Tag archives: grapevine

After an extensive national search, the Santa Barbara Foundation has appointed Elizabeth Thasiah as new vice president of programs. A longtime South Coast resident, Thasiah brings more than 15 years of relevant experience – most recently four years with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, where she ledkey strategies.  She served six years as division manager […]

I was last at Bellosguardo, the 24-acre oceanfront estate owned by the late copper heiress Huguette Clark, who died in 2011 at the age of 104, for a megabuck fundraising gala five years ago, so it was nice to return to the magnificent aerie when the Bellosguardo Foundation, with assistance from the Santa Barbara Historical […]

Golf clubs replaced mallets when Santa Barbara Polo Club’s Polo Training Center hosted its 5th annual golf tournament at the Montecito Club with 18 teams raising a hefty $100,000 for the Carpinteria-based facility. Players went round the Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole course in foursomes during the Farmers & Merchants Bank-sponsored event, although a BMW donated by […]

Social gridlock reigned when society gadabout Rick Oshay hosted a boffo birthday beano at his Montecito home for his longtime companion Teresa Kuskey, founder of the colorful and energized La Boheme dance troupe. Nearly 70 guests turned out for the sunset soirée when Rick and Teresa returned to our rarefied enclave after catching Les Misérables […]

It wasn’t quite the exotic occasion I envisaged when I celebrated the 20th anniversary of my half century last week, but a fun event nevertheless at Ca’Dario on Coast Village Road. Having not been able to fly to Marrakech, Morocco, for the past few years because of pandemic restrictions, my plans were to join an […]

A profusion of creative and colorful tony tête toppers packed the stands at the Santa Barbara Polo Club for the annual Ladies Day. As usual, I had the difficult job of judging the mélange of magnificent millinery, having learned my “craft” donning my top hat and tails attending the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot races […]

Jenna Hamilton-Rolle, former director of education at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and the Sea Center, is the new director of education and community engagement for UCSB Arts & Lectures. She brings many community connections to her new role, including administrators and educators at the Goleta and Santa Barbara Unified school districts, and […]

Society gadabout Rick Oshay and Teresa Kuskey Nowak, bubbly founder of the La Boheme dance company, hosted their 4th annual Viva La Fiesta bash at Fieldside, the popular Santa Barbara Polo Club restaurant, for 200 gloriously garbed guests. The fun fête featured Teresa’s colorful dancers who led our Eden by the Beach’s Summer Solstice parade, […]

To the historic Santa Barbara Club for an enthralling talk by prolific Hope Ranch-based author Lis Wiehl organized by Montecito Bank and Trust’s MClub. One of America’s most prominent trial lawyers, the Harvard Law School graduate served as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle and was a regular contributor on NBC, […]

It’s that time again! For the 16th year I have the onerous task of judging Santa Barbara Polo Club’s hat contest on Sunday at the spectacular Carpinteria locale after launching its high goal season with the Left Coast’s top tournament, the Netjets, USPA Pacific Coast Open on September 3. The three categories for the mélange […]

Culinary whiz Mitchell Sjerven, owner of the West Victoria Street eatery bouchon Santa Barbara, had a double celebration last week with Bastille Day, which was also the 25th anniversary of his popular restaurant’s opening. “It is a story of enduring relationships,” says Mitchell. “From working side-by-side with my wife, Amy, to having both my daughters, […]

Kevin Costner’s divorce from estranged wife Christine Baumgartner would appear to be getting more acrimonious by the day with claims the Oscar winner is now “homeless,” she splurged $95,000 on his credit card, and has a restraining order against him. The Carpinteria-based actor’s attorneys claim they have made “multiple offers” to get his wife to […]

The Montecito Journal is now by royal appointment, I can exclusively reveal. This illustrious organ is now being read by none other than King Charles III – super singer Katy Perry’s mother, Mary Hudson, informs me. When the former Dos Pueblos High student sang at His Majesty’s coronation concert at Windsor Castle last month with […]

Prince Harry and his actress wife Meghan Markle may have enjoyed celebrating their daughter Lilibet’s second birthday at their Riven Rock estate, but the Duke of Sussex’s behavior didn’t cut it with a top British judge. The top legal eagle rebuked Harry’s barrister when King Charles III’s youngest son was “unavailable” on the first day […]

Prince Harry has suffered a major defeat in the British courts and now faces a hefty $620,000 legal bill. The Riven Rock resident sought a judicial review over a Home Office decision that he should not be allowed to pay U.K. police for his personal protection. The Duke of Sussex, 38, was stripped of police […]

President Ronald Reagan’s school principal granddaughter Ashley, 40, married her police officer beau, Joe Dunster, 44, in an intimate ceremony at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel before a reception at the nearby Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara. During the reception, the newlyweds were surrounded by photos of America’s 40th president and memorabilia, which included […]