Home Port: Santa Barbara

More From the Garden Volunteers

2009-10-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest statement from the former volunteers at the S.B. Botanic Garden.

St. Joan

2009-10-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

She walks in sunlight, reflecting Truth. St. Catherine and the Archangel Michael speak to her, Honesty and Loyalty are her constant companions. Her strength is her simplicity. Asked at her trial if she knew she was in God's grace, she answered: "If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me." The question was a subtle trap; the answer, according to a witness, stupefied her interrogators.

Walk upright in the sunlight and keep Honesty and Loyalty with you always and you will never fail.

Ashes to Art

2009-10-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

I attended the "Ashes to Art" show at the Botanic Garden. Sadly, my batteries failed, and my spare batteries turned out to be dead also. So these are all the photos I was able to take. The show was nice, though...

Happy Canyon AVA formed

2009-10-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

Wes Hagen has done it again! He's the winemaker from Clos Pepe who wrote the petition that got the Sta Rita Hills AVA formed. Now he's succeeded with the Happy Canyon AVA! You can read all about it here. I'll just excerpt this small section of the article:

"Presently, six vineyards dot the Happy Canyon landscape: Cimarone, Grassini, Happy Canyon, McGinley (formerly Westerly), Star Lane and Vogelzang. While they make wines under their own labels, their effect is wide ranging because many sell grapes to well known wineries such as Rusack, Ojai, Margerum, Fiddlehead, Brander, Carhartt and Babcock."

A Visit to Foxen

2009-10-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Foxen has opened their new production facility...a three-building complex which includes a warehouse, a barrel room, and a tasting room. I had a chance to take a little tour with Dick and Jenny.

It all looks lovely. You can find more photos here.

Teshuva

2009-09-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

The whole point of the period from Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur is to
engage in teshuva. Usually translated as "repentance", teshuva really
means "turn" (or "return"). Repentance is just one part of the process.

Teshuva is tied up with the concept of sin, or het. Het is a term from
archery, and it literally means "missing the mark".

When you see that you have missed the mark, you must turn yourself so
that you aim can be true again. Teshuva is a five-step process: you
must confess the sin; if the sin was committed against another person
you must ask that person's forgiveness; you must cease to commit the
sin; you must regret the sin (and make restitution if possible); you
must resolve never to commit the sin again.

The mark of true teshuva is that you actually do change your behavior.
This is not ultimately about how you feel about your actions -- it is
about the actions themselves.

Rabbi Eliezer said: "Repent one day before your death." His disciples
asked him, "Does then one know on what day he will die?" "All the more
reason he should repent today, lest he die tomorrow" (Shabbat 153a).

SB Hort Society Plant Sale

2009-09-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos of the Hort Society sale:

You can see more here.

L'Shana Tova!

2009-09-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely round challah for our Erev Rosh Ha'shanah dinner last night...

...and a delicious bottle of Ambullneo 2005 "Bulldog" Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley.

It was served with roast duck in a pinot noir/cherry reduction sauce, with (not pictured) baked stuffed acorn squash, sauteed Italian squash, and a peach cobbler. Hope you all are having a sweet new year!

Fog at the Harbor

2009-09-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

A high tide and a dense fog shrouded the harbor in an air of mystery this morning. Here are a few photos. You can find more here.

Road to Nowhere

2009-09-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

Well we know where were goin
But we dont know where weve been
And we know what were knowin
But we cant say what weve seen
And were not little children
And we know what we want
And the future is certain
Give us time to work it out

--Talking Heads

A Stroll Through the Botanic Garden

2009-09-12T12:44:00.001-07:00

I took a brief walk through the Botanic Garden this morning. There were some turtles out:

I saw the "Maze" that has been erected. Frankly, I can't figure out what it is doing there or what it is supposed to be.

From the inside it looks like a cage...

Love Is a Rose

2009-09-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

Love is a rose but you better not pick it
Only grows when it's on the vine
Handful of thorns and you'll know you've missed it
Lose your love when you say the word mine

-- Neil Young

Xena

2009-08-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

In a time of ancient Gods, Warlords, and Kings
A land in turmoil cried out for a hero
She was Xena, a mighty princess forged in the heat of battle
The power
The passion
The danger
Her courage will change the world

Magen David

2009-08-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

A Brief Meditation on the Magen David

This interesting image combines the Magen David with the yin/yang symbol.

The Magen David (Shield of David) is one of the world's oldest and most powerful symbols. Composed of two equilateral triangles welded together and covered with bull's hide, the shield was (comparatively) light and extremely strong. It protected against sword blows from any direction. It also could be mass-produced easily from iron rods, thus enabling an entire army to be equipped quickly and inexpensively.

The term "Magen David" appears in the prayerbook in the blessings following the Haftorah reading. The term refers to G-d, who shielded David in battle; it may be a reference to Psalm 18, in which David compares G-d to a shield.

The Magen David can also represent the number seven -- the six points plus the center (where the shield would be held). In Eschol Ha-kofer Judah Hadassi writes: "Seven names of angels precede the mezuzah: Michael, Gabriel, etc. ... Tetragrammaton protect you! And likewise the
sign, called the 'Shield of David', is placed beside the name of each angel."

Kabalists maintain that the six points of the shield plus the center represent the seven directions (Up, Down, East, West, South, North, and Center). In the Zohar it is said to represent the six sephirot of the male united with the seven sephirot of the female.

Many have noted that the two triangles can be seen as uniting heaven and earth. The warrior's feet are planted on the ground while his spirit aims at the heavens; the warrior's spirit is grounded above but aimed at earthly victory.

The triangle of course is the strongest geometric figure. To meditate on the double triangle of the Magen David at the start of an enterprise is to invoke spiritual and physical strength to one's service.

To Boudicea

2009-08-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Once more you go into battle
For your honor
For your freedom
For your life

But where is your enemy to be found?
There is one who had claims on you
Who swore vows of loyalty
Of love everlasting
And now although those vows are broken
Still wants your allegiance

But that one is but a trifle
A moment's trouble
An illusion

Your true enemy is within
Find your own way
Fight your own battle
Make your own world
And love will find you once again

New Photos of the Kitties

2009-08-29T14:18:00.001-07:00

The kittens are growing bigger every day. Here are a couple of new photos:

A Visit to Beylik Family Farm

2009-08-28T15:42:00.000-07:00

The Beylik Family Farm in Fillmore grows tomatoes and cucumbers hydroponically. They also have heirloom tomatoes and peppers which are field grown. They sell exclusively at Farmers' Markets. We visited them at their annual open house last weekend.

Above is a row of young tomato plants. As the vines grow longer the strings are extended, and the vines are clipped onto them. The "rails" down the center of the row are heating pipes, used in the winter. They also serve to carry an electric cart that can be used to harvest tomatoes or to maintain the strings.

Here are mature vines with tomatoes ready for picking. These vines are 20-30' in length at this point.

Here are finished tomatoes ready for sale. Not your everyday supermarket product!

Measure B Opposition Grows

2009-08-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting video created by Peikert Group Architects regarding the proposed 40' height limit:

Botanic Garden Management Goes Hardline

2009-08-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a letter from the Botanic Garden Management to the volunteers. Pretty strange stuff, if you ask me...

Winegrowers and the La Brea Fire

2009-08-15T17:02:00.001-07:00

People are wondering what effect the La Brea fire will have on winegrowers. For those vineyards in the Sta Rita Hills, or in the Santa Ynez Valley, I would not expect any effect other than ash on the vines. The real issue is for those in the western area of the Santa Maria Valley -- especially in Colson Canyon, the Byron Vineyards (including the historic Nielson Vineyard), and the plantings at Rancho Sisquoc. We'll be watching these areas closely.

Tepusquet Canyon Evacuated

2009-08-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

All of Tepusquest Canyon from SM Mesa Road to Highway 166 is under mandatory evacuation order, although the fire remains several miles away. I certainly feel for my former neighbors up there. The latest Inciweb story is posted here.

Fire Map

2009-08-13T16:51:00.001-07:00

With the La Brea Fire (shown here in orange) dropping ash on Santa Barbara, it's instructive to see all the recent fires brought together here in one map. The Zaca Fire is the large red area; the Gap Fire is in blue; the Tea Fire is the smaller red area to the lower right; and the Jesusita Fire is in purple.

Wine Cask to Reopen

2009-08-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

As reported here in June, Doug Margerum will be working with a partner to reopen the Wine Cask Restaurant along with the Intermezzo Wine Bar. According to this posting today by "The Restaurant Guy, Doug's partner in the venture is Mitchell Sjerven, owner of Santa Barbara restaurants Bouchon and Seagrass. Clearly the duo know a think or two about the Santa Barbara dining scene. I wish them luck, and I'm already saving my dimes so I can be there!

From "For a Rocker"

2009-08-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna tell you something I found out
Whatever you think your life is about
Whatever life may hold in store
Things will happen that you wont be ready for

-- Jackson Browne

Fiesta Parade

2009-08-08T10:20:00.000-07:00

The Fiesta Parade began with the colors and a flyby by a US Navy C-130 aircraft. There were dancing horses, carriages, and floats. One pair of horses pulling a carriage got spooked, and a spectator was injured. Everyone else seemed to have a good time. You can find more pictures here.

"Stuck in the Middle With You"

2009-08-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well I don't know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain't right,
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs,
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you,
Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you,
Stuck in the middle with you.

--J. EGAN and GERRY RAFFERTY

Greek Festival 2009

2009-08-03T11:40:00.001-07:00

Gold Dust Women

2009-07-31T13:54:00.001-07:00

Did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
Is it over now- do you know how
Pick up the pieces and go home?

-- Stevie Nicks

New Farmers Market at Harding School

2009-07-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

The Farmers Market opened at Harding School yesterday, and I was on hand to take some pictures. Candidates David Pritchett and Helene Schneider were on hand gathering petition signatures. There was a pretty good crowd, and everyone seemed happy. We all hope this will be a successful market.

Ledbetter Beach / Fog

2009-07-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

The Kitties Have Names Now...

2009-07-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

Spitfire

Sugar Plum

Tour de France 2009

2009-07-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

Well the Tour is over, and we can all go back to our everyday lives without worrying about the drama between Lance and Alberto, or whether Mark was robbed, or how Mont Ventoux will affect the ride. As always it was a great race, and we're looking forward to what 2010 will bring.

Kittie Report

2009-07-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

We let the kittens out of the cage overnight, and by morning they were hiding under the bed. It seems easier to leave them there than to try to get them out...they'll come out when they get hungry. So there are no new photos today!

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-07-22T10:21:00.000-07:00

...That would be my house! These kittens are definitely wild!

So we had them confined in a wire cage, and bedded them down for the night with a warm towel, food & water, and a mini litter box. Some time in the night I was awakened by a loud crash. I got out of bed to investigate, and the kittens were out of the cage! Apparently they had been able to bend the wire door and escape.

There were bits of furniture upholstery all over the house. In the guest bedroom the pillows were disarranged and a few things knocked over. One of the cats had thrown up on the bedspread. In the office half the items on the desk were on the floor, and some things that had been leaning against the wall were flat on the floor with them -- surely that was the crash I had heard.

We found one cat huddling in a bookcase in the dining room. She ran from us -- around the dining room and out through the kitchen into the bedroom -- zooming like a crazy cat. We closed the bedroom door to block her escape, and she ran into the bathroom. Even better! We closed the bathroom door. She zoomed into the shower, then up onto the sink top where finally we captured her.

She seemed happy enough to be held in my arms. I petted her and comforted her a little, and then we carried her back to the cage. She acted willing to go in, until she was right at the door where suddenly she bolted again! She ran into the office and disappeared; we closed the office door.

There are lots of lovely places in this office for a little kitten to hide, and we had to search pretty carefully. But we found them -- yes, them! Both kittens were huddled together under the futon. We pulled them out one at a time, calmed them down, and put them back into the cage. This time we made sure the door was secure.

This is going to be an adventure for all of us.

Kitties!

2009-07-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

We have acquired two new kittens...sisters born to a feral cat. These two kittens were captured three or four weeks ago, and now through a complicated series of events they are ours. Right now they are in a cage in our house, but they'll be running free just as soon as they get used to us.

New Letter from the Botanic Garden Volunteers

2009-07-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Below is a letter Bill Lewis has sent to the Botanic Garden Trustees on behalf of Garden Volunteers participating in the Moratorium....

Gary and the Board of Trustees

On behalf of the moratorium volunteers, we thank you, Fife, and John for spending the time to meet with us on Friday July 3rd.

You commented aptly that the Garden was facing a "Perfect Storm" : a confluence of challenging events affecting the garden, all hitting in the same season. Most elements of this storm are self evident: a global economic downturn that has impacted countries, institutions, and individuals, that has, of course, also impacted the Garden's financial situation; the Garden's wealth has been depleted by the extraordinary costs of Ed's pursuit of the Vital Mission Plan; staff firings that, in the face of long term efforts by the volunteers to improve communication with Garden's administration, became the catalyst for a volunteer moratorium that continues today; in addition, the fire that did extensive damage to the garden, requiring greatly increased staff time...

You can read the rest of the letter here.

Interesting sport

2009-07-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

This is from an official City publication:

"Santa Barbara Fiesta Meet

Rules of Events
Beach Flags
• When laying down, competitors fingers must be overlapping and there heals must be touching."

I can see laying down my overlapping fingers, but "there heals"...?

Chrome Plated Heart

2009-07-19T08:06:00.001-07:00

I got a chrome-plated heart
I got wings on these fingers trying to tear it apart
I got angels crying from up above
And they got rust in their eyes
They got rust on their love
But I have learned to leave no stone unturned
And keep the wall against my back
And the love is real as the day is long
And the night is black
As black as night

I got a two dollar stare
Midas in my touch and Delilah in my hair
I got bad intentions on the soles of my shoes
With this red hot fever and these chromium blues
And I will feel another lovers wheel
And drive for miles and not look back
And the love is real as the day is long
And the night is black
As black as night

And I'll dance in time and the times are rough
And I'll pay the price and I'll pray that it's enough
And just outside the door where it always rains
I'll take the time to polish these scratches and these stains

On my chrome-plated heart
Wings on these fingers trying to tear it apart
I got angels crying from up above
And they got rust in their eyes
They got rust on their love
And the only way I know where the train will go
Is when I'm sleeping on the tracks
And the love is real as the day is long
And the night is black
As black as night
And the night is black
As black as night

-- Melissa Etheridge

Here Comes the Sun

2009-07-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right

-- George Harrison

Caterpillar Dreams

2009-07-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

Does a caterpillar, safe in his cocoon, dream of flying? I think not -- what does he know of flying? I think he dreams of crawling through endless fields of sweet green leaves... He's going to be in for a surprise!

Dear Prudence

2009-07-15T11:06:00.001-07:00

Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence won't you come out to play

-- Lennon/McCartney

Butterflies Alive !

2009-07-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

I visited the Natural History Museum to see their Butterflies Alive! exhibit, and here are some photos. There are more photos here.

Melon With Wings

2009-07-09T09:32:00.001-07:00

Melon Ba'al Canaf - "Melon with Wings"
Yield: 4 servings

2 sm Cantaloupes
1/4 c Oil
2 c Raw chicken or turkey meat chopped
1 T Cumin
1 t Salt
Pepper to taste
2 c Green onions; chopped
1/3 c Parsley; chopped
1/4 c Fresh lemon juice
2 c Cooked rice

Cut each melon in half; remove seeds. Scoop out pulp and reserve. Dust chicken with cumin. Heat oil in a skillet and saute chicken or turkey. Add salt and pepper, and continue to saute until poultry is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Blend in green onions, parsley and lemon juice; continue cooking until onions are soft. Remove from flame and cool.

Add rice to cooled chicken mixture; stuff melon cavities. Chop up 1 cup of reserved melon pulp and place on top. Put stuffed melons into an ovenproof dish; bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

The authors write: "Melon Ba'al Canaf is a dish that is said to disappear as soon as it is placed on the table, as though it had wings."

From The Yemenite Cookbook by Zion Levi and Hani Agabria.

Mission Creek

2009-07-08T09:02:00.001-07:00

The City has done a great job of cleaning up this area. Doesn't it look nice?

Alternative Art Show

2009-07-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

I went to the "Old Mission Alternative Art Show" on Saturday. Here are a few photos:

Happy Independence Day !!

2009-07-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

First Thursday: Grape Juice

2009-07-04T15:35:00.000-07:00

We stopped at the Imagine Gallery on Canon Perdido Street. There was an artist's reception for photographer Robert Redfield, and they were pouring some varietal grape juices under the label "First Blush". We tried the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Chardonnay -- liked them both. However, I think you can find similar juices in simpler packaging for much less money at the Farmers' Market.

First Thursday: Music Academy

2009-07-03T17:20:00.001-07:00

S

The Music Academy was offering several performances as part of "First Thursday", and we caught two horn ensembles. We also spotted an artist sketching one of the players.

You Balance the Budget

2009-06-30T17:53:00.000-07:00

On the eve of California's budget deadline, here's an interesting exercise courtesy of the LA Times: You Balance the Budget [opens in new window].

Morning Fog

2009-06-29T11:55:00.001-07:00

I went down to the harbor the other day, just before the morning fog had burned off. Here are a few photos:

Seasons

2009-06-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

To everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under the sun.
A time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill and a time to heal ...
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance ...
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to lose and a time to seek;
a time to rend and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A Dinner Party

2009-06-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

The other day we were joined for a small dinner party by some old friends, many of whom had lived together here in Santa Barbara in the early '70s. Mrs. Haley prepared sauteed salmon with a shrimp sauce, served with garlic potatoes and asparagus. For appetizers we had "bites" from Trader Joe's, and guacamole. For dessert there was fresh fruit on ice cream.

With the appetizers we poured the Longoria 2007 Chardonnay, Sta Rita Hills, a tasty white wine with flavors of citrus and melon, and just a hint of minerality . With dinner we had the Seasmoke 2006 Pinot Noir "Southing", a lovely example of fruit-forward Pinot Noir from the Sta Rita Hills. And finally with dessert we enjoyed the Quady "Electra", a red muscat dessert wine from Madera.

Clos Pepe Vineyard

2009-06-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

Wes Hagen, of Clos Pepe, graciously allowed us to gather a few grape leaves from the vineyard. We went out on a beautiful afternoon last week and picked a couple of hundred large leaves, and took a few photographs as well.

Solstice!

2009-06-20T19:05:00.000-07:00

Solstice was great as always. The parade began with live Tetris pieces, and ran for over an hour from there. This year's theme was "SPLASH!". More photos here [opens in new window].

All God's Critters

2009-06-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

All God's critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low, some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands, or paws
Or anything they got.

-- by Bill Staines

News From Foxen

2009-06-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

We went up to Foxen the other day, and had a chance to see the progress on their new facility. It looks quite snazzy. Hopefully by expanding their production and storage capacity they will be able to more nearly meet their demand -- right now they have many more people wanting to join one of their clubs than they have wine for!

They also were pouring their first ever rose. This one, unofficially called "The Watermelon", is a rose of Mourvedre.

And check out their new labels! From now on their Bordeaux blends and Sangiovese will be labeled as "Foxen 7200, as a way of differentiating them from the Burgundy and Rhone varieties.

Wine Cask Update

2009-06-16T08:47:00.001-07:00

I ran into Doug Margerum at the Futures Tasting, and I asked him what he could tell me about plans for the Wine Cask. He said he was very hopeful it would be able to reopen under new ownership, perhaps as early as September. He will not be involved as an owner, but may have a consultant role.

There's been a lot of buzz in Santa Barbara regarding the Wine Cask, and we all wish them well.

Another Voice from the Botanic Garden

2009-06-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

Landscape architect Owen Dell offers some thoughts in the Independent that are worth considering.

2009 Santa Barbara County Futures Tasting

2009-06-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Santa Barbara County Wine Futures Tasting was held under the auspices of The Winehound on Saturday, and I was there to take pictures and do some tasting. I focused primarily on the Burgundian grapes that make our area so special.

In the wonderful w0rld of Chardonnay, I was immediately drawn to the 2007 Au Bon Climat Estate Chardonnay. It offered citrus and honey notes on the nose and on the palate, with some solid oak behind it. I also enjoyed the Melville 2008 "Donna's Vineyard" Chardonnay, slightly toasty with a mineral note. Brewer-Clifton was showing two wonderful 2008 Chardonnays: the 2008 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, lush and viscous with a hint of flowery perfume; and the 2008 Gnesa Vineyard, showing pear and honey flavors -- very nice. But the hit of the show was the 2008 Foxen Steel Cut Chardonnay from Bien Nacido Vineyard. This is the first ever stainless steel Chardonnay from Foxen, and it's a beauty, with all the fruity loveliness available to taste.

I did enjoy a few other whites, including the Kunin 2008 Viognier, Stolpman Vineyard -- very nice with a good floral nose and a nice full body -- and the Demetria Cuvee Papou -- a Grenache Blanc/Marsanne/Roussanne/Viognier blend.

As far as reds went, I enjoyed the Margerum 2007 Grenache and the Sanguis 2006 "As the Crow Flies". The latter, poured by the lovely Drea O'Connell, is a Syrah with a bit of Grenache and 3% co-fermented Viognier. Chocolate, red and black fruit flavors, and a bit of oak make a wonderful combination -- this wine will probably be hard to find, as they only made 205 cases of it.

The Pinot Noirs were out in force, especially from the Santa Maria Valley -- one of my favorite Pinot regions. Alta Maria 2008 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard showed red fruit flavors with a nice complexity. Native9 Pinot Noir Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard offered a dark cherry flavor. And Paul Lato was pouring his 2008 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills, with a remarkably earthy taste to it.

From the Sta Rita Hills, there was the Melville 2008 Clone 828 Pinot Noir, deep and spicy, and Foxen's 2007 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir, another world-class wine from them.

There were lots of other great wines, but I was limiting my tasting just a bit so I had to let them go. But I can safely say there's a lot to taste and enjoy from Santa Barbara County again this year. Thanks to Bob Wesley from The Winehound, and thanks, too, to Metropulos for the delicious food that accompanied the tasting. You can find more photos here.

Craig's List Scam

2009-06-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

I have been looking at used car ads on Craig's List lately, and there sure are a lot of scam ads out there... I have received this answer (nearly word-for-word) in response to several inquiries now. (I wonder how many wives have brought their Honda cars to Spain, only to find they cannot be registered?) Here's the email:

X-Originating-IP: [172.164.17.202]
From:
Subject: 2005 Honda Accord EXL - $2950
Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:24:49 +0000
Bcc:
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 12 Jun 2009 16:24:50.0054 (UTC) FILETIME=[4EFD7260:01C9EB7A]

Hello,

I'm SGT Thomas Sammito. This Accord EXL is in perfect working condition. This vehicle engine runs very, very smooth. No electrical problems on this beauty. This detailed vehicle makes the exterior looks like it just came off the assembly line. The car has 54063 miles. VIN Number: 1HGCM66825A031982
CD player Anti-lock brakes Driver Airbag Leather Sunroof
Passenger airbag Side airbags Air conditioning Cruise control
Power locks Power windows Navigation System!!
Here are the pics of the car:
http://s671.photobucket.com/albums/vv79/05exl/

As I know that my current situation is pretty special I want the deal closed only through eBay's Buyer Protection Program in order for you to be 100% protected. You will make the payment to eBay and they will hold the money until you receive the car. ONLY AFTER you receive the car and you inspect it(for 10 days) eBay will release the payment to me; in this way we are both protected. Anyway i am sure that if you won`t be satisfied about the car i will surely find another buyer in your area and there will be no need for you to ship the car back. I am located in Madrid, Spain and I was sent here with my department of peace maintenance. One month ago my wife moved here with me and brought the car with her but now we have to sell it back in the United States because we can't register it here; it has US specs and everything and registering it here in Europe will take for ever. My final price on it is 2950 USD. If you will take it for this price I am willing to handle the shipping. It will be shipped from here by plane with US Air Military Cargo so it will not cost me anything. You will get it to the nearest airport in your area and then it will be trucked forward to your place. You will receive the car in about 3 days. Please get back to me ASAP if you decide to buy and include in your e-mail your full name and address where you want it shipped so I can start the deal with eBay. You will receive all the transaction payment and shipping details from them.

Best Regards,
Thomas and Kathy Sammito

Another Column about Hanne

2009-06-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

This appeared in the Independent today.

Cats Do Like Tight Spots

2009-06-10T10:05:00.001-07:00

Dire Wolf

2009-06-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

"In the backwash of Fennario
The black and bloody mire
The Dire Wolf collects his due
while the boys sing round the fire

Don't murder me
I beg of you don't murder me
Please don't murder me"

-- Hunter/Garcia

Hanne Sonquist

2009-06-07T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hanne Sonquist, extraordinary wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, friend, mentor, and active advocate for enhancing the lives of young children, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on May 31, 2009, following a 10-year struggle with lymphoma.

Botanic Garden Volunteers Continue Strike

2009-06-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

Here are the minutes from the Botanic Garden Moratorium Volunteers meeting on June 1, 2009. I deeply appreciate their efforts, but it does seem as though in this hour of need there ought to be some way to get the Board, the Administrators, the paid workers and the volunteers to all work together to repair the burnt-out garden.

Fishin'

2009-06-03T18:54:00.001-07:00

Here's a little tip that I would like to relate

Many fish bite if you got good bait.

I'm a-goin’ fishing

Yes I'm goin’ fishing

And my baby’s goin’ fishing too.

-- Taj Mahal

Dr. George Tiller

2009-05-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

Dr. George Tiller, a physician in Wichita KS, was killed today at his church by an anti-abortion terrorist. Police have a suspect in custody, and already some groups are crowing about how "the Doctor had it coming." Dr. Tiller was wounded in an earlier attack; his clinic has been bombed and defaced repeatedly (most recently, last month, when holes were cut in the roof and downspouts plugged). Perhaps the saddest thing about this murder is how completely unsurprising it is.

On Credit Default Swaps and Other Obscure Instruments

2009-05-31T11:25:00.001-07:00

This book review in The New Yorker magazine provides the first understandable description of credit default swaps and how they worked (or didn't work) that I have seen to date. I'll run down the outline of it here, but please read the piece for yourself...

1. Currency swaps. In a currency swap two businesses exchange a portion of their business without trading the actual business itself. The first such swap took place in 1981 when IBM traded surplus Swiss and German currency for dollars held by the World Bank. The two companies, according to the article, "exchanged their obligations to bondholders and their bond earnings without actually exchanging the bonds." The deal "was worth two hundred and ten million dollars over ten years and ushered in a whole new field of finance." In fact, in a little over a decade the total volume of these interest-rate and currency derivatives was more than twelve trillion dollars...ie greater than the entire US economy!

2. Credit default swaps. In 1994 some employees of J.P. Morgan developed the concept of swapping risk. If you could pay someone else to take on the risk of loans you write, you wouldn't need so much capital on hand to cover your risks.

3. Securitization. In old-school banking each loan was evaluated on its own. "What securitization did was bundle together a package of these loans, and then rely on safety in numbers and the law of averages: even if some loans did default, the others wouldn’t."

4. Tranching. ('Tranche' means 'slice' in French.) Someone realized you could slice up the underlying securities into different levels of risk and offer them at different rates, so that the riskier tranches would provide higher yields.

5. Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDO's). Now let's put it all together. By creating mortgage-based securities in which a pool of mortgages is securitized and tranched with the riskier mortgages (the "sub-prime" mortgages) providing higher yields while the risk of default has been swapped out, you can create banking's equivalent of the perpetual motion machine...risk and yield have been magically divorced from one another.

The hidden assumption here is that the value of the real estate which supports this pool of mortgages will always increase, or at least hold steady. Thus the underlying value of the loans will never decline. Because if (or when) it does, the entire CDO system collapses.

And there you have it...

How to Support the Firefighters

2009-05-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

People have been asking, "How can I support the Santa Barbara Firefighters?" The answer is the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance. You can donate on line, or you can attend their annual "Fire Ball" (I imagine the pun is intended...?).

Report from SpiritLand

2009-05-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

I have been interested in the SpiritLand Bistro's BYOB Wine & Dine program for some time now. It's the last Wednesday of the month, and the deal is you bring your own wine (according to a pre-announced theme) to share with others at the party, and pay $45 for a dinner to go with it. I haven't attended one of these events yet, so I was glad to see that local blogger Marc Liberts wrote a review of the most recent one. Sounds like he enjoyed it!

Botanic Garden Board Will Add Volunteer Member

2009-05-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

sna
In a letter posted yesterday, Board Chair Fife Symington writes: "At our most recent Board meeting, the Trustees voted unanimously to add "at least one trustee" from the ranks of our volunteers by the September Board meeting." You can find the whole letter here.

Another email indicates that the Redwood and the Home Demonstration Garden exhibits will be reopened this weekend.

Let's hope things are coming together up there a little bit...

South Coast

2009-05-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

South Coast, the wild coast, is lonely,
You may win at the game at Jolon,
But the lion still rules the barrancas,
And a man there is always alone.

-- Lillian Bos Ross/Sam Eskin/Rich Dehr

Garden Volunteers Face a Tough Decision

2009-05-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden needs a lot of work right now to help it recover from the devastating Jesusita Fire, and the volunteer staff is unsure what their next move should be. No one wants to see the Garden hurt by political posturizing, yet at the same time people don't want to donate their time and money only to see a few overpaid administrators take the lion's share home with them at the end of the month.

The latest "Garden Notes" email informs us that: "Gina Benesh, Vice President of Development reports that the Garden's Jesusita Fire Recovery Campaign has received over $80,000 in contributions. The Garden is very grateful to all who have contributed and sends its most heartfelt thanks to each and everyone of our supporters. Funds will go to the purchase of tools for our horticultural and nursery staff. The Garden lost all horticultural tools and vehicles in the Jesusita Fire when the Gane House burned to the ground. The Gane House, where all tools were stored, has served as the Horticultural Center for many years."

A pithy comment to an Independent story reads: "The Botanic Garden has lost more to inept and careless leadership than it has to the Jesusite fire."

Meanwhile some of the volunteers were able to meet with a few of the Trustees before their regularly scheduled meeting. It was revealed that of the 15 slots on the Board, only nine are filled. Of those nine, only four managed to show up for the first meeting after the Fire. It seems to this observer that bringing new members to the Board of Trustees should be a major priority.

You can find an exchange of letters between Fife Symington, the Chairman of the Board, and the volunteer leadership here. You can also find an account of the volunteers meeting with the Board here.

Il Madonnari

2009-05-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

There were lots of people at the Old Mission for the annual Il Madonnari street chalk art event. Here are some photos. You can find more here [opens in new window].

A Visit to the Botanic Garden

2009-05-18T13:01:00.001-07:00

Today the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden re-opened after the fire, so I went up and took some photos. The Meadow, the Cactus Garden, the Gift Shop, and most of the facilities on that level are open and relatively undamaged. The houses and the working lath house across Mission Canyon Road are closed, and have clearly suffered a great deal of damage. In addition, the trails down into Mission Canyon are all closed. Looks to me as though most of the plantings will recover -- fire is a regular part of the ecology in this area, and the natives generally survive. It certainly was a terrible time to terminate the Curator...

You can find more photos here (opens in new window).

View from Space

2009-05-18T08:55:00.001-07:00

This satellite photo shows the Jesusita fire scar and how close it came to the city. NASA has this to say about it:

"Having burned an estimated 8,733 acres, the Jesusita Fire in the Los Padres National Forest north of Santa Barbara, California, was about 95 percent contained on May 15, 2009. This natural-color image from the Advanced Land Imager on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite shows the burned area on May 13, 2009. The marine clouds that hid the city from view during a previous overpass had cleared by this time, and the encroachment of the blaze into the outskirts of the Santa Barbara is obvious."

Wichi Tai Tai

2009-05-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

Wichi tai-tai,
Kee-ma-rah
Wo-rah-neeka, wo-rah-neeka
Hey-nay, hey-nay, no-wah
Witchi tai-tai,
Kee-ma-rah
Wo-rah-neeka, wo-rah-neeka
Hey-nay, hey-nay, no-wah

Water spirits springin’, springin’ round my head
Makes me feel glad that I’m not dead
Water spirits springin’, springin’ round my head
Makes me feel glad that I’m not dead

-- Jim Pepper

Life During the Fire

2009-05-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

Santa Barbara is a little paradise on earth, nestled between the ocean and the mountains and looking south into the sun. Until the hillsides start to burn, and then everything changes. Living beneath a fire is like driving beside a train wreck -- except that it's a wreck that never ends. You can't stop looking at it. Out and about during the day you keep your radio tuned to the stations with the fire news. In the evening you watch the local TV with its endless photos of burning fire, smoldering fire, firefighters and aerial tankers. You become an expert on wind direction, and relative humidity. You can tell the wind direction and strength by the sound of it -- you don't even have to look at the tree across the street to know that the wind has picked up.

You go to sleep wondering if the fire will move into the city; you wake up and check the internet right away to see where the fire is burning this morning.

And everywhere all day long it's ash and smoke. Many folks are wearing facemasks. The ash accumulates everywhere -- on cars, on the ground, blown into corners by eddies of the wind. Sometimes the ash is white. That's from the brush on the hillside. Sometimes the ash is black. They say that's when houses are burning. A debate rages: can I use a little water to wash the ash away, or will that take away from the pressure the firefighters so desperately need?

You want to help, but other than waving and cheering when fire engines pass by, there's not a lot you can do. When the wind comes up there's not a lot the firefighters can do, either, other than take cover and pray. Mostly you wait for a change in the weather, because the only way the fire will be brought under control is with the help of the weather.

It's a lot like today's economy. The same sense of helplessness and waiting pervades. You have to watch, but you can't find much to do. Even the officials whose job it is to mitigate disaster have little they can do until the weather changes. Half the economy has evacuated, it seems, while the other half is waiting to see how it will affect them. The outcome is very much in doubt, yet somehow we feel we will survive.

The Story of Stuff

2009-05-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

"The Story of Stuff" is a video produced by activist Annie Leonard. It's intended for use in schools, but anyone can enjoy it. Check it out here, and let me know in the comments what you think.

Botanic Garden Recovery Effort

2009-05-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

I received the following email from the Botanic Garden:

Dear Captain Haley,

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has sustained extensive damage to our living collections, lost several buildings and currently has limited ability to operate due to power and other utility outages. Staff are working hard to get the Garden back to normal operations and are in need of an immediate infusion of cash primarily to replace gardening equipment and vehicles, all of which were lost in the fire.

To donate, please click on the Jesusita Recovery Campaign link below, or if you would prefer, checks can be sent to SBBG at 1212 Mission Canyon Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.

Since our normal communications are down, you may reply to this email and I will respond as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your support of the Garden,

Gina Benesh
Vice President of Development

This was my response:

While I do want to support the Garden in its recovery effort, I don't want to make a cash donation only to find it is primarily being used to finance bloated administrative salaries and perks. We need to see an effort being made by the Garden to restructure itself. Things that made sense last week will no longer work in the post-fire environment.

For a bare minimum I'd like to see the productive plant personnel re-hired, the Director's salary at least temporarily reduced to $85,000, and the Vice Presidents for Finance and Marketing reduced to consultant basis with volunteers performing most of their functions. How about it...can we work together on this?

Edit: I received this response from Ms. Benesh:

I am very sorry, these things are entirely out of my hands. Changes of this sort come from the Board of Trustees. I am very sorry there is not more I can do than assure you these donations are going to replace equipment.

...and also this letter from Nancy Johnson, VP for Marketing:

Santa Barbara, CA - The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden's Jesuita Fire losses include all horticultural equipment used to tend the Garden's sixty-five acres of living collections and managed landscapes. Although a full inventory has not yet been completed, Director of Horticulture Andrew Wyatt said that losses include all power and hand tools, trucks, bio-fuel 'gators', and a new tractor.

Stored in the Gane House, a large Craftsman-style home that has served as the Garden's Horticultural Center for the last several years, equipment was lost when the Gane House was destroyed by fire in the late afternoon of May 6. One shovel, a favorite of Mr. Wyatt, was found intact in his unscorched office.

As the Garden's equipment needs are specialized, it is seeking cash donations to purchase new equipment for Garden clean-up, maintenance, and re-planting. Donations can be made at http://bit.ly/hKdFs.

Although much of the 'heart' of the Garden--its magnificent Meadow, Manzanita, Arryor, and Teahouse Exhibits--remain intact, it did suffer much destrustion in other areas. These include most of the riparian corridor, Porter and Pritchett Paths; sections of the Desert and Redwood Exhibits; the historic Campbell Bridge; the Redwood Treering Exhibit; and the Director's Residence.

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden remains closed until further notice. Communication systems are inoperable.

What a Difference a Day Makes

2009-05-10T09:52:00.001-07:00

Saint Barbara must have been watching over her city, as the marine layer came in and with it a respite from the fire. It's still burning on two fronts, and only 30% contained, but the danger on the ridgeline is past, and crews are getting the upper hand almost everywhere.

Two days ago the City canceled its "First Thursday" event, wherein folks are encouraged to come downtown and stroll past evening art and music events. Last night, in contrast, people just spontaeously came out. Restaurants were full, music was blasting from the patio at SoHo, and best of all the full moon rose silver-hued over the ocean, in contrast to the angry red we had been seeing. Most of the evacuation orders are lifted, and people are going home.

Birthday Dinner

2009-05-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

Today is Mrs. Haley's birthday, so I made a little dinner last night. Filet Mignon with green peppercorn sauce, oven-roasted potatoes with oregano, garlic bread, a salad of avocado and grapefruit, and a chocolate pudding cake for dessert. It was pretty good, except the sauce was too runny. Next time I will have to put a roux in it, or at least a little cornstarch.

To go with the meal I poured the best wine I have in the cellar: a 2003 Foxen Pinot Noir Sea Smoke Vineyard. It was smooth as velvet, with lots of red fruit and spice on the palate, and maybe just a touch of cinnamon. Happy Birthday! The hills may be burning, but we still have a few things to celebrate...

News from the Botanic Garden

2009-05-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

[Note: Captain Haley is a member of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.]

The LA Times reports the loss of the Gane House, a Craftsman-style house that has been owned by the Garden for many years. The Garden had hoped to one day restore the house and use it as an administrative center. Tools, books, garden equipment, and office computers were also lost. The main lath house used for propagation was destroyed, and another house occupied by the Garden's Director. The extent to which the plant collection has been damaged is undetermined at this time.

The Garden had been in the midst of great political upheaval. They had terminated eight long-time employees including Carol Bornstein, who is widely regarded as the foremost expert in our local plant culture, and they had asked volunteers to step in to do these people's work. Many of the volunteers had responded by calling for a 30-day moratorium on all work, and for an opportunity to meet with the Board of Directors. The Garden's Board has been remarkably secretive and standoffish through all of this...particularly strange behavior for people running a non-profit that depends on community support. Although they fired eight productive personnel, they kept on three top-level management people including the Director ($214,000 salary plus living quarters) and the two Vice Presidents of Finance and Marketing...the three together ate up nearly 25% of the Garden's entire personnel budget.

Personally I hope that the Garden siezes this moment to change its focus. They should rehire Bornstein and the other plant people in order to concentrate on restoring the plant collection. The top three administrators should either be replaced or agree to accept salary cuts -- in my opinion no non-profit should be paying more than $85,000 to any administrator. If they wanted to ask volunteers to perform some of those peoples' work I would be all for it. I have some background in graphic design and layout and would be glad to take on some of Nancy Johnson's work to help out here.

Fire is a regular part of the local ecology, and we can hope that with proper care the plants will recover. Let's hope the Garden can recover as well.

Edit: The following was posted on EdHat:

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden announced today that as of 9 am, May 8, 2009, it has sustained further damage to structures and the living collection.

Fire officials accompanied Botanic Garden President Dr. Edward Schneider through the Garden, allowing him to assess the buildings and grounds. "The good news is that the Meadow, Discovery Garden, Teahouse, Desert and most of the Redwood Exhibits are untouched," said Dr. Schneider. "Unfortunately, the historic Campbell Bridge, the beloved Pritchett Path, the popular Redwood Tree Ring Exhibit, Oak Woodland and Porter Path Exhibits were either destroyed or heavily damaged." Further damage was also sustained in the riparian corridor canyon as the fire spread from Tunnel Road down to Mission Creek.

Wine Futures Relocated

2009-05-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Winehound's Wine Futures event tomorrow has been relocated at the Fess Parker Doubletree Inn at East Beach. See you there!

Edit: As of Friday morning the Futures tasting is postponed to a future date to be determined.

Fire Threatens Mission Canyon

2009-05-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

At about 4 pm today the sundowner winds came up strong. Immediately the fire, which had been quiescent all day, started to move. The sky turned an ominous shade of orange, the smoke covered the whole sky, and ash began to rain down all over the city. This photo was taken at about 4:30 from Hilda Rae Park, on the Mesa. Most of downtown is under an evacuation warning, and we hear that two strike units -- each consisting of four engines plus crew -- have been assigned to protect the Mission.

Edit: 6:30 pm...County fire officials say, "We are in an extreme state of emergency."

Floatopia

2009-05-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

Floatopia is a UCSB variation on the Beach Party. 2009 is the third (or perhaps fifth) year that Floatopia has been held, but it's the first year that it became big enough for outsiders to notice. Participants at Floatopia are encouraged to bring boats, rafts, surfboards, or anything that will float, and party all day just outside the surfline at the Isla Vista beach. Others just party on the beach. This year the attendance at Floatopia was estimated to be 12,000. (By way of contrast, last year's party attracted about 4000, and the year before a mere 300.) The Independent reported it like this: "On Saturday afternoon, April 4, nearly 12,000 partygoers convened on Isla Vista’s narrow coastline to partake in this quintessential beach bash. From Devereux Beach to Campus Point, masses of college students swarmed for a spot on the half-mile stretch of sand to drink, dance, and float among the waves. Homemade rafts and store-bought inner tubes, filled to the brim with beer-toting celebrants, spilled across the sea side-by-side like bowls of cereal floating in a milky ocean. Hundreds watched from their balconies on Del Playa’s cliffs as deejays set up camp every quarter-mile, setting the tone for the thousands of beachgoers."

There were a few injuries: twelve people taken to the hospital, a couple fell off the cliff, and a number of people cut their feet on broken bottles. Sixty-nine were cited for various violations (mostly minor in possession of alcohol). Lots of trash was left on the beach. Some was picked up over the next few days during cleanups organized by A.S., but much of it was washed out to sea. Authorities were quick to label the event an "environmental disaster." (How much urine do 12,000 beer-drinkers produce in the course of a day?)

Students (and some alumni) painted a more positive picture. Fresman biology major Farley Connelly told the Nexus that the event was positive because it brought together two fine activities: drinking and floating. “It’s one of those things you can only do at UCSB,” Connelly said. “I don’t think at any other school you could drink beer all day and float on rafts. Floatopia takes floating and drinking to a whole different level.”

One of the interesting things about Floatopia is that because it is publicized almost exclusively on Facebook, there basically are no organizers. In this respect it's more like a flashmob than a regular event. All this drives authorities (in this case, the County Board of Supervisors and the County Sheriff) crazy. People have the right to peaceably assemble, and they also have the right to access and enjoy the beach.

Already Floatopia II is being announced on Facebook for this coming weekend, and the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an emergency ordinance banning alcohol on IV beaches. There was a lot of talk about how many young people were in danger of drowning at Floatopia I, although in fact there were no drowning incidents at all. But the Supervisors felt a need to protect those fragile young people from themselves. In reality, sanitary facilities and beach cleanup are what are needed, but the Supervisors don't feel a need to provide those...

The proponents of Floatopia might want to take a look at what some other large, anarchistic, and unsanctioned parties do as regards organization. The Rainbow Gathering has been going on for several decades now, and their people have gotten really good at sanitation and cleanup. Burning Man is another example. There are serious issues that must be addressed whenever large groups gather together. I for one hope the students can make this party work without being subjected to draconian regulation from officials whose main goal in life is control.

Another Fire

2009-05-05T15:04:00.000-07:00

The Independent, EdHat, Noozhawk, and various other outlets are reporting a wild fire in the upper San Roque area. We have been experiencing strong sundowner winds every evening, and when the winds come up this afternoon this fire should be a real doozy! Conditions are similar to those of the Painted Cave Fire from 1990.

Perhaps You Are Worried...

2009-05-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

...about the Swine Flu. Check out DoIHaveSwineFlu.org.

Cruise Ship Visits Port

2009-05-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

Due to concerns about Swine Flu, the Princess Cruise Line is re-routing ships to Santa Barbara in lieu of Mexican ports. I understand they are also visiting Santa Catalina. Here is the Star Princess, in the fog on Sunday morning, and later the same day as the fog cleared away.

We're happy to have them -- our tourist business could use a boost. The passengers...? Most of them probably have been to Santa Barbara before.

Upcoming Wine Events

2009-05-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

The Wine Hound has taken over the venerable Santa Barbara Futures Tasting, formerly hosted by the Wine Cask. Some of the best wineries in the County, offering futures pricing on unreleased wines, pouring at the Fleischmann Auditorium on Saturday, May 9th. Hurry! There are only a few tickets left

Then comes the Santa Barbara Wine Festival at the Natural History Museum, Saturday June 27th. This tasting is always pleasant...great wines in a lovely setting...and always sells out.

Brigantine Irving Johnson

2009-04-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Brigantine Irving Johnson was in port this weekend, so I went down to see her. This is a modern-built tall ship, not a reproduction or a restoration of anything else. There are a pair of them (the other one is named Exy Johnson), and they are used for training vessels. You can read about them here. I wasn't able to see her under sail, but there's a nice photo here.

A visit to La Huerta

2009-04-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

On Earth Day we stopped by at the Mission Garden's Open House ("la huerta" means "garden" in Spanish). This little gem is hard to find -- it's down to the west of the parking lot beside the Old Mission -- but definitely worth the trouble. It's a project of Jerry Sortomme and a number of dedicated volunteers: they are collecting plant specimens from original mission and ranch locations and propagating and displaying them here. They have figs and grapes from several missions and tiny sweet wild strawberries from Rancho San Julien, just to name a few. Very exciting!

Big Wine Sale Tomorrow

2009-04-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

Touring and Tasting Magazine, which is based here in Santa Barbara, is advertising a "warehouse sale" tomorrow from 2-5pm only. I don't know a thing about it -- they promise 40-70% off retail prices -- but I plan to go. Maybe I'll see you there!

125 S Quarantina Street (at Cacique St)

Longoria

2009-04-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

For our last stop we drove to Los Olivos, where Longoria was hosting a special tasting in the garden. Here's Rick "behind bars":

Rick was pouring his 2008 Pinot Grigio. We tasted several Pinot Grigios throughout the day, and they were all good, but I thought Rick's was the best. Nice, crisp flavor of peaches and pears, and just a slightly flowery aroma. Next was the 2007 Sta Rita Hills Chardonnay, spicy with just a hint of butter from the malolactic fermentation. Then came the 2007 Sta Rita Hills Pinot Noir, with flavors of red fruit and spice. Finally, Rick poured four Syrahs: 2005 and 2006 from both Clover Creek and Alisos Canyon, paired with chocolate. That seemed like enough tasting for one very hot day, and we came home.

Clos Pepe, and...

2009-04-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

We drove West on Santa Rosa Road to the Clos Pepe winery (the vineyard is on Hwy 246). It's set back from the road in a walnut orchard, in a facility they share with Cold Heaven, Bruno D'Alfonso & Kris Curran, and Arcadian. Chanda was there, with a couple of her greyhound friends; Wes was pouring, and there were tacos.

We tasted a 2001 Chardonnay from Wes's library, very clean and crisp with lemons and apricots on the palate. That was followed by six Pinot Noirs. Wes follows the wine wherever the grapes take him, and these Pinot's ranged from an elegant and subdued Burgundian style to a big, brassy Sta Rita Hills version. I didn't take any notes so you won't get descriptions, except to note that I brought home two bottles of the 2007 "Vigneron Select".

I would certainly have enjoyed tasting at Arcadian or at Cold Heaven, but being relatively familiar with their wines we passed on this occasion. I did ask Morgan about her new Sauvignon Blanc project...she's known as the "Queen of Viognier" and this is a new grape for her. But she told me she bottled it two days ago, and it's still mad. So no tastes were available. Next time perhaps...

Instead we drifted next door, where Bruno and Kris have set up shop. Kris was the founding winemaker at Sea Smoke; she has left them and is with Foley and Lincourt now. She still finds the time to make her own wine under the Curran label. Bruno was for many year the winemaker for Richard Sanford; he now makes under the labels Badge and DiBruno. We tasted the 2006 DiBruno Pinot Grigio and the 2007 Curran Grenache Blanc. The latter is one of my favorite wines, with a big and bold flavor with just a touch of residual sugar. We also sampled the 2005 Badge Sta Rita Hills Pinot Noir, a delicious, dark, moody Pinot, and the 2004 DiBruno Sangiovese. They also had some good-looking sandwiches, but we had filled up on tacos and so took a pass on that.

Alma Rosa

2009-04-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

Our next stop was at another long-time legend with a new name...Alma Rosa. Richard Sanford was the first to plant Pinot Noir in what is now the Sta Rita Hills, in 1970 at the famous Sanford & Benedict Vineyard. Sanford had studied Geography, and he could see this was a prime area for winegrapes (although no one else had thought it before). He went on to found Sanford Winery and make beautiful wines for many years. Now, having lost that venture to the Terlato Group, Richard and his wife Thekla are making good wine once more.

Here are some photos of the new/old tasting room on Santa Rosa Road:

We tasted the 2007 Santa Barbara County Pinot Gris, a delicious, bright wine; and the 2006 Sta Rita Hills Pinot Blanc, which I especially enjoyed. The 2008 Santa Barbara County Chardonnay was next, with citrus and pineapple flavors, a touch of malolactic and just a bit of oak. This wine won accolades from the Wine Spectator...at only $19 it's a great buy! And finally we tasted the delicious 2007 Sta Rita Hills Pinot Noir.

Although Alma Rosa has been back at this spot for a while, it was the first opportunity we had had to visit. It's good to see them back and prospering at this lovely location!

Wine Festival Weekend -- A Tasting Tour

2009-04-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the Vintners' Association Festival Weekend, and many tasting rooms were open. We started our day at Ken Brown Wines. Ken was pouring at his new digs in Buellton.

Ken Brown was founding winemaker at Zaca Mesa, back in 1979. It was Ken who first questioned the wisdom of planting mostly Bordeaux-style grapes in Santa Barbara County, and who first experimented with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the region. He founded Byron winery in the early 1980's. I can remember seeing all the Cabernet Sauvignon vines along the lower end of Tepusquet Canyon cut off and regrafted with Pinot Noir as Ken Brown's revelation begain to sink in . . . except in the hottest eastern parts of the region, it's too cool to grow good Cabernet Sauvignon, but the Burgundian grapes just love it!

So you could say Ken Brown has more experience than just about anyone else in making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay here in Santa Barbara County. His wines have an intensity of flavor combined with perfect balance. All the sharp edges have been rubbed smooth. We tasted the 2006 Nielson Vineyard Chardonnay and five Pinot Noirs: 2007 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, 2006 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, 2007 Sta Rita HIlls Pinot Noir, 2006 Pinot Noir Cargasacchi Vyd, and the 2006 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe. Each offered the unique flavor of the fruit, with the Ken Brown touch.

Ken's new location is in the Terravant Wine Company on Industrial Way in Buellton, a new multi-producer facility. They were hosting a Festival Bbq and tasting later in the day that looked to be the best bargain of the weekend. Some of the many wineries involved included Byron, Huber, Hitching Post, Imagine, Thorne, and Alere -- the Bbq was from Hitching Post, and the $20 fee was a donation to People Helping People. It looked like a great event, but we wanted to move on to a few other locations. Future posts will detail all the stops...

Roasted Salsa

2009-04-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

I was invited to a party yesterday, and I brought along this salsa. Everyone seemed to like it:

Freshly Roasted Salsa

Approx. 8 medium-sized tomatoes, any variety
1 to 3 jalapeño peppers
1 large red or yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
The juice of one lime
1/3 c. chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Chop 6 of the tomatoes, holding back two to add later in their uncooked state.
Chop the onion and the seeded jalapeños (Let your tolerance for heat determine how many you use…). Place the tomatoes, onion and jalapeños in a 9×13 roasting pan.
Drizzle the vegetables with the olive oil and sprinkle it with the salt. Toss and put in preheated oven.
Cook the vegetables for 15 minutes, then remove them to stir. Put them back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven, stir again, and let the vegetables sit for another 15 minutes.
Chop the raw tomatoes roughly and mince the garlic.
Combine the roasted and raw vegetables and the lime juice. Insert an immersion blender and pulse until the mixture reaches the desired consistency.
Add the cilantro and pulse one more time to incorporate it. Taste to adjust salt, and serve immediately, although the flavors improve with chilling.

Last Night the Wind Died Down

2009-04-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

...and Albertson's had top sirloin on sale. Good coincidence! So I grilled a big steak and served it smothered with caramelized onions and peppers, with oven-roasted potatoes and a bottle of Foxen 2006 Pinot Noir, Julia's Vineyard. Life in Paradise! No pictures -- we ate it too quickly for that.

Look Out of Any Window

2009-04-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

...any morning, any evening, any day
Maybe the sun is shining
birds are winging or
rain is falling from a heavy sky