Red, White & Boom – Tea was dumped, empires challenged, and (later) fingers explosively removed. We’ve got this, P.6
The Rosewood Miramar now hosts more than guests… the long-awaited Sheriff’s Substation is open, page 12
Miguel Harth-Bedoya believes great teaching and great conducting are ultimately the same craft, page 24
Oak Group Celebrates More Mesa at Faulkner, page
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1209 COAST VILLAGE RD MONTECITO, CA 93108
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BREAKFAST | LUNCH | DINNER
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
5
Message from MA – The Montecito Village 4th returns for its 30th year with the “World’s Shortest Parade,” pie-eating contests, and old-fashioned summer fun
Beings and Doings – In that liminal space between the Pursuit of Happiness and Bombs Bursting in Air we have the United States. Love your oddball experiment. 8 Montecito Miscellany – The electro-rockin’ string duo ARKAI opens up MAW, a chukkin’ close polo match, and vintage cars descend on Casa Dorinda
News Bytes – MOXI@Night honors Hahns, Hillside National Disability Independence Day, ShelterBox in the Philippines, and other tidbits
Letter to the Editor – Laura Wyatt on the incredible impact of Veggie Rescue Tide Guide
On Entertainment – Free outdoor movies, zoo
and
Our Town – The Sheriff’s Substation at Rosewood has a grand opening, plus Channel Islands YMCA reaches for the stars while offering Earthbound support
14
Dancing into Summer Solstice – La Boheme helps participants rediscover the joy of saying yes to something new
16
Celebrating More Space – The Oak Group’s latest exhibition captures the serenity, fragility, and enduring appeal of More Mesa Open Space
18 Community Voices – Alexander Stoeber on how homeless is not hopeless, and Randy Alcorn on Harding’s column about billionaires
20 Your Westmont – Santa Barbara’s tech leader Zack Kass offers a message of mastery and hope to the next generation of leadership Meet the Doctor – Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Andrew Beckler, MD
22 Hot Topics – Flapjacks, the Fourth, and fun… Montecito Fire’s annual pancake breakfast is here Travel Buzz – Leslie gets to Tokyo in time for the first cherry blossoms
23 Elizabeth’s Appraisals – A 19th century pipe leads to a story about ivory, meerschaum, and the introduction of tobacco to the world
24 Spirituality Matters – The Spirit of America on State Street, plus channeling and effortless mindfulness at Sacred Space
This Week @ MAW – Miguel Harth-Bedoya’s return to the Music Academy highlights a career devoted as much to teaching as conducting
25
Spotlight Coast Village – Specials and highlights along Coast Village Road
26 Far Flung Travel – Charles Salas is transforming a once-degraded ranch into a thriving landscape where wildlife, waterways, and native habitats can recover
28 Life After Vision Loss – Dr. Andrew Bock is helping people rediscover independence by making the most of the vision they still have
29
Foraging Thyme – Purple potatoes, tahini dressing, chili crisp oil, and crunchy cucumbers brighten this colorful summer salad
32 Sheriff’s Blotter
36
Calendar of Events – Wine at the natural history museum, lavender on campus, Doublewide Red, White, and B&W celebrations, plus more
38 Classifieds – Our own “Craigslist” of classified ads, in which sellers offer everything from summer rentals to estate sales
39 Mini Meta Crossword Puzzles
Local Business Directory – Smart business owners place business cards here so readers know where to look when they need what those businesses offer
Message from MA
You’re Invited to
Celebrate
30 Years of Village 4th Tradition
by Houghton Hyatt
The Montecito Association and Montecito Community Foundation invite residents and visitors to join the community for the 30th Annual Montecito Village 4th of July Celebration on Saturday, July 4, a hometown tradition that has brought neighbors together since 1996.
Known as the home of the “World’s Shortest Parade,” the Village 4th is a uniquely Montecito celebration featuring patriotic spirit, community pride, live music, family activities, and old-fashioned fun for all ages.
This year’s event is especially meaningful as the Montecito Association celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Village 4th while also honoring America’s 250th birthday with the theme “Let’s Party Like It’s 1776!”
The festivities begin at 11:30 am with the beloved parade from East Valley Road, down San Ysidro Road to Lower Manning Park. Spectators are encouraged to arrive early to secure viewing spots along the parade route and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
Following the parade, the celebration continues in Lower Manning Park with a community picnic, featuring Big Truck Foods, Oak & Fire BBQ, and Rori’s Ice Cream, live music by Outta the Blue, a beer and wine garden, and family-friendly activities.
Event Schedule
10 am to 1 pm – San Ysidro Road from East Valley Road to Santa Rosa Lane will be CLOSED.
10– 11:15 am
- Parade participant check-in and staging
- Vehicles are staged in the South Parking Lot in the Upper Village
- Pedestrians (with bikes/scooters/wagons) are staged on Hosmer Lane
11:30 am
- Montecito Village 4th of July Parade begins
12 – 2 pm
- Community Celebration in Lower Manning Park
12:30 – 2 pm
- Community Picnic
- Live Music
- Beer & Wine Garden
12:30 pm – 1 pm
- Sack Race
- Tug-of-War
- Pie Eating Contest
Get
T-Shirts Available
Commemorative 2026 Village 4th T-shirts will be available for purchase throughout the day while supplies last. Sales locations include:
- Parade staging area in the South Parking Lot of the Upper Village
- Intersection of School House Road and San Ysidro Road
- Lower Manning Park during the community celebration
Beer & Wine Garden Information
Guests wishing to enjoy beverages in the Beer & Wine Garden must present a valid photo ID. Wristbands will be issued following ID verification and must be worn throughout the event.
A Community Tradition
For three decades, the Montecito Village 4th has celebrated the values that make Montecito special – community, volunteerism, patriotism, and neighborly connection. From decorated bikes and wagons to vintage cars, community groups, local organizations, and generations of families marching together, the event continues to embody the spirit of a small-town Fourth of July celebration. The event is free and open to the public. For parade information, sponsorship opportunities, and event updates, visit the Montecito Association website.
Montecito Village 4th of July Celebration Saturday, July 4 Parade at 11:30 am Community Celebration to follow in Lower Manning Park
Attention Local People
ready for the 30th Annual Montecito Village 4th of July Celebration (photo by Joanne A Calitri)
Hyatt
Montecito Association
Beings and Doings
Pursuit of Happiness and the Longmont Liquor Store
by Jeff Wing
July 4 approaches. It seems to be an annual occurrence but that’s just an impression I have. It also seems to have some association with tea? One thing it surely commemorates is ordnance. Some of us remember a time when The Fourth of July meant a nationally recognized evening of maimed celebrants and curbside mailboxes blown to hell with M-80s. The Star-Spangled Banner’s glancing reference to “bombs bursting in air” remains an absolute boon to hand surgeons.
When I was a tween living in N. Boulder, it was but a hop and a skip to nearby Longmont, where in the parking lot of a liquor store (adding an extra layer of strange gravity to the transaction) a huge colorful booth purveyed Buzz Bombs, Whistling Jupiters, Roman Candles, Black Cats, Bottle Rockets, Sparklers, and other flash-powder toys whose thrillingly
short fuses added a warlike frisson to the evening’s excited mayhem. In enlightened 2026 we tend to let civil authorities fire the celebratory missiles as we softened benefactors of the Declaration stare upwards as magnificently blossoming pyrotechnics paint the night sky. In Santa Barbara on the 4th, a throng of citizenry walk chattily down State Street to the east side of Stearns Wharf, seat themselves in the sand and watch both the loud, colorful display on high and the airborne toxic event that follows; the strangely coherent cloud of firework exhaust that drifts slowly uptown like the acrid manifestation of a post- fête hangover. It is interesting that the Declaration, for all its bravado and king-dissing and association with explosives and revolutionary DNA, is also well-known for its namby-pamby “pursuit of happiness” line. Embarrassing to have such non-combative nonsense forever codified in one of the founding documents of this colossus of a nation. “How the hell?!” etc.
A Dozen or So Knee Sock Enthusiasts
July 2, 1776 – A dozen or so knee sock enthusiasts gather in a large, darkened room and bolt the door. These nascent Giants of Liberty are about to change the course of human events, put shoulders to the massive Hobbesian wheel of history and in a fever of invention redraw the Rights of Man, actualize the Magna Carta, and alter forevermore the intertwined destinies of all people everywhere. They will be performing these feats wearing inept doll’s hair wigs that appear to have been hastily glued together by toddlers, clunky buckled shoes bought for a song at Pilgrim Discount Warehouse, and those ass-hugging
revolutionary trousers that so unnerved the French when old Ben Franklin was ambassador there.
Despite these setbacks, our Fashion Freefall Founders solemnly adopt the resolution to cleave the 13 American colonies from the British Empire, paving the way for the UK’s responsive attack on Brooklyn and, much later, a maddened tsunami of Revenge-Anglophilia. The Crown’s later comeuppance will include stateside landfall of the Arthur Treacher Fish-and-Chips plague, Benny Hill’s unexpected classification as a ‘comic,’ the lung-crushing MerchantIvory steamroller with its endless gauzy tape loop of Colin Firth in lace cuffs
Beings & Doings Page 334
Deafening and finger-liberating (courtesy globalfireworks)
Montecito Miscellany
Madison Square to Montecito
by Richard Mineards & Friends
“We all long for music’s emotional stories.”
That simple observation from Philip Sheegog set the tone for an extraordinary evening at Hahn Hall, where the 2017 Music Academy of the West alumnus returned alongside violinist Jonathan Miron as the Grammy-winning duo ARKAI.
Fresh off bringing Madison Square Garden to its feet during a halftime performance for the New York Knicks’ NBA playoff run, Philip and Jonathan arrived at Hahn Hall amid considerable buzz. Performing in the Summer Music Festival kickoff, they delivered electrifying string renditions of pop and rock favorites, while Philip’s futuristic 3D-printed carbon-fiber cello added to the spectacle.
“We’re bringing Montecito some New York energy!” he joked to the audience.
For Philip, it’s a remarkable homecoming. Since arriving at the Academy as a young cello fellow in 2017, he’s gone on to international acclaim with Jonathan,
whom he met during a chance jam session at The Juilliard School in 2018. A Grammy win for “Brightside” earlier this year helped propel ARKAI from rising stars to international headliners.
Yet Philip’s focus remained on something more universal.
“We love creating an emotional journey – that’s what music truly is,” he told the audience. Even his original work, “Symphony X,” which he described as a
modern “ode to the human spirit,” is an exploration of life’s emotional highs and lows. Before launching into the piece, he offered a simple instruction: “Buckle up and go on this wild emotional ride with us.”
The evening’s emotional peak arrived during ARKAI’s breathtaking rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of
Silence.” Bathed in dramatic red light, the duo transformed the classic into something hauntingly new.
“We all got goosebumps,” remarked one audience member. “That’s the best rendition we’ve ever heard!” Special thanks went to supporters Todd Gerber,
Miscellany Page 314
ARKAI bringing the rhythm and vibes to MAW (photo by Priscilla)
Philip Sheegog, Jonathan Miron, and friends (photo by Priscilla)
Ellen Barger, Mally Chakola, Cheryl Goldberg, and Shauna Quill (photo by Priscilla)
News Bytes MOXI@Night Returns
by MJ Staff
MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, is turning up the fun this fall with MOXI@Night: Play It Forward, its signature annual fundraiser set for September 26. Inspired by the glamour and energy of the Studio 54 era, the event will transform MOXI into a disco-themed celebration of music, creativity, and community impact.
Honorary Co-chairs Belle Hahn and Lily Hahn Shining are leading this year’s festivities, which will bring together supporters for an evening of rooftop cocktails, interactive experiences, dinner, a live auction hosted by Andrew Firestone, and MOXI’s popular silent disco under the stars. Guests are encouraged to embrace the retro theme with disco-chic attire.
Beyond the party, the event supports MOXI’s mission of expanding access to STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Proceeds help fund school field trips, community partnerships, reduced-cost admissions, after-school programs, and other initiatives that connect local children and families with hands-on learning opportunities. Sponsorship opportunities are currently available, with a July 24 deadline for inclusion on event invitations. 411: moxi.org/moxi-at-night.
Hillside National Disability Independence Day Celebration
Hillside will host its annual National Disability Independence Day Festival on Saturday, July 25, inviting the Santa Barbara community to an afternoon celebrating inclusion, accessibility, and the achievements of individuals with disabilities. Held at Hillside’s Veronica Springs campus, the family-friendly event will feature carnival games, live music from DJ of Ability Chris Benedict, face painting, a petting zoo, balloon artists, food vendors, and hands-on activities including slime-making and birdhouse painting.
Letter to the Editor Gleaning the Story Behind the Veggie Rescue Cover
About a month ago I enjoyed the surprise of having my photo on the cover of the Montecito Journal (May 14-21, 2026). The feature article highlighted an important, but perhaps little-known nonprofit in our community called Veggie Rescue. I had no business being the face of the article.
In case you didn’t read the article, Veggie Rescue’s mission is to rescue good food (surplus produce, dairy, meats, canned and packaged foods) and redirect it toward hope, health, and community. Veggie Rescue picks up overstock food from local farms, stores and restaurants that would be headed for the landfill. Then, within 24 hours of being collected, the food is transported in refrigerated trucks to local nonprofits that use these ingredients to make meals for food insecure community members. The Rescue Mission, Unity Shoppe, Organic Soup Kitchen and Mental Wellness Center are but a few of the places that receive the bounty.
What the article didn’t mention is that Veggie Rescue recently resurrected their gleaning (collecting unharvested food) program which employs volunteers to harvest any extra fruits and vegetables people in our community may have.
All I did was send an email to some family, friends and neighbors to see if they had any extra produce; I then coordinated with Veggie Rescue’s staff to glean it! Of course, some of the people I contacted didn’t have anything to offer, others picked and bagged the fruit themselves to be picked up, while still others opened their backyards to the gleaning team. In barely two hours we had gathered 456 pounds of fruit that was subsequently turned into food for people in our community.
If you have extra fruits and vegetables
Montecito Tide Guide
available to harvest, or want to coordinate with your friends and neighbors willing to share their backyard abundance, I encourage you to reach out to Veggie Rescue and share your good fortune. Then take a selfie with the group and you, too, may end up on the cover of the Montecito Journal!
Email Eryn at eryn@veggierescue.org to find out more, arrange a food pick up or become a harvest volunteer.
Laura Wyatt
YOUR LETTERS MATTER!
The Montecito Journal thrives on community input… Have thoughts on a local issue? Comments on one of our articles?
Account Managers | Sue Brooks, Tanis Nelson, Elizabeth Scott, Joe DeMello, Thomas Mock Features | Jeff Wing
Proofreading | Helen Buckley
Contributors | Scott Craig, Chuck Graham, Mark Ashton Hunt, Dalina Michaels, Robert Bernstein, Christina Atchison, Leslie Zemeckis, Sigrid Toye, Elizabeth Stewart, Leana Orsua, Jeffrey Harding, Houghton Hyatt
Arts and Entertainment | Steven Libowitz
Gossip | Richard Mineards
History | Hattie Beresford
Humor | Ernie Witham
Our Town/Society | Joanne A Calitri
Health/Wellness | Ann Brode, Deann Zampelli
Travel | Jerry Dunn, Leslie Westbrook
Food & Wine | Melissa Petitto, Gabe Saglie, Jamie Knee
Published by:
Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC
Montecito Journal is compiled, compounded, calibrated, cogitated over, and coughed up every Wednesday by an exacting agglomeration of excitable (and often exemplary) expert edifiers at 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite G, Montecito, CA 93108.
How to reach us: (805) 565-1860; FAX: (805) 969-6654; Montecito Journal, 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite G, Montecito, CA 93108; EMAIL: tim@montecitojournal.net
Honorary Co-chairs Belle Hahn and Lily Hahn Shining will lead this year’s MOXI@Night (courtesy photo)
On Entertainment Mixtapes & Misfits: Free Movies and Music Outdoors for the Summer
by Steven Libowitz
UCSB
Arts & Lectures just released its impressive slate of events for the 202627 season. But before diving into everything the fall, winter and spring seasons gather under the A&L auspices, there is the 15th season of the free Summer Cinema series with which to happily reckon. These Friday night communal screenings at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens downtown are a longstanding staple of summer in Santa Barbara. Mixtapes & Misfits is the theme for this year’s iteration of the series, which runs from July 10-August 28 and encompasses seven offbeat coming-of-age stories, ripe with all the pleasing mayhem inherent in the genre, from big emotions to iconic music, and the quirky characters who make revisiting that time of life a lark and a laugh. This year the movies show in chronological order of their release: Pretty in Pink, Say Anything…, La Bamba, Rushmore, Love & Basketball, Napoleon Dynamite, and Hairspray. (No screening on August 7 due to Fiesta’s Las Noches de Ronda at the location). A collaboration between A&L and the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture, the events are much more than movie screenings, and have turned into a cherished Santa Barbara summertime tradition where folks spread out early on blankets and lawn chair to picnic, party and congregate. These movie nights include live DJs spinning tunes, giveaways, food trucks, and more, adding to the gloriously summeresque atmosphere. The movie starts once the sun has set and the stars are out, around 8:30 pm. https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/free-summer-cinema
Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo
A&L’s free Summer Cinema series is gearing up with Mixtapes & Misfits
The greatest professional compliment a client can give their real estate agent is to use their services again (and again...)
So far I have had:
In the “It’s so obvious why hasn’t it happened before” department, the Santa Barbara Film Festival and the Santa Barbara Zoo are teaming up to screen animal-themed animated movies at the hilltop zoo this summer, part of its new program of staying open to 7 pm through early September. Dubbed Zoovies, the series of three family films began earlier this week, with two more installments, including Oscar-winners Finding Nemo on July 8 and Zootopia (duh!) on August 12 screening respectively. Before each film, zookeepers will speak briefly about the importance of conservation in relation to animals like the ones who live at the Zoo. Screenings are free with standard Zoo admission, and SBIFF will be distributing 300 free Zoovies passes for each film through Santa Barbara-based Family Resource Centers. Visit https://sbifftheatres.com/zoovies or www.sbzoo.org/twilight-hours
The Sounds of Summer
Does music sound better in the great outdoors, or is it just the ambience that adds something special? Does it matter? Not so much when it comes to Santa Barbara’s enormously popular weekly series, which get a new entry this season in a more sporadic format by the beach.
The first show of the summer comes from the newest series, with Arts in the Open at Plaza del Mar logging only its second year at the recently refurbished bandshell across from Los Banos and the Santa Barbara Harbor. Presented by the Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with the PARC Foundation. The season kicks
Entertainment Page 294
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Our Town
Montecito Sheriff’s Substation
Grand Opening
by Joanne A Calitri
Rick Caruso – along with First District SB County Supervisor Roy Lee and SBC SheriffCoroner Bill Brown – held a grand opening of the long-awaited Montecito Sheriff’s Office Substation, located at the Rosewood Miramar Beach, Montecito, on Wednesday, June 17, at 3:30 pm. The new substation serves the community of Montecito, an unincorporated town in Santa Barbara County
The event began outside with remarks by Caruso, Lee, and Brown, and an official ribbon-cutting at the entrance to the Sheriff’s substation. Tours of the substation and one on one interviews were held after with the media.
Caruso opened the ceremony by stating, “As a company our culture has always been to support the first responders. We are very grateful to those who protect us, keep us safe, keep us healthy, and take care of
our property and our guests. We are grateful to you Sheriff Brown and the great men and women of the Sheriff’s department who have been here for us over the past seven years we’ve been up here during our construction. From what we understand from your department, the substation here is going to increase the ability for public safety in this part of the community. We are proud to be able to support our neighbors and our friends in the Montecito community.” Caruso also thanked Lee for his support in having a Sheriff’s post at Rosewood Miramar Beach.
With that he introduced Lee, who thanked Rick Caruso and his entire team, Sheriff Brown and his deputies, and the Montecito Association for its vision in making it happen. Lee introduced Sheriff Bill Brown. Sheriff Brown spoke at length. Highlights of his speech are, “This is an exciting moment for the Montecito community and the Sheriff’s office. I am proud to be here as we officially
open the new Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Montecito office at the Rosewood Miramar Beach. Today’s celebration is not just about opening up a new facility, it’s about opening doors to stronger partnerships, greater accessibility and a deeper connection between the Sheriff’s office and the community we serve in Montecito. It represents something truly meaningful; a public-private partnership that is innovative, and that works. By bringing together the resources, vision and goodwill of the Rosewood Miramar Beach and the desire of SB County Sheriff’s office to better serve our constituents, we’ve created a space that enhances safety while also strengthening community trust. The Caruso team has generously provided this space at no charge to the County of Santa Barbara.” He then thanked Caruso, Lee, and all involved in the project, with a special recognition to Lt. Rich Brittingham who began the project. [See video on the MJ website for full remarks of all speakers at https://tinyurl.com/ MJ-Substation-Vid]
Tour of the substation shows it is equipped with two working desks that each have a computer with two monitors, phones, and on the facing wall a
large screen monitor. There is a basic kitchenette with half fridge and microwave, and a bathroom. The walls have four large scale canvas prints of vintage Sheriff’s department photographs that were selected and installed by Lieutenant Daniel Nelson Jr. When I talked with Lt. Nelson about it, he said there will be more current photos soon, to be displayed for the team who will utilize the new office.
The concept of a Sheriff’s station in Montecito primarily came about late 2024 due to the delayed response time for law enforcement personnel to arrive for calls in the area due to the ongoing Highway 101 construction between Carpinteria and Montecito; and secondarily to the increase in burglaries in the area. The response time concern came to a head with a vagrancy intrusion incident at Montecito Union School in November 2024. In that episode it that took law enforcement 30 minutes to arrive on scene due to highway and side road construction. MUS Superintendent Anthony Ranii, who was able to abate the incident with the vagrant prior to the arrival of law enforcement, brought the matter to
Antique
& Co
Ribbon cutting for the Sheriff’s Substation (photo by Joanne A Calitri)
Supervisor Roy Lee, SBC Sheriff Bill Brown, Rick Caruso, and Lt. Rich Brittingham (photo by Joanne A Calitri)
Dancing into Summer Solstice
Why La Boheme Dance Group Inspires
People to Join, Return, and Begin Again
by Jamie Knee
Summer Solstice has always felt like the true beginning of the season in Santa Barbara. It is the moment the city tips fully into joy, and nowhere is that more visible than in the annual Solstice Parade.
This year, the 52nd annual Summer Solstice Parade moved up Santa Barbara Street beneath the theme Wave, with dancers, skaters, musicians, and makers interpreting it in ways that felt oceanic, playful, surreal, and exuberant. The parade began at Ortega Street and continued to Alameda Park, where the celebration carried on into the evening. But as anyone who has ever danced in Solstice knows, the real story begins long before the parade route.
Two years ago, I wrote about my own Solstice journey in two parts. The first came while I was still learning to dance with La Boheme Dance Group, immersed in rehearsals, costume making, and the vulnerability of stepping far outside my comfort zone. The second came after the parade, when the nerves had given way to exhilaration, gratitude, and the jubilant feeling of having done something I was not at all sure I could do.
That experience taught me how much courage, discipline, and joy live behind the spectacle. This year, I wanted to ask a different question: what keeps calling people back, and what inspires someone to say yes for the first time?
For Veronica Slavin, dancing in the Solstice Parade began in a deeply personal place. After being hit by a drunk driver, she found herself searching for something that could help her heal, both physically and mentally. She first reached out to La Boheme thinking she might simply attend a few dance classes. Instead, she was welcomed into Solstice rehearsals in 2018 and says she has never looked back. “It’s joy, art, movement, community, as well as a much-needed escape,” she told me. “It’s the start of summer, new beginnings, grateful that I can still dance, no matter what it might look like to others.”
Her words capture something essential about La Boheme. People may arrive because they are curious, or because
they want a creative outlet, or because they feel an intuitive pull toward the parade’s exuberance. But what they often find is something deeper than performance. They find ritual, belonging, and connection. Slavin also spoke about the acceptance she found within the group. “I didn’t expect to find the community that is La Boheme,” she said. “No one is judging. You just go for it and have fun.”
Juli Askew’s journey carried a different kind of transformation. After years of struggling with obesity, she promised herself that if she could reclaim her health, she would celebrate by dancing with La Boheme in the Solstice Parade. “I am still a work in progress,” she told me. “But the joy and freedom I felt being able to dance was worth gold.” What moved me most in her words was not only the sense of personal triumph, but the way she described being held by the group around her. She said she felt loved, supported, and inspired by the women of La Boheme, a reminder that Solstice can be as much about collective encouragement as individual courage.
For first time dancer Carla Keisler, joining La Boheme was also a declaration. “As I approach my 60th birthday, it’s time to shed stereotypes of what old is and how one is supposed to behave after a certain age,” she told me. “Embrace power, strength, and grace always. La Boheme represents all that and more to me.” That spirit of reinvention feels especially resonant in a parade that has always made room for self-expression, imagination, and bold personal joy.
LUNCH: Mon-Sat 11:30AM-2PM | DINNER: 7 nights from 5PM
For Teresa Kuskey Oshay , founder of La Boheme Productions, the parade is about far more than choreography. “Creating a moving show traveling up through Santa Barbara creates a lot of love, joy, and community,” she told me. She described La Boheme as “a slice of our Santa Barbara and our surrounding communities,” adding that the troupe works not only to create something joyful for the crowd, but to build confidence and empowerment within the dancers themselves. After two months of rehearsals, she said, dancers leave with “new bodies, confidence, sharper brains, and resilience.” For some, that transformation is unexpectedly emotional. “Those that thought they could not, have cried and thanked me,” she said.
And the emotion does not end when the parade does. After making our way up State Street, we gathered in Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, where the adrenaline began to settle into something softer. Alongside the relief of having made it through and the midday exhaustion under the Santa Barbara solstice sun, there were tears, hugs, and a kind of collective amazement. This year, La Boheme had 110 dancers, 60 of them new, each arriving with her own reason for saying yes. Some arrived carrying personal heartache. Some came to prove to themselves, as I did, that they still could. Others may not have had the words for why they joined when rehearsals began, only to find that by the end, the answer was written clearly in joy, relief, and pride.
That, perhaps, is what makes Solstice so enduring in Santa Barbara. We are often celebrated for our wine country, our beaches, and our mountain views, and rightly so. But a place is never defined by scenery alone. It is defined by the traditions that bring people together and by the culture they create together. Solstice is one of the most vivid expressions of that truth. It is whimsical, theatrical, and distinctly Santa Barbara, but it is also deeply rooted in participation.
As someone whose work so often centers on place, culture, and experience, I have spent years writing about what makes a destination memorable. Solstice Santa Barbara and dancing with La Boheme has reminded me, again and again, that some of the most lasting memories are not made by watching alone, but by stepping in. By rehearsing. By laughing through it. By trusting the process and joining the parade. There is luxury in our beauty, certainly, and Santa Barbara has that in abundance. But there is another kind of richness here too, one made of shared tradition, creative expression, and community rituals that welcome people back into themselves and into one another. Summer Solstice is one of those rituals.
And that is why, every year, when June arrives and the city gathers to welcome summer, Solstice still feels like a beginning. Not only of the season, but of that annual reminder that joy, when it is shared, becomes part of the character of a place.
Photo courtesy of Olio e Limone Ristorante
The La Boheme crew (photo by Fritz Olenberger)
Jamie with Teresa Kuskey Oshay (photo by Fritz Olenberger)
Celebrating More Space
More Mesa Open Space at Faulkner
by Hattie Beresford
“In wildness is the preservation of the world,” wrote Henry David Thoreau in his famous essay, “Walking.” In it, he maintains that humans are a part of nature, and that all things come from the natural world, which must be protected for our own health.
In another essay he said, “We need the tonic of wildness – to wade sometimes in marshes where the bittern and the meadow-hen lurk and hear the booming of the snipe; to smell the whispering sedge where only some wilder and more solitary fowl builds her nest.”
Thoreau believed in the healing power of the wild natural environment and landscape. Santa Barbarans have the opportunity to vicariously immerse themselves in such a landscape at the Faulkner Gallery of the downtown library. Open for just five more days, this incredible show by the artists of the Oak Group features the landscape of More Mesa Open Space.
The overriding feeling expressed through the various interpretive brush strokes of the Oak Group artists is one of overwhelming beauty and serenity. The show invites one to take a walk through the bucolic More Mesa landscape to get a sense of what John Muir called the flow of nature’s peace.
Walk to Sisters. Escape to Central Oregon.
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The Oak Group, a group of plein air painters formed in 1986, works with conservation groups and landowners to record the beauty of endangered landscapes and draw attention to protecting them. For this exhibition, they are working with the More Mesa Preservation Coalition to raise awareness and funds to purchase the 265 acres currently being used as public open space on More Mesa. These lands are actually privately owned and are currently up for sale and subject to further development.
All paintings are variations on a theme and present More Mesa through the emotional aesthetic and unique styles of the artists featured. From moody nocturnes to impressionistic and tonal seasons, the exhibition as
a whole transmits a powerful sense of nature and highlights the importance and value of preserving the natural landscape and open space. Though the exhibition closes Tuesday, the 30th of June, sales of the paintings will continue through July 31st. To learn more about More Mesa and/or to support the habitat and recreational values of this incredible site, go to moremesa.org . For more information about sales and the Oak Group, go to oakgroup.org . For sales, go to Rick Drake at (805) 448-3162 or rws.drake@gmail.com. For those who don’t make it to the exhibition, there’s always a hike, walk, or stroll on the open space lands of More Mesa… at least for now.
Note to Readers: I found information about Thoreau’s ideas online at the following website, which has published a PDF of a rough draft of a powerful and eloquent voice regarding the importance of preservation and how we treat the earth. It makes total sense. Unfortunately, the article is not signed, so I cannot credit the author. It is well worth reading. https://tinyurl.com/ MJ-Walding-Thoreau
Beresford has been writing a local history column for the Montecito Journal for more than a decade and is the author of several books on Santa
A full moon illuminates the brilliance of Arturo Tello’s nocturne entitled Full Moon Drum Circle at More Mesa
Two different styles using a similar palette, Thomas van Stein’s Path Through the Oaks, More Mesa and Jeremy Harper’s Nudie Beach
have ever read (think Raymond Chandler), and author Michael C. Armour paints a gorgeous story with the prose as sweeping as the Santa Barbara vistas. I hope he returns with another. ”
– Leslie Zemeckis
Award-winning documentarian, best-selling author, actor and co-founder of the Santa Barbara Literary Festival.
Now available at Chaucer’s Books, Tecolote Book Shop and Godmothers
Community Voices Community Voices
Homeless, Not Hopeless Paying One’s Part
by Alexander Stoeber
Iwas homeless before I knew what that meant. The place I remember most is Lake Tulloch – doing my homework by flashlight, shivering, my shoulders searing from sunburn so deep we packed them in mustard to draw the heat out. The smell of mustard is still the smell of those nights. I would lie there dreading the morning, working out how I’d get to school: walking if we were close enough, or knocking on doors in whatever community we’d landed in, asking whether anyone had a car and a few minutes to spare.
We moved so constantly, all over California, that I was held back in the first grade. The fear of being held back again made me independent. I learned to get myself to school, because school was where I wanted to be. It was warm. It had a hot breakfast and a hot lunch, and when my friends weren’t going to eat theirs, I stashed the extras. The classroom was the most stable thing in my life, so I held onto it with everything I had and made sure I excelled no matter what. That brought me to the land of opportunity, Santa Barbara, to study Political Science at UCSB and find a better way so others don’t have to experience hopelessness.
That is the first thing I need you to understand before I say a word about policy. A person without a home is not a person without hopes and dreams.
But hope is not the whole story. I grew up close enough to every kind of homelessness to know they are different countries, even when they share the same riverbank.
There is not one kind. There are three. Santa Barbara keeps trying to solve all three with a single answer, and
then we act surprised when that answer doesn’t hold up.
The have-nots simply lack the resources to climb out or stay out. A medical bill, a lost job, a rent increase they couldn’t absorb. They are not broken. They are short. Given a bridge, they cross it, and they stay across. I was one of them. My bridge was a classroom and a hot tray of food.
The can-nots are different. Mental illness, or some other condition nobody chooses, keeps a stable life out of reach, and no amount of deciding will change that. Telling them to do better is telling a man with a broken leg to walk it off. What they need is a doctor, and what they need is treatment from people who stay long enough for it to take.
Then there are the will-nots, who get offered the bed, the program, the caseworker, and still say ‘no’ to a different life for themselves. Some of them love the open road more than they could ever love a lease. Others are so deep inside a drug that nothing the rest of us can offer competes with the next high. Nobody likes talking about this group, which is exactly why somebody should.
Trapped In Between
I won’t pretend the categories come with clear borders. People drift between them, and I have watched it happen. Soft boundaries don’t excuse us from defining the problem, and our city’s ledger shows what refusal of definition costs. Recently, Santa Barbara put around $1.65 million into services that actually move people off the street, and an estimated $6.5 million into cleaning up after the problem: enforcement,
by Randy Alcorn
Jeffrey Harding ’s spirited defense of capitalism ( Montecito Journal , May 14-21, 2026) by way of castigating “liberals-progressive-socialists” whom he alleges despise and wish to destroy billionaires, presents a familiar argument – capitalism good, socialism bad.
Maybe an independent mind would consider capitalism and socialism as tools in a toolbox of ideas and approaches that can be used to best organize an economy to promote the general welfare – without “killing the golden goose” of entrepreneurialism. In fact, many advanced nations have healthy mixed economies, including, to some extent, the U.S. The critical factor is an efficacious balance.
While there are probably folks who do hate billionaires and wish to destroy them, I’m skeptical that the politicians Harding singles out, let alone all those he might include as “liberals-progressives-socialists,” are intent on eradicating billionaires. Advocating for a 5% tax on wealth exceeding $5 billion is not proscription.
Nor would such a tax disincentivize entrepreneurialism. Would enterprising folks not pursue their ideas, inventions, and dreams if the wealth realized from their success were taxed another 5% above $5 billion? Really?
Would folks like Bill Gates , Elon Musk , Jeff Bezos , et al, think to themselves: “Gee whiz, I’m not going to risk getting rich if I can only amass $5 billion before I’m taxed an additional 5%. Guess I’ll keep taking a paycheck from my employer and hope for a raise.”
Harding duly notes that the vast majority of Americans are concerned
about wealth concentration, but he dismisses their concern as the “deadly sin” of envy. That most Americans disfavor pronounced and growing wealth disparity derives more from personal financial agita than from envy. It’s not jealousy over a relatively small number of people having so much more than most Americans; it’s that more and more Americans find themselves increasingly struggling to maintain a foothold on the economic ladder, let alone make a step up to a higher rung.
Greed and gluttony are also among the seven deadly sins, and corporate capitalism has made America an economic jungle in which rapacious cannibals see everyone as dinner. Millions of Americans are one medical emergency away from bankruptcy. Many Americans have little job security and many work multiple jobs to keep from falling down or off the economic ladder. An unconscionably large number of Americans live on the streets. Meanwhile, corporate profits soar as prices are pushed ever higher to maximize shareholder value and guarantee lavish bonuses and stock options for management.
A current example of rapacious greed is the record profit margins of oil companies that justify raising their prices based on world market conditions and not on actual increases in their cost of goods. Such gratuitous greed is found in other large segments of the economy, including healthcare, defense, banking, and pharmaceuticals.
Harding quotes statistical evidence that the economic elite already pay the lion’s share of taxes. The wealthiest 10% pay 72% of the taxes. Those highest on
Scott Galloway Notes on Being a Man Fri, Sep 25 / 7:30 PM / Arlington Theatre
Anne Applebaum
History, Memory and Power Sun, Jan 31 / 4 PM / Granada Theatre
Christopher Wray
Geopolitics and National Security Tue, Feb 16 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall
Kara Swisher
Who Wants to Live Forever?
Technology and the Future of Being Human Thu, Apr 8 / 7:30 PM / Granada Theatre
Hakeem Oluseyi
Why Do We Exist?
The Science of Connection and Possibility Wed, May 5 / 7:30 PM / Campbell Hall
Your Westmont Kass Brings AI Optimism Back Home
by Scott Craig, photos by Brad Elliott
The rapidly accelerating world of artificial intelligence often fuels a modern culture of anxiety, but Santa Barbara tech executive and author Zack Kass believes humanity stands on the precipice of its greatest era yet. The audience of about 300 people reacted to his lively talk with applause on several occasions and gave him a standing ovation at the end.
Kass, former head of Go-To-Market at OpenAI and author of The Next RenAIssance, served as a keynote speaker at Westmont’s LEAD Where You Stand conference, which took place June 4-5 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.
“Leadership, Human Flourishing and Artificial Intelligence” brought together a distinguished lineup of global thought leaders, bestselling authors and research-
Meet the Doctor
Meet Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Andrew Beckler, MD
What drives someone to spend a life in medicine?
In this Q&A series, a group of leading local physicians share the moments that set them on their path, the breakthroughs shaping their fields, and the realities behind the work. Their answers are candid, occasionally surprising, and grounded in experience. Together they offer a clear-eyed look at the people delivering care in our community, and what continues to motivate them every day.
ers to equip executives, educators and organizational leaders to navigate a rapidly shifting technological and cultural landscape.
Kass said navigating that landscape requires a fundamental shift from fear to historical perspective. He detailed the rapid evolution of AI, tracing the lineage of modern technology from early statistical machine learning to the foundational neural networks that define contemporary computing.
“We went from building machines that could barely measure sentiment in a tweet to building machines that could conduct multi-step, multi-environment, novel scientific research in six years,” he said. “If you’re impressed, guess what? So are the researchers.”
Google researchers published a reinforcement learning paper and the last sentence read: “Above all else, we attribute our success to divine benevolence.”
“Even the researchers are like, yeah, God’s good,” Kass said. “That’s how much humility it requires to stare at this and not assume there is some guiding light.”
While maintaining a staunchly optimistic outlook, Kass did not shy away from the real-world responsibilities and challenges that accompany the AI revolution. He stressed the urgent need to address widespread screen and device addiction, particularly among younger generations.
“The screen is causing damage to our brains that we still don’t yet understand,” Kass said. “The screen is a demon, and the more that we normalize that discussion, the healthier we’re going to build technology, and the better the world we’re going to live in.”
He stressed the importance of addressing device addiction, noting
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Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine, and how did you select your particular specialty?
A. My decision to pursue medicine was influenced by my desire to help people and directly impact their lives. After college, I was doing cancer research in a lab and although the work was challenging, it did not provide the direct human connection you get with medical care. I chose Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as my specialty because it requires great attention to detail while necessitating a broad knowledge base of the most up-to-date techniques and methods. It also allows me to exercise my creativity and artistic side.
What’s one misconception people often have about your field?
A common misconception about the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery is that all we do is cosmetics and are focused on making people look better. A significant portion of my job focuses on reconstruction of skin cancer defects, surgery to improve nasal breathing, and upper eyelid/brow surgery to improve people’s vision. I really appreciate the balance between the two areas (cosmetics and reconstruction) and the challenges of each.
What inspires you to get up every day and take care of your patients?
We have a truly fantastic team at Sutter Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and I’m inspired by their hard work and dedication to making our patients’ experience the best that it can be. From the check-in process, to coordinating surgery times, to making the patient feel comfortable throughout their visit, our team is committed to providing the best care possible in a safe and comfortable environment.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
My favorite activities outside of work include surfing, snowboarding, running, hiking and just generally being outdoors. I also really enjoy reading, music and travel.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self starting out in medicine?
To a younger version of myself or anyone considering a career in medicine, I would tell them you have to do it because you want to help people, and you can’t imagine doing anything else. The amount of time, dedication and training required to become a physician is significant, and the medical landscape physicians practice in continues to change; therefore, you have to dedicate yourself to a life of service and sacrifice, and you have to be adaptable. Without these qualities and this perspective, you are not likely to succeed. Medicine has changed significantly since I started medical school, but the reasons I chose medicine have not changed. As long as you keep that perspective, you can have a rewarding and impactful career despite the changes around you.
As Sansum Clinic begins a new chapter as part of Sutter Health, we remain united by a shared mission: to deliver compassionate, high-quality care to the communities we serve. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare on the Central Coast.
Sponsored by Sutter Health | Visit www.sutterhealth.org
Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Andrew Beckler, MD
Zack Kass says: “The future of technology is human”
Hot Topics Know Before You Go: Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast
by Christina Atchison
One of Montecito’s most time-honored traditions is back for America’s 250 th birthday. The Montecito Firefighters’ Association’s annual Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast will kick off at 7 am on Saturday, July 4, at Fire Station 91 – 595 San Ysidro Road. Montecito Fire Engineer/Inspector Billy Wrenn is the lead organizer of the event. “We’re looking forward to another great turnout for our Pancake Breakfast this year,” Wrenn said. In 2025, a grand total of 1,776 tickets were sold in an incredibly patriotic coincidence.
Breakfast includes pancakes, sausage links and eggs, plus freshly squeezed orange juice and locally roasted Green Star Coffee. “Green Star has been donating all the coffee for our Pancake Breakfast for about a decade now,” Wrenn said. “It’s one of several community partnerships that make our event successful.”
In the firehouse kitchen, Montecito Rotary Club members volunteer their time to mix enough pancake batter to feed the small army of locals who are projected to come out for the event.
“The Rotary Club has been helping us out for a few years now and they are really the unsung heroes of the event,” Wrenn said. “Mixing all the batter is a messy job and their volunteers have such great attitudes about helping out and serving our community.”
Behind the griddle are your very own Montecito Firefighters, flipping pancakes, frying sausage, and scrambling eggs.
Wrenn estimates about 40 people make the event come together, including Montecito Fire employees and many of their family members and friends.
“Many of our firefighters’ spouses and kids help out with serving breakfast and it’s become a family tradition for them,” he said.
Logistics & Tickets
Welcoming nearly 2,000 people into the fire station comes with extensive logistical planning. Wrenn encourages attendees to make a parking plan ahead of time and wear walking shoes.
“There is no parking on site. We recommend people park at Lower or Upper Manning Park and walk up San Ysidro to the fire station,” Wrenn said. Be on the lookout for signage indicating where breakfast diners can be dropped off in front of Fire Station 91.
In alignment with the number of our United States, there are 50 tables from the front apron of Fire Station 91 to the back parking lot with seating for 500.
“Expect to meet someone new and possibly share a table with people you do not know,” Wrenn said. “It’s all part of the fun and community spirit of our breakfast.”
Pancake breakfast tickets will be sold the morning of July 4th only – tickets are not available for purchase in advance.
Tickets are $15. Kids ages 10 and under eat for free!
Payment is accepted via card, Venmo or cash.
Ticket sales start at 7 am sharp. The last tickets for breakfast will be sold at 11 am.
“We try to move the line as quickly as possible but expect it to be busy, and to stand in line, especially if you arrive mid-morning,” Wrenn said.
In addition to purchasing breakfast, attendees may buy Montecito Firefighters’ Association swag including hats, shirts, pint glasses and coffee mugs.
The Purpose
Proceeds from the event benefit the Montecito Firefighters’ Charitable Foundation, an internal nonprofit
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Travel Buzz Part 2 of Japan Journey: The First Blossom
by Leslie A Westbrook
Arriving in Tokyo at the beginning of cherry blossom season – and during a year marked by loss.
After making my way through Japanese customs, I was thrilled to be greeted at the airport by Yoshi, who announced with great enthusiasm, “The first cherry blossom has bloomed!”
How auspicious, I thought, to arrive on the day of the first official bloom.
At first, I imagined there was only one cherry blossom somewhere in this vast city of 14 million people. Where, exactly, would I find it?
Yoshi helped me with my luggage and escorted me to the car for the drive into Tokyo. Outside, the landscape around Narita was overcast and gray, strangely reminiscent of arrivals in London. Highway signs appeared in both Japanese and English as we sped past apartment blocks, industrial buildings, and tiny cars that looked like oversized toasters.
Tokyo is a city of staggering scale. More than 14 million people live within the city limits, while the greater metropolitan area is home to roughly 37 million residents – the largest urban population in the world. As we crossed the Edo-gawa River and entered a landscape of gray roads, gray buildings, and gray skies, I began to understand Yoshi’s excitement over a single pink blossom.
Like many things in Japan, the first
bloom carries layers of meaning. It signals the end of winter and the arrival of spring while predicting that the cherry trees will reach full bloom within seven to ten days. Then, almost as quickly, the blossoms fall, their petals carpeting the ground in shades of pink.
The season is also closely tied to the Japanese concept of mono no aware – an awareness of life’s beauty and impermanence, and the quiet sadness that accompanies the passing of all things. It was impossible not to think about that as I traveled. This journey to see loved ones came only six months after my mother’s death, during what I had come to think of as my year of grief travel. The timing felt less like coincidence and more like a gentle lesson in acceptance.
We crossed another broad river, the
Travel Buzz Page 264
These volunteers are ready to serve you pancakes
The first cherry blossoms of the season
The 25th floor interior lobby at Park Hotel Tokyo
Elizabeth’s Appraisals Meerschaum, Not Ivory
by Elizabeth Stewart
LSwrites to ask me if his vintage pipe is ivory, and if so, can he sell ivory? First question: it is not ivory; it is carved meerschaum. If it were ivory, LS would have to donate it, as ivory cannot be sold today without extensive paperwork. This is a 1880s seafoam hand carved pipe; Meerschaum!
Where did this tradition of carved meerschaum originate, and what is the figure on the bowl of the pipe? Notice the head is turbaned and the face is bearded, and this answers the first question: Carved meerschaum pipes originated in the mid-18th century in Eskişehir, Turkey, a region between Istanbul and Ankara, where today sepiolite – the material commonly known as meerschaum (“sea foam” in German) – is mined from thousands of shafts leading to horizontal galleries, ready for extraction. Sepiolite is the remains of compressed ancient sea life; scientifically, it is a hydrous magnesium silicate.
Secondly, the Turkish gentleman pictured on the pipe’s bowl is a nod to Turkish tobacco, which has long been one of the world’s top tobaccos. The blend, called “Oriental,” is a smallleafed, sun-cured variety of the plant that is spicy and tangy, as opposed to Virginia tobacco plants from the United States, which have sweet, grassy leaves. Thus, the image of the exotic man is a nod both to the place of origin of meerschaum and to the style of tobacco the pipe was meant to hold.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, meerschaum was exported from Turkey and carved in Vienna. The tradition of these pipes is thus associated with Germanic culture, with carved figures that evoke a distinctly Germanic aesthetic. Carving reached a height in the 19th century, when a wide variety of figures and bowls were introduced to the world market, often with amber stems. Typical figures include dog breeds, bears and wolves, fat Friar faces, buxom women (to the bustline), sultans, sea creatures, Greek Gods, Arabian princes, trolls, and
sailors. Today master carvers in Virginia are represented on a charming site called MeerschaumMarket.com. Order a modern Meerschaum pipe with shorter stem, or a traditional “churchwarden” long stem pipe intended to make the smoker look contemplative.
Tobacco is native to the Americas, and the smoking of tobacco pipes dates to Indigenous American ceremonial rites as early as 3,500 years ago. Archaeologists have found early clay pipe fragments from this period. The plant was introduced to Europe in the 16th century through several avenues: the 1492 voyage of Christopher Columbus; the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs (who smoked tobacco); and the introduction of tobacco and the pipe to England by Ralph Lane, the governor of Virginia, who in 1586 brought a Native American pipe to Sir Walter Raleigh and taught him how to use it. Tobacco was subsequently brought from Roanoke to England in 1589.
Settlers at Jamestown smoked pipes of many sizes and shapes, as attested by extensive excavations conducted by the National Park Service beginning in 1933, and later at Williamsburg in 1963, where an entire pathway leading to a blacksmith’s house was found paved with 11,000 broken clay tobacco pipe fragments from the 17th century. The supposition is that pipe smoking was
so popular with the Colonists, both men and women, that the 11,000 pipe fragments represent a shipment from England that was damaged on the voyage. By 1580, England had begun producing its own white clay pipes, and the Guild of Tobacco Makers was established in London in 1619.
In Turkey and Vienna in the 19th century, imitation meerschaum pipes were also marketed, made from other minerals or from a composite of meerschaum shavings. However, these imitations were not ultra-light, heat-resistant, or naturally absorbent of nicotine and tobacco tars. Some of the figures on the bowls were amateurishly carved or molded rather than hand carved. A moistened finger placed inside the bowl of a real meerschaum pipe will stick slightly to the sides because sepiolite is porous. Their competitors in the 19th-century pipe market were briar or ceramic pipes, but they did not age like meerschaum pipes, which, when newly carved, are bright white but over time turn amber, then red, and eventually a deep ochre. Sepiolite is rarest – and the pipes most valuable – when the material is translucent.
Since 1970, Turkey has banned the export of raw sepiolite nodules, which were traditionally carved in Austria or Germany. Today, Turkey maintains a multigenerational tradition of hand carvers in Eskişehir.
When this pipe was purchased, around 1880, it would have been expensive; today, like many materials related to smoking, it might sell for around $100.
Elizabeth Stewart, PhD is a veteran appraiser of fine art, furniture, glass, and other collectibles, and a cert. member of the AAA and an accr. member of the ASA. Please send any objects to be appraised to Elizabethappraisals@ gmail.com
Privatet respectful, low..-impact-no invasive crowds or parking issuest no rushed two..-day sales. no leftovers-just fairt competitive bidders from local and national buyers.
The meerschaum pipe with a carved, bearded face
Spirituality Matters
The Spirit of America
by Steven Libowitz
Dr. James Kwako’s upcoming class in his ongoing The Light of Healing series comes just in time for the nation’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. “The Spirit of America” is described as the presence and power that guides and encourages us to fulfill our highest yearnings for the good that can be done in our lives in this country. That spirit, he says, is comparable to the human spiritual core in that both act as the essence of the purpose and plan for inspired action as well as a repository of powerful potential of wisdom, love, and strength to sustain and guide the character of both the individual and our national culture.
“This is a time to be grateful for its guidance, for the opportunity to live and thrive here, and look for ways to add to its efforts to help us fulfill our missions for living,” Kwako says in his emailed invitation. “We are here to grow and learn, to master the instincts of the body, heart and mind, and to be inspired to reach for the best ways to serve family, friends, and those we meet in many ways.”
Of course, there are obstacles to us finding and following the guidance that is available to all of us from The Spirit of America, including fear, worry, guilt, greed, anger, ignorance, stubbornness, selfishness and arrogance. Obstacles also include groups, albeit perhaps well-intentioned, that emphasize extreme ways of viewing society that focus more on what is wrong than on solutions. Ways to increase attunement to the best within us include frequent attention to and expression of gratitude and gracefulness, choosing to pay attention to new ways of thinking and feeling, and ways of being creative with people and projects we are connected with. Among the benefits: Maturity of our character and the development of our strengths and virtues are most rapidly developed by being placed in situations where there are hardships to overcome, challenges to our knowledge, skill, and courage, and other problems to solve, Kwako suggests.
“The Spirit of America is available to all of us. We need to be curious by asking for help and understanding from those who are competent in loving
Spirituality Page 344
This Week @ MAW Conducting and Quartets
by Steven Libowitz
By the time Peruvian-born Conductor Miguel HarthBedoya finishes his residency at the Music Academy of the West early next month, he will have conducted the last three concerts in a row as part of the Academy’s summer season. HarthBedoya closed out the 2025 festival last August leading the by then well-seasoned Academy Festival Orchestra in Mahler’s epic “Symphony No. 3.” This year, he’s conducting the 14- to 18-yearold instrumentalists in an orchestral concert at 2 pm on June 25 to wind up the inaugural High School Intensive. He then turns his attention to the just-arrived MAW fellows making up this year’s AFO to launch the orchestral season at the Granada on July 3.
The engagements make up for a 20-plus-year gap since the last time Harth-Bedoya wielded the baton at a MAW event when he conducted the AFO in the early 2000s, back when the orchestra still performed at the Lobero Theatre. Of course, he has been busy in the interim, serving as music director of the Fort Worth Symphony from 2000-2020, chief conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra from 2013-2020, and engaging in scores of guest-conducting roles all around the world.
Harth-Bedoya has semi-retired from the road to take up teaching positions, first at Baylor for the 2023-24 academic year, and now permanently as resident director of orchestras and professor of conducting at the Rice University Shepherd School of Music.
“I’ve definitely cut down on traveling because I like to spend time with my students,” Harth-Bedoya said. “I’m not of the idea that you say you are teaching, but you are gone half the time performing elsewhere. I want to be available to my conducting and orchestra students.”
Conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya leads the concert for the inaugural High School Intensive at 2 pm on June 25 (photo by
Which of course makes him ideal for the two roles at MAW this summer in what may turn into a permanent spot on his early summer calendar. You might say teaching young musicians is a passion, but Harth-Bedoya sees it through a different lens.
“It’s a very selfish thing because I learn more that way. When you train others, you actually learn because you have to prepare differently, which is very exciting and a never-ending process.”
Harth-Bedoya had less than two weeks with the high schoolers interested in conducting, but he said such early exposure is integral.
“We’ve really been missing programs in this country for more than a generation. We haven’t really had early training in conducting. It’s the equivalent of pre-med for medical school, but we just dropped it. So I am happy to be part of resurfacing it.”
Harth-Bedoya said the inaugural program was simply an overview but very valuable that included the opportunity to actually wield the baton for sections toward the end of this week.
“We exposed them to a lot of elements, but letting them actually practice with real people is important,” he said. “It’s like a class on how to plant flowers and vegetables. If you just talk about the soil that feeds the water but don’t get your hands dirty – that’s when you realize how it feels. It takes patience and time and steadiness.”
Moving on to work with the vastly more experienced fellows in the regular summer festival might seem an easier task, but once again Harth-Bedoya had his own point of view.
“I approach every orchestra the same way – the San Francisco Symphony two weeks ago, the high school orchestra now, and the college or beyond musicians next week. What never changes is the why we do this, which is the music. We are human tools to get to the music. It’s not about us. With an
Dr. James Kwako’s The Spirit of America takes place on 10-11:30 am on Saturday, June 27 (courtesy photo)
Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman offers a channeling class and session at Sacred Space (courtesy photo)
Michal Novak)
orchestra that has never played together before, you have to help them build, but the goal is the same. I never deviate from that – it’s the music.”
The music on July 3rd is, somewhat surprisingly, not only by American composers.
Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” is a well-known piece that never gets tiresome, says Harth-Bedoya.
“It’s a gem, a jewel of American orchestration,” he said. “Gershwin added flavors that are jazzy or bluesy to what had been rather square Central European music to depict an ‘American in Paris.’ What he did was beautiful and brilliant and it should never be taken for granted, even if it’s easy to listen to.”
The Gershwin is paired with Brahms’ “Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 ‘Pastoral,’” which the conductor called almost a polar opposite.
“There’s no storyline, nothing external,” he said. “It’s just the music for the music and about the music. That’s it. The music does the magic. I’ve said this many times, but I still believe it: You cannot touch the music but music can touch you. It’s pretty incredible but that’s what happens over the course of the 40 minutes.”
Upcoming@MAW
We don’t mean to string you along, but the Music Academy is giving no quarter in its next three marquee events, focusing fully on the fearsome foursomes known as the string quartet. You’ll have to wait until Wednesday for a wider scope. But no need to vociferously vocalize about it, as mid-week brings a surfeit of singers.
Friday, June 26: The two fellows quartets that were hand-selected for the Takács Quartet’s coveted String Quartet Seminar Program perform for the first time together in recital following coaching and rehearsals in the season’s first two weeks. Among the works being played at the summer’s first event featuring the fellows: Smetana’s “Quartet No. 1 in E Minor, ‘From My Life’”; movements from Gabriela
Lena Frank’s “Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout”; sections of Schubert’s “No. 15 in G Major, D. 887”; and parts of Bartók’s “String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91, BB 95.” (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $10-$50)
Saturday, June 27: In what is surely an honor for the Music Academy, the Takács Quartet, who have been the resident string quartet at Miraflores for many years, perform their final string quartet concert before founding cellist András Fejér retires after more than half a century. The big bonus: It’s an all-Beethoven program, with the quartet – whose violist, former Camerata Pacifica and MAW faculty Richard O’Neill , who following tonight will no longer be the newbie after six seasons – playing the “G Major, Op. 18, No. 2”; “No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op. 74, ‘Harp’”; and “No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131.” (7:30 pm; Lobero Theatre; $10-125)
Tuesday, June 30: Founded in 2022 at the Eastman School of Music, The Maple Quartet bested the competition to be named this year’s MAW Emerging Artist String Quartet, the second in the new program. Violinists Isabel Chen and Magali Pelletey , violist John Crowley and cellist Gabriel Hennebury were two-time recipients of the Eastman’s Celentano String Quartet Award, and have gone on to place highly at national chamber music competitions. The foursome believe the string quartet medium is an essential tool for bringing people together, leading them to share music in unconventional spaces including museums, hospitals, classrooms, libraries, detention facilities and schools and community spaces for people with disabilities. Amidst their coaching by the Takács, Maple makes its MAW debut with a recital that sandwiches Haydn’s String Quartet in D Major, Op. 20 No. 4, Hob. III:34, and Dvořák’s No. 10 in E-Flat Major, Op. 51, around the
Takács founding cellist and last remaining original member, András Fejér is playing one more round before retiring after more than half a century (photo by Phil Channing)
THE INSIDER’S GUIDE TO WHAT’S GOOD
• Lilac | Happy Hour: Tuesday through Sunday from 3 to 5 pm | Featuring $10 wines by the glass, including Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, and a GSM blend
- Introducing Afternoon Tea: Tuesday through Sunday from 3 to 5 pm | Featuring a selection of teas with petite pastries and tea sandwiches | $65 for two guests
• Lion’s Tale | Happy Hour: Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 5:30 pm
- All Night Happy Hour | Monday from 4 pm to 12 am
- Burger & Martini Sundays | Get 1/2 off any house martini with the purchase of any burger.
- SB Jazz Collective | Every Wednesday from 6:30 to 9 pm
- Live Music | June 11 & 18 from 6 to 8 pm | Sticky Tables: Guitar-led throwback instrumental covers
• LOCAL | Happy Hour: Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 6 pm | Thursday through Sunday from 3 to 6 pm
• Monte’s | Happy Hour in the bar and lounge area: Wednesday through Sunday from 3 to 5 pm | Offering a selection of snacks, $10 house martini, discounted select glasses of wine, and $5 Pacifico!
- Farmers Market: On the deck! Friday from 10 am to 1 pm
Wednesday, July 1: Let’s hear it for Lehrer! The 20 singers who comprise this year’s cohort in the Lehrer Vocal Institute make their debut with the intro event that has quickly turned into a smart and charming annual affair. The vocalists will be starring all summer long in various projects, including master classes, opera scenes, chamber music concerts and, of course, the full-scale production of Kevin Puts ’ “Gothic thriller” opera Elizabeth Cree . But first we get to know them as people as well as singers, as each will individually perform a song that has special meaning for them as a reminder of home in its many guises. “Oh Beautiful: Songs from Home” will feature such wide-ranging selections Víctor Carbajo ’s “La Niña de Guatemala” from soprano Mariana Iguavita ; Lu Zaiyi ’s “The Bridge in my Homeland,” sung by tenor Zhongjiancheng Deng ; Harold Meltzer ’s “Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio” from Beautiful Ohio ,
from tenor Christopher Leimgruber ; the Korean folksong “Byul Hana (A Star),” with baritone Daniel Byun ; and Charles Samuel Brown ’s “A Song Without Words” from mezzo-soprano Maiya Williams . It’s also the first chance to hear the 2026 vocal piano fellows PeiWen Liao , Youngsu Cho , Yuhan Wang , Jay Patrick Forsythe , and Xi Huang perform four times each in supporting and partnering the singers. Come prepared to have your eyes opened and your heart moved. (7:30 pm; Hahn Hall; $10-$65)
Thursday, July 2: Tonight’s second Teaching Artist Showcase features five faculty members playing Arthur Foote’s “A Night Piece for Flute and String Quartet,” and three more taking on Bruch’s “Eight Pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Piano, Op. 83,” before the evening closes with Mendelssohn’s “Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20,” which will be played by the combined Takács and Maple Quartets as the mentors and mentees share the stage. (7:30 pm; Lobero Theatre; $10-125)
Arakawa, and Tokyo’s skyline emerged in muted blue-gray tones. Pale towers rose in the distance as boats bobbed below us on the water. The cityscape shifted from industrial to sleek and futuristic, a vast expanse of concrete, glass, and steel stretching toward the horizon.
Sometime later, I arrived at my first hotel. I was eager to see my fairy goddaughters, Alpha and Olivia, but because of my delayed arrival they had already spent the day together. Rather than disappoint me, the news made my heart sing. They had gone shopping, explored the city, and discovered how much they had in common. I loved knowing that these two young women I treasured –one living in Spain, the other wandering the world for the past several years – had bonded so quickly.
They were still out exploring when I checked into the Park Hotel Tokyo. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed not to see them immediately, but that was remedied soon enough.
Because of my missed flight, I had already lost my first night at the hotel and a guided tour I had booked. Still, I was eager to experience a Japanese highrise hotel for the first time.
The Park Hotel checked many boxes. The lobby occupied the 25th floor, while my room was several stories higher – a common arrangement in Tokyo, where hotels often occupy upper floors to maximize city views. The room and
bathroom were compact by Western standards, though not nearly as tiny as another room we would stay in later that week.
The hotel’s bar and restaurant had a distinct Lost in Translation atmosphere. Soft jazz played in the background while the staff were unfailingly gracious and attentive. The Park also served our favorite hotel breakfast of the trip: a lavish buffet and the prettiest eggs Benedict I’d ever seen, balanced precariously on a curved wooden plate that threatened to send the bright orange yolk sliding away. Across the room, another diner was engaged in a similar rescue mission involving a runaway cherry tomato.
After a welcome night’s sleep, it was time for our next adventure. Olivia and I headed to the famously confusing Tokyo Station to catch a train north to an onsen, where hot mineral springs awaited.
I had arrived.
Leslie A. Westbrook is a Lowell Thomas Award-winning travel writer and journalist who loves exploring the globe. A 3rd generation Californian., Leslie also assists clients sell fine art, antiques, and collectibles via auction. www.auctionliaison.com
Far Flung Travel Vernal Connection
by Chuck Graham
Charles Salas led me down into a recently restored ephemeral creek on his 1700-acre Estrellita Ranch tucked away in the rolling green hills of Paso Robles in Central CA.
The creek was lush with fragrant arroyo lupine, purple sage thistle, and vibrant California poppies, and low-growing goldfields, a far cry from what it was when Salas began breathing life back into the array of sensitive habitats surrounding his ranch.
He purchased his ranch in June 2025 but began restoring critical habitat on the property in January 2025. One of those projects involved removing an absurd number of beat-up tires from what is now a pristine watercourse.
The five tons of tires were removed by hand, a slow, laborious project, but one of many projects that has brought a smile to Salas’ face.
“As a guy who worked in finance his whole life,” said Salas, who retired from his finance job in San Diego two years ago, “it’s been a fun ride, a fun education.”
Before purchasing, the same family owned the cattle ranch for four generations until Salas bought the property
18 months ago. The land was badly degraded. However, Salas immediately removed 10 miles of fencing. He also cleared out massive piles of bed springs, old refrigerators, and car parts.
“Another ephemeral creek was filled to the brim with trash for 100 yards long,” he continued. “Looking at it now, you wouldn’t know all that debris was there.”
Salas was right. He gave me a tour of his ranch from his truck. It possesses beautiful oak woodlands, sweeping grasslands, rolling hills, and an astonishing 35 vernal pools that are the lifeblood to his ranch. The property also includes the Yokum Bend – a two-mile-long portion of the Estrella River, a tributary of the Salinas River that eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean in Monterey.
We walked the portion of the Estrella River on Salas’ property. Pools of water supported multitudes of tadpoles, and killdeer – a species of shorebird – foraging along the riverbank. Then, Salas showed me several old pieces of logs where beavers had chewed them down to the nub.
“I want to get beavers back into the Estrella River,” he said. “It’s been 12 to 14 years since beavers were in this river.”
In front of the Park Hotel Tokyo
Some of the prettiest eggs Benedict I’ve ever seen at Park Hotel Tokyo
Idyllic, ain’t it?
Charles Salas taking a stroll through his 1700-acre Estrellita Ranch
Far Flung Page 344
Zack Kass embraces his dad, who he said is “not important to this community because he’s brilliant, he’s important because he’s courageous and compassionate.”
that Gen Z appears to be the first generation to not be materially smarter than the last, and more likely to be depressed, anxious, reclusive and isolated than any generation prior. “We probably should stop pretending we don’t know the culprit,” he said. “We never should have given kids smartphones, and maybe no one should have social media. Now, we have to recognize we’ve made a mistake, which we’re starting to do.”
Despite the disruptive nature of these tools, Kass rejected the prevailing dystopian narratives that frequently dominate public discourse. Instead, he argued passionately that AI is actively making the world both economically and spiritually better by systematically reducing human suffering and expanding the boundaries of human potential.
“I cannot emotionally convince people of the fact that the world is getting better all the time,” Kass said, attributing the widespread cultural pessimism to a media landscape that prioritizes bad news over monumental human progress. “The reason for this simply is that you are overexposed to negative information and you are underexposed to positive information.”
After urging the audience to focus on progress rather than panic, he pointed toward macro-level responsibilities, calling for sweeping policy reforms across critical sectors including housing, healthcare and education. “It doesn’t matter what the future of work looks like,” he said. “You can engineer the perfect jobs till kingdom come, but if the kids have to work until they’re 90 to afford their parents’ house, what difference does it make?
“We have a moment in time to right the wrongs, to reset our relationship with technology as a deflationary tool and we should talk about it nonstop and put unrelenting pressure on every policy maker to make it so.”
The conference marked an emotional homecoming for the tech leader. Zack, a San Marcos High School graduate who played volleyball at UC Berkeley, is the son of retired Dr. Fred Kass, the 2024 Santa Barbara County Physician of the Year and former director of wellness at the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, where he served for more than three decades.
Reflecting his father’s long legacy of community-minded service, Zack concluded his keynote with a direct charge to the next generation of leaders. He argued that as technical skills become increasingly commoditized by automation, the uniquely human elements of organizational direction will matter more than ever before.
“We’re moving toward a world where the best among us will be measured by our curiosity, empathy, wisdom, courage, humility and our morality,” he said.
He urged individuals, executives and educators to anchor themselves heavily in their core mission, vision and values. By doubling down on these intrinsic human qualities, he noted, society can successfully wield artificial intelligence as a collaborative tool to build a brighter, more flourishing future.
His best advice to a prospective college student is to study something they love, but not to make their passion their job. “Make a passion so that you can discover something we never teach you in high school, which is mastery,” he said. “Explore an idea with vigor, not because it’s going to make you a good job or get you a good grade, but because the act of exploring that idea is intrinsically motivating, and, if you graduate, you have the ability to acquire more. The ability to acquire skills is, in fact, one of the great defining characteristics of the next great generation.”
Kass encouraged the listeners to go back to their dining room tables, communities, places of worship and companies and have conversations about the world we’re building, and the power to say, “I can make a difference. I get to decide how this world takes shape.
“Optimism is not naive. If I can be a source of it for you today, that’s awesome, but remember what it feels like to be a source of it for someone else tomorrow.”
The conference returns June 3-4, 2027, with another stellar lineup of inspirational speakers in Santa Barbara.
organization that provides assistance to members of our firefighting family and community.
While Pancake Breakfast is centered on celebrating our country’s independence, we also hope it provides community members with the opportunity to learn more about Montecito Fire Department and connect with neighbors.
“Please bring your family and friends because that is what makes it fun and special,” Wrenn said. “I love that Pancake Breakfast is an opportunity to run into people you haven’t seen in a long time and catch up – that’s what community is all about.”
Montecito Fire engines and equipment will be on display for attendees of all ages to explore and learn about.
Fire Chief Brian Fallon is looking forward to his first experience of the department’s biggest annual event since stepping into his role.
“I’ve heard so much about the Pancake Breakfast from our firefighters and from community members,” Chief Fallon said. “My wife and I are really excited to be part of what is clearly a very special community tradition.”
Following the event, Montecito Fire will join in the Montecito Association’s Village 4th parade, bringing up the rear with our festive red and white flashing lights. The parade rolls off at 11:30 am just down the road from Fire Station 91 on San Ysidro Road at East Valley Road and wraps up at Lower Manning Park.
For those who join us for breakfast on Independence Day, please share your photos on social media and tag @ montecitofire. Photos may also be sent to info@montecitofire.com.
A Word About Fireworks
While we have your attention –remember that all fireworks, including “safe and sane” fireworks, are prohibited in Montecito.
The manufacturing, storage, sale, handling and use of all fireworks pose an extreme safety risk to our
community and is strictly prohibited in all areas of the Montecito Fire Protection District.
Possession of any fireworks within the Montecito Fire Protection District may result in penalties and fines ranging from $500 to $1,000 or a year in Santa Barbara County Jail.
We understand that fireworks are synonymous with Independence Day celebrations, however we ask our community to consider the safety of their neighbors and environment this holiday and leave the firework displays to talented professionals. The City of Santa Barbara’s Fourth of July Celebration will happen this year at the Waterfront and the free fireworks show is sure to be a spectacular and safe display.
We encourage anyone with information about illegal fireworks to call the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office at (805) 681-4100.
The Montecito Rotary Club members keeping the batter going
Christina with her young pancake enthusiast
Christina Atchison is the Montecito Fire Public Information Officer
Scott Craig is manager of media relations at Westmont College
Life After Vision Loss
Dr. Bock Will See You Now
by Zach Rosen
For many people, vision loss arrives gradually.
A favorite novel becomes difficult to read. Faces across a room lose their clarity. Street signs resolve later than they once did. The television gets larger, the lighting brighter, and the magnifying glasses stronger. Eventually, many people assume they have reached the blurry end of the road.
Dr. Andrew Bock wants them to know that often they have not.
A low vision specialist with nearly five decades in optometry, Bock recently began serving patients in Santa Barbara through an affiliation with Santa Barbara Eye Care. His work focuses on a field that remains surprisingly unfamiliar to many people, even though millions of Americans live with vision impairment.
“Low vision” is a term that sounds straightforward, though Bock admits it can be difficult to define. In practical terms, it refers to people whose eyesight prevents them from performing important daily activities even after conventional treatments and standard prescription glasses have done all they can.
“The most common thing would be struggling to read,” Bock explained. “Struggling to see faces, television, driving, and hobbies.”
According to Bock, nearly 10 million Americans live with some degree of low vision caused by conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, stroke, and other eye diseases. Yet only a small fraction ever receive
a dedicated low vision evaluation. Many spend years cobbling together solutions on their own, purchasing magnifiers, increasing screen sizes, or simply giving up activities they once enjoyed.
Vision plays a central role in independence. It influences mobility, balance, social interaction, and confidence. When eyesight declines, isolation frequently follows.
That loss often extends well beyond eyesight.
Vision plays a central role in independence. It influences mobility, balance, social interaction, and confidence. When eyesight declines, isolation frequently follows.
One challenge that particularly resonates with Bock is facial recognition. Many patients can still navigate familiar environments, though they struggle to identify the people standing in front of them. Family gatherings, community events, and casual conversations become increasingly stressful.
“They can’t make out the nuances in conversation,” he said. “People feel isolated.”
Low vision rehabilitation seeks to bridge the gap left behind when medical treatment reaches its limits. Ophthalmologists
continue treating underlying diseases and slowing their progression. Low vision specialists focus on something different: helping patients use the vision they still possess. Medical interventions may preserve eyesight or slow further decline. Functional vision, the ability to read a menu, recognize a grandchild’s face, or safely navigate a grocery store, often requires specialized tools and training. The goal is not curing disease. The goal is restoring everyday capability.
Bock completed postgraduate training through the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists (IALVS), a network dedicated to helping people regain independence through customized evaluations and visual aids. The organization emphasizes helping patients return to activities such as reading, recognizing faces, watching television, and, in certain cases, driving.
One of the most intriguing tools in Bock’s practice is the bioptic telescope. Mounted within a pair of prescription glasses, these miniature telescopes provide magnified distance vision. Users can briefly look through the telescope when they need additional detail and then return to their normal field of view. Depending on the patient’s condition and state regulations, these devices can assist with activities ranging from television viewing to driving.
Other patients benefit from powerful reading systems, electronic visual aids, or prism lenses designed for people who have lost peripheral vision following a stroke. Bock described one device that functions much like a side-view mirror, helping patients detect obstacles they otherwise might miss.
The solutions vary widely because vision loss itself varies widely.
Macular degeneration remains the most common condition Bock encounters. He also works with patients affected by glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, retinitis pigmentosa, and juvenile forms
of retinal degeneration. On his practice website, he notes that specialized low vision devices can help patients improve daily functioning even when traditional treatments have reached their limits.
Throughout the conversation, Bock returned repeatedly to the emotional side of vision loss. He recalls hearing the same question from patients again and again: Why did nobody tell me this existed?
The frustration is understandable. Many people hear a version of the same message after exhausting traditional options: there is nothing else that can be done. While that may be true medically, it does not always mean there is no path to greater independence.
Support groups, rehabilitation services, family education, and low vision specialists can all play a role in helping patients adapt and maintain quality of life. Bock strongly advocates for a team approach that addresses both the practical and emotional realities of declining vision.
His message to the community is simple: “There is help and there is hope.”
For residents struggling to read, recognize faces, watch television, pursue hobbies, or maintain independence because of vision loss, that message may be exactly what they need to hear.
Visit https://eyecarecentralcoast.com for more information
Zach Rosen is the Managing Editor of the Montecito Journal. He also enjoys working with beer, art, and life.
Foraging Thyme Purple Potatoes
by Melissa Petitto
Purple always makes me marvel at nature. In purple potatoes, that vibrant color comes from anthocyanins – the same antioxidants found in blueberries. Roots Organic Farm has some beautiful potatoes right now, and the purple varieties contain significantly more antioxidants than regular potatoes. Anthocyanins help neutralize free radicals, reduce oxidative stress, improve artery flexibility, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Purple potatoes may also help reduce arterial stiffness, which is linked to a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, while supporting healthier, more relaxed blood vessels. They are also a great source of fiber. When cooked and cooled, as in potato salad, they provide prebiotic fiber that nourishes beneficial gut bacteria, supports immunity, and helps strengthen the intestinal lining. All potatoes – not just purple ones – contain other beneficial antioxidants as well, including vitamin C, carotenoids, selenium, and tyrosine, which have cancer-fighting properties. Let’s make something beautiful with these potatoes.
Smashed and Crispy Blue Potato Salad with Cucumbers and Tahini Mayo Dressing
Yield: 4 Servings
2.5 pounds baby purple potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 English cucumber
4 scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons chili crisp oil
Dressing:
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon white miso
½ cup avocado mayonnaise
1 lime, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons water
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water and potatoes to a boil. Boil until just tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. The time depends on the size of the potatoes. I test them by sticking a paring knife into a potato, if it comes out easily, they are done. Drain and dry on a paper towel.
2. Transfer to an air fryer baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment. Place potatoes on the baking sheet. Take a glass cup and smash each potato until flat. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
3. Transfer to the air fryer and air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Flip potatoes and air fry another 5 minutes or until crispy.
4. While the potatoes are frying, make the rest of the salad.
5. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Slice into half-moons. Roughly chop the cilantro.
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, sesame oil, miso, mayo, lime zest and juice, water and season with salt.
7. Add the crispy potatoes, cucumber, scallions, and sesame seeds to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat.
off on the weekend of June 27-28, starting with the only non-purely musical act on the program in Bob Baker Marionettes, the longstanding Los Angeles-based troupe who employ handcrafted puppets, imaginative storytelling, and lively music; elements that come together in a clever, often stirring performance that would please the protagonist of Being John Malkovich Beloved by generations of audiences, this whimsical show offers family-friendly entertainment for all ages in a production that doesn’t skimp on the artistry and technique. Wonder at the wizardry in two one-hour shows at 11 am and 1 pm on Saturday.
The next event takes place the next day, with Coastal Sounds, a celebration of emerging artists and independent music from the area that mashes up a dynamic mix of surf rock, indie rock, and melodic acoustic vibes. The lineup on Sunday includes Frogs, Green Room Paradise, Ladyfinger, Looking West and Charity Kiss, with sets every 45 minutes 3-6:45 pm.
Following a month-long hiatus, the focus shifts to the big green space across from East Beach. Chase Palm Park’s Concerts in the Park series resumes on August 2 as the Music Academy of the West launches its final week with the second annual Brass @ the Bandshell event. The Academy brass fellows perform an array of works anchored by American composers in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. As appetizer to this main course, the event will lead with an instrument exploration station and games for family and friends to enjoy.
Prime Time Band, the ever-popular community-based ensemble of more than 60 local adult musicians, plays a pops-style concert at Plaza del Mar on August 30 before the series comes to a close September 5 with a return performance by Salty Strings, the Santa Barbara group whose harmony-laden acoustic music encompasses bluegrass, folk and Americana influences.
Visit www.parcsb.org/events
Chase the Blues Away by the Beach
A Santa Barbara summer sensation since 2000, Concerts in the Park has long-since scaled back from its eight-concert, two-sets heyday in the 2010s to just four events that go straight through from 6-7:30 pm every Thursday evening in July. The shows take place at Chase Palm Park’s Great Meadow, a gently sloping grassy area that has a level area for dancing in front of the stage. On tap for 2026 are The New Vibe (funk with a hip hop twist) on July 2; Jason Libs and the Liberation, featuring the multi-instrument/vocal prowess of the guy who plays every evening at the Red Piano downtown, along with his full band to focus on classic rock on July 9; The Johnny Cash-tribute band, The Mighty Cash Cats, on July 16; and the needs-no-introduction Spencer the Gardener, the longtime local favorite who plays pop, surf rock, and Latin-flavored rock.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/SB-Music-Park-26
Stow Away to the Ranch for Rock, Pop and More
Salty Strings, the only act to play more than one of the summer series, gets opening night honors for Music at the Ranch, the Tuesday Night Concert Series on the grounds of Goleta’s Stow House, aka Rancho La Patera, host to perhaps the most picturesque environs of the three venues mentioned in this piece. Apart from the tree-lined and variously shaded space with its spectacularly verdant vibe, the grounds and farm are fun to explore, and it’s only about a two-minute walk to reach Lake Los Carneros, where you can still hear the music, albeit muted by the short distance and riot of acoustically absorbent foliage. The concerts take place 5:30-7:30 pm, which gets you back home safe and secure before darkness sets in.
The string band plays July 14, followed by more local faves in Mezcal Martini on July 21, Do No Harm on July 28, Nombres on August 4, Doublewide Kings on August 11, and Out of the Blues August 18.
Bring your own lawn chairs and/or blankets to each of the events as well as a picnic if desired – or take advantage of the onsite food trucks. Setup is allowed early at each location although timing varies. And leave the private alcohol at home. Stow House offers beer and wine.
The refurbished Plaza del Mar bandshell hosts its second year of summer festivities
Marvel at the purpleness of nature (photo by Cschleiermacher via Wikimedia Commons)
the Montecito Association’s December 2024 meeting for a solution. It was decided that a local Montecito substation would greatly assist law enforcement in the area on many levels, and a MA Safety Subcommittee was set up to work with SBC Sheriff’s Department’s South County Operations Division lead Lt. Rich Brittingham whose station serves Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria. Brittingham worked with the Montecito Association’s Safety subcommittee to establish the technical and logistical aspects of constructing a law enforcement substation in Montecito.
The MA Safety subcommittee reached a roadblock regarding both long-term financing for a substation and securing a long-term lease at a centralized Montecito location – one that would accommodate all the substation’s requirements, including permits, although they had a lead for a place in the Upper Village and some initial funding. At that time Caruso announced that he would step in to provide the Sheriff’s Substation on his property at the Rosewood Miramar Beach. Caruso and his team worked with Lt. Brittingham, Sheriff Brown, and Supervisor Lee to its completion. The Rosewood Miramar Beach location is ideal for law enforcement’s expedient access to both the town of Montecito and to the 101 Highway. It further provides a proper location for law enforcement to use the office’s computers for their reporting, correspondence, research, and related business, and to utilize the kitchenette for their shift meal breaks and downtime.
Attending the grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting from the SB County Sheriff’s Department were South County Operations Division Commander John Maxwell, Undersheriff Brad Welch, Sheriff’s Lieutenant Daniel Nelson Jr., Senior Deputy Ben Sandu, and Lieutenant Ugo “Butch” Arnoldi. Also
noted were Montecito Association President Bill MacFayden with his board – Leslie Lundgren, Trish Davis, Joseph Pennino, and Mindy Denson – Caruso’s Bryce Ross , and from Supervisor Lee’s office Wade Cowper and Aida Thau
CIYMCA 26th Annual Reaching for the Stars Fundraiser
The Channel Islands YMCA annual fundraiser “Reaching for the Stars” was held on June 4 at the SB Women’s Club, aka Rockwood, on Mission Canyon Road. The event is the organization’s single largest funding source that supports its organizational overhead and various programs serving youth in Santa Barbara County. This year the event’s team reports they raised $137,000.
Speaking at the event, CIYMCA Executive Director Amy Tovias said, “The Reaching for Stars Gala is a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish together. Because of this community’s generosity, we are able to provide life-changing support to youth who need it most, ensuring they have a safe place to turn and a path forward.”
The event program serves up headliner emcee Andrew Firestone, a menu from local chefs serving their specialty dishes, a slide show, and keynote speakers. The two keynote speakers were Alia Azariah and Honorary Chair Dr. Carrie Towbes
This year’s chefs were Owen Hanavan (Santa Barbara Yacht Club), Paul Osborne (Santa Barbara Fish Market & Restaurant), Josh Brown (Little Bird Kitchen), Colby Silva (Toma), Robert Perez (The Black Sheep), Christine Rosell and Emily Dean (San Ysidro Ranch). Seen at the fundraiser were Lynn and Roger Karlson, Steve Lyons, Marilyn and Steven Gutsche. Post event, Marketing Director Daniel Noah shared with me that CIYMCA has opened a new location for services, a transitional home for young adults experiencing homelessness called The Mission House. “The Mission House will welcome eight
residents between the ages of 18 and 21, young adults stepping into adulthood without the safety net many of us take for granted. Here, residents can stay for up to eighteen months at no cost, receiving vital support, including education and school continuation, employment guidance and job readiness coaching, daily life skills development, stability, connection, and a safe place to call home. This new location gives young adults the opportunity to stabilize, regroup, and plan for their futures with the support of caring professionals who believe in them every step of the way. It represents a powerful step toward self-sufficiency and long-term success.”
411: www.ciymca.org
Joanne A Calitri is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her at: artraks@ yahoo.com
“Breakfast is a celebration of a new day.” – Nitya Prakash
Rick Caruso speaking at the ribbon cutting (photo by Joanne A Calitri)
The Reaching for the Stars planning committee (photo by Joanne A Calitri)
The hardworking chefs that donated their efforts to the event (photo by Joanne A Calitri)
Keynote speakers Alia Azariah and Dr. Carrie Towbes (photo by Joanne A Calitri)
David Sambrano, Mally Chakola, and Dean Jackson, who’re looking forward to the rest of the summer program.
For our music academy, it was a proud reminder that today’s fellows can become tomorrow’s stars.
The Knicks got the halftime show, but Montecito got the encore.
by Lisa Duncan
Patróna Power
Father’s Day brought family, fierce competition, and two powerhouse patrónas to the field at the Santa Barbara Polo Club for the championship final of the 12 Goal Intra-Circuit Cup.
On one side was Brazilian patróna Alecia Seidler, owner of Quite on Z. On
the other was Sarah Siegel-Magness, the driving force behind 90210, a respected competitor and mentor known for championing opportunities for women in polo.
After six hard-fought chukkers, Alecia’s Quite on Z captured the championship, defeating Sarah’s 90210 team 14-11.
“It feels incredible,” said Alecia after the victory. “I have dedicated so much to this!”
Quite on Z built a commanding lead before 90210 mounted a five-goal rally, turning the final chukkers into a fast and physical battle.
“Huge credit to 90210, it’s been an uphill battle all the way,” noted the announcer, adding, “Sarah is going after Hilario, they’re making everybody work extra hard today!”
Quite on Z stopped the surge in the sixth chukker, with Hilario Figueras delivering an MVP performance alongside teammates Santino Magrini and Marcos Alberdi
The Father’s Day victory and winning MVP was meaningful for Hilario, son of polo legend Nacho Figueras and Delfina Blaquier
“I’m proud of him today and most importantly for the years of hard work it took to get here,” said Delfina. Her inspiring message to kids was: “Don’t worry when things don’t go your way. The struggle is part of the learning. Keep working hard toward your goals and you will succeed.”
The trophy was presented by Henry Walker, but the final word belonged to patróna Alecia:
“If you can dream it, you can do it. With hard work, determination, dedication, and not giving up on your dream, you can make it come true.”
Quite the fierce Father’s Day finish, indeed.
by Lisa Duncan
Driven by Memories
Father’s Day arrived bathed in sunshine in our Eden by the Sea, where dozens of gleaming classics lined the Front Plaza at Casa Dorinda for a festive vintage car show.
But among the polished chrome and lovingly restored classic cars, one story stood out.
Beside his award-winning 1943 Dodge WC 52, Robert Gordon displayed a troop of World War II reenactors, including Gavin Rutland of Carpinteria and Alex Nordholm of Santa Barbara, who appeared as a wartime medic. A third member of the unit, affectionately nicknamed “Griff,” remained perfectly still throughout the festivities – though being a mannequin rather helped.
“We get to share this history with all the dads here, bringing back memories,” said Robert.
For Robert, those memories came full circle. He recalled Gavin climbing aboard the very same truck as a kindergartener at Carpinteria’s Rods & Roses car show. Years later, Gavin returned as a WWII reenactor, inside the truck that first sparked his fascination with history.
“We really have a passion for history and love listening to the stories from the older generations,” said Gavin.
“I remember riding in the rumble seat of my grandfather’s car. We thought it was such a thrill!” said Anne Edmonston , recalling one of many cherished memories sparked by the cars on display.
It was a fitting Father’s Day reminder that classic cars are memory makers, carrying stories across generations.
During the awards ceremony, announced by Brooks Firestone, top honors went to Jim Harris for his 1916 Roush Lang, Woody Barrett for his 1949 DeSoto Woody, Orwin Middleton for his 1963 Ferrari Lusso, and Robert for his 1943 Dodge WC 52. Best dressed went to Linda Kowalsky and Dana Newquist. The classic cars drew the crowd. The meaningful memories stole the show. by Lisa Duncan
Sightings
Kenny Loggins delighted Bowl fans with a surprise appearance at Charlie Puth’s concert, hopping onstage for their new collab, Love in Exile, after Puth credited Loggins with shaping his career… Prince Harry enjoyed a Father’s Day bear hug as Meghan Markle caught a cute snap of Harry and Lilibet with Archie, sporting a pint size England soccer shirt… Josh Brolin turned heads on Father’s Day, spotted cruising through Montecito on one of his vintage custom Harley choppers, enjoying the sunshine in Cito style… Gene Simmons traded rockstar theatrics for family time, enjoying a Montecito lunch with wife Shannon Tweed-Simmons before, as Shannon joked, the KISS legend headed off for a well-earned Father’s Day “nap time before the movies.”
From Richard and friends to all of you… Pip! Pip!
Richard sends his thanks for your many cards and good wishes, they are deeply appreciated. He reports that he’s improving every day, though there’s plenty of therapy ahead. Please continue sending your news and updates to his ever-helpful sidekick, Priscilla (805city@gmail.com).
Marcos Alberdi, Alecia Seidler, Santino Magrini, and MVP Hilario Figueras win the cup (photo by Priscilla)
Robert Gordon’s 1943 Dodge WC 52, complete with WWII reenactors (photo by Priscilla)
Dana Newquist and Jim Harris with his 1916 Rousch Lang (photo by Priscilla)
Pat Nesbitt and Henry Walker (photo by Priscilla)
Brazilian patróna and owner of Quite on Z Alecia Seidler (photo by Priscilla)
Woody Barrett (left) with his 1949 DeSoto Woody (photo by Priscilla)
Guests can also explore booths hosted by local organizations including TriCounties Regional Center, Alpha Resource Center, PathPoint, and the Grace Fisher Foundation. Proceeds from food, games, and raffles will support Hillside residents living with intellectual and developmental disabilities through therapeutic programs, medical care, life-skills training, and adaptive equipment.
The event coincides with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, honoring progress toward equity and inclusion while creating a joyful day of connection and celebration for all abilities.
ShelterBox Mobilizes Aid for Philippines
Santa Barbara-based disaster relief organization ShelterBox USA is responding to a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Mindanao, Philippines, with plans to assist up to 15,000 people affected by the disaster. Drawing on its longstanding presence in the region, ShelterBox is deploying emergency shelter supplies and essential aid from its pre-positioned warehouse in Cebu to support communities facing displacement and damage.
Computer Donations Sought by Boys & Girls Club
The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara’s Downtown Club is calling for donations to help fund new computers for the hundreds of local youth who rely on the Club each year for academic support, mentorship, and after-school programs. 411: www.boysandgirlssb.org/donate
LPF Stage 1 Fire Restrictions
The big news across the Los Padres National Forest right now is that Stage 1 Fire Restrictions went into effect last week. That means no more backcountry campfires, but stoves are still OK with a fire permit. Campfires are still allowed in Designated Campfire Use Sites (i.e., car campgrounds) across the forest. Campfires are great, but so is enjoying the starry sky, warm nights, and avoiding any accidental wildfires. Let’s all do our part to have a safe and uneventful fire season! Los Padres Forest Association volunteers and Trail Crew have been busy wrapping up the spring trail maintenance season. The LPFA’s Trail Crew, supported by the Montecito Trails Foundation, have thoroughly cleared brush in order to open the San Ysidro Trail, upper Romero Trail, West Fork Cold Spring Trail and the Cold Spring Ridge Trail Loop. These classic Santa Barbara front country trails are in GREAT shape right now!
411: https://lpforest.org
EDC to Represent the Citizens for the Carp Bluffs
The Environmental Defense Center will legally represent the Citizens for the Carp Bluffs and the Carp Valley Association in a joint effort against “The Farm Project,” a proposed housing development by Central Coast CA Ventures LLC, who are planning to build a massive luxury residential development project at 5885 Carpinteria Avenue, on the Carpinteria Bluffs. All legal proceedings and administrative proceedings by the City of Carpinteria on The Farm project will be countered by the EDC. Peter Dugre of the Citizens for the Carp Bluffs informs, “The decision to secure EDC’s expert advocacy follows a comprehensive consistency review by the City of Carpinteria, which documented an extensive list of inconsistencies between the proposed development
MSHERIFF’S BLOTTER
Rolling Stop/No Driver’s License / Ortega Hill Road
Monday, June 08, at 20:56 hours
A vehicle was stopped for rolling through a stop sign (22450(a) VC). The driver of the vehicle was unlicensed, in violation of 12500(a) VC. The driver was issued a citation for both violations, and he had someone come to collect him and his vehicle.
Illegal Parked Car / 1200 E. Mountain Drive
Monday, June 08, at 03:00 hours
One vehicle illegally parked and towed from the trailhead.
and local policies. The City’s review highlighted non-compliance with dozens of policies under the Coastal Land Use Plan, General Plan, and Zoning Code, spanning crucial areas such as public beach access, visual resources, public services, and hazards.”
Search & Rescue Foundation Highlights Lifesaving Volunteer Efforts
The Santa Barbara Search & Rescue Foundation recently welcomed supporters, volunteers, and community leaders to the Santa Barbara Yacht Club for an evening dedicated to raising awareness of the critical work performed by the Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue Team. The event highlighted the efforts of the all-volunteer unit, which responds to requests from local law enforcement agencies to assist with missing person searches, wilderness rescues, and disaster response operations across more than 2,500 square miles of Santa Barbara County.
Team members contribute thousands of volunteer hours each year training and responding to emergencies, often in remote and challenging terrain. Foundation leaders emphasized that community support helps fund the specialized equipment, technology, and training necessary to keep volunteers mission ready. As outdoor recreation continues to grow throughout the region, organizers noted that public support remains essential to ensuring the team can continue providing this vital public safety service.
OSB Extends Protopapas’ Contract
Opera Santa Barbara has renewed the contract of Artistic and General Director Kostis Protopapas through the 2028-29 season, extending the leadership that has helped guide the company through a decade of growth and artistic success. The announcement follows two consecutive sold-out seasons and continued momentum for the organization.
Since joining Opera Santa Barbara in 2015, Protopapas has overseen a balance of classic and contemporary productions while strengthening the company’s artistic standards, community engagement, and support for local and regional performers. Notable productions during his tenure include Manon, Eugene Onegin, Il Postino, and the California premieres of Zorro and Elmer Gantry
Board Chair Nikkaëlle Burlett praised Protopapas for creating programming that is both adventurous and accessible, helping build enthusiasm among audiences. Under his leadership, Opera Santa Barbara also remained active throughout the pandemic, becoming the first local performing arts organization to offer streaming programming.
New Trustees at SBMNH
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has announced the appointment of four new trustees – Dr. Kirk Gilbert, Michael Mongold, Dr. Bethany Harkrider, and Brett Piersma – bringing expertise in healthcare, cybersecurity, science, and law to the institution’s Board of Trustees. The Museum also honored longtime Board Member Elisabeth Fowler with honorary trustee status in recognition of her more than 15 years of leadership, including her role in the successful Centennial Campaign, which raised $18.4 million. Museum leaders noted that the new trustees share a commitment to science education, environmental stewardship, and community engagement as the institution continues its mission of connecting people with nature.
Medical Director of Cottage Ob/Gyn Clinic
Cottage Health announced that Dr. Helen Matthews has been appointed Medical Director of its OB/GYN Clinic, which supports patients in preventive care, reproductive health, pregnancy, menopause, and gynecologic conditions. Dr. Matthews joined Cottage Health in 2025 and is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has more than 20 years of experience, including routine and high-risk obstetric cases. Dr. Matthews offers specialized care that includes minimally invasive and robotic surgery procedures, diagnostic hysteroscopy and office-based procedures such as IUD placement and biopsies. She earned her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Maryland. She is also a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (formerly NAMS).
staring dolefully at you-name-it, and the Mop Top tea party that swarms ashore to give Elvis an atomic wedgie and send a stunned Connie Francis packing. Worst of all, our great nation will thereafter suffer at least one faux-Englishman per office, he who regales you with his perfect ‘bri-ish accent’ in the kitchenette until you want to crush your congealing Sloppy Joe against his bowl cut.
Two days after the voice-vote Resolution to leave Mother England in a huff, a bunch of the Founding Guys in their Jiminy Cricket tailcoats get around to signing the hard copy, which has by now been promoted from Resolution to Declaration. But not before this fateful missive is dispatched. “The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America,” a wildly mistaken John Adams writes to his wife, Abigail. His descendants are still living this down.
Lawyer, Blue Blood, Amateur Poet
September 14, 1814 – An American lawyer, blue blood and amateur poet named Frank rises with the dawn aboard the British flagship HMS Tonnant. He dresses and heads topside. The frustrated British had a couple years before come roaring back across the pond to holler some more in a long, nagging engagement later known as The War of 1812.
The previous evening Frank had dined shipboard with the gracious British captain and crew and then watched helplessly from the deck as, through the long night, the British lobbed wave after wave of cannonade and corkscrewing rockets onto the beleaguered Ft. McHenry, the outpost a would-be guardian of the strategically important Baltimore Harbor.
Frank had been trapped on the Tonnant during a friendly and pre-arranged prisoner swap at whose conclusion the British declined to return him to shore – realizing the American was now aware of the disposition of His Majesty’s warships off Baltimore and might blab to his compatriots along the Maryland coast. Frank would have to wait until the conclusion of the battle to be put ashore with his freed colleague. The newish country onto which the British are happily pouring a second round of fire? It’s a hot mess and will become unimaginably hotter and messier. A throng of overcaffeinated and conflicted white guys had written the breakaway country’s charter a scant 38 years earlier. They’d based it on the Magna Carta – sort of. They’d earlier produced – and commissioned an oilon-canvas selfie of themselves signing – a loud declaration of the God-given equality of all men. The declarative doc had vitally left out the other founders of the nation, those whose backs had borne the actual brunt of the massive nation-building.
These Black, enslaved founders would – from the mid-18th to mid-19th centuries, also build Black institutions, serve in the military, and use the day’s media outlets and publishing houses to openly challenge the compromised democracy driving the new nation. In the late 19th century the new country would sloppily tear itself nearly in half arguing over the primacy of inherent human freedom and individualism. But it’s not clear how much of that occupies Frank Key in these early hours of September 14, 1814. Now after a night of deafening violence, morning on the water is utterly silent. The British have run out of ammo, as can happen. The lawyer leans over the deck amidships and stares hard at the shoreline through a peaceably drifting scrim of smoke. After a minute or so the curtain of mist parts somewhat, and he can just make out the fort’s enormous American flag flapping serenely over the smoldering ruin – a stubborn, striped, burned rag on a stick, waving like a sonofabitch; two fingers and the back of a hand raised to the British Empire, the victorious archer’s salute that dates to the Battle of Agincourt. Not as exclamatory a gesture as its colonial counterpart, the single raised middle finger. But still. “The flag is still there!” Frank says in astonishment, his voice breaking, an exclamation that seems to piss off the British sailor who has arrived to summon him to the Captain’s table for breakfast. Francis Scott Key heads below decks to join his weary hosts. On the way he stops in at his cabin and grabs his pencil.
This
We’re 250 years in. This Fourth of July let’s keep the truths self-evident. The pursuit of happiness, life, liberty; this stuff is the essence of the oddball U.S.A., scribbled into the document by incensed, bewigged grownups with everything to lose. There’s a reason they call this adrenal, ham-fisted “country” The American Experiment. We can’t ever let the interns burn down the lab. Dig your heels in. See you on the sand.
Declaration of Independence (1819) by John Trumbull (public domain)
Marching to the beach of a different drum: SB on the move, July 4, 2015 (photo jeff)
HMS Tonnant pours fire onto unfortunate Ft. McHenry (public domain)
life and being creative in bringing us together,” he says.
At the event, which takes place 10-11:30 am on Saturday, June 27, in his offices at 3015 State Street, Suite B, Kwako will share stories and examples of individuals making a difference in small and large ways as well as a prayer for invoking and blessing The Spirit of America. There is no cost to attend, although an optional “love offering” would go toward covering expenses. Email kwakooffice@gmail.com to RSVP.
Channeling Near the Santa Barbara Channel
Sacred Space in Summerland has sent early notice about a couple of events in July that the shop and spiritual gathering space believes may sell out before the end of the month. In this three-hour event on Saturday, July 11, and moderated by Heidi Clements, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman will provide a group channeling experience offering insight and clarity as well as facilitating a powerful conversation with “Higher Self & Guides.”
The session begins at 11 am with an introduction about the general teachings of his guides, followed by a guided group tuning in meditation. JBC, as he is known, will then connect with his Higher Self in a meditative trance state and facilitate a conversation with the group answering any questions that arise through the lens of karma, intuition, and reincarnation, on such subjects as life, love, spirituality, and universal consciousness. The idea is that we all have questions about the human experience that at times seem impossible to answer. What is our purpose here as human beings? What is our intuition? How do we remember who we are? How do we gain access to our spiritual team, guides, and higher self? How do we identify between ego, fear, and intuition?
As part of the program, BowyerChapman will offer practical tools, insights, and practices you can incorporate into your own daily life to gain access to infinite wisdom. The channeling session will be followed by a one-hour Q&A moderated by Clements, allowing the audience to integrate everything they just experienced and leave with more insight, connection, and a higher state of consciousness.
During Sunday’s private one-hour sessions, Bowyer-Chapman will guide each participant into a meditative state to tune into your vibrational alignment, strengthen your intuition and help to release emotional and karmic patterns. Those sessions will be recorded, that participants may have private perpetual access.
Get more details at www.middlefrequency.com, or visit www.thesacredspace.com
Mindfulness in Motion
Also at the Sacred Space, Radhule Weininger ’s new in-person meditation class in Summerland teams her with Carla Tomson , a graduate of Weininger’s Mindful Heart Programs’ facilitator training course. June’s monthly Effortless Mindfulness and Field of Care meditation class will be held 12-1 pm on Friday, June 26. No fee, but donations gratefully accepted.
The following day, Weininger is joined by Donald Rothberg, a leading teacher and writer on meditation, the intersection of psychology and spirituality, and socially-engaged spiritual practice. Rothberg, who is a member of the Teacher’s Council at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, has taught and practiced Buddhist meditation since 1976, and is the author of The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World. Participants in the day-long “Loving Kindness and Developing a Field of Care and Compassion” retreat on June 27 will explore care, kindness and compassion for ourselves and others. Participants will develop skills and practice in loving kindness (metta) both as a meditation practice and as integrated in daily life, as well as other fields through guided and silent meditations, short talks and group discussion.
The event is a hybrid, both for the leaders – Weininger will be in her Santa Barbara home, while Rothberg will join by Zoom – and participants, who can choose to be in-person or online over Zoom.
Email mindfulheartprograms@gmail.com or visit www.mindfulheartprograms.org/specialevents
Vital Vernals
Beyond wildlife, vernal pools offer vital ecosystem services. They contribute to nutrient cycling, flood and erosion control, water storage, groundwater recharge, and water quality improvement. They offer connectivity between habitats. On Salas’ property many of his vernal pools act as transition zones from the oak woodlands and his rolling grasslands to the Yokum Bend along the Estrella River. By temporarily holding water, they help regulate the hydrology in surrounding landscapes and provide water sources for an array of wildlife. Salas’ property has 11 camera traps, and he regularly sees bobcats and American badgers. Unfortunately, vernal pools are increasingly threatened by development and land-use changes. Over 90 percent of California’s vernal pools have already been lost due to misuse. Protecting these pools is essential to preserve the rare species and ecological functions they support. Many states, such as Maine, legally protect “significant vernal pools” and their surrounding terrestrial habitat to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem health.
Beyond Soda Lake
One of the last remaining natural alkali lakes in Central and Southern California is Soda Lake located in the Carrizo Plain National Monument. If rain is prevalent during the winter, the shallow alkali lake fills up to the brim. However, just beyond Soda Lake there
are a series of vernal pools eastward toward the seemingly barren Temblor Range. Those vernal pools are surrounded year-round by drought tolerant saltbushes, but in the spring wildflowers such as goldfields, owl’s clover, and brilliant tidy tips brighten the vernal pools at 2,200 feet in elevation. Badgers, burrowing owls, coyotes, giant kangaroo rats, antelope ground squirrels, and kit foxes live around the sensitive vernal pool habitat. It can be a muddy walk out to the vernal pools. I’ve lost one pair of trail shoes due to that soft alkali loam that remains squishy throughout spring where these rare habitats thrive with spadefoot toads, fairy shrimp, and other sensitive semi-arid flora. I’ve seen western sandpipers, long-legged American avocets, and lesser yellowlegs wading in the shallows, and tiptoeing along its glaring salt-encrusted edges. Wherever wildlife is thriving, it’s a good reminder that a sensitive habitat is working the way it’s supposed to. Vernal pools not only provide water sources for wildlife but are the bridge between those wilderness transitional zones. Water is life.
Chuck Graham is a freelance writer and photographer based in Carpinteria, where he also leads kayak tours and backpacking trips in Channel Islands National Park
Radhule Weininger joins Carla Tomson for an Effortless Mindfulness and Field of Care meditation class (courtesy photo)
An American badger on the way to the pool
Rolling hills, bright sun, and clear skies… what else do you need?
encampment removal, and repairs. Four dollars are spent on consequences for every dollar spent on a cure. We pay that bill every year, and every year the street looks about the same.
So, what would it mean to ask which problem we’re solving? For the havenots, mostly money and speed. Rental help that arrives before the eviction notice does so, because keeping a family housed costs a fraction of what it takes to rehouse them later. The cannots need treatment first, then housing built around the treatment, with staff on site rather than a tent, and our belief in their recovery. The will-nots are the hard part. What they need from us is accountability, and I want to be careful with that word, because I don’t mean punishment. I mean a consequence with a door to an incentive.
I’ve watched that work from up close. My mother got clean only after a consequence finally landed, with a way out attached. The judge told her at her parole hearing that she was on her last strike. She had to choose between her old ways, landing her back in prison and misery, or her freedom and kids. It wasn’t easy to clutch her hand and feel the tears running down my face before going back to sixth grade the next day. But looking
away from the needed change felt like watching someone slowly drown and calling it respect.
Now that she chose her freedom and our relationship, I know the hard thing turned out to be the loving thing. People hear the word “accountability” and hear coldness. I hear it as giving somebody a chance to choose a different path back to us.
When you hear the next homelessness proposal, ask one question: which of the three is it for? If the answer is all of them, it is probably built for none of them.
What moves a person out of any category is hope – a future worth standing up for. I found mine in a warm classroom, over homework finished by flashlight in the cold. The people I love found theirs in their own time. The people on our streets are homeless, not hopeless. Almost no one is beyond return.
Alexander Stoeber is a Santa Barbara real estate agent with Compass. Homeless through much of his childhood and displaced again in high school, he graduated and moved to Santa Barbara to earn his degree in Political Science from UCSB. He now helps people find housing.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Montecito Fire Protection District
In the Matter of the Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2026 -27 Health and Safety Code Section 13893
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the preliminary budget of the Montecito Fire Protection District for fiscal year 2026 -27 was adopted by the Board of Directors of said District on June 22, 2026, and is available for inspection Monday through Friday, between 8:0 0 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Montecito Fire Protection District, 595 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, California and on the District’s website.
NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN that on September 28, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., the Board of Directors will meet at the Montecito Fire Protection District, 595 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, California, for the purpose of adopting the District's final budget at which time and place any person may appear and be heard regarding any item in the budget or regarding the addition of other items.
This Notice shall be published in accordance with California Health & Safety Code Section 13893.
By order of the Board of Directors of the Montecito Fire Protection District, State of California, this 22 nd day of June 2026.
Published June 25 and July 2, 2026 / Montecito Journal
the economic ladder, 154,000 households, pay 25% of the taxes.
Of course they do, they have most of the nation’s wealth!
According to Federal Reserve data, the top 10% of American households hold 67% of the nation’s wealth. The top 1% hold a whopping 30% while the remaining 33% tenuously cling to an ever-shrinking remainder – while the bottom 50% of American households account for just 2.5% of the nation’s wealth. For most Americans, Trickle Down economics has proven to be Table Scraps economics.
The threat to America’s economic system isn’t taxing billionaires more, it’s wealth disparity and the ginormous federal debt.
Consumer spending drives America’s economic engine. The more people who have discretionary income, the more robust the economy and the opportunities for eager entrepreneurs to get rich. When large segments of the population must spend all they have, and even borrow, for the basic necessities, an economy can stagnate. Opportunities become limited. Social cohesion becomes frayed. Most revolutions, including the American revolution, erupted over skewed economics.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: MONTECITO MONOGRAM , 1187 Coast Village Road, Montecito, CA 93108. GENERAL WORKSHOP CORP, 1187 COAST VILLAGE RD SUITE 1-151, MONTECITO, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 26, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2026-0001380. Published June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2026
Meanwhile, the federal debt looms over the economy like a gigantic Sword of Damocles. America’s federal government borrows so much because it habitually spends more than it takes in. The remedy is either severe cuts to spending, which would hurl millions of Americans down the economic ladder, or tax the wealthiest Americans and corporations more.
Harding is correct that governments do not, as a rule, create wealth, and that they are often profligate. However, governments do provide the conditions that foster and secure wealth creation – e.g., law, defense, and infrastructure. That requires taxes.
Taxes become destructive to an economy when they are unreasonably high. Current federal tax rates are not unreasonable. In fact, they are significantly lower than they were in the not-toodistant past – before multiple rounds of Trickle-Down tax cuts.
So, relax, this isn’t an Ayn Rand fantasy in which Elon Musk escapes to Mars and billionaires run off to Galt Gulch to defy looting socialists. The American economy isn’t going to implode if the ultra-wealthy have to pay a relatively small additional amount of tax.
Randy Alcorn
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/ are doing business as: GALLERY JOSEPHINE , 133 E. ANAPAMU ST., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. JOSEPHINE DESIGN LLC, 133 E. ANAPAMU ST., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 20, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2026-0001344. Published June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT:
The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROSE STUDIO , 525 SAN YSIDRO ROAD, SUITE D170, Montecito, CA 93108. KATHERINE ANDERSON, 525 SAN YSIDRO ROAD SUITE D170, Montecito, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 19, 2026. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2026-0001326. Published June 4, 11, 18, 25, 2026
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Calendar of Events
by Steven Libowitz
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
Plastic-Free Expo – Community Environmental Council and Santa Barbara Channelkeeper present the fifth annual gathering to discover ways to reduce single-use plastics, prioritize reusables, and get involved in the movement toward a healthier ocean and planet. More than 18 local organizations, businesses, local environmental leaders, and government agencies focused on eliminating plastic pollution across the Central Coast will be on hand to engage visitors in conversations. Family-friendly activities including face painting, opportunities to win eco-friendly prizes, and free light refreshments enhance the opportunity to better understand the importance of living plastic-free and explore pathways to achieving it. We’ll bet nobody will be handing out any plastic keychains at the event.
WHEN: 6:30-8 pm
WHERE: CEC’s Environmental Hub, 1219 State St.
COST: free
INFO: (805) 963-0583 or https://cecsb.org/events
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
Dawes Does a Tribute – Brothers Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith, the co-founders and backbone of the Americana folk-rock-jam band Dawes, change the vowels in the term that describes typical competitive nature of the kids in a family to come up with sibling revelry. Tonight’s special concert at Ojai’s Libbey Bowl will be no less an occasion for revelry, as the performance ringingly celebrates the memory of Gerry G, their longtime tour manager and compadre. Gerry suffered fatal injuries following a collision
ENDING THIS WEEK
‘Away’ Going Away – PCPA’s summer season in Solvang opens with Come from Away, the Tony-winning musical based on the uplifting real story that took place in Newfoundland in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. In the stage production, the isolated community of Gander has to find a way to host thousands of unexpected visitors when 38 planes are suddenly grounded in the small town, doubling the population overnight. The locals largely toss aside cultural clashes and language barriers to welcome the stranded passengers to their homes, their bars, and their town, offering compassion in the face of chaos. Just nine actors portray all of the characters, while a driving folk-rock score turns the show into a heartwarming celebration of human kindness and the community we create by welcoming the unknown.
WHEN: Closes June 27
WHERE: Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd Street, Solvang COST: $25-$67
INFO: 922-8313 or www.pcpa.org
SATURDAY, JUNE 27
Santa Barbara Wine Festival – It’s a rare year when the annual wine-anddine stroll through the stunning grounds of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History hasn’t sold out within 10 days of the event. But (lo and behold) there are yet tickets available for the 38th annual Santa Barbara Wine Festival, where guests gather to raise a glass to the flavors, landscapes and people that make the region extraordinary. The festival brings together some of the region’s most celebrated wineries, restaurants and culinary artisans – some 90 in all – for an afternoon spent sipping, savoring, sharing stories, and meandering amid the trees and verdant network of paths behind the museum and in the plaza. Wineries come from all over the county and beyond to pour, while the food purveyors are among the bigger names in town with a farm focus and seasonal ethos, including The Lark, Loquita, Ospi, Convivo Restaurant, Finch and Fork, Blackbird, Lucky Penny, Cuso’s Creamery, Figure Ate Foods (of the White Buffalo Land Trust), plus caterers Solera & Co., Events by Rincon, and Mendocino Farms. As always, 100 percent of the net proceeds benefit the museum’s education programs.
WHEN: 2-5 pm (1 pm VIP tickets sold out)
WHERE: SB Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta Del Sol Rd. COST: $135
INFO: (805) 682-4711 or www.sbnature.org/winefestival
with another surfer while riding waves at Rincon Point. Assisting the Goldsmiths to celebrate a life well lived will be a cadre of artists joined at the Gerry – those who have all shared in the late Gerry G’s services as beloved tour manager. According to the event’s poster, these include Milk Carton Kids, Lucius, Jonny Fritz, and Hattie Webb
WHEN: 7 pm
WHERE: Libbey Bowl, 210 S. Signal St., Ojai
COST: $48-$105
INFO: (805) 272-3881 or https://libbeybowl.org
SUNDAY, JUNE 28
Going Green with Grapes – The Marjorie Luke Theatre’s 2026 Green Film Series takes a spirited turn with a screening of Living Wine, a documentary that explores sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and the passionate individuals transforming the future of winemaking. The film follows the journeys of natural winemakers in Northern California, who stay true to their ideals of creating authentic wines made through innovative sustainable and regenerative farming without chemical additives, rejecting the industrial farming practices of the corporate wine industry. Those who are especially intrigued by the inspiring doc can extend the event in real-time, sampling the Earth-friendly vino in question at Arnoldi’s Café, where the Natural Winemakers’ Wine Tasting Experience will be pouring. Four acclaimed local natural wineries – S. Hogan, disko, Solminer, and Coquelicot – will be at the event, the winemakers sharing their sustainable practice deets, and offering guests a chance to sample distinctive natural wines paired with a variety of specialty appetizers.
SATURDAY, JUNE 27
For the Love of Lavender
– The Santa Barbara Lavender Festival has only been around since 2023, but the fest to feature and celebrate everything lavender was inaugurated back in 2004 in the Ojai Valley before moving to our more temperate town. With an ongoing goal of demonstrating and promoting the many uses of lavender while broadening public awareness about the benefits of the plant, the festival continues as a delightful celebration that also happens to be redolent with heavenly fragrance. The gathering’s setting, SBCC’s West Campus great lawn with its achingly picturesque backdrop of the smiling Pacific, adds another implausible sensory perq to participation. Attendees can immerse themselves in a vibrant array of artisanal crafts, essential oil purveyors, and more among the more than 100 vendors in the open-air marketplace; savor sumptuous food and refreshing drinks; and sample a selection of local brews in the beer garden (maybe even lavender beer?). Entertainment runs a happy song-and-dance gamut – from Hawaiian dance troupe Hula Anyone, the Fire Dance Academy, and “Hollywood Pinup Darlings”/golden age of song commemorators Satin Dollz, to DJ Frank Ramirez, who will perform before, after and between sets. It’s the most fragrant festival of them all.
WHEN: 11 am-5 pm
WHERE: 721 Cliff Drive
COST: free
INFO: www.santabarbaralavenderfestival.com
WHEN: Film (Marjorie Luke Theatre) 2:30 pm, Wine Tasting (Arnoldi Café) 3:45-5 pm
WHERE: Marjorie Luke Theatre, Santa Barbara Junior High, 721 East Cota St., Arnoldi Café, 600 Olive Street
COST: $10, $40 with Wine Tasting INFO: (805) 884-4087 or https://luketheatre.org/events
TUESDAY, JUNE 30
Hey, Makarines – The Makarines are a flamenco singing and multi-instrumentalist duo featuring brothers José Ibáñez (guitar/piano/vocals) and Maka Ibáñez (cajón/vocals) from Triana, Spain. Raised in the rich tradition of flamenco, their hallmark sonic fusion is both deeply rooted in the tradition of flamenco cante and refreshingly modern, with layered vocals that give their music a celestial quality. Currently on tour with other artists in a series of performances in Los Angeles, the Makarines come to town for a single show at the intimate black box venue known as Center Stage Theater, where they’ll be joined by Aroa Fernández, a vocalist whose distinctive style blends traditional flamenco with soul, electronica and world music. The brothers first performed in Santa Barbara in 2013 as cantaores with Jesús Carmona’s company for the U.S. premiere of Cuna Negra y Blanca at the Granada Theatre. They return tonight on their own under the auspices of the local nonprofit Flamenco Arts Festival.
WHEN: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Center Stage Theatre, 751 Paseo Nuevo, second floor
COST: $40-$60, $30 for children 8–12
INFO: (805) 963-0408 or https://centerstagetheater.org
THURSDAY, JULY 2
‘Love Island’ Lineup – SOhO serves as a destination for daters tonight, hosting a screening of that day’s episode of the popular Love Island reality show that leads directly to a speed dating event. The show, which last year became the No. 1 reality series in the U.S. across all streaming platforms, features contestants living in isolation from the outside world in a villa, where to stay on the show they must couple up with another “Islander,” albeit for love, friendship, or simply survival. They’re forced to “re-couple” or not, as the episodes progress, as anyone who remains single after the coupling is eliminated. It’s a bit like speed dating, which makes the hour after the screening a SOhO reality show all its own – although those who don’t hook up as potential lovers or besties can still stick around for cocktail hour.
WHEN: Screening 6 pm, speed dating 7:30 pm
WHERE: SOhO, 1221 State St., upstairs in Victoria Court
COST: $5
INFO: (805) 962-7776 or www.sohosb.com
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1-SUNDAY, JULY 5
Stars, Stripes and a Doublewide – A doublewide trailer might be as American as apple pie, but it’s the seemingly ubiquitous ‘70s acoustic/ rock/Americana cover band Doublewide Kings that will be helping the Santa Barbara Historical Museum celebrate the Independence Day holiday. Today’s benefit concert by the local favorites launches a pop-up exhibition of photographs of summers past from the museum’s recently acquired archives of the Santa Barbara News-Press, the venerable daily newspaper which has recently made a comeback as an online-only news organization. The pop-up exhibition is displayed in the museum’s courtyard and features black-and-white photographs taken by News-Press camera folk from 1955 through the 1980s. The band bash is meant to capture the sunsoaked spirit, community pride, and all-American energy that make Santa Barbara summers unforgettable, with the proceeds supporting ongoing preservation of the News-Press archives.
WHEN: Benefit concert 6:30 pm July 1; Exhibit open to public 12-5 pm July 1-3 & 5
WHERE: Santa Barbara Historical Museum, 136 East De la Guerra Street COST: free admission, benefit $55 INFO: 966-1601 or www.sbhistorical.org
NOTE TO READERS
This entertainment calendar is a subjective sampling of arts and entertainment events taking place in the Santa Barbara area for the next seven days or so. It is by no means comprehensive. Please also see my feature stories elsewhere in this issue for more events. In order to be considered for inclusion in this calendar, please submit information – including hi-res photos –by 12 noon Wednesday eight days prior to publication date. Email: slibowitz@yahoo.com.
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PIANO LESSONS
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RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
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• Oversee daily operations for an exclusive guard-gated 113-unit beachfront community
• Manage and coordinate a 4-person landscape and maintenance team responsible for 11 beautiful acres, including ocean deck, pool, and tennis court
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Salary: $43 per hour
PTO: Holidays and Sick Time only
How to Apply: Email resume and cover letter to Cynthia Brown at Cynthia@rossmorganco.com
