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PRETTY INDUSTRIOUS

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CEO Gwyn Lurie gwyn@montecitojournal.net

President & COO Tim Buckley tim@montecitojournal.net

Editor  Les Firestein les@montecitojournal.net

Managing Editor Zachary Bernstein zbernstein@montecitojournal.net

Art Director Trent Watanabe trent@montecitojournal.net

Copy Editor Lily Buckley Harbin

Graphic Design/Layout Assistant Stevie Acuña

Director of Operations

Jessikah Fechner jmoran@montecitojournal.net

VP Sales & Marketing

Leanne R. Wood leanne@montecitojournal.net (805) 284-7177

Account Managers

Tanis Nelson: tanis@montecitojournal.net

Susan Brooks: sue@montecitojournal.net

Elizabeth Scott: elizabeth@montecitojournal.net

Natasha Kucherenko: natasha@montecitojournal.net

Photography Kim Reierson

Contributors

Hattie Beresford, Heidi Clements, Christopher Matteo Connor, Maddie Connors,  Jonathan Cristaldi, Lily Dallow, Sophia Kercher, Tiana Molony, Gabe Saglie, Jeff Wing

M ARSHA KOTLYA R

ESTATE GROUP

Contents

50.Wheelers & Dealers – From the Battle of Hue to the sunsoaked Isle of Capri, father and son shutterbugs and self gallerists the Wheelers have photographed our world in all its complex glory. The twice kidnapped, ex-war photographer Nik Wheeler and his globecircling, Riviera-obsessed son Kerry explain how the Wheeler Collective makes us partakers of the legacy.

70.Artist Wallace Piatt Works Hard and Large – Addiction and homelessness are surely a depth of human torment. But in some, the creative spark burns with a fury that cauterizes and heals. Some are turned to ash in the refiner’s fire, and some emerge as purified artists. Meet the subversive Wallace Piatt.

80.Loveworn’s Enduring Vintage – A love letter to the Funk Zone’s doyenne of denim design and outfit creation.

86.Let the Sunshine In – The beachcomber’s holy grail invention of a bikini fabric that doesn’t leave tan lines has finally arrived, and we owe it all to a Californian-Italian Gen-Z model and TikTok star. Get the skinny on Isabella Biscarini as we dip into her amazing entrepreneurial success, not to mention her slaying of that pesky bikini stripe.

102.Vicki Riskin Is Changing the Climate Conversation – She’s a writer, activist, one-time president of the Writers Guild of America, and daughter of Hollywood legends! In the latest chapter of Vicki Riskin’s ever-evolving life, she’s running Bluedot Living, a news and lifestyle hub for all things environmental.

110.

All the Queen’s Horsemen – Local retired programmer/analyst John Holman was raised in a village in West Sussex, England—you know, that same bucolic hinterland where HRH and H&M hail from. But Holman, Harry, and Meghan have additional connective tissue between them—a storied thoroughbred named Monaveen.

122.Silk Designs for an Amazing New World – Coming from a family of artists, Catherine Gee’s trajectory from Nashville-based artist to silk fashion maven of Santa Barbara helps explain why so many Hollywood celebrities line up to wear her designs.

130.Lightning in a Bottle – Santa Barbara County is a formidable destination for any earnest oenophile, but the number of homegrown wines to earn 100-point scores from the top critics? These are harder to come by. Napa Valley-based Decanter wine critic and longtime wine prophet Jonathan Cristaldi peers through his crystal stemware to see which regional wineries are next poised to achieve this goal.

133.Restaurant Rundown – Need restaurants to pair with those wines? Travel consultant Gabe Saglie’s two-part list points the way to your next amazing dinner.

138.Beyond the Sea – Scion of a prominent surf family, Heidi Merrick has spent a lifetime aswim in the surf culture aesthetic and in the luminous energies found where land meets water. As a fashion designer, Merrick’s designs transmute the stereotypical expectations for what can count as surf fashion.

About Our Cover: Class! Action! Suits! That’s Isabella Biscarini making a debut splash with her innovative line of swimwear at New York Fashion Week in 2022. This momentous career highlight was captured by @carssun.

148.Out of the Fire and Into The Foundry – A little copper, a little tin—kapow! You’ve got bronze; the alloy so unique it earned its own historical epoch. Equally unique (and epochal), the sculptress (and equally accomplished poet) Susie Cronin conjures from bronze an exuberance that’ll have you grinning like a lovesick fool.

158.

Brick & Mortar Belvedere – A gallery of the merchants, stylists, and designers that shape the aesthetics of Montecito and beyond.

172.Ynez Dibblee: The Original Dance Queen of Santa Barbara – Montecito Journal’s resident historian Hattie Beresford parts the curtains on turn-of-the-century Californian and renowned dancer Ynez Dibblee, whose fame preceded such luminaries as Anna Pavlova, Isadora Duncan, and Ruth St. Denis.

192.Store Troopers – Raising two boys gave Jake & Jones founder Jennifer Steinwurtzel a wildly fresh perspective. On what? You name it—color, texture, risktaking, beauty, curiosity, individuality, and, what’s the word? Life. She and business partner Alex Suhadolnik’s joyous clarity has manifested as a social center in a trio of stores just off the Presidio of Santa Barbara.

198.Growing up at La Arcada Plaza –

Practically raised in her family’s beloved and long-established Danish bakery, Charlotte Andersen doubles as La Arcada’s eye-witness historian.

200.

Real Estates – Say, are you looking for a raggedy little fixer-upper on a smallish, weed-choked parcel in the middle of a numbing sea of lookalike bunkers surmounted by white picket whatnot? You have come to the wrong place. If, on the other hand, you seek a pulse-quickening home base on a uniquely gorgeous slice of heaven on Earth – do come on in and have a look around. “Be it ever so humble” is not a lyric to this particular tune.

208.View From a Montecito

Guest House – Thirty years strapped to the Tinseltown rollercoaster as a TV writer can make our cozily forested village feel, not inaccurately, like Shangri-La. The now very much legit influencer and recovering show bizzer Heidi Clements shares her deep appreciation for the mellow vibes that, apparently, only Montecito can provide.

30 YEARS OF REAL ESTATE

My journey in real estate commenced as an attorney specializing in landlord-tenant law and real estate business litigation. In 1994, I decided to grow my career by applying my legal knowledge to the highstakes world of real estate transactions. Fueled by my entrepreneurial spirit, this bold move paved the way for the birth of Coastal Properties – a boutique brokerage and property management firm.

As we hit the 30-year milestone, I'm not just counting the years; I'm raising a glass to the relentless commitment of my operations team, the sweat equity of my hardworking agents, and the unwavering confidence of countless sellers and buyers who entrusted me with their homeownership dreams. Through the rollercoaster of challenges and victories, I'm not just looking back; I'm gearing up for the thrilling expedition ahead. Here's to three decades of Coastal Properties leaving an indelible mark in the real estate game!

Sophia Kercher

Sophia Kercher has been published in The New York Times, Vogue, Elle, Variety, and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications. Sophia first began writing narrative journalism as a College of Creative Studies student at UC Santa Barbara. She now lives in Los Angeles with her family and pet cacti.

Jonathan Cristaldi

Jonathan Cristaldi is the Napa Valley correspondent and critic for Decanter, an internationally renowned wine and wine-lifestyle magazine. His work also appears in Food & Wine, Departures; The SOMM Journal; and Tasting Panel. The fact that he regularly tastes 50 or more wines in one sitting is shocking to most people.

Tiana Molony

Tiana Molony is a journalist and photographer who grew up in Santa Barbara on the historic Dos Pueblos Ranch. She writes for the Santa Barbara Independent and recently graduated from New York University with a master’s in journalism. When not writing, Tiana is most likely reading or thinking about writing.

Christopher Matteo Connor

Lily Dallow

Kim Reierson

Christopher Matteo Connor is a writer and filmmaker. When he isn’t writing, watching movies, and working on projects, you can be sure he’s somewhere enjoying a big slice of vegan pizza.

An award-winning journalist, Lily Dallow covers the town and community that raised her. The Cal Poly grad is entering her third year as the Digital Content Director for News Channel 3-12. She’s produced hundreds of news stories, a few magazine features, and is currently enjoying a screenwriting class on the side.

Kim Reierson is a California native who was raised in Bolivia. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a B.A. in fine arts, she worked as a photojournalist for various newspapers, winning several awards. In 2000, she moved to New York City, where she has been represented by the Robin Rice Gallery since 2001. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and her clients include Art and Auction, Forbes FYI, Bloomingdale’s, Ralph Lauren, the Smithsonian Institute, and Vogue Mexico, to name a few.

Heidi Clements

Gabe Saglie

Jeff Wing

Heidi Clements is a 63-year-old writer turned social media creator using fashion and life lessons to help change the way the country looks at women over 50. Heidi uses her daily JUST GET DRESSED series to spread the word about pro-aging, anti-alcohol, and the pursuit of cool clothing.

Gabe Saglie has been covering the Santa Barbara wine and food scene since 2000. A former morning weatherman on KEYT-TV, he’s now a well-known travel expert who appears regularly on local and national TV programs across the country.

Jeff Wing: The World® is not that big. I mean, 25,000 miles around the middle? This sounds more like an annoyingly lengthy road trip than a “World.” Still. The writing mission is to lift the veil on the unsung strangeness and charm that undergird waking life. Piece of cake.

Hattie Beresford

For nearly two decades, Hattie Beresford has written Montecito Journal’s local history column. She co-edited My Santa Barbara Scrap Book, memoir of local artist Elizabeth Eaton Burton, and her book, The Way It Was ~ Santa Barbara Comes of Age, is a collection of a few of her nearly 400 articles written for the Journal.

Zachary Bernstein

Starting with this issue, Zachary Bernstein is the new managing editor for Montecito Journal Magazine and The Riv. He’s previously written for The Riv, X-R-A-Y, The Rupture, Los Angeleno, New Thinking, and Napa Valley Wine Academy. His original musical, Disasteroid!, was published by Stage Rights. As a songwriter, he’s toured all around North America as The Bicycats.

Maddie Connors

Maddie Connors is a writer living in Los Angeles. She recently completed an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Bennington College. Her writing has appeared in places like The New York Times, W Magazine, Vanity Fair, and Bookforum.

Contributors

Editor’s letter

Hidden Gems

One of my favorite things about Montecito is it’s a little bit introverted. For most Montecitans it’s less about the scene and more about the sea. I never cease to be amazed by all the buried treasure behind so many of our denizens, the lives they lived before they were here along with so many hidden talents and achievements that almost need to be coaxed out. I often feel like the journalist version of a beachcomber with a metal detector.

Never has this been truer than, just in time for summer, our cover story on Isabella Biscarini. My husband claims he discovered Isabella while researching bathing suits (a very suspicious sentence but that’s his story and he’s sticking with it). Anyway, in Les’s ahem research he discovered this 26-year-old entrepreneuse who attended Westmont and was a waitress at the Coral… en route to inventing and bringing to market tan-through bathing suit material… which she also models. How Montecito is that? Thirty-seven million TikTok views later, Biscarini’s True Tone Swimwear constantly sells out. All this from an idea Biscarini originally had back in high school

Isabella is redefining the term “girl boss,” produc ing not just this innovative product but also her own photo shoots, sometimes even modeling her swimwear along with the hired talent––which is maybe why chil laxed, daytime slumber party vibes often emanate from her work.

In fact, we have many baller women to entertain you this ish in your poolside or beachside reverie. Sue Cronin is an incredible sculptor and poet… or is it the other way around? The ever-evolving Vicki Riskin, who not just writes but once ran the Writers Guild West, has turned her considerable talents and passion for changing the world to all matters green. And social media influ encer Heidi Clements writes one of the greatest valen tines to Montecito that I’ve ever read.

Of course, there’s much more to this issue than I have room to mention here; there’s a lot of buried treasure on this beach. So now that the May gray is gone, put on your sunscreen and enjoy! The Montecito Journal Maga zine is highly reflective––figuratively and otherwise!

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HOME IS OUR FAVORITE DESTINATION

CAPTURING THE MAGIC HOUR

BY JEFF WING

©Wheeler

THE WHEELER COLLECTIVE

MAY BE FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY’S SUBLIME LAST GASP

Nik Wheeler was teaching English in Bangkok and taking a few pictures for an Englishlanguage newspaper. One day, a renowned combat photographer seeking respite from the war next door offered up a suggestion. “Philip Jones Griffiths, who was kind of a famous Magnum photographer, said, ‘You want to be a photographer?’ I said, ‘Yeah, sure.’” To which he replied, “Then why are you wasting your time here in Thailand? All the action is in Vietnam.”

As a freelancer in a war zone, Nik earned a scant $15 per photo. When a couple of spots opened up at United Press International wire service (the once-storied UPI), he jumped at the prospect of a steady gig—his enthusiasm only momentarily tempered by the reason for the vacancy. “UPI offered me a job because after Tet in ‘68, when the Viet Cong took over all the cities and the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, they’d lost three or four photographers, killed or injured.” Still. Being shot at bothered Nik less than not having a reliable income.

Yeah, twenty-something Nik Wheeler was that guy. Glad escapee from a sleepy market town in Hertfordshire, England—with its tormenting birdsong and fields of lavender nodding in sunlight—he’d followed his fortunes to a steaming Indochinese jungle being torn to pieces by mortar fire, cameras slung around his neck like an f-stop millstone. He summarizes the variable rigors of field photography in Vietnam. “You can be walking in the jungle for two or three days and not a single shot is fired in anger. You’re so bored you can’t wait for a helicopter to come and take you out of there. Suddenly a firefight erupts and you’re lying on your stomach, trying to make yourself as small as you possibly can.”

Desperately clutching the dirt beneath a horizontal hailstorm of bullets, young Nik in that moment could not have foreseen his unlikely future— membership in the storied high-risk combat photographers cohort, the globehopping assignments and award-winning travel photography, his marriage to Dynasty star Pamela Bellwood, a beautiful home in a leafy village called Montecito, his gallivanting, restlessly creative son Kerry in far-flung 2022. That year, Kerry Wheeler’s epiphany would transform his father’s oeuvre, and his own copious gifts, into a mesmerizing visual amalgam of the world that was, the world that is, and the world as it can be: The Wheeler Collective.

Nik Wheeler’s battered wartime instrument. This camera has seen things.

©Wheeler

THE VERTIGINOUS BLUFFS OF CAPRI

The vertiginous bluffs of Capri lean like enormous, peaceable sentries over a cove of cornflower blue. Your slack-jawed gaze next wanders to a forest of carnation-colored parasols aslant on a sun-soaked St. Tropez beach. It’s likely that the last thing on your mind right now is Vietnam’s grinding, month-long Battle of Hue, say, or a Thai floating market thronged with color and commerce.

THE WHEELER COLLECTIVE IS BOTH AN EMBRACE OF THE GLOBE’S CONTINUALLY UNFOLDING MAGIC HOUR, AND PAEAN TO A LAMPLIT WORLD REMEMBERED WITH PIERCING FONDNESS. ©Wheeler

So it is that Nik Wheeler and his son Kerry bring their complementary perspectives to what could be called a living chronicle of the world’s bewildered beauty; a million images representing locations in over 100 countries and spanning decades—from the inimitable 1960s to the present day. The Wheeler Collective is both

an embrace of the globe’s continually unfolding magic hour, and paean to a lamplit world remembered with piercing fondness.

“It’s arguable that the romantic era of the photographer is long gone,” Kerry says with an indicative glance at his father. Nik silently raises his glass in a wry salutation. I’m speaking to the Wheelers in the sunny and verdant back garden of their home in the Montecito foothills. The lovely Santa Ynez Mountains are doing their best to loom, to the usual charming effect.

“Look,” Kerry says. “A hundred photographers can go out today and go to the Amalfi Coast and shoot something, and it’s all going to look relatively the same. But if you were there in the ‘sixties or the ‘seventies or the ‘eighties—you can’t replicate that time.” Never mind that photography was once a much more fraught affair. Kerry settles back in his chair. “There was a golden era of photojournalism,” he says. “I mean,” he gestures at Nik, “my father was held hostage. Twice.”

At this mention, Nik stirs. “You just can’t be held hostage now and survive,” he says with an air of mild grievance.

©Wheeler

SEEKING AND FINDING

Nik Wheeler pivoted from UPI conflict photographer (Vietnam, Lebanon, the Yom Kippur War) to a National Geographic assignment on Southern Iraq’s Marsh Arabs, which assignment yielded both a celebrated book and passage to Nik’s new freelance beat: the unsung, labyrinthine world at large. Nik would shoot for Time, Newsweek, Paris-based Sipa Press (for whom he covered, among many other assignments, General Franco’s funeral and the fall of Saigon), his globe-encircling itinerary later including publications International Wildlife, Travel and Leisure, Departures the list is long.

Kerry Wheeler’s equally flamboyant arc is that of a conscious creative seeking his magnetic north. After university, he worked in film production, climbed to VP of a music company, and finally threw himself into songwriting. Nothing felt right. Being a peripatetic Wheeler (leaving aside the suggestion of nomadic nature inherent in the last name) he leapt the pond seeking a contemplative breakthrough. “I was studying meditation at the time, and I went to Bhutan.” It was there the clouds parted. Kerry describes his heart’s whispered, inchoate message. “’Just shut the f*** up, man! Surrender to the current of life!’” Today, Kerry Wheeler is an in-demand professional photographer on frequent assignment in France, Italy, Spain, and a selection of harder-to-pronounce rivieri. This is not to suggest that meditating in Bhutan will yield the same result for everyone.

©Wheeler

©Wheeler

©Wheeler ©Wheeler

A WORLD AT DUSK

When Montecito’s 2018 debris flow smashed into the Wheeler home, the thick sludge coated but did not penetrate the dozens of file cabinets found strewn about Nik’s devastated studio. Languidly looking through those thousands of spared transparencies one evening during the Covid lockdown, Kerry had a thought. “I said to my dad, ‘There’s some truly iconic vintage stuff here that is reminiscent of Slim Aarons,’” referring to the recently resurgent, decorated WWII combat photographer and high society diarist. “‘I have an idea we should explore together…’”

The Wheeler Collective is today a cache of timeless photos suitable—and available—for framing; produced on acid-free, artist-grade Premium Archival Matte paper, float-mounted in lustrous Maplewood frames of varying size and color. Each of these art objects is a captured moment from the ever-deepening Wheeler story to which Kerry now continually adds his own affecting work. “Photography is similar to winemaking,” Kerry says. “Stamp the photo, bottle it, put it on a shelf and let it age. You’re going to have something that grows in richness over the years.”

The Years. Nik nods appreciatively, seems to reconnoiter. He’s seen the shattering madness of war and the genteel world at dusk. The British kid with wanderlust got what he wanted, and then some. Now his own son is prepared to pick up the thread and see what’s out there. “I was born in a small town in rural England,” Nik Wheeler says, through a ripple of laughter that seems to surprise him. “And I couldn’t wait to get out.” WWW.WHEELERCOLLECTIVE.COM

©Wheeler

©Wheeler

Kerry enjoys a break from shooting while on location in Milos, Greece in 2022.

Nik gets a haircut in the Southern Iraqi Marshes while on assignment for National Geographic in 1973.

WALLACE PIATT WORKS HIS ASS OFF AND DOESN’T QUIT

THE BEAUTY AND THE CHAOS OF RODEO GALLERY’S VERY CANDID RESIDENT ARTIST

BY TIANA MOLONY

Photo by Kim Reierson

The first thing you should know about Santa Barbara artist Wallace Piatt is that he’s not afraid to tell you how he feels.

For starters, he hates the rain. “The rain drives me bonkers,” Piatt says. When it’s raining, he feels unproductive, which, to him, is the worst feeling of all. “If I take a day off, I’m like, ‘What am I doing?’ Taking a day off? There’s so much to do to keep yourself busy.”

He doesn’t want anyone in his studio while he’s creating. I asked to watch him work, but he declined.

He wants agency over his creativity. Once, a woman asked him to paint Chewbacca for her son’s room, a request he found preposterous. “First of all,” Piatt says, “it’s not fair to you because I’m not going to paint it with my heart. And it’s certainly not fair to me, as a professional,

because I’m going to f***ing hate every minute of it.” Not everyone’s a Star Wars fan.

The most prevalent of these idiosyncrasies is his view that if someone doesn’t like his work, he doesn’t care. As long as he likes it, he’s content.

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Piatt, who grew up in Santa Maria, moved to Santa Barbara in 1982 for college and earned his degree from UCSB. People often suggest that he’d be successful in New York, but he said he doesn’t need the chaos of a big city. “I already have it here,” he says as he points to his head. “Santa Barbara has this juxtaposition of beauty. And my brain has chaos. So it balances out.”

When I walk into his Funk Zone gallery, Rodeo Gallery, I am struck by the sheer scale of Piatt’s art, which graces entire walls. It’s easy to get lost in the faces and ponder the lives of the people he paints— their expressions appear solemn at first, lost even. Though, I quickly realize that in many works, what comes across as sadness is actually a display of ineffable strength—the result of true adversity.

After my head performs a slow pirouette to digest his work, I spot Piatt in the center of the room, sitting in a rusted metal chair, hard at work on something. We shake hands. He wears a collection of vintage silver turquoise rings and the phrase “work hard” is tattooed across both his hands just below his nails.

Today, he tells me, he’s adding studs to the cashmere sweaters sold at the adjoining store, Loveworn, which sells vintage Levi’s jeans, reworked vintage, and original designs. His creative partner and ex-wife, Jill Johnson, opened Loveworn in 2017. And then three years later, Piatt opened his gallery next door. Johnson and Piatt share with me that they work well together. Both display a deep sense of respect for the other.

In this moment, hard at work on the sweaters, Piatt tells me there’s no place he’d rather be. After talking to him some more, I realize that his contentment while punching studs into cashmere sweaters on a Friday afternoon comes from the mindset of someone who strives for routine in his life. Because for so long, he lacked it.

Photo by Kim Reierson

At almost nine years sober and 61 years old, he concedes that his sobriety transformed not only his art, but his life. He openly discusses his journey on his Instagram account, acknowledging how his works evolved from drug and alcohol-induced creations that lacked depth and significance to art that has “a voice.”

There’s no singular moment that he can recall when he became an artist. He admits that he’s always had an artistic eye and a good sense of style, so creativity flowed naturally. In 1991, Johnson and Piatt opened True Grit, a store that selectively sold Levi’s in Santa Barbara. The store was a huge success, but Piatt admitted that his partying contributed to its closing in 2006. Shortly after, he experienced a bout of homelessness. “I think, to be a true artist for me, I think you have to lose everything,” he said.

French novelist Gustave Flaubert once said, “Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work.” This quote appears at the top of Piatt’s website. I barely finish reciting it to him before he says the quote simply applies to his life. “Everything is like this in your life,” he says as he makes a straight line with his hand. “But your art is the one thing that should ebb and flow.”

His art explores Mexican and Native American culture and he says he often sympathizes with victims of injustice and reacts through his artwork. He also has an affinity for pop art and vintage Americana, as seen in his large horse prints and cowboy series, reminiscent of Andy Warhol.

He brings his ideas to life through house paint, spray paint, and oil pastels, which he jokingly refers to as “adult crayons.” Using his knowledge from mending vintage Levi’s, Piatt started sewing canvas pieces together, scraping them, and creating textured surfaces that add another dimension to his work.

Walking through his gallery, you’ll see familiar faces like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, as well as those of unknown people with unknown stories. Piatt often incorporates people, words, and phrases in his art, building a story. One of his more recent works is a canvas commanding one wall of the gallery and, in large letters, reads: “IT’S 2004, I’M HIGH AS F*** AND CRYING TO MR. BRIGHTSIDE!!”

He’s sold his artwork all over the world.

Piatt doesn’t regret any of his mistakes—in fact, he’s grateful for them— because each pitfall was vital to his journey. He’s often reminded of this sentiment when he’s in his studio, working on his hands and knees. He likes to think that the process of putting a piece together is a metaphor for putting his life back together.

“I don’t think it was suicidal,” he said of his addiction. “I think I just lost touch with passion. And that’s okay. You know what I mean?” He says this a lot, “You know what I mean?” I nod my head in understanding. Even if I can’t relate to everything he shares, I understand the universal search for passion, especially when lost.

After almost an hour of talking, I stop recording and place my phone in my pocket. Piatt encourages me to be brutally honest and not sugarcoat anything he says. I told him that is what I always strive to do. We fist-bump, albeit slowly, as to avoid the rings. I walk out of the studio, wave, and look over my shoulder. Piatt is already back in his rusted metal chair, punching studs onto the cashmere sweaters.

rodeogallerysb.com/home/

Photo by Kim Reierson

LOVEWORN’S ENDURING VINTAGE

BY TIANA MOLONY

The first time I shopped at Loveworn was shortly after its opening in 2017. The owner, Jill Johnson, helped me find the perfect pair of Levi jeans. I still have those jeans, along with the many others I have purchased from her since. They remain forever pieces, a testament to Johnson’s vintage curation skills and unmatched eye for fitting clothing.

That’s what 30 years of experience working with denim and designing other clothing gets you: sage wisdom of the craft.

On her lunch break from work in 2017, she found the Funk Zone space, signed a lease, and quit her job the same day. Everyone thought she was crazy, but Johnson is not someone to be underestimated. With the help of her creative partner, Wallace Piatt, the two joined forces and built the brand in 60 days. On the first Saturday, they made their rent.

The space has only blossomed since then. There’s more merchandise now: handmade dresses, silk-screened shirts, reworked cashmere sweaters, and other miscellaneous items. Johnson says the mini dresses are especially loved. She hand-makes them from vintage fabrics. “I’ve always loved vintage clothing,” she says. “Because I think it’s made so well.”

Loveworn is so many things: it’s edgy, it’s beachy, and it’s a celebration of Americana. But beneath that, at its core, it’s a sustainable brand built on a foundation of a love and appreciation of vintage.

The small business is a fixture of the Funk Zone and seemingly impossible to miss. Even if you haven’t stopped by the store during the day, chances are you’ve heard about it. Or, you’ve seen it after hours when Johnson pulls down the garage door and reveals in red letters, “FUNK IN LOVE.” shoploveworn.com

Photo by Jillian Jacobs

Santa

Owner, Lori Runnfeldt

KELLY FAJACK

LET THE SUNSHINE

BY @CARSSUN

BY LES FIRESTEIN PHOTOGRAPHY

Biscarini, the 26-YearOld Girl Boss Inventor of Tan-Through Swimwear, is Killin’ It

If Slim Aarons and White Lotus Season 2 had a baby, and that baby had a preternatural head for business, it might very well grow up to be Isabella Biscarini—the 26-year-old inventor of tan-through swimsuit fabric, model, and founder/CEO of the wildly successful bathing suit and board shorts brand True Tone Swimwear, which is blowing up.

When Biscarini went live with a True Tone swimwear TikTok in 2022, she had 25,000 units of her “tanthrough” swimwear to sell which she thought would give her a year or more of runway to build a reputation. Instead, her TikTok videos went viral, one getting over 37,000,000 views. Biscarini sold out her stock in three days and made her first million bucks in two weeks. The rest is fashion brand history, with Biscarini developing new products and crushing new goals seemingly daily.

Biscarini debuted at NY Fashion Week when she was just 24. Because why not?

What caught my eye about Biscarini and True Tone was of course the great idea brilliantly executed.

But I’m also a sucker for Slim Aarons-style photography and its depiction of the leisure class behind their tall driveway gates and taller hedges. I love the implied fun spied in those images—where everyone seems to be having an unabashed and unselfconscious good time—the opposite of most of the images we see daily. I think True Tone’s images are as good as Slim’s, and in some cases better, because there’s a girl boss conducting this orchestra. It’s palpable and refreshing. Isabella is often the photographer, if not the model, and it shows in the chillax vibe.

I never grow tired of people with implausible life stories, which we have in abundance in the 93108. But even for here, Biscarini’s CV reads like something invented by George Santos.

Born in California and raised in Italy, Isabella was part of a family that basically lived in the water, sometimes in an American Riviera, but often in an Italian one. Isabella’s dad Peppo, a Milanese Italian, held all sorts of aquatic records, but not traditional ones like breaststroke or backstroke. No, Peppo held records for things like 24-hour endurance swimming, spear fishing, and things like holding his breath under water—something on the order of six minutes. In one of his stints in America, Peppo met and married his wife Jane in Santa Barbara and had gigs as a model, actor, and swim coach at Stanford and Berkeley. Peppo even taught special swim techniques to our Navy Seals. Thanks, Peppo. Importantly, the family always lived in and at the water. The bathing suit was Isabella’s second skin.

ISABELLA BISCARINI

Is There Anyone More Riviera Than Isabella Biscarini? T

he acorn never falls far from the tree and, like her dad, Isabella worked a lot as a model. But she also had a restless mind with an internalized piezoelectric pilot light that for some reason is always sparking her creativity. When she was younger, Izzy made (and sold) bespoke ceramics, often with deep azure colors from the sea she grew up near. But Isabella also had industrious pangs and larger goals that could not be satisfied with mere modeling or even throwing clay.

Isabella worked at the Coral Casino while at Westmont, but also sometimes as a model. Through her swimsuit modeling connex, she got “bikini scraps” from friends in the garment biz and turned those into a “scrunchy” hair tie business called ‘Kini Tie which worked. ‘Kini Tie was clever and profitable and gave Isabella a taste of running an enterprise, but she knew she had bigger things ahead. Not that much bigger than hair ties, but larger in global impact.

Biscarini tells me, “I came up with the tan-through fabric idea back in high school and it kicked around in my head for years till I finally decided to do something about it. I’ve always been picky about my bikinis, the styles, prints, and most importantly the fit. So it was important to me to make sure none of those elements were sacrificed to achieve the tan-through element.”

ISABELLA

ISABELLA BISCARINI

ISABELLA BISCARINI

ISABELLA BISCARINI

I never grow tired of people with implausible life stories, which we have in abundance in the 93108.

ISABELLA BISCARINI

PATRICIA CHIDLAW

NIGHTHAWKS

THROUGH JULY 22, 2024

A BOOK ABOUT THE ARTIST IS FORTHCOMING

As Biscarini explains, in her search for the right tan-through material, she floated her soon-to-be million-dollar idea to her dad Peppo. In between world-class competitive swimming events, Peppo had started and sold his own aquatic fin company, Hyperfin, so he was a reasonable person to ask where to conjure the tan-through material that up until then didn’t exist.

Peppo pointed Isabella towards one particular town in Italy named Biella which is known to have a fairly exhaustive inventory of fabrics. With the one possible exception of any sort of cloth that lets through those all-important rays for tanning. The people in Biella told Izzy she’d have to have her fabric engineered and then manufactured in Japan—which she promptly did. Pretty good for a 24-year-old would-be entrepreneuse. What were you doing at 24? I was working as a carpenter to support my lust for writing.

The rest of Isabella Biscarini’s story is “yet unwritten,” as Natasha Bedingfield has crooned. Right now Isabella is 26. Her company just walked the runway at New York Fashion Week and they’re expanding into non-swimwear clothing and a capsule collection (to add to their tan-through board shorts for women and men).

Isabella, whose grandfolks are still here in Montecito, recently explained to me that an enormous part of her job (other than designing, promoting, producing, modeling, and even shooting her product) is dealing with all the copycat sites that counterfeit her product or even just take orders and then disappear after a few days. She told me she was invited to do Shark Tank but opted out because she thought it would just metastasize further clone sites and legal entanglements.

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but nothing will ever take away from the singularity of Biscarini’s brilliant and original innovation.

isabellabiscarini.com

Tan-Through Fabric Is Basically the Opposite of a Rash Guard

Vicki Riskin is Changing the Climate Conversation

by Sophia Kercher

“I think there’s a complete other story about climate change that is unwritten, and that’s what my journey is.”

With Bluedot Living, the Former and Still Frequent Montecito Local Champions Stories About Our Warming Planet

Vicki Riskin, the activist and acclaimed writer, will never forget the day her life in Montecito upended. The 2017-2018 Thomas Fire ravaged her neighborhood and weeks later mudslides wiped out her home on Randall Road, decimating most of the houses on her block and killing two neighbors who had chosen not to evacuate.

“It’s a story of climate change,” says Riskin. “It was a big, big lesson. Which I think we all need to absorb not in a sense of being afraid, but being smart.”

Montecito has since largely recovered from the 2018 climate tragedy, but the experience forever changed Riskin. “I think of myself as a high-class climate refugee, in some ways,” she says.

This is what in part led Riskin—who has swapped coasts, and now resides on Martha’s Vineyard—to found Bluedot Living. The new venture is a digital and print publication dedicated to examining climate issues and championing our environment, including in the Santa Barbara region.

Photo by Kim Reierson

“I think if we’re going to make change, storytelling is the most important tool,” Riskin says.

“As long as that storytelling has a voice.”

“It’s about treasuring what is, and making the adaptations to appreciate the land around us,” Riskin says. She notes that many media outlets’ climate change coverage features frightening headlines with perspectives that are steeped in doom. “I find myself reading many of those articles and feeling kind of depressed and paralyzed,” she adds.

Bluedot, Riskin says, offers a glass-half-full approach with actionable guides for living sustainably along with reporting focused on environmental solutions and narratives that shine a light on innovations and thinkers working towards a more sustainable future.

“We did a story, for example, about Lotusland, and everybody says ‘oh yeah, it’s fun to go there’ but it’s an extraordinary place where botanists think deeply about the plants,” Riskin says.

The article highlights the botanical garden’s green gardening practices rooted in ecological research from nearby UC Santa Barbara. There’s also a profile of Goleta’s beloved butterfly preserve with tips on how to conserve the climate-vulnerable insect in your own backyard, along with bold reporting on California at-large. One widely read Bluedot feature uncovers how global warming is impacting citizens in the off-the-grid, mostly transient, desert community in the sun-baked Slab City.

Riskin founded Bluedot a few years ago, and launched the Santa Barbara-specific outlet last year. It’s not her first foray into local media. Riskin is credited with bringing the NPR station KCRW to the Central Coast, and she currently serves on the board of the public radio station.

“I think if we’re going to make change, storytelling is the most important tool,” Riskin says. “As long as that storytelling has a voice.”

Riskin’s team has aspirations to expand Bluedot’s empathy-driven coverage nationwide, including with stories in the middle country. The publication’s business model is still taking shape to be a mix of membership-funding, advertising, thoughtfully chosen sponsored content, and, in the future, events. “We would love it if we could do a television series as well,” says Riskin. She adds that there has been some keen interest in Bluedot’s content on that end.

Riskin with her mother, Fay Wray, in 1949 at their Bel-Air home.

The Bluedot publisher, after all, has deep roots in Hollywood. Riskin is the daughter of mega starlet Fay Wray, best known as the wide-eyed blonde in King Kong, and screenwriting legend Robert Riskin, whose lives and loves she chronicled in a lauded 2019 memoir/dual biography published by Pantheon. Both she and her husband, writer David Rintels, have served as president of the Writers Guild of America West.

In the ‘90s, Riskin earned accolades as a writer and producer for several TV series and made-for-TV movies with sterling casts. While Writers Guild president, she fought for and defended equal representation for creatives. As an activist, she dedicated several years to serving on the board of directors of the Human Rights Watch. It was while Riskin was working with Human Rights Watch, and living in Santa Barbara, that a friend first pressed her on the urgency of climate change’s threats to humanity. Riskin recalls it was before the issue became polarized by political parties and lit up social media feeds. “I took that concern to the board of directors. And everybody nodded as if to say, we know it’s out there, somewhere… in the future,” says Riskin. “But little by little, because I kept pushing it, finally, they did some work in the Amazon, and Africa, related to global warming. And it’s one of their main objectives now.”

Of all the different roles Riskin has had—author, TV producer, screenwriter, public media board member, union leader, as well as a practicing psychologist—Riskin says her position at Bluedot is markedly different.

“It’s the most fun I have ever had,” she says. “I know it seems weird to say because it’s all about climate change but it really is.” She explains that’s because her team features seasoned media executives and journalists passionate about the cause, and full of heart. “We really work well together… and there are so many important issues. But climate change is the important issue,” Riskin says. “It touches everyone.”

bluedotliving.com

Photo by Kim Reierson

“People don’t want to be told what to do. They want to be enticed. And that’s the problem I have with so much of the climate communication.”

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Royal Jockey Tony Grantham cornered by groupies the Queen Mother and Princess Elizabeth II.

by Jeff Wing

ALL THE QUEEN’S HORSEMEN

Holman, Harry, and Meghan: Joined at the Horse

arry and Meghan’s arrival in Montecito seemed to burnish, to an even higher gleam, the malletswinging enthusiasms of our village—and the oft-remarked small world of the horse-andrider set. This equine “degrees of separation” is nicely illustrated by the case of a local named John Holman, whose late Uncle Tony once returned the royal family to steeplechase glory astride a thoroughbred owned by Harry’s grandmother: then-Princess Elizabeth II.

December, 1950

Jockey Tony Grantham took a serious spill at the Hurst Park steeplechase, his horse tragically breaking its leg and young Grantham himself suffering a concussion. He spent some time recuperating, first in hospital and then at the family homestead. “One night the phone rang,” says John Holman, long-time Santa Barbara resident and Tony’s nephew. “My grandmother took the call, and it was somebody asking after Tony to see how he was faring after such a terrible fall. The caller said, ‘I’m just concerned about how he is, and how he’s doing.’ And my grandmother said, ‘Why, thank you. Who is this?’ And the caller said, ‘Oh dear, please forgive me. This is the queen.’”

John Holman is an author, a retired programmer-analyst, and expat Englishman from a tiny woodland hamlet called West Grinstead in the U.K. Holman moved to Australia while still a teenager, a move he owes to the tragic fate of his namesake uncle Johnny Grantham, a tail-gunner in a Stirling bomber shot to pieces over France in WWII.

The surviving pilot of that airplane, Australian Flight Lieutenant Noel Eliot, would travel to West Grinstead to confirm to Holman’s broken grandparents Johnny’s having been killed. At that doorstep would begin the lifelong friendship between the Granthams and Eliots and little John Holman’s growing fixation on Terra Australis. At 17 he would make the move, discover the wider world down under, and meet his heart’s destiny—Santa Barbarian, future bride, and lifelong love, Martha. Holman would never truly go home to West Grinstead again.

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John Holman holding forth (courtesy PJ Heller Photoreporters)

The Granthams and the Windsors

John Holman is scion (on his mother’s side) of the Grantham family of West Sussex, a line whose equestrian mojo dates to the early 19th century. The family’s horse-related achievements arguably culminated in the mid-20th with the affable history-maker Tony Grantham; Holman’s uncle and the royal family’s first jump jockey. “Lord Mildmay would certainly have ridden Monaveen had he lived,” says Holman of the strange backstory. “Uncle Tony was next in line at Cazalet’s stable. The rest is history, really.”

The 20th century Granthams are forever linked by the genus Equus to the House of Windsor. It comes down to Grampy; a widely-renowned horse dealer (and character) in the region, and the arguable anchor of this story. “Love him or hate him, you couldn’t ignore Grampy,” says Holman, who loved his grandfather dearly. Holman’s childhood on Bowshotts Farm in West Grinstead—charmingly and vividly recounted in his memoir A Horse in My Suitcase was colorized by his irascible grandfather. “Grampy” was a holdover Edwardian who frequently and loudly lamented the passing of the old ways with window-rattling declamations and a slamming of his walking stick onto the kitchen table.

Tommy “Grampy” Grantham places worried-looking grandson John in the driver’s seat

(courtesy photo)

And he had horse trading in his blood. “Oh, he sold any type of horse,” Holman says, “from a thoroughbred to a donkey, from a hunter to a Shetland pony. His customers ranged from the local farmer to royalty, and from the international show jumping set to the Horse Guards regiment.”

Grampy’s easily-summoned roar cloaked a loving guide and storyteller. “He was a wonderful grandfather,” Holman says. “He always liked having us kids around. He would bribe us with Mars bars, or he’d take us to the sweets store in the next village. We had that whole farm and all the farms around us for roaming. We were very lucky.”

It was Grampy’s son, Holman’s Uncle Tony Grantham, who as the first royal jump jockey would stunningly break a 42-year royal racing dry spell that followed the 1908 Grand National. Uncle Tony would be the first jockey ever to wear the Queen Mother’s colors.

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Grand National Steeplechase 1949 (photo Chris Pitt)

A typical Fairlawne soiree would find Noël Coward exercising his wit at the piano as Elizabeth Taylor circulated among the other guests.

Peter Cazalet and Fairlawne: The Horsey Jet-Set

TSince our inception, Riskin Partners has been synonymous with Santa Barbara real estate, and specifically the luxury market in Montecito. Chances are we have had the honor of working with you or someone you know over the last twenty years. There’s a reason why we have consistently been recognized as the #1 team: our reputation for excellence is based on results. With a focus on properties of distinction, from small cottages to legacy estates, we have closed in excess of $4 billion in our community.

At Riskin Partners, luxury Montecito real estate is who we are and what we do.

ony’s historic convergence with the royals sprang partly from a casual conversation. The Queen Mother’s interest in horses had been piqued by the blueblood steeplechase jockey Lord Mildmay of Flete, a guest in attendance at the yearly Royal Ascot meeting at Windsor Castle. At that gathering, the doomed Mildmay suggested to the Queen Mother that she and her daughter, Princess Elizabeth II, purchase a racehorse together. Royal mom and daughter were all in. Acclaimed trainer Peter Cazalet, who had an eye for winning horses, set about searching for the best steed to fill the order, deciding on Monaveen.

Cazalet was himself descended from a prominent family, and a socialite of the stables. Periodic gatherings at Fairlawne, his 17th century estate, would attract a guest list of the horsey jet-set and luminaries of stage, screen, and peerage. A typical Fairlawne soiree would find Noël Coward exercising his wit at the piano as Elizabeth Taylor circulated among the other canapé-plucking guests. Peter Cazalet’s father, Victor, was Liz Taylor’s godfather, after all. Mildmay and Cazalet would set the stage for Tony Grantham’s historic, Montecito-adjacent entry.

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A Drowned Lord, an Ascendant Tony

In 1947, Lord Mildmay injured his neck in a crash at Folkestone Racecourse, giving rise thereafter to chronic episodes of cramp, unpredictable and ferocious. The condition seems linked to Mildmay’s drowning as he swam in the sea one day near his Devon estate. As head jockey to Cazalet’s stables, Mildmay would have been matched with Monaveen and the new royal racing epoch his own advice at Windsor had launched. Cazalet’s second jockey, (John Holman’s uncle) Tony, stepped up to fill the saddle.

Tony would go on to win the first race under the royal colors, the Chichester Handicap Chase at Fontwell Park, then later won the King George VI Stakes at Hurst Park, also on Monaveen. The dry spell was officially broken when Tony and Monaveen qualified for the Grand National in 1950, the royals’ first stake in the prestigious race since 1908. Though Grantham would come in fifth in that race, the symbolism of the royal colors’ reappearance in the event was lost on no one. “The race was actually broadcast live in the Odeon Theater in Horsham,” Holman says, “which was an unusual thing to do at the time.”

At the Queen Elizabeth Chase at Hurst, though, Monaveen would break his leg on a jump and have to be put down, and Tony would suffer his concussion.

Dapper Tony Grantham –Royal Steeplechase Jockey and man about town (courtesy photo)

Royal “jump jockey” Tony Grantham on his way to work (courtesy photo)

The Champion at Rest

Retiring from racing in 1958, Uncle Tony purchased and ran a livery stable in Sussex, eventually moving to Ireland with his wife, Sally. “He liked Ireland,” Holman says. “It was quieter, and Ireland is a horse-mad country. And so they bought a small farm near Limerick.” Tony Grantham passed at the age of 89 in 2011. His own son Tom is now stable manager of the Royal Ascot. Local John Holman makes this a Montecito story through the neighborly good graces of Harry and Meghan; arguable heirs of Monaveen’s fleeting glory.

“I just remember being at Tony’s last race at Sandown Park, just outside London,” Holman says. “I would’ve been about seven. I went with my father. It was the last race of the day, and Uncle Tony won it. There were huge crowds and Tony being interviewed for TV. I ducked under the railings and pushed through all the jostling people, and when I got to Tony I just grabbed his hand. He looked down at me and smiled. I remember it like it was yesterday.”

SILK DESIGNS FOR AN AMAZING NEW WORLD

BY ZACHARY BERNSTEIN

THE ARTFUL FASHION OF CATHERINE GEE

Catherine Gee is accustomed to a certain level of glamor that comes with being an in-demand fashion designer, but even she has moments that utterly confound her. Sometimes those moments involve Halle Berry.

Gee looked at her phone one recent New Year’s Eve to find a surge of Instagram notifications popping up. “It was ten o’clock,” Gee says, “so I’d already had a couple glasses of champagne.” On the other side of the planet, Berry shared a photo of herself celebrating the new year over crystal waters in Fiji while holding a glass of wine and wearing a recognizable Gee design, the Emma Slip Dress in Mykonos blue. “She tags us and I’m freaking out. I repost it and she starts messaging me. And she’s like, ‘Cheers to your success! This dress is amazing!’”

Halle Berry’s no outlier. Several Hollywood actresses have been drawn to Gee’s work over the years. Mila Kunis wore Gee’s Heart t-shirt design at the Sundance Film Festival, Charlize Theron has been spotted in the wild wearing Geedesigned trousers, and Gee met and befriended Rebecca Gayheart at a trunk show at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood. Gayheart’s been a regular customer ever since.

Gee’s appeal comes from her signature mix of vibrant artistic design and methodical study. “I like to watch how my ideal woman—my client—dresses from Monday through Sunday. How does she walk out the door to get to work and then to dinner? What is she wearing on a Sunday? How

Photo by Erick Madrid

“I REACHED A POINT WHERE I THOUGHT, ‘IF YOU DON’T START BUILDING THIS, YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO DO IT.’ AND SO I DID.”

Photos by Hagop Kalaidjian

does she live? The overall goal in owning a fashion brand and being a designer is understanding who your client is and how you can dress her every moment of her life.”

Celebrity recognition is a mark of success—and ultimately an important tool—for any clothing designer, but in some ways, Gee was fully prepared for this kind of achievement.

Gee grew up in Nashville where she was exposed early on to the act of creating art thanks to her career artist father, Frank Gee, whose realistic paintings landed him regular commissions from the National Wildlife Federation and the Nature Conservancy. His art studio was attached to their antebellum-style house.

“These are some of my very first memories, watching him work. He taught me how to draw and paint,” says Gee. “I got my [indefatigable] work ethic from him too.”

In her adolescence, Gee studied drafting and sewing, skills that would turn out later to be indispensable. It was also in her youth that Gee developed a long-lasting love of silks that can be traced back to one indelible memory: visiting her Chinese grandmother’s home and marveling at her silk kimono collection. “I remember touching them and thinking, ‘That would be a dream to have a silk collection one day.’”

Gee moved to Santa Barbara for a job and just never left, falling hard for the beauty of the California coast. “A lot of my brand is definitely inspired by the Mediterranean Southern California climate,” she says.

She found other jobs here exclusively in fine arts-related positions, eventually becoming executive director of the Arts Fund where she picked up the bones of running a business while remaining immersed in the creative culture of Santa Barbara. But her silk dreams kept tugging at her sleeve. “I reached a point where I thought, ‘If you don’t start building this, you’re never going to do it.’ And so I did.”

Gee got to work crafting her designs. In 2016, she launched a modest silk collection. Later that year, she got her big break winning the “Crème de la Crème” emerging designer competition at the esteemed Magic fashion trade show in Las Vegas. One of the award’s sponsors, the ritzy French department store Galeries Lafayette, flew Gee to Paris Fashion Week to meet with buyers and make connections. After that, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts selected to carry Gee’s line in several of their boutiques around the world. Suddenly, she found herself in a new echelon of fashion entrepreneurship.

Though her designs are carried in hundreds of stores and sold internationally, Gee keeps her eponymous brick and mortar store in La Arcada Plaza here in Santa Barbara. The locale is ideal for a European-style shopping experience and just a stone’s throw away from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art which hardly seems like a coincidence.

Gee enjoys being a part of the Santa Barbara coterie of creators and entrepreneurs. “I’m in a really great spot in this moment,” says Gee, “I think this town has a plethora of really cool, creative people doing interesting things. In nooks and crannies. You have to go find them.”

CATHERINE GEE IS ACCUSTOMED TO A CERTAIN LEVEL OF GLAMOR THAT COMES WITH BEING AN IN-DEMAND FASHION DESIGNER, BUT EVEN SHE HAS MOMENTS THAT UTTERLY CONFOUND HER. SOMETIMES THOSE MOMENTS INVOLVE HALLE BERRY.

Photo by Joanne Calitri

BY JONATHAN CRISTALDI

LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE

WHO WILL MAKE THE NEXT 100-POINT WINES FROM SANTA BARBARA COUNTY? THESE WINERIES ARE TOP CONTENDERS.

What makes a wine perfect? For many wine lovers, perfection simply means that a wine is perfect for them. But perfection in the wine business has another equally simple and much more potent definition: nabbing a rare 100-point score from one of the six or seven major U.S. wine publications.

In the wine world, these elusive “perfect” scores become the equivalent of a viral hit song in the music business, granting a halo of exclusivity to their recipients. But, the chances of a winery earning a 100-point score in the U.S. seem to rapidly dwindle for producers not based in Napa or Sonoma counties.

Staring down that wine barrel of reality is anyone who makes wine in Santa Barbara County, which has become a wine mecca of high-end resorts, Michelin-star dining, and over 350 wineries, many producing excellent wine. Rex Pickett, whose novel Sideways and its 2004 film adaptation depicting the Santa Barbara wine scene had this to say of his work’s influence: “The movie made going wine tasting hip.”

Still, the region’s more than 13,000 acres of grapes have produced a surprisingly small number of 100-point scoring wines from any prominent critics. This is mainly because prominent U.S. wine critics have long shown a predilection for awarding their most lofty scores to Napa’s Bordeaux-styled reds produced from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. In contrast, Santa Barbara producers specialize in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Rhône varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvédre.

To wit: despite hundreds of wines from Santa Barbara earning 90+ scores from the likes of Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Vinous, and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, fewer than 20 perfect scores have been awarded to Santa Barbara wines from the critical elite. The lion’s share of those perfect scores, with 11 all from Wine Advocate, come with an asterisk—they were bestowed upon a Napa-based producer, Sine Qua Non.

I can’t think of any colleagues who aren’t singing the praises of Santa Barbara wines, but since the region’s best wines are typically small production, they don’t make as big an impact on the global stage. It’s a hidden gem. Napa and Sonoma, meanwhile, are very good at promoting their wines to a global audience. It’s not the wine; it’s marketing. I, myself, am guilty of the Napa slant, but I have an excellent excuse—I live half an hour from Napa and serve as the Napa Correspondent for U.K.-based Decanter magazine. But I love the wines of Santa Barbara, having discovered them while living in Los Angeles a decade ago. Last year, I gave a 100-point score to Sea Smoke, a winery in the Sta. Rita Hills sub-appellation after tasting their 2001 Sea Smoke ‘Southing’ Pinot Noir. It was firing on all cylinders fully five hours after it had been opened, which, for a 22-year-old wine, was magical in its own right.

So, what does it take to catch lightning in the bottle? Perfection comes in various ways, but because wine criticism is wholly subjective, there is rarely consensus among leading U.S. critics on a perfect wine. One critic’s 100 is another critic’s 96. Still, a perfect wine melds together a winemaking style, a sense of place, and a typicity of the grapes used to make the wine. It helps to have a track record, too. In France, for example, some vineyards and producers have delivered incredible quality at levels of consistency that span generations. It’s more challenging to find such spots in the comparatively much younger climes of Santa Barbara, but there are combinations of stellar farming sites and proven winemakers, vineyard managers, and proprietors in the region that stand apart from the crowd.

The Hilt's "Pinot Bowl" at Radian Vineyards

Photo courtesy of The Hilt

Finally, it helps to have a compelling story. As in all viral, hit-single-style winners, there’s an “it factor” to 100-point scoring wines, something elusive and almost indescribable that provides the storytelling adhesive that connects the wine’s more technical and quality-driven aspects to something more human and approachable—even, perhaps, more ephemeral like that green light at the end of Gatsby’s dock.

I think Santa Barbara’s beacon light and Goldilocks perfection zone lie in vineyards planted along the Santa Ynez River in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. The river has carved a unique east-west corridor that draws in brisk marine-charged winds from the Pacific Ocean. This results in a long, slow maturation of flavors in grapes, leading to beautiful and intricate complexities in the wines from this area. In other words, the stage is set for greatness. To that end, here are my contenders for the next “perfect” wines to come out of Santa Barbara.

THE HILT

The Hilt winery is situated amidst a 3,600-acre ranch known as Rancho Salsipuedes. Business mogul Stan Kroenke purchased the untamed ranch in 2014 and has spared no expense in developing, farming, and vinifying The Hilt’s wines.

Kroenke is no stranger to high-scoring enterprises. He is, after all, the owner of the Los Angeles Rams, the Denver Nuggets, and the multi-100-point-scoring Napa Valley cult winery Screaming Eagle. Despite Kroenke’s notoriety, The Hilt’s “it factor” belongs to its surreal estate Bentrock and Radian vineyard-scapes, which Ruben Solorzano and winemaker Matt Dees farm. Dees has mastered the art of growing vines in climatic extremes that could care less if the vines survive—pounding Pacific winds and diatomaceous earth soils that not only retain water but retain it from the vines.

But earth and wind science aside, “At the end of the day, wine has to be delicious,” says Dees, “it has to be a pleasure to drink.” Though many critics fawn over the deliciously dark-fruited and powerful Syrah wines from The Hilt’s sister label, Jonata, I’m drawn to the remarkable elegance and robust framework of The Hilt’s Pinot Noir wines—especially its Radian Vineyard bottling. The site is a patchwork of undulating hills and steep slopes above the Santa Ynez River along the western border of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. From here, Dees crafts very austere Pinot Noir with sculpted, fine tannins and gorgeously pure, complex flavors, with earthy minerality and a real sense of provenance. I’ll wager these wines earn a 100-point score for an older vintage, not a younger release, because they need the time in the bottle to arrive at perfection’s door.

Photo courtesy of The Hilt

RESTAURANT RUNDOWN:

BY GABE SAGLIE

Great Santa Barbara County wines are destined to be paired with great Santa Barbara County food. Our man about town, Gabe Saglie, shares his favorite local restaurants that rise to meet the level of our wonderful homegrown wineries.

PART I: SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

The wine came first. But with the viticultural quality bar across the Santa Ynez Valley now hitting world-class status, top-tier eating was bound to follow. Here are six of the best.

ELLIE’S TAP & VINE

Named for chef-owner Joy Reinhardt’s late mom, Eleanor, Ellie’s Tap & Vine in Santa Ynez oozes country charm and features a monthly menu driven by the region that surrounds it. Comfort food entrées range from roasted chicken to steak au poivre to farm-inspired cassoulet. The wine list leans super local, as it should. elliestapandvine.com.

PICO

Located at the Los Alamos General Store, PICO supports farmers that embrace sustainable, regenerative, and humane practices. Owner Will Henry also runs Lumen Winery, and his wine list spotlights a small but mighty list of fellow, locally-based vintners. Lunch and dinner stars include various fish, pork, and steak dishes, including the popular Pico Burger. losalamosgeneralstore.com.

NA NA THAI

L

ife in Bangkok was inspiration for Nik and Ashley Ramirez, whose new Na Na Thai restaurant brings authentic Asian flavors to Buellton. The menu features hot takes on classics like Lumpia fried egg rolls, Pad Thai stirfried rice noodles, and various curries. The Pla Tod whole fish preparation features a whole deep-fried sea bass with a three-flavor sauce. nanathaisyv.com.

PEASANTS DELI

ASolvang staple, Peasants Deli elevates the sandwich experience so much, “it’s where the winemakers are grabbing lunch these days,” says Visit the SYV’s marketing VP Danielle Laudon Ruse. Chef Michael Cherney’s picnic-perfect masterpieces, which have earned Michelin recognition, include Kobe Roast Beef, NY-Style Pastrami, and Marinated Mushroom. peasantsdeli.com.

SY KITCHEN

Awine country favorite for more than a decade, SY Kitchen is where Santa Ynez Valley freshness meets Italian inspiration. Executive Chef and partner Luca Crestanelli, and his sous chef, younger brother Francesco, innovate with the season, wowing with dishes like Wagyu Meatballs, T-Bone Truffle Sliders, and a bevy of housemade pastas. The extensive wine list balances California and Italy. sykitchen.com.

NELLA

The main attraction in the lobby of the Fess Parker

Wine Country Inn in downtown Los Olivos, Nella is all about pinsas—Roman-inspired flatbreads topped with ingredients like pancetta lardons, baby artichokes, and a bevy of cheeses. Fish mains range from cioppino to a classic branzino presentation. Nella also reels them in with their specialty cocktails, including spritzes, negronis, and Old Fashioneds. nellakitchen.com.

At the very tippy-top of Santa Barbara County’s northern Santa Maria Valley is Bien Nacido and I’m putting my chips down on a Bien Nacido Estate Syrah to notch a perfect score within the next few years. When that happens, it will be welldeserved. Frankly, it’s overdue.

Bien Nacido Vineyards is a grape source for a host of notable producers such as Paul Lato, The Ojai Vineyards, Foxen, Jaffurs, Tyler, Tolosa, Herman Story Wines, Terre et Sang, Byron, Fess Parker, and Au Bon Climat—to name just a few. The site was established in 1973 by two brothers, Robert and Stephen Miller. Still familyowned today, the Millers oversee anywhere from 600-700 acres of vines, depending on replants or the establishment of new vineyard blocks. “Even if you’re fabulously successful at it,” muses fifth-generation family member Marshall Miller, “winemaking is the kind of craft you only get to practice once a year. So, you get about 40 chances if you’re lucky.”

The Miller family’s own label—Bien Nacido Estate—is easily one of Santa Barbara’s most iconic wines. Winemaker Anthony Avila, who started in 2013 as an assistant and rose to head winemaker in 2019, oversees the production of mostly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah wines that are classically styled. The whites are beautifully pure and vibrant, and the reds are laced with heady, aromatic wild herbs and earthy spices. About eight miles down the road from Bien Nacido Vineyards is another site called Solomon Hills, also owned by the Miller family since 1999. Between the two sites, the shining star grape and “it factor” is Syrah, which is grown in a few spots, most famously the “X Block” at Bien Nacido Vineyards, where vines are rooted in Monterey shale soils that have flaked off the surrounding mountains for millenniums.

Near the site’s summit, the view is incredible—one can see the transverse valley and Solomon Hills in the distance and feel the cooling Pacific Ocean breezes. It’s a special terroir that leads to intensely perfumed, spicy, plush, and dense Syrah wines that are often compared, stylistically, to great Northern Rhône reds.

BIEN NACIDO ESTATE

Photo courtesy of Miller Family Wine Company

RESTAURANT RUNDOWN:

PART II: SANTA BARBARA

The formula for success for Santa Barbara’s eateries has been blending ingredient seasonality with a luxe dining experience. Here are six that have turned it into an artform.

SILVERS OMAKASE

Chef Lennon Silvers Lee worked with his brother, Phillip, at Montecito’s Sushi|Bar before launching his own omakase experience—the Japanese concept of giving the chef free rein to dole out dishes. Much hinges on the imported Tanada Isehikari rice, buoyed by a refined take on local produce and fish, served up in 13 to 15 courses. Limited seating. silversomakase.com.

GALA

Anew downtown Santa Barbara destination, Gala infuses European flare—inspired by owners Tara Penke and Jaime Riesco’s 20-year stint in Barcelona— into regionally-driven cuisine. Shared tapas dishes give way to dinner standards like Duck Confit and Branzino a la Plancha; the Steak ‘Chef’s Cut’ comes with bone marrow butter and chimichurri. galasb.com.

EDTHE STONEHOUSE

San Ysidro Ranch Executive Chef Matt Johnson wows with his take on modern, yet rustic, American cuisine that features produce grown onsite. Indoors, the setting is refined, while outdoor seating is intimate. A brand new al fresco, prix-fixe lunch is served weekdays on the Veranda. Wines are sourced from the Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning underground cellar, with 14,000 bottles, including some of the country’s biggest collections of Chateau Petrus and Chateau d’Yquem. stonehouserestaurant.com.

BIBI JI

Now at a brand new State Street location, Michelinrecognized Bibi Ji delivers an elevated take on Indian food. Think tandoor classic Barra Kebab lamb chops with turmeric, cumin, and nutmeg; a school of seafood specialties; and fine curry creations. James Beard-winning winemaker Rajat Parr curates an extensive list of rare natural wines. bibijisb.com.

CARUSO’S

An anchor of Montecito’s world-class dining scene, Michelin-starred Caruso’s at the Rosewood Miramar Beach puts diners right on the sand while blending regional fare and Italian-inspired flavors on the plate. “We always take the opportunity to find room in our dishes for what’s in season,” says Executive Chef Massimo Falsini. Caruso’s just helped make the Miramar one of 15 resorts in the world to earn a triple Forbes 5-Star rating. rosewoodmiramarbeach. com.

LUCKY’S

AMontecito mainstay, Lucky’s gets high marks for keeping the bar raised high throughout its nearly quarter-century presence along Coast Village Road. Delivering the classic American steakhouse experience, classics like porterhouse, Dover sole, and lamb chops are complemented by a remarkable roster of craft cocktails and fine wines. Dinner nightly. luckys-steakhouse.com.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

Every list like this needs an outlier, and Our Lady of Guadalupe (OLG) is mine. OLG is a true labor of love from the master of pleasure-packed wines, Dave Phinney, the brilliant creator of Orin Swift Cellars and one royally famous wine called The Prisoner, which sold to Huneeus Vintners in 2010.

Phinney’s fame is a good thing for Santa Barbara because the buzz around his OLG wines is helping introduce many U.S. wine drinkers to the region for the first time. Major wine critics, however, aren’t sure what to make of Phinney’s foray into Sta. Rita Hills. Legions of wine fans adore his wines for their opulence and upfront drinkability, and although he’s got a real knack for crafting galvanizing, buzz-worthy labels (google Machete wines) and has made millions of dollars doing it (he sold Orin Swift to Gallo in 2016 for “life-changing” money, as he once described it to me) he hasn’t notched a 100-point score. That might seem crazy to many people, especially Dave Phinney. But maybe it’s not crazy. Perfection by critical standards demands a balance of opulence and deliciousness with structure—a wine’s backbone of tannin and acid—which allows it to age and develop into something more complex.

I think the OLG vineyard, planted in 2015, offers Phinney his shot at achieving perfection in the bottle because of its location, which is a stone’s throw from Domaine de la Côte and a few miles northwest of Radian. “It’s like a tale of ten vineyards,” says Phinney, “It’s a super diverse landscape with like 50 different blocks.” This is perfection-making terroir. Phinney’s Pinots from this site are deliciously ripe, but the one to watch is his Old Wente Clone Chardonnay bottling, which is barrel-fermented and aged in new and neutral French oak and stainless steel. I find it a coiled-up, super bright wine with richness and pure fruit flavors balanced by crisp and racy acidity, and excellent mineral tension. As the vines mature, and the farming perfected, this site might one day mint Phinney the critic’s triple-digit stamp of approval he can take to the bank.

Photo by Heather Daenitz, Craft & Cluster

Beyond the Sea

BY CHRISTOPHER MATTEO CONNOR

Coming From Iconic Surf Roots, Fashion Designer Heidi Merrick Breaks the Stereotypes

Photo by Elizabeth Lippman

It’s the classic seaside dilemma. What do you do when you want to casually stroll the beach like a natural, but also want to seem like you’ve been plucked out of a scene from La Dolce Vita? Take a cue from fashion designer Heidi Merrick, who’s been doing just that for over two decades.

A Carpinteria native, Heidi Merrick has made her name designing clothes that are stylish with a side of surf, keeping things cool and effortless while honoring her roots. Design is in Heidi’s blood. She’s the daughter of legendary surfboard designer Al Merrick, of Channel Islands Surfboards. Drop in at Rincon and you’re bound to bump into someone riding an Al Merrick board. Meanwhile, her mother, Terry, had the gift of garb, making clothes by hand while Al shaped the boards.

“I really was raised to run a business and manufacture and be a designer,” says Merrick. “When you’re artistic and you see your artistic family do well, I think that’s pretty enabling.”

A seed was planted as she witnessed Al and Terry riding the wave of their growing business, enabling her to tap into her dreams of being a designer. She honed in on the fact that there was a space for practical items, from clothing to surfboards, that were made with love.

“I learned that you can be really creative with commerce,” says Merrick. “What you make is useful. I think as an artist, you’re like, ‘Wait, I have to be weird, or I have to be this, I have to be that. Or no one’s going to understand me.’ But when you see the practice of someone doing something really well on the level my father did, I think you understand that good design brings joy.”

And that simple, profound idea, coupled with growing up in an environment that fostered her interests, helped Heidi’s artistic side flourish.

When Merrick plunged into her business over 20 years ago, she felt the pressure of following in the creative footsteps of such accomplished parents, but was just as fortunate to have real built-in support.

Early on, she wondered how she would stand out as a designer, but she launched her website anyway, with just four dresses on her online shop. She hadn’t sold anything yet when the now-defunct-but-then-influential style website DailyCandy did a feature on Heidi’s designs. She woke up the next morning and her life was changed. A steady stream of sales poured in overnight and continued through the morning. Stunned, she woke her husband and told him, “I’m a fashion designer.”

Breaking Out from the Waves

Surfer and beach culture has a fashion stereotype. We all know it. We’ve all seen it. If you’re a grom that grew up by the water you’ve probably dabbled in extra large board shorts. Heidi has a soft spot for that grommet life, but back then, surfing was a boys club.

“It always really bothered me that you had to match the boys and become more masculine,” says Merrick. “Even as a thirteen-year-old, that was not for me. So maybe I would have been a better surfer. Maybe I would have been more competitive, but I wish I’d been brave enough to know I didn’t have to give up being a woman.”

Heidi extended the family name in another direction, with the mission to help empower girls and women who felt similarly as she did. “I don’t think the expectation back then was for the daughter to take the lead,” she says, “and that’s why I’ve changed it in my generation.”

Heidi Merrick pieces have a connection to the seaside environment she grew up loving. Her style often emphasizes dark

Photo by Elizabeth Lippman

Heidi Merrick on one of her favorite sets—the beach—wearing her own SRF LA Dad Hat, Anna Trench in black, and holding her denim Neil Blazer.

Photo by Elizabeth Lippman

by

Photo

Hannah Faith Lord

and neutral earthy tones, with silhouettes and flowing forms that have a relaxed, but fitting quality. It evokes her love of nature, but doesn’t fit the surfer mold. She wants her customers to feel put together. It’s a quality that Heidi feels is important to the ethos of her brand, and which has spoken to women everywhere.

“I see my customers—women before and after they begin to wear Heidi Merrick—and I think I help that little surfer girl sort of grow up,” she says.

Speaking to that front, Heidi hopes to empower women to feel cool, independent, and strong-minded. “There is a trend in women’s fashion, sort of that homesteady trend. I have chickens, I have an apple farm. I am one with nature. I have a worm farm. But I don’t think as women we have achieved equality in the way that we can downplay ourselves and dress like Little House on the Prairie. It’s really important

for women. If you don’t take yourself seriously, how is your husband and your children, and most importantly your daughter, supposed to?”

Because Heidi Merrick is not just Al’s daughter; not just the surfer girl who grew up around Channel Island Surfboards; not just a nature-loving mom with a worm farm. She’s foremost a fashion designer who wants to help instill confidence in other women. Heidi sums it up best:

“You can have both. There is a discipline to dressing well. I think for women, sometimes it’s hard for them to say, ‘I take myself seriously.’ And as a designer, I want to look at women and say, ‘Take yourself seriously. Love yourself.’”

Love yourself, and look cool doing it. That’s the Heidi Merrick way.

heidimerrick.com

Photo by Elizabeth Lippman

OUT OF THE FIRE AND INTO THE FOUNDRY

BY LILY DALLOW

PHOTOS BY KIM REIERSON

Sculptor Susie Read Cronin spent her life looking for the perfect home and the perfect creative outlet. In Montecito she found both.

The fire that took artist Susie Read Cronin’s Vermont home started, ironically, with a painter. It was a windy day in May when the aforementioned house painter ran into town to grab more supplies, leaving his new assistant atop a ladder to grind out some gutter hooks. The wind blew sparks from the grinder straight into Cronin’s dry, crispy 1880s attic. Upon returning, the painter, who also happened to be a volunteer firefighter, recognized the sound of crackling and grabbed a hose while his fellow firefighters were en route.

“I was working just down the road when I heard the fire

trucks going by, and I thought, well, that sounds kind of close,” recalls Cronin from the calm of her current living room. The fire destroyed only part of that Vermont house, but the many gallons of water used to douse the fire ruined the rest of it.

Cronin is a modern-day fabulist. Her art follows in the footsteps of Aesop, Jean de La Fontaine, and Hans Christian Andersen, skewing allegorical, but alluding to her own takes on the fables, fairytales, and people who’ve impacted her life. Rabbits, cats, and mice feature heavily. Instead of using words however, Cronin’s found an enduring artistic path in bronze sculpture.

“ WHEN I SCULPT,” CRONIN SAYS, “I GET IN A ZONE WHERE I GET OUT OF THE WAY AND SOMETHING COMES THROUGH ME.”

Before that windy May day in Vermont, Cronin had always bounced between different mediums. “That’s pretty much the theme of my life,” she says, shrugging. “I like to make stuff.” Even when her sons were toddlers, Cronin ran a mailorder children’s animal costume company. But after the fire, Cronin had an epiphany: Bronze is permanent—it can even survive a house fire. In fact, Cronin has clients who’ve recovered her bronze artwork after losing their own homes to fires.

Cronin set time aside to study sculpture design, learning from renowned sculptors Jane B. Armstrong and Walter Matia. “It felt like I was claiming who I was,” says Cronin. “When I claimed my time, other people in my family, especially the kids, really respected that. And then to be able to do the thing that makes me feel so good to do was like, ‘God, this is like heaven.’”

Until now, working happily out of her George Washington Smith-designed home in Montecito, calling a house a “home” is something she had only experienced fleetingly. Growing up as the middle child on Long Island, she often felt unnoticed and misplaced. “I felt like the fairies dropped me in this family from somewhere else,” she says. She never quite felt like she was seen for who she was, that is, until her parents first shipped her off to summer camp. “I realized, ‘I can be my own person here, I can be whoever I’m going to be,’” Cronin says with a nostalgic look. “I knew at the age of ten I needed to get out on my own.”

With her bronze work, she hopes viewers will bring their own stories to her pieces. “When I sculpt,” she says, “I get in a zone where I get out of the way and something comes through me. It’s really powerful and I try not to control it. And then I’m as surprised as anyone else when I see what comes out.”

Many of her sculptures seem to tell a story. They can be playful; some mischievously so. She weaves a full spectrum of tales. There’s diversity even just from her sculptures of acorn nuts: a band rescuing a comrade acorn from the claws of a squirrel, a “nyahnyah” acorn that taunts us, and there’s one sculpture that’s about as risqué as an anthropomorphized acorn can get.

“In order to have light, you have to have darkness,” Cronin explains as her voice softens. “There’s a playful balance, because everything isn’t always fabulous. Just like we have floods and we have mudslides and we have all this crap that happens here, yet you wake up and it’s a sunny, beautiful day and my God, the contrast. I really feel it all deeply.”

One of her favorite parts of bronze-making is bringing her finished products from the foundry back to her home which she shares with her husband, executive chairman of Manchester Capital Management and part-time race car driver, Ted Cronin. (Is it only in Montecito we get hyphenates like that?)

“It’s like bringing home a new baby,” Cronin says. “I always put [new sculptures] in the kitchen first. Then I sit, look at it, and move it around. I kind of feel like, ‘Welcome home.’” After doing this enough times over the years, her house has come to finally feel like her happily-ever-after home.

G.W. Smith, a pioneer of the famous Spanish revival architecture in Santa Barbara, designed Cronin’s home, known as the Culley House, in 1929. It was one of Smith’s last design projects before his death the following year. Before he was an architect, Smith was an artist (also a bond trader), and each of his homes bears the stamp of his artistic sensibilities. The house is now Cronin’s playground. She likes playing with the angles and shapes of Smith’s architecture when she arranges her sculptures, having the characters facing each other across multiple rooms. The design helps bring her pieces to life.

“TO BE ABLE TO DO THE THING THAT MAKES ME FEEL SO GOOD TO DO WAS LIKE, ‘GOD, THIS IS LIKE HEAVEN.’”

Interestingly, Susie and Ted have always lived in historic homes. Though they love the aesthetic, when Ted first found this Smith-designed house, Susie was against buying it. “I wanted a little cottage or, you know, something a little more modest,” Cronin says with her hands on her apron. “But, basically seeing how much Ted loved this place really made me love it. And, over time, especially once I started bringing in my own pieces and working with the art of the house, it became our home.”

Montecito has a sometimes combustible climate and the permanence of our slice of paradise is still to be decided. Nevertheless, Susie Cronin endures and thrives here as a creator of her tales told in bronze. “I just wanted to have a sense of home my whole life,” says Cronin, her eyes twinkling. “This is it.”

www.susanreadcronin.com

MICHAEL HEFFERON PHOTOGRAPHER

clients’ property’s

clients’

Brick & Mortar Belvedere

Living in the Montecito and Santa Barbara surrounds means being within arm’s reach of the finest designers, merchants, architects, and stylists. Here we list some of the master artisans who make the American Riviera a haven for elevated beauty known around the globe.

Aquarius Cocktail

SoCal small-batch design house offering laid back sophistication with a little spunk. They pair modern styles with vintage pieces for inventive easy dressing.

www.aquariuscocktail.com

Treasured Jewelry and Timepieces from Bryant & Sons

Handcrafted Quality at Rem Yildirim’s Arrediamo

Rem Yildirim’s Arrediamo in Summerland offers an extensive selection of high-quality, hand-spun wool and silk rugs. Yildirim, originally from Turkey, brings nearly 40 years of experience to Santa Barbara, offering antique and newly made rugs colored with natural vegetable dyes. The store is known for its exceptional service, including free shipping, exchanges, returns, and lifetime warranties.

@Arrediamo_Summerland

For nearly 60 years, Bryant & Sons has offered fine jewelry and timepieces from distinguished designers like Omega, Gucci and Mikimoto. Founded by Bob Bryant in 1965, the store remains in its original El Paseo location. Graduate gemologists assist with custom creations, appraisals, and repairs in their onsite workshop. First-time buyers and collectors will find timeless, highest-quality pieces to treasure for generations. Their skilled team helps you select the perfect addition to your collection.

www.bryantandsons.com

Timeless Elegance

by Daniel Gibbings

Daniel Gibbings Jewelry is renowned for its timeless, classically inspired designs that blend rustic charm with refined elegance. Each piece is handcrafted, featuring exotic chiseled gold, vivid precious gems, and ancient coins, creating a unique niche in the jewelry world. The jewelry honors the past with meticulous attention to detail and texture, embodying a richness that sets it apart.

www.danielgibbings.com

Luxurious Selections at Coast 2 Coast Collection

Coast 2 Coast Collection is a specialty boutique in Santa Barbara’s La Arcada Courtyard, offering luxury tableware from brands like Baccarat, Christofle, Ginori 1735 and Versace, as well as jewelry and gifts. The boutique provides a personalized shopping experience with a knowledgeable staff, wedding registry services, and complimentary gift wrapping.

www.coast2coastcollection.com

Artisanal Elegance at Domecíl

Everyday Style with gorjana Jewelry

gorjana, based in Laguna Beach since 2004, offers stylish, versatile gold jewelry featuring diamonds, opals, sapphires and more. Known for its mix-and-match approach, gorjana’s pieces are designed for everyday wear. The store provides personalized styling experiences to help customers create layered looks.

Domecíl, located in Santa Barbara’s Arts District, is a store that exudes relaxed elegance and natural charm. It offers a curated selection of artisan-made products, home decor, fine art, books, and stationery. The shop also features evolving collections of clothing and shoes, including bespoke items. Domecíl is a welcoming space for inspiration and creative learning.

www.domecil.com

www.gorjana.com

Outdoor Living Excellence at Hayward’s

Hayward’s, a family-owned business since 1890, provides high-quality outdoor furniture and accessories in Santa Barbara. The 12,000-square-foot showroom features options from teak to outdoor wicker, with personalized service in space planning and material selection. Hayward’s continues a legacy of outstanding craftsmanship and customer satisfaction.

www.haywards1890.com

Coastal Flair at House of Rio

House of Rio, owned by designer Rio Barrett, offers a blend of modern traditional and coastal styles in Santa Barbara and Ventura. The shop features custom furniture, art prints, rugs, lamps, high-quality clothing, and accessories like sustainably-made handbags and handmade jewelry. Each item is carefully selected to enhance home decor and personal style.

www.houseofrio.com

Italian Craftsmanship at Italian Pottery Outlet

Italian Pottery Outlet, a family-owned business for over 40 years, boasts the West Coast’s largest selection of handmade Italian ceramics and volcanic stone tables. Offering 30% off retail prices, the store also features artisanal gifts like glassware, linens, and candles. Located on State Street, their knowledgeable staff helps customers find the perfect piece for their home.

www.italianpottery.com

Coastal Charm at Jules by the Sea

Jules by the Sea offers handcrafted jewelry and coastal-inspired goods that capture the Santa Barbara lifestyle. Owner Jules, a jewelry artist, features intricately designed necklaces, bracelets, and earrings made from premium materials, along with unique coastal decor. The store provides a beach town shopping experience, celebrating the beauty of the sea in every piece, with locations in both Uptown and the Funk Zone.

www.julesbytheseasb.com

Inspired Design by Marc

Decades in the design and antiques business have endowed Marc Normand Gelinas with a sophisticated eye for inspired traditional design. He has proved adept at styles ranging from transitional Mediterranean to farmhouse to glam contemporary and beyond. His antique store, part of his design business, is an extension of his passion in design.

www.mngdes.com

Artisanal Treasures at Ministry of the Interior

Ministry of the Interior, owned by designers Ryan Brown and Diego Monchamp, offers original accessories, artist limited collections, European textiles, and unique decor items. Located in a beautifully restored 1920s church, the shop features one-of-a-kind pieces sourced from 15 countries. It’s a haven for design enthusiasts looking for distinctive items.

www.interiorministry.com

OCCHIALI, established in 1988 in Santa Barbara, combines high-fashion awareness with prescriptive expertise. The store offers a curated collection of eyeglasses in a stylish environment, providing a unique patient experience. The knowledgeable and friendly staff ensure finding the perfect pair is effortless.

Artistic Excellence at Portico Fine Art Gallery

Portico Fine Art Gallery, located in Montecito, California, is the longest-established gallery on Coast Village Road. Celebrating 20 years in the same location, it features works by notable California and national artists, specializing in landscapes, still life, equestrian, and figurative art. The gallery also offers art classes in the “Monet Room.”

www.occhialieyewear.com

www.porticofinearts.com

Painting by Larry Brooks

Painting by Jordan Pope

Premier Home Design at Rooms & Gardens

Rooms & Gardens offers custom furniture and home decor. The shop also has a custom furniture workroom and serves as a full-service design firm. Located in Montecito’s Upper Village, it’s a favorite among celebrities and designers.

www.roomsandgardens.com

Local Masterpieces at Santa Barbara Fine Art Gallery

Santa Barbara Fine Art Gallery showcases works by local landscape artists, including Arturo Tello, Richard Schloss, Michael Drury, and others. The gallery features notable past painters and marine mammal sculptor James “Bud” Bottoms. It celebrates Santa Barbara’s artistic heritage and vibrant local vibe. www.santabarbarafineart.com

Handcrafted Jewelry from Silverhorn Design Studio

For more than four decades, the internationally recognized Silverhorn has been hand-crafting exquisite pieces of jewelry from the finest materials and with enduring quality. Seeking out rare and unique gemstones, Silverhorn’s designers win awards for creativity and craftsmanship year after year. Each piece, created with a specific gemstone in mind, is meticulously crafted using artisan methods and exacting precision. Clients can visit the Design Studio and observe the artisans at work, surrounded by a gallery exhibiting fine jewelry. There, one can select a finished piece or commission a custom design for a truly one-of-a-kind statement piece.

www.silverhorn.com

Celebrating American Art at Sullivan Goss Gallery

True Love Always is a lifestyle boutique offering a curated mix of globally sourced items to enhance your home and wardrobe. Owners Lori and Olivia bring inspiration from world travels and a keen editorial eye, making it a unique shopping destination.

www.tlagoods.com

Artistry at Waterhouse Gallery

Waterhouse Gallery, specializing in traditional contemporary art, has featured renowned painters for 40 years. The gallery highlights impressionism and highly rendered realism, with a focus on California Plein Air landscapes.

www.waterhousegallery.com

Thoughtful Selections at Whistle Club

Whistle Club, located on Montecito’s Coast Village Road, offers a curated selection of women’s apparel, footwear, and jewelry from independent designers. With a focus on quality and a “buy less buy better” ethos, the boutique has been a favorite for 10 years.

www.whistleclub.com

Curated Luxury at Wunderkind Montecito

Wunderkind Montecito offers a curated assortment of designer ready-to-wear, luxury shoes, handbags, and fine jewelry. Featuring brands like The Row and Chloé, the boutique prides itself on outstanding customer service and community relationships. www.shopwunderkind.com

Photo courtesy of Marla Aaron

Photo courtesy of No.6

WAY IT WAS Terpsichorean Wonders

BY HATTIE BERESFORD

(below) Members of the De la Guerra family pose in antique dress of Santa Barbara’s olden days on the porch of Casa de la Guerra in 1924, the first year of today’s Old Spanish Days celebration. Left to right are Carmelita Dibblee Underhill, Mercedes Dibblee Poett, Herminia de la Guerra Lee, Thomas Wilson Dibblee, Francisca de la Guerra Dibblee, Ynez Dibblee, Delfina de la Guerra, and Alfred D. Poett. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

A Story of Danseuse Ynez de la Guerra Dibblee and Early Santa Barbara

Ynez Dibblee, whose beauty and grace on the dance floor at the turn of the twentieth century left audiences spellbound, was the great-granddaughter of José de la Guerra y Noriega, the fifth commandante of the Santa Barbara Presidio. She was also the daughter of Francisca de la Guerra and American pioneer Thomas Bloodgood Dibblee. He, together with his brother Albert, had partnered with Colonel William Welles Hollister to make a fortune in the sheep trade during the Civil War. They also bought up thousands of acres of Mexican land grants and scores of town lots in Santa Barbara and elsewhere.

Thomas and Francisca married in 1868 and divided their time between Casa de la Guerra and Rancho San Julian, which had originally been granted to the De la

(right) Ynez de la Guerra Dibblee.

Guerra family in 1837. In 1881, Thomas commissioned local architect Peter Barber to build an elaborate townhouse on 40 acres of the Mesa land he had purchased and had begun landscaping six years earlier. Not completed until 1886, Punta del Castillo afforded magnificent views of ocean, mountains, and city. Ynez, born in 1873 as the third of six daughters, grew up at the ranch, the De la Guerra adobe in town, and the baronial mansion on the hill.

Ynez’s artistic inclinations were fostered by her mother who kept alive the traditions of old California. By 1880, the family, then numbering five children, had a live-in voice and music teacher. Ynez once said that she could dance as soon as she could walk.

When in town, Ynez and her sisters also studied at Mrs. Cushings’ school of scholarship and deportment and attended the local Conservatory of Music run by Mrs. Reed. Ynez grew up in the Age of Aestheticism, and her dancing reflected that movement’s fascination with exoticism, as well as the belief that beauty was the ultimate goal of artistic pursuits. Combining the Spanish dances of her heritage with the esoteric movements of the day, she attained fame in the years between 1888 and 1924.

(top) Ynez at age three at Casa de la Guerra. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum) (bottom left) Francisca de la Guerra Dibblee, as painted by Italian artist Giuseppe Fagnani in New York in 1872. Fagnani had also painted portraits of Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and President Millard Fillmore. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum) (bottom right) Thomas Bloodgood Dibblee by Giuseppe Fagnani in 1872. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

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Growing up Ynez

In 1888, an itinerant dance instructor named Professor Marsden arrived in Santa Barbara. He established a school of dance, and in May his pupils gave a recital at Lobero’s theater. Ynez was one of his students as were many of the girl children of American and Spanish pioneers. Her sister Mercedes, who would later marry Alfred Redington Poett, attended as well. Ynez performed in the Scarf Dance, the Beseda, the national dance of Bohemia, and the Flower Dance.

The famous Flower Dance had arrived in the United States in 1846 when 48 child dancers from Vienna came to Boston. The reviewer of the day wrote, “In the flower dance all the

children carry bouquets and long garlands…. They danced in pairs through the garland arches, leaped through hoops of flowers twined and untwined in varying festoons and formed a great revolving wreath….”

The performances in the East inspired dance schools to teach the Viennese Flower Dance, also known as Le Grand Pas Guirlandes (garlands) or Pas de Fleurs. The popular ensemble dance would see many variations over the years and continued to be performed throughout the nation into the early 1900s.

Shortly after the performance, Ynez was sent to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Convent in Oakland. For graduation in 1892, she read her senior essay, “Music and Poetry,” played the mandolin in a group performance, and played the role of

The interior of Casa de la Guerra circa 1881 shows the portraits of Francisca and Thomas hanging from the far wall. This photo was placed in a copper time capsule and sealed under the cornerstone of Punta del Castillo. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

(above) Renowned photographer Arthur Genthe included his image of Ynez in full Spanish splendor in his 1916 Book of the Dance, (above right) Ynez Dibblee as a teenager. (Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

(middle right) The Viennese Flower Dance was quickly adopted by dance schools throughout the United States. (Library of Congress) (bottom right) Ynez attended Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Convent school in Oakland where Ynez studied music, poetry, and drama. (Courtesy photo)

“History” in the Morality Play, “Who Shall Be Crowned.” All of these experiences would play defining roles in her adult life.

Upon Ynez’s return to Santa Barbara, she participated in the second annual Flower Festival, a short-lived annual event created to bring notice to Santa Barbara’s agricultural products and bring visitors to town. A week of floral parades, a battle of the flowers, agricultural exhibits, and contests were capped by another performance of the “Dance of the Flowers,” again taught by Professor Marsden, but this time for older girls.

The 1893 rendition of the dance was performed by young women and imbued with the flavor of Spanish Santa Barbara. Twenty-eight lovely lasses dressed as flowers created an exquisite mixed bouquet that performed the intricate steps of the dance. Twelve kindergarten children dressed as butterflies joined in. Ynez was a passionflower and one of her sisters was a pink rose.

As part of the program, Ynez performed the Cachucha, a lively solo dance from Andalusia done in triple time with castanets. The report the next day read, “Words fail to express the beauty and grace of the dancer who held the audience spellbound by her beautiful curves and exact time. When all at once the electric lights were extinguished and a calcium light was thrown upon the graceful figure, the audience burst into rapturous applause, and at the close the cheering became so intense that Miss Dibblee was kind enough to satisfy the vast audience by repeating the dance.”

(above) Portraits of Thomas and Francisca Dibblee, that once hung at Casa de la Guerra, resided in the music room of Punta del Castillo. Francisca’s Martin guitar rests near the fireplace and a mandolin has taken a seat near the piano. Music was clearly an integral part of life for the family. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum) (below) Thomas B. Dibblee’s baronial estate took many years to complete. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

Society Girl

For the remainder of the 1890s, Ynez took her place as a member of Santa Barbara society, floating from luncheons and parties to receptions and grand balls. She was a member of the St. Cecilia Club (today’s Cecilia Fund), which raised money to pay hospital expenses for those who couldn’t afford them. She danced in the last Floral Festival in 1896, and in 1898, she danced the Turkish Sword Dance at the annual Kirmess, a fundraiser for St. Vincent’s Orphanage.

A departure from her Spanish repertoire, the sword dance was well received. “The poetry of motion was thoroughly exemplified by this lithe and lovely granddaughter of the De la Guerras,” reported the press. “The white floating laces and glittering Oriental costume were effectively enhanced by the colored lights introduced. Miss Dibblee was twice recalled and received many floral offerings. By special request she will open the ball this evening with ‘Dance of Spring.’”

She danced the Moorish sword dance again in May of 1902 during the three-day Spanish Market Festival at the Opera House (Lobero’s theater). Again, it was the hit of the evening and commanded several encores. So many flowers were thrown upon her that it took her several trips to gather them up.

Up to this point, Ynez’s terpsichorean gift had been given freely to the various parties and benefits held in town. But in December 1902, encouraged by her friends to pursue her dream, she and her mother, who had been widowed since 1895, left on an extended trip to New York. There, Ynez studied to become an actress. The following April, she debuted on the professional stage in Baltimore in the role of Celia in Shakespeare’s As You Like It, and in December on the New York stage in Ibsen’s The Ghost, with the Alberta Gallatin Company.

(above) Ynez Dibblee in the Turkish Sword Dance. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

(left) Ynez studied at the Paris Opera in 1906. (Courtesy Library of Congress)

The following year, Francisca Dibblee took her daughters Ynez, Carmelita, and Delfina to Europe where the two younger daughters enrolled in a convent school in Paris and Ynez studied classical dancing with Mme. Theodore at the Paris Opera. Between times, the foursome traveled through France, Italy, Spain, and England. When the younger sisters and Francisca returned in July 1906, Ynez remained in Paris to study music.

Upon her return, Francisca sold their mansion, which had been leased out for several years to Fred W. Leadbetter, a pulp and paper mill baron from Portland, Oregon. She and her girls moved into the old family adobe, Casa de la Guerra. That same year, her daughter Carmelita married Francis Underhill, a wealthy New Yorker. Underhill was an amateur architect and designed a new home for his mother-in-law on Junipero Plaza, where she and her remaining unmarried children would live.

The Great White Fleet

In 1908, Ynez, newly returned to Santa Barbara, was recruited to again participate in “The Dance of the Flowers,” for the grand finale of the Great White Fleet’s five-day visit to Santa Barbara. President Theodore Roosevelt had launched 16 battleships and six destroyers along with accompanying support ships in December 1907. Billed as a diplomatic mission, the 14-month round-the-world trip reached Santa Barbara near the end of April 1908 for five days of festivities. A floral parade, a battle of the flowers, numerous dances, balls, and receptions, as well as baseball games with the locals, all led up to the grand finale. Ynez danced the role of Spring and trained the dancers. On that evening, underneath a great gauze tent on Plaza del Mar, a chorus of frogs forecast the coming of spring, and “The Dance of the Flowers” began. A beam of violet light created a pathway for the dancers entering in “measured grace.” Two by two, hand in hand, in colors of the bright flowers they represented, the women

(left) Francisca’s new son-in-law, Francis Townsend Underhill, designed a home for her on Junipero Plaza. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

After Francisca sold Punta del Castillo, she and the family moved into Casa de la Guerra, which is seen here circa 1906 in a dilapidated condition on De la Guerra Street. (Courtesy Seaver Center, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles)

Betty White, wife of author Stewart Edward White, in her lily costume for “The Dance of the Flowers” in 1908. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

De la Guerra family members joined the officers of the Great White Fleet on the reviewing stand at Plaza Del Mar in 1908.

(Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

On its second pass, the flower bedecked Admiral’s Carriage brought Ynez and other De la Guerras to the reviewing stand ahead of the floral parade and battle of the flowers. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

entered, and little girl butterflies and little boy bees wove between them. Daffodils and blue cornflowers, sweet peas and nasturtiums, the mixed bouquets danced an intricate maze, until Ynez Dibblee entered as Spring in all its various moods from whirlwind March through dreamy April to lively May. Once again, she enthralled the audience.

Ynez on Dance

Ynez was back, but now her bookings took her to San Francisco and Los Angeles as well. She even made a trip to Manila. For a time she took the professional name of Ynez de la Guerra, and she was hired by the Idora Opera Company to appear in The Jewel of Asia at the Majestic Theatre of Los Angeles. She appeared in the harem scene to dance “The Sword and Veils,” of which the enthralled reviewer exclaimed, “What grace, what abandon, what consummate physical pliancy!”

In a 1909 interview, Ynez opined that dance was elemental, ancient and spiritual, but that it had degenerated into frivolous theatrical performances. “In Spain,” she said, “they do better than we do here. There, the people dance universally. Everybody knows how to dance. It is in the blood, and the dances are full of meaning which the people understand.”

“I never enjoyed dancing so much in my life as I did in Spain,” she said, “and I never had such an exhilarating experience as once in Granada within a stone’s throw of the Alhambra.”

There in the shadows of that ancient edifice, a group had gathered, hands clapping a rhythm and chanting simple melodies. In the center a girl danced to the beat of the primordial music. When she tired, another took her place. Inspired, Ynez took a turn in the center and was encouraged

by the group, who were surprised that she knew their dances, not knowing that descendants of Spain had brought the dance to the New World.

In 1912, Ynez went to New York to act and dance in a sketch produced by Morris Gest, “La Belle Dame Sans Merci,” written by Ralph E. Renaud of San Francisco. She returned to Santa Barbara in 1913 to dance at the Potter Theatre for a benefit for the Rincon Road, the wooden road along the sea, built like a horizontal pier to carry traffic between Ventura and Santa Barbara.

By 1915, it had all become too much. Ynez returned home from San Francisco after suffering a nervous breakdown and sought refuge at the family ranch. At San Julian, she found peace and renewed inspiration. For the rest of her life, she would return there time after time for respite and solace.

Reinvigorated by 1916, she performed at the new Country Playhouse in Montecito. Developed by Lee Eleanor Graham,

Rancho San Julian became a place of refuge for Ynez. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

Ynez at Rancho San Julian practicing a dramatic role. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

Ynez performed at Montecito’s Country Playhouse which was developed by Mrs. William Miller (Eleanor) Graham and once stood off of Middle Road. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

owner of the first Bellosguardo estate, the Country Playhouse was intended as a little theater of amateurs recruited from high society. Of Ynez’s performance in Sheba, the reviewer said, “Mrs. William Miller Graham took the part of Sheba, but the stellar honors by common consent were conferred on Miss Ynez Dibblee, who took the part of the dancing girl. Her dancing was a wonder and a joy, and this feature alone made the price of admission worthwhile…. Supple grace, light of foot, fascinating stage work.”

Ynez striking a pose in costume. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

In an interview with the San Francisco Call, Ynez explained her philosophy of dance.

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Also in 1916, renowned photographer Arthur Genthe published his Book of the Dance, which was made up of studio photos of 38 different dancers of the day. Genthe wanted to create a pictorial record that illustrated, he said, “Something of the fugitive charm of rhythmic motion, significant gesture and brilliant color which the [modern] dance has once more brought into our lives.” Ynez has three photos in the book that also includes images of Anna Pavlova, Isadora Duncan, and Ruth St. Denis.

In the pastiche of the play Sheba, which played at the Country Playhouse in Montecito. Ynez is pictured top left and her sister Carmelita Underhill is pictured bottom right.

Community Arts

In 1920, Ynez was visiting friends in San Francisco when she was invited to lunch with Samuel Hume, Berkeley’s director of the Outdoor Theatre. Hume had been hired by La Primavera Association in Santa Barbara to direct a masque dubbed La Primavera as the kickoff to what the committee hoped would be an annual festival for Santa Barbara. Ynez was to take the role of Première Danseuse, but she became ill and was replaced by Edward Valencia. Hume’s next project for Santa Barbara, The Quest, led to the establishment of the Community Arts Players, which led

This photo of Albert Herter as Dionysus in a tableau of the Bacchantes in 1909 in New York gives a sense of what the scene in The Temple must have looked like. (Courtesy Library of Congress)

to the Community Arts Association, which led to branches in music, drama, plans, and planting, a school of the arts, the Lobero Theatre, and Old Spanish Days Fiesta. In 1922, Ynez, now 49 years old, choreographed the Bacchante dance for Albert Herter’s extravaganza benefit for the Community Arts Association, The Temple. She trained six girls to participate, including Georgia Graham (Martha’s sister). Ynez performed the solo part and played the role of Aglaonice in the play.

In 1922, Albert Herter produced an extravaganza presentation as a benefit for the Community Arts Association. It included hundreds of local amateur thespians, costume designers, and stagehands. (Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

San Julian

After this performance, Ynez rarely appeared in the news as a performer. She opened a shop in the new Carrillo studios, which adjoined the old Hill-Carrillo Adobe, and taught French and Spanish at the School of the Arts. She was not forgotten, however. In 1926, she and Robert Porter were guests of Anna Dorinda Bliss at Robert Jenckes’ estate The

Ynez had charge of the Dance of the Bacchantes and played the lead role. Earlier in the play she also performed the role of Captive Maid. (Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

In later years, Ynez lived with her sister Delfina on Santa Barbara Street and continued to find comfort in music. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)

Peppers in Montecito. Because of their preeminence, they sat front row at the concert, and when the famous pianist and former prime minister of Poland, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, caught sight of them, he waved gently, and consulted them about encores.

More and more, Ynez began spending her days at Rancho San Julian. She published a book of poetry, Hacienda Memories and Caravans of Thought, which expresses the deep feelings she had about the ranch and its people and the beauties of her life. One poem was published in the newspaper, and its depth of feeling echoes the expressiveness of her dance.

Titled “El Rancho de San Julian” the poem begins with her observation of men sitting on an old bench near the bunkhouse steps, “waiting, with rough, clean hands and shining faces, for the supper bell.”

There’s Alfredo, a fixture, of age unknown even to himself, but ever youthful, Just an old boy.

Jack of all trades--

Milkman, houseman, the joker of the pack.

He foretells the rain and talks to himself and to the plants and vegetables, and the little hurt animals left to his charge; they mend and grow.

He knows the time of day by making a sundial of his hand.

And when there is a barbecue, he sings and dances for the gang, and makes verses to beautiful women and the moon.

They all laugh at him, but he doesn’t care. He laughs with them.

And when his pals are hurt, or sick, he cures them with herbs, and concoctions of his own.

And I have seen him, of a Sunday afternoon, walk up the hill to lay some flowers on the grave of an old Indian friend, buried there some forty years ago.

The true spirit of her creation was expressed through dance.

Her sister Delfina said her gifts were numerous, that the joy she felt was the true spirit of her creation, that life moved her with this spirit of Earth and its beauty.

“The artistic soul,” said Delfina, “is selftriumphant, and the intangible qualities of her mind and spirit were uppermost in her personality. May this spirit which was hers be always with us.”

And that was Ynez, a child of two cultures who was gifted by three muses. A sensitive spirit who awed and elevated those who witnessed the beauty expressed so eloquently in her dance, her music, and her poetry.

(Sources not mentioned in text: ancestry.com resources; contemporary news articles; Noticias)

Rancho San Julian circa 2014.

(Courtesy of Author)

STORE TROOPERS

BY MADDIE CONNORS

PHOTOS BY BLAKE BRONSTAD PHOTOGRAPHY

THE PRESIDIO BLOCK GETS GROOVING WITH THE WOMEN BEHIND JAKE & JONES AND THE EDDY

By day, The Eddy, found on the block sandwiched between the historic Presidio of Santa Barbara and the Historical Museum, is a modernized neighborhood bodega selling staple pantry items like imported oils and vinegars, as well as bamboo toothbrushes (in an effort to cater to a range of tastes, they also sometimes carry Cheetos and M&M’s). But come evening time on the first Thursday of every month, The Eddy, along with cousin shops Jake & Jones (Jake & Jones for women, the flagship, is around the block to the north; the men’s shop is next door), is a bustling all-ages hub celebrating local artists, musicians, wine purveyors, and foodmakers.

For Jake & Jones founder Jennifer Steinwurtzel, these community gatherings are a kind of self-actualization of why these stores were opened in the first place.

For Steinwurtzel, community is key. “Community is a really big part of our companies and a lot of the why of what we are doing,” Steinwurtzel says.

She remembers fondly the people she interacted with on the regular while working as a yoga instructor. It’s a feeling that got away from her after dedicating herself as a full-time mom to two young boys.

It was that yearning to re-engage with people in 2017 that led her to open Jake & Jones—aptly named after her two sons.

“I’ve always had a knack for clothing and dressing people,” Steinwurtzel says, matching her sensibilities with Santa Barbara’s increasingly stylish influx of transplant residents. “There are creative people moving into town who are moving from bigger cities. They want and expect the same level of curation that they’re used to.”

“THERE ARE CREATIVE PEOPLE MOVING INTO TOWN WHO ARE MOVING FROM BIGGER CITIES. THEY WANT AND EXPECT THE SAME LEVEL OF CURATION THAT THEY’RE USED TO.”

Scavenging for fashion gems is one of the more substantial elements of running the store. In recent years, the hunt has taken her to Paris and New York to meet with new designers and brands that might be the right fit for Jake & Jones. The store also caters to the local and casual audience with high-quality basics like Jungmaven, Sunray, B Sides, and Dr. Collectors. They are proponents of balance, and the curation reflects just that.

Following the Covid pandemic came an expansion of Jake & Jones’ e-commerce front and the addition of Alex Suhadolnik as a new business partner and e-commerce director (The Eddy is named after Suhadolnik’s own brood). The pair took the opportunity to expand into online sales, boosting their community to a global reach.

The Jake & Jones store for menswear and The Eddy are some of the newer fruit borne of Steinwurtzel and Suhadolnik’s work ethic. Today, the three stores are part of the growing number of boutique shops bringing new life to pockets away from the main thoroughfare of State Street. In their case, the Presidio block.

“There’s so much history to this neighborhood,” Steinwurtzel says. “So many amazing shops have been here, and in recent years Handlebar Coffee really revived the area.” But setting their sights on goals beyond mere commerce, the two partners are helping to turn the Presidio block into its own destination.

Deliberately or otherwise, Steinwurtzel and Suhadolnik’s ambitions are a distilled case study of urban theorist Jane Jacobs’ tenets on how to breathe life into neighborhoods by creating an ecosystem of people and activity. Where some neighborhoods struggle to attain this near-utopic everytown vibe, the Presidio block thrives and will continue to thrive so long as it has champions like these two women and the beloved employees at their stores who help maintain the aura of community, welcoming to locals and tourists alike and wallets of various widths.

Also, they have an alcohol permit in the works, so that should be fun.

“The people who show up are a community I didn’t know and now we are all connected,” Steinwurztel says. “It is very cool to see this all happen because we took a risk and created a space for ourselves and others.”

jakeandjones.com | shoptheeddy.com

Growing Up at La Arcada Plaza

by Zachary Bernstein

A Shopping Plaza That Feels Like a European Village? Imagine Being Raised in That Village.

It’s easy to see how La Arcada Plaza stands apart from the typical American shopping hub. More communal than a mall and away from the cars of an everytown main street, La Arcada is a center for some of Santa Barbara’s most iconic small businesses, free of chains, strung together by charming walkways, embracing a European storybook aesthetic. It feels like a little neighborhood. For Charlotte Andersen of the long-standing Andersen’s Bakery and Restaurant, La Arcada Plaza was the little neighborhood where she grew up.

“I used to play with all the children of people who had shops,” says Andersen. “All of the families were my friends and to this day are still my friends.”

La Arcada used to be the site of a grand Catholic Church, Our Lady of Sorrows, and might still have been if it weren’t for the violent 1925 earthquake that destroyed it and much of central Santa Barbara. From the ruins of State Street came a chance to rebuild the city in a modern uniform manner and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture won the day. The plaza itself was designed by the renowned architect Myron Hunt, also known for such hits as the Rose Bowl and Occidental College. Had the earthquake occurred in the following decade, Santa Barbara could have instead become a haven for Streamline Moderne.

Andersen’s parents, Birte and Alfred, moved their Danish bakery operation to La Arcada Plaza in 1978, put down roots, and established themselves as a staple of the Santa Barbara community. For Charlotte, her life is intertwined with La Arcada and the people who have regularly dropped in for Princess cake and kringle over the past four decades.

“The people we’ve grown to have as customers and clients, it’s like they come to our house to visit us every day. It’s irreplaceable.”

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DRE#: 01236143

Bright

beachy interiors and captivating ocean views define this tranquil 2-bed, 3-bath home. Adjacent to Lookout Park with private path to Summerland Beach for seaside adventures.

2311 Finney Street, Summerland

$7,300,000

Riskin Partners Estate Group

805-565-8600

DRE#: 01954177

Located in Montecito’s Hedgerow neighborhood, this 1929 French Normandy-style home features lush gardens and ample living spaces. Designed by George Washington Smith, it offers a unique piece of Montecito history.

175 Miramar Ave, Montecito

$6,900,000

Tyler Kallenbach

805-695-2533

Montecito Valley Compass

DRE#: 02021945

REAL ESTATES

Ultra-private

1-acre estate in Montecito’s Cold Spring School District. Features two inviting homes on manicured grounds, ideal for entertaining and serene living.

2775 Sycamore Canyon Road, Montecito

$6,750,000

Emily Kellenberger and Katie Mohun

805-252-2773 / 805-705-5144

Emily Kellenberger & Associates DRE#: 01397913 | 02047418

Single-level home above Carpinteria with panoramic views, high ceilings, plastered walls, expansive glass, Syrah vineyard, energy-efficient features, and usable land for ADU or horses.

7373 Shepard Mesa Road, Carpinteria

$6,495,000

Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group

805-565-4014

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

California Properties

DRE#: 01426886

Breathtaking

ocean vistas from this refined contemporary residence. Nestled on approximately 1 acre, featuring an open floor plan with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, surrounded by majestic oaks.

975 Mariposa Lane, Montecito

$6,450,000

Cristal Clarke

805-886-9378

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

California Properties

DRE#: 01317331

Hope Ranch home on 1.7 acres offering privacy and breathtaking views. Features a large entry, great room with vaulted ceilings, dining area, large stone fireplace, and spacious outdoor terrace.

4312 Via Glorieta

$6,350,000

Team Scarborough

805-331-1365

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

California Properties DRE#: 01182792 ENCHANTING

Invest in coastal Montecito with this 6-bed, 6-bath duplex steps from Butterfly Beach and Coast Village Road. Each unit has 3 beds, 3 baths, 2-car garages, and private yards.

1369 Danielson Road, Montecito

$6,050,000

Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group 805-565-4014

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

California Properties DRE#: 01426886

Nestled among live oaks and verdant lawns, this modern compound with a second structure is perfect for multi-generation living, extended guests, office space, or extra room.

2815 East Valley Road, Montecito

$5,999,000

Riskin Partners Estate Group

805-565-8600

DRE#: 01954177

PRIVATE RETREAT

REAL ESTATES

Private

16-acres with breathtaking views. French doors connect nearly every room to the natural setting. Features mature oaks, prolific fruit orchard, and sculpture-like boulders. Includes 4 bedrooms plus 1-bedroom detached guest house.

2671 Painted Cave Road

$4,900,000

Randy Solakian Estates Group 805-453-9642

Coldwell Banker Realty DRE#: 00622258

ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECE

This architectural gem in Mission Canyon blends modern elegance with nature, offering stunning ocean and city vistas. Features 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and a 2-car garage on a 0.29-acre property.

2929 Selwyn Circle

$3,695,000

Calcagno & Hamilton Real Estate Group 805-565-4000

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties

DRE#: 01499736 | 01129919

RIVIERA ESTATE SITE

Stunning

ocean view building site with fully approved plans by The Warner Group. This 1.81-acre property atop Santa Barbara’s iconic Riviera offers panoramic views of the ocean, harbor, downtown, and mountains.

1326 Hillcrest Road, Santa Barbara

$4,300,000

Riskin Partners Estate Group 805-565-8600

DRE#: 01954177

SPANISH REVIVAL ESTATE

Remarkable

Spanish Revival estate with sweeping views. This gracious 5000 sq ft residence plus guest house and barn sits on 10 oak-studded acres with access to extensive riding trails.

2885 Long Canyon Road, Santa Ynez

$3,988,000

Patty Murphy | Chris Atkinson

805-680-8571

Country Estates and Vineyards

DRE#: 00766586

SHANGRI-LA RETREAT

Built in 1974 by acclaimed artist Frank Armitage, this retreat home sits on nearly 10 acres with unobstructed views from multiple decks overlooking the Ojai Valley and Topa Topa mountains.

1807 Ladera Road, Ojai

$2,995,000

Adam McKaig & William Turner 805-452-6884 | 805-708-3236

Douglas Elliman Of California DRE#: 01935111 | 01237501

LUXURY VACATION RENTALS

From

picturesque beaches on which to spend the day on the sand; to multiple luxury resorts to bask by the pool or enjoy a spa day; to a lively downtown scene with five-star dining, boutique shopping, and historic theaters, Santa Barbara and neighboring towns offer an ideal place to vacation.

Villa las Abejas in Los Cabos blends beachfront luxury with sophistication. This prestigious three-bedroom home in Palmilla offers stunning ocean views, high-end amenities, and private beach access for an unforgettable vacation.

VIDA

Casa

Vida in Los Cabos merges supreme luxury with exquisite design. This six-bedroom estate boasts ocean views, private beach club access, and bespoke concierge services, accommodating up to 16 guests in unrivaled comfort.

Padre Kino 210, Puerto Los Cabos, San José del Cabo, Mexico

Rates start at $2000/night Sun Cabo Vacations 800-710-2226

Villas del Mar 131, Palmilla, San José del Cabo, Mexico

Rates start at $2500/night Sun Cabo Vacations 800-710-2226

Above Montecito Country Club, this contemporary split-level home boasts panoramic ocean, Channel Islands, city, and harbor views. Features 4 beds, 4 baths, an office, lounges, a spacious kitchen, garden courtyard, and pool.

Price: $28,000/month Crysta Metzger 805-453-8700

Sotheby’s International Realty CalRE: 01340521

Tastefully renovated 1920s Spanish revival with 3 beds, 3.5 baths, formal, living/dining, family room, and sunroom. Updated kitchen, immaculate grounds, two-car, garage, outdoor barbecue/patio. Enjoy perfect indoor/outdoor living!

Price: $28,000/month Crysta Metzger 805-453-8700

Sotheby’s International Realty CalRE: 01340521

HEDGEROWS IN MONTECITO

MONTECITO RIVIERA

CASA

VILLA LAS ABEJAS

REAL ESTATES OUTSIDE THE AREA

In the heart of the Wasatch Mountains, just beyond Park City, this mountain estate offers world-class golf, amenities, and onsite cat skiing in an exclusive environment. Perfect for those seeking adventure and luxury.

Price: $2,350,000 Onie Bolduc 435-631-1615 Summit Sotheby’s International Realty

Designed for indoor and outdoor entertaining, this 5-bedroom, 5000+ sq ft home is steps from the Park City Bus. Enjoy modern luxury in a perfect space for friends and family. 2547 Holiday Ranch Loop, Park City, UT 84098

$4,850,000 Onie Bolduc 435-631-1615 Summit Sotheby’s International Realty DRE#: 10407557-SA00

MOUNTAIN MODERN MASTERPIECE

WOHALI RESORT ESTATE

VIEW FROM A GUEST HOUSE

By Heidi Clements

A Grateful Digital Influencer’s Love Letter to Analog Montecito

Iguess you could say Montecito saved me, or at the very least, liberated my mental health from its Los Angeles postpandemic prison.

It’s a popular thing to talk about these days, one’s mental health. Everyone is “protecting” theirs from “triggering”— especially the younger generation, fueled on by a steady diet of TikTok and Instagram. They like to say they’re having a “Menty B” —a cute term for becoming unhinged and bawling in the fetal position—all while continuing to doom scroll

through tears. While Menty B is adorable and looks good on an oversized hoodie, good mental health is the antidote we all seek, even when we don’t know it. I sought mine in the 93108.

I left Los Angeles on November 24, 2023 after 27 years and headed for my friend’s guest house nestled in a Montecito canyon. I called it the woods. Anyone who has been to Montecito said I was being ridiculous, but in my opinion, if all I see are trees around me, it’s the woods. I don’t think nature cares how bougie your zip code is. I planned to stay for about five months and then head for the East Coast. Perhaps New England, where I could drown my sorrows and my debt in clam chowder, the white kind, with the soft potatoes. Only savages eat the red chowder.

I was leaving L.A. because I hated the job that was financially waterboarding me. I was a local news lifestyle show producer and the salary was the same salary I made in 1985. The job paid $5,000 a month and my rent was $4,000. It doesn’t take an abacus to see that that adds up to broke.

I became a 63-year-old financial disaster the easy way. I purchased my first and only million dollar home in 2008, yes THAT 2008, for $32,000 “down.” It was the tail end of the no-money-down real estate loan debacle and while most people defaulted on those loans, I, perhaps naively, did not. I’ve been playing catch up with cash ever since. It’s a game show where the only winner is the bank. As they say in Vegas, “The house always wins.”

At the time of this ridiculous purchase, I was making great money as the co-executive producer of Entertainment Tonight and then went on to an even bigger paycheck as an executive producer of the scripted series Baby Daddy. It was more money than I ever dreamed of making and it all went into the beautiful Spanish Revival Titanic I purchased in Silver Lake. And when those salaries went the way of all good things, I sold that home. I did not go down with the ship, despite the Dido song that was popular at the time. My best friends still live across the street from that home so I get to see my failure living its new life. But as they say, she persisted.

Since then I have faithfully continued to make silly financial decisions when it comes to housing because it turns out my home isn’t where my heart is. It’s more like where my brain grapples with 23 years of sobriety. I quit drinking on June 20 in 2000 and a quiet couch has been tantamount to surviving. I need a spot to breathe at the end of a day of battling all of my inner demons and some exterior ones like Los Angeles traffic and the comments section.

The City of Angels had been sucking my soul and my bank account dry for too long. I had even created a side hustle—social media influencer. Yes, at 63 years old and on the cusp of collecting Social Security I decided the world needed to see me dance in my underwear while getting dressed and telling stories about my questionable past. I have about 1.3 million followers. Spilling my soul to strangers is oddly the most rewarding thing I have done to date.

So, in November of 2023, after years of running on the hamster wheel of debt, I finally decided to do something about it. I sold off all of my belongings except for artwork and a king-sized mattress which now live in a lovely climate controlled storage unit. Hopefully, I won’t be joining them anytime soon.

I quit my job and begged my friends for help and a spot in their guest home in Montecito. I will forever be grateful to my fairy godfathers and the sprawling property they purchased when those two gents were busy making smart financial decisions when I was buying shoes.

My little slice of paradise happens to be the most charming room I’ve ever seen in one of the most expensive places there is to live in California. There are definitely closets in Calabasas that are bigger, but not better.

Every day here in the woods—yes, I’m sticking with that—I wake up to birds singing and deer crunching through leaves, and every night I go to sleep to the sound of hooting owls filling the trees and frogs mating in the creek. I take my dogs to the beach and spend my hours plotting my next move, both career and castle.

I feel so grateful to have landed in this majestic spot on the coast. People here are kind. They smile at you for no reason. They don’t fight over parking spaces or honk. They bike, hike, and live that outdoor kind of life. When I walk around town I think, “How did I get so lucky to end up living inside a Hallmark Movie set.” It’s truly perfect. I even get recognized from time to time by lovely humans who say lovely things and tell me that I make a difference in their lives with my stories and what they call my unapologetic vulnerability. It’s wonderful to live somewhere that people are proud to call home. I’m proud to live here now as well. People back in Los Angeles laugh at me and say I chose to live in an even more expensive place than Los Angeles, but at least here you get what you pay for—and it’s hard to put a price tag on Magic.

It’s de rigueur to not question renting a tiny apartment in the 6th arrondissement with rooftop views of Paris. Don’t question my Montecito guest house either.

CORAL CASINO BEACH AND CABANA CLUB

Featuring a Thomas Keller Restaurant (Coming Soon)

Heated oceanfront Olympic-size swimming pool with four lap lanes and diving board

Largest Japanese glass spa in California overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands

Oceanfront rim-flow cold plunge pool

Oceanfront shaded rim-flow beach entry kid's pool

The Studio featuring custom Pilates reformers offering an abundance of complimentary pilates, yoga, and stretch classes with top instructors

Fins featuring an open kitchen serving coffees from around the world, fresh juices, deli, bakery and snacks amid an open air seating overlooking the ocean and pool

BECOME A MEMBER

KELLY CAMPBELL

Director of Membership Sales

kcampbell@tymail.com

cell: 805.455.2587

MONTECITO CLUB

Crow's Nest wrapped in glass with seating for 9 extends out over Butterfly beach with views of downtown Santa Barbara

31 luxury cabanas fully equipped with private service and upscale amenities

Private Dining Room sitting atop the second deck with fully retractable glass walls offering an open air experience with oceanfront views

Newly surfaced and gated tennis and pickleball courts with fully stocked amenity stations for optimized playing conditions

Fitness center featuring views of the ocean and mountains as you workout with world famous instructor Peter Park from Platinum Fitness

JOHANNA DEARINGER Director of Membership Sales jdearinger@tymail.com cell: 805.276.7669

Sit in the Coral’s private Sand Box beach with chaise lounge chairs and smooth sand imported from Malibu

Private beach access and lounge seating at Butterfly Beach

The lounge with original fireplace and lounge seating for ultimate relaxation

Locker rooms with luxury amenities and steam and sauna rooms

Al Fresco dining in the Coral Cafe featuring Rosa Verona bar with a 50' LED sky screen overlooking the ocean, mountains and Sand Box beach

Quiet garden surrounded by bougainviella with an infinity edge reflection pool made of Belgium black granite