Wedding Events: Where to Be & What to Wear

Friday, July 10
Any time from 5:30 until the sun sets and darkness begins to settle on the central coast, please join us for wine, cheese and other most delicious things at the Wedding Weekend Welcome Gathering hosted by the parents of the groom, Michael and Sharon Kelley, in Godric Grove at Elings Park (1298 Las Positas Rd.). This will be a very special event in a truly breathtaking location, but the location is both outdoors and close to the ocean, and there will be some walking involved--this is something to take into consideration when considering what to wear. Sharon has suggested that women bring a light wrap in case it gets chilly, to think twice about wearing shorts--even dressy ones--and to avoid high heels. Other than that, the attire is California casual--no fancy dress, no t-shirts, no ties. Anything from jeans to a sundress would be considered appropriate.

As for transportation, Godric Grove has twenty reserved parking spots, and if you wish to drive there (it's about 3.3 miles from the Canary Hotel), you can access driving directions from Carrillo by clicking here. For those who do not wish to drive (and if you plan to partake of the fruits of the grape and/or grain, we strongly encourage you not to), the Kelleys have arranged for transportation departing from the Canary Hotel between 5 and 9, so you can come and go as you please! We'll be posting more information about this cab and/or van service as we receive it--we're still working through some of the details!

Also, while many of the "grownups" among us either will have made dinner reservations following the Welcome Party or, after gorging themselves on cheese and fancy cured meats, will be heading off to Snoozeville shortly after they return from Godric Grove, we know there might be some people who are not willing to hang up their boogie shoes at 9. We're currently scouting locations for an afterparty so that all you "party animals" out there (you know who you are!) will have a chace to meet up, hang out, and have a beer or two before hitting the sheets. This information will be posted as soon as we have it worked out, and should you miss it, it will also be included in the events booklet in your rooms, so you'll have no excuse, save an overdose on good times, for missing out on the action. Wherever we decide to have it, all will be welcome!

Saturday, July 11
On Saturday evening, we would be honored to see you (and frankly, at this point, a bit puzzled not to see you) at our wedding ceremony on the rooftop of the Canary Hotel (31 W. Carrillo St.) in downtown Santa Barbara. Mary-Rush will be walking down the aisle at 6:00 PM; guest seating will begin around 5:30. A rooftop cocktail hour will immediately follow, and from there, you'll hop in the elevator and head down to the Canary's Riviera Ballroom for dinner and dancing to the musical stylings of Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys. This should be "big" fun (ahem).

As for the attire, we've asked the father of the bride to channel Emily Post on your behalf. So, without further ado, here's the last word on how to array yourself "for a destination wedding of this nature," according to Dr. Bob: "[F]or the guys a suit with tie is appropriate. A sport coat with tie is OK as well. For the young ladies, a dressy sun dress is appropriate; for older women, a toned down cocktail dress, nothing longer than tea length." There you have it! Now go on and get decked out!

As for an afterparty, we'd like to think that you, like the princesses in the red shoes of fairy tale lore, will have danced until your feet have turned to mere nubs, and now can barely hold yourself up because you are so sated with delight and in such dire need of a podiatrist, but we know some of you too well to believe this. So stay tuned--when we have a place in mind, we'll post it here.

Getting Your Grub On (And Maybe a Cocktail or Two)

As you will quickly learn from a stroll down State St., Santa Barbara has quite a number of dining and drinking establishments to choose from. However, as in any other city, not all of these establishments were created equal--we learned this the hard way via a couple of deeply suspect salads at a restaurant whose name we won't disclose here. As a precaution, we've assembled the following rough dining guide to keep you from wasting your few opportunities to dine out in the area on food that makes you wish you didn't have functioning tastebuds.

Breakfast
If you're looking for a hearty breakfast at a slightly more sanitary version of a greasy spoon, you can't do much better than the Cajun Kitchen (901 Chapala St.), where their motto is, "If you're in a hurry and can't wait for the best, then try somewhere else and settle for less!" Clumsy catch phrase aside, the Cajun Kitchen has been voted the best breakfast in town for ten years running. Plus, the breakfasts are BIG, while the price tag is pretty small by SB standards ($10 and under per person).

If you're craving something a little more upscale but still a bit downhome, then you might want to give Tupelo Junction (1218 State St.) a try. Bon Appetit touted Tupelo Junction as one of the restaurants not to be missed in SB, and while they're known for their Southern-influenced dishes, it was the crabcakes benedict that blew our minds. True aficionados of Southern cookin' may want to pass up the beignets (ours were more like sweet hush puppies) in favor of the biscuits and gravy, and if anyone needs a hair of the dog, the bloody marys are supposed to be pret-ty damn tasty. Prices here run about $10-$20 a person.

Finally, if you're just in the mood for a continental breakfast, but the stale Entermann's danish sweating among its brethren in the lobby of your hotel isn't doing it for you, then we've heard D'Angelo Bread (25 W. Guiterrez St.) has truly excellent coffee, breads and pastries. They also serve European gourmet breakfasts BUT the prices are pretty steep for what you get with these (prices range from $10-$20 a plate). We'd suggest hitting somewhere else if you want a big breakfast, and trying this place if you want a good croissant and coffee you can't see through.

Lunch
All of the above restaurants serve lunch as well as breakfast, but, as any Julia Childs devotee will tell you, the sine qua non of the SB mid-day meal will be found at La Super Rica (622 N. Milpas St.). To look at it, you'd never guess at the fanaticism it inspires among its patrons, but that line that winds out the door and around the corner is there for a reason (don't worry--it moves quickly). We particularly like to grub on the tocina especial (this is essentially bacon and melted cheese with a side of guacamole), but they are also justly famous for their adobado (marinated pork), gorditas (thick corn masa pockets filled with spicy beans), and chile pasilla (a stew made with the pasilla pepper). Make sure you check the daily specials: Sunday's is usually pozole, a stew of pork and hominy in a red chile sauce, and on Fridays and Saturdays, it's usually freshly made tamales. However, if you are lucky enough to be there on chilaquile day, GET THEM! Also, always make sure you ask for extra (handmade) tortillas! Prices here range from $4-$10 dollars, so... it's worth a trip over to the East Side of SB.

If you don't have wheels or aren't feeling the Mexican food, the Natural Cafe (508 State St.) is kind of like the opposite of La Super Rica, offering vegan entrees as well as fare for omnivores at very reasonable prices (entrees are under $10). The folks at the Natural Cafe are green to the teeth, and from the taste of things, they care about dishing up killer fish tacos, turkey burgers and smoothies as much as they care about the planet. If you're a bit hungrier, Pascucci (729 State St.) offers a range of Italian/Californian cuisine that's not too hard on the old wallet (their lunch menu tops out at $10.95 for the specialty entrees), plus they source all their ingredients locally--their meats, seafood and produce are all delivered fresh daily.

Dinner
On Friday and Saturday nights, we will be doing our best to fill your bellies with all varieties deliciousness, but should you be hanging around SB either before or after the wedding, or should you find yourself particularly hungry one evening, you may want to check out the list below. We've divided the list into three sections: "Mellow Eats" for laid-back, casual dining; "Schmancy" for places that are, well, kind of on the fancy side; and "Mid-Range" for places that, oddly enough, fall right in the middle.

Mellow Eats
Carlito's Cafe y Cantina (1324 State St.) offers regional Mexican cuisine and Blue Agave margaritas on a beautiful outdoor patio (indoor seating is also available). If you like Vietnamese food, or have never tried it and would like to (California Vietnamese food blows East Coast Vietnamese food away, both in preparation and quality of ingredients), then maybe the budget-friendly Saigon In And Out (318 N. Milpas St.) will be your bag. Or since Thai food is also better on the West Coast, maybe you'd rather check out Your Place Thai (22 N. Milpas St.), widely considered the best Thai restaurant in SB. Finally, if you're part of the microbrew crowd, The Brewhouse (229 W. Montecito St.) is a great place for a burger and a beer, and, though we can't promise you'll be into it, they do have live music on the weekends.

Mid-Range
A locally favored bistro with a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list, Opal (1325 State St.) serves up an eclectic range of California cuisine, often with an Asian flare. If you like sushi, Arigato Sushi (1225 State St.) is supposed to be the best in town, offering creative rolls and very fresh sushi and sashimi. Try the Sunny Side Up Scallops, or, if you dare, ask for the "Local's Special." Speaking of fish, The Hungry Cat serves up fresh seafood brought in daily from the harbor, and the menu is determined by whichever fresh ingredients are available at the Farmer's Market. They even make their cocktails with freshly squeezed fruit--which makes a HUGE difference. Sojourner Cafe (134 E. Canon Perdido) also buys its ingredients locally, supporting local growers, brewers and vintners. Serving up vegetarian and vegan as well as omnivore fare, Sojourner is a healthy gourmet restaurant that recently adapted its menu so that you can order according to how much you plan to eat. And if you're in the mood for Italian food, Trattoria Vittoria (30 E. Victoria St.) is a livelier, less expensive alternative to the also excellent Ca' Dario, and has a reputation for hearty, authentic Italian fare.

Schmancy
If you're looking for a delicious, intimate and authentic Italian dining experience, Ca' Dario (37 E. Victoria St.) is your spot. And if you're really looking to wine and dine, Bouchon (9 W. Victoria St.) is the perfect place. Consistently voted one of the best restaurants in California, Bouchon provides "an education in the best of the region's agriculture... and viniculture," according to Bon Appetit. Diners rave about the rack of lamb, the venison loin and the tarte tatin.

And Of Course... Beverages
Milk & Honey (30 W. Anapamu St.) mixes up fancy drinks like coconut mojitos and lychee martinis, and they serve tapas. What's not to like? But if you're someone for whom a night on the town means throwing on some ratty jeans and playing pool at a bar that feels like an old friend's house, maybe Elsie's (117 W. De La Guerra St.) would be more your speed. The Press Room (15 E. Ortega St.) has got the market cornered in the English pub department, and Soho (1221 State St.) is the place to be for live music every night (you can find show listings by picking up a copy of the Santa Barbara Independent or by checking the calendar section of the club's website).

Doing the Wine Thang

It's tough to think about California without thinking about wine and the tasting of it, and in this post-Sideways world, you'd have to be living under a rock not to know that the Santa Ynez Valley and Foxen Canyon area just north of Santa Barbara are home to some of the finest among Santa Barbara County's 200+ wineries and tasting rooms. There are so many, in fact, that we thought we might try to help out the wine enthusiasts among you by sharing some of our favorites within striking distance of downtown Santa Barbara. Of course, this is by no means a definitive list, so if you're interested in pursuing this subject at some depth (wino!), you can get a fairly comprehensive rundown of what's available and where at the Santa Barbara wine country website.

Wineries in Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara Winery (202 Anacapa St.), established by Pierre Lafond in 1962, is kind of the "gran'pappy" of SB-area wineries. It was actually the first commercial winery in Santa Barbara County to open after the Prohibition, and it is now the oldest in continuous operation. The tasting room is part of the fermentation facility, and all kinds of tasty nibbles--from chocolate Zinfandel sauce to Cabernet fudge--are available therein. The tasting room is open from 10-5 daily, and the tasting fee is $5, glass included. If you're pressed for time, feeling particularly lazy, or craving a flight after the tasting room has shut its doors, you can find the Pierre Lafond Wine Bistro even closer to your hotel (516 State St.). It's a solid choice for lunch or dinner, but we'd recommend it for a light snack and a quick flight after a couple of hours bumming around downtown.

Also in Santa Barbara is Jaffurs Wine Cellars (819 E. Montecito St.) Craig Jaffurs once worked in the aerospace industry, but unlike all those other NASA engineers who, according to various infomercials, left the space program to develop materials for mattresses and non-stick surfaces for pans, Jaffurs handcrafts his own wines. The tasting room is right in the middle of the winery and is open from Friday-Sunday, 1-5 for $5 with wine purchase, $10 without.

Santa Ynez Valley Wineries
The Santa Ynez Valley loop of wineries is probably the closest, quickest and easiest way to dip your big toe into the deep end of the Central California winery pool. Start by taking the 101N up from Santa Barbara. One mile south of Buellton, at the gateway to the Santa Ynez Valley, is the Mosby Winery (9496 Santa Rosa Rd., Buellton). Mosby specializes in Cal-Ital wines made with estate-grown fruit, and its tasting room, open from Monday-Friday 10-4 and Saturday-Sunday 10-5, is located in the vineyard's charming old carriage house. After Mosby, heading east on Rt. 246 will take you right into the thick of things. The Blackjack Ranch Winery (2205 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang) got a lot of exposure from Sideways, but even if you're too cool for school, it's worth stopping in just to check out the tasting bar made of wood taken from a lane in the old Solvang Bowling Alley and try Roger Wisted's celebrated Bordeaux varietals. Their tasting room is open from 11-5 daily, with a tasting fee of $10 for 10 wines.

Though it's off the Santa Ynez Valley loop, Rusack Vineyards (1819 Ballard Canyon Rd., Solvang) is worth the detour. Nestled within Ballard Canyon, the vineyard is surrounded by lush rolling hills, and the redwood deck that looks out over them makes an excellent site for a picnic and a glass of wine. Rusack is a tiny winery that specializes in excellent handcrafted wines; while they're all pretty wonderful, make sure you try the Anacapa! You can sample it and the others from 11-5 daily for $6 a tasting (includes glass). Finally, a great place to wind up this tasting loop is at The Gainey Vineyard (3950 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez), which has been hailed as the "best tasting spot on the central coast" by Wine Spectator and "one of the most beautiful wineries in the world" by Robert Lawrence Balzer of the Los Angeles Times. Gainey's Chardonnay is very highly rated, and Stephen Tanzer calls the Pinot Noir, er, "sexy juice." But what makes it a great place to end the day is the fact that you can pick up some non-alcoholic beverages, salami, cheese and pate for a picnic on their extensive grounds (bringing your own picnic is also encouraged). The tasting room is open from 10-5 daily, and the fee is $10 (with glass).

Foxen Canyon Wine Trail
The Foxen Canyon Wine Trail covers the 11 wineries (these would be, in order of appearance, Andrew Murray, Firestone Vineyard, Curtis Winery, Koehler Winery, Fess Parker, Zaca Mesa Winery, Bedford Thompson, Foxen Winery, Rancho Sisquoc Winery, Byron, Cambria, and Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard) that you can get to via the Foxen Canyon Road. Foxen Canyon Road runs from Los Olivos in the Santa Ynez Valley, up the mesa that runs northwestward along the base of the San Rafael Mountains, through the little Santa Maria Valley, and into the city of Santa Maria itself. This trip requires a bit more of a time commitment than does simply tooling around the Santa Ynez Valley area, so it's probably best tackled if you are going to be in the area for awhile.

Of these 11 wineries, we would definitely rank two as "can't miss": Zaca Mesa Winery (6905 Foxen Canyon Rd., Los Olivos) and Foxen Winery (7200 Foxen Canyon Rd., Santa Maria). Aside from offering kick-ass Rhone-style varietals and blends, Zaca Mesa lets you hike along its well-maintained nature trails, camp and picnic on their lawn--plus, they have a giant outdoor chessboard on their patio. It's well worth the seeing even if you aren't a wine drinker. Tastings run from 10-4, and cost $7 for one flight of five wines or $12 for both flights. The Foxen Canyon Winery makes excellent limited-production wines, and we love the no-frills tasting room (Portolets? Oh, yes! But capacious ones). The tasting room's open from 11-4, and the charge is between $3-$5 a glass (you get to keep said glass).

Fans of television's The Bachelor may wish to pop in at the Firestone Vineyard (5000 Zaca Station Rd., Los Olivos) to see if they can catch a glimpse of Andrew, who, we're happy to report, has found love--and spawned--at last. Evidently, the vineyard is supposed to be lovely. We cannot attest. We can, however, vouch that the Rancho Sisquoc Winery (6600 Foxen Canyon Rd., Santa Maria) is a beautiful spot to have a picnic to wind up the day. On that note: since we, like the Boy Scouts, do advocate being prepared, we should warn you that there are no restaurants or delis along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. If you do choose to explore this area, make sure you load up on picnic supplies in Los Olivos.

NB: Click on the map at the head of this entry to get a basic, not-to-scale sense of where these wines are in relation to one another. It would be tough to do all of these in one day. More detailed maps such as this one can be found all over the internet to help you plan your trip.