A Beautiful Bash

Former award-winning opera performer Joan Rutkowski certainly had a lot to sing about when she won the Jacaranda Award for Community Service at the 59th annual Santa Barbara Beautiful bash, chaired by Marcella Simmons, at the Music Academy.

Fittingly enough, Joan, who moved to our rarefied enclave in 1968 with her late cellist husband, Geoffrey, a principal with the Santa Barbara Symphony, received her award from veteran symphony maestro Nir Kabaretti.

She has served on the board of six local arts organizations and innumerable campaign committees, including the Granada, the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, Opera Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Symphony, and the Music Academy of the West.

More than 150 supporters turned out for the fun fête emceed by ubiquitous KEYT-TV reporter John Palminteri with entertainment by accordionist Alex Schwipper, guitarist Mike Witt, and vocalist Marisa Pasquini.

The organization’s president Kerry Methner and city council member Eric Friedman welcomed supporters, with Das Williams giving the President’s Award to Dignity Moves, which has helped solve the community housing shortage, the Architectural Feature prize to Augie’s, the State Street restaurant, and other awards going to 2030 Anacapa Street, 910 Camino Viejo, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Trinity Episcopal Church, the Hawkes Building, Crafters Library, and Tiny Libraries for art in public places.

Among the supporters gathering in the Lehman Ballroom were Gretchen Lieff, Kathryn Martin, Kate Kurlas, Mark Whitehurst, Michael de Villiers, and John Whitehurst.

A truly beautiful afternoon…