The beginning of October can signal one thing in Santa Ynez Valley and beyond — the fall season has begun and coming up fast will be Halloween and all the trimmings that come with it, like pumpkins.

And that was the idea a lot of people had on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch on Alamo Pintado Road. The patch, owned and operated by Steve Jacobsen and his family, is one of the most popular in the Valley, and that showed as a good crowd showed up on a warm Saturday to get an early pick of the gourds.

“It’s an OK crowd, but I think the heat this weekend has kept a few away,” Steve Jacobsen said. “But I think the crowds will pick up as it gets cooler and also as Halloween gets closer.”

Jacobsen has operated the seasonal pumpkin patch along with family members like his daughter, Tayler, whom Steve calls the “brains of the operation,” and son Wesley, who was manning the popcorn stand at the patch on this Saturday.

In addition to the pumpkins, the Jacobsens also have a corn maze on the site that is a popular draw, as well as a number of old vehicles and farm equipment with pumpkins loaded on them, which makes for a great photo op.

The patch not only has a lot of Valley residents coming by, but also folks from further away.

Mario Pavlovic came up from Los Angeles with his sons Luka and Matteo to pick out a few pumpkins, and it was a return trip for them.

“We come to this place often, and they wanted to come up and pick pumpkins,” Mario said. “We used to come when it was at another location, and we’ve always been happy about what we found.”

Dylan Jones of Santa Maria, who was there with his family, was also becoming a loyal customer of the Jacobsens’ patch

“We came here last year and it was really great,” Jones said as his 2-year-old son Diego was pulling along a cart with pumpkins in it. “We decided to come back and try to make a tradition out of it.”

The Solvang Farmer patch isn’t the only one selling the Halloween gourds: The Summerset Farm and Pumpkin Patch, located at 3450 Baseline Ave. in Santa Ynez, just north of Edison Street and next to Highway 154, also has some available. The patch is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Summerset Farm calls itself “a hidden gem” in the Santa Ynez Valley and states on its website “our mission is to grow high quality produce to be enjoyed by all.” in addition to the pumpkin patch, the farm also offers a produce stand, pick-your-own berries, local honey, homemade jams, free range eggs, and more!

While pumpkins are popular this time of year, so is seeking out eerie and unsettling, but mostly fun, activities such as the haunted house put on by the Solvang Parks and Recreation Department. This year’s 29th edition of the Halloween Haunt is themed “Tainted Souls: Even Clowns Have Feelings” and will be open on Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28, at 411 2nd St. in Solvang. Each night will kick off with a more kid-friendly version from 6 to 6:30 p.m., and the more “grown-up” version will continue from that point until 9:30 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for ages 12 and under.

Parks and Recreation Director Jenny McClurg made a general presentation to the Solvang City Council and remarked that they just got started on the attraction.

“We started this week, and it should be quite a production,” she said. “We should be busy with it for the next four weeks.”

The department is still seeking volunteers to help out with and participate in the Haunted House. You can register to help out, either as a guide or as one of the “monsters,” by going to cityofsolvang.com/310/Haunted-House. 

Meanwhile, The Haunt, billed as “Solvang’s premier ghost tour,” promises to “whisk you away into the ghostly past of this unique Danish village. Embark on a thrilling adventure through the town’s haunted architecture, steeped in eerie tales of their phantom residents at the most haunted sites.”

Having started back up last month in time for Danish Days, the tour is perfect for families, couples, and children. The Haunt combines authentic ghost hunting with engrossing storytelling, making it an unforgettable journey into Solvang’s haunted past.

The tour runs Thursday through Sunday through October and will also offer extra days on Oct. 30 and 31 for Halloween. The tour departs near the Visitor Information Center. Spots fill up fast, so book online now to secure your place in this otherworldly experience. To get tickets and learn more go to thehauntghosttours.com/tours/solvang/.

Other events on and around Halloween include:

A Not So Scary Movie; Saturday, Oct. 21, from 2 to 4 p.m.; 202 Dairyland Road, Buellton (future site of SYV Children’s Museum)

The Santa Ynez Valley Children’s Museum will be screening what is billed as a “Not So Scary Movie” for ages 10 and under and their families at the future site of the museum. Tickets are $8 per person or $30 per family, which includes the movie screening on the patio and access to the “Mud Kitchen” and “Dirt Zone” play area. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase and attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. For more information, go to syvchildrensmuseum.com. 

Day of the Dead: Haunted Ball at Sunstone, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m., Sunstone Winery, 125 Refugio Road, Santa Ynez

This Halloween, Sunstone Winery transforms into a haunting haven inspired by Dia De Los Muertos.

Enjoy Day of the Dead inspired cocktails, delicious bites, and dance the night away in the wine cave with DJ Fess on Deck.

Honor those who have passed and come dressed up in your best costume. Prizes will be given to the best dressed in three categories: Best Group, Most Original, and Best Couple. Tickets: $129 ($99 for Sunstone Members). For more info go to exploretock.com/sunstonewinery/event/439075/day-of-the-dead-haunted-ball-at-sunstone

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By Sue Manning

Versatility equals value, so while traditional items may cost a bit more, they also work hard. With creative layering, pieces you may have dismissed as too trendy or too summery can actually become your newest wardrobe staples.

To add versatility to your neutral latte colors, add toast, blue, dusty rose, sage green, or black. For gray, add shocking pink, vibrant orange, lemon, or royal blue. For ivory, add eggplant, espresso, pine, or ruby.

When it comes to expanding your wardrobe, building from pieces you have and adding something new gives you extra wearing capabilities and who doesn’t want to expand their wardrobe while saving money at the same time.

Remember, wardrobe building is a free service at Elna’s Dress Shop. Our expert staff specializes in this area.

With fall just around the corner, fashion can seem intimidating and inaccessible. We think we need the “total” look, but not all things belong together. Some do, some don’t. Fall gives us the option of being free spirited, so feel free to mix and match! This fall, look for earth tones, plush textures, tapestries, florals, and plaids. Floral textiles have a history in fashion design. From bold statements to muted prints, they give fashionistas a chance to express their personality. One thing is for sure — floral prints are always in style.

Known for its “quiet authority,” nude and beige textiles provide a background for bold statements. The popular trend is suitable for everyday as well as on the runway.

Major denim trends for fall and winter from key silhouettes to surface finishes. This season’s denim is all about elevating this closet staple. No longer just a casual classic, contemporary denim pieces are being put together with sharp tailoring, surface textures, and eastern aesthetics for a fresh, fashion-forward take on utility wear.

Stop by Elna’s during the month of August for our special sale featuring 50 percent off selected summer merchandise.

You’ll find the quality name brands we are known for, but hurry, because when they are gone, they are gone.

Elna’s is open: Wednesdays thru Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is located in the heart of Solvang at 1673 Copenhagen Drive

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By Sheila Benedict

Summer is here and what better time to turn on the computer and the air conditioner and check out digitized records. NO, not everything is digitized and probably never will be but YES, they are working on adding more and more daily. What records are needed to complete a family research project? 

The list of records is very long but some suggestions include bibles/church records, census, state and federal (population and non-population), city directories, county histories, court documents, vital records (birth, marriages, deaths for every county and some cities statewide). Check online for county of interest web addresses and information about how to obtain copies of their records. Others include school yearbooks, diaries, land and taxes, military records/pension files, naturalizations/passenger lists, newspapers/queries, DNA results, and the list goes on. 

The following URLs are listed, but it is important to check and make sure they are current. Do not forget to use PERSI for your periodical sources. It has a huge selection: genealogycenter.info/persi. Of course, as is stated in the column every month regarding the law, all the laws in California do not match laws in other states and countries. Each needs to be reviewed to make sure privacy policies and other restrictions are followed. In California, here are some of the major record repositories: Federal, National Archives (NARA) Regional Centers are in two locations: 23123 Cajalco Road, Perris, CA 92570 (www.archives.gov/frc/riverside; email: riverside.archives@nara.gov) and the Leo J Ryan Building, San Bruno, CA 94066 (www.archives.gov/frc/san-francisco; email: sanbruno.archives@nara.gov). 

Available services

• Archival Research Room, Microfilm Research Room. California State Library at three locations; website: (www.library.ca.gov). For additional information on their holdings at the branches in Sacramento and San Francisco, email cslinfo@library.ca.gov and sutro@library.ca.gov.
• California State Archives, 1020 O Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 653-2246, https://www.sos.ca.gov/archives; email: archivesweb@sos.ca.gov. 
• California Historical Society, 678 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105. Website: www.californiahistoricalsociety.org
• Bureau of Indian Affairs, regional office in Sacramento with branches in Redding and Riverside. Website: www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/RegionalOffices/Pacific/index.htm
• LDS Family History Library Branch Centers: statewide, every county and some cities. 
• Online archive of California, California Digital Library (www.oac.edlib.org; click “browse collections”).
• Some individual societies include Native Daughters of the Golden West, Native Sons of the Golden West, Los Californianos, Society of California Pioneers, Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of the Revolution, Museum of Forgotten Warriors (military), California African-American Genealogical Society, and in other parts of California, Jewish genealogical societies in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and other areas. 

Finally, there are genealogical and historical societies all across California, other states, and other countries. There are also both subscription and free sites available as well. Remember, to do the research effectively, one record source is NEVER enough. One other source that seems to get little attention because of all the latest technology are books. Most genealogy libraries still have their collections, but many offer the use of their computer services. Enjoy your August and “see” you in September.

Copyright ©2023, Sheila Benedict; All Rights Reserved

Email: benedictresearchservices@gmail.com

No reproductions without prior written permission

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By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

Jen Curtis, a resident of Los Alamos, has had a heart for animals in need since childhood. As a child growing up in Maine, she said she used to pick up neighborhood cats that she thought were homeless and bring them home.

“So, when I brought the cats home, my mother would say that they probably had homes of their own and that I needed to find out where they lived,” said Curtis. “From childhood, I was always wanting to help sick cats in need. Turns out I’m allergic to cats, so I went without any animal in my life until a friend of mine gifted me with a dachshund named Greta.” 

In 2014, Curtis said she recognized the plight of homeless dogs in need of rescuing. So, she started fostering rescues. At first she focused on dachshunds and dachshund mixes.

“Shortly after bringing in a friend for Greta, I began fostering dachshunds who were looking for forever homes,” she said. “I began with dachshunds and it slowly developed into fostering all breeds of dogs.

“I fostered and then adopted Hudson who was going to be euthanized because he had kennel cough. Then I started doing more. I adopted a cocker spaniel who a delivery guy in Bakersfield had seen someone throw out of a truck and it just went on from there.” 

At present Curtis is an independent dog rescuer, but she is in the process of filing for a 501(c)3 nonprofit status. The name of her rescue will be LE WOOF, but for now she is doing this work as an independent dog lover. 

“The word got out that I am interested in rescuing dogs, so people started calling me about animals in trouble,” said Curtis. “My journey is to find every dog a forever home.”

A board member from the Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society and Dog Adoption Welfare Group (DAWG) asked Curtis to help with some fundraising and shortly after that, she was asked to join the Board of Directors and she said that she pretty much spearheaded fundraising for them.

“After two years of helping raise funds for the Humane Society I realized that I preferred to focus on things I could control and make a bigger impact,” she said.

When COVID hit, Curtis started doing more fostering and pulling dogs out of high-kill shelters in Los Angeles County and helping Santa Barbara County find homes for their dogs in need while at the same time continuing to foster. 

“I formed a relationship with a rescue group in Oregon who agreed to take 12-15 dogs a month from overcrowded shelters in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. On a monthly basis I have to raise $2,500 to pay for their transport to Oregon alone,” she explained. “Between pulling dogs for the Oregon transport, raising funds for their transport, pulling dogs that I foster myself along with finding them homes and networking with a team of fosters who help with this work, well, I have to say, it is more than a handful. I host fundraisers, GoFundMes, adoption events to get dogs adopted, and continue to pay for spay and neutering, vaccines, and medical care. I also drive to wherever a dog needs rescuing. This weekend I am off to Ventura to rescue a dog in need. This is a lot to handle on top of having a full-time job in software sales, but it’s worth it.”

Although Curtis began by focusing on a particular breed, she has widened here efforts considerably.

“Currently I focus on all dogs in need, not breed or age specific, but I have a soft spot for senior dogs and medical dogs including hospice dogs,” she said. “I have pulled a few end-of-life dogs from shelters and gave them love and medical support until they passed including my very social boy Ziggy who I had for 7 months before he passed away. 

“In my opinion, shelters are no place for a dog long-term, let alone for a senior dog. Currently we have small, medium, and large dogs of all ages available for adoption.”

Curtis said that shelters are overflowing with adoptable dogs, some of them even pure breed.

“People are dumping their dogs in record numbers in shelters, in deserts, in fields, wherever,” she said. “The number of homeless dogs is the worst it has ever been due to backyard breeders and not spaying or neutering animals or people who find their animals inconvenient and dump them because they don’t want them anymore.

“I will continue to do foster care and rescue and ask people to foster, raise money and find loving homes for as many of these deserving dogs that I can. The community of Los Alamos and the Valley and Santa Barbara County residences have been so supportive of the work I do along with help from friends, volunteers, and fosters. I am grateful to the businesses that have allowed me to host adoption events such as Forage Floral, Full of Life Flat Bread, The Well, Priedite Barbecue, and Bell’s, to name a few.”

Curtis is always looking for fosters, volunteers to walk dogs, weekend puppy or dog foster flings, puppy socializers and people willing to transport. 

“Fostering is easier than you think, long-term or short term,” she said. “Volunteering to walk a dog daily helps the primary caregiver take a break and is a big help or raising money to care for these animals; truly, every little bit helps. I know fostering can be a little heart-breaking when you have to say goodbye to an animal you’ve cared for, but you just have to overcome that feeling and be happy that this animal has found a new forever home and you’ve helped make that happen. I will have over 12 puppies available for adoption by the time this article goes to press, so, if you are looking for a puppy to adopt or want to foster one or more of them, give me a call.”

To enquire about helping in any way including fostering and volunteering, email beaheroforadog@gmail.com or call (781) 640-2926.

If you can’t adopt them by the bunch, how about taking this little fellow home.

The post Local woman has a huge heart for dogs in need appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

By Dr. Hyun K. Lee

Some of the patients that come to my clinic suffer from emotional problems. While acupuncture and herbs work very well to balance emotional problems, you can do much for yourself on your own journey to emotional health and happiness.

Happiness, as simple as it sounds, is the most important thing one can do for one’s health. Not only does happiness improve our daily life, but it also cures diseases and brings about emotional balance and overall health. Health is both physical and emotional. Often times Western medicine segregates the two.

In Korean Traditional Medicine, disease is divided into three causes: external, internal, and genetic/unknown reason. External reasons would be things like accident, or bad weather (the extreme temperature changes ushering in disease). Internal reasons are emotional. 

There are seven different emotions: excitement, anger, sorrow, pleasure, fear, contemplation, and worry/anxiety. It is the “up and down” of these emotions that cause imbalance. Too much or too little of any emotions causes disease, affecting a certain organ. Too much excitement or pleasure affects the heart; sorrow, the lungs; anger, the liver; fear, the kidney; too pensive, the spleen; and worry/anxiety, the stomach. 

How you feel emotionally even influences others around you. Your family, friends, coworkers, and even random people you meet in a day are all affected. Bad moods are toxic not only to yourself, but to everyone around you. It acts as a virus of sorts, passing on from one person to the next, only to be broken by someone making a positive difference in that person’s day. People can actually be either a living “virus” or “cure”. 

It is important to understand that happiness is a direct result of how we think. Our viewpoint and mind frame determines every experience that we have. 

There is a story I’d like to share that illustrates this point. There were two Korean High Buddhist priests, Won Hou and Hui Sang, who were traveling abroad in China to study Buddhism. One night, during their journey, they happened upon a cave with which to sleep in for the night. Later on, they became thirsty and went searching around the cave for water. A bowl of water was found and they drank from it. They remarked to each other how cool, refreshing, and delicious the water was before returning to sleep. In the morning, the two went back to look for the water once again in the daylight. When they found it, they were repulsed. The vessel from which they drank was a skull. They began retching and vomiting. As they continued on their way, Won Hou began to wonder why the water was so delicious the night before, and had suddenly become so vile in the morning. The water was the same and had not changed throughout the night, so what happened? He then realized that the only thing that changed was his viewpoint — the way he thought determined his experience. Won Hou was so taken with this new idea, he went back to town, gave up his studies, and began studying how his own mind worked in relation to this theory. He wrote many books and eventually became a teacher, teaching his students about his findings. 

We will always find ourselves in bad situations throughout life, but if you succumb to the virtual “forest” of negativity, then there’s no way out of the situation. If you stay above the situation, you can see the pathway out. 

Happiness means that the seven emotions are in a balanced state. There is one method that you can use to help control and maintain your emotions when they’re getting out of control. Most people have one happiest moment in their life. (If you cannot think of one, invent one.) Choose your happiest moment. Use your five senses to return to that moment and really feel that you’re there again. Take a snapshot of this moment and frame it. This is your new “Mind Frame.” Give this framed picture a simple name, one that you can say anytime to call the frame to mind. When you begin to feel emotionally imbalanced, whether you become sad or angry, call on that name and allow the picture to come to mind and let it balance you. 

Make yourself a goal to practice this technique many times over the period of 100 days and you will see results. This is usually the amount of time it takes for you to retrain your brain. 

Remember, happiness is not a gift. It is created yourself through practice and perseverance. We’ve all heard the axiom, “Money doesn’t grow on trees,” and in this case, neither does happiness. You have to work to achieve both.

Dr. Lee’s office is located at 175 McMurray Road, Suite G, Buellton. Dr. Lee also has an office in Los Angeles. To make an appointment in the Buellton office, call 805-693-5162.

The post The Importance of Having a Happy Mind appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

Chloe Redmond, a Chopra certified instructor, and owner of Vino Vaquera Consulting, has partnered with Kovena “Kay” Avila, founder of Yo Soy Retreats LLC, to create an immersive one-day workshop, “Enlightenment — Santa Ynez Valley.” 

The workshop will focus on mental health awareness and self-love in honor of Mental Health Awareness month. The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 20, at a private estate in Santa Ynez. The workshop will feature healers from Santa Barbara County who will focus on providing a variety of tools to implement on your own personal journey to enlightenment.

“In 2019 a colleague of mine had recommended my marketing consulting services to Chopra Global,” said Redmond. “I was hired in February 2020 and worked as the social community manager and marketing coordinator until April 2022. With the birth of my third child, I felt I needed to slow down and focus on my consulting business. I wanted to integrate one of the practices I had learned, Primordial Sound Meditation, into my work with my marketing clients.”

Redmond explained that the Primordial Sound Meditation technique comes from the ancient Vedic tradition of India and has been used for thousands of years. The mantra (which attendees will receive) is the vibration the universe was creating at the very time and place of your birth, and is calculated following Vedic mathematic formulas. When you silently repeat your mantra in meditation, it creates a vibration that helps you slip into the space between your thoughts, into the complete silence that is sometimes referred to as “the gap.” It is in this silence where creativity and pure potentiality thrive.

In December 2022, Redmond and Avila began putting together this full-day workshop which will feature a number of healers from Santa Barbara County. Their goal together is to create wellness workshops and retreats on the Central Coast.

“There is an individual healing process that takes place while on the road to reaching a state of enlightenment,” said Redmond. “Every roadmap is unique, and often times we reach out to our community of professional healers for additional guidance on our path.”

The enlightenment event will include yoga, reiki, meditation, breathwork, and dance with instructors such as Redmond, a Chopra Certified Meditation instructor and Ayurvedic practitioner; Avila will guide attendees to navigate healing and enlightenment through trauma-informed yoga, reiki, and sound healing; Darci Brown, creator of Soul Boost Meditation, will provide techniques and tips on how to receive messages from the universe while strengthening personal intuition; Kiki E, the keynote speaker, is a mindset and beauty curator, influencer, blogger and author; and Christi Belle, the founder of Art Spot on Wheels, will teach others to continue to grow and creatively thrive through art. 

A farm-to-table lunch and local wine will be provided, along with mindful vendors, swag bags, and a fire ceremony by Yo Soy. DJ Peetey will demonstrate how to heal with dance.

“I want people to leave with a new set of tools, that they didn’t know existed, to incorporate into their journey of getting to know their authentic self,” concluded Redmond.

A portion of the workshop proceeds will be directly donated to the Move with Kindness Foundation in honor of the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the dancer, choreographer, actor, and television producer and personality who passed away in December 2022.

If you are you not able to attend but would like to participate, every individual who donates to the Move with Kindness Foundation during the months of April and May will receive a Enlightenment E-book, providing personalized tools, tips, and messaging from healing professionals. 

“There is no amount too small as every dollar is incredibly impactful to help strengthen the platforms for mental health awareness,” said Redmond.

To donate, visit https://www.every.org/move-with-kindness/f/enlightenment-santa-ynez

General admission for the workshop is $250 per person. Tickets are limited as their intent is to keep this a “truly intimate” experience for attendees. For tickets, visit eventbrite.com/e/enlightenment-santa-ynez-valley-tickets-572049765247.

For more information, email thevinovaquera@yahoo.com

The post One-day Enlightenment Workshop Planned for May 20 appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

A group is led on a Family Fun Ride at River View Park in Buellton. Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides opened at the park in December.

Horseplay Comes to Buellton with New Riding Stable
Santa Barbara business opens location at River View Park
By Pamela Dozois
Contributing Writer

The Santa Ynez Valley is well-known for its love of horses, from racing to Hunter/Jumpers, Western reigning, and of course, Arabians. But finding a location where one could jump on a horse and venture off the beaten path for the afternoon and ride a horse in unspoiled nature was difficult — until now.

Bob and Evie Sweeney recognized the void and opened Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides on Dec. 15, 2021.

“We opened our new facility adjacent to River View Park in Buellton just in time for the Christmas holidays and were thrilled with the response, both from local residents and visiting guests,” said Sweeney.The Sweeneys’ new venture is an expansion of their primary business, Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides, located in Summerland. “When COVID struck, our business took off like a rocket with people wanting to safely enjoy the outdoors,
so we decided to open a new location in the Valley,” said Sweeney. “When we were approached by the City of Buellton to lease part of its Willemsen property, the staff expressed immediate intrigue and
excitement as they recognized that this would be a destination for both local and visiting families. When word reached the local hotels of what we were offering, they got on board and were thrilled to have something like this for their guests.”

The Sweeneys met with Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe last June and the project was put on the agenda and unanimously approved during the next City Council meeting. “Ever since then, the City of Buellton has been nothing short of fantastic and very supportive at every
turn,” said Sweeney. “Last year was a long journey for us, to find a new location in the Valley that was still close to the river,”
Sweeney continued. “With the help of Pam Gnekow, director of the Buellton Senior Center, we eventually found the perfect spot in River View Park in Buellton.”

Sweeney is very happy about how the new venture has turned out.
“It couldn’t get better than this,” he said. We have
a 55,000 sq. ft. (1 ¼ acres) facility close to the Santa Ynez River. We have a permit for 18 horses and we currently have 13. We are on track to include a super-fun petting zoo in March, featuring miniature
cows, sheep and goats.”

Sweeney has owned horses for the past 42 years, has an extensive background in the Arabian horse world and was also a bloodstock agent at a high level for 25 years. So when he envisioned this business, he said he wanted it to represent the deep equestrian history of the Valley. “When I moved here in 1984 there were about 5,000 people in the Valley and 20,000 horses,” Sweeney said. “Every major breed had a strong presence here. So, it is only fitting for us to reflect this heritage with our horses. We currently have eight different breeds of horses and most of them are retired show horses, rodeo stars, or working ranch horses. They all have a past life and a story. “For example, we have three half-Arabian horses, two of which have won National Honors in the Show Horse world and a pure-bred Arabian mare bred by Day Dream Arabians, who produced a National Champion filly. We also have a World Champion National Finals Rodeo Star, purchased from the Branquinho family. Even our two ponies are trained working ranch horses.”
Sweeney explained that when a ride departs, the guides are full of stories of each horse the guests are riding. “As the rides leave the stable, guests are taken back 100 years to old California with wildlife all around,
such as deer, coyote, foxes, a bobcats’ den, a beaver dam, and even a golden eagle,” he added. “There are also multiple water crossings which, during rainy season, a rider can encounter water levels as high
as mid-thigh. “By design, our horses are older, very well-conditioned and trained, beginning in their past lives through to today,” Sweeney continued. “We’ve simply reintroduced them to a new life and they love it. Our rides are really beautiful and our horses walk, there is no trotting or running ever — it’s low stress on the horses and the riders.”

Sweeney said the Santa Ynez Valley is tailor-made for his business. “Because of where we are located and our history with horses, we wanted to make this a destination that would make the community proud and provide the opportunity to take in the stunning beauty of the landscape,” he said.

Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides has pony rides for the kids, 2 years and up, which includes unicorn rides featuring Marshmallow and Mabel, the mischievous mini mule. The owners also welcome birthday parties, which include crafts and games. Guests are encouraged to bring their own beverages, party favors, and a birthday cake. The Family Fun Ride has become the big new item as kids as young as age 5 can go on an actual trail ride
with their families. It starts with a pony encounter with a brief lesson, then on to the trail ride. There are three different river trail ride options, 60, 75 or 90 minutes in length.

In the spring, there will be riding lessons for kids and adults and a new feature called “Evening Horse Hangout,” where people can spend an hour with the horse of their choosing and learn the basics of horsemanship and care.

The staff at Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides are (from left): trail guide Jennifer Coltrin, assistant manager Michelle Alexander, barn manager Vanessa Soria, owner and general manager Bob Sweeney, trail guide Alyson Helling and trail guide Randi McCoughney.

“Our amazing staff includes lifelong horsewomen who grew up in the Valley and have been riding and competing from childhood,” said Sweeney. “Our lead guide is Vanessa Soria, whose grandfather was the first draft horse provider in Solvang and across the Valley. All of the guides are local horsewomen and moms, which makes it a comfortable experience for the guests and children.” “I have a personal passion for introducing and connecting people to horses,” Sweeney said. “It’s my love language.”
Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides is located inside River View Park at 151 Sycamore Drive, Buellton.

Rides are offered daily, year-round, by appointment only. No riding experience is necessary and discounts
are available for local residents and guests staying at certain hotels.
For more information, call (805) 693-4600, text (805) 705-5458, visit SYVHorsebackRides.com or email Bob@SYVHorsebackRides.com to secure your date or answer any questions.

Trail guide Randi McCoughney gives one of the horses a kiss after a recent ride at River View Park in Buellton.

The post Horseplay Comes to Buellton with New Riding Stable appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Moments of romantic songs will add that extra touch of love for Valentine’s Day. 

Just go to the Santa Ynez Valley Chorale’s website, syvchorale.org and tune into some beautiful love songs.

The music will be available at 12:01 February 14, so you can enjoy the music at anytime during this special day.

Normally the 42-year-old Chorale would be visiting homes, businesses and senior residences for a more personal touch.  But with Covid-19, they believed it safer to serenade people with love songs on their website.

The post SYV Chorale offering virtual Singing Valentines appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Staff Report

The Santa Barbara Zoo recently welcomed Stella and Mini, two cotton-top tamarin siblings who arrived at the Santa Barbara Zoo earlier this month from the Central Florida Zoo.

Stella is female and 6½ years old, and Mini is male and 5½ years old. Both were born at the Central Florida Zoo and came to Santa Barbara on a recommendation from the Species Survival Plan.

Cotton-top tamarins are one of the smallest species of primates and are found in a small area of northern Colombia where there are only about 6,000 individuals left in the wild. These small monkeys (they each weigh about 1 pound) play an important role in rainforest ecology by dispersing digested seeds throughout the forest. They are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN due to deforestation and illegal pet trade.

They vocalize using a shrill whistling sound that changes depending on what they are communicating to each other. These monkeys are named for the shock of white hair on the tops of their heads which stands out in contrast to the darker black and brown tones of the hair on the rest of their bodies.

Guests can visit the cotton-tops in their new home next to the capybaras on Zoo Train Lane.

The Santa Barbara Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. for members and 9:30 a.m. for general admission until 5 p.m.; general admission is $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for children 2-12 and free for children under 2. Parking is $11. The Santa Barbara Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  For more information visit www.sbzoo.org.

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Staff Report

The 41^st season of the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series continues with pianist John Churchwell on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m., and violinist Johnny Gandelsman on Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. Both concerts will be held at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Church in Los Olivos.

In a concert inspired by Valentine’s Day, Churchwell, who is head of music for the San Francisco Opera and faculty member at the Music Academy of the West, will present “Love Songs and Dances — An Evening of Lieberslieder,” a romantic program of songs and dances featuring two rising stars from the San Francisco Opera — Esther Tonea, soprano, and Victor Cardamone, tenor — and guest pianist Robert Cassidy.

The concert program features Brahms, arias and a duet from the opera “Roméo et Juliette by Gounod.” The artists will conclude with some of their favorite love songs from different genres.

Four days later, the Grammy Award-winning Gandelsman returns to the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series with several works from “This is America,” the ambitious anthology project he was inspired to create in response to the turbulent period our country has been experiencing since 2020. He commissioned original pieces from 20 American composers focused on the theme “This is America.”

“Each composition in the anthology reflects on the current state of American society in a personal and intimate way, looking through an unflinching lens at universal topics like separation, loneliness, hope, and love,” Gandelsman said.

He will also perform one or two works by Bach.

“We present this concert series to enrich lives through the exquisite beauty of masterworks performed by brilliant musicians,” said Cassidy, the SYV Concert Series artistic director.  “We invite you to join us for one or all of the upcoming performances.”

These concerts are non-religious, non-sectarian community arts events.

The SYV Concert Series is being offered in-person with limited designated and distanced seating. Taking the proper precautions will allow all those attending to do so safely.

• Please go to https://smitv.info/syvconcerts to purchase tickets in advance to avoid overcrowding. Limited numbers of tickets for the live performances are available. General admission tickets are $20. Concert admission is free for ALL students (with a student ID) but must be reserved in advance. Doors open 30 minutes before the start. Both concerts will be professionally video recorded for future viewing.
• If you are feeling unwell with any symptoms of disease, whether COVID-19, flu, or a cold, or if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19, please stay home, take good care of yourself, and enjoy the video-recorded concerts in the future on our website.
• All doors and windows of the venue will be open, so the indoor space is almost like an outdoor space. Audience members are advised to bundle up, wear a warm hat, and bring a blanket.
• Please wear a mask.
• Please be as fully vaccinated as you can be.
• If you have the option of testing, you will have a better sense of whether or not you are contagious. Please do so for everyone’s safety.
• Consider your own level of risk and choose to participate based on your comfort level.

St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Church is at 2901 Nojoqui Avenue in Los Olivos (next to Mattie’s Tavern, one block from the downtown flagpole). For questions, please contact SYV Concert Series Coordinator Linda Burrows at 805-705-0938 or syvconcerts@smitv.org or visit www.smitv.org.

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