Wine Tasting

Drinking wine may be as old as human civilisation, but the wine industry continues to evolve.

In recent years oenotourism, or wine tourism, has seen an uptake as travellers look for new experiences. There’s plenty on offer for wine lovers, with vineyards around the world offering tasting, tours and hand-harvesting experiences.

What is wine tourism?

Viticulture, or wine growing, is a craft that dates back tens of thousands of years and due to elements like soil, temperature and air quality every vineyard is unique; this is what the French call ‘terroir’. Understanding these unique conditions is one of the benefits of oenotourism.

The marrying of wine and the tourism industry may seem like a match made in heaven, but actually only began to take shape in 1976 with a wine tasting in Paris, France. This event, known as ‘the Judgement of Paris’ was set up by wine merchant Steven Spurrier in an attempt to establish French wines as superior.

Panellists blind tasted a series of red wines and chardonnays and in a surprise twist the Californian wines were rated the best by the judges. This boosted the region’s reputation and opened up opportunities for other countries in a market previously dominated by the so-called Old World countries in Europe and the Middle East.

Today wineries around the globe offer wine tasting and tours in Chile, South Africa and Australia. The global wine market was worth $364.25 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow to $444.94 billion by 2027.

In 2016 the wine tourism sector revenue was found to have increased 10 – 15 per cent in three years. That same year the UN World Tourism Organisation held the first ever Global Conference on Wine Tourism in Kakheti, Georgia where wine has been made for 8000 years.

In the Old World, wine tourism and the wine industry are still going strong with the Bordeaux region of France seeing a 61per cent increase in visitors between 2002 – 2016. Languadoc, located in the south of France, boasts some of the most amazing vineyards which bring a contemporary feel to an ancient craft, and visitors will love these opportunities to engage in a little oenotourism.

A guide to some of the best wine tours

The eco-friendly Château Capitoul, is situated in the wild landscape of the Massif de la Clape. A 19th century chateau, it has given itself a three year makeover.

The site boasts a gourmet restaurant, brazier brewery, tasting cellar dedicated to and offers tours of the vineyard.

This winery hosts a gourmet 5km journey in the heart of the Grand Site of France Salagou-Cirque de Mourèze, wines and quality food will be served at each of the six stages of a delicious experience that ends in the picturesque village of Octon.

At the foot of the City of Carcassonne, this destination hosts a wine bar-cum-delicatessen that serves novel food including cheese, cold cuts and vegetarian tapas on a beautiful terrace.

AOP Saint-Chinian hosts evenings of music with dishes provided by local restaurateurs.

This vineyard features a newly reopened restaurant with a mouth-watering menu prepared from local produce. The eatery is surrounded by a breathtaking panorama of the Pyrenees and tours in the vineyard, visits and tastings are available.

Have we missed out your favourite winery? Let us know on Instagram.

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PLAINS – Starting this month, the Williams family is inviting wine lovers to venture out to their West Texas ranch to take a sip of their work that’s been more than 20 years in the making.

After decades of honing their craft and finding some success during the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams Ranch Winery is launching an unconventional tasting room in an old ranch house on what was once drought-stricken farmland near Plains in Yoakum County.

They’ll be opening their new tasting room every Saturday starting June 19.  

The newly re-purposed facility at Williams Ranch Vineyard was built by Kirk Williams’ grandfather in the 1930s. Kirk, along with his siblings, grew-up in the same house. 

Kirk said that, after his dad died, they decided to re-do the house. The house needed a purpose and they thought having a tasting room was a nice idea.  

“I’m really happy to see it kind of coming back – that was something I wanted to see to kind of re-born.” he said. “This is kind of a good way to reinvigorated, kind of needed a purpose. And most people think it’s a pretty neat place to come for the unobstructed view.” 

His brother and sister have helped him in different ways. His brother-in-law, who is an architect, has helped in the process of converting the old house into a tasting room for visitors, Kirk said.   

Finding inspiration

Kirk Williams and his wife Shawn Williams spent nine years in Northern California where they worked with grape growers, developing their skills and growing their own interests in vineyards.

Their ranch is located near the Newsom Vineyards, one of the pioneers of the Texas wine grape growing industry. The Williams had to go by their vineyards to get there. From this they got the idea to grow the crop on their own. In 1997, they bought 80 acres from Kirk’s dad. 

The vineyard site sits at an elevation of 3,650 feet on old cultivated field that was farmed by one of Kirk’s uncles in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. 

Much of the topsoil blew away during a harsh drought in the 1950s.

Not long after that drought, it was planted back as a native grass pasture. As a result, they have a site that produces low vine vigor which allows for excellent fruit quality.

They started by planting one acre of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1998. They have continued planting other varieties of grapes including Orange Muscat, Petit Sirah and Riesling. They now have 7.5 acres of grapes planted in varying stages of maturity. 

The grapes are typically harvested in August. After harvesting, the grapes are sent to a custom crunch facility where the wine is produced. The wine bottles are then labeled at the Williams Ranch Winery. 

Offering an experience

“I think it is a unique opportunity to come out and get on dirt road and try to navigate with your eyesight. It’s an opportunity to come to some place where there’s not anybody for a while, versus say, a downtown winery,” Kirk said.  

“We’re trying to sell the experience” Kirk said.  

Shawn Williams said they used to take their kids to various wineries, and one thing they always noticed was that they were never family friendly. So, they plan to make Williams Ranch Winery a family friendly space by offering apple juice that children can enjoy, too.  

“People tell me they are intimidated by wine,” she said. “And so that’s another reason why we like the idea of a tasting room, we want people to come experience it, learn about wines.”

During the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, they did a good business by selling the wines online and shipping them locally. Now with the situation improving they decided to open the tasting room for a better in-person experience.

“Hopefully people will come for the experience – that’s what we’re hoping,” she said. “You know, come enjoy the wine, get to learn about the history and drink.”. 

Shane Williams, one of Shawn and Kirk’s five children, has been helping his parents in the process of creating the tasting room. 

Shane said when he first heard about his parents’ idea of opening the tasting room while balancing full-time jobs and five children, he thought it would be challenging.   

“But that’s kind of who they are – they really do work very, very hard,” he said. “And so, I kind of know, like in the back of my head, that they could do it.”

Having the winery and tasting room on family’s ranch gives it a sense of history, Shane said.

“I think that kind of combination of one-of-a-kind histories,” he said. ” And there’s just so much old stuff here. I think that kind of adds flavor.”

More information about the winery is available on their website, https://www.williamsranchvineyard.com/

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Something Old, Something New…Now is the time to try something new.

That’s the theme of the 17th annual Zonta Club of Porterville 2021 Evening of Art and Wine to be held a week from today, Saturday, June 19 at Nuckols Ranch.

As those attending come to the event before 6 p.m., they will enjoy a champagne reception while listening to the music of the Porterville Strings. From 6 to 9 p.m. the event will feature eight different wine tasting stations with reds, whites, blends and dessert vintages. Complimenting the wines, there will be nine food stations served to those attending by Zonta members and the offerings of Bob Nuckols will also be featured.Featured wineries include award winning Fresno State, Hayseed, Baileyana, Eberle, Boisset Collection and a special selection from Randall Carroll.

This year features two local women who aren’t only artists but epitomize “Porterville Strong” in their commitment to sharing their varied talents with the community, the Zonta Club stated.

Andrea Culver’s work is sparked by a sense of design, shape, color and light, finding inspiration in nature, ordinary objects and travel. Taking photographs is usually the beginning of her process, with some photos turning into paintings.

Pastel (color pigment in chalk form) has been a favorite medium until recently. Acrylic paint and a desire to experiment with abstraction has become her new challenge.

Culver enjoys studying works by other artists and finds inspiration and techniques to use to improve her paintings. Matisse, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Picasso are some of her favorites as well as Old Masters drawings. New expressions that are all around in graffiti and advertisement intrigue her as well.

The enjoyment of art started in childhood for Culver. Learning to draw, going to museums, painting and creating were some of her favorite pastimes.

Over the years she has taken art classes and studied principles of art in college. Art is her passion and teaching was her career. She spent 30-plus years teaching with Burton School District.

One of her greatest joys in life has been the privilege of passing on her love for art to her students. Art speaks to everyone in some way and it allows our individuality to shine and be noticed and live their own passion,” Culver said.

Sue Marcotte is a long-time resident of Springville and has been involved in the art world for more than 30 years. She has explored several mediums and is currently focused on acrylics, silk painting and quilts.

Marcotte’s background in art includes a degree from Long Beach State. She has been Chairperson of the Sequoia Foothills Art Show for 20-plus years and is the originator of the Artisan Village for the Springville Apple Festival. Marcotte established an art program for the Burton School District and oversaw the creation and painting of murals for the school district and developed the logo for Jim Maples Academy,.

Her accomplishments include being a member of the Springville “Sew and Sew” quilting club and the Porterville Art Association. She has won the Apple Festival t-shirt design competition on multiple occasions.

She also designed the Springville Gazebo’s weathervane. She has been awarded more than 50 show ribbons, 3 “People’s Choice” awards as well as a “Judge’s Choice” at local art shows.

Marcotte’s love of art truly shows through her commitment to teaching. She taught for 38 years before retiring. Retirement is providing Marcotte with more time to delve deeper into art and focus on what she loves.

Zonta is offering 3 different ways to win prizes at the event. The “need not be present to win” tickets are available for $5 each or 5 for $20 by calling Larisa Gibson at 359-0360. Prizes include a 2 night stay at Cambria Pines, a Kate Spade Designer Handbag, art from each of the featured artists, a $500 gift certificate from Harris Home Furnishing and a 55 inch Samsung Curved TV, special wines, tastings and a home update package which includes a rug, ceiling fan and Ring doorbell.

Seven themed baskets will be raffled at the event featuring an Eagle Mountain Casino certificate and gift basket worth $825, a Golf/Whiskey/Cigar package, Fresno State wine and football tickets, other wine, original framed orange labels, barbecue, and beauty collections.

Finally, a live auction offering an Oceano weekend, Benecia/Napa Stay, David Horowitz Jewelry, party for 50 at Nuckols Ranch and a Morro Bay 2 night stay with a Dorn’s gift certificate will complete the evening.

Event tickets are also available from Larisa at Harris Home Furnishing, OACYS Technology, Horowitz Jewelers, Stafford’s Chocolates or at www.Eventbrite.com.

Zonta Club of Porterville is a major donor to the Central California Family Crisis Center and awards numerous scholarships to local students. Zonta can only accomplish its goal by the generosity of contributions of many sponsors including OACYS Technology, Stafford’s, Suncrest Bank, Family Health Care Network and Cruz Trucking.

Cost for the event is $40. For more information contact Jane Dignam at 310-0237 or any Zonta member for information.

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It’s a small town that’s big on charm.

Drive an hour and 20 minutes out of downtown Los Angeles and you’ll feel a world away.

In Ojai, the pace slows down and your sense of adventure picks up.

It’s a place full of fine food, small shops and boutique hotels.

Caravan Outpost is an adventure hotel where you can check in to one of 10 airstream campers, or check out their tiny house.

“We call that an analog experience, you can really just disconnect, unplug and unwind,” Caravan Outpost owner Shawn Steward said.

Perhaps you can read a good book: There are more than 100,000 old, new and rare ones to choose from at Bart’s Books.

“It’s hard to keep an account on the exact number because we sell somewhere between 6 and 10,000 books every month,” said Matt Henrikson, general manager of Bart’s Books.

No matter what time of year, the sun always seems to be shining on Ojai, which is great for the growers of olive groves.

The Ojai Olive Oil Company produces some of the best olive oils in the entire world — and they can be yours for the tasting.

“The tasting is very similar to a wine tasting, not as fun, no buzz,” said Tim Arlon, grove manager at the Ojai Olive Oil Company.

When it comes to dessert, Ojai is sweet on them.

“I worked here sophomore, junior and senior year, I was just a scooper,” said Kodi Berg, owner of Ojai Ice Cream.

When the mom of three found out that the ice cream shop was for sale, she decided to scoop it up.

It’s a sweet story of success for a quiet town that leaves you with quite a wonderful impression.

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Heading out to the Washington Coast beaches always captures a magical feeling for me. And what adds even more mystical fun to time with the surf and sand? Mermaids!!

Yes, mermaids and they are in Westport, WA.

On March 29, 2021, the International Mermaid Museum opened its doors to the public. The museum, located on the grounds of the Westport Winery and Garden Resort, is a beautiful spot to stop along Hwy 105 when heading west from Aberdeen to Westport. You really can’t miss it, just look for the lighthouse, along with a roadside mermaid sculpture by local artist Yosef Adams, standing sentinel out front.

The afternoon we visited the museum, Kim Roberts, board chair and founder, met with us about her vision. She is also co-owner of the Westport Winery, adjacent Ocean Daughter’s distillery and Sea Glass restaurant.

“I always wanted to be a mermaid or a lighthouse keeper, now I can have both”, she giggles gesturing to the lighthouse tower situated behind the restaurant and wine-tasting rooms.

As we talked and looked upon the front gardens where a Petanque game (a french game much like lawn bowling) is set up along with a statue of a mermaid, a small sedan pulled up and parked. Roberts turned to both the occupants as they began to leave their car and complimented them on their attire. They were decked out in iridescent skirts with a scale-like pattern.

“I like your skirts”, said Roberts as she winked and twirled in her own matching skirt of sparkling mermaid scales. It is not uncommon for folks to dress the part when visiting the museum, unleashing their own inner mermaid. In fact, Roberts supports and encourages everyone of all ages, races, and genders to self-expression. The theme of inclusion runs throughout the museum and sculpture garden. Roberts makes sure everyone feels welcome.

The Westport Winery Garden Resort is open, free of charge, to merfolk of all ages. As we meandered the winding, whimsical garden paths situated on 15 acres, we passed by over 80 sculptures and art pieces, all by local Grays Harbor artists. Giving back to the community is an important value to Roberts, and her life resume is a testament to this. She has served on several planning committees, locally as well as statewide, and now oversees the International Mermaid Museum which is a 501-C non-profit organization.

“Funds raised by the museum are designated to provide ocean ecology curriculum and scholarships for students seeking careers in the maritime industry,” she explains. An important act of philanthropy, for both Roberts and her husband Blain made their careers in the maritime fields holding USCG captain licenses as well as owning a successful scuba diving business.

Roberts holds two degrees in architecture and design which not only is evident in the structure of the gardens but is also seen in her entrepreneurial spirit. But it is the mermaid mythology that really captivates her imagination. – Remember, she wanted to be a mermaid.

Mermaid mythology infuses its story across cultures and around the globe from New Zealand and Japan to Greece and the British Isles. It is this unifying quality of legend which attracts Roberts. Mermaid lore is a commonality bridging many cultures. It also serves as a wonderful vehicle for education, as Roberts says, “the museum is dedicated to teaching ocean ecology from seashore to seafloor”.

The moment we walked into the museum it harbored the feeling of being underwater, stepping into a magical, undersea world. The inception of the museum occurred when a friend of Robert’s sent her a detailed and varied seashell collection. One of the shells turned out to be a Murex Pecten , which is commonly known as a mermaid’s comb due to its delicate spines which resemble teeth on a hair comb.

We took our time moving from exhibit to exhibit, as there are unique artifacts and donated memorabilia in every corner from the mermaid mannequins swimming above us to a WWII diving helmet worn during a recovery effort after Pearl Harbor.

The mermaid exhibit combines myth, lore, and even Ariel, the popular Disney princess from “The Little Mermaid.” Mixed in with the glitter is also snippets of science. The museum strives to be both educational and entertaining while drawing people to the rugged beauty of the WA coast.

Combining this fictional story with fact, the exhibit displays information regarding Ariel’s best friend Flounder, who is not a flounder at all but an angelfish. The educational quotient comes in when you read on about the process of metamorphosis that fish, like flounders, undergo. As they mature, one eye will migrate across their head with the result being both eyes on the same side of their face.

Each section of the exhibit draws you in with a story like the mystical story of the Selkie or the most famous mermaid in these parts, the Starbucks Siren. Through storytelling, the exhibit educates you on sea ecology and a wide underwater world yet to be fully discovered.

After spending the afternoon with Roberts, I concluded she may live on land, spreading good works, but her spirit is all mermaid.

The museum is open daily from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm. The admission fee is $3.00 with children age 5 and under admitted free. Four times a year there will be live performances by area mermaids. Check out their Facebook page @ International Mermaid Museum, for further details.

Disclaimer: While some products, services and/or accommodations in this post were provided without charge, all of the opinions within are those of the author and the Seattle Refined editorial board.

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I don’t particularly have a green thumb, but I do enjoy a bit of amateur gardening — a few ferns, azaleas, peonies, daffodils, and hostas. Better yet, I love to visit flower gardens while touring other cities and states. If you are like me and love flowers, you will be especially excited to hear about the South Carolina Festival of Flowers held every June in Greenwood, South Carolina.

At this wonderful event, you’ll see thousands of colorful blooms in hundreds of fully landscaped flower beds and gardens around town. But amidst the bright snapdragons, daffodils, daisies, hydrangeas, mums, and other summer flowers and plants, visitors will discover the real stars of the festival: dozens of beautiful living topiaries.

Greenwood is located in the northwest Piedmont region, less than 1.5 hours from the South Carolina cities of Augusta, Columbia, and Greenville; just over 2 hours from Charlotte, North Carolina; and less than 3 hours from Atlanta.

Humble Beginnings

Tired of the cold Pennsylvania winters, the George W. Park Seed Company moved south to Greenwood. The first South Carolina Festival of Flowers was held in 1968 in celebration of the seed company’s 100th anniversary.

That first celebration became a yearly event that thousands of visitors look forward to each summer. In 2008, living topiaries were introduced at the festival for the first time. Drawing inspiration from Disney’s famous character topiaries, Greenwood’s master gardeners went to work creating dozens of gorgeous animals, school mascots, and other fun topiaries to be showcased at the yearly flower festival.

Fighting Gamecock (Photo Credit: Loretta Berry)

My, How They’ve Grown

Thirteen topiaries debuted at the 2008 festival. This year’s festival boasts more than 44 live topiary figures!

The city of Greenwood’s horticultural supervisor, Clint Price, explained how much time and effort go into each topiary. “It’s not just clipping an already-grown plant into shapes,” he said. “It is a year-long effort by several city staff members and dozens of volunteers.”

Each sculpture frame is outfitted with irrigation, stuffed with Spanish moss, and then “plugged” with hundreds — or in the case of the Fighting Gamecock topiary, thousands — of tiny plants.

Topiary Assembling Shed (Photo Credit: Susan Dosier)

Before the festival even begins, the topiaries are transported from their year-long greenhouse home to various sites around town. Once secured in place, they are hooked up to an automatic irrigation system that keeps them watered throughout June and July.

“It is a lot of work,” said Price, “but it is a labor of love. Our horticulture team loves what they do. The volunteers are excited to help. The whole community comes together and supports the project and festival.”

Visitors will find the living sculptures scattered around Uptown and other spots. A few of my favorites are the amazingly tall giraffes at the north end of Uptown, the beautiful mermaid (be sure to look for her jellyfish friends nearby), and the 8-foot-tall mystical unicorn (new this year) standing proud in front of the library.

A sign for the festival (Photo Credit: Loretta Berry)

An Award-Winning Event

Greenwood’s South Carolina Festival of Flowers has been the recipient of many awards over the years. In 2013 and 2018, it was named the event of the year by the South Carolina Festival & Event Association. In 2019, it received top honors at the International Festivals & Events Association’s convention and expo and was spotlighted at the Southeast Festivals & Events Association’s Kaleidoscope Awards. In addition, the festival was recognized as one of the top 100 events in North America by the American Business Association.

“We are proud to receive these awards,” said Kelly McWhorter, executive director of Discover Greenwood, “but we are more proud of our community. The Festival of Flowers showcases not only our town, but who we are.”

A mermaid topiary (Photo Credit: Loretta Berry)

A Bloomin’ Good Time

The South Carolina Festival of Flowers runs the entire month of June, with the main weekend taking place early in the month. This year, the main weekend will run from June 11 to 13. Along with the signature topiaries, the three-day festival showcases the best of Greenwood and is filled with tons of fun for the whole family.

The happenings kick off on Friday morning with an arts and crafts show and a home and garden show. Both are held indoors at the Greenwood Mall from Friday through Sunday. Friday night features a concert at the Greenwood Community Theatre on Main Street.

KidFest (Photo Credit: SC Festival of Flowers/Greenwood SC Chamber of Commerce)

Saturday-morning festivities begin with a 5-kilometer run/walk and a 1-mile fun run/walk at Lander University. Compete for cash prizes, or just for fun and exercise. Saturday also includes the fun-filled and entertaining Kidfest at Uptown Market and its splash pad. This part of the festival features arts, crafts, demonstrations, robotics, fire trucks, Carolina Choo-Choo train rides, food trucks, and concessions. Rounding out the family fun is a performance by world-renowned entertainer Mark Lippard, and the South Carolina Aquarium will be on hand with an enrichment program and some special surprises.

Another festival favorite is the Saturday-evening Topiaries and Tastings event. Adults can enjoy a casual evening of wine tasting while strolling through topiaries and Uptown businesses. A souvenir wine glass is included.

And There’s More!

As mentioned, the main festival is a weekend event in early June, but there are many other events held throughout the month. These include a digital photo contest, aviation expo, Bee Buzzin’ Bike Tour, and men’s golf tournament. Oh, and did I mention that the topiaries will stay up for public viewing until mid-July​?

While visiting Uptown Greenwood for the Festival of Flowers, be sure to stop in at The Arts Center to see the BLOOM Art Exhibit and The Museum and Railroad Historical Center.

There is so much happening in Greenwood during the South Carolina Festival of Flowers. Be sure to check the festival’s website for details and a list of all events, locations, dates, and times.

Where To Stay And Eat

If you plan to stay awhile, the Inn on the Square is a charming, full-service boutique hotel conveniently located in Uptown. Housed in an early 20th-century building, the inn has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The dramatic three-story lobby is impeccably furnished — a place where one actually wants to sit and spend time. The Inn on the Square is the official inn of the South Carolina Festival of Flowers.

There are several major chain hotels in Greenwood, as well as many fabulous eateries.

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Sourced from the Hetch Hetchy watershed in Yosemite National Park, the complex supply system of reservoirs, tunnels, pipelines, and treatment systems stretching from the Sierra to San Francisco is uniquely almost entirely gravity fed. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission even boasts on its site that their water is “among the purest water in the world.”

So the 2.7 million residents who benefit from the supposed crème de la crème of tap water may be surprised to learn that the water coming out of the faucets in SoCal has been named the best tasting tap water in America, on qualities including odor and “mouth feel.”

According to the 31st annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting event in West Virginia, two California water districts provide the best tap water in America, but neither are in the Bay Area. 

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California finished first and Santa Ana, California, took second. Those competitors finished first in the category in 2008 and 2018, respectively. 

Third place went to the Southwest Water Authority of Dickinson, North Dakota. 

“The consistency in winners from year to year with different panels of judges validates the choices,” said watermaster Arthur von Wiesenberger at the event last week. “It also speaks to the impressively high caliber of the waters entered.”

The top bottled water award was given to Ulunom in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Eldorado Natural Spring Water of Eldorado Springs, Colorado, finished second and Jasa Spring Water of Gorham, Ontario, Canada, was third. Rossarden, a town in Tasmania, Australia, was selected as the best municipal water in the world.

Municipalities and bottling companies often use a win in Berkeley Springs for bragging rights and many redesign their labels to include the medal. Over a dozen entrants in the 2021 contest sported a medal decorated label.

Nine judges spent hours tasting and selecting from waters sourced in 19 states, three Canadian provinces and 14 foreign countries. They were instructed by von Wiesenberger to look at, sniff and taste each water under guidelines similar to those in a wine tasting, said Berkeley Springs in a statement. 

The waters were rated for each attribute, including appearance (it should be clear or slightly opaque for glacial waters), aroma (there should be none), taste (it should taste clean), mouth feel (it should feel light), aftertaste (it should leave you thirsty for more).

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Bummed you didn’t get around to planning that summer vacation it now feels like you can finally take? We understand.

But as Dorothy famously said, “There is no place like home.” And for those of us lucky enough to live in a major travel destination, it has the extra bonus of being true.

During COVID there were times it was easy to forget Santa Cruz is a tourist town — the number of visitors was somewhat limited. While those silver-lining moments came with an expiration date and you can feel the crowds returning, a local still has the option to channel their inner tourist — if we allow ourselves to fully unplug and plan it out.

And that’s a big if. But think about it: A staycation brings all the perks of a holiday with none of the hassle.

Sea lions on the Santa Cruz Wharf.

(Kevin Painchaud/Lookout Santa Cruz)

Whether you’ll be strolling the pier and watching sea lions, discovering different trails by foot or bike, or partaking in yoga or Pilates on the beach, there are suddenly so many more choices than we had this time last year.

So if it still feels too soon to take a vacation-vacation, or you just didn’t get around to planning one, rejoice in all the vacation-y — staycation-ish — goodness Santa Cruz has to offer.

Here are a few sample itineraries, for you to see how you can actually plan out an entire day with a vacation mindset. But then pick and choose from the guide below and plug in your favorites to customize your own adventure.

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Cubby and Co’s latest addition to Mount Majura Vineyard, ‘Dinny’ the tiny house. Photos: Jenny Wu.

If you’ve ever fancied a stay at one of Cubby and Co’s bell tents among the vines but hesitated at the word ‘tent’, then their latest launch is definitely for you.

Cubby and Co, formerly known as Naked Cubby Collective, recently launched their third accommodation option at Canberra’s Mount Majura Vineyard, a tiny house named ‘Dinny’.

Cubby and Co founders Erin Wilson and Daniel Discipio.

Named after Mount Majura’s first owner, Dinny Killen, Dinny’s design is a “subtle nod to her legacy and the original shed on the property”.

“The tiny home is small in stature just like the original vineyard and references the layout of Dinny’s shed: three spaces divided by timber frames,” says Cubby and Co founder, Erin Wilson, who runs the show with partner Daniel Discipio.

“The front door opens into a skinny hallway to emulate stepping into a mudroom, paying homage to the site’s history of both sheep farming and viticulture. We wanted to create a really simple space; somewhere to take off your boots, boil a cuppa and rest after a day of work on the farm.”

Dinny joins Cubby and Co’s two bell tents at the winery, and guests have the option to ‘stay simple’ and just enjoy the surroundings with breakfast in bed, or ‘stay local’ with a wine tasting, bottle of wine, and dinner delivered by local favourites, XO.

“We’ve grown and changed over the last few years, and we felt it was the right time to evolve our offering of all-inclusive experiences, incorporating passionate locals, small businesses and regional goods,” says Erin.

“Our cubbies are located on vineyards and amongst nature, so the bare and stripped back nature of our stays speak for themselves.

“And while local has always been a part of our business, we’ve realised this is what’s closest to our heart and our focus moving forward.”

Book a stay via the Cubby and Co website.

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The King or Queen of Long Island Wine Country for 2021 will be crowned at The Wine Tasting Event. (Photo: Nicole Barylski)

Do you consider yourself a wine aficionado? If so, join Sun River Health on Friday, June 11 for The Wine Tasting Event at Claudio’s in Greenport.

The evening will support Sun River Health Foundation’s Agricultural Workers’ Health Fund. “Sun River Health is committed to ensuring continued access to the health care services the region’s agricultural workers need and deserve,” Sun River Health CEO Anne Nolon noted. The Fund provides healthcare for thousands of agricultural workers and their families, who rely on Sun River Health for primary and preventive care.

The Wine Tasting will get underway at 6:30 p.m. Participants will sample three rows of wines that range from white to rosé to red. Then their wine knowledge will be put to the test. If contestants correctly answer the questions, they will move on to the next round – with the last competitor standing taking home the prestigious honor of King or Queen of Long Island Wine Country for 2021.

Additionally, Sun River Health will host its annual Honoring the Hands benefit in-person and digitally this year. The in-person event on Sunday, June 13 at 6:30 p.m. will be held at Wlffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack. The virtual event will take place on Thursday, June 17 at 6:30 p.m. Both gatherings will also support the Agricultural Workers’ Health Fund.

“Agriculture is a key economic driver in New York State, and a healthy workforce is key to making it sustainable in the long-term,” Nolon added.

For more information, visit www.sunriver.org.

Nicole is the Editor-in-Chief of Hamptons.com where she focuses on lifestyle, nightlife, and mixology. She grew up in the Hamptons and currently resides in Water Mill. www.hamptons.com
NicoleBarylski
NicoleBarylski

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