Come to Paso Robles and Experience the Great Western Bicycle Rally

By Nicole Adams, Promotions Assistant at Tri-California Events

Cyclists from near and far will converge on the Paso Robles Fairgrounds this Memorial Day weekend for 3 days of bicycling around the Central Coast in an event known as the Great Western Bicycle Rally. RV’s will roll in, tents will be set-up, bikes will be tuned and riders will fuel up on Santa Maria style BBQ while they map out their bike routes.

The Rally, now in its 48th year, attracts cyclists of all ages and levels to come together and explore Paso Robles & the central coast from a two-wheeled perspective. Lots of great activities and rides are planned, so pack up your trusty steed and come enjoy this popular annual extravaganza. View the complete schedule of events.

• Festivities kick-off on Friday evening for the GWBR Open House and Bike Swap. Participants are encouraged to bring old bicycles, spare bike parts, and other related items to sell.

• Saturday and Sunday offer riders the chance to participate in supportive group rides, or head out on a solo adventure of the area. Twenty-five pre-mapped “rally rides” are available for interested riders, ranging in distance from 3 to 100 miles and with varying degrees of difficulty.

Here are just some of the Rally Rides to choose from:

• Paso Robles Roundabout – 8 miles: A short and pleasant excursion around Paso Robles. View some of the Victorian houses that make Paso Robles so picturesque. Cross over the Salinas River for some great views of the city.
• Star Farms Stopover – 25 miles: The most popular ride in the Rally. Dean Porter of Star Farms opens his unique property for Rally participants to come hang out for the day. Can you say sandy beaches,  tiki huts, and volleyball courts?!
• Wine Taster’s Tour – 30 miles: This annual ride gives participants the chance to visit five local wineries: Peachy Canyon, Castoro Cellars, Donati Family, Norman, and Halter Ranch. Don’t worry about lugging around your bottles! The Rally will pick it up for you and bring it back to the Fairgrounds!
• Velo de Femme – 42 miles: A ride for women only! Enjoy the female camaraderie and take on a tough ride without the guys.  Along the way, enjoy stops at Le Vigne Winery and the Templeton Farmers Market!
• Great Western 100 Century – 100 miles: This epic ride will showcase the magnificent coastal range of Westside Paso Robles and the caost. You will need to use all your gears on some of the most beautiful climbs in California, including Old Creek Rd., Santa Rosa Creek Rd., and finishing with Peachy Canyon Rd. This ride is fully supported.

Visit www.greatwesternbicyclerally.com for detailed information on the event. Come experience Paso Robles from a different angle!

Tri-California Events is located in both Pacific Grove and Paso Robles, and has been serving the triathlon community since 1982.  We specialize in producing, managing, and running high quality events focused on the needs of our athletes. We produce "The One and Only" Wildflower Triathlons, The San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz, The Triathlon at Pacific Grove and Scott Tinley's Triathlon.

The Little Art Festival That Could

by the 2012 Paso Robles Festival of the Arts Committee

A Series of Fortunate Events

Momentum is a thing of beauty. When we started this adventure four years ago, we had no idea if the public would embrace it.

So you can imagine our surprise when the very first Paso Robles Festival of the Arts attracted 5,000 people to the downtown city park. Imagine our further surprise when, in 2010, the number of participating artists nearly doubled. Then, in 2011, when the eminent art historian Jean Stern of the Irvine Museum agreed to be our guest speaker, we got an inkling that this little art festival of ours might turn into something big. And boy, has it ever. 

Between sheer courage, lucky connections and lots of hard work, the 2012 Festival of the Arts has grown to THREE DAYS! ­Our art palette runneth over.

 Art in the Wild

2012 is a turning point for the festival in terms of artist participation. We have over 100 artists participating throughout the weekend and 30 of the best plein air artists in California in our Quick-Draw.

Plein air artists are a rare breed of individuals. They insist on being outdoors as much as possible; they take in the details of life and set them down for posterity; they sometimes go to tremendous lengths to produce their art.

Thirty of the bravest and most talented plein air artists in the state will converge on the Paso Robles downtown city park on Saturday, May 26th at 9am for the Quick-Draw, with two hours to complete a painting. Many of them will also be showing off the best of their existing work in a special exhibition at Studios on the Park called “Plein Air Masters” and will be the subject of the keynote address on Friday that promises to delight and entertain.

We could not have imagined the success of this event to this degree when we started this dream. And it gets better.

The Collaboration of the Titans

Our committee of 14 hails from all walks of life and business industries. As a result, there is a unique mix of connections that have led to an AMAZING lineup of surprises at this year’s festival.

Friday’s guest lecture series leads with a talk on African American quilting called “Quilting a Culture and All That Jazz” by Dr. Denise Sheridan of Cal Poly. That’s followed by an avant-garde panel of local artists moderated by New Times’ editor Ashley Schwellenbach entitled “Don’t Feed the Artists.” The keynote address, “Plein Air Painters. Crazy About Nature, or Just Plain Crazy?” given by Stephen Doherty, editor of Plein Air Magazine, will round out the all-star mix of guest speakers.

For Saturday’s Main Event the Travel Channel’s Sand Masters will be building gigantic sandcastles on Pine Street and teaching our children how to do the same – all sponsored by PG&E. The Paso Robles REC Foundation has commissioned a giant sculpture to be placed on the river walk trail and the artist who is building it will bring it here for the public to see the work in progress; the Dragon Knight Stiltwalkers are back; there will be aerial ribbon acrobats performing; the fun local band the Mother Corn Shuckers will perform in a newly upgraded River Lounge on Pine Street; in addition to 70+ talented artists displaying and selling their work, 9 environmental partners, 10 youth activities and over a dozen live performances throughout the day!

Sunday now kicks off with the Art & Soul Awards Brunch. Guests will munch on delicious treats, both savory and sweet, and enjoy the inspirational gospel music of the Karen Tyler Trio. Immediately following is the self-guided Exclusive Westside Art Tour that is being put on by the Paso Robles Art Association. The first tour if its kind in Paso Robles, it will pass through the private collections of two local home owners and promises to delight and inspire the art lover as well as the curious.

 

This feels like having a tiger by the tail. In a good way.

A Community Thanks You

This Festival of the Arts is a symbol of the spirit of Paso Robles on so many levels: It’s not afraid to think outside the box and take chances; it stepped up to fill the Memorial Day Weekend event gap to help keep the local economy healthy; it continues to thrive in the face of a recession; it is bringing something new and amazing to the community because it’s the right thing to do. None of us take for granted that 200 volunteers help us pull this off, that dozens of sponsors support this event and most of all, that locals and visitors come out to the event and continue to support the arts in Paso Robles.

For all of you that are planning to attend the 2012 Festival of the Arts, this community – both Paso Robles and its art community – thanks and welcomes you. We will be right there with you, having the time of our lives at The Little Art Festival That Could.

Paso Robles Train Station: National Train Day

by Coy Barnes

Have you ever travelled by train? It’s a fascinating and inexpensive way to travel, offering a relaxed pace along with spectacular views of the countryside not accessible by any other means.  Amtrak ridership is up as more and more people “ride the rails” in search of a slower pace, scenic beauty and new experiences.

We think Paso Robles has one of the quaintest and friendliest train stations this side of the Rockies on the Amtrak network.  Where else can you pick-up some local merchandise, visit three tasting rooms, have sushi, or enjoy a glass of Paso Robles wine or beer?   

There are daily trains that come to Paso Robles from Southern California and the Bay Area and two upcoming events offer great opportunities to get to know wine country via train:

• The Paso Robles Wine Festival May 19, 2012 is the perfect introduction for people from the Bay  area interested in visiting us for an afternoon of wine tasting.  You can take the Coast Starlight with a scheduled arrival in Paso Robles at 1:38pm and depart back at 4:45pm the same day!  Our station is literally just three short blocks from the Festival and our downtown. 

• National Train Day is the perfect time to inform travelers from both the Bay Area and Southern California area about travel to Paso Robles.  Every day customers and tourists to Paso Robles walk through the door of our shop and tasting room at the Paso Robles Train Station.  They all seem to say the same thing.  “This is sooo cute.  Does the train stop here?”  The answer is yes!  Not many people know that the train stops here twice per day; once going south and once going north. 

Arriving in Paso Robles and depending on where you stay, you won’t need a car while visiting our area, making the Amtrak the green way to go and it’s cheaper than a tank of gas!  Some of the local lodgings will even offer free transfers to their hotel, just ask.  Downtown Paso Robles has everything you need: 20+ great restaurants and at least 13 different wineries all within walking distance of the train station. 

So, if you are looking for stress-free travel without paying the high price of gas, Amtrak is the way to go and Paso Robles makes the ideal destination for a train trip. 
Call us for hotel and tour packages:  866-238-6400

Coy Barnes is the owner of the Paso Robles Wine Club, a wine club that sends an assortment of Paso Robles wines; and The Wine Wrangler, Paso Robles’ longest running wine tour service. Both businesses are located at the Paso Robles Train Station.

Dreamweaver Returns

by Sasha Irving

Families and children: make plans to attend the most talked about community performance of the spring season! Dreamweaver brings dreams to life through song, dance, and theatre. Be part of the journey at The Templeton Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 27^th at 7:30 pm, Saturday, April 28^th at 1 pm & 5 pm, and Sunday, April 29^th at 1pm.

The story will center on an enchanting dreamer, played by local artist/dancer, Ali Giroux, and jesters played by Michael Mclean and Michael Scribner, and many talented singers, dancers and actors who will join them on their trip through lives hopes, dreams and accomplishments.

Organizers have announced additional acts, costumes and scenery. Popular characters such as the jesters, fire-twirler and silk acrobatic artist Brenda Hamilton will be featured again alongside new mimes, spiders, and carnival scenes and other surprises.

The dress rehearsal on Thursday, April 26 will be open to students. It serves as a fundraiser for a local food bank. All students are admitted into the performance with a canned food item.

Friday Giveaway - Train Rides at Santa Margarita Ranch

This week's Friday Giveaway is 2 passes to "Disney Train Rides & More at Santa Margarita Ranch".

  This event offers one of a very few opportunities this year for the general public to ride the special Disney train housed at the Santa Margarita Ranch.

There will be food, wine beer, live entertainment, train rides and more fun for the entire family.

This community event will take place on Saturday, April 14th from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and is limited to 260 attendees. Further information and tickets ($40.00 each - all ages) are now available online at www.slorrm.com

 

Q:  What was the name of the first railroad company to provide passenger and freight service to the Paso Robles area?

Pairing Easter with Paso Robles Wine

by Lisa Pretty-Smith

Easter is a special time and for many people that means a time to enjoy food with family and friends. Whether you are planning a lingering Easter brunch, a traditional Easter dinner or just wondering what to have with all the chocolates the Easter Bunny delivered, you can find the perfect wine to pair in Paso Robles.

Let’s start with what to have with Easter brunch.
While it could be coffee or a Bloody Mary, my pick in Paso Robles is a sparkling wine to make the meal extra special. Derby Wine Estates makes a delightful pink sparkling wine from their estate-grown Pinot Noir. The wine is made Mèthode Champenoise to produce a high quality sparkling wine. It has a pretty pink hue with flavors of wild raspberry, grapefruit, marzipan, blood orange zest and almond skins. Sparkling wine is likely the easiest wine to pair with food – it goes with pretty much everything and is the perfect wine for Easter Brunch. Their 2007 Sparkling Brut Rosé of Pinot Noir retails for $54. 

If you are planning a ham for Easter dinner and worried about pairing a wine with this salty meat, worry no more. Typically served with a sweet sauce, the best wines to pair that hold up to the salt and complement the sauce would be a Riesling or Gewurztraminer. Basically you need a wine that has a good acidity and some nice fruit flavors. I selected the J. Lohr Riesling as the perfect wine with an Easter ham. The wine has a round palate feel, fruit aromas of pear, grapefruit and rose petal spice, balanced with refreshing fruit-flavored acidity and finishes with a slight palate spritz. 2010  J. Lohr Estates Bay Mist White Riesling retails for a lovely $10!

Leg of lamb is my favorite for Easter Dinner. There are so many choices of wine that work well that you can find something from almost every Paso Robles producer. The key is to find a wine with a good level of fruit flavor and solid tannins. In Paso Robles there is a fabulous selection of Rhônes, Bordeauxs and Spanish varietals that would all pair well.  You really can’t go wrong but my pick this year is the JUSTIN Reserve Tempranillo. Deep ruby in color with spiced red fruit, dense red and black fruit flavors of currant, black cherry, a generous mouthfeel, medium-high tannins and a long finish make this wine ideally suited to a leg of lamb. 2009 Reserve Tempranillo sells for $45.

As we all know, the Easter Bunny is likely to bring you a stash of chocolate. At the end of the evening I like to enjoy a nice port-style wine while nibbling on chocolate. My selection this year is Pear Valley Belle Fin. A spicy nose of nutmeg, clove and ginger couple with wild berry and plum to give this elegant dessert wine its enticing aromatics. Smoky cherry and vanilla flavors with hints of blueberry cobbler persist through a long spicy finish. This fortified wine is delightfully decadent. $16

Orange-Rosemary Lamb Roast
1 leg of lamb roast
1 cup fresh orange juice
¼ soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste

Place lamb in a large ziplock bag. Mix together orange juice, soy sauce, garlic and rosemary. Pour marinade over lamb, remove air from bag and seal. Place lamb in refrigerator for 3 hours to marinate.

Place lamb in a roasting pan, pour marinade over top then add salt & pepper. Roast in oven pre-heated to 400F for 20 minutes to seal in the juice. Reduce heat to 300 and continue to slow cook for tender meat. Spoon juice over the roast every 30 minutes until lamb reaches 145F (use a meat thermometer to check temperature). Allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing.

Note: Lamb is best served medium rare, with a light pink center. The size of the roast will determine the amount of time required in the oven (approximately 20-25 minutes per pound).

Lisa Pretty is owner/winemaker at Pretty-Smith Vineyards & Winery and author of the Eat This With Paso Robles wine recipe book.

Introducing Paso Robles’ “Friday Giveaways”

by Shonna Howenstine

It was recently brought to our attention that everybody loves Fridays. And free stuff. And Paso Robles.

So, with us being the progressive tourism office that we are, we’ve decided to combine these three things and conquer the world. Well, maybe “conquer” is the wrong word. Perhaps “enliven” or “enhance” or “improve” would be better in this instance.  We have SUCH a cool program that we’re calling Friday Giveaways. And it’s legit - we officially launched it last week and gave away two tickets to the 20th Annual Paso Robles Zinfandel Festival!

Paso Robles' First Horsemen’s Re-Union

An interview with Kimber Black

The Horsemen's Re-Union is a brand new event that is bringing together world-famous horsemen for a 6-day clinic in Paso Robles. Chris Cox, Martin Black and many more famous names in the equestrian world will be on hand throughout the week to pass their amazing horse knowledge on to attendees.

Q: So we hear that your event is causing some major excitment in the horse world, can you tell us about it?

A: The Horsemen’s Re-Union is 20 Horsemen, 40 un-started colts, 6 days and a whole lot of fun packed into the Paso Robles Event Center, April 2-7, 2012. There will be 2 main sessions of colt starting daily.  The morning session will run from 9a-12noon with a break for lunch and back to the arena for the afternoon session that runs from 1pm -4pm.  Horse enthusiasts from all over the world are making their plans to attend.  Check our website www.horsemensreunion.com for weekly updates. 

Q: You have packed some action into the week, can you break down the schedule?

A: In addition to the daily colt starting, you will find the Horsemen’s Market Place open daily from 11am -7pm with plenty of western paraphernalia.  Chuck Wagons will provide 3 square meals every day.   If that’s not enough to get you going, each day at 4:30pm you can meet and greet, rub elbows, chat, and get an autographed picture with the Horsemen.   All the while, Western Jam sessions will be taking place in and around the arena.  The music will be improvised in cowboy fashion with talented friends from near and far.

Tuesday at 5:30pm come listen to Dr. Stephen Peters talk about Evidence Based Horsemanship, where real information is gathered by observation, tested in the field and validated by science. 

Next on Wednesday don’t miss your chance to join the Calcutta in the Horsemen’s Calf Branding and your chance to rope a calf with your favorite horsemen. 

The Horsemen’s Re-Union event revs up on Thursday with the Calcutta and Horsemen’s Goat Roping at 5pm followed by a Country Music Concert featuring Dave Stamey and J. Parson at 7pm.  

Friday is a big day.  The afternoon colt session will be followed by a CampDraft competition, then on to the Horsemen’s Benefit Dinner.  There will be a silent and live auction followed by live performances featuring Baxter Black and Red Steagall.This dinner will sell out!  Go online and purchase tickets before March 15th at  www.horsemensreunion.com/tickets.php 

The final colt session will take place Saturday morning from 9am – 12noon. The Grand Finale will be a live auction of the colts at 2pm in the main arena.

(Here is a copy of the Daily Schedule so you don't miss anything.)

Q: And we hear there is a worthy cause involved.

A: Yes, part of the Proceeds from our Dinner will benefit The Western Wishes Charitable Fund.   Western Wishes helps children and their families who are met with adversity by granting wishes and making dreams come true. 

If you have any questions about this event please go to www.horsemensreunion.com or contact Kimber Black at 805.440.4693 or thekimberblack@gmail.com to get more details.

 

Upcoming Art Classes & Camps for Kids in Paso Robles!

by Sasha Irving, Studios on the Park

Young artists visiting Paso Robles this spring and summer can take their choice from a wide variety of engaging and enriching art activities.

Studio MPK, the latest addition to Paso Robles’ burgeoning creative community, offers weekly art classes, workshops, and open studio sessions for all ages and skill levels. On Saturdays and Sundays, owner and mixed media artist Erin Kenepp offers Family Art Time as a way to promote creativity and bonding and Kids Create/Teens Create sessions where children can pursue self-directed projects in a safe and fun environment. All classes are $15 per person.

All art materials are included in the price for each class or workshop. Registration is on-going during each quarterly session and walk-ins are welcome pending space availability. Studio MPK is located at 603 12th Street. Contact erinkenepp@yahoo.com to sign up.

The Paso Robles Art Association offers the following Spring Break and Summer Kids Camps in their classroom space at Studios on the Park, an open studios art center located at 1130 Pine Street. All camps are $100 with a $15 materials fee. To sign up, call 805.238.5473 or email info@pasoroblesart.org.

Paper Sculpture Camp
April 2 – 5, 9:30 am – noon
June 18 – 21, 9:30 am – noon
Instructor Monika Roe will teach students ages 10-12 to create beautiful 3-dimensional artwork by cutting subject matter from a variety of paper stocks and building the shapes together in layers. Students will explore space, depth and the concepts of foreground, middle ground and background

Watercolor Camp
April 10 – 13, 9:30 am – noon
August 6-9, 9:30 am - noon
Instructor Joy Krull will teach students ages 5-7 how to handle brush, water and colors in making paintings. They will mix color and use watercolor techniques for a variety of subjects.

Acrylic Painting Camps
June 25 – 28, 9:30 am – noon (ages 5-7)
July 16 – 19, 9:30 am – noon  (ages 10-12)
July 30 – August 2, 9:30 am – noon  (ages 8-10)
Instructor Kim Snyder will lead children on a four-day exploration of painting in acrylics. They will paint on canvas while learning about composition and aerial perspective.

Pastel Camp
July 23 – 26, 9:30 am – noon
Instructor Joy Krull will teach students ages 5-7 how to use pastel to create varied color and textures in painting animals, trees, flowers and chosen subjects.

Don’t forget that the largest art event on the Central Coast takes place over Memorial Day weekend May 25-27, 2012. The Paso Robles Festival of the Arts is an art-filled 3-day event featuring Guest Lectures on Friday, the Festival of the Arts main event on Saturday and an Art Collectors Tour on Sunday.
 
Saturday’s main event starts with a Plein Air Quick-Draw and Auction, followed by a Fine Art Show, Youth Art Zone and Stage, hands-on art activities for all ages, live music, dance performances and other musical, visual and artistic surprises. The main event is FREE to the public!  For more information go to www.pasoartfestival.com

Sasha Irving is the Programs Director of Studios on the Park and the Coordinator of the annual Paso Robles Festival of the Arts. Proud to be a native Paso Roblan, she is also a member of Balet Folklorico Cachanilla and an usher at Old Mission San Miguel Arcangel.  For more information please visit www.studiosonthepark.org or call 805.238.9800. 

Child's Play in Paso Robles, Part 1 - (Mostly) Free Family Fun

By Tamara Richardson

I am a certified professional when it comes to playing in Paso Robles  and the luckiest girl in town. I happen to have 3 of the best jobs in Paso Robles:  I’m the Manager of the Paso Robles Children’s Museum, a mom and “Aunt T”.  As the mother of two grown children, I often need to borrow my niece and nephew to truly “Play in Paso” and have learned a bundle in the process. I will happily share the knowledge monthly for seasonal ideas for family fun in Paso Robles. 

My 3 year old nephew Dylan and his 2 year old sister Allie regularly volunteer to play with me in Paso Robles.  Our play dates are affectionately known as “Aunt T. Time” and run the gamut of family-friendly activities in and around Paso Robles. Most of these activities are FREE!

My latest playdate with Dylan included a stop at the Paso Robles Pubic Library located downtown. The large fish tank caught D’s attention right away; we then built a block castle which was hardly a challenge for D. because he is the owner of a construction company (LOL!), chose a handful of books and headed out on our next adventure. 

Our next stop was just a few steps down the block - Cold Stone Creamery. We ordered a kiddie scoop of ice cream and  D. felt so big reaching in his pocket to pay the owner Carole for our tasty treat.  Carole really made D. feel special. Our local business owners are kind, friendly and attentive to our children and I LOVE THAT!

My playdate with Allie began with  a text: ”It is Allie’s Aunt T time!” which is code for "she’s up from her nap". To make each date with my 2-year-old niece special, I choose to do different activities. This time Allie and I headed for a special adventure at Sherwood Forest, a local park located at 220 Scott Street. This park has wonderful play structures for children of all ages, including me!   Allie and I went down the slide at least 30 times and played a mean game of Hide and Seek! This park provides a lot of natural hiding locations if you are 2 but also includes good safe visibility for adults to supervise this fun activity.

Stay tuned for more "Child's Play" posts for family activities that are inexpensive and FUN!

Paso Robles Children’s Museum
623 13th Street Paso Robles, CA 93446
www.pasokids.org
(805) 238-7432

Tamara Richardson is the Museum Manager at the Paso Robles Children's Museum where she plays professionally and enjoys every moment of it!