CONTACT: Michelle Rodriguez, Director of Communications
Visit Santa Barbara
805.966.9222 x112
[email protected]

Jaime Shaw, Communications Manager
Visit Santa Barbara
805.966.9222 x107
[email protected]

GET THE EPIC-SCOOP ON THE 6TH ANNUAL EPICURE.SB THIS OCTOBER
Santa Barbara’s Month-Long Cuisine, Libations and Culture Extravaganza

Santa Barbara, CA (September 17th, 2014) — Foodie-lovers everywhere will make their way to Santa Barbara this October, an epic-month to savor Santa Barbara’s cuisine, libations and culture with epicure.sb.  Restaurants, tasting rooms, museums, hotels and more have come together to form a month-long celebration that is bursting at the seams.  This annual gastronomic event returns for its sixth year with a new theme: epic-scoop.  Visitors can now experience the bounty of Santa Barbara County as a local would, with 90 offerings including 54 events and 26 special menu’s – and all of this over 31+ days.  With so much to do, pack your bags and stay awhile with 13 epicurean inspired hotel packages.

Grab your fork and spoon, as we are giving the epic-scoop to access special offerings, exclusive prix fix menus, secret menu items & libations, specialty tastings, VIP experiences, behind-the-scene exclusives, cultural performances, and much, much more!  Below is a highlight of recent offerings, for a complete list go to epicuresb.com.

• Sideways10 Screening (Oct. 5): Ten years later and the OSCAR® winning film is still bringing people to our slice of paradise. Attend a free screening with special guests cheering Sideways 10th anniversary. Sideways10.com
• An Evening with Cat Cora (Oct. 1): Spend an intimate evening at the Santa Barbara Wine Collective as Cat Cora discusses her experiences as a chef, culinary passion, and love for Santa Barbara. Followed by a reception with Cat Cora-inspired seasonal canapés featuring local produce and Notary Public wine.
• Health & Wellness Yoga Series: Full Moon Yoga (Oct. 8) – Part of a month-long yoga series, enjoy yoga under the stars at Ambassador Park with a class set to the sounds of the waves and glow of the full moon.
• Isabella After Hours: Foodie Film Series (Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24) – Enjoy a food-based movie on a large projector screen at Isabella Gourmet Foods, complete with homegrown movie snacks, including locally made popcorn, candies, chocolates, beverages and more.
• Cardinal Sin (Oct. 9) – Join energetic and madcap chefs at the Santa Barbara Public Market as they bring a recipe to life in a live performance, and pay homage to Julia Child whose passion for life and love of fine food and fine dining continues to inspire.  
• Junior Chef Classes (Sunday’s in Oct.) – Hey, kids! Let Williams Sonoma at La Cumbre Plaza show how fun and easy cooking can be. Kids will learn to make delicious recipes, with plenty of tasting along the way.
• Funktober Festival (Oct. 11) – The Funk Zone is the epicenter of cool in Santa Barbara. Make your way there for an afternoon of art, culture and food.  Be sure to check out the artist spaces typically not open to the public.
• Featured Dish & Cocktail at Four Seasons (Oct. 1-31): Experience the best of Santa Barbara cuisine at Bella Vista, featuring a special Uni appetizer with indigenous Santa Barbara ingredients.  After, head to Ty Lounge for a libation inspired by Santa Barbara’s Spanish heritage, the Peña Flamenca.
• Savor the Sauv (Oct. 1-31) – Mention “epic-dish” at Grassini Family Vineyards for a special tasting flight of library and reserve Sauvignon Blancs along with a Meyer Lemon truffle, paying tribute to a local fruit flourishing on Santa Barbara’s hillsides.
• Sideways 10th Anniversary Hitching Post Wine Flight (Oct. 1-31): At Hitching Post II, local favorite and featured restaurant in Sideways, enjoy a flight of 3 signature Highliner Pinot Noirs that commemorate the wine in the cult film that helped put Santa Barbara County wines on the map.

Can’t decide what activities to partake in?  Stay a few nights in Santa Barbara and enjoy several events.  Epicurean hotel packages include:

• An Epic View at Bacara: Take advantage of Bacara Resort & Spa’s oceanfront real estate as you enjoy your in-room dining credit on a private guestroom balcony overlooking breathtaking ocean views.
• Fess & Fig Fall Escape: Beer lovers rejoice.  Stay overnight in a renovated guest room at The Fess Parker: A Double Tree by Hilton Resort and enjoy a brewery tour and tasting flight at Figueroa Mountain Brewery in the Funk Zone, along with two 22 oz. bottles of Fig. Mtn. beer, 2 souvenir pint glasses and more.
• Discover Downtown SB Package: Discover the vibrant and charming ambiance of beautiful downtown with a stay at Hotel Santa Barbara.  Included is a welcome amenity, dinner for 2 at Cadiz Restaurant & Lounge and 2 complimentary tickets for the Santa Barbara Trolley Tour.
• Sip, Savor and Sleep at Belmond El Encanto: Sleep in luxury accommodations at this Five Star resort, savor a special epicure.sb prix fixe menu with local wine pairings for two, and sip on a bottle of local wine upon arrival.

ABOUT EPICURE.SB
Visit www.epicuresb.com for hotel package details, a comprehensive event schedule and a complete list of participating businesses.  Epicure.sb is designed to celebrate Santa Barbara’s abundant and diverse epicurean offerings. The annual promotion builds off of established foodie-friendly community events that take place in October, while offering additional programming that showcases regional cuisine, libations and culture.

ABOUT SANTA BARBARA
Featured on the cover of Travel + Leisure in May 2013 and voted Best Getaway by L.A. Times Readers’ Choice Awards in 2012, Santa Barbara is located just 92 miles north of Los Angeles and 332 miles south of San Francisco, on the Pacific coastline. Visitors can arrive via scenic Highway 101, train, bus or by flying into Santa Barbara Municipal Airport or Los Angeles International Airport. For travel and accommodation information and to request a free copy of the official Santa Barbara County Visitors Magazine, contact Visit Santa Barbara at 800.676.1266, 805.966.9222, [email protected] or SantaBarbaraCA.com. Visitor information is also available at the Visitor Center, 1 Garden Street (at Cabrillo Boulevard).

MEDIA INFORMATION
Stay informed about Santa Barbara news with our Media Center, press releases and blog, TheSBPost.com. Just getting to know Santa Barbara? The Media Field Guide is a great place to start. Planning a research visit? Use the Press Trip Request form to get the process started. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates, and visit our Mobile Site for on-the-go information about dining, wine, accommodations, events, attractions and more.