November 2009 Short Cuts:

Santa Barbara Travel News & Story Ideas

WE WANT 24 MORE! — The winter season just upgraded to "extra fabulous" status for savvy travelers and weekenders. Santa Barbara is jumping on the 3^rd night free bandwagon! (Why reinvent the wheel when this format rolls out so smoothly?) Consumers want value, so we're giving them an extra 24 hours to enjoy Santa Barbara when they book two nights at one of 20 participating properties. In addition to 24 More, travelers to Santa Barbara this winter can take advantage of special Explore 24 deals and savings at 20+ local attractions, restaurants, wineries and more. Every week, new offers will be posted on explore24santabarbara.com for download, helping visitors to make the most of every minute they spend in Santa Barbara. The promotion will go live November 16 and the offers are good through March 31, 2010. Note to media: the website will be populated with offers November 16^th.

FILM FEST NEWS FLASH — Colin Firth is the first honoree to be announced by Santa Barbara International Film Festival for the 25^th edition of the Fest, which runs February 4-14, 2010. He will receive the "Outstanding Performance of the Year Award" on February 13, for his striking performance in Tom Ford's romantic drama, A SINGLE MAN. We can't wait to hear the rest of the talent in store! Tickets are on sale now. If you live outside of California, be sure to visit Chopin Vodka's Facebook page to enter to win a VIP trip to Santa Barbara for the 2010 Fest! sbiff.org

HAPPY CANYON TURNS UP THE HEAT — In October, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara was officially designated anAmerican Viticultural Area (AVA). Happy Canyon joins the Santa Barbara County line-up of Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley distinct AVA's. Happy Canyon is a growing area situated on the far eastern, much warmer side of the Santa Ynez Valley. Bordeaux varietals like cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, malbec, petite verdot and sauvignon blanc thrive in Happy Canyon's vineyards because temperatures here climb to Napa Valley highs. (Fortunately, the price points don't follow suit!) According to Nick DeLuca, winemaker for Star Lane Vineyard, "Happy Canyon feels significantly less of the marine influence than the rest of the valley. Our peak temperatures are often 10 degrees warmer than Santa Ynez Valley proper, we hit our peak temperature earlier in the day and we experience several more sunshine hours due to the lack of fog. Humidity is much lower in Happy Canyon. Consequently, we experience a far more radical swing in diurnal temperature." (If you're a true wine geek, click here to read the nitty gritty details of the area's unique attributes in the Federal Register.) Wines produced from Happy Canyon fruit can be sampled at tasting rooms throughout the county, including the Star Lane/Dierberg tasting room in rural Lompoc and the soon-to-open The Alliance tasting room at the Wine Cask Wine Shop (see below). Labels to look for include 3CV Wines, Barrack, Chukker, Cimarone, Edge, Piocho, Star Lane and Vogelzang. happycanyonava.com

LOCAL DISH — Renaud's Patisserie & Bistro (renaudsbakery.com) opened a second location at 1324 State Street, closer to the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, set in the picturesque Arlington Plaza across from the Arlington Theatre. The authentic French café and bakery serves breakfast and lunch daily, and the pastries are heavenly. Wine Cask (winecask.com) reopens November 16. Locals are thrilled about the return of the elegant main dining room and the late night dining option at the bar-café. The Alliance tasting bar in the revamped Wine Cask Wine Shop will be pouring Margerum Wine Company and a rotating line-up of boutique producers, becoming the latest addition to the downtown Urban Wine Trail. Municipal Winemakers (municipalwinemakers.com)is also joining the Urban Wine Trail soon, with a tasting space directly behind Kunin Winery in the Funk Zone, on target for a January 2010 opening.

WALK THIS WAY…WITH SANTA BARBARA WALKING TOURS — One of the great perks of Santa Barbara is how pedestrian friendly it is. And what better way to soak up the sights, smells and sounds of The American Riviera than on a guided walking tour? A new company that specializes in just that, Santa Barbara Walking Tours offers innovative walking tours designed to help discover the art, history and distinct personalities of Santa Barbara's storied neighborhoods. Owner Ellen Durham grew up in Santa Barbara, and as a local, has always been fascinated by the city's beauty and rich cultural offerings. An avid traveler hooked on walking tours, she decided to follow her passion and find a way to share more of her beloved city with others. So now visitors can "step beyond the ordinary" to explore the city through the eyes of Santa Barbara Walking Tours' knowledgeable, passionate and experienced guides, who unravel the many layers of Santa Barbara's rich artistic heritage and cultural history through engaging and informative narratives. Each walk is designed for the inquisitive and curious with the goal of revealing a side of Santa Barbara that most people have never experienced. SantaBarbaraWalkingTours.com

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE — Looking for a Valentine's Day-February hook? It's hard not be in the mood for love on The American Riviera! Santa Barbara is steeped in romantic history, from the nuptials of Hollywood icons like Sir Laurence Olivier, Clark Gable and Rock Hudson to the weddings of modern day leading ladies like Gwyneth Paltrow, Sandra Bullock and Mira Sorvino. Thousands of "regular" folk wed here every year, too. Not only is Santa Barbara one of the top destination wedding locations in the country, it's also a honeymoon hotspot (we have JFK and Jackie O. to thank for starting the trend) and a popular romantic getaway. Several hotels offer romance packages year-round with enhancements like in-room chocolates, wine and champagne and perks like breakfast in bed, late check-out, dinners and couples massages. SantaBarbaraCA.com

EVENT CALENDAR

·December 3-27: Ensemble Theatre presents Trying. ensembletheatre.com

·December 4:  57th Annual Downtown Holiday Parade lights up State Street with holiday cheer. santabarbaradowntown.com

·December 4-6:  Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History's 23rd Annual Folk & Tribal Arts Marketplace. sbnature.org

·December 5: More snow, more sledding and more fun this year at the Santa Barbara Zoo's Sledding at the Zoo & Snow Leopard Festival. sbzoo.org

·December 6:The first annual Santa Barbara International Marathon starts 1 mile west of Camino Real Marketplace in Goleta and ends at Leadbetter Beach.sbmarathon.com

·December 11-13: Santa Barbara Revels presents "The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of Winter Solstice" at Marjorie Luke Theatre. santabarbararevels.org

·December 12-19: Lit Moon Theatre presents Humbug at Center Stage Theater. litmoon.com

·December 12-13: State Street Ballet presents The Nutcracker at The Granada. granadasb.org

·December 13: 24th Annual Harbor Parade of Lights including festive touches like carolers, Santa Claus and kids' activities in Santa's Village.

·December 20-January 3: Santa Barbara Theatre presents Leonard Bernstein's Peter Pan at The Lobero.sbtheatre.org

·December 31: Santa Barbara Symphony annual New Year's Eve Pops Concert at The Granada. thesymphony.org

·January 30-May 2, 2010: Delacroix to Monet: Masterpieces of 19^th-Century Painting from the Walters Art Museum at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. sbma.net

·February 4-14, 2010:The Santa Barbara International Film Festival rolls out the red carpet for its 25^th year. sbiff.org

·March 12-14, 2010:As seen in the film Adaptation, commercial and amateur orchid growers from the US and around the world will display thousands of their most perfect orchids at the 65^th annual Santa Barbara International Orchid Show.sborchidshow.com

·March 19-21, 2010:Savor the "Danish Capital of North America" during Taste of Solvang.solvangusa.com

·April 17, 2010: Annual Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival at River Park in the Sta. Rita Hills. sbcountywines.com

·April 22, 2010: Celebrate Earth Day in its hometown at the annual South Coast Earth Day Festival at Alameda Park. sbearthday.org