Santa Barbara Coast, CA July 2026 by City Lifestyle

We bring the future of wealth home to Montecito.

At Harbor Hills, innovation and personal connection go hand in hand. We thoughtfully incorporate AI-based tools to enhance our investment research and financial planning process — bringing added depth and efficiency to the way we serve our Montecito clients. Because while technology can inform decisions, it’s human understanding that gives them meaning.

Explore 2026

Santa Barbara rewards people who pay attention.

Not immediately, and rarely all at once. This is a place that tends to reveal itself slowly. Through morning walks along the coastline before the city fully wakes up, canyon roads taken without much urgency, and conversations that somehow stretch longer than expected on warm summer evenings.

For many of us, life here moves quickly despite the scenery suggesting otherwise. Calendars fill. Traffic builds. Phones rarely stop buzzing. It becomes surprisingly easy to move through a place as beautiful as this one without fully noticing it anymore. Which may be why exploration feels different here.

Not bigger. Not louder. Just more personal.

Consider the courthouse on Anapamu, one of the most photographed buildings in Santa Barbara, and one hiding a quiet imperfection most people walk right past. It turns out perfection has always been a bit of an illusion here, and the city is more interesting for it.

This month’s Explore issue looks at the quieter forms of discovery that continue shaping life along the Central Coast. One of the most compelling stories comes from Kirby Morgan Dive Systems, a company with roots right here in Santa Barbara. What began with underwater exploration in the Santa Barbara Channel eventually evolved into equipment trusted by divers worldwide. A reminder that some of the most meaningful innovation often starts locally, with curious people willing to push a little deeper than everyone else. Literally, in this case.

We dig into the hidden histories and endearing quirks woven into the fabric of this city. The kind of details that tend to surface only when you slow down long enough to look. Street signs with stories behind them. Landmarks that aren’t quite what they seem. A city that reveals more of itself the longer you live here.

In my experience, summer has a way of reopening that connection. Longer evenings, warmer water, and slightly less structured days create space to wander a little more freely; downtown, along the coast, into the mountains, or simply into conversations and places we might otherwise rush past.

Exploration doesn’t always require a plane ticket or an ambitious itinerary. Sometimes it simply asks us to slow down long enough to see the familiar more clearly. Wherever this season takes you, we hope this issue inspires you to keep exploring the place we are fortunate to call home.

Cheers,

July 2026

PUBLISHER

Matt DeMarcus | matt.demarcus@citylifestyle.com

PUBLICATION DIRECTOR

Sara DeMarcus | sara.demarcus@citylifestyle.com

EDITOR

Lena Ibarra

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ari Kirk, Matt DeMarcus, Sara DeMarcus, Courtney Stone Smith, Grace Galloway, Alyssa Lavy, MS, RD, CDN, Kali Kasprzyk

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ari Kirk, Kathy DeNinno Photography, Talia Burkett Helvey, Matt DeMarcus, Janie Jones

Corporate Team

CEO Steven Schowengerdt

President Matthew Perry

COO David Stetler

CRO Jamie Pentz

CoS Janeane Thompson

AD DESIGNER Rachel Kolich

LAYOUT DESIGNER Adam Finley

QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Hannah Leimkuhler

THURSDAY AUGUST 20 TH , 2026 THE GREAT LAWN

2 PM - 5 PM

Join us for the Fifth Annual Miramar Best in Show at Rosewood Miramar Beach —a fun-filled afternoon for resort guests, locals, and their furry friends.

Enjoy bites, cocktails, exclusive VIP booths, shopping, and more. Compete for a chance to win the ultimate Miramar getaway, all while supporting Santa Barbara Humane.

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city scene

WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

@SOUTHCOASTDELI

Our practice centers on somatic mental health therapy, an approach that explores how stress and trauma live in the nervous system. Together, we build awareness, safety, and connection so healing can happen at your own pace.

rt-project.org | (310) 564-6749 | @restorative_therapy_project 32 E. Micheltorena St. #1, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

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Coastal Cruising with Rad Power Bikes

Rad Power Bikes has brought its utility-focused e-bikes to the Funk Zone, offering test rides, rentals, and service for locals looking to navigate Santa Barbara with a little more ease. Designed for everything from beach commutes to weekend cruising, Rad’s bikes fit naturally into the city’s increasingly outdoor-oriented lifestyle. Open Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.– 6 p.m.; closed Monday –Tuesday. 132 E. Montecito St. | 805-468-8440

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Ospi Brings Dinner Party Energy

Ospi Montecito brings relaxed California-Italian dining to The Post near Montecito, serving house-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, breakfast, brunch, and aperitivo hour in a warm indoor-outdoor setting. Created by husband-and-wife team Jackson and Melissa Kalb of the Memento Mori Hospitality group, Ospi blends coastal Italian simplicity with lively Montecito energy, equally suited for a long lunch or a late-summer dinner with friends. Open daily. 1801 E. Cabrillo Blvd., Ste. F | 657.837.0009

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Ancora Osteria Brings Italian Soul to Montecito’s Upper Village

Chef Luca Crestanelli of S.Y. Kitchen fame opened Ancora Osteria this June in Montecito at the former home of Via Vai. The ocean-inspired Italian osteria, helmed alongside sous chef Francesco Crestanelli and partner Norman Borgatello, stays true to Crestanelli’s signature philosophy: simple dishes, high-quality ingredients, and a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. Ancora means “again” in Italian... and you’ll want to return! 1483 East Valley Road, Montecito

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Photography by Talia Burkett Helvey

Photography by www.ospi.com

Photography by @sbradpowerbikes

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Santa Barbara Unfiltered

Why Santa Barbara’s beauty runs deeper than the postcard

Walking down Anapamu past the iconic Santa Barbara courthouse on a warm, breezy afternoon, traffic whizzes by, e-bikes buzz past, and the bells of the clock tower chime… except, wait. They aren’t real bells at all! It’s a high-quality recording of some from UCSB’s Storke Tower. Why? Because the courthouse went way over-budget and was never really finished.

Quirks like these add to a place’s beauty in a way that “perfect” can’t. Although Santa Barbara may charm visitors with its picturesque scenery and architecture, a closer look reveals a plethora of endearing quirks. Some are less quirky and more of a beautiful, endlessly expensive disaster, like the bi-annual dredging of the harbor due to a poorly engineered breakwater. Others are quaint historical tales hidden behind street signs, like the story of a missing cannon behind Cañon Perdido Street. And some stories even lie between the cracks in the sidewalks, in the unevenly

measured blocks and century-old trees uprooting them.

Stories like these are what I’ve been exploring in my short-form series, Santa Barbara Secrets. What began last year as a side project to promote my video marketing business has grown into something I didn’t see coming — neighbors stopping me on the street, strangers sharing their family history, friends at dinner trading “did you know?”s. Community stories have a way of bringing us closer together— both to our city and to each other.

Just like a loved one, Santa Barbara is complex. She’s more than a “picture-perfect” tourist destination — she’s a vibrant community full of unique charm, both in her design and her residents, past and present. To love only the postcard version of Santa Barbara is like loving someone, but just in good lighting. True love doesn’t tolerate imperfections — it falls deeper for them. Recorded bells and all.

“

Community stories have a way of bringing us closer together.

ARTICLE BY JOSH NISSAN

The Architecture of Health:

Where Mind, Body, and Spirit Meet

Santa Barbara has a way of reminding us that wellness does not always need to be complicated. Sometimes, it is already waiting in the places we pass often: a trail above town, a garden in bloom, or a quiet gallery room where a painting asks us to slow down.

This July, as we explore more of what makes Santa Barbara special, we are looking at three places where the mind, body, and spirit seem to meet naturally. Each offers something different, but all share a familiar Santa Barbara quality: beauty that asks very little of us, except that we notice it.

GIBRALTAR ROAD & THE FRONT COUNTRY TRAILS

A drive or hike up Gibraltar Road offers one of the great perspective shifts in town. From above, the coastline stretches toward the Channel Islands, the Pacific opens wide below, and the Santa Ynez Mountains rise behind you. It is the kind of view that can quiet the noise almost instantly.

The nearby Front Country Trails, including routes like the Gibraltar Loop and the Edison Catway, a connector trail linking to the Ridge Trail above town, offer their own rewards. The steady elevation challenges

the body, while the wide-open views help clear the mind. There is chaparral, sun, stone, and sky — and often just enough separation from daily life to feel restored.

MISSION ROSE GARDEN

Tucked below Old Mission Santa Barbara, the Mission Rose Garden is one of those places that feels both familiar and quietly remarkable. With hundreds of rose varieties, soft lawns, and the Mission standing just beyond, it invites an unhurried pace.

A slow walk through the garden can feel like its own form of reset. The color, fragrance, and gentle rhythm of the space create a calm that is hard to force anywhere else. Sit on a bench, watch the bees move from bloom to bloom, and let the afternoon do what it does best here.

There is something grounding about the combination of natural beauty and local history. The roses bring you into the present moment, while the Mission adds a sense of time, reverence, and place.

SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art offers another kind of exploration — quieter, more interior, but no less meaningful. It is easy to

“Beauty that asks very little of us, except that we notice it.”

move quickly through a museum, pausing only for the pieces that immediately catch the eye. But spending time with a docent can completely change the experience.

With the right guide, a painting becomes more than something beautiful on a wall. Brushstrokes, context, hidden details, and the artist’s story begin to come forward. In that stillness, the mind

engages, the body slows, and the spirit connects to something larger than the moment. Free docent-led tours are available most days; check the Museum’s website for current summer hours and tour times before you visit.

A trail, a garden, a gallery — none of these require a reservation, a plan, or much of anything. That may be exactly the point.

TAKE YOUR NEXT VACATION WITH EFFORTLESS FLAIR

YOU WORK HARD ALL YEAR—YOUR VACATION STYLE SHOULD FEEL CINEMATIC, EFFORTLESS, AND UNMISTAKABLY MAIN CHARACTER.

ARTICLE BY COURTNEY STONE SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

Effortless vacation style isn’t about having the perfect outfit for every moment—it’s about having the right foundation to make every moment look intentional. When you know how to build a capsule travel wardrobe, you’ll avoid agonizing over what to wear and spend more time actually enjoying your getaway, all while looking like you have a personal stylist tucked in your carry-on.

Here’s your go-to list for this season’s travels:

1. THE EFFORTLESS STATEMENT SET

A coordinated two-piece (linen, silk, or cotton) that transitions from day to night. Sets are easy to wear, photograph, and offers effortless ways to look put together. Bonus: you can mix and match the pieces with other items that you pack. I would recommend packing multiple sets to make it even easier to mix and match. For both men and women, simply focus on neutrals and, if you want to add color, make sure it coordinates well with other items in your luggage.

2. THE MOOD-ALTERING PIECE

A sweeping dress in a bold print or luscious fabric that makes you feel sensual, grounded, and free. Find something that moves with you and captures light beautifully. This is your dreamy piece— flowy fabrics with movement that captures the eye and works for any kind of event.

3. THE LUXE FLAT OR SCULPTURAL SANDAL

Find footwear that balances style and comfort. Look for interesting shapes or materials (like leather with architectural cutouts or metallic finishes). More than shoes—they’re anchors for adventure, grounding your aesthetic wherever you land. This goes the same for men. Your footwear can also make an impact through the braided details of your sandals or the canvas of a casual slip-on loafer.

4. THE TRANSITIONAL THIRD PIECE

Think: kimono, over-sized linen blazer, a lightweight duster, or a gauzy button-down left open. This is your layering hero that adds polish without effort. It’s an aura amplifier that instantly makes your outfit feel styled and intentional.

5. INTERESTING AND IMPACTFUL SUNGLASSES

Sunglasses with personality is a must. They could be over-sized, cat-eye, or tinted lenses that feel more like “cinematic escape” than “just functional.” Because you’re not sightseeing—you’re starring in your own travel film.

6. A SCULPTURAL CARRYALL

A bag that holds your essentials but looks like art— think woven textures, unique shapes, or buttery leather. Practicality meets poetry. You deserve a vessel that carries your dreams...and your SPF.

7. SIGNATURE SCENT OR TRAVEL CANDLE

Pack travel-sized fragrance or a tiny candle that evokes your essence or complements the location. Scent is meant to ignite memories and set the tone— infuse your travels with an olfactory signature.

8. ACCESSORIES WITH A STORY

A few intentional pieces such as a ring from a market you found during your travels, a layered necklace that serves as an easy throw-on, or a straw hat to protect your face from the sun (even if it’s a cooler climate, because remember, safety first: don’t get burnt).

“Absolutely incredible experience with August Roofing. They completed the work fast and clean. They kept in constant contact with us and came within budget. They never tried to up-sale us or add on extras. We appreciated their professionalism and quality work. I would defnitely recommend August Roofing to anyone.” - Sean

UPCOMING EVENTS

ARTICLE BY MATT DEMARCUS PHOTOGRAPHY

PROVIDED

The hidden local history behind one of the world’s most important diving innovations

Pressure Tested

Along the Central Coast, where rocket launches from Vandenberg regularly streak across the night sky, exploration often feels pointed upward. But some of the region’s most important breakthroughs happened in the cold, dark waters just offshore.

Long before modern commercial diving became possible, the Santa Barbara Channel posed a nearly impossible challenge for divers: extreme depth, crushing pressure, limited visibility, and equipment not built for the conditions. Yet during the 1960s, local divers began pushing deeper than almost anyone in the world, transforming Santa Barbara into one of the birthplaces of modern deepwater diving.

Bob Christensen placing a helmet on Bev Morgan.

Inside Kirby Morgan Dive Systems, commercial diving helmets sit beneath fluorescent shop lights like artifacts from another world. Thick faceplates seal against crushing pressure. Stainless steel fittings gleam beneath valves and communication systems engineered for one purpose: keeping divers alive hundreds of feet underwater.

For decades, this Santa Barbara-born company has played a quiet role in the evolution of deepwater diving. While many consumers may not recognize the name Kirby Morgan, professional divers do. The company’s helmets are used in offshore energy, underwater construction, military, salvage, and subsea infrastructure operations worldwide.

That legacy now stands near the harbor, where Santa Barbara’s Deepwater Diving Monument depicts a diver wearing a Kirby Morgan helmet.

“When people think about exploration, they usually go straight to space,” says Mike Morgan, vice president of Kirby Morgan and son of co-founder Beverly “Bev” Morgan. “But you don’t have to go that far. Here on Earth, the ocean is still only about 20 percent explored. Kirby Morgan may not always be seen as the face of exploration, but as the leading manufacturer of commercial diving helmets, our equipment is what makes much of that exploration possible.”

Founded in the 1960s by Bev Morgan and commercial diver and metalsmith Bob Kirby, Kirby Morgan emerged during a pivotal era in underwater work. Before co-founding the company, Kirby had built masks for California abalone divers, part of a working coastal culture that understood the Pacific underwater environment firsthand. Alongside divers, engineers, and offshore innovators working along the Santa Barbara coast, the company helped develop lighter, more functional helmet systems that improved mobility, communication, visibility, and safety underwater.

And while Santa Barbara’s coastal identity is often associated with surfing, sailing, and beach culture, another ocean industry was quietly developing beneath the surface.

Bev Morgan (L) and Bob Kirby (R).

“THE OCEAN IS STILL ONLY ABOUT 20 PERCENT EXPLORED. KIRBY MORGAN MAY NOT ALWAYS BE SEEN AS THE FACE OF EXPLORATION, BUT AS THE LEADING MANUFACTURER OF COMMERCIAL DIVING HELMETS, OUR EQUIPMENT IS WHAT MAKES MUCH OF THAT EXPLORATION POSSIBLE.”

Long before the region became known for wine-country tourism and coastal escapes, Santa Barbara was becoming one of the world’s most important centers of deep-water diving. Many early innovators were abalone divers, oilfield divers, and working watermen who understood the Channel’s harsh conditions firsthand. Its dramatic underwater geography allowed divers to test limits few had attempted before, while offshore oil development pushed underwater work into increasingly demanding conditions.

“Santa Barbara was incredibly important in the early days,” Mike explains. “A lot of people don’t realize this, but it’s considered the birthplace of deepwater diving—typically defined as dives deeper than 100 meters. In the 1960s, divers here were already pushing past 400 feet in the SB Channel.”

Early deepwater diving in the Channel was physically punishing and inherently dangerous work. Communication systems were limited, equipment was cumbersome, and divers pushed beyond previously tested limits in an environment with almost no room for error. The demand for safer, more reliable systems wasn’t theoretical—it was essential.

Many of the technologies, procedures, and support systems pioneered along the coastline eventually spread throughout the commercial diving industry, helping establish new standards for deepwater operations.

Today, divers wearing Kirby Morgan helmets repair underwater pipelines, maintain offshore platforms, conduct salvage operations, and support military and industrial projects across the globe. It’s work performed in darkness and immense pressure, with the constant reality that human beings were never designed to survive underwater.

“At depths beyond about 166 feet, the human body can’t breathe normal oxygen,” Mike explains.

“Divers have to use specialized gas mixtures—typically oxygen, nitrogen, and helium. But what’s interesting is that the equipment itself can go far beyond where the human body can. The helmet isn’t the limiting factor.”

Modern saturation divers can now work at depths approaching 1,000 feet for extended periods, an astonishing evolution from the pioneering Channel dives of the 1960s.

Despite the industry’s highly technical nature, Kirby Morgan remains deeply personal to the Morgan family. Today, the company remains family-led, with Mike Morgan serving as vice president, Connie Morgan as president, and John Morgan working in engineering.

“I think about that responsibility a lot,” Mike says. “My dad and Bob Kirby started this company from the ground up, and the idea of letting them down is something I take seriously.”

Beneath the surface of the Santa Barbara Channel, the conditions that once challenged a small group of local divers remain largely unchanged: dark water, immense depth, crushing pressure, and an environment humans were never designed to survive.

The equipment, however, changed everything.

ONE MORE GLASS BEFORE DINNER

WHY THE BEST AFTERNOONS USUALLY BEGIN WITH CANCELLED PLANS

ARTICLE BY SARA DEMARCUS PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATHY DENINNO PHOTOGRAPHY

Some of the best afternoons begin unexpectedly. A meeting moves. Plans fall through. The calendar opens in a way it normally doesn’t, and for a few rare hours, there’s nowhere specific to be.

The instinct, especially here, is usually to fill the space immediately. Another errand. Another workout. Another carefully timed reservation squeezed between obligations. But every so often, the better choice is to let the afternoon stay open a little longer than feels productive.

This is the kind of afternoon Sanger Wines seems designed for.

“The best afternoons aren’t overplanned. You sit down for one glass, the conversation stretches, and suddenly the whole pace of the day changes.”

For many Santa Barbara and Montecito residents, heading into the Santa Ynez Valley isn’t necessarily about discovery anymore. It’s about relief. The subtle shift that happens somewhere past the last roundabout, when the pace softens almost without asking. The phone stays face down a little longer. Conversations stop competing with schedules.

At Sanger’s tasting room in Solvang, that feeling arrives quickly.

There’s no theatrical presentation here, no pressure to perform expertise. The experience feels refreshingly unforced — the kind of place where one glass casually

becomes two because nobody seems particularly interested in rushing you back out the door.

The staff set the tone before the wine ever does: warm, observant, genuinely knowledgeable without becoming overly precious about it. Regulars tend to mention the people first, which says something about the atmosphere Sanger has quietly built over time.

The wines themselves follow a similar philosophy. Operating across three labels — Consilience, Tre Anelli, and Marianello — Sanger focuses largely on Mediterranean varietals from Italy, Spain, and France.

In a region often dominated by familiar California staples, the lineup feels lighter on performance and more rooted in the kinds of wines people actually want to linger over.

Winemaker Brett Escalera, who has worked on the Central Coast since the mid-1980s, describes his approach simply: “Whatever I do, it’s never at the expense of balance.”

That restraint carries through the entire portfolio. The Sangiovese is vibrant without demanding attention. The Vermentino arrives crisp, herbal, and quietly perfect for warm afternoons that stretch longer

“People are craving places where they can slow down a little. Good wine helps, but really it’s about creating space for people to stay awhile.”

than intended. These are wines built less for analysis than accompaniment — for food, conversation, and the kind of afternoons that unfold gradually.

“The best afternoons are usually the ones that weren’t overplanned,” says Eddie Garcia, CEO of Sanger Family of Wines. “You sit down for one glass, the conversation stretches out a little longer, and suddenly the whole pace of the day changes.”

The Central Coast, it turns out, is remarkably well suited to Mediterranean grapes. Warm days, cool nights, and marine air moving inland through the mountain passes help preserve the acidity varietals like Grenache, Sangiovese, and Vermentino rely on. Marianello — Sanger’s label focused on Italian varietals and olive oil — takes its name from the grandparents of owner Bill Sanger, Maria and Nello Ercolani, who farmed olives in Italy. Even the estate’s Tuscan Lucca olives, pressed locally into unfiltered extra virgin olive oil, feel less like branding than family continuity.

There’s food, too, though thankfully without much fuss surrounding it. Estate olive oil and aged balsamic are available for tasting, charcuterie boards can be

ordered, and outside food is welcome without ceremony.

A sandwich from Peasants Deli, paired with Vermentino and bread dipped in fresh olive oil, may not qualify as a grand culinary experience by modern wine-country standards. Which is precisely why it works.

This summer, Sanger expands that atmosphere even further with the opening of its new Bubble Bar — a casual patio space centered around sparkling wine, open air, and long evenings that don’t seem especially interested in ending on schedule.

No rigid tasting structure. No curated performance of leisure. Just sparkling wine, conversation, and enough space for people to stay awhile.

“People are craving places where they can slow down a little,” Garcia says. “Good wine helps, but really it’s about creating enough space for people to stay awhile.”

And perhaps that’s what stays with people most after an afternoon at Sanger. Not a single standout tasting note or perfectly staged moment, but the increasingly rare feeling of having nowhere urgent to be.

Sometimes all an afternoon really needs is a little unexpected room to unfold.

Maybe just a cancellation and a Tuesday.

OUT OF OFFICE

DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM SBA FOR LONG-OVERDUE WEEKENDS WITH YOUR CREW

ARTICLE BY GRACE GALLOWAY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY N/A

Has it been too long since your crew got together to explore, eat well, and give each other grief the way only good friends can? We get it — life gets busy, schedules don’t

PORTLAND,

Craft Beer, Columbia River Gorge, & the World’s Best Food Carts

OREGON DENVER, COLORADO

Alaska Airlines flies direct from SBA to Portland, where Distillery Row packs a walkable stretch of craft spirits into inner SE, and massive food cart pods let the crew graze a dozen cuisines without a reservation. Day-trip the Columbia River Gorge for Multnomah Falls and Hood River windsurfing, then cap it at a Timbers match. Local’s tip: skip the Pearl District’s First Thursday — Alberta Street’s Last Thursday is a 15-block street fair and the more authentic Portland experience.

Mile High Sports, Rocky Mountain Adventure, & Craft Beer Capital of the U.S.

United flies direct from SBA to Denver in under two hours. The Mile High City has more craft breweries than any other in the nation — do a self-guided crawl through RiNo and LoDo, then catch a Rockies game at Coors Field. Red Rocks trails are free and worth every step. Local’s tip: skip the Coors factory tour and walk straight to the hospitality lounge — three free pours, no tour required. Williams & Graham in LoHi is the best speakeasy you’ve never heard of.

align, and somehow another year slips by without the trip you keep talking about. One of Santa Barbara’s best-kept secrets is that SBA makes escaping remarkably easy. No traffic to LAX, no crowded terminals, no chaos — just a short hop to a gate and you’re gone. Santa Barbara Coast City Lifestyle rounded up four cities with direct flights from Santa Barbara Airport, each offering a different

DALLAS, TEXAS

Pro Sports Trifecta, Texas BBQ Legends, & a Nightlife Scene as Big as the State

American flies direct from SBA to Dallas/Fort Worth, where the Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars, and Rangers make a threegame weekend genuinely possible. Warm up at Topgolf, then hit Deep Ellum for legendary brisket at Pecan Lodge. Local’s tip: tourists flock to the obvious spots — locals end the night at High & Tight, a speakeasy disguised as a barbershop in Deep Ellum, or Midnight Rambler downtown, a stunning cocktail bar hiding in plain sight. Everything in Texas is bigger, including the good time.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Pike Place, Puget Sound, & the Pacific Northwest’s Most Underrated Guys’ City

Alaska flies direct from SBA to Seattle, one of the West Coast’s most underrated guys’ trips. Hit the lower levels of Pike Place — where the real smoked salmon vendors are — then board a Washington State Ferry to Bainbridge Island for skyline views that stop conversation cold. Catch the Mariners or the Kraken for a night. Local’s tip: skip the original Starbucks line entirely. Locals go to Herkimer Coffee or Olympia Coffee, and the best fish and chips in the city are at Chinook’s at Fishermen’s Terminal.

flavor of an unforgettable guys’ getaway. Pack a bag, book the flights, and save the group chat for coordinating... not debating where to go.

All four cities offer direct, nonstop flights from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA). Check current schedules at flysba. santabarbaraca.gov.

ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES

MAKEUP BY MIKAYLA CRANE

The 10% Target Mindset

Jen Cohen ON THE PRACTICE OF ASKING FOR WHAT YOU WANT

Winnipeg in the winter, and a 17-year-old waits 45 minutes in the cold for Keanu Reeves. Her fingers are numb. She is not there for an autograph. She is there to ask him to appear in her audition tape for MuchMusic, Canada’s MTV. When he finally agrees, she writes her number on a gum wrapper with a borrowed lip liner.

He calls days later.

That 17-year-old was Jen Cohen — fitness expert, host of the Habits & Hustle podcast, and best-selling author. She has built a career on the premise her frostbitten afternoon proved. She calls the practice the 10% Target: 10 attempts at whatever you want most in life.

The premise is simple. Most people never make one attempt. Almost nobody makes two. The math works in favor of the person who keeps going.

The top-rated Habits & Hustle podcast has logged hundreds of conversations with high performers and the people who study what the body does to the mind. Her TEDx talk, The Secret to Getting Anything You Want in Life, has traveled widely inside Fortune 500 sales-training rooms. On the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Cohen sits down to share the working rules that are the foundation of her latest book, Bigger, Better, Bolder.

“You have to be the CEO of your own life.”

FEATURING JEN COHEN

Discover the full 10% Target Mindset framework.

1 2

MAKE TEN ATTEMPTS

The door opens, or another door does. The unmade attempt and the refused one leave you in the same place — except one of them teaches you something.

STACK THE DECK

Cohen frames her habits as a wager: How do I stack the deck so I win more than I lose? The workout happens first, and the food decisions follow. The email follow-up gets sent, and the answer arrives. The choices compound in a single direction.

DISCIPLINE IS A PRACTICED SKILL, NOT AN INHERITANCE

No one is born with it. The people who look disciplined are running a routine they have rehearsed long enough that it no longer feels like effort. The reps are the skill. Miss them, and the skill fades, the same as any other.

SELF-TALK ONLY WORKS WHEN THE BODY BACKS IT UP

Confidence does not arrive by repeating the word. It arrives after the body has done the thing — the workout finished, the cold walk endured, the email sent. The mind takes its cues from what the body proves it can do. Talk follows action, not the other way around.

NEVER MISS A MONDAY

The first decision sets the slope of the rest. Skip the Monday workout, and the rest of the week tends to follow. Hold the line on Monday, and the slope tilts the other way.

ARTICLE BY ALYSSA LAVY, MS, RD, CDN

Summer Seafood Gazpacho

This summer seafood gazpacho screams summer and is the perfect, refreshing meal, snack or appetizer to beat the heat - whether you’re entertaining or enjoying a quiet meal with family. It’s packed with some of the season’s most flavorful produce and provides satisfying fiber and protein to help keep you feeling full, while still being light enough to enjoy on the hottest of summer days. Plus, there is no need to turn on the oven or the stove, keeping your kitchen (and you) cool as a cucumber! You can enjoy this chilled soup as is, or add toppings like chopped jalapeños, cilantro, or creme fraiche and scoop it up with tortilla chips!

Alyssa Lavy, MS, RD, CDN, CPT is a registered dietitian, personal trainer and mom of 2. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from The George Washington University and her Master of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Teachers College Columbia University, where she also completed her dietetic internship. She has been an ACSM certified personal trainer for over a decade. Alyssa is the owner of Alyssa Lavy Nutrition & Wellness, a wellness brand offering nutrition communications, program development and consulting services for individuals and corporations.

Website: alyssalavy.com Instagram: @alyssalavyrd

Ingredients: (yields ~8 C gazpacho)

• 8 large tomatoes

• 1 large cucumber

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 small sweet onion

• 1 jalapeño pepper

• ½ tsp hot sauce

• 3 Tbsp lemon juice

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt

• ½ tsp ground black pepper

• 2 Tbsp parsley (fresh or dried)

• 8 oz lump crab meat

• 8 oz cooked shrimp, chilled (about 8-12 large shrimp)

*Optional suggested toppings include: cilantro, tortilla chips, chopped jalapeños, creme fraiche, or additional parsley.

Directions:

1. Cut tomatoes into large chunks, approximately 6-8 pieces each. Set aside.

2. Slice cucumber into thick slices. Set aside.

3. Mince garlic. Set aside.

4. Chop onion into medium sized pieces. Set aside.

5. Slice jalapeño pepper in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds if you prefer less heat. Chop jalapeño pepper and set aside.

6. Add tomatoes to large food processor. You may need to add about half of the tomatoes, pulse for a few seconds and then add the remaining tomatoes depending on the size of your food processor. Pulse tomatoes until chunky and slightly pureed. You will continue to puree the tomatoes once the additional ingredients are added, so do not pulse until completely smooth.

7. Add remaining vegetables (cucumber, garlic, onion, jalapeño pepper) to food processor with the tomatoes. Add hot sauce, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and parsley. Replace the lid and pulse to desired consistency – the gazpacho should be pureed, but still somewhat chunky and not completely smooth.

8. Store in an airtight container and chill in the fridge for at least one hour before serving. If not serving right away, this gazpacho can be made in advance and stored in the fridge overnight or for a few days until ready to serve. If making this gazpacho in advance, purchase fresh seafood or thaw frozen within 1 day of serving to keep seafood fresh and store seafood separately, only adding when ready to serve. When ready to serve, chop the shrimp and add approximately 1-2 oz chopped shrimp and ~1 oz crab meat to each bowl. You can add optional toppings, such as chopped cilantro, chopped jalapeños, tortilla chips, creme fraiche and an additional sprinkle of parsley, if preferred. Enjoy!

Note: This gazpacho can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up for 4 days, without the seafood. Store seafood separately and add when ready to consume.

A REFRESHING, CHILLED, SUMMER FORWARD SOUP THAT PACKS IN PROTEIN AND FIBER!

Santa Bar B ara Coa

events

A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS JULY 2026

JULY 1ST

Stars,

Stripes,

and Santa Barbara: Doublewide Kings Benefit Concert

Santa Barbara Historical Museum: 136 E. De La Guerra St. | 6:30 PM

Stars, Stripes & Santa Barbara returns July 1 from 6:30–9 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum with a patriotic evening benefiting Doublewide Kings. The event features a benefit concert, an Independence Day pop-up exhibition, food, drinks, and live entertainment, all supporting the nonprofit’s mission to empower adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through music and performance.

JULY 4TH

Rosewood Miramar Beach 4th of July All-American Barbeque

Rosewood Miramar Beach: 1759 S. Jameson Ln, Montecito | 11:00 AM

Rosewood Miramar Beach hosts its Fourth of July All-American Barbeque on July 4 from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. on the Great Lawn, pairing classic summer barbecue, ocean views, and festive family-friendly activities in one of Montecito’s most iconic coastal settings. The holiday gathering brings together live entertainment, lawn games, and relaxed seaside energy for an easygoing Independence Day celebration.

JULY 17TH – 18TH

California Wine Festival – Santa Barbara

Along Cabrillo Blvd + Chase Palm Park + Hilton Santa Barbara | 1:00 PM

California Wine Festival returns to Santa Barbara July 17–18 with two days of oceanfront wine tasting, gourmet bites, and live music along Cabrillo Boulevard. Highlights include the Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting on Friday from 6:30–9 p.m. at Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, followed by Saturday’s Beachside Wine Festival from 1–4:30 p.m. at Chase Palm Park.

JULY 18TH

Young The Giant at the Santa Barbara Bowl

Santa Barbara Bowl: 1122 N Milpas St | 6:00 PM

Indie rock favorites Young the Giant and Cold War Kids take the stage at the Santa Barbara Bowl on July 18 for an outdoor summer concert beneath the stars. The evening pairs two longtime festival favorites known for energetic live performances, singalong anthems, and a sound perfectly suited for warm Santa Barbara nights.

JULY 25TH

Hillside’s 2nd Annual Disability Independence Day Festival

Hillside: 1235 Veronica Springs Rd | 11:00 AM

Hillside’s 2nd Annual Disability Independence Day Festival returns July 25 with a family-friendly afternoon celebrating inclusion, community, and the achievements of individuals with disabilities. Expect food, games, music, face painting, nonprofit booths, and carnival-style activities benefiting Hillside residents. The free community event takes place from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. at Hillside, 1235 Veronica Springs Rd.

JULY 25TH

Casa in Bloom Garden Party

Casa del Herrero: 1387 E. Valley Rd, Montecito | 3:30 PM

Casa del Herrero hosts its annual Casa Garden Party on July 25 from 3:30–6 p.m., inviting guests to wander the historic estate’s gardens while enjoying cocktails, live music, and summer bites beneath the Montecito evening sky. The relaxed outdoor gathering celebrates one of the region’s most storied properties with an atmosphere that feels equal parts elegant and warmly communal.