The pandemic is now solidly in the rear-view mirror. But one of its unexpected silver linings – a surging allure to living along Santa Barbara’s South Coast – roars on. An enclave like Montecito is not all that far from the urban sprawl of Los Angeles, but as so many new residents and visitors now […]

In an announcement made last week, Montecito Association Executive Director Sharon Byrne will be stepping down from her position in order to assume leadership of the Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), a national feminist organization. “It’s long been a dream of mine to advance the cause of women’s rights in the United States, and globally. I’ve […]

Dana Volk trademarked the “Happy Mommy” wine back in 2018, when she launched her venture as an independent winemaker. “I always wanted to make a local wine under $20, as a way to connect with fellow moms,” she recalls. “And I thought, ‘Maybe someday!’” Five years later, as the repute of her original, fine wine […]

It is time for the annual Memorial Day party in an elite cul-de-sac in Jamie Day’s The Block Party. The group of close friends and neighbors gather as they always do, only this year’s party will end with gunfire and someone dead. Revenge is the name of the game, a game seemingly played by all […]

Teresa McWilliams, born in Warsaw, Poland in 1937, relocated to Santa Barbara in September 1949 and has been a resident of Montecito for longer than many of us have been alive. Reflecting on the community’s transformation, McWilliams reminisces about a Montecito from a past era. “I’ve lived here for a long time, over 70 years, […]

I have a real interest in how UCSB organizations support student life. When I scheduled a meeting with the Basic Needs Committee chair Tessa Veksler, I expected to hear about all my pet favorites – food bank initiatives, menstrual health events, etc. But as the academic term comes to a close, Tessa reflected more broadly […]

Everyone’s heard of Champagne, and most people have heard of Prosecco, but the new darling in the world of sparkling wine is Cava. This delicious bubbly from Penedès, Spain, is actually not so new, having been discovered in the late 1800s. For those who are unfamiliar with Cava, it’s a sparkling wine that’s made using […]

The Farmers Market colors are saving me during this rainy, overcast, gray June. Walking through and looking at all the bountiful produce, envisioning what I will make once I take them back to my kitchen, is saving me from a major case of June Gloom. This week my daughter and I were drawn to the […]

In our fast-paced world, it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life, which can leave us feeling disconnected from our true selves and inner voice. Self-reflection is a practice that can help us slow down, turn inward, and gain insight into our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Self-reflection is […]

Yes. Our warm, wet, and lovely home planet is tilted weirdly on its axis – like a white-wine lightweight after an author’s luncheon, more or less. As it races around the local ball of fire at around 67,000 mph, Earth’s angular disposition in relation to the sun makes the days here longer, there shorter. Over […]