29 Sep 2026
Jim White Smoothly Carburates Old Friends and New Spaces
There is something avatar-like about an Automotive Service Technician as beloved as Jim White. In the swirling transactional storm of an auto repair shop, a guy like Jim is a calming still-point of trust and familiarity, a beckoning porch light in a blizzard. Until recently, these very qualities made Jim a sought-after fixture at Village […]
Lea más
Haute Couture in Santa Barbara
Since the days of Spanish settlement in California in the late 1700s, a universal desire for unique, beautiful clothing and adornment was perceivable. Recently, a new museum has arisen in town that celebrates that artistic desire. Couture Pattern Museum, founded by Cara Austine-Rademaker and staffed by a group of fashion industry experts, has taken on […]
Lea más
Casa del Herrero
A century after Casa del Herrero was established as the private estate of industrialist George Fox Steedman, and more than three decades after it was turned into a historic house museum and garden stewarded by a nonprofit organization, the House of the Blacksmith remains one of Montecito’s best-kept secrets. The secrecy is not on purpose, and […]
Lea más
Boehm’s Collection of Birds
EG recently sent me a photograph of a magnificent 17½-inch porcelain Blue Jay perched among raspberry branches; its brilliant plumage modeled in hard-paste porcelain and hand-painted with extraordinary precision. Created in the late 1960s by Edward Marshall “Ted” Boehm (1913–1969), the sculpture immediately transported me back to childhood. My mother, Elinor, longed to collect Boehm porcelain […]
Lea más
Why Do People Put Up with This?
We are back from two weeks travel back East. Mostly wonderful. But the return involved air travel. On a flight that was clearly canceled, but American Airlines refused to say it was canceled. FlightAware showed the plane had arrived at 7 pm the night before. But it was “delayed” for unspecified reasons. There were no […]
Lea más
Wait Until November 4
We are closing in on the November 3 midterm elections, and you know what that means. Welcome to the circus! Endless political ads. Useless debates. Polls that will be mostly wrong. Talking heads. Shock. Dismay. Claims of a mandate. Blah, blah. You might want to ignore it until the day after, November 4, to see […]
Lea más
22 Sep 2026
Imagine That: ‘Floating Mountains,’ and More Spoken Word Matters
Several years ago, Joe Rohde retired from Walt Disney Imagineering after four decades, eventually serving as executive designer and vice president of creative. He was the lead designer for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the zoological theme park near Orlando, Florida, and led the design team for Disney Resort & Spa’s beachside complex Aulani in Oahu. He […]
Lea más
The Muse of Mozart, and an Atomic Attack
The composer Mozart has sparked scholarly research and fictional ideas exploring the composer’s brilliant output and complicated place in history. The latest is David K. Israel’snovel The Lost Mozart, whichimagines a college music student discovering an unearthed Mozart sketch of a string quartet and deciding to finish the piece and give its world premiere in […]
Lea más
Your Four-Chambered Concierge
The Doctor Will (Actually) See You Now Relationship-based cardiology. At a glance this looks like an unnecessarily bookish declaration of love. Hopeful suitor: “Darla, I have an avid interest in pursuing with you a period of relationship-based cardiology.” Darla: “Um…what?” But to some, relationship-based cardiology begs a hopeful question: what if an appointment with your […]
Lea más
Theater’s ‘Momentum!’Explores Life’s Pivotal Choices
Westmont Theatre Arts unleashes Momentum! A Musical Revue, an exhilarating showcase celebrating the courage to leap into the unknown, chase ambitious dreams and embrace life’s unexpected turns. Directed by Samantha Eve, Westmont instructor of theater arts and artistic director of Out of the Box Theatre Company, the show features dynamic performances that highlight the choices […]
Lea más
Stargazing Event Unlocks Wonders of Night Sky
Westmont invites the community to explore the cosmos during a free public stargazing event Friday, Sept. 18, starting at 7 pm and lasting several hours. Held in conjunction with NASA’s International Observe the Moon Night, the evening unleashes the power of Westmont’s Keck Telescope alongside high-powered instruments from the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit to bring […]
Lea más
Sophomore Builds Runway for Aerospace Engineers
When Ethan Ish (‘29) arrived at Westmont as a first-year student, he saw a wealth of possibilities in the engineering department, but he wanted a direct, immediate way to engage with his passion for aerospace. Guided by a desire to build professional connections, he turned to the internet to find opportunities. “Networking is important for […]
Lea más
Wildfire Readiness, Public Safety, and Community Initiatives
Wildfire prevention, winter storm preparedness, and public safety led the discussion at the Montecito Association’s September Board meeting, alongside updates on local schools, community projects, and MA initiatives. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department reviewed several incidents reported during August, including vehicle theft, burglary, DUI arrests, and continuing mailbox theft. Residents were encouraged to install […]
Lea más
Sheriff’s Blotter — 93108
Mail Theft / 1900 block East Valley Road — Monday, August 31, at 18:51 hours The Reporting Party’s (RP) son was riding his bike around the above location when he noticed multiple mail items scattered on the side of the road. Officer responded to the RP’s residence and collected mail addressed to residents of Carpinteria […]
Lea más
A Pioneering Spirit: In Conversation with Wine Icon Richard Sanford
“I’m really just overwhelmed by the whole thing,” Richard Sanford tells me, soon after a recent dinner honoring his life’s work. And I can tell he means it, which I find a bit surprising, actually. After all, the man widely known as the pioneer of the Santa Barbara wine industry is no stranger to accolades […]
Lea más
Folk Orchestra: Ten Going on Sixties
Folk Orchestra of Santa Barbara has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2016 as a one-off jam session fashioned and hosted by Adam Phillips. Back then, the former Voice and Musical Theatre major was singing tenor with Quire of Voyces, the Santa Barbara Chorale Society, and Opera Santa Barbara, and was already […]
Lea más
Classical Corner and More Entertainment Matters
Santa Barbara Symphony’s annual Season Kickoff Celebration returns to the Lobero Theatre, located just a few blocks from its home at the Granada, where the esteemed ensemble will launch its seven-concert series next month. The afternoon program on Thursday, September 24, begins at 4:30 pm on the promenade with a no-host reception, where patrons can […]
Lea más
A Light on Fashion, Furnishings, and Fancies
What would fashion’s top society femmes do without Ralph Lauren’s twice annual runway shows? Timeless, elegant, pieces that stand the test of time, in coveted fabrics of velvets, silks, leathers, while his signature jewelry, belts, bags, and shoes complete any look. The latest Spring/Summer ‘27 show took off during the U.S. Tennis Open in NYC […]
Lea más
Montecito Union School’s Two New Music Teachers
“There’s something refreshingly human about making music together.” – Liz Caruso MUS Music Montecito Union School has a long history of a strong music department headed by top tier music faculty. When I started covering local news in 2002 for the Montecito Journal, I met the multitalented Pamela McClendon (MUS, 1971-2012). Under her expertise and […]
Lea más
Montecito Trails Prepare for Winter, and More News Bytes
With summer winding down and winter storms ahead, local trail organizations are turning their attention to maintenance, restoration and volunteer recruitment throughout the Montecito area. The Old Romero Road Trail, closed since 2023 following storm damage, received a month of work in August from the Los Padres National Forest Association Trail Crew, Montecito Trails Foundation […]
Lea más
