Tag archives: Paul Walker

Remembering Paul
By Richard Mineards   |   September 19, 2023

It has been almost 10 years since Santa Barbara’s Paul Walker died in a tragic car accident, but the pain of his passing still impacts his younger actor brother Cody just days before what would have been his 50th birthday. The Fast & Furious star died in 2013 aged 40 after a Porsche he was […]

Land on the Horizon
By Richard Mineards   |   June 13, 2023

Actor Kevin Costner, 68, has mortgaged a ten-acre plot of prime undeveloped coastline on Padaro Lane in order to finance the development of his forthcoming Western movie franchise Horizon. “I’ve mortgaged ten acres on the water in Santa Barbara where I was going to build my last house,” the Oscar winner tells Deadline. “But I […]

Positive Thinking
By Richard Mineards   |   May 23, 2023

Montecito actor Michael J. Fox, 61, says the cure for Parkinson’s disease is “closer than it has ever been.” The now retired star, who was diagnosed with the degenerative condition when just 29, has raised more than $2 billion for the cause and says he is optimistic the disease can be eradicated following “a single […]

Motown Magic
By Richard Mineards   |   April 11, 2023

The audience at the Lobero was transported back to the Swinging ‘60s when Los Angeles-based tribute band The Magical Music of Motown returned to the historic venue after appearing in our Eden by the Beach last May. The vibrant and colorful two-hour show paid homage to the legendary Detroit-based record label. Founded by now 93-year-old […]

A Birnam Birthday
By Richard Mineards   |   November 8, 2022

Social gridlock reigned at the Birnam Wood Club when real estate investor and inventor Ray Winn, 88, hosted a birthday bash for his partner of 34 years Peter Kavoian, who was celebrating the 16th anniversary of his half century, and Peter’s mother Anna who is 92. The tony twosome, who split their time between their […]

The Bistro Beat
By Richard Mineards   |   June 28, 2022

To the Riviera aerie of Joan Rutkowski, board chair of Opera Santa Barbara, for a delightful Bistro Musicale for gourmands and oenophiles organized by Epicurean SB founder Amy Baer Robinson, and concert pianist Jacopo Giacopuzzi, founder of the two-year-old Italian organization La Piazza. Jacopo and his sister, Maddalena, both alumni of the Music Academy, played […]

Welcome to the Family
By Richard Mineards   |   November 2, 2021

Former Santa Barbara Yacht Club commodore Roger Chrisman and his wife, Sarah, have just added to their “fleet.” Four years ago, the dynamic duo and longtime supporters of the Granada Theatre, bought a 78-foot cruiser PolarIIs, which they have moored in the harbor. Now they tell me they have just completed the purchase of a […]

Got Loon Loot?
By Richard Mineards   |   August 31, 2021

California’s most expensive residential property, a 22-acre spread known as the Sanctuary at Loon Point, has just surfaced for sale in Carpinteria for a hefty $160 million. The titanic price tag makes it the priciest property in the Golden State, beating out a $135 million retreat up for grabs in Woodside and a $115 million […]

Celebrating a Different Red, White & Blue
By Richard Mineards   |   July 8, 2021

Santa Barbara music man Alan Parsons’ organic avocado ranch in the Goleta foothills turned into a colorful outpost of his native England when 150 guests turned out to celebrate his newly awarded OBE — Order of the British Empire — from Queen Elizabeth in her birthday honors list. The red, white, and blue of the […]

Paul Walker’s Shelby Cobra
By Richard Mineards   |   January 28, 2021

The late Santa Barbara actor Paul Walker was an avid car collector and one of his prized autos is coming up for auction. The Fast & Furious franchise star, who died in a car accident in 2013 in Santa Clarita aged 40, had a number of exotic cars in his collection, including the 1965 Shelby […]

Another Touchdown for Bolton
By Richard Mineards   |   January 30, 2020

David Bolton, executive director of the California Missions Foundation, has a lucrative sideline with his TV production company, Cultural Global Media. One year after covering his first Super Bowl, the company has been hired again to produce the legendary NFL event from Miami, Florida, on Sunday (February 2) for millions of viewers throughout Latin America. […]

Snapping Species
By Richard Mineards   |   October 24, 2019

Cliff and Crystal Wyatt opened the doors of their charming Montecito home to host a bash for National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore, who spoke at Campbell Hall, part of the UCSB Arts & Lectures program. His talk Building the Photo Ark focused on a multi-year initiative to document every living creature in the world’s zoos […]

Caliente Cocina
By Richard Mineards   |   August 29, 2019

To La Cocina, formerly Somerset, with my snapperazzi Priscilla, to check out the made-over East Anapamu Street eatery, which now features Mexican-Californian cuisine. The charming back courtyard, filled with lavender bushes and gnarled ancient fig trees brought in by flatbed trucks from Northern California and craned in over the rooftops when it first opened after […]

Two for One
By Richard Mineards   |   August 23, 2018

A unique work of art is underway in our Eden by the Beach. A 50-foot long mosaic, illustrating our tony town’s history, is being created by two clients from Women’s Economic Ventures, Robin Elander and Betsy Gallery. Elander, manager of the project, graduated from WEV’s Smart Entrepreneurial Training course, while Gallery, a mosaic artist, took […]

$50K is A-Okay
By Richard Mineards   |   August 9, 2018

It was certainly a night on the tiles when the Polo Training Center, a charitable organization which supports youth polo, held a sunset soirée on the Mirador roof of the Hotel Californian, courtesy of the ritzy hostelry’s manager, Carlos Lopes. The reception for more than 50 guests was the precursor for a golf tournament the […]

Story Time
By Richard Mineards   |   May 31, 2018

Three former UCSB students have become pedal peddlers! The tony triumvirate of Mark Gustafson, Jason Lam and Matt Soares have launched electric bicycle brand Story Bikes, selling them to avid cyclists and also donating to the charity World Bike Relief. “It all started two years ago when we were in Santa Monica and rented electric […]