ButtercuP Diner: Raising The Bar On A Family-Style Restaurant
Their passion is contagious, and the food at this family-style restaurant is delectably yummy. I felt invigorated and satiated after eating a hearty breakfast and meeting Debbie and Ben Shahvar, a mother and son team who are part of the ButtercuP Diner family. With five restaurants, it takes a family to run the business. That […]
Arroyo Grande: The Perfect Roost For A Weekend Getaway
The Village of Arroyo Grande is a quaint small town just south of San Luis Obispo off Highway 101. Arroyo Grande is one of the Five Cities, including Pismo Beach, Shell Beach, Grover Beach, and Oceano. The town’s agrarian roots echo with the ever-present roosters, the town mascots, who reside along the creek behind the […]
Piedra Creek Winery: Lagrein At Its Best
From grandfather to grandson, Piedra Creek Winery represents one of the smallest bonded wineries in the Edna Valley. Today, the winery is known primarily for producing Lagrein, a red grape variety from the Alto Adige region of Italy. The production might be small, but the wines are mighty in their own right. Romeo Zuech Founder […]
National Rosé Day 2022: From Pét-Nat to Rosé
At this time of the year, I love to travel the world through a glass of Rosé. This year is no different as National Rosé Day 2022 approaches. Rosé comes in many forms, and this year my suggestions will include some Pét-nat. National Rosé Day 2022 With Pét-nat Pét-nat stands for Pétillant-natural, a French term […]
Father’s Day 2022: Celebrating With Chilean Red Wine
Father’s Day 2022 is just around the corner, and when I think of celebrating our fathers, I think of an afternoon or early evening barbecue with hamburgers, grilled chicken, or a juicy steak. I am thinking of pairing hearty Chilean red wine with a fathers’ day meal this year. Here are some Father’s Day wine […]
Alma Rosa Winery: The Best of Sta. Rita Hills
Although under different ownership, the backbone of Alma Rosa Winery still harks back to its beginnings with Richard Sanford, one of the pioneers of Santa Barbara Wine Country. Richard forged the roads to bring the Sta. Rita Hills on the map by establishing and planting one of the first vineyards in the area in 1971. […]
The Baker’s Table: The Place to Rise, Shine, and Break Bread
When talking about passion and the art of bread making, Amy Dixon has it all. Walking into The Baker’s Table, the artisan bakery and cafe in Santa Ynez, you are welcomed by the pleasant aromas of homemade bread drifting throughout the dining area. Those were my words for describing the café in 2013. Today you […]
Finding Synchronicity in San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande
Places I Love usually involve all my senses; taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing. Like wine and grape growing, it involves terroir and that sense of place. This connection is dear to me, especially visiting the destinations of San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande. My journey begins the minute I exit the tunnel on Highway […]
Spring Wine: 12 Wines to Savor this Season
Springtime is the perfect time to enjoy all sorts of wine, from whites to reds. Spring is also the time for bud break and the beginning of a new vintage. The weather is ever-changing, so a heavier red still works, whereas, on a nice warm spring day, a refreshing white can be ideal. Join me […]
Budding Vines Heralds Spring Travel
In wine speak, the cycle of life for the vine begins in the spring. The vineyard starts to come to life as bud break approaches after laying barren and dormant during the winter. It is a new beginning and a new vintage and signals a time when I am ready to explore what the vineyards […]