B2
NEWS
SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2022
RARE
Continued from Page B1 board. We dry age our meat inhouse to my specifications. It’s more mild and less funky — it’s approachable. Those cuts can change too, but generally I like to serve a bone-in ribeye, a New York strip and a filet mignon. These boards are presented on a custom-made Lazy Susan right in the middle of the table, so you’re sitting there and the boards drop and you can spin the board around and sample each cut of meat. This way of dining is at the core of our hospitality ethos,” he said. “The other thing that really makes Rare Society different is how we actually cook the steaks. I am a huge fan of live fire grilling, and all our restaurants incorporate it in some way. Rare Society is no exception. We have a grill in our kitchen that burns American Red Oak harvested nearby. So the flavors from our dishes, the char and the smokiness and the aromas from the wood lend itself to the dishes, and they take on these bold flavors that we’re known for. “ Among the signature dishes he is most excited to share with the Santa Barbara crowd — besides the boards — is the dry-aged bacon chop, which is four pieces of pork that are normally separated — a bone-in pork chop, baby back ribs, a spare rib and the belly. “We keep them together as one, and it’s a cut that only really works when cooked over a fire. The belly becomes a smokey bacon that’s central to the dish. The rub is a San-Diego-Meets-Texas spice rub, an Americana mixture with salt, black pepper, cayenne, toasted cumin seeds, coriander and Spanish paprika,” Chef Wise said. “There’s a light heat that doesn’t overpower your palate. We dryage it in-house for three weeks, lightly brush it with a seasonal glaze (this summer it’s charred peaches), and grill it over that open flame. This is one of those dishes that embodies everything we seek to do at our restaurants — provide a completely unique experience with bold flavors, modern techniques and of course, fire.”
COURTESY PHOTOS
Dr. Daniel Gee, who conducts the Westmont College Choir and the college’s Chamber Singers, has been named the music director of the Santa Barbara Symphony.
Dr. Daniel Gee appointed music director of Santa Barbara Youth Symphony By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
email: mmcmahon@newspress. com
FYI Rare Society will open June 30 at 214 State St., Santa Barbara. For more information, visit www.raresociety. com.
COURTESY PHOTOS
At top, entrees at the Rare Society include clams. Center, woodfired broccolini is among the veggies.Above, desserts include this buttercream.
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For more information about the Santa Barbara Symphony Youth Ensembles, including details regarding auditions, curriculum and performances, visit www. thesymphony.org/education/ education-programs-overview. For more information about the Santa Barbara Symphony’s music education programs and to donate, visit www.thesymphony.org/support/ make-a-donation.
access to new experiences with the symphony’s professional musicians and guest artists. “I am so pleased to welcome Daniel as the new music director for the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony,” said Dr. Nicholas Fuentes, vice president of community education and enrichment for the Santa Barbara Symphony. “With his background and experience, we’ll be taking the youth ensembles to new levels by providing educational opportunities that build bridges between musicians of every age. The addition of Daniel to our team adds vital support to our vision of providing a continuum of music education to young musicians of all skill levels in the local community.” Actively and equally engaged in both choral and orchestral worlds, Dr. Gee has served as assistant conductor for the Long Beach Symphony and associate conductor of Orange County’s Choral Arts Initiative. His breadth of conducting experience ranges from professional ensembles to church and community groups to educational settings. His work abroad has included teaching and conducting master classes at the 2018 Simpósio de
Música hosted by the Assemblies of God Denomination in São Paulo, Brazil, and performing with the USC Chamber Singers in the Baltics and Poland. He includes Jo-Michael Scheibe, Cristian Grases, Eckart Preu and Michael Shasberger, among many others, as his conducting mentors. Dr. Gee first moved to Santa Barbara to attend Westmont College, received his doctorate of musical arts from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music and recently returned to Santa Barbara two years ago to take on a role as faculty. His musical journey began in his public school music program in Temple City by learning and playing the cello. “I am thrilled with the appointment of Daniel. He’s a great combination of musician and educator, and he has also assisted me in a few symphony programs in the past,” said Nir Kabaretti, the Santa Barbara Symphony music and artistic director. “Daniel’s musical journey began in his public school’s music program, a testament to the power and potential of music education in schools. Our students are in great hands, and this is exciting for our continuing partnership with Westmont College.” “Music education is a key part of our mission to inspire a passion for music in the next generation, and the community’s support is critical to our programs,” said Kathryn R. Martin, president and CEO of the Santa Barbara Symphony. “The community’s financial support through the June ‘Playing Our Part’ campaign helps us to continue to foster our youth’s potential both in the classroom and beyond!” email: mmcmahon@newspress.com
Blood drive planned for Tuesday in Santa Maria
SANTA MARIA — To help end a critical blood shortage, Vitalant and the city of Santa Maria are hosting a blood drive from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Bloodmobile across from the library. To make an appointment, call 805-542-8500. As people resume pre-pandemic activities, like travel, fewer people are giving blood, according to a news release.
For example, Vitalant collected about 13,000 fewer blood donations in April and May 2022 than in the same months last year. Giving blood is safe and easy and only takes about an hour to help save more than one life, according to the news release. Other added benefits of donating blood are a miniphysical and full panel of tests each donor receives. The mini-
physical check of pulse, blood pressure, hemoglobin and cholesterol can be tracked with each visit in the donor’s secure and confidential online account. For more information, call Mark van de Kamp at 805925-0951, ext. 2372, or email mvandekamp@cityofsantamaria. org. — Marilyn McMahon
PET of the WEEK Pepper
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Dr. Daniel Gee will be the music director of the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony for the 2022-23 season. He is an assistant professor of music at Westmont College, where he conducts the College Choir and Chamber Singers. “I could not be more thrilled at this opportunity to lead the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony and continue its legacy of investing in our community’s young musicians,” said Dr. Gee. “Making music together is one of life’s greatest joys, and the challenges that our youth face today makes this all the more valuable. “I am also glad to see Westmont’s strategic partnership with the symphony continue to grow as we continue our joint efforts to make an artistic and educational contribution to our community,” he said in a news release. The Santa Barbara Symphony’s music education programs are the only programs in the region tied to a professional symphony orchestra. Fostering collaboration, confidence and community, the three youth ensembles serve students in grades 3 through 12 from beginner to advanced: Camerata Ensemble, Philharmonia Orchestra and the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony. The Santa Barbara Youth Symphony has a 57-year history in the community and has produced notable alumni both in and out of music. Dr. Gee’s appointment is part of the symphony’s effort to empower students to be their best through music. The programs offer quality musical mentorship and focused instruction, performance opportunities and
FYI
Pepper would love to go home with you. The 1-year-old female, black short-haired rabbit is awaiting adoption at Santa Maria Animal Center, part of Santa Barbara County Animal Services. The shelter is located at 548 W. Foster Road, Santa Maria. For more information, call 805-9346119. To see all the animals available at Animal Services, see countyofsb.org/phd/animal/ petsearch.sbc.
Pepper’s adoption fees include her spay, vaccinations, flea treatment and health/wellness exam. Pepper’s microchip is compliments of CAPA, a nonprofit committed to supporting the medical and behavioral needs of animals in the Lompoc Valley. To learn more about CAPA, go to www.facebook.com/capaoflompoc. Want to help but can’t adopt? Visit www.lompoccapa.org for the CAPA wish list, information on how to become a volunteer and donation opportunities. — Dave Mason
COURTESY PHOTO
Shelters seek homes for pets
Local animal shelters and their nonprofit partners are looking for homes for pets. For more information, go to these websites: • Animal Services-Lompoc, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc. • Animal Shelter Assistance Program in Goleta, asapcats.org. ASAP is kitty corner to Santa Barbara County Animal Services. • Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter in Goleta, bunssb.org. BUNS is based at Santa Barbara County Animal Services. • Companion Animal Placement
Assistance, lompoccapa.org and facebook.com/capaoflompoc. CAPA works regularly with Animal Services-Lompoc. • K-9 Placement & Assistance League, k-9pals.org. K-9 PALS works regularly with Santa Barbara County Animal Services. • Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation, sbcanimalcare. org. (The foundation works regularly with the Santa Maria Animal Center.) • Santa Barbara County Animal Services in Goleta: countyofsb.org/ phd/animal/home.sbc. • Santa Barbara Humane (with
campuses in Goleta and Santa Maria), sbhumane.org. • Santa Maria Animal Center, countyofsb.org/phd/animal/home. sbc. The center is part of Santa Barbara County Animal Services. • Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society/DAWG in Buellton, syvhumane.org. • Shadow’s Fund (a pet sanctuary in Lompoc), shadowsfund.org. • Volunteers for Inter-Valley Animals in Lompoc: vivashelter. org. — Dave Mason