PROFILE— 60 cases of a specially brewed gold label black ale was made to honor the occasion. The bet that father and son owners Jaime and Jim Dietenhofer made when opening Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company a year ago has paid off. A few months ago they added three 30-barrel stainless-steel tanks, tripling the capacity they [...]
“She was born confident in life” Born in Aalborg, Denmark in 1930, Kirsten lived a comfortable life in the country until World War II when her father moved the family to Copenhagen. Kirsten’s sister, Inger Blondel, says the war changed their lives forever. “I never understood how Kirsten could be so confident after all the [...]
All proceeds support the SYV Humane Society. Every time a baby is born in the U.S., four puppies and kittens also enter the world, many of them homeless. Lost in the cities and wandering the streets, their plight moved a group of Santa Ynez Valley residents to found the Humane Society in the early 1970s. [...]
For an unforgettable experience with giant creatures from half a world away, look no further than OstrichLand USA, a local landmark featuring dozens of flapping, galloping and eyelash-batting emus and ostriches. Here, visitors step into a magical place where our feathered friends live 75 years, sprint 45 miles per hour, stand nine feet tall and [...]
A century ago, in January 1911, the Danish-American Colony corporation bought 9,000+ acres of land stretching from Alamo Pintado Creek to Rancho Jonata (Buellton area). The new settlement was named Solvang, which means “sunny field” in Danish. The corporation advertised in Danish-language newspapers, and almost immediately Danish immigrants from all over the U.S. and Denmark [...]
Planning a wedding? The Santa Ynez Valley is Loaded with Lovely Locations! — Drawn by its scenic beauty and friendly communities, happy couples planning their nuptials naturally gravitate to Santa Barbara County. Whether seeking a storybook location loaded with country charm, a spot with forever views or a venue boasting all the amenities, they’ll find just [...]
Norman Skau lived at Atterdag College as a child and is now the food service director at Atterdag Village. To celebrate and reinforce their culture, Solvang’s Danish immigrants founded Atterdag College in 1914. Students lived on campus, where educators from around the world taught everything from literature to folk dancing. The college quickly flowered as [...]
In 2003, long-time local Cheri Baldacchino launched an interior design business specializing in window treatments and Hunter Douglas blinds. Six years and three store locations later, her Design Alternatives fills a 3000-square-foot showroom in Solvang’s Denmarket Square. “I moved to this new location about eight months ago,” Baldacchino says, “and I love it! The store [...]
The Santa Ynez Valley got a taste of something different when Chef Petros Benekos opened his Greek restaurant in Los Olivos in June. The words “great” and “Petros” linked up and spread like wildfire. And for good reason. First, there was the stunning interior transformation of the Fess Parker Wine County Inn & Spa lobby [...]
Those familiar with our local backcountry know the Davy Brown name from the creek, trail and campground named for him in Sunset Valley. But few know the fascinating story of the man who inspired these place names or that Brown chose to live in the remote backcountry in his 70s and stayed on until poor [...]
