The inaugural Central Coast Craft Brew Week will be held May 23-28 in various locations throughout SLO County. This special event will benefit Hospice of San Luis Obispo County, an organization that supports the community in coping with loss and promoting healing by providing free counseling, community education and volunteer support to those grieving a death or dealing with potential end of life issues.

Kicking off Craft Beer week will be Restaurant Week, which encourages the community to get out into their locally owned restaurants and try the craft beers made and served locally in the county.

In addition, the participating restaurants will be offering special food and beer pairings with proceeds benefitting Hospice of SLO County and chances to win coveted tickets to the 25th Annual California Festival of Beers rounding out the week of education and community involvement. 

How can you be sure your wealth will be left to those you choose? Estate planning can help ensure someone's estate will pass to the heirs the way that person wants, when they want, in the most effective manner.

Learn how to avoid probate, save taxes, and control the distribution of your estate at a special seminar hosted by Stifel Nicolaus and Carmel & Naccasha LLP on May 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Novo Restaurant Lounge, 726 Higuera St. in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The featured speaker will be Brian J. Baker, attorney at law with Carmel & Naccasha LLP. Hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Kick start the summer with the San Luis Obispo Vintners Association during Roll Out the Barrels Weekend. The 21st annual Roll Out the Barrels Weekend, which usually takes place in spring, has moved to new summer dates from June 23 – 26.

There will be over 25 participating wineries in the San Luis Obispo Wine Region participating in this event.  This four day event consists of three major components: Barrels In The Plaza, Winemaker Dinners, and the popular two-day Passport to Wine Country.

Every first Friday, hundreds of visitors converge onto downtown San Luis Obispo to see new art exhibits and add to their growing collections. With dozens of galleries and non-traditional exhibit spaces, it’s SLO's favorite night of the month to celebrate art.

Though many shops are open earlier, Art After Dark officially starts at 6 p.m. and runs to 9 p.m.

On a typical Art After Dark, over 20 galleries and non-traditional art venues (think restaurants, boutiques, and salons) spotlight the best of established and emerging local artists. They sometimes also feature the works of nationally and internationally acclaimed artists.

Expect sore feet, full bellies, and creative jucies to be flowing from 6 to 9 p.m. on the first Friday of the month.

The Santa Maria Philharmonic Society presents the unique and artistic concert, Piano for Six Hands at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, May 13 at 8 pm.
 
"Piano for Six Hands" is exactly what it sounds like - three pianists playing at one piano at one time. Successful and talented soloist pianists Anna and Kirill Gliadkovsky will join forces with their virtuoso 13-year-old daughter Anastassia for this unique concert experience. 
 
Adding Anastassia to their concerts has allowed the Gliadkovskys to offer something fairly uncommon: They perform music for four hands and for six, as well as solos. At the Clark Center, the family will perform on one grand piano. 

In Spring of 2010, Vina Robles uncorked a new visual experience at its Hospitality Center with the opening of an art gallery.

The Gallery at Vina Robles is a dedicated 1,800 square-foot space that features rotating exhibits from a variety of accomplished local and regional artists. Art, wine, and food are classic pairings that meld together to create an extraordinary wine country experience here at Vina Robles.

On Friday, May 6, from 6 to 8 p.m., Vina Robles will celebrate the opening of their latest art exhibition presented by the Central Coast Watercolor Society, The Big Water Media Show. The evening, which is complimentary and open to the public, will include the announcement of winners, wine tasting and light appetizers.

The Central California Coast Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) will host its Region’s annual Forum on May 13 and 14 at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott, located at 555 McMurray Road, Buellton, Calif.

Region 12 consists of the following chapters: San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Gabriel Valley, San Bernardino/Riverside, Ventura/Oxnard, Inland Valley, Central California Coast, Bakersfield, Long Beach, Coachella Valley, Simi-Conejo, Honolulu, and Las Vegas.

“These annual regional conferences provide opportunities for personal and professional growth for women employed in the construction industry by offering educational seminars, solutions for business, networking and more,” Chapter President Joan Hertel said.

Every May, people wonder how they can show their appreciation to the person in their life with one of the toughest jobs in the world: their mom.

With Mother's Day coming up on Sunday, it's time to show your appreciation with a little pampering. Your mother is the woman who does it all, so how can you show that you appreciate it all? One of the best ways to show your appreciation is to ask her to do less.