (page 70) and see how people are really committed to individual sports, too. We’ve got the lowdown on rock climbing, fencing, longboard skateboarding—there’s so much physical activity going on around here. And did you know that there are local freestyle Frisbee competitions and table tennis clubs? You might also be surprised to find out where these sports can take you, because we aren’t just surfing in the ocean and skiing on the mountains: We’re also free diving along the coast and paragliding off higher-altitude terra firma.

As far as I’m concerned, participating in a sport is all about moving your body and experiencing the charge that comes with physical exertion. It can also be about the thrill of trying something new. That goes for life, too. So read on for some new ideas that just might inspire you.

Lynne Andujar Editor in Chief & Publisher edit@805living.com

One of our valued team members, Edward Savage, passed away on May 21. Ed had been with us since we launched the magazine, handling distribution with his son, Dave. We depended on Ed, and he always came through for us. Ed was a loving husband, father, brother, and grandfather. He was also a veteran, who served in the army from 1954 to 1959, and had also been a photographer. It seemed that everyone who knew Ed came to feel that he was just about the nicest guy around, and that includes me. We’ll miss him dearly.

18

JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

GARY MOSS

A Sad Note

Beauty. Warmth. Comfort.

(It’s what we do best.)

I N T ERIOR D ESIG N | R EM AR KAB LE R ESO URC ES

Left to right: Kristen Love, Genaro Lagdameo, Karen Shoener, Marcella McCracken, Carla Padour

960 South Westlake Blvd., Suite #6, Westlake Village (805) 418-1890 www.InteriorDesignWestlake.com

TM

Financial Planning & Investment Management

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2945 Townsgate Road, Suite 200 Westlake Village, California 91361 Schedule Your No-Obligation Consultation With An Experienced Fiduciary Wealth Advisor.

Alano Massi, MBA, CFPŽ Palm Capital Management, LLC is a d/b/a of Dynamic Wealth Advisors. All investment advisory services are offered through Dynamic Wealth Advisors. The material contained in this ad is not a solicitation to purchase or sell any security or offer of investment advice. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only. A copy of Dynamic Wealth Advisors’ ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure is available upon written request and can also be found on the Securities and Exchange Commission website at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD by searching under CRD#151367.

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

Designed to Drive

FAST RIDES THAT WILL SET YOUR HEART RACING

1

1 AUDI R8 SPYDER ($177,100) The R8 Spyder takes its supercar status to the next level with a 532-hp V10 engine and 398 pounds of torque that adds balance through its mid-engine drivetrain. With an available 602-horsepower V10 plus engine that boasts 413 pounds of torque, the R8 shatters performance expectations.

Rusnak /Westlake Audi, Thousand Oaks, www.AudiWestlake.com.

2

2 BMW M760LI ($156,700) Refined design.

Outstanding power. The M760Li xDrive sets unprecedented standards. Fusing the best of the 7 series with the high-octane genes of BMW M, it unites fully trained athleticism with absolute luxury. The M Performance 12-cylinder petrol engine is the only V-12 BMW. Rusnak BMW, Thousand Oaks, www.RusnakBMW.com.

3 PORSCHE 911 CABRIOLET ($103,400) A rear-mounted 370-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six powers the rear wheels. In coupe, convertible, or Targa form, the 911 is as luxurious as it is sure-footed, making even novices feel like racing legends. In 2018 the 911 Cabriolet was voted #2 in luxury convertibles by U.S. News. Rusnak / Westlake Porsche, Thousand Oaks, www.PorscheWestlake.com.

3

4 PORSCHE MACAN GTS ($68,900) Get in a Macan, hit the gas, and objections about a hot-rod compact crossover disappear.

The 2018 10Best award-winning Macan is quick and capable on- and off-road. The GTS packs a 360 hp V-6 engine with allwheel drive and a seven-speed automatic transmission. Rusnak /Westlake Porsche, Thousand Oaks, www.PorscheWestlake.com.

4

pacpatio.com Price Match Guarantee Top Notch Customer Service White Glove Delivery Service

Agoura Hills 818-949-6120 28505 Canwood Street

Patio Furniture 路 Fire Pits 路 Umbrellas 路 Cushion Replacements 路 Accessories

EDITOR IN CHIEF & PUBLISHER

Lynne Andujar

edit@805living.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Bernard Scharf MANAGING EDITOR

Kathy Tomlinson DESIGNER

Sophie Patenaude PHOTO EDITOR

Gary Moss

photo@805living.com SENIOR EDITOR

Heidi Dvorak CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Mark Langton (Philanthropic Events), Jennie Nunn (Shopping), Erin Rottman (Travel), Frances Ryan (Fashion, Interior Design) CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

Jaime Lewis CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ryan Brown, David Gadd, Victoria Woodard Harvey, Linda Kossoff, Joan Tapper CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Greg Clarke RESEARCH EDITORS

Gaylen Ducker Grody, Tajinder Rehal CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Gary Moss CONSULTING EDITOR

Anthony Head © 2018 3Digit Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

805 Living and The Armchair Oenophile are registered trademarks.

All rights reserved.

interior design

home furnishings

online w w w.c a b a n a h o m e .c o m

i n - s t o re santa barbara

805 Living content may not be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopy, without the express written permission of the publisher. 805 Living is not responsible for loss of or damage to unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork, or any other unsolicited material.

Unsolicited material will not be returned. 3Digit Media, LLC, and its affiliates, contributors, writers, editors, and publisher accept no responsibility for errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. 3Digit Media’s liability in the event of an error is limited to a printed correction.

3Digit Media does not assume liability for products or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility for claims made by the advertisers.

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Your domestic subscription includes 10 issues of 805 Living for $25.95.

If you have a question about your subscription, call us at 805-413-1141; write to Circulation Department, 805 Living , 3717 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake Village, CA 91362; or reach us via email at circulation@805living.com.

Please recycle this magazine when you are finished.

805 LIVING, JUNE 2018

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Jennifer S. Vogelbach Home furnishings and design, fine jewelry, fashion jennifer@805living.com 818-427-3496 ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES

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Ingrid C’deBaca Real estate, home builders, architects, landscape, attorneys, senior living, Ojai businesses ingrid@805living.com 818-597-9220

Diane Dreyer Santa Barbara County Real estate, home builders, architects, wineries diane@805living.com 818-879-3951

Amra Neal Travel, entertainment, dining, food and beverage, education, health, fitness, beauty amra@805living.com 310-924-2631

Lisa Kitchin Automotive, financial/banking, mortgage, nonprofit organizations lisa@805living.com 818-268-8001 ADVERTISING DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Sophie Patenaude sophie@805living.com OPERATIONS MANAGER ACCOUNTING

Carmen Juarez-Leiva

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DISTRIBUTION

David Savage

ADVERTISING QUERIES

805-413-1141, 805-830-1655 fax

805 Living is published 10 times a year and is a property of 3Digit Media, LLC. 3717 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake Village, CA 91362 CEO

Lynne Andujar © 2018 3Digit Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

805 LIVING, JUNE 2018

The pursuit of perfection.

Engel & Völkers welcomes Carmen Mormino.

Engel & Völkers Westlake Village is excited to announce Carmen Mormino as a new addition to our team of Real Estate Advisors. Our company consistently delivers high quality service through a very selective process in choosing Real Estate Professionals who demonstrate proven track records of top performance and who are well respected within the community.

“My words I live by are “find my best and do it better!” It’s not what a champion does when the crowd is cheering, but it is what he/she does when nobody is watching. With this in mind, I am always working behind the scenes during a transaction while constantly finding ways to improve my knowledge, expertise, and techniques to improve my clients’ experience with me.”

- Carmen Mormino Contact Carmen Mormino to find out how his expertise and skills provide buyers and sellers with exceptional representation. p. 818.693.2181 e. carmen.mormino@evusa.com w. carmenmormino.evusa.com

ENGEL&VÖLKERS Westlake Village | 960 S Westlake Blvd, Ste. 10 | +1 818.889.1602 | westlakevillage.evusa.com | calDRE 01910946

Behind the Scenes

Ah, to hit a home run, execute triple axels, make a hole in one or a slam dunk: Our featured contributors reveal their fantasies about athletic achievement.

Greg Clarke “I would be a soccer player in the English Premier League,” says contributing illustrator Greg Clarke (P.S. Sketchpad, page 104).

“As a kid, my favorite sport was football, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate the more nuanced skill and athleticism required in world-class soccer.”

Mark Langton Philanthropic event editor Mark Langton (Good Deeds, page 68) has participated at a high level in soccer and mountain biking. “I’d really like to be a pro baseball player,” he says. “Best pay-to-effort ratio of all the sports.”

“It’s a tough choice between a few favorites: volleyball, soccer, and track,” says shopping editor Jennie Nunn (Finds, page 41). “But I love running the most, and in a fantasy world I’d be on the U.S. Track & Field Team for the marathon.”

CLARKE: GREG CLARKE; NUNN: JEN SISKA

Jennie Nunn

GRAND KITCHEN SAVINGS

EARN A $1,000 REBATE, WOLF GOURMET PRODUCTS, OR BOTH!*

*with

a qualifying purchase of a Sub-Zero and Wolf appliance package See stores for details.

Agoura Hills 30621 Canwood St. 818.991.8846

Burbank 851 N. San Fernando Blvd.

818.844.0900

Moorpark 14349 White Sage Rd. 805.222.1380

Santa Barbara 3920 State St. 805.898.9883

www.wdcappliances.com

Oxnard 887 Ventura Blvd.

805.278.0388

Torrance 20901 Hawthorne Blvd.

310.802.6380

Behind the Scenes

Our featured experts share their dream sports.

“I would be a Formula 1 driver. This would enable me to combine my passion for fast cars and traveling the world.”

—Tony Principe

(Pulse, page 35) president Finish Line Auto Storage Westlake finishlineautostorage.com

“Surfing. Because every wave is different, and I would always be happy.”

—Will Henry

(Dining Out, page 90) owner and winemaker Pico Restaurant and Lumen Wines Los Alamos picolosalamos.com; lumenwines.com

“I would be a world-class hunter-jumper, with an amazing string of horses, and be on the show circuit.”

—Paulette Lambert

“Tennis. You get to play and stay in the best places in the world.”

—Keith Pytlinski

(Front cover and Pulse, page 35) owner, photographer Legacy Shooter Simi Valley legacyshooter.com

PRINCIPE: IMAGES OF BLISS; HENRY: PAUL WELLMAN; PYTLINSKI: KRISTI PYTLINKSI

(Taste/Food, page 84) nutrition director Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village fourseasons.com/westlakevillage

WHERE

E VERY

HOUR

IS A

HAPPY

HOUR

Try over 25 eateries at The Collection and The Annex.

Visit thecollectionrp.com for menus and details.

805-988-7527 Located off HWY 101 at Oxnard BLVD.

NEW HOMES NOW SELLING Open House on Weekends 2p to 4p Monday - Friday 12 noon to 2p

Idyllic Living the Enchanted Way... Lonestar Estates, Thousand Oaks

• Seven Custom Homes • Ready to Occupy NOW

805-498-7786 EXT107

• All Homes with Almost 270° Panoramic Mountain Views • 4 and 5 Bedroom, 4.5 to 5.5 Baths 3,889 sq. ft. to 5,828 sq. ft.

• Single and Two Story Floor Plans from $1,494,000

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For more information contact: Anat Yifrah 818-266-9195 hydam786@yahoo.com

311 HAIGH ROAD, SUITE 201, THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91320 | WWW.HYDAMHOMES.COM | 805-498-7786 HOMES & LAND OF THE SAN FERNANDO, CONEJO & SIMI VALLEYS | 23, 1 – 51

Pulse

LEGACYSHOOTER.COM

T R AC K I N G T H E B E AT O F T H E 8 0 5

PRESERVING PASSIONS

Ordinary people are defined by much more than their nine-tofive jobs, and they shouldn’t have to be elite athletes, Instagram influencers, or silver-screen stars for their stories to be told. So believes Simi Valley–based photographer Keith Pytlinski, who

created Legacy Shooter (legacyshooter.com), a documentary photography service that captures individuals’ interests.

Pytlinski spends as much as a full day with his subjects as they pursue their passions, whether it’s mountain biking outdoors or > JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

35

Pulse

restoring cars in the garage.

“People are excited to share what they’re doing, even if it’s a modest person,” says Pytlinski, an outdoorsman who has the ability to tag along during sports endeavors. Bringing minimal camera equipment so as not to intimidate, he starts with conversation—not the camera— to develop comfort and trust with his subjects.

The end product can be a single framed 20-by-30-inch image or an entire photo book, but it won’t be digital images, which may not survive the evolution of technology. “Stories will get lost without some sort of tangible takeaway that gets handed down over generations,” Pytlinski says. “When you and I get old, what defines us? We’re all very similar, and we all have a story to tell.”

—Erin Rottman

Legacy Shooter creates images that artfully document a slice of an everyday life for the future.

Soccer News:

With seats shaded by state-of-the-art canopies framing views of the L.A. skyline and lavish party spaces like the Sunset Deck (far right), which features a wading pool, the Los Angeles Football Club’s new stadium (right) is a world-class soccer destination.

36

The Los Angeles Football Club’s newly constructed Banc of California Stadium (bancofcaliforniastadium. com) has soccer fans from the 805 and all across California flocking to L.A.’s Exposition Park. The sprawling, 22,000-seat arena is the first open‑air stadium to be constructed in Los

JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Angeles since 1962, scoring a goal for locals in need of an outlet for their soccer spirit. Standard tickets range from $20 to $155, and the closest seat to the field puts spectators only 12 feet away from the touchline. Starting at $225 per seat, the club offers premium experiences, including

luxury clubs, posh party suites for entertaining up to 30 guests, and even field suites, which are so close to the action you can put your feet on the grass. For interested parties in the 805, the arena is conveniently accessible by Metro (exit at the Expo Park/USC station). —Ryan Brown

SURFER AND MOTORCYCLIST: LEGACYSHOOTER.COM; STADIUM RENDERINGS: LAFC

THE GAME’S AFOOT

HARVEST DINNER & GRAPE STOMP Join the best Harvest Party in Paso Robles

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH & SATURDAY OCTOBER 20TH

Roll up your pant legs and get ready to stomp! In between grape stomping, folk dancing and of course, fabulous Opolo wine, we will be treating you to some of Opolo’s finest delicacies.

This event sells out every year, reserve your tickets today!

For tickets and more information visit: opolo.com or call 805.238.9593

Opolo | 7110 Vineyard Drive, Paso Robles CA 93446 | 805.238.9593

Pulse

WHEEL ESTATE Pismo Beach on horseback? Adventure Aide’s an app for that.

Adventure Aide

(adventureaide.com), a mobile app that matches up the intrepid with guides who lead outdoor activities in San Luis Obispo, is blazing new trails with an updated version and expansions into Santa Barbara and Ventura.

Leaving behind a promising career in college basketball, founder Connor Woolpert of San Luis Obispo created the app after discovering that a life outdoors was his true calling. “I was inspired to give people the opportunity to share what they love, meet cool people, and enjoy the outdoors,” says Woolpert.

38

JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Users have the option of booking activities on scheduled dates or requesting new dates, and prices are set by qualified guides, who may provide rental equipment. The app’s latest form broadens the scope of pursuits to include less rugged endeavors.

“So far in the Santa Barbara area,” says Woolpert, “we have adventures from bird watching and wine and bike tours to kayaking, yoga for surfers, and boat trips to the Channel Islands. From the Pacific Ocean to the Santa Ynez mountains, there’s no shortage of ways to get outside and people excited to take you there.”

—Ryan Brown

But the upscale facility has more than car storage condos under its hood. Unit owners have access to a luxurious, on-site clubhouse featuring a bar, a pool table, poker tables, wine storage lockers, and a variety of refreshments, as well as Wi-Fi, an auto-detail area, and an outdoor patio. The club organizes weekly group drives and hosts cocktail parties and other events, which have recently included a Ferrari rally and a Petersen Automotive Museum tour.

“Finish Line complements this unique community that values quality, amenities, safety, and the outdoors,” says co-owner Tony Principe, a collector himself with a taste for vintage Porsches. “And the 805 has some of the most amazing roads in the United States, so owners can actually get out and drive their vehicles.”

The facility’s new addition, Phase 3, will be complete by December and 75 percent of its units are already sold. So, for interested auto enthusiasts, now’s the time to race to Finish Line.  —R.B.

HORSES: JOSIE FARRIOR; PORTRAIT: IMAGES OF BLISS

At the Westlake Village Finish Line Auto Storage facility, co-owned by Tony Principe (left), a unit houses treasured vehicles (above), while the clubhouse (below) encourages camaraderie among unit owners.

ADVENTURE IN THE 805 Bridging the gap between smartphones and the great outdoors,

Giving elite gearheads a place to display their prized vehicle collections, the Westlake location of Finish Line Auto Storage (finishlineautostorage.com) sells state-of-the-art, 1,300-to-2,500square-foot units with finished and sealed concrete flooring, painted walls, LED lighting, and plumbing for customizations such as restrooms and wet bars. Owners can remotely grant access to their spaces for vehicle pickup, drop-off, and detailing, while keeping watch from afar via security cameras.

HIPS AND KNEES CAN BE REPLACED, BUT OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS ARE IRREPLACEABLE. Our Joint Replacement Program has exceeded national standards by achieving Gold Seal of Approval Certification from The Joint Commission for both knee and hip replacement. Our goal is to provide you with excellent care in an environment focused on wellness, right in your own community. With your personalized care in mind, our multidisciplinary team of specialists want you to experience less pain, more treatment options and a quicker recovery.

For more information, please call 877.888.5746 or visit LosRoblesHospital.com

Finds S H O P P I N G / S T Y L E / T R AV EL

Holding Court Get in the game with these tony tennis accessories.

By Jennie Nunn

Convertible perforated tennis tote ($398); Tory Burch at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, torysport.com.

JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM 41

Finds

1 2 3

4 6 5

1. “Royalton Cirque” umbrella ($4,120); Santa Barbara Designs, Oxnard, santabarbaradesigns.com.

2. Fila Original Tennis “Varsity” sneakers ($60); Urban Outfitters at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, and Malibu; urbanoutfitters.com.

3. Corkcicle “Dipped” canteen ($28); Burt’s Pharmacy, Westlake Village, burtsrx.com.

4. Rahaminov Diamonds tennis bracelet with 27.99-carat total weight emerald-cut diamonds set in platinum (price upon request); Polacheck’s Jewelers at The Commons at Calabasas, polachecks.com.

5. Head “Graphene Touch Instinct MP” tennis racquet ($200); dickssportinggoods.com.

6. Kraftware Kasualware “Tennis” three-quart ice bucket ($30); bedbathandbeyond.com.

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7. “Miami Open Petit Piqué” unisex visor ($55); Lacoste at Camarillo Premium Outlets, lacoste.com.

8. The Stylish Life: Tennis by Ben Rothenberg ($55); Tecolote Book Shop, Santa Barbara, tecolotebookshop.com. 

NANCY BOUIMER | REALTOR® Finding the perfect home together.

310-592-6334 NancyBouimer@BHHSCAL.com NancyBouimer.com CalBRE#: 01932655

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Finds Style

By Frances Ryan

Beachy Keen Make waves this summer in surf-ready styles.

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1

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1. “Navy Spruce” combo colorblock wet suit ($265); Cynthia Rowley at Malibu Lumber Yard, cynthiarowley.com.

4

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2. Roxy striped long-sleeved rash guard ($40); Dick’s Sporting Goods at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, and Moorpark; dickssportinggoods.com.

3. “R1” Lite Yulex long-sleeved wet suit ($129); Patagonia, Ventura, patagonia.com.

4. “Indigo Cowrie” long-sleeved rash guard ($110); Tommy Bahama at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, tommybahama.com.

5. Lolë “Whitehaven” rash guard ($60); Lolë Atelier, Santa Barbara, lolewomen.com.

6. “Simply Solid” bodysuit ($86); volcom.com.

6

7. “Ms. Churchill” top ($132); boysandarrows.com.

8. Tory Sport rash guard ($178); Tory Burch at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, torysport.com. 

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8

B E L M O N D E L E N C A N T O , S A N TA B A R B A R A

JOIN US FOR OUR 100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Belmond El Encanto first opened its doors to welcome visitors and locals in 1918.

In commemoration of this historic event, we’ve put together a year-long celebration that includes exclusive offers, special events and community activities that pay tribute to the past, present and future of our enchanting resort.

For more information or reservations, please call 805 845 5800 or visit belmond.com/elencanto.

800 ALVARADO PLACE, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93103 | 805 845 5800 | BELMOND.COM

Finds Travel

By Erin Rottman

Climbers of Telluride Via Ferrata see the spectacular Bridal Veil Falls from a unique vantage point (left) as part of a special package at The Hotel Telluride (right).

CLIMB IN COLORADO

T

elluride Via Ferrata, a mountain route with fixed rungs anchored to rock that allow climbers to traverse sheer cliff faces, may not be for the acrophobic or panic prone. “Signing up is the hardest part,” says Joshua Butson, owner and lead guide of local outfitter San Juan Outdoor Adventures. But this summer, it’s the thing to do in this Colorado box-canyon town.

Through September, the three-night Ropes & Rungs package from The Hotel Telluride (thehoteltelluride.com; from $1,999) includes a room with a private balcony for enjoying the views, breakfast daily, one day of guided rock climbing, and a one-day guided excursion along the via ferrata for adventurers of any climbing ability.

Walking distance from shops and restaurants, the boutique hotel provides spa services on the premises in treatment rooms and guest rooms, and The West End Bistro in the lobby is a locals’ favorite for drinks and appetizers.

As part of the Ropes & Rungs package, guides meet guests at the hotel and provide gear, including a helmet, a harness, and climbing shoes, before the group heads toward Ophir Valley for rock climbing or to the east end of Telluride Valley for the via ferrata, which has views of Bridal Veil Falls, the tallest freefalling waterfall in Colorado.

“Once [people] commit to it, then they have the greatest day of their life,” Butson says.

Learn paddling, wave selection, and pop-up technique in Los Cabos at One&Only Palmilla resort’s Art of Luxury Surfing weekends (oneandonlyresorts. com; rooms from $765, surfing lessons from $150 an hour), scheduled several times throughout the year.

A surfer-friendly spot on the Sea of Cortez with water temperatures that range from 72 to 82 degrees, Los Cabos offers beginner waves directly in front of the

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One of two infinity pools at One&Only Palmilla resort sidles up beside the swimmable Los Cabos surf.

resort and intermediate and advanced waves via a five-minute drive or boat ride. The hotel partners with the Australia-based Tropicsurf, whose professionals take guests to locations based on personal ability.

End the day with a restorative massage at the hotel’s new temazcal, a stone steam room built in the tradition of Mesoamerican sweat lodges. Spa treatments performed inside also take inspiration from the ancient practice.

TOP, LEFT AND RIGHT: THE HOTEL TELLURIDE; BOTTOM: ONE&ONLY PALMILLA

CATCH A WAVE IN LOS CABOS

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Finds Travel

CAMP OR GLAMP IN BUELLTON

B

orrow a standup paddleboard or make real waves with a 37-foot Formula jet boat at the Lake Club, The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe (ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/california/lake-tahoe; from $329 plus Lake Club access fee). The hotel, located mid-mountain at the Northstar California Resort, has matched its ski-in, ski-out winter luxury with a summer lakefront club open only to hotel guests.

A nine-mile Mercedes-Benz Sprinter ride from The Ritz-Carlton, the Lake Club includes direct beach access with lounges, food and beverage service, and a hot tub. It also has a private pier to access water sports, changing facilities, and indoor dining. It’s an oasis set apart from other busy public beaches, which Lake Club manager Samuel Kimball says often require that visitors arrive by 8 a.m. to claim a spot then trudge across neighboring blankets to get to the water. At the club, “You don’t need to worry about anything,” he says, “except which kind of vodka you want in your Bloody Mary.”

At the Lake Club at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, multilevel floorto-ceiling windows (top) lure guests outdoors with lake views, while the pier (above) beckons them into the water.

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HOT TIP

L.A.’s Griffith Park, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and Yosemite’s Bass Lake are three of more than 150 sites in North America where kids can become special agents on their own missions with the free Agents of Discovery app (agentsofdiscovery.com). The app is an augmented reality game designed for elementary and middle school–age kids to use their phones to answer site-specific questions on subjects such as the medicinal properties of eucalyptus trees. The company reports that it is a hit with educators as well as children because it’s fun for kids, gets them outside in nature, and teaches them at the same time.

People and pets gather for fun and games, like bocce ball, at Flying Flags RV Resort & Campground.

surf cabins with hammocks, grills, and alfresco seating areas and vintage Airstreams with wood fire pits nearby.

A fitness center is available for adults, while bocce ball courts, table tennis, and pools with splash zones for kids provide fun for all ages. For guests who enjoy having someone else do the cooking, the Campfire Café has Friday night barbecues while the Santa Ynez Sausage Co. serves takeout fare from a renovated Airstream.

The newest addition, the Santa Ynez Guest Ranch, is a gated area with private amenities, an ideal spot for groups, weddings, and other special events. 

TOP AND CENTER, LEFT: THE RITZ-CARLTON, LAKE TAHOE; RIGHT: HIGHWAY WEST VACATIONS; BOTTOM: AGENTS OF DISCOVERY

LOUNGE AT LAKE TAHOE

Part staycation, part hipster home away from home, and part event venue, Flying Flags RV Resort & Campground (highwaywestvacations. com/properties/flyingflags; call 805-688-3716 for prices) in Buellton has much more to offer than the average campground.

“The mission here is to have a lot of amenities at your fingertips,” says assistant general manager Lydia Thomas. “I call it my little piece of paradise, honestly.”

In addition to 200 RV spaces, the pet-friendly resort offers accommodations ranging from glamorous wine-themed cottages and elegant safari tents to casual

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1012 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 | chasebarandgrill.com | 805-965-4351

Go Los Alamos

By Heidi Dvorak

Foodie Foray

Sated in Los Alamos (clockwise from below): Fresh-baked ficelles at Bob’s Well Bread Bakery. Pico’s seared duck breast with local beets. The new Bell’s bistro. Mussels à la Daisy and Greg Ryan. Patrons gather at Babi’s Beer Emporium for craft brews.

Skyview Los Alamos boutique hotel (left) makes the most of its midcentury-motel roots.

I

f you think you made a wrong turn when driving down Los Alamos’ main drag—Bell Street is all of seven blocks—don’t zip by. Stop. Spend the night.

Or two. Because this is a foodie’s dream destination.

STAY For full-town immersion, check into one of the

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charming Airbnb cottages located behind Bob’s Well Bread Bakery (bobswellbread. com). Each guesthouse has a Dutch door leading to a living room, fully equipped kitchen, bath, and bedroom.

For a trendy midcentury vibe, consider Skyview Los Alamos (skyviewlosalamos.com), housed in a former ’50s motel.

The new hillside property

offers 33 streamlined hipretro guestrooms, many with private decks and country views.

EAT The wood-fired pizzas at Full of Life Flatbread (fulloflifefoods.com) may have put Los Alamos on the culinary map (and do eat there), but now every

restaurant offers a unique dining experience. All are run by seasoned pros who instill their passion for creating remarkable, artfully prepared dishes from local and sustainably sourced food.

If the aroma of fresh baked goods doesn’t make you salivate, one look at Bob’s Well Bread Bakery’s artisanal loaves and pastries

BELL’S INTERIOR: BRIANNA BURKETT; MUSSELS: LIZ BARCLAY; BABI’S BEER EMPORIUM: ANNA FERGUSON SPARKS; FICELLES: SILAS FALLSTITCH; HOTEL: COURTESY OF SKYVIEW LOS ALAMOS

This tiny town garners big epicurean buzz.

Winemaker Sonja Magdevski pours her small-production varietals featuring Santa Barbara County grapes at Casa Dumetz Wines tasting room.

will. Owner Bob Oswaks’ inventive breakfasts such as Egg in a Jar (poached egg in purple potato puree with bacon and crème fraîche) and Beans on Toast (baked beans with egg, roasted tomatoes, and Toulouse sausage), make the café a popular local hangout.

Hearty appetizers and mains such as Sweet Potato Black Bean Bites and the Short-Rib Melt are the hallmark of Jesper Johansson, chef-owner at Plenty on Bell (plentyonbell. com). At Pico at the Los Alamos General Store

(picolosalamos.com; see more in Dining Out, page 90), a recently expanded garden and three rustic-elegant dining rooms provide fitting spaces for chef-owner Drew Terp’s Duck Confit Risotto and other masterful creations.

New on the street is Bell’s (bellsrestaurant.com), a French bistro helmed by longtime restaurant vets Daisy and Greg Ryan.

Standouts include pillowylight gnocchi à la Parisien with sauce fondue as well as desserts like French butter cake made by chef Sarah Williams. A nod to Psycho’s Norman Bates, Skyview’s casually sophisticated dining

room, Norman, delivers substantial fare, such as ribeye steak and a juicy burger.

DRINK Alcoholic libations here are serious. Sampling them is downright fun. The bars and tasting rooms sport a roughhewn ambience that conjures visions of cowboy culture, and servers show heartfelt interest in their patrons.

At Casa Dumetz Wines (casadumetzwines.com) owner-winemaker Sonja Magdevski (a pioneer of introducing premium vino here) showcases her smallproduction wines made from Santa Barbara County grapes. Next door at Babi’s Beer Emporium (facebook. com/babisbeeremporium), Magdevski sells craft beers with ridiculously good porkbelly tacos from Valle Fresh, the on-site eatery.

In a quaint cabin that fronts the Alamo Motel, Municipal Winemakers

(municipalwinemakers.com) serves old world–meets–new world selections. Or sidle up to the bar at the historic 1880 Union Saloon (1880union. com), where an authentic western atmosphere is paired with mighty powerful whiskey cocktails. 

Insider EVENTS IN & AROUND THE 805

By Heidi Dvorak Through April 2019

June 10

June 24

L’EPOQUE DES CARROSIERS: THE ART AND TIMES OF THE FRENCH COACHBUILDERS

OJAI WINE FESTIVAL

VANS FOREVER WARPED TOUR

Lake Casitas Recreation Area.

Drink to a good cause when more than 60 wineries and 35 craft breweries team up to support local small businesses and wineries affected by the Thomas fire. Chefs rustle up their best dishes and live music plays all day; ojaiwinefestival.com.

Ventura County Fairgrounds.

It’s purportedly the last crosscountry run of the traveling rock show and longest running touring music festival in the U.S., so cram in the tunes of more than 70 bands, including Reel Big Fish, Sum 41, and Harm’s Way; vanswarpedtour.com.

June 24

June 30

SLIGHTLY STOOPID

SANTA BARBARA WINE + FOOD FESTIVAL

Mulllin Automobile Museum, Oxnard. Elegant design and handcrafting are the hallmarks of the French builders of cars such as Bugatti, Citroën, De Villars, Vanvooren, and others.

On view are Concours-winning vehicles, including the famed 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic; mullinautomotivemuseum.com.

6/10

June 9 TONY BENNETT

Vina Robles Amphitheatre, Paso Robles. The legendary crooner sings, swings, and still makes listeners swoon with his smooth sounds. He is joined by his daughter, Antonia Bennett; vinaroblesamphitheatre.com.

Santa Barbara Bowl. Don’t be fooled by the name. It’s the band’s School’s Out for Summer 2018 Tour, and this magnificent seven know how to rev up the energy when it comes to multiinstrumental collaboration. Stick Figure and Pepper also perform; sbbowl.com.

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. It couldn’t be more enjoyable: Help support the museum’s nature and science education programs by eating dishes created by the county’s gourmet food artisans and drinking libations from 50 Central Coast wineries; sbnature.org.

Family Fun OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL

6/30

Here’s an Idea: Friends, Romans, countrymen, and 805-ers of the highest esteem: One of the most popular outdoor theater festivals just got high tech. It’s now possible to purchase lawn boxes and general admission tickets online to gain entry to the KINGSMEN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL at Cal Lutheran University. Slated are The Two Noble Kinsmen from June 29 to July 15 and Othello from July 20 to August 5. Ye gads, if that isn’t enough, general admission tickets ordered online are discounted 10 percent; for a two-show package, the service fee is reduced 50 percent per order.

Huzzah!; kingsmenshakespeare.org.

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Ojai locations. Contemporary classical music fills the bill at a world-renowned showcase of top instrumentalists, but even children can get caught up in the excitement at the Musical Miniatures children’s concerts; ojaifestival.org.

June 8–July 1

the driver’s seat at a car‑nival that gives them license to explore all kinds of trucks as well as a police cruiser, excavator, school bus, stretch limousine, tractor, fire engine, ambulance, bulldozer, SWAT vehicle, and more; crpd.org.

June 30 June 20–24 LOMPOC VALLEY FLOWER FESTIVAL

San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre. Leapin’ lizards, if it isn’t the heartwarming story of a little red-haired orphan who wins everyone’s hearts, including Daddy Warbucks and President Franklin D. Roosevelt; slorep.org.

Ryon Memorial Park. It may seem nebulous that the valley’s celebration of floral heritage is themed Space, the Final Frontier, but the rides, parade, games, food and crafts booths, and musical entertainment are sure to be out of this world; lompocvalleyfestivals.com.

June 16

June 22–24

TOUCH-A-TRUCK

VENTURA COUNTY GREEK FESTIVAL

ANNIE

Thousand Oaks Community Park. Kids are finally sitting in

Airport. Try a baklava sundae as well as other Greek goodies at this cultural event with traditional dancing, crafts, food, and fun. The Olympians perform with guest drummer Father Gary; vcgreekfestival.org.

Freedom Park, Camarillo

OJAI VALLEY LAVENDER FESTIVAL

Libbey Park. At this floral fundraiser, the pretty purple people-pleaser is rooted in the creation of unusual foods, plants, music, art, games, and raffles. Proceeds provide scholarships for area residents to study lavender as well as grants to help restore lavender environments to homeowners impacted by the Thomas fire; ojaivalleylavenderfestival.org. >

FROM TOP: STEPHEN ADAMS PHOTOGRAPHY; DIANA HATCHER

June 7–10

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Hot Ticket

Book your seats now for these hot upcoming events.

JUNE Through June 10: LESS MISERABLE BY MIKE TODD is a twist on the Victor Hugo classic.

The stage production contains song parodies, comedy, and a vaudevillian kick; Great American Melodrama & Vaudeville, Oceano, greatamericanmelodrama.com.

Through July 8: Prepare for the beauties of spring at BOTKE BIRDS AND BLOSSOMS, an exhibit of Jessie Arms Botke’s early 20th-century decorative paintings paired with arrangements of flowers created by the Ventura County Orchid Society; Santa Paula Art Museum, santapaulaartmuseum.org.

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Through August 19: In GENGHIS KHAN, the brutal barbarian and leader of the Mongol Empire who brought the concept of democracy to the west stars in his own exhibit featuring 13th-century weapons, costumes, jewels, instruments, and documents; Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Simi Valley, reaganfoundation.org.

June 1–17: Based on Zelda Fitzgerald’s letters and stories, THE LAST FLAPPER is a portrait of the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The play, by William Luce, is set in a sanitorium on the last day of her life as she tells her story during a hypnotherapy session; Wine Country Theatre, Paso Robles, winecountrytheatre.com.

June 14–17: Camp the weekend or spend the day listening to performers Michael Franti & Spearhead, Joe Purdy, Amanda Anne Platt & the Honeycutters, Bryan Titus Trio, Dustbowl Revival, Mother Corn Shuckers, Mavis Staples, JD McPherson, and others at the LIVE OAK MUSIC FESTIVAL. Family-friendly activities include jamming, barn dances, hikes, a talent show, a game zone, children’s performers, yoga, wood crafting, and a toddler oasis; Live Oak Camp, Santa Barbara, liveoakfest.org.

June 14–July 8: Little did novelist Victor Hugo know that back in 1831 when he wrote a story about a deformed church bell ringer, it would one day be the impetus for a musical. Yet that’s exactly what happened on the big screen and then onstage when songwriters Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz teamed up to deliver a dramatic and beautiful score for Disney’s THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. The classic tale maintains its integrity as it unfolds the story of Quasimodo, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, and the beguiling gypsy, Esmeralda; Marian and Solvang Festival theaters, pcpa.org.

June 16: Ding! Comics Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley square off with stories about the stresses and successes of parenting in MOM’S NIGHT OUT: ROUND 2! Between them are four children, two husbands, and three dogs, so there’s plenty of solid material for this wacky stage show, part of the #IMOMSOHARD Cross-Country Tour; Vina Robles Amphitheatre, Paso Robles, vinaroblesamphitheatre.com.

Look for our newest location in Oxnard at The Collection!

June 16: Treat Dad, Granddad, and any dad-like dude to a relaxing Father’s Day weekend respite outdoors at POP IN FOR POPS. The day is devoted to relaxing, drinking fine wines in a scenic venue, and listening to a live performance by the Bob Santa Cruz Duo; Pear Valley Vineyard, Paso Robles, pearvalley.com.

June 21–23: Summer’s here and that means ROLL OUT THE BARRELS WEEKEND is underway. The shebang takes off on Thursday with Barrels in the Plaza, a culinary street party with more than 50 wineries, each offering its own vino along with artfully prepared plates from local chefs. On Friday and Saturday, select tasting rooms and vineyards provide special access to those with a Passport to Wine Country; San Luis Obispo locations, slowine.com.

June 30: Take a breather for a couple hours and enjoy the wonders of nature at the MALIBU CREEK WELCOME WALK. A docent leads this easy stroll along the creek and through a wooded valley.

Learn about the area’s animals, plants, early inhabitants, and the movies filmed in the park; Malibu Creek State Park, samofund.org.

JULY July 4: Santa Barbara’s Stearns Wharf and surrounding environs are awash with crowds enjoying a parade, an art show, fireworks, and live music on the holiday, but for those who prefer something more intimate, within walking distance is a JULY 4 CELEBRATION held in a peaceful setting filled with greenery. The program features patriotic-themed songs performed by the Queen City Brass Quintet sponsored by the Cielo Foundation for the Performing Arts; Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens, cieloperformingarts.org.

July 14, 21, 28: Winemaker wannabes can tap into their hidden talents at Opolo Vineyard’s WINE BLENDING PARTIES. Instruction and fun begin in the barrel room, where mixing, testing, and tasting take place. Each student concocts a magnum of a Bordeaux blend, and then the results are judged by an expert tasting panel. The winner gets a custom double magnum of their wine as a trophy, and everyone gets to take home a magnum of their own wine; Opolo Vineyard, Paso Robles, opolo.com. >

Los Agaves is a family owned Mexican restaurant serving traditional handcrafted recipes from the finest ingredients… Always.

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Insider July 17–29: Keeping up in tempo with social change, the Festival Mozaic MUSIC WITHOUT BORDERS summer concert series transcends the boundaries of geography, gender, national identity, and technology with diverse performances of classical and what’s termed “UnClassical” music. Sit in on master classes, workshops, and rehearsals, talk to the musicians, and attend concerts from morning through evening in conventional and unconventional venues, such as vineyards, ranches, courtyards, and missions.

There’s even a piano performance devoted to new arrangements of Radiohead songs; San Luis Obispo locations, festivalmozaic.com.

July 20, 22: Eight young soloists along with musicians from the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic perform in a program entitled OPUS 52, named for the group’s 52nd concert. Led by conductor John Roscigno, the orchestra performs concertos

by Viotti, Marcello, Mozart, Beethoven, de Bériot, Mendelssohn, and Sibelius; Camarillo United Methodist Church and Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, tophil.org.

July 28–29: The OXNARD SALSA FESTIVAL dares to venture beyond the confines of the spicy condiment, incorporating the sensual dance and Latin music of the same name into this triplethemed blowout. Activities embrace dance exhibitions, performances by Latin and jazz bands, perusing arts and craft booths, and eating at a salsa tasting tent and two international food courts; Plaza Park, oxnardsalsafestival.com.

Come inside and stay awhile.

Kaufman Real Estate Group Jill Kaufman Kristy Christensen Rusty Spragg 805.870.5710 team@kaufmanregroup.com DRE 01855802

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

Show Your Support

Fun and fundraising go hand-inhand at these local events.

JUNE June 9: Four luxury homes open their doors for visitors at the MAKING IT HOME TOUR, a PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) fundraiser. Food and wine pairings from chefs and local restaurants are available at each residence. The festivities continue at an after-party reception with raffles and refreshments; Santa Barbara and Montecito locations, sbhometour.org.

June 9: Hightail it on over to the Woods Humane Society’s fundraising gala, TIKI TAILS. The Polynesian-style party with food, wine, and an auction is aimed at raising $90,000 for programs and operations, such as aiding rescues, at the nonprofit’s two facilities; Oyster Ridge at Ancient Peaks Winery, Santa Margarita, woodshumanesociety.org.

June 11: Compete for prizes and trophies at the ninth annual GOLF CLASSIC, a tournament to raise money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley. Activities include raffles, lunch, live and silent auctions, a cocktail reception, dinner, and an awards presentation; Moorpark Country Club, bgcconejo.org.

June 22: The soulful sounds of a renowned saxophonist permeate the air at SMOOTH JAZZ WITH KENNY G, a benefit concert for the Loving Home Hospice for Children in Woodland Hills. The evening includes hors d’oeuvres and wine, red carpet appearances, and special awards; Viewpoint School Carlson Family Theater, Calabasas, lovinghomehospice.org.

June 23: Help promote positive development of youths in Cambria, Cayucos, and San Simeon by participating in the 18th annual GENE CERISE MEMORIAL COUNTRY COAST CLASSIC BIKE RIDE.

The original ride was founded by Cerise, an avid cyclist, as a fundraiser for the Cambria Youth Center, but he succumbed to leukemia in 2004.

This year’s goal is to raise $25,000 to fund and support youth programs. Pick from three rides: the ¾ Century (72 miles), ½ Century (45 miles), and ¼ Century (25 miles). Directly after, cyclists and others can enjoy a Lions Club barbecued meal and try their chances for prizes in a raffle; Cambria Pinedorado grounds, countrycoastclassic.org.

June 23: It may sound dicey, but participating in a bunco tournament supports the efforts of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation at ROLLING FOR PINK. Fueling the fun are margaritas, beer, wine, and lunch.

A premium silent auction provides chances to land fab prizes; Santa Rosa Valley Park, rollingforpink.org.

June 23: Three cheers for the RED, WHITE & BLUE BALL, which honors one military service and one patriotic citizen of the year. The prestigious gala is put on by two national veteran organizations, the Conejo Valley Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars and the Michael DiRaimondo Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart; Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Simi Valley, reaganfoundation.org.

June 30: More than 200 American classic and muscle cars, including vehicles from the Armand Hammer Foundation and Petersen Automotive Museum, are on exhibit at RODS & ROSES CAR SHOW, aimed to raise funds for local nonprofit groups, such as the Future Farmers of America, HopeNet of Carpinteria, Carpinteria Education Foundation, the Carpinteria Food Pantry, Hospice of Santa Barbara, and others. Following the show is the annual Carpinteria Independence Parade, so march on over; Linden Avenue, rodsandroses. wordpress.com and carpinteriaparades.com.

GASTROPUB Westlake Village

•

Santa Barbara

30 Craft Beers On Tap!

Signature Burgers & Sandwiches Artisan Flatbread Pizzas Chef-Crafted Gourmet Salads 15 Savory Appetizers Hand-Crafted Cocktails Multiple HDTV's Locally owned and operated, Finney's is open for lunch and dinner with Monday-Friday Happy Hour specials.

June 30: Odds are that attending AN EVENING AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY is a sure bet for having fun.

With dinner, an auction, and proceeds donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley, it’s the perfect trifecta; Grand Vista Hotel, Simi Valley, bgcsimi.com. >

982 S Westlake Blvd #2, Westlake Village • 805.230.9950 35 State Street, Santa Barbara • 805.845.3100 www.FinneysCrafthouse.com

Insider June 30, July 28, August 25: Meet a mustang or two at a RETURN TO FREEDOM WILD HORSE SANCTUARY TOUR. This refuge is home to 160 horses and burros that once roamed the plains.

The docent-guided walk allows for quiet herd observation. Guides provide information on the horses’ origins, history, and challenges to survive.

Proceeds from tours benefit this nonprofit organization; Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary, Lompoc, returntofreedom.org.

JULY July 4: Bring a picnic or food-truck-it at the Independence Day program PASO POPS, a Paderewski Festival–sponsored concert. The patriotic-themed show is emceed by Wineman Casey Biggs and features music performed by the San Luis Obispo Symphony, followed by fireworks.

To keep the kids busy, carnival rides are on site.

Net proceeds benefit the Paderewski Festival Youth Piano Competition and the Youth Cultural Exchange Program; Paso Robles Event Center, paderewskifest.com.

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July 16: It’s four-person Texas Scramble at the 26th annual CARE FOR KIDS GOLF CLASSIC, with hole-in-one prizes on all par threes. So scramble on over to this tournament to raise money with the Rotary Clubs of Camarillo to benefit Casa Pacifica Centers for Children & Families; Spanish Hills Country Club, Camarillo, casapacifica.org.

July 28: Bid high at the Meadowlark Service League’s WINE AUCTION GALA, where a gourmet dinner, fine wines, and cocktails await, all in the name of raising money for local charities. Along with the foodie fun are live and silent auctions; Red Barn at the Camarillo Ranch, tasteofcamarillo.com.

July 29: It’s the longest running wine and food festival in Ventura County, so sip and savor a bit of history during this afternoon of sampling fine wines, craft beers, and gourmet dishes at A TASTE OF CAMARILLO WINE, BREW & FOOD FESTIVAL. Live music plays all day, featuring the

Beach Boys tribute band Surfin’. Dance, hang out at the VIP Surf Shack, bid in a silent auction, and go boutique shopping. Proceeds benefit local and Ventura County charities; Meadowlark Service League, Camarillo Ranch, tasteofcamarillo.com.

The Agoura Antique Mart A Vintage Marketplace

Mon.-Sat. 10-6 Sunday 11-5 818-706-8366 58

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28879 Agoura Road Agoura Hills, CA 91301 agouraantiquemart.com

Worth a Drive

Venture just outside the 805 for these choice events.

Though June 24: The impact of Indian art and culture on Rembrandt’s style is explored in REMBRANDT AND THE INSPIRATION OF INDIA.

The exhibit spotlights 20 of his drawings that depict the Mughal court in Northern India.

Juxtaposed against those drawings of Mughal rulers and courtiers are Indian paintings and

drawings of similar compositions to illustrate how Mughal art influenced him to draw in a very different, refined style; J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center, Los Angeles, getty.edu.

Through January 27: As the most comprehensive Porsche exhibit outside of Stuttgart, THE PORSCHE EFFECT showcases a historically significant collection of the German brand’s street and race cars as well as artifacts, historical documents tracing the marque’s history in engineering, kinetic art, branding, and the new underground Porsche Vault Tour, which showcases some of the marque’s rarest automobiles. Vehicular eye candy includes the 1938 Berlin-Rome Type 64 race car, a 906 race car, the 919 Endurance racer, the Petersen Collection’s 901 and Continental, a rare model X83 Turbo S Flachbau 964, a rally-spec Type 953 911, the Gulf 917K, the Jägermeister 962, and the legendary 935 K3 Le Mans winner; Petersen Automobile Museum, Los Angeles, petersen.org.

Photos courtesy of Olio e Limone and Kevin Steele / kevsteele.com

June 11: Everyone roots for the home team at the BLUE DIAMOND GALA, a star-studded evening

hosted by the official team charity of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. The extravaganza begins as celebrities, players, and coaches walk the blue carpet, followed by a dinner party and two hours of entertainment, headlined by John Legend. Proceeds support the expansion of the organization’s programs, such as Dodgers Dreamfields and Dodger RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities). The current goal is to build 50 baseball fields in underserved communities throughout Los Angeles to improve the lives of 10,000 children; Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, dodgers.com/ladf.

Give Back

Photos courtesy of Olio Crudo Bar and Gary Moss /garymossphotography.com

Whatever your interests, there’s a volunteer opportunity just right for you.

Ever had dreams of being on a police force?

Law & Order wannabes should consider a stint with VOLUNTEERS IN POLICING. As part of the Ventura County Sheriff’s office, volunteers get to perform routine police duties. Candidates must undergo a background check, possess good judgment, be in good health, and be able to work with a team. Training includes report writing, first aid and CPR, fingerprinting, traffic control, police radio usage, observations and reporting procedures, driving skills, and administrative duties. Volunteers must work 20 hours per month or 60 hours in a three-month period and attend training meetings. Perks: Everyone gets a cool uniform and badge. Contact any station in the county to apply; vcsd.org.  If you would like to submit your event or organization for possible inclusion in Insider, please email the information and a contact number/email to insider@805living.com.

Please submit your request no later than 14 weeks prior to the issue in which you’d like the information to appear.

Photo courtesy of Olio Pizzeria® and Alessio Morello/AFM Video Productions Photo courtesy of Olio Pizzeria® and Kevin Steele / kevsteele.com

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| Santa Barbara, CA 93101 | 805.899.2699

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The 805 Takes Part

Defining Health

A Westlake Village–based wellness facility participates in a groundbreaking project to help map the factors that contribute to wellness and illness.

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Partnerships are key to the success of Project Baseline, which is why Verily started by tapping Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and Stanford Medicine in Palo Alto to help initiate the data-gathering process.

More recently, the company teamed up with a third prestigious health facility, the California Health & Longevity Institute (CHLI; chli.com) in Westlake Village.

“We started enrolling people over a year ago and are still actively doing it,” says Terry Schaack, M.D., medical director and president of CHLI. “We are doing the evaluations, which are being recorded and will, over time, be analyzed to see whether there’s a better map to be made of human health.”

As a designated Project Baseline study site, CHLI is charged with obtaining comprehensive, healthrelated statistics from participants by way of clinical examination, labs, imaging, behavioral and psychological assessments, environmental

factors, self-reported information, and more.

Technology comes into play in two main ways: selection of participants and participant monitoring. “Verily has a computerized algorithm for who they would like to be in the study,” explains Schaack.

That algorithm, he adds, is designed to help achieve as accurate a representation of the U.S. population as a whole as possible to help ensure the integrity and usability of the final accumulated data.

Modern Sense Ability The monitoring occurs via worn sensors that have the capacity to pick up and transmit back to study sites information on participants’ pulse, oxygenation, EKG readings, sleep parameters, activity, ambient noise, light, humidity, and even the level of sweat on the skin. “The participants wear the sensors as much as they are willing to—there is no minimum amount of time,” Schaack notes, adding that due to the vast amount of personal information that >

© RATSANAL/ISTOCK.COM

By Linda Kossoff

hat constitutes good health? The answer is easily open to interpretation, but perhaps not for long. That’s because a recently launched initiative called Project Baseline has set its sights on establishing a clearly defined reference, or baseline, for good health.

And the potential result—referred to as a “map of human health”—could be a game changer.

Launched in 2017 by the science research organization Verily (verily.com), Project Baseline is conducting its first initiative, a 10,000-subject, observational health study intended to span at least four years. The endeavor, according to a statement from Verily, “represents a historic partnership among organizations spanning academia, medicine, science, technology, design, and more.” This first phase is a key part of the project’s greater goal, which is, the company states, to “develop a deeper understanding of health and disease and the transition between the two, as well as identify early precursors for disease, with the hope of ultimately preventing disease so people across the country can live happier, healthier lives.”

is shared, privacy measures are “incredibly strong. We use tools to make sure the information given to us is only transmitted to the study by 10-digit code. We don’t even give out date of birth because that’s too easily identifiable, and we use only the first two numbers of the zip code.”

Interested parties who have been chosen by the algorithm and who meet the additional requirements of being Englishor Spanish-speaking residents of the test-site state and age 18 or older, must agree to submit to certain baseline requirements of the study, which include one or two annual five-hour visits during which they receive standard medical examinations and lab tests and submit answers to a questionnaire four times per year.

The CHLI Climate

Assessing overall health is a particular specialty of CHLI, which was launched back in 2006 as a beta test site facility

by Schaack and current CHLI managing partner Jonathan R. Cole, M.D. The facility provides a comprehensive range of health services that encompasses both traditional and complementary alternative medicine practices.

“We try to be cutting-edge in Western medicine and feel that nutrition, fitness, and mind-body aspects are just as important,” Schaack explains.

“We also have dentistry, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic and spa therapies. I’m boarded in internal

medicine but also in rheumatology, which deals with joint and muscle disease, so we prescribe massage therapy a lot. It’s incredibly helpful.”

Cole and Schaack are practicing physicians at the facility as well as researchers.

“Jon and I have always felt that it is better to have a foot in both camps, as the universities do, because if you do really good research the doctors and nurses will be thinking about that all the time,” Schaack says. “CHLI is different from Duke and Stanford, however, in that we do not mix our clinical and our study populations. We are small, and we don’t want our clinical patients to feel pressured to become part of a research group. That works in a big institution but not here.”

Verily recognizes the unique role that CHLI has to play in Project Baseline: “The staff at California Health & Longevity Institute is responsible for the thorough, engaging, and warm on-site experience that their numerous participants have had to date,” Verily says in a recent statement. “As a landmark site for the study, CHLI is actively gleaning insights that will help shape the path to achieving our mission in the years to come.”

CHLI is currently accepting eligible participants for Project Baseline. For more information or to register online, visit projectbaseline.com. 

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Upgrades Samsung “Q7FN” QLED Smart 4K UHD TV ($2,599 for 65 inch; Studio Stand, $599); Wilshire Media Systems, Westlake Village, wilshirehe.com.

Active Ingredients Celebrate a sporty spirit with a casual space devoted to dynamic décor.

By Frances Ryan

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Upgrades

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1. “Ceylon KD PU” accent chair in Antique Caramel ($845); For Your Home Furniture, Ventura, fyhfurn.com.

2. “Bonzer Shelter” surfboard ($795); Channel Island Surfboards, Santa Barbara, cisurfboards.com.

3. Samsung “Q9FN” QLED Smart 4K UHD TV ($3,799 for 65 inch); Wilshire Media Systems, Westlake Village, wilshirehe.com.

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4. “Industrial Cage” filament pendant with aged steel finish ($149); Restoration Hardware at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, and Santa Barbara; rh.com.

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5. Walker Zanger “Faux Bois Collection, Chevron in Chestnut” ($18.50 per square foot); Walker Zanger, North Hills and West Hollywood; walkerzanger.com.

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6. Vintage books (various prices): Agoura Antique Mart, agouraantiquemart.com.

7. Arteriors Home “Sabine” lamp ($600); Cabana Home, Santa Barbara, cabanahome.com.

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8. Century “Eli” mirror ($1,305); Designs of the Interior, Westlake Village, interiordesignwestlake.com.

9. Potted artificial jade plant ($50); Crate and Barrel at The Village at Topanga, Woodland Hills, crateandbarrel.com.

10. Dartboard in muted neutrals ($66); zazzle.com.

11. Hooker Furniture “Live Edge” console ($1,020); Alderman Bushé Interiors, Thousand Oaks, aldermanbusheinteriors.com.

12. Thomas Bina for Resource Decor “Carson” loveseat ($3,449); The Sofa Guy, Thousand Oaks, thesofaguy.com. 

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Thousand Oaks 805.498.5588 AldermanBusheInteriors.com Mon–Sat 10-5 Sun by Appt.

Good Deeds

By Mark Langton

Angels of the Arts

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Angels of the Arts, the auxiliary guild of TOARTS (toarts.org/angels), held its annual luncheon in midApril at the Hyatt Regency Westlake, featuring an elaborate table-decorating competition. TOARTS is the official nonprofit fundraising arm of the Bank of America Performing Arts Center in Thousand Oaks and provides programmatic support for it.

Celebrating the 18th year of the event, Angels of the Arts donated proceeds to the Kids and the Arts Program, which benefits the community’s youth, from ages 5 to 18, by exposing them to special arts performances and educational programs. TOARTS believes that art in all its many forms creates a shared bond for a community’s well-being.

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1. Kathy Jeffers Volk, Catherine Diliberti 2. Cindy Keitel, Leanne Neilson, Lynda Fulford 3. Tim Hagel 4. Coleen Blatt, Renee Christopher, Christina LaForgia, Bernadette Straatsma, Cynthia Kilkenny, Jamie Culhane, Karen Friedman 5. Allison Nelson, Maryam Guran, Toni Vlaovich, Lori Sorensen, Farnaz Fardad-Finn, Jessica Gorman, Monica Bjork, Krysten Johnson 6. Erika Szekeres, Jill Sheridan, Eloise Cohen, Marlene Alexander, Kay Runnion 7. Beth Neal 8. Niki Richardson 7

Photographs by Chelsea Elizabeth

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Junior League of Santa Barbara

The Junior League of Santa Barbara (jlsantabarbara.org) held its 10th annual Gala del Mar fundraiser at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum in early April. Proceeds from the event go to a variety of programs, including contributions to the Sexual Assault Response Team Cottage at Cottage Hospital, bone-marrow and blood drives, renovations to Eastside Branch Library, and downtown Santa Barbara Central Library programs to improve youth literacy.

The organization’s signature project is the opening of SAFE House Santa Barbara (Saving At-Risk Youth From Exploitation), a six-bed, residential shelter for girls who are victims of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking.

The Junior League also recognized Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley at the event with its Woman of the Year award for her service and commitment to the community.

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1. Matt Caprito, Joyce and John Dudley 2. Lindsay Cortina, Danielle Hazarian, Kielle Horton 3. Michelle Trella, Alex Summers, Renata Coimbra 4. Melinda Staveley, Fredda Meisel, Lynn Brown 5. Marissa Byrne, Kathy McClintock Stimson 6. Kate Perlis McKinniss and Mike McKinniss 7. John and Adrienne Demboski, Erin and Brian Beck 8. Taylor Stone, Kimberly Coley 9. Nick Brander, Samantha Onnen 10. Rob and Heather Hambleton Photographs by Mark Langton

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Get a Move On! THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX—AND THE BASEBALL FIELD, TENNIS COURT, AND SWIMMING POOL.

Summer invites us all to put aside our workaday routine and have some fun. Along with familiar games and pastimes, why not broaden your horizons and try a few more offbeat activities?

Here, local sports aficionados talk about their enthusiasms— on land, in the air, and in the water.

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Rockin’ It ANDY PATTERSON ON ROCK CLIMBING What is it?

Rock climbing involves scaling natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. It includes bouldering, which typically entails deciphering difficult sections of rocks—usually boulders—with-

out ropes, but with the aid of a foam mat called a crash pad. It’s all about packing hard moves into a small stretch of rock.

Some bouldering gets you high off the ground, but in general it is the form of rock climbing that is closest to the ground.

What attracted you to it?

I climbed trees as a kid in Michigan, and I always thought, “It’s gotta get better than this.”

© BERND ZEUGSWETTER PHOTOGRAPHY

BY JOAN TAPPER

Where can you learn or practice it?

There are guide services and indoor climbing walls available (Earthworks Rock Climbing School in Ventura, Santa Barbara Rock Gym, Boulderdash Indoor Rock Climbing in Thousand Oaks), but you can learn a lot from just getting out there and climbing with friends and acquaintances. Some good outdoor climbing spots are Lizard’s Mouth, Gibraltar Rock,

The Brickyard, Skofield Park, Owl Tor, and Painted Cave in Santa Barbara County and Pine Mountain in Ventura County, to name just a few. Winters are more pleasant, but summer evenings can be marvelous.

What do you need?

For bouldering, you need shoes, chalk to eliminate moisture on your hands, and a crash pad.

Roped climbing is more complex

but very rewarding in different ways. Of course, you also need tenacity, patience, problemsolving skills, and strong fingers!

What’s the fun of it?

You always have room to get better and discover something new about your ability. Rock is endlessly complex, so the sport remains endlessly interesting. I love watching the next generation of climbers succeed where

I didn’t, and it’s encouraging to see how the sport has provided an alternative sporting activity to young people. Now that I have a growing family and a business to run, climbing has become much more of a luxury than a lifestyle, but I enjoy it as much as ever, if not more.

Andy Patterson has been exploring and climbing boulders and rock faces throughout Santa Barbara County since 2000.

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CHIPPER BRO BELL ON FREESTYLE FRISBEE AND DISC GOLF What is it?

For freestyle Frisbee, teams put together five-minute choregraphed dance routines with the Frisbee and are judged on difficulty, presentation, and execution. Freestyle lost its spin in North America when the X Games were launched, but it’s still popular in Europe, and ultimate Frisbee is played on the collegiate level. There’s also Frisbee golf, known as disc golf.

What attracted you to it?

I was right out of high school in 1980, and alternative sports were supercool. At that time there was a series of more than 25 professional Frisbee tournaments called the North American Series Tour.

Where can you learn or practice it?

You can play Frisbee year-round,

What do you need?

The freestyle Frisbee is ideally 165 grams. (The Patagonia Frisbee is perfect.) For disc golf you have an array of discs for driving, approach shots, and putting.

What’s the fun of it?

Freestyle is a spectator sport.

I love to play because I love to make people smile. We pride ourselves in making the hardest moves look easy. What’s the fun of it? Being free, with style.

Chipper Bro Bell, a 13-time world Frisbee freestyle champion, toured with the Bud Light Pro Frisbee Team throughout the 1980s. He is the founder of surfclass.com, Aloha Beach Festival, and co-founder of the Best Day Foundation Ventura chapter. He has worked at Patagonia as a brand ambassador for nearly 25 years.

GARY MOSS

Flying Saucers

in parks or on beaches at low tide. The best place to play disc golf in Ventura is at Coyote Point Disc Golf Course at Lake Casitas.

There’s also Evergreen Disc Golf Course in Goleta.

Go Deep GEORGE CLOUT ON FREE DIVING What is it?

Free diving is holding your breath underwater as you swim free.

You have to go down and sit on the bottom and hide. The key is to be as calm and quiet as you can. It’s all about hunting fish.

© BORIS JOVANOVIC/STOCKSY UNITED

What attracted you to it?

I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. My dad was a master diver—a scuba diver, a free diver, and a fisherman.

I’ve been diving since I was 10 years old.

Where can you learn or practice it?

There are free-diving classes that teach you how to hold your breath or work on breath control. The best spot to free dive is at County Line or Leo Carrillo State Park beach. You just walk in

from shore. Most fish and lobsters are shallow, in about 10 to 15 feet of water. Timing is all about the conditions, the currents. You need clear water, about 10 to 15 feet visibility. The best time is late October, but spring is also good, because the fish are spawning.

What do you need?

You need a weight belt, a wet suit, a snorkel, mask, fins, and a knife. And a good spear gun.

What’s the fun of it?

The fun is finding stuff and trying to shoot the fish. I free dive because we have white sea bass in Malibu, and they can get up to 90 or 95 pounds. The only way to hunt them is to free dive.

Master waterman George Clout retired a couple of years ago from his retail shop in Malibu, where he sold clothing, taught people to dive, spearfish, surf, kite surf, and stand-up paddleboard. He chronicles surf conditions and what fish are running on Instagram @georgeclout, and people interested in his guide services can contact him there.

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The Greatest of Ease GREGG CURTIS ON AERIAL ARTS What is it?

Aerial arts involve anything that is suspended in the air and used to creatively express an idea. Through this art, participants gain body awareness and an elevated platform to express themselves, whether it’s with aerial dance (choreographed moves done while suspended in the air on any of a variety of apparatuses) or doing parkour on the ground (using the surroundings as a base from which to perform acrobatic kicks, flips, and twists). In aerial yoga, you can use an aerial hammock as a prop to align, deepen stretches, and safely do inversions.

What attracted you to it?

I was first scouted by Cirque du Soleil while I was training to be an Olympic gymnast, and I knew this was my calling.

Where can you learn or practice it?

At The Aerial Studio in Ventura we train people of all ages and athletic backgrounds in the ways of the circus arts year-round.

What do you need?

We use all sorts of equipment to create and hang the apparatuses—silks, trapezes, aerial hoops, poles, ropes, and so on. If it hangs from the ceiling, we may use it to dance on.

What’s the fun of it?

Every day there is a new challenge. When it comes to art, there are endless possibilities.

You can go as far as you allow yourself. Aerial arts are also endlessly progressive; you build off of what you have previously learned.

Gregg Curtis is an aerial and acrobatic director and aerial theater creator who conceives of gravity-defying action for live events, theater, and filmed media. He is a former U.S. national gymnastics champion. With his wife, Carmen, he runs The Aerial Studio (theaerialstudio.net).

GARY MOSS

Vroom!

JOY LEWIS ON MOTORCYCLING What is it?

Riding a motorcycle is like riding a bicycle, but less work and, in my opinion, more fun. There are a ton of different disciplines—including road riding, dirt riding, and flat track on an oval dirt track—and countless types of motorcycles.

What do you need?

I grew up with a biker dad and spent hours on the back of his Harley riding all over the Pacific Northwest. I was 12 years old when my grandpa taught me to ride his little Honda 50, and I’ve been on a bike ever since.

A motorcycle seems obvious, but if you don’t own one there are options for renting. In California helmets are mandatory; for road riding I always wear gloves and over-the-ankle boots, and I recommend clothes made with leather and/or Kevlar.

For dirt riding you’re generally wearing knee, elbow, and chest protection. For flat track you can wear your dirt gear, but I have a set of leathers and add in knee braces.

Where can you learn or practice it?

What’s the fun of it?

A beginner rider course is a great way to learn to ride and get your motorcycle endorsement. Locally there are several organizations that offer these types of courses, including Learn to Ride VC in Camarillo and MRE Corp., which offers classes in Simi Valley. We are lucky to have incredible roads for road riding here: routes 33, 150, 192, 154, and a million backroads where there isn’t a ton of traffic and there are a lot of fun curves. For dirt riding there are plenty of fire roads, trail riding above Ojai and Santa Barbara, and a quick trip up

Joy Lewis was born in Alaska, grew up in Seattle, spent 10 years in New York City, and moved to Ventura County four years ago. She is director of retail for Patagonia as well as an ambassador for BMW.

What attracted you to it?

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I-5 brings you to Hungry Valley offroad recreational area in Gorman, where there are thousands of acres of trails and a motocross track. In Ventura, we have an incredible flat track at the fairgrounds. With our weather you can ride year-round, but the flat track season is between March and September.

JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

For me it’s a way to unplug and take in this beautiful place we live in. Riding twisty roads is about finding lines and connecting corners, pushing yourself and your motorcycle. Dirt riding is basically controlling a bike that is out of control, and flat track is a total adrenaline rush.

Crossing Swords TIM ROBINSON ON FENCING What is it?

Fencing is actually three events: foil, épée, and saber. Each of these is a different type of sword, and each version of fencing employs different tactics and technical moves. Fencing is a game of distance, timing, and deceit, with two opponents attempting to get close enough to make a touch, while staying far enough away to avoid one. Fencing is more about problem-solving and critical thinking than it is about sword fighting. Yes, the swords look and sound really cool, but the clanging of steel is a small part of what’s involved.

What attracted you to it?

I took up fencing because, growing up, I was a fan of Luke Skywalker. And I watched Guy Williams as Zorro every chance I could. When I saw that the sport was offered at UCSB, I decided then and there that I was going to try it. I literally took my first lesson on my first day at UCSB, and I never looked back.

Where can you learn or practice it?

What do you need?

All fencers need a jacket, mask, glove, underarm protector, and weapon. For sparring, there are also electrical jackets and body cords for tracking hits, and other weapons.

What’s the fun of it?

Of course, there’s the whole sword-fighting thing. But really, what I find exciting is the individual nature of the sport. When you’re out there, it’s just you versus your opponent. There is an opportunity for reflection, for self-improvement. And it all happens in an instant.

It’s all very exhilarating. It’s fun. And it can be a great workout, too.

I am lucky enough to still be crossing swords with an enthusiastic group of modern swashbucklers.

Tim Robinson, who opened Presidio Fencing Club (presidiofencing. com) in 2006, has also taught fencing at UCSB since 2002 and coached the intercollegiate team there since 2005.

DOUG GOLUPSKI

There aren’t many places in the area. Presidio Fencing Club is in

a small community center on the west side of Santa Barbara. We have a satellite at Dunn School in Los Olivos. You learn by showing up, watching, and practicing. You can also fence with the San Luis Highlanders Fencing Club in San Luis Obispo, Points West Fencing Center in Ventura, and Conejo Fencers at Conejo Community Center in Thousand Oaks. UCSB has a student program, along with a number of other colleges in Southern California. Fencing is a year-round sport.

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Hit It

ERIC WANG ON TABLE TENNIS What is it?

GARY MOSS

Also called Ping-Pong, it’s like tennis but on a table, with singles or doubles. Two or four players hit a light ball across a net.

What attracted you to it?

I started to play at about 9 years old in China. A lot of people played at that time.

Where can you learn or practice it?

There are classes for kids on Friday evenings at the Conejo Community Center in Thousand Oaks, which has five tables and a kid-friendly tournament once a month. The Thousand Oaks Table Tennis Club meets on Sunday afternoons at the center. There are different levels of players, but a beginner can challenge a higher-level player.

It’s a very friendly environment.

There are drop-in games at the Goebel Adult Community Center in Thousand Oaks on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and

Thursday evenings. Santa Barbara Table Tennis has a home at the Carrillo Recreation Center and meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 9 a.m. to noon.

good activity. I meet new friends, and I always bring my paddle when I travel. It’s a game for anyone at any age, men and women, from age 5 or 6 to 80.

What do you need?

Eric Wang was born in China and came to the United States as a student at the University of Southern California. He now lives in Thousand Oaks and serves as a USA Table Tennis state coach and a national umpire at the U.S. National Championships, among other events.

Of course, you need a PingPong table and a ball. Each player must have a paddle.

What’s the fun of it?

I enjoy playing and teaching kids.

I’m an engineer, so it’s relaxing to play after a day of sitting in front of a computer. And it’s a

COURTESY OF NATURAL HIGH PARAGLIDING

A Bird’s-Eye View CHARLIE BEAUDOIN ON PARAGLIDING What is it?

Paragliding is free flight—noiseless, motorless flight, solo or tandem—piloting one of the world’s lightest aircrafts. As pilots, we seek out places where the air is rising faster than we’re falling. We can go as high as 17,999 feet; the world record for distance is 350.6 miles.

What attracted you to it?

I began free flight with hang gliders about 30 years ago. I went on to airplanes, sailplanes, and then to paragliding and knew right away I was choosing it as a profession.

Where can you learn and practice it?

There are 150 to 200 instructors in California who are certified by a selfregulating agency: the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.

I teach at Natural High Paragliding in Cayucos, and there’s also Fly Above All Paragliding in Santa Barbara. Basically, you can do this on any hilltop, but popular spots include Bates Road in Carpinteria, Pine Mountain in Ojai, and eight sites in San Luis Obispo County. Cayucos offers good weather for paragliding all year round; Santa Barbara can be good year-round, but it particularly shines in the winter. The best way to enter the sport and enjoy the experience is to go on a tandem ride with an instructor.

What do you need?

You have to have a wing (aka paraglider), a reserve parachute, a harness, and a helmet. Flight computers are helpful. An instructor will teach you with his or her own equipment. If you outfit yourself, the gear will run $6,000 to $7,000.

What’s the fun of it?

Imagine if you could sneak up on a red-tailed hawk and grab it by the tail feathers. You get a top view of the world, and it’s easy to see the beauty of God’s creation from above. The feeling is like surfing or snowboarding—any sport that involves using Mother Nature as a resource. And it’s the closest you’ll ever come to being a bird.

TK

Charlie Beaudoin was born in Bakersfield and has been a pilot for 30 years.

He is an instructor, a tandem pilot, and owner of Natural High Paragliding (naturalhighparagliding.com) in Cayucos. In summer, he works out of Torrey Pines Glider Port in La Jolla, where he pilots about 1,000 tandem rides each season.

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Cruising AMANDA POWELL ON LONGBOARD SKATEBOARDING What is it?

Longboard skateboarding is a little different from modern skateboarding: It’s a smooth and easy ride because the wheels are typically bigger and softer. You can take it at your own pace—surf and cruise the sidewalks or hit the hills for some speed and power slides. Everyone who picks it up eventually homes in on their own unique style.

GARY BULLA ON SALTWATER FLY-FISHING What is it?

Saltwater fly-fishing involves using stronger fly rods to catch bigger fish in saltwater. Instead of imitating insects, the flies imitate baitfish, crabs, squid, and other small sea creatures eaten by ocean predators. It is done wading along the shore, on flats or estuaries, or in the open ocean from kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and boats.

What attracted you to it?

I live in the 805 and realized I could fly-fish in local waters without having to drive for hours. I began by exploring the surf from shore and inshore waters from a kayak or small boat in the late 1980s.

Where can you learn or practice it?

The Santa Barbara Flyfishers club teaches surf fly‑fishing,

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I started skateboarding almost two decades ago, back in New England where I grew up. The neighborhood boys would glide down the street and perform rad tricks. I acquired my first board soon after and have been infatuated with skateboarding ever since. About eight years ago, some friends introduced me to longboarding, and the smooth ride felt natural and translated perfectly to the familiar movements of longboard surfing. Cross-stepping and nose riding on a longboard skateboard is ideal cross-training for surfing when the waves are flat.

and the Sespe Fly Fishers of Ventura teaches beginning casting and fly-tying for free. I also hold one-day seminars for groups for a nominal fee, and I guide in the surf. Anytime of year can be good, but California corbina are around in shallow waters during the warmer months especially.

What do you need?

A 6-, 7-, 8-, or 9-weight fly rod, a reel, and waders for the surf.

What’s the fun of it?

In saltwater, you never know what species you may catch, even marlin and tuna. I love the hunt, the required focus, and endless learning about the ocean environment and its animals.

Gary Bulla grew up near the beaches of Southern California and hosts fly-fishing trips in Baja California, Brazil, and other international destinations, besides teaching and guiding (garybulla.com) in the Ventura and Santa Barbara surf.

© SERAFICUS/ISTOCK.COM

Hook ’Em

What attracted you to it?

Where can you learn or practice it?

I don’t know of anyone locally who teaches longboard skateboarding, but there are plenty of YouTube videos that provide helpful tips and tricks. You can longboard essentially anywhere with streets or sidewalks, at any time of the year in the 805 area. The very best places to longboard would have buttery smooth pavement and low traffic. The long, peaceful roads through the orange groves in Ojai have the perfect incline to carry speed without pushing, and I just carve and cross-step the whole way down. For speed demons, the Malibu canyons are the ultimate downhill playground. There

ADAM STOKOWSKI

805 Living recommends wearing protective gear at all times when participating in sports.

is a seemingly endless network of steep mountain roads peppered with switchback turns.

What do you need?

All you need is a board and pavement. If you were to take your board to the hills, I’d suggest acquiring the proper protective gear, such as a helmet, slide gloves, and kneepads.

What’s the fun of it?

What I find most exciting is that it’s a commonality that can be shared among people of all ages, from all backgrounds and cultures, at all corners of the globe. There are no rules or guidelines, and it’s a fun way

to get around. A boring walk to the store can transform into a creative session by just adding a longboard. Finding new lines to take and just letting your body and style flow can be a meditation like no other.

Amanda Powell, a New England transplant living in Ventura, is an environmental horticulture and restoration ecology student at Santa Barbara City College and works as an environmental point person at Patagonia. She is a skateboarder, surfer, gardener, and kindness enthusiast. 

Taste FOOD / WINE / DINING OUT

Raising the Bar

With input from a local nutrition expert and two chefs, these three easy, make-at-home snacks are sure to boost energy and taste delicious.

By Jaime Lewis

F

orget the highly processed, sugary granola bars of yore. A new wave of snack bars includes whole foods like nuts, seeds, and ancient grains that are naturally and lightly sweetened with dried fruit or honey.

Sure, they’re a perfect boost pre- or post-workout, on a hike or ride, or as an on-the-go treat, but many commercially produced bars are also costly. We asked a few local experts how hard it is to whip up a batch of nutritious, whole-food bars at home.

“It’s challenging and creative to take functional ingredients, those that have specific health benefits, and use them as indulgences,” says Paulette Lambert, R.D., CDE, director of nutrition at the California Health & Longevity Institute at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village (fourseasons.com/westlakevillage). She collaborated with the hotel’s executive pastry chef Patrick Fahy and designed two snack bar recipes using whole ingredients. “We create, we taste, then we tweak to get the most nutritional benefits, ultimate taste, and texture,” Lambert says.

Ready to raise the bar? Each of the recipes that follow—two from Lambert and Fahy and another from Ojai-based caterer and private chef Robin Goldstein (privatechefrobin.com)—has Lambert’s nutritious stamp of approval, tastes delicious, and will fuel all sorts of heavy lifting, from the weight room to the boardroom.

“Patrick is an amazing pastry chef and so creative,” says Paulette Lambert of Patrick Fahy, with whom she often collaborates to develop dishes for guests of Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village and visitors to the California Health & Longevity Institute, located on the same property. “I make suggestions,” Lambert says, “on what we need to incorporate to make a product such as these snack bars, and he comes up with creations that make eating well easier and so delicious.” Here, they use mashed banana to bind grains, nuts, seeds, and dark chocolate for a nutrient-dense treat. Note: To make these bars gluten-free, be sure that the oats package specifies that they contain no gluten.

Makes 9 bars 3 whole ripe bananas, mashed until smooth (1½ cups) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups rolled oats ½ cup unsweetened dried cherries, chopped ½ cup cooked red quinoa ½ cup pistachios ¼ cup hulled hemp seeds ¼ cup chia seeds

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⅓ cup dark-chocolate chips 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or wax paper.

In a large bowl stir together mashed banana and vanilla. Pulse oats in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped; add to banana mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients until roughly combined.

Spoon the mixture into prepared pan and press down lightly with back of spoon until compacted and smooth. Bake 20 minutes until lightly golden on the edges. Let cool 20 to 30 minutes. Cut into 9 squares, remove from pan, and wrap in plastic wrap. Bars keep for 5 days in the refrigerator and 2 months if frozen.

RAW PEANUT-BUTTER OAT ENERGY BARS Composed of few ingredients and requiring little time to prepare before refrigeration, these raw bars were developed by Paulette Lambert, who says they are “an all-time favorite of the Wellness Kitchen,” where guests of Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village and visitors to the California Health & Longevity Institute take cooking classes with a focus on health, moderation, and >

© CAMERON WHITMAN/STOCKSY UNITED

FOUR SEASONS SMART SNACK BAR

A hearty blend of nutrient-dense ingredients, like quinoa, oats, fruit, nuts, and seeds, energy bars are simple to make at home.

Taste Food whole foods. Be sure to use peanut butter labeled “all natural” to avoid added sugars, preservatives, and hydrogenated fats.

Makes 12 bars Nonstick cooking spray 2 cups quick-cook raw oats ½ cup dried cranberries, cherries, or blueberries, chopped 1 cup all-natural peanut butter ¼ cup honey 2 teaspoons vanilla Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, letting it overlap the sides. Spray parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Spread mixture in pan evenly.

Refrigerate 2 hours.

Remove chilled mixture from refrigerator.

Lift parchment paper to remove mixture from pan, cut into 12 bars, and wrap in plastic wrap.

Refrigerated bars keep for up to 1 week.

APRICOT BLISS BARS Ojai-based personal chef, caterer, and cookbook author Robin Goldstein says that the benefits of making these bars are the short and simple list of nutrientdense ingredients, the appealing chew of the finished product, and the lack of baking required. She recommends using two identical metal baking pans to form the bars: one to hold the bar mixture as it chills and another to press on top to make the bars compact and uniform. As an alternative to the bar shape, Goldstein says the mixture can also be rolled into walnut–size “truffles” before chilling.

Makes 9 to 12 bars 1 cup medjool dates, pitted 1 cup dried apricots 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon cardamom (optional) 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or raw cashews (or a combination of both) 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper.

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture forms a large mass, like a thick paste with bits of nuts still visible.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, pressing down firmly. Refrigerate for at least an hour until firm before removing from pan and cutting into 9 to 12 bars. Keep bars in an airtight container or wrap each bar individually in wax paper or plastic wrap. Bars keep for 3 days at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 1 week. 

Circle of Red Society The Circle of Red is composed of influential community leaders who support the mission of Go Red For Women®. Together, this group empowers women to take charge of their health and ensure all women have the information they need to live healthier lives, free from heart disease and stroke.

Ventura County Circle of Red Members: Stefanie Abbott Karen Bennett Laura Berg Amy Commans Dr. Paul & Patti Eisenberg Dr. Gregory Fontana Zelene Fowler Karen Friedman Dr. Hannah Grossman Mona Hoss Andi Howard Ringe Patricia Jones

Elyse Kaiser Dan & Susan Kane Barbara Lackey Julia Ladd Jennifer Leighton Dina Mabey Tammy Majus Natalie Mussi Laura Navarro Dawn Nelson Nancy Paul Robin Paule

Gena Quarantello Raina Ring Liz Rusnik Kirsten Selleck Michelle Sievers Bernadette Straatsma Dr. Asif Taqi Rosa Van Parys Lisa Waldrup Melissa Yamaguchi UCLA Barbara Streisand Women's Heart Health Program

Go Red For Women® is the American Heart Association’s movement that harnesses the energy, passion and power women have to band together and collectively wipe out heart disease.

To learn more about the Circle of Red, visit GoRedVC.heart.org

Taste Spirits

By David Gadd

Still Life

S

mall-scale distilling is a venerable American tradition.

Just ask George Washington, who produced whiskey at Mount Vernon. Prohibition and its aftermath changed all that, making spirits a highly regulated industry in which the little guys were squeezed out of the picture.

With the rise of creative mixology and the explosive cocktail boom of the past two decades, micro-distilling is back in business. California, including the Central Coast, is burgeoning with craft distilleries, some still tiny, others growing rapidly.

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Whiskey—whether made from grains such as rye, wheat, barley, or corn—is a staple in the craft distiller’s repertory.

Most whiskies are aged in wood, making them more expensive and timeconsuming to produce than vodka or gin.

But today’s fashion for unaged whiskey (popularly known as moonshine or white dog) as a cocktail ingredient means that distillers can skip the aging process for some products in their portfolios.

At DorWood Distillery (dorwooddistillery.com) in Buellton, head distiller Jay Lockwood and his brother and sister-in-law, co-founders Jeff and

Joanne Lockwood, make White Hawk Mesquite Smoked Malt Whiskey ($45) from 100-percent malted barley. A portion of the barley malt is smoked with mesquite, an echo of the peat-smoked malt used in scotch. Lack of aging means no barrel influence, leaving the sweet barley flavors to shine. The Lockwoods welcome visitors every afternoon except Wednesday in a comfortable knotty pine–paneled tasting room (for now, DorWood’s only sales outlet), where guests can watch the spirits being produced while sipping samples. “We don’t do tastings,” quips Jay, “we do experiences.”

TOP: CHRIS LORIMER

Tracking down bracing whiskies in the 805.

Just down the street, Steve Gertman owns and operates Santa Barbara County’s first distillery, Ascendant Spirits (ascendantspirits.com), opened in 2013. Gertman is a former television producer who worked on both the British and American versions of the popular car show Top Gear. After being inspired by a couple of trips to Scotland and doing some soul-searching, he left television to “take the leap” into distilling. “I’ve never regretted that choice,” he says.

Gertman’s Breaker Wheated Bourbon ($45), a corn-, barley-, and wheat-based whiskey aged a minimum of five years, “greatly benefits from the unique climate of the Santa Ynez Valley,” explains the distiller. “The diurnal temperature fluctuations paired with good humidity create an ideal aging environment for barrel-aged spirits.” (Contrary to a popular misconception, bourbon does not have to be made in Kentucky.)

The brand’s growth has been phenomenal, elevating Gertman beyond micro-distillery status. “We started just selling locally in the 805; that quickly expanded to the entire state,” says Gertman. After snagging a deal with a major sales and marketing agency, the Breaker brand is now available nationwide. Check the website for visitor information.

Krobār Craft Distillery (krobardistillery.com) overlooks scenic vineyards on Highway 46 West in Paso Robles. The unusual moniker combines the names of the owners, veteran wine-industry guys Stephen Kroener (Silver Horse Winery) and Joe Barton (Barton Family Wines and Grey Wolf Cellars). At the heart of the eco-friendly facility are two shining copper-column stills made by Vendome Copper & Brass Works in Louisville, Kentucky. After coming off the still, the Krobār Rye Whiskey ($60) is rested in American oak barrels for a minimum of twoand-a-half years. Rich and bracing, it’s stunning sipped neat or used as the base for an 805-inflected Manhattan.

Micro-distilling usually starts as an avocation. Biologists for a private environmental lab by day, Michael Machuzak and Joe Freas became after-hours rum enthusiasts when they started Channel Islands Distillery (cistill.com) in Ventura, where they went on to branch out into other spirits. Their pot-distilled 93001 Main Street Whiskey ($35), made from corn and barley with a dash of rye, is currently aged for one year, but Machuzak says future editions will be aged for up to five years. At 86 proof, its slightly higher alcohol content gives its palate presence plus.

Up the coast in Los Osos, a San Luis Obispo County building inspector named Todd Adams crafts Foggy Bottom Corn Whiskey ($80) in the 100-square-foot Foggy Bottom Distillery (facebook.com/foggybottomdistillery), which was up and running in 2017 after just eight months. The minuscule footprint doesn’t stop Adams from producing an ambitious program of spirits that includes gin and barrel-aged gin, rum and spiced rum, moonshine and fruit-infused corn whiskey—not bad for a selfprofessed “light beer guy.” Housed in a corrugated metal shack tucked behind a Mexican restaurant, the distillery truly looks like a bootleg operation, but it is fully licensed. It has an outdoor tasting deck and is open Saturdays and Sundays “from noon until it gets dark,” says Adams. Now that’s a microdistillery. 

dune

MODERN HOME FURNISHINGS

641 Higuera, Suite 101 San Luis Obispo, 93401

805-439-1195 www.dunecentralcoast.com JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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Taste Dining Out

By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

A Regional Showcase

Uniting local vegetables and meats, house-made ingredients, and great wines, Pico in Los Alamos treats diners to all that the wine country has to offer.

T

he small town of Los Alamos, all seven blocks of it, sprang up in 1876 to accommodate travelers along the stagecoach and railroad routes that once existed there. One could say the 2003 opening of Full of Life Flatbread resurrected the town’s reputation as a Central Coast dining Lumen Wines founder Will Henry (left), chef Drew Terp (right), and restaurateur destination, followed soon after by Bell Street Kali Kopley co-own Pico, where they pair local wines with creative comfort food.

Farm (now closed), Bob’s Well Bread Bakery, and Plenty on sushi, both in New York; José Andrés, known as the pioneer of Bell. But the latest draw to this dusty town that hosts an odd small plates at Jaleo in Arlington, Virginia; and Pedro Subijana hybrid of “tumbleweeds on Tuesdays and Teslas on Saturdays,” at Akelaŕe, the Michelin-starred restaurant overlooking the Bay as Will Henry puts it, is Henry’s restaurant Pico at the Los of Biscay in San Sebastián, Spain. Also in Spain, Terp spent time Alamos General Store (picolosalamos.com), a standout addition at Fermin, the family-run farm known for its black-hooved celebrating its second anniversary this year.

Iberico pigs in the small, mountaintop village of La Alberca, “We often hear this is a place where time has stopped,” says where he developed a passion for the art of charcuterie.

Henry, who discovered the historic property when looking Still, the exuberant and bearlike chef is humble about his for a place to create a tasting room for Santa Maria’s Lumen pedigree. He possesses a contagious kind of thrill and says Wines, which he founded in 2012. By the time he and his wife, unabashedly, “Working with Kali Kopley, an experienced [sous chef ] Rene Ortega is the restaurateur with several eateries The dish locals call to reserve in joy of my life!” He is often found and wine bars in the North advance is the cannelloni, a flavor riff tending to what he refers to as his Lake Tahoe area, purchased the “Alabama granddad’s smoker,” property, they had expanded that on the traditional croque monsieur. a treasured relic from the 1950s vision to opening a top-notch (Terp and Henry have since built another larger smoker on site). restaurant. When they sampled the magic of the globetrotting He offers cooking classes at Pico with one pure intention: to Drew Terp, then chef de cuisine at Mattei’s Tavern, they instill a passion for making good food by sharing his knowledge knew they had found their chef. “We were blown away by his for rudimentary tasks like trussing a chicken, deboning quail, creativity and talent. We knew his dishes would fly in New rolling fresh pasta, or making mother sauces (the five sauces York,” says Henry, who occasionally reigns in chef Terp’s that serve as the basis, collectively, for all other sauces). boldness, asking, “but will it scare the cowboys?”

Diners love his menu, which is ranked Uno, Dos, and Tres by Co-owner Terp conjures comfort dishes that reflect his the size of the plates and complexity of the dishes, all of which experience working with top chefs around the world. After are intended for sharing. The smallest, an Uno plate, on one night spending a year at the New England Culinary Institute, he delivers elegantly presented smoked scallops with tarragon oil, landed his first position in 2006 with executive chef Robert zest of Buddha’s hand citrus, and pomegranate seeds from the Curry at Napa Valley’s Michelin-starred Auberge du Soleil. It newly planted chef’s garden. Another presents a vegan offering was there that Terp first fell in love with California and the of grilled cauliflower with a smear of confit garlic, oven-roasted bounty of dedicated, local farmers. Before his eventual return dates, and a spiced orange-date puree. The Mushroom Salad, a to the West, Terp’s list of influences included Alain Ducasse at Dos that was cycled off of the opening menu but brought back > the acclaimed over-the-top-French Essex House and Bar Masa

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A peek inside Pico (clockwise from above): Duck breast from the menu’s Tres section is served over forbidden dirty rice. On weekly Blind Fridays, tasting-room guests who can name three masked varietals by sipping win a bottle from Lumen Wines. The casual dining room feels both homey and elegant. On an Uno plate smoked scallops are topped with lime juice, pomegranate seeds, and tarragon. Carrots earn their stripes on the grill. Chef Terp flavors with smoke.

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Taste Dining Out by popular demand, is a heap of king trumpet mushrooms, charred, chewy maitakes, and baby shiitakes, served warm to contrast the coolness of an arugula salad with a creamy and refreshing mushroom emulsion made with house-made mushroom vinegar, raw garlic, house mustard, and fresh lemon juice.

A standout Tres, a larger dish, brings perfectly seared, humongous Massachusetts scallops, served with crisped, whole-leaf black kale from Jimenez Family Farm and squid ink maccheroni

Henry is determined to establish this cool-climate county as the premier region in the country for great pinot noir.

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alla chitarra pasta in a bacon-thyme cream sauce. Two other large plates include heart of rib eye with potato hash, grilled cornbread, and stone fruit compote and a wild mushroom consommé poured over garlic-infused celery root puree, ricotta-filled tortellini, sautéed black trumpet mushrooms, pearl onions, asparagus shavings, and flecks of edible gold. The flavors are so satisfying it’s hard not to tip the bowl to mouth to get the last drop.

The dish locals call to reserve in advance is the cannelloni: Seared pork shoulder (Terp likes to source it from familyowned Winfield Farm in Solvang) and vegetables are blended with brandy-infused reduction jus and herbs, then piped onto fresh pasta squares, which are rolled up, smothered with a classic béchamel, and topped with torched Manchego cheese and house-made smoked hickory salt. Terp says it’s a flavor riff on the traditional croque monsieur, and a taste with closed eyes reveals that he’s right.

Over at the wine bar, the offerings are just as exciting. The list is diverse but highly personal, drawing upon Henry’s years of experience with his family-owned Henry Wine Group, an import and distribution company that grew to the fifth largest in California by the time it was sold in 2016. While his Lumen Wines company produces several varietals, Henry is determined to establish this cool-climate county as the premier region in the country for great pinot noir. To that end, his partner in winemaking is viticulture legend Lane Tanner, generally acknowledged as one of Santa Barbara County’s first female winemakers. Their wines consistently score more than 90 points on the Wine Enthusiast scale, and Henry is more than happy to pour tastings at the refurbished 1910 bar. Signature cocktails, beer, and cider are also served.

Pico’s creative partnership triumvirate offers an experience that advances the fun and growing culture of food found in the Santa Ynez Valley. The polished wood floors, white painted bannisters, communal table option, and deep, comfortable chairs are welcoming, and it’s easy to stay a while. The sight of Henry and Kopley’s 2-year-old daughter, Winslow, bringing in eggs from the backyard chicken coop adds to the feeling of visiting the country house of a favorite cousin.

Extraordinary meals, wine pairings, flight tastings, live-music Fridays, Burger Night Sundays—there’s something for everyone here, and it’s all good. 

The Guide W H E R E TO E AT N OW

Our aim is to inform you of restaurants with great food that you might not have experienced yet. The guide is arranged not by cuisine type, but by style of restaurant.

“Fine Dining” choices have an elegant atmosphere and very professional service.

Restaurants included under the “Foodie” heading are heralded for their wonderful chefdriven cuisine, regardless of atmosphere. “A Good Bet” listings are just that—solid, casual, and delicious. The “Fun, Fun, Fun” category brings you spots geared toward a good time.

New listings will appear in The Guide in every issue. Please send any comments and suggestions to edit@805living.com.

ON THE WEB: Visit 805living.com for more listings and to make quick and easy reservations

at many of the restaurants listed here through Open Table.

Fine Dining

These restaurants have a skilled kitchen team, a lovely dining room, and great service.

ANGEL OAK 8301 Hollister Ave. Santa Barbara, 805-968-0100 ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/california/ santa-barbara/dining/angel-oak Steaks & Seafood; Entrées $31 to Market Price

Great Views, Romantic Located on the grounds of The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Angel Oak takes full advantage of its perch above the Santa Barbara County coastline and of the talents of chef Alexander Bollinger. The menu is modern steakhouse with a seafood twist—and guests can choose from among 12,000-bottles in the restaurant’s wine cellar.

ARTISAN 843 12th St. Paso Robles, 805-237-8084 artisanpasorobles.com New American; Entrées $14–$31

Vegetables from the restaurant’s own farm, sustainably raised meats, and an award-winning chef combine to form a temple of gastronomy in the heart of 805 wine country. Chef and co-owner Chris Kobayashi prepares seasonal food for daily dinners, and weekend brunches. An afternoon menu of small plates, woodfired pizzas, and drink specials is available daily at the bar. Chris’ wife, Shandi, matches excellent wines to her husband’s cuisine.

UPDATE BELLA VISTA RESTAURANT IN FOUR SEASONS RESORT THE BILTMORE SANTA BARBARA 1260 Channel Drive Santa Barbara, 805-969-2261 fourseasons.com/santabarbara/dining Californian and Italian; Entrées $19–45; Sunday Brunch $85 per person

Great Views Named for its sweeping views of lawn, ocean, and sky, Bella Vista has an Italian bent thanks to executive chef Marco Fossati. He uses local fish and organic farmers’ market produce, handmade pastas, and herbs from the chef’s garden at the resort to create such dishes as Tajarin Carbonara di Mare, and jidori chicken with farrotto and smoked corn.

Specials include table-side service of spaghetti with

caciocavallo cheese and Tellicherry pepper. At the adjacent Ty Lounge, an extensive menu of Spanish tapas echoes the Hacienda-style décor featuring a fireplace, an ocean-view terrace, and hand-painted walls and ceilings. The wine list offers local and international labels. Happy hour Mondays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. includes specials on featured tapas ($5 to $9), draught beer and wine on tap ($4 to $6), and select cocktails ($7).

BELMOND EL ENCANTO 800 Alvarado Place Santa Barbara, 805-845-5800 belmond.com/el-encanto-santa-barbara Entrées $28–$48

Great Views, Romantic The luxe Belmond El Encanto hotel perches atop its seven-acre hilltop property with sweeping city and ocean views. Settle in on the spacious terrace or in the elegant dining room and linger over artfully presented California coastal cuisine crafted by executive chef Johan Denizot. Local ingredients shine, including herbs from the chef’s garden and cheese made from the milk of Ellie, the resort’s cow. The seasonal menu features appetizers such as halibut sashimi and mains like king crab leg in lobster-chili broth and classic New York steak with a choice of sides. The wine list includes Santa Barbara County gems and globetrotting labels. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily, although Sunday lunch is replaced with a bottomless Bellini brunch. Afternoon tea (reservations highly recommended) is served Monday through Saturday. In-the-know locals and hotel guests take in the sunset, cocktail in hand, on the terrace.

CA’ DARIO 37 E. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-884-9419 cadario.net Italian; Entrées $15–$32

At the corner of Victoria and Anacapa streets, Ca’ Dario is somewhat off the Santa Barbara tourist path. That doesn’t mean it isn’t jammed with people twirling forks laden with al dente pastas sauced in Bolognese, or tomatoes with olives and capers, or smoked salmon with peas and tomato and cream. The Ravioli al Burro e Salvia is a fine example of a spinach-ricotta ravioli sauced in browned butter and crispy sage leaves.

Steaks, lamb chops, and breaded chicken breast are quite filling. There’s a fresh fish special daily and sometimes a wonderful seafood risotto. Wines from Italy and the Central Coast line the walls.

CELLO RISTORANTE & BAR 2700 Buena Vista Drive Paso Robles, 805-369-2503 allegrettovineyardresort.com/dining.aspx Mediterranean; Entrées $14–$38

Romantic Located at the luxurious Allegretto Vineyard Resort, Cello showcases the cuisine of executive chef Justin Picard, a veteran of kitchens in San Francisco and Aspen who has made two guest appearances at the James Beard House in New York. Look for local, seasonal ingredients (some grown on site) in his pastas, salads, flatbreads, steaks, and seafood. A serene covered patio near the substantial kitchen garden is a fine place for enjoying breakfast, lunch, small plates, or dinner outdoors. Cello also offers an extensive farm-tobar cocktail menu and a wine list that includes several otherwise impossible-to-get bottles.

The Biltmore is back! Temporarily shuttered due to the Thomas fire and Montecito mudslides, Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara (fourseasons.com/ santabarbara) and its 22 acres of oceanfront property have reopened with renovated landscaping and guest rooms, and, in the dining room at Bella Vista Restaurant, new menus from returning executive chef Marco Fossati. At dinner, options include The Pasta Cart Experience, which features fun, table-side service of spaghetti with caciocavallo cheese and Tellicherry pepper. Buon appetito!

THE CHASE RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE 1012 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-965-4351 chasebarandgrill.com Italian; Entrées $16–$44

Romantic With the cozy upscale ambience of an old-fashioned supper club, The Chase Restaurant and Lounge has offered enduring Italian favorites along with American steaks, chops, and seafood, since 1979, proving that the classics never lose their appeal. Sparkling garlands of tiny white lights, white tablecloths, a marble-inlaid bar, tip-top service, and Frank Sinatra in the background set the scene for traditional, satisfying meals.

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE 2 Dole Drive Westlake Village, 818-575-3000 fourseasons.com/westlakevillage/dining Californian and Japanese Entrées and Sunday Brunch $15–$72 JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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The Dining Guide Trained at Michelin-starred restaurants in his native Spain, executive chef Jose Fernandez brings a refined farm-and-ocean-to-table approach to the resort’s elegant dining rooms. At Hampton’s, posh furnishings and waterfall views are backdrops for a Champagne brunch buffet with live jazz on Sundays.

The more casual Lobby Lounge features waterfall views with breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a Sustainable Living Menu. Located near the lobby, Stir is open daily from 6 a.m. with a grab-and-go menu of baked-on-site pastries and savory options to go with cold-brewed coffee, gelato, and other treats. With its fire pits and urban vibe, The Lookout is a sophisticated outdoor spot to start the evening with a cocktail and a small plate or two. Open Fridays through Sundays, The Tasting Room features California labels and a menu of wine-friendly nibbles.

Sushi fans will want to visit Onyx, which gets its own write-up in the Foodie section of this guide. Valet parking is $7 with validation; self-parking is free for up to four hours with validation.

Summertime, and the dining is alfresco. At Mad & Vin, the restaurant at The Landsby (thelandsby.com) in Solvang, lunch is now available in both the bar and on the sheltered patio. Served Fridays through Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., the midday menu features quick, shareable bites (think shrimp tacos and duck fat fries), along with such sit-a-spell entrées as buckwheat noodle salad with Meyer lemon vinaigrette and the Santa Ynez Burger, a dry-aged rib-eye patty, served with tomato jam and bacon.

THE GRILL ON THE ALLEY 120 E. Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-418-1760 thegrill.com American; Entrées $11–$59

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Steaks and chops are legendary here and at the original Grill on the Alley in Beverly Hills, the ultimate powerlunch spot. At this location, whether out on the patio or in the dining room and bar, diners enjoy American comfort food with international flair. Sushi is available at lunch and dinner, and the menu’s friendly reminder that “any turf can surf” is an invitation to order jumbo prawns and other seafood with your filet mignon or dryaged New York strip. Weekend brunch offers avocado toast, Niman Ranch slab bacon and eggs, and $15 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. Happy hour is daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., when you can make a meal of the specially priced lollipop chicken wings, spicy tuna rolls, and wood-fired cheeseburger bites offered with cocktails, draft beers, and wines by the glass.

UPDATE HOLDREN’S STEAKS & SEAFOOD 1714-A Newbury Road Newbury Park, 805-498-1314 and 512 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-965-3363

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holdrens.com Steak House; Entrées $23–$52 (more for surf‑and-turf combos)

Romantic The décor is sophisticated enough for business; the lighting is low enough for romance. Comfy seating and friendly servers encourage lingering. Appetizers, like the bacon-wrapped prawns stuffed with feta cheese and jalapeño, are hearty enough to be main courses. Steaks are marbled, tender, and seasoned right. The signature Cowboy Cut is huge and sits atop a pile of spicy onion strings. All steaks come with sauce, a side dish, and a choice of soup or salad.

Both locations are open for lunch Mondays through Fridays; happy hour runs daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

IL CORTILE RISTORANTE 608 12th St. Paso Robles, 805-226-0300 ilcortileristorante.com Italian; Entrées $18–$34

Il cortile is Italian for “the courtyard.” At this upscale restaurant at the edge of downtown Paso, the courtyard invites diners to breathe in beautiful evenings.

A more intimate experience awaits inside, where diners find what the owners call contemporary Old World styling. Northern and Southern Italian dishes are the heart of executive chef and co-owner Santos MacDonal’s seasonal menu. Along with caldi (hot) and freddi (cold) antipasti, there is a section of the menu dedicated to mozzarella. Pasta, ravioli, and gnocchi have fresh, inspired flavors, hallmarks of being house-made. Secondi (main courses) cover beef, lamb, and seafood; osso bucco is particularly nice. The restaurant has a small bar area and a wine list that raises a glass to California’s Central Coast and Italy.

LUCERNE RESTAURANT 868 Arneill Road Camarillo, 805-383-5777 lucernerestaurant.com Italian; Entrées $14–$22 Romantic

This family-owned restaurant offers white-tablecloth service (for lunch and dinner) where you’d least expect it: a strip-mall space next to Kmart. Tables are decorated with fresh flowers, and warm, heart-shaped focaccia bread is in the breadbasket that arrives while you peruse the menu. Options include salads, seafood, and veal; pastas are mix-and-match: Choose a shape and a sauce to go with it. (Fettuccini is especially good with the Lucerne, made with chicken, capers, mushrooms, feta cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes.) Several $10 traditional Italian specials are available Tuesdays through Fridays at lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Save room for the house-made ricotta and chocolate chip cannoli, dusted with powdered sugar. The wine list focuses on Italy and California with an emphasis on labels from the 805. Check the restaurant’s Facebook page for news of monthly wine dinners.

LUCKY’S 1279 Coast Village Road Montecito, 805-565-7540 luckys-steakhouse.com Steak House; Entrées $16–$69

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Black-and-white portraits of stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Sammy Davis Jr., Andy Warhol, and Julia Child adorn the walls of this upscale steak house in Montecito. The plates and napkins are monogrammed, the patio is tented and heated for year-round enjoyment, and the bar opens an hour before dinner service begins. Steaks can be dressed with seven different sauces, there are eight versions of potato side dishes, and the onion rings should have their own Facebook Fan page.

MEDITERRANEO 32037 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-889-9105 med-rest.com Mediterranean; Entrées $11–$105 (to share)

Great View, Kid-Friendly (breakfast and lunch), Sunday Brunch Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Mediterraneo provides plenty of dining options for locals and guests of the Westlake Village Inn, where it is located. Executive chef Lisa Biondi showcases local, seasonal ingredients in starters such as Kurobuta pork belly with crispy white polenta and apple agrodolce, Italy’s answer to sweet-and-sour sauce. Entrées include an array of flatbreads, swordfish with sautéed rapini, Niman Ranch double-cut pork chops and oven-roasted carrots with rosemary garlic potatoes, and an 18-ounce free-range veal chop Milanese. The à la carte Sunday brunch choices range from light to decadent. Happy hour, on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., features live music, a $5 menu, and thematic food-and-drink specials (think Mozzarella Mondays and Truffle Tuesdays). Worth a splurge: classic and craft cocktails filtered through the imagination of mixologist and food and beverage manager Jacopo Falleni. Patios offer views of the lake or vineyard; a private room is available for special events.

MR. CHOW 3835 Cross Creek Road, Suite 18A Malibu, 310-456-7600 mrchow.com Chinese; Family-style service $60–$80 per person; à la carte service available

Romantic Located in the Malibu Country Mart, this Mr. Chow location shares a menu and sense of showmanship with its famous older brother in Beverly Hills. (Both offer hand-pulled noodle demonstrations.) Décor is minimalist, putting the cuisine in sharp focus.

Favorite dishes include honey-glazed prawns with walnuts, enlivened with dabs of spicy chili sauce from the small pots found on each table. A threecourse Beijing Duck dinner ($78 per person) is among the prix-fixe, family-style dining options, which tend to be less spendy than going à la carte. A small-bites menu is available in the bar, where the cocktails change with the seasons.

NOBU 22706 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, 310-317-9140 noburestaurants.com Japanese with Peruvian Influences; Entrées $8–$46, Omakase Menu $100–$150

The stars love to come to Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurant for its sushi bar and Peruvian-influenced Japanese cuisine as well as the omakase (chef’s choice menus) and other high-budget treats. The rest of us might need to check our bank accounts before ordering the lobster shiitake salad with spicy lemon dressing (nearing the $50 mark at lunch and dinner). The ocean views available from nearly every seat are priceless—and a little easier to squeeze into the budget during breakfast and brunch service on Fridays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., when selections range from Jidori chicken and waffles ($24) to the caviar “hot pot” of steamed eggs topped with crème fraîche, crispy mushrooms, and caviar ($21).

NEW NONNA 951 S. Westlake Blvd. #102 Westlake Village, 805-497-8482 nonna.restaurant Italian; Entrées $18–$45

Romantic, Great Patio A casually elegant dining room of distressed wood lit with unique light sculptures by artist Timothy J.

Ferrie is a beautiful fit for Florence-born and -trained restaurateur Jacopo Falleni. The menu avoids the faddish, instead cutting a culinary swath through the Italian peninsula and islands with tradition-rich dishes that reflect Falleni’s Tuscan upbringing (gnudi with pomodoro sauce), executive chef Gianluca Maita’s Sicilian heritage (arancini), and pasta chef Pamela Ganci’s influences from Bologna (passatelli with peas). Service is engaging and professional, while Falleni himself fills the role of sommelier and designed signature cocktails for the full bar.

THE RANCH HOUSE 102 Besant Road Ojai, 805-646-2360 theranchhouse.com Farm-to-table Prix fixe $45 for three courses, $55 for five

Romantic The Ranch House is much changed from the early 1950s, when it was founded as a pay-whatyou-can vegetarian restaurant by Alan and Helen Hooker. But its sense of magic remains: A stream runs through the property, spilling into a koi pond with a bridge that leads to the gardens. Tables draped in white linens are tucked behind stands of bamboo throughout the garden and arranged on a sheltered patio strung with twinkle lights. (The table nearest the pond is a prime spot for marriage proposals.) The current menu channels the Hookers (who added meat to the menu in the 1960s) with prix-fixe dinners that continue to showcase local produce, some of it from the on-site herb garden.

Don’t miss the braised pork belly appetizer, which might come with a sweet pineapple poppy sauce one season and other accompaniments the next.

The wine list offers 600 imported and domestic labels. A note about the address: The Ranch House is located where South Lomita Avenue meets Besant Road, prompting Yelp and other online sources to place it at 500 S. Lomita Ave.

SABOR COCINA MEXICANA 2200 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Thousand Oaks, 805-497-2457 saborcocinamexicana.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$24

Romantic, Sunday Brunch It’s flashy and fancy—not your usual Mexican cocina.

Eat in the bar area where huge margaritas are being blended, or on the front patio while people watching, or in the main dining room with the massive chandeliers strung with red glass hearts. Chef-owner Leticia Hansen turns out beautifully plated entrées like chicken enchiladas with Oaxacan cheese and cochinita pibil, which is pork in achiote sauce. Her partner and husband, Mark Hansen, makes sure the dining areas are running smoothly.

TIERRA SUR RESTAURANT AT HERZOG WINE CELLARS 3201 Camino del Sol Oxnard, 805-983-1560 tierrasuratherzog.com New American Entrées $16–$58, Wine-Tasting Menu $70

Tucked inside Herzog’s winery and tasting room, Tierra Sur specializes in wine-friendly meals made with careful attention to detail. Executive chef Gabe Garcia, who’s also a fan of local, seasonal fare, maintains the Mediterranean vibe of the menu.

Marinated olives, lamb bacon, and corn tortillas are made in-house. Tapas feature beet salad as well as pastrami and corned beef tongue. Watch carefully, and you may see your bone-in rib eye for two prepared on the patio’s wood-burning grill before it is served with kale and sous vide oyster mushrooms. Desserts are elegantly plated variations on sorbets and flourless chocolate cake.

Surrounded by the coppery glow of the walls and

the burnished-wood wine rack that frames the kitchen pass-through, diners may need to pinch themselves as a reminder that they’re at a kosher restaurant in an Oxnard industrial park. On Fridays, only lunch is served. The restaurant is closed on Saturdays in observance of the Sabbath.

TRA DI NOI RISTORANTE 3835 Cross Creek Road, Suite 8A Malibu, 310-456-0169 tradinoimalibu.com Italian Entrées $18–$36; market price for some seafood Sunday Brunch Even though locals know what they want without opening a menu, the kitchen at this restaurant in the Malibu Country Mart can still impress the rest of us with its handmade pastas, shaved truffles, grass-fed beef, local olive oil, and salads made with produce from Malibu’s Thorn Family Farm. The spaghetti carbonara manages to be both low fat and delicious, and the seasonal specials are a treat.

The well-curated wine list matches the food and offers prime selections for sipping on the patio.

TUSCANY IL RISTORANTE 968 S. Westlake Blvd.

Westlake Village, 805-495-2768 Italian; Entrées $18–$32

Romantic Village dwellers pack this beautiful space for its warm, friendly service and top-notch food. The menu is small, but the nightly specials are worth investigating. High rollers and celebs consider this their neighborhood boîte. Others come just for special occasions. The lobster and shrimp martini salad has hearts of palm, avocado, and pink grapefruit segments; the baby greens salad has shaved fennel and toasted pine nuts; the whole Dover sole is topped with a lemon-chervil sauce; and the chicken breast comes under a sun-dried tomato pesto.

Foodie

Cuisine that shines regardless of décor, service, ambience, or even views.

AROHA NEW ZEALAND CUISINE & BAR 30990 Russell Ranch Road, Unit C Westlake Village, 805-405-5054 aroharestaurant.com New Zealand fare Entrées $26–$45

Kid-Friendly, Romantic, Sunday Brunch The spirit of aroha—a Maori word meaning “love”—is alive and well at this restaurant owned by husbandand-wife Gwithyen and Justine Thomas. She handles marketing and social media, and as executive chef and a native of Auckland, he oversees the menu of beautifully plated cuisine from New Zealand and the Pacific Rim. Some artisanal products are flown in thrice weekly. New Zealand Ora King salmon is served with burnt orange sauce; lamb is paired with smoked purple potatoes and grape-mint salsa. A cloudlike Pavlova is among the desserts. A separate children’s menu is available. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. features breakfast and lunch fare, such as ricotta pancakes and a venison short-rib sandwich with hand-cut potato chips. Drinks include nonalcoholic sparklers, and beer, wine, and spirits from New Zealand. The bar menu of small bites (lump crab cakes, crispy pork belly) and “main grub” (fish and chips, steak and cheese pie) is available Tuesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Happy hour runs Tuesdays through Fridays and Sundays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; specials include $5 beers and wines by the glass and a $7 cocktail.

AZU 457 E. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-640-7987 azuojai.com Mediterranean-Californian, Gastropub Tapas and bar snacks $5–$16, Entrées $9–$32

Weekend Brunch A long, dark-wood bar dominates the front room at this popular lunch, dinner, and tapas spot, creating the perfect setting for the Ojai Valley Brewery taproom.

Small-batch ales and lagers made with local botanicals

by Jeremy Haffner, the son-in-law of owner and chef Laurel Moore, are available by the pint, tasting flight, and take-home growler. Pair them with gastropub fare such as tacos, flatbreads, and poutine topped with braised beef and salsa roja. Lunch and dinner options include falafel chiles rellenos, and a vegan paella of white beans, peas, cauliflower, broccolini, and artichoke hearts. Blueberry-lemon pancakes and croquette eggs Benedict with preserved lemon hollandaise are on the weekend brunch menu served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Additional seating is available on the sidewalk, in the brick-lined dining room, and—in warmer months—on a sheltered, ivy-covered back patio.

BARBAREÑO 205 W. Canon Perdido St. Santa Barbara, 805-963-9591 barbareno.com Californian; Entrées $18–$29

This restaurant highlights ingredients from the Central Coast in menus that feature a few changes monthly.

Head chef Justin Snyder focused on pastry in his previous culinary lives, evident from the carefully composed salads, tartares, and desserts that emerge from the kitchen. Recurring favorites include starters like avocado roulade made with hamachi crudo and coconut-oolong milk, and cheeky Eggamuffins featuring buttermilk blini stacked with Seascape cheese, speck, and shavings of salt-cured egg yolk. Hope Ranch Mussels with fennel and mustard broth and slow-cooked Wagyu tri tip are also available, along with an extensive inventory of local beers and a wine list that recently garnered a Wine Spectator award of excellence.

THE BEAR AND STAR 2860 Grand Ave. Los Olivos, 805-686-1359 thebearandstar.com American; Entrées $15–$49

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Named for the motifs on the California and Texas state flags, this restaurant, located at the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn, sources much of its beef, poultry, and produce from the nearby 714-acre Parker family ranch. The wood-smoked traditions of both states are represented on what is referred to as a “refined ranch cuisine” menu by chef and partner John Cox. Dishes have included cured Wagyu carpaccio topped with shavings of cured egg yolk, stuffed local quail with molasses gastrique, grilled catfish with charred onion dressing, and, for dessert, a chess pie to make Cox’s Lone Star–state brethren proud. Brunch features an à la carte menu with specialty cocktails.

NEW BIBI JI 734 State Street Santa Barbara, 805-560-6845 bibijisb.com Indian, Australian, and American Street Food $10–$16, Grill $15–$25, Curries $10–$18, Chef’s Tasting $50 per person

Chef and restaurateur Jessi Singh partners with star sommelier and winemaker Rajat Parr to offer vibrant Indian fare and local and international wines and beers in this casual downtown bistro. Don’t miss the gol gappa, surprising sweet-and-spicy flatbread balls flavored with mint, coriander, dates, and tamarind chutney or Singh’s signature dish, Mr. Tso’s Cauliflower, featuring the nutty florets tossed in a tangy chili sauce.

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The Dining Guide BOB’S WELL BREAD BAKERY 550 Bell St. Los Alamos, 805-344-3000 bobswellbread.com European; Pastries and Breads $1.50–$20, Entrées $7–$13

Located in a refurbished 1920s-era service station with its original Douglas fir floors intact, this artisanal bakery is well worth a visit. For the best selection, arrive at 7 a.m. on Thursdays through Mondays, when the doors open and aromatic scones, bagels, kouignamann, pain au chocolat, and other pastries come out of the ovens. Loaves of naturally leavened, burnishedcrust breads follow soon after. Special daily breads include pain aux lardons (Saturdays and Sundays), and gluten-free Centennial Loaf (Mondays). The on-site café serves breakfast and lunch (think avocado toast tartine, croque monsieur sandwiches, and grilled bread with pâté and onion-bacon marmalade) until 3 p.m. Graband-go items for DIY picnics include ficelle sandwiches made with French ham, Emmentaler cheese, and house-made butter. Check the Facebook page for details about monthly meet-the-winemakers gatherings that include food-and-wine pairings.

When it comes to pizza, don’t forget the Motor City. Baked in rectangular pans with white cheddar cheese pressed around the edges (the better to make them nice and crispy), Detroit-style pies are on the menu at Parma Pizzeria Napoletana (parmapizzerianapoletana.com) in Thousand Oaks. Owner and pizzaiolo Mick Mahan is also the longtime bassist for Pat Benatar, a gig that has given him the chance to eat—er, study—pizzas from around the world. Pepperoni lovers should try The Detroiter, which features a layer of smoked pepperoni between the dough and the cheese and another layer of natural-casing pepperoni on top.

BOTTLEST WINERY BAR & BISTRO 35 Industrial Way Buellton, 805-686-4742 bottlestbistro.com Californian Entrées $21–$33, Small Plates $13–$28

Located adjacent to Terravant Wine Company at the end of Industrial Way, Bottlest is inspired both by the neighborhood’s status as a foodie magnet and by the custom wine-blending and bottling program. Executive chef Owen Hanavan, formerly at Babareño in Santa Barbara, uses locally sourced meats, seafood, and produce in carefully composed small plates (bite-size lamb meatballs with mint, poached yellowtail with rice crackers) and entrées (16-spice pork shoulder, catchof-the-day with creamy potatoes) served on dishes of varying shapes and sizes. Lunch and bar menus are more casual, focusing on salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. Local beers and creative cocktails are featured with 52 wines on tap for self-service using a card that

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tracks your choices. Most are from Terravant’s customcrush facility, visible through a window in the dining room. A few are library selections sourced from other wineries in the region, giving diners a chance to try rare, cellared wines by the glass.

BOUCHON 9 W. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-730-1160 bouchonsantabarbara.com Wine Country Cuisine; Entrées $26–$38

Romantic Bouchon celebrates the local, from its carefully curated wine list to the craftspeople overseeing the successful remodeling of the garden patio at the front entrance.

Executive chef Greg Murphy follows suit, using farmers’ market ingredients in dishes like pan-roasted local white fish with wilted dandelion greens or a soup featuring white carrots from Tutti Frutti Farms. (Murphy’s Foodie Stroll menu includes a tour of the Tuesday farmers’ market followed by a three-course meal with wine for $95 per person.) Add the gracious presence of proprietor Mitchell Sjerven and you have the ingredients for the first Santa Barbara-area restaurant in a decade to earn the AAA Four Diamond award for excellence.

CAFÉ FICELLE 390 S. Mills Road Ventura, 805-941-3444 cafeficelle.com French; Baked goods, $2–$9; Entrées $10–$15

Saturday & Sunday Brunch With rustic loaves of bread and flaky pain au chocolat, Café Ficelle is Ventura’s answer to the charming boulangerie-patisseries of Paris. Baked goods change with the seasons and artisanal whims of co-owner Bryan Scofield and son-in-law and executive baker Jarrett Chambers. Breakfast items include crepes, avocado toast, and housemade granola. Lunch features soups, salads, and sandwiches made on titular ficelles (thin loaves of French bread). Craft beers and local and imported wines are available for DIY pairings. Brunch from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays is à la carte, with mimosas and Ficelle Royales.

EMBER RESTAURANT 1200 E. Grand Ave. Arroyo Grande, 805-474-7700 emberwoodfire.com California-Mediterranean; Small Plates $10–$17, Pizzas $18–$20, Entrées $23–$32

Named for the wood fires used to cook the restaurant’s seasonal and farm-fresh dishes, Ember is the project of executive chef Brian Collins, an Arroyo Grande native who shares skills he honed at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos with his hometown. The menu, like the beer and wine list, is locally focused, changes monthly, and includes rustic specialties such as crispy kale and house-made fennel sausage pizza, Jidori chicken alongside a wedge of grilled polenta and farmers’ market veggies, and grilled rib eye served over roasted potatoes and topped with a decadent garlic confit and avocado chimichurri.

FARMER AND THE COOK 339 W. El Roblar Drive Ojai, 805-640-9608 farmerandcook.com Vegetarian; Entrées $6–$14

Kid-Friendly Steve Sprinkel is the farmer and wife Olivia Chase is the cook at this combination café, bakery, market, and community center in the Meiners Oaks area of the Ojai Valley. A soup-and-salad bar offers fresh, organic fare for those on the go. The daily menu of vegetarian Mexican dishes like Swiss chard

enchiladas and huaraches topped with grilled veggies, Feta, and Jack cheeses, and salsa roja can be made vegan with the substitution of a housemade cashew “cheese.” Gluten-free and raw foods are also available. On Friday and Saturday nights, the weekend farm café menu features dishes inspired by what Chase has harvested from the couple’s farm less than 3 miles away.

UPDATE FINCH & FORK 31 W. Carrillo St. Santa Barbara, 805-879-9100 finchandforkrestaurant.com American; Entrées $10–$35

Weekend Brunch Located in the Kimpton Canary Hotel, the restaurant has its own entrance at Chapala and Carrillo streets.

The vibe in the dining room is sophisticated but comfortable, words that also describe the locally sourced menu by executive chef Peter Cham, a Santa Barbara native. Creative starters, flatbreads, salads, and entrées change with the seasons for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. The latter, served from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, even has its own cocktail menu. The daily specials menu offers buttermilk fried chicken on Tuesdays and bouillabaisse every Thursday. Happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays includes drinks and snacks starting at $3. Go ahead and splurge on the $8 S&P wings, tossed in a sweet chili glaze and served with pickled celery.

FIRST & OAK 409 First St. Solvang, 805-688-1703 firstandoak.com California French Small Plates $8–$19, Entrées $34–$38

Named for its address, this restaurant inside the newly renovated Mirabelle Inn is a showcase for the talents of British-born executive chef Steven Snook, a veteran of the Michelin Star–rated kitchens of Gordon Ramsay.

Snook marries classic and molecular gastronomy techniques with local ingredients, creating a small plates–focused menu that changes with the seasons.

Artful platings of butternut squash soup poured over brown-butter sage tortellini as well as sous vide carrots with a 63-degree (Celsius) egg echo the drama of the Belle Époque–inspired dining room. For spring, heirloom tomato consommé is ramped up with vegetables and preserved lemon and a spring wedge salad showcases baby gem lettuce, topping it with green goddess dressing, fresh herbs, and pistachios.

(Outdoor patio seating is also available.) Co-owner, sommelier, and general manager Jonathan Rosenson oversees the wine list, which includes selections from his family’s Coquelicot Estate Vineyard, also in Solvang, along with other Santa Barbara County labels. France, Italy, Germany, and New Zealand are represented, too.

Call for news about winemaker dinners.

FOREMOST WINE CO. 570 Higuera St., Suite 105 San Luis Obispo, 805-439-3410 foremostslo.com American, Eclectic Small plates $9–Market Price; Entrées $22–$31

In the heart of San Luis Obispo, this combination restaurant, wine bar and lounge, and burrata bar offers a metro-rustic vibe and globe-trotting wine list. The menu by the culinary team of chefs Andrew Cross and Drew Vaughan pairs worldly flavors with ingredients sourced closed to home. Dishes include farro risotto with roasted vegetables, a crudo of the day featuring local fish or beef, and grilled petite tenderloin with mushroom–blue cheese bread pudding. The burrata bar serves several combos: The Bee Keeper marries the creamy cheese with shards of chewy honeycomb

and a seasonal fruit or vegetable. Happy hour on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. includes $5 by-the-glass wine specials, a $4 to $10 happy hour menu, and draft beers.

GRANADA BISTRO 1126 Morro St. San Luis Obispo, 805-544-9110 granadahotelandbistro.com Californian, French-Asian; Entrées $14–$29

Romantic, Sunday Brunch Connected to the 17-room Granada Hotel, the bistro is both intimate and big-city urban, combining exposed brick walls with velvet upholstery and an eclectic art collection. (Check out the sculptural “tree” on the patio.)

Executive chef Kenny Bigwood’s seasonal menus start with creative small plates, sides, and cheese and charcuterie selections. Don’t-miss entrées include cherry cola–braised ribs at dinner, Cuban panini, and a chef’s selection bento box at lunch, and eggs Benedict made with corn bread, bacon, and chipotle hollandaise during Sunday brunch. The wine list focuses on small-production labels from around the world. Cocktails often include locally foraged ingredients like lavender, rosemary, and pink peppercorns.

HOTEL CALIFORNIAN 36 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-882-0100 thehotelcalifornian.com/santa_ barbara_restaurants/ Eclectic; Entrées $31–$50

Built on the grounds of the original Hotel Californian less than a block from Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara’s newest resort pays careful attention to all the luxurious details while retaining a casual yet elegant vibe. Its dining options are equally skilled. At Blackbird, dinner menus by executive chef Alexander La Motte showcase local ingredients in dishes inspired by the Mediterranean with some North African influences; the bar serves signature cocktails in addition to local brews on tap. (Fans of Alfred Hitchcock will get a kick out of his photo in the dining room.) Located in a separate building from Blackbird, Goat Tree is an order-at-the-counter café with its own patio and, in the dining room, windows with a view of the kitchen. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with graband-go options for impromptu picnics.

INDUSTRIAL EATS 181 Industrial Way Buellton, 805-688-8807 industrialeats.com New American; Entrées $6–$20

To find this destination restaurant on Buellton’s aptly named Industrial Way, drive past the Central Coast Water Authority office and look for a building painted with floating sausages, carrots, and wine glasses. At night, a neon “Eats” sign points to the front door.

Inside, you’ll find imported cheeses, house-cured meats, and locally sourced dishes by New West Catering owner and executive chef Jeff Olsson, making his debut as restaurateur. Frequent changes to the menu are noted by

pull-down rolls of butcher paper behind the deli counter. Wood-fire pizzas can be simple (rosemary with Parmesan) or adventurous (crispy pig’s ear salad with sriracha and an egg cracked on top). “Not Pizza” selections include veal sweetbreads with arugula and a beef tongue pastrami Reuben. Press Gang Cellars is among the local labels with wines on tap.

LA COSECHA MODERN COCINA 450 E. Harbor Blvd.

Ventura, 805-652-5151 lacosecharestaurant.com Mexican; Entrées $13–$23

Located inside the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach hotel, this casually upscale restaurant is named for “the harvest” in Spanish. The menu by executive chef Luis Martinez, a native of Jalisco, marries authentic Mexican flavors with contemporary cooking techniques and locally grown produce. Shareable plates include shrimp and octopus ceviche as well as barbacoa beef taquitos with avocadotomatillo salsa. House specialties include chicken tinga enchiladas and grilled salmon marinated in orange and achiote and served with tequila butter. Thematic specials are available throughout the week: On Margarita Mondays, the featured drink is $6.

UPDATE THE LARK 131 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-284-0370 thelarksb.com New American; Entrées $18–$42

Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone takes flight with The Lark, named for the Pullman train that once made overnight runs between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The past is present in the restaurant’s setting, a former fish market remodeled to include exposed brick walls, subway tile, communal tables, and private booths fashioned from church pews. As culinary conductor, executive chef Jason Paluska oversees a thoroughly modern menu that highlights local ingredients. West Coast oysters with Goleta caviar lime are popular starters to shared plates of roasted chicken with green peppercorn gastrique, depending on the season.

Craft brews, wines by the glass, cocktails, and mocktails extend the artisanal spirit into the bar. Desserts by pastry chef Joey Vega include warm Meyer lemon fritters with slowcooked blueberries and lemon thyme.

UPDATE LES MARCHANDS RESTAURANT & MERCHANT 131 Anacapa St., Suite B Santa Barbara, 805-284-0380 lesmarchandswine.com European; Small Plates $5–$15; Entrées $18–$30

Weekend Brunch The vibe is Parisian bistro, but selections at this combination restaurant and retail shop in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone give equal opportunity to the United States and other countries. The by-the-glass wine selection is well-rounded, craft beer is available on draft and in bottles, and the cocktails showcase vintage JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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The Dining Guide and contemporary recipes. The menu by executive chef Weston Richards includes charcuterie, cheese platters, and artisanal toasts made with bread from the neighboring Helena Avenue Bakery. Dinner is served daily from 5 p.m., when selections include a local strawberry-arugula salad with house-made ricotta and mint pesto and lemon-brined chicken with crispy fingerling potatoes. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. offers dishes such as shakshuka (a Middle Eastern poached-egg dish) and fried chicken and waffles with rosemary honey.

UPDATE LIDO AT DOLPHIN BAY 2727 Shell Beach Road Pismo Beach, 805-773-8900 thedolphinbay.com/lido Californian; Entrées $16–$58

Great View, Daily Brunch Chef Hector Ibarra brings an eye for seasonal ingredients to a menu that echoes the creativity of the art glass displayed in Lido’s dining room. Appetizers include oysters with pink peppercorn mignonette and braised pork belly with fennel slaw. Entrées include house-made squid-ink pasta, quinoa veggie burgers, and a generous rib eye with curry compound butter.

The Chef’s Tasting Menu offers five courses for $75 ($100 with wine pairings). A daily affair, brunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., features a three-course plated option with bottomless mimosas as well as à la carte dishes.

Not so long ago, Industrial Way was a quiet side street in Buellton. Now it’s home to so many food-and-drink hotspots that it can be hard to keep up with which new must-try place is located where. Enter Industrial Way (industrialwaysbc.com), a travel-guide website launched

by Hugh Margerum that offers a map of a dozen-plus wineries, breweries, and distillery tasting rooms, including one operated by Margerum Wine Company, which is owned by Margerum’s brother Doug. Also featured: restaurants (hello, Industrial Eats!) and hotels, all within walking distance.

LOQUITA 202 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-880-3380 loquitasb.com Modern Spanish; Entrées $19–$42 Great Patio

Loquita is Spanish slang for a wild, fun-loving girl, but this eatery’s menu and food are seriously irreproachable. Executive chef Peter Lee sources the finest meat, fish, cheese, and produce to create festive, communal, à la carte meals, including tapas, pintxos (small bites typically pierced with a toothpick), and signature paella dishes. Drinks autentico include sangria and Spanish-style gin and tonics. Enjoy the spacious patio with two inviting fireplaces, or try the small-bites bar named, naturally, Poquita.

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UPDATE MAD & VIN 1576 Mission Drive Solvang, 805-688-3121 thelandsby.com Eclectic; Entrées $16–$38

This restaurant located inside The Landsby hotel is named for the Danish words for “food” and “wine.”

You won’t find a single aebleskiver in the sleek but comfy dining room, but Mad & Vin still pays homage to Solvang’s heritage with a Nordic Caesar salad of local greens, sautéed shrimp, fried sourdough croutons, and dill-caraway Caesar dressing. At dinner, the lamb porterhouse with mint-pesto yogurt and seafood hot pot, paired with selections from the primarily Santa Barbara County wine list, are not to be missed. The bar is a Scandinavian-chic spot to meet friends for lunch on the weekends or for cocktails and small bites daily from 4 p.m.

MOODY ROOSTER 2891 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 805-370-3131 moodyroosterwlv.com New American; Entrées $13–$30

Born in the Year of the Rooster, owner-chef Collin Crannell cooks whatever he feels like putting on the menu each day at this foodie version of a neighborhood café located in a Westlake Village shopping center. That’s what’s in the name. On the plate, Crannell—formerly the executive chef at The Lobster in Santa Monica—focuses on from-scratch fare showcasing local, seasonal produce, seafood, and proteins at lunch and dinner. Trademark dishes include crispy gnocchi with roasted cherry tomatoes, Parmesan fondue, and a swirl of aged balsamic, as well as a half chicken with roasted garlic and butternut squash. Wine and craft beers are available (ask co-owner Vicki Crannell for pairing suggestions).

MOUTHFUL EATERY 2626 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Thousand Oaks, 805-777-9222 mouthfuleatery.com Peruvian, Californian; Entrées $9–$14

Kid-Friendly Don’t let the multicolored chalkboard menu or the solarpowered toy pigs decorating the dining room fool you: This order-at-the-counter café may specialize in salads, sandwiches, and what are called “powerbowls” in a fun, casual atmosphere, but chef and co-owner Luis Sanchez is serious about the food—witness Mouthful’s inclusion on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2015. La Sarita, a sandwich of house-roasted pork shoulder served with fried sweet potatoes and pickled red onions, gets its heat from an aioli made with aji amarillo, a pepper from Sanchez’s native Peru.

Additions at dinner might include malbec-braised short ribs on polenta one night and savory chicken stew called aji de gallina the next. Desserts include alfajores, delicate shortbread cookies filled with salted caramel.

The Foodies in Training children’s menu includes a turkey slider with fruit, yucca fries, and a drink, all for $6.

THE NEST 401 E. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-798-9035 Californian; Entrées $8–$15

Don’t let the order-at-the-window casualness fool you: The Nest serves high-quality fare with options for vegans and carnivores, plus craft cocktails that change with the seasons. Chef and co-owner Kiona Wachter is an Ojai native, a fact that turns up in such dishes as The Tireman, a brisket sandwich named for her uncle’s tire business in nearby Oak View, and in the Tico Salad, sprinkled with Fritos corn chips just as it was when her father and godmother served it at their Nest of Ojai restaurant more than 20 years ago. Pizzas, rice bowls, cauliflower tacos, shave ice, and desserts

round out the menu. Indoor seating is limited; the most popular spot for dining is the semi-sheltered patio, which offers views of the Topa Topa mountain range.

UPDATE OJAI VALLEY INN 905 Country Club Road Ojai, 805-646-1111 ojairesort.com Various cuisines Entrées $11–$60; Saturday Buffet Brunch $29; Sunday Bluegrass Brunch $55

The resort’s beautiful setting can be enjoyed by hotel guests and others who simply want to patronize the restaurants. As the fine-dining flagship, Olivella features California cuisine with a Northern Italian twist courtesy of chef de cuisine Andrea Rodella. Beautifully plated dishes are served in dining spaces that include a private wine room as well as a veranda overlooking the first and final holes of the property’s world-class golf course. Olivella also offers a four-course prix fixe menu, available with or without paired wines, and hosts winemaker dinners. Start the evening with small bites and craft cocktails in the Wallace Neff Heritage Bar, located in the resort’s original golf clubhouse and named for the architect who set the inn’s Spanish Revival tone. Other dining options include the tranquil Spa Café in Spa Ojai, where light breakfast, freshpressed juices, and spa lunch are served inside or on the poolside terrace. The Oak is famous for its casual but attentive lunch service on a shaded patio overlooking the 10th hole. It also serves breakfast and dinner and two styles of brunch: buffet on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and bottomless champagne with live bluegrass music on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Indigo Pool & Bar offers salads, sandwiches, and adult libations served poolside and in cabanas. The Pixie Café is located at the family-friendly Pixie Pool.

Jimmy’s Pub offers a menu of salads, sandwiches, and wood-fired pizzas and entrées, plus craft beers and cocktails (it’s also one of the few restaurants in Ojai to stay open past 10 p.m. on weekends). Next door, Libbey’s Market is the place to go for a quick sandwich and a scoop of McConnell’s ice cream.

OLIO E LIMONE RISTORANTE AND OLIO CRUDO BAR 11 W. Victoria St., Suites 17-18 Santa Barbara 805-899-2699, Ext. 1 olicucina.com Italian; Entrées $18–$41; Crudo Bar $12–$25

Husband-and-wife owners Alberto Morello and Elaine Andersen Morello treat their restaurants in downtown Santa Barbara like the gems they are: No ingredient is too good to employ. The organic extra-virgin olive oil from a grove near Alberto’s home village in Italy is so popular, patrons buy bottles of it for their own use. At the Ristorante, salads are fresh and the pastas and sauces are house-made. Standouts include gnocchi alla Riviera, which combines spinach-and-ricotta dumplings with fresh tomato sauce. With its glass shelves and glowing marble walls, the crudo bar is a jewel-box showcase for carefully executed dishes.

Thinly sliced pieces of raw fish are accented with simple but excellent olio e limone (olive oil and lemon) and sometimes a bit more: Try the Atlantic Bluefin tuna belly with ginger vinaigrette and wasabi shoots for a meaningful experience. Selected appetizers, beers, cocktails, proseccos, and wines by the glass are halfprice during happy hour service available Sundays through Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

ONYX AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE Two Dole Drive Westlake Village, 818-575-3000 onyxrestaurant.com

Japanese; Entrées $15–$45

Romantic, Great View A master at sushi, chef Masa Shimakawa also serves modern Japanese fare inspired by his training in Japan and influences from Thailand, China, and beyond. Cocktails and sake flights are available to pair with artfully prepared crab-and-smoked salmon rolls and with such dishes as roasted black cod and beef sirloin grilled in hoba leaves. Dinner is served Mondays through Saturdays at the sushi bar on the patio overlooking the resort’s waterfall and in the stylish dining room decorated with saltwater aquariums and the restaurant’s titular stone.

UPDATE OUTPOST AT THE GOODLAND 5650 Calle Real Goleta, 805-964-1288 outpostsb.com Cal-Eclectic Shareable plates $7–$29

Weekend Brunch The mint-condition Airstream trailer parked out front is one sign that The Goodland hotel is not the Holiday Inn it once was. Another is the menu at Outpost, the on-site restaurant. Playful takes on classics like guacamole (served with toasted pumpkin seed gremolata) join pork belly bao buns and roasted sea bass lettuce wraps with crispy shallots. Local wines, beers, and craft cocktails are great for sipping poolside, in the dining room, and at the hotel’s The Good Bar, which offers meal-worthy snacks. Happy hour specials are available from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Ramen is a Sunday-night thing from 5 p.m. (go early). Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

PARADISE PANTRY 218 and 222 E. Main St. Ventura, 805-641-9440 paradisepantry.com Rustic; Entrées $9–$22

Sunday Brunch This combination café, wine shop, and cheese store occupies adjoining storefronts in Ventura’s historic downtown. Both spaces feature original brick walls and delightfully creaky wood floors. While 218 E. Main St. is devoted to wine sales and cheese and charcuterie displays, 222 offers wine tasting and soups, salads, cheese plates, and pâté samplers. Panini-style sandwiches include the Italiano, packed with arugula and truffle cheese and wrapped in prosciutto. (That’s right: The meat is on the outside.) Named for chef and co-owner Kelly Briglio, Kel’s Killer Mac is made with a new over-the-top combination of ingredients each week. (Gluten-free options are available.) Typically scheduled once a month, Sunday brunch features such dishes as Kel’s crab cakes with Meyer lemon crème fraîche, and French toast made with cinnamon brioche. Join the email list for news of upcoming popup appearances by visiting chefs and winemakers.

PAUL MARTIN’S AMERICAN GRILL 100 S. Westlake Blvd.

Westlake Village, 805-373-9300 paulmartinsamericangrill.com American; Entrées $13–$36

Romantic, Saturday & Sunday Brunch The farm-to-table movement never looked as elegant as it does at this bistro-style restaurant, which also has locations in Irvine, Roseville, El Segundo, San Mateo, and Mountain View. Tortillas and infused vodkas are just two of the items made in-house to augment the menu showcasing organic produce and artisanal ingredients. The kale Caesar salad features wild white anchovies, mesquite-grilled salmon is served with a chilled salad of quinoa and bulgur wheat, and natural meats are used for burgers, steaks, chops, and “brick” chicken (flattened and cooked evenly under the weight of a brick). Weekend brunch service starts with freshly baked millet drop biscuits and honey butter before moving on to your choice of entrée. Three-course dinner specials

Love ice cream but have a hard time committing to just one flavor? ExVoto Chocolates & Confections (exvotochocolates.com) in Ventura has a scoop—or four—for you. The shop’s tasting flight ($10) features a quartet of house-made flavors of your choosing, served in separate cups on a wooden tray. As spring turns to summer, look for Honey Lavender and other seasonal combinations to join standby flavors such as Fresh Mint & Chip and Honey Buttered Toast.

include prime rib on Sundays and fried chicken on Tuesdays.Available daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Taste of Paul Martin’s menu offers small plates, burgers, and signature cocktails from $5 to $13.

NEW PICO AT THE LOS ALAMOS GENERAL STORE 458 Bell St. Los Alamos, 805-344-1122 picolosalamos.com New American; Share Plates and Entrées $12–31 Live Musc

The spirit of a one-stop general store lives on in the historic town of Los Alamos, the northern gateway to the Santa Ynez Valley. Expect to find an extraordinary chef-driven, locally sourced menu by Drew Terp (formerly of Auberge du Soleil in Napa and Alain Ducasse at the Essex House in New York) offering heart of rib eye, duck confit risotto, smoked scallops, house-made pasta dishes, and charcuterie and cheese platters, along with signature cocktails, beer, and a world-class wine list. The spacious, refurbished building is also the tasting room of Lane Tanner and Will Henry’s Lumen Wines of Santa Maria.

Sunday is Burger Night. Upscale but down home, Pico is keeping destination diners as well as the local cowboys coming back for more.

Q SUSHI & KIEU HOANG WINE LOUNGE 30770 Russell Ranch Road, Unit A Westlake Village, 818-540-3231 qsushi.com Japanese; Sushi and Sashimi $5–$24; Shared Plates $5–$24; Entrées $11–$20

This restaurant at the Shoppes at Westlake Village feels worlds away, thanks to its blend of traditional techniques, modern comforts, and one showstopper of a chandelier fashioned from found tree branches.

Surrounded by a sushi counter of Carrara marble, the open kitchen equipped with a robata grill also produces sushi, sashimi, and special rolls showcasing delectable cuts of Scottish salmon, Hawaiian amberjack, and more. (Don’t miss the sashimi pizza, dotted with flower petals and miso beet cream.) The lunch menu served Tuesdays through Fridays from noon to 3 p.m. offers salads, bowls, and quick-order assortments of sushi or sashimi.

The beverage list includes wines from Europe, the Central Coast, and, as promised, Napa Valley’s Kieu Hoang Winery. Beer, hot and cold sake, and craft cocktails are also featured. Happy hour on Tuesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. offers specially priced drinks and appetizers.

SADDLE PEAK LODGE 419 Cold Canyon Road Calabasas, 818-222-3888 saddlepeaklodge.com New American Small Plates $15–$23; Entrées $36–$58; Chef’s Tasting Menu $145 for nine courses

Romantic, Sunday Brunch Chairs woven from willow branches and game trophies hanging high on walls made of stone and wood speak to the rustic nature of this multistory restaurant nestled in the hills of Malibu. Executive chef Adam Horton is back and over-seeing menus that are both elegant and stick-to-your-ribs: Small-plate options include Peruvian marinated quail, while composed entrées include seabass with house-made pasta and New

Zealand lamb rack with smoked miso potatoes. The Chef’s Game Trio offers a diner’s choice of emu, elk, or buffalo with sides. On Mondays through Wednesdays, the three-course Supper Menu is $39 per person. The outdoor patio is a spectacular place for brunch.

SIDES HARDWARE AND SHOES, A BROTHERS RESTAURANT 2375 Alamo Pintado Ave. Los Olivos, 805-688-4820 sidesrestaurant.com American; Entrées $14–$35

Brothers Jeff and Matt Nichols named their restaurant after a business that occupied the building in the early 1900s. The country-store vibe appears in the decorative tin ceiling and menu items like the Hammered Pig, a lunch dish of pork tenderloin that has been pounded thin, breaded, deep-fried, then served in a salad of arugula, pecans, and Parmesan or as part of a sandwich with applemustard seed slaw. Lunch options also include fish tacos, sandwiches, and an array of burgers. You can’t go wrong with the ever-changing chef’s burger by chef de cuisine Michael Cherney, who also lets loose with a new Taco Tuesday menu available at lunch and dinner each week. Dinner fare takes on an international flair: A banh mi-inspired appetizer pairs miso-cured bacon with steamed buns, mussels are served in coconut broth and red curry, and lamb sirloin comes with goat cheese gnocchi and maitake mushrooms. Desserts by pastry chef Stephanie Jackson are homey yet elegantly plated.

Local wines are available by the glass and in carafes, supplementing the full bar.

SLY’S 686 Linden Ave. Carpinteria, 805-684-6666 slysonline.com American; Entrées $12–$55

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Sort of casual, sort of stylish, this Carpinteria gem is a must-visit. With its Vespa hanging over the bar, glasswall wine room, and polished wood accents, it’s great for formal occasions. But the service is super-friendly and most of the patrons are comfortably dressed, so there’s nothing stuffy about an evening here, either. Chef and owner James Sly has been cooking for more than 40 years, and his cuisine tastes like it. You really can’t go wrong with anything on this American menu of steaks and seafood, but the abalone is a real treat. Unlike most chophouses, Sly’s offers a list of pastas as well as sandwiches and small cuts of steak for those who don’t have a huge appetite. Desserts are wonderful, too. Sly’s is open for lunch Monday through Friday, dinner nightly, and lunch and brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

THE SPOON TRADE 295 West Grand Ave. Grover Beach, 805-904-6773 thespoontrade.com American; Entrées $15–$32

Great Patio, Sunday Brunch The Spoon Trade serves what chef Jacob Town calls “elevated comfort food” in a bright and comfortable neighborhood hangout. Classic dishes (think: fried chicken, pasta, and upside-down cakes) are reimagined with of-the-moment flavors and local ingredients alongside a progressive beer and wine list.

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The Dining Guide S.Y. KITCHEN 1110 Faraday St. Santa Ynez, 805-691-9794 sykitchen.com Italian; Entrées $17–$37

Located on a quiet side street in Santa Ynez, this cozy spot is an oasis of craft cocktails and rustic Italian fare in wine and tri-tip country. Executive chef Luca Crestanelli lets his native Italian roots show in housemade pastas such as wild mushroom pappardelle and a warm octopus salad with olives, potatoes, and cherry tomatoes. A lunch menu of salads, pastas, and oak-grilled meats and seafood is served daily.

Also originally from Italy, mixologist and bar manager Alberto Battaglini makes his own bitters and stashes away dried fruits and herbs in glass jars that double as décor. The wine list features local and Italian labels. Available Mondays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Aperitivo menu offers special pricing on beer, wine, cocktails, and light bites.

What’s in a name? At the newly rechristened Westlake Brewing & Libations (westlake brewingcompany.com) in Westlake Village, the answer is: expanded food-and-beverage options. Located in the Beermuda Triangle—so named because the neighborhood also includes Five Threads Brewing Company and 14 Cannons brewery— the business-park spot serves beers, ciders, and craft cocktails like the Brew Co. Old Fashioned, made with Amaro Montenegro and Licor 43 instead of the traditional sugar cube.

Farm & Flame catering provides the food Wednesdays through Sundays, when lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. includes vegan sweet-potato tacos, loaded nachos, baby back ribs, and other libation-friendly fare.

UPDATE THOMAS HILL ORGANICS 1313 Park St. Paso Robles, 805-226-5888 thomashillorganics.com Wine Country Cuisine; Entrées $15–$41 Sunday Brunch

At this chic but casual restaurant in downtown Paso Robles, executive corporate chef Kurt Metzger builds on the vision of owner and founding chef Debbie Thomas by turning ingredients from local purveyors into elegant, satisfying fare at lunch, brunch, and dinner. (Why, yes, those are Windrose Farm apples in the burrata salad.)

Wine, beer, and ciders from the region are also featured, adding to the restaurant’s farm-to-table bona fides.

TRE LUNE 1151 Coast Village Road Montecito, 805-969-2646 trelunesb.com Italian; Entrées $18–$37

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Tre Lune, or “three moons,” is part of the Montesano Group, which owns Lucky’s in Montecito and Joe’s and Bucatini in Santa Barbara—and it shows. The walls are dressed in black-and-white photos of celebrities from yesteryear, the floors are Old World wood, and the tables are covered in white linen. Teeny tiny chairs mounted high on the wall bear brass plates engraved with the names of regular patrons. A ring-shaped, rolled pizza-bread appetizer is stuffed with smoked mozzarella and braised radicchio. It’s crispy outside and delicious inside. Pizzas from the stone oven can be topped with roasted eggplant, spicy sausage, or mushrooms and truffle oil. The wide selection of pastas are available in half or full portions. Veal scaloppine, rack of lamb, chicken Marsala, and even a cheeseburger round out the menu and support the extensive Italian wine list.

UPDATE WINE CASK 813 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-966-9463 winecask.com Wine Country Cuisine Entrées $24–$38; Chef’s tasting menu $75 for five courses, $95 for eight courses

Romantic Founded in 1981, the Wine Cask reinvents itself every time executive chef Brandon Cogan goes to the farmers’ market in Santa Barbara. Local ingredients inform dishes at every turn, especially in the tasting menus that change weekly and sometimes nightly but almost always feature Santa Barbara County labels in the optional wine pairings. The regular dinner menu is a mix of seasonal mains and classical mains, the latter a collection of longtime favorites like wild mushroom risotto and pan-roasted local white sea bass. Desserts echo the elegant simplicity of the restaurant itself (bread pudding with bourbon–salted caramel sauce is a standout). California wines are the focus of the international wine list. Co-owner and vintner Doug Margerum also has one tasting room adjoining the restaurant, and a second, devoted to reserve wines, located elsewhere in the same complex.

A Good Bet

Not too fancy, not too expensive, and a good experience all around.

BAZILLE AT NORDSTROM AT THE OAKS 346 W. Hillcrest Drive Thousand Oaks, 805-418-4010 restaurants.nordstrom.com New American Shared Plates $6–$11; Entrées $15–$24

Nordstrom’s second floor restaurant is a fine and semi-private place to dine between shopping forays.

Previously known as Blue Stove, the space now features more natural light, a full bar, and greater emphasis on entrées over tapas. Shared plates include crisp calamari with lemongrass-sweet chili dipping sauce and maple sriracha-glazed bacon deviled eggs. Main dishes are organized under the headings of “meat” (selections include French dip on toasted Parmesan baguette), “poultry” (house-made chicken sausage with burrata), and “seafood” (crab, mango, and avocado salad).

BLUE TABLE 28912 Roadside Drive Agoura Hills, 818-597-2583 bluetable.net International; Entrées $8–$15

Live Music A few blue tables provide seating for outside dining at this charming deli with high-quality Italian eats for lunch and dinner. The indigo theme continues inside, where

blue-wash wooden tables are topped with bouquets of fresh flowers. Different salads rotate through the deli case, and the list of sandwiches is written on a blackboard. (The proscuitto and burrata panini is not to be missed.) Pizzas, soups, cookies, and all other items here are made fresh daily. A small freezer carries pastas and sauces for home use, but anything on the menu can be taken to go. You’ll want to stay for dinner, available daily from around 6 p.m. The menu of comfort-food classics includes eggplant Parmesan and spaghetti with organic ground turkey meatballs. Local musicians are featured on Wednesdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

BOLLYWOOD INDIAN RESTAURANT #3 860 Hampshire Road Westlake Village, 805-777-7100 bollywood3.net Indian; Entrées $10–$15

Fresh vegetables are used in the curries, masalas, and kormas at this casual Indian restaurant. Chicken, lamb, fish, and shrimp are prepared a variety of ways: in the tandoori oven, with coconut-milk sauces, and in spicy vindaloos. Naan comes topped with garlic, basil, cilantro, and onions, or stuffed with cheese or potatoes.

Beer and wine are on offer, along with excellent yogurt drinks like mango lassi and Indian spiced tea.

BRENT’S DELI 2799 Townsgate Road Westlake Village, 805-557-1882 brentsdeli.com Deli; Entrées $6–$20

Kid-Friendly For amazingly good Reuben sandwiches on rye bread piled high with pastrami or corned beef, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing, you can’t beat this slick deli. The booths are cushy and roomy, leaving space for your tummy to expand as you down a fourlayer slice of chocolate cake or a plate full of stuffed cabbage rolls. A separate bar also offers the full menu.

The patio out back allows for even more seating. A counter up front expedites take-out orders. Brent’s Deli is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

ELADIO’S RESTAURANT & BAR 1 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-963-4466 harborviewinnsb.com American; Entrées $12–$25

Great View, Saturday & Sunday Brunch It’s tough to beat the view of the wharf and the ocean from the open, spacious patio with a fountain in the middle. Eladio’s whips up breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily for guests of the Harbor View Inn and anyone else who stops in. Morning staples include vanilladipped brioche French toast, crab cake Benedict, and smoked salmon scramble made with locally smoked fish. New England clam chowder, cheeseburgers, ahi salad with mango salsa, and fish-and-chips in a Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Double Barrel Ale batter show up at lunchtime. Pasta, steaks, and fresh fish round out the dinner menu. Happy hour specials are available daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

UPDATE FINNEY’S CRAFTHOUSE & KITCHEN 982 S. Westlake Blvd., Suite 2 Westlake Village, 805-230-9950 and 35 State St., Suite A Santa Barbara, 805-845-3100 finneyscrafthouse.com American; Entrées $10–$16

Kid-Friendly The “craft beer spoken here” neon sign in the dining room doesn’t quite say it all at this casual but polished gastropub owned by Greg Finefrock, an 805 local whose childhood nickname inspired the restaurant’s moniker. In addition to the 30 brews on tap, you’ll find craft cocktails, California wines by the glass and bottle, and a fun atmosphere and menu that has something

for everyone. With slight variations between the Santa Barbara and Westlake Village locations, shareable appetizers include gluten-free buffalo cauliflower tossed in yuzu sauce and chicken-and-waffle bites that come with a tangy surprise: Tabasco-braised kale.

The house burger is made with a chuck, brisket, and hanger steak patty on a brioche bun (options include gluten-free buns and plant-based Impossible Burger patties). Crispy tacos, salads, and flatbread pizzas are also available. Families and other groups gravitate to the communal tables inside and on the patio. Seating is first-come, first-served at the copper bar.

HARVEST KITCHEN & BAR AT HYATT REGENCY WESTLAKE 880 S. Westlake Blvd.

Westlake Village, 805-557-4710 westlake.regency.hyatt.com Californian; Entrées $11–$29

Kid-Friendly Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Harvest welcomes hotel guests and the public alike. The dining rooms are sleek and comfortable with natural light, and patio and garden views. Executive chef Steve Johnson, a Hyatt Regency veteran, turns up the flavor in offerings such as the grass-fed burger and Alaskan Halibut in Rosemary Butter Sauce served with summer squash and jubilee rice. The For Kids by Kids children’s menu features dishes created by Haile Thomas, host of the YouTube series Plant-Powered Haile. Furnished with fire pits and lounges, the outdoor patio is the perfect place to sample $5 cocktails and food specials during happy hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

HIMALAYA 35 W. Main St. Ventura, 805-643-0795 and 720 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Thousand Oaks, 805-409-1041 himalayacuisine.com Nepalese, Indian, Tibetan Entrées $8–$32

Live Entertainment Adventurous eaters will delight in dishes such as the Sherpa curry goat and chef specials featuring yak meat. Even the pizzas and burritos on the fusion-food portion of the menu are on the exotic side, since they’re made with naan and chapati from the tandoori oven.

Vegetarian selections include bhindi masala, which is okra cooked with tomatoes and Indian spices. Feeling nimble? Try sitting cross-legged at one of the low tables set on a raised platform. The Ventura location serves beer and wine; the Thousand Oaks site has a full bar.

Both offer a belly dance show about once a month.

JANE 1311 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-962-1311 and 6940 Marketplace Dr. Goleta, 805-770-5388 janeatthemarketplace.com; janerestaurantsb.com Eclectic; Entrées $9–$25

What started as a farm stand is now a family-owned business that includes a restaurant, a gift shop, a café that specializes in freshly baked fruit pies, and the original farm stand, for those on a sentimental journey.

No visit to Cambria is complete without at least one breakfast, lunch, or dinner spent at the combination bakery and restaurant, located in the seaside town’s historic East Village. Berries are a recurring theme on the menu, appearing in fruit-filled scones, glasses of olallieberry lemonade, and the raspberry-orangecranberry sauce served with roasted Shelton Farm chicken. Executive chef Matt Beckett is as skilled at whipping up comfort food classics (think beef Stroganoff and chicken potpie) as he is with gluten-free options and dishes featuring grass-fed beef from Hearst Ranch.

LOS AGAVES RESTAURANT 600 N. Milpas St. Santa Barbara, 805-564-2626 and 2911 De la Vina St. Santa Barbara, 805-682-2600 and 7024 Market Place Drive Goleta, 805-968-4000 and 2810 Portico Way, Suite 1105 Oxnard, 805-278-9101 and 30750 Russell Ranch Road, Suite G Westlake Village, 818-874-0779 los-agaves.com Mexican; Entrées $9–$17

Launched in Santa Barbara in 2008, this family-owned and operated group of restaurants has clearly struck a chord: Its original location was number 16 on Yelp’s list of Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2016. The mix of authentic Mexican cuisine with casual but attentive order-at-the-counter service can now be found at five sites in and around the 805. Each offers the same menu of house-made tortillas, ceviche, salads, and burritos filled with all manner of seafood, poultry, or beef. Signature dishes include the show-stopping Land and Sea molcajete, a bubbling-hot mixture of meat and seafood with house-made salsa, avocado, chorizo, grilled onion, and nopal, served in a three-legged bowl carved from volcanic rock. Los Agaves restaurants in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Oxnard serve beer and wine as well as agave margaritas and micheladas. The Shoppes at Westlake Village location has a full bar that offers top-shelf tequilas and drink specials. Diners who sit at the bar can order food there, too.

MARMALADE CAFE 4783 Commons Way Calabasas, 818-225-9092 and 3894 Cross Creek Road Malibu, 310-317-4242 and 3825 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-682-5246 and 140 Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-370-1331 marmaladecafe.com American; Entrées $10–$22

Lots of interesting salads, sandwiches, and burgers are set down at lunchtime on small wooden and marble tables in this cute spot on State Street from the family that owns the Montecito Cafe. Jane is the name of the owner (Jane Chapman) and her grandmother (Jane Moody), whose pictures adorn the high walls. The loft seating and upstairs patio are cool and a bit secluded compared to the downstairs tables, which are always packed in the afternoon. The eclectic dinner menu offers pastas, steaks, and grilled duck breast. For dessert, the soft-serve ice cream is a fun choice, as is the coconut cake.

Salads, sandwiches, soups and waistline-friendly half-orders of pasta are lunchtime mainstays at this chain known for its cozy, French-country décor. But chef Aaron Johns also showcases fresh produce and California ingredients in newer dishes like the Petaluma chicken potpie, served upside-down in a bowl of flaky puff pastry. Happy hour deals are especially sweet, with half-price appetizers (think Maryland crab cakes), $5 well drinks, and glasses of premium wines available for $9 to $12 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Or take advantage of the free corkage and half-off pricing on all bottles during Wine Down Wednesdays from 4 p.m.

LINN’S RESTAURANT 2277 Main St. Cambria, 805-927-0371 linnsfruitbin.com American; Entrées $10–$34

MERSEA’S 3985 Avila Beach Drive Avila Beach, 805-548-2290 merseas.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$15

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The Dining Guide Located on the Harford Pier, this modern take on a casual seafood restaurant offers a lot of sightseeing bang for the buck. Indoor tables are placed near tall windows, and outdoor seating includes a row of colorful bar-stools at a counter that doubles as the pier’s railing for a stretch. (Look down: You just might spy an otter frolicking in the kelp.) The menu includes burgers, hot dogs, and veggie burritos, but seafood is the star at this spot operated by members of the family behind Dorn’s Original Breakers Café in Morro Bay and Duckie’s Chowder House in Cayucos. Highlights include a crab melt sandwich with avocado, chowders of both the Manhattan and New England variety, and daily specials like garlic fries topped with blackened shrimp, blue cheese, and avocado. Decorated with whimsical octopus pendant lamps, the bar serves beer, wine, and cocktails.

If you haven’t strolled through downtown Paso Robles lately, you might have missed the news that Next Door Bistro (nextdoorbistropasorobles.business. site) has a new a neighbor. The breakfast-and-lunch spot operated by chef-owner Ed Drake moved late last year from its original 14-seat location next to an Italian Market on 13th Street to a larger space under Cool Hand Luke’s Steakhouse & Saloon on Riverside Avenue. The menu of build-your-own breakfast sandwiches, house-made soups, quinoa bowls, and a Spanish take on grilled cheese (think Manchego with quince paste) is worth seeking out.

POOKIE’S THAI CUISINE 900 Hampshire Road Westlake Village, 805-381-0094 Thai; Entrées $7–$13

Kid-Friendly Downstairs in the Water Court Plaza office complex, owner Pookie creates delicious Thai dishes for lunch and dinner daily. Lunch specials are a steal at $7 to $8 each. She also has a wide selection of interesting salads like the Outrageous Beef Salad with a spicy lime dressing and the protein-rich Yam Yai salad with shrimp, chicken, egg, and peanuts in a sweet-and-sour dressing. Noodle dishes are generously sized and include the classic pad Thai and the interesting Hi Yo Silver with fried noodles, shrimp, and bean sprouts.

Curries, vegetarian options, and fish dishes (such as the crispy sole with tamarind and chili sauce) give diners lots of great choices not found elsewhere.

PUBLIC SCHOOL 805 120 Promenade Way, Suite A Westlake Village, 805-379-3909 psontap.com American; Entrées $8–$28

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Named for the area code and the goal of offering guests “an education in the art of food and beer,” this gastropub makes the most of its schoolyard theme. Baseball mitts decorate one wall and happy hour is known as “recess.”

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(It’s also known as a bargain: Meal-worthy bites are just $4 to $6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays). More than 40 craft beers, most on rotating taps, are available to pair with executive chef Phil Kastel’s inventive fare. He earns extra credit for adding crispy fried capers to an appetizer of salmon “pastrami” carpaccio. Burgers, salads, and wood-fired flatbreads are lunch and dinner options; fried Jidori chicken and waffles are on the breakfast menu, available from 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Organize your own field trips to Public School 612 in downtown Los Angeles and Public School 310 in Culver City.

NEW SPENCER MAKENZIE’S FISH CO. 311 Carmen Drive Camarillo, 805-643-3474 and 806 E. Thompson Blvd.

Ventura, 805-643-8226 spencermakenzies.com Seafood; Entrées $5–$11

Kid-Friendly Famous for its grilled and tempura-battered fish tacos, this restaurant named for the owners’ two eldest children enjoys a beachy vibe that has made its Ventura location a favorite of locals and visitors alike for more than a decade. (Newly opened in May 2018, the Camarillo site echoes that laid-back feel, despite its shopping-center setting.) Other house specialties include the ahi pocket, an appetizer of mildly sweet tofu stuffed with sushi rice and topped with seared ahi tuna. Grilled fish-and-shrimp burritos are best when eaten “Brooklyn style,” named for kid number three and created by combining house-made Spencer and Sweet Chili Fire sauces. Also featured are Parmesan hard-shell tacos, clam chowder by the cup, bowl, and sourdough bread bowl, and the seared–ahi steak Parker Burger, a shout-out to the family’s youngest child. Local brews are on tap.

THE STONEHAUS 32039 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-483-1152 the-stonehaus.com Mediterranean; Sandwiches & Platters $10–$17

Dog-Friendly, Great Views, Kid‑Friendly, Romantic Patterned after an Italian enoteca, the aptly named Stonehaus starts each day as a coffeehouse, serving kale-berry smoothies along with baked goods, wraps, and breakfast sandwiches from Lisa Biondi, executive chef at the adjacent Mediterraneo at the Westlake Village Inn. It switches to wine bar mode in the afternoons and evenings, when the menu includes charcuterie and crostini platters, salads, panini, and desserts. The outdoor pizza oven is fired up nightly (check website for hours). Wine flights are arranged by regions, varietals, and themes. Patios overlook the waterfall and the working vineyard, which is open for picnicking on Stonehaus fare (check website for information about seasonal tastings and festivals). The picnic tables and bocce ball court are family friendly, and visiting canines get a water fountain of their own near the courtyard fireplace.

Fun, Fun, Fun

Look to these eateries for festive food, an upbeat atmosphere, and a good time.

ANDRIA’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & MARKET 1449 Spinnaker Drive Ventura, 805-654-0546 andriasseafood.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$24 Kid-Friendly No visit to Ventura Harbor—or to Ventura, period— is complete without a stop at Andria’s, a locals’

favorite since 1982. On weekends, the fast-moving line to order can stretch out onto the restaurant’s front patio. Additional seating includes indoor dining rooms decorated with vintage photos and fishing gear, and a protected patio with a view of the docks.

Charbroiled fresh catch of the day dinners come with rice pilaf, bread, and a choice of salads. Some items are available in stir-fry dishes. But deep-fried is the preferred method of preparation for everything from onion rings (served in a towering stack) to halibut and chips, oysters and chips, popcorn shrimp and chips, and, well, you get the idea. The atmosphere is beach casual: Orders are called out by number when ready, and it’s up to diners to gather utensils, tartar sauce, and other fixin’s from a counter near the kitchen. Beer and wine are available. An on-site fish market is open daily.

NEW THE ANNEX 550 Collection Blvd.

Oxnard, 805-278-9500 thecollectionrp.com/the_annex Cuisines and prices vary by location

Kid-Friendly Nine restaurants offer as many dining experiences at this public market–style spot in the heart of The Collection at RiverPark. House-roasted coffee and gluten-free muffins help jump-start the day at Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters, while The Blend Superfood Bar serves smoothies, juices, and acai bowls made with local berries and honey. Scratch Sandwich Counter covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a menu that includes The Sabbich, a vegetarian combination of grilled eggplant, black bean hummus, and fried egg in soft pita bread, and baked goods including cookies and—at 4 p.m. on Sundays—chicken pot pies. Other order-at-thecounter options here also include: Love Pho; Taqueria el Tapatio; PokeCeviche, specializing in build-your-own Hawaiian poke bowls and chef-curated Latin American ceviche; and Seoul Sausage, the season three winner of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race with its updated take on Korean barbecue. Chef Sandra Cordero shares her heritage at Pancake, where the menu focuses on sweet and savory Dutch pancakes.

The craft-beer bar Bottle & Pint serves local brews and ciders on tap and by the bottle; wines are available by the glass. Fun artwork, inventive communal seating areas (look for tables crafted from reclaimed bowlingalley lanes), and two retail shops add to the vibe.

BOGIES BAR & LOUNGE 32001 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-889-2394 bogies-bar.com Spanish-California; Small Plates & Entrées $4–$15

Great Views, Live Music Surrounded by greenery and water, this bar on the grounds of the Westlake Village Inn is a gorgeous place to get your groove on: Live music and/or club nights are scheduled nearly every night of the week. On the patio, wicker chaise lounges are arranged in semiprivate groupings around fire pits and a bar counter looks onto the dance floor through roll-up doors. Inside, bronze curtains and silver wall sconces shimmer in the mood-setting darkness. (Some areas are available by reservation.) It all adds up to a great backdrop for a menu that includes happy hour specials like $3 draft beers, $5 glasses of wine, and dinner-and-drink duos ($10–$14) on Mondays through Fridays from 5 pm. to 7 p.m. Spanish influences are evident in dishes like paella and crispy patatas bravas with Fresno chilies and garlic aioli.

CAFÉ HABANA 3939 Cross Creek Road Malibu, 310-317-0300 cafehabana.com Pan-Latin; Entrées $9–$25 Sunday Brunch

Café Habana isn’t limited to Cuban food or cocktails.

Dishes represent all of Latin culture, from South American ceviches to Mexican grilled corn and huevos rancheros to Cuban pulled-pork sandwiches.

Owner Sean Meenan is an eco-warrior while partner Rande Gerber brings in the celebs and keeps the nightlife hopping. The food is good, the cocktails are great, and the coconut flan is out of this world.

THE CAVE AT VENTURA WINE COMPANY 4435 McGrath St., Suites 301-303 Ventura, 805-642-9449 venturawineco.com International; Small Plates $3–$18; Salads and Sandwiches $7–$11

Saturday Brunch Patrons at The Cave conduct their own tastings via Enomatic machines, which dispense 1-, 3- and 5-ounce pours at the push of a button. Executive chef Alex Montoya’s creative, wine-friendly menu of shareable small plates changes on the first Tuesday of each month. Look for combinations like prosciuttowrapped pork chops with apricot-cashew stuffing and Arctic char with sinigang broth and tomato concasse, plus an assortment of pizzas, burgers, and desserts. (Save room for one of Montoya’s awardwinning frozen custards.) For the best acoustics, nab a table in the Barrel Room decorated with dozens of glass balls hanging from the ceiling. It’s also available for private events.

THE COPA CUBANA 1575 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 103 Ventura, 805-642-9463 805copa.com Cuban; Entrées $12–$18

FLOUR HOUSE 690 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, 805-544-5282 flourhouseslo.com Italian Starters $5–$21; Pizzas $15–$20; Pastas $19–$28

With a sleek interior, dynamic menu, and portrait of Sophia Loren, Flour House isn’t just a pizzeria: It’s a love song to Italy. Co-owner and Salerno native Alberto Russo works magic with imported flour and a Stefano Ferrara pizza oven, the gold standard for traditional pizza napolitana. During Meter Mondays, pizzas are available in different sizes depending on the number in your party: a half-meter for four people includes a choice of three tastings ($28), while a full meter serves eight with a choice of six tastings ($50). Don’t miss Russo’s house-made pastas or the weekday-night aperitivo hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., featuring cocktails such as the classic Negroni and Aperol Spritz as well as beer and wine and appetizers from $4 to $6.

LADYFACE ALEHOUSE & BRASSERIE 29281 Agoura Road Agoura Hills, 818-477-4566 ladyfaceale.com French, Belgian, and American; Entrées $8–$17

A brewpub with a Belgian accent, Ladyface delivers top-notch beers from brewmaster David Griffiths and an elegant menu that includes moules frites (mussels and fries), ale-brined chicken, and chocolate porter cake. Ale-pairing suggestions are printed on the menu. A communal table lends to the convivial atmosphere as do the beer floats made with local ice cream. Growlers (reusable half-gallon glass jugs) filled with Ladyface ales are available for takeout.

Great Views, Live Music This lively spot in Ventura Harbor Village may inspire you to book a flight to Cuba. Owner Andres Fernandez runs it and the neighboring 805 Bar & Grilled Cheese out of the same kitchen (the two eateries share a phone number), but the Copa Cubana maintains its identity with a separate menu that includes a classic Cubano sandwich, the hashlike picadillo topped with fried eggs, and lechón asado, which is roasted pork served with black beans and yucca marinated in garlic. The dog-friendly patio, with views of nearby boat docks, is an especially fine place to sip a piña colada on a lazy afternoon.

Live entertainment is scheduled most days, with an emphasis on Latin jazz.

LOS OLIVOS WINE MERCHANT & CAFÉ 2879 Grand Ave. Los Olivos, 805-688-7265 losolivoscafe.com Wine Country; Entrées $12–$29

DUKE’S MALIBU 21150 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, 310-317-0777 dukesmalibu.com Seafood; Entrées $14–$45

NEW LUCKY PENNY 127 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-284-0358 luckypennysb.com Californian; Entrées $11–$16

Great Views, Sunday Brunch Gorgeous ocean views are maximized in the dining rooms and bars of this large, Hawaiian-themed seafood and steak house, which in summer 2016 marked its 20th anniversary with updates to the décor and menu. Swinging chairs and a life-size bronze statue of surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku greet diners before they step through the front doors and into an interior filled with wood screens, glass mosaic tiles, and chairs sporting surfboard stripes. New dishes presented by chef Eric BosRau showcase regional ingredients in beautiful platings. Fresh fish is available in a variety of preparations, including Parmesan-herb crusted with lemon, capers, and macadamia nuts. Longtime Duke’s fans, take note: Your favorite coconut shrimp dish is back as coconut shrimp croquettes. Kimo’s Original Hula Pie remains as advertised. A Sunday brunch buffet is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit the Barefoot Bar for breakfast items (think loco moco and banana and macadamia nut pancakes) from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and Sundays. Poké tacos, fish and chips, and pulled-pork sandwiches are served daily.

This retail wine shop adjoins an all-day café with seating indoors by the stone fireplace and outside on the wisteria-covered patio. Cheese plates and olives are small bites perfect for pairing with wines at the bar.

Salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and pizza comprise the lunch menu. At night choices get a little fancier with pot roast, lamb shank, pasta, chicken, steak, and fresh fish. The wine selection from the shop (available to diners) has more than 400 labels and specializes in picks from California’s Central Coast. Now that’s fun.

Located in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, this orderat-the-counter spot ranks as one of the city’s most Instagrammed restaurants. The exterior covered in thousands of shiny copper pennies is a draw, but so is the creative menu of close-up-worthy salads, sandwiches, small plates, and wood-fired pizzas. The latter includes such local-place-named favorites as the Milpas, topped with fingerling potatoes, chorizo, and a sunny-side-up egg. Salads are big enough to turn into a meal or to share with a friend who orders pizza.

(A doggie bag might be required.) Seating is on a petfriendly patio adjacent to The Lark restaurant. Coffee is served, along with beer, wine, cider, and a life-giving frosé accented with local strawberries and tarragon.

OLIO PIZZERIA 11 W. Victoria St., Suite 21 Santa Barbara, 805-899-2699 oliocucina.com Italian Small and Shared Plates $5–$19; Entrées $15–$21

This combination Italian pizzeria and enoteca is brought to you by the owners of Olio e Limone Ristorante, the

more formal eatery located next door. The Victoria Court setting includes a long bar with a peekaboo view of the pizza oven, plus small tables. Menu offerings include chicken, fish, and beef entrées, as well as pasta, antipasti, salads, cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and house-made dolci. The pizzas, with thin, chewy crusts, are individually sized and topped with excellent ingredients—sautéed rapini, spicy salami, cremini mushrooms, and black truffles among them. Lunch or brunch is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the dinner menu is available daily from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Wines from California and Italy are available by the glass, carafe, half liter, and bottle.

PLATA TAQUERIA & CANTINA 28914 Roadside Drive, Suite 10 Agoura Hills, 818-735-9982 plataagoura.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$26

Plata means “silver” in Spanish—and a good time in the Whizin Market Square. The menu at this taqueria is homey but elevated: House-made tortillas and mix-andmatch trios of soft tacos are featured, the latter with a choice of veggies or eight types of protein, including ahi tuna and short ribs. Spa Nachos are made with roasted cauliflower and crispy kale; guacamole is available in three variations, including tradicional and ranchero, made with bacon and roasted pumpkin seeds. Other standouts include chamorro de cordero, a chilemarinated lamb shank served with spinach tamales, and pollo con Elvia’s mole, named for chef Elvia Saldivar, who is co-owner with her husband. Nearly a dozen specialty margaritas star on the cocktails list. Pull up a colorfully upholstered stool at the copper-topped bar to enjoy $7 margaritas and other drink and food specials during daily happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

TAVERNA TONY 23410 Civic Center Way Malibu, 310-317-9667 tavernatony.com Greek; Entrées $13–$37

This huge space at the northeast corner of the Malibu Country Mart is almost never closed and never empty. There’s always fun to be had: If the classical guitarists aren’t playing, the waiters might be singing, or the owner, Tony Koursaris, might be telling stories at one of the tables. Every meal starts with Greek-style country bread and house-made dip. The roast baby lamb is a specialty of the house for good reasons: The meat is garlicky and mostly tender with some crispy bites. The accompanying potatoes are roasted with lemon juice and the carrots are cooked with dill. Greek coffee is a perfect end here.

WICKED’S BREW 4561 Market St., Suite C Ventura, 805-275-2334 wickedsbrew.com Eclectic; Entrées $20–$38 Live Music; Saturday & Sunday Brunch

A playful sense of theatricality adds spice to this combination café, coffeehouse, and gift shop located in a Ventura business park. Owner Gwendolyn Zero’s entertainment-industry background is especially evident during regularly scheduled Wicked Dinners, thematic affairs that feature live music, special menus, and servers who may or may not be who they say they are. Everyday meals served on Wednesdays through Sundays are pretty special, too: Sauces, condiments, and dressings are made in-house, and area farms and ranches get shout-outs on a menu that includes baked goods and egg dishes at breakfast and an array of soups, salads, sandwiches, and flatbreads at lunch. Steamed mussels with white wine and crostini and prosciutto-strawberry bruschetta are two of the appetizers on the Witching Hour menu, and coffee-crusted Watkins Cattle Co. short ribs are among the dinner menu options. Adding to the fun: Sparkling Potions, aka cocktails made with wine, hard cider, or champagne. Bottled beer is also available.  JUNE 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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Hidden Valley | $14,900,000

Westlake Village | $13,988,000

Sherwood Country Club | $7,995,000

Lake Sherwood | Estate $7,875,000 Land $2,850,000

Sherwood Country Club | $3,999,500

Calabasas | $3,999,000

Westlake Trails | $3,400,000

Westlake Village | $2,150,000

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ENGEL&VÖLKERS Calabasas | Coming Soon.

22267 Mulholland Hwy. Calabasas, Ca, 91302 ©2018 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.