It's Still Life!

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SB’s hub for od, Fashion, Art, Foolks Libations, and F t.. . who do it righ

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IT’S STILL LIFE!

Some may call it a still-life painting, but to artist Leslie Lewis Sigler her paintings are real life.

It may just be a teapot or a spoon to you, but to the person who made it and the person who owned it, that spoon, that teapot, is a piece of their history and may have been as important as the Declaration of Independence would have been to Thomas Jefferson (story begins on p.9)

SHARON’S TAKEP.5 SY VALLEY SNAPSHOTP.22 E’S NOTE P.30

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CRANE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

OPEN HOUSE ART SHOW

Sunday January 24 2-4 pm 2:00-3:00

Tour our classrooms

3:00-3:30

Visit our Performing Arts Theater

3:30-4:00

Experience Crane with hands-on activities

1795 SAN LEANDRO LANE • MONTECITO 805-969-7732 • admission@craneschool.org

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Content

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S haron’s Take – With the upcoming retirement of Chief Sanchez, Sharon Byrne lists characteristics she’d like to see in the police chief to replace him

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eer Guy – Zach Rosen jumps on the Brew Bus and heads south to explore B some of Ventura’s finest breweries

i-weekly Capitalist – Recent polls show that most of the population B believes that Big Government is to blame. For everything S tate Street Scribe – With the passing of David Bowie, Jeff Wing digs deep into his recesses to bring back memories of eyeliner, bright orange jumpsuits, popped collars, and faux-futuristic duds. Ah, the eighties

p Close – Artist Leslie Lewis Sigler focuses on revealing the histories of U antique silver service ware in her latest series

The Fortnight – A drag queen show, acoustic guitarist, and EDM DJ all at SOhO on the same day. What could go wrong?

Man About Town – Chaucer’s hosts Mary-Louise Parker and Molly Hahn, and Mark Léisuré hits up Carr Winery, James Joyce, and Blind Tiger, all in one night.

The Local – Obsessed with SB Gift Baskets; Stefanie Bales Fine Art is On the Spot; lighten up with a root vegetable hummus recipe; get a taste of two libations at Nutbelly; wise up to water use with WaterWise City of SB; get something sweet from SB Popcorn Company

100 Baldwin Drive, Goleta, CA 93117 * O.A.C. See leasing representative for more details. ©2016 Hollister Village.

All rights reserved. Features, amenities and pricing subject to change.

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T he Berry Man – Get ready for pickled fennel, seaweed risotto, and maple water… Cory Clark observes a few food trends on the rise.

Cause & Effect… – Surf Happens puts on another locals-only Rincon Classic on January 16 & 17

1106 State Street

805.962.5085

Valentine’s Dinner For Two

including a bottle of wine, music by Chris Judge

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I Heart SB – Is it possible to rekindle a romance started 38 years prior?

Elizabeth Rose attempts to find out in part one of this two-part story.

SY Valley Snapshot – Recovery Ranch adds to its arsenal of operations with Ranch Roses

Real Estate Snapshot – Three quintessential Montecito homes on the market are profiled, all in the Montecito Union School district

American Girl – Clear out your closet (to make room for more items) and donate them to the annual Starr King Rummage Sale at Earl Warren

Food File – French husband and wife team Pierre and Nelly fell in love with America’s Riviera while visiting, and have recently opened Montecito’s newest French bakery, Bree’osh

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Plan B – Elli’s stomach aches finally disappear, along with the bird pecking on Briana Westmacott’s window. Coincidence? Briana’s daughter is reinvigorated and weighs in.

Join us for some warm Irish hospitality, authentic food and excellent pints.

$10 daily lunch menu featuring over 13 items.

Call for reservations 805.962.5085

18 E ORTEGA ST., SANTA BARBARA • 11:302:00AM EVERY DAY 805-568-0702 • www.dargans.com •

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by Sharon Byrne

take

Sharon’s education in engineering and psychology gives her a distinctive mix of skills for writing about and working on quality-of-life, public safety and public policy issues. Her hyper-local SB View column can be found every other week.

Hiring A New Police Chief Could Lead To New Era For SBPD and the City of Santa Barbara

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hief Sanchez will retire in February after 15 years, the longest police chief tenure in the state of California. Police Chief Magazine reports the average tenure for police chiefs is 3.5 years. Chief Sanchez leaves at a time of extremely low morale in the SBPD, high turnover, and an OSHA-slapped sick HQ building.

This is also perhaps the worst time in US history to be a cop, with the Ferguson riots in late 2014 erupting into an entire year of highly publicized, nationally scrutinized police shootings, suspicious deaths in custody, the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, and backlash resulting in the murders of police officers. Cops now go to work with full awareness that anything they do, justified or not, could end up exploding in the national media via ten seconds of mobile phone video.

Changes in California laws also present new challenges in policing. AB 109 shifted low-level offenders into county jails, where they are often released back into the jurisdiction where they offended. AB 47 knocked some felonies down to misdemeanors, and Sheriff McDonnell in Los Angeles says this is contributing to crime rate increases, as drug offenders aren’t incentivized to seek treatment, and court no-shows are becoming more common.

The next chief will certainly be living in interesting times.

The city asked for public input on the new police chief, so here’s my take.

I’d like to see a chief connected and responsive to this community, who’s open and transparent, and who brings innovative solutions for problems related to homelessness in particular. Restorative Policing needs serious beefing up. It gets results and is cost-effective. Our model is widely copied by other jurisdictions, yet, ironically, doesn’t scale here: two cops allocated, and one of those is out with an injury. They’re supposed to work with 600+ chronically homeless individuals in this

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city to help them leave homelessness. If they are wildly successful in case-managing 50 per year out of homelessness, they’ll need more than a decade just to tackle the present population.

While the political climate of Santa Barbara has experienced shifts in the past decade, so too has the climate of SBPD. I’ve worked with officers who care about the community, who want to provide excellent service to the public, and go home safely to their families at night. But I’ve noticed a downward shift in morale over the past five years, even among the stars on the force. There are reports of a retaliatory climate, fiefdom-building, and preferring ‘yes men’ over cops that will tell it straight. Some expressed confusion over how they’re supposed to do things day-today, given changing whims in the leadership. Patrol shifts are often under-manned due to staffing shortages, and the job of running the department seems to have been punted down to the sergeants. One veteran expressed that 20 years ago, SBPD was top of the line in policing. Doing things “the SBPD way” was a source of pride. It was an honor to be part of the department, on a team that was highly respected, with excellent training and equipment.

The new chief should be open and transparent with the public as much as possible. Kudos to the Mayor for instituting monthly Council reports from SBPD to increase transparency. The Chief ’s boss is actually the City Manager, and his boss is the City Council. Kudos to Councilmember Hart for asking some of the tougher questions on hiring and morale. The Council should also request reporting on crime stats from a source other than within SBPD. Audits, both internal and external, can also be a useful tool for identifying strengths within the department and areas for improvement. The Council also needs a way to measure community satisfaction with SBPD. One way to avoid a Ferguson-like situation is to have solid relationships between the police and the community. Community beat officers often forge and maintain those relationships. We have three, sometimes one, sometimes none, depending on patrol shortages. The new chief needs to commit to community-based policing.

Finally, here’s a key question to the new police chief: For what does the department want to be known? Can the chief craft a mission out of answering this question that the men and women of SBPD will rally around, and pull together collectively to achieve? Being the gold standard in police departments need not be a thing of the past, and there are some excellent officers within SBPD that could certainly help the new Chief in achieving such a goal.

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Bi-Weekly Capitalist

by Jeff Harding

Jeff Harding is a real estate investor and a writer on economics and finance. He is the former publisher of the Daily Capitalist, a popular economics blog. He is also an adjunct professor at SBCC.

People See Government As The Problem, Not The Solution

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pparently you people don’t like government, according to a justin Gallup poll. Curious, since we are told they do so many wonderful things for us, such as: low cost medical care, a generous retirement pension, a well-designed highway infrastructure, a military that defends our freedoms, and a superb education system.

Yet the Gallup poll says that the thing that most bothered you was government.

For those of you whose agenda is the environment, war, and gun control, they barely moved the needle at 2% each.

Another recent Gallup survey (December 2015) revealed that among Big Government, Big Business, and Big Labor, Big Government was overwhelmingly seen as the biggest threat to the future of the country.

According to the second survey, Big Business and Big Labor haven’t really changed much in our eyes over the past 50 years, whereas Big Government has doubled as a threat to our future.

Despite all the anti-business rhetoric from our Progressive friends in Washington, the news media, and entertainment, Big Business isn’t seen as the problem, rightly so.

I have an idea as to why government was seen as the No. 1 problem: people see that government is doing a lousy job. And they see that the growth of Federal and state governments will only make things worse.

I mentioned above the “wonderful” things that government does for us and you might have guessed at the hint of sarcasm there. If we look at these government functions individually I think you will agree with my appraisal of government’s lack of effectiveness: Medical costs have continued to skyrocket even under Obamacare, which we were assured would be a blessing because it would rein in costs and offer better care. Instead we have a growing bureaucracy, higher costs, and a concentration of providers offering fewer choices to consumers.

Social Security is under siege as a rising pool of retirees puts pressure on shrinking future generations to fund their benefits. It will go broke without a fix – there is no lockbox fund out

there folks; SS benefits paid out today come from SS taxes paid in today.

Since 2010, the government has had to borrow money to fund a growing SS revenue shortfall. Fifty years ago, about five workers supported one retiree. Now it is almost 2.5 workers per retiree, which means our children and grandchildren will pay much higher taxes to support their elders.

Our highway infrastructure is deteriorating, as anyone who gets on the road knows. The systems are clogged, many underpasses and bridges are unsafe, and it’s getting worse. Even here in Santa Barbara we find the 101 project to be poorly designed, over budget, and way behind. You might ask where your gas tax money goes.

You can’t knock our brave soldiers, but you can knock the politicians, generals, and defense contractors who run our military-industrial complex. There isn’t a more bloated self-perpetuating bureaucracy on the planet. It is famous for massive and wasteful overspending and blunders into futile foreign wars. Iraq cost our brave soldiers and their families dearly to no good end for the U.S. or the Middle East. Many Americans now fear us wading into a new civil and sectarian war in the Middle East proximately caused by these blunders.

Public K-12 education in America is a disaster. While nationally 80% of seniors graduate, less than 40% of them are proficient in reading and math, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the largest assessment test used by public schools. We teachers at SBCC see this every day. Businesses complain that they can’t find qualified people to fill jobs. It’s a broken system.

The reason we have such poor performance from these governmentrun services is that we are tasking the wrong institutions to deliver them.

Government by nature is an inefficient enterprise that puts politics ahead of people. As economist Milton Friedman once said, “If you put the government in charge of the Sahara Desert, we’d soon run out of sand.”

This is almost a law of nature.

There is a better way to deliver the services mentioned above. Defenders

of the status quo always say that we need government to run them because otherwise no one else will. That is just not true.

For example, what is the one thing that is essential to maintain our lives every day? Food. Every time government anywhere in any historical age has been put in charge of the production and distribution of food, shortages and starvation result.

Yet in most Western countries food is plentiful, of infinite variety, and cheap. Why? Because there is very

problem gets. And they are right.

There is a solution to government inefficiency and that is to de-task it from the services it so poorly delivers.

Public education needs not more “reform” or money, but voucher systems that gives parents the choice of where their children should be educated. It works well where tried.

Obamacare was a “fix” imposed onto a system already broken by government over-regulation. Start over. Let consumers make their own choices and let doctors do what they do

“Public K-12 education in America is a disaster.

While nationally 80% of seniors graduate, less than 40% of them are proficient in reading and math, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the largest assessment test used by public schools”

little government intervention in the food chain, which allows farmers, entrepreneurs, and sellers to freely compete for our dollar and provide us with cornucopia.

So, to get back to our dissatisfaction with government, what people see is an unworkable system that destroys the quality of services it provides.

They see that Washington is unable to fix it. And, they see that the more government grows, the worse the

best. Open up competition, subsidize the needy (but let them make their own choices), and costs will go down, quality will improve, and waiting lines will shrink.

You don’t have to be a Republican or a Democrat to buy into these solutions. Let your own experiences tell you the truth and ignore the noise and fear-mongering from those with fiefdoms to defend. Otherwise it’s only going to get worse.

Publisher/Editor • Tim Buckley | Design/Production • Trent Watanabe Managing Editor • James Luksic | Creative Director • Megan Waldrep Columnists Shop Girl • Kateri Wozny | Man About Town • Mark Leisure Plan B • Briana Westmacott | Food File • Christina Enoch Commercial Corner • Austin Herlihy | The Weekly Capitalist • Jeff Harding The Beer Guy • Zach Rosen | Cinema Scope • James Luksic Girl About Town • Julie Bifano | In The Zone • Tommie Vaughn I Heart SB • Elizabeth Rose | Fortnight • Jeff Wing State Street Scribe • Jeff Wing | Holistic Deliberation • Allison Antoinette Up Close • Jacquelyn De Longe | Behind The Vine • Hana-Lee Sedgwick The Local • Megan Waldrep | Lanny’s Take • Lanny Ebenstein Advertising/Sales Tanis Nelson • 805.689.0304 • tanis@santabarbarasentinel.com Sue Brooks • 805.455.9116 • sue@santabarbarasentinel.com Judson Bardwell • 619.379.1506 • judson@santabarbarasentinel.com Kim Collins • 805.895.1305 • kim@santabarbarasentinel.com Published by SB Sentinel, LLC PRINTED BY NPCP INC., SANTA BARBARA, CA Santa Barbara Sentinel is compiled every other Friday 133 EAST DE LA GUERRA STREET, #182, Santa Barbara 93101 How to reach us: 805.845.1673 • E-MAIL: tim@santabarbarasentinel.com

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STATE STREET SCRIBE

by Jeff Wing

Jeff is a journalist, raconteur, autodidact, and polysyllable enthusiast. A long-time resident of SB, he takes great delight in chronicling the lesser known facets of this gaudy jewel by the sea. Jeff can be reached at jeffwingg@gmail.com

The Eighties Spin Cycle; an Elegy

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Merlin the Magician and the Art of (being) Chicken While we yet had the luxury to do so, my friends and I likewise chose art, with the result that one evening in the bar-spangled early 1980s I found myself in the restroom of a chicken sandwich joint, dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit with the collar turned up, and helplessly retching over the single sink. Ah, I remember it well, as Maurice Chevalier might say. The young men and women with whom I’d academically consorted just a couple short years before had circulated out into the Larger World, and were now carrying things like

valises to work and clicking with heelto-toe determination down long, tiled Establishment hallways buffed to a maddeningly reflective sheen. These former compatriots had long since begun stuffing their factory-distressed roll top desks with the byzantine documentation of the damned. Yeah, they’d made it. What had I made? I’d barely made it to the sink. Given my Flock of Pigeons haircut and fauxfuturistic attire, anyone walking in would have assumed I was a nauseated

Phoenix was and is a sprawling, overbuilt desert accident that euphemistically calls itself The Valley of the Sun. In the summer (and most of the months surrounding it) the environs become uninhabitable, a place as deadly to the unprotected human being as the sunny side of Mercury, and as nurturing of the cooler underground. By the time an over rehearsed Spin Cycle emerged from our Paradise Valley rental house on the far backside of Camelback Mountain, the Blackout Windows club culture in The Valley of the Sun was in full fever, and Merlin’s became the vortex. For all that, the club’s template was familiar; a pitch-dark noise box with a long ragged bar and vestigial little tables placed around at random, bolted down like the furniture in a

“Inappropriately cheery sunlight revealed, at a hair-raising glance, a battered chamber of scarred and vomit-splashed interior malign.” time-traveler, not an enviable bohemian living The Artist’s Way. “Ack! Ack! Ack! Aaaacckkhh!!!” And so on.

We’d all filed into the restaurant privy (Eddie, me, Leslee, Tony, and Bob) to change into our stage stuff and draw lines around our eyes. The helpless gagging was not the result of a recalcitrant chicken sandwich, but of garden-variety terror. In less than half an hour my band, Spin Cycle, would take the legendary Merlin’s stage a few doors down and begin our jittery performance career in earnest.

Merlin’s was the destination, the grail, the happening hot spot; a room so unspeakably and indefinably stamped with New Cool that even the slackfaced, nihilist gloom-wavers in their raccoon mascara betrayed themselves with moving eyebrows at the thought of gigging there. The year was 1983, and the city doesn’t matter. Phoenix. My band of misfits, after years of rehearsing and writing and writing and rehearsing in a succession of repurposed rented living rooms and egg-carton-deadened garages for just this moment, were about to take the stage and become the willing center of the noted club’s bugeyed nocturnal attentions. The very idea had me fastened to a public sink in a chicken sandwich establishment, dressed to the nines (or eights), hair moussed up to here. And dry-heaving with the hunched, peristaltic fervor of someone preparing to speak in tongues; just another meditative hipster calmly partaking of the Artist’s Way.

submarine. The guest attire ran to blacks and grays and the dance space featured people twitching spasmodically

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or swaying like undersea flora, faces expressionless in the feeble glow of aromatic ciggies. These dank new wave and punk temples were mercifully murky during mid-day setup and sound check, then the guitarist would lurch through the front door with his amp, and in would pour sudden, unwelcome sunshine, the inappropriately cheery blast of light revealing at a hair-raising glance a battered chamber of such scarred and vomit-splashed interior malign you took it all in for more than two seconds at your peril. Lovely!! Just summoning the club names brings the sense memory back like a sonofabitch; Merlin’s Frank and Joe’s Mason Jar, The Profile Room, The Purple Turtle; these “clubs” – a word that accurately suggests membership – dominated my waking and sleeping hours. For years these places were my life, and the high-haired raccoon-mascara crowd my fellow travelers. I would spend my days at work at the Arizona Republic (the stentorian daily newspaper) thinking only about getting home, changing clothes, and with Eddie, Les, Dave, Cary, Frank, and Pete (at first), and Danny tearing up the evening with a house concert performed by, and for, our band in the ...continued p.27

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Pruning Natives Demystified Betsy Collins

ot to get all Starman about it, but when the former David Jones passed away last week in a final, deathless fury of message and gesture, we were reminded how bold and nearly crazy was his devotion to his art, his post-mortem video and music releases amounting to a loud, harrowing fare thee well not quite of this Earth. “This way or no way, you know I’ll be free,” he sings in the transfixing and horrific “Lazarus” video. “Just like that bluebird.

Now ain’t that just like me?” He’d changed his name to Bowie early on to avoid confusion with the diminutive tambourine-banging jockey in The Monkees, took off like a possessed archangel, and effectively died painting.

For my money the takeaway from his life of nearly boundless expressionism is both simpler and more powerful than the number of personae he artfully inhabited. The real story is this, and it’s one we can all use: a little kid named David Jones, a kid who loved to draw, found an early plumb line of artistic destination and followed it so unwaveringly he walked through walls to see it through. The year his buddy George Underwood popped him in the eye over a girl, David Jones had already started a band, and a year after that he got a manager and was on his way, the funny eye his buddy gave him (and for which Bowie actually thanked him later) the uncannily perfect finishing touch. Bowie’s restless exploring was so freaking unhindered, it might just about make up for the millions of people who reach the end of the line, every hour of every day, without having found what they Truly Are.

Mascara. Clove. Mousse. Art.

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Sat, 1/30 2 - 5pm

Take the mystery out of pruning and maintaining your natives in this special workshop led by the Garden’s Horticulturist, Bruce Reed.

Bruce Reed

Explore our website for other gardening tips: www.sbbg.org/gardening

Register online www.sbbg.org/classes-events

Or call (805) 682-4726 ext.102

1212 Mission Canyon Road • Santa Barbara, CA 93105 • www.sbbg.org

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by Zach Rosen

Casks and ales at the nautical-themed Poseidon Brewing Co.

Jumping down to Ventura Institution Ale Co. was the last stop of the night

Darin and others Jumping On The Brew Bus

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s someone who doesn’t drive, it can be difficult to visit out-oftown breweries. Carpinteria is easy with both the 20 and 21x bus lines getting you there relatively quickly (ehh, within an hour or so), but anything farther afield is going to take some effort.

While local public buses are decent for a town of our size, you may have spotted another bus line cruising the streets.

An armada of black buses has become iconic in our area. Spend some time on the streets of Santa Barbara and you are bound to see a black bus drive by with large white letters emblazoned on the side, spelling out whatever occasion it is heading towards.

These buses weren’t always here. You may recall a restaurant named Live Cultures in the Paseo Nuevo Mall.

The establishment was before its time, combining frozen yogurt, local wines, and craft beer with food, art, and live music. My first published writing was done alongside pints of Telegraph while sitting in this unique place. This is also where I first met Darin and Sierra Falso, two of the figureheads behind Live Cultures. The restaurant closed due to unfortunate circumstances that don’t need to be detailed here, but at the time I was working with them on a beer and art exhibit that would have been displayed there. It was disheartening for many of us when the establishment closed, especially Darin and Sierra.

Darin went back to selling medical supplies and together they tried to figure out their next step. One day while sitting on the beach, a whimsical thought was shared between them.

The idea of buying a big bus and renting it out to people seemed like a way to keep the Live Cultures energy

Journey Down South

Zach Rosen is a Certified Cicerone® and beer educator living in Santa Barbara. He uses his background in chemical engineering and the arts to seek out abstract expressions of beer and discover how beer pairs with life.

and ambiance alive. On Labor Day weekend of 2011, they bought their first bus and their new adventure, Jump On The School Bus, began.

They invited friends over on 11/11/11 to paint it their characteristic black.

Their first bookings were just friends and word-of-mouth business.

Then word spread and they found themselves overbooked and in need of another bus. So they bought one. And another one. Years later, they now have a fleet of sixteen buses. Certainly their business is largely driven by the everpresent wedding industry, however they also focus on wine tours and have smaller buses for doing brewery visits.

Darin is an avid fan of beer. Every time we would run into one another he would ask me on my opinions about the various Ventura breweries. I have been embarrassingly inattentive to a beer scene so close by and blossoming, and would rarely have any good insight on Ventura’s offerings. After years of talking about getting together to do some beer touring through Ventura, we finally coordinated over the holidays and did a trip on one of their small brew buses, Apollo.

The voyage began at Darin and Sierra’s house in Carpinteria. A few of us jumped into Apollo and headed off to Poseidon Brewing Co. (5777 Olivas Park Dr., Ventura). Old dive helmets turned into lamps and nautical gear along the walls, the microbrewery has a décor that looks like it came from a salvaged shipwreck.

Overall their beers are balanced and buoyant with a back-end bitterness that lingers throughout their lineup. Gold Coast, a Belgian-style Strong, has a pulpy, orange character with honey-flavored malts as the base and a touch of clove in the nose. A special edition with cranberries had a brighter flavor that was fruitier but not overdone. Ironclad Irish Red is an Irish Red Lager with traditional flavors of caramel malts and buttered toast.

Battleship Blonde is a gentle flagship beer with brisk malts and a solid bitterness with semisweet esters. Poseidon’s true star is the Spindrift IPA. With flavors of mango, kaffir lime and a touch of lemon, this beer has a complex fruitiness that complements its bright crispness.

A taco break later and we headed off next to Topa Topa Brewing Co. (104 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura). The brewer, Casey Harris, sat down with us, discussing the beers and regaling us with tales from his time at Stone Brewing Co. Overall, their beers are heavily hopped with a clean malt character and full bodies.

Their flagship, Chief Peak IPA, resembles their style with a dank, aggressive grapefruit and floral aroma that hints at his experiences at Stone. Equinox IPA is

more fruit forward with substantial citrus and grapefruit flavors. The Gadabout is an oatmeal stout with a smooth chocolate character and low acidity. They also had a special coffee addition with a more mocha-like nose to it.

We had enough energy for one more brewery and wanted to make the trek to Camarillo to visit Institution Ale Co. (438 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo), another spot known for its hoppy brews. Citra, named after its signature hop, has the traditional citric, spicy flavor of this quintessentially American hop. Sedation is an amber ale with a raspberry lemonade-like quality that is full flavored yet light drinking. We left the bustling nanobrewery and drove back listening to old school rock. The Doors’ “Crystal Ships” was sparkling in our ears as we zipped along the 101, drifting home with the holiday lights being blurred by the flecks of rain on the windshield. It was great to spend some time with Darin and hear about his and Sierra’s bus endeavors, and of course, drink some beer. With enough interest, they hope that they can set up a regular schedule for the brew buses that would run continually, allowing people to traipse from brewery-to-brewery.

Regardless, the black buses will continue to be a vibrant part of our local scenery and Darin and Sierra are going to keep bringing culture and liveliness to Santa Barbara. If you ever had the inkling to “Jump On” one of their buses then visit JumpOnTheBrewBus.com or call (805) 331-2301.

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UPCLOSE

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by jacquelyn De Longe

Jacquelyn’s creative interests earned her a degree in fine art from Art Center College of Design, followed by years in the Los Angeles art world working for major galleries and prominent artists. She is regularly published in West Coast newspapers and magazines, in addition to working as a producer and director in the performing arts. She is an advocate for children’s art programs and, she is not afraid to dance down the aisle at the grocery store with her kids when Talking Heads plays overhead. Contact Jacquelyn at www.delongewrites.com.

Bringing New Life to Family History

F

or local artist Leslie Lewis Sigler, still-life painting takes on new meaning in her Silver Series. Her one-to-one scale oil paintings of decadent silver flatware, pitchers, platters, and other service ware are full of color and personality. Each painting is titled with a unique name to capture its identity, like “The Daredevil” or “The Matriarch.”

Sigler uses contemporary compositions with minimal background, contrasting shadow and light to play a fine line between still-life and portraiture. Her painterly touch, little brush strokes, remain visible as she implores the old master’s technique of applying thin glazes over a monochromatic underpainting to create a photographic realism that has light reflecting off the silver objects just as they would in real life, sometimes even including her own reflection, like 17th century painter Pieter Claesz. Sigler can skillfully render each piece, but it is the

Artist Leslie Lewis Sigler in her Santa Barbara home studio

history of these heirloom objects that has fueled her interest and passion to bring out each unique story.

“Originally it started because I really enjoyed painting still-life paintings of old objects and it was so general. I was just asking friends, ‘Oh, do you have any old cameras, phones?’ And then I was at a friend’s house and she had this old tea service and we laughed, ‘What do you do with these?’ She was my age. She let me borrow it and I took it home, polished it, and I started Silver Spoon # 81, The Biographer

...continued p.13

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JANUARY 15 - 29 by Steven Libowitz Triple-Header at SOhO

I

s SOhO paying rent by the hour?

They’ve been there for 20 years already – last year’s big double decade celebration had monthly superstar benefit shows boasting the the likes of Michael McDonald, John Kay of Steppenwolf, and Alan Parsons, to name just a few. Yet apparently it’s going to take multiple shows on one day to balance the books this month because the upstairs restaurant and music club has booked a triple-header for this first Sunday of the fortnight, January 17.

The 12-hour shift starts with the return of Snap! A Drag Queen Revue in a brunch-time show hosted by Deja Re and featuring performance by Santa Barbara faves Borgia Bloom, Azara Sapphire, Miss Thing and Vivian Storm, plus two guests, including Cupcake Canne, star of the Marco Marco Fashion show, and Anita Rose, back by popular demand.

Show time is 12:30 pm, admission is $15, and the mimosas will be flowing.

(Check the absolutely fabulous photos on the Facebook page: www.facebook. com/Snapdragrevue.

Things should be a little less rowdy for the early evening entry, Chicago acoustic guitarist Larry Pattis. The fingerstyle master who draws from classical, jazz, country, Celtic, and blues largely uses the DADGAD tuning, an adjustment that results in an open D suspended fourth chord that is neither intrinsically major nor minor. He learned the tuning from the great French master guitarist Pierre Bensusan, who himself played SOhO several times back in the early days. Pattis has been a featured headline performer at the Montreal International

Jazz Festival and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, but it’s probably safe to say he’s never come on stage following a drag revue before (albeit several hours later). Tickets are $12 and Pattis hits the stage at 7 pm.

Ghastly, a DJ and producer who grew up on a goat farm – yes you read that right – gets the honor of closing out the exceedingly eclectic entertainment lineup on the solitary SOhO Sunday. The EDM expert wants us all to know he didn’t name himself after the Pokémon pet monster, but rather his own persona (“I’m a little bit abominable and a little bit atrocious in my personal decisions and lifestyle,” he told the Insomniac.com website.

That should be my domain name – I’m writing this at 1 am). Anyway, Ghastly, born David Lee Crow, used to play in touring metal bands before moving to Venice Beach and landing a dance music gig as Bassrush Resident DJ at Exchange LA. More recently he’s scored with his original “Miami Connection” with Jauz and the single “Crank It” with Mija & Lil Jon. Pay your $21-$23 and get your EDM on with Ghastly from 9:30 to late night.

By the way, we’re just kidding about the bills/rent crack above. We love the space at SOhO, so when it gets used more frequently for such a wide variety of offerings, we’re all for it.

Bedtime Stories

Look, I know what you’re thinking.

You gave up having stories read aloud to you by someone else right after your mom and dad said you could stay up

Tell us all about your art opening, performance, dance party, book signing, sale of something we can’t live without, or event of any other kind by emailing fortnight@santabarbarasentinel.com. If our readers can go to it, look at it, eat it, or buy it, we want to know about it and will consider it for inclusion here.

Special consideration will be given to interesting, exploratory, unfamiliar, and unusual items. We give calendar preference to those who take the time to submit a picture along with their listing.

after 8 pm. And the last time you had cookies and milk was probably just a few years later. So this whole Speaking of Stories thing must seem a little strange.

But there must be some reason why the series has lasted for about 15 years now, and here it is. It’s pretty darn wonderful to hear stories read aloud, even if you don’t have your head resting on the pillow and someone to kiss you goodnight on the forehead and turn out the lights when they’re done. Even better when it’s experienced actors taking on well chosen stories surrounding a theme. That’s what Speaking of Stories has become over the years, as director Maggie Mixsell has honed the series into a finely tuned show.

The new season kicks off at Center Stage Theater in Paseo Nuevo on Sunday and Monday, January 17-18 with the perennially popular Nothing But Laughs, a night of humorous tales meant to tickle your funny bone the same way your dad would with your feet when you wouldn’t go back to sleep after waking up from a nightmare at midnight. The literary lineup boasts stories by old standby James Thurber and modern master Dave Barry among its half-a-dozen-plus-one entries, read by six of the area’s finest thespians: Jay Carlander reads “Couple’s First Dinner Party” by Hallie Cantor; Leslie Gangl Howe reads “An Abbreviated Catalogue of Tongues” by Sloan Coakley; Tony Miratti reads Barry’s “She Drives For A Relationship: He Is Lost In The Transmission;” Julie Ruggieri takes on “The Lesbian Bride’s Handbook” by Ariel Levy; Katie Thatcher reads Ali Wentworth’s autobiographical “Ali in Wonderland,” and Tim Whitcomb does double duty delving into “Scarlatti Tilt”

by Richard Brautigan and “The Little Girl and the Wolf ” by James Thurber.

Be sure to stick around after the final curtain to join the performers out on the patio outside the theater for complimentary cookies and milk – and don’t tell me that doesn’t make you feel warm all over.

Coming up later in the season is round two of SOS’s new Personal Stories night, where local actors and writers perform their own first-person true stories, over Valentine’s Day weekend; new entries on Tales from the Twilight Zone on March 13-14, and Madams of Mayhem on April 17-18; and the melting potstyle Literary Potpourri on May 22.

Except for this final entry, the shows are at 2 pm on Sunday and 7:30 pm on Monday, and you can buy individual tickets or the full series at a discount.

Take a Bow

It takes a confident artistic director to invite back both of his predecessors to celebrate a milestone anniversary not only just to take a bow, but also to offer new works of his own. You’re risking that whole “I liked them a lot better back when…” thing. You know, the kind of remark Woody Allen must have gotten tired of hearing before he made Vicky Cristina Barcelona. It’s like new Dodgers manager Dave Roberts asking Don Mattingly and Joe Torre to sit on the bench with him for a game or two.

So kudos to Santa Barbara Dance Theater’s Christopher Pilafian – who has only been at the helm of the 40-year-old professional dance company in residence at UCSB since 2012 – in welcoming the only other two people to hold the position, Alice Condodina (1976-1990) and Jerry Pearson (1991-2011), back to the fold for the celebratory shows being staged at UCSB’s Hatlen Theater January 20-24. The six-member company and a couple of special guest artists will perform Condodina’s “Fragrance of Memories,” which is set to Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, and Pearson’s multimedia-heavy “Amuse Bouche,” choreographed to an original score by Churchgoer, a folk/noiseelectronica band. Then Pilafian’s charges will take on his new “Strange Attractor” piece, which compares interactions between people to the interrelationships between subatomic particles and features original music by Los Angeles composer Ryan Beveridge. They’ll also offer a re-run of “Impenetrable Winter,” SBDT’s contribution to “Common Ground,” Edgar Zendejas’s creation for State Street Ballet last May, danced to Max Richter’s re-composition of Vivaldi’s famous The Four Seasons concertos. Tickets are $15; info at www. theaterdance.ucsb.edu

Hot Topics

We’re all for advocating on the issues around here. That’s why all the TVs at the office (which would be my single flat screen over yonder in the living room) have been tuned to all the presidential debates so far. Alright, I’m lying. I don’t even have cable at home, but I did read up online the following day. Still, the juxtaposition of the two plays coming to Center Stage on January 22-24 caught my eye.

Our Experience Has Taught Us: A Sensational History of Our Twelve Traditions, which has a single

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performance on January 22, dramatizes the experiences of the first Alcoholics Anonymous groups in Ohio, New York, and California, through such characters as Bill and Lois Wilson, Dr. Bob and Anne Smith, Clarence S., Marty Mann, Cleveland Indian’s catcher Rollie Hemsley, and the starlet Lillian Roth.

The production, directed by Jackie B., comes from Recover Works Theater, which has taken the show on a national tour that winds up next month.

The A-is-for-Abortion play, written

by Cassandra Hume and directed by Kellyn Johnson, examines the fact that more than 40 years after the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision, the abortion issue remains as divisive as ever. The issue has been all over the news for years, even more so in recent months, but the play’s mission is to relate the personal stories associated with the hot button topic. Samantha Eve, the founder of Out of the Box Theatre Company – which presents often edgy musicals – stars along with Erica Flor, Terry Li, Sydney Wesson, and Rosalee Wollman. Shows are 8 pm January 23 and 2 pm January 24.

We’re not endorsing anything one way or the other, just reporting on what’s on stage. So please, no letters or phone calls.

Blues in the Face

I’ve always kind of wondered how musicians feel about playing for dancers.

Sure, it’s great to have people moving to your music, but the ego has to take a little bit of a licking when you look out there and realize that people aren’t paying a whole lot of attention to you.

That tasty riff you just laid down on your Stratocaster, or that clever twist in the lyrics that you snuck into the second verse? All they noticed was whether you missed your beat.

But it’s the best of both worlds at the Santa Barbara Blues Society’s concerts at the Carrillo Recreation Center. It’s a massive ballroom with plenty of room for both those who want to swing dance or jitterbug ‘til their partners drop (on a spring-loaded dance floor, no less, very good for the knees) and the more sedentary type who prefer to sit back and watch as they listen and maybe guzzle a beer or two (yes, they even allow drinking).

Either approach will work on Saturday, January 30, when Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers head downtown for one of those periodic SBBS shows. The bluesharmonica player and singer is one righteous dude who has been playing with the same band since 1980 (which would be a lot longer than most of your

JA N UA RY 1 5 – 2 9 | 2 0 1 6 |

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parents stayed married – an apropos comparison considering his wife, Honey Piazza, plays piano in the Mighty Flyers).

It’s just fine to stay seated and check out the interplay, and if their jump blues, that has elements of Chicago blues and West Coast sound, makes you want to get up and boogie, well get right to it.

Just please, watch out for your neighbors.

(My shin is recovering nicely from last year’s mishap, thank you very much.)

Doors open at 7 pm, which is when the free BBQ snacks get put out, opener Rick Reeves, who has a fine blues band of his own but he’s doing his solo acoustic thing tonight, goes on at 7:15 pm and the Flyers soar to the stage around 8 pm.

Details at www.sbblues.org.

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the head with a board filled with twenty nails.” We’ll take that as a qualified yes.

with Mark Léisuré

Mark spends much of his time wandering Santa Barbara and environs, enjoying the simple things that come his way.

A show here, a benefit there, he is generally out and about and typically has a good time. He says that he writes “when he feels the urge” and doesn’t want his identity known for fear of an experience that is “less than authentic.” So he remains at large, roaming the town, having fun. Be warned.

One Of The Greats Molly Hahn autographs copies of her book, Buddha Doodles: Imagine the Possibilities, at Chaucer’s on January 19

Parker’s Poignant Passages

I

t was a real Montecito movie moment at Chaucer’s Books in Loreto Plaza on the Sunday after Christmas. MaryLouise Parker, the actress famed for TV (Weeds, The West Wing), theater (Proof on Broadway), and film (Angels in America on HBO), was signing copies of her first book, Dear Mr. You. She was accompanied by her sister and brotherin-law, former actress Sage Parker and director Perry Lang, who are longtime residents of Montecito. Among the first of the folks to step for for a signature was the village’s own actress-writer hero Fannie Flagg, the author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe.

Parker had played central character Ruth Jamison in the 1992 film version of the bestseller, and from Parker’s look of happy surprise and the warm embrace they shared when she recognized Flagg, it must have been a while since they’d seen each other.

It was a touching moment, but paled in comparison to witnessing Parker choke up when she read from her book, which is a marvelous collection of essays written as letters to all the men in her life, from her father and preacher to teachers, boyfriends, the doctor who saved her

life, and many others, real or imagined or future. The actress teared up during a passage from “Dear Future Man Who Loves My Daughter,” and then, in her lovable manner, turned the whole thing endearingly funny with her acerbic wit when she noticed her poignant passage had calmed the chatter in the bookstore: “Is that what I have to do to get you to shut up?”

The book is brilliant reading, both funny and moving, above and beyond getting a glimpse at the real woman behind the actress. (We were told, by the way, that Dear Mr. You was sent to publishers anonymously and was picked up by Simon & Schuster without knowing who wrote it.)

Meanwhile, we also caught up with Ms. Flagg in the parking lot after the encounter and – being something of a scribe who has, shall we just say, issues with actually sitting down in front of the keyboard in time to make deadlines – asked her about her writing process.

We inquired whether the famous quote attributed to Dorothy Parker – “I hate writing; I love having written” – applied to her love for her profession. After a long pause, she said, “I’d rather be hit in

Santa Barbara-educated Molly Hahn gets the autographing at Chaucer’s honor on Tuesday, January 19, when the Carpinteria cartoon creator celebrates the publication of Buddha Doodles: Imagine the Possibilities. Hahn’s upbeat and whimsical single-panel drawings that offer mindfulness one-liners as captions have proven popular around town and on the Internet, and it was through social media that Hahn quite unexpectedly received an offer to publish many of them as a book. Turns out it was Andrews McMeel, the humor-comedy publishing house behind such industry heavyweights as Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side and Dilbert. Now count Molly Hahn among the greats.

It’s no fluke. Hahn’s latest endeavor follows her children’s books, Izzy’s Ukulele Adventure, All the Things I Can Do!, and Under the Sneep Tree: the Wamboozling of a Village, but Buddha Doodles is even more personal. The series grew out of her daily meditative sketch practice she began in 2011 following a series of traumatic life events, and the lighthearted but deeply meaningful messages have been instrumental in her self-healing.

The drawings found an audience very quickly after she began posting them on social media, and at a private book release party at Handlebar Coffee Roasters last weekend, Hahn was beaming with pride and wonder, as friends and their families lined up to have her sign copies personalized with a message and one of Hahn’s cheery elephant figures.

We couldn’t be happier for her.

Time to Shine

And speaking of women writers sharing their stories, your chance is coming up.

Expressing Motherhood is coming to Santa Barbara’s Center Stage Theater in May and the national touring production that has been showcasing stories about motherhood on stage since 2008 is now collecting submissions. Writers, storytellers, performers, and songwriters are invited to create pieces based on their own personal stories regarding motherhood that run no longer than

five minutes when read aloud. Send them as Word documents, PDFs, or in the body of an email to Jacquelyn at santabarbara@expressingmotherhood. com. Get the details online at www. expressingmotherhood.com.

Just A Typical Night In SB

Not too worn out from New Year’s Eve celebrations, your intrepid correspondent actually hit State Street the second Friday in January following a rousing and dance-inducing early evening with David Courtenay at Carr Winery. The prolific singer-songwriter is back with his band at Seven Bar in the Funk Zone on Sunday, January 17.

First stop was the James Joyce, where, while trying to get lined up for a better dart toss we backed into Alastair Greene, the hirsute bear of a blues guitarist and singer who holds down a weekly gig at the pub every Thursday night. Did we have our days mixed up? No, it turns out Greene just moseyed for a pint or two following an acoustic set at the Brewhouse a few blocks away. These days Greene also tours the world as a sideman with ex-pat Brit (now Santa Barbara resident) prog-rocker Alan Parsons, but the guitarist remains quite humble despite his exploits. “It’s a pretty sweet life,” he allowed.

Heading back down the street toward the parking lot, we were drawn in by the noise emanating from the Blind Tiger, where veteran Santa Barbara pop band The Tearaways were holding sway. Turned out Beach Boy Bruce Johnston was just hitting the stage for his guest shot, and the Mesa-dwelling singer followed up “Do You Wanna Dance” with a credible rendition of “California Girls” that had the audience singing along with glee (I don’t think they needed the set of largetype lyrics he held up to the crowd).

Santa Barbara native Christian Love, the son of founding Beach Boy Mike Love and a frequent member of the touring band, helped out for those numbers too, sparking more interest for the Beach Boys’ proper concert coming up at the Granada at the end of the month.

But the guest appearances weren’t over.

When Johnston and Love stepped off, Ron Dante returned to the mic, and the late ‘60s hitmaker (The Archies, etc.) who had already ripped through “Sugar, Sugar” and some of his other hits of the era, gave us one last blast from the past with “Tracy”, the big smash from Dante’s later one-hit wonder band The Cuff Links, which, just like the Archies, featured Dante’s overdubbed vocals providing all the harmonies. This time the Tearaways’ voices were up to the job, and your correspondent found himself humming the melody for a few days afterward. (It’s gone now, no need to call the song exorcist, thanks.)

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...continued from p.9

The Matriarch

Silver Spoon #102, The Daredevil

Silver Spoon #107, The Goddess

painting it. While I was painting it I started to think about the history of the item, which is something I had never considered before. She had said it was a wedding gift her grandmother had got at an antique store, so it made me think of the history of that object: How many times had it been given as a wedding gift? How many marriages had it been

through? What was the lifespan of this thing? So it really made me think of these objects as portraits of people and wonder about their story.”

Having worked on the Silver Series for the past five years, Sigler’s interest stays strong, and with each heirloom silver piece she discovers at a flea market or antique store comes the potential

for a new narrative of history. When I spent the morning at her Santa Barbara studio, it was easy to see the influence of natural light as the morning sun flooded her home studio. There, a collection of silver vessels borrowed from friends glinted on the shelf above her computer and highlighted the composed images of flatware awaiting their panel portrait tacked on the wall by her wooden easel. Sigler herself mines the history of painting, picking techniques to suit her project, similar to the way she selects unique antique silver and reinterprets them in a modern way.

“I started to see the flatware as a species of things, because it has one

We Want You!

identity with a few different functions.

But it has so many different looks and personalities, like a strawberry fork or an ice cream spoon. I started to see the utensils as a family, and I tried to point out the different members. The tarnished pieces had a different personality than the really polished pieces. It is really a study of family.”

Sigler is busy in her studio developing her Silver Series even further, and I can’t wait to see where she takes it next. She has exhibited here in Santa Barbara at Sullivan Goss, recently showing at the Jane Deering Gallery in Massachusetts, and currently has an exhibition in New York at George Billis Gallery.

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ONTHESPOT:

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ur mild holiday hibernation felt great and now we’re ready to get after it. So many events, business, artisans, and merchants to cover and we’re honored to be a part of it. Santa Barbara Gift Baskets is our inaugural obsession and we’d love to have our walls covered with Stefanie Bales’ fine art. Nutbelly represents our farmers market and local beer cravings and the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara has a ton of new membership benefits we can’t wait to cash in on. Thank you for welcoming us back into your lives and keep us posted on what’s been going on with you: megan@ santabarbarasentinel.com or @ SantaBarbaraSentinel on Instagram.

We want to write about you!

DREAMSCAPES

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tefanie Bales’ paintings make us want to crawl inside, explore, and stay forever. Get lost in this creation entitled “Crimson Peace” (24”x30” acrylic and mixed media painting), then prepare to dive into her soon-to-be collection of contemporary landscape paintings inspired by Southern California, where “each is meant to intuit idioms of the collective subconscious.” Yep, we totally get it. #artisttowatch

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BerryMan

by Cory Clark

The Berry Man, Inc. is a wholesale produce distributor supplying produce and artisanal products to restaurants, resorts, institutions, caterers, and markets from Big Sur to Santa Barbara to Santa Monica. While sourcing worldwide, special emphasis is on the locally grown. Cory Clark is sales and marketing director of The Berry Man, Inc. and the voice of this sponsored column, The Berry Man.

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CAUSE & EFFECT...

HELPING THOSE WHO HELP US RINCON CLASSIC 2016

WHAT’S HOT, WHAT’S NOT

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hen Guy, AKA The Berry Man, started this company, one of his founding principles was to do everything in his power to say yes to his customers.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way” is an adage we live by here at The Berry Man. Of the many things I have learned from Guy, this is the principle that has led to the most success. Our customers know that if they’re having trouble finding something, they can call us for assistance. Over the years, we’ve had some pretty fun and far-out requests for obscure products. Whether it’s locating thousands of pounds of foraged wild mushrooms or asking a grower to harvest his strawberries green for the latest avant-garde recipe, I get to play a hand in making it happen. Finding these products and fulfilling those custom requests illustrates the core of our culture. We’ll go to extraordinary lengths to make our customers happy and get them what they want; we prefer the term “consultant” to salesperson. We are here to help!

Working at The Berry Man has given me a bird’s eye view into what’s going on in the kitchens of our top culinary talent. Being a product specialist requires being ahead of the curve, so lucky for me I stay on top with the help of our customers.

Here’s a look at some past culinary trends: 2015 was the year of the whole-roasted cauliflower and avocado toast. We also added Sriracha to our Sriracha –­ and our aiolis, sandwich spreads, beef jerky, popcorn, etc. You name it, we poured it on. Oh, and let’s not forget how kale became so cool. Since the inception of the kale Caesar salad back in 2010, kale reached its pinnacle in popularity. Heck, we even launched our own line of living kale. Juice has been a big trend, too. Not just juice, but “cold pressed” juice, pressed between cold plates rather than a traditional juicer. It’s a $100 million dollar industry and going strong. The term “juicery” was on everyone’s lips; we saw many open this year.

Here are some of my observations for current and upcoming culinary trends: Move over Sriracha – Alternatives for the “cult hot sauce” will begin to make their mark. Watch for Harissa sauce, piri piri sauce, and spicy honeys.

Wheat is back – I have some big predictions for wheat (yes, gluten!). There is a revolution in the industry for sustainably produced heirloom wheat and grains (think artisanal flour ramen noodles). The farm-to-table concept will be applied to wheat and flours where origin and heirloom count as much as the dish itself.

Flowers in food – Edible flowers have long garnished plates, but chefs are now incorporating them more into their dishes for flavor (think peppery Nasturtium and viola petals tossed into a salad).

Grab a drink ­– In beverages, micro-distilleries are all the rage. The industry is trending toward small batch production. Tired of coconut water? Try maple and birch water. Filtered through the trees, it has a light maple flavor along with minerals and electrolytes!

Pickled or fermented – “Brineries” are making a modern day comeback. What was once a way to preserve food has now become a way to enhance it and give it that extra dimension or punch. I am seeing non-traditional pickling veggies like fennel being brined in high quality vinegars.

Seaweed – Chefs are adding it to poaching broths, risottos, and sauces for an extra layer of umami.

“Peel to stem” – Produce is predicted to be more of a center of the plate than ever before. It’s not just a side dish anymore! Chefs are utilizing entire vegetables and creating plate where they are the stars. Vegetables truly can do anything that pork, chicken, or beef can do. What about beet tartare and beet bourguignon? Restaurants are now featuring elaborately prepared veggies as entrées. Meat as a garnish? You know what that means? More produce! Great news for us!

INTRODUCING “WHAT THE FORK” FOR TIPS, TRICKS AND WHERE TO FIND THE LATEST PRODUCTS AND CULINARY TRENDS. What the fork do I do with red shishito peppers?

Red shishito peppers are simply a mature shishito pepper. Shishito peppers are classified as a sweet Japanese pepper variety, though, that

T

he brain-man behind our beloved Rincon Classic is Chris Keet. He manifested his dream in the mid 90s by combining his love of surf and the community through contests and fundraisers he organized. Coaching came naturally to him, and eventually became a profession as requests for his coaching skills made him think twice. “I’ve always believed that it is the people in your life that make it special,” says Keet. “And I realized right then that sharing surfing with people, especially young people, and teaching it in a way that emphasizes integrity and personal responsibility, would be dream come true for me.” Keet’s surf school, Surf Happens, has evolved to produce the Rincon Classic. Now in its 15th year, the locals-only Classic will be held Saturday, January 16th and Sunday, January 17th at Rincon Point.

(Photos by William Tover.)

Surf Happens 13 East Haley Street, Santa Barbara, CA 805 966 3613 Instagram: @surfhappens www.surfhappens.com does not guarantee all shishitos will be sweet. The red ones are firm and bright in color and their flavor is a deep concentrated pimento. There is no definitive way to distinguish a spicier pepper from a milder one except for actually tasting it. I think it would be fun to pair the red with the green for balance of sweet and spicy. Try B blistering them in a pan and sprinkling sea salt on them to finish.

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MILPAS MOTORS 1951 WILLYS JEEPSTER 83K MILES $18,995

1959 MERCEDES-BENZ 190-CLASS SL 73K MILES $129,000

1961 MORGAN PLUS 4 PLUS 4 DROP HEAD 47K MILES $47,995

1962 AUSTIN-HEALEY 3000 MK II 74K MILES $35,995

1987 BUICK GRAND NATIONAL 98K MILES $21,995

1963 FORD FALCON 64K MILES $21,995

1963 MERCURY MONTEREY 42K MILES $37,995

1965 FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK 100K MILES $32,995

1978 ROLLS ROYCE CORNICHE 9K MILES $64,995

1976 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SHADOW 8K MILES $19,995

1982 MERCEDES-BENZ 300-CLASS 300D 4DR TURBODIESEL SEDAN 84K MILES$7,995

1986 CHEVROLET EL CAMINO BASE 2DR STD STANDARD CAB 75K MILES $13,995

1993 PORSCHE 928 GTS 2DR HATCHBACK 98K MILES $69,995

1999 BMW Z3 Z-3 M 17K MILES $17,995

1999 BMW Z3 M ROADSTER 38K MILES $17,995

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735 NORTH MILPAS STREET• SANTA BARBARA, CA 93103

(805) 884-8102

2002 DODGE VIPER RT/10 2DR ROADSTER 9K MILES $39,500

2003 BMW 7 SERIES 745I 4DR SEDAN 83K MILES $10,995

1984 MASERATI QUATROPORTE 70K MILES $18,995

2008 FERRARI F430 SPIDER BASE 2DR CONVERTIBLE 27K MILES $127,995

2010 ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE BASE 4DR SEDAN 13K MILES $98,995

2013 MERCEDES E-550 CABRIOLET 4K MILES $47,995

2016 MINI COOPER COUNTRYMAN NEW CAR 80 MILES $22,995

2012 BMW 6 SERIES 640I 2DR COUPE 16K MILES $43,995

2012 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER SPORT HSE LUX 4X4 4DR SUV 45K MILES $39,995

2014 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GTC SPEED 5K MILES $189,000

2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS E350 LUXURY 4DR SEDAN 16K MILES $42,995

2014 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA S 2DR COUPE 5K MILES $85,995

2002 ASTON MARTIN DB7 VANTAGE 2DR COUPE 17K MILES $39,995

1995 LAND ROVER DEFENDER 68K MILES $64,995

2009 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-CLASS SL550 2DR CONVERTIBLE 26K MILES $43,995

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Local LIBATIONS

SPECIAL RECIPES FROM TALENTED CHEFS IN SB

QUICK BITES

FRESHLY BREWED KOMBUCHA

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ountiful crunchy vegetables, displayed on an heirloom platter with this easy roasted root vegetable hummus, will launch you into a healthy start to the New Year. It’s a savory alternative to the traditional chick pea hummus. Makes about 3 cups.

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acific Health Foods has remodeled to include a wide range of fresh and local fruits and veggies as well as an extensive freezer and refrigerator selection of healthy and organic goods. Their home-brewed Kombucha has been a staple for years, freshly brewing seasonal fruits and veggies to create new flavors. It even comes in a sweet mason jar for reuse.

ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE HUMMUS WITH WINTER VEGETABLE PLATTER Ingredients: 1 Lb carrots, sweet potatoes, and/or butternut squash cut into 1-inch chunks 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 Large shallot, sliced 2 Cloves garlic, smashed 2 Lemons, juiced

1/4 Cup tahini sesame paste 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and thyme 1 Teaspoon Taste of Ojai Sea salt 1 Teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Toss vegetables for roasting together in 2 tablespoons olive oil with sliced shallots and smashed garlic cloves, season well with salt. Spread on a lightly-oiled baking tray. Oven roast the vegetables for 35-40 minutes, turning it up to 400 when you put the trays in. Stir occasionally, until roots are tender, and begin to shrivel and edges turn brown. Allow to cool slightly before making dip.

Pacific Health Foods 944 Linden Ave, Carpinteria • (805) 684-2115 Instagram: @pacifichealthfoods www.pacifichealthfood.com Open 9 am - 6:30 pm Daily Closed Sunday

Place roasted vegetables in a food processor, blend until partially pureed but still chunky. Add lemon juice, 1/4 cup tahini paste, 2 tablespoons olive oil, herbs, and a few tablespoons of water. Season to taste and serve warm, room temperature or slightly chilled. This hummus will hold for three days in the fridge, if it even lasts that long.

RO aising the Bar wner Jana Gonzalez creates Nutbelly’s menu based on seasonal foods found at local farmers markets. Here, Jana (left) and manager Ana Rovi (right) showcase the array of California-only brews and the strawberry Bellini made with local farmers market treats. One of the other features we love about this place is the happy hour – 3 pm to 5 pm every day (except Tuesday) during the workweek.

WATERWISE GREYWATER TO GREEN GARDENS

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rom laundry to landscaping, greywater systems are a great way to reuse water at your home and reduce water bills. Learn more about greywater systems (and potential rebates on them) at www.SantaBarbaraCA. gov/WaterWise, or check out the Laundry to Landscape DVD at your local library.

WaterWise City of Santa Barbara 630 Garden Street, Santa Barbara • (805) 564-5460 SantaBarbaraCA.gov/WaterWise

Private Chef Robin Robin Goldstein, known as “Private Chef Robin” to her clientele, cooks for special events and private parties.

To book: (805) 284-4264 www.privatechefrobin.com Find her salt infusions at The Santa Barbara Company, C’est Cheese, Isabella Gourmet Foods, the Santa Barbara Winery Tasting Room, Porch on Santa Claus Lane, and Viva Oliva in Montecito.

STRAWBERRY BELLINI

Farmers market strawberries pureed with local lemons and sugar to taste. Add to your favorite champagne or prosecco.

ISLAND BREWING COMPANY’S AVOCADO HONEY ALE Served in an icy cold pint glass, poured to perfection.

Nutbelly Pizzeria & Deli 915 Linden Ave, Carpinteria • (805) 684-3354 Closed Tuesdays • Instagram: @Nutbelly_Pizza • www.Nutbelly.com

SweetSpot:

THE

POPCORN PERFECTION

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y first experience with the Santa Barbara Popcorn Company was at the Santa Barbara Bowl – my friend grabbed a bag, I grabbed a handful, and it’s been love ever since. Non-GMO, all organic, vegan, gluten free, and California kernels, they deliver rich flavors that make your tummy happy and put your healthconscious mind at peace.

Santa Barbara Popcorn Company (805) 628-2177 • contact@sbpopcorn.com Instagram: @sbpopcorn • www.sbpopcorn.com

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#ARTCHANGEDMYLIFE with

BYOA:

BRING YOUR OWN ART NIGHT As artists, sharing ideas with other visionaries is a part of the creative process. MCASB is giving the community the floor to share thoughts and – most importantly – their art.

Join museum professionals, other artists, and members to discuss a piece of their art or your own artwork in a curator/arts educator led group. An inspiring social gathering you won’t want to miss.

This special event will be held Wednesday, January 20, 2016 from 5 pm to 7 pm.

Admission is $20 for MCASB members and $25 for non-members.

RSVP required. Contact development@mcasantabarbara.org or call 805.966.5373 x107

MCASB CELEBRATES SANTA BARBARA TASTEMAKERS! Become a member today and receive a special gift from one of the leading creatives in our community. Through February 29th, or while supplies last.

TASTEMAKER (n): a daring and innovative community member who cultivates a robust social following and continuously pushes boundaries in their field by actively re-defining the creative trends, practices, and aesthetics of their craft.

FOLLOW SOME OF OUR REGION’S TASTEMAKERS ON INSTAGRAM!

A daily on-point ensemble

by WHISTLE CLUB – @WhistleClub

BECOME A MEMBER!

MCASB MEMBER BENEFITS EXTENDED TO ALL MEMBERSHIP LEVELS: Personalized membership card Being the first to know about upcoming exhibitions and events Member discount on ticketed events Invitation to the annual member party North American Reciprocal Museum Program (Free access to about 800 institutions) Access to Artist Development Workshops One complimentary MCASB Publication

TELEGRAPH BREWING COMPANY’S White Ale – @TelegraphBrewing

MEMBERSHIP LEVELS: Deluxe ($150) – Includes all the above as well as early bird notification of BYOA and two complimentary drink tickets at Curated Cocktails, MCASB’s popular First Thursday event Premium ($250) – Includes all the above as well as a 20% discount to the museum store.

Platinum ($500) – Includes all the above as well as an invitation to VIP preview receptions for each exhibition and and one complimentary limited edition art print.

MAKE SMITH LEATHER COMPANY’S Convertible Leather Backpack – @MakeSmith Stay tuned to MCASB’s membership drive where one tastemaker will be featured per week showcasing a gift that new members are eligible to win just by signing up!

Join today by visiting us online or by calling or emailing Christopher Martinez, Development Manager at development@mcasantabarbara.org • 805.966.5373 x107.

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART SANTA BARBARA 653 Paseo Nuevo, Upper Arts Terrace, Santa Barbara | (805) 966-5373 Instagram: @MCASantaBarbara | www.mcasantabarbara.org

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5 ThingsYouDidn’tKnowAbout: KELLY MARSH

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anta Barbara is known for astronomical real estate prices, and Kelly Marsh is the woman who makes home ownership possible. Now branch manager of the Santa Barbara office of Broadview Mortgage, Kelly originated her first loan when she was 21 years old (!). Less than 20 years later, she has approximately 4,000 loans totaling over $1 billion (yep, “b” as in billion) under her belt. Born and raised in the community she now serves, Kelly has been the Top Producing Branch Manager and Loan Originator for the entire Broadview Mortgage Company since joining the company in early 2009.

1. In September, I crossed off a bucket list item after walking 39 miles for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. (In my 39th year of life!) Our team raised $61,400.

2. I got my first dog ever in May when Hershey, now a 75-plus-pound Native American Indian Dog (NAID), joined our family. I’ve met only one other person who has heard of that breed.

3. My husband should be on ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight show. He starts working on the spectacular display the day after Thanksgiving and keeps at it throughout December.

4. One day I want to try heli-skiing. For now, I’ll stick with cruising down Aspen’s black diamond slopes.

5. Last year, I gave a TED-style talk in front of 2,500 mortgage originators at a conference in Palm Springs. I think heli-skiing will be easier.

the

Q&A WITH

G. LOVE AND SPECIAL SAUCE arrett Dutton, a.k.a. G. Love, has been G touring for twenty years and with his fourteenth (!) album now available, he’ll be

stopping by Santa Barbara in February to spread the (G) love and then some. The native Philadelphian trio – G. Love and Special Sauce – will be bringing their signature alternative blues and hip hop to the SOhO stage on Wednesday, February 3rd.

Kelly Marsh Broadview Mortgage 1826 State Street • Santa Barbara, CA 93101 • (805) 563-1100 kellym@broadviewmortgage.com

Take A Hike

by Andy Woods

PEAKING CURIOSITY

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owering over Santa Barbara – especially admirable from the Mission – Arlington Peak crowns the ridge that overlooks the sea and the California coast.

Arriving at the top involves hiking steeply up the mountain, then continuing along the ridge. Rock jumping, wind, cliffs, and echoing mountains await those who dare attempt the hike. Arlington Peak shares a trailhead with Inspiration Point as the trail to Arlington Peak diverges to the right at Mission Creek.

The total round-trip mileage is 4.5 miles.

Directions: From the Old Mission, head southeast on Laguna Street toward East Los Olivos Street. Take a sharp left onto East Los Olivos Street then take Gibraltar Road about 10 miles until arrival.

Q: I have a bit of a cold so I apologize if I sound funny.

Speaking of, have you ever had to play when you were sick?

A: Oh yeah, it definitely comes with the territory. I feel performing usually just makes you feel better. There’s been times where I’m like f***, I don’t know how I’m going to do this and every time, the minute I get on stage, this inner happiness and euphoria comes over me. I get really nervous before shows and when I get on stage, it releases and I get a big smile on my face and I’m just happy to be doing that.

Music’s kind of a healing factor.

Have you ever just completely zoned out during a show? Just lost in thought?

(Laughing) I mean yeah, that happens all the time, too. And that’s a good thing because you zone out in a blissful way and you’re cruising automatically and totally in the moment of playing. At the same time, part of becoming a great performer is finding the ability to be constantly present when you’re playing your music.

You genius-ly created special sauces, literally (for people to slather on food). If you could only give one away to try, which one would it be and why?

We have three flavors, Original, Samball, and Lolo. The original anyone can like but the Lolo is more exotic tasting, a Caribbean hot sauce. I would probably go forward with that.

SOhO Restaurant & Music Club 1221 State St # 205, Santa Barbara (805) 962-7776 Instagram: @SOhOSB www.sohosb.com

IHeart SB

Local

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BY Elizabeth Rose

I Heart SB is a social experiment in dating and relationships through stories shared with and experienced by a thirty-something living in the Greater Santa Barbara area. All stories herein are based on actual events. Some names, places, and timelines have been altered to preserve anonymity and, most of all, for your reading enjoyment. Submit stories (maximum 700 words) to letters@santabarbarasentinel.com.

LIKE A VIRGIN: PART 1

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e was my first. We met through mutual friends and the spark was immediate. I was drawn by the way he carried himself, a confident man I had not yet encountered in my life. We talked for a while and our bond was apparent.

The four-year age difference made me feel safe – more years equaled more experience. He would know what to do.

After several dates, I felt it was time. I was nervous of course, but his kind eyes and understanding nature made me feel at ease. He was the person I had been waiting for. At twenty-two, he was my first.

We dated for a year and a half but lost touch after I left for nursing school. We mutually decided to grow into our own separately and felt being in a relationship

to contain the twenty-two-year-old girl I once was. I was elated. I took a deep breath and began to reply. I didn’t ask how he was doing. I wanted to save that for when we met. I picked the place. I felt Brophy’s would be the right setting; a casual environment with a stunning view would set the tone. After a few back and forths, we locked down a day and time.

In seven days, we would be together.

A week later I arrived at Brophy’s. My heart began to pound as I climbed the steps and as I reached the top, not to my surprise, it was packed. The hostess must have seen the worried look on my face and grabbed my hand and led me to a small table-for-two outside on the balcony. I thanked her graciously and took off my coat. Once seated, my mind began to

Thirty-eight years later, Facebook brought us together. at that time would make it difficult to do so. We were sad but felt it was right.

Years later when I graduated, I had it in mind to look him up. I always wondered about him and felt this was the time to reconnect. Building a lasting relationship with my first love felt like destiny. But the dream faded as news traveled that he had married. I was a heartbroken at first but glad he had found love and was happy. I let him go reluctantly and went on with my life.

Thirty-eight years later, Facebook brought us together. My insides did somersaults as I noticed his name next to a personalized message. He said he would love to catch up sometime soon.

My now sixty-year-old self was struggling

race – a reoccurring theme since reading his message. How we would interact? What he would look like? Would he recognize me?

Would I recognize him? Questions I had no answers to. Before I could fill my head with more, I looked up. The sun began to set, covering the Santa Ynez Mountains in a bright pink glow and I gave a quick thank you to the powers that be. How amazing life is to bring us back together again. I straightened my necklace and smoothed my skirt. I touched up my lipstick, checking my teeth in the reflection of the butter knife. Just then, a man rounded the corner. The gentleman I once loved was walking towards me.

My heart shot to my throat. This is it, I thought. This is it.

#winewednesdays are back!

Join us for our exclusive single winery flight featuring three premium wines from cult Paso winery, Linne Calodo!

Corks n’ Crowns Tasting Room and Wine Shop

32 Anacapa Street in the heart of Santa Barbara's Funk Zone Hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-7pm

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SYVSNAPSHOT

by Eva Van Prooyen Keeping a finger on the pulse of the Santa Ynez Valley: what to eat, where to go, who to meet, and what to drink. Pretty much everything and anything situated between the Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains that could tickle one’s interest.

Ranch Roses Rows of roses on Baseline Ave (two acres worth to be exact) in Santa Ynez, formerly known as Blushing Hills, now grow under the new name of Ranch Roses (photo by Jebulon)

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ust off Highway 246 on Baseline Avenue in Santa Ynez, nestled among a 20-acre parcel of land, home to cows, pigs, and gardens, are two acres of roses.

Ranch Roses is the latest Santa Ynez venture to join the cluster of businesses under the Recovery Ranch “family company umbrella” that already includes: Ranch Hands – a 24-hour handyman service; Ranch Gear – a screen printing and embroidery company; Ranch Wash – a mobile car detailing service; and Ranch Guys – a food truck catering service. Recovery Ranch is a structured sober living community for men with the tagline, “Where Clean and Sober Men Live as Gentlemen.”

“The Jacobsen family lovingly planted a two-acre rose garden on this property, and we took over the ownership in November of last year,” says Jill Ross, whose husband Daniel Ross cofounded Recovery Ranch four years ago. Each Recovery Ranch resident follows a rigorous program focusing on accountability, living as gentlemen, building a strong work ethic, and working through the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program. It’s all within a structured schedule from wake-up to bedtime, filling days with projects, work-crews, groups, meals, check-ins, workouts, and participating in activities such as golfing, fishing, and community service projects.

“I bring in the femininity with the rose business in among all the men’s programs,” says Jill, who reports that taking over this new ranch, formerly known as Blushing Hills, expands the number of beds to approximately 70 that Recovery Ranch and their three graduate houses can offer.

“We will be in full-force by mid-May. May flowers!” Jill exclaims. Their rose season will run May through November. “We love the wedding season and are excited for the garden to bloom for our brides.”

Seventeen varieties of vintage garden roses are planted, and the varieties consist of: Abbaye de Cluny, Abraham Darby, Classic Women, Eden, Evelyn, Fair Bianca, Golden Celebration, Heritage, Hot Cocoa, Liv Tyler, Michelangelo, New Zealand, Pat Austin, Pink Traviata, Red Traviata, Rouge Royale, and Yves Piaget.

“I’m super girly and I love it,” says Jill, adding, “The ranch offers more to our residents. The men are tending to the gardens. Right now we are weeding, and deadheading, and getting the property up to par. It brings peace and serenity to the men being out in the garden. They are taking so much pride in it all.”

Jill reports they are excited about growing the roses and the business. “We have incredible man power, and will be able to distribute and deliver.” Jill gives an

assured but hush-hush hint to undisclosed custom retail locations to be stocked with bunches of roses – nodding toward a classy kiosk in an open-air mall-like setting in Santa Barbara, and/or a vintage refrigerator at a grocery or high-foot traffic area in Santa Ynez where people can easily pick up garden fresh bouquet bunches on a daily basis.

“We will offer wholesale accounts to florists, and Ranch Roses will offer retail delivery service and even weekly and monthly packages.”

Ranch Roses is located at 3870 Baseline Avenue in Santa Ynez. For more information visit www.ranchroses.com, call (805) 350-8409, email myranchroses@ gmail.com, or follow them on Instagram @myranchroses.

Eva’s Top Faves:

My personal picks, best bets, hot tips, save the dates, and things not to miss!

Bonfire and Music in the Vineyard

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anford Winery invites you to begin your evening with a bit of charcuterie and cheese and a tasting of five estate-grown wines. As the sun begins to set, snuggle up around a bonfire in their scenic La Rinconada Vineyard and sip your favorite Sanford vino while listening to guitarist Jim Becker as he sings classic rock favorites.

Special discounts will be available on bottle purchases.

When: Saturday, January 16 from 3 to 6 pm Where: Sanford Winery & Vineyards, 5010 Santa Rosa Road in Lompoc Cost: $45 per person/ $35 Wine Club members Info: RSVP please call 805-735-5900 ext. 9 or email Sonja@sanfordwinery.com

Solvang Third Wednesday

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eld the third Wednesday of every month, over 60 merchants, restaurants, wine tasting rooms, and professional offices offer special discounts and sales all day.

As an added perk, a wine tasting ticket gets you two tastings at wine – and/or beer – tasting rooms, a specialty logo glass, and a map to help you navigate your way through all of the fun. Four additional wine tasting options have been added for 2016, and most people don’t realize Wine/Beer Walk participants who fall short of five tasting spots during one monthly Third Wednesday, may save their partiallyused tickets and Third Wednesday Wine & Beer Walk glass, for use on a future Solvang Third Wednesday.

When: Wednesday, January 20 from 3 pm to 7 pm Where: All throughout Solvang Cost: $20 per person Info: www.solvangthirdwednesday.com

Soirée Thursdays with Tunes and Tacos

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very Thursday in the month of January, Refugio Ranch Tasting Room is “throwing a little bash for the Los Olivos community,” with live music, food, and wine by the glass and specials for club members and industry people. January 21 features Blues Bob and Vallefresh Tacos, and January 28 brings in David Courtenay (performing acoustic rock with a splash of reggae and funk) and California Tacos.

When: Thursday, January 21 and 28 from 5 pm to 7 pm Where: 2990 Grand Avenue in Los Olivos Info: www.refugioranch.com

Danish Dancers

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t doesn’t matter what you wear, just as long as you are there. So come on, every guy, grab a girl, everywhere, around the world. They’ll be dancing, dancing in the street.” – David Bowie (& Mick Jagger) Come see the Danish Dancers in full traditional costume, dancing in the street at Copenhagen and Alisal, and maybe raise a glass of Akvavit in toast to in honor of the late David Bowie… just because.

When: Saturday, January 23 from 1 to 3 pm Where: Corner of Copenhagen and Alisal in Solvang

Father Daughter Ball

WE CAN HELP! Turning 65  Tired of HMOs  Compare Plans

CALL TODAY! 1-805-683-3636

We always make sure it works out for you! www.retireeins.com | CA LIC #0773817

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orward-side-together, backwards-side-together. Santa Ynez Valley fathers are invited to bring their daughters to the annual Father/Daughter Ball. Spend the evening twirling, dos-a-dosing, box-stepping, possibly moonwalking, and bonding with music, photos, and games. The ball starts each evening at 5:30 pm with photos and light refreshments and dancing beginning at 6:30 pm.

When: Friday, February 5 or Saturday February 6 Where: Stuart C Gildred Family YMCA, 900 North Refugio Road in Santa Ynez Cost: $35 per father/daughter and $15 per additional daughter Info: Contact Adria Griggs at 805-686-2037

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SANTA YNEZ VALLEY...Come For The Wine…Stay For The Shopping

Atmosphere Atelier

Comfortable Luxury for the home

wendy foster LOS OLIVOS FINE WOMEN’S APPAREL wendyfoster.com

www.insidesyv.com

2928 SAN MARCOS AVENUE InsIde

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santa Ynez ValleY MagazIne

Treats

women's boutique

1603 Copenhagen Drive Dr Solvang 805.686.4358 treatsclothing.com

LOS OLIVOS

805.686.0110

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WWW.ATMOSPHEREATELIER.COM

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REAL ESTATE SNAPSHOT

SHOWROOM

by Kelly Mahan Kelly is a licensed Realtor with the Calcagno & Hamilton team and Village Properties. She can be reached at Kelly@homesinsantabarbara.com.

countertops, with a large island offering more counter space.

Three bedrooms are located downstairs, with one of those attached to a redone bathroom. The two other bedrooms share a bath, and both have French doors leading to the backyard. Upstairs, a master suite overlooks the backyard via a private balcony, and the master has its own sitting room, fireplace, large walk-in closet, and bathroom, appointed in marble.

The entire home features dark hardwood floors, neutral toned walls, and quality finishes. Priced at $2,895,000 and newly staged, the home is ready to see. The home is co-listed by Charlie Petersen and Susan Conger of Coldwell Banker.

Three Montecito Abodes −S peci al

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his week we’re venturing to Montecito, to check out three homes in three different price ranges. While their listing prices vary, all three are in the coveted Montecito Union School District, making them a great choice for buyers with young children, or those looking ahead for resale value, as the school is expected to further renovate its campus in the coming years.

The other factor these homes have in common: they are all quintessential Montecito. Tastefully appointed, beautifully updated, and ready for new owners to enjoy.

San Leandro Lane

Located at the end cul-de-sac of a private Montecito lane, 1781 San Leandro Lane boasts nearly a half an acre of manicured grounds, with mature trees, garden terraces, mountain views, and expansive back yard. Although located in the MUS district, the property is adjacent to Crane Country Day School, in A private, newly remodeled home at the end of a private the popular Hedgerow area of the lane near Crane Country Day School is on the market in Montecito 93108.

The home, built in 1960, has four bedrooms and three and a half baths, and is newly remodeled to be open, airy, and bright. There is both a formal living and formal dining room, with an open concept kitchen leading to a spacious family room. The kitchen has white cabinetry, stainless appliances, and Calacatta marble

S A N TA BARBARA

80 70 Santa Barbara 15 South Hope Ave Santa Barbara CA 93105 805.687.7995

Los Angeles 8687 Melrose Ave., STE-B538 Los Angeles CA 90069 310.657.0890

San Francisco 135 Vermont St San Francisco CA 94103 415.553.8504

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Pomar Lane

Not far away from the San Leandro property, a colonial-style home on 1.23 acres is for sale at 167 Pomar Lane, which is on the corner of Jacaranda Lane. Built in 1900, it’s been extensively renovated, and was dropped in price in December, from $4,950,000 to $4,675,000.

The charming main house, with its covered porches and trellised patios, A Monterey Colonial-style home on Pomar Lane, with two has a traditional layout, with the guesthouses, has recently dropped in price dining, living, and sitting rooms, a powder room, and a kitchen with a breakfast area, located on the first floor. Upstairs you’ll find four bedrooms, two of which have access to multiple balconies, and a large master, which has an attached bath and walk-in closet. There are two other full bathrooms, done in marble and subway tiles, on the second floor. The home features refinished hardwood floors, multiple fireplaces, crown-molded windows, and lots of built-ins, a nod to its age.

Adjacent to one end of the home is the first guesthouse, originally believed to be used as maid quarters, which includes a bedroom, living room, and bathroom.

That’s adjacent to three separate garage spaces, which can hold four cars. Next to the garages is guesthouse #2, a two-story home with three bedrooms, a living area, and a full kitchen, updated with modern amenities including stainless appliances and marble counters.

The home and its two guesthouses come in at around 5,388 square feet. The home is designed for indoor and outdoor living, with English-style gardens, oak trees, and walking paths.

The home is listed with Andy Alexander with Santa Barbara Brokers.

7

Featherhill Road Los Angeles

San Francisco

S

Lagun

For those looking for a large family 8687 this Melrose 135 Vermont St 23811 Al home, newlyAve., builtSTE-B538 New Englandstyle home at 2225 Featherhill Road STE-121 L Angeles San Francisco boasts sixLos bedrooms in the main house, plus a two-bedroom CA CA 90069guesthouse on CA 94103 the 1.62-acre parcel. Located near the 949.6 415.553.8504 junction310.657.0890 of Romero Canyon and East Valley, the property is accessed via a AGAJOHNRUGSSF.COM tree-lined driveway, situated privately A New England-style home sits behind a tree-lined drive and gates on Featherhill Road in Montecito AGAJOHNLAGUNA.COM behind gates.

Built in 2012, the home has not been lived in full time, although it has charming features, which, along with the 100-year-old oaks on REPAIRtraditional, & CLEANING SERVICES AVAILABLE I the property, give it an old world feel. A covered porch leads to a front entry flanked by living and dining rooms, followed by a kitchen and family room, and UP TO UP TO % then two bedrooms, all of which have access to the expansive back porch and OFF% ON SELECTED OFF yard. The kitchen, decked in white marble, features a large island with breakfast MERCHANDISE seating.

ON SELECTED MERCHANDISE. The second level is accessed via a main staircase near the entry of the home, or SUMMER ONLY, OPENPROMOTION MONDAY a smaller staircase in back. Four bedrooms are located upstairs, all of which boast OPEN THIS SATURDAY THRU SATURDAY. AND SUNDAY their own bathrooms, all tastefully done with wood floors, grand bathtubs, and farmhouse-style architectural details (think claw-foot tubs, chandeliers, wainscoting, and more). The master bedroom suite has two separate bathrooms and two walk-in Laguna Niguel closets, as well as access to a balcony.

23811 Aliso Creek Rd In addition to a pool, gazebo, outdoor kitchen, bocce court, and freestanding STE-121 Laguna Niguel CA 92677 garage, a two-bedroom guest home sits on the property with its own living room 949.643.2451 and bathroom. This home is the most expansive of the three listings but also the largest, coming in at nearly 6,500 square feet. It’s listed at $6,995,000 by Ron agajohnlaguna.com Brand and Bob Lamborn with Sotheby’s International Realty.

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Treasure galore at the SK Sale

OH YEAH, ALL RIGHT...

by Tommie Vaughn Tommie adapted her love of the stage to the love of the

page. As lead singer for the band Wall of Tom, she created This Rock in My Heart and This Roll in My Soul, a fictional book series based loosely on her experiences in the L.A. music scene. Now she’s spending her time checking out and writing about all things Santa Barbara. Reach Tommie at www.TommieV.com or follow her on Twitter at TommieVaughn1.

A Clean Slate, a Clean Closet Line up for the best deals on clothing, furniture, and more

There’s something for the whole family at the sale It’s that time of year again – The Starr King Rummage Sale! (Photo by Jesse Natale)

A

new year. If your year started anything like mine, you found yourself inspired to re-organize your home, trying to make room for all the wonderful gifts that the holidays brought. It’s about this time that I begin to look around my house, wondering why on earth I have so many things that I really don’t need, and that’s when it happens… the donation bug bites me. It doesn’t matter where it bites me, but when it does, get out of my way. I will sift through every room, gathering clothing, toys, books, furniture, and household items galore, not resting until my shelves and closets gleam in perfect arrangement, my heart sings with joy at my new found balance, and my garage is filled to the brim with glorious rummage.

Sadly, it’s about this time that my husband starts swearing so much at the

cluttered garage that I have begun to panic, at what my next verse will be in my “Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle song.”

Do it for the Kids

Thank goodness I heard the news (before my husband could divorce me) that the Starr King Rummage Sale, the school’s biggest fundraising event, which is usually in October, had been moved to January 30th at Earl Warren Showgrounds, just in time to start the new year off right.

Starr King is one of the oldest and dearest parent/child workshops in Santa Barbara County, 67 years and counting.

So chances are you went there, or your child does now, or your best friend did.

It’s one of those not-so-secret treasures, which make raising your family in this small community so darned special. Why, you ask? At Starr King, parents watch

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their children’s minds expand while they are guided by child-development professionals, learning together with their children. Over the years, Starr King has attracted a diverse population of parents who are interested in being actively involved in their children’s learning during the precious preschool years and also in developing their own parenting skills. Working together, they explore and experiment in the beautiful organic environment the school offers, as well as working and learning together cooperatively with other parents, creating a true community. For many families, the school provides a support system and social network, and even an extended family, for years even after their child has moved on to elementary school.

What the heck is rummage anyways?

So it is without hesitation that after hearing such news, I begin to gather even more furniture, jewelry, clothing, and toys for the big rummage drop off coming up Sunday, January 24th at Starr King from 10am – 2pm (1525 Santa Barbara Street) or Tuesday and Wednesday (January 26-27) at Earl Warren from 8am – 7 pm. It’s after that moment of rummage drop off, that the parents of current students will collect and sift through all of the treasures from your home closets and create an incredibly organized rummage sale mecca, worthy of waiting for the doors

to open come January 30, with all of the proceeds going directly to the school.

The school’s event is a class act all the way, with the parents spending days organizing and arranging the large facility to resemble your favorite shopping mall, complete with one of the largest and most delicious bake sales with donations from some of our top restaurants in the 805. Remember though, they ask the community to donate “quality rummage,” with no rips, no stains, no chips, no smells, and no broken or missing parts. They do not accept any electronics, nor mattresses, pillows or large electronic exercise equipment, because really, who uses those things anyways?

Need a tax deduction?

All your donations are tax deductible, and if you have so many large items with no way of getting them to Earl Warren, someone from Starr King will even come pick them up. How’s that for community?

So grab your garbage bags and get to work friends, it’s time to help the kids and get your life organized. If you don’t have much to donate, grab your shopping bags and head over to the sale… I will see you there, because come on, who doesn’t need more stuff? Starr King Rummage Sale – Saturday, January 30th, 7am-3pm at Earl Warren Showgrounds (3400 Calle Real). For more info go to: www.starrkingpcw.org

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...continued from p.7

shag-carpeted sunken living room under dimmed lights. For years.

Chicks and Ducks and Geese Better Scurry Eddie and I had met and clicked in much the same way Mick and Keith had; in the orchestra pit of a high school production of Oklahoma. During breaks in rehearsal (we weren’t in the cast, we were tech crew – yes, the ropeyanking Morlocks that even high school Theater Geeks avoid) Ed could be found down in the pit masterfully playing the piano and wowing me, for one. We hesitantly began to commune around songs we both dug and before long I was bringing my crooked poetry to his melodies and we stitched together a songwriting partnership that survives to this day. College brought Leslee (acting class, Grady Gammage Auditorium) with her late ‘70s baby-bangs, inertial energy, and dulcet singing voice. By 1979, we three had been gathering around a piano singing for a year or so, and Eddie and I had been writing songs for longer. I was a journalism major working at the newspaper downtown, Eddie was a Psych major (holy cow), Leslee a bookish English major-type.

Or English major, I guess they call them now.

Come Pearl Harbor Day in ‘79, something came over us. As I (imperfectly) recall, Eddie, Les, and I sat on the artlessly stained off-white Pollock couch in my and Ed’s chronically abused apartment (named Brunswick), and decided, to the extent one can “decide” this sort of thing (one can), to follow our art. We capped the Plan with a sort of Musketeer vow. “Let’s be artists.” Yeah. It’s the sort of declaration that, through the generations, has earned many a heartfelt third grader a beating by the swingset. But I’m here to tell you it worked. As dumb as those declarations sound, even in the movies, IT WORKED. From that Day of Infamy (or just “famy,” I guess, since it was a positive day), the story ratchets forward like a Busby Berkeley sequence, but without feather boas or symmetry.

Your Aspirins

And here I’ll switch to the present tense and compress the action. Eddie and I begin writing in earnest and through a succession of bands the core of Eddie, Leslee, me, and our omnipresent, laconic, and unflappable soundman/ guru Danny hone our performing, our writing, our sound and lights; our art. Our final incarnation, Spin Cycle, conquers the Phoenix club scene, the ASU Greek Bacchanal Industry, and

blow out our gigantic Gauss speakers at U of A’s All Greek Festival in a cavernous venue on that campus. Next thing you know we load up the truck and we move to Santa Barbara. Swimming Pools, Movie Stars, and thou. My future wife Juud arrives from Holland, walks into Rocky Galenti’s where we’re gigging on a beautiful summer Sunday afternoon in 1986, and these 28 years later I have a couple of suspiciously attractive smartass kids, a visiting Dutch mom-in-law and a second vocabulary that includes words that sound (Circle of Life) like mild gagging.

The point of all this? When you feel that nagging little fire in the calcium cage that holds your blood thumper, maybe… um … listen to it? Take it from me, Eddie, Leslee, Cary, Alan, Danny, Frank, Dave, Tony, Bob, the deaf bass player who in the middle of his audition laughed cryptically and said “horseback,” and the once and future doodler Mr. Jones. We get only one of these soap operas. Make sure you’re playing the right role and don’t be dissuaded. When you go out on that limb it won’t be the easy way, but as Tony Bennett counsels any young talented wastrel who will listen, “Don’t sin against your talent.” Or as Sir John Gielgud once memorably said; “The aspirins are for you, my dear.”

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by Christina Enoch

French husband and wife owners, Pierre and Nelly

BONJOUR, BREE’OSH! Newly opened French bakery in Montecito, Bree’osh

R

ainy days are finally here. And there’s nothing better on a rainy day than stopping by a French bakery and coffee shop and smelling butter as soon as you walk in the door.

Bree’osh is a lovely French bakery newly opened at 1150 Coast Village Road in Montecito, owned by French husband and wife team, Pierre-Yves Henry and Nelly Mousseau. They visited Santa Barbara and fell in love with the town. Next thing they knew, they were opening a bakery and coffee shop in Montecito. I wish I had the boldness to take a chance in life like them; I admire their youth and ambition.

My friend Paul, who knows a thing or two about good French food, had been telling

After years of working full time for an ad agency, Christina found her passion in cooking and food.

Now armed with her newfound title, “Culinary School Graduate Food Blogger,” she writes and shares her passion for food, cooking, restaurants, photography and food styling in her popular blog, black dog :: food blog. Christina’s a proud mommy of not one but two shelter dogs and lives here in Santa Barbara with her husband. She’s also an avid Polynesian dancer, beach lover, traveler, swimmer, snowboarder and most of all, a lover of anything edible and yummy. Check out her ramblings here and at www.blackdogfoodblog.com.

The namesake brioche. It took Pierre and Nelly a long time to perfect this recipe.

I stopped at Bree’osh for some treats and smelled like butter for the rest of the day.

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me about this place and that I needed to visit.

Pierre and Nelly’s day starts at 2 am. My eyes opened wide when they told me this.

I proudly call myself an early bird when I wake up 6:30 am. In French, it’s normal for bakers to start their day at 2 am; it’s not a big deal!” Ah, I love hearing those French accents!

Brioche is a French bread with a high egg and butter content. It has a golden, shiny crust, and is rich and soft inside. Pierre and Nelly took time and effort to perfect their brioche recipe, and you can taste the perfection as soon as you bite into one.

Bree’osh serves breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and coffee in between. All the sandwiches are prepared on a savory brioche bun made with local ingredients, and breakfast choices include the Croque Madame and Eggs & Smoked Salmon

Almond crème French toast, one of the sweet baked goods available at the new bakery on Coast Village Road

The Croque Monsieur at Bree’osh

sandwich. For lunch, choose between a bacon and goat cheese brioche sandwich or a Croque Monsieur, among other dishes.

Bree’osh also has a good selection of freshly baked goods to choose from, including the cinnamon roll, which is crunchy, airy, sweet, and flaky all at the same time. I meant to eat just half, but by the time I finished my cappuccino, it was all gone. No regrets here.

Thanks for bringing a little piece of Paris to us, Pierre and Nelly. Later in the day after I visited Bree’osh, I grabbed my trench coat I had been wearing that morning, and it still smelled like butter. I won’t be washing it for a while.

Bree’osh Café 1150 Coast Village Road Montecito (805) 705-7415

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E’S NOTE by Elliana Westmacott

PLANB by Briana Westmacott When Briana isn’t lecturing for her writing courses at UCSB and SBCC, she contributes to The Santa Barbara Skinny, Wake & Wander and Flutter Magazine. Along with her passion for writing and all things Santa Barbara, much of her time is spent multitasking through her days as a mother, wife, sister, want-to-be chef and travel junky.

Writing is an outlet that ensures mental stability... usually.

FLY AWAY FREE BIRD

F

or four months, a bird has been pecking on my bedroom window.

Every morning. At 7:00 on the dot. Isn’t that strange? Sometimes I tiptoe closer to the windowpane to check out his markings, but if I get too close, he flies away. I believe it is the same bird each morning. He only taps for a minute or so and then he is gone… until tomorrow.

For four months, my oldest daughter, Elli, has been having stomach aches.

Every day. Actually every time she eats. We tried everything under to sun to stop that belly burning. Then we started to run tests and see doctors. I wrote a column about it back in early December, and I heard from many (so many!) of you. My family truly appreciates all of your suggestions. We checked into many of your ideas, and most of all we felt a sense of support from the community that we did not know existed. When you are stuck in the fog, the right luminosity will guide you. Thank you for sharing your light.

THE CAGE IS OPEN I am happy to report that Elli’s belly finally got a diagnosis. We had all but given up on finding the source of the stomach aches, and we were approaching Elli’s condition to be anxiety related.

This was not easy to do. For one, I was still convinced something was wrong with her stomach. (Why would her stomach hurt every single time she ate?)

Also, anxiety is a diagnosis that involves a long journey. We were packed and ready to go down that road when we got a phone call from a doctor we are seeing in Los Angeles.

“Elli’s level of Clostridium is extremely high. Actually, it’s off the charts,” Dr. West explained to us on December 30. “She needs to start antibiotics immediately.”

We sprinted to the pharmacy. We spent hours researching Clostridium.

Elliana Westmacott was born and raised in Santa Barbara. She is 10. She loves to play the piano and soccer. Skiing, swimming in the ocean, reading, and visiting her Nana’s house are some of her favorite things to do. Her family and her dog George make her happy. So does writing.

MUSICAL AMBITIONS We upped the probiotics. And we hoped. Could this be it? Could this explain the state of chaos we have been immersed in for months? Would we be able to step out of the dryer and stop the tumbling?

It’s been a week since Elli finished the antibiotics, and we have seen a huge improvement in her overall wellbeing.

Roses have returned to her cheeks. She actually said the words, “I’m hungry, Mom.” I caught a glance of her skipping at school the other day. Her eyes have started to dance again.

There is something most peculiar in

BRIANA’S BEST BET

I

want to recognize Dr. Rachel West for finding the source of our tummy ache. Dr. West specializes in integrated medicine and terms herself a contemporary doctor. She is quite good at what she does, and we owe her a debt of gratitude for fixing Elli’s belly. She also has a huge success rate in working with children who have autism. Dr. West can be contacted at www.drrachelwest.com.

Another person who helped Elli is a local healer, Sarah Martin. Sarah conducted sessions with Elli that focused on her stomach and her levels of anxiety. We feel that Sarah lifted layers and eased Elli’s pain while showing her techniques to instill calmness. Be sure to check out Sarah’s website. She conducts healing sessions for many, many different ailments: www.sarahmartinhealing.com.

More than anything, I want to thank all of our family, friends, and community members who stepped forward to share theories, similar stories, books, doctors, healers, helpers… the list goes on and on. We feel blessed to have so many hands to hold.

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Band practice in the studio. That’s me at the piano!

H

i! My name is Elli. I am ten years old and in 5th grade. I decided to write this note because I wanted to share all the things I love to do in Santa Barbara with you.

Have any of you ever wanted to play an instrument or be in a band? Have you ever dreamed of being a superstar like Taylor Swift someday? Well, I have. I play piano in a band. Our band has a guitarist, a bassist, a drummer, and a lead singer.

We don’t have a name, yet, but we are brainstorming.

I didn’t start out in this band. I began by just playing piano with my teacher. His name is Gus. He owns a studio called Detar Music Studios. I learned simple songs that turned into harder ones. A while later, after I had gotten better and better, Gus asked me to be in one of his bands. At first I was nervous and didn’t really want to join. My first time in the studio, I remember there were lights and cords everywhere, and the sound of drums and piano coming from down the hall.

“Wow,” I thought. “This is going to be great!”

I’m glad I joined the band because it has introduced me to new friends, and I have gotten a lot better at piano, too. Music explains me. I think that writing word notes on paper are a lot like playing notes on the piano. I hope that this will encourage you to play and write both kinds of notes.

Love from, E

all of this, stranger than the fact that it took months and a very expensive private doctor to find this nasty bacteria in Elli’s belly, is that my morning bird has stopped rapping on my window. No joke, as soon as Elli’s tummy stopped

hurting, my bird’s perseverant pecking ceased. A sign? An omen? I don’t know.

But if that bird and Elli’s belly had any link, I hope he has flown south for the winter. Actually, I hope he has flown south for good.

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