Biltmore Settlement Reached

BY Mark Saltzman

DIRECTED BY Jim Fall

5 Local News – After a settlement is reached with Biltmore employees, a Ty Warner representative speaks exclusively with the MJ 6 Beings & Doings – CARP Growers and the SB Coalition for Responsible Cannabis have linked arms and are singing. Metaphorically speaking.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

16 Ernie’s World – Ernie is doing some shots and this last round has him traveling far from the bar

28 Foraging Thyme – Fava is a favorite this time of year and enjoy these flavorful beans in this panzanella salad

Montecito Miscellany – The Thrive Fashion show, seeing Other Voices, singing at the Manor Bar, and more miscellany 10 The Optimist Daily – Take a bite out of the USDA School Meal Standards that reduce added sugars Serious Play – The building of the mysterious and much acclaimed Hill House at the latest VADATalks Tide Guide

The Water Column – Here are some waterconscious yard improvements (with rebates) In Passing – Remembering the life of Sandra Nelle Ventress

Our Town – The fire department’s annual chipping program is rolling through the area again

Invites – It’s a Celebration of

18 On Entertainment – A medley of UCSB events including the Opera Gala, One805 Sings “Out Loud” at Sunstone, and more to entertain you 22 Brilliant Thoughts – Where there’s a will, there’s a way that what we have accumulated through life takes on a life of its own

23 An Independent Mind – A comparison of the successes and failures of CVR and State Street

24

Dear Montecito – Charlie Kaller Markham speaks about his nonprofit work and what it means to be at My Friend’s Place

25 Elizabeth’s Appraisals – The European genre paintings of the 19th c. depicted an idealized story with different countries favoring different themes 26 The Giving List – Sweet Wheel Farms is growing a movement of keeping crops in the county and spreading the word through its programs 27 Body Wise – Tension comes from both expected and unexpected sources. Meet your body’s needs and your natural mechanism will respond in kind.

30 Community Voices – The story and importance of Girsh Park as it turns 25

Robert’s Big Questions – How does an issue become a protest issue? And what makes a protest result in real change?

31

Uncork Culinary Bliss – The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience is back and offering another week of wine-filled fun

Your Westmont – President Gayle D. Beebe examines the crucibles of his life in a new book and a leadership conference celebrates 10 years

32 Meeting at MA – The monthly board meeting sees a large presence and response by the community on the Rosewood expansion

40 Calendar of Events – A Taste of SB, To Be Honest…, a Furusato Finale, and other happenings

42 Classifieds – Our own “Craigslist” of classified ads,

Local News

Clarity on the Future of the Biltmore

by Zach Rosen

Following the announcement that Biltmore employees have received their settlement packages from Four Seasons, the Montecito Journal sought clarity on the future of the historic hotel, which has been closed for over four years. Sean Lavelle, a representative for Ty Warner, commented, “as Four Seasons announced today, we are pleased to have reached a collective settlement with the employees of Four Seasons The Biltmore Santa Barbara.

“The settlement provides two payout options for furloughed employees who want to continue employment with the property when it opens, retaining their accrued benefits and seniority, and those who prefer to continue with other career endeavors.

“Regarding the employees who choose to stay, we are excited to welcome them back in the very near future. Twenty years since our last renovation in 2005, our team is eager to reopen and unveil the renewed vision for this legacy hotel property. That said, we are concerned that recently added steps in the permitting process may discourage confidence with employees who want to get back to work.

“We have engaged independent planners to help expedite the process and have multiple general contractors working on site – full time – to usher renovations that will set an entirely new standard for luxury family travel, while honoring the history of the property. We are redesigning guest rooms and suites to accommodate multigenerational travel needs, adding new restaurant concepts (without increasing traffic trips), and thoughtfully upgrading event amenities.

“Since hotel guests were restricted from using the private Coral Casino Beach & Cabana Club in 2023, in order to reopen, we must mitigate the loss of the 51-meter pool and other amenities for Biltmore guests. Our plan is to designate the exist-

After four years of being closed, Biltmore employees have received their settlement packages from Four Seasons

ing pool for adults only while adding a family pool with a sandy beach entry and an adjoining tropical pool to meet a variety of discerning traveler needs. Typically, hotel pool amenities and landscape would be approved as a substantial conformity designation. However, we are being asked to go through a Coastal Development Amendment for an operational amenity, which unnecessarily adds time.

“If we do not incur any permitting challenges or delays, we anticipate the hotel will be re-opened within 12 months. Once in operation, our calculations show that the renovated Biltmore will contribute $15.7 million in total tax revenue in 2025 – which includes $8.5 million in TOT revenue (nearly triple what it was in 2018) and $7.2 million in sales tax revenue.

“With The Biltmore, San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito Club, Coral Casino Beach & Cabana Club, and other national and international properties, Ty Warner has demonstrated, time and time again, his impeccable standards, thoughtful renovations, and coveted design features, always with the utmost attention to care and detail.

“The silver lining to the challenging times that ensued from the debris flow and pandemic, is that it gave us the pause needed to reassess what the near 100-yearold Biltmore property could be for today’s luxury/family traveler, our neighbors, the community, and our staff.”

Managing Editor

dare to ask? Indulge in live music and sip on handcrafted

Zach Rosen is the

of the Montecito Journal. He also enjoys working with beer, art, and life.

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, May 19

“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

DJESSE VOL. 4 NORTH AMERICA TOUR with special guest Kimbra

Sun, May 19 / 7 PM / Arlington Theatre

Tickets start at $45 / $20 UCSB students

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 new album, Djesse Vol. 4.

Event Sponsor: Manitou Fund

Beings & Doings Grass is Greener (Than

Previously Reported) on Both Sides

by Jeff Wing

In 1936 they released the notorious Reefer Madness, a social horror movie lightly dressed up as a PSA. Reefer Madness lives up to its nominal hypothesis, portraying the effects of cannabis in a terrifying Jekyll-and-Hyde framework that sees gee-whiz youngsters turned into shiftyeyed, maniacally giggling creeps after a single puff. Marijuana was the sinister trojan horse that would bring society low. Fast forward 90 years and the most frightening thing about cannabis is how awful it smells. And that’s without striking a match.

A great civil skirmish has been afoot in our beloved Carpinteria – one of the few coastal California towns to retain its 24 karat Golden State charm. The cause of the fallout? The ungodly stink of cultivated dope. The warring armies – on the one side, odor producers CARP Growers (Cannabis Association for Responsible Growers) and on the other side, odor plaintiff Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis – both self-identify as Responsible; and in fact, the relationship has indeed evolved despite recent reports to the contrary. The whole dustup began somewhat confusingly.

Jules Nau is VP of the Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis. “I moved to Carpinteria and I’d just remodeled my home. Suddenly one morning I smelled skunk all over the house, like something died in the basement.” There was no basement, which was troubling. Nau started chasing the critter anyway. “The gentleman came over and installed a trap, and we waited, and waited. Nothing.

At one point he said ‘…listen, what time of day are you smelling this stuff?’ I’m like, ‘Man, it’s only in the morning and I cannot get rid of it. That skunk is persistent!’

And he says, ‘You don’t have a skunk problem. You have a skunk problem.’”

To Envinity and Beyond

Legalized cannabis had arrived like a white knight to rescue Carpinteria Valley’s flower growers from years of increasing fiduciary anemia brought on by offshore competition. The cannabis news was so good for the embattled generational farming families in the area, there almost had to be a caveat. No one guessed it would be a free-floating, jaw-clamping stench. Once the noxious event was identified, all heck broke loose. Litigation sprouted

like a field of Hairy Bittercress. The community drew battle lines. Right around then a Dutch outfit called Envinity entered the picture. Their patented CFS-3000 Scrubber – an ingenious amalgam of cleanroom-quality microfilters, carbon, UV, pathogen-killing ionization, and diagnostic data-streaming – would measurably rid the air of 84% of the cannabis whuff. Envinity just needed a partner willing to double down with them and see the exhaustive vetting process through. “That was Philip Greene and Ever-Bloom,” says Simon van der Burg, Envinity’s co-founder and managing director. Greene would ultimately buy and install about $2 million worth of Envinity’s scrubbers, warehousing extras to later gently foist on his reluctant colleagues. Envinity’s solution was determined to be the solution to the odor calamity and much more. It didn’t come easy.

The testing and reporting and collating, van der Burg’s repeat visits to Carpinteria, the bi-weekly scrums, the start-again stopagain data-parsing; it was a harrowing, laborious, and expensive process they were determined to get right. Environmental Monitoring Systems workers would be flown in from Holland and boarded at Envinity’s expense to validate and collate the output, and U.S. environmental consulting and contracting firm SCS would exactingly interpret the data.

Two lengthy reports would be issued, rife with the eyebrow-furrowing graphs, charts, and hieroglyphs that make professional data junkies leap into the air and high-five in slow motion. Conclusions? Given adequate spatial density as demonstrated by this study, the CFS-3000 scrubbers are capable of

Simon van der Burg, Envinity’s co-founder and managing director

Montecito Miscellany Fashion for a Cause

by Richard Mineards

Breast Cancer Resource Center hosted its annual Thrive Fashion show and lunch with a sold-out 150 guests raising $75,000 for the popular nonprofit at the Montecito Club.

The boffo bash, chaired by Nora Scheinberg, featured five models who overcame breast cancer strutting their stuff on the catwalk in fashions from Allora by Laura – Francesca Cava, Tessa Flanagan , Jennifer Drury , Amara Maliszewski, and Akiko Noguchi

The Fab Five were introduced by Silvana Kelly, the center’s longtime executive director.

Among the supporters in pink were Rick Oshay, Teresa Kuskey, Darla Bea, Marietta Jablonka, Andri Beauchamp, Melinda Rogers , Heather Maher , Suzanne de Ponce, Susan Schmidt,

2024 SBBC

Models: Akiko Noguchi, Amara Maliszewski, Tessa Flanagan, Jennifer Drury, and Francesca Cava (photo by Priscilla)

and

Voices on Pointe

.

State Street Ballet ended its latest season on a high note with Other Voices at the Lobero.

It was a captivating blend showcasing the talents of choreographers who pushed boundaries, redefining the art of dance. A sweeping panorama of innovation.

The productions were as thought provoking as they were entertaining.

The show featured four short works –“Corelli’s Concerto” by Nilas Martins, “The S.I.T.” by Royce Zackery, “A Warm Window” by Nicole Powell, and “As We Always Have” by Laurie Eisenhower, last performed by State Street in 2019, and a popular longer work, “Common

Miscellany Page 384

Dance received a standing ovation for singing her original tune

“Journey” (photo by

Tina Datta, Carrie Chase, Lashon Kelley,

Robin Himowitz

Carrie Chase, Nora Scheinberg, Silvana Kelly, Armando Martinez, Andri Beauchamp, Melinda Rogers, and Marietta Jablonka (photo by Priscilla)

Miriam

Priscilla)

USDA Implements New School Meal Standards to Reduce Added Sugars

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced significant changes to school meal laws, including the first time added sugars will be banned on the nation’s school menus. The new standards also aim to reduce sodium consumption as part of a larger push to improve the nutritional quality of meals supplied to millions of students nationwide.

The amended rules will modify school meals in order to promote healthy eating habits among kids. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlights the significance of these adjustments, noting, “All of this is designed to ensure that students have quality meals and that we meet parents’ expectations.” The USDA’s campaign is consistent with U.S. dietary guidelines, demonstrating the agency’s dedication to children’s health and well-being.

A vital component of the updated regulations is restricting added sugars in school meals, which is intended to reduce children’s consumption of high-sugar foods. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, high-sugar foods like cereal, yogurt, and flavored milk will be subject to added sugar regulations. By the fall of 2027, the total calories from added sugars in school meals will be limited to 10% per week for breakfasts and lunches, with further sugar limits in specialized products.

The initial plan included a 30% decrease in sodium levels, while the final rule took a more moderate approach. Following public feedback and congressional mandates, the USDA will reduce sodium levels in breakfasts by 10% and lunches by 15% by the 2027-2028 school year. These changes find a compromise between reducing sodium intake and keeping meals appetizing for students.

The USDA’s attempts to improve school food requirements are consistent with larger dietary guidelines and public health programs. By emphasizing nutrition and wellness in school meals, the agency hopes to inspire kids to make healthier choices and form lifelong habits that promote overall well-being. The addition of flavored milk with lower sugar content emphasizes the necessity of offering enticing options while complying with dietary norms.

As schools prepare to adopt new laws, stakeholders are encouraged to work together to promote student health and nutrition. Educators, parents, and legislators may work together to ensure that these measures are successfully implemented and that children have access to nutritious meals that promote growth and development.

Serious Play

The Making of Hill House: A Lively and Sometimes Humorous Talk About Serious Play

by Julian Harake

In the short time since its completion, Bruce Heavin and Robin Donaldson ’s “Hill House” has acquired a fabled reputation among Santa Barbara design cognoscenti. Few have seen the house in person, yet rumors abound. So in a sense the recent talk about the residence was a coming out party and the first deep dive into this unusual home that could very well stand for centuries if not millennia.

At the recent VADATalks, one colleague summarized Hill House as an enormous, clam-shaped museum-cum-residence buried in the Montecito terroir with unparalleled ocean views. Another colleague referred to it as the most imaginative private residence since Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. As recalled by the client and co-conceptualizer Bruce Heavin, even the Montecito Board of Architectural Review didn’t quite know what to make of Hill House when it first appeared on the scene, seeming to have appeared from somewhere beyond the Van Allen belt.

As Heavin recounted, one member of

MONTECITO TIDE GUIDE

the Architectural Review Board asked the design team if it “was a hobbit hole or a spaceship?” (Because we don’t take kindly to spaceships.) Meanwhile Silvia Perea, curator at UCSB’s Art, Design, and Architecture Museum, posited to the audience that Hill House isn’t even a house at all, because it is so far outside the prototypical idea of a house that people typically envision.

Serious Play Page 354

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,

Published by:

Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC

Montecito Journal is compiled, compounded, calibrated,

The sold-out audience filled the house to listen in on the discussion of Hill House

The Water Column Cash In on Rebates from MWD and Montecito GSA

by Laura Camp

Reservoirs are full, hillsides are green, and gardens are glorious all around town. So why are we still talking about water use efficiency? Well, if history is any predictor, we know the next drought is coming. What we don’t know is when, or for how long. But the District plans to be ready and has incentives to encourage water consumers to be ready, too.

Whether the next drought is near or far, summer is definitely coming! “High heat days” are forecast to increase in number and severity annually as temperatures rise. Around here, most water use is outdoors, and more hot days means more demand for water. If you’re feeling ahead of the game after a rainy winter, how can you keep water use in line when things heat up?

Montecito Water District is currently offering customers cash rebates in six categories; all are focused on supporting actions that will result in greater water efficiency for the long term:

- Mulch (up to $500 per property per year)

- Drip Irrigation (up to $450 per property)

- Smart Irrigation Controller ($300600 per property)

- Landscape Conversion / grass lawn removal ($5,000 to $10,000 per property)

- Indoor Appliances ($500-2000 per property)

- High Efficiency Toilets ($200-300, some properties eligible for multiple rebates)

Introduced in 2023, these rebates improved in 2024 with greater dollar

Driveways, patios, and landscaping using permeable surfaces, such as decomposed granite, gravel, and permeable pavers, allow rainwater to infiltrate back into the ground rather than flowing away on concrete channels during rain events

Fog and dew produce daily condensation on roofs, which can be collected in rain gutters and downspouts and directed onto landscaping and permeable pavers. This moisture provides effortless regular watering to nearby plants.

amounts based on program data and customer input.

For complete details and to apply, visit www. montecitowater.com/rebates

Montecito GSA (Groundwater Sustainability Agency) recently launched a rebate program with amounts up to $3,000 for projects that promote groundwater infiltration, including:

In Passing Sandra Nelle Ventress: October 30, 1962 – March

22, 2024

Sandra Nelle Ventress, 61, of Santa Barbara passed away peacefully on March 22, 2024, after a brief illness. She was a loving daughter, sister, and friend.

Sandy was born on October 30, 1962, to Kenneth and Geraldine Nelle in Oxnard, California. Sandy spent her younger years living in numerous locations throughout the states including Montana, New York, Colorado, Florida, and Arizona. In 1975 the family moved to Santa Barbara, California. After graduating from Santa Barbara High School in 1980, Sandy remained in the Santa Barbara/Ventura vicinity for the majority of her years.

Sandy worked in various industries. Software Tech Support, Customer Service, Veterinary Office, Jewelry Sales, and House & Pet Sitting. Sandy loved animals and was an avid horseback rider, enjoying trail riding in the foothills above Santa Barbara. She had an outgoing nature and easily made friends. She loved spending time with her friends and enjoying the good life of Southern California: the beach, concerts at the Santa Barbara Bowl, and traveling. She also shared a unique connection with her mother Geri and treasured the moments they spent together dearly. She is survived by her brother Steve Nelle and his wife Deanna of Apple Valley, California, and her longtime loving boyfriend Brian Smith of Santa Barbara, California. A private memorial will be held with friends and family. She was cremated as per her wishes.

Sandy will forever be in our hearts and memories. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. In her memory, please consider a donation to your local Humane Society. She will be dearly missed.

- Rain Gardens (designed to capture runoff)

- Conversion from impervious to permeable surfaces (for example replacing buildings, patios, or driveways with landscaping and permeable pavers)

The Groundwater Sustainability Plan adopted in May 2023, includes rebate programs to raise community awareness about the importance of groundwater and encourage public involvement in the stewardship of the Montecito Groundwater Basin.

Details and the rebate application form can be found at www.montecitogsa.com/rebates

Sandra Nelle Ventress was a loving daughter, sister, and friend

Laura Camp is the Public Information Officer for the Montecito Water District

Mulch reduces watering needs by keeping moisture in the soil longer and minimizing evaporation. Quick, easy, effective, and eligible for Montecito Water District rebates up to $500 per property per year.

Our Town Annual Firewood Chipping and Vegetation Removal for Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria

by Joanne A Calitri

The Montecito Fire Protection District has five final chipping dates now through July:

May 28: Arcady, Knapp, Cowles, Cottage, El Rancho, Sky View, Lanai Rd

June 10: Sierra Vista, Nicholas, Ridge View, Canyon View, Sycamore Vista, Ranchito Vista, Calle Elegante, Calle Hermosa, Crest View

June 24: East Mountain (100-1600 blocks), Irvine, Brooktree, Upper Hot Springs (900 block), Oak Creek Canyon

July 8: West Mountain Drive, Coyote, Banana Road

The MFPD recommends starting now, focusing within 100 feet of structures and roadways, in the area known as your “Defensible Space Zone.” Scrub and tree material should be stacked at the edge of a passable road with the cut ends pointing to the center of the road. Roll off containers arrive the Wednesday prior to the scheduled chipping start date and will remain in place for 10 days. The containers are for both trash and leaves; succulents, agave, pine needles, palm fronds, and other small trimmings not eligible for chipping. Each property owner has the responsibility to properly dispose of these items or they can be placed in the provided MarBorg roll-off containers. See the 411 for the interactive map for the location of the containers. All roadside tree branches extending beyond the minimum clearance requirements set in the Montecito Fire Code will be identified by Fire District personnel, and be removed

by a professional tree service during the scheduled neighborhood project. Chipping crews start on Monday of the week your location is scheduled. All materials for chipping need to be in place by 8 am.

411: www.montecitofire.com/neighborhood-fire-prevention-project

The Carp-Summerland Fire Protection District is doing their annual free chipping service for Carpinteria and Summerland area residents, starting May 20 for two weeks. The time to prepare is now. The free chipping service is part of their Wildlife Protection Plan which is focused on enhancing the safety of zones most prone to fire. The service is done to increase defensible space around properties and neighbors.

Materials eligible for chipping are piles of non-fibrous natural (think brush) material. They ask that residents lay out all materials facing the same direction and towards the street for efficiency. Residents can opt to keep or not keep the chips. Ineligible materials are palm, agave, or similar fibrous natural plants and woods. Instead, place the non-chippable materials in the roll-off dumpsters that will be placed strategically throughout Carpinteria and Summerland.

The Fire Protection District asks everyone to be patient as they make their way throughout the area. If they missed you, or you missed them, see 411.

411: All inquiries to CSFD Fire Marshal Michael LoMonaco

Email: M.lomonaco@csfd.net or (805) 698-0816

Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners

Allen Construction

American Riviera Bank

Anine Bing

Bon Fortune

Brick Barn Wine Estate

Bryant & Sons

Buena Onda

Calirosa Tequila

Canterbury Consulting

Cassie’s Cardinals

Celebration Cruises Santa Barbara

Chaucer’s Bookstore

China Palace

Chocolats Du Calibressan

Coast & Olive

Coast 2 Coast Collection

CorePower Yoga

D.D. Ford Construction

DOEN

El Fuego Events

Field and Fort

Food Liaison

Gelson’s Markets

Chris Gocong, Artist INEVIFIT, LLC

Island Packers

J. McLaughlin

Jason Siemens Real Estate

Jeannine’s American Bakery & Restaurant

K Frank

Katie The Facial Lady

Kim Alexandriuk Interior Design

La Playa Azul Cafe

Lazy Acres

Linda Baffa Yoga

Lobero Theatre Foundation

Local, Montecito

Lonson Family Farm

Lucky’s Montecito

Macher

Maison K

Maiz Picante Taqueria

Meaghan Yolles Educational Services

Melville Winery

Meta Spirituality

Mike Klan/NewsChannel 3

MITTSU

Montecito Bank & Trust

Montecito Family YMCA

Montecito Fire Station 91

Montecito Fitness

Montecito Inn

Montecito Med Spa

Montecito Village Grocery

Moon Juice

Occhiali Fine Eyewear

Olio e Limone Ristorante/ Olio Pizzeria

Pacific Park - Santa Monica Pier

Paramount Global

PSundays Pickleball

Randy Solakian Estates Group

Richardson Real Estate Services, Inc.

Richie’s Barbershop

Rosewood Miramar Beach

Rusty’s Pizza

S.Y. Kitchen Cucina Rustica

Santa Barbara Adventure Company

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

Santa Barbara Polo & Racket Club

Santa Barbara Running

Santa Barbara Sailing Center

Santa Barbara Taco Tour

Santa Barbara Trapeze Co.

Santa Barbara Zoo

Skin Prophecy / Skin Care Institute

Sunshine Swim Lessons

Surf Happens Surf School

Terra Sol Garden Center

The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern

The Montesano Group

The Tennis Shop of Montecito

Toma Restaurant

Trader Joe’s Santa Barbara

Trippers & Askers Wine

True Love Always

Truly Organized

Truong & Co. Custom Design

Jewelry

UAV Pro

Wheeler Collective

OPENS APRIL 26

Society Invites Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara 20th Anniversary Grantee Celebration

by Joanne A Calitri

For its capstone annual event, The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara (WFSB) held its 20th year anniversary “Celebration of Grants” at the Lobero Theatre on Tuesday, May 7.

The WFSB provides grants for the much-needed services and organizations that support all citizens in our town. With its strict guidelines of qualifications and series of interviews and research on each grantee, the team’s confidence level is 100% for their annual selection of grant recipients.

In 2023, WFSB Board Chair Jamie Dufek charged the members with a $1 million in funding goal challenge for their 20th year anniversary. Excitement and pride were overflowing at the event, as the members had raised $1.125 million in grants to local nonprofits. This adds to their legacy of total grants since 2004 equaling $11.6 million.

Enjoy a dazzling display of some of the world’s most flamboyant birds, lavishly depicted by 19th-century artists–John James Audubon and John Gould. Splendid Plumage showcases the feathery adaptations of birds of Australia, New Guinea, Asia, and Europe.

Maximus Gallery

2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara • 805-682-4711 sbnature.org • Open Wednesday–Monday 10:00AM–5:00PM

As she welcomed the members and their guests, she shared the history of the WFSB, how grantees are selected, encouraged attendees to join, and acknowledged Kim and Donny Lieberman, owners of Sunseri Construction, as the 20th Anniversary sponsor.

Dufek stated, “This is a special time of year to gather and celebrate, our grantees to receive our record-breaking $1.125 million in grants. WFSB was founded 20 years ago on the idea that women can have a significant impact on our community if we pooled our nonprofit

donations. As we decide which organizations receive grants, we sit and discuss the impact the organization will have on our community. The WFSB impact includes growing our members from 67 to 1,300, along with grants awarded. Together we really have changed peoples’ lives.”

Lauded at the ceremony were three of the WFSB’s Founding Members present, Perri Harcourt, Joanne Rapp, and Anne Towbes. Presenting for their organizations at the event to talk briefly about where the funding will go were the following executive directors: Marguerite Sanchez, Doctors Without Walls; Scott Whiteley, CADA; Shawna Morris, Casa Pacifica;

Society Page 374

Women’s Fund SB Founding Members: Joanne Rapp, Perri Harcourt, and Anne Towbes (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Women’s Fund SB 2024 Grantees (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Women’s Fund SB Executive Director Jamie Dufek with Research Chair Yonie Harris (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

HOME IS OUR FAVORITE DESTINATION

HOW'S YOUR APPETITE FOR ADVENTURE?

Ernie’s World Doing Shots

by Ernie Witham

When I first moved to California, I met a bunch of friendly people my own age who lovingly indoctrinated me into local customs. “Welcome to Santa Barbara. Let’s do some shots. Now, lick the salt off your hand, down this tequila, suck a lime, and say ‘hootah.’”

Gasp. “Hootah!” Gasp.

Turns out, these ancient local traditions often involved Mexican booze. “You are so lucky. You get the last swig of Mezcal, amigo. It’s a good omen to swallow the worm at the bottom.”

“Good for whom? I’m guessing not the worm. And why is there a creature looking at me anyway?”

“It’s the agave worm. Legend says they drop it in and, as a basic rule of thumb, if the worm is still wriggling when it hits the bottom of the bottle, it’s safe to drink. If the worm dies...”

“What? They throw the batch away?”

“Or sell it to small local bars with poor lighting.”

I looked around the small local bar. It was dark. I drank the worm.

Gasp. “Hootah!” Gasp.

Later, when they either ran out of worms or the SPCA got involved, the tradition fell out of favor. About the same time, my friends discovered a new tasty treat.

“Welcome to the nineties. Let’s do some Jägermeister shots.”

“It’s green and smells like licorice that’s gone way past its sell-by date.”

“It’s from Germany and it’s got like fifty herbs and stuff, so it’s medicinal.” I downed the shot. Gasp. “Oh mein Gott!” Gasp.

I have different friends now. We mainly drink wine in tiny quantities known as tastings and instead of yelling a clever phrase, we say ‘ohh’ and ‘ahh’ and talk about the notes. “I’m getting a lot of cherry and some chocolate.” “I’m getting grapefruit.” “I’m getting melon.” “Ernie?”

“I’m getting purple teeth.”

But at least I’m done with shots... or so I thought. “Hmm. I think today we should do a pneumococcal conjugate.”

“Whoa! That sounds strong. Does it come with a chaser?”

“Nope, just a little band-aid.”

It was time for my tri-annual physical. It was supposed to be an annual physical, but I missed a few years. First there was the pandemic, then I was traveling, and finally my doctor left town. It wasn’t like in the middle of the night, wearing a black cloak, and carrying an x-ray machine on his back or anything. He just relocated. Eighteen “construction miles”

away, I should say. So, I called around for a new doc.

“Let’s see... how’s two-thousand-twenty-six sound? I have an opening at five am on Tuesday.” Turns out new patients have to be patient patients. So, I made an appointment with my regular doc, filled up the gas tank, packed some granola bars, extra clothes, a case of water, and my snake bite kit, turned on the GPS and headed off to Carpinteria.

Back in the old days (when tequila shots were still popular), Doc would have had to find my folder, blow the dust off it and try to read his own writing. But we live in the technology age now, so he just blew the dust off my computer file and we began.

“The pneumococcal conjugate is a shot to prevent pneumonia. We recommend it to all our... ah...”

“Old?”

“No... our... most vulnerable, er, valuable patients.”

Doc checked a few more things. He shined a light in my left ear. I held my hand out on the opposite side to see if the light came through. Nope. Whew. He also checked my lungs and heart, and looked into my eyes. Then he made a few notations on my file, hopefully not in red with all caps.

“You ever had an RSV shot?”

“Is that the one you drop into a beer mug and chug the whole thing?”

“Ah, no. It’s to protect from respiratory syncytial virus. I’ll put you down for one. How about Shingrix? You ever had that?”

“Once, I think, after too many frijoles.” He made another notation.

“Says here, the last time you had a Tdap shot was twenty-nineteen.”

I tried to remember 2019. “That the one they call Irish coffee?”

“Nope, it’s for tetanus.” He made another note.

“Well, I think we’re all done for this year, Ernie.”

I’ll drink to that.

Ernie Witham has been writing humor for more than 25 years. He is the author of three humor books and is the humor workshop leader at the prestigious Santa Barbara Writers Conference.

On Entertainment Operatic Tale of Two Cities

by Steven Libowitz

Normally at this time of year, UCSB Music’s voice program would either mount a full-scale opera or a collection of staged opera scenes, but for 2024, the show has morphed into an Opera Gala, which is not only a collaboration between the music and theater-dance departments, but also a tale of two cities as UCSB joined forces with the Ventura College of Performing Arts. Under the artistic direction of UCSB’s opera star turned professor Isabel Bayrakdarian, the gala offers a blend of familiar arias and ensembles as well as a new work performed by the school’s opera singers and choir, plus dance performances choreographed by Christina McCarthy, and orchestral music played by students from both colleges.

The inter-college collaboration –which features performances in both cities, winding up on Friday, May 17, at UCSB’s Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall – came about through Brent Wilson, the Los Angeles-based tenor, conductor, and stage director who is Department Chair of Performing Arts in Ventura and UCSB’s Director of Choral Studies.

“It’s a celebration of everything to showcase our incredibly talented students and faculty,” Bayrakdarian said. “It’s really wonderful to have all the elements come together – the choir, the dance, the soloist, and the orchestra. Everything enhances everything else.”

Excerpts from Handel’s Sosarme, Alcina, and Rodrigo are followed by selections from Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, both featuring soloists, chorus, and dancers. Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro gets extended exposure via six solos, duets, and ensemble pieces to close out the first half.

Post-intermission brings a special treat featuring Scene 1 Introduction of Daniel’s Prayer, a contemporary multimedia opera based on the Book of Daniel by UCSB’s Corwin Chair of Composition João Pedro Oliveira that features 14 UCSB dancers, UCSB alumna April Amante in the title role, and visual multimedia.

“It’s an electroacoustic opera, a fantastic piece, and something very different for the audience,” Bayrakdarian said.

The Choral Showcase, with music by Joseph Bologne and Mozart, whets the appetite for the final performance, the Act 1 finale from Mozart’s Così fan tutte, which Bayrakdarian said is a riveting end to the evening.

“Amazingly, all six singers are so right for the roles,” she said. “It was just going to be a concert performance, but it evolved into being semi-staged to allow the students creativity in movement. They were able to do something very interesting with it and the music is just divine.”

Coincidentally, the finale features real-life husband-and-wife Colin and Christina Ramsey as Guglielmo and Dorabella.

“It’s just so fun to watch the wooing between them, because it’s real,” Bayrakdarian said.

The goal for the event is not only to showcase the students but also foster community connections and enhance UCSB’s status as a music school, she said.

“It’s an amazing department, with so many talented students, who get individualized attention because we’re so small,” she said. “Audiences will get a chance to see that for themselves at Opera Gala.”

Visit www.music.ucsb.edu/events/calendar

Isabel Bayrakdarian directs the mélange of melodies featured at UCSB’s first Opera Gala (photo by Zach Mendez)

reducing odor emissions to a level that would result in no perceivable cannabis odors downwind from the subject facility.

Despite the glowing reports, most of the growers took a half-step back. Envinity’s CFS-3000 Scrubbers cost $22,000 each and the flow technology requires 10 of them per acre to reach odor abatement compliance. Van der Burg smiles wearily. “The growers are now saying, ‘We have no money.’”

Envinity’s managing director is not unsympathetic. Van der Burg knows farms, farmers, the economies of ag – and business investment. Tiny Holland, population 18 million, is smaller than West Virginia – and the world’s second largest exporter of agricultural products after the United States. The CFS-3000 is more than an odor-eater. It performs a litany of milieu-polishing functions that better the growing environment and sharpen

An expansive, odorless, generational farm

productivity over time. Buy the result of Envinity’s $800,000 R&D, and you’re buying Dutch ingenuity, contractual support, and granular analysis of your greenhouse’s data as it streams through their sensors. Holland, remember? The CFS-3000 is an agriculture optimizer. Van der Burg expects the growers will come around. But when?

“With these scrubbers you make the community happy and you have a return on your investment within two years. In the Netherlands the ROI on tomatoes is five or six years, but those crops are buying the scrubbers anyway. That tells you something.”

Lion, Lamb, and Litigation

The two guys in this room are clearly pals. CARP Growers and the Santa Barbara

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

Coalition for Responsible Cannabis have reached a good-faith rapprochement of the sort that attorneys call a “bummer.” Philip Greene of Ever-Bloom is all smiles. “The initial filing made it clear the Coalition were not out for monetary gain or to be ‘made whole.’ The goal was, and remains, to drive improvement on odor control. And about two months before the lawsuit was filed, we actually were in conversation with the manufacturer. That ended up being Envinity.” He nods genially at Jules Nau across the conference table. “The coalition sometimes likes to say that the lawsuits jump-started all this. But we’d already come up with the plan before the litigation. The timing was nice.”

Greene, a Tom Hanks lookalike, had invited me up to Ever-Bloom’s operation on Foothill Road to see for myself the Lion lying down with the Lamb. Still, scattered reports suggest agreements, informal and otherwise, have “broken down.” Coalition VP Jules Nau waves the idea away.

“On behalf of the coalition, nothing has broken down. We talk to each other on a regular basis – on the progress of odor control and being good stewards of this wonderful place.” Nau leans forward and seems to be winding up. “The main reason the coalition exists at all is because there was a failure at the county supervisory level. If they’d done right by Carpinteria and her residents from the outset, from licensing to taxation to odor control, none of this would have happened.”

“2021 was much more profitable than it is now,” Greene says of the growers’ can-kicking that is now coming into play. “So I think it was easier for a lot of growers to say, ‘Yeah, whatever comes up, we can afford it.’ Today it’s a harder business decision, but it’s still a business decision.” When the litigation came down, things were a bit more copacetic than has been reported. “It wasn’t like, ‘Oh God, what do we do? We’re getting sued!’ The coalition,” Greene says, “was like, ‘Okay, let’s see how this bears out.’ Just keep us updated.” At this writing, the parties are looking for a way to take the results of the studies and move forward. “The litigation went on hold until we could get through testing, prove that our solution worked,” Greene says. “It does.” For his part, Nau wants to correct the notion that

the coalition is simply anti-cannabis.

“We’re not about shutting down cannabis or making business impossible,” Nau says. His next line is delivered like an amiable shrug. “We’re just about them taking responsibly for their grows, making the right decisions for the community. We both love it here.” Nau starts talking about some foolhardy county spending and Ever-Bloom’s financial guru, Whitney, gently but sardonically corrects him. Nau grins and there is congenial laughter. The kumbaya momentarily stills the room. Greene breaks the spell.

“You wanna see a scrubber?”

We walk across an expanse of forklift and concrete to an enormous, verdant space, science-fictional. Cannabis stretches away in orderly rows for what looks like miles. There is no smell whatsoever, which I don’t even realize till Nau points it out. Envinity scrubbers are neatly bolted at intervals to the greenhouse framework in businesslike symmetry. Cheech and Chong would not like this.

“We used to have Gerber daisies, so cut flowers,” Greene says, looking across the expanse. “They’re an annual. They stayed in the pots and we would just cut the stems and they would regrow. So cannabis is a little more labor intensive.” I look over at Nau and he’s staring out at all the chlorophyll, then meets my eye and grins like a neighbor. Greene is watching a guy in the middle-distance maneuver a wheelbarrow. “Most of the workforce that you see out here, they’ve been here for 40 years. Their kids have grown up with the person who built this greenhouse. It’s farming. It’s generational.” He looks at Jules and me. “I grew up in a super small town in Washington,” Greene says. “It’s the same every day. Getting up and doing the things you need to do to make it.”

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

Brilliant Thoughts

Living Will

by Ashleigh Brilliant

No, it’s not an oxymoron – though it almost sounds like it. We tend to associate the making of a will with thoughts about what is to happen after we are no longer around – i.e. when we are not living. But the “living will” is apparently a new concept in jurisprudence and in medicine. It seems to have developed from the fact that, due to modern medical advances, a time can come when a person may be hopelessly ill with no chance of recovery, and useless to themselves or to anyone else, but still capable of being kept indefinitely alive.

Of course, the idea of will-making is not a new one. One famous instance concerned Alexander the Great, who, before his very early death in 323 B.C., had conquered most of the known inhabited world. When asked, as he lay dying, to whom he wished to leave his empire, he is said to have replied “To the strongest.” This did civilization a great disservice, ushering in a generation of bloodshed between several men who had been his leading officers.

But another notable will (and one eminently bizarre) is one with which I have a sort of personal connection, because it involved the College I attended in England.

That College, officially called University College London (UCL), was the first part of what became the University of London. It was founded, in 1826, by a philanthropic group who were concerned that, outside of Oxford and Cambridge, Britain had no institutions of higher learning, and none that members of the lower social classes could easily attend. One member of that founding group was Jeremy Bentham, a renowned social reformer, widely known for his doctrine of Utilitarianism, and its slogan, “The greatest good for the greatest number.” When he died, in 1832, he left instructions for his remains to be preserved, made presentable, and displayed in the main building of the College.

And, sure enough, if you go there today, you can still visit Jeremy Bentham, sitting in a large handsome cabinet. His skeleton is not visible, but is dressed very respectably

The Perfect Road Trip

Lifelong memories are the destination.

Map your way to charming Solvang, California and settle in at the Vinland Hotel & Lounge. Here you’ll find the ideal setting for experiencing all that the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley has to offer.

Whether exploring the surrounding wine country, perusing friendly local shops and eateries, or just relaxing on-site at V Lounge toasting to time off, you’ll find making lifelong memories here to be the destination.

with hat and gloves, and his face a very life-like wax image. He is thus enabled, as he wished, to attend the most important meetings of the College Board – and is said to be recorded in the Minutes on those occasions, as being “Present, but not voting.”

Wills have also often been of major consequence historically. Julius Caesar’s will (at least according to Shakespeare’s play), left most of his wealth for the public benefit, and reading it publicly at his funerary rites in the Forum, enabled his friend Marc Antony to inflame the Roman rabble against Brutus and the other conspirators who had murdered Caesar.

But Shakespeare himself also left a will which has been of interest to literary historians, mainly because of one clause, in which it specified that he left to his wife “my second best bed.” Various explanations have been offered for this apparent deprecation of his marriage, which, however lasted from their wedding, when William was 18, until his death in 1616 at the age of 52 – and produced three children.

In more recent times, the wills which have attracted most public attention have been those of very wealthy people who chose to devote their questionably accumulated fortunes to philanthropic purposes. Prominent among these have been legacies derived from the manufacture and sale of explosives (Alfred Nobel), cigarettes (Wills Family) movies and gambling (Howard Hughes), oil (Rockefeller Family), and artillery (Krupp Family).

In the days when slavery was legal in all the Southern States, slaves were property, and could be left in their owner’s will, according to his instructions. Thomas Jefferson (who maintained in the Declaration of Independence that “All men are created equal”) himself owned more than 600. In his will, he freed just five.

As to my own will, all I have to leave that’s of any value is my creative work. I have no family – so I’m leaving it all to a Trust similar to one set up by my wife while she was living. I’m one of those people who really don’t believe in anything, so I feel very little concern about what happens after I’m dead.

Which reminds me of the story of a mobster’s funeral. The minister had just said, “Our friend Bugsy is not really dead – he is only sleeping,” when there came a voice from someone at the back, – “I got fifty bucks says he’s dead.”

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.

An Independent Mind

Why

is Coast

Village Road a Success and State Street a Failure?

by Jeffrey Harding

Iwent to the UCSB Santa Barbara Economic Summit held at the Granada Theatre. The place was packed and the presentations were great.

The speakers, Gene Deering , a principal at Radius Commercial Real Estate, host UCSB econ professor Peter Ruppert, and real estate entrepreneur Rick Caruso, were informative and hit on some of the problems facing Santa Barbara, especially about State Street. Their presentations triggered thoughts about why Coast Village Road (CVR) in Montecito is thriving and why State Street is dying. What are they doing right in Montecito? Another way of looking at it is, what are they doing wrong with State Street?

In full disclosure, I have a background in real estate. As a lawyer I represented a lot of real estate investors. And as a real estate investor I’ve been a builder, owner, and manager. I was director of finance for a local developer. I also taught real estate investment at SBCC for seven years. Locally we own some stores on Coast Village Road and we still have a share in El Paseo on State Street. I’ve been doing this for 50 years.

Coast Village Road

What is different about Montecito’s CVR? The street is short; the drive from Hot Springs Road to Olive Mill Road is about .7 miles. There is a green median and traffic goes both ways. There are parking spaces behind the medians. There is a mixture of retail, banks, real estate offices, hotels, and great restau-

rants. Not much different than State Street. We got rid of the restaurant parklets and our attractive architecture is much more visually appealing. I see folks walking up and back, window shopping, walking their dogs, heading for a restaurant, or just stretching their legs.

We don’t have much of a homeless problem on CVR. A local organization, Hands Across Montecito, has been actively helping by bringing services to those with mental illness and addiction issues.

CVR now has a reputation of exclusivity which draws in tourists and local shoppers. It wasn’t always that way and the CVR community has worked hard over the years to make that happen. Even with traffic problems due to freeway and roundabout construction, we still draw people in.

There are almost no vacancies along CVR. They are snapped up quickly. Our rents are high, ranging from about $6.00 sq. ft. (NNN) to $9.50-$10.00 sq. ft. (NNN). Rents are high because demand for space is high. And demand is high because businesses thrive here.

While we are a part of the City of Santa Barbara, they put up few barriers and our success was achieved mostly on our own. Recently because of the formation of a CVR business improvement district the City has been working with us to improve our street and medians.

It is a busy place with shoppers, diners, and traffic. It gives off a vibe that the place is thriving and that’s where people want to be.

State Street

The problem with State Street is that the City has created barriers to success.

State is dying because shoppers are not coming and retail businesses and restaurants are leaving. Vacancies are high. Gene Deering of Radius Group pointed out that there are 37 vacant storefronts from Gutierrez to Sola, a roughly 15% vacancy rate. Macy’s and Nordstrom in the Paseo Nuevo mall are vacant. Many national and local retailers have left.

There are solutions to the problems, solutions that will revive State as the centerpiece to Santa Barbara. I wrote about this back in April. The solutions are: open State to one-way traffic, get rid of the junky parklets, and make it easy for entrepreneurs to bring new businesses to the street.

The City Council has the power to open the street back up to one-way traffic. But they are afraid to make a decision because they spent $800,000 for a consultant to come up with a plan that, I believe, will only justify what the Council has already done.

What they next must do is make it easier for business entrepreneurs to remodel stores that are now functionally obsolescent (too big). As Mr. Deering of Radius pointed out, the permitting process has increased from 19 months to 27 months over the past 10 years – 19 months is way too long,

but 27 months is a brick wall for those creative folks wanting to bring life to State Street.

And one more thing. Who thought that increasing parking rates downtown would help the problem? That flies in the face of basic economics. You already have a problem bringing people downtown and now you want to charge more for them to come? Perhaps the City could solve their $7 million deficit by finding ways to cut spending rather than shoveling more dirt on State Street’s grave.

Our City Council should take a page from the success of Coast Village Road and undo the damage that has been done to State Street. Remove the barriers to recovery and you will see downtown revitalized.

Jeffrey Harding is a real estate investor and long-time resident of Montecito. He previously published a popular financial blog, The Daily Capitalist. He is a retired SBCC adjunct professor.

Dear Montecito

Charlie Kaller Markham

by Stella Haffner

Have you guys read The Giving List? If not, you should go check it out. Lots of great nonprofits featured in there. And I should know – I covered some of those stories. Three years ago, I was given the opportunity to interview the team at the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation. Fascinating! Of course, I had always had an interest in nonprofit work, just not so much the nonprofit sector as a whole. But The Giving List changed how I thought about philanthropy and motivated me to ask questions about how it operated as an industry. Along the way, I learned some important lessons about what it means to empower the community you want to serve, why getting the right information to do your job is not always simple, and the importance of keeping spirits high for nonprofit employees. Here to talk to us about these themes is Charlie Kaller Markham

An All Saints-by-the-Sea attendee and Laguna Blanca alum, Charlie recently graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from Pepperdine. Now working for a nonprofit in Los Angeles called My Friend’s Place, Charlie has enjoyed applying what he learned about human psychology during his major to work at his new job.

Q. How would you describe My Friend’s Place?

A. My Friend’s Place is a drop-in center for recently housed and unhoused young people who want to use our services. These services include showers, food, clothing, community space, workshops, case management, and health – but overall it is also just a place of love and joy in a way I didn’t know could exist before coming here. It is a really beautiful thing to see young people embracing their passions because they have finally been given a space to just hang out during the day. We try to be as open and accepting as possible here at My Friend’s Place, we don’t have a documentation requirement, you just have to be between the ages of 12 and 30, which is where the need was seen when My Friend’s Place was established in the ‘80s. When you come here, you’re not required to take a survey or listen to a class. If you just want to come and sleep on the couch during the day and get some food because that’s what you need, then we are here for you.

You said that the founders noticed a particular need for resources in this age range. How big is the need for a center like this in Los Angeles County?

We serve about 65 to 75 people per day, which ends up being about 1,000 people a year, because some people we see are repeat attenders. We are a very small organization in comparison to the rest of Los Angeles, so if we’re serving 1,000 people

a year in our small building on Hollywood Boulevard, I could not imagine the capacity that is needed to serve the overall unhoused population in Los Angeles. It is actually hard to say exactly how big the need is. Our organization took part in the Los Angeles Youth Count Survey, with the goal of counting the number of young, unhoused people in Los Angeles County. But it is hard to get the exact number, especially when the definition Los Angeles County uses for “unhoused” is incredibly narrow. If you have been housed in the past 30 days, such as living in a hotel or sleeping on a friend’s couch, that counts as housed according to the Los Angeles County definition. And of course that doesn’t really mean someone has stable housing! We actually have a team at My Friend’s Place whose job is all about collecting data, which is really, really cool. On top of the Los Angeles Youth Count Survey, we collected additional information so we can try to capture those people who might not get picked up by other county-wide surveys, so we can use that information and provide services that better fit the actual need in our area.

I have heard this a lot – that sometimes you spend a great deal of time working against certain systems in order to serve a specific community. When I interview people who work in nonprofits, I am reminded that the work can be a true mix of joy and of frustration. Has this been your experience?

It is very easy to get tied into the emotions and relationships of such direct nonprofit work. Our organization is a drop-in center, so we often see the same people every single day. It is different from what you might do in corporate America, where you open your computer at the beginning of the day and leave it in the office when you go home. There are parts of nonprofit work that will stay with you after you leave the office. I know I have experienced some anxiety in my short time here wondering how the people who come into the center are doing and thinking about how my work affects their daily life. It is important to keep conscious and try to keep things separate in your life, not becoming too involved perhaps in your work. But it is also

Dear Montecito

Charlie Kaller Markham

Elizabeth’s Appraisals

Italian Genre Painting

by Elizabeth Stewart

BHhas an Italian watercolor genre painting which features classic genre style figuration: a buxom peasant girl (wearing a very loose blouse) listens to a man who leads a burro; she has dropped her basket on the stones of a village street. The corridor of stone buildings shows us an onlooker, a young man in blue. The work is signed illegibly. It is an event, but what is happening? Is the man with the burro propositioning the girl?

What we call a genre painting is accurately a STYLE of painting (a genre of painting) with distinctive realistic features, known for visual narratives of real people in real settings carrying out real lives, whether those lives be high born, or low born. Two elements apply: for the high-born figures portrayed, this style requires historical architectural setting and clothing, for the low-born folks painted, this style requires images of a simpler, more earthy way of life, and hearkens back to a more rural lifestyle. No wonder, as by the time this style became popular throughout Europe, the world had experienced the Industrial Revolution, and both the aristocratic palace nobles, and the lowly peasant on the idyllic farms, were a thing of the past as modernism began to grow. Both styles, the high and the low, show people dressed as if for a theatrical performance, and undertaking common

activities for their ‘class’; for example, the noble aristocrat engaged in cards with other noble cardsharps. The lowly were shown eating, smoking, drinking, and as we see in BH’s image, flirting.

Usually there is a suggestion of both sentimentality and sexuality in these genre images, not surprising for the late 19th c. Victorian’s suppression of sexuality.

Although the style reached its zenith in the late 19th c., it actually began in Italy in the 17th c. with greats like Caravaggio. Artists in Italy had two avenues to pursue after such a genius; religious art became weighty and seriously painted for profound impact in dramatic deep colors, or art became scenes of everyday life “narrated” by realistic figures in understandable settings, rendered in freer brushstrokes, and often sentimentalized, using a ‘sweeter,’ softer toned palette.

The aristocratic genre paintings of the late 19th c. can show lavish historical interiors, silk clothing, powered wigs, leisurely pursuits, lots of decolletage, painted in exuberant “candy box” colors. On the other hand, images of humble peasants and country folks were painted in lifelike realism, and they were usually clothed in distinctive regional rural garb. Fast becoming obsolete, certain types of labor were depicted, such as net-fishers, portly monks making wine, busty milkmaids, craggy old men smoking huge pipes, children feeding the farm animals. These works are set in farmhouses, on village streets, in crofter’s cottages, and painted in great detail as to settings and as to clothing. They usually had something happening of a humorous nature, like the scantly clothed young female as she is chased by a flock of geese. Children, either children of great wealth, or beggar children, were romanticized and were often subjects of genre paintings, and handsome young lovers as they courted in the Italian village or upon the boats of Lake Como were favored. Simple village dramas were played out in these paintings, too.

The genre paintings are not in favor today because of their realism and sentimentality, and because they idolize non-modernity. In that era when they were extremely popular, collectors were the post-Industrial Revolution urbanites, the wealthy elites, and the noveau riche, in other words, those that needed a work of art to tell them a story, not the “old money” who HAD paintings, but the “new money” that had little art background. The collectors of genre work admired the narrative behind the image; each painting told a story.

Although the style began in Italy, by the

19th c. the popularity of realistic narrative paintings of “real” life spread to France, Holland, America, England, and Germany. Each aforementioned country had their own special subjects: for example, the genre paintings of England and Germany often included a dog or a horse. French genre paintings often show us country priests in their robes, or beautifully dressed 18th c. women and men in palace interiors; in Holland we see bonneted middle-class women in their perfectly neat kitchens. In the U.S., genre painters loved working-class children, the Huck Finn archetype, barefooted tough boys who often smoked cigarettes. The American collector also bought plenty of morality-style images, for example, the sad, disappointed former wayward “lady of the evening.” BH’s genre painting is worth $250.

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

The Italian genre painting of a man, his burro, and a peasant girl with her basket

The Giving List Sweet Wheel Farms

by Steven Libowitz

Although Summerland had relatively minor flooding and damage following the torrential rainstorm and resulting debris flow in January 2018, the town suffered several days of isolation due to the closure of the 101 freeway and debris blocking other access points. Having her hometown turn

into a virtual island was a wake-up call for Summerland resident Leslie Person Ryan, then a former farmer who recognized the lack of accessibility also meant something of a food crisis.

“We couldn’t go anywhere for days, neither north or south, which was a big problem because Summerland doesn’t have a [major] grocery store,” Ryan said. “Summerland was totally unprepared. There was no governmental plan or other organization that

could connect people who needed food with those who had extra.”

The shortage in supply quickly caused quite a commotion among hungry residents stuck in the tiny town.

Summerland still doesn’t have a Vons or Ralphs or any other major grocery store, but what it does have is Sweet Wheel Farms – the ultra-organic farm that sits atop Summerland. Its educational arm and myriad programs including a green food cart/ farmstand on Lillie Avenue won’t let you stock up on toilet paper and Oreos, but it’s slowly solving a lot of other issues related to community-based nutrition, sourced, and served locally and sustainably.

Everything came together remarkably quickly. Ryan had owned a farm in the San Diego area years earlier where she turned a non-organic outfit into one offering organic Valencias, avocados, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and more.

In Summerland, she began with the farm stand, buying organic food from other farmers to both sell and, almost immediately, give away to locals in need.

“People kept telling me that we were acting like a nonprofit, but we weren’t,” Ryan recalled. “I just knew that I wanted to help the community.”

Ryan also soon realized she could do a better job producing her own produce. Early efforts in Orcutt and Carpinteria quickly turned into leasing the undeveloped seven-acre site on Whitney owned by Summerland School. Six months later, when the school decided to sell the site, Ryan reared up and created the nonprofit Santa Barbara Agriculture & Farm Education Foundation in order to raise the funds.

Ryan said Sweet Wheel Farms is a rare bird in that its practices go beyond organic to maintain practices that are even purer.

“There are all sorts of pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides – including bleach and hydrogen peroxide – that can be used in organic farming, but we decided to grow without using anything like that,” she said. “Everything is non-GMO and often from heirloom seeds.”

But Santa Barbara Agriculture & Farm Education Foundation and Sweet Wheel Farms’ mission is about more than clean food. It’s also focused on creating a completely closed-loop system, an antidote to an absurd situation in the county where nearly 90 percent of the food we grow is exported elsewhere, while the same amount of food we eat is imported from out of the area.

“What we do – farming, growing, delivering the food, and having it consumed in the same area – is very unusual for Santa Barbara County, but it’s essential for both food security and sustainability,” Ryan said.

Through its quick growth in less than

five years, Santa Barbara Agriculture & Farm Education Foundation and Sweet Wheel Farms have a number of programs to address those issues, including the Summerland Food Bank and a food pantry, Farm Education on regenerative practices, free breakfasts and holiday meals for veterans, the continuing Community Farm Cart, and its ever-increasing Food Fragile effort. The latter donates to those in need and supports other charitable organizations with Sweet Wheel’s chemical-free, natural, and organic farmed products.

“What started out as one family in 2018 is now a huge network of cancer patients, single-parent working households, and others facing food insecurity,” Ryan said.

But the nonprofit still has a laundry list of goals for the near future and beyond, Ryan said.

“The point is the farm is something very different, one where we can make our own water from special netting that pulls moisture from the air and eventually generate our own power through wind turbines and solar,” she said. “We also don’t want to put more carbon emissions into the world by delivering this stuff all over the place with trucks or gasoline vehicles.”

To that end, Sweet Wheel has launched a new program to deliver its produce to locals via electric bicycles, a concept that came from a high school student interning with the organization.

“He delivered his first bag of produce to a food insecure family earlier this week,” Ryan said. “But we want it to be a much bigger thing, so there’s a big fundraising need because we’ll have to have bikes, a training program, and insurance.”

To support the mission, visit www.SBAFEFoundation. com or call (805) 453-1465.

In addition to providing produce, the farm has educational programs for students

The crops grown at Sweet Wheel Farms are organic, non-GMO, and often from heirloom seeds

Body Wise

Finding Comfort Outside Your Comfort Zone

by Ann Brode

Your body tension is like a barometer that registers levels of comfort. Pressure decreases when you settle in to read a good book or sit around a dinner table with good friends. It increases when you enter a crowded room or sit for a performance review. Worry about a problem, pressure goes up; find a solution, it goes down. Simply translated: inside your comfort zone you let go; outside, you tense up. The trick is knowing how to increase your comfort level outside your comfort zone. This is particularly important when you travel. Knowing how to get comfortable in unfamiliar territory is part of being a savvy traveler. Just taking a little time to focus inward, relax, and center means you can see, hear, and feel what’s going on around you. Instead of being distracted by your emotional body, you can be resilient and respond appropriately. When stuck waiting somewhere, you sit back and take in the scenery. In a crowded marketplace, you thread your way through. In tense conversations, you stay steady. When in danger, you move out of the way. And, when you need to stop moving and rest, you relax and drop off to sleep. In other words, instead of being stressed and uptight, your best self can lead the way. For the past couple months, I’ve been away from Santa Barbara, living out of a suitcase. Leaving home gave me a chance to expand my sense of self and experience life beyond my bubble. This was the point. It was also the challenge. Navigating the intricacies of long-distance travel, foreign languages, currencies, and customs was stressful. Adjusting to new time zones and sleeping in strange beds was disorienting. But, no matter where I went, my body was always there reminding me to tune in and take care. Taking care of my body served as a way to return to my comfort zone. As I journeyed from place to place, my selfcare routines provided a reassuring sense of normality. Slowing down when I was unpacking helped me settle down. Flossing my teeth or taking a shower helped me feel connected. Eating and exercising helped me stay strong and balanced. Meditating daily helped me release negativity and get centered. Bringing along soft jammies and my friendly pillow helped me rest deeply. In the process, I discovered that when my body’s needs were met, I could be present for the adventure with confidence and grace – no matter where I traveled.

Equipped with her chill-out meditation, Ann is ready to travel anywhere in the world

But, I don’t have to go out of town to feel out of sorts. I can feel the emotional barometric pressure rising right here at home. For instance, family discord or unpleasant conversations make me tense up. Awkward social situations make me fidgety. Unexpected news can be disorienting. A change in plans puts me off-kilter and uncertain finances make me feel anxious. In all of these situations, a chill-out meditation reduces the stress and returns me to my comfort zone on the spot. Here’s how this works:

On-the-Spot Chill-out Meditation

- Tune in to body

- Soften muscles to let go

- Breathe into ribs-shoulders-backneck to open up

- Align posture to reclaim fullness

- Pivot slightly away from discord

- Affirm connection to earth below and sky above

Discomfort is obvious when your body is tensed up. Knowing how to let it go and move on is an asset in any stressful situation. Not to worry… you’ll have lots of opportunities to practice. Just being alive means traversing back and forth, in and out of your comfort zone. In order to learn about yourself and your world, you need to leave home and have new experiences. In order to integrate what you’ve learned, you need to come back. Being able to get comfortable outside your comfort zone makes it all much easier. So, the next time you feel unsettled, anxious, or out of sorts, let your wise body show you how to be a bit more comfortable.

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Ann Brode writes about living consciously in the body. She is the author of the book A Guide to Body Wisdom. Visit bodywisdomforlife.com for more information.

~ Danielle M.

Bespoke Wine Experiences

Foraging Thyme Fava Beans

by Melissa Petitto

Fava beans are one of my favorite things to find in the farmers market and Ebby’s Organics has some absolutely gorgeous ones right now! They are a little time consuming but are truly worth the effort. Fava beans, also known as broad beans, are a legume. They are a rich source of plant protein, folate, and filled with soluble fiber that is wonderful for lowering cholesterol and aiding in digestive health. Fava beans are loaded with levodopa, which is a compound that our bodies convert into the neurotransmitter dopamine. Some promising studies have shown that patients with Parkinson’s disease respond well and have improved symptoms when eating fava beans daily. Fava beans are also a great source of folate, a nutrient that has been shown to prevent birth defects in infants. These legumes are wonderful at boosting our immune systems with their antioxidant composition. Broad beans have also been shown to decrease high blood pressure because they are rich in magnesium and potassium which helps relax blood vessels. Other amazing attributes of the fava bean are that they may aid in weight loss, the plant protein may help increase blood iron levels and improve anemia and may promote bone health. Let’s go make something delicious with these incredible legumes.

Fresh Fava Bean, Herb, and Meyer Lemon Panzanella

Yield: 6 Servings

2 pounds whole fresh fava beans in their pods

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup kalamata olives

1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ cup fresh parsley leaves

½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn ¼ cup chervil or dill fronds

Croutons

4 thick slices sourdough bread (I love Oat Bakery’s sesame charcoal sourdough!)

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Cut the bread into ½ inch cubes and combine them in a large bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and to the preheated oven.

3. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.

4. To shell the fava beans, snap the pods and collect all of the fava beans in a bowl.

5. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add in the shelled fava beans and allow to boil for 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Pop the membrane of each fava bean and squeeze out the bean. Repeat with all fava beans.

6. In a large bowl, combine the shelled fava beans, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, Meyer lemon zest and juice, olive oil, parsley, basil, and chervil and toss to coat.

7. Add in the croutons, toss again and serve.

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.

The sweet (and nutty) legume that is fava (photo by Richard W.M. Jones via Wikimedia Commons)

Community Voices

Girsh

Park Turns 25

by Leslie A Lund

Bill Terry was seven years old on May 23, 1999, when Girsh Park opened to the public for the first time. He played baseball with the Dos Pueblos Little League and had been waiting anxiously for the construction of the park to be complete so he could play ball again. It was with excitement that he attended the opening ceremony with his brother and his parents. He even wrote a thank you note to developer, Mark Linehan, who had built the park. Bill now has a family of his own and donates to the park, as does his brother Scott. They both feel grateful for the opportunities provided by the existence of Girsh Park.

In the south coast of Santa Barbara County, AYSO soccer teams had historically played their games at open fields owned by UCSB along El Colegio Road. Many families journeyed out to these fields on Saturdays with chairs and blankets in hand, season after season. But in 2000, UCSB began building graduate student housing in this location and AYSO had to find another location for over 200 youth soccer teams. Girsh Park came to the rescue and now 216 AYSO teams played their soccer games at Girsh Park. On any Saturday during AYSO season, there are hundreds of darling kids and families in Girsh Park, a sight that will bring a smile to anyone’s face!

It was 2005 and the annual Goleta Lemon Festival had grown so much in popularity that the historic location at Rancho La Patera could no longer accommodate the crowds.

The Goleta Chamber of Commerce was desperate to find an accessible open space location to host this special community event. The City of Goleta didn’t own any parks large enough to accommodate the size of the popular Goleta Lemon Festival. Girsh Park was an obvious choice for a new location. Despite the wear and tear that the

Lemon Festival has on the sports fields, The Foundation for Girsh Park agreed to make Girsh Park available for this important community event which continues to be held in the Park every Fall.

These anecdotes are just a small sampling of the stories that tell how important Girsh Park is and has been since it opened in 1999. Without Girsh Park, where would Dos Pueblos Little League play baseball, where would the hundreds of AYSO kids play soccer, and what would have happened to the Goleta Lemon Festival? But Girsh Park is not a City owned park, so its existence is due to the developer who built the park and the nonprofit foundation that continues to own and operate the park.

The Foundation for Girsh Park is comprised of a small Board of Directors and one paid full-time staff member. Each and every year, this group of dedicated individuals ensure that the park is maintained in a manner that supports the various activities that occur in a safe and healthy environment. Each and every year, they raise the money needed to support the operational budget and keep users’ fees as low as possible. Each and every year, they try to respond to the needs of a growing community by improving the park as the demand for outdoor space continues to climb. Fortunately, each and every year, the City of Goleta provides some financial support in recognition of this important asset within the City. As the 25th birthday of Girsh Park approaches on May 23, 2024, it is worth celebrating that a 25-acre park owned and operated by a nonprofit foundation is thriving. This success can be attributed to the Board and staff of Foundation of Girsh Park and the City of Goleta, but also to the many members of the community who support the park with their donations. Girsh Park is truly a community park and as one former Goleta City Councilman once said, “We will need Girsh Park for the next 100 years!”.

Leslie A Lund Girsh Park

Board Member

Robert’s Big Questions

Protest What?

by Robert Bernstein

Campuses are in turmoil across the U.S. with protests. I won’t discuss the substantive issues they are protesting. But I will raise this Big Question: How does an issue become a protest issue?

I claim that it is not based on what is most important or on what is most urgent. Clearly, some issues are very important and urgent, but no one has any idea how to solve them. They seem too big. And they may truly be outside our range of influence. Which leads to picking issues for less-than-ideal reasons.

Protest has a long and noble history, often with world-changing results. Change in one place can spread nationally and globally. We have limited time, so we pick our issues as a matter of taste and what we care most about. But, how often do we step back and consider the wide universe of issues demanding attention?

It has been said that “Generals are always prepared to fight the last war.” The same can be said for protests. Civil rights protests of the 1950s-1960s brought better lives to millions of oppressed minorities. Later generations saw past success and sought to relive that glory by seeking new oppressed minorities.

Something similar happened with past successes protesting wars and finding new wars to protest. But current situations may not be analogous to past situations. When Putin attacked Ukraine, many of my peace activist friends called for “peace.” They were thinking of past conflicts like Vietnam, where the U.S. got mired with tragic results. Others called for the U.S. to side with Ukraine to send military help. Thinking of “just wars” as against the Nazis.

Lancet Planetary Health reported in 2021 on an international survey of 10,000 people, aged 16-25. Sixty percent described themselves as very worried about the climate and nearly half said the anxiety affects their daily functioning.

This is a far bigger percentage than any other issue. Yet, it is not generating massive protests. As a student in the 1970s I remember huge protests against nuclear power, yet very little against nuclear weapons. One explanation: The nuclear weapons issue seemed too big for change. But climate solutions are possible if we demand them.

Emotions drive people. They care about cute puppies and kittens, but largely ignore the vast suffering of farm animals. Or the global threat of extinction of less cute animals.

Policy change is not just about protests. Sometimes it is about well-informed people reaching out to policy makers and making a good case. Sometimes, the two can complement each other. Progress in civil rights and the environment have come from both, used in conjunction.

Protests should not be a substitute for true understanding of the complexities of an issue. Nor should they be a substitute for the boring work of quietly working with policy makers toward good solutions.

I get it that we should protest if our government is supporting something awful, even if it is not the biggest issue in the world. I organized protests against Reagan’s atrocities in Central America because we were clearly supporting the wrong side. Sides are rarely so clear. Millions rightfully protested the utterly unjustified war W. Bush waged in Iraq. Wisely, before it started. But can we also take time to see the bigger landscape of issues that really are urgent and important? Rather than being swept along by the fashionable issue of the day?

At any given moment we can observe injustice and suffering on a vast scale. About 25,000 people die every day from hunger. About 1.5 billion people live without adequate shelter, including 650,000 in the U.S. Do we act based on numbers and degree of suffering? Or do we just respond to what makes it into the news headlines? Do we ever ask how things are chosen to be news headlines?

An issue may be urgent and important even if there is little or no injustice or suffering. How? If we don’t properly plan for the future. The Climate Crisis is “only” costing billions of dollars and displacing millions of people now. But, if we don’t act now, it will eventually cost trillions and displace billions.

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

Uncork Culinary Bliss

A Weeklong Celebration at the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience

by Jamie Knee

Dust off your beret and get ready for a week of pure epicurean delight! The Taste of Santa Barbara, presented by the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, is back, promising a whirlwind adventure for your taste buds from May 13 to 19.

Imagine this: basking in the golden glow of the Santa Barbara sun, sipping on award-winning wines, and indulging in delectable bites – all throughout the county, with the centerpiece event at the historic El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park.

As your Santa Barbara wine communicator, I’m here to be your guide through this culinary extravaganza. Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or just starting your exploration of Santa Barbara’s bounty, the Taste of Santa Barbara offers something for everyone.

This year’s Taste of Santa Barbara takes inspiration from the legendary Julia Child, a woman who understood the joy of a perfectly cooked meal and a well-paired glass of wine. Prepare to embark on a weeklong odyssey through Santa Barbara’s culinary landscape, with events happening in charming restaurants, wineries, and unique locations across the county. Sample the freshest seafood, explore farm-to-table creations, and of course, delve into the bounty of Santa Barbara’s incredible wineries.

The centerpiece of the weeklong event is undoubtedly the “Taste of Santa Barbara Wines” at El Presidio Park. Mark your calendars for May 18, because this is where the magic happens. Mingle with fellow food and wine enthusiasts as you stroll through the park, sipping on selections from dozens of Santa Barbara’s most celebrated wineries and restaurants. Each sip and bite is a chance to connect with the passionate artisans behind these culinary creations.

Feeling a bit nostalgic? Then join the “Sideways Revisited” panel discussion, a fun trip down memory lane that explores the wineries immortalized in the iconic film. For the adventurous palate, there’s “New Grapes from the Old World,” where you’ll discover exciting grape varietals like Spanish mencía and Rhône Valley clairette blanche taking center stage. And for the pinot noir aficionado, a panel discussion with industry veterans promises to delve into the

The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience takes place from May 13 to 19

intricacies of this captivating grape.

No culinary adventure is complete without indulging in the bounty of the region.

The Taste of Santa Barbara Wines boasts an impressive lineup of local purveyors, offering everything from succulent smoked carnitas tacos to exquisite shrimp and grits shooters. A portion of the proceeds goes towards the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience’s partnership with The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, ensuring this epicurean legacy continues to inspire future generations.

For a truly immersive experience, don’t miss Lights, Camera, Julia! on Saturday, May 18 at the Metro 4 Theatre. This special event goes behind the scenes of the new television series Julia, following the life and career of the iconic chef. Enjoy exclusive screenings, insightful discussions with the show’s creators and Julia’s grand-nephew, Alex Prud’homme, and a chance to savor popcorn, one of Julia’s favorite snacks!

So, grab your best walking shoes, adventurous spirit, and a healthy appetite. The Taste of Santa Barbara awaits!

See you all there, raising a glass (or two) to Santa Barbara’s finest wines and celebrating the art of living well. Santé!

Get your tickets at https://tasteofsb.ticketsauce. com/e/taste-of-santa-barbara-2/tickets

Your Westmont

Reflecting on Crucible Moments

by Scott Craig, photos by Brad Elliott

It seems there’s no more difficult job these days than the college president. Not only have college campuses become battlegrounds for protestors of the Israel-Hamas War, but the value of higher education has come under fire. To be successful, they must inspire faculty, staff, students, and other constituencies, while upholding the ideals of the academy. They continually face stress-inducing events, which may become life-altering, transforming crucibles. President Gayle D. Beebe shares the crucibles that have defined his personal and professional life and leadership in a new book, The Crucibles That Shape Us: Navigating the Defining Challenges of Leadership

Beebe, who has faced several crucibles forged by natural disaster, was 500 days into his Westmont presidency when the Tea Fire claimed eight buildings on campus and 15 faculty homes in November 2008. Nine years later, the Thomas Fire and deadly Montecito debris flow presented additional unforeseen challenges.

“Though every leader faces enormous challenges that require response, it’s still difficult to anticipate the severity of unfolding events and the length of time it will take to resolve them,” Beebe writes. “Each situation demands a vision that exceeds inconvenience and a commitment to strategies and tactics that help us persevere.”

In the book, Beebe identifies seven crucibles that, when embraced, shape us

President Gayle D. Beebe

on our profound journey. Each chapter of the book delves into a crucible that Beebe has personally faced and intimately understands. As a seasoned college president, Beebe brings a unique perspective to the table, blending academic expertise with heartfelt storytelling to create a book that’s both intellectually stimulating and deeply inspiring.

Jamie Knee is a global wine communicator and travel writer, has hosted 100+ winemaker interviews, international wine judge, and holds multiple wine, sommelier, and educator certifications.

“Life is a perpetual gauntlet with challenge on one side and opportunity on the other,” he says. “We often overlook so many experiences of our everyday life that offer us an opportunity to identify deeper understanding and a better response as we navigate the defining challenges [of life] and leadership. Crucibles have the power to shape us by refining our character, calling forth our best effort, and teaching us to rely on God. Rarely, if ever anticipated, crucibles test our capacity to adapt and change. We often see setbacks and disasters as events that keep us from our best life. They’re really opportunities to grow in leadership.”

David Brooks, the New York Times bestselling author and an annual speaker at Westmont’s Lead Where You Stand Conference, wrote the foreword and says he was struck by a scene in the book where Beebe has a premonition to return home moments before the Montecito mudslides. “This kind of knowledge is held mostly unconsciously, but it is built up consciously,” Brooks writes. “It is the accumulation of a life spent reading, observing, and reflecting. It is knowledge transmogrified into wisdom. I once came across a recipe for a Chinese dish that instructed the cook to add an ingredient just before the water

The Crucibles That Shape Us

Meeting at MA Community Speaks on Rosewood Expansion at Board Meeting

by Joanne A Calitri

The Montecito Association (MA) held its monthly board meeting on May 14 in person at the Cold Spring School auditorium to accommodate the expected large turnout of residents regarding the slated presentations by All Saints-by-the-Sea Parish and School, and the Neighbors of the Miramar. Indeed, the auditorium was at capacity with the MA board on one end and the public seated on the other, many carrying signs saying, “I support the Miramar.”

MA Board and staff present were President Doug Black , Treasurer Bill Macfadyen , Executive Director Houghton Hyatt , Mindy Denson , Jacqueline Duran, Aimee Miller, Jillian Wittman , Patrice Serrani , Robert Kemp, Leslie Lundgren, Inken Gerlach, Melissa Miller, and Joe Pennino

Speaking for All Saints-by-the-Sea were Reverend Channing Smith and Katie Graham. Neighbors of the Miramar speakers were its founders Branden and Valerie Aroyan, and Clifford Ghersen. Representing the Rosewood Miramar Beach were Retired Senior VP Rick Lemmo , Executive VP of Development & Acquisitions Bryce Ross , Senior Director of Development Katie Mangin , and Executive VP of Hospitality Philipp Posch . MA Board President Doug Black reminded attendees, “The Montecito Association does not hand out building permits, or regulations. We are a body of volunteers that facilitates conversations between all parties concerned about issues in Montecito. We request that public comments be respectful and not signal anyone out. Public comments are taken in the order we received your request slip, and are limited to three minutes per person.”

Clifford Ghersen speaking at the MA meeting with audience members holding their “I Support

the Miramar” signs (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

The regular orders of business were conducted as follows:

Lt. Ugo Peter “Butch” Arnoldi reported on crime in Montecito for April through today. Burglaries were at All Saints-by-the-Sea school, a 3375 Foothill Road residence, the San Ysidro Pharmacy, and a residence at Butterfly Lane near Channel Drive; and a subject near San Leandro Lane with mental health issues was taken into custody. He alerted the community that a white line has been painted along East Mountain Drive and Riven Rock Road to delineate the no parking zone, and tickets will be issued by the CHP and the Sheriff’s Department.

Montecito Fire Chief David Neels thanked the over 120 residents and school kids for helping to push engine 92 into the fire station last week. MFD crews are preparing for fire season and doing annual trainings in the area. He alerted the residents to the increase in rattlesnake bites in the area and asked people be cautious when hiking.

Nick Turner for the Montecito Water Protection District gave updates on the Groundwater Sustainability Agency. There are increases in the rebates for residents’ projects to improve groundwater filtration, like rain gardens and creating permeable surfaces. He talked about the well registration program to fill gaps in data the board has on well locations and their active status. For the water district there is a public hearing June 25 regarding rate increases for the next five years. Rebates for water conservation are $500 to $5,000 for single-family residences, and most residents will not realize increases greater than $20/month on their water bills. Smart meters for water provide hourly readings and detect water leaks. He referred residents to check the website for info and updates.

Superintendent/Principal of Cold

Spring School Amy Alzina invited the community to the school’s play on May 29 and 30, the art fair on May 16 at 5 pm, an all-school track and field competition held at Westmont College on May 24, graduation on June 6, and a training for high school students on the seven habits of highly effective people on June 17 and 18. It was announced Alzina has been named Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators for the State of California.

Black replied to the request from the last MA meeting on how the MA board responds to letters, saying they read all letters, and either answer it directly or refer the letter to the correct public government department to contact the resident.

Hyatt restated the invite to the community to attend the Hands Across Montecito Monthly Walk on May 23 at 8:30 am with City Net and the Sheriff’s Department to assess and help the homeless in the area.

Macfayden reported the MA is “still in the red operating $13,000 below budget, which should even out when the MA autopay dues are renewed.” Bill Babbitt is reported to have resigned from the Land Use Committee, and thus no report. Denson updated on July 4th – to be in the parade is $120, and there will be a public picnic with live music and beer in Lower Manning Park. No other committees reported.

Next were the presentations on the Miramar project, MA Board questions, and public comments, which are outlined below. Refer to the full videos of the presenters on the MJ website and MJ YouTube Channel.

Smith and Graham’s key points were presented in a slide show and included the church’s goals to maintain a good working relationship with Rick Caruso, the Miramar’s impact on the parish community, the parish as a historic resource, an environmental review, and the Montecito Community Plan which provides for historic preservation, roadway character, and the Santa Ynez Mountains’ visual importance – all of which they said are being impacted by the Miramar’s projected updates. The parish was established by a donation of the land it is on from the prior owners of the Miramar Hotel. They have been working with the Caruso team since 2014 and will continue do so with full transparency. Given their committee’s findings on the historic value of the parish, the mountain views that potentially may be blocked by construction, the proximity of the proposed building, and other issues, they stated they are against the Miramar project.

Aroyan and Ghersen spoke about the

loss of nature and serenity in the area, congestion the project brings, and the aesthetic of Montecito: “If Caruso wants to build affordable housing along the creek that is ok with us, but not a shopping mall in our neighborhood.” Ghersen emphasized that the resort only serves the wealthy and many not from the area, and it will alter the landscape of the bordering neighborhood. MA Board questions included clarification of the exact property line for the Miramar and All Saints-by-theSea, the height of the bell tower on All Saints-by-the-Sea compared to the proposed construction, the number of retail stores and employee apartments. Graham did not have the facts requested. Ross ensured that all property setbacks are consistent and in line with what is already existing and permitted for the property, including the concessions they are requesting, as well as stating that, “Our property line goes into the church parking lot.”

Mangin stated: “There is a lot of hyperbolae in the points made by the presenters, many issues are already addressed and amended in the Miramar project. Our goal at the start was providing affordable housing for our employees without public financing, and our plan is 72% affordable housing for our employees. To pay for it we introduced 12 shops. We are committed to continuing to listen and take that feedback in, but we do intend to move this plan forward.”

Public comments were made by John Agoglia , Rock Rockenbach , Jenny Haeg-Hudson , Marni Blau , Brent Morrison, Jan Larson, Cori Hayman, David Boyd, Cam Gittler, Padric Davis, and Julie Teufel. Some who signed up left, and time ran out for two others.

Hayman, a member of All Saints-bythe-Sea said she and many parish members are in support of Caruso and read a letter signed by 100 Montecito people in support of the project (see video).

Comments in support of the Miramar praised and thanked Caruso for rescuing Montecito from the “rat-infested eye sore” that was left on the beach for years, for building affordable housing which saved Manning Park from being a location for that, paying taxes that support Montecito schools, providing employment, raising the economy of Montecito, for the beauty and community resource the resort is, for helping during the mudslide and fire disasters, that 12 shops is not a shopping mall, and for being amenable to listening to the community’s concerns. Comments against the project included the same cogent points made by the Smith, Graham, Aroyan, and Ghersen – see videos.

was about to boil. How do you know if the water is about to boil if it is not yet boiling? Experience. Wisdom.”

Conference Offers

Inspiring Leadership Lessons

Westmont has assembled an inspirational group of renowned speakers for its 10th annual LEAD Where You Stand Conference June 5-6 at the college’s Global Leadership Center. David Brooks, New York Times columnist and bestselling author, headlines an exceptional and diverse group of speakers that includes: Gayle D. Beebe, Westmont president and author of The Crucibles That Shape Us; Dr. Charity Dean, CEO and co-founder of the Public Health Company; Kim Battle-Walters Denu, provost and dean of faculty at Westmont; Marcus “Goodie” Goodloe, a Martin Luther King Jr. scholar; Matthew Luhn, award-winning writer and director formerly at Disney’s Pixar; and Jeff Schloss, T.B. Walker professor of natural and behavioral sciences.

Tickets to the event, which cost $399, may be purchased online at westmont. edu/lead. Each registrant will receive a complimentary copy of Beebe’s new book, The Crucibles That Shape Us.

“In the last decade, this event has quickly evolved into a beacon of inspiration and empowerment, attracting powerhouse speakers and participants who share transformative leadership principles,” Beebe says. “The caliber of speakers and attendees underscores our collective commitment to advancing excellence in leadership, transcending boundaries of industry and service.”

Brooks is the New York Times columnist and author of a number of New York Times bestsellers, including How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen; The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life; and The Road to Character.

Dean brings together the best expertise in public health disease control with tech innovation in the private sector to build

capabilities for autonomous disease control in scalable software.

Luhn has mastered the art, practice, and business applications of storytelling. He draws upon his 25-year career working on The Simpsons and formerly at Disney’s Pixar.

Denu, who has worked in executive leadership in Christian higher education for more than 25 years, will address the topic of “Leading Across Differences: Utilizing Soft Power to Build Cohesion.”

Goodloe travels the country mentoring students, educators, business professionals, athletes, entertainers, and communities of faith about cultural and interpersonal relationships, leadership, character formation, and faith.

Schloss often speaks to audiences about the intersection of biology and faith. His many academic publications include The Believing Primate: Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Reflections on the Origin of Religion.

important to stay emotionally available and not completely shut off when you walk through the door in the morning. I think that is what I would say to people – that it is possible to get very, very drawn into your work when you’re in a nonprofit, and you need to make sure to take care of yourself otherwise you won’t be able to do the work long term.

That is another big theme that has come up when I speak to nonprofit employees. I have noticed so much talk about how to engage donors and external contributors, but it seems equally important that we are able to motivate and support the employees of nonprofits themselves so that their work is sustainable in the long term. Do you find your position to be motivating and supportive in that way?

Mine definitely is, yes. But when working in a nonprofit, this varies so much based on what your role is and who you interact with. I am in a position that has a lot of immediate gratification because I have daily interactions with people who contribute to our organization. I will accept clothing from a donor in the morning, and later on in the day, I see that clothing on a young person who uses our services. That is so real and present, to be able to point directly to this difference that has been made. We try our best to feedback to our contributors with letters explaining our work and showing the impact of what they have given. But for roles within our nonprofit, some people might not get to see the immediate impact of their work. A coworker told me about a letter she had sent out asking for clothing donations and said she wondered if it had an impact. And because of the position I have I was able to tell her that we went from having empty bins to containers overflowing with clothing. But she wasn’t able to see this because she works remotely.

It makes a really big difference doesn’t it! Do you think we’re going to see a shift towards engaging all the different people who work with a nonprofit in the same way? Absolutely! A big trend right now in nonprofit work is that galas are going out of style because they represent an old-world style of fundraising that is essentially getting a bunch of wealthy people together to pool money. And I’m sure this has helped a lot of people. But why not get everyone you’re working with in the same room? I have had some really good experiences with that here at My Friend’s Place. Back in December we had a holiday party where some of our board members came by and got to interact with the people they serve every week, which is really cool and a good experience for everyone involved I think. That way we all feel as though we’re working together.

At My Friend’s Place, we try to focus on something called community-centered fundraising. Community-centered fundraising basically says: “Hey, we all have this inherent worth as humans, shouldn’t we try to cultivate that together?” And I think that is a really good way to look at things, and it is especially important to include everyone in that effort –employees, donors, and the communities we serve.

From the shores of Scotland, Stella Haffner keeps her connection to her home in Montecito by bringing grads of local schools to the pages of the Montecito Journal

Dr. Charity Dean

Matthew Luhn, formerly of Disney’s Pixar

Scott Craig is manager of media relations at Westmont College

My Friend’s Place team at the Los Angeles Charity Half Marathon

Campus Connection: Art, Theater, Jazz… and ‘Schmigadoon!’

Incandescent is the intriguing title of this year’s MFA Thesis Exhibition at UCSB’s Art, Design & Architecture Museum (AD&A), on view May 17 to June 9. The seven grad students with heritage from Mexico, Nigeria, Iran, the Philippines, and elsewhere, drew on Michel Serres’ notion of incandescence to create art that emphasizes the interconnectedness of humans and nature, underscoring an unfolding shared history and luminous resistance against dominant oppressive narratives. Media range from sculpture to painting and a performance of the movement art piece movement:::Water / movement:::Support by interdisciplinary artist Hope Okere on June 1 at the Red Barn (Old Gym). Visit www.museum.ucsb.edu.

UCSB undergraduate student Angel Diaz and graduate student Mayra GomezLabrada celebrate the shared history of Mexico and California through food, historical discovery, film, and theater in a festival of Chicano culture that winds up this weekend with a full theatrical production of Luis Valdez’s landmark 1978 play Zoot Suit. While the sartorial suits were the choice of swing revivalists in the 1990s, the zoot suit was originally a fashion statement for Chicano men in the 1930s and 1940s, which became an integral part of the “Sleepy Lagoon” murder trial in 1942. Zoot Suit performs for free May 18 and 19 at UCSB’s Hatlen Theater. Visit https:// ihc.ucsb.edu for details.

Most people either love Schmigadoon! or can’t stand to watch a moment of it. I land squarely on the plus about the remarkably clever AppleTV+ series that both lampoons and serves as a loving homage to great Broadway musicals of two distinct eras. (I’ve watched it twice all the way through so far.) Apparently I’m not the only one, as “Corn Puddin’,” the suggestive song that shows up early in the first episode, won a 2022 Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. The bad news is that the streamer nixed a third season earlier this year. The better news is that with the new songs and book already written by series creator Cinco Paul, Schmigadoon! is going full circle as a stage musical premiering at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater next January. In the meantime, the Pollock Theatre is screening the first episode of each of the two seasons in 4K digital projection followed by a conversation with underscore composer Christopher Willis on Tuesday, May 21. Reserve free tickets at https://www.carseywolf.ucsb.edu/pollock-events.

Jon Nathan directs the UCSB Jazz Ensemble in its season-closing concert “Strike Up the Band” featuring famous works by jazz great Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Maria Schneider , Pat Metheny , Count Basie, Buddy Rich, and Duke Ellington among others. The Wednesday, May 22, concert at Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall also features students from the school’s Jazz Ensemble and Combos programs. Visit https://music.ucsb.edu.

Sounds at Sunstone: Singing ‘Out Loud’ for One805

Nashville-based singer-songwriter and recording artist Jordan Asher Huffman , who has been named One805’s 2024 Mental Wellness Ambassador and is lend -

ing his single “Out Loud” to serve as this year’s anthem for all One805LIVE! events, has been added to the all-star lineup put together by Steve Postell for the nonprofit’s afternoon bash at Sunstone Winery. Jordan – who comes from a background of turbulence and pain – wrote the song to stifle the stigma of mental health in our society, and to illuminate our awareness of accepting how we feel and empower us to quiet the intrusive thoughts of our minds. Both Huffman and One805, the nonprofit formed in the wake of the Thomas Fire and Montecito Debris Flow that put together the now legendary Kick Ash Bash in 2019, are both taking a proactive approach to help protect the mental health of First Responders working on the front lines.

Huffman will be part of the epic entertainment group The Night Train Music Club fronted by Postell and also featuring fellow Immediate Family member Leland Sklar along with former Cars guitarist Elliot Easton, Tariqh Akoni, Steve Ferrone, Russ Irwin, Carl Verheyen, Peter Adams, Keith England, Sharlotte Gibson, with other special guests TBA for the second annual Sunstone Winery One805Live! concert on Sunday afternoon, May 19, at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez. Food and drinks are part of the all-inclusive fundraiser. Visit https://one805.org.

Valley Fever: Irish Harmonies and English Horn in Santa Ynez

Celtic Woman returns to the Chumash Casino on their “20th Anniversary Tour,” marking the milestone since the ensemble rose to fame after their 2005 PBS concert special that was initially intended as a one-time-only event. But the response propelled their album to the top of Billboard’s World Music chart and a second album a year later stayed at No. 1 for more than two straight years. Celtic Woman concerts both celebrate Ireland’s rich history while also reflecting the spirit of modern Ireland through captivating stage performances and soaring vocal harmonies. With over 20 albums that have sold more than 10 million records worldwide, the ensemble remains the only all-female act to achieve multi-platinum success in the classical crossover and world music genres during the past decade. The concert at the Samala Showroom on Saturday, May 18, will feature new arrangements of iconic songs, new compositions, and, of course, such fan favorites as “You Raise Me Up” and “The Parting Glass.” Info at 1-800-CHUMASH (248-6274) or www.chumashcasino.com.

The Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series final concert of the season is a recital with Roger Roe, principal English horn and oboist of the Indianapolis Symphony, and pianist Dr. R. Kent Cook, Professor Emeritus at Illinois Wesleyan University. The Hidden Journeys program, slated for Wednesday, May 22, at St Mark’s in the Valley Church, will consist of works by Pierre Max Dubois, Zachary Wadsworth, Samuel Barber, Ulysses Kay, and Pavel Haas. Visit www.smitv.org.

Santa Barbara bands Soul Majestic and Meta and the Cornerstones team up for an evening of roots rock reggae on Friday, May 24, at Solvang Festival Theater, the intimate outdoor venue in the heart of the Danish-themed village. Visit https:// solvangtheaterfest.org.

Book ‘em

Pulitzer Prize finalist, culture critic, producer, and screenwriter Xochitl Gonzalez is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of its newsletter Brooklyn, Everywhere , about class, gentrification, and the American Dream. Her debut novel, Olga Dies Dreaming , was a critical fave in 2022, while the follow-up, Anita de Monte Laughs Last , came out this spring. Gonzalez delivers the lecture Latinx Voices Are American Voices at Campbell Hall on Friday, May 17. Visit https:// artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

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

The Butterfly Wood House, by Robert Ooley, FAIA, an architect and the Director of Facilities at Santa Barbara Museum of Art, delves into the story behind the architect’s last commissions of his Prairie Style and is the only example on the West Coast. The book traces how the family and the embattled architect collaborated in the creation of the 4,500-square-foot redwood treasure that now serves as the Montecito home of writer T. C. Boyle, who wrote the introduction. Ooley talks about the book at SBMA on Sunday, May 19. Tickets at www.sbma.net.

Celtic Woman returns to the Chumash Casino for their 20th anniversary tour

That combination of mystery, eccentricity, rumor, and inuendo attracted a sold-out audience of architecture fans to Santa Barbara City College’s Fé Bland Forum last Thursday, for a panel discussion on the design and construction of what is right now arguably Santa Barbara’s most notable private residence. In three short years Hill House sits alongside such venerable names as Lotusland, Casa del Herrero, and of course the always controversial Bellosguardo.

Joining Heavin this past Thursday night were the Hill House architect of record Robin Donaldson, accompanied by Perea and moderator Les Firestein, Editor and Founder of the Montecito Journal’s Riv design magazine, making for an ebullient discussion that at times felt like a housewarming celebration for the general public, hors d’oeuvres included.

The discussion was sponsored by the Visual Arts & Design Academy of Santa Barbara High School (VADA), and offered a behind-the-scenes overview of the project’s development and current state. As shown through photographs, videos, architectural drawings and computer renderings, Hill House holds true to its name. It is essentially an occupiable mound with a circular floor plan, cast as a raw concrete shell and covered in vegetation. A walkable roof allows for uninterrupted views out over the Pacific, with both recognizable and anonymous artworks flowing throughout its interior and exterior. Aligning with the clients’ ambitions, art, architecture, and landscape design are inseparably bound. The house appears as an extension of its natural setting, with curvilinear walls and openings akin to an exquisite ceramic vessel.

Donaldson and Heavin explained that the house was birthed from two basic requirements: to design something empathetic to the landscape, and to create something that “wouldn’t have been possible five years earlier.” No doubt a brief like that – along with its commensurate budget – is the long-held fantasy of every architect. It helps too that Heavin and his partner, Lynda Weinman, are experienced artists, privy to the rewards and complicated nonlinearity of the creative process. Thus the seeds of Hill House were planted, precipitating an extensive four-year-long design process where there was no detail too granular. As shown during the discussion, even the house’s front door handle is an engineering achievement where the ingenuity of Leonardo’s notebooks seem to merge winningly with the science fiction aesthetic of H. R. Giger. True to his creative impulses, Heavin recalled that he wanted to “do a deep dive into the irrational and the emotional,” in

designing the house. Nearly a decade after its inception, the results speak to both.

As Donaldson recounted, at one point during construction, a smaller crane had to be lifted out of the site by a larger crane. Recalling the fantasmic tableaux of Hieronymus Bosch but writ modern, according to Firestein. As evidenced by the audible “oohs” and “aahs” of Thursday’s audience, reacting to photographs and drone footage projected onscreen, it all seems to have been worth it.

Donaldson recalled being told by one visitor that entering the house felt like descending into a canyon, an analogy that pleased him enormously. Meanwhile Mr. Heavin recalled, “I’ve had people cry upon entering the house,” he shared with the lively, rapt audience.

Preceding the discussion, Ms. Perea contextualized Hill House as a product of “serious play,” whereby outlandish architectural dreams are wrestled into reality through rigor and engineering. Like the designs of Ray and Charles Eames and, later, those of Frank Gehry, Perea posited that Donaldson’s Hill House fits into a lineage of playful, future-forward designs native to Southern California, including Gehry’s iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall and the space age “Googie” buildings throughout Los Angeles (e.g. Norm’s Coffee Shop and the Theme Building at LAX). Though that aesthetic tends to be rarely encountered by the Montecito Board of Architectural Review, Donaldson noted the unusual partially submerged sand dollar shape of Hill House is perhaps beside the point.

“Santa Barbara tends to fixate on form,” said Donaldson. “What the city should instead prioritize,” he added, “Is the social impact of our buildings, and how architecture might embolden our local communities.” The audience applauded, yet it was for the intriguing curves and shapes of Hill House that they had gathered. For Thursday’s sold-out attendance had already made clear at least one social function of form: To bring us together and enliven discussion about what it means to be a house – and what it means to be a human resident of such a house, and the custodian of such a thought-provoking structure. Mr. Heavin wrapped up the evening by quoting Ivy Ross, author of This Is Your Brain on Art. He said, “The Robots are here. It’s time for us to return to what we do best –which is be human.”

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STATE OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

Proposals are due by 5:00 PM on Thursday, June 6th, 2024 for:

Biological Environmental Services for the Temporary Bridge Removal & Permanent Bridge Placement on East Mountain Drive Project

COUNTY PROJECT NO 862357, FEDERAL-AID NO. BRLO-NBIL (526)

General project work description: Biological pre-construction surveying and construction monitoring for bridge replacement project.

The Notice to Proposers, Request for Proposal, and available Supplemental Information are available at no charge at County of Santa Barbara PlanetBids website: https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=43874

Proposals must be electronically submitted on County of Santa Barbara PlanetBids website.

Estimated duration of work is 110 Working Days

No pre-proposal conference is scheduled for this project.

This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). Prevailing wages are required on this Proposal. The DIR Director determines the general prevailing wage rates and can be obtained at the DIR website at https://www.dir.ca.gov/

All questions regarding this RFP must be received no later than seven days prior to the proposal due date and must be submitted via PlanetBids Q&A tab. Questions after this date will not be addressed

Proposers (Consultants of Record) will be notified by email if addenda are issued. Addenda, if issued, will only be available via PlanetBids

Chris Sneddon Director of Public Works

County of Santa Barbara

Published May 15, 2024

Montecito Journal

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: The Knit Shop, 1221 State St STE 7, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. The Radmakerie, LLC, 1221 State St STE 7, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 23, 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. 2024-0001019. Published May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 2024

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

1. OWNER: Montecito Union School District

2.

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION NAME: 2023-2024-02 Building C Walkway Repair 3.

PROJECT LOCATION: 385 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108 4. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Building C Walkway Repair

This project is anticipated to start approximately June 19, 2024, and is anticipated to be completed by August 5, 2024

Building C Walkway Repair Summary Repair Walkway Damage and Other Scope as Noted in the Plans: 1. Removal and installation of new: A. Bridge, B. Walkway C. Railing. 2. Lightweight concrete topping slab. 3. Walkway waterproofing including A. Walkway surface coating, B. Waterproofing membrane, C. Flashing, stucco removal, and repair as required to install new flashing. 4. Stucco: A. At the newly framed structure, B. Miscellaneous repair in preparation for painting (not in contract). 5. Downspouts, 6. Door stops and thresholds. Removal and reinstallation of existing: 1. Cubbies, including touch paint, 2. Fire sprinkler line and head, 3. Light. Installation of new: 1. Soffit vent, 2. Access Panel. Under separate contract: Painting.

5. BID DEADLINE: Bids are due on June 7, 2024, not later than 10:00 a.m. (per the school office clock)

6. PLACE AND METHOD OF BID RECEIPT: All Bids must be on the district-provided bid forms and sealed. Personal delivery, courier, or mailed via United States Postal Service and addressed to Montecito Union School District, 385 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. ATTN: Virginia Alvarez, Chief Business Official

7 PLACE PLANS ARE ON FILE: www.tricoblue.com and Montecito Union School District, Business Department, Second Floor, 385 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108,

8 ALTERNATES: If alternate bids are called for, the contract will be awarded to the lowest bid price on the base contract without consideration of the prices on the additive or deductive items.

9 MANDATORY JOB WALK: Meet at Montecito Union School Office on Monday May 20, 2024 at 12 p.m. Attendance and punctuality to the entire job walk is mandatory and failure to be on time and attend the entire job walk result in your bid being rejected as non-responsive. Contact OWNER for details on required job walks and related documentation. Job walk will commence at indicated time.

10 This is a prevailing wage project. OWNER has ascertained the general prevailing rate of per diem wages in the locality in which this work is to be performed for each craft or type of worker needed to execute this contract. These rates are on file at OWNER’s office, and a copy may be obtained upon request, or at www.dir.ca.gov Contractor shall post a copy of these rates at the job site. ALL PROJECTS OVER $1,000 ARE SUBJECT TO PREVAILING WAGE MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT BY THE LABOR COMMISSIONER.

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 petition 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 shall be mandatory upon the contractor to whom the contract is awarded (CONTRACTOR), and upon any SUBCONTRACTOR, to pay not less than the specified rates to all workers employed by them in the execution of the contract.

11 A Payment Bond for contracts over $25,000 and a Performance Bond for all contracts will be required prior to commencement of work. These bonds shall be in the amounts and form called for in the Contract Documents.

12 Pursuant to the provisions of Public Contract Code Section 22300, CONTRACTOR may substitute certain securities for any funds withheld by OWNER to ensure CONTRACTOR’s performance under the contract. At the request and expense of CONTRACTOR, securities equivalent to any amount withheld shall be deposited, at the discretion of OWNER, with either OWNER or a state or federally chartered bank as the escrow agent, who shall then pay any funds otherwise subject to retention to CONTRACTOR. Upon satisfactory completion of the contract, the securities shall be returned to CONTRACTOR.

Securities eligible for investment shall include those listed in Government Code Section 16430, bank and savings and loan certificates of deposit, interest bearing demand deposit accounts, standby letters of credit, or any other security mutually agreed to by CONTRACTOR and OWNER. CONTRACTOR shall be the beneficial owner of any securities substituted for funds withheld and shall receive any interest on them. The escrow agreement shall be in the form indicated in the Contract Documents.

13 To bid on or perform the work stated in this Notice, CONTRACTOR must possess a valid and active contractor's license of the following classification(s) B No CONTRACTOR or subcontractor shall be qualified to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, subject to the requirements of § 4104 of the Public Contract Code, for a public works project (submitted on or after March 1, 2015) unless currently registered with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and qualified to perform public work pursuant to Labor Code § 1725.5 No CONTRACTOR or subcontractor may be awarded a contract for public work on a public works project (awarded after April 1, 2015) unless registered with the DIR DIR’s web registration portal is: www.dir.ca.gov/Public-Works/Contractors.html

14 CONTRACTOR and all subcontractors must furnish electronic certified payroll records (eCPR) to the Labor Commissioner monthly in PDF format. Registration at www.dir.ca.gov/PublicWorks/Certified-Payroll-Reporting.html is required to use the eCPR system.

The following notice is given as required by Labor Code Section 1771.5(b)(1): CONTRACTOR and any subcontractors are required to review and comply with the provisions of the California Labor Code, Part 7, Chapter 1, beginning with Section 1720, as more fully discussed in the Contract Documents. These sections contain specific requirements concerning, for example, determination and payment of prevailing wages, retention, inspection, and auditing payroll records, use of apprentices, payment of overtime compensation, securing workers’ compensation insurance, and

various criminal penalties or fines which may be imposed for violations of the requirements of the chapter. Submission of a bid constitutes CONTRACTOR’s representation that CONTRACTOR has thoroughly reviewed these requirements.

15 OWNER will retain 5% of the amount of any progress payments.

16. This Project does not require prequalification pursuant to AB 1565 of all general contractors and all mechanical, electrical and plumbing subcontractors

17. BID PACKET will be provided at the job walk to attendees and uploaded to www.tricoblue.com

Advertisement Date: May 16, 2024

Freya Estreller, DignityMoves; Lori Goodman, LEAP; Brad Fieldhouse, City Net; Susan Rodriguez , Unity Shoppe; Judie Lugo, Santa Barbara Police Activities League; Rich Sander, SB ACT; and Harry Bruell, PathPoint.

This year’s lucky 10 grantees are:

CADA (Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse) – $100,000 for vehicles for substance use disorder services

Casa Pacifica – $90,000 for expansion of mobile youth crisis services

City Net – $100,000 for a mobile safe space for homeless women

DignityMoves – $125,000 for a childcare center at a family village

Doctors Without Walls – $100,000 for over two years for intensive case management for homeless clients

LEAP (Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner) – $120,000 for gap funding for child-care program

PathPoint – $105,000 for shower installation for behavioral health properties

SB ACT (Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation) – $200,000 over two years for staff and supplies for permanent homelessness navigation center

Santa Barbara Police Activities League – $110,000 for renovation of teen center

Unity Shoppe – $75,000 for purchase and stocking of refrigeration units

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is a member of Philanos, the leading network of national collective giving circles. Philanos serves to catalyze the movement of women in philanthropy by connecting women’s grantmaking organizations to increase their impact in the community.

411: www.womensfundsb.org

VNA Health’s 23rd Annual Mother’s Day Luncheon

The VNA Health’s 23rd Annual Mother’s Day Luncheon Fundraiser took place Friday, May 10 at the Santa Barbara Hilton Ballroom. The event cel-

ebrated Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree as their Remembered Mother and Leslie Person Ryan as their Honored Mother.

The sold-out event opened with a champagne reception, and silent auction tables in the ballroom. Raffle tickets were sold for an Epicurean Basket, Louis Vuitton handbag plus fashionista local shopping, a charter ride on the Landshark, and a Montecito area catered sports experience.

The event host committee members were Stacie Anthes, Hiroko Benko, Sharon Bradford, Vince Caballero, Jessica Caballero, Phyllis Christensen, Chris Emmons, Kimberly Ferrarin, Jodi Fishman-Osti, Anna Grotenhuis, Jane Habermann, Pamela Dillman Haskell, Victoria Furst Hines, Allison Kay, Francie Lufkin, Maggie Mabuchi, Lailan McGrath, Val Montgomery, Judy Murphy, Diane Pannkuk, Kieran Shah, Sharol Siemens, Jennie Strait, Marie Ann Strait, Susan Tarlow, Anne Towbes, Carolyn Williams, and Katina Zaninovich

At 11:20 am, guests were ushered into the ballroom for a surprise dance performance by the Meredith Cabaniss Ventura and Selah Dance Collective to honor Person Ryan. The dancers were Zoe Brown, McKenzie Gosney, Madelyne Herbert , Elianne Holt , Hailey Maynard , Madeline Stiner , Victoria Vertiz, and Isabella Voder

During lunch, President and CEO of VNA Health Kieran Shah welcomed the attendees. He provided the history of Mother’s Day and correlated it with the establishment of VNA Health in 1908 by Marian Watts. Shah added, “VNA Health fills the gap of medical care in the community. We partner with local organizations that together are the spirit of the community. Sutter Health is our first ever Vision Sponsor of this event. We thank all our sponsors, staff, and especially our care givers. We honor our past honorees who are here and dedicate the table centerpieces to them.”

President of Greater Central Coast Market Sutter Health Kurt N. Ransohoff spoke briefly about Sutter Health and its mission to collaborate all health care organizations like the VNA Health, Sansum

Clinic, and Cottage Hospital. He was followed by VNA Health’s Director of Home Health Care Jadona Collier and Senior Director of Hospice and Palliative Care Sena Woodall. Master of Ceremonies Andrew Firestone shared his inspiration, saying, “My goal has always been to support the most vulnerable in our community. And that is what the VNA Health caregivers provide at the end of a life.” He introduced Gil Rosas who played classic contemporary songs on piano, and spoke about his experience with VNA Health.

The Live Auction was conducted by Erin Graffy, who raised approximately $13,000.

Firestone introduced the Honored Remembered Mother, Lady Leslie RidleyTree. He mentioned her philanthropic work and her love of music. He introduced three of the five members of the “Leslie’s Guys” all-male singing group, Rod Lathim, Bobby Lesser, and Rosas. They performed the song, “I Remember It Well” with their own lyrics dedicated to RidleyTree. Speaking their tributes about her were her daughter Suzette Chafey, a hospice nurse of 10 years for VNA Health, and grandchildren, Nahtahna and Xaloc Cabanes. They shared about Leslie’s love of God, her children, and her quote of giving more than you think you can give.

Shah then introduced the Honored Mother, Leslie Person Ryan, lauded for her work as a Visionary Entrepreneur, Food Resilience Hero, and A Force of Nature. She is the CEO & Founder of the Santa Barbara Agriculture & Farm Education Foundation. She is well-known in Montecito for her previous stationery shop, Letter Perfect,

and dedicated volunteer board work. VNA Health connected with her to provide food staples for a single parent who was in hospice and for her two sons. Person Ryan still provides weekly food service to the sons, who both spoke their words of thanks.

A video to Person Ryan, with fond congrats and thanks by friends, family, her employees, and her food service clients, was followed by a second video from her son Tally (Talliesin), currently working in the U.S. Military and deployed. With her at the event were her two daughters, Margaret (Peg) and Ottocina, who provided their speeches about her.

Person Ryan, overcome with the accolades, had tears in her eyes as she talked about being a mother, the qualities of her children, and her guidance for them as a single parent. She stressed about the need for food security in Santa Barbara County via a network of farms, and to grow food seeds without chemicals. Her Sweet Wheel Farm is organic, uses high-tech irrigation, makes its own power, and will soon be delivering food via EV bicycles. Ilene Nagel presented Person Ryan with her award, a statue designed by artist and sculptor Aris Demetrios. Shah had her pick the lucky raffle winners, which concluded the event.

Noted attendees were last year’s Honored Mother Rona Barrett with her Foundation Executive Director Tony Morris, and the Summerland Beautiful team supporting Person Ryan: Sharon Curry, D’Arcy Cornwell, Elizabeth Winterhalter, Penny Mathison and Lorie Porter; Vince Caballero, Renee Grubb, and Norm Habermann

411: https://vna.health

at: artraks@ yahoo.com

Vince Caballero and Renee Grubb (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Dancing to the opening song at the luncheon are Norm Habermann and Pamela Dillman Haskell (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Summerland Beautiful team from left: Sharon Curry, D’Arcy Cornwell, Leslie Person Ryan, Elizabeth Winterhalter, Penny Mathison, and Lorie Porter (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Rona Barrett and her Foundation Executive Director Tony Morris (photo by Joanne A Calitri)

Joanne A Calitri is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her

Silver & Love in the Garden

Everybody was clearly in the right aria when Robert Adams, opera critic for Voice magazine, and his art historian wife Nancy Caponi threw a Silver Anniversary garden party at their charming downtown home.

Ground,” first performed at the Lobero in 2015 and last staged in 2017 at the International Ballet Gala in Santiago, Chile, with choreography by Edgar Zendejas set to Max Richter’s enchanting re-composition of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons exploring evolutions, changes, and life’s winding paths.

Next season can’t come soon enough...

More than 50 guests turned out to congratulate the tony twosome who were married at the Mission after a lengthy courtship after meeting at the museum of contemporary art.

Among them were Nancy’s mother Patricia Caponi and sister Susan Arvidson (who flew in from St. Paul, Minnesota), Mike Smith , Gretchen Lieff, Mark Whitehurst and Kerry Methner , Rick Oshay and Teresa

Singing Stars at the Bar

Former chanteuse Libby AubreyPorter and her husband childcare pioneer Rick held a Celebration of Life bash at the Rosewood Miramar’s Manor Bar.

The dynamic duo, both regulars at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club with their immaculately groomed West Highland terrier, invited 50 guests to help mark the occasion after 10 years of marriage after meeting at the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach. Libby was first discovered while working with the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania, where I would weekend on occasion on the estate of Mickey Byers, whose brother was the son-in-law of CBS founder Bill Paley. She sang a sassy song list of popular and rare music from the ‘20s to the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s, including “Mambo Italiano,” “I’ll Be Seeing You,” and “Luck Be a Lady” wrapping, appropriately enough, with “The Best is Yet to Come” with a pianist accompaniment by Steve Rawlings

L.A.’s Pink Mozart Quartet added to the entertainment as guests quaffed champagne and noshed on canapés from Caruso’s chef Massimo Falsini before the tony twosome cut a velvet and buttercream birthday cake.

Among the handsome horde were Nolan Nicholson and Kathy Nawroth, Mindy Denson, songwriter Tom Snow and wife Mary Belle, Emily Roos, Don and Wendy Gragg, and Jerrard and Jeanie Burford. A helluva sunset soirée....

Whirlwind Tour

It was a royal tour in all but name when Prince Harry and his actress wife Meghan Markle touched down in Nigeria for a 72-hour visit. Just hours after arriving in the

Kuskey, Chris and Mindy Denson, and Joan Rutkowski

Rachel Hutsell performing at State Street Ballet’s Other Voices (photo by Andre Yew)

Emma Matthews and Tanner Blee (photo by Andre Yew)

Nancy’s mother Patricia Caponi and sister Susan Arvidson also made it to the party (photo by Rick Oshay)

Oscar Bravo Ly and Emma Matthews (photo by Andre Yew)

Mark Whitehurst, Kerry Menther, Gretchen Lieff, Mindy Denson, Robert Adams, Nancy Caponi, Chris Denson, Teresa Kuskey, and Rick Oshay (courtesy of Rick Oshay)

Robert Adams and Nancy Caponi celebrating their Silver Anniversary (photo by Rick Oshay)

Libby Aubrey-Porter gets a hug of approval for her performance from songwriter Tom Snow (photo by Michelle Lauren)

capital Abuja, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were visiting children of the Wuse Lighting Academy, which is supported by the twosome’s Archewell Foundation.

The couple had a secret reunion at London’s Heathrow Airport before boarding a British Airways Boeing 777 in first class for the 3,000 miles flight.

During the visit they met wounded soldiers and their families in what Nigerian officials described as a show of support to improve soldiers’ morale and well-being during the current conflict with Boko Haram, Islamic extremists, who launched insurgencies in 2009.

Harry’s visit comes after the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in London. At no time during the two-day U.K. trip did he meet with his father, King Charles III, or his brother, the Prince of Wales, although the monarch was at Buckingham Palace, two miles from St. Paul’s Cathedral where the Invictus celebration was being held, hosting the first of his summer garden parties with Queen Camilla

“I’m listening to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is telling me that. It’s important to take a pause, so that’s what I’m doing.”

House on Market

Actor Billy Baldwin and his wife Chynna Phillips have put their quaint Montecito home on the market for $3,895,000.

The longtime twosome purchased their 1940 three-bedroom abode for $2.9 million and completed a full renovation to bring it up to date.

The listing describes it as “magical” and “private” which blends “old-world charm” with “modern amenities.”

Along with a bright and airy main home, the 0.51-acre estate also includes a two- bedroom guest house.

Discussing the Past

Former TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey has apologized for her role in promoting a toxic diet culture –months after finally admitting she used weight loss drugs to shed more than 400 pounds.

Oprah, 70, opened up about her regrets about discussing dieting and body image in a three-hour Weightwatchers special.

“I have been a steadfast participant in the diet culture. Through my platforms, through the magazine, through the talk show for 25 years and online.

“I’ve been a regular contributor to it. I cannot tell you how many weight loss shows and makeovers I have done, and they have been a staple since I’ve been working in television.”

Reflections

Chynna Phillips has spoken out about her “traumatic and painful” upbringing admitting she went though so “many things” that she wouldn’t wish upon “her worst enemy.”

The former musician, 56, daughter of Mamas and Papas band member, John and Michelle Phillips, has been open about how she turned to drugs and alcohol after being “abandoned” by her drug addicted father at a young age.

Now Chynna, who lives in our rarefied enclave with her actor husband Billy Baldwin, says their relationship has suffered in a new video released to her YouTube Channel.

In it, Chynna says that she and a family member she didn’t name were no longer speaking which made her “kind of sad,” but she was “at peace” with their decision to “take a break” from one another.

“We just kind of have to let it be and not fight it, and not try to manipulate the situation in any way to try and make us feel both better.

former friend and colleague from my days as a broadcaster on the KTLA-TV morning show, who has died suddenly at the age of 64.

We worked together for many years, given the Sunset Boulevard studios were just a short drive away from my home in Hancock Park, formerly the longtime residence of the actress Mae West.

Sam would also appear occasionally on The Joan Rivers Show in Manhattan, where I was a regular under a longtime contract.

In March, Oprah revealed she starved herself for “nearly five months” on a liquid diet back in 1988 before quickly regaining the weight after proclaiming victory on television.

Apple of my Eye

Gwyneth Paltrow, 51, says her daughter Apple, 19, influences her decisions on Goop.

“I run everything by her because I value her opinion so much,” the Montecito resident tells E! News.

“Apple is an adult woman so we can relate to each other. Of course, I’m always the mom so she comes to me for those things too.

“But it’s really interesting to really watch her step up as a grown woman.”

Apple is the Oscar winner’s daughter with Coldplay rocker Chris Martin

Remembering Sam Rubin

On a personal note, I remember entertainment reporter Sam Rubin , a

He worked for KTLA for more than three decades and won multiple Emmys. He also hosted his own TV show, Hollywood Undercover with Sam Rubin, which ran for more than 100 episodes.

Sightings

Iconic fashion designer Calvin Klein at Lotusland... Brad Pitt and girlfriend Ines de Ramon strolling outside his 15-acre Gaviota Coast beach house... Ellen DeGeneres lunching at Field + Fort in Summerland.

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

Libby Aubrey-Porter on piano singing “Luck Be a Lady” (photo by Michelle Lauren)

Jeanie and Jarrad Burford with hosts Rick and Libby Porter (photo by Michelle Lauren)

Sam Rubin R.I.P. (photo by SUNKIST via Wikimedia Commons)

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Calendar of Events

by Steven Libowitz

ENDING THIS WEEK

‘Taste’ Tapering Off – Taste of Santa Barbara, the annual weeklong culinary celebration inspired by onetime Montecito resident Julia Child’s love and appreciation for Santa Barbara County’s food scene, began on Monday, but there is still a veritable smorgasbord of events over the last few days across town and the county that showcase some the best food and wine Santa Barbara has to offer. The centerpiece on Friday night is the “Taste of Santa Barbara Soirée,” combining exquisite cuisine and fine wines set in the enchanting ambiance of the historic Casa de la Guerra outdoor courtyard with live music setting the soundtrack against the backdrop of Casa de la Guerra’s historic courtyard. Guests will embark on a gastronomic journey inspired by Child’s legacy as local chefs offer expertly crafted dishes reminiscent of her iconic recipes next to their own inspirations, from classic French delicacies to innovative twists on traditional favorites. The sumptuous spread is complemented by a selection of fine Santa Barbara wines… Saturday afternoon’s annual Taste of Santa Barbara Wines returns to El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park for a chance to meet local award-winning winemakers and their preferred pours plus listen to panel discussions including “Sideways Revisited,” “New Grapes from the Old World,” and “Pinot Noir Pros,” all while savoring more local eats… Head to Metro 4 Theatre Saturday night for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of the MAX scripted television series Julia with the show’s executive producer Christopher Keyser and director Jenée LaMarque followed by scenes from the original WGBH-produced The French Chef cooking show starring Julia Child, which inspired the fictionalized series. Alex Prud’homme, Julia’s grandnephew and co-author of her memoir and more, joins Todd Schulkin, Executive Director of The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts and other guests… Prefer to make your own adventure? Download an interactive map for a self-guided tour of some of Child’s chosen places to eat, drink, walk, and shop all over Santa Barbara County from Santa Ynez Valley to Carpinteria.

WHEN: Through May 19

INFO: https://sbce.events

THURSDAY, MAY 16

Bruuuuuuuce Beckons – Bruce Liu burst onto the world stage in October 2021 when he won the International Chopin Piano Competition, becoming the first Canadian ever to

THURSDAY, MAY 16

To Be Honest… – With no special 1st Thursday throngs, First Friday Funk Zone forays, or other special events to draw the crowds to its relatively remote site deep within Westmont College campus, The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art might be one of the best-kept secrets in the gallery world. It’s always worth the foliage-filled field trip, but today’s opening of the 2024 Tri-County Juried Exhibition called [tbh] is a special experience. Juror Walter Maciel, the owner of an eponymous Los Angeles gallery, served as adjudicator for the submissions among residents ranging from Ventura to San Luis Obispo County, who were free to interpret the theme of “To Be Honest... [TBH]” via their individual ingenuity, choose to illustrate the theme literally, symbolically or otherwise. To be honest, we think it will be some very revealing work.

WHEN: Opening reception 4-6 pm (awards at 5:15 pm); exhibit continues through June 15

WHERE: 955 La Paz Road

COST: free

INFO: (805) 565-6000 or www.westmont.edu/museum

FRIDAY, MAY 17

Cam Pac Closer – Camerata Pacifica’s 2023-24 season wraps with the world premiere of Petite Suite by the Grammy-nominated Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad written for a marvelous mix of instruments including accordion, clarinet, cello, and marimba. Commissioned by Camerata Pacifica, it was composed for and features Julien Labro, one of the world’s foremost accordion players in both jazz and classical genres. Assad’s aim was to bring together elements of French chanson and Latin-American music, combining classical and jazz notation in a playful, nostalgic work that leaves room for improvisation by Labro. The ensemble also performs the U.S. premiere of British composer Martin Butler’s scintillating “Remember This Fire” for oboe and percussion, inspired by Ezra Pound’s poem “The Alchemist;” New Zealand-Greek composer John Psathas’ “One Study,” a virtuosic work for marimba, with “junk’’ percussion and digital audio; and “Listen, Quiet” for cello and electronics by Paola Prestini. In addition to Labro, the players include Camerata Pacifica principal cellist Ani Aznavoorian, oboist Nicholas Daniel, clarinetist Jose Franch-Ballester, and percussionist Ji Hye Jung.

WHEN: 7:30 pm

WHERE: Hahn Hall, Music Academy campus, 1070 Fairway Road

COST: $75

INFO: (805) 884-8410 or www.cameratapacifica.org

claim the coveted prize. Deutsche Grammophon’s live album of his competition recordings was released to rave reviews the following month, and his career has experienced a stereotypical star-is-born moment at London’s Royal Festival Hall in March of 2022. Joining the Philharmonia Orchestra for an all-Tchaikovsky program, Liu called for the notoriously difficult “Concerto No. 2” as a substitute for the more commonly played “Concerto No. 1,” and his astounding performance garnered glowing reviews, leading to an even more meteoric rise in his stature. Locals will get to experience the pianist’s “playing of breathtaking beauty” when Liu makes his Santa Barbara debut performing an electrifying program at Hahn Hall in the final recital presentation from UCSB Arts & Lectures this season. Works include Haydn’s “Piano Sonata in B Minor, Hob. XVI:32”; Chopin’s “Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat Minor, Op. 35”; Kapustin’s “Variations, Op. 41”; Rameau’s “Selections” from Pièces de Clavecin; and Prokofiev’s “Piano Sonata No. 7 in B flat Major, Op. 83.” Liu will also participate in an intimate on-campus Q&A session at 2 pm in Music 1145 where he will share about his life and career as an international artist (visit https://music.ucsb.edu/events/calendar).

WHEN: 7 pm

WHERE: Hahn Hall, Music Academy campus, 1070 Fairway Road

COST: $40

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

SATURDAY, MAY 18

Symphony Salutes Gershwin – Marcus Roberts, who we interviewed in last week’s entertainment column, fronts his eponymous trio as the “soloists” for the Santa Barbara Symphony’s season-closing concert tribute to the great George Gershwin. The trio stars in Roberts’ re-imagined Gershwin-inspired Rhapsody in Blue in its centennial year as well as Roberts’ own re-conceived composition for piano and orchestra Rhapsody in D. Ives’ “Symphony No. 2” will round out the all-American music concert with a blending of traditional orchestral sounds, hymns, and marches.

WHEN: 7:30 pm May 18, 3 pm May 19

WHERE: Granada Theatre, 1214 State Street

COST: $35-$175

INFO: (805) 899-2222 or www.granadasb.org

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Boisterous Bookend – The viral sensation pianist/multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier kicked off UCSB Arts & Lectures’ 2023-24 season with an almost instantly

‘Furusato’ Featured in Finale – Quire of Voyces closes out its 30th season with a special “Performance Tour” program previewing its upcoming trip to Japan in late June. Highlighted by Quire-commissioned works “Mass for Six Voices,” by Composer-in-Residence Stephen Dombek, and celebrated local composer Emma Lou Diemer’s “Be Still,” the concerts will also include two works sung in Japanese: the Japanese folk song “Furusato” (Homeland) arranged by Philip Lawson, and “Hito wa ochime ga daiji,” two Japanese proverbs set to music by Gary Kent Walth. Also on the program are “We Gather Together,” arranged by Stephen Paulus; “Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal,” arranged by Alice Parker; “Shenandoah,” arranged by James Erb, and “Unclouded Day,” music by Rev. J. K. Alwood arranged by Shawn Kirchner. With Garden Street Academy on the auction block, the pair of concerts might be the last time to hear the heralded a cappella Quire of Voyces, founded and still conducted by Artistic Director Nathan Kreitzer, in the warm yet resonant acoustics of the historic St. Anthony’s Chapel.

WHEN: 3 pm May 18 & 19

WHERE: 2300 Garden St.

COST: $20 general; $15 students & seniors

INFO: (805) 965-5935 or www.quireofvoyces.org

sold-out Santa Barbara debut solo show at Campbell Hall last fall. Now the eclectic Collier, known for his thrilling blend of instrumental and vocal virtuosity, pop showmanship, and uniquely immersive audience engagement, returns to town to close out A&L’s season fronting his full band at the Arlington, part of his largest North American tour to date. Collier’s list of achievements boasts five Grammy Awards (including one for each of his first four albums), and a roster of collaborators that runs the gamut from Brit’s Coldplay and Stormzy to American superstars SZA, Alicia Keys, and John Mayer, to Malian singer Oumou Sangaré and Moroccan Gnawa mâalem Hamid El Kasri. The current tour features music from the finale of his four-volume epic Djesse series, whose most recent single, “Little Blue,” features Americana songstress Brandi Carlile. New Zealand-born pop star Kimbra (“Somebody That I Used to Know”) opens the show.

WHEN: 7 pm

WHERE: Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St.

COST: $45-$125

INFO: (805) 963-9589 / www.arlingtontheatresb.com or (805) 893-3535 / https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu

SUNDAY, MAY 19

Latin Fire – George Lopez and Gulimina Mahamuti, aka Duo Mundi, are coming to the Lobero to thrill local audiences with their innovative, diverse programming that puts together sensual Latin-inspired dance music for dueling pianos. Pianist/conductor George Lopez, the Robert Beckwith Artist-in-Residence at Bowdoin College, has been a sought-after pedagogue, performer, and engaging lecturer for over 30 years while internationally acclaimed Chinese-American pianist Gulimina Mahamuti is the first Uyghur from China to receive a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano

Performance from the United States. Duo Mundi George & Guli are frequent guest artists at universities and other institutions across the country and perform around the world. A fiery and enticing afternoon of synergy and intimate chemistry abound between the two keyboardists as they explore music for four hands (on one piano) in the standard and contemporary repertoire as well as commissioned works by composers from around the world. The couples’ communication has captivated audiences of all ages as the duo creates synchronized performances that engage both the eye and ear and explore a gamut of emotions.

WHEN: 7:30 pm

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

COST: $65 regular, $30 students & seniors

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

“I’m

- Salvatory “Tory” Milazzo, St. Francis of Santa Barbara Board Member since 2015 Board

St. Francis Foundation of Santa Barbara is a steward of financial resources bestowed by donors, in support of local community organizations focused on health, palliative and geriatric care. Read our history at www.stfrancisfoundationsb.org

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METAPUZZLE

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