Tag archives: local

New Faces at Montecito Country Mart
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   April 19, 2022

Montecito Country Mart (MCM) has welcomed two new stores this month, both bringing fresh products to the Lower Village shopping center.  DÔEN, the Los Angeles-based fashion and lifestyle brand, opened this past weekend; the opening marks the brand’s second permanent location. Owned by Santa Barbara-grown sisters Katherine and Margaret Kleveland, the shop features the brand’s […]

A Pair of Local Last-Second Shopping Options
By Nick Masuda   |   December 28, 2021

With the hustle and bustle of Paseo Nuevo or Montecito Country Mart, or either the Upper or Lower villages, there are a couple of other local options if you’re looking for last-second holiday shopping ideas. And they’re just a short drive down the 101 — OK, depending on the time of day, it can be […]

Hone Your Shopping Craft by Going Local
By Nick Masuda   |   December 21, 2021

The pandemic has brought about a lot of changes to people’s everyday lives, with eating out replaced by delivery services, while brick-and-mortar shopping took a temporary backseat to online services. But, along the South Coast, small business is the spine of our community, the glue that keeps us all together. And that has never been […]

The Upper Village is Bustling with Holiday Shopping Options
By Nick Masuda   |   December 14, 2021

Shopping local isn’t just something that Montecitans say, it’s something that they do — 365 days a year. That becomes especially apparent over the holidays, when boutiques, pop-ups, and mom-and-pop shops get the opportunity to help all of us provide a bit of holiday cheer through locally crafted gifts. The Upper Village in Montecito has […]

Putting the Focus on Treating People
By Steven Libowitz   |   December 9, 2021

Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics operates eight clinics in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Isla Vista, largely located in neighborhoods where healthcare is most needed by an underserved population. The buildings themselves aren’t glamorous even though they’re located in a town with a gleaming new cancer center and a gorgeously re-designed front entrance to the main hospital. […]

Life’s a Ride
By Stella Haffner   |   December 7, 2021

A good teacher can be the difference between a great year and a not-so-great one. This is the tried-and-true knowledge that every student understands. In this week’s letter, 23-year-old Nathan Alvarez reflects on the path, people, and programs that encouraged his career in science. Since finding his true north, a fascination with the world of engineering, […]

How to Experience Montecito Like a True Local
By Leslie Westbrook   |   August 12, 2021

If you recently moved into the neighborhood and you want to fit right in, these few tips should assist in the transition from city slicker to Montecitan.  Despite almost a half-century of living here under my belt – and summer forays in my youth with my best friend whose grandparents had a second home in […]

A Life in Focus
By Katherine Stewart   |   April 22, 2021

From photojournalist in Tennessee to two tours as Second Lady to a new start in Montecito, Tipper Gore has had a remarkable journey To spend time with Tipper Gore – even by phone, as I did, thanks to COVID-19 safety restrictions – is to marvel at the vivid tapestry of her life. As the nation’s Second Lady […]

The Constant of Change
By Gwyn Lurie   |   April 22, 2021

Why do people who can live anywhere so often choose to live here? With its recent influx of newcomers, some fear Montecito is changing. I suppose it’s true that every new resident – even every new visitor – puts a mark on a place, bringing with them their unique story, their aspirations, their values. It […]

Zooming it in, yes. Phoning it in, no.
By Gwyn Lurie   |   January 28, 2021

Someone once said, “Journalism is what somebody doesn’t want you to know. The rest is advertising.” I find that quote not just clever, but true, and precisely why local journalism is so vital. With so much overwhelming national news, not to mention two diametrically opposed sets of news to choose from, both biased, I often […]

It Takes a Village to Save a Village
By Gwyn Lurie   |   April 23, 2020

The world is going LOCAL. Or at least it should be. Every day we have more proof that food, information, energy infrastructure, and leadership have the most integrity and most power to do good when they have the least distance to travel. When it’s locally sourced. Distance dissipates. It is a fact of life. How […]

The Economic Pandemic Meets the Hometown Banker
By Mitchell Kriegman   |   April 9, 2020

They call it the novel coronavirus. It will have existed for 142 days as of this publication. It’s called a “novel” virus because, while variations have existed before, this one is brand new. It’s unique in that it replicates quickly in asymptomatic people who are stealth carriers, then explodes in the population overwhelmingly, debilitating the […]

Delivering the Farmers’ Market from the Coronavirus
By Mitchell Kriegman   |   April 2, 2020

When we look out at the Pacific from Butterfly Beach it’s clear. The ocean still works. When we turn to look at the Santa Ynez Mountains it’s easy to see the mountains are just fine. Clouds, too. It also turns out that the valleys and fields and surrounding farms continue to produce food, with even […]

Doo More
By Montecito Journal   |   March 5, 2020

Enough with the platitudes and generic news. I, for one, would love to see this paper get back to its roots – LOCAL NEWS. How about an issue that affects all of us? People thoughtlessly leaving their dog’s business everywhere but where it belongs – in a BAG in YOUR trashcan. I cannot believe the […]

Santa Barbara Restaurant Week
By Gabe Saglie   |   February 20, 2020

Santa Barbara Restaurant Week is back – a gastronomic extravaganza starring some of the South Coast’s top eateries and some of the best bang-for-your-buck eating you’ll find all year. The promotion, which features prix-fixe menus at three price points – $25, $35 and $45 – lasts two full weeks, from February 21 through March 6. […]

Amy Alzina: Cold Spring School
By Sigrid Toye   |   February 13, 2020

Containing myself from shameless bragging about the outstanding schools in our community is something that is extremely difficult to do! I’ve had the good fortune to visit quite a few of them over the last few years – from preschool to high school – and there’s never been a moment where I haven’t been impressed, […]