Tag archives: local people

Dr. Charlotte A. Gullap-Moore, a local healthcare professional and professor with extensive credentials, finds Montecito’s green environment and simplicity more impactful than its poshness. Coming from North Philly, she emphasizes the need to empower future generations and advocate against injustices faced by Black people. “It’s not the poshness of Montecito that blows my mind, it’s […]

Meet Diane Warren Stewart, the owner of Stewart Fine Art, located in the Upper Village of Montecito. With her exceptional collection of fine art, she has cultivated a devoted following. “I think I offer a unique collection of fine art. I’ve been in the business for over forty years and so I have people that […]

One of the cornerstones of community is knowing your neighbor. Though Montecito enjoys a global reputation, for those of us who live here, one of the best things about this place is the small village vibe. In an increasingly impersonal world, we appreciate knowing our pharmacist, our grocery clerks, our local store owners. It’s comforting […]

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office awarded its Exceptional Civilian Award to Montecito Association Executive Director Sharon Byrne, citing her “extraordinary dedication to others and her collaborative work” with the Sheriff’s deputies, primarily in creating and managing the Hands Across Montecito project to address homelessness. The award described Ms. Byrne as “an accomplished neighborhood advocate […]

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) […]

One of my favorite types of articles are the industry-insider sort of stuff. What do experts know that we don’t know? Unfortunately, I couldn’t get an expert this week, so I asked my friend Jakob Hammer to join me instead. (Only kidding!) Please enjoy our light-hearted conversation about the behind-the-scenes of culinary school.  Q. You […]

Steven Gilbar – attorney, artist, litterateur, gadfly – is Montecito’s answer to the Gutenberg press. This lone figure’s prolific authorship is surely responsible for our community’s overweening literacy – the screamfests about Dickens over breakfast, the fisticuffs over the provenance of the term “Chicken à la King.” Gilbar, once and future member of the California […]

Twenty-year-old Isa Johanson is a current sophomore at UC Berkeley and an alumna of MUS, Santa Barbara Junior High, and Santa Barbara High School. From her first Earth Day and subsequent internship with Kathi King of Community Environmental Council to the 2018 mudslides, Isa describes the influence growing up in Montecito had on her current […]

To celebrate local women of history, this column dedicates the month of March to them – their contributions, their stories, their inspiration, and opportunities to support. “Anywhere there is a woman, she is creating impact.” This is the quote of a most accomplished woman whose career spans 26 years with the County of Santa Barbara […]

Founded in 2013, UCSB’s Zero Waste Committee was formed to address the university’s goal to reduce waste and redesign their consumption. As a national leader in sustainability initiatives and awareness, the university’s goals are in part maintained by the Zero Waste Committee, represented today by public outreach coordinator Caroline Bancroft. In our interview, Caroline talked […]

Santa Barbara’s young art scene emphasizes identity, voice, and change. All three can be found in the work of 21-year-old Isa Saldivar. Working their way out of the foster care system, Isa came to Santa Barbara as a queer, Chican@ outsider – a perspective that continues to inform their art. In our conversation, Isa reflects […]

Martine Marie Daniel, 59, of Coarsegold, California, passed away on Jan. 5, 2023, surrounded by loving family. Martine was born July 16, 1963, in Frankfurt, Germany. The daughter of Leota A. Robb and Darwin F. Daniel moved to Germany from the United States in the late 1940s, for the purpose of helping to rebuild Germany […]

Roger Arlen Phillips, 88, beloved and devoted husband, father, and friend, passed away quietly surrounded by love in his home in Montecito on Jan. 19, 2023. Roger was born in 1934 to Paul Edward and Lela Belle Phillips of Bakersfield, Calif. When he was a young boy, his family vacationed in Santa Barbara, where he […]

Hope Sterling Kelly passed away peacefully in Santa Barbara on January 8, 2023. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to anyone she had ever met.  Hope was born on Groundhog’s Day, February 2, 1929. She grew up in West Los Angeles and attended University Elementary School, University High School, UCLA for two […]

Ask me what our greatest Montecito exports are and I’ll say: Spanish-style tile, Pierre Lafond wine cake, and talent! Although born and raised in Los Angeles, today’s Dear Montecito feature has strong roots in Montecito that have inspired her to take up theater. Eleven-year-old Sadie Brickman Reynolds grew up hearing about her mother’s career in […]

Dear Montecito, I took a walk on Miramar Beach on January 6, about 20 hours after the first of the storm system had left our local area. Now in general I find writing about the beach to be a tricky thing. Perhaps because it is well-worn territory or simply too easy to become sentimental. Perhaps […]

David “Gilbert” Bertrand died suddenly on October 18 at the age of 93, and was actively in charge of his business until his very last day. He was born at St. Francis Hospital in Santa Barbara to a family with long-standing roots in the community. His great grandmother settled in Santa Barbara in the 19th […]

Barbara Levenson, 80, of Santa Barbara, sadly left us on December 29, 2022. Barbara was born on January 31, 1942, to Harry and Ruth Eisenberg in Los Angeles. She was raised in West Los Angeles and built a community of friends she cherished from her days at Fairfax and Beverly Hills High School. Always one […]

Clift Seybert Kinsell was born in Oakland, California and moved to Santa Barbara at age three. With this move, commenced a long and fruitful life full of travel. His main love was for his family and service to others. Sey loved “all things Santa Barbara.” He first attended Roosevelt School, then La Cumbre Jr. High […]

It is always a pleasure to host artists in the Dear Montecito column. I feel that their stories and reflections help ground us, particularly when the current event landscape feels so urgent and so claustrophobic. As the opening to our 2023 column, I wanted to invite a young writer to use this space to reflect […]