Casa Dorinda has been accentuating the negative! Former Ford Executive Roger Craton, 93, a keen photographer and traveler in his retirement, is showing 29 pieces of his colorful work on textured watercolor paper which gives it “a more painterly look.” He last had an exhibition in 2023 and has captured tens of thousands of images […]

Fiesta may officially be over, but the Santa Barbara Historical Museum hosted a Project Fiesta fête to mark the tony institution’s purchase of the voluminous records of the former Santa Barbara News-Press for its Gledhill Library, and also honor my late colleague Erin Graffy de Garcia who left us earlier this year. The News-Press collection […]

The Music Academy of the West ended its annual summer festival on a high note at the Granada with the Academy Festival Orchestra, under conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya, playing Mahler’s “Symphony No. 3 in D Minor.” The stellar performance featured Julia Holoman, mezzo-soprano fellow, the children’s troupe Sing! and the Music Academy Women’s Chorus. Stirring stuff… […]

It was all too beastly for words when the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network (SBWCN) hosted a sold-out Wild Night Out at the historic Lobero Theatre. The occasion was SBWCN’s world premiere presentation of Wild Rescue, a 41-minute film about the organization, which launched in 1988. The film is directed by Santa Ynez resident Ian […]

A positive profusion of creative and colorful tony tête toppers packed the stands and cabanas at the crowded Santa Barbara Polo Club as it celebrated its 18th annual Ladies Day. As usual I had the onerous task of judging the mélange of magnificent millinery, including the largest and most creative, and the day couldn’t have […]

Animal activist Gretchen Lieff and my trusty shutterbug Priscilla co-hosted a birthday bash for yours truly at her La Lieff tasting room in the Funk Zone for the 22nd anniversary to my half century. The sunset soirée attracted quite the crowd including Wayne and Sharol Siemens, Joel and Jamie Knee, Caren Rager, Linda Rosso, William […]

Tennis ace Maria Sharapova, who bought a five-acre ocean view retreat in Summerland for $8.6 million in November 2020, has put her Los Angeles mansion on the market for $18.5 million with her British fiancé Alexander Gilkes, 46. The Japanese-inspired home has sweeping views to Catalina. Sharapova won her first Grand Slam at 17, winning […]

Lotusland, the 37-acre botanical paradise developed by the late international opera singer Ganna Walska, sold out all 500 tickets for its annual gala, Jardin des Rêves, months in advance, raising more than $1 million. The 31st annual event Garden of Dreams, co-chaired by David Jones and Julie Morley, with honorary chair Wendy Schmidt, featured vintage […]

State Street Ballet gave a sneak peek at its next season with a sunset soirée at the Montecito estate of board member Karl Weis and his wife Kristen featuring Romeo and Juliet, Chaplin, and work from the ever-popular Nutcracker. Balletomanes quaffing the champagne and noshing on the canapés included Joan Rutkowski, Andre Yew, Jon Bishop, […]

The Art Foundation of Santa Barbara featured local artist Derek Harrison – an instructor at Westmont College and the L.A. Academy of Figurative Art, who created this year’s Old Spanish Days fiesta poster – at a bash at the venerable Santa Barbara Club. Foundation members also displayed items from their own personal collections. Among the […]