FYI – WWII POWs in Santa Barbara: A Compelling Read

In my latest travel book, Santa Barbara Know It All, I ask in a quiz at the end of the book if World War II prisoners held in POW camps here in Santa Barbara were used in harvesting local grapes, and other crops. It’s not a trick question, because it’s actually true. Then, I heard about this book German Prisoners of War at Camp Cooke, California and its very detailed account of the exact POW camp I referenced - Camp Cooke, located in Lompoc, and now part of Vandenberg Air Force Base.

June 16, 1944

The first train load of WWII German prisoners arrived at

Camp Cooke in Santa Barbara.

The interesting and unexpected approach to this book is that it is written in firsthand accounts of 14 German soldiers captured at various places and points during World War II. Author Jeffery Geiger opens up each chapter with his own writing, then lets the German POWs reflect upon their own experiences. Geiger is well versed in this material, as he is the retired chief civilian historian of Vandenberg Air Force Base. Many of the POWs discuss their capture and their subsequent removal from Europe and transfer to America specifically California, but to other states as well. As POW Alfred Schmucker writes: "The greatest day for some of us was when a convoy of American army trucks moved in and picked up about 80% of the German POWs on July 9, 1944. Contrary to what we endured while under French jurisdiction… for the first time in 14 months we could take a shower, receive good food, and were treated like human beings."

After the men reached various camps across the US they were processed, given new clothes and then put to work in the fields picking everything from sugar beets, cotton, to tomatoes, grapes, etc.  As POW Adolf Kelmer mentions, "It was surprising to me that we were paid for our labor. The money had a significant buying power in the camp at canteen. We bought cigarettes, sweets, toilet articles and many other things that for a long time had been unavailable to us in the German army. "

What probably most people don't realize was that these POW camps, including Camp Cooke, were small cities. They had barbers, tailors, even makeshift orchestras. According to Herbert Schaffrath, "In the camp we had both an orchestra and an amateur theatrical group. The song 'Don't Fence Me In' was a popular melody among the POWs in 1945." He goes on to say, “Having a pet dog or cat in our barrack gave each of us a wonderful feeling of homeliness. When we returned from work in the evenings the little dog was always waiting at the door to greet us eagerly." Ultimately though, these were still prisoners. "Despite all the pleasant activities available to us at Camp Cooke, we all had days when our only thoughts were to be reunited with our loved ones back home," wrote one German POW.

This book chronicles 14 people - not necessarily prisoners, not even Germans - but human beings like you and me. It follows the ups and downs, the tedium of prison life, the private dreams and hopes of men living in a confined environment, and the aftermath of the war that placed them there. Werner Blanck summed it up best after Camp Cooke closed and he was released. "If I could have stayed in California when Camp Cooke was closing in 1946 I would have done so. I liked the country and the people. Looking back on my military service and my time as a prisoner of war in America, I learned that there could be no justification to use force against another. I see no reason why disagreements between nations cannot be settled peacefully."

A read of this book will restore your faith in humanity, and given our current global conflicts, we all need to know that throughout history there are good people, quietly making the world a little better; be they prisoners, guards, or simply people caught up in a global conflict not of their own making.

German Prisoners of War at Camp Cooke, California
Jeffrey E. Geiger
272 pages
$19.95
Sunbury Press

The Monarch Has Landed: Montecito’s Newest Eatery

Baked Brie

Montecito doesn’t often open new restaurants, but the August, 2018 arrival of The Monarch is much anticipated, and something much needed.

After the raging Thomas Fire in December 2017 and the January 2018 mudslides, Montecito suffered greatly, as did all of Santa Barbara.

But fast foreword half a year and new growth has sprung up in the form of The Monarch, perhaps fittingly called as the butterfly…well, you know. Embracing the local-ness of our community the overarching point of the Monarch is a hyper local approach to its food. Local is a culinary buzzword these days, and hyper-local, even more so. But what is it? As the words imply, locally sourced ingredients within 100 miles of any given establishment. So what The Monarch has done is actually to list their purveyors right on their menu so you know where your food, even the hand made custom plates, comes from. The restaurant is the brain child of husband and wife chef duo, Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee.

The space focuses on beige and tan colors. The open bar and open kitchen means that nothing can hide from you. A handful of tables including some tables with couches make it feel both comfortable and slightly upscale. Copious light pours up into the restaurant windows facing Coast Village Road keeping the feel very bright. If you end up waiting for a table they will offer you complementary sparkling wine. Wines on the list are predominately local, all the wines by the glass, with the exception of French champagne and a handful of bottles for purchase. They have a nice selection of spirits including a number of Mezcal's and a few Japanese whiskeys, and will gladly make you a cocktail.
 

As a starter I had the Gabe’s Baked Brie ($15), a triple-cream cheese from Stepladder Creamery in Cambria rolled in a light puff pastry (photo above). The triple cream might sound heavy but it is the reverse of that – light, delicate, creamy. The Brie sits on a bed of greens - a blend of nine different herbs and wildflowers giving an earthy savory component to it – and fresh berries. The whole of this is a terrific combination of savory, sweet and earthy. One of the reasons I chose this, aside from my love affair with cheese, is that you don’t often see baked Brie on menus much anymore and it’s a departure from the norm.

Their Duck Breast and Leg ($46) is the entrée I enjoyed with lightly glazed honey, jasmine and coriander. It’s slow roasted inside their oven, then finished on the grill. Alongside the moist duck were lovely grilled carrots, potatoes and corn on the cob, sans cob, which is topped with herb butter. The kernels are small and slightly crunchy after being shucked off. I don’t eat much corn, but the texture of this was intriguing. An accompanying salad of fresh tomatoes, micro greens and fresh beans was simple yet stunning. This is what happens when you use ultra fresh ingredients  - you get an explosion of flavor, both subtle and nuanced as well as obvious and potent. I’m glad The Monarch has landed and once you visit, you will be too.

TheMonarch at the Montecito Inn

1295 Coast Village Rd.

Montecito

Wednesday – Sunday 5p.m. to closing

Taste My Town: Sampling Santa Barbara At Premiere Event

Me & The Mrs at Taste of the Town

Food and wine events in Santa Barbara are a dime-a-baker’s-dozen. But one in particular stands out for me, and it happens on September 7th – 9^th, where top chefs, stellar wines, cool brews and spirits offer their best.

The Taste of the Town, now in its 38th year, has always supported the programs and services of the Arthritis Foundation - the only non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of 50 million people including nearly 300,000 children with arthritis - through health education, advocacy, research, and local juvenile arthritis support.

Taste of the Town uses wine, food, music, beer, a silent auction - all of it local to Santa Barbara - to make for an enjoyable afternoon (a partial list of who will be there is below).

So, as I said, a dime a dozen. So why this particular event?

1. Tickets are limited, so you’re not throwing elbows to find a bite of food or sample a beer or wine (one local event draws 3,000 people – waaayy too may folks impeding your progress.) Taste of the Town is easy to navigate.

2. It’s one of the coolest venues around. Held at the Rivera Business Park, it was formerly called The Normal School, then it became the first iteration of UCSB. Held under the shaded canopy of arched column walkways, a mirror pool lies dead center – and it almost looks like the Getty Villa In Malibu.

3. This is where my wife and I shot some of our wedding photos. So right there, I have sanctioned the place. I’ve attended the event and can sanction that too. For other cool events in Santa Barbara check out my March 2018 new comedy Travel Book: Santa Barbara Know It All: A Guide To Everything That Matters.                                         

Individual regular admission tickets for the Sunday afternoon Taste of the Town on 9/9/18 are $125 per person in advance, $140 at the door and yes it’s worth it. There’s also a more exclusive event on 9/7.

Tickets are available at www.arthritis.org/tasteofthetownsb or by calling the Arthritis Foundation Central Coast at 805-563-4685. Hope to see you there!

Confirmed Food Purveyors: Ca'Dario, Finch & Fork, High on the Hog Catering, Lilac Patisserie, Michael's Catering, Opal Restaurant & Bar, Santa Barbara Yacht Club, The Little Door, The Palace Grill, and Via Maestra 42.

Confirmed Wines, Spirits and Beers: Alexander & Wayne, Alma Rosa, Au Bon Climat, Brander, Brewer-Clifton, Cutler's Artisan Spirits, Demetria Estates, Grassini, Islands Brewing Company, Jaffurs, Ken Brown Wines, Kessler- Haak, Melville, Presqu'ile, Qupe.

Top 5 Reasons You Should NOT Buy My New Santa Barbara Comedy Travel Book

#5: You Loathe Santa Barbara.

Believe it or not, there are actually people out there who passionately hate Santa Barbara. The beach, the mountains, the natural beauty, the laid back vibe, near perfect weather and friendly people disgust them. I’ve never met them, but I’m sure there are a handful out there. I’ve heard rumors. Anyhow, if you hate it here, please do not buy my book.

#4: You Can’t Stand Learning New Things

There is a segment of the population who can’t stand to find a new restaurant to try, art galley to visit, hike to take, winery or brewery to sample. Only the standard tried and true will do. Besides, you never know what you’ll get with new experiences. Probably lice! Right? If you prefer the same tedious experiences you’ve had for years, do not buy my book.

#3:You Hate Small Towns

Small is just hugely wrong. Santa Barbara is a small town with small people, small portions, small mindsets and big taxes. Only a big city can offer variety, diversity, choice, and, you know, other stuff. Small towns like Santa Barbara and its even smaller towns like Lompoc, Los Alamos, Summerland, Montecito, Goleta and Carpinteria are like sets from a movie - there’s nothing behind the façade. And don’t get me started on the “Danish” themed Solvang! This book sounds idiotic.

#2: Traveling to You is Like Having the Plague

Let’s be honest – ‘travel’ is a ‘hassle.’ Heck, they’re practically even spelled the same! Crowds, noise, renting a car, sitting on a plane, yes even walking is laborious and hard. Who wants a bad nights sleep in some crappy hotel? Why get up to fresh air and hang out at a Santa Barbara beach – we all know the ocean isn’t even blue, it reflects the color of the sky. Plus there are kids, dogs, musicians, artists, anyone on a Segway…yeah, no thanks. When you stay at home no one bothers you (except for that weird neighbor). Don’t travel and don’t waste your money on my book.

#1: You Don’t Have a Funny Bone in Your Body.

I don’t mean literally your “funny bone” (that’s actually when your ulner nerve bumps against your humorous bone and you get that icky sensation like your arm is drunk) because then your arm wouldn’t work. You haven’t laughed in decades. I mean, why bother? The world isn’t funny, this blog post is stupid, and to smile wastes valuable calories. So please, I beg of you, don’t buy my book.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

The dumb author who Wrote Santa Barbara Know It All: A Guide To Everything That Matters.

           

P.S. – Just so you know, don’t even bother buying a copy of this book at Tecelote Bookstore in Montecito, Chaucer’s or the Visitor’s Center in Santa Barbara, The BookLoft in Solvang, or the Costco in Goleta. And for Pete’s sakes don’t purchase it on Amazon!

Sipping in Solvang: 6 Years of Southern Exposure (of Wine and Danish)

Discovery. Finding wines are that are new, under the radar, barely available and hard to find. Yep, that’s fun. The Garagiste Festival 6th Annual Southern Exposure kicks off on Friday night, February 9^th in Solvang. Yeah, Solvang, that cool little Danish town in Santa Barbara Wine Country.

Having attended these events in Paso Robles and Solvang before has been a great opportunity, not only for me as a wine writer, but also a wine buyer and I brought a few of these wines into my wine department. (See that article HERE).

So, should you attend? Well, if you dislike the idea of uncovering hard to find wines, if you prefer to drink only what you know, they by all means stay home. Otherwise, here’s what’s in store:

★10 wineries brand new to Garagiste that you haven't tasted anywhere else.

★6 wineries pouring their very 1st vintage.

★Over 50% of the wineries participating have never poured in Solvang before. So even for those who have attended before, they will find plenty of new wines to experience.

★Only 11 wineries even have tasting rooms with regular hours - just 26% of participants - so now is the chance to explore.

★No waiting in line- they keep their winemaker-to-attendee ratio deliberately low to ensure a personal tasting experience.

There will other events along as well, so check the website for those details, but if nothing else, come Saturday for the main tasting and be prepared to be wowed.

 WWW.CALIFORNIAGARAGISTES.COM 

But also check out Solvang, which has its roots from 1911 when it was founded. If you get a chance visit Ingeborg’s Danish Chocolates – all Danish chocolates made right here in Solvang, at 1679 Copenhagen Dr. Also known for pastries, Solvang offers several places in town to check out for butter cookies, as well as art galleries, Danish clothing and gifts, not to mention Jule Hus – all Christmas all the time at 1580 Mission Dr.

Winemakers scheduled to pour include

Ascension Cellars, Caliza Winery, Camlow Cellars, Cloak & Dagger Wines, D. Volk Wines, Diablo Paso, Dunites Wine Co., El Lugar Wines, Golden Triangle, Hoi Polloi Wines, Kimsey Vineyards, Luna Hart Wines, Marin’s Vineyard, MCV Wines, Metrick Wines, Mollie Wines, Montemar Winery, Sycamore Ranch Winery, TLO Wines, Torch Cellars, TW Fermentation Co., Velvet Bee Wine, Vino Vargas, Volatus Wines, and Weatherborne Wine Co.

A Purrfect Pet Project – Cat Therapy Santa Barbara

Catalina and Snow

I'm not being catty but Cat Therapy is the only cat café between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Owner Catalina Esteves (yes that's her real name, yes I understand the irony) is originally from Argentina but moved to Santa Barbara with a crazy idea, to help adult cats get adopted. You book a reservation to hang out with the cats, make friends, play, let them sit on you, read, you can even have a party and book out the room. You can order food or drinks from a restaurant across the street (Brasil Arts Café, and the food will be brought to you) and de-stress…however no one will pet you – all combing is for kitties.

Maggie...with an attitude

Opened in May 2017 this former yoga studio now houses typically around 14 cats, oh and they do offer a cat yoga class. Catalina had this crazy idea and spoke to the mayor, from there on the City was really helpful, probably because nothing like this had been done before. It’s the perfect way to spend some time in Santa Barbara. Cat Therapy partners with the Animal Shelter Assistance Program, the Ventura County Animal ServicesShelter, and ResQCats.

“We help adult cats get adopted,” Catalina tells me and they've had 16 adoptions since they opened less than two months ago. One cat recently adopted had a bunch of cat-ostrophic strikes against it; it was a senior cat, it was black, it was half deaf and had no tail. How difficult would it be for this cat to find a new home if it sat in a shelter? Here the cats roam freely, some more social than others, but the freedom to move unfettered allows them to be more who they are, and as you interact with them, you might be drawn to a specific feline.

My boys, Toby and Jasper

So, why exactly do people come here, I ask? “There are three reasons. One, is people who are actively looking to adopt a cat. The second is for people who can't have a cat perhaps because of where they live (rental restrictions, other animals) or allergy considerations of a loved one.” And third she says, well some people just love to hang out with animals. As the proud owner of two cats (Jasper and Toby) and an animal lover, I get this. But I also wonder about the stereotype, you know, the crazy cat lady syndrome. But Catalina tells me a group of guys recently stopped in and were somewhat mesmerized. In fact a couple that was there when I visited owned four cats but made a point of coming here, and visiting animal shelters to give love and attention to other cats.

To be clear they are not sales people, so if you happen by and they ask if you’d like to come in you will not be given a cat and told to pay up. Besides, there’s no handle on the front door, so you can’t gain access unless they let you in. All cats have current shots and are up to date health-wise, and ready to head home with you. If not, the place is sterilized after each group visits and though there are rugs, the floors are concrete so there’s less dander build up if you’re sensitive. Yes, Cat Therapy makes me happy – anytime humans come into contact with animals and have a positive e experience it makes us humans better. After all, human or animal, we all live to the level that we are loved. “When you witness an adoption it's a very emotional thing, we are a place for all animal lovers,” Catalina says.

Sealed With a Pen - What Blubber, the Hearst Castle & Wine Have in Common

I see you! (Photo: Visit San Simeon)

Just days before President Obama left office he invoked the Antiquities Act of 1906, and no, it has nothing to do with antiques. What President Obama did was to expand the California Coastal National Monument, a move that provides added protections for the elephant seal colony at Piedras Blancas located just north of San Simeon and the Hearst Castle. The California Coastal National Monument, originally established by President Clinton in 2000, protects and preserves “objects or sites of historic or scientific interest” along California’s Central Coast. More than 17,000 elephant seals migrate thousands of miles to come to this secluded sandy beach twice per year, and now they are fully protected. Bless their fat little hearts.

Boys being boys.

Located four miles north of the Hearst Castle, 12 miles north of Cambria the elephant seal rookery is visible by “Elephant Seal Viewing Area” signs. If that doesn’t work you’ll see a lot of people looking over a low wood fence pointing indiscriminately. No one is certain why the seals keep showing up here, but they do.  In the winter months the seals come here to breed, in the summer months, they molt. Winter is the best time to view the males, females and newborn pups. They might seem lazy at first, strewn across the sand like so much chubby road kill. But they can be forgiven. They can dive up to 3,000 feet and swim at three miles an hour and, let’s not forget, they carry all that blubber with them. They started appearing in these low sand protected beaches in the early 1990s and haven’t left yet. The males will spar for territorial rights, the females who appear to just want to be left alone. And they are loud, making a horrible sound like a bad Chewbacca impression. The seals are around all year, though not in the quantities like summer and winter. The docents are there all year too, people in blue coats emblazoned with “Friends of the Elephant Seal” on their jackets. Ask them anything. The information is free, the show is free and you might spend more time here than you ever expected.

The Big Sur Coastline

“We’re very grateful to President Obama to include one of San Simeon’s most precious resources as part of the California Coastal National Monument,” said Michael Hanchett, president of the San Simeon Chamber of Commerce. “This elephant seal rookery has become a globally loved place. Three-quarters of a million visitors come to see them each year, which helps support and preserve local businesses and jobs.” Obviously Hearst Castle is nearby, the charming town of Cambria, the Piedras Blancas Light Station, whose tower and support building are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Just north you begin the staggeringly beautiful Big Sur Coastline. There are wineries dotted south in Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay, and a plethora of them on Highway 46 West, which, runs from Cambria to Paso Robles. Time to hit the road, my friends!

Chillin' (Photo: Solterra Strategies)

FRIENDSOF THE ELEPHANT SEAL

VISITSAN SIMEON

Dying To Get In - The Santa Barbara Cemetary

The Santa Barbara Cemetery (901 Channel Dr., 805/969-3231) is one cool spot. Sure, the resting place of the dead isn’t on your typical itinerary when you visit someplace (though admittedly I routinely visit cemeteries all over the world), but it’s definitely worth stopping by when you’re in town. The cemetery is unmistakably quiet and holds the best piece of land, high on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean with pristine views to the mountains and Channel Islands as the Pacific fans out before you.

Advertising in the local paper from the 1940s

As cemeteries go this is flat out beautiful and though the dead may not be impressed with the views, all of us living folks certainly will be. Many notables from Santa Barbara history are buried here (JP Sterns of Sterns Wharf; Lewis Burton-the 1^st mayor of Santa Barbara in 1850; and Pearl Chase who basically single-handedly made Santa Barbara the tourist paradise it is today,) as are actors Ronald Coleman (films: The Lost Horizon, The Prisoner of Zenda, and he once owned the San Ysidro Ranch), and Fess Parker (TV’s Daniel Boone and local vintner), and even a few tragic souls from the legendary Jonestown massacre in Guyana from 1978; otherwise you’ve probably never heard of most of these folks.

In fact author David Petry writes, “One couple, Alice and Charles Sedgewick Minot of Boston, is buried in the cemetery although neither of them ever visited Santa Barbara while alive. Alice Minot requested in her will that she be buried on a beautiful site overlooking an ocean.  Her husband, after sending his attorneys on an extensive search, selected the Santa Barbara Cemetery.” The land goes back to 1867 as a burial place and was originally a 5-acre parcel on what was then the outskirts of town. Today it sits between the Four Seasons Biltmore and the Santa Barbara Zoo. There’s even a 200-page book on the complete history of the cemetery, “The Best Last Place,” written by the aforementioned David Petry, and quote from his book. Such is the dedication of Santa Barbara natives and their love of local history…and burials, I guess. A short walk across the thin grass amid palm tress, sunshine, ocean breezes and headstones will give you a new perspective on life – if not, go wine tasting.

The Hot Chick – California Condor Makes Flight in Monterey

 

Betty the Condor, 2 months old-NPS Photo by G. Emmons

An endangered female California condor chick took flight from a nest in early October 2016 in Pinnacles National Park in Monterey County, for the first time in more than 100 years. Earth-shattering news? Not to most people. Important beyond our scope of understanding? Oh hell yes. The “historic flight,” as the Pinnacles NationalPark people put it, was under the supervision of her parents, both of whom were released into the wild through a partnership between the National Park Service and Ventana Wildlife Society. The chick, a hot little number in that prehistoric beauty vibe, is unceremoniously known merely as Condor #828. Let’s call her Betty.

Pinnacles

Volunteers and staff have been observing the nest, found in a remote location in the park, since Betty’s parents started incubating the egg in February. The five-and-a-half month old chick piqued the attention of park biologists when she left the nest one month earlier than expected. “Condors nesting in the wild and surviving on their own is what it’s all about and this is yet another milestone towards that goal,” says Kelly Sorenson, executive director of the Ventana Wildlife Society, which first initiated condor releases in central California back in 1997. The federal government and conservation groups have dedicated considerable resources to the restoration of the condor population that was brought to the brink of extinction in the 1980’s.

Condor #340 (dad) in the nest with Betty-NPS Photo by G. Emmons

“The young condor’s flight from the nest gives us a strong sense of hope,” said Karen Beppler-Dorn, superintendent of Pinnacles National Park. “However, our hope is tempered by the challenges that still exist for her and all wild condors.” What “challenges” might there be? Lead poisoning continues to hinder recovery of these magnificent birds and they can become ill and die when they inadvertently ingest fragments of lead ammunition in carcasses they feed upon that are left over from hunting or ranching operations. “Condors and other scavenging wildlife, such as eagles, benefit from carcass remains left behind, if non-lead ammunition is used. Hunters and ranchers have a long-standing tradition of wildlife conservation,” said Beppler-Dorn. “Shooters who have switched to non-lead ammunition have made an invaluable contribution to the health of all scavenging wildlife.” Of course loss of habitat due to human expansion is always an issue as is pollution, be that water, air and even noise pollution.

With continuing threats to condor’s survival and recovery, volunteers contribute immeasurably towards the protection of wildlife in the park, particularly the condors. Female condor #236 (Betty’s mom) was first released from Big Sur and male condor #340 (Betty’s dad) was released from Pinnacles. Now that Betty, has left the nest, she will remain close to her parents as she learns where to go to forage for food and how to interact with over 85 other condors in central California. These may seem like small victories, but every instance where we as humans give respect to the natural world only makes our physical world, and yes our spiritual world, that much better.

Helena Avenue Bakery – Good Bread in the Best Place

“How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?" - Julia Child

Bread is important.

Pastry is supremely important.

And a good bakery is the cornerstone of civilization.

At least to me.

So when I heard a new bakery was opening in Santa Barbara, I was delighted. For a city the size of mine, we are woefully short of enough bakeries. Yes, we have a few very good ones, but more is always better, and location is everything.

Housed in an industrial warehouse building and retrofitted to be hip and trendy the  Helena Avenue Bakery is the latest addition to an ongoing stunning change to the Funk Zone, a former unsightly industrial area two blocks from the beach. There are multiple tasting rooms, Figueroa Mountain Brewery, a distillery, art galleries and multiple places for food, like Mexican street food at Money’s, to food trucks to Seven Bar & Kitchen, Lucky Penny and The Lark - these last two owned and operated by Sherry Villanueva, who started the bakery. “Having a bakery was a logical progression for us,” Sherry Villanueva told me when I stopped in. “It’s exciting to see the growth in high quality businesses opening up in the Funk Zone. The need for a wholesome bakery that appeals to people of all ages became quite clear to us as the neighborhood continues to unfold.”

And the Funk Zone is unfolding rapidly and smartly. “We are trying to build a sense of neighborhood,” Sherry says. “It's not about making a quick buck, It's about building the long-term relationships.” Helena Avenue Bakery serves as a wholesale bakery providing custom-baked goods for Lucky Penny, The Lark, Les Marchands and other coffee shops and restaurants throughout Santa Barbara. What’s cool is that now it’s open for retail, via a shared door of the Santa Barbara Wine Collective. And Helena Avenue Bakery has a two pronged approach: bakery and picnic lunches. The bakery offers various quiche selections with a deftly crispy crust; baguettes; walnut batards; ciabatta bread not to mention egg croissants with arugula pesto and prosciutto; apricot-thyme croissants; and cookies including their rich peanut butter.

But there is also The Picnic Counter offering prepared foods for take-away like house pickled veggies; couscous salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber and feta cheese; Brussels sprouts Caesar salad; focaccia with roasted corn, pasilla peppers, queso fresco and cilantro; and fried chicken sandwich on ciabatta.

These foods are ideal for dining on-site, or heading the scant two blocks to the beach or picnics around the Santa Barbara area. Open 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, bread is now king in the Funk Zone! So check it out, eat up and enjoy some of the best of Santa Barbara.

Baby You Can Drive My Car: West Coast Kustoms

I’m not really a car guy. Sure, old cars are cool and I’ve detoured to see the Bonnie and Clyde death car and visited auto museums in Vegas, Los Angeles and Texas just because you have to appreciate the workmanship and often sheer beauty that the American automobile represents, let alone the rest of the world’s great automakers. But when I heard the original Batmobile will be at the 35th West Coast KustomsCrusin’ Nationals in Santa Maria (May 27-29) well, you need to know about this.

 

800 auto entries are expected with cars from as far away as New Jersey and Texas as well as an entry owned by James Hetfield of the band Metallica. The event is open to American-made autos that were manufactured prior to 1961 so you get classic, historic and downright American originals.

As a tribute to George Barris, who died in November of 2015 and the creator of the original Batmobile, the actual Batmobile will be brought to the event by his family. Designed exclusively for the 1966 "Batman" TV show starring Adam West and Burt Ward, this sleek was styled and engineered with many different special effects innovations by Barris Kustom Industries. Originally it started off as a $250,000 1955 Ford Lincoln Futura concept car originally built in Italy. Barris bought the car directly from Ford for a buck, and started working on it. With a deadline of three weeks before the cameras were ready to roll, this Lincoln was transformed into one of the world’s most famous cars and it had its TV debut on January 12th 1966. Sure I watched the show as a kid but in 2015 when in Hollywood I went to original Bat Cave where the car was filmed zooming in and out of the cave, located on the path up to the Hollywood sign.

At the real Bat Cave in Hollywood

Besides the Batmobile and other cool customized cars there are live bands, food booths, a ton of vendors and presentations of auto-customizing. All in all, I’d say it will be a smooth ride.