Happy Mother's Day!

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Roundabout Ribbon Cutting

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

5 Beings & Doings – HTSI is nearing a world-altering breakthrough. It’s all about capturing the sun’s core in a heavily magnetized steel donut. Ray Karam can explain.

6 On Entertainment – Marcus Roberts raps about Rhapsody, “Other Voices” in ballet, finding Art & Wine downtown, and more

8 Montecito Miscellany – SBCC springs forward… to the Kentucky Derby… for Cinco de Mayo polo plus more

Community Voices – Jeff Giordano approves of the County’s data-driven approach to houselessness

Hot Topics – Locals helped bring the new Engine 92 into the station Tide Guide

Letters to the Editor – Butterfly Beach pedestrian path is crumbling away and thoughts on Miramar expansion

Our Town – The roundabout gets a ribbon cutting and Richie’s barber, Kenzie Caldwell, is going for a gold win

Society Invites – The Youth & Family Services YMCA reaches for the stars at their annual event

18 The Giving List – The Marine Watchdogs are keeping an eye on the local ocean and helping safeguard a healthier ocean for future generations

20 Mother’s Day Moments – From brunches and massages to a hike along the bluffs, these local happenings and events are fun for the whole family, but especially moms

25 Elizabeth’s Appraisals – A mysterious crime at the Lobero where the weapons are the victims

28 Foraging Thyme – The powerful health benefits and flavor of turmeric are highlighted in this tonic recipe

30 Robert’s Big Questions – Robert returns from a Japan visit with some first impressions on the country and people

Your Westmont – Commencement encourages grads to live unexpectedly, and local artists featured in ‘TBH’ exhibition

36 Calendar of Events – Anything Goes at Dos Pueblos, SeaLegacy on stage, dance for Mother’s Day, and more happenings 38

Classifieds – Our own “Craigslist” of classified ads, in which sellers offer everything from summer rentals to estate sales

Mini Meta Crossword Puzzles Local Business Directory

Beings & Doings

– Not Your Grandfather’s

by Jeff Wing

Nature is many-splendored. Imagine a rotund little bird with blue, unkempt feathers, dots for eyes, and a charming little beak. The bird is grasping a branch near the top of a tall, breeze-tossed tree, and periodically emits a lilting series of notes that seize the human heart. Now imagine a throbbing flume of plasma as hot as the soul of a star, suspended in a toroidal chamber by a massive magnetic field that wraps and contains the thing like a panicked catcher’s mitt. That is, nature is both purpose-free art flung out by a Beatifying Big Bang, and an endlessly complex and purposeful machine – one whose components can be teased apart and reassembled to do our bidding.

Ray Karam is CEO and Founder of High Temperature Superconductors, Inc. (HTSI), an outfit on the threshold of meeting an objective that could move the world meaningfully forward on several fronts. The company’s paradigm-teasing magic happens in a largish lab/factory/office so anonymized I inadvertently drove past it. Twice. Today I’ll learn that HTSI isn’t rethinking the superconductor itself. They are enabling its ubiquity.

In a small office we’re joined by Ines Wyrsta, HTSI’s Director of Engineering. The conversation quickly exits the realm of the prosaic. At one point Ray utters the phrase “putting a sun in a box,” for instance. Superconducting at the moment can be said to principally concern a new mode of energy generation. Per Mother Nature’s typical mischief, the fusion reactor is an attempt to engineer an awkward marriage of opposites. You need to run a current through materials cooled to about minus 320 °F in order to produce a fire that burns at 160,000,000 °F. So the natural order is having the usual fun at our expense.

“The big thing for fusion applications,” Ines explains, “is not the high temperature; it’s the high current capacity. The high temperature superconductor can carry higher current densities than the other materials, and thus allows higher magnetic fields, which is necessary to confine a plasma.” At this, Ray leans forward.

“I would like to let the community know that what we’re doing is competing on the world stage,” he says. “What we’ve done in three years took the Russians 17, took the Japanese 20, and took two American companies – doing it with metal organic chemical vapor deposition – over 25 years.

We’ve gone from an empty floor three years ago to a full functioning factory – the only factory like it in the U.S.” He pauses.

“Would you like a glass of water?”

Superconductor: the Hasty Electron’s Best Friend

It seems science has thrown all it can at the mechanics of superconductivity –which is saying a lot, given the weirdness and complexity of the physics. HTSI is on to the next step. “We’re not inventing a new superconductor,” Ines confirms.

“That’s a proven technology with a known process. There are companies selling superconductors, but not very many, and not enough.” HTSI’s quest is to address the “not enough” part of the equation, and in so doing radically change the global energy model. And what is a superconductor?

In technical physics terms, a superconductor is a material which electrons can sprint through without getting hassled. In a normal conductor – your standard copper wire, for instance – the inherently energetic atomic framework that comprises the copper is naturally jittery, plowing into the electrons and making a mess of the footrace as they try to run through the wire. Each collision is a minutely wasteful diversion of the electrons’ energy into a useless scrap of dissipating heat – the copper wire gets warm and is said to be “resisting” the flow. This trivial-seeming leakage scales in a way we can ill-afford. It’s been estimated that around 20% of the world’s conveyed energy drifts off the transmission lines as useless heat.

Ray Karam, CEO and Founder of High Temperature Superconductors, Inc. (HTSI)

On Entertainment

Mom, Apple Pie, Chevrolet and …

‘Rhapsody in Blue’

by Steven Libowitz

It seems every orchestra and their third cousins are playing Rhapsody in Blue this season to mark the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin’s once-controversial 1924 musical composition that combined elements of classical music with jazz piano – billed back then as an Experiment in Modern Music. Our own Santa Barbara Symphony is no exception. But it’s also been almost three decades since jazz pianist Marcus Roberts created his own arrangement of the iconic work to feature his piano trio as the soloist; an entirely fresh re-imagining of the piece more radical than even Gershwin’s original.

Roberts, who played with the symphony just two years ago, will be reunited with his original trio – drummer Jason Marsalis and bassist Roland Guerin – for next weekend’s pair of concerts (May 18 and 19) featuring Rhapsody in Blue with the Santa

Barbara Symphony, and will also perform his Rhapsody in D Gershwin-inspired composition for piano and orchestra.

The Trio will also return to the Lobero on May 16 for a straight jazz show, dubbed Rhythm in Blue, which is also the title of Roberts’ forthcoming CD finally expected to be released this year. We caught up with the keyboardist-composer over the phone last week.

Q. What made you want to tackle composing an adaptation of Rhapsody for your own jazz trio to play with the symphony?

A. The truth is I’d been living with that piece internally for years. It was always on my mind, but more in the background. I have always loved orchestral music and enjoy the work of great composers and conductors, so it was an exciting thing to do but also very deeply demanding. At that time, I was just starting with my trio and I was very interested in recreating the jazz trio approach, re-imagining it so that the bass drums had a much more active,

definitive role in what a trio could do … My focus was on integration, bringing the classical world into a really authentic jazz environment that incorporated the big band, to find that ground of collaboration that felt authentic between both styles … From a piano standpoint, I just honestly wanted to give a real jazz perspective of the piece. I had no clue that almost 30 years later, we’d still be talking about it.

As one review said back then, you reconceived the piano part with new themes, harmonies, and modern approaches including dissonance and more. What was the concept?

My biggest goal with Rhapsody was to transform it into the jazz environment that Gershwin could not have anticipated in 1924. Just think about it: By 1996, Duke Ellington had kept the band

together for 50 years, Charlie Parker had been on the planet, along with John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, to name just a few. I felt comfortable with Gershwin, because as jazz musicians, we play Gershwin’s music, his standards, all the time. The orchestral works still have the folk thematic material you hear in the songs, and his themes are easy to improvise with; full and blues and soul.

As you said, it’s been more than 28 years. What keeps you excited about playing Rhapsody in Blue again? And for that matter, why do you think Gershwin’s original is such a symphonic staple? It’s like apple pie. it captures the feeling of American culture, and you can absolutely

Happy Nurses Week

Saluting the inspirational, the compassionate, the dedicated nurses who step forward every day to care. Thank you to all the nurses in our community.

The Marcus Roberts Trio returns to Rhapsody in Blue (photo by Michiharu Ookubo)

DISTINCTIVE SEATING

Montecito Miscellany

Spring-ing to Success

by Richard Mineards

Santa Barbara City College hosted its fifth annual Spring Forward! college foundation gala on the Great Meadow on the West Campus under new CEO Bobbi Abram, who had only been on the job four days after moving from a similar position in Pasadena.

“Let the fourth be with you!” she told the more than 300 guests who helped raise around $500,000, referring to the May 4 date.

Michelle Pickett, Sarah de Tagyos, Bobbi Abram, Madeleine Jacobson, and Laurie Ashton (photo by Priscilla)

Hotel, a City College theater and wine reception, a Rose + Clay ceramics experience, and a private cooking class for ten.

A Great Two Minutes

The foundation provides around $5 million annually for the SBCC for a number of programs, including SBCC Promise school success, scholarships, book grants and emergency funds as students prepare for careers, transfers to four-year university, and pursue lifelong learning goals.

More than 2,000 students have been served this year, the highest number ever.

Auction items included a gourmet dining experience donated by chef Roberto Lopez Carrillo, a Santa Barbara Film Festival Staycation at the Mar Monte

Supporters included Mayor Randy Rowse, George Leis, Fred Kass, Frank Tabar, Roger Durling, Frank Schipper, Madeleine Jacobson, and Karl and Nancy Hutterer

Guy Smith, Frank Schipper, Mayor Randy Rowse, Pedro Paz, and George Leis (photo by Priscilla)

A torrent of tony tête toppers descended on the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club when social gadabout Rick Oshay and Teresa Kuskey, founder of the popular La

Miscellany Page 294

I welcome the opportunity to learn about your unique goals and needs. Together we can create a strategy designed to help guide you along the path toward financial well-being.

Call to schedule a consultation today.

SBCC members and guests attending and supporting the Spring Forward! gala (photo by Priscilla)

Community Voices

SB County: Attacking Homelessness

with Data & Innovation

by Jeff Giordano

As the City of SB laments its not insignificant deficit and the County faces its own budget shortfall, our new Community Services Department Director Jesús Armas seems to be bringing a bit of light to the problem of our time – homelessness. Allow me to explain:

For the third straight year, permanent housing placement increased to its highest level in County history with 1,402 homeless placements – up 28% since 2020. Unfortunately, the number of those needing shelter is increasing at a greater pace. So where is the light? Well, it comes from the data-driven approach Mr. Armas and his team recently exhibited at their annual Board update. Supervisor Joan Hartmann was spot-on stating, “CSD has just upped the game for other departments.” One can only dream.

Housing and Community Development (HCD) Deputy Director Joe Dzvonik outlined clearly measurable goals, saying “we want to eliminate chronic homelessness … through relentless, rigorous, and innovative staff work.”

Data-driven leadership and a culture that challenges the status quo – bravo!

Federal American Rescue Plan funding, together with help from HCD and the Good Samaritan Shelter, hatched the idea of temporary housing (“you can’t treat on the street”) with 20 popup shelters in what was then Supervisor Hartmann’s district. This project morphed into a private-public partnership between Dignity Moves and the County. Dignity Moves (a non-

profit-like General Social Survey) was envisioned by smart Young Presidents Organization folks and is being locally advised by some wonderful individuals, including Aaron Edelheit.

The DignityNOW initiative will build 430 temporary/transitional units against the more than 560 the County needs. Last year, Hope Village in Santa Maria – serviced by GSS – brought 94 units online and 80 will soon become available at the La Posada site. Supervisor Bob Nelson told me he proudly viewed Hope Village from the County building while Supervisor Laura Capps hopes La Posada’s homeless camp adjacency will energize participation, because a full two-thirds of those who are offered help say “no.”

In California, it generally takes years to build permanent housing for the unhoused with a single unit costing as much as $800k. Meaning, it would cost $3.2B for us to permanently place our 4,000 or so homeless, i.e. transitioning and treatment-centric solutions hold the key.

The brilliance in the solution is its simplicity: Dignity Moves provides the funding and the County temporarily contributes the land. By “self-permitting”, the County cuts the red tape (can we do the same for ADU’s?) and the units are built for $50k each. Innovative.

Our 2025 Budget Workshops will not be pretty. MY HOPE: That our Supervisors and CEO Mona Miyasato demand a similar data-driven approach from other departments to bring “reason” into what will be some very tough decisions. Thank you CSD for leading the way!

Jeff

Giordano, SB County Resident

Hot Topics Community Pulls into the Station

by Christina Atchison

OThe community pushed together to usher in the Engine 92

n Monday, May 6, Montecito Fire Department placed the new Engine 92 into service with the support of more than a hundred community members, including children from Cold Spring School and Montecito Union School. Kids hosed down the engine and dried it off before we ceremoniously pushed it into the apparatus bay at Station 92. The turnout was an amazing testament to the closeknit nature of our community and reminded us how grateful we are to serve all of you. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made it such a meaningful and memorable way to welcome home Engine 92.

MONTECITO TIDE GUIDE

May 10

May 14

Executive Editor/CEO | Gwyn Lurie gwyn@montecitojournal.net

President/COO | Timothy Lennon Buckley tim@montecitojournal.net

Managing Editor | Zach Rosen, zach@montecitojournal.net

MoJo Contributing Editor | Christopher Matteo Connor Art/Production Director | Trent Watanabe

Graphic Design/Layout | Stevie Acuña

Administration | Jessikah Fechner

Administrative Assistant | Kassidy Craner VP, Sales & Marketing | Leanne Wood leanne@montecitojournal.net

Account Managers | Sue Brooks, Tanis Nelson, Elizabeth Scott, Natasha Kucherenko

Contributing Editor | Kelly Mahan Herrick

Copy Editor | Lily Buckley Harbin

Proofreading | Helen Buckley

Arts and Entertainment | Steven Libowitz

Contributors | Scott Craig, Ashleigh Brilliant, Kim Crail, Tom Farr, Chuck Graham, Stella Haffner, Mark Ashton Hunt, Dalina Michaels, Robert Bernstein, Christina Atchison, Leslie Zemeckis, Sigrid Toye, Elizabeth Stewart, Amélie Dieux, Houghton Hyatt, Jeff Wing

Gossip | Richard Mineards

History | Hattie Beresford

Humor | Ernie Witham

Our Town/Society | Joanne A Calitri

Travel | Jerry Dunn, Leslie Westbrook

Food & Wine | Melissa Petitto, Gabe Saglie, Jamie Knee,

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Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC

Montecito Journal is compiled, compounded, calibrated, cogitated over, and coughed up every Wednesday by an exacting agglomeration of excitable (and often exemplary) expert edifiers at 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite G, Montecito, CA 93108. How to reach us: (805) 565-1860; FAX: (805) 969-6654; Montecito Journal, 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite G, Montecito, CA 93108; EMAIL: tim@montecitojournal.net

Children from CSS and MUS helped get the engine clean before the pull

Letters to the Editor

More Land Loss

Ithought you might be interested to know there has recently been more land loss on Butterfly Beach. Also, I have been reporting for years to various bodies about how undermined the pedestrian/bike path is. Well over a month ago they put out signs to warn people. It has been reported in local news that the path was closed and now officially reopened. That is not accurate. Now the signs have fallen over the side and are littering the beach.

Jane Walker Wood

Keeping an Open Mind

We are disheartened by the negative responses to the Miramar’s housing and retail development project. A few points merit consideration in the interest of a fair and balanced dialogue:

Even if you disagree with aspects of the project, the Miramar team deserves recognition for its commitment to community outreach. More commendable is that the team has agreed to significant modifications to the project based on community input – including removing the entire third story of a building and a driveway, increasing the number of affordable employee units, reorienting the retail shop entrances and reducing their footprint, and increasing on-property parking. See https://themiramarinfo.com.

Throughout, the Miramar team has been professional and courteous, even in the face of some very harsh criticism from the community.

Private property owners can use their property in the manner in which they choose and that is economically beneficial to them as long as it is in compliance with the law – whether the community likes it or not (e.g., Airbnb). To Miramar’s credit, here there has been outreach and opportunity for input and a demonstrated willingness to incorporate much of that input.

This housing project, the only within Montecito, also helped achieve substantial compliance with the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment. At 26 affordable employee units and 10 market rate units, it is 72% affordable compared to the 20% affordable requirement under Builder’s Remedy and is privately financed. As the largest employer in Montecito, this project allows Miramar to offer existing employees an affordable, on-site housing option and create additional jobs.

There will be positives and negatives with any change to our community and change is admittedly difficult. We ask, though, that the community keep an open mind about this project and consider all perspectives.

Rock and Jan Rockenbach

Not Montecito Natives

I’m a native of Montecito. That’s in absolute contrast to a claim from a previous letter writer and supporter of Rick Caruso. That writer was born in Ventura County and his father was born and lived there, too. The mother was born in Los Angeles.

In fact, my maternal ancestors can be found in Montecito on the 1900 census and lived here for the rest of their lives adjacent to the Miramar.

From childhood I could genuinely walk to the Miramar from my family home. Fortunately, I can still do that.

I believe the letter writer to whom I’ve referred purchased their home in 2003.

We attended All Saints by-the-Sea and my grandson will be a fifth generation student at Montecito Union School.

We are rooted in this special community, so it is understandable, therefore, that my family and I are extremely concerned over the possibility of a major expansion of the Miramar by the owner, an out-oftown developer. We certainly don’t see it as being a so-called “helpful solution” to our lovely community.

To achieve an understanding of what’s at stake, interested and actual residents can attend the Tuesday, May 14th meeting of the board of the Montecito Association at 4 pm at Montecito Hall.

Sincerely, Pamela Jameson Boehr

“Santa Barbara Design and Build was fabulous. Don and his crew were the BEST from day one. He was honest, timely, flexible, artistic, patient and skilled. They understood my vision and built my dream home”.

-Santa Barbara Resident

More of the Butterfly Beach path crumbles away

Our Town San Ysidro Road Roundabout Ribbon Cutting

by Joanne A Calitri

The $18.3 million construction projects for the roundabouts at San Ysidro Road and Olive Mill Road received their own special celebration with a ribbon cutting ceremony, speeches, Recognition Certificates from elected officials, and press on Thursday, May 2. The celebration was set up on the upper sidewalk area around the northbound entrance ramp (now closed) across from the San Ysidro Road Roundabout. The event commenced with an introduction by Lauren Bianchi Klemann, SBCAG Government Affairs/Public Information Manager and Westmont College graduate. She was followed by remarks from the City of Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse, Caltrans District 5 Director Scott Eades, SBCAG Board Chair Steve Lavagnino, First District County Supervisor Das Williams, the Montecito Association Executive Director Houghton Hyatt, and presenting Certificates of Recognition the offices of Assemblymember 37th District Gregg Hart, CA Senator 19th District Monique Limón, and Congressman 24th District Salud Carbajal. A moment during Lavagnino’s remarks was a cyclist who whizzed by in front of him at the podium, to which Lavagnino chuckled and said, “Right on… except the dismount, not really giving credit for that!” See videos for all speakers and the ribbon cutting on the MJ website and YouTube Channel.

Our Town Page 274

Steve Lavagnino, Scott Eades, Mayor Randy Rowse, and Joe Arnold (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

San Ysidro Road Roundabout Ribbon cutting by Mayor Rowse, and Caltrans District 5 Director Scott Eades (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Society Invites Youth & Family Services YMCA Annual Reaching for the Stars

by Joanne A Calitri

The Youth and Family Services

YMCA’s Reaching for the Stars Annual Fundraiser was held on Thursday, May 2, at the Santa Barbara Women’s Club.

The sold-out event commenced on the patio with flamenco music by guitarist Chris Judd, libations, and hors d’oeuvres. Guests included District Attorney of Santa Barbara County (June 2022) John Savrnoch who served as the event’s Honorary Chair; the Youth and Family Services Board of Managers Chair John Nelson with his wife Peggy; and board members Avanti Alias, Mike Barnick, Juan Camarena, Dr. Yolanda Garcia, Dr. Yonie Harris, Susan Morris, Marsha Roberson and her husband Alan, Meghan Rourke-Carlson, Wendy Scott, Robert Sears, Carol Gemberling Stewart, Joseph Sullivan, Irene WellonsStamps, Lis Wiehl, Carolyn Williams and her husband Bob , and James Workman; guests and sponsors Bob and

Patty Bryant, Gary Simpson and Jill Nida, Marilyn and Steven Gutsche, Lynn and Roger Karlson, Steve and Cindy Lyons, Wendy Scott, Morgan and Phileen Jones, Susan Morris, and Adrienne Schuele

Serving up the elegance for the fundraiser were its esteemed long time Event Committee Co-Chairs Marsha Roberson and Carolyn Williams, and team of Dawn Bokman, Joaquin Gonzales, Victoria Lindstrom, Adrienne Schuele, Wendy Scott, Amber Stevens, and Amy Tovias

The program began with the Youth and Family Services Operations Director Amy Tovias, who welcomed guests, thanked the event committee, her staff and the event sponsors. She stated the importance of working together in the community to fight against child abuse, child sex trafficking, and youth domestic violence. An applause went to Steve Lyons for his donation of the house that is being repurposed as a transitional home slated to open 2025 for orphans aged 18 and older.

Page 264

Society

Reaching for the Stars event committee (photo Joanne A Calitri)

John and Peggy Nelson with Joe Sullivan (photo Joanne A Calitri)

Brilliant Thoughts

Mentality And Reality

by Ashleigh Brilliant

Recently a lady whose opinions I respect happened to see one of my epigrams, which says, “Just when I nearly had the answer – I forgot the question.” To me, this was simply a short, funny thought – but to her, it immediately brought to mind some of her “patients” or “clients,” who are afflicted with what’s known as “dementia.” I say, “afflicted with” rather than “suffer from,” because in many or most cases, the suffering is largely borne by the people, especially close family members, who have to deal with the demented one on a regular basis.

It’s really a form of insanity, particularly associated with the aging process. What we call Alzheimer’s Disease is one type of it.

Only now do I realize that most of the people on my mother’s side of the family, those who lived long enough, became demented in their last years. Fortunately, the same was not true on my father’s side, which I seem to take after.

My mother herself was a classic case. She was able to live alone in an apartment in Los Angeles for more than a dozen years after she became a widow. And she had support from such agencies as “Meals on Wheels.” But when I went to visit her, I would often find her refrigerator full of uneaten meals she’d been given, which I then had to throw out. It was, of course, more than sad to see such a vibrant personality as my mother had been, deteriorate so steadily and irremediably.

But, as I approach my own 90s, the best that can be said for my mental condition is that, according to some who know me best, I still “have all my marbles.” (Incidentally, it’s interesting how many expressions such games as marbles have given us. Another, is, “This time it’s for keeps.” You could play a game of marbles just for fun. But, if you agreed in advance to play “for keeps,” whatever marbles you won from your opponent, you could keep.)

If indeed I still am in good mental health, it may at least in part be attributable to all the mental doctors and facilities to which I have been exposed in

the course of my life. The story begins in England. During a routine medical examination at school, something prompted me to ask if they also provided psychiatric care. To my surprise, I was immediately given an appointment. (This was a time when the new British National Health system generously provided many services free.) Over the next few years, I not only saw several different doctors, but for two or three months I was actually a resident patient at the Maudsley Hospital, one of Britain’s founding institutions of advanced mental care.

it really worked. I never moved back home but secured a place in a student hostel. I was able to resume my studies and graduated with a respectable B.A. degree.

BY Mark Saltzman

BY Jim Fall

I was having a “nervous breakdown,” in the middle of my History course at the University of London. The chief symptom was an inability to study or concentrate. One cause was my desire to move away from home for the first time. I was still living with my parents in a suburb of Northwest London. The only alternative accommodation I could find was a room in an apartment with another family – a move strongly opposed by my parents. Since I could still reach my College by ordinary urban transit, I didn’t qualify for any Government Assistance.

Another factor in the trouble was that, at the age of 20, I was a “late bloomer” in terms of sexual maturity. I had no female friends, and hadn’t yet even had a date.

All this led to my becoming an in-patient at the Maudsley – which was at least one way of getting away from home – and

One final episode in this exciting chronicle occurred right here in Santa Barbara. It taught me this lesson: Don’t even discuss any thoughts about suicide with your psychiatrist, unless you’re ready to be transferred immediately to your local equivalent of a Booby Hatch – i.e. the nearest hospital with a “Psych Ward.” It’s a very uncomfortable place, specially designed to keep you under constant observation – and away from anything that might help you harm yourself. I spent several days there.

This was all many years ago – and the best result was that they put me on a very effective “anxiety pill,” which I still take. It’s called Ativan.

Ashleigh Brilliant born England 1933, came to California in 1955, to Santa Barbara in 1973, to the Montecito Journal in 2016. Best-known for his illustrated epigrams, called “Pot-Shots,” now a series of 10,000. email: ashleigh@west. net. web: www.ash leighbrilliant.com.

DIRECTED

The Giving List

Marine Watchdogs

by Steven Libowitz

There are several nonprofit organizations in town concerned about the health of our oceans and waterways, and a whole lot more in the county, state and nation. For Marine Watchdogs, that’s a blessing, as more focus on the ocean’s ecology benefits from collaboration, if not competition.

“Great!” said Managing Director Dave Dahl, a lifelong ocean enthusiast, scuba diver and former Navy swimmer who co-founded Marine Watchdogs with Judah Sanders, a marine biologist and teacher who is the group’s Science Director, and producer-director Gitte, who serves as Events Director. “We need more organizations. We need more community involvement because it’s a big ocean and we have a lot of problems.”

At just three years old, Marine Watchdogs is one of the more recent entries into the nonprofit field, but its founders’ history with the ocean long predates the organization’s official founding.

“The idea had been cooking for about 15 years,” Dahl said. “Judah and I had discussed ocean health and research for years. We had a lot of questions and couldn’t find answers. So we got serious about it and started filing the paperwork because we were anxious to get started on research. We wanted to do some lab testing and get some equipment and get to work.”

The research and testing angle is part of what sets Marine Watchdogs apart from some other ocean-focused environmental organizations. Seafood toxicology studies searching for contamination of local fish, examination of the zooplankton in the Santa Barbara Channel – the world’s smallest creatures – as well as surveys along the Pacific coast are among its early projects.

“We’re doing research that no one else is doing, including radiation testing and chemical testing on certain kinds of seafood that people here eat,” he said.

As part of that work, the plastics problem is a big focus for Marine Watchdogs, to combat the ever-increasing threat to the health of the ocean and its inhabitants

ready, set, BLOW!

D R Y B A R M O N T E C I T O

O P E N N O W

due to the accumulation of plastic trash, which is a problem that is somehow worsening despite all the recent attention.

“About a truckload of plastic waste enters the ocean every minute of every day, and that amount is actually increasing,” he said. “It chokes the ocean more than any other type of trash. And most people don’t even realize that there’s a huge amount of plastic at the bottom of the ocean, as much as is floating on top.”

Doing something about that is a big part of Marine Watchdogs’ mission, Dahl said.

“We can’t possibly get it all out fast enough, but at the very least we want to support ways to stop using the disposable plastic that makes up the majority of our trash flow, and slowdown that stream,” he said.

As one of its programs, Marine Watchdogs maintains a database of alternatives to plastic to encourage businesses and residents to switch from plastic to biodegradable materials.

“We make that easy for them because they can check the database and see suppliers where they can order paper instead of plastic, like bamboo utensils,” Dahl said. “We want to push consumers to choose glass, choose cans, choose cartons, choose anything but plastic material whenever you can. There’s plenty of alternatives, but you have to be thinking about it and be conscious of it, be aware of it, and know where to go find it. And so we’re promoting that.”

Advocacy efforts are also among Marine Watchdogs’ work, including contacting lawmakers and other leaders asking them to support and sponsor bills to ban disposable plastic in restaurant takeout.”

“Goleta is a poster child for that, and Santa Barbara should do it, too. All the California cities should. There’s no excuse for Styrofoam clamshells and Styrofoam soup containers when we have paper options that don’t clog up the ocean. We want to actually provide value, provide resources, that can help make a differ-

ence. You can see online we have a marine conditions dashboard, streaming video, and a lot of things for people who are interested in the ocean.”

It’s all about safeguarding a healthier ocean for future generations, Dahl said. Which is why education, especially with an eye toward schoolchildren, is the third prong in Marine Watchdogs’ fork in fighting for the ocean. The organization has a number of free online games – including jigsaw puzzles, ocean-themed Concentration and coloring pages – a teacher’s kit that is perfect fit with Next Generation Science Standards, an interactive ocean-friendly self-assessment, and much more.

“We recognize that the ocean is essential to human life on Earth, and we wonder, given the rate of degradation we’ve seen over the past 50 years, what will the ocean look like 50 years from now?” Dahl said. “Our grandkids and great grandchildren are the ones who are going to inherit a world of problems and have to deal with what we’ve created by living high off the hog for a long time. They will grow up and ask, how could you let this happen? What did you do about it? We want to inspire the future marine scientists and conservationists that will have that responsibility someday, the ones who can be effective in doing something about it.”

There are many opportunities for funding Marine Watchdogs’ work, including sponsoring crucial marine research, education, and cleanup actions. Or, if a major donation is on your radar, the organization could use an upgrade of its boat to dramatically deepen its ability to do research and perform surveys.

And yes, it would most likely be ocean-friendly too, even a boat big enough to handle all the necessary equipment.

“The one obvious source of power on the ocean is wind,” Dahl said. “A sailboat would be great. Speed isn’t very important.”

Judah Sanders prepares to dive in (courtesy photo)

MOTHER’S DAY MOMENTS

Mothers at the Ranch

Mother’s Day is the moment to celebrate the women in your life and let them know how special they are to you and the family. San Ysidro Ranch provides the perfect backdrop for this occasion, especially the picturesque Stonehouse Restaurant – set under a terrace of sycamore and eucalyptus, with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands and surrounded by fragrant gardens of lavender, rose, citrus and rosemary bloom. Start the day off with a three-course brunch that has been artfully prepared by Executive Chef Matt Johnson. The brunch begins with bottomless mimosas, Ty Bellinis, or fresh juices adorned with a basket of house-made baked goods. The first course options include Citrus Cured Arctic Char, King Crab and Spinach Agnolotti, Spring Asparagus Salad, or Farmers Market Carrot Soup. From there, the main course will elevate the serene scene with some cozy upscale cuisine. Try the Citrus-Cured Ora King Salmon Benedict or even an Alaskan halibut swimming through a grilled fennel and smoked tomato broth. The Snake River Farms Wagyu New York steak is accompanied by charred cauliflower, wild mushrooms, and blistered shishito peppers with a swipe of green garlic puree. A Crispy Confit Duck Leg with fingerling potatoes and sugar snap peas is accented by an invigorating blackberry ginger compote and the crunch of smoked hazelnuts and pancetta. Round out the experience with their popular dessert buffet. Already have morning plans? SYR’s Afternoon Tea service is another option for the special day. The tea service provides an elegant afternoon of small sandwiches, sumptuous sweets, and soothing sips of the warm brew. Add in the “Mother’s Day Off” spa package and make a day of it at the Ranch.

Celebrate Mothers in Style!

by MJ Staff

Celebrate your mom, grandmother and woman in your life with a variety of amazing experiences from the area’s finest! On behalf of the Montecito Journal, we wish all mothers a wonderful weekend celebrating love!

Start Mother’s Day early on Saturday, May 11, from 1:30-4:30 pm with Casa del Herrero’s first Mother’s Day Weekend Garden Party in honor of Casa del Herrero’s original matriarch, Carrie Steedman. Guests are treated to a vibrant spin on a classic garden party with a selection of freshly brewed teas and mimosas, sweet and savory lunch items and treats, as well as delightful conversation about the Casa and its rich history. Tours of the house and workshop will be available throughout the event and of course individual or group photos in the gardens are highly encouraged. Semi-formal garden party attire is recommended!

411: Reservations Required. (805) 565-5653 www.casadelherrero.com/event-calendar/mothers-day-2024

The San Ysidro Ranch celebrates motherhood on Sunday, May 12, from 10 am –2 pm. Offerings include their exquisite Mother’s Day Brunch; an elegant Afternoon Tea, with a variety of fine teas accompanied by artisanal sandwiches, scones, and pastries in a serene garden setting; and of course a Spa Package at San Ysidro Ranch, with a rejuvenating 60-minute lymphatic massage and facial. The Spa Package includes a luxurious gift bag featuring Yon-Ka bath products, a facial serum, and a glass of bubbly to toast the day.

411: Reservations Required. 1-800-368-6788 www.sanysidroranch.com

Rosewood Miramar Beach’s Mother’s Day celebration will be Sunday, May 12, from 11 am to 3 pm.

- Caruso’s Restaurant, “A Pranzo con Mama”: A 3-Course Prix Fixe Lunch, raw seafood platters and Bar du Chocolat.

- The Revere Room: Brunch Buffet with Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, a Salami & Cheese Station, Salads, a Raw Bar, Sushi, a Carving Station, a Kid’s menu, assorted dessert stations, and more.

- Picnic x art and music experiences with food, wine and Dom Pérignon, Krug, and Ruinart Champagne choices.

- Mother’s Day on The Great Lawn with live music, games, a Make Your Own Bouquet with Emma Rose Floral, and more.

- Spa Treatments at Sense – a Rosewood Spa.

411: Reservations Required. (805) 900-8388 www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/miramar-beach-montecito/experiences/mothers-day-at-miramar

El Encanto, a Belmond Hotel offerings include Garden Picnics and Wine Painting around the Lily Pond, and Sunday Brunch on The Terrace featuring Blueberry and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, caviar, sushi and raw bar, Poached King Salmon, bakery croissants, pain au chocolat, Black Forest Cake Pavlova, and special kid’s menu.

411: Reservations Required. (805) 845-5800

www.belmond.com/hotels/north-america/usa/ca/santa-barbara/belmond-el-encanto

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara is offering a range of Mother’s Day happenings:

- Brunch at Angel Oak: 9:30 am – 1:30 pm

- Prix Fixe Dining Angel Oak: 5-9 pm

- Build a Bouquet and Mother’s Day Bash on Haskell’s Lawn: 9am - 2pm

- Wellness Retreat, Sound bath, Mommy & Me Spa, Gifting Station: On both May 11 & 12

411: Reservations Required. 805-968-0100

https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/sbarz-the-ritz-carlton-bacara-santa-barbara/

Mother’s Day at Mattei’s Tavern events are a Mother’s Day brunch, a Super Bloom Hike,

Mother’s Day Moments Page 244

May 10

Award-winning Conservation Photographer Cristina Mittermeier

Between Land and Sea: Saving Our Oceans to Save Ourselves

Fri, May 10 (note new date) / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

Tickets start at $20 / $10 all students (with valid ID)

Working at the intersection of art and science, National Geographic photographer Cristina Mittermeier drives conservation efforts through storytelling and explores how inextricably linked we are to that most sacred element – water.

Earth, Air, Fire, Water Series Sponsors: Patricia & Paul Bragg Foundation, Audrey & Timothy O. Fisher, Justin Brooks Fisher Foundation, and Sara Miller McCune

May 17

2023 Pulitzer Prize Finalist and Bestselling Author Xochitl Gonzalez

Latinx Voices Are American Voices

Fri, May 17 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall

$20 / FREE for UCSB students (registration recommended)

In her acclaimed novels Olga Dies Dreaming and Anita de Monte Laughs Last as well as her writings for The Atlantic, Xochitl Gonzalez examines class, gentrification and the American Dream with love and wry humor.

Justice for All Lead Sponsors: Marcy Carsey, Connie Frank & Evan Thompson, Eva & Yoel Haller, Dick Wolf, and Zegar Family Foundation

May 19

Back by Popular Demand

Jacob Collier

DJESSE VOL. 4 NORTH AMERICA TOUR

with special guest Kimbra

Sun, May 19 / 7 PM / Arlington Theatre

Tickets start at $45 / $20 UCSB students

“There’s musicianship and then there’s genius, and then way, way, way above all that, out in the stratosphere, is Jacob Collier.” – Hans Zimmer

Back by popular demand, six time Grammy-winning artist Jacob Collier bookends Arts & Lectures’ 2023-2024 season with an entirely new show featuring a full band and music from his forthcoming album, Djesse Vol. 4.

“The ocean isn’t just a victim of climate change – it is our solution.” – Cristina Mittermeier

Running Hot and Cold

“High temperature superconducting wire can carry roughly three times what low temperature wire can carry, and in a fraction of the space,” Ray says, “and it doesn’t have to be at liquid helium temperature. It doesn’t have to be four kelvin.”

Four Kelvin, by the way, is very, very cold. Interstellar space cold. HTSI’s High Temperature Superconductor is by contrast … not as cold. But neither should it invoke an image of a piña colada-sipping tourist on a Club Med beach.

“What we want is to make high temperature superconducting wire cheaper and at higher volume, and we want to produce it domestically,” she says. “HTSI makes better tools that can lead to faster throughput, and wire that is tailored to each application.” Copious and inexpensive superconducting wire will move the world discernibly forward, and HTSI is on the cusp of changing the game.

A superconductor calms the caroming atoms so they are standing more or less still, and the electrons fly through without hindrance. This resistance-free current yields a secondary effect critical to a fusion reactor –a magnetic field. And what calms the jittery atoms enough to make this superconducting electron rush-hour possible? Freakish cold.

“Butte Montana in November?” Keep going.

CATCH SOME SPRING TIME VIBES

High temperature superconducting happens at a balmy minus 320 °F, whereas Low temperature superconducting happens at the chillier minus 460 °F. Either of these temperatures will instantaneously turn a human being into a solid-state ice statue wearing a surprised expression. But that “higher” temperature eases somewhat the migraine-inducing project of making superconductivity a broadly practical solution. The coolant (nitrogen) is less expensive, more available, and greener. Earth’s atmosphere is 78% nitrogen, after all.

And the High temperature superconductors’ current carrying capacity makes them terrific at generating powerful magnetic fields, the kind needed to suspend a 160,000,000 °F blob of plasma in a toka-

mak (a toroidal chamber with magnetic coils). The plasma is mimicking the center of the sun, fusing – not splitting – atoms at necessarily tremendous temperatures. The superconducting magnetic field keeps the plasma politely contained. You don’t want the sun rising six feet away.

“The sun generates a ton of heat,” Ray understates. “Basically, you fire this thing up and you hold the plasma in place with these powerful magnets made out of high temperature superconducting wire. You only have to pump a fraction of current into it to keep the plasma going, but you get a bunch more energy out of it from heat. That turns a turbine and creates electricity.” …a turbine. You mean – ? “Yes,” Ray says with a knowing smile. “At the end of the day, you’re boiling water.”

Manufacturing Tomorrow

To actualize a new epoch of broad practical use for superconductivity – particularly in the hope-springs-eternal field of fusion energy – the thorny challenge now is one of manufacturing. This may seem less grandiose and mind-bending than the inaugural physics that led to superconductivity in the first place; but the fabrication challenges are no less exotic, and require engineering exactitude at both the nano and human scale, which would seem to put Ines right in the middle of the riddle.

“From a throughput perspective,” Ray says, “once in production with our 100-meter-per-hour line, we’ll build a line that is five times faster than anyone else. So as we start producing at 100 meters per hour, within a short period of time the rest of the world’s manufacturers will need five assembly lines to keep up with our one.”

Ray leads me downstairs to the “factory,” a warren of glassed-in rooms and highly polished, roaring machines, everyone wearing the cleanroom bunny suits known to fans of NASA space probe documentaries. He opens the exit door and sunlight pours in. The operation looks expensive, I mention. “We’re looking for another $7 to $10 million to finish,” he says in a nod to eavesdropping prospective investors.

“That gets us into production.”

In the parking lot I glance up at our familiar ball of fire – one of the mysteriously life-giving lamps hurriedly hung about the place by the curiously generous Big Bang. HTSI wants to harness a sliver of that stuff, tame it with magnets and restart the world. Here comes the sun.

*More venture info in Tuesday’s digital version.

Jeff Wing is a journalist, raconteur, autodidact, and polysyllable enthusiast. He has been writing about Montecito and environs since before some people were born. He can be reached at jeff@ montecitojournal.net

Looking down the tape path at the plasma in the chamber, where a very pure plate of aluminum is being bombarded with high energy argon atoms. The argon atoms are ripping aluminum atoms off the plate and redepositing them onto the superconducting tape substrate. (courtesy HTSI)

This real-to-reel handling is a complicated control system that moves the ribbon but does not damage the tape substrate. (courtesy HTSI)

and a Floral Workshop in partnership with Glenna Joy Flowers and Amanda Lauren Co. 411: Reservations Required. (844) 837-2999

https://aubergeresorts.com/matteistavern/itineraries/mothers-day

Land Trust Trek Carpinteria Mother’s Day Hike:

A free event on Sunday, May 12, from 1-4 pm. Meet at Viola Fields on 6145 Carpinteria Avenue. Hike two miles on the Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve while learning about the plants that are unique to this coastal habitat and the efforts taken to save this beloved natural space from development. 411: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mothers-day-hike-at-carpinteria-bluffs-nature-preserve-tickets-878510948897?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

The Victoria Project

This Mother’s Day, the Victoria Project (TVP) wants to expand – both conceptually and actually – the options available to a person preparing to give birth. The Victoria Project, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, advocates the midwifery model and its practitioners – as both entry into a deep, enfolding support community, and as counterpoint to a medicalized childbirth culture that isn’t always able to look as deeply into the maternal moment as the occasion asks.

TVP gives “direct grants to individuals, organizations and practitioners for comprehensive holistic maternity care services, specifically pregnancy, birth and postpartum services provided at home or at a birth center.” The Victoria Project has dispersed $3.7M in direct grants over the past three years supporting 428 families in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties. “Maternity mortality rates in the U.S. are alarmingly high,” says Victoria Project President and Co-Founder Janelle Green. “And 4 out of 5 are preventable, according to the CDC.”

For more info, or for advertisers wishing to learn more about TVP’s broad-reach win-win Mother’s Day 2024 Campaign, contact Angela Schmidt at (805) 699-5438 or angela@the-victoria-project. com. Learn more at the-victoria-project.com

tell that it’s Gershwin whose songs have also stood the test of time…. (with my arrangement) at this point it’s almost total improvisation. What makes it special for me and the audiences who hear it is that it really is a journey of new improvised material. There is a structure, and we don’t just randomly go off into the stratosphere. You’ll recognize Gershwin’s themes, but we’re using the piano vocabulary from Europe, from America, from Cuba, New Orleans – whatever musical experiences that I’ve had or what I’ve heard that strike me at the time, all completely organically. There’s a lot of freedom in Rhapsody for you to go wherever the moment takes you. But I’m not thinking about it: I don’t want the subconscious improvisational process to be disturbed with too much deliberate stuff.

What can we expect from your trio show at the Lobero?

With the new album coming out, there will be songs by Gershwin and Cole Porter, and we’ll do “Mack the Knife,” and things like that. There’s nothing wrong with playing “old” music. Soup that your great-grandmother used to make that you loved, if you cook it today, it’s still going to be good, especially if you put your own twists on it. Roland and Jason, they helped me develop my trio conception way back in 1995, and what they can do rhythmically is insane. They’re so talented and charismatic they can do just about anything and still have it sound musical.

Going Mad for Jazz

Elsewhere in the jazz-orchestra world, the Santa Barbara Jazz Society

hosts SBCC’s Monday Madness Jazz Orchestra at SOhO on Sunday afternoon, May 12, cramming the 19-piece band composed of many of the best musicians and jazz educators in the city on the club’s stage. Monday Madness was created 35 years ago by Dr. Charles Wood to uphold the big band jazz tradition of Swing Era legends Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Stan Kenton, Dizzy Gillespie, and others – along with modern orchestra leaders such as Alan Baylock, Bob Mintzer, and Gordon Goodwin Andrew Martinez, who held the sax tenor chair for many years, is now the director. Details at www. sohosb.com.

‘Other Voices’ Make Their Move on State Street

State Street Ballet closes out its 2023-24 season with “Other Voices,” a contemporary rep program that takes a sharp turn from its last production, March’s triedand-true classical ballet take on Cinderella Aimed at exploring experimental idioms, “Other Voices,” which performs May 10-11 at the Lobero, showcases choreographers pushing ballet’s boundaries and the company dancers’ limits through a dynamic variety of cutting-edge dance. The program features world premieres from three choreographers – Nilas Martins, Royce Zackery and Carpinteria’s own Nicole Powell of Santa Barbara Dance Theater – whose works have never before graced the stage in Santa Barbara. Also featured will be a restaging of “As We Always Have” by Laurie Eisenhower and “Common Ground” by Edgar Zendejas. On Entertainment Page 334

Elizabeth’s Appraisals

The Lobero Polearms

by Elizabeth Stewart

The audience waiting on the steps of the Lobero Theatre on the Sunday night of December 9, 1957, were hip jazz lovers, some from the College Jazz Club, sponsors of the concert, all eager for the night’s concert. The legendary master of the vibes and the bongos, Cal Tjader, would be performing “hot numbers” (as quoted in the Santa Barbara News-Press of December 1, 1957), his mambos and “cha cha chas” with his four jazzmen. The Lobero had become a jazz destination since the 1953 performance by Dave Brubeck and his All Stars; Tjader was an alumnus of Brubeck and the George Shearing Ensemble. So instrumental was the Lobero in developing the “West Coast” style of jazz that the theater became a venue beloved by jazz artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Betty Carter, Shirley Horn, and Sarah Vaughan. Having paid between $1.50 and $2.50 per ticket, the audience took their seats: It may have been a full house. In that audience lurked a thief. After the concert, a fine collection of four late medieval 8-10 ft. long combat weapons, décor on the main lobby wall, would be down to three; the discovery was made by the theater manager Dorothy Fenzi as she shut down the House. Someone walked out of that concert hoisting a ferocious spiked and bladed iron weapon on a hefty wooden pole. The four displayed weapons are known as polearms: there had been two halberds, weighty and terrifying iron spikes at 20”, with blades and flukes, and two scimitar-like fauchards; curved 14” blades with gaffers to the back. The wall bearing these fierce cousins to medieval spears and lances was seen immediately upon entering the Lobero. After the concert in 1957, the wall displayed only an empty space. Theater manager Fenzi had likely seen

the pole arms daily from 1949 or 1950 (she stated the weapons had been donated in 1949 or 1950 in a reported interview with the police that night). Their location on display at the theater would have given us a clue as to their significance and use: perhaps the theatre staff had considered them important enough to hang on the entry wall that today holds the famed 84-inch wide Lobero Golden Eagle. Possibly the polearms with their medieval iron were considered appropriate décor for the 1924 Spanish Colonial style architecture of the Lobero, designed by George Washington Smith and Lutah Maria Riggs.

Fenzi was interviewed by the Santa Barbara News-Press of December 10, 1957.

Testimony to 1950s American naiveté, Dorothy Fenzi is quoted as saying that she hoped that whoever had taken it would return it after he (sic) learns its real value. The article states that the “lances” were described as 16th century.

Miraculously Fenzi’s wish came true: a subsequent story in the newspaper of December 12, 1957 reports that Fenzi, on Thursday night, found the weapon propped up against the back wall of the theater. The paper quotes Fenzi as assuming the return was occasioned because the weapon had become “too hot to handle.” Thus, the four polearms were reunited, although they may not have been remounted on that lobby wall for fear of further thefts. To this day, they live together at the Lobero.

Brett Hodges, board member and historian of the Lobero was kind enough to invite me to opine on the authenticity of the weapons, located for at least the last 40 years (a longtime employee remembers them when he was hired) in the mysterious basement bowels of the theater.

During my visit, staff members offered opinions on their purpose. Some believed they may be props originally donated in 1949/50 for a specific medieval history

play. But they are heavy, sharp, and dangerous, unwieldy on stage, and as Fenzi is quoted after the theft, of significant value. Perhaps they were thought to be too precious (and too deadly) for a stage fight. Props are not often displayed as rare art: they had hung in pride of place in the Lobero lobby for at least seven or eight years since their donation. The four polearms may have had a stage debut as props and then were displayed: even Shakespeare’s plays feature medieval style weaponry; his cryptic stage directions of “they fight” often called for props such as short swords, rapiers, cudgels, daggers, poniards, and bastard swords. I often discover syncretic relationships between people, places, and objects. Polearms like these halberds and fauchards have a connection to Genoa, Italy, the birthplace in 1823 of Giuseppe Lobero. For this reason, they may have been a gift from a knowledgeable donor to the Lobero. Even though Lobero had died in 1892, his memory (and ghost) may have prompted a donor to honor him. Was “Joe” Lobero’s history known in the 1950s? Yes. At the date of the theft, Lobero was on his way to getting his “propers”. As Lobero was in repose in an unmarked grave, on May 5, 1962, a civic minded community group paid for and installed a gravestone for “Joe” (Giuseppe) at the Santa Barbara Cemetery.

Back to the Genoese connection: the Genoese Navy began to use a type of halberd called a Sergentina in the 16th century and still carry the polearm in ceremonies today. And the Genoese Navy is one of a few organizations displaying the weapon, as do the Papal Swiss Guards, and the British Yeomen of the Guards. Perhaps a patron of the theater once visited Northern Italy and purchased these four polearms and thought them to be an appropriate gift to the theater and its long dead but not forgotten founder.

What are they worth? Yes, they are antiques. I believe at least two of them are authentic to the 16th century. Does their age at 450 years make them valuable? If two were reproductions would that affect

Elizabeth’s Appraisals Page 264

value? Yes, they are perhaps rare because of their age(s), and perhaps rare because even as a ceremonial object they symbolize a rare appearance – and rarity influences value. But there’s a limited market for these weapons, 16th century, 19th century, or otherwise. The fact that they are aggressive killing machines may influence the lack of market. I describe the halberd as having a robust 20” central spike, and an axe blade for chopping through armor when swung. On the other side of the blade is a hook called a fluke, all in cast iron and mounted on a 8 ft. wood pole with a square haft, the blades pierced with a cross and arch motif. The fauchards have a 14” curved blade which is chased (a form of decorative indentation) with a figure in Roman armor and a date of 1587, the other with a heraldic coat of arms with a spread eagle dated 1571. On the other side of the cutting edge, there are lance points attached to the back as a dagger, in steel, on an 8 ft. pole. They are simple and blatantly fierce. During the late medieval period, weapons were unsophisticated, and the Church forbade any weapon to be used that was not mentioned in the Bible. Thus, the sophisticated arms of ancient Rome were not employed, and it is for this reason that I believe the two fauchards to be 19th century ceremonial reproductions. A weapon made for battle in the 16th century would

A closeup of the halberd’s blade

not have been dated nor have been ornately chased with a Roman soldier.

Two halberds may be 16th century and are worth $850 each, and the two fauchards may be 19th century ceremonial reproductions and are worth $450 each. I contacted the auction house famous for sales of antique weapons and arms, the San Giorgio Aste, coincidentally located in Genoa, Italy. Similar pole arms sell for between 400 and 800 euros.

Elizabeth Stewart, PhD is a veteran appraiser of fine art, furniture, glass, and other collectibles, and a cert. member of the AAA and an accr. member of the ASA. Please send any objects to be appraised to Elizabethappraisals@ gmail.com

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Tovias was followed by Savrnoch, who spoke about his DA office and the ways it intersects with youth. They help youth who are facing difficult life situations that expose them to trauma as direct and indirect victims of crime, like being repeatedly sold for sexual abuse. He said the DA’s office filed 1,000 cases of domestic abuse in past year. The underlying problems include these youth thinking what they experience is normal. The DA’s team seeks to break the cycle of abuse with its victim advocates staff. He stated his intention to keep youth in school as a means of help, and for the guests to support the Youth and Family Services programs.

Speaking next was Jill D. Sharkey, PhD. She outlined her journey working with and researching youth welfare, starting with her undergrad through PhD degrees. She emphasized how critical the work of the Youth and Family Services is, especially its Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter.

The last presentation was by Vanessa Loza, the Residential Program Director for Noah’s Anchorage, who told the story of one of their teens that stayed at the center. The young girl’s story detailed physical and mental abuse from both parents, her leaving home at age 16 to get into foster care, the bouncing around she received from city social workers and finally getting into Noah’s Anchorage where she felt safe and heard. Staying there for three months, she finished high school early, was helped by the team to get a job, and placed in safe foster care. At 18, she is working and living with her sister.

From there, emcee Andrew Firestone led the live auction and the Ask, doing high kicks on stage in his basketball sneakers. He raised approximately $33,000.

Special recognitions by the Y’s team and guests for the food and libations went to chefs Josh Brown, Intermezzo Wine Cask; Owen Havanan, SB Yacht Club; Paul Osborne, Santa Barbara Fish Market & Restaurant, Goleta; Christine Rosell, Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage; and Colby

Silva, Toma Restaurant; along with thanks to Brander Winery, Fess Parker Winery, Draughtsmen Aleworks, and Casita de Bravo Winery.

Key Sponsors included D.A. Davidson & Co., the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation, Montecito Bank & Trust, BB&H Benefit Designs, Brander Vineyards, Doyle-Morgan Structural Engineering Inc., Kielle Lindsey Foundation, Bryant & Sons LTD., West Coast Financial, Santa Barbara Fish Market, Fess Parker Winery, Casita de Bravo Winery, Noozhawk, and Stroll Hope Ranch.

411: www.ciymca.org/locations/youth-familyservices-ymca

Joanne A Calitri is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her at: artraks@ yahoo.com

EYE OF THE DAY GARDEN DESIGN CENTER

IS RELOCATING AFTER 27 YEARS! MOVING SALE: May 1 – May 31 7 days week! Mon – Sat 8:30 – 5:00 Sunday 9:00 – 3:00 4620 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013

Steve Lyons, Amy Tobias, and John Savrnoch (photo Joanne A Calitri)

After the remarks, the official ribbon cutting took place with Rowse and Eades sharing the scissors, supported by all the team leaders, staff and project workers.

Attendees included Caltrans District 5 Project Manager Joe Arnold, SB City Council Members Oscar Gutierrez, District 3; Kristen Sneddon, District 4 – Olive Mill Roundabout and CVR; Beth Sullivan, Executive Director of the Coast Village Road Improvement Association, Brad Welch, SB County Sheriff’s Department Commander; David Neels, Montecito Fire Chief; CHP representatives; the Bucket Brigade; Kirsten Ayars, Principal of Ayars & Associates; Chris Sneddon, SB Public Works Department Director, the project worker teams, and the general public.

These two major road projects that started in 2023 are slated to be fully completed this May with Southern California Edison energizing electrical meters at the Olive Mill Roundabout on May 7. They are said to be completed early due to funding from the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and are preferably in alignment with being done prior to the major 101 Freeway upgrades. The design and permitting were handled by SB City and SB County departments, and in collaboration with Caltrans.

Vote Kenzie Caldwell for the Cover of Muscle and Fitness Hers Magazine!

Give it up community for Kenzie Caldwell , who is competing to be the 2024 cover model of Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine Caldwell can win the competi -

tion via your vote - see 411 links. Voting ends May 16. Everyone can vote once a day to help her get to the finish line of the top 20 finalists. From there, on May 17, voting starts again for the winner from the finalist’s group, let’s get her on the cover!

Many know Caldwell as a barber with the Montecito Coast Village Road Richie’s Barbershop team. She is a weightlifter, health and wellness explorer, fashionista, single mom to a six-year-old, and school volunteer. After doing a photo shoot with her this past week, we talked about the competition.

Q. How did you get into weightlifting?

A. I have been weightlifting for about three years now. I got into weightlifting because I was doing other forms of exercise like hot yoga and was not getting the results that I was looking for. I have really transformed my body in the last few years.

I am naturally a very skinny person, so gaining muscle has always been a challenge for me, and weightlifting has really taken me to the next level.

What are your stats?

I weighed around 120 pounds before I started lifting weights and now, I am at 135 pounds. I am 5’7” and have 25” waist, my hips are 37 1/2” and my bust is 37”.

What is your training schedule?

I train at the gym five days a week for about an hour and a half each day. This journey has really built up my confidence and given me the body that I always dreamed of having.

Tell us about the Muscle & Fitness Hers Magazine Competition.

I’m doing a competition for a magazine called Muscle & Fitness Hers. I am competing to be on the cover of a printed edition of the magazine and win $20,000. I decided to do this competition because it’s something that’s totally out of my comfort zone and I want to challenge myself. I feel like putting myself in these kinds of situations to help me grow as a person.

Competing in this contest for Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine is a cool experience that will hopefully open the door to other opportunities in this field. I would like to get into fitness modeling in the future, so this would be a great start to that possibly unfolding.

Why do you want to win the competition?

Being a single mom can be very challenging on its own with my career and trying to find the time to work out on a consistent basis.

I am very proud of the healthy lifestyle and discipline I have created for myself. I want to win this competition so I can prove to myself and my daughter that I am able to do anything that I set my mind to.

Please vote for me and follow my Instagram. I appreciate everyone’s support so much thank you!

411: https://mshealthandfit.com/2024/kenzie-caldwell

Instagram: @kenziecaldwell_ [don’t forget the underscore]

Das Williams, Steve Lavagnino, Houghton Hyatt, and Kirsten Ayars (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Kenzie Caldwell competition photo in Alphalete Athletics (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Kenzie Caldwell going for the gold win (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Great Kitchens Don’t Just Happen . . .

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Upstairs at 6351/2 N. Milpas at Ortega • 962-3228

Jamie Knee, Sommelier (305)725-3639 Jamieknee@petitewinetraveler.com

Foraging Thyme

Turmeric Root

by Melissa Petitto

TJOIN US

urmeric root has a short season and Her Produce has some beautiful turmeric showcased at the farmers market right now! Run don’t walk to get some of the most effective nutritional supplement in existence. The main component or active ingredient in turmeric that has medicinal benefits is curcumin, and it has had its time in the spotlight. This bright yellow spice gives curry its color, and has been used in India as both a spice and medicinal herb for thousands of years. Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory and a strong antioxidant. Most studies show that when combined with black pepper and eaten with a meal high in fat (because it’s fat soluble), the absorption rate of the turmeric is greatly increased, as is its bioavailability. Its ability to fight inflammation is one of the main reasons that this spice has been so widely studied and discussed. Curcumin is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to neutralize the free radicals that damage our cells, quite a powerful root indeed. Another incredible study on turmeric has shown that curcumin can boost a process called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This factor plays a role in learning and memory, and is linked to brain disorders such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin has been shown to increase brain levels of BDNF, and in so doing delay or even reverse brain diseases and other age-related decreases in brain function. This mighty little root has also been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, help prevent certain cancers, aid in certain types of inflammatory arthritis, and shows great benefits for longevity. Let’s take this powerful root to the kitchen and make an anti-inflammatory drink.

Fresh Turmeric Tonic

Yield: 2 Servings

2 tablespoons fresh turmeric root, peeled and grated

3 teaspoons fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

1 each carrot, washed and chopped

1 each lemon, juiced

1 each orange, juiced

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups coconut water

2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a high powdered blender. Blend until smooth and well combined.

2. Serve immediately.

The almighty turmeric root (photo by Simon A. Eugster via Wikimedia Commons)

Melissa Petitto, R.D., is an executive chef and co-founder at Thymeless My Chef SB, was a celebrity personal chef for 16 years, just finished her 10th cookbook, and is an expert on nutrition and wellness.

Dana Mazzetti, Rochelle Mirabello, Don Gragg, Teresa Kuskey, Joel and Jamie Knee, and Mindy Denson (photo

Boheme dance troupe, hosted their fourth annual Run for the Roses bash, celebrating the 150th Kentucky Derby.

Known as the Greatest Two Minutes in Sport, the Churchill Downs, Louisville, race with 20 runners, boasts the biggest purse – $5 million – of the three thoroughbred races in the Triple Crown, with the winner getting $3.1 million.

It was won by Mystik Dan with odds of 18-1 in a fantastic photo finish in front of a crowd of 150,000 people.

More than 240 guests – noshing on clubhouse fare and quaffing traditional mint juleps – watched the big event on giant TV screens, including Lisa Osborn , Kostis Protopapas , Robert Adams , Kacey Drescher , Donna Reeves , Chris and Mindy Denson , James and Erin Graffy de Garcia, club manager David Sigman , ubiquitous KEYT reporter John Palminteri, and Fritz and Gretchen Olenberger.

The main house features more than 5,300 square feet on two levels. There is also a detached three car garage with a recreation room below.

Parceling It Out

An impressive Mediterranean-style estate is wholly back on the market following steps to sell it off piecemeal.

The sprawling Carpinteria property, dubbed The Sanctuary on Loon Point, was custom built for financier Bruce Kovner on 22 secluded acres, comprising two homes with an initial price of $160 million.

One of the homes was listed last spring for $55 million but included five acres only.

It has now returned on a larger scale offering 12 acres across three parcels and seeks a buyer willing to pay the current $75 million asking price.

Kovner, 79, spent 14 years assembling the impressive compound, acquiring neighboring plots to complete his grand vision.

There are five bedrooms and nine bathrooms on 10,902 square feet.

Kovner is worth $7.7 billion, according to Forbes.

Polo de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo took on a whole new complexion when the Santa Barbara Polo

and Racquet Club launched its 113th season with the 12-goal Lucid Motors Pope Challenge, a hotly-contested match between Antelope – led by Grant Palmer, whose father Geoff is a L.A. real estate tycoon – and Budweiser beer heir Andy Busch’s Folded Hills team, with Andy’s team narrowly winning 11-10.

Under sunny blue skies, the stands and field-side cabanas were full as the exquisitely groomed ponies and their dashing teams showed off their talents.

“It couldn’t have been a better kickoff,” enthused club manager David Sigman “Perfect polo and perfect weather!”

And with Montecito resident Prince Harry signing on for a polo documentary on Netflix, how long before the Duke of Sussex graces the hallowed Holden Field – named after the late Glen Holden, one of the club’s founders and former U.S. ambassador to Jamaica – in order to film content for his project?

Stay tuned....

Achievement Over Lunch

The Association for Women in Communication Santa Barbara hosted its 16th annual Women of Achievement awards lunch at the Cabrillo Pavilion Miscellany Page 334

Entertainment was provided by the Out of the Blue band.

A blooming good bash...

House on Market

Tech mogul Eric Schmidt, who owns Montecito’s sprawling Solana estate, the former home of Bill and Sandi Nicholson, has put his Bay Area compound on the market.

The three-acre property, created by combining three contiguous parcels in the tony township of Atherton, home to America’s priciest zip code for seven consecutive years, is asking $24.5 million. Schmidt, 69, and his philanthropist wife Wendy, 68, purchased the property, known as the Walsh estate, in 1990. They then added two more parcels of land and extensively remodeled the original main house, which was first constructed in 1968.

by Priscilla)

Danielle Plantec, Rosanna Jimeno, Tobey Ann Terry, Avi Reichental, and Cindy Dustman (photo by Priscilla)

Celebrating “Kentucky Derby Day” with “Out of the Blue” and hosts Teresa Kuskey and Rick Oshay (photo by Priscilla)

Frank Smith, David Sigman, and Marco Leone (photo by Priscilla)

Winning Team Players: Juan Curbelo, Will Busch with father Andy Busch, Santi Wulff, and Sy Zahedi (photo by Priscilla)

Robert’s Big Questions

Japan First Impressions?

by Robert Bernstein

Merlie and I have just returned from three weeks in Japan.

Very fortunate to catch the cherry blossoms. It is risky to offer impressions after such brief exposure, but I will try.

Many things are exactly as you would expect. Things are orderly. There is no trash or graffiti. People are extremely polite.

But guess where bicyclists ride in Japan? Anywhere they want to. With or against traffic. Even on busy streets. Or on crowded, narrow sidewalks. We never saw anyone get upset and never saw a collision. Quite a contrast with all of the wailing about bikes on State Street here.

Most still pedal under human power. Rain was no problem. Some rode with umbrellas. Others had a unique raincoat covering themselves and the bike. Women and men both rode equally. It was common to see a mother or father riding with one or two children on the bike.

Even during peak commute hours, we did not see traffic jams. Most vehicles are buses, taxis or delivery vehicles, not private cars. Cars are not for status. If you buy a car, it must have its own storage space. Public roads are not for private car storage. Motorists ALWAYS use their turn signals. And yield patiently to pedestrians and bicyclists.

Public transit is very efficient and convenient. Bullet trains are actually faster than flying, door to door. First introduced in Japan in 1964, they have no equivalent in the U.S. At 170 MPH you hardly know you are moving. Despite high population density, much of Japan remains natural or agricultural, due to transit-oriented development. Public restrooms are abundant and clean. With fancy toilets that clean your butt with warm water. Paper towels and trash cans are rare.

Japanese have one thing in common with Americans: Almost all are monolingual! But Americans can speak to 1.5 billion English speakers. Japanese can only speak to about 120 million Japanese. From 1639-1853, Japan was shut off from the world. In some ways they still are. Religion in Japan has no real U.S. equivalent: 70% identify as Buddhist; 67% as Shinto. Yes, many identify as both. About 1.5% identify as Christian. But 62% will say they believe in no religion. Religion is more about ritual than belief. Shinto for birth and marriage; Buddhism for death. We met Sumo wrestlers who were part of Shinto tradition. The

Buddha wanted no images of him and no worship. “Pure Land Buddhism” is popular in Japan. They pray to Buddha statues and hope to be reincarnated in a “Pure Land” of easier Buddhist enlightenment.

We also spent time with a Zen monk. He said that most religion is about fear of death. He said you should not fear death. Because you never really were born. My December 2021 Montecito Journal article “Wrong but Interesting?” explains this.

Geishas have no American equivalent. We met some, who explained they provide conversation and entertainment, not sex.

Unlike in Santa Barbara, we never saw a dog off leash. Nor did we ever see a dog on transit, in a store or restaurant. Some restaurants still allow smoking, but most of Japan is smoke free.

Most Japanese food there is surprisingly similar to Japanese food here. But served with wonderful, pickled appetizers. But there are local inventions like Osaka octopus balls (takoyaki). Apparently, octopus is very abundant in Japan. Hiroshima had a unique pancake stack of fatty pork and cabbage (okonomiyaki).

In Hiroshima we met with Sadae Kasaoka, a remarkable survivor of the U.S. atomic bombing. She was lucky to be in a sheltered location at the time of the bombing, but only bone fragments of her mother were found. She found her father charred black all over, yet still alive, begging for water. He died after two days of agony. The firebombing of Dresden may have burned as many people, but Hiroshima survivors were not told for years what had happened to them. They suffered mysterious diseases and were often shunned as a result.

Japanese people know little history of World War II, according to our Japanese guide “Katy.” Katy was a priceless resource for understanding so much that we found incomprehensible.

A good generalization: Japanese are about “we.” Americans are about “me.”

Your Westmont Commencement Offers Promise of Joy Everywhere

by Scott Craig, photos by Brad Elliott

The gray skies and light drizzle were no match for the warm hearts and sunny disposition of the 320 members of Westmont’s class of 2024 and their loved ones. The ceremony, replete with prayer and songs of thanksgiving, offered a stark contrast to other college graduations across the country that have been canceled or marred by violent protests over the Israel-Hamas war.

Graduating senior Eden Lawson encouraged his fellow graduates to buck the norms, choose an alternative path and live unexpectedly. “2024 is going to be an interesting year,” he said. “We’re launching out in a culture asking who can shout louder, and I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to whisper. We’ve learned countless perspectives and frameworks to prove to the world, but I think the most important thing we learned is that nothing suffices for having conversations with those who are different than us. Live unexpectedly.”

Fellow senior Rebecca Li said her Westmont education stretched her more than she could have anticipated. “When we walk at His pace, we find that we have time to sabbath, to play, to inhale and exhale,” she said. “But if we rely on

our might, our power, we miss out on witnessing the spirit break forth into the miraculous mundane.”

President Gayle D. Beebe presented the Westmont Medal to Palmer Jr. and Susan Jackson. Palmer encouraged the graduates to give back to their communities, as his family has beginning with his great grandfather, who moved to the area 100 years ago. Susan reflected on her connections to the college and joy in serving on the Westmont Foundation Board for more than a decade.

Rick Pointer, professor emeritus of history, asked the graduates what story they would tell of their time at Westmont – the story the Golden Warriors in attendance have been telling for 50 years since their graduation. “How we choose to remember and recite the defining or pivotal seasons or moments of our lives, goes a long way to shaping our sense of ourselves and the world,” he said.

Pointer told a bit of his story, retiring after 26 years of teaching at Westmont during the pandemic and then suffering a long-term liver disease that required a life-saving transplant. “How I narrate that dramatic, traumatic period of my life, and the meaning I ascribe to it, are crucial elements in how I now think of myself and my place in this world, and even more broadly, how I view reality,” he said.

Robert Bernstein holds degrees from Physics departments of MIT and UCSB. His passion to understand the Big Questions of life, the universe and to be a good citizen of the planet. Visit facebook. com/questionbig

He suggested the graduates consider the narrative of gratitude and grace. “It is a tale of an unfolding journey in which the pilgrim, you and I, discovered that grace is everywhere,” he said. “Each new day of one’s life, however many days that might be, comes to be seen and portrayed as a gift of grace. Nothing has been done to merit it. It simply comes as a good gift from the giver of life.”

Quoting from contemporary writer Brian Doyle, Pointer said, “Grace lives. It brings us to joy. And what, as we age, do we cherish more than joy? Pleasure, power, fame, lust, money? They eventu-

Palmer Jr. and Susan Jackson

Eden Lawson

ally lose their fastballs, or should. At our best and our wisest, we just want joy. And when we’re filled with grace, we see rich, thick joy in the simplest of things. Joy everywhere.”

Edee Schulze, who retires this year as vice president for student life, presented the Dean’s Award to Logan Thompson and Anneline Breytenbach, given to the outstanding male and female graduates who have demonstrated excellence in the classroom, have made superior contributions to an intercollegiate athletic team, and have demonstrated a deep faith in Christ.

Zach Hauw won the Dave Dolan Award, which recognizes the outstanding graduate whose campus leadership has made significant contributions in our awareness and response to the social and spiritual needs of the community, the nation and the world.

Alex Armstrong and Eden Lawson won Kenneth Monroe Awards, given to the outstanding male and female graduates who have demonstrated superior academic achievement in the classroom, excelled as leaders on campus, and shaped other students’ lives through their integrity, character, and faithfulness.

Breytenback, Hauw, and Katherine Knapp were honored as First Seniors for achieving perfect 4.0 GPAs during their entire academic career at Westmont.

Provost Kimberly Battle-Walters Denu gave Teacher of the Year Awards to Anna Aboud (mathematics), Elizabeth Gardner (communication studies) and Jeff Schloss (biology).

Amanda Sparkman, professor of biology, earned the Faculty Research Award for her ongoing investigation of the evolution of dwarfism in Channel Islands National Park reptiles.

About 50 Golden Warriors, who graduated in 1974, marched in the procession to celebrate their 50th reunion.

In his charge, Beebe recalled how the graduates began their Westmont education in the thick of the COVID pandemic, which forced classes to be held online for the first month of the semester. “But your perseverance has paid off,” he said. Beebe encouraged the graduating class to be aspirational and serve purposes greater than themselves, anchoring their lives to God. He emphasized the importance of strengthening spiritual

and intellectual capacities to make a positive impact in the world. “My hope for you is that the challenges that have come to you, and the challenges that are sure to come in the years that lie ahead, will not destroy you, but will direct you to the purposes for which God has prepared and equipped you,” he said.

‘TBH’: Exhibit Shines Light on Local Talent

The exceptional talent of local artists will be on full display at the Westmont RidleyTree Museum of Art for its annual TriCounty Juried Exhibition from May 16 to June 15. An opening reception for “[TBH]... To Be Honest,” featuring this year’s juror Walter Maciel, a Los Angeles gallerist, is May 16 from 4-6 pm. Maciel will announce his award winners at 5:15 pm.

Maciel, who owns Walter Maciel Gallery in Culver City, reviewed more than 400 submissions from 176 local artists, selecting 45 works by 43 artists for the exhibition.

The exhibition features many familiar names from the local art scene, including Westmont alumnus and former art instructor Pecos Pryor (’10), and includes painting, collage, printmaking, sculpture, watercolor, photography, and ceramic.

Maciel directed two art galleries in San Francisco for 14 years before moving to Southern California to open his own gallery in 2006. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major in art history and studio art. He is well-known for showing art that is edgy, youthful, creative, and not always traditional. All the pieces in “TBH” are for sale, with 30 percent benefiting the museum.

The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and 11 am to 5 pm on Saturdays. It’s closed Sundays and college holidays. For more information, please visit westmont.edu/ museum or contact the museum at (805) 565-6162.

Rick Pointer

Eden Lawson, Alex Armstrong, Zach Hauw, Logan Thompson, Anneline Breytenbach, and Katherine Knapp

Nina Warner’s painting Shot House, Kharkiv, 2022

Pecos Pryor’s Some of a Million

Scott Craig is manager of media relations at Westmont College

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Bids open at 2:00 PM on Thursday, May 30, 2024 for:

SANTA CLAUS LANE STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT - PHASE 1 FROM PADARO LANE TO SAND POINT ROAD IN THE 1ST SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT

COUNTY PROJECT No. 720783

General project work description: Road Improvements and Reconstruction. Streetscape, Retaining Walls, and Multipurpose Path

The Plans, Specifications, and Bid Book are available at https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=43874

The Contractor must have either a Class A license or any combination of the following Class C licenses which constitutes a majority of the work: C-8, C-12, C-13, C-31, C-50, C-51

Submit sealed bids to the web address below. Bids will be opened available at the web address below immediately following the submittal deadline.

PlanetBids

https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=43874

Complete the project work within 300 Workings Days

The estimated cost of the project is $ 8,660,000

An optional pre-bid meeting is scheduled for this project on Monday, May 20, 2024, at 10:00 AM near 3825 Santa Claus Lane, near intersection with Spindrift Lane This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).

A contractor or subcontractor shall not be qualified to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, subject to the requirements of PCC Section 4104, or engage in the performance of any contract for public work, as defined in this chapter, unless currently registered and qualified to perform public work pursuant to Labor Code (LAB) Section 1725.5. It is not a violation of this section for an unregistered contractor to submit a bid that is authorized by Business and Professions Code (BPC) Section 7029.1 or by PCC Section 10164 or 20103.5 provided the contractor is registered to perform public work pursuant to LAB Section 1725.5 at the time the contract is awarded.

Prevailing wages are required on this Contract. The Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations determines the general prevailing wage rates. Obtain the wage rates at the DIR website https://www.dir.ca.gov/

Inquiries or questions based on alleged patent ambiguity of the plans, specifications, or estimate must be submitted as a bidder inquiry by 2:00 PM on 05/24/2024. Submittals after this date will not be addressed. Questions pertaining to this Project prior to Award of the Contract must be submitted via PlanetBids Q&A tab.

Bidders (Plan Holders of Record) will be notified by electronic mail if addendums are issued. The addendums, if issued, will only be available on the County PlanetBids website, https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=43874

By order of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara this project was authorized to be advertised on 06/04/2019

Christopher Sneddon Director of Public Works

Published May 1 and 8, 2024 Montecito Journal

PUBLIC NOTICE

Invitation to Bid No. 2024-001

Simulcast Land Mobile Radio System Upgrade

The Montecito Fire Protection District hereby invites the submission of sealed bids for:

ITB# 2024-001 – Simulcast Land Mobile Radio System Upgrade

Bid Opening – Monday June 17, 2024 at 2:15 p m in the conference room at Montecito Fire Station 91, 595 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara.

ITB documents may be viewed on the Montecito Fire Protection District (MFPD) website at www.montecitofire.com or a copy may be secured from MFPD at 595 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara CA between the hours of 8:00 a m and 5:00 p m , Monday through Friday. Responses must be sealed, clearly marked “MFPD Simulcast LMR System Upgrade – Contractor Bid” and returned to:

Montecito Fire Protection District

Attn: Travis Ederer, Division Chief Operations 595 San Ysidro Road Santa Barbara, CA 93108

Bids will be accepted until 2:00 p m June 17, 2024. Bids received after this time will be returned unopened. Faxed bids will not be accepted.

Published May 1 and 8, 2024 Montecito Journal

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF THE

DRAFT NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE PROPOSED Goerner New Single-family Dwelling, Detached Guesthouse, Grading, and Retaining Walls, Case Nos 08DVP-00000-00022 and 09CUP-00000-00007

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: John and Marcia Goerner, Owners, propose to construct a new single-family dwelling, attached garage, guest house, retaining walls, swimming pool, and improvements to an existing driveway on a vacant lot in Montecito.

PROJECT LOCATION: The project site is a 40-acre parcel located in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, on property commonly known as 1017 Hot Springs Road, APN 011-010-008, in the Montecito Community Plan area, 1st Supervisorial District.

PUBLIC COMMENT: The County of Santa Barbara Planning and Development Department (P&D) is soliciting comments on the adequacy and completeness of 24NGD-00003 You may comment by submitting written or oral comments to the project planner identified below prior to the close of public comment on June 7th, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Due to the non-complex nature of the project, a separate environmental hearing will not be held.

PROJECT DETAILS: The proposed project is for the development of a new one-story single-family dwelling (SFD) of 4,267 square feet (SF), an attached garage of 1,842 SF, a detached guest house of 655 SF, and a swimming pool on a vacant lot, APN 011-010-008. In addition to the structural development proposed on the subject lot, the project includes driveway/access improvements that traverse APNs 011-020-041, 011-030-036, 011-010-015, and 011-030-043, and reconstruction of a portion of a public trail easement known as the Hot Springs Trail. The work on the existing approximately 4,000-foot long driveway will involve the construction of approximately 2,800 linear feet of retaining walls ranging in height from 4 feet to 16 feet, widening, paving, the use of caissons and grade beams, and replacement of an existing Arizona crossing with an 80-foot-long free span bridge over Hot Springs Creek. Grading quantities associated with bridge construction, driveway improvements, and site work for the SFD and accessory structures will total 5,450 cubic yards of cut and 3,500 cubic yards of fill, with 1,950 cubic yards of export. Two coast live oak trees and eight sycamore trees are proposed for removal. In order to replace the trees proposed for removal and/or significantly impacted trees, the Applicant has proposed planting of 22 coast live oaks and 24 sycamores in 15-gallon stock. The parcel will be served by a private well, private septic system, and the Montecito Fire Protection District. The property is a 40-acre parcel zoned RMZ-40, located at 1017 Hot Springs Road in the Montecito Community Plan area, First Supervisorial District.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FINDINGS: P&D has prepared a Draft Negative Declaration (ND), 24NGD00003, pursuant to Section 15073 of the State Guidelines for the Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the County of Santa Barbara Guidelines for the Implementation of CEQA. P&D’s issuance of a ND affirms our opinion that any significant adverse impacts associated with the proposed project may be reduced to a less than significant level with the adoption of mitigation measures and that the project does not require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The ND prepared for the project identifies and discusses potential impacts, mitigation measures, residual impacts and monitoring requirements for identified subject areas. Significant but mitigable effects on the environment are anticipated in the following areas:

• Aesthetics / Visual Resources

• Biological Resources

• Cultural Resources

• Fire Protection

• Geological Processes

• Hazardous Materials / Risk of Upset

• Land Use

• Noise

• Recreation

• Transportation / Circulation

• Water Resources / Flooding

If the project description changes, P&D will require a reevaluation to consider the changes. This reevaluation will be subject to all regular fees and conditions. If you challenge this environmental document in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues raised by you or others in written correspondence or in hearings on the proposed project.

DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY: If a copy of the draft ND is not attached, the draft ND may be obtained and all documents incorporated by reference in the ND may be reviewed at P&D offices located at 123 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara and on the P&D website at [INSERT website address/link]. Draft documents are also available for review at the Santa Barbara Public Library, 40 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, and the UCSB Library, 525 UCEN Rd, Isla Vista, CA 93106.

HOW TO COMMENT: Please provide comments to the project planner, Veronica King, at 123 E. Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, kingv@countyofsb.org, (805)568-2513, prior to the close of public comment on June 7th, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Please limit comments to environmental issues such as traffic, biology, noise, etc. You will receive notice of the dates of future public hearings to consider project approval or denial.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in the hearing, please contact Hearing Support Staff (805) 568-2000. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the hearing will enable Hearing Support Staff to make reasonable arrangements.

Published May 8, 2024 Montecito Journal

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 805 Tree Care Co, 169 N. Kellogg Ave Apt B, Santa Barbara, CA, 93111. Omar Lopez Barrera, 169 N. Kellogg Ave Apt B, Santa Barbara, CA, 93111. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 9, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0000911.

Published May 1, 8, 15, 22, 2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GINATOMLIN.COM; Gina Tomlin Psychic Services, 333 Conejo Rd., Santa Barbara, CA, 93103. Regina Tomlinson Perry, 333 Conejo Rd., Santa Barbara, CA, 93103. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on March 12, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0000629. Published April 24, May 1, 8, 15, 2024

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: CASE No. 24CV00651. To all interested parties: Petitioner Keyana Lenox filed a petition with Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara, for a decree changing name from Nahla Arie Ndah to Nahla Arie Lenox Ndah. The Court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the peti-

tion for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Filed April 8, 2024 by Terri Chavez. Hearing date: June 12, 2024 at 10 am in Dept. 3, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Published April 24, May 1, 8, 15, 2024.

“It’s going to really challenge our dancers to move in more contemporary ways than they’ve ever done before,” said Cecily MacDougall, State Street’s Executive Director, and Founder/Director of its Library Dances educational outreach program. “It’s an evening of dynamic contemporary style dance mixed with some really poignant moments.”

MacDougall said she caught an early rehearsal of one of the pieces back in March and was impressed with what she saw.

“The dancers are really going for broke. It’s the kind of dancing you’ve never seen from our company before. Audiences are going to be on the edge of their seats all night.”

Observers of Saturday night’s show can get a little more insight into the movement choices, as choreographers Martins, Zackery, and Powell will participate in a discussion about the making of their world-premiere pieces following the performance. Visit www.lobero.org/ events/ssb-23-24-other-voices or www. statestreetballet.com.

Dance Dimensions: Bounce Back

Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie is an award-winning, New York-based hiphop “b-girl” with extensive training in ballet and modern dance. Rooted in African American and Latinx street and club dances, her dance company returns to town with her latest exploration of the inherent complexities of the dance forms. Ephrat Asherie Dance‘s latest work ODEON brings together and remixes such styles as breaking, hip hop, house and vogue, set to a mix of early 20th century romantic music and popular AfroBrazilian rhythms, as Bounce continues to investigate the expansive narrative qualities of various vernacular forms as a means to tell stories, develop innovative imagery, and find new modes of expression.

The New York Times, Asherie’s hometown newspaper of record, has called

Ephrat Asherie Dance “Bold, miraculous (and) spellbinding.” Be mesmerized by the multi-rhythmic high-energy ODEON at UCSB’s Campbell Hall on Wednesday, May 15; or get even more up close and personal with Bounce and street dance when Ephrat Asherie Dance conducts a free community dance class featuring both movement and discussion at Carrillo Ballroom downtown on May 13. Visit https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events.

Art & Wine Tour Goes SoCa

After focusing on galleries and food purveyors above the 1000 block of State Street in last year’s Downtown Santa Barbara LIVE Art & Wine Tour, the super popular springtime sampling soirée saunters for several blocks south of Carrillo for the May 16 event. The curated tour of museums, other art spots and sundry various venues boasting live art experiences also caters to culinary indulgence, as each stop provides food, wine and drinks before winding up with an even more extensive post-party with still more of everything. This year’s venues include 33 Jewels, Jeff Shelton Architect, ARM Studio, Sunkissed Pantry, Paseo Nuevo, Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB), Longoria Wines and The Shade Store. The Santa Barbara Historical Museum, currently showing its Solstice at 50 exhibit, will host both the check-in and Final Party. Look for local delectables and specialty drinks on offer from more than 30 restaurants, wineries and breweries, a silent auction, and lots of room for outdoor dancing to DJ sets from Val Mar Records, all under the stars in the SB Historical Museum’s courtyard

The LIVE Art & Wine Tour is the Downtown Organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year, with proceeds going to its Downtown Public Art, Activations and Events Fund that helps support programs such as Pianos on State, 1st Thursday, Concerts on State Street and more. Visit www.downtownsb.org/ events/art-and-wine-tour for tickets and information.

honoring four outstanding educators.

The 155 guests were welcomed by co-chairs Brooke Holland and Judith Smith-Meyer with honorees including Katya Armistead, an assistant vice chancellor and Dean of Student life at UCSB; Yolanda Medina-Garcia, who has just retired after 25 years as Parent Education Instructor and director of the noted Starr-King ParentChild Workshop; Dr. Susan Salcido, Santa Barbara County’s Superintendent of Schools since 2017, overseeing 200 programs serving 70,000 children and youth countywide, and Wendy Sims-Moten, Executive Director of First 5 Santa Barbara County.

Hilary Lyn, local president, presented the awards.

Ubiquitous KLITE radio host Catherine Remak , a 2009 honoree, emceed the boffo bash, with guests

including Marianne Partridge, Darla Bea, Mayor Randy Rowse, Lisa Osborn, Perie Longo, Ana Papakhian, KEYT anchor Beth Farnsworth , Kathryn Martin , Jennifer LeMay , Starshine Roshell, Joan Tapper, Monie de Wit, Laura Capps, and Teresa Kuskey.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Jonathan Fox, who retired as artistic director of the Ensemble Theatre Company in June after 17 years at the helm when it moved from the rustic Alhecama Theater to the New Vic, was lauded for his work at a 76-guest dinner thrown by Santa Barbara’s Jewish Foundation at the historic Santa Barbara Club.

Cyndi Silverman, board and event chair, presented Jonathan with a crystal engraved trophy, a very timely accolade as he is

Miscellany Page 344

Steven Libowitz has covered a plethora of topics for the Journal since 1997, and now leads our extensive arts and entertainment coverage

Celebrated playwright Barbara Gural and husband

Mark Harris with their family (photo by Priscilla)

Association for Women in Communication Santa Barbara President Hilary Lyn (photo by Priscilla)

Catherine Remak, Katya Armistead, Yolanda MedinaGarcia, Dr. Susan Salcido, and Wendy Sims-Moten (photo by Priscilla)

Cyndi Silverman presented the award to Jonathan Fox (photo by Priscilla)

Bounce along with Ephrat Asherie Dance’s ODEON

directing local playwright Barbara Gural’s two hour-long play Shpilkes, a Yiddish phrase akin to “ants in your pants” about two sisters who reconnect in New York.

Just 24 hours later the dinner guests gathered at the Music Academy’s Hahn Hall for a reading of the work.

Later this year Jonathan is directing the Neil Simon play Lost in Yonkers at City College’s Garvin Theatre, which won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Among the supporters turning out were Robert Lurie, Alicia Sedwick, Michael Bello, Michael Holland, Jenny Sullivan, Greg Roper, and Brian Steinwurtzel

A Powerful Brunch

What a difference a year makes!

When MOXI: The Wolf Museum of Exploration and Innovation hosted its 6th annual Power of MOXI spring brunch in 2023, the event had to be moved inside because of the frigid weather. Last week the fun fête, co-chaired by Amber Kaplan and Angie McGrath, couldn’t have been more perfect with blue skies and abundant sunshine as MOXI president and CEO Robin M.Gose and Donna Barranco Fisher introduced an impact video.

Among the supporters along raising around $65,000 were Graham Bell, Marcia Cohen, Lucy and Mary Firestone, Earl Minnis, Alixe Mattingly, Mayor Randy Rowse, Ambia Clark, Alison Turner, and Angie Bertucci

A Shining Night

Santa Barbara Historical Museum’s latest exhibition celebrates half a century of Summer Solstice, the colorful and creative annual parade on State Street.

The event started in 1974 when mime and artist Michael Gonzales celebrated his birthday with friends on the town’s main thoroughfare.

Fifty years later nearly 100,000 people line the street to experience something akin to the Doo Dah Parade meets Carnaval in Rio meets Santa Barbara.

This year’s parade is on June 22, starting at Santa Barbara and Ortega streets, with the theme Flights of Fancy.

More than 200 fans turned out for the exhibition’s opening night, and were greeted by myriad annual posters, photos by local photographer Nell Campbell who moved to our Eden by the Beach in 1969 and snapped the parade through the ‘70s and ‘90s, and giant colorful figures of a dragon and the sun in the museum’s courtyard and guarding the entrance.

The exhibition runs through June 28.

Pulsing music was provided by the four-piece band the Zydeco Zippers.

Taking a Gander of the Stage

After 9/11 the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, with a population of 10,000 residents, was overrun with nearly 7,000 stranded passengers after the FAA shut down airspace nationwide, forcing all planes to land at nearby airports.

A total of 38 planes, carrying 6,579 passengers and crew, landed in Gander as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon,

remaining on the aircraft for five hours before deplaning.

Only after five days, enjoying the bountiful hospitality of the Canadian town, were the passengers finally allowed to depart.

Cultures clashed, nerves ran high; but uneasiness turned into trust, music played into the night, and gratitude turned into enduring friendships.

Written by Tony nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, directed by Tony-winning Best Director Christopher Ashley, the American Theatre Guild’s one hour, 40-minute production of Come From Away at the Granada was directed by Daniel Goldstein with music by Richard J. Hinds, based on the original Broadway direction and choreography when the show opened on the Great White Way in 2017, becoming the longest running Canadian musical in Broadway history.

The show has great charm, showing how people even in the worst of times can come together through adversity.

May Day Revelry

Santa Barbara Revels, under founder Susan Keller, held its 16th annual May Day Celebration at the Paseo Nuevo.

Mica Basilici, the tony troupe’s song leader, taught fascinated members of the public spring-themed songs, while the Revels dancer leader Helen Pasley taught “Sellinger’s Round,” a May Day circle dance dating from 1670.

The dancers also performed “The Physical Snob” and “Prince William,” traditional English country dances.

Special guest musicians included Josh Jenkins on guitar and Devynn Quarles on fiddle, as well as members of the Santa Barbara Pipe and Drum Corps.

The day culminated in the traditional Maypole ritual – two circles of participants walking in opposite directions around the pole, holding colorful ribbon streamers and weaving intricate pattens as they moved to the inside and the outside of each other.

The result was magical!

The Power of MOXI event committee (photo by J North Productions)

Event co-chair Angie McGrath, MOXI CEO Robin Gose, event Co-Chair Amber Kaplan (photo by J North Productions)

The Brasscals invited people into the Solstice event with their raucous performance (photo by Priscilla)

Justin Gunn, Lisa Thomas, Robin Elander, Dacia Harwood, Meighann Helene, David Hefferman, and Penny Little (photo by Priscilla)

Come From Away hits the bullseye (photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

A Blooming Bash

Riviera Ridge School’s floral-themed annual gala truly bloomed, with more than 250 guests at the Rosewood Miramar more than surpassing its $200,000 fund raising goal.

May Day Circle

Pole

“I’m heading off to play a part in the third installment of the Tron story,” Jeff explained, after starring in the 1982 original.

The new film will feature Jared Leto as the title character Ares with Joachim Rønning directing from a script by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne

Invictus Games Turns Ten

Judge Not, Lest Ye Be Judged

Devout Christian Chynna Phillips has opened up about her past – admitting she previously “experimented” with her sexuality, was a “teenage klepto,” did drugs and “danced topless” on tables.

The former musician, 56, converted to Christianity in 2022 and has been dedicated to the religion since then, posting weekly faith-based videos to her YouTube channel.

Live auction item included a week at an Italian villa, a stunning painting by Jill Vaccaro, and school-oriented perks, including VIP parking and a youngster becoming Head of School for the Day.

A new community video honoring the school’s ideology of “Small Steps to Big Futures” was shown.

Later in the night guests danced the night away to DJ Gavin Roy

Flynn-ing in for Another Round

Montecito actor Jeff Bridges, 73, is poised to reprise his role in Tron: Ares, making his third appearance in Disney’s sci-fi series.

The Oscar-winner has been candid about his cancer and revealed his new role on the Film Comment podcast.

With lush floral centerpieces adorning each table in the Chandelier Room, and whimsical six-foot tall papier mâché filling the space, the Spirit Blooms bash was led by Katrina Sprague and Mari Eickmeier, and co-chairs Ivana Firestone, Analise Maggio, Alexandra Ramirez, with ubiquitous emcee Andrew Firestone

Stewart Shining, Lillian Hahn

Shining, Ben Sprague, event co-chair Analise

Maggio, Belle Hahn, Richard Scibird (courtesy photo)

Prince Harry, 39, is returning to London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.

The Riven Rock resident, who founded the annual military event for veterans, is scheduled to attend a service of thanksgiving and give a reading with actor Damian Lewis at St. Paul’s Cathedral, according to the BBC. Meghan Markle will not be attending.

It isn’t known if the Duke of Sussex will be spending any of his time with his father, King Charles, or his brother The Prince of Wales, on his first visit back to the U.K. since flying to see the monarch after his cancer diagnosis in February.

After London, Harry and Meghan will jet off to Nigeria as guests of the government, where they will meet with military personnel and take part in a number of cultural activities.

Meghan is 43% Nigerian.

Money Matters

Former Monty Python cast member John Cleese, 84, has delighted global audiences for more than 60 years, but his financial fortunes have been a box office flop.

Cleese, a former Montecito resident, is reportedly worth about $11 million, but he admits that if it weren’t for a succession of costly divorces, his fortune could have been even better.

It is believed Cleese has spent in excess of $35 million on break-ups from ex-wives.

“I never understand money and I don’t find it interesting, which is a real disadvantage in the world we live in,” he told a U.K. TV show.

“I advise anybody who is a bit vague about it to become less vague because it has cost me a lot. I never knew how many millions I had. I remember in America somebody asked me where my investments were and I said, ‘I have no idea at all.’”

Last summer Cleese admitted he was still paying off his $20 million-plus divorce from his third wife Alyce FayeEichelberger , a psychotherapist and author, 15 years after they split.

He now lives on the Caribbean island of Nevis with his fourth wife, Jennifer Wade, with whom he tied the knot in Mustique in the Grenadines in 2021.

In her most recent clip, she spoke about the previous “sins” that she committed before turning to Jesus.

“People always say to me ‘Chynna you’re so non-judgmental.’ The reason I don’t judge is because I’ve done everything, she admits.

“Am I proud of it? No, I’m not proud of it. And I reckon you’re not proud of (your sins) either.”

Doing Good Business

Eight standout organizations and individuals will be honored during the 2024 South Coast Business & Technology Awards ceremony on June 11 at the Hilton.

The annual awards recognize innovation, leadership, and success in the area’s business and technology sectors. Net proceeds from the event will benefit the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.

This year’s honorees include Zohar Ziv (Pioneer Award), Noozhawk (Excellence in Service), Jackie Carrera of the Santa Barbara Foundation (Executive of the Year), Tecolote Research (Company the Year), Andrew Firestone and Jess Parker of StonePark Capital (Entrepreneurs of the Year), and Pearly and Rabbit (Rising Stars).

Sightings

Kevin Costner and daughter Grace , 13, shopping at K. Frank... Ellen DeGeneres in her Ferrari Roma on CVR... Former tennis ace Jimmy Connors noshing at Lucky’s.

Pip! Pip!

From musings on the Royals to celebrity real estate deals, Richard Mineards is our man on the society scene and has been for more than 15 years

Dance taught by Helen Pasley to the attending spectators (photo by Priscilla)

Pipers Clear Water Whitehead and Twila Goodrick from the Santa Barbara Pipe and Drum Corps (photo by Priscilla)

Mary Firestone, Lucy Firestone, with their cousin and Emcee Andrew Firestone and event

co-chair Ivana Firestone (courtesy photo)

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Calendar of Events

by Steven Libowitz

THURSDAY, MAY 9

The SS DPHS – Dos Pueblos High School is the last of the trio of the major public high schools to launch its spring musical, setting sail with Cole Porter’s classic from the 1930s, Anything Goes. The musical, whose title song had a sneak preview at the Granada last month, provides the usual fare of romance and comedy with the setting of a high-seas adventure. Love triangles, mistaken identities, and hilarious hijinks unfold against the backdrop of dazzling dance numbers and unforgettable tunes as part of the madcap antics aboard the S.S. American ocean liner bound from New York to London. The crew of characters include the charming yet impulsive Billy Crocker, the glamorous yet enigmatic Reno Sweeney, the lovable gangster Moonface Martin, and the sweet debutante Hope Harcourt, breaking bread and bumping up against each other as they navigate the seas of romance and adventure. Porter’s music and lyrics for the show gave rise to many later pop and jazz standards entries in the Great American Songbook, including “Anything Goes,” “You’re the Top,” “All Through the Night,” and “I Get a Kick Out of You.” Emily Libera directs.

WHEN: 7 pm May 9-11 & 16-18, plus 2 pm May 11

WHERE: D.P. High School’s Elings Performing Arts Center, 7266 Alameda Ave, Goleta

COST: $5-$25

INFO: (805) 968-2541 ext. 4670 or www.dptheatrecompany.org

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Brandishing the Blues – Santa Barbara Blues Society slathers a significant amount of swagger on top of its typical 12-bar/rhythm-and-blues performances in bringing powerhouse singer Nikki Hill – whose voice has been called a blend of seduction and

FRIDAY, MAY 10

SeaLegacy Savior Inspires with Images – They say a picture is worth a thousand words, which means award-winning and pioneering conservation photographer Cristina Mittermeier, who uses visual storytelling to advocate for the preservation of ecosystems and indigenous cultures worldwide, may have done more to heal the ocean that scientists and environmental writers with their stats and dire warnings. National Geographic photographer Mittermeier has dedicated her life to safeguarding the world’s oceans and inspiring millions to do the same. She has combined her degree in biochemical engineering and marine sciences with training in fine art photography to found the International League of Conservation Photographers – a global community of photographers and filmmakers whose mission is to drive conservation efforts through storytelling. Mittermeier co-founded SeaLegacy, a nonprofit that works at the intersection of art, science, and conservation to rewild the ocean. Born in Mexico, Mittermeier spends half the year living in Canada and the other half at sea aboard her research catamaran that gave the nonprofit its name. Mittermeier will share images and stories from her travels and explore how inextricably linked we are to that most sacred element – water – in an illustrated talk titled “Between Land and Sea: Saving Our Oceans to Save Ourselves”. The talk addresses the climate change related issues confronting seashore-adjacent societies – with an upbeat tone that parallels that of Mittermeier’s forthcoming book, Hope, which uses photographs to reflect her belief that “Hope is a choice we need to make every day”.

WHEN: 7 pm

WHERE: Campbell Hall

COST: $10-$50

INFO: (805) 893-3535 or https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Solstice Semi-centennial – With the 50th anniversary Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade & Festival just six weeks away, the preliminary events are kicking into high gear. May’s 1st Thursday saw the opening reception for Here Comes the Sun, the half-century milestone exhibition at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Full of giant puppets, posters throughout the years, recordings of oral history and more – the exhibition’s opening featured music from the longtime parade participant JT & the Zydeco Zippers and a full-sized inflatable dragon installation by Pali X-Mano in the courtyard. Tonight, Summer Solstice announces the winners of the Poster Art Contest at a Birthday Bash at Community Arts Workshop, with a ribbon cutting by Mayor Rowse, presentation of awards to the poster artists, a live auction of limited edition signed posters on canvas, music by Montecito-raised Joss Jaffe, and perennial parade DJ Darla Bea, plus cake and wine.

WHEN: 5-9 pm

WHERE: SBCAW, 631 Garden St.

COST: free

INFO: (805) 965-3396 or www.solsticeparade.com

smoldering energy that overlaps soulful, sensual, and bold vocal tones with powerful chrome-plated riffs and swagger. The “soul singing, bar rocking, roots revivalist” who has released several well-received albums garnered a Blues Music Association nomination in 2016, while her band adds an extra edge in guitarist Laura Chavez, who last year became the first woman ever to win Guitarist of the Year Blues Music Award of the Blues Foundation. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune was impressed enough to construct an imagined family tree for Hill, suggesting “If Tina Turner and Little Richard had a daughter and raised her with the help of uncles James Brown and Chuck Berry, she’d be like Nikki Hill.” For her SBBS debut, the organization has decided to balance things out by tapping the highly decorated veteran Ventura-based blues harmonica player R.J. Mischo to open the show with an acoustic set.

WHEN: 8 pm

WHERE: Carrillo Recreation Center, 100 E. Carrillo St. COST: $35 general, $45 VIP seating, $10 students INFO: (805) 668-6884 or www.sbblues.org

SUNDAY, MAY 12

Vocal ‘Visionaries’ Visit – The Choral Society’s season-closing concert, Visionaries Then & Now, is a reference to reputations of such important composers as Gabriel Fauré, Christopher Tin, and Ola Gjeilo who were, or are, in the vanguard of choral music of their time. The program includes Gjeilo’s “Dark Night of the Soul”, the work commissioned in 2010 by Gunilla Luboff in memory of her husband, choral legend Norman Luboff. The Choral Society – which is marking JoAnne Wasserman’s 30th year as Artistic Director and Conductor – performs the piece, which features a give-and-take between the choir and piano that pulsates with passion, with full orchestra and a soaring soprano solo by Elissa Johnston, who last sang with the ensemble in 2015. Johnston is also featured in Fauré’s “Requiem” along with baritone soloist Michal Dawson Connor sharing the spotlight for the work that has been described as haunting. Tenor Jimmer Bolden serves as soloist for the works by the young American composer Tin. WHEN: 3 pm

WHERE: Trinity Lutheran Church, 909 N. La Cumbre Rd. (Corner of Foothill)

COST: $10-$30

INFO: (805) 965-6577 or www.sbchoral.org

MONDAY, MAY 13

Sweet Judy still Singing – It’s almost shocking to realize that Judy Collins has been sharing her sublime, simply-delivered singing with audiences for more than

Flying in for Mother’s Day – Santa Barbara Centre for Aerial Dance offers a flight-bound tribute to the Mother archetype with an aerial dance production that features contemporary floor to air choreography on trapeze, aerial fabrics, lyra, and corde lisse; all set against a captivating soundtrack of strings and percussion. Rachna Hailey, Mariah Slechter, Lydia Lamberth, Kara Le, and Olivia Moore are the featured soloists, with additional aerial and floor work by Apprentice Youth Company members Rose Reece, Isadora Dektor, Alexandra Williams, Lydia Genuardi, Willa Burleson, and Nastya Piven. The piece is the latest creation from Ninette Paloma, the founder, director and choreographer of Santa Barbara Centre for Aerial Dance, the first aerial dance studio in town. The studio’s philosophy has led to the development of a thoughtfully defined movement language that weaves together ancient technique, contemporary dance, and emotional intention with equal reverence. VIP tickets include a post-performance tea, champagne and cake gala at Paloma’s ARM Studio across the street, where layered confections and sparkling libations will be served. WHEN: 3 pm

WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.

COST: $38 & $58 ($20 extra for VIP tickets which also include premier seating) INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.com

60 years, dating back to 1961’s A Maid of Constant Sorrow and its full complement of traditional folk songs. Six years later, her cover of Sides, Now” brought both of them a lot more prominence, with the single hitting Billboard Top 10 and earning Collins her first Grammy Award. Her take on the Ian & Sylvia country song “Someday Soon” arrived in 1968, and Collins continues to soar with such singles as Mitchell’s “Chelsea Morning” and Turn!” before her recording of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” sent her career to bigger and broader pastures. Mostly esteemed for her six decades of imaginative interpretations, her own poetically poignant original compositions have also earned accolades, Collins shows no signs of slowing down at age 85, as the modern-day Renaissance woman remains both a vital artist and social activ ist. Catch her again at the Lobero tonight.

WHEN: 7:30 pm

WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.

COST: $56-$86

INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.com

TUESDAY, MAY 14

Quinn the Everyman –I wanted to team this show starring comedian Quinn with last night’s Lobero concert by (Calling all Collins? Laughs and the lady?). But nothing quite clicked, even though you know Quinn would have found a way to link them back in his “Weekend Update” days. In any event, we’re pretty sure there won’t be pretty songs on the program tonight, just plenty of comedy from the former MTV’s Saturday Night Live cast member who has taken his stand-up stuff to Comedy Central, Broadway, Netflix (Colin Quinn: The New York Story Seinfeld), his own web series Cop Show (streaming on Colin’s YouTube channel) and even the publishing world with his 2020 book, Roast of the 50 States. Not to mention his multiple roles in movies over the years. Three thousand miles away from his New York home, where much of his material is based, Quinn comes to the town as the quintessential “comic’s comic,” at least according to such peers as Seinfeld, Tina Fey WHEN: 8 pm

WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. COST: $39 & $49 ($106 VIP tickets includes premier seating and a pre-show reception with drinks and hors d’oeuvres) INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.com

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MAY 11 & 12

Banzai Bonsai – Immerse yourself in the miniature world of bonsai this weekend when the Bonsai Club of Santa Barbara will hold its 47th annual show, sale, and demonstrations. Are you a young shrub in the art? Or maybe your bonsai brains are as old as the hobby itself – both the club and annual show provide a warm welcome to both the verdant and advanced bonsai enthusiasts.

At the show there will be a professional display of Club Members’ trees in a variety of styles. There will also be a sales area for trees, pots, tools and other bonsai-related commodities, as well as a silent auction for special items. Bonsai demonstrations will be held on both days at 1 pm.

Club members will be available to answer questions on the art of bonsai and there will be a free bonsai problem clinic. Attendees are welcome to bring in trees for advice. A beginning workshop will be held on May 18th and attendees can get further information and sign up at the show. The Club holds its meetings on the second Tuesday of each month, except December and August. The meetings begin at 7 pm at Bethany Congregational Church (556 North Hope Avenue).

MAY 15 - 17, 2024

OPERA GALA

MAY 15, 2024 | 4:00 PM MAY 15, 2024 | 4:00 PM Casa Dorinda Casa Dorinda (abridged performance) (abridged performance) MAY 16, 2024 | 7:30 PM MAY 16, 2024 | 7:30 PM

Yunker Auditorium, Ventura College Performing Arts Center Helen Yunker Auditorium, Ventura College Performing Arts Center

MAY 17, 2024 | 7:30 PM MAY 17, 2024 | 7:30 PM

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Smart, skilled, resourceful gardener, handyman, longtime Santa Barbara resident, seeks a cottage or apartment with two bedrooms for his family of three, including a daughter at City College. Willing to work in exchange for discounted rent, if desired. Cheerful and responsible. Can help manage an estate. Excellent references. Call Juan at (805) 617-6951.

PRIVATE CHEF AVAILABLE

In Home. Chef Bradley Mark 50 yrs. local experience Lv. msg. 805-403-1769 Serve Safe Cert. #6168504

DONATIONS NEEDED

Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary Menagerie 2430 Lillie Avenue Summerland, CA 93067 (805) 969-1944

Donate to the Parrot Pantry! At SB Bird Sanctuary, backyard farmer’s bounty is our birds best bowl of food! The flock goes bananas for your apples, oranges & other homegrown fruits & veggies.

Volunteers

Do you have a special talent or skill? Do you need community service hours? The flock at SB Bird Sanctuary could always use some extra love and socialization. Call us and let’s talk about how you can help. (805) 969-1944

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

K-9 PALS need volunteers to be foster parents for our dogs while they are waiting for their forever homes. For more information info@k-9pals.org or 805-570-0415

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