Author spotlight: Joanne A Calitri

The Montecito Association (MA) held its monthly Board meeting February 13 in person at the Rosewood Miramar Beach. Executive Director Houghton Hyatt acknowledged the donation of the board room by the hotel to the MA. There was one public comment from a representative of the Neighborhood Group living next to the Rosewood Miramar Beach. His […]

The Friendship Center (FC) of Montecito celebrated the silver anniversary of its beloved “Festival of Hearts” fundraiser on Saturday, February 3, at the Rosewood Miramar Beach Montecito ballroom and outdoor patio. Nods to the event co-chairs FC Board member Kathy Marden andFC Board VP Sue Adams, with their committee Nathan Bero, Marianne M. Cherkas, Erica […]

Over 500 people showed up #CarpStrong at the first public Architectural Review Board (ARB) meeting on the resort proposal for the Carp Bluffs, held at the Carpinteria City Council Chambers on January 25. The chambers overflowed to the hallways, lobby, and outdoor tent with a live feed. Others watched it remotely. The attendees stayed the […]

Starting off Black History Month I attended the lecture by Joan Kee PhD, JD on “The Geometries of Afro Asia: Art beyond Solidarity,” on Friday, February 2, the Art Matters series at SB Museum of Art. Kee is a Professor of Art History, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. The lecture title, the same as her […]

Here are some highlighted talks from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show that recently took place. In Conversation with The Immediate Family The Immediate Family is a super group of famed session musicians Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar,and Steve Postell. Their work includes James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Keith […]

The Montecito Association (MA) held its Land Use monthly meeting February 6 via Zoom. Key issues on the table were pedestrian paths, YMCA Update, the Debris Nets and a Montecito resident’s creek issues with neighbor. MA Chair Bill Babbitt called the meeting to order. Present were Pat McElroy, Executive Director for The Project for Resilient […]

On January 25th the Anaheim Convention Center ballroom was rocked by the Women’s International Music Network (WiMN) She Rocks Awards. The group was founded in 2012 by Laura B. Whitmore to create a support system for women in the Music Industry and honor them via the annual awards presented with support by the NAMM Foundation. […]

The National Association of Music Merchants held their annual NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center on January 24 – 28. It featured over 3,000 brands, 500 events, 200 performances, over 200 educational tracks, with members from 101 countries. It was indeed booth intensive, with brands stacked together on the floor.  Here is part 1of […]

Executive Director of Explore Ecology Lindsay Johnson announced the retirement of Melissa Brooks as Development Director of Explore Ecology. Incoming for the position is Morgan Coffey.  Coffey majored in cultural anthropology at UCSB and interned as a Waves on Wheels Marine Biology Educator for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. She volunteers as a […]

The Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee (SBWPC) held its annual January Endorsement meeting to review and qualify the candidates for the 2024 election season they are endorsing.  For Santa Barbara County District 1 Supervisor, the vote yielded a “no endorsement” of any candidate.  This is an important clarification for voters, as written campaign materials for […]

A new Cinema Series has made its debut in Montecito at Casa del Herrero on Thursday evening, January 18. The film series is officially titled “Cinema at the Casa” and is focused on launching the organization as a center for creative and worldly discussions for the community. It follows suit with the Casa’s Book Club. […]

On Thursday January 17, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art [SBMA] Women’s Board held its annual New Members luncheon at The University Club downtown. The event was chaired by Board Vice-President Christine Nachman with her team Emiko Kirshman, Floral Design, and Linda Wortham, Floral Presentation. The luncheon began with formal photo ops of the Executive […]

The Women’s Fund SB (WFSB) is celebrating its 20th year anniversary and has announced its 2024 Board of Directors. The board is an all-volunteer member group that is voted to office by the organization’s 1,300 members. The 2024 Board Officers are: Board Chair Jamie Dufek, Vice Chair Carolyn Jabs, Treasurer Kathy Dunlap, and Corporate Secretary […]

Palmer Jackson Jr.’s band, the Doublewide Kings, is doing a benefit show to raise funding for the Alcazar Theatre’s 2024 renovations on February 2 and February 3. The band has a huge following and announced that early sponsorship VIPs include Montecito’s Scott Brittingham of Brittingham Family Foundation, Bill and Katie Garland,Board Treasurer of Casa del […]

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara announced its first Artist-in-Residence, Benjamin Anderson, who had overseen the photography exhibit of Jean-Michel Cousteau at the Bacara in November 2023. Impressed with his work, they offered him this new position. He will be curating new art shows monthly in the hotel’s main lobby area. Anderson has been a Santa […]

John Densmore, the renowned drummer and founding member of the legendary rock band The Doors will be talking about his book, The Doors Unhinged (Rev. November 2023) with Andrew Winer at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, on Sunday, January 28, as part of his national book tour. If we are lucky, he may perform […]

Following the huge funding of $500,000 to Heal the Ocean (HTO) by State Assemblymember Monique Límon, and an additional $105,000 donated from the Mericos Foundation, work has started on the Summerland Oil Mitigation Study (SOMS). The lead project managers are Ira Leifer of Bubbleology Research International in Goleta, and HTO’s Harry Rabin. Their first foray […]

The annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC), an event beloved by birders – and a crucially needed data set needed to assess our environmental status – is done here in Santa Barbara County by an all-volunteer team consisting of SBC Audubon Society members, and many who come to volunteer just for this important event. The 2024 […]

Let’s head outdoors this second week of January for a healthy start, and to reconnect with the nature in our backyard – balancing the indoor parties and holiday festivities that just ensued. One way to do that (and be of service) is to volunteer with the Los Padres Forest Association (LPFA) on any of the […]

CAL FIRE has announced an open call for research projects for its Forest Health Research Program, applications are due January 31. They have set aside $4.5 million in grants for these projects.  CAL FIRE stated: “Funded by California Climate Investments, these grants will support research in crucial forest health and wildland fire science in California […]

City of Carpinteria Architectural Review Board Hearing for the Bluffs Resort Project, titled “The Carpinteria Farm, Hospitality and Residential Project,” is scheduled for Thursday, January 25 at 5:30 pm at Carpinteria City Hall.  This meeting will be attended by the Citizens for the Carpinteria Bluffs, which is seeking an all-out community support effort to stop […]

After the holiday festivities and indulgences, it seems we head directly into healthy eating and activities in January. With that noted, the El Encanto – a Belmond Hotel in Santa Barbara – has their signature Botanica Afternoon Tea. What is intriguing about their afternoon tea service beyond the ritz, is that both the curated teas […]

The Montecito Journal is proud to present the first baby born in our town for 2024!  Congratulations to this new human, Eric Yang, for making his journey on New Year’s Day, and to his parents Alyssa and Seng Yang, of Lompoc. The Yangs are first-time parents and were happy to share a photo of their […]

It was a beautiful 64-degree, sunny Californian day on January 1, as the 8th Annual Polar Dip, founded by our town’s Hugh Margerum, took its place in history with over 300 people from babies to seniors getting in the Pacific Ocean on cue at 11:30 am. The public beach on Cabrillo Boulevard across from the […]

The Prestige Hand Car Wash located at 524 N. Milpas Street in Santa Barbara has closed down unexpectedly, leaving employees and customers surprised. The car wash, opened in 1999 under previous ownership as Zipp Car Wash, was shut down just before Christmas on December 23rd. The 26 employees, including popular detailer “Woody,” were apparently not […]

In a most progressive move, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) has acquired the iconic artwork, Den Hvide Dør (The White Door), 1888, oil on canvas, by artist Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864–1916), and has dedicated it in honor of Larry J. Feinberg, the SBMA distinguished Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Executive Director and CEO, who was […]

The much looked forward to Casa del Herrero “Home for the Holidays”evening was held at the organization’s rare jewel outdoor area – its Spanish Patio and Blue and White Garden off the formal living room – on Saturday, December 9. The 150 guests were treated to the blissful Spanish guitar of Chris Fossek, while they […]

The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission (SBRM) Women’s Auxiliary (WA) held its annual Bethel House Christmas Tea for its women in recovery program on Wednesday, December 13 at the home of Susan Hughes. Dianne Davis, Hospitality Chair, organized the event, and Kirsten Walters, Membership Chair, organized the activities for the event, including the prayers, singing Christmas […]

Natalie Olivas,owner-director of the Helena Mason Art Gallery, held an impromptu holiday party open house on Wednesday, December 13, to promote local event professionals, the gallery as an event space for rent, and the art on the walls by Pedro de la Cruz, Chris Gocong, Bob Hernandez, and Rod Lathim. The placement of the art […]

On Thursday, December 14, the Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) team held its “Astronomy on Tap” meeting at M. Special on State Street. These events are an all ages and pet friendly info session on current astronomy science and news. The LCO team has raffle tickets that support the event with winners getting the coveted LCO […]

Making their first joint community celebration for the holidays, the Coast Village Improvement Association (CVIA),the Rosewood Miramar Beach, and the Montecito Community Foundation brought the holiday spirit to Coast Village Road on Thursday, December 7, with their event titled, “Shop, Sip, and Stroll,” from 3 to 6 pm. The center of the event was at […]

It was indeed a magical day for our 3rd Annual Montecito Holiday Car Parade of Lights (and music!), after being blessed with excellent warm weather. The Holiday Parade Committee was Houghton Hyatt, Megan Orloff, and Andrea Newquist. This was Hyatt’s first year doing the event and she shared:  “With all the twinkling lights and every […]

Sunday, December 10 saw Montecito’s First Annual Chanukah celebration with open invitation to all to join for the lighting of the menorah, held at the park in front of Pierre Lafond on East Valley Road.  The celebration was formed by Montecito’s Rabbi Chaim Loschak, Executive Director of Chabad of Montecito, and his wife Mushkie Loschak […]

The 37th Annual Boat Parade of Lights was held in the Santa Barbara beach and harbor area along Cabrillo Boulevard on Sunday, December 10.  The Parade of Lights event committee is powered by newly appointed City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Administrative Analyst II and Public Information Officer Angela Rodriguez, with Parade of Lights Committee Chair […]

The 2nd Annual Summerland Beautiful Holiday event took place on Friday, December 1, at Farm to Paper on Lillie Avenue, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.  The event was spawned by Summerland Beautiful President D’Arcy Cornwall and her team: Secretary Penny Mathison, Treasurer Elizabeth A. Winterhalter, and members Sharon Curry and Leslie Person Ryan.  Guests were […]

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History announced the newest members to its Board of Trustees: our town’s Hiroko Benko and Amanda Lee. Both women have long histories as professional businesswomen and philanthropists.  Benko is renowned for her historic ocean exploring vessel, The Condor Express, founded by her late husband Fred, for which she is the […]

In its second of three scheduled meetings with the residents and business owners in Montecito, the Santa Barbara County Flood Control (SBCFC) Project Team for the Montecito Flood Control Master Plan laid out their various plans to control debris and for flood management at Cold Spring School auditorium on Wednesday, November 29 from 5:30 – […]

It was an animated holiday gathering of Richie and his Montecito barbers with this year’s selected nonprofit organizations for his annual holiday toys and funds drive. Richie’s Barber Shop is starting to collect the donations – feel free to drop off any time the shop is open or by appointment. The donations will be heading […]

In a momentous occasion on Tuesday, November 28, Heal the Ocean (HTO) was presented with a check for $500,000 from Senator Monique Limón representing California Senate District 19 and Assemblymember Gregg Hart representing the 37th California Assembly District, to support HTO’s Summerland Oil Mitigation Study (SOMS).  The study was proposed and started by Heal the […]