In my Prius, a notification pops up in the form of a coffee cup topped with steam squiggles and accompanied by a message inquiring, “Would you like to take a break?”
This safety feature is designed to alert drivers to potential drowsiness, but it always makes me smile, because when I’m traveling, coffee shops are often my intended destination. Yes, I would like to take a break.
On a recent drive to Santa Barbara wine country, the roads winding north led me through the charming towns of the Santa Ynez Valley, each with a coffee destination, from historic taverns, bakeries and cozy community hubs to modern temples of espresso.
With four locations across Santa Barbara and Goleta, Dune Coffee has been roasting rare single-origin and signature blends of coffee beans since 2009. In March, barista Kay Cheon became the 2025 U.S. Barista Champion. During the competition, he explored how the theme of building blocks in coffee — from bean variety and roast to brewing techniques and ingredients — can combine to create something exceptional, even adding colorful Lego props for visuals. This fall, Cheon will compete at the World Barista Championship in Milan, Italy.
“A big part of our community has come along for the barista championship journey, and that’s really special to see,” says Cheon.
Heading deeper into the Santa Ynez Valley, specialty coffee bars have opened in converted Airstream trailers and Old West saloons. Stop into the airy and bright Little King in Buellton and you are likely to sip a cortado next to a lauded local chef like Brad Mathews of Bar Le Côte in Los Olivos.
“The love for coffee is real in the Santa Ynez Valley,” says Ryan Pelton, a barista at Queen Cup, a shop with locations in Santa Ynez and Los Alamos. “It’s like Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso’ on repeat.”
On your next road trip to Santa Barbara wine country or elsewhere along the Central Coast, follow this trail to some of the best scenic views, tasty baked goods and delicious cups of coffee.
SHOPPERS are racing to Lidl to grab a garden lighting essential that’s perfect for summer evenings – and it’s up to £8 cheaper than similar buys at other big-name stores.
The Livarno Home LED Parasol String Lights are on shelves for just £7.99 and have got garden lovers buzzing online.
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Livarno Home LED Parasol String Lights are on shelves for just £7.99Credit: Facebook/DanswayGiftsandBargainsUK
They feature 72 twinkling mini LEDs, eight vintage-style bulbs, and give off a warm white glow – perfect for adding atmosphere to your patio or balcony.
There’s also a six-hour timer, so you can set them and relax without worrying about turning them off.
They’re designed for outdoor use and stretch 3 metres, so they’re ideal for wrapping around parasols or fencing.
The lights sparked a flurry of excitement on social media after one eagle-eyed shopper posted: “LED Parasol lights spotted at LIDL..!”
The post quickly racked up comments, with one fan writing: “Perfect. Hope they still have them tomorrow.”
Another tagged a mate and said: “I now fully understand why you were so excited… these look awesome!”
A third added: “Ooo these are so cute!!!”
But not everyone was glowing with praise.
One unhappy customer hit out: “This is the most disappointing product I have EVER bought from Lidl.
“The cabling is short, no means of fixing & if you do waste 2 hours of your life persevering in fixing these lights, they then interfere with the operation of the parasol & the cables are sliced.
“Save your money, don’t bother!!!”
Five simple ways to save cash at Lidl
Still, plenty of shoppers reckon they’re a steal – especially compared to similar options:
Amazon’s Smart Garden Altuna Luces DE Cadena 72 LED – £14.50
Parasol String Lights 80 Warm White LED Garden Timer Lights – £15.99
That means you could save up to £9 by choosing Lidl’s version.
Remember to compare prices
It is important to remember to always shop around when buying something like this as you might find a cheaper alternative.
Websites like Trolley and Price Spy let you compare thousands of products across different retailers to find the best price.
Price Spy even lets you see how much an item has cost over time, so you can see if the current price is a good deal.
A quick scan on the Google Shopping/Product tab will also bring up how much retailers are selling a certain item for.
Lidl reduces items at the start of the day, and the best deals can be found between 7am and 8am, when most stores open.
Shoppers can often find cooked meats, salmon fillets and breads reduced by 30% or more.
Not only does Lidl have its own range of reasonably priced alcohol, it also has its own knock-offs of branded favourites – so say cheers to its bargain booze.
Everyone knows about the “Middle of Lidl” – it’s here where you’ll find a load of random stuff you didn’t realise you needed, at decent prices.
But if you are hoping to avoid spending more than you planned, you can check what will be in the “Middle of Lidl” on the supermarket’s website in advance.
The Middle of Lidl is refreshed every Thursday and Sunday.
Shoppers can also keep tabs on what’s appearing in the “Pick of the Week” section on the Lidl website.
The discounts happen every Thursday and are usually on fruit, vegetables, and meat.
How to bag a bargain
SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…
Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.
Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.
Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.
Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.
Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.
Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.
Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
