Beaucoup Blue
Ojai is pretty much ground zero for boho chic, so it’s no surprise that Christiane Celle, the French-born former fashion stylist-turned-retail-maven—she founded and sold the Calypso store chain—would find a toehold in town.
Blue Ojai, an eclectic boutique packed with coveted items from around the world.
Written by Lorie Dewhirst Porter
Ojai is pretty much ground zero for boho chic, so it’s no surprise that Christiane Celle, the French-born former fashion stylist-turned-retail-maven—she founded and sold the Calypso store chain—would find a toehold in town. Called BLUE OJAI, it’s part of Celle’s Clic-store empire, which started in St. Barth’s and spread to New York and California. (There’s a Clic in both the Montecito and Marin Country Marts). Originally conceived as a bookstore—Celle’s passion is photography, and she’s married to a photographer—Blue Ojai and the other Clic venues have evolved into concept spaces featuring carefully curated collections of books, art, home goods, and fashion. Blue Ojai is an airy, open shop tucked into a serene white-brick building on the town’s main drag and is packed with coveted items culled from around the world. Look for flowy dresses, menswear, and cool gifts you can’t find anywhere else. 209 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai, 805-633-9086, clic.com.
Must Have
Italian Invasion
A trio of restaurants in the State Street corridor is offering a more authentic take on Italian food.
Burrata Pugliese—with butternut squash and sage pureé, walnut pesto, pumpkin seeds, and herbs—at Aperitivo.
A trio of restaurants in the State Street corridor is offering a more authentic take on Italian food
Written by Erik Torkells | Photography by Sara Prince
“I don’t try to get big names or high scores,” says Andrea Girardello of Aperitivo’s wine list. “It’s whatever I would drink.”
Our journey begins in the north—of Italy, that is—at APERITIVO, where chef Brian Dodero and Milan-bred Andrea Girardello have recreated their version of the aperitivo. It’s “a place catering to locals, especially in Milan, where people can just have a glass of wine and go home, if they like,” explains Girardello. Enthusiasm for Dodero’s inventive cooking, however, has shifted the emphasis from wine bar to restaurant. He imports as much as possible from Italy—including the standout burrata, marinated artichokes, and gelato. Drinks remain an important part of the equation, with an ever-changing lineup of spritzes made with vermouths rarely seen in these parts, and an all-Italian wine list. “I don’t try to get big names or high scores,” says Girardello. “It’s whatever I would drink.” And the take-home pasta-and-wine club, started during the pandemic, is still going strong; every week, a different region—including lesser-known ones like Alto Adige and Le Marche—gets a turn in the spotlight. 7 W. Haley St., Santa Barbara, 805-869-2937, aperitivosb.com.
Founded in Naples in 1870, L’ANTICA PIZZERIA DA MICHELE has begun an aggressive stateside expansion, with an outpost in Los Angeles, two in the works in New York City and Long Beach, and a brand-new one in the former Embermill space on State Street. Unlike the Naples original, which features just two pizzas (margherita and marinara), these are full restaurants, with fresh pastas, entrées, and more. The star is still wood-fired pizza, of course, and the goal is to make it exactly as it is done across the Atlantic. “We import everything from Italy—flour, cheese, everything,” says head chef Michele Rubini. “Even our main pizzaiolo is from Naples!” As at Aperitivo, the wine list is entirely Italian. 1031 State St., Santa Barbara, 805-770-8055, damicheleusa.com.
In the shadow of The Granada Theatre, Alberto and Elaine Morello of the Olio family of restaurants, are running the show at BEDDA MIA for an anonymous Roman owner. “Alberto was born and raised in Sicily,” says Elaine. “We got married there in 1993, and we try to go back every year. This was his chance to do a completely Sicilian menu.” That means lots of seafood and classic Sicilian ingredients, such as sliced smoked tuna with fennel, orange, and Castelvetrano olives; tagliolini with cuttlefish and squid ink; and an off-menu dish of pasta tossed inside a giant Pecorino rind. When at Bedda Mia, do as the Sicilians do and finish with a passito from Trapani or a malvasia from Messina. Saluti! 1218 State St., Santa Barbara, 805-770-8777, beddamiasantabarbara.com.
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We Want the Funk
Our epicenter of counterculture turns 50
Our epicenter of counterculture turns 50
Written by Lorie Dewhirst Porter | Photography by Sara Prince
Long before it was dubbed The Funk Zone, Santa Barbara’s industrial area, with its mix of marine and manufacturing outposts, grain mills, tilt-up buildings, and Quonset huts, could easily be described as such. Starting in the 1970s, intrepid gallerist Ruth S. Shaffner saw the area’s creative potential and fearlessly established her eponymous contemporary art gallery there. (She also gifted more than 100 artworks to UCSB’s Art, Design & Architecture Museum.) By the time the Funk Zone name stuck—reportedly in the mid-1990s—the area was already filled with artists known for their knack of repurposing industrial buildings into living spaces and studios.
“The grit collides with the glamour down here.”
Three decades on, there’s an Urban Wine Trail (20-plus tasting rooms), art galleries, vintage boutiques, restaurants, and more (including numerous artist studios). The Funk Zone is also a thriving local community of individuals who support creative ventures and spirits (of all kinds). And while skyrocketing land values threaten the continued survival of the area as an artists’ enclave, local groups like Keep the Funk are committed to preserving its inherent funkyness. Without a doubt, The Funk Zone is a truly unique and vital part of Santa Barbara.
“The Funk Zone feels like home with its south-facing light.”
Joan of Art
Celebrating the work of visionary artist Joan Tanner
Tanner in her studio, contemplating Mire, a site-specific installation she created for her Out of Joint solo exhibition at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Celebrating the work of visionary artist Joan Tanner
Written by Lorie Dewhirst Porter | Photography by Sara Prince
Good art makes us look; great art makes us see. Joan Tanner’s art does both, depending on the viewer’s level of receptivity. Even the mildly curious will be rewarded by looking, as will those opting for a deep intellectual dive. At 87, Tanner is a seasoned pro, having produced and exhibited artwork for more than five decades. Fittingly, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art—which mounted Tanner’s first solo show in 1967—is celebrating the artist with a solo exhibition, OUT OF JOINT (on view February 12 – May 14), co-curated by SBMA’s contemporary art curator, James Glisson, and independent curator Julien Robson, director of the Great Meadows Foundation in Kentucky.
Robson has known Tanner for over 20 years, having curated a significant solo show of her work at Kentucky’s Speed Art Museum in 2001. Glisson joined SBMA in 2020, and he visited Tanner’s studio later that year after viewing examples of her earlier work in the museum’s permanent collection. “Because of the sheer elegance of her recent work, I felt it was important to share,” Glisson says, “and I discovered Joan hasn’t had a museum show in Santa Barbara for many years.”
Video courtesy Zach Mendez and Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Tanner, originally from Indiana, received her BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1957. Painting was her first focus; even so, her paintings often hinted at three dimensions, and in the 1980s she shifted to sculpture (enhanced by a strong drawing practice that has never waned). Aesthetically some have linked her work to that of assemblage artist Kurt Schwitters (whom Tanner admires for his “nonchalant use of materials”), but it was the work of Mario Merz, of the politically charged Arte Povera movement, that caught her attention early on. Tanner is especially attracted to the by-products of commercial activity, the discarded remains of completed work. These remainders are reminders—of waste, pollution, and our planet’s imperiled condition. Yet her work does not lack humor or hope.
As part of the Out of Joint show, Tanner has conceived two site-specific installations. The most imposing piece, Mire, comprising brightly painted plastic mesh, a network of metal rods, and shellacked vinyl tubing, fills and spills from the entryway of the museum’s McCormick Gallery, dramatically altering the surroundings and recontextualizing the space where Tanner’s art is displayed. (Negotiating the physical boundaries of the artist’s exuberant installations is integral to the experience.) Mire can also be viewed as a nod to SBMA’s recent renovation and the construction that took place in the gallery itself. Out of Joint: Joan Tanner is not to be missed sbma.net.
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Ear Candy
Joyce DiDonato takes the stage at the Granada Theatre
Joyce DiDonato takes the stage at the Granada Theatre
Written by Lorie Dewhirst Porter
Opera lovers worldwide adore and admire the expansive, expressive voice and bravura acting skills of award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, who will grace the Granada Theatre stage on January 24 with EDEN, a production that fuses music, movement, and theater. (There’s also a CD on Erato.) With accompaniment by early music ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro, EDEN encompasses four centuries of music, including a new commission from Rachel Portman, the first female composer to win an Academy Award (for Emma in 1996). Online music scribe Joseph So calls EDEN “a meticulously curated classical program with a serious message.” That message is hope; and it underlies DiDonato’s stated mission, which is to “bring the transformative healing power of music to as many people as I can—whether on stage, in prisons, refugee camps, or the classroom.” artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.
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High Notes
The Santa Barbara Symphony Celebrates 70 Years
The Santa Barbara Symphony Celebrates 70 Years
Written by Joan Tapper
With a spectacular performance of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” in October, the Santa Barbara Symphony kicked off its 70th season and a celebration of its history, which began with an appearance at the Lobero Theatre on December 12, 1953, as a community orchestra. By the time the symphony moved to the Arlington Theatre in 1976 it had gone on to acclaim for its professionalism and artistry, and over the last seven decades it has hosted international soloists, debuted works by noted contemporary composers, and collaborated with local institutions like the State Street Ballet, the Choral Society, and the Ensemble Theatre.
“It has been an honor to help define and shape the Santa Barbara Symphony,” says music director Nir Kabaretti, who has led the group since 2006. “We have worked with passion and enthusiasm to reflect and draw upon the treasures of our community.” With seven concerts still to come this season, there’s a lot more music in the air. thesymphony.org.
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Kitchen Confidence
A charming new children’s cookbook is promoting positive thinking one recipe at a time
A charming new children’s cookbook is promoting positive thinking one recipe at a time
Written by Joan Tapper
Bringing mindfulness to the kitchen, Santa Barbara’s Nati Smith has written Mish and the Recipe for Adventure (Wise Ink Creative Publishing, Kindle edition, $4; hardcover, $23), with illustrations by Guillermo Alonso, about a kid who enters a cooking competition against other talented chefs. As she advances to the finals, she wows the judges with a comforting childhood favorite, thanks to calming spiritual practices that help her through and a secret ingredient—love. The message is that big dreams are possible if you believe in yourself.
Born in Jerusalem, Smith is an advocate for introducing children to international culture and has included fun recipes from around the world in this colorful, entertaining book. She says, “Mish is a journey of friendship, food, culture, believing in yourself, and overcoming obstacles with affirmation and love. My hope in writing this book was to connect with my readers and open their palate and mind to different cultures, dishes, and travels and encourage curiosity and friendship.” Available on Amazon.
Continental Collab
Argentine designer Rocio Gonzalez’s eponymous brand Rocio G is known for its bohemian artisan leatherwork and its ’70s California-inspired vibes.
Gonzalez and her Rocio G partner, Lolo Tanoira, fit a model with designer Johanna Ortiz.
Written by Gina Tolleson
Argentine designer Rocio Gonzalez splits her time between Buenos Aires and her hillside home in Carpinteria.
Argentine designer Rocio Gonzalez’s eponymous brand Rocio G is known for its bohemian artisan leatherwork and its ’70s California-inspired vibes. Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz’s tropical resort wear is effortlessly seasonless and stands out as easily on the streets of Paris as on Coast Village Road. In honoring their rich Latin American cultural heritage, the two friends came together for a Moda Operandi collection that reflects the designers’ love for the sea. (Think jewel tops with hundreds of hand-stitched puka shells.) There are also handcrafted leather totes paired with fabrics woven by the indigenous Wichí community in Argentina and iraca pieces by Las Juanas, a native artisan collective in Colombia. “Spending time with Johanna and her family made us realize how similar we are. We work in our studios, then go to the polo club to watch our kids’ matches, drink maté…just like my life here in Santa Barbara,” says Gonzalez. The Johanna Ortiz x Rocio G collection is available through modaoperandi.com.
We Want
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Rare Treats
The Rare Society brand weaves inspiration from vintage Las Vegas steakhouses for a modern dining experience in The Funk Zone.
The Rare Society brand weaves inspiration from vintage Las Vegas steakhouses for a modern dining experience in The Funk Zone.
Written by CW | Photography by Sara Prince
Yes, RARE SOCIETY is a neighborhood steakhouse, but first and foremost it’s a place of comfort. The dining room is warm and usually packed, with rows of booths decorated in marble, gold, and playing-card motifs, an homage to the restaurant’s ritzy, old-school Vegas inspiration. But there’s no spot more lively than the horseshoe bar in the front room, a haven for habitués of the nearby Funk Zone. The decadent starters—ahi tuna tartare with black sesame and jalapeño ponzu; a thick-cut slab of bacon with gochujang glaze; or lobster prepared in the shell with garlic and parsley butter—are almost a distraction from the dry-aged steaks that Chef Brad Wise grills using Santa Maria-style live-fire techniques. Almost. The fire-roasted cuts pair best with more extravagance, like potato rosti covered in fondue and black truffles, or one of many strong cocktails that go above and beyond even the most discerning palate’s taste test. 214 State St., Santa Barbara, 805-335-2088, raresociety.com.
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Quest Love
During the Covid shutdown in 2020, Valerie Madeira knew it was time for her eponymous antique shop’s next chapter.
A client’s rustic-chic stable decorated by sister-partners Valerie Madeira (right) and Claire Gallion.
Written by Anush J. Benliyan
During the Covid shutdown in 2020, Valerie Madeira knew it was time for her eponymous antique shop’s next chapter. In partnership with her sister and co-owner, Claire Gallion, the pair relocated VALERIE’S VINTAGE & SUPPLY CO. —which specializes in farmhouse and rustic ranch styles with a classical European twist—to a smaller space around the corner, and braced themselves for the unknown. Turns out, “it was a blessing in disguise,” says Madeira. “Santa Ynez has the best community. The love and support that we receive daily is what keeps us inspired—along with the thrill of the hunt.” While the boutique stocks an ever-changing inventory of one-of-a-kind décor and furnishings, the duo can also find and source specially requested pieces upon request. Let the hunt begin! 3568 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 805-693-2127, @Valeriesvintage17
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Head to Toe
A pair of trailblazing shopping destinations are ushering in a stylish new era on Santa Ynez’s historic Sagunto Street
House of Hackney’s Hollyhocks wallpaper sets the playful tone inside Brass Tack.
A pair of trailblazing shopping destinations are ushering in a stylish new era on Santa Ynez’s historic Sagunto Street
Written by Anna Ferguson-Sparks | Photography by Sara Prince
SANTA YNEZ GENERAL, the shop that ignited its namesake town’s retail boom, opened its stylish doors in 2019. The boutique’s original location now showcases lifestyle and home goods in a slightly refreshed space, while a second Santa Ynez location opened in 2021 and focuses on apparel. It currently features several new lines for fall including Etro, Rosie Assoulin, and Nili Lotan. Founded by Pearson and Spencer Turnbull—a fashion industry veteran and an accomplished attorney, respectively—both tastemakers with an eye for destination-worthy shopping, Santa Ynez General has continued to broaden its Santa Ynez Valley-rooted reach. Summer 2022 brought a pop-up shop to Montecito’s Upper Village, and when The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection, opens this winter in Los Olivos, the eagerly anticipated luxe property will include a Santa Ynez General outpost. 3558 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 805-691-9947, santaynezgeneral.com.
A stone’s throw away on Sagunto Street, BRASS TACK mingles cheeky, couture glam with Santa Ynez’s Victorian, cowgirl grit. Opened in March 2022, the bright boutique’s motto, “If Georgia O’Keeffe and Dolly Parton crashed Fashion Week,” is reflected in the stylings and stock, all housed in a 120-year-old building. Owner Melissa Kanarek, a couture upholsterer and seamstress by trade, once inhabited and worked in global urban centers but she’s now a Santa Ynez Valley resident, specializing in pieces with a strong sense of story, much like her own. Kanarek founded her retail concept in Laguna Beach but relocated her store after settling in the Valley with her husband on the couple’s homestead, Ranchy McRanch (see page 114). This fall, the women’s boutique and hat bar will welcome Kanarek’s Born in the Barn line, designed and sewn in her barn, featuring dead-stock, limited-edition runs created by Kanarek’s fevered imagination. 3553 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 949-351-8748, brasstackstudio.com.
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Heads Above the Rest
Custom hat maker Kevin “KJ” Murphy
Custom hat maker Kevin “KJ” Murphy
Kevin “KJ” Murphy; the master at work.
Written by Anna Ferguson-Sparks | Photography by KJ Murphy’s, Sara Prince
Last year custom hat maker Kevin “KJ” Murphy expanded his business, KJ MURPHY’S, into a large Santa Ynez space with swanky saloon vibes and a modern twist—complete with all of the entertaining bells and whistles essential to a bespoke accessories experience. Murphy’s clients often get to watch the custom crafter at work, while they sip some of the finest spirits stocked behind his hand-built, mahogany back bar. Under the pressed-tin ceiling, a stone fireplace centers the long room where outdoorsy apparel and hats by Stetson, Resistol, DOBBS, the fashionable Charlie 1 Horse, and KJ originals are beautifully showcased.
Murphy’s hat-making trail began in 2009, when he purchased an old hat factory that included some machines dating back to the early 1900s. Months of mechanical refurbishing followed, leading to the opening of his first Santa Ynez Valley hat studio in 2011. Nowadays, patrons can listen to Murphy’s tales of his adventures while he designs their hats with custom touches like hand-tooled leather hatbands, beads, ribbons, horsehair, or other materials, transforming each piece of headgear into a unique, wearable, working piece of art. 3569 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 805-686-4790, kjmurphys.com.
WE LOVE
Get on Your High Horse
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Check List
Classic pieces with a fresh KULE twist and a wink to iconic autumn staples of the ’70s
Classic pieces with a fresh KULE twist and a wink to iconic autumn staples of the ’70s
All items available at KULE Pop Up at Montecito Country Mart through December 31, and kule.com.
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Don’t Miss…
The 38th annual Santa Barbara Vintners Festival’s Grand Tasting will be held at the Old Mission Santa Inés on Saturday, October 8
Written by Anush J. Benliyan
The 38th annual Santa Barbara Vintners Festival’s Grand Tasting will be held at the Old Mission Santa Inés on Saturday, October 8, and promises attendees the chance to taste vino from more than 50 nearby wineries, as well as gourmet fare from 30-plus regional restaurants and chefs. Enjoy live music as you meet and mingle with winemakers and winery owners. Pick up some new skills at a variety of culinary and viticulture demos, and don’t forget to stop by the Bubble Lounge to sample some bruts. 1760 Mission Dr., Solvang, sbvintnersweekend.com
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Surf ’n’ Turf
With their Coast Range restaurant, a powerhouse team of chefs is putting Solvang on the culinary map.
Leather banquettes, custom made-in-Italy sconces, and pressed-tin ceilings set the tone inside Solvang’s Coast Range restaurant.
With their Coast Range restaurant, a powerhouse team of chefs is putting Solvang on the culinary map
Written by Caitlin White | Photography by Sara Prince
Solvang is better known for Danish architecture than fine dining, but last year a trifecta of chefs and a James Beard-recognized sommelier put COAST RANGE on the map as a destination steakhouse. Helmed by Anthony Carron (800 Degrees Pizza), Steven Fretz (Church Key), and acclaimed pastry chef Lincoln Carson (Bon Temps, Mes Amis)—as well as partners Hillary Calhoun and Joseph Sabato—the place has a wine list from sommelier and winemaker Rajat Parr that’s the cherry on top. Flanked on one side by a casual sister spot, Vaquero Bar, which opened in April 2021, Coast Range started offering indoor and outdoor dining on Mission Drive last fall.
Chef Anthony Carron, General manager and mixologist Joseph Sabato, Chef Steven Fretz
Head inside for a Victorian-meets-maritime feel—think leather booths, velvet curtains, and a sea captain’s portrait—and begin with a whole grilled California artichoke with “good butter” and melty pecorino, or try a spectacular daily fresh crudo bathed in shiro dashi, a Japanese chili paste called yuzu kosho, and baby cilantro. Next, a boatload of fritto misto including calamari, broccolini, and pepperoncinis is accompanied by furikake aïoli, Thai chili dipping sauce, and key lime. You’ll find those dishes on the brunch menu, served from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Monday.
Reservations are highly recommended for the dinner menu, which is available starting at 5 p.m. Thursday to Monday and offers a hearty steak list filled with impeccable cuts from purveyors like Delmonico and Creekstone. Make any steak into a surf-and-turf combo with lobster tails always on offer, or indulge in oysters on the half shell and chilled shellfish for a seafood fix. Steakhouse staples like French onion soup and wedge salads round out the evening appetizers—or splurge on Regiis Ova caviar and call it a night. Before you go, brioche donuts with brown-butter glaze make for a fluffy, flawless finish, courtesy of Chef Carson. 1635 Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-624-5420, coastrange.restaurant
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Fessing Up—Twice
April 2022 brought a grand refresh of the legendary FESS PARKER WINERY’s tasting areas and experiences, at the portfolio’s Los Olivos vineyard property along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail.
A Kodiak Greenwood photograph of Fess Parker’s favorite spot on the family ranch is printed on metal and hung as a triptych above the floor-to-ceiling fireplace in the refreshed Fess Parker Winery tasting room, on the Los Olivos vineyard property.
Written by Anna Ferguson-Sparks
April 2022 brought a grand refresh of the legendary FESS PARKER WINERY’s tasting areas and experiences, at the portfolio’s Los Olivos vineyard property along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. Elevated updates and additions to the venue’s interiors and exterior tell the tale of the Parker family’s history in the Santa Barbara region. They also provide a warm, welcoming atmosphere for more private tastings and leisurely lounging while paying homage to the family’s famous patriarch, the late Fess Parker. Memorabilia from Parker’s acting career decorate the revamped space, and the family’s 30-plus years of winemaking history is showcased in the new Library Room Wine Tastings: private experiences with customizable tasting flights of four Fess Parker library wines. In September the Fess Parker Funk Zone tasting room opens in downtown Santa Barbara, offering wines from Fess Parker Winery and from the family’s boutique Epiphany and Fesstivity labels. 6200 Foxen Canyon Rd., Los Olivos, 805-688-1545 and 116 E. Yanonali St., Santa Barbara, 805-770-2041, fessparker.com
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Rebirth of an Icon
Slated to open in winter 2022, THE INN AT MATTEI’S TAVERN, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION, occupies a historic stagecoach stop in Los Olivos, adjacent to the site of the original Mattei’s Tavern from around 1886.
Written by Anna Ferguson-Sparks | Photography by James Baigrie
Slated to open in winter 2022, THE INN AT MATTEI’S TAVERN, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION, occupies a historic stagecoach stop in Los Olivos, adjacent to the site of the original Mattei’s Tavern from around 1886. The new property will include 67 guest rooms and cottages that evoke storied Central Coast ranches, farms, and vineyards. Awaiting guests are an outdoor pool with cabanas and a poolside bar called The Shed, a signature spa, and indoor-outdoor event spaces, as well as five venues for daylong dining. Mornings might begin with coffee and freshly baked goods from Felix Feed & Coffee—named for Felix Mattei, the old tavern’s owner—while nights might be capped at The Bar with moody, Western saloon-inspired cocktails.
“The historic cottages at Mattei’s, both historic and the face of the project from Los Olivos, were a unique challenge,” says Ryan Mills, principal designer with DMHA Architecture + Interior Design who worked with Auberge. “It was crucially important to find exactly the right balance to rehabilitate the architecture while elevating the guest experience suitable for a luxurious wine-country resort.”
Dinner at The Tavern, the jewel of the resort’s culinary crown, will be directed by Filipino-American executive chef Rhoda Magbitang, whose kitchen creds include work with chefs Suzanne Goin and José Andrés, as well as executive-chef stints at West Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont and Petit Ermitage. The Tavern will feature California ranch cuisine and fresh ingredients, many of which will be harvested from the on-site garden; an extensive wine list culled from the large cellar; and cocktails incorporating house-infused spirits and botanic-driven tonics. Gin’s Tap Bar—a cozy smokehouse and bar—pays homage to the Goleta birthplace and Chinese heritage of old-time tavern chef Gin Lung Gin, with a menu that combines traditional ranch-smoking techniques with the flavors of Shanghai. 2350 Railway Ave., Los Olivos, 844-837-2999, aubergeresorts.com/matteistavern
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Perfect Pairing
Some collaborations seem destined to happen. Like the combination of art by COLETTE COSENTINO and two late-summer releases from ARTISTE WINERY—a sparkling rosé and a Chardonnay.
Anna Rice (left) and Colette Cosentino in the painter’s Santa Barbara studio.
Written by Joan Tapper | Photography: Exterior, Sara Prince; portrait and bottle, Kim Reierson
Some collaborations seem destined to happen. Like the combination of art by COLETTE COSENTINO and two late-summer releases from ARTISTE WINERY—a sparkling rosé and a Chardonnay.
“It was serendipitous,” says Anna Rice, who owns Artiste with her husband, winemaker
Bion Rice. The label had partnered with 50 artists over the years, but only a couple had been local, something Anna wanted to remedy. When she walked by Colette’s Santa Barbara studio and later happened to meet the artist, she felt “the universe had spoken.”
The labels feature details of a huge glittering woodland canvas Colette had worked on for the last five years. When they unrolled it, notes Anna, “the color and the notes of the rosé and Chardonnay seemed to coalesce.” The painting is “very effervescent. You can taste the bubbles! With the official launch [of the wines], we’ll feature Colette’s art in the tasting studio and gallery in Los Olivos through the fall.” The full mural will later be on display in Colette’s Anapamu Street studio.
“It was extra cool to do a wine label,” says Colette, who has created wallpaper and textiles in addition to her fine art. “I’m excited by the possibilities.”artiste.com; colettecosentino.com.
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Joie de Vivre
Under the rustic spell of the Santa Ynez Valley
Under the rustic spell of the Santa Ynez Valley
Written by Anna Ferguson-Sparks | Photography by Sara Prince
Seeking a lavish wine country retreat? SUNSTONE VILLA offers a taste of France in the Santa Ynez Valley to Sunstone Winery’s Club members and other private parties. The 8,500-square-foot residence—conceived, designed, and outfitted by the winery’s founders, Fred and Linda Rice—opened in 2012 after a decade of construction. Built with limestone salvaged from chateaus in Aix-en-Provence, Normandy, and the Loire Valley, the villa also features wood beams, rafters, and roof tiles reclaimed from a 19th-century French lavender factory. Now a private residence for Sunstone’s current owners, Teddy and Djamila Cabugos, the villa includes five master suites, eight fireplaces, a billiards room, an underground wine cellar, and multiple terraces and patios with sweeping mountain and vineyard views. Continuing enhancements to the property’s landscaping, furnishings, and fixtures elevate the luxe factor for wine club members; attendees of special celebrations, corporate events, and galas; and myriad photography and filming projects for which the villa often “stars” as a Provençal estate. 125 N. Refugio Rd., Santa Ynez, 805-688-9463, sunstonewinery.com
“A taste of France perched on Refugio Road”
