Writers

Jim Alexander

Column: n.o.t.e.s from downtown

Jim Alexander is a master of disguise and has contributed a humor column to the Montecito Journal since 1996, under the headline “n.o.t.e.s from downtown.” His work has also been published in the Los Angeles Times, the Santa Barbara News-Press and Santa Barbara Families magazine. His poetry, short fiction and nonfiction have been published in four books put out by Community of Voices (www.communityofvoices.com/books.html). He has two, as yet, unpublished novels and would like all literary agents out there to know that he’s an award-winning house painter who’s willing to exchange services. He’s heard rumors that it’s sometimes required that agents, publishers and writers gather at pubs and have “liquid” lunches. He’s more than willing to comply, but he’s not drinking any damn Merlot.

Hattie Beresford

Column: The Way It Was

Hattie Beresford, a native of the Netherlands, received her Bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She taught English and American history for the Santa Barbara School District for many years, was a school site coordinator for the GATE program, and developed a two-period Core program integrating the study of English with that of history. She retired from teaching in 2004 and has been actively pursuing her twin passions of historical research and writing through her column, “The Way It Was.” When she is not deeply immersed in some dusty tome, she can be found on the tennis courts, the hiking trails, or out on a kayak marveling at the dolphins. She and her husband, former Dos Pueblos volleyball coach, Mike Beresford, are avid campers and travelers and plan to investigate “the way it was” in Auvers-sur-Oise in May.

Peter Brill

Column: Third Age

Dr. Peter Brill spent his professional life helping people in a variety of settings. He is a physician and psychiatrist. He studied organizations at the Wharton School of Business and marriages at the Marriage Council of Philadelphia. He was professor at the University of Pennsylvania in two departments, consulted to 150 organizations, founded and ran two national companies, while carrying out a private practice. Dr. Brill is also a bestselling author who has appeared numerous times on radio and television, and has also lectured internationally. In Santa Barbara he started a radio show and a foundation called the Third Age.

Joanne Calitri

Column: Our Town

Joanne A. Calitri is an international photographer with a focus on people, documentary work and high profile events. In front of her lens are celebrities, musicians, Nobel laureates, defense officers, both foreign and domestic, and politicians. She has photographed Aerosmith, David Crosby, Kenny Loggins, John Cleese, Jane Russell, Ivan Reitman, Kirk Douglas and family, Former First Lady Nancy Reagan, Secretary of the United States Navy Gordon R. England, Chief of Naval Operations Vern Clark, Ty Warner, Baroness Lenis Fe Bland and many more. She has worked with renowned nature photographer Mark Muench and Getty Sports photographer Al Bello. Ms Calitri’s work is published in international educational programs and brochures for ROSCO, Inc., local newspapers, national magazines, independent films, found on board the United States Navy Vessels, in the homes of the Reagans, Clint Black, royal families, high profile clients and on the web. In 2002, she joined the faculty at Brooks Institute of Photography where she teaches commercial photo, lighting theory for still and visual journalism and lighting people. In addition, she is the primary and secondary thesis advisor for students in the Master’s Degree program, participates as a faculty advisor in the graduate reviews, and adjudicates the placement of students for undergraduate and graduate advanced standing.

Chris Cullen

Column: Garden Gossip

“Fill your garden with joy” is the philosophy of award-winning landscape designers and contractors Chris and Lisa Cullen. Their temperate coastal climate makes Montecito an ideal garden environment and through their regular column, “Garden Gossip,” Chris and Lisa encourage everyone to get out into their gardens and experience what they call “The Garden Life.” “Garden Gossip” column began in 1984 and expanded into the “Garden Gossip” radio show and newsletter in 1986. Chris and Lisa Cullen provide answers to garden questions and insight into the world of gardening and its pleasures. The “Garden Gossip” radio show can be heard locally and on the web three times a week on KZSB 1290 AM. During after-hours Chris and Lisa can be found tending their own organic flower and vegetable gardens.

Guillaume Doane

Column: Local News

Judy Foreman

Column: Style/Lifestyle

Originally from Chicago, where she was a history teacher, Judy Foreman moved to Los Angeles in the mid-‘70s where she became a partner in a fashion accessories manufacturing business. A resident of Montecito since 1988, Ms Foreman has been a regular columnist for this publication since 1998, writing about fitness, beauty, health, new businesses, fashion and also doing profiles. She is also a feature writer for Santa Barbara Magazine and other local publications, most recently Destination Wine Magazine. Ms Foreman is an active member in national and local non-profit organizations, such as the Montecito Union Educational Foundation, Montecito Union’s Parent Teacher Association, Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, Santa Barbara Historical Museum, the Santa Barbara Jewish Federation (for which she served as women's division president), CALM and the Anti-Defamation League. She has three children: Julia (23, Robby (19) and Elizabeth (13).

David Goldman

Column: The Opinionated Traveler

Mr. Goldman was raised under the most unfortunate of circumstances, between Honolulu, Hawaii and Laguna Beach, California. Out of college he founded the first international surfing magazine, the short-lived Reef, and went on as editor of the weekly newspaper in Ojai, California before making a living in commercial real estate, developing small boutique properties in Nevada and Southern California. In 1986, while living briefly in Rio de Janeiro, he eased into travel and restaurant writing. Since then he’s been a restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times, has written for its travel section, and for Saveur magazine (one cover story), for the Copley News Service syndicate and for Westways magazine, among other publications. He spends a good deal of time in Hawaii, where he’s written a book currently on the shelves called "Island Grinds," on down-home, local restaurants in the Islands. Mr. Goldman currently lives off the Romero Canyon trailhead in an adobe with his wife, Shan.

Erin Graffy

Column: State Street Spin

Erin Graffy grew up in Santa Barbara and has written eight books, on topics ranging from local history, multiple personality disorder, to a workbook text on marketing. Her work has frequently appeared in Santa Barbara Magazine, Commerce and other regional papers and magazines. Ms Graffy is also author of the local bestseller “How to Santa Barbara: The Insider’s Exposé,” and “How to Santa Barbara: The Advanced Course.” As a social commentator on the unique Santa Barbara scene, she has been quoted literally worldwide.

Lynn Kirst

Column: Trail Talk

Seen here in her much younger days, Lynn started horseback riding at the age of two. One of her earliest memories is being chased down the McMenemy Trail by an angry swarm of hornets, which clearly presaged today’s mountain bikers. A fourth generation Californian, Lynn holds a bachelor’s in art history from the University of Southern California, and a graduate certificate in historic preservation from the USC School of Architecture. She has held senior administrative positions at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Laguna Art Museum and the Southwest Museum. Lynn was the founding president of Spectrum Tours, a museum travel company that she ran for 10 years, providing high-end educational trips for dozens of cultural institutions throughout the United States. Lynn is a sustaining member of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art Women’s Board, and has served on the steering committee of the Museum Collectors Council. When not riding her horses or hiking the trails, Lynn enjoys traveling, tennis, music, opera, history and cooking. She was the editor of “Southwest Cooks! The Tradition of Native American Cuisines,” which won the National Grand Prize of the 1992 Tabasco Community Cookbook Awards.

Steven Libowitz

Column: Entertainment Editor

Entertainment editor Steven Libowitz has written thousands of articles as a freelance journalist based in Santa Barbara for more than a dozen years (and a whole bunch more than he’d care to admit, previously in New Jersey). But he’d much rather be hitting volleyballs at East Beach than working the keyboard on his remarkably unreliable PC. Educated at Northwestern and Rutgers Universities, Libowitz has written about music and entertainment for daily and weekly newspapers, including the Newark Star-Ledger, Ventura Star-Free Press, Santa Barbara News-Press and a national news service, as well as Santa Barbara Magazine and online media. Other interests include hiking, swimming, crossword puzzles and body surfing (the latter when the water’s warm enough to eschew a wetsuit, which means rarely). But still, Libowitz would rather play volleyball than do any of those too. Send business suggestions (and volleyball invitations) to slibowitz@yahoo.com.

Lynda Millner

Column: Scene Around Town

Lynda says “I love parties.” Lynda has written and taken the photos for the society column in “Scene Around Town” for every issue since 1996, shortly after Montecito Journal began. When she travels it’s called “Scene Around the Country” or “Scene Around the World.” Before that she wrote about Santa Barbara society for Club & Spots Society Magazine in Los Angeles and Sand to Sea in Palm Springs. Her first book was “Looking Great Without Diet Or Exercise” and her latest is “The Magic Makeover – Tricks for Looking Younger, Thinner and More Confident Instantly.” Lynda is a classic print and runway model, having appeared professionally in more than 1,000 fashion shows for more than 50 stores in California and Spain. She has appeared in such publications as the Harley Davidson catalogue and Woman’s World magazine. She conducts Magic Makeover seminars about the five “C’s” (color, clothes, closets, cosmetics and confidence) aboard cruise ships, for corporate groups and adult education. Lynda has spoken to hundreds of women’s clubs throughout Southern California.

Karen Stevens

Column: Adopt a Pet

A native Santa Barbaran, Karen Lee Stevens, writes for a variety of magazines, newspapers, trade publications and websites. She is founder of ALL FOR ANIMALS, Inc. (www.allforanimals.com), a non-profit corporation dedicated to the protection of animals. In addition, Stevens teaches creative writing classes to children at local elementary schools. When she's not writing her “Adopt a Pet” column, Stevens and her Beagle friend, Guinness, can be found nosing around Santa Barbara, sniffing out the next big animal story. Have a tale to tell? E-mail Karen at karen@allforanimals.com.

Judy Willis

Column: World of Wine

After graduating Phi Beta Kappa as the first woman graduate from Williams College, Dr. Willis attended UCLA School of Medicine, and practiced neurology in Santa Barbara for 15 years before receiving her Master’s of education from UCSB. She and her husband, Dr. Paul Willis, have been making award-winning home wine since 1992. Her articles about wine have been published in Wine Spectator, Decanter Magazine, Los Angeles Times Calendar, Vintage Magazine and Wine and Dine Magazine. Dr. Willis also teaches at Santa Barbara Middle School. Her book about how the brain learns will be published in August by ASCD Press. It is dedicated to Paul for his great taste in wine, and women.

Ernie Witham

Column: Ernie's World

Ernie Witham was born a long, long time ago in a land far, far away. He moved to California to become a waiter. Unfortunately, he spelled it wrong at the job agency and instead became a writer. It was just one more incident in a life filled with miscalculations that became known as "Ernie’s World," which, coincidentally, is the name of his Montecito Journal and Santa Ynez Valley Journal humor columns, the name of his website, and the name of his book. Today, utilizing something he calls “location humor,” he is not only able to write off every trip he takes, even if it’s just to the golf course and back, but he’s also able to write off everything he eats and drinks. Last year alone, his write-offs were more than quadruple his income. He hopes to continue his writing career even if he ends up in jail – again.