As usual, there are all sorts of options for ringing in the New Year in Santa Barbara, including a brand new event in the increasingly trendy Funk Zone centered around the new Hotel Californian. Just about the entire neighborhood is involved, with events starting at 10 am with the preliminary rounds of the first annual […]
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It was less than two months ago that the Bryan Titus Trio played his last gig in town as a Santa Barbara resident, the last in a series of shows that had established the organic roots rocker/Americana artist as a true local sensation, capable of exciting the crowd whether jamming in a bar’s outdoor patio […]
Lea másAt this time of year when stores are shouting all that is new and exciting – the latest “favorite thing” – we thought it’d be fun to talk to some of our team to see what are some of each of our favorite things, during the holidays and year-round. A fun survey here at Christie […]
Lea másThe Highway 101 corridor between the Ventura County Line and Santa Barbara is by far the most heavily traveled roadway in Santa Barbara County. Traffic estimates are that by 2020, some 100,000 cars and trucks will pass through Montecito every day. Many of these re-route through local streets, primarily on either the North Jameson frontage […]
Lea másYou have to wear clothes, at least enough to cover your private parts. It’s generally the law, in most civilized places. In fact, such laws almost define civilization. “Naked savages” populate the lowest level of the social pyramid. But the garb of those on the upper levels, especially (for some reason) the female of the […]
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It is more than obvious that 2018 was a pivotal year for Montecito and its residents. The first week of the year, we were recovering from the Thomas Fire, which weeks earlier had suffocated Montecito and Santa Barbara in smoke and ash while scorching nearly 282,000 acres from Ventura to Santa Barbara, including ten structures […]
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Former longtime general director of Opera Santa Barbara, Steven Sharpe, has landed in a whole new aria. Steven, an accomplished consultant and administrator who has successfully led a succession of nonprofit organizations, has been named executive director of Food From The Heart, which provides medically challenged residents with nutritious meals. “In many ways this is […]
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William Gallivan and staffers at the Orthopedic Institute of Santa Barbara welcomed some new bones to the roster at the annual holiday celebration at their downtown offices. The boffo bash, held in an enormous tent connected to the Junipero Street office, became the vortex for the festive fest that included music by guitarist Bruce Goldish, […]
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The festive spirit was palpable when the Rescue Mission hosted its annual Christmas Feast, an event I have volunteered at for a decade. The 300 guests were welcomed in the chapel, which is serving as a temporary dining room during multi-million dollar renovations, with plates heaped high by kitchen manager Wesley Jones and his colleagues […]
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Gourmands were out en-masse when Italian culinary wizard Massimo Falsini cooked a host of delights at the home of software entrepreneur Frank and Allison Paolini for Epicurean Santa Barbara to raise funds for his charity, the Refettorio Program, which helps the homeless. Massimo, who hails from Rome and was executive chef at Solage, a five-star […]
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Santa Barbara Revels, presenting its 11th anniversary production at the Lobero, moved to Ireland this year after its Alta California Rancho period piece in 2017. “We wanted to honor the strength and courage of the intrepid Irish emigrants who left their homeland in the early 1900s, specially those who might have traveled on the S.S. […]
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Longtime Montecito resident Jeremy Harper has painted a work of our rarefied enclave’s historic fire station to mark the first anniversary of the fire and mudslide disasters, which has also been turned into a time-lapse video work commissioned by The Cheese and Wine Store’s Patrick Braid. Jeremy, who attended Montecito Union School – where he […]
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Each year, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) holds a design awards holiday gala. This year we gathered in the cozy atmosphere of the University Club for cocktails, dinner, and awards. Robert Ooley FAIA (Fellow) will be president of AIA for the next year. He told us, “Our chapter turns ninety this year and is […]
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Every year, Casa del Herrero (House of the Blacksmith) throws a Christmas party for its docents. It’s always after the house is decorated for its annual fundraising gala and the Christmas tours – cider and cookies included. This year it was centered on the loggia with a lovely catered spread of yummy munchies. This was […]
Lea másDiviniTree Santa Barbara, which is entering its first New Year since undergoing a change in ownership, is launching right into 2019 with a new meditation sampler series. “A Year of Centering,” which takes place over four consecutive Sundays, January 6-27, is designed to offer a wide-ranging set of essential tools and insights to integrate into […]
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Tremendous prayer support and outstanding work by firefighters have kept Westmont safe. The college remained on mandatory evacuation through Wednesday, December 20, as firefighters mopped up hot spots from the firestorm. On December 16, winds blew the Thomas Fire toward campus. Engines and firefighters actively worked to protect the campus and have put out a […]
Lea másThough the weather might not remind you of Christmas, one glance at the calendar sure will. We pulled together a few of our favorite independent boutiques around the area to help you narrow down the search for the perfect holiday treats. Allora by Laura Owner Laura Dinning of Allora by Laura in Montecito, along with […]
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Santa Barbara Historical Museum set its trustees, past and present, to work choosing favorite pieces of art from more than 3,000 works in the venerable institution’s vault for a Trusted Treasures exhibition featuring 16 works, with each piece accompanied by a photo of the trustee and a quote or two on why the painting was […]
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Dynamic duo Roger and Sarah Chrisman took the harbor Christmas Parade of Lights to heart decking out their 78ft. cruiser Polaris II with a light show worthy of Las Vegas. Three dozen boats took part in the maritime show, which had a Hollywood Holidays theme for its 32nd year, concluding with a spectacular five-minute show […]
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Hahn Hall at the Music Academy of the West was gridlocked when Moldovan violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, accompanied by pianist Polina Leschenko, put on a sizzling display of her musical dexterity. The Grammy-nominee, clearly at the top of her form, played works by Bartok, Poulenc, and Romanian composer Georges Enescu. Afterwards major supporters of UCSB Arts […]
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