Tag archives: local business

Last week marked the first anniversary in business in Montecito for husband and wife team Brendan Smith and Rachel Greenspan, owners of Bettina in Montecito Country Mart. “It’s been a lot of work, but an overwhelmingly positive experience,” Greenspan told us earlier this week.  Riding on the coattails of the success of their mobile pizza […]

The owners of the Montecito Inn on Coast Village Road announced last week that a new restaurant concept will be coming to the historic hotel, expected to open in Spring 2020. The announcement comes after the closure of The Monarch and Silver Bough, two restaurant concepts by Scratch Restaurants, a Los Angeles-based restaurant group, which […]

Santa Barbara based business Oniracom’s Jacob Tell, John Lucchetti, Sean Campos, and Mike Wald gave a huge thank you party for their clients and extended a warm open invitation to our town. The event, appropriately named “Onifest 2019,” featured top recording musicians and multi-mediums of art curated by one of Montecito’s favorite artists, Matthew McAvene. […]

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 […]

Over the last few years, Coast Village Road has seen the arrival of more than a handful of new eateries, offering Montecito’s lower village an array of exciting dining options, the majority of which are locally owned and operated. In an effort to showcase its burgeoning restaurant scene, the Coast Village Association presents the inaugural […]

Last week, Gazebo Gardens owner Steve Domines and artist/sculptor Francis Jansen unveiled a new offering at the garden and flower shop: Pillars of Providence, a pair of limestone pillars representing and exemplifying what Jansen calls the harmonious stewardship of humanity. “This isn’t just a piece of art,” Jansen said, “It has a lot of deeper […]

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 […]

She’s been the toast of the town, friend of Oprah and Ellen, been to the White House with President Obama. Her list of notable customers ranges from Katy Perry, the aforementioned Ms Winfrey and Ms DeGeneres, Kirk and Anne Douglas, and, well let’s put it this way: they didn’t come for the publicity; they came […]

Coast Village Road’s Liquor & Wine Grotto owners Jason Herrick and Brian Brunello will mark 10 years of ownership this Saturday, August 3. While the store has been in existence since 1976, Herrick and Brunello have spent the last ten years perfecting the shop, and forming connections with loyal clientele. “We appreciate them more than […]

It was kid’s play when Poppy Marché, a high-end children’s clothing emporium that just opened in the Montecito Country Mart, showcased its colorful wares at a pop-up Coral Casino bash. The founders – Heather Rosenfield and Jennifer Belushi, wife of actor Jim – joined young fans noshing on the grilled cheese bites and yogurt fruit […]

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 […]

In the latest Montecito Journal Glossy Edition, which hit stands last week, one of our writers mistakenly mentioned the former owner of local olive oil and food purveyor Viva Oliva. Current owners Amanda and Sven Dybdahl have in fact owned the store since 2017, and in addition to a vast selection of specialty olive oils […]

Saturday, May 18 marked a grand opening celebration at Merci Montecito, the newest eatery at Montecito Country Mart, located in a portion of the space once home to Xanadu Bakery. Owner and chef Elizabeth Colling had a smaller iteration of the concept, a pop-up called Merci To Go, a few years back in the 168-ft […]

Poppy Marché store owners Jenny Belushi and Heather Whitney Rosenfield opened their third store location in Montecito at the Montecito Country Mart on May 17. Heather’s husband, Jim, the owner of the Montecito Country Mart shopping center, was on hand to help with opening day festivities that also included the launching of the Caffe Luxxe […]

Montecito Country Mart has welcomed several new stores and eateries recently, including Caffe Luxxe, an artisanal coffee roaster from Los Angeles. Located in a portion of the space formerly occupied by Xanadu Bakery, the roasting company features Northern Italian-style espresso drinks, coffee, and various pastries. Hosting a grand opening last Saturday, May 11, the location […]

Santa Barbara Running will soon open its doors in Montecito, moving their Funk Zone shop to Coast Village Walk, in the former home of Antoinette, which moved to a smaller space in the shopping center earlier this year.  Santa Barbara Running has been locally owned and operated since 2003, at 110 Anacapa Street in the […]

New Coast Village Road retailer Johnny Was held a successful grand opening on April 13, welcoming dozens of Montecito locals to check out the new store, enjoy wine from Margerum, and bites from The Monarch. Hosted by Chynna and Billy Baldwin, the event marked the opening of the 44th Johnny Was store, which is based […]

Next month marks a special anniversary for Coast Village Road’s longest running restaurant: Little Alex’s in Montecito Country Mart marks 30 years in business on May 8. “We’re still the same as we’ve always been, and that’s why we are around thirty years later,” says Lynette Briner, who owns Little Alex’s with husband, Dan. Still […]

There’s a new walking tour in town! It’s a tour of the Funk Zone and it’s free. If it’s too good to be true, this one is true. This is all because John Ummel took walking tours in Europe so when he came to Santa Barbara, he went to the city fathers to suggest we […]