| |
 |
|
|
By Nancy Hoover
 Pack your bags and head to wine country because it's California Wine Month in Paso Robles! Every year, the Wine Institute celebrates the California wine community - its vintners, growers and consumers, in what is deemed California Wine Month. During the month long celebration, many wineries offer special promotions to visitors in the form of bottle, tour and tasting discounts, as well as a gamut of special events held at each winery. If you enjoy Paso Robles wine, or if you have never visited, there is no better time to experience Paso Robles wine country!
I took a peek at all the special promotions listed on the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance website, and boy, was I delightfully surprised! Many wineries, including Ancient Peaks and Derby Wine Estates offer complimentary wine tastings throughout the entire month! Nearly all the wineries listed (upwards of 50) offer visitors bottle purchase discounts in the range of 5-20% off the regular price. In addition, many tour operators also offer discounts, including First Crush Winemaking, where visitors can "Buy 1, Get 1 Half Off" of their all-day hands-on harvest winemaking course at Silver Horse Winery. Real aficionados shouldn't miss the opportunity to taste reserve and small lot production wines - a handful of wineries offer this special promotion, including Vina Robles Winery.
Even the hoteliers in Paso Robles will offer special discounts during the month of September! La Bellasera Hotel and Suites, Best Western Black Oak Motor Lodge and the Paso Robles Inn are a few to name. Check it out!
September is a beautiful time to visit Paso Robles. With its scattered oak rolling hills, gorgeous sunsets and special wine country promotions, there is no reason not to take advantage of the relaxing retreat that awaits you in Paso Robles!
To view the full list of wineries that offer special discounts and promotions click here or visit the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance website at pasowine.com.
Photo courtesy of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance
 Paso Robles is a car town and has been for years. This town loves classic cars and will take any opportunity to ogle their beauty and debate their finer points. This year we get three days to do just that.
The Paso Robles Classic Car Weekend runs September 3-5, 2010 (Labor Day Weekend) and will be filled to the dashboard with classic cars in all their chrome-plated and fuzzy-diced splendor, with ample opportunity for folks to see, hear and talk about what makes each car so amazing.
Here is the weekend breakdown:
 Friday night bring a chair for the cruise down Spring Street from 6-8pm. The route runs from 4th to 16th streets.
Saturday the car show takes place in downtown City Park from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Grand Raffle Prize is a giant BBQ shaped like a 350 Chevy engine and proceeds go to benefit Paso Robles area charities.
Sunday will be a great day to explore the beautiful countryside around Paso Robles if you've not been here before. If you'd like to print a route map ahead of time to prepare for your Sunday adventure, we've put together the following for your use:
So pick your favorite map route and go!
Photos courtesy of John Crippen Photography
Cool car alert!
 One of the highlights of the weekend will be special guest Jerry Magnuson and his 1932 Ford Roadster “Magnatude”. This famous car was designed by Mr. Magnuson, Chip Foose and Marcel DeLay, was just awarded the 2010 Goodguys "Street Rod of the Year" award, and is currently on tour with Hot Rod Magazine’s Power Tour ’10. Here is a short video of the car in action, we dare you not to be impressed.
See you on September 3rd!
Photo courtesy of Jerry Magnuson
Click here for more information or to register your vehicle. Click here for a video slideshow of the 2009 Golden State Classics Car Show.
by Nancy Hoover
I love when my friends and family visit me on the Central Coast. Not only because I love their company, but also because I love to plan fun culinary and wine tasting adventures for them. Lucky me, new adventures are not hard to find in Paso Robles.
I have listed below just a sampling of some of my favorite spots, and, mind you, there are plenty to choose from, so I’ve just chosen four for now. Tune in each month for more Four Favorites in Paso Robles!!
 Favorite #1: Farmstand 46 is a great spot for lunch when wine tasting along the Westside Winery trail and it has a fresh vegetable kitchen garden to die for! Farmstand 46 is an upscale deli with outdoor seating that offers incredible paninis (try the Cruiser!). It also has an outdoor brick oven that produces delectable pizzas: YUMMY!
Favorite #2: Antiques are for old folks? Heck no!! I’m not old, but I do enjoy a good antique store. Thank goodness for that because Paso Robles is full of them! Located right off of Highway 101 south of Paso Robles, Vineyard Antique Mall is my favorite and stocked full of hidden gems. And if you are really into antiques, the small town of Santa Margarita holds a monthly antique auction where you can find truly unique Mission style furniture, custom to the area.
Favorite #3: The newest gig in town, Il Cortile Ristorante is a hit with locals and visitors. Chef Santos MacDonal of Honduran decent is firing up amazing dishes in the kitchen at Il Cortile. Specializing in rustic Italian cuisine, Il Cortile has an incredible burrata and mozzarella antipasti menu as well as a long list of homemade pasta dishes for your entrée selection. Attention pasta lovers: the spaghetti al ragu is to die for!
 Favorite #4: A pioneer in Paso Robles wine country has returned to his roots, and we locals couldn’t be happier! After selling his award winning Wild Horse Winery in 2005 to Constellation Wines, Ken Volk ventured down into Santa Barbara County to produce wines at the old Byron Winery facility. Well, he’s back! Ken Volk is a Paso Robles icon and anyone that know him, loves him – and his wine! Stop in for a taste at his new tasting room located off of Highway 46 West – Ken shares a space with Lone Madrone and Fat Cat Farms, an herb and flower garden nursery with outdoor picnic areas.
What are some of your favorites? Post them in the comments section below and I’ll be sure to try them out!!!! Come visit Paso Robles – there is a favorite adventure waiting for you!
Photos courtesy of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and Farmstand 46
By Nancy Hoover
While most people equate olives and olive oil with Greece and Italy, California olive oils, and specifically Paso Robles producers, are fast getting the recognition they deserve as growers of a wide variety of the high-quality, delicious, oil producing fruit.
Paso Robles and a good portion of California enjoy a maritime climate, similar to that of the Mediterranean. So it makes perfect agricultural sense that Paso Robles is not only a burgeoning wine region, but also an olive oil region. I must admit this makes me giddy, because one of my favorite Mediterranean treats is the olive and the fabulous extra virgin olive oil it produces. My husband and I love to cook with fresh locally grown products, including olive oil. By living in Paso Robles, we have become spoiled by the wide variety of extra virgin olive oils found here. Truly fresh pressed olive oils are a little bitter on the tongue and super pungent in dressings. I crave that fresh olive oil taste, which I never knew was there until I started tasting the good oils produced right in my own backyard. And I love the fruit itself in salads, martinis, and stuffed with jalapenos or blue cheese. Actually, I like olives in any food dish, cocktail (even my beer) or a la carte. As you can tell, I love olives!
 Could you imagine my excitement, then, when I learned that Paso Robles hosts an Annual Olive Festival? Held in Paso Robles’ charming downtown city park, the Paso Robles Olive Festival is the perfect opportunity for any olive lover to sample the delicious oils made not only in Paso Robles , but from producers all over California. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, August 21st from 10 am to 5 pm.
Rumor has it that Paso Robles’ Olive Festival is fun for the entire family! With fun games and activities like, guess the number of olives in the jar, olive branch wreath-making and a special clown appearance by Freckles the Clown, olives are sure to grow near and dear to your children’s heart. For olive enthusiasts like me, visitors will enjoy olive and olive oil product samples, olive infused foods from gourmet vendors, olive branch arts and crafts and the chance to compete in an olive cooking contest. Many gourmet food vendors will also share their olive recipes for you to recreate at home.
For those of you who can’t find your way to the Annual Olive Festival, but wish to sample olive and olive oil products grown in our region, plan a special visit to We Olive in downtown Paso Robles. We Olive carries a wide selection of extra virgin olive oils made in California. In fact, about three quarters of what they carry is made by producers that are located within a 50 mile radius of Paso Robles. There's no tasting fee, so be sure to get in there during your next visit to taste the fine Paso Robles olive oils.
The 7th Annual Olive Festival is a fun gathering of California olive and olive oil producers, farmers and enthusiasts that is sure to enhance your love for the salty, yummy, round olive. Please visit pasoroblesolivefestival.com for information on the festival and related activities.
Photos courtesy of the Paso Robles Olive Festival
By Debby Harris, Guest Blogger
Hello everyone! We are Tom, Debby and Cactus Sam Harris of Harris Stage Lines. Judging from our name most would think we are a bus company, but no, we are an actual stage line, with an actual stagecoach and a team of horses for hire!
 We are not native Paso Roblans, however, we love sharing the history of the region. We feel it is important to keep the agricultural heritage of Paso Robles alive. For example, we farm with our horses and mules growing grain hay, which is a big part of Paso Robles’ early history. We also offer visitors the opportunity to visit Harris Stage Lines to experience a variety of activities and educational classes that include learning about and caring for horses.
Harris Stage Lines operates as a working horse ranch that provides horseback riding and stagecoach driving lessons, day and night horse camps, horse training, horsemanship clinics, and driving school for both children and adults. We also offer field trips for students and have worked with schools all over California.
We have horse drawn vehicles for hire, and hold birthday, anniversary, graduation and any type of party you can imagine. If you wish to experience a real western BBQ, stagecoach ride or working horse show, we encourage you to plan an event at Harris Stage Lines. Our events are perfect for small and large gatherings like tour groups, family reunions and special birthday parties. And yes, we even host western weddings at Harris Stage Lines. Everything we do here involves our horses. We invite you to come check out what we do here, you will be pleasantly surprised.
Listed below are some upcoming activities that we have planned at Harris Stage Lines:
 August winds up our Summer Horse Day Camps. Our day camp is scheduled for August 16-20 and is open to children ages 7-18. Kids will learn what it takes to own a horse, ride, drive, trick ride and trick rope. The camp ends with a choreographed show in which the campers perform the skills they have learned for family and friends.
If you plan to visit Paso Robles, schedule a horseback riding lesson to learn horsemanship skills that you can use in your travels as you venture to other places and plan trail rides. We have different horses to suit each person’s riding level.
 Want a unique horse experience? Take a horse driving lesson to try your hand at driving a single horse buggy up to a team four horses. You may get hooked and come back to one of our driving schools!
You can also schedule a stagecoach ride to experience what a way station is like as the horses are hitched to the coach and you board for your ride.
For a real taste of the west, you can visit the ranch to cook your own steak on our western BBQ. We will provide all the food for a tasty meal, then we’ll take you on a stagecoach ride and end the evening around the campfire telling Wild West stories.
Harris Stage Lines is located on North River Road just four miles north of downtown Paso Robles. All activities and events at Harris Stage Lines are on a reservation basis. Please contact us at: info@harrisstagelines.com. For more information and some great photos of the activities, go to www.harrisstagelines.com.
All photos courtesy of Harris Stage Lines
By Nancy Hoover
 Looking for an interesting and fun-filled wine country event? Sharpen your palate and plan to attend this weekend’s 12th Annual Winemaker’s Cook-off at River Oaks Hot Springs in Paso Robles. This is truly an interactive wine and food experience! This event showcases the culinary and viticulture skills of some of Paso Robles’ finest winemakers. Watch them work, taste their cuisine and savor their wine all while they battle each other to see who wins the “People's Choice” and “Judge's Choice” Awards. That’s right, you get to vote on the best from the best!
Visitors will revel in the musical talents of Julie Beaver & the Bad Dogs as they enjoy culinary delights and perfectly paired wine from each participating winery’s winemaker. All proceeds from the event will benefit local high school seniors as part of the Rotary Club’s annual senior scholarship program. The Winemaker Cook-off is set on a grassy hillside, next to a beautiful lake with views of Paso Robles’ famous rolling hills. What more can we say????
Join us in Paso Robles for the 12th Annual Paso Robles Winemaker’s Cook-off and witness Paso Robles winemakers venerate the meaning of “wine country cuisine”. The event starts at 6 pm on Saturday, August 7, 2010. Tickets are $75 per person.
Photos courtesy of winemakerscookoff.com.
Paso Robles is a car town and has been for years. This town loves classic cars and will take any opportunity to ogle their beauty and debate their finer points. This year we get three days to do just that.
The Paso Robles Classic Car Weekend runs September 3-5, 2010 (Labor Day Weekend) and will be filled to the dashboard with classic cars in all their chrome-plated and fuzzy-diced splendor, with ample opportunity for folks to see, hear and talk about what makes each car so amazing.
Here is the weekend breakdown:
Friday night bring a chair for the cruise down Spring Street from 6-8pm. The route runs from 4th to 16th streets.
Saturday the car show takes place in downtown City Park from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Grand Raffle Prize is a giant BBQ shaped like a 350 Chevy engine and proceeds go to benefit Paso Robles area charities.
Sunday will be a great day to explore the beautiful countryside around Paso Robles if you've not been here before. If you'd like to print a route map ahead of time to prepare for your Sunday adventure, we've put together the following for your use:
So pick your favorite map route and go!
Photos courtesy of John Crippen Photography
Cool car alert!
One of the highlights of the weekend will be special guest Jerry Magnuson and his 1932 Ford Roadster “Magnatude”. This famous car was designed by Mr. Magnuson, Chip Foose and Marcel DeLay, was just awarded the 2010 Goodguys "Street Rod of the Year" award, and is currently on tour with Hot Rod Magazine’s Power Tour ’10. Here is a short video of the car in action, we dare you not to be impressed.
See you on September 3rd!
Photo courtesy of Jerry Magnuson
Click here for more information or to register your vehicle. Click here for a video slideshow of the 2009 Golden State Classics Car Show.
By Nancy Hoover
A few days before the Fair officially opened I had the opportunity to meet Tom Keffury, Director of Marketing & Sponsorships at the California Mid-State Fair. Tom took me on a backstage tour of Chumash Arena, the site of Paso Robles famed summer concert series where Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston have already performed for a full house. On my backstage tour, Tom took me to the staging area to capture the commotion of vendors, production crews, and fair officials in full-blown set-up mode in preparation for the summer concert series.
With over 14,600 seats in Chumash Arena, the California Mid-State Fair certainly is a large venue by most county or state fair standards. And with this many seats, it is a natural draw for past performers and big-name talents like the Black Eyed Peas, Aerosmith and Carrie Underwood to entertain fans in Paso Robles. “Chumash Arena is what really sets the California Mid-State Fair apart from the typical county fair,” Tom explained. “The California Mid-State has the usual corn dog stands, carnival, pig races and unique vendors that sell anything from shoe polish to sunglasses, but in addition to all that, the California Mid-State Fair has an incredible venue for outdoor concerts, unlike any other county Fair.”
I posted my video clip to YouTube and embedded it below. Take a peek and see what insider information Tom has to share!
Another insider tip: You may wonder as I did how the fair chooses the concert line-up. I learned that the California Mid-State Fair uses a talent company out of Chicago named JAM Productions to book the performances. Tom explained the key factor in who the Fair books depends in large part on the summer tour schedules for each artist. For a list of this year's Chumash Arena and free stage entertainment line-ups, click here.
Cheers!
by Tina Swithin Summer is upon us and I am always looking for an excuse to get out of the kitchen and onto the patio for a BBQ with friends and family. It’s true that summer recipes are plentiful but you will be hard pressed to find one that compares to the delicious recipes I uncovered at Still Waters Vineyards. In fact, I am prepared to share two recipes instead of one because they accompany each other nicely and I would feel a twinge of guilt if I kept one a secret. If you are seeking a true California wine experience, Still Waters Vineyards is located just 5 miles East of Paso Robles in the El Pomar area. Still Waters Vineyard is an estate winery and vineyard proudly operated by the Hoover family. Paul and Patty Hoover take great pride in producing premium grapes and I really love their business philosophy; “Be small, have fun and focus on quality!” Those characteristics are apparent in their wines and recipes.
 Both of these recipes are light and easy- perfect for summer entertaining! Types of wines for pairing: Patty recommends Still Waters Vineyards clean, crisp Viognier which is fragrant with apricot, peach and floral notes. Another pairing recommendation is the Still Waters Vineyard’s lively, fragrant Sauvignon Blanc which carries the flavors of grapefruit, pear and green apple.
- BBQ Chicken Marinade and Watermelon Basil Salad- Still Waters Vineyards
BBQ Chicken Marinade
1/2 can beer 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1/2 cup soy or teriyaki sauce Marinade chicken for no less than 4 hours before grilling and continue to braise the chicken with the marinade while on the grill. W atermelon Basil Salad
Chunk up a whole seedless watermelon Chop 1 cup fresh basil 2 cloves minced garlic 1 red onion sliced or chopped 1 cup feta cheese Mix together with balsamic vinaigrette and Still Waters Vineyards Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Cheers!
By Nancy Hoover
Paso Robles is making an incredible name for itself as a food and wine destination, and is earning high acclaim with recent features in luxury publications such as W Magazine and Wine Spectator. Those of us lucky enough to live here know that we are fortunate to live in a bountiful area with fertile soil to nourish the many specialty farms and wineries located here. We are so immersed in the Paso Robles food and wine culture; we can’t help but learn somewhat by osmosis about cooking, farming, winemaking and, of course, wine itself.
 It’s only natural, then, that Paso Robles’ rich agricultural history, and progressive food and wine movements are showcased, for 12 days straight, at the California Mid-State Fair’s Mission Square. This year, the Mission Square features an incredible line-up of local artisan chefs, winemakers and specialty farmers scheduled to demonstrate their vast proficiencies in food and wine production. Fair-goers can sample single varietal wine flights, purchase wine by the glass and learn the fundamentals of how to purchase, prepare and eat locally grown products from our local specialty farms and chefs.
Pictured above: Fair-goers mingle at the California's Mid-State Fair Mission Square; courtesy of the California Mid-State Fair.
 The Mission Square was built in 2009 and is the newest addition to the Paso Robles Events Center, home of the California Mid-State Fair. The Mission Square resembles the beautiful Spanish architecture of our three nearby historic missions: Mission San Antonio de Padua, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and Mission San Miguel Arcangel, all of which still stand today and are located within 30 minutes of downtown Paso Robles. In fact, Paso Robles was settled in the late 1700’s by the early California Missionaries because of its ability to sustain a large congregation using its plentiful food sources. Pictured above: Mission San Miguel Arcangel.
New this year, the Mission Square features Farm of the Day, a program designed to recognize and showcase local organic farms and ranches. Each day a specialty farmer or rancher will display produce and food products next to the Idler’s Demonstration Kitchen. The purpose of The Farm of the Day is to educate fair-goers on how farmers and ranchers grow their crops and raise their animals, how they do business and why it is important in today’s economy and eco environment to eat locally grown products.
 At Idler’s Demonstration Kitchen, watch as local chefs like Andre Averseng of Dining with Andre, and Evan Treadwell of Lido at Dolphin Bay Resort demonstrate their Executive Chef skills every evening at 6 pm. Fifteen Degrees C Wine Shop owner and certified sommelier, Ali Rush Carscaden, will conduct a wine education seminar for fair-goers at 5:30 pm the first 4 days of the fair. The seminars will focus on the history, tasting method and regional diversity of different types of wines each night– so be sure to stop in for a visit if you wish to hone in on your wine knowledge! Pictured right: Fair-goers eagerly watch a Chef demonstration at Idler's Demonstration Kitchen, courtesy of California Mid-State Fair.
On the Mission Square Stage, fair-goers will enhance their home-gardening skills through educational seminars held daily at 5:30 pm. In addition, musical talents of select jazz artists including Code Blues and Piano Madness will entertain fair-goers nightly on the Mission Square Stage.
So, if food and wine is your thing, make sure to visit the California Mid-State Fair’s Mission Square, order a glass of wine and let the osmosis begin!!
|
|
|
| |  |
|
| |
|
|
| | |
YouTube
Delicious
Flickr
