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By the Travel Paso Robles Alliance
 The Paso Glow Ticket Contest ended on Wednesday afternoon with over 45 essay entries and 237 official votes! The Travel Paso Robles Alliance was thrilled to announce Leslie Taylor as the winner of two tickets to Paso Glow and two tickets to SAVOR the Central Coast's main event held on October 2nd and October 3rd, respectively. At the city's first-ever Paso Glow, Leslie and a guest will enjoy a six course meal prepared by Paso Robles' top chefs and one cheese proprietor (see August 17 post below), paired with local wines from over 25 wineries! Leslie is sure to enjoy the evening while in the company of Celebrity Chef Tyler Florence and Sunset Magazine's Wine Editor, Sara Schneider. As part of Leslie's prize, she and a guest will also enjoy SAVOR the Central Coast's main event held at the historic Santa Margarita Ranch. A full day pass to the main event entitles Leslie to enjoy the Central Coast's fresh produce, meats, cheeses and wines prepared by over 30 chefs and 200 wineries during the three-day food and wine celebration!
 The Travel Paso Robles Alliance would like to thank all those who participated in the Paso Glow Ticket Contest! We had a long list of fantastic entries that all spoke to the incredible beauty of Paso Robles and its people. Congratulations to the winner, Leslie Taylor and her very lucky guest! We hope you have an incredible weekend at the inagural Paso Glow and SAVOR the Central Coast!
You can view Leslie's winning essay entry (and other participating essays) by clicking here or go to Travel Paso's Facebook page.
Tickets to attend the main event or other special events at SAVOR the Central Coast, including seminars, vineyard tours and winemaker dinners, can be purchased at savorcentralcoast.com.
Pictured right: Leslie Taylor, winner of the Paso Glow Ticket Contest
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 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!!
By Nancy Hoover
 We alluded to it before in a previous post, but I have to say it again, the 2010 California Mid-State Fair is coming! In a span of 12 days, the California Mid-State Fair invites guests to be entertained by live music, public contests, yummy fair food and unique vendors selling anything from hot tubs to Justin boots. The California Mid-State Fair is the largest event held annually in Paso Robles and as a result, nearly 370,000 people travel to Paso Robles from across the state (and some even across state lines) to be a part of the Fair’s festivities. So, get your bags packed and come on down to what is known by many as “the biggest little fair anywhere!”
The California Mid-State Fair has something for all ages and interests to enjoy. For the summer fair traditionalist, enjoy the many agricultural exhibits and displays from quilting to pie baking and home landscaping. For the young and young at heart, the fair offers a fantastic carnival full of rides for people of all ages, the ususal fair games and the best cotton candy you can find! In addition, children can enter and win prizes in the public contests like sand castle building and shark roping held at Paso Pete’s Ponderosa Stage. For the foodie and wine lover, visit the Mission Square to taste daily featured Paso Robles wines and to watch our talented local Chefs conduct cooking demonstrations! And for the music and performance lover, attend one of our numerous concerts offered nightly on a number of different stages. The Headliner Stage features FREE local music and dance talent including Ashley Garland, Class Act Dance and the famed KJUG Barn Dance. Also FREE, the Fort Frontier Stage steps up the talent a bit with music from seasoned pros such as Coco Montoya, Blue Oyster Cult and Cross Canadian Ragweed. And for high profile concerts, purchase tickets to see our Main Grandstand headliners, like Justin Bieber, Aerosmith, Keith Urban, Weezer and many more!
  
The 2010 California Mid State Fair is open from July 21st thru August 1st, 2010. Fair admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children. Gates open at 12:00 noon and close at 12:00 midnight. We’ll see you there!!
All photos courtesy of the California Mid-State Fair. Clockwise from top: Justin Bieber, Weezer, Aerosmith.
By Nancy Hoover
 The aromas found in Paso Robles at this time of year are boundless. From fresh cut hay sitting in the fields waiting to be baled to lavender fields in full bloom, now is the time to visit Paso Robles to get your fill of summer harvest aromas! One event filled with aromas that you don’t want to miss is the 2nd Annual Central Coast Lavender Festival held this Saturday in Paso Robles.
Locals and tourists alike will gather in the charming Paso Robles downtown city park to enjoy all the wonderful lavender wares Central Coast vendors have to offer. Visitors will learn about the many conventional applications that the lavender plant has to offer including its health and beauty benefits, culinary applications and home garden potential. One interesting application of the lavender plant that visitors are sure to enjoy is lavender-infused foods. In the Lavender Tasting Garden, event-goers will have the opportunity to sample lavender-infused sorbet, iced tea, desserts, lemonade and more!
The 2nd Annual Lavender Festival will be held from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday, July 10 in the Paso Robles City Park. We hope to see you there!
Cheers!
Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com
It's that time of year again - when all of Paso Robles comes out to celebrate and pay homage to the varietal that helped put this region on the map as one of the hottest winemaking destinations in California: Zinfandel!
The annual Zinfandel Festival, happening all this weekend, March 19 - 21, kicks off the spring season with an array of events you don't want to miss. Wineries throughout Paso Robles are hosting barbecues, winemaker dinners, special food and wine pairings, free tastings, and more! It's a wine-lover's dream come true!
All of these wonderful wine events bookend the ultimate event of the weekend, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance's Zinfandel Grand Tasting and Wine Country auction, happening Saturday, March 20 from 5:30 to 9:30 PM at the Paso Robles Event Center.
Over sixty (yes, sixty) different wineries will be putting their best Zin forward at this landmark annual event. In addition to all of these wonderful wines and wineries, over twenty of Paso Robles's phenomenal restaurants will be serving up their finest samplings of their wine country cuisine. While you stroll from booth to booth, sipping and nibbling to your heart's content, you can also peruse the number of incredible lifestyle-packages the PRWCA assembled for the Wine Country Auction.
This silent-style auction features packages including all the best that Paso Robles has to offer, from exciting weekend winemaking experiences, to luxurious spa get-aways. As if this weren't enough already, the PRWCA has introduced a number of enhancements to this year's Grand Tasting that have never been done before.
This year, you can cozy up in the Chocolate and Port Palor and sample chocolates from a number of local artisan chocolatiers, while enjoying Zinfandel dessert-style wines from twelve different Paso Robles wineries. And for all you Food-Network addicts (believe me, I can empathize), Chef Kelly Wangard of the Paso Robles Inn Steakhouse, and Tom Fundaro of Villa Creek will be performing live cooking demonstrations.
Also, if you haven't already, make your hotel reservations ASAP. People come in droves to enjoy our thrilling winemaking events, and hotels do have a tendency to fill up quickly. Fortunately, Paso Robles offers a number of beautiful lodging choices, conveniently located in the heart of our Downtown area, or right off of Hwy. 101 and 46.
I've only been lucky enough to attend the grand tasting once before, and I'm super excited to see all of the changes and enhancements the PRWCA added to the event this year. Be sure to check back here regularly, as I'll be running around all over town gathering all of the need-to-know information you'll need before you travel to our beloved city to get your Zin on.
 It may be difficult for many of us to imagine right now, but spring IS just around the corner! And with the coming of spring comes green rolling hills throughout Paso Robles Wine Country, and thousands of beautiful wildflowers that burst open all throughout the northern region of San Luis Obispo County.
If you're traveling to Paso Robles, especially if you're on a budget (and who isn't right now, right?), admiring mother nature in all of her glory is a wonderful and inexpensive way to enjoy the beautiful Central Coast. With all of the rain that we've received this year, the vineyards and hillsides are shamrock green and the wildflowers are starting to bloom in abundance - their patches of brilliant orange, yellow and blue punctuating the newly green, rolling Paso Robles hillsides.
 Cyclists abound here in Paso Robles, and there are many bike trails that wind their way along the roads of Paso Robles and throughout neighboring cities in San Luis Obispo County that provide a fantastic tour of some of the best areas to see these indigenous California flowers. There are also hundreds of hiking trails for you to explore on your own two feet, or with the aid of a four-legged companion. As I mentioned before, Paso Robles is a horse-crazy town, and there are plenty of ranches that offer horse-back riding adventures.
If you prefer to have someone else map the route for you, Silverado Tours, based out of San Luis Obispo, features a North County Wildflower Tour. The tour takes you through both San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties, and even journeys across the San Andreas fault line. The next tour takes place on April 8, call 805-545-8400 for reservations.
 No matter how you choose to enjoy these gorgeous wildflowers of the Central Coast, I'd highly recommend taking advantage of the Wildflower Report. Provided by the Theodore Payne Foundation, a non-profit group dedicated to the preservation of California wildflowers, the Wildflower Report describes the best places to find the specific wildflower species throughout the state. The foundation posts a new report every weekend beginning in March, and continues through May. OR you can simply call their Wildflower Hotline, (818) 768-3533.
If you're like me, and enjoy cooking with flowers as much as you enjoy looking at them, you'll be pleased to know that Paso Robles and its surrounding areas are quickly becoming hotspots for lavender farmers. You can purchase their lavender products (lip-balms, cookies, and everything in between) at one of the many Farmers' Markets that take place in Paso Robles and Templeton throughout the week. And just so you know, there's an entire festival dedicated to this lovely purple stuff that happens each summer, The Central Coast Lavender Festival.
As always, Paso Robles features many beautiful hotels and accommodations to suit any lodging preference, and any budget. If you're really looking to maximize the value of your Paso Robles experience, I'd suggest taking advantage of the great lodging specials our Paso Robles hotels and bed and breakfasts are currently offering. Relax after your long wildflower hike or bikeride with a soak in one of the famous Paso Robles hotsprings baths offered at the Paso Robles Inn, or wash away the cares of the day in the luxurious indoor jacuzzi at the beautiful Paso Robles Holiday Inn Express & Suites.
So get out from behind that computer (yeah, I know, I'm one to talk), and come experience the natural beauty of the Central Coast, and make the most of your California adventure!
January is restaurant month here in Paso Robles! All throughout January, many of Paso Robles's world-class restaurants are serving up three-course prix fixe menus for just $30 per person!
For the rest of this month, I'll be featuring all of Paso's participating restaurants right here on the travelpaso.com blog!
Kicking off our focus on Restaurant Month is Thomas Hill Organics. I stopped by their charming bistro located at 1305 Park Street on a beautiful, strikingly spring-like evening. The inside of the restaurant is small, but warm and inviting - the majority of the space is occupied by the delicious sounds and smells of head Chef Julie Simons' large kitchen.
Restaurant owner Debbie Thomas and her husband, Joe Thomas, relocated to Paso Robles from Pasadena four and a half years ago.
"The deal was, if we moved here, I had to let him farm," laughs Debbie. And farm he did. In fact, much of the produce used in the restaurant's mouth-wateringly fresh dis hes goes straight from the Thomas' 10-acre farm to your plate. In fact, Thomas Hill's beautiful "Winter Salad", the first course on their Restaurant Month prix fixe menu features arugula directly from their family's farm.
For a restaurant driven by the ever-changing availability of fresh, seasonal ingredients, the Thomases needed to find an innovative and creative head chef, dedicated to showcasing all of the fresh, locally-grown produce Paso Robles has to offer. Fortunately, they found all that and more in Chef Julie Simons.
"Julie is one of the most creative chefs you will ever meet," says Thomas. "She puts together ingredients
that you would never think go well together, and then you taste it, and it's incredible."
And after one bite of the second course on their prix fixe menu this month, Julie's pan-seared scallops served with roasted butternut squash, dandelions, pecans and a cranberry relish - I'm more than inclined to agree.
Hungry for more? Check back soon for our feature on Artisan!
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