Santa Ynez wine country. Gurgle, gurgle.

The last weekend during my trip to Cali (a week ago0 we went wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley (Santa Barbara County). Spent some time in Solvang with my friends Sam, Josh and Erica, and my family - the Nowak's (Grafton Uncle Bob's family). Hit some old wineries and some new. Had a limo (thanks, Sam), which is a convenient way for winos to travel. Beautiful weather. Good wine. All in all, an excellent time.

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Part Deux! Fiesta! Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara!

Seems I forgot to regale you with pictures from Fiesta! 2009 in Santa Barbara. Click on READ MORE! for more shots. If you love horses, the horse parade on Friday (this was the first weekend in August) was quite spectacular. I've been to Fiesta many times since living in Cali but I prefer Solstice in May. I thought this may be my last "Old Spanish Days" for a while so I took in the sights and sounds as one last swan song before I move back to WI. Plus, any excuse I can use to party with the Santa Barbara Nowaks is an excuse I'll snap up in a minute. Incidentally, my parents and Brother Jason were partying that same weekend with Tom Nowak (of Santa Barbara) and Rick Nowak (Greendale, WI) at Village Days in Greendale. It was a West Coast/Midwest Ircink/Nowak party weekend! (If you don't know, the Nowak's are family through marriage - my dad's youngest sister, Aunt Ev, married the oldest Nowak, my Uncle Bob.)

The dancers above were featured on that same Friday evening at the Sunken Gardens (part of the Santa Barbara courthouse grounds).

Greg Nowak (standing), Chuck Nowak and his wife, Heather and their four children at the Children's Parade on Saturday.

Horses during Friday's horse parade, one of the largest in the country.

More dancers at the Sunken Gardens.

Mark Aldecoa, Laura (Nowak) and their eldest, Melissa, who's off to start her freshman year at UCLA.


The Santa Barbara courthouse.

Chuck's two oldest. We passed out flowers to the pretty senoritas during the parade.

Even this dog got in on the festivities.

This lady, I believe, was a Fiesta parade grand marshall or Fiesta princess back in like 1900.

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Fiesta! Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara!

Just arrived in Santa Barbara (11:45 p.m. Thursday) for another Fiesta! 2 1/2 hrs instead of the normal 1 1/2 hrs. 'cause of fucked up traffic on both the 405 and Sepulveda. One thing I won't miss in LA = the traffic bullshit.

This Fiesta will be my last one for a while as I'm moving back to Wisconsin at the end of the month. Probably won't come back to Cali for this event - Solstice in June is much better. Tomorrow's one of the world's largest equestrian parades, EL DESFILE HISTÓRICO and Saturday is the 79th Annual Children's Parade, or ANNUAL EL DESFILE DE LOS NIÑOS.

Crashing at Tom's house (as in T. Nowak, my non-blood Uncle Bob's bro..."where'd ya go, Tom?) and will attend Chuck N.'s barbecue Saturday with his family, along with Greg N. and Laura N (with her family - hubby Mark, Melissa and Little Mark).

The Nowak's and Santa Barbara...always a most excellent tradition! VIVA LA FIESTA!

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A few Solstice honeys.

Oops...how did Greg Nowak get in there? Sorry. Children - turn away.

Even though this picture of me and my Aunt Ev (dad's youngest sister) was taken the day before the parade, I wanted to include her in my Solstice Honey post 'cause she bitched at me last year as all the "honey's" were blondes. And after all, my Aunt Ev is the best Solstice Honey out there!

Check out my 2007 Solstice Babe post and the story behind the lame Solstice beer garden from last year. Newsflash! The beer garden is still fucked up. Same pathetic layout (the size of my right nut) AND - get this - they were charging a $5 cover to get in. BULLSHIT! I say to the beautiful city of Santa Barbara. We boycotted the garden this year - which is why I limited in my shots of Solstice Honeys this year.

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Santa Barbara Solstice Parade!

This was my 4th or 5th Solstice. Was sorry that my brother, Jas, couldn't make it (fishing in Canada). Always a good time. Colorful floats. Colorful dancers. And the people of Santa Barbara embrace the spirit of the day that's fun to watch. Click on READ MORE! and enjoy the parade.

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Greg getting into the Solstice spirit before the parade starts.

Don't know these folks but they looked the part so I shot them.

An errant Solstice bubble landed on my leg and remained there for a good hour.

Alien pod crossing.

Tom (far right) getting into it after the parade at Alameda Park. Quite primal, I must say. Old and young alike got into the action. Course, there wasn't 500 naked bicyclists like there were in the Seattle Solstice parade...but we had fun nevertheless.

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