Inside Santa Ynez Valley Magazine

On the Road to Dakar

COVER STORY Life as an international motorcycle racer. [caption id="attachment_565" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Quinn Cody, of Santa Ynez, waits for the start of Erzberg Rodeo held on Austria’s Iron Mountain. The famed Erzberg Rodeo, an extreme enduro race, is billed as “man and machine against the mountain.” Quinn Cody traveled to Austria to join some 1500 of the best Enduro riders from 26 nations who came to conquer the mountain in 2008. Only 35 riders succeeded. "][/caption] 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 ...

Children of the Dirt

[caption id="attachment_524" align="alignleft" width="342" caption="Two-and-a-half-year-old Savana Guglielmo with the family boxer, Trixie."][/caption] Determined and confident, Alicia and P.J. Guglielmo have seized self-employment firmly by the handlebars and started three new businesses in the last six years. Though one of their enterprises has since closed, the other two promise to serve the young couple, their Santa Ynez Valley clients and maybe even the world for many years to come. The Guglielmos approach every project with boundless energy, whether repurposing a catalog store to house motorcycle gear and a mechanics’ bay or designing a swimsuit display for their day spa. When brought to bear ...

Settled In Solvang

[caption id="attachment_423" align="alignleft" width="210" caption="Susy & Bent Olsen"][/caption] The Danes who founded Solvang in 1910 reshaped the landscape with their architecture and social institutions. While their windmills and quaint shops continue to draw visitors and serve residents nearly a century later, it’s not only the cityscape that commands passionate allegiance, but the town’s pastries, those irresistible confections that perfume the air with cinnamon, spice and fresh baked goodness. Since 1970, Bent and Susy Olsen, owners of Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery, have contributed to that ambient aroma, turning out kringles, cakes, cookies and breads from recipes perfected by Bent’s great-grandfather. ...

Louis Lucas & Royce Lewellen-Wine

[caption id="attachment_101" align="alignleft" width="261" caption="Louis Lucas and Royce Lewellen at the annual Santa Barbara Vintner’s Foundation wine auction, a charity fund-raising event held at the Bacara."][/caption] Thirty-odd years ago, the Santa Maria Wine and Food Society welcomed new member Louis Lucas, a grape grower who was about to jump-start Santa Barbara County’s viticultural scene. Over a meal and several glasses of wine, Lucas chatted with Royce Lewellen, a Solvang judge with a penchant for community service, and the pair launched what would prove to be an enduring friendship. In the early 1970s, Santa Barbara County was celebrated more for its university and surf ...

From Solvang to Beijing

[caption id="attachment_83" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers representing the United States of America receive gold medals in Men’s Beach Volleyball at the 2008 Olympics. Silver and bronze medals went to the Brazilian teams."][/caption] It’s no surprise that the physical beauty of the Santa Ynez Valley attracts celebrities looking to escape the limelight. They often find the accoutrerments of fame and fortune—superficiality, social hierarchy, snobbery—are surprisingly absent here, as if the Valley enfolds residents so protectively they are free to be themselves. If they gain local recognition, it’s normally from local achievements. When professional volleyball player Todd Rogers moved to Solvang six ...

Creation Station

[caption id="attachment_123" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Dawn and Patrick Farrier started Creation Station Fabric & Quilt Shop as a home-based business in 1999 and parlayed their success into a Buellton shop and retreat center in 2001. Their business continues to attract hoards of loyal customers from throughout the country. "][/caption] After successful careers in the medical field, Patrick and Dawn Farrier took the unlikely step of filling a converted, '70s-era bowling alley in Buellton with an array of goodies for people who love to sew. Initially driven by a simple desire to make new friends, they launched a creative revolution that reaches well beyond ...

Chef Maili Halme Brocke

[caption id="attachment_75" align="alignleft" width="202" caption="Chef Maili Halme Brocke, who grew up in Ballard, worked in fine dining across the country—including Roy Yamaguchi’s Roy’s in Hawaii and the Bacara—before she opened her own local catering and events business."][/caption] 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 oldest daughter, Melissa, is dyslexic,” Brocke explains, “and at school ...

Summer 2009

Finley Organic Farm

Johanna, Christopher and their daughter Ashlin with the handmade sign for their...

Home Design & Consign

Shoppers beware! Home Design & Consign is not a place where you can drop in for...

The Legendary Maverick Saloon

From rowdy bar to concert venue to unlikely wedding chapel, the Maverick Saloon serves...

Rhythms Coffee & Smoothies

Sunrise cues the rhythm of the day and rouses sleepers, while Solvang’s Rhythms...

The San Rafael Mountain Range

The Santa Ynez Valley would be a very different place without its two surrounding...

Read More Posts From Summer 2009

Winter 2009

Settled In Solvang

Susy & Bent Olsen The Danes who founded Solvang in 1910 reshaped the landscape...

Gettin’ Hitched in the Santa Ynez Valley

Want your wedding to be unforgettable, a never-to-be forgotten memory? The beautiful...

The Santa Ynez Mountain Range

When Gaspar de Portola led the first Spanish land expedition north from San Diego...

From Figueroa Mountain Wildflower Season Begins in Winter

Nothinsays, “It’s the start of a new year!” like the simple little...

MICHELLE M. MITCHELL

Wherever Michelle Mitchell goes, camera in hand, she turns ordinary scenes into magical...

Read More Posts From Winter 2009

Spring 2009

Rudy’s Mexican Restaurants

Rudy Alvaro, Sr., with one of the popular Mexican chicken-avocado taco salads served at Rudy’s in Buellton. He opened his first Rudy’s Mexican Restaurant in Santa Barbara in 1976. 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... [Read more of this review]

Family School

At Family School’s weekly morning circle many of the students, parents and teachers gather to sing the Earth Song, while those who know how add sign language. The Earth Song pays homage to the environment. Tucked into the foothills along a beautiful stretch of Figueroa Mountain Road, Family School stands as a living symbol of every parent’s desire... [Read more of this review]

Children of the Dirt

Two-and-a-half-year-old Savana Guglielmo with the family boxer, Trixie. Determined and confident, Alicia and P.J. Guglielmo have seized self-employment firmly by the handlebars and started three new businesses in the last six years. Though one of their enterprises has since closed, the other two promise to serve the young couple, their Santa Ynez Valley... [Read more of this review]

BUELLTON MEDICAL CENTER

Living in a rural paradise doesn’t necessarily mean having to sacrifice access to skilled doctors and timely medical care. As proof, the staff at Buellton Medical Center has been delivering comprehensive services to Santa Ynez Valley residents and visitors for more than a decade. Founded in 1997 by local physician Dr. Wolfgang Hallauer, Buellton... [Read more of this review]

Channing Peake

Considered one of the finest California painters, the late Channing Peake lived and painted in the Santa Ynez Valley for decades. Channing Peake, 1910-1989, a well-known Santa Barbara County artist, lived for many years in the Santa Ynez Valley, where he raised Quarter Horses and created spectacular paintings and drawings of the world around him. During... [Read more of this review]

A dream, a passport and a talent for teaching

Bitten by the travel bug at an early age, Sean Crowder has crafted a plan for treating his critical case of wanderlust. Just 20 years old, he recently completed his first foray into what he hopes will be a lifetime career of exploring and teaching in the far corners of the world. Born and raised in the Santa Ynez Valley, Crowder, who lives with his... [Read more of this review]

Read More Posts From Spring 2009