ADMISSION IS FREE

• Contract Bonds (bid, performance and payment bonds)
• Bond Agents (where to go to get help)
• Prequalification
• What Bond Underwriters Look For
• Banking, Credit and Bond Costs
• Q&A

Santa Barbara Debut

National Council for the Traditional Arts

“Hearing the Quebe Sisters sing is nothing short of mesmerizing.” The Washington Post

“Wylie’s music sounds like a penned-up horse set free to run and jump and kick. This guy can rock.” American Cowboy

Few places in the world capture the imagination like the American West. From the range, ranch, reservation and roadhouse, from the valley of the Rio Grande to the Bitterroot Mountains, Don’t Fence Me In explores the region’s celebrated musical and oral culture. Cowboy songs and poetry, high plains yodeling, western swing fiddle and vocal harmonies, lively Tex-Mex polkas and rancheras, and Northern Plains pow-wow drum and song are performed by an assemblage of exceptional artists – Wylie & The Wild West, The Quebe Sisters Band, Los Texmaniacs, North Bear, and rodeo poet Paul Zarzyski.


 
General Public $35.00
UCSB Students $17.00
 
For tickets or more information:
805-893-3535
 
https://artsandlectures.sa.ucsb.edu/Details.aspx?PerfNum=2135
 

Presented in partnership with California Presenters, Inc.

Funded in part by the Western States Arts Federation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
 

The San Luis Obispo Friends of the Library will be presenting their highly-anticipated 33rd Annual Book Sale, March 1 – 3, 2012.

WHO:       AtascaderoCommunity Band
 
WHAT:     Winter Concert - “Invitation to the Dance”
 
WHEN:     Saturday, March 3, 2012at 1:00PM
 
WHERE:   AtascaderoBible Church
                 6225 Atascadero Mall Street
                 Atascadero, California
                  
CHARGE:  Free.  Proceeds from this concert are designated to benefit Paso Robles Loaves and Fishes.
                 All contributions are welcome and are tax deductable.  Federal I.D. #770280653
 
CONTACT:  (805)239 4644
           
This free concert given by the Atascadero Community Band will feature familiar music related with dance.  The music will represent many counties and dance styles.  A Russian sailors’ dance, Irish and English folk dances, French can-can, Waltzes, polka, Disco, and beguine are a few examples of what will be played for your pleasure.  Come, support a worthy cause, and be prepared to enjoy a wonderful performance. Handicapped parking is available.

The 8^th Annual Taste for Justice presents the 2^nd Annual Chili Cook-off – an opportunity for all local area restaurants to compete for the Gourmet Gavel Award now in its 4^th year! Taste for Justice is again being hosted at a WWII airport hangar at Santa Maria airport.
 
Come out and join Whitcraft Winery, Coquelicot Wines, Daniel Gehrs, Cambria Wines, Firestone Walker Brewing, Solvang Brewing, Lagunitas Brewing, Rooney’s Irish Pub & Brewing, Tap It Brewery, Gina’s Piece of Cake, Coffee Time, Cabot Cheese, Trattoria Uliveto, Culligan Water, Burrito Loco and Applebee’s Restaurant and Tahlia’s Cucina as they showcase their best wine, beer, chili and food!
 
Restaurants are invited to throw their hat in the ring and register to compete. A panel of judges will decide first, second and third place awards for two categories; non-vegetarian and vegetarian.  A separate award will go to the People’s Choice Award winner. Participating restaurants get pre and post event publicity and winner gets bragging rights for ‘Chili Champ’ and will be home to the ‘Gourmet Gavel Award’ that will be housed in their restaurant until the following year’s competition!
 
Proceeds benefit Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County. Tickets are $50. Contact Sue Udden at (805) 963-6754 x 104 or sudden@lafsbc.org for tickets or sponsorship information.

The Catholic Church of the Beatitudes in Santa Barbara welcomes the community to join a 
weekly mass to embrace spirituality, diversity, and celebration. The Catholic Church of
the Beatitudes is dedicated to non-violence, inclusion and Interdependence. All are
welcome at the table. Reverend Suzanne Dunn, Pastor, and Reverend Jeannette Bertalan Love
who serve this community are two of the approximately 50 ordained Roman Catholic
Womenpriests in the United States.

YAD 1st Annual Purim Palooza!
Young Adult Carnival Charity Extravaganza
Private location

Leave your inhibitions at home and join us for an expression of Liberation, Celebration, and Retribution!

Featuring Catered Gourmet Food & Open Bar! Purim Palooza Costume Contest, Carnival Games, Moon Bounce, Dance Floor, Dessert Bar, Homemade Hamantaschens, Raffle and more!

Tickets: $10 in advance; $15 at the door
Ages 21-45, I.D. required
RSVP online or 805-957-1115

Dress in costume and receive 2 free prize drawing tickets!!
Prize Drawings Gone Mad! Win from a variety of amazing themed packages: Spa Gifts, Health & Wellness, Yogi, Jewelry, Trader Joe’s, Photo Shoot, Art, Garden, Beauty, Sexy Time, Bacara Gala Event and more!
Ticket prices: 1-$3, 2-$5, 15-$20, 50-$50, 150-$100
Purchase advance drawing tickets online when you RSVP, or at the event (must be present to win).
Purim Palooza will benefit the Jewish Community Center's Children & Family Programs.
Sponsors: Belvedere Vodka, Ciroc Vodka, HE'BREW Beer, Visikord Dance Media by Davor, Photography by Kelsey Crew Photo

At its March 4 Cuesta Voce chamber music concert, the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship might enable you to feel young again. John Knutson's award-winning and very talented ensemble presents young male and female voices to produce some unique jazz sounds. Michele Weir's arrangemrnt of“You Don't love Me ”by R. Eckert; Jenn Barnes arrangement of “Brazasia”;and Phil Mattson's arrangemrnt of “Here's To Life” by Artie Butler are among ten or more compositions, including songs by Stephen Sondheim as well as Barry Manilow and Johnny Mercer. The music appeals directly to young adults, and is certain to be of interest to anyone studying or practicing vocal arts.

The Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship expects to relocate in late March, but this concert will take place at 2074 Parker Street in San Luis Obispo. Adults are asked to pay twenty dollars at the door, but brown paper tickets, or a pre-paid ticket at will-call can be obtained by contacting our new website uuslo.org or by calling 786-4331 before Mar. 4.

The student price is only five dollars, and children accompanied by parents or a guardian are welcomed free of charge.

Family Purim Party
Sunday, March 4, 2-4 pm
Celebrate Purim at the Bronfman Family Jewish Community Center, 524 Chapala St., Santa Barbara
Come in costume and enjoy Hamantaschen cookies, mask decorating, and an exciting Purim movie, Project Majestic: A Purim Story. Families with children of all ages welcome.

For more info or RSVP: 805-957-1115 x109 or corin@sbjf.org or http://www.jewishsantabarbara.org/children-family.aspx.

Purim Film: This exciting recount of the  Purim story features hilarious voices, sound effects and incidental music that will keep kids on the edge of their seats. It's a fun way to learn all about this festive Jewish Holiday! Film begins at 2:30 pm.

What is Purim?
It commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in Ancient Persia from Haman's plot to annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day. Jews act out their joy for having survived wicked Haman's attempts to destroy them. Purim, more than any of the other Jewish holidays, is a time of joyous revelry and release.
http://www.jewishsantabarbara.org/page.aspx?id=40434

• Computer engineering major Douglas Gallatin will play Howard Hanson’s Serenade for Flute, Harp and String Orchestra.
• Music major Nicholas Garrison will play Jean-Baptiste Singelée’s “Septième Solo de Concert” for baritone saxophone and orchestra. Garrison orchestrated the accompaniment, which was originally for piano.
• Music major Alessandra Shanus will play Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, first movement.

• Katelyn Holliday will sing “Deh, vieni, non tardar” from “Le Nozze di Figaro.”
• Brittney Zearfoss will sing “Batti, batti” from “Don Giovanni.”

Each term, the CAFES Center for Sustainability hosts a free public lecture and/or event highlighting topics in sustainable agriculture, food or resource management.

Spring 2012 Lecture

Tuesday, March 6
6:00 p.m.
The Monday Club
1815 Monterey Street
San Luis Obispo

Demystifying Regional Food Systems
A New Look at an Evolving Trend in
Farming and Food

A PRESENTATION BY

Joseph McIntyre

President, Ag Innovations Network

Joseph McIntyre, President of Ag Innovations Network, will present a lecture entitled, “Demystifying Regional Food Systems: A New Look at an Evolving Trend in Farming and Food”, followed by a discussion with panelists:

• Jackie Crabb, Executive Director of the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau
• Carl Hansen, Executive Director of the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County
• Kathleen Karle, Division Manager for Health Promotion, San Luis Obispo County Health Department
• Ann McDermott, Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Director of STRIDE at Cal Poly
• Jenna Smith, Executive Director of the Central Coast Ag Network

Mr. McIntyre’s lecture will identify key concepts useful in understanding food systems. The presentation will be of interest to the general public and food system professionals alike.  In considering recent trends, Mr. McIntyre will explore what consumers are saying through their interest in local foods.  He will also explore how high-margin direct and/or regional markets can benefit producers and contribute to the viability of the agricultural sector and overall regional economic development.

The panel discussion following the lecture will highlight activities seeking to promote local agriculture on the Central Coast.  These include new initiatives, such as a local foodshed assessment being led by the Central Coast Ag Network, and a Food Systems Coalition of San Luis Obispo County, which was formed through a Hunger-Free Communities grant from the USDA.  Panelists will discuss the roles of their organizations in our food system and will offer their perspectives on how newly-emerging community partnerships are contributing to the long-term vitality of our region’s food and agricultural system.

The featured presentation will begin at 6:00 pm at the Monday Club, 1815 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, and will be followed by a panel discussion and question and answer session. 

For detailed listings of other events, opportunities and resources for sustainable agriculture at Cal Poly and on the Central Coast, please visit recent postings  at cfs.calpoly.edu

The Concordia Choir is widely considered one of the world’s premier undergraduate vocal ensembles that tours the world, sings for royalty and garners praise from critics. The 72-voice Choir continues to affirm its reputation as one of the nation’s finest a cappella choirs and a leader in interpreting and advancing the Lutheran choral tradition.

The Choir’s long and distinguished history dates back to its beginning in 1920. The group has performed in nearly every major hall in the United States including Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center.

Along with serving as a focal point for the annual Concordia Christmas Concert, The Concordia Choir’s renowned reputation was further enhanced in 2010 when it performed and recorded with The King's Singers. In 2003 the Choir performed conductor Dr. René Clausen’s composition MEMORIAL at Lincoln Center and Riverside Church in New York City, New York as part of the National American Choral Directors Association convention.

The Choir has toured extensively throughout Europe and was recently featured on a BBC radio show broadcast across the United Kingdom. It has also performed for the King and Queen of Norway and sung with The King’s Singers. The Choir’s recordings are distributed nationwide and on iTunes making it one of the top-selling college choirs in the United States.

From new therapies and diagnosis, to diet and copper bracelets, find out what may or may not help you or your loved one live with Arthritis.

Speaker: Karen Kolba, MD
Internal Medicine & Rheumatology

March 8, 2012 (Thursday)
5:30pm - 7:00pm

Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center Auditorium
1010 Murray Avenue
San Luis Obispo

Reservations Recommended
1 (800) 483-6387
www.SierraVistaRegional.com 

Our popular workshop is back!   Learn the traditional Buddhist technique for making or repairing a mala. 
A mala is a string of beads used to count prayers or for mantra recitations. 
For Buddhist practitioners, their mala is a very precious and meaningful object.
Join us for this special event and leave with your very own handmade mala!
Cost: $20 ($15 for members). Includes one basic mala.

The recently-renovated Getty Villa Malibu is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Central Italy. This location boasts spectacular gardens and beautiful architecture, and the beauty continues inside with famous works of art that includes paintings and sculptures. This is a trip that will be etched into your mind for years to come.

Ages: 18+

Day/Date: Saturday, March 10

Time: 7:30 AM-7:30 PM

Fee: $60/person

Register by: February 24

Annual Rummage Sale at Happy Time Preschool!!!  Saturday, March 10, 8am to 12pm.
Tons and tons of fabulous finds! Kids clothing and toys, books, furniture, household items and more. Doors open at 8am!

We are also accepting your donations! Drop off your gently used items at Happy Time on Friday, March 9th between 4 and 7:30pm.
There will be someone waiting right by our door so that you can quickly drop off and go on with your day.

This sale is a major fundraiser for our non-profit school. We appreciate your support!

Happy Time Preschool
1091 Bello St., Pismo Beach
805-773-2095
http://www.happytimepreschool.com/events.html

A Wild Night in the Vines with Zoo to You & the Wineries of 46 East

If you like wine, cheese OR chocolate - not to mention beautiful exotic animals - then you will enjoy this event at Le Vigne Winery in Paso Robles. The Wineries of Highway 46 East will be pouring and you can sample delicious cheeses from Di Raimondosand gourmet olives from We Olive in Paso Robles as well as interesting and organic chocolates from San Luis Obispo.

All the monies raised go directly to Zoo to You. Which is a good thing to over 170 exotic cats, bears, porcupines, birds of prey, reptiles, creepy crawlies and so much more.

If you can't make it but know someone who might, Please send them this information. 

Join us for an afternoon of Wine Tasting, Chocolate & Cheese & Meet Wild and Exotic Animals from Zoo To You!!

Enjoy Live Music, Wine from 12 Local Wineries, Gourmet Cheese and Olives & Local Organic Chocolate!

Ticketing options:
2:00-5:00pm $35 tasting, music, animals and a keepsake wine glass!

5:30-8:00pm $65 VIP dinner - limited seating!

OR BOTH! 2:00-8:00pm $90

Buy your tickets today!

The next SLO contra dance is Saturday March 10. 
The caller will be Jean Gorrindo of Los Osos, and the
band will be Circling The Drain of Santa Barbara. 
There's an introductory workshop at 7:00pm, then dancing
from 7:30pm until 10:30pm. The cost is $9, and ages 16
and under are free. It's all at the Odd Fellows Hall, 
520 Dana Street, San Luis Obispo. For more info, visit www.cccds.org

Cal Poly to Honor Nisei and Support Tsunami Relief March 11

Special Video Screening of the CSU Nisei Diploma Project

and Benefit Piano Performance

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly will host a video screening and benefit piano concert to honor CSU Nisei recipients and to support relief efforts for Japanese communities affected by last year’s tsunami.

The screening and concert are set for 2 p.m., Sunday, March 11 in Harman Hall of the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Members of the Cal Poly student chapter of the American Red Cross will be on hand to accept donations to the tsunami relief effort.

The screening honors the recipients of the honorary bachelor’s degrees awarded by the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees to Japanese-American students whom the United States government forced into internment camps during World War II. The video provides an oral history and highlights the experiences of Cal Poly honorary degree recipients Frank Suzuki and Kazunori Katayama, along with recipients from other CSU campuses.

A history display of the Cal Poly Nisei experience will be presented in the main lobby.

Cal Poly alumnus Alexander Kato-Willis will give a piano performance to provide attendees an opportunity to reflect and remember the one-year anniversary of the Japanese tsunami. Kato-Willis is a second-year doctoral student at USC’s Thornton School of Music. In the spring of 2011, Kato-Willis gave a benefit concert tour of piano improvisation to provide aid for the victims of the Japanese tsunami.

In June 2010, the California Nisei Diploma Project was established to honor Japanese-American students who were forced to discontinue their educations in 1942 due to the United States’ World War II internment policies. As part of the project, Cal Poly bestowed 20 honorary degrees to students from that era.

Perspectives: The White City
March 11 – June 22, 2012
Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
Art at the JCC: Bronfman Family Jewish Community Center
524 Chapala St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-957-1115    info@sbjf.org
Opening Reception: Sunday, March 11, 2-4 pm. No charge.
Photo booklets will be available for purchase.

Perspectives: The White City     Photos by Carol Bishop and Susan Horowitz

This exhibit examines the Modernist legacy of Tel Aviv’s White City architecture. Their images excavate the foundations and spirit of the original vision of the city when the 1930’s International Style of architecture was adopted to create a new urban environment. Today these buildings eloquently speak of the complex issues of history, culture, form, restoration and possibility—both a testimony to the original plan, as well as a profile on change. Together, the artists reveal issues and ideas about the current look and meaning of the White City. Bishop’s photos focus on the changes of the Modernist legacy through the color and light of the city. Horowitz’s work looks at the issues of preservation, what is lost and what still exists. The White City was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003.

The Artists: Carol Bishop and Susan Horowitz are Los Angeles-based artists who create photographs related to architecture, which open dialogues about design issues, urban life and contemporary culture. As artists whose work often focuses on architectural modernism in L.A. including the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, Rudolf Schindler, etc. they seek to find connections to structures around the world. The forms and ideas of these and other Modernists, such as Le Corbusier and the Bauhaus architects, inspired separate trips to explore and document their reactions to the White City.

Karen Savoca & Pete Heitzman's Acoustic Soul


 March 12, 2012, 7:00 – 9:30 pm

The Spot
116 W. Branch Street, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
805-474-5711

All ages OK, general admission $10 at the door

Notable appearances include The Today Show, Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, Big Top Chautauqua, The Vancouver, Edmonton & Winnipeg Folk Festivals. “Electrifying, unique and always uplifting, these improvisational performers have the fearlessness of a high wire act working without a net." –Six String, Columbus, OH

Special guest on the March 12 concert is Katie Boeck, who headlined at The Spot last August, and recently returned from an extended visit to India. 

CLEANSE & WEIGHT-LOSS Program

Find out how a natural diet & lifestyle can help you reach your

health & weight loss goals!

Dr. Smith explains the evolution of the human diet, where we've gone wrong, the origins of chronic disease, and the importance of cleansing and it's relationship to better health and weight loss.

Find out how to mobilize and remove fat-stored toxins through our guided cleanse, detoxification and gentle juice fast program.

Dr. Smith has over 15 years of experience and evidence based on latest research in detoxification, fasting, nutrition, exercise and long term weight management.

This program offers 4 different phases tailored to your personal health needs and goals.

Program Includes:

• Health history & physical exams, heavy metal screen

• Personal diet evaluation with weekly diet plans & recipes

• Personal exercise training & safety instruction

• Nutritional education, meal preparation & cooking recommendations

• Coaching & inspiration throughout program

• Weekly Chiropractic care, herbal therapies, stress management, and more....

• Functional food, smoothie, juice, and supplement recommendations

• Weekly Tai Chi class

The Next FREE Cleanse Informative Workshop is on March 13^th, at 5:30pm.

For more information or to reserve your seat contact us at:

805-489-8592 or aghealthandwellness@gmail.com

visit our blog to read the stories from others that have done the cleanse

and get our amazing cleanse recipies:

http://aghwcleanseandweightloss.wordpress.com

WARNING

This program may replace your cravings for brownies, ice cream, and fried foods with cravings for fresh organic fruits and vegetables... Side Effects May Include: a sudden decrease in heavy metals, plastics, antibiotics, and other toxins in your body; sudden weight loss; increased energy levels; a light and clean feeling; lowered blood pressure; lowered cholesterol levels; increased desire to exercise; a slimmer waistline; healthy cravings; and much more... If you experience any of these side effects, please consult a friend and refer them to Dr. Smith!

• Learn to manage your money better
• Increase your savings
• Improve your standard of living

The next monthly meeting of the Santa Barbara Macintosh Users Group (SBMUG) will be on Thursday, March 15, in Farrand Hall of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, at 6:00 PM.

The program will begin at 6:45 after a general Q&A session. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   SBMUG member Ed Togami will talk about a few ways of supplyng power to our iOS devices as well as other power-hungry electronics. We’ll have demos of solar power and means of powering while on the go. 

Everyone is welcome at our free meetings, but only members may enter the drawings for prizes. (You may join at the meeting for $25 per year.) Wi-Fi, refreshments and good company! 

For additional SBMUG information, please visit http://sbmug.org or call 967-2866.

Meet like-minded friends and laugh, for no reason!  Through a series of simple movements and laughter, you will experience the joy and benefits of “the best medicine” with Marcia Alter, Certified Laughter Yoga Leader. All ages and abilities can participate.  No special equipment, no special clothes and it’s “no sweat.”  Curious?  Join us for “Happy Hour at the “Y!”

A Zinfandel Festival Italian Feast Prepared by

The Filippini Family and Zio Adriano. 
 

Burrata Fresca

Hand Made by Mimmo

Served with Grilled Asparagus & Baby Artichokes and a Kiara Zinfandel Reduction 

with Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Molise

Risotto Ubriacone 

Risotto con Radicchio & Smoked Scamorza Cheese prepared with Kiara Zinfandel

Saltimbocca all Romana

Pork Loin in Zinfandel Port Sauce with Polenta Rignasca & Braised Baby Cabbage.

Pesca Bella Melba

Peach with Vanilla Gelato & Delicate Raspberry Compote

$60 per Person or $50 for La Famiglia

RSVP March 12th

Call the Tasting Room at 805.227.400 or Register On-line

Family Legacy Writing Workshop at SB Genealogical Society Monthly Meeting, Saturday, March 17, 2012

The Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society holds its monthly general meeting on Saturday, March 17^th, at the First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance at State Street, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm. Due to an extended presentation program, no Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings will be held.

This month’s meeting features Linda Weaver Clarke teaching a Family Legacy Workshop, encouraging people to write their family history and autobiography.  This is a wonderful opportunity to begin your family history project or to move it along to the next step. 

Linda Weaver Clarke is the author of Writing Your Family Legacy (2011) as well as the historical, sweet romance series, A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho, including: Melinda and the Wild West (2006 – finalist for “Reviewers Choice Award”), Edith and the Mysterious Stranger (2008), Jenny’s Dream (2009), David and the Bear Lake Monster (2009), and Elena, Woman of Courage (2009). She has also authored a mystery/adventure series called The Adventures of John and Julia Evans including Anasazi Intrigue (2010), Mayan Intrigue (2010), and Montezuma Intrigue (2011). 

Come join us. You do not need to be a member to enjoy this wonderful presentation. 

A calendar of genealogical events can be found at the Society web site (http://sbgen.org/events.php).

END 

Media contact: Glenn Avolio, PR Chair, glennavolio@gmail.com  (805) 886-5438

NORTH COUNTY GREEN LIVING FAIR
 

Beginning at 10am and occurring each ½ hour until 5 o’clock in the afternoon, seminars will cover green living topics including organic cooking and gardening, green remodeling, indoor air quality, energy efficient and water conserving appliances and fixtures, affordable energy upgrades, solar electric energy systems, electric vehicles, green building products, and water conserving landscape retrofits.
 
Presentations will include a whole foods cooking demonstration by Courtney Coleman beginning at 11am who will make samples available afterward. S-L-O Green Build will also be selling local beers and wines in the afternoon to raise funds for their work here in San Luis Obispo County. For the complete schedule of talks, visit our website at greenlivingevent2012.com
 
The US Green Building Council’s Central California Chapter will be displaying their Built-Smart trailer for visitors to walk through. This project significantly demonstrates and educates the public on the virtues and benefits building green through the use of energy efficient, healthy, and resource conserving construction materials and finish surfaces. Green living and money saving enthusiasts alike will be excited to see Chevrolet’s electric vehicle, the 2012 Volt on display as well.
 
Co-hosts include Green Goods, Idler’s Appliances, Semmes & Co Builders, Sage Ecological Landscapes, Pacific Coast Kitchen and Bath, Solarponics, Paso Robles Chevrolet, Hayward Lumber, and Farm Supply Company. Additional speakers include Michael Barrier with Barrier Energy and Kevin Hauber with iMortgage, an expert on green mortgages. Speakers and demonstrators will also be on-hand throughout the day at individual booths to meet with the public and answer questions.
 
For further comment, contact Emily Baranek with Semmes & Co Builders at emilym@semmesco.comor at 805-466-6737 x 207.
 

Isaac Hernandez is available for interviews. Members of the press are invited to experience one of the rehearsals or attend the event with complimentary tickets. Contact isaacarte@gmail.com for more information.

Interactive Workshop on Methods Dealing with Life’s Challenges                         

Congregation Ohr Tzafon of Atascadero will present a two hour interactive workshop on Sunday, March 18 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm led by a prominent psychologist, Len Felder, PhD.  Dr. Felder is a licensed psychologist who has written 12 books on Jewish spirituality and personal growth. He has led discussions and workshops nationwide at synagogues, book fairs, churches and interfaith events.
 

The workshop  will focus on Dr. Felder’s latest book, Here I Am. He will be discussing two or three specific Jewish mantras and centering methods that are easy to learn. These can be used quickly to find strength and clarity during challenging moments of stress, frustration, uncertainty or health challenges. Dr. Felder’s books are available through amazon.com and he will be happy to sign copies of his books after the workshop.
 

Please make reservations at Congregation Ohr Tzafon by email cot@yahoo.com or by calling 805-466-0329. Congregation Ohr Tzafon is located at 2605 Traffic Way, Atascadero.There is a $10.00 donation at the door. For more information please call 805-466-0329.

John Batdorf Celebrates New CD "One Last Wish"
 

The Spot is a 50-seat theatre located at 116 W. Branch St., in the village of Arroyo Grande (next to Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream). Tickets are $10, available in advance at www.thespotag.com

Native Plant Sale at Farmers Market in Templeton! Choose from a large selection of discounted native and drought tolerant trees and shrubs. All plants are: low maintenance, water conserving, and aesthetically pleasing. Plants provided by Growing Grounds Farm and proceeds go to Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District to fund local conservation efforts. It's time for some Spring planting! Visit www.us-ltrcd.org for pre-order forms.

Celebrate Spring at the Apple Farm with our 5th annual "Apple Blossom Days" festival.  Enjoy wine tasting, garden & floral demonstrations, local artisan craft fair, cake walk, bounce house, petting zoo, pony rides, and much more fun for the whole family.

For more information please visit us at www.applefarm.com/blossom-days.php

This special retreat is designed to help deepen our meditation practices. 
There will be four sessions of guided meditations, using Love as our mediation object. 
Each session will include an explanation of the techniques that we can use to make our
meditations more powerful and more focused. See web link for session times. 
Please join American Buddhist monk Kelsang Wangpo for an inspiring afternoon.
$20 Class Fee.

This year’s Wildflower Festival will be held at the Santa Margarita Elementary School, 2207 H Street, Santa Margarita Ca,  March 24 & 25, 2012. Arts & Craft Vendors wanted, Wildflower Photo contest, and Sponsors wanted. Some of the  features for this year:

• California Wildflower Photo Contest open to all - voted on by the public, winners 1st-3rd
• Wildflower Display & Wildflower Id Books for sale
• Free Wildflower Map & Wildflower Seeds
• Arts, Craft, & Food Vendors and Local Music
• Hidden Treasure talks about the unique features of our area

Put a smile on your face, boost your immune system, energize your heart and ignite your creativity while playing a series of easy games and generating laughter for no reason! This form of joyful exercise is for all ages and all abilities. No special clothes, no sweat. Just bring your open mind willing to try something new. 

Laughter groups practice regularly in 65 countries by 8,000 groups.  It is scientifically proven to reduce stress and increase the endorphins, “happiness chemicals,” in your brain.  Featured in Time Magazine, Forbes, CNN, The Oprah Show and more. 

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is hosting their 8th Annual Lompoc Empty Bowls fundraiser. The event will be held Wednesday, March 28 from 11:30am to 1:30pm at the Veterans Memorial Building in Lompoc. For a donation of $20, attendees will choose a beautiful hand crafted ceramic bowl, enjoy a simple meal of gourmet soup, and take the bowl home as a reminder of the meal's purpose: to feed hungry people in our community. This annual event raises funds to help the Foodbank address hunger and malnutrition in the Lompoc Valley. This event is open to the public. For tickets please go to our website www.foodbanksbc.org or call Joan at (805)937-3422 x 104.

Why are humans religious? Can people be spiritual but not religious? What is the future of religion in a pluralistic world? 

These and other questions are raised and answered in "The Faith Instinct," a book by Nicholas Wade that will be discussed in six Thursday morning sessions beginning Feb. 23 at St. Benedict's Episcopal Church in Los Osos. 

Discussions from 10 a.m. to noon at the church and also conducted by email, will be led by the Rev. Donna Ross. Contact her to register for this Hollister Institute program and learn how to order the book at donnaross@charter.net. 

St. Benedict's Church is at 2220 Snowy Egret Lane, one block south of the intersection of Clark Valley and Los Osos Valley roads. For more information call (805) 528-0654 or look online at www/stbenslososos.org

• How to manage symptoms
• Appropriate exercise
• Ways to successfully deal with problems such as fatigue, pain and isolation
• Effective communication with family, friends and health professionals
• Nutrition
• Depression management
• Appropriate use of medications.

The Paso Robles City Library invites the public to enjoy an evening of stories with volunteer storyteller Tony Wallace!  Children may wear pajamas and should bring an adult to snuggle with! Pajama Storytime is on the last Thursday of the month and begins at 6:30p.m.  FREE! The Paso Robles City Library is located at 1000 Spring Street and is open Monday – Friday 10-8, and Saturday 10-5. For more information on library programs, please visit www.prcity.com/library. 

Meet the Rabbis: How Is This Night Different?
A closer look at Passover from a Reform and Orthodox point of view.

Thursday, March 29, 7-9 pm
Bronfman Family Jewish Community Center
524 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
phone: 805-957-1115
website: No charge

Of all the Jewish holidays, Passover is the one most commonly observed by Jews. We’ll hear from Rabbi Steve Cohen of Congregation B'nai B'rith and Rabbi Yosef Loschak of SB Chabad about the different approaches and traditions for celebrating this holiday, which is rich in tradition, culture and of course, food.

The mind of going for refuge characterizes the Buddhist way of life and is the foundation
for all spiritual realizations.  What is refuge practice?  We normally feel that we are quite
capable and we have some pride in our abilities, but if we contemplate our present
situation carefully, we will see that when serious difficulties such as accidents or disease arise,
we are powerless, without even the slightest ability to protect ourself. Then, to what or whom do
we go for protection?  Refuge practice teaches us to build a special protection within our own mind;
a special power and ability to protect ourself directly from the dangers and sufferings of this
and future lives.  

Retreat sessions will be guided by American Buddhist monk Kelsang Wangpo.
No experience is needed and everyone is welcome to attend any or all sessions.
$5 per session, $15 per day, or $50 for the Retreat.  See our website for session times.

     Have you ever wondered how our ancient ancestors came to know the medicinal and other practical uses for so many thousands of plants?  Josephine Laing wondered that very same thing and settled down in her garden some twenty years ago to find out. 

     In our culture, we currently see our connections with plants and nature as metaphorical.  But many cultures both current and past have seen this connection as a literal one.  Ancient peoples communed deeply with their natural world.  This deep potential for communion with nature has not been lost to us.  We can still connect with plants on a profound and meaningful level, and thereby access a higher plane of our own and shared consciousness. 

     Using a simple step by step process that Josephine Laing has developed, participants will learn how to allow themselves to sit in the garden, with various plants and receive information about themselves or about the plants or life in general, even the world at large, all from the plants perspective.

     Josephine reminds us that plants already communicate with us everyday.  We regularly receive messages from them like: "pick me" or "water me."  This is no new relationship, we've been interacting with plants since our births.  This course simply allows us to make this a conscious dialogue, opening further and deeper.

     Do you have a favorite plant or tree?  Why are you drawn to it?  What is it saying to you? 

     As a lifelong gardener and herbologist, as well as a practicing medical intuitive for the past twenty five years, Ms. Laing brings a unique opportunity to students who wish to reconnect with this deeper aspect of ourselves and explore nature mysticism, and communicating with nature.

     No prior experience is required…just an open mind and a willingness to explore.  

     Students may wish to bring a sack lunch and something comfortable to sit on outdoors like a mat, towel, stool or folding chair.  Please also bring your journals and dress for variable weather.  

Chris VanGoethem, Glass Sculptor

February 1 - March 31, 2012

The Gallery at the Network is pleased to present the Art Glass of Chris Van Goethem.  Included in the show of beautiful glasswork will be glass bamboo, colorful artifax, sake sets, jellies, wine bottle stoppers, goblets,

 and more. The show will run from February 1 through March 31.

There will be a reception for Chris VanGoethem during Art After Dark on February  3 and March 2. The artist will be present to greet visitors and discuss his work.

An award winning glass sculptor, Van Goethem’s love affair with glass developed in 1999 when he began working with borosilicate glass. He began teaching himself the techniques of flame working before taking two semesters of hot shop glass blowing at Bakersfield College. In 2003, Van Goethem transferred to Fresno State University where he worked with soft glass and experimented with glass casting, slumping and fusing. 

Born in San Diego, California, Chris grew up near the ocean and spent much of his childhood swimming, surfing, and exploring tidal pools. It was there that he developed a spiritual connection with nature that has followed him throughout his life and into his work. 

While VanGoethem’s life is full of creating—painting, drawing and sculpting—glassblowing intrigues him more than any other medium. “When given the right environment, glass seems to take on a form of its own that reflects the patterns in nature,” VanGoethem said. “When I am blowing glass, it seems that the glass and I are working together to create the form.” Chris works from his private studio in Los Osos, and his glass art can be found in galleries along the West Coast and in private collections.

Since 1999, Van Goethem has participated in numerous shows and won many awards for his work. He recently won the Glasscraft Emerging Artist Award, and was included in the 2011 California Sculpture Slam show at the SLO Museum of Art. He also won a First Place Award in ‘Art in all Dimensions’ at the Faulkner Gallery in Santa Barbara and won ‘Best of Show’ Glass Works, at the Kern Younger Gallery Juried Exhibition. 

Please join us for Art After Dark on March 2.  Refreshments will be served.