Pivoting Past the Pandemic

MJ WRITING CONTEST

#4

28 May - 4 June 2020 Vol 26 Issue 22

SERVING MONTECITO AND SUMMERLAND

Quarantine getting you down?

Enter our Haiku contest and win prizes, details p. 44

PIVOTING PAST THE PANDEMIC

COMPLEX WATER WORLD, PART 2

Mitchell Kriegman looks at how Coast Village Road is poised for post-pandemic success, p.6

How Floyd Wicks and Tobe Plough joined forces in 2016 to take control of Montecito’s water district, p.8

REAL ESTATE RECOVERS

ROUND & ROUND

Despite low inventory and fewer sales, prices are up and out-of-town buyers are flocking to Montecito, p.12

MPC spends countless hours discussing the most significant Montecito land use and traffic project in decades, p.20

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MONTECITO JOURNAL

28 May – 4 June 2020

Congratulations DANA ZERTUCHE & LORI BOWLES

ON THEIR EXCEPTIONAL SELLER REPRESENTATION OF 1050 COLD SPRINGS ROAD LISTED AT $11,950,000

DANA ZERTUCHE & LORI BOWLES 805.565.8198 www.MONTECITO.associates C O L D W E L L B A N K E R RE ALT Y

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The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2020 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

3

Inside This Issue 5 Editorial

Feature Story

The author has an It’s A Wonderful Life moment at his local branch of American Riviera Bank

On the Record

It’s a good year for bees, but you could help make it a better one

What Gemini season has in store for us

Four restaurants offering delicious, comforting food during this time

Leslie A. Westbrook talks to Summerland locals

Wearing a mask is not political, it’s just the right thing to do

Coast Village Road is poised for success post-COVID

6 8

Montecito water supply in better shape than it has been in a while – but the bar was not high

11 Letters to the Editor

A collection of communication from readers Carolee Krieger, Shelley Badat, Dana Newquist, Eileen White Read, LeeAnn Morgan, Jack L. Sanford, and W Naylor

16 Real Estate

Despite the pandemic, Montecito’s real estate market remains strong

18 People of Montecito

Lynn of Montecito Flowers

20 Village Beat

Montecito Planning Commission meets for almost 12 hours discussing roundabout

23 On Entertainment

Santa Barbara Symphony under new management

Brilliant Thoughts

Ashleigh Brilliant reminiscences about growing up between World Wars… and how it prepared him for life

24 Zip up Your Zoom

26 Perspectives

Garrett Blair offers video conferencing training courses

The Daily Optimist 27 A Good Sign 28 Nosh Town

31 Summerland Buzz 32 Eat Drink Garden

Culinary Queen Valerie Rice gives tips on your COVID victory garden

36 Fowl Play

Missing Montecito ducks seem to have taken early retirement

Part one of Joanne Calitri’s series on 5G in Santa Barbara

40 Our Town

42 Dewey Nicks + Autotype Scholarship

Local photog with international reputation is giving back with mentorship, scholarship

45 Winners of the Montecito Journal Visual Arts Contest 46 Classified Advertising

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

47 Local Business Directory

Smart business owners place business cards here so readers know where to look when they need what those businesses offer

1235 COAST VILLAGE ROAD I 805.969.0442 I NOW OPEN FOUR SEASONS RESORT THE BILTMORE SANTA BARBARA 805.969.3167 I MONTECITO, CA 93108 W W W . S I LV E R H O R N . C O M

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MONTECITO JOURNAL

28 May – 4 June 2020

Editor’s Letter

by Gwyn Lurie CEO and Executive Editor of the Montecito Journal Media Group

Masks Matter. As Do You.

T

he cover of this week’s Sunday New York Times was stunning in its simplicity, yet powerful in its portrayal of the gravity of this moment. The headline: “U.S. DEATHS NEAR 100,000, AN INCALCULABLE LOSS” loomed above a thousand names of human beings, in tiny print, one after another, row after row – a newsprint version of the Vietnam Memorial, but for our current pandemic. And yet the names represented just one percent of the U.S. death toll (so far) in the coronavirus pandemic.

Indeed, the loss seems incalculable. But in fact, it’s not. So, the Times staff took on the laborious and painful project of identifying as many of the COVID-19 casualties as possible, listing the names that could fit on their pages and eulogizing those lives lost. 1,000 is a lot of people. 100,000 is even harder to fathom.

So many lives… Old lives. Young lives. Black lives. Brown lives. White lives.

Lives. Great-grandparents. Grandparents. Mothers and fathers. Husbands and wives. Sisters and brothers. Sons and daughters. Grandchildren. Rich people.

Poor people. People.

Having one’s name on the cover of the New York Times is not something most people expect or even necessarily want, but at least it’s recognition of a life lived – something in a tragedy that for many has turned death, life’s most intimate, existentially profound moment, into a ceremoniless experience marked by loneliness and anonymity.

When my father died four years ago, it was, in many ways, the saddest day of my life; but it was also, in its way, supremely poignant. I, along with my mother, my siblings, our spouses and our kids, stood around my father’s hospital bed, holding his hand, telling him how much we loved him. We played his favorite song. A rabbi said the Mourner’s Kaddish – a Hebrew prayer recited for mourning though it makes no mention of death. I know that to have that prayer recited

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28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

5

Coast Village Road’s New Moment in the Sun

by Mitchell Kriegman

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ontecito may oddly benefit from California’s postCOVID grand reopening.

Coast Village Road may be one of the few dining, shopping, and hotel areas that is elegant, energetic, and well-designed for the next new normal. You know the Pandemic New Normal – that’s the normal after the Debris Flow New Normal and that other new normal after the Thomas Fire. Let’s call it New Normal 3.0. If anyone knows how to adjust to a new normal, it’s our nimble business owners along Coast Village Road.

From an engineering perspective, the design and flow of Coast Village Road are almost custom tailored to the new ways we will live, eat, and feel safe in this ever-evolving Alison Hardey, owner operator of Jeannine’s moment. Given the persistence of on Coast Village Road, which is now open for the Coronavirus Pandemic and the business economic fallout across the country, both Coast Village Road and the Upper Village are extremely well positioned as some of the first places visitors will want to go if they are venturing up from Los Angeles to the south and down from San Francisco to the north.

Balancing tranquility and prosperity are front of mind as Montecitans manage their way through the third disaster to strike this area in as many years.

Poised to Survive the Pandemic

Christopher Gallo UBS Financial Services Inc. 222 East Carrillo Street Suite 106 Santa Barbara, CA 93101-7146 805-730-3425 800-262-4774

The Montecito Association Executive Director Sharon Byrne

Montecito, nestled impeccably halfway between the mountains and the sea, and Coast Village Road (CVR) resting just below, beneath a canopy of trees, offer top-level restaurants and one-of-a-kind retail. And with a comfortable walkable scale, both CVR and the Upper Village are already naturally suited for social distancing. With a few added Tivoli lights, sidewalk dining, and reduced traffic at night, it’s easy to imagine a dreamy esplanade that would rival any fun international leisure destination.

Beneath the surface, Coast Village Road has the makings of an unstoppable retail engine. Run by savvy, committed local restaurateurs and a diversified group of shop owners. Fed by five strong nearby hotels, its proximity to some of the best beaches in Southern California are a huge draw.

Independently Owned and Operated

ubs.com/fa/christophertgallo As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, UBS Financial Services Inc. offers both investment advisory services and brokerage services. Investment advisory services and brokerage services are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate arrangements. It is important that clients understand the ways in which we conduct business and that they carefully read the agreements and disclosures that we provide to them about the products or services we offer. For more information, please review the PDF document at ubs.com/workingwithus. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. CIMA® is a registered certification mark of the Investment Management Consultants Association, Inc. in the United States of America and worldwide. ©UBS 2020. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC. D-UBS-FD50BDB2

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Another asset CVR has is a thoughtful, assertive group of independently owned and operated local establishments that comprise the Coast Village Business Association (CVA) that, even with their differences, are doing what they need to do to survive. From K Frank to Allora by Laura, from Lucky’s to Los Arroyos, these are smart merchandisers and restaurateurs who are responsive to their community and to whom Montecito is loyal in kind.

The Montecito Journal’s recent Cash Mob Fundraiser was a great indication of the regard the community has for Coast Village Road and Upper Montecito.

Three hundred and twelve orders were placed, one hundred and sixty-eight from Montecito, thirty from outside Santa Barbara and the rest from Summerland, Carpinteria, and Goleta. Virtually every store with a storefront was represented.

Montecito wasn’t designed for a pandemic, but its tight-knit and loyal community may be a model for how restaurants, retail and second floor businesses survive one.

“I can’t understand why a person will take a year to write a novel when he can easily buy one for a few dollars.” – Fred Allen

COAST VILLAGE ROAD Page 104 28 May – 4 June 2020

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28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

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MONTECITO JOURNAL

7

ON THE RECORD

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

Montecito’s Water Supply Much Improved.

Still Needs Love, Luck, and Lucre An Historic Vote

O

n June 25, the five members of Montecito Water District’s Board of Directors will hold a public hearing – almost certainly to take place via Zoom – to discuss a proposed change in water rates for its customer base of roughly 4,000 Montecito households. The hearing will allow affected ratepayers as well as other members of the public to voice their views on the Board’s proposed plan to enter into a 50-year water supply agreement (WSA) with Santa Barbara that will rely on the city’s water desalination plant to meet 40 percent of Montecito’s annual water needs. Following the scheduled public debate, if the Board votes in favor of the plan, which is estimated to cost about $4 million per year, the new rates for Montecito’s desalinated water supply will become effective on July 1.

Over the past several years, much

has been written in these pages about the Water District’s proposed plan, which became the basis for a heated 2016 political campaign that unseated the Board’s previous leadership amidst an historic, decade-long statewide drought. By all accounts, this campaign was a direct reaction to the prior board’s imposition of emergency water rationing rules and the levying of costly penalties against Montecito’s major water users as well as others who found themselves afoul of the new rules thanks to matters as trivial as a leaky toilet, in a town where 85 percent of the total water supply is used for landscape irrigation as opposed to interior household use.

Last week, the Montecito Journal published the first in a series of articles examining our town’s complex water world and the current board’s proposed agreement with Santa Barbara.

Floyd Wicks, who became president of Montecito’s water board since 2016

Water District Director Tobe Plough, also elected in 2016

That article drew from a variety of sources including former Water Board officials and conservation activists, some of whom strenuously object to the Board’s current plan, alternately arguing that it fails to promote water conservation, is unnecessary, too costly, or all of the above. In this story, we provide an insider’s account of how two individuals with decades of combined experience in engineering and water management effectively took control of Montecito’s water district four years ago with the express purpose of finding a new, local, and reliable source of water for the foreseeable future.

suit by creating the Juncal Dam, which created the town’s first above ground water source, Jameson Lake, which opened in 1930.

By the 1950s, Montecito’s population and water needs had magnified to the point where Jameson Lake was no longer sufficient. In 1958, engineers built the Bradbury Dam and created a second reservoir, Lake Cachuma.

This roughly once-per-generation pattern of finding new water sources was repeated again in 1991, when Montecito and other Santa Barbara County residents voted in favor of joining the State Water Project (SWP), a series of pipelines which were completed in 1968. Along with creating both Castaic Lake and Pyramid Lake as major water reservoirs, the SWP delivered water from Northern California’s Feather River to a series of water districts in the central valley before what’s left of it ultimately dumps into Lake Cachuma.

As history has revealed, however, there are a few problems with all these above ground water sources that have nothing to do with how much water Montecito consumes or conserves or what percentage of that water is used for drinking as opposed to watering lawns. For one thing, reservoir water in Lake Cachuma, as just one example, tends to evaporate roughly 15,000 acre feet of water per year (the amount of

A Saga of Scarcity

At the turn of the last century, the only source of Montecito’s drinkable water was whatever fell from the sky and flooded down the mountain into the town’s underground aquifer, where it could be accessed only by privately-drilled wells. As the town’s population began to grow and a more reliable supply of water was needed, Montecito residents voted in 1921 to form a public agency to obtain more water. A year earlier, the city of Santa Barbara had constructed the Gibraltar Reservoir via a dam project nine miles uphill, which delivered water to the city via the Mission Tunnel. In the first decades of its existence, Montecito’s newly formed water district followed

We are Open!

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ON THE RECORD Page 344

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28 May – 4 June 2020

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28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

9

COAST VILLAGE ROAD (Continued from page 6)

“Coast Village has everything,” remarked Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon, who represents Coast Village Road as part of her Santa Barbara District. “It has sufficient traffic, offset parking, interesting mixed use. It has a grocery store.

That’s one of downtown’s problems. It has a strong association and that could also be a model for State Street. It’s great to focus in on Coast Village.”

The Alarms are Ringing

Make no mistake, however, alarms are ringing. “Economic free fall,” is how Tom Steyer described California’s current economic condition to The New York Times this week. Tom’s now head of the California Economic Recovery Task Force. In some ways, it’s worse than that. Free fall connotes a state of cartoon-like forever falling. But it’s not the fall that kills you, it’s the sudden stop. And there are rocks and dangerous debris along the way everywhere. We are living in an artificial limbo where the effects of the shutdown are on the near horizon. And the compounding consequences of a wide range of “tipping points” lay ahead. Will schools reopen? What will the city and state cutbacks be? Will there be travel? And what will be the compounding effects of those events? Coast Village businesses will have to navigate these factors in one way or another.

The Trickle-Down Reopening

In truth this is a Trickle-Down Reopening. No matter what the State of California says, no matter what Santa Barbara County says, no matter what the City of Santa Barbara says, the Great Reopening doesn’t mean much if both customers and shop staffs don’t feel safe.

Customers can come and go as they please and even choose not to enter a store or restaurant if they don’t feel comfortable. Waiters and shop clerks don’t have that option. Many in the public have already turned a blind eye to mask wearing and other precautions, rationalizing their choices by their own perceived lack of vulnerability or alternative medical theories or even just to show their bias about personal liberties. An inconsiderate customer can wreak havoc on a well thought out reopening plan. For those who feel like it, google Typhoid Mary.

“We’re in the sixth phase of this disaster,” Sharon Byrne, Executive Director of the Montecito Association, commented. “This is the phase that moves from ‘I’m very fearful’ to ‘I’m mad.’ Where it becomes every man for themselves which is where everybody’s making up their own rules.” One of the leaders of Montecito’s recovery during the aftermath of the 2018 Debris Flow, Ms Byrne has learned a thing or two about handling a disaster.

Business owners on Coast Village Road, and owners everywhere, remain responsible for workers and clientele.

If both employees and clientele aren’t safe there is literally no way to continue in business. An owner also has to look at the harsh economics of all those reopening requirements. Depending on the industry, this can mean new expenses for disposable menus, reconsidered packaging, to-go boxes, and those endless purple gloves and face masks, that are already overflowing our landfills, all while operating at 50% Kevin Frank of K Frank toasts the Coast Village Road reopening capacity or less.

It’s with this background understanding that each member of the Coast Village Road Association approaches reopening. A unique factor in Montecito, and why Coast Village Road’s reopening is so important, is the potential favorability of the conditions and the sophistication and focus of the owners involved.

Hope, intelligence and grit are all absolute requirements.

Everyone has their limits for tolerating doom and gloom, but to be clear this isn’t the calm before the storm. In all likelihood these are the last moments to prepare before the approaching whirlwind.

Born in the ‘Sixties

REOPENING We are please to announce that we will be reopening on Thursday, May 28th! We are limiting the amount of people in the store and encourage appointments.

MON-SAT 9:30-5:30 Call 805-565-3415 - Montecito 805-963-5760 - Santa Barbara Curbside service is available.

The store has been completely sanitized and all customer areas, eyewear and equipment will be disinfected between customers. Please wear suitable face coverings when visiting us. All required social distancing protocols are being adhered to for your safety.

We miss you and look forward to seeing you again!

Coast Village Road was spawned in the ‘60s when two entrepreneurs, Mike Towbes and Sherrill Broudy, turned a piece of Old Coast Highway into the hugely prosperous center of the town of Montecito. Settled by the Chumash for over 10,000 years, Montecito was fortuitously ignored by the Spanish. They left the road to the bandits and highwaymen who hid in the oak groves and canyons. As the Italian stonecutters began practicing their trade in the early 1900s, the wealthy health-seeking tourists from the East began buying land and building mansions, attracted to our highly desirable weather and hot springs.

Thus, the uniquely blessed enclave of Montecito was born.

While most of Montecito is unincorporated and governed by the County, just the Coast Village Road section of Montecito was annexed into Santa Barbara City in 1960 when the area experienced a sewer emergency and the locals wouldn’t spring for their own sewage system. As the backflow grew unhealthy and the smell intolerable, the residents and businesses agreed in desperation to join up with Santa Barbara in return for a sewage system. If you’re doubtful of the importance of a robust sewer system, drive down to the Malibu Country Mart and take a good whiff. You’ll understand how desperate times can trigger desperate measures.

While piggybacking on Santa Barbara’s sewer might have seemed like a good choice at the time, today Coast Village Road by many estimates flows not just sewage but over two million dollars of taxes to the City of Santa Barbara and has lost most of its autonomy.

By and large Santa Barbara governs CVR in the same way it does much of Santa Barbara, which has meant typically as a regulator and development inhibitor. Fortunately, as Santa Barbara City management’s stifling economic philosophy has come up against the crisis of the pandemic, it has thankfully begun to radically alter to meet the challenge. This bodes well for Coast Village.

A Competitive Reopening for Businesses

It has become clear to everyone in the business community and finally to the City as well that reopening is a competition with other communities, other hospitality, and other retail centers using a reshuffled deck of limitations and possibilities, especially when the goal is to attract commerce. It will take new ideas, innovative thinking, and the guts to change and survive.

10 MONTECITO JOURNAL

“I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.” – Groucho Marx

COAST VILLAGE ROAD Page 144

28 May – 4 June 2020

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

Water Well Done

G

reat job on the first water piece in last week’s Journal by Nick Schou. Water is very critical for us and a healthy environment but the issues surrounding it can get complicated very quickly. I have been very involved in both our local and statewide water issues for over three decades and it is encouraging to see such a clear comprehensive look at this complex issue. And refreshing to see the truth. Thanks MJ. Carolee Krieger

That Ship Has Sailed

Last week’s May 20th meeting of the Montecito Planning Commission marked the end to our nearly fiveyear Hedgerow Community campaign to try and stop the now “set in stone” roundabout scheduled for the intersection at San Ysidro and North Jameson roads. As Commissioner Susan Keller put it in her disheartened summation at the meeting: “I have to state on behalf of the almost 70 letters in opposition to the roundabout received that I am more than frustrated that this was a fait accompli before it ever came before the MPC.” It turns out that CalTrans, SBCAG, the Board of Supervisors and the Coastal Commission made the San Ysidro roundabout a required element of the 101 widening project years before any of us – homeowners, residents, the Montecito Planning Commission and the Montecito Association – had an opportunity to review or respond to the proposed roundabout in a consequential way.

The Montecito Planning Commission was repeatedly told they would be the “decision making body” in regard to the roundabout but discovered at the meetings in April/May 2020 that the only decision required from them was whether or not to issue a Coastal Development Permit to construct the roundabout, which is pursuant to the Coastal Zoning Ordinance. This decision-making capacity would be appealed to the Board of Supervisors, the very body that mandated the roundabout in the first place.

Commissioner Keller further stated: “I find this an incredible lapse of representation… I find the communication extremely lacking… I find the ignoring of the Montecito Community Plan to be outrageous… that an outside body would make a decision that has to do with our Community Plan 28 May – 4 June 2020

which the Planning Commissioners have all been sworn to uphold, when we had no chance for any meaningful input.

“To everyone who reached out to me, I am sorry… you are out of luck.

That ship has sailed.”

So here is a sampling of what to expect from this project which holds absolutely NO regard for the directives of the Montecito Community Plan whose stated goals are to “maintain and preserve the residential, low density, semi-rural character of Montecito”: • Forty signs which must conform to Caltrans standards.

• Possible crosswalk “chirpers.”

• Nine post lamps – on all night – adjacent to a residential neighborhood, which neither reflects a semi-rural feel nor upholds the Montecito Community Plan of protecting the nighttime sky. MCP CIRL 3.7.1 • A multi-million-dollar 18-month build-out, which is hardly minimal, with add-ons like 7-foot-high berms that block protected ocean and mountain views.

• Fake decomposed pink granite like cement (which Montecito disallows) 8-foot-wide sidewalks. MCP CIRC M 1.1 • Removal of 38 trees and a number of Old Growth Oaks. It will be landscaped, but are we guaranteed the plantings will survive? No one has seen a landscape contract aimed at keeping the new plantings cared for… just look at the vines that were planted along Jameson and the dead palm trees (removed) in the center median of the freeway… or consider the roundabout at Coast Village Road – all the small vegetation has died. What is left are two trees in the center.

And all of this – this massively costly and disruptive project – is based on traffic studies done as far back as 1995, with only piecemeal studies since.

Clearly this project is not being driven by the most recent available traffic data. MCP CM 1.2 This entire scheme fails on traffic design, visual design, sensitivity, subtlety – or even at the very basic level – blending in with the Susan Van Atta-designed real decomposed granite Safe Route to School path.

But for me, the biggest failure lies in allowing the blatant disregard for the

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LETTERS Page 224 • The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

11

Real Estate Remains Strong

Let’s discuss your real estate needs.

by Kelly Mahan Herrick

Susan Pate | Beverly Palmer | Mitch Morehart

A large home office – which has quickly moved up the short list of buyer wants – boasts ocean views from a new listing on Fernald Point Lane

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12 MONTECITO JOURNAL

he real estate market in Montecito and Santa Barbara remains strong, despite major changes to the way properties are marketed and viewed.

Sales in Montecito are up from last year in May; as of press time 16 homes have sold in May, with five full days still left in the month. This is compared to 15 homes sold in May 2019. Median sales price for the month of May is also up from last year: $3.1M compared to $2.8M in May 2019. Median sales price was also up for April, although we saw fewer sales last month – just 12 compared to 20 last year – easily explainable by the sudden stay-at-home order enacted by Governor Gavin Newsom in mid-March. At that time we saw dozens of cancellations of listed properties, and a sharp decline in showings and new escrows.

In the last month we’ve seen a significant uptick in showings in Montecito, and realtors report an influx of buyers from Los Angeles and the Bay Area, directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These buyers are looking for more space, both inside and outside, private yards, pools, and separate offices, and it’s a steady mix of buyers looking for second (or third) homes as well as primary residences. We’ve also seen a massive increase in the need for summer rentals in Montecito, and homes on the beach are the most preferred. Last week, when restaurants and retail businesses were allowed to reopen with restrictions, Montecito was crawling with out-of-towners, desperate for their first taste of “freedom” since the pandemic began.

There are currently 17 homes under contract (in escrow) in Montecito, one of which has been on the market over 600 days! There are six others that have accrued significant time on the market, ranging from 236 days to 389 days. It is very encouraging to see these listings go under contract. I reported on a similar phenomenon following the 1/9 debris flow in January 2018, when five homes sold in Hope Ranch immediately following the mudslide, all of which had been on the market well over 100 days. This means we have a new buyer pool entering the market, scooping up listings that have been sitting for months.

The number of active listings remains low, which was a factor earlier this year before the pandemic. The low number of listings in both Santa Barbara and Montecito directly contribute to the stability of our property values. Right now there are 123 active listings in Montecito, and 19 “coming soon” properties that are listed in the MLS but not actively on the market. This is down about 40% from a normal “spring” selling season in Montecito. We expect that as businesses continue to open up and leisure travel picks up, buyers will only become more active in our market. We also expect that sellers will have an increased confidence level going into the summer months, and we will see more inventory hit the MLS. Property marketing tools have shifted to mostly online. Agents are making the most of virtual and video tours, professional photography, and virtual open houses, as traditional broker’s caravans and public open houses are still

REAL ESTATE Page 164

28 May – 4 June 2020

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1 3 9 8 OAK CR EEK CANYO N RO A D , MO N TEC ITO | $9,950,000 1398OakCreekCanyon.com DINA LANDI

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ROBERT RISKIN

Village Properties Realtors license #01954177 • The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

13

COAST VILLAGE ROAD (Continued from page 10)

“We have to understand we’re in a giant competition now with all of the travel dollars for the West Coast because people are not going to fly to Vegas,” Bob Ludwick, the President of the Coast Village Association, offered. “They’re going to come to Santa Barbara. They’re going to come to Santa Monica. They’re going to come to Ventura. They’re going to come to the beach communities that they can drive to in two to three hours.”

Coast Village Road is comprised of approximately fifty-five buildings, more than twenty-five restaurants, as many as seventy retail establishments, and six hundred residents, with a large number of employees and diverse workers from busboys to title insurers. Everyone’s livelihood is at stake in the massive pivot to reopen. The urgency for change depends on how alarming the crisis is from your point of view.

“How close is your building to the fire, right?” begins Trey Pinner, President of Santa Barbara Property Group, who is also the chairman of the City of Santa Barbara Downtown Parking Committee and Vice President of the Coast Village Business Association. “If your building’s on fire, the alarm seems really big. If you’re two blocks away, it doesn’t seem so big. Theoretically this fire is going off everywhere and we should all be equally alarmed. But unfortunately, everyone has different impacts. If you’re a retailer or a restaurant, these are big alarms. And when you take a look at how this affects the City it’s going to take a long time to recover because we are so heavily impacted by tourists. So, it is a big alarm.”

Changing Paradigms and the Appearance of Parklets

With this many alarms, paradigms change, and a controlled, logical, manageable breaking of old rules can take place.

After the State Street opening, restaurants on Coast Village are already creating “parklets,” the new term for adding physically distant gathering space to public streets in the parking lane adjacent to the curb, designed as an extension of the sidewalk in front of a restaurant to increase capacity – demarcated additions, with approved temporary softscape.

“We already did a parklet on Saturday night,” reports Alison Hardey jubilantly. Alison is the irrepressible operator of Jeannine’s restaurant.

Alison temporarily shuttered two of her establishments – the one downtown and the new one in Goleta [now open] to focus on her Montecito flagship.

The restaurant is a community touchpoint that has provided comfort with “count-on-able” scones, coffee, and fresh simple food that has reassured Montecito through fires, the debris flow, and now. It’s simply unimaginable to think of Montecito without Jeannine’s. And clearly Montecito residents agree, as Jeannine’s was one of the greatest beneficiaries of the Montecito Journal’s Cash Mob. “Our business benefited twenty to thirty percent by having the parklet,” Hardey adds.

“Now that I can space out my tables, I can make it a pleasant experience.

We’ve got to be safe. We’ve been at this a really long time. We’re cognizant of the community. They matter to us, they’re our family. I’m telling you, the parklet was the smartest thing we’ve done. It gave us space. It gave us that social distancing.”

But even with the extra space, Alison’s calculations are still marginal.

“Thirty percent has to be sit-down and thirty percent has to be to-go,” Ms Hardey says, as if the numbers are always in her head. “If you don’t hit that you’re out. Right now, if I think I can do sixty to seventy percent I’ll hang in there, so I’ve got hope.”

The numbers game underlines all her new configurations to save the restaurants that have been a community standard for thirty years since her mother Eleanor founded the bakery.

“Our payroll used to be $200,000 a month. That was for three stores and a bakery. Now we’re getting down to $30,000 a month,” she explains. But because the restaurant business is seasonal, she has also focused on the near future.

“Try me back in September, because the volume goes down, for everybody, it naturally goes down.”

New Ideas and a Sense of Urgency

The Coast Village Association is slated to tackle a host of ideas in meetings this week. They include potentially a greater presence for farmers’ markets, family events on weekends in a Montecito version of the Thursday nights in

COAST VILLAGE ROAD Page 304

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14 MONTECITO JOURNAL

28 May – 4 June 2020

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This spectacular single-level Mediterranean home offers an effortless and luxurious floor plan, which includes a state-of-the-art movie theater, chef’s kitchen and pool cabana, located in the heart of Montecito. Upon entering the elaborate wrought-iron front doors, the living room welcomes you with a large stone fireplace and French doors leading to the trellised patio. 210 Butterfly Lane provides the perfect opportunity to entertain, whether it’s a summer party by the pool or a movie night in your own private theater, this home’s amenities do not disappoint. Each of the spacious bedrooms enjoy an ensuite bathroom, with large windows creating a bright and fresh Mediterranean vibe. The master suite, with dual luxurious baths and walk in closets, is an idyllic place to wake up each day, with French doors leading to the trellised patio and pool/spa, as well as an intimate fireplace and sitting area. This home boasts high quality design, intricate fixtures and a premium location – this home will make living in Montecito convenient to shopping and dining on Coast Village Road, as well as world-class beaches.

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©2020 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. 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.CalDRE#: 00976141

28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

15

REAL ESTATE (Continued from page 12) Awake to the sounds and sight of the ocean from our Home of the Week, 1639 Fernald Point Lane

The home is steps from the sand but also extremely private, a rare combination

not allowed by the California Department of Real Estate. Private showings are permitted but restricted in the number of persons allowed; all property entrants must wear masks and gloves, and sign disclosure forms prior to showings. This has not hindered the eagerness of buyers wanting to see homes, according to local listing agents.

Home of the Week Before this pandemic, home offices weren’t something that every buyer needed or wanted in a new home. Now, a private home office has moved to the top of everyone’s list, as working from home has become not just a luxury, but a necessity. Many out-of-town buyers are envisioning working from home indefinitely, and escaping more urban areas. Home offices have become a necessity, and sellers might want to think about staging one of the bedrooms in their home if there is not an already obvious office space.

Sotheby’s agent Dusty Baker has a listing on Fernald Point that checks a lot of boxes for today’s buyer. Baker reports incredible showing activity, from a mix of both local and out-of-town buyers. Unique in that it is on the sand yet extreme-

ly private, 1639 Fernald Point Lane boasts five bedrooms and seven bathrooms, with a fully equipped guest apartment and an elevator for unhindered accessibility. Tucked away on one of Montecito’s most coveted beachfront lanes, this Cape Cod-style home offers privacy, ocean views, and door-to-sand access. The 4,700+ sq. ft. residence is steps away from Miramar Beach, yet is surrounded by beautiful trees and lush landscaping, which is a rarity in ocean-front real estate.

The bright and airy living room features two-story ceilings, stunning views through a wall of beach-facing windows, and a fireplace for cozy nights in.

The home is an ideal entertaining home, with an expansive deck on which to enjoy the sounds and sight of the ocean, and large gourmet kitchen and butler’s pantry.

At the other end of the main floor, the master bedroom suite offers a luxurious escape with pristine ocean views, a spacious bathroom with walk-in closet space, and a secluded office with room for four workspaces and a view of the ocean. On the second floor are four additional bedrooms, two of which feature ocean views and large French doors leading to walk-out balconies. All four bedrooms include their own ensuite-bathrooms.

The well-appointed property is completed by an elegant circular driveway, an attached two-car garage and portico, and additional off-street parking. The home is listed for $9,900,000. Contact listing agent Dusty Baker (dusty@dusty bakerrealestate.com) for more information.

•MJ

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28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

17

People of Montecito

by Megan Waldrep

When Did You Start Your Business in Montecito?

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MAURIE McGUIRE | SCOTT WESTLOTORN 805-403-8816 | 805-403-4313 CalRE# 01061042 | CalRE# 01875690

COLD WELL B ANKER RE ALT Y

The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2020 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

DALGENES INTERIORS

“I

’ve been here for twenty-six years. I used to work at the café at the Montecito Inn. I can’t remember the name now, it was so long ago. But I came to Montecito and was working there for a while and there was a little flower stand right across the street from the café. I used to see it all the time, and I love flowers, so I thought that’d be a nice thing to do. I was driving down the street one day and there used to be a flower stand right here, but it was gone. I went in and asked the person who owned the Bottle Shop at the time what happened to the flower stand and he said they up and left. So, I asked if they would be interested in having someone else and they said, Sure! So that was it. Twenty-six years ago.”

Lynn Owner, Montecito Flowers •MJ

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How to reach us: Editorial: (805) 565-1860; Sue Brooks: ext. 4; Christine Merrick: ext. 3; Classified: ext. 3; FAX: (805) 969-6654; Letters to Editor: Montecito Journal, 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite H, Montecito, CA 93108; E-MAIL: tim@montecitojournal.net

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28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

19

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.

San Ysidro Roundabout at MPC

A rendering of the roundabout proposed for San Ysidro Road at North Jameson Lane.

The Montecito Planning Commission discussed the merits and detriments of the project at an 11-hour meeting last week.

A

fter nearly 12 hours of discussing the proposed roundabout at San Ysidro Road last Wednesday, the Montecito Planning Commission agreed to continue their hearing on the project until June 10, in order to give County staff time to formulate additional conditions to the project.

In what Commissioner Susan Keller called Montecito’s biggest land use and traffic project in many, many years – possibly ever – the

proposed roundabout has garnered much community attention, with over 70 members of the public submitting letters on the project, the majority of whom voiced concerns over aesthetics, neighborhood compatibility, pedestrian and bicycle safety, impacts to the neighboring homes, traffic speeds, and more. The project has also been a hot topic on the neighborhood social media site, Nextdoor, where neighbors have discussed both pros and cons of the proposal. Several

residents support the project, saying that a roundabout would help clear up a historically problematic intersection, which the County has long maintained performs at an “F” level during the morning and afternoon high volume hours.

The project has been in the works for the last several years as part of a trio of parallel projects to improve local traffic in conjunction with the impending widening of Highway 101. It includes replacing the current clunky intersection, which includes both an entrance and exit to Highway 101 at San Ysidro and a four-way stop at San Ysidro and North Jameson Lane, with a single lane roundabout, which will include pedestrian access on every leg of the intersection, including crosswalks that connect with paved walkways through the medians or refuge areas. According to County planners, the roundabout gives enough space for bicycles to traverse the lane, or bicyclists can get off their bikes and walk in the pedestrian/sidewalk areas, which have been expanded from six feet in previous plans, to eight feet, and have curb cuts for bicyclists to access the sidewalk from the traffic lane.

Public Works director Chris Sneddon said the project has been designed to be compatible with the neighborhood, with tree plantings densified near both the northwest and northeast side of the roundabout, making clear the transition from freeway to neighborhood. The rest of the landscape plan includes drought tolerant landscaping and native trees – Monterey Cypress, Coast Live Oaks, and cherry trees – providing a buffer between the roundabout and the adjacent Hedgerow neighborhood. Signage is limited to coastal access and safety signs, and lighting will be minimized with current cobra head lights being replaced with nine mission bell lights, bringing light nearly eight feet closer to the ground. The center of the roundabout is proposed to be mounded, so that headlights cannot be seen from neighboring homes, and the oblong shape of the roundabout is designed to bring down traffic speeds to 15-20MPH. Montecito Board of Architectural Review, a Design Working Group, COAST, and

the Bicycle Coalition have contributed to the design of the project, and Montecito Fire Department has reviewed the plans, submitting a letter that states the development would provide acceptable fire access and service for the District. Because of the oblong shape of the roundabout, larger fire vehicles traveling northbound on Highway 101 and exiting on San Ysidro will need to complete a full circle of the roundabout in order to head east on North Jameson Lane, which Battalion Chief Aaron Briner wrote was acceptable, in a letter to the MPC. Last week’s meeting was continued from April 22, with hopes that the May meeting would be able to be held in person versus virtually.

With that not able to happen due to continued concerns over COVID19, the Commissioners dug into the details of the project, in hopes to come to a conclusion by the end of the evening. In the end, the majority of the Commissioners said they were in favor of approving the project, but several also felt as if the process did not give MPC the opportunity to decide if the roundabout was the best solution to the traffic issues at the intersection. It was decided that County staff would draft additional conditions of approval for the project, for the commission to approve at a later date (June 10). “We are taking the due diligence to do this right,” said Commissioner Bob Kupiec.

Additional conditions to the project that the Commission would like added to the existing conditions of approval include further compatibility with the Montecito Community Plan; using the lowest allowable lighting; minimizing noise and working hours; and minimizing impact to open space views. Landscape conditions include using recycled water, removing any high fire plantings, banning chemical herbicides, and formulating a long-term maintenance agreement of the roundabout, which includes earmarking adequate funding in which to do so.

The Commission will meet on June 10 at a special hearing in which to review the added conditions and approve the project.

For more information, visit www. countyofsb.org.

•MJ

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PERKINSGROUPRE.COM The Perkins Group Real Estate | +1 805.265.0786 | team@perkinsgroupre.com | DRE: 01106512 ©2020 Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. Exact dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of an architect or engineer. This is not intended to solicit property already listed.

28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

21

LETTERS (Continued from page 11)

Montecito Community Plan. Before moving to Montecito almost thirty years ago, I used to think – imagine living in a town that has a Community Plan, what a remarkable and foreword thinking idea…

I guess, judging from the end result, it still remains just an idea.

Respectfully, Shelley Badat

Remembering Ralph

Yesterday, I was contacted by Ralph’s son Robert of the passing of his Father Ralph.

“Ralphy” was one of the great forces that moved to Montecito with wife Rebecca (Becky) in 1989 from Beverly Hills.

Ralph had been a very successful Television Producer with Dukes of Hazard, Gidget, and Courtship Of Eddie’s Father to his credit.

Ralph and Rebecca had two children, Robert and Julia.

Rebecca had been a very successful Realtor throughout our Central Coast and tragically became a victim of the 1-9 Debris Flow.

I first met Ralph when he walked into my video store, Montecito Video (1989).

His infectious smile and “bubbling” demeanor told me that I needed to befriend this special man.

One strong bond was cars. Ralph bought one of my very favorite cars ever, a BMW Z-8.

Perhaps around 2000, Ralph became part of our “Buddy” luncheon group.

Also part of this group was Freeman Gosden Jr. Freeman’s Father created Amos & Andy. Thinking I had made the introduction of Ralph to Freeman at a lunch, I was surprised to hear Ralph state, “I met you at Boys Camp on Catalina in 1939, they were reunited!”

The lunch immediately travelled back to a kid’s life in 1939!

At one lunch, Freeman was not in attendance due to failing health and was hospitalized.

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22 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Ralph Riskin

sive photo collection to a picture of the “Boys Camp.” Armed with the picture, Ralph went to Cottage Hospital to spend hours of reminiscing.

Ralph never said “no” to family and friends.

His family, friends, and Montecito have lost another great individual with the passing of Ralph Riskin.

Dana Newquist

A Big Thank You

I want to send a sincere note of thanks to District 1 Supervisor Das Williams, Sheriff Bill Brown, and Montecito Association Exec. Dir. Sharon Byrne, along with folks from nonprofits and government agencies, for collaborating with an ad hoc committee of Hammonds and Miramar Beach neighbors to deal with three issues of concern to beachside homeowners: property crimes, homeless encampments, and beach congestion during COVID. As these issues will need continual or periodic monitoring, it’s great to have an informal group to focus attention from various stakeholders and leaders on keeping Montecito’s beach areas clean and safe – while still accessible.

On parking, we quickly came to a consensus to support Supervisor Williams’s proposal to restrict parking temporarily along Humphrey Road and Miramar Avenue near Eucalyptus Lane, which should help to limit visits and trash/waste from out-of-town beach-goers, as well as promote the

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goal of social distancing.

I applaud and admire the intrepid Sharon for twice accompanying outreach workers “into the woods” to visit several individuals living in camps adjacent to the Union Pacific railroad tracks between Eucalyptus Lane and Olive Mill Road. Unfortunately for owners, including me, who pay dearly for guards at the entrances to the gated communities of Montecito Shores, Sea Meadows, and Bonnymede, these individuals experiencing homelessness are taking advantage of easy access to Hammonds Beach via the ungated Surfrider Foundation trail that leads from the train tracks, directly through our communities, to the Chumash burial ground and the beach. The trail also enables entry after dark to beach campers; my family and I personally witnessed a group of five young people camping beachside in the Chumash site early last Sunday morning. As Supervisor Williams noted, trash and human waste are just two of the problems left behind.

As to crime, it’s unknown just who is responsible for recent beach-area property crimes and vandalism, including a very large hole cut into Bonnymede’s back fence, enabling the theft of a cache of professional tools and supplies. Using power tools, thieves earlier had stolen my brandnew electric bike, tethered with a very expensive lock to a large pipe, from our garage. As Sharon made clear in her several helpful comments and messages to beach owners, it’s up to homeowners and condo HOAs to recognize that gates provide only the illusion of protection when there’s an open trail leading through our communities to the beach. She urged us to install and improve security systems, using video and other technologies.

To all of my neighbors and new friends on this ad hoc committee, sixteen of us in total, thank you for coming together under Sharon’s excellent leadership. Let’s keep talking.

With much gratitude, Eileen White Read

Keep ‘em Coming

I enjoyed your recent column “A Thing or Not A Thing” very much.

We need these kinds of deep-dive insights into the ever-evolving, expansive human condition.

Which, I hear, is still a thing.

LeeAnn Morgan

God

I must admit that I have always appreciated Mr. Brilliant’s illustrated epigrams called “Pop Shots” and have several of them posted in my home office. I also admire him for having the courage to write his “Dear God” article. I am sure he realized that there would be push back from various reli-

“If you find it hard to laugh at yourself, I would be happy to do it for you.” – Groucho Marx

gious people and criticism of him for writing such an article and, in some cases, attacks even on his personal life.

However, I do hope everyone agrees that he has the right to his opinion, and publish it since he is a very talented writer, even if one disagrees. There is a growing trend away from organized religions in the United States and I am sure many people approve of his article, but would not admit to it in public for the reasons mentioned above, and appreciate his willingness to point out some of the reasons for this trend.

Mr. Brilliant, I would like to thank you for pointing out some of the fallacies for believing in an all good and powerful and perfect God. PS: Like you, I, too, am both thankful and grateful for being on this earth.

Jack L. Sanford

Keep it Local

I enjoy reading every issue of MJ. Your coverage of local news is very good and important.

In addition, you publish numerous letters, which serve two purposes: 1) they allow the writers to vent and virtue signal, and 2) they allow readers to identify cranks, as well as the well-informed, by name.

However, I don’t understand why you carry long articles by writers such as Rinaldo Brutoco and Robert Bernstein. The former’s attacks on Trump and the latter’s on Reagan are simply iterations of partisan “talking points” with little or no relation to the facts. For example, many governors have praised cooperation from the Trump administration, while New York and California have had many set-backs despite that help. And while Reagan may have tried “to dismantle decades of accepted public policy,” there were no cuts, just a slowdown in program growth as the result of compromise with the Democratic Party which controlled Congress. And Reagan’s two victories, and J.H.W. Bush’s one as well, were too overwhelming to be simply the result of mobilizing “devout fundamentalist Christians.”

So, please keep up the local news and local letters. We need to know what’s happening, and also the range of local opinion. But spare us the sanctimonious scribblings of superficial pundits who would divide us to satisfy their needs for self-righteous indignation.

As editors, you may ask your writers to stick their main points. For Brutoco that might be “more Federalism and less Federal Government dictates might be good” and for Bernstein perhaps, “corruption and favoritism are contributing to the neglect of many public needs.” And you could ask them for specific examples...

W Naylor •MJ 28 May – 4 June 2020

On Entertainment

Brilliant Thoughts

by Ashleigh Brilliant

by Steven Libowitz

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

Santa Barbara Symphony, Under New Management, Segues to Streaming

Giants and Germans Lose

A

t the time of World War I, I hadn’t even been born yet, and in World War II, I was still only a child. But those two catastrophes have shaped all our lives. Between the official end of the First, and the outbreak of the Second, was only 20 years. But it was enough time for my father, who had been a young British soldier in France (but happily never saw action) to get married, settle down in London, and have two children – me and my sister (who, again by good fortune, were away across the Atlantic for the entire War).

That War lasted seven years – three years longer than the First conflict.

But, in terms of the number of lives lost in battle, the First was notoriously bloodier. The two sides were essentially the same both times, with some significant differences. But each time, at a crucial point, it came down to being Britain against Germany. I’ve now lived in America for most of my life, and what most interests me is the position of the United States in both World Wars.

Each time, the U.S. remained “neutral,” for more than two years, letting “them” fight it out over in Europe, and hoping not to get involved. Some indication of how nonchalantly Americans tended to regard the debacle “over there” can be seen in a single newspaper headline reporting the results of a baseball game, and of a battle on the Western Front: “GIANTS AND GERMANS LOSE.” Many people today think that it was the sinking, by a German submarine, of the British liner, the “Lusitania” – with over 100 Americans aboard – which brought the U.S. into World War I. But that sinking happened in May 1915, and it was not until nearly two years later, in April 1917, that the U.S. entered the war. In fact, in the presidential election of 1916, Woodrow Wilson won a second term with the slogan “He Kept Us Out of War.” What, then, made the difference?

Germany, too, had been anxious to keep America neutral, and was careful not to sink American ships. But, as the war went against her, Germany became more desperate. Her strongest weapon against Britain was the U-Boat, but it could hardly be fully effective if Americans were free to keep re-supplying Britain. Germany 28 May – 4 June 2020

therefore instituted, in 1917, a policy of “unrestricted U-Boat warfare,” and began sinking “neutral” American ships. They knew this would probably bring America into the war, but (mis)calculated that, with the U-boats unleashed, they could starve Britain into submission before an American army could be mobilized and brought over.

Wilson, who was a great orator, now saw no alternative. In his speech before Congress, calling for a declaration of war, he used the memorable justification that “The World must be made safe for Democracy.”

Some indication of how nonchalantly Americans tended to regard the debacle “over there” can be seen in a single newspaper headline reporting the results of a baseball game, and of a battle on the Western Front: “GIANTS AND GERMANS LOSE.” You know the rest of that story.

But two decades later, the situation was in some ways remarkably similar.

Britain had been at war with Germany for two years, and was now again at a critical point. Again, the U-boat was a primary menace (of which my father, a passenger on a torpedoed merchant ship, was very nearly a victim). Despite a strong “America First” movement to keep the U.S. out of the war – led by Charles Lindbergh – President Franklin Roosevelt had strong sympathies with Britain, and a warm personal relationship with the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.

With Europe overrun by Hitler’s forces, Britain now found herself virtually without allies. Churchill saw that Britain’s last best hope once again lay in America. In a broadcast speech, he quoted a poem by Arthur Hugh Clough which began “Say not, the struggle naught availeth,” and concluded with the words “Westward look! The land is bright!”

But this time, the turning point came in a way hardly anyone expected. Most Americans’ attention was riveted on Europe. It was known that Japan had an alliance with Germany,

H

aving your CEO depart in the middle of a pandemic that caused cancellation of the rest of the season’s concerts probably isn’t the best thing for building the confidence of the local classical music community. Fortunately, the Santa Barbara Symphony was able to announce its Interim CEO, Kathryn Martin, even before the then-current Executive Director/CEO Kevin Marvin tendered his resignation (to return to Colorado for personal and family reasons).

Just as Mr. Marvin was responsible for bringing the healing power of music to this community in 2018, post debris flow, Ms Martin – who boasts a 30-year career leading arts and culture organizations during times of transition – also temporarily ran the ensemble briefly three years ago.

The new interim director isn’t daunted by the prospect of saving the symphony in the wake of the pandemic, having only recently pushed through challenges certainly at least as daunting as coping with quarantine.

“When I was traveling from San Diego to lead the Symphony as Interim Executive Director back in 2016, it was then that my husband and I began imagining moving to Santa Barbara,” Martin told me in an email interview.

“Long story short, since then our son survived brain lymphoma, my husband retired early, and we now live in the Funk Zone. Being able to be of service in our own (new) community means a lot to me.”

Ms Martin quickly retooled the symphony’s response to COVID-19, focusing more on the educational aspect, while rejiggering “Sundays with the Symphony,” the ensemble’s rebroadcast of previously recorded concerts that has aired just two 30-minute episodes curated by the music director, Nir Kabaretti.

“Leading in times of change is where I thrive and where I can make a difference,” Martin said. “During the pandemic, I am charged with creating a road map forward, when many of the roads have all been washed away.”

As such, she said, the Symphony is pivoting quickly and has developed momentum around “Sundays with the Symphony,” she explained.

“At this moment, we are collaborating with our orchestra musicians, teaching artists and students to add more exciting ways to capitalize on the multifaceted creativity of the Symphony and deliver our mission in the virtual setting.”

The plans are for “Sundays at the Symphony” to not only present past performances but also feature live interviews and performances with members of the Symphony family on a special page dedicated to the series.

Meanwhile, past episodes of the series – originally slated to air only once – are now available to hear and view on the Symphony’s website at any time, including the May offering of music by the beloved late Santa Barbara composer Robin Frost.

Better news is that Kabaretti – a frequent world traveler with conducting work in Europe and elsewhere – is holed up here in Santa Barbara with his family, Martin said. “(He is) a fountain of artistic possibility and is interested in looking for new, virtual ways to deliver our mission… Partnering with Nir (is) in many ways the only effortless part of my job. He is a true gem, a community resource, an extraordinary collaborator and strategist, and I am grateful for his artistic vision.”

Also on the cutting edge, the Symphony’s Music Education Center programs now provide students with instruction 100% over Zoom. That makes sense, since the organization’s mission revolves around community involvement and education.

“Music education – in the broadest of definitions – is the DNA of the Symphony,” Martin wrote.

Visit www.theSymphony.org.

•MJ and was a threat to her whole region.

But, like Germany in 1917, the Japanese miscalculated that a single knockout blow would render the U.S. helpless. Hence, Pearl Harbor, which brought America to war not only with Japan, but, almost automatically, with Germany.

• The Voice of the Village •

Japan had, in effect, saved Britain’s bacon. There were nearly five more years of fighting – but the ultimate outcome was hardly ever in doubt.

For me, the best thing about having grown up in a World War is that nothing since then has ever seemed quite so bad.

•MJ MONTECITO JOURNAL

23

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Zip up Your Zoom:

Fight fatigue and pep up the popular pandemic platform

by Steven Libowitz

L

ate in April, The New York Times published an instantly popular essay called “Why Zoom is Terrible.” The piece posed that the problem with the platform is that the way the video images are digitally encoded and decoded, altered and adjusted, patched and synthesized introduces such issues as blocking, freezing, blurring, jerkiness and out-ofsync audio, causing our brains to strain to fill in the gaps and make sense of the disorder.

Santa Barbara actor, improviser, and performance coach Garrett Blair wondered what took them so long and why they missed perhaps an even bigger issue, one that’s actually possible to address short of hiring a team of wizard coders.

“Zoom is an artifice. All video conferencing is,” Blair told me. But it’s not so much about digital issues, synthesizing and freezing as it is about a failure to adjust to a new format that differs vastly from an in-person conversation. The good news is that it’s a performance issue, not a technical one.

“Sure, the internet doesn’t stream perfectly, and we have to keep intent focus which is partly why we’re tired,” he said. “But our brains are also always trying to rectify the signals we’re getting through the screen with what we think should be a real in-person conversation. That’s a lot of cognitive dissonance. To me, that’s what brings more of the fatigue.”

The problem is that Zoom creates the sensation of speaking face-to-face in the real world, he said.

“Zoom tricks us into thinking we’re right there with each other, which makes our brains spin,” Blair said. “I figured out how to trick it back, and the key is compassion.”

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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

It’s a Wonderful Life (Really?)

T

he American Film Institute honored Frank Capra by selecting his movie It’s A Wonderful Life as the Most Inspirational Film of all time. It was a great pick. Not only has it become a “Christmas Classic” for decades, but Frank Capra is quoted as saying it was his favorite film of all the incredible classics he directed. Roger Ebert summed it up this way: “This was the first movie he made after returning from service in World War II, and he wanted it to be special – a celebration of the lives and dreams of America’s ordinary citizens, who tried the best they could to do the right thing by themselves and their neighbors.”

Living through the current pandemic and economic depression “trying to do the right thing by (ourselves) and our neighbors,” we have begun analyzing our bittersweet experiences. We miss the human connection many of us took for granted until it wasn’t automatically available. We miss the ease of popping into our favorite restaurant, and are hoping many of our restaurants and independent shops will make it through this crisis and permanently reopen. We miss going to the theater, and for some of us, we miss going to church on Sunday. We miss the fluidity of travel, domestic and foreign, and the chance to visit our favorite gym or spa wherever located. We miss bringing home bags of groceries without having to sterilize them. We miss our favorite coffee hangouts – even if we can get the java, the experience is simply not the same. Most of all, we miss the sense of security that “all will be well” and that this pandemic will end before it “gets” our friends, family members, or acquaintances. We miss waking up without being told that over 100,000 Americans have died and the daily drumbeat of death. We miss what we took for “normal” and know it will never return, even when things do get better.

So much for the “bitter,” what is “sweet” about this “stay at home” situation? Well, the same thing that came to life in fictional Bedford Falls in It’s A Wonderful Life is coming into clearer view every day: it’s our relationships. It’s those relationships in personal and business matters that we celebrate now more than ever, just as George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) came back from his brush with suicide to discover that all the relationships he

26 MONTECITO JOURNAL

had built were the real currency of success and joy the film celebrated.

I’m blessed to have many business and personal relationships. As this column is the World Business Academy’s “Perspectives” on business and society, I’ll confine my remarks to business relationships, knowing most of you could probably teach me a lot about building better and stronger personal relationships. Hopefully, you’ll send in Letters to the Editor sharing how you value those personal relationships that you see with renewed clarity in our currently “locked down” world.

Was American Riviera Bank a place where I could expect them to get to know me before anything went wrong so they could respond quickly and effectively relying on the relationship we built? Jason replied that building relationships with their customers was the primary goal of American Riviera. I immediately moved all of my accounts there.

From a business relationship perspective, I am so blessed to be able to trust my longtime business associate and CFO for more than 35 years, Ray Afshordi. Similarly, I have enjoyed an unusually close business relationship for over a decade with my extremely competent attorney Mike Schley. The same is true of my relationship with our independent CPA, Maeda Palius.

And, most importantly, is the relationship I have with the dedicated local physician, Dr. Robert Mathis, who has gone “above and beyond” in the current pandemic. I could name innumerable other professional relationships but I think you understand my point: it is the relationships we have that create meaning, and ultimately value over time.

I recently experienced one of those relationships working incredibly well.

It started with meeting Jason Wilson, Sr. VP at American Riviera Bank, more than a year ago. I had numerous deposits with several financial institutions to get to know what I could expect of them. I spent a full 18 months researching this vital question, because my banking relationship is

Everything Will Bee Okay!

D

Albanian beekeepers expect a record year as bees thrive during the pandemic. ressed in a protective bee suit on the base of Morava mountain in southeast Albania, 68-year-old Gezim Skermo had a wonderful declaration to make: “It’s been a golden year for bees.”

With factories and farms silenced by the coronavirus shutdown, Albania’s bees have been busier than ever. During his 50 years in beekeeping, Skermo says he has “never seen a season like this,” hailing it as “rebirth for nature and the bees.”

The beekeeper attributes the sudden buzz to the coronavirus measures which froze public and industrial life after Albania detected its first cases in early March. In the area around Morava, the restrictions have brought quiet, cleaner air, and less pesticide spraying from farmers who curbed production in the face of economic uncertainty.

Out of superstition, Skermo refuses to give specific figures regarding how much honey will be produced this season. But he insists the yield will be abundant and of the highest quality. “While people have been shut up at home, the bees have not been confined,” he said. “They have been working very hard.”

Forget dressers, IKEA wants you to build a bee house.

The task of building IKEA furniture has been challenging newlyweds and college students for years. Now, the company is offering a new challenge to customers: building bee habitats.

IKEA’s research and design lab, SPACE10, has partnered with European design studio Bakken & Bæck and designer Tanita Klein to release a free design for your very own DIY bee home.

The design is not a hive, but rather a geometric home for single pollinator bees who do not produce honey or wax but offer critical pollination services for all our plants.

Earlier we talked about how Europe is drafting pesticide restrictions to protect bee populations, but pesticides are not the only threat to these pollinators.

Rising temperatures, parasites, predators, and poor nutrition are all contributing to their decline. Building a personal bee habitat in your backyard is a great way to lend a helping hand to these insects responsible for one in three bites of food we take.

If you’re concerned about attracting potential bee stings, worry not!

Single bees are non-aggressive and do not sting. If you have space, we encourage you to take on building a bee home to protect these threatened pollinators.

•MJ one of the most critical I require for the smooth operation of my business even in “good times.” I shared my conclusion that American Riviera would be my best bet for a bank because what I value most in a banking relationship is the relationship! I shared my view of that and asked Jason just one question: was American Riviera a place where I could expect them to get to know me before anything went wrong so they could respond quickly and effectively in relying on the relationship we would have built up?

He replied that building relationships with their customers was the primary goal of American Riviera. I immediately moved all of my accounts there.

A little over a month ago, one of my comptrollers was the victim of a $34,000 wire fraud. We reported it to our insurance agent, Mike Brashears, with whom we have had a great relationship for a decade, and who picked up the phone after hours. He immediately called the Bank’s Senior VP Andy Cheung who was home sick

“If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?” – George Carlin

with COVID-19 but picked up his cell phone at 9:30 pm to take Mike’s call.

He didn’t wait to get paperwork for me to sign in order to protect the Bank if anything went wrong. Instead, he called Tino Garcia in the wire department so the transfer could be stopped at the Eastern bank when they opened up the next morning. Their prompt action on my behalf resulted in the wire being stopped in the nick of time.

Two days later we received all the money back. Here are two observations: 1) Jason clearly told me the truth in that very first interview; and 2) like George Bailey in my favorite movie, this story ends with the celebration of all the relationships George created that saved his savings and loan, saved his marriage, and even saved his life… and, recaptured the money.

As we “shelter at home,” let’s remember how fortunate we are to have personal and business relationships here in Santa Barbara which conclusively proves it is A Wonderful Life after all.

•MJ 28 May – 4 June 2020

A Good Sign

by Jennifer Freed, PhD

Jennifer Freed PhD is the best-selling author of USE YOUR PLANETS WISELY and a renowned psychological astrologer and social and emotional education trainer. She is the CCO of Ahasb.org. Jennifer has spent over thirty years consulting clients and businesses worldwide on psychological, spiritual, and educational topics.

She can be reached at www.jenniferfreed.com

Gemini Season is Here

A

flurry of new activity arrives in June. With many key planets in Gemini, people are casting about in new directions and entertaining new ideas. Expect all your boundaries to be tested.

As we remain sobered by constantly challenging news and an unknown future, the opportunity for deep listening has never been greater – and the temptation to be reckless in speech is also enormous.

The wisest path this month will be the one of contemplative, slowed-down decision- making. If we pause to consider all the ramifications of our choices – beyond those that impact our personal interests – we can all rise together.

Don’t rush the chrysalis of new growth emerging.

This month, we celebrate the June birthday of Neil Kreisel of Montecito. Neil and his gorgeous wife Beryl (married 50 years!) have been pillars of philanthropy and service in our town. Neil is beloved for his vast intelligence, sparkling sense of humor, and loyal friendship.

When not hosting one of his two radio shows on KZSB AM 1290, Neil can often be found running near the beach or being walked by one of his dogs in a nearby park. Happy birthday, dear Neil!

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– the Dalai Lama The more affection you give this month, the lighter your heart will be. Center your thoughts on how to love more fully instead of on who is noticing you.

Virgo

“I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” – Lucille Ball This is your time to let go of perfection and let in the good. Notice that together, all the so-called imperfections that occur in nature are the elements of a gorgeous and diverse tableau. You are that as well.

Libra

“Beware of monotony; it’s the mother of all the deadly sins.” – Edith Wharton Growth is not rehearsed; it is about consistently reaching beyond what is comfortable. Now is a great moment for this kind of patient, incremental growth for you. Time to learn something new – to take up a new hobby or interest.

Scorpio

“The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves.” – Barbara Corcoran Purge all the old stuff that pulls you back to the Aries past. Remove all doubt and obstacles from your “Now that I knew fear, I also knew it was not perma- creative path. Your fountain of novel creative output nent. As powerful as it was, its grip on me would loosen. awaits.

It would pass.” – Louise Erdrich, The Round House It is okay to slow down and ground yourself Sagittarius before taking on your next heroic project.

“I firmly believe you should never spend your time being the former anything.” – Condoleezza Rice Taurus You can have a raging good, adventurous time this “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a month! Celebration is in order for you in a measured bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” way. Just wear your seatbelt – know the difference – Anais Nin between festivity and debauchery.

It’s time for your buds to open to new life and new possibilities. Although you may feel inertia Capricorn dragging you back toward stillness, you can learn “If you’re someone people count on, particularly in to dance a new step during this time. difficult moments, that’s a sign of a life lived honorably.”

– Rachel Maddow Gemini Hiking is the best metaphor for you this month. Go “There’s more to life than being a passenger.” – slow. Take in the views. The fresh air you breathe Amelia Earhart will help fill you with grander and greater perspecYes: the winds of change are in your favor. Learn tives. to spread your wings of desire over the things that truly nourish your soul.

Aquarius “The challenge is not to be perfect… it’s to be whole.”

Cancer – Jane Fonda “It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take You can wear the purple robe of sovereignty this note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose month if you finally believe you have done enough; sight of the things that you lack.” – Germany Kent that you have given enough; and that you are The uneven nature of the ground you walk on enough. right now provides a great opportunity to nestle into your own comforting rhythms. You can trust Pisces that you know best what is best for you.

“Normal is not something to aspire to. It’s something to get away from.” – Jodie Foster Leo Friction is a wonderful form of motivation. If you “Even more important than the warmth and affec- allow the stirring to be alluring instead of annoying, tion we receive is the warmth and affection we give… you can move in wonderful new directions, tickled more important than being loved, therefore, is to love.” and laughing.

•MJ 28 May – 4 June 2020

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

• The Voice of the Village •

DUE DATE & TIME: JUNE 18, 2020 UNTIL 3:00P.M. BULLET PROOF VESTS & CARRIER SYSTEMS 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) 564-5351or email: COrtega@santabarbaraca.gov The City of Santa Barbara is now conducting bid and proposal solicitations online through the PlanetBids System™. Vendors can register for the commodities that they are interested in bidding on using NIGP commodity codes at http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/business/bids/purchasin g.asp. The initial bidders’ list for all solicitations will be developed from registered vendors.

Bids must be submitted on forms supplied by the City of Santa Barbara and in accordance with the specifications, terms and conditions contained therein. Bid packages containing all forms, specifications, terms and conditions may be obtained electronically via PlanetBids.

The City of Santa Barbara affirmatively assures that minority and disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds 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 in consideration of award.

_______________________________ William Hornung, C.P.M. General Services Manager

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SAE FERMOSA, 421 E Cook, Santa Maria, CA 93454. Esther Hernandez, 421 E Cook, Santa Maria, CA 93454. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 12, 2020.

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. 2020-0001176.

Published May 27, June 3, 10, 17, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Santa Barbara Corporate Services; SB Corporate Services; Live Scan Corporate Services; Portuguese Translation USA, 1482 E Valley Road #24, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Marcia Ribeiro, 1482 E Valley Road #24, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 19, 2020. 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. 2020-0001246.

Published May 27, June 3, 10, 17, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Sound Waves SB, 2062 Alameda Padre Serra, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. Dennis S. Sands, 1243 Mesa Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 28, 2020. 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),

by Jon Beck. FBN No. 2020-0001058.

Published: 5/27/20 Montecito Journal

Published May 20, 27, June 3, 10, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Nexem Staffing; Nexem Allied, 3820 State Street Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.

Partners Personnel-Management Services LLC, 3820 State Street Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on May 8, 2020.

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. 2020-0001148.

Published May 20, 27, June 3, 10, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Bob’s Central Vacuum, 1308 San Rafael Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93109. Michael E. Purdy, 1308 San Rafael Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93109. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 29, 2020. 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), filed

by John Beck. FBN No. 2020-0001070.

Published May 13, 20, 27, June 3, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GW Wallcoverings, 346 Hot Springs Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Glenn Walter, 346 Hot Springs Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 29, 2020. 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), filed by Bren-

MONTECITO JOURNAL

27

NOSH TOWN

by Claudia Schou

LOCAL CHEFS SERVE UP COMFORT FOOD: Comfort food is essential during the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, Santa Barbara has no shortage of chefs who are eager to craft dishes that speak to our souls and satisfy our palates. With many local restaurants re-opening for business (with social distancing measures in place), you can choose to dine al fresco or order carry out. These are some of our favorites.

APNA INDIAN KITCHEN: CENTURIES IN THE MAKING

I

nside Apna Indian Kitchen on State Street, brothers Kuldeep and Ninder Singh work rotating shifts in the kitchen, preparing curries, tandoori plates and other flavorful dishes on the stove and taking turns answering the phone for to-go orders at their contemporary Northern Indian eatery. The brothers Zack Harris Photography both wear masks and gloves; the empty tables lined up in the narrow dining room present an uncertain dilemma for the relatively new business owners.

Opened in June 2019, the restaurant is a mecca for curry lovers. In the pre-coronavirus days, seats were filled with foodies who shared dishes that have been in the Singh family for generations.

During the pandemic, the brothers’ family recipes have provided comfort to diners with savory rich and aromatic seasoning and sauces, representing a Zack Harris Photography wide variety of regional Indian cuisines.

With prices ranging from $3 to $16, Apna’s menu is only one page and straightforward: Indian lentils simmered in tomatoes, ginger and garlic; samosa turnovers; fish marinated in chickpea batter; marinated chicken served in a butter cream tomato sauce; seasoned tandoor tiger shrimp; and lamb vindaloo with tomatoes, onions and potatoes, infused with paprika, lime juice, and tamarind chutney.

And of course there are curries: four signature versions, including a vegan dish called Nirvana: a blend of spices, red onions, bell peppers and lemon grass simmered in fresh coconut milk.

Apna is located at 718 State Street. Call 805-770-8479 to place an order for pick up.

Delivery service is available through Grubhub.

THARIO’S KITCHEN: ITALIAN HOME-COOKED CUISINE WITH CONTINENTAL FLAIR

T

he fragrance of Star jasmine and honeysuckle lend a country cottage feel to Thario’s outdoor dining space. Owners Mario and Thais Rios are recent Los Angeles transplants who opened their bistro (formerly Bordellos Pizzeria) on Santa Claus Lane in Carpinteria a year ago.

For Thario’s Kitchen, chef Thais has created a simple menu consisting of savory staples: shrimp and leek appetizer; parsley meatballs; a gorgonzola, goat cheese, mozzarella and ricotta pizza; fresh arugula topped with ParmigianoReggiano with roasted tomatoes. Entrees range from $13 - $22. The couple curates a European wine selection; Marielle Michot Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc ($12) paired nicely with a garlicky shrimp pomodoro.

A master dessert maker, Thais also created a popular indulgence she calls “a little warm melting chocolate cake” ($7) with Callebaut Belgian chocolate, eggs, flour, butter and powdered sugar.

Thario’s Kitchen is located at 3807 Santa Claus Lane in Carpinteria. Call 805-684-2209 to place an order.

28 MONTECITO JOURNAL

LOS ARROYOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT: COOKING WITH PASSION

L

ike curry in India and Bolognese in Italy, a well-prepared molé is about as close as you get to gastronomical nirvana.

Los Arroyos Mexican Restaurant Founder Tony Arroyo learned the art of rich and aromatic molé from his madre in the family’s kitchen in La Piedad, Michoacan.

Today, Arroyo and his culinary team prepare the molé on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Pasilla, ancho, mulato, and ancho de arbol chilis are ground up and combined with garlic puree and a liquid stock. Roasted peanuts, charred banana, and fried bread are then mixed into a rich sauce. Chocolate is added to reduce the spiciness, Arroyo said.

A Santa Barbara anchor for nearly 22 years, Arroyo continues to prepare sophisticated regional Mexican cuisine at his restaurants in Montecito, Santa Barbara, and Goleta. Popular dishes include chile relleno, fajita steak, seafood enchiladas and fish tacos.

Arroyo sources Angus beef, free-range Jidori chicken and locally-caught seafood for his menu. Twice daily, Arroyo’s team prepares fresh batches of chile rojo (fresh tomatoes, garlic and cumin), and chile verde (green tomatillos and onion) from scratch.

As far as his own dishes go, Arroyo admits that the poblano molé is one of his favorites.

The recipe most likely hails from the colonial city of Puebla, Arroyo said. “Unlike some sauces, molé holds its flavor very well,” he explained. “The dry chiles and spices never go bad. After a few days, the molé doesn’t taste bad, it tastes better.”

Los Arroyos is located at 1280 Coast Village Road. Call 805-969-9059 to place an order for curbside pick up. Delivery service available through Grubhub.

TASTING NOTES WITH BELMOND EL ENCANTO EXECUTIVE CHEF JOHAN DENIZOT

I

have always admired Margerum Wine Company for its dedication to the region and Doug Margerum’s trailblazing spirit that has practically put Santa Barbara wines on the global map. The winemaker’s Grenache-based M5 blend is elegant with its layers and yet a versatile table and food wine. At Belmond El Encanto I recommend it for guests ordering our flame grilled 10- oz. American Wagyu Flat Iron, served with duck fat potatoes and roasted cippolini onions. For lighter fare, it’s best to try Margerum’s 2019 Riviera Rosé and 2019 Sauvignon Blanc. The rosé works well with grilled sourdough and local burrata and sweet peas and the Sauvignon Blanc is perfect with an artichoke and asparagus salad complete with mustard frills and aged Spaniard goat cheese. A shared passion for Central Coast cuisine (he’s a winemaker and a restaurateur!) is what sparked our recent partnership. Our teams have joined together to create a special Belmond Trio of wine – Margerum’s 2017 M5, 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, and 2019 Riviera Rosé – to enhance everyday experiences at home. The Trio will be unveiled on Instagram Live @belmondelen canto on Saturday, May 30 at 4 pm. Order the Belmond Trio for pickup in advance at www. margerumwines.com/belmond.

•MJ

“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” – Elbert Hubbard

28 May – 4 June 2020

IMMUNITY BUNDLE YO DA - I M M U N T Y B O M B - T U R M E R I C T O N I C 1187 COAST VILLAGE ROAD 805.770.3851

DOWNTOWN

805.845.4657

MONTECITO

805.770.3851

DELIVERY ONLINE 28 May – 4 June 2020

GRUBHUB JUICERANCH. COM • The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

29

COAST VILLAGE ROAD (Continued from page 14)

Village Association will be addressing redesign in a meeting later this week to reconcile the parking issues and other concerns.

“The subcommittees are meeting to help these businesses function with extra outside areas and accommodate the parking and a safe sidewalk,” Trey Pinner said in his role as Chairman of the City of Santa Barbara Downtown Parking Committee. “In our board meeting last Thursday, we came up with a plan to get this going as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile Real Estate in Montecito has Picked Up What’s a parklet? Take a look at the City’s new guidelines

San Luis Obispo that would allow food and alcohol on the side streets and even closing the main boulevard has been discussed.

Other ideas suggest collective operations to benefit multiple enterprises, such as a Coast Village delivery, so restaurants don’t have to give up 30% to usurious online delivery services. Alternative people movers such as golf carts or a trolley have been proposed. Such ideas would

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unite the district around retail, restaurants, and the hotels, to minimize parking and make everything walkable.

Parking Habits and Driving in Transition

Transitioning parking on Coast Village Road remains an issue but the pandemic may hasten adaptation.

The old ‘60s history of the former roadway lingers like a ghost over the area.

“We have 192 parking spaces in the entire district,” Bob Ludwick explains.

“We just lost two. We’re going to lose four more to the Olive Mill roundabout whenever it comes in.”

When private parking is counted on the road including access to Coast Village Circle, the number climbs to 300 or more.

“The world of parking is changing,” Trey Pinner adds, “I mean everybody wants to be able to pull up in front of their store. It’s hard to change people’s thoughts on that, but parking is going to change.”

Kevin Frank is the focused, soft-spoken owner of K Frank, the men’s and women’s clothing store that once occupied State Street and moved with great success to Coast Village Road a few years ago. As a retailer he has meaningful concerns about how shops and restaurants share parking. At the same time his approach is collabora-

tive and thoughtful.

“It’s a sensitive subject but I’m very supportive of reimagining the manner in which the thoroughfare of Coast Village Road operates,” he offered.

“We want to create an environment more conducive to outdoor dining as long as it balances the need for easy and convenient parking for every business on the street.”

How the road is structured has long been an issue they’ve approached the city about.

“We’ve been bugging the city for years to help redesign and reimagine our medians and our traffic flow and our parking situation,” he explains.

“In the grand scheme of things, we could incorporate more outdoor dining. It would be very cool.”

Since reopening this weekend, Frank’s business has functioned with social distancing and the usual masks and gloves in ways that are still substantially the same.

“We have plenty of dressing room space and the store is wide open and airy. You can navigate it very simply. It has been fairly easy so far.”

Dr. Peter Rupert, the economic expert from UCSB’s Economic Forecast Project, has suggested that there is no one-size-fits-all reopening.

“We need a scalpel to open up, not a sledgehammer.” This is where urban planners and landscape architects come to the fore to make change work for everyone. Fortunately, the Coast

Jaslean Ahuja, Au.D.

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30 MONTECITO JOURNAL

“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.” – George Burns

One early indicator that Montecito is poised for success coming out of the pandemic is a recent run on real estate. “We are seeing so many people not only just come and look at property, but they’re solidifying leases,” reports Kelly Mahan Herrick of Berkshire Hathaway. Kelly is also a Montecito Journal contributor. “You could not find a property at the beach to stay in the summer if your life depended on it. COVID has a lot to do with it.”

Coast Village Road is certainly a primary attraction. If the retailers and restaurants and second floor service businesses can survive and enhance their street, the area could easily become a beacon for the area, and in many ways a model for future mixeduse. Upper Village is sure to also receive a fair share of the attention as locals and visitors trickle up from points south.

Pivot or Pirouette?

In the grand reopening of this great state, everyone has to decide what’s right for them. Safety is the biggest factor. Profitability is another. But for an owner of a restaurant, and to a significant degree a retailer, there’s still yet another factor. Magic.

Yes, magic. Why even be in these passion driven businesses if there isn’t a way to achieve pre-COVID levels of enjoyment? That is certainly on the mind of Alison Hardey.

“The only way I’m going to keep going is if there’s some fun at the end of this road,” she adds. “Let’s at least make it somewhat magical. All these masks and gloves and wiping down tables, we need to make it more than that.”

Ms Hardey clearly did not go into the hospital services business, she went into the business of people, food, talking, music, and lights.

“I love this business and one thing that restaurant people do, we pivot.

Well now we need more than that, it’s time to pirouette!”

•MJ 28 May – 4 June 2020

Summerland Buzz

Lecture Cancelled, Recording Available Online

Ridley-Tree Cancer Center

by Leslie A. Westbrook A third-generation Californian, Leslie, currently resides in Carpinteria but called Summerland home for 30 years. The award-winning writer assists clients sell fine art, antiques and collectibles at auction houses around the globe. She can be reached at LeslieAWestbrook@gmail.com or www.auctionliaison.com

People of Summerland

F

rom long held memories with old neighbors to first impressions upon new encounters, one thing remains true in our “People of Summerland” snippets: from the terrific views to thoughtful neighbors, the pop. 1,500 town is a magical place.

Community Lectures

Fran Davis, Writer; Roger Davis, Retired Editor

“As Summerland residents for fifty years, we’ve accumulated a staggering load of memories. One of the best, especially sweet in this time of social isolation, is the annual Whitney Avenue potluck lunch held on New Year’s Day. In December, neighbor Sandy O’Meara drops off fliers reminding us of the annual ‘Whitney Avenue Board of Directors meeting.’ About 20 years ago Elizabeth Fortner, who once owned the Fortner Gallery in El Paseo, started the tradition as a lark. The initial gatherings, called the ‘Whitney Avenue Yacht Club,’ were cause for a lot of laughter since our street at the top of Summerland is the very farthest from the water. Now, at noon on New Year’s Day, a couple of dozen neighbors show up for the ‘Board of Directors’ meeting. Rain or shine, we gather in our winter warmies, bearing dishes. The food is always good, and we sit at the long table in the O’Meara’s driveway or in chairs shaded by pine and oleander, and we chat, sharing stories, gossip and laughs. We may not have talked to each other in months, but on this day, we rediscover our neighborliness and each other.

It’s the absolute best way to start the New Year, a big communal gathering to share food and talk and the joy of togetherness in our special neighborhood. I’m holding out hopes that COVID-19 will have finished its heartbreaking ravage of our country and moved on by the New Year so we can gather again.”

Kat Hunt: Delivery Person for C’est Cheese

“Honestly, it’s a lot of fun to deliver.

People are really grateful and everyone says thank you for bringing them cheese and other groceries from the shop! We started doing deliveries on March 25. On Wednesdays I deliver to Goleta, Thursdays to Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria, and Fridays to Santa Barbara and the Mesa.

Summerland is the best! I love the views.

Everything looks a bit brighter and clearer and there are less cars now.

I’ve become aware of every interaction, from ringing doorbells to being gentle with people. Everyone is in a different space.

Some are upbeat and happy to see me; others are very scared and nervous. You have to respect everybody’s boundaries. It’s been interesting trying to navigate that. If we all increase our awareness, we can navigate our person-to-person interactions.

COVID has forced us to rethink how we can serve people. It’s been a great opportunity to increase our awareness about food safety in general. I am hyper-conscious and constantly sanitizing. I feel safe at work and we are taking every precaution and constantly washing our hands. I go through five pairs of gloves a day when delivering.

People are tipping. Someone tried to tip me cash – I had to change my glove, but I appreciate the check and credit card tips. People are being so generous, especially when everybody is in a difficult economic state right now.

One customer the other day (in Montecito) told me on my way out to check out the ten ducklings that had hatched the day before in a pond on his property – that was the cutest! Mother Nature is rejuvenating!”

•MJ 28 May – 4 June 2020

Advances in Melanoma & Skin Cancer Prevention Ridley-Tree Cancer Center’s Medical Oncologist and Hematologist Julian Davis, MD, MA and Mark Burnett, MD, FAAD of the Santa Barbara Skin Institute offer a view on the latest advances in treating melanoma and what patients can do to best reduce their risk of this and other skin cancers.

FEATURED SPEAKERS: Julian Davis, MD, MA - Medical Oncologist, Ridley-Tree Cancer Center Mark Burnett, MD, FAAD - Dermatologist, Santa Barbara Skin Institute Ridley-Tree Cancer Center is committed to keeping our patients and community safe throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In order to adhere to social distancing guidelines, the in-person lecture scheduled for Thursday, May 28 has been cancelled. A recording will be made available at lectures.ridleytreecc.org on May 28.

Please call (805) 879-5698 or email events@ridleytreecc.org if you have any questions.

• The Voice of the Village •

at Sansum Clinic

MONTECITO JOURNAL

31

Eat Drink Garden

by Valerie Rice

The Time to Plant Your COVID Victory Garden is Right Now

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” – Alfred Austin

C

ouldn’t we all use some nurturing right now? Planting and harvesting your own food is rewarding and even more so now, with fewer trips to the grocery store, increased nutrients, reduced stress, and most importantly, there is much joy to be found in the dirt.

Never gardened before? Not to worry! It can be hard to know where to start, but the Santa Barbara climate makes it easy to have success. Here are some of my tried and true tips to help you tackle the down and dirty of summer gardening.

Location! Location! Location!

Summer veggies need full sun, that’s more than six hours per day. Wherever you plant, even if it’s just a few terra-cotta pots nestled outside your kitchen window, check for those sun-blocking barriers that will cast shade on your situation.

It’s a good call to plant near access to a water source to avoid dragging watering cans across the yard each time your plants need a drink.

If a big commitment scares you, you can start out with large terra-cotta pots fitted with a hole for drainage. If you’re ready for more there are great kits on the market that you can assemble with a quarantine friendly partner.

Try to make the beds up to 32” high to deter rabbits, accommodate root systems, and save your back. Beds should be lined with gopher wire and sprinkled with perlite. Perlite helps to break down the clay laden Santa Barbara soil. Fill the beds with a combination of your own garden dirt, finished organic compost, and organic potting soil.

Pick Your Plants

My criteria for my garden is to plant varieties that are special, grow well in our climate, and most importantly, are products that my family will actually eat.

If I could have only 10 things in my summer garden, this would be the list: Dragon Tongue Beans Kentucky Wonder Wax Pole San Marzano Tomatoes Sun Gold Tomatoes Nygous Tomatoes Lemon Verbena Thai Basil Lemon Cucumber Rosa Bianca Eggplant Grey Zucchini

THE FIRE SEASON IS COMING.

Valerie Rice palms a pomegranate – and gardens – like a pro (photo by Leela Cyd)

Nursery Shopping

We’re lucky to have many beautiful garden nursery shops in Santa Barbara with organic offerings. My first stop is always Island Seed and Feed – the staff is extremely knowledgeable and very helpful.

Healthy soil is the most important investment in planting success. You’ll want to pick up the best quality organic potting soil possible, something rich in friendly bacteria. An organic mulch of a fine to medium weight should also be on your list as it helps to keep weeds at bay and maintain a healthy and nutrient-rich soil.

I think it’s best to start a garden with seedlings (or transplants) over seeds, as seeds are most successfully propagated in a greenhouse where the temperature is controlled and birds kept at bay. Seedlings are sold in packs of six, or individually in 4” x 4” containers, and can be easily plugged into your soil. There is insurance in planting in multiples, especially if it’s something you are really excited about, as not all seedlings will make it.

Time to Plant!

Morning is the optimal time to plant and water during these warm Santa Barbara days since the cooler temperature of the morning helps the plants adjust to their new environment.

Dig holes wide enough to fit the root ball in the prepared bed, following tag instructions and guidelines for space; remove plants from the container by squeezing the plastic to loosen and hold the stem, gently turn upside down and use gravity to tease them out. Loosen any impacted roots on the bottom of the root ball and place the plants into the holes, move the soil around the base of the plant to snuggle in the start and then give it a good watering.

Anytime I plant something new, I add a little organic fertilizer. This helps to give the new plant a little boost. Think of it as a shot of espresso first thing in the morning. Fertilizers have different directions so just follow the instructions on the box or bag.

Don’t forget to secure the plant tag so you don’t forget what you planted or else you might get your spicy peppers mixed with the sweet.

Next, add a 2”- 3” blanket of mulch. This is especially important in the hot summer months because it helps to seal in moisture so you don’t have to water as frequently. If you have a good coverage of mulch, you will only need to water your plants once or twice a week. The mulch also helps to keep weeds at bay and the added bonus of making the beds look tidy.

Care and Maintenance If you are interested in supporting an aerial firefighting service that can help provide additional aviation assets for the Montecito, Santa Barbara area please email Dave@Intl-EmergencyServices.com or call 805 925 0999 extension 100.

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32 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Even with sheltering in place, I still find myself busy cooking meals, caring for the animals, and logging into Zoom meetings. Set a date two times a week to water and check on your plants. I actually write these dates in my appointment calendar. This will allow you to inspect the critter situation and watering needs of your plants. If you dig down a few inches and the soil is damp to the touch you don’t need to water. Overwatering dilutes the flavor of your vegetables.

Soon you will be enjoying summer’s bounty. For garden-fresh recipes and tips, come on over to eat-drink-garden.com.

•MJ

“Marriage is the chief cause of divorce.” – Groucho Marx

28 May – 4 June 2020

ZOOM (Continued from page 24)

That also goes for moving forward and, especially, back, minimizing the size of your image.

“Don’t stray too far in any direction, and especially not for too long.”

Getting Creative with Limited Frames

More advanced is the idea of not only staying within your screen partner’s visible space, but also creating space – using your gaze and gestures to create specific spaces in which you place events or information. “In real life, we act out with our hands, and directions as if something is there. You create a void, an image of something happening in space, where your brain then inherently feels that space with your imagination. It forces people to invest because they are engaged,” he explained.

“It’s the same idea on Zoom – you manipulate the space in the screen,” Blair said, his hands all aflutter defining boxes and shapes. “As humans we are visual and spatial machines. That’s what our brains are meant to do. So you organize the info by creating pretend spaces on the screen, which helps people you talk to organize the material spatially. Otherwise, asking for your brain to do more work, to categorize, is exhausting. If I create it for you, your brain can relax into something it understands.”

In other words, more compassionate communication.

Tell a Story with a Glance Garrett Blair offers four-week training courses to master video conferencing

Chalk up the Cues

The key is to be aware of the behavioral cues that we put forth and other people receive that we’re not even thinking about because it’s second nature to have a conversation in person.

“But on Zoom, you need to bring attention to all of those tools so you can use them intentionally – things that communicate beyond the words we say. If we can employ normal behavioral cues so that our brains can relax a little bit, we can communicate more easily with each other and create that same connection.”

Specifically, that requires using several skills, or behavioral cues, that can make a world of difference in online communication, starting with what Blair calls “Direct Address.”

“If you look directly into the camera when speaking via video chat, rather than at image(s) of the other people, it looks like, and creates the sensation, that you’re directly looking at the person,” he explained. “It’s a basic foundational thing about conversation we’ve been taught since we were kids: look ‘em in the eyes. It’s the first thing our brains are dealing with. And when you don’t, it feels disoriented instead of connected.”

Blair freely admits that talking to the camera feels weird. “It’s ungrounded and bizarre, but only because we’re not used to it. But it’s the only way that the other person gets that feeling of eye contact. We’re not doing it on Zoom if we’re not looking at the camera.”

But what about me? I can’t see you perfectly if I’m looking at the camera. So how do I get to read people’s faces and see how they react?

“Just say that. Let them know that sometimes they’re going to see you look down so you can check in with their face to get those visual cues. Just be honest about what you’re doing, communicate so they know why you are not looking at them. And keep setting context, perhaps frequently. Because otherwise when you look off to the side, I wonder why. I’m thinking maybe you’re no longer interested in me, that you’re distracted, focused on something else, and I’m not important.

Brain Food: Keep it Clear

“But if I’m honest with my brain and your brain and we know we’re using a different medium, we’re answering the brain’s questions and easing the struggle. Still, your brain is noticing that I’m not looking at you and our connection signal degrades over time. That’s why speaking into the camera matters.”

I was so mesmerized by him gazing into my eyes – or so it seemed – that I almost forgot to inquire about the other rules of engagement on Zoom. But then he said that recognizing the limited canvas on the virtual space is another important concept.

“It’s vital that we recognize that this is our frame,” Blair said, drawing a virtual rectangle with his hands that served as the edges of my view of him on my screen. It’s just the size of the monitor, maybe fifteen to thirty degrees off my center on either side. That’s the entire space. To maintain the pretend faceto-face conversation and stay connected, everything has to remain in this zone.

Otherwise we don’t connect. I have to think in the Zoom space, where we can stay connected.”

28 May – 4 June 2020

Still more advanced is employing the concept of Two-Party Dialogue: using opposite gazes to suggest two people engaged in conversation.

“Just like what’s done on film where they shoot dialogue over one person’s shoulder,” Blair explained. “One person’s focus is to one side of the cameras, within the frame, and the other is on the other side because that’s how it is on film. And then when narrating you come back to Direct Address. But you have to be sure to keep the spatial relationship correct.”

If that seems like too much to remember while still trying to stay alert in the conversation, that’s where practice, correction and repetition can help – and why Blair is offering “When the Camera is the Public,” his deep dive live online training to help participants create a captivating conferencing platform presence. A new four-week session begins in June.

“I spent a lot of time recording myself on Zoom to figure this stuff out,” he said. “I try to see why something doesn’t look or feel right. I look at what feels natural when the space is looking back at me. People need to know their own individual quirks, things they use to ground themselves that might be getting in the way of connection.”

Thinking about the other guy – the online version of The Golden Rule – is the key to keeping that connection, Blair said.

“When the cues get skewed by the interface, the connection disintegrates. But compassion – the act of thinking about someone else in the situation – that’s what fixes it. Looking into the camera, defining your space, all those tools – those are the compassionate acts. That’s what makes it easier for the other guy, and better for you.”

MontJournal_June3rd'20_3:Layout 1

Visit www.garrettblair.com/wcitp

5/26/20

9:14 AM

Page 1

•MJ

We are OPEN for TAKEOUT with curbside pickup DINE-IN will be REOPENING soon - to be announced on Instagram @OLIOSANTABARARA

Photo courtesy of Olio e Limone Ristorante and Kevin Steele / kevsteele.com

Photo courtesy of Olio Pizzeria® and Alessio Morello/AFM Video Productions

next door to 11 W. Victoria St., Ste.’s 17, 18 & 21, Santa Barbara

• The Voice of the Village •

| OLIOCUCINA.COM | 805.899.2699 MONTECITO JOURNAL

33

ON THE RECORD (Continued from page 8)

water it takes to cover 15,000 acres of land with a foot of water). Also, Montecito’s claim to California’s state water is far down the list of priority customers with older claims. Under state law, water rights dating to before 1914 are honored before newer ones, so in drought years, when there’s not nearly enough state water to go around, the Montecito Water District (MWD), which pays about $6 million per year to participate in the program no matter how much it actually obtains, might receive just a fraction of its annual allocation.

A November 2017 report by the California Water Impact Network revealed that Montecito, Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria collectively received an average of just 28 percent of their allocated water from 1998 to 2015, “despite the fact that Santa Barbara County voters were

told in 1991 ballot information that the State Water Project was expected to deliver 97 percent of contract amounts to urban water users.” This year, according to Nick Turner, Montecito Water District’s general manager, we are scheduled to obtain only 20 percent of our allocated supply of state water, the good news being, using a very loose definition of good news, that this paltry amount actually represents a slight increase from the 15 percent figure originally forecasted earlier this year.

A Decade-Long Drought

California has seen more frequent, longer lasting, and geographically wider droughts in recent years.

The state’s most recent dry up began in 2007 and two years later, led to California’s first water-related statewide Declaration of Emergency. The drought intensified a few years later between 2012 and 2014, when, according to a February 2015 report by the California Department of Water Resources, the state experienced its three driest years in recorded history. “Calendar year 2014 saw recordlow water allocations for State Water Project and federal Central Valley Project contractors,” the report states.

“Reduced surface water availability triggered increased groundwater pumping, with groundwater levels in many parts of the state dropping 50 to 100 feet below their previous historical lows.”

For Montecito as well as other towns that are mostly dependent on state water, the situation was dire, despite heavy rains that briefly inundated California in 2011. “We had far below average rainfall for four years in a row,” said the MWD’s Turner.

“Jameson Lake was at dead-pool level, meaning there was no usable water.

And Lake Cachuma fell down to seven percent capacity. The only reason it had any water in it was because of the state water that was being put there.”

To deal with this crisis, the MWD’s board of directors voted in 2014 to impose water rationing, imposing heavy fines on water consumers who exceeded their allowed monthly volume. “The board implemented a sys-

tem of penalties and fees which was painful for customers but successful in getting demand and water supplies aligned,” said Turner. “A 50 percent cut took place almost instantaneously and people cut back on their water usage.” It’s unclear however, exactly how much of the water that officials estimate was conserved at the height of the rationing actually takes into account the 1,000-plus wells that have

“From a reliability perspective, to have 40 percent of our water be almost 100 percent reliable (has) never happened before,” Wicks said. “So even if we have a horrendous situation, we still have that 40 percent, and everybody is going to have healthy and safe water. They may not be able to irrigate and keep their gardens green outside, but everybody is going to have water for their households.”

so far been drilled beneath Montecito, a figure roughly supporting 25 percent of our town’s single-family residences.

In 2015, Santa Barbara brought back to life its inactive desalination plant, which first opened in 1991 but was quickly shut down after a few months of heavy rains, with much of its equipment eventually sold to Saudi Arabia. “That year, in the heart of the drought,” continued Turner, “the board began discussions with Santa Barbara to explore a partnership to participate in desalination.” But after months of fruitless negotiations over the terms of the deal, and with a majority of Montecito’s elected water officials balking at the desalination plant’s hefty price tag of $90 million, the proposed deal with Santa Barbara fell apart.

The Big Take Over

Neither Floyd Wicks nor Tobe Plough remember the exact date they decided to join forces and take over Montecito’s Water District, but they both agree it happened sometime in mid-2016. Plough, an engineering project consultant whose main client is Exxon-Mobil, says he was first approached by his friends, fellow Montecito residents Phil Bernstein,

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34 MONTECITO JOURNAL

owner of a Santa Barbara agricultural import-export firm, Fred Gluck, CEO of McKinsey & Company, a global consulting firm, as well as Bob Hazard, a retired businessman and the Montecito Journal’s Associate Editor, all of whom asked for his advice on how to solve the town’s deepening water crisis.

“I had seen Phil socially and we talked about all kinds of stuff at the gym and that sort of thing,” Plough

“Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it.” – George Bernard Shaw

recalled. “We started talking about the water situation here.” At the time, Bernstein and other residents who chafed at the Water Board’s fee structure, hoped Wicks and Plough might help determine how to develop a combined water recycling and desalination project at the location of the town’s sewage treatment site, which abuts the ocean. During one of those discussions, in an informal meeting over coffee at Gluck’s house, Plough met with Wicks, an executive with decades of experience at various California water companies. At the time, Wicks was consulting on behalf of a client, the Costa Mesabased PERC Water Corporation. Wicks agreed to ask PERC to bid on such a project, which was estimated to cost $70 million. But thanks to opposition from the current Water District Board as well as foreseen resistance by the California Coastal Commission, the project never came close to breaking ground. “That’s one reason I decided I was going to run with Tobe,” said Wicks.

With the November 2016 water board election just weeks away, Plough and Wicks quickly set to work raising more than $80,000 in campaign contributions from a small network of private donors. Billing themselves as the “Water Security Team,” the two technocrats ran on a platform of securing a reliable local supply of water for Montecito combined with an avoidance of the kind of harsh conservation measures the current board had adopted. “There were only two seats up for election, so we knew we weren’t going to get a majority,” said Plough. “But at least we could get some of the train cars back on the track because [the current board] had a total train wreck.”

After a contentious election, both 28 May – 4 June 2020

Plough and Wicks won their races and took office on December 5, 2016.

“Our first priority was to implement the plan we ran on,” Plough recalled.

“That was going to take time, but then we had another problem: It started to rain, and I mean really rain.” Even in drought-prone California, there can always be too much of a good thing when it comes to water, and in this case, Montecito’s water district had $5 million worth of allocated state water sitting in the San Luis Obispo County Reservoir. “This is water that the Board had collected from all these purveyors of state water and it is what we were supposed to live on,” he explained. “Floyd and I started looking at the height of the San Joaquin River and realized we needed to get a deal to get that water out of there.”

Mother nature had other plans, though, and after several storms in early 2017, the reservoir spilled its banks. Although the rain helped replenish Jameson Lake and Lake Cachuma, Montecito ended up losing about $2 million worth of its supply of state water, which would have been enough to last about a year. As a result, Wicks guided the MWD into a water banking agreement with the Semitropic Groundwater Banking and Exchange Program, an underground basin located in Kern County, that

28 May – 4 June 2020

unlike Montecito’s local reservoirs, isn’t subject to evaporation, and can store water during years of plentiful rainfall until the next drought. “We lost a lot of water, but the good news is that this got us into water banking,” said Plough. “And then Floyd and I were able to get a third and fourth vote in favor of our plan. We were able to say, ‘Hey guys, we need a source of water that’s more reliable, and here’s a perfect example.’”

Those extra votes came in 2018 when Cori Hayman, a lawyer with an extensive background in complex litigation; Brian Goebel, an entrepreneur who previously worked for the Treasury

ty. “The board has worked tirelessly during the past couple of years since I have been in office, and in the prior two years when Floyd and Tobe came on board,” said Hayman. Their collective mission, she explained: “To bring water security to ‘this side of the mountain’ without relying on the State Water Project, water purchases, and the continuing environmental and water rights constraints of Lake Cachuma.”

Diversity Matters

Although both Plough and Wicks ran for office with the express purpose

Two individuals with decades of combined experience in engineering and water management effectively took control of Montecito’s water district four years ago with the express purpose of finding a new, local, and reliable source of water for the foreseeable future. and Homeland Security departments; and Ken Coates, a board member of both Direct Relief and the Samsun Clinic, won their respective races to join the board after campaigning on the same platform of water securi-

of finding a local source of water on this side on the mountain, both board members insist that desalination is just one of many potential sources of water that MWD should continue to explore in the future. Regardless

• The Voice of the Village •

of how the board votes on June 25, they argue, the Water District should continue its participation in the state water project as well as the recently-adopted Semitropic groundwater banking system.

Given that the proposed deal would only supply Montecito with 40 percent of its annual water needs, Plough said that it’s just one part of a diverse portfolio of state and regional water sourcing in which Montecito will need to continue to invest. “But from a reliability perspective, to have 40 percent of our water be almost 100 percent reliable? That’s never happened before,” he said. “So even if we have a horrendous situation, we still have that 40 percent, and everybody is going to have healthy and safe water.

They may not be able to irrigate and keep their gardens green outside, but everybody is going to have water for their households.”

Wicks added that the overall water price increase of 2.8 percent per year over the course of the proposed plan is miniscule compared to the benefits.

“I’m an engineer by trade and so I always look at what we can do if our water supply is out of service,” said Wicks. “Are we still able to do what the community needs? You can’t just hold the community hostage. To me, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” •MJ

MONTECITO JOURNAL

35

FOWL PLAY

by Gretchen Lieff Gretchen is founder and president of the Lutah Maria Riggs Society and Davey’s Voice, both Santa Barbara 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Gretchen sits on the board of the California Water Impact Network and is vice president of the board of the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network. She is a former board member of the Granada Theatre and the Coral Casino Membership Committee.

Duck Duck Two Linda Beuret pointing to the sighting in the area of Romero Creek along the residential Casa Dorinda (photo by Priscilla)

I

n last week’s Journal you’ll recall “ducknappers” had snatched a nest with a mamma duck, three ducklings, and seven eggs from under an oak tree at Montecito’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church parking lot.

Our “Duck Column” describing the story had “gone viral” as pressure mounted to “find the ducks.”

It’s been an exhausting week of faulty quacks and feathers… of what’s and what’s nots… of when’s and where’s and how’s. Dead ends and false leads and plenty of “he said, she saids”… as concerned duck lovers phoned their sightings into the Santa Barbara Wildlife Center hotline.

“I think they’re here… they got here sometime last night… right here on my front lawn across from Mount Carmel.”

Our duck patrol high tails it over to find homeowner Soren Kieler delighted at the prospects of finding the “missing quackers.”

A short time later we deliver the disappointing news; “These lucky duckies are a mated pair of adult mallards… they’re beauties… but we’re looking for a mom with ducklings.”

Then the call from Cota Road just off East Valley where our Duck Team responds to reports of a mother duck and three babies waddling along the 700 block where the road takes a sharp turn.

“The mom just went into the bushes… the babies are soooo small. They were struggling to follow her.” Our Team observes the feathered family from 100 yards in order not to frighten them. A short time later Violet phones back, distraught.

“I just knew something bad was

36 MONTECITO JOURNAL

going to happen… a car came around that blind curve and struck one of the ducklings. The surviving ducklings have climbed through a metal fence into deep brush and the mother has flown off.”

We decide to leave them alone and hope the mother returns.

With twilight approaching and the threat of predators… we return with duck nets and note that the mother mallard has not returned. We capture the ducklings and take them to the Center.

Back at the Wildlife Center on Fairview the Spring duckling work never ends. Baby ducks are coming in from all over SB and Ventura counties.

If you’re not on site caring for the baby ducks… you’re thinking about them or dreaming about them. Talk about helicopter moms! There’s just something about the innocence of their quacks and their bright sweet gaze as they cock their heads to the side.

Two days later… intrepid duck huntress Priscilla joins us on the front lines… responding to calls of Montecito duck sightings along Picacho Lane … where a curious Ellen DeGeneres offers words of encouragement, “Hope you find them.” We understand Ellen is a wildlife fanatic and love her for it.

Meanwhile the search turns up nothing.

Social media buzz continues to grow with a Nextdoor.com “LOST DUCK” post from Mari Failing of East Valley.

“There are some beautiful mallard ducks in the San Ysidro Creek on the Ennisbrook trail between East Valley and San Leandro across from the Crane School… I’m afraid they’ll meet

Soren Kieler welcoming his visiting Duck Couple hoping that this pair create their nest in his paradise of a garden (photo by Priscilla)

Casa Dorinda Residents John Manson and Candace White excitedly view the mother and her ducklings along the creek from a safe distance (photo by Priscilla)

the coyotes.”

Bethany Anderson of Ortega Ridge responds; “There are a number of male and female duck pairs breeding along many of our creeks right now. They find quiet spots… because they’re guarding nests. “At least someone’s got a healthy social life in the time of COVID,” I think.

Morgan Williams of East Valley weighs in; “Mount Carmel Church is missing ducks.”

Community watchduck J’Amy Brown forwards the conversation to

“If you live to be one hundred, you’ve got it made. Very few people die past that age.” – George Burns

our Duck Team.

Another day goes by and then…

BINGO… we get a call from Casa Dorinda; “I was looking over the edge of the Casa entrance bridge… and swimming in a small pool was a mother mallard and seven ducklings and I got a picture of them… and put it in our Casa Dorinda Newsletter. So when people saw your article in the Montecito Journal about the missing ducks they called me.”

We rush to Casa Dorinda where a beaming Linda Beuret, wearing a 28 May – 4 June 2020

The Mallard Mother Duck (Hen) and her seven surviving ducklings feeding and swimming upstream in the Romero Creek Bed (photo by Priscilla)

duck mask (it’s true) exclaims; “We certainly would like to think these are the missing mom and babies.” Linda leads us over the bridge and through the woods to the spot where she last saw the duck family.

I’d say a female with seven ducklings is kind of a rare site around here?

“I agree… and as a GUNG HO bird watcher… we ALWAYS carry our cameras… that’s how I got the duck family picture.”

You’re a birder (my favorite people).

What kinds of birds do you see here?

“Well the most prominent one is the acorn woodpecker and we see California towhees… Spotted towhees.

We see lots and lots of juncos… umm… never seen so many songbirds here.“ Lots of birds but no duck luck… however there’s PLENTY of human activity. We discover that if you’re looking for action in Montecito look no further than the Casa Dorinda bridge at Hot Springs and Olive Mill, where we’re approached by the most astonishing number of feisty and curious Casa residents. Maintaining proper social distancing, Barbara and Cissy Hadley stop to chat; “It would be WONDERFUL to find the missing duck family here. This is such a special place.”

Barbara is a former President of the Casa Dorinda Residence Board.

“There’s no question these woods and stream have kept people here at Casa Dorinda sane. It’s a magical place that quite literally has restored our sanity. Because of the quarantine we’ve had to stay on ‘Campus’… and walking through these woods gives us… it’s our salvation.”

It wasn’t long ago… this was a very

different place?

“Oh my YES! The debris flow was such terrible destruction… destruction and death and mud. It was just a terrible mess. But now things are restored… our precious woods are regenerated.”

The Duck Team stays on the bridge a bit longer and then calls it a day…

Still no ducks.

The following morning an excited Linda Beuret calls; “They’re back… they’re in the stream just below the bridge.”

Here we go again… racing back to Casa Dorinda hoping to see the ducks before they disappear again. We park inside the gate and literally run through the tall grass down the side of the creek where we can view the ducks without bothering them… we catch our breath… and FINALLY… a beautiful mother mallard with six ducklings!

What a thrill as we send pictures to Elaine, our wildlife expert, “The ducklings look to be the same age as the missing church ducklings.”

HALLELUJAH… at last we’ve found the missing duck family. How did they get from the church to Montecito Creek at Casa Dorinda… does it really matter?

As we prepare to pack our cameras and leave I recall the final conversation I’d had a day ago on the bridge with Casa residents Candace White and John Manson; “It would be wonderful if the mother and her ducklings turned up here.

It was so sad… the debris flow and the deaths in the neighborhood and so wonderful that the Bucket Brigade and the Montecito Retirement Association

Barbara Hadley chatting with journalist Gretchen Lieff and Cissy Hadley after viewing the duck family passing under the bridge (photo by Priscilla)

came in and restored the beauty of this place. We love to listen to the water going by and watch the wildlife. It’s a true paradise… it just really warms your heart.”

Yes… the Casa Dorinda property is a special place of healing. Things have more than recovered from the debris flow of 2018. And it underscores the unquestionable evidence that the earth here is healing AGAIN. Of all the places in Montecito where our missing ducks would reappear I can’t imagine a more significant spot than Montecito Creek at Casa Dorinda where these brave residents

who are our most vulnerable… have been forced to bravely isolate for these many weeks.

Cissy Hadley may have said it best: “I think that because of the quarantine and with all of us just STOPPING… the earth and the animals are coming back... the birds… oh my… we have NEVER had so many birds here.”

If you have any questions… just take a walk over the bridge and into the glorious Casa Dorinda woodlands.

Oh… And don’t forget to look over into the creek… at a happy mother duck and her ducklings.

•MJ

FATS, OILS & GREASE (FOG) Clog Sewers!

Scrape It, Can It, Trash It Cooking fats, oils, and grease (FOG) are the leading causes of sewer pipe clogs.

When poured down sinks, drains, or toilets, FOGs eventually cool, harden, and build up on the inner walls of sewer lines. As sewage flow is restricted, it can back up in your home, on your property, or even in the street.

What You Can Do: Scrape It, Can It, Trash It

After cooking, let your fats, oils, and grease cool. For small amounts of FOG, scrape or wipe the pan. For larger amounts, scrape it into a covered disposable container. Either way, throw the fats, oils and grease into your trash.

MEDICARE ANNUAL ELECTION PERIOD

Concerned?

We Can Help!

Call Us Now: (805) 683-3636 28 May – 4 June 2020

CA License # 0773817

For more information contact the Montecito Sanitary District at 805‐969‐4200 or www.montsan.org

PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH AND THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

37

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

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 3:00 p.m. on the date indicated at which time they will be publicly opened and posted for: BID NO. 5843 DUE DATE & TIME: JUNE 17, 2020 UNTIL 3:00P.M. LANDSCAPE ENHANCEMENT ALONG STATE STREET& LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE AT CITY OWNED PARKING LOTS AND GARAGES Scope of Work: Contractor shall perform all work necessary to enhance the existing landscaping on State Street, between Gutierrez Street and Victoria Street. Upon completion of the landscape enhancement project, the landscape contractor shall begin a maintenance period that may, with satisfactory performance, be renewed each year for up to a total of five years.

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 pre-bid meeting will not be held, instead the City recommends bidders to review “Attachment A – Site map/locations” prior to bidding.

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 In accordance with Civil Code § 9550, if the bid exceeds $25,000.00, the Successful Bidder shall furnish within ten (10) consecutive calendar days after written Notice of Award, a Payment Bond in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the total amount of the bid as well as a separate Performance Bond in the amount of 100% of the bid total.

LIVING WAGE Any service purchase order contract issued as a result of this request for bids or quotes may be subject to the City’s Living Wage Ordinance No 5384, SBMC 9.128 and its implementing regulations. If there is a difference between the City’s Living Wage rate and Prevailing Wage rates for similar classifications of labor, the contractor and his subcontractors shall pay no less than the highest wage rate.

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.

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 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 C27 Landscaping contractor’s license 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.

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

38 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Published: 5/27/20 Montecito Journal

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. 5845 DUE DATE & TIME: JUNE 11, 2020 UNTIL 3:00 P.M. STATE STREET SIDEWALK POWER WASHING Scope of Work: Sidewalk pressure washing along State Street in downtown Santa Barbara.

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 Jennifer Disney Dixon, Buyer II at (805) 564-5356 or email: JDisney@SantaBarbaraCA.gov A pre-bid meeting will not be held.

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.

LIVING WAGE Any service purchase order contract issued as a result of this request for bids or quotes may be subject to the City’s Living Wage Ordinance No 5384, SBMC 9.128 and its implementing regulations.

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 da Aguilera. FBN No. 2020-0001086.

Published May 13, 20, 27, June 3, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Rothdeutsch & Associates Professional Fiduciary Services; SBGoats.com, 782 Acacia Walk Apt. G, Goleta, CA 93117. Khristine Sharon Rothdeutsch, 782 Acacia Walk Apt. G, Goleta, CA 93117. Scott Andrew Rothdeutsch, 782 Acacia Walk Apt. G, Goleta, CA 93117. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 29, 2020. 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), filed by John Beck. FBN No. 2020-0001072.

Published May 13, 20, 27, June 3, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Niche Enterprises, 4040 Primavera Rd. #5, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. Jason Erwin, 5068 San Lorenzo Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Brian Langlo, 410 W. Canon Perdido St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

Published 5/27/20 Montecito Journal

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 24, 2020. 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), filed by John Beck. FBN No. 2020-0001042.

Published May 13, 20, 27, June 3, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Eudaimon Wealth Management, 144 San Rafael Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93109. Steve Daniels, 144 San Rafael Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93109.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 23, 2020. 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), filed by John Beck. FBN No. 2020-0001030.

Published May 13, 20, 27, June 3, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Mission

28 May – 4 June 2020

ORDINANCE NO. 5943

Notice Inviting Bids

AN UNCODIFIED EMERGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE

FY20 WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT Bid No. 5814

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 5941 TO MODIFY THE EXPIRATION DATE AND REPAYMENT TERMS OF THE TEMPORARY

1.

MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS FOR NONPAYMENT OF RENT BY RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL TENANTS WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED FINANCIALLY AS A RESULT OF COVID-19

Bid Submission. The City of Santa Barbara (“City”) will accept electronic bids for its FY20 Water Main Replacement Project (“Project”), by or before Wednesday June 17, 2020, at 3:00 p.m., through its PlanetBids portal. Bidders must be registered on the City of Santa Barbara’s PlanetBids portal in order to submit a Bid proposal and to receive addendum notifications. Each bidder is responsible for making certain that its Bid Proposal is actually submitted/uploaded to PlanetBids, so plan accordingly. The receiving time on the PlanetBids server will be the governing time for acceptability of bids. Telegraphic, telephonic, paper, and facsimile bids will not be accepted.

Bid results and awards will be available on PlanetBids

The above captioned ordinance was adopted at a regular

2.

meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council held on May 19,

Project Information.

2.1 Location and Description. The Project is located in the streets listed below, and is described as follows: Install new various sized ductile iron and PVC water main. Reconnect services and hydrants and obtain acceptance of the new lines.

2020.

Location

The publication of this ordinance is made pursuant to the provisions of Section 512 of the Santa Barbara City Charter

From

To

State Street

La Cumbre Plaza Drive

Constance Avenue

obtained at the City Clerk's Office, City Hall, Santa Barbara,

Modoc Rd

Las Positas

Ferrara Way

California.

Anacapa St.

E. Padre St.

E. Mission St.

W. Canon Perdido

Santa Barbara St.

Olive St.

as amended, and the original ordinance in its entirety may be

(Seal)

2.2 Time for Completion. The Project must be completed within 130 consecutive working days from the start date set forth in the Notice to Proceed. City anticipates that the Work will begin on or about July 15, 2020, but the anticipated start date is provided solely for convenience and is neither certain nor binding.

/s/ Sarah Gorman, CMC City Clerk Services Manager ORDINANCE NO. 5943

2.3 Estimated Cost. The estimated construction cost is $2.9 Million 3.

3.1 License. This Project requires a valid California contractor’s license for the following classification(s): Class A – General Engineering Contractor.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

) ) COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA ) ss. ) CITY OF SANTA BARBARA ) I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing

3.2 DIR Registration. City may not accept a Bid Proposal from or enter into the Contract with a bidder, without proof that the bidder is registered with the California Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”) to perform public work pursuant to Labor Code § 1725.5, subject to limited legal exceptions.

4.

Contract Documents. The plans, specifications, bid forms and contract documents for the Project, and any addenda thereto (“Contract Documents”) may be downloaded from City’s website at: http://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=29959 A printed copy of the Contract Documents may be obtained from CyberCopy Shop, located at 504 N. Milpas Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, at (805) 884-6155.

5.

Bid Security. The Bid Proposal must be accompanied by bid security of ten percent of the maximum bid amount, in the form of a cashier’s or certified check made payable to City, or a bid bond executed by a surety licensed to do business in the State of California on the Bid Bond form included with the Contract Documents. The bid security must guarantee that within ten days after City issues the Notice of Award, the successful bidder will execute the Contract and submit the payment and performance bonds, insurance certificates and endorsements, and any other submittals required by the Contract Documents and as specified in the Notice of Award.

6.

Prevailing Wage Requirements.

ordinance was introduced and adopted by the Council of the City of Santa Barbara at a meeting held on May 19, 2020, by the following roll call vote: AYES:

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

NOES:

None

ABSENT:

None

ABSTENTIONS:

None

License and Registration Requirements.

6.1 General. Pursuant to California Labor Code § 1720 et seq., this Project is subject to the prevailing wage requirements applicable to the locality in which the Work is to be performed for each craft, classification or type of worker needed to perform the Work, including employer payments for health and welfare, pension, vacation, apprenticeship and similar purposes.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto set my

6.2 Rates. These prevailing rates are on file with the City and are available online at http://www.dir.ca.gov/DLSR. Each Contractor and Subcontractor must pay no less than the specified rates to all workers employed to work on the Project.

The schedule of per diem wages is based upon a working day of eight hours. The rate for holiday and overtime work must be at least time and one-half.

hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Santa Barbara on May 20, 2020.

6.3 Compliance. The Contract will be subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the DIR, under Labor Code § 1771.4. /s/ Sarah P. Gorman, CMC City Clerk Services Manager I HEREBY APPROVE the foregoing ordinance on May 20, 2020.

7.

Performance and Payment Bonds. The successful bidder will be required to provide performance and payment bonds, each for 100% of the Contract Price, as further specified in the Contract Documents.

8.

Substitution of Securities. Substitution of appropriate securities in lieu of retention amounts from progress payments is permitted under Public Contract Code § 22300.

9.

Subcontractor List. Each Subcontractor must be registered with the DIR to perform work on public projects. Each bidder must submit a completed Subcontractor List form with its Bid Proposal, including the name, location of the place of business, California contractor license number, DIR registration number, and percentage of the Work to be performed (based on the base bid price) for each Subcontractor that will perform Work or service or fabricate or install Work for the prime contractor in excess of one-half of 1% of the bid price, using the Subcontractor List form included with the Contract Documents.

10.

Instructions to Bidders. All bidders should carefully review the Instructions to Bidders for more detailed information before submitting a Bid Proposal. The definitions provided in Article 1 of the General Conditions apply to all of the Contract Documents, as defined therein, including this Notice Inviting Bids.

11.

Mandatory Bidders’ Conference. A bidders’ conference will be held on Wednesday June 3, 2020 at 1:00 p.m., at the following location: David Gebhard Room, 630 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, to acquaint all prospective bidders with the Contract Documents and the Worksite. The bidders’ conference is mandatory. A bidder who fails to attend the mandatory bidders’ conference will be disqualified from bidding.

/s/ Cathy Murillo Mayor Published May 27, 2020 Montecito Journal

Canyon Mind Body & Soul, 2600 Foothill Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Brigitta T Wissmann, 2600 Foothill Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 24, 2020. 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), filed

by John Beck. FBN No. 2020-0001038.

Published May 6, 13, 20, 27, 2020.

FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT:

BUSINESS The following

28 May – 4 June 2020

person(s) is/are doing business as: The Bookstore at the Vedanta Temple, 925 Ladera Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Vedanta Society of Southern California, 1946 Vedanta Place, Los Angeles, CA 90068. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 29, 2020. 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), filed by John Beck. FBN No. 2020-0001075.

Published May 6, 13, 20, 27, 2020.

By: ___________________________________

Date: ________________

William Hornung, CPM, General Services Manager Publication Dates: 1) May 20, 2020

2) May 27, 2020 END OF NOTICE INVITING BIDS

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

39

Our Town

SB City Council Members and Mayor Murillo (file photo)

by Joanne A. Calitri

Joanne is a professional international photographer and journalist.

Contact her at: artraks@yahoo.com

5G Impact and Santa Barbara City Council Update: Part 1

M

ost people have heard of “next generation” 5G wireless signal, its technical merits, and you may have even perused some research on its effects on humans including in utero. This series presents published 5G information, the status of 5G in our town, and interviews to provide current vetted information with references for the reader.

About 10 years ago Montecito was home to multiple vocal protests about cell tower placement, so historically we know that wireless signal is an issue of both great local awareness and also concern.

Pertinent issues regarding 5G include: the March 2020 ordinance before the SB City Council [see photo], the proposed installation of 5G transmitting devices hidden in the street lamps on State Street by Verizon, other cell phone companies deploying 5G here and when, and literally do the citizens of our town get to have a say in any of this?

If the SB City Council and the citizens it represents have a say in 5G, to what extent will that be road blocked by the FCC, who in 2019, “...unanimously proposed to expand its overthe-air reception device (OTARD) rule, which prevents governments, landlords and home owners associations from blocking the use of satellite receivers on a customer’s owned or leased property, to wireless internet service provider hubs serving multiple users – homes and businesses. The rule prohibits laws, regulations, or restrictions imposed by State or local governments or private entities that impair the ability of antenna users to install, maintain, or use over-theair reception devices.” That quotation comes to us from Robert F Kennedy, Jr. of Children’s Health Defense.

And on the Federal level, “Under Chairman Pai, the FCC is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to Facilitate America’s Superiority in 5G Technology (the 5G FAST Plan). The Chairman’s strategy includes three key components: (1) pushing more spectrum into the marketplace; (2) updating infrastructure policy; and (3) modernizing outdated regulations. The FCC adopted new rules that will reduce federal regulatory impediments to deploying infrastructure needed for 5G and help to expand the reach of 5G for faster, more reliable wireless service. The FCC reformed rules designed decades ago to accom-

40 MONTECITO JOURNAL

modate small cells. The reforms ban short-sighted municipal roadblocks that have the effect of prohibiting deployment of 5G and give states and localities a reasonable deadline to approve or disapprove small-cell siting applications. FCC Record Citation: 33 FCC Rcd 9088 (14)” [Feb 2020, www.fcc.gov/5G] In 2017, California Firefighters received an exemption in SB 649, written by Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), based upon potential harm from cell towers. This was the result from firefighters lobbying against the bill backed by both the results of the 2014 SPECT brain pilot study on firefighters and IAFF Resolution No. 15 (International Association of Fire Fighters August 2004 to prohibit cell towers from being placed on their fire stations).

Susan Foster MSW who led the SPECT study and filed a formal affidavit to the FFC wrote, “Senate Bill 649 was designed to allow for rapid deployment of small cell towers to be placed every five to ten homes without the local zoning procedures that have been guaranteed for 20 years by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This expansion is part of the coming 5G infrastructure build out. The industry-friendly California legislature may claim they know nothing about health concerns, but in fact they do. The legislature granted an exemption from SB 649 to the firefighters who have fought cell towers on their stations in court and in their cities for almost 20 years.” Governor Brown vetoed the bill October 2017. [https://ecfsapi.fcc. gov/file/7022117660.pdf] California State Assembly member Bill Quirk, a former NASA scientist, authored CA AB57 (Quirk 2015) to make it easier for wireless companies to put up towers without going through the planning commission or the city council. In a 2018 interview with San Francisco CBS Local, Quirk said he may resurrect the bill that was recently vetoed by governor Brown, “I know scientifically that putting up these cell phone towers is safe” although he agreed more studies should be done. [“ConsumerWatch: 5G Cellphone Towers Signal Renewed Concerns Over Impacts on Health”

by Julie Watts and Abigail Sterling, January 25, 2018, San Francisco CBS Local] September 2019, Firefighters asked for an exemption or protec-

tions in Palo Alto, as a new Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Ordinance for “small cell” towers was being amended, and the Ripon Elementary School Los Angeles Sprint Cell Tower was shut off in 2019 due to several cases of cancer in students and teachers.

As of April 30, 2020, 253 EMF scientists from 44 nations have signed the EMF Scientist Organization International Appeal, “Scientists call for Protection from Non-ionizing Electromagnetic Field Exposure”: “We are scientists engaged in the study of biological and health effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF). Based upon peer-reviewed, published research, we have serious concerns regarding the ubiquitous and increasing exposure to EMF generated by electric and wireless devices. These include – but are not limited to – radiofrequency radiation (RFR) emitting devices, such as cellular and cordless phones and their base stations, Wi-Fi, broadcast antennas, smart meters, and baby monitors as well as electric devices and infra-structures used in the delivery of electricity that generate extremely-low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF). Numerous recent scientific publications have shown that EMF affects living organisms at levels well below most international and national guidelines.” It was sent to Antonio Guterres Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Director-General of the World Health Organization, Inger Andersen Executive Director of the UNEP Environment Programme, and to all U.N. Member Nations. [ref: https://emfscientist.org/index.php/ emf-scientist-appeal] That bring us to our town March 2020, when the SB City Council voted, after hearing over 12 citizens make presentations against 5G, to take more time to study the potential health impacts of the technology before giving license to Verizon for full installation, appointing City Attorney Ariel Calonne to provide a memo to

“A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

the council within 90 days. Council members Michael Jordan District 2, Eric Friedman District 5, and Mayor Cathy Murillo voted to move forward with the contract without any impact studies or constituency input. Voting against making the decision until further studies of impact were addressed are Council members Kristen Sneddon Mayor Pro Tempore District 4 who represents Montecito’s Coast Village Road, its adjacent areas and the Coast Village Road Association, Alejandra Gutierrez District 1 whose area borders Montecito direct routes in and out, Meagan Harmon District 6, and Oscar Gutierrez District 3.

In an effort to accurately define the position of the Council Members directly connected with Montecito, I contacted Kristen Sneddon and Alejandra Gutierrez for an e-interview or statement about the situation. They chose to submit their e-statements, which are published here: Santa Barbara City Councilmember Kristen Sneddon Mayor Pro Tempore and District 4: “As the nation leaps toward advancements in 5G technology, there are many anticipated benefits in communication and connectivity, while the potential health risks are less well-understood. We need more research before we encourage mass installation of a 5G network in Santa Barbara.

“There is a growing body of peer-reviewed published scientific research describing potential harmful effects of exposure to radio frequency radiation and electromagnetic fields. At exposure levels below those currently allowed, there could be increased risk of genetic, reproductive, and neurological damage, among other types of risk. FCC guidelines address the intensity of these types of exposures, but do not currently address the way the signal is conveyed. 5G technology utilizes advancements in signal conveyance, including focused beams and phased arrays of millimeter wavelengths. The effects of these advancements in how the signal is conveyed are possibly detrimental to health, 28 May – 4 June 2020

and are not taken into account by current FCC guidelines. Research shows varying levels of potential effects, and does not conclude that there are no effects. We need to pause until there is more information on the effects of this type of radiation conveyed in this new format. There is nothing to conclude it is safe, and more to indicate the potential for damage. We need more research.

“FCC rules at this time are intended to ease the installation of network upgrades to 5G, particularly utilizing public utility poles. As this is being challenged in the courts, it is my hope and direction that Santa Barbara join this challenge as well, along with Berkeley as a city leading the charge in using municipal codes to regulate placement of the wireless cells. In Santa Barbara, our City Attorney is working with 5G Free to participate in the development of our local ordinance. On the basis of favoring local control, Santa Barbara entered our formal opposition of SB 649 through the League of Cities and our Legislative Platform. We are looking at this from every angle. There is debate about how to address the placement of active sites and this is where we are working with stakeholders, including 5G Free and the wireless providers, to draft an ordinance that will maximize our local control as much

as possible under federal and state law. This draft will come before the Ordinance Committee in the coming weeks before being presented to City Council. Until there is further research on the potential health risks and plans for mitigation, installation of 5G should not be necessary.”

Santa Barbara City Councilmember Alejandra Gutierrez District 1: “As Santa Barbara City Council members

but these are also concerns across the state. People do not know the social ramification of having these items create disruptions throughout many public spaces in the city. The current COVID-19 situation has taught us to always take preventive measures before it becomes a crisis. These 5G towers have been controversial since we don’t have enough data to prove that they are safe for all constituents

“As a District representative, I acknowledge that our citizenry is diverse: social, economic, racial, gender, immigrant, and often Spanish speaking. I want to make sure that the current environmental climate isn’t unthreading and won’t lead to compromising our constituents’ health.” – Santa Barbara City Councilmember Alejandra Gutierrez we acknowledge the need to improve modern innovations that will enhance communication and business, however, we are torn about wanting to meet the demand of the community.

We are also very concerned about the health impacts it has on the people when bringing these 5G towers into our community. These concerns are not only central to Santa Barbara,

residing within our city boundaries.

It is our ethical responsibility to protect the wellbeing of our constituents’ wellbeing, especially those that live on the margins – those who don’t have a say in these types of matters.

As city council members, we must make informed decisions, and we must call on our federal government to be transparent about all benefits

and risks associated with installing 5G towers on public grounds.

“As a District representative, I acknowledge that our citizenry is diverse: social, economic, racial, gender, immigrant, and often Spanish speaking. I want to make sure that the current environmental climate isn’t unthreading and won’t lead to compromising our constituents’ health. I am especially concerned for the children and youth that live in my district. My district has a high volume of light poles, and we have three elementary schools, one junior high and the largest high school in our city. Most of the students walk to their schools and have no way of avoiding these towers. I am very concerned about the health risks to Santa Barbarians, and I want to make sure that as a City Council member, I voice these concerns. I understand that there are federal regulations that hold back cities from restricting the towers in our cities. Yet, I am willing to advocate for the people and unite with other cities with the same concerns to find solutions to this uncertainty.”

Next week, this space will share statements from my interviews with SB City Attorney Ariel Calonne and Assistant City Attorney John Doimas concerning their 5G Impact Study and what comes next. Stay tuned.

•MJ

CONDOR EXPRESS IS BACK IN BUSINESS!

We just got the green light from both the state and the county to start up our daily trips just in time for Summer… its the best time to go whale watching, Enjoy Friendly Humpback whales, Fin whales, Minki whales and the giant Blue whales all feeding in the Santa Barbara channel, along with several species of dolphin and seals. We’ll see you aboard the Condor express!

So be safe and be on board starting this Monday June first, with great weather and Whales abound

Trips depart every day at 9 AM and noon from the Santa Barbara harbor, for reservations and information go to condorexpress.com or call Sea Landing @ 805-963-3564 For your safety and comfort ,we will be limiting our passenger load to 25% of capacity, We are requiring face masks to be worn, and will monitoring social distancing, We will also have sanitizing stations on board use. Rubber gloves are not required but may be worn.

28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

41

Famous Photog Dewey Nicks Who Lives Local and Works Global is Giving Back with Mentorship, Scholarship

by MJ Staff

Montecito Journal spoke with photographer Dewey Nicks and design incubator Derek Galkin about the recently launched Dewey Nicks + Autotype Design Club Photography Scholarship

D

ewey Nicks is a world-famous photographer who has shot many of the world’s most famous people for the world’s most well-known magazines and design firms. He moved to Carp in 2009. In early February, Nicks auctioned off test prints from his personal archive to fund a competitive scholarship for an aspiring professional photographer. MJ spoke to Dewey and to Derek Galkin of Autotype Design Club, Dewey’s co-sponsor and a professional mentor, about their recently launched scholarship, which is taking applications from the first 100 student photogs who apply. MJ virtually sat with Nicks and Galkin this past weekend to discuss their new scholarship.

Q. What’s the story behind your scholPhotographer Dewey Nicks arship?

Dewey Nicks: When I was a student in St. Louis, I won a $10,000 scholarship sponsored by a consortium of midwest-based business journals. That money was a game changer for me and made it possible for me to, among other things, buy certain essential photography equipment… equipment that was critical so I could shoot in certain professional formats. In a nutshell, that money was the seed that enabled me to shoot the portfolio that got me into the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena – and from Art Center I was off to the races.

What does the Dewey Nicks Scholarship entail?

It’s money. It’s mentorship by me. And, together with Derek Galkin’s Autotype design platform, we will also help budding photographers with networking, which is of course also a critical component to any career in the arts.

All the details are on the www.autotypedesign.com website.

Who is eligible to compete for your photography scholarship?

Any student currently enrolled in an undergrad, grad, or extension program in photography. Entries will be judged not just by myself, but by Leslie Simitch, a partner in the renowned Great Bowery design agency in New York (with additional offices in London, Paris, Munich, and Sydney). Entries will also be judged by Carol LeFlufy who started and runs the Eye Forward photographers’ agency in L.A. Both women worked extensively with Annie Leibovitz as well as many other great photographers, so there’s a high level of experience and acumen and expertise and scope. If you impress these people you’ve really done something. That being said, there’s always room at the top, right?

What inspired you to set up this scholarship?

A scholarship just like this one gave me a huge leg up. I’d like to do the same for someone else.

What originally brought you to Santa Barbara from the Midwest? And what made you decide to put down roots here?

I originally attended the Brooks Institute of Photography in Montecito for a semester. Although I left Brooks (now defunct) for Art Center, I fell in love with the area and always hoped I could come back. Then one day I was living and working in L.A. and I realized that with all the advances in screen sharing and other virtual technologies I could live just about anywhere. With all of Santa Barbara’s virtues abundantly obvious along with my fond memories from Brooks, I thought this place would be the ideal place to raise our family. And I was right.

Since you work all over the world and much of your work involves flying to if not shooting in major global cities, is it a challenge living in SB? Is it hard being a globe

42 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Keith Richards in the Sound Factory Elevator for Virgin Records, 1992 (photo by Dewey Nicks)

trotter based here?

Quite the opposite. I spend maybe 20 minutes going through security at Santa Barbara Airport. With photographic equipment that same task could easily expand to an hour at LAX. Not to mention all the other normal hassles of L.A. like traffic and parking. Wherever I’m going generally I fly first to Denver. So Denver is my hub and from there I can easily get pretty much anywhere.

Your scholarship is not just money but mentorship and networking. Why is that?

Mentorship and connections are critical in almost every profession, but especially in the arts and especially starting out. I had a bunch of mentors starting out who were invaluable. Sometimes finding your path can be really difficult. Giving a newbie money is one thing but giving them money and a path, now that’s really something. That’s why I’m so thrilled to be offering this scholarship through Autotype Design Club. ADC is really great at nurturing talent.

Autotype Co-founder Derek Galkin

Derek Galkin has been kind of a polymath working in the fashion and design space for decades. In 2017 he sold his retro cool casual footwear company SeaVees (their flagship store is on Mason Street in the Funk Zone) and was searching for his next thing. The result of that search is the Autotype Design Club, a platform for designers to “entertain the impossible, and receive support by a community of advocates who value great design.”

Q. What is the Autotype Design Club exactly?

“You’re only as good as your last haircut.” – Fran Lebowitz

28 May – 4 June 2020

Leonardo DiCaprio in a Sunset Boulevard pizza shop (photo by Dewey Nicks) Anaheim California Stunt Show (photo by Dewey Nicks)

Diane Keaton and her dog in Hollywood, 1993 (photo by Dewey Nicks)

by product, and detail by painstaking detail.

Autotype Design Club co-founder Derek Galkin

Galkin: It’s a platform and resource and support system for celebrating innovative design and empowering future designers. You know, in the arts there’s not always a clear path to where you want to go so we try to provide that. And to mentor, validate, and empower.

Does ADC have a motto or credo?

Designers are stewards of the imagination: they provoke, plan, and experiment with the seemingly ludicrous and impossible to test their theories and, inevitably, bring to life a functional and timeless work of art. Their daring inspires what we wear, what we drive, and how we live, font by font, product 28 May – 4 June 2020

Why did you create Autotype?

To give back. To support the future generation of designers. And to create a roadmap for the young mavericks. Also it just makes the field more exciting for me, to foster the work of cutting edge design innovators.

How is Santa Barbara as an environment for working in design?

Actually great. Oddly, as a place with a laid-back surfer vibe, I think Santa Barbara actually allows us to work harder. I find that we’re able to work without the distraction of all the noise and static of some of these huge metropolises.

Plus our down time is higher quality as well. Because there’s no commute to the greatest “leisure” in the world. Physically and from a weather standpoint, obviously Santa Barbara is pretty hard to beat.

•MJ

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

43

EDITORIAL (Continued from page 5)

at his passing was deeply meaningful to my dad – it was a prayer he recited every morning for a year after his father passed. These ceremonies matter.

The listing of names on the Times’ cover was planned for Memorial Day weekend, a day for honoring the men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. Military; but this year Memorial Day also seemed to signal a new war, this one on the home front. And it started me thinking about a short film called “Powers of Ten” made in 1969 by the world-renowned designers and thinkers Charles and Ray Eames. The film is about our relative size in the universe. It begins with a one-meter wide shot of a couple’s lakeside picnic in Chicago.

From there the camera begins to pull out and every ten seconds we can see from ten times further away with a ten times wider field of view. At 10,000 meters we still see the lake’s shore. At 100,000 meters we can see all of Lake Michigan.

By 10 million meters the earth shows as a solid sphere and then diminishes into the distance, with background stars. Eventually, at 100 million meters, one can see the orbital paths of our neighboring planets, Venus and Mars, then Mercury; and then, into the field of view, comes the sun and off we go into the outskirts of the galaxy.

The film’s powerful imagery makes the point that 100 million light years out, this emptiness is normal. The Earth is but a speck of sand – insignificant really.

And yet, to each other, we are incredibly significant. That person who is just one name among the 999 other names listed on the Times’ cover, or worse, those names that did not even make it onto that list, is somebody’s sister, somebody’s mother, somebody’s best friend. Anyone who’s been a parent (or even a pet owner) knows that you are the universe to this other being. You matter. We each matter, relatively insignificant as we may be.

According to a study released last week by Columbia University, 36,000 deaths from COVID-19 could have been prevented if broad social distancing measures had been implemented just one week earlier in March. Underlining the importance of aggressively responding to the coronavirus, the study found that the U.S. could have avoided at least 700,000 infections if actions that began on March 15 had actually started on March 8. Just one week of hesitation. One week of ambivalence. One week of inaction. 36,000 deaths.

Laughing Matters

Wearing a mask is not a political statement. It’s a nod to the

fundamental truth that behind every political perspective, every

tweet, every faceless name on a painfully long list and yes, behind

every mask, there is a human being. A significant life that matters.

As I watch the world begin to reopen – including our local stores and restaurants and downtown’s State Street, newly closed to cars for blocks and suddenly teaming with people – I fear we are already becoming sloppy. I fear these past months when so much was sacrificed – earnings, career momentum, businesses, new relationships, time with loved ones – that in our haste to get life back to “normal” we will fail to protect these investments. Certainly, if we learned anything from the Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flow, it’s that the threat is not over when we’re tired of it. The threat is over when it has either been mitigated or has actually gone away.

The fact is, each day we’re still losing hundreds, sometimes thousands, to this virus, with tens of thousands being newly infected daily. Yet little-by-little six feet is becoming three feet. Face masks are becoming bracelets and necklaces.

Groups are expanding. It’s a slippery slope. Our kids want to hang out with their friends. The other parents are letting them do it. We all want our lives back.

We want to go out to eat. To see our friends. To go to work. To hug our extended families. To experience joy. Unfettered joy. To Shop. To drink. To live.

Yes, we want to live. So, shouldn’t we protect the investments made for which we have paid so dearly? Shouldn’t we make our sacrifices count? As we move forward with respect and gratitude for all the lives risked, and with sorrow for the too many souls lost, following the guidelines for a safe reopening is the one thing in our power. It’s for us; but even more so it’s for others. It’s for those who can’t escape by teleworking. It’s for our seniors. It’s for those with underlying conditions. It’s for nurses. For doctors. For grocery store workers.

Science will get us to the other side of this, but we each need to do our part until it gets us there. Wearing a mask is not a political statement. It’s a nod to the fundamental truth that behind every political perspective, every tweet, every faceless name on a painfully long list and yes, behind every mask, there is a human being. A significant life that matters.

•MJ

44 MONTECITO JOURNAL

MONTECITO JOURNAL’S THOM STEINBECK CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST #4

HAIKU… GESUNDHEIT!

T

his week’s contest will be a Haiku…. [bless you] on the subject: A Safe Reopening. The first line should only have 5 syllables, then 7 for the second, and 5 for the last. These add up to 17 syllables. Once you have achieved the syllable rule, you have a Haiku… bless you.

Send your image by Sunday, June 7 to: letters@montecitojournal.net.

We will publish the winning image and award the winning artist with a $125 gift certificate to a local restaurant of our choice for take-out food.

“A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.” – Emo Philips

28 May – 4 June 2020

Winners of the Montecito Journal Visual Arts Contest Thank you to all who participated in our visual arts contest! Every submission was, in its own way, remarkable and worthy of recognition. Finally, we considered for winners only those images that were created in and spoke to this unique moment. ~ GL 1ST PLACE – $125 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO PACIFIC HEALTH FOODS LONELINESS - by Cynthia Waring “I am seventy-three. I live alone. When we were ordered to shelter in place I thought, “At least I have my painting.” I was fine the first few weeks but after that, not so well. I painted a scene out my window on the Riviera of the sky, Rincon Peak, the ocean and the hill. My paintings can take days, even weeks to complete. I stare at them and finally what the painting needs hits me. As I stared at this painting nothing came. I stared at it for hours, waiting. Then it came to me. It was perfect the way it was. I had painted loneliness.”

2ND PLACE – $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO PACIFIC HEALTH FOODS LAST ROLL - by Della Cook, Montecito 3RD PLACE – $75 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO PACIFIC HEALTH FOODS TRAPPED - by Andrea Russell 4TH PLACE – $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO MOUNTAIN AIR SPORTS UNTITLED - by Raven Wilde “Pali X Mano and me during our Zoom video conference meeting with the other members of the Summer Solstice Parade group. This would have been his 31st year creating the grand finale inflatable float. Although we are saddened that the usual parade is canceled this year, there will be a virtual parade. Pali plans a headdress and costume creation workshop. This photograph represents our attitude of making the best of whatever life brings, with our sense of humor and whimsy to share with everyone. Bring a smile, lessen the fear.”

1st Place – Loneliness - by Cynthia Waring

5TH PLACE – $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO MOUNTAIN AIR SPORTS MOTHER’S DAY OFFERING 2020 - by Katie Szopa “My mother who is in her mid ‘70s has been self-isolating since March 15. Luckily she has a large patio so her family (myself, my husband and our kids) can visit from a good six-foot distance. I snapped this photo of the gifts we brought for her on Mother’s Day that she had us leave on a chair where she would retrieve them after we left.

6TH PLACE – $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO MOUNTAIN AIR SPORTS GAME NIGHT 2020 - by Cliff Ghersen

2nd Place – Last Roll - by Della Cook

HONORABLE MENTIONS: HOPE - by Andrea Russell Photography and Optasia Graphics UNPLUGGING - by Erinn Lynch

3rd Place – Trapped - by Andrea Russell 5th Place – Mother’s Day Offering 2020 - by Katie Szopa

6th Place – Game Night 2020 - by Cliff Ghersen

Honorable Mention – Hope - by Andrea Russell

Honorable Mention – Unplugging - by Erinn Lynch

28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

4th Place – Untitled - by Raven Wilde

MONTECITO JOURNAL

45

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46 MONTECITO JOURNAL

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FRIENDS, CLIENTS, and CUSTOMERS The Clearing House looks forward to serving our Estate Sale clients and customers in the near future. We are cautiously optimistic that doors will open soon and shopping our well-appointed estate sales can begin again.

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Seeking live-in estate caretaker position: •NYC Contractor 15 years exp with building and design both commercial and residential •Proficient at all trades; finish carpenter •Int’l property management experience; currently mnge multiple properties in NYC, Germany & Portugal •Juilliard trained pianist, master chef, proud father & husband!

Contact details: Bjørn Brandt (917) 224- 2526 bjornbrandt@gmail.com Artist Seeking Live-In Studio I am a painter & sculptor. I moved to Montecito when I was 12 years old and would like to relocate back to my hometown. A three or four car garage sized place would be perfect, a wide open space on a cement slab is

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 “Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.” – Erma Bombeck

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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?

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The flock at SB Bird Sanctuary could always use some extra love and socialization. Call us and let’s talk about how you can help. (805) 969-1944

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

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All of Mollie’s tasty soups, from Minestrone to Lentil (eight different ones to choose from) are available at $7 per serving.

Mollie’s Fresh Ravioli, spaghetti, and other Pasta dishes, Osso Buco, Calamari, Meatballs, Chicken and more are also available at special reduced Eat-at-Home prices, all made and prepared in a clean and sanitary environment by Mollie and her staff wearing gloves and masks.

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Mollie’s now has limited space INSIDE her restaurant to serve a FAMILY MEAL for 4 to 12 family members!

To make a family meal reservation or to order take-out from Mollie’s at 1218 State Street, or home delivery (for orders over $50 in Santa Barbara and Montecito) by calling 805-770-8300.

Ciao! Stay safe and healthy!

1 2 1 8 St at e St re e t | 8 0 5 - 7 7 0 - 8 3 0 0 | 8 0 5 - 4 5 2 - 2 6 9 2 | w w w. t m o l l i e . c o m 28 May – 4 June 2020

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

47

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