Tag archives: people
What does it mean to retain innocence in the age of information? This week, 22-year-old Daian Martinez answers this question for us. Daian is a talented young writer whose recent work as a Raab Writing Fellow at UCSB explored the big and little things that affect today’s youngest generation. After seeing her zine “In the […]
In the Dear Montecito column, we have hosted writers, musicians, and filmmakers. This week, we are branching into a new medium with Lauryn Rousseau, a 2021 graduate of UCSB and the owner of Kawaii Klaws, a boutique nail art studio. Q. How did you get interested in nail art? A. My cousin was really into […]
Local resident Eva Rhodes finds the area’s blend of international perspectives and appreciation for natural beauty to be truly unique. With a background that spans across various cultures and cities across the globe, she has a deep affinity for multicultural environments. “Montecito and Santa Barbara have a high density of international people who have a […]
Sophie McNally, a visionary entrepreneur and owner of the company Kitchenette, is changing the way people interact with food through innovative technology. And she is doing it right here in Montecito! “We moved to Montecito during Covid. During that time, we were so worried about the virus and I didn’t trust going out to eat, […]
Kristen d’Offay grew up loving all things sparkly. She was raised in Houston with a grandmother who was a fashion designer and who loved sequins and dresses. But the idea to do something with fashion stayed locked up in a closet for years – while she worked! After years in corporate recruiting and raising three […]
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 […]
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 […]
If I had to pick a favorite park in the world, it would have to be the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. Not just for its rolling green lawns, ornamental fountains, and sycamore-lined promenades, but for its marvelous statues and busts. Instead of honoring the typical senators and soldiers, the Jardin du Luxembourg also features memorials […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Jacqueline Duran knows money – but more than helping you make cash – she wants to help her clients plan for their futures with confidence and integrity. “I didn’t start out wanting to be in finance,” Duran explains, “I went to college for biology and pre-med and was on track to go to med school. […]
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 […]
Margaret Ann Baker passed away peacefully on November 2, 2022, from complications associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). She was born on December 7, 1947, in Long Beach, California, to parents Willis Daniel Baker and Mary (O’Rourke) Baker. Margaret graduated summa cum laude from Western High School Anaheim, California, in 1965 and received a Bachelor […]
When a motocross racer crashes in the middle of nowhere, a mysterious man responds in haste. But who is he – A lonely doctor? A good Samaritan? A satanic mechanic? Watch Matthew Rollins’ new short film Whiskey Throttle to find out! Q. How did this project get started? A. I took a year off from […]
Increasingly, the idea of intersectionality is finding its way into our everyday conversations. This is a topic we explored in this column when talking to the Westmont Feminist Society, who hold up a mission to promote diversity and education. This week we’re talking to Anusikha Halder, the head of the Trans & Queer Commission at […]
In 2010, Mark Okrusko, founder of Airtime Watertime, was surfing at Rincon Beach when he was caught in a rip current. He struggled to swim toward the surface, but his efforts amounted to nothing. Rip currents, “powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water,” catch tens of thousands of people in the United States every year. According […]
Jeanette Petrus Le Renard gets to play every day with her clients, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I work with babies on their level – and their parents as well. My goal is to meet them where they are and help them get where they need to be!” As a pediatric physical […]
