Say ‘Anora’ – Sean Baker’s newest cinematic inquest into humanity has everyone talking and there’s still time to see it, P.26
A luncheon with a heartfelt cause, page 14
Fear? Well – A few tips on how to move past the fear and stress of the times and keep calm and centered, P.35
Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe is leaving after 25 years at the helm… He reflects on the organization’s growth from its Montecito origins to becoming the fifth largest charity in the country (Story starts on p. 5)
Waterhouse Gallery is having its ruby anniversary – and its origin story could be a romcom screenplay right out of the movies, page 22
A 2,000-year-old theater, Mermaid Spaghetti, and coin-operated Caravaggio in Part 3 of Leslie’s Sicily sojourn, page 33
m for the holidays at the san ysidro ranch salon indulge in a Compliment ry Milbon conditioning treatment ( 70 value) with Any hair Service. Every appointment includes complimentary Stonehouse dining and free valet parking. a 805-504-1961 offered until november 30th san ysidro ranch
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MASTERSERIES AT THE LOBERO THEATRE SEASON SPONSOR: ESPERIA FOUNDATION
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2024, 7:30PM
ANNE AKIKO MEYERS, violin FABIO BIDINI, piano
Anne Akiko Meyers, among the world’s most esteemed violinists, makes her CAMA recital debut with a program that includes Philip Glass’s New Chaconne, as well as Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 in a new arrangement by the composer. Ms. Meyers will play the exquisite 1741 “ex-Vieuxtemps” Guarneri del Gesù, considered by many to be the finest sounding violin in existence for its powerfully luxuriant sound and mint state of preservation.
PROGRAM: CORELLI, arr. POXON: “La Folia” Sonata GLASS: New Chaconne BEETHOVEN: Sonata No. 5 in F Major, “Spring” (Frühlingssonate) LAURIDSEN, arr. LAURIDSEN: “Sure on This Shining Night” and “Dirait-on” MÁRQUEZ, arr. MÁRQUEZ: Danzón No. 2
Exclusive Sponsors: Marta Babson and Bitsy Becton Bacon Tickets at the Lobero Theatre
The Giving List – From its humble beginnings in Montecito, Direct Relief has grown to be the fifth
& Doings – Our Christian nation, the tenets of Christ, and a New Day in Washington
Montecito Miscellany – Organic Soup Kitchen turns 15, Coast 2 Coast 14, Lane 4 one, and more miscellany
16 On Entertainment – Get a Clue, Ready 2 Hang, a Saturday of screenings, and other items to keep you entertained
Meeting at MA – The Hot Springs Stakeholders meet with Congressman Carbajal and Senator Limón, plus Sheriff response times and upcoming events
22 Love of Art – Waterhouse Gallery to celebrate its 40th and it all started on a blind date 26 Reel Fun – The newest film from Sean Baker, Anora is no fairytale but will still keep you feeling inspired, engaged, and a little scared
34
Robert’s Big Questions – What does it mean to get stuff done and what are the most pressing pieces to work on?
35 Body Wise – Here are some tips for centering yourself and coming together during these divisive times
37 In Passing – Remembering the life of beloved wife, mother, Mormor/Farmor, sister, friend, and Scandinavian enthusiast – Lilli Margrethe Jensen Tragos
39 Crime in the ‘Cito – Sheriff’s Blotter 93108…
at the
Mart, top
Invites – The CALM at Heart luncheon lives up to its name with an afternoon of support and big
27 Brilliant Thoughts – Ashleigh cares about words and how they’ve changed over time –especially when the word is “care”
30 Elizabeth’s Appraisals – These bowls are ready to sing to your health
32 Foraging Thyme – Cool things down with this smoothie using the white sapote or custard apple
33
Travel Buzz – Voyage through ancient theater, modern cuisine, and historic hikes as Leslie’s Sicily trip comes to an end
41 The Optimist Daily – Just under the surface of the big blue a new discovery is made – the world’s biggest coral reef
44 Calendar of Events – Bright lights at the Santa Barbara Zoo, skating in socks at MOXI, all-day play at Center Stage, and other happenings
46 Classifieds – Our own “Craigslist” of classified ads
47 Mini Meta Crossword Puzzles
Local Business Directory
by Steven Libowitz
At the end of July, Direct Relief
President and CEO Thomas Tighe announced his decision to step down from his role at the end of the year after 24 years leading the organization, a period that saw unprecedented expansion of the nonprofit’s critical work to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies around the world.
“There’s never a great time to leave a job that you love, but if there is a good time, it would have to be when there’s money in the bank, good momentum and a good team in place,” Tighe said. “Direct Relief has all those things right now. It’s as financially healthy as it’s ever been, our work has ever increasing momentum, and there’s a great group of people working here. So I’m really confident that they’ll do fine without me while I seek out what’s next for me while there’s still gas in the tank.”
Tighe wasn’t around when Direct Relief was founded in Montecito in 1948 by William Zimdin, who had fled Europe during World War II. The organization’s first assistance packages were put together at his estate near the Montecito Country Club, which he owned. When Zimdin died three years later, other Montecito residents joined in to further the nonprofit’s humanitarian mission. Direct Relief has been funded entirely by philanthropic support ever since, and village residents have continued to serve as board members and supporters over the decades.
But under Tighe’s near quarter-century leadership, Direct Relief has expanded exponentially to become the
fifth largest charity in the United States and among the largest providers of charitable medications within the U.S. and globally. During his tenure, funded entirely with private philanthropic support, Direct Relief has provided over $16 billion in essential medicines, equipment and supplies and more than $350 million in grants to health organizations in 136 countries and all U.S. states and territories. Tighe has led the organization’s responses to domestic and international disasters, from the 2004 Asian Tsunami to Hurricane Katrina and Maria and the war in Ukraine, in which the organization’s ongoing support has totaled $1.5 billion.
“The scope of what we do is relatively narrow, because we’re only focused on health and medical needs,” Tighe said. “And prescription drugs are a heavily regulated industry. We decided to focus on what we were uniquely well accredited and positioned to do – allowing and providing for people to have access to medications essential for their health that they otherwise would not receive, either because they can’t afford them, or in times of disasters.”
What also sets Direct Relief apart is its commitment to address those gaps thoughtfully and respectfully, as well as efficiently – and on a purely humanitarian basis, without regard for politics or any other potential conflicts or biases.
“Unfortunately, those gaps have gotten larger over the past 24 years, with the big natural disasters around the world where we’ve been able to get deeply involved,” Tighe said.
While the organization operates
Giving List Page 244
Celebrate the season with a signature Champagne Brunch
Delight in a lavish menu, paired perfectly with the finest bubbly,
brunch offered every sunday San Ysidro Ranch p.s. festive decor arrives November 29th!
by Jeff Wing
Tony Soprano: You know we’re the only country in the world where the pursuit of happiness is guaranteed in writing? You believe that? Bunch of $%@! spoiled brats. Where’s my happiness then?
Dr. Melfi: It’s the pursuit that’s guaranteed.
Tony Soprano: Yeah… always a $%@! loophole, right?
A dear friend asked me once; “Jeff, do you think the socialism in Europe has been a success?” His question was, and is, typical of the stuff we discuss, from political institutions to quantum weirdness to the so-called “New Atheists” (Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens, et al) to metaphysics to M. Python – an over-seasoned brainpan gumbo. Broadly speaking, these rambling discussions have been a feature of my immediate tribe since the ‘70s. Picture a ramshackle group of teens sitting in a loose circle – in both the middle of a neighborhood intersection (46th and Exeter) and the middle of the night, lazily throwing orang-
es at the streetlamp by whose weak circle of light these stick figures parse the known universe. Those nights were fragrant with the perfume of orange blossoms, and very approximately as hot as an air fryer. Yes; Phoenix, Arizona in the summer at ~2 in the morning.
Full disclosure: in my h.s. and early college years I was what is known –sometimes disparagingly – as a BornAgain Christian®. Yuh huh. There were bible studies, Young Life meetings, and Saturday night Hand-in-Hand concerts, where we would sprawl on the expansive carpeted floor – barefoot and in cutoffs – beneath the vaulted, beamed ceiling of our relaxed non-denominational church; Open Door Fellowship. Between sets by bands with names like Glory Road, New Beginning, and (yes) Sonrise, the lights would come up and the teen guys and girls would stand and stretch and hesitantly flirt, all parties wearing feathered back hair and puka shell chokers. This teen would shuffle bare feet and try desperately – in a cauldron of low-grade terror – not to glancingly lock eyes with...
Beings & Doings Page 104
he early pilgrims – with their dour expressions and unexplained love of buckles (shoes and hats?) – would have been driven to reluctant grins by the Stonehouse Restaurant’s Thanksgiving menu. The indescribably cozy Stonehouse Restaurant itself is housed in a 19th-century citrus packing house, and appointed to almost literally embrace the lucky patrons who visit. Yes, as you dine and exult in the gently lit Stonehouse environs the outside world does still exist, but not so’s you’d notice. Your utterly memorable Thanksgiving celebration awaits.
Executive Chef Matt Johnson and his talented culinary team are prepared to blow out your buckles. On Thanksgiving Day (November 28) from 12-7 pm, guests (that’s you) can choose from five scrumptious entrée options – and good luck: Honey Brined Organic Mary’s Turkey, Miso Glazed Ora King Salmon, Santa Barbara Spiny Lobster, Montaraz Carre Iberico Pork Rib Chop (yes, you’ll need to speak it aloud when ordering), and SRF Gold Wagyu Striploin. Starter, soup, and dessert highlights include Oxtail Raviolo, Tutti Frutti Farms Honey Nut Squash Bisque, and Traditional Pumpkin Pie, among others. Cost: $255/ per person, wine pairing $150/ per person.
The Stonehouse Restaurant will be the source of much gastronomic gratitude on Thanksgiving, with nary a wiggly, can-shaped cylinder of cranberry sauce to be found.
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by Richard Mineards
The Organic Soup Kitchen, which has served more than three million bowls to needy residents in Santa Barbara County, celebrated its 15th anniversary with a bountiful bash for 250 guests at the Cabrillo Pavilion. Founder and executive director Anthony Carroccio declared: “When we served our first bowl in the park in 2009, we were visionaries with a belief that everyone deserved access to prime nutrition. Today, we continue that vision.”
Rebecca Arguello
Bela Bacsi
Aldo Balding
Ovanes Berberian
Ann Shelton Beth
George Bodine
Suschitra Bhosle
Development Manager Jennifer Hyle and COO Andrea Slaby Carroccio with musicians Henry Garrett, Jan Ingram, and Kelly Simmons (photo by Priscilla)
The popular organization provides lifesaving nutrition and food security to more than 40,000 recipients annually, which is distributed through a network of more than 100 volunteers and community partners with county-wide home delivery, covering 5,000 plus miles annually.
The Organic Soup Kitchen is the leading nutrition referral source for medical and local social service professionals, and the first provider of medically tailored meals to local CenCal Health members. When I joined the Santa Barbara News-Press as a columnist in 2007 I well
remember attending one of the first OSK events at the Veterans Building on Cabrillo Boulevard to write about the organization.
OSK’s soup is also sold at full price to those who can afford it, to expand the network for those who can’t.
In 2013 they launched the Cancer Recovery Program as a division of the organization.
Last year Carroccio was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer and credits his nourishing diet, including the soups, with helping him recover. He is now cancer-free.
Among the supporters sipping the three varieties of soup and noshing on the hearty Italian fare were Marna Coday , Brendon Twigden , Hiroko Benko, Peter and Kathryn Martin,
Miscellany Page 204
Eli Cedrone
Chris Chapman
Casey Childs
CM Cooper
John Cosby
Steve Curry
Nancy Davidson
Rick Delanty
Camille Dellar
Rick Garcia
Kevin Gleason
Douglas Gray
Gregory Harris
Derek Harrison
Wyllis Heaton
Quang Ho
Ray Hunter
John Iwerks
Sung Eun Kim
Irene Kovalik
Mark Lague
Beverely Lazor
Jeremy Lipking
Kyle Ma
Jim McVicker
John Modesitt
Michael Obermeyer
Craig Nelson
Dakota Pitts
Jesse Powell
Tad Retz
Ann Sanders
Frank Serrano
Eric Slayton
Matt Smith
Ezra Suko
Hsin-Yao Tseng
Thomas Van Stein
Jove Wang
Nina Warner
Ralph Waterhouse
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by Jeff Giordano
As we await our new D1 Supervisor Roy Lee, the County Planning Commission (CPC) has taken what some might argue is an activist approach to certain significant issues facing our County, including the Miramar Project and our Cannabis Ordinance. Allow me to explain:
The Montecito Planning Commission lost their oversight of the Miramar based on its affordable housing component. Against this backdrop, the CPC held a five-hour Special meeting on November 1, at which time they approved the project. Yes, there have been appeals and it’s my guess that the project will find its way onto the Supervisor calendar on December 10, well before Mr. Lee is sworn in.
What was “different” about the meeting was the very active role our D3 Commissioner John Parke took in helping to craft a compromise between All Saints and Team Caruso. Mr. Parke jumped into the deep end, even going as far as publicly posting his cell phone number (now, that’s bravery) for stakeholders to use. He spoke fondly about the “magic spirit” of Montecito where he grew up, and the need to craft an imperfect (hence the appeals) solution which could, hopefully, lower the temperature of a very heated neighborhood conflict.
To that end, Mr. Caruso agreed to shave the second story from part of the Project, thereby preserving All Saints’ view. Now, some have questioned this type of active approach (and it is not without risk), but let’s never forget that CPC decisions are advisory.
The Supervisors can ALWAYS overrule their quasi-judicial rulings. Spoiler Alert: This will likely not happen on December 10.
This month, the CPC also addressed P&D’s heavy-handed push to amend the Cannabis Ordinance before Supervisor Das Williams leaves office. First placed on the calendar in September (we are talking breakneck speed) and then continued until November 6, the Commission did the right thing by continuing Cannabis until January 22 for its own Special meeting. Bravo!
D2 Commissioner Laura Bridely gave a nod to the dark ad hoc history of the ordinance and rightly spoke about “moving the needle on community outreach” – thank you! Commissioner Parke emphasized that this time around it was more important to do a “good job” rather than a speedy one. In the end, he recognized what thought leaders in this space know –finding a holistic Cannabis solution is complicated. Indeed, no single department has the wherewithal to do the redlining, drafting, or technical due diligence that will be required. That is to say, intellectual curiosity and outside experts are required.
Again, Mr. Parke took an engaged approach and suggested a series of workshops which – IF facilitated/done correctly – could pave a path forward. In the end, our Commissioner C. Michael Cooney said it best: “After five years… the community (has the right to ask) what have we really done to make it better?” Unfortunately, I think we all know the answer to Mr. Cooney’s question.
anyone. Those were formative, piercing, heart-opening times, and I still can’t believe I had the amazing fortune to have passed through the Valley of the Shadow of geeky, confessional love.
My pal’s question about the “success” of the socialist model in Western Europe is a great one. My reply lives in the context of a human life’s brevity, and the legislatively affirmed definition in the U.S. of an individual human life as Sacred. In the context of an individual’s sanctity in God’s eyes, and in the 18 eyes of our Supreme Court, mortality belittles earthly institutions on the one hand and amplifies their utility on another. The fact that a sanctified human life is finite – that its mortal form begins and ends – produces a rough value framework against which we can better evaluate a society’s efficacy in wholly embracing and exalting the avowed sanctity of that individual life. Is European socialism “good?” That depends. That depends?! Yeah.
If the primary systemic goal for the sacred human animal is contentment, nourishment, shelter, security, and the love of friends and family – preservation of life, that is – socialism is, at the individual level, a successful system.
If the primary systemic goal for the mortal human animal is a minimally constrained climb to the summit of individual excellence – aspiration to a personal zenith where the self-propelled primacy of the individual is both means and end – the capitalist model makes more sense. Squaring this “ascent of the individual” with New Testament Christianity can be an awkward exercise.
It is worth mentioning here that the U.S. of A. is a self-identifying Christian Nation, our leader at this historical moment a self-professed Christian. This
means our president-elect has, by definition, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and is motivated in his daily actions by Christ’s tenets as they are explicitly stated in the New Testament. Again, for their part, Christian Nationalists believe in – and roundly celebrated the legislative recognition of – the sanctity of human life. Sanctity is an awesome concept that makes an individual’s spiritual value in God’s eyes inviolable. What you don’t want is malleable Beings & Doings Page 394
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by MJ Staff
The upscale British fashion brand Sunspel is currently renovating its store location at the Montecito Country Mart (MCM), in the space formerly occupied by James Perse.
One of the brand’s icons is its Classic T-Shirt – made from the highest quality extra-long staple Supima cotton sourced from a single family-owned Californian farm dedicated to environmentally responsible practices. It’s two additional icons are the Riviera Polo Shirt (Bond, James Bond) and the Boxer Short, introduced into the line by John Hill, the great-grandson of Sunspel’s founder, following his honeymoon in the U.S. where he noted them.
Our news reporter, Joanne A Calitri, strolled past the store this weekend and it looks like the plan is to open for the holidays. We will keep you posted with updates as we receive them from Kristin Teufel, MCM Manager.
411: https://us.sunspel.com/
San Ysidro Ranch Named “World’s Best Romantic Hotel” & More
With over 500 nominees from 80 countries, the 2024 Boutique Hotel Awards named San Ysidro Ranch as World’s Best Romantic Hotel, America’s Best Romantic Hotel, and America’s Best Honeymoon Hotel. The awards are decided by a panel of experts assessing 400 standards of hospitality, considering such elements as uniqueness, sustainability, and unforgettable guest experiences. The Boutique Hotel Awards recognition is conferred by an institution described as “the first and only international awards organization exclusively dedicated to showcasing the finest luxury boutique hotels to travel lovers.”
San Ysidro Ranch being the longest-standing luxury resort in Santa Barbara, the three awards reflect the history of its dedication to service, as well as those stunning new additions to the legendary resort – including the recently launched Ty Warner Wine Collective and Secret Cellar epicurean experience, and seasonal activations at The Speakeasy at Plow & Angel.
Who would have thought that this Linden Street sweet staple would shut its doors after 36 years on December 1? Locals have questions but are stopping in to buy out all the candy left on the shelves. Shop owners Tami and John Robitaille say
News Bytes Page 384
“Santa Barbara Design and Build was fabulous. Don and his crew were the BEST from day one. He was honest, timely, flexible, artistic, patient and skilled. They understood my vision and built my dream home”.
-Santa Barbara Resident
by Joanne A Calitri
Captain’s Log Star Date 78338.4. It was the evening before the full Beaver moon when both budding astrophysicists and stargazers from local universities joined with friends to hear the Las Cumbres Observatory’s renowned astrophysicist Tim Lister, PhD, with Andrew (Andy) Howell, PhD and UCSB grad student Moira Andrews at M. Special. This free monthly info-sesh on space research with videos and convos with the scientists is just really cool. Donations are accepted via the pass around beertip glass, merch sales, and sponsorships. Swag – direct from the European Space Agency (ESA) – included telescope stickers, HERA Mission patches and posters.
Lister started the program by explaining in semi-layman’s language his work on NASA’s DART Mission, followed by his continued (and grant-award-winning) work with the ESA on their HERA Mission. This is work he has been doing for five plus years.
His cleverly titled talk – Hera-cule Poirot: Asteroid Crime Scene Investigator – positioned his work as a sort of Agatha Christie crime scene investigator of asteroids incoming to Earth. He said, “We are working on preventing happening to us what happened to the dinosaurs at the Yucatán Peninsula 66 million years ago. There are approximately 2,000 near Earth asteroids at 140 meters width, and numbers increasing at 100 more per year.” He cited Earth asteroid impacts at Chelyabinsk, Russia (2013), Tunguska, Siberia (1908), and the 50,000-year-old Arizona meteor crater.
Lister pointed out that HERA was supposed to be paired with DART, to monitor its impact, take photos, and assess the damage to the asteroid it impacted. Due to funding, HERA launched separately on October 7, 2024, to visit the asteroid Didymos and its “moonlet” Dimorphos as part of the NASA/ESA Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) collaboration. HERA launched via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, just two days prior to
Hurricane Milton. DART proved we can successfully deflect an asteroid from its course. HERA will size up the damage to the asteroid and study its full composition, take a few thousand images of all sides, take samples, and more. HERA will fly by Mars in March 2025 to observe Mars and its moon, Deimos. From there it’s full throttle to Didymos and Dimorphos.
HERA’s Hyperscout H hyperspectral imager will observe its targets across 25 spectral bands – from the visible to near infrared 650-950 nm wavelength spectral range. The observation will include colors beyond current human vision, HERA taking photos of everything on its journey…wait, Spock, 25 spectral bands?
“They
Yes, Captain Kirk, we have the info here: www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/ Images/2024/10/Spooky_Earths_seen_by_ Hera_s_HyperScout
Lister concluded with a Q&A, and it was on to “Astronomy in the News” by Howell and Andrews. Howell showed, via video, the globally-lauded SpaceX rocket booster, the 71m Super Heavy, as it returned to Earth and was carefully captured on its landing pad via enormous mechanical “chopsticks,” a tech achievement which all stunned attendees applauded. Although Lister was hard put to not be impressed or appreciate Elon Musk’s SpaceX mission (Lister has been an
Our Town Page 314
by Joanne A Calitri
CALM’s annual fundraiser, the “CALM at Heart” luncheon, was held for the first time at the Rosewood Miramar Beach, on Friday, November 15. Upon arriving at the luncheon, one could feel the elevated excitement with the new venue location, which accomodated an expanded guest list topping 340.
The sterling event co-chairs were Amanda Lee, Elisabeth Crain Sikors, and CALM Trustee Katrina Sprague. The event committee members were Samantha Carly, Alexis Courson, Liz Deim, Jen Drucker, Carolyn Fitzgerald, Belle Hahn, Analise Maggio, Sima Morrison, CALM Trustee Caroline Powers, Vanessa Ringel, Jenna Rogers, Josephine Tournier Ingram, and Carly Walters
We started of course with a proper cocktail reception, held in the garden patio adjacent to the banquet rooms. Women in gorgeous tea-party dresses and suits and men in designer wool suits chatted amicably, giving little notice to the sudden chilly winds coming ashore. The event guest list and sponsors were a Who’s Who of Montecito, with Carrie Towbes and John Lewis, Cate Stoll, Chana and Jim Jackson, Lily Hahn, Merryl Zegar, Ed and Sue Birch, Dina and Dave Cantin, Gail Gelles, Kat Hitchcock, DJ and Richard Yao, Danna and Zohar Ziv, Ana and Petar Kokotovic, Roberta and Matt Collier, Justin Fantl, and Matt and Natalie Rowe
Also attending from CALM were Board Chair Andrew Fitzgerald, Vice Chair of Finance Sam Ellis with wife Jill, and board members Frann Wageneck, Luz ReyesMartin, trustees Susan Miles Gulbransen with husband Gary; President and CEO Alana Walczak, COO Adolfo Garcia, Development Coordinator Meredith Donin, Director of Development Ashlyn McCague, and CALM’s management team. Andrew Fitzgerald opened the formal program and sit-down luncheon. He welcomed the guests and acknowledged guests attending for their first time, the event
Society Invites Page 314
by Steven Libowitz
on’t make this mix-up mistake: The marvelously mesmerizing performance of MOMIX Alice at the Granada in October was actually a make-up from a date postponed by the water damage at the theater last winter. So American Theatre Guild’s 2024-25 season of Broadway at the Granada isn’t getting underway until November 26-27, when the official North American touring company production of Clue comes to town.
Lest there be any more misunderstandings, readers are here informed that this isn’t the ill-advised version of the classic board game known as Clue, the Musical, which closed after 29 poorly reviewed performances off-Broadway back in 1997. Get a clue: this show is Clue, a new comedy, a recent stage play based on both the game and the screenplay for the 1985 cult black comedy film, and the reviews for the even more recently revised edition that premiered this year have been just short of rapturous for the riotous comedy.
As in the movie, blackmail and murder are on the menu when six mysterious guests are invited to assemble at Boddy Manor, where the audience, as in the board game, must decipher weapons, rooms and suspects in an attempt to suss out the host’s killer. Did Colonel Mustard use a dagger to aerate Boddy in the dining room, or perhaps Professor Plum popped Boddy with a pipe in the ballroom?
Just as in the movie, comedy is, of course, king in the play. So said Alex Syiek, who plays Boddy – he of the corny one-liners and wordplay, not to mention the lavish comedic movements and pratfalls.
But the show isn’t just a silly romp, Syiek said.
“The physical comedy exhibited by the entire cast is just wild, with everyone able and willing to do whatever it takes with their bodies for both the plot and the humor,” said Syiek, who also worked with director Casey Hushion on Murder on the Orient Express at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse, where Clue premiered. “I have to do a pratfall and some other things, but other actors have some crazy backbends and contortionist twists and turns that are just really hilarious.”
“The play really leans into the stakes that these characters are living through, the McCarthy era and being blackmailed – but they don’t know each other, so they can’t trust anyone. And that leads to a very tense and entertaining watch for an audience as they try to figure out each other and the motives for the eventual murders. The heightened stakes make every slip up that much funnier, and the mannerisms that come out as they’re stuck together in close quarters in a mansion that’s not big enough for their personalities makes everything hilarious.”
While this version of Clue isn’t a musical, Syiek said that sequences are as carefully choreographed as a dance number.
“So much has to be precise and to the beat, like a musical might,” he said. “We rehearsed for many days just to stage the final section of the show because of how intricate the people have to weave in and out.”
The ending on stage of course can’t completely mirror the board game where the truth is up to chance and the players. But Clue does its best to capture the way the movie handled the issue with three different endings.
by Joanne A Calitri
The Montecito Association November meeting was held in person at the Montecito Library community room and on Zoom, led by MA President Doug Black and Executive Director Houghton Hyatt Rock Rockenbach updated on the path built by the Bucket Brigade near his house on Barker Pass, which had multiple issues. He said SBC Public Works came out and fixed it.
Pat McElroy and Joe Cole reported on the Hot Springs Trail [HST] Stakeholders meeting last week at the Montecito Library with Congressman Salud Carbajal and Senator Monique Limón
The meeting arose after past concerns around jurisdiction, considering the that the space falls under different organizations’ oversight depending on where one is along the trail. McElroy and Cole said, “There were approximately 30 in attendance representing the
Hot Springs area – SB Sheriffs, CHPs, SB Fire Safe Council, Montecito Fire, Montecito Creek Water Co, Montecito Water District, the Forest Service, SBC Parks, SBC Public Works, SBC Planning & Development, California Fish and Wildlife, California Water Quality Control, National Marine Fisheries, 1st SBC District Supervisor Das Williams and incoming Roy Lee. It went well. Concentrated on everyone’s issues. First time everyone was in the same room at the same time. Will be the first of many meetings. Nothing was off the table. It was a good discussion. The cross collaboration was charted out on paper and gave a framework to move forward. This process is to continue until resolution to the problem. There is recognition everyone is not on the same page. All requests for public to attend need to go to Carbajal and Limón, who are in charge of scheduling the next meeting. We represented a lot of the neighbors who did not wish to be there due to concerns about harassment. The amount of
jurisdictions involved make it complex. There wasn’t another meeting scheduled at the time so they could review everything, and which agencies need to be involved. It was brought up that the reason neighbors-citizens are fighting each other is the regulatory agencies are not taking the actions they would normally require. The regulatory agencies don’t want to touch it, but we said you need to because something bad is going to happen up there. What’s happening is that every agency is standing away or is understaffed, and it all falls to Montecito Fire and SB Search and Rescue. You are not going to get higher than Carbajal’s office, who will be putting pressure on the U.S. Forest Service to do something. At the end of that meeting Carbajal said, ‘There’s gaps in law enforcement and we need to figure out how to close the gaps.’
To determine who owns each geographical area of it and the agency responsible for it. We have had four meetings with Roy Lee, and he has met with the HST neighbors. Lee asked us to put together concerns, which he will bring to the SBC Board of Supervisors. There was an incident the other day with hikers illegally at the springs and Montecito Fire had to come out.”
Superintendent of the Montecito Union School District [MUS] Anthony Ranii briefed us on the school renovations nearing completion. All teachers,
including himself as well, are taking literacy info sessions to assess school programs. MUS received a grant from the local air quality control board to replace gas-powered gear with electrical. Ranii then expressed serious concern about a MUS safety incident a month ago, saying, “We have been working on safety for a few years and it is a top priority for the school. A night custodial crew was cleaning the classrooms, and an unhoused person got into one of the classrooms and slept there overnight. We have it on video. When we found him, we called the Sheriff’s Dept, and they took 45 – 60 minutes to respond. School was starting and I had to ask the homeless person to leave, which he did. We will now do two safety checks at night and clean only one room at a time. To be clear, I’m not pointing at the Sheriff’s Dept., but the delays to respond are a large danger zone for our students.”
Parents at the meeting said they are paying higher taxes and should have police regularly stationed in Montecito.
Lt. Richard Brittingham was on Zoom to reply and said that he spoke with his deputies about the incident. “At the time the call went out, traffic was 30 minutes to get to Montecito from Carpinteria,” he said. “The deputy told me he took side streets to get to
The tony triumvirate of British oboe player Nicholas Daniel, fellow Brit vio-
list Timothy Ridout, and Estonian pianist Irina Zahharenkova received justifiable star billing at Camerata Pacifica’s latest concert at the Music Academy of the West’s Hahn Hall.
Daniel and Zahharenkova shone brightly in Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Sonata
for Oboe and Piano in D Major,” while Ridout was a standout with Niloufar Nourbakhsh’s “Veiled” and Bowen’s “Viola Sonata No. 1 in C Minor.”
Daniel concluded the entertaining concert with Helen Grime’s “Two Birthday Fragments for Solo Oboe,” with all three players performing Thomas Oboe Lee’s “Parodia Schumanniana.”
Another triumph for founder Adrian Spence ’s extraordinary chamber music group...
Bob and Holly Murphy celebrated the 14th anniversary of their colorful La Arcada two-story gift store Coast 2 Coast Collection with a boffo bash for more
than 150 guests, a fun fête so large they took over the eatery State & Fig, just across the way to accommodate everyone.
The locale – formerly Hampstead Village, which relocated to nearby State Street – sells luxury merchandise from the likes of Hermès, Baccarat, Cristofle, Waterford, and Lalique in its colorful Aladdin’s Cave boutique.
“It has been quite a journey,” says Holly. “We made sure we opened on 11.11.11 because we considered it our lucky number. It was the only time in 100 years the numbers lined up.”
Among the guests were Caroline Thompson , Dana Hansen , Jamie Knee, Mary Hampson, Chip and Betsy Miscellany Page 404
If you are approaching menopause and aren’t sure what to expect, are right in the middle of it, or went through menopause and wondering what just happened, please join Dr. Jane Varner for an open conversation:
•How menopause affects your physical and mental health
•Why these changes occur
•How to empower yourself with information that will help you lead a healthier and happier life during menopause
•Question and answer session
Register at: cottagehealth.org/sbmtd
If you are interested in making an appointment at Cottage Primary Care – Santa Barbara, please call 805-563-7010
by Zach Rosen
The origin story of Santa Barbara’s Waterhouse Gallery reads like a charming, romantic comedy. In 1983, Diane met Ralph Waterhouse, a British gallery owner, on a blind date at the now-defunct Chanticleer Restaurant (where Lucky’s currently sits). They viewed art together at a modernist gallery on State Street, fell madly in love, and faced a choice: she could move to England, or they could build something new in California. “Ralph had a gallery in England and he said, ‘Do you wanna move back with me?’” Diane recalls. “And I said, ‘I can’t, I can’t leave my father.’ And he said, ‘OK, we’ll open a gallery.’ So, that’s what we did and here we are.”
Now four decades later, that decision has resulted in one of Santa Barbara’s most enduring art institutions. The original Waterhouse Gallery opened in Solvang in 1984. They moved to a downtown State Street spot in
1989 before finally settling into the La Arcada location in ‘91 where they have been ever since. Just next to turtles clamoring around a fountain and amid figures frozen in bronze, resting on the surrounding benches – a quaint window with an overhang in what can only be described as “Arcada Red” gives passersby glimpses of the paint-splashed relics that lie within.
The gallery’s 40th-anniversary celebration, set for this upcoming weekend, showcases approximately 70 pieces and brings together roughly 50 artists. Some of whom have been with the gallery since its early days, including the intricate, mythical sculptor Béla Bácsi, who first showed with them in 1986. The ever-popular plein-air painter Ray Hunter has been supplying their gallery with his paintings of natural landscapes and Santa Barbara locales with a distinctive clarity and sharpness to their subject since 1997.
Ralph is an artist himself – his paintings imbued with a warm palette that
seems reflective of his continual smile – which has also given them insight on both the artist needs and the commercial side of selling art. The gallery’s evolution mirrors broader shifts in California and Santa Barbara’s art scene. “There were no computers, no internet, and there were no black frames,” Diane says of the 1984 art world. Today’s landscape offers artists unprecedented exposure through national exhibitions, workshops, and digital platforms.
The gallery itself has expanded, maintaining its downtown location while adding a Montecito space on Coast Village Road about eighteen months ago. The gallery’s longevity seems rooted in this combination of commercial acumen and genuine passion. After working
together for 39 years, Diane and Ralph now playfully refer to their two locations as “his and her galleries.”
At its core though, a love for art and the 40 years spent in the gallery has taught a deeper philosophy about art’s accessibility. “You don’t need a degree, you just buy what you love,” Waterhouse insists. She takes particular joy in first-time buyers, noting, “I don’t think there’s anything more exciting than having someone buy something for the first time... they’ll always remember that first thing.”
So whether an avid collector or firsttime buyer, come celebrate the momentous moment with Diane and Ralph. There will be an open-house at the Montecito gallery on Friday, November 22, from 3-6 pm with the main event happening at their Santa Barbara gallery on Saturday, November 23. Starting in the afternoon, from 1-4 pm, there will be eight artists live painting in the courtyard in front of the gallery with the festivities shifting more inside from 4-6:30 pm for an open house and reception. Looking ahead, the Waterhouses show no signs of slowing down. “It’s our life, honest to God, it really is,” Diane says. “We’ve been blessed by doing something that we love and that’s so enriching to people. It’s been an amazing ride and it’s art. It’s a beautiful thing. It enriches your life.”
IT’S THE TIME OF YEAR FOR CELEBRATING WHERE YOU’VE BEEN AND WHERE YOU’RE GOING.
Feeling strong, passionate, and purposeful is easier to achieve at Maravilla. Premium amenities, gourmet dining, and innovative adventures create an environment for abundant & joyful living. Book a tour and take it all in or join us at our annual holiday event.
Home for the Holidays Open House
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 th • 12-3PM
Experience the warmth of our community this holiday season! Enjoy chef-prepared hors d'oeuvres & signature cocktails and sing along with Victorian carolers to classic holiday tunes. To RSVP, please call 805.319.4379.
around the world, Direct Relief has also never lost sight of its local community.
“Santa Barbara itself has been a microcosm for all the things that we see internationally,” Tighe said. “We’ve had the tragic mudslide, massive fires, flooding, loss of life, and even mass casualty events from the coastal shootings in Isla Vista and Goleta. Direct Relief has been able to retain a hyper-local focus in being a good citizen organization doing whatever we can in these types of events as well as to address poverty issues. What we’ve learned here has been brought to the rest of the country and around the world. It’s important to retain that mindset, even though the organization has gotten a lot bigger and is able to do a lot more at scale… Every emergency is local to someone, and it’s important to recognize that as you come in to assist; with seriousness about the work but also a soft touch.”
In recent years, Direct Relief has put some of its attention and dollars toward providing the ability to continue necessary care for patients even before disaster strikes through its Power for Health Initiative. The program seeks to bring clean, renewable backup power to community health centers and free clinics to ensure they can deliver critical healthcare services during power outages. The initiative provides grants to these centers and clinics in vulnerable communities for the installation of offgrid, renewable, reliable power systems, improving resiliency and ensuring continuity of care.
The idea came about in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, crippling the power grid for days and weeks on end.
“We could provide the medications, but things like insulin and vaccines require cold storage, so they couldn’t
keep them properly,” Tighe explained. “We’re incredibly dependent on electronic devices in healthcare. Everything doctors use to interact with patients –diagnostic tools, medical records, scanning, blood work – relies on electricity, except a stethoscope. A power outage within healthcare brings everything to a grinding halt. We want to make sure that these places, on which the least fortunate rely for their care, are as stable and robust as possible.”
In recent months, Power for Health has helped to install microgrids at local clinics in Santa Maria and Ventura, as well as in other states in the country, including two sites in North Carolina where microgrids came online right before Hurricane Helene and Milton hit.
Direct Relief was also able to respond rapidly when this month’s Mountain Fire in Ventura County destroyed homes and forced residents to evacuate in a hurry. The organization dispatched workers to deliver N95 masks to shelters and elsewhere to keep people safe from breathing in toxic wildfire smoke.
“The degree of difficulty for us to do that is zero on a scale of 10 because it’s not a medication, so we just brought them down there,” Tighe said. “We’re happy to help.”
With just six weeks left in a tenure that has spanned the new millennium, Tighe still prefers to put his attention on the organization’s work rather than its history.
“I want to play full out until the final bell rings,” he said. “Come January, I’ll try to take a little time and figure out what’s next, and where I might be of assistance in this big, interesting world. I’m sure Direct Relief will find someone younger, cooler, taller, funnier and better than I am in every respect. And that’s what I hope.”
Arrive starting at 5:30 PM for a FREE all-ages dance class and music and prizes from
West Coast Premiere / One Night Only!
Dorrance Dance
The Nutcracker Suite
Thu, Dec 5 / 7:30 PM / Arlington Theatre
Trade pointe shoes for tap shoes as Dorrance Dance’s highenergy Nutcracker Suite boogies, slides, struts and dives to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s extraordinary interpretation of the classic Tchaikovsky score.
Lead Sponsor: Jody & John Arnhold
Dance Series Sponsors: Margo Cohen-Feinberg, Barbara Stupay, and Sheila Wald
30th Anniversary Tour Pink Martini
Featuring China Forbes
Tue, Dec 17 / 7:30 PM / Arlington Theatre
Pink Martini brings its signature blend of jazz, classical and pop music to a festive holiday show, performing classics like “White Christmas” alongside Chinese New Year tunes and a samba-inspired version of “Auld Lang Syne,” as well as fan favorites from their studio albums.
Major Sponsor: Audrey & Timothy O. Fisher
Event Sponsor: Ellen & Peter O. Johnson
Explore More when you visit Buellton, California and Flying Flags RV Resort & Campground
Here you’ll find the ideal setting for making fun lasting memories with family and friends.
Lounge around your campsite, relax at your cabin, or venture out into the beautiful surrounding valley for a day of craft brew tasting, horseback riding, or ziplining. Wherever your explorations take you, make Flying Flags your home base for all your travel adventures.
by Christopher Matteo Connor
Roger Ebert once said that “the movies are like a machine that generates empathy. It lets you understand a little bit more about different hopes, aspirations, dreams and fears. It helps us to identify with the people who are sharing this journey with us.”
If there’s one writer-director currently working from a place of empathy, it’s the fiercely independent Sean Baker, who’s cinema of humanism gives us an uncompromising window into the lives of marginalized, often overlooked people not often seen on the big screen.
Baker’s new Palm d’Or winning film, Anora, tells the story of Ani (Mikey Madison), a sex worker dancing in a popping Manhattan club, who hits the jackpot when she meets Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), a Russian 21-year-old son of billionaire oligarchs who’s only prerogative in life is to have fun, have sex, do drugs, and then do it all over again. He sweeps Ani off her feet, exposing her to a life meant only for the elites. The impetuousness of youth gets the best of them, and they spring for a shotgun wedding in Las Vegas, setting into motion a series of events that will change Ani’s life forever.
It’s impossible not to feel swept up alongside Ani: private jets, penthouse suites, more money spent in one night than Ani has seen in her entire life. It’s a world vastly different from her own working class South Brooklyn, Brighton Beach upbringing. No above ground trains shaking her awake here. It’s totally intoxicating. But this high comes with a major crash, and Ani’s fairytale takes a terrible turn when Vanya’s parents get wind of their son having married an escort.
The turning point comes when Vanya’s parents send their lackeys to fix the problem. What starts off as a visit to get intel descends into chaos. Vanya, learning that Mommy and Daddy are on their way to punish him, makes a break for it, leaving Ani all alone. This pivotal scene manages to strike a balance between a screwball slapstick comedy and a terrifying home invasion horror film. While you can’t help but laugh at the craziness of a petite young woman holding her own against a few bumbling goons, there’s still the underlying tension that we are witnessing a kidnapping, and maybe something worse. Underneath the laughter is the ever-creeping fear of
the inevitable: Ani’s fairytale has come to a screeching halt. Anora is in trouble.
During the post-screening Q&A, Baker mentioned his intention behind this scene, citing a quote from Charlie Chaplin: “Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.” And he uses this to great effect. The wide shot of Ani kicking, biting, and smashing everything in her path cuts the tension. But when we get the extreme close-ups of Anora gagged or screaming, it truly is frightening, and we’re reminded of the stakes.
And that’s what makes Anora so compelling. It’s equal parts thrill ride, laughout-loud comedy, and tragic portrait of a marginalized young woman whose only crime was dreaming of a better future for herself, only to be betrayed by a spoiled brat who can afford to keep women like Ani as disposable as the vape pens he sucks down. Ani’s tough, take-no-prisoners exterior – a survivalist defense posture she learned working in the club – can only last so long.
With his longtime producing partner Samantha Quan at his side, Baker’s Anora is no doubt his biggest film to date, and probably his most “movie-like” and crowd-pleasing. Here he opts for a predominately professional cast, compared to his usual mix of non-actors alongside professionals. Though he still manages to bring the authenticity he’s known for, using real life dancers and strippers in titular roles, like Ani’s
Reel Fun Page 344
by Ashleigh Brilliant
“Care” is an interesting and rather flexible concept. As a noun, it once had a very negative meaning, which today we would equate with “worry.” There was a song about “dull care” whose lyrics go back to the 17 th century, and show how both “care” and “dull” have changed in meaning. The song starts by addressing Care directly, as if it were a bothersome person:
“Begone, dull Care, I prithee be gone from me –Begone, dull Care –you and I will never agree.”
In Australia and New Zealand, the expression “No worries!” is very common, and is almost the same as saying “It’s O.K.” But, even on this side of the equator, as recently as 1926, we still find “cares” appearing in songs such as “Bye Bye Blackbird”:
“Pack up all my cares and woe, here I go, winging low, Bye, bye, blackbird.”
Incidentally, a black bird – unlike the bluebird which always signifies happiness – has had a variable significance in different songs and poems. There is the song, almost a hymn, which begins,
“Morning has broken, like the first morning, blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.”
But the black bird which speaks, in a famous poem by Edgar Allen Poe called “The Raven,” has only one repeated word to utter, and it is a message of doom:
“Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore.’”
Yet another usage of this very versatile idea has to do with caring and not caring. Somehow it seems to fill many different verbal and musical needs. A song dating from the Civil War era, when many slaveholders were sometimes suddenly forced to depart and leave their holdings behind, had as its refrain:
“Jimmy crack corn and I don’t care –The Master’s gone away.”
The main part of that song was about another fate the Master might meet if, while being ridden, his horse was painfully bitten by a blood-sucking insect called a “horse fly.” In some American regions, this insect is known as the Blue Tail Fly. According to the song, the singer (presumably a slave) had accompanied his master on foot, with the specific duty of brushing away those nasty flies. In the song, the horse is indeed bitten, upsetting him so much that he throws his rider into a ditch, with fatal results. Apparently, there was an inquest, at which a jury had to determine the cause of death. Happily for the singer he was exonerated, and the entire blame laid upon that pesky insect, as eventually testified on the Master’s tombstone:
“Beneath this stone I’m forced to lie, A victim of the Blue Tail Fly.”
Having discussed what other people do, or do not, care about, the question may arise; what do I myself really care about? What, to me, matters most? I once gave a speech on that topic – and I based it on the lessons I had learned early in life from songs we sang at school. One of those songs was a “round” which said, over and over again:
“Row, row, row your boat Gently down the stream, Merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream.”
Of course! Life is but a dream. It doesn’t have to make any more sense than any other dream, something we have no control over. Why not just assume that everything is happening for the best, and simply try to make things as pleasant as possible – for yourself and (I suppose) for all those other people out there rowing their own little boats down the stream.
Then there was another song, which was about a “Jolly Miller who lived on the River Dee.” He was so jolly that, apparently, he never actually operated his mill, but spent all his time dancing and singing. And his song ended with these jolly words:
“I care for nobody, no not I, If nobody cares for me.”
After World War II, there much concern among Americans to help people in Europe still suffering from its ravages. One effort, called the “Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe,” organized the sending of individual packages of food under the convenient acronym CARE. “CARE packages” were a big feature of those post-war years.
The Hallmark Company, for many years, used as its slogan, “When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best.” I once licensed that company to use just three of my original greetings. I still think the very best was the one that said:
“HOW ARE YOU DOING? –And With Whom Are You Doing It?”
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.
Shorter days and cooler nights mean your landscaping needs less water.
Don't forget to adjust your irrigation controllers!
“That’s why it’s so frenzied and precise, because we’re cramming a lot of stuff in there,” Syiek said. “Audiences won’t be disappointed with the madcap energy. The whole show is only 80 minutes, so you can imagine how fast and how much action is packed into that time. It just flies by. You’re laughing the whole time.”
But there’s also deeper meaning available beyond the hilarity, he said, noting how audience reaction to the McCarthyism aspect has shifted and changed through 10 months of touring around all regions of the United States, with the election in the backdrop.
“It’s been very eye opening for our cast to observe that from the stage, a wild ride and honestly very illuminating,” he said. “You’re going to laugh and have a good time, but it also might make you think a little bit, which is always a good thing.”
Real estate is measured in square feet, the bigger the better, and buyers and renters pay for every one of those 12” x 12” bits of area. But it only takes one square foot to be a part of Ready to Hang, the pop-up style community art show open to all local artists willing to create a piece that measures a mere 12-by-12 inches in size.
The largest event put on annually by the Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative on their home turf at the Community Arts Workshop, Ready to Hang offers the opportunity for artists of all levels and experiences to both show and sell new work and for visitors to experience work by hundreds of artists in a single one-day show.
Artist and curator Michael Long drew on other community shows around town in coming up with the concept, and adding some ideas of his own, he said.
“I borrowed all my favorite aspects from other shows, boiled them together and came up with the idea of leveling the playing field by having everybody work in the same size,” Long said. “To be as inclusive as possible, you have to shrink the footprint a little bit because there’s only so much space at CAW. It’s pretty cool to see all the pieces up at once, like an onslaught of eye candy. It’s a lot of fun.”
Launched in 2019, the show quickly became popular, with last year’s edition exhibiting 450 pieces of art by more than 200 artists, with more than 1,000 people viewing the show. That induced a new limitation of just one piece per artist, and a maximum of 350 works, making the show even more egalitarian, Long said.
The show is one of the more wide-ranging exhibitions around, as Long reached out beyond artists’ studios and various collectives to art educators, tattoo parlors, and more, resulting in a truly astonishing array of styles and formats.
Scores of area painters, photographers, assemblage makers, tattoo artists, fabric artists, printmakers and others working with a theme of “Connectivity” are part of this year’s Ready to Hang, which takes place 4-9 pm on November 23. The artists price their own pieces, which usually range from a few dollars to a few hundred, with proceeds benefiting both the creator and CAW and the Collaborative. Purchases will be immediately available to “un-hang” and take home after 6 pm.
“Artists love a challenge like this where there are limitations, and it also forces them to make something new and be ready to show it,” Long said. “And it’s great for the public because you get to come to an art show, see a piece that you like, and buy it right off the wall. Then the artist gets paid right away, too. Instant gratification for everyone.”
With music by Tripform – Pablo Manzarek and Norm Reed – available refreshments and lots of mingling to be done, the atmosphere is as much party as art show.
On Entertainment Page 414
by Elizabeth Stewart
Post election, we need deep relaxation, muscle regeneration, pain relief, digestive help, cure for migraine, improved circulation, a repaired immune system, elimination of toxins (too much wine), and better concentration. This may be just the time for an article on JF ’s “singing” bowls from his home altar – a collection of Japanese standing “struck” bowls, one at 12” (quite large), and one at 9 ½”. Japanese standing bowls are distinctive because of the hand hammered (repoussé) pattern of little circles and a blessing in characters around the rim. JF passes his altar and has a whack periodically and feels the “improvements” listed above for good physiological and scientific reasons; his collection is valuable.
Who first discovered the healing properties of such bowls? Why have they been struck for thousands of years for both spiritual and therapeutic healing?
Ancient people were aware of the healing properties of sound produced by bells and bowls 12,000 years ago, if the archaeological evidence is correct. The modern theory is that sound balances both sides of the brain via vibrations of a certain frequency. Since we now have “discovered” DNA, proponents of “the sound bath” say the “ommmmmm” of the bowl/bell “awakens” DNA. Some say the right sound can even “awaken” the adrenal gland. Terms like “DNA” were unknown back in the day. The way of thinking at that was that sound could balance the astral channels (chakras).
Musicologists have measured perfectly crafted bowls producing frequencies about 4-6 kHz. Perhaps the
ancient craftsmen who created these bowls witnessed the effects that the sound had on people and that was their scientific ‘proof.’
The first singing bowls were made of pure copper 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia (a region encompassing parts of modern Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey). The brass/bronze bowl was a later technology, also thousands of years old, having been brought to Tibet from India around the time India introduced Tibet to Buddhism (8th century AD).
Singing bowls may be partially filled with water. A Chinese form called a spouting bowl – used since the 5th century BCE – has handles which, when rubbed, generate sound that makes water droplets leap.
Our brains produce electromagnetic waves. In the brain’s normal conscious state, the waves are ‘beta.” In deep sleep, the brain’s waves are “delta.” In mediation, brains produce beneficial “alpha” waves. When such bowls are “tuned” right, the sound helps the brain produce alpha waves.
Singing bowls are said to “sing” because the sound resonates long after the initiating strike or frictional rub that produced it.
The study of sound in therapy was pioneered by the physician Hans Jenny (b. 1904, d. 1972), who called these modal vibration studies. He discovered that when the brain processes certain types of sound, alpha waves are detected on an electroencephalogram (EEG).
Singing bowls are said to “sing” because the sound resonates long after the initiating strike or frictional rub that produced it. The classic is a bowl where the mallet is rotated around the rim, as opposed to the striking bowl. Both vibrate – as JF’s dog might have told us as he cocks his head to the sound in that picture.
Such bowls are used in Buddhist chants and meditations, ceremonies which are historically assisted by sound emanating from these struck standing bowls and bells. Originating in China, some of the oldest bronze objects that “sing” are goblet shaped iron bells and have been found in varying sizes. These date to the 5 th millennium BCE and represent advanced technological skill in acoustics and metallurgy. The mallet-struck bell reached its finest expression in
China and Japan. In 1972 a pair of folk musicians introduced the Tibetan singing bowl to the West – the predominate geographical marketplace for these objects today.
A singing bowl is a musical instrument classified as an “struck idiophone,” meaning the whole of the object, without any added component, comprises the instrument. The whole of the instrument vibrates to produce the effect. People who play the spoons are also playing struck idiophones. By the way, once your singing bowl starts to buzz, it has reached maximum volume and should be left to resonate, not to be further “played” – otherwise the bowl can shatter. Maximum vibration occurs around the rim of the bowl, which echoes around the whole of the open bowl, and that is where the engineering marvel happens. When a bowl is crafted just right, the sound can erase the tensions of November 2024.
JF’s bells are made of “bell metal” – a classic alloy of copper and tin, cast as molten metal and then hand hammered into shape. The Japanese name for JF’s bowls is namarin, but if the largest of the two were any bigger, up to 3 ft, it would be a temple bell called daikin. The value of the pair of the largest singing bowls – significant, as both are late 19th / early 20th century – is $2,800.00.
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
co-chairs, the event committee, his board, team, and the 49 sponsors. He talked about being on the board for six years and how CALM is a community organization with collabs throughout the nonprofit sector, and the families it serves.
Auctioneer Jim Nye successfully raised $45,000 with the live auction, and started the Ask at $25,000 – raising an additional $192,000, totaling approximately $236,665 [and counting] of their $400,000 goal. The proceeds from the event will support CALM’s continuum of mental health services specifically providing therapeutic services for 72 children and their families.
Additional program notes were videos of CALM’s work and a keynote by Garcia to spur the fundraising.
In my brief interview with President and CEO Alana Walczak, she said of the fundraiser, “At CALM at Heart, we celebrate the resilience of our clients and the incredible impact of our community’s support. Having been recognized as a 2024 California Nonprofit of the Year, CALM provides pioneering trauma-informed services and evidence-based practices centered on the strengths of our clients. We are proud to have served 2,300 children and families and provided more than 25,000 therapy services this past year. With three-quarters of our clients seeking prevention services, we are interrupting intergenerational cycles of trauma and changing the fabric of our community. We are grateful to everyone who stands with us, ensuring CALM is successful in ensuring a brighter future for all.”
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outspoken critic of SpaceX), he compensated by showing video of the rocket booster’s lower section on fire (which was supposed to have during its back burn re-entry), and another video of the fiery mid-ocean crash landing of SpaceX’s unmanned Starship spacecraft (later to carry humans to the moon and Mars) – capping that these two SpaceX fires were not in the news.
However, as was reported; “The booster catch was not the only goal for Flight 5. SpaceX also aimed to send Starship’s 165-foot-tall (50 m) upper stage — known as Starship, or simply Ship — to space and bring it back to Earth with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. That occurred about 65 minutes after liftoff, with the Ship firing three of its six engines to hover over the ocean before tipping over and exploding.
Kate Tice, SpaceX manager of Quality Systems Engineering said, ‘That was amazing. We were not intending to recover any of Starship, so that was the best ending that we could have hoped for.’” [ref: www.space.com/spacex-starshipflight-5-launch-super-heavy-booster-catchsuccess-video]
Howell talked about the International Space Station’s trash compactor; and about Japan’s world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat. The small satellite launched into space on November 5, en route to the International Space Station on a SpaceX
mission and was released into orbit about 400 km (250 miles) above the Earth. It was developed by Kyoto University and homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry.
Andrews talked about the discovery of Earth’s “second moon” – newly discovered asteroid 2024 PT5 – which will be in temporary orbit from September - November 2024, the so-called “fly-by moon” only viewable during our daylight hours; and NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft launch October 14, to study Jupiter’s moon Europa. Europa Clipper is expected to reach Jupiter and begin its close flybys of Europa by April 2030.
411: https://lco.global
by Melissa Petitto
Another new one for me this week, the white sapote – or custard apple – just came into the market, and Rancho Santa Cecilia has some gorgeous ones. This fruit originally from central Mexico is a distant relative of citrus. The smooth textured pulp tastes like a mix between a banana and a peach, mixed with a caramel apple. These fruits are packed with nutrients and antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E. This combination is incredible for our skin health as it combats free radicals and supports production of collagen. The vitamin C content is also wonderful for supporting our immune systems and fighting inflammation. Sapotes are also an excellent source of copper and zinc, both of which are linked to improving immune function. Fiber-rich, sapotes are awesome for our cardiovascular health, as they help maintain our cholesterol levels. Eating sapote aids in the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome, and is also a good source of iron and Vitamin C, making it a great addition to the battle against iron deficiency anemia.
Yield: 2 Servings
2 cups white sapote, peeled, pits removed and roughly chopped
1 cup coconut milk
½ cup vanilla almond or oat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup ice
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut, toasted
Directions:
1. Place the sapote, coconut milk, almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon and ice in a high powdered blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
2. Pour into 2 glasses and top with toasted coconut.
by Leslie Westbrook
My traveling pal and I arrived at the lovely, seaside Hotel Gutkowski (an affordable recommendation from a friend) on a Sunday early afternoon, just moments after a welcome, much needed thunderstorm and downpour began to clear the air. The island of Sicily had been suffering from a drought and the air had been gray and acrid due to the dusty Sahara sciroccos that had blown north to the island of my ancestors.
We planned to stop in Noto en route (made famous to American viewers by the TV series The White Lotus), but we spotted miles and miles and miles of cars backed up along two roads merging and leading to the baroque town. Just in the nick of time, I swiftly instructed my friend Nigel to “Take a right turn – NOW!” (Later, I finally unearthed the cause of the logjam: an annual flower festival. Let this be a lesson to check holidays and festas on your travels!)
Our final destination, Siracusa and the city’s historical center, the island of Ortigia (reached by auto or foot via a small bridge and home to 34 palaces), was to fulfill my friend Nigel’s desire to visit Teatro Greco, the continually operating 2,000-year-old outdoor Greek theater. We had tickets to attend a performance of Phaedra
We took a cab to the Teatro and walked amidst the crowds to the outdoor amphitheater: our concrete seats not far from the sound and visual technician boards. Even though the entire production was in ancient Greek, it really didn’t matter as the production values, the singing/chanting and spoken word and compositions were compelling. The people watching and chatting with other theater goers – including a doctor and friends from Milan who attend annually – added to the experience. Plus, if we glanced to our left at the video screens the production team were monitoring, we had close-up views of the singers. A leisurely stroll back through the city to the island of Ortigia gave us a chance to stop for gelato while absorbing and discussing our wonderful experience and stunning performances.
The following week, I joined a half-day tour with knowledgeable guide/historian Douglas Kenning, who has ancestral roots on the island but also lives part time in Northern California. Douglas has been informing visitors to Sicily for many decades and bringing the Sicily’s rich history alive, including mythology and architectural history. Douglas and his wife, talented artist/poet Patti Trimble, have lived part time in Sicily for the past two decades. Places we visited in the “city of water and light” included the ruins of Apollo temple, Archimedes square and the lovely Diana fountain, the fascinating Cathedral (Duomo), home to 3,000 years of continuous worship, and impressive Piazza Duomo (cathedral square), where we paused for a drink. We
A glimpse into ancient thespianism at Teatro Greco, a continually operating 2,000-year-old theater
continued to the natural spring fountain of Arethusa, the patron figure of ancient Siracusa, where Douglas shared the Greek myth of the nymph Arethusa’s appearance after escaping her underground home, Arcadia. The history of Sicily is both complex and fascinating and takes more than one afternoon – or even weeklong tour – to totally comprehend. Sicily has been ruled from 14,000 BC/ancient times through colonization under the Phoenicians, enjoyed a first golden age under the Greeks (732 BC-212 BC) followed by the Romans (slaves and revolts!) then the Barbarians. A second golden age occurred under the Arabs/Islam (827-1250 AD) followed by Norman rule. Five hundred and fifty years of Spanish inquisition ensued in a downward spiral. It wasn’t
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club nemesis – played by the perfectly abrasive Lindsey Normington – who embodies the perfect strip club villain with enough sass to knock you on your… well, you know.
Despite the mostly pro crew, Baker’s ethos still shines through. He’s concerned with people, those that don’t normally get their stories told in Hollywood. It’s the kind of personal filmmaking that we need, a form that can act as a crossover from the smaller independent world to a larger audience, all in an effort to keep the moviegoing culture alive. Studios, take note.
It’s no secret that one of Anora’s biggest inspiration is Federico Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria, which tells a similar story of a naive, but optimistic prostitute who desperately tries to find happiness, only for it to be continuously dashed away. And it’s a timely comparison as SBIFF’s brand new Town Center has been running a Fellini Retrospective. Which means you can also see Nights of Cabiria on the big screen as it was meant to be seen!
Double feature, anyone?
Shot on beautiful 35mm film stock, purposely evoking the ‘70s genre films that Baker loudly and proudly adores, Anora is a rapturous, infectious film that manages to take you on a ride through a spectrum of emotions. With additional nods to Pretty Woman, with a bit of Cinderella sprinkled in for good measure, Anora is an amalgamation. Of what? Of Sean’s love for independent filmmaking and his foray into something bigger, but
just as affecting. It’s sexy, steamy, romantic, thrilling, and yes, even hilarious. It’s one of the best films of the year. Sean Baker films are not fairytales, but they’re not depressingly hopeless, either. What you take from the film is ultimately up to you. Baker touched on this at the Riviera: “My favorite endings in the films I love are ones that are open ended and designed to be open for interpretation, allowing the audience to perhaps write the epilogue.” Go watch Anora and write the epilogue. Or better yet, get behind the camera and write your own story. If there’s one thing for certain, we need more movies like Anora.
Anora is currently in theaters, playing at SBIFF Riviera Theatre and The Hitchcock Cinema.
And SBIFF’s Fellini retrospective has been extended due to popular demand, with showings of his greatest films playing until Thursday, November 28. Nights of Cabiria screens Sat, Nov 23, at 5 pm; Tues, Nov 26, at 2 pm; and Thurs, Nov 28, at 7:30 pm.
by Robert Bernstein
There is no single explanation for the popularity of Trump. But one thread is that he can “get stuff [sh-t] done.”
Supporters (MAGAs) don’t care about his long history of cheating people out of their money, his talk of “grabbing pussies”, or even that he violently tried to overthrow an election. “He gets stuff done.”
I do give credit to Trump for three things from his first term:
1) Ending the Reagan era of strangling government services by being willing to spend money on the people when it was needed during COVID
2) Not starting any new wars
3) Ending the obsession of elected officials to watch every word they say
Robert Kennedy, Jr. is a mix. He makes insane claims about health and nutrition. But he makes some valid points. The FDA serves Big Pharma more than regulates it. More money is made by keeping people sick than making them well. Highly processed food is engineered to create addiction. The question is whether Kennedy could change any of this, if he is even approved as Secretary of HHS.
Elon Musk is another interesting case. He built his career on solving the climate crisis – investing in electric cars and battery storage for sustainable energy. But it seems doubtful that Trump will listen to his climate advice. Trump only listens to what brings him personal gains. Or satisfies his bizarre whims.
Christopher Matteo Connor is a writer and filmmaker. When he isn’t writing, watching movies, and working on projects, you can be sure he’s somewhere enjoying a big slice of vegan pizza.
The latter is actually quite important. I am OK with an elected official saying something stupid occasionally as long as they admit they are wrong and fix the mistake. Biden has been infamous for making verbal gaffes his entire career and I really don’t care.
I invite my side to be honest and ask what they would do if the situation were reversed. Suppose our side had a winning candidate who was accused of some illegal and/or unethical behavior. Would you be willing to overlook that in order to achieve certain vital goals?
For me, it would depend on the urgency and importance of the goals. And how serious was the bad behavior. Trump seriously crossed that line for me, but not for the MAGAs.
We really do need to rethink our system of government so that it can get stuff done without partisan and parochial turf battles. Or unnecessary regulation. Our side often blocks sustainable energy projects.
It turns out there already is a government branch for efficiency: The Government Accountability Office. Their web site’s current report has over 5,000 unfulfilled recommendations. That would save hundreds of billions of dollars and make government serve the public better. Boring stuff that can actually help.
The problem is that real solutions to real problems involve real work, real money, and sometimes temporary sacrifice. The opposite of what MAGAs want.
Polls show that millions of Americans think our system is broken and want someone who will “shake things up” even if it means breaking things. The problem with Trump is that he has zero interest in the public interest. He is only interested in his own wealth and power.
I actually had some hope in his first term that he might fulfill his promise to create a universal health care system. And his promise to build high speed rail. He could have done those things because he owed nothing to the health industry or to the fossil fuel/auto industry.
Instead, he pushed an extreme agenda against immigrants and against reproductive rights.
Hungarian scholar Bálint Magyar compares Trump to Hungarian dictator Viktor Orbán. Trump wants loyalists. Ideally, loyalists who are unfit for the job by design. It has a name. A “kakistocracy” is a government run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens.
Historian Yuval Noah Harari says institutions are the bedrock of society, taking generations to build. Destroying them without a plan means no stuff gets done.
I plan to write more about these issues. It’s good to save government money. I am more concerned that urgent and important problems get solved. The world can survive many mistakes by the U.S. But the world cannot survive continued U.S. inaction on the climate crisis. I don’t care who gets credit, but that stuff has to get done.
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
by Ann Brode
Both sides of the political divide cast this past election as an existential moment for our democratic way of life. Each side pitching its own version of freedom and well-being. Each side casting the other as the enemy. Yet, when the sound bites fade away and the dust settles, we’re all in this together. But, in order to come together and find solutions to some very real problems, we’ll need to put away the defensive posturing.
The perfect time to address this Political Tension Stress Disorder is when it’s time to relax – at the end of the day.
Whether the issue is climate change, civil unrest, or economic uncertainty, the problem with the existential messaging is that your body gears up for defense. Your muscles batten down, your cortisol surges up. No wonder it’s hard to focus and impossible to relax, even if you’re exhausted. No wonder you’re on guard and unsure of the future, even if your side won. Because the challenges of our changing times are not going away anytime soon, you’ll need to find strategies for staying calm and centered. A big order, I know, but you can trust your wise body to lead the way.
Calming down: After months of civil discord and partisan combat, your body may need a bit of coaxing to calm down and relax. Instead of being tensed up, you need to soften up. But, when you try to do this, your muscles and physiology just won’t let it go. Even when it’s quiet and nothing is happening, your body is still on guard. This is called stress tension. In order to get some rest and take care of your own well-being, you need to calm down.
The perfect time to address this Political Tension Stress Disorder is when it’s time to relax – at the end of the day. Turn off the media, dim the lights, and settle in your favorite chair. Take a few minutes to just quiet down and be in physical space. Then, scan through your body to locate your personal stress tension hideouts. For instance, even though there’s no physical reason, does your jaw feel like it’s clamped shut? Do your shoulders feel hiked up around your ears? Are your hands clenched? Use the gentle movement of your inhale and exhale to invite your muscles to soften the clamping/hiking/clenching and go with the flow. Add an affirmation that conveys you’re okay and life goes on.
Calming down will help you rest. It will also help you reset anytime you need it. This can be useful before an important meeting, in between work and picking up your kids, or after a contentious conversation. Whenever you feel amped up or overwhelmed, just direct your breathing into the stress tension and calm it down. It only takes a couple minutes.
Being able to calm down when you’re worked up is essential for your everyday health.
Getting centered: After months (years?) of hunkering down, buffeted between hope and despair, your body probably needs a bit of coaxing to recover its balance and feel centered again. You remember what it feels like to be centered, right? This is when you’re both at ease and ready for action. This is when you’re focused and able to think on your feet. From your body’s point of view, centering starts at the base.
Perhaps you’ve never really considered the physical components of being centered. To explore how this works, or simply to refresh your understanding, all you need to do is stand up and tune in to what’s happening. Take a moment to make sure your weight balances evenly over your feet and align your posture to recover your full height. Stay tuned in and feel how staying centered isn’t about holding steady in one place. It’s a changing dynamic that involves subtle recalibration – balancing and rebalancing. This is how you’re able to be resilient in present time.
If getting centered feels new to you, why not practice balancing over your base and standing tall the next time you’re waiting in line or brushing your teeth? Then, when you’re out in the world, notice how being centered empowers your self-confidence, communication skills, and ability to see the big picture.
Being able to calm down when you’re worked up is essential for your everyday health. Being centered increases your effectiveness in everything you do. Tuning in to your calm and centered body helps you recover your equanimity. Then, when you come together to share some love with family or celebrate the season with friends, you don’t bring your fear or judgement to the party. If talk happens to turn to issues and policies, you can offer your perspective with clarity and listen to others with an open mind. This is the first rule of empathy.
As we move forward to address a complicated future, a calm and centered demeanor will help you stand in your truth and shift your position when new information and creative ideas come along. This is how “my way or the highway,” becomes our way.
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.
until 1860 that Italy became the latest occupier! Douglas and his colleagues help unravel it all for visitors while combing the streets, broad avenues, and narrow pathways that follow the ancient Greek pattern.
My most memorable meal was a lunch on my own at the renowned Don Camillo ristorante that began with a “sweet and salty” amuse-bouche of gelato with sea asparagus. I then savored every last bite of the signature dish “Mermaid Spaghetti’ topped with bits of tiny, sweet shrimp and sea urchin, which were also mixed into the excellent creamy sauce (sopped up with a scrap of bread at the end) that got better with each bite! This lunch might have been better enjoyed with a companion – but I was well looked after by the refined staff in the elegant dining room. Bravo Chef Giovanni Guarnieri!
I took a rather long afternoon stroll after lunch from the island into the city center in search of Caravaggio’s famous work of art, Burial of Santa Lucia, at the Santa Lucia church. The church is commonly known as the Basilica of Saint Lucia al Sepolcro because it is located next to the octagonal temple that originally housed the remains of Saint Lucia. Uncrowded the afternoon I visited, the masterpiece looms large and invisible; front and center in the church nave — until visitors drop a few lira into a metal box that theatrically and magically illuminates the magnificent painting.
My last morning, I took an impromptu shopping stroll with a fellow traveler – a young gal from Sweden whom I met at breakfast at the hotel. We wandered the nearby outdoor market on my search for capers and sweet dried tomatoes to bring back home.
My satisfying ten-day sojourn to Sicily was coming to an end. I had gained a wonderful new friend in Palermo, Francesco, my host at La Bella Palermo. In other towns, I made several new acquaintances that I hope will deepen into friendships when I return.
I visited the village where my great grandparents had married, was able to meet up with my distant cousin Silvia and her boyfriend Eugenio at a lively pit stop along the road as they took a lunch break during a vintage car rally around the island. I expanded my knowledge of the island’s history, barely skimming the surface. Through it all, Sicily got under my skin but it was time to move on. I loved my room at the Hotel Gutkowski, with its peaceful view to the sea. I hated to leave but swore to return. I said good-bye to the hotel’s sweet resident cat – whose name I have sadly forgotten – that had crept into my room one night. And soon after I began plotting my next visit.
Hotel Gutkowski – I spent four glorious nights at Hotel Gutkowski in Ortigia. Yes, I know it doesn’t sound very Italian or Sicilian, but that is because the owner’s name has Polish roots. This is the kind of place – cozy, fresh bright rooms, some with views to the sea, a lovely breakfast included, other friendly travelers – you don’t want to tout too much – for fear of not being able to get a room when you return. www.guthotel.it
Don Camillo – Old world style, five-star cuisine.
Sicily Tours – Historian Douglas Henning and his partners lead small group tours and even offer genealogical tours for those with ancestral roots. The company provides insights with an intellectual bent, and is based in Siracusa, Sicily. www. sicily-tour.com
By chance, I met another tour guide staying in the room next door at Hotel Gutkowski, Karen La Rosa , owner of La RosaWorks tours, based in New York City. Karen has also been sharing the island’s many delights with tourists, drawing on her own Sicilian heritage, often with stunning and well-known specialists she invites on her highly personalized tours. We started a friendship based on our mutual love of Sicily and discovering that both our fathers had been jazz pianists.
La RosaWorks – Join a group tour or have owner Karen La Rosa curate a personalized tour. Interesting 2025 tours range from Two Kingdoms of Sicily – which includes Naples, as well as exploring Sicily on immersive tours that visit olive farms, cooking classes and more. www.larosaworks.com
A. Westbrook is a Lowell Thomas Award-winning travel writer and journalist who loves exploring the globe. A 3rd generation Californian., Leslie also assists clients sell fine art, antiques, and collectibles via auction. www.auctionliaison.com
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Lilli Margrethe Jensen Tragos, 90, beloved wife, mother, Mormor/ Farmor, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 3, 2024, in Santa Barbara, California.
Lilli lived her life with the deeply held conviction that there is inherent goodness in all people. She shone her unshakable optimism on her family and friends who always felt grateful to be in her company. She was a Danish, no-nonsense, practical woman who spoke her mind directly because addressing the issues meant solving the problems. She was unwaveringly loyal to those in her inner circle, conferring a bond that forgave all trespasses.
Family was everything to Lilli. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren and always looked forward to holiday reunions, especially her favorite Danish Christmas festivities, but also her adopted Greek Easter celebration (she enjoyed making dozens of red eggs). Her greatest joy was seeing her children together and her deepest wish was for them to love and care for one another. She was genuinely interested in her children’s activities and friends. She had some traditional ways which she demonstrated and imparted to her children: write thank you notes, dress appropriately, volunteer when you can, mind your manners, and value hard work. She was not the type to coddle, but her love was no less profound. She was a beacon of stability, wisdom, and unwavering support to family and friends alike.
Lilli was an avid reader of current events, psychology, and Scandinavian literature and news. She kept up to date on the Danish Royal family. She loved to drive and had a keen sense of direction. She was proud of once again passing her driver’s test and being behind the wheel at 90 years of age.
Lilli was born to Hannibal and Ingeborg Jensen in Randers, Denmark on August 31, 1934. She enjoyed a lovely warm childhood until her world changed when Nazi Germany invaded Denmark in April 1940. She proudly shared that her father was a Danish resistance fighter who organized dangerous nighttime missions to secure explosives and weapons parachuted out of Allied planes. She fondly recalled laughing at the “stupid Nazis” who never noticed that the pretty Danish girls were wearing nylon dresses fashioned out of parachute material. After the war ended and the Germans left, life slowly got back to normal. In her teens, Lilli excelled at ballet, so much so that her teacher wanted her to audition for the Royal Danish Ballet. Her father called off those plans as he did not want her to move to Copenhagen at such a young age.
Lilli’s experience living under occupation inspired her to join the newly formed Danish Civil Defense Corps at age 17, where she learned such skills as handling weapons and treating the wounded. In October 1954, she was inducted into the Danish Women’s Army Corps. Ultimately, Lilli followed in her father’s footsteps by going into business. She attended Niels Brock commercial college in Copenhagen, worked in publicity at Metro Goldwyn Mayer, studied French at the Sorbonne (commuting to school on her Vespa), took classes at the Copenhagen School of Economics, and worked at the Foreign Ministry with the hope to be sent abroad. In June 1959, at age 24, Lilli left for the United States on a diplomatic passport, to work for Ambassador HessellundJensen at the Danish Mission to the United Nations. She loved working in this vibrant setting, witnessing such historical figures as Khruschev and Nehru, and even meeting the King and Queen of Denmark, Frederik IX and Ingrid, on their visit to New York.
In October 1959, Lilli met Greek American Bill Tragos and his friend when they came to look at the studio apartment she had advertised for sublet in the NY Times. While Bill’s friend took the apartment, Bill was smitten with Lilli when she offered him a cup of coffee. Bill courted her until she agreed to go out with him. After marrying on January 7, 1961, Lilli and Bill embarked on a European adventure, making successive homes in London, Frankfurt, Brussels, and Paris as Bill worked in advertising and launched his agency, TBWA. Lilli enjoyed raising their four children, hosting and attending many client dinners and events, spending time with family in Denmark and Greece, and traveling the world with Bill. In 1974,
Lilli took her three daughters to join Greek women who were packaging medical supplies in preparation for the expected war against Turkey. And in 1975, Lilli helped found the Centre Culturel Hellénique in Paris, with the mission to promote Greek culture in France.
In the summer of 1977, Lilli and Bill moved the family from Paris, France, to Greenwich, Connecticut. While juggling the demands of a busy household of four teenagers, and in keeping with her belief in the importance of education, Lilli pursued a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology at Manhattanville College, graduating at the age of 48.
Lilli put her business acumen and education to work volunteering at Utilize Senior Energy, a local agency finding jobs for people 55+, and at VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Administration), helping people with their tax statements; serving as President of the Homeowner’s Association; and starting a stock investment club with friends. On the social front, Lilli played golf and founded a knitting circle, the “Stitch and Bitch” club.
In 2004, with the kids grown and Bill retired, Lilli and Bill moved to Montecito, California, in search of a more temperate climate and proximity to their children. Not one to sit around, Lilli swiftly began making connections, be it participating in activities through the Alliance Française or getting involved with the local Scandinavian community.
Throughout her adult life, Lilli was actively involved in Scandinavian organizations. She volunteered for the Danish Church in Paris, France. She was elected to the Danish American Society in New York City, the largest chapter in the U.S., and eventually became its president. She was proud to host a black-tie party for Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark (now King Frederik X) and thrilled to meet him in person. In 2004, Lilli received the Order of the Dannebrog, a Danish Order of Chivalry recognizing her service to Denmark. After moving to California, she joined the American Scandinavian Foundation of Santa Barbara and served as its vice president. Lilli was happy to have had the chance to visit her home
country in August 2024 to celebrate her 90th birthday with her Danish family.
A devoted Dane and “Greek by osmosis,” Lilli was proud to become an American citizen in 1989, thereafter voting in every U.S. election, including in 2024 (voting early). She was thrilled to regain her Danish passport in 2014, when Denmark finally allowed dual citizenship. Lilli was predeceased by her parents, Hannibal and Ingeborg Jensen and her sister Tinne “Titti” Jensen. She is survived by her husband William “Bill” Tragos of Montecito, California; their four children Christian “Chris” Tragos and wife Tracy of Los Angeles, California; Hélène Stelian and husband Peter of Chicago, Illinois; Katherine “Kat” Tragos and partner Kathleen “ Carter ” Carter of San Francisco, California; Amalia Stachowiak and husband Doug of Santa Barbara, California; grandchildren Charlotte, Penelope, Bianca, Indigo, Nicholas, Trevor); brother Wisti Jensen of Hummingen, Denmark; niece Sophia Moesgaard of Birkerød, Denmark; and extended Danish family.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Lilli’s honor on Monday, December 23, at 2 pm, at Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Goleta, California.
Donations in memory of Lilli can be made to the American Scandinavian Foundation Santa Barbara Scholarship Fund: www.asfsb.net/support-asfsb
MUS faster.” In fielding questions, he said, “Montecito and Carpinteria deputies work together. We can ask for resources from CHP or Goleta Valley for large incident events. The deputy looks at the call and sees what response it needs. To add more deputies and staff is above me, and goes to the Board of Supervisors. We can’t have a dedicated deputy in Montecito because there is no place to do the write-ups except Carpinteria.
The Rosewood Miramar Beach with its added retail shops informed us that they are going to put an office in there for us, which will cut down on our response time. We are trying to get more staff, but like a lot of other agencies, are also understaffed. SBC deputies work with SB City deputies backing each other up with calls. The staffing decisions come from the City and SBC Sheriff’s Office and were allotted before I got here. The city spends a lot of time backing up Montecito, they are not stationed in one place, they drive the entire area. All the deputies work together, and it goes through the same dispatch center. I do not know where tax dollars go, it is my responsibility to oversee law enforcement in the area.”
Trish Davis added that years ago, the deputies used to write their reports at the Montecito Library, with their vehicle parked out front, which was a deterrent for crime.
Superintendent & Principal of the Cold Spring School District [CSS] Amy Alzina stated she supported Ranii. “This is not the first time we have we have tried to work with the City and SBC. There should be one sheriff in our neighborhoods 24/7, our kids should be our first priority in safety.”
Black concluded the public discussion. “We need to help you [Brittingham] with your staffing. You are doing the best you can. Lt. Brittingham and Houghton Hyatt will be meeting on this, and it will be an ongoing situation.” He asked the MA Board for input on the issue. Mindy Denson suggested a subcommittee work directly with the Sheriff’s Dept. and Lt. Brittingham and she volunteered to lead it. Volunteers added to her committee were Andrea Newquist, Inken Gerlach. MUS Superintendent Ranii offered to help.
Montecito Fire Chief David Neels recapped the Ventura County Mountain Fire, saying, “It is a dynamic reminder about how winds can cause significant issues. Our partnerships with our responders support 10 people and 15 engineers, aircraft. Those relationships are built when we respond quickly and help other counties who have also been there for us. We are still
on the threshold of sundowner winds; concern is still there due to winds. Our fire stations are getting our holiday gift boxes ready for your food and toy donations. The annual mudslide disaster remembrance event is scheduled for January 9, 6 pm, at MUS.”
Montecito Sanitation District General Manager John Weigold reported that Carbajal visited the department, and they showed him how they used the funding he got them. All their FEMA projects around the creek beds are done and rebuilt with heavy rock.
Ruth Green reported on t he Montecito Community Foundation, saying, “We are an all-volunteer nonprofit organization established in 1966, and provide a way for people to make tax deductible donations for Montecito community improvements. Our area is the same as the Montecito Fire Protection District boundaries and this year we extended to include Coast Village Road. Grants we provide include both capital improvements and community events like benches at the park; the triangle restoration project with partners Garden Club of SB and Casa Dorinda; Montecito Trails Foundation for trail restoration; Friends of Montecito Library for laptops and other items; Casa del Herrero donation for rain damage; road signs; and Bucket Brigade’s paths around Montecito. Upcoming are working with the CVR Associates for landscaping and Lotusland.”
Black asked for input on the Bucket Brigade pathways project, the issues being liability, landscaping, pedestrians, parking on the paths, right-of-way to build the paths, the contractor, and who is in charge of the path design/aesthetics. Bill Macfadyen made a motion which passed to request information from all relevant parties involved in the paths to be given to the MA regarding these key points.
Upcoming events: the Hathaway Tree Decorating December 4 from 3-4 pm; the Holiday Car Parade at 5 pm, December 14; and the Menorah Lighting on December 26.
411: www.montecitoassociation.org
Joanne A Calitri is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her at: artraks@ yahoo.com
they made the decision to try to recapture some personal time. The store is open 6 days a week, and John also works in tech sales. The candy store, at that time called Switzers, was originally in the SB Funk Zone. Switzers was purchased in 1989 by Guy Robitaille, John’s father, who moved it to Carpinteria. The Robitailles wrote a letter to Carpinteria, thanking everyone – including their employees – who have made Robitaille’s successful and beloved over its long run in the cozy beachside town. The question remains; what new business will move into the 900 Linden space and rub shoulders with Gene Montesano’s Tre Lune Restaurant moving to the corner of Linden and Carpinteria Avenue (in the previous location of Giovanni’s Pizza), the new Linden Street business section a few blocks down with incoming Bettina, and neighboring Mollie’s at 1039 Casitas Pass Road? It’s almost as if early 2000’s-era Coast Village Road has relocated.
Their reopening anxiously anticipated, The Palms Restaurant project at 701 Linden Avenue is scheduled for the Carpinteria Planning Commission on December 2. The project cleared the Carp Architectural Review Board (ARB) in October. Currently it is an 11,453 square-foot lot with a 10,508 square-foot, two-story building on site. Renovations include a new third story addition to the existing building, a restaurant and market cafe retail area on the ground floor, a banquet/event space on the second floor, and its center opened up for natural light.
The controversial Surfliner Inn on City Parking Lot #3 will have its day with the Carpinteria ARB on December 12. Story Poles will be placed November 25, and two thirds of the parking lot will be closed. After the ARB meeting, the project must be reviewed for Environmental Impact prior to the City Planning Commission meeting(s). These public meetings are held at Carp City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave and via their online simulcast.
411: https://carpinteriaca.gov/city-hall/agendas-meetings/
Momma’s Soul Food Fusion – home of Chef Guidance Moon and her 15-year old sous-chef and son, Elishah Barthelemy – is inviting you to a Community Thanksgiving Dinner on November 27, 2024, from 5 pm to 10 pm at the Isla Vista Community Center, 970 Embarcadero del Mar in Isla Vista.
The theme is “Thankful TOGETHER: A Celebration of Food, Culture, & Community.” Chef Guidance came to Santa Barbara after being invited to participate in a culinary internship with the Ritz-Carlton Bacara. After completing the internship, she relocated herself, her wife, and her two boys to Santa Barbara to pursue a career and education in culinary arts – and start a career as a Culinary Television Personality. She is currently studying Culinary Arts at Santa Barbara City College and operates Momma’s Soul Food.
Entry to the event is FREE, featuring games, speakers, and activities for all ages. There is also a dinner VIP experience package for $15. Registration required.
411: www.eventbrite.com/e/thankful-together-thanksgiving-soul-food-dinner-tickets-1057542410819
The Women’s Fund of SB has awarded $125,000 to DignityMoves for its new Child Care Center at its Family Village to provide housing and childcare. The grant covers the cost for the modular components of a childcare center, and for parents to seek/maintain employment, participate in job training/education, and for sobriety and mental health stability. The new family village, slated to open November 2025, provides housing for approximately 30 families in the form of small, multi-room, modular homes, and features a garden, playground, and aforementioned child-care center. Case managers work with parents to stabilize families, address the root causes of homelessness, and prepare families for permanent housing. This is the second Women’s Fund grant for DignityMoves.
sanctity that provides spiritual armor to a zygote and leaves a second-grade classroom vulnerable to gunfire. It goes to Freedom.
The primacy of the individual is enshrined in both the Declaration of Independence and capitalism as we know it, as is the notion of self-interest. Capitalism’s credo is that self-interest is a benevolent force that fuels the common good.
As early troublemaker Adam Smith serenely put it: “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” The pursuit of self-interest and private ownership are thus capitalist moral imperatives. They improve the common good.
MSocialism is typified by pointedly complex government systems designed to caretake the citizenry. Government exists to help provide the basic elements of individual contentment and security. Taxes are higher and the collected funds spent by the government on the citizenry. This is anathema to the Capitalist, whose veneration of individual effort overwrites an altruistic focus on the now legally sanctified individual.
Capitalism sees the virtue in small government – an easy case to make if, like me, you see our “legislators” on Capitol Hill as unskilled dimwit workfare cheats, blabbermouths, and corner cutters: children who’ve been given booze and handed matches.
Breaking / Entering / Burglary / 2500 block Banner Ave
Tuesday, Nov 5, 2024, at 19:02 hrs
Reporting Party [RP] came home to find her father’s residence had been ransacked. No damage at any points of entry; RP thinks she left the back door unlocked. Occurred between 1100-1600 hours, and items stolen were a few thousand dollars in cash and heirloom jewelry.
Intoxication and Meth / Vehicle in No Parking Zone / 1100 Channel Dr
Thursday, Nov 7, 2024, at 02:52 hrs
Subject was contacted in his vehicle parked on Channel Drive in a no parking zone. A vehicle search revealed a small amount of meth and subject was extremely intoxicated. Subject was arrested and booked at the jail.
Panhandler / Meth / Outstanding Warrants / Coast Village HWY 101
Monday, Nov 11, 2024, at 09:48 hrs
Subject was detained for violation of CVC 22520.5 – Panhandling within 500 feet of a freeway offramp. A records check of subject revealed they had two outstanding warrants for arrest. Subject was arrested. During a search of subject, deputies located suspected methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and four “tooter” straws. Subject was transported to SBJ, where they were booked for two outstanding warrants, H&S 11377(a) – Possession of methamphetamine, H&S 11350(a) – Possession of a controlled substance, and H&S 11364(a) – Possession of drug paraphernalia.
Trespasser with Meth / 4994 Foothill Road
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024, at 13:39hrs
Deputies responded to investigate the report of a trespassing. Deputies located and detained the suspect. During a consent search, deputies located a methamphetamine pipe and one 40mm round of ammunition. Deputies arrested subject and asked to search his vehicle. Subject consented and deputies located a usable amount of methamphetamine. Subject was arrested for violation of H&S 11377(a) – Possession of methamphetamine, H&S 11364(a) – Possession of drug paraphernalia.
Kidnapping / Assault with Deadly Weapon / Olive Mill Road & 101 Freeway
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024, at 22:43 hrs
Deputies conducting a proactive traffic enforcement stop discovered a kidnapping in progress inside the vehicle. A deputy on patrol in the area of southbound Highway 101 near Olive Mill conducted a traffic enforcement stop on an unsafe RV that was being driven with the pop-out sections extended. As the deputy approached the RV, he observed an ongoing domestic dispute inside the vehicle.
Through the on-scene investigation, deputies learned that the passenger forced the adult
The goal of smaller government in the U.S., though, is often realized at the expense of our least fortunate. In our Christian nation there are perennial efforts afoot to dismantle systems that help the less fortunate – a group the Bible refers to as The Poor (Mark 10:21-22). Attempted cuts to nutrition assistance and Medicaid and the dissolution of the Affordable Care Act are familiar examples. The sanctity of a human life is politically variable, to no one’s great surprise.
Our recently elected leader reportedly underwent a laying on of hands by a circle of Evangelicals who prayed for the success of his candidacy. It worked. And I don’t mean to be a brittle jackass or to
ineptly waggle an accusing finger. I fell away from my own faith in the course of a family tragedy many years ago and –by some interpretations – am hesitantly seeking a way back to some spiritual baseline. Is this essay’s invocation of Christ a cheap, facile ploy in the current climate? I dunno.
What I do know is this: those in our culture who most loudly venerate freedom and individualism tend to self-identify as Christians. These have succeeded in their long struggle to legally define a human life as a Sacred thing –the immeasurably precious and sanctified vessel in which God inheres. Second Amendment and drone strikes notwithstanding. Today, an avowed Christian is our country’s Chief Executive. How will his faith manifest in his legislative agenda? Let us pray.
female victim to drive the RV towards Orange County. Along a route from highway 154 to the location of the traffic stop, subject threatened the victim with two knives, put his arms around her neck, and fired a handgun out of the window. The victim, in fear for her life and for her infant who was also in the vehicle, was attempting to comply with subject’s commands when the RV was stopped by the deputy. During a search of the RV, a Glock pistol was found along with a spent 9mm casing.
Subject was arrested for kidnapping (felony), assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (felony), discharge of a firearm with gross negligence (felony), child cruelty (felony), kidnapping a child (felony). Subject is being held at the Main Jail with $1,000,000 bail. An Emergency Protective Order was granted, and the victim and child were taken to the station until arrangements were made.
Deceased Subject Found in Vehicle / Lillingston Canyon & Cate Mesa Rd
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2024, at 06:50 hrs
Deputies responded to the area of Lillingston Canyon Rd and Cate Mesa Rd for a report of possible burned dead body inside of a vehicle. Deputies arrived on scene, and determined there was a deceased subject with apparent burn wounds throughout his body near an unoccupied vehicle. Deputies closed off the area and sheriff detectives, coroner detectives, forensics detectives, and arson investigators responded and took over the investigation. Investigation being handled by detectives.
Possession of Deadly Weapon at School / 4810 Foothill Rd
Thursday, Nov 14, 2024, at 14:59 hrs
Staff at Carpinteria High School received an anonymous tip from a student that another student was carrying a knife on school grounds. While the student was in PE, staff recovered the knife from his backpack. The knife was found in the front right pocket of his pants that were rolled up and stored in his backpack. When questioned by school staff, the student said he had forgot about it and had brought it to school by accident. The student never brandished the knife or made any threats.
Burglary / Forced Entry / 200 Block Penny Lane 93108
Thursday, Nov 14, 2024, at 23:10 hrs
Deputies responded to report of a burglary. According to the victims they left their home at approximately 1715 hours and returned at approximately 2100 hours. During that time, unknown suspects scaled up a wall to a second-floor balcony and forced entry through a pair of French doors by smashing a glass pane and opening the door. The suspects entered the master bedroom and ransacked the master closet. The suspects stole an undetermined amount of jewelry.
Abandoned Sailboat / Santa Claus Beach
Friday, Nov 15, 2024, at 13:54 hrs
The Coast Guard called in to report an abandoned sailboat washed up on Santa Claus Beach. Deputies responded and located the vessel on the beach near the 3500 Block of Padaro Ln, lying on its side and flooded. The proper Hazard and Removal paperwork was posted on the vessel. In addition, the owner of the vessel was advised to contact the Carpinteria Sheriff’s Substation Lieutenant for further information on the claim/removal process.
Turner, Jim and Chana Jackson, Bob and Carolyn Williams, Jim and Susan Neuman, John and Nina Davies, Chuck and Stephanie Slosser, Judy Rossiter, and Pam Lund Brown
To the historic University Club for a coffee table tome launch and talk on the late Spanish couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga, whose name is enjoying a resurgence of late.
The book Balenciaga – Kublin: A Fashion Record by the Hungarian photographer’s daughter, Maria Kublin and fashion curator and lecturer Ana Balda – records the photographer’s close relationship with Balenciaga, who died in 1972, aged 77.
The designer, who was also associated with Courrèges, Hubert de Givenchy, and Emanuel Ungaro, was notoriously camera-shy, but felt at ease with Tom Kublin who snapped him in his post-war heyday in Paris in the 1950s and ‘60s.
Maria flew in from her home in Amsterdam for the occasion, organized by the new Couture Pattern Museum on State Street, having lectured at London’s Victoria and Albert a few days before.
Miscellany Page 424
Author Maria Kublin, granddaughter of Tom Kublin – Eva Luna Kassam, and museum founder Cara AustineRademaker (photo by Katie Brainard)
PUBLIC NOTICE
Invitation to Bid No. 2024-005
Gates & Carport Fire Station 92
The Montecito Fire Protection District hereby invites the submission of sealed bids for:
ITB# 2024-005 – Gates & Carport at Fire Station 92
Bid Opening – Monday, December 16, 2024 at 2:15 p m in the conference room at Montecito Fire Station 91, 595 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara.
ITB documents may be viewed on the Montecito Fire Protection District (MFPD) website at www.montecitofire.com or a copy may be secured from MFPD at 595 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara CA between the hours of 8:00 a m and 5:00 p m , Monday through Friday. Responses must be sealed, clearly marked “Station 92 Gates & Carport Project – General Contractor Bid” and returned to:
Montecito Fire Protection District
Attn: Anthony Hudley, Battalion Chief 595 San Ysidro Road Santa Barbara, CA 93108
Bids will be accepted until 2:00 p m December 16, 2024. Bids received after this time will be returned unopened. Faxed bids will not be accepted.
Published November 21 & 28, 2024
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Palma Catering, 432 E. Haley Suite A, Suite A, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. Palma Vegan Group, LLC, PO Box 22615, Santa Barbara, CA, 93121. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on November 14, 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. 2024-0002671. Published November 21, 28, December 5, 12, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Santa Barbara Bowls, 2669 Montrose Pl, Santa Barbara, CA, 93105. Merrillee G Ford, PO Box 5336, Santa Barbara, CA, 93150-5336. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on November 6, 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. 2024-0002610. Published November 14, 21, 28, December 5, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Honor Nutrition, 4028 Invierno Drive, B, Santa Barbara, CA, 93110. Kathryn M Parker, 4028 Invierno Drive, B, Santa Barbara, CA, 93110. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on October 22, 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. 2024-0002460. Published November 14, 21, 28, December 5, 2024
TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: CASE No. 24CV05813.
To all interested parties: Petitioner Corrina Louise Bonham filed a petition with Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara, for a decree changing name to Corrina Louise Gilbert. 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 November 7, 2024 by Preston Frye. Hearing date: December 20, 2024 at 10 am in Dept. 4, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Published November 21, 28, December 5, 12, 2024
“It’s a chance to come together to congratulate and encourage the art community and get to know each other,” Long said. Visit www.sbcaw.org/hang
Are you a big Josh Brolin fan, especially ever since his character Llewellyn Moss got his buff cowboy body blown away by Javier Bardem’s methodical and passionless hitman Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men, one of the Coen Brothers’ finest films? Or perhaps your taste runs to Jeff Bridges, another locally resident actor still perhaps most famous for a different Coen Brothers creation in The Big Lebowski’s The Dude. Maybe you’re more drawn to directors, in which case longtime Santa Barbara resident Andrew Davis likely captures your fancy.
In a strange quirk of timing – and perhaps another positive sign that cinema really is scoring in town more than ever – all three at least Oscar-nominated filmmakers will be appearing in town for Q&As on November 23.
Just two weeks after former Montecito resident Tim Matheson regaled the audience at the Riviera Theatre in conjunction with the publication of his memoir, Brolin brings his just-published book From Under the Truck – described as a decidedly “un-celebrity” memoir – to the same venue, where a screening of No Country will be followed by a talk with the actor-author, starting at 5 pm. Admission is $20, or $50 with a copy of the book, which Brolin will sign. Visit https://sbifftheatres.com/ an-evening-with-josh-brolin.
Downtown at 7 pm, Andrew Davis returns for the penultimate event in the Granada’s Centennial Film Series: Santa Barbara Home Movies, participating in a pre-screening talk about The Fugitive, his most decorated and popular movie. Three actors from the film in Sela Ward, Tom Wood, and Montecito’s own Jane Lynch, along with the Oscar-nominated editor Don Brochu, will also be on hand. Admission is $5. Visit www.granadasb.org.
Meanwhile, out at UCSB at 2 pm, former longtime Montecito (and now Santa Barbara resident) Bridges and actress Amy Brenneman, the award-winning stars of the current FX series The Old Man, will pop into the Pollock Theatre at The CarseyWolf Center for a pre-screening conversation with Brad Silberling, the UCSBeducated film and TV director-writer-producer who has been married to Brenneman for nearly 30 years. The two actors will share their creative perspectives on the series’ treatment of aging and will discuss other aspects of their unique collaboration before a screening of Season 2/Episode 6 of The Old Man... (Apparently, FX is a country for old men.) Free admission. Visit www.carseywolf.ucsb.edu/pollock.
Decisions, decisions, just like the ones we’ll have to make six weeks from now when SBIFF 40 arrives (along with honorees Angelina Jolie, Ralph Fiennes, Zoe Saldana, Adrian Brody, Guy Pearce, et al) in February.
Hot on the heels of the milestone 25th Ojai Film Festival, and just a week after the launching of the new SBIFF Film Center in the former home of the Fiesta Five, the historic Ojai Playhouse is reopening on November 22 after being closed for a decade. Similarly but on a much smaller scale than SBIFF’s new facility, the newly revitalized 5,500-square-foot theater will feature a diverse lineup of first-run arthouse films and nostalgic classics, plus live events, including comedy shows, speakers, live podcasts and music performances. Ojai Playhouse has undergone complete structural and interior renovations with the revamped 200-seat theater now boasting state-of-the-art film and audio technology, a live performance stage and upgraded audience amenities. One of California’s oldest single-screen cinemas, the theater’s 1914 building’s original interior and facade have been carefully restored using orig-
inal materials, framed in a contemporary, minimalist design, and features an outdoor garden, a private event space and a café and bar.
Steven Libowitz has covered a plethora of topics for the Journal since 1997, and now leads our extensive arts and entertainment coverage
The theater’s fortuitous timing for opening brings a dynamic first six weeks of screenings that features numerous Oscar contenders ( Anora , The Wild Robot , Babygirl , Emilia Perez , Sing Sing, Conclave, and The Brutalist) as well as beloved holiday classics (It’s a Wonderful Life, Die Hard, Bad Santa), acclaimed independent films, cult midnight movies (Heat, Mulholland Drive), double features by Werner Herzog (Fitzcarraldo and Burden of Dreams) and Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread and Boogie Nights), family films ( WALL-E ) and more. Visit https://ojaiplayhouse.com.
In a world where bad news about the environment routinely outweighs good news, scientists have discovered an incredible exception: the world’s largest coral. Nestled in the pristine seas of the Solomon Islands, this huge marine monster is 34 meters broad and stands over five meters tall, dwarfing even the giant blue whale. It’s even visible from space.
“Just when we think there is nothing left to discover on planet Earth, we find a massive coral made of nearly one billion little polyps, pulsing with life and color,” said Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of the Pristine Seas team that discovered the surprising find.
The mega coral, a species called Pavona clavus, is considered to be around 300 years old – a living time capsule that provides invaluable insights into past ocean conditions. Despite its majesty, scientists warn that it is not indestructible, with global warming and human activity posing immediate risks.
The coral was discovered during an expedition by the National Geographic Pristine Seas team, which works to advance ocean conservation. While exploring the southwest Pacific Ocean, they came across what looked to be a giant rock beneath the water. A closer look revealed that it was far more astonishing.
Even the local community was ignorant of its existence, which surprised the research team given its proximity to the ocean’s surface. This oversight demonstrates how much remains unexplored and unknown in the great blue depths of the ocean.
“This is a significant scientific discovery, like finding the world’s tallest tree,” Sala remarked. “But there is cause for alarm. Despite its remote location, this coral is not safe from global warming and other human threats.”
Despite warmer seas damaging surrounding shallow reefs, this coral has survived as a “beacon of hope,” growing in somewhat deeper waters with more stable circumstances.
The coral’s age and size are impressive, but its true worth is in the knowledge it contains. “It now stores information on how to survive throughout the centuries,” said Manu San Félix, the underwater cinematographer and expedition member who discovered the coral.
“The genetic code of these simple polyps is an enormous encyclopedia that has written how to survive multiple climatic conditions and, until now, it does so in the face of ocean warming.”
The beautifully presented book features more than 140 photo images and video film stills from Kublin, who worked with Balenciaga for 19 years until the photographer passed away in 1966, aged 42.
Founder of the two-year-old museum, Cara Austine-Rademaker, says Santa Barbara is similar to Balenciaga’s hometown Getaria, Spain, with its Spanish and rural influences.
So far the museum has held six exhibitions, including a recent one on James
Galanos – a favorite of the late First Lady Nancy Reagan – who would have been celebrating his 100th birthday.
The institution concentrates on the “golden age of couture” from the late 1940s, through the ‘50s and ‘60s.
Scott Reed, former president of the Music Academy of the West, commemorated the first year of his company Lane
4 Fundraising, a fundraising strategy firm he launched with the academy colleague Jon Bishop last fall.
A nod to the dynamic duo’s passion for competitive swimming, Lane 4 works with some top nonprofits in our community to strengthen their fundraising impact.
They are now working with stellar organizations including Rise & Shine Ghana, American Indian Health & Services, UCSB’s Athletic Department, PAL, SEEAG, and WEV to name a few.
The hip Odessa Lounge on State Street was packed with a Who’s Who of the community including Kelly Barsky, Marge Cafarelli, Ed and Sue Birch, Alex Katz, Elizabeth Fowler, Geoff Green, Belle Hahn, Gregg and Carol Wilson, Jennifer Zacharias, Mindy Budgor, and Warren and Mary Lynn Staley.
CAMA’s latest international concert at the Granada was La Serenìssima at its best with mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital conducting San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Grammy-winning soprano Esteli Gomez interspersing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with gondola songs.
It was also the 300th anniversary of Vivaldi’s enduringly popular Baroque masterpiece which I last heard on a misty New Year’s Eve in Venice at the Santa Maria della Pieta where the composer was a violin teacher and concert master.
The orchestra concluded the hugely entertaining evening with its encore, “La Biondina in Gondoleta,” a Venetian traditional barcarolle featuring Gomez.
A tsunami of supporters descended on the FisHouse, just tiara’s toss from Stearns Wharf, for Heal the Ocean’s sunset soirée to thank donors for helping raise a record $350,000 from its fifth consecutive imaginary gala.
“It’s the perfect level of event,” enthused
co-founder Hillary Hauser, executive director of the popular charity. “Very little overhead and very generous supporters.”
The bounteous bash with oysters, lobsters, and clam chowder was hosted by Tom White, owner of the popular
oceanside eatery, who is also on the charity’s board of directors. Animal activist Gretchen Lieff supplied wine.
Among the 90 guests were Peter and Nini Seaman, John and Hazel Blankenship, Mayor Randy Rowse, Laura Capps, Rob and Pru Sternin, Pat and Bonnie McElroy, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Harry Rabin, Tom and Ami Kearns, Sarah Argyropoulos, Thomas Dabney, and Eric Friedman. Entertainment was provided by the Salty Misfits.
Carpinteria TV host Conan O’Brien is hosting the next Oscars.
Announcing Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme, O’Brien then said: “In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars.” He told his fans at the weekend.
It will be his first time as Oscars host.
He has emceed other high profile shows like the Emmy Awards in 2002 and 2006, and the White House Correspondents dinner in 1995 and 2013.
O’Brien is known for his late-night
talk show Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Conan. The Oscars will air live on ABC on March 2.
Beanie Baby billionaire Ty Warner’s personal part-time Manhattan residence is now the most expensive hotel suite in the Big Apple commanding a hefty $80,000 a night, plus taxes.
When his Four Seasons Hotel on the Upper Eastside reopened at the weekend for the first time in more than four years, the ritzy I. M. Pei-designed hostelry’s luxury rooms from the 20th to the 52nd floor, including the 52nd floor penthouse, were opened for business.
The hotel is also launching “extended stay” rentals on the fifth to 19th floors, according to the New York Post Warner’s penthouse encompasses 4,300 square feet, larger than most houses, and has stunning views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline.
It also has three personal elevators and is filled with original art. It also
comes with four cantilevered glass balconies, a curated 700 square foot library with a 20-foot cathedral ceiling, and a Bösendorfer baby grand piano.
There’s also a private spa and a Zen Room with a waterfall that pours from the ceiling to the floor.
Before COVID the penthouse used to rent out for $50,000 a night.
Montecito actor Josh Brolin has just published his new memoir From Under the Truck
The 240-page autobiography recounts the start of his acting career in The Goonies filmed at Warner Bros. in Burbank, just one of many anecdotes in the witty tell-all tome about his tumultuous life and varied career.
Brolin, 56 – son of actor James Brolin, husband of singer Barbra Streisand – was brought up on a ranch in Paso Robles before his family moved to our Eden by the Beach at the age of 11, spending his teenage years working as a cook in an Italian restaurant.
He won an Oscar nomination in 2008 for the biopic Milk with Sean Penn as the principal character. He also had a career resurgence in No Country for Old Men, the 2007 crime film.
Episodes with drugs, drink and bouts in jail are recounted with tales of his travels and his battle with booze.
Brolin is currently starring in Dune Part Two on HBO.
Quite the character...
Prince Harry’s new paperback version of Spare is languishing in 73rd place in the U.K. rankings after selling just 3,400 copies in its second week of publication.
The Riven Rock-based Duke of Sussex chose not to give any interviews to publicize the paperback edition of his bestselling autobiography which came out Oct. 24.
His publisher Penguin Random House confirmed the book was not updated from its hardback version, which is somewhat unusual for an international bestseller.
The hardback edition came out in January 2023, breaking records at bookshops to become Britain’s bestselling book last year, with more than 700,000 copies sold.
Montecito actress Gwyneth Paltrow has just released her famous Goop Christmas Gift guide.
The list is as outrageous as ever with 11 vibrators and a Kiki de Montparnasse GOOP exclusive kit that includes sex toys.
Sex oil is available for $55, and a sex pillow, and there also items of jewelry in gold and diamonds for $18,000.
For Goop gourmands there’s Russian Ossetra caviar for $630 and a loaf of bread from Italy costing $65.
Don’t all rush...
Carpinteria actor Kevin Costner has weighed in on the death of his Yellowstone character John Dutton after deciding to leave the popular Paramount series.
The Oscar winner, 69, broke his silence after his character died in Series 5, Part 2 last week.
“Well, I’m going to be perfectly honest,” says Costner. “I didn’t know it was actually airing last week,” he said on Sirius Radio’s The Michael Smerconish Program.
“That’s a swear to God moment, I swear to God. I’d seen ads with my face all over the place. Gee, I’m not in that one, I’m not in this. But I didn’t realize that yesterday was the thing. Then somebody said, ‘It played last night.’” At the start of the episode Dutton is found dead from a gunshot wound. His death was initially thought to be a suicide. However, it was later revealed Dutton was murdered in a plot orchestrated by lawyer Sarah Atwood, who is sleeping with Jamie Dutton, played by Wes Bentley.
My congratulations to Montecitobased actor Chris Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger on the birth of their new baby boy Ford Fitzgerald Schwarzenegger Pratt, a nod to the Kennedy side of the family, with Katherine being the daughter of former TV anchor Maria Shriver and actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose Hyannis wedding I covered for London’s Daily Express. The tony twosome also share two daughters, Lyla and Eloise, born in 2020 and 2022 respectively.
Warbler Katy Perry at actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s 50th birthday bash in Los Angeles... Oscar winner Kevin Costner partying with athlete Rainy Castaneda in New York... Singer John Legend noshing at Tre Lune.
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
by Steven Libowitz
Masterful Music with Meyers – We’ve been fortunate to have frequent visits from Anne Akiko Meyers, one of the world’s most esteemed violinists – perhaps partially due to the fact that her younger sister is local ophthalmologist Dr. Toni Meyers. Widely celebrated for her expressive depth and technical prowess, the violinist has collaborated with some of today’s most important composers, conductors and orchestras, creating a remarkable new violin repertoire for future generations, including Arturo Márquez’s “Fandango,” which she performed at the Granada not long after its 2021 premiere. Tonight represents Meyers’ CAMA recital debut in a thrilling and varied program that includes Philip Glass’s Bach-influenced “New Chaconne,” Márquez’s new arrangement of his “Danzón No. 2,” Corelli’s “La Folia Sonata,” Beethoven’s “Sonata No. 5 in F Major, ‘Spring’” (Frühlingssonate) and Morten Lauridsen’s “Sure on This Shining Night” and “Dirait-on.” Meyers will perform on her exquisite 1741 “ex-Vieuxtemps” Guarneri ‘del Gesù’, accompanied by Italian pianist Fabio Bidini, a distinguished faculty member at the Colburn School.
WHEN: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.
COST: $58 & $68
INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.org
Beach Boys Bring the Balm – Spurred by the imminent end of my heavily discounted subscription to streamers Disney+, I took in the new two-hour documentary about the California band the other night. Called simply The Beach Boys, the film focuses almost exclusively on the brotherly band’s origins through its 1960s heyday, when Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, cousin Mike Love and family friend Al Jardine fairly revolutionized pop music with their harmony-filled fantasies about Southern California culture. There’s a wealth of previously unseen footage and snippets of studio time, plus interviews with all the surviving members. Unfortunately, the doc doesn’t really address the question posed by rock historian and USC professor Josh Kun in assessing the band’s attempted growth beyond surf, cars and girls in the 1970s – “Who are we as artists?” But here’s the deal: Brian’s brilliant songs and even more brilliant arrangements and the group’s sensational vocal harmonies still stand
ZooLights Zooms to Zoo – For the third consecutive year, visitors have the chance to see the Santa Barbara Zoo in, ahem, a whole new light, with the opening of the annual ZooLights installation. While the Zoo maintains normal operations during the day, the place transforms after dark into a magical world of lights, featuring thousands of handcrafted, silk-covered lanterns aglow with more than 50,000 LED bulbs. A walk through the expansive environs of the hilltop haven for humans as well as animals shines with the interactive light exhibits as the illuminated lanterns showcase animal and nature scenes that represent wild places from around the world. Discover underwater seascapes, beautiful birds in tropical forests, wild safari creatures on the prowl, and dozens of other animals – including an extinct animal showcase decorated with dinosaurs – all on the Zoo’s beautiful grounds during the larger-than-life immersive experience. To keep everybody’s tummy in tip-top shape, seasonal snacks and warm drinks are available for purchase.
WHEN: 4:30-8:30 pm on select dates through January 12
WHERE: Santa Barbara Zoo, 500 Niños Drive
COST: $20-$35
INFO: (805) 962-5339 or https://www.sbzoo.org/event
Sock Skating, the Sequel – Last year, MOXI turned its rooftop into a makeshift rink for Sock Skating, where kids of all ages kicked off their shoes and frolicked with frictionless fun on a specialty tiled, friction-averse floor reminiscent of ice – sans the sub-zero (Celsius) temperatures, of course. To no one’s great surprise, the seasonal exhibit is back at The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation to sock it to us again, a reprise of its offering of scientific properties disguised by the spirit of the season. As before, what’s missing is the possibility of frostbite and gashes from an errant blade, and since the surface has a bit more friction than skates on ice, it’s also unlikely you’ll take a tumble. While the ambiance might fall short of Rockefeller Center’s, gliding along while glancing at the ocean, mountains and downtown buildings sure beats the inside of an arena. Also opening at MOXI this week, the newly-reimagined Light Track sector that has incorporated years of feedback and experience to enhance the space by keeping triedand-true favorites (Light Patterns, Painting with Light, MAGNA-TILES™ light table) while bringing in six new exhibits that have been designed to dive deeper into the exploration of light, shadow, and color.
WHEN: Sock Skating open during regular museum hours through January 20 (weather permitting); Light Track reopens November 27.
WHERE: MOXI Museum, 125 State St.
COST: Free with museum admission
INFO: (805) 770-5000 or www.moxi.org
the test of time, and those innocent, innocuous incantations seem like just the elixir for this moment in terms of soothing the savaged souls of a whole lot of us. I got shivers up my spine when that first pounding of the snare sets of the body of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” and I’ll likely be braving the San Marcos Pass again tonight to sing and dance along to hit after hit when the current touring version of the Beach Boys, the one led by Love, lands at the Samala Showroom at the Chumash Casino.
WHEN: 8 pm
WHERE: Chumash Casino, 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez
COST: $69-$130
INFO: (800) CHUMASH (248-6274) or www.chumashcasino.com
Cuellar Concert Back at Luke – ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! was founded almost 20 years ago to showcase some of the foremost representatives of Latino heritage in music and dance with free concerts, receptions and educational opportunities for schoolchildren and community members. This weekend, Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar returns to town, boasting its 30-year history of performances, recordings and collaborations that include a Who’s Who of Mexican artists, from Aída Cuevas to Camila Cabello . The group’s previous performances in town have proven among the most popular, so show up early to secure a seat, and stay after to meet the band.
WHEN: 7 pm
WHERE: Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High, 721 East Cota St. COST: free
INFO: https://luketheatre.org/viva-el-arte
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24
McGarry’s All-day Marathon – Local playwright Claudia Hoag McGarry takes over Center Stage Theatre for a day-long festival of staged readings of her recent original plays, plus a new one. A Coma Kind of Love – a dramedy about love, loss and laughter that was performed at the venue last year as I Can Hear You, Damm it! – has been slightly modified to be more of a romance; one where the coma patient played by Bojana Hill has to ultimately decide between staying on Earth where she is involved in a
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21 & TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26
Chaucer’s Choices – New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Winspear bids farewell to her beloved Maisie Dobbs character in her latest and last mystery-history novel to feature the psychologist and investigator. In unraveling a profound mystery from her past in a war-torn nation grappling with its future, Dobbs gets her last licks of sleuthing in The Comfort of Ghosts, the final installment of a series that spanned 21 years and 18 books and earned praise from critics and readers around the world. Ojai resident Winspear waxes profound on the book, the series and more in conversation with fellow writer Paul Levine at midtown’s Chaucer’s bookstore on November 21… Five days later, Chaucer’s hosts local author David Bedrick to sign and share about The Unshaming Way: A Compassionate Guide to Dismantling Shame. With the new book the author, mental health expert, and professor aims to help us understand how shame shows up in our lives, and offers a revolutionary, stigma-free model to help us to “unshame” and release the hold on our happiness. The book has received pre-publication kudos from a number of authors, including the popular self-help expert Gabor Maté, MD, also a New York Times best-selling writer. Bedrick’s conversation with writer and process work practitioner Lisa Blair takes place on November 26.
WHEN: 6 pm
WHERE: Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St. in Loreto Plaza Shopping Center
COST: free
INFO: (805) 682-6787 or www.chaucersbooks.com
budding romance, or joining her deceased husband in the afterlife. McGarry’s Dance me to the End, formerly Breaking the Code , has only been slightly modified from its original story of a passionate romance between a playwright and a younger man form another culture; a romance that almost dissolves due to an unexpected surprise. McGarry, who also directs all three of her plays, will also debut Sisters , which delves into the story of two sisters whose complex lifetime of love and resentment – and the resulting undercurrent of both devotion and pain – comes to a head over betrayal and forgiveness.
WHEN: 12:30, 3, 4:30 & 7 pm
WHERE: Center Stage Theatre, 751 Paseo Nuevo, second floor COST: $22 general, $18 students/seniors for each performance
INFO: (805) 963-0408 or https://centerstagetheater.org
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23
Ward of the Heart – ZZ Ward’s first single, “Put the Gun Down,” from her 2012 debut, Til the Casket Drops, stayed on the AAA Radio Charts Top 10 for 10 weeks, then was followed by the single “365 Days,” which hit No. 2 on the charts. Her sophomore album, The Storm, released in 2017, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Charts, both records reflecting her blend of alternative, blues, and hip-hop. But the Oregon-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist wanted more artistic freedom, and left Hollywood Records to independently release Dirty Shine in late 2023. Now, after experiencing motherhood for the first time, Ward has created a project that is her most blues-infused to date, releasing the EP Mother which features a mix of her favorite Sun Records songs and muddied-up versions of her own wellknown tracks to commemorate her blues liberation. Check out her current sound when Ward winds up at the Lobero, with fifth-generation Texas native singer-songwriter Angel White opening.
WHEN: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.
COST: $41 & $51 ($106 VIP tickets includes premier seating and a pre-show reception with drinks and hors d’oeuvres)
INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.org
By Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
MOVING MISS DAISY
Full Service SAFE Senior Relocation and Estate Liquidation Services Including: Packing and Unpacking, Estate Sales, Online Auctions and our own Consignment Shop! We are Licensed, Bonded, Liability Insured, Workers Comped, Certified by The National Assoc of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) and The American Society of Estate Liquidators (ASEL).
Glenn Novack, Owner. 805-770-7715 info@movingmissdaisy.com MovingMissDaisy.com Consignments@MovingMissDaisy.hibid.com
Santa Barbara’s Trusted Choice for Estate Liquidation and Downsizing
As the largest estate liquidators in the Tri-County area, we provide comprehensive services through Moving Miss Daisy, including expert packing, unpacking, relocating, and ensuring your new home is beautifully set up and ready to enjoy. We also host estate sales and online auctions at our own huge consignment shop—the largest in the area, offering an unmatched selection of items. Licensed, bonded, and insured with workers’ compensation coverage, we are certified by the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) and the American Society of Estate Liquidators (ASEL). Proudly holding an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Glenn Novack, Owner | 805-770-7715 | info@movingmissdaisy.com | missdaisy.org
The Clearing House, LLC
Recognized as the area’s Premier Estate Liquidators - Experts in the Santa Barbara Market! We are Skilled Professionals with Years of Experience in Downsizing and Estate Sales. Personalized service. Insured. Call for a complimentary consultation.
Elaine (805)708-6113
Christa (805)450-8382
Email: theclearinghouseSB@cox.net Website: www.theclearinghouseSB.com
We Buy, Sell and Broker Important Estate Jewelry. Located in the upper village of Montecito. Graduate Gemologists with 30 years of experience. We do free evaluations and private consultation. 1470 East Valley Rd Suite V. 805-969-0888
APPAREL
Timeless, eleganceNightwear, robes, loungewear www.shopglamourhouse.com 805-969 5285 Ann@shopglamourhouse.com
TRAINING
Stillwell Fitness of Santa Barbara In Home Personal Training Sessions for 65+ Help with: Strength, Flexibility, Balance Motivation, and Consistency John Stillwell, CPT, Specialist in Senior Fitness 805-705-2014 StillwellFitness.com
GOT OSTEOPOROSIS? WE CAN HELP At OsteoStrong our proven non-drug protocol takes just ten minutes once a week to improve your bone density and aid in more energy, strength, balance and agility. Please call for a complimentary session! Call Now (805) 453-6086
We buy Classic Cars Running or not. Foreign/Domestic Chevy/Ford/Porsche/Mercedes/Etc. We come to you. Call Steven - 805-699-0684 Website - Avantiauto.group
Montecito Electric Repairs and Inspections
Licensed C10485353 805-969-1575
Local tile setter of 35 years is now doing small jobs only. Services include grout cleaning and repair, caulking, sealing, replacing damaged tiles and basic plumbing needs. Call Doug Watts at 805-729-3211 for a free estimate.
Tell Your Story
How did you get to be where you are today? What were your challenges? What is your Love Story? I can help you tell your story in an unforgettable way – with a book that will live on for many generations. The books I write are as thorough and entertaining as acclaimed biographies you’ve read. I also assist with books you write – planning, editing and publishing. David Wilk Great references. (805) 455-5980 www.BiographyDavidWilk.com
Beautiful renovated mid-century 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom with Ocean views in Santa Barbara foothills
Available Dec 15th - March 15th (646) 206-4391
Trusted, Experienced Caregiver, CA State registered and background checked. Vaccinated. Loving and caring provides transportation, medications, etc.
Lina 805-940-6888
Sweet woman with 20 years of experience as a caregiver.
I had been living at the area for 25 years. CA State registered and background checked.
Tiana 805-722-8015
In need of a Caregiver or Childcare Provider? Sage is the best that SB/Montecito has to offer!! A Santa Barbara native with over 30 years of experience with the elderly as well as children of all ages. Sage will assist with everyday activities, transportation to appointments, grocery needs, afterschool activities, etc. She can administer medication, is extremely knowledgeable in nutrition needs and has a heart of gold. She will provide all caregiver duties but just as important be a living companion to you in the comfort of your home. Please inquire for more details and impeccable references provided upon request.
805-886-3130 – Sage
Casa L. M.
Landscape hedges installed. Ficus to flowering. Disease resistant. Great privacy. Licensed & insured. Call (805) 963-6909
WATERLILIES and LOTUS since 1992
WATERGARDEN CARE SBWGC 805 682 5750
Carpet Cleaning Since 1978 (805) 963-5304
Rafael Mendez Cell: 689-8397 or 963-3117
EDC Mobile Sharpening is locally owned and operated in Santa Barbara. We specialize in (No-Entry) House Calls, Businesses, and Special Events. Call (805) 696-0525 to schedule an appointment.
Do you need to get away for a weekend, week or more? I will house sit and take care of your pets, plants & mail. I have refs if needed. Call me or text me. Christine (805) 452-2385
Longtime Santa Barbara resident, retired, active woman. experienced with house sitting and dog sitting prefer small dogs or cats. Trustworthy, tidy, kind pet lover. Excellent local References upon request. (805) 451-3415
CAROLYNE FERGUSON DESIGN INTERIOR DESIGN. SPACE PLANNING. PROJECT MANAGEMENT REMODELS & CUSTOM HOMES
BUDGET ADU DESIGN DESIGN / BUILD TEAM AVAILABLE CALL FOR ONE HOUR FREE DESIGN CONSULTATION
Looking for Part-time. Accountant/bookkeeper, personal assistant; excellent references, detail oriented, very efficient agn3@icloud.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
K-9 PALS need volunteers to be foster parents for our dogs while they are waiting for their forever homes. For more information info@k-9pals.org or 805-570-0415
ByPeteMuller&FrankLongo
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