News nibbles 

Local hero: Ubatuba in SLO is under new ownership, but will continue to serve up authentic acai bowls, smoothies, and empanadas made the Brazilian way (or the Cali way, whatever you prefer). If you get a chance, stop by and say hello to new owner Marty Cano, who has lived and loved in SLO since joining the Cal Poly Mustangs football team way back in 1992 (Go Mustangs! Find the eatery at 785 March St.) … Road trip? I think yes. The Solvang Chamber of Commerce has introduced a new and improved Solvang Third Wednesday event, which will be launched this April 19 to much fanfare. The event now features a three-course local restaurant special menu priced at $25 per person, updated wine and beer walk, the Wednesday Solvang Farmers Market, and nifty offerings at participating businesses (find out more at solvangwinewalk.eventbrite.com) … Sunshine Bottle Works, SLO’s craft soda darling, will soon release a brand spanking-new ginger beer (with bite) to its already awesome natural sodas lineup! If you haven’t already tried the spezi, cream, and rootbeer flavors, get on it. Moscow mules, I’m coming for you (sunshinebottleworks.com)!

Green wines for a better world

These local wineries are proving that good taste can have good intentions: True Myth Winery in Edna Valley is dedicated to helping create a milkweed habitat for migrating monarch butterflies throughout California, and is testing a variety of different milkweed species in various locations to determine the best species of milkweed to plant … With its newly built energy-efficient winery in Paso Robles, Riboli Family Wine Estates is now considered a zero waste discharger. The winery was built to conserve energy and water, and reduce waste all around. In addition, the Riboli family has partnered with RevSolar to install solar panels that will provide around 90 percent of the winery’s power by the end of this year … While surveying his new vineyard property in Paso Robles, David Parrish, owner of Parrish Family Vineyard, discovered a dried up riverbed and partnered with local agencies to restore it and bring it back to its natural condition. The public is invited to tour the cleaned up creek and talk to David as well as a local biologist during an Earth Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 22; parrishvineyards.com … Halter Ranch in Paso Robles encompasses a total of 2,058 acres of land and only uses 330 acres for vineyards, roads, and the tasting room. The rest of the property sits in its natural state to preserve the land … Niner Wine Estates was the first SIP certified winery in California. With its industry-leading water reclamation system, Niner collects more than 45,000 gallons of water for every inch of rain received, which is then used to irrigate the vineyards. There are many, many more local wineries doing their part, but I think we can all agree that these forerunners deserve a round of hearty applause!

Now nosh on this

How are we going to feed the world without destroying the planet we live on? This is the burning question of the day, and it will be tackled visually during a showing of the documentary Island Earth this April 14 at the Chris Burkard Studio in Pismo Beach. This thought-provoking flick shows the revolutionary future of farming in Hawaii as detailed by surfer/filmmaker Cyrus Sutton, and promises to be as riveting as it is beautiful (for information and tickets, go to islandearthfilm.com) … Stolo Family Vineyards of Cambria has introduced three wines that shine with the clarity of this new, spring season: a 2016 gewürztraminer, 2016 sauvignon blanc, and 2016 rosé of pinot noir. Check out the winery’s tasting room off Santa Rosa Creek Road where the sea meets the pines and learn about where their glorious grapes are farmed (the operation lies on 53 acres of amazingly scenic coastal land home to a 1880s farmhouse, redwood dairy barn, and unique microclimate).

Hayley Thomas Cain enjoys her own microclimate. She can be reached at  [email protected].