A long time local, Laura Healey arrived in the Santa Ynez Valley in 1974 and attended high school here. In 1991, she opened a store in Solvang, where she continues to do business today, stocking top quality baby and children’s clothes in a friendly boutique called Atterdag Kids. “I just love the kids’ stuff,” Healey [...]
Firmly committed to organic practices, Chris and Johanna Finley have been farming in the Santa Ynez Valley for six years. On 30 acres, they grow over 70 different kinds of fruits and vegetables, as well as specialty items, such as raspberries, sugar snap peas and a variety of heirloom tomatoes. “We’ve always lived amongst our [...]
Shoppers beware! Home Design & Consign is not a place where you can drop in for a quick look around and then move on. This is a high-end consignment store that’s chockfull of hard-to-find home décor items—a treasure trove for anyone in search of quality home furnishings at exceptional prices. There are magnificent cupboards, hutches, [...]
From rowdy bar to concert venue to unlikely wedding chapel, the Maverick Saloon serves Santa Ynez in a variety of colorful guises. Perched at the east end of town, this neighborhood hangout with the rough-hewn facade welcomes imbibers with the lively spirit of a Wild West watering hole. “We’re the only bar in town,” declares [...]
In late March, the monarch butterflies hibernating all winter in Mexico, Southern California and the Central Coast begin to migrate north. In order to complete this treacherous migration and complete their life cycle, the monarch butterflies must locate milkweed to feed on and lay their eggs. In my observations, the monarchs seem to go back [...]
COVER STORY Life as an international motorcycle racer. Whether riding a motorcycle or cranking the pedals of a mountain bike, Quinn Cody prefers his forward motion at a high rate of speed. Tall and athletic, he has parlayed a zest for confronting danger along dusty desert tracks into a colorful career as a motorcycle racer. [...]
Sunrise cues the rhythm of the day and rouses sleepers, while Solvang’s Rhythms Coffee offers a different kind of stimulation. Open every morning at 6:30, this neighborhood coffee house serves up energizing drinks and thick smoothies amid the irresistible beat of jazz music. Proprietor David Esdaile, a working percussionist and former publican who once owned [...]
The Santa Ynez Valley would be a very different place without its two surrounding mountain ranges. We enjoy awe-inspiring views of the Santa Ynez Mountains to our south and the San Rafael Mountains to our northeast. Both ranges provide nearby wild and scenic areas. But their most vital purpose—that which makes life pleasant and farming [...]
Long ago, Chumash artists daubed colorful pigments on cave walls, creating evocative images that continue to inspire lively debate. Intending to ignite a similar dialogue about the power of contemporary art, last fall former Santa Ynez Valley High School art teacher Connie Rohde-Stanchfield opened The C Gallery, an airy, innovative space located in Los Alamos. [...]
This is the story of how the DRX9000 made its way to the Santa Ynez Valley. No, the DRX9000 is not a fancy sports car or something from Star Trek. It is a non-surgical, spinal decompression system that helps people alleviate painful, debilitating back, neck, and leg problems without going “under the knife.” Dr. Mario [...]
