SIDETRIP TO LOS OLIVOS

If you or your guests are looking for a short getaway while you await the big day, I have the perfect spot for you – Los Olivos.   This tiny town, tucked in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, offers quaint shops, tasty restaurants, art galleries, and plenty of wine tasting.

Whether you are looking for unique handcrafted jewelry, wood carvings, soft watercolors or oil paintings of the surrounding countryside, Gallery Los Olivos at 2920 Grand Avenue is worth a stroll into their gallery filled with the works of local artists. 

Another interesting spot to visit is the Los Olivos General Store located at 2900 Grand Avenue.   Once the first gas station in California and still sporting a vintage gas pump in the front, it houses a good collection of housewares, locally-made jams and jellies, flavored vinegars and cute notecards and stationery. 

For another piece of history, go to Mattei’s Tavern at 4350 Railway Avenue, which was a stagecoach stop in the late 1800s. Now it is a dinner restaurant with a sophisticated, local menu.   Choose from seabass with dried apricots, beef with melted shallots, duck breast with turnips, or albacore with jerk spices. 

For a delicious lunch or dinner, with indoor as well as outdoor seating, visit Los Olivos Wine Merchant Café , located at 2879 Grand Avenue.   From their flatbread to their baked brie and their cheese plate for appetizers and their varied selection of pizzas and hearty entrees, you will not be disappointed.   A mix of California and Mediterranean flavors, it also serves a delicious Saturday or Sunday brunch.

Just want a sandwich for lunch?   You might consider Sides Hardware and Shoe , located at 2375 Alamo Pintado Avenue.   Located in a building that was used as a hardware and shoe store over 100 years ago, brothers Matt and Jeff Nichols have created an eatery with people lining up to sample their tasty food.   From pastrami to fried pork tenderloin sandwiches, bacon burgers with smoked shallot marmalade, or a wide assortment of salads, you will not be disappointed.   Or, for dinner try their salmon, lamb sirloin, mussels, or scallops.

Maybe your sweet tooth is calling you about now.   Not to fear, Enjoy Cupcakes to the rescue. Located inside Saarloos and Sons (2971 Grand Avenue), you can enjoy your cupcakes paired with selected wines.   Or, just enjoy the cupcakes on their own.   Choose from Chocolate Blackberry Syrah, Salted Brown Butter Cinnamon Maple, Triple Vanilla Bean, Black Bottom, Mississippi Mud Pie, Strawberry Rosemary Chardonnay, Peanut Butter, or Fried Banana Espresso, or whatever other delectable treats are available on the day of your visit.   You will not be disappointed.

Visit Pumacasu , located at 2948 Grand Avenue, Suite A, if you want a short history (and nice selection) of antique corkscrews.   Carlos, the proprietor, will give you a brief history, while his wife, Christina, will show you her beautifully crafted selection of jewelry made from semiprecious stones in the style used by the Mapuche Indians of Patagonia.

Looking for new items for your garden?   Stop by J. Woeste Treasures , 2356 Alamo Pintado Avenue, and take home planters, clocks, pots, succulents, plants, and garden art, or just pause for a second and listen to the wind whistle through the trees, creating music from the huge windchimes handing from the trees.

Located at 2450 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang (although it is really located in Los Olivos) and opened Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00 to 4:00, plan a visit to Global Gardens .   There you can taste and buy some of the best Extra Virgin Olive Oils, Balsamic Fruit Vinegars (the pomegranate and lemon-basil are two of my favorites, but I also love the blood orange and the raspberry and strawberry varieties this time of year), and purchase Spice Blends, Mustards, and Marinades to remember your trip to Los Olivos.

Pictures: Lunch from Sides, Saarloos Winery, and cupcakes from Enjoy

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