One of the ladies in our Yoga class mentioned she loved SY Kitchen in Santa Ynez.  SY Kitchen as described by its owners is a modern Italian restaurant with a farm to table point of view.  We recently had lunch there and were delighted with the food, the ambiance, the service and the wine list. The lunch menu is changed daily.  We had two different handmade pastas with different sauces.  Each was delicious and reminiscent of pasta dishes we have enjoyed in Italy.   We were impressed with the wines by the glass menu which was extensive, and we each had a different wine.  The ambiance is cozy.  We felt we were at a friend's home for lunch.  The service was great, and the waitstaff knowledgeable in how the food was prepared and understood wine pairings. Happy Wednesday,Written by Ron & Ale... 07/22/2015

Everyone we have spoken to this week is taking off early, so yesterday, we decided to take of for a lunch jaunt to the wine country.  We stopped by our favorite bakery,  The Baker's Table, to replenish our stash of chocolate espresso cookies, and to buy bread.   Amy Dixon, the owner, makes the best French style baguette and Italian ciabatta and supplies the best restaurants in Santa Barbara County.  She uses local and organic ingredients.  You can also have breakfast and lunch there. As we walked out with our purchases, we spotted this trio wagging their tails when we approached.  They wanted attention and affection and were delighted to have their photo taken. Happy Friday, Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for th... 07/03/2015

It was cloudy in Santa Barbara this morning.  We decided to take off for the wine country, a 45 minute drive.  As we got over the fog line, the sun was shining.  We enjoyed tasting wines at Gainey, had a delicious lunch at the Red Barn in Santa Ynez and headed home.   Signs of spring are everywhere, this tree is beginning to show it first leaves.  Silhouetted against the blue sky it looks like a sculpture.    Someone did a great job trimming it. It was a perfect getaway after a long week of work. Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, co... 03/22/2014

After a very busy morning which began in the wee hours with phone calls back East and overseas, we decided to get out of Dodge (Carpinteria) and take a break to refresh and renew our perspective. We headed North to the little village of Santa Ynez, which is known for its equestrian estates and ranches.  Some of the crosswalks are inlaid with horseshoe...a way to get lucky crossing the street. After lunch we took a walk in their downtown area, and just beyond we spotted this sign on the fencing of a home...Notice the legs sticking out of the tree hollow! What do you think? We are back ready to finish our day...It is always good to just get out of Dodge, wherever, your Dodge may be! Happy Tuesday, Cheers, Ron & Alexandra Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, Intern... 02/18/2014

This is a blog series on the the Best Luxury Real Estate Markets in the USA. Please let us know if you think we should include YOUR marketplace in this series. CONTACT US For those of you who wish to escape the intensity of the city and enjoy a quieter, more relaxed, simpler life with a graceful pace reminiscent of the 1950’s, the magnificent Santa Ynez Valley, in California’s Santa Barbara Wine Country, is the place for you.   We asked some of the top luxury real estate marketing professionals in the area to tell us what they loved about their marketplace. Here is what they said. (Be sure to click on the agents' names to view their Featured Properties)The approach to Santa Ynez Valley from Santa Barbara via Route 154 is breathtaking! As you descend into the Valley from the Sam Marcos ... 05/23/2011

The Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association is sponsoring a new event Sunday January 23-Saturday, January 29, 2011.  Sixteen restaurants throughout the Santa Ynez Valley are offering special 3-course tasting menus for the price of $20.11 (excluding tip, tax and beverages.)  Participating restaurants are:       Cafe Quackenbush - 458 Bell, 344-5181 Dos Carlitos - 3544 Sagunto, 688-0033 Fresco Valley Calfe - 442 Atterdag, 688-8857 Hadsten House Inn - 1450 Mission Dr., 688-3210 Kabuki - 443 Second St., 693-8289 Los Olivos Cafe - 2870 Grand - 688-7265 Manny's Mexican - 1693 Mission, 691-9137 Mirabelle Inn - 409 First Street, 688-1703 Mustard Seed - 1655-A Mission, 688-1318 Red Viking - 1684 Copenhagen Dr., 688-6610 Root 246 - 420 Alisal, 686-8681 Trattoria Grappolo - 3687 C Sagunto, 688-6899... 01/19/2011

Santa Ynez CA Real Estate 2010 Market Update* It's the beginning of a new year, so many people are waiting anxiously to hear how many homes and condos were sold in Santa Ynez California last year, what the average sale price was, and how it compared to 2009. Here you go: 2010                                                    2009 43 Santa Ynez Homes 36 Santa Ynez Homes Average Sales Price $1,133,186 Average Sales Price $1,156,188 285 Days on Market 197 Days on Market $346 per square foot $459 per square foot 7 Santa Ynez  Foreclosures  8 Santa Ynez  Foreclosures 9 Santa Ynez  Short Sales   5 Santa Ynez  Short Sales • Based on the information from the Central Coast Regional MLS. The Association, the Multiple Listing Service, nor Mint Properties guarantees or is in any way responsible fo... 01/17/2011

When heading to the wine country from Santa Barbara, you traverse along the San Marcos Pass.  This is a view of the Santa Ynez Mountains and Lake Cachuma.  The scenery is a delight. Happy Sunday! - WATCH VIDEOS-  Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites  Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies  About Language of Luxury - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -  GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!  Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain  Broker Agent Social, Proxio, Real Town, & Bigger Pockets   11/07/2010

Welcome to my first post about the Santa Ynez Valley, Central Coast Wine Country of California. The beautiful Santa Ynez Valley became largely known by the masses when it was featured in the Golden Globe and Oscar nominated film featuring the Wine Country, "Sideways". However, going back in history the Santa Ynez Valley has been known for its important role in the equestrian industry. To name a couple of noteworthy details; Monty Roberts, referred to by some as the "Horse Whisperer", has long called the Santa Ynez Valley home. In addition, the world renowned and state-of-the-art Alamo Pintado Equine Center is located just outside of downtown Los Olivos.  As for the viticultural aspect of the Santa Ynez Valley, there are countless fabulous wineries and tasting rooms located all throughou... 01/26/2010

Whether you are a local, in town visiting family and/or friends, or here on vacation in Santa Barbara, California, there is never a lack of activities and things to do in our wonderful seaside resort community.  Here below is the sixth installment in a series of articles that point out some of Santa Barbara's most prominent local attractions.  Some of these will be cultural, some dining, some active pursuits and some I am still deciding on.  This sixth installment will be focusing on... Solvang, Santa Ynez, Lake Cachuma and Wine Tours:  Solvang is the biggest "city" in the Santa Ynez Valley and is the "Danish Capital" of America.  Many of the local residents have roots in Denmark and the town is filled with Danish shops, bakeries, eating establishments and gift shops.  Santa Ynez, Los O... 11/26/2008

Here is the Santa Barbara cort report for closed sales for the first 6 months of 2008.  The cort report lists all closed sales of property regardless of whether they were reported in the Santa Barbara MLS or not.  This includes for sale by owners, transfers of property between family members etc.  Upwards of 95+ % of all sales are reported in the MLS, where as 100% are reported in the cort report. If you would like further info about a certain month or area, please let me know so that I can be of help. Further Reading: Cort Report April 2008, Cort Report May 2008, Market Statistics and Reports for the Year 2008 Kevin Schmidtchen - Thank you for reading.  I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative.  Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts. Subs... 07/22/2008

March was a month you would expect to see the home sales activity pick up in Santa Barbara County. Just a brief observation of the numbers tells me that the low end of the market appears to be getting the price point figured out. Lompoc would be one of those communities. There were significantly more sales in Lompoc in March than there had been in about a year. Maybe that is because of all the beautiful flowers in the area this time of year. Something a bit uncharacteristic is that Lompoc had the highest sale for the Lompoc Santa Ynez Valley area. According to the CORT figures it was a property at 2210 Point Sal Loop which sold for $4,543,500. You might get an argument that this property is closer to Santa Maria than Lompoc. Everything else over 1 million on the latest map was in the S... 04/22/2008

I live in the Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang, CA to be exact. I landed here 24 years ago and never left. It was a love of horses that brought me to the Valley and horses are everywhere! It was natural that I developed a passion for photography and I have captured many wonderful images of the Santa Ynez Valley Lifestyle. Now I use my years of photography experience as a Virtual Tour Provider.  Below is a glimpse of the the Santa Ynez Valley I call home.  03/13/2008

I admit it, I'm obsessed. I am obsessed with the idea that every RTV Virtual Tour I produce should be better than the last. I am obsessed with quality, I am obsessed with results, I live to make my clients happy. Producing the highest quality images and Virtual Tours available on the internet satisfies my obsession. When I produce a Real Estate Virtual Tour, every component is the highest quality, from the undistored and crystal clear 360 panoramic views to the still images to the audio to the brochure attachment to the Real Estate Agent information to the 3-D floor plan to the Panorider that hangs on the Agent Sign to the unique property website... It is all there, everything I need to provide the finest in internet marketing for my clients! What a great business to be in! 03/09/2008

Larry Corbi made me aware of the 12th Annual Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow Wow at the Live Oak Campground in Santa Ynez. He also provided me with a flyer.  I noticed that Robert "Bobby" Corbi teamed up with Darlene Athie on the artwork for the flyer.  I happen to know Bobby as well and was unaware of his artistic talent on print. The Chumash Inter-Tribal Pow Wow is open to the public for two days starting Saturday October 6th through Sunday October 7th .  The admission is free and there will be a dance contest, a drum contest, and plenty of arts and crafts. 1st place for the drum contest is $4,000 just to give you an example of the prizes you can win!.  I encourage everyone to attend this cultural event. Bring your family and your lawn chairs and learn about the local tribe and their culture... 10/03/2007

In beginning this topic on the Chumash Indians I take great care and appreciation for what I am about to write. I have great respect and honor for the native Americans and native peoples of a lot of different cultures such as the Aztecs, Incas, Mayans, native Hawaiian’s and other great civilizations that have been infringed upon by our European idealistic superiority. I begin to embark on this blog for Celeste and the challenge she returned to me after I desired her to expand on the Hawaiian culture in its rawest form which she did, entitling the Localism Featured blog “The History of Hawaiian Homes” which I invite you all to read. This subject will predate the Spanish exploration of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542, the first recorded European explorer of this area. The Chumash Indians ... 06/10/2007