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Are you a Food Network Junkie? If so, you probably saw the new culinary competition All-Star Academy in which ten home cooks across the country were paired with Food Network famous chefs. If not, here's a quick update. After eight episodes, it came down to two finalists and Santa Barbara local Vanessa Craig was one of them. Paired with Chef Michael Symon, she was energetic, spunky and lots of fun to watch. Sadly she didn't win the final prize but 2nd place isn't shabby! After the national exposure and now that the show is over, Vanessa is back home in Santa Barbara. Her passion is to share her love for food and her love of Santa Barbara and is now a private chef and caterer with her newly launched business Vanessa Loves Food. Vanessa Craig in the kitchen
Wine tasting rooms are popping up in downtown Santa Barbara right and left. No longer do you have to drive an hour north into wine country to taste the wines of the region. There are tasting rooms in the Funk Zone, on State Street, the new Presidio neighborhood and even on the pier. So head to the Funk Zone to one of my favorite places.....Les Marchands Wine Bar & Retail. Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant Les Marchards is a wine bar and a wine shop. You can taste/buy wines from local producers but you can also find wines from France and Italy and other international destinations. It's a wine lovers dream. After a day of wine tasting, shopping or hanging at the beach, Les Marchands is the perfect spot for a pre-dinner or post-dinner glass of wine.

This post originally appeared on FoodableTV.com As you drive up the coast of California from Los Angeles, you pass through the city of Santa Barbara. The 101 Freeway starts to shift...

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