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An Abundance of Local Flavor
California's always been known for its pitted black olives. But over the past 10 years, it's been getting recognition for another olive product: oil. There are currently more than 500 olive oil producers in California; together, they made 383,000 gallons of olive oil last year, a full 99 percent of the olive oil made in the United States.
So it's no surprise that local olive oils are showing up all over the place. Gourmet grocery stores, such as Bristol Farms and Gelson's, often set up olive oil–tasting stations complete with crusty bread; some producers have their own stands at local farmers' markets. Restaurants are even building dishes around the oils. C‚zanne and Le Troquet at Le Merigot Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, for example, offer a Tutta California Extra Virgin Olive Oil platter: grilled vegetables, cheeses, and bread served with a ramekin of the Pacific Palisades producer's oil.
The complete olive oil experience can be had in Paso Robles at Pasolivo, pictured, (805-227-0186; www.pasolivo.com). The much-praised producer opens its doors to the public every Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can taste olive oil, watch as the olives are crushed, and buy the oils, which often sell out long before the next harvest.
— Robin Jones
Fending Off Wildfires
"Firescaping" — landscaping to help prevent damage to your home in the event of a wildfire — is especially critical for houses that are surrounded by native vegetation, located in canyons or near natural areas, or not easily accessible to fire trucks. To help you get started, Firescaping (Wilderness Press, 2005, $18.95), by Douglas Kent, provides a fire risk assessment test, tips for effective firescaping, and recommendations for ground cover, shrubs, and trees.
— Brenda Tabor
Hike as the Romans Do
Susan Lendroth
Friends, Romans, hikers — get on your feet! Join Legio VI Victrix (Legion Six) on a morning trek through L.A.'s Griffith Park on the third Sunday of each month. Legionnaires kit out in second-century Roman regalia to represent centurions, foot soldiers, and civilians on a brisk march into the hills. They're happy to tell you all about their armor, shields, and battle gear.
Legio VI Victrix was founded six years ago to re-create the lifestyle of a garrison camp stationed in Britain, circa a.d. 130–160. Legionnaires, who relish their roles as both educators and re-enactors, make their own tunics. Hike details are posted on the group's Yahoo message board (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ legiovi/) during the week preceding the third Sunday of each month. For more information, visit www.legionsix.org.
— Susan Lendroth
Two More for the Ages
Interested in experiencing the thrilling days of yore? Head to Buena Park, where two themed dinner experiences — Medieval Times, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and Pirate's Dinner Adventure, which opened in December — are located a mere gangplank (or catapult shot) apart.
— Chris Epting
Medieval Timeswww.medievaltimes.com(714) 521-4740 $47.95 for adults, $33.95 for ages 3–12 |
Pirate's Dinner Adventurewww.piratesdinneradventure.com(714) 690-1497 $48.95 for adults, $31.95 for ages 3–11 |
| Calm Before the Storm | |
Get crowned, enjoy a royal photo-op, wander the 11th-century replica castle and Museum of Torture, browse the gift shop, and get up close with the show's horses. |
Enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres and watch swashbucklers perform at the King's Festival, which is set in a re-created seaport village, or venture into the gift shop. |
| All's Fare | |
There wasn't any silverware in the Dark Ages, which makes it all the more fun to eat the dinner served during the show: a roasted half-chicken, spare ribs, bread, soup, and pastry dessert. |
Pirates never had it so good on the open seas. The Port of Call Feast served during the show features chicken, a choice of beef or lobster and shrimp, potatoes, veggies, and apple cobbler á la mode. |
| Let the Battles Be Waged! | |
A thunderous saga plays out during the Knights of the Realm tournament. It's punctuated by jousting, challenges, and fierce battles for the princess. Cheer for your knight — whose color matches your crown — as sparks fly and lances splinter. |
Captain Sebastian the Black tells the tale of a princess who yearns to transform him. Cheer on your pirate mascot as the story plays out with swordplay and acrobatics on a four-story Spanish galleon anchored in a 250,000-gallon lagoon |
| Ye Olde X Factor | |
The noble Andalusian horses serve their knights effortlessly in battle and also perform the nimble art of dressage (tricky high-stepping moves) during interludes. |
Up to 150 guests have a chance to play an actual role in each show. They don costumes in what's being marketed as "the world's most interactive dinner show." |
You are reading the March/April 2006 issue of Westways. Some information contained in this publication is time-sensitive, and the terms of some offers (cruise or vacation packages, for example) or services (provisions for roadside assistance, for example) might have been superseded by subsequent information and might no longer apply.