Letter Perfect for Sale
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   January 25, 2022

Montecito’s Letter Perfect at 1150 Coast Village Road is for sale, and owner Leslie Person Ryan is ideally seeking a buyer who would like to keep the 38-year-old business as a stationery and gift store, saying the shop, located prominently in the Villa Fontana shopping center, next to Montecito Deli, has unrealized potential.  Ryan, who […]

Exotic Petits Gâteaux and Lemon Raspberry Kisses: These are a Few of Pâtissiere Alessia Guehr’s Favorite Things
By Claudia Schou   |   December 28, 2021

It all started with a desire for a well-made cappuccino. I was headed to a work meeting and needed a quick jolt of caffeine. I crossed the street and followed my curiosity to the French-inspired bakery that opened last summer adjacent to the Presidio. That morning, the first of my many visits to Alessia Patisserie […]

 

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A Pair of Local Last-Second Shopping Options
By Nick Masuda   |   December 28, 2021

With the hustle and bustle of Paseo Nuevo or Montecito Country Mart, or either the Upper or Lower villages, there are a couple of other local options if you’re looking for last-second holiday shopping ideas. And they’re just a short drive down the 101 — OK, depending on the time of day, it can be […]

PWRD Up
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   December 21, 2021

Montecito’s first plant-based market, PLNT PWRD MRKT, has opened on Coast Village Road; we’ll have more on the new shop in next week’s edition.

Hone Your Shopping Craft by Going Local
By Nick Masuda   |   December 21, 2021

The pandemic has brought about a lot of changes to people’s everyday lives, with eating out replaced by delivery services, while brick-and-mortar shopping took a temporary backseat to online services. But, along the South Coast, small business is the spine of our community, the glue that keeps us all together. And that has never been […]

Hotel Santa Barbara Sold to Wisconsin-Based Hospitality Group
By Nick Masuda   |   December 14, 2021

The iconic Hotel Santa Barbara has been sold for $41.9 million to the Geronimo Hospitality Group, ending a 46-year run by the current ownership. Hotel Santa Barbara, located at 527-533 State Street, has seen renovations as recently as 2019, but the new ownership will be utilizing 2022 to prepare upgrades to the 75-key facility. “We […]

The Upper Village is Bustling with Holiday Shopping Options
By Nick Masuda   |   December 14, 2021

Shopping local isn’t just something that Montecitans say, it’s something that they do — 365 days a year. That becomes especially apparent over the holidays, when boutiques, pop-ups, and mom-and-pop shops get the opportunity to help all of us provide a bit of holiday cheer through locally crafted gifts. The Upper Village in Montecito has […]

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  • Holiday Cheer in High Gear at Country Mart
    By Nick Masuda   |   December 7, 2021

    The Montecito Country Mart might be a bit small, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t pack a big punch. Just ask Kristin Teufel how busy she is nowadays trying to coordinate a multitude of events, pop-ups, and marketing of the holidays at the MCM. “I feel like I’m going around the clock,” Teufel said. “We […]

    ‘Perfect Location’: Cottage Dishes on New Montecito Digs
    By Nick Masuda   |   November 2, 2021

    Taryn O’Connell couldn’t help but crack a smile, the relief of Cottage Urgent Care set to open in Montecito like a weight lifted off her shoulders. Finding real estate in town can be quite the task — a bit more so than its other urgent care centers in San Luis Obispo and Camarillo. “Finding the […]

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    Little Alex’s Is Out at Country Mart Despite Community Uproar
    By Nick Masuda and Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   October 19, 2021

    Just a few weeks after Cava leaving its longtime post on Coast Village Road, another community cornerstone is being shown the door by its landlord, as Little Alex’s has been told it needs to vacate the Montecito Country Mart by November 22. Jim Rosenfield, the retail center’s landlord, delivered the news via a letter, with […]

    Parachuting in With a Brilliant Idea
    By Dalina Michaels   |   October 12, 2021

    From wet bags to wetchutes — one mom is on a mission to make it easy to put on a wetsuit. If you have ever tried to slip a slippery and sandy surfer kid into a wetsuit, you know it ain’t easy. The wetsuit has to fit snugly, so it’s a fine dance of pulling, […]

    Jeannine’s With a View: Expansion Pays Off for Beloved Eatery
    By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   October 12, 2021

    Quickly and quietly opening in time to capture the summer tourism rush, Jeannine’s at the Shore, which opened early July, is the latest – and the largest – outpost opened by Alison Hardey of the Hardey Family, who have operated the locally-owned family bakery business for over 30 years. “We’ve always wanted to be at […]

    Planet Duck: An Out-of-this-World Solution to a Real-Life Problem
    By Nick Masuda   |   September 28, 2021

    As the Richard Bransons and Elon Musks of the world compete for their moments in space, ducks have seemingly beat humans to the punch. Welcome to Quackzar, home to ducks that lived in harmony before The Snake King — or Oxyuranus — attacked, putting the duck population in peril in this galaxy not so far […]

    Cava on Coast Village Road to Close
    By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   September 21, 2021

    After 24 years of serving up elevated, authentic Mexican food on Coast Village Road, Cava Restaurant & Bar closed its doors on Wednesday, September 15.  “It’s certainly sad to see this wonderful chapter close, but we are absolutely making the right call,” said owner Carlos Lopez-Hollis. “There is virtue in decisiveness with a difficult but […]

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