You’ve probably noticed that the column looks a little bit different in 2022, huh? Well, I’d like you to know that the team behind the Dear Montecito column – that is, me and my caffeine persona – appreciate your continued readership as we find our voice. The truth is that shifts in identity have a […]
Editor’s Note: Without our health, what are we? Through the pandemic, we have been challenged in countless profound ways. Many of us have faced the loss of loved ones, careers, or even just lifestyle. As discussed by Rebecca Capps below, mental health issues and chronic illnesses are on the rise in the US, and recent […]
Recently Trending
More from Montecito
Rick H. is getting a second chance to make it right. The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission (SBRM) resident, whose full name is being withheld to protect his privacy, stands over a cutting board slicing pan-seared chicken breast. He neatly places slices on a pool of tomato feta sauce before garnishing them with chopped sautéed peppers. […]
Mahmood Loul, DDS, has purchased the dental practices of Dr. Ronald Dinning and Dr. David Cowan, located in the Las Aves complex on the corner of Cabrillo Blvd and Los Patos Way. While Dr. Dinning has moved out of state, Dr. Cowan is still seeing patients and working together with Dr. Loul. Dr. Loul hails […]
At its heart, a cocktail is defined as having three parts: spirit, sugar, and bitters. Today we’re going to dive a little deeper into the world of sugar and sweeteners for cocktails. As I discussed in a previous article, sweet is one of the most important components for balancing a cocktail. Additionally, it is one […]
Last week Montecito Country Mart announced that its newest eatery, Alma Fonda Fina, is scheduled to open in June. The restaurant is the latest offering from Ramon Velazquez, a local Santa Barbara chef and Michelin Bib Gourmand winner, and the owner of the popular Corazon Cocina in the Public Market in downtown Santa Barbara. Alma […]
Virtually everyone knows someone who has had, or is being treated for, cancer. This disease has become a prevalent threat in our everyday lives. For those who have been around the treatment process, it can be a scary and challenging time for both the individual and their loved ones. At Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, the entire […]
This month marks a major milestone for travel to Ireland: one of the most popular European destinations for American travelers dropped all entry restrictions on March 7th and, last week, celebrated St. Patrick’s Day publicly for the first time since 2019. For a famously gregarious people, a momentous occasion indeed. I was there to cover […]
The events of the past five years have left an impression on the geography and flow of our community. They have also left an imprint on your personal life. This can show up as an undercurrent of anxiety, heightened sensitivity to criticism, and intolerance for the slightest inconvenience. Even right now, there may be unnecessary […]
Read more...
Nestled in the foothills of the beautifully green Carpinteria Valley, just five miles south of Santa Barbara, sits a family owned and operated fresh cut flower farm, Myriad Flowers. Lush, exotic, vivid in color, and fascinating in their most pure and natural state, the Van Wingerdens specialize in local blooms of roses, tulips, lilies, sunflowers, […]
The air smells like printer ink and young people around the country are biting their nails. It’s that time of the year again: Admissions Season. If there’s one thing I have learned from studying abroad, it’s that Americans truly have some cultural quirks. One of those cute little oddities is the way we handle college […]
Word on Coast Village Road is that the owner of Montecito Deli, Jeff Rypysc, is in talks with a well-known Montecito restaurateur to sell the business, located at 1150 Coast Village Road. If all goes as planned, the deal will close April 1. The new concept for the deli, which has been in the same […]
Bestselling author Michael Lewis shared insight into his blockbuster books such as Moneyball, The Undoing Project, and The Fifth Risk, at the 17th annual President’s Breakfast on March 4 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. Exactly two years ago, Daniel Kahneman, the subject of Lewis’ book, The Undoing Project, spoke at the breakfast on […]
Two of our favorite pastimes have plenty to offer on their own. Drinking great wine enhances everything from consumption to conversation. Listening to music we love can lift our spirits and set the mood. Both also make us feel good. But what about putting these two actions together? And I’m talking about beyond just turning […]






