Oil Phase-Out – Following last week’s momentous BOS vote, Supervisor Capps salutes ongoing efforts to formally move on from fossil fuels, P.10
Chumash Museum Opens – It’s been 20 years in the making … take a peek at the richly historical Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center, P.12 Call Center Complete – The new Regional Fire Communications Center is up and running… and just in time for fire season, P.14
Commercial Q1 Q’s
Hayes Commercial Group provides a telling glimpse of the first quarter commercial real estate numbers along the coast, page 16
Bienvenue Brochu
Understated luxury and warm tones… only the fifth Brochu Walker store in all the world is coming to The Post in Montecito, page 18
The merits of the non-virtual outdoors with Los Padres Council Scouting America, page 20
d nch au a on the ocean-view terrace
fine properties represented by
•Graduate of UCLA School of Law and former attorney (with training in Real Estate law, contracts, estate planning, and tax law)
•D edicated and highly trained full-time support staff
•An expert in the luxury home market
Remember, It Costs No More to Work with The Best (But It Can Cost You Plenty If You Don’t)
Visit: www.DanEncell.com for market information & to search the entire MLS
Two
Stunning Properties
815 Hot Springs Road
Nestled on an extremely private parcel in one of Montecito’s most coveted locations, this exceptional property offers the perfect balance of privacy, serenity, and breathtaking ocean/ island and mountain views. Set on a 2+ acre, gently sloping usable lot, this estate provides an expansive canvas for outdoor living, surrounded by magnificent trees and mature landscaping, while maintaining complete tranquility.
$16,500,000
109 Rametto Road
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. Featuring grand public areas, bedrooms, libraries, and offices. With 10 fireplaces and 14 baths, every facet of this residence exudes regal splendor.
$15,750,000
Dan Encell “The Real Estate Guy” Phone: (805) 565-4896
Local News – Supervisor Roy Lee’s office gives updates on the local actions being taken around the Montecito Hot Springs Trail
Beings and Doings – Graceful Aging is an art form, and I am its Picasso. Apparent evidence to the contrary is an illusion fueled by your envy.
Montecito Miscellany – SBCC Springs Forward, Ooley at MClub, Gil Shaham at the symphony, and more miscellany
Voices – Supervisor Capps
a historic win for the environment and the phasing out of oil
Our Town – Take a tour of the newly opened Chumash Museum and Cultural Center that has been 20 years in the making
Hot Topics – Hopefully you do not need to call 9-1-1, but if you do… the new Regional Fire Communications Center is ready for
Real Estate – With the first quarter a wrap, here’s the happenings on commercial real estate along the south coast
Jerrad Burford Senior
jerrad.burford@ morganstanleypwm com
The Burford Group at Morgan Stanley 1111 Coast Village Road |
Jeanine J. Burford Senior Vice President Financial Advisor
805-695-7109
jeanine.burford@ morganstanleypwm.com
18 In Business – It’s “Luxury to Live In” from women’s clothing brand Brochu Walker coming to The Post in its fifth ever location
20 The Giving List – Once again serving thousands of students each year, the Outdoor School is coming back from the devastating Whittier Fire – courtesy of the local scouts
22 Brilliant Thoughts – With all there is to be grateful for, these are Ashleigh’s “Bests” in his life
24 On Entertainment – An Evening with the incomparable Albert Brooks, Locals and Legends honors Crosby, the butterflies are back, and other happenings
26 Elizabeth’s Appraisals – Get out the Grey Poupon and prepare to journey through the elegant era of ‘50s kitsch lamps
30 Your Westmont – David Brooks returns for leadership conference, alumna restores the Betty Crocker estate, and baseball’s season ends
32 Foraging Thyme – The sun is out and so are these delectable roots – try smashing some sunchokes with thyme
33 Petite Wine Traveler – Jamie reflects on a successful Santa Barbara Culinary Experience and its grand event
34
Meeting at MA – Updates on the satellite Sheriff’s Office in Montecito, Hot Springs Trail, and efforts from Earthcomb and other organizations
36
Robert’s Big Questions – Without Due Process… isn’t it just kidnapping? When do we argue facts? And when do we argue laws?
37 An Independent Mind – There’s a battle of ideas going on in Washington… which ones are right? And which ones will win out?
42 News Bytes – RRL at Mate Gallery, Warner and McCune donate, HTO’s new Executive Director, and other tidbits Crime in the ‘Cito
44
Calendar of Events – The Hot Sardines on stage, puppets in the band shell, I Madonnari on the ground, and more happenings
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
Photography: Spenser Bruce
Local News
Supervisor Roy Lee’s Update on the Hot Springs Trail
by Joanne A Calitri
First District Supervisor Roy Lee has been working with the Hot Springs Trail (HST) Stakeholders Group to resolve the ongoing concerns from all sides of the issue since last year. The formal update on the progress of the resolutions was provided to the Montecito Journal via his Deputy Chief Aida Thau I reached out to Lee for his statement on the data points in his letter [printed below], which he provided:
“It’s one of my top priorities to listen to the needs of the community. I’ve heard from Montecito Fire and from residents that fire dangers on Hot Springs Trail are a huge concern. We’ve been working to prevent illegal use and fire danger on all of our front country trails. This is a pretty lengthy process, but we are coordinating closely with the hiking community, as well as multiple working groups being run by our office, to come up with solutions that make sense. Everything we are working on in the area will allow law enforcement to keep the trails safe while respecting our local hikers.” – Sup. Roy Lee
Lee’s May 13 Letter to the Montecito Stakeholders:
Dear Montecito Stakeholders,
In response to numerous inquiries regarding ongoing efforts to minimize fire risks at the Hot Springs Trail, our office has compiled the following update on recent activities and upcoming plans concerning fire safety, enforcement, and public education.
As we all know, effective solutions require collaboration, so our office is working closely with Montecito Fire Department, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, U.S. Forest Service, Montecito Water District, County Parks, County Public Works, Montecito Trails Foundation, Montecito Stewards, Santa Barbara Wildfire Protection Team, and Montecito neighbors on short-term and long-term solutions.
The Hot Springs Trail Fire Safety Taskforce and the Hot Springs Trail Public Education/Social Media Taskforce have guided these efforts during their monthly meetings. They have been instrumental in identifying necessary improvements and community outreach as we head into the summer season, aiming to improve fire safety conditions and facilitate responsible public use of the Hot Springs Trail. Many thanks to all those who have volunteered their time and work at these taskforce groups.
Recent Actions and Ongoing Improvements (as of May 1, 2025):
- Resolution for Red Flag Fire Warning Closures Pilot Program: County Public Works brought the approved pilot program resolution to the Board of Supervisors for adoption on May 6, 2025.
- Enhanced HST Closure Fencing: County Parks is upgrading the fencing around the Hot Springs Trail gate with higher, no-climb mesh to improve closures during Red Flag Warning days. They will also place A-Frames with improved signage to close the HST parking area during restricted times, a method that has proven effective in the past. ETA end of May 2025.
- Oversize Vehicle Restrictions: County Public Works will propose 24/7 parking restrictions on oversize vehicles (24 foot long or/and 7 feet tall) and corresponding towing enforcement on East Mountain Drive area. This item was proposed to the Board of Supervisors for consideration on May 13, 2025.
- Road Work Completion: The dike work and shoulder backing on East Mountain Drive (on properties that pushed back their landscaping) is scheduled for completion by County Public Works in mid-May 2025.
- Road Markings: County Public Works will repaint white lines in the area to improve safety and clarify parking zones. The work on Riven Rock is contingent on a Caltrans permit. ETA June 2-20, 2025.
Local News Page 314
Marcy Bazzani & Stephanie Ornani
Local | Dedication | Expertise | Luxury | Fiduciary
Beings and Doings Aging with the Sleek Ferocity of a Jungle Cat
by Jeff Wing
IIn a competitive market call on Ani Estate Group to help you "win" out the competition!
Renee Grubb, Village Properties Owner, Named VNAHealth Honored Mother 2025
We are so proud of you Renee!
occupy a very particular demographic; balding older men who don’t know how awful they look in skinny jeans. We are many. It’s nearly an epidemic. A teary woman in the Vons’ parking lot shakily pointed her finger at me and used the word “plague,” which I thought was going a bit far. And for the record, I’m not truly oblivious. I have occasional fleeting doubts about the way I look in these skinny jeans.
I swat these misgivings away like the meaningless little gnats they are I have a righteous derriere and I’m working these jeans, baby! Zig-zag-zig! (snaps his fingers in that triumphant Z shape he saw on TV once). As you can see, I am firmly ensconced is this self-deluding demographic.
We Aren’t Hard to Spot
We aren’t hard to spot. We look like 17-year-olds who, in act two of a heart-squeezing two-billion-dollar Steven Spielberg parable, miraculously age 40 years in a seamless CGI moment, enlarging and sagging and swelling distastefully into youthful attire that is suddenly age-inappropriate and disturbing. Woo hoo!
You’ve seen us walking casually about the downtown area, animatedly gabbing and gesturing, parting the pedestrian traffic as surely as would a mob of lipless zombies staggering up the main drag with their arms extended. People stare. Take a picture, baby!
Strutting around in our ill-fitting get-ups, we stir in the previously happy-go-lucky crowds an indefinable dread. Some lovely weekend morning on Coast Village Road you may be quietly reveling at a sidewalk café, sipping your expertly prepared cappuccino in full sun, that first dose of caffeine infusing your bloodstream with warmth and gladness – life is marvelous! Not so fast. Here I come in my skinny jeans. Tremblingly put that cup of coffee down, relax your smile and take a brow-furrowing hour to review your own life in the sudden shadow cast by my skinny jeans. You’re welcome, and happy Saturday!
We Skinny Jeans Swingers
We skinny jeans swingers are not only about finger-snapping to Petula Clark and slowly lurching into the middle of the room to do that awful ballroom dance swirl whenever any music of any kind plays anywhere. Growing older does make one ruminative, which is an olden-times word for “looking at my iPhone.”
Many are the occasions I’ve been comfortably seated in public transportation, the other passengers sneaking
City College’s sixth annual Spring Forward foundation gala was in style… Bond Style… at the sprawling campus’ Great Meadow, where 280 guests raised more than $500,000.
The monies go to a number of programs, including school scholarships, book grants, and emergency funds, plus moves to four-year universities.
An Aston Martin DB5 was the star of the show with black tie guests including Greg Gorga, Frank Tabar, Das
Jonathan
Gutierrez , Monique Limón , president-elect Paul Menzel, and CEO
, dancing the night away to DJ Darla Bea Quite the night...
City Surveying
Award-winning architect Robert Ooley has just completed a detailed guide to our Eden by the Beach.
“It has 538 locations covering 35 styles and has taken me two years to put together, including detailed research,” he told 45 guests of the Montecito Bank and Trust’s MClub at a lunch at the historic Santa Barbara Club.
The guide is scheduled to thunder off
Bobbi Abram
Williams,
Abboud, Oscar
Miscellany Page 394
Bobbi Abram, Rachel Kaganoff, and Jonathan Abboud (photo by Anthony Zell)
Mara Abboud, Marilyn-Zellet, and Maria McCall with Rodney Baker and Robert Ooley (photo by Priscilla)
Raising a paddle to support the cause (photo by Anthony Zell)
Greg Gorga, Rachel Johnson, and David Moorman (photo by Anthony Zell)
Presenting one of the BIGGEST & BRIGHTEST homes in Montecito Shores! Designed by acclaimed architects Wade Davis Designs, this single-level residence offers 2,364 sq. ft. of ocean-view living. Remodeled throughout, with elevator access, high ceilings, spacious living room with fireplace, well-equipped kitchen, dining area, two bedrooms, plus a versatile third room perfect for an office, library, or guest suite. Additionally, there are two and a half baths and a dedicated laundry room.
Situated in the highly sought-after guard-gated Montecito Shores community, residents enjoy exclusive beach access as well as private pool, spa, tennis court, and oceanfront lounge area. Just moments from Butterfly Beach, the Rosewood Miramar, and Coast Village Road, this sophisticated coastal sanctuary offers the ideal blend of luxury, in an unbeatable location, with framed ocean views!
Community Voices
History in Action: Phasing Out Oil in
Santa Barbara County
by Supervisor Laura Capps
This week, Santa Barbara chose courage over complacency. Our county Supervisors took a bold leap forward, fueled by the support of a majority of county residents, to ban new oil and drilling operations in Santa Barbara County and initiate a plan to phase out existing oil operations. This vote wasn’t just a policy move; it was an act grounded in science, fiscal responsibility, and moral clarity.
For decades, our community has paid the steep price of fossil fuel dependence. In fact, according to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), Santa Barbara County ranks #1 in California and #2 nationally for wildfire risk with a very high-risk index score of 99.52. Home insurance rates are skyrocketing and increasingly hard to obtain.
In just the past five years, oil companies extracted $512 million in profits from Santa Barbara County. Meanwhile, our community has borne billions in climate-related costs and tragedies. This imbalance is neither sustainable nor just.
As we know too well, the Thomas Fire and subsequent Montecito debris flow caused more than $2.2 billion in damages and claimed 23 lives. The 2015 Refugio Oil Spill cost more than $330 million, not including the lasting harm to our coast and economy. Most recently, the storms of 2023 inflicted over $150 million in public infrastructure damages. These are not isolated events. They are the consequence of a climate crisis we help perpetuate when we continue to invest in fossil fuels.
A groundbreaking report authored by Olivia Quinn, Eleanor Thomas, Carrie Fernandes, Dr. Leah Stokes, and Dr. Paasha Mahdavi from UC Santa Barbara drives home the urgency. The report estimates that phasing out oil and gas operations could save roughly $100 million in mortality-related and climate damages over the next two decades. A bold transition plan isn’t just environmentally responsible – it’s a wise investment in our health, economy, and resilience.
Public health: A strong phaseout policy could save our region $54 to $81 million in mortality-related costs. Behind those figures are real people –lives saved, hospitalizations avoided, families kept whole.
Economic responsibility: Critics argue that oil is economically vital. But the data tells a different story: oil and gas contribute just 0.2% to the County’s budget and employ only 0.0023% of our workforce. That’s not economic strength – it’s an outdated perception.
Climate protection: The climate crisis is no longer theoretical. We see it in rising seas, record heat, and increasingly destructive storms. According to the report, a swift phaseout could save $21.8 million in climate-related damages alone – resources that could be redirected into clean energy, green jobs, and community resilience.
This vote to ban new oil projects and start a phaseout process wasn’t just a policy decision – it was a reckoning with the real costs of inaction and a bold vision for a cleaner, safer, and more equitable future. The science is clear. The economics are clear. The moral imperative is clear. The climate crisis demands courage, and this decision shows what’s possible when we lead with vision and resolve. As my colleague and partner on this work, Supervisor Joan Hartmann , said, “morally, as a human being,” she needed to act.
None of this progress would have been possible without the tireless advocacy of environmental organizations like the Community Environmental Council, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Center, CFROG, SBCAN, and so many more who have fought for decades to protect our coastline, our health, and our future. Their leadership, alongside the voices of thousands of residents and the Board majority, made history this week.
Montecito Tide Guide
The Montecito Journal thrives on community input…
Have thoughts on a local issue? Comments on one of our articles?
Account Managers | Sue Brooks, Tanis Nelson, Elizabeth Scott, Jessica Sutherland, Joe DeMello
Contributing Editor | Kelly Mahan Herrick
Proofreading | Helen Buckley
Arts and Entertainment | Steven Libowitz
Contributors | Scott Craig, Ashleigh Brilliant, Chuck Graham, Mark Ashton Hunt, Dalina Michaels, Robert Bernstein, Christina Atchison, Leslie Zemeckis, Sigrid Toye, Elizabeth Stewart, Beatrice Tolan, Leana Orsua, Jeffrey Harding, Tiana Molony, Houghton Hyatt, Jeff Wing Gossip | Richard Mineards History | Hattie Beresford
Humor | Ernie Witham Our Town/Society | Joanne A Calitri Health/Wellness | Ann Brode, Deann Zampelli Travel | Jerry Dunn, Leslie Westbrook Food & Wine | Melissa Petitto, Gabe Saglie, Jamie Knee
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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
Laura proudly standing with UCSB students protesting oil catastrophes (courtesy photo)
Laura Capps, Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, Second District, Chair
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Our Town Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center Is Now Open!
by Joanne A Calitri
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ (SYBCI) Chumash Museum and Cultural Center is now open to the public! Twenty years in the making, it is “A Legacy of Culture, Innovation, and Resilience.”
I attended the official grand opening held on May 15, where I met with the SYBCI Museum Board Chairwoman and Tribal Member Kathleen Marshall, Museum Director James Bier, and PR Media Manager Sean Larsen. They graciously spent an hour touring the museum with me in detail.
structed tule ‘Ap – a traditional Chumash enclosure – with a 30’4” dome. Its double doors weigh 300 to 500 pounds. The rotunda-shaped interior has framed art of Chumash dancers, projected gold birds flying above the art and tribal nature sounds. On the floor is the Medicine Wheel with the Four Directions, seasons and elements, and a sunken fire pit under glass. Here we are transformed to a peaceful state. The hallway leading to the Permanent Collection features artwork replicating Chumash pictographs found in caves and on rock formations. On entering the Permanent Collection, visitors are greeted with a blessing. The galleries depict the Chumash belief in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Worlds. Throughout are interactive displays and learning areas. For the Middle World, there are five SYBCI tribes chosen to be exhibited. Tribal lands and settlements became submerged under Chumash Lake when Bradbury dam was built in 1953. Another section is devoted to modern day culture.
Dear Friends of the Montecito Library & community members,
In accordance with the Friends of the Montecito Library bylaws, we are conducting the election of members to the Board of Directors by email. Two existing directors are up for re-election for staggered terms.
Attend our Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 29th at 4 pm at the Montecito Library where Brandon Beaudette, Acting Director of Santa Barbara Library will be speaking.
For more information, please visit our website by scanning the QR code or inputting the link below in your web browser.
montecitolibraryfriends.org
Address: 1469 E. Valley Road
Along the sidewalk to the entrance, there is a continual mural titled, TIMELESS PAST. It is constructed of stone, commemorative tiles, and carvings of animals inlaid in pebble substrate. Bier explained, “It is a symbolic procession of culture, technology, ingenuity, craftsmanship, skill and accomplishments in the midst of regional natural history to help visitors understand the time depth of Chumash people in the area, and provide context for the stories in the museum. The timeline will meander along the entrance procession from the parking lot to the front door of the Welcome House, inviting visitors to join the Journey and discover elements along the way. The substrate of pebbles symbolically represents the Santa Ynez River – the life-giving force in the valley which sustained Chumash people since time immemorial.” At the museum entrance, visitors are greeted by a striking sculpture “Keeping our Culture Alive,”, by artist George Rivera.
The Welcome House is a large con-
There is a full spectrum display of handmade baskets. These public displays are rotated on a continuous basis for their preservation. The flagship is the Presentation Basket made by Maria Sebastiana Suatimehue at Mission San Buenaventura in the early 1800s. Only seven such baskets, created by Maria Sebastiana Suatimehue, Juana Basilia Sitmelelene, and Maria Marta Zaputimeu, exist in the world, and are otherwise found in private collections and international museums. The Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center museum is acquiring a second such rare basket.
Our Town Page 364
In the Chumash Museum entrance are Museum Director James Bier and SYBCI Museum Board Chairwoman and Tribal Member Kathleen Marshall (photo by Joanne A Calitri)
Hot Topics Dispatch Services for Montecito & Carpinteria-Summerland
by Christina Atchison
If you have called 9-1-1 while in Montecito, Carpinteria or Summerland over the last 48 years, you would have been linked to a small but mighty dispatch center located within Montecito Fire Station 91 on San Ysidro Road.
The South Coast Dispatch Center provided full-time dispatch services for Montecito Fire Department starting in the fall of 1977.
Prior to that, dispatching for Montecito Fire was handled through the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center. When calls came in, sheriff’s dispatchers would phone our fire stations, and it was our own firefighters who would then dispatch and respond. This process, while functional, led to concerns about delays and inefficiencies.
Recognizing the need for a more dedicated system, the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors approved the hiring of three full-time dispatchers in April 1977. The following November, Diane Lind, Doris Peterson, and Barbara Berger became the first official dispatchers for the district. It was a historic step forward for Montecito Fire.
South Coast Dispatch was staffed by three full-time dispatchers, one assigned to each of our three shift battalions. Additionally, a dozen Montecito firefighters served as part of the Dispatch Cadre, adding depth and resilience to South Coast’s operations as essential back-up dispatchers.
Now, nearly a half century after South Coast became a fully staffed dispatch center, it is once again time to improve our services to match the growing, complex needs of the local community.
In 2021, the fire chiefs from across the Santa Barbara County area moved forward with the concept of building and staffing a Regional Fire Communications Center to improve response times, optimize resources, and enhance service for all residents.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the development of the Regional Fire Communications Center.
That small but mighty South Coast Dispatch Center is now out of service following the successful transition to the Regional Fire Communications Center on May 13, 2025.
“While bittersweet, we are proud of this step forward, aligned with our department’s mission to be a progressive organization that provides professional and timely response to our community’s needs,” said Montecito Fire Chief David Neels. “At the same time, we pause to reflect on the legacy of South Coast Dispatch and the incredible people who made it what it was.”
Should you need to dial 9-1-1, your call will now be taken by a robust team of dispatchers at the Regional Fire Communications Center who have enhanced capabilities to assign the closest available resources. This will lead to shorter response times and better outcomes when seconds absolutely matter.
Over the center’s nearly 48 years of operations, 31 individuals served as South Coast dispatchers.
South Coast Dispatch answered and coordinated approximately 4,000 calls per year for both Montecito and Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection Districts.
Calls to Montecito Fire Department’s non-emergency line, (805) 969-7762, are now answered by administrative staff during regular business hours. After hours, callers may leave a voicemail, or connect with an answering attendant if immediate attention is needed. In an emergency, please dial 9-1-1.
The Regional Fire Communications Center team is ready (courtesy photo)
Real Estate
What’s New in South Coast Commercial
Real Estate?
by Hayes Commercial Group
Many features that make the Santa Barbara area a great place to live – the alluring coastline, mountainous backdrop, excellent colleges, and smalltown scale – also contribute to its relatively stable commercial real estate market, providing steady tourism, a well-educated employee base, and constraints on new development. However, our relatively secluded enclave is not immune to broader economic trends, including online shopping, higher interest rates, and many employees favoring hybrid work. Here are some highlights from our new quarterly report, available in full at HayesCommercial.com.
Commercial Real Estate Sales Cooled by Investor Caution
Following a strong finish in 2024, commercial sales activity was sluggish in Q1, continuing the overall trend of the past two years. There were only 11 transactions along the South Coast totaling $30 million, the lowest Q1 total since 2009.
Investor hesitancy prevailed amid high interest rates and inflexible seller pricing, with only two investment sales completed during Q1. One highlight was a $1,300 per square foot retail/office acquisition on Anacapa Street in Santa Barbara, showcasing that buyers are still willing to pay a premium for prime, well-located assets.
There were other silver linings as well. The owner-user segment showed strength with nine sales, slightly above the historical average. The most notable was a $4.6 million purchase of a 7,400 square foot office building on Calle Laureles in Santa Barbara. Off-market deals dominated, accounting for nine of the 11 sales – signaling
quiet but confident buyer activity despite the wider slowdown. Inventory of property for sale grew 31% during Q1, due both to below-average transaction volume and the preponderance of off-market sales. The current inventory of 68 properties for sale is the most since the end of 2022.
Demand appears more discerning and frugal, reflecting economic uncertainty and financing constraints. Investors – while less evident this past quarter – are still alert to opportunities, especially well-located properties or value-add projects with substantial upside. Demand from owner-users is also shaping the market, as they have found more properties available to choose from while investors maintain a more cautious stance.
While broader shifts in retail have proved challenging for the South Coast’s shopping malls, the steady supply of local businesses, reflecting Santa Barbara’s
This architecturally refreshing building at 29 W Calle Laureles was purchased by an owner-user in Q1 for $4.6 million (photo by Ciro Coelho)
SAVE HEAD START
Head Start is about to be eliminated nationally. For our county that means:
• 572 of our vulnerable preschoolers will no longer have quality childcare, early education, nutrition, and health screenings
• Without affordable childcare their parents may not be able to work, impacting our local economy
• 200 Head Start teachers and staff may lose their jobs
Head Start graduates are 31% less likely to engage in crime, are healthier, and are more likely to finish high school and college. Educating our children keeps Santa Barbara County competitive. Act now. Help save Head Start.
In Business Brochu Walker Comes to The Post
by Tiana Molony
Known for its commitment to quality over quantity, it’s no surprise that women’s luxury clothing brand Brochu Walker should take the same thoughtful approach to its retail presence. With just four locations – Carmel-by-the-Sea, California; Westport, Connecticut; Southampton, New York; and Atlanta, Georgia – the brand’s minimalist footprint is entirely by design.
When approached with the opportunity to open a fifth location right here in Montecito at The Post, Brochu Walker Owner and Creative Director Karine Dubner knew it was meant to be. “I always wanted to open a store [in Montecito],” she shares. “So I’m really excited.” Having visited Montecito many times, Dubner was familiar with the community and felt a special affinity for it.
Dubner and the Brochu Walker team approach each store opening intentionally, choosing locations in small communities where the brand can cultivate a sense of place and connect with local customers. “I keep calling it responsible growth,” Dubner reflects, “but it’s also to make sure that it’s the right place for us.” Opening a store at The Post was a no-brainer. The location perfectly aligned with Brochu Walker’s strategy of opening in niche, thoughtfully selected communities where they can foster meaningful relationships with the clientele.
To understand Brochu Walker is to understand the sensibility of its founder. Dubner has been in the fashion industry for a long time. She studied at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, and entered her first fashion job at BCBG MAX AZRIA before acquiring Brochu Walker in 2013.
As a mother who has always valued practical luxury clothing, she’s grown a brand whose “Luxury to Live In” philosophy celebrates the high-quality clothes you can wear daily. “I still have pieces that I bought 30 years ago [that] I still wear,” Dubner muses, “so I think that is important for me, an element of luxury.” She approaches fashion as a form of personal expression and growth, rather than being limited by background or origin. “Style is not where you come from,” she says, “but who you become.”
At Montecito’s The Post, Brochu Walker’s quality philosophy for its clothing extends to its stores. Each is unique, and Montecito is no exception. “And it’s true,” she says, “every store is unique outside, inside, and also with a product offering.” Each location is designed not just to sell clothes but to reflect the spirit of the place it calls home.
Brochu Walker at The Post will have a soft opening at the end of June and a full opening in July. Their upcoming Montecito location is just 700 square feet, but it fully captures the brand’s essence. The light-filled space features a Dutch door, warm wood tones, textured fabrics, a custom fabric chandelier, and potted olive trees – proof that even small spaces can make a big statement. The result is a space that feels elevated and inviting, true to the brand’s ethos.
Tiana Molony is a journalist who writes for the Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC. She has also written for Backpacker Magazine, Mountain Gazette, and the Santa Barbara Independent.
A rendering of the new Brochu Walker interior (courtesy photo)
HONOR OUR VETERANS WITH A TIMELESS DEDICATION
This Memorial Day, dedicate a stone
in the Dream Plaza to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans.
Your engraved stone will not only be a symbol of your generosity but will also help Dream Foundation bring the Dreams of terminally-ill veterans to life.
Every stone purchased is eligible for a tax-deductible contribution.
DEDICATE A STONE AT OUR DREAM PLAZA AT HOTEL CALIFORNIAN AND GIVE LIFE TO FINAL DREAMS. Please contact Dream Foundation by phone at 805-539-2208, email plaza@dreamfoundation.org or visit dreamfoundation.org/plaza.
The Dream Plaza at Hotel Californian.
U.S. Air Force and Vietnam veteran John dreamed of paying his respects to those who did not come home at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
David Chapman’s service was commemorated at intimate pinning ceremonies at the Vietnam Memorial Wall.
The Giving List
Los Padres Council Scouting America
by Steven Libowitz
The clichéd image of a random Boy Scout helping grandma across the street to earn points toward a merit badge is a thing of the past with the reinvigorated launch of Scouting America – a new identity that reflects the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and welcoming all youth, including girls, into its programs.
“We’re all inclusive and safety is now our top priority,” said Carlos Cortez , CEO and Scout Executive of the Los Padres Council (LPC), the regional nonprofit that operates Scouting America in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. “We’ve opened our doors and our arms to welcome everyone and are making a full effort to make sure that every youth and every family feels included in everything we’re trying to do.”
What hasn’t changed is the Scouting commitment to service and personal development for the young members of our community, instilling a moral code, and giving kids at an early age the
resources that will allow them to excel.
“The value base still very much resonates,” Cortez said. “We matter because we’re giving young people ages 5-18 all the tools and support necessary for them to become leaders of our community and our country with the good moral values to make ethical decisions; to believe in something that’s greater than themselves, to make sure that they engage in giving back.”
Of course scouts helping out around the neighborhood and community is just the beginning.
“We’re so much more than that now,” Cortez said. “It’s about being proactive and learning new skills – both life skills and educational career skills – to give access to the tools needed to make the right decisions that’s right for them in terms of self-growth and becoming a leader. At the end of the day, we just want every kid to become the best version of themselves.”
To that end, LPC offers a number of programs for children of all ages, one of the biggest being its Outdoor School. Located at Rancho Alegre on the San Marcos Pass, the Outdoor School offers
fifth and sixth graders an experience of nature, a reprieve from electronics and their normal activities, and a connection to the environment, themselves and each other. The four-day, three-night program guides students in extending their curriculum from textbooks to the enriching outdoor classroom.
The current academic year saw the first cohort of sixth grade attendees since 2017, when the Whittier Fire tore through the 350-acre site, destroying everything in its path.
“It’s a service to local school districts to fulfill the state mandate of having environmental education for every kid in the school district,” Cortez explained. “We just finished the phase one rebuild of the camp and are able to service up to about 2,000 to 2,500 kids per year. It’s so exciting to have them back again. We had 1,300 sixth graders in the spring, and we expect another 800 to come in the fall.”
Published on February 11, 2025. Rankings based on data as of September 30, 2024.
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Scouting America is committed to inclusivity and welcoming all youth, including girls, into its programs (courtesy photo)
Juan Crespi Lane, Santa Barbara
Listed By Ewy Axelsson
Las Palmas Drive, Santa Barbara
Listed By Mandy Gocong and James Sanchez
Brilliant Thoughts
Gratefulness
by Ashleigh Brilliant
In this country, we have a big annual festival, originally a religious observance, dedicated to giving Thanks. The occasion is mostly to do with thanking whatever gods may be – for our lives, and for all the good things they may contain.
But why? Wouldn’t we be equally justified in cursing, or at least objecting to, all the things that give us trouble, pain, worry, and misery? What god do we thank for those?
Not long ago, something motivated me to make a list, under various categories, of the best things there are – or for the most part have been – in my own life. For some reason, it started with “Best Teacher.” I had two, and they were both at Hendon County School in London. One was Mr. Betts, who made me really interested in recent History and Current Events. This was at the time of the Korean War, in which General MacArthur wanted to pursue then-retreating Chinese troops across the border into China. I remember Mr. Betts saying he wouldn’t be surprised if President Truman fired the General over that. And he was right! Sure enough, just a day or two later, MacArthur was dismissed from his post and recalled to Washington – where he made a dramatic speech to Congress, in which he quoted the barracks song which says, “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.” The other teacher was Mr. Morris, who taught Math, a subject I really disliked – but I still did so well at it that I was transferred to another, more advanced class.
But there, the teacher’s methods were so different that I could hardly understand him, and, at my request, I went back to Mr. Morris. What made the difference? Morris knew how to explain things.
Next on my list was “Best Friend.” This was Brian Richmond. We were in the same class at school and got along so well together that we were permitted to take two months off from school, fly to America, and hitchhike both ways across this whole country.
My “Best Pet” was a dog I named Happy because that was how we felt about each other.
My “Best Girlfriend” was Barbara Jean Smith, who was also the only one I was ever really in love with. We were together for four years, including an extended trip to the USSR. We
finally parted because I didn’t want to get married and she’d found someone who did. What I consider my “Best Journey” was with Dorothy from San Francisco, overland across South America, then across the South Atlantic to Cape Town, South Africa. Then came “Best Piece of Luck,” whereby, in a raffle, I won a Rex-Rotary Printer, which enabled me to go into business, printing and selling my own postcards.
For “Best Doctor,” there were two, both in Santa Barbara: Jerry Marmorstein and Michael Fisher.
“Best Dentist” was Mark Allen, also in Santa Barbara, who always made my own experience of ‘Going to The Dentist’ less of an ordeal.
Best Device – The iPhone. No doubt they’ve been much improved, but I’m still happy using one several years old.
Best Cat – Gaga, whom I loved so much I dedicated one of my books to his memory.
Best Employee – Peggy Sue, who managed my business for over 30 years. Since I’m still running that business, I’m surrounded by pleasant reminders of her.
Best Home – A cottage I rented in Bend, Oregon when teaching at the college there. The only heating was from a wood-burning stove. But the pipes froze and burst, while I was away over Christmas. I returned to find the place flooded, and sadly, had to move out.
Best Job (and Best Boss) – Teaching, as Associate Professor of History, on two round-the-world voyages with the “Floating University” of Chapman College, under a gifted administrator named Netter Worthington.
Best Celebration – In San Francisco, when friends gathered and held a party for me after I became a U.S. Citizen in 1969.
Best Close Relative – My Uncle Marsh Adler, who sponsored my immigration to the U.S. in 1955.
Best Form of Travel – Hitchhiking. Though many people still frown upon it, in all my hundreds of rides, I never had a single bad experience but made some good friends.
Best Garment – A brown corduroy jacket which was stylish enough to be considered “dressy,” but sufficiently durable to be worn on excursions in the hills.
Best Cookies – Tim-Tams… three layers of chocolate. Since discovering them in Australia, I find them here at Trader Joe’s (just called “Aussie-Style Chocolate Cookies”).
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.
Paul Prudhomme
On Entertainment
This Brooks Ain’t Babblin’
by Steven Libowitz
Alot has changed in the world since Albert Brooks launched his career more than half a century ago as a comedian. A career that more or less revolutionized comedy with his appearances on just about every TV talk and variety show on the air led to landing key roles as an actor and making his own movies as writer-director-star. For instance, the premise of James L. Brooks’ (no relation) Oscar-decorated 1987 film Broadcast News – in which Albert Brooks starred as a highly intelligent reporter who sees his best friend-producer fall in love with the callow news anchor – is the faking of a cutaway during a victim interview. That sort of deception would be quaint at best by today’s standards.
“That was written to be a big deal then, but we don’t even live in that universe now,” Brooks said. “A big deal today would probably be a murder.”
What hasn’t changed is Brooks’ approach to his art, an original voice whose perspective on life in America is peerless for its incisiveness peppered with smart concepts and draped in subtle slices of humor drawn from the absurdities of coping as a human being. The Atlantic recently said Brooks has been “consistently ahead of the cultural zeitgeist for so many decades,” while the New York Times praised the first four of the films he wrote and directed between 1979 and 2005 – Real Life, Modern Romance, Lost in America and Defending Your Life – among the finest American comedies ever made.
Brooks’ life and career was featured in the 2023 HBO documentary Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, directed by his longtime friend Rob Reiner. (When I told him I hadn’t seen it, Brooks suggested I sign up for a free trial, watch the documentary and cancel. “But I think you might have to buy a Lincoln.”)
Brooks, 77, will appear at the Lobero Theatre on May 29 in a conversation with fellow comedian Kevin Pollak, who hosted an interview podcast for a decade.
Back by Popular Demand Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello
Thu, May 29 / 7 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall
“Immensely engaging players: a star duo is born.”
The Independent (U.K.)
Program
Mendelssohn: Cello Sonata No. 1
Fauré: Cello Sonata No. 1
Natalie Klouda: Tor Mordôn
Poulenc: Cello Sonata
Q. In the early days, you would literally test out new material on national TV without trying it out on anyone anywhere. I just rewatched the ones on your website and they’re still outrageously funny and quirky. What gave you the confidence, or nerve, to do that?
A. There were no comedy clubs in the late ‘60s that you could just run to, so it wasn’t even available if I wanted to do it. But I didn’t. I grew to trust that if I made myself laugh, others would probably find it funny too. I didn’t want other opinions because I was trying to do something that was in my head without editing it. That became the fun part. Every show I worked for, they were thrilled with that. Johnny Carson loved that I didn’t rehearse for him because he wanted to be surprised.
Not everything went over well with the audiences, though. Did you think, “they’ll come around” or “I don’t care if they do?”
First, I thank God every day that I started a career before social media because I didn’t have to know what you thought. It’s important when you’re starting out to shut out the noise. The only people I had to please were the ones that ran the shows. Back then, an individual could say, “Goddamnit, that guy’s funny. Just put him on.” They were fans, and the magic was that you could do crazy stuff, and it would be fine. You didn’t need a committee or the cloud to say OK. Now, to get on Netflix, their algorithm has to approve.
The one and only Albert Brooks (courtesy photo)
Elizabeth’s Appraisals Fifties Kitsch & Beyond
by Elizabeth Stewart
hat single object personified KITSCH in a mid-century living room in the 1950s? Of course!
Table lamps that made us roll our eyes –non-politically correct figural lamps that made us cringe. This article discusses those cringeworthy mid-century table lamps that skate on the edge of tastelessness out to the borderland of the unimaginable.
Some of the great designers of the late 1940s and early 1950s dabbled in lighting but left the field to lesser geniuses, those market savvy creators that could sell lamps to middle class homeowners, a bunch
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of “sitting ducks” because they had not bought much during the clench of the War years. Lamp creators were free to be non-serious middle-to-lowbrow designers, and they ran with themes, materials, and design elements that were NOVEL. In fact, novelty was the point. Here are a few types of “innovative” (a nice way to put it) mid-20th century lamps that you have seen if you are over 50: the hanging chandelier that has clear plastic thread from which tiny rivulets of oil drip, mimicking rain, or the gaudy painted ceramic mallard duck on the wing which has a lightbulb inside his body (wall mounted, of course), or the Revolutionary War Minuteman whose rifle supports a shade which is shaped like a regimental drum, or the girl’s bedroom lamp with the automated spinning ballerina in a bottle for the base. All eye rollers.
I have laid eyes on un-PC pairs of lamps (a pair was de rigueur as proportion was required) with figural themes such as a pair of Chinese male and female laborers; a matador proudly displaying a fantastic male physique and an anatomically correct bull; a pair of angularly exaggerated Balinese dancers, elbows akimbo, male and female; and sadly, a cowboy and a Native American, as well as a pair of exotic brown snake charmers, male and female, cross-legged, their baskets containing a snake.
A client sent me photos of a pair of lamps that skate close to the edge of being head shakers. Due to the fact that they avoid the aesthetic misstep of running the threaded electrical tube though the figure and up into the neck of a nude female torso, I give these lamps a green light and call them semi-artistic. Many such Grecian-style nude figural lamps have the pole exiting the neck which negates any pleasing sculptural beauty. You would expect such a lamp to be an anomaly. As I said, novelty was the marketing tool. Classical Greece and Rome were in fact popular as design motifs in the 1940s and early 1950s.
The pair of lamps pictured are highly glazed white ceramic on black mock-columnar bases. The color scheme is emblematic of the change in the late 1940s American middle-class design from the Deco (black and white) to the Modern pastel colors. The shape is undulant, slightly biomorphic, and surreal. The shape and the nod to implied highbrow Grecian art –a nude Classical torso – leads me to suspect the designer to be Yasha Heifetz. When I first saw his name I thought – boy, and he played a mean violin as well, but this is Yasha and the violinist is Jascha.
Particular lamps designed by the non-musical Yasha Heifetz are coveted today, as Yasha created figural shapes in wood for lamp bases from his woodwork-
Lampe Nue
ing studio in Connecticut. His showroom was in Manhattan. The doors opened in 1938 for approximately 25 years, during which time he created 4,000 unique designs, including lamps, furniture, and small decorative art. His career got off to a legitimately highbrow designer’s start because he won the Museum of Modern Art’s Award for lighting design (19501951) with ten of his table lamps, created in wood, bronze, ceramic, and hammered brass. Then he had to make money and sell, so novelty became the guiding light. His plastic ceiling lamps are also coveted and pricey. He used spun acetate for hanging fixtures in spaceship and flying saucer forms, two toned – a style he called Rotoflex. This design aesthetic was similar (if not wholly a snatch-and-grab) to those of the highly respected British design team of Sylvia and John Reid – architects, furniture designers, and design consultants whose spun acetate hanging fixtures are called Rotaflex, and are in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Heifetz’ vintage spaceship style chandeliers can sell for upwards of $8,000 as they are sleek, geometric, and NOT kitschy. Pairs of his borderline kitsch table lamps don’t sell for much, but his biomorphic or cubist nudes sell for $1,500 or under.
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
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Was that the same idea for your movies?
In terms of following my gut, sure. But it takes years to make a movie, so I knew I better love the idea because I was going to have to live with it. What got me excited about Lost in America was a guy makes a life-changing decision and in two weeks realizes he made a mistake. That’s still funny to me. With Mother, I still haven’t seen a simple story of a 40-year-old guy moving back home, not for financial reasons, but for emotional reasons. Those are basic premises that I get excited about.
Your movies seem to be about you and something going on in your own life. I think that’s what it’s supposed to be. You can do three guys going to Vegas and just make things up, but I wanted to come from a place that I knew and thought about in my life. Modern Romance is an example because when I was in my twenties, I was a person who would drive around someone’s house, and I knew that behavior was crazy. I thought the best way to deal with it was to present it.
Did it feel vulnerable to bare your own insecurities and questions?
That never bothered me. There are lots of ways you can expose yourself. I don’t live my life at a Hollywood party or to be photographed all day long at a big football game. That’s a breach of privacy. But exploring my human vulnerabilities felt almost necessary. It was a confirmation that I can’t be the only one who thinks how I do. If you’re just acting out human behavior in a relationship or trying to make money, or what you think about death, I want to show what’s inside. Because to me, it doesn’t feel vulnerable. It feels cathartic.
Which was my next question: Is this how you work things out? Do you learn from your comedy?
Not consciously. I never thought I’d be better when I finished a movie. But have always believed in digging into the stuff inside when you’re writing. There are big movie comedies that have no attachment to human emotion, and they’re funny, but it’s not me. I want to present what’s real. There’s immense satisfaction from the writing and other people understanding and enjoying it. But it’s not curative.
This is only the second time you’re doing the “Evening With” event, a conversation with Kevin Pollak serving as host. What’s the format?
I told him with the San Francisco shows, just ask me anything. Same thing here. It’s like when I was on Carson. Johnny would make a comment like “Didn’t you wear that shirt last time?” And 15 minutes would just go by. I have no idea what’s going to happen, but I think it’ll be funny.
The Crosby Connection
There have been two tribute concerts for David Crosby in the 28 months since the legendary singer-songwriter passed away at his Santa Ynez home in 2023. But Locals and Legends: Celebrating the Music of David Crosby, slated for May 24 at the Granada Theatre, offers two significant additions. The show is co-presented by Santa Barbara Records, the small independent label founded in 2021 to develop and curate Central Coast singer-songwriters, and features many of their artists – as well as Crosby’s son James Raymond and Steve Postell, Crosby’s last music director and guitarist. They’ll perform songs from the label’s forthcoming compilation CaliAmericana, Vol. II, which pairs five Crosby covers with new original songs. The all-star band – put together by SB Records’ cofounder and Josh Groban’s longtime music director Tariqh Akoni – will also play many other Crosby favorites and deep cuts.
More importantly, the concert also features the Santa Barbara Symphony in the first non-Doublewide Kings rock show at the theater.
“When a symphony is used correctly it adds a lot of depth, height and width to any music,” Akoni said. “It can be an amazing experience.”
Akoni called on four of his colleagues in Nashville and elsewhere – including orchestrators who have worked with John Williams and Hans Zimmer – to arrange the orchestral scores, which will draw on the ensemble’s flexibility and range.
“One song will use just a string quartet and a woodwind ensemble, but others have the whole ensemble in a big way,” he said. “They go from ways of countering melodies and shading notes to amplifying the rhythms or gritty sound of a song.”
To support Kathleen Sieck’s take on “Lee Shore,” the orchestrator employed advanced techniques to set the scene by the ocean, Akoni said.
“He’s got the contrabass rubbing the belly of the bass, and uses the percussion and the woodwinds to emulate the sound of crashing waves”
BY Lauren Gunderson DIRECTED BY Jenny Sullivan
Tariqh Akoni has helped put together an unforgettable tribute to Crosby (courtesy photo)
“Beyond the Blue,” an original from father and son Chris and John Beland, employs heavy strings to amplify the “old school Nashville country song sound,” Akoni said.
“That’s the beauty of really utilizing an orchestra,” he said. “And in taking advantage of the acoustics at the Granada and a band that knows how to play quietly when needed to create an incredible auditory experience.”
The concert not only serves as a tribute to local legend Crosby but introduce some of the label’s artists to his fans, and helps further the symphony’s role in concerts outside of the classical realm.
“It’s a great chance for everyone to reach a wider audience within this community,” Akoni said.
Valley Fever:
More Classic Rock in Crosby’s Neck of the Woods
Three Dog Night – which surprisingly was not named for its innovative idea of a trio of lead singers – was one of the most successful bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s, selling more than 50 million records for such singles as “One,” “Easy To Be Hard,” “Joy to the World,” “Mama Told Me Not to Come,” “Eli’s Comin’,” “Black and White,” and “Old Fashioned Love Song.” Sure, it’s been half a century since the group scored a true hit, and only one original member (Danny Hutton) remains active as Chuck Negron departed for good in 1985 and Cory Wells died a decade ago.
Over just shy of eight years the Dog-sters released a treasure trove of hits that still get lots of radio airplay, and evinced an ability for arranging cover songs – Three Dog Night gave exposure to Harry Nilsson, Laura Nyro, Randy Newman, Hoyt Axton, and Leo Sayer, among others – that rivals pretty much anyone. So a casino showroom is the perfect venue for a trip down memory lane, namely the Chumash Resort on Friday, May 23.
Fast forward a few years in rock history – plus one night and a few miles west – to spend an evening with Pablo Cruise at the Solvang Festival Theater on Saturday, May 24. The band with an equally whimsical name scored big in 1977-78 with “Whatcha Gonna Do When She Says Goodbye?” and the huge radio earworm “Love Will Find a Way,” which propelled Pablo Cruise to sell several million albums and singles – and famed critic Robert Christgau to hilariously pen “Hear (the refrain) ‘once you get past the pain’ fifty times in a day and the pain will be permanent.” It’s yacht rock at its finest in downtown Solvang! Come early and bring a picnic for a free community gathering from 4 to 6 pm in the theater’s garden at Solvang Festival Theater, with live music and beer and wine available.
What the Puck? The Bard is Back in the Park
Topanga Canyon-based Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum returns to Elings Park atop the Mesa with their outdoor staging of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream , transforming the gorgeous Godric Grove Amphitheater into an enchanted forest for the holiday weekend May 24-25. The professional troupe
Entertainment Page 384
Oberon in the audience at last year’s performance (photo by David Bazemore)
Your Westmont Brooks Returns for LEAD Conference
by Scott Craig, photos by Brad Elliott
An impressive lineup of world-class keynote speakers will share insights on effective and purposeful leadership at the 11th annual LEAD Where You Stand conference on June 4-5 at Westmont’s Global Leadership Center. David Brooks, New York Times columnist and bestselling author, headlines an exceptional group of speakers that includes: Gayle D. Beebe, Westmont president and author of The Crucibles That Shape Us; Dr. Charity Dean, CEO and co-founder of PHC Global; Charles Duhigg, author of Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection; Wendy Jackson, movie/TV producer and Westmont faculty; and Jeff Schloss, Westmont’s T.B. Walker professor of natural and behavioral sciences.
An AI panel discussion will feature Mike Ryu, Westmont computer science professor; Valentina Costarelli, Amazon AI software engineer/team lead; and Michael Daoud, founder and CEO of Visus LLC.
Tickets to the conference cost $329 for local residents. Please use ‘local25’ for the code at westmont.edu/LEAD. Registration closes May 25 or when sold out.
“Lead Where You Stand offers rich content for established as well as emerging leaders,” Beebe says. “We hope you’ll join us for two days that will inspire you to lead well and pursue the greater good.”
Alumna Making Betty Crocker Proud
Two home renovations prepared Benjamin and Marlise Kast-Myers (’96) for the ambitious project of restoring the historic Betty Crocker Estate in Valley Center, California. Their mission: blessing people through their love for hospitality.
The couple first transformed their home in Carlsbad. A full-time designer at an ad agency in Carlsbad Village, Benjamin scoured antique shops during his lunch hour.
“Between small splurges and endless hours of Craigslist hunting, we built our collection of talk pieces – the kind that find you,” Marlise says. “They tell a story, hold a history and make you feel like you’ve found something that was simply meant to be.
“My vision changed for what a home should be: a place to rest your mind, where you could exhale at the end of a day and smile at what you had built with the person who inspires you to break the mold and do everything with purpose, intention and thoughtfulness.”
They next adopted a 1950s farmhouse, relocated from San Diego to half an acre in Vista backed by wetlands and dotted with orange, pepper and loquat trees. Benjamin and Marlise’s father tackled a massive landscaping project, creating a “front-yard nirvana.”
They also painted every wall and ceiling and remodeled the kitchen with custom counters, vintage appliances and a black-and-white checkered floor. Benjamin built a greenhouse out of recycled materials. The couple gardened, grew vegetables and kept bees, harvesting their own honey. They composted, captured rainwater, line-dried clothes and fertilized with worm tea.
“That house saved us,” Marlise says. “In those seven years, we gave her our best, pouring our creativity and hearts into a place once destined for destruction.”
Meanwhile, they discovered an antique shop in Valley Center, finding fitting pieces there while exploring the grounds and the magnificent barn. When they heard it was for
David Brooks returns to Montecito for LEAD on June 4-5
Benjamin and Marlise Kast-Myers (’96) have restored the historic Betty Crocker Estate
sale, they toured the property, which once belonged to baking legend Betty Crocker. Agnes White, the original “Betty Crocker,” and her husband, William Tizard, bought the home in 1941 and lived there for 40 years, adding electricity, indoor plumbing, and a stainless-steel demonstration kitchen where Agnes prepared recipes.
“Nearly 150 years old, the house was showing its age,” Marlise says. “But within 24 hours, we were preapproved for the loan, jumping headfirst into escrow and an unexpected whirlwind journey.” The Myers delayed their move from Vista so Better Homes & Gardens could photograph their farmhouse for the magazine’s “best of” issue.
During all the renovation work, they maintained their full-time jobs as designer (Benjamin) and writer (Marlise). “Of course, we didn’t hire movers because we’re a DIY couple,” Marlise says.
In the first 18 months, they endured floods, fires, fixes, and rat infestations. They cleared nearly 30 tons of trash and green waste and embarked on endless projects, pushing toward a greater vision.
“Just five years later, we’ve completed an extensive landscaping project, laid a sustainable infrastructure with solar, and launched our antique business, Brick n Barn,” Marlise says. “We’re open to the public one weekend a month with local crafts, food, antiques, workshops, spa treatments, music and dog adoptions. We’ve gone from a handful of customers to lines snaking out the door. Brick n Barn is an experience.
“While we plan to continue beautifying the antique experience, we’re striving toward creating a destination where you can stroll garden pathways, picnic by the babbling creek, cook in Betty Crocker’s kitchen, sip an espresso in the café, and build friendships in the midst of the Brick n Barn community.
“Until then, we invite everyone to join us in this mighty step of faith, to embrace opportunity, live without regret, and love without excuses. In our ongoing venture, we vow to carry on the antique tradition by bringing new life to this enchanting property – and to make Betty Crocker proud.”
Read their blog, “Channeling Betty,” at bricknbarn.com
Warriors Playoff Ride Ends
Westmont baseball’s (43-14) season came to a disappointing end when the Warriors, needing only to win one game, dropped both ends of a double header, 6-2 and 6-4, to Cal State Monterey Bay (38-17). The Otters advance to this week’s Super Regional in Nampa, Idaho, to face Northwest Nazarene, where the winner will advance to the eight-team Championship Finals on May 30-June 7 in Cary, North Carolina.
“This team cared for each other, played for each other, and they were very selfless,” said Westmont head coach Paul Svagdis. “It was an incredibly dynamic group and they were willing to do all the little things to win baseball games. They were super tight off the field.”
The team’s 16 seniors have had an incredible run, winning an NAIA World Series and then a PacWest Championship in the team’s first year of eligibility, all while playing for three different head coaches in the last four years. “For them to go through these three transitions and still compete is a great testament to the Westmont culture and their desire to play for each other,” Svagdis says. “We have a great recruiting class of about 15-18 guys coming in that we are super excited about, and our returners will get to continue their leadership with our newcomers.”
Local News (Continued from 5)
- Overnight Parking Restrictions: County Public Works will propose an amendment to the existing ordinance to implement no overnight parking restrictions for all vehicles and corresponding towing enforcement on East Mountain Drive, Ashley Road, Riven Rock Road, and in the Hot Springs Trail entrance parking lot. This item will be proposed to the Board of Supervisors for consideration on June 24, 2025, or early July. (This would be in addition to the already approved oversized vehicle towing mentioned above.)
- Street Signage: Once all changes are approved by the Board of Supervisors, the corresponding signage will be installed and enforced. Public Works will issue the work orders for new signage. New signs are usually installed within 2-6 weeks after work orders are issued, depending on availability of the materials and crew. ETA end of July or early August 2025.
- Additional Parking Study: The efficiency and impact of these changes will be reviewed after six months. If this review indicates a need, we will then study the feasibility of developing additional parking spaces near the Cold Spring Trail entrance (which connects to the Hot Springs Trail) or near the Cold Spring Basin area. ETA November 2025.
- Outreach & Public Education: To ensure that the public is informed before each implementation phase, standardized social media messages, emails, and press releases will be distributed and shared across all collaborating agencies and shared with most used sites such as All Trails, Visit Santa Barbara, etc.
We hope this update is informative. Our office remains committed to support Montecito Fire enhancing fire safety and improving responsible access through collaboration and proactive measures.
Thank you,
Aida Thau, Deputy Chief for Supervisor Roy Lee
411: www.countyofsb.org/1632/First-District
Daniel Patterson circles the bases for his 32nd career homerun, third most in Warrior history
WENDY
Foraging Thyme Sunchokes
by Melissa Petitto
The Jerusalem artichoke – also known as the sunroot, sunchoke, wild sunflower, or earth apple – is the root of a wild sunflower native to central North America, and Mt. Olive Organic Farm has some for a short time. This knobby tuber looks vaguely like ginger root and is crisp and crunchy when eaten raw, and creamy and reminiscent of an artichoke heart or chestnut when eaten cooked. The Jerusalem artichoke contains a variety of vitamins and minerals; notably iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. These tubers contain a prebiotic fiber known as inulin, which has great benefits for our gut health; helping to regulate our digestion, balance our blood sugar, regulate blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and protect against certain cancers. The inulin helps stimulate the growth of good gut bacteria and in turn helps decrease the number of bad bacteria in the gut, which equals an improved gut microbiome. Improving our gut microbiome has been shown to lower inflammation, improve metabolism, increase immunity, and enhance our skin health. Let’s take these sunchokes into the kitchen.
Crispy Smashed Sunchokes with Thyme
Yield: 4 servings
1 pound Jerusalem sunchokes, rinsed and trimmed of any dark spots
Sea salt
1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons Miyoko’s salted butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, picked free of stems Maldon salt
Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan over high heat, add the sunchokes and cover with cold water. Add a generous amount of salt (like salt water) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until a paring knife inserted into sunchokes comes out easily. Do not overcook.
2. Drain sunchokes and allow to cool for a little. Preheat a large cast iron skillet.
3. When sunchokes are cool enough to handle, place them on a clean cutting board and something heavy like a small skillet, flatten them while keeping them in one piece. Do not allow them to break apart.
4. Add the avocado oil to the preheated skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the flattened sunchokes in a single layer. Cook, without moving until wellbrowned on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip the sunchokes, add the butter and half the thyme and continue to cook, spooning the melted butter over the sunchokes until browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer.
5. Transfer the sunchokes to a platter, spoon the thyme butter over them, sprinkle with remaining thyme leaves and Maldon. Serve immediately.
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.
These lil’ roots pack a lot of flavor (photo by H2ase via Wikimedia Commons)
Petite Wine Traveler
Santa Barbara’s Grand Wine Tasting at El Presidio
by Jamie Knee
What do you get when you mix 45 wineries, 20 food vendors, one charming historic plaza, and a whole lot of Santa Barbara sunshine? The wine and food event of the year.
On Saturday, May 17, the iconic El Presidio de Santa Bárbara came alive with the sights, sounds, and scents of the 2025 Grand Wine Tasting, the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience’s (SBCE) signature event. Under the fluttering leaves of lemon and orange trees, almost 370 guests wandered through the historic fort, sipping wines, savoring bites, and swaying to the breezy rhythms of the Salty Strings. It truly felt like something out of a Tuscan village, but with that unmistakable California soul.
privilege of curating every winery and food partner for the Grand Tasting, an effort made even more meaningful with the insight and expertise of Santa Barbara Independent wine writer Matt Kettmann. From rare grape varietals to beloved local labels, each participant was thoughtfully selected not just to impress, but to connect. To tell a story, and to share the soul of Santa Barbara County with every sip and bite.
gourmet chocolate, tacos, ice cream, vegan cheese, and seasonal produce.
“The food was an inspirational fusion of our region’s cultures and bounty,” noted Carla Keisler. “Cristino’s was a standout. And so many wines were new to me, it reminded me how lucky we are to call this place home.”
As Rosminah Brown, editor and publisher of Edible Santa Barbara, described: “My favorite part was the location. It comes down to oranges and adobe… El Presidio’s courtyard felt like a secret to the city just opened up. There was something for everyone, and you felt like you belonged, right in the heart of historic downtown.”
Guests like Joan Swift shared their excitement: “What a fabulous day! We soaked up the vibe, met winemakers, indulged in culinary delights, and danced to the local beat. You created an amazing experience, so meticulously curated with care and love. It didn’t go unnoticed.”
As the Director of this year’s Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, I had the
In the back plaza, lovingly dubbed “the chicest food court in town” crowds gathered for handmade pastries, tamales,
Throughout the afternoon, panel discussions moderated by Kettmann drew curious crowds inside the Presidio chapel. “This year’s Grand Tasting showed the sort of energy we’ve been hoping to cultivate for years,” he said. “It was great to see those interested in learning more attend the panels to hear from the region’s pioneers and younger voices. It gives me much hope that the wine industry is as impactful as ever, and I’m proud to have helped curate the scene.”
Jamie and the crew at the Grand Wine Tasting (photo by Veronica Slavin)
Wine experts at the panel discussions (photo by Veronica Slavin)
Murphy King Realtors
Meeting at MA
Sheriff
Satellite Office
and the
Houseless
by Joanne A Calitri
The Montecito Association May 2025 meeting was held on Tuesday, May 13. Present were MA President Doug Black; 1st VP Leslie Lundgren; Executive Director Houghton Hyatt; MA board members; George Isaac, Finance Committee, Board of Trustees Montecito Community Foundation; invited speakers and residents.
Jillian Wittman of the MA Safety Subcommittee reported on the Sheriff’s Department Montecito satellite office on San Ysidro Road and thanked the Montecito Community Foundation for their $30,000 grant. At this time, a letter of intent to lease is signed. Once funding is realized at $75,000 the lease will take effect. Wittman estimated a two-year budget at $130,000 for the lease and IT needs. To date, they have received $40K pledged and $30K for a total of $70,000. The MCF has a donate button on their website. The team is reaching out to families of the MUS and CSS students. The Rosewood Miramar Beach is working on a satellite sheriff’s office, and that may be a location to which the station may relocate in the future.
Lt. Rich Brittingham’s crime report showed that the South American Theft Group made two different attempts at burglary that failed, deputies patrolling Channel Drive continues, and he reviewed crimes that have occured (also reported weekly in the Montecito Journal).
Hyatt’s report recapped the MA April 22 Town Hall meeting, and based on response, the MA will do another Town Hall later in the year. The next Hands Across Montecito Outreach walk is May 21, starting at the Chevron Station.
Aida Thau, deputy chief for SBC 1st District Supervisor Roy Lee’s office, reported on their office’s collaboration with the Depts of Public Works, Parks, Sheriff’s Office, Montecito Fire and the U.S. Forest Service regarding the Hot Springs Trail and parking area to mitigate and implement solutions. Over Memorial Day weekend, work will be done to change the fencing to be higher and more difficult to scale.
John Weigold, general manager of Montecito Sanitation District, reported they are handling 7,000 gallons of sewage a day in Montecito without issues; the manhole and pipeline relining project is 15% complete and they are now going to the next process to secure the balance of funding for the project; and the wastewater treatment plant will be rebuilt due to aging parts that are no longer replaceable, with estimated costs in the millions. They are talking with contractors on what can be saved. He encouraged residents to come to the sanitation dept. for a tour, and to possibly retrieve lost items, like cell phones.
The Hands Across Montecito MA committee invited Al Ortiz, Regional Program Supervisor of City Net, to present on what City Net does and how they work with Hands Across Montecito. Once homeless himself, Ortiz outlined:
- City Net’s mission is to house the homeless and reduce it to functional zero.
- Services include street outreach and engagement, shelter entries, integrated services to provide stabilization for the homeless person, census and police diversion response teams.
- Some people just want to remain homeless.
- As of March 2025, the funding available from the MA is $41,298 that can cover one homeless person’s motel/shelter stay for nine months; they did 120 outreach contacts, 63 service requests, 31 client engagements, three shelter placements and one housing placement.
- Once a homeless person is in a shelter, they need to have primary medical doctor, mental health services, and get employment/income opportunities.
- Housing is now limited as there are no vouchers available, cost of living and fixed income.
- Goal to operate is $211,000 for shelter for one year and $10,000 for Admin/ Supervisors.
- Rescue Mission and PATH have no available beds.
- City Net Regional Program Supervisor Al Ortiz suggested they needed funding via charity galas, business sponsorships, and similar fundraising vehicles.
Hands Across Montecito also invited Andrew Velikanje , founder Earthcomb, who is a licensed Peer Advocate. Velikanje said his company works with the Sheriff’s Dept, the Summerland Citizens Association, is on retainer with the Montecito Association, has a partnership with Heal the Ocean, and does cleanups in Carpinteria and wherever is needed. He talked about his experience of being homeless and writing his phone number on the tent he set up at the cemetery. He got a call from Sharon Byrne , then executive director of the Montecito Association, who played a key role in his recovery. He gave up alcohol and cigarettes, lost weight, got housed within three weeks, and launched his trash clean-up company based on his experience living in a homeless camp. Dubbed the “litter bandit” for cleaning up trash on the 154 for free, he got a call from Hilary Hauser of Heal the Ocean, who offered him work. His company helped 24 people with employment who were homeless, and picked up over 238,550 pounds of trash in Santa Barbara County. Earthcomb does litter removal, homeless outreach, and helps wildlife. He then showed video clips from all over SB County of Earthcomb removing the litter – parts of Channel Drive full of sewage, a trail in Lompoc, and the removal of shopping carts, bikes, and mattresses from riverbeds and hillsides.
Cold Spring School Superintendent/Principal Amy Alzina, and Montecito Union School Superintendent Anthony Ranii briefly reported on their schools. The search for four teachers at MUS is in process. Ranii mentioned that both schools require funding for art and music, and that MUS’s assessment of AI shows that, “students today are different, there is a neurodiversity in students whereby they require intervention for socio skills, either because they excel in school or need help to process the anxiety or loss of focus.”
411: www.montecitoassociation.org
Phase one included the dormitories and staff housing needed to operate the upper school, with phase two slated to rebuild the extra educational buildings, the nature center, the medical lodge, and other elements that enhance the activities in the program.
There’s a new state-of-the-art mountain bike trail, courtesy of Trek, who also donated a number of bicycles so every kid at camp can ride one – maybe for the first time.
“A lot of them from more disadvantaged communities don’t know how to ride a bike, so we give them all the guidance they need to get started,” Cortez said. “More experienced riders get to enjoy a trail that was made to be sustainable.”
The LPC still seeks an additional $3 million to finish all the construction, as well as rebuild its swimming pool, Cortez said.
“The goal is to start a program where we help kids get experience of water safety, if not actually swimming, so that at least they’re conscious about the dangers that water can bring.”
The Outdoor School is an integral program for LPC because it’s often the inaugural entry point for youth being introduced to both scouting and nature, Cortez said.
“There are a lot of kids in Santa Barbara County who’ve never been to a forested area. Having this first experience at 11 or 12 years of age is paramount both for their health and to help them become engaged and start talking about how to be more environmentally conscious and responsible,” he said. “It also allows us to instill some of those basic scout values in these kids. They’re only with us for several days but they keep hearing about being trustworthy, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful and thrifty. In the short time, we teach them some basic life skills that include self-reliance, how to be stewards of nature in their community, and the responsibility they have to give back. It’s a big part of our core mission.”
Although Scouting America is a nationwide organization, the LPC is responsible for its own board, raising its funds, and using those funds to deliver experiences and activities that deliver that mission to the young people in its two counties. The organization has the commitment to support under-represented and/or underserved youth so they can participate no matter what their financial limitations are.
“With a staff of just six people, we serve about 5,000 kids yearly through all our programs, and contribute about 10,000 service hours to the local community,” Cortez said.
Visit https://lospadresscouting.org for more info.
entrepreneurial energy, continues to keep overall retail vacancy relatively low at 3.1%, while making it easier for shoppers and diners to “keep it local.”
For Montecito’s Coast Village Road, vacancies created by recent store closings have been leasing quickly, reflecting strong demand for this premium corridor. Recent signings include Healing Arts Spa at 1236, Everything but Water bathing suits at 1253, and Dr. Gundry Wellness at 1187. The only available space is the former Legacy storefront at 1137. On the other side of the freeway, new restaurants and shops are open for business at The Post.
The downtown State Street corridor has seen slight improvement, with storefront vacancy at the lowest rate in the past five years, though still high by historical standards. Leases were inked in Q1 by Pascucci restaurant, Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream (its 20th U.S. location), Mevra Kamaci clothing and jewelry, and Arrediamo rugs. The arrival of fresh tenants, combined with the new Community Benefit Improvement District (CBID), provides positive momentum toward revitalizing downtown Santa Barbara.
Office leasing on the South Coast in recent quarters has remained relatively stable, with tightening vacancy in Goleta offset by expansion in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria. While overall demand for large office continues to be uneven, the market has showed resilience, particularly in smaller spaces and renewals.
Goleta’s office vacancy rate dipped below 6% – a dramatic improvement from double-digit highs a few years ago. Major Q1 leases included a 21,000 square foot renewal by Kollmorgen Corp and new deals from Anduril Industries and CIO Solutions.
In Santa Barbara, office vacancy remains lofty at 10.5%, though several key leases showed stability. American Riviera Bank renewed 13,000 square feet downtown, and CrossnoKaye extended its lease on 7,000 square feet in the Granada Tower. While companies are generally choosing smaller spaces – two-thirds of Q1 leases were under 2,000 square feet – they are often willing to pay for desirable locations and modern amenities to help draw employees to the office. Professional office users (such as financial advisors and legal firms) have held sway, as demand from tech companies has softened, evidenced by Sonos and Umbra Space making moves to Goleta.
Most of the South Coast’s tech and engineering work takes place in Goleta’s R&D parks, including 175 Cremona Dr (left) where Anduril Industries leased 6,600 square feet on the ground floor in Q1 (courtesy photo)
Scouts learn life skills and how to be stewards of nature in their community (courtesy photo)
Robert’s Big Questions
Without Due Process…
Isn’t it Just Kidnapping?
by Robert Bernstein
It pains me to use my precious column space to provide basic civics lessons, but it seems that most Americans need them.
Since my February article “Three Unequal Branches of Government?” I have asked everybody I meet if they know that there is just one primary branch of government. Not one knew that. When asked if they could guess which branch is primary, not one got it correct. That is worse than random chance.
Most guess that it is the Executive/ President. One guessed the Supreme Court. No one seems to know that with a couple of minor exceptions, Congress is the only branch of government with powers specified in the Constitution.
Everything that Trump is doing now is supposed to be done by Congress. Including tariffs, spending or withholding money, creating or shutting down agencies.
Two terms that seem to create a bored look are “Constitutional” and “Due Process.” Yet without these protections aren’t we just a lawless dictatorship?
At the recent huge May Day rally in Santa Barbara I was gratified to see this sign: “Without Due Process It’s Just Kidnapping.”
Government and law enforcement have the power to seize people, imprison them, or even kill them. Any random criminal can do these things. Do my dear readers understand what makes a government arrest legal and not merely a kidnapping?
The answer is in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution: “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” Note: It says, “No person.” Which means it applies to citizen and non-citizen alike.
Trump has admitted that he doesn’t understand this “due process” thing. He sees it as an absurd inconvenience to have millions of trials for the millions of people he wants to deport.
He has utilized the El Salvadorian prison as an adjunct torture camp and claims that once people are sent there, they are beyond due process.
I have an Egyptian immigrant friend who loves everything Trump is doing. He supports these mass deportations to the Salvadoran torture camp with no due process. He does not seem to grasp that someone like him is a prime target.
Anyone could call Trump’s thugs and say that he is a Middle Eastern terrorist. He has an accent and has dark skin. That seems to be all that these thugs need to kidnap people.
Carl Sandburg said, “If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts.”
But we are supposed to be a country of laws. I have been talking to Trump supporters who say, “Don’t you see that there is government waste? All that Trump and Musk are doing is finding waste and eliminating it.”
As a factual matter there is no evidence that they have found any actual waste and eliminated it. There is not any evidence that they have even tried to look for waste or have any system to seek it out. Their actions are motivated by pure vengeance. But there is a legal matter that even if they found waste, they have no legal right to effectively shut down the National Institutes of Health. Which they have done. Destroying years of research trials in progress that cannot be recovered.
It is a fact that tens of thousands of people worldwide are getting unnecessary diseases and dying because of Trump’s destruction of USAID. It is a matter of law that only Congress has the legal power to disassemble USAID. Congress created USAID. Congress funded it. The only relevant power the President wields is to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed”. Meaning, that Trump’s only job is to make sure that USAID continues the mission mandated and funded by Congress.
Maybe you don’t care if no new drugs are found through NIH research? Or that tuberculosis may come back to bite us at home after we let it rage abroad?
But maybe you should care that Trump is saying that he might start deporting U.S. citizens to hell holes like the El Salvador torture prison? That you are just one vengeful anonymous tip away from being one of those deportees?
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
Our Town (Continued from 12)
On view are musical instruments, tools, ceremonial costumes with headdresses like the “Bear Dancer,” arrowheads, feathers of significant birds, stone pottery, books, boats, animal skin bags, jewelry, art, and shell money. Items in the museum’s collection are from tribal members, the general public, collectors, institutions, commissioned artists, artisans, and through repatriation and cultural returns.
A taxidermy mount / tribute to the California Condor displays the last female condor living in the wild in 1986, before all 27 surviving condors were captured for safekeeping and captive breeding. The tribe acquired the taxidermy from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The museum makes a tribute to the SYBCI native language, which goes by several names. Samala, Ineseño, and Ynezeño are all names for the language of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. The museum also pays tribute to the keeper of their language and culture, Qilikutayiwit (María Ysidora del Refugio Solares), a longtime resident of Santa Ynez, born in April 1842.
great grandmother. At the museum, there is a replica of a tule ‘Ap where visitors can sit and learn Samala via A/V projection. At the end of the permanent collection is a modern gallery where exhibits will rotate every two to six months. There is a 3.5-acre park with a work-in-progress Chumash traditional tule ‘Ap home, the Ancestors’ Grove (where there are oak trees and commemorative family stones paying homage and tribute to tribal ancestors), a Tomol House for the ceremonial Tomol boat named Muptamai (“Deep Memories”), and Chumash plants tagged with their taxonomic species name. The Gift Shop has items made by Santa Ynez Chumash Community Members and Indigenous artisans.
Architect Johnpaul Jones , whose portfolio includes the Washington, D.C. Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, designed the buildings to be oriented to the west to represent the Chumash culture as the Guardians of the West Gate – Humqaq, a sacred place, which is Point Conception.
Research shows Solares worked with linguist-anthropologist J. P. Harrington to record the Samala language, stories, and the names of village sites. Harrington was employed by the Smithsonian Institution and worked to preserve the languages of Native California. He started with the Chumash language in 1912, and worked with Solares from 1914 for five years. The sheafs of his handwritten field notes, files, photographs, maps, and drawings were unorganized and stored in boxes at the Smithsonian. Decades later, UC Berkley linguist grad student, Dr. Richard Applegate, went through Harrington’s boxes to write his dissertation. Next, Applegate worked with the SYBCI, providing Harrington-Solares’s data and teaching the Samala language to tribal members.
The SYBCI has certified teachers of Samala. Tribal Member Kathleen Marshall is one of them. She shared with me that Solares is her great-great-great-
The museum won a LEED® Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its environmentally sound design, construction, and operational practices; and a water conservation award at the U.S. Green Building Council 13 th Annual Sustainable Innovation Awards in L.A.
My take… Going to this museum is going on a journey into a timeless space, I highly recommend it for all ages.
411: www.sychumashmuseum.org
Joanne A Calitri is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her at: artraks@ yahoo.com
“Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” – Alan D. Wolfelt
Interior view of the Middle World and Chumash tribes at the Chumash Museum (courtesy photo)
An Independent Mind
Trump’s
Advisers and the War of Ideas
by Jeffrey Harding
Recent media coverage has focused on the battle of conservative philosophies within the Trump Administration and in conservative circles. In the darker corners of the Internet, radical commentators, so-called “influencers,” are gaining the attention of the rich and powerful and Administration insiders. It’s actually rather fascinating.
The Wall Street Journal recently published an important article entitled, “The Ideological Gurus Battling for the Soul of Trump World.” (Check it out here: https://tinyurl.com/WSJMagaIdeals)
These competing ideologies are between the tech bro utopians and conservative Catholics who yearn for the good old days. Here are the key points of the article:
“The techies envision a libertarian world in which great men like Musk can build a utopian future unfettered by government bureaucrats and regulation. Their dark prince is Curtis Yarvin, a blogger-philosopher who has called for American democracy to be replaced by a king who would run the nation like a tech CEO.
“The conservative Catholics [Patrick Deneen], in contrast, want to return America to a bygone era. They venerate local communities, small producers and those who work with their hands. This ‘common good’ conservatism, as they call it, is bound together by tradition and religious morality. Unlike Musk, with his many baby mamas and his zeal to colonize Mars, they believe in limits and personal restraint.”
The New York Times recently had long interviews with both Deneen and
Yarvin which I read to gain an understanding of their beliefs. Both of them are wrong.
Deneen and Yarvin have impressive academic credentials, but their ideas reveal a flawed understanding of intellectual history and their consequences. Yarvin especially has rejected the basic ideals of the Enlightenment upon which our country was founded. Deneen sees government and bigness failing the working class. They see the world darkly, harmed by failed social and political systems. You’ve heard the term “junk science,” the ideas proposed by these influencers are “junk philosophies.”
History clearly shows which ideas have worked best for mankind. For 6,000 years poverty was the lot of the masses, and life expectancy hovered around 30 to 35 years until 1900. Starting in 1900 something wonderful happened: lifespan began to skyrocket to 70 years in that century. Why? The ideas of the Enlightenment had gained ground and freedom, capitalism, and limited government spawned the creation of enough wealth to build public health systems and discover medications that eradicated many diseases. It wasn’t monarchies or socialism that got us there. It took freedom and money.
Although Yarvin is labeled a libertarian, this is incorrect. True libertarianism aligns more closely with classical liberalism – the philosophy of America’s founders. Monarchies are what they fought against. Yarvin echoes the classical conservatism of Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) who believed that the masses were incapable of governing themselves and advocated rule by a monarch or powerful central authority. Substitute “monarch” for “tech bro” and you see where he is going.
Yarvin’s longing for a monarchy is not rooted in reality. A technological utopia ruled by the omniscient and wise is a dead end. Utopias have never worked, and its advocates fail to understand human nature. It’s an absurd childish fantasy.
Deneen, a Catholic intellectual, sees billionaire business leaders as self-serving oligarchs whose who sole pursuit is power and money. His “common good” conservatism targets globalism, free trade, large corporations, and universities – symbols of a modern order that, in his view, has failed working-class families. Deneen praises “‘the many’ – ordinary people who are pious and rooted and know how to fix their own cars.” Vice President J. D. Vance is one of Deneen’s most prominent supporters.
Both Vance and Deneen see tariffs as a cure for the plight of blue-collar workers. But foreign trade has been a boon for America. Protecting us from foreign competition with tariffs won’t bring back the Rust Belt. It will just make us poorer. Yearning for simpler life and attacking big successful companies is just nostalgia for an imagined past. Successful entrepreneurs like Musk are the ones who drive prosperity for all of us. Kill the prosperity machine and we will have nowhere to go but down.
The problem with Deneen and Yarvin is that their worldviews are skewed by an ideological lens rather than a clear-eyed understanding of reality. Though their visions differ, both ultimately seek to control our lives.
I could not find any Trump insider who would admit to admiring Yarvin, but some have. J. D. Vance openly admires Deneen’s “common good” ideas and decries “bigness.” Musk? He thinks he’s the smartest guy in the world but he’s happier changing our world for the better, not running it.
Where these ideas will lead is anyone’s guess, but they are swirling around Trump’s administration and among various conservative circles. They are all dead ends. What should be swirling around Washington are the ideas that truly made America great.
Jeffrey Harding is a real estate investor and long-time resident of Montecito. He previously published a popular financial blog, The Daily Capitalist. He is a retired SBCC adjunct professor.
Professor Sharon Gerstel
University
Argyropoulos Lecture in Hellenic Studies
Feeling Foxy with the Birds and the B’s
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum new exhibition The Swiftest Recovery: Island Fox Chronicles, features a photographic showcase by Chuck Graham (who also contributes to the MJ) that highlights one of the most remarkable conservation success stories in recent history – the tiny fox at Channel Islands National Park. This exhibition, which offers a glimpse into the resilience and beauty of the fox and the critical role they play in the island’s ecosystem, runs from May 22 to August 24. Details at www.sbmm.org
sold out its single performance of Dream last year, when the actors incorporated the park’s natural setting into their production, with Puck ending up the on-stage oak tree, and Oberon waxing poetic in the audience during a soliloquy. The family-friendly show performs at 3 pm both days. Visit https://elingspark.ticketsauce.com or www.theatricum.com
The extremely popular Butterflies Alive! summer exhibition opens Memorial Day Weekend at the Sprague Butterfly Pavilion at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History for its annual visit May 24-September 1. Featuring a dazzling variety of more than two dozen tropical butterfly species from Costa Rica and elsewhere, this exhibit is an immersive experience where guests walk through the wire-mesh-enclosed garden as 1,000 live butterflies flutter freely around them – and sometimes alight on their clothing. Guests can also get a glimpse of butterflies at an earlier stage of life in the emergence chamber.
Magical Music of The cal Music of
Veteran winemaker Karen Steinwachs captured the spirit of the day beautifully: “The diversity of events and the bounty of Santa Barbara County was most impressive. Wine is an extension of the meal, and here it was paired with everything else we do so well. The guests were curious, engaged, and full of joy. Let’s do it again and cheers to Julia!”
SBMNH is also the site for “The Power of Birds,” an evening with Dr. Elizabeth Gray , the CEO of the National Audubon Society and the first woman since Audubon’s founding in 1905 to hold that role. A champion of science-based conservation and leader of Audubon’s initiative to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss while protecting birds, Gray will deliver an illustrated public lecture on May 28 in Fleischmann Auditorium. Visit www.sbnature.org
As the event wound down, attendees lingered – reluctant to leave the energy, the sunlight, and the community they’d found. “We loved it,” said Robert Adams. “So many fantastic guests! The afternoon was socially delightful with enormously successful representation from county-wide vintners and delectable food purveyors. The scope of this event was a true achievement by the organizers.”
Vendors, too, felt the magic. “Thank you for including us,” said Aimee Miller of Taste Makers. “We appreciate the work and effort to bring Santa Barbara food and wine vendors together.”
And as we wrapped the week celebrating Julia Child’s legacy through SBCE, her presence felt stronger than ever. “Julia loved everything Santa Barbara,” said Eric Spivey, chairman of the Julia Child Foundation. “She would no doubt be cheering us on to not slow down!”
“This year’s Grand Wine Tasting felt like the best one yet,” shared Krista Harris of Edible Santa Barbara. “I loved the mix of wineries, from small, under-the-radar spots to some of the real legends in our region. It was a real treat to talk to the winemakers in person and hear a bit about their process. The setting was beautiful, and the food was a perfect match in quality and quantity for the wines.”
Reflecting on the week and this beau-
tiful, sun-soaked afternoon I’m simply filled with gratitude. Gratitude for the winemakers, chefs, and food vendors who showed up with passion and purpose. For the guests who came with open hearts. For our generous sponsors and community partners who believed in the vision and helped bring it to life. And for a community that continues to inspire, uplift, and share in the spirit of what we’re building together.
“Congratulations all around,” wrote chef partner Pascale Beale. “I think SBCE was a great success this year.”
As the sun dipped low over the adobe walls of El Presidio, the last glasses clinked, and the final bites were savored. What lingered was more than flavor, it was a feeling of connection, celebration, and place. As Todd Yancey so perfectly summed it up, “The food and wine selections at Saturday’s Grand Wine Tasting were bespoke and perfectly balanced.” A fitting reflection of a day where every detail was curated with care, and every guest became part of the story we continue to tell one sip, one bite, one unforgettable moment at a time.
If you were there, you know it was something special. If you missed it, don’t worry, there’s always next year. Cheers to Julia!
in Wine.” Follow her @petitewinetraveler.
The Salty Strings strumming along (photo by Veronica Slavin)
The Grand Wine Tasting featured local wine legends as well as more bespoke vintners (photo by Veronica Slavin)
Jamie Knee is a Global Wine Communicator, Wine Media Personality, and International Wine Judge & Educator, named one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Women
A Tiger Longwing catches the sunlight in Sprague Butterfly Pavilion as it perches on the fiddlehead of a fern (photo by Gary Robinson)
Dr. Elizabeth Gray is the CEO National Audubon Society’s first woman CEO since the org’s founding in 1905 (courtesy photo)
the presses this week after final editing. Among the guests were Anne Towbes, Barbara Burger, Rodney Baker, Sue Adams, Maria McCall, Carol Fell, Rebecca Brand, and Sybil Rosen
Junior League Gives
The Junior League of Santa Barbara just celebrated the end of its centennial year donating $100,000 to 16 nonprofits to mark the occasion at a dinner for 90 guests at the University Club.
A gavel passing ceremony marked the inauguration of incoming president
Anne Towbes, Robert Ooley, Suzi Schomer, Maria McCall, and Kellen Olson (photo by Priscilla)
Jessica Hawley with the Sustainer of the Year Award being presented to Angela Jevons. Among the charities benefitting were Mothers’ Helpers, the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation, New Beginnings, Awakening Giants, People Helping People, and the Arts Membership Program. Bravo to all...
A Gil-ded Wrap Up
Gil Shaham, former concertmaster of the Santa Barbara Symphony, wrapped the current season at the Granada this
Rachel Brown, Jenni-Elise Ramirez, Diane Pannkuk, Jessica Hawley, and Kristine Schwarz (photo by Sophia Viktoria Photography)
weekend with works by Brahms, Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 8” and Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto.”
The Sunday concert had Shaham duetting with his wife Adele Anthony and the West Coast premiere of Avner Dorman’s “A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance” fresh from its Carnegie Hall debut.
Longtime maestro Nir Kabaretti was in his element...
In a Jam
Actor Ryan Reynolds appearing on Carpinteria TV host Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend mentioned Meghan Markle and her new lifestyle brand As Ever.
Reynolds’ late father Jimmy had worked as a food broker – a middleman for jams and tiny containers of yogurt.
Conan, who hosted this year’s Oscars, suggested he worked for Prince Harry’s Riven Rock based wife.
“Tiny jams. Harvestable jams. Made from the oils of Montecito,” he cracked.
House on the Market
A Montecito oasis owned by an American rom-com sweetheart is back on the market at a reduced price of $19.5 million.
Meg Ryan, star of Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally, has re-list-
ed her estate after initially listing it for $22.5 million.
Seven bedrooms stretch across 8,352 square feet with 5.5 bathrooms. A guesthouse and cabin beckon guests.
Something to Sing About
Eight talented young musicians and vocalists took home a total of $36,000 in scholarships after competing in the annual music contest organized by the Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation.
A professional panel of judges selected first and second place winners in the Adult Instrumental, Junior Instrumental, Adult Vocal and newly added Junior Vocal categories.
Fourteen finalists competed in the event conducted at the Music Academy of the West’s Lehmann Hall.
This year marks the first time the foundation presented awards in the Junior Voice Divisions. First prize in that category went to Arturo Cabrera Balaguera, a baritone. Second prize was awarded to Nikki Seppala Kurnik, a soprano.
The judges were Brynn Albanese, Armen Guzelimian, and Robert Koenig
Sightings
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle watching James Taylor at the Santa Barbara Bowl... Warbler Katy Perry at Amazon bride-to-be Lauren Sanchez’s pre-wedding festivities in Paris... Josh Brolin 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 18 years
Comella, Lauren
The Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation 2025 music competition winners (courtesy photo)
Junior League of Santa Barbara Board of Directors (photo by Sophia Viktoria Photography)
Nicole
Andrews, Jacqueline Hall, Angela Jevons, Lynda Dees, Valerie Amparan, and Katherine Ullom (photo by Sophia Viktoria Photography)
Gil Shaham and Nir Kabaretti in the eye of the scroll (courtesy photo)
News Bytes
Ralph Lauren’s RRL
Now at Mate Gallery Montecito
by MJ Staff
The Mate Gallery owners Matt Albiani and Ron Brand announce they are now carrying the American West-inspired Ralph Lauren RRL line, affectionately known as Double RL. The line was launched last week in an invite-only opening event that caused a scene in the Montecito Country Mart parking lot in front of the store – not just because of the melee of guests; two vintage jeeps filled with leather goods by event partner Homer also caused a stir. There was wine from Folded Hills CVR and goodies from Oat Bakery Montecito Country Mart. Co-hosts for the launch were global polo ambassadors and part-time locals Nacho Figueras and his wife, Delfina Blaquier, and SB Magazine
The store is carrying a variety of RRL men’s shirts, t-shirts, hats, and totes.
411: Instagram @mategallery
Ty Warner Pledges $5M to Field Renovation
Ty Warner has pledged $5 million to complete the $32 million funding for Santa Barbara’s historic Dwight Murphy Field. Warner’s gift bridges a critical funding gap caused by rising construction costs. Construction will begin on June 2, and the park is expected to reopen in Spring 2027.
The park plans include Gwendolyn’s Playground – the Central Coast’s largest inclusive playground – alongside a new multi-sport athletic field, an expanded outdoor fitness area, shaded picnic spaces, and interconnected walking paths. The regulation-size multi-sport field will be used for youth and adult soccer, rugby, and lacrosse, with dedicated sideline zones for players and spectators. 411: http://SantaBarbaraCA.gov/DMF
McCune Bolsters Donation Efforts to DignityMoves
DignityMoves has gained strong support in Santa Barbara since 2022, notably from Sara Miller McCune, founder of SAGE Publishing and the McCune Foundation. In this case, McCune’s financial support for DignityMoves didn’t come from the McCune Foundation but directly from McCune herself. McCune personally donated $50,000 to Santa Barbara Street Village (2022), $500,000 to La Posada Village (2023), and now $1M to the upcoming Family Village.
Jack Lorenz of DignityMoves credited McCune’s support with enhancing credibility and attracting further philanthropic backing. McCune was impressed by the collaboration between government, nonprofits, and donors, along with the innovative model using County-donated land, modular construction, and supportive services.
McCune herself adds that, “The steadfast dedication and conviction of Supervisor Laura Capps’ that the DignityMoves model was one that would dramatically change the course of how we address and solve homelessness in Santa Barbara was quite convincing.”
To date, DignityMoves has opened three communities with 243 beds, serving over 350 people annually. The organization and McCune’s contributions are helping turn the goal of ending homelessness in Santa Barbara into a reality.
Heal the Ocean Names New Executive Director
Heal the Ocean has appointed Karina Johnston , a seasoned environmental scientist and nonprofit leader, as its new executive director, effective June
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Better View Windows and Power Washing, 2833 State St, 5, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Antonio Martinez, 2833 State St, 5, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 19, 2025. 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. 2025-0001236. Published May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 2025
NAME STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT:
The following person(s) has (have) abandoned the use of the Fictitious Business
Name(s): Santa Barbara Auto-Truck-4x4 Accessory Store; Santa Barbara Camper Shells; Tru-Fit Sheepskins; Santa Barbara
2, 2025. Johnston brings over 16 years of experience in coastal restoration, water quality, and climate resilience, most notably from her tenure at The Bay Foundation. She is completing her PhD in Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara and holds certifications in environmental science and ecological restoration.
Johnston succeeds Hillary Hauser, co-founder and executive director for over 26 years, who will remain involved as Strategy Consultant and board member. Johnston aims to lead Heal the Ocean’s expansion into coastal resiliency efforts in response to sea level rise.
“She brings the practical knowledge, scientific backing, and vision we need,” said Hauser, Johnston adding, “It’s an honor to build on this legacy with science-based, community-driven solutions to protect our coast.”
411: https://healtheocean.org
Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara’s Celebration of Grants
The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is holding its annual Celebration of Grants event on May 20, 5pm at the Lobero Theatre, SB. The event showcases the top grantees, amounts received, and to what fruitful ends that powerful money is going. The WFSB, established by innovative matriarchs of philanthropy, is an all-volunteer led organization whose collective philanthropy model makes fundraising an inside job. Read that twice. Funding grants last year totaled $1.2 million.
The event is free and welcomes new members to the fold.
411: https://tinyurl.com/WFSBregister
Friendship Center Montecito Spring Appeal
The Friendship Center Montecito (FC) has launched a Spring Appeal for funding to raise $50,000. Funds support the seniors with dementia and their caregivers. Their Carpinteria Healthy Aging Hub has allowed the FC to; increase its outreach and serve even more families; expand culturally responsive programming, including a Herencia Latina group; double its staff in response to members served; launch a transportation service for members to/from the center; increase caregiver support programs, respite services, and more. It costs Friendship Center over $200 per day to provide each member with personalized support, therapeutic programming, nutritious meals, and safe transportation. Yet on average, families pay less than 30% of that cost. The Friendship Center Montecito is seeking funding so they don’t have to raise the cost of services.
411: https://friendshipcentersb.org
Auto Accessories, 5737 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA 93117. Steven W Fox, 270 Ribera Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. This statement was originally filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on January 5, 2021. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL), filed May 7, 2025. Original FBN No. 2021-0000020. FBN 2025-0001155. Published May 22, 29, June 5, 12, 2025
Fraud / Toro Canyon Road
Tuesday, May 6, at 10:41 hours
An elderly woman called to report that she met someone online and they had an online relationship. During the course of this relationship, she wired over $500,000 to this unknown man who said he lived on the east coast.
Assault and Battery / N. Jameson/Sheffield Road
Friday, May 9, at 20:03 hours
In the course of a consensual contact with subject, subject revealed she was under the influence of a methamphetamine. Due to subject admitting she used meth in Ventura County she was arrested and booked on charges of 647(f) drugs.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Empresa Belica, 2338 Juleston Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93458. Carlos D Perez Mendoza, 2338 Juleston Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93458. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 21, 2025. 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. 2025-0001033. Published May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: West Property Management, 552 Ricardo Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93109. West
Property Services, INC, 552 Ricardo Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93109. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 11, 2025. 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. 20250000960.
frightened glances at the rivets on my straining skinny jeans, wondering if and when these faux fasteners will structurally fail and come flying off my tormented pants in a stinging cloud of ballistic copper.
Then the bus will slowly negotiate a turn, and a bolt of beautiful unfiltered sunshine will slant in and bathe the heavily cross-hatched backs of my spotted hands – hands like chemically burned leather – and I’ll be moved to speak aloud in the sonorous voice of a poet. “Starring Vincent Price as The Abominable Doctor Phibes.” As I stare at the backs of my withered hands, I know the other passengers are smiling warmly and exchanging glances of endearment, because they don’t know that Doctor Phibes was a hideous 1970s movie ghoul with a mouth in the side of his neck.
The Phenomenon of Otherwise Dignified and Seasoned Persons
The phenomenon of otherwise dignified and seasoned persons dressing like swaggering college freshmen – it’s
taking the world by storm! California may just be the epicenter of this shift in the tectonic plates of Graceful Aging. Sociologists have been brought into the picture, but their papers and journals and peer-reviewed jibber-jabber have failed to answer this fundamental question; what the hell am I thinking?
I can tell you from personal experience that simply walking into a Tilly’s fitting room at my age raises red flags, flags which are soon accompanied by signal flares as I loudly grunt and holler my way into apparel that no loving God should allow his creation to witness on a bag of ham such as myself. On exiting the fitting room it’s not uncommon to find a commotion that I’ve only recently realized has me at its center.
On one occasion I flung the fitting room door open with a flourish, feeling powerfully attractive in my skinny jeans, and saw a family of four turn and run with such blind alarm they plowed down two racks of halter tops and a clipboard-clutching little sales associate in their panicked rush to escape. When the terrorized family hit the street I was, unfortunately, hot on their heels, believing us to be fleeing a common enemy. When one of them turned and glimpsed me pounding along behind them – my middle-aged t-rex arms held daintily aloft as I ran, my Older Gentleman ostrich legs prancing in their skinny jeans – well, their screams alerted me to the awful truth. So, yeah.
I Could Try Aging Gracefully
I could try aging gracefully, like Howard Hughes, say. But what’d be the point? I don’t want people to look at me and say “My, he’s aging gracefully.” I’d rather they thought, “That previously dissolving older man has halted the passage of time by squeezing into those blood-crushing skinny jeans.” I know what I’m doing, even if you don’t.
Then there are times I begin to wonder if my Western obsession with youth is completely facile. In those moments I dwell upon the archaeological evidence of Iron Age society and the veneration of the aged and wise sages among them. Recently discovered cuneiform records describe the glorified village elder being respectfully helped along to the Next World on some sort of entrapping bamboo edifice, fed a ghastly broth with fingers floating in it, and finally slathered with ceremonial mud and pushed over a thousand-foot waterfall. I snap out of my reverie and desperately renew
Items from the Montecito Ledger, May 21, 1958
Brownie Troop Activities
Brownie Troop # 136 of Montecito Union School had a tea for their mothers May 15, at which time certificates and awards were presented to Brownies for their knitting project. Brownies set the table, arranged flowers, prepared some of the refreshments and served their guests. The most recent project of the troop has been learning to knit a potholder. Those receiving certificates were Martha Free, Connie Baker, Cindy Ogilvie, Carol Zimmerman, Jenda Johnson, Angeline Skeele, Patty Gullat, Lynn Howard, Cynthia Lambert, and Susan Penniman.
Beaus & Belles by Ellen Haldeman
Dear Ellen:
We have two parties coming up for boys and I don’t know what gifts to buy! What is appropriate? – Fifteen
Dear Fifteen:
There are many fun and exciting gifts to please the boys in your life. Records top the list, but be sure you know the speed of his player. Auto supply stores have numerous gadgets he would like on his car, like two-way mirrors for night driving or red flashes for use on the highway in an emergency. A desk blotter or waste paper basket with his monogram is an appreciated gift. Wallets, key cases, and men’s toiletries are always popular. But you can always ring the bell with hand-knit socks. In fact, if you like to knit you could make ties for all the birthday boys.
my loud struggle with the skinny jeans until security begins banging on the fitting room door.
The point is this; I have no intention of retiring to Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Not for me the daily cardigan, the fey-voiced conversations with choo-choo trains and hand puppets. That time will surely come, as it must for all of us. While I can, though, I will fight that encroaching shadow world with all my strength, and in trousers that cleave like automotive paint. While I have my senses I will wear the armor of youth, prowl the streets with the nonchalance of the ageless and brave. You see, I want my outside to reflect exactly how I feel
on the inside – like a quantity of finely ground hamburger poured into a mold. COWABUNGA!!
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
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Forever Youngsters gyrate madly to Zeppelin (Public Domain)
Please, Miss. You’re making a scene… (Public Domain)
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Calendar of Events
by Steven Libowitz
SATURDAY, MAY 24
Salty and Spicy Jazz – Produced by Jazz at the Ballroom, The Hot Sardines do for classic speakeasy jazz what the original show does for the ballroom jazz sound. Founded in 2011 by Elizabeth Bougerol and Evan Palazzo over a mutual love of Fats Waller, The Hot Sardines grew from the wild underground parties of Brooklyn to become a potent touring band whose brand of reinvigorated classic jazz has attracted more than 60 million digital streams. WHEN: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. COST: $37-$57
INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.org
Concerts in the Canyon Commence – El Capitan Canyon Resort kicks off its 2025 Canyon Concert Series & BBQ over Memorial Day weekend with a show featuring the electrifying rock and roll sounds of Live Wire. This marks the first weekly event of the season that brings local bands to the picturesque, sun-dappled gardens at the private campground just north of the freeway. BBQ dinner options include Wood Grilled Tri-Tip, Smoked Half-Chicken, Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Grilled Salmon, or Ponzu-Marinated Grilled Tofu with sides of chili beans, grilled corn, chipotle coleslaw, garlic bread, house BBQ sauce and Pico de Gallo. WHEN: 4-7 pm
WHERE: El Capitan Canyon Campground, 11560 Calle Real COST: $20
INFO: (805) 685-3887 or https://elcapitancanyon.com/activities
MONDAY, MAY 26
Memorial Day Ceremony – The Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1649 once again mark the national holiday with a tribute to those who died serving our country. The open air ceremony begins at 11 am sharp and concludes with a spectacular flyover by The Condor Squadron’s four T-6 Texan airplanes, with presentations and performances by the UCSB ROTC Color Guard; Camarillo-based Gold Coast Pipe & Drum Band (vaunted bagpipers who for a decade have performed tri-county shows alongside
FRIDAY, MAY 23-SUNDAY, MAY 25
Hershey Kisses Gershwin – Fresh off a sensational run of his two-character musical in the Santa Barbara debut of Rachmaninoff and the Tsar for Ensemble Theatre Company last month, writer-producer-actor-director Hershey Felder returns to The New Vic venue for a very limited run of his one-man show George Gershwin Alone Felder displays his remarkable versatility as he portrays the father of the Great American Songbook in a masterful musical tribute to the American jazz legend Gershwin, the composer of some of the 20th century’s most beloved melodies. Felder brings Gershwin’s story to life through more than two dozen of his most beloved songs, including “Summertime,” “I Got Rhythm,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” as well as excerpts from his groundbreaking musicals Porgy and Bess and An American in Paris, and a complete performance of A Rhapsody in Blue. The blend of live performance, storytelling and theatrical magic, is directed by Joel Zwick of My Big Fat Greek Wedding and myriad TV sitcoms.
Puppet Bombshell at Bandshell – The Plaza del Mar Band Shell renovation was completed in 2024, recreating a vibrant space for music, art, culture and community events at one of Santa Barbara’s oldest parks, directly across from the historic Los Baños del Mar pool. The full-scale renovation restored the structure’s historical charm while incorporating modern amenities to accommodate a diverse range of public events. The space remains vastly underused, but today puppets will populate the bandshell with two performances by Bob Baker Marionettes. The L.A.-based puppet theater company has performed both in its theaters and as a traveling company for more than six decades, performing puppetry and entertaining both children and adults with an art form that combines design and technique with performing art and cultural storytelling. All are invited to bring low-back lawn chairs and/or blankets along with a picnic basket to spread out on the lush lawn and enjoy the entertainment.
WHEN: Performances at 11 am and 1 pm
WHERE: Plaza del Mar Band Shell, 131 Castillo Street
traditionalist Irish sensation The Chieftains); the Santa Barbara Choral Society conducted by David Gonzales, and the all-ages ensemble The Prime Time Band. WHEN: 11 am
WHERE: Near the main flagpole at Santa Barbara Cemetery, 901 Channel Drive COST: free
INFO: www.pcvf.org/memorial-day-ceremony
THURSDAY, MAY 29
Sibling Stars Shine Again – Brother and sister cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason hail from one of Britain’s most talented musical families. The musical sibs have shot to fame in the three years since their Santa Barbara debut, joining the ranks of the classical world’s most sought-after musicians. Isata is a recipient of both the coveted Leonard Bernstein Award and the Opus Klassik award. Sheku won the BBC Young Musician competition in 2016, and is the first Black musician to win that competition since its launch in 1978. Sister and brother both enjoy stellar solo careers but still enjoy performing in recital together, where their complementary intuitions and remarkable rapport enhance the musical experience. Today’s richly evocative recital explores the legacy of late Romantic and modern chamber music, including works by Mendelssohn, Fauré, Poulenc, and composer Natalie Klouda ’s “Tor Mordôn.”
WHEN: 7 pm
WHERE: Campbell Hall (also available as a livestream)
COST: $32.50-$77.50
INFO: (805) 893-3535 or https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu
Dixie Rises Again – I wasn’t even a fan of the Dixie Chicks back in the early 2000s when the country-pop trio broke through, topping the country music charts, winning multiple Grammy Awards, and smashing sales records for the genre. It was only after the backlash – when lead vocalist Natalie Maines denounced then-President George W. Bush for leading us into the war in Iraq through deception about WMDs – that I even listened to their then-current record, Home. That album still stands out as an icon of the era. The fallout from Maines’ comment in London was swift and severe. The group was blacklisted by country music radio stations and beyond, while the death threats faced by the Dixie Chicks threatened key freedoms; those of speech and political expression. (All of which can seem comparatively quaint given today’s government-sponsored upheaval.) Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck’s spectacular 2006 documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing follows the band, who eventually dropped Dixie from their name, over the three turbulent years of reactionary nationalism
SATURDAY, MAY 24-MONDAY, MAY 26
Imagine the Magic at I Madonnari – More than 140 vivid chalk pastel street paintings will be created live on the plaza in front of the Old Mission Santa Barbara, as the I Madonnari festival launches into its 39th event in what has become one of Santa Barbara’s most beloved traditions. Professional artists and friends from near and far gather to fashion their artwork on the blacktop, using the pastel chalk to come up with astonishingly detailed pieces of art, made all the more exciting by their ephemeral nature. This year’s featured artists are Cheryl Guthrie and Terri Taber, friends through nursing who are longtime participants in I Mads. Together they will create a large 12’ x 16’ street painting prominently centered at the base of the Old Mission Santa Barbara steps. Other I Madonnari attractions include smaller community squares where kids and other participants may produce their own artwork, an array of local food vendors, and live music and dance from more than a dozen groups, including favorites Mezcal Martini, Spencer the Gardner, and The Brasscals. Another highlight? Knowing that the proceeds from sponsorships and more directly support inclusive, high-quality arts programming for K–12 public school students through producer Children’s Creative Project – critically important at a time when public school arts programs remain underfunded or inaccessible.
WHEN: 10 am-6 pm, Saturday-Monday
WHERE: Old Mission Santa Barbara, 2201 Laguna St.
COST: free
INFO: https://ccp.sbceo.org/i-madonnari
that befell them. Using remarkable behind-the-scenes footage and candid interviews, the documentary culminates in the release of Taking the Long Way – the band’s seventh studio album. Taking the Long Way included the group’s response to the controversies in the song “Not Ready to Make Nice” (which still somehow always makes me tear up), and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, sold over 2.5 million copies in the U.S., and won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. Following a screening, Kopple and Peck will talk about the movie, the times, and how the Chicks’ controversy fits into the Carsey-Wolf Center’s Panic! series.
INFO: (805) 893-5903 or www.carseywolf.ucsb.edu/pollock
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28
A ‘Toast’ to the Avocado – Who better than a pair of Carpinteria-bred writers to share the surprisingly likely cultural history of the avocado and the people who transformed it into an American obsession. Sarah Allaback, who now lives in Amherst, Mass., and Chicago-resident Monique F. Parsons, document how a regional Latin American staple became the driver of an $18 billion global industry over the course of a century of cross-cultural cooperation, cutting-edge science, and savvy marketing. Green Gold: The Avocado’s Remarkable Journey from Humble Superfood to the Toast of the Nation, is anchored by the story of two exceptional trees that emerged from among hundreds of rivals – and through which dedicated avocado enthusiasts in Mexico and California developed an ideal fruit to sell to the world. The result is today’s inescapable avocado, which has firmly established its place among such supermarket staples as oranges and bananas. The co-authors will discuss the book – which also features recipes including vintage versions of guacamole and avocado toast – with novelist/interviewer Brooks Hansen
WHEN: 6 pm
WHERE: Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza Shopping Center COST: free
INFO: (805) 682-6787 or www.chaucersbooks.com
Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 6:52 pm
A visual feast of photography and stories, as told by iconic music photographer Henry Diltz –with special guest Hale Milgrim, former President/CEO of Capitol Records. Journey behind
scenes of what the 60s and 70s were all about in
humorous ride. Henry and Hale will
The Fastest Recovery, Island Fox Chronicles
Photography by Chuck Graham
Once endangered, the Channel Island fox is thriving once again. See photographs of this stunning revival –an example of conservation working in wild places. On view at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum from May 22, 2025 — August 24, 2025
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Rafael Mendez Cell: 689-8397 or 963-3117
PIANO LESSONS
Openings now available for Children and Adults.
Piano Lessons in our Studio or your Home. Call or Text Kary Kramer (805) 453-3481
TILE SETTING
Local tile setter of 35 years is now doing small jobs only. Services include grout cleaning and repair, caulking, sealing, replacing damaged tiles and basic plumbing needs. Call Doug Watts at 805-729-3211 for a free estimate.
PERSONAL SERVICES
Tell Your Story
How did you get to be where you are today? What were your challenges? What is your Love Story? I can help you tell your story in an unforgettable way – with a book that will live on for many generations. The books I write are as thorough and entertaining as acclaimed biographies you’ve read. I also assist with books you write – planning, editing and publishing. David Wilk Great references. (805) 455-5980 www.BiographyDavidWilk.com
LANDSCAPE
Casa L. M. Landscape hedges installed. Ficus to flowering. Disease resistant. Great privacy. Certified stocked assorted fruit trees. Licensed & insured. Call (805) 963-6909
WATERLILIES and LOTUS since 1992
WATERGARDEN CARE
SBWGC
PET/HOUSE SITTING
Do you need to get away for a weekend, week or more? I will house sit and take care of your pets, plants & mail. I have refs if needed. Call me or text me. Christine (805) 452-2385
QUIET PERSON SEEKS COTTAGE
Quiet and respectful person looking for a small cottage to rent (single occupant, no pets) in a quiet area of Montecito, Eucalyptus Hill, or surrounding areas. I am a docent at Lotusland and healthy chef. Long time resident of Montecito with references. If you or someone you know has a small place or guest house with a private yard area, please reach out. Thank you, Chantal. Cell: 805-886-9540
$10 MINIMUM TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD
It’s simple. Charge is $3 per line, each line with 31 characters. Minimum is $10 per issue. Photo/logo/visual is an additional $20 per issue. Email Classified Ad to frontdesk@montecitojournal.net or call (805) 565-1860. All ads must be finalized by Friday at 2pm the week prior to printing. We accept Visa/MasterCard/Amex (3% surcharge)
RIVERIA APARTMENT FOR RENT
1-Bdrm - Bright with Ocean Views. Lovely Garden Setting. Hardwood Floors. Updated Kitchen and Bath. Carrara Marble. Quiet Street. No Smoking. No Pets. $3,300. 310-795-3867
FOR LEASE
Montecito Home, $10,495 per month. 3 BD 2.5 BA, 3,400 sq ft, and unmatched views! One-year lease. (805) 722-5396 AVAILABLE FOR RENT
Beautiful, renovated mid-century 2-bedroom, 2 bathroom with Ocean views in Santa Barbara foothills, available July and August. 646-206-4391
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
K-9 PALS need volunteers to be foster parents for our dogs while they are waiting for their forever homes. For more information info@k-9pals.org or 805-570-0415
