LATELY, WITH THESE TOASTY TEMPS, you can start to believe that the blooming run for 2017 is over, finished, and no more. That, of course, holds little water, for the Golden State is awash with fresh flowers for much of the year (true story: Some of the high slopes of the Sierra haven't even dipped a toe in wildflower season yet). One of the most mythical, and rhapsodized-over, and deeply pondered of petal-makers is the lotus, and it is a blossom that doesn't truly hit peak showiness before July, at least around Southern California. There are places to lavish love upon the soft-hued superstar, from The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens to Echo Park. Every spot lucky enough to be be-lotus'd is a good spot to be, in the early days of the seventh month, but consider heading to Santa Barbara, and the historic estate of Ganna Walska, for...
LOTUSFEST 2017: The beloved summer-quintessential gathering isn't simply about sighing over the pinky-white H2O lovers but, also, the tasting of vinos "from Santa Barbara's premier vintners," as well as fancy foams and a host of small bites, too. This makes the Santa Barbara-based to-do, which is on from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 15, a sublime supping and quaffing event, in addition to a lotus-viewing moment, too. A ticket? It's $115, and a bit less if you're a Lotusland member. If July 15 is a busy one for you, and you can't be there, be gladdened by this tidbit: The lotuses are busy opening now, as of the final week in June, so a stop-by in the next couple of weeks should give you some prime lotus sightings, or, shall we say, sigh-tings.
