Tag archives: health
A few months ago, I attended a Talkcast at Jane Restaurant downtown. According to Jane Chapman, founder and co-host, “Talkcast is a podcast club” that meets at Jane on the third Wednesday each month. I had heard about these women-only events before, but whenever I went to buy a ticket, they were always sold out. […]
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics (SBNC) officially broke ground on its new Westside Clinic at 621 W. Micheltorena Street on Friday, May 30. The event marked a major milestone in expanding access to healthcare for underserved communities on Santa Barbara’s Westside. Community leaders, including SBNC CEO Dr. Mahdi Ashrafian, City Councilman Oscar Gutierrez, and Co-chairs Janet […]
Tune in to the news and there’s plenty to be worried about. With the underpinnings of civil society crumbling, political and economic unrest, and climate change rocking the planet, of course we feel unsettled. It’s hard to feel at ease when the ground underfoot is unsteady – metaphorically and literally. It’s also hard to be […]
Recently I attended a party for a dear friend. It was a well-attended gathering and a wonderful chance to reconnect with old friends from my two decades in Montecito. However, I was gravely concerned at how many women were alarmingly thin. This wasn’t “Oh, I have started to do Pilates” thin. This was, “Is this […]
At the recent Budget Workshops, County Health presented their 2025-2026 budget that included $119M in spending and 539 full-time employees. Given the scale, I thought I would sit with Director, Dr. Mouhanad Hammami to learn a bit more about what they do. Dr. Hammami’s urbane charm and dapper style – he really is the best […]
My daughter and I have an ongoing joke that isn’t a joke, that we are always nice to Siri or our Google clocks – just in case some form of Artificial Intelligence takes over the world, and they might favorably remember we were the ones who always said please and asked them how their day […]
Fictional detective Harry Bosch, the star of more than a dozen best-selling books by Michael Connelly and two TV series on Amazon Prime, operates with a credo he adopted early in his career: “Everybody counts, or nobody counts.” That’s basically the same philosophy behind Savie Health, the nonprofit free clinic in downtown Lompoc. It’s the […]
“Permission to move granted.” When I read that line in, I Know I Should Exercise But, the new release by Dr. Diana Hill and Katy Bowman, I was intrigued. To find out more, I went to a workshop they were hosting at Yoga Soup, where the authors put their movement where their mouths are. The […]
Avarice. Avidity. Cupidity. Covetousness. Voracity. Ravenousness. Rapacity. Gluttony. “Greed” actually comes from the Greek word, “Voracious,” meaning, always hungry for more. Different names, same ugly monster. Greed – the sibling to Envy – is often referred to in mythology, literature, and religion… and not in a good way. Recently, I had the misfortune of being […]
A surgeon enters the operating room and sits on a stool in the corner. They lean in and rest their forehead on a cushioned viewfinder before placing their fingers in the appropriate loops. The surgeon begins the operation while the patient is just feet away. They’re using the Intuitive da Vinci 5, an advanced robotic […]
The splashing of the fountains and the stunning backdrop of Santa Barbara created the perfect setting for PALMA Colectiva’s Wellness Faire on January 18, held on the rooftop of the Kimpton Canary Hotel. I had the good fortune of being there not only as a writer covering the event, but also as an exhibitor offering […]
My beloved 50-year-old nephew, Dan, had no idea he was having a heart attack, and didn’t recognize the symptoms – but eventually did several very crucial things which ultimately saved his life. He was so wise to write down what happened while lying in the hospital, when things were still fresh in his mind. I’m […]
For this week’s wellness feature, I dove into the pool of health offerings at the Montecito YMCA with its Executive Director Ryan Power. He said, “This is a great time to join the Montecito YMCA. We are currently running a membership promotion, if you sign up by January 31st the joining fee is $0. Your […]
I can always tell when my husband is texting with his main group of friends (aka, The Core), his smirk and the mischief in his eyes give him away every time. They shamelessly partake in a level of silliness normally reserved for the enviable obliviousness of 10-year-olds. Their level of creativity, wit, and friendship toward one […]
I have always taken an odd amount of pride in the fact that I am not a competitive person, often even a bit smug about how primitive and foreign I find the very concept. I am just not that interested. Nope, not bothered at all. Until I compete, that is. Some years ago, a dear […]
When my sister’s fifth and youngest child was about to leave for university, she and my brother-in-law made a plan. They knew that after he left, they couldn’t face their once full, noisy and vibrant home. So, they packed the car and when he took off, they took off. It turns out that this wasn’t […]
Last week, my daughter and I both had tests to study for, so I suggested we go downtown to the library, a place that holds many fond memories for us both. Years ago, they had an incredible program where young children could sit with therapy dogs and their companions and read together. It was transformative […]
Both sides of the political divide cast this past election as an existential moment for our democratic way of life. Each side pitching its own version of freedom and well-being. Each side casting the other as the enemy. Yet, when the sound bites fade away and the dust settles, we’re all in this together. But, […]
The MJ had a seat at the table, and we witnessed the power of giving back. The Santa Barbara Wine Auction was back at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Goleta this past weekend, drawing hundreds of oenophiles who dressed up, showed up and raised their paddles up. This is a biennial party put on by the […]
Some years ago, I was at a friend’s dinner party where I had the good fortune to be seated next to the late philanthropist, Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree. At the time, she was 92 and clearly had no intention of slowing down anytime soon. As I was in graduate school studying healthy aging, I used this […]
