Little Mountain's Menu Mines the Local Riches

Page 1


LITTLE MOUNTAIN’S MENU MINES THE LOCAL RICHES

Runaway Life at Tecolote, P. 8

Welcome New Cottage Medical Group Providers

Our Cottage Medical Group (CMG) physicians offer a broad scope of services, including primary care, neurosciences, cardiovascular care, rheumatology, surgical and women’s services. Cottage Health’s efforts to expand primary and specialty care are part of a tradition that has shaped health care on the Central Coast for more than 135 years.

COTTAGE PRIMARY CARE

Daniel Crossman, MD Internal Medicine

Barry Statner, MD, CM Internal Medicine Infectious Disease

Amir Jalilian, MD Family Medicine

Casey Whipple, MD Family Medicine

COTTAGE CARDIOLOGY CLINIC

Elizabeth Hutchins, MD, PhD General Cardiology

Cardiac Electrophysiology

COTTAGE SURGICAL CLINICS

Farida Bounoua, MD, FACS General and Bariatric Surgery

Learn

David Thoman, MD General and Bariatric Surgery

RHEUMATOLOGY

Rheumatology

Lexine Yurcho, MD General and Colorectal Surgery

Courtney Stull, MD
Chee Yuan Ng, MD

another fine property 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)

49 SEAVIEW DRIVE • MONTECITO

Just steps from the beach, this bright Montecito Shores residence combines ocean views, sunlight, and a relaxed coastal energy. The desirable third-floor, south-facing end unit offers incredible natural light and large windows that frame the ocean and tree-lined skyline, creating a connection to the outdoors. The two-bedroom, two-bath layout is open and inviting, with enclosed balconies and generous living spaces perfect for entertaining or quiet evenings at home. Every room feels airy and calm, surrounded by the soft sounds and light of the coast. OFFERED AT $3,200,000

Dream. Design. Build. Live.

412 E. Haley St. #3, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

805.965.9555 | frontdesk@beckercon.com| www.beckerstudiosinc.com @beckerstudios

Join Occhiali Eyewear for an exclusive designer trunk show

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

5 Local News – Montecito debates East Valley eucalyptus removal balancing wildfire risk, safety, heritage, and preservation.

6

Beings and Doings – Chef Diego Moya’s “Little Mountain” brings global flavor and artistry to Montecito’s Upper Village.

8 An Unlikely Story – John and Martha met in Australia. They can’t have guessed what lay ahead.

10

Letters to the Editor – Readers warn rent control could worsen Santa Barbara’s housing and affordability crisis.

12 On Entertainment – SBHS revives The Breakfast Club; Laurel Canyon legends, art tours, and Sedaris enliven November.

14 The Way It Was – Hazard family history reveals Rhode Island roots and Mission Canyon’s enduring Santa Barbara legacy.

16

Montecito Miscellany – Santa Barbara Club gala, La Boheme’s Halloween cabaret, and MClub’s Catalina Island escape.

20 The Society Edit – Carolina Bucci opens Montecito boutique, merging Florentine craftsmanship with relaxed California luxury.

22 Saving Grace – Locals release rescued St. Mary’s windows to Vincentian Fathers’ care.

28 Elizabeth’s Appraisals – Faux pearl collar sparks reflection on fashion icons, pearl farming, and timeless beauty.

Curator’s Choice – Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux inspires owl-themed art celebrating nature and centuries of fascination.

30 The Giving List – SBMM’s Greg Gorga reflects on 19 years transforming the museum into an education hub.

31 The Optimist Daily – Cocoa flavanols protect arteries from sitting’s effects, offering a sweet heart-health boost.

A NEW IN-HOUSE COLLECTION OCCHIALI EYEWEAR

Refined Italian craftsmanship meets understated luxury. The Brunello Cucinelli optical line blends timeless design, premium acetate and titanium, and subtle details inspired by light, landscape, and heritage. Elegant eyewear that feels as effortless as it looks.

Join us in welcoming this extraordinary new line to our store with a La Bella Vista trunk show. Sip Aperol Spritzes, enjoy Italian small bites, and shop elegant designs straight from Italia.

A Brunello Cucinelli representative will be on hand to assist you with the collection.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7

3:30-5:30PM

OCCHIALI. 1046 Coast Village Road, Montecito, CA 93108

32 Montecito Health Coach – Chronic over-giving harms health; Deann Zampelli links stress to Shel Silverstein’s Giving Tree

35

Sheriff’s Blotter – Deputies address online scam, firearm arrest, and mental health crisis in Montecito, Summerland.

36 Your Westmont – Campus hosts E-bike safety forum and teen choral showcase on November 7.

38 Stories Matter – Leslie Zemeckis spotlights November reads from memoirs to thrillers and literary escapes.

40 Spirituality Matters – Bruce and Ruth Davis lead Silent Stay retreats, guiding guests toward peace and stillness.

44

Calendar of Events – November features 1st Thursday, Gaby Moreno concerts, Opera SB, and Buellton Fall Fest.

48 Robert’s Big Questions – Examining America’s justice divide and dangers of retribution amid Trump-era politics.

An Independent Mind – Calling for leadership beyond partisan gridlock and a return to genuine civic vision.

49 News Bytes – Community highlights: fundraisers, film festivals, hurricane relief, and architecture honors in Montecito.

50 Our Town – Ghost Village Road glows with Halloween costumes, contests, music, and neighborhood cheer.

52 Dog Town – Richie’s Barbershop hosts Montecito’s first Pet Halloween Costume Contest with prizes and online votes.

Photography: Spenser Bruce

Local News

Saga of the Eucalyptus Tree

There’s a tree known for its towering height—sometimes reaching more than 160 feet. Its bark, thin and peeling, shifts in color from white and gray to reddish-brown. You might recognize it by its cool, minty aroma, familiar from candles, essential oils, and balms. But perhaps its most striking trait is its volatility: highly flammable, and under extreme heat, capable of exploding.

Eucalyptus trees, often dubbed “widow makers” for their massive branches that can drop without warning, were introduced to California in the early 1850s, according to the National Park Service. They arrived during the Gold Rush era, among other Australianseed imports, and were quickly promoted as a solution to the state’s wood shortage.

Fast-growing and abundant, they were hailed as a potential timber source for construction, furniture, railroad ties, and firewood. According to a U.S. Forest Service paper, most eucalyptus species proved unsuitable for construction due to their brittle wood and tendency to splinter. Still, the trees thrived in California’s Mediterranean climate, spreading rapidly and becoming a familiar sight across the state.

Today, they’re ubiquitous in Santa Barbara—especially in Montecito—though their presence has grown increasingly controversial, sparking long-standing debates about their ecological and safety impacts.

As if exploding trees weren’t enough, Nichols noted that eucalyptus are also vulnerable to a fungus called sulfur root rot—especially when planted near asphalt—which further weakens them. A telltale sign, he said, is a large mushroom-like growth at the base. The fungus causes the roots to contract and lose stability, increasing the likelihood of a fall.

In 2010, the eucalyptus trees lining the Southern side of East Valley Road in Montecito—white and blue gum species bordering the Birnam Wood community— became the focus of a heated dispute when residents removed several of the large trees. By April of that year, over a dozen had already been taken down, with plans to remove more. However, that never happened. According to a 2010 Montecito Journal article, Montecito residents actually rallied in support of the trees, arguing that they were fixtures of the

Local News Page 244

The century-old eucalyptus trees lining East Valley Road—once beloved for their beauty—now face removal amid rising fire and safety concerns.

Beings and Doings Little Mountain: Plating the Village

When local investment empath (and healthy hair exemplar)

Graham Duncan bought Pierre Lafond’s beloved and fallow Wine Bistro space in the Upper Village, local eyebrows arched as one. There were whisperings in the woods. A jewel in the Upper Village crown, the cozy retail oasis perched above the miraculous

Corner Green has long been a cherished Montecito hangout. What would become of the vibe now that the dear Bistro had taken its leave? Not to worry.

Little Mountain – the much-anticipated new epicurean living room in the Upper Village – opens its doors this evening (November 6, 2025), and promises a relaxed, convivially local, gastronomically immersive experience. Yes – the new culinary rendezvous is named after our town. Montecito, you see, is

a Spanish word (he lectured without embarrassment), and owners Graham Duncan and Eva and Bryan Schreier have chosen to fête the village in their naming of the new digs, as well they should. As more gustatory establishments plant flags and turn our woodland hamlet into a collective culinary nirvana, Montecito is becoming increasingly synonymous with approachable fine dining. “Where you wanna eat tonight?” “Montecito. Duh.” Little Mountain is acknowledging the fact. It must be said: this restaurant naming convention wouldn’t work as well in Lickskillet (KY) or Chug Water (WY).

Little Mountain, though, speaks to the majesty of a demure, delicately cloud-flocked peak – and to the summits attained by culinary eloquence. Home is where the art is. Meet Chef Diego Moya

“Yes, Chef” – Diego Moya’s Sources-First Magic

Today, Chef Diego Moya’s stated approach to menu-building makes artisanal use of palate-seducing local color. His sources-first model builds dishes around optimally available local ingredients, with an emphasis on seasonality and sourcing.

Beings & Doings Page 464

Little Mountain’s tavern at twilight (photo by Kort Havens)
Chef Diego Moya has adopted the village (photo by Kort Havens)

TO BRING YOUR LIFE.

An Unlikely Story The Mixed Beauty of a Runaway Life

Once upon a time, an English lad named John Holman was sojourning in Australia some 10,000 miles away from his home village of West Grinstead in the U.K. Searching for himself, really, John had incautiously entered a passageway provided by his family’s wartime past.

At Tecolote Book Shop this coming Saturday, November 8, from 3 to 4 pm, Holman introduces A Runaway Life, in which he explains an emergence from chaos, and the newfound love of his life. The signing and talk are sponsored by Aussie winery Kalyra, who will be providing wine and sausage rolls for the Tecolote event.

Eighty-one years ago (at this writing), Holman’s namesake uncle – a WWII tail gunner in a Royal Air Force

Stirling Bomber – was killed in a daylight attack 11,000 feet over the French countryside. The two German FockeWulf 190s that appeared seemingly out of nowhere shot the bomber to pieces, the RAF crew scrambling out of the falling fireball and deploying their chutes. The salvo immediately killed 19-year-old tail-gunner Johnny Grantham, Holman’s uncle, where he sat in his gunner’s turret. The pilot of the airplane was Australian Noel Eliot. Life is an abstract painting whose “meaning” can become fleetingly decipherable, to our blinking surprise. As detailed early in Holman’s memoir series Pom’s Odyssey, young Johnny Grantham’s death in the Stirling Bomber that day would open a previously hidden door to far-off Australia, where Holman’s path would cross that of another expat Down Under – a young woman from Santa Barbara named Martha Coony. When Santa Barbaran free spirit Martha knocks on John’s boardinghouse door near Bondi Beach (about four miles outside of Sydney) she is asking to borrow the proverbial cup of sugar. And so do wanderers find a way through the woods and into sunlight; sometimes having forged through an unexpected and lacerating thicket of thorns.

Bondi Beach to Hendry’s

Holman’s memoir

A Runaway Life details – in edible prose that seamlessly shifts from spit-your-coffee funny to tear-inducing – a sequential array of unlikely events with one thing in common: John’s love for Martha. The gauntlet would turn a perplexed and stammering village lad into a lovestruck bottle rocket. John Holman’s memoir details his and Martha’s sometimes

Unlikely Story Page 374

Former wanderer finds his motherboard – John reveling at AFL in Sydney (courtesy photo)
A Runaway Life

Letters to the Editor

The High Cost of “Affordable”

Jeff Harding’s recent column in the Montecito Journal brings up one of the hottest topics facing City Council currently. “Rent Control” surfaces periodically as a solution to the relatively high cost of living in a city where demand for affordable housing has traditionally out-paced supply. Due primarily to our high-functioning Housing Authority, Santa Barbara actually does enjoy a relatively high percentage of dwellings made affordable by covenants and subsidies. The demand, however, persists. As Mr. Harding points out, solving the issue with the one-pronged approach of demonizing property-owners and landlords as the cause of this phenomenon is neither fair nor practical. And the result of these programs has been played out in cities all over the world to the eventual detriment of the rental dwelling market and thus the tenants. The latest scheme proposing capping rent increases at 60% of CPI does not take into account realities of inflation, utility costs, price and availability of insurance and may not cover annual property tax increases. Lastly, it disproportionately punishes structures built prior to 1995, which, while aging and prone to needing repair, provide a major source of below-market opportunities for tenants. Santa Monica, a city almost identical in population to ours, runs a rent control program at the cost of $6,000,000 per year, and finding an affordable unit there is no slam dunk. Where would we find that money?

Artificial market mechanisms, preferred by politicians as a panacea for socio-economic issues, are rarely successful in the long run and have unintended consequences. Price supports, wage floors, rent caps and, my new favorite, tariffs, are all actions that gain political favor but result in adverse consequences down the line. A very real example of that

Housing

is AB 1482 which caps rent at 5%+CPI. The result has been rents increasing at about 10% per year not out of “greed,” but for fear of losing base value, an unintended consequence based on uncertainty. Voters in California, including within the City of Santa Barbara, voted against Prop 33, which would have made it even easier for localities to increase the scope of rent control. A majority of voters understand the concept that rent control is simplistic, reactionary and historically unsuccessful. Socializing a private asset in the name of the “Greater Common Good” goes against the grain of this country, and diminishes the notion of individual achievement.

Solutions to Santa Barbara’s housing issue may be elusive, but there are mechanisms that don’t place the burden squarely on one element of the private sector. The previously mentioned Santa Barbara Housing Authority leverages tax-credit financing to produce units, State programs allow bonus density for the production of deed-restricted units, and the Average Unit Density program inserts smaller units into the housing stock to provide more opportunity. Some of the larger employers have been participating in subsidizing employee housing. A robust voucher program could help a lot of folks once a financing mechanism is realized. Lastly, the article mentions supply. Could demand ever be satisfied without becoming Santa Monica ourselves?

Research for the proposed rent control ordinance will require much precious staff time and take away from ongoing efforts such as the Short-Term Rental ordinance. This proposal is political, not practical, and would be to the detriment of the tenants that it purports to serve.

Randy Rowse

Santa Barbara

If I Wanted to Destroy Affordable Housing in Santa Barbara, I Would…

If I wanted to destroy affordable housing in Santa Barbara, I wouldn’t swing a wrecking ball. No, I’d smile politely and pass laws. I’d say I was protecting people, preserving neighborhoods, saving the environment, looking after the renters from evil landlords. And then – brick by brick, regulation by regulation – I’d make it impossible to build or maintain housing anyone could afford.

First, I would drown every new housing proposal in process. I’d let planning and permitting drag on for years, not months. I’d require stacks of studies –seismic, coastal, archaeological, biological – each one necessary, each one slow. I’d delay until developers gave up and lenders moved on.

Then I’d make building small and dense – the kind that working families can actually afford – practically unlivable. Height limits, setback rules, coastal overlays, neighborhood overlays, aesthetic overlays – I’d stack them like sandbags around every parcel of land. The message would be clear: if you want to build homes, build somewhere else.

I would weaponize fees. Impact fees, traffic fees, school fees, transit fees – a fee for every dream. I’d whisper the word “inclusionary” and pretend it meant affordable housing, while quietly making every unit more expensive to construct.

Then I’d turn neighbors into vigilantes with “community review.” I’d hold public hearings that last until midnight and invite emotional testimony about “neighborhood character.” I’d call it democracy. But really, it’s tyranny of the minority. It would be veto power for the loudest five percent.

But why stop new housing when I can punish the people who already provide it?

I’d pass rent control – the silent killer of affordable housing. I’d promise

Montecito Tide Guide

Nov 14

it protects tenants, but I’d ignore its history. I’d ignore that when you cap rent, you cap maintenance. When you freeze income, you freeze investment. And I’d act surprised when landlords sell, rental units disappear, and the housing supply shrinks.

Then I would raise energy costs. I’d mandate all-electric conversions, solar retrofits, EV infrastructure, energy compliance audits – noble ideas, every one of them. But I’d force landlords to pay for it alone. I’d call it climate policy, but I’d never admit it drives rents higher and pushes mom-and-pop housing providers out of business.

Next, I’d inflate property taxes and assessments with endless bond measures. A little extra for schools here, a little for transportation there – and before long, I’d have doubled the cost of holding a modest fourplex without building a single new home. And call into question the safeguards afforded all property owners through Proposition 13 making claims it creates “inequities.”

I would pass ordinances that quietly turn landlords into criminals – rent caps, relocation penalties, inspection schemes, private right of action lawsuits. I’d make it easier to sue a landlord than to lease from one. And I’d make sure the rules were confusing, so even good landlords lived in fear of technical violations.

Then I’d divide the community – tenants against landlords. I’d pass Tenant Protection Ordinances that presume guilt, that forbid “harassment” but never define it, that treat every no-fault eviction as a moral failure. Good people who provide housing would be treated as the enemy. And I’d call it justice.

Finally – I would ensure everyone blamed “the market” instead of the real culprit: bad governance.

Because if I wanted to destroy affordable housing in Santa Barbara, I wouldn’t need a bulldozer. I would only need:

• Endless regulation

• Weaponized rent control

• Soaring energy mandates

• Escalating property taxes

• Ordinances that punish housing providers

• Laws that divide landlord and tenant

• And a government that says “yes” to process and “no” to housing.

And I would do it all while insisting I care deeply about affordability.

But – if we want a different ending to this story – we should remember a simple truth:

Housing is not created by speeches, hearings, or government slogans. Housing is created when we allow people to build it and control it.

Don Katich

Santa Barbara

Heal the Ocean proudly salutes the generous Sponsors and Supporters who have made our 2025 Imaginary Gala fundraising campaign such a success!

This year's theme is “Above and Below” to create awareness of the connection between ecosystems “above” on land and “below” the sea. This year is extra special, as we embark on our 27th year of operations with Heal the Ocean’s new Executive Director, Karina Johnston, at the helm! With Hillary’s ocean pollution expertise and Karina’s coastal resilience work, Heal the Ocean moves forward to protect our ocean and coastline for generations to come.

2025 IMAGINARY GALA SPONSORS

HUMPBACK WHALE

Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Brad Hall

ORCA

Kirby-Jones Foundation

Adam & Kara Rhodes/WWW Foundation

Sam & Sherilyn Scranton Rev. Trust

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN

Nora McNeely Hurley & Michael Hurley

HARBOR SEAL

Marcy Carsey/Carsey Family Foundation

Thomas & Nancy Crawford

Roy E. Crummer Foundation

Cheryl Tomchin/ Tomchin Family Foundation

CALIFORNIA CONDOR

The Dolotta Family Charitable Foundation

BROWN PELICAN

Anonymous (2)

Tom & Sheila Cullen

Zora & Les Charles/ Cheeryble Foundation

Steve Starkey & Olivia Erschen

Henry & Nanette Nevins

Jack & Sheri Overall

Pat & Maire Radis

Garland & Brenda Reiter/Garland & Brenda Reiter Family Foundation

Peter & Nini Seaman

CHANNEL ISLANDS FOX

Jill Taylor & Raymond Link

Travis Turpin/Turpin-Allebrand

Family Charitable Foundation

Alex & Gina Ziegler

SPINY LOBSTER

Eli Aizenstat/Kaimana

The Larry Barels Family

Big Speak

Frank & Marlene Bucy

Donald & Noelle Burg

John & Gloria McManus

Frank C. Herzog III & Marla J. Mercer

Charles & Eileen Read

Jonathan & Elise Wygant

SNOWY PLOVER

Kent & Brier Allebrand/ Turpin Family Charitable Foundation/ B&B Foundation

John & Caron Berryhill/Agnes B. Kline

Memorial Foundation

Carbon2Cobalt

Krista & Rich Coffin

John Mike & Marcia Cohen

Hilary & Ned Doubleday

2025 IMAGINARY GALA SUPPORTERS

SUNFLOWER SEA STAR

Steve Aizenstat

Brad & MJ Bakove

Rodney & Sharon Berle

Stephen & Maria Black

Louise Gainey

Lee Heller

Tom & Ami Kearns

Richard & Connie Kennelly

Andy & Yvonne Neumann

Penny Mathison & Donald Nulty

Eric & Kit Peterson

Anouk Priebe-Garcia

Catherine M. Rose

Tony Allina, M.D. &

Christiane Schlumberger

Ed & Karen Shiffman

Ron & Jeanie Sickafoose

Bendy White & Kathy Snow

Dana Justesen Trexler

Shannon Trotta

Wildcat Lounge

Jim Winter

STRIPED SURF PERCH

Elizabeth & Dennis Boscacci

Gary Bruemmer

Cinda Erdman

Dorian Hirth

Stephanie & Kenneth Jamgochian

Lori Lewis

Lyn Price & Jim Marshall

Jacob Tell

Roe Ann White

Tracey Willfong

Bruce Raph & Karen Yoon

Nicholas Elliott

Ann Frank

Victoria & Lachlan Hough

Impact.com

Ani Jiménez

K. Leonard & Melanie Judson

Chris & Connie Lambert

Kim & Dwight Lowell

Blair & Steve Raber

Melissa & Christian Riparetti-Stepien

Christopher Seidman & Barbara Lynn Gallisath/Seidman Gallisath Family Fund

Michel Saint-Sulpice & Mary Staton

Jonathan Gans & Abigail Turin

Gebb Turpin/Turpin Family

Charitable Foundation

Evan Turpin/Turpin-Allebrand

Family Charitable Foundation

Charles Vinick & Susan Venable

Clayton Verbinski Zog Industries

RED ABALONE

Valerie & Branden Aroyan

Manuela & Rob Cavaness

David, Jeannie & Roxy Clark

Bob & Alea Cunningham

Tom Evans

Wendy Foster

Jennifer Fry

Karen Gallivan

Lois Gunther

Ralph Clevenger & Mary Jane Headlee

Susanne Humbel-Heierling

Alex Katz

Linda Krop

Curtis & Kelly Lambert

Jon & Sue Lewis

Sheila Lodge

John Lyon

Valerie & David Powdrell

Peter Sawyer

Jessica Scheeter

Bruce Dobrin & Karla Shelton

Judy Stewart

Barbara Willett

Caroline Young

On Entertainment Brat Pack is Back in New SBHS Show

Considering how many 1980s movies have been turned into Broadway musicals – from Footloose , Heathers , and Little Shop of Horrors to Fame , Xanadu , and even Back to the Future – it’s almost shocking nobody has adapted John Hughes ’ The Breakfast Club for the stage. After all, the iconic film praised for its authentic portrayal of high school students’ emotional lives and exploration of the surprising (to them at least) commonalities between teens from decidedly different cliques – in the opening scene referred to as “a brain, athlete, basket case, princess, and a criminal” – who are stuck together for detention on a Saturday was a huge hit and has influenced countless coming-of-age stories. But with no published adaptation, Santa Barbara High School theater Department Head Gioia Marchese decided to try her own hand at turning the film into a stage play.

“I wanted something that was teen focused that would work well and be fun for the kids that we have this year, who are really good actors,” she explained.

The themes of the movie play out every day at SBHS as in high schools across the country, making it an ideal show for the teen actors, she said.

“You’ve got five really distinct type teens who are thrown together in detention with a very aggressive principal who tells them to sit there quietly and think about what they’ve done and ultimately write an essay of who they think they are,” said Marchese, who grew up in Montecito. “As the day goes on, they slowly open up to each other and learn more about why they’re there and what they’re dealing with at home. These kids who might never speak to each other at school before discover that they have a lot more in common than they thought.”

Marchese used the film as a jumping off point to create something more theatrical, employing dance numbers and projections to recreate some of the more iconic moments for a show that’s set in the school’s library.

“All of the iconic moments, the characters, costumes, songs, and the famous lines that people love are there,” she said. “But of course we can’t do montages or closeups, so there’s a lot of movement and dance, expanding on what’s in the film in creative ways.”

Marchese, who has fond memories of seeing the movie in the theater with her mom back when it came out in 1985, said that a lot of her actors also have sentimental connections to The Breakfast Club with their parents, albeit on DVD or streaming. For her adaptation, however, Marchese decided to cast her actors in creative ways, not simply dividing the 18 young thespians into three different casts, but rather rotating them in at least two different roles and pairing them in different groups, so that no performance shares the same group of actors.

Entertainment Page 414

Maria Butler as Claire (photo by Leela Cyd)
Dragon Aditya as Bender (photo by Leela Cyd)
Chase Houston as Andrew (photo by Leela Cyd)
Elsie Sneddon as Allison (photo by Leela Cyd)
Theo Gillespie as Brian (photo by Leela Cyd)

The Way It Was The Hazards of Mission Canyon

The Narragansett Planters of 17th and 18th century Rhode Island more closely resembled their Virginia cousins than they did the hardscrabble, independent New England farmers for which the area is known. Well educated, erudite even, they owned vast acreages on which they raised cattle and sheep and developed the first American breed of horses, the elegant Narragansett Pacers, which are now extinct. For a time they raised tobacco, but their dairy enterprises, especially the making of cheese, brought them the greatest profit. The few families of this elite group yielded great economic and political power in the area.

The Quaker Hazards were the largest and most powerful of this planter aristocracy. In 1804, however, with the Industrial Revolution upon them, Rowland Hazard I (1763-1835) established a woolen mill in Peace Dale, the town he named for his South Carolina wife, Mary Peace. The business continued to expand and other manufacturing interests were acquired

under his son, Rowland Gibson Hazard I (1801-1888) and his grandson Rowland Hazard II (1829-1898).

Winters in Santa Barbara

Rowland Hazard II and his family had visited Santa Barbara in the early

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2025

LORTIE, piano

Renowned for his “exquisite touch and poetic insight” (The Guardian), Canadian master pianist Louis Lortie presents a special all-Ravel program. This can’t-miss recital celebrates the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth with an unforgettable immersion in his dazzling and colorful piano masterpieces. 7:30 PM · Lobero Theatre

Sponsor: Robert Castle

Co-Sponsor: Edward S. DeLoreto

Concert Partners: Maureen & Les Shapiro

1880s and returned in January 1885 so his wife, Anna, could recuperate from a year’s illness. Santa Barbara at the time had been touted for its salubrious climate and as a health resort. The Hazards found Montecito’s Hot Springs to be superior to others in the neighboring area.

Not doing anything by halves, Rowland immediately purchased a parcel of land known as Mission Hill for its proximity to the old mission. The former owner’s home had burned to the ground and all that remained were a little stable and a few orange trees. They fitted the stable up as a sitting room and laid plans for the building of a home, which was completed in December.

From then on, the Hazards and extended family and friends spent the winter months in Santa Barbara and kept adding land to their estate. In 1890, Rowland indulged in his favorite pastime; he began to plan and design, and to contract masons to build walls. He wrote in his journal, “Am trying to get a dial made. Bought land, two acres, across the [Mission Creek] with a spring on it. I’m planning a new room and… have finished the workbench in the little shop. I’ve laid out the wall where Eucalyptus have been cut down along the brow of the hill.”

Hazard had designed and built seven stone bridges in Peace Dale, and while in

Santa Barbara he consulted with mason Joe Dover and surveyor Alfred Poett on plans for a stone bridge over Pedregosa (Mission) Creek. The masons were paid $1.50 a day and the total cost for the project was $350. By late April 1892, his walls were finished except for the Scotch pickets on top. Being a man of letters as well as an industrialist, Rowland celebrated by writing for Anna an anniversary sonnet whose first stanza read:

Way It Was Page 424

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2026

Riccardo Muti, Music Director Emeritus for Life

BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98

STRAVINSKY: Divertimento, arranged from Le Baiser de la Fée (The Fairy’s Kiss)

RAVEL: Boléro

Sponsors: Michele Neely Saltoun and Anne Smith Towbes, In honor of the memory of Andre Saltoun and Michael Towbes • Beth Gates Warren & Bob Boghosian • Edward S. DeLoreto • Ellen & Peter Johnson

Co-Sponsors: Elizabeth & Andrew Butcher • Carolyn & Sam Wolcott

With support from Edward O. Huntington

© Todd Rosenberg Photography
Tuskegee University portrait of Carolyn Hazard (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
In Santa Barbara, Roland Hazard II was responsible for building the stone bridge over Mission Creek and the construction of a complex of walls adjoining the mission

Montecito Miscellany

A Bewitching Debut at the Santa Barbara Club

PRESENTS AZTECH MOUNTAIN

Born in Aspen, Aztech crafts meticulously made garments for men and women that exude a modern, utilitarian and cool vibe. Discover ultra chic wool and cashmere boucle knitwear, outerwear and stylish layers. Aztech has you covered from city to mountain for life AT ANY ELEVATION.

November 7-8th. 10 AM - 6:00 PM 1150 Coast Village Rd. , Montecito

Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP

Protecting Family Wealth by Tax and Succession Planning.

Protecting family wealth requires more than a good plan — it requires the right strategy. The right strategy can protect assets, minimize taxes, and preserve family harmony.

Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP design sophisticated structures that align your vision, values, and wealth while bringing clarity to the details that matter most.

Private consultations available by appointment or referral.

John W. Ambrecht, JD, MBA — Founding Partner

Leticia Martinez, JD — Managing Partner

• 1828 State Street • Santa Barbara, CA 93101 • info@ambrechtmartinez.com • www.ambrechtmartinez.com • (805) 574-7305

Last Friday evening, the Santa Barbara Club hosted a magical inaugural Halloween party that would have enchanted even the ghosts of Montecito’s high society. Candlelight flickered off champagne flutes as members mingled, enjoying a decadent buffet of tenderloin with autumn vegetables, pumpkin bisque, an arugula and butternut squash salad, and desserts that vanished before midnight.

The costumes were stunning: Viking Queen and SB Club Director Linda Spann presided over the event consulting with DJ Katherine Bradstreet, while Wizard of Oz Keith Moore chatted with Glenda the Good Witch

(Contessa Diane Brighton) about the fabulous Portuguese ceramic black cat he purchased on their recent journey. The Phantom of the Opera, played by John Brinker , made a dramatic entrance (as one does), and Mary Hobson dazzled as the Green Witch. Brent Anderson and his entire family arrived as a raucous crew of Pirates of the Caribbean, complete with swashbuckling flair. Mark and Susie Tautrim ’s matching skeletons, and Ellen Robinson as a wizard all added to the magic. Linda Rosso brought color and joy as a Flower Power Girl, and Brendon Twigden and Danuta Bennett brought whimsy as Alice in Wonderland characters.

Miscellany Page 184

Mark Tautrim, Danuta Bennett, Brendon Twigden, and Susie Tautrim (photo by Priscilla)

by Richard Mineards and friends...
Mary Hobson, Linda Rosso, Keith Moore, Beverly Cavaliere, and Contessa Brighton (photo by Priscilla)
Ellen Robinson, John Brinker, Emily Calkins, and Linda Spann (photo by Priscilla)

But the real showstopper? A single outdoor table on the lawn, designed by the ever-creative Bejeweled Purple Witch Beverly Cavaliere, the table was a masterpiece of mystical elegance – part séance, part art installation – complete with a glowing crystal ball, witch finger candles, floating eyeballs, a bubbling cauldron, Keith Moore’s black cat, and framed spells that seemed to hum with mischief. One guest whispered it looked “straight out of a Tim Burton fever

dream” – and he wasn’t wrong.

As the DJ spun the Bee Gees, Earth, Wind & Fire, KC and the Sunshine Band, the dance floor transformed into a ‘70s disco of the undead. Sequins flashed, capes twirled, and at one point, even the Phantom was seen doing the hustle (though he’ll surely deny it).

McCall

Witchfest at the Historic Alhecama Theatre

A ghoulish spectacular was held at the historic Alhecama Theatre on Saturday, November 1. Organized by Teresa Kuskey and Rick Oshay, the event, La Boheme Presents: A Happy Halloween Dead Dance and Cabaret Show, welcomed spooked visitors to the front courtyard to mingle among costumed guests. The witchy crowd was able to pose in their outlandish costumes for photos by event photographer Veronica Slavin and sample the delights served by Big Joe’s Tacos and sip wines from the Brander Vineyard.

Once inside the gothically decorated theater, the frightening variety show launched an eerie spectacular series of set pieces. Teresa Kuskey, outfitted as the Addams Family’s Morticia was surrounded by Master of Ceremonies

John Palminteri and other performers filling out the family’s scary ranks including Gomez, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Wednesday, and even Cousin It, portrayed by a bewigged Maitland Ward . The costumed audience was delighted with stage antics and performances by Tiffany Story playing Frau Blücher from the Young Frankenstein musical, BellaDonna doing a lip-sync version of a Day of the Dead tune with a skeleton backdrop, the baritone Byron Mayes singing an exquisite rendition of “Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera , a salsa dance from the trio of the Laura Garcia Dance Studio, a dance duet from Cyndi Chilcott and Ruslan Maliev , and a solo dance from Miss World Belly Dancer herself, Nilay Engin , among other special performances.

In between the key moments, the rapt goblins in the audience were spellbound with witch broom dances, a chorus line of lookalike Wednesdays, bewigged interludes, and a costume contest, with David Pintard winning as the raucous elf Buddy, who had a remarkable resemblance to Will Ferrell . Other shenanigans included music by DJ Joey , a post-show set from the Cover Alls Band and the amazing projections from tech wizard Jeremy Cable . A nightmare to

remember, this show was remarkable in a wide display of devilish originality to wrap up the Halloween season in Santa Barbara.

Sips and Nibbles: A Tasteful Evening or a Worthy Cause

The old-world charm of El Paseo set the scene for a delightful evening as the Grassini Family Vineyards Tasting Room hosted Sips and Nibbles, a benefit for Food From The Heart. Guests enjoyed Grassini estate wines and Chef Aaron Casale’s sumptuous bites while singer/ guitarist Kylie Butler’s smooth tunes set the mood. For more than three decades, Food From The Heart has been a quiet yet vital force in Santa Barbara, preparing and delivering wholesome, healing meals to individuals facing illness, injury, or hospice care – completely free of charge. Volunteers including Founder Evelyn Jacob, Sue Adams, Carla Amussen, Bonnie Cummings, and Carmen Ortiz gather each week in the kitchen to chop, stir, bake, and package nourishing meals under Chef Casale’s direction, while Miscellany Page 264

Hostess of Halloween ceremonies Teresa Kuskey and Music Academy of the West baritone Byron Mayes (photo by Priscilla)
A Happy Halloween Dead Dance and Cabaret Show lights up the historic Alhecama Theatre with spooky spectacles and dazzling costumes (photo by Priscilla)
Kathy Bybokas, Eric Onnen, Karen Kegg, Robin Sonner, and Pegeen White (photo by Priscilla)
Master of Ceremonies John Palminteri with David Pintard as Buddy the elf (photo by Priscilla)

The Society Edit

Carolina Bucci Florentine Fine Jewelry

Opens First U.S. Store at the Montecito Country Mart

ourth-generation jewelry designer and founder of her brand, Carolina Bucci decided upon the Montecito Country Mart as her first United States retail store location. This is her third store, following her landmark store in her hometown of Florence, Italy, and her second location in London, England, where she currently resides with her husband, James, and their children.

I met Bucci at her store opening on Thursday, October 30, notably the same day as her birthday. A definitive Italian fashionista, she was impeccably dressed in a soft white T-shirt, jeans, and a yellow oversized blazer, adorned with earrings, bracelets, and necklaces from her jewelry line.

When I arrived, Bucci was conversing with Montecito Country Mart (MCM) Owner James Rosenfield. MCM Manager Kristin Teufel made our introduction. The first moment you walk into Carolina Bucci, you are transported to Italy for certain. The refinement in layout, furnishings, lighting, and the brass inlay floor are most akin to the finest couturiers of Milan.

I inquired how she arrived upon her decision to open her first U.S. store here in our beloved Montecito. Bucci said, “I’ve been a big fan of the Brentwood Country Mart for many years. And I think at some point our ears must have been ringing [hers and Rosenfield’s] because you [Rosenfield] reached out to us to tell us about all your projects. So, we decided to meet, we came here, and I fell in love. [Laughs.] I’m a very gut-feeling person, so this is our first store in the U.S., but it needed to be somewhere that felt like home. For me, I’m from

Florence. Here it feels a bit like Tuscany, and I’m obsessed with cacti. [Rosenfield took her to Lotusland.] The Montecito Country Mart feels like the perfect community and a center of this beautiful place. My favorite word that I live by and that describes my brand is ‘sprezzatura,’ an Italian word for the art of effortlessness. To make something appear effortless, there is a ton of work behind it. This whole store was built in Milan by the same people that built our Florence store, and we shipped it over. For me it was important that the store looks like it has been here forever, not a pop-up. We are very happy to have our new home here.”

Smiling, Rosenfield added, “It is truly an honor and privilege for us to have Carolina’s first U.S. store here at the Montecito Country Mart. We search far and wide for stores like Carolina Bucci, who operate beautiful, special shops in Florence, Italy, and London, England. Carolina always performs at an exceptionally high level. Her boutiques are luxu-

rious and chic, the jewelry is elegant yet casual, and the service is impeccable. We hope the customers here in Montecito will love it. My wife and I first saw Carolina’s store in London and were immediately smitten. We thought that this could really work well in California. What she’s done that is so interesting is bring a luxurious European design and pair it with primitive California casualness. I think it fits perfectly into the Country Mart. For example, she polished the concrete floors, maintaining all the scars and other blemishes, and added her name to the floor with handcut inlaid brass. Carolina’s great-grandfather started the family jewelry business in Florence, Italy, in 1885! When Carolina and I spoke about possibly opening here in Montecito, we had to meet with her father first before proceeding. On the Zoom call he offered us ‘the very best of luck in our new business venture together.’”

After a few photo ops with me, Bucci generously provided a hands-on walkthrough of her jewelry collections in the store, saying, “We are not a seasonal brand. I don’t make things for a season and then they are gone. Everything is made in our Florence-based family workshops. I launched my brand in 2002 with the ‘Lucky Collection’ [aka friendship bracelets], which are 18k gold chains woven by hand with silk threads into bracelets and have charms that mean love, health, peace, protection, and so on. It is still as relevant today as it was then.”

The collections use different colors of 18k gold and finishes such as a Florentine finish made by a diamond-tipped tool and a patina finish for the “EveryDay” collection. Her hoop and huggie earrings are customized with charms or additional hoops. Each collection has a printed booklet about its history, meaning, design choices, and jewelry care. Receiving much attention at the opening was the FORTE bead bracelet, made on the spot, with the customer selecting from 29 semi-precious and hard stones strung on gold-tipped lurex cords. The bracelet is tied to the wrist; Bucci is not a fan of clasps.

We finished with the K.I.S.S. Collection, a rings collection, and her craft fragrance called “Villa Colombo,” named after her family home in Italy, with the label designed by her grandmother. Bucci said, “I wanted to recreate the smell of the end of summer. You know, I actually smelled it here when I visited Montecito a few years ago, which is another reason why it felt right about opening in Montecito. You can purchase it as a liquid for a diffuser or as a candle; both are in Murano glass with a Florentine paper design.”

Seen at the opening were Heather Rosenfield, owner of Poppy Store, with her besties producer-attorney Ashley Underwood David , Emily Nelson , and Lisa Lloyd. Also attending were Ron Brand, owner of Mate Gallery, with his latest mini-Mate tote in hand. Carolina Bucci’s store manager is a local, Suzanne Blumer.

411: carolinabucci.com

And that’s a wrap till next week! Do email me if you have society news or an experience we can do together! Xx JAC

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

Carolina Bucci and James Rosenfield at the opening of her Montecito retail location
Lisa Lloyd, Heather Rosenfield, Carolina Bucci, Ashley Underwood David, and Emily Nelson
Carolina Bucci’s store customer representative demonstrates the FORTE bead bracelet

Saving Grace A Community’s Mission to Rescue Stained Glass

Novack of

escue and return with care. That was the mission when nearly 150 sacred stained-glass windows from the former St. Mary’s Seminary on Las Canoas Road faced an uncertain fate.

These weren’t just any windows. Each one, luminous with Biblical imagery and rich with symbolism, once illuminated the chapel of the Vincentian Fathers, spiritual teachers whose quiet legacy shaped generations of faith in Santa Barbara. When the property changed hands and became the Empathy Center, the windows were slated for removal.

Enter Glenn Novack , owner of Moving Miss Daisy and Miss Daisy’s Consignment & Auction House.

Contacted to consign the windows, he quickly saw that this was not about commerce. “We handle estates and valuable items all the time,” he told me. “This wasn’t about selling something. This was very different; it was about preserving something sacred.”

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Novack turned to Diane Stewart of Stewart Fine Arts for an evaluation. Her verdict? The windows would be difficult to sell: too large, too specific, too steeped in meaning. That only strengthened Novack’s resolve.

He reached out to his longtime friend David Nygren, a former Vincentian priest who had studied at the seminary. “Those windows were my visual theology,” Nygren said. “They helped shape my spiritual life. The thought of them being lost was heartbreaking.”

Nygren did not waste a minute. Within 24 hours, he had reached out to five religious organizations and secured a commitment from the Vincentian

Fathers in St. Louis, the order’s first U.S. home, founded in the early 1800s.

Father Joe Williams, Provincial of the Vincentians, confirmed that the windows were indeed part of their Santa Barbara chapel. Working with Father Kevin Fausz, Provincial Treasurer, the two men began coordinating logistics for the cross-country return. “This was our history,” said Fr. Williams. “It would have been terrible to lose it. The team in Santa Barbara made sure that didn’t happen.”

Meanwhile, Novack and his crew meticulously photographed, catalogued, and mapped the windows, working alongside Bottenfield Construction and Project Engineer Ian Lawler to carefully remove each panel, a process that took weeks. “This was a group effort,” Novack said. “We had the skills and the structure to manage the job, so we stepped up.”

Miss Daisy’s donated all their time to the cause. Shipping was handled by Hazelwood Allied Moving & Storage, led by Owen Foreman and Armando

&

menting and cataloging where each panel of the stained-glass windows belong – above, below, and grouping all the panels that made up one large window. So, when they arrive in St. Louis, the Vincentian Fathers will be able to put the scenes together.

Medina, who provided nonprofit rates for crating and delivery. The Vincentian Fathers covered the costs of removal and transport.

When I asked Novack how it felt to see the project completed, his answer was simple: “It wasn’t about a transaction. It was about doing what felt right, for history, for faith, and for the community.”

And perhaps most beautifully, he added, “In a world so often divided by politics and ideology, the rescue of these windows brought together people of all faiths and political backgrounds, united by a shared belief in legacy and compassion.”

Last week, the stained-glass windows arrived safely in St. Louis, where they are now being evaluated for permanent installation in a sacred space within the Vincentian Province.

Stained-glass windows at St. Mary’s Seminary. Here are five sets of two long windows. Look closely and you’ll see there are several panels to complete the images in glass, making the job of cataloging very important.
Outside of St. Mary’s Seminary, scaffolds are in place for the windows to be removed carefully and replaced with plywood
Glenn
Moving Miss Daisy and Miss Daisy’s Consignment
Auction House docu-

Looking Forward

The mission of the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara is to ensure the availability of superior cancer care and patient support programs for all residents of Santa Barbara County. We remain focused on the future. Thanks to your generosity, these programs and services impact lives every day.

community. Many wrote letters to the Journal begging for the “wonderful” and “majestic” trees to stay. Some protested at the site where the previous trees had been removed and kids held up signs reading “Save the Trees,” and “Shame on You.”

Now, 15 years later, the tides have shifted. The removal of the remaining 77 trees is back on the table—but this time, the community seems to have changed its mind.

It all began, as many community concerns do, with an email. Neighbor Carolyn Fitzgerald, who lives across from Birnam Wood on East Valley Road, reached out to the club’s Chief Operating Officer, Jordan Sweeney, about the towering eucalyptus outside her home.

A Montecito resident who walks past the trees daily, Fitzgerald had grown increasingly anxious about her safety and that of her neighbors during a natural disaster. She pointed to the trees’ enormous size and proximity to nearby homes—including her children’s bedrooms and a guest house—as constant threats, especially given the nearby power lines and high-pressure gas line. “It’s just time to be really responsible about these things,” she said over the phone. “In my opinion.”

As for what will replace the trees, Nichols already has a plan.

“We absolutely are committed to replacing any bare spaces,” he said. They hope to plant California live oaks, native to the area.

Around the same time, homeowners on Boundary Drive—across from Birnam Wood, where the trees are rooted—raised similar concerns about the eucalyptus near their properties. The trees are reportedly over 100 years old—the typical lifespan of a eucalyptus—so, as many residents noted, now seems like the right time.

Though the two complaints were unrelated, they reflected a shared worry, said Chip Nichols, president of the Birnam Wood Homeowners’ Association, who heard their concerns and stepped into action.

Prompted by increased wildfire risks—brought into sharp focus by events like the Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flow—Nichols consulted the HOA’s legal counsel to clarify the requirements for tree removal. He hoped these recent disasters might have softened Montecito’s long-standing resistance to removing the eucalyptus.

“So I thought that maybe all of those things have softened up the public resistance to Local News Page 344

The fruiting body of the hardwood rot, Laetiporus sulphureus, aka Sulfur fungus. The conk shows that the disease is mature. Hardwood rots compromise the tree’s structural stability.
A high-pressure Southern California Gas Company line runs directly beneath the trees. “So, if there were a fire,” said Chip Nichols, president of the Birnam Wood Homeowners’ Association, “presumably it would go and create a huge explosion.”

others harvest fruit around town, and still others deliver the lovingly prepared bags directly to clients’ doors. Each delivery includes enough food to last a week, with everything from hearty entrées and casseroles to fresh salads, fruit, and bread.

Longtime volunteer and Board Chair Kelly Onnen, who has been involved with the organization for nearly 24 years, reflected on the evening’s significance. “I started just chopping in the kitchen,” she shared with a smile, “and it blossomed from there. Food from the Heart believes in healing through nourishment and the power of giving back.”

Special guests included Paula Bruice, Kathy Denlinger, Dave Gonzales, Don and Doedy Galloway, Eric Onnen, George Thurlow, and Pegeen White. by Maria McCall

Island Reverie: MClub’s Glamorous Getaway to Avalon

“Twenty-six miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waitin’ for me!” sang The Four Preps in their classic 1958 hit. Though the song says 26, it’s really just 22 miles from the mainland. Traveling in style in the Commodore Lounge aboard the Catalina Express, Montecito Bank

& Trust’s MClub adventurers enjoyed ocean views, refreshments, and lively conversation on the one-hour crossing.

Highlights of the voyage included Gary Simpson’s nostalgic recollections of cruising to Catalina with his father – an inventive pioneer whose designs helped shape modern marine and dive equipment – and Toni Amorteguy’s heartfelt stories of her family’s Avalon roots. Upon arrival, the travelers posed for a group photo against the sparkling bay, then wound their way along Avalon’s scenic hillsides in an open-air tour bus before savoring a delicious dinner at Bluewater Grill (with plenty of that irresistible sourdough bread).

The days that followed were filled with historic charm and adventure: a VIP behind-the-scenes tour of the historic Catalina Casino, lunch at Descanso Beach, an epic evening cheering the Dodgers to an 18-inning World Series victory, a private visit to the storied Tuna Club, a walk through the Catalina Island Museum’s pretty Catalina Clay exhibit, and a thrilling open-air Bison Expedition through the island’s rugged interior – complete with sweeping ocean views, island fox sightings, and a couple of majestic bison grazing under the autumn sun.

Richard sends his thanks for your many cards and good wishes, they are deeply appreciated. He reports that he’s improving every day, though there’s plenty of therapy ahead. Please continue sending your news and updates to his ever-helpful sidekick, Priscilla (805city@gmail.com).

Evelyn Jacob, Aaron Casale, Kelly Onnen, Bonnie Cummings, Paula Bruice, and Mike Paschke (photo by Priscilla)
David Gonzales, Jeanette Carpenter, Kylie Butler, Sheila Millington, and Doedy Galloway at the Food From The Heart benefit (photo by Priscilla)
Montecito Bank & Trust’s MClub adventurers touring Catalina Island (photo by Dirk Brandts)

Santa Barbara Favorite

An Evening with

David Sedaris

Fri, Nov 7 / 7:30 PM Arlington Theatre

“David Sedaris is an icon of indignation in a world that keeps on irking.” The Guardian (U.K.)

Irish Literature for the 21st Century Colm Tóibín in Conversation with Pico Iyer

Wed, Nov 19 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

“Tóibín is simply one of the world’s best living literary writers.” The Boston Globe

National Book Award-winning Poet An Evening with

Martín Espada

Thu, Nov 13 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

“A captivating storyteller and memoirist... One of our most important contemporary poets.” – Joyce Carol Oates

American Book Award-winning Author and Poet

An Evening with

Ocean Vuong

Wed, Dec 3 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

FREE pre-signed copies of Vuong’s new book, The Emperor of Gladness , will be available while supplies last

“A master of juxtaposition willing to tell difficult stories with courage.” The Guardian (U.K.)

Elizabeth’s Appraisals

The Pearl Legacy

JC,

who has sent her family’s objects and memories, now sends me her mom’s pair of pearl collars, faux pearls on silk that used to grace a common cardigan or blouse in the 1940s. These were produced by Glentex in Japan and, in Brooklyn, by an industry with the curious name of Baar & Beards, Inc.

I remember my grandmother had a few of these; when I was a kid, I used to pretend I was Queen Elizabeth, wearing a collar of pearls. These were the middle-class version of fine pearls. My Oma (German name for “gram”) called these her “dickey” collars, about 14 inches long and one to two inches wide.

Why these were fashionable has to do with the history of saltwater and freshwater pearls. By the late 1880s, pearls were so over farmed that few women could afford a pearl strand or a “real” pearl collar. Once the pearls from the great natural beds in the Arabian Gulf, young men used to dive from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, were overfished, saltwater pearls were sourced from Australia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. So hungry were Americans for pearls, a gift to a bride or a graduation gift, that the bivalve mussels producing freshwater or river pearls from the Mississippi River, once so plentiful, were no longer available. Farming those freshwater pearls in the late 19th and early 20th centuries decimated the Mississippi mussel.

Alas, the history of wearing pearls has always had its ebbs and flows, due to the depletion of vast pearl beds throughout the past 1,000 years. In the 15th and 16th

centuries, the natural pearl beds of Central and South America were farmed for the European nobility. Laws were passed to keep the common folk from wearing pearls; only royalty in the 15th and 16th centuries could drape themselves, as did Queen Elizabeth, with pearls. Royalty always loved their pearl prerogative: Julius Caesar loved pearls and banned unworthy people from wearing them in Rome. Not just European royalty wore pearls. They were dear to Hindu culture as the “daughters of the Moon,” as written in the Vedas. Pearls have always been connected with the oceans, and of course, with Venus. In the 1940s, cultured pearls were still a relative rarity, and although very few people could afford natural saltwater pearls, cultured pearls began to be more affordable. Still, a faux pearl collar was much cheaper. So JC’s mom did the next best thing with a shopgirl’s budget. She bought a faux pearl collar, which in 1943 could be purchased for $1.

The landscape around pearls and their affordability changed with the invention of cultured pearls by the entrepreneur Kokichi Mikimoto in 1893. He realized that if he placed an irritant inside a spe-

Curator’s Choice

Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux

Enlightenment intellectual Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, undertook to describe and classify the royal collections of France and to relate his findings to the broader laws of nature. His book Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux was a landmark in the science of ornithology and helped broaden contemporary interest in natural history. François-Nicolas Martinet engraved the plates for this and other works by leading ornithologists of his era.

This charming barn owl was a favorite in the Maximus Gallery exhibit A Parliament of Owls at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. The exhibit represented 300 years of owl illustration by important French, English, German, Dutch, Italian, and American artists.

The current exhibit, The Maximus Legacy, showcases the full breadth of the museum’s antique natural-history print collection, which extends to many other aspects of nature and culture.

cific kind of oyster, farmed from another oyster, he could “grow” a pearl in special hanging beds off the coast of Japan. By 1920, cultured pearls were affordable and almost perfectly round and white, in contrast to natural saltwater pearls hunted by those intrepid deep-ocean divers.

Mikimoto found the almost perfect specimen of cultured pearl: the Akoya, limited to certain oysters, as very few can “grow” a pearl.

I just returned from an appraisal of a collection belonging to a wealthy client of mine who has a home in Puerto Vallarta, and this has started me on a kick of rewatching Elizabeth Taylor movies. Taylor lived with Richard Burton at the time of the filming of John Huston’s Night of the Iguana. My client’s housekeeper, who is not young, remembers Elizabeth Taylor’s house in Puerto Vallarta, received as a gift from

Barn Owl, hand-colored engraving from Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux, 1749-1788 by GeorgesLouis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

Richard Burton in 1964. Now the luxurious hotel Casa Kimberly in the city’s historic downtown area, the property was once a love nest for Taylor and Burton, connecting their huge “casitas” by the famous Bridge of Love. It was their private getaway during the filming; that bridge was built by Burton to avoid paparazzi.

The connection with pearls is part of this story: Burton bought the world’s most famous pearl, La Peregrina, at a Sotheby’s auction for $37,000 in 1969 for Taylor, as a Valentine’s Day and 37th birthday gift. One of the most memorable of all the world’s pearls, La Peregrina is the largest pear-shaped pearl at 55.95 carats (4 ounces), about the weight of a deck of cards. Taylor’s estate owned it until it sold in 2011 for $11 million. As a contrast, the value of JC’s mom’s faux pearl collar today is $10.

JC’s mom’s faux pearl collar

Two-time International Bluegrass Music Association Guitar Player of the Year Sun, Nov 16 / 2 PM /Arlington Theatre

and Meels

Sun, Dec 7 / 7 PM Arlington Theatre

Disney Concerts and AMP Worldwide present Disney’s Moana Live-To-Film Concert North American tour, featuring a full-length screening of the beloved movie accompanied by live performances of a unique on-stage musical ensemble of top Hollywood studio musicians, Polynesian rhythm masters and vocalists, celebrating the music and songs from this award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios classic.

The Giving List Sailing Toward New Horizons

Executive Director Greg Gorga has been part of the staff of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) for nearly 19 years. That’s impressive by any account, but even more so considering that the museum located in the Waterfront Center Building (formerly the Naval Reserve Building) in the heart of the Santa Barbara Harbor only opened its doors to the public in July 2000. (Do the math: Gorga has been involved for nearly 75 percent of the museum’s history.)

“It’s been a great run. Quite a long time,” said Gorga, who started at SBMM back in February 2017 as director of development, coming over from the same position at what is now called CommUnify. It was only a year later that Gorga took over as executive director, beginning a tenure that would last 18 more years, a shocking development given that SBMM had at least seven EDs in its first eight years.

Even more so given that Gorga came in with no museum or nautical experience.

“None at all. But I do love history and I love to learn,” he explained. “Maybe that’s why I loved all the education programming from the very start. I’ve become something of an expert on our local maritime history, through reading a lot, coming to all of our lectures and doing tours with our docents, and then starting to do tours myself and spending time with the exhibits.”

Gorga’s time as executive director not only provided stability at the top, but also resulted in longevity throughout the staff. He proudly points out that SBMM Curator and Director of Collections Emily Falke has been at

the museum for 15 years, Director of Education Lis Perry for 13, and Education Coordinator Jason Statucki more than a decade.

“That’s really allowed us to accomplish so much,” he said.

Gorga’s tenure has been defined by a series of tangible improvements and accomplishments at the museum that combines documenting and exhibiting Santa Barbara’s significant maritime history with spotlighting the important role the Santa Barbara Channel plays in our culture and community, including marine life, recreational activities, and highlighting those who make a living on the waters.

Among the highlights: SBMM opened Surf’s Up!, the wave-riding cultural celebration back in 2008, and gave the Purisima, the world’s first lockout diving bell, a home on the museum’s patio in 2010 where it serves as a conversation starter and doorway to deeper learning.

WENDY GRAGG

In 2013, SBMM installed the magnificent First Order Fresnel Lens from Point Conception Lighthouse, a representative of maritime engineering that made a huge different in saving lives in the Santa Barbara Channel.

“That technology from the 1820s is still in use today,” said Gorga. “It’s a great lesson for kids.”

In 2015, the Barry and Gail Berkus Children’s Gallery, adorned with Patti Jacquemain’s mural, transformed visits for young families. Meanwhile, the second floor has become a consistently changing art space, with three to four exhibitions each year by artists such as Kevin A. Short, Thomas Van Stein, Ralph Clevenger, and Dan Merkel

In taking the museum from its infancy to its status as a vital part of the community, Gorga has helped shepherd SBMM to a status as collaborator with major institutions such as the Huntington Library and the Irvine Museum.

Among other impressive growth indicators, three education programs have mushroomed to more than a dozen, serving nearly 5,000 youth and thousands of adults annually. SBMM’s Maritime on the Move program has received national recognition, its annual Girls in Ocean Science Conference is a game-changer in an emerging field, and videos of the Maritime Distinguished Speakers Series are shown more than 25 times a month on TV-SB. An even bigger accolade came in 2020, when SBMM received a 10-year accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, one of fewer than 1,100 museums out of 33,000 in the country to receive recognition for following best practices for quality museums.

But it’s the education programs for kids that gets Gorga most excited, especially those that take place outside the museum’s four walls.

“With the Mystic Whaler, the kids actually go out on the water for about three hours and get to sail the ship as crew members. They see whales and dolphins, and they get to do knot speed triangular navigation. Other programs expose kids to the coastline and all the activities around the harbor. Everything is as project based and interactive as we can make it, so they accomplish something and get exposed to different opportunities they may want to pursue when they grow up.”

Gorga said his time at SBMM has been a never-ending honor because of the education component.

“There’s nothing like seeing these kids light up when they see a dolphin for the first time, or when they’re holding a clump of sand and squeeze it and a crab pops up,” he said. “They scream because they didn’t expect that. It’s so inspiring to me to give kids who have never touched the ocean before get the chance to do it for the first time. It’s amazing to see these kids get excited. Hopefully they’ll go on to do amazing things in our world, and especially take good care of our oceans.”

Plans already in the works for 2026 include re-imagining the Munger Theater as interactive space for young families.

“We continue to strive to be the most interactive maritime museum on the West Coast,” Gorga said.

As his tenure comes to a close at the end of the year, Gorga looked back with a touch of bittersweetness on his career leading up to SBMM.

“I ran restaurants in my youth and it was an incredibly fun business, but it was never rewarding,” he said. “I’ve loved every minute. But it’s time for me to move on and try other things, like traveling, supporting other nonprofits, and having more time to myself. And it’s time for somebody with new ideas to come on board.”

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Executive Director Greg Gorga reflects on nearly two decades of leadership, growth, and community engagement
Local students explore hands-on maritime science, part of SBMM’s award-winning ocean education programs

Too Much Sitting? Cocoa Might Be Your Sweetest Health Hack Yet.

If you spend long hours glued to your desk, there’s a bit of good news brewing in the lab. Specifically, in a cup of cocoa. A new study from researchers at the University of Birmingham in the U.K. suggests that flavanols, plant compounds found in cocoa, could help prevent the damaging effects of too much sitting on blood vessels.

The vascular system is one of the first parts of the body to suffer when we sit for too long. Reduced blood flow and arterial function can set the stage for cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. Previous studies hinted that flavanols, which are naturally occurring compounds in foods like cocoa, tea, and berries, may offer protective effects for the heart. The Birmingham team decided to test whether these benefits could hold up even during long periods of sitting.

They recruited 40 healthy men aged 18 to 45 and divided them into groups based on fitness level. Half were given a high-flavanol cocoa drink containing 695 milligrams of flavanols, while the other half received a low-flavanol version with just 5.6 milligrams. Then came the hard part: sitting still for two hours.

The researchers measured vascular function in the participants’ arms and legs using a technique called brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which assesses how well blood vessels relax and expand. The results were striking. In both the high-fit and low-fit groups, those who drank the high-flavanol cocoa showed no decline in arterial function after sitting. In contrast, those who drank the low-flavanol version had reduced blood flow, higher diastolic blood pressure, and lower muscle oxygenation.

This finding makes the study a first of its kind, showing that flavanol intake can protect blood vessels from the effects of prolonged sitting, regardless of baseline fitness.

If cocoa isn’t your cup of tea, don’t worry. Study co-author Alessio Daniele points out that flavanols are also found in apples, plums, berries, nuts, green and black tea, red wine, kale, tomatoes, and peaches. The goal isn’t to binge on chocolate bars but to

integrate more flavanol-rich foods into your diet for everyday cardiovascular protection. The research, published in the Journal of Physiology, adds a sweet twist to an old message: movement matters, but a little flavanol boost might help take the edge off our increasingly sedentary lives.

Montecito Health Coach

The Connection Between Over-Giving and Disease; Are you The Giving Tree?

When my kids were very young, an old friend of mine gave us the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The book is a classic and can be found on most bookshelves of anyone with children, and often on those without.

The story is about the relationship between a boy and a tree. They grow up together. The boy eats and sells the tree’s apples, naps in its shade, and as the boy grows, so do his needs. When the apples are gone, the tree offers the boy his branches, so he can build a house. When the branches are gone, the tree willingly gives his trunk so that the boy can build a boat and sail away. Do you see where I am going here?

Eventually, the tree is abandoned for so long that when the boy next comes to visit, he is an old man. Even then, the tree offers himself up as a seat. “I have nothing left. I am an old stump. I am sorry…,” When he realizes his old friend just needs a place to rest he says, “Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest.”

I think I might be one of the only people on planet Earth who found this book to be incredibly sad and depressing. I felt bad for the tree and really did not like the boy-man. But even when it had been relegated to nothing but a stump, the tree still offered everything it had. It just wanted the boy to be happy and to love him.

The tree was an overgiver.

What is an overgiver? According to Psychology Today’s article, “People Who Give Too Much” (August 2023), “People who are overly altruistic to others have many labels. Toxic generosity, irrational generosity, pathological altruism, over-giving, and people-pleasing are a few of these.

“Such people go beyond being generous givers and become excessive in their giving to others. Altruism is deeply rooted in Western cultures. But it also has a dark side.” Overgivers frequently put others before themselves, to a fault. They can take on the work of two to three people or more. They are the first to volunteer. They rarely say no and have difficulty accepting help from others. And this leads to exhaustion, and when our body is depleted, it is an easy segue to disease, sleep disorders, and even substance abuse.

The key difference between being an overgiver and being genuinely altruistic, is the motivation behind the behavior. Overgivers have a deeper and often complicated psychological motivation. These are as individual as the person themself, but often have common themes such as: proving your self-worth by excessively helping others, masking early trauma through control (aka “I will fix everyone else because I can’t fix myself”), or the unconscious belief that if you give so much to others they will love you – in spite of how “damaged” you might be.

And true overgivers are often unfulfilled, exhausted, and overwhelmed which can increase our cortisol levels, which can lower our immune defenses (that is an oversimplification, but indulge me here) making us more vulnerable to illness and disease.

And while the empirical data on the connection between overgiving and disease isn’t mainstream, the reason it gets traction is through correlation, not necessarily causation. Meaning that your overgiving itself isn’t causing disease. But when we overgive, it depletes us. And true overgivers are often unfulfilled, exhausted, and overwhelmed which can increase our cortisol levels, which can lower our immune defenses (that is an oversimplification, but indulge me here) making us more vulnerable to illness and disease.

Psychology Today also goes on to discuss how to help dial back this destructive cycle. The first step they share is the same as with addiction: You must first acknowledge that you have a problem. By recognizing it, you can start seeing it for what it is and understanding what the motivation of your behavior might be.

Depending on the seriousness of your situation, you might want to seek the support of a mental health professional.

Another helpful tip is to ask yourself what your motivation is before you help. For example, if a friend breaks her arm and you are the first to start a “Food Train” to bring her family meals every day, are you hoping to earn her loyalty, her love, or rise up the friend hierarchy? Or, are you recognizing that one of your people might need a hand. No pun intended there. While the behavior is the same, helping a friend in need, the motivation behind it, will help you understand if you are indeed an overgiver.

This is a much larger issue than space will allow, but after working over the last decade both as an Associate Therapist for low-income seniors to now with women who have breast cancer, the parallels are staggering: the cycle of overgiving leading to depletion and disease.

We need to give. We need to support one another. But like the clichéd self-help analogy – if you don’t take care of yourself first, you will be no good to those around you.

So buckle up, put your face mask on, and make sure it is firmly in place before attempting to help others.

Health and humor in the MJ National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach trained at Duke Integrative Medicine, Deann Zampelli owns Montecito Coaching & Nutrition. She also has a Masters in Clinical Psychology and has been a resident of Montecito since 2006.

THE GRANADA and EARL MINNIS p resent

Kabaretti, Music and Artistic Director

eliminating this particular risk,” he said. The renewed concerns, combined with heightened awareness of wildfire danger, led Nichols to take a more organized and legal approach.

Nichols then met with the Montecito Fire District, which explained that while eucalyptus trees can explode and send embers flying up to a mile, that only occurs when an intense fire is already burning. Fire officials emphasized two main risks: first, the bark and leaves that fall from eucalyptus trees are rich in flammable oils and accumulate at their base, creating a major fire hazard—especially if someone tosses a cigarette from a car. Second, eucalyptus trees have shallow root systems, making them prone to toppling and potentially blocking emergency routes.

The gas line adds yet another concern: a high-pressure Southern California Gas Company line runs directly beneath the trees. “So if there were a fire,” said Nichols, “presumably it would go and create a huge explosion.”

As if exploding trees weren’t enough, Nichols noted that eucalyptus are also vulnerable to a fungus called sulfur root rot—especially when planted near asphalt—which further weakens them. A telltale sign, he said, is a large mushroom-like growth at the base. The fungus causes the roots to contract and lose stability, increasing the likelihood of a fall.

“In any case, if one of those trees fell across Boundary, it would make it impossible for the fire department or medical emergency vehicles to use Boundary Drive for access,” Nichols said. “If the trees fell the other way, it would make it impossible for fire trucks, emergency vehicles, and police to use East Valley Road.”

Abe Powell, co-founder and CEO of Montecito’s Bucket Brigade, echoed the importance of protecting evacuation routes in a community shaped by recent natural disasters. “My interest in this is to see any opportunities where we can improve, you know, safety of evacuation routes, and reduce fire risk is a win,” he said.

Nichols said Caltrans informed the association that an encroachment certificate is required to remove the trees, as the agency shares jurisdiction over the right-of-way along East Valley Road. Although the trees are privately owned, any work within the right-of-way must be approved by Caltrans.

Birnam Wood awarded the removal contract to Progressive, a tree care company chosen for its competitive bid and experience handling large eucalyptus removals, including projects for the Valley Club Golf Course and other local sites. Progressive will oversee the multi-phase process, coordinating traffic control and equipment rentals.

The total cost of the required environmental studies and permit application is about $50,000, to be divided among the 17 affected homeowners. In addition, each homeowner will receive an individual estimate based on the number and size of eucalyptus trees opposite their property—those with more or larger trees will pay more.

According to Nichols, there has been overwhelming support for the plan from both the HOA board and the community residents who attended the meetings, making it clear that a strong majority are on board with moving forward.

As for what will replace the trees, Nichols already has a plan. “We absolutely are committed to replacing any bare spaces,” he said. They hope to plant California live oaks, native to the area. Some have already been added among the existing eucalyptus, and any gaps left after removals will likely be filled with more live oaks. Each replacement oak is estimated to cost about $1,400, an expense to be covered by the homeowners, just like the removals.

He also mentioned installing boulders to prevent parking and adding a walkway, or possibly even a bridle path, for people to use the space after the eucalyptus trees are removed.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Executive Director Steve Windhager agrees that live oaks are an excellent alternative. He said the loss of eucalyptus would “not be catastrophic,” as they provide little habitat value. Eucalyptus release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), he said, that make them more flammable—especially species with peeling bark, dense leaves, and dead material in their branches. Because all eucalyptus share these traits, they’re considered highly combustible.

However, Windhager notes, Coast live oaks don’t release VOCs and retain high moisture levels, cooling their surroundings through transpiration during fires. Their leathery leaves resist burning, and their thick canopies can act as a shield against embers. “From a fire perspective, planting oak trees around a structure is like planting a shield,” Windhager said. “While planting eucalyptus is like stacking kindling around it.”

Other News

Highway 101 Construction Update: Montecito (Nov. 2–15, 2025)

Crews in Montecito will focus on key bridge and freeway improvements over the next two weeks. Work continues at the Romero and San Ysidro Creek bridges, where

teams will remove temporary forms and shoring, backfill abutments, and advance drainage system upgrades. At the Oak Creek Bridge, crews will build footings, side supports, and wing walls. In addition, construction will progress on the southbound lanes, including asphalt paving, setting forms, and installing rebar for the freeway’s auxiliary lane and shoulders.

Nearby, the southbound on-ramp at Posilipo Lane and on-ramp and off-ramp at Olive Mill Road remain closed until spring 2026, with detours available via N. Jameson Lane and the Sheffield Drive on-ramp. Drivers should expect day and night work, reduced speeds of 55 mph, and changing traffic conditions through the corridor.

Montecito Water District Collects “Rain Check” with Hart’s Help

The Montecito Water District has finally received long-delayed federal disaster funds for storm damage repairs, thanks to assistance from Assemblymember Gregg Hart

The reimbursement closes a difficult two-year chapter that began when the January 9, 2023, federally declared storm devastated the area’s critical water infrastructure.

Heavy rains and debris flows in the backcountry severed the main pipeline from Jameson Lake, Montecito’s primary water source. Repairing 600 feet of damaged steel pipeline in rugged terrain cost over $5 million and took six months. The District covered the costs upfront—about 25 percent of its annual revenue—forcing other infrastructure projects to be suspended.

Despite timely filing, federal payments stalled. By late 2025, concerns over cash flow and deferred maintenance prompted Hart’s office to intervene. Through coordination with CalOES, the reimbursement was expedited and arrived just days before the October 1 government shutdown.

“Repair of Montecito’s Juncal Pipeline was a sizeable and critical project,” said Board Vice President Tobe Plough. “These long-awaited funds are essential for maintaining a reliable water supply and ensuring future resilience.”

With repayment secured, the District is resuming delayed capital projects, including new pipeline replacements starting this month.

Impacts during the January 2023 Storm devastated the pipeline delivering water from Jameson Lake. The District recently received payment due for disaster related repairs from January 2023 storms after more than a 2-year wait during which capital projects were put on hold.
Team “Rain Check” from Left: Vice President of the Montecito Water District’s Board of Directors Tobe Plough, Assemblymember Gregg Hart, Montecito Water District’s Assistant General Manager and Engineering Manager Adam Kanold, and Assemblymember Hart’s District Director Ethan Bertrand.

SHERIFF’S BLOTTER

Online Threats / Virginia Lane, Montecito

Sunday, October 18, 2025, 12:47 pm

Deputies responded to a reporting party receiving threatening messages via Facebook Marketplace from an unknown subject. The suspect attempted to buy an item from the RP (reporting party) on Facebook Marketplace and claimed to have sent the money to the RP. The RP stated they never received the money and were concerned when the suspect demanded a refund. The reporting party believes it is a scam and that the suspect is shaking him down for money but wanted documentation in case the suspect continues to harass and threaten him.

Firearm and DUI / Lillie Avenue, Summerland

Friday, October 24, 2025, 7:38 pm

Deputies responded to reports of a man with a firearm at the Nugget. While en route, deputies received updates that the information was secondhand and that the suspect was eating. Once on scene, deputies ascertained that the gun was out briefly but not brandished or shown in a threatening manner. Deputies made contact with the suspect, who admitted to having a firearm in his satchel and was escorted outside. He was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for DUI.

Mental Issue / Romero Canyon, Montecito

Friday, October 24, 2025, 7:56 pm

Deputies responded to a call by concerned parents over their son suffering a manic episode. Neighbors to the residence also called, saying there was a subject threatening to shoot people and screaming gibberish. When deputies arrived, the subject, who was completely naked, shouted that he had a gun and was going to shoot deputies. He then charged Deputy Mendez with a puffed-out chest and balled fists. Deputy Mendez responded by deploying his Taser, which stopped the subject from attacking him but did not achieve NMI (neuromuscular incapacitation). The subject began to flee and was followed by Deputy Sanabria, then turned and charged at Deputy Sanabria, who deployed his Taser three times after two attempts failed to achieve NMI. The subject then fell and slid along the driveway, resulting in some abrasions. He was later medically cleared at Downtown Cottage and booked at Santa Barbara Jail.

ESTATE PLANNING

ESSENTIALS WORKSHOP

SUN, NOV 16 / 2:00-4:00 PM

Get your affairs in order with confidence - we provide expert guidance with a personal touch. The Museum's Planned Giving Advisory Council will present a free, two-hour public workshop on the essentials of estate and legacy planning.

Presentations by expert speakers will include wills and trusts, power of attorney, healthcare and advance directives, different types of fiduciaries, capacity issues, tax considerations, and legacy planning.

This is an in-person event. The workshop lasts until 4:00, but interested attendees are welcome to linger until 5:00 PM for a meet-and-greet with the presenters and other estate planning professionals.

Hosted by: The Planned Giving Advisory Council and Andrea McFarling, Philanthropy Officer of Legacy Giving, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

A)il?,i.,:.i� amcfarling@sbnature2.org, 805-682-4711 ext. 179 or scan QR Code.

2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 sbnature.org/pg-workshop

SPEAKERS

Tiffany Goodall CPA Brett Piersma ESTATE ATT ORNEY
Denise Stevens PLANNED GIVING PROFESSIONAL
Andrea McFarling PHILANTHROPY OFFICER OF LEGACY GIVING
Tamara Skov CLPF

Your Westmont Dialogue on Wheels

Since six blocks of State Street closed in spring 2020, e-bike usage has risen steadily, and the resulting increase in accidents has alarmed residents and local politicians. The Westmont Center for Dialogue and Deliberation decided to tackle this thorny issue at a community roundtable event with more than 50 people on October 23 at the Community Environmental Center’s Environmental Hub downtown.

The conversation focused on the shared values among Santa Barbara citizens with the questions: What things do we all hold valuable? What hopes for Santa Barbara do we share, even if we differ on how to achieve them?

Participants tried to balance the need for safety, freedom, and sustainability. In the end, possible actions included adding additional bike lanes and bike-only paths, and requiring a license and registration for e-bike users. Among the drawbacks were additional bureaucracy and costs, compliance challenges and maintenance expenses.

The gathering included Mayor Randy Rowse , Community Environmental Council Director of Outreach and Education Kathi King, law enforcement officials, and e-bikers.

Madison Rhodes ‘28, a notetaker at one of the tables, said the experience required her to listen intently to each participant and record the conversation with as little bias as possible, while also being clear and concise. “My biggest takeaway from this conversation was the value and efficiency that conversations such as this can have at the local level,” she said. “When people who are directly impacted by a topic meet with others experiencing the same thing, their hearts are much more likely to be softened toward the other. This allows the participants to have civil conversations, consider everyone involved, and work toward a proper solution. This is much more difficult to accomplish on a national or global level because of the lack of personal stake and tangible weight to those affected.”

Safety concerns dominated the conversation, particularly because younger riders often aren’t familiar with traffic rules and can inadvertently obstruct pedestrians.

The local e-bike crash statistics are sobering. There were only 10 e-bike collisions in 2022, but that number jumped to 73 in 2023 and 107 in 2024. Cottage Hospital reports between 2023-24, nearly half of the 84 patients it treated for e-bike injuries were aged 11 to 20.

Younger e-bike riders, who aren’t yet old enough to drive, emphasized how

much they value their freedom. Others shared the importance of using cars less to decrease their carbon footprint. On top of that, the cost of car insurance, gas, and parking has made it difficult for car users in Santa Barbara.

Cameron Ashford ‘27, a student chart writer, says although there was a difference of opinion in how to solve e-bike-related problems, everyone left the event feeling two steps closer to their neighbor. “I believe this makes everything worth it,” he said.

Many community members shared they would prefer more police to enforce the existing e-bike rules. Currently, Santa Barbara’s 2025 ordinance includes fines ranging from $100 to $500 for not wearing a helmet or having proper e-bike lighting after dark.

Student facilitator Taylor Gray ’26 said everyone came to the discussion with very different perspectives and priorities regarding e-bikes, but by the end, everyone had shifted slightly and found common ground on the issue. “They left with more nuance to their views and considered aspects of the issue they had never thought about before,” she said. “I thought that was really cool and inspiring!”

The student volunteers are part of the Facilitating Ethical Communication class taught by Deborah Dunn, Westmont professor of communication studies and director of WCDD, which began in 2018. “People seemed energized and glad for the opportunity,” she said. “A lot of people shared great ideas for safety and education.”

Fall Choral Festival Concert

More than 200 high school singers come to campus on Friday, November 7, for a day of coaching from Westmont’s choral and vocal faculty before the Fall Choral Festival at 6 pm in First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara. The performance is free and open to the public.

The Westmont College Choir and Chamber Singers will also perform at the shared concert, rounding out a full and memorable experience of musical life at Westmont.

Coming up, the beloved Composers’ Concert, featuring the work of student composers, returns to the college’s renovated Deane Chapel on Friday, November 14, at 7 pm.

Residents were energized to talk about e-bike concerns
Deborah Dunn co-founded the Westmont Center for Dialogue and Deliberation in 2018
Mayor Randy Rowse shared his hopes for a safer future with e-bikes
Scott Craig is manager of media relations at Westmont College

harrowing love story, a collision of cultures, among other speed bumps. Equus figures tangentially.

Holman’s granddad on his mother’s side had been a well-known W. Sussex horse trader back in the day, his uncle Tony later making a name for himself as the Royal Jump Jockey astride young Princess Elizabeth’s steed, a horse called Monaveen. Elizabeth and the Queen Mother had jointly purchased the steeplechaser, who with Holman’s Uncle Tony astride rather famously won the Chichester Handicap Chase at Fontwell Park on October 10, 1949. The family’s equine legacy would inform both Holman’s early life and his new volume’s title.

“I really opened myself up in A Runaway Life,” Holman says. And the title? “Horses and ponies tearing for the horizon with me hanging on for dear life, this was a regular occurrence when I was young. And the story takes place in the ‘70s and early ‘80s, a particularly fraught time. Martha and I sometimes felt trapped on a chaotic, runaway ride.”

Holman’s magnetic and emotionally genuine memoir lays bare the story of a spirited Californian and a daydream-inclined English villager as they bring their familial and cultural worlds into frequently uneasy collision. How will Martha, a sunny West Coast ambassador in all the best ways, be accepted by John’s conservative English family? How will the charming, initially prospect-free Holman fare with Martha’s politely skeptical American clan? In the midst of the romance, Holman will employ the lucky “Holman bounce” (with which his grumbling golf mates have long since made their peace), landing happily on his feet in a new – and lifelong – voca-

finding and burnishing love through a series of subtly hilarious set pieces, and a lesser share of frankly described episodes of heartache. Holman’s writing style flows and seduces and is as radiant with life as the runaway true story it invites you to share. This a book you live. Holman almost didn’t write its rollercoaster narrative.

“A Runaway Life digs up a lot of painful memories, and was at times difficult to work on,” Holman says. “But I kept hearing that readers of the first two books were curious about what happened next.” He smiles. “Here it is.”

John Holman talks about his memoir A Runaway Life at 3 pm on Saturday, November 8 at Tecolote Book Shop - 1470 East Valley Road, Montecito.

Wine provided by Aussie winery Kalyra, and sausage rolls by the author.

tion as a computer programmer.

John and Martha’s shared search for home will take them to a 1970s U.K. on its knees from labor disputes and an embattled energy sector whose failings darken whole cities and bind the economy. In that historic downturn, the British gov would oblige companies to move to a three-day work week. John and Martha were strapped.

Survivalist

Island Hopping

“We simply could not survive on the salaries we were making,” Holman says. “Two years of struggle and we had little choice but to leave family and friends and move back to Australia.” On the way (as it were) from the U.K. to their variously adventuresome and emotionally trying Australia chapter, John and Martha would marry at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in a wooded California village called Montecito.

Join Jamie Knee, Petite Wine Traveler, for intimate wine dinners, in home wine tastings, and unforgettable wine journeys inspired by her travels through the worlds most exquisite vineyards. Uncork your curiosity- book your next personalized wine experience today.

John Holman’s memoir A Runaway Life is a sequel to his 2nd volume, Pom’s Odyssey (John’s utterly bewildered introduction to sunny Australia), and necessarily follows the first in the sequence, the equine A Horse in My Suitcase, whose narrative lovingly, cozily, and hilariously describes John’s childhood on his Grampy’s farm.

A Runaway Life, though, can be read as a standalone account of two souls

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

Martha and John’s mother (the two center figures) visit the Eliots in Canberra. Noel Eliot was pilot of the doomed RAF Stirling bomber the day Holman’s uncle Johnny died. (courtesy photo)
John Holman in his finery (courtesy photo)

Michael J. Fox relates his journey through the space-time continuum in Future Boy, a jaunty look back at making the iconic film Back to the Future while starring in the hit TV show Family Ties. This one isn’t just for fans of the BTTF franchise, going on 40 years, but for anyone interested in an eager young man’s determination to succeed when finally given the chance. Fox tells stories, without ever complaining, about grueling 20-hour workdays in the freezing cold, thrown into production with no time for rehearsals, and in the unenviable position of replacing a lead actor after weeks of filming, all handled with grace, humor, and 1.21 gigawatts of talent.

‘Winning the Earthquake’

Back with another indomitable spirit is Santa Barbara local

Stories Matter

Pages of November

Lorissa Rinehart with Winning the Earthquake , her new biography detailing the extraordinary struggle of the first woman congressperson, Jeannette Rankin. Rinehart is a gifted storyteller and a masterful researcher. Rankin was a towering figure who had been swept to the sidelines, until now. Born in Montana, a woman’s suffragist long before it was popular, Rankin was an ardent pacifist who continually found herself at odds with the old boys’ club of Washington politics. As John F. Kennedy said of Rankin, she “stood more alone while being true to a higher honor and loyalty.” We have Rinehart to thank for bringing her back into the light.

‘The

Missing Pages’

The Missing Pages by Alyson Richman is romantic historical fiction, leaning heavily on the love story. Harry Widener is a young, handsome society man and a book lover, but his storied life is about to run out. He is booked on the Titanic. Cut to the present day and grieving student Violet Hutchins, who lands a job in Widener Library, where it appears a haunting is taking place. Is the dead Harry trying to reach Violet? What develops is a paranormal relationship between two people mourning their lost loves – perhaps they can help each other heal.

‘Keep This for Me’

Keep This for Me is Jennifer Fawcett’s sophomore offering, exploring themes of generational inheritance, trauma, and possible evil, centered around a lake, a metaphorical keeper of secrets. A serial killer and his progeny are pitted against a victim and her daughter. Fawcett is skilled at creating eerie settings; her Beneath the Stairs scared the heck out of me. This is not terrifying,

nor is it meant to be; it’s more emotional and richer in tone.

‘Mother Mary Comes to Me’

Ariveting memoir from Arundhati Roy, Mother Mary Comes to Me, starts grim, very grim. But Roy finds humor in her writing as she tells the story of a daughter’s struggle to survive her tyrannical, volatile, brilliant mother while covering the sociopolitical world of India. Roy untangles a web of family, brutality, madness, and genius that made her the award-winning writer she is today.

‘Gone Before Goodbye’

Best-selling author Harlan Coben has teamed up with actor Reese Witherspoon for the gripping Gone Before Goodbye . As one expects, there are plenty of plot twists and actionpacked scenes. Dr. McCabe, an Army combat surgeon, finds her license pulled; with few choices, she teams up with a plastic surgeon who has a mysterious client in need of McCabe’s skills. What follows is McCabe running for her life in a page-turner of a ride.

Leslie Zemeckis is an awardwinning documentarian, bestselling author, and actor. The creator of “Stories Matter,” co-sponsored by SBIFF, and the co-founder of the Santa Barbara Literary Festival.

Join Us for the 2025 Design Awards Gala A Distinguished Celebration of Architectural Achievement Thursday, December 4, 2025 | 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM El Paseo Restaurant

Be part of Santa Barbara’s premier celebration of architectural excellence. The annual Design Awards showcase outstanding work from local and regional licensed architects, honoring the most innovative projects shaping our community.

Awards will be presented across categories including Commercial, Single-Family Residential, Multi-Family & Mixed-Use, Conservation & Historic Preservation, Santa Barbara Style, Small Projects, Commercial Interiors, and Proposed/Unbuilt Projects.

Sponsorship opportunities available.

For tickets & information: aiasb.com | 805.966.4198 info@aiasb.com

Spirituality Matters

The Sound of Silence: Montecito Retreats Access the Peace Inside

Bruce Davis wrote his first book, The Magical Child Within You, back in the mid-1970s, in the process penning one of the earliest works exploring how accessing the inner child can lead to greater peace. It was the start of a lifetime journey into meditation and stillness.

“Once you start rediscovering your inner child, you discover your original sense of wonder and imagination and joy,” said Davis, who earned a doctorate degree in psychology from Saybrook University. “That led me more and more into a spiritual realm.”

Less than a decade later, Davis began leading guided retreats around the world, with an eventual focus on silence, simplicity, and heartfulness. Bruce and his wife and partner, Ruth, founded the Assisi Retreat Center in Italy, which was named one of the Top 10 Meditation Centers in the World by both CNN and Travel & Leisure Magazine. In 2012, Davis returned to the United States to open Silent Stay Meditation Center as a mountaintop retreat center in Vacaville, about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco.

Hundreds attended regular silent retreats at the center, finding how being quiet outside with nothing to do or say leads to gentleness and a quiet mind.

But when the center burned to the ground in the Napa Fire of 2020, the

Davises moved south to Santa Barbara with the commitment to recreate that same serenity on the California coast.

The new Silent Stay Retreat Center opened three years ago on the Ladera Lane campus of Pacific Graduate Institute, a 35-acre site nestled in the Montecito hillside with views of the mountains and the ocean.

“It’s a beautiful place, with a lot of space for walks and solitude, hiking trails, and a sanctuary,” Davis said.

The Davises lead three-night, two-day silent retreats between five and seven weekends each year, attracting seekers from around California, the country, and beyond. The ritual begins as soon as participants arrive at Pacifica, where they are instructed to leave their mobile phones in the car.

“There’s a period of being a little bit uncomfortable at giving up your normal daily habits – phones, news, all this stuff that keeps us busy,” Davis said. “We invite them right away to come into the peace and quiet inside. It’s a big letting go, but they slowly find gentleness and peace and quiet inside.”

The leaders – Bruce, Ruth, and his daughter Nicole Becker – meet three times a day with the participants, with the rest of the time open for introspection, journaling, walking, exploring the gardens or otherwise connecting with nature, being with others in community, or simply sitting in silence.

“We lead meditations beginning the first evening with specific ways to bring their attention to receiving inner peace and letting go of the noise inside and receive from the softness of their own heart, as much as they can,” Davis said. Techniques include awareness, yoga, movement, and intentional breathing, with every session beginning with at least 30 minutes of meditation.

The retreats parallel one of Davis’ other books called Monastery Without Walls, geared toward “all of us who would like to have a monastic part of our lives, but aren’t going to join a monastery. You don’t have to take vows to start to satisfy your hunger for inner peace and quiet.”

The benefits of even a 48-hour retreat can be significant.

“Studies have shown that three days of silence is equivalent to three months of meditation in terms of how the brain can change,” Davis said. “You can have results right away.”

Retreat participants have the run of the Pacifica campus over the weekend, as

only essential staff are present, with full meals prepared onsite and served and enjoyed in silence.

“With everything going on in the world these days, people really need a few days just to let it all go and come back to their own quiet inside,” Davis said. “Just unplug completely and discover who you are, which is a beautiful process. It’s like medicine.”

The next Silent Stay retreat at Pacifica takes place December 5-7, with registration through November 29. Future retreats are slated for February, April, July, and September.

For those not ready to commit to a weekend, or anyone simply wanting a sensory and communal experience with the leaders, the Davises – who live in a home across the street from Pacifica –offer free weekly meditations on Sundays on Zoom. The 30-minute practice, which started during the pandemic, has a few minutes of instruction followed by 25 minutes of silence before a brief reconnection in community. Previous meditations are available on their YouTube page.

“It’s about finding that spiritual practice that works for you,” Davis said. Visit https://silentstay.com.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Invitation to Bid No. 2025-002

Montecito Neighborhood Chipping Project

The Montecito Fire Protection District hereby invites the submission of sealed bids for: ITB# 2025-002 – Montecito Neighborhood Chipping Project

Bid Opening – Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 2:15 p m in the conference room at Montecito Fire Station 91, 595 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara.

ITB documents may be viewed on the Montecito Fire Protection District (MFPD) website at www.montecitofire.com, or a copy may be secured from MFPD at 595 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA, between the hours of 8:00 a m and 5:00 p m , Monday through Friday. Responses must be sealed, clearly marked “Montecito Neighborhood Chipping Project” and returned to:

Montecito Fire Protection District

Attn: Nic Elmquist, Wildland Fire Specialist 595 San Ysidro Road Santa Barbara, CA 93108

Bids will be accepted until 2:00 p m December 10, 2025. Bids received after this time will be returned unopened. Faxed bids will not be accepted.

Montecito Journal, October 30 & November 6, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MONTECITO EXECUTIVE SERVICES, 1482 East Valley Rd, Suite 42, Montecito, CA 93108. MARY L ORTEGA, 1482 East Valley Road Suite 42, Montecito, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on October 20, 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. 2025-0002400. Published October 30, November 6, 13, 20, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: SIRENA HOME DESIGNS, 1477 Santa Ynez Avenue, Carpinteria, CA 93013. KATHRYN L MATTHEWS, 1477 Santa Ynez Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on September 29, 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. 2025-0002256. Published October 30, November 6, 13, 20, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KAY’S VISUALS, 1477 Santa Ynez Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013. KATHRYN L MATTHEWS, 1477 Santa Ynez Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on September 29, 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. 2025-0002258. Published October 23, 30, November 6, 13, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SWIMMING PIG MERCANTILE, 7931 Rio Vista Drive, Goleta, Califo 93117. AMY H BOYLE, 7931 Rio Vista Drive, Goleta, Califo 93117. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on October 10, 2025. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. 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. 2025-0002339. Published October 23, 30, November 6, 13, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: ESSENCE EMBROIDERY, 421 Ventura Road, Santa Maria, CA 93455. GERARDO C BUENROSTRO, 421 Ventura Road, Santa Maria, CA 93455. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on September 24, 2025. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. 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. 2025-0002226. Published October 23, 30, November 6, 13, 2025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: STRATEGIC HEALTH CONSULTANTS, 131 Olive Mill Ln, Santa Barbara, CA 931082402. CHRISTOPHER V LAMBERT, 131 Olive Mill Ln, Santa Barbara, CA 93108-2402. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on October 10, 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. 2025-0002350. Published October 23, 30, November 6, 13, 2025

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: YOUR SB NOTARY; YOUR SB MOBILE NOTARY; SUMMERLAND NOTARY; MONTECITO NOTARY; HOPE RANCH NOTARY; THE MESA NOTARY; GOLETA NOTARY; CARPINTERIA NOTARY; SAMARKAND NOTARY; LA CUMBRE NOTARY; SAN ROQUE NOTARY; GOODLAND NOTARY; USCB NOTARY, 3815 State Street, Suite G139, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. RACHEL ANNE QUITTNER, 3815 State Street Suite G139, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on September 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. 2025-0002132. Published October 16, 23, 30, November 6, 2025

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: CASE No. 25CV06204. To all interested parties: Petitioner Robyn Suzanne Rosas-Renner filed a petition with Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara, for a decree changing name from Robyn Suzanne Rosas-Renner to Robyn Suzanne Rose. The Court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Filed October 21, 2025 by Sarah Soto. Hearing date: December 12, 2025 at 10 am in Dept. 4, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Published November 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025

Bruce and Ruth Davis lead silent meditation retreats at Montecito’s Silent Stay Retreat Center, guiding participants toward inner peace and quiet reflection

“It’s harder because you don’t get to work on building relationships and chemistry with one team, but at the same time they’re all learning that they have to be in the moment with whoever’s on stage with them,” she said.

Which perhaps mirrors in a minor way the concept of the story, breaking out of a habit to see people in the moment as they are.

While the movie and some of the expressions – i.e. “eat my shorts” – might be 40 years old, the struggles faced by high schoolers are not very different, and might even be exacerbated by mobile phones and isolation, Marchese said.

“Being an adolescent and going through that really painful time where you’re trying to figure out who you are never changes,” she said. “That’s just part of our physiology, a universal part of growing up. The slang is different, but the emotions are the same.”

(The Breakfast Club performs November 7-9 & 13-16 at SBHS Theater. Visit www.sbhstheater.com.)

Lookout: Laurel Canyon Comes to Lobero

Veteran musicians James Raymond (keyboards/vocals) and Steve Postell (guitar/ vocals) were mainstays of both the David Crosby tribute concert at the Lobero months after the legend passed away in 2023, and the “Our House: Music of CSNY” tour that played the theater a year later. Now, the two have come together again to both further expand the repertoire and narrow the focus for the inaugural “Lookout Mountain – The Music of Laurel Canyon” concert at the Lobero on November 13.

Raymond, Crosby’s son and bandmate in CPR, and Postell, his last music director, spearheaded a hand-selected group to revisit songs from the golden age of the hilltop neighborhood not far from L.A.’s Sunset Strip, concentrating on the fertile period between 1968-72 where future icons Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, The Mamas & the Papas, James Taylor, Carole King, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, and members of The Byrds once congregated, giving rise to the singer-songwriter era that still resonates today.

“Obviously, I had a familial connection to it through [my dad], who introduced me to his friends who were part of that scene,” said Raymond, who didn’t meet his father until the 1990s. “But it’s also that there was an incredible outpouring of really great songs that came out just in those four years in Laurel Canyon. There’s a renewed interest in that music if it ever really faded at all.”

For Postell, the show is a chance to revisit songs that not only influenced his long career since his formative years, but also formed a portion of set lists along the way.

“I’ve played all these songs at one point or the other, but it’s a real pleasure to actually learn how this stuff really went down, and play the songs the way they’re supposed to be.”

With several dozens of records and many hundreds of songs to choose from, Postell and Raymond made a conscious choice to narrow their 23-song, 17-artist set by eschewing the deep cuts and instead focusing on the most popular songs of the era, the ones that received a lot of radio play, with a clear understanding that baby boomers make up a big part of their target audience.

“People have a really strong, almost cellular reaction to songs that they first heard

as kids,” Raymond said. “We want to tickle that part of their brain and get that dopamine or whatever chemical released, which makes things work on a lot of different levels for them and for us.”

Calling the concert “a collaborative thing between us and the audience,” Postell noted how many of the artists in the area at the time were at once friends, collaborators, and competitors.

“There’s so many great stories about how the vibe was everybody just going over to everyone else’s house,” he said. “Just hanging out and making music all the time. When James and I went to Joni’s house after her recovery – where guitars and pianos were all around the living room – you could actually feel what that room must’ve been like.”

Capturing the vibe as well as the songs themselves is one of the goals, forming the impetus for putting together the rest of the band that includes onetime CPR member Jeff Pevar (guitar/vocals), Kipp Lennon (vocals), Kiki Ebsen (keyboards/ vocals), Gary Novak (drums), and Andrew Ford (bass).

“We wanted to cast the group with people who were not only superbly talented musicians who would fit certain chairs and the positions based on the songs, but also ones we knew were a great hang, people with no drama,” Raymond said. “Also, people for whom this music meant a lot to them as well, who were deeply affected by the music and would play it differently because it means something to us all. The singers all have some kind of connection to one or more of the artists whose songs we’re playing.”

Adding in photographer Henry Diltz, whose slideshows of iconic shots he took around Laurel Canyon back in the era will open each set, is meant to enhance the sensory experience.

As does sharing their own insights between the songs.

“We connect these songs with personal stories that a lot of us have had,” Postell said. “There’s a lot of talented tribute bands out there, but we have a lot of connections with the era and the artists. It’s that six degrees of separation concept – or actually just one or two at the most.”

MAST-erful Art

The Mesa Artist Studio Tour reaches of-age status with its 21st annual event, a much more compact and community-focused little sibling to the Santa Barbara

James Raymond and Steve Postell reunite at the Lobero Theatre for Lookout Mountain – The Music of Laurel Canyon on November 13

On Mission Hill, built long ago Old Mission walls their shadows throw; and though with newly quarried stone, To wider sweep new walls have grown. Behind the old, the violets grow. …..

Besides entertaining their extended family at Mission Hill, the Hazards enjoyed the festivities of the community. In 1892, a Hazard daughter and Inez Dibblee (a member of the De la Guerra family) worked to create the first “Dance of the Flowers” for the first annual Floral Festival, and the Hazard girls rode in the parade and danced as daffodils.

Caroline Hazard

Caroline Hazard (1856-1945), Rowland’s daughter, loved taking horse and buggy jaunts to render in paint the nearby missions. Her watercolors have come down as important historical documents that show the missions as they were in the 1890s. For years, the Santa Barbara Public Library exhibited her work during Easter time.

Caroline received a top-notch private education. After a season abroad, she returned to Peace Dale to conduct welfare programs for the children of the employees of the family’s Peace Dale Manufacturing Company. She wrote poetry and worthy works of history and biography. In 1899, she became president of Wellesley College and for the next eleven years helped save the institution from financial ruin.

The family’s efforts on behalf of African Americans was rooted in their Quaker heritage. In 1841, while on a business trip to New Orleans, Rowland Gibson Hazard (Caroline’s grandfather) heard that an African American man from Newport, Rhode Island, was being held as a slave in Louisiana. While investigating this claim, he found that many other free men had been enslaved. Hazard could not let this go, and, despite threats to his life, spent months negotiating the court systems securing the freedom of nearly one hundred people being held as slaves.

In the late 1890s, her father had assisted Joseph Winthrop Holley, the son of former slaves, to obtain a higher education. Encouraged by W.E.B. Du Bois, Joseph went on to found the Georgia Normal School in Albany, Georgia, an institution that today is known as Albany State

University. Caroline was among several Hazards who contributed to the cause of establishing schools of higher education for African Americans. At the turn of the century various Hazards served on several college boards and funded programs and construction at Tuskegee University, Palmer Memorial Institute, and Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Caroline’s brother, Rowland Gibson Hazard II, built a Tudor style home next to Mission Hill in 1916. He named it Dial House for its proximity to his father’s famous sundial. Having suffered a series of heart attacks, he retired to Santa Barbara to enjoy his twin passions of photography and ornithology. Rowland had an extensive collection of birds’ eggs, so he joined the board of the Museum of Comparative Oology founded by William Leon Dawson in two small buildings on his Mission Canyon property.

After Rowland died of a heart attack in

When Caroline granted the land to the Museum, she followed an old English custom of granting a deed by turf and twig. She dug a spade of earth and broke a twig from a native lemon berry bush and gave them along with the legal deed to the first president of the museum, James Marwick.

Caroline was also an early supporter of the Loughead (Lockheed) Airplane Company, and she joined other women in town to raise funds to purchase the property in front of the Mission as a city park, thereby preventing housing tracts from obscuring the view of Santa Barbara’s greatest historical treasure, its mission.

Caroline’s mother and father had died in 1895 and 1898 respectively. She continued to live in Peace Dale and Santa Barbara until 1943 when she moved permanently to Santa Barbara where she died two years later.

(Photo

1918, Caroline replaced him on the board and was instrumental in broadening the museum’s purview. She donated part of her family’s land, and Rowland’s widow, Mary P. Bushnell Hazard, paid for the construction of a new museum dedicated to his memory. Although it was initially called the Hazard Memorial Museum of Comparative Oology, the museum soon came to embrace all facets of natural history and was renamed the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Rowland Hazard’s Scotch-picketed stone wall still borders the Spanish-style entrance.

In 1953, the Hazard homes, after serving for a few years as Delta Gamma and Alpha Delta Pi sororities, were sold to a different kind of sisterhood, the Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity, which created St. Mary’s Retreat House. Biography and selected letters of Rowland Hazard by Carolyn Hazard; obituary; News-Press April 1952; Hastings File at Gledhill Library, clipping from March 25, 1945, and http://www. uri.edu/library/special_collections/exhibits/ hazard/Rowland%20G%20Hazard.html

Update

The above article was published in 2012. Much has happened to this historic site since then. After the Tea Fire of 2008 destroyed Mount Calvary Monastery, the monks of the Order of the Holy Cross, a Benedictine community of men, moved onto the property of St. Mary’s Retreat House. They eventually purchased the property and ran retreats as well as services of Lauds and the Eucharist in the old Hazard homes. By 2019, with the population of the monastery dwindling and aging, they announced the impending closure of the site and put the property up for sale. The Mission LLC purchased the property for half the listed price of 15 million dollars in 2021. Much to the shock of the Santa Barbara populace they unleashed a plan to build an eight-story residential building with three-stories of underground parking on the site. Ben Eilenberg represents The Mission LLC as their applicant and chief operating officer.

Hattie

has been writing a local history column for the Montecito Journal for more than a decade and is the author of several books on Santa Barbara’s historic past

The Museum of Natural History, known here as the Museum of Comparative Oology, stands on land donated by Caroline Hazard and was constructed as a memorial to her brother, Rowland Gibson Hazard. Note the Scotch-picketed wall constructed by her father in 1892. (Photo Courtesy of Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
Roland Gibson Hazard II retired to Santa Barbara for his health and joined the Museum of Comparative Oology. The Museum of Natural History was created as a memorial to him. (Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
The 1885 Mission Hill House still stands north of the Santa Barbara Mission walls (Photo courtesy of Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
Mission Hill seen from the east with the 1806 Mission Reservoir in foreground. Local boys used to fish for large trout in the reservoir, which today is hidden behind brush and roofed.
courtesy of Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
Beresford

Studio Artists Tour every Labor Day weekend. Just eight studios encompass the tour around the neighborhood, although two are the site of two artists, meaning a more intimate and personal experience in some of the community’s “hidden creative spaces.” All of the studios are in-home at the free, self-guided tour that encompasses a range of media from painting and photography to sculpture and mosaics. Several longtime participants return and a few new ones join. A downloadable online map and available brochures make finding the stops easy. A highlight includes photographer Brian Kuhlmann’s Walking Among the Trees, an exhibition of works from his Song of Absolution series that reflect his 18-year journey photographing extraordinary and meaningful trees around the world as well as new landscapes on wood panels. Drop by any time 11 am-4 pm Saturday, November 8, and Sunday, November 9.

Visit www.sbmesaartists.com.

A single site, single sex alternative in the art world over the same weekend takes place at the Community Arts Workshop (631 Garden St.) where the Institute of Absurd Affairs inaugurates a local women’s collaborative working to produce a platform supporting artists and creative adventures. The organization “powered by a bunch of women artists ranging in age from 9-75” presents HOME, with featured artists Sarah Avila, Adrienne De Guevara, Emma-Jane Huerta, and Maddie Medina along with dozens of others exhibiting pieces representing a huge range of pieces from painting, fiber art, sculpture, photography, and mixed media to botanical art, performance art, conceptual art, textile art, and immersive installation. Hours are 11 am-3 pm Saturday & Sunday.

Visit www.sbcaw.org/upcoming.

Plant Power: Get Yourself to the Garden

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden & Nursery kicks off the fall planting season with a special one-day sale on Saturday, November 8, to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and expected wet weather to get California native species in the ground. Garden members get early access to the large assortment ranging from tried-and-true cultivars to unique species from across the state, with staff on hand to help with selecting the right native plants for your garden. Nonmembers can also shop the special sale beginning at 1 pm, with reservations required for both groups. Purchases support Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s mission to conserve native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and the planet.

Visit https://sbbotanicgarden.org/classes-events/fall-plant-season-kickoff.

For intriguing indoor options, check out the pop-up plant sale the same day at Yoga Soup put together by the studio’s indoor plant yogi Daniel Geiger , who presents a selection of uncommon orchids, tree ferns, pitcher plants, and more, including several mature plants from an estate that are looking for a new home. Geiger will be on hand at the 8:30 am-2 pm event on Yoga Soup’s patio to provide expert advice on how to make your new companion thrive on a shelf, in a windowsill or bell jar, or a terrarium. Supplies are limited, and donations as low

as $10 are accepted, with 100 percent of proceeds supporting Lotusland. Visit www.yogasoup.com.

Talk It Up: Humor, Haight, and Huge Fish

David Sedaris, the diminutive humorist and author with the outsized capacity to make people smile broadly if not laugh out loud just simply reading his writing, makes his annual Arts & Lectures appearance at the Arlington on Friday, November 7, when the audience can anticipate hearing excerpts from new work and fresh diary entries full of personal observations and reflections on the absurdities of everyday life.

Chaucer’s Books hosts UCSB anthropologist Michael Gurven on Thursday, November 6, to talk about Seven Decades: How We Evolved to Live Longer, which uncovers new evidence for the evolutionary origins of human longevity as opposed to advances in medicine and the availability of clean water. Understanding how our capacity for long life came to be – which Gurven partly gleaned from his field experience among Indigenous societies – can transform how we think about aging…. Local author and musician Max Talley brings his mystery novel Peace, Love & Haight to Chaucer’s on Tuesday, November 11, when he’ll share about the post-Summer of Love tale in San Francisco that Publishers Weekly called a “dazzling tie-dye tapestry.” Details at www.chaucersbooks.com.

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

“Sea Bass, Selfies & Science,” November’s Museum of Natural History Science Pub at Dargan’s on November 10 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm, finds Molly Morse sharing how community scientists across coastal Southern California are revolutionizing marine science by capturing thousands of underwater photographs of the refrigerator-sized critically-endangered Giant Sea Bass during scuba-diving adventures. Researchers at UCSB are using pattern recognition computer algorithms to analyze the photos, identifying individual fish and tracking their movement across California’s kelp forests.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Calendar of Events

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6

1st Thursday – Gallery 113 (1114 State #8) anniversary open community show and Gallery 113 fundraiser, “The Square Foot Show,” features artists from Santa Barbara Art Association and the community. All of the art is not only priced at $113, but it gets split in three ways: $50 for the artist, $50 to the gallery for needed improvements, and $13 for C.A.R.E.4Paws, the local nonprofit supporting pets and their owners. Also on the community-oriented front, Maker House Annex (913 State), the downtown satellite space, will have its resident artists on hand to showcase and sell their work while engaging the public through exhibitions, demos and events that celebrate the vibrant studio community…. In more traditional exhibits, Sullivan Goss (11 E. Anapamu St.), has its opening reception “Irresistible: Flowers and Their Admirers,” which collects floral-inspired works by many of the gallery’s favorites alongside other nationally recognized artists, while the annual Fall Salon continues. On the other side of State St., 10 West Gallery features pieces by 10 of its rotating roster of contemporary artists, plus a new selection of contemporary pottery from Mata Ortiz in Mexico. Santa Barbara printmaker Maurizio Barattucci will be on hand for a retrospective of his works drawn from an era of experimentation, considered masterworks of technical virtuosity, at Community Arts Workshop aka CAW (631 Garden).... In the entertainment avenue, the Granada Theatre (1214 State), which periodically participates in 1st Thursday, hosts its self-titled Jazz Quartet in the lobby, where guests can also enjoy free local wine, snacks, and refreshments and enter the drawing for tickets to upcoming shows. The Tony Ybarra Trio returns to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum (136 E. De La Guerra) while all of the current exhibits remain open. Finally, SBIFF’s Education Center (1330 State) screens Selah Blackwell’s Who Are You, Molly Baker, the winner of last year’s 10-10-10 competition for high school student filmmakers.

WHEN: 5-8 pm

WHERE: Lower State Street and side streets

COST: free

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

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6-SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Vivacious ¡Viva! Return – Veteran Guatemala-born multi-lingual singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno, who has appeared in regular concerts at the Lobero and

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 & SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9

OSB Opts for Another One-Act – Opera Santa Barbara opens its 32nd season with a new production of Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, a classic example of the Italian operatic style of verismo, exploring life and tragedy in a 19th-century Sicilian village. The opera is the performing “twin” of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, which OSB opened with last fall in an updated take, while this weekend’s shows return to a traditional production inspired by the Sicilian countryside. “Cavalleria concentrates everything we love about Italian opera in 90 minutes,” said Artistic & General Director Kostis Protopapas, who will also conduct. Three of the company’s favorite artists headline the cast in Max Potter, an alum of OSB’s Chrisman Studio Program in the role of Santuzza, a woman who gets revenge on her unfaithful lover; Xavier Prado, the star of OSB’s Zorro, as Santuzza’s reckless lover Turiddu; and veteran dramatic baritone Todd Thomas, last seen here in OSB’s Il tabarro (2021) as Alfio, the enforcer of Sicilian vendetta. Layna Chianakas returns to direct the production built jointly with Opera Southwest.

WHEN: 7:30 pm Friday, 2:30 pm Sunday

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

COST: $99- $250

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

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7–SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Buellton Fall Festival – With a population of just over 5,000, Buellton would seem much too small a city to support a full weekend festival every fall. But it’s a matter of location, location, location, with the fest located just off Hwys. 101 & 246 and down the road from Lompoc.

The fifth annual affair brings a carnival with lots of rides and games (Ferris Wheel, the Zipper, bumper cars, etc.); more than 40 bands on two thematically-organized stages (including big names such as Pato Banton, and local heroes the Molly Ringwald Project and The New Vibe); and 60-plus food and merchant vendors, plus a Beer and Wine Festival on Saturday afternoon.

WHEN: 4-10 pm Friday, 12 noon-10 pm Saturday & Sunday.

WHERE: 501 Avenue of the Flags

COST: free entry

INFO: www.BuelltonFallFest.com

SOhO, returns to ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! seven years after her 2018 performance as perhaps the biggest star of the organization’s 20th anniversary season. The Grammy winner has covered a range of styles and shifting genres over her multinational career, including co-writing the theme song for the TV series Parks and Recreation, with her latest studio album, Dusk, taking listeners on a journey through the ups and downs of life through a collection of soulful and heartfelt songs reflecting the human experience. There are three chances to see her for free in local environs this weekend plus one more up the coast.

WHEN: 7 pm nightly

WHERE: Carpinteria Veterans Memorial Building, 941 Walnut Ave, Carpinteria (Thursday); Isla Vista School, 6875 El Colegio Road (Friday); Guadalupe City Hall, 918 Obispo Street, Guadalupe (Saturday); Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High, 721 East Cota St. (Sunday)

COST: free

INFO: https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/learn/viva-el-arte-de-santa-barbara

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Get Your Scottish Up – Two-time Scottish National Fiddle Champion and Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame inductee Alasdair Fraser and his musical partner cellist Natalie Haas return to serve as guest stars with The Folk Orchestra of Santa Barbara for the first time in three years. The pair will play traditional Scottish tunes including “Flower of Scotland,” “Wild Mountain Thyme,” and “The Sailor’s Wife” along with more than a dozen others songs with the 30-plus member orchestra’s current weekend series led by founder/music director/piper Adam Phillips

WHEN: 7 pm

WHERE: Trinity Episcopal Church, 1500 State St. (Friday); Marjorie Luke Theatre, 721 E. Cota St. (Saturday)

COST: $40 ($10 students Friday only)

INFO: (805) 260-3223 or https://folkorchestrasb.com

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Queens for a Day – Queens of the Stone Age, the 1990s-formed Seattle band that once featured Nirvana and Foo Fighters founding member Dave Grohl on drums, are playing some of North America’s most historic theaters for their Catacombs Tour. The shows are composed of all-new arrangements crafted specifically for their Alive in the Catacombs cinematic and musical opus. QOTSA draws upon the spirit of those sublime subterranean renditions to fashioned reimagined versions that promise to twist the volume knob in both directions for an unusually intimate show. Opening is Paris Jackson, the more grunge-punk oriented singer-actress-model daughter of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson.

WHEN: 8 pm

WHERE: Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St.

COST: $280+ (resale)

INFO: (805) 963-9589 or www.arlingtontheatresb.com

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Mellan-choly music – First United Methodist Church organist Thomas Mellan, who performed two special concerts last month in his new organ recital series, performs at the venue today under the auspices of the Santa Barbara Music Club in another varied program from the USC Thornton School alum. Mellan will play two of the 12 Transcendental Études by Liszt, Chopin’s Étude No. 3 in E Major, and their Paris contemporary Charles-Valentin Alkan’s Étude No. 10, the final movement of his Symphony for Solo Piano – all transcribed for organ by Mellan – before performing his own 2021 composition “Nocturne: Hommage to Lyatoshynsky.” The organist also plays Toccata by twentieth-century French composer Jean Guillou before concluding with Liszt’s Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale “Ad nos, ad salutarem undam.”

WHEN: 3 pm

WHERE: First United Methodist Church, 305 East Anapamu (at Garden) COST: free

INFO: www.sbmusicclub.org

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Take the ‘A’ Train – Sisters Alyson and Amanda Joy Michalka started their pop duo Aly & AJ 21 years ago, when they were just 15 and 13, scoring an immediate hit with their 2005 debut album Into the Rush. Several Disney projects ensued, as well as some refining of their styles over the years. Now a sixth studio album, Silver Deliverer – which new-mom Aly has described as “embracing our femininity and the changes that come with getting older” (they’re now 36 and 34) –has the duo back out on the road. Opening is the Americana singer-songwriter and fiddler Amanda Shires, fresh off a divorce after a dozen-year marriage to Jason Isbell. It all takes place at – where else? – the Arlington.

WHEN: 7 pm

WHERE: Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St.

COST: $34.50-$54.50

INFO: (805) 963-9589 or www.arlingtontheatresb.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11

King Louis for CAMA – Acclaimed Canadian pianist Louis Lortie launches the new CAMA Masterseries with a captivating all-Ravel program in celebration of the French composer’s 150th birthday. Known for his exquisite touch, profound musicality, and insightful interpretations, Lortie is a master of the French repertoire who takes on a half-dozen solo works to embrace the full expressive range of Ravel.

WHEN: 7:30 pm

WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. COST: $48-$58

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

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12–SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22

‘Pemberly’ Pre-Thanksgiving – SBCC Theatre Dept. presents a student showcase of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, the popular sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice set two years after the novel ends that continues the story of the delightful Bennet sisters with a gathering of the family at Pemberley (where Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth now live) for a holiday celebration. Centering around the slightly bookish middle-sister Mary who fears she’ll always be alone, the play delivers several Christmas miracles including an unexpected guest who may just be the intellectual match for whom Mary has dreamed.

WHEN: November 12-22

WHERE: SBCC’s Jurkowitz Theatre, 721 Cliff Drive COST: $10-$20

INFO: (805) 965-5935 or www.theatregroupsbcc.com

The

JANE AUSTEN, ABRIDGED

Written by Jessica Bedford, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast, and Meghan Winch
Directed by Robert Kelley

“I think food is so ephemeral and local,” he says. “Every amazing food experience I have had has been because it was so singular to the place. The first thing I think about when opening a restaurant is to understand what the region has to offer. Then come the stories of the producers and trying to figure out the best possible way to honor what they do.”

His reputation is built in part on the vegetable-forward masterfare he has perfected over time and made his own. At Little Mountain, Moya’s plant mastery is brought to the fore both as botanic delicacy – eggplant with black garlic and hazelnut, for instance – and as delectable augment to dishes like ribeye with hearth sofrito. He has spent some time in the global cocina deeply optimizing local treasures, localizing his creations, and ever pursuing sustainability.

Born in Chile, little Diego would busy himself helping to cook and preserve the family’s backyard fruit yield. He was 6 when the Moya family moved to Long Island, and he would grow up an NYC boy, prep-cooking in the family pizzeria, drinking in the details of kitchen and hospitality – rehearsing for an aproned, globe-hopping career he likely didn’t foresee as a kid. Though

2000s in pursuit of a veggie-ennobling haute cuisine.

This approach fired Chef Moya’s own evolving artistry, his newfound passion compelling him to explore and work on various farms, immerse himself in biodynamics and permaculture, and commit to a sustainable ingredient model that will not strip edible resources today at the expense of tomorrow’s diner –and world. Produce became Moya’s focus, and imbuing seasonal flora with subtly penetrating flavors and textures his mission.

When he did return to NYC, he worked in a number of establishments –Dovetail, Kin Shop, the Michelin-starred Casa Mono among them. He founded The Cure Supper Club out of his own Williamsburg apartment at one point (alongside wine director Zach Ligas), an arguable staging ground for the ideas that would energize his own Lower East Side restaurant, Hemlock. He later enjoyed an executive chef stint at celebrated Tribeca wine bar Racines and acted as culinary advisor to Brooklynbased hospitality collective The Oberon Group. Moya even began his own community garden in Manhattan’s Battery Park at the isle’s southern tip. This is an abbreviated list of the artist’s restless CV. Moya is one of those chefs. Known to the cognoscenti who follow his every move and transition, breathlessly written about in endless foodie publications (and The New York Times), Moya has now landed in leafy Montecito as Little Mountain’s Kitchen Magus. This should quicken the epicurean heart.

order: infuse Little Mountain’s space with cozy Montecito home mojo – an embraceable dwelling with a menu. In Cosbie’s description of the design brushstrokes we hear an assuring grasp of the village soul.

“I wanted Little Mountain to reflect the grandeur of Montecito’s landscape, the elegance of its architecture,” Cosbie says. “But I wanted to capture the ease of Montecito’s understated charm. People should walk in the door and be delighted, but not entirely surprised by what they see.”

Little Mountain’s warmth is non-ostentatious, and as indefinably appealing as your favorite room. Salvaged redwood beams, a dry-laid brick floor, burnished metals, textured plaster, and lamplit dark woods enfold like a favorite well-worn shawl, each distinct nook a cozy contributor to the whole. Fellow diners become convivial pals in a space like this. The artwork, curated by Allison Harding, is a warming array of still life and coastal plein air portraiture, the space’s color palette an inward extension of the forested environs that surround the place. Yeah – it’s Montecito with seating and table service.

there were inklings. These revelatory moments are not always written in the constellations or announced by a flock of trumpet-blowing cherubim.

“It was something I realized very young,” says Chef Moya of his early epiphany. “In elementary school our class had an occasional lesson plan on home economics. The lessons I recall are planting little shelling peas that we later got to trellis and harvest – which really sparked my interest in growing food. Later, we learned how to make a very basic no-bake peanut butter truffle – that I was so excited about I made them for my parents as soon as I got the chance. Between these classes and after school PBS replays of Great Chefs of the World , I realized that I was completely hooked.”

In Peru he doubled down on seasonality at Astrid y Gastón, cooked in Paris at Le Comptoir, and (significantly) spent time at the City of Lights’ cornucopious L’Arpège. It was there he met a mentor in Chef Alain Passard, L’Arpège’s owner. Passard’s manner of slow-cooking meat had earned him honors as one of the leading  rôtisseries in Paris, in 1996 earning Passard’s L’Arpège three Michelin stars. Notably, Moya’s mentor stopped cooking meat altogether in the early

Style is Substance (Mapping Palate to Palette)

Dinner of an otherworldly quality is best enjoyed in an intentionally designed space whose mien adds to the palatable experience. (Yes, there is a simpler way to say that.) Eva and the ownership team tasked ID Andrew Cosbie with a tallish

In naming their baby after the cozy borough that surrounds it, owners Graham Duncan & Eva and Bryan Schreier have arguably put their thumb on the scale, ingratiating the new noshery to locals by adopting the village name. On that front, the wine list leans into the exceptional and regionally diverse, and Little Mountain seems otherwise determined to offer itself to the local vibe, hand in glove. The intentionality of the project speaks volumes. Chef Moya makes no bones.

“Santa Barbara has some of the most incredible produce I’ve ever had the pleasure to cook with. I’ve had the luck to work in some incredible places with localized diversity, but the vibrancy of the materia prima here is second to none. I don’t say that lightly.”

“If it was raining soup, the Irish would go out with forks.” – Brendan Behan
Grilled Mount Lassen trout with smoked mushrooms, Biquinho peppers, and beurre blanc made from wild mountain herbs (photo by Kort Havens)
Chef Moya applies brush to canvas (photo by Kort Havens)
Your living room awaits (photo by Kort Havens)

Robert’s Big Questions

Justice or Vengeance?

On September 20, Trump posted a lengthy demand on Truth Social that Attorney General Pam Bondi prosecute former FBI Director James Comey, Sen. Adam Schiff , D-Calif., and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

“They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done,” he claimed, adding, “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility.”

“They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”

“If given the opportunity, I will get even with some people that were disloyal to me,” Trump told Charlie Rose in a 1992 interview.

I am concerned that many Americans don’t know the difference between justice and vengeance.

Trump was investigated and prosecuted for actual crimes he committed. But not at the request of Biden

Our justice system is supposed to be insulated from presidential desires. Nixon fired the Watergate Special Prosecutor Cox. That was one of many acts that led to Nixon’s forced resignation.

Years later, Clinton was investigated for the failed Whitewater business deal. No crimes were found, but prosecutors kept digging in unrelated areas. Eventually Clinton was impeached for lying about sex. Henry Hyde led the impeachment. He was later asked if this was “payback” for Watergate. He said, “I can’t say that it wasn’t.” Justice is about the public interest. Vengeance is about personal anger. Justice restores order. Vengeance creates an endless cycle of retaliation. There is no single test to tell the difference, but here are some guidelines.

1. Impartiality: Would I judge this case the same way if the roles were reversed?

2. Proportionality: Trump said, “If someone screws you, screw them back 10 times harder.”

3. Motivation: Justice is based on evidence and concern for the common good. Vengeance is about making the other side hurt for personal satisfaction.

4. Purpose: Justice restores order. Vengeance asserts dominance.

5. Process: Is there a fair hearing?

6. Moral Fruit: Justice produces peace, trust, and closure. Vengeance breeds more vengeance.

When Charlie Kirk was assassinated, there was much debate about whether his hateful speech created an atmosphere of violence that came back to bite him. But I am more interested in his view of justice.

Kirk said, “As far as other death penalties, I think what some of those guys did to Donald Trump, to use the instruments of government to destroy the constitutional order, that should be under consideration.” In other words, using the justice system for its intended purpose might be grounds to execute someone.

The whole point of a functioning justice system is to make violence and vengeance unnecessary. Trump spent much of his life breaking civil and criminal laws, rarely being held accountable. He called for hecklers at his rallies to be “roughed up” and to “knock the crap out of them.” He lawlessly uses his presidency for private profit. And he incited a mob in January 2021 that went on to attack the U.S. Capitol.

Painstaking law enforcement work led to the prosecution of hundreds of violent participants in that attack. But Trump was never prosecuted for his role. And then Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 of those who were convicted, or were awaiting trial or sentencing.

Now Trump is waging a war against those who tried to hold him accountable.

Trump went on to commute George Santos’ seven-year sentence for fraud and identity theft. Trump posted, “Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!”

This is the mirror of vengeance: Providing favors to actual criminals simply because they are loyal.

If we are ever going to move forward in this country, there has to be an acknowledgment of valid justice, regardless of political side. I can admit that these Democrats deserved prosecution: Senator Bob Menendez , Governor Rod Blagojevich , Mayor Eric Adams . Ironically, Trump undid the prosecutions of Blagojevich and Adams. Not to remedy an injustice. But to reward personal loyalty to Trump.

Trump’s worst crime was trying to overturn the 2020 election. That was an attack on our very system of government. Justice utterly failed to hold him accountable. We need real justice and public understanding of what that means.

An Independent Mind Punch and Judy Politics

American politics has devolved into a meaningless Red and Blue Punch and Judy show. You know, the puppet show where all Punch and Judy do is argue and beat each other with sticks. Look at it as a metaphor for contemporary politics.

Politicians at the state and federal level can’t get beyond their need to hold on to power, so they pander to us, telling us what they think we want to hear. Deep down you know it’s not what you really want to hear.

Where are the leaders who trade in the ideas that made America great? Maybe some will emerge, but I don’t see much on the horizon. Reasonable potential candidates see politics as walking into a meat grinder and they understandably shy away from public office. Instead we vote for bad candidates who either don’t solve problems or they create more problems. We have brought this on ourselves. I bring this up because I watched Bill Maher the other night. I love the guy because he calls out the hypocrisy of anyone he thinks is a hypocrite, which is just about any politician or “thought leader” who appears on his show. He’s smart and doesn’t let much get past him. He had Republican Congress Member Marjorie Taylor Greene on the show. Yes, Marjorie the loose cannon who says outrageous things like “Yes, they can control the weather” in reference to Hurricane Helene. Or that the Camp Fire in California was caused by “space lasers” controlled by the Rothschilds and Governor Newsom But here’s the thing: on the show she sounded semi-rational and the audience cheered when she said innocuous things like Congress needs to work together instead of fighting when millions of Americans are facing hardships. [Cheers] Or, Trump should release the Epstein documents. [Cheers] But she also said there are demons here on earth – “fallen angels” who maybe are the aliens we all hear about. [Silence] She also said she didn’t know that the Rothschilds were Jewish. [Silence]

My point is that ignorant people like Representative Greene are elected to Congress. She can make herself appear as a rational person when she wants to by saying the obvious. She reminds me of Chance, the gardener in the movie Being There (if you haven’t seen it, it’s a great movie and a very satirical commentary on politics). Maybe she’ll run for president.

There are loose cannons on the Blue side as well (Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez). It’s not an act for the socialist wing – they actually believe it. But they make stuff up to keep their base riled up against the evils of capitalism. I don’t want to give lefty thought leader Bill Maher a pass either. He tells Marjorie that billionaires don’t need their billions. Note to Bill: you make a reported $20+ million a year and obviously you don’t need that much either. Why don’t you give all your money to charity? He misses the point about billionaires: we made them billionaires because they made our lives better through innovation and investment. Take away the incentives to get rich and then you get stagnation (NB: See the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics).

None of these folks (except Maher) add anything to the national well-being. They say stuff that appeals to their base but which the rest of us ignore. I think politicians underestimate us voters because one important talent our species of apes has is that we know B.S. when we hear it.

The best example of B.S. right now, other than our president or Senator Schumer, is Zohran Mamdani, the “democratic” socialist who will be the new mayor of New York City. You would have to be gullible and/or ignorant of the long history of the failures and tragedies of socialism to support the guy but, like I said, this is the stuff such people want to hear.

There is no way NYC can afford Zoran’s free public transportation, low priced goods from government-run grocery stores, or plentiful cheap rent-controlled housing. The money is not going to come from billionaires because rich people, as you might have guessed, are not stupid and wealth taxes will drive them out of the city. So public transportation services will decline because of neglected maintenance and strikes. Government grocery stores will lose money and go broke. And more rent controls will make existing rentals more expensive and, since people don’t move out of rent-controlled apartments, it will reduce the supply. History is replete with examples of these outcomes.

We can change. Argentina’s President Milei is proving it by turning the moribund state-controlled economy around by reducing poverty and promoting growth. It’s his free-market reforms that are doing it. Argentinos were tired of being poor and they wanted change that works. And they got it. Can’t we do that?

News Bytes

Montecito Beautification Day

Montecito’s 40th Annual Beautification Day takes place Saturday, November 8, from 9 am to 12 pm at Montecito Union School. Hosted by the Montecito Association and chaired by Mindy Denson, the event begins with breakfast from the Rosewood Miramar, followed by community cleanup projects, awards, and a celebratory lunch by San Ysidro Ranch – a cherished tradition honoring village pride and care for Montecito’s natural beauty.

411: Saturday, November 8, from 9 am to 12 pm at Montecito Union School

Montecito Country Mart News

Carolina Bucci Fine Jewelers is now open.

Montecito Country Mart owner Jim Rosenfield plans to open a store dedicated to celebrating Montecito, stay tuned.

Hudson Grace: The new fall collection by Peter Dunham is in the store, shop now before it’s sold out.

Jewish Film Festival November 1 - 6

The Jewish Film Festival runs Saturday November, 1 through Thursday, November 6. The film event is organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara. 411: www.sbjewishfilmfestival.org

Calm at Heart Fundraiser November 7

Calm is a community-based mental health nonprofit in Santa Barbara County. Luncheon fundraiser is on November 7 at the Rosewood Miramar Beach Montecito. Event sponsors are Montecito luminaries Belle Hahn , Cate Stoll , and Alexis Courson, and Montecito Bank & Trust. Join for their mission-driven event that raises funds to break the cycle of childhood trauma across Santa Barbara County.

411: calm4kids.org/about-us/

Las Cumbres Observatory’s Astronomy on Tap at M. Special

The Las Cumbres Observatory’s Astronomy on Tap is back for November 13, doors open at 6 pm. Speaker is Dr. William Wester, Scientist Emeritus at Fermilab, presenting “The Axion - The Superhero Candidate for Dark Matter.” Also, Dr. Sandy Seale and Curtis McCully with a fun overview of Astronomy in the News. Free admission, all ages, and pet friendly on leashes to hear the latest on space events and ask questions with the experts doing the real research! Wear anything “astro-themed” and receive free door prizes. Raffle tix for the coveted LCO engraved beer glasses!

411: lco.global/aot/november-13-2025/

St. Vincent’s SB Annual Fashion Show Luncheon

November 29

Early Bird Tickets are on sale through November 15 for the annual fashion show luncheon at the Rosewood Miramar Beach on Saturday, November 29.

411: www.stvincents-sb.org/events/fashion-show-luncheon/

Cottage Health Adds Two Cardiology Specialists

Cottage Cardiology Clinic is pleased to announce the addition of two new cardiology specialists to its growing team, Dr. Elizabeth J. Hutchins, a board-certified cardiologist specializing in cardio-oncology, and Dr. Chee Yuan Ng, a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist. Their addition further broadens the clinic’s specialized cardiovascular services for patients across the Central Coast. 411: www.cottagehealth.org

City of Carpinteria Job Openings

The City of Carpinteria, our neighbor, is seeking to fill three positions: part-time Recreation Leader, Library Technician, and Facilities Attendants. 411: www.governmentjobs.com/careers/carpinteriaca

Forbes’ America’s Best-in-State Residential Architecture Firms, 2025

Appleton Partners LLP – Architects, with offices in Santa Barbara and Santa Monica, has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best-in-State Residential Architecture Firms for 2025. The distinction honors design excellence, innovation, News Bytes Page 534

Our Town – Ghost Village Road 2025

Montecito was all sunny for fullon fun at the annual Ghost Village Road, proving once again we are here for the treats! Every business on Coast Village Road through to the Montecito Country Mart went all out, with their teams

dressed to scarily impress while dishing out the goodies. Kids of all ages came in all manner of costumes, from 1960s airline stewardesses, pirates, Harry Potter and wizards, space teams, Dodgers teams, ballerinas, inflatables, and disco balls to dinosaurs. The streets were crowded with people, with more than three times as many attending as last year.

Kudos to the Coast Village Improvement Association for bringing in the photo booth and the haunted surrey from the Rosewood Miramar Beach. The most represented school was Montecito Union. Thanks to our first responders, Montecito Fire firefighters, and the Santa Barbara Police Department for their presence on CVR. Merrill Lynch wins best Hollywood set for its Star Wars display with life-size

talking and moving figures. Richie’s Barber Shop kept the vibe going with a live DJ pumpin’ up the jam and a Pet Costume Contest for really cool prizes – more info can be found on the next page.

We are #MontecitoProud!

Thanks to our local business owners and teams who went all out making it a fantastic experience for everyone.

Richie’s Barber Shop Presents Pet Halloween Costume Contest

Barber Jessica Jay at Richie’s Barber Shop on Coast Village Road put out a soft call for costume-wearing pets in what may likely turn out to be Richie’s Annual Pet Halloween Costume Contest during Ghost Village Road this year.

4th place: Juice Ranch Gift Card 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Voting

Prizes by our fab businesses:

1st place: Richie’s Barber Shop and Sugar SB $100 Gift Card

2nd place: Ca’ Dario Montecito Gift Card

3rd place: Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro Gift Card

by
Dog photos by Jessica Jay and Joanne A Calitri

and lasting contributions to the built environment. Partners Ken Mineau and Andrew Scott, along with the entire Appleton team, were celebrated for their creative leadership and commitment to architectural craftsmanship that defines California living.

411: 911 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara | (805) 965-0304 | https://www.appleton-architects.com

Pearl Chase Society Hosts Evening with Robert Ooley

The Pearl Chase Society presents a special installment of the Kellam de Forest Speaker Series on Friday, November 7 at 6 pm at the Alhecama Theatre, featuring Robert Ooley, longtime Santa Barbara County architect and former president of the American Institute of Architects. Ooley will discuss and sign his acclaimed book, A Guide to Santa Barbara Architecture and Points of Interest, offering insights into the city’s rich architectural heritage. The event is free and open to the public; donations are welcome to support the lecture series. Refreshments will be served.

411: Alhecama Theatre, 215 E. Cañon Perdido St. (805) 961-3938 | PCS@PearlChaseSociety.org | pearlchasesociety.org

Unity Shoppe Partners with Folded Hills for “Philanthropy Fridays”

Unity Shoppe is teaming up with Folded Hills Winery for Philanthropy Fridays, a month-long fundraising series every Friday in November. Guests can enjoy Folded Hills’ locally crafted wines at their Montecito and Gaviota tasting rooms, with proceeds supporting Unity Shoppe’s essential programs for Santa Barbara families in need.

The series kicks off Friday, November 7, from 4-6 pm at the Montecito Tasting Room on Coast Village Road. Subsequent events continue through November 28.

“We are so grateful to Folded Hills Winery for choosing Unity Shoppe as the beneficiary,” said Angela Miller-Bevan, executive director of Unity Shoppe. “Their generosity helps us provide food, clothing, and vital resources year-round.”

Folded Hills, owned by Kim and Andrew Busch, combines winemaking with community giving, making each glass a toast to local compassion and connection. 411: unityshoppe.org

November2025

DynamicDuos byPeteMuller,MackMeller,andAndrewWhite

ACROSS

1 Kindoffly

4 Tbsp.ortsp.,e.g.

7 Fizzlesout

13 Rankbelowsgt.

14 2019eventforUberand Lyft,forshort

15 "___Dream"(4xplatinum SmashingPumpkins album)

16 "Notallthosewhowander arelost,"forone

18 Jackontracks?

19 SturgeonfromScotland

20 Jobreferencedinafamous Christmascarol

21 Co-starofShatnerand Nimoy

22 Athena'scoatofarms?

23 NoisesinPinkFloyd s "Pigs"

25 OhnowiththemostWinter Olympicsmedalsofany American

30 Ewesaidit!

33 Stonefoundinmovies

34 Wordsofencouragement, perhaps

35 Precederoffactoorjure

37 Maldivesmultitude

39 Contingencyplanphrase

40 H.S.examinanyofabout 40subjects

42 Noiseinacomicgunfight

44 Orchestrasect.

45 "Every___(RunsOutof Rain)"(#1countryhitfor GaryAllan)

46 HebrewnameforGod

48 CertainYemennative

50 TheGershwins "___Eat Cake"

54 Thoroughfare

58 Melonliqueurwhosename isJapanesefor"green"

59 Trackerofcurrentevents?

60 Rebootingone'scomputer formanytechproblems, say

61 Coolstate?

62 Largerockgps.?

63 TVmonitor?

64 Wordbefore"coin"on manyclassicarcade games

65 Mortgage-backingagcy.

66 "___Songs(SaySo Much)"(EltonJohnsong) DOWN

1 Bouquet

2 OldRome'sVia___

3 "___itorticket"(slogan applicabletoeverystate exceptNewHampshire)

4 Spiritinthesky,say

5 Movie-ratingorg.whose initialismlostitsfinalletter in2019

6 MajorforDavidBowie?

7 Saucethat'sausefulvowel dumpinScrabble

8 Hesitatestodo

9 Switchontheradio

10 Melodicmotif,toVerdi

11 Moralesof"Ozark"

12 "___MyLove(ToYour NewLover)"(Adelehit)

15 Quaffs

17 "There___the Neighborhood"(Sheryl Crowsong)

20 DeathorOverkill,e.g.

22 "Brothersin___"(Dire Straitsalbum)

ShelterBox Deploys Emergency Relief After Hurricane Melissa

Santa Barbara-based ShelterBox USA is mobilizing emergency shelter aid to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm that struck the island on October 28, 2025. With winds reaching 183 mph, the hurricane has displaced thousands and caused widespread destruction.

ShelterBox has pre-positioned supplies in Barbados and Panama to assist up to 10,000 people, including tents, tarpaulins, solar lights, mosquito nets, and water carriers. The nonprofit’s response teams are working closely with Rotary International and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency to reach the hardest-hit families.

“Shelter is not just a roof – it’s the foundation for recovery,” said Kerri Murray, president of ShelterBox USA. “Our new hub in Barbados allows us to act immediately when disaster strikes.”

ShelterBox has provided life-saving shelter in over 100 countries and continues to lead global efforts in disaster relief.

411: shelterboxusa.org

Organic Soup Kitchen Urges Support Amid SNAP Benefit Cuts

Organic Soup Kitchen is calling on the Santa Barbara community to help fill the growing food gap caused by federal SNAP benefit reductions. The nonprofit, known for its Medically Tailored Meals and Nutrition & Food Security programs, provides organic, nutritionist-designed soups to seniors and individuals facing chronic illness and food insecurity.

Founder Anthony Carroccio emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that increased donations are essential to meet the rising demand for support among vulnerable residents. “The only way we can ensure no senior goes hungry is by working together – neighbors helping neighbors,” he said.

Community members can donate, apply for meal programs, or volunteer through the organization’s website: organicsoupkitchen.org.

Since 2009, Organic Soup Kitchen has served more than three million bowls of soup, prioritizing fresh, local ingredients and compassionate care to strengthen community health.

MullerMonthlyMusicMeta

http://www.pmxwords.com

24 Elide

26 Trident-shapedletter

27 Takesout,mob-style

28 "___forLife"(LanaDel Reysongfeaturingthe Weeknd)

29 Wordsbefore"before"

30 Bent

31 Datewiththedr.,say

32 Memoopener

34 "___HerStandingThere" (Beatlestune)

36 Repeatedcontractionin thenationalanthem

38 GradesK-12

41 Like5thgraders, comparedtoallbutfive contestantsofapopular formergameshow

43 "BringMeSomeWater" singerEtheridge

46 Followerof"7"or"100"in hitsongtitles

47 ActressLamarrinthe NationalInventorsHallof Fame

49 Carriesout,asthoumight

51 Britishdandies

52 "FearofFlying"novelist Jong

53 Giftthatmightbeburned

54 Halfafish?

55 DespotplayedbyWhitaker in"TheLastKingof Scotland"

56 Troublesometoddlers

57 StatebirdofHawaii

58 Summeractivity?

60 "Unbelievable"rockgroup whosenameisalsoa voltagemeas.

WHATISAMETA?

TheMMMMisafreeaward-winningmonthlycrossword,published atnoononthefirstTuesdayofeachmonth.Itsdifficultylevelis similartoaNYTimesWednesdayorThursdaypuzzle.Tofinish thepuzzle,solversneedtofigureoutthemeta,whichisusuallya songorband.SolvershaveuntilSundayat11pmtosubmittheir answertothemeta.

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

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

Managing Editor | Zach Rosen zach@montecitojournal.net

MoJo Contributing Editor | Christopher Matteo Connor

Art/Production Director | Trent Watanabe

Graphic Design/Layout | Stevie Acuña

Administrative Assistant | Jessica Shafran VP, Sales & Marketing | Leanne Wood leanne@montecitojournal.net

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

Published by:

Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC

Thismonth’smetaisafamousrocksong.

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

©2025PeteMuller,MackMeller,andAndrewWhite

JOURNAL

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING (805) 565-1860

Your Trusted Choice For Estate Sales, Liquidation & Downsizing

Moving Miss Daisy’s providing comprehensive services through Moving Miss Daisy since 2015. Expert packing, unpacking, relocating to ensure your new home is beautifully set up and ready to enjoy. Miss Daisy’s is the largest consignment store in the Tri-Counties - nearly 20K sq.ft.- always offering an unmatched selection of items. We also host online Auctions.

Glenn Novack, Owner 805-770-7715 www.missdaisy.org info@movingmissdaisy.com

THE CLEARING HOUSE

Recognized as the area’s Premier Estate Liquidators - Experts in the Santa Barbara Market! We are Skilled Professionals with Years of Experience in Downsizing and Estate Sales. Personalized service. Insured. Call for a complimentary consultation. Elaine (805)708-6113

Christa (805)450-8382

Email: theclearinghouseSB@cox.net Website: www.theclearinghouseSB.com

TRESOR

We Buy, Sell and Broker Important Estate Jewelry. Located in the upper village of Montecito. Graduate Gemologists with 30 years of experience. We do free evaluations and private consultation. 1470 East Valley Rd Suite V. 805-969-0888

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

PHYSICAL TRAINING & THERAPY

Stillwell Fitness of Santa Barbara In Home Personal Training Sessions for 65+ Help with: Strength, Flexibility, Balance Motivation, and Consistency

John Stillwell, CPT, Specialist in Senior Fitness 805-705-2014 StillwellFitness.com

GOT OSTEOPOROSIS? WE CAN HELP

At OsteoStrong our proven non-drug protocol takes just ten minutes once a week to improve your bone density and aid in more energy, strength, balance and agility. Please call for a complimentary session! Call Now (805) 453-6086

SENIOR MOVE SOLUTIONS

For 10 years your trusted experts in Downsizing, Relocation & Estate Transitions. Experienced & detail-oriented, we handle every step with patience and precision. CuratedTransitions.com 805.669.6303

ELECTRICIAN

Montecito Electric Repairs and Inspections Licensed C10485353 805-969-1575

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.

LANDSCAPE

Casa L. M. Landscape hedges installed. Ficus to flowering. Disease resistant. Great privacy. Certified rootstock roses and fruit trees. Licensed & insured. Call (805) 963-6909

WATERLILIES and LOTUS since 1992

CARPET CLEANING

Carpet Cleaning Since 1978 (805) 963-5304 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

CONSTRUCTION

General Building Design & Construction Contractor William J. Dalziel Lic. B311003 – 1 (805) 698-4318 billjdalziel@gmail.com

$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)

CONDO FOR LEASE

Malibu spacious and private beachfront condo. 10K, 1-year lease. An elegant, relaxing lifestyle awaits you here. (805) 218-1283

FOR SALE

TREK E-BIKE New Condition Pedal Assist Verve +2 Low Step Medium Frame. Only 68 miles. S/N WTU 308JV1554T Dark Blue $1675 or BO Located: Goleta Em: dimarcogallery@icloud.com

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AT THE SANTA BARBARA YOGA CENTER

EMBRACING GRIEF, SADNESS & FEAR, Through the Wisdom of TCM, with Qigong, Breathwork & Acupressure, led by Dr. Beatrice Appay Saturday, Nov 15 – 2–4 PM Grief & Sadness: Opening the Lungs Saturday, Nov 22 – 2–4 PM Fear: Nourishing the Kidney Spirit sbyc.com(805) 965-6045

DONATIONS NEEDED

Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary Menagerie 2430 Lillie Avenue Summerland CA 93067 (805) 969-1944

Donate to the Parrot Pantry! At SB Bird Sanctuary, backyard farmer’s bounty is our birds’ best bowl of food! The flock goes bananas for your apples, oranges & other homegrown fruits & veggies.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Do you have a special talent or skill? Do you need community service hours? The flock at SB Bird Sanctuary could always use some extra love and socialization. Call us and let’s talk about how you can help. (805) 969-1944

ByPeteMuller&FrankLongo Foreachofthefirstfiveminicrosswords,oneoftheentriesalsoservesaspartofa five-wordmetaclue.Theanswertothemetaisawordorphrase(sixlettersor longer)hiddenwithinthesixthminicrossword.Thehiddenmetaanswerstartsin oneofthesquaresandsnakesthroughthegridverticallyandhorizontallyfrom there(nodiagonals!)withoutrevisitinganysquares.

Across

1 Severespasm

5 Severespasm 6 Haveadate 7 Hipto 8 Likewds.after"la,"inLa Paz

Down 1 Galaxy,e.g. 2 See4-Down 3 "Verb"or"adjective,"e.g. 4 With2-Down,kiss-killing cry,maybe 5 Cryaroundmanyanoffice watercooler

Across 1 Aworkingonemightbe changedwhileshooting 6 Unpleasantlypungent 7 Geoffreywhosaid"Clothing isnothinguntilithitsthe body"

8 See1-Down 9 Isn tincessant

"TheSmallestMan___ EverLived"(2024Taylor Swifthit)

Gender-changingsuffix

Down 1 With8-Across,reusable napkins,e.g. 2 Blockafterablizzard, maybe 3 With4-Down,graphparts showinggeneraltendencies

4 See3-Down 5 Locationofonebadapple?

1 Peoplewithprosopagnosia havetroublerecognizing them

6 Nolongerintheminors?

7 Furryenvironmentalistof kid-lit

8 MemberofSyria slargest ethnicminority 9 Likegoodsneakers

Down 1 "Country___"(2012Bubba Sparxxxsinglethatwent gold)

2 Run___of 3 Gaininanelection,asa state

4 Long-ago"Whoa!"

5 Lead-into"cells"or"sells"

Across 1 Preparetopaste,perhaps 5 Itsperiodofrevolutionis about248years 7 Don tturnawayatthedoor 8 Itbuildsupinsomebeds 9 Filmcharacterwhochooses theredpill

Down 1 Mil.rankofKateBosworth s characterinthe2023film "LastSentinel"

2 Matadorshearmanyof them

3 Trumpmetwithhimin AnchorageinAugust2025

4 4-pointScrabblepiece

6 Abletoseerightthrough

LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.