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 [...]
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 [...]
Living a classic American success story, the Alvaro family is reaping the rewards of over thirty-three years of long hours and hard work. In 1976, Rudy Alvaro, Sr., founded the first of his Rudy’s Mexican Restaurants, and today the family operates six of the popular eateries, all renowned for fast, friendly service and savory dishes [...]
From the one-room schoolhouse in Ballard to the patios and parlors of Montecito’s glitterati, Maili Halme Brocke has traveled a winding road of hard work and well-deserved opportunities. Today, she channels her culinary talents into a prosperous catering business, while deftly cultivating her children’s well-being and future success through the simple magic of home-schooling. “My [...]
Tucked into one of the oldest buildings in Solvang, Bit O’Denmark has been dishing up savory Old World fare for well over 40 years. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the cozy restaurant boasts a tempting menu of Danish favorites, as well as classic American treats. “There are only three or four places in Solvang [...]
