Tag archives: party

Hot Market
By Richard Mineards   |   September 5, 2019

With more than $1 billion in sales last year, with an average sale price of $1,440,000, uber realtor Renee Grubb had good reason to celebrate when she hosted a sunset soirée at the historic Santa Barbara Club. More than 150 guests turned out on the impeccably manicured lawns for the Village Properties appreciation party, including […]

Lauding Lady Leslie
By Richard Mineards   |   September 5, 2019

A torrent of tony tête toppers filled the Biltmore’s Loggia Ballroom when Montecito uber philanthropist Leslie Ridley-Tree, dressed immaculately in pink with magnificent millinery from Fenwicks of London, celebrated the 45th anniversary of her half century. The boffo bash was hosted by the Lady of Largesse’s many friends including Hiroko Benko, Bob and Val Montgomery, […]

Youth and Family Services YMCA
By Lynda Millner   |   August 22, 2019

Youth and Family Services YMCA gave a thank you party to generous donors that support this branch of the Channel Islands YMCA. Hosting at their beautiful Hope Ranch abode were Al and Marsha Roberson. No one went away hungry with bountiful platters of hors d’oeuvres and plenty of wine. When I think of the YMCA, […]

Party at Penny’s
By Richard Mineards   |   August 15, 2019

King Charles II was nowhere to be seen when Montecito interior designer Penny Bianchi hosted a bustling Restoration party at her charming Provencal-style home, next door to the sprawling estate of TV talk show titan Oprah Winfrey. The property suffered considerable damage in the mudslides after the Thomas Fire, so much so that when I […]

Bank Fiesta
By Lynda Millner   |   August 8, 2019

Montecito Bank & Trust gave its annual Fiesta party in their historic building at 1010 State Street. According to Chairman and CEO Janet Garufis it was completed in 1921 for County National Bank and is an historic landmark. Its design is Italianate, popular at the time and related to the Medici family chapel, an extension […]

Lotusfest
By Lynda Millner   |   July 18, 2019

Did you know that we have one of the ten best gardens in the world right here in Montecito? That would be Lotusland, which just celebrated its famed flower – the lotus – with the annual LotusFest. July is supposed to be their prime blooming time, but as one of the volunteers explained, “They are […]

Stand Up Film
By Richard Mineards   |   January 23, 2019

As the Santa Barbara International Film Festival celebrated its 35th anniversary, the Anti-Defamation League marked the occasion with a reception in the courtyard of the Lobero Theatre as a rainstorm raged outside. The 120-guest fifth anniversary bash, chaired by Marina Stephens, raised nearly $50,000 towards funds and, as is tradition, honored the film Liberté: A […]

Oh What Fun
By Richard Mineards   |   January 2, 2019

Montecito animal activist Gretchen Lieff and her fiancé Miles Hartfeld opened the doors of their charming home for a hopping holiday bash. Social gridlock reigned as the festive guests quaffed wine and champagne and noshed on a cornucopia of comestibles, including Brenden Twigden, Melinda Gandara, Hal and Haley Conklin, Lisa Osborne, Edie Caldwell, Laurie Ashton, […]

Bellosguardo
By Lynda Millner   |   November 1, 2018

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just happened in Santa Barbara. That mysterious empty mansion, Bellosguardo, on 23 acres just above East Beach and across from the Bird Refuge, was opened up for the first time in more than 60 years for the party of the century. Five hundred guests dressed in formal Great Gatsby attire – feathers, […]

Swank and Swagger
By Lynda Millner   |   August 30, 2018

Artist Tom Mielko and wife Eileen gave a summer soirée alfresco on their deck. As T.S. Eliot would have said, “Such a nice party. I can’t believe it. Such a nice party. I hate to leave it.” Tom used to be my neighbor at the Polo Fields. He had an art gallery on the pier […]

Things are Looking up
By Richard Mineards   |   August 23, 2018

Social gridlock reigned supreme at the home of Montecito artist Tom Mielko and his wife, Eileen, when they hosted a sunset soirée at their hilltop aerie. “After what our community has suffered earlier this year, we thought we needed something to really cheer everybody up,” says Tom. Among the guests quaffing the Veuve Clicquot and […]

High Horse
By Richard Mineards   |   May 17, 2018

Santa Barbara Polo Club opened its 107th season with a bang when former patron Andy Busch and his wife, Kim, threw a bash for his new Folded Hills 15-acre vineyard in Santa Ynez. Andy, whose Grants Farm team used to be a regular feature at the Carpinteria club, bought the 600-acre ranch some years back […]

A Dynamic Duo
By Richard Mineards   |   May 17, 2018

The mad social whirl took on a whole new meaning when Montecito realtor Randy Solakian and Beverly Hills real estate powerhouse, Rick Hilton, hotel heir father to Paris and younger daughter Nicky, who married banking heir James Rothschild three years ago, hosted a Cinco de Mayo fete, just a tiara toss or two north of […]

Hotel Hello
By Richard Mineards   |   May 3, 2018

Loquacious Los Angeles hotelier Michael Rosenfeld sure knows how to throw a party! More than 500 guests turned out at his new luxury 121-room hostelry, the Hotel Californian, for his Fellini-esque Alice in Wonderland fete to celebrate the opening of the multi-million dollar Moorish-style project designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Champagne flowed and eclectic comestibles […]

Block Party in Montecito
By Montecito Journal   |   April 26, 2018

(Editor’s note: The following was sent to us from Mindy Denson.) Montecito residents living on Santa Rosa Lane, San Ysidro, Lemon Grove, Sea Cliff, Court Place, and Mira Monte attended the bash last weekend, with typical fare including hotdogs and burgers with all the fixins! Everyone brought side dishes such as the homemade potato salad […]

Belated Christmas Party
By Lynda Millner   |   March 15, 2018

Beverley Jackson gives an annual Christmas party with all the guests bringing an unwrapped toy to be donated to needy children. This year she had to postpone it twice because of the fire and floods. About 100 folks gathered at her cozy condo in Montecito Shores armed with precious stuffed animals, games, and books that […]

A Win-Winn Situation
By Richard Mineards   |   December 21, 2017

One of the great joys of Yuletide is the Christmas bash thrown by interior designers Peter Kavoian and Ray Winn, who also scribes for this illustrious organ, at their magnificent Birnam Wood manse. The stunning residence – formerly the home of a member the DuPont family who lived to the ripe old age of 107 […]