The Corwins' Contributions

The Corwins’ Contributions

• Graduate of UCLA School of Law and former attorney (with training in Real Estate law, contracts, estate planning, and tax law)

• Dedicated and highly trained full-time support staff

• An expert in the luxury home market

109 RAMETTO ROAD • MONTECITO

Reminiscent of Hollywood’s “Golden Era,” this magnificent 1920’s Montecito estate boasts breathtaking ocean/island views and embodies a rare blend of stunning architecture and unmatched quality. Originally constructed for C.K.G. Billings and designed by the renowned architect Carleton Winslow, this palatial property overlooks the Montecito Club and Bird Refuge, seamlessly uniting seclusion with close proximity to world-class restaurants, upscale boutiques, and pristine beaches. Featuring grand bedrooms, libraries, offices, living and dining spaces, with 10 fireplaces and 14 baths, every facet of this residence exudes regal splendor. The pool area evokes the ambiance of both the Beverly Hills Hotel and the legendary Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle, offering sweeping Pacific Ocean/Channel Island vistas, expansive terraces, and lavish dressing rooms. Elevating entertainment to unparalleled heights, the home enjoys an envy-inducing game room, a remarkable home theater, and an exquisite wine cellar. “El Descanso” stands as a testament to luxury living from a bygone era that will endure for generations to come.

The Burford Group at Morgan Stanley

Jeanine J. Burford Senior Vice President Financial Advisor 805-695-7109

jeanine.burford@ morganstanley.com 1111 Coast Village Road | Montecito, CA 93108 412 E. Haley St. #3, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 805.965.9555 | frontdesk@beckercon.com| www.beckerstudiosinc.com @beckerstudios

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

5 Beings & Doings – The Corwin family got into the movie theater business 100 years ago. MTC President David Corwin tells the tale, and reports on the weather.

This Week at MAW – Competition winner Navasard Hakobyan speaks about his upcoming performance, heritage, and the Summer Festival

Montecito Miscellany – MAW feels the magic at its annual gala, toasting PATH, Dream Foundation’s Flower Empower lunch, and more miscellany

In Passing – Remembering the life of Barbra Rudvall Schutte Letters to the Editor – More thoughts on the Rosewood expansion and a reply to Jeffrey Harding Tide Guide

The Giving List – The ongoing impact and programs of Explore Ecology 12 Our Town – Cate School and Our Lady of Mount Carmel graduations, and the much awaited return of Carp’s The Palms restaurant as it goes under architectural review 14 Society Invites – It’s a funky night at The Grape with owners Josh McNutt and Adam Randall, and the Derek Frank Band

16 On Entertainment – The Santa Barbara Writers Conference is a mainstay of the area and back for one more year of licking their literary chops

18 Food Files – San Ysidro Ranch’s Veranda is welcoming guests with a prix fixe lunch and charming ambiance

20 Brilliant Thoughts – It is hard to tell what is better – Ashleigh’s epigrams, or his thoughts on hardness

22 Rising Above Adversity – The UCSB Gauchos’ Baseball team have had their challenges this season but have persevered

26 Meeting at MA – The Land Use Meeting gives updates on the 101 construction and from MSD and MWD

28 Elizabeth’s Appraisals – What to do with all those fine china sets? In current times, not much. However, some of it still has auction appeal

30 Community Voices – Jeff Giordano has some thoughts on the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting on cannabis Robert’s Big Questions – How did life emerge? And where is life on other planets? Now those are big questions.

32 Dear Montecito – Through hardships, breakups, and depression, music has been a source of healing for Makena Tate

33 Your Westmont – The college honors its top employees and celebrates 11 student teachers

34 Foraging Thyme – What’s tart, vibrant, and healthy all over? The passion fruit – and this vinaigrette will bring out its passionate character.

36 Stories Matter – Explore ‘50s-era Hollywood, a rising teen star, mysterious housemaids, and more in this month’s book selections

44 Calendar of Events – 1st Thursday happenings, the circus is in town, surf’s up at the annual film festival, and more

46 Classifieds – Our own “Craigslist” of classified ads, in which sellers offer everything from summer rentals to estate sales

47 Mini Meta Crossword Puzzles

Local Business Directory – Smart business owners place business cards here so readers know where to look when they need what those businesses offer

Beings & Doings

The Other Hollywood Dynasty

by Jeff Wing

If you’ve ever watched David Lean’s legendary Lawrence of Arabia on a “handheld device” (a noun-hyphenate that describes lots of swell gadgets these days) you will have noticed that the film’s breathtaking Battle of Aqaba looks like a bunch of ants streaming across a baloney sandwich. Is cinematic splendor about scale? Yeah, partly. It’s also about our anthropological need for a shared emotional cohesion, and an outsized tub of popcorn bathed in golden motor oil. The presentational milieu of a movie is no accident. Oh, here comes David now.

“I think we can all appreciate being with a group – that collective laughter, or fear, or empathy,” he says. “I mean, this is a space people are familiar with. They know to go there. We take our stewardship of that experience very, very seriously.”

Who is this guy? And what on Earth is he going on about?

It Came from Iowa

The previews have wrapped, and a moment of beguiling digital silence lulls you

into a brief and ill-advised respite. Suddenly hidden speakers belt out a piercing synthesizer fugue and you flinch like a marionette. A golden film reel spins onto the screen and a few seconds later the Metropolitan Theatres Corporation (MTC) trademark lies on its side to reveal the words Feature Presentation and blasts off like the Millenium Falcon. Whew! What is this moviegoing “MTC” watermark as familiar to some as MGM’s perpetually yelling lion? What does it mean? It means a family, if you can believe it –with names like Joseph, Lawrence, Sherrill, Bruce, and David. Meet the Corwins

“We’ve been a part of the community for nearly 75 years now,” says David. He’s President of the Metropolitan theatre chain; the fourth gen Corwin to lead the privately held company, and the first to be pummeled by the changing movie theater landscape. At this writing, MTC is engaged in a Chapter 11 reorganization. “We’re working through the process and optimistic we will get it done and be in a much better place in short order,” David says, and means it.

Though he’s speaking to me from his late father’s memento-cluttered MTC office in L.A., David’s ref to 75 years of community love (I’m paraphrasing) is about the community of Santa Barbara, where MTC planted its flag in 1950.

The official Corwin launch had begun some years earlier, in 1923 Los Angeles – coincidentally the same year the HOLLYWOODLAND housing devel opment stuck a sign up on Mt. Lee. Parts of that sign still remain, it’s said.

To insiders, the Corwin name has long been synonymous with two things: the fine art of presenting movies, and decades of lav ish, community-nourishing philanthropy; a family theme that is only growing stronger.

“My brother and I do our best, and we cultivate it in our kids,” David says avidly. Giving to community (and that word encompasses

MTC’s old Cinema Theater off Hollister (courtesy photo)

This Week at MAW

New Heights for Hakobyan

by Steven Libowitz

You might say Navasard Hakobyan had a pretty good summer in Santa Barbara last year. The Armenian baritone not only made his debut as Marcello, one of the principal roles in La Boheme at the Granada, he also secured the most coveted and longstanding prize of the festival in the Music Academy’s 2023 Marilyn Horne Song Competition.

“My summer (here) was an incredible and transformative experience,” Hakobyan said in an email interview. “Working with leading professionals in the field significantly contributed to my growth as an artist and the opportunity to learn, perform and collaborate with such talented individuals has had a profound impact on my career.”

The thing is, Hakobyan has only soared to new heights in the last 10 months. The baritone finished up his second year at Houston Grand Opera’s Butler Studio, and has now performed at the company in Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, and The Marriage of Figaro, among others. On

March 8th, he claimed first place in Dallas Opera’s National Vocal Competition, and a week later secured a particularly prestigious place as a winner of the 2024 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.

“Every time I participate in a competition, my focus is always on delivering my best performance and conveying the

stories from the stage,” Hakobyan said. “Winning is always a gratifying validation of my hard work and dedication.”

To top things off at MAW last summer, Hakobyan also managed to secure an Armenian family as his compeers –MAW’s peerless program at the heart of the Academy culture. The Compeer Program pairs every one of the 134 fellows with local residents, who then follow their fellow through master classes and performances, meeting up for dinner and other events and connecting over the shared love of music. Sharing a cultural background was a bonus.

“I was so happy when I heard that my compeers would be Armenians,” Hakobyan said. “Building connections with them has been incredibly heartwarming, and I cherish our bond dearly… It’s part of why the Music Academy has left an indelible mark on both my personal and professional journey.”

Next Thursday, June 13, local audiences will get to share some of that Armenian culture when Hakobyan returns to Miraflores to perform at Hahn in recital with Marilyn Horne Song Competition co-winner and vocal pianist Brian Cho, as Armenian music will be a significant part of the concert. A pair of Armenian folk songs will open the performance, including Komitas’ “Apricot Tree,” which the baritone said has a lot of significance back home.

“I am very proud to present my culture, history, and music to my beloved audience,” said Hakobyan, who graduated from the vocal studio of Armenian State Song Theater and is currently completing a master’s degree at Yerevan Conservatory. “This is particularly reflected in “Apricot Tree,” as the apricot is a symbol of Armenia. Thousands of people visit my country just to taste our apricots, and the apricot color is also featured on our flag, representing the creative talent and hard work of the Armenian people. I will also sing “Oh Rose” by Alexander Spendiaryan, which is one of my favorite songs. It tells the story of a boy who wants to pluck a rose and give it to the girl he loves.”

The recital will also feature a reprise of all three works performed by Hakobyan and Cho in last summer’s Horne competition – Francesco Paolo Tosti’s “Ideale,” “Christ is Risen” from Fifteen Romances, Op. 26, by Rachmaninoff, and Schumann’s “Liederkreis, Op. 39, No. 3, ‘Waldesgespräch’” – plus additional songs by those three, and pieces from Sibelius and Strauss. But the centerpiece is likely to be the world premiere of a new art song commissioned by MAW, “Crisis” by Joel Thompson, the Emmy award-winning Atlanta-based composer, conductor, pianist, and educator best known

2023 Marilyn Horne Song Competition winners Brian Cho and Navasard Hakobyan (courtesy photo)

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Montecito Miscellany

Magical Music in the Er-a

by Richard Mineards

ust days before the kickoff of its 77th summer festival, the Miraflores campus of the Music Academy of the West was packed with 225 supporters for the “Magic of the Music Academy: A New Era” gala with a special solo performance by top cellist Joshua Roman in Hahn Hall.

Roman, 40, attended the academy in 2002 before becoming cellist for the Seattle Symphony in 2006, the youngest

Chairman Maurice Singer, President & CEO Shauna Quill, cellist Joshua Roman, and Hyon Chough (photo by Priscilla)

principal player in its history.

His short repertoire included Bach’s “Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, ‘Prélude;’” his own composition “Immunity” reflecting on problems he had after contracting COVID which impacted his playing, and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” adding his vocal talents to the work.

After the performance he participated in a Q&A session with Shauna Quill, the academy’s charming new president and CEO.

Given the Italian theme, guests sat down for a Tuscan-themed dinner, with

baritone Byron Mayes entertaining.

The $350,000 raised pays for supporting 137 fellows during the summer, out of more than 3,000 who applied, and raising 225 young voices through the Sing! children’s chorus.

Among those facing the music were

J O I N U S ! J U N E 1 3 - 2 3

Stewart Hudnut , Jeff and Margo Barbakow, Janet Garufis, Anne Towbes, Karen Lehrer , Peter and Kathryn Martin, Anaïs Pellegrini, Randy and Roxy Solakian, Robert Adams, Nicholas

Miscellany Page 424

Achok Majak, Mimi Do, Mally Chakola, Claudia Sandoval, Anna Akut (photo by Priscilla)

Steinway’s Matthew Felver and Heidi Chamberlin with event planner Katelin Ridenour and MAW’s Kate Oberjat (photo by Priscilla)

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In Passing Barbra Rudvall Schutte:

November 6, 1926 – May 30, 2023

Barbra Rudvall Schutte , born November 6, 1926, in Fresno California, passed away peacefully on May 30, 2023, in Montecito, California

Robin had a very full life with many accomplishments. She was a woman ahead of her time, who was gifted in so many ways. Born in Fresno California, she moved after college to San Francisco and started the beginning of a long string of successes.

She developed her passion for architecture at her first job in the big city. She learned about design, interiors, and antiquities, exposing her to a beautiful world that suited her quite well. She became a woman of taste and elegance.

her high standards and love of all things beautiful

Robin found her true calling in the fashion world. She embarked on a 20-year career with Elizabeth Arden, and she was perfectly suited for the leadership role she embraced. She became a fixture in the Union Square Retail Management Team and enjoyed all the excitement the city had to offer.

Life got even better when she met her true love, Richard Schutte. A perfect match, they started a wonderful and exciting life together in San Francisco. While embracing Dick’s passion for sports as an avid devote of the 49ers, Giants, and Warriors, she became a huge supporter and fan of the Opera. Another career change brought her to the doors of Real Estate, where she found success both in San Francisco and later Santa Barbara markets.

Life eventually brought them back to Dick’s hometown, Santa Barbara, where they settled into a new phase of their lives. Robin embraced her new home, using her business acumen and joie de vivre to lend a hand to the local charities. Amongst her favorites were the Music Academy of the West and the Santa Barbara Historical Society, where she spent many years making a difference, as she always did, in all aspects of her life.

She will be remembered for her high standards and love of all things beautiful. Robin is survived by her stepchildren, Megan Walton (Bill) of San Anselmo, Will Schutte (Suzanne) of San Francisco, Susan Gruetzemacher (Dave) of Tahoe City and goddaughter Nicole DeLagnes, of Montecito. She is predeceased by her husband of 42 years, Richard H. Schutte, in 2008. Private services were held.

Letters to the Editor

The Rosewood Plan

As a nearby, full-time neighbor of the Rosewood Miramar Hotel, and directly affected by their construction and traffic, I feel very qualified to respond to their plan to commercialize and build up this part of Montecito with a high-end shopping mall, restaurant, and expensive apartments. This plan proposes the construction of 34,000 square feet of 30-foothigh buildings (17,000 sq. ft. on each of two stories) on the NW corner of their property. It will dwarf the All Saints Church, a 120 year-old community landmark, and block scenic mountain views from their property. Their proposal does not mesh with our well-thoughtout Community Plan, which stipulates that commercial additions be limited to “16 feet above grade, respect the character and scale of surrounding residential neighborhoods, have minimal visibility from the street, and be consistent with the existing historic Cottage Type Hotel design of Montecito.”

Nearly all the letter writers who have sent their opinions do not live in our neighborhood, or are part-time vacation-home owners. Those of you who live near Cold Spring School, in Ennisbrook, up by the SY Ranch, over on Sheffield – you really don’t have any skin in the game – except for the occasional meal or cocktail by the sea. You folks won’t have to live through the construction, the dirt, 2,000 dump truck trips, you won’t have strangers parked in your street-side parking, you won’t have dozens of UPS, Amazon, and Fed Ex vans blocking your intersections. Caruso Affiliates has recruited you, comped you wine and cheese social

MONTECITO TIDE GUIDE

hours, given you little signs to wave like at a high-school election campaign. You are rejecting what has made Montecito valuable in the first place: our character, our residential and country-like cachet, and our scenery.

This is not about how Caruso Affiliates came here, leveled, and rebuilt the old Miramar, and turned it into a nice, tony resort. This is not about

Jun 11

Jun 13

Jun 14

Executive Editor/CEO | Gwyn Lurie gwyn@montecitojournal.net

President/COO | Timothy Lennon Buckley tim@montecitojournal.net

Managing Editor | Zach Rosen zach@montecitojournal.net

MoJo Contributing Editor | Christopher Matteo Connor

Art/Production Director | Trent Watanabe

Graphic Design/Layout | Stevie Acuña

Administration | Jessikah Fechner

Administrative Assistant | Kassidy Craner VP, Sales & Marketing | Leanne Wood leanne@montecitojournal.net

Account Managers | Sue Brooks, Tanis Nelson, Elizabeth Scott, Natasha Kucherenko

Contributing Editor | Kelly Mahan Herrick

Copy Editor | Lily Buckley Harbin

Proofreading | Helen Buckley Arts and Entertainment | Steven Libowitz

Contributors | Scott Craig, Ashleigh Brilliant, Kim Crail, Tom Farr, Chuck Graham, Stella Haffner, Mark Ashton Hunt, Dalina Michaels, Robert Bernstein, Christina Atchison, Leslie Zemeckis, Sigrid Toye, Elizabeth Stewart, Amélie Dieux, Houghton Hyatt, Jeff Wing

Gossip | Richard Mineards

History | Hattie Beresford

Humor | Ernie Witham

Our Town/Society | Joanne A Calitri

Travel | Jerry Dunn, Leslie Westbrook

Food & Wine | Melissa Petitto, Gabe Saglie, Jamie Knee

Published by:

Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC

Montecito Journal is compiled, compounded, calibrated, cogitated over, and coughed up every Wednesday by an exacting agglomeration of excitable (and often exemplary) expert edifiers at 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite G, Montecito, CA 93108.

How to reach us: (805) 565-1860; FAX: (805) 969-6654; Montecito Journal, 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite G, Montecito, CA 93108; EMAIL: tim@montecitojournal.net

Barbra Rudvall Schutte will be remembered for

The Giving List Explore Ecology

by Steven Libowitz

An impact report is normally more of an obligation or a chore for a nonprofit rather than something to brag about. But for Explore Ecology, publishing its 2023-2024 Impact Report – its first ever – was an especially exciting development.

That’s because it’s the first document to not only succinctly tie together the multiple programs under the organization’s umbrella, but also the most cohesive presentation of the number of different ways it’s succeeding in its mission to empower our community to protect and preserve the planet through innovative environmental education and naturebased learning.

“A lot of people think of us as one of our programs, which is great, but we have been growing a lot and there are now a multifaceted group of programs everyone should know about,” explained Jill Cloutier, Public Relations Director for Explore Ecology. “The report is super short and very visual – not at all boring. We’re super proud of it.”

As well they should be.

Originating out of Art From Scrap, Explore Ecology now runs a variety of programs and spaces (courtesy photo)

For years, Explore Ecology went by the name of Art From Scrap, because that’s how the organization began back in the early 1990s. A few local families started collecting unwanted materials to store in their garages – materials that might otherwise be headed for the landfill – to reuse for art and other projects. That became a warehouse in Goleta and soon enough the downtown site now known as the Art From Scrap Creative Reuse Store, which continues to accept pre-approved donations of clean and safe reusable materials from businesses and individuals, eliminating disposal fees, reducing waste and helping to

Community Announcement:

the Newest on the HWY101 Expansion

“Santa Barbara Design and Build was fabulous. Don and his crew were the BEST from day one. He was honest, timely, flexible, artistic, patient and skilled. They understood my vision and built my dream home”.

-Santa Barbara Resident

FOOD WASTE 101!

Help reduce food waste in Santa Barbara County!

Wasted food can hurt the planet and our wallets! Here are our favorite food waste tips:

Inventory and use what you have before you buy more.

Be creative by using the edible parts of foods that you normally throw away.

Freeze or preserve surplus fruits and vegetables.

Clip and save the graphic below to remember the Food Recovery Hierarchy, and help prevent food waste every day!

Food Recovery Hierarchy

The Food Recovery Hierarchy shows us the best ways to deal with food waste.

Our Town

Our Town’s 22nd Annual Graduation Issue - Cate School

by Joanne A Calitri

The Cate School’s 110th graduation – “Go Rams!” – was held on Sunday May 26, at 10 am, outside at the school campus. The ceremony began with the graduates’ processional from the field to their grandstand seating area to “Pomp and Circumstance” performed by the Cate School Orchestra.

Newly appointed Head of School, Alexandra Lockett, welcomed the guests and introduced History, Humanities and English Instructor for the Invocation, Lauren Jared. Jared stated she will be retiring next year, likened it to the graduates leaving the school, talked about comparative religions, belief systems, and asked for a blessing on the graduates, attendees, and community.

Lockett provided her Head of School remarks saying, “It is no exaggeration that I have been anticipating this moment since accepting the position last year. High school graduation is a cultural phenomenon, it marks the transition from childhood to adulthood. We are all here to celebrate you in this time-honored rite of passage.” She read a love story published in the New York Times, followed by her 100-word love story about the senior graduating class.

Annie Chian (’24) gave the Senior Address. She shared entries from her journal upon entering Cate, and the many firsts the grads experienced like Sunset Bench, Joshua Tree hiking, visiting Carpinteria beach and cafés, and ones specific to each graduate. She thanked Cate for being the place where they as teenagers experienced their firsts, and concluded by taking selfies with the attendees.

Next, Lockett presented the annual awards:

In Santa Barbara County, 20% of our waste is food. These extra pounds of waste can be put back into the soil through compost, or donated to the community. You have the power to reduce food waste!

Class of 2024 Faculty Award: Frank Griffin, Math Instructor

Class of 2024 Classmate/Jeffrey Sumner Pallette ‘88 Award: Jules Hirsch Wecker

Santa Barbara Scholarship Cup: Annie Chian

Our Town Page 384

Head of Cate School Alexandra Lockett MBA addresses the 2024 graduates (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Cate School 2024 graduation ceremony with Head of School Alexandra Lockett (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

The Cate School 2024 grads annual formal photograph (photo by Katie Browne, Cate alumna Class of 2019)

Society Invites

The Grape Jazz Club and Derek Frank Band

by Joanne A Calitri

Your Society Invites reporter is giving some love to a cool and friendly live jazz club, The Grape in Ventura. I interviewed the owners and stayed for the Derek Frank Band performance on Saturday, May 25.

This locals’ hang has the look of a throwback LA-NYC jazz club interior and the chops to showcase ear-candy players in all tangents of jazz six days a week, weekends with two shows. The club is renowned for A-List jazz musicians, both booked and many who have invited themselves to play; indeed, the club is booking through 2025.

If the walls of The Grape could talk you would hear the music of the many greats in jazz that play there, like pianist Mike Garson (David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins), drummer Danny Carey (Tool), saxophonist David Liebman (Miles Davis, Chick Corea),

saxophonist Tom Scott, Montecito local saxophonist Charles Lloyd (The Doors, Canned Heat, Beach Boys), keyboardist Don Randi (Wrecking Crew, Beach Boys, Frank Zappa), the Barrelhouse Wailers, and also many local bands.

The club has two stages, one floor level in the bar area with a baby grand piano, Hammond organ, and drum kit, and the larger stage tricked out in the latest sound and lighting tech in the main room, with a professional sound booth. There are low and high cocktail tables, couches, and a small bar. The taps at the bar are old microphones. The walls on each side of the stage have art deco murals of jazz musicians. The club’s walls and the loos are painted in ‘70s Hendrix purple and filled with black framed 8x10” glossy photos of the musicians who have played there, many photos signed with a thank you to The Grape owners. And yes, there is dancing.

How such a great jazz venue arrived

at its humble location on 2733 East Main Street speaks to the strength of the character and integrity of its owners, Josh McNutt and Adam Randall, their tech engineer Leon Parkhouse with wife Karen (vocalist for The Barrelhouse Wailers), and Randall’s wife, bartender Tiffanie. The story starts with its prior incarnation, a winery called Squashed Grapes on Main Street, circa 2006, that evolved to a live jazz club. In 2017, seeking expansion, the owners signed a lease for a vacant space at 2733 East Main. The

Thomas Fire hit, so they pivoted, opened a winery in a Market Street building on November 2019, making wine from grapes from SB County, Paso Robles, Ventura, and northern L.A. counties. Lockdown hit, and due to reasons beyond the owners’ control, they did not qualify for any PPP or venue loans. The building was sold in 2020, subsequently closing McNutt and Randall’s Winery business. They still had their empty space at 2733

Society Page 384

The Grape owners Josh McNutt and Adam Randall at the club (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

On Entertainment The Return of the SB Writers Conference

by Steven Libowitz

A“I

writer’s conference might seem like an esoteric enterprise, considering that the actual act of writing is as solitary as such things go, save for maybe collaborating in a writer’s room for a TV sitcom, which is a lot less literary. The once-daunting barriers to entry to “seeing one’s work in print” have been obliterated by the blog, the social media post, and even by internet-enabled self-publication. In the current DIY model, professional publishers are no longer the gatekeepers to “publication,” so in the matter of getting one’s writing into the public realm, the hurdle of meeting publisher’s writing standards can be sidestepped altogether.

But that’s not the point of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, and really never was, going back to its founding by the great Barnaby Conrad Jr. half a century ago. Improving your craft is certainly a major aspect, what with six full days of workshops with morning, afternoon and late-night sessions in a variety of genres led by 30 professional writers, including Magical Realism making its debut at the conference this year. SBWC is much more about immersion in the supportive environment where fellow writers help one another hone their writing, connecting and inspiring each other in pursuing communicating through the written word.

being with other writers, people who care about story and wordsmithing, and view the world through a lens of storytelling. We think on a different wavelength than regular people.”

To be sure, actual writing can improve within the week, and the growth keeps happening after the conference ends, Rachow mentions.

“There’s such an intense focus that people do take a leap forward right there. It’s like it gets an electric charge and the work changes because they see it with different eyes.”

That’s what happened for Kimberley Troutte, who won a SBWC scholarship back in 2008, came back on her own again later, and has since published more than 20 romantic suspense novels including New York Times bestsellers.

Troutte will speak at orientation at this year’s conference, just the first of several SBWC alumni who are among the dozens of speakers, panelists, and seminar participants at the conference this year. Many of those events are open to the public to attend on a single-ticket basis ($15 each), while those who want to dip a toe a little further into the literary pool can attend for as little as a single day, sign up for the whole week, or anything in between. All those options are available in advance on the website, as is the full schedule, but a new little-known option lets those who simply show up at the front desk sign up for a single workshop, too.

But be forewarned. Nearly everyone ends up wanting more.

Board Members:

Salvatore “Tory” Milazzo - Board President Syd Walker - Vice President

“People often come for the first time thinking that they want some kind of knowledge, some information and feedback on what they’ve already written,” said Grace Rachow, an SBWC attendee since 1992 who became director in 2016. “They want to have some ideas of how to write, how to make something happen, how to begin, how to middle, how to end. But what they discover is that when they are together with other people, suddenly there’s a recognition of

“They think they’re only going once, but they usually want to do more, maybe two or three days,” Rachow said. “Then they often come back for the whole thing the following year.”

Because SBWC is addictive and rewarding. Sort of like the latest page-turner from your favorite author.

The Santa Barbara Writers Conference takes place June 9-14 at the Mar Monte hotel by the beach. Visit www.sbwriters. com.

Happy participants of the Matthew J. Pallamary Phantastic Fiction Workshop (courtesy photo)

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Food Files Midday Noshing: San Ysidro Ranch Offers New Lunch Experience

by Gabe Saglie

The sun shone bright on a recent weekday afternoon, and a soft sea breeze rolled through. The handful of outdoor tables at the Veranda cottage at the San Ysidro Ranch, nicely spread out, were slowly filling up. Lunch was being doled out in synchronized fashion, and by a welcoming staff.

The latest foodie offering at Montecito’s legendary resort leans beautifully not only into a new, glimmering outdoor venue, but also into the calendar. “The ambiance truly inspires our menu, which features items grown in our chef’s garden on the property,” says Andrew Caine, the food and beverage director at the Ranch. “We take pride in using fresh, seasonal ingredients harvested just steps away from the kitchen to create dishes that reflect the vibrant flavors of the season.”

Until now, the Veranda, set just across from the downstairs patio of The Stonehouse restaurant and steps from the newly imagined Plow & Angel speakeasy, was primarily a private event space. Also known, affectionately, as the Carriage House, it has long been favored as an

intimate setting for exclusive gatherings. Today, that intimacy – that same sense of seclusion and exclusivity – remains, as the Veranda has been reimagined as a destination lunch spot. Offered Monday through Thursday only (as a way to appeal mainly to locals, as well as to the discerning midweek traveler), lunch is served in a shady, charming outdoor setting, complete with stone fireplace and strung twinkle lights, and from a concise rotating menu. It’s prix-fixe, at $49 per person.

Mr. Caine distinguishes the new pleinair experience at the Veranda from the popular longstanding lunch offering at The Stonehouse, which has always been elevated and refined.

“They each have their own distinct ambiance and culinary offerings,” he says. “The Veranda embraces an approachable al fresco dining experience, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the beauty of our surroundings while enjoying fresh, vibrant dishes crafted with locally sourced ingredients. The Veranda distinguishes itself through its casual yet sophisticated approach to dining, making it the perfect destination for guests seeking a relaxed and memorable lunch experience.”

During the MJ’s own recent Veranda lunch, starters included a Chilled Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, an Organic Mixed Green Salad and a bright and refreshing Tuscan Melon & Yellow Tomato Gazpacho.

Entrée options spotlighted several items grown on-property and nearby, and included a Blackened Ora King Salmon Salad, with Carpinteria avocados, candied pecans, heirloom cherry tomatoes and Laura Chenel goat cheese; and the SYR Organic Quinoa & Garden Kale Grain Bowl, with soft-poached egg and heirloom cauliflower. The Chicken Milanese featured an herb crusted Jidori chicken, wild rocket arugula, pickled red onion, shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and grilled Meyer

Gabe with his wife Renee enjoying lunch at the Veranda

The Chicken Milanese is a home specialty by Chef Matt Johnson

“The level of stroke care Cottage provided saved my life.”

Ric, Stroke Survivor

Ric has always been active — an avid polo player, surfer and cyclist. One night, he suffered a stroke and was admitted to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Upon his arrival, Ric could not move one side of his body — the stroke activation team began immediate treatment.

Ric made a full recovery and is back to his active life

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Brilliant Thoughts

No Hard Feelings

by Ashleigh Brilliant

If we’re talking about hardness and softness – which we will be here – the classic example in literature is a fairy tale attributed to Hans Christian Andersen. In this story, a woman is taking refuge in a castle from a terrible storm which has ruined all her garments and left her looking very bedraggled. Nevertheless, she claims to be a Princess. All the inhabitants of the castle, including the Prince, who has been seeking a bride, are very skeptical. However, they give her a bedchamber, in which the bed happens to be piled high with mattresses.

But the Prince’s mother, the Queen, decides to make this situation into a test. At the very bottom of the bed, underneath all the mattresses, she secretly places a single pea. In the morning, the guest complains that she had a very uncomfortable night, because of something hard in her bed. This allays all doubt and proves to everyone that she must be a real Princess, because only a person with royal blood could be so sensitive. This concept of royalty calls into question the other idea; that in order to be a great leader, you must be as hard as nails. Which, in turn, raises another question – just how hard are nails? In seeking the answer to that, you may be interested to know that there is actually a scale of hardness, developed as long ago as 1822 by a German geologist named Friedrich Mohs. How hard is Iron on the Mohs scale? Off the bat, I can tell you that what’s hardest on the Mohs Scale are Diamonds, and softest is Talc.

As it happens, there was another man with a very similar name – Frederic Mohs –who has become eminent in a very different field. He was an American surgeon, who, in 1938, developed an improved form of surgery for skin cancer – a technique now so common that I myself had it performed on one of my hands. It involves taking a small piece of the suspect area, doing a biopsy while the patient stays available in a nearby room, then, if necessary, coming back and taking more; and, if the wound still

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isn’t completely “clean,” repeating this process until the doctor is satisfied that all the cancerous tissue has been removed.

But let’s remember that the term “hardware” has been in use for hundreds of years to characterize merchandise made mostly of metals – and you will still find stores calling themselves hardware stores, and larger establishments with a hardware department. “Software,” however, is of much more recent origin, and is unquestionably a product of the computer age, being traceable back only as far as the 1950s. The need for such an expression arose to distinguish the tangible material objects a computer is made of, which were already called its hardware, from the programs and other forms of instruction which tell the computer what to do. (A mathematician named Paul Riquette is credited with inventing this term – but, if he hadn’t, where would we be today without company names like “Microsoft”?)

You might think that the term “software” should earlier have been applied to all the fabrics, textiles, and linens sold in their own special kind of store – but no, the term “drapery” seems to have filled that need.

But, to most of the world’s population, there are still other uses of these contrasting terms. Of course, to younger players of Baseball, there is still the important distinction between “Hardball” and “Softball.” And the term “now we’re playing Hardball” has metaphorically come to mean that now we’re getting really serious.

But even more crucial to people everywhere who eat boiled eggs, it matters momentously whether their egg is hard-or soft-boiled. That great humorist, P. G. Wodehouse, often described a very tough, unsentimental character as a “twenty-minute egg.”

And preferred manners of eating eggs has been an important subject at least since the time of the English satirist Jonathan Swift, whose novel Gulliver’s Travels (1726) tells about the Kingdom of Lilliput, in which a struggle is going on between two factions. Their dispute arises over the question of whether a boiled egg should be eaten from the larger, wider end, or from the opposite, narrower end. The whole country is thus divided into “Big-Endians” and “Little-Endians.”

Finally, in terms of national policy, let me remind you that it was one of our most hardy presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, who popularized the motto, “Speak softly, and carry a big stick.”

Ashleigh Brilliant born England 1933, came to California in 1955, to Santa Barbara in 1973, to the Montecito Journal in 2016. Best-known for his illustrated epigrams, called “Pot-Shots,” now a series of 10,000. email: ashleigh@west. net. web: www.ash leighbrilliant.com.

The true story of the secret romance between the real-life Alice and Prince Leopold the great-grand-uncle of Prince Harry.

Rising Above Adversity A Season for Santa Barbara Baseball

by Jamie Knee

This week, UCSB Baseball will make history by hosting an NCAA regional tournament for the first time. The Gauchos’ remarkable journey this season goes beyond wins and losses; it’s a testament to resilience and the indomitable human spirit. Despite facing challenges that could have derailed many teams, these obstacles only strengthened their bond and galvanized support from Santa Barbara.

BY Mark Saltzman DIRECTED BY Jim Fall

BECOME A LOCAL HERO!

The season began with significant logistical hurdles. Caesar Uyesaka Stadium, their home field, was under renovation, leaving the team without a proper field for six months. The Gauchos practiced on various borrowed fields, including soccer fields and high school facilities, often lacking essential baseball infrastructure. Despite these makeshift arrangements, the team remained focused and undeterred.

Adding to their trials was a profound personal tragedy. During an early-season home game, Coach Andrew Checketts’ father, Gordon Checketts, suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away. Gordon was a father figure and a passionate supporter of the team. His sudden passing left a void, but it also inspired the Gauchos to dedicate their season to his memory.

As Athletic Director Kelly Barsky said, “This has been a really challenging year for so many reasons, but it demonstrates a beautiful connection as well. When we were awarded the regional games, we went on sale with tickets and sold out in under half an hour with the majority being from our community, including alumni, family, and local residents. We have approximately 1,800 tickets available, and I wish we were able to accommodate more as the waitlist, the outreach to come out and unify, and the support for this team has been tremendous.”

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Despite these hardships, the Gauchos started the season with seven of their first eleven games on the road, facing tough competition. Their focus and determination, guided by Coach Checketts’ leadership, never wavered. Support from Santa Barbara played a crucial role in their journey. Local schools and colleges, including Westmont College and Santa Barbara City College, provided practice spaces. This unwavering support strengthened the bond between the team and their fans, fueling their drive to succeed.

Returning to a newly renovated Caesar Uyesaka Stadium marked a turning point. The team, now more cohesive and motivated, began an unprecedented winning streak going undefeated at home. This remarkable feat reflected their hard work, dedication, and the emotional boost of playing on their home turf once again.

This season’s success isn’t just measured by their impressive 42-12 overall record or their dominance in the Big West League with a 26-4 record. It’s about the journey, the obstacles they overcame, and the unity they fostered. Hosting an NCAA regional tournament for the first time in their history is a historic achievement that the entire Santa Barbara community celebrates.

Kelly Barsky is one of the few female athletic directors in collegiate sports, and under her guidance the Gauchos exemplified team spirit and sportsmanship. Barsky’s leadership was pivotal, not only in navigating logistical challenges but also in fostering a culture of resilience and unity within the athletics program.

As the Gauchos prepare to host Fresno State this Friday, the atmosphere in Santa Barbara is electric. The community’s pride and support are palpable, and the team’s story has become a source of inspiration. It’s a narrative that transcends sports, highlighting the power of perseverance, the importance of support, and the impact of leadership in overcoming adversity.

This season will be remembered not just for the wins, but for the spirit of the Gauchos. Santa Barbara stands behind their team, celebrating not just their athletic achievements but their journey and making their supporters proud. With the excitement of hosting the NCAA regional tournament, the Gauchos have shown that determination and community support can turn challenges into triumphs. The Gauchos’ story is one of unity, strength, and an unwavering drive to succeed, leaving a lasting legacy for UCSB Baseball and Santa Barbara.

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Margie Mays and Sam O’Byrne Photo: Zach Mendez

The Gauchos prepare for their game against Fresno State this Friday (photo by Jeff Liang)

how they have events there that people attend – this is just what many resort hotels do. It’s not about Santa appearing, or the Easter Bunny hopping in. They are good at marketing their hotel. They have done those things to make money. And I credit them for their success... in the hotel business. This is what their CUP is about. But we don’t want their luxury mall business here, so their guests can have an LA-like shopping experience! This is about the Rosewood’s efforts to make more money from their customers, by using the cachet of Montecito’s name, the Montecito Brand. This particular project threatens to disrupt the very essence of our part of Montecito and compromise the tranquility we hold dear. Part of the problem is that this is being foisted on us by, and for the benefit of, people outside our community. Rosewood hotels co-manage the Miramar with Caruso Affiliates. Rosewood hotel group is a subsidiary of a $70+ billion Chinese conglomerate headquartered in the PRC. All of the mall development staff comes from Brentwood, Thousand Oaks, Manhattan Beach, and Los Angeles. The architects are from Boston. The

builders are from L.A. The stores are mostly international franchises, none local. And the 24 stores of shopping are designed for out-of-towners who pop in here for a couple of days, then leave. Perhaps only a couple of Montecitans will stop by... to marvel at a $700 pair of jeans, $5,000 purses, or a $300 T-shirt. But shall we sell our souls and ruin our tranquil sea-side community for a slightly more convenient $7 cup of coffee, or a Hermès scarf?

Many people have swallowed the argument that Rosewood Miramar needs the mall, to help pay for the affordable employee housing. They don’t. Caruso just refinanced a $450 million loan on its Glendale Americana Gallery. Rick Caruso just spent $104 million on a failed campaign for Mayor of Los Angeles. The employee dorm will probably be built for $250-300 per sq.ft., or $5-8 million, total. And the “good citizen” strategy they paint of themselves, where they “are taking no government subsidies to build the housing” is a fallacy – NO private for-profit businesses are eligible for grants or subsidies when it comes to “mixed use” projects. Only NONprofit organizations. But Caruso IS

eligible for the Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit after completion, as well as depreciation and other business write-offs. And remember, the workers will have to pay RENT to live there. I, too, am in favor of affordable housing for those employees, but once again, it is not as simple a story as Caruso’s Representatives would have you believe. But that explanation is for another day.

Regarding the viewpoint that they are “good neighbors,” and they have listened, the Caruso crew again has exaggerated this. They had a pre-cooked idea of what they wanted to build, and how they would frame it to the public as being for the benefit of their workers.

The poor workers have been turned into Human Shields to deflect criticism of their avaricious plan. Their various “presentations” were just that; what they already had in mind. The notes given to them at their first MBAR meeting last October 19 negate the notion that they “listened” and took our “suggestions.”

It was THOSE suggestions that were incorporated by the development staff and, I’m afraid, very little the surrounding neighbors suggested. (See MBAR minutes, cosandtabarbara.app. box.com. unapproved minutes updated Oct. 25, 2023. Page 4) And would your “good neighbor” plan to build his 30-foot-high edifice right ON your property line, blocking your view and privacy, hemming you in? This is their proposal now.

SOMEWHERE?

Cliff Ghersen, Neighbor of the

Miramar since 1972

Nothing but Success for Caruso

I wish the Caruso team nothing but success as they move through the approval process to bring affordable workforce housing to Montecito for Miramar employees.

As many others have observed,

Montecito’s housing market here is far out of reach for many service workers who are the backbone of our economy. It’s wonderful that this plan would provide an opportunity for these individuals to live in the same neighborhood where they work – which I believe will foster a stronger sense of community for all of us.

I also credit the Caruso team for being responsive and informative throughout this process. Based on their track record from the beginning, I know they will create something beautiful and fitting for our community.

Best, Jonathan Werner

Self-Sufficiency

This is a reply to the article by Jeffrey Harding in the April 18-25, 2024 issue of the Montecito Journal entitled “Let’s Not Bring Back Manufacturing Jobs to America.”

It is perplexing to me how anyone in this country, especially a well-educated person, can think that the economy is the only thing to consider in bringing manufacturing jobs back to America. Whatever the cost, we should never allow our sworn enemies to have a chokehold on our needs. One could argue that these are not our enemies we are relying on for the manufactured goods, but that requires not believing their stated goals of world domination and destruction of our way of life in America, as well as them killing millions of people to perpetuate their form of government. However, to not even bring up this point and to argue on purely economical grounds that we should not bring the manufacturing back home, is truly burying one’s head in the sand. It’s not about the money. It’s also not about political power. It is about our very survival as a country in a world with many countries which openly call for our demise. We need to be self-sufficient in a world with adversaries.

Sincerely, John McAfee, Lompoc, CA

lemon. This has been “a standout dish on our menu, consistently garnering rare reviews from our guests,” adds Mr. Caine. “It’s no surprise, as Chef Matt [Johnson] personally prepares this dish on a regular basis at home, infusing it with a touch of homemade authenticity and passion.” The two dessert selections included a trio of house-made sorbets and the delectable San Ysidro Ranch Meyer Lemon Tart, featuring citrus grown just up the hill, served with wildflower honey, lavender Chantilly and a blackberry compote. The beverages to match represent ideal sippers for sunny, breezy afternoons, with a lovely mix of Santa Barbara and European wines, including several premium rosés. “Our San Ysidro Ranch label Rosé has been a standout performer,

delighting guests with its complex flavor profile and refreshing character,” says Mr. Caine. It’s made by winemaker, and Montecito resident, Doug Margerum. There are two carts, too, stocked with premium spirits and offering a handful of creative smoked sippers. Mr. Caine adds, “Our smoked cocktails have garnered significant praise, offering a unique drinking experience that further elevates the overall ambiance of the Veranda. Each cocktail is carefully crafted by our bar team, then infused with a mesmerizing smoky essence that adds depth and complexity to every sip.”

Reservations are not required but are encouraged. Find out more at sanysidroranch.com/dining

Meeting at MA June’s Land Use Meeting

by Joanne A Calitri

The Montecito Association held its Land Use monthly meeting on June 4, led by new Land Use Chair, Dorinne Lee Johnson, who is taking on the position for the second time since 2007.

the division. One northbound lane will be located on the southbound side. The lanes will meet the standard width of 12 feet with 2 feet for the barriers, and as much as possible a 4 foot emergency shoulder area. Emergency vehicles can drive safely over the orange plastic cones.

Gabe Saglie has been covering the Santa Barbara wine scene for more than 15 years through columns, TV, and radio. He’s a senior editor with Travelzoo and is a leading expert on travel deals, tips, and trends.

Kirsten Ayars , Ayars & Associates Principal on the 101 Highway project, presented the plan for Montecito through Summer 2025. This same presentation will be held for the public at Montecito Union School Thursday, June 6, 4 pm, so bring your concerns and questions. She reviewed the 101 project completions for Carpinteria, the mostly finished Summerland (save the landscaping), and the soon to be open HOV commuter lane from Summerland through Carpinteria. Also left to tie together is the bike lane from Santa Claus Lane through Padaro Lane by November 2024. She pointed out the plants and landscaping in the completed areas.

Montecito will ride the use of a divided lane northbound from now through summer 2025. She explained that due to the existing bridges over the 101 at San Ysidro Road and Olive Mill Road, the divided lane plan is being used. Those exit ramps will be divided off via Channelizer orange plastic cones, with signage 1 mile in advance indicating an exit via the cones.

The 101 between Hixon and Olive Mill roads will use safety barriers for

Q&A from the MA Board and public yielded the following information: Sound walls along the 101 in Montecito are not being constructed due to SB County’s stipulation that the soundwalls would increase flooding, and upstream conditions improve to support it. There is landscaping planned for the sides of the 101 for Montecito, not the center divider. This is due to the Caltrans restriction of staying within the existing boundaries of the highway, and the community voting not to widen the 101 by encroaching on private property. She ensured all the design elements for the Montecito roundabouts were done based on studies of the area, traffic, and safety. The roundabouts are designed to allow a single lane of traffic, can accommodate all vehicles including Mack trucks, and the roundabout height is meant to cause drivers to slow down, look for vehicles entering from the left and proceed. Although based on general traffic studies, there are no plans to study the safety of these roundabouts for Montecito. Johnson invited the team to return and report in six months.

Meeting at MA Page 354

The eye-catching San Ysidro Ranch Meyer Lemon Tart

Elizabeth’s Appraisals

What to Do with Fine China?

by Elizabeth Stewart

W“ask your friends”

hat can D do with his fine porcelain dinnerware? This is a question I hear weekly. The market for ceramics has softened across the board due in part to the lack of young buyers. Think of those matched service pieces we Boomers/Gen X’ers requested on our wedding registries: so many sets out in the market today originated on wedding registries, thus the market for matched sets is terrible. If you are intrigued with porcelain in spite of the climate of the market, and you enjoy your matched service on a nicely set table, read Edmund de Waal’s 2015 book, The White Road: Journey into an Obsession. This story of the discovery of porcelain in China one thousand years ago, and the discovery in Europe a mere 300 years ago, is filled with treachery and desire; kings and noblemen would literally kill to own porcelain. De Waal writes: “This level of materialism, after all, is never about necessity. There are the pleasures of being envied and the pleasures of being feared and the pleasures of

looking down on a sea of new possessions. But of all the pleasures,” he writes, “MORE is the only thing that works.”

Two factors influence the public disdain for buying fine china today: one is the general decline in formal dining, and the other is the lack of time available to any of us now in our gustatory family lives – we just don’t eat together unhurriedly anymore. Couple that with a trend to favor experience over objects, and a shift away from generational family life; children grow up not owning physical things but partake of movies on Netflix, books on Rakuten, records and LPs in the ether. I came across a collection of coins in those little blue books (remember those?) and wondered what my grandkids might store in boxes in their attics in 2084.

There was a familial, social side to fine china: setting the table was a rite of passage as a young (sorry – typically female) teen. There’s a social side to collecting. My friend was a Wedgwood collector and attended the Wedgwood International Seminar, an annual worldwide conference in early May. This year it just happened to be held in Pasadena. (As an aside, Wedgwood’s founder was the second European potter to discover how to make and fire porcelain.) Wedgwood International Seminar attendance used to be 300 in the 1960s; today they’re lucky to have 75, and no young faces.

There is one porcelain maker whose elegant antique formal dinnerware sells: Meissen, the early 18th century porcelain house known for top quality, and the birthplace of European porcelain. That’s where porcelain’s chemistry was independently discovered in Europe, leading to Meissen porcelain (so-named after the town in Germany) being the first high-quality porcelain to be produced outside of the Orient, where the technique had been known for generations.

Reader D has a huge service for 24 place settings (approximately five pieces in each place setting plus tea and coffee pots, platters, bowls, and gravy boats), and a matched, polychromed (meaning many colors: specifically blue and red on pure white slip in D’s case), gold-gilded set called Meissen Blue and Red Onion. Note the onion shape design around the rim of the plates. These are of a nice heft which indicates authenticity. Turn over a piece and you’ll see the blue crossed swords emblematic of Meissen (although that mark was often copied).

Bonhams Skinner just sold a set like this in one color – blue, called Blue Onion – with a lesser piece count for $10,455. That auction house would be a good choice for Meissen sales, and I pre-

dict my reader’s set would bring slightly more than $10,000.

For most of human history, tableware was either of wood or some type of metal, or was something ‘found’ like shells and gourds. Not until Louis XIV in the 17th century did matched sets of dinnerware exist. The Sun King’s court at Versailles boasted long banquet tables with sets of royal porcelain decorated with emblems of Louis XIV’s lavish courtly lifestyle and cyphers of his reign. His court set the standard for French court style across Europe. The other standard for matched tableware was set in England in the 16th century with the taking of tea. The tea service ‘à la russe’ called for tableware worthy of the event of high tea, which included small plates of delicacies. Early English ceramists (potters) and silversmiths began to fashion matched sets. The wealthy would order porcelain sets from China, designed with the family cyphers and delivered from Canton by the great Dutch trading companies. But today you can’t give your Lenox or Noritake away. I have five separate sets; my son (35) doesn’t want any.

Elizabeth Stewart, PhD is a veteran appraiser of fine art, furniture, glass, and other collectibles, and a cert. member of the AAA and an accr. member of the ASA. Please send any objects to be appraised to Elizabethappraisals@ gmail.com

This Meissen set is one of the few fine china sets that still sells

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Community Voices

Why Transparency and Ethics Matter in

SB Politics!

by Jeff Giordano

On June 18, the Supervisors will decide whether our revenue-starved County will approve a ballot referendum that would increase our cannabis tax rates. Frankly, I’m not nearly as concerned about the tax itself, as I am about the fact that Supervisors Steve Lavagnino and Das Willams continue to dominate the cannabis conversation. Allow me to explain:

On May 14, our Deputy CEO Brittany Odermann put forth a professional presentation re: cannabis tax alternatives. This time, costs (albeit not all of them) made their way into the analysis. Excluding our huge Full Time Employee expenses and state fees, it costs $5M to collect $5.4M In cannabis taxes i.e., the program is DEEPLY underwater adding NOTHING to our General Fund.

Against this reality, Supervisor Laura Capps asked whether our tax policy was “now shifting” from making money to simply “subsidizing” the cannabis industry? Supervisor Joan Hartmann followed by asking whether the “squeeze from 285 acres of outdoor cannabis was worth the revenue juice?” Staff recommended a 4X rate increase for outdoor cannabis which, according to my calculations, contributes just $741k to our $1.6B county fund.

I actually “felt” for the Supes because they were faced with an industry parade of growers, lobbyists, and attorneys who pushed back, without any of the citizenry arguing on behalf of the County because, after all, it is the supervisors’ role to do what’s County-best. Indeed, it’s exactly

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this type of issue where the community needs to be certain that our supervisors are doing the “people’s work,” because as Supervisor Bob Nelson said, the status-quo is “untenable.”

Staff proposed a tax increase for outdoor cannabis from $2,610 per acre to $10,750. This is still low, with some counties charging as much as $87,120 – but it’s a start. Now, who was there to advocate for the industry and to strenuously object to more money for our budget-challenged County? You guessed it, one of the original ad hoc cannabis engineers, Supervisor Lavagnino. Remember, it was Mr. Lavagnino who in 2023 said his only regret was “that cannabis didn’t earn the County more money.” Trust what people do, not what people say.

After running unopposed for his fourth term (we need Term Limits!), Mr. Lavagnino transferred $239k to his Supervisor for 2026 account. How is it that he amassed a war chest that is so very large when his district is so very voter-small? Simple: Special Interests, including, among others, cannabis. In just one short filing period more than 20% of his contributions came from cannabis. Over two years, more than $30K came from cannabis interests, many right here in the First District – you know, the folks who are yelling the loudest about taxes and carbon scrubbers.

Special Interest money is not illegal, and because we have no clear county standards, it need not be disclosed (SB 1439?). At some point, though, shouldn’t recusal become more than an ideal? This is not about Mr. Lavagnino’s integrity or character. It’s not even about cannabis! Instead, it’s about the Appearance of Impropriety and our desperate need for a County Code of Ethics. THE POINT: Shouldn’t we talk about the elephant in the room – if for no other reason than that it exists?

Will we get the four votes needed for a consequential tax change – you know, one that would add revenue to the General Fund from outdoor AND indoor cultivation? With Supervisors Lavagnino and Williams weighing in, I doubt it. Not because it isn’t warranted, but because Special Interests hijacked the bus that the other 400,000 County residents are riding on. I only hope the same doesn’t happen when the supervisors discuss odor abatement, because taxes are not the “only” thing wrong with cannabis.

Jeff Giordano, SB County Resident

Robert’s Big Questions

Life Emerged Just Once?

by Robert Bernstein

Star Trek is my religion. I grew up imagining a future of contact with alien beings who we could learn from. Back in 1950 physicist Enrico Fermi asked, “But where is everybody?”

If our galaxy is teeming with planets and our planet is nothing special, why haven’t we encountered any evidence of aliens? We have never found any evidence that aliens visited here in the past. And our radio telescopes have never picked up the equivalent of old I Love Lucy TV shows from other planets.

Merlie and I recently toured the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and watched as the Europa Clipper was being prepared for launch this fall. Its 10-year mission? To search for conditions conducive to life on Jupiter’s moon Europa. I am very happy for all of the work done by NASA and other organizations to search for any sign of life out there. The wonderful James Webb space telescope is also looking at exoplanet atmospheres for such signs.

But I have become intrigued by a related question. As we search for life on other worlds, what about life here on Earth? Humans and chimps share about 98% of our DNA. We even share about 60% of our DNA with bananas. All living things on Earth need similar genetic machinery to do the basic things to survive.

We now know that there is a Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) of all living things on Earth. It lived around 3.5 billion years ago. Meaning that all living things from rats to rutabagas to rotifers came from one emergence of life.

Our search for life in space includes what we consider to be harsh environments, like on Mars or Europa. But life on Earth is obviously not harsh. Earth is teeming with life. But it is all from one origin. If Earth is so conducive to life, why didn’t other forms of life emerge independently? Why isn’t it happening now?

Various answers have been proposed. It’s possible that current life out-competed others and the others died out before leaving any lasting trace. It’s possible that our life forms would eat any competing life forms. I don’t find this satisfying. I am with Fermi. Where are these other life forms?

Why does this matter? I think there are valid ethical issues at stake. What if Earth is the only place with life in the universe? Doesn’t that give us a responsibility to ensure its survival?

A friend told me this argument makes no sense. If we are the only life and we go away, then no one will be around to miss us. I don’t find this satisfying, either. Social scientist Brian Klaas recently published a book Fluke that I plan to write more about. He writes about the many unlikely events that led to the world we live in. One of these is how we came to have mitochondria in our cells. As you may remember from high school biology, mitochondria are the “power houses” of our cells.

Mitochondria take in glucose and oxygen and produce ATP molecules. ATP is the fuel for almost all biological processes in our body. Yet mitochondria were once free-living organisms, related to bacteria. Another organism, from the kingdom Archaea, swallowed a free-living mitochondrion. Instead of digesting it, they developed a symbiotic relationship. Technically, they form an endosymbiont (one organism living inside the other).

The resulting organisms – those whose cells have a defined nucleus –are called eukaryotes. We are eukaryotes. So are all animals, plants and fungi. When biologist Lynn Margulis proposed this “ancient bacterial assemblage” theory of eukaryotic cell structure in 1967, she was mocked, but it is now accepted science.

How often has this chance merger happened? All evidence is that this happened just once. In the entire history of our planet. Klaas calls this the greatest fluke of all time. Without this fluke, only microscopic life could exist. And this fluke could only happen once the even more amazing fluke of life happened. Some people might invoke an intelligent designer. I see it as winning the biggest lottery ever. Perhaps we should spend our earnings more wisely? We often put ourselves down as a blight on the planet. Perhaps we are the best thing that ever happened?

Robert Bernstein holds degrees from Physics departments of MIT and UCSB. His passion to understand the Big Questions of life, the universe and to be a good citizen of the planet. Visit facebook. com/questionbig

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MONICA LENCHES

Dear Montecito

Makena Tate

by Stella Haffner

Preparing for her final year at Berklee College of Music, Makena Tate –a Crane Country Day School and San Marcos High School alum – reflects on how her relationship with music has changed over the years.

Dear Montecito,

Last month I Ubered to a gig and the driver immediately asked: “Why do you like music?” After throwing my guitar, amp, mic stand, and bag with everything needed into his trunk, I was quite winded. I answered jokingly: “It’d be easier if I didn’t!” I hadn’t taken his question with any sincerity as it hadn’t occurred to me that somebody could dislike music. While I was seated in his

Everything I’ve ever known has been music.

Prius’ back right corner, he was staring at me through his rearview mirror. In a thick Russian accent he asked me again, “Why do you like music?” I paused thoughtfully, shrinking at the judgment I heard in his tone, rapidly replaying the past 20 years of my life to answer in a way I thought would satisfy him.

Everything I’ve ever known has been music. It was the reason I was able to make sense of my parents’ divorce at age 10; it was the reason I was able to make sense of my body dysmorphia since age 12; it was the reason I was able to make sense of the language barrier in China at age 16; it was the reason I was able to make sense of the heartbreak from my first love at nearly 17; and it was the reason I was able to overcome the suicidal thoughts I had at 18.

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Music is and always has been my therapy. It’s bolstered conquering challenges I never thought I’d face. It’s the reason I can’t imagine another career. Starting young, I’ve had to be independent. I didn’t have siblings to talk to about what was happening with my parents or my body or boys. I liked priding myself on independence. It’s undoubtedly fueled drive, determination, and resilience. I’ve been my own manager my entire music career thus far: booking my own shows, managing social media accounts, collaborating with artists, submitting to music festivals, blogs, radio, etc. Every opportunity I’ve had has been because of myself. In 2023 I won first place in three national songwriting competitions, played 77 shows, and accumulated 300,000 streams on my second-ever release, “Naked.” Four months into 2024 I’ve been accepted to play my first festival, North x Northeast in Canada, and have been a featured artist at the LAUNCH Music Conference and Festival in Pennsylvania.

Considering that my second semester at Berklee College of Music I wanted to drop out, I’m extremely proud of my accomplishments and proud I haven’t given up. I know it would’ve been easier to drop out of Berklee, transfer to some state school, join a sorority, study some silly major I don’t care about, and quit music; but I didn’t. Because I couldn’t.

My second semester at Berklee, I entered into a deep depression. Dark thoughts were not foreign to me, but being in a new environment with them was new. I was in a cramped room sleeping in a twin bed with depression as my sleeping partner. I was surrounded by a plethora of musicians who I

With this release, I’m stepping into the sonic world I’ve wanted to live in for a while, and I couldn’t be more excited about that.

thought I could never be as talented as, and also a decent amount whose musical ability I questioned, which in turn made me question my own. I felt like I was living in an alternate reality surrounded by all of these creatives of varying ability. I couldn’t figure out where I fit in, or if I fit in. That’s when my depression entered the scene, masking herself as envy and self-doubt. I was quickly learning about the east coast winter that had once seemed like a haunting warning until I was in the thick of it and miserable. I was fresh out of a breakup, missing the California sun, and feeling lost, which was not a recipe for success. I was writing music I didn’t like because I was feeling overwhelmed by influences, and I felt like if I didn’t write a certain way that I could never be successful. Every day I was getting new music shoved down my throat that didn’t feel like me. I was seeing new friends who I thought were so talented give in to the pressure of this school and drop out, or convince themselves they would never be successful and therefore

change majors or even schools. All I knew at that point was that I had to see the year through. I couldn’t give up without giving it a year. So I stuck it out. My sophomore year, my roommate and I moved out of the dorms and into our own apartment, which completely changed the trajectory of my time in Boston. I was able to have music on my own terms, able to have some more space from Berklee, and to focus on creating music that I really loved. I was less susceptible to the influence of Berklee music. But I would have never known the importance of having that balance had I not gone through that. So even though I wouldn’t wish those stuck-in-bed, unable-to-movedays on anyone, I know it ultimately has made me a stronger person and better musician.

April 26th, I released my favorite song I’ve ever written, “Hooked 4 Life.” With this release, I’m stepping into the sonic world I’ve wanted to live in for a while, and I couldn’t be more excited about that. Creating “Hooked 4 Life” was an incredibly fun process, and it felt like every new element my producer, Chris Cassriel , and I added was something we were uncovering. The song, and every part of it – from the guitar tones to the drum groove to the harmonies – were waiting patiently, we just had to lift off the cover and find them. And that’s why I love music. Every song is just another chance to uncover something new and learn something about yourself in the process. It’s a way to cope, but it’s also a way to discover. This May 17th, I released another single, “What’s it all for?” These will be the two singles off of my sophomore EP, Freedom , coming June 14th. Releasing these songs feels more empowering than I can put into words. And it feels magical. I can’t wait to keep discovering the music that’s inside of me, and hopefully empowering others to do the same.

Makena Tate

Find Makena Tate on Spotify or on Instagram @makenatate

Makena Tate is “Hooked 4 Life” on music

From the shores of Scotland, Stella Haffner keeps her connection to her home in Montecito by bringing grads of local schools to the pages of the Montecito Journal

Your Westmont

College Honors Its Employees of the Year

by Scott Craig, photos by Brad Elliott

Westmont honored a number of employees for their outstanding contributions at the May 9 Faculty and Staff Appreciation Brunch, an annual ceremony that recognizes individual work anniversaries and accomplishments. President Gayle D. Beebe and members of the college’s executive team selected the recipients from a peer-nominated pool. An endowment set up by the late Bruce and Adaline Bare funds the awards; he was a longtime college trustee. Westmont Human Resources hosted the brunch.

This year the college honored Lisa Vincent, Director of Conferences and Event Services, and Ryley Oroku, IT’s business process analyst and API programmer. The Westmont Athletics Administration, which includes Jacob Norling, Jeff Raymond, Ron Smith, Jill Heckman, Dave Odell, Jeff Azain, Robert Ruiz, and Kirsten Moore, was honored with the Department of the Year Award.

Vincent, who has served at the college for 15 years, was lauded for how she works with others. “Nominators highlighted her generosity and graciousness, her quick sense of humor to keep things light, her cheerful demeanor, and her willingness to go the extra mile to make sure campus events go well and summer clients are well cared for,” said Doug Jones, Vice President for Finance.

continues to serve as campus photographer and on the chapel worship team, celebrated his 40th year at Westmont.

Student Teachers Shape Young Minds

Lisa Vincent and Ryley Oroku with President Gayle D. Beebe

Oroku, who graduated from Westmont in 2020, earned praise for how well he listens and considers ideas and perspectives of others. “(Ryley’s) expertise and assistance are experienced by others as unassumingly, never intimating that their opinion is the only valid option,” said Reed Sheard, Vice President for Advancement and IT. “Smart people who can make others feel smart are exceptionally rare.”

Westmont athletics has successfully completed its second year of a three-year review toward full membership of the NCAA DII. “We wanted to celebrate the great contribution that you’ve made and the way in which this sets us up for the future,” Beebe said. “I appreciate the competitive integrity that you bring to our sports program. It’s important not only that we compete, but that we compete well and with the highest principles.”

Beebe gave Edee Schulze, Vice President for Student Life, and Eileen McQuade the Jane Higa Award for Academic and Co-Curricular Partnership, recognizing the significant role that Higa played in promoting and fostering curricular and co-curricular partnerships during her 24 years as Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students.

The brunch also served as a way to thank Schulze, who is retiring after a decade at Westmont, and Paul Delaney, English professor emeritus, who taught at Westmont for 52 years. Brad Elliott, who

Westmont’s Education Department honored its eight elementary and three secondary student teachers, who all earned California Preliminary Credentials, at the Celebration of Teaching event April 26 on campus. Interestingly, the three secondary teachers previously earned bachelor’s degrees in music at Westmont. The annual gathering also thanks cooperating teachers from Adams, Canalino, Carpinteria Family, Cleveland and Vieja Valley Elementary Schools, Santa Barbara Junior High School and San Marcos High School.

Becky Huff , who taught a second-third grade combination class at Carpinteria Family, spoke about “The Five Ps of Teaching:” patience, peace, praising God, praying, and playing. “I brought a stuffed bear named Josie to school with me every day to help me manage behavior and to comfort my students,” Huff said. “We even elected Josie president of the classroom during the lesson on the voting process.”

Kelly Vivanco, a third-grade student teacher at Canalino, shared the results of mastering a million skills in her talk, “The Entertaining Role of a Teacher.” “Students are growing in their writing, learning to type, practicing revision — and I’m their writing coach,” she said. “We’ve sung together. Studied water droplets together. Written our opinions. The students’ growth is thrilling. The wonder of discovery palpable.”

Taylie Scott , a former standout defender on the Westmont women’s soccer team, learned to see the similarities

Athletics Administrators: Jeff Raymond, Robert Ruiz, Beebe, Ron Smith, Jill Heckman and Kirsten Moore

(not pictured: Dave Odell, Jeff Azain, and Jacob Norling)

between being a coach and a teacher while teaching fifth grade at Vieja Valley. “Whether it’s winning a championship or mastering a hard math concept, the joy of witnessing growth and achievement is unparalleled in both teaching and coaching,” she said. “In essence, teaching is coaching the mind, guiding students through challenges, celebrating victories, and preparing them for success in the game of life.”

Alyssa Hernandez, a fifth-grade student teacher at Cleveland, shared how her lesson to make slime failed, but improvising and adapting led to valuable lessons and a more engaging learning environment. “Just because the lesson didn’t go according to plan doesn’t mean it wasn’t a success,” she said. “Both slime and shine are part of being a teacher and make every moment worth it.”

Allyson Hawkins, who taught a first/ second-grade combo class at Canalino, stressed the importance of dedication, faith and perseverance in overcoming challenges and becoming a successful educator. “Now that I’m on top of the student-teaching mountain, the view is beautiful and inspires me to continue scaling new heights in my teaching journey,” she said.

Hannah Goodloe, a kindergarten student teacher at Cleveland, shared how teaching is not just about academics but prioritizing students’ needs and well-being as well. “I was and still am reminded every day of the common purpose that all teachers have: To teach each child not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well, to help kids learn as well as know how to learn, and to have a lasting positive impact on students so they in turn create a lasting positive impact on the world,” she said.

Great Kitchens Don’t Just Happen . . .

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JOIN US

Foraging Thyme Passion Fruit

by Melissa Petitto

remember when I first moved to Santa Barbara and I saw the exquisite flower of the passion fruit vine, I was mesmerized. This tropical vine that thrives in our Central Coast climate can be found on a leisurely walk through your neighborhood, and at the delightful Frecker Farms stand in the farmers market. The thick-skinned, wrinkly-rind fruit with a seed-filled, juicy center is so versatile and nutrient-dense. This tropical fruit is rich in antioxidants, especially high in vitamin C, which supports our immune system and aids in a healthy aging process. Passion fruit is also high in polyphenols which are an excellent anti-inflammatory, and reduces the risk of heart disease. Beta carotene is another antioxidant which passion fruit contains in abundance, linking it to lowered risk of some cancers. Through the body’s conversion of Beta carotene to vitamin A (retinol), passion fruit is also beneficial for eyesight and skin health. The dietary fiber content of passion fruit is also high, creating a healthy digestive tract and lowering the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Passion fruit is also a good source of potassium, magnesium, and calcium. This versatile fruit lends itself well to both sweet and savory dishes. Today we are going to make a vinaigrette that can be used to dress up any salad!

Passion Fruit Vinaigrette

Yield: About 1 Cup

½ cup passion fruit pulp, with or without seeds

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1 each garlic clove, minced

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the passion fruit pulp, vinegar, Dijon, maple syrup and garlic.

2. Once combined, slowly add in the olive oil, whisking constantly so that it emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper and serve with your favorite salad.

3. This vinaigrette be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Melissa Petitto, R.D., is an executive chef and co-founder at Thymeless My Chef SB, was a celebrity personal chef for 16 years, just finished her 10th cookbook, and is an expert on nutrition and wellness.

The colorful and healthy passion fruit packs a punch (photo by Ivar Leidus via Wikimedia Commons)

provide low-cost art supplies to the community. AFS might be all some people know about Explore Ecology.

But for a quarter-century, Explore Ecology has also run an enviable education program that now interacts with over 30,000 children each year at Art From Scrap, the Watershed Resource Center and in classrooms and school gardens throughout Santa Barbara County. The School Gardens portion itself is quite comprehensive, with the organization’s Garden Educators involved in spaces that serve as outdoor classrooms for science and ecology and also offer safe, inclusive areas for social-emotional learning, discovery, and connection. The program – which is on campus at 32 different elementary and junior high schools in the county –connects children to nature and teaches them how to grow their own organic food, including planting, cultivating, harvesting and nutrition.

“It’s so important because it provides children with outdoor time during the school day, so they’re not just sitting indoors reading about food, but getting to experience firsthand about gardening,” Cloutier said. “They’re learning how to grow organic food in a really healthy way, experiencing a closed-loop system that is essential. They gather garden debris, put it in the worm bin to feed them, then take the compost from the worm bin and use it in the garden to help the plants. They get their own hands involved in the cycles of life in the garden.”

Teachers also use the gardens for classes in English, math, science and more, both for the outdoor time and the opportunity to have real-life examples.

The non-garden part of the education program has similar reach, as Explore Ecology has connected with more than 12,000 students who learned about their environment in nearly 600 class presentations, with more than 3,500 kids participating in 165 field trips at Art From Scrap, the Watershed Resource Center, and Tajiguas Landfill.

At the landfill, they see with their own

Explore Ecology also runs their beach cleanups to empower kids to do more (courtesy photo)

eyes where trash goes, which can be very impactful, Cloutier said, while the trips to Arroyo Burro Beach lets them learn all about healthy watersheds and participate in a beach cleanup.

“That’s part of what makes Explore Ecology different,” she said. “We invite people to participate in making a positive difference with the environment in many ways. It can be depressing to learn about all these environmental challenges, but we stress what we can do right now. That’s why at the beach cleanups, we count all the trash they find and then we weigh it, and they leave there knowing just how they made a difference.”

Cloutier is especially inspired when the kids come up with their own methods, such as the so-called Kale King who took one bite at a school garden, fell in love with the leafy vegetable, and now has made it a staple of his family’s diet.

Another case in point? Kids who notice a dog owner failing to pick up poop from their pet or leaving behind the bag on the beach.

“We have had kindergartners walk right up to people who do that and ask, ‘Are you going to take that with you?’” Cloutier said. “Of course, the person gets embarrassed and picks up the bag and takes it with them.”

Explore Ecology also manages the massive Coastal Cleanup Day for the county, in which adults and kids get together to comb area beaches for trash and other non-natural detritus.

Want to know more and help out? Drop in to the AFS Create Reuse Store, register for Crafternoons and art workshops in the new EE Makerspace upstairs, volunteer for Coast Cleanup or school garden workday, make a donation in any amount – or simply peruse the organization’s clear and colorful new impact report to see what strikes your fancy.

“It’s all related to educating our community about how they can participate in earth regeneration and connect with nature, what they can do, what steps they can take to make a positive change,” Cloutier said. “And it’s fun.”

John Weigold, GM of Montecito Sanitary District, gave the updates on sewer line easements on private property in Montecito. Data points he made were concerns on easements increased with the 150 ADUs built in Montecito in the past year; there are 77 miles of sewer lines in Montecito built in early 1960 made of clay pipe, half of which are lined with polyurethane. To finish lining all the pipes costs $40 million; 10% of the private properties are not connected to the sewer lines; property owners own the sewer line on their property and are responsible for keeping it in line with utility use; property easements are 15 feet wide around sewer lines and not to have anything built on top of that area.

He reviewed the MSD mandatory updates from March 2024 and advised to check their website. Questions regarded private property rights and working together with the community as a whole; issues about the Bucket Brigade building paths on easements without contacting all the utilities that are involved and the property owners. Board suggested all utility companies in Montecito

have similar if not the same easement regulations for consistency for the homeowners. Johnson stated a separate meeting regarding the BB and paths will be held.

Montecito Water District General Manager Nick Turner reported on MWD as the designated Groundwater Sustainability Agency, its duties, findings, and going forward.

Cogent points were the groundwater basin in Montecito is 1,200 acres for public use which is 30% of total water needed; the metrics for sustainable groundwater are monitoring levels, quality, creek stream flow and sweater intrusion of wells along the coastline. Also, Montecito property owners are required to register their well, can receive $3,000 for installing rain gardens on their property and to have installed a free water meter for data collection by the MWD. Due to the past years of rainfall, groundwater conditions are good and have risen 130 feet.

411: www.montecitoassociation.org/ www.SBROADS.com, 805.845.5112, info@ sbroads.com

‘When Women Ran

Fifth Avenue’

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue is a fascinating look at the rise of the department store in America. It will make local readers long for the days when we had department stores in Santa Barbara. Julie Satow takes a deep dive into the culture and rise of the female executive and shopgirl at legendary stores such as Lord & Taylor, Bonwit Teller, and Henri Bendel. I bet you didn’t know department stores used to have dentists and medical staff in the building just for the shop girls (all employees actually) who worked very long hours. I hope this book inspires someone to bring back reimagined department stores!

‘The Wild Road Home’

Two strangers both attempting to save someone they love is the premise in Melissa Payne’s The Wild Road Home. Mack is an old man with one arm, and a wife that will die if he cannot get money to help her. Brandi is fresh out of juvie and returns to find her five-year-old brother Sy quivering with a gun in his hand while their drug addicted mother and her abusive boyfriend fight. Brandi steals the boyfriend’s car (which unbeknownst

Stories Matter Summer Reads

by Leslie Zemeckis

to her is loaded with meth) and takes Sy away. They cross paths with Mack in the wilds of Wyoming, which makes for an emotional, heartfelt book about what we are willing to do for those we love.

‘Honey’

Think of all those pop princesses that flooded the tabloids during the 1990s and 2000s; Paris, Brittney, and their counterpart boy bands. In Honey , Isabel Banta gives voice to one such rising star. Amber Young navigates fame, romance, and an exploitive industry determined to shame and label her for both her clothing choices and bedmates. Poignantly written, this remarkable coming-of-age story is sexy, funny and complicated.

‘The Housemaid is Watching’

There are plenty of plot twists in The Housemaid is Watching, Freida McFadden ’s latest thriller. When Millie and her family move into a dream neighborhood, she is excited to meet her two new neighbors – until she discovers someone is spying on her and her family. Paradise might not be all that it’s cracked up to be. As a former housemaid, Millie is uncomfortable now that she has her own maid, one who might be stealing from her. Meanwhile Millie’s husband Enzo is growing close to the glamorous neighbor next door, and all eyes are on him when the neighbor’s husband turns up dead. A fun read for your beach bag.

‘The Unforgettable Loretta Darling’

Pick up Katherine Blake ’s The Unforgettable Loretta Darling and step back in time to Hollywood during the 1950s. Loretta is an aspiring makeup artist who talks her way into a job at one of the major studios. After a wild orgy of a party she barely escapes in one piece, Loretta sets about crafting her rise in the industry; and her revenge. This is a witty, delicious read.

‘Swift River’

Friendship, family secrets, and grief abound in Essie Chambers’ Swift River. This is a gorgeous and poignant story about the ways family history often keeps us trapped. Diamond is a bullied young teen, with the wrong color skin and the wrong body type, living in a small New England town. When her father disappears, Diamond is left as the only Black person in town. Her white mother

turns to a variety of pills she calls “tic tacs” to help her cope. Set in a “sundown town”, the book is inspired by a disturbing piece of real history, where some towns in “predominantly white communities systematically excluded Black people.” ‘Perfect Eloquence’

Dodger fans grab Perfect Eloquence: An Appreciation of Vin Scully by Tom Hoffarth and Ron Rapoport. One of the 67 essays is written by Paul Vercammen, a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and communications director for our local-based ShelterBox. Vercammen’s essay is a moving tribute to Scully, a man who inspired many to become journalists, broadcasters, and just all-around better human beings. The young Vercammen –son of two Belgian-born parents – learns to master his adoptive second language by tuning his radio dial to the legendary and loquacious sportscaster.

Leslie Zemeckis is an awardwinning documentarian, best-selling author, and actor. The creator of “Stories Matter,” professional female authors mentoring the next generation of female storytellers, co-sponsored by SBIFF.

Maddy Janzen, a second-grade student teacher at Vieja Valley, said teaching is not just about imparting knowledge but building meaningful relationships with students as well. “I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to get to know them on an even deeper and more individualized level,” she said. “I believe that has made all the difference in my ability to teach them effectively. It would be unreasonable to expect a second grader or anyone for that matter to learn from someone who isn’t invested in them.”

Natalie Streed, a first-grade student teacher at Vieja Valley, emphasized the importance of fostering a nurturing environment for students. “I want to be committed to integrating this powerful philosophy into my classroom,” she said. “I will strive to create an environment where love and support are at the forefront for my students. Building strong relationships with my students, understanding their unique needs and fostering personal growth will be my priorities.”

Carissa Corrigan, a student music teacher for all the students at Adams, stressed the cognitive, emotional and social benefits of music education, which she likened to eating vegetables. “One of my goals during my student teaching was to create a lesson that turned vegetables into smoothies and bring joy from music to all my students,” she said. “I worked hard to incorporate material that would be relevant and interesting to my students while still providing them with the nutrients to build musical literacy.”

Heather Roell, who taught music at Cleveland Elementary, Santa Barbara Junior High, and San Marcos High,

for the choral work “Seven Last Words of the Unarmed” – a work that quotes the last words of unarmed Black men who were killed by the police. “Crisis” is based on an Armenian poem and addresses the ongoing issues in the country.

“The collaborative process with Joel was truly fulfilling, and I’m proud to have been a part of bringing this piece to life,” Hakobyan said.

says despite the challenges of COVID and being a non-traditional student teacher, she found joy in helping her students grow and develop while she strove to empathize with them and understand their unique experiences.

“We’ve all had to put our teacher hats and brave faces on,” she said. “We have had experiences that have been really challenging for us, and we pat ourselves on the backs for just getting through the day sometimes.”

Elizabeth Callahan, a student teacher of music at San Marcos, described this season of her life as being full of dynamic learning opportunities, using a musical term that refers to the volume or intensity of the phrase or the moment.

“Dynamics make the music really special,” she said. “I’ve had to work hard to adapt to the unique dynamics that come with teaching and assisting classes at multiple school sites, and I will continue to learn and grow in my knowledge of classroom management, lesson planning and overall music instruction.”

Looking forward, the baritone plans on drawing on his MAW summer for future roles, including another turn as La Boheme’s Marcello at Semperoper Dresden in Germany.

“The foundational experience at the Music Academy has profoundly shaped my approach to the role, enhancing my performance and interpretation,” he said. “I am genuinely excited about the future of my career because I am passionate about what I do. Singing brings me immense joy, and I am eager to perform roles that resonate deeply with me. I look forward to embracing new opportunities and sharing my love for music with others.”

Wednesday, June 12: It’s opening day at the Music Academy of the West and what better way to kick things off than with the esteemed and estimable Takács Quartet, which was formed in 1975 at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest by four students, including cellist András Fejér, who remains the only original member of the ensemble. The fearsome foursome will be celebrating their 50th season in 2024-25, but first they have some summer obligations, including a longstanding residency here in Montecito. Today, the Quartet – whose most recent member is former MAW faculty violist and Camerata Pacifica principal Richard O’Neill – conducts the first chamber music masterclass of the MAW festival, where the fellow quartets will perform and receive coaching prior to those ensembles performing more formally back at Hahn on Tuesday night. (3:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $10)... Tonight, the 2024 performances launch with another look back at the last summer’s festival via a recital by Szuyu Su, the winner of the 2023 Solo Piano Competition, who will play the

world premiere of Anthony Cheung’s “In Place, at Hand,” the commissioned piece that was a part of her prize. For the rest of her recital, Su – who boasts a bachelor’s degree from Curtis, a master’s from Juilliard, and is pursuing her doctorate at Rice – has chosen Chopin, a solo piano favorite, for the rest of her recital, playing “Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2;” “Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38,” and all 24 of the composer’s Preludes. (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $40)

Thursday, June 13: Solo instrumental masterclasses make their 2024 debut with the violin, most popular of string instruments, as former 30-year New York Philharmonic concertmaster Glenn Dicterow leads the opportunity for people to observe a one-on-one teaching session between a professional artist and fellow. (1:30 pm; Lehmann Hall; $10)

Steven Libowitz has covered a plethora of topics for the Journal since 1997, and now leads our extensive arts and entertainment coverage

Head of the Class:

Hannah Goodloe, Carissa Corrigan, Allyson Hawkins, Taylie Scott, Natalie Streed, Kelly Vivanco, Alyssa Hernandez, Maddy Janzen, Becky Huff, Heather Roell, and Elizabeth Callahan

Edee Schulze and Eileen McQuade with Beebe

Scott Craig is manager of media relations at Westmont College

Szuyu Su, the winner of the 2023 Solo Piano Competition, helps launch the festival

The esteemed and estimable Takács Quartet returns (photo by Amanda Tipton)

Our Town (Continued from 12)

East Main Street, and decided to complete the renovations during lockdown themselves, giving birth to The Grape in October 2021.

Talking with McNutt and Randall at the venue on Saturday, May 25, they shared: “We learned a lot over the past few years about how to ensure our live music venue can survive through anything. We added professional filming of every performance to create a video library for future streaming subscription services. We continue to cater to our guests, love our locals, reach out to our new customers, and maintain our standards of A-List music, food, curated wines, local brews on tap, and craft cocktails.”

As if to read their next act, I asked them about opening a second venue. They laughed and McNutt shared he’s been bugging Randall about it for a bit. Exploring that further, he said, “We are talking about opening a second club with live blues music, and we are considering locations like Carpinteria.” To which your Society Invites trusty reporter agreed, Carp is an ideal location as these cats understand the theme, “by locals for locals.”

After meeting with the owners, it was time for the Derek Frank Band. The band is headed by Frank on bass (Gwen Stefani, Shakira), Will Brahm on guitar (Arturo Sandoval), Carey Frank playing the keys (Orianthi, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Springsteen, Social Distortion), Matt Hankle on drums (Ringling Bros Circus, Broadway Theatre), Demian Arriaga playing percussion ( Miley Cyrus, Jonas Bros), George Shelby on sax (Bono, Beyoncé, Elton John, Sting), and Dan Fornero on trumpet (Phil Collins, Tom Jones). The set list opened with songs from Frank’s third solo album, Origin Story (released March 2024) – “Demon On Wheels” and “Theme From Steel

City.” The album is an homage to his childhood experiences growing up in Pittsburg. Other songs played were “Eleven Years Later” – a tribute to Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, “George Likes the Bananas” – a nod to Seinfeld, “Irregardlessly,” “Roasted” – for the Allman Brothers, and “Give it What You Can.”

Frank generously let his band trade solos, mostly to Brahm who captivated the audience with his fluidity and tone on his Fender Strat, and Carey wailing it on the Hammond B3 so bad to make Billy Preston blush. Arriaga laid it nicely over Hankle for the heartbeat of the band, while top notes from Shelby and Fornero gave it the solid ‘80s jazz feel. Frank’s bass, the blues-funk glue that held it down, was clean and soulfully there. The overall feel of the music is a funk-a-delic mix with hints of riffs from War, Steely Dan, and Average White Band, while Sun Ra was definitively channeled during the second set. Well-deserved standing ovation and calls to return to stage made for a great evening.

Society Invites recommends The Grape, a riveting force in live jazz venues this side of the Mississippi.

411: www.thegrapeventura.com

Instagram: @thegrapeventura

A Calitri is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her at: artraks@ yahoo.com

Ellis Cup: Abolarin Naomi Oke and Shannon Winifred Murray

Morgan Gwynne Temby ‘69 Award: Caroline R. Batchelder

The Miramar Award: Muhsin Abdul-Hakim

The Brownlee Cup: Mei Gong

The Benjamin D. Williams Inquiry Award: Tonfai Nokhong

Dohrman Pischel 1914 Medal (Bronze): Shawn Cordeiro

Nelson Jones 1948 (Silver): Yeidy Thaily Salmerón

Santa Barbara School Medal (Gold): Noor Harwell

Head of School Award: Andrew Carranza

William Shepard Biddle 1918 Cup: Josie Tove Frazer

The Faculty Address requested by the class of 2024 was by Brooks Hansen, English and Humanities Instructor. He said, “Elders and shamans used words as spells, which is why when we break down a word, we call it spelling. Words create the world, words are magic. The problem is we have competition in AI. What does it mean to be literate in 2024, and what are we prepared to give up? AI is a foil, the metal placed under gems to make them shine more brightly, there for the purpose of serving the jewel. The jewel, the most beautiful thing the Universe ever came up with, is still the individual human being.”

Diplomas were awarded by Lockett and her team, with a statement about each student’s attributes and contributions. Following a collective congratulations of the class by attendees, the grads processed out to a receiving line. The event concluded with a luncheon at the school.

The Cate School 2024 graduates are:

Muhsin Abdul-Hakim, Sophie Alijani, Fernando Baldocchi, Caroline R. Batchelder, Eleni Bhatia, Lain Moran Biles, Felipe Blanco, Ethan Bloom, Pen Brooks, Liam Burdick, Karla Camacho, Tracy Cao, Andrew Carranza, Annie Chian, Claire Blythe Clark, Jessica Mya Cooks, Caroline Grace Coors, Shawn Cordeiro, Melanie Davidson, Frances Davis, Susana Elizabeth Diaz, Regi Flores, Josie Tove Frazer, Robert Gable, Mei Gong, Christian González, George Gordon, William Nghia Hammond, Ada Ives Hansen, Noor Harwell, Tristan Biyu Fox Hui, Kairei Jones, Caroline Elizabeth Keohane, Nathan Keshen, Clyde Kye, Dilan Lee, Julian Lee, Oliver Lee, Ryan Lee, Ziyang Liu, Ingrid Lu, Tyler Martinez, Ember McMullen, Remy Minnis, Chloe Brown Monchamp, Anna Charlotte Morse, Zoe Moss, Shannon Winifred Murray, Yada Nokhong, Abolarin Naomi Oke, Adrian L. Ordoñez, Elliot Murray Osborn, Thomas Jarman Paige, Jasmine Palekar, Riley Pan, Kyle Minsu Park, Christian Preston Rhee, Kendall Grace Rhee, Ben Richmond, Crosby Milligan Rosenthal, Yeidy Thaily Salmerón, Everest Schipper, Kristian Scurtis, Ari Seal, Sahar A. Shariah, Simran Elizabeth Sharma, Oona Olivia Summerford-Ng, Sebastian Sutch, Alyna Takahashi, Cecily Todd, John H. Trimble, Fritz Henry Ruardus Veltman, Christian Lyle Tottenham Walter, Myles Caldwell Warren, Jules Hirsch Wecker, Charlotte Wells, Zachary William White, Burak Yanar, and Angie Zoric

Our Lady of Mt Carmel School Graduation

Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) 2024 Eighth Grade Graduation – “Go Lancers!” – was held on Friday, May 31, at 1:30 pm at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church.

The graduates processed in wearing traditional cap and gown in the school colors of blue and white, adorned with flower leis, and gold or red cords according to their scholastic achievement.

The ceremony began with a mass, led by Pastor Fr. Lawrence Seyer with the students reading various passages. The music portion of the mass was led by music teacher Bridgette Snyder on acoustic guitar and vocals.

Following the mass, the graduation ceremony began with the blessing of the graduates’ handmade autobiography books, which they presented to their families with a long stem rose.

OLMC Principal Tracie Simolon, presented the annual awards as follows:

Reading Challenge of 40 books read this year: Charles Lovette and Thomas Groeninger

Good Citizen: Karly Foster and Haven Gritt

U.S. President’s Academic Award: Ethan Almgren, Josue Morales, Owen Regan, Karly

Foster, Haven Gritt, Thomas Groeninger, Charles Lovette, and Annet Perez Juarez

Spelling Bee and placed third in SB County: Thomas Groeninger

Lancer of the Year: Levi DeVreese

Spirit Award: Charles Lovette

Faculty Award: Thomas Groeninger

The Derek Frank Band (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Joanne

Parents were recognized for their support of the students. The faculty acknowledged each student’s attributes and contributions to the class. Simolon conferred the diplomas, presented by 8th grade teacher Mrs. Lauren Bergesen to the students.

The Student Address was given by Charles Lovette. He thanked the teachers, friends and families, and concluded with, “Here is a quote from Charles Lovette! We are moments away from graduating and changing the world, congratulations class of 2024.”

Simolon provided her closing remarks, “This year’s graduating class is spirited and blessed with a variety of gifts and talents. One thing that stands out about this class is the care they have for their younger schoolmates, taking seriously their role as mentor during school family activities and recess times. As they graduate, they take with them knowledge and many memories of their time at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. “Most importantly, they go forth with their faith foundation, started with their families and built upon here. Beyond their achievements in academics and extracurricular activities, we pray they go forth as responsible citizens who will live out the Gospel values.

“We wish best of luck to our graduates! May they trust in God to guide them in the next stage of their lives. ‘For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.’ – Jeremiah 29:11”

An outside reception followed for graduates and their families and guests.

The OLMC Eighth Grade 2024 graduates are: Ethan Almgren, Adrian Corona-Rosales, Henry Crafton, Levi DeVreese, Karly Foster, Haven Gritt, Thomas Groeninger, Charles Lovette, Josue Morales, Reynaldo Pena, Annet Perez Juarez, Taylor Plant, Hunter Raad, Owen Regan, Zebediah Sage, Jackson Trembly, and Leanna Zermeno

Carpinteria ARB Reviews Project Plans for The Palms on

Linden

It was all love and laughter with a unanimous – yet unofficial – ‘yes’ vote from the Carpinteria Architectural Review Board on Thursday, May 30, as it reviewed the project plans for the renovations and reopening of the beloved “Palms” restaurant and music venue, 701 Linden Avenue. The historic venue, in more ways than its façade, has been vacant since January 2021, like hundreds of similar mom and pop local places due to the lockdowns of 2020. After being sold in 2023, projected plans were in the making, and finally released for public info at the ARB meeting to many welcome back fans.

The details of the renovation and restorations, including landscape, materials, and colors, were first presented by Carp City Planner Brian Banks. He was followed by the project applicant, Laurel Perez, agent for 701 Linden LLC. Slides were used to facilitate.

Overall, the project’s renovations are focused with a priority on the historic designation the building holds in the City of Carpinteria. Specifically, its brick walls, roof level parapet, roof pressed metal cornice, and arrangement of the original door and windows.

Consistency with maintaining those areas was taken into account by the 701 Linden LLC group, including the front façade to be returned to the 1912 look with the flow of windows across the ground floor. The renovations are using the existing building area perimeters, and adding a third floor, making the total height 31’8”, while city height limits are at 30 feet.

The roof deck will have a public bar, counter, seating, restrooms, and a center glass atrium open through to the ground floor to provide available light throughout the building. To contain the noise and other concerns of the neighbors is a trellised roof which replaces the current shed roof, and the use of plants and setbacks. The second floor which was old hotel rooms not used by the public prior, will be renovated for an event space for birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations. The ground floor will carve out a dining and bar area, an outdoor area and an annex for grab and go food and beverages. There will be interior stairs, an elevator, and a service elevator. The exterior stairwell facing 7th Street will be removed.

Care was taken for exterior storage area containment. Massive landscape planning went into the project as well. Parking as usual was an issue with zoning requiring 54 spaces. Historic adds were a restoration of the pressed metal cornice along the top of the roof. A possible exterior mural is also on the books. The atrium height exceeds the City limit but was determined an architectural design element and a not a building issue.

Sadly, for many, no plans for the return of the beloved dance floor or the BBQ grill to cook one’s own steak were pointed out by both public and ARB comments. Perez ensured the ARB that they have read the letters from the neighbors, will work with the community to address the concerns, and they will comply with the City’s newly adopted entertainment ordinance and lighting ordinance. She added that the roof deck provides unique view of the ocean and mountains, the project is energy efficient and will be an asset to the community.

Public comments from third generation Carpinterians and local business owners were in favor of the project to restore and reopen the Palms. Some requested certain artifacts that were there before it closed be replaced.

The ARB board, along with Chair Brad Stein, added their approvals of moving the project forward, and strongly suggested that more structural precautions be made around the atrium for safety, to adhere to the noise levels for the neighborhood, and requested the return of the interior BBQ grill. As for parking, Stein, with a smile, mentioned that most people walked to the old Palms restaurant – or at least walked home. He concluded saying, it’s fairly unanimous we welcome its return.

411: For the meeting video and plans: https://carpinteria.granicus.com/player/clip/1453?view_id=2&redirect=true

OLMC Student Address by Charles Lovette (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

The Our Lady of Mt Carmel 2024 graduates with Principal Tracie Simolon, 8th grade teacher Lauren Bergesen, and Pastor Father Lawrence Seyer (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

An existing and proposed look from the street’s view

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Bids open at 2:00 PM on Friday, June 21, 2024 for:

NORTH AND CENTRAL COUNTY PAVEMENT REHABILITATION IN THE 3RD, 4TH, AND 5TH SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICTS

COUNTY PROJECT No. 820790N

General project work description: Road Rehabilitation

The Plans, Specifications, and Bid Book are available at https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=43874

The Contractor must have either a Class A license or any combination of the following Class C licenses which constitutes a majority of the work: A, C-12, C-31, AND C-32

Submit sealed bids to the web address below. Bids will be opened available at the web address below immediately following the submittal deadline.

PlanetBids

https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=43874

Complete the project work within 50 Workings Days

The estimated cost of the project is $ 8,600,000

This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).

A contractor or subcontractor shall not be qualified to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, subject to the requirements of PCC Section 4104, or engage in the performance of any contract for public work, as defined in this chapter, unless currently registered and qualified to perform public work pursuant to Labor Code (LAB) Section 1725.5. It is not a violation of this section for an unregistered contractor to submit a bid that is authorized by Business and Professions Code (BPC) Section 7029.1 or by PCC Section 10164 or 20103.5 provided the contractor is registered to perform public work pursuant to LAB Section 1725.5 at the time the contract is awarded.

Prevailing wages are required on this Contract. The Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations determines the general prevailing wage rates. Obtain the wage rates at the DIR website https://www.dir.ca.gov/

Inquiries or questions based on alleged patent ambiguity of the plans, specifications, or estimate must be submitted as a bidder inquiry by 2:00 PM on 06/14/2024 Submittals after this date will not be addressed. Questions pertaining to this Project prior to Award of the Contract must be submitted via PlanetBids Q&A tab.

Bidders (Plan Holders of Record) will be notified by electronic mail if addendums are issued. The addendums, if issued, will only be available on the County PlanetBids website, https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=43874

By order of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara this project was authorized to be advertised on 06/06/2023

Christopher Sneddon Director of Public Works

Published June 5, 2024

Montecito Journal

MONTECITO WATER DISTRICT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON WATER AVAILABILITY CHARGE

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024, 9:30 A.M. 583 SAN YSIDRO ROAD* SANTA BARBARA, CA 93108

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors of the Montecito Water District (District) to be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 9:30 A.M., the Board will hold a public hearing to consider the adoption of Resolution 2275 to continue an existing Water Availability Charge for the purpose of funding water distribution system improvements. A written report, detailing the description of each parcel of real property and the amount of the charge for each parcel for the year, is on file and available for public review at Montecito Water District’s Office located at 583 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. For information on a specific parcel’s acreage and proposed charge, owners may call 805.969.2271 or email info@montecitowater.com

The District is proposing to continue the existing charge as it was established in July 1996 and with such exceptions as have previously been granted by the Board, with no increase in the charge or change in the methodology by which it is calculated. The District will continue to collect such charge on the tax rolls, as in previous years.

At the Public Hearing on June 25, 2024 the Board of Directors will hear and consider objections and protests to the written report and application of the charge. Any objection or protest must be presented to the District on or before the close of the June 25, 2024 Public Hearing or be precluded from consideration for the 2024-2025 tax year.

*The public meeting will be conducted in person at the District office location referenced above. Remote participation information will be available on the meeting agenda posted at the District office, on the website www.montecitowater.com, and by calling 805-969-2271.

MONTECITO WATER DISTRICT NOTICE OF

PUBLIC MEETING

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024 9:30 A.M.*

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors of the Montecito Water District to be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at 9:30 A.M. the Board will hold a public meeting to consider the adoption of the following Resolutions:

1. Resolution No. 2279: Resolution of the Board of Directors of Montecito Water District Adopting an Updated Schedule of Miscellaneous Fees and Charges.

2. Resolution No. 2280: Resolution of the Board of Directors of Montecito Water District Rescinding Resolution No. 2260 and Establishing Capital Cost Recovery Fees and Connection Fees Effective July 1, 2024.

Resolution No. 2279 pertains to Miscellaneous Fees and Charges that are imposed by the District for specific services in order to recover the District’s costs for providing those services.

Resolution No. 2280 pertains to fees paid to become a customer of the District and includes: (a) the actual costs of physically connecting to the District water system (Connection Fees) and (b) charges to fund a proportionate share of the District’s facilities (Capital Cost Recovery Fees).

Information concerning the fees and charges, is available for public review at https://www.montecitowater.com/

At the public meeting oral and written presentations may be made and/or heard concerning the fees and charges established under Resolution No. 2279 and Resolution No. 2280.

*The public meeting will be conducted in person at the District office located at 583 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Remote participation information will be available on the meeting agenda posted at the District office, on the website www.montecitowater.com, and by calling 805969-2271.

###

Run, MJ Public/legal notices section, June 5 & 12, 2024

MONTECITO WATER DISTRICT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024, 9:30 A.M.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Directors of the Montecito Water District (District) will conduct a public hearing (“Public Hearing”) on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. at 583 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108* to consider adopting increases to the District’s water rates and charges. The proposed increases are the result of a detailed budget analysis and the findings of the District’s May 1, 2024 Water Rate Study (“Rate Study”) prepared by Raftelis, an independent financial consulting firm specializing in cost of service analyses and rate setting, to determine appropriateness of the amounts and a fair and equitable cost allocation among water customer categories. The net impact of the proposed changes in the water rates and charges for customers varies based upon customer class, actual water consumption and meter size.

Pursuant to California law, a notice for the Public Hearing was mailed at least 45 days prior to the Public Hearing and included information about the proposed rates and charges, the reasons for their adoption, and the date, time and location of the Public Hearing

At the Public Hearing on June 25, 2024, oral and written presentations may be made concerning the Water Rate Study and the proposed water rates and charges, but only written protests will be counted. Written protests concerning the increases to the water rates and charges by the customer of record or owner of record must be received prior to the conclusion of the public comment portion of the Public Hearing to be counted. Submittal of written protests is governed by District Resolution No. 2274.

*The Public Hearing will be conducted in person at the District office (location referenced above) Remote participation information will be available on the meeting agenda posted at the District office, on its website www.montecitowater.com, and by calling 805-969-2271.

Run, MJ Public/legal notices section, June 5 & 12, 2024

land, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0001187. Published May 29, June 5, 12, 19, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RV 2024 Maverick Class, 819 Roberto Ave, Santa Barbara, CA, 93109. Ryan W Muzzy, 819 Roberto Ave, Santa Barbara, CA, 93109. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 20, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0001223. Published May 22, 29, June 5, 12, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Cherval Studio, 726 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. Perecotte, INC, 726 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 7, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0001137. Published May 22, 29, June 5, 12, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Santa Barbara Glow, 2729 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Santa Barbara Glow LLC, 2729 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 10, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0001161. Published May 29, June 5, 12, 19, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Smart Ride Vehicles, 2917 De La Vina Street STE D, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Edgar

Blas, 2917 De La Vina Street STE D, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 2, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0000836. Published May 29, June 5, 12, 19, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: The Liquor & Wine Grotto, 1271 Coast Village Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108-2739. Jason E Herrick, 1271 Coast Village Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Brian Brunello, 1271 Coast Village Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 13, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Hol-

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Supreme Landscape & Maintenance, 1512 North B Ct, Lompoc, CA 93436. Alexis G Garcia, 1512 North B Ct, Lompoc, CA 93436. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 15, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0001205. Published May 29, June 5, 12, 19, 2024

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Lafayette Development Company, 1525 State St STE 203, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. The Lafayette Corporation, 1525 State St STE 203, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 9, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Dean C. Logan, County Clerk of Los Angeles County, CA (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-100732. Published May 22, 29, June 5, 12, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: The Knit Shop, 1221 State St STE 7, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. The Radmakerie, LLC, 1221 State St STE 7, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 23, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0001019. Published May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 2024

many things) is as central to the Corwin family heraldry as a coat of arms.

Metropolitan currently operates 15 theaters, 85 screens, and two IMAX auditoriums in California, Colorado, and Utah, both historic movie house properties and state-of-the-art multiplexes. Not to pry, but how did the Corwins get into the movie theater business in the first place? Like most Tinseltown tales, this glitter bomb begins in Sioux City. Yeah, the one in Iowa.

Stumbling into the Movies

“My great grand-father was an accountant,” David says. “One of his clients ran a theater, and at the end of a meeting he would leave his receipts behind. My great grand-father would sort of idly look through these things and be like, ‘Wow, this guy’s doing pretty well! Maybe this is a business we want to get into.’” Not the dawdling type, in 1919 Joseph Corwin made an offer and purchased the guy’s movie theater in Sioux City. It was a good investment. How good? By 1923 the family headed west to nascent movie capital Los Angeles, and an empire was born.

“At one point we had eight to 10 theaters on Broadway alone,” David says. “And some of those were beautiful movie palaces.” The family had been visiting Santa Barbara and liked what they saw, as can happen. The Santa Barbara area was also a comparative terra incognita for movie theaters. In 1950 the Corwins began building here; and falling in love with the place.

Bruce Almighty

MTC’s Bruce Corwin was a legendary philanthropist (though he preferred “connector”) whose almost otherworldly sense of service – and the genuine joy he took in people – has been documented in the MJ’s pages. Presiding over the successful theater chain fueled his own impulse for reaching out. What sounds like a saccharine bromide – “… Aw, this dear man just had a heart for giving!” misses the point. Bruce was a restlessly productive soul with a roving eye for what needed doing.

He seemed to take particular pleasure if the way forward was uphill.

“My dad was always about the underdog,” David says. “Whether that was helping get Tom Bradley elected, turning a Watts junior high auditorium into a movie theater, or being arrested trying to integrate a Maryland lunch counter.” A pugilist with angel’s wings, Bruce’s sunny disposition, deep connections, and ability to walk through walls drew people to him. “He wouldn’t just try and do something and walk away. He would continue to be involved to the point where, yeah, he’s marching for civil rights and getting involved in sit-ins.”

He had MS (multiple sclerosis) since he was 28, and people would come in here and he would talk about that, try to ease their concerns, give them resources to help, or just talk about his experiences. I mean, it was just constant.”

In Bruce Corwin’s quietly meteoric time on Earth he financially supported and organized the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a score of causes and projects in Los Angeles, including the Variety Boys and Girls Club; J Street; the Pico-Union Project; Hebrew Union College; and Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital. He was Mayor Tom Bradley’s confidant and Treasurer. In his adoptive Santa Barbara, Bruce provided seed money

and free use of MTC’s theaters when Phyllis de Picciotto founded the Santa Barbara film festival in 1984. He was instrumental in helping secure the MOXI property (Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation), and the Corwin Family Foundation has long supported UCSB’s Dorothy and Sherrill C. Corwin Awards which recognize excellence in Music Composition.

“He’s hard to encompass,” David says of his father. “I miss him so much.”

Box Office

MTC’s current struggles, and they are not insignificant, signal either a sea change in the way we choose to consume movies, or a temporary hiccup. There is some precedent, says Ross Melnick, Professor at UC Santa Barbara and Film and Media Industry Historian. “The extinction of movie theaters has been predicted almost from the moment they were built,” he says. “During the Depression, they said, well, everyone’s broke. When TV came around in the fifties and sixties, they said, that’s it, people will stay home. We went through this with cable TV and VCRs and DVD, we went through this with streaming last year…” Melnick will be joining Jason Reitman and several other industry insiders at UCSB’s Carsey-Wolf Center on June 6 to panel-discuss the fate of moviegoing. A timely topic for the Corwins, and for all of us.

David Corwin is confident, if not exactly sanguine. The movies have been good to his family, and vice-versa. “There’s certainly an understanding of all the different factors that are impacting not just us, but the industry as a whole. So we’re optimistic. And there’s no market more important to us than the Santa Barbara market.”

Visit the Theatrical Futures

Onthe evening of June 6, from 7-9 pm at UCSB’s Carsey-Wolf Center, a panel of distinguished film scholars will be holding a discussion they’re calling Theatrical Futures: Moviegoing and Exhibition in Flux. Between home movie theaters, streaming content, and the willingness of a moviegoing cohort to watch epic cinema on a screen the size of a mitten, the movie-consuming space is… evolving. This event – part of CWC Presents – is free; but a reservation is recommended in order to guarantee a seat.

Jeff Wing is a journalist, raconteur, autodidact, and polysyllable enthusiast. He has been writing about Montecito and environs since before some people were born. He can be reached at jeff@ montecitojournal.net

MONTECITO SANITARY DISTRICT

NOTICE OF A HEARING TO CONTINUE THE PRACTICE OF COLLECTING

MONTECITO SANITARY DISTRICT SEWER SERVICE CHARGES ON THE COUNTY TAX ROLL

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at 12:00 p.m. on the 19th day of June 2024, a hearing will be held to enable the MONTECITO SANITARY DISTRICT Governing Board to hear any objections to the collection of annual sewer service charges by use of the County Tax roll rather than billing monthly or quarterly. This meeting will be held at the District office located at 1042 Monte Cristo Lane, Santa Barbara, California as well as available remotely via Zoom meetings (Meeting ID 861 1897 5917) Information for joining the meeting will also be posted at the District office 72 hours prior to the meeting time and on the District’s website at www.montsan.org/meetings

A report, which will be available at the time of the hearing in the Office of the MONTECITO SANITARY DISTRICT, contains a description of each parcel (APN) of real property within the MONTECITO SANITARY DISTRICT to which sewer service is presently being rendered, and for which an application for service has been made to the District on or before June 30, 2024. The report also sets forth the charge to be made for sewer services to each of said parcels for the Fiscal Year 2024-25

The District has elected to collect sewer service charges by use of the County Tax Roll in previous fiscal years and is proposing to use the same procedure for collection in Fiscal Year 2024-25 Sewer service charges, which are placed on the County Tax Roll for collection will be due and payable in the same manner, and the same time, as general taxes appearing on the County Tax Roll.

As set forth by Resolution No. 2024-974 Adopted by the Governing Board

David Corwin, President of Metropolitan Theatres Corporation (courtesy photo)

The Corwins own the beloved Arlington Theatre lock, stock, and puebla (courtesy photo)

and Rosemary Mutton, NancyBell Coe, Tiffany DeVries, and Christine Garvey An evening of high note…

Toasting a Good Cause

Social gridlock reigned when PATH Santa Barbara, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, hosted its third annual Toast to Home fundraiser at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum with 150 guests raising around $60,000.

The ubiquitous Geoff Green – former head of the City College Foundation – hosted the affair, with PATH CEO Jennifer Hark Dietz speaking. PATH – People Assisting the Homeless – also

honored county supervisor Das Williams for his many years of support.

Liz Adams, who recently celebrated her first year as Regional Director, said:

“I am so honored that we have come together to build a community where we all work together to break down barriers and support our neighbors who are unhoused. Together, with compassion and understanding, we can build a future where everyone has a home.”

All funds raised went towards PATH’s local programs, which include interim housing, street outreach, housing navigation and supportive services. Annually it helps more than 100 people make it home.

Among those noshing on the flatbreads, exotic canapés and the shrimp and chicken paella, while quaffing wines from Sunstone, Fess Parker, and Grassini wineries were Caroline Thompson , David and Anne Gersh, Richard Block, founder Claire Orr, Dacia Harwood, and Jeremy Lindaman

Outstanding ‘Alice’

Ensemble Theatre Company’s final show of its 45th season at the New Vic, the world premiere of Alice, Formerly of Wonderland, based on a true story of the romance between the girl featured in the Lewis Carrol books and Prince Leopold, the youngest son of Queen Victoria, is a real corker!

Switching scenes from Oxford University in 1872 where the prince was studying, to Buckingham Palace, and the dean’s (Alice’s father) garden, the Mark Saltzman-written musical, directed by Jim Fall and with a capella music arranged by Jack Lipson, is an absolute joy from beginning to end.

Bree Murphy as the imperious sovereign is ideal for the role, morphing perfectly into a cockney retailer and a Scots lassie, as was Sam O’Byrne as the Duke of Albany, Sawyer Patterson as future earl Edward Brockett vying for the affection of Alice – wonderfully played by Margie Mays – with Brent Schindele as the kindly dean and Matthew Greenwood as the ornately caustic caterpillar. Although still very much in its embryonic stages, this production really is not to be missed. It runs through June 16.

Petal to the Medal

Petal power was palpable when the Dream Foundation hosted its 13th annual Flower Empower lunch for 200 guests at the Rosewood Miramar, raising around $160,000 for the Santa Barbara-based

program that delivers colorful bouquets and handmade cards to hospitals, cancer centers and homes every week.

Since it started in 1994, the program had made more than 130,000 special deliveries with cookies baked by Robin Himovitz and artisanal chocolates from Chocolats du CaliBressan.

The ubiquitous Andrew Firestone, accompanied by his daughter Anja, 13, emceed the fun fête and conducted the auction as well – which included a stay at the Peninsula in Beverly Hills snapped up for $3,500, a vacation at the Four Seasons in Maui which sold for $10,500, and seven nights at a private villa in Croatia, which went for $6,500.

David Sparer was honored as Volunteer of the Year, Alex Van Wingerden of Gallup & Stribling Orchids as Grower of the Year, and cousins Chloe, Luca, and Matteo Bottorff, and Natasha and Alina Stapf as Youth Volunteers of the Year.

John and Pam Johnston were recipient speakers.

Among the horde of supporters were CEO Kisa Heyer, Joe Cole, Kate Coppola, Kristi Newton, Alison Hansen,

Belle Hahn, Felix, and Lily Hahn (photo by Priscilla) Jennifer Hark Dietz, Liz Adams, and Claire Orr (photo by Priscilla)

Jennifer Hark Dietz presenting the 2024 Honoree Award to Das Williams for his ongoing dedication to PATH (photo by Priscilla)

Steven Ortiz, Geoff Green, Kerri Burns, Paige Van Tuyl, Caroline Thompson, and Leslie Schneiderman (photo by Priscilla)

ETC’s latest production a real corker! (photo by Zach Mendez)

Flower Empower Honorees (photo by Alex Gonzalez with Head & Heart Photography)

Flower Empower Luncheon Committee (photo by Alex Gonzalez with Head & Heart Photography)

Special Guest Speakers & Flower Empower Recipients – Pam and John Johnston (photo by Alex Gonzalez with Head & Heart Photography)

Ivana Firestone, George and Laurie Leis, Frank Tabar, and Linda Plant

A blooming good time was had by all...

Local Mom Goes to Son’s Graduation

Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow and rocker ex-husband Chris Martin reunited for their son Moses’ high school graduation in Los Angeles at the weekend.

The Coldplay musician and the Montecito-based Goop founder got hitched in 2003 and famously “consciously uncoupled” in 2014.

Gwyneth is now married to TV producer Brad Falchuk and Martin is married to Fifty Shades of Grey actress Dakota Johnson

Paltrow was accompanied by her actress mother Blythe Danner and Falchuk.

Childhood Memories

Chynna Phillips, 56, has admitted that she and her brother Tamerlane had “squirt gun fights” with her drug addicted father’s used syringes when they were children, saying the “disturbing” practice has made her terrified of death.

The singer-wife of actor Billy Baldwin, who is the daughter of The Mamas and The Papas band members John and Michelle Phillips, took to YouTube to detail her “morbid” activities.

She confessed that the “sad and ugly game” caused her to develop a “profound fear” of death as she revealed she can’t even function because of her “terror.”

Cannes Do Attitude

Santa Barbara warbler Katy Perry has been currying favor in Cannes!

As the world-famous festival wrapped last month, the former Dos Pueblos High student was booked to perform at a weekend multi-million-dollar wedding celebration cast as an 800-guest masquerade ball for the son of India’s richest man at a $60 million estate.

The tony twosome are Anant Ambani, 29, son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, and his bride Radhika Merchant, who officially tie the knot on July 12.

Ambani is Asia’s richest person, according to Forbes, worth more than $114 billion.

New Developments at SBS

There have been moves afoot at the Santa Barbara Symphony with a new head of development and marketing and three new board members.

Paul Bradford brings 30 years of sales and marketing experience to his new role,

as he aims to boost sales and donations through patron growth and engagement.

Previously he served in key leadership roles in the private and public sectors, including director of customer marketing for a publicly traded SaaS Company, account executive for an award-winning public affairs firm, chief of staff for a county supervisor, and real estate sales, leasing and finance.

He also served as an adjunct professor of change and innovation and marketing

at Westmont College.

The triumvirate joining the board are Mike Weems, a career financial and accounting professional, who is currently the CFO for the Birnam Wood Golf Club; Davis Fansler, with more than 35 years as a distinguished business executive, including commercial banking, ambulatory care management, and venture capital; and Sheraton Kalouria, an expert in marketing, communications, media and entertainment, including president and worldwide chief marketing officer for Sony Pictures Television.

Welcome A-Board

Four new members have joined the board of directors of Santa Barbara Zoo.

Mitch Avila, Sarah Berkus Gower, Bob Looney, and Robyn Parker are the Fab Four who work together to serve and support the 30-acre menagerie’s mission and dedication – to preservation, conservation and enhancement of the natural world and its myriad treasures through education, research, and recreation.

Avila, provost at California State University Channel Islands, is leading the conversation to adopt a multi-year strategic enrollment plan and expansion of academic programs.

Gower practiced as an attorney at Hollister & Brace with a focus in complex litigation for over a decade and now

enjoys the flexibility of legal consulting and volunteering.

Looney has been a realtor for the past 19 years after a successful career on radio for 25 years with KMPG Radio in Hollywood. He grew up in our Eden by the Beach. Parker earned a degree in Business Economics at UCSB and worked as a program officer at the Hutton Parker Foundation while serving on the foundation’s grant selection committee. She has been a member of the Zoofari Ball Committee since 2015.

Sightings

Former tennis ace Jimmy Connors noshing at Lucky’s... Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones at the Monte Carlo Grand Prix in Monaco... Supermodel-turned-business tycoon Kathy Ireland picking up her Java jolt at Pierre Lafond.

Pip! Pip!

From musings on the Royals to celebrity real estate deals, Richard Mineards is our man on the society scene and has been for more than 15 years

Paul Bradford (courtesy photo)

Mike Weems (courtesy photo)

Davis Fansler (courtesy photo)

Sheraton Kalouria (courtesy photo)

Mitch Avila (courtesy photo)

Sarah Berkus Gower (courtesy photo)

Bob Looney (courtesy photo)

Robyn Parker (courtesy photo)

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Calendar of Events

by Steven Libowitz

ONGOING

Fluttering By – Butterflies Alive!, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s extremely popular annual summer exhibit, this year features a stunning array of more than two dozen tropical butterfly species from Costa Rica, including such species as the Blue Morpho, Doris Longwing, and owl butterflies. The immersive experience welcomes guests to visit its lush pollinator garden – known as Sprague Butterfly Pavilion – amid roughly 1,000 live butterflies fluttering freely around them. People wander at their leisure through a mix of native and non-native plants, discovering butterflies busily in flight, landing on vegetation (or even people), or remaining stationary, the butterflies almost hidden among the plants. You might even witness an adult butterfly popping out of its chrysalis. Docents and museum staff are in there with you to add to the enchanting experience by providing info about the insects, identifying species, and answering other questions for folks to find out facts about much more than our local monarchs. What’s more, repeat visits are rewarded as new abundant varieties of species emerge each week over the three-month span of the exhibit. WHEN: 10 am-5 pm, daily except Tuesdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends (May 25-September 2)

WHERE: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol Rd.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

Art Abounds Downtown – New shows, new ideas and even new participating places decorate your downtown journey for June’s monthly art-and-culture walk. In a tidy tandem, City Hall Gallery (735 Anacapa) opens A Bridge Between Generations, with works by Roland Petersen, who helped shape the mid-20th-Century Bay Area figurative movement. Channing Peake Gallery (105 E. Anapamu) debuts a display of a new collection of paintings recently donated by Petersen – whose work is in the permanent collections of the Whitney, MoMA and more. The collection features several seminal works depicting vivid and imaginative renditions of California’s land and cityscapes... PALMA Colectiva (1221 State #24) displays work of artist Giuliana Mitchum, whose new series explores life’s cycles through the lens of both nature and art... Sullivan Goss (11 E. Anapamu) has the opening reception for an exhibition of the most recent realist paintings by perennially popular Patricia Chidlaw… Local abstract artist Jessica Barcelona makes her gallery debut at Colette Cosentino Atelier + Gallery (11 W Anapamu) with work that evinces a kaleidoscope of colors laid down in acrylic and oil stick... Around Town, at Santa Barbara Art Works (28 E Victoria St.) is a collection of watercolor paintings depicting well-known and uncommon views around Santa Barbara, with the show dedicated to John Houston, who loved being inspired by the people and places around town... Award-winning painter Karma Lama, who was once forbidden from creating art in his native Tibet, will be on hand at the Bella Rosa Galleries (1103 State Street) for the opening of Chasing Freedom, a collection of original paintings… UCSB’s Media Arts and Technology Program’s 25th Anniversary Show Soft AI+M, at SBCAST (513 Garden St.), combines emergent media, computer science, engineering, electronic music, and digital art... Mexican visual artist Cher Martinez previews her upcoming series The Future of Filmmaking, inspired by her immigrant experience, at KAAREM (1221 State #14, in Victoria Court), where visitors can also have Martinez take a glamor shot of you.

WHEN: 5-8 pm

WHERE: Lower State Street and side streets

COST: free

INFO: (805) 962-2098 or www.downtownsb.org/events/1st-thursday

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

Back in the Building – Matt Stone may be stretching the truth just a bit with his boldly-named tribute band ELVIS: In Person with the Graceland Band; but the show is indeed a sensational celebration of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Stone was named by Graceland and the Elvis Presley Estate as one of the top Elvis tribute artists in recognition of his level of authenticity and attention to detail – his craft amplified by his vocal power and captivating charisma. Stone, who has also been heard on SiriusXM’s ELVIS RADIO, is (perhaps needless to say, given the Presley Estate’s endorsement) considered a quantum leap above the typical Elvis impersonator, and with the King’s catalog at his fingertips, the fun should be contagious.

WHEN: 7:30 pm

WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.

COST: $55-$75

INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.com

COST: Free with museum admission INFO: (805) 682-4711 or www.sbnature.org

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

1st Thursday Entertainment – It’s mainly music for the monthly art-and-culture walk, with performances all over. Riviera Culture Club is a musician’s collective featuring rotating acts that play every Thursday across the street from Satellite (1100 block of State St.). One such sparkling aural offering, co-led by local faves singer Brett Hunter and keyboardist-saxist Joe Farey, will be playing every first Thursday of the month… Acoustic rock/singer-songwriter David Segall, who has once again been popping up at downtown destinations with regularity, gets the spot in the 800 block of State across from Paseo Nuevo… The Ethan Fossum Quartet, eponymously powered by the young SBCC drummer, does it up indoors in the foyer of the Granada Theatre (1214 State), while longtime Montecito favorite pianist Konrad Kono sews things up on the keyboards at the grand opening celebration of The Knit Shop (1221 State St., #7) in the heart of Victoria Court… Moving on to movies, Alessandra Puig’s The Salt on Our Skin explores connections between several coastal communities as they reclaim their narratives in SBIFF filmmakers shorts series (1330 State St.)... Think theater with a BOGO deal (tonight only!) when considering Ensemble’s Alice, Formerly of Wonderland – a world premiere musical by seven-time Emmy Award-winning writer Mark Saltzman (33 W Victoria St.)... Walk to a spot out front of Old Navy in the 1100 block of State for verse on vintage typewriters as several local poets produce made-to-order verse specifically for you on the spot.

WHEN: 5-8 pm

WHERE: Lower State Street and side streets

COST: free

INFO: (805) 962-2098 or www.downtownsb.org/events/1st-thursday

‘Earth Under Our Feet’ – Transdisciplinary artist Ashwini Bhat – who has a background in literature and training in Southern India’s classical dance Bharatanatyam – uses sculpture, installation, video, and text to develop a visual language exploring the intersections between body and nature, self and other. Bhat’s site-specific immersive performance, incorporating clay and inspired by the symbols of the spiral and the mandala, will evolve over three days; beginning today with construction of a clay wall and ending with an interactive public performance on Sunday afternoon. Bhat invites public participation in the process, using the South Asian practice of foot wedging to emphasize and illustrate our entangled connection to the ground we stand on, as willing participants collaboratively build a sense of belonging, and of restored community, self, and place.

WHEN: 5-8 pm today, 1-4 pm Sunday

WHERE: Santa Barbara Museum of Art front terrace, 1130 State St. COST: free

INFO: (805) 963-4364 or https://tickets.sbma.net

Big Top Is Back – Calling children of all ages: Circus Vargas is heading back to the Showgrounds. The touring single tent roadshow has become a performative celebration of the wider world. Vargas’ acts feature various cultures and nationalities, stunning audiences with astounding acts of artistry, daring feats of courage, and performances of breathtaking beauty. Jonathan Lee Iverson serves as ringmaster for the show that features Czech circus legends Faltyny Family aerialists and jugglers, contortionist and eighth generation circus performer Daniella Arata, comedy team Steve & Jones Caveagna, the Cretu Brothers teeterboard act, foot juggler Jessica Lester, flying trapeze artists, hoop dancers, acrobats, and the ever-popular Marinelli Brothers Wheel of Death and motorcycle cage act Globe of Death. The family tradition – both Vargas’ and yours – is both entertainment and adventure.

WHEN: June 7-17 (19 shows)

WHERE: Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real COST: $25-$85

INFO: (805) 687-0766 / https://earlwarren.com or www.circusvargas.com

SUNDAY, JUNE 9

Alastair ‘Alive’ – Santa Barbara’s globe-traveling blues-rock guitarist-singer-songwriter Alastair Greene doesn’t play in town nearly as often as he once did before fame found him. Tonight’s show at SOhO serves as a CD-release celebration for Standing Out Loud, a new 11-song collection that, coincidentally, is also Greene’s 11th album as a solo artist. On both the CD and at SOhO, expect more of the seriously searing shredding from the indefatigable guitarist – just a month before he heads overseas to perform at the legendary Gaildorf Blues Festival in Germany.

WHEN: 5 pm

WHERE: SOhO Restaurant & Music Club, 1221 State Street COST: $18

INFO: (805) 962-7776 or www.sohosb.com

PRETTY

INDUSTRIOUS

ISABELLA BISCARINI HAS DONE MORE TODAY THAN YOU HAVE

Surf, Sounds and Celluloid – Now in its fourth year, the Santa Barbara Surf Film Festival celebrates surfing history and specifically Santa Barbara’s rich surfing culture with short and feature films as well as a block party. This year’s fest showcases two short film series, a Grom Program, an Environmental Program, and two feature film world premieres, plus evening VIP parties with music. A screening of the recently-remastered 1980s classic Wave Warriors will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker, an artist, surfboard shaper and surf legend, who will offer insights into the making of this film. The festival is also presenting its Legendary Surfer Award to 92-yearold surfboard designer Renny Yater, one of the first commercial surfboard builders of the 1950s and best known for his noserider The Yater Spoon, which he designed and built in Santa Barbara in 1964. Yater also worked as a fisherman for 40 years and founded and served as the first president of the Santa Barbara Surf Club. The SBSFF Environmental Program features a panel and short films from Heal the Ocean, Surfrider Santa Barbara Chapter, and The Nature Conservancy –nonprofits who support the local ocean waters. The family-friendly SBSFF Block Party boasts live music, vendors, a fashion show, a wellness Zen Zone, a “Dunk the Surfer” dunk tank and more.

WHEN: Today & tomorrow

WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. COST: $14-$106

INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.com

Girl Boss, Isabella Biscarini is making waves and catching a full-body tan in her thoughtfully crafted swim wear collection. (Story on page 86.)

Photography by @carssun

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