News-Press – Page 34

DRINK OF THE WEEK: Roy’s The Jolly Tiger

September 12, 2013October 8, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

A small number of people, according to owner Roy Gandy, believe his restaurant and bar on Carrillo is called The Jolly Tiger, and not Roy. That could have something to do with the large, neon sign that says exactly that, hanging over the bar.

A Buffalo Bills football nestles in the lower loop of the “g,” a mark of the man who rescued this piece of Santa Barbara history from the back of an antique store. The actual Jolly Tiger was on the corner of Canon Perdido and Chapala, now Cajun Kitchen, a local chain of three eateries that closed in the ’80s.

Comedy Veteran – THREE HILARIOUS ARMED FORCES VETS TELL JOKES AT SOHO TO BENEFIT THE TROOPS

September 6, 2013October 8, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Former Staff Sergeant Thorn Tran is the executive producer and lead comic of The GIs ofComedy. Brett Saariphot — Former Staff Sergeant Thorn Tran is the executive producer and lead comic of The GIs ofComedy.
Brett Saariphot

Comedians often travel to America’s numerous war zones to entertain the troops. But with this event at SOhO Thursday night the script has been flipped, as three vets with stand-up chops provide an evening of laughs to the civilians, and all for a good cause.

“Our mission and goal is to take care as many of our troops as possible by making them laugh,” says former Staff Sergeant Thom Tran, the executive producer and lead comic of The GIs of Comedy. He along with Jose Sarduy and Tom Irwin intend to make audiences laugh while benefiting the Soldier’s Project. This charity provides free mental health counseling to veterans.

DRINK OF THE WEEK: Pepe’s Watermelon Margarita

September 5, 2013October 8, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Hey, Pepe’s! Long time no see! We were checking out one of our favorite bookstores in Goleta (Left Coast Books, fyi) and wanted a drink and maybe some Mexican grub and decided to stop by Pepe’s, located just around the corner. We had forgotten two major things about the place: Its bar is warm and friendly, and the bar food is super affordable. (We felt miles away from downtown. How many miles? About $10 worth.)

And there’s a summer cocktail menu to try, with bartender Jamie Brofeldt pouring us some selections, being very chatty, and just very enthusiastic. There’s a new mojito to order featuring Bacardi light, lime and simple syrup. It’s delicious and it made it through the rough audition process at Pepe’s, where even things like an Orange Cosmo were called “too fancy.”

The Nose Has It – DERRICK LEE WEEDEN STARS IN PCPA’S ‘CYRANO DE BERGERAC’

August 23, 2013October 8, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

It’s one of those roles that is so massive and large that it holds a lot of different actors,” says Derrick Lee Weeden, an actor himself. He’s talking about Cyrano de Bergerac, the famous lover and fighter with the long nose who pines for the beautiful Roxane. Despite his male bravery, he’s too self-conscious to declare his love. The classic French comedy opened last Sunday at PCPA in its Solvang theater and it runs through September 1.

“It’s like Hamlet,” he continues. “You have all these actors bringing something to it over the years.” But unlike Hamlet, it’s a role that Mr. Weeden hadn’t thought about playing until Roger DeLaurier offered it to him. Mr. Weeden sought his friends’ opinions on the matter and they all insisted on it, saying it was perfect for the actor who’s played Coriolanus, Othello, and other great classic roles. Now he’s taking on a character who many associate in its modern day remake with Steve Martin, or onstage with Derek Jacobi, Patrick Page, or Mark Harlick, and he hopes to find his place “in that river of de Bergerac as well.”

Guess Who? – ONE NIGHT STAND RAISES MONEY FOR LOCAL NON-PROFIT BY SELLING ANONYMOUS ART

August 23, 2013October 8, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Suzanne Dvanski, left, and Joe Cicero look over art on exhibit at the 2012 One Night Stand event Paull E. Rubin at the 2012 One Night Stand event Matt Wier photos — Suzanne Dvanski, left, and Joe Cicero look over art on exhibit at the 2012 One Night Stand event
Paull E. Rubin at the 2012 One Night Stand event
Matt Wier photos

Art From Scrap continues to host the largest art-guessing game in town this Saturday with its Third Annual One Night Stand event. For those who missed the last two years, here’s the gist. Roughly 200 artists send in work on a 9×9 inch canvas, all of which are hung that morning at the Brooks Institute’s Gallery 27. All works are priced at $200 and those who buy a piece find out the identity of the artist only after they purchase.

It’s an idea borrowed directly from the Incognito event down at the Santa Monica Museum of Art — a very good idea indeed. According to Jill Cloutier at Art From Scrap, the event raised $40,000 last year (and a similar rate the year before), so it’s proven itself. Plus, as the art is purchased, it comes off the wall. With a total of 400 visitors, collectors come early and so by the end of the evening, there’s (thankfully) not much left to see.

Get Carter: A new comedy starring Alan Thicke and family shoots in SB and Carp

August 22, 2013October 9, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Carter Thicke, son of actor Alan Thicke, takes a break behind Palazzio, where he is taping his reality show. MICHAEL MORIATIS/NEWS-PRESS — Carter Thicke, son of actor Alan Thicke, takes a break behind Palazzio, where he is taping his reality show.
MICHAEL MORIATIS/NEWS-PRESS

Carter Thicke is just an average Santa Barbara kid. He’s a junior at Laguna Blanca, plays on the football team as well as some hockey. And he’s at an age where a summertime job working at a restaurant could really teach him the value of a dollar.

And so he’s worked his way up, cleaning bathrooms, washing dishes, busing tables, and finally serving food to customers.

DRINK OF THE WEEK: The Lark’s Maduro Margarita

August 22, 2013October 9, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Is The Lark now the most popular restaurant in Santa Barbara? We’ll answer that rhetorical question for you: Yes, yes it is. Before our official Drink of the Week visit, we were with friends who suddenly wanted to grab some food. The wait time was … come back tomorrow. Even when we got in, there were only bar stools to be had. But that’s OK. We like barstools.

The Great Homecoming: Santa Barbara’s Rebelution headlines the Bowl

August 21, 2013October 9, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Among Persian rugs, potted plants and billows of stage smoke, Santa Barbara band Rebelution finally realized a long-held dream and headlined a concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Sunday. MICHAEL MORIATIS/NEWS-PRESS — Among Persian rugs, potted plants and billows of stage smoke, Santa Barbara band Rebelution finally realized a long-held dream and headlined a concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Sunday.
MICHAEL MORIATIS/NEWS-PRESS

There were three kinds of cloud cover at the Rebelution concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl Sunday night. One was the marine layer, which by the end of the concert had slithered into town so far that the audience started to get damp; another was the dry ice smoke spilling from the stage; and the third was from the audience and … well, you can probably guess what it was and how it smelled.

This was the audience that had come out to see Santa Barbara/Isla Vista’s Rebelution. Nine years ago they were a reggae jam band who played their “front yard and back yard” as well as garage parties for UCSB students. Most groups like this would have dissipated after graduation, but Eric Rachmany and his group kept at it, releasing three albums, incessantly touring, and garnering followers in Hawaii and beyond, not just here. (Although KJEE has helped them out a lot.)

Doing It for the Laughs – COMEDIAN KATHLEEN MADIGAN COMES TO THE CHUMASH CASINO RESORT

August 16, 2013October 14, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Comedian Kathleen Madigan moved to Los Angeles from Missouri with the goal of getting on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Since then she has been on the show nine times, and on the Late Show with David Letterman six times. Luzena Adams photo — Comedian Kathleen Madigan moved to Los Angeles from Missouri with the goal of getting on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Since then she has been on the show nine times, and on the Late Show with David Letterman six times.
Luzena Adams photo

For comedian Kathleen Madigan, coming to the Chumash Casino Resort this Thursday, you can take the woman out of the Midwest (and move her to Los Angeles), but you can’t take the Midwest out of the woman. She’s been in Los Angeles for 20 years and still doesn’t feel like a West Coaster.

“I don’t hate L.A. like most of my New York comedy friends,” she says. “I understand how they think. New York is like being on cocaine. Los Angeles is like being hungover on the couch.”

DRINK OF THE WEEK: Holdren’s Steak & Seafood Watermelon Mojito

August 15, 2013October 14, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

WATERMELON MOJITO NIK BLASKOVICH/NEWS-PRESS — WATERMELON MOJITO
NIK BLASKOVICH/NEWS-PRESS

It was a chilly August night — yeah, that is weird, right? — and we were taking in Holdren’s on State. We like that this classic steakhouse sits right next to the raging party central that is the Sandbar, and both were packed to overflow. Two different clienteles, two different menus, same result. Holdren’s has a pleasant, long, old timey bar and a hard workin’ bartender called Brad Mueller who’s been here many a year. Every time we meet, it’s a bit of the old “Aren’t you the … ?” and “Don’t I know you?” dance.

Here’s the thing: Holdren’s has drinks of the month, and we don’t check them out enough.