Tanya Newlove: Mom brings her concierge travel company to Santa Barbara!
By Dalina Michaels   |   January 16, 2024

A new paradigm of luxury travel services has emerged in our enclave. Nouvel Amour, a renowned name in the travel industry, has recently made Santa Barbara its home, promising an unparalleled level of sophistication and tailored experiences for the discerning traveler. A Fusion of Elegance and Expertise  Looking to travel in 2024? The Newloves have […]

Kate Kramer: Interior Designer
By Dalina Michaels   |   December 19, 2023

Montecito native Kate Kramer has an eye for design – whether it is for a home or an afternoon snack:  “It’s funny, my career has taken me all over, but one of my most interesting jobs was working at a design firm as a package designer. One of our clients was Frito-Lay, so I literally […]

Alycia Clark: Leading the Way as Head Pharmacist at Direct Relief
By Dalina Michaels   |   October 24, 2023

In the realm of humanitarian aid and global healthcare, individuals like Alycia Clark stand as beacons of hope and progress. As the head pharmacist at Direct Relief, Clark plays a pivotal role in delivering vital medical supplies and assistance to those in need worldwide. Her dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to improving global healthcare have […]

Montecito Moms: Sophie McNally
By Dalina Michaels   |   August 22, 2023

Sophie McNally, a visionary entrepreneur and owner of the company Kitchenette, is changing the way people interact with food through innovative technology. And she is doing it right here in Montecito! “We moved to Montecito during Covid. During that time, we were so worried about the virus and I didn’t trust going out to eat, […]

Kristen d’Offay: Fashion That Is Functional and Fabulous
By Dalina Michaels   |   August 15, 2023

Kristen d’Offay grew up loving all things sparkly. She was raised in Houston with a grandmother who was a fashion designer and who loved sequins and dresses. But the idea to do something with fashion stayed locked up in a closet for years – while she worked! After years in corporate recruiting and raising three […]

Sarah Powers: Podcaster
By Dalina Michaels   |   May 23, 2023

We could call her Podcaster Powers, but this Montecito Mama is close to being a native – and we are thrilled to introduce her to the MJ this week! Sarah (Wysel) Powers moved to Montecito with her family in 1986 when she was five years old. Her mornings were spent walking to school (Montecito Union) […]

Jacqueline Duran Key to your Finances
By Dalina Michaels   |   January 10, 2023

Jacqueline Duran knows money – but more than helping you make cash – she wants to help her clients plan for their futures with confidence and integrity. “I didn’t start out wanting to be in finance,” Duran explains, “I went to college for biology and pre-med and was on track to go to med school. […]

Jeanette Petrus Le Renard: Baby Steps
By Dalina Michaels   |   November 1, 2022

Jeanette Petrus Le Renard gets to play every day with her clients, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I work with babies on their level – and their parents as well. My goal is to meet them where they are and help them get where they need to be!” As a pediatric physical […]

Kara Welker: Girl Power
By Dalina Michaels   |   May 10, 2022

When you think of the words “girl band,” the first thing that comes to mind might be the nostalgic groups of the ‘90s: Spice Girls, Dixie Chicks, The Cranberries. But what makes a girl band is its truest definition: a group of women who harmonize together. Enter Montecito mom and GRLBND founder, Kara Welker. Kara […]

Annie Gray: Flower Power
By Dalina Michaels   |   February 22, 2022

Sometimes you just want flowers. Not for a holiday. Not for a birthday. Not for a wedding – just because. Why? Because flowers are pretty! Who doesn’t love a bright bouquet sitting on your table or by your bed at night? And Annie Gray is a Montecito mom who knows a thing or two about […]

A Way to Wellness — In Our Backyard
By Dalina Michaels   |   January 18, 2022

There’s a Montecito mom who is challenging Montecitans of all ages to reclaim their health and wellness with her new wellness center in the Upper Village. You need to see Talina Hermann before you get sick — it’s a novel idea to most, but for Hermann, it’s the smarter and better way to take care […]

It’s Apropos! Catering Business is the Perfect Fit for Michelle Isom
By Dalina Michaels   |   November 16, 2021

On these chilly fall days, nothing sounds better than a warm grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of homemade soup. Nothing sounds better — except perhaps having someone else make that deliciousness for you. (And bonus points if they can set-up and clean-up!) Enter Michelle Isom, a longtime member of the Santa Barbara foodie community, […]

Parachuting in With a Brilliant Idea
By Dalina Michaels   |   October 12, 2021

From wet bags to wetchutes — one mom is on a mission to make it easy to put on a wetsuit. If you have ever tried to slip a slippery and sandy surfer kid into a wetsuit, you know it ain’t easy. The wetsuit has to fit snugly, so it’s a fine dance of pulling, […]

Protecting the Planet With Style
By Dalina Michaels   |   July 15, 2021

Dax and Milo may be old dogs, but they are wagging their tails for the new trick, er, brand, that has been created with their names front and center. Enter Montecito mom Amanda Tenold, who is as 93108 as they come. She grew up on East Valley, playing tennis at Knowlwood and attending Montecito Union […]

‘Inspire Through Teaching’: Chelsea Owens Brings Love of Art to Area’s Classrooms
By Dalina Michaels   |   June 10, 2021

We typically have a lot of May gray this time of year— and Montecito mom Chelsea Owens spends plenty of time thinking in gray, Payne’s Gray to be exact. As a skilled color chemist, Chelsea traces her earliest palette to the Mediterranean and Payne’s Gray’s ability to fuse with all colors. So, it should come […]

Aimee Kielborn: Kombucha Queen Montecito Mom Aimee shares how she and her family run a home-brew supply business
By Dalina Michaels   |   May 20, 2021

When most people crack open a can of beer or sip a kombucha, they probably don’t think about the malts, grains, SCOBY, and fermenting that go in behind the scenes. Montecito Mom Aimee Kielborn not only thinks about it, she brings it light, or rather, to brew, with her company, BYOB!  Kielborn and her husband, […]

Holly Malmsten: Energy Healer
By Dalina Michaels   |   April 22, 2021

According to a Bloomberg report in September, 2020, Americans spend $1,200 a year on average on prescription drugs. Per person, per year. That’s more than anyone else in the world.  And that’s crazy, according to Montecito mom and energy healer Holly Malmsten. “Not only are Americans getting sicker, weaker, experiencing more anxiety and depression than […]

Allie MacPhail: Montecito Mama and Influencer
By Dalina Michaels   |   April 15, 2021

Allie MacPhail is a jack-of-all-trades sort of person. A mom of four kids, three dogs, chickens, cats, and a husband. This is not to mention that she is a talented photographer, an influencer, and now a store owner of an adorable new children’s store – not in Montecito, but in Martha’s Vineyard.  So how does […]

Susan Crosby: Personal Trainer & Fitness Expert
By Dalina Michaels   |   July 7, 2020

Montecito mom Susan Crosby has been offering work out sessions and personal training for years, but now with everyone staying home, she has found a new way to connect with her clients. The Crosby family first moved to Montecito in 2003, thinking (like everyone else!) it would be a great place to raise a family […]

Makes 3 Organics: Kristine Sperling
By Dalina Michaels   |   April 16, 2020

As we all sit in our homes, we still have local moms who are creating and running businesses. So we celebrate their stories – and if you have one, please pass it along! When Kristine Sperling’s daughter, Alice, was young, she developed asthma, allergies, and eczema. Her physician at the time recommended they detox her […]

Montecito Moms: Alice Ryan
By Dalina Michaels   |   March 12, 2020

When it comes to motherhood, there are moms who go full throttle in their careers while also managing family life. How to find that balance – how to handle life (career, kids, spouse, and self-time) is the million dollar question. Fortunately, in Montecito we have moms who do it all! There is one Montecito mom […]

Fragrant Cane Supper Club
By Dalina Michaels   |   February 27, 2020

There is a new supper club in town – but it’s not your granny’s get-together of the ‘50s. This is a chance to experience a meal on a new level… a “high”-er level, if you will. Just when you thought your Friday night couldn’t get more exciting, enter Melissa Petitto and Cynthia Abulafia. Both moms. […]

Montecito Moms: Birgit Klein
By Dalina Michaels   |   October 24, 2019

Birgit (Bee) Klein is an international woman of travel, style, and design. With a resume boasting clients all over the world, she is now poised to make her presence in Montecito more formal… with a new store! Ms Klein and her family came to Montecito four years ago, when her daughter was entering kindergarten and […]

Montecito Moms: Renee Stahl
By Dalina Michaels   |   October 17, 2019

Sometimes becoming a parent is how you find a rebirth of your current career; that was certainly the case for Montecito Mom Renee Stahl. Stahl was already well regarded in the mainstream music world for rich melodies on solo records like Hopeful Romantic as well as on the debut by her duo, Paper Flowers.  But […]

Montecito Moms: Olivia Joffrey
By Dalina Michaels   |   September 26, 2019

There is something about a caftan in the summertime that makes everything seem more relaxed and carefree.  Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s a dress, making the “what am I going to wear?” question really straightforward. And, if you’re Olivia Joffrey, you want to help other women easily figure out their summer uniform, while also […]

Montecito Moms: Tiffany Jaeger
By Dalina Michaels   |   August 22, 2019

You could call Tiffany Jaeger the baby whisperer. After nine years as a mother, and seven in business, Jaeger is using her background as a well-disciplined personal trainer and her insight as a mother of three, to help new moms with the one thing they don’t get enough off: zzz’s. Jaeger first came to Montecito […]

Kate Coppola, Sound Healer
By Dalina Michaels   |   July 18, 2019

Walking into a room full of mini-beds and a gong isn’t normally how one may want to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon, but if you have met Kate Coppola, you realize this beautiful sacred space and sound bath healing session is something you could get used to. Kate Coppola and her family have been living […]

Montecito Moms: Kelly Hatchett
By Dalina Michaels   |   June 27, 2019

Every now and then I get a glimpse of a bright, rainbow-colored blanket flapping in the wind atop a stroller sprinting down the San Ysidro path. The colors on the blanket are so vibrant, they look like they are ready for Fiesta. So, what a treat to learn that the woman behind the blanket, the […]

From Africa to Montecito
By Dalina Michaels   |   June 13, 2019

Fleurie Leclercq grew up in a little village in Cameroon, in Central Africa.  A village where she walked two miles each way – each day – to school. A village where she walked to the river to get water for her family. A village where her grandmother raised her ‘til she was 10 years old, […]