9 Jun 2026
Bright Golden Haze: Commencement 2026
Dear Wised-Up Teenagers – We’ve had a good year. We so trounced our football rivals it made us momentarily sad, and Mr. Fauntleroy’s well-attended production of the classic musical Oklahoma! – or “the cringe cowboys,” to quote one of the more delicate critiques scrawled on the drama room door – was the talk of the […]
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Bright Lights and the Power of Yellow
A matched pair of lamps in bright yellow glass standing three feet tall combines the history of glass, the history of the color yellow, and the 20th century history of stylish designer lighting. An object contains worlds! The lamps were manufactured by two entrepreneurial Pacific Coast brothers, Morris and Elliot Markoff, both born in the […]
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Spotlight Coast Village
The insider’s guide to what’s good •Veronica Beard Montecito | June 12-13 from 12 to 6 pm | Trunk Show featuring Thatch Jewelry– New Collaboration | Thursday, June 18 from 4 to 6 pm | Celebrate the launch of VB x Pauline de Roussy de Sales collaboration. Exclusively in Montecito, this collection captures the art […]
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The Benefits of Practicing Tai Chi
Many years ago, I noticed a particular quality of “calm presence” in my friend David Barton and wondered if this was a result of his longtime tai chi practice. Deciding to check it out for myself, I studied a bit of Qigong, a lot of tai chi, and began a thirty-year relationship with this ancient […]
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Sheriff’s Blotter — 93108
Injured Female / 385 San Ysidro Road, Montecito — Sunday, May 17, at 06:24 hours A passerby reported a female sitting on the steps of Montecito Union School who looked like she had been the victim of some type of violence. Deputies contacted the subject, and it initially looked like she was the victim of […]
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The Chambered Nautilus Shell Slice
This slice of a shell in the collections behind the scenes at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History reveals the chambers of an animal sometimes known as the chambered nautilus. A cephalopod mollusk like the octopus, squid, and cuttlefish, the nautilus is easily distinguished from these relatives by its hard outer shell. The animal develops […]
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Spring Soirée
Summertime… the season of sun. Okay, yes, the sun has been a little shy as of late, but I swear it’s up there. While the Earth’s own axis may be at maximum tilt on the solstice, it is also the moment where the local community gets a little tilted. Accountants become butterflies. Teachers become sea […]
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In One Ear and Out the Other: Debunking the Allure of Audiobooks
A few years ago, I was at a meeting of my former book club. We were discussing our prior month’s selection when one of the women commented, “I listened to it all week and really enjoyed it.” It was a particularly intense and tedious novel that I remember finding pretentious, but I resentfully plugged through […]
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Team Qatar Arrives in Montecito for FIFA World Cup
This month, the attention of the world turns to North America for the FIFA World Cup 2026. And one of those teams is finding its tactical sanctuary nestled in the foothills of Montecito on the campus of Westmont. The Qatari national team officially selected Westmont as its team base camp training site for the tournament’s […]
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College Honors Employees
Westmont honored a number of employees for their outstanding contributions at the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Brunch, an annual ceremony that this year recognizes individual work anniversaries and accomplishments on May 14 in Murchison Gym. President Gayle D. Beebe and members of the college’s executive team selected the recipients from a peer-nominated pool. An endowment […]
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Artist Tom Pazderka Curates New Mural Exhibit
On Thursday, May 14, I had a one-on-one tour with artist and SB County Arts and Culture Curator, Tom Pazderka, of their latest exhibit titled, Scaling the Walls. The show spans two public spaces, the Channing Peake Gallery and the City Hall Gallery, both on Anacapa Street. As these are located in government buildings, there […]
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Energy Updates with Dragon Q Energy
While everyone is concerned with alternative sources of energy for our daily lives and for emergency services, along with the increase in energy that AI data centers have been said to need, I have reported three times since 2024 on a key developer in the field who is continuing with much success right here in […]
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Calling all Kid Entrepreneurs! MCM Lemonade Stand, and More News Bytes
Time to sign up online for your child’s weekend slot at the Montecito Country Mart’s Annual Community Lemonade Stand. Weekend schedule is for July and August. MCM’s hosting of your child’s lemonade stand is said to teach entrepreneurship while supporting a cause you (or your children) are fond of. How it works: MCM provides the […]
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Library Night Live Debuts
More than 200 guests gathered at the Michael Towbes Library Plaza for the inaugural Library Night Live, a sold-out celebration that transformed the heart of the Santa Barbara Public Library into an immersive evening of storytelling, performance, and community. The event raised more than $160,000 to support literacy programs serving children, families, and adults throughout […]
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Pearls of Wisdom
By Lisa Duncan The elegant parlor of the Santa Barbara Club shimmered this week as ladies of the MClub gathered for “Champagne & Pearls,” an afternoon lecture celebrating beauty, history, and the enduring allure of pearls. Organized by Maria McCall and Beverly Cavaliere, the gathering glowed with the luminosity of a Vermeer painting – if […]
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Artful Altruism
By Lisa Duncan Artistic intrigue, ocean breezes, and garden-party glamour were in abundant supply on Sunday afternoon as the Art Foundation of Santa Barbara hosted its annual An Artful Affair in the rose-filled garden of the Santa Barbara Club. Beneath the dappled shade of palm trees, guests sipped wine while browsing first rate artwork by […]
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Hearts and Horses
By Lisa Duncan Boots, blue jeans, and big-hearted philanthropy took center stage this week as Hearts Equine Therapy hosted its spirited barn dance fundraiser, proving once again that Santa Barbara can do rustic glamour rather exceptionally well. The evening centered around the remarkable work of Hearts Equine Therapy, which serves local children with disabilities, including […]
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Combatting Depression with Delightful Things
Every Brilliant Thing, the interactive, one-person play by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, traces the narrator’s lifelong journey which, from age 7, includes managing both their mother’s bouts with depression and her various attempts at suicide. The child comes up with the idea of cheering up his mom in the hospital by compiling an ever-growing […]
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Over in Ojai: Paging Dr. Brown, More Entertainment Matters
Phil Burgers, the L.A.-based writer, comedian, clown, actor, director and clown teacher, is best known for performing as Dr. Brown, with stand-up comedy that blends absurdity, precision, and audience interaction. His show BEFRDFGTH centers on spontaneity, physicality, and the unpredictable dynamic between performer and audience. Perhaps most importantly, his performance leans into what may be […]
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Oh, Reilly: Mr. Cellophane Transforms into Mr. Romantic
John C. Reilly is the very versatile character actor whose roles have found him navigating everything from comedy and drama to musical theater and more, even as his utterly unique persona remains charming and compelling throughout. Among some of his more memorable roles are collaborations the Paul Thomas Anderson film Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, and […]
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