Tequila & Spirits Magazine * Mar/Apr 2018

TEQUILA & SPIRITS MAGAZINE

MARCH / APRIL 2018

ANATOMY

OF A DIAMOND

MARCH 8TH

WOMEN’S DAY

ST. PATRICK’S

DAY SANTA BARBARA

EASTER BUNNY

THE AMERICAN RIVIERA®

BEVERAGES | WINE | ENTERTAINMENT | TECHNOLOGY | TRAVEL

LIFESTYLE

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BEVERAGES

WINE

TRAVEL

SPORTS

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LIFESTYLE ENTERTAINMENT

RESTAURANTS

VEHICLES

TECHNOLOGY

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CONTENTS MARCH - APRIL

2018

LIFESTYLE

ANATOMY OF A DIAMOND

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LETTER FROM PUBLISHER

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AZTEC CALENDAR

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ST.

PATRICK’S DAY

20 WOMEN’S

COFFEE

DAY

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FLAVOR

36 SANTA

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BARBARA

EASTER

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BUNNY

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TEQUILA & SPIRITS MAGAZINE

Publisher

Jose Pinedo

Associate Editor Simon Pinedo

Contributors

Simon, Natalia, Savannah, Martin, Isabel, John, Amelia

Advertising sales

tequilaandspirits@gmail.com

All inquiries to: Tequila & Spirits Magazine 13089 Peyton Dr., Suite #C295 Chino Hills, CA 91709 Tel # 909-773-0404 tequilaandspirits@gmail.com www.tequilaandspirits.com

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Tequila & Spirits magazine is published bimonthly by Solstar Wireless, Inc. Material in this publication, including text and images,

are protected by copyright. It may not be copied, reproduced, republished, posted, brocast, or trasmitted in anyway without written consent of Solstar Wireless. The views and expressed in Tequila & Spirits magazine by the contributors may not represent the views of the publishers. Solstar Wireless accepts no responability for any loss that may be suffered by any person who relies totally or partially upon any information, description, or pictures contained herein. Solstar Wireless is not liable for any mistake, misprint, or typographic errors.

FROM THE PUBLISHER Welcome back to Tequila & Spirits Magazine! Our first issue has been a total success, with subscribers and followers from all over the World. Thank you for your continued support.

We want to be entertaining and informative but above all useful.

Inside this issue, you’ll find a mixture of articles, such as how to choose a quality diamond, the history of the Aztec calendar, and the history behind St. Patrick’s Day. Special thanks to Philosopher Simon Pinedo for writing St. Patrick’s Day article. By the way, it happens to be his B-day.

Happy Birthday, best wishes, and keep writing great stories.

If you happen to be in California or have travel plans, stop by Santa Barbara, a must-see city rich in history and entertainment for all ages. Article included!

Enjoy the March/April 2018 issue of Tequila and Spirits Magazine and the upcoming holidays, until next time.

Sincerely,

Jose Pinedo

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1. Table: Located above the crown, it’s the largest facet of the stone.

2. Girdle: The perimeter of the diamond where the crown and pavilion intersect.

3. Crown: The uppermost area of the diamond, located above the girdle. It includes the table and upper girdle facets.

4. Pavilion: The base of the stone. It features a series of facets intended to reflect the light that enters through the crown.

5. Culet: The very tip of the diamond located below the pavilion. It sometimes features a tiny facet that is parallel with the table.

6. Facet: One of the many flat sides of a cut diamond that reflects light to create sparkle.

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D I A M O N D S ROUND

CUSHION

The most popular diamond shape, round-cut diamonds are cut to have 58 facets

Also known as “pillow-cut” diamonds, these are squares or rectangles with rounded corners.

BAGUETTE

HEART

Cut with 14 facets, these rectangular diamonds are traditionally used to accent other diamonds.

PEAR

This romantic shape is the perfect symbol of love.

TRILLION

Also known as “Teardrop” these have one pointed end and one rounded end.

These are triangular diamonds with tree igual sides that can be curved or straight.

EMERALD

ASSCHER

These are rectangels with step cuts on the sides and a large, flat top.

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These diamonds are cut similarly to emerald-cut diamonds, except these are squares.

PRINCESS

Traditionally squares but sometimes rectangles, princess-cut diamonds always have four pointed corners.

OVAL

These rounded diamonds are longer than they are wide.

MARQUISE

This cut is like an oval but with pointed ends. Turned on its side, it looks like a woman’s slightly parted lips.

RADIANT These are squares or slight rectangles with four trimmed corners.

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The 4 C’s

hen considering a diamond center stone, there are a few factors to keep in mind to best determine quality and value. Viewing loose diamonds in person is essential to choosing a quality stone. A good jeweler will be able to help you navigate a diamond collection, though going in with a bit of knowledge under your belt will ultimately help you make the most informed decision and get the best value for your budget. There are four essential elements to consider when choosing a diamond.

The four C's — Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat weight — play an important role in the overall cost of the stone. For some diamond buyers, carat weight is the most important factor, while others may put more emphasis on clarity and color. Each element has a basic rating system, but the personal value of the stone ultimately comes down to the qualities you find most important.

Cut

1 Cut

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he cut of a diamond refers to its proportion, facets, and shape. As the most important source of sparkle, a properly cut and polished stone will reflect and disperse light to provide maximum shine. Cuts are typically graded on a 5-point scale from excellent to poor, depending on the amount of light that is reflected out of the stone. If a stone is cut too shallow or too deep, the light that passes through the crown escapes through the pavilion of the stone, hindering the desired sparkle.

Girdle thickness is something to consider when determining the cut of a diamond, as a thicker girdle may be an indication of a poorly cut stone. A thicker girdle can also carry a higher carat weight that may not be reflected in the dimension of the stone, resulting in a smaller circumference but higher price tag. Depending on your budget, diamonds with lower color and clarity ratings can still provide high sparkle if they are cut in the right proportions and shape.

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Color

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2 Color

atural diamonds can be found in a huge range of colors. For diamonds on the white scale, there is a color rating system designed to categorize the stones from colorless to yellow. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) rates diamond color on a scale from D to Z — D being completely colorless and Z being light yellow in color. A colorless diamond carries a higher value than a stone with a color presence. While the distinctions in color may be difficult to detect with the naked eye, they do have an impact on the price point of the stone. Diamond color is assessed by placing the stones on an allwhite background, due to the color of a diamond becoming more difficult to detect once mounted in a ring setting.

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Additionally, metal color may make a difference in the way the diamond appears.

If you're considering a diamond toward the yellow end of the spectrum, a yellow gold setting will help make the diamond appear whiter. The best way to determine if a diamond color meets your standards is to view the stone in person and in a well-lit space.

www.cg-mobile.com

Clarity

3 Clarity

D

iamond clarity is determined by the amount of flaws, blemishes, and inclusions present in the stone. Inclusions are very small imperfections that naturally occur in the formation of diamonds and gemstones, which interfere with the amount of light able to pass through the stone.

Clarity ratings range from Flawless (FL) to Included (I). A higher clarity rating means the diamond is more flawless and thus carries a higher price point.

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However, a slightly lower clarity rating can often times still look clean to the naked eye and radiate as much beauty. Diamond shape and cut will help determine the amount of visible inclusions. Emerald cut diamonds have a large table and a step-cut pavilion, which makes imperfections much more visible to the naked eye; and brilliant-cut diamonds feature multiple, kite-shaped facets that can disguise inclusions.

Carat Weight

C

4 Carat Weight

arat weight refers to the actual metric weight of the diamond, not to be confused with "karat," which refers to the measurement of purity in gold. The GIA defines "carat" as measuring 200 milligrams, or .02 grams. While carat weight is one of the largest determinants of price — larger carat diamonds tend to be rarer and more desirable — two diamonds of the same carat weight may vary greatly in price depending on other factors like the cut, color, and clarity grading. Keep in mind that two diamonds of the same carat weight can also appear to be different sizes depending on the quality of the cut.

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AZTEC CALENDAR

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he Aztec calendar is the calendar system that was used by the Aztecs as well as other Pre-Columbian peoples of central Mexico. It is one of the Mesoamerican calendars, sharing the basic structure of calendars from throughout ancient Mesoamerica.

The calendar consisted of a 365-day calendar cycle called xiuhpohualli (year count) and a 260day ritual cycle called tonalpohualli (day count). These two cycles together formed a 52-year “century,” sometimes called the “calendar round”. The xiuhpohualli is considered to be the agricultural calendar, since it is based on the sun, and the tonalpohualli is considered to be the sacred calendar.

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Tonalpohualli (day count)

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~MEXICO’S GIFT TO THE WORLD~

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RELATIONAL UNDERCURRENTS: CONTEMPORARY ART OF THE CARIBBEAN ARCHIPELAGO ON VIEW NOW

Image: Tony Capellán, Mar invadido, 2015. Found objects from the Caribbean Sea. Variable dimensions. Courtesy of the artist.

Relational Undercurrents: Contemporary Art of the Caribbean Archipelago, curated by Tatiana Flores, is MOLAA’s Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA exhibition. It is a major survey exhibition of twenty-first century art of the Caribbean that employs the archipelago as an analytical framework. The exhibition is divided into four thematic sections: Conceptual Mappings, Perpetual Horizons, Landscape Ecologies and Representational Acts and features over 80 artists with roots in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Curaçao, Aruba, St. Maarten, St. Martin, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Trinidad, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Barbados, and St. Vincent whose works have informed and shaped those themes.The exhibition includes painting, installation art, sculpture, photography, video, and performance.

628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802 t: 562.437.1689 www.molaa.org

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY LATIN AMERICAN AND LATINO ART

Smithsonian Affiliate

By Simon Pinedo

S

aint Patrick was a Catholic priest and bishop, missionary and evangelizer of Ireland and thus the patron saint of that nation. It is not known exactly where and when he was born, although some documents state that he was born in the northern side of Great Britain, around 400 AD. Saint Patrick died in Ireland on March 17th between 461 and 463 AD in a small town called Down, which was later renamed Downpatrick in his honor, where it is said that his remains rest inside that town’s cathedral.

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This festival is now celebrated in cities all over the World.

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or some years, they have been celebrating parties, pilgrimages and parades in his honor. The first major St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in Dublin, Ireland on March 17, 1996. Since 2006, the festival lasts 5 days to extol the historical and cultural values of Ireland and attract the attention of the millions of people of Irish origin living outside of Ireland.

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ut this festival is not celebrated only in Ireland.

Important celebrations in other cities around the world include: Manchester, Birmingham, London, Cambridge, Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Kansas, Savannah, Denver, Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Rosario, Paris, Scranton and Toronto. Last year (2017) in the city of New York, where the St. Patrick’s Day parade takes place, it was witnessed by more than two million spectators, thus being the biggest and most impressive of all word celebrations.

In Argentina there are approximately two million people who claim to have Irish origins (the fifth Irish community outside of Ireland). Here large parties are organized in the streets and parks to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. As of 2009, these celebrations have the official endorsement of the Embassy of Ireland in Buenos Aires and associations of Irish descent.

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www.gmtequila.com Produced, Distilled and Bottled in Mexico. Imported by M.S. Walker, Inc. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY

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n Mexico, although Irish immigration has been insignificant, the heroic participation of the San Patricio Battalion in defense of the Mexican State is remembered. Hundreds of Irish immigrants, deserters from the US Army, joined the Mexican army to fight against the American troops. Since 2016, the San Patricio Fest Parade is organized in Mexico City where more than two thousand people accompany Mexican Irish music groups, Irish dance academies, the Embassy of Ireland and diplomatic delegations to help it become a true Irish party.

The clover is considered one of the great icons of Ireland. It is said that Saint Patrick used a green clover to explain the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The first leaf of the clover was the Father, the second was the Son and the last was the Holy Spirit, and so the clover became a symbol of the Church and country of Ireland and it is also associated with St. Patrick’s Day.

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n March 17th, in many places where St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated, a natural ingredient is added to beer that turns it green but tastes the same. In Chicago, the river is dyed green when unharmful natural dyes are poured into the water becoming a spectacle that attracts many people. And what about the tradition of wearing green? If you don’t wear something of this color, you are in danger of receiving a pinch! And you, do you have something green to wear? Do you have your clover or green beer to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this March 17, 2018?

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LIVE THE LIFE 12–15 APRIL 2018 ONE°15 MARINA SENTOSA COVE

SINGAPORE

EVENT ORGANISER

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COFFEE FLAVOR

BY REGION

CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA

This region is known for crisp, clean coffee with good acid and bright aftertaste.

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COFFEE ROAST TYPE LIGHT ROAST ■Roasting time 9 min ■Light brown in color ■High acidity ■Fruity smell MEDIUM ROAST ■Roasting time 16 min ■Medium brown in color ■Balanced flavor & acidity ■Slightly sweet taste DARK ROAST ■Roasting time 30 min ■Rich, darker in color ■Oily surface ■Bitter, smoky taste

CARIBBEAN

This region is known for subtle flavor that is rich and smooth, smoky to wine fruit flavor, and lingering aftertaste.

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INDONESIAN AND INDIAN

This region is known for its heavy body, mild acidity, and luscious flavor.

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HAWAIIAN

This region is known for mild flavor, heavy body, natural sweetness, and a mellow aftertaste.

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AFRICAN

This region is known for wine-like, fruit flavors that can be floral, spiced, or cocoa in nature with a good acid and lingering aftertaste.

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COFFEE TYPES

CAPPUCCINO

ESPRESSO

BLACK COFFEE

TURKISH COFFEE

AMERICANO

CAFE LATTE

FLAT WHITE

IRISH COFFEE

CAFE MOCHA

ICED COFFEE

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VISIT

SANTA BARBARA

THE AMERICAN RIVIERA®

Photo by Blake Bronstad/Courtesy of visit Santa Barbara

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ebster could run out of adjectives trying to describe Santa Barbara.

Seductive, playful, romantic, gorgeous, easygoing, relaxed, sophisticated, cultured, friendly, peaceful, re-energizing and invigorating are just a few descriptors that come to mind.

Oh, and habit-forming — just ask anyone who’s been here.

Day-trippers want to spend the night. Firsttime visitors vow to return. Tourists dream of relocating their lives here — and some do. Longtime residents stay forever. Some Angelenos (Los Angeles residents) even leave a boat moored in the Santa Barbara Harbor, to keep a toe in local waters, so to speak. No one ever wants to say goodbye.

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Santa Barbara is located 92 miles from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is a world apart, a soothing realm of distinct and subtle pleasures, and an intoxicating appeal that arises from a convergence of elements found perhaps nowhere else in the world. A city characterized

by Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, with white-washed buildings with red-tile roofs tucked between the mountains and the sea, Santa Barbara resonates with an irresistibly sensuous allure. Casual and friendly, it also offers an extensive menu of sophisticated cultural attractions ranging from theater and dance to music and visual arts, reflecting a cultural richness out of proportion to the city’s small size.

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HISTORY

Photo by Mark Weber/Courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

he sun shines 300 days a year here, making Santa Barbara a mecca for every kind of outdoor pursuit. It is a place where the Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo gave Santa land yields organic fruits and vegetables, sold Barbara its name during his voyage of discovery at farmers markets for every day of the week, up the California coast in 1542. When Spanish and where these exquisite ingredients fuel an Franciscan monks arrived in the 18th century idiosyncratic cuisine accompanied by superb on their mission-building journey through Alta Santa Barbara County California, wines — world-class The Franciscans built 21 missions (Upper) they encountered no vintages from the world’s one but the Chumash in California, including Old most diverse viticultural Indians, who had region. About 36 tasting Mission Santa Barbara settled the area some rooms are located in 13,000 years prior. downtown Santa Barbara, The Chumash lived in simple huts, cruised the popular Funk Zone and along the Urban coastal waters in plank canoes and sustained Wine Trail. themselves well by catching fish, gathering shellfish, hunting marine and land mammals, Stunning hybrid architecture reflects Spanish, grinding acorns into a staple meal and collecting Moorish, Portuguese and American Indian edible berries and greens. The Franciscans built roots, while wrought-iron adornments, exquisite 21 missions in California, including Old Mission tile work, cool fountains and shady paseos Santa Barbara, known as the “Queen of the beckon to our collective need for comfort, Missions.” After coming under Mexican rule for solace and beautiful, human-scale design. The 24 years, Santa Barbara became a U.S. territory wild nature of Channel Islands National Park is in 1846, two years before California was added visible from the manicured gardens of grand to the Union.

Montecito estates. Santa Barbara is contrast and complement, human art and natural art, the simple and the sophisticated, the old world and the new. It is “The American Riviera®.”

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With only 91,000 residents, this small city exudes the warmth and friendliness of its size while offering the kind of major attractions and world-class accommodations usually reserved for a major metropolis.

SANTA BARBARA’S WATERFRONT

Santa Barbara’s Waterfront is an eclectic neighborhood where “working” facilities like wineries, surfboard-shaping shacks and fishermen’s boat yards converge with sophisticated attractions, including tasting rooms, museums and world-class restaurants.

The area continues to grow with The Hotel Californian, a major resort complex, slated to open in summer 2017; boutique hotels, The Wayfarer (a “posh-tel”) and Hotel Indigo; more than two dozen wine-tasting rooms; craft breweries; surf shops; art galleries and more.

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Meanwhile, mainstay attractions include the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, the Saturday Fisherman’s Market, the Urban Wine Trail, SEA Landing, hotels for various budgets and others.

Adding to the ease of access, the Santa Barbara Train Station is centrally located here, allowing for a car-free and carefree vacation.

SANTA BARBARA’S SECRET GARDENS

Santa Barbara’s beaches are well-known, but the city’s parks and gardens are undiscovered oases hidden in plain sight. Thanks to the late cityplanning advocate Pearl Chase, horticulturist Francesco Franceschi, wealthy plant collector and opera singer Ganna Walska and many more flora-and-fauna-loving residents, Santa Barbara’s secret gardens offer visitors a slice of solitude while surrounded by the history and natural beauty of The American Riviera®.

Meander through the manicured paths of Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens, or soak in the sunset from the A.C. Postel Memorial Rose Garden (also called the “Mission rose garden,” for its location across from Old Mission Santa Barbara). Tour Ganna Walska Lotusland, a 37acre estate in Montecito filled with rare plants and exotic gardens, or peek into Santa Barbara’s past at Casa del Herrero, a preserved 1920s villa designed by George Washington Smith and decorated by the same antiquarians used

by Hearst Castle. Discover native California at the 65-acre Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and spot more than 200 species of birds, including duck and geese, at the 32-acre Andrée Clark Bird Refuge across from East Beach.

Photo by Gabriela Herman/Courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

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alf a century later, Santa Barbara had evolved into the pre-Hollywood capital of the silent-film era, the back lot by the sea where more than 1,200 movies, mostly Westerns, were produced during a 10-year period. After such legendary film stars as Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin made Santa Barbara their playground, the coastal hamlet became a haven for wealthy Easterners and a hot spot for health-seekers lured by the area’s mineral baths. Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Carnegies and Duponts arrived via luxury rail car. In their wake came painters, poets and authors who took the first steps toward making Santa Barbara the art colony it is today.

Photo by Hotel Californian, Courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara Photo by Blake Bronstad/Courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

CUISINE

Santa Barbara chefs use fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from local waters and farms. Dishes are complemented by worldclass wines from more than 220 local wineries.

Culinary tourists may enjoy the farms, waters, vineyards, restaurants, farmers’ and fishermen’s markets, cooking classes and food and wine events that create, cultivate and celebrate the region’s distinctive flavors.

Explore the Urban Wine Trail, with more than two dozen wine-tasting rooms in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone located blocks from the beach and peppered with surf shops, art galleries and eclectic shops, as well as in downtown Santa Barbara. www.urbanWineTrailSB.com ISSUE - MARCH / APRIL 2018

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ARTS & CULTURE

Like the sun-washed towns that are its Mediterranean soul mates, Santa Barbara offers visitors a big dose of sophisticated culture to complement its abundant beauty. Few cities of Santa Barbara’s size can match the quality and diversity of its artistic and cultural offerings, which include 50 museums and galleries and a wide range of stellar performance venues hosting multiple world-class theater groups, opera and dance companies, chamber orchestras, a symphony orchestra and more. No wonder Santa Barbara has earned its place as one of the top 10 art colonies in the nation.

Photo By Blake Bronstad/Courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

Artists and musicians from around the world make frequent stops in Santa Barbara as it’s the biggest cultural hub between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The legendary Santa Barbara Bowl, a natural amphitheatre nestled against the Riviera neighborhood, offers a stellar lineup of concerts. www.SBBowl.com This year don’t miss, The Santa Barbara Mariachi Festival www.sbmariachifestival.org

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As the sun sets, fine dining is the prelude to a stop at bars and clubs where live entertainment ranges from soft jazz to R&B, Brazilian, rock and beyond.

FUNK ZONE

Photo by Jay Sinclair, Courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

Once a manufacturing hub for the fishing industry in the 19th century, a 12-square-block mixed-use area near Santa Barbara’s waterfront, east of State Street, has been affectionately dubbed the “Funk Zone.” Old warehouses and manufacturing plants have given way to a flourishing subculture of artists’ studios and galleries, wine-tasting rooms, craft breweries, artisanal shops and eateries serving some of the city’s most vibrant cuisine. Just steps from the ocean and downtown, these eclectic, locally owned businesses contribute to the bustling Funk Zone community that continues to transform in exciting new ways over time.

Photo by Blake Bronstad/courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

BARS & CLUBS

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Photo by Jay Sinclair, Courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA AND FILM TOURISM

The original “Hollywood,” Santa Barbara was home to California’s first major movie studio, the American Film Manufacturing Co., aka “Flying A” studios (1910), and in the past century, the region has been cast in classics such as “The Graduate” (1967), “Seabiscuit” (2003), “Sideways” (2004), “There Will Be Blood” (2007), “It’s Complicated” (2009), “20th Century Women” (2016) and more. During the golden era of Hollywood, many celebrities bought homes and hotels in Santa Barbara, including Charlie Chaplin’s Montecito Inn and the San Ysidro Ranch, where Sir Lawrence Olivier married Vivien Leigh and JFK and Jackie O honeymooned. Today, Santa Barbara continues to be a getaway and a place of residence for celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bridges, Rob Lowe, Ellen Degeneres and Gwyneth Paltrow. Visitors can experience Santa Barbara’s red carpet at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival each January or February, when Oscar contenders and the industry’s best will gather for 10 days of screenings, tribute events, panel discussions and parties. On www.santaBarbaraCA.com

ROMANCE ON THE AMERICAN RIVIERA®

Santa Barbara’s lure as a romantic haunt is well documented, from Clark Gable’s wedding to the honeymoon of JFK and Jackie O. Add to the mix the region’s unique lineup of wedding venues — from ranches to mansions and top-rated bed-and-breakfast inns — and visitors can set the scene along The American Riviera®. Santa Barbara exudes romance; just ask the 3,000+ couples who wed here annually or the plethora of honeymooners who follow in John and Jackie Kennedy’s footsteps.

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Photo Courtesy of Paseo Nuevo and Visit Santa Barbara

SALES, BARGAINS & BEYOND

Whether you prefer chic boutiques, one-of-a-kind stores or modern malls, Santa Barbara can fill the bill. Built in the 1920s, the courtyards and passages of the Spanish-style El Paseo present a variety of gift shops, galleries and restaurants as does the equally charming La Arcada Court on State Street. Paseo Nuevo, the city’s main shopping center, is anchored by Nordstrom and includes a balance of national chains mixed with independents — boutiques, restaurants, specialty shops and art galleries Santa Barbara’s largest shopping mall, La Cumbre Plaza on upper State Street, features major department stores plus more than 60 shops, restaurants and services and plenty of free parking. In Montecito, Coast Village Road boasts some of the most upscale shopping in Santa Barbara in a setting that could not be more pleasant for strolling.

The Upper Village in Montecito, where Foothill Road meets San Ysidro Road, has more fine boutiques and ultra-luxe specialty shops.

Local boutiques delighting fashionistas from around the world include Diani, Wendy Foster, Angel and kakoon. Thanks to its upscale residents, Santa Barbara is a hotbed for highend vintage and second-hand designer finds.

Unearth treasures at The Closet or Renaissance Fine Consignment, or try your luck at weekend estate sales.

More than 220 wineries and more than 23,000 planted acres of vineyards are located within the Santa Ynez, Lompoc and Santa Maria valleys, just a 45-minute drive north of the city of Santa Barbara via Highway 101 or 154; about 36 tasting rooms also located in downtown Santa Barbara and along the Urban Wine Trail. The county has six official American Viticultural Areas (AVAs or appellations): Ballard Canyon, Happy Canyon, Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley and Los Olivos District. Winery facilities offer tours and picnic sites. Santa Barbara Vintners: www.sbcountywines.com

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Photo by David Collier, Courtesy of Visit California/Visit Santa Barbara.

WINE COUNTRY

LODGING EVERY KIND FOR EVERY BUDGET

Visitor information is also available at the Visitor Information Center, 1 Garden Street (at Cabrillo Boulevard).

Special thanks go to Visit Santa Barbara, for the media support.

Photo by Blake Bronstad, courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

Stay at the beach or downtown, at a grand resort or a 100-year-old inn, in Montecito or the wine country, in the most luxurious suite or the humblest motel. Whatever your preference, the Santa Barbara South Coast, with more than 70 properties, has what you’re looking for. The offerings include 15 historic bed-and-breakfast inns ranging in style from Italianate to Victorian to California Craftsman, as well as masterworks of the city’s Spanish Colonial Revival style, such as the lovely Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, built in 1927. North of town, Bacara Resort & Spa offers four-star luxury by the sea, and the boutique Canary Hotel provides style and pampering — and a fabulous rooftop swimming pool — in the heart of the downtown Santa Barbara. San Ysidro Ranch guarantees an indulgent stay in one of its sumptuously appointed cottages nestled against the foothills. And that is just the beginning.

For travel and accommodation information and to request a free copy of the official Santa Barbara Visitors Magazine, contact Visit Santa Barbara at 800-676-1266, 805-966-9222, tourism@santabarbaraca.com or www.santabarbaraCA.com

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n March 8th, it is International Women’s Day. It is important to know its origins, which celebrate the struggle of women claiming their rights and demanding gender equality.

It was first celebrated on March 19, 1911 in Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Switzerland. It expanded around the world until the current date was defined.

Women have played an important role in the history of humanity; we have emerged from an oppression that kept us enslaved.

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Photo by Salvador Hurtado Llanes

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By Amelia Ortega VillaseĂąor

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owever, the freedom that those women managed to achieve in history has been collapsing because of the stereotypes, “fashions,” and the machismo that continues to exist in the 21st century and which keeps us tied.

We have the power to change society and its patriarchal ideas; the key is to support each other and leave behind the fears and insecurities that we impose on ourselves. Starting with small things could make big changes.

Start by eliminating all kinds of insecurities that you may have about yourself, stop worrying about ‘what others will say,’ do not limit yourself, and overcome your fears; remember that you are the only one who can put up barriers. Do what you want, not what is expected of you, only you decide what to do and how to be.

Dress however makes you feel better and ignore all the physical impositions. And, above all, have a contagious self-esteem. You do not need someone else to feel good about yourself or to enjoy life; the most important thing is to enjoy your own company, ignoring all kinds of stereotypes.

"Day twelve without you. I've met someone, it's me.

I'm going to give me an opportunity" (Elvira Sastre) ISSUE - MARCH / APRIL 2018

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The Easter Bunny and the Easter Eggs

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By Simon Pinedo

n 2018, we have experienced the celebration of double holidays! Two holidays on the same day, a rather uncommon occurrence of events. For example, this past February 14th, Valentine’s Day, the day of love and friendship, coincided with Ash Wednesday. What makes it interesting is that the holidays are somewhat antagonistic. St. Valentine’s day is a celebration of joy, affection, and sometimes carnal manifestations. Ash Wednesday, on the other hand, is a day of penance, abstinence, and no affection!

The same thing is about to happen with another religious celebration, Easter Sunday, which is on April 1st; a day when the Resurrection of Jesus is commemorated, the passage from death to life (Passover). This year it coincides with another popular day celebrated in several countries, including Europe and the United States. April Fool’s Day is celebrated on April 1st every year. It is also known as the day of jokes and the day of the innocents. It is customary to play jokes on others on this day. A few days ago, in reference to these events, an announcement read jokingly, “This April Fool’s Day, what if we hide the eggs from the Easter bunny?”

Some time ago, in many countries, New Year’s Day was celebrated during the days of spring, from March 25th to April 1st. Later it was changed to January 1st but many countries delayed in adopting this change. It seems that celebrating this holiday on the same day was taken as a joke, April Fool’s for those who still believed that April 1st was New Year’s Day.

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peaking of Easter, in some countries the Easter bunny and Easter eggs are very deeply established. This day is celebrated by going to the park or staying home and hiding eggs decorated with many colors, full of sweets, money or prizes, so that children can find them. Perhaps you have asked yourself why a rabbit delivers eggs when rabbits do not lay eggs. Why is the bunny associated with Easter and why is it is called the Easter bunny?

Easter is a holiday celebrated by both Jews and Christians, with a few differences. Easter is Passover for the Jewish people, or the Pesach, when the angel of the Lord passed by, forgiving the lives of the firstborns, the passage of the Red Sea. This symbolizes the liberation of the people from slavery that the Egyptians imposed on them. For Christians, the passage from death to life, the Resurrection of Jesus, the greatest celebration in the Christian calendar.

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There are several stories and legends explaining the tradition of Easter and the Easter bunny.

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etween the ninth and eighteenth centuries, the Catholic Church prohibited the consumption of eggs during Lent. Because they were considered equivalent to meat, people cooked and painted the eggs, to differentiate them from the fresh ones, in order to eat them on Easter day.

Others who did follow tradition, stored the eggs rather than eat them because it was a sin to throw them away, so the production piled up.

As a result, at the end of Lent, people would give away their stored eggs to all those who attended Church on Easter Sunday; it became a regular tradition to give out colorful eggs.

The egg hatches under the mother hen, breaks, and a chick emerges, life emerges! The image of the egg represents birth and life. This is why the egg resembles the Resurrection as a symbol of new life.

The tradition of decorating the eggs is said to have come from the Mesopotamian fertility goddess named ISHTAR (in English, Easter and in German, Oester).

THE EASTER RABBIT

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ince prehistoric times, the rabbit has been a symbol of fertility. Because during the spring season, after several months of intense cold winter and dry grass, the first animal to emerge from the burrows was the rabbit. Because of its great capacity for procreation, the rabbit is linked to renewal, rebirth, fertility, and resurrection of the dry nature during the winter season.

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Now we know the relationship between the rabbit, the eggs, and Easter! Both represent life, change, renewal, and resurrection.

But why a rabbit with a basket full of colorful and decorated eggs?

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According to legend, after the death of Jesus on the Cross, he was taken to be buried in a cave, used as a tomb, donated by Joseph of Arimathea. Inside that cave there was a rabbit, it was very scared due to the many sad people crying upon entering the cave.

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he rabbit stayed inside the cave looking at the body of Jesus. He wondered who that gentleman was, loved by so many. On the third day, he observed how angels removed the stone that covered the tomb and could see the man inside standing in the sheets with which he had been wrapped.

From that moment, the rabbit realized that it was the Son of God and left immediately to give the news to the world. Unable to express himself in words (as he was a rabbit), he decided to give colored eggs as a symbol of joy and rejoicing because of the Resurrection of Jesus.

Well ironically, the rabbit could not speak but could paint. Of course, the legend tells that he painted the eggs in different colors to represent his happiness. And so, on every Easter Sunday a bunny delivers eggs to remind people of the joy of the resurrection of the Son of God after his crucifixion.

Business trade and modern life have been responsible for incorporating chocolate eggs and plastic eggs to be filled with sweets.

According to legend, the eggs are hidden by the Easter bunny for children to find and eat.

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