Gents 2026
There’s a certain kind of man you come across in the Santa Ynez Valley. You won’t always notice him right away. He’s not looking for attention. He’s working—early mornings, long days, steady effort that doesn’t ask to be recognized. Sometimes, it looks like the moment captured on our cover: focused, grounded, fully in it. But over time, you start to understand the role he plays. In his home. In his work. In this community.
This issue is about those men.
Not in a grand or performative way, but in the quiet, consistent ways they show up. The ones who build something over time, whether it’s a business, a family, or a life rooted here in the valley. You see it in the way tradition is carried forward, not recreated. In the kind of work that’s built by hand and sustained through perseverance. In the choice to create something of your own, not just for success, but for the life it allows you to lead.
Different paths, same underlying thread.
There’s a shared understanding here: that hard work matters. That providing for your family means something. That the small luxuries—a good meal, a great glass of wine, time with the people you care about—are earned and appreciated in a different way. It’s not about excess. It’s about intention. In a world that moves quickly and often feels increasingly disconnected, there’s something grounding about that. A commitment to authenticity. Doing things the right way, even when it’s not the easy way.
That’s what defines this place we call home. And that’s what defines the men in it.
This issue is a reflection of a kind of leadership that doesn’t need to be loud, and a resilience that shows up day after day, whether anyone notices or not. Because here, it’s not just about what you build. It’s about how you show up.
Cheers,
SARA DEMARCUS, PUBLISHER @SANTAYNEZVALLEY_CITYLIFESTYLE
June 2026
PUBLISHER
Sara DeMarcus | sara.demarcus@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Matt DeMarcus | matt.demarcus@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Lena Ibarra
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sara DeMarcus, Matt DeMarcus, Grace Galloway
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Amber Dolyak, Matt DeMarcus, Lena Britt Photography
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Matthew Endersbe
LAYOUT DESIGNER Adam Finley
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Brandy Thomas
the issue
Heavy Work
Behind every finished piece is scale,
Old Santa Ynez Days Returns
A weekend of community, tradition, and rodeo brings Santa Ynez together June 20–21, anchored by longtime local celebrations and a new generation of valley energy.
Where the West still lingers, and the ranchers stay anonymous... Santa Ynez Valley’s cowboy spirit, open landscapes, and enduring traditions come into focus, setting the stage for a season of rodeo, community, and country living.
Train with former UCLA & professional athletes
VOLLEYBALL | BASKETBALL | PERFORMANCE
For middle school & high school athletes
READY TO COMPETE AT THE NEXT LEVEL.
June spots are limited.
city scene
1 – 2: Celebrating the California cowboy and the tradition of the local Vaquero. 3: A throwback of the 2025 Vaquero of the Year, Ramón Becerra. 4: 2025 World Champ & SYV Rodeo Champ, Rocker Steiner, on Big Bucks Pro Rodeo, Kahlula. 5 – 7: A glimpse into the fun of Day 2 at the 2025 SYV Rodeo. @SYVRODEO/@BRIANMOYAPHOTOGRAPHY @THECOWBOYREPUBLIC/@CHRISTINACIACCIO
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SB Vintners Foundation: A Summer Evening with Purpose
The Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation introduces its Summer Soirée on June 19 at the Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, pairing an elegant evening with meaningful local impact. Featuring live music and a curated gathering of the wine community, the event supports vineyard and winery workers through healthcare access, emergency assistance, and essential resources— underscoring the people at the heart of the region’s wine industry. Mattei’s Tavern, 2350 Railway Avenue, Los Olivos. sbvintnersfoundation.org.
by @matteistavernauberge
Photography
Old Santa Ynez Days: A Valley Tradition Endures
Old Santa Ynez Days returns June 20–21, pairing its longstanding community celebration with the 7th Annual PRCA-sanctioned rodeo at the Santa Ynez Chumash San Carlos Property. The weekend blends top-tier rodeo competition with Saturday’s parade and street fair, where local vendors, live music, and western tradition take center stage— continuing a legacy that remains deeply rooted in Santa Ynez.
Photography by @oldsantaynezdays
Vikings of Solvang: Golf with a Purpose
Vikings of Solvang’s annual golf tournament pairs a relaxed day on the course with one of the Santa Ynez Valley’s most quietly impactful missions: funding medically related needs for local residents. Founded in 1974, the all-volunteer nonprofit directs every dollar raised toward individuals and healthcare support across Santa Barbara County—making this long-running event less about competition and more about community care. Find more information at vikingsofsolvang.org.
Photography by www.vikingsofsolvang.org
We have elevated the dining experience at our LOS OLIVOS TASTING ROOM with a new farm-fresh menu featuring dishes mindfully crafted to enhance the bold and distinctive palate of Refugio Ranch wines. Come by and savor the flavors of the Santa Ynez Valley!
FOOD SERVED FRI, SAT & SUN
Menu & Reservations:
Griddled Baja Shrimp Skewers
Central Coast Ceviche
Local Kiani Beef Tacos
WWW.LENABRITTPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
TEACHER OF THE MONTH
PRINCIPAL & TEACHER AT SYV CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
SCOTT CARLETON
NOMINATE YOUR TEACHER
JUNE 2026
MEET MR. C:
Mr. C has devoted 40 extraordinary years to the calling of teaching, 17 of them right here in the SYV. As both Principal and classroom teacher, Scott has been the heart of SYVCA for years.
Thank you Mr C, for your dedication to the youth of our community. You’ve been an inspiration for so many!
Each month, we honor one remarkable teacher across the entire Santa Ynez Valley. Winners receive a very sw eet reward for their entire class - courtesy of our fri ends at Drover’s Doughnuts.
NOMINATE A TEACHER HERE
Heavy Work
Behind every finished piece is scale, machinery, and the effort it takes to move and shape stone.
ARTICLE BY GRACE GALLOWAY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT DEMARCUS & PROVIDED
The most memorable homes are often defined by what feels elemental. Materials that belong to the landscape, surfaces shaped by time, and spaces grounded in intention define them. There’s a familiar moment many recognize: coming across a remarkable boulder, weathered, sculptural, and unmistakably natural, and wondering how something so raw could find its way into a landscape or a home.
At Custom Architectural Stone, that instinct is part of the daily work. Led by Michele Bandinu, the company transforms monumental pieces of earth into architectural elements that anchor homes, estates, and gathering spaces throughout the West Coast.
Custom Architectural Stone began as a small fabrication shop built to support Custom Hardscapes, Bandinu’s primary long-time business and a leading hardscape provider. “Custom Architectural Stone was really just a convenience shop for my own use,” he explains. One project led to another. A cobblestone driveway required custom samples; an outdoor kitchen entailed a custom stone table and chairs; a garden called for the fabrication of a towering fountain. All of which led him to invest in high-tech stone-cutting tools and equipment to keep up with the growing demand. Walking through the CAS yard, visitors arrive to discover an evolving landscape of possibilities. Towering slabs delicately organized into rows, their mineral veining exposed to the light. Unique boulders of every size rest nearby, ready to grace estate entrances and gardens, or to be carved into one-of-a-kind works of art. A steady choreography of lifts pivoting, tractors easing forward, and forklifts sliding beneath multi-ton blocks of stone maneuvers these handpicked symbols of earth’s strength and stability.
Inside the fabrication shop, the precision continues—only louder. Bridge saws span across Limestone. Diamond-tipped blades move steadily through dense Sandstone, cooled by a constant stream of water. Amid the sound of cutting and lifting, there is restraint. The aim is not to overpower the stone but to work with it, allowing its natural movement and structure to influence the final form.
“Scale is what people don’t fully understand,” Bandinu says, referring not only to a particular boulder’s size, but to what it takes to bring it into the desired shape. This one will soon sit in front of a revered winery’s front gate, the winery’s name carved cleanly in bold script. “People often underestimate what goes into our work,” he adds. “We’re not just cutting stone. We’re moving it, shaping it with great care, and getting it exactly right.” Nearby, a rugged boulder is cut and honed into a firepit. A thick slab becomes a table that grounds an outdoor terrace. Stone chunks are rounded into spheres and polished until water lifts and rotates them in a peacefully mesmerizing display of balance on a fountain.
It is an industrial, exacting process, with precise measurements and deliberate lines. Surfaces are finished to enhance texture while preserving the integrity of the material. The work demands full commitment. “You can’t do what we do halfway,” Bandinu says. Hence, the extensive machine park enables us to produce unique pieces that fulfill a customer’s vision.
Collaboration remains central to Bandinu’s work. His team partners closely with architects, builders, designers, and skilled tradespeople from the earliest stages, ensuring each element is integrated into the architecture itself.
He’s proud to shape signature spaces, large and small, where strength, scale, nature, and gathering meet. Any home can feel at one with the elements with a custom piece of natural stone. Custom Architectural Stone will continue to leave an impression on every piece of work that leaves the shop.
“People often underestimate what goes into it,” he adds. “It’s not just cutting the stone; it’s moving it, shaping it, and getting it exactly right.”
OLD SANTA YNEZ
DAYS RETURNS
A weekend of community, tradition, and rodeo brings Santa Ynez together June 20–21, anchored by longtime local celebrations and a new generation of valley energy.
THE WEEKEND BEGINS HERE
Old Santa Ynez Days opens June 18 with a kickoff party that sets the tone for the weekend ahead. More than a preview, the evening brings together locals, supporters, and longtime participants in a relaxed setting that reflects the spirit of the valley. It’s where connections are made, and anticipation builds—an early gathering that signals the start of a weekend defined by tradition, community, and a shared sense of place.
A TOWN COMES TOGETHER
Saturday begins with a 10 a.m. parade through downtown Santa Ynez, followed by a street fair from 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Local vendors, food trucks, and live music transform the town into a lively gathering place. Families line the streets, neighbors reconnect, and the pace of the valley shifts into celebration. It’s here that Old Santa Ynez Days feels most personal—less about programming, more about participation and the rhythms of a town coming together.
WHERE TRADITION MEETS THE ARENA
The Old Santa Ynez Days Rodeo returns June 20–21, bringing PRCA-sanctioned competition to the Santa Ynez Chumash San Carlos Property. From bull riding to barrel racing, the event delivers a high-energy showcase of skill, grit, and western heritage. Now in its seventh year, the rodeo has become a defining draw—pairing professional competition with a distinctly local atmosphere. Gates open Saturday at noon (main event 5 p.m.) and Sunday at 11 a.m. (3 p.m.).
“Where the West went wild, and the whole town shows up... lining the streets, filling the stands, and coming together for a weekend that belongs as much to the community as the tradition itself.”
Photography by Andrea Kauss, Chaos Graphics
Photography by Shelby Caitlin Photography
Judgement Calls [mis]
PRACTICING LAW IN A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR NAME
ARTICLE BY MATT DEMARCUS PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMBER DOLYAK
Conversations carry easily over morning coffee; familiar faces, familiar names, a steady rhythm to daily life. In the Santa Ynez Valley, it doesn’t take long to feel connected. People know each other here, often in ways that go back years. Which means when something unexpected happens, whether it’s a moment that didn’t go as planned or a situation that unfolds quickly, it rarely stays contained. Word travels. People notice.
That’s the reality Valhallaw works inside every day.
Led by Managing Attorney Billy Redell, alongside Chief of Legal Operations Zak Kaslow and Chief of Client Operations Brent Clay, the firm focuses on guiding clients through complex legal situations, often when a single
“EARLY DOCUMENTATION AND TREATMENT CAN DETERMINE WHAT OPTIONS REMAIN AVAILABLE, WHILE WAITING CAN LIMIT WHAT’S RECOVERABLE.”
moment calls for clear thinking and steady direction. In a community this close, those moments can ripple outward, affecting work, family, and daily routines in ways that aren’t always immediate.
Their ties to the region run deep, built over years of relationships and shared experience within the community. In many cases, the people they represent are part of an already familiar network—neighbors, colleagues, or families they’ve known for some time. That familiarity shapes how situations are approached, with an understanding that outcomes often carry a broader impact. “In a place like this, people tend to think about how things affect more than just the moment,” Clay notes.
It’s one of the reasons situations are often underestimated at the outset.
After something unexpected, it’s common to minimize the impact—something that feels manageable in the moment rarely seems urgent. But over time, those early signs can begin to affect routines, work obligations, and overall quality of life in ways that aren’t always obvious at first.
What surprises many clients isn’t the existence of support, it’s how much timing matters. Early attention and documentation can shape what’s possible, while delays quietly limit outcomes. In many cases, systems are already in place to help—the challenge is understanding how to access them early, before assumptions settle in.
Evenings here tend to stretch into long conversations and time spent with friends, at a pace that doesn’t feel rushed. Most people understand their limits, but situations can shift more quickly than expected, especially in moments that feel ordinary at the time. What Valhallaw encounters most often isn’t recklessness, but misjudgment—followed by a need to understand what comes next.
That early window is often where clarity matters most. Before options begin to narrow, the ability to understand what’s happening can shape what comes next. In a place where people look out for one another, that clarity allows individuals and families to move forward with a stronger sense of control.
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AN EXCERPT FROM EPISODE 6 OF SHARE THE LIFESTYLE, A CITY LIFESTYLE PODCAST
Photographer: Brittany Dawn Short
Creative Director: Jen Birn
Stylist: Stephanie Coultress O’Neill
Location: Hotel Saint Cecilia, Austin, TX
MIKE JOHNSON HAS BUILT HIS LIFE AROUND ONE QUIETLY RADICAL IDEA: THE STANDARD YOU SET PRIVATELY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS.
After eight years in the Air Force, a celebrated run on national television, and a health crisis abroad that sent him deep into supply chains and ingredient certifications most founders never touch, the result is Oshun — a luxury ritual brand built on provenance you can trace and integrity you can verify. In an exclusive conversation for the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Mike shares what it actually takes to build something worth putting your name on. Read the highlights below, then scan the QR code for the full episode.
Q: YOU BECAME A FAN FAVORITE ON THE BACHELORETTE AND THEN LEFT THE SPOTLIGHT. YOU MOVED TO MEXICO, LEARNED SPANISH, THEN COSTA RICA, AND BUILT A COMPANY. WHAT DID THAT EXPERIENCE TEACH YOU ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR?
A: “If you’re a good person going in, that shows. If you’re not, that shows too. I also learned that people form this parasocial relationship with you — they assume things about you. When all actuality, different circumstances bring out different parts of who you are. I was on TV trying to find love. The kindness people were showing after felt a bit fake, because they wanted to be a part of something that isn’t who I am individually, but a part of what they saw on TV. And so I had to get away from everybody and everything and the noise.”
THE QUIET STANDARD:
MIKE JOHNSON
“Too many people have prayed for me. So I’ve got to get up and do the walking.”
— Mike Johnson
Q: YOU JOINED THE AIR FORCE RIGHT OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WHAT WERE YOU ACTUALLY RUNNING TOWARD?
A: “There was something in me that was saying: I’m not living up to my full potential. I was being a follower. My uncle said, ‘What’s going to make you become an adult the fastest?’ I said, obviously, the military. The Air Force broadened my thought process more than anything. We’re so caught up in our own perception — when you learn to understand different people’s perspectives, it adds to you in so many ways.”
Q: WITH OSHUN, YOU OWN YOUR MANUFACTURING, YOU EMPLOY A CHEMIST, EVERY PRODUCT HAS A BATCH NUMBER TRACEABLE TO ITS ORIGIN DATE. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO THAT DEEP WITH THE BRAND?
A: “The EU bans 1,100 ingredients in personal care products. The U.S. bans nine. That’s my starting point. Oftentimes, it might be the same ingredient, but it comes from a place where it doesn’t have the highest purity. And 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed. Every product Oshun makes carries a batch number that goes back to the exact day it was created — I can show you every single supplier, the date, the origin. I own more than one part of the supply chain because that’s the only way I can stand behind what’s in the bottle.”
This conversation is just the beginning. Mike goes deeper into why he’s buying land up north, the family in the Philippines who prayed over his factory floor, and what he’d tell every person ready to stop performing and start building. Scan the QR code for the full, exclusive City Lifestyle interview on the Share the Lifestyle podcast.
MIKE JOHNSON
JUNE 6TH
20th Annual Los Olivos Jazz & Olive Festival
Downtown Los Olivos | 1:00 PM
The Rotary Club of Los Olivos marks a milestone with the 20th Annual Jazz & Olive Festival, bringing live music and local flavor to downtown Los Olivos. Held June 6 from 1–4 p.m., the longtime community favorite supports scholarships and service projects both locally and abroad, with all proceeds directed back into Rotary-led initiatives. JazzAndOliveFestival.org
JUNE 14TH
5th Annual Viking Golf Tournament
Alisal Ranch Golf Course: 1054 Alisal Rd, Solvang | 11:00 AM
Vikings of Solvang hosts its annual golf tournament, bringing together local supporters for a day on the course in support of residents facing medical hardship. The longtime nonprofit directs proceeds toward medically related needs across Santa Barbara County, continuing its tradition of community-driven giving. vikingsofsolvang.org
JUNE 20TH
Rio Memorial Golf Tournament
Alisal River Course: 150 Alisal Rd, Solvang | 7:30 AM
The Rio Memorial Golf Tournament returns June 20 at Alisal’s River Course, bringing together local players in support of Santa Ynez Pirate Football. The day includes an 18-hole round, followed by a tri-tip dinner, auction and raffle, with proceeds benefiting the high school program and its student-athletes. sypiratefootball.com
MARKETING & DESIGN
CONTINUED
JUNE 20TH & 21ST
Old SY Days Parade & Rodeo
Downtown Santa Ynez | 9:00 AM
Old Santa Ynez Days returns June 20–21, anchored by the 7th Annual PRCA-sanctioned rodeo at the Santa Ynez Chumash San Carlos Property. Rodeo gates open Saturday at 12 pm (main event 5 pm) and Sunday at 11 am (3 pm). Saturday also features the town’s parade at 10 a.m. and a street fair from 9 am – 2 pm.
JUNE 20TH
Elverhoj Summer Solstice Party
Vega Vineyard: 9496 Santa Rosa Rd, Buellton | 5:30 PM
Elverhøj Museum of History and Art hosts its annual Summer Solstice Party on June 20 at Vega Vineyard and Farm, bringing together an evening of food, wine and community in support of the museum’s cultural programs. As the organization’s largest fundraiser, the event helps sustain local history, heritage and the arts across the Santa Ynez Valley. elverhoj.org
JUNE 27TH
13th Annual Santa Ynez Valley Polo Classic
Piocho Ranch: 1100 Secretariat Dr, Santa Ynez | 11:00 AM
The Santa Ynez Valley Polo Classic returns June 27 at Piocho Ranch, bringing together sport, philanthropy and community connection in a picturesque ranch setting. Presented by Happy Canyon Vineyard, the annual event supports People Helping People, raising critical funds for local families while offering an afternoon of polo, food and wine in the heart of the valley. happycanyonvineyard.com
