Santa Barbara Fall 2007 Short Cuts

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. October 14, 2008

SEPTEMBER 29, 2007.

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Travelers bound for the American Riviera can watch "Beyond the Rooftops: Santa Barbara's Red Tile Walking Tour" to get a preview of historic adobes and more recently constructed buildings that embody the best of the seaside city's Spanish-style architecture, with its wrought-iron details, white walls of adobe or smooth stucco and memorable red tile roofs. Narrated by John O'Hurley (who played catalog king J. Peterman on the TV series "Seinfeld"), the 16-minute-long video podcast leads visitors on a relaxing amble through the oldest part of town, the original Santa Barbara pueblo. Encompassing 12 small, easily navigated blocks, the tour includes 17 stops and 22 historic adobes dating from the late 1700s through the 1800s, plus many of the structures built in the Spanish-revival and Moorish styles mandated by community leaders after the devastating earthquake of 1925. www.santabarbaraCA.com/podcasts.

CURES FOR THE COMMON LIFESTYLE:

Santa Barbara's hospitality community joined forces to offer "Cures for the Common Lifestyle"-special off season savings presented as "cures" to the "lifestyle afflictions" brought on by life in modern times. Whether wired and tired or simply seeking warmth and sunshine during the dark, dreary days of winter, the American Riviera(R) offers a reinvigorating, rejuvenating respite. Remedies for several "ailments" will be available starting November 1, 2007 and valid through March 31, 2008; examples include Grape Deprivitis (Lack of fine wine consumption due to crazy work hours and endless Starbucks runs), Frost-o-Phobia (This chilling disorder has kept you trapped indoors due to a hatred of icicles, hailstorms, and bone-rattling cold fronts) and Sick-of-Cell Anemia (Too much time on your mobile phone has left you without any minutes left for life).

2008 VISITOR MAGAZINE:

The 2008 Santa Barbara Visitor Magazine is hot off the presses and free-for-the-asking via www.santabarbaraCA.com or 800.676.1266. The 120-page glossy magazine features articles by local writers and travel experts and provides a comprehensive overview of everything to do, see and experience in Santa Barbara County. The magazine showcases the Santa Barbara lifestyle and insider tips, from green adventures and culinary tourism to star sleeps and family fun.

INTERNATIONAL PERCUSSION FESTIVAL DEBUTS:

The Santa Barbara Symphony will host the first International Percussion Festival in Santa Barbara, featuring classical, jazz, world/ethnic and other pulsating styles of percussion music January 12-20, 2008. Artists include virtuoso Scottish percussionist Colin Currie; jazz legend Roy Haynes; percussionists from the Santa Barbara Symphony in collaboration with musicians from leading American symphony orchestras (including the Boston Symphony and Metropolitan Opera); UCSB Percussion Ensemble under the leadership of Jon Nathan; plus renowned Grammy award-winning Cuban drummer Luis Cont'e (most recently seen/heard performing on "Dancing With The Stars"); acclaimed San Jose Taiko, the electrifying Japanese-drumming ensemble; and mesmerizing Indian tabla-player Sandeep Das from Yo Yo Ma's "Silk Road Project." There will be many other exciting performances, masterclasses and workshops on various stages throughout Santa Barbara. www.thesymphony.org

FALL HARVEST:

Take in the sights, sounds, smells and excitement of harvest during the Santa Barbara County Vintners' Association's annual Celebration of Harvest (www.sbcountywines.com). The major tasting event takes place October 13th at Rancho Sisquoc, and the Vintners' Visa four-day pass gives wine lovers access to special events and tastings throughout wine country October 12th-15th. Seasonal apple and fruit stands offer fresh produce throughout the Santa Ynez Valley (www.syvva.com). "Pick your own" at Apple Lane Farm, Greenhaven Orchard/Dittmar Farms and Morrell Nut & Berry Farm.

HIGHER LEARNING:

Wine Edventures offers new "Taste of Santa Barbara" tours, presenting an in-depth educational wine experience for visitors looking to go beyond the basics. Taste tours are divided into AVA-specific regions, including the Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Rita Hills and Foxen Canyon, and are designed for smaller, more intimate groups. Reservations required. www.welovewines.com

NEW ON THE F&B SCENE:

The new restaurant in Fess Parker's Wine Country Inn & Spa (www.fessparker.com) is named Restaurant Marcella for Mr. Parker's (of Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone fame) wife, Marcella, and helmed by Executive Chef Shannon Cummins. New to Montecito, Sesto Senso (www.sestosensoca.com), is a wine and carpaccio bar recently opened by the owners of downtown Santa Barbara's Epiphany Restaurant & Bar. The bar explores the concept of "Italian sushi" in a wide-ranging small-plates menu including sea bass, salmon and beef carpaccio as well as caviar, oysters, salads, appetizers, cheese and chocolate.

'TIS THE SEASON IN SANTA BARBARA:

Visit Santa Barbara to soak up holiday cheer and take advantage of stellar shopping without big city crowds. Get a head start on your shopping at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History's Annual Folk & Tribal Arts Marketplace November 30th-December 2nd. Hit the seasonal Yes Store for unique gifts created by local artisans and craftspeople (late November-December 24th). The 53rd Annual Downtown Holiday Parade will light up State Street Friday, December 7th. The holiday spirit takes to the sea Sunday, December 9th for the 20th Annual Harbor Parade of Lights. Casa Del Herrero, a beautifully-preserved Montecito Architectural Heritage site, offers holiday-infused Flora & Fauna and Twilight Tours. Take in a performance of the State Street Ballet's Nutcracker December 15th-16th. In wine country, Solvang's Annual Winterfest Celebration runs November 1st-December 24th and features a multitude of special events and festive activities for the entire family to enjoy.

ON EXHIBIT:

o Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum presents Glass Love: Contemporary Art and Surf on exhibit November 17th-January 13th, 2008. No longer relegated to a few beach communities, surf culture has captivated international audiences, producing a significant body of scholarship and documentation about the sport, its history and genesis, and the philosophies of its participants. Glass Love considers the attention turned to surfing by a new generation of contemporary visual artists. Just as clean, glassy waves allow surfers the perfect conditions to develop their own stylistic nuances, Glass Love takes a moment to consider how contemporary artists are utilizing surf imagery and its metaphors to develop their own stylistic impulses. Artists in this exhibition reference the sustained relationship of surfing and art to explore themes of individuality, mediation and Zen philosophy, and contemporary culture. www.sbcaf.org

o Santa Barbara Museum of Art presents Everyday Luxury: Chinese Silks of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) November 10, 2007 - February 17, 2008. This exhibition will showcase selections from the Museum's collection of Chinese costumes and textiles from the last three hundred years. Comprised of more than 100 works, the exhibition includes official "dragon" robes, women's dress, theatrical garments, interior furnishings, and related accessories. The exhibition will also explore the imagery, forms, techniques, and functions of these wide-ranging textiles in the context of their cultural background. www.sbma.net

HOT DEALS & COOL PACKAGES:

o For the spontaneous midweek shopper, the historic Upham Hotel has an offer too good to pass up: call by noon on the day of arrival to make an overnight midweek reservation, and receive an upgrade to the nicest available guest room at a rate of $165 per night. The overnight rate includes continental breakfast, afternoon wine and cheese and an evening treat before bed. Available Sunday-Thursday evenings through March 2008. www.uphamhotel.com

o El Capitan Canyon's Canyon to Wine Country mid-week package is available through November 29th; the $498 package includes two nights in a Creekside Cabin with king bed, fireplace and a whirlpool tub and a complimentary bottle of "Happy Camper" wine, S'mores Kit and firewood, as well as access to the Canyon's guest amenities. www.elcapitancanyon.com

o Curl up fireside and hibernate from the outside world for a few days of rest, relaxation and rejuvenation as you warm up your winter at Simpson House Inn with Toasty Toes, a winter package. The experience begins with the kindling of a wood burning fireplace followed by a delivery of flavored gourmet hot cocoa in your private garden cottage or carriage house. An escape for a solo traveler looking to get away or a couple looking for a little romance, packages start at $450 per night and are available November 1st-February 29th, 2008. www.simpsonhouseinn.com

o From "Doggie Delights" to "Feline Fancies," Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara goes above and beyond pet-friendly status to offer first-class luxury and service for four-legged travel companions. Its Pampered Pet program offers the finest accommodations, from a full in-room dining menu to play toys to an oversized bed to toiletries and treats, ensuring that pets enjoy the same Four Seasons quality of unsurpassed comfort and relaxation as their owners. www.fourseasons.com/santabarbara.