You Can Take the ‘Like’ out of the California Girl but Not the ‘Awesome’
Hello Jetset Community! This is my first official post, and I’m stoked to start sharing the Santa Barbara love with y’all.
I’m not a surfer, but I grew up in California—a child of the 80’s—and the slang is embedded in my vocabulary. So here I am, in my early 30’s now, and words like “rad” just slip right out. I’ve managed to eradicate the “likes” that peppered my teenage speech. But really, what’s the harm in dating myself and embracing my California heritage by continuing to use adjectives like “awesome” and “stoked”?
Since this is a blog, there’s no need to be formal with my language, right?! In that spirit, I’m going to use this debut post to share five Awesome April Activities on my must-see, must-do, must-taste list for the month.
1. Wild Flower Viewing: We had a rainier than average winter, and the results are splendorous! It’s impossible to miss the wildflowers in bloom right now, as everywhere I turn and drive, there seems to be a splash of yellow, purple or white. The best spots to view wildflowers are hiking front country trails and driving up to Figueroa Mountain in the Santa Ynez Valley. Driving to Jalama State Beach via Highway 101 is also absolute gorgeousness, right now (Plus, you can enjoy a Jalama Burger, once you get to the beach!).
2. Vintners’ Festival: Wine tasting is one of my favorite pastimes, and we’re spoiled with opportunities to swirl, sniff, and sip the good stuff here in Santa Barbara. The annual Santa Barbara County Vintners (April 17th) is a fantastic place to discover new wineries. Over 130 local wineries will be pouring at the afternoon event. The weekend is packed with open houses, winemaker dinners and other cool tasting events at area wineries and restaurants.
Check out their website for tickets and info.
3. Santa Barbara Bowl: The Santa Barbara Bowl is hands-down one of the most spectacular venues to hear live music in the country. The musicians who play the Bowl feel the same way—artists like Jack Johnson, Thom Yorke, Gwen Stefani and Ben Harper personally make sure it’s on their touring schedule. The 2010 season opens this week with Alicia Keys on April 7th. I’m beyond excited for the Thom Yorke/Atoms for Peace show on April 17th, the first show of the season I’m attending!
Keep tabs on the line-up on their website to look for your favorite artists as more shows are announced now through fall.
4. Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival: Santa Barbara held one of the Nation’s first Earth Day celebrations 40 years ago, and this year’s fest presented by the Community Environmental Council has been expanded to run two days (April 17-18). Santa Barbarans are very eco-passionate and the whole community comes out for this fest, which features live music, kids’ activities, loads of vendors and booths, a green car show and much more. You can catch a glimpse of filmmaker James Cameron on the main stage April 18 at 2pm, when he receives CEC’s Environmental Hero Award for his film Avatar. Learn more on their website.
5. Ensemble Theatre’s The Glass Menagerie: I adore Tennessee Williams (one of my favorite authors from high school English classes!) and I love Ensemble Theatre productions—from the material they choose and the talent they use, to the experience of the intimate Alhecama Theatre. So, I am definitely going to see The Glass Menagerie during its run, April 10-May 2! Review the schedule and buy tickets on the web.
I’ll be back next week with a new inside scoop!
For More Information
1.) The Santa Barbara Bowl
1122 North Milpas Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93103-2336
(805) 962-7411
2.) Santa Barbara Country Vintners’ Association
3.) CEC 40th Annual Earth Day Festival
Saturday April 17 and Sunday April 18, 2010
1400 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, CA
4.) The Ensemble Theatre Company
914 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-5400
