SLO County News BlogGolf, Wine, Real Estate, Business & Travel NewsSimply Scrappin - Central Coast ScrapbookingTuesday, February 28, 2006 Scrapbooking is the creative combination of photographs, memorabilia and journaling (telling stories about the photos) for preservation of memories. Scrapbooking originated in Victorian times, but thanks to its resurgence in popularity in the mid-90s it is now the fastest-growing hobby in the country. Participants in this burgeoning hobby often gather to work on their scrapbooks together. These gatherings, known as "crops," allow scrapbook enthusiasts, referred to as "croppers", to interact while sharing techniques and tips. Scrapbooking is a hobby that grows along with skill level and the complexity of new techniques. When you enter a scrapbook store, you may feel lost and not know where to begin. There are so many products available in the scrapbooking industry that it is easy to feel lost or overwhelmed. The staff at Simply Scrappin' in Pismo Beach are experts at getting you started. To get started, however, only a few basic materials are needed to create unique pages and tell interesting stories. To get started, all you'll need is a Pencil, Ruler, Sharp, straight-edged scissors, Album or binder, Adhesives, Journaling pens, Templates, Photo-safe paper, and Decorative scissors or punches. Whether you're just getting started or are already a seasoned pro, plan on visiting the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Simply Scrappin' for you Central Coast scrapbooking supplies. Scrapbooking crops and classes are also offered on a regular basis. Simply Scrappin' 835-A Oak Park Blvd. Pismo Beach, CA 93449 (805) 489-3975 www.simply-scrappin.com More Rooms at Cambria LodgeSaturday, February 25, 2006A historical lodge in Cambria will be a little bigger soon, with 27 new units available to rent early in March.Last week, workers at the Cambria Pines Lodge were putting finishing touches on new suites and rooms, with a few units already outfitted with wrought-iron headboards, towels, quilts and tiny gardens around the fenced-in patios that overlook the Monterey pine forest. Meanwhile, Mark Miller, Cambria's assistant fire chief, and representatives from Alpha Fire & Security of San Luis Obispo were doing final tests on smoke alarms and in-unit sprinkler systems designed to stop fires before they spread. Seven new two-room suites are in stand-alone cottages and include such touches as two fireplaces, flat-screen televisions in the separate sitting rooms, and a microwave oven and mini-refrigerator in the wet-bar area. Twenty new units are in duplexes, each with two queen-size beds. Four more units accommodate disabled guests, providing roll-in showers and light-alerts for the hearing impaired. There are more changes ahead for the lodge. Owner Dirk Winter said his crews also are working on a four-plex, another duplex and a laundry building and soon will start on an outdoor pool that will replace the lodge's aging indoor swimming facility. The lodge's 1940s-era cabins will be fairly extensively remodeled, he said, work that also will change them from duplexes to single units. The present pool building will be remodeled, but decisions aren't final about what the updated structure will contain. According to documents at the state Coastal Commission, some of the original options were a conference center, fitness center, massage rooms and subterranean brew pub. Winter said he's not going to move water rights to the lodge from another of his Cambria businesses, Cambria Nursery & Florist. The Coastal Commission doesn't want that to happen, he said Feb. 13. For more information about the lodge, visit www.cambriapineslodge.com. Tour of California enters SLO todayThursday, February 23, 2006The inaugural Tour of California, an eight-day cycling event that's quickly gaining some oomph in the grand scheme of things in the two-wheel world, goes throught San Luis Obispo County today and tomorrow.The Tour, which will cover most of the coastline between San Francisco and Los Angeles, can easily be viewed as an event trying to capitalize on the popularity push that Lance Armstrong and his seven Tour de France titles gave to cycling in the United States. Now, to many sports fans out there, the extent of interest in cycling began and ended whenever Armstrong took on his annual assault on Paris. But it's events like the Tour of California that organizers hope to use to not only foster the next generation of Armstrongs, but also to allow the U.S. guys that labored in the shadows of the seven-time Tour de France champ to show their stuff on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Having seven of the top teams in the world racing in this Tour only adds credibility to an event in its first year of operation. That's what makes this important to the Central Coast: Having a slew of top-flight American riders - like Julich, Levi Leipheimer, Floyd Landis and Armstrong lieutenant George Hincapie - along with big-name international riders, such as Australian greats Stuart O'Grady and world sprint champ Michael Rogers, attracts attention from all over the country and from across the oceans. You take that attention, toss in television exposure (the Tour is getting nightly coverage on ESPN 2) and add the scenery that Central Coast residents love to brag about, and voila! TOURISM DOLLARS! The riders arrive in the area on Thursday afternoon at the end of Stage Four, which will take the riders all the way from Monterey to San Luis Obispo's Mission Plaza along Highway 1 (scenic route, indeed!). After that comes the big one: Friday's Stage Five. The stage begins in San Luis Obispo, heading down Highway 227 along the east end of the area, through Corbett Canyon before popping up on Grand Ave. in Arroyo Grande. They'll cut across to Oceano and rejoin Highway 1, skirting between Nipomo and the dunes area and head through Guadalupe, which will be the starting point for the second sprint stage (a competition within the competition). Then the peloton will leave Highway 1 at Clarke Ave. in Orcutt, cutting through Old Orcutt and heading all the way along Clark to Garey, eventually winding their way onto Foxen Canyon Road. That will take them on to Los Olivos and Highway 154, which they'll take past Santa Ynez and over the San Marcos Pass, a Category 1 (decent, but not a leg-killer) climb; After the climb comes the descent, all the way into Santa Barbara. The teams will cross State Street at the Pass exit and cross the hills onto Shoreline Drive, wrapping things up next to the Santa Barbara Harbor. Huell Howser features North Coast on California GoldWednesday, February 22, 2006See the North Coast's newest state park through the eyes of a pro at 6 p.m. Thursday when Huell Howser's "California Gold" show travels to San Simeon and tours former Hearst Ranch property along the ocean.Howser also showcases a large rookery of elephant seals about 11 miles north of Cambria. The show will be cablecast locally on KCET Public Television (Channel 8). Night owls can see it again at 12:30 a.m. Friday. During Howser's visit to the area Oct. 15, he interviewed State Parks Ranger Leander Tamoria, Michele Roest of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Ken Cumings, a docent with the Friends of the Elephant Seal program. For more about "California Gold," log onto www.calgold.com. Schwarzenegger coming to Dolphin Bay HotelTuesday, February 21, 2006Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is coming to Shell Beach for his first campaign fundraiser in San Luis Obispo County.The new "Dolphin Bay Hotel" and state senator Abel Maldonado are hosting the private dinner March 10. According to the governor's campaign spokesperson, invitations are already in the mail. A seat at the governor's table costs $22,300 per couple, while all other seats are $10 thousand a couple. The governor has reportedly set his campaign fundraising goal at $60 million and wants to earn another $60 million for the state Republican Party. The primary election is June 6, and the general election is Nov. 7. Central Coast Golf & Wine Vacation PackagesMonday, February 20, 2006 Dairy Creek Golf Course - 16th Originally uploaded by golfslo. San Luis Obispo County is one of the finest, most beautiful locations for golf and wine tasting in all of California. Recognized by Golf Digest Magazine as first for golf in California and predicted to be as well known a viticultural area as the glamorous vineyards of Napa Valley in the next decade by The Wine Advocate, San Luis Obispo County and the Central Coast are fast becoming world-renowned for its fine wines and top-notch golf. Let Golf SLO help you plan your wine and golf excursion on the Central Coast by booking your Pismo Beach, Paso Robles, Morro Bay or San Luis Obispo Golf and Wine Vacation now! Book Golf & Wine Vacation Package at Golf SLO Cambria Bicycle Outfitter in the Tour of CaliforniaSaturday, February 18, 2006Bicycle and parts retailer Cambria Bicycle Outfitter is setting up shop alongside the Tour of California, the only bicycle retailer to do so for all eight days of the Tour's Lifestyles Festival."There will be local bicycle retailers at each stop, but we're the only one that will be part of the entire tour," said Steve Fleury, general manager. He had been tracking the development of the tour and contacted AEG, the tour owner, last fall when details of the race became official. Using a 22-foot trailer, Cambria Bicycle Outfitter will travel to each race stop and construct a traveling store stocked with merchandise. "We're really equipped to do this type of event," said Fleury. "We've done mountain bike and road bike races all across the country, but this will be at a whole new level." Cambria Bicycle Outfitter, celebrating its 20th anniversary in May, is based in Cambria with stores in San Luis Obispo and Santa Rosa. As well, the retailer does mail order and Internet-based sales. "We're one of the top five mail-order companies in the world for bike parts," said Fleury, who estimated mail order sales exceed $10 million annually. In conjunction with the tour, the retailer just completed a contest to give three winners a daylong ride in a Mavic "neutral support car." Mavic, a French manufacturer of bike wheels and components, will provide a vehicle throughout the race that follows the cyclists and provides back-up mechanical support. More than 500 entries were received at the retailer's three locations, as well as at Cambria Bicycle Emporium, a partner company in Auburn. Winners from Atascadero, Cambria and Petaluma were selected, but the names have not yet been released. The rides will be offered along the Sausalito-to-Santa Rosa, Monterey-to-San Luis Obispo and San Luis Obispo-to-Santa Barbara stages. "Basically, the winners will get to be in the race," he said. "They will meet the cyclists and get VIP treatment." The Tribune, Biz Buzz To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Dolphin Bay Hotel and Residences opens Feb 15Saturday, February 11, 2006Dolphin Bay Hotel and Residences, a new luxury oceanfront resort, opens in Shell Beach (San Luis Obispo County) on Feb. 15. Dolphin Bay will feature 70 units, some of which are privately owned. The rest of the units will comprise the Dolphin Bay Hotel. Rooms feature designer Italian linens, gourmet kitchens with quality appliances, plasma flat panel televisions with surround sound systems, and wide-angle Pacific Ocean views come in a variety of configurations, complimentary high-speed Internet access, custom woodwork and granite countertops. Selected units feature fireplaces and Aire Jet tubs. The hotel also features a restaurant spa, fitness center and infinity-edge pool. Travel agents are invited to come and experience the property beginning with the hotel's soft opening on Feb. 15 to May 25, Sundays through Thursdays, for the special industry rate of $65 per night. Hotel rack rates range from $425 to $1,500 per night when the resort's high season commences on May 26. Dolphin Bay Hotel and Residences is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Call 800-516-0112 or visit www.dolphinbayhotelandresidences.com.Pismo Beach's Kon Tiki Inn named a gemFriday, February 10, 2006For 32 years, the Kon Tiki Inn in Pismo Beach has welcomed Central Coast visitors. Now, the hotel has been named one of the 2005 winners of TripAdvisor's Travelers Choice Award for Best Hidden Gem in the country. TripAdvisor.com provides travel information, reviews and advice from travelers across the globe. The awards highlight what travelers have found to be the best hotels in five categories: Top Luxury, Best Hidden Gems, Best Bargains, Best for Families and Best Pools. "The Kon Tiki has always been a property that we've been really proud of," said Suzen Brasile, executive director of the Pismo Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. "The high quality and consistency of the property is a matter of great pride for the ownership and staff, and it's something that repeat guests have been able to rely on for many years." The 86-room hotel has been a member of the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce since 1974. Owner Henry Myers said being one of the top 10 hidden gems was an honor for the hotel, employees and the city of Pismo Beach. Myers said travelers rated the hotel highly on such things as location, comfort of the rooms and friendliness of the staff. The inn employs 36 people. "We feel honored to be recognized by travelers from throughout the world," he said. "I didn't know that TripAdvisor had such an award, and I was pleasantly surprised that there were only two chosen from the state of California, and we were one of them." Read entire article at: Biz Buzz The Tribune, Julie Lynem To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Amgen Tour of California approachesThursday, February 09, 2006Feb. 19-26: The world's premier professional cycling teams wend their way from redwoods to wine country to the beach during the Amgen Tour of California. The seven-stage race covers 600 miles from San Francisco to Redondo Beach. After time trials and stops in Santa Rosa, San Jose and San Luis Obispo, riders will roll into Santa Barbara early on Feb. 24, then continue on to Thousand Oaks and end with a circuit race in Redondo Beach on Feb. 26. At each city stop, a Lifestyle Festival will feature a health and fitness expo, cycling gear, a kids zone, BMX demonstrators and a finish-line big screen.Festival locations: Embarcadero at Market Street, San Francisco; Santa Rosa Avenue at 3rd Street, Santa Rosa; Almaden Boulevard at Park Avenue and Santa Teresa Boulevard at Chantilley Lane in San Jose; Monterey Street at Oso Street, San Luis Obispo; West Cabrillo Boulevard near State Street, Santa Barbara; 1 Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks; West Harbor Drive at Beryl Street in Redondo Beach. Free. http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com . Guadalupe DunesSunday, February 05, 2006 guadalupe dunes Originally uploaded by flyin' hawaiian. Photograph by flyin' hawaiin of Guadalupe Dunes. Attracting Business to San Luis ObispoSaturday, February 04, 2006The Tribune ran an article today about several companies with international clients who do business in San Luis Obispo. Owners say in the Internet age is isn't important where a firm is located as long as its staff can provide for their customers; another local draw is the region's intrinsic beauty.A number of area businesses are proving that a San Luis Obispo address does not inhibit global reach. These firms could operate anywhere in the world -- and perhaps would be more at home in Silicon Valley or New York City. Yet, they have chosen San Luis Obispo for the quality of life and proximity to Cal Poly. Access to technology also has enabled these service-oriented businesses to reach clients the world over. Physical location, they say, is no longer relevant. Proximity to Cal Poly was also cited as a main attraction to setting up a business in San Luis Obispo. Many companies draw potential employees from the pool of university students. However, while Cal Poly fills a critical need for skilled employees, companies still struggle to attract experienced professionals from outside the county. Potential hires are often hesitant to commit to relocating to an area where there isn't a wide pool of job opportunities. The rising cost of homes is also an issue. In the late 1990s, companies could exploit the cost-of-living gap between San Luis Obispo and Silicon Valley. Now, local companies hoping to attract high-quality talent have to make competitive offers. The lack of spousal employment opportunities and the cost of housing are two of the biggest hurdles in attracting companies to the county. Software and biotechnology companies are two potential industries that could successfully operate out of the county, but currently the county's economy is far too dependent on tourism, agriculture and government. San Luis Obispo needs to grow the number of high-paying jobs here. The companies won't come here unless they know that there's a critical mass. Source: Flying the international skies The Tribune, Ermina Karim To see more of The Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to www.sanluisobispo.com. (c) 2005, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Read More
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