Santa Barbara

Age of Awareness

Nathalie Kelley’s passion for the planet

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A shared studio space, what to wear to polo, and Spanish-style dining

PASSION FOR THE PLANET

Written by Kelsey McKinnon. Photographs by Sami Drasin

FEVER 96 108 118

Written by Lorie Dewhirst Porter. Photographs by John Baran

PERFECT PAIRING

82 THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Photographs and excerpts from Caren Rideau’s new book

Written by Jennifer Blaise Kramer. Photographs by Stewart Shining

BACK PAGE 130

The Marley family legacy at Santa Barbara Bowl

BTS

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST NATHALIE KELLEY ON TWIN PEAKS RANCH/TURTLE CONSERVANCY

FOUNDER ERIC GOODE: ″I really appreciate all the work he′s doing in regeneration. I know he has a commitment to leaving that land better than he found it, like leaving it more diverse, leaving the soil healthier. I appreciate his commitment to the land that he′s been privileged to steward. The ranch and the conservancy are so beautiful. There′s a sacred Chumash site adjacent to the property. I heard he is welcoming the Chumash people, the native people of this area, to be able to come back and practice their rituals and sing their songs on the sacred side.″

On Site

The Turtle Conservancy, founded in 2005, is based in Ojai. Its mission is to protect turtles and tortoises and their habitats worldwide. To date, Turtle Conservancy has preserved close to 80,000 acres of land around the world to build preserves to secure land for critically endangered species. Its headquarters includes a conservation center that holds 40 different species of turtles and tortoises, many of which are endangered, critically endangered, or even extinct in the wild. The organization aims to elevate global chelonian conservation actions through education, awareness, outreach, and high-impact scientific research. TURTLECONSERVANCY.ORG.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Eric Goode, founder of Turtle Conservancy; cover subject Nathalie Kelley at Twin Peaks Ranch.

Jennifer Smith

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Charles Donelan

Anna Ferguson-Sparks

Amelia Fleetwood

Jennifer Blaise Kramer

Christine Lennon

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Lorie Dewhirst Porter

Gabe Saglie

Katherine Stewart

Joan Tapper

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FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

is a beautiful message, and one we are happy to amplify with “The Sound of Music” (page 118).

Caren Rideau, who has a vineyard in Buellton and a new book coming out, has a story we also like to share with a wider audience (“Perfect Pairing,” page 108). Her celebrated wine is getting a lot of attention, and she gets to savor creating it all from her perch in the valley. She opens up her doors and shares how she is making waves as a vintner.

Speaking of which, artist and surfer John Baran has found a way to capture the ultimate swell in his various media. Be it photography or painting, his works embody that moment of perfection and bring you right into the water with every piece he creates. Santa Barbara Magazine sits down with this artist to talk in “Barrel Fever” (page 96).

Life in Santa Barbara and its environs is always pretty idyllic, but even more so during this summer season. And with that slower pace of life and the time to enjoy the beach, mountains, and gardens that surround us, it makes sense that many people would want to take it easy and just enjoy—but not the amazing citizens of our town. They are always pushing themselves to do better, be better. Take the subjects of our feature stories, all of whom are inspiring in their respective fields and always ready to do more.

Edit Letter

These feature stories are just a few examples of our neighbors always wanting to do more, create more, build more awareness—all in the name of making this magical place we live in even that much better, for us now and in the future. These people continue to push forward to honor the legacy of our land while adding to it in their own unique ways, and that gives us hope for an even brighter tomorrow—and many more sensational summers ahead!

Our cover subject, Nathalie Kelley, is a perfect example of this ethos. An actor who finds her balance at home in Ojai, she also works hard on behalf of the environment. In “Passion for the Planet” (page 82), we shot her at Twin Peaks Ranch/Turtle Conservancy. Kelley insisted on wearing only sustainable fashion to honor her commitment to preserving Mother Earth.

Putting one’s passion into helping others is a running theme in the lives of sisters Belle and Lily Hahn, as well as their dear friend Mindy Budgor. The Hahn and Luria-Budgor families were longtime donors at the world-famous Music Academy of the West, and the three women wanted to create new traditions that would honor the legacy established by earlier generations. They have put on their own spin on it, debuting a new gala this summer that will raise awareness and funds for emerging artists. Passing the torch to the younger generation while still honoring those who came before you

Jennifer Smith

ON THE COVER: Nathalie Kelley at Twin Peaks Ranch/Turtle Conservancy in Ojai. Do ë n dress from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores. Photographed by Sami Drasin.

Sotheby’s - Maureen McDermut

CONTRIBUTORS

LAURA SOPHIE COX

The British fashion and celebrity stylist, who currently resides in Los Angeles, is a champion of sustainable fashion, actively campaigning for innovative and conscious fashion practices and cultures. Her recent editorial work has appeared in W, The Hollywood Reporter, Glass Magazine, and Blanc Magazine. She styled our cover feature, “Passion for the Planet” (page 82). S.B. MUST DOS • Dirty martinis and bocce ball at Rosewood Miramar Beach. • The best sushi in town at Arigato. • Breakfast by the pool at El Encanto.

SAMI DRASIN

ELIZABETH VARNELL

The regular contributor to Santa Barbara Magazine has spent the past two decades writing features for Vogue, Surface, San Francisco, and C on topics ranging from fine art to health and wellness. For this issue, she profiled several subjects, including Lissa Zwahlen, Loria Stern, and Philip Manghisi. S.B. MUST DOS • Santa Barbara Museum of Art. • Montecito Natural Foods for green juice. • Cauliflower tacos at The Nest.

Contributors

The fashion and portrait photographer, who has worked with brands such as Dior, Tiffany & Co, and Prada, shot actor Nathalie Kelley for this month’s cover and feature story (page 82). “The whole team was an absolute dream to work with,” she says. “Our shoot at Twin Peaks Ranch/Turtle Conservancy in Ojai was so peaceful that it felt more like a vacation than a day at work.” S.B. MUST DOS • Architect Jeff Shelton walking tour. • The roasted beet salad at Lucky Penny. • Iced latte with almond milk from Dart Coffee.

STEWART SHINING

Before shooting “The Sound of Music” (page 118), his work appeared on scores of magazine covers, from Rolling Stone to Vogue. He has photographed celebrities and public personalities from Jennifer Lopez to Barack Obama and has also served on the board of directors of The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation for more than 15 years. S.B. MUST DOS • Field + Fort to pick up gifts for the house. • Lunch at Montecito Coffee Shop. • The summer gala at Lotusland.

DANIELLE TORRES

“Santa Barbara has a special place in my heart—I got married there!” says the Santa Barbara Magazine senior editor, who penned several pieces for this issue and whose work has covered fashion, restaurants, culture, design, weddings, travel, and art. S.B. MUST DOS • Taking my son to the Santa Barbara Zoo. • Wine tasting at Riverbench in the Funk Zone. • Courtyard ambience at El Paseo Restaurant.

WE

Making Waves

Surf Shacks turns to shared studio space

Details of artist Jim Olarte’s nautical rope macrame and boat fiberglass sculptures from the Found exhibit.

att Titone, founder of lifestyle brand Indoek, is giving surf aficionados another reason to head to Ventura. After years of publishing Surf Shacks books, zines, and beach-town guides, the platform is diving into its newest foray with its first physical space, INDOEK GALLERY. “Our new space will serve as an art gallery, a shared studio, and a place to gather, inspire, and host events with like-minded creative folks,” says Oxnard-based Titone, who also cofounded design studio ITAL/C.

MLive - Indoek Gallery

Indoek kicked off in January with a group show that included 26 local artists; later it debuted Found, a collection of art using materials from the Southern California coast and the Hawaiian Islands. This June the gallery will display works from Santa Barbara photographer Will Adler and mixedmedia artist Ty Williams. Between shows, Titone is “playing with the idea of a curated surfboard swap of vintage boards by local shapers, and an artist print sale.” 432 N. Ventura Ave., Studio 30, Ventura, INDOEK.COM. DANIELLE TORRES

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Reef-encrusted fins from Mark Cunningham’s installation; Jim Olarte’s abalone exhibit; Cunningham; Olarte; silk-screened poster.

Live - Indoek Gallery

“Our space will serve as an art gallery, a shared studio, and a place to gather and host events.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The opening In Residence exhibit at Indoek featured 26 local artists; art director, curator, and publisher Tom Adler pays a visit; gallery window; gallery view.

Live - Hidden Garden

The Garden Path

Allie Chandler and Alvaro Rojas didn’t have to think hard to come up with a name for their new venue. THE HIDDEN

GARDEN is literally that—a rustic chic venue tucked behind the Vintage Fox antique shop on Chapala. It’s perfect for cocktail mixers, small birthday parties, corporate happy hours, or baby showers, as well as pop-up dining, says Chandler, who launched Slate catering six years ago, working with Rojas, the restaurateur behind Milk and Honey.

With wooden tables, bistro chairs, and a mobile bar, “this is a very customizable space,” says Chandler. “It’s something we had on our radar, but it had to be the right fit.” 609 Chapala St., Santa Barbara, SBHIDDENGARDEN.COM. JOAN TAPPER

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: An informal bouquet brightens a wooden table on the cozy patio; the open-air venue includes an enclosed sitting area with a cabinet repurposed as a mobile bar and a cute pantry hung with dried flowers and stocked with local treats like Pacific Pickles and Twenty-Four Blackbirds chocolates.

Helene Aumont

Live - Loria Stern

Botanical Blends

Loria Stern is known for using pressed or powdered flowers in her pioneering recipes. Her new book, EAT YOUR FLOWERS (HarperCollins, $45), is filled with stunning visuals that bring nature’s colors into culinary presentations in bold new ways. Stern credits her Ojai childhood with sparking her awareness of plants and the living world. A college course on edible and medicinal plants—which included hikes through Montecito and Santa Barbara among edible wildflowers—was equally formative. In her hands, freeze-dried raspberries change a cake’s hue without artificial coloring, and vegetables and leafy plants like spinach are vital components in beautiful food presentations. Stalks and roots—particularly turmeric, ginger, carrots, radishes, and beets—also make their way into Stern’s creations, adding color, flavor, and health benefits to dishes or plate pairings. “My go-to sweet colorant dust is raspberry or beet powder. For savory foods, I love using turmeric,” she says. Available at Chaucer's Books

ELIZABETH VARNELL

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Loria Stern’s Floral Spring

Rolls use rice wrappers, edible petals, and fresh herbs; Stern in the kitchen; Flower-Pressed Shortbread Cookies is “the recipe that started it all”; Gardenscape Foccacia is almost too beautiful to eat.

SB Sage

Family Hours

Live - Bungalow 805

When envisioning a sophisticated membersonly club, teepeefilled playrooms and applesauce happy hours are probably not top of mind. But for Santa Barbara–based entrepreneur Erin Kanaley, the concept is one and the same. After countless less-thanrelaxing outings with her young twin boys, Kanaley sought to create a space where parents can unwind and kids are free to play and explore. The result is BUNGALO805, Santa Barbara’s new private gathering space, which offers everything from a stylish café and bar to a media room, play pen, kitchen, and art lab. Rotating pop-in classes offer a broad range of activities, spanning family cooking workshops, music courses, fitness workouts, language lessons, storytelling, and much more. Chair massages and chiropractic adjustments are also on the menu. Kanaley sums up the concept best: “It is great for coworking, arts and crafts with your littles, a glass of wine and snack, pop-in classes, or chilling in the Boobie Lounge while cleaning your jewelry and snagging a foot massage.” Clearly, something for everyone. 28 W. Figueroa St., Santa Barbara, BUNGALO805.COM. D.T.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Play Pen keeps young ones happily corralled; nursing parents can enjoy stylish comfort in The Boobie Lounge; a glass of wine is the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon of play; The Media Room provides entertainment for all.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Roses come in an abundance of shapes and hues; author Danielle Dall’Armi Hahn is one of only 15 Great Rosarians of the World; Heritage (pink), Julia Child (yellow), and Darcey Bussell (crimson) roses; pink blooms can signify gratitude and joy; the view from Rose Story Farm.

Not Just Red

hen it comes to flowers, the rose always takes first place. Having one named in your honor is an accolade reserved for the lucky few. (Julia Child’s rose is butter yellow and reportedly smells like licorice.) THE COLOR OF ROSES (Ten Speed Press, $35) celebrates the queen of flowers in glorious detail. Written by Danielle Dall’Armi Hahn, a Great Rosarian of the World, and chockablock with photos by Victoria Pearson, the new book is a delightful compendium of 300 varieties organized by color.

WLive - Color of Roses

For more than 20 years, Hahn has helmed Rose Story Farm in Carpinteria. Her book focuses primarily on roses hybridized after 1867 and offers invaluable advice about planning a rose garden and choosing varieties. The lush photographs are left unretouched on purpose, enabling readers to see the blooms as they actually exist in nature. As Hahn says, “Perfection has no place in a garden.” Available at Chaucer’s Books.

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Live - Channel Cat

Set Sail

Touted as the largest luxury sailing catamaran on the West Coast, the CHANNEL CAT draws all manner of revelers for lavish sails out of Santa Barbara. The pearly white 85-foot vessel, which accommodates as many as 140 guests, boasts equally stunning interiors, thanks to Daryl Stegall of Stegall Studios. Owners Jen and Skip Abed recently tapped the Santa Barbara–based designer to create a “coastal, yet sophisticated vibe,” says Stegall, inspired by the surroundings. Neutraltoned custom furnishings, seagrass tables by Jamie Young, wingback chairs from Palecek, Bernhardt rattan swivel chairs, and rope furniture from Azzurro Living outfit the spacious seating areas. Brass detailing adds a touch of sophistication to textured and natural elements. “From the bow to the salon to the stern, all the design elements are seamless, giving us the flexibility to arrange the areas as is best suited for our guests,” says Jen Abed. CHANNELCATCHARTERS.COM. D.T.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Shades of blue create the “coastal, yet sophisticated vibe”; Daryl Stegall’s interior design emphasizes details and textures; the Channel Cat can accommodate anything from an intimate group to a sizable wedding party; neutral, natural materials abound.

PRE-CONSTRUCTION, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, CUSTOM HOMEBUILDING & REMODELING

City Stay

Live - Drift House

Located directly on State Street, this building from the 1920s has been transformed by Anacapa Architecture into the DRIFT Santa Barbara, a serene modernist escape. With interior details built out of wood reclaimed from the building’s original structure, cool natural-toned linens, gold fixtures, and customized toiletries, the minimalist bedrooms (most of which are queen-size rooms) in this 45-key hostelry are particularly good for solo travelers. A couple of rooms feature a slightly larger footprint with king beds, and the top-floor penthouse comes with a kitchen and a balcony seating area with a firepit, perfect for hosting an in-town soirée or booking a luxurious staycation.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Organic materials and muted tones make for a cozy stay; Dawn, the ground-floor coffee shop, builds drinks that are more like coffee cocktails; housed in a historic 1920s building, the 45room hotel is located right on the State Street promenade; bright cocktails and fresh seafood round out the offerings from agave-focused bar Dusk.

With no formal front desk and a digital concierge, Drift’s hospitality style is understated and technology forward. The property comes with dual food and beverage offerings on the ground floor: Dawn, a daytime coffee shop with elaborate espresso and tea drinks; and Dusk, a mezcal bar with plenty of boozy options as well as coastal-influenced bites. 524 State St., Santa Barbara, 855-721-2658, DRIFTHOTELS.CO.

CAITLIN WHITE

SCOTT FORMBY DESIGN

High Goal

1. Rocio G. Mini Marfa bag, price upon request. 2. Polo Heritage (Assouline, $120), available at Hudson Grace. 3. Gabriela Hearst Beko dress, $4,590.

4. Stick & Ball Pony Polo throw, $555. 5. E.L.V. Denim x Gabriela Hearst Denim Foster flared jeans, $820. 6. Stick & Ball woven pampa belt, $185. 7. Polo Gear polo foot mallet, $20. 8. Ray-Ban Bill sunglasses, $160. 9. Tecovas Monterrey slip-ons, $165. 10. Ralph Lauren Western denim shirt, $595. 11. La Martina white jeans, $170. 12. Stick & Ball rawhide pampa belt, $225. 13. Rocio G skirt, price upon request. 14. Stick & Ball Inca Star poncho, $895.

Think: relaxed chic with touches of denim, leather, and gaucho flair.

Style - Lissa Zwahlen

Color Forms

When Lissa Zwahlen needed space where she could create, she found it in Montecito. Now the always inventive AQUARIUS COCKTAIL designer has shaped her 300-square-foot workroom into a boutique, complete with garments in the bold hues that define her unique women’s collections.

Along the coral-colored wall behind her worktable are racks of her latest introductions, including voluminous striped tops with ribbons, taffeta skirts, and tunics, alongside essentials such as her washed-silk T-shirts, pants, and skirts. There are also reworked vintage pieces like polos with brocade puff sleeves and army pants with tuxedo stripes. A midcentury Heywood-Wakefield dresser, an aluminum coatrack, acid yellow shelves, and bamboo chairs round out the space where

the designer—a force behind Roxy, with a long career creating for Quiksilver, Gotcha, and other California brands—spends her days dreaming up the small-run designs made in downtown Los Angeles. 1152-2 Coast Village Rd., Montecito; open Friday through Monday, appointments suggested: info@ aquariuscocktail.com, AQCCLOTHING.COM. E.V.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The clothier transformed her Montecito studio into an appointment-suggested boutique; Zwahlen cuts garments in her signature vibrant colors; a sharp design sense informs even the smallest details.

Art Star

Style - SB Art

Art and technology are incredibly powerful partners, as demonstrated by artist Sarah Rosalena′s solo exhibition, POINTING STAR, at Santa Barbara′s Museum of Contemporary Art, featuring the artist′s handwoven textiles and ceramics. At once beautiful and highly symbolic, Rosalena′s work fuses her Indigenous origins (represented by Wixárika star patterns)

and star-gazing technology (a Hubble telescope image of the Milky Way) on a hand-dyed, handloomed piece titled Spiral Arm. Rosalena is an interdisciplinary artist and assistant professor of art at UC Santa Barbara in Computational Craft and Haptic Media. Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, 653 Paseo Nuevo, 805-966-5373, MCASANTABARBARA.ORG. L.D.P.

MUST HAVE

A Serious Serum

Knowledge around the medicinal properties of marijuana has expanded so widely that aestheticians are now zeroing in on the benefits of one of its components, CBD. Its anti-inflammatory properties are wonderful for the skin, and it’s also an antioxidant with hydrating effects. CBD is the star ingredient of TRÉS JOLIE facial serum, a small-batch product that already has a cult following. Developed by skincare experts Jeanette Baer and Bibi Barraza, the serum is designed for use morning and night. It also contains phytoactive ingredients from botanicals and essential oils, resulting in a treatment that’s both natural and extremely powerful. TRESJOLIE.STORE. C.W.

CBD is unrelated to the psychoactive properties of THC.

Artist Sarah Rosalena’s Spiral Arm (2023), handdyed cochineal wool yarn, black cotton yarn (33 x 41 in.).

TO WATCH

Young Blood

eady-to-wear plus shoes and bags designed by Gabriela Hearst for both her namesake line and the French house Chloé are making their debut in Philip Manghisi’s new 870-squarefoot jewel-box boutique in Montecito’s Upper Village. He also has pieces by Khaite, Alaïa, Bottega Veneta, Dries Van Noten, The Elder Statesman, Missoni, Barrie cashmere, and E.L.V. denim. The new WUNDERKIND space is a second location for founder Manghisi, who began his career at Jeffrey in New York and later joined Elyse Walker in Los Angeles; a larger shop launched in Scottsdale last year. Manghisi says the boutique’s name is a nod to retailer Jeffrey Kalinsky, who gave Manghisi his start. “I began working for Jeffrey at 19, while in fashion school,” he recalls. “Two years later I went to Europe on a buying trip with him, and I took to the process like a fish to water. Jeffrey started calling me his wunderkind.” 525 San Ysidro Rd., Montecito, 805-590-9007, SHOPWUNDERKIND.COM. E.V.

RStyle - Wunderkind

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Readyto-wear awaits wearers; the airy, light-filled boutique; shoes, bags, and books line the shelves.

let’s talk about the birds and the bees

Hat Trick

Style - Los Cabos

Designer Nick Fouquet is adding his own style-driven twist to a revitalizing sojourn at Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort in Los Cabos, at the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. The Topanga-based hatmaker launched a pop-up shop at the resort, where he crafts bespoke toppers alongside local Wixárika artisan Don Victor Florentino. Made of toquilla straw—a sustainably harvested, renewable resource—his creations are embellished with Florentino’s intricate Huichol beading. The hats are a resort exclusive, ideal for strolling to the spa, ambling to Las Ventanas’ restaurants and bars, or spending an afternoon on a villa’s sun-drenched balcony. With one’s hat tipped just so, a siesta doesn’t even require a change of location. +52-624-144-2800, ROSEWOODHOTELS.COM/ EN/LAS-VENTANAS-LOS-CABOS. E.V.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Nick Fouquet in Los Cabos; beach cabanas at Las Ventanas al Paraíso; Fouquet and local artisan Don Victor Florentino; journal entries and drawings inspired Fouquet’s hat designs for the resort.

WE TASTE IN PARADISE

Basque in It

Coastal Spain influences a hot new eatery

Arched shelving, banquettes, and vintage photos of 1950s Santa Barbara from the owner’s grandfather round out the decor at Gala, a charming new spot on Anacapa Street.

TASTE IN PARADISE

Taste - Gala

Tara Penke and her husband, Jaime Riesco, spent more than 20 years living in Barcelona—and still own a restaurant, Picnic, there—so it’s no surprise that their unassuming new Santa Barbara spot, GALA, is heavily influenced by coastal Spain. Jaime helms the kitchen and Tara handles the front of house at this mom-andpop restaurant. For Penke, born and raised in Santa Barbara, it’s a return home, whereas Riesco was born in Santiago, Chile, and bears traces of that country’s heritage in his one-man kitchen

A recent menu offers Spanish pintxos, like mixed olives, gildas (green peppers and olives wrapped in an anchovy and threaded on a toothpick), raw oysters, and shrimp croquettes, along with flatbread and grilled vegetables. Fried zucchini blossoms and burrata round out the plentiful starters, and larger dishes venture into more luxe offerings like duck confit, steak with bone marrow, mushroom risotto, and a smash burger. Additional sides such as watermelon and heirloom-tomato salad, leafy greens with herbs, or french fries are available, too, as is a $6 chance to buy your neighboring table a glass of sparkling cava, or the $8 option to buy the kitchen a beer.

These tongue-in-cheek menu items are proof of the casual, community-focused environment Penke and Riesco are looking to create. Eager to bring their own style to the former Low Pigeon café space, the couple tapped Kevin Moore Architect, Casey Geeb Interior Design, and Southwest Construction for the renovations. They’ve added inlaid shelves and light wood accents, creating a sunny dining room that flows between the indoor and outdoor spaces.

With a wine list that encompasses Spanish picks and local favorites and a robust cocktail menu, plenty of guests gather for a glass of something cold and a nibble. It’s even better for a full-on dinner with multiple courses—brunch is coming soon—but be sure to round any visit out with a slice of Basque cheesecake. 705 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, GALASB.COM. C.W.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Colorful crudo, tomato salad, and fresh cocktails at Gala; the large centerpiece bar opens out onto Anacapa Street for an indoor/outdoor feel that evokes both coastal Spain and Santa Barbara; a portrait of owners Jaime Riesco and Tara Penke inside the restaurant; the menu includes plenty of cocktails.

For

co-owner

Tara Penke, born and raised in Santa Barbara, it’s a return home from Barcelona.

PARADISE

Seafood Supreme

ince its early days as a beloved pop-up at Los Angeles food festivals and events, BROAD STREET OYSTER CO. has been racking up rave reviews from seafood lovers. Although it still takes part in the Smorgasburg food market, the brand has settled into restaurant mode now, officially opening a third brick-and-mortar location on lower State Street in Santa Barbara. The open-air space is an ideal hangout for anyone looking to systematically dismantle seafood towers, snack on oysters by the dozen, and indulge in all kinds of specialty fruits de mer while imbibing natural wine and local craft beer

STaste - Broad Oyster

Even though the oysters are truly incredible—presented so nicely with grated horseradish, mignonette, and lemon that they taste like fresh little bursts of the ocean itself—it’s the lobster rolls that have really put this kitchen on the map. Aficionados swear up and down that the hot buttered setup is the best one on the entire West Coast, and extravagant add-ons like uni, caviar, or extra lobster make it even easier to love. But do try the chilled version with mayonnaise, too. 418 State St., Santa Barbara, BROADSTREETOYSTER.COM. C.W.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Kitschy maritime decor makes Broad Street a relaxed space; raw platter with shrimp, crab legs, uni, caviar, and oysters; founder Christopher Tompkins dictates the playful feel; the tiled indoor bar.

TASTE

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: With flatbreads made in a wood-fired oven that was hand-crafted in Goleta, plus salads, oysters, and a hit list of wine and beer, this Funk Zone spot is the place to be for both weekend revelry and a weekday pick-me-up; owners Greer and Ted Ellis in their new spot.

Asian Fusion

Taste - Funk + Tyger

Party in the Zone

WE WANT THE FUNK has everything a visitor to the Funk Zone might want: a permanent food truck with a wood-fired oven and plenty of additional outdoor space for DJs, mingling, and dancing. Indoors, it’s got a disco ball, a great bar for hanging with a glass of sparkling wine or a pint of local beer, and a massive psychedelic mural that proudly proclaims the spot’s name—and the free-spirited atmosphere that goes with it. Owners Ted and Greer Ellis bring more than two decades of experience to their latest venture, a space they see as more of an extension of a house party than a restaurant or bar. Come for the oysters, stay for the flatbreads, salads, and forthcoming Frosé machine. 210 Gray Ave., Santa Barbara, WEWANTTHEFUNKSB.COM. C.W.

In the heart of the Funk Zone, the recently revamped and reopened TYGER TYGER is turning unlikely ingredients like tofu skin into showstopping pan-Asian treats. While yuba, aka tofu skin, might not immediately sound like the perfect dupe for a fried-chicken sandwich, after tasting the Tyger Tyger version, you might just be hooked on this plant-based treat. Although the restaurant is plant forward, it isn’t all veggies by any means; the menu, which was conceptualized by chef Trevor Laymance and consulting chef Jasmine Shimoda, includes standouts such as crispy pork belly with coconut rice, herbs, and pickles, and a breakfast sandwich with eggs, thick-cut bacon, house fermented hot sauce, and spicy cilantro aioli. 121 E. Yanonali St., Santa Barbara, TYGERTYGERSB.COM. C.W.

TOP TO BOTTOM: On a menu that’s also packed with veggies, the revived Asian fusion pop-up shares space with Dart Coffee; the “fried chicken” sandwich at Tyger Tyger gives all the crunch and umami of the real thing; bright colors and flavors abound.

In the Pink

Splitting a building with We Want the Funk, the tasting room at LA LIEFF builds on the relaxed vibes that its next-door neighbor has cultivated. But on this side pink wine, candles, and feminine energy rule the space. This women-owned wine company morphed from roots in Napa to a ranch in San Luis Obispo, and founder Gretchen Lieff eventually created La Lieff Wines to formalize her new direction.

The brand-new tasting room is the next step in the journey: Behind the bar a bevy of bottles mounted on the wall in graduating tiers of pinks serves as practical but pretty decoration, while across the room, a mural of the goddess Gaia adds a more spiritual element. Although it makes many kinds of wine from Rhône varietals, this Central Coast wine company is best known for its outstanding rosés. 210 Gray Ave., Santa Barbara, LALIEFFWINES.COM. C.W.

La Lieff serves world-class rosés in a feminine, pinktinted tasting room.

Coffee on Our Mind

The small but mighty CONSIDERED COFFEE van has been stirring up a buzz in Santa Barbara with its stylish, portable service and daily morning texts with location updates. This cafe might exist wholly within a vintage VW bus (for now), but with a beautiful website, robust social-media presence, and no extra charge for alternative milks, they’re doing things their own way. In fact, owner Pia Beck set out to upend the coffee world, putting exceptional service and product above the bottom line. Try a cup, and you’ll understand why the city is falling in love with its own coffee caravan. CONSIDEREDSB.CO. C.W.

Let Them Eat Cake

René Gross Kærskov recently expanded his Central Coast business portfolio with the opening of BRØD & KAGE—“bread and cake” in Danish—in Solvang, which had been founded by Danish settlers in the early 20th century. Adjacent to The Landsby hotel, the Danish-inspired pastry and confectionery boutique offers elevated sweets and baked goods, all handcrafted by Copenhagen native Henrik Gram,

Taste - Coffee

Danish Mill Bakery’s head pastry chef and baker. A gleaming, glass-encased display anchors the streamlined space, which features minimalist Scandinavian design. Showcased inside are a rainbow array of Danish favorites like gåsebryst and træstammer, both marzipan-wrapped cakes, as well as handmade gourmet chocolates. 1580 Mission Dr., Solvang.

ANNA FERGUSON-SPARKS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A barista works at his mobile cafe; his creation; coffee on the move; Brød & Kage offers marzipan-wrapped cakes like gåsebryst; the Danish bakery is next to The Landsby.

—HARRY & GRACE KAZALI, LA PLAYA INN

SUMMER 2023

for the Planet nathalie kelley is

an actor on a mission

WRITTEN BY KELSEY MCKINNON

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SAMI DRASIN

Nathalie Kelley, styled by Laura Sophie Cox, in a Savannah Morrow dress from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores. Hair by Andre Gunn at Art Department, makeup by Gina Brooke. Shot on location at Twin Peaks Ranch/Turtle Conservancy in Ojai.

afew months ago actor Nathalie Kelley attended New York Fashion Week, but not to watch the latest collections go down the runway. Instead she went to ask stylish partygoers—tongue in cheek—what they will be wearing to the planet’s sixth mass extinction event (like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs, except this one will have been caused by humans instead of an asteroid). “I’ve always been a provocative little shit-stirrer,” says Kelley, who turned the Q and A into an Instagram video for her 1.5 million followers. “I love creating tension. I live for discomfort.” Kelley’s mission isn’t just to raise awareness for environmental causes; it’s nothing short of changing the world. “I’m trying to take down the whole global capitalist system, baby,” she says. “Gonna set it on fire.”

Feature - Kelley

Kelley attributes her passion for justice to her own origin story. She was born in Peru, where she and her mother, who is of Indigenous heritage, faced discrimination. “Even from birth, I was [aware of] a great injustice done against me and my mother. So I’ve been programmed against it and to sniff it out very quickly,” says Kelley, whose biological father, Leon Walger, the now-deceased Formula 1 race-car driver and “ladies’ man,” was not involved in her upbringing.

Kelley and her mother emigrated to Australia, where the actor was raised and attended the North Sydney School for Girls (Nicole Kidman’s alma mater). In 2005 she moved to Los Angeles for a role in an Aaron Spelling–backed pilot that never got picked up. But Kelley didn’t have to wait long for her big break, which came the following year, when she was cast as Neela in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Film and television roles ensued, with credits that include Cruel Intentions, The Vampire Diaries, Dynasty, and The Baker and the Beauty, which was the number-one show on Netflix when it was released in 2020.

Doën top and skirt from Montecito Country Mart, Janessa Leoné hat, Daniel Gibbings necklace, Catbird necklace. OPPOSITE: Savannah Morrow waistcoat and pants from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores, Janessa Leoné hat and head scarf, Daniel Gibbings necklace chain, pendant, cuffs, earrings.

Kelley’s mission isn’t just to raise awareness for environmental causes; it’s nothing short of changing the world.

Mara Hoffman dress from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores, Janessa Leoné hat, KBH Jewels earrings, Jes MaHarry ring.

Savannah Morrow dress from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores, Article22 x Laura Sophie Cox sunburst hoop earrings and solar ear cuffs. OPPOSITE: Savannah Morrow waistcoat from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores, Janessa Leoné head scarf, Daniel Gibbings necklace chain, pendant, earrings.

Stateside jumpsuit from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores, Ruslan Baginskiy hat, Jes MaHarry necklace.

OPPOSITE: Maiami cardigan and Savannah Morrow bralette and shorts from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores, KBH Jewels earrings, Catbird necklace.

Feature - Kelley

Despite all this success, Kelley, now 38, says she’s “deeply depressed” about the kind of roles and stories coming out of Hollywood. In Dynasty, for example, she played Cristal Flores Carrington, a public-relations exec at an oil company who was engaged to her 50-something billionaire boss. “I’ve told my agents already, if [a script] serves the patriarchy and the current militarized globalized system, then just don’t send it my way,” she says.

Kelley’s work now is decidedly more purpose driven. She sits on the board of directors for both Kiss the Ground and the Fungi Foundation. She recently appeared in a parody show entitled Big Oil for Australian commerce and content company Riise, and she regularly collaborates with media company Earthrise on Instagram segments about everything from the hypocrisy of corporate greenwashing to global supply chains.

Kelley was eager to put some physical distance between herself and Hollywood, too. Drawn by the prospect of being surrounded by farmland, the legacy of the Chumash people, and likeminded friends and neighbors—like Eric Goode’s Twin Peaks ranch and Turtle Conservancy—Kelley decided to move to Ojai during the pandemic after visiting a friend in the area. The best part has been engaging in the local food movement. “My kitchen is my temple.

Continued on page 128

“ I have the opposite trajectory of success of most people, ” she says of her constant efforts to downsize.

Doën top and skirt from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores, Daniel Gibbings necklace, Catbird necklace.

OPPOSITE: Mara Hoffman dress from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores, Janessa Leoné hat, KBH Jewels earrings, Jes MaHarry ring.

OPPOSITE: Savannah Morrow dress from Wendy Foster Clothing Stores, Article22 x Laura Sophie Cox sunburst hoop earrings and solar ear cuffs.

Barrel Fever

john Baran pursues the perfect wave

WRITTEN BY LORIE DEWHIRST PORTER

Artist

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BARAN

Dance of Sky and Water (Gaviota Coast, 2022) captures one of the artist’s favorite moments, when the sky is full of light that complements the crashing waves.

uman beings have a strong emotional connection with the ocean, a fact that Santa Barbara–based artist John Baran is reminded of daily via his social media feed, where he posts photographs of ocean waves. “I get messages from people who don’t even buy my work saying, ‘Thank you for posting these photos. It makes me so happy.’” But heartfelt reactions to his pieces are not surprising, given Baran’s talent for capturing a wave at the moment it crests. With the tube like a telescope offering a glimpse of the shore, this is an intimate view only a surfer could ever hope to see in real life.

full-time and began exhibiting his work in New York, Europe, and Asia.

HFeature - Baran

An artist for nearly two decades, Baran exhibited his creative inclinations at an early age. Growing up in Santa Cruz, his mother, a graphic designer, “fostered art with us constantly,” he says. “There were crayons and pens, and I drew a dinosaur on the wall one time, and she didn't even get mad at me. She just traced it and recreated it, framed it, and then painted the wall.” But his artistic career did not emerge until he attended graduate school at Cornell University to study landscape architecture; encouraged by a professor, he started making abstract paintings based on aerial views of landscapes. Eventually Baran embraced art

Several years ago, as a gift to his daughter, Jade, Baran painted a few animals and incorporated them into one of his abstract pieces. After posting the image on social media, he was inundated with requests for animal paintings. “And that’s where the photography came from,” he says, “because I didn’t want to use other people’s images for my animal reference materials.” That led to snorkeling trips to Hawaii with a GoPro camera and to underwater photography of marine life. “I swam with orcas and tiger sharks and manatees and giant manta rays,” he notes. He’s also snapped grizzly bears, wolves, lions, and giraffes in action during sojourns in Yellowstone National Park, Africa, French Polynesia, and Alaska. And he routinely visits his mother’s native Hawaii, often with Jade and son Austin.

THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM:

That Day in January (Santa Barbara Harbor adjacent, 2023) documents a 100-year swell that hit the West Coast in January 2023. The artist with some tools of the trade. OPPOSITE: October Sunrise (2021) depicts a perfect day in fall, when the swells have returned, the conditions are glassy, and the light is golden.

Liquid Spire (Summerland, 2022). “Mother Nature makes the art,” Baran says. “I try to find it.”

OPPOSITE: When conditions are too rough, he captures the beauty of the sea from the sky.

Baran appreciates that photographing the ocean can be a humbling experience.

OPPOSITE: East Beach #4, acrylic on canvas (48 x 60 in.).

Santa Barbara waves are his specialty, and collectors react strongly to images of specific locations.

Baran’s wave series is fairly recent, a natural extension of his ocean wildlife photography. “I became obsessed with it,” he says. “I was out in the water every day, morning and night.”

Santa Barbara waves are his specialty, and collectors connect strongly to images of specific locations. Recently a man who had proposed to his wife on Butterfly Beach years earlier was thrilled to acquire a wave photograph Baran shot there. “It really meant something to him,” Baran recalls, adding that “getting a really good photograph that people want to buy is rewarding, because everyone has a camera now

on their phone and everyone can take photos.” Baran’s wave series is available only on his website (johnbaranphoto.com) for the moment, but his paintings and wildlife photographs can be obtained through galleries in Carmel, Santa Cruz, Palm Springs, and Hawaii.

When he’s not capturing waves or sea creatures with his camera, Baran volunteers with Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute (CIMWI), helping rescue and rehabilitate seals back into the wild. And he’s always got trash bags and plastic gloves in his car, ready to clean up the beach a bit after a photo session. ●

The Build Up (2022).

“Often there is more beauty in the formation of the wave itself than the actual crashing wave,” Baran muses. OPPOSITE: Sometimes shooting from shore is the answer in dangerous conditions, like on this rough day on Oahu.

A Little Whimsy (2021).

Baran considers himself a conservation photographer whose work encourages viewers to take action to protect our natural environment.

OPPOSITE: Mother Nature Made This (Gaviota Coast). “The sun rises faster than you would think,” Baran says, “and the shadow dancing doesn’t last long.”

Perfect

Pairing

Designer and vintner caren rideau adds a colorful palette to wine-country entertaining

TEXT AND IMAGES EXCERPTED FROM CAREN RIDEAU: KITCHEN DESIGNER, VINTNER, ENTERTAINING AT HOME (POINTED LEAF PRESS)

WITH PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGHAN BEIERLE-O’BRIEN

An artfully laid assortment of cheeses and olives invites patrons to sip and savor at the Tierra y Vino tasting room in Buellton. OPPOSITE: The winery’s co-owner, Caren Rideau (with her dog, Lola), in her Los Angeles home.

People often ask me what it’s like to be a vintner and I say, it’s a lifestyle— and a beautiful one!

When I look out onto the majestic rows at the La Presa Vineyard in Solvang, California, I never know whether to pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming or just bow my head in thanks for being part of what I see in front of me.

Grateful is an understatement of how I feel to live what I feel passionate about, especially alongside my winemaker life-partner, Andrés Ibarra. If not for the industry that I’m in, I’m not sure I would have met him and found another art form in the making of wine.

Feature - Rideau

[This has been a] sacred place in which to break bread with friends or enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day. I’m grateful to be part of this kinship that harvests our vineyard–designated wines. Whether taking refuge from the city chaos of Los Angeles, or going on a morning stroll, or even checking the brix—the sugar level on an annual harvest—this place represents life in all its forms.

La Presa’s 45-acre vineyard and farmhouse are nestled alongside the Santa Ynez Mountain range. Andrés and Eric [Caldwell] planted the majority of the vineyard in 1985, which Andrés still continues to farm today.

Many of my favorite memories over the years have originated on this tierra, or land. Wine is the commonality that has brought together our fellow winemakers, friends, and family— creating a connected community centered on tasting some exceptional wines.

Launching a boutique wine label with Andrés, coupled with my design expertise, is an ideal combination for entertaining at home. Through these two arts, our personal and professional lives intertwine with our social ones. Understanding these dynamics is a gift that I have always yearned to share.

There is no doubt that a glass of wine with food elevates the experience. Both need to be in harmony, neither overpowering the other’s taste, to create a perfect pairing. Finding the right match is overwhelming sometimes, considering how vast the world of viticulture can seem, but wine is still simply a pure pleasure, especially with the right bite.

An easy way to begin the pairing process is to start with the most prominent ingredient of the dish and even out the flavor profiles. In a white wine, I’m seeking a balance of fruit and acid, which creates a lasting finish that is great with light seafood, shellfish, and even spicy Asian dishes. Acidity cleanses the palate and makes heavier, robust meals more enjoyable. When it comes to red wine, I’m looking for tannins. They create a dry sensation in the back of the throat that clings, sometimes making

Decanting a red wine helps balance fresh tannins. OPPOSITE: Stillness in stone: A fountain and a fawn occupy a shady corner of a glassed-in dining enclosure at the La Presa Vineyard in Solvang.

Feature - Rideau

FROM TOP: Peppers and tomatillos are among the colorful, flavorful ingredients that highlight Rideau’s favorite dishes. Her new line of hand-painted Mexican pottery, developed with ceramicist Gorky Gonzalez, brightens a tabletop. OPPOSITE: A basket of empties signifies a successful session at the tasting room.

me want to press my tongue to the roof of my mouth. Tannins exist naturally in plants, and those found in the skins of grapes for wine are more apparent in red grapes than in white. Tannins in the seeds of the grapes create bitterness, and those in the skins, along with acid, help make the wine age-worthy.

Matching food and wine becomes second nature if done enough times, and I’ve refined my palate simply by trusting myself. I have fun with the process and do not let the sophisticated jargon become too much. I take a bite, close my eyes, and, by recalling flavors, can think of which wine to pair it with depending on the food’s fat, salt, and acid contents. ●

Feature - Rideau

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:

Barrels form a bar backdrop at the Tierra y Vino tasting room; a Santa Ynez vista at the vineyard; Rideau’s new book; setting the scene for an alfresco dinner. OPPOSITE: Tasting-room temptations include an array of vintages and varieties.

“When I look out onto the majestic rows, I never know whether to pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming or bow my head in thanks. ”

A pale early morning light suffuses the La Presa vineyard, where the vines are netted to protect the fruit just before harvest.

Music Academy legacies

Belle (left) and Lily Hahn and Mindy Budgor (center) will cochair the June 3 gala for the Academy’s next chapter.

Hair by Robert Vetica for The Wall Group. Makeup by Gina Brooke for The Wall Group.

The music academy sets a new tone for the future

The Sound

of Music

WRITTEN BY JENNIFER BLAISE KRAMER PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEWART SHINING

STYLING BY NINA QUIROS AND ALICE BROPHY

When Michelle Bradley came to the Music Academy of the West in 2014, she considered herself a late bloomer. At 32, she had been studying vocals in Texas, and her teacher suggested she apply to the renowned summer institute set on a romantic garden estate in Montecito. Little did she know how pivotal her time there would be. Upon winning the grand prize for the Marilyn Horne Song Competition (named for the famed mezzo-soprano she auditioned for), Bradley embarked on her own successful soprano career, kicking it off in New York and going on to star in Aida during the Metropolitan Opera’s 2022–23 season.

“That summer was life changing—doors just started flying open,” Bradley recalls about her time in Santa Barbara. Amid all those doors cracking, she made sure to leave wide open the entryway to the Music Academy, which she revisits frequently to sing with young children or perform for sold-out audiences. It was at one such concert in December, when Bradley sang an aria from Tosca followed by a “mind-blowing medley” of Whitney Houston songs, that she brought three particular women to tears.

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Sisters Belle and Lily Hahn sat alongside a wistful Mindy Budgor in what was arguably the beginning of a full-circle moment. The three had met as girls when their parents—legacy sponsor families the Luria-Budgors (donors behind the Luria Education Center) and Hahns (Hahn Hall)—brought them there every summer of their childhood. Reunited on-site that evening, they gazed with disbelief, nostalgia, and hope at the talent this venue could produce.

“Michelle had a voice that not only had I never heard, but the way that she used it was like a communion with God—so deep and powerful,” Belle recalls. “She sang ’He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands’ along with Whitney Houston pieces, and she breathed a new life force into the room. Mindy had told me it wouldn’t be another classical concert, and I had goosebumps and tears.”

Greatly moved, the three women were inspired to help move the venue forward. On the heels of its 75th anniversary, the Music Academy debuted changes big and small. For visual rebranding, it dropped “of the West” in the name and designed

FROM TOP: The beautiful grounds of the Music Academy; Mindy Budgor is a member of the Luria-Budgor family, a longtime supporter of the Academy. OPPOSITE: Sisters Lily (left) and Belle Hahn spent summers at the Music Academy, when their father would frequently invite emerging musicians home for dinner.

“Something new is blossoming at the Music Academy, and the roots there are deep,” says Belle Hahn. OPPOSITE: Lily Hahn runs with the children, celebrating the youth program, SING!

a new logo reflective of the bright California sun, illuminating art and creativity. Realizing that classical music is at a crossroads, president and CEO Scott Reed vowed to keep looking ahead and creating changes that propel classically trained musicians boldly forward.

“We want to be a springboard for what comes next,” Reed says. To kick things off, the Music Academy is hosting a gala on June 3, which he says “will be like no other, for where the Music Academy is and where we want it to be.” The event will be cochaired by none other than Belle, Lily, and Mindy. “They’re icons because of their philanthropic status,” Reed says. “Now they’re carrying the banner for their families to further make the Music Academy accessible, engaging, and inclusive.”

“We want to support the emerging-artists program, which is exactly what our ancestors did,” Belle says, recalling those summer days when her father, Stephen Hahn, was always bringing musicians—who often had nothing in their pockets—home for dinner. Belle and Lily would listen to them sing or play instruments, help pick out their outfits, and then watch as they went on have huge careers. “We’re honoring what has been and paving a new path for what can be, to be a bridge to relate to many others. When we can harmonize together, magic happens.”

As for guest performer Michelle Bradley, Reed says, “She breaks down some of the walls that some people put up on what opera or classical music is. The Music Academy is a transformative

Feature - Music

“ We want to support the emergingartists program, which is exactly what our ancestors did. ”

Alum Michelle Bradley returns frequently to the place that launched her career—and every performance brings the house down. Flowers by EmmaRose Floral

experience. She worked so hard, and this is an organization that rewards hard work.”

In addition to Bradley, many other alumni have launched successful careers with the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and other performing arts organizations. Partnerships are always evolving and currently include the London Symphony Orchestra and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City. More programing is being rolled out, including the Innovation Institute for alums and fellows, plus wellness offerings such as yoga, performance-anxiety coaching, and free counseling sessions for fellows with an on-site psychologist. And of course, the ever-popular SING! program continues, offering free after-school choral classes for Santa Barbara County students in first through sixth grades and nurturing future voices.

“I never thought I’d go as far as I have,” Bradley says. “I just knew I wanted to sing.”●

Feature - Music

The kids of SING! gather with Michelle Bradley, who is proof of what an emerging artist can be. OPPOSITE: Legacies Belle (left) and Lily Hahn and Mindy Budgor look forward to a bright future for the Music Academy.

PASSION FOR THE PLANET

Continued from page 92

I'll go to the farmers’ market and say hello to all the fruit and vegetables before I buy them. Then, when they get home, I welcome them with this yummy cleansing bath,” she says. “I’m really learning to build up a reverence for the food I eat.”

Kelley’s mindfulness practice begins the moment she wakes up. “You are going to laugh, but I pray to my water every morning and ask it to hydrate me. I bless all the water over the world, asking for it to be purified and free from contamination,” she says. To that end, Kelley has stopped dyeing her hair and opts for product-free beauty treatments, such as microblading. In 2020, alarmed at the pollution statistics from the fashion industry, she went a year without buying a new article of clothing, and now she only purchases items secondhand or from brands with highly transparent supply chains. “I have the opposite trajectory of success of most people,” she says of her constant efforts to downsize.

THE OAK COTTAGE OF SANTA BARBARA

A unique approach to memory care …

This summer Kelley plans to decamp to Mexico to join an agroforestry team aimed at rescuing an ancient crop-growing system developed by the Maya. “I’m ready to live it. I want to wake up every day and put in two good hours with a machete and go to bed with soil in my fingernails, exhausted from a hard, glorious day building forests,” she says. She plans to use the opportunity to film a documentary called The Future Is a Forest to show how lessons from Indigenous people are vital to human survival.

To honor her own Indigenous heritage, Kelley recently changed her legal name to Iya Mallqui. Iya means “sky” in Ecuador’s Sapara language. (She was given the name on a trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon years ago.) Mallqui is her grandmother’s surname, which in Quechua, the Indigenous Peruvian language, is the word for both “seedling” and “ancestor.” It refers to the way the Incas buried their ancestors like precious seeds that would be nourished by the ground and be reborn as a tree, a shrub—or, perhaps in Kelley’s case, an entire forest. ●

Runover

The Oak Cottage of Santa Barbara is home to the signature Vibrant Life® program, specializing in unique activities such as gardening, walking clubs, scenic drives and more. Designed to connect residents with family, friends and the local community, our Vibrant Life® program truly inspires. Oak Cottage is specifically designed for residents with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease and age-related dementia.

Call now to schedule a tour. (805) 324-4391

LIVE IN PARADISE

Reggae Returns

The Marley family tradition continues

For decades the Santa Barbara Bowl has been the go-to venue for live music of a high—and high-profile—order in its hometown, a draw for out-of-towners and a contender as one of the finest outdoor amphitheaters in America. And its legacy precedes recent layers of polish and renovation (not to mention expanded bathroom facilities). Going back in its 87-year history, during the long period under the official moniker the Santa Barbara County Bowl, the venue hosted the likes of an ascendant Bruce Springsteen in 1976 and reggae royalty Bob Marley in 1979. The senior Marley, who died in 1981, lives on through recordings, live footage, and local memories. His dynasty also carries on through his children’s music, including that of Ziggy Marley, who makes his return to his father’s Santa Barbara stomping grounds on August 4, 2023, on a bill with Trombone Shorty. JOSEF

WOODARD

Bob Marley at the Santa Barbara Bowl on November 25, 1979.

Bryant & Sons