MARCH 2019
An exclusive magazine serving the residents of Montecito
MEET BERNARD SANDLER AND LORI SAUNDERS:
ENJOYING THEIR HARVEST IN MONTECITO Cover photo by Linda Blue
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MARCH 2019
DEAR RESIDENTS, PUBLICATION TEAM PUBLISHER: Dan Keep CONTENT COORDINATOR: Sarah Ettman-Sterner GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Robert Alexander PHOTOGRAPHER: Linda Blue
ADVERTISING
CONTACT: Dan Keep PHONE: (805) 636-3194 EMAIL: dkeep@bestversionmedia.com
FEEDBACK / IDEAS / SUBMISSIONS: Have feedback, ideas or submissions? We are always happy to hear from you! Deadlines for submissions are the 5th of each month. Go to www.bestversionmedia. com and click “Submit Content.” You may also email your thoughts, ideas and photos to: Sarah Ettman-Sterner
settman-sterner@bestversionmedia.com
I hope everyone is well! Here we are in March, the month of St. Patrick’s Day, daylight savings time and March Madness. I would like to welcome Sarah Ettman-Sterner on board as our new Content Coordinator! Sarah is the Principal of her own business, Nuvigreen Productions, so I’m sure her experience and expertise will be a great asset to our magazine. We look forward to working with her! In this issue we meet residents Lori Saunders and Bernard Sandler. Before moving to Montecito, Lori was an actress and Bernard owned CTA talent agency. They love living here and have been involved with many local non-profits as a way to give back to the community. Thank you to them! Camerata Pacifica informs us about the beginnings, purpose and upcoming concerts of the ensemble. We get to meet local photographer and Brooks Institute graduate Michael Mead. I hope you enjoy his work! The Monarch Restaurant shares their delicious recipe for Tuna Fish Cakes. Westmont College informs us of four distinctive events that they will be offering to the area. Expert Contributor William George of Light Santa Barbara discusses the importance of choosing the correct light bulb to achieve your desired effect or need. Katrina Murdoch profiles the three businesses that she and her husband George own, everything from skylights to chimney sweeping to the four beautiful properties they own and offer as vacation rentals in Costa Rica. We get to meet Melanie, Sarah Ettman-Sterner’s wonderful cat, and finally, our Car Corner features the 6th annual Rally 4 Kids, an exciting event to help support The Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County. It should be a great time! Thank you for supporting our magazine, we truly enjoy bringing it to the community and hope it helps to bring everyone a little bit closer together! I hope you have a great March and we will see you in April.
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS EMERGENCY……...................911 or (805) 683-2724 POLICE DEPARTMENT…..................(805) 897-2300 FIRE DEPARTMENT….......................(805) 969-7762 MONTECITO ASSOCIATION….........(805) 969-2026 LIBRARY….........................................(805) 969 5063 PARKS AND RECREATION…............(805) 568-2461 COTTAGE HOSPITAL…....................(805) 682-7111 CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL….(805) 967-1234 SB COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT..........(805) 681-5526
Sincerely,
DAN KEEP PUBLISHER
dkeep@bestversionmedia.com
CONTENT SUBMISSION DEADLINES CONTENT DUE: EDITION DATE: April 10............................................June May 10..............................................July June 10........................................August July 10...................................September August 10..................................October September 10........................November October 10............................December November 10.............................January December 10...........................February January 10...................................March February 10...................................April March 10.........................................May Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted. All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. © 2019 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.
MONTECITO NEIGHBORS
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EXPERT CONTRIBUTORS END-OF-LIFE ARRANGEMENTS
ONE STOP REPAIR
Dan Flynn - Simply Remembered Cremation Care
Walt Stallings - Pop’s One Stop Repair Shop
Dan Flynn is Owner and Managing Director of Santa Barbara-based Simply Remembered Cremation Care, the Central Coast’s leading provider of Direct Cremation services. Dan is a proponent of funeral consumer rights and eco-friendly end-of-life dispositions.
Walt Stallings is proud of the high quality and attention to detail his repair service provides. Expertise in Designer Shoes, Handbags and Equestrian and Western Boots - knife and scissor sharpening also. Free Pick-up and delivery available in Santa Barbara and Montecito. 127 W Canon Perdido, inside Eco Friendly Cleaners. Easy parking in the back.
(805) 569-7000 - www.simplyremembered.com
WINDOW AND DOOR INSTALLMENT
(805) 843-7483 - www.popssb.com
LEAK DETECTION / PIPE LOCATION
Erick Karlsen - Quality Windows and Doors
Gary Fuller - ACME Detection
Quality Windows is your one stop window, door and glass shop. For over 30 years we have been leaders in professionally installing and servicing the Santa Barbara and Montecito community. Come into our showroom to view full size windows, doors, shower doors or just to get your window glass repaired...we do it all. “Our Service Puts The Quality In Our Name”
Gary Fuller is a third generation Santa Barbaran. He is a licensed plumber, electrician, and general contractor as well as a California Bar certified attorney. He owns and runs Acme Detection and Mountain Construction out of his Santa Barbara home where he spends his days working on all things water.
(805) 695-2788 - www.qualitywindows-doors.com
INSURANCE
(805) 565-5325 - www.acmedetection.com
SKYLIGHTS / CHIMNEY SWEEP
Greg Meeks - Farmers Insurance
George Murdoch - Tubular George
Greg Meeks has positioned his Farmers Agency on Carpinteria St. in Santa Barbara, bordering Montecito for convenient service. He has owned his own business for 20 years and has developed a people first moto. His business insurance is cutting edge in the industry offering creative discounts in Workman’s Comp and Business Policies. Our office is open 8:30 - 5:00 Monday through Friday to answer any insurance questions you might have and offers good coffee, homemade brownies and free calendars.
When I discovered SOLATUBE, I knew that using the sun to light our homes was a brilliant idea. My sons and I have since brightened over 35,000 homes from Montecito to Paso Robles! My nickname “Tubular George” comes not only from installing Tube Lights and cleaning chimney “tubes” but also from my love of surfing. My wife Katrina is from Paris, France. We now spend our vacations in Costa Rica where we built four fabulous vacation homes known as “Pura Vida Casas”. We love to share them with guests.
(805) 965-2729 - www.farmersagent.com/gmeeks
WINDOW COVERINGS
LIGHTING
Joseph Miller - Santa Barbara Screen & Shade
William George - Light Santa Barbara
Joseph Miller is a licensed contractor with 34 years experience designing and installing window coverings. A certified installer with Nanik, Hunter Douglas and Lutron, he owned and operated Daylight Shutters for 19 years, then managed draperies for St. Croix Collection. Joe joined Santa Barbara Screen & Shade in 2015. “This is a wonderful place,” he says, reflecting on the 50-yr-old business he now owns, “the epitome of a locally-owned, full-service company.”
Designer/artist William George brings a unique perspective to lighting. He designed sets and stage lighting as a youth and then studied art history, interior design, and photography in college. Years of selling real estate and managing large private estates added a practical side to his design work. With Light Santa Barbara (“Santa Barbara’s Best Lighting Store”), he has created a platform to apply his unique experience and talents serving all of the central coast.
(805) 687-8613 - www.sbscreenandshade.com
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(805) 682-5939 - www.tubulargeorge.com
(805) 757-7878 - www.lightsantabarbara.com
MARCH 2019
THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF MICHAEL MEAD
LOCAL ARTISTS
Story by Dan Keep Photos provided by Michael Mead
M
ichael Mead became interested in photography while spending four years in Iceland and Germany as a member of the U.S. Navy. After his tour with the Navy, he went to work as a picture framer in Houston. Michael moved to Santa Barbara in 1985 where he owned an art gallery on State Street and studied at the Brooks Institute of Photography. Michael later took courses at Santa Barbara City College to master digital photography. “I shoot both digital using a Canon 5D Mark III and with film using a Cambo 4x5 camera.” Michael also frames his own work using only the finest products to ensure the longevity of his work. Michael shares that “The world is a beautiful place, and I try to capture that beauty with every shot I take, whether it’s a moonlit coastline, or an egret in flight, each scene is a moment in time that I want to share with others. With each click of the shutter, I try to capture a moment of beauty… of mystery… of wonder. Photography is my passion.” His favorite subjects are landscapes and nudes. Michael’s photography graces the walls of such business heavyweights as ExxonMobil and Morgan Stanley, as well as the homes of collectors both here and abroad. Michael’s work has been featured at many galleries including the Meisel Gallery and the Faulkner Gallery, where he won the Roz Nordli Award. He has also been featured in several one-man shows. His work is currently on display at Gallery 113 with other shows in the works. Michael can be contacted at www.parametersphotography. com or at (805) 895-9697.
MONTECITO NEIGHBORS
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FEATURE FAMILY
Meet Bernard Sandler and Lori Saunders:
By Dan Keep Photos by Linda Blue
ENJOYING THEIR HARVEST IN MONTECITO
O
ne night at a party in Los Angeles in 1961, Bernard Sandler might have had just a little too much to drink. While taking a short nap under a table, Bernard saw a young woman’s leg saunter past the table. Bernard thought the woman’s leg was so beautiful he had to see what she looked like, so he grabbed her ankle. The young woman was not pleased and asked him to let her go. Enthralled by her beauty and determined not to offend her, Bernard immediately let her go. Too intimidated to ask her out, Bernard asked if he could protect the young woman from the scoundrels of Los Angeles and Hollywood. That was the beginning of their love story and Bernard Sandler and Lori Saunders have been together ever since. After a “long” three month courtship, they married in 1961 and have two children, Ronald and Stacy, and two grandchildren, Amanda and Jaclyn Marie. And yes, even great grand-children, Theo and Nox.
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At the age of 18, Lori won Miss Sacramento County, then the Maid of California and then Miss Sacramento. She was first runner up in the Miss America of California pageant and took home the bathing suit trophy. Lori’s professional acting career started with a few episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. During her Hollywood career, Lori starred in five movies and over 100 commercials, including the memorable Dippity-Do commercial. She also appeared in The Young and the Restless and the television series Dusty’s Trail (with Bob Denver of Gilligan’s Island), but she is best known for her role as “Bobbie Jo” in Petticoat Junction from 1966-1972. Bernard was the founder and owner of Commercial Talent Agency, CTA, and represented such heavyweights as Orson Wells, Jonathan Winters, Dick Clark, William Shatner, Leonard
Nimoy, Rod Serling, Sam Elliot, Robert Vaughn and Wilt Chamberlain. He also produced Hollywood Screen Test with Dick Clark and Hollywood Stuntman’s Competition and Award Show for four years. Bernard was also nominated for an Academy Award along with Alex Dreier for his work on the documentary, What is a Jew. Bernard and Lori retired to Montecito in 1999. Bernard says that they “harvested their crop in Los Angeles and are enjoying it in Montecito!” Lori graciously acknowledges that they are blessed to live the “good life” in beautiful Montecito despite the evacuations over the past year – eight in all. Their picturesque property affords them the opportunity to garden to their hearts’ content and grow their own organic vegetables. This lovely couple, who have been married for 58 years, enjoys traveling and they’ve been to MARCH 2019
numerous countries around the world. Lori’s favorite country is Italy because of the wonderful food, exceptional art and the relaxed way of life. Other hobbies include reading and going to the movies. Lori is both a painter and sculptor. According to Bernard, “We are not religious, but spiritual, believing something higher than us has made this all happen and that life never stops.” Perhaps a key to their contentment in life is meditation, which they’ve practiced twice a day for the past 40 years. “People ask us the best kind of meditation and we say, the one YOU do.” Lori has been a vegetarian for 40 years, but Bernard admits to cheating a little with fish and chicken. While Bernard and Lori had fantastic careers in Hollywood, what impresses me the most is their desire to give back and help others less fortunate than themselves. In the 1980s, Bernard and Lori were instrumental in stopping the ivory trade in the U.S. Using his wit and shrewd diplomacy, Bernard was directly responsible for convincing a major retailer here in the U.S. to stop selling ivory products. They have been involved with helping to save children in Darfur, feeding children in Yemen, support The Make-A-Wish Foundation and Beauty Without Cruelty. Lovers of animals, Lori has been on the Board of Directors of DAWG and both have supported the Wildlife Care Network. They regularly give food to the Foodbank and they also enjoy serving meals in the Organic Soup Kitchen. Bernard also offers free business consulting to those trying to better themselves. Lori donates a large portion of the proceeds from the sale of her artwork on her website www.lorisaunders.net to her current project, which is to establish full scholarships for students who are interested in environmental studies for the future of our planet. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to speak directly to Lori. Even though I had never met Bernard, during our conversation I felt as though we had known each other for decades. He is a charismatic, captivating and truly enjoyable fellow to speak with; I’m certain the same is true for Lori. Undoubtedly, they are both true gems in our community!
DO YOU KNOW A NEIGHBOR WHO HAS A STORY TO SHARE? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact us at settman-sterner@ bestversionmedia.com. MONTECITO NEIGHBORS
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LOCAL FLAVORS
Flavors of The Month: Tuna Fish Cakes Recipe by Chef Warren Van Steen, The Monarch Restaurant Photo Credit: The Monarch Serves 2-4 Guests
and pulse until you get a chunky paste mixture. Remove mix-
Ingredients:
ture and place into a large mixing bowl along with tuna. Add
- 340g tuna conserva or 12oz canned tuna
scallions, salt, beat egg mix and pull tuna apart into small flaky
- 1/2 jumbo carrot, peeled and small rough chop
pieces. Roll into 56g balls and flatten with the back side of a
- 1/4 large white onion, rough small chop
large spoon. Pan fry in small sautĂŠ pan with olive oil until gold-
- 2 stalks celery, rough small chop
en brown on both sides, remove from heat and rest on paper
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
towels or wire rack.
- 1in ginger, peeled and rough small chop - 1 Thai chili, thinly sliced - 3 scallions, green parts thinly sliced - 1 egg, beaten - 3g salt - 10g olive oil - 8g avocado puree - Desired amount green herb puree Tuna conserva: - 1# albacore tuna - 1 orange, zested and juiced - 15g fresh thyme - 4 cloves garlic - 3g salt - 1c olive oil - 2 sugar snap peas, blanched and cut on a bias - 1 Japanese turnip, thinly sliced into coins - Micro greens
Avocado puree: - 2 ripe avocados, pit and peel removed - 20g olive oil - 16g ascorbic acid or 5g lemon juice - Salt to taste Add all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Green herb puree: - 1 bunch cilantro - 1 bunch Vietnamese coriander leaves (also known as Rau Ram) - 2 limes, juiced - 2T fish sauce - 3 cloves garlic - 1 Thai chili Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Don’t allow mixture to get hot or will turn brown. Plating:
Place tuna in small sauce pot, add all ingredients at
With a dinner spoon or squeeze bottle, draw circles on a plate
once. Give a gentle stir to incorporate ingredients.
with green herb puree. Add pan fried tuna fish cakes to the
Place on low heat and simmer for 1 hour. Remove
outer rings. With a squeeze bottle or dinner spoon, place small
from heat and allow tuna to cool in liquid under
dots of avocado puree to the top of the fish cakes. Be creative
refrigeration.
and whimsical when placing sugar snap peas and turnip coins.
Tuna fish cake: Place chopped celery, onion, carrot, ginger, sliced Thai chili and peeled garlic into a food processor
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Finish by placing micro greens on top. The Monarch - 1295 Coast Village Rd., Montecito (805) 869-0789 - www.themonarchmontecito.com MARCH 2019
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
WED., MAR. 6 – SUN. MAR. 10 SANTA BARBARA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL @New Vic Theatre The highly acclaimed Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival will once again bring the community together to experience the power of exceptional films from around the world on themes of Jewish culture and identity. Time: Recurring daily Cost: $118 All Access Pass sbjewishfilmfestival.org SAT., MAR. 9 PRINCESS DAY/SAVE THE FROGS @Santa Barbara Zoo Learn how zoos and aquariums are working to save the world’s threatened amphibians, and enjoy frog-inspired crafts, games, and special animal appearances. Meet Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and other princesses in person, too. All costumed princesses welcome – as are knights, pirates, and cowboys. Time: 10am–3pm Cost: Free with zoo admission sbzoo.org/event/princess-weekend-save-frogs/2019-03-09 SUN., MAR. 10 SANTA BARBARA YOUTH SYMPHONY CONCERT @Lobero Theatre Heralded as “a prestigious group of young, talented musicians” by Santa Barbara Seasons magazine, the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony brings together 70-80 of the top musicians, ages 12-18, from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties to perform works across the orchestral repertoire. Time: 4–6pm Cost: Free lobero.org/events/santa-barbara-youth-symphony-concert FRI., MAR. 15 – SUN., MAR. 17 THE 74TH ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL ORCHID SHOW @Earl Warren Showgrounds One of the grandest celebrations of orchids in the country, the 2019 show will be themed “Orchid Magic.” The Los Angeles Times recently named the show one of the top 5 “must-see” flower shows in the world. Orchid growers from
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MARCH - APRIL 2019 around the globe take the opportunity to gather and exhibit the pride of their world-class specimens, and the public is invited to join in the melding of knowledge, beauty, and prestige. Time: 9am–5pm Cost: $12 - $14 sborchidshow.com SAT., MAR. 16 – SUN., MAR. 17 AMADEUS LIVE @Granada Theatre Experience the multi-Academy Award® winning 1984 motion picture Amadeus on a vast HD screen while Mozart’s most celebrated works are performed live in-sync by a full orchestra and choir. Time: 8-10pm Cost: $29 - $135 thesymphony.org/performances/ season_2018-19 TUE., MAR. 19 ARLO GUTHRIE ALICE’S RESTAURANT BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND TOUR @Lobero Theatre Arlo Guthrie has been known to generations as a prolific songwriter, social commentator, master storyteller, actor and activist. In celebration of the 50th anniversaries of the film Alice’s Restaurant, Woodstock, and 50 years of Flower Power, Arlo Guthrie is bringing a multi-media experience to life, along with a few friends–Sarah Lee Guthrie, Abe Guthrie, Terry A La Berry, and Steve and Carol Ide. Time: 8-10pm Cost: $105 - VIP, $64 - Section A, $54 - Section B lobero.org/events/arlo-guthrie-2019 SAT., MAR. 23 A BRILLIANT SPECTRUM @Santa Barbara Museum of Art Representing a broad range of artists, years, techniques, and themes, this exhibition of approximately 30 works offers viewers a rich and engrossing experience of color photographs by emerging and established artists alike, as it presents a concise and select traversal through the history of color photography from its origins as an accepted artistic tool in the 1960s and 70s, up to today’s most conceptually-driven practices. Time: 11am-5pm Cost: Free for members sbma.net/exhibitions/brilliantspectrum
THURS., APR. 4 1ST THURSDAY @Downtown Santa Barbara 1st Thursday is an evening of art and culture in downtown Santa Barbara. On the first Thursday of each month, participating galleries and art-related venues offer free access to visual and performing art in a fun and social environment from 5-8pm. 1st Thursday venues feature attractions such as art openings, live music, artists’ receptions, lectures, wine tastings and hands-on activities. Time: 5-8pm Cost: FREE downtownsb.org/events/1st-Thursday SAT., APR. 6 SO PERCUSSION @UCSB Campus, Campbell Hall Hailed as an “experimental powerhouse” (Village Voice), Brooklyn-based So Percussion’s innovative work explores the extremes of emotion and musical possibility. For Amid the Noise, a set of short pieces framed by drones and subtly changing harmonies, the quartet expands its percussive arsenal with wood planks, metal pipes, a toy piano – even duct tape. Time: 8pm Cost: $20 - $35, General Public $10, UCSB Students (Current student ID required) artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/Details.aspx?PerfNum=4025 TUES., APR. 9 LEGALLY BLONDE – THE MUSICAL @The Granada Theatre A wonderfully fun musical based on the adored movie, LEGALLY BLONDE – The Musical, follows the transformation of California girl Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in self-discovery at Harvard Law School. This action-packed musical explodes on the stage with memorable scenes and lovable characters including the ever-successful Bend and Snap and Elle’s favorite companion, Bruiser the Chihuahua! Time: 7:30pm Cost: $44 - $89 americantheatreguild.com/santabarbara/legallyblonde/
MARCH 2019
Camerata Pacifica Broad Variety Of Repertoire, Intense And Committed Performances
NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT
By Amy Bassett Williams, Managing Director, Camerata Pacifica Photo Credit: David Bazemore
S
anta Barbara’s Camerata Pacifica is recognized as one of the finest chamber ensembles in the world. London’s Daily Telegraph praised “A very serious group of fine artists … both innovative and intrepid,” and the Irish Times recognized, “Induce a dozen and more high-ranking soloists to take time out of their busy global schedules to give chamber-music concerts in California, and you have the miracle of modern artistic organization that is Camerata Pacifica.” Camerata Pacifica musicians travel across the globe to perform in the beautifully intimate Hahn Hall at the Music Academy of the West. Ten programs are presented annually, noted for the broad variety of repertoire and always for intense and committed performances. From its beginnings in 1990 at the Lobero Theatre the group has enjoyed a loyal and passionate audience unique for its curiosity and interest in the range of programming offered by Artistic Director Adrian Spence. This is not your ‘usual’ classical music ensemble and Spence’s programs can head in very unusual directions — if your idea of a concert is going out to listen to music you’ve heard 100 times before, this is not the place for you! Certainly the acknowledged masterworks form the foundation of Spence’s programming, (in this season and next Beethoven is the featured composer), but each season is a musical adventure which in addition to being beautiful and inspiring, can be controversial and challenging. Spence says, “This is a living art. And concerts should be vital, live experiences reflecting who we are, which is not always pretty. Beethoven didn’t shy away from controversy, his music shows who he was, who we are in our entirety. Over these past centuries, this music is our truest history; an emotional history that cannot be written by the victor, and a history that continues to be written every day. At the Camerata we’re very aware that we are stewards of an artform the great American composer Aaron Copland called, ‘one of the glories of mankind.’ Our performances reflect that responsibility and devotion.” A signature for Camerata Pacifica, and a mark of distinction, is the community that’s developed around their music, with a clear familiarity and warmth shared between the musicians and the audience. This is a community of interested and interesting people who share in the ethos of the ensemble and enthusiastically appear for the next episode of the Camerata adventure. Interestingly, they don’t always agree with Spence and, to this writer quite
MONTECITO NEIGHBORS
amusingly, freely share those opinions. Spence says, “I love it! A concert should be a dynamic experience shared with a dynamic, thinking audience. Our thinking isn’t always going to agree and that, too, should be part of the experience. If a piece appears on a Camerata program you can be assured its worth your time. Beyond that… it’s up for grabs!”
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOY STORE
montecito country mart 1026 coast village road
805-565-7696
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BUSINESS PROFILE
From Santa Barbara to Costa Rica… Local Family Brightens Homes and Lives By Katrina Murdoch, Tubular George Co. Photos courtesy of Tubular George Co. Tubular George Co. is known throughout Santa Barbara for their Premier Chimney Service and for brightening over 35,000 homes with SOLATUBE® Skylights. The company also helps clients cool their homes on those hot summer days by installing a Whole House Fan system. They can even upgrade your fireplace by installing an energy efficient, clean, environmentally-friendly Gas Insert. This family-owned, local business is the brainchild of George and Katrina Murdoch. It all began with George, a Dos Pueblos High School student in the 1970s, cutting and selling firewood with his brother. George loved the warmth and glow of home fires and realized the importance of fireplace safety. He started The Clean Sweep Company, with the slogan “Keeping you Safe’n Warm Since 1980.” In 1993, George discovered SOLATUBE Skylights. Using the sun to light homes naturally seemed like such a brilliant idea - pun intended! SOLATUBE originated in Australia and had just moved its manufacturing and headquarters to San Diego. George became one of their very first U.S. dealers and has personally brightened more rooms than anyone else in the U.S.! The Tubular George Company has expanded its product line to include Solar Attic fans and Whole House fans to help make customers’ homes comfortable and healthier in an energy efficient way. The company is dedicated to environmental protection and works to keep Santa Barbara’s air clean by upgrading fireplaces with clean and efficient Gas Inserts, in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution District. The Tubular George Co. has grown to include the family’s three sons and has since expanded to San Luis Obispo County. Simon, the family’s youngest son, now operates the business there. Alex, George and Katrina’s middle son, helps in between his medical school rotations, and their eldest son, Daniel, helps whenever he comes home to visit. To learn more about chimney cleaning and repair, SOLATUBE, Whole House Fan systems or fireplace gas inserts, visit www.TubularGeorge.com. In case you’re wondering… the nickname “Tubular George” came from the fact that George cleans chimney “Tubes,” installs “Tube” skylights and most importantly, loves to ride “Tubes” when he surfs. He imparted both his work ethic and love of surfing to his sons... which brings us to…. COSTA RICA! The family fell in love with the wild beauty and great surf beaches of this tropical Central American paradise. As a result, they have
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expanded their business activities to include a property development venture in this beautiful country. George and his family have built four very exclusive vacation rental homes, near Costa Rica’s best surfing beaches. It’s a perfect setup for the “Pura Vida” (“Pure Life”) vacation of your life! The Murdochs have shared these tropical getaway properties with hundreds of friends and client families. The homes are an ideal venue for wedding parties and yoga retreats. Their son, Daniel and his wife Chloe now live full-time in Costa Rica and offer full concierge services for their guests - catering, private chef, surf lessons, transportation, massage, tours and more, for a truly relaxing “Pura Vida” vacation. You’re invited to learn more about the rental homes and guests services by visiting www. PuraVidaCasas.com. George’s easy going temperament and expert skills have made him a favorite of thousands of people in Santa Barbara, and now, Costa Rica. He and Katrina love to be involved in church and community. They like sharing the “Pura Vida” lifestyle of Costa Rica with others. The entire family enjoys brightening others’ lives in more ways than one. They are proud of their daughters who do wonderful things, too. Sophie does humanitarian work as a nurse, Chloe is an amazing health and lifestyle coach and Claire, the youngest, is studying to become a Doula, or midwife. Whether in Santa Barbara or in Costa Rica, Tubular George and his family hope to brighten your home and life! MARCH 2019
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CALL US FOR DETAILS 13
PET CORNER
MEET MELANIE
Article and Photos by Sarah Ettman-Sterner
pound girl, Mel has a big personality, starting with the big “M” formed by the stripes on her forehead. She’s a chatterbox, who shares her thoughts by trilling, meowing and non-stop purring. Melanie greets everyone that comes to the house by rubbing up against them in a friendly way to mark these humans as her “people.” One would never know that she was a stray cat before she decided to come in from the bush and adopt our family. One summer day, she approached my two little boys who were playing with their friends on the sidewalk by our home. Purring, she rubbed against their legs, threw herself down, and began rolling around, flipping from side to side, in what I call the “The Wiggling Worm Dance.” The boys called me outside to see this thin but pretty little kitty. As soon as I saw her, I knew I wanted to give her a safe, loving home. I think she also realized we needed her - a pet friend that could teach my sons about the responsibility of caring for a living being. It was the perfect fit.
She’s an alarm clock, lap blanket and queen of camouflage. Career highlights include working as a therapist and pest control specialist. She’s full of energy at 16 ½ years of age and best of all, she’s an amazing, loyal friend. Who is this talented individual that I hold in high regard? It’s Melanie – the nicest cat in the world! Melanie is an American Short Hair Torbie - Mother Nature’s idea of abstract art. Part tortoiseshell, part tabby, they’re also called patch tabbies. While her coat is red, cream and grey, she has a pert, black-ringed tail, reminiscent of a raccoon’s. The breed is largely female and no two Torbies are alike. They also have “Torbie-tude” - an opinion on just about everything. For a tiny, seven
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At first there was push back about adding another pet to the household. We already had a big English Labrador named Tyg who belonged my sons’ father; he felt that one pet was enough. Fortunately, the boys did an excellent sales job on their Dad over the 2 weeks the cat stayed at the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP). We brought her there because if she was someone’s lost pet, she should be reunited with them. If not, we’d adopt her. We visited Melanie after school to keep her company and anxiously counted the days until we could bring her home. Melanie came home on August 12, 2002, which became her official birthday. I thought it was a perfect date, because she would share my French grandmother’s birthday. The boys and their friends had fun thinking of a name for her. They were reading
the Lemony Snicket book series and thought that name could work. However, my youngest son who was six years old, couldn’t quite manage saying “Lemony” and somehow it morphed into “Melanie.” It suited her, a beautiful name for a dainty cat. That girly moniker belied a fierce contender, capable of chasing Tyg the Lab into a bedroom and holding him hostage. Melanie’s “cat-a-tude” continues to be seen in her vector control skills; she’s quite capable of decapitating rats with the greatest of ease. Melanie is the common thread that weaves through stages of my life. She was there as I raised my sons, and kept me company when recovering from surgery and a life-threatening illness. She comforted me during lonely times as I grappled with divorce and an empty nest. When I feel sad, she senses my distress. Without fail, she climbs into my lap and administers a dose of love. My sons marvel that she’s past 80 in cat years, still looks like a kitten, and is playful, yet true to her nickname, “NBK” – short for “Natural Born Killer.” Melanie remains their link to happy childhood memories and my constant, faithful companion.
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Rally 4 Kids: United Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County
CAR CORNER
Article by Michael Baker, CEO, United Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County Photos provided by United Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County
Let’s get ready to Rally 4 Kids! For the 6th year, the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County will be hosting this exciting fundraising event. The title sponsor is once again Michael Hammer and the Armand Hammer Foundation; the event is once again co-chaired by Monte and Maria Wilson. What is a Rally 4 Kids, you might ask? Well, on April 27th 50 of the nicest cars you have ever seen will be filled with drivers and navigators going on a whimsical journey and stopping along the way for hilarious challenges, all in an effort to raise money for those members that need our services the most. The event starts with a Friday night driver/ navigator party where all the contestants socialize and learn some of the details about what they will be doing the next day. The following morning the drivers and navigators meet at the “Rally Launch Site” and have breakfast before their journey begins. Once the drivers are launched, the festivities really begin. In past years, some of the fun driver challenges were having to hula hoop on the stage at the Santa Barbara Bowl, paint a rendering of their own car and answer trivia questions along the way about the route they are on. They have even had to find out if they were smarter than a 5th grader! The whole event is not based on speed at all. It is solely based on how drivers do with all the challenges and trivia questions along the way. The top driver and navigator are named “Roads Scholars” - pun intended. After the driving is done (around 2:30pm), drivers go home and rest up for that evening’s, over-the-top Gala hosted at the Nesbitt Estate. Over 350 guests attend this absolutely stunning event every year. There will be live music, incredible food and a live auction. All the proceeds from the evening benefit the outreach efforts of the United Boys & Girls Clubs to reach those youth that come from the most challenging of circumstances. To learn more about the Rally 4 Kids, or, to find out how to get tickets to the Gala that night, visit their website www.rally4kids.org or call Tina Ballue at (805) 681-1315.
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MARCH 2019
Focus On Westmont College
LOCAL EDUCATION
By Scott Craig, Manager of Media Relations, Westmont College Photos by Westmont College
Westmont College, located in the heart of Montecito, is home to a vibrant array of cultural and educational events. Here are the College’s current programs offered to the public. The Magic of Mozart “The Magic Flute,” featuring the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder, runs March 1, 3 and 5 at 7 pm at the New Vic Theatre. Tickets, which cost $20 for general admission, $15 for students and seniors, may be purchased at newvictheater.com. John Blondell, professor of theater arts directs Mozart’s comic opera with Michael Shasberger, Adams professor of music and worship, overseeing the music. “The Magic Flute” combines songs and spoken lines in a range of dramatic styles. “The many mystical characters, such as the birds, create lots of theatrical possibilities,” Blondell says. He describes it as a serious fairy tale written during an intriguing time in Western Europe. “I want to find exciting and contemporary themes and values that will resonate in the present moment and provide a great shared experience between the audience and performers,” he says. Chorale Masterworks Jubilation The Westmont College Choir, alumni, community members and student soloists with the Westmont College Orchestra perform American composer Dan Forrest’s new “Jubilate Deo” at this year’s Masterworks Concert Sunday, March 3, at 3 pm. Text for the piece comes from Psalm 100 with the theme of “sing to the Lord all the Earth.” “In drawing out that theme, Forrest engages musical styles and languages from Zulu to Latin, Chinese to Arabic and a healthy dose of singing in English as well,” says director Grey Brothers, Westmont professor of music. Photo Exhibit Exposes ‘Watershed’ Moment The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art explores the increasingly fraught relationship between humankind and the environment in an exhibition, “Watershed: Contemporary Landscape Photography,” through March 23 in the museum. “Throughout North America, we share these sustainability issues, and although each need is specific to its region, ‘Watershed’ is able to highlight the mutual issues that connect us,” says Judy L. Larson, R. Anthony Askew professor of art history and museum director. “In Santa Barbara, we have personally experienced the effect of a fire-ravaged forest, the need for water and the environmental clean-up that must continue, and ‘Watershed’ illustrates that these issues are not solely ours. From rural Alabama to Labrador, Canada, these photographs provide visual evidence of our shared environmental concerns.”
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Talk Explores Immigration Debate Alister Chapman, professor of history, examines why immigration has become a major political issue in the United States and a significant divide between the two major parties in a lecture Thursday, March 28, at 5:30 pm at the University Club, 1332 Santa Barbara Street. The Westmont Downtown lecture, “How Immigration Became the Dominant Political Issue of Our World,” is free and open to the public. Chapman, a British expat who earned a doctorate from the University of Cambridge, has been teaching at Westmont since 2004. “I’ll explore the economic, political and geopolitical reasons why immigration has become so important for contemporary debate,” he says. “I will compare the situation in the United States with that in the rest of the world and provide historical background that will help us understand not just the immigration question but also the way our world is changing under our feet.” For more information about these and other Westmont College cultural and educational events, visit www.westmont.edu.
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EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR
Decoding Light Bulbs By William George, Curator of Lighting, Light Santa Barbara Illustrations courtesy of Light Santa Barbara Headshot provided by William George
It’s amazing how many times I get calls from people needing advice with bulb selection. There are thousands of different types of bulbs on the market, so many that they can confuse homeowners as well as professionals. And, the right bulb can make or break the look of a lamp or fixture. Here are some important things to consider before selecting and purchasing light bulbs for your lighting fixtures. COLOR TEMPERATURE When choosing the right bulb, the first thing to think about is color temperature. Color temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin (K). A regular incandescent bulb burns at about 2700K. Halogen bulbs burn at about 3000K. These are warm color temperatures. If you wanted something even warmer or nostalgic looking, choose something 2200K or lower. Cool temperatures start in between 3000K and 3500K. Sunlight is about 5000K and is quite blue. When you buy a lightbulb for a lamp, and the bulb is a “daylight” bulb, it’s going to feel blue and harsh. I would not recommend using a daylight bulb indoors unless you have seasonal affective disorder or need a cool color temperature for reading. The best reading lamps are in the cool color temperature range, but it’s a very harsh light. From a functional standpoint, cool light feels brighter and will make you feel more alert. They are the best color temperatures for fine tasks like surgery or factory work. For a residential setting, I recommend staying in the 2700K or 3000K range. In a commercial or institutional setting, 3500K or 4000K are typical. Student housing and offices are often 3500K. Older fluorescent bulbs are usually 4000K, and this can feel harsh by today’s standard. When choosing the right bulb, it’s important to take into consideration the color of your walls and your furniture and furnishings. In a warm environment warm light is best. In a white modern environment, 3000K is best. I like to use slightly cooler temperatures in kitchens and bathrooms because they are task areas. I have seen
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white kitchens with 2700K bulbs that look dirty. If you were sensitive to cleanliness, I recommend going with 3000K. It’s important to note that color temperature is very personal. Try a bulb or two, and take note of what color you like. WATTAGE With incandescent bulbs, the wattage is a good gauge of bulb brightness. That is not the case with LED. With LED, lumens are used to measure the quantity of light. For example, a 100 watt incandescent bulb produces about 1600 lumens, and an LED 100 watt replacement bulb could be 15 to 20 watts depending on the efficiency of the LED. As the technology progresses, LEDs become more and more efficient using less wattage to produce light. BULB SHAPE There are codes for every bulb shape. This will help you search the internet for replacement bulbs. The standard bulb you would use in a lamp is an A bulb. The directional bulb for an old recessed or outdoor flood is a PAR bulb or Parabolic Reflector. The softer version would be a BR bulb or Bulged Reflector. BULB SIZE The designation for a bulb is typically coded as wattage, then shape and size. For example, a 100A19 is a 100 watt bulb A-Bulb that is 19 eighths of an inch in diameter. A 50MR16 is a 50 watt Multifaceted Reflector. BULB BASE and SOCKETS The most common bulb base in the U.S. is the E26 base which is also known as “medium” or “Edison.” The E12 or “candelabra” base is also common. There are a number of bi-pin bulbs and a huge variety of compact fluorescent bases. Charts are the best way to decode these. If you have an unusual bulb that you can’t decode, feel free to email me at william@lightsantabarbara.com with your questions and a picture of the bulb. I am happy to give you direction and find the perfect lighting solution for your home or business. MARCH 2019
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