Restaurant Month is the Perfect Time to Celebrate San Luis Obispo County’s Bounty of Culinary Treats

Unique Local Foods, Spirits And Craft Beers Abound In California’s Central Coast

Enjoy January In San Luis Obispo County, The Most Delicious Month Of The Year

San Luis Obispo County, located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on California’s breathtaking Central Coast, is a culinary paradise offering an assortment of locally-sourced and produced food and drink. The area’s range of coastal and inland influences is demonstrated by its broad assortment of gastronomic treats ranging from fresh foods, innovative spirits, unique craft beers and much more.

Visit San Luis Obispo County Logo (PRNewsFoto/Visit San Luis Obispo County)

Indulge in and explore the culinary bounty San Luis Obispo County has to offer during Restaurant Month, January 4-29, 2016*. Once a year, participating restaurants offer special prix-fixe menus of three courses at$30-$40 per person. Whether taking in San Luis Obispo County’s flavors during Restaurant Month, or visiting some of the area’s producers throughout the year, the destination is overflowing with an abundance of great products found only on the Central Coast.

(*Days of offerings vary per restaurant and are noted here. See details below per restaurant. Split meals not allowed. Please call individual restaurants for open hours and additional information.)

Locally Sourced Foods Flourish in San Luis Obispo County
There are a wide variety of new and interesting farms and fisheries across San Luis Obispo County that specialize in unique foods including shellfish, meat, produce and dairy products supplying local restaurants and markets. Taste the fresh farm fare from the producers below at one of San Luis Obispo County’s restaurants or farmer’s markets:

Morro Bay Oyster Company: Morro Bay holds a long-standing history as a thriving seaport with beautiful ocean views and a tranquil yet productive estuary. Morro Bay Oyster Company harvests Pacific Gold Oysters by hand directly from the pristine water, which are then sold to local restaurants and to the public at farmers markets and off its barge in Morro Bay harbor.

The Abalone Farm: The largest aquaculture facility of its kind in the country, The Abalone Farm Inc. produces over 100 tons of California Red Abalone each year. The facility is not open to the public, but its products are available through several distributors.

Adelaida Springs Ranch: Savory and sustainable grass-fed beef and lamb, are the specialties of Adelaida Springs Ranch, where tours offer fascinating information about the area, from the geography and its history to the workings of the ranch.

Rinconada Dairy: Cheesemaking at this Santa Margarita dairy evolved from 25 years of organic gardening and a passion for producing healthful and delicious food. Every step in the process of breeding, lambing, feeding, milking and cheesemaking is hands-on.

Stepladder Ranch: This family-owned ranch in Cambria features Hass avocados, sub-tropical fruits, forest-raised pork, fresh goat cheese and a luxury vacation rental.

Windrose Farm:  Located east of Paso Robles, Windrose Farm cultivates vegetable rotations including tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, green and dry beans, and much more. The farm also has a sheep pasture and offers tours and special tastings in partnership with FARMstead Ed.

San Luis Obispo County is also home to dozens of craft olive and walnut oil producers including Pasolivo, Olea Farm, Kiler Ridge Olive Oil, and Limerock Orchards, just to name a few. Sample these and other unparalleled offerings at over a dozen farmer’s markets throughout the week.

Distilling Movement Growing in San Luis Obispo County
To rival it’s evolving foodie trends, the craft spirit industry in San Luis Obispo County has grown rapidly over the last several years. The movement is a terrific complement to an area known for producing world-class wines and there are a variety of distilleries in the region that offer tours and tastings.

Pendray’s Distillery: Having a distillery was always part of the business plan for PasoPort winery and in 2013, winemaker Steve Glossner began production of brandy for fortification of its ports, and has since expanded to brandy and grappa.

Re:Find: The first to utilize premium Paso Robles-grown grapes as their base, Alex and Monica Villicanaoperate Re:Find out of the Villicana winery, making limoncello, gin, vodka and whiskey.

Wine Shine: Co-owners Mark Sahaydak and Patrick Brooks operate this small still house specializing in flavored moonshines, brandies and whiskey.

Discover Craft Beers (and Cider)
There’s no shortage of craft breweries in San Luis Obispo County, producing a wide variety of beers including IPAs, porters, sours, and just about any other style you could imagine. Drop by any of the following craft breweries to raise a glass and sample some of their creations.

National Geographic Announces Winners of 2015 Photo Contest

Selected from more than 13,000 entries, a photo of a tornado in Colorado was chosen as the grand-prize winner of the 2015 National Geographic Photo Contest. The photo, titled “DIRT,” was shot by James Smart of Melbourne, Australia. He has won $10,000 (USD) and a trip to National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual National Geographic Photography Seminar in January 2016.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Dirt – Photo and caption by James Smart
CATEGORY: Nature
LOCATION: Simla, Colorado, United States
A rare and jaw-dropping anti-cyclonic tornado touches down in open farmland, narrowly missing a home near Simla, Colorado.

Last spring, Smart spent 15 days chasing storms with his brother and some friends who are meteorologists. On the last day, Smart ended up outside of Simla, Colorado, where he shot the winning photo.

“The tornado was slowly getting bigger as it picked up the dust and soil from the ground on the farmland,” Smart said. “It wasn’t moving very fast, so we kept getting closer as it tracked next to the home as you can see in the image. Driving down a Colorado dirt road, we were lucky enough to be on the west of the tornado, so it was front lit. This really helped to get great detail out of the image and the perfect light for the sky and foreground.”

FIRST PLACE WINNER, PLACES
“Asteroid”
Photo and caption by Francisco Mingorance
CATEGORY: Places
LOCATION: Cardeñas, Andalusia, Spain
While preparing a report on Spain’s Rio Tinto from the air, I decided to include the phosphogypsum ponds located in the marshes of red, whose radioactive discharges has destroyed part of the marsh. As an environmental photojournalist I had to report this story, but had to do it with an image that by itself attracts the viewer’s attention. On a low-flying training flight, this image caught my attention for its resemblance to the impact of an asteroid on its green waters.

HONORABLE MENTION, PLACES
From Generation to Generation
Photo and caption by Jackson Hung
CATEGORY: Places
LOCATION: Shalu, Taiwan, Taiwan
This photo was taken during Chinese New Year’s Eve of 2015 in Taiwan. I noticed how the light was coming into the room as our family members passed incense sticks to each other, sending our prayers and paying respects to our ancestors. The photo is symbolic, as the passing of incense sticks represents the knowledge and wisdom passed down from generation to generation.

HONORABLE MENTION, PEOPLE
Overlooking Iraq From Iran
Photo and caption by Yanan Li
CATEGORY: People
LOCATION: Shalamcheh, Khuzestan, Iran
In October 2014 in Khuzestan, Iran, I came across a group of female Iranian students on the border between Iran and Iraq. Some of them climbed up the tanks left after the war between the two countries and took pictures of themselves. I pressed the shutter when I saw this girl stretch out her arms and turn to face the Iraqi border.

Joel Nsadha of Binghamton, New York, placed first in the People category for a portrait of a young man on his cherished bicycle in a slum in Uganda, and Francisco Mingorance of Andalusia, Spain, won in the Places category for his photo of a marsh in Spain that has been partially destroyed by radioactive waste. Smart’s photo won in the Nature category and will be published in National Geographic magazine.

HONORABLE MENTION, NATURE
Orangutan in the Rain
Photo and caption by Andrew Suryono
CATEGORY: Nature
LOCATION: Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
I was taking photos of orangutans in Bali, Indonesia, when it started to rain. Just before I put my camera away, I saw this orangutan take a taro leaf and put it on top on his head to protect himself from the rain! I immediately used my DSLR and telephoto lens to preserve this spontaneous magic moment.

HONORABLE MENTION, NATURE
Colorful Chaos
Photo and caption by Bence Mate
CATEGORY: Nature
LOCATION: Mkuze, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
White-fronted bee-eaters gather on a bough before going to sleep in their burrows, scraped into a sand wall. I was working on this theme for 18 days, as there were only five to ten minutes each day when the light conditions were appropriate. Ninety percent of my efforts to capture this image were not successful. I used flashlights to light the bee-eaters sitting on the branch, but not the others flying above. At this angle, the backlight generated rainbow coloring through the wings of the flying birds.

The judges for the contest were National Geographic magazine Senior Photo Editor Jessie Wender, National Geographic Photography Fellow David Guttenfelder and photographer Anand Varma. Judging consisted of multiple rounds of evaluation based on creativity, photography quality and genuineness/authenticity of the content. Contestants submitted photographs in three categories — People, Places and Nature — through National Geographic’s photography community, Your Shot. All of the winning photos, along with the honorable mentions, may be viewed at natgeo.com/photocontest.

HGTV Dream Home 2016 Giveaway Now Open for Entries

Fans Can Enter Twice A Day For A Chance To Win First Ever Dream Remodel Located On Merritt Island, Florida

Starting today and continuing through 5 p.m. ET Thursday, February 18, 2016, viewers can start dreaming about moving into the HGTV® Dream Home Giveaway on Merritt Island, Florida. Fans can enter twice a day by visiting hgtv.com/hgtvdreamhome for their chance to win the grand prize package valued at more than $1.5 million. New this year, fans will enjoy one bonus entry into the giveaway via www.realtor.com®. Eligible U.S. residents can log on to www.hgtv.com for full details and the official rules.

The HGTV Dream Home 2016 Giveaway is open for entries through February 18, 2016. For a chance to win, fans can enter twice daily via hgtv.com/hgtvdreamhome. The prize package, valued at $1.5 million, includes the newly remodeled and fully furnished residence on Merritt Island, Florida, a 2016 GMC Acadia Denali, a beautiful new boat, and $250,000 provided by national mortgage lender Quicken Loans. (PRNewsFoto/Scripps Networks Interactive)

In addition to the approximately 3,150-square-foot residence and all its furnishings, the grand prize package includes the keys to a 2016 GMC Acadia Denali® and a beautiful new boat, as well as $250,000 from national mortgage lender Quicken Loans®.

Over the summer, architects, contractors and designers have been busy with an incredible home transformation on the sunny coast of Florida to bring fans the first ever HGTV® Dream Home Giveaway renovation. The waterfront property is shaded by giant royal palm trees and situated on the Indian River Lagoon with Intracoastal Waterway access. The updated, transitional take on Floridian style offers casual elegance with a clever play on classic coastal. The light and bright paradise is built for entertaining and relaxing by the water, complete with a private pool and a three-car garage. With three bedrooms and five bathrooms, the home’s decor blends the sophistication of the Hamptons with punches of tropical vibrancy.

“Deciding to remodel an existing home for our 20th HGTV Dream Home Giveaway provided a challenge, knowing the expectations our viewers have for these homes,” said Ron Feinbaum, General Manager and SVP of Home Promotions for Scripps Networks Interactive. “Working with interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn, architect Michael Stauffer and builder Steven Price of Steven W. Price Construction, we were able to transform this existing home into a dream residence with ideas and trends that our fans can use in their own homes.”

From a stunning coastline of endless sandy beaches to beautiful sunrises and sunsets, the HGTV Dream Home 2016 location is as spectacular as the first 19 HGTV Dream Homes. Learn more about this year’s giveaway and its sponsors – General Motors LLC, Lumber Liquidators Inc., GLIDDEN® paint brand, Quicken Loans Inc., Bush Brothers & Company, Cabinets To Go, Delta Faucet, JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, Mars Petcare, Trex Company Inc., Belgard, Ethan Allen Global Inc., realtor.com® and Bose Corporation – at hgtv.com/hgtvdreamhome.