Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
Sideways Movie Put Spotlight on Santa Barbara Wineries
When the hit movie Sideways came out, people all over the country were introduced to the idea that California wine-making doesn’t begin and end in the Napa Valley. There are, in fact, several wine regions throughout the state including the Santa Ynez Valley where Sideways was filmed.
Dubbed Santa Barbara Wine Country by local tourism promoters, this is an idyllic and pastoral region of small towns, ranches and, of course, a few dozen wineries that are scattered over an incredibly picturesque countryside. The movie Sideways, which follows a couple of middle-aged men as they discover the charms of this region and the truths of their existence, won great accolades as a comedy/drama but, interestingly, it also turned out to be an effective travelogue.
That’s not been lost on the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau, which rushed to print with a detailed color brochure offering visitors a map of filming locations for the movie – a handy guide for the movie-goers smitten with the ambience so skillfully revealed in the movie’s cinematography. From all reports, plenty of people have, in fact, targeted the region for vacations or weekends and it’s still a common site to see visitors pulling out their big, green over-sized Sideways brochures to check their bearings while searching for yet another location used in the filming of the movie.
There has even been a bit of overkill, according to some local residents. A few disgruntled locals complained that the traffic brought to town by the movie was a double-edged sword – good for business, bad for the area’s roads. Not only were roads getting clogged during the height of the movie’s popularity but some say they were getting clogged with people a wee bit tipsy from all that wine-tasting. The TV show Inside Edition was recently in the area checking out all the fuss.
Much ado about nothing is the response of most locals, who have been pleased to see the area get national publicity and finally find its rightful place on the tourism map. During our March visit it sure didn’t seem overly crowded but, then again, we were there midweek and one should expect weekends will be entirely different.
We joined the other tourists in following our Sideways brochure to locations in Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, Buellton and the "authentic Danish village" of Solvang, all featured prominently in the film. There was the Days Inn Buellton where Miles and Jack stayed and the parking lot where Stephanie beats on three-timing Jack. Or how about A.J. Spurs, the western-themed restaurant where Jack meets his one-night stand, Cami. Had to see the Sanford Winery, where Miles teaches Jack the basics of wine tasting and, of course, Fess Parker Winery where the server refuses to serve Miles a full glass of wine so he guzzles the spit bucket instead.
Altogether there are 19 Sideways locations detailed on the map, all quite recognizable from the film. Some locations even have the unmistakable Sideways logo posted on their signs lest anyone not realize that their particular business or location will now live in movie infamy.
Show biz also figured into one of the two places we stayed while in the Santa Barbara Wine Country. Middle-age folks won’t have any trouble recalling the name Fess Parker, who cornered the market back in the 50’s and 60’s for coonskin-capped, buckskin-wearing movie mountain men. If you’re a certain age, you remember Parker as Daniel Boone. If you’re older than you want most people to know, you remember him as Davy Crockett, a premiere figure in the stable of Disney TV characters back in the days of the Wonderful World of Disney.
Unknown to most visitors, you can visit with this one-time TV icon on most Thursday nights at Fess Parker’s Wine Country Inn in Los Olivos. The inn’s guests are encouraged to join Parker for a handshake, a glass of wine and even some musical entertainment. These word-of-mouth gatherings make it hard sometimes to find a vacancy at the inn on Thursday night.
Our room at the inn was everything you might imagine for a historical country inn located in a quiet small town surrounded by gorgeous scenery. The inn has been refurbished and updated to the point that guests get the best of both worlds – old-world charm with new-world convenience. Our spacious room was furnished with exquisite antiques, living palms and floral arrangements. The high ceilings featured white-washed beams while the windows were shuttered. Classic paintings were on the walls and floral bed coverings matched table and chair covers. Our fireplace was outlined by hand-painted tiles.
Downstairs, the Wine Cask restaurant is a small, intimate room, serving cuisine that is well-known for being some of the best and most innovative in the Santa Barbara area.
Several small shops, galleries and restaurants are located in the small downtown area of Los Olivos, including the Judith Hale Gallery which occupies two buildings just a block down from the inn and offers an amazing collection of paintings, illustrations, sculpture and jewelry. Across the street is the Los Olivos Café and Wine Merchant, the place where the two couples in Sideways enjoy dinner and several bottles of wine.
We spent a little more time than usual visiting Santa Barbara Wine Country and we wanted to experience one other lodging we had heard about – the Santa Ynez Inn. Located in Santa Ynez, this is an unusual Victorian bed-and-breakfast because it is not a historic building at all – the inn was built from scratch just four years ago. That offers the advantage of everything being new – floors, carpeting, plumbing – which will appeal to travelers less interested in the historic aspect of their accommodations.
The Santa Ynez Inn is certainly among the most luxurious inns we’ve enjoyed. Entering the lobby, one notices the carved wood stairway regally reminiscent of the grand staircase in the movie Titanic. The hallways are decorated with portraits of former presidents. In our second-floor over-sized room we found a sanctuary filled with antique-inspired furniture and such luxurious accents as crystal chandeliers and crystal-based lamps. The floral curtains parted to reveal a view of the countryside and small balcony with table and chairs. Another sitting area, made of travertine, was adjacent to the fireplace and both travertine and marble were used extensively in the larger-than-usual bathroom area. A jetted tub and separate shower area were just as you would find in the most expensive hotels.
The luxury inns we chose were the perfect complement to days spent in this magnificent countryside driving from winery to winery, from each Sideways location to the next. But then again, if you want the true Sideways experience, you can always opt for the motel used in the movie. Just don’t follow the script too closely.
AT A GLANCE
WHERE: Santa Barbara Wine Country is about 30 miles northwest of Santa Barbara on Highway 154 (San Marcos Pass).
WHAT: Santa Barbara Wine Country includes several small towns and a scenic countryside that is home to dozens of wineries and vineyards.
WHEN: Any time of year.
WHY: Santa Barbara Wine Country has become famous because of the movie Sideways. The area represents a charming and rural landscape that is easily accessible from the larger city of Santa Barbara – a tourist mecca in its own right.
HOW: For more information on Santa Barbara Wine Country, phone the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau at 805-966-9222 or visit www.santabarbaraca.com. For more information on Fess Parker’s Wine Country Inn and Spa Vigne, call 805-688-7788 or visit www.fessparker.com. For more information on Santa Ynez Inn, phone 800-643-4774 or visit www.santaynezinn.com.
About the Author
Cary Ordway is a syndicated travel writer and president of Getaway Media Corp, publisher of websites that focus on Washington travel, Oregon travel, California travel, Idaho travel, Montana travel and British Columbia travel.
Santa Barbara?
so has any one been to Santa Barbara and/or listend to KjEE Santa Barbaras Moder Rock?
*Modern Rock
I went to college in Santa Barbara and used to listen to KJEE on occasion. It was an ok station. Have you been there? It's a beautiful town. If you do go, you should check out the burritos at Freebirds in Isla Vista. They're awesome.
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Interested in Life on the West Coast? Check Out Santa Barbara Real Estate to Find the Perfect Home
Are you interested in living in a beautiful community? Have you always wanted one of those huge luxurious homes that you have seen in pictures? Santa Barbara Real Estate is something you will want to check out then.
There are some things you need to check out before you purchase a home. Hopefully, this article will help you make the decision to give living in Santa Barbara a try.
Check Out the Homeowner’s Insurance
Be sure you have great homeowner’s insurance. There are natural disasters that hit California. You may experience an earthquake, wild fire, heavy rain, or mudslide. You just want to be sure your house is covered. Be sure while talking with the insurance agent, you discuss how the claims will be paid, which disasters are actually covered, and what the deductible will be if something happens to your home.
Security Systems
When you live in a luxury home, you would expect the security system to be top of the line. When you are trying to make a decision on which security company you will use that you interview numerous companies, get all the information about the contract in writing from the company, ask a lot of questions about the company and what they have to offer to you. Let the company do a walk-through and then discuss ways that your home can be secured. Be sure to point out to the company which places in your home needs to have the most security, like a bedroom or somewhere you are storing your valuables.
Luxury is a Want but Location is a Must
Where the home is located will play a large part in your decision to purchase Santa Barbara Real Estate. One thing to remember is the towns in California are quite spread out. If you wish to have convenience, you will need to purchase your home that is located closer to the metro areas.
If you enjoy driving, or don’t mind it, then you have the luxury of finding a wonderful home in a suburban area. There are quite a few celebrities, which have made this decision for privacy. Discuss with your realtor what conveniences and amenities are important to you and your family. You need to let him or her know whether you want a grocery store near your home or have a restaurant within close range.
Facts About Santa Barbara Real Estate
• A 3-bedroom home costs between $850,000 to $10 million
• A 4-bedroom home costs between $950,000 to $15 million
• 300 Days a year of sunshine, isn’t that wonderful?
• Humidity is in the range of 40% to 60%, taking various seasons into consideration
• The average temperature of Santa Barbara is 64°F.
Santa Barbara has an extremely rich cultural history and focuses on the arts. There are numerous festivals throughout the year to give you and your family some wonderful memories. There are many other activities you can do with your family when you live in Santa Barbara. There are roughly 10 located in Santa Barbara. There is a neighborhood to fit anyone’s’ personalities, wants, and needs.
Santa Barbara is truly one of our more beautiful cities. You will want to get your hands on luxury homes and Santa Barbara Real Estate as quickly as possible once you have spent any time at all in this wondrous city.
About the Author
Angela Dolson
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