Carpinteria Magazine Summer 2021

SUMMER 2021

livingcommunityartshoppingdining

SUMMER2021

MAGAZINE

CARPINTERIA

CARPINTERIA MAGAZINE

Your health. Simplified.

Sansum Clinic provides complete and coordinated care with more than 30 medical specialties, convenient Urgent Care, and state-of-the-art outpatient surgical care — close to home.

Our secure and easy-to-use technology including MyChart electronic health record, mobile access and custom apps, online payment portal and appointment reminders by text keep you connected to your healthcare from anywhere at anytime.

Carpinteria Family Medicine 4806 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 (805) 566-5080 Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Friday 8:00 am to 12 noon Same-Day and Telehealth Visits Available

Providing primary care for you and your entire family in Carpinteria.

Call 1 (800) 4-SANSUM SansumClinic.org

Idyllic Carpinteria Ranch 1 1 .7 3 AC R ES | 3 H O M ES | O C E A N V I E W S

1701-1795 Cravens Lane is a once-in-a-lifetime property with boundless opportunities to dream & create. 3 separate Ocean View homes, each architecturally distinct and private, with extensive outdoor living spaces. Perfect for a family compound, or live in one/generate income with the others. Abundant open land and ag water available to create your own avocado ranch, farm, or equestrian property. This dream property encapsulates the Carpinteria lifestyle & California outdoor living.

1701-1795 Cravens Lane is a once-in-a-lifetime property with boundless opportunities to dream and create. 3 separate Ocean View homes, each architecturally distinct and private, with extensive outdoor living spaces. Perfect for a family compound, or live in one/generate income with the others. Abundant open land and ag water available to create your own avocado ranch, farm, or equestrian property. This dream property encapsulates the Carpinteria lifestyle and California outdoor living.

Jon-Ryan Schlobohm

— Broker Associate | Realtor® 805.450.3307 jr@jon-ryan.com DRE 01876237

Sarah Aresco Smith

S C H LO B O H M T E A M . C O M

— Broker Associate | Realtor® 805.252.3868 sarah@lovecarpinteria.com DRE 01882574

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.

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your dream home awaits

Let us help you navigate through your next Real Estate Journey in Santa Barbara!

LORI CLARIDGE BOWLES 805.452.3884 lori@loribowles.com | loribowles.com | CalRE #01961570 DANA ZERTUCHE 805.403.5520 dana@danazertuche.com | danazertuche.com | CalRE #01465425 The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved.

Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

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GARY GOLDBERG Realtor | Broker #1 Individually Ranked Agent for Total Escrows Closed in Carpinteria in 2020* #2 Individually Ranked Agent for Total Transactions in Carpinteria since 2000* #3 Individually Ranked Agent for Total Dollar Volume in Sales in Carpinteria since 2000*

5 MY

Realtor Secrets to Selling Your Home Quickly

REAL ESTATE SALES PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Whether you’re buying, selling or vacationing in the Carpinteria, Montecito, Santa Barbara, Goleta or Santa Barbara area, I provide in-depth assistance for all your real estate needs.

GARY GOLDBERG GSI/CRS

My brokerage, Coastal Properties, has been assisting sellers, buyers and vacationers in the area for nearly 27 years. My seasoned team and I specialize in all aspects of real estate, from residential and commercial sales to land development, property management, leasing and vacation rentals. I use the latest and superior technology when marketing a property or analyzing a purchase. Scan the QR code above to find out some of my tools.

Over $850,000,000 in Total Sales since 2000

805.455.8910 Gary@coastalrealty.com www.garygoldberg.net

I will carefully guide you throughout your search and invite you to connect with me to experience the friendly, professional and confidential service my company provides.

*Based on Individual Rankings from Santa Barbara Board of Realtors

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BRE #01172139

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Experts in all phases of hardwood sales, custom fabrication, installation, stairs, recoats, and finishes

QUALITY YOU CAN STAND ON SINCE 1983

KERRY MILLER PHOTO

805.650.1900 www.artizenfloorcorp.com Lic#998696

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Carpinteria Rose Story Farm • 7BD/5BA • Available May 2021

Taylor Toner CalRE#01962161 • 805.451.4999 Tara Toner CalRE#01957054 • 805.451.4801 themontecitogroup@gmail.com www.MontecitoGroupRealEstate.com 1290 Coast Village Road Montecito, California 93108 The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

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THANK YOU, CARPINTERIA WE’VE WORKED TOGETHER AND ACCOMPLISHED A LOT! ADVISORY COMMITTEE HANS BRAND LORRAINE MCINTIRE BARRY KAUFMAN JAIME DIAMOND JAMIE COLLINS TERESA ALVAREZ JASON RODRIGUEZ PAIGE VAN TUYL LEIGH-ANNE ANDERSON DON HALL DIANA RIGBY BETH COX MARYBETH CARTY PETER DUGRÉ JOYCE DONALDSON MARIA CHESLEY TRISTAN STRAUSS

Over $200,000 Raised within the Community, for the Community response to COVID-19.

40,000 MEALS SERVED SENIOR CARE SCHOOL SUPPLIES SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS

93013 Fund is a program of Rotary Club of Carpinteria Sunset Charitable Foundation

With founding support from

CHILDCARE SCHOLARSHIPS

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SERVING CARPINTERIA SINCE 1929

CARPINTERIA VALLEY LUMBER C HOME IMPROVEMENT CENTER HARDWARE • GARDEN

Mention this Ad for 10% off June & July SUCCULENTS & CACTUS FLOWERING ANNUALS/PERENNIALS VEGETABLES & HERBS • TILLANDSIA ORGANIC SOILS, INSECTICIDES, HERBICIDES & FERTILIZERS POTTERY & FOUNTAINS

The lumber builds the house…

The garden makes it home.

915 Elm Ave., Carpinteria

8O5-684-2183

Managers, Jason & Marilyn Minteer

CarpinteriaValleyLumber.com

Buying or selling a home with us is like a walk on the beach!

Seascape Realty Shirley Kimberlin

Terry Stain

Nancy Branigan

Leah Dabney

George Manuras

Sylvia's vast experience and innovative marketing strategies help Sellers get the highest possible price in the shortest possible time.

Seascape Realty View our properties Is Proud Tofor Welcome sale at Look4Seascape Realty.com Sylvia Miller

Sylvia Miller (805) 448-8882

And, her complete representation for Buyers can help you realize the perfect home to meet your needs.

Betsy Ortiz

Betty Lloyd

Sylvia's reputation for outstanding customer service makes her -

Diana Porter

THE RIGHT REALTOR® FOR YOU TM

4915-C Carpinteria Ave. • 805.684.4161

www.santabarbaraconnection.com - sylvia@sanbarb.com

BRE Lic#: 00558548

DRE Lic. #01484280

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Fine Body Products, Candles, Robes, Loungewear, Jewelry and Purses featuring: Kai, Votivo, Pre De Provence and much more

Serving Carpinteria for over 20 years

910 A Linden Avenue Downtown Carpinteria OPEN DAILY

805.684.6695

Transform your lawn to a water wise garden filled with California native plants. Visit CVWD.net or call 805-684-2816 ext. 116 for landscape rebate information.

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Preschool Through 8th Grade Small Class Size Specialty Courses in Art, Music and French The Carden Method®

Home is not just a place - it’s a Feeling, a place of Love and Comfort I was born and raised in this Sweet City of Carpinteria, where I reside now on our family avocado farm. I am passionate about helping my clients achieve their home ownership goals. If you are a first-time home buyer or planning to sell you need someone who knows this area intimately inside and out. I specialize in Carpinteria, Summerland, Montecito, Santa Barbara and Goleta.

CalRE #02039072

Give me a call and I can help you buy or sell your Sweet Piece of Paradise today.

GAYLE SPIEGLE 805-680-3534

Gayle.Spiegle@camoves.com • www.GayleSpiegle.cbintouch.com 3820 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Not intended as a solicitation if your property is already listed by another broker. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated.

The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

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SURF ‘N’ SUDS BEER FEST! CARPINTERIA: SAT., AUGUST 14TH VENTURA: SAT., OCTOBER 9TH

OVER 70 CRAFT BREWERIES

BENEFITTING:

CIDER, SELTZER, KOMBUCHA & WINE • LIVE MUSIC SURFBOARD SHAPERS • GAMES • VENDORS • FOOD

TIX: SURFBEERFEST.COM en fuego events

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THIS LIFESTYLE WILL MOVE YOU HOMES

•

VIEWS

•

LIFESTYLES

Carpinteria’s most celebrated Real Estate Advocate for both Buyers and Sellers.

Call Yo and Ask her why!

DRE: 01308141

YO L A N DA VA N W IN G E RD E N 805.570.4965 • Yolanda @AskYo.com

www.AskYo.com

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$2.00 Admission

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DEbbiE MuRphy

Broker/Property Manager/Notary Sales • Property Management • Vacation Rentals

DRE #00580025

www.murphykingrealestate.com 805.689.9696 or 805.684.4101 • 5441 Carpinteria Ave. Carpinteria, CA 93013

Coastal Boutiques | Fresh Seafood | Water Rentals | Artisans | Sweet Treats

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CARP SUMMER2021

features 42 RINCON ROAD: A SOUL FUL STROL L

A designer’s personal space is where the best of professional training and family history become home. We take you into Melinda Trembly’s space and tell you her story. Prepare to be both motivated and moved.

48 FROM FARM C AR T TO TA BL E

Fresh is good. Organic is great. Local is grand. When your business plan includes all three, you’re Farm Cart Organics and you’re on the road to changing the world one kale leaf at a time.

54 Q&A W ITH DOL ORES MOREL L I JOHNSON

She’s shifting the Montecito Motor Classic into high gear and all the lights are turning green for this mover and shaker.

Buckle up for a f un ride.

58 AR T OF KIN AND KIN D N ES S

Artist Amber O’Neill has turned heads with her paintings for years. Now she and her son Andrew combine her detailed precision and his raw brushstrokes to make magic on canvas.

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66 L OCAL PICKS FOR A L OC AL PIC NIC

We tracked down some of the best foods made in Carpinteria to create a picnic that would please any palate. It’s a recipe that’s easy to replicate with your own loved ones in your own favorite outdoor setting.

74 PL AYING IT B Y EAR

Music has myriad benefits, but perhaps its highest purpose is sparking joy. In times of isolation and uncertainly, like, say a global pandemic, that joy delivered by guitar strings, drum beats, and even over Zoom lessons became more precious than ever.

80 MIGHTY OAKS RISE AND FAL L AND RISE A G A I N

74

Ninety-three years ago, 71 live oak trees were planted on the Coast Highway to memorialize World War I’s fallen soldiers.

Exhaust, freeway construction, more exhaust, and a highway widening may have whittled down their numbers, but there’s a new chapter being written.

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P 944 Linden Ave. • Carpinteria • pacifichealthfoods.com • 805-684-2115

COME SHOP WITH US!

YOUR LOCAL, ORGANIC MARKET Juices • Smoothies • Açaí Bowls Sandwiches • Coffee & Tea Baked Goods • Fresh Salads Groceries • Vitamins

Follow us on Instagram @pacifichealthfoods and check out our menu online at www.pacifichealthfoods.com Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

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MAG departments

58

20

FROM T HE E DIT OR

28

93013

52

PAINT ING W IT H PROD UCE

72

WILD IN CARPINTERIA

84

RE COMME NDE D E ATS RE STAU RANT GU IDE

86

FICT ION: "AT TACHM E NT S "

89

RE AL E STAT E RE VIE W

95

CONT RIBU T ORS

96

FINAL FRAME

ON T H E COVE R

PRETTY AS A PAINTING Artist Amber O'Neill catches the last of the light at Summerland beach. Read her story on page 58.

66

~ Photo by Chris Orwig

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G CREATIVIT Y + CONNECTION + COMMUNIT Y

Gallery Exhibitions • Community Art Projects Events • Summer Camps • Programs • Classes Scholarships Available • Site Rentals

805-684-7789 • CarpinteriaArtsCenter.org 865 Linden Avenue • Downtown Carpinteria

#carpinteriaarts

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CARPINTERIA MAGAZINE

Hello summer!

SUMMER2021 EDITOR Lea Boyd

Dear readers,

PRODUCTION & DESIGN

I’m sitting on a beach chair with my feet in the sand. It’s a warm April day, a prelude to summer. When I shift my eyes off this page, there are my kids, jumping over and diving under frothy waves while gray-blue Santa Cruz Island sits on the horizon.

This is everything.

Are you at the beach now reading Carpinteria Magazine? Or in your garden or the patio of Lucky Llama? Wherever you are, I hope that these pages fill you with some of the summer feelings I’m having right now: relief, peace, and a lot of hope.

I think you’ll find those themes running through this edition of the magazine. It’s tasty and beautiful, and it tells the stories of people who make Carpinteria the greatest little beach town on the planet.

Biased much? Yes! How could I not be? It’s not just the shiny beach days or our sweet mom-and-pop downtown. It’s also the way that this community grows stronger for each challenge. Though COVID-19 wrung us out and tested our strength, we have put the worst behind us and are ready to rebuild.

I want to thank our advertisers who have supported this free publication through thick and thin. Lately, we realize, there has been a lot of thin. And thank you to our readers whose interest makes it worth our advertisers’ while.

Lastly, thank you to Carpinteria for being the kind of place where relief, peace, and hope always come back sooner or later.

Lea Boyd, Editor

Kristyn Whittenton WRITERS Peter Dugré Chuck Graham Debra Herrick Amy Marie Orozco Odessa Stork Megan Waldrep PHOTOGRAPHERS Bjoern Freiherr Chuck Graham Debra Herrick Michael Kwiecinski Daisuke Nakamura Chris Orwig PRODUCTION SUPPORT Karen Clark Amber O'Neill Robin Karlsson Rockwell Printing Montecito Motor Classic Carpinteria Valley Museum of History ADVERTISING Karina Villarreal karina@coastalview.com (805) 684-4428 GET SOCIAL WITH US CarpinteriaMagazine.com Instagram @CarpinteriaMagazine

Published by RMG Ventures, LLC Michael VanStry, President • Gary L. Dobbins, Vice President 4180 Via Real, Suite F, Carpinteria, California 93013 Tel: (805) 684-4428 Email: info@carpinteriamagazine.com

All articles, photographs and artwork appearing in this publication are the copyrighted intellectual property of RMG Ventures, LLC. RMG Ventures, LLC aggressively protects its intellectual property rights. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form without the express written permission of the publisher. ©2021 RMG Ventures, LLC.

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COME IN AND FIND YOURSELF Home baked goods, hand-dipped chocolates, gifts for every occasion, original works by local artists - plus the Magic Cup of Coffee!

905 Linden Ave. Carpinteria Lostandfoundcarpinteria@gmail.com #lostandfoundcarpinteria on Instagram

805-318-9009

Tuesday - Saturday 10-5pm • Sunday 12-4pm • Closed Mondays Friday and Saturday nights acoustic music when restrictions are lifted

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Earl Warren Showgrounds

RENOVATION PROJECT

NEEDS YOU!

Since 2000 we have had over 20 natural disasters and mandatory evacuations. Earl Warren has provided a base for first responders, evacuation victims and animal rescue.

Our goal is to restore the fairgrounds to the world class community / equestrian event center that it is intended to be.

YOU CAN HELP BY MAKING A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TODAY! Please Make checks payable to SB Equine Earl Warren Restoriation Project PO Box 60535, Santa Barbara, CA 93160 or Venmo: SBEquine-Evac Team * Photo is pre-pandemic

ww

We offe r w.b for rollin esa det g ad nth ails m ill.o visi ission rg/ t: s,

dis

BESANT HILL SCHOOL

cov er

O F H A P P Y VA L L E Y

LEARN HOW TO THINK NOT WHAT TO THINK Founded in 1946, our unique boarding and day high school offers a rigorous college-prep curriculum including: • Visual & Performing Arts Programs • Global Community • 4:1 Student Teacher Ratio • Summer Programs

• Environmental Studies • English as a Second Language (ESL) • Discussion Based Classes • Instructional Support Program

WWW.BESANTHILL.ORG (805) 646-4343

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MONTECITO L AW G R O U P STEFANIE HERRINGTON

I have known Stefanie for years, due to her volunteer

ATTORNEY

work within the Carpinteria community as well as her excellent

STEFANIE HERRINGTON 559 SAN YSIDRO ROAD, SUITE J STEFANIE HERRINGTON ATTORNEY STEFANIE HERRINGTON ATTORNEY ATTORNEY MONTECITO, CA 93108

reputation as an estate planning attorney. My wife and I had

559 SAN YSIDRO ROAD, SUITE J

SANYSIDRO YSIDRO ROAD, SUITE J J MONTECITO, CA 93108 559559 SAN ROAD, SUITE

(805) 293-6363

MONTECITO, CA MONTECITO, CA93108 93108

(805) 293-6363 stefanie@montecitolawgroup.com (805) 293-6363 stefanie@montecitolawgroup.com MONTECITOLAWGROUP.COM

(805) 293-6363

stefanie@montecitolawgroup.com MONTECITOLAWGROUP.COM

stefanie@montecitolawgroup.com MONTECITOLAWGROUP.COM MONTECITOLAWGROUP.COM

been putting off converting our assets into a revocable trust for years. When an impending vacation lit a fire under us and

559 SAN ROAD, did SUITE created a serious time YSIDRO crunch, Stefanie an J amazing job completing the documents before departure, all while MONTECITO, CAour 93108 clearly and tactfully explaining all aspects of this complicated legal instrument. We could not be more pleased.

(805) 293-6363

— Dr. M. Scott Smith

WWW.MONTECITOLAWGROUP.COM

Farm to Table • Chef’s Seasonal Specials Sustainable Meats & Seafood Extensive Wine List • Patio Dining

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A team specializing in multi-generational Financial Planning and Wealth Preservation Strategies for Professionals and their Families.

Serving the Central Coast for over 25 years

Jeff Moorhouse CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM

CARPINTERIA

VENTURA HARBOR

PO Box 122 1575 Spinnaker Dr. Ste. 201 Carpinteria, CA 93014 Ventura, CA 93001

8O5.684.2245

8O5.586.3636

moorhousefinancial.com Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. Moorhouse Financial is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

Birgitte Ibsen

Danish artist with abstract expressions

In local galleries & at IbsenArts.com

IT'S TIME

TO TURN YOUR HOUSE INTO YOUR DREAM HOME

CUSTOMIZING THE CENTRAL COAST FOR OVER 75 YEARS

FLOORING | WINDOWS | KITCHENS | HOME

WE SUPPORT OUR LOCAL NONPROFITS:

(805) 684-6565 3821 Santa Claus Ln. coastsupplyco.com

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CELEBR ATING CARPINTERIA SHOP DINE PLAY STAY WORK LIVE EXPLORE Carpinteria_7,62x4,68 Final.indd 1

SBSCchamber.com (805) 967-2500

4/23/21 10:04 AM

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RISDON’S

®

SERVICE

FIRE SAFETY

P

(805) 684-0805

CARPINTERIA CAR CARE INC.

“Your Fire Protection Connection Since 1978”

FIRE SAFETY INSPECTIONS • TESTING SALES • REPAIRS • INSTALLS

INSPECTIONS • TESTING Fire Sprinkler Systems SALES •• Suppression REPAIRS • INSTALLS Fire Extinguishers Systems

PRIVATE RESIDENCES • COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Specializing in Front End Alignment

Kitchen Hood Systems

Private Residences • Commercial Real Estate Fire Protection Property Assessment / Evaluations Fire Protection Fire •Sprinkler Systems Paints • Foams Gels Pool Pumps • Fire Hoses • Suppression Fire Extinguishers

Systems

"YOUR FIRE PROTECTION CONNECTION Kitchen Hood Systems SINCE 1978 SERVING SANTA BARBARA"

Fire Protection Property Assessment/Evaluations WWW.JOYEQUIPMENT.COM

Fire Protection • Paints • Foams • Fire Hoses

5690 CASITAS PASS ROAD, CARPINTERIA, CA 93013

Pool Pumps CA LICENSE C16-741286

When you think TIRES, think RISDONʼS.

516 Palm Ave • 805-318-9300

805-684-0805 W W W. J O Y E Q U I P M E N T. C O M

5690 Casitas Pass Road, Carpinteria, 93013 CA. LICENSE C16-741286

Greenleaf Landscapes • Tarpitz Gardening & Landscapes Growing Relationships • Carpinteria Chamber of Commerce Large Business of the Year 2019

www. gcelandscapes.com

P. O. Box 629 • Carpinteria, CA 93O14 8O5-448-5381 26 CARPINTERIAMAGAZINE.com

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Since the Summer of ’58…Carpinteria’s Favorite Burger!

Authentic Thai Food

“…worth the drive.”

–LA Times

The

SPOT

60 Years at Carpinteria’s Hottest Corner

Burgers • Fries • Chili • Hot Dogs Rings • Shakes • Cones Yummy Mexican Food, too!

389 Linden Ave. 2 Blocks from the Beach To Go 805-684-6311 Facebook.com/TheSpotCarpinteria

Weekday Lunch Special $10.50

incl. Appetizer & Soup or Salad

Seafood & Vegetarian Dishes Chilled Wine & Thai Beer 509 Linden Ave. • 805-684-2391 Dine-In • Take Out

Tues. - Fri. 11-2:30 5-9:30 • Sat.-Sun. 12-9:30

We’re proud to use only the leanest meats, tender chicken, fresh seafood, and traditional herbs and spices to create the essence of real Mexican flavor in all our family recipes.

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Catering

EVERY ITEM FRESH AND MADE-TO-ORDER Menudo Saturdays 7 Flavorful Soups Daily

Breakfast All Day • Chile Rellenos • Tortas Champurado • Hamburgers • Burritos • Chilaquilles Mole Enchilades • Homemade Corn Tortillas 13 Meat Choices • Shrimp/Fish Tacos

Dine In or To Go: 1-805-684-2212 Open Daily 7:30am-8pm

Closed Sundays 4795 Carpinteria Ave. www.reyesmarket.com

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93013

3 MILLION FOLLOWERS

PIZZA KING RULES TIKTOK

Nearly 20 years ago, 15-year-old Jose Alberto Diaz crossed the border from Mexico and two days later found his first job in the United States at Giovanni’s Pizza in Carpinteria. Some things haven’t changed since that day. He’s still the hardworking, always smiling guy behind the counter at Giovanni’s several days a week. But some things have changed. He’s now father to three kids and part owner of Persona Pizza (soon to be Cali-forno Pizzaria) in Santa Barbara.

Oh, and he’s also a TikTok star.

Diaz, or the Pizza King as he’s known to his nearly 3 million followers, follows a simple formula in his TikTok videos. He makes quirky pizzas, many at the request of his viewers. “Are you crazy?” He asks the camera. “All right, let’s do it!” Then he adds his signature whistle.

It all started on New Year’s Eve 2019. “I made a video comparing the way white people and Mexicans eat a Mexican candy called Cachetada,” he says. His daughter, Valeria, convinced him to post it on TikTok, and it quickly went viral. In the days that followed, Valeria encouraged him to find an original niche and develop a consistent style. Making unique pizzas fit perfectly. His daily routine centers on a pizza oven and all the traditional pizza ingredients.

“I have everything here,” he says, from behind the counter at Giovanni’s. “I have a great boss who lets me do it all here. It’s like my studio.”

He made a dime-sized pizza on camera and landed 17.9 million views. In response, his followers challenged him to make the biggest pizza possible.

“Are you crazy?! All right, let’s do it!” No pizza challenge is too great for the Pizza King—pizzas in the shape of cartoon characters (Shrek, Peppa Pig, Angry Birds), pizzas with untraditional ingredients (Sour Patch Kids, Pringles, doughnuts), and even Carpinteria pizza deliveries where viewers are asked to guess how much Diaz will get tipped.

But Diaz’s favorite videos are the ones he makes with his 11-year-old son, Dylan, who inherited his father’s flare for drama. Dylan, a miniature version of Dad, replicates his performance style, and the two often create skits together to the delight of Jose’s followers.

TikTok fame has become a part of daily life.

Jose takes photos with fans who come to the restaurant and is often recognized when he’s out on deliveries. He takes pride in delivering bite-sized joy and laughter to people around the world, and he diligently responds to his fans. “I like to make people feel special because we’re all special.”

Follow Jose on TikTok at @betodiaz60.

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Dawn and dusk are Juno’s preferred prowling hours. She typically drags her finds into the house, and meows until Geston acknowledges her. Then she lies down beside her delivery. “We call it the drop and flop,” Geston says.

At some point, Geston filled a wagon with Juno’s finds and strolled the neighborhood attempting to reunite gloves with their matches and toys with their children. Two items were recognized as junk that had been tossed into the trash can, and the rest went unclaimed.

Juno’s fame has grown just as quickly as her collection. Geston dubbed her the Kelpto Kat and created social media accounts to chronicle Juno’s daily (often twice or thrice daily) gifts. She’s catnip to the media, and her story has been told in Noozhawk, The Santa Barbara News-Press and more than once on KEYT. Perhaps in Carpinteria she’s best known for her 2020 bid for mayor. Geston managed a pun-filled campaign to make Juno the City of Carpinteria’s honorary mayor, printing buttons and yard signs that read, “Vote fur Juno…the purr-fect choice.” The human-feline pair canvassed the town, and even

WHO DUNNIT?

JUNO THE KLEPTO KAT It was the summer of 2019 when odd objects started showing up in Connie Geston’s yard: a gardening glove, rags, rubber balls. Was it the kids next door? The wind? Nope. It was the work of Juno the Klepto Kat.

enjoyed a photo op with Mayor Wade Nomura.

Juno’s collecting routine seems to bring her satisfaction and help calm her wild and rambunctious nature. Carpinterians, meanwhile, benefit from Juno’s diligent litter patrol, and many see her as four-legged environmental role model. “The community

loves

her,” Geston says.

“They

absolutely

love her.”

Born into a feral litter in Los Angeles, Juno was taken from her mother at just five weeks old. The Geston family adopted her in 2015 as a feisty black and white kitten known as Indiana Jones. They renamed her Juno and quickly fell in love with this new family member and her endless, restless energy.

Eventually, Juno’s restless energy became focused on collecting. Once Geston realized that it was Juno delivering neighborhood flotsam and jetsam to her yard, she started recording each item.

As of late April, Juno had dragged 735 items home to her human mom. Her collection includes nearly 150 gloves of all types, as well as socks, plastic toys, sticks, rags, and trash. “We don’t know what we’re going to do with this stuff,” says Geston, who now has a small area of the house dedicated to displaying Juno’s found art.

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93013

AVOCADO 101 So, you attend the California Avocado Festival and you always order guac on your burrito, but how much do you really know about the avocado? We’ve created a quick avo primer that will help you better understand Carpinteria’s favorite fruit.

As of May 1, California avocado growers had harvested 70 million pounds of avocados since the start of 2021.

THE AVERAGE AMERICAN EATS 7.72 POUNDS OF AVOCADO ANNUALLY.

AVOCADO FLOWERS SPEND HALF OF THE DAY IN A MALE STATE AND HALF IN A FEMALE STATE. This reduces the likelihood that the trees will self-pollinate.

Santa Barbara County has 12% of the State’s avocado growing

THE CALIFORNIA AVOCADO FESTIVAL TURNS 35 THIS YEAR!

acreage. The County with the greatest percentage is Ventura with 37%.

AVOCADO SIZES ARE NAMED FOR THE NUMBER OF FRUITS THAT FIT IN A 25-POUND BOX. The most common size sold is called a 48. The smallest commercial size is an 84, and the largest is a 36.

Avocados contain more potassium than bananas and are loaded with hearthealthy monosaturated fatty acids and fiber.

BOTANICALLY, THE AVOCADO IS A LARGE BERRY.

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"GET YOUR DRINK ON" WITH RYAN WILLIAMS For centuries, friends have been buying friends drinks to celebrate milestones big and small. Now, thanks to an app called GYDO (Get Your Drink On), you don’t have to be on the neighboring pub stool to treat your pal to a cold one. Carpinteria-based entrepreneurs and friends Ryan Williams and Rachel H. van Gorp are the great minds behind the new app that is catching on around the world. Carpinteria Magazine caught up with Williams to learn more.

HOW DOES GYDO WORK? DO THE GIVER AND THE RECEIVER BOTH NEED THE APP? The receiver does not need to have the GYDO app to buy them a drink. You can gift a drink to anyone in your phone contacts. Our goal was to redefine the drink gifting experience. Buying a friend a beer is an age old concept that we felt needed to be digitized as a mobile application. GYDO is a peer-to-peer drink gifting platform. Our GYDO platform creates a digital GYDO Drinks card which works just like a credit card stored on the users e-wallet. Drinks purchased are automatically added to the recipient's GYDO drink card. The GYDO drink card can only be used at wineries, breweries and tap rooms.

WHAT SETS IT APART FROM APPS LIKE VENMO? Unlike Venmo, where the funds are not readily

my nephew, who is from South Africa, celebrating his 21st birthday. We were Facetiming his parents back in South Africa and they were joking about how “bummed” they were that they could not be spending their hard-earned South African money buying him his 21st birthday drink!

Their tongue in cheek comment about missing out on life’s important moments was really that “Aha!” moment for me. Having lived in five different countries, my friends are situated all over the world. I was always missing out on their birthdays, engagements, job promotions, and more. I wanted to do more than just wish them happy birthday on their Facebook page.

And that is why I created GYDO. My fiancé’s best friend, Rachel, loved the idea. As a Carp local, she was living in Dubai as an expat. She was so smitten with the idea that they moved back to Carpinteria from Dubai to focus on GYDO. HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN POSITIVE? The response has been amazing and humbling both at the same time. We have been beta testing GYDO for well over two years now. Our recent launch has seen thousands of drinks purchased all over the world. As long as the venue accepts Apple or Google Pay, a user can redeem a drink of their choice at that location. GYDO is a global platform with thousands of wineries, breweries, and tap rooms all accepting Apple or Google Pay. And the venues are increasing weekly!

For more information on GYDO “Get Your Drink On,” visit gydo.app.

available, nor can you really enforce how your “Venmo gift” will be spent, GYDO funds are instantly available and can only be spent at wineries, breweries, and tap rooms. Sending someone a $10 Venmo as a birthday drink is cheesy and cheap.

However, buying a friend a $10 drink on GYDO is cool, hip, and awesome. You know that $10 is going to be spent on your friend having a drink bought by you, not on gas money, the local laundromat, or some other random expense!

Did you know people feel good when someone buys them a drink? They actually have a release of endorphins (the happy drug) versus no response when they get the same amount in cash for a drink.

HOW DID THE APP COME ABOUT? WAS THERE A EUREKA MOMENT? Ah, the Eureka moment was actually at IBC (Island Brewing Company). I was sitting there with SUMMER2021 31

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A, CA

R O B IN

K A R LS

SON

CARPINTERI

Hello

(NAME OF FAMILY MEMBER) ___________________________,

(NUMBER) cases (COLOR) When Santa Barbara County entered the ____________ tier because it had only _______

(ADJECTIVE) of COVID-19, we finally were able to reserve a _________________campsite at Carpinteria State (ADJECTIVE) (NUMBER) feet from the _________________ Beach. It’s just _______ beach and just a short (NUMBER) _______ minute

walk into town. The whole gang is here:

(NAME OF FRIEND) _________________,

(NAME OF FAMILY MEMBER) ________________________ and

(NAME OF CELEBRITY) ________________________ .

We’ve been enjoying every minute of our time. On day one, we had a breakfast of (A FOOD) (ANOTHER FOOD) (CARPINTERIA RESTAURANT) The server was so nice that _________________ and _________________ at ___________________.

(ANOTHER FOOD) OF CELEBRITY FROM ABOVE) insisted we go she gave us extra _________________on the side. Then, (NAME _____________________ (CARPINTERIA STORE) shopping at _________________ because he/she couldn’t visit Carpinteria without picking (PLURAL NOUN) at (NOUN) up a __________ there. After that I wanted to maintain our tradition of buying __________ (CARPINTERIA STORE) (ADJECTIVE) (ADJECTIVE) _________________ because they are always _____________ and _____________.

After this

challenging year, we know how important it is to support small businesses, so we spent at least (ADJECTIVE) (NUMBER) dollars in Carpinteria before heading back to our _____________ _______ campsite.

(NOUN) (NOUN) Of course, we also have loved seeing the public murals of __________ and __________ in OF ANIMAL) fountain plaza downtown Carp, and we did some people watching in the (NAME _____________ (ADJECTIVE WITH

-EST AT THE END) on Linden. But mostly, we’ve been spending our time at the World’s _____________ Beach.

(EXCLAMATORY WORD) __________________, what a great trip it’s been!

Love

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(YOUR NAME) , ________________________

Beach Life!

C A RP IN TE RI A

, CA

5/6/21 4:08 PM

…simply fine wines at great prices!

Wines for all occasions

NEW ARRIVALS WEEKLY Stop in and shop our expansive selection!

4193-1 Carpinteria Ave.

684-7440 M-F 10-6pm Sat 10-5pm Take the Carpinteria Avenue exit from 101 South - 4th building on the right

We have never been through as challenging a time as the one we faced together during 2020-21.

Your support and appreciation of our product, attitude, and pride for community kept us sane and motivated.

Our secret ingredient to success is you.

THANK YOU CARPINTERIA Skip the Wait

Tempting your taste buds… Truffles, Bon Bons, Single Origin Chocolates

chococalibressan.com

Order Online Lunch Counter Mon-Fri 11am-3pm

4193 Carpinteria Avenue, “Sweet” 4 805-684-6900

TheFoodLiaison.com 1033 Casitas Pass Road Carpinteria 805.200.3030 SUMMER2021 33

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PET FOOD & SUPPLIES • GROOMING • HAY & FEED

IT’S MY FAVORITE STORE!

Experienced local senior care for total peace of mind.

PROVIDING: Bathing Assistance Dressing Assistance Assistance with Walking Medication Reminders Errands & Shopping Light Housekeeping Meal Preparation Friendly Companionship Flexible Hourly Care Respite Care for Families Dementia/Alzheimer's Care

805.284.0221 VisitingAngels.com/SantaBarbara

MERRICK, CANIDAE, SCIENCE DIET, SOLID GOLD, HOLISTIC SELECT, NUTRO, TIKI CAT NATURAL BALANCE, TASTE OF THE WILD, DIAMOND CARE, PREY, PURE, PROFESSIONAL +, UNDER THE SUN, MY PERFECT PET, STELLA & CHEWY’S, NORTHWEST NATURALS, SMALLBATCH, FUSSIE CAT, WERUBA BFF, TIKI CAT

89O CACTUS LANE • 8O5-684-9988 (next to Smart & Final)

MURPHY’S

VINYL SHACK RECORDS • POSTERS • VINYL • WALL ART THEMED APPAREL AND MORE!

NEW LOCATION Each Visiting Angels agency is independently owned and operated. ®2021 Visiting Angels is a registered trademark of Living Assistance Services, Inc.

977 Linden Ave.

805-318-55O6 • Open Daily 10am

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QUILTING • KNITTING NEEDLEWORK • ARTS AND GIFTS

“Experience the Artful Life!”

A whimsical store with everything you’ll need for quilting, knitting, needlework, inspired gifts and more…

28 years Offering Personalized Service for Finding Just the Right Gift!

www.susanwillisltd.com

919 MAPLE AVENUE • CARPINTERIA, CA 93013 805.566.1250 • ROXANNEQUILTS.COM HOURS: M-S • 10 to 5 • SUN. • 11 to 4

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Mi Fiesta Market & Deli

BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER • SEAFOOD • BURGERS • CATERING

SECOND

Creator of the “Best Burrito” in Carpinteria - Adan Morales

LOCATION

EL PARAISO BAR & GRILL

371 North Ventura Ave. Ventura

TO - G O O R PAT I O S E AT I N G • B E E R • W I N E • C O F F E E & M O R E !

805-684-2235 • 4502 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria Market hours 7am -11pm Daily • Deli hours 8am-8:30pm • Sun. 7:30am-5pm moralesadan16

RISDON’S

Morales Adan

•

®

SERVICE

PROPANE•LUBE•TIRE CENTER AND CAR WASH Hand Car Wash: M-Sat 7:30-5 & Sun 7:30-4 Repair & Maintenance: M-Sat 8-5

4401 Via Real at Santa Monica Road•805-684-7676

WHEN YOU THINK TIRES, THINK RISDON’S.

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NAPA COAST AUTO PARTS, INC. NATIONALLY KNOWN, LOCALLY OWNED

901 L INDEN A V E, S T E C CARPIN T ERIA, CA 93013 805-684 -6688 • HABL AMOS ESPAÑOL

20 Years of Great Beers!

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SPARK45 Fitness and Physical Therapy 466O Carpinteria Avenue • 8O5.275.3OOO NEW CLIENT SPECIALS

1st class: $15 (includes socks) 3-Class package: $6O ONgOINg PACkAgE OPTIONS:

5 Classes: $135 1O Classes: $225 3O Classes: $575

Recently re-opened And keeping you SAFE

Classes limited in size for safe distancing • UV air filters • Face covering required • Hospital grade cleaning products.

Offering the patented Megaformer workout, Lagree Fitness, indoor cycling and Physical Therapy.

www.spark45.com

We accept most major health insurances.

SOLD!

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DANNY’s $2 OFF HAND CARWASH & DELI

any hand wash* *mention this ad

Unbelievable!

Full On Wash & Wax, starts at $55 Super Clean Exterior Wash starts at $16 “World Famous Tri-Tip Sandwich”

DELI HOURS Mon.-Sat. 9am-6pm Sun. 9am-5pm SELF SERVE WASH 7am-10pm

805.684.2711 4890 CARPINTERIA AVENUE DOWNTOWN

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Pac West Blooms WEDDING & EVENT PLANNING MICRO WEDDINGS & ELOPEMENTS F U L L S E RV I C E E V E N T F L O R A L

805.755.2205

www.pacwestblooms.com • pacwestblooms@gmail.com

FAMILY DINING FOR 53 YEARS Classic Mexican Food • Fresh Chips & Salsa Weekday Lunch Specials • Sunday Breakfast 7:30 am

CATERING FOR ALL OCCASIONS Best Bagels Since 1996 • Delicious Salads Gourmet Sandwiches • Grand Parties Hors D’oeuvres • Social & Corporate Catering 5050 Carpinteria Avenue • To Go 805.566.1558 Monday-Friday 6:30am-2pm • Weekends 6:30am-3pm 53 S. Milpas St. • 805.564.4331 Daily 6am-2pm

Catering 805.319.0155 • bagelnet.com

FULL SERVICE CATERING MENUDO • CARNITAS • FULL BAR 684-4822 • 4401 CARPINTERIA AVE.

MON. 11:30-8:30 • TUES.-SAT. 11-9 • SUN. 7:30-9

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CO .com LAWGROUP.ro up ECITOte MONTm on citolawg

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Available online at FAMILY STYLE VENUE • DOG FRIENDLY • OCEAN & ISLAND VIEWS • CASUAL CATERED EVENTS BY THE SEA

Friends of the Carpinteria Library Used Bookstore

“Always good for an armload.

Kids books, too!”

5103 Carpinteria Avenue (Next to the Carpinteria Library) Donations welcomed.

805-566-0033 • CarpFOL@gmail.com SUMMER2021 41

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Melinda Trembly in her happy place: home.

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Rincon Road: A soulful stroll I

W ORDS A N D PH OT OS BY DE BRA H E RRICK

nterior designer Melinda Trembly has created a prefab paradise on Rincon Road that is, well, pretty fab, as in fabulous. Her family’s prefabricated home, made of three and a half sections, sits on an avocado ranch her grandmother recently gifted her—a stone’s throw from the home she grew up in and where her mother still lives. For Trembly, Rincon Road, a slice of Carpinteria’s rural landscape, has always been home.

Growing up, Trembly spent a lot of time with her Noni (grandmother) and her sisters, second generation immigrants from Italy, living between Ojai, Carpinteria, and Montecito. These were strong hardworking women, who as children, despite losing their father to the Spanish Flu, survived the Great Depression by sharing a home with boarders their mother took in, laborers that served the Montecito estates.

“I loved their stories of old,” says Trembly of her grandmother and great-aunts, “They took pride in their homes; everything they had was through hard work and had a special story. I didn’t really know it at the time, but this lifestyle of hard work, enjoying family and all life has to give, was shaping my point of view on how life should be lived and ultimately, how I approach designing interior spaces.”

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AMY BARTLAM AMY BARTLAM

As a designer, Trembly is a combination of book smart and farm strong. Before opening Rincon Road Design Studio in 2009, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in interior design at the Design Institute of San Diego and worked at the boutique architectural firm Cearnal Andrulaitis (now Cearnal Collective).

Not afraid of getting her hands dirty, Trembly is engaged with the building process on most of her projects. Her Rincon Road home is an example of this do-it-yourself spirit. When she and her husband, Benji, set out to build their home, they found the prefab choice suited their needs as a faster, more affordable option. But, because the house is prefab, it didn’t have the character of an older ranch home, like the one Melinda grew up in and adores.

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The Trembly family, from left, Benji, Taylor, Melinda, Melinda's mom Laura Lord, and Jackson seated.

ABOVE, Melinda and Benji's bedroom reflects their balance between traditional and contemporary.

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Melinda's design process tailors colors, textures, shapes to individual clients.

Little by little, Melinda added bits of charm and architectural character. Her dad made rafter tails and she extended the eves; Benji laid pine plank floors. “Benji also found me an old screen door, and a salvaged front door that we cut down to create a Dutch door,” says Melinda.

“It’s little touches like these that have made our house feel more like a home. And they all have stories behind them.”

Most of the furnishings and art work at her home are from her Noni. Melinda dug through her grandmother ’s stored possessions and put back to use many of the heirloom pieces, including several paintings that hang prominently in the home’s living spaces.

“It’s fun to go through old family photos and see those same pieces in old family homes,” says Melinda. “Some of them came with my dad’s father ’s family all the way from England. Others were collected from my Noni and her sisters. And now I’m adding our personal touches and collections.”

But even though her Rincon home is filled with near century-old keepsakes, Melinda’s style is far from a dusty nostalgia; it’s contemporary and chic, mixing elements of the past with currents of modern design. Noni’s crystal chandelier illuminates an Edward S. Curtis canvas print of Sitting Bear Arikara that Melinda purchased at Ikea; the

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The Trembly family's raised garden beds and avocado grove offer views of Shepard Mesa and beyond.

weathered pine floors are decorated with rugs with bold geometric patterns; and upcycled wood with the lyrics of the classic love song, “The Way You Look Tonight,” first sung by Fred Astaire, is decorated with a string of LED lights that form the word, “love.”

Melinda’s unique aesthetic draws from her heritage and her “love for this little corner of the world” where she enjoys “the slower paced lifestyle and adventures you find on the backroads of life.”

“It’s all about slowing down and enjoying life,” says Melinda. “I have always viewed Rincon Road as more of a lifestyle brand than strictly interiors, though interiors play a big part. Our spaces and surroundings should celebrate life, remind us of special moments, evoke emotion. I like to take this approach to the design process as well. Sometimes the best design is slow design.”

A deep appreciation for living each moment to the fullest is the legacy of her Noni, along with an extraordinary act of giving Melinda witnessed when her husband donated a kidney to her father, Denny Lord. At the time, when her father went into kidney failure, Benji was Melinda’s fiancé. The entire family was tested and no one was a match. Secretly, Benji went for the test and, incredibly, he was a match. Benji was such a close match that doctors at Cedar Sinai told the family that only an identical twin would be closer.

Lord received the transplant two days after Christmas,

and in April, he was able to walk Melinda down the aisle to marry Benji. He went on to live 10 more years and passed away two days before Christmas in 2013.

“If anything, the lasting impact of Dad’s life and Benji’s gift is that we don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” says Melinda, “so live life to the fullest every day, celebrate the littlest moments, don’t focus on the negative or what is out of your control, and give selflessly without looking for a return, because life’s too short to say, ‘What if?’” s SUMMER2021 47

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Jason and Katherine Lesh at their Foothill Road farm.

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From farm cart to table L E S H FA M I LY F E E D S C O M M U N I T Y W ORDS BY M E GA N WA L DRE P PH OT OS BY M I CH A E L K W I E CI N S K I

T

here are a few iconic spots in Carpinteria that set the town apart: The World’s Safest Beach mural, the seal fountain on Linden Avenue, and the Farm Cart Organics heritage produce wagon on the corner of Carpinteria and Maple avenues. The wagon was passed down to owner Katherine Lesh and husband Jason in 2012

by Tom Shepherd, her father and longtime local farmer.

The wagon lived its first life selling fruits and veggies over 20 years ago in the same spot it sits today.

“My parents had the produce wagon there from 1999 to 2007,” Katherine says. “So after school, I would walk to the farm cart, and my mom or my grandma would be there. I was just always around.” Though Katherine enjoyed being around the produce, she says she never thought her future would take her back to those roots.

As Katherine grew up, the wagon was moved from its

downtown corner to one of Shepherd’s farm sites. But with little to no foot traffic, it just kind of sat. Several years later, her parents asked if she and her husband wanted to dust off the cart. It was about the time that friend Ryan Moore was opening Lucky Llama. The Leshes found their interest piqued when Moore asked if they wanted to park the cart near the coffee shop under the Torrey Pine. Though that location didn’t work out, the City of Carpinteria agreed to host the cart on its original corner for nominal rent.

“When Jason and I opened the Farm Cart, I guess we just stuck with it long enough for it to work, but it was definitely hard for the first three years. Like, counting pennies hard,” Katherine says. “But I think every business owner has that. You just have to stick with it. And the wagon brought us to the next level.”

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From left, Sarah Plath, Chris Everett and Kate Nelson harvest lettuce at the farm.

That next level was the community-supported agriculture (CSA) boxes that the Leshes fill each week with produce from seven different farmers as well as two items per box grown by the Leshes themselves, mainly kale and lettuce. Farm boxes, which start around $12 and offer customizations, are filled with local, and as close to local as you can get, organic produce. “We have a very tight relationship with all the local farmers, and for the things that can’t grow here, like corn, we go into Bakersfield and buy from organic farms out there,” Katherine says.

“So our thing is, if the local guys are growing it, we want their stuff. If they’re not growing it, we have to go a little bit further to get it. But the local farmers are our first priority.”

The boxes “blew up,” and the business grew fast.

Customers wanted home deliveries, which they got, and the Farm Cart went from about 20 farm box subscriptions to over 600. Then COVID-19 hit, prompting stay-at-home 50 CARPINTERIAMAGAZINE.com

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Keni MezaOchoa bags baby lettuce for customers.

Kate Nelson shows off some artichokes before boxing them.

orders and rocketing demand for a service that delivers fresh produce with minimal handling. Through Farm Cart Organics, people could lockdown without sacrificing healthy eating or their commitment to homegrown farmers. In just three weeks, Farm Cart Organics increased its small crew of five employees to 40 and found themselves delivering fresh food at a frantic pace. As of March 2021, the CSA had grown to 2,200 members.

Now Farm Cart Organics offers a variety of local artisan food products, like chocolate, nut butters, sourdough, condiments, and pasta, to name a few. The company added beer and wine earlier this year, and, as the name states, everything is certified organic. The little producewagon-that-could has turned into a full-on grocery delivery service. And now that the Leshes have built a strong team, they have time to focus to the next project: The Good Plow restaurant.

Opening soon in the former Fosters Freeze, The Good Plow is envisioned as a fast-casual, farm-to-table restaurant that is mostly plant-based. “It’s going to be super fresh and super flavorful from our farm, like salads, good tacos, vegetables, and sauces,” Katherine says. “And there’s going to be a retail aspect to it, so we can sell our own dips, hummus, and everything we make.”  SUMMER2021 51

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KAREN CLARK

Mandala salad prepared with produce from Dare to Dream Farm in Lompoc.

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Painting with produce WORDS B Y MEGAN WA L DRE P

MICHAEL KWIECINSKI

Find Clark’s mandala salads on @whimsyantiques on Instagram. 

KAREN CLARK

A

mandala is a Hindu and Buddhist symbol representing the universe, a metaphor of a dreamer ’s search for oneness. Whimsy Antiques owner Karen Clark uses this method to combine her love of environmental art with produce from local farms, creating an artistic expression you can eat.

Clark got into the mandalas at the beginning of the pandemic, when she encouraged her Instagram followers to gather natural materials found on walks or in their yard to create mandalas. Later, she paired her longtime love of farm stands with the mandala concept. She says, “It was just an evolution to use produce to inspire people to visit their local farms, farm stands, and farmer ’s markets.”

Pop over to Whimsy Antiques’ Instagram account to find Clark’s mandala salads made from local seasonal produce, all created spontaneously. There’s a swirling pattern made from purple cabbage, red rhubarb and strawberries, orange carrots, yellow cauliflower, and green broccoli florets adorned with colorful pansies.

Another is a starburst of lettuce leaves, vibrant radishes, multicolored carrots, and micro-greens.

Although Clark’s salads are single servings, she suggests scooping sections onto a plate if you make a larger one for friends and family. Or, take a colorful spoonful and chop it up. “A lot of what I do is more for the art, but, of course, we eat it. It’s like painting with food, you know?”

One of Clark’s favorite places to shop is Farm Cart Organics on Carpinteria Avenue, and she suggests topping your mandala salad with a drizzle of organic olive oil and a splash of fruit-flavored balsamic vinegar from Il Fustino in downtown Santa Barbara. She likes to keep it simple and let the salad speak for itself.

“My whole thought behind this is that our farms, farm stands, and farmerzs markets are treasures. It’s just an amazing resource that we have,” she says. “I’m about the visual, just making it beautiful, playing with it, and enjoying it. And the biggest benefit is the nourishment that you get for your soul and your health.”

Karen Clark at the Carpinteria Farm Cart.

ABOVE, Mandala salad produce from Finley Farms in Santa Ynez.

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DEBRA HERRICK

Dolores Morelli Johnson is preparing for her best yet Montecito Motor Classic.

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The Montecito Motor Classic brings out the whole community.

MONTECITO MOTOR CLASSIC

question & answer

Revved up

on giving back WITH DOLORES MORELLI JOHNSON I N T E RVI E W BY M E GA N WA L DRE P

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he ties between the Montecito Motor Classic and Carpinteria don’t end with the show’s location at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club on Via Real. Its founder, Dolores Morelli Johnson, has family that goes back in Carpinteria history. Way back. In her conversation with Carpinteria Magazine, Johnson touches on local heritage and the tragedy that sparked the MMC into the successful charity event that it is today.

I S IT T R U E T H A T YO U R F IR S T C AR EXPERI ENC E W A S IN CA R P IN T E R IA ?

Yep, it all started in Carpinteria! I must’ve been about 8 or 9 years old in the mid to late ’50s, and my dad took me to the Thunderbowl Race Track on the Bluffs, and it really impressed me. They were stock cars at the time, not the fancy stuff you see at Daytona. And as a little girl, I fell in love with cars and race car drivers. Fast forward to 1989, and I married a man called Roger Johnson from Wisconsin, and he was a race car driver of stock cars.

My first husband wasn’t a car guy. We raised our family, and he passed away pretty young. Roger came along, and I fell in love and, well, I lost Roger, too. That’s how the Montecito Motor Classic got started.

HOW DI D T HI S EVENT C OME FRO M S O ME THING SO T RAGI C ?

I was devastated after Roger died. Then three and a half years later, my high school friend, Monica Draggoo, the first woman Exalted Ruler of the Santa Barbara Elks Lodge, approached me and said, “I want you to do a car show.” I’d never done anything like that before, other than fundraising. I used to manage part of the Santa Barbara Airport, and we did a lot of non-profit fundraising. So I got ahold of Dan Hogan. He and I put on two air shows at the airport. Plus, he was a car guy. Dan said I needed to meet three people.

One of them was Michael Armand Hammer, and Michael has supported all my crazy ideas. He’s been the SUMMER2021 55

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Montecito Motor Classic Presenting Sponsor Michael Armand Hammer and Dolores share a laugh.

Jimenez. Pete died the year I was born, but my mother and father knew him. And many of my cousins knew him, and I’m told he was quite a character. Pete was the guy in town that everybody wanted to talk to because he always told stories. He had 10 to 12 children. We can name 10.

WOW, I C AN SEE WHY I T ’ S HARD TO KE E P TRACK! Exactly! There are four sisters in my family. When we were growing up and dating anyone from Carpinteria, we had to get a clearance through my parents because the likelihood we were related was really high.

Y OU R EAL L Y DO HAVE DEEP ROOTS IN CARP .

presenting sponsor from day one, and I’m blessed to call him my friend. I then met Dana Newquist (president of the Antique Automobile Club of America, Santa Barbara Region) and Monte Wilson (founder of Santa Barbara Cars and Coffee).

Dana and Monte must have thought I was crazy because I wanted to close down Coast Village Road in Montecito and do a car show in three and a half months. I wanted to raise $50,000, and I was told at the time that most local car shows don’t even make, maybe, $10,000. Well, we had our first show three and a half months later, and we raised a little over $50,000. So, that got everyone’s attention.

$50, 000 ? T H A T ’S IN CR E DIB L E !

Yeah, it was! It was a moment of, “Oh my God, we can really do this!” So, we held it on Coast Village Road for eight years, and then I realized we had outgrown Coast Village Road. I wanted it to be bigger to raise more money, and I couldn’t expand there. I didn’t want to impact the merchants; parking was an issue. It was just time to move on. So, I moved it over to the polo field, and the first year was great. But I didn’t really understand the layout well enough to make it the "Wow" that it will be this year.

HA S T HE E VE N T A L W A YS B E E N F R E E T O AT T END? Yes, it’s always been free. Michael Armand Hammer and I decided a long time ago that it was going to be a free community event because it helps a lot of non-profits here in town. I wanted to make sure that anybody could attend, and he absolutely agreed. This year, we’re not even charging for parking. The only ones who pay are the ones who are putting their cars on display. That’s why we do “Quail judging.” Quail style is when you’re in a certain class of cars, and you get to vote for the other cars.

(Editor ’s note: This style is based on a Carmel event called The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.) We want it just to be a fun, friendly community event for all. It’s much nicer when the people vote for the people.

T A L K A BO U T YO U R F A M IL Y T IE S T O C AR PI NT ERI A. I’ve got hundreds of cousins in Carpinteria that I don’t know! Let me start with my great-grandfather, Pete

They’re huge. I’m hoping that some relatives come up to me at the event this year and say, “Dolores, I saw the article in Carpinteria Magazine, and I’m related to you!”

WHAT ’ S A F U NNY ANEC DOT E Y O U CAN S HARE F ROM A PAST SHOW? The most embarrassing thing that happened to me was at the very beginning. I love Packard automobiles, but I didn’t know anything about them. I just liked them because they were old, elegant, and beautiful. So, I’m at a meeting, and I said, “Hewlett Packard.” Everybody laughed at me and said, Dolores, that’s a computer! So, I learned real fast that it’s called a Packard, not a Hewlett Packard.

WHAT ’ S B EEN T HE SEC R ET T O Y OUR S UCCE S S ?

I have 40 volunteers that put in a lot of their time and amazing sponsors, and we really couldn’t do it without them. I want to thank everybody for helping the show to get to where it is today. Because, you know, I’m the crazy person with all the ideas, and they all teach me what I can and can’t do. It takes a year to put on the show. And a day or two after our event we’re already talking about the next one. It takes a tremendous amount of time.

WHY DOES T HE MONT EC I T O MO TO R CLAS S IC MEAN SO MU C H T O Y OU ?

You know, after my husband passed away, I was lost, and I didn’t have many friends anymore. I was just really lost. But when I did the show, I made some of my best friends. I had no idea that giving back to the community would come back to me. I didn’t give back to get anything back, and it came back a hundredfold. Now my best friends are from the show, from the community, from the committee. I’m blessed.

Montecito Motor Classic will take place at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club on Sunday, October 10, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The show is free to attend and open to the public. This year’s event is themed “Back to the Future” and will feature 13 classes of cars. In addition to awards, interactive displays, and priceless automobiles, the event will include a museum pavilion, a shopping boutique, food, and a children’s play zone.

Learn more at montecitomotorclassic.com/. s

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MICHAEL ARMAND HAMMER AND THE

Presenting Sponsor

The Montecito Motor Classic has enjoyed a meteoric ascent in the industry and is now at the home of the breathtakingly beautiful setting at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club.

Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021 9 AM to 4 PM • FREE ADMISSION

Contact Dolores Morelli Johnson, Founder/ Executive Director djohnson@montecitomotorclassic.com

ENTER • SPONSOR • PLAN YOUR DAY

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CHRIS ORWIG

Artist Amber O'Neill at her easel.

Art of kin and kindness A

W ORDS BY DE BRA H E RRI CK

mber O’Neill is a triple threat: smart, beautiful, and talented. But what most people notice first about the Carpinteria-based artist and schoolteacher is how genuine and kind she is.

That warmth comes through in O’Neill’s paintings in which golden light falls on serenely depicted local landscapes, beaches, buildings, and desert plants. Her most recent work is realistic with a modern sense of color and a mix of natural and urban elements.

“I’m drawn to places that are close to my heart,” says

O’Neill, “places from growing up in Santa Barbara, and places I have spent raising my boys.”

Amber has two sons. Dylan, 17, is a Carpinteria High School student who plays on the Warriors basketball team, and Andrew, 10, is an elementary student and a recent collaborator with Amber on a collection of paintings that the pair sell to raise money for organizations that are important to them.

“Andrew loves his friends wholeheartedly, surfs bravely, eats pizza excessively, laughs contagiously, sings SUMMER2021 59

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AMBER O'NEILL

Artist Andrew O'Neill at his craft.

off tune to the radio, has mastered more yoga poses than anyone I know, and happens to have Down syndrome and one hand,” says Amber.

The shimmering works Amber has created thus far with her son have featured collections of candies and waves. Andrew’s tastes and brush strokes, his unhindered abstractions, serve as the inspiration and underpaintings for Amber to add shape and form to the collaborative pieces.

Raising Andrew in a creative environment came easily for Amber, who was also raised in an artistic family.

Her father and aunt were artists, and she was drawn to painting at a very early age. At Carpinteria High School, her art instructor encouraged her to pursue her talents, and with an art scholarship from the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, she completed a bachelor ’s degree in fine art and an art teaching credential at U.C. Santa Barbara. Later, the foundation created the Amber O’Neill art scholarship, which continues to be given to a promising future artist each year.

As a teenager, Amber worked on a mural project under the direction of Mexican-born Ventura-based artist Rafael Perea de la Cabada at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA). Five years later, after finishing college, she was hired as SBMA’s master artist for that year ’s mural project which found a permanent home in Carpinteria. (It is the mural of a California fruit crate label on Yucca Lane near Carpinteria Avenue).

The experience at SBMA was formative for Amber.

“Each day as I would walk by the classrooms, I watched in wonder as the young students created amazing art,” says Amber. At UCSB, she started training under art teachers who showed her how to teach the elements of art, art history, and culture in a way that honors individual creativity.

“I was hooked,” she says, “working with my students as they found their own voices as artists; witnessing their growth in confidence; and watching them discover joy in

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AMBER O'NEILL

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CHRIS ORWIG

Andrew and pal Jed Weitzman with Andrew's art.

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AMBER O'NEILL

the process … I knew this was the path I wanted to follow, working with children and fostering their love of art.”

Amber has taught children art at Cold Springs Elementary School and Laguna Blanca School for nearly 20 years. When it came to her son, Andrew, who is essentially non verbal, she looked for ways to help him express himself creatively—and painting was a natural fit.

“I have always loved watching him paint with intention and focus, but without fear of critique or pressure of a perfect product,” she says, “He has a pure love of the process and takes direction from no one. He embodies everything I lack as an artist. I admire his abstract style and freedom.”

One day, as Amber hung up one of Andrew’s paintings she noticed that the drips of blue and layers of white and gray were reminiscent of the way water looks when a wave crashes on the shore. “I thought, ‘this would be a beautiful underpainting,’ so I painted a wave on top of his painting allowing his colors to show through,” says Amber. “I didn’t know how he would feel about it, but his eyes lit up and he said ‘beach!’ and signed ‘more.’”

Amber and Andrew continued the process, creating the series 21 Colors— symbolic of trisomy 21, another term for Down syndrome. The collaborative wave pieces were exhibited at Colette Cosentino Gallery in Santa Barbara and 50% of the proceeds were donated to SlingShot Gallery, a place for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities to create and sell their work.

Most recently, Andrew and Amber created a series of candy paintings and donated half of the proceeds to the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation which is working to build an inclusive community playground.

“As any mother, I want my children to be seen and heard in their true sense, for the world to celebrate them the way that I do,” says Amber, “and Andrew’s art has done that. It has introduced him as kind, creative, funny; and, if you know Andrew, you want to know more people with Down syndrome, and that is a beautiful thing.” 

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LOCAL

PICKS for a local picnic W ORDS BY PE T ER D U GR É PH OT OS BY DE BR A HER R ICK

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here’s nothing more down to earth than a picnic, but that doesn’t mean there’s room for slack in selecting the best snacks. Carpinteria Magazine encourages elevating your picnic spread by exploring fine food choices produced locally. It’s not even hard to do.

From breads, to meats, beverages, pastries, and sweets, there’s enough variety to fill your picnic basket.

We invited the Ornelas family—mom Louisa, dad Alex, and kids Jade and Jacob—to a picnic under the oaks at Toro Canyon Park. This often-overlooked park offers its own choose-your-own adventure element with each nook and cranny of the canyon’s contours. Tuck under a shady oak or square up on a sunny patch of green grass. We’ve done our best to lay a trail of breadcrumbs to lead you down the path of building your own perfect local picnic.

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Baked goods

by Pacific Health Foods

Chocolates by Chocolats du CaliBressan

Pacific Health Foods has been gradually expanding its bakery for years by increasing variety—from breads to muffins, scones, and cookies—and starting in late spring, Linden Avenue’s little grocer will offer all-organic cupcakes and cakes to order.

As expected, PacHealth zeroes in on quality ingredients and meeting the sophistication of customers who see food as the building blocks to wellness or have specific dietary needs. Find gluten free and vegan baked goods that more than satisfy the sweet tooth and don’t stray too far down the path of overindulgence. Baked fresh daily, the organic chocolate chip cookies are the perfect dessert course for a Carpinteria picnic in the park. Whole wheat muffins and scones are also perfectly concocted for ease of transport and sharing on any outing.

Sometimes a chocolate isn’t just a chocolate Carpinteria’s own choclatiers at Chocolats du Calibressan double as picnic aficionados who believe to their core that picnics are incomplete without carefully concocted sweets to wash it down and tie it together.

These specialty treats not only deliver on flavor, they’re pretty as a picnic in their artistry.

Try the Passion Fruit Caramel in a white chocolate shell to follow a refreshing appetizer. A Peppered Fresh Mint Caramel in a dark chocolate shell provides a peppery zing that’s a perfect complement after a flavorful cheese. For finishing-touch perfection, try the Boysenberry Sea Shell or Bourguignon Black Currant and White Chocolate with a decadent dessert wine. Warning: eating just one is an unreasonable proposition. Don’t try it!

944 Linden Ave. • (805) 684-2115 pacifichealthfoods.com

4193 Carpinteria Ave. • (805) 684-6900 chococalibressan.com

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Hard cider & kombuchas

by The Apiary The Apiary on Carpinteria Avenue’s west end quenches thirst with crisp, delicate flavors made for sunny summer afternoons. When dining al fresco, take a look around and you might find some flowers in the chaparral that are on the ingredient list of The Apiary’s Self Care Cider or Drink Your Flowers Hard Jun Kombucha.

Unique small-batch production allows The Apiary to be intentional in building flavors from the ground up.

Self Care Cider combines Cuyama Valley apples with elderflowers and orange blossoms. Drink your Flowers starts from a base of honey-sweetened hard jun kombucha, which is infused with organic rose, lavender and hibiscus.

Light-bodied and refreshing, these drinks can accompany cheese plates and balance the fats and sweets populating your picnic spread.

4191 Carpinteria Ave. #10 • (805) 684-6216 drinkapiary.com

Artisanal breads & jams

by DinkelBrot Carpinteria It’s straight from the local home kitchen of Christina Welch and has only hand-milled einkorn. DinkelBrot Carpinteria is the only baking operation on the Central Coast that exclusively uses ancient einkorn grains, known for lower gluten and greater nutrition like proteins and fats. It’s a wholesome alternative that’s native to the cradle of civilization.

Whether you eat it outdoors at a picnic or at the breakfast table, Dinkelbrot bread topped with a healthy dollop of goat cheese and strawberry preserves (also made by Dinkelbrot) is densely packed goodness that will make you reconsider how you think about bread. For its strawberry preserves, Dinkelbrot sources local organic fruit and quality European pectin. Every carefully sourced ingredient and strict quality control is unmistakable in the product, which is reminiscent of a time when the breadmaker was a staple figure in any functional hamlet.

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Sausages & boiled eggs

by Casitas Valley Pastures You’ll have to spend 15 minutes prepping these sausages prior to picnicking, but consider it time well spent. Not all proteins are created equal. Casitas Valley Pastures values providing animals happy existences at partnering Carpinteria orchards, where chickens, guinea fowl, pigs, geese, rabbits, and turkeys can live free under the trees. The partner orchards get weed abatement, pest control, and fertilizer from the livestock. The animals spend a life well lived and cared for before entering the food chain.

The same cannot be said for more mainstream meat selections. If your picnic includes grilling options, Casitas Valley Pastures’ ribs make for amazing summer barbecues. Find Casitas Valley Pastures at the Carpinteria Farmers Market every Thursday afternoon. casitasvalleypastures.com Instagram: casitasvalleypastures casitasvalleypastures@gmail.com

Fruits & veggies

by Frecker Farms Farm to picnic blanket produce is a luxury worth pursuing. Frecker Farms on Casitas Pass Road in Carpinteria produces organic vegetables and fruits for every season. Bounties from Frecker strawberry fields and other organic offerings can be found at Farm Cart Organics and weekly Carpinteria Farmers Market, as well as the Frecker Farms farm stand.

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From left, the Ornelas family, Jade, Louisa, Alex and Jacob, enjoy a very Carpinteria picnic at Toro Canyon Park.

Borek & baklava by SADE Turkish Coffee & Delights It’s not easy to plan a trip and get a passport stamp from Turkey, but SADE Turkish Coffee & Delights brings the Turkish culinary and hospitality experience directly to Carpinteria Avenue’s west end. Pacific Health Foods and area niche grocers offer baklava, borek, and coffee sourced from Turkey and imported by SADE. Sweet baklava paired with bold, bittersweet Turkish coffee is a simple achievement in cuisine that has withstood the test of millenia. Borek is a savory cousin of baklava, as both dishes come encased in thin flaky dough.

The feta cheese borek is a worthy main picnic course, or slice it bite sized and platter it up to add an exotic twist to the bounty. When building the perfect picnic experience, take the opportunity to expand your horizons.

No regrets. s 4189 Carpinteria Ave. • (805) 755-8678 sadeturkishcoffee.com SUMMER2021 71

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Wild in Carpinteria

Front-Country Wonders W ORDS & PH OT OS BY CH UCK GRA HAM W OOLY BLU E CU RLS Curling into coastal range beauties, wooly blue curls come late spring into early summer on the upper reaches of the Franklin Trail. If frequent hikes above 3,500 feet are your bag, take notice of the pinkish-purple nubs that gradually morph into repeated curls. Better yet, hike into a soggy, overcast canopy of May Gray or June Gloom, and marvel at Trichostema lanatum and the exquisite dew drops clinging to the deep purple blooms like translucent crystals.

DI D Y OU KNOW ?

• The name wooly blue curls is derived from the tiny fibrous white hairs that smother the flowering violet, blue, and purple buds, but the fibers are soft to the touch.

• Dried, this California native wildflower makes for a fine tea possessing antiinflammatory properties that can also fend off colds, flus, and headaches.

• Hummingbirds are the major pollinator of this coastal sage flora.

• A member of the mint family, wooly blue curls were first noted during the Gaspar Portola Expedition beginning in 1769. The Spanish conquistadors first named it “romero” for its resemblance to the rosemary herb, and it’s sometimes referred to as “California Rosemary” and “American Wild Rosemary.” However, its aroma comes off sweet, almost bubblegum-ish.

• The blooms are edible and have been used for decorating cakes and cocktails.

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W ES TERN P OND TU R TLE It must have been some kind of rollercoaster ride for this western pond turtle, tumbling and somersaulting down a swollen, boulder-strewn runnel, another winter storm breathing life into the chaparral-choked Santa Ynez Mountains. Its landing spot was the rivermouth at Rincon. The beleaguered freshwater turtle, nursing a cracked carapace and an injured fore limb, was hunkered down in the cobble on a draining tide.

After stepping out of the surf, I scooped it up and watched its head retreat inside its shell. The animal’s next stop, I realized, would have to be Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network. Actinemys pallida is California’s only native freshwater turtle, and is found in creeks, ponds, lakes, marshes and irrigation ditches. However, don’t be surprised if you see one wandering away from water.

DI D Y OU KNOW ?

• If you see one traveling on a trail (or off a trail) let it be.

Western pond turtles often blaze their own route in search of a mate, a better place to live, or a spot to lay their eggs.

• Western pond turtles possess the plumbing to hibernate underwater during the winter or seek out vacant burrows left

by California ground squirrels. On the flipside, once it heats up and creeks run dry, they can bury themselves in loose loam, relying on cloacal respiration to beat the heat.

• They prefer basking in the sun on exposed logs and rocks instead of the surface of the water.

• You’d need to be a western pond turtle to perceive this threat, but if they don’t want to share a basking site, they’ll expose the inner pinkish and yellow lining of their mouths to ward off intruders.

• The biggest threat to these hyper-sensitive turtles is habitat loss, but also the introduction of non-native species, and pet owners releasing red-eared sliders and painted turtles into the wild.  SUMMER2021 73

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PLAYING IT BY EAR CARPINTERIANS TUNE IN TO THE BENEFITS OF MUSIC

From left, Kevin and Evan Silk got lots of jam sessions in during the pandemic.

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WORDS B Y ODESS A S T ORK PH OTOS BY DAISUKE N A K A M URA

M

usic has always held a unique kind of unifying power, bringing people together and forcing moments of joy and genuine connection.

When the pandemic threatened and altered human connection as we know it, Carpinterians turned to the power of music—whether virtual, in their homes, or in the community—to come together once again and cope with the challenges of the past year.

Lifelong musician and Carpinterian Evan Silk grew up surrounded by sound. Influenced by his father, a talented drummer, and his mother, who also had an affinity for instruments and community drum circles, Silk’s creativity blossomed.

Music has been an integral part of the now 29-yearold’s life ever since, and so when Silk’s father, Kevin, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the father and son did what they do best—jam. “We’ve always played music together, me on guitar and him on drums,” Evan says. “I think playing music is a good stress outlet for both of us, not even just him and everything he’s dealing with, but for myself, too … Especially now, knowing how important it is for him to challenge himself and move and have that body-mind movement connection.”

Optimistic about the role of music in his father ’s larger treatment plan, Evan alluded to the body of research that exists in support of music therapy for both mental and physical health.

Neuroscientists at the University of Pennsylvania say that participating in music in your 60s and beyond can boost brain health, decrease memory loss, and improve cognitive function. It’s also a workout for the peripheral nervous system. “There’s nothing more in the moment than when you’re jamming,” Evan says. “You’re not thinking of anything else at that time.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the case for music education and group musical activities for young kids is equally strong. Playing an instrument engages every major part of the central nervous system and helps to develop both fine and gross motor skills. According to a U.C. Berkeley publication, playing music together also impacts brain circuits that are crucial to developing empathy, trust, and cooperation. In fact, people tend to think more kindly of others around them when they’re harmonizing or synchronizing in a group.

Kathy Hayden, owner and director of Kindermusik with Kathy, taps into all of these benefits and more in her weekly music classes with Carpinteria’s youngsters.

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Hula hoops, scarves and instruments are all part of the Kindermusik fun for Skyler Graehl.

Kathy Hayden brings high energy and fun into every Kindermusik with Kathy class.

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The Carpinteria Community Church provides an expansive outdoor classroom for Kindermusik during the pandemic.

Hayden started Kindermusik with Kathy, a local branch of the international Kindermusik music education program, 23 years ago. Serving the communities of Carpinteria, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Santa Ynez, the program invites parents and children to bond over the joys of music together as they participate in whimsical, interactive classes that feature singing, dancing, piano, percussion, and more.

“Music is one of the best ways to stimulate a child’s brain,” she says. “Music enhances the brain and opens it up for reading, for math, for every area of a child’s life … It hits the child in every area—cognitive, language, physical, social, heart (and) joy.”

Beginning in March of 2020, Kindermusik with Kathy went fully virtual for nearly six months. Hayden, who spends half of each year in India teaching music and doing outreach work with local youth, found herself unable to return to California for months on end due to travel restrictions. But with the help of fellow staff music teacher Lily Akers, the Kindermusik program pushed forward on

Zoom and became an instant success.

“It’s not just sitting and staring at a screen … it’s almost exactly like our (in-person) program,” Hayden says of the Zoom classes. “It’s just as interactive and fun.”

Now safely back home, Hayden has resumed teaching outdoor, socially-distanced classes, but she’s continued offering virtual classes on Zoom all the while. Hayden says the families she works with in Carpinteria are notably dedicated. Classes take place on the lawn of the Carpinteria Community Church, which she praises for its hospitality.

“My number one (priority) is the bond between the parent and the child, especially during pandemic time, just giving people a place to be outdoors or in and connecting with their child in a meaningful way,” Hayden says. “Whether you’re with them all day long or you’re a working parent, I find that we get distracted and busy doing other things when we’re a parent, so what I love about this is it’s one hour to focus on your child, to be present with them. No distractions, no phone calls.”

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Music teacher Thomas Pavia reached his Carpinteria Unified School District pupils via Zoom throughout the pandemic.

Long after their Kindermusik years have passed, music education remains at the forefront for Carpinteria youth.

Music teacher Thomas Pavia has taught in Carpinteria schools since 2007, and now teaches grades 3-8 at Canalino, Aliso, Summerland, Family, and Carpinteria Middle schools, where he says that students have been especially grateful for their music classes within the past year.

“It was an adjustment for everyone at first but I think what I’m doing works, the kids are coming and they’re very engaged,” Pavia says. “I’m just grateful to be able to continue to provide this opportunity for students, and I know a lot of the students who are participating are very grateful for it as well … For a lot of students, music time is something that they really look forward to.”

Ahead of the switch to remote learning, Carpinteria schools provided each student with the instruments they needed to participate in music classes. Every third-grader was provided a recorder, Pavia says, and for grades four through eight, all students who chose to sign up for music received an instrument.

Pavia says he thinks of the school band as a microcosm of society—everyone has a part to play, and children learn to contribute to a larger goal. It’s also an apt way to describe how Carpinterians young and old have come together, supported one another and shared in the joys of music.  78 CARPINTERIAMAGAZINE.com

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This week, we take a look at the year in “bloomenomics.” After the pandemic’s abrupt halting of the flower industry last March, flower growers in Carpinteria made adjustments and kept on growing. Pictured, Javier Tafoya picks rose blooms at Myriad Flowers. Read more on pages 12-13.

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Mighty Oaks W ORDS BY A M Y M A RI E OROZCO

I

n 1928, the American Legion Post 49 spearheaded the local effort of a national project to create a living memorial to the fallen soldiers of World War I. With the help of the Boy Scouts, 71 live oak trees were planted on both sides of a quarter-mile stretch between Summerland and Santa Claus Lane of what was then called the Coast Highway, a two-lane concrete roadway predating today’s multi-lane Highway 101.

The dedication ceremony for the Memorial Oaks was held on May 13 with 150 Legionnaires and their mothers and friends in attendance and an estimated crowd of 500, according to Jayne Craven Caldwell in her book “Carpinteria As It Was.” Citing “The History of the Santa Barbara American Legion Post 49, Department of California, 1919 to 1958,” Jayne elaborates, “Chaplain Davies gave the invocation and the Boy Scouts were in charge of placing the flags and flowers, followed by the firing of salutes. The post was complimented by Mr. Clendenny, of the State Highway Commission, for pioneering the idea of planting the memorial trees … John Ogram presented a number of small oak trees from his property without charge.” At the base of each tree were wooden nameplates, which, over time, disappeared due to the elements, rot, or vandalism.

Fast forward to post-World War II and President Eisenhower ’s 41,000-mile “National System of Interstate

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108 new Memorial Oaks will be planted on the shoulders of Highway 101.

15 of the original Memorial Oaks

have been preserved on the southbound shoulder of Highway 101. They span from east of Sentar Road to west of Toro Canyon Road.

and Defense Highways” of the 1950s. The old Coast Highway became the southbound lane of today’s 101 freeway, and the northside column of oaks became the median of the 101. Breathing automobile exhaust fumes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can’t be good for any living thing — mighty Memorial Oak or not—and some of the trees began to fail.

By 1979, only 37 of the original 71 trees were still standing due to either “heart rot” or exposure to automobile exhaust. Though an effort arose to retain as many of the trees as possible, surviving oaks dwindled to just 31.

16 Memorial Oaks were recently removed from the center median of Highway 101 in order to widen the freeway.

Today’s freeway widening project requires a new plan for the remaining Memorial Oaks, as the Padaro segment begins construction this summer and is expected to be completed in 2024.

“Early on, arborists and the project team looked at the possibility of transplanting some of the oak trees that had to be removed from the median. Unfortunately, the current health of the trees meant that the prognosis from the independent arborists was that most of the trees wouldn’t survive,” reports Kirsten Ayars, Community SUMMER2021 81

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Liaison for Caltrans. Add to that the need to deal with utility lines that are in the way and the necessity to shut down the freeway to accommodate the undertaking.

To keep the legacy of the Memorial Oaks alive, Caltrans created a Memorial Oaks Focused Task Team, collaborating with the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, Carpinteria Veterans Group, Carpinteria Valley Association, Santa Barbara County Planning & Public Works, Historic Landmarks Association, and SBCAG (Santa Barbara County Association of Governments) to develop recommendations.

The 15 oaks in the southbound shoulder are being retained, and the 16 remaining trees in the median have been removed.

In an effort to revive the memorial, acorns have been collected and propagated over the last few years. As recommended by the Memorial Oaks Focused task team, more than the 108 propagated Memorial Oaks will be planted on the outside shoulders of the freeway lanes to enhance the corridor.

True to the original memorial, the new trees will be planted on the northside of the 101 after the construction of the Padaro segment is completed, and four existing cypress trees will be removed so the oaks will stand out.

To give an immediate grove effect, a variety of sized oaks will be planted. (A final design note indicates, “To the extent feasible, the new oak trees are to be propagated from the original Memorial Oak stock.”)

Other proposed updates to the memorial include the median barrier to feature the Blue Star and Oak Branch symbols. Additionally, there will be Blue Star Memorial Highway signage designating the memorial stretch of highway.

Though the number of original Memorial Oaks has declined over the years due to progress and natural causes, recent removals have saddened some community members. On nextdoor.com, the social network for neighborhoods, residents share their feelings. “Those trees were my friends,” one post reads. “I know, it makes me sad too,” answers another, and “Yes, I’m still saddened by the tree that was cut down, right next to the freeway in Summerland where some loons used to call home, I know widening the freeway is progress and without it none of us would be living in our homes where there once were plenty of trees growing,” reasons another.

It’s too early to put a date on a dedication ceremony for the revamped Memorial Oaks, and though the physicality of the commemorative ribbon of highway may be altered, its spirit remains the same — honoring those who dedicated their lives for their country.

Visit the World War I exhibit at the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, 956 Maple Ave., for more information about the Memorial Oaks. s 82 CARPINTERIAMAGAZINE.com

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Discover Carpinteria’s Rich & Colorful Past at the

CARPINTERIA VALLEY

MUSEUM OF HISTORY Featured Exhibits: Native American Chumash • Summerland Spanish & Mexican Ranchos • World War I Carpinteria Pioneers • Victorian Homes Agriculture & Tools • 19th Century School House LEARN MORE • READ OUR NEWSLETTER • MAKE A DONATION

CarpinteriaHistoricalMuseum.org TUESDAY-SATURDAY, 1-4 PM

956 MAPLE AVENUE • 684-3112

BECOME A MEMBER! Our community historical museum relies on the support of its members and fundraising efforts. During this time of COVID-19 closure and cancellation of museum events, we reach out to our community for greater support by becoming a member, learning about Carpinteria’s fascinating past, and supporting historical preservation for the future.

BENEFITS INCLUDE: A subscription to our bi-monthly newsletter “The Grapevine” Museum Gift Shop Discounts Savings on Museum Field Trips Invitations to Museum Programs and Special Events

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Recommended

If you’re looking for anything from a snack to a nice dinner out with friends or family, try some of Carpinteria’s favorite local restaurants.

Call ahead for hours, reserved seating or curbside pickup

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PA C I F I C H EA L T H F O O D S

Pacific Health Foods serves the best smoothies in Carpinteria. Also fresh juices, organic baked goods, sandwiches, acai bowls, coffee & tea.

Must Try: Scarlet Begonia Juice 944 Linden Ave., Carpinteria, CA, 93013 805-684-2115

BE ACH LIQ UO R

PA DA R O B EA C H G R I L L

D A NN Y’S D E LI

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DELGADO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

R EY N A L DO’ S B A K ER Y

TH E FO O D LIA IS O N

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T H E SPOT

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Z OOK ER S R EST A U R A N T

Best known for their award winning burritos, Beach Liquor has a vast array of snacks, drinks and adult beverages, as well as a full Mexican grill.

Must Try: Any of the burritos or tortas 794 Linden Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-2919

Danny’s Deli has been serving Carpinteria for 32 years with tri-tip, turkey and roast beef all cooked on site.

Must Try: Famous Tri-Tip Sandwich 4890 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-2711

Carpinteria’s Classic Mexican Restaurant since 1965. Family-run restaurant offering enchiladas, fajitas & other Mexican eats, plus cocktails.

Must Try: Traditional Burrito 4401 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-4822 • delgadoscarp.com

Catering. Counter. Classes. Utilizing local, organic ingredients. Daily rotating entrees, soups and deserts, seasonal menus and gourmet salad bar.

Must Try: Avocado Meets Toast 1033 Casitas Pass Rd., Carpinteria, CA 93013

Specialty pizzas (meat and veggie), pastas, calzones, sandwiches and games in a casual, sit-down space, delivery of to go Must Try: Giovanni’s Original Lasagna 5003 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-8288 • giovanniscarp.com

Healthy California Cuisine. Enjoy freshly baked bagels with whipped cream cheeses. Breakfast, lunch, and beyond!

Must Try: Blackstone Benedict: w/avo, bacon, tomato 5050 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-566-1558 • bagelnet.com

Delicious Mexican grill at an affordable price.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner all day. Grab some sides from the market and take it anywhere!

Must Try: Any of Adan’s “Best Burritos in Carp” 4502 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-2235

Great food, spectacular views, friendly service, pet-friendly, and a family-style atmosphere make Padaro Beach Grill the perfect place to dine.

Must Try: Any burger, especially The Padaro 3765 Santa Claus Lane, Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-566-9800

Folks come from near and far to eat these burritos, tacos, tortas, and other tasty options.

Close your eyes and you’re in Mexico.

Must Try: Chile Relleno Soup, Chilaquiles, Gordita 4890 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-2711

Mexican & European Bakery. From handmade, traditional Mexican fare to the finest quality wedding cakes & desserts.

Must Try: Chile Verde Pork, Eggs & Cheese.

895 Linden Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-4981 • reynaldosbakery.com

With its reputation of authenticity and excellence, Siam Elephant stays true to the culinary culture and influences of Thailand.

Must Try: Pad Thai 509 Linden Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-2391 • siamelephantusa.com

Just steps from the beach, The Spot is a classic hamburger stand serving up delicious American and Mexican food at affordable prices!

Must Try: Famous Chili Cheese Fries 389 Linden Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-6311

Since 1991, Uncle Chen has been proud to serve local produce from the farmers market and homemade recipes.

Must Try: Casitas Green 1025 Casitas Pass Rd., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-566-3334

Local organic produce, fresh fish, and sustainably raised meats. The “FARM TO TABLE” approach ensures the freshest food in town.

Must Try: Bacon wrapped, Filet Mignon 5404 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013 805-684-8893 • zookersrestaurant.com

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“Attachments”

BY JE FF A RCH

Carpinteria resident Jeff Arch’s first novel, "Attachments", achieves page-turner status without sacrificing art. Its layered perspectives, witty dialogue, and nail-biting mysteries create a compelling and complex narrative.

Set at a Pennsylvania boarding school, the story centers around a deathbed request from the school’s dean that forces the unearthing of painful buried secrets.

Arch himself grew up in Pennsylvania and attended a boarding school much like the one depicted in the novel. In the 1970s, Arch studied film/tv/ theater production at Emerson College in Boston and then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a concert lighting designer and toured the country with national rock and reggae acts while teaching himself to write screenplays on the side.

Years later, married and with a young family, Arch rented a small office, and gave himself one year to write three screenplays. The second of those sold almost immediately, and the 1993 romantic comedy “Sleepless in Seattle” became a surprise megahit worldwide. For his screenplay, Jeff was nominated for an Oscar, as well as for Writers Guild and BAFTA awards, among others.

Now Arch and his wife call Carpinteria home. “It’s the perfect beach town,” Arch says. “It just really is, and we’re lucky to be here.”

Though he has numerous film credits and honors to his name, “Attachments” is his first novel. It is available on Amazon.

S CHAPTER 1: GRIFFIN He was halfway to the floor when Mrs. Levering came in. She had the afternoon mail with her and she looked up from it and saw him reach out for the back of his chair to try and grab on, but the chair wheeled out from under him and he banged his head on the edge of the desk and dropped the rest of the way and was down.

Oh my God, he heard her say, and he had a hazy awareness of trying to answer her, but was curious to discover he couldn’t. He watched her eyes turn fierce with alarm; her arms with the clackety wrist bracelets lunging out while the letters fell out of her hands and dropped in angular stabs against the other side of the desk and the chair and the floor. They seemed like bombs to him.

“Henry!”

He was squeezed in between his chair and the credenza. He saw his reflection in the walnut side panel; his face, pressed up against itself, looking contorted and vaguely surprised. Something smelled like lemons, factorysweet, and he was thinking they overdid the wood polish again when he felt his weight shift underneath him and he smelled lavender now and saw Mrs. Levering’s reflection coming in and out as it appeared behind his own. She was trying to wiggle her way in there and get his head and shoulders up into her lap. He had never known her to wiggle before, or to sit on anyone’s floor.

“Henry! Can you hear me?”

He wanted to tell her that he could—that he could see her mouth moving, but her motions seemed gummy and disjointed and wrong somehow. And he wanted to tell her how strange it was that the sound of his own name could take so long to get to him from such a short distance away. But he couldn’t; he couldn’t make the words come, and a cold wave of fear began to build instead—a slow thick liquid, starting at his heels and climbing his spine like mercury.

He watched her stretch for the phone and punch numbers; he knew it had to do with helping him and he wanted to thank her for that. But there was something else—something to ask her, to get her to do, desperate and essential, but still he couldn’t get the words to come out. And the feeling began to dawn on him that he might die, really die, right here on this floor, with the thing he needed to say trapped tight and thick in his throat.

“Henry. Try and listen. I think you’re having a heart attack, or a stroke. Can you hear me? Do you know where you are?”

Yes! he shouted. Or thought he was shouting. At the school, on the carpet, in my office! But she must not have heard him; Mrs. Levering only looked more worried. “Your wife’s on the way,” she told him, “and I called the field house for Chip.”

Griffin’s head went limp and heavy. He had to tell her about Piccolo and Goodman. He had to tell her, and she had to get them here, so they could

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be there for Chip. He felt his eyes rolling, fluttering upwards while some deeply planted instinct told him not to let them do that. He felt helpless, and inevitable, and doomed.

Mrs. Levering was talking again. Her voice like it was leaving on a train. He had to try, one last time, before he wouldn’t be able to do anything at all.

S CHAPTER 3: CHIP By the time he made it across the campus there was already a crowd—whispering, spreading the word about Mr. Griffin and what had happened to him. Chip stood on a bench, to see over heads and umbrellas and shuffling.

The EMTs were loading his dad into an ambulance. In another two minutes the whole school would know.

“Chip.”

He’d been back at the field with Randy, working on a pass play that Coach Milpitas wanted them to learn for the Nihaminy game. They had an extra week to prepare for this one, and they needed it; the two schools hated each other to begin with, and last time they played it ended ugly—Nihaminy won, on a disputed call that would remain disputed for the next hundred years. The only thing both sides could agree on was that the next time they met would be cold and bloody. A brick fight.

“Chip.”

They’d stayed after practice to work on the play, and were lining up to do it again when they heard the sirens and then saw Bostick running triple time from the field house.

Standing there, dripping wet, they wondered which one of them he was coming out in such a hurry to get.

“Chip.”

It was Mrs. Levering. She was tugging at his sleeve— ready to climb up on the bench with him if he didn’t answer

this time. People were turning around now, looking at them. Chip was in his sweats, blotted through from both directions, and he did not want this kind of attention; he didn’t like being exposed this way, having his guts strung out on a line. Bad enough that they all knew about Ellie, dropping him like a bowling ball and avoiding him like a disease. Now they’re taking his dad away, in front of everyone, and here he was on display again which made the whole thing even worse. Sometimes he felt like he could go through anything, as long as nobody knew.

The doors closed with a sick thunk of finality. There were leaves stuck flat to the back windows—big wide dead brown maple leaves, plastered heavy by the rain, blocking any kind of view there might have been inside.

“Is my mom in there?” Chip asked. People were stepping out of the way now, as the ambulance pulsed forward and started off.

“She’s with him. If you want to go to the hospital, I’ll take you.”

“I want to. I want to go.”

She had to get her keys and her purse from her desk.

Chip followed her into the Foyle Building, waiting in his dad’s office while Mrs. Levering used the ladies’ room across the hall. He listened while she ran the sink in there—then the toilet flush, then the sink again, with the water on full force. There was no way to hide it, she’d been crying.

“Are you sure all he did was faint?”

“He hit his head on the desk.”

“Hard?”

“He hit it pretty hard, Chip.”

Chip looked; his father ’s desk was unusually shiny. But also he noticed a streak along the side panel—a comet tail smear that went down its whole length.

It looked like a fat smudgy fingerprint left by someone’s whole face.

“What’s that smell?” Chip asked.

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be there for Chip. He felt his eyes rolling, fluttering upwards while some deeply planted instinct told him not to let them do that. He felt helpless, and inevitable, and doomed.

Mrs. Levering was talking again. Her voice like it was leaving on a train. He had to try, one last time, before he wouldn’t be able to do anything at all.

S CHAPTER 3: CHIP By the time he made it across the campus there was already a crowd—whispering, spreading the word about Mr. Griffin and what had happened to him. Chip stood on a bench, to see over heads and umbrellas and shuffling.

The EMTs were loading his dad into an ambulance. In another two minutes the whole school would know.

“Chip.”

He’d been back at the field with Randy, working on a pass play that Coach Milpitas wanted them to learn for the Nihaminy game. They had an extra week to prepare for this one, and they needed it; the two schools hated each other to begin with, and last time they played it ended ugly—Nihaminy won, on a disputed call that would remain disputed for the next hundred years. The only thing both sides could agree on was that the next time they met would be cold and bloody. A brick fight.

“Chip.”

They’d stayed after practice to work on the play, and were lining up to do it again when they heard the sirens and then saw Bostick running triple time from the field house.

Standing there, dripping wet, they wondered which one of them he was coming out in such a hurry to get.

“Chip.”

It was Mrs. Levering. She was tugging at his sleeve— ready to climb up on the bench with him if he didn’t answer

this time. People were turning around now, looking at them. Chip was in his sweats, blotted through from both directions, and he did not want this kind of attention; he didn’t like being exposed this way, having his guts strung out on a line. Bad enough that they all knew about Ellie, dropping him like a bowling ball and avoiding him like a disease. Now they’re taking his dad away, in front of everyone, and here he was on display again which made the whole thing even worse. Sometimes he felt like he could go through anything, as long as nobody knew.

The doors closed with a sick thunk of finality. There were leaves stuck flat to the back windows—big wide dead brown maple leaves, plastered heavy by the rain, blocking any kind of view there might have been inside.

“Is my mom in there?” Chip asked. People were stepping out of the way now, as the ambulance pulsed forward and started off.

“She’s with him. If you want to go to the hospital, I’ll take you.”

“I want to. I want to go.”

She had to get her keys and her purse from her desk.

Chip followed her into the Foyle Building, waiting in his dad’s office while Mrs. Levering used the ladies’ room across the hall. He listened while she ran the sink in there—then the toilet flush, then the sink again, with the water on full force. There was no way to hide it, she’d been crying.

“Are you sure all he did was faint?”

“He hit his head on the desk.”

“Hard?”

“He hit it pretty hard, Chip.”

Chip looked; his father ’s desk was unusually shiny. But also he noticed a streak along the side panel—a comet tail smear that went down its whole length.

It looked like a fat smudgy fingerprint left by someone’s whole face.

“What’s that smell?” Chip asked.

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“Furniture spray,” said Mrs. Levering.

“Let’s go.”

She drove down Memorial, wipers on high. He had never been in her car before; it was a Camry—sensible and no non-sense, just like she was. A Lexus without the flash, for fifteen thousand less. Mrs. Levering all the way.

“It felt like Robert Kennedy.”

Chip looked at her. After three traffic lights and a railroad crossing where no one said anything, something now felt like Robert Kennedy.

“The night he was shot,” she went on. “In that hotel ballroom, in Los Angeles.”

She shook her head, like this was a bad thing that had just happened to someone in the neighborhood.

“He won the California primary that night.”

Chip told her he knew. “Mr. Loftus is a Kennedy freak. He makes you read everything. He showed films.”

“Then you know what happened. He had just made his victory speech. I can’t remember the name of the hotel. Excelsior, or Embassy . . .”

“The Ambassador,” Chip said. He shrugged when Mrs. Levering looked surprised: did he not just tell her Loftus was a maniac? It was like he knew the family personally—like they were lifelong neighbors in Hyannis or something, and they had him over all the time for lemonade and quoits. He took their deaths that hard.

“There was that busboy,” Mrs. Levering was saying. “The one on the floor with him, with all that blood. And he looked so frightened—an immigrant, and maybe not even legal—yet there in his lap is the head of a crown prince.” She shook her head. “You can’t get any farther apart than that in this country.”

No, Chip guessed. You couldn’t.

“Anyway, that’s the way we were sitting for a while. Until the ambulance came. And I saw our reflections in your father’s credenza and that’s what I thought of. Bobby Kennedy, on the floor of that hotel. With all there was to look forward to . . .”

She was rambling now. Chip decided to let her; she could sing Irish drinking songs if she wanted, as long as she didn’t swerve off and hit anything. They crossed the bridge into WilkesBarre and went through Market Square; then things turned industrial pretty quick—a furniture mart, a brewery that had just changed hands, a couple blocks where there were warehouses, then the new shopping center that already looked old somehow, and then the hospital.

That’s right, he remembered. The hospital.

They were going to the hospital.

“Chip. Your father said somebody’s name.”

CarpMag_Summer2021.indd 88

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, before he—while we were on the floor there. He tried very hard, to say somebody’s name.”

“Whose.”

“Well that’s it. I don’t know whose. Actually, it was two names, and I’m not even sure I got them right. They were the last things he said . . .”

“What were they?”

“One was Piccolo—I think. And one was Goodman. Or maybe not.”

Chip didn’t know. Piccolo was familiar, in a local kind of way. Everyone knew about Carmine Piccolo—the man was as notorious as Capone in these parts—although it was hard for Chip to imagine how he could be associated with his father.

And Goodman? Never heard of Goodman.

Anybody’s bet.

“I guess your mom could know,” Mrs. Levering said.

“I guess.”

He was out of the car almost before she stopped it. He leapt over a bench and ran through the doors and kept running—blurring past the people turning to ask if they could help him. He noticed different colored lines on the floor, like racing stripes on a car. The lines intersected sometimes, ran parallel sometimes—all according to some kind of code, he was sure, but he really didn’t want to have to figure it out right now. He should still be out on the football field, running that play with Randy. Bostick should have stayed in the locker room and not come looking for them. His father should be in his office and the day should have kept on going normally, like normal days are supposed to go.

He thought about Mrs. Levering, running the faucet so she could cry. Bobby Kennedy and the Ambassador Hotel. The aerosol smell of lemons, and the smear on the side of that desk; Chip knew somehow that he’d remember these things forever—that he would always connect them with the day his father cracked his head and had to go to the hospital. The way those maple leaves clung to the ambulance. How that whole crowd of people turned around, and saw him all soaked and caught short—and how Ellie, out of everyone, was nowhere to be found.

He hit it pretty hard, Chip . . .

What anyone else remembers, he thought, is totally up to them. He picked the blue lines underneath him, and ran on.

Excerpted with permission from ATTACHMENTS by Jeff Arch. © 2021 Jeff Arch Baytown Entertainment Inc. Published

by SparkPress, a BookSparks imprint, a division of SparkPoint Studio, LLC s

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REAL ESTATE REV I EW

Montecito Oceanfront

Taylor Toner #01962161 • 805.451.4999 Tara Toner #01957054 • 805.451.4801 themontecitogroup@gmail.com www.MontecitoGroupRealEstate.com 1290 Coast Village Road Montecito, California 93108 The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

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REAL ESTATE REV I EW

ATTENTION HIGH DEMAND LOW INVENTORY CALL ME NOW

850 Over

to get your home sold!

Million Sold since 2000

Top 5 in Total Number of Closed Escrows since 2000* Top 10 in Total Dollar Volume Sold since 2000*

Market Experience You Can Count On

Gary Goldberg 805.455.8910

GARY@COASTALREALTY.COM WWW.GARYGOLDBERG.NET *Rankings based on market penetration by individual statistics from the SBOR MLS through Jan. 2020 - Dec. 2020 DRE #01172139 90 CARPINTERIAMAGAZINE.com

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REAL ESTATE REV I EW

THIS LIFESTYLE WILL MOVE YOU HOMES

•

VIEWS

•

LIFESTYLES

4709 SANDYLAND #4 I $1,549,000 I A rare opportunity to live on the beach!

DRE: 01308141

YO L A N DA VA N W IN G E RD E N 805.570.4965 • Yolanda @AskYo.com

www.AskYo.com

Navigating the Santa Barbara Real Estate Markets for over 19 years After 19 years in the Santa Barbara market, Nancy made the move and joined Compass, a technology-driven real estate company. Fusing the best of a brokerage and startup, Compass allows Nancy to elevate her business and provide her clients with the best service possible. Whether you’re interested in exploring your real estate options or simply want to know more, contact Nancy today to set up an appointment.

Nancy Hussey 805.452.3052 nancy@nancyhussey.com DRE 01383773

4740 4th Street Carpinteria $1,847,000

5182 Concord Place Seacoast Village $989,000 Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.

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REAL ESTATE REV I EW

Seascape Realty Buying or selling a home with us is like a walk on the beach!

SOLD!

NICE, BRIGHT 3-BEDROOM, 2-BATH CONDOMINIUM… in Singing Springs Village. New dual pane windows, appliances, freshly painted and fully re-furbished master bath. Private patios open from master bedroom and living room.

Conveniently near parking and the pool. Walking distance to downtown Carpinteria with unique shops, restaurants, Alcazar movie theater and more. Short stroll to the beautiful “World’s Safest Beach.” A great opportunity to have a residence or investment property in this wonderful beach town.

OFFERED AT $649,000 Please call Terry Stain (805)705-1310 or Shirley Kimberlin (805) 886-0228

SOLD!

BRIGHT WEST SIDE COTTAGE IN SANTA BARBARA… Charming 2 bedroom, 1 bath home located on a corner lot. Features a cozy fireplace, inviting patio/garden area surrounded by beautiful tall hedges; a perfect place for relaxing or entertaining friends. Located near parks, shopping and freeway access. Take a short drive or bike ride to downtown Santa Barbara or the beach.

OFFERED AT $889,000 Please call Terry Stain (805)705-1310 or Shirley Kimberlin (805) 886-0228

PENDING

MOBILE HOME WITH MILLION DOLLAR VIEW...On one of Sandpiper Mobile Village’s rare view lots: 180-degree unobstructed views of Santa Ynez mountains. Spacious 1560sq. ft. 2 bdr/2 bth. Ready to move in, update or upgrade. See it at CarpinteriaMobileHomes.com.

OFFERED AT $449,000 Sylvia Miller 805-448-8882

SANDPIPER LOFT FULLY REMODELED...Nothing overlooked!

OFFERED AT $669,000 Leah Dabney 805-509-4496

SOLD!

LOVELY OPEN CONCEPT... 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom unit with newer upgrades.

OFFERED AT $799,000 Leah Dabney 805-509-4496

Explore Our BEACHSIDE VACATION RENTALS SeascapeVacation.com

4915-C Carpinteria Ave. Carpinteria • 805.684.4161 92 CARPINTERIAMAGAZINE.com

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REAL ESTATE REV I EW

Looking to vacation in Carpinteria?

Fantastic, fully stocked, 3 bedroom, 2 bath roomy condo with large front yard and private hot-tub area. This condo is perfect for a large family.

It is walking distance to the beach and downtown Carpinteria.

Carpinteria Shores is right on the sand. Select from a range of prices for our individually owned and decorated two bedroom vacation rental condos which sleep up to six comfortably. Everything included except linens, which we’re pleased to provide upon request. Available for short or long term stays.

Wonderful three bedroom, two bath in the heart of Carpinteria.

Beautifully remodeled home within walking distance to everything Carpinteria. Available for three night minimum stays. Everything you need for a perfect getaway.

The Beachcomber is located right across the street from Carpinteria Beach, where you can swim or just relax. At night you can enjoy the beautiful sunsets. The downstairs apartments with patios are available for weekly rentals.

805.684.4101 5441 Carpinteria Ave. Carpinteria, CA 93013

www.murphykingrealestate.com

DEBORAH MURPHY

Broker/Property Manager/Notary DRE #00580025

!

SOLD

CalRE #02039072

Santa Barbara Riviera. 817 Arguello Rd. Offered at $1,700,000

GAYLE SPIEGLE 805-680-3534

Carpinteria Beach in Silver Sands Village.

349 Ash Ave #16. Offered at $749,000

Gayle.Spiegle@camoves.com www.GayleSpiegle.cbintouch.com 3820 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Not intended as a solicitation if your property is already listed by another broker. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

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Do you know what is happening in Carpinteria real estate?

Carpinteria Sales Statistics between 4.01.20 – 3.31.21

81

Total Single Family Home Sales

84

Total Condo Sales

$1,188,000 Median Single Family Home Price

$2,294,308 Average Single Family Home Price

$23,750,000 Highest Sale

$540,000 Lowest Single Family Home Market Sale 1701-1795 Cravens Lane $6,500,000

Jon-Ryan Schlobohm

— Broker Associate | Realtor® 805.450.3307 jr@jon-ryan.com DRE 01876237

Sarah Aresco Smith

S C H LO B O H M T E A M . C O M

— Broker Associate | Realtor® 805.252.3868 sarah@lovecarpinteria.com DRE 01882574

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.

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Peter Dugré - Writer

CONTRIBS

1. Wet, wild family fun 2. Good cheese, fresh bread, pickled veggies 3. Love for storytelling 4. Mandolin 5. The climbing tree on the bluffs.

6. peter@2trumpets.com

1. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER?

4. IN YOUR DREAM BAND, YOU PLAY THE __________________.

2. WHAT FOODS WOULD YOUR PERFECT PICNIC INCLUDE?

5. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TREE?

3. WHAT DO YOU LOVE THAT WAS PASSED FROM A FAMILY MEMBER?

6. CONTACT

Bjoern Freiherr - Photographer

Chuck Graham - Writer/photographer

Debra Herrick - Writer/photographer

1. Traveling 2. Chips, guac, and chocolate 3. Don't really have anything that was passed down to me 4. Piano 5. All of them!

6. bjoern.freiherr@live.com

1. Island fox pups 2. Turkey, swiss, avo, mustard, lemon pepper on Dave’s Killer Bread 3. Cats 4. Violin 5. Coast live oak 6. Instagram: @chuckgrahamphoto

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Long days Crackers, cheese, olives Ollin’s eyelashes from my mom I’m the lead singer!

Almond tree editor@lumartzine.com

Michael Kwiecinski - Photographer

Amy Marie Orozco - Writer

Chris Orwig - Photographer

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Swimming & our new Husky pup Mookie Avocado, baguette, vino The stories of success and struggle Trumpet or piano Sequoias or giant oaks Instagram: @wondertribe

Daisuke Nakamura- Photographer 1. Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics 2. Avocados, soy sauce,z and fresh wasabi 3. Be as fluid and free-moving as water 4. The sitar and the steelpan 5. Wardholme torrey pine 6. instagram.com/dicekphoto

Family time Cambozola cheese, crusty bread, olive oil Iron skillet Drums Jacaranda amymarie@amymarieorozco.com

Odessa Stork - Writer 1. Hugging my friends for the first time since the start of the pandemic!

2. Boba tea, charcuterie, fruits and veggies 3. My parents' '80s and '90s-era wardrobe 4. Electric guitar 5. The iconic upside-down tree at the bluffs 6. odessastork.com

Quality time with the kids!

Blueberries, strawberries, water melon Creativity Guitar Olive trees chris@chrisorwig.com

Megan Waldrep - Writer 1. Renovating a historical home with my new husband!

2. Watermelon, sandwich, plantain chips 3. Grandfather’s champion letter sweater 4. The sickest drums ever!

5. Live oak with Spanish moss 6. www.meganwaldrep.com

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FRAME

FINAL

LIFE'S A BEACH Carpinteria's beach popularity is nothing new.

These photos, recently donated by the Brown family to the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, depict fun in the sun circa 1940s. Originally, the privately operated Carpinteria Beach Auto Camp existed where the Carpinteria State Beach welcomes visitors today. A close look at the camping photo shows the old train depot where the Amtrak station exists today and the lemon packinghouse where today you can sip cold one at Island Brewing Company.

The Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, located at 956 Maple Avenue, is packed with incredible artifacts and photos of Carpinteria yesteryears. The museum's grand reopening after COVID-19 closure will be held on June 26. s P H OT OS CO UR TESY OF THE CA R P I N T E R IA VAL L EY M USE UM O F HISTORY

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Farmers. Neighbors. Stewards.

Established in 2018 to make Local Cannabis Farming better

WE ARE HERE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, have conversations, & be part of the community.

ABOUT CARP GROWERS

13 Member Farms employ 1,500 in Carpinteria Valley.

We are leaders in responsible cannabis production for a statewide marketplace and committed to keeping Carpinteria an agricultural valley.

ASK A QUESTION. TOUR A FARM. GET SUPPORT. Contact info@carpgrowers.org