Santa Barbara by Santa Barbara Magazine

PAIR OF FRENCH NEOCLASSICAL OAK ARCHITECTURAL PEDIMENTS; 19TH CENTURY WILLIAM LAMAN FURNITURE • GARDEN • ANTIQUES 1496 EAST VALLEY ROAD MONTECITO CA 93108 TEL 805.969.2840 FAX 805.969.2839 WWW.WILLIAMLAMAN.COM FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK

MONTECITOESTATES.COM The Premiere Estates of Montecito & Santa Barbara CAL BRE 00622258 805 565/2208 RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE

ESTATES GROUP

Bringing People & Properties Together

Village Properties - Riskin Partners 3165 PADARO LANE CARPINTERIA I $65,000,000 3165padaro.com R I S KI N P A R TN E R S E STA T E G ROU P license #01954177

CERAMIC u STONE u GLASS u METAL u PORCELAIN NS CERAMIC INCORPORATED 602 E Montecito St, Ste A u Santa Barbara u 805-962-1422 u n s ceramic.com NS CERAMIC INCORPORATED Phase to Phase New Ravenna©

RUBINACCIAMINA2022FALLIN-STORE 1269 Coast Village Road, Montecito CA | 805.563.2425 | @allorabylaura | allorabylaura.com CAPTIVATING MODERN LUXURY

BEGIN YOUR OWN traditions

Guest LightedHouseTennis 838KnappDrive.comCourt

mountain views and European architecture provide the sophisticated, yet timeless character only seen Montecito’s most enchanting property, modernized for today’s standards with the kind of resort-caliber the next chapter of your story – you have arrived.

Main Residence

not guarantee accuracy of

Once upon a time, the Arcady Estate was the and grandeur, today, this ultra-private estate rests on 4 acres with mature, architectural trees

Berkshire Hathaway - Marsha Kotlyar

and

©2022 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources andbe verified by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information.

Once upon a time, the Arcady Estate was the and grandeur, today, this ultra-private estate rests on 4 acres with mature, architectural trees

Main Residence Guest

that information. Lic. # 01426886

do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources andwill not be veriﬁed by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently

will not

Lic. # 01426886

Once upon a time, the Arcady Estate was the and grandeur, today, this ultra-private estate rests on 4 acres with mature, architectural trees mountain views and European architecture provide the sophisticated, yet timeless character only seen Montecito’s most enchanting property, modernized for today’s standards with the kind of resort-caliber the next chapter of your story – you have arrived. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Aﬃliates LLC. BHH Aﬃliates LLC BHHSCP verify the accuracy of

©2022 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources andverified by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information.

will not be

guarantee

Lic. # 01426886

BEGIN YOUR OWN traditions

Main Residence Guest

LightedHouseTennis 838KnappDrive.comCourt

BEGIN YOUR OWN traditions

LightedHouseTennis 838KnappDrive.comCourt

Berkshire Hathaway - Marsha Kotlyar MONTECITO ARCHITECTURAL garden estate

BUILDING PEACE OF MIND

611341LICENSE|GIFFINANDCRANE.COM

WWW . SUSANREADCRONIN . COM 802 .379. 8172 Really Rapid Rabbit Bronze, 10.5” H x 8” W x 15” D SUSAN READ CRONIN BRONZE SCULPTURES See more of Cronin’s artwork in her solo exhibition now through April 24th at Elverhøj Museum of History & Art, Solvang, CA www.Elverhoj.org

Sotheby’s Dusty Baker

Haskell

The Agency - Eric

5 I n d i v i d u a l P a r c e l s 2 2 O c e a n f r o n t A c r e s 2 S p e c t a c u l a r C u s t o m E s t a t e s E R I C H A S K E L L E R I C . H A S K E L L @ T H E A G E N C Y R E . C O M 8 0 5 . 5 7 0 . 7 2 4 3 I L I C . # 0 1 8 6 6 8 0 5 T H E A G E N C Y R E . C O M The Sanctuary at Loon Point M A U R I C I O U M A N S K Y M U M A N S K Y @ T H E A G E N C Y R E . C O M 4 2 4 . 2 3 0 . 3 7 0 1 | L I C . # 1 2 2 2 8 2 5

The Agency is a full-service, luxury real estate brokerage and lifestyle company representing clients worldwide in a broad spectrum of classes, including residential, new development, resort real estate, residential leasing and luxury vacation rentals. The Agency extends far beyond what a conventional brokerage firm offers. It envisions itself as both a lifestyle company committed to informing and connecting global communities, and as a creative agency offering design, marketing and sales solutions for buyers, sellers, developers and investors across the globe. ERIC HASKELL 805.570.7243 | DRE 01866805 OCEAN VIEW MID-CENTURY MODERN

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number [license number to be inserted by region]. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. LUKE EBBIN 805.400.3424 | DRE 01488213 3070 SEA CLIFF | SANTA BARBARA

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01488213. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. UNMATCHED REPRESENTATION OF EXCEPTIONAL LUXURY REAL ESTATE.

805.400.3424 | DRE 01488213 LUKE EBBIN THEEBBINGROUP.COM

Allen Construction Happy. Healthy. Home. BUILDALLEN.COM | 805.884.8777 | LICENSE #503300 REMODELS | CUSTOM HOMES | ESTATES

1235 COAST VILLAGE ROAD MONTECITO, CA 805.565.2800 • www.whistleclub.com • @whistleclub NO.6 CHRISTIAN WIJNANTS RACHEL COMEY REJINA PYO LAUREN MANOOGIAN LIZZIE FORTUNATO PROENZA SCHOULER TIBI DEMYLEE COMMON PROJECTS RE/DONE

C O A S T S U P P L Y S A N T A B A R B A R A | C A R P I N T E R I A | V E N T U R A | G O L E T A C O A S T S U P P L Y C O C O M t u r n i n g h o u s e s i n t o h o m e s s i n c e 1 9 4 5 P I C T U R E D H E R E : S I T E - F I N I S H E D C U S T O M C O L O R E D A M E R I C A N S T R I P W H I T E O A K F L O O R I N G C O N S T R U C T I O N : A L L E N C O N S T R U C T I O N D E S I G N : W A D E D A V I S D E S I G N

Berkshire Hathaway - Laura Drammer 805.448.7500 Laura@LauraDrammer.com DRE: 01209580 www.LauraDrammer.com LAURAwww.1325Ladan.comDRAMMER Representing Exceptional Properties in Santa Barbara & the Santa Ynez Valley for over 28 Years Top 25 Berkshire Hathaway Agents Nationwide in Q2 2022 Top Half of 1% of Berkshire Hathaway Agents Worldwide www.2450Latigo.com © 2022 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise systemof BHH Affiliates LLC. BHHS and the BHHS symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company,a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources and will not be verified by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information.

Joyce Rey Not intended as a solicitation if your property is already listed by another broker. The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approx imations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted, and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2022 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. J oyce 310.291.6646Rey joyce@joycerey.com | JoyceRey.com Timothy Di Prizit o 310.266.2777 timothy@dpgestates.com | TimothyDiPrizito.com FAR AFIELD THE PREMIER 10+ ACRE MONTECITO ESTATE 7 BED | 14 BATH | ± 20,000 SF | ± 10.5 ACRES COLDWELL BANKER REALTY 301 N. CANON DRIVE, SUITE E | BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210 JR: CalRE #00465013, TD: CalRE #01433017

Montecito Country Mart montecitocountrymart.com • @montecitocountrymart SHOPS BEAUTY HABIT • CLARE V. • CLIC • CYNTHIA BENJAMIN • DÔEN • FARMSTAND • GEORGE • HUDSON GRACE • JAMES PERSE • KULE POP-UP • MALIA MILLS • MATE GALLERY • MONTECITO MERCANTILE MONTECITO NATURAL FOODS • POPPY MARCHÉ • TOY CRAZY • VON’S DINING BETTINA • CAFFE LUXXE • MERCI PANINO • PRESSED JUICERY • RORI’S ARTISANAL CREAMERY SERVICES MONTECITO BARBERS MONTECITO CLEANERS • UNION BANK • U.S. POST OFFICE COMING SOON ALMA FONDA FINA

Berkshire Hathaway - McGowan Part nersA T r A di T ion of E xc E ll E nc E in M on TE ci T o & S A n TA B A r BA r A r EA l E STATE ©2022 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources and will not be verified by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information. John McGowan & Ashley McGowan 805.637.8661 www .M c G owan P artners . co M c al D re 00893030/02041055 Selling luxury properties and servicing the clients who buy and sell such properties takes not only hard work and pofessionalism, but exceptional talent; all of which McGowan Partners clearly master. I take pride in the knowledge that clients are in the capable hands of professionals such as you. “ ”

Coastal Properties - Gary Goldberg OVER I N C A R E E R S A L E S Top 5 Individual Agents in Closing since 2000* Top 10 Individual gents in Sales volume since 2000* Real Estate Broker for 27 years Attorney for 30 years (non-practicing) Thinking of buying or selling? Contact me today: (805) 455-8910 gary@coastalrealty.com www.garygoldberg.net *Based on Individual Rankings from Santa Barbara Board of Realtors DRE #01172139 $950,000,000

Coastal Properties - Gary Goldberg LUXURY LIVING IN HOPE RANCH $ 9 , 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 DRE #01172139 SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA LUXURY LIVING IN HOPE RANCH $ 9 , 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 DRE #01172139 SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

LELIVETTER 30 Fall2022 tk CONTRIBU TORS 36 38 41 BACK PAGE130 ECLECTIC PERFECTION92 102 114 80 RANCH DRESSING Excerpted From Montecito Style: Paradise on California's Gold Coast Written by Lorie Dewhirst Porter Photographs by Firooz Zahedi Written by Kelsey McKinnon Photographs by Dewey Nicks Written by Lorie Dewhirst Porter Photographs by Mellon Studio GAME CHANGER GRAZE ANATOMY Written by Wade Graham Photographs by Dewey Nicks The burgeoning zeitgeist of the Santa Ynez Valley TABLE OF CONTENTS Your carriage awaits

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED STAPLES FOR SANTA BARBARA LIVING wendyfoster.com | pierrelafond.com | shopupstairs.com

Wendy Foster

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Gina Tolleson CREATIVE CONSULTANT James Timmins DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR Anush J. Benliyan CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Tia Seifert PHOTO EDITOR Lauren White CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Charles Donelan Anna JenniferAmeliaFerguson-SparksFleetwoodBlaiseKramerChristineLennonDawnMooreLorieDewhirstPorterGabeSaglieKatherineStewartJoanTapperErikTorkells CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Blake Bronstad David ElizabethTierneyBlueLeelaCameronCydSamFrostGaborGearonMichaelHaberBrianHodgesMessinaDeweyNicksVictoriaPearsonSaraPrinceLisaRomereinTrevorTondro EDITORIAL DIRECTOR + CEO Jennifer Smith

Village Properties - Dore ONeill

Berkshire Hathaway - The Easter Team © 2022 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH A liates LLC. BHHS and the BHHS symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway a liate. BHH A liates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources and will not be veri ed by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information. 805.570.0403 | Associates@EasterTeamRealtors.com | EasterTeamRealtors.com REAL Service . REAL People . REAL Trust . REAL ESTATE. RECENTLY SOLD 4595 Via Maria | Santa Barbara GLORIA EASTER DRE #00917775 JENNY EASTER DRE #01858581 BROOKE EBNER DRE #01923719 TAYLOR PHILLIPS DRE #01912018

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sandy Hubbard

CONTROLLER

SUBSCRIPTIONS

PRESIDENT Jenny Murray PUBLISHER Amy M. Lipson

Santa Barbara Magazine invites you to share with us your reactions to our latest stories. Letters are not for publication, but please include your address in case we need to contact you. By mail: Reader Response Department, Santa Barbara Magazine, 2064 Alameda Padre Serra, Ste. 120, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. By e-mail: editorial@sbmag.com.

CHAIRMAN1999-2003

ADVERTISERS

Leila Allen

Robert N. Smith

For advertising inquiries, contact Amy Lipson, publisher, at amy@sbmag.com.

Single copies and subscriptions are available at shop.sbmag.com. Domestic rates are $19.95 for one year. For Canada, add $49 postage; for rest of the world, add $69. Subscriber Customer Service - please subscribe@sbmag.comcontact

TO OUR READERS

CURRENTLY OFFERING AIRPLANE, 1965 BY CHANNING PEAKE (1910-1989) SULLIVAN GOSS IS SANTA BARBARA’S FINEST ART GALLERY WHERE LOS ANGELES AND SAN FRANCISCO MEET TO EXPLORE, DISCUSS, AND COLLECT AMERICAN ART

While we don’t necessarily have leaves changing colors here or temperatures dropping to East Coast levels, you can still feel a subtle shift. For one thing, with all the world-class vineyards in our midst, we can hear the siren sound of the amazing Santa Ynez Valley, and wine-tasting excursions go to the top of the list of must-dos.

FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR DOWNTONDAVIDILLUSTRATION:36 Fall2022

all descends, and life on the Central Coast transitions from eternal summer to all things autumn.

Take Melissa and Paul Kanarek, owners of a distinctly unique parcel of heaven they call Ranchy McRanch. With a minimalist modular home, a menagerie of four-legged creatures—of which, we think Clementine and Tom Ford are standouts—an array of curated vintage keepsakes, and a boatload of style, the Kanareks created something rustically elegant (and fun!) as you can see for yourself in “Ranch Dressing” (page 114).

And then there is Las Cumbres Ranch out in the rolling hills above Los Alamos, where Jim and Patricia Selbert and their son Stefan have given new life to their 1,000 acres with regenerative holistic agricultural practices that rely on carefully managing grazing animals, like their herd of climate-resistant Bonsmara cattle. “Graze Anatomy” (page 80) is an inspiring ecological story of reclaiming and rethinking the new West. Back on the ocean side of the hill, at her Cancha de Estrellas polo club, Sarah Siegel-Magness has raised the bar of women playing in the sport—dedicating herself to a grueling physical regime, creating a world-class training facility (and probably one of the most exclusive and expensive private fields in the world), and regularly competes with some internationally famous players. This season she paired with the number-one player in the world, Adolfo Cambiaso, and his protégé son Poroto in leading her Dundas polo team on the family’s Carpinteria field. We ride along with this trailblazer in “Game Changer” (page 102).

THE COVER: Dundas polo team at Cancha de

ON Estrellas. by Dewey Nicks by Daniella Clarke.

and styled

When planning this seasonally focused issue, we wanted to spotlight what was upcoming in the Valley along with the not-to-miss and tried-andtrue places. There’s a slew of new and updated restaurants—make your rez now at Coast Range in Solvang (“Surf ’n’ Turf,” page 67)—buzzworthy boutiques on Santa Ynez’s Sagunto strip (“Buckle Up,” page 55), and tasting rooms that practically beg you to while away the afternoon—like Los Olivos’s Artiste, where the latest local artist wine label collab awaits (“Perfect Pairing,” page 74). But, of course, that only tells part of the story. What give the area its individuality and verve are the residents who call this place home.

Weekends spent surrounded by grapevines, dining in innovative restaurants, marveling at the California autumn from astride a horse— what else could you want in this amazing parcel of paradise? With all of the other fall happenings, you won’t even notice that it’s still a balmy 72 degrees. #weliveinparadise

Edit Letter

Jennifer Smith

Photographed

URBAN COWBOY GLAM STEAKING CLAIM IN SOL VALLEY VINECATIONS PLUS GETTING GRAZED AT LAS CUMBRES RANCH Game Who’s taking the reins at Cancha de ChangerEstrellas? + SOLVANG + Estrellas?

Sotheby’s - Maureen McDermut

I lived and worked in two major cities prior to moving to Santa Barbara wine country, so digging into the evolution of our fashion and retail scenes brought back fond memories, and made me want to unearth some of my ‘New York’ clothes,” says the publicist and marketing consultant—and occasional writer—who penned much of the Santa Ynez Valley-focused Live section (page 41). S.B. MUST DOS Indulging in take-home tins of caviar and roe from Solvang’s Peasants Deli & Market. • Trying something new at Nella in Los Olivos, where barman Chris Hewes crafts cocktails to suit your taste, or your mood. • Strolling the grounds at La Purísima Mission.

“I was delighted that Monacelli Press accepted my suggestion to do a book on Montecito,” says acclaimed photographer Firooz Zahedi of the tome Montecito Style, which we give a sneak peek of in “Eclectic Perfection” (page 92). The book’s author, Lorie Dewhirst Porter—who also wrote “Ranch Dressing” (page 114)—reflects: “I especially loved meeting the homeowners, all of whom had wonderful stories to tell.” FIROOZ’S S.B. MUST DOS Brunch at Rosewood Miramar Beach. • Looking for out-of-print books at Lost Horizon. • Walking my dog on the beach in Montecito. LORIE’S S.B. MUST DOS Cocktails at Harry’s. • UCSB Arts & Lectures events. • Visiting the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

Contributors

“I got an unexpected, deep course in holistic range management, which really widened my appreciation of the complexities of being a rancher in the 21st century,” says the Santa Barbarabred historian and landscape designer of writing the feature on Las Cumbres Ranch, “Graze Anatomy” (page 80). S.B. MUST DOS Playing bocce at Arnoldi’s. • Surfing—anywhere in Santa Barbara County. • Eating uni fresh off the urchin boats in the harbor.

“I shoot a lot of projects, and it’s very rare to find a home that breaks all the right rules,” says the Ojaibased lensman of Melissa and Paul Kanarek’s prefab Santa Ynez ranch house featured in “Ranch Dressing” (page 114). “Plus, you won’t find nicer, more generous people.” S.B. MUST DOS The Funk Zone’s shopping and foodie scene. • Ganna Walska Lotusland. • Vintage shopping at The Blue Door or The Well.

ANNA FERGUSON-SPARKS

CHAD MELLON

FIROOZ ZAHEDI + LORIE DEWHIRST PORTER

WADE GRAHAM

CONTRIBUTORS ZAHEDI.DARIANZAHEDI,FIROOZPHOTOGRAPHS:38 fall2022

d r e a m y b e d d i n g f i n e e u r o p e a n d o w n d e c o r a t i v e a c c e n t s u n i q u e g i f t s

© 2022 Sotheby’s International Realty. All Rights Reserved. The Sotheby’s International Realty trademark is licensed and used with permission. Each Sotheby’s International Realty office is independently owned and operated, except those operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. The Sotheby’s International Realty network fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. All offerings are subject to errors, omissions, changes including price or withdrawal without notice. Patty Murphy DRE: 766586 Helene Aumont’s French Country Farmhouse for your consideration $5,295,000 is a life filled wi joy ina home of beau and serenity."A life well lived serenity.” Patty Murphy Country Estates & Vineyards (805) 680-8571 www.pattymurphy.com | patty@pattymurphy.comMPatty Murphy country estates

The Provençal-style of Santa Barbara.

Joie VivredeUnderthe

41 WE LIVE PARADISEIN @santabarbaramag PRINCE.SARAPHOTOGRAPH:

rustic spell of the Santa Ynez Valley

Sunstone Villa set 35 minutes north

A taste of France perched on Refugio Road.

PARADISEIN

Live 42 fall2022 WE LIVE

eeking a lavish wine country retreat? SUNSTONE VILLA offers a taste of France in the Santa Ynez Valley to Sunstone Winery’s Club members and other private parties. The 8,500-square-foot residence—conceived, designed, and outfitted by the winery’s founders, Fred and Linda Rice— opened in 2012 after a decade of construction. Built with limestone salvaged from chateaus in Aix-enProvence, Normandy, and the Loire Valley, the villa

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Sunstone Villa is available to guests for private gatherings and intimate getaways; the property overlooks the 52-acre Sunstone Estate; salvaged limestone; one of the five suites; a quiet place to pause.

also features wood beams, rafters, and roof tiles reclaimed from a 19th-century French lavender factory. Now a private residence for Sunstone’s current owners, Teddy and Djamila Cabugos, the villa includes five master suites, eight fireplaces, a billiards room, an underground wine cellar, and multiple terraces and patios with sweeping mountain and vineyard views. Continuing enhancements to the property’s landscaping, furnishings, and fixtures elevate the luxe factor for wine club members; attendees of special celebrations, corporate events, and galas; and myriad photography and filming projects for which the villa often “stars” as a Provençal estate. 125 N. Refugio Rd., Santa Ynez, 805-688-9463, SUNSTONEWINERY.COM ANNA FERGUSON-SPARKS

Live PRINCE.SARAPHOTOGRAPHS:

when she opened her luxe boutique, MINDFUL HORSE USA, in Santa Ynez this past June. As a competitive rider with her Thoroughbred, Trip the Wire (aka Hero), and now a Santa Ynez Valley resident with two daughters who also ride and compete, Ciaccio realized the need for quality equestrian gear and fashionable riding apparel for the hunter/ jumper, dressage, polo, and eventing disciplines in the growing local equestrian community. Her stylish shop offers exclusive saddles, tack, and equestrian clothing imported from around the world. Brands like Italy’s skillfully tailored Equiline, as well as other riding, loungewear, and lifestyle pieces join KASK helmets, Vestrum Italy riding clothes, and a bespoke saddle line, Täkt, that’s handcrafted in England. A horse trainer and saddle fitter-in-training, Ciaccio also provides custom saddle fitting and flocking. Handbags, silk scarves, coffee-table books, and other high-end home goods and gifts round out the inventory. 1104 Edison St., Santa Ynez, 805-691-9711, MINDFULHORSEUSA.COM A.F.S.

Mindful Horse USA stocks luxury riding clothes and tack, DyonbridlesincludingbymakersandUtzon.

Best in Show

C Ciacciohristinacombinedherpassionsforhorsesandfashion

LIVE PRINCE.SARAPHOTOGRAPH:44 fall2022

Coldwell Banker - Susuan Conger

“The historic cottages at Mattei’s, both historic and the face of the project from Los Olivos, were a unique challenge,” says Ryan Mills, principal designer with DMHA Architecture + Interior Design who worked with Auberge. “It was crucially important to find exactly the right balance to rehabilitate the architecture while elevating the guest experience suitable for a luxurious wine-country resort.”

COLLECTION, occupies a historic stagecoach stop in Los Olivos, adjacent to the site of the original Mattei’s Tavern from around 1886. The new property will include 67 guest rooms and cottages that evoke storied Central Coast ranches, farms, and vineyards. Awaiting guests are an outdoor pool with cabanas and a poolside bar called The Shed, a signature spa, and indoor-outdoor event spaces, as well as five venues for daylong dining. Mornings might begin with coffee and freshly baked goods from Felix Feed & Coffee—named for Felix Mattei, the old tavern’s owner— while nights might be capped at The Bar with moody, Western saloon-inspired cocktails.

Dinner at The Tavern, the jewel of the resort’s culinary crown, will be directed by Filipino-American executive chef Rhoda Magbitang, whose kitchen creds include work with chefs Suzanne Goin and José Andrés, as well as executivechef stints at West Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont and Petit Ermitage. The Tavern will feature California ranch cuisine and fresh ingredients, many of which will be harvested from the on-site garden; an extensive wine list culled from the large cellar; and cocktails incorporating house-infused spirits and botanic-driven tonics. Gin’s Tap Bar—a cozy smokehouse and bar—pays homage to the Goleta birthplace and Chinese heritage of old-time tavern chef Gin Lung Gin, with a menu that combines traditional ranch-smoking techniques with the flavors of Shanghai. 2350 Railway Ave., Los Olivos, 844-837-2999, AUBERGERESORTS.COM/MATTEISTAVERN A.F.S.

Rebirth of an Icon

Live 46 fall2022 LIVE BAIGRIE.JAMESPHOTOGRAPHS:

lated to open in winter 2022, THE INN AT MATTEI’S TAVERN, AUBERGE RESORTS

BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION Site for Guest House or Equestrian Facilities or Entertainment with Views Emily Kellenberger & Associates 805.252.2773 DRE# 01397913 emily@vi llagesite.com� EKAestates.com WINE COUNTRY RIDGELINE ESTATE Panoramic Santa Ynez Valley, Vineyard & Mountain Views 4 Beds 3.5 Bath +/-4700 sq.ft. Subterranean “Kiva” Wine Cave +/-2,000 sq.ft. Infinity Pool 2 Garages +/-12.61 acres Offered at $8,5000,000 All listing information provided is deemed reliable, but has not been verified and we do not guarantee it. We recommend that buyers make their own inquiries. BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION Site for Guest House or Equestrian Facilities or Entertainment with Views Emily Kellenberger & Associates 805.252.2773 DRE# 01397913 emily@vi llagesite.com� EKAestates.com WINE COUNTRY RIDGELINE ESTATE Panoramic Santa Ynez Valley, Vineyard & Mountain Views 4 Beds 3.5 Bath +/-4700 sq.ft. Subterranean “Kiva” Wine Cave +/-2,000 sq.ft. Infinity Pool 2 Garages +/-12.61 acres Offered at $8,5000,000 All listing information provided is deemed reliable, but has not been verified and we do not guarantee it. We recommend that buyers make their own inquiries.

The week’s harvest of fresh blooms

Farm.

OrganicallyGrowing

WINERY.COM/ROBLAR-FARM A.F.S. at Roblar

duced a series of sustain ability and regenerative farming efforts for its port folio of properties in the Santa Ynez Valley—Roblar Winery and Vineyards, Refugio Ranch Vineyards, and Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard. As part of this initiative, the hospitality group’s wine club members who are interested in sustainable farming may now stay at the recently expanded ROBLAR FARM, where a redesigned members’ casita and the larger Roblar farmhouse offer guests access to the farm’s organic bounty. A seasonal market garden that has tripled to three-plus acres, Roblar Farm grows more than 40 varieties of vege tables and herbs destined for the Gleason Family Vineyards kitchens and the new Roblar Farm stand at the corner of Roblar Avenue and Refugio Road. The farm also recently welcomed Babydoll sheep, Duroc-Hampshire pigs, and 200 chickens, all of which supply the Roblar Farm stand and its CSA boxes with meat and eggs. 3010 Roblar Ave., Santa Ynez, 805-686-2603, ROBLAR

48 fall2022 LIVE

T introrecentlyVineyardsFamilyGleasonhe

FAIA, LEED AP

Michael Holliday

DMHA THE INN AT MATTEI’S TAVERN Los Olivos For more than 3 decades, the principals at DMHA Architecture + Interior Design have been creating “inspired architecture that works”. Programming, Planning, Placemaking and Sustainable Design is what we do with joy and delight!

Edward DeVicente

Mike Stroh

TUSCANSantaFARMHOUSEYnezValley

HOPE RANCH RESIDENCE Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, Ventura & Santa Ynez Valley Phone: (805)-965-7777 Email: info@dmhaa.com Website: www.dmhaa.com Address: 1 N Calle Cesar Chavez, Santa Barbara, 93103

Ryan Mills

MODERN ARTIST RETREAT Santa Barbara

AIA, CPHC

Cheesemonger Janelle Norman’s downtown Solvang picnic marketplace, CAILLOUX CHEESE SHOP, relo cated in 2021 to the new PARc Place retail development. That move was followed by the introduction last April of a beer-and-wine program that mirrors the owner’s ethos for the shop’s award-winning artisan cheese selections—a focus on small-scale production and sus tainable or organic practices. The new beverage menu is designed to enhance the overall tasting experience by highlighting the work of local winemakers, as well as international offerings, and by providing well-rounded varietal options. In her sourcing, Norman focuses on process as well as final product, and she and her staff help to educate customers on the backstory behind every item that they carry. 1623 Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-350-8328, CAILLOUXCHEESESHOP.COM. A.F.S.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Forage Florals’ Solvang location offers single-bloom market bunches; a keepsake from the Parisianstyle market; fanciful displays feature French antiques.

Spurred by the popularity of her Santa Ynez flower, selfcare, and gift emporium, Jill Redman, owner of FORAGE FLORALS, expanded in June 2022 with the opening of a sec ond location in Solvang’s PARc Place. In contrast to the Santa Ynez “London” shop, the Solvang boutique has a Parisian air. Tucked inside the visually stunning, Europe-inspired space you’ll find fresh, single-bloom, French-style market bouquets sourced from area farms, as well as gifts like natural beeswax candles and bath accessories. Unique to the Solvang store is a rotating flavor selection of locally crafted macarons, hand painted by special order. Also available are Réelle Paris’s adjustable lingerie sets made in Europe from fabrics upcycled or recycled out of plastic waste recovered from the Mediterra nean Sea. Every Wednesday and Sunday, both boutiques host Floral Happy Hours with discounts on fresh, seasonal flowers. 1625 Mission Dr., Solvang, and 1095 Meadowvale Rd., Santa Ynez, 805-691-9755, FORAGEFLORALS.COM A.F.S.

Blooming Success

Live 50 fall2022 LIVE CLUSTER.&DAENITZ/CRAFTHEATHERCAILLOUX,MESSINA.ELIZABETHFLORALS,FORAGEPHOTOGRAPHS:

LEFT TO RIGHT: Cailloux Cheese Shop hosts Wine Wednesdays with live music on the patio; Janelle Norman.

Big Cheese

wealth

E X P L O R E a levelsuperiorofservice

Using a rigorous and analytical approach to financial planning, our best-in-class Wealth Management professionals will use their extensive experience to craft a completely customized investment portfolio that dives into what’s most important to youwhether your goals are to preserve your hard-earned wealth, invest in your family’s future, or contribute to your community.

management Trust & Estate ServicesManagementInvestmentPlanningWealth

Montecito Bank & Trust

We invite you to dive in and experience a new world in financial management.

montecitowealth . bank | (805) 564-0298

The Alamo Motel brought a curated kind of cool to tiny Los Alamos with its 2014 opening, a groove being furthered by the property’s on-site BAR ALAMO. The cabin bar, situated in the revamped motor lodge’s central courtyard, will un dergo renovations this fall. The result will tie the new look to the original inspiration for the Alamo Motel’s redo, Georgia O’Keeffe’s Abiquiú home, and will add a mug club with custom mugs by Ojai-based ceramicist Thayer Gowdy. Loyal fans of Bar Alamo gather weekly for “Micheladas, Vinyl

Tacos Sundays,” featuring Priedite Barbecue and tunes by DJ Daisy Van Tassel. There are “Local Motion Mondays,” too— afternoon-into-evening soirées with beer and wine specials. 425 Bell St., Los Alamos, 805-344-2852, BARALAMO.COM A.F.S.

HELGUERA.STEPHANIEALAMO,BARPHOTOGRAPHS:

With&the

LIVE

52 fall2022

The bar’s weekly happenings range from BBQ-fueled afternoons to karaoke evenings.

ONE TO WATCH

opening of WYLDE WEST WRECKERDS, a record shop disguised as an art gallery in downtown Santa Ynez, local singer-songwriter Ray Fortune is sharing his love of music and his 6-year-old son, Wylder, along with his admirable vinyl collection. In contrast to most record shops, which overwhelm with wall-to-wall inventory, here clean lines and stark, minimalist displays allow each album’s cover to pop, Fortune’s stock of new releases and some of the arguably greatest albums of all time inhabits the browsable, music-filled space. Often on-site himself, Fortune guides record enthusiasts through the decades filled with jazz, classic rock, ’80s nostalgia, grunge, and much more. 3558 Sagunto St., Ste. C, Santa Ynez, 805-284-2126. A.F.S.

The

Live Spin Instructor

Raising the Bar

releases.newshoprecordstocksandold

LEFT AND RIGHT: Bar Alamo is located at the Alamo Motel, part of the Shelter Social Club hospitality group.

Buckle Up

Charlotte Dicke Becerra stocks her shop and gallery, Charlotte’s of Santa Ynez, with one of the largest collections of vintage sterling silver jewelry on the Central Coast. Handcrafted leather goods, distinctive belt buckles and tack, Western collectibles, and works from local artists round out the decidedly buckaroo offerings, charlottessy.com.

55 WE STYLE PARADISEIN PRINCE.SARAPHOTOGRAPH:

The renaissance of urban-Western style is here

WE STYLE PARADISEIN

Santa Ynez General has continued to broaden its Santa Ynez Valley-rooted reach. Summer 2022 brought a pop-up shop to Montecito’s Upper Vil lage, and when The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection, opens this winter in Los Olivos, the eagerly anticipated luxe property will include a Santa Ynez General outpost. 3558 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 805-691-9947, SANTAYNEZGENERAL.COM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Santa Ynez General bandanas; a selection of womenswear and accessories includes a multicolored wool jacquard poncho by Etro; the Sagunto slides and Faraday sandals are among the store’s signature line of offerings.

ANTA YNEZ GENERAL, the shop that ignit ed its namesake town’s retail boom, opened its stylish doors in 2019. The boutique’s original location now showcases lifestyle and home goods in a slightly refreshed space, while a second Santa Ynez location opened in 2021 and focuses on apparel. It currently features several new lines for fall including Etro, Rosie Assoulin, and Nili Lotan. Founded by Pearson and Spencer Turnbull—a fashion indus try veteran and an accomplished attorney, respectively—both tastemakers with an eye for destination-worthy shopping,

Style 56 fall2022 PRINCE.SARAPHOTOGRAPHS:

A pair of trailblazing shopping destinations are ushering in a stylish new era on Santa Ynez’s historic Sagunto Street toToe

Head

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

Style

A stone’s throw away on Sagunto Street, BRASS TACK mingles cheeky, couture glam with Santa Ynez’s Victorian, cowgirl grit. Opened in March 2022, the bright boutique’s motto, “If Geor gia O’Keeffe and Dolly Parton crashed Fashion Week,” is reflected in the stylings and stock, all housed in a 120-year-old building. Owner Melissa Kanarek, a couture upholsterer and seamstress by trade, once inhabited and worked in global urban centers but she’s now a Santa Ynez Valley resident, specializing in pieces with a strong sense of story, much like her own. Kanarek founded her retail concept in Laguna Beach but relocated her store after settling in the Valley with her husband on the couple’s homestead, Ranchy McRanch (see page 114). This fall, the women’s boutique and hat bar will welcome Kanarek’s Born in the Barn line, de signed and sewn in her barn, featuring dead-stock, limited-edition runs created by Kanarek’s fevered imagination. 3553 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 949-3518748, BRASSTACKSTUDIO.COM A.F.S.

House of Hackney’s Hollyhocks wallpaper sets the playful tone inside Brass Tack; handmade boots by the French brand Mexicana; cowgirl-style boots and hats; the boutique building dates back to the 1800s.

8. The Women’s Rugby shirt, $98. All items available at KULE Pop Up at Montecito Country Mart through December 31, and

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

5. The Cosmo jacket,

Classic pieces with a fresh

2. The All Over Check bucket bag, $168. 3. The

KULE founder and creative director Nikki Kule at the Montecito Country Mart pop-up.

KULE twist and a wink to iconic autumn staples of the ’70s $348. Silk Mischa $78. The Margaux henley, $98. $428. The Bucky $88. The sweater, $298. kule.com.

Style TREND REPORT Check List

Bryce

Check scarf,

hat,

1. The Sinclair ribbed cashmere cardigan,

www.CaliforniaOutdoorProperties.com | 707.455.4444 Over 120 listings available in both California & Nevada THE CARROLL RANCH 3,068 acres | Shasta Co.,CA | $15,595,000 N Listed... Farms • Ranches • Recreation • Timber • Vineyards • Luxury Estates • Homes & Cabins

Palm Esterilla leather clutch,

$850.

STYLE

WE WANT 60 fall2022

Argentine designer Rocio Gonzalez’s eponymous brand ROCIO G is known for its bohemian artisan leatherwork and its ’70s California-inspired vibes. Colombian designer JOHANNA ORTIZ’s tropical resort wear is effortlessly seasonless and stands out as easily on the streets of Paris as on Coast Village Road. In honoring their rich Latin American cultural heritage, the two friends came together for a Moda Operandi collection that reflects the designers’ love for the sea. (Think jewel tops with hundreds of hand-stitched puka shells.) There are also handcrafted leather totes paired with fabrics woven by the indigenous Wichí community in Argentina and iraca pieces by Las Juanas, a native artisan collective in Colombia. “Spending time with Johanna and her family made us realize how similar we are. We work in our studios, then go to the polo club to watch our kids’ matches, drink maté…just like my life here in Santa Barbara,” says Gonzalez. The Johanna Ortiz x Rocio G collection is available through MODAOPERANDI.COM GINA TOLLESON

Begonia

Continental Collab

TOP TO BOTTOM: Argentine designer Rocio Gonzalez splits her time between Buenos Ai res and her hillside home in Carpinteria; Gon zalez and her Rocio G partner, Lolo Tanoira, fit a model with designer Johanna Ortiz.

chaguar tote, $1,250.

Montecito 1014 D Coast Village Rd Montecito, CA 93108 805 869 2503 Ojai 209 W Ojai Ave Ojai, CA 93023 805 633 9086 Photo by Camellia Menard Clic stores Soho | Nolita | Tribeca | Madison | Brooklyn | East Hampton | St Barth www.clic.com @clic_usa Marin 2241 Larkspur Landing Circle Larkspur, CA 94939 415 295 7761

Heads Above the Rest

The Annie cowgirl boots, $295, tecovas.com.

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: KJ Murphy’s specializes in handmade custom hats; an artisan hat-making tool that helps ensure the perfect fit; Kevin “KJ” Murphy; the master at work.

Get on Your High Horse

WE LOVE

Butet leather saddle for Saint Laurent Rive Droite, price upon request.

Last year custom hat maker Kevin “KJ” Murphy expanded his business, KJ MURPHY’S, into a large Santa Ynez space with swanky saloon vibes and a modern twist—complete with all of the enter taining bells and whistles essential to a bespoke accessories experience. Murphy’s clients often get to watch the custom crafter at work, while they sip some of the finest spirits stocked behind his hand-built, mahogany back bar. Under the pressedtin ceiling, a stone fireplace centers the long room where outdoorsy apparel and hats by Stetson, Resistol, DOBBS, the fashionable Charlie 1 Horse, and KJ originals are beautifully showcased.

Murphy’s hat-making trail began in 2009, when he purchased an old hat factory that included some machines dating back to the early 1900s. Months of mechanical refurbishing followed, leading to the opening of his first Santa Ynez Valley hat studio in 2011. Nowadays, patrons can listen to Murphy’s tales of his adventures while he designs their hats with custom touches like hand-tooled leather hatbands, beads, ribbons, horsehair, or other ma terials, transforming each piece of headgear into a unique, wearable, working piece of art. 3569 Sagun to St., Santa Ynez, 805-686-4790, KJMURPHYS.COM A.F.S.

62 fall2022 STYLE PRINCE.SARAMURPHY’S,KJPHOTOGRAPHS:

uring the Covid shutdown in 2020, Valerie Madeira knew it was time for her eponymous antique shop’s next chapter. In partnership with her sister and co-owner, Claire Gallion, the pair relocated VALERIE’S VINTAGE & SUPPLY CO. —which specializes in farmhouse and rustic ranch styles with a classical European twist—to a smaller space around the corner, and braced themselves for the unknown. Turns out, “it

A client’s rustic-chic stable decorated by sister-partners Valerie Madeira (right) and Claire Gallion.

64 fall2022

STYLE

was a blessing in disguise,” says Madeira. “Santa Ynez has the best community. The love and support that we receive daily is what keeps us inspired—along with the thrill of the hunt.” While the boutique stocks an ever-changing inventory of one-of-a-kind décor and furnishings, the duo can also find and source specially requested pieces upon request. Let the hunt begin! 3568 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 805-693-2127, @VALERIESVINTAGE17 ANUSH J. BENLIYAN

Quest Love

BURKETT.BRIPHOTOGRAPH:

Tomi Cellars owns no vineyards. But it is our driven passion to make the finest wines possible from some of the very best vineyards on the Central Coast of California. We’ve spent the last two decades learning what it takes to make world class wines of distinction, wines that evoke place of origin. Wines that we want to drink — and wines that we hope others want to drink, too. Tastings are available by appointment. 818-515-5422.

GREAT WINES

FOLDED HILLS

SPECIAL SECTION

TomiCellars.com

FoldedHills.com

WINERY is a small family-owned winery located at the gateway to Santa Ynez Valley just off the 101 between Las Cruces and Buellton just 4.5 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The Folded Hills Vineyard and Ranch is situated in an idyllic landscape surrounded by mountain hillsides that fold into the landscape. Our Homestead tasting room features walk-in tastings daily and exclusive guided tasting experiences on select days each week. Our Montecito tasting room is a cozy spot to enjoy your wine tasting among the shops and restaurants of Coast Village Road. Specializing in Rhône grape varieties, our Grenache, Syrah, and Marsanne varietal wines and blends express our unique cool climate terroir with vibrant, fresh, fruit forward aromas and flavors.

Escape to the Santa Ynez Valley to experience a family legacy and dedication to fine wine in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country at LAFOND WINERY & VINEYARDS. Tucked away in the pristine Sta. Rita Hills, Lafond Vineyards features sustainably farmed and renowned clones of pinot noir, chardonnay and syrah; plus a welcoming tasting room and idyllic picnicking grounds. First planted in 1971, Lafond Vineyards was established by local wine pioneer, Pierre Lafond, making it one of the oldest vineyards in the county. As the sister label to local gem, Santa Barbara Winery, Lafond focuses on their estate-grown varietals: pinot noir, chardonnay, and syrah. Both Lafond Winery and Santa Barbara Winery processesviticultureareguided by veteran winemaker, Bruce McGuire. Visit us at: 6855 Santa Rosa Rd, Buellton. No reservations required. 805-688-7921.

PAUL LATO is a leading producer of artisanal wines in Santa Barbara County, known for crafting elegant and balanced Burgundian and Rhône-style wines sourced from renowned vineyards throughout California. Driven by passion, intuition and authenticity, Paul Lato is meticulous about quality in the vineyard but uses a minimalist approach in the cellar to craft his highly acclaimed small-lot wines. He operates under the guiding principle of quality over quantity in order to capture the unique characters of each vineyard. We are thankful for 20 years of support from the Santa Barbara community and look forward to welcoming you at the winery in Santa Maria. Appointments can be made by visiting PaulLatoWines.com

Great Wines

TOMI CELLARS is the new project from film industry veterans, Boyd Shermis and Denise Davis. It’s been a 20-year journey for us to get to this point and has come with a little help from family and good friends. We did our first bottling of Albariño in 2021, and we’ve just released six new wines from 2019, 2020 and 2021, including Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, a Syrah/Grenache blend, a Grenache Blanc/ Roussanne blend, and a Rosé of Pinot Noir.

SANTA BARBARA MAGAZINE presents

T CTomi Cellars

LafondWinery.com

PRINCE.SARAPHOTOGRAPH: @santabarbaramag

67 WE TASTE PARADISEIN SurfWith’n’theirCoast

Range restaurant, a powerhouse team of chefs is putting Solvang on the culinary map Turf

Leather banquettes, custom made-in-Italy sconces, and pressed-tin ceilings set the tone inside Solvang’s Coast Range restaurant.

Taste PARADISEIN

Head inside for a Victorian-meets-maritime feel—think leather booths, velvet curtains, and a sea captain’s portrait—and begin with a whole grilled California artichoke with “good butter” and melty pecorino, or try a spectacular daily fresh crudo bathed in shiro dashi, a Japanese chili paste called

yuzu kosho, and baby cilantro. Next, a boatload of fritto misto including calamari, broccolini, and pepperoncinis is accompanied by furikake aïoli, Thai chili dipping sauce, and key lime. You’ll find those dishes on the brunch menu, served from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Monday. Reservations are highly recommended for the dinner menu, which is available starting at 5 p.m. Thursday to Monday and offers a hearty steak list filled with impeccable cuts from purveyors like Delmonico and Creekstone. Make any steak into a surf-and-turf combo with lobster tails always on offer, or indulge in oysters on the half shell and chilled shellfish for a seafood fix. Steakhouse staples like French onion soup and wedge salads round out the evening appetizers—or splurge on Regiis Ova caviar and call it a night. Before you go, brioche donuts with brown-butter glaze make for a fluffy, flawless finish, courtesy of Chef Carson. 1635 Mission Dr., Solvang, 805-624-5420, COASTRANGE.RESTAURANT CAITLIN WHITE

LEFT TO RIGHT: Morro Bay oysters on the half shell; diners can pick their own steak before it’s cooked to perfection.

olvang is better known for Danish architecture than fine dining, but last year a trifecta of chefs and a James Beard-recognized sommelier put COAST RANGE on the map as a destination steakhouse. Helmed by Anthony Carron (800 Degrees Pizza), Steven Fretz (Church Key), and acclaimed pastry chef Lincoln Carson (Bon Temps, Mes Amis)—as well as part ners Hillary Calhoun and Joseph Sabato—the place has a wine list from sommelier and winemaker Ra jat Parr that’s the cherry on top. Flanked on one side by a casual sister spot, Vaquero Bar, which opened in April 2021, Coast Range started offering indoor and outdoor dining on Mission Drive last fall.

PRINCE.SARAPHOTOGRAPHS:

68 fall2022 WE TASTE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: General manager and mixologist Joseph Sabato; Chef Anthony Carron; marketing wiz Hillary Calhoun; Chef Steven Fretz; fritto misto with fried calamari, peppers, asparagus, and broccolini, served with furikake aïoli, Thai chili sauce, and key lime.

Rare Treats

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Rare Society brand weaves inspiration from vintage Las Vegas steakhouses for a modern dining experience in The Funk Zone; signature “boards” are served as family-style raised platters and feature the chef’s determined cuts of the night; the house favorite Rare Old Fashioned cocktail.

TASTE

es, RARE SOCIETY is a neigh borhood steakhouse, but first and foremost it’s a place of comfort. The dining room is warm and usual ly packed, with rows of booths decorated in marble, gold, and playing-card motifs, an homage to the restaurant’s ritzy, old-school Vegas inspiration. But there’s no spot more lively than the horseshoe bar in the front room, a haven for habitués of the nearby Funk Zone. The decadent starters—ahi tuna tartare with black sesame and jalapeño ponzu; a thick-cut slab of bacon with gochujang glaze; or lobster prepared in the shell with garlic and parsley butter—are almost a distraction from the dry-aged steaks that Chef Brad Wise grills using Santa Maria-style live-fire techniques. Almost. The fire-roasted cuts pair best with more extravagance, like potato rosti covered in fondue and black truffles, or one of many strong cocktails that go above and beyond even the most discerning palate’s taste test. 214 State St., Santa Barbara, 805-335-2088, RARESOCIETY.COM C.W.

PRINCE.SARAPHOTOGRAPHS:

Taste

70 fall2022

6120 28505 Canwood St, Agoura Hills pacpatio.com Price Match Guarantee | Family Owned & Operated | White Glove Delivery 818 949 6120 28505 Canwood St, Agoura Hills pacpatio.com Price Match Guarantee | Family Owned Operated | White Glove Delivery

72 fall2022 TASTE

Taste

pril 2022 brought a grand refresh of the legendary FESS PARKER WINERY’s tasting areas and experiences, at the portfolio’s Los Olivos vineyard property along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. Elevated updates and additions to the venue’s interiors and exterior tell the tale of the Parker family’s history in the Santa Barbara region. They also provide a warm, welcoming atmosphere for more private tastings and leisurely lounging while paying homage to the family’s famous patri arch, the late Fess Parker. Memorabilia from Parker’s acting career deco rate the revamped space, and the family’s 30-plus years of winemaking history is showcased in the new Library Room Wine Tastings: private experiences with customizable tasting flights of four Fess Parker library wines. In September the Fess Parker Funk Zone tasting room opens in downtown Santa Barbara, offering wines from Fess Parker Winery and from the family’s boutique Epiphany and Fesstivity labels. 6200 Foxen Canyon Rd., Los Olivos, 805-688-1545 and 116 E. Yanonali St., Santa Barbara, 805-770-2041, FESSPARKER.COM A.F.S.

Fessing Up—Twice

TOP TO BOTTOM: A Kodiak Greenwood photograph of Fess Parker’s favorite spot on the family ranch is printed on metal and hung as a triptych above the floor-to-ceiling fireplace in the refreshed Fess Parker Winery tasting room, on the Los Olivos vineyard property; reconfigured outdoor tasting areas include new shade sails, new outdoor seating, and plenty of plants.

ABOVE: Fess Parker Winery library wines line the walls of the tasting lounge’s new Library Rooms.

Matthew Limon

Twenty years of banking on the Central Coast20 Combining our expertise with yours to find solutions for your unique needs.

My family has been working here 50 years, American Riviera is helping us plan our success for the next 50.” — ARTURO GONZALEZ, SR. Visit us at AmericanRiviera.Bank • 805.965.5942 This is True Community Banking “

Arturo Gonzalez, Sr., Founder & Owner, Progressive Environmental Industries, Inc., with Matthew Limon, AVP, Client Relationship Manager

REIERSON.KIMBOTTLE,ANDPORTRAITPRINCE;SARAEXTERIOR,PHOTOGRAPH:

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Anna Rice (left) and Colette Cosentino in the painter’s Santa Barbara studio; a bottle of Artiste’s 2019 Effervescence Sparkling Brut Rosé featuring the artist’s vignette “Fruits”; the entrance to the Los Olivos tasting room and gallery.

TASTE

“It was serendipitous,” says Anna Rice, who owns Artiste with her husband, winemaker Bion Rice. The label had partnered with 50 artists over the years, but only a couple had been local, something Anna wanted to remedy. When she walked by Colette’s Santa Barbara studio and later happened to meet the artist, she felt “the universe hadThespoken.”labelsfeature details of a huge glittering woodland canvas Colette had worked on for the last five years. When they unrolled it, notes Anna, “the color and the notes of the rosé and Chardon nay seemed to coalesce.” The painting is “very effervescent. You can taste the bubbles! With the official launch [of the wines], we’ll feature Co lette’s art in the tasting studio and gallery in Los

ome collaborations seem destined to happen. Like the combination of art by COLETTE COSENTINO and two late-summer releases from ARTISTE WINERY—a sparkling rosé and a Chardonnay.

Olivos through the fall.” The full mural will later be on display in Colette’s Anapamu Street studio.

Perfect Pairing

Taste

74 fall2022

“It was extra cool to do a wine label,” says Colette, who has created wallpaper and textiles in addition to her fine art. “I’m excited by the possibil ities.”ARTISTE.COM; COLETTECOSENTINO.COM JOAN TAPPER

• MICHAE L KATE / 132 SANTA BARBARA ST. / AMPLE FREE PARKING / 10 TO 6 TUE. THRU SAT. / (805) 963 1411 / WWW.MICHAELKATE.COM

Visit MichaelKate to discover a whole new world of beautiful contemporary furniture for your home and office.

The Astrid bedroom in solid cherry, pictured above, is by Copeland and it is made in Vermont.

a wide range of solid hard wood furniture beautifully designed, crafted and made in the United States.

Inset: Astrid bedroom shown in solid walnut

This is just one of the extraordinary designs we carry for bedroom, dining and living that are constructed of solid hardwood and crafted in the United States.

Beautifully Crafted in Vermont of Solid Cherry or MichaelKateWalnut...features

ke Zekaria, co-owner of a successful fashion business, and his wife, Lara, a prominent veterinarian, relocated from Los Angeles to Santa Ynez in pursuit of a healthier work-life balance. They also wanted land on which to raise their children. . . and grapes, the latter due to the couple’s interest in wine and a fascination with all that accompanies it. In 2017 they purchased a 20-acre estate in the Los Olivos District AVA, with dreams of replanting some three acres of organically grown vines to produce wines reminiscent of those from the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region of France. With help from Santa Barbara County winemaker James Sparks (Kings Carey owner/winemaker and Liquid Farm winemaker), the Zekarias bottle es tate-grown DOGGED VINE Mourvèdre-Grenache rosé, and Ballard Canyon-sourced Sauvignon Blanc. A GSM blend will soon join the wines, which may be tasted by appointment or during a private dining experience at the serene Dogged Ranch, which fea tures a natural pond and vineyard-blanketed slopes.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Dogged Vine Mourvèdre grapes; a private dining experience at Dogged Ranch in Santa Ynez; Dogged Vine co-owner Ike Zekaria (left) and winemaker James Sparks; dinner by the property’s

Bottledpond.

DOGGEDVINE.COM A.F.S.

76 fall2022 ONE TO WATCH

Taste

It’s all here, in one very captivating place. The wealth of activities. The stylish setting. Fabulous cuisine. Attentive service. And expert healthcare support should the need arise. It’s everything you need to live your life, your way.

Taste / MaravillaBe MoreYOU. 5486 Calle Real • Santa Barbara MaravillaSeniorLiving.com • 805.576.7407 RCFE# 425801937EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY INDEPENDENTCASITASCARF-ACCREDITED•SENIORRESIDENCES&ASSISTEDLIVING•MEMORY CARE

Don’t Miss

The 38th annual SANTA BARBARA VINTNERS FESTIVAL’s Grand Tasting will be held at the Old Mission Santa Inés on Saturday, October 8, and promises at tendees the chance to taste vino from more than 50 nearby wineries, as well as gourmet fare from 30-plus regional restaurants and chefs. Enjoy live music as you meet and mingle with winemakers and winery own ers. Pick up some new skills at a variety of culinary and viticulture demos, and don’t forget to stop by the Bubble Lounge to sam ple some bruts. 1760 Mission Dr., Solvang, SBVINTNERSWEEKEND.COM . A.J.B.

CALL 805.576.7407 TODAY TO SCHEDULE A PERSONALIZED TOUR!

Imagine everything you need to flourish. And, everything you’d need to flourish for years to come.

Terms and conditions apply. The Aspiration Zero Mastercard® is issued by Beneficial State Bank pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Beneficial State Bank, Member FDIC © 2022.

Aspiration

aspiration.com/credit

The credit card that helps fight climate change.

F A L L 2 0 2 2 2 0 2 2

WRITTEN BY WADE GRAHAM PHOTOGRAPHS BY DEWEY NICKSStefan Selbert watches over a herd of Bonsmara cattle at Las Cumbres Ranch. Gra embraceHowAnatomyzeonefamilyisbreakingawayfromtheherdtoregenerativeagricultureandgivenewlifeto Las Cumbres Ranch

82 fall2022

Feature - Las Cumbres

Animals that graze, it turns out, are important to this ecosystem.

When the Spanish came, they all but eliminated the Indians, as well as the wild herds and their predators, which they replaced with wandering cattle that performed similar work, though sometimes too much and sometimes too little, often tipping nature’s intricate arrangements out of balance. Too much grazing denudes the land, causing desertification. Without enough grazing, the grass dies, turns gray, and oxidizes, blocking sunlight from seeds below and interrupting the flow of nutrients. A hard crust forms over the soil; rain runs off without absorbing, and the land itself begins to die.

The key to turning the degraded land around is the right kind of grazing. The Selbert family, Stefan explains, learned in a hurry

he landscape of the Santa Ynez Valley is as iconic as any in California: dark, Itssegmentedhillstapestrymountainschaparral-cladencloseaofoak-dottedandgrassyvalesbycreeks.seasonsaremarked

The ranch had some cattle on it—also some exotic animals, such as African antelope—but the land was conventionally managed and not healing or regenerating. When the Selberts had the animals removed, a friend told them: “No, you have to graze it,” remembers their son Stefan, who, after years of working as an audio engineer in Los Angeles for artists including Kanye West, is now the ranch’s operations manager.

The landscape of the Valley, indeed of most of California, evolved for hundreds of thousands of years along with grazing animals: deer, elk, and pronghorn. Tightly bunched in herds and continuously moving to avoid predators, they browsed the shrubs and grasses, breaking up the soil with their hooves, then quickly moving on. Their passage renewed and regenerated soil

and plants by encouraging nutrients, water, and seeds to cycle and kept vegetation low, which, in turn, kept seasonal fires from climbing into the tree canopy and destroying it. Native Americans—in this area, the Chumash people— also used low-intensity burning to manage the landscape, maintaining a mosaic of grassland, trees, and brush.

by changing colors on the grasslands: the bright Irish green of new winter growth, splashes of colored wildflowers in spring, then summer’s mellow gold, fading to gray in the fall, before rains begin the cycle anew.

“We have three main goals for the ranch,” says Stefan. “Raising healthy cattle, regenerating the land, and sharing what we’re learning,” through education and training events sponsored by the Selberts’ Las Cumbres Ranch

fall2022Foundation. 83

When Jim and Patricia Selbert bought Las Cumbres Ranch in 2017, they were looking for a beautiful and tranquil place to retire. A perfect distillation of the Valley, perched on a range of hills overlooking a fertile, bucolic landscape, the ranch covers about 1,000 acres of a former Mexican land grant, about 6 miles west of Los Alamos and 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Little did they expect that their retirement would prove to be a hardworking one.

The landscape is capacious, generously accommodating the activities of its human inhabitants—vineyards stretch away here, cattle graze there, occasional, tidy towns announce themselves to travelers with horses in whitefenced pastures. There seems to be a permanent state of harmony between nature and people. But, in fact, this is a place held together by a complex and fragile balance.

The ranch currently has 110 Bonsmara cows, a breed developed in South Africa that combines the toughness and heat tolerance of African cattle with the milk and meat characteristics of British cows.

Seven wild mustangs—all of which were rescued by the Return to alongsidenonprofit—grazeFreedomthecattleat Las Cumbres Ranch. It is a bucolic image, straight out of the West—cowboysOld on horseback moving the herd on the range. But unlike in the movies, there is no whooping and hollering, no stampeding, no dust. Instead, there is a purposeful pace and an conversation.amiable

Before permanently relocating to the ranch in 2020, Stefan worked in Los Angeles as an audio engineer for clients including Kanye West.

fall2022 89

about techniques that allowed them “to make a positive difference environmentally while benefitting ourselves and our community both socially and economically, all through choices we make on the ranch.” Generally referred to as regenerative holistic management—a term coined by grassland ecosystem pioneer Allan Savory, whose son, Rodger Savory, is a consultant for Las Cumbres—these techniques turn degraded landscapes, even near-deserts, back into productive ecosystems, through a series of steps. First is “animal impact”: putting closely bunched cattle on a restricted area for a limited time to reduce the vegetation and break up crusts with their hooves. The cows’ urine and dung stimulate funguses and other microorganisms that make up healthy soil. “Poop, pee, and hooves” in combination, according to Stefan, do the hard work. When the animals are removed, the land is allowed to rest and regenerate.

Feature - Las Cumbres

The results at Las Cumbres have been astonishing. The ranch had “a lot of dense, halfdead brush, suffering from not being grazed,” says Stefan. On a small plot of brush, 100 or so cows are brought to the edge and a bale of hay is thrown into the center to excite the cattle and cause them to trample, mulch, and fertilize the area. “We keep the cows in a tight area on the brush for a few days, and they eat it down and break it down,” pushing stalks and seeds deep into the soil while fertilizing it. This “crush” treatment reboots the land’s fertility: A couple of months after the crushing—even after more than 120 days without rain—shoots of native perennial grasses appear among the resprouting shrubs. It seems miraculous, but the cows are nature’s gardeners: trimming, composting, and fertilizing. Using a rough formula of grazing one-third of the ranch, trampling a third, and resting a third, the landscape is steadily returning to health, and the herd of Bonsmaras is growing.

After much experimentation, the Selberts found the perfect breed of cattle for the Valley’s conditions: Bonsmara, a strain developed by Professor Jan Bosma in South Africa beginning in the 1930s by crossing African cattle, adapted to the hot dry season, with European cows bred for meat and milk. Medium size, with short, red-brown coats, Bonsmara have the best qualities of both: “It has the tenderness of a European cow, but the strength of an African cow. It not only feeds on grass but eats brush, too,” says Stefan. And “the breed has a really strong herd instinct. They like to move together, which makes my life easier.”

Feature - Las Cumbres

Las Cumbres Ranch is conserved through The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County. The Las Cumbres Ranch Foundation is dedicated to sharing the knowledge of experts in holistic, regenerative, and sustainable practices to the central coast community.●

90 fall2022

It is a bucolic image, straight out of the Old West—cowboys on horseback moving the herd on the range. But unlike in the movies, there is no whooping and hollering, no stampeding, no dust. Instead, there is a purposeful pace and an amiable conversation. Stefan explains that he and the other hands talk to the cattle: “We have cows from South Africa that speak Spanish.”

To his call of “Toma!”—“Take” in Spanish—the cows answer back, mooing in a chorus.

The red cattle move deliberately across the grassy slopes of the ranch, munching and walking. Among them are seven wild mustangs that were rescued from the Bureau of Land Management by Return to Freedom, as well as one retired horse and Stefan’s working horse. The animals are believed to have less stress in this mixed company, and the cows put on more weight when grazing with horses.

There seems to be a permanent state of harmony between nature and people. But, in fact, this is a place held together by a complex and fragile balance.

“They are our small mascots for Las Cumbres Ranch,” says Stefan.

“The land was over-rested and over-grazed, which leads to desertification,” says Stefan of how they found the ranch. Opposite: Two Kunekune piglets named Honey (left) and Tupelo roam around the barn and lower pastures.

fall2022 91

A restored Montecito villa reflects its owners’ worldly taste TEXT AND IMAGES EXCERPTED FROM MONTECITO STYLE: PARADISE ON CALIFORNIA'S GOLD COAST (THE MONACELLI PRESS) WRITTEN BY LORIE DEWHIRST PORTER WITH PHOTOGRAPHS BY FIROOZ ZAHEDI EclecticPerfection

A glimpse of the entry foyer is visible from the spacious living room of the Hughes villa, which is packed with art and antiques culled from the owners’ pilgrimages to flea markets and auction houses around the world.

In the end, according to Tammy, “there was a lot of serendipity” to the project. “The goal was to honor what was here,” she says. “We don’t live in a minimalist style, but if you strip all of our personal items away, you’ll see the house hasn’t changed.” Bravo! ●

The long-ago renovation also featured an elegant garden (likely designed by renowned local landscape architect Lockwood de Forest Jr.) and an outdoor theater replete with a below-ground orchestra pit. By the time its current owners, Tammy and Kim Hughes, acquired it in 2016, the property had been unoccupied for years. “We didn’t quite realize how many potential purchasers were advised not to take it on,” Kim admits. Thankfully, the two recognized the building’s potential. As Tammy says, “It was love at first sight.”

Even so, the restoration process was arduous. “It didn’t seem like that big of a deal,” Tammy acknowledges, “until they started pulling off the roof and pulling the walls apart and lifting up the house to do a new foundation.” The original floor plan was left largely intact but for a kitchen expansion and an added powder room on the main floor. Tammy still marvels at the building’s design—especially the four lightwells that effectively illuminate the lower floors during the day, deeming them “so smart and so thoughtful.” Fortunately, she insisted on retaining and refinishing nearly all the villa’s original doors and windows, a decision that ensured the building’s modernist design retained its authenticity.

Montecito Style: Paradise on California’s Gold Coast (The Monacelli Press, $60) by Firooz Zahedi and Lorie Dewhirst Porter, available in November at Lost Horizon Bookstore (losthorizonbooks.com).

As an interior designer and owner of Emerald Eye Designs, Tammy was unfazed at the prospect of furnishing a residence exceeding eleven thousand square feet. Kim was also undeterred by the project’s size, having summered in England as a child at his grandparents’ stately home, Barton Abbey, with his famous uncle, Ian Fleming (author of the James Bond novels). In fact, the gray antique settle in the kitchen “is very close to what is at Barton,” according to Kim. The kitchen’s centerpiece, a cobalt-blue Aga stove, is set against the brick backside of the dining room fireplace (one of seven in the villa).

The home’s wonderfully eclectic interiors are also the result of the couple’s frequent pilgrimages to flea markets and auction houses of the world. A massive silver, faux-taxidermy rhino head presides over the dining room table, a whimsical trophy offset by a large nude portrait by contemporary artist Lu Cong. In the living room, a large narrative painting from 1915 contrasts with a carved wood saint from the 1800s. An intricate antique mirror tops the minimalist living room fireplace, which is flanked by two salmon-hued velvet couches favored by the family canines.

OPPOSITE: An inspired tabletop grouping in one of the villa’s many bedrooms includes a French antique gilded mirror, lamps fashioned from wooden candlesticks, a graceful English blue-and-white vase, and an Italian Madonna and Child painting.

fall2022 95

Feature - Firooz

his sleek inspiringownersincompletelyVictorian-stylesurprisinglyarchitect—wasdesignedmodernist—byanunknownonceahome,transformedtheearly1900safteritsreturnedfromanEuropeanjaunt.

Two carmel-colored vintage leather club chairs flank a small fireplace—one of seven in the villa—in a cozy alcove located at the end of the entry foyer. OPPOSITE: A massive silver faux-taxidermy rhino head presides over the dining room table, a whimsical trophy offset by a dramatic nude portrait by contemporary artist Lu Cong.

TOP TO BOTTOM: The owners’ eclectic taste is exemplified by the colorful downstairs bedroom, furnished with a variety of antique textiles; the kitchen’s centerpiece, a cobalt blue Aga stove, is set against the brick backside of the dining room fireplace. OPPOSITE: The gray antique settle bench in the sunny kitchen reminds Kim Hughes of a similar piece at Barton Abbey in England, where he spent summers with his famous uncle, James Bond author Ian Fleming.

Feature - Firooz

The ofinteriorswonderfullyhome’seclecticaretheresultthecouple’sfrequent pilgrimages to flea markets and auction houses of the world.

The entry foyer, displaying furnishings and art from a variety of eras, beckons visitors toward a cozy fireplace at the far end of the space. A large painting of a diaphanous nude acquired from renowned Belgian antique dealer Axel Vervoordt is paired with a 19th-century Italian inlaid wood console. The alabaster light fixture is original to the villa.

Having broken into polo’s illustrious boys’ club, Sarah Siegel-Magness has her sights set on revolutionizing the sport for a new generation. Changer

WRITTEN BY KELSEY M c KINNON PHOTOGRAPHS BY DEWEY NICKS Game

StylingCarpinteria.byDaniella

LEFT TO RIGHT: Cacu Marcos, Geronimo Obregon, Mariano Fassetta, Sarah SiegelMagness, Robert Zedda, and Cable Magness at Cancha de Estrellas Polo Club in

Clarke, makeup by Caroline Hernandez, and hair by Johnny Stuntz.

hen Sarah SiegelMagness takes the polo field on one of her pedigreed Argentinian ponies, the petite powerhouse prefers an all-black uniform to traditional white riding pants. The bold sartorial statement is just one of the many ways that Siegel-Magness, who is usually the only woman on the field, is rewriting the rules of the game. “Polo in America is set in tradition, and in many ways I love the consistency,” says Siegel-Magness. “[But] this is 2022, we must make changes in order to progress.”

During the season Siegel-Magness competes with her team, which is sponsored by Dundas. Siegel-Magness and her husband are business partners of the Dundas fashion brand, and Siegel-Magness sits on the board. In the past, Siegel-Magness was also a successful film director and producer with credits including Precious and Crazy Kind of Love

104 fall2022

Dolfina—and she also turns to him for horsepower; the Argentinian superstar was a pioneer in horse cloning and now breeds some of the world’s most coveted ponies. “It was like I had been driving a Mazda all my life and then getting to drive a Ferrari,” she says of switching to one of Cambiaso’s ponies.

Feature - Dundas

Since Siegel-Magness first picked up a mallet five years ago, she has dedicated her life to the sport—playing six days a week at the highest levels of the game. She and her husband, Gary, who both have roots in from Colorado, have purchased polo estates around the world. That includes one in Mexico and a 65-acre property in Santa Barbara, where she regularly plays with the likes of Adolfo Cambiaso, Prince Harry, and Nacho Figueras. Siegel-Magness counts Cambiaso as a close friend—they are neighbors at Cambiaso’s elite polo club in Argentina, La

“We share a lot on the field but off the field as well,” says Cambiaso, who is grateful for the direction Siegel-Magness is steering the game. “It is really impressive to see how many female players are starting to take part,” he says.

“Polo in America is set in tradition, and in many ways I love the consistency. says Siegel-Magness. “[But] this is 2022, we must make changes in order to progress.”Siegel-Magnessisinthesaddlesixdaysaweekeitherpracticingorplayingmatches.Inadditiontocardioworkoutsandtimespentinthehittingcage,shemustalsomakeroominherscheduleforregularrehabsessionsinahyperbaricchamberwhenshe’sinjured,whichhappensfrequentlyforallelitepoloplayers.

Now that she’s traded movie sets for horse stables, Siegel-Magness intends to climb to the top of this male-dominated field as well. “Of course, I could say I want to win every important tournament,” she says, “but at the end of the day the experience is not the win, it’s the stuff along the way.” ●

Siegel-Magness takes a spin in her “polo car”—a vintage red Bronco that was gifted to her by her husband.

thejersey,TheandsportswhiteEschewingOPPOSITE:traditionalridingpants,sheanall-blackuniformlayersofsafetygear.numberonherDundas1,isalsofittingforfiercecompetitor.

“It was like I had been driving a Mazda all my life and then getting to drive a Ferrari,” she says of switching to one of Cambiaso’s ponies.

fall2022 107

108 fall2022

Adolfo number-one-rankedcurrentlyCambiaso,theworld’s polo player, has spent the summer in Santa Barbara training with SiegelMagness and competing with her Dundas team.

fall2022 109

him.fall2022 111

Siegel-Magness takes a break to say hello to a zebra named Marty, one of her many rescue animals. When she first rescued the week-old zebra, she camped out at the barn and took turns with other polo pros feeding

Players gather for a postmatch, Argentine-style asado CLOCKWISE FROM TOP

Feature - Dundas

LEFT: A gaucho groom or petisero corrals the horses; Cambiaso and Cacu Marcos; Mariano Fassetta; Robert Zedda with Gary Magness; weekend asados always include authentic empanadas; Myla Cambiaso and Maria Vazquez Cambiaso; Sarah Siegel-Magness with her son Cable. OPPOSITE: The traditional open-fire barbecue usually occurs over the weekends during polo season.

fall2022 113

Ranch

A panoramic view of Melissa and Paul Kanarek’s five-acre Santa Ynez ranch. The prefab buildings designed by Hygge Supply are surrounded by a native landscape designed by Terremoto.

114 fall2022

Melissa and Paul Kanarek ’s fabulous prefab in Santa Ynez

Dressing

WRITTEN BY LORIE DEWHIRST PORTER PHOTOGRAPHS BY MELLON STUDIO fall2022 115

“It feels like a painting and changes throughout the day,” says

fall2022Melissa. 117

Welcome to the world of Melissa and Paul Kanarek, whose five-acre Santa Ynez Valley ranch also boasts a stunning prefabricated home, a sleek swimming pool fashioned from a shipping container, a boulder-bordered power circle, and a boatload of style. Paul, a bearded Brit with a biting wit, insists Melissa alone is responsible for their eye-popping environment: “Every creature, every tree, every plant, every stick of

W hen you see the words “Ranchy McRanch” in white neon script hovering above a hat rack made of antlers, you can take it as a literal sign that this is not your ordinary ranch. It’s a place where the animals have names like Tom Ford (a cow), Uma (a piglet), Arlo (a rescue horse), and Bart (a llama). None of these animals participate in “normal” ranch activities—they’re basically the most pampered pets imaginable. Except for Bart, whose job is to guard the goats and who recently fended off the deadly advances of a ravenous bobcat.

The striking couple outside their prefab home. Melissa wears a blouse from Brass Tack, her Santa Ynez boutique (see page 57). OPPOSITE: The main house features an enclosed patio that frames a picture-perfect view of the countryside.

Melissa with Clementine, Celine, and Tom Ford, the Scottish Highland mini cows. “They like music and getting brushed,” she says.

118 fall2022

OPPOSITE: The Kanareks completely refurbished the dilapidated barn and installed a grand piano that belonged to Melissa’s former mother-in-law. As Paul says, “How could there not be a grand piano in the barn?”

120 fall2022

Paul dubbed their property McRanch.RanchyMelissa created the hat rack from antlers sourced at a flea market.

The serene bathroom features a drawing by artist Victor Hugo. The sleek tub and fixtures are part of the Hygge Supply prefab home package.

OPPOSITE: The stables—greatly disliked by the couple’s two rescue horses, Arlo and Honey—provide an alternate venue for family meals and celebrations.

The Amish clothesline was a gift from Melissa to Paul. “It’s a complete anachronism,” he says. Using it “is joy delight medicine. I’m like a 1924 hausfrau and I love it.”

“We drove up [to Santa Ynez] for breakfast, and we were in escrow by lunch,” Paul remembers. “We didn’t really know what function it was going to have,” Melissa admits. “We just knew we wanted it.”

The Kanareks survey their property from the edge of their swimming pool made from a repurposed shipping container.

Their animal collection started about the same time. “We’re Noah’s Ark over here,” says Paul. “Before we even moved here, we had two crotchety, unrideable angry horses that hate us. Then we found out about these baby goats we could bottle feed, and they loved us. So then we have two goats and two horses, and then someone hears about it, and we get a third goat. And then we get goats four or five, and we stopped at goat nine. But we have a coyote den. And we hear there’s a thing called a ‘guard llama,’ which is a gelded male llama, so we put it in with the goats.”

“And so we drove up [to Santa Ynez] for breakfast, and we were in escrow by lunch,” Paul remembers. “We didn’t really know what function it was going to have,” Melissa admits. “We just knew we wanted it.”

As for the rest of the creatures, on a trip to Texas the couple fell in love with Scottish Highland mini cows (they have three). Melissa believes the two Kunekune piglets were always part of the plan, while Nova, the beautiful Doberman Pinscher, was adopted from a rapper who left on tour with Machine Gun Kelly. The total currently stands at two ducks, five dogs, two pigs, three cows, two horses, nine goats, and one llama. “What we’re really talking about,” Melissa says, only half seriously, “is the amount of poop we have to deal with.” (A tractor tiller has been Ultimatelyordered.)thepair decided to build a ranch— their style of ranch—on the land. “We wanted it to be eco, low carbon, and architecturally interesting,” says Melissa, “and fast.” A bit of internet sleuthing turned up Hygge Supply, a prefabricated home company whose minimalist design appealed to Melissa. After visiting the company’s headquarters in Michigan and staying in one of the homes, they were convinced.

“We were super busy, and I didn’t want to deal with decisions,” Melissa says. Paul jokes that “they actually take a lot of the decisions away from you. ‘Do you want Continued on page 128

fall2022 125

furniture is just part of her fecund imagination on glorious display,” he says with bemused pride. In truth, Melissa, a silver-haired selfdescribed California girl is a true creative. The couple’s recent move to Ranchy McRanch—a name coined by Paul—was prompted when the two became empty nesters and grew restless with their life in Laguna Beach.

“But we didn’t know we were getting the George Clooney of the llama world,” adds Melissa. “He is so suave, so sophisticated. Nothing about his body or face makes sense, but he pulls it off. Talk about style.”

Feature - Kanarek

CRANE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL is a academicbyeducationCraneCalifornia.11independentKindergarten–8thco-educationalGradeschoollocatedonbeautifulacresinMontecito,Foundedin1928,deliversanexperientialcharacterizedathoughtfulbalanceofchallengeand

ANACAPA SCHOOL is an independent, coeducational school for grades 7-12. Anacapa empowers students to excel at critical thinking, creativity, integrity and compassion through academic and experiential learning in a close-knit, diverse community. The school maintains high expectations for personal and academic integrity. The Anacapa approach fosters intelligent and complex discourse between students and their faculty. The learning environment is designed to optimize independent thinkers working together inside and outside of the classroom. At Anacapa, students and faculty adhere to three core principles: To treat everyone with dignity, to always do your best, and to foster a culture of collaboration. 814 Santa Barbara St., Santa Barbara, 805-965-0228; anacapaschool.org

Great Schools

SPECIAL SECTION

THE HOWARD SCHOOL is a co-educational school serving Preschool through 8th Grade in Carpinteria, California. The Howard School promotes growth of the whole child including emotional and physical development coupled with the pursuit of academic excellence. The Carden Method® provides a strong academic training that stresses the interrelationship of subject matter. The method is based upon the principle to “teach a child how to think, not what to think.” Small class sizes allow teachers to work closely with each child to develop strengths and target areas of weakness. The Howard School is proud to be Santa Barbara’s oldest continually operating independent school, serving both Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. 5050 El Carro Ln., Carpinteria, 805-745-8448; thehowardschool.org

SCHOOLSGREAT

THE KNOX SCHOOL OF BARBARASANTA for Gifted and Talented Children serves children in grades Junior Kindergarten-8th. Our highly individualized curriculum meets students at their ability level to optimize their intellectual and academic development. Small class size, high teacher to student ratios, hands-on learning, and differentiated, meaningful instruction all ensure students thrive. Valuing the children’s deep intellectual curiosity, high ethical standards, and emotional sensitivities, the School provides a receptive, nurturing, student-centered environment encouraging inquiry and independence. Core classes are supplemented by a comprehensive STEAM program, Fine Art, World Language, Phys Ed, Mindfulness, and Electives. Located in downtown Santa Barbara. 1525 Santa Barbara St., Santa Barbara, 805-991-9681; knoxschoolsb.org

MAGAZINE

creative expression. Our time-tested tradition of active and collaborative learning challenges students to think critically, find their voices, and care for one another and the world around them. At Crane, we understand that how we teach is just as important as what we teach. 1795 San Leandro Ln., Montecito, 805-969-7732; craneschool.org

Great Schools PROVIDENCE, Santa Barbara’s only tofaith(preschool-12)college-preparatoryChristian,schoolintegrateswithstrongacademicsequipstudentsto

CONTACT

THE RIVIERA RIDGE SCHOOL provides studentcentered, inclusive and individualized learning opportunities for every student. Focused on academic excellence from Junior Kindergarten through the 8th grade, our students are inspired to develop their individual potential, seek purpose beyond themselves and are prepared to embrace the next phase of their journey with a uniquely diverse and global perspective. The Riviera Ridge School is a place where every opportunity is realized, every dream has potential, and every student matters. Our world-class faculty and staff partner with families to provide an education that nurtures every student’s academic, social, ethical, and creative potential. Since 1938, we have celebrated the Everyday Amazing at The Riviera Ridge School. JK-8th grade, 2130 Mission Ridge Rd., Santa Barbara, 805-569-1811; rivieraridge.org

Founded in 1976, SANTA BARBARA MIDDLE SCHOOL is an independent coeducational day school for grades 6-9. Immersed in stimulating Academics, Creative Arts and Sports, Building Community and Outdoor Education, we prepare students for their future by providing a defining educational experience. Our saying “Carpe Diem” could not ring more true. State standards and project-based learning guide our academic instruction. Students bike, camp and explore the outdoors. They become difference makers by giving back to the local community. And they cultivate a love for arts and sports through electives. Our school is based on mutual respect and a unique understanding of the adolescent years. SBMS graduates are admired for their intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, creativity, and “can-do” confidence. 1321 Alameda Padre Serra, Santa Barbara, 805-682-2989; sbms.org

Be a part of GREAT SCHOOLS From Preschool through 12th Grade

months through 12 years old. Our bucolic campus features thoughtfully appointed indoor and outdoor classroom environments, where children move freely within the environment, following their own unique interests and curiosity. Our skilled teachers guide children in becoming the best versions of themselves, while fostering collaboration, community, and peace. We focus on individualized learning with lessons given on a one-on-one basis or in small groups. At SCM we instruct the whole child; social and emotional learning is as important as academic excellence. We instill love for learning, independence, and self-awareness. Please come join us to experience an utterly unique educational journey for yourself and your family. 7421 Mirano Dr., Goleta, 805-845-6555; southcoastmontessori.org

SOUTH MONTESSORICOAST offers an authentic childrenprogramMontessorifor3

pursue lives of purpose. Dedicated and dynamic educators teach students in a mentoring environment that nurtures and promotes critical thinking, clear communication, and whole-hearted service. In addition to stellar academics, arts, and engineering programs, students enjoy opportunities to learn outside the classroom. Robust athletics, educational travel, ski/surf/river trips, ample service opportunities, and spiritual retreats foster character development and deepen relationships. Equipped for challenge and success, Providence students graduate prepared to engage culture and impact our communities through service, leadership, and civic duty. Preschool through Grade 6: 3225 Calle Pinon, 805-962-3091. Grades 7 through 12: 630 E. Canon Perdido, 805-962-4400; providencesb.org

AMY LIPSON, amy@sbmag.comPUBLISHER

SPECIAL SECTION

OJAI VALLEY SCHOOL is an independent boarding & day school for 290 students — Pre-K through 12th grade — on two campuses in Ojai. Our dedicated staff provide a balanced program of college-preparatory academics, fine & performing arts, sports, outdoor education, environmental studies, equestrian & character development. Students are encouraged to explore their inter ests, seek new ways to learn, & discover the complexity of the world around them. By the time they graduate, they will have developed the academic strength & intellectual curiosity to succeed in college and beyond. More importantly, they will have gained the confidence & character to meet life’s future challenges. 723 El Paseo Rd., Ojai, 805-646-1423; ovs.org

But according to Paul, “Terremoto doesn’t take many jobs. It’s sort of like getting the bestlooking person at school to take you to the prom. I have no idea how [Melissa] pulled it off, but she did.”

As if they didn’t have enough to occupy themselves, Melissa just opened her Brass Tack boutique in Santa Ynez, which carries hard-tofind brands like KYUCA bags, B Sides Jeans, and Mexicana boots. Still to come is her “Born in the Barn” collection of dead-stock urban-cowgirl apparel. Paul’s next adventure, what he calls his “final tilt at the professional windmill,” is teaching social studies at a local high school. With the Kanareks, anything is possible. Stay tuned. ●

Kanarek's Santa Ynez boutique, Brass Tack.

Runover / House

In reality, Melissa has always tinkered with her surroundings. Growing up in Orange County, her habit of constantly rearranging

“The company is fantastic,” says Melissa, noting that the homes are modular, “so you can connect them like Legos.” They settled on a one-bedroom module with a separate guest house, both clad in dark-stained cedar, and opted to add a shipping container swimming pool from Modpools. But the building process, originally estimated to take four months, dragged on for two years.

Outside, a glorious mix of native trees and shrubs surround the two main buildings, which are linked by a power circle comprised of five large boulders, all planned and designed by Terremoto, an adventurous landscape architecture design studio that Melissa discovered online: “I said, ‘Here’s a bunch of dirt. Make it cool.’”

128 fall2022

Melissa Kanarek with her Kunekune piglet at at

As for Paul, he was raised in London before moving stateside, where “my parents were able to find the only all-boys school in the area,” now the coed Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. He subsequently attended UCLA. “Going from a single-sex school to a coed school led to a scintillating 0.86 GPA,” he says with a wry smile. But a chance encounter with the founder of the Princeton Review, a tutoring and college-admission test-services company, led to Paul’s opening its West Coast office, where Paul worked for 30 years before purchasing Collegewise, a college-counseling business.

“It wasn’t mechanically difficult,” explains Paul, “it was just logistically hard. The workers would get Covid, and the whole schedule would go off.” In the meantime, the pandemic lockdown was in effect, so the pair moved to Africa for a month, during which time their Laguna Beach house was sold.

RANCH DRESSING page 125

“By the time we got back from Africa,” says Melissa, “we had two days to pack.” And the status of the ranch house? “Not done” she says Definefirmly.”‘done,’” Paul adds mischievously. They moved in anyway.

Evidence of the couple’s far-flung travels is a key part of the home’s understated yet undeniably chic interior. “I can look around our home, and every piece is a story that’s part of our life,” explains Paul. “The piece behind me we found in a warehouse in Tunisia, and there’s a fertility piece from Turkey. There’s pieces from Morocco, and the mirror outside is from a market in Nice.” Added to this eclectic mix is an elegant travertine dining table surrounded by chairs purchased from Ikea. “Only she could pull that off,” Paul says of his wife.

black or black?’” But he concedes that, given Melissa’s exacting taste, the fact that “someone had gone inside her brain and plucked it out” was truly surprising.

her bedroom ultimately morphed into a life in the design world. She studied traditional upholstery in London, ran a furniture factory in Downtown L.A., and owned the nowshuttered Brass Tack in Laguna Beach, which was originally intended as an upholstery studio but turned into a boutique. She married Paul in 2014, and the two became stepparents to each other’s children—Melissa’s daughter, Macy, and son, Cricket, and Paul’s son, Jordan.

Continued from

RociowesternMcRanch.RanchySequinshirtbyGavailable

Fractional 8/11/22 Experienced local senior care for total piece of mind. VisitingAngels.com/SantaBarbara805.284.0221 Each Visiting Angels agency is independently owned and operated. Lic: HCO #424700020 ®2022 Visiting Angels is a registered trademark of Living Assistance Ser vices, Inc Assistance with Daily Needs • Dementia Care Fall Prevention • Medication Reminders Angels.indd 1

The 38th annual Vaquero Show & Collectable Sale— hosted by the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum, November 11 through 13—will present Western art, leather goods, memorabilia, horse tack, custom boots, and more, all in celebration of the culture and equine skills of California’s cowboys. santaynezmuseum.org.

Path Finder An ode to California vaquero life

SOHM/SHUTTERSTOCK.JOSEPHPHOTOGRAPH: WE LIVE PARADISEIN

Meticulous Attention to Detail Since 1977 PRE-CONSTRUCTION, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, CUSTOM HOMEBUILDING & REMODELING UNANDERCONSTRUCTION.COM

SlaterKelly-FitzgibbonsSally-GilmoreStephanie

MAGAZINE2022FALL133177_COVER_SPINE.indd8/25/2211:24PM