Monthly Archives: May 2012

Wine tasting in Santa Ynez

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One of the most surprising things that I discovered in California is the abundance of wineries and gorgeous rolling hills resembling Tuscany and Umbria. Some of the wines are excellent and the whole wine tasting experience per se, is so much fun and delightful that I can’t think of any other way of spending a perfect day with friends. Driving up and down the sweet hills of Santa Ynez, we caravanned from one winery to the next in the glorious sun singing along with our chosen soundtracks.

We started off by buying sandwiches in the lovely, magic, enchanting town of Los Olivos. I’m not exaggerating, this is one of the most beautiful and quaint towns you’ll ever see; with its Prairie-style Victorian buildings still standing from the 1860s, Los Olivos is so pretty it looks like it belongs inside a fairy tale book. It has eclectic art galleries, shops and of course wine tasting bars, but we opted for the Curtis winery just five minutes from downtown as our picnic destination. We unfolded the blankets on the grassy grounds and happily had lunch with 7 different wines and great live music. It was so awesome, we even danced a little before leaving. The next winery we went to was less romantic, but was the perfect setting for our crash course in wine tasting . We are lucky enough to have a real sommelier in our circle of friends, who taught us how to describe with a great variety of adjectives the smells and to spit elegantly in the bucket after savoring the different kinds of syrah, cabernet, merlot, riesling and rosé.

After saying goodbye to the exotic birds in the back yard, we ventured to another gem of Santa Ynez, Solvang, an authentic Danish settlement founded in 1911. Everything about this town is Danish; from the colorful architecture to the bakeries. Every detail is so remarkably old world that makes you feel you’re really visiting Danmark. We strolled around the picturesque little streets admiring the fun windows with traditional clothing, clogs and delicious pastries and some of us headed to one more wine tasting spot.

We drove back to Los Olivos to have dinner and we strolled around almost a different town. Everything closes early -around 6pm- and the lively vibe is replaced by a silent, magic aura. There is no one on the streets, most people are already passed out or are dining happily with the last drinks of the day!! For this reason, reservations are highly recommended. We were considering of dining at Los Olivos Cafe but due to the long wait, we opted for the Firestone Brewery where we switched from wine tasting to beer tasting! Oh joy!! Life is good!

Flash your Feathers at the Arboretum!!!

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In this day and age it’s so easy to be falling in the vanity trap. Our celebrity obsessed culture has conditioned beauty standards and fueled the expectations to be pretty and young forever!! To escape the Hollywood pressure, one might think that a short trip to the LA Arboretum could cure any insecurity for a while. After all, being immersed in nature is the most poetic and soothing remedy to any languish or vanity obsession…but what if you have a close encounter with the king of vanity, the Peacock himself? Then, there is really no escape!! What a character this bird is!! He has the most magnificent electric blue you will ever see (almost as glorious as my stiletto pumps!); the most elegant walk and the legendary super elongated larger than life feathers. Did I mention that he also wears a crown? How royal is that?!?

There are dozens of them at the Arboretum; at first, I thought I got so lucky to see one and shot many pictures, afraid that I would not see another one for the rest of my walk through the park. But a loud noise right behind my back (that scared me to death), assured me that there were many more to see; they were screaming cheerfully from the trees, the bushes and the grassy grounds by the water as if to say “Look at me folks!! Aren’t we pretty?”

With different gardens and landscapes fit for kings, the Arboretum, is the perfect habitat for them. I loved walking through the Australian and English gardens.The waterfalls were pretty impressive and the little pond at the very top of the hill could have easily come out from a Monet painting, but the exquisite Herb garden, with its geometrical precision, tops my list.

The big revelation of the Arboretum, though, is the Queen Anne Cottage! Constructed in 1885, this building is an ornate example of Victorian extravagance. It is set in a lakeside landscape featuring prennial color and huge Blue Gum Trees (Eucalyptus globulus). It is truly romantic and so old world. Perfect for a sunset stroll.

I had lots of fun visiting the Santa Anita Depot. A typical half-passenger, half- freight depot with living quarters upstairs for the agent and family, the Santa Anita Depot was an active local station stop. If you peak through the windows, you can see all turn-of-the-century housewares and period railroad equipment that recreate the ambiance of the bustling station stop it once was.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

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‘Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, but in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. Cinco de Mayo traditions include parades, mariachi music performances and street festivals in cities and towns across Mexico and the United States.’

What better place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than Olvera street in downtown Los Angeles? Olvera Street is a vibrant, renowned Marketplace located in the El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historical Monument on the general site of the birthplace of the city of Los Angeles. There are multiple stores and restaurants that offer dining experiences reflecting Mexican and Latino culture and traditions. Exciting Fiestas and Celebrations are held throughout the year and Cinco de Mayo is the biggest one. I went down there today in my cute Mexican outfit to enjoy margaritas, tacos and Mariachi music! Ole’!