The SB Post

Last Minute Labor Day Ideas

Still undecided about how you're going to spend the Labor Day holiday weekend? Well, you're not alone. Most Americans are leaving travel plans to the last minute these days. It's a buyer's market so why not hold out for those steals and deals?!

Spur of the Moment, our summer travel planning tool that was created precisely with this in mind, will be sunsetting next week. That's the first place you should go to find the best available hotel rates in Santa Barbara for Labor Day weekend.  While you're there, be sure to jot down or print out the 2-for-1 activity offers posted so you can take advantage of these fleeting savings.

Okay, so you've got your hotel booked. Now you need to decide how you're going to spend your time here. Santa Barbara is a go-with-the-flow kind of place so you don't want to over plan. However, it's always helpful to have a short list of things to see and do -- and of course, where to eat.  And drink, if wine or microbrews are on your agenda.

The Urban Wine Trail is a slam dunk, guaranteed good time. There are 11 tasting rooms to choose from and they are very close to downtown and waterfront attractions so you can easily insert a tasting or two into your itinerary. (Click here to read an older post that gives the flavor of the UWT.)

If beer perks your palate more so than wine, you're in luck. Telegraph Brewing Company has a cool tasting room next door to Carr Winery in the SoCo neighborhood. And the beer is delicious. You can eat well and get your sip on at The Brew House and Santa Barbara Brewing Co. Both are full service restaurants and pour their own beers, along with brews from around the world.

Eating local is just as accessible as drinking local here. Book a Market Forays culinary tour and cooking class with the ultimate Slow Foodie, Laurence Hauben. She'll introduce you to local fishermen and farmers and share an abundance of tips on how to select the best produce and prepare scrumptious, wholesome meals.

I'm not sure what the weather gods have in store for the holiday weekend, but sun and warm temperatures are typically on the menu. So you're going to want to spend as much time outdoors as possible.

The beach is a no-brainer, and won't put a dent in your budget. If you want to be on the water, head out on a whale watching cruise with the Condor Express. Or a sunset sail with Sunset Kidd. You can learn to sail for yourself with Santa Barbara Sailing Center, or leave the pros at the helm and charter a boat for a day. Paddle surfing and kayak rentals are also easy to come by down at the Harbor and SEA Landing area.

State Street is going to be the ultimate spot for people watching. And can meet your shopping, dining and gallery-going needs!

Those are just a few ideas to keep in mind. We invite you to share your adventures and suggestions with us and your fellow Santa Barbara fans on Facebook. We'd love to hear how you spent your Labor Day weekend in Santa B!

End of Summer Checklist

Labor Day is just two weeks away and with all of the "back to school" talk, teasers for fall television programming in regular rotation and hefty September issue magazines arriving in the mail, it's clear summer is fast coming to a close. Here's a checklist of five Santa Barbara experiences to enjoy while the carefree summer spirit is still in the air:

1. Hit the Beach. Yes, you can enjoy the beach year-round in California. But these are the days when you can spend an entire day at the beach (I'm talking 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and feel highly productive. By simply being at the beach, you're "doing" something. And likely multi-tasking, at that. Whether you sunbathe, surf, swim, walk, play volleyball, read, nap, kayak, skip rocks, hunt for seashells, make sand art or any combination of the above, a full beach day can be quite an accomplishment. Check out our "Five Stellar Beaches" post for a guide to our top local beaches.
2. Dine Outdoors. Make the most of optimal al fresco dining conditions. Plan a picnic, BBQ at the beach or reserve a patio table at your restaurant of choice. The Mission Rose Garden and Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens are prime picnic spots. Leadbetter Beach and Goleta Beach both have great BBQ set-ups. And restaurants with patios are plentiful.
3. Go Camping. Camping is a classic summer experience. The beach campsites are very booked up in the summer but it's not a lost cause. Gaviota and Jalama beaches are easier to get into than El Capitan, Carpinteria and Refugio. There are also private campgrounds like Ocean Mesa, which is on the same site of "glamping" hot spot El Capitan Canyon. Inland, Cachuma Lake offers RV hook-ups, yurts and cabins, in addition to traditional campsites. If you want a camping experience without doing any of "the dirty work" yourself, look into Santa Barbara Silver Safari and Vacation Trailers 2 U.
4. Catch a Show at the Santa Barbara Bowl. Live music venues simply don't get much better than the Santa Barbara Bowl. The 4,562-seat amphitheater is nestled in Santa Barbara's foothills and there's not a bad seat in the house - some even grant ocean views. It's a long-standing favorite of music fans and international rock stars alike. The season is more than half way over but it typically stretches into November, so there are many opportunities left to catch a show. Upcoming gigs include Norah Jones with Corrine Bailey Rae (8/24), David Gray & Ray LaMontagne (9/5), Phoenix (9/19), Further featuring Phil Lesh & Bob Weir (9/20), Willie Nelson & Family (9/23), Maroon 5 (10/6), Jason Mraz (10/8), Van Morrison (10/9), Jack Johnson (10/13 & 14) and Massive Attack & Thievery Corporation (11/5). And more shows will be announced in the next month.
5. See Chaotic Harmony. This exhibit makes the list because it will end September 19, so see it while you still can! Here's the description provided by the Santa Barbara Museum of Art: "The first major exhibition in the United States of photographs made by contemporary Korean artists presently living in Korea, Chaotic Harmony: Contemporary Korean Photography opens a window into the rapidly expanding field of photographic practice in the Republic of Korea, known in the West as South Korea. Bringing together work by 40 contemporary photographers, this exhibition surveys the range of contemporary issues through the themes of family, urbanization, globalization, identity and nature. Co-organized by the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, this groundbreaking exhibition is not a presentation on "Koreanness," although issues of cultural and personal identity are strong components. Rather, it is an attempt to identify Korea as a source of complex and stimulating visual ideas expressed through the medium of photography." It's well worth taking a break from sun and fun to check it out!

All Signs Point to Root 246

I recently experienced Bradley Ogden's Root 246 restaurant at Hotel Corque in Solvang for the first time. It's absolutely shameful it took me so long to check it out. Since opening in spring of 2009, all I've heard is raves from friends and colleagues. The food critic from the Los Angeles Times even made the drive - well out of their regular jurisdiction - and deemed it "splendid." It's one of those places I felt comfortable recommending to people without firsthand knowledge, but it was time to make an honest evangelist out of myself and do the "research."

Entering the restaurant, I was initially struck by the interior design, which is not what you would expect to find in Solvang. So modern for the traditionally Danish-style village! Earthy undertones and accents keep the contemporary look from seeming altogether out of place...organic modern is an apt description. There are a handful of different spaces to settle into depending on what you're in the mood for:  the outdoor patio, bar, lounge, formal dining room and private dining room. And there's also a chef's table in the kitchen, which can seat four and offers a front row view of the chefs and service team in action.

Just as "organic modern" describes the interior décor, it also captures the vibe of the cuisine. The ingredients are super fresh and locally sourced, resulting in a dynamic menu that changes weekly, if not daily. (Freshness is really guaranteed because the only freezer in the kitchen is used to keep the ice cream frozen.) Bradley Ogden is a true celebrity chef with at least ten award-winning restaurants to his name. He's very hands-on with Root 246 and is often seen interacting with guests. His strong farm-to-table ethos is evident in the seasonal menu of artistically presented dishes that are as pleasurable to look at as they are to eat!

We started with the heirloom tomato, watermelon and mozzarella salad as well as the blue cheese soufflé with strawberries and arugula. For the main, a saffron-hinted sweet summer corn risotto topped with dragon tongue beans. Being in wine country, it wouldn't be a proper meal without a nice glass of local wine. It was hot outside and I wanted something crisp and refreshing so I had the Curran Grenache Blanc upon our server's well-chosen recommendation. In addition to being introduced to Root 246, I was also quite pleased to meet this delightful white wine! (I've since located the very reasonably-priced wine for sale at Lazy Acres.)

It may have taken me a long while to get to Root 246, but I definitely plan to make up for lost time based on my first experience. In the words of our Governor, "I'll be back."

Viva la Fiesta

Old Spanish Days Fiesta, Santa Barbara's biggest, spiciest, liveliest community tradition, kicked off yesterday (August 4) and the festivities will conclude Sunday night (August 8). Don't let the name fool you. Fiesta actually celebrates Santa Barbara's multi-cultural heritage, predominantly Native American Indian, Mexican and Spanish. The party has been an annual affair since 1924 and draws tens of thousands of visitors from near and far. Locals live for it. Think of it as Santa Barbara's PG-rated equivalent to Mardi Gras.

Five days of rodeo and horse shows, equestrian parades, countless dance performances, colorful parties and "cantinas", spirited live music and delectable Spanish and Mexican cuisine give locals and visitors alike plentiful opportunities to get in on the action. In addition to the official festival events, downtown bars and night clubs on and off State Street pack in the revelers. Many restaurants offer special Fiesta menus and those with inviting outdoor patios like Carlitos and El Paseo are sure to be packed all weekend long.

Here are a few tips to help you celebrate Fiesta like a local:

1. Greet everyone with the declaration "Viva la".
2. Dress for the occasion. Women add flowers to their hair and wear embroidered peasant blouses and flowing skirts. For the men, a Guayabera-style shirt is a safe bet. The flamenco style is also popular for both men and women, especially for the more formal evening events.
3. Beautifully painted cascarones (eggs) can be bought by sellers walking State Street and at various event venues. They are filled with confetti. If someone smashes one over your head it's actually considered good luck. So, if you end up with rainbow confetti in your hair, just consider it your Fiesta "flair".

Check out the complete Fiesta event line-up at www.oldspanishdays-fiesta.org. Viva la!