After two decades of serving the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Garrett Huff is now in charge [6]
Wicked: long but good [24]
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
Medical Weight Loss Options!
Santa Barbara County’s soon-to-be new fire chief started working for the Fire Department in 2005. Garrett Huff, a paramedic-firefighter, officially starts in his new position on Dec. 8 and will oversee the department’s fire and emergency services as well as the new dispatch center in Goleta that connects 911 callers to resources throughout the county, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries. Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood speaks to Huff about the department and his path to becoming the fire chief [6]
Also, read about Guadalupe’s new farmers market [4]; a rural art gallery in Santa Ynez connected to a winery [22]; and a winery that focuses on co-fermenting blends across two counties [25]
Camillia Lanham editor
CHIEF HUFF: Santa Barbara County’s new fire chief, Garrett Huff, starts his new shift on Dec. 8 after a two-decade career already serving the county.
Zuniga
• U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-California), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) recently filed a dozen Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the Department of Justice while seeking records of “various episodes of potential executive branch misconduct or corruption,” according to Schiff’s office. One of the FOIA requests asks for records related to federal anti money-laundering suspicious activity reports that showed more than 4,000 wire transfers totaling $1 billion involving Jeffrey Epstein and some of his associates between 2003 and 2019. A separate request asks for records related to the transfer of Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted child sex trafficker and associate of Epstein, from Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee to Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas. The senators filed both of these FOIAs, along with 10 FOIAs on separate topics, after parallel inquiries and requests were “summarily ignored or met by incomplete answers from recalcitrant Trump administration officials despite Congress’ constitutional oversight power,” a release from Schiff’s office stated. “It is Congress’ constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight of the executive branch, but under Donald Trump the administration has either stonewalled or outright refused to answer many of the questions the American people are asking,” Schiff said. Sen. Blumenthal described the Trump administration as “allowing corruption, deception, and misconduct to take hold and fester within our government, and said the FOIA requests are attempts “to bring about desperately needed accountability and transparency.”
• On Nov. 25, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit—alongside a multistate coalition including Washington—against the Trump administration to challenge abrupt changes that would cut ongoing support from established homeless housing programs. In early November, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released new funding provisions in its 2025 Continuum of Care notice of funding opportunity. These changes include a number of rules that will disadvantage and defund housing programs with a proven record of success in addressing homelessness, according to Newsom’s office. Specifically, the federal government now imposes a cap that restricts California’s Continuum of Care programs to using only 30 percent of funds for permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing.
“While Donald Trump is busy hosting parties and showing off his gold-plated decor, Americans are worried about groceries, rent, and basic stability,” Newsom said in a Nov. 25 statement. “Most families can’t fall back on inherited wealth or walk away from failure through bankruptcy—but they’re the ones stuck paying for his chaos and incompetence. For all Trump’s talk about others feeding at the trough, there’s really only one ‘piggy’ here—and he’ll find it in his own gilded mirror.”
• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) formally congratulated the Los Angeles Dodgers on their World Series victory over the Toronto Blue Jays while becoming the first team in 25 years to earn backto-back World Series titles. “In a season defined by grit, the Dodgers closed out a historic championship run with an instant Game 7 classic that will echo through baseball forever. From global superstars like Shohei and Yamamoto to unsung heroes like Miggy Ro and Will Klein, every single player played a pivotal role in cementing a Dodgers dynasty to keep Los Angeles atop the baseball world,” Padilla said in a Nov. 21 statement. “Congratulations to Dave Roberts and the entire Dodgers organization on earning their third title in six years and giving Angelenos a lifetime of memories to cherish.” m
Guadalupe irons out rules to open farmers market in February
A Sunday stroll through LeRoy Park in Guadalupe will take on a whole new meaning once the city’s first weekly farmers market comes to fruition early next year.
“We had anticipated January, but we are going to be pushing it out to February,” Guadalupe Business Association President Judy Wilson told the City Council at its Nov. 25 meeting.
The nonprofit, which serves as the Cosecha Guadalupe Farmers Market’s organizer and operator, recently worked with the city to hash out a formal memorandum to “lay out the expectations of each party concerning the market,” City Attorney Philip F. Sinco said at the hearing.
“The fiscal impact to the city is fairly significant,” Sinco told the council, based on the market’s requested waivers to rent LeRoy Park once a week—between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. each Sunday—free of charge.
The market originally asked for a yearlong agreement with the city to waive the daily fee—about $500 per day—in July. At its July 8 meeting, the City Council directed staff to draft a six-month agreement instead.
“That equals about $13,520 in fees that would likely be waived,” Sinco said at the November hearing. “But this is hopefully offset by the fact that the city’s not incurring any other costs than lost rental fees. It’s not incurring any staff time, any use of its utilities.”
The memorandum ensures that the Cosecha Guadalupe Farmers Market will not use city water or electricity and puts trash disposal rules in place.
Mayor Ariston Julian said he was concerned that trash generated from the market would end up overflowing in bins outside of the Guadalupe Senior Center or other buildings in town.
“Our intention was that the vendors themselves, … would be responsible for their own trash removal and bringing their own trash bins, those kinds of things, with them,” Business Association President Wilson said.
council to update park policies in November. River Park, owned and operated by the city of Lompoc, also has picnic tables, restrooms, waste disposal facilities, and full RV hookups for short- and long-term campers. Tent camping isn’t allowed for security reasons.
“[It] looks like there’s a great renovation going on [at] River Park to generate more revenue and provide better services to our public and to actually put Lompoc a little bit more on the map,” Councilmember Victor Vega said at the meeting. Short-term camping is defined as a visit for 21 continuous days within a four-week period. The rate is set at $50 per day or a discounted $325 for one week. It includes space for an RV and one vehicle, but an extra vehicle can be added for a $10 daily fee.
At most, half of the 35 sites will be reserved for long-term campers, who can stay for up to one year. Applications should be submitted to park management with a letter describing campers’ needs for the spot.
Priority for these extended stays will be given to people with proof of local employment. There’s a $650 deposit, and campers must pre-pay for their site every four weeks, according to the new policies. Guests must leave the campground for at least 14 days to reapply for a long-term site.
In 2026, campers will be able to book their stays ahead of time via the Lompoc Parks and Recreation website. It’s a change from the previous first-come, first-served policy, which was the biggest complaint from visitors, Community Development Director Mario Guerrero Jr. said at the meeting.
“It was kind of hard to bring people into town without having that ability to book your site,” Guerrero said.
Unlike a previous farmers market proposal from different organizers in 2022, the Cosecha Guadalupe Farmers Market did not request free use of electricity or water from the city and “also offered to take all trash generated from the farmers market events away and deposit in other approved locations,” Sinco said.
The approved market’s memorandum also outlined some branding rules to help support the event once it opens to the public, Sinco said.
“The market has requested that the city look at this as a cooperative enterprise,” Sinco said. “The city is basically to recognize and acknowledge the market as a key community partner, and it’s going to be reflected through co-marketing, joint branding, and acknowledgement and promotion of these services.”
Any public communications about the market from the city would have to include the cobranding, Sinco explained.
“Same goes for the market. Anything that they put out that has our brand on it has to be approved. It’s a reciprocal obligation,” he said.
Sinco said that city staff added a note to the memorandum to make it clear that the city isn’t obligated to print or distribute advertisements or other materials to promote the market, “and that’s just because we didn’t want to be forced to incur a financial expense against our will.”
The council ultimately approved the memorandum with a 4-0 vote (Councilmember Eugene Costa Jr. was absent).
“I think it’s a great idea,” Mayor Julian said, “and a long time coming, so let’s get it going.”
—Caleb Wiseblood
More RV campsites opening at River Park
A couple dozen new campsites will open soon at River Park in Lompoc. City Council members voted on Nov. 18 to establish the campground’s rules and fees, which are expected to help the park stay afloat financially.
In 2022, the city renovated nine RV sites at the park. Later this month, 26 additional spots are scheduled to open for a total of 35 campsites, according to city staff, which prompted the
The River Park campground also serves as “a stable revenue stream for the Park Maintenance Division and reduces the city’s general fund subsidy,” according to the staff report. There won’t be an impact to the city’s budget during the 2025-27 fiscal years.
Councilmember Jeremy Ball remembered when the project was first discussed at meetings a couple of years ago. He was excited by the idea of turning the park into a revenue generator, taking some stress away from the city’s general fund.
“Not only do we have an upgraded park, an updated park, a place where people can come [near] Highway One and camp at a good rate, but it can help our city by taking off some of the pressures so we could use some of the general fund dollars to do some other good work,” Ball said.
The council voted 4-0 to adopt the campground’s new policies. Mayor Jim Mosby recused himself because he owns property near River Park.
Along with the vote, council members asked that staff present an update on the campground’s vacancy rate and revenue stream within 12 months.
River Park is located at Highway 246 and Sweeney Road in Lompoc. The online booking platform through the city of Lompoc’s website is scheduled to launch in early 2026, according to the city. Reservations are also accepted in person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays at the Anderson Recreation Center.
Solvang
reserves
—Madison White
$30,000
for 10-mile River Trail project’s design phase
To help fund workshops and other outreach efforts for public input about a proposed 10-mile bike and walking path through the Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang recently agreed to set aside $30,000.
“We don’t want to step on toes. We want to learn from the community and see what works best,” Michael Becker, planning director for the Santa Barbara County Association of
FRESH FUTURE: Organizers behind the upcoming Cosecha Guadalupe Farmers Market expect to start the event sometime in February, with inspiration from Route One’s framework for farmers markets in the Lompoc Valley.
Governments (SBCAG), told the Solvang City Council at its Nov. 24 meeting.
Becker described SBCAG’s request for a $30,000 contribution as giving Solvang some “skin in the game” during the River Trail project’s upcoming design and planning phase.
According to the staff report, denying the request would directly result in “Solvang’s limited participation in regional trail planning efforts,” despite Solvang’s $20,000 contribution toward the project’s pursuit of an active transportation program grant in 2024.
“City staff strongly recommends participating in this valley-wide effort, as the project aligns with the city’s active transportation plan and general plan goals to enhance multimodal connectivity for residents and visitors,” Solvang Public Works Director Bridget Paris stated in the staff report.
The city of Solvang encompasses one segment of the proposed River Trail, planned to stretch between the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Reservation and Buellton with new paths and modified existing routes to accommodate walkers, bicyclists, and equestrians.
“There’s going to be a lot of engagement on this. We’ll be coming back to the council. We’ll be meeting with residents and stakeholder groups to determine what is the alignment of a future trail that works,” Planning Director Becker said at the meeting. “We’re not there yet. We want this process to play out. I have no preconceived notions. I just know what the two end points are. How we’ll connect them? We’ll learn that over the next year or so.”
Becker said that the $30,000 will bring the project’s Solvang
component to a conceptual design phase, which will entail exploring different ways to develop the trail’s path through the city.
“What we would receive from that basically would be a lot of public outreach and community engagement to ultimately identify a primary path through Solvang,” Public Works Director Paris told the council.
Reaching the design phase for Solvang’s segment would also help SBCAG determine exactly how much money the River Trail, envisioned with a total of six segments, will cost sooner rather than later, Becker explained.
“We could see how much this is going to cost to implement, because we don’t want to be applying for construction grant funds without knowing,” Becker said. “We don’t want to under ask and then come to a point where we’re 75 percent done building something and run out of money.”
Before the council voted 5-0 to approve the $30,000 allocation, 4th District Councilmember Elizabeth Orona asked staff about SBCAG’s pursuit of additional funds through the state’s Active Transportation Program.
“Twice we applied for state grant funds through the Active Transportation Program, and both times we were not successful,” Becker said. “I think, first off, the valley is at a disadvantage in the program because it doesn’t have sufficient disadvantaged communities— which is not a disadvantage, but the program favors areas with a lot of disadvantaged in their population.”
“I think we were probably not successful through that program because within that application, it probably showed we weren’t ready— that we needed to go through this process,” Becker added. m
—Caleb Wiseblood
PROTECT INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY REPORTING
Up the ladder
After 20 years with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Garrett Huff becomes fire chief
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
Memories of sitting at the bottom of a pool flow back when Templeton resident Garrett Huff reflects on practicing for water rescue missions early in his career as a paramedic and firefighter.
“We had to do what they call dunker training,” Huff explained. “You’re strapped into a [simulated] helicopter, and they push it into the pool, and you go all the way to the bottom, and then you have to get yourself out and swim out of it, … all on this little bottle of air that you keep on your chest.”
At the time, Huff was working for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department’s flight paramedic unit, based at the Santa Ynez station on Airport Road. Nearly two decades later, Huff will oversee all 16 of the department’s stations as the county’s new fire chief starting on Dec. 8.
It’s the role he’s been preparing to take on since childhood, said Huff, who’s been with the county since 2005.
“I grew up in somewhat of a rural neighborhood, and there wasn’t a lot of other kids. So I rode my bike around a lot,” recalled Huff, who was born and raised in Simi Valley. “It was kind of a mountain area, and there was a fire station at the bottom of the hill. I would ride my bike to the fire station. And those guys, the firefighters at that time, were always out washing the engine or checking equipment.”
Huff’s casual bike rides to the station led him to become friends with some of the firefighters there, some of whom he’d eventually work with as part of a fire cadet program offered through his high school.
“It was like an ROTC kind of a thing where you got high school credit,” Huff said. “You basically get assigned to a fire station, … and learn the ins and outs of being a firefighter. So, I got to do that my junior and senior year of high school. I knew once I put the uniform on—because we wore the uniform and got the gear and rode the engines—that was it. I knew that was it. That’s all I wanted to do.”
went to a fire academy,” Huff said. “That same year, I got hired as a seasonal firefighter.”
Between 1999 and 2005, Huff worked for fire departments in Culver City and Paso Robles before starting with Santa Barbara County’s department as a firefighter-paramedic.
Like his introduction to firefighting, the idea of branching into the dual role of a firefighterparamedic came to Huff early on thanks to the reruns of Emergency! (1972-1977) that he saw on cable growing up.
“I used to watch that show and was like completely enthralled in these guys that were both firefighters and paramedics,” Huff said, referring to the medical drama’s protagonists John Gage and Roy DeSoto.
In Huff’s current role as Santa Barbara County’s deputy fire chief, he oversees the department’s emergency medical services, which includes ambulances that serve parts of New Cuyama, Lompoc, and Isla Vista, and a new dispatch facility that he described as a “game changer” for the county.
“Before the Regional Fire Communication Center, County Fire was dispatched by the sheriff, and so was AMR [American Medical Response]. But we weren’t dispatched together. We were dispatched independently,” Huff said. “We weren’t even on the same radio frequency, so we couldn’t even really talk to each other, … and every medical call, you have a fire engine and an ambulance that couldn’t talk to each other, so that was an issue.”
‘I knew once I put the uniform on [in high school]—because we wore the uniform and got the gear and rode the engines—that was it. … That’s all I wanted to do.’
—Garrett Huff, Santa Barbara County Fire Department
Getting city councils, law enforcement agencies, and other regional emergency response departments to agree on using a unified dispatch center—to connect 911 callers with resources throughout the county regardless of jurisdiction boundaries—was a huge undertaking, Huff said.
the ambulances. … Now we have a better understanding of where they are and we can talk to them, so that’s a huge improvement from what we had before.”
In 2023, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department also geared up to replace AMR as the county’s ambulance provider.
Before graduating from high school, Huff completed an additional program outside of the fire cadet training to become a certified emergency medical technician (EMT).
“I got my EMT certificate my senior year of high school. And then as soon as I graduated, I
He remembers conversations about the initiative from as far back as 10 years. In 2017, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors greenlit plans for the Fire Department’s proposed facility, which broke ground in 2023 and opened to full operation in late June. A formal ribbon cutting will take place on Dec. 9.
“What we’ve done now is we’ve brought everybody under one roof,” Huff said. “Now we’re all on the same frequency, including
The department purchased 35 ambulances that year, but its plans for a March 2024 start date halted after a county Superior Court judge granted AMR an injunction amid its lawsuit that challenged the new arrangement.
In February, the county Board of Supervisors voted to repeal its agreement with the Fire Department and renew AMR’s contract to provide ambulance services.
“That whole ambulance initiative didn’t work out in our favor, but we did give it a try,” Huff said. “We ended up liquidating all the equipment we purchased. We only had hired one person, and that person had been transferred by choice to the dispatch center.”
Commuting to the new dispatch center in Goleta and the Fire Department’s stations throughout Santa Barbara County means some long drives for Huff from his home in Templeton, but he doesn’t plan on relocating any time soon.
“I’ve always commuted in, but it’s never been a problem, … and now that my kids are in high school and middle school, I can’t pull them out at this point,” Huff said. “My oldest son had a hard time finding his friend group, and he’s finally found it and I’m not going to take that away from him.”
When Huff’s younger son, 11, found out about his dad’s recent promotion to fire chief, he told him, “‘Maybe I should be a firefighter,’” Huff said. “It was kind of a cool feeling because he had never mentioned that before,” Huff said, “but I would never push my kids to do it. They’d have to want to do it.” m
Reach Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
CALL CENTER: Over the past six months since its opening, the Regional Fire Communications Center in Goleta has served as a dispatch hub for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Santa Maria Fire Department, Guadalupe Fire Department, Lompoc Fire Department, and other fire departments across the county, as well as American Medical Response.
During its
A
Breaking barriers
Taylor Elementary School’s bilingual education specialist receives county accolade
BY CALEB WISEBLOOD
While completing her teaching credential, Gloria Sevilla worked as a student teacher at Taylor Elementary School in Santa Maria, where she eventually returned to take on the role of bilingual education specialist.
Her duties range from in-class instruction to essentially working as a case manager for bilingual students with disabilities, she explained in an email interview.
“I advocate so that students can have an education that they can access linguistically and culturally while drawing on their strengths as neurodivergent learners,” said Sevilla, who recently won an award for distinguished new educator from the Santa Barbara County Education Office.
“Having been selected for this award gives me motivation to continue advocating for Individualized Education Programs (IEP) grounded in evidence-based practices, which also support our multilingual learners with disabilities,” she said.
With a schedule split between time in the classroom and hours working with students and their families on mapping out the short-term and long-term learning goals an IEP entails, Sevilla described her job as bridging the fields of bilingualism and special education.
“At this point in my career, I have taught from grades TK through sixth grade,” she said. “Having taught so many grade levels now, I often think about when I was a student in all of these grades. And I try to put myself in the perspective of the students to reflect on how to support them best.”
This year marked Sevilla’s third as a bilingual education specialist. In October, the County Education Office presented three local teachers, including Sevilla, with its award for distinguished new educator, during the organization’s 12th annual A Salute to Teachers gala.
“Receiving this recognition has definitely been the highlight of my career,” said Sevilla, a longtime local and Cal Poly alumna.
“I did not attend Taylor Elementary myself as a student, but I did grow up in the Central Coast, specifically the Santa Ynez Valley,” she said. “I don’t remember my first day of school as vividly anymore. But I do remember the happy anticipation of waiting in line with my TK peers, about to walk into our classroom. I was so curious that I kept peeking beyond the person in front of me to see what was inside the classroom.”
A view into Sevilla’s classroom where she currently teaches would reveal a welcoming space to engage in art projects and games. Some of her pupils like to take advantage of those opportunities before the school day officially begins, she explained.
“Some students stop by my classroom before the bell rings to eat their breakfast, to work on their arts and crafts, to play with the marble run or remote control cars, or to talk,” she said.
Throughout a regular school day, Sevilla ventures from her home room to eight additional classrooms, while leading group lessons on math, language arts, and other subjects, with assistance from some of her peers staffed at the school.
“I’m very grateful for my paraeducator staff who worked with me—this year and in the past—to support my students throughout the day. I could not do this without them,” Sevilla said. “A majority of my teaching focuses on mathematics, English language arts, and social-emotional learning. However, I also incorporate interdisciplinary subject areas such as computer science and art, always ensuring we are working on IEP goals.”
During recess and lunch, Sevilla said she sets some of her time aside to check in on her students and occasionally join them for some outdoor fun.
“Sometimes, I go outside with them to play soccer, pickleball, or volleyball,” Sevilla said. “After the school day concludes, my day continues, leading IEP meetings with parents. … I enjoy building partnerships with the families and getting to know the students. Together, I trust that we can always find ways to empower the students within the school environment and beyond.”
Highlight
• On Dec. 14, the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is teaming up with the Central Coast Running Club and People for Leisure and Youth (PLAY) to host the inaugural Grinchmas 5K Family Run/Walk. The loop course—which goes along the Santa Maria River Levee Trail— begins and ends at the Edwards Community Center, located at 809 Panther Drive, Santa Maria. Check-in starts at 7:30 a.m. The run/walk starts at 9 a.m. m
REGIONAL RECOGNITION:
12th annual
Salute to Teachers gala in October, the Santa Barbara County Education Office gave Santa Maria teacher Gloria Sevilla its distinguished new educator award.
Should PG&E preserve more land around Diablo Canyon Power Plant?
75% Yes—its environmental impact needs to be accounted for.
25% Yes, but not all 12,000 acres.
0% The nuclear power plant doesn’t affect me.
0% No. It already stewards the land well enough. 4 Votes
Vote online at www.santamariasun.com.
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Policy silos
California’s body politic is missing connective tissue
BY DAWN ORTIZ-LEGG
“Energy policy is not within our purview.”
This was the response from the California Coastal Commission when recently presented with information about the critical role that Diablo Canyon Power Plant plays in the state’s clean, baseload energy supply. This statement, while perhaps a narrow interpretation of the Coastal Act, is the perfect encapsulation of a profound flaw in California’s governance structure: a lack of “connective tissue” between its regulatory bodies.
California’s body politic suffers from a form of policy myopia, where vital agencies operate in rigid silos. This results in decisions that may satisfy a single, specific mandate but inadvertently undermine the state’s broader, legally enshrined goals on climate, economy, and energy security. The ongoing debate over the future of Diablo Canyon, and the public access to its surrounding lands, is not just a local land-use issue; it is a statewide example of a system in desperate need of a wider perspective.
The issue is not that environmental mitigation is unimportant—it is a vital component of responsible governance. The state has an interest in ensuring access to the 12 miles of pristine coastline that PG&E has preserved for decades. PG&E wants to get out of the trail business as well. The local community would love all-access trail loops, breathtaking panoramic views from Point Sal to San Simeon, and new opportunities for the Central Coast fishing community around the plant’s operational thermal outfall area.
The proposed plan by PG&E and the Coastal Commission staff was for “permanent, forever access,” a clear win for conservation and public enjoyment.
But that is only half the story.
The “missing connective tissue” becomes apparent when the commission’s and certain legislators’ and
© 2025 Sun Speak
staffers’ limited purview clashed with the multifaceted reality of California’s energy needs. When presented with the fact that Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s continued operation is crucial for grid reliability and meeting clean energy goals, the response should not be to look away. It should be to acknowledge that the environmental impact of prematurely closing the plant—and potentially replacing its massive carbon-free output with fossil fuels—is very much within the purview of state-level environmental policy.
We see a disconnect between the pragmatic, holistic approach taken by local leaders and the siloed approach in some state regulatory corners. And more concerning, the local state legislators used their influence to suggest to the Coastal Commission that local control does not matter. In the meantime, four members of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, represented support for the plan and expressed how our county coexists happily with the plant and overwhelmingly wants it to stay open. In 2024, we passed a resolution recognizing Diablo as a “key climate solution.” We rightly see the plant and its transmission infrastructure as an irreplaceable economic and strategic asset that any county would protect. This is a pragmatic approach, with today’s realities in mind.
As a current board member of the California Air Resources Board and vice chair of 3CE, a five-county community energy provider, I can attest to the immense challenges of meeting our climate goals while facing rising costs for every potential renewable energy project. The demand for energy is rising; it is negligent not to discuss the extension of Diablo. Anyone who contests this reality is risking our collective security and safety.
The cost of this regulatory myopia is staggering. Recent proceedings at the California Public Utilities Commission transmission planning process
noted that keeping Diablo open till 2030 will save $3.2 billion. When you calculate till 2045, it’s multiples of billions. That is real money. As one observer noted, “Diablo Canyon isn’t just a power source; it’s a ratepayer shield, a clean energy anchor, and a symbol of smart policy meeting economic sense.”
To me, this decision has impacts on the people who are not in the inner circle: the family struggling to make ends meet, the small business owners, and senior citizens on a fixed income. Is this not what real equity, diversity, and inclusion in policy looks like?
The solution is clear. For California’s body politic to function effectively, the missing “connective tissue” must be established. This requires a legislative or executive fix that mandates cross-agency consultation and forces all regulatory bodies to produce a “wholeof-state-policy impact statement” for major projects.
We can have breathtaking vistas from all-access trails and clean energy, economic opportunities and unitary taxes and stable utility rates.
While the proposed plan offered a viable approach, its ultimate success hinges on capable leaders who can acknowledge that in a complex world, a comprehensive and inclusive purview of all issues is required when the well-being of the entire state is at stake. m
Dawn Ortiz-Legg is SLO County’s 3rd District supervisor. Respond to her opinion piece with one of your own by emailing it to letters@ santamariasun.com.
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A proposal for a new political party in America to bring us together
In response to Mr. Donegan’s call for the commencement of divorce proceedings by competing factions of the Democratic Party (“Democratic divorce,” Nov. 27)—enough with divisiveness and drama. Herewith, a proposal for a party to unify us: the Boring Party.
Slogan: Moderation, and not too much of that Headquarters: Lake Woebegone, Minnesota (honorary); Bland, Missouri
Mascot: A dripping wet blanket
Sponsor of: Jell-O festivals, competitive strolling
Platform: Change nothing—the status quo was alright then, so it’s just fine now
Foreign policy: Be nice
Treasury: Pay on time; always put something in savings
Education: Sit up straight; don’t run in the halls
Health: Wash your hands
Labor: Whistle while you work
Defense: More UFO shows
Agriculture: Let’s grow more flowers
Commerce: Support for mom and pops
HUD: Suburbs have lots of room to build
Homeland Security: Lock the door, turn on the porch light
Transportation: Slow down
Candidates will have no problem aligning with these goals. Let’s unite around concepts we already agree on.
Jon Bartel Cambia
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Santa Claus HERE COMES
Guadalupe’s making progress, y’all! It’s one step closer to hosting a local farmers market and to reinvigorating its downtown with the Royal Theater renovation. Wow. It’s like hard work and patience—a lot of patience—pay off!
And that patience needs to continue to stretch, because the theater hasn’t quite raised all the money it needs to complete the refurbishment yet and the Cosecha Guadalupe Farmers Market isn’t slated to start until February (As long as everything goes according to plan, which, does it ever?).
The city opted to waive rental fees for LeRoy Park to get the market up and running but the market isn’t allowed to use city electricity or water or trash cans! Because that would cost the city money.
What about the bathrooms? Well, the Guadalupe City Council didn’t go over that at its Nov. 25 meeting, when council members seemed more concerned about overflowing trash cans than overflowing toilets.
RIGHT DOWN SANTA CLAUS LANE
The annual Parade of Lights has become a family favorite for hundreds of local families. Again, the regional Rotary clubs will be sponsoring a canned food drive with proceeds benefitting the Food Bank. So, join your friends and family to cheer on everyone’s favorite holiday celebrity and the pageantry of festive floats. It’s become a tradition that puts the entire community in a more cheerful light. This is the most important time of the year to support local business because when you buy from a locallyowned business, more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses and service providers. Supporting local business is the true spirit of “Santa Maria Style Banking” so during this holiday season, do some “Santa Maria Style Shopping” and strengthen the economic base of our community.
But maybe the park’s bathrooms will just be open on Sundays when the market’s running. And maybe market patrons don’t get to flush or wash their hands—because that would be using water!
Mayor Ariston Julian was champing at the bit to get this market open!
“I think it’s a great idea, and a long time coming, so let’s get it going,” he said at the meeting.
Let’s get it going indeed. It’s about time that idea bore fruit. Get it?
The theater project is finally going! And the fruits of that labor are yet to come.
Janet Silveria President/CEO
But the city inked an almost $10 million contract to get the Royal Theater built with caveats to do more if it can raise the remaining funding it needs to fully realize its vision.
Falling about $3 million short, thanks to a slew of hiccups, the city finally decided to start a capital campaign. But, the capital campaign committee has also had some hiccups, and we’re still waiting to hear how the city will decide to square that one away.
Meanwhile, in Lompoc, cultural progress comes in the form of a city-run RV campground.
What started as a nine-space RV campground in River Park will shortly have 35 sites available for those who want to go RVing! And some of those spaces will also be available to long-term tenants.
Is it just me or is Lompoc ahead of the game when it comes to providing options for those who are either having trouble in the cramped housing market or in the alternative housing market?
The only issue is that it does sound expensive. At $325 week, long-termers would be in for about $1,300 a month! I guess that’s less than the average rent for a studio apartment, and there’s a caveat: Priority will be given to those who can prove they have a local job. Touché. There will be no freeloading, no-jobhaving houseless folks in this RV park—unless there are spaces available. But still, it’s kind of cool. And as a bonus, it’s generating revenue for the city and providing relatively low-cost accommodations for travelers at $50 per site per night—as long as you already have a pop-up trailer camper, RV, fifth wheel, or camper van.
The Santa Maria Joint Union
High School District
Special Education - Child Find
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) seeks to identify, locate, and evaluate high school age students suspected of having a disability who may be eligible for special education services designed to meet their educational needs at no cost to families. This includes students that are highly mobile, migrant, experiencing homelessness, students that are wards of the state, and students attending private schools located within SMJUHSD boundaries. If you suspect your child has a disability, contact the school special education department or district office Special Education Department.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
El Distrito Escolar de las Escuelas
Preparatorias de Santa Maria
Educación Especial - Búsqueda de
Estudiantes
El Distrito Unificado de Escuelas Preparatorias de Santa Maria (SMJUHSD) busca identificar, localizar y evaluar a los estudiantes en edad de escuela preparatoria sospechosos de tener una discapacidad que puede ser elegible para servicios de educación especial diseñados para satisfacer sus necesidades educativas sin costo alguno para las familias. Esto incluye a los estudiantes que son altamente móviles, migrantes, sin hogar, estudiantes que están bajo la tutela del estado, y los estudiantes que asisten a escuelas privadas ubicadas dentro los limites de SMJUHSD. Si sospecha que su hijo tiene una discapacidad, comuníquese con el departamento de educación especial de la escuela u oficina de Educación Especial del distrito SMJUHSD.
Staff | Special Education | Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (smjuhsd.k12.ca.us)
Nov.
y o u r d a y s b e m e r r y , y o u r h e a r t s l i g h t , a n d y o u r s t o r i e s f i l l e d w i t h j o y !
r o m t h e f o o t l i g h t s t o t h e l o b b y , f r o m t h e v i l l a i n ’ s s n e e r t o t h e h e r o ’ s
c h e e r e v e r y m o m e n t a t T h
b e c a u s e o f y o u ! T h i s h o l i d a y s e a s o n , w e t i p o u r t o p h a t s a n d r a i s e a
g l a s s t o o u r w o n d e r f u l c o m m u n i t y M a y y o u r d
Hot Stuff
HOLIDAY PRINTS
Solvang’s California Nature Art Museum will host an Art Workshop Sunday, Dec. 14, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., where participants can make linoleum block print holiday cards with Angelina LaPointe of Sidecar Press. Tickets are $65. More details are available at calnatureartmuseum.org.
—Angie Stevens
ARTS
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS BALLROOM, LATIN, AND SWING DANCE CLASSES Social ballroom, Latin, and swing lessons for all ages. Beginner and advance classes. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. $45-$55. (805) 928-7799. Kleindancesarts.com. Klein Dance Arts, 3558 Skyway Drive, suite A, Santa Maria.
DANCE CLASSES There are weekly dance classes, from ages 2 to adult, at KleinDance Arts . Mondays-Saturdays, 4-8 p.m. (805) 268-2530. kleindancearts.com. KleinDance Arts, 1954 S Broadway, Suite J, Santa Maria.
DANCE CLASSES: EVERYBODY CAN
DANCE Classes available for all skill levels. Class sizes limited. Everybody Can Dance, 628 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria, (805) 937-6753, everybodycandance.webs.com/.
DREAMS AND REVELATIONS Allan Hancock College’s Ann Foxworthy Gallery will showcase the work of Santa Barbara-based artist Paulo P. Lima, Ph.D., in the upcoming exhibition Dreams and Revelations. Lima’s work spans sculpture, painting, photography and mixed media, transforming recycled and found objects into art that celebrates memory, ancestry and cultural identity. His pieces invite viewers to see the extraordinary in the ordinary while honoring traditions rooted in Brazilian Baroque art. Through Dec. 4 hancockcollege.edu/news/newsreleases/ foxworthylimaart.php. Allan Hancock College, Ann Foxworthy Gallery, 800 S College Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93454, Santa Maria, (805) 694-8894.
FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17
Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive
a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17. First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. PCPA PRESENTS ‘DISNEY’S FROZENTHE BROADWAY MUSICAL For the first time in forever, Disney’s Frozen comes to life on the PCPA stage! The worldwide Broadway sensation, based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, brings dazzling life to the beloved story of two royal sisters bound by love, challenged by secrets, and destined to discover the power of being true to themselves. Through Dec. 21 $25. (805) 922-8313. pcpa.org. PCPA: The Pacific Conservatory Theatre, 800 S. College, Santa Maria. VALLEY ART GALLERY: ROTATING DISPLAYS Featured artists of Santa Maria’s Valley Art Gallery frequently display their works at the airport. Check website for details on monthly exhibits and full list of the gallery’s artists. ongoing valleygallery.org. Santa Maria Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.
WINTER WONDERLAND ADULT PAINTING WORKSHOP Join us for an adult winter-wonderland paint afternoon that is snowman themed. There will be step-by-step instruction and festive snacks. All levels are welcome. Dec. 6, 3-5 p.m. $45. (805) 270-3278. oakfolkstudio. com. Oak Folk Studio, 4850 South Bradley Road, Suite B, Santa Maria.
WORKSHOP: SNAIL MAIL SANTA Kids will write festive letters to Santa, practice calligraphy, decorate with wax seals, and mail them through Oak Folk’s North Pole connection—ensuring a personal reply! Dec. 7 2-4 p.m. $50. (805) 270-3278. oakfolkstudio.com. Oak Folk Studio, 4850 South Bradley Road, Suite B, Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
ART WORKSHOP - BLOCK PRINT
HOLIDAY CARDS Join CalNAM and local artist Angelina LaPointe for an art workshop planning, carving, and handprinting a linoleum block print holiday cards. Dec. 14 , 12:30-4:30 p.m. $65. calnatureartmuseum.org/news/holidayblock-prints-2025. California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang. WILD IN CALIFORNIA SOLO EXHIBITION
See the exhibition Wild in California, a solo exhibition by Museum Founder, conservation advocate, and artist Patti Jacquemain. A array of woodcut prints and mosaics will be showcased, highlighting the bioregions and species that make up California’s rich biodiversity. Through Feb. 23, 2026 calnatureartmuseum.org/news/ wild-in-california-2025. California Nature Art Museum, 1511-B Mission Dr., Solvang.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
AGHS THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: ALICE BY HEART Alice by Heart is a touching musical inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Dec. 5 7-8:30 p.m., Dec. 6 7-8:30 p.m., Dec. 7, 2-3:30 p.m., Dec. 11 7-8:30 p.m., Dec. 12 7-8:30 p.m. and Dec. 13 7-8:30 p.m. $23.50. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
EVERYDAY IMPROV: SKILLS FOR LIFE
These interactive, welcoming workshops use the tools of improvisational theater— like play, spontaneity, and “yes, and”—to build real-life skills for communication, confidence, and connection. Dec. 7 6-7:30 p.m. $15 each or $75 all. theagilemind.co/ Women’s Club of Arroyo Grande, 211 Vernon St., Arroyo Grande, (805) 270-5523. THE STUDIO OF PERFORMING ARTS
PRESENTS: TIS THE SEASON Tis the
Season is an annual holiday extravaganza with special guest appearances, dancing, singing, and everything needed to get in the spirit! This is a family-friendly event. Dec. 13 1-2:45 & 6-7:45 p.m. $28.50. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY? Enjoy 90 minutes of hilarious improvised comedy and song all based on audience suggestions. Cast members will include Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis, Ryan Stiles, and Joel Murray. Dec. 8 7:30-9 p.m. $63-$89. (805) 489-9444. clarkcenter.org/. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
WORKSHOPS AND MORE AT THE LAVRA
Check the venue’s calendar for storytelling workshops, lectures, movie nights, and discussions held on a periodic basis. ongoing thelavra.org/home. The Lavra, 2070 E. Deer Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
“ONE VISIT” POTTERY CLASS This is a great class if you are looking to try out pottery! Throw on the wheel or paint pre-made pottery. Get a student discount with a valid school ID. Fridays, 6-7:30 p.m. $75. (805) 896-6197. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, anamcre.com.
ACTOR’S EDGE: ACTING CLASSES
Actor’s Edge offers film and television acting training in San Luis Obispo, plus exposure to Los Angeles talent agents. All ages and skill levels welcome. Classes available in SLO, LA, and on zoom. ongoing $210 per month. actorsedge.com. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
ART AFTER DARK Art After Dark features an art opening of world-class artists. Refreshments will be served. First Friday
of every month, 5-8 p.m. through March 7 Free. slocountyarts.org/art-after-dark. SLO County, Various locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.
ARTIST RIKI SCHUMACHER AT ART CENTRAL GALLERY Schumacher’s work is pensive and introspective, inspiring one to take a solitary walk on a cloudy day. Wander in to reflect on her “delicious, wistful landscapes.” Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. Free. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com/galleryartists/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
BEYOND THE BASICS OF WATERCOLOR WITH VIRGINIA MACK This is a class for those who love imagining ways to further their visual expressions. A watercolorbased course, but one that branches out into other media. Mondays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $35 per class. (805) 7474200. artcentralslo.com. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
CENTRAL COAST COMEDY THEATER IMPROV COMEDY SHOW An ongoing improv comedy program featuring the CCCT’s Ensemble. Grab some food at the public market’s wonderful eateries and enjoy the show upstairs. Second Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. $10. centralcoastcomedytheater.com/shows/. SLO Public Market, 120 Tank Farm Road, San Luis Obispo.
CHICANOS AT CAL POLY: WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE SHOW UP This exhibition honors the history of Chicane students at Cal Poly, focusing on their expressions of cultural identity while recognizing the challenges of placemaking. MondaysFridays, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. through Dec. 12 Free. (805) 756-2305. library.calpoly.edu/ events/chicanos-cal-poly. Cal Poly, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
CLAY BABY HANDPRINTS Offers a unique experience of pressing your baby’s hand/ foot into clay so parents can cherish this time forever. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays $55. anamcre.com/babyhandprints. Anam Cre Pottery Studio, 1243 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
FIRST FRIDAYS Visit SLOMA on the first Friday of each month for exhibition openings, music, and wines provided by
regional winery partners. Admission is free and open to the public. First Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Free. (805) 5438562. sloma.org/events/first-fridays/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
HOLIDAY SUCCULENT WREATHS Create a long-lasting succulent wreath in a hands-on holiday workshop with artists Jayne Devencenzi and Kathy Stewart— perfect for gifting, decorating, and learning simple, beautiful design. Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $95. (805) 541-1400. slobg. org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Gardens, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd, San Luis Obispo. JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY AND ART Owen and Kyoko Hunt from Kyoto, Japan offer classes for Japanese calligraphy (Fridays, 5:30-6:30 p.m.), a Japanese art called “haiga” (Fridays, 10-11:30 a.m.) and more at Nesting Hawk Ranch. Fridays $45. (702) 335-0730. Nesting Hawk Ranch, Call for address, San Luis Obispo.
KCPR: THE MAGIC OF COLLEGE RADIO
This exhibition narrates a history of KCPR, Cal Poly’s home-grown radio station, focusing on the impact students have had building and sustaining the station. Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. through Dec. 12 Free. (805) 756-2305. library. calpoly.edu/events/magic-college-radio. Cal Poly, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo. NARRATIVE ECHOES: RECENT ACQUISITIONS TO THE PRINT COLLECTION Highlighting newly acquired prints in conversation with artist books, this exhibition reflects stories that reverberate within our Cal Poly and SLO community. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through Dec. 12 Free. library.calpoly. edu/events/narrative-echoes. Cal Poly Special Collections and Archives, Robert E. Kennedy Library, 1 Grand Ave., Building 35, Room 409, San Luis Obispo, (805) 756-2305. THE NUTCRACKER Civic Ballet presents its 48th season of Lorilee Silvaggio’s The Nutcracker. Don’t miss this holiday tradition, performed live with OperaSLO’s Grande Orchestra. Dec. 12 7
PHOTO COURTESY OF CALNAM
PICKET PAINTING PARTY Decorative picket purchasing opportunities are available to show your support and help fund maintenance and educational programs in the Children’s Garden. Second Saturday of every month, 1-4 p.m. $75 per picket or 2 for $100. (805) 541-1400. slobg. org. San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo.
PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF THE CENTRAL
COAST A self-directed fun group of dynamic artists who enjoy painting and sketching outdoors. Artists meet on site at various locations. Weekly plein air destinations are provided by Kirsti Wothe via email (mrswothe@yahoo.com).
Wednesdays, 9 a.m.-noon SLO County, Locations countywide, San Luis Obispo.
SIJI KRISHNAN Krishnan’s evocative paintings exist in a realm between memory and myth, where figures emerge from translucent layers of pigment. Through Jan. 11, 2026, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 543-8562. sloma.org/exhibition/siji-krishnan/. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
SLO NIGHTWRITERS: A COMMUNITY OF WRITERS SLO NightWriters supports local writers with monthly presentations, critique groups, contests, and other events. Second Tuesday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. slonightwriters.org. United Church of Christ (Congregational) of San Luis Obispo, 11245 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo.
VIRGINIA MACK: BEGINNING
WATERCOLOR This is a watercolor class designed to let you jump in and try out this engaging medium through experimentation. It’s designed for beginners and those with watercolor experience who wish to expand their knowledge of painting in watercolors. To enroll please contact Mack via email: vbmack@charter.net Mondays, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $35. (805) 747-4200. artcentralslo.com/ workshops-events/. Art Central, 1329 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo.
HAPPY HOUR
Enjoy happy hour with the Tepusquet Duo at Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. Missy and Klancy of the Tepusquet Tornadoes will bring their signature acoustic style for a golden hour set made for slow sips and long conversations. Get more info at presquilewine.com. —A.S.
WALT WHITMAN GAY MEN’S BOOK CLUB
This club reads, studies and discusses books chosen by the group which relate to their lives as gay men. All are welcome. Second Monday of every month, 7-9:30 p.m. Free. galacc.org/events/. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
WHITNEY PINTELLO: SOLO SHOW On display now through mid-April. ongoing slogallery.com/. SLO Gallery, 1023 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY COASTAL WINE AND PAINT PARTY Listen to music while enjoying an afternoon
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of creativity, sipping, and mingling. The party includes a complimentary glass of wine and canvas with materials. Saturdays, 12-2 p.m. $55. (805) 394-5560. coastalwineandpaint.com. Harmony Cafe at the Pewter Plough, 824 Main St., Cambria.
FREE DEMONSTRATION: CONSTRUCTING THE FIGURE WITH GERIMI BURLEIGH
Gerimi Burleigh, a master artist of figure drawing, is giving a free demonstration at Art Center Morro Bay. Get more details at the site. Dec. 6, 3 p.m. Free. (805) 772-2504. ArtCenterMorroBay.org. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.
GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE
PRESENTS CAROL ASTAIRE: OIL
PAINTING See luminous ocean paintings by Carol Astaire inspired by many years exploring California’s coast by kayak and on foot. Gallery is open daily. Through Dec. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE
PRESENTS JEFF ODELL: OIL PAINTING
Morro Bay plein air artist Jeff Odell captures 30 years of coastal beauty with lush, textured oils. Gallery is open
daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Through Dec. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare.com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
GALLERY AT MARINA SQUARE
PRESENTS SANDRA LISI: BLOCK
PRINTING & SMALL WORKS See hand-carved woodblock and linocut prints on display, featuring illustrations of the Central Coast with bold colors and beautiful compositions. Gallery is open daily. Through Dec. 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. (805) 772-1068. galleryatmarinasquare. com. Gallery at Marina Square, 601 Embarcadero suite 10, Morro Bay.
SUCCULENT CHRISTMAS WREATH
WORKSHOP Create a living succulent wreath with our expert team! All materials included and no experience needed. A festive, friend-friendly workshop. Space is limited, so register early. Dec. 6, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $65. (805) 927-4747. cambrianursery. com/events/. Cambria Nursery and Florist, 2801 Eton Rd., Cambria.
WATERCOLOR WITH JAN FRENCH: THREE SESSIONS Practice painting watercolors at your own pace with guidance from Jan French. Session 3 is on Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22. Beginners are welcome. Reserve your spot at the link below. Mondays. $145. (805) 772-2504. artcentermorrobay.org/workshops. Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St., Morro Bay.
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS ANDROID PHONE CLASS First Thursday of every month Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt, (805) 937-9750.
C.A.R.E. 4PAWS HOWLIDAY DONATION
DRIVE-THRU We welcome donations of dry and canned pet food, plus monetary gifts toward pet food and wellness
services to help pet families in need. Dec. 6, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (805) 968-2273. care4paws. org/howliday/. Klondike Pizza, Santa Maria, 2059 S. Broadway, Santa Maria.
CENTRAL COAST CORVETTE CLUB Open to Corvette owners and enthusiasts. First Thursday of every month, 6 p.m. Free. (805) 934-3948. Home Motors, 1313 E. Main St., Santa Maria. FEEL GOOD YOGA Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (805) 937-9750. oasisorcutt. org. Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt. FESTIVAL OF TREES HOSTED BY ALTRUSA OF THE CENTRAL COAST The Festival of Trees is back. Come and see the trees and buy raffle tickets for $1. Dec. 13 , 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Santa Maria Town Center, 142 Town Center East, Santa Maria.
FIRST FRIDAY First Friday of every month facebook.com/firstfridayoldtownorcutt/. Historic Old Town Orcutt, S. Broadway and Union Ave., Orcutt.
FREE BOOK SUNDAYS FOR AGES 0-17
Visit the Youth Services Desk on the first Sunday of each month to receive a coupon for a free book of your choice from the Library Bookstore. For ages 0-17. First Sunday of every month Free. (805) 925-0994. cityofsantamaria.org/services/ departments/library. Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. FREE YOUTHWELL PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS- FAMILY TOOLS+ For parents and caregivers of youth, ages 5 to 18, with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, Tourette’s, and uniquely-wired brains. Thursdays, 12-1:30 p.m. through Dec. 19 Free. (805) 770-1930. SBCC Wake Center, 300 N Turnpike, Santa Barbara.
GROUP WALKS AND HIKES Check website for the remainder of this year’s group hike dates and private hike offerings. ongoing (805) 343-2455. dunescenter.org. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe.
THE HOLI-DRAG SPECTACULAR Get ready for a night of sparkle, sass, and holiday cheer at the Santa Maria Civic Theatre! Our fabulous queens are lighting up the stage with laughter, lip-syncs, and larger-than-life performances that will leave you jingling all the way. Dec. 6 7 p.m. $23.27. my805tix.com. Santa Maria Civic Theatre, 1660 N. McClelland St., Santa Maria. ORCUTT MINERAL SOCIETY Second Tuesday of every month Oasis Center, 420 Soares Ave., Orcutt, (805) 937-9750. SANTA MARIA TOASTMASTERS Develop your public speaking skills at this club meeting. Second Tuesday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m. (805) 570-0620. Santa Maria Airport, 3217 Terminal Drive, Santa Maria.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
BIG BOOK SALE Browse from lots of good titles at low prices at this event, sponsored by the Friends of the Buellton Library. All proceeds go to support the Buellton Library. Dec. 13 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Buellton Library, 202 Dairyland Rd, Buellton, (805) 688-3115, goletavalleylibrary.org/about/santa-ynez-valley-libraries.
SOLVANG JULEFEST Solvang Julefest is a month of lights, celebratory happenings, and holiday cheer. There will br a tree lighting ceremony, parade, Santa visits, outdoor Christmas markets, New Year’s Eve event, and more! Through Jan. 4, 2026, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. (805) 465-7298. solvangusa.com. Downtown Solvang, Citywide, Solvang.
SOLVANG JULEFEST LIGHT, MUSIC & SNOW SHOWS Every night during Solvang Julefest, Solvang Park will sparkle with a 10-minute light and music display on the hour, ending with a “snow” flurry! Through Jan. 4, 2026, 5-9:15 p.m. (805) 465-7298. solvangusa.com/things-to-do/solvang-julefest. Solvang Park, Mission Dr. and First St., Solvang.
SOLVANG JULEFEST MAKER’S MARKETS Fashioned after European night markets, the Julefest Maker’s Markets will feature local artisans, crafters, and food vendors offering one-of-a-kind holiday gifts, seasonal treats, and more. Dec. 10 3-7 p.m. (805) 465-7298. solvangusa.com/things-to-do/solvangjulefest. Solvang Park, Mission Dr. and First St., Solvang.
SOLVANG JULEFEST PARADE See marching bands, horses, classic cars, and parade floats, all traveling along Solvang’s main streets. Dec. 6, 11 a.m. solvangusa.com/. Citywide, Solvang.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
AFTERNOON BINGO Bingo with potluck. Parking in rear. Buy one of everything for $20. Guests can participate without bringing food. Look forward to a fun afternoon. Second Tuesday of every month, 12-4 p.m. All games are $1 each. (805) 736-6669. Valley of Flowers Half-Century Club, 341 No. N St., Lompoc. LOMPOC ART WALK Lompoc transforms into a celebration and showcase of local artists during this monthly event, which features live music, art, exciting exhibitions, performances, and a variety of unique vendors. First Thursday of every month, 5-8 p.m. Old Town Lompoc, H and I St., Lompoc. THE VILLAGE TREASURE CHEST This event is for the whole family. There will be vendors selling their wears, music, facepainting, and some kind of food booth. Come out and spend part of your Saturday supporting local vendors. First Saturday of every month, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Vandenberg Village Community Services District Office, 3745 Constellation Road, Lompoc, (805) 291-6370.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY ART IN THE PARK HOLIDAY MARKET Beautiful handmade holiday items and gifts for yourself. See all the wonderful work of local artists and crafters alike. Dec. 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. (805) 473-5472. arroyogrande.org/events. Heritage Square Park, 201 Nelson St., Arroyo Grande.
BEGINNING BALLET FOR ADULTS Enjoy the grace and flow of ballet. No previous experience needed. Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 p.m. $12 drop-in; $40 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach.
BESO HOLIDAY COMEDY NIGHT Enjoy a stellar line-up for the Holidays bringing the world famous comedy store to you! Regular store perfomers will include Nicole Becannon, Chris Walsh, Mary Jayne, Robo, Eric Amador and Host Ezra Paco, all coming to the lush Beso Cocina. Dec. 4 8 p.m. $28.62. my805tix.com. Beso Cocina, 1050 Willow Road, Nipomo. CLIENT APPRECIATION DAY Celebrate current and potential clients and introduce team members. There will be refreshments, a raffle of four great prizes, gift bags, mini chair massage demos, and more! Dec. 6 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. (805) 556-8232. Remedy Spa, 569 Five Cities Drive (in Pismo Coast Shopping Plaza), Pismo Beach, info@remedycentralcoast.com. COMMUNITY NATIVE GARDEN MONTHLY VOLUNTEER WORKDAY Volunteers accomplish a variety of tasks including pathways maintenance, litter patrol of the garden perimeter, weeding, irrigation system expansion/repairs, pruning, and plantings. Volunteers should bring work gloves, a hat, drinking water, and tools related to the above activities. First Saturday of every month, 9 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 710-3073. Nipomo Native Garden, Camino Caballo at Osage, Nipomo. DANCE FITNESS ART AND CULTURE FOR ADULTS Discover dance as a form of artistic expression and exercise, using a wide range of styles and genres of music (including modern,
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Hot Stuff
DONATION-BASED YOGA FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMTS, AND CARETAKERS Class schedule varies. Contact empoweryoga805@gmail for details and reservations. ongoing (805) 619-0989. empoweryoga805.com. Empower Yoga Studio and Community Boutique, 775 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach.
HOLIDAY HARMONY WELLNESS: AYURVEDA, QI GONG, SELF-CARE A calming workshop with gentle Qi Gong, Ayurvedic guidance, and practical selfcare tools to support digestion, energy, and stress relief through the holidays and winter. Dec. 6 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $45. (805) 440-4561. Shell Beach Veterans Memorial Building, 230 Leeward Ave., Pismo Beach, pismobeach.org.
HOLIDAY PARADE AND JINGLE BELL
AERIAL SILKS CLINIC Silks is a great way to learn flipping safely! Build memory, strength, coordination, confidence, and endurance at the Clinic. For ages 7 to 17 years old. All levels are welcome.
Dec. 6, 1-3 p.m. $25/ 1st child, +$10 per additional sibling.. (805) 547-1496. performanceathleticsslo.com/saturdayevent-clinics. Performance Athletics Gymnastics, 4484 Broad St., San Luis Obispo.
Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
DASH Join in the holiday fun at the annual Holiday Parade and Jingle Bell Dash in the beautiful village of Arroyo Grande. Dec. 7 4-7 p.m. Free. (805) 473-5472. arroyogrande.org/events. Historic Village of Arroyo Grande, Branch and Short St., Arroyo Grande.
LUNCH & LEARN: WHAT’S YOUR STORY? Business owners, learn how skillfully telling your company’s story will increase your revenue at this free lunch event. Get a jump on 2026! Dec. 10, noon Free. teeling-marketing-services-lunchlearn.eventbrite.com/. South County Regional Center, 800 W. Branch, Arroyo Grande, (805) 489-1488.
MULTICULTURAL DANCE CLASS FOR ADULTS Experience dance from continents around the earth, including from Africa, Europe, and more. Described as “a wonderful in-depth look at the context and history of cultures of the world.” Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $10 dropin; $30 for four classes. (510) 362-3739. grover.org. Grover Beach Community Center, 1230 Trouville Ave., Grover Beach. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WATCH AND CLOCK COLLECTORS, CHPT. 52 Come join a friendly meeting of watch and clock collectors. Members bring watches and clocks to show, plus there are discussions of all things horological. Second Sunday of every month, 1:30-3 p.m. (805) 547-1715. new.nawcc.org/index.php/chapter-52-lospadres. Central Coast Senior Center, 1580 Railroad St., Oceano.
QI GONG: MINDFUL MOVEMENTS FOR LESS STRESS AND MORE ENERGY
Balance your mind, body, and spirit with Qi Gong — gentle stretching and strengthening movements that promotes physical wellbeing and inner peace. This is geared towards all fitness levels and ages. Mondays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $14 per class or $55 for 5-class card. (805) 440-4561. balancedlivingayurveda.com. Shell Beach Veterans Memorial Building, 230 Leeward Ave., Pismo Beach.
SOCIAL GROUP FOR WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS Call for more details. Second Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. (805) 904-6615. Oak Park Christian Church, 386 N Oak Park Blvd., Grover Beach.
STORYTELLERS Storytellers is a magical original dance production created by FLEX Performing Arts and brought to life through the efforts of an incredible team of visionaries. Dec. 5, 7-9:30 p.m., Dec. 6, 7-9:30 p.m. and Dec. 7 2-4:30 p.m. $20-$67. (805) 489-9444. flexperformingarts.com/ storytellers. Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave., Arroyo Grande.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
BEYOND MINDFULNESS Realize your potential through individualized meditation instruction with an experienced teacher via Zoom. This class is for those who wish to begin a practice or seek to deepen an existing one. Flexible days and times. Certified with IMTA. Email or text for information. Mondays-Sundays, 5:306:30 p.m. Sliding scale. (559) 905-9274. theartofsilence.net. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
CAL HOPE SLO GROUPS AT TMHA Visit website for full list of weekly Zoom groups available. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays calhopeconnect.org. Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
CENTRAL COAST DIALYSIS ORGAN
TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP Not faith based. All are welcome. Please wear a mask. First Saturday of every month, 9:3011:30 a.m. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church SLO, 650 Pismo St., San Luis Obispo.
A CHRISTMAS STORY Packed with holiday mischief, childhood dreams, and nostalgic charm, A Christmas Story captures the magic of the season with wit, warmth, and plenty of laughs. Saturdays, 2-4 & 7-9 p.m., Sundays, 2-4 p.m., Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m., Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. and Fridays, 7-9 p.m. through Dec. 19 $28-$47. (805) 786-2440. slorep.org/shows/a-christmas-story-2025/. SLO Rep, 888 Morro St., San Luis Obispo.
COME SEE SANTA The Grover Beach Library is sponsoring Come See Santa at the Exploration Discovery Center. Dec. 6 10 a.m.-noon Free. (805) 473-1421. Discovery Center, 867 Ramona Ave., Grover Beach.
HOLIDAY MARKET AND BARN LIGHTING WITH THE LAND CONSERVANCY The Land Conservancy is excited to invite you to our first Holiday Market during our annual Barn Lighting and enjoy local vendors and live music! Dec. 4 4-8 p.m. Free. (805) 544-9096. lcslo.org/events/ barn-lighting-holiday-market/. Octagon Barn Center, 4400 Octagon Way, San Luis Obispo.
HOLIDAY SALUTE: VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR Join for a heartwarming day of appreciation and fun at the Holiday Salute: Veterans Resource Fair! We’re honoring our veterans with a special celebration, featuring free tri-tip sandwiches for all veterans (because you’ve earned it)! For everyone else, it’s just $10 for a delicious meal, so come hungry and ready to show your support! Dec. 6, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. my805tix.com. SLO Elks Lodge, 222 Elks Lane, San Luis Obispo.
HOLIDAYS AT THE JACK HOUSE Step into the Holidays! Take a free guided tour of the Jack House & Gardens to see this Victorian gem, in all its holiday splendor. Dec. 7 1-4 p.m. and Dec. 14 1-4 p.m. Free. (805) 781-7305. slocity.org/JackHouse. The Jack House, 536 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo. MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION (ONLINE) Zoom series hosted by TMHA. Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon Transitions Mental Health Warehouse, 784 High Street, San Luis Obispo, (805) 270-3346.
NATURE LIGHTS SLO Botanical Garden’s holiday tradition, Nature Lights, features magical displays, live music, local chefs, and an artists’ market. Fridays, Saturdays, 5-8 p.m. through Dec. 27 $18-$28. (805) 541-1400. slobg.org/naturelights/. San Luis Obispo Botanical Gardens, 3450 Dairy Creek Rd, San Luis Obispo.
PICTURES WITH SURFER SANTA This year, make a splash with the SLO Swim Center for underwater family photos with Surfer Santa. Dec. 6, 2:30-4:30 p.m. $5. (805) 781-7288. sloswimcenter.org. SLO Swim Center, 900 Southwood Dr., San Luis Obispo.
30-DAY BREATH AND RESET JOURNEY FOR WOMEN Wired at night, drained all day? Reset your body in 30 days. Focus on breath practices to calm stress, sleep deeply, and restore lasting energy. Registration is required. Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 10-11 a.m. (805) 235-7978. charvetgratefulbody.com. Live Webinar, online, SLO County.
49TH ANNUAL DOWNTOWN SLO
HOLIDAY PARADE Join Downtown SLO for the largest holiday parade on the Central Coast! Information regarding the route, accommodations, and more will be published soon! Dec. 5 Downtown SLO Holiday Parade!, Downtown SLO, San Luis Obispo, (805) 541-0286.
A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS ON THE RANCH
Gather your friends and family for an afternoon filled with holiday tunes by the Monte Mills Band, wood-fired pizza, wine, ice cream, and twinkling lights! Dec. 6 3-6 p.m. $35. (805) 706-8034. exploretock.com. La Lomita Ranch, 1985 La Lomita Way, San Luis Obispo.
DAILY QIGONG PRACTICE For the early riser or commuter, every weekday morning. Maintain or improve concentration, balance, and flexibility. Includes weekly Friday 3 p.m. class with more practices. Led by certified Awareness Through Movement teacher. Mondays-Saturdays, 6:10 a.m. and Fridays, 3 p.m. $35/week or $125/month. (646) 280-5800. margotschaal.com/qigong. Online, See website, San Luis Obispo.
FAMILY TO FAMILY CLASS Family to Family is a free, eight-session educational program for family and friends of people with mental illness. Call or email to register! Saturdays, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. through Dec. 6 Free. (805) 748-1889. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
FREE TOURS OF THE MISSION Tour San Luis Obispo’s Spanish Mission, founded in 1772. Come learn its history and importance to the development of this area. Tours are led by docents and meet in front of the church Sundays, 2:30 p.m. and Mondays-Saturdays, 1:15 p.m. Free. (805) 550-7713. missionslodocents.org. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, 751 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
HEALING DEPRESSION SUPPORT
GROUP A safe place to share feelings of depression with those who suffer and those who have recovered to a full, healthy outlook on life. Mondays, 6-7 p.m. Free. (805) 528-3194. Hope House
REINDEER RUN The SLO County Friday Night Live Reindeer Run is a 5k fun run that promotes wellness and healthy lifestyles among youth and families in San Luis Obispo County. Participants, volunteers, and spectators are encouraged to dress in their favorite holiday attire and kick off the winter season. Dec. 6, 9 a.m. $33.98. my805tix.com. Mitchell Park, 1445 Santa Rosa St., San Luis Obispo. SLO PUB TRIVIA MEETUP GROUP Trivia lovers wanted! Join for Study Hall trivia with Mr. Perez, every second Wednesday. All ages over 21 are welcome. RSVP with the link. Second Wednesday of every month Free. meetup.com/slo-bartriviagroup. Oak and Otter Brewing, 181 Tank Farm Road, suite 110, San Luis Obispo, (805) 439-2529.
TECH BREW MEETUP Tech Brew is a free networking event where people interested in technology can hang out in an informal environment with a small TEDtalk-like presentation from an interesting speaker. Learn more online. Second Monday of every month, 5-7 p.m. (805) 323-6706. meetup.com/softec/. StoryLabs, 102 Cross St, Suite 220, San Luis Obispo.
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP Learn more about mental health and coping skills to help you through your journey towards wellness and recovery. Thursdays, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. (805) 5406576. t-mha.org. Hope House Wellness Center, 1306 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
CAMBRIA CHRISTMAS MARKET
Celebrate the 14th Annual Cambria Christmas Market, which opens on Nov. 28, and goes until Dec. 31. The market is closed on Dec. 1, 2, 8, 9, 24, and 25. More information is available at the link. Through Dec. 31, 5-9 p.m. $27-$45.
CAL POLY CHORAL
All four Cal Poly choral ensembles will be joined by the choirs of local high schools during the Holiday Kaleidoscope concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, at the Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo. There will be traditional favorites, new works, and sing-alongs. Tickets are $12. Head to music.calpoly.edu for more info.
—A.S.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
CENTRAL COAST WOOD CARVERS Learn the art of wood carving or wood burning.
Join Central Coast Wood Carvers in Morro Bay at St. Timothy’s. Open for beginners, intermediate, or advance. Learn a wide range of techniques and skills. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 962 Piney Way, Morro Bay, (805) 772-2840, sttimothymorrobay.org/
MAIDEN TO CRONE SISTER CIRCLE
Connect deeply with other women. Sharing the things that are close to our hearts creates a space of shared vulnerability that leads to deep connection. First Sunday of every month, 9-11 a.m. my805tix.com. From the Roots Up Healing Studio, 2055 9th St., Los Osos.
WHIMSICAL WINTER WONDERLAND
Step into the Whimsical Winter Wonderland at Cambria Nursery—where the magic of the season comes to life through light, design, and imagination. Through Jan. 15, 2026 (805) 927-4747. cambrianursery.com/events/. Cambria Nursery and Florist, 2801 Eton Rd., Cambria.
FOOD & DRINK
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
BAR TAKEOVER THURSDAYS Join us
Thursdays to meet and chat with the winemaker of the flight we’re featuring that week. Thursdays, 4-7:30 p.m. $15-$30. (805) 623-5129. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, stellerscellar.com.
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY Head to Food Truck Friday, with wine bottle specials and local food trucks every Friday at the Wine Stone Inn. Fridays, 4-9 p.m. through April 24 Free. (805) 332-3532. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, winestoneinn.com/.
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT COSTA DE
ORO Featured vendors in the series
include Cali Coast Tacos, Cubanissimo, Danny’s Pizza Co., Chef Ricks, and more. Call venue for monthly schedules. Fridays (805) 922-1468. costadeorowines.com.
Costa De Oro Winery, 1331 S. Nicholson Ave., Santa Maria.
FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT WINE STONE
INN Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.
FRIDAY NIGHT FUN Karaoke with DJ Nasty. With Beer Bucket specials. Kitchen stays open late. Come out and sing your favorite song. Fridays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
PRESQU’ILE WINERY: WINE CLUB Call or go online to make a reservation to taste at the winery or find more info on the winery’s Wine Club offerings. ongoing presquilewine.com/club/. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
SECOND SATURDAY OPEN AIR MARKET: LOS ALAMOS A carefully curated open air artisan and farm market. Features great vintage finds, handwoven and hand dyed textiles, hand-spun yarn, organic body care products, and locally grown organic eats. Second Saturday of every month, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. (805) 722-4338. Sisters Gifts and Home, 349 Bell Street, Los Alamos.
SIPPIN’ SUNDAYS Every Sunday, come cozy up inside the tasting room and listen to great artists. Sundays, 1-4 p.m. Free. (805) 937-8463. cottonwoodcanyon.com. Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard And Winery, 3940 Dominion Rd, Santa Maria.
TACO TUESDAY Tuesdays, 5-8 p.m. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 332-3532, winestoneinn.com/.
TAP THURSDAY Head to Tap Thursdays at the Wine Stone Inn every week, featuring $5 draft beers and $5 Cava’s. Thursdays, 3-9 p.m. through April 16 Free. (805) 3323532. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, winestoneinn.com/.
THURSDAY EVENING BAR TAKEOVER Call venue or visit website to find out about featured vintners. Thursdays stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
WINE AND DESIGN CLASSES Check Wine and Design’s Orcutt website for the complete list of classes, for various ages. ongoing Varies. wineanddesign.com/ orcutt. Wine and Design, 3420 Orcutt Road, suite 105, Orcutt.
WINE BINGO WEDNESDAYS Join Wine Bingo Wednesday at the Wine Stone Inn –– the original bingo night in Old Orcutt. The event will occur weekly with the purchase of an adult beverage. Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m. through April 29 (805) 332-3532. Wine Stone Inn, 255 W. Clark Ave., Orcutt, winestoneinn.com/.
HEAD GAMES TRIVIA AND TACO
TUESDAYS CLASH Don’t miss Head Games
Trivia at COLD Coast Brewing Company every Tuesday night. Teams can be up to 6 members. Earn prizes and bragging rights. Kekas will be serving their delicious local fare. Fun for all ages. Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. (805) 819-0723. coldcoastbrewing.com.
COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc.
HOLIDAY WREATH WORKSHOP Enjoy an afternoon at The Hilt Estate crafting a wreath with local florist J. Flores Design, with a tasting flight from The Hilt and JONATA. Dec. 6, 1-4 p.m. $150. (805) 5648581. exploretock.com. The Barn at The Hilt Estate, 2240 Santa Rosa Road, Lompoc.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
MONTHLY FERMENTATION CLASSES
New topics each month with a thorough demo and explanation of the process that creates non-alcoholic, probiotic, and nutrient-dense fermentations. Leave the class confident and prepared with recipes to make your own at home. Limited seating; reserve spot prior to class by phone/email. Second Sunday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. $30. (805) 801-6627. kulturhausbrewing.com/ classes/. Join to expand your knowledge of the fermentation process and get started fermenting at home. We alternate between demonstration and hands-on classes. Second Sunday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. $30-$50. (805) 801-6627. kulturhausbrewing.com/classes/. Kulturhaus Brewing Company, 779 Price St., Pismo Beach.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
THAT’S SO DRAG BRUNCH: HO HO
HOLIDAYS Don’t miss this event, for ages 18 and older. Dec. 7 11 a.m. $21.13. my805tix. com. Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 548-2337.
MUSIC
SANTA MARIA VALLEY/LOS ALAMOS
HAPPY HOUR MUSIC SERIES Enjoy live music at the winery most Friday evenings. Check site for concert schedule. Fridays presquilewine.com. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
JAZZ VESPERS
First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo presents the ninth annual Christmas Jazz Vespers on Sunday, Dec. 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. This concert will feature the Dave Becker Quartet with special guest Kathryn Loomis on vocals. Tickets are $33.98. All proceeds will benefit the SLO Noor Foundation Health Clinics. Get more information at my805tix.com.
HAPPY HOUR WITH THE TEPUSQUET
DUO Hear as Missy and Klancy of the Tepusquet Tornadoes bring their signature acoustic style to Presqu’ile for a golden hour set made for slow sips and long conversations. Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m. presquilewine.com/. Presqu’ile Winery, 5391 Presqu’ile Dr., Santa Maria, (805) 937-8110.
LADIES NIGHT OUT Music by DJ Van Gloryious and DJ Panda. Features delicious daiquiri specials. Thursdays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
LIVE MUSIC AND FOOD BY LOBO
BUTCHER SHOP
Check out live music every Friday night from a variety of artists at Steller’s Cellar in Old Orcutt. Dinner served by Lobo Butcher Shop between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m. Varies according to food options. (805) 623-5129. stellerscellar.com. Steller’s Cellar, 405 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
LIVE MUSIC AT STELLER’S CELLAR
Various local musicians rotate each Friday. Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Steller’s Cellar, 400 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt, (805) 623-5129, stellerscellar.com.
MUSIC AT ROSCOE’S KITCHEN Live DJ and karaoke every Friday & Saturday night. Featured acts include Soul Fyah Band, DJ Nasty, DJ Jovas, and more. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
MUSIC LESSONS AT COELHO ACADEMY
Learn to play piano, drums, guitar, base, ukulele, or violin, or take vocal lessons. (805) 925-0464. coelhomusic.com/ Lessons/lessons.html. Coelho Academy of Music, 325 E. Betteravia Rd., Santa Maria. SUNDAY NIGHT FUN End the weekend with some good vibes. Music by DJ Van Gloryious. Sundays, 8 p.m.-midnight Roscoe’s Kitchen, 229 Town Center E, Santa Maria, (805) 623-8866.
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY
CHRISTMAS MATTERS HOLIDAY
CAROLERS Head to downtown Solvang on Saturdays leading up to Christmas for the performances of the Christmas Matters Holiday Carolers. These talented singers fill the air with joyful holiday tunes as they roam the quaint Danish downtown village of Solvang. Dec. 6 5-8 p.m. and Dec. 13 5-8 p.m. solvangusa.com/ solvang-events-calendar/. Downtown Solvang, Citywide, Solvang.
LIVE MUSIC SUNDAYS Sundays, 2-6 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, (805) 686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.
WINE DOWN WEDNESDAYS
Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Brick Barn Wine Estate, 795 W. Hwy 246, Buellton, (805) 686-1208, brickbarnwineestate.com.
LOMPOC/VANDENBERG
KARAOKE AT COLD COAST BREWING
CO. Pick out a song, bring your friends, and get ready to perform. Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m. COLD Coast Brewing Company, 118 W Ocean Ave., Lompoc, (805) 819-0723, coldcoastbrewing.com.
SOUTH COAST SLO COUNTY
CENTRAL COAST HARMONY CHORUS
INVITES SINGERS TO JOIN FOR HOLIDAY PERFORMANCES Men and women are invited! No prior experience is necessary - just a love of music. Call or email for more information. Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. through Dec. 18 $20. (805) 736-7572. ccharmony.org. Nipomo Senior Center, 200 E. Dana St., Nipomo. THE LOUNGE AT BESO An upscale afterhours nightclub experience. With limited capacity and a dress code. For ages 21 and over. Fridays, 10 p.m. my805tix.com. Beso Cocina, 1050 Willow Road, Nipomo. RING IN THE SEASON CONCERT SERIES
See the first chorale music concert in the Ring in the Season concert series. Tickets are available for purchase at the link. Dec. 11 , 7 p.m. $30. Trilogy at Monarch Dunes, 1645 Trilogy Pkwy, Nipomo. SOLEFFECT AT MULLIGANS IN AVILA BEACH Enjoy stunning coastal views, tasty bites, and our signature blend of rock, funk, reggae, and soul. The perfect afternoon to relax, sip, and groove. Dec. 7, 2-4 p.m. facebook.com/ events/653577204463917/. Mulligans Bar and Grill, 6460 Ana Bay Road, Avila Beach, (805) 595-4000.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
CAL POLY CHOIRS: HOLIDAY
KALEIDOSCOPE All four Cal Poly choral ensembles will be joined by the choirs of local high schools. There will be traditional favorites, new works and singalongs. Hear it for yourself! Dec. 5 7:30 p.m. $17 and $22 general, $12 students. (805) 756-4849. music.calpoly.edu/ calendar/choirs/. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
CAL POLY SYMPHONY FALL CONCERT: SYMPHONY AND THE BIG BAND
The Cal Poly Symphony will team up with the University Jazz Band in a program that explores the intersection of symphonic and jazz traditions. Dec. 7 3 p.m. $17 and $22 general, $12 students.
(805) 756-4849. music.calpoly.edu/ calendar/symph/. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
CENTRAL COAST YOUTH CHORUS: WINTER CONCERTS Join in the celebration of the holidays as the three choirs of the Central Coast Youth Chorus present a repertoire highlighting the glory of the season! Enjoy performances by the Grace Notes Ensemble and the Cantate and Aria Choirs at the beautiful historic First Presbyterian Church in downtown SLO. Dec. 6 3 p.m. and Dec. 7, 3 p.m. $10-$17. my805tix.com. First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo, 981 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo, (805) 543-5451.
CHRISTMAS CONCERT St. Timothy’s Catholic Church is presenting a Christmas Concert for the public. There will be homemade refreshments. Dec. 7 2-4 p.m. Donation-based. (563) 299-9245. Kitty Green, 2280 Glenn Street, Los Osos.
CUESTA HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA
Enjoy festive pieces performed by the longstanding and revered Cuesta Wind Ensemble, internationally recognized Cuesta College Chamber Singers, Cuesta Jazz Bands, and Cuesta Combo program! Dec. 6 7:30 p.m. $30 VIP, $25 General, $22 Senior (65+), $10 Student w/ID. (805) 546-3198. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
FESTIVAL MOZAIC PRESENTSCHAMBER MUSIC WITH SCOTT YOO
Scott Yoo is joined by violist Maurycy Banaszek, cellist Alexander Hersh, and pianist Anna Polonsky for an afternoon of chamber music. Dec. 7 3 p.m. $45. festivalmozaic.org. Harold J. Miossi CPAC at Cuesta College, Highway 1, San Luis Obispo.
TIS THE SEASON WITH BEN FOLDS
Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter Ben Folds, famed for Ben Folds Five and solo work, will bring his acclaimed, genre-spanning concert experience to San Luis Obispo this holiday season. Dec. 6 7:30 p.m. (805) 756-4849. calpolyarts.org/20252026-season/benfolds. Performing Arts Center, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo.
NORTH COAST SLO COUNTY
SERENADE AT THE BOAT PARADE
Experience some holiday magic afloat! The Morro Bay White Caps with the SLO County Band will serenade the dazzling boat parade with festive melodies, providing spectacular community cheer. Dec. 13 , 6-8 p.m. Free. (805) 459-9543. morrobaywhitecaps.com. Morro Bay S. T Pier, 1185 Embarcadero, Morro Bay. m
ARTS BRIEFS
Santa Barbara Master Chorale performs at Gainey Vineyard
Catch a family-friendly holiday performance on Dec. 14 in the vineyard with a glass of wine for the adults and cookie decorating for the kids.
Headlining is the Santa Barbara Master Chorale, which will sing traditional Christmas carols featuring conductor David Lozano Torres and pianist Heather Levin-White. The program is scheduled for almost an hour outside at Gainey Estate Vineyards, weather permitting.
Guests can watch the performance on the lower lawn, with “sweeping vistas of the Santa Ynez Valley and our vineyards,” Stephen Janes, the Gainey Vineyard estate director, said in an email to the Sun
Wine will be available for purchase, and children are welcome to a complimentary cookie decorating activity.
Santa Barbara Master Chorale is a volunteer organization and nonprofit that performs with a full orchestra.
The group “envisions a vibrant and inspired community united and uplifted through the profound emotional and transformative power of choral music for all ages,” according to its website.
The event will be held from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at Gainey Estate Vineyards, located at 3950 E. Highway 246 in Santa Ynez. Tickets cost $35 for adults, and children under 18 can attend for free. Buy tickets online at gaineyvineyard.com. Call (805) 688-0558 with questions.
El Ermitaño comes to PCPA
The Mexican Christmas play, El Ermitaño, returns to Santa Maria on Dec. 12 and 13. The hour-long show, hosted by the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA), is performed in Spanish and filled with music, comedy, and tradition.
PCPA is partnering with actors from Tierra Blanca Arts Center, a nonprofit dedicated to offering multicultural art programs to low-income families in the LA area. The group travels throughout California to perform plays.
Penned by Miguel Sabido, El Ermitaño explores themes of good and evil, morals, and faith. It’s a pastorela, a biblical genre in Mexican theater about the shepherds on their way to see baby Jesus.
“El Ermitaño charmingly delivers all the essential elements of a pastorela: the angel, the devil, the eternal battle between good and evil, and the human condition that connects us all,” according to PCPA.
Buy tickets for the G-rated pastorela online at pcpa.org. Adult entry costs $20, and tickets for kids ages 5 to 12 cost $10. On Dec. 12 the curtains open at 7:30 p.m., and on Dec. 13, the showtimes are at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Severson Theatre is located at 800 S. College Drive in Santa Maria. Call the box office with questions at (805) 922-8313. m
‘Shot
in the dark’
One artist’s inspiration transformed a hay barn into a modern gallery among vineyards in Santa Ynez
BY MADISON WHITE
In Indonesian, indah means beautiful. Artist Max Gleason and his wife have traveled to the country multiple times, and in 2022 they lived there for six months. Having learned a little bit of the language, indah stuck with him.
“The word indah I thought was—no pun intended—a very beautiful sounding word, and the fact that it meant beautiful was really appropriate,” Gleason said. “In terms of naming the gallery, I wanted something that felt different and could also be kind of a curiosity conversation starter.”
Around five years ago, Gleason set up his personal art studio inside part of a barn at the Roblar Winery vineyards in Santa Ynez, owned by his family. With a deep passion for art, he works as the winery’s creative director, too.
When the other half of the barn became vacant, it sat unused for many months. Eventually Gleason decided to put it to good use.
“I just got the seed of an idea in my mind,” he said. “It would be very cool to turn that into an exhibition space.”
Gleason hired contractors to help renovate the barn, turning it into the Indah Gallery. He left the ceiling exposed to show the “wooden bones of the barn,” but installed drywall, windows, and insulation. The gallery opened in March this year.
The sixth show, called Wild Weavings: Stories of Wonder, features work by fiber artist and sculptor Kellen Meyer. Indah will be its home through Dec. 21.
“It’s a very large-volume space. The ceilings
are 18 feet tall, so it has the kind of white cube, repurposed industrial feeling that a lot of contemporary galleries have in LA or New York. It just happens to be housed in an old hay barn,” Gleason described.
Overlooking the vineyard, the barn-turnedgallery makes for a unique experience that blends wine, nature, and art. When the roll-up doors are open, the space combines interior and exterior scenes, allowing the breeze and natural light to seep through the gallery.
“You can hear the birds, and it feels like a really peaceful, rural setting,” Gleason said.
He wanted Indah to be a creative hub in the relatively rural Santa Ynez Valley, but since the art scene is small, he wasn’t sure how many supporters would back the gallery.
Plus, the gallery is tucked away in the vineyards, away from any storefronts or main roads. It takes five or 10 minutes to walk there from the Roblar tasting room.
“When I first started the gallery … it was a real kind of shot in the dark, like I didn’t know if anybody would show up,” Gleason said. “All that being said, I’ve been incredibly pleasantly surprised at the amount of people who have shown up, both artists and guests.”
From his perspective, the positive response tells him the area is hungry for a larger art scene. Gleason hopes Indah will help bring momentum back to the valley and encourage more creative spaces to open.
After all, the Santa Ynez Valley has a “kind of legacy identity” as an arts destination, he said, and it might be time for a resurgence. Many people visit the valley in pursuit of afternoons filled with good food, wine, and art.
“Art is a wonderful complement to wine,” Gleason said. “Wine and food and art and music—it’s all like sensory experience. It’s all people looking to have a beautiful, aesthetic experience while they’re here, so if some visual art can be a part of that, I think it’s awesome.”
After planning to close the gallery’s doors in January and February because of an anticipated decrease in foot traffic, Gleason has already
A contemporary showing
Friday
Sunday from 11 a.m.
4
booked featured artists through the first half of 2026. He said artists usually come to him with their work to see if it’s a good fit for the contemporary theme of the Indah Gallery.
Meyer, who has the last featured show of the year, met Gleason through a mutual friend, who’s also Meyer’s studio manager. Her current show conveys the inspiration behind each piece through a blend of different materials and stories.
She works with natural materials like wool, fabric, clay, stones, and shells because she likes their “ephemeral” qualities.
“I am always looking to collaborate with nature and be able to bring that wild outdoors inside,” Meyer said.
Her process usually starts with a concept or a specific material that she spends weeks and months developing into a larger piece.
“I love that concept in my work,” Meyer said. “Every small thing adds up to become something bigger than it would on its own.”
Many of her pieces are crafted on a large scale, so the Indah Gallery’s high ceilings accommodate her artwork well. She has a paper sculpture measuring 13 feet tall and one made with clay and paper between 11 and 12 feet tall.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Max,” Meyer said. “It’s such a beautiful space and beautiful location.” m
PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA BARBARA MASTER CHORALE
A CLEAR VIEW: With the roll-up doors open at the Indah Gallery, art gawkers get a view of Roblar Vineyard, where the gallery shares property in Santa Ynez. Curator Max Gleason opened Indah in March this year.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PACIFIC CONSERVATORY THEATRE
NATURE FORWARD: Kellen Meyer is known for using natural materials like paper, clay, and stones in her work to blend art and ecology.
The Indah Gallery is open
through
to
p.m. at Roblar Winery and Vineyards, located at 2190 N. Refugio Road in Santa Ynez. See Kellen Meyer’s show through Dec. 21 before the gallery temporarily closes from January to February. Follow @indah_syv and @kellenmeyer on Instagram for the latest updates.
BUZZING: This canvas beehive sculpture is roughly 3 feet long and 2 feet wide, creator Kellen Meyer said. She started making largescale pieces more than six years ago.
TALL SCULPTURES, TALLER CEILINGS: Fiber artist and sculptor Kellen Meyer’s show, Wild Weavings: Stories of Wonder, hangs at the Indah Gallery on the Roblar Winery and Vineyards property through Dec. 21. The gallery’s 18-foot ceilings are perfect for her tall sculptures.
Wicked long
Jon M. Chu directs this second part of the film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz spinoff Broadway musical, Wicked, which explores Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and her relationship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), the Good Witch of the North. (138 min.)
COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT
What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2025
Where’s it showing?
Apple TV+
I first heard about this from comedian Tig Notaro’s podcast Handsome Notaro is a producer on the film, but more importantly, she was a friend to the late Andrea Gibson and Andrea’s wife, Megan Falley. The two were Denver area poets, and Andrea lost their life this past year to terminal ovarian cancer.
WICKED: FOR GOOD
What’s it rated? PG
What’s it worth, Anna?
Full price
What’s it worth, Glen?
Matinee
Glen: Watching this two-part, four-hourand-57-minute movie really makes me wish I could have seen the two-and-a-half-hour stage production. Other than a cash grab, I don’t see a lot of reason to have broken this into two parts and doubled its runtime. That being said, the story itself is a very inventive reimagined prequel to The Wizard of Oz (1939). Providing a backstory for the classic characters as well as alternative motivations for their actions is compelling viewing, and Chu and his cinematographer, Alice Brooks, as well as his army-sized art and special effects departments, have made a real spectacle, though I personally prefer the practical effects of the original film to all the CGI effects. Of course, when you have as many animal characters as Wicked, CGI is the only ethical choice, and I did enjoy the animal liberation angle. Look, my review isn’t going to change anyone’s mind about whether to go or not, and if you saw Part
Where’s it showing?
Regal Edwards RPX
Santa Maria, Movies
Lompoc, Regal
Edwards Arroyo Grande
1, in for a penny, in for a pound. Anna: I hear what you’re saying regarding runtime. This would be quite the marathon if you tried to watch the films back-to-back. Each of the films on their own can be a long time in a theater seat, and I’m not sure how they could have crammed the entire storyline together, but I too wish I could’ve seen the stage production. It’s a wonderful story of friendship, of the consequences of how we treat others, and how the narrative of power can influence the world around us. While in the first film we watched Elphaba and Galinda (now Glinda) meet and become unlikely friends, in the second part we watch as their separate lives are thrown back together as Elphaba tries to expose the Wizard’s (Jeff Goldblum) secrets. Glinda may believe the Wizard to be good at heart, but Elphaba knows he’s hiding dark secrets. I can’t say I loved this second half as much as the first, but it carried the same great music, costuming, and heart as the first.
Glen: Aside from the two leads, Goldblum was a standout. He was born for the role, mixing the right amount of smarminess with hubris to paint a portrait of a weak man in a position of power who exploits the masses. Hmm. Art imitating life again? It was fun watching how the Cowardly Lion (voiced
This quiet film explores Gibson’s reflections on life, readings of their poems, and small moments shared between the two partners as well as their tightknit friend group. Earning Sundance’s Festival Favorite award, the documentary is an intimate portrayal of navigating not just death, but what life leading up to it looks like. While Andrea wanted to at least see their 50th birthday, they didn’t quite make it to that milestone. However, they were able to see the premier of the movie and passed a few months before its wider release.
Unless you run in circles of artists and poets, you may not
have exposure to Gibson’s work—and while I wholly encourage you to watch this, I even more strongly encourage you to watch further videos of their spoken-word readings. They truly had a rare beauty in how they saw the world. (104 min.)
—Anna
by Colman Domingo), The Tin Man (Ethan Slater), and The Scarecrow (Jonathan Bailey) come to be, and the film wisely avoids showing any more than a flash or a shadow of Dorothy (Bethany Weaver) because let’s face it: Judy Garland is unreplaceable. It’s certainly big screen-worthy, but I’m miffed at the two-part, five-hour presentation.
Anna: Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible also stands out to me. She seems to be the brains behind the Wizard’s wild ideas, and
HARRY POTTER: WIZARDS OF BAKING
What’s it rated? TV-PG
When? 2024-present
Where’s it showing? HBO Max
Whoever imagined this match-up certainly had nerds like me in mind. Do you like baking shows? Check. Do you like Harry Potter? Check. Well, Warner Bros. has managed to eke another production out of the magical series while putting the London set to use.
Hosts James and Oliver Phelps, who played George and Fred Weasley throughout the movies, keep the banter flowing as chefs scramble to make magical creations.
Chefs are paired up by their various specialties and are asked to incorporate “magical” elements into each creation— think willows whomping and cauldrons bubbling. Judges Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef are often joined by past cast members such as Warwick Davis, Bonnie Wright, and Evanna Lynch to help judge. Things like popping candy, glowing ingredients, and molded chocolates all add to the intricate creations that the chefs must brainstorm, create, and then assemble all in a short amount of time.
The competitions take place on the various sets and stages of the films, and viewers get behind-the-scenes looks at the production. Most impressive are the creations these chefs
ultimately, it’s her magical abilities that bring Dorothy to Oz. It’s a very slick, highbudget film and it shows in every meticulous detail—but I too don’t need five hours’ worth. I wish they would’ve extended the first film a bit, tightened it up, and given it to us in one wonderful dose. m
New Times Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE (WAV) TRANSPORTATION
^^^^^^^^^^^^ I can only find Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking on HBO Max, not on Disney+ or Hulu.
How it Works:
On-Demand wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) brought to you by Care Connection Transport Services powered by Santa Barbara County
Service Hours:
Mon-Fri: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Sat-Sun: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Service Details:
Scan the QR code to download the app or book online $2.00 per mile
OPPOSITES ATTRACT: Glinda (Ariana Grande, left), the Good Witch of the North, and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo, right), the future Wicked Witch of the West, navigate their complicated relationship, in Wicked: For Good, playing in local theaters.
come up with, and with two seasons now out, there’s plenty to binge if wanted. (12 approximately 42-min. episodes) m —Anna
DYING OF THE LIGHT: Cancer patient and spoken word poet Andrea Gibson (left) and their wife, Megan Falley, are at the center of the Apple TV+ documentary, Come See Me in the Good Light.
BAKE OFF: Fred and George Weasley actors and hosts James and Oliver Phelps with Professor Filius Flitwick actor and guest judge Warwick Davis (center) appear in Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, streaming on HBO Max.
COURTESY PHOTO BY ANDERS KRUSBERG/WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY, INC.
In the valley
CrossHatch Winery’s tasting room is open Thursday through Monday from noon to 5 p.m. at 1090 Edison St., suite 104, in Santa Ynez. Visit for happy hour Thursday and Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. and make reservations (optional) at crosshatchwinery.com. Follow @imaginefamilyfarm on Instagram for the latest updates from Templeton.
BY MADISON WHITE
Blending wine is very common, but not the way Michelle Vautier does it.
She owns CrossHatch Winery and uses a method called cofermentation. Instead of blending wines after they’ve fermented, her grapes—usually two or three varieties—are picked from their separate vines on the same day and start fermenting together right away.
“I’m the only winery on the Central Coast that I know of that exclusively focuses on co-fermentation,” Vautier said. “A lot of wineries will do one or two in their whole library.”
CrossHatch head winemaker Ryan Carr started the label with his wife, Jessica, in 2011. Vautier met them after moving to Santa Barbara in 2020 and bought CrossHatch a few years later, still working closely with the Carrs.
The label is inspired by the creative technique of crosshatching. Artists who crosshatch draw intersecting lines to create depth, texture, and shading, as seen on the winery’s labels created by local artist Thomas Van Stein.
“I feel like co-fermentation is kind of a play on that,” Vautier said. “I ferment [varieties] together, and so they together, like lines and shades, create that product. You will never taste the same wine.”
Though there’s a lot of technical processes involved, she sees cofermentation as a more playful way of winemaking than traditional blending. Even if she were to use the same percentage of each grape, Vautier said that she could never re-create a co-fermented blend.
“Just like me. I feel like I’m a co-fermentation,” she said.
When she was growing up, she split her time between Argentina, where she was born, and Miami. She later lived in the Bay Area and then the Central Coast. Vautier speaks English and Spanish fluently and said she doesn’t feel like she’s from one specific place.
“Living in both cultures and being immersed in those two cultures throughout my whole life, I’ve been able to create that, so I feel like that’s what I always say with wine, it creates that intimacy,” she said. “You feel close to the process, the wine, the story, and that’s because it is just so intertwined together through the winemaking process.”
Vautier recently celebrated the release of her malbec, a variety she’s wanted to make since she joined CrossHatch, partly because of its connection to Argentina. After looking for vineyards that grow malbec, she settled on co-fermenting 60 percent malbec with 20 percent syrah and 20 percent cabernet sauvignon that were all grown in Santa Ynez and Los Olivos. There are 200 cases in the 2023 vintage.
“It’s not your traditional malbec in any way, and that’s why I call it mi versión, which means ‘my version,’ because there aren’t a lot of cofermented malbecs out there, let alone with these varietals,” she said.
Ultimately, she wants to have fun with wine. Vautier left her tech career after almost 20 years because the wine industry kept pulling her toward it.
Wine was part of the Argentinian culture she grew up with, and with a passion for traveling, she’s explored wine regions all over the
FUN, FUNKY FERMENTATION: CrossHatch Winery focuses solely on co-fermenting its wine blends, meaning the varieties ferment together instead of separately. Though the wine is made in Santa Barbara, visitors can try a glass at the tasting room in Santa Ynez.
MANIFESTED: CrossHatch Winery owner Michelle Vautier has always enjoyed learning about wine from producers all over the world but didn’t imagine it could be her job. Yet, in 2020, she moved to Santa Barbara, beginning her path toward the wine industry.
INTERSECTING LINES: The CrossHatch images are made using a drawing technique of the same name that emphasizes shading and texture. Local artist Thomas Van Stein draws the labels by hand.
world. She’d always return with bottles of wine to share with her friends at dinner paired with stories from her journeys.
“When I was traveling, I would end up in any vineyard talking to anybody who would talk to me about wine,” Vautier said.
Eventually, Vautier plans to have her own vineyard. Nearly a year ago she bought a 40-acre property in Templeton, Imagine Family Farm, where she’d like to plant 5 acres of grapes. On one hand, it’s a scary endeavor, but on the other, she said she’s excited to learn how to plant her own vines. Right now, she’s in the soiltesting phase to decide which
“When I saw this property, I
The farm produces apples, pears, peaches, cherries, and berries. In the spring, peonies grow to the size of Vautier’s head. Chickens also run around, and a hive of bees make honey. It’d make a good event space for CrossHatch, too, she added.
“It kind of creates a whole new era and full life cycle of the land, the fruit, the wine, the community, bringing everything into one place,”
One of the reasons Vautier was drawn to the Central Coast was the community of smallproduction winemakers. She likes the camaraderie in Paso Robles, where she can call up winemakers
“Most of them are owner-winemaker driven. It’s a true representation of what I feel winemaking is,”
But that side of the industry brings its own challenges. For her and other small wineries off the
beaten path, business relies on local support and capturing the attention of visitors.
“I’m so thankful for our local community, that they definitely keep us going,” the owner said.
Now with her farm in San Luis Obispo County and her tasting room in Santa Barbara County, she hopes to put down roots in both regions and continue experimenting with co-fermentation.
“I need to play. I don’t want to be stuck in one thing,” Vautier said. “The tasting room in Santa Ynez is kind of my foothold within the Santa Barbara County. The farm, Imagine Family Farm, will be the foothold across the Paso, Templeton area. … Maybe my next co-ferment is from two different [places], something from Santa Barbara and something from Paso.” m
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@ santamariasun.com.
