Great to be Back

Pounding the Pavement 25 Mar - 1 Apr 2021 Vol 27 Issue 13

SERVING MONTECITO AND SUMMERLAND

Foodbank of Santa Barbara County has supplied more than 18 million pounds of food in 12 months. Here’s how they did it, page 42

‘Great to be Back’ Viva la Fiesta Five! As Santa Barbara County achieves red tier status, Metro Theatres to open its doors (story begins on p. 22)

The Farmer & The Flea

The Summerland Post Office parking lot transforms into a cornucopia of flea market and food vendors one Sunday a month, page 18

Finding a New Path

The Hot Springs Pathway Project is firmly underway, with officials saying narrowing the roadway will aid pedestrian safety, page 12

Impressive Variety

Combining forces with Bill and Jan Sanger, Brett Escalera has put together quite the lineup with the Sanger Family of Wines, page 37

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MONTECITO JOURNAL

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Inside This Issue

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5 Guest Editorial Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah showcases how Black Americans have historically been stripped of self-identity in England, says guest columnist Jeffrey Stewart 6 On the Record Randy Rowse, a longtime local politician and former business owner, says he brings nonpartisan direction to Santa Barbara’s mayoral race 8 Letters to the Editor A collection of communications from the Linden Meadow Homeowners, Carrie Miles, Bryan Rosen, and Michael Edwards 10 Tide Chart 11 Montecito on the Move The impact of the Hands Across Montecito homeless outreach project was on full display, as was the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office commitment to providing aid to those in a mental health crisis 12 Village Beat Hot Springs Road pathway beautified by Bucket Brigade; BCycle to bring e-bikes to Coast Village Road; Santa Barbara Unified School District Superintendent Hilda Maldonado to share status of district’s schools on March 30 14 Nosh Town From catered options at Bristol Farms to expansive brunch displays at Caruso’s, local restaurants will take advantage of moving into the red tier for both Passover and Easter 16 Montecito Miscellany Santa Barbara superstar Katy Perry just inked a rich deal for a two-year residency in Las Vegas, helping launch a new multi-billion-dollar resort and lots, lots more 18 Summerland Buzz The Farmer & The Flea takes place the last Sunday of every month in the Summerland Post Office parking lot 20 On Entertainment The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will celebrate 36 years with pandemic-driven drive-ins, as well as online connectivity unlike anything it has ever attempted 22 Return to Normalcy With eyes still on safety, Metropolitan Theatres in downtown Santa Barbara will re-open with a handful of blockbusters on the docket

23 Robert’s Big Questions Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me) is required reading, says Robert Bernstein 24 Brilliant Thoughts Ashleigh Brilliant explores the phenomenon of departure and return 26 PERSPECTIVES

by Rinaldo S. Brutoco Vladimir Putin’s Big Mistake: The depth of American values wins the day The Optimist Daily New study finds that supplementing cattle diets with just 10 ounces of seaweed a day reduced methane emissions by 67 percent 29 Stories Matter New York Times best-selling author Paula McLain has found another winner with her latest novel When the Stars Go Dark, which dives into the world of child abduction 30 Dear Montecito After growing up in Montecito, Corinne Yungling’s family relocated to Austin, Texas and she now attends Lake Travis High School 35 Senior Portrait Susan Read Cronin spent the bulk of her life in the northeast, where she perfected the craft of bronze sculpture, her work landing in many renown galleries. As a Montecito transplant, nature has provided a new muse and direction.

36 Our Town Joanne Calitri continues her Arts in Lockdown series with artist Baret Boisson 37 Santa Barbara by the Glass As Brett Escalera tells it, there is tremendous detail that goes into building a proper wine, with nothing compromising balance – something on full display with the Sanger Family of Wines in Solvang 40 Mini Meta Crossword Puzzles 42 The Giving List When COVID hit in March 2020, a portion of our community experienced food insecurity for the first time.

Enter the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, which has supplied more than 18 million pounds of food in just 12 months.

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MONTECITO JOURNAL

“Life is like a hot bath. It feels good while you’re in it, but the longer you stay, the more wrinkled you get.” – Jim Davis

25 March – 1 April 2021

Guest Editorial

by Jeffrey Stewart

Jeffrey C. Stewart is the author of The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke (Oxford University Press, 2018), winner of the 2018 National Book Award for Nonfiction and the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Biography and the forthcoming book, Free Fall: The Crisis of the Black Intellectual Today! with Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.

The Other Empire Strikes Back

A

little-known American tradition was evident in the backstory of Meghan Markle’s remarkable interview with Oprah Winfrey last Sunday that few recognize today. Unbeknownst to most, there exists a tradition of Black Victorians in America, the sophisticated middle-class African Americans who assimilated the tastes and manners of upper-class life in Britain, especially its aesthetic codes, as a form of armor against racism in America.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, men and women like Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Alain LeRoy Locke adopted the dress, manners, and cultural knowledge of England, and by doing so set themselves apart not only from other Black people, but most white Americans of their time.

But there was a rub. As Meghan Markle found out, many Black Victorians discovered that mastery of social codes, manners, and cultural sophistication did not really let you in – not in England.

When Locke went to England as the first Black Rhodes Scholar to Oxford in 1907, he was easily the most Victorian of Americans on the boat over. But when he arrived, the Rhodes Scholars from the American South and the British Rhodes Trust lobbied to exclude him from the Thanksgiving dinner held for the Americans at Oxford. The snub wounded him deeply.

The next year, when Locke was invited to a luncheon with the American ambassador Whitelaw Reid and his wife at their London residence, and accepted, the head of Rhodes House at Oxford visited Locke in his room and asked him to withdraw his acceptance of the invitation. Locke refused. Subsequently, an elaborate schematic of the table was created by the Rhodes Trust to seat the Southerners as far away from Locke as possible when the luncheon took place.

Locke only hinted at how he felt at the time.

“After the Rhodes luncheon I simply went to see Seme (Isaka Seme, his Black South African friend at Oxford) – had dinner with him and left the very next day for Paris.”

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What the Firm (the Royal family’s term since King George VI for its corporate personality) did not understand was the power of a Black media empire in which the Black woman is central as powerbroker and storyline.

Recall from the Markle interview her refrain that as a new member of the British Royal family she was unnerved by the lack of “protection.” That word carries a lot of meaning, for the assumption behind Black Victorian mastery of middle-class codes of behavior is that you will be protected, not just from violence, but also from discursive assault by the media, because you are in.

But you’re never in, you’re just tolerated. Once that message sets in, one’s mental health is often compromised. In Locke’s case, he lost his way academically, fled England whenever possible, and eventually left Oxford penniless, without a degree.

In Markle’s case, her natural sunny disposition disappeared, her confidence eroded, and thoughts of suicide invaded her daily consciousness. Unlike Locke, she couldn’t escape – one of the most telling comments she made is “people don’t understand. They take your passport, your driver’s license, everything.”

She was physically trapped, a key element in almost all systems of cruelty, as the late philosopher Philip P. Hallie explained.

In addition to the racial regime that Meghan witnessed was the gendered nature of the system, the particular way that women who are supposed to serve the monarchy are trapped physically and emotionally, a system that Harry rightly saw operative in the case of his mother and now being replicated with his wife. But Meghan had access to something as a latter day Black Victorian that Diana didn’t.

Another empire saved Meghan’s life. When the British royalty cut off Harry, Meghan, and their mixed-race son Archie from financial support and protec-

25 March – 1 April 2021

Guest Editorial Page 274 • The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

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On the Record

by Nicholas Schou

Nicholas Schou is an award-winning investigative journalist and author of several books, including Orange Sunshine and Kill the Messenger. If you have tips or stories about Montecito, please email him at newseditor@montecitojournal.net

Former Councilmember and Paradise Café Owner Randy Rowse Joins Mayoral Race

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s a 66-year-old downtown businessman Randy Rowse is no stranger to Santa Barbara city politics. In 1983, Rowse opened the Paradise Café across the street from the Santa Barbara NewsPress; last year he sold the joint, which has now been re-christened La Paloma Café. A longtime Democrat, Rowse dropped his party affiliation in the 1990s, turned off by the increasing partisan politics on both sides of the ideological spectrum.

Despite that, Rowse never grew disinterested in politics. Having admittedly grown tired of wagging his finger at City Hall about various issues concerning Santa Barbara’s economy and in particular, the viability of State Street, he ran for a City Council seat in 2010, a position he held for the next nine years, following an initial oneyear appointment and a successful 2015 reelection bid.

“Instead of telling people how we want them to live, we need to ask people how they want to live and then figure out how to make that work,” says mayoral candidate Randy Rowse

The same urge to help Santa Barbara address critical issues facing the city, Rowse says, is exactly what led him to enter the mayor’s race this month.

And yet, despite what he sees as a city beset by existential economic issues, the race, in his view, is being overwhelmed with ideological conflict.

“What I’m seeing is a lot of ancillary

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25 March – 1 April 2021

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MONTECITO JOURNAL

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Letters to the Editor

If you have something you think Montecito should know about, or wish to respond to something you read in the Journal, we want to hear from you. Please send all such correspondence to: Montecito Journal, Letters to the Editor, 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite H, Montecito, CA. 93108. You can also FAX such mail to: (805) 969-6654, or E-mail to letters@montecitojournal.net

‘Skunky Odors’ Need Immediate Attention

W

e are the residents of Linden Meadow in Carpinteria, a community of 40 homes immediately adjacent to the greenhouses located at 4801 Foothill and 1495 Sterling Road in Carpinteria. For the last few years, we have been regularly subjected to the heavy, skunky odors of cannabis growing in the greenhouses surrounding our area.

The smell can be overwhelming – day or night. We often cannot open our windows because of the odor, and frankly, even closing the windows does not help on some odoriferous occasions. This is a public nuisance that severely impacts our neighborhood as well as other surrounding areas. We strongly request that all relevant agencies do everything possible to ameliorate this situation.

We are also concerned about the health effects of the Byers odor amelioration system currently in use. It has certainly not eliminated the problem, as we still smell the odor. Some

of our residents suffer allergic reactions or migraine headaches due to the vapors produced by the Byers system. Elected representatives and regulatory agencies should endeavor to protect the health and safety of all our citizens.

We object to increased cannabis production especially as it is taking place literally a few hundred feet from our homes unless a proven effective odor elimination system is installed and in use in all cannabis farms in the Carpinteria area. It makes no sense to allow additional cannabis production in our area until an effective odor containment system is in place in all existing and future greenhouses.

To reiterate, the residents of Linden Meadow are strongly opposed to more cannabis production here or in the Carpinteria valley until the growers put effective odor containment systems in place. Please keep our beautiful little city of Carpinteria a healthy, pleasant and odor-free place to live.

Our hope is that the city council, other agencies involved, and our county supervisors will be responsive to our objections as they are a major concern to our community.

Sincerely, Linden Meadow Homeowners

Why the Name Change?

I enjoyed the article about the Big Yellow House in Summerland. I want to add a piece of information, however. When my parents moved to this area in 1972, this house was painted bright yellow but called, incongruously, “The Green Gables.” Only some years later was it labeled “Big Yellow House.” Can you add something about what that was about?

Carrie Miles Carpinteria

Say Goodbye to Rural Montecito

On Wednesday, March 17, 2021 the Montecito Planning Commission approved by a 3-to-1 vote a zoning change for the Matkins property at 651 Stoddard Lane in Montecito. This body approved the 3.36-acre parcel to be subdivided into two, single-acre parcels, and one of 1.36 acres. The zoning designation creates three new legal lots, allowing the property owner from Los Angeles to build additional

houses. The Board of Supervisors has to also approve this zoning change. If the supervisors deny it, the Planning Commission’s approval will be nullified.

This zoning change is a big mistake.

It threatens the very rural nature of Montecito, which is contrary to the Montecito Community Plan, which calls for its protection. It sets a dangerous precedent. If this gets approved by the supervisors, it will encourage other property owners to try and change their zoning, and if denied they can claim discrimination. If this passes it will be a dream for developers, and an incentive for them to buy Montecito properties.

I live next to the Matkins property.

I’ve been in my home since 1974, although I left for some years and came back. A huge orchid farm was on the property, with many greenhouses covering the acreage. After the greenhouses came down in 2006 the property has remained unused. The grass grew and nature made a comeback.

It’s a beautiful piece of land, where many wildlife live. Sometimes I hear the yelps of coyotes that seem to be coming from there.

The current zoning for the 3.36-acre lot helps offset the dense development along Stoddard Lane and Paso Robles

Letters Page 104

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2/3/21 12:46 PM MONTECITO JOURNAL

Letters (Continued from page 8) Drive nearby, many houses having one-fourth acre lots. On another side of the property is Chelham Way, also having many small lots. It’s nice to have a greenbelt near the dense development. Once the rural character of this area is gone, it’s not the same Montecito.

It’s so easy to change zoning, too easy. In Napa County, the zoning is protected, and it takes a vote of the people to change it. That county takes protecting its rural character very seriously.

Originally, this land, like all of Montecito, was Native American land. Then it was appropriated from the natives, ultimately resulting in today’s parcels. I wish some wealthy person would purchase this land and open space and give it back to the Native Americans – as opposed to changing the zoning to accommodate a wealthy individual.

Although the property owner would be able to make a lot of money off of subdividing the property, if the zoning change is denied, a lot of over three acres in Montecito is still valuable. A fancy home could be built on the 3.36-acre parcel, and the property owner would still do well financially.

Only one planning commissioner, Susan Keller, opposed this zoning change. During the meeting she heroically fought to protect the rural character of Montecito, and warned that this zoning change was a precedent, and would encourage more development.

The Planning Commissioners also decided to exempt this project from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This is absurd because there could be very toxic substances remaining from the industrial orchid farm. Wildlife would be impacted from development. There could also be Native American artifacts on the proposed lots. There has never been enough review. Given all of this, the commissioners denying environmental review doesn’t make sense.

Members of the public who oppose this zoning change can contact the Board of Supervisors.

Bryan Rosen

Small Group, Big Problems

From what I see and read, Santa Barbara residents seem to be doing a responsible job in not spreading the virus: wearing masks, social distancing, getting the vaccine, etc.

The problem is a group of people (of all ages) who seem to have a total disregard of how easy it is to spread the coronavirus.

These “citizens” go to the Hot Springs Trail at East Mountain Drive and Riven Rock Road. Their cars are parked up and down East Mountain Drive and Riven Rock Road, creating lots of constant traffic, road hazards, and bottlenecks. They hike up a narrow trail, walking very close together, many not wearing masks.

The destination is less than a halfmile up to the natural hot springs, where they sit in large groups in the pools. During the lockdown last year, some people took it upon themselves to expand the pools, creating a series of cascading water, making this an appealing place to hang out. Sounds wonderful, if we were not dealing with a worldwide health crisis.

Sometimes people ignore common sense, so perhaps the city needs to get involved and supply supervision there or close the trail until after we get this health crisis under control.

East Mountain Drive Resident Name withheld upon Request

link fencing or electric current. Carlos happened upon some trash cans, however only one yielded any substantial sustenance. Inside, within it, there was a Lucky’s doggie bag.

“Bear bag is more like it,” Carlos thought as he gnawed on a half-eaten steak. The fries that came with it were a welcome treat as well, for he needed all the fattening food he could put down.

After his meal, Carlos strode further down Romero, stretching his legs and sniffing the air.

“Odd,” he thought. “I don’t smell any water.”

He cut across the road to the creek and found it dry!

“Another drought year,” he sighed.

Staying well away from the road, he made his way to the Coffin Trail and eventually made it all the way to the QAD trail. From his promontory, a bright waxing crescent moon gave Carlos a commanding view of the oceans glitter. Carlos sat, scratching his head. Amazed by the bustling activity on the 101, he thought, “Such a mess, by the time they finish widen-

The best little paper in America (Covering the best little community anywhere!)

Of Bears and Bees

Carlos, the bear, was jolted awake by his alarm, but did not hit the snooze button. Instead, he glanced at the clocks face and saw it was 9 pm, March 20 and the first day of spring!

The perfect time to head out and find food. His stomach was growling, and he was hungry after months of hibernation. A good meal was a priority, but first he checked the outside temp – 55 degrees. Still cold! And this is the first day of spring! Chalking it up to Global Weirding, he went out into the chilly air.

Happily, he sauntered down Romero Canyon Road in search of chicken coops, but the ones he found had been bear-proofed with chain-

ing the lanes, they’ll have to start over again!”

Carlos took a deep breath then slowly started back to his den, stopping occasionally to turn over a log to lick up some grubs or snag an unaware gopher. Still hungry, he was not picky. And, he was thirsty, so he cut over to Birnam Wood and made his way to the lake for a drink.

Back at his den Carlos turned on his TV. Oprah was interviewing Meghan and Harry. He delighted in their English accents and was intrigued by their story. But it was Archie’s chicken coop that made his eyes big.

However, he thought better of making a future stop there for dinner, because Scotland Yard would surely be on his tail!!

Tiring of the news, Carlos switched off his TV, said a prayer for rain, and thought about the “she-bear” he had flirted with last year.

“Why do I feel so good when I am near her?” he thought, as he drifted off for a night’s sleep.

Michael Edwards •MJ

Executive Editor/CEO Gwyn Lurie • President/COO Timothy Lennon Buckley News and Feature Editor Nicholas Schou Contributing Editor Kelly Mahan Herrick Copy Editor Lily Buckley Harbin • Arts and Entertainment Editor Steven Libowitz Editor-At-Large Ann Louise Bardach

Contributors Scott Craig, Julia Rodgers, Ashleigh Brilliant, Sigrid Toye, Zach Rosen, Kim Crail Gossip Richard Mineards • History Hattie Beresford • Humor Ernie Witham Our Town Joanne A. Calitri • Society Lynda Millner • Travel Jerry Dunn Account Managers Sue Brooks, Tanis Nelson, Casey Champion Bookkeeping Diane Davidson, Christine Merrick • Proofreading Helen Buckley Design/Production Trent Watanabe Published by Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC PRINTED BY NPCP INC., SANTA BARBARA, CA Montecito Journal is compiled, compounded, calibrated, cogitated over, and coughed up every Wednesday by an exacting agglomeration of excitable (and often exemplary) expert edifiers at 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite G, Montecito, CA 93108.

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Montecito Tide Guide Day Low Hgt High Thurs, March 25 1:55 AM 2 7:53 AM Fri, March 26 2:34 AM 1.4 8:36 AM Sat, March 27 3:14 AM 0.7 9:19 AM Sun, March 28 3:56 AM 0.2 10:03 AM Mon, March 29 4:41 AM -0.2 10:49 AM Tues, March 30 5:28 AM -0.5 11:38 AM Wed, March 31 6:21 AM -0.5 12:34 PM Thurs, April 1 12:19 AM Fri, April 2 1:05 AM

10 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Hgt 5.2 5.5 5.6 5.5 5.2 4.7 4 5.7 5.4

Low 02:47 PM 03:17 PM 03:47 PM 04:18 PM 04:49 PM 05:22 PM 05:56 PM 7:22 AM 8:35 AM

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”– Jim Davis

Hgt High Hgt Low Hgt -0.7 09:15 PM 4.2 -0.8 09:38 PM 4.6 -0.7 010:04 PM 5 -0.5 010:33 PM 5.4 0 011:05 PM 5.6 0.5 011:40 PM 5.8 1.1 -0.4 01:44 PM 3.4 06:33 PM 1.9 -0.2 03:23 PM 3 07:20 PM 2.5

25 March – 1 April 2021

Montecito on the Move

by Sharon Byrne, Executive Director, Montecito Association

A Compassionate Partnership:

L

Hands Across Montecito, Sheriff ’s Office are Quite the Tandem

ast Friday, Jane Olson, one of the founding members of our Hands Across Montecito homeless outreach project, happened to be out walking near Hammond’s Meadow and encountered a very thin woman screaming at the top of her lungs and disrobing.

We had met this woman before, during the homeless point-in-time count at East Beach in January 2020. She also was a problem for the sheriffs last summer at Butterfly Beach.

Jane knew exactly what to do – she immediately called the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department and asked for a co-response unit, where a mental health worker arrives with law enforcement.

Jane reported that four responding deputies did a masterful job handling the woman, including Deputy James McKarrell. He is trained for crisis intervention and was the first officer assigned to the co-response unit. He calmed her down and got her to the ambulance gurney very skillfully.

Andrea Hein, another co-founding member of the Hands Across Montecito project, was also nearby when this incident occurred, and confirmed the woman was indeed in deep distress. She wasn’t aware Jane had called for the response but was also impressed with what she saw – the sheriffs were there in force, but very calm, with a mental health worker in hand.

The sheriffs have supported Hands Across Montecito from inception, and they’ve been dutiful partners, from organizing beach-camp cleanouts, taking us to campsites via dune buggy, and walking the railroad tracks with us.

Lt. Butch Arnoldi worked to remove a camper – a lifelong Montecito resident, now displaced – from Hammond’s Meadow, showcasing how the linking of hands across Montecito is helping those unsheltered in our community.

I followed up with Dr. Cherylynn Lee, the head of the Behavioral Science Unit at the sheriff’s office that manages the co-response team, and she assured me that they will work to connect the woman with services. We also sent a thank you to Sheriff Bill Brown, and he replied: “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the men and women of the agency I am privileged to lead, and of our community’s response to the vexing problem of untreated and under-treated mentally ill people in our society. Thank you and Jane Olson for being such great partners as we continue to work to make Santa Barbara County a better, more understanding and more compassionate place.”

Calling for help: If you need the co-response unit after encountering a mental health crisis, call sheriff’s dispatch at 805-692-5743. Explain it is a mental health crisis, and request that they send a mental health professional with the responding deputies.

tax lost from closure of big box stores and rezone for affordable housing.

Sen. Scott Wiener, who chairs the committee, and is putting forth the controversial bill, SB10, decided to only allow 15 of the 48 public commenters to speak.

We supported SB15, as we know from homeless outreach efforts that the lack of affordable housing is a huge roadblock to moving people indoors.

• SB344, Sen. Robert Hertzberg: This bill continues a program to give grants to shelters to help manage and care for pets when individuals go to shelters. We have had a hard time in outreach when we needed to deal with an individual’s pets, and shelters would not accept them.

We supported this bill.

• SB10, Sen. Wiener: This is the reintroduction of last year’s failed SB902, with Sen. Toni Atkins having signed on as co-author.

The bill incentivizes local government to concentrate multi-unit housing in urban infill, job and transit-rich areas. It provides cities with a tool to skip the California Environmental Quality Act, if they choose. It can be used to up-zone communities, up to 10 units per single family residential lot.

We opposed this bill. It overturns voter initiatives on protected spaces and is a giveaway to developers that destroys community livability. It does not require the housing to be affordable, which is the real need. Surprisingly, nearly every trade union also spoke against this bill.

The bill is moving to the Government and Finance committee next.

• SB477, Sen. Wiener: The California Housing Data Act makes requirements for housing laws sporadic, so the state has no ability to gauge effectiveness of the laws. This bill would fix that.

One wonders if they shouldn’t do this first, before passing laws that require more housing to be built to meet Regional Housing Needs Allocation requirements.

Attend a Town Hall on Housing Legislation

We will host a Zoom town hall with United Neighbors, a statewide coalition of communities fighting SB9 and SB10, on Tuesday, March 30 at 6 pm.

Go to our website www.montecitoassociation.org/advocacy to register for the event.

•MJ

Updates on Housing Bills

We attended the Senate Housing Committee hearing on March 18 and advocated for Montecito on the following bills: •S B15, Sen. Anthony Portantino: This bill allows local cities to replace sales

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

11

Village Beat

by Kelly Mahan Herrick Kelly has been editor at large for the Journal since 2007, reporting on news in Montecito and beyond. She is also a licensed realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, and is a member of Montecito and Santa Barbara’s top real estate team, Calcagno & Hamilton.

Hot Springs Pathway Project

O

ver the weekend, volunteers with the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade were out in full force beautifying a newly-built pathway on the lower portion of Hot Springs Road. The next phase of the project, which will start at Casa Dorinda and end at East Valley Road, is set to begin in early May and will take about six weeks to complete.

Public Works Deputy Director Chris Sneddon traversed the area with us recently to discuss the project, which is being funded through a FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) grant related to debris flow recovery.

The bigger picture project includes replacing the bridge railing at Oak Creek, repaving a section of Hot Springs Road, and shifting and replacing curbs to build a pedestrian pathway. At a recent Montecito Association Land Use and Transportation Committee, members of the community asked that the pathway plans be

shared with both the Association and the public, so residents would have an opportunity to weigh in on the look of the pathway. “This is an opportunity to add a much wanted pathway into a project that was already in progress – replacing the bridge railing and repaving the street,” said Sneddon. “There wasn’t the time nor the resources to have the entire community weigh in,” he added, as he recalled that the last pathway project to be built, on San Ysidro Road, took three years and $500,000 to build, and was fraught with much neighborhood controversy and delay.

The pathway portion of the project includes narrowing the roadway for vehicles, and shifting the bike lane and curb so there is room for a pathway. “This has the added benefit of narrowing the lanes, so vehicular speeding will be reduced,” Sneddon said. The County will build the curb and make room for the pathway, and

Matthew Pifer, MD

Below Casa Dorinda, the County has recently finished another portion of pathway on Olive Mill Road, which connects to the new pathway on North Jameson Temporary k-rail on Hot Springs Road will be replaced as part of an upcoming road repair project

the Bucket Brigade will lay the decomposed granite and plantings, making it aesthetically pleasing. The pathway is required to have ADA accessible curb cuts and ramps. “What the Bucket Brigade is doing for this community, bringing in the resources, labor, and experience, is really incredible, and we are lucky to be partnering with them,” Sneddon said.

Bucket Brigade founder Abe Powell told the MA that a survey conducted post-debris flow showed that

connecting the community through pedestrian pathways was a priority to community members. In 2019, a new pathway was constructed on North Jameson Lane, which was extended up Olive Mill Road. The most recent pathway was just completed from Montecito Country Mart to just past Middle Road; Sneddon reports there are still a few “tune ups” to be done to that pathway, mainly reduction of some of the asphalt that was poured near driveways. “We are required to

Village Beat Page 414 414

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

13

NOSH TOWN

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FROM SALMON TO SWEETS:

OPTIONS ABOUND FOR PASSOVER AND EASTER EATS

S

pring brings two delicious holidays: Passover and Easter. With restaurants moving into the red tier and opening their doors, local chefs are rolling out new menus with unique offerings.

Now is the time to savor this forward-thinking season.

From a swank steakhouse with a rack of lamb special; to a Scandinavian bakery with buttery pastries; to a former citrus packing house offering herb crusted crab cakes on brioche and Meyer lemon from its very own garden, there’s a little bit of something for everyone.

Here are a few suggestions on where to feast this spring holiday:

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he Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch, with its award-winning wine list and iconic views of the Pacific Ocean, is welcoming spring with an Easter brunch from 10 am to 2 pm. Fresh seasonal herbs, fruit, and vegetables from the on-site organic garden will highlight a chef-driven menu, which runs $145 per person, not inclusive of tax and gratuity.

Brunch goers may enjoy a stroll around the fragrant gardens before or after their meal.

MAIN COURSE HIGHLIGHTS: • Big eye tuna crudo with strawberry, petit basil, grapes, sea salt and verjus; • Smoked Muscovy duck roll with Napa cabbage, avocado, herb fromage blanc, and sweet chili sauce; • Roasted garden vegetable shakshuka with pan squash, baby kale, poached organic eggs, grilled ciabatta, sweet paprika, and San Marzano tomato sauce; • Jumbo crab cake benedict served on toasted brioche with avocado, piquillo peppers, and wild rocket arugula dressed in a zesty Meyer lemon hollandaise; • Herb-crusted spring Colorado lamb loin with morel mushrooms, spring peas, confit yellow tomatoes, whole grain spaetzle, and pinot noir jus; • Prime filet of beef with gruyere potato pavé, creamed spinach, white asparagus dressed in bordelaise sauce.

FOR SWEET TOOTHS: • Crème fraiche panna cotta served with strawberry sorbet, rhubarb, and ginger jelly; • Carrot cake served with a scoop of coconut sorbet and vanilla pineapple marmalade and Valrhona chocolate truffle tart with Early Grey caramel and Tahitian vanilla Chantilly.

Address: 900 San Ysidro Lane, Montecito, CA 93108 More information and reservations: (805) 565-1720

LUCKY’S STEAKHOUSE

L

ucky’s Steakhouse creates dishes for any holiday and this one is no different. The eatery will celebrate Passover (March 27-April 4) and Easter with a medley of dishes for brunch and dinner, available for dine-in or to-go.

Jane Hilty

MAIN COURSE HIGHLIGHTS: • Wild mushroom and gruyere omelet, Spanish chorizo omelet with avocado, waffles, and French toast with assorted berries;

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• Matzo ball soup with chicken and parsley; • Roasted chicken with thyme au jus; • Filet mignon pepper steak with cognac; • Petite filet and half of a lobster; • Delmonico Flannery dry-aged beef; • A la carte sides include hashed brown potatoes with gruyere, creamed spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and jumbo asparagus with hollandaise sauce.

FOR SWEET TOOTHS: • Molten triple chocolate cake; • Grand Marnier soufflé, baked from scratch.

Address: 1279 Coast Village Road, Montecito, CA 93108 For more information and reservations: 805-565-7540

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25 March – 1 April 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

15

Monte ito Miscellany

Katy Perry hits the jackpot in Las Vegas (photo: Greg2600)

by Richard Mineards

Richard covered the Royal Family for Britain’s Daily Mirror and Daily Mail, and was an editor on New York Magazine. He was also a national anchor on CBS, a commentator on ABC Network News, gossip on The Joan Rivers Show and Geraldo Rivera, host on E! TV, a correspondent on the syndicated show Extra, a commentator on the KTLA Morning News and Entertainment Tonight. He moved to Montecito 13 years ago.

Hey, Neighbor

T

ech investor and hedge fund manager Philippe Laffont is the latest billionaire resident in our rarefied enclave, I can exclusively reveal.

Laffont, founder of Coatue Management and ranked at No. 1513 on the Forbes rich list with $2.1 billion, paid $11.7 million for a Mediterraneanstyle estate on nearly two acres with the two homes on the sprawling property oozing period charm.

It was built in 1924 with the houses collectively containing six bedrooms and five bathrooms and the grounds boasting a pool, clay tennis court, and a bocce ball court.

Laffont, who studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, founded his company in 1999 and focuses on technology themed investing.

Welcome to the ‘hood...

California Gurl Heads to Vegas

Having just splashed out $14.2 million on a new nine-acre home with six bedrooms and 12 bathrooms on Park Lane with fiancé British actor Orlando Bloom, Santa Barbara warbler Katy Perry looks like she won’t be spending too much time there.

The former Dos Pueblos High student, currently worth around $330 million from her hit records and world concert tours, is adding to her hefty coffers having just signed a reported $168 million contract for a twoyear residency at the new $4.9 billion Resorts World complex in Las Vegas, the biggest in casino history.

Katy, 36, who earns a reported $25 million annually as a judge on ABC’s American Idol, is expected to start her lengthy stint at the 3,500-room mega

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International artist Allison Armour

hotel, owned by the Malaysian hospitality group Genting Berhad, later this year. It will run through 2022 and will be a circus-themed performance.

Katy joins Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, and Celine Dion as female megastars who have signed up for long-term deals in Sin City.

The new luxury hostelry also boasts one of the biggest casinos in town with 117,000 square feet of gambling space.

It’s for the Birds Ariana Katovich, executive director of the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network

Santa Barbara’s Wildlife Care Network has just broken ground on its new state-of-the-art $6 million, 5,400-square-foot hospital in the Goleta foothills.

“It will allow us a greater capability to save and serve thousands of wild lives,” says Ariana Katovich, executive director.

“Current conditions have staff working out of old, meager facilities.

Diets are prepared in a shed. Surgeries have been taking place in a trailer.”

The new hospital, run by Dr. Avery Berkowitz, director of animal care, includes a baby bird nursery, an intensive care unit, and surgery and radiology suites, among a host of other facilities.

The 33-year-old organization, which serves Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, serves 4,500 animals annually.

So far $4.5 million has been raised for construction, so if you’d like to help with the outstanding $1.5 million, give them a call.

Call it a Comeback

Montecito artist Allison Armour, whose huge global figures have been collected by former Beatle Ringo Starr and even Russian President Vladimir Putin, is getting back to prominence

“Avoid fruits and nuts. You are what you eat.” – Jim Davis

in Goleta, and I’m delighted to hear it.

Eight years ago, Goleta Valley Hospital held a competition for a new art installation outside the complex and Allison’s work won, with it being duly installed with its water feature for the opening ceremony.

But the same year California went through a devastating drought and the hospital felt that it couldn’t be seen to be wasting water, so it was turned off and the sculpture consigned ignominiously to the basement.

In October, Allison had surgery for breast cancer at the hospital and asked about her sculpture while undergoing treatment.

“The nurses clamored around me asking ‘Is that beautiful piece yours?’ and told me of its fate in the cellars,” says Allison, who was born in Paris and studied at New York’s Parsons School of Design. “I thought it quite ridiculous and called Arie Dejong, the hospital’s vice president.

I explained that Putin had come to the unveiling of my piece in Moscow, President Erdogan of Turkey had two of my pieces in his palace, as did the King of Denmark.

“Ringo Starr was one of my first clients and I have just been asked to quote a 35-foot piece to be exhibited in Tel Aviv with a budget of $1.2 million. He totally agreed that it certainly shouldn’t be languishing in a basement, but he was worried about health and safety, which I totally understood.

“I then explained how to make it safe and he said he would meet up with his maintenance crew and see about resurrecting it.”

Allison, who is an active board member of Sarah House, a home for end-of-life care for low-income residents, hopes her piece will be back on display any moment now.

Brava!

Music to our Ears

Former Music Academy of the West fellow Jacopo Giacopuzzi is using his keyboard skills in his new profession as a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway in Montecito.

Jacopo, who hails from Verona, Italy, moved to the Left Coast in 2013 to start his master’s degree at USC after being a fellow at the Miraflores campus.

Since then, he has performed around the world, from the Hamptons to Hawaii, and of course Europe where

Miscellany Page 284 25 March – 1 April 2021

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25 March – 1 April 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

17

Summerland Buzz

by Leslie A. Westbrook

A third-generation Californian, Leslie, currently resides in Carpinteria but called Summerland home for 30 years. She can be reached at LeslieAWestbrook@gmail.com

The Farmer + The Flea

Carpinteria native James Kono, who sells under the name “Fernie,” started making furniture in September during the lockdown. As a flea “first timer,” Kono offered $5 raffle tickets for those hoping to win a handmade plant stand. This was his first time as a vendor at the market and he planned to return.

The monthly Summerland Farmer & The Flea takes place the last Sunday of every month from 10 am - 3 pm in the parking lot of the Summerland Post Office and Summerland Liquor

O

n the last Sunday of every month, the Summerland Post Office parking lot on Lillie Avenue fills up with a cornucopia of flea market and food vendors.

Even volunteers from CALM (Child Abuse Listening and Mediation) are onsite to raise funds and awareness of the nonprofit.

While parking may be a challenge – “It’s a mess,” grumbled Tinker of Tinker’s Burgers who, despite a line out the door of his popular burger joint, just returned in search of a parking spot – the festive atmosphere makes it a great and safe outdoor Sunday activity. One can find freshly baked breads, woodworkers, vintage clothing, antiques, collectibles, and more.

Farmer & The Flea founder Get your deals from Zelda Prune, of SPACE in Carpinteria, Megan Husbands (a Summerland who is a regular dealer at “the flea” and sells with milliner based masseuse and aesthetician) Roe Warren

organizes sellers – from newbies to long timers. “The hardest part is keeping everyone happy while juggling the set up and the break out.”

The popular market may expand to more frequent Sundays now that spring is here, summer is on the way, and vaccinated people feel safer going out and about. Just the same, be sure to double mask until at least the Fourth of July, the target date President Biden has set for safer gatherings with friends and family.

Summerland’s The Farmer & The Flea merges 45 craftspeople, flea market vendors, food purveyors, and more on the last Sunday of every month from 10 am to 3 pm. •MJ

There is no shortage of delicious foods to choose from at the market, such as six types of bread from Vanessa Bolden, Riviera Bread ($4-$11)

Michelle Lopez of Wild at Heart is the only licensed fermenter in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and is considered an “essential worker” during the pandemic.

She’s been selling at the Sunday market since its inception five years ago.

Jennifer Jaqua (right), the former manager of the Music Academy of the West’s shuttered Treasure House, has joined forces with Lois Pigg (who also worked at MAW’s former antique shop) under the banner “Circa.” The dynamic duo is working out of shipping containers in the Funk Zone, open by appointment.

Volunteers donning CALM masks (Child Abuse Listening and Mediation) at the flea manned

by Christen Zampese, Summerlandian D’Arcy Cornwall, and Sharon Curry.

The women are members of CALM’s Auxiliary fundraising arm who decided to “think outside the box” to bring their message and reach Sunday strollers and shoppers by hawking olive oil and balsamic vinegars from il Fustino along with CALM masks.

No slouch! Longtime dealer Donna French travels from Palm Springs with her treasures.

18 MONTECITO JOURNAL

“An imagination is a powerful tool.” – Jim Davis

25 March – 1 April 2021

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25 March – 1 April 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

19

On Entertainment

by Steven Libowitz

Getting Innovative:From Drive-ins to Zoom Q&As, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is Ready

O

ver its 36-year history, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival has had to deal with challenges such as raising funds to keep the fest afloat in the early days; pivoting quickly following the departure of its new executive director after a single season at the helm; and erecting barricades to hold back the masses when stars of the caliber of a Leonardo DiCaprio or Quentin Tarantino arrive at the Arlington.

But never before has SBIFF had to contemplate such an existential question as exactly what it is that makes a film festival a festival.

Is it merely watching a plethora of new movies before they arrive in cinemas or, more likely these days, wind up on a streaming service? Perhaps the opportunity to touch elbows at bars or backstage at the Lobero’s nightly parties to banter about reactions to movies you loved or hated?

Is it hanging out downtown to hear hot tips on the street, or just joining the longest line in front of the Metro 4 figuring that so many other people,

Director Aaron Maurer sets up shots in Coachella Valley, where he combined forces with Zachary McMillan to produce the 87-minute Invisible Valley

Invisible Valley tells the story of the farmworkers that can so often get lost in an area that is known for the music festival, Coachella

like Elvis fans in days of yore, can’t be wrong? Maybe it’s about lingering in the lobby hoping to catch the film-

What can you learn at our upcoming event?

A whole bunch.

Lunch

& Learn

maker or stars for congratulations or a question? Or does a film festival boil down to focusing on the films?

For SBIFF the answer has always been all of those — and then some.

But, in 2021, it all boils down to one simple query: How do you hold a film festival during a global pandemic?

For much of 2020, SBIFF was hoping not to have to answer that question at all, as staged reopening over the summer seemed to portend that the festival – which had already been moved to early April to accommodate a shift in the date of the Academy Awards – might just make it back into theaters.

But the lingering COVID crisis scotched that thought, and SBIFF watched as various major festivals made their choices: Toronto moved largely to online screenings; Telluride and Palm Springs canceled completely; Sundance went nearly exclusively virtual; SXSW migrated to online; and Berlin did the same for industry-only, while shifting in-person screenings to June.

So, SBIFF was left to build its own

hybrid model that balances both safety and access.

It will still incorporate much of what gives the festival its cachet: bigname tributes with Academy Award nominees and other actors from the year’s most important and decorated movies; panels with writers, directors, producers, and other behindthe-scenes filmmakers; and screenings of films from around the world and across a wide swath of genres, including documentaries, foreign language entries and feature films, plus shorts and animation.

There will be a full complement of virtual screenings accessible anytime during SBIFF’s April 1-10 run, in addition to an added attraction in which all of the feature-length movies will have at least one screening at SBIFF’s innovative in-person – actually, in-car – option. To make this happen, the twin parking lots off Cliff Drive at the base off SBCC are being turned into drive-ins able to accommodate 50 cars

On Entertainment Page 274 274

It’s casual, easy and you’re invited.

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20 MONTECITO JOURNAL

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25 March – 1 April 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

21

Return to Normalcy

Fiesta 5 Theatres will open on March 31

Viva la FIESTA FIVE! by Steven Libowitz Movies Return to Downtown as Metro Theatres Reopen

Metropolitan Theatres will start screening new releases at Camino Real Cinemas on March 26

I

n one of those quirky COVID coincidences, Metropolitan Theatres is reopening its doors just as the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is about to get underway with a hybrid virtual/drive-in edition.

Nine days after the county moved back into the red tier, movie theaters will be allowed to open indoors at 25 percent capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Metro will start screening new releases at Camino Real Cinemas on March 26. Fiesta 5 Theatres will return on March 31, a normal SBIFF haunt during festival time.

The news came too late for SBIFF to consider returning even a modest version of its usual indoor screenings for SBIFF 36. And while it might seem strange that film lovers can catch Hollywood’s latest at a downtown cinema while needing to venture either online or down to SBIFF’s beachside drive-in to view any of the festival’s features, the reopening can’t come soon enough for David Corwin, president of Metropolitan Theatres.

“It’s really been a challenge, but it’s great to be back,” said Corwin, who runs the fourth-generation, family-operated company that is nearing its century mark. “We thought we were back in the fall, but then everything closed down again. So, this time we hope it’s for good.”

As before, the venues will reopen in accordance with local mandates and with enhanced protocols for cleanliness, sanitizing, and safety measures through every step of the movie-going experience. Physical distancing will be enforced through computer-generated seat reservations, while employees will undergo a wellness check-in prior to each shift and wear required personal protective equipment while working. All public and high-contact touch points will be disinfected frequently, and purchase of tickets is online or through Metro’s new mobile app, with contactless payment encouraged.

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The company has also aligned with more than 300 companies nationally with the National Association of Theatre Owners’ CinemaSafe.org in voluntarily following a set of health and safety protocols developed by a team of industry experts based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). A complete list of the safety measures can be found at www.MetroTheatres.com/SafetyProcedures.

Additionally, the reopening of the cinemas will be staggered, Corwin said, noting that both staffing concerns – lots of employees either found other jobs or moved away – and a lack of new movies play into those decisions.

“There’s not a lot out there right now, as the studios moved most everything to online streaming,” Corwin noted. “But by May, things will really get going as the summer blockbuster season gets underway.”

Already on tap are big screen debuts of Godzilla vs Kong on March 31; the family film Peter Rabbit 2 in May; the highly anticipated Quiet Place 2 slated to open on Memorial Day weekend; the adaptation of the Lin Manuel Miranda musical In the Heights arrives June 18; and the latest in the Fast & Furious franchise is due on June 25.

“Hopefully, people have really missed that experience of seeing a movie in a real theater rather than on their couch. We know it will take some time to rebuild, but that’s a common sentiment.”

– David Corwin, president, Metropolitan Theatres Corwin said he hopes that as the big-draw films arrive, audiences are also wanting to return to viewing movies in person and indoors.

“It’s been tough. We’ve been open out-of-state (where protocols were relaxed earlier) for a few months and we’re down 80% versus last year. But the good news, what’s different now, is that New York and California are finally reopening, and that’s especially important, significant for summer films,” Corwin said.

Corwin noted that the local theaters are limited to just a quarter of its normal capacity, but the reopening at any level is “certainly a step in the right direction.”

“We know businesses will likely be slow to start. But I think we’ll grow as time goes on and there are more vaccines out there,” Corwin said. “Hopefully the numbers (of COVID cases) continue to improve, and the capacity limitations will be phased out.”

For those still hesitant to share space in a cinema with strangers despite the protocols, the popular private screenings are also returning. Groups of up to 20 can enjoy new theatrical releases at both the Fiesta and Camino Real Cinemas, with shows including various levels of food service and other amenities that can be booked online.

Corwin said that the company is planning on dedicating at least one auditorium to the rentals and making the schedules in advance so groups can plan ahead and book online.

Like most of Hollywood’s movie executives and other theater owners, Corwin knows that streaming services are here to stay. But haven’t we all had it up to here with staring at the computer or TV screen to connect or get our entertainment?

“Hopefully, people have really missed that experience of seeing a movie in a real theater rather than on their couch,” Corwin said. “We know it will take some time to rebuild, but that’s a common sentiment.”

For tickets, film release dates, schedule, private screenings reservations, and more information, visit www.MetroTheatres.com.

•MJ

“Life is like a Ferrari, it goes too fast. But that’s ok, because you can’t afford it anyway.” – Jim Davis

25 March – 1 April 2021

Robert’s Big Questions

by Robert Bernstein

Degrees from Physics departments of MIT and UC Santa Barbara. Career in designing atomic-resolution microscopes. Childhood spent in Europe and the East of the US. Passion to understand the Big Questions of life and the universe. Duty to be a good citizen of the planet.

How Can We Be Smarter?

“M

istakes were made (but not by me)” is a quote attributed to President Reagan and later to President George W Bush. It is also the title of the book I would most recommend everyone should read.

Before we can get smarter, perhaps we should find out “Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts.” That is the book’s subtitle.

A paradigmatic example? A woman is being abused by her boyfriend. She leaves him repeatedly, but keeps coming back. Why? “Because I love him.” In fact, there is another reason.

Elementary psychology teaches us of the conditioned response. An animal will adjust its behavior to reduce pain. Why do humans defy this and keep doing something that causes pain? Because there is a pain worse for humans than an electric shock or a punch. The pain of doing something unfamiliar.

“Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again and Expecting Different Results.” This quote is wrongly attributed to Einstein; it seems to have originated in 1981.

Suppose you are walking down the street and accidentally bump into someone and cause them to drop something valuable they are carrying. How will you feel about them if you see them later? Will you try to be especially nice to make up for the hurt that you caused? Unfortunately, you are likely to do the opposite. You are likely to back-rationalize that you hurt this person by believing that they deserved it. You are actually likely to hate them and hurt them again. Why?

Heritage Foundation as a way to head off true universal healthcare? So, why did right-wing people hate Obamacare? Because if the “other team” promotes it, it must be bad. Even if the idea came from your team!

Do you believe in catharsis or “venting”? Experiments show the effect is the opposite. “Venting” actually just increases agitation rather than “letting off steam” and calming things down.

As I read the book, I started to understand why bad things happen in the world. I also started to realize something uncomfortable: I do some of those same things.

Have you ever had a vivid memory of something that turned out never happened? I promise this is the case; you may just have never checked back to find out. Memory is more like a fabrication than like computer data recall.

Peoples’ lives have been destroyed by witness testimony that is verifiably wrong. The witness is not lying. They “remember” what never happened.

Relationships don’t fail because of the quantity of conflict. They fail if the ratio of positive to negative interactions falls below the magic ratio of 5:1. And if the relationship fails? People are good at “rewriting history” that “I never loved you.”

When the U.S. occupied Iraq I remember the news people struggling to say those words. Only bad countries “occupy” other countries. Aren’t we the good guys?

What is to be done? In the case of countries, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission can help a society come to terms with its mistakes and harms it has done. The U.S. is long overdue for this. Americans have no idea why “everyone hates us.” We don’t know our history.

Patients are less likely to sue a doctor who mistakenly harmed them if the doctor apologizes. Admitting mistakes allows learning and healing. Some cultures are better at this.

Unfortunately, you can’t make someone else see that they have harmed you.

And you can’t make someone like you by being extra generous with them. The best you can do is ask them for a favor and hope they help you. Why? Because they will back-rationalize this to mean that you deserved to be treated well.

If more people read this book and saw their own mistakes it might help.

Unfortunately, those who most need to see their mistakes are those who are least likely to see them. The good news: Great people do admit mistakes and are respected for it. You can do that, too.

•MJ

You may have heard that the left brain hemisphere is the rational hemisphere. It is more accurate to say it is the rationalizing hemisphere! We are very good at making up stories.

A central theme in the book is the concept of “cognitive dissonance.” We see ourselves as the center of our universe. I know that I am a good person.

So, if I seem to do something bad, there must be a reason. We like to think we are rational. But in fact we often act and later make up a story to justify what we did.

You may have heard that the left brain hemisphere is the rational hemisphere. It is more accurate to say it is the rationalizing hemisphere! We are very good at making up stories.

Are you aware that the idea for Obamacare was written by the right-wing

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

23

Brilliant Thoughts

by Ashleigh Brilliant Born London, 1933. Mother Canadian. Father a British civil servant. World War II childhood spent mostly in Toronto and Washington, D.C. Berkeley PhD. in American History, 1964. Living in Santa Barbara since 1973. No children.

Best-known for his illustrated epigrams, called “Pot-Shots”, now a series of 10,000.

Email ashleigh@west.net or visit www.ashleighbrilliant.com

Long Division

I

n many marriage ceremonies, the couples swear to stay together “Till Death do us part” – and some manage to fulfil that vow, even though Death may be a long time coming. No similar oaths, that I am aware of, bind parents and their children – in fact it is assumed that, at some point, there will be at least some degree of separation.

Nevertheless, particularly in families we call “happy,” there are enduring emotional bonds.

Still, many factors can cause unwilling separations, sometimes for lengthy periods. People may be taken away from each other by work, by school, by illness, even by the Law. But the most powerful, and often tragic, cause forcing the separation of loved ones is WAR. It was the Second World War which most tellingly divided my own family, and caused my mother, Amelia Brilliant, my sister, and me to be an ocean apart from my father, Victor Brilliant, for more than two years, even

though he had already done his military service in the previous World War. He was a British career Civil Servant, and he stayed behind in England, when, in April 1939, my mother took us two children (I was five and my sister three) on what was supposed to be a few months’ holiday, to visit her family in her hometown of Toronto. Because of the War, it became a seven-year absence. For two of those years, we were separated from my father – but the fact that we were already “over here” apparently enabled him to be assigned to a British government position in Washington, D.C. in 1941.

So, my family was reunited, although it was hard for me to get used to this “strange man” again. But we lived together in a Washington apartment until the war was over, coming back to a war-torn England in 1946.

Many other families, I know, have had to endure, and are still going through, far worse experiences of separation, even in these days of air

travel and electronic communication. Shakespeare has Juliet say that “Parting is such sweet sorrow” – but the sweetness in such situations lies in the confidence that it will be only for a short time. Nobody thought in those terms, in centuries past, when the beloved was emigrating, and might not be seen again for years. Hence the poignancy of songs like “Danny Boy”: Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side.

The summer’s gone, and all the roses falling, It’s you, it’s you must go and I must bide.

But, on a lighter note, this phenomenon of departure and return perhaps also explains the popularity of the merry-go-round, both for the riding children, and for the waiting parents, who are metaphorically re-enacting the roles of those who must go, and who must bide. And even the playground swing conveys the same message, of going away, and coming back safely.

And classical literature is, of course, replete with tales of separated lovers.

According to Homer, Odysseus returns to his wife, Penelope, after twenty years of fighting and wandering, to find her besieged by suitors, whom he manages violently to dispose of, thus recovering his kingdom of Ithaca, and his faithful wife.

An even more affecting separation story, from Greek Mythology, involves the lyrical Orpheus and his beloved Eurydice, whom, after her death, he pursues to the nether-world.

But, if I may bring you back to our own world, and the two lovers who were my own parents, the only tangible record I seem to have of their communication, while apart, are four telegrams, three from Toronto to London, one the other way, all sent, over a period of six months, in 1940. Reading between the brief lines, they indicate how they longed for each other, and, although the war was raging, after a year of separation, they were still considering our returning. My mother wrote in March, “INQUIRING BOATS SAILING APRIL,” to which my lonely father replied, “COME QUICKLY SAFE PLEASANT VOYAGE.” This was totally unrealistic, as the two following telegrams from my mother made clear. The first said “UNWISE RETURNING NOW,” and reported that I had chickenpox. The last, in August, 1940, which would mark their eighth wedding anniversary, sent “LOVING ANNIVERSARY WISHES NEXT YEAR TOGETHER,” but said that my sister’s “MYRNAS TONSILS REMOVED SPLENDIDLY.” As I’ve told you, next year they were together, and they stayed together until 1972, when my father’s death did them part.

•MJ

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

25

Perspectives

by Rinaldo S. Brutoco

Rinaldo S. Brutoco is the Founding President and CEO of the Santa Barbara-based World Business Academy and a co-founder of JUST Capital. He’s a serial entrepreneur, executive, author, radio host, and futurist who’s published on the role of business in relation to pressing moral, environmental, and social concerns for over 35 years

Vladimir Putin’s Big Mistake

H

ow did Vladimir Putin fail? January 6, 2021 must have been the biggest surprise and disappointment of his entire life. He worked diligently in 2016 to sew dissension amongst Americans to undermine our democratic institutions. He used all his skills, his deceit, and his incredibly powerful “asymmetric warfare” apparatus in the FSB (formerly the KGB), together with the best hackers in the world to effectively install Donald Trump as president.

And upon his inauguration, Trump as president began actively assisting Putin in unraveling America’s power and prestige in the world such that it would be reduced to a second-rate power. Yes, in 2016 Putin actually “won,” and won bigger than he ever imagined.

Actively redesigning foreign and domestic policies to line up with Putin’s goals, investing in Trump paid an even greater dividend on his “investment” than Putin anticipated. Trump threatened the very existence of NATO. He badly injured the unique relationship the U.S. has shared with the European Union since its inception. He created so much international insanity and instability (pulling out of the World Health Organization during an international pandemic, the Iranian nuclear deal, etc.) that Trump became a “Pariah President.”

Internationally perceived as boorish and a bully, Trump was shunned by previous allies and embraced by then-current dictators and fascists like North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, Turkey’s Recep Erdogan, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman, and, of course, Putin himself.

What Putin did in 2016 was to lay the groundwork for what he anticipated would be the “final nail” in the coffin of American relevance with the 2020 re-election of an incompetent president. In addition to the Mueller Report and numerous other validated reports, it is clear, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Russia did interfere in the 2016 election in order to install his ally, his “useful idiot” (national security language) as the way Putin would destabilize the U.S. As history reflects, the plan worked brilliantly.

It was probably inconceivable to Putin, as a dictator, that members of Trump’s own political party... would refuse Trump’s efforts to get them to cheat on electoral college votes.

Most thoughtful observers believe that Russia also interfered in the 2020 U.S. election. Until last week, however, much of what we knew was unofficial or from trial transcripts from the numerous lawsuits (63 at last count) Trump brought, and lost, in fighting to overthrow the 2020 presidential election that he lost by over 7,000,000 votes. Now we have definitive evidence that Putin tried again.

The recently released Intelligence Community Assessment, drafted by “the National Intelligence Council, and CIA, DHS, FBI, INR, and NSA…” which is virtually the entire intelligence apparatus of the U.S. Government, clearly documents Russian attempts to influence the 2020 election. Here’s one stunning conclusion from that report: “Key Judgment 2: We assess that Russian President Putin authorized, and a range of Russian government organizations conducted, influence operations aimed at denigrating President Biden’s candidacy and the Democratic Party, supporting former President Trump, undermining public confidence in the electoral process, and exasperating sociopolitical divisions in the U.S.” So why did Putin fail in 2020 when he was so successful the first time around?

Two important reasons: First, he overestimated Trump’s ability to illegally retain control of the government as a result of the coup that he started planning in the summer of 2020 and culminating in the Insurrection at the Capitol on January 6 that year; and second, he grossly underestimated the American people’s fundamental commitment to democracy and conducting a fair election.

From Putin’s perspective as a dictator for life, he assumed that once Trump had power, he would be able to retain it as long as a significant percentage of the public would support him to the point of waging an insurrection to keep him in power. The widely reported remarks of former general (and convicted felon) Michael Flynn leave little doubt on this approach to the 2020 election: find a pretense for invoking martial law and retain power indefinitely.

26 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Food for the Future: Feeding Cattle Seaweed Could Change the World

M

ethane is a potent greenhouse gas and a major contributor to climate change. About 70 percent of agricultural methane comes from enteric fermentation, chemical reactions that occur in the stomachs of cows and other grazing animals as they digest plants. Fortunately, studies have shown that adjusting cattle diets to include higher fat or more digestible ingredients, like algae, can make an impact in reducing these emissions. One 2015 study suggested that feeding cows seaweed could be potentially beneficial, but not until now has the theory been tested in real cattle populations.

A newly published study from the University of California, Davis put this theory to the test and found that using red seaweed as a feed supplement can successfully reduce both methane emissions and feed cost without sacrificing meat quality.

In their research, the scientists found that supplementing cattle diets with just 10 ounces of seaweed a day reduced methane emissions by 67 percent.

They also found that the seaweed could be frozen for up to three years without sacrificing nutritional and emissions reduction benefits, making it as convenient as traditionally-stored feed.

One drawback noticed in the study was that milk cows fed the seaweed supplement did see reduced milk production, which would disincentivize dairy farmers from adopting the feed. On the other hand, steers who were fed the amended diet converted feed to body weight up to 20 percent more efficiently than conventionally-fed steers, which would greatly reduce input costs for cattle farmers to the tune of $40,320 to $87,320 per year.

Incorporating seaweed into cattle diets would be a relatively easy switch in the agricultural industry and one that we now see would have tremendous environmental advantages. Hopefully, this new research, which solidifies the benefits for both farmers and our world, will encourage farmers and feed producers to integrate seaweed supplementation in their operations.

•MJ Aided by his brother Lieutenant-General Charles Flynn, this pretense nearly came to pass. Charles Flynn had been serving as Deputy Chief of Staff since 2019 when the Capitol Insurrection occurred, and he actively participated in the decision to deny National Guard troops (who were standing by) the authority to assist the Capitol Police for more than three hours and fifteen minutes after the attack on the Capitol had begun and was being seen on TV around the world.

The ridiculous reason given by the general in that call was that “the optics” of National Guardsmen surrounding the Capitol would be “bad.” This preposterous conclusion was maintained for hours after the entire world saw “the optics” of the U.S. Capitol under siege. Many thoughtful observers believe that General Charles Flynn was in on his brother Michael Flynn’s desire to have a crisis big enough to merit declaring martial law. Under this interpretation, the reason troops were withheld was precisely so that the mob could literally stop the wheels of government or worse. Up until the Insurrection was quelled and the counting of votes completed much later that night, Putin most likely thought he’d won again, and that Trump would illegally retain power. After all, that is what dictators like him, and fascists generally, like to do.

The second reason Putin failed was his complete misunderstanding of the deep roots of democracy, anchored in our democratic republic. It was probably inconceivable to Putin, as a dictator, that members of Trump’s own political party, like the Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and numerous other Republican state elected officials, would refuse Trump’s efforts to get them to cheat on electoral college votes.

Amazingly, despite incredible White House pressure that has since been well documented, not one single Republican in a key position chose to lie for the President or to cheat on the vote counts. It was all Republicans in responsible positions who refused to “take a dive.” Raffensperger, Governor Brian Kemp, and even the State Republican officials from Michigan who Trump invited to the White House all refused to falsely change the electoral vote counts in their respective states.

In revenge, Trump is now actively campaigning to replace all of these honorable officials with more pliable loyalists.

Putin didn’t realize that in our country, where we value democracy at every level of society, the “little people” who actually run the election machinery in the country would perform their duties with such integrity. Nothing like that could have occurred in Russia, so of course he didn’t see it coming. It is understandable that he wouldn’t even imagine that could have happened, and that was his big mistake.

•MJ

“It’s amazing what one can accomplish when one doesn’t know what one can’t do.” – Jim Davis

25 March – 1 April 2021

On Entertainment (Continued from page 20 20))

Guest Editorial (Continued from page 5)

each for free showing of movies on giant LED screens that are easy to see day or night.

But SBIFF, ever the innovator, wasn’t content to just stick their new screens anywhere.

“We were never thinking about canceling, but we weren’t sure what would be possible,” explained Mickey Duzdevich, SBIFF’s longtime senior programmer.

“Once we decided about having the drive-in, the idea came up that having an ocean view would be wonderful because it’s something different that Santa Barbara hasn’t gotten to experience, and we wanted to make it our own. We also made it free to the community because we just wanted to bring something for people to enjoy, something to do because everybody’s been cooped up inside. This way you can get out and still be in the safety of your own car.”

tion during the pandemic – think about that for a second ... during the pandemic – it was a Black filmmaker who came to their rescue and provided a home and protection.

Tyler Perry made a fortune from movies that explored the stories of everyday Black people, and especially Black women, who did not assimilate Victorian codes of behavior, but instead live their lives in unapologetically Black ways.

That is the vibrant Black culture of America that fosters the blues, jazz, dance, and storefront churches. Perry established his film empire outside the orbit of Hollywood. That he built his studios in Atlanta, not Hollywood, tells you all you need to know about Black cultural self-determination at its highest level.

He had the resources to allow the Black Royals to stay at one of his homes in Los Angeles, until the British press hounding them drove them to purchase a compound in Montecito.

That brings us to Oprah, the icon of American media success, who has become the impresario of a Black media empire without peer. Her ascent as everyone knows came through plumbing the psychic needs of White Americans, especially women, on her daytime talk show, where a kind of catharsis of 20th century American womanhood played out on a daily basis.

Oprah represents a different tradition of assimilation, a democratic womanhood that reads books, buys American consumer goods like crazy, and judges unequivocally what’s right and wrong in the world. Oprah epitomizes the kind of professional mobility that the shuttered Markle could only envy from behind the closed doors of those English castles.

The other empire that Black media success has built in America was on display in that interview – the setting, the lawn, the patio, which reputedly belongs to a neighbor of Oprah – put the Black media empire that saved a prince and a princess on display as a backdrop. Even Harry was part of the background to what was really taking place. Because center stage were two American Black women talking about what had been done to a sophisticated, cultured one of them. Calling out that cruelty was the Black media empire striking back against the old Empire, the Empire stumbling through Brexit, et al.

What the Firm (the Royal family’s term since King George VI for its corporate personality) did not understand was the power of a Black media empire in which the Black woman is central as powerbroker and storyline. It’s no accident that Tyler Perry’s most successful franchise is about an unapologetic Black woman who cannot be dominated by others. Maybe the royals should have watched the Madea movies before they started harassing Meghan.

Perhaps they would have glimpsed that beneath the sophistication and Black elegance she brought to them was an invisible empire of Black female agency and resilience that would rise Phoenix-like from the ashes of her experience in England to clap back against their abuse in ways a thousand times more damaging to their “brand” than anything they had done to hers.

•MJ

will be unlike any that came before.

“It is going to be difficult, because the whole point of a film festival is to have interaction and talk about films and mingle. That’s what you’re supposed to do,” said Duzdevich, who often works from dawn to past midnight during SBIFF, conducting a good number of the in-person postscreen Q&A sessions himself.

“So, it feels very weird as we are going into this, but it also felt like we needed to do something because it would have been wrong to not have anything. You want to still have that presence and you want to still provide entertainment for your community because that’s what we are in the business of doing. It’s going to be different, but we’re trying our best to keep the conversation going.”

Connecting Online

To that end, SBIFF has built an online forum where people can chat about the films that they’ve seen, ask questions, and interact, Duzdevich said.

“All the staff will be on there as much as we can, too. If I see somebody talking about a movie, I can always jump in and start chatting with them about it,” he explained.

Duzdevich noted that the filmmakers will also have access to the forum, which might make interactions even more likely than in a typical year. It’s paying dividends already, he said.

“I’m actually able to do a lot more Q&A’s this year with bigger names from other countries that normally wouldn’t be able to show up in the theater. That’s been the blessing and that’s probably the best takeaway for the future. Hopefully, when everything does go back to normal, we’ll be able to do these Zoom Q&A’s and actually have them live at the theater.”

See next week’s issue of the Montecito Journal for a rundown on a few of the movies, conversations

When Things Kick Off

The festival jumpstarts on March 31, with the world premiere of Invisible Valley, a documentary about the latent interconnectivity of various disparate populations in the Coachella Valley. And, as always, SBIFF runs for 11 days and is doing its best to remain as full service as it’s ever been – although nobody will be mingling in person, and parties are not happening at all.

As everyone likely knows by now, the celebrity tributes are still taking place live, albeit sans the glitz and glamour of limousines pulling up to discharge the star in front of the cheering crowds at the Arlington.

The feting will also be minus the standing ovations that always accompany the honoree strolling across the stage to take a seat in a cushy armchair across the coffee table from the interviewer.

Instead, the conversations will take place over Zoom. But the list of honorees is as impressive as ever, topped by eight actors and actresses with Academy Award nominations: Riz Ahmed, Maria Bakalova, Sacha Baron Cohen, Andra Day, Vanessa Kirby, Carey Mulligan, Leslie Odom Jr., and Amanda Seyfried.

Plus, the 2021 Modern Master is Bill Murray, not to mention a dozen winners of SBIFF’s Artisan Award, all of whom have scored Oscar nods, and many more to be included among the still-to-be-announced list of producers, directors, and screenwriters.

There will be plenty of Q&A sessions following screenings, albeit video reruns of Zoom conversations conducted with the filmmakers that can be accessed after a viewing.

But there’s no doubt that SBIFF 36 25 March – 1 April 2021

On Entertainment Page 394 394

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• The Voice of the Village •

Miscellany (Continued from page 16)

Concert pianist Jacopo Giacopuzzi

“It is intended to enhance the music through an intimate multi-sensory experience that takes place in beautiful estates in Santa Barbara and surrounding areas,” says Jacopo.

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he started his career.

“The entrepreneurial mindset has been with me since the early stages of my life,” he says. “I love exploring possibilities, new music, and new endeavors sometimes not strictly related to music. But I find that my music has always benefited from my passion for scouting the world, traveling, and mining new ideas.”

Now he is putting his abundant keyboard skills to good use to showcase local real estate in videos.

“I love combining the featuring of incredible homes with birds-eye views and framing them with my piano playing. It adds a lot and certainly enriches the images.”

Jacopo is currently collaborating with Konstantin Soukhovetski, a colleague from New York’s Juilliard School and fellow MAW alumnus, in launching a new project next January at La Jolla Music Society called Solo Due. It will feature a variety of composers and genres that include Rachmaninoff hidden gems, Hollywood soundtracks, and extravagant jazz.

Another project he launched a few years back, Bistro Musicale, with music thoughtfully paired with a selection of wine and a three-course dinner, is scheduled to return in due course.

a black Range Rover.

Queen Elizabeth’s grandson was suitably attired for his workout wearing New Balance trainers, Adidas sweatpants, a baseball cap, sunglasses and a mask.

Her Majesty is said to be “sad, but not angry” at the current turn of events that have undoubtedly hurt the Royal Family.

Oprah’s good friend, CBS morning show anchor Gayle King – who attended Meghan Markle’s over-thetop baby shower at the Mark hotel in New York two years ago – has discussed the Duke of Sussex’s supposedly private conversations between his father, Prince Charles, and elder brother, Prince William, describing them as “not productive.”

And William, Duke of Cambridge and heir to the British throne after the Prince of Wales, has voiced his concerns about the personal intercourse being made public, a clear reference to King’s comments about family conversations.

Buckingham Palace meanwhile refuses to be drawn into this very public rift.

“None of the households will be giving a running commentary on private conversations!” huffed one senior courtier to London’s Daily Mail.

Stay tuned...

sion of Independent Television News which provides daily news for ITV and channels 4 and 5 in the U.K., called asking me to participate in a forthcoming documentary on the scandal-ridden royal family of Monaco.

Although not the Windsors, I have written and broadcast frequently on the postage stamp-sized principality’s Grimaldi family, particularly after the tragic death of Princess Grace in 1982 in a car accident with her daughter Princess Stephanie.

A three-hour interview with various producers was arranged with the BAFTA and Emmy-winning company that produces 10,000 hours of content annually for broadcasters, business, and brands focusing on Prince Albert, and his sisters, princesses Caroline and Stephanie.

As well as being on Zoom, I was sent an iPhone for video and audio purposes as it is considered of better quality for broadcast.

Sadly, it was not to be.

Being a total troglodyte and despite enormous patience from Henry in England, I was unable to complete the technical set-up as planned and the scheduled interview, like many plans of late with the pandemic, went kaput.

C’est la vie!

Ellen Gets Discovered

Remembering Joanne

Ellen DeGeneres discovers new contract

Montecito TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has inked an exclusive multi-year deal with the Discovery Channel to produce natural history documentaries.

The 63-year-old comedienne and former Oscar host, who faced accusations from both current and former employees that she fostered a toxic workplace last year, is slated to narrate and executive produce a documentary entitled Endangered, which will be released on Earth Day, or April 22, on Discovery.

It will follow “dedicated wildlife conservationists across the globe as they compile the latest version of the Red List, which records plants and animals facing extinction,” according to Deadline.

“Ellen’s dedication to the environment and her love for animals, including the most endangered creatures who call the planet home, is unmatched,” says Nancy Daniels, the channel’s chief brand officer.

Out on a Technicality

Henry Cotsford, a producer with ITN Productions in London, a divi“I never met a lasagna I didn’t like.” – Jim Davis

On a personal note, I remember Joanne Talbot, who has moved to more heavenly pastures at the age of 85.

A New Yorker at heart, where she received her nursing diploma, Joanne moved to our Eden by the Beach in 1983 and became Director of Nursing at Santa Barbara Supportive Services.

She also worked at the Pacific Pride Foundation as an AIDS nurse-case manager for nearly a decade doing particularly sterling work.

Joanne received her BA degree in 1986 from Antioch University and went on to earn an MA from the University of San Francisco through a satellite campus program in Santa Barbara.

She worked at the VNA-Hospice Services of Santa Barbara and also opened up a small, private practice providing counseling in the evenings and at weekends.

Joanne’s influence and impact will carry on in our rarefied enclave for many years to come. An incredible lady who has left an enduring and indelible mark.

Sightings will return in due course now that Governor Gavin Newsom has lifted the total lockdown.

Pip! Pip! Be safe, wear a mask, and get vaccinated.

•MJ 25 March – 1 April 2021

Stories Matter

by Leslie Zemeckis

Dark, But Optimistic:

Paula McLain’s ‘When the Stars Go Dark’ Addresses Reality of Child Abduction

I

t is every parent’s nightmare. Their child goes missing. It is 1993 and When the Stars young girls are disappearing in Go Dark by Paula Northern California.

McLain will be The New York Times bestselling author available on Paula McLain (The Paris Wife) makes April 13 an abrupt departure from her popular historical novels to delve into the world of suspense and crime mystery in When the Stars Go Dark.

Anna Hart is a missing persons detective running away from a recent personal tragedy. Returning to Mendocino where she spent the only happy part of her childhood with caring foster parents just as Cameron, a local 14-year-old girl disappears. The event triggers traumatic memories from Anna’s childhood of another teen who vanished. Anna races against time to find Cameron, a former foster child who she feels deep affinity for.

McLain masterfully weaves the past and present, real abduction cases (Polly Klaas), and fiction in this thriller that will leave readers haunted and heartbroken. It is her most personal work to date, lending her own experiences with abandonment, loss, and foster care to inform Anna and Cameron’s story. Yet, McLain’s novel leaves us optimistic, “how even when we think we’re alone and far past hope, we’re not.” And that we are more than our trauma, our wounds.

The stars in McLain’s title are, as she told me, representative of all the miss-

ing children Anna had tried to save, stars “we can’t always see … but they’re always there.”

I was on the edge of my seat, rooting for Anna before another body is discovered, one of just thousands that disappear every year. According to the California Attorney General website, last year in Santa Barbara County alone there were a total of 773 missing children. I asked McLain who and why some children – girls mostly – garner the attention of the media.

“Affluence and race have a lot to do with which missing children are taken up as mascots,” she said.

Author Paula McLain masterfully weaves the past and present, real abduction cases (Polly Klaas), and fiction in this thriller that will leave readers haunted and heartbroken.

That injustice drove her as an author and angered Anna. So how do we protect our children? By “not buffering them but arming them appropriately with information. Self-esteem is key” for healing, McLain said. So is therapy, “self-understanding and forgiveness,” she added.

Call your local bookstore, including Tecolote Book Shop and Chaucer’s Books, and reserve a copy; it’s slated for release on April 13.

More Stories:

After Oprah’s interview with the “Royals,” Alexander Larman’s meticulously researched The Crown in Crisis: Countdown to the Abdication has enough surprises to keep readers hooked. It is an in-depth look at the days leading up to King Edward VIII relinquishing his crown for, as it was famously stated, “the woman I love” Wallis Simpson . . . Dial A for Aunties by debut author Jesse Q Sutanto is a fun romp about a blind date, a murder, and meddling aunties trying to get rid of a body over a wedding weekend . . . Harlan Coben’s antihero in his new thriller Win is a rich, handsome designer-wearing vigilante. The witty, fast-paced story is about an old abduction, family secrets, and murder. Fans of Coben will want to take this to the beach.

•MJ

Sandy Stahl & Associates

25 March – 1 April 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

29

Dear Montecito

by Stella Haffner

Montecito Alumni Write Letters from Life’s Front

Corinne’s letter with you not only because she was the first Younger I ever had, but also because she is now the youngest person to have been featured in the Dear Montecito column. Between her growing love for Psychology – my favorite subject – and her increasingly ambitious schedule, Corinne’s talents are clear to see, and I expect you’ll enjoy reading about her time since MUS as much as I did.

Dear Montecito,

Corinne Yungling spends her early mornings practicing with the Cavalettes team at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas

W

elcome to the second half of our Olders-Youngers, Dear Montecito double-feature!

Last week we heard from volleyball star and my former Older, Anika

Wilson, and this week we’re hearing from my former Younger and current student at Lake Travis High School, Corinne Yungling.

I am especially happy to share

Gardens Are for Living

Gardens Are for Living

As I sit here writing this, I reminisce about growing up in Montecito.

There’s nothing quite like soaking up the warm Mediterranean climate while squishing my toes in the sand at Butterfly Beach. Montecito is truly paradise on Earth, and I feel incredibly lucky to have grown up there.

Currently, I am a sophomore in high school and reside 1,289 miles away in Austin, Texas. Now having lived in a suburb of a metropolitan city for 18 months, I can honestly write that while there are similarities between my two homes, there are unique differences. Austin is a cultural hub. A city of music, art, and diversity. A place where when people talk about surfing, they are referring to the wake behind speedboats. Instead of jacaranda trees in the spring, we seek out bluebells.

I attend Lake Travis High School, population approximately 3,500, where the halls are a modern diaspora, filled with transplants from around the country, just like me. The saying, “Everything really is bigger in Texas,” rings true – from the state pride to our school varsity football team of 99 strong players! At home we frequently use the word “intense” to describe both academics and athletics.

In true Southern form, our family was welcomed from the moment we parked our cars. We found it a bit ironic that the neighbors welcoming us hailed from Washington, D.C., London, Minneapolis, Boston, Singapore, and San Francisco. It’s a melting pot all in its own right, adding to the already special diversity that has made Austin stand out on the map.

Having attended MUS and Marymount, I was originally intimidated by the behemoth that is Lake Travis High School. Just glancing up at the main front stairs provides quite

a sight. I did get lost on my first day, and my second, and my third; but, each time a friendly face approached me and pointed me in the right direction. There we go with the Southern hospitality.

Similar to other student athletes, I start my day before dawn. I spend the first couple hours of my day at dance practice, preparing to perform at football games or compete at contests. Our team name is the Cavalettes, based on our school mascot, the Cavalier. Each time I don the uniform, the sequined cowboy hat and tassels on my boots remind me that I am in Texas. I take six other classes besides the double-blocked dance, so my life as a teenager who sleeps, eats, practices, eats, learns, eats, studies, and repeats is an accurate portrayal.

In conjunction with my school, I participate in a program called Cavs in Service. This is the time in my week when I give back to the community.

During “normal” times I would work alongside my friends, but now I help from home. Currently, the nonprofit I support is called Pop-up Birthday, which is an organization that provides thematic cards, gifts, and supplies for birthday parties for children in Austin’s foster care system. The children are so surprised and appreciative of our efforts that they provide motivation for my efforts.

During the academic portion of my school day, my favorite class is called Court Systems and Practices. We learn about our government through analyzing court cases and, at times, we debate. After high school, my goal is to attend Oxford and major in Psychology and then return to the U.S. for law school. I am hoping that my education will one day allow me to further the public good and help others fight for justice.

As I conquer Lake Travis High School and look to my future, I think of my roots with fondness. From the Sings at MUS to the hikes in Romero Canyon, Montecito will always hold a special place in my heart.

Best, Corinne Yungling P.S. Parents of Montecito children, if you have recommendations on people to feature in “Dear Montecito” please contact me, stellajanepierce@gmail. com •MJ

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25 March – 1 April 2021

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

31

Apr - May

JUST ADDED VIRTUAL EVENTS

Spring Virtual Pack $60 (Includes the seven virtual events slated for Apr - May)

Leading activists, creatives and thinkers confront racism in America, guiding us towards racial equality.

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Dr. Robert Bullard

Apr 15 / 5 PM Pacific

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Advocacy and Equality in Sports and in Life

Gullah Music of the Carolina Coast

The Quest for Environmental and Racial Justice

May 4 / 5 PM Pacific

Heather McGhee

Apr 30 / 5 PM Pacific

Bryan Stevenson

Apr 29 / 5 PM Pacific

Theaster Gates

Urban Planner, Artist and Activist

American Injustice: Mercy, Humanity and Making a Difference

May 12 / 5 PM Pacific

Patrisse Cullors

The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together

When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Dialogue

Lead Sponsors:

Community Partners: Natalie Orfalea Foundation & Lou Buglioli

Marcy Carsey, Connie Frank & Evan Thompson, Patty & John MacFarlane, Sara Miller McCune, Santa Barbara Foundation, Lynda Weinman & Bruce Heavin, Dick Wolf, and Zegar Family Foundation UC Santa Barbara Campus Partners: Department of Black Studies Center for Black Studies Research Division of Social Sciences Division of Humanities and Fine Arts Division of Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences Division of Student Affairs

Gevirtz Graduate School of Education Graduate Division Bren School for Environmental Science & Management College of Creative Studies College of Engineering MultiCultural Center

Bryan Stevenson Event Sponsors: Natalie Orfalea Foundation & Lou Buglioli Allyson Felix Presented in association with UCSB Athletics

Carsey-Wolf Center The Program in Latin American and Iberian Studies UCSB Library | UCSB Reads Office of the Chancellor Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor

Dr. Robert Bullard presented in association with the Central Coast Climate Justice Network, Community Environmental Council, UCSB Bren School for Environmental Science & Management and UCSB Environmental Studies Patrisse Cullors presented as part of UCSB Reads, sponsored by the UCSB Library and the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor with additional support from UCSB Arts & Lectures and a variety of campus and community partners Special Thanks:

(805) 893-3535 | www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu

32 MONTECITO JOURNAL

25 March – 1 April 2021

Just Added Virtual Events for April - May Intimate, interactive online events you won’t find anywhere else.

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Hope Fuels a Better World Sat, Apr 10 / 5:30 PM Pacific (Note special time) Event Sponsors: Betsy Atwater & Tim Eaton, and Susan & Bruce Worster

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Ephrat Asherie Dance

Speaking with Pico

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Additional support provided by Forces of Nature series sponsor Audrey & Timothy O. Fisher in memory of J. Brooks Fisher Dance Series Sponsors: Annette & Dr. Richard Caleel, Margo Cohen-Feinberg & Bob Feinberg, Irma & Morrie Jurkowitz, Barbara Stupay, and Sheila Wald Speaking with Pico Series Sponsors: Dori Pierson Carter & Chris Carter, Martha Gabbert, and Laura Shelburne & Kevin O’Connor Ephrat Asherie Dance presented in partnership with The Joyce Theater and Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech, and in association with the UCSB Department of Theater and Dance Mira Nair presented in association with the Carsey-Wolf Center at UC Santa Barbara

Community Partners:

House Calls - Spring 2021: $70 (Includes the seven virtual events slated for Apr-May)

Single tickets start at $10 UCSB students: FREE! (Registration required).

Special Thanks:

(805) 893-3535 | www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu 25 March – 1 April 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

33

On The Record (Continued from page 6) ideological and party influence over an office that needs to be strictly about serving Santa Barbara,” Rowse told the Montecito Journal on March 23.

“You can own your own ideology to the race, but once you reach City Hall, you don’t bring it indoor, in my book.

If we can just focus on the city, we should simply do that.”

A perfect example, says Rowse, is the debate over how to revitalize State Street, the future of which he feels is being subjected to endless planning debates that are only stalling a much needed and strictly pragmatic economic recovery plan.

“We have basic business to do,” he says. “We need to reopen it, simplify the permitting processes to get businesses to reopen, and get these businesses back in.”

Rowse grew up in West Covina and didn’t move to Santa Barbara until the early 1970s, but his experience with State Street goes back that far.

“Ever since I got here, there’s been discussion about closing State Street to vehicular traffic,” he says. “When La Cumbre Plaza opened in 1967, there used to be angled parking and the idea was to make this large promenade, so they built these wonderful, wide sidewalks and of course it got design happy with fountains and planters and all that. But State Street became one of the best walking boulevards in the whole world, and all the elements are still there.”

As he sees it, while State Street has never fully recovered from the global depression of 2008, which severely impacted retail shopping in town, City Hall has yet to come up with a coherent policy on how to recover from the drop in downtown street-shopping and the concomitant rise of the Funk Zone.

Too much of the problem, he feels, is the inertia that comes with too much partisan politics.

“By nature, the mayor is a non-partisan office,” Rowse says. “People have served as Democrats or Republicans and nobody cared. I was a registered Democrat for most of my life and later became a registered Independent, but I have never really paid attention to party politics or voted along party lines.”

Despite the fact that many people view Rowse as somewhat to the right of Santa Barbara’s traditionally Democratic political center, socially liberal but fiscally conservative, Rowse resists any attempt at labeling him.

“I just have really strong opinions on a whole bunch of stuff,” he says.

“I’ve voted for things that didn’t necessarily fit my ideology but were best for the city.”

As mayor, Rowse says he would first and foremost set about trying to ask all the questions that so far haven’t really been asked, especially when it comes to how to save State Street. This includes which specific blocks should be closed to traffic, why that is and how would that impact crosstown traffic. And how exactly is the city going to balance car traffic with the safety needs of both pedestrians and cyclists?

“Where is money going to come from first of all,” he wonders. “You can’t have normal street curbs and all that if it is going to be ADA compliant.

“Normally you do what you can to keep bikes and pedestrians separate, but if we are trying to encourage bikes, including e-bikes that go up to 20 miles per hour, how do we do that safely?

And what about parades? How is all this going to work?”

Rowse says he supports the city’s decision to grant emergency-basis public right-of-way, which has allowed restaurant owners to create outdoor seating parklets along State Street, but he’s not sold on the long-term financial implications of the arrangement.

“That decision is obviously right for

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now,” he says. “But is that fair to the city? No, it’s not. We have to charge some kind of rent. And these parklets often cover more width than the storefront itself so what about the retailers we’re trying to keep in business?”

One thing is clear: Rowse is intimately familiar with Santa Barbara’s shifting political winds as well as its ultimate economic struggles. At its height in the 1980s and 1990s, back when the News-Press was a behemoth with hundreds of employees, Rowse’s popular Paradise Café was a mainstay of local journalists and politicos.

“It was a boom time,” he remembers.

“The bar and restaurant were cheekto-cheek on Fridays and we had great runs all through the 1990s, but then the great depression of 2008 hit, and the Funk Zone opened and people’s habits changed.”

Although he recognizes that COVID19 has dealt State Street a severe blow, Rowse says he hopes to help avoid falling into what he sees as a time-consuming trap in which civic leaders try to impose a new vision on how the city’s economy should be run, how businesses should operate, and how people should interact in public spaces.

“With State Street, we see all these people calling for it to be closed for good, or who want to completely reinvent it, and change it, when really, it’s always been a vital part of the city and it’s already starting to come back,” Rowse concludes. “It’s going to take some leadership and experience to make this work, but we’ve done it before. Instead of telling people how we want them to live, we need to ask people how they want to live and then figure out how to make that work. That’s my vision of leadership for Santa Barbara.”

Amid Fallout, L.A. Magazine Drops Key Charge in Cannabis Exposé

Just over a week ago, Los Angeles Magazine published a 4,000-word story that leveled numerous corruption charges involving Santa Barbara’s City Hall and its 2018 handling of a cannabis dispensary license. The piece, authored by former Journal contributor Mitchell Kriegman, specifically accused Anthony Wagner, a police department public information officer, of awarding a dispensary permit to a pair of former business partners.

Last week, Wagner’s boss, Barney Melekian, the city’s interim police chief, placed Wagner on leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation into Wagner’s relationship to both Adam Knopf, a former business contact of Wagner’s who won a city dispensary permit only to flip it to a Florida-based cannabis concern, and Micah Anderson, a former partner of Wagner’s whom Kriegman alleged

“When all else fails, look cute.” – Jim Davis

was also involved in Knopf’s Santa Barbara cannabis deal.

Despite Melekian’s swift move to probe the allegations, it didn’t take long for key components in Kriegman’s story to fall apart under closer scrutiny by local journalists, however. Following a YouTube interview of Kriegman over the weekend by Jerry Roberts, as well as articles that appeared last week in Noozhawk, the Independent, and the Journal, L.A. Magazine printed a brief, yet awkward update to the story.

“A prior version of this story incorrectly identified Micah Anderson as one of the owners that applied for a cannabis dispensary license . . . in Santa Barbara,” the editor’s note, attached to the bottom of Kriegman’s story, stated.

“The information we have been provided since the article was published shows that Mr. Anderson was neither an owner . . . nor involved in the application process in Santa Barbara.

We apologize for any confusion.” (The note also acknowledged that “several minor adjustments” were made to the story “after publication” but didn’t specify what those were.)

By the time L.A. Magazine ran that key retraction, Wagner, the key player in Kriegman’s piece, who spoke to the Journal last week, had already sent a letter to the magazine outlining some 30 errors in the story, some of which were apparently corrected by the paper in its unspecified post-publication content alterations.

Meanwhile, on March 23, Melekian, who previously said Wagner was cooperating with the city’s probe, part of which is also being carried out by the City Attorney’s office, announced that he’d chosen an independent investigator to dig into Kriegman’s charges.

“The Santa Barbara Police Department has retained the Sintra Group to conduct the investigation into the allegations against a police department employee raised in the L.A. Magazine article,” Melekian stated, referencing Wagner.

“Sintra Group Professional Investigations was founded in 2002 and specializes in public safety administrative and pre-employment background investigations. The firm is owned by Steve Bowman, a retired Assistant Police Chief and attorney at law, and staffed by honorably retired law enforcement personnel with years of investigative experience. During this time the firm has assisted dozens of governmental agencies throughout California in personnel and workplace investigations. The Department will have no further comment on the investigation until it is completed.”

Melekian estimated the probe should be finished in six weeks.

“At that time, we will release the maximum amount of information allowed,” he promised, “barring any unforeseen complications.”

Stay tuned.

•MJ 25 March – 1 April 2021

Senior Portrait

Susie wants her work to celebrate the levity of life while acknowledging the challenges that accompany it.

Her range of sculptures dance from whimsical animals like elephants and pigs to more eccentric subjects such as running noses to a series of Jacks from a deck of playing cards.

by Zach Rosen

Capturing the Bronze:

Sculptor Susan Read Cronin Brings Whimsy to Montecito

Finding Her Magic

In “Looking for the Magic,” a rabbit sits on the edge of a diving board on top of a spindly ladder, looking down into a worn magician’s hat. As Susie was working on the piece, she wondered what the rabbit was looking at in the hat. Then it came to her to fit a mirror into the bottom of the top hat, so the rabbit would be reflecting itself in the mirror. This showed the rabbit that the magic it was searching for the whole time was itself.

Susan Read Cronin is well-regarded for her bronze sculptures, which have been displayed in art museums throughout the northeast

W

hether it is painting, sculpting, or writing, the creative arts offer an opportunity to express oneself.

For Susan Read Cronin, or Susie as she prefers to be called, her extensive body of whimsical bronze sculptures have led to a lifetime of play. She was born on the north shore of Long Island, and her parents bought a farm in Vermont, where the family would spend summer vacations and ski in the winters. While the farm life was never quite Susie’s style, the influence of spending a childhood around animals is apparent in her bronze work. Susie left for boarding school at The Madeira School in Virginia before attending Williams College in Massachusetts, where she majored in English and studied art design. It was during her senior year at college that she met her husband, Ted Cronin, and has been with him ever since.

Throughout the next 40 or so years, they raised their family and moved between several villages in Vermont. Susie and Ted spent 30 years in Manchester, where Ted founded Manchester Capital Management, a wealth management firm that offers family office services with a real estate component. The firm has offices in Manchester, Vermont; New York City; Charlottesville, Virginia; and Montecito. Ted would come out to visit the local office here and fell in love with the Central Coast. Each time Susie would visit Montecito, the gentler winters and sunny beaches warmed her up to the area as well and they decided to move here full time in 2016.

25 March – 1 April 2021

Of course, this was just before the Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flow. While these experiences illustrate the danger of nature, since moving to the area Susie has also found inspiration in the splendor of her surroundings.

It was another fire that originally prompted Susie to pursue making bronze sculptures. In the mid-1990s, their Vermont home unfortunately caught on fire. After a year of working with insurance companies, sorting through belongings, and rebuilding their home, Susie needed a creative outlet. She decided to take a sculpture class being taught by an esteemed local sculptor, Jane Armstrong, and learned about the process of turning clay models into bronze. Sculptures being transformed into bronze by going through a process of fire seemed like a fitting medium to work in after her recent experience.

It took her about three years to build up a body of work of 12 pieces for her first solo show in 1999. Since then, making bronze sculptures has become both passion and profession with her work being featured in solo and group shows throughout the country and at institutions such as the Copley Society of Boston and the National Sculpture Society in New York. Her solo exhibit, “Fables, Foibles and Fairy Tales,” has traveled to 18 museums and many of her pieces are in collections countrywide.

There is a nuanced gestalt in her sculpture, with the subjects being light and joyful on the surface, yet darker elements and themes come out as one spends more time with the piece.

There is a nuanced gestalt in her sculpture, with the subjects being light and joyful on the surface, yet darker elements and themes coming out as one spends more time with the piece.

Because most people are unaware of the months-long process and team effort that it takes to produce a bronze sculpture, Susie decided to write a small handbook that could give the reader insight into the complicated process in simple terms. Her 15-page foldout book, Bronze Casting in a Nutshell, is suitable for third graders and up. Her father A.D. Read, a cartoonist, illustrated the book.

Susie moved to Montecito in 2016

During the pandemic, Susie has turned her creative hand to poetry.

Having always had a love of words, she has been writing a range of poetry drawing from her childhood and daily life. She published Notices, a chapbook of her poetry, in June of 2020. It includes left-handed drawings, paper cuts, and monotypes that she has done over recent years.

Whether it is crafting quirky bronze sculptures or constructing meaningful poems, for Susie it is just another day in a lifetime of play. For those interested, Tecolote Book Shop has Notices available. And for more info about her sculptures, Susie welcomes people to visit her bronze menagerie at her website: www.susanreadcronin.com •MJ

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35

Our Town

uses acrylic, ink, spray paint, glitter, and oil stick on canvas or wood, and has recently been trying her hand in ceramics.

Baret began her official arts profession when most are considered mid-career artists, is self-taught, and a woman in a field where mostly arts educated white males are acknowledged by the art world. Here’s our interview:

by Joanne A. Calitri

Joanne is a professional international photographer and journalist.

Contact her at: artraks@yahoo.com

Arts in Lockdown #24: Artist Baret Boisson

Joanne’s Zoom interview with Baret Boisson, who is holding up her portrait of Anne Lamott

B

aret Boisson is an American artist currently working from her studio in Carpinteria.

Her renowned series, “Inspiring Greatness,” which opened at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis in 2016, continues to this day with a new portrait of Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, commissioned by Lisa Loiacono Lloyd. The series began humbly with her passion to share the unique stories of some of the most profound influencers throughout history: Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Jesse Owens, Joe Louis, Fats Waller, Harvey Milk, Viola Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Muhammad Ali, and Billy Jean King.

Born in Florence, Italy, she grew up in South America, France, and New York City. She holds a B.A. in Political Science with minors in Women’s and East Asian Studies from Barnard

College. In our Zoom interview, she shared, “The fact that I spoke many languages and interfaced with people from different cultures, as a child roaming around the bushes of South America meeting with local tribes and experiencing their cultures, it became important to me to hear all people’s stories and connect people together.”

This experience and her degrees are reflected in her choice of subjects for her art, a career that began when a friend who had his art materials scattered on the floor invited her to paint with him. From that point forward, she switched gears to art full time, and continued to paint on the floor, even after someone mentioned to her painting that way caused the perspectives in her portraits to have large head and bodies with small hands. Baret responded, smiling, “Since I was not formally trained, it was interesting to me to note that about my work.” She

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Q. What is your experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion?

A. I don’t know that I can do this justice in a couple of sentences, but I’m glad that these questions are being asked, and that these issues are being addressed. America has a history of exploiting and marginalizing people of color. For that matter, Black, Brown, Asian, queer people, and women have historically been under-represented as decision-makers whether that be in politics or in establishments like museums and art galleries. So it goes without saying that these same people have been underrepresented in artwork itself, and a whole segment of society has been ignored or seen through a very narrow lens.

The Guerilla Girls is a group of female artists who have been bringing attention to this very issue for years, and I’ve long admired their ability to use art to protest the status quo. If galleries and museums lack representation of female artists and curators, artwork being celebrated, purchased, and shown would most likely be less a social commentary on the times and more of power structures.

As a self-taught artist, I first started painting portraits of men and women I admired. Ordinary folks who had struggled to transcend entrenched ideas of racism, sexism, and poverty to offer new narratives, new perspectives, and new possibilities, like Harriet Tubman, Cesar Chavez, Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King, Harvey Milk, and Greta Thunberg. A few years ago, I was honored to have a solo show at The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee entitled “Inspiring Greatness.” It was so moving to see young people standing in front of these portraits of my heroes, people who represented them. There aren’t many portraits of black, brown, and queer folks hanging on the walls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

And as a woman artist?

Well, none of this was planned.

My idea for going into International Politics was a desire to bring people of different cultures together. I might have stayed in New York City and worked at the United Nations and become a diplomat. But as a very sensitive person, life in New York became too intense for me, and I had to leave. I picked up painting by chance, not at all thinking that this would become a career. There was actually quite a bit of shame in the beginning about the fact that I’d never studied art and started a career in it so late. In fact, it would take another 10 years to actually call myself an artist. But what I lack in a formal art education I think I make up for with a unique artistic sensibility as I have been surrounded by art from the time I was born in Florence, Italy. There is actually a photo of my parents holding me as an infant in the shadow of Michelangelo’s David!

And now I feel entirely differently than I did when I first started painting, I no longer carry the same insecurities and feel like I have so much more work left in me. Louise Bourgeois, Yayoi Kusama, and Patti Smith are role models; there is no expiration date for creativity.

During lockdown, is art a plus or minus?

I think that Mother Nature is the

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Baret Boisson exhibiting at “Curio: A California Cabinet of Curiosities” in Brunswig Square, Los Angeles, for Curator Yasmine Mohseni in 2018

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25 March – 1 April 2021

Santa Barbara by the Glass

by Gabe Saglie Gabe Saglie has been covering the Santa Barbara wine scene for more than 15 years through columns, TV and radio. He’s a senior editor with Travelzoo and is a leading expert on travel deals, tips and trends. Gabe and wife Renee have 3 children and one Golden Retriever named Milo

One Winemaker, Three Labels:

Sanger Family of Wines Offers Impressive Variety

I

love chatting alcohol with Brett Escalera – as in the alcohol content in wine. Many seasoned sippers, after all, make judgment calls on wine based on the percentage marked on the label, with their predilection for lower alcohol based on the assumption that a wine with less booze will be a better match for food.

Wines with alcohol in the 11%-13% range are all the rage in Europe – making everyday drinking an easier commitment. The trend saw a surge in popularity in the early 2000s here in California, with lighter styles garnering major acclaim.

“Yeah, I remember getting a little bit of grief,” quips Escalera, whose stamp has always leaned toward richer, more muscular wines that consistently break the 13% threshold.

“I will admit, though,” he continues, as we sip through several of his wines at the end of a sunny Solvang afternoon, “I have reeled it in a bit.”

Call it an evolution of style. The volume on nuance and elegance has been turned up. But that said, Escalera is happily “unapologetic” about the alcohol content in his wines, which generally hover in the 14%-15% range.

He insists that there’s way more at play in a bottle of high-end wine than the booze.

“Alcohol is not a static number,” he tells me. “It’s part of the milieu that’s part of that wine, and one of so many other factors. What really matters is: whatever I do, it’s never at the expense of balance.”

Indeed, as we move from wine to wine, I realize that balance does prevail, and the proof is in the texture.

The wines we’re drinking – a trio of labels under the Sanger Family of Wines umbrella – are brimming with harmony. The flavors and acids and tannins – and the alcohol – are in sync.

And they are all delicious.

Escalera is a Carpinteria native who learned about wine from his grandfathers, both of whom were avid home winemakers. He studied enology at Fresno State and has a resumé that features some of Santa Barbara County’s best labels: Santa Barbara Winery, Byron Winery and, for his longest stint, Fess Parker Winery, where he gained widespread industry acclaim.

Escalera established the very popular Consilience label in 1999, to focus on Rhone wines like Syrah, as well as Burgundians like pinot. In 2007, 25 March – 1 April 2021

The inspiration for the Marianello label is the love story of Maria and Nello, the grandparents of proprietor Bill Sanger. Their photograph graces the special 2018 Sangiovese bottle, honoring what would have been their wedding centenary.

Brett Escalera has been making Roussanne since 1998.

This white wine has a mouthfeel similar to chardonnay but with floral aromatics.

The annual Petite Sirah release is a fan favorite among Consilience fans for its muscle and refinement

Gabe Saglie with winemaker Brett Escalera, left, who helped launch the Sanger Family of Wines brand in 2013

features 1700 olive trees and the seven-acre plot in the Sta. Rita Hills is all pinot noir. Fruit from some of the county’s top sites – Estelle, La Presa, Star Lane and Tierra Alta – are also part of the mix during each harvest.

Our Recommendations The Marianello Estelle Bianco is mainly Sauvignon Blanc, though the Italian-inspired blend also includes grenache blanc, vermentino, arneis, and viognier

he established the Tre Anelli label, allowing him to dabble in Spanish and Italian varieties, before partnering with Bill and Jan Sanger in 2013.

Today, the Sanger portfolio includes both brands, along with a third – Marianello, focused on Italian-inspired blends – named for Mr. Sanger’s Italian grandparents, Maria and Nello.

The triad of labels allows Escalera a platform for creativity: vintage to vintage, he can experiment with different yeast strains, variations in his barrel program and a wide range of blends.

What remains the same, though, aside from that pursuit for balance, are his fruit sources.

The Sanger project has two proprietary vineyards: the 40-acre Santa Ynez Valley estate is mainly grapes, but also

Here are five standouts from my tasting with Escalera last week. They’re all between 14% and 15% alcohol (because that’s what they’re supposed to be).

• 2018 Consilience Roussanne ($36): “It lends itself to being made the way you’d make chardonnay,” Escalera tells me of the white Rhone grape, Roussanne. In fact, this wine is bright, yet delightfully creamy, with notes of peach and flowers. It’s a great match for grilled shrimp.

• 2018 Tre Anelli Tempranillo ($49): There’s a dusty elegance about this wine, its earthy essence enhanced by notes of dark berries and a spicy flare.

The perfect accompaniment to your next BBQ steak dinner.

• 2018 Marianello Estelle Bianco ($42): Subtly supple, this fleshy white blend delivers a mouthful of tropical fruit and exits with a zing. It’s 75% sauvignon blanc that’s blended with vermentino, grenache blanc, arneis and viognier. Exotic Asian dishes

• The Voice of the Village •

will thank you.

• 2018 Marianello Sangiovese ($65): This limited-edition bottling features a black-and-white photograph of the labels’ namesakes. It is an homage to what would have been, in 2020, the year this wine was bottled — Mario and Nella’s 100th wedding anniversary. Ripe yet graceful, with rounded tannins and plum flavors.

• 2018 Consilience Petite Sirah ($55): There’s brawn in this wine, with the occasional bluster, but its refinement wins out, with the powerful flavors of blackberries and dark cherries ruling the day. This one craves medium-rare proteins and suggestive conversation.

Get a case.

The Sanger tasting room is managed

by Escalera’s fiancée, Lisa Lynch. It’s a cozy, elegant, and sleek spot along Mission Drive in downtown Solvang, with a lovely shaded outdoor patio that hosts live music several days a week. You can choose from a pair of wine tasting flights ($15 or free for wine club members), while sampling the Sangers’ proprietary olive oil is complimentary.

•MJ Sanger Family of Wines, 1584 Mission Drive, Solvang.

805-691-1020. sangerwines.com.

MONTECITO JOURNAL

37

ORDINANCE NO. 5996

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA - GENERAL SERVICES DIVISION PO BOX 1990, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93102-1990

AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

INVITATION FOR BIDS

SANTA BARBARA AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL CODE BY ADDING

CHAPTER

PREVENTION

OF

9.94

PERTAINING

UNAUTHORIZED

TO

REMOVAL

THE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed bids will be received via electronic transmission on the City of Santa Barbara PlanetBids portal site until the date and time indicated below at which time they will be publicly opened and posted for:

OF

BID NO. 5893

SHOPPING CARTS FROM COMMERCIAL PREMISES AND

DUE DATE & TIME: APRIL 20, 2021 UNTIL 3:00 P.M.

TO FACILITATE THE RETRIEVAL OF ABANDONED CARTS

CHLORINE CONTACT CHAMBER CLEAN & INSPECTION

The above captioned ordinance was adopted at a regular meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council held on March 16, 2021.

The publication of this ordinance is made pursuant to the provisions of Section 512 of the Santa Barbara City Charter as amended, and the original ordinance in its entirety may be obtained at the City Clerk's Office, City Hall, Santa Barbara, California.

(Seal) /s/ Sarah Gorman, MMC City Clerk Services Manager ORDINANCE NO. 5996 STATE OF CALIFORNIA

) ) COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA ) ss. ) CITY OF SANTA BARBARA ) I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing ordinance was introduced on February 9, 2021 and adopted by the Council of the City of Santa Barbara at a meeting held on March 16, 2021, by the following roll call vote: AYES:

Councilmembers Alejandra Gutierrez, Oscar Gutierrez, Meagan Harmon, Mike Jordan, Kristen W. Sneddon; Mayor Cathy Murillo

NOES:

None

ABSENT:

None

ABSTENTIONS:

Councilmember Eric Friedman

hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Santa Barbara on March 17, 2021.

/s/ Sarah P. Gorman, MMC City Clerk Services Manager I HEREBY APPROVE the foregoing ordinance on March 17, 2021.

/s/ Cathy Murillo Mayor Published March 24, 2021 Montecito Journal

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Rodriguez Strategies, 2020 Creekside Road, Montecito, CA 93108. Rodriguez Strategies, 2020 Creekside Road, Montecito, CA 93108.

Bidders must be registered on the city of Santa Barbara’s PlanetBids portal in order to receive addendum notifications and to submit a bid. Go to PlanetBids for bid results and awards. It is the responsibility of the bidder to submit their bid with sufficient time to be received by PlanetBids prior to the bid opening date and time. The receiving deadline is absolute. Allow time for technical difficulties, uploading, and unexpected delays. Late or incomplete Bid will not be accepted.

If further information is needed, contact Caroline Ortega, Senior Buyer at (805) 564-5351 or email: COrtega@santabarbaraca.gov A MANDATORY pre-bid meeting will be held on April 7, 2021 at 9:00 a.m., at El Estero Water Resource Center located at 520 E Yanonali St, Santa Barbara, CA, to discuss the specifications and field conditions. Please be punctual since late arrivals may be excluded from submitting a bid. Bids will not be considered from parties that did not attend the mandatory meeting. All attendees are responsible for bringing, wearing a facemask on-site, following current CDC and Santa Barbara County Public Health social distancing guidelines.

FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE ACT Contractor agrees in accordance with Section 1735 and 1777.6 of California Labor Code, and the California Fair Employment Practice Act (Sections 1410-1433) that in the hiring of common or skilled labor for the performance of any work under this contract or any subcontract hereunder, no contractor, material supplier or vendor shall, by reason of age (over 40), ancestry, color, mental or physical disability, sex, gender identity and expression, marital status, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics), national origin, race, religious belief, or sexual orientation, discriminate against any person who is qualified and available to perform the work to which such employment relates. The Contractor further agrees to be in compliance with the City of Santa Barbara’s Nondiscriminatory Employment Provisions as set forth in Chapter 9 of the Santa Barbara Municipal Code.

BONDING Bidders are hereby notified that a Payment Bond in the amount of 100% of the bid total will be required from the successful bidder for bids exceeding $25,000. The bond must be provided with ten (10) calendar days from notice of award and prior to the performance of any work. The bond must be signed by the bidder and a corporate surety, who is authorized to issue bonds in the State of California.

Bidders are hereby notified that a separate Performance Bond in the amount of 100% of the bid total will be required from the successful bidder for bids exceeding $25,000. The bond must be provided with ten (10) calendar days from notice of award and prior to the performance of any work. The bond must be signed by the bidder and a corporate surety, who is authorized to issue bonds in the State of California.

PREVAILING WAGE, APPRENTICES, PENALTIES, & CERTIFIED PAYROLL In accordance with the provisions of Labor Code § 1773.2, the Contractor is responsible for determining the correct prevailing wage rates. However, the City will provide wage information for projects subject to Federal Davis Bacon requirements. The Director of Industrial Relations has determined the general prevailing rates of wages and employer payments for health, welfare, vacation, pensions and similar purposes applicable, which is on file in the State of California Office of Industrial Relations. The contractor shall post a copy of these prevailing wage rates at the site of the project. It shall be mandatory upon the contractor to whom the contract is awarded and its subcontractors hired to pay not less than the said prevailing rates of wages to all workers employed by him in the execution of the contract (Labor Code § 1770 et seq.).

Prevailing wage rates are available at http://www.dir.ca.gov/oprl/PWD/index.htm It is the duty of the contractor and subcontractors to employ registered apprentices and to comply with all aspects of Labor Code § 1777.5.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto set my

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Zacarias JL Trucking, 220 Calle Cesar E Chavez Apt 45 Guadalupe, CA 93434. Zacarias JL Trucking INC, 220 Calle Cesar E Chavez Apt 45 Guadalupe, CA 93434. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on March 12, 2021. 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. 2021-0000706.

Published March 17, 24, 31, April 7, 2021

Scope of Work: Using diving methods to remove and de-water settled material in the Chlorine Contact Chamber at El Estero Water Resource Center.

There are penalties required for contractor’s/subcontractor’s failure to pay prevailing wages and for failure to employ apprentices, including forfeitures and debarment under Labor Code §§ 1775, 1776, 1777.1, 1777.7 and 1813.

Under Labor Code § 1776, contractors and subcontractors are required to keep accurate payroll records. The prime contractor is responsible for submittal of their payrolls and those of their subcontractors as one package. Payroll records shall be certified and made available for inspection at all reasonable hours at the principal office of the contractor/subcontractor pursuant to Labor Code § 1776.

The contractor and all subcontractors under the direct contractor shall furnish certified payroll records directly to the Labor Compliance Unit and to the department named in the Purchase Order/Contract at least monthly, and within ten (10) days of any request from any request from the City or the Labor Commissioner in accordance with Section 16461 of the California Code of Regulations. Payroll records shall be furnished in a format prescribed by section 16401 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations, with use of the current version of DIR's “Public Works Payroll Reporting Form” (A-1-131) and “Statement of Employer Payments” (DLSE Form PW26) constituting presumptive compliance with this requirement, provided the forms are filled out accurately and completely. In lieu of paper forms, the Compliance Monitoring Unit may provide for and require the electronic submission of certified payroll reports. The provisions of Article 2 and 3, Division 2, Chapter 1 of the Labor Code, State of California, are made by this reference a part of this quotation or bid.

A contractor or subcontractor shall not be qualified to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, subject to the requirements of Section 4104 of the Public Contract Code, or engage in the performance of any contract for public work, as defined in this chapter, unless currently licensed to perform the work and registered pursuant to Labor Code § 1725.5 without limitation or exception. It is not a violation of this section for an unlicensed contractor to submit a bid that is authorized by Section 7029.1 of the Business and Professions Code or by Section 20103.5 of the Public Contract Code, provided the contractor is registered to perform public work pursuant to Section 1725.5 at the time the contract is awarded.

This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations.

CERTIFICATIONS In accordance with California Public Contracting Code § 3300, the City requires the Contractor to possess a valid California General A Contractors License and Associating of Diving Contractors membership at time the bids are opened and to continue to hold during the term of the contract all licenses and certifications required to perform the work specified herein.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on March 10, 2021. 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. 2021-0000650.

Published March 17, 24, 31, April 7, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LOVENOPAIN.COM LLC, 280 Old Mill Road, Apt 67, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. LOVENOPAIN.COM LLC, 5142 Hollister Avenue Number 552, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on March 8, 2021. 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

38 MONTECITO JOURNAL

CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE Contractor must submit to the contracted department within ten (10) calendar days of an order, AND PRIOR TO START OF WORK, certificates of Insurance naming the City of Santa Barbara as Additional Insured in accordance with the attached Insurance Requirements. _______________________________ William Hornung, C.P.M. General Services Manager

file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2021-0000620.

Published March 17, 24, 31, April 7, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Forest Farm Music + Art, 1008 Ladera Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Charles Lloyd, 1008 Ladera Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Dorothy Darr, 1008 Ladera Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93108This statement

was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on February 26, 2021.

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. 2021-0000532.

Published March 17, 24, 31, April 7, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s)

“Good morning is a contradiction of terms.” – Jim Davis

Published: March 24, 2021 Montecito Journal

is/are doing business as: Torbellino’s Demolition & Hauling, 265 Rametto Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Karina Aguilera, 265 Rametto Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on March 5, 2021. 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. 2021-0000614.

Published March 10, 17, 24, 31, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Central Coast Sommelier Service, 1012 Lagnua Street #D, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Latitude 3050 LLC, 1012 Lagnua Street #D, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on February 26, 2021. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the

25 March – 1 April 2021

On Entertainment (Continued from page 27 27)) with filmmakers, and a few of Duzdevich’s picks for movies you shouldn’t miss.

For more details, purchasing of passes and film tickets, and info about reserving a spot at the SBCC drive-in screenings, visit www.sbiff.org.

Invisible Valley

Nuanced Story Out of Coachella Will Debut at SBIFF Befitting a documentary that encompasses the growing of vegetables and fruits in the expansive Coachella Valley – or Invisible Valley – the film that screens both at the SBCC drive-ins and online on the opening night

CITY OF SANTA BARBARA – GENERAL SERVICES DIVISION PO BOX 1990, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93102-1990

INVITATION FOR BIDS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed bids will be received via electronic transmission on the City of Santa Barbara PlanetBids portal site until the date and time indicated below at which time they will be publicly opened and posted for: BID NO. 5894 DUE DATE & TIME: APRIL 19, 2021 UNTIL 3:00 P.M. LABORATORY TEST SERVICES FOR CITY OF SANTA BARBARA WATER RESOURCES LABORATORIES Scope of Work: The City of Santa Barbara, Public Works Department (City), Public Works Department Water Resources Laboratory (PWD WRLAB), requests sealed proposals from qualified firms to provide “Professional Environmental Laboratory Services” to the City for Drinking Water, Wastewater, Desalination Process Water, Stormwater, Biosolids, Recycled Water and Industrial Waste discharge (Pretreatment) samples. Testing services can include various water and wastewater special projects.

Bidders must be registered on the city of Santa Barbara’s PlanetBids portal in order to receive addendum notifications and to submit a bid. Go to PlanetBids for bid results and awards. It is the responsibility of the bidder to submit their bid with sufficient time to be received by PlanetBids prior to the bid opening date and time. The receiving deadline is absolute. Allow time for technical difficulties, uploading, and unexpected delays. Late or incomplete Bid will not be accepted.

If further information is needed, contact Caroline Ortega, Senior Buyer at (805) 564-5351 or email: COrtega@santabarbaraca.gov FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE ACT Contractor agrees in accordance with Section 1735 and 1777.6 of California Labor Code, and the California Fair Employment Practice Act (Sections 1410-1433) that in the hiring of common or skilled labor for the performance of any work under this contract or any subcontract hereunder, no contractor, material supplier or vendor shall, by reason of age (over 40), ancestry, color, mental or physical disability, sex, gender identity and expression, marital status, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics), national origin, race, religious belief, or sexual orientation, discriminate against any person who is qualified and available to perform the work to which such employment relates. The Contractor further agrees to be in compliance with the City of Santa Barbara’s Nondiscriminatory Employment Provisions as set forth in Chapter 9 of the Santa Barbara Municipal Code.

CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE Contractor must submit to the contracted department within ten (10) calendar days of an order, AND PRIOR TO START OF WORK, certificates of Insurance naming the City of Santa Barbara as Additional Insured in accordance with the attached Insurance Requirements. _______________________ William Hornung, C.P.M. General Services Manager

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. 20210000538. Published March 10, 17, 24, 31, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Montecito Charters, 10 E Yanonali Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. P520 LLC, 10 E Yanonali Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on March 4, 2021. 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.

25 March – 1 April 2021

Published: March 24, 2021 Montecito Journal

Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 20210000593. Published March 10, 17, 24, 31, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Goodland Cleaning Services, 7632 Hollister Ave Unit 249, Goleta, CA 93117. Nathalia De Jesus Pedraza Moreno, 7632 Hollister Ave Unit 249, Goleta, CA 93117. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on February 22, 2021. 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. 20210000482. Published March 10, 17, 24, 31, 2021

of SBIFF, had a very organic beginning.

“We made the movie together from the ground up,” said Aaron Maurer, who directed while his lifelong friend Zachary McMillan produced the 87-minute film that explores the unlikely connection between migrant farm workers from Mexico who work the valley’s fields, attendees at the annual Coachella Music Festival, and the “snowbirds” who annually visit Palm Springs and the valley to escape colder winter climes.

“We just worked on it together from the concept that was like a seed to the final edit.”

Invisible Valley got its title from the idea that so many visitors to the area show up just to spend weeks or months enjoying the sunshine in their gated enclaves, or an even shorter span of less than two weeks lapping up what has become one of the largest, most famous, and profitable music festivals in the world. They aren’t even aware of how much agriculture comes from the valley, and even less so of the plight of the immigrants and undocumented laborers who work the land with barely a roof over their heads.

That included the filmmakers themselves.

The only reason Maurer and McMillan – who grew up together in Minneapolis before McMillan relocated to New York – knew of the valley was because each has attended the festival, one time meeting there to partake in partying and headbanging during sets by such metal bands as Motorhead.

But it was McMillan’s mother-in-law who turned them on to what was happening on the other side of the barricades.

“She’s one of the snowbirds that goes down there as are a lot of people from Minnesota and the Midwest,” said McMillan during a joint Zoom call with Maurer last weekend. “About a decade ago, she started doing a program called ‘Read with Me,’ a literacy program involving working with children in the school districts outside of Palm Desert.

“She was amazed to discover that there’s a whole other side to the valley, something she had never seen before, agricultural and totally different socioeconomically, mostly migrant farm workers.

A long way from the snowbird world of golf clubs, country clubs and swimming pools.”

After volunteering at the schools and becoming more involved in the community, McMillan’s mother-in-law started pitching a piece to raise awareness about the farmworking families and the other population in the valley. When she approached Zach and Aaron, the two decided to do some legwork.

“We were very much aware of our place outside of this world being white and coming from the opposite coast,” Maurer explained. “It was important to us to try to find a different angle.

Zach pitched the idea of looking at everybody as a migrant: the workers, the snowbirds who show up in the winter, and the Coachella Music Festival people who come every year for this huge event.

“The whole context of the valley is a really fascinating story and something that we thought of as a microcosm of the wealth disparity and other issues, and even encompassing what’s happening with the environment through the devastation and pollution at the nearby Salton Sea. So many different issues come up when you pull back and take a look from a different perspective.”

The organic approach continued as the filmmakers brought along a skeleton crew and then encountered others along the way who, Maurer said, were instrumental in linking us to other people in the community.

“We were just on the ground, learning as we went • The Voice of the Village •

along. It was a very guerrilla kind of project. There were so many things that came up and we wanted to cover, but obviously we can’t talk about everything,” said Maurer. “All of the questions and issues that are in the film are the ones that we kept coming back to because you can see how things were interconnected, the themes of poverty cycles, migration cycles, the harvest season. You could trace it like a mad scientist map of how all the issues connected.”

The filmmakers were aware that all of those issues have been covered in everything from news stories to documentaries to TV shows. Which is why Invisible Valley doesn’t come off as an exercise in advocacy.

“We didn’t want to make a classic sort of villainvs-good guy film that is such a trope these days,” McMillan agreed. “Sure, that’s really compelling, but it also didn’t feel valid for this project because there’s so much more nuance to it. But that creates a whole new subset of problems because if you’re not following that structure, what do you do?

What’s the point of making it? Where does the audience member go at the end?”

McMillan answered his own questions by pointing out that the goal became raising questions without criticizing any particular group, even noting in the film that the festivalgoers also save up and sacrifice to make the journey to the festival, which has become as much about community as music.

“We wanted to take a look at personal responsibility, what our actions mean, and how looking at what we do can lead in a very real way to something more seemingly esoteric or vague, like the idea that we’re all interconnected,” McMillan said.

That’s where the Salton Sea came in, McMillan said, noting that it served as a metaphor to combine people from different backgrounds, tying them together through “an exogenous force coming in that creates stakes for everybody and really does imply a connection that isn’t visible.”

What is visible is the cinematography that ranges from action shots at the music festival; hand-held documenting of one poor family’s struggles; snippets of the Read with Me program; the dedication of a new homeless shelter for the migrant workers; sun-lit close-ups and wide angles of the farmworkers climbing palm trees to gather dates; and stunning aerial vistas showing just how short the distance lies between opulent communities and run-down neighborhoods.

Somehow, it all comes together to tell what amounts to a fascinating view of one area just two hours southeast of Santa Barbara.

Which was something of a surprise to the filmmakers, too.

“The whole time, we kept wondering, ‘Is this gonna work?’” Maurer admitted. “For a lot of the time during editing, I kept thinking, ‘I’m not sure we can make a coherent film out of this.’ But it came together once we had the idea of seeing like a diary of our experience down there, a document of what we saw, who we met and opened their homes to us to share their stories, and the themes and ideas that came up for Zach and me. The seasons seemed like a way to anchor it.”

McMillan and Maurer aren’t sure where the film is headed after its world premiere at SBIFF on March 31, when it will enjoy evening showings at both beachside screens at SBCC, as well as online.

The festival circuit is likely, but that may depend on how the audience reacts, whether online or by honking their horns as the credits roll down by the drive-in at the beach.

The filmmakers are flying in for opening night, so they’ll be able to hear.

•MJ MONTECITO JOURNAL

39

Our Town (Continued from page 36 36))

most incredible artist, and that there is art all around us. All you need to do is stare at the precision with which a cactus has been designed. I’m creating a piece right now inspired by Lotusland and have been humbled by the magnificent colors and shapes. This is just to say that there is artwork all around us, that art inspires and allows us to dream. Art is always a plus.

How do the arts influence the human condition?

The arts elevate the human condition. Allowing ourselves to be transported by a piece of music, a verse of poetry or a painting can stir emotions deep inside of us like wonder, empathy, and love. I get that feeling when I listen to Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.”

Or when I walk into the new architectural wonder that Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin are building in Montecito, all curves and majestic views. Accessing these emotions inspire us to become more sensitive and empathetic human beings.

Baret hosts children with COVID precautions at her studio (photo by Melody Delshad)

Baret at her loft studio in 2021 (photo by Isaac Hernandez)

How do you stay creative and inspired?

I am never not inspired. When I was younger, my mom always encouraged me to use all of my senses, and it’s something that is just a part of who I am. I see inspiration all around me.

way, and my artwork doesn’t either.

One thing I will say about not having attended art school is that I’m free to discover and create however I’m inspired to. I’ve painted on paper, canvas, wood, cigar boxes, ceramics.

While I’m perhaps more recognized for my portraits, there is something so organic and freeing about creating the abstract pieces. My work is just a reflection of all the parts of me, whether it be serious or playful.

Are you typecast into a genre or medium?

I’ve never fit inside a box in any

The use of text in your portraits?

Everything I do is organic, I usually don’t second guess myself, some

Mini Meta

What is your dream art project?

I love collaborations. My dream Last Week’s Solution:

By Pete Muller & Andrew White For each of the first five mini crosswords, one of the entries also serves as part of a five-word meta clue. The answer to the meta is a word or phrase (five letters or longer) hidden within the sixth mini crossword. The hidden meta answer starts in one of the squares and snakes through the grid vertically and horizontally from there (no diagonals!) without revisiting any squares.

PUZZLE #1 1

pieces lend themselves to an added element or dimension, like my portrait of Lincoln would have been fine on his own, but the Gettysburg Address text frames him so visually and his words are everlasting beyond his life. The people I choose to paint are known for their words, so for example Cesar Chavez’s words and deeds remain with us today. The text is the portrait is an elevation of their words, to be held up and celebrated, to encourage the viewer to learn more about these people.

The fact the text hand is handwritten creates more time investment in people to get a sense of what I am talking about; they say handwritten text takes longer to read.

2

3

4

T E A S E

R E L A X

I R E N E

M S I E X A E S

EERIE

S P I E L

WA I L N I D G Y N

P A F G O A R N

EDGAR

F E A S T Q A L

O R A T E

A L L A N

ALLEN

M Y E R S

C H R O P O P OWE E N D

6

7

7

8

8

8

3

4

5

Across 1 Police dept. alert 4 Paper or plastic choice 6 Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed 7 Politician Ralph who was a pioneer in car safety 8 A, B, or C

Down 1 Doing battle 2 "The Devil Wears ___" 3 Like the beans in an English breakfast 4 Did a number?

5 Existed in the past

1

2

Across 1 Work well (with) 5 Gambling destination on the South China Sea 6 High up 7 Scrabble squares 8 Locks

1

6

4

7

7

7

8

8

8

9

9

9

Across 1 Retired Green Bay quarterback Favre 6 Red, Orange, or Yellow, e.g.

7 Sheepish?

8 Dapper 9 One divided into orders, taxonomically

Down 1 Rodeo ride, informally 2 DC, to Marvel 3 "Don't cry for me" singer 4 Camp sights 5 Shots made from behind the arc, slangily

40 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Across 1 Executed 4 Excludes 7 Something to talk about 8 He solved the "Seven Bridges of Königsberg" problem in 1735 9 Level

3

H O O D

D O V E S

↓

→

↓

T H A N E

V E R S E

→

↓

←

←

D Y E D

THERAVEN

4

Down 1 Elder Obama sister 2 Cause for a food recall 3 Not as risky 4 Have the ___ for 5 Summer activity?

6

Down 1 Is quite lovey-dovey 2 Rejection heard often on "Shark Tank" 3 Producer nominated for two Album of the Year Grammys in 2017 5 Level 6 Do some crystal gazing

2

5

Across 1 Actor Braff of "Scrubs" 5 "Snowy" wader 7 Cutting edge 8 Tears 9 Really bugged

3

4 6

Down 1 Alphabet book closer, often 2 Shoelace tip 3 One doing the heavy lifting?

4 Ibsen's Gabler 6 Word after drug or acid

“In my head, the sky is blue, the grass is green and cats are orange.” – Jim Davis

What is your advice for your artist peers going forward?

My advice for fellow artists is to keep putting one foot in front of the other. No matter how much self-doubt and insecurity, I’ve learned that taking even the smallest action is always helpful. Also, practice gratitude, don’t compare yourself to others, and try looking for the positive side in everything. You can’t control anything, but you can control how you deal with what happens, and that will make all the difference. It isn’t always easy making a living as an artist but remember that great, transformative art isn’t about how much money you make. You have a voice, and it’s yours to share.

How are you giving back/paying it forward?

I have been blessed by the generosity of others. When I first moved to Santa Barbara, Merryl Brown introduced me to the most brilliant women in town, and now I have something I’ve never had before: a sense of community. In turn, I look for opportunities to help in any way that I can. Just being present for someone is one of the greatest gifts you can give, just letting someone be seen and heard.

META PUZZLE

3 5

2

S E E M

5

PUZZLE #5 5

A N D R E

POEM PUZZLE #3

3

6

PUZZLE #4

B A L O O

1

2

7

2

B L I M P

PUZZLE #2

6

1

A C T S

1 4

Down 1 "The ___ Sense" (Bruce Willis film) 2 Super-duper 3 Character with a 2020 "Subsequent Moviefilm" 4 "Don't go!"

5 Exterminator's target

D O N O R

POE

5

Across 1 Benchwarmers 5 Amelia Earhart or Sully, e.g.

6 Like guacamole at Chipotle, say 7 Animal shelter rescue, often 8 "Anything but ___!"

A L I T O

would be to collaborate on some kind of social justice platform and see my work encouraging conversation and inspiring the kind of creative activism that would lead to social, economic, and environmental justice.

What is next for you?

I am busy with so many projects!

First is finishing the latest portrait in my “Inspiring Greatness” series, the brilliant young Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. I have to finish a piece for the Lotusland art show at Grayspace gallery in April, and after that I’m going to work on delivering three new pieces in May to PORCH’s beautiful new shop in Summerland. I also have some family portraits I can’t reveal at the moment but about which I’m very excited.

411: www.baretboisson.com FB: Baret Boisson Art IG: @baretboisson

•MJ

25 March – 1 April 2021

Village Beat (Continued from page 12 12)) re-asphalt the driveways as part of the project so that drainage remains intact and that water won’t erode the decomposed granite,” Sneddon said.

Listed in the 1992 Montecito Community Plan as a top priority for Montecito, the idea of building walking paths to make Montecito a walkable community had been unrealized until the San Ysidro Road “meandering” walking path was approved and built in 2011. Sneddon, who was the project manager on that project, says the new upper Hot Springs Path is not suitable for meandering. He reports that nearby property owners have been notified of the project, and that their concerns thus far include needing to move plantings and mailboxes that are located in the public right-of-way. “Most people have been enthusiastic about it, and grateful that they will have a pathway to use to get around Montecito,” Sneddon said. No trees are planned for removal at this point, and the County says they will try and work around any trees that are in the way of the path.

The half-mile road and pathway portion of the project is expected to cost close to $600K; the bridge rail replacement, which will begin in July, is expected to cost $450K. Maintenance of the pathways has yet to be determined; the County maintains the San Ysidro Road pathway, but, according to Sneddon, the resources are not available to take on the most recently-built pathways.

“This was a situation where we needed to move quickly to get the funding in place, and we need to figure out details later,” Sneddon said.

Electric Bikes Coming to Coast Village Road

At their monthly board meeting on Thursday, March 18, the Coast Village Association Board of Directors heard from Jesse Rosenberg, General Manager of Santa Barbara BCycle, as she pitched the group on bringing electric bicycle docking stations to Coast Village Road. The private bike share company has been working with the City of Santa Barbara for the last year on bringing an electric bicycle share program to Santa Barbara; the first phase of docking stations, which includes 134 stations and 67 bikes, were installed on State Street and surrounding streets on the east and west sides of the city in February.

“We’ve had quite a bit of demand and interest from local residents who want to see the docks on Coast Village Road,” Rosenberg said, adding that e-bike ridership brings more people to local businesses where docks are located. The company’s goal is to provide accessibility for all, offer a viable transit option to vehicles which helps to alleviate parking and traffic 25 March – 1 April 2021

BCycle dock stations are being considered for Coast Village Road, following installation of stations in downtown Santa Barbara and along the waterfront

An identified location in front of 1255 Coast Village Road would be home to two stations

the closest open spot. We are doing a lot of messaging and rider education to combat this, and riders are charged if they leave the bike not on a dock.”

The Board also suggested alternative, or additional, locations on Coast Village Road including at the intersection of Middle Road and in Montecito Country Mart. “The Board is receptive and enthusiastic to bringing e-bikes to the street,” said CVA Board President Bob Ludwick.

After the City Council approves the preliminary locations of the docking stations, the company will be in touch with business owners and property owners to educate them about the bikes and program. The company also has plans to expand the program in the Funk Zone, the Mesa, and in the Mission area.

For more information visit santabar bara.bcycle.com.

State of Our Schools

Around the corner, the area in front of 1284 Coast Village Circle has also been identified; this location would hold four docks

issues, and connect different areas of the city. The City Council recently approved the docking stations, as well as two membership kiosks, for Santa Barbara’s waterfront; those stations are expected to be installed late summer. Another docking station on Milpas Street near the new Sprouts location will open this week.

Rosenberg reported that her team had identified two docking locations for the Coast Village area: One in front of 1255 Coast Village Road (Plaza Montecito, home to Berkshire Hathaway and the Honor Market), and around the corner at 1284 Coast Village Circle. The first location would have two docks and the second would have four, all located in the public right-of-way. “Basically it’s up to us to identify the sites we think would be successful, and then we let our partners at the City know. Then we do outreach to nearby businesses and residents, to let them know what we want to do,” Rosenberg said.

The docks have their own electric battery, which lasts about four to six months before needing replacement.

The bikes’ batteries last about 30 miles before needing to be recharged; they

feature a Bosch system that provides support up to 17 MPH. Riders can also choose to ride unassisted, or, if the battery dies, the bike will work without the assist.

Riders are encouraged to wear helmets, although helmets are not provided by the company. All new riders who purchase an annual membership will get $20 off the purchase of a helmet at Bicycle Bob’s or FasTrack Bicycles. Riders assume all liability, which was a concern brought up by the CVA Board of Directors. Membership options include an annual membership of $150, a monthly membership of $30 (both options offer unlimited 30-minute trips), or daily use riders who can pay $7 for a 30-minute ride.

Other concerns brought up by the Board: that riders may leave the bicycles at random locations on the street, rather than finding a dock to drop them off, which is what happened with electric scooters that were launched – and later, banned – in Isla Vista and Goleta several years ago. “You can’t just leave it anywhere, it has to be docked,” Rosenberg responded. “If for some reason you can’t find an open location, the app will tell you

• The Voice of the Village •

Next Tuesday, March 30, Santa Barbara Unified School District Superintendent Hilda Maldonado will share the status of the district’s schools. The presentation is hosted by the Santa Barbara Education Foundation and sponsored by Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, LogMeIn, UCLA Health, DA Davidson, KBZ Architects, HohbachLewin, Oniracom, and Lazy Acres.

The virtual event features a presentation followed by a Q&A session.

This will be an opportunity for the community to learn about the current State of our Schools during this challenging school year.

The Zoom meeting is from 9:30 am to 10:30 am next Tuesday, March 30.

Reservations, which are required, can be made at www.sbefoundation.org/ state-of-our-schools-tickets. This event is free.

•MJ

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MONTECITO JOURNAL

41

The Giving List

by Steven Libowitz

Feeding Our Community:

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County Adjusts to Meet Our COVID Needs

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is looking for a permanent home in the South County, currently operating out of a transformed firehouse

Since COVID hit Santa Barbara County, the Foodbank has supplied 18,421,361 pounds of food

that capacity and scale up.”

That included finding ways of storing and moving much more food than before, which the Foodbank solved temporarily by borrowing two additional warehouses to augment its current facilities.

But that didn’t solve how to find people who weren’t familiar with how the program worked.

“That was a real challenge, having to identify a system where people could indicate they needed food delivered so we could plan routes and get volunteers to drive those routes and make sure that they received food in a safe fashion,” Talkin said.

o say that the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County has been busy is an understatement – the nonprofit distributed 9,708,944 pounds of food over the course of a year, including some four million-plus pounds of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Sounds like a lot, right?

Sure, but that’s the year preceding the COVID crisis in California.

From March 9, 2020, to March 8, 2021, the Foodbank doled out 18,421,361 pounds of food, including just shy of eight million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.

To get there, it took an operational plan to place a priority on both feeding the county, but also doing it safely for all involved.

When the pandemic began to pervade Santa Barbara County in mid-March 2020, it resulted in an increase in need for healthy sustenance due to the mandatory stay-at-home orders, business restrictions, and lockdowns.

This is not to mention the viral infection taking hold, but the Foodbank stepped up – quickly.

Within weeks, the organization whose formal mission is to transform hunger into health by eliminating food insecurity through good nutrition and food literacy, pivoted to abide by the new protocols.

The Foodbank created the Safe Access to Food for Everyone (SAFE) Food Net, working with government disaster response agencies and nonprofits, as well as the education, healthcare, and business sectors to establish more than 50 SAFE Food Net distribution locations.

These sites were in neighborhoods throughout the county so residents could safely find sustenance near their own homes. More than 20 of the locations even offered complete no-contact, drive-thru service for enhanced safety.

Among other programs, Foodbank also launched a home-delivery service that provided 1,500 low-income, high-risk seniors already partaking of its Brown Bag program with boxes of healthy groceries and fresh produce food delivered to their doors. The nonprofit also tripled the program, enrolling more than 3,000 additional seniors in home delivery and adding other households that were experiencing severe medical circumstances.

How was the nonprofit able to respond so rapidly with a massive upscaling to meet the unprecedented demand? The organization isn’t new to disaster, especially two years removed from the Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flow.

“I think we’d become a little bit complacent before the fire and debris flows,” Foodbank CEO Erik Talkin explained. “They enabled us to really rethink our approach and increase our ability to respond to a disaster over a long period of time and avoid staff burnout.”

Of course, the pandemic required a completely different kind of pivoting, he said.

“Obviously foodbanks have been all about trying to get people to come to one place and get large amounts of food at one time. That wasn’t going to work with COVID, where that would be the last thing you would want to do,” Talkin said. “So we had to really upend our model and learn to do new things to build

A First-Time Experience The pandemic produced food insecurity among people who work in the tourism-related services, or even restaurants and other food industries.

These people never imagined they would need this kind of help.

“With the pandemic, so many people need help. It’s affected a wide variety of people. Who are we to say who is the type of person we want to serve? There’s so many people of all sorts who need help,” explained Talkin, who has published Lulu and the Hunger Monster, a children’s picture book that aims to enable kids to feel fine if they or their family needs help with food.

Now that many county residents have already been fully vaccinated, and with increased supply of the three approved vaccines, can we expect the Foodbank to return to its pre-pandemic programs?

Not so fast, said Talkin.

“Although the pandemic is winding down, the need for our services is not realistically going to be dramatically reduced for another 18-24 months,” he said. “People have built up a lot of debt. People are still unemployed or underemployed. And the federal subsidies are coming to an end. All the studies that we’re doing and the national studies from the Congressional Budget Office related to unemployment show there will be a need for emergency food at much larger levels right through most of 2022.”

So, no, the Foodbank won’t be scaling back services in the near term.

And it will be keeping some of the lessons that it has learned, including how it operates educational programs, with some staying online even after it is safe to be in-person.

All this increase in demand and services, of course, means a continued need for financial support – even though the Foodbank continues to turn $1 donations into eight meals.

That’s courtesy of volume purchasing and strong partnerships with farmers and other food partners.

But it does have one need – a new facility in Santa Barbara.

Currently, the Foodbank is working out of a small, converted fire station with no loading dock, causing it to lean heavily on its North County warehouse.

That means it needs to truck all the food down, which Talkin says doesn’t “make sense environmentally.”

“Or worse yet, if there is an earthquake or other disaster and the roads are cut off. So finding land or a location to build a new South County warehouse is a big focus for us at the moment,” Talkin said.

While a donation leading to solving that problem would of course be more than welcome, Talkin noted that everything helps.

“Our greatest need is for the community to engage with us in whatever way they feel comfortable,” he said.

“I’m just amazed at the community’s response and how they’ve supported us already. I think it’s because they know it’s absolutely vital to have a strong Foodbank for a resilient community. That’s how you keep people fed and healthy during a challenge.”

•MJ

T

42 MONTECITO JOURNAL

“My dream in life is to write the one gag that makes everyone in the world laugh.” – Jim Davis

25 March – 1 April 2021

This is ‘Spring Lamb’ Do you really need to eat these babies?

Only weeks old, they are pulled away from their mothers, crying as they are taken to be slaughtered!

“Baby

Stop:

Animal Death”

Please, you can make a difference!

25 March – 1 April 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

43

Nosh Town (Continued from page 14)

sized mimosas are cause for a double-take.

TRE LUNE

E

aster brunch at Tre Lune begins with a fresh squeezed orange juice or mimosa, with plenty of savory dishes to follow. Breakfast is served from 8 am to 11:30 am and lunch and dinner is served noon to 9 pm. Available for dine-in or pick up.

BREAKFAST HIGHLIGHTS: • Italian Benedict featuring prosciutto on rye topped with two poached eggs smothered in hollandaise; • Baked eggs with parmesan, garlic, and parsley; • Farmers’ market vegetable frittatas; • Smoke salmon benedicts; • Bananas Foster French toast.

DINNER HIGHLIGHTS: • Rack of lamb grilled with rosemary and garlic; • Half-chicken roasted with rosemary, garlic, and Portobello mushroom sauce; • Sautéed salmon with lemon and capers; • Additional entrees include king salmon, dover sole, and sautéed sand dabs.

Address: 1151 Coast Village Rd., Montecito, CA 93108 For more information and reservations: 805-969-2646

D’ANGELO BAKERY

D

’Angelo Bakery was created for pastry lovers, highlighted by buttery pastries made with fresh fruit and preserves. You can grab and go, allowing you to enjoy a home celebration.

MEAL HIGHLIGHTS: • D’Angelo Bakery’s popular cinnamon buns; • Plain, chocolate, or almond croissants; • Baguettes, muffins, scones, bagels, and brioche; • Rosemary focaccia; • White and whole wheat Pullman loaves; • Kalamata Olive Bread; • Pumpernickel Rye. Address: 25 West Gutierrez Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 For more information: 805-962-5466

ROSEWOOD MIRAMAR

T

here will be four Easter options along the beach, highlighted by Caruso’s offering an inspired five-course prix fixe meal followed by tableside dessert presentation. Manor House Terrace will offer a traditional Easter brunch with a four-course prix fixe menu.

As for brunch, Caruso’s runs from 11 am to 2:30 pm at $185 per adult, $65 per child ages 4 to 12, complimentary for children under 4 years old. Manor House Terrace Brunch is 11 am to 3 pm at $145 per adult, $45 per child ages 4 to 12, complimentary for children under 4.

BRUNCH HIGHLIGHTS: • Omelet with béchamel sauce and farm greens; • Soft scramble with Passmore Ranch caviar served with toasted brioche and lemon; • Buffalo ricotta pancakes served with blueberry syrup and Chantilly cream; • Dungeness crab eggs benedict with avocado and dressed in choron sauce.

DINNER HIGHLIGHTS: • Cannelloni with buffalo ricotta and spinach; • Ravioli with asparagus and Iberico Ham; • Pan roasted halibut with poached asparagus and crème fleurette; • Wild salmon with peas and heirloom carrots served with a fennel relish.

FOR SWEET TOOTHS: • Lemon meringue tart with raspberry compote; • Apple tarte tatin; • Pastiera Napoletana (Neapolitan Easter cake); • Chocolate mousse stuffed colomba; • Macaron; • Eclair pistachio; • Cannoli; • Easter cookies.

Address: 1759 South Jameson Lane, Montecito, CA 93108 For more information and reservations: 805-900-8388

ANDERSEN’S DANISH BAKERY AND RESTAURANT

E

njoy a European and Nordic menu, with homemade sausage, country potatoes, and fresh large eggs, or you can go with homemade pastries, strudels, and scones. The Viking-

44 MONTECITO JOURNAL

MEAL HIGHLIGHTS: • Salmon hollandaise; • Oven roasted duck; • Goulash; • Dover sole.

FOR SWEET TOOTHS: For $35, the eatery offers an Easter Package to enjoy at home or gift to friends and family.

It features: • (4) vanilla lemon icing cookies decorated like Easter chicks; • (4) hot cross buns with rum-soaked raisins, fruit, orange and cardamom; • (1) butter ring made with marzipan, vanilla, custard, and butter inside of the flaky layers of the hand-rolled Danish pastry; • (2) Easter Petit-Fours, made with a butter cookie base, raspberry spread, layer of Mazarin cake, real vanilla buttercream, marzipan on top, and dipped in white chocolate.

Address: 1106 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 For more information or reservations: 805-962-5085

EL ENCANTO

S

pend your Easter Sunday with El Encanto’s spring brunch menu served on the outdoor dining terrace overlooking the coast. El Encanto’s new executive chef Bruno Lopez has curated the dynamic menu of savory and sweet dishes. Brunch begins at 10 am, with the annual Easter Egg Hunt starting at 9 am. Brunch is $95 per adult, $45 per child 12 years and under, exclusive of tax and gratuity. The Egg Hunt is $250 per family, inclusive of 10 high-res digital family portraits.

BRUNCH HIGHLIGHTS: • Smoked salmon; • Beet napoleon; • Ceviche in radicchio; • Deviled eggs on frisée; • Butternut squash pancake with a seasonal berry compote; • House-made granola with maple syrup.

DINNER HIGHLIGHTS: • Roasted rack of lamb served with a garlic flan rosemary jus and spring English peas; • Grilled cauliflower steak with curry coconut cream garnished with amaranth garnet red.

FOR SWEET TOOTHS: • A two-tier presentation of mini pastries ranging from key lime meringue tarts to an assortment of macarons.

Address: 800 Alvarado Place, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 For more information or reservations: 805-845-5800

BRISTOL FARMS

B

ristol Farms offers a nice selection of catering options for Passover and Easter with pick-up or delivery options. You can also snag colorful florals, such as tulips and lilies. Delivery, set up, and staffing is available. Orders must be received by April 1 at 4 pm for Easter orders.

PASSOVER MEAL HIGHLIGHTS: • Angus beef brisket slow cooked in red wine and herbs; • Wild-caught poached salmon filet in white wine and lemon served with dill sauce; • Chopped chicken liver with onions, eggs, and seasonings; • Matzo ball soup with chicken, carrots, and celery; • Carrot kugel with matzo, eggs, and mixed nuts; • Root vegetable stew with oranges and prunes.

EASTER MEAL HIGHLIGHTS: • Bone-in honey glazed spiral ham; • Slow-roasted prime rib roast; • Wild-caught salmon filet; • Deep-dish quiche Florentine, Lorraine, or broccoli and cheese; • Risotto with cremini, Shitake, and white mushroom risotto sautéed in white wine.

• Scalloped potatoes layered with Swiss and gruyere cheese, béchamel sauce, and fresh herbs and glazed baby carrots.

FOR SWEET TOOTHS: • Lemon meringue pie; • Lemon cupcakes; • Cake pops; • Customized Easter baskets also available.

“There is never a need to outrun anything you can outwit.” – Jim Davis

25 March – 1 April 2021

DINE OUTSIDE |TAKE-OUT Montecito Journal wants to let readers know who’s offering a taste of winter with take-out and delivery service and outdoor dining.

We encourage you to support your local dining venues and wine boutiques!

COME JOIN US BREAKFAST OR LUNCH OPEN EVERY DAY FRESHLY BAKED BREADS & PASTRIES

D’ANGELO BREAD

7am to 2pm

25 W. GUTIERREZ STREET (805) 962-5466

LUCKY‘S STEAKS - CHOPS - SEAFOOD - COCKTAILS 1279 COAST VILLAGE ROAD (805) 565-7540

FROM OUR TABLE TO YOURS Sunday-Thursday 11:00-8:30 Friday and Saturday 11:00-9:00 1209 Coast Village Road Santa Barbara, CA (805) 565-0642 Address: 3855 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 For more information: 888-726-7271

CONVIVO

E

njoy an oceanside patio brunch at Convivo with all of the traditional favorites that are served here with a Mediterranean twist. Finish your brunch celebration with a stroll on East Beach for the perfect end to your Sunday.

MENU HIGHLIGHTS: • Frittata of fresh mozzarella made with crispy serrano ham and sprinkled with chives; • Slow roasted pork served with fried eggs, grilled sweet peppers, and crispy polenta; • Breakfast croissant with scrambled eggs, white cheddar, avocado, and arugula; • Healthy and delicious Greek yogurt served with honey, seasonal berries, and cashew granola.

FOR SWEET TOOTHS: • The culinary team will be cranking out sticky spiced pecan cinnamon rolls.

Address: 901 East Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 For more information and reservations: 805-845-6789 or convivorestaurant.com

OPAL RESTAURANT AND BAR

S

erving up eclectic California cuisine, Opal is offering its regular dinner menu plus a threecourse prix fixe menu for $55 per person (excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity). Priced at $60, the three-course carry out menu differs from the in-house menu and is only available for pickup Sunday, April 4 from 4 pm to 5 pm.

MENU HIGHLIGHTS: • Roasted red beets and grilled pears served on baby arugula and watercress with candied pecans, gorgonzola cheese and dressed in a honey balsamic vinaigrette; 25 March – 1 April 2021

CAFE SINCE 1928

OLD TOWN SANTA BARBARA

GREAT FOOD STIFF DRINKS GOOD TIMES SUNDAY THRU THURSDAY 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 7:00 AM -12:00AM

Best breakfast in Santa Barbara

• Braised Asian BBQ short ribs with a pinot noir reduction on butternut squash puree, served alongside baby root vegetables; • Macadamia crusted fresh Atlantic halibut dressed in an orange citrus sauce, served over basmati rice with seasonal vegetables.

TO-GO MENU HIGHLIGHTS: • Filet mignon with a port wine marsala wild mushroom cream sauce; • Vegetable napoleon, a gorgonzola potato cake layered with grilled eggplant and sautéed spinach and mushrooms; • Grilled salmon with lemongrass dressed in a Thai curry sauce and served over a bed of orange zest basmati rice alongside julienne vegetables.

FOR SWEET TOOTHS: • Organic strawberry cheesecake with fresh berry coulis.

Address: 1325 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 For more information and to order: (805) 966-9676

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

•MJ

45

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING (805) 565-1860 ESTATE/SENIOR SERVICES THE CLEARING HOUSE, LLC

ITEMS FOR SALE TRESOR 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

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 MOVING MISS DAISY

Total Massage Therapy 805-881-2426 Former Pro athlete and trainer Roger T Thomsen Certified Covid free. Skilled massage plus CBD. Injury prevention and rehabilitation. 90 minute in house special $85.

SPECIAL SERVICES

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

For sale burial plot #586 CEMETERY 901 Block D , Channel Drive 805 448-1269

ORDAINED MINISTER All Types of Ceremonies. “I Do” your way. Short notice, weekends or holidays.

Sandra Williams 805.636.3089

My Riviera Life a Santa Barbara Company since 2017 now available at Lazy Acres.

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 WRITING SERVICES Accomplish Something Exceptional While Sheltering at Home Preserve your life story! The story of a person’s life, told properly, is a marvel.

It can be preserved as family treasure, or it can fade away. I write biographies and autobiographies, producing beautiful books that are thorough, professional, distinctive, impressive and entertaining. Many of my projects are gifts to honor beloved parents or spouses. I also assist with memoirs or other books.

David Wilk (805) 455-5980 wilkonian@sbcglobal.net.

Excellent references. www.BiographyDavidWilk.com

46 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Complete Playboy Collection www.myplayboycollection.com

PHYSICAL TRAINING Fit for Life REMOTE TRAINING AVAILABLE Customized workouts and nutritional guidance for any lifestyle.

Individual/group sessions. Specialized in corrective exercise – injury prevention and post surgery.

House calls available. Victoria Frost- CPT & CES 805-895-9227

$8 minimum

WHO DO YOU TRUST WHEN SELLING YOUR VALUABLES? CARES, Compassionate & Reliable Estate Solutions is an INDEPENDENT LUXURY SELLING SERVICE providing smart strategic selling options for your valuables in today’s most lucrative markets, helping you retain the profits from your jewelry, fine watches, fine art, silver, sculpture, wine, coins, memorabilia, and rare classic cars and motorcycles. Dana is a Graduate Gemologist with over 30 years of experience buying and selling luxury property. CALL TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION (310) 736-5896 or email Dana@EstateCaresLA.com

THE KEY TO INNER PEACE IN THE PANDEMIC is seeing that you are NOT this ego “I” that worries, doubts, and suffers, and - above all - that comesand-goes, but rather the luminous awareness or presence that is always here. Private Skype/Zoom sessions with nondual awakening teacher Jim Dreaver, author of END YOUR STORY, BEGIN YOUR LIFE (available at Paradise Found Bookstore), and the new UNTRIGGERABLE. Guaranteed results, first session by donation.

Call 310-916-4037, visit www.jimdreaver.com or email jdreaver@aol.com EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Organize receipts for taxes, pay bills, write checks, reservations, scheduling. Confidential.

Semi-retired professional.

Excellent references.

Sandra (805) 636-3089.

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

It’s Simple. Charge is $2 per line, each line with 31 characters.

Minimum is $8 per week/issue. Photo/logo/visual is an additional $20 per issue.

Email text to frontdesk@montecitojournal.net or call (805) 565-1860 and we will respond with a cost.

Deadline for inclusion is Monday before 2 pm.

We accept Visa/MasterCard/Amex “He who fills His pockets with the Rocks of Misdeeds shall surely sink in the River of Good Fortune.” – Jim Davis

Respectful & Employed SB Couple Seeking Part-Time Private Property Caretaking in Exchange for Accommodation! Clean, organized and trustworthy.

Call Alexa & Matt @ 805-451-8404.

Over 25 Years in Montecito

Over25 25Years YearsininMontecito Montecito Over

MONTECITO MONTECITO MONTECITO ELECTRIC ELECTRIC ELECTRIC

EXCELLENTREFERENCES R EFERENCES EXCELLENT EXCELLENT REFERENCES • Repair Wiring • Wiring • Repair Repair Wiring • Inspection • Electrical Remodel Wiring • Remodel Wiring • • New New Wiring • Wiring New Wiring • • Landscape LandscapeLighting Lighting • Landscape Lighting • • Interior InteriorLighting Lighting • Interior Lighting

(805) 969-1575 969-1575 (805) 969-1575 (805) STATE LICENSE STATE LICENSENo. No.485353 485353

STATE LICENSE No. 485353 MAXWELLL. HAILSTONE MAXWELLL. HAILSTONE MAXWELL L. HAILSTONE East Valley Road, Suit 147 1482 East Valley Road, Suit 147 1482 East Valley Road, Suite 147 Montecito, California 93108 Montecito, California 93108 Montecito, California 93108

www.montecitoelectric.com www.montecitoelectric.com 25 March – 1 April 2021

ADVERTISE IN THE LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY (805) 565-1860 WE BUY BOOKS

The Tile Studio

Historical Paintings Vintage Posters Original Prints

HAND PAINTED CUSTOM TILE

BY SHERYL WHEELER

805-962-4606

MURALS & SIGNAGE FOR HOME AND BUSINESS

FAST TURN AROUND - QUALITY GUARANTEED

www.wheelertilestudio.com (805) 965-9501

info@losthorizonbooks.com

LOST HORIZON BOOKSTORE now in Montecito, 539 San Ysidro Road

Just Good Doggies Loving Pet Care in Our Home

$50 a night Carole (805)452-7400 carolebennett@mail.com Free Pick-up & Drop-off with a week’s stay or more Come play and romp in the Santa Ynez Valley WANTED TO BUY

REAL ESTATE WANTED

Vintage and Better quality costume jewelry. Victorian to Now including silver and ethnic/tribal jewelry and beads. Call Julia (805) 563-7373

Local PP wants to purchase SFR; or 2 to 4 units with FHA financing; or lease with option; or seller financing. 805538-1119 or JBG PO Box 3963; SB, Calif. 93130.

Asian antiques including porcelain, jade, snuff bottles, jewelry, silver, textiles, bronzes, etc.

Call Julia (805) 563-7373

DONATIONS NEEDED Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary Menagerie 2340 Lillie Avenue

Summerland CA 93067 (805) 969-1944 Donate to the Parrot Pantry!

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

Volunteers Do you have a special talent or skill?

Do you need community service hours?

The flock at SB Bird Sanctuary could always use some extra love and socialization. Call us and let’s talk about how you can help. (805) 969-1944 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED K-9 PALS need volunteers to be foster parents for our dogs while they are waiting for their forever homes. For more information info@k-9pals.org or 805-570-0415.

CA$H ON THE SPOT CLASSIC CARS RV’S • CARS SUV • TRUCKS ! u o y o t e m o c e MOTORHOMES W 702-210-7725 25 March – 1 April 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

47

TA K E A V I R T U A L T O U R T O D AY

© 2021 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHHS and the BHHS symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources and will not be verified by broker or MLS. Buyer is advised to independently verify the accuracy of that information.

BHHSCALIFORNIA.COM

296 LAS ENTRADAS DR, MONTECITO UPPER 6BD/11BA • $26,500,000 Nancy Kogevinas, 805.450.6233 LIC# 01209514

1147 HILL RD, MONTECITO LOWER 4BD/5BA • $10,950,000 Nancy Kogevinas, 805.450.6233 LIC# 01209514

663 LILAC DR, MONTECITO UPPER 5BD/9BA • $7,950,000 Cristal Clarke, 805.886.9378 LIC# 00968247

210 BUTTERFLY LN, MONTECITO 5BD/6+(2)½BA • $7,500,000 Daniel Encell, 805.565.4896 LIC# 00976141

920 CAMINO VIEJO, MONTECITO 4BD/4½BA • $6,250,000 Daniel Encell, 805.565.4896 LIC# 00976141

2109 STRATFORD PL, MONTECITO LOWER 3BD/3½BA • $4,595,000 Cristal Clarke, 805.886.9378 LIC# 00968247

2081 CHINA FLAT RD, MONTECITO LOWER 4BD/4½BA • $4,295,000 Cristal Clarke, 805.886.9378 LIC# 00968247

595 FREEHAVEN DR, MONTECITO 5BD/4½BA • $3,950,000 Nancy Kogevinas / Ken Switzer, 805.450.6233 LIC# 01209514 / 01245644

1424 LA VEREDA LN, MONTECITO LOWER 4BD/5BA • $3,795,000 The Easter Team, 805.453.7071 LIC# 00917775

1121 CIMA LINDA LN, MONTECITO 4BD/3½BA • $3,295,000 Nancy Kogevinas, 805.450.6233 LIC# 01209514

1382 PLAZA PACIFICA, MONTECITO LOWER 2BD/2½BA • $2,795,000 Cristal Clarke, 805.886.9378 LIC# 00968247

1094 TORO CANYON RD, MONTECITO UPPER 45±acs • $850,000 Jody Neal / Kathy Strand Spieler, 805.895.6326 LIC# 01995725 / 00851281

@BHHSCALIFORNIA