Addressing an Urgent Need by Montecito Journal

The Giving List 21-28 OCTOBER 2021 VOL 27 ISSUE 43

SERVING MONTECITO AND SUMMERLAND

As a relatively young nonprofit, Leading From Within is looking to create “positive change,” page 28

ADDRESSING AN URGENT NEED

THE ‘MOST PRESTIGIOUS CORNER’ IN MONTECITO IS SET TO GET A NEW TENANT — COTTAGE URGENT CARE, WITH THE LOCAL HEALTHCARE STALWART MAKING A COMMITMENT TO OUR GROWING COMMUNITY. STORY STARTS ON PAGE 5

Things Are a Changin’

With the school year now two months old, we caught up with Montecito Union School to discuss upcoming planned improvements, page 6

Getting the Low ‘Downer’

As the Montecito Fire helped get the Alisal Fire under control, the threat of “sundowner” winds plagues the entire South Coast, page 12

Get a Whiff

Do you smell that? It’s the sweet aroma of a new fragrance donning our rarefied enclave’s name — and you can get it at Rosewood Miramar, page 16

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Inside This Issue 5

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In the Know A pair of businesses at the corner of Coast Village and Olive Mill roads are out as property owner makes room for Cottage Urgent Care 6 Village Beat With the school year now two months old, we caught up with Montecito Union School to discuss upcoming planned improvements 8 Letters to the Editor Why the obsession with collecting cars? Plus, different takes on the Montecito Journal’s endorsement of James Joyce. 9 Montecito on the Move Celebrating the inventiveness and character of our community 10 On Entertainment State Street Ballet and Santa Barbara Symphony will get a unique closeup as Kismet comes to town this weekend 12 Hot Topics The threat of fire is pretty much constant along the South Coast, and “sundowner” winds are a reason for that 14 College Bound What’s the latest in college admissions trends? Our friends at Mentors 4 College have some helpful insights. 16 Montecito Miscellany From a new fragrance donning Montecito’s name to the wild party helping animals, Richard Mineards was all over town 19 Robert’s Big Questions The recent ban on abortions in Texas is just the latest round in this endless culture war 20 Our Town Celebrating Rod Rolle’s “Spirit of Community” exhibit opening in Santa Barbara 22 Perspectives by Rinaldo Brutoco The Real “Right to Life”: Manchin’s Fear of an “Entitlement Society” The Optimist Daily Compost and Fish Poop: Why fish poop is more important than we realize 23 Brilliant Thoughts Talking about good taste 24 Seen Around Town “Channing Peake – To Mexico and Beyond” is the latest event going on at Casa del Herrero, plus a visit to the Reagan Library 28 The Giving List As a relatively young nonprofit, Leading From Within is looking to create “positive change” 30 Calendar of Events From DJ Darla Bea to the haunt at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, a look at the week ahead... 32 Legal Advertisements Your Westmont The orchestra performs live at Music Academy of the West; the theater performs a new comedic play about the history of flight; and Bat Night Out is October 22 35 Mini Meta Crossword Puzzles 36 Mixing It Up Introducing you to mixologist Ian Wickman, and he has quite the concoction to share with you 38 Classified Advertising Our own “Craigslist” of classified ads, in which sellers offer everything from summer rentals to estate sales 39 Local Business Directory Smart business owners place business cards here so readers know where to look when they need what those businesses offer

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21 – 28 October 2021

In the Know

by Nick Masuda

The Doctor Will See You Now:

Coast Village to Get Cottage Urgent Care

Village Properties and Heather James Fine Art (HJFA) will vacate the east wing at 1296 Coast Village Road

or John Price, his property at the corner of Coast Village and Olive Mill roads has admittedly caused him headaches, with some 28 hearings between 2004 and 2017 looking to prevent him from developing his prime real estate spot into a mixed-use opportunity. He won, time and time again. And now he feels like he’s doing so again, as the bottom floor of the east wing at 1296 Coast Village Road will see two businesses vacate — Village Properties and Heather James Fine Art (HJFA) — while inheriting Cottage Urgent Care, Montecito’s first urgent care facility. “It’s a far cry from filling up gas tanks, washing cars, and selling cookies,” said Price, who owns multiple gas stations in the area. “But no one can argue with medical; you’d be hardpressed to find someone that says we don’t need a service like this.” The 2,700-square-foot floor plan will combine the layouts of Village Properties and HJFA, with construction expected to take nearly a year and Cottage Health indicating it plans to open the urgent care for business in late 2022. The mixed-use property does have

five homeowners on the second and third floors, with Price indicating that 80% of the residents — which includes himself — have no issue with the new direction. “We’ll keep working on the other one,” Price said. Both Village and HJFA were in the middle of long-term leases, with Price spurred along by HJFA coming to him, asking to buy its way out of the lease due to a change in company direction. Price and HJFA would come to terms, at which point Price says he was approached by Cottage about the space. The footprint it needed wasn’t enough with just HJFA’s layout alone, so Price went to Village Properties management and worked out a buyout of their five-year lease. Price tried to get Village to move into the west wing of the same property, but the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement. “I hate to lose Village, they are a fantastic tenant; I can’t say enough good things about them,” Price said. Renee Grubb, the owner of Village, says that while “bittersweet,” the bigger picture is more important for the

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

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.

MUS Improvements to Start Next Summer

ontecito Union School is moving forward with some much-needed – and long anticipated – improvements to campus next summer, which will take over a year to complete. “This project has been fifteen years in the making, and has gone through a huge number of changes,” said Superintendent Anthony Ranii, who sat down with us earlier this week. Before Ranii’s tenure, the MUS School Board went out for a bond measure, Measure Q, in November 2014. The $27,150,000 bond was to fund a large scale improvement and expansion project, which was slated to add a large cafeteria/multipurpose building and amphitheater, modernize and update current buildings and classrooms, and address infrastructure and accessibility issues. Once the bond measure failed, the board discussed numerous iterations of a scaled-down version of the project, and even contemplated seeking

a $16,100,000 bond in November 2016 for a pared-down project, but ultimately decided against it. When Ranii took over as superintendent in 2016, he says the board and the administration had countless conver- Montecito Union School will undergo much needed infrasations about how to move forward, structure repairs beginning next summer as the school’s infrastructure – including electrical, gas, sewer, and water Virginia Alvarez applied for fundsystems – continued to decline. “We ing from the Office of Public School realized we needed to account for our Construction, and MUS has been promneeds, rather than the wants, and that ised $3 million for infrastructure and we need to live within our means and accessibility updates. The State has also not ask our voters for more money,” he helped fund two smaller scale projsaid. After much collaborative discus- ects that have already been completsion and studies, it was decided that the ed, including a new campus-wide fire necessary repairs and updating to the alarm system and the replacement of century-old main building (Building D) several windows on the south side of and the kindergarten and first-grade the main building, which were conbuilding (Building E) will cost roughly sidered a safety hazard. “We are in $13 million and will be funded through the process of getting another approval a mix of District reserves and grants to access funding for new windows from the state. and doors to improve ventilation in Ranii and Chief Business Official the wake of COVID-19,” Ranii said,

breast cancer program

An elevator added at the back of the main building to allow access to the playground will be removed, and two more elevators will be installed to accommodate those will accessibility challenges

explaining that the school has benefited from State funds earmarked for small school districts. In addition to State grants, MUS has been aggressively putting aside money for this project, adding $700,000 to $1.5 million per year to a special fund for the last five years. With about $6 million saved, and $3 million anticipated from the state, the board will likely seek a bridge loan in order to begin construction next summer. “We’ve already proven for the last five years that we can put aside a good chunk of money for this project. We

Village Beat Page 374 374

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

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

An Open and Sincere Question to Collectors

found myself truly saddened by the article in the Montecito Journal regarding the Montecito Motor Classic — which is an emotional response that I’m sure few, if any, also experienced. And I have a question for the owners of these cars, to which I honestly and sincerely crave an answer. What is the professed and apparent joy you get out of owning and obsessing over these vehicles? I understand that you see them as “works of art,” but when Mr. Grant says that his Lola MK6 GT is “priceless” and is “absolute perfection” (and worth probably at least $25 million) how can anyone justify owning a $25 million piece of art? I just don’t get it. Please enlighten me. Have you ever thought about how many mouths that one “piece of art” could feed? Have you ever thought about how many college educations that “piece of art” could provide? Have you ever thought about how many children’s lives that “piece of art” could enhance? If those thoughts do cross your mind, what is your answer to your own questions? Again, I just don’t get it, and would like to understand. I sound like the proverbial “sour grapes” that Ashleigh Brilliant described in his own column in the same issue, but I assure you I am not a sour grapes kind of person. While it is true that I have never had, or never will have, your kind of wealth, I don’t envy your money or your possessions. When I fantasize about being wealthy, I only do it in the context of how much fun it would be to give my wealth away! And when I read about auto collectors — or art collectors, or antique collectors, or watch collectors, etc. — I am

genuinely perplexed. Very perplexed and very open to being enlightened. What am I missing? So, I ask, again: From what place in your soul does your joy of collecting and ownership of “stuff” come? Jo Patterson

Pining for More Time

Such a shame Little Alex’s is forced to close. Delicious and healthful food, moderately priced, quick service, plenty of nearby parking, and no valet required! Sue Butcher

Congrats for Taking on DCC

I want to call out the courage of Gwyn’s editorial (Montecito Journal, October 7), in so clearly defining how the DCC (Democratic Central Committee) has hit rock bottom in their political agenda of ego-driven power grabs. Their desperate and divisive, even nasty, fiefdom-like efforts to hang on to their ineffective elected puppets is indeed the elephant in the room. As Gwyn points out, people are sick of this stuff. Our city is too good, and our issues are too important, for this type of gutter politics that leads us nowhere. Yes, I am an ardent supporter of Randy Rowse for Mayor, who has the experience, wisdom, vision and understanding of our local issues, and a non-partisan approach to our city’s priority challenges and opportunities. We need someone who knows how to govern, lead and won’t need on the job training. This election is indeed a big one. Alixe Mattingly Santa Barbara

In Need of ‘Low-Key’

Davis and I were talking about the beautiful community where we married while still living in Los Angeles, only spending a few relaxing weeks up here yearly while he was an attorney there. We certainly remember the welcoming environment of the past and hope things don’t change more drastically than they already have. Just wanted to congratulate the authors of the letters (about) the awful changes being made to our wonderful, low-key community! Jill, Michael, John, Mike, and Diana and hope I haven’t missed anyone. Jean von Wittenburg

I’d like to comment on James Buckley’s letter to the editor where he weighs in on both the changing attitudes of the Montecito Journal as well as some of the newcomers to the area who embrace the ever-increasing role of government. I, as well as many people I have spoken to, find the Journal’s leaning predictably woke. I find it ironic that the left-leaning members of the Montecito community who spout the rhetoric of the new socialist movement boast some of the wealthiest people in the country. The Journal, at this point, comes across as a “want to be” Santa Barbara Independent. Although you will have your faithful followers praise your stance, there are many of us that are happy to know there are intelligent alternatives, one of which Mr. Buckley is providing. Monica Bond

Truly Uplifting

Your piece last week on the Ten Commitments was so uplifting, and it reminds all of us humans what a “moral compass” truly looks like. Simply wonderful. Thank you, thank you, thank you. LeeAnn Morgan

Letters Page 194

In your editorial on October 7, you rightly criticize the current mayor and city council for being largely

“Without a rich heart, wealth is an ugly beggar.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The best little paper in America Covering the best little community anywhere! Executive Editor/CEO | Gwyn Lurie President/COO | Timothy Lennon Buckley VP, Sales & Marketing | Leanne Wood Deputy Editor | Nick Masuda Contributing Editor | Kelly Mahan Herrick Copy Editor | Lily Buckley Harbin Arts and Entertainment | Steven Libowitz Editors -At-Large | Ann Louise Bardach Nicholas Schou Contributors | Scott Craig, Julia Rodgers, Ashleigh Brilliant, Sigrid Toye, Zach Rosen, Kim Crail, Tom Farr, Stella Haffner, Pauline O’Connor, Mark Ashton Hunt, Dalina Michaels, Sharon Byrne, Gretchen Lieff, Robert Bernstein, Christina Favuzzi, Bob Roebuck, Leslie Zemeckis Gossip | Richard Mineards History | Hattie Beresford Humor | Ernie Witham Our Town | Joanne A. Calitri Society | Lynda Millner Travel | Jerry Dunn, Leslie Westbrook Food & Wine | Claudia Schou, Gabe Saglie Account Managers | Sue Brooks, Tanis Nelson Bookkeeping | Christine Merrick Proofreading | Helen Buckley

A Vote for Rowse

Day Low Hgt High Hgt Low Hgt High Hgt Low Thurs, Oct. 21 4:04 AM 1.5 10:16 AM 5.8 04:56 PM 0.2 011:10 PM 4.2 Fri, Oct. 22 4:24 AM 1.9 10:38 AM 5.7 05:31 PM 0.3 011:51 PM 3.8 Sat, Oct. 23 4:44 AM 2.3 11:01 AM 5.6 06:09 PM 0.4 Sun, Oct. 24 12:40 AM 3.5 5:01 AM 2.7 11:25 AM 5.3 06:54 PM Mon, Oct. 25 1:49 AM 3.2 5:11 AM 3 11:54 AM 5.1 07:52 PM Tues, Oct. 26 12:31 PM 4.7 09:10 PM Weds, Oct. 27 01:33 PM 4.4 010:35 PM Thurs, Oct. 28 7:28 AM 3.8 10:20 AM 3.8 03:24 PM 4.2 011:39 PM Fri, Oct. 29 7:21 AM 4 11:58 AM 3.4 05:04 PM 4.3 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Leaning Left

MONTECITO TIDE GUIDE

beholden to our local Democratic party, endorsed and supported financially by DCC and unions, and even critical of their own Council members who don’t agree 100% with all of those endorsements by the “party apparatus.” Tepid leadership at best rather than visionary. I am puzzled then by your endorsement of James Joyce for mayor since he is the long time District Director for Hannah-Beth Jackson, who is certainly a major player in local Democratic politics. Granted that he has had some success in bringing people together as you say. Still, he hardly represents a distinct change

Hgt

0.6 0.8 1 0.9 0.8

Design/Production | Trent Watanabe Graphic Design | Esperanza Carmona Published by: Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC PRINTED BY NPCP INC., SANTA BARBARA, CA Montecito Journal is compiled, compounded, calibrated, cogitated over, and coughed up every Wednesday by an exacting agglomeration of excitable (and often exemplary) expert edifiers at 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite G, Montecito, CA 93108. 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 G, Montecito, CA 93108; E-MAIL: tim@montecitojournal.net

21 – 28 October 2021

Montecito on the Move by Sharon Byrne, Executive Director, Montecito Association

Montecito Is Leading the Way

ontecito always was a place of talent, care, resources, and community. There are a lot of smart, accomplished people making this beautiful place their home. It has also suffered its share of disaster, with the biggest fire in California history at the time — the Thomas Fire in December 2017. That fire has now dropped to No. 9 in rankings, given California’s propensity for giga-fires of late. The debris flow on January 9, 2018, tragically took 23 people too soon from this community. In the aftermath, a new sense of community was born, one that comes together to solve its toughest problems, led by those talented smart people living here. You may not be aware of just how much your community has faced, or the way it’s leading us into a better a future for us all.

Resilience and Infrastructure to Keep Us Safe for the Future

Gwyn Lurie, Joe Cole, and Alixe Mattingly joined forces in 2018 to

pursue the funding and installation of steel mesh ring nets above Montecito in the canyons over our creeks to prevent large boulders from rolling down in the next deluge. In the Thomas debris flow, boulders the size of cars plowed through this community. Basically, these folks were going to try to stop the mountains from rushing to the sea: a Herculean task. Some $6 million and relentless partnerships later, the Partnership for Resilient Communities achieved their goal. Now when it rains, many of us breathe a sigh of relief, knowing those are up there. Curtis Skene was washed out of his Randall Road childhood home for the second time on the morning of January 9, 2018. The first time was in 1969, and they rebuilt. This time the whole road was devastated. Curtis knew it was time to do something and began pursuing the idea of a massive debris basin to catch boulders and overflow from the San Ysidro Creek. The community across

Montecito on the Move Page 234

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21 – 28 October 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

On Entertainment ‘Kismet’ Fated to Make Santa Barbara History Nir Kabaretti

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All information provided is deemed reliable, but has not been verified and we do not guarantee it. We recommend that buyers make their own inquiries.

10 MONTECITO JOURNAL

he dictionary says “kismet” is an Arabic word that has come to mean fate or destiny in English. In theater, Kismet was a hit on Broadway back in the 1950s, as the love-and-duty musical about a glibtongued street poet in old Baghdad whose family encounters princesses and a young caliph was smartly adapted from a 40-year-old play and featured terrific songs by Robert Wright and George Forrest fashioned out of compositions by famed classical composer Alexander Borodin. But fate has played no part in bringing a full-blown Broadway production of the 1950s musical — with 70 total actors, singers, and musicians on stage and direction, set design, costuming, lighting, and sound design by decorated New York veterans, many of whom are Tony winners — to be performed just three times over a single weekend at the Granada Theatre. That is more a matter of the will and largesse of Santa Barbara publisher/ philanthropist Sara Miller McCune, who employed both spirit and pocketbook to produce this entirely new production as an 80th birthday present to herself and her adopted home where she has long been a strong supporter of the arts. (That tale has been chronicled in these pages by McCune herself over the last couple of months.) However, fate did show up in one way as continued COVID closures caused a delay in the production by eight months, which means the spectacular show now serves as the season opener — and a return to live performance after more than 20 months — for both the State Street Ballet and the Santa Barbara Symphony. It’s the biggest production collaboration in the history of the two largest homegrown entities that represent the city’s love of dance and classical music, with SSB’s co-artistic director William Soleau creating all new choreography for SSB dancers, including two big production

“The love that you withhold is the pain that you carry.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

by Steven Libowitz

William Soleau

numbers featuring the entire company. Meanwhile, the Symphony’s Nir Kabaretti conducts a 40-plus member orchestra and chorus through the marvelous music. Soleau dove into creating the dances with a more generic flavor, as director Lonny Price wanted to stay away from any cultural tropes that might offend, making sure the movement was as updated as the culturally appropriate script, but also have the dance numbers move the story forward. “That’s right up my alley anyway. Neither of us like dance numbers that show up for no reason and interrupt the storytelling,” said Soleau, who has created innumerable evening-length and shorter dances that carry a narrative for State Street and myriad other companies. “The two big dance numbers not only move the storyline, the arc of the story gets enhanced because the plot actually develops during the dancing.” Kabaretti raved about the music he’ll be conducting for the three shows running October 23-24. “It’s such a gorgeous score. I’m totally excited,” he said, who, like Soleau, has been involved in the project for nearly two years and worked bicoastally over the period. “It’s from the golden age of Broadway when an organic orchestra mattered compared to today’s synthetic computerized scores. The music is just beautiful in how it spans both opera and Broadway.” The conductor also marveled at the meticulousness of the production, noting how a sound engineer spent more than two hours just micing the orchestra’s individual instruments as well as each section. “It sounds absolutely amazing,” he said. “The whole show is very upbeat and energetic. People are going to love it.”

On Entertainment Page 184 184 21 – 28 October 2021

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Hot Topics by Christina Favuzzi

Critical Reminder:

It’s Sundowner Season on the South Coast

he South Coast experienced its first, and hopefully only, significant wildland fire of the 2021 fire season last week. The Alisal Fire started above Refugio, along West Camino Cielo, at about 2 pm on October 11. It was propelled by powerful downcanyon winds — what are locally referred to as “sundowners.” Additionally, much of the area where the fire occurred had not burned since the 1955 Refugio Fire, providing a dry, dense fuel bed. Montecito Fire immediately offered support to our local agency partners by sending two engines and a battalion chief to assist. When it became clear additional resources would be necessary at the Alisal Fire for multiple days, Montecito Fire committed three engines, two battalion chiefs and six additional personnel to support the incident management team. All the while, our stations in Montecito remained fully staffed thanks to firefighters who stepped up to fill vacancies while many others were helping at the Alisal Fire. When the fire’s containment increased substantially last weekend, our engines were released from the incident. While unfortunate that the Alisal Fire occurred, we are grateful to have had the opportunity to assist our local agency partners. Also, this wildland fire allowed our firefighters to experience the South Coast’s unique weather patterns and potential for extreme fire behavior, unlike almost anywhere else in the West. Let’s back up to the night of October 11. On the first night of the Alisal Fire, Montecito Fire Division Chief David Neels was serving as Operations Section Chief at the incident and reported sustained winds of 45 miles per hour and gusts up to 75 miles per hour.

The MFD has been called off in the aid of the Alisal Fire (Courtesy of Montecito Fire Department)

Firefighting aircraft were unable to fly due to severe turbulence. Any wind over 30 miles per hour grounds most firefighting aircraft. Within the first 24 hours of the fire, flames burned down to the ocean and spread to the east and west. Santa Barbara County’s front country is defined by rugged canyons, steep terrain, and coastal influence. The Gaviota Coastline can be especially treacherous during a wildfire due to the strong, diurnal winds that occur there. In the spring and fall, Santa Barbara County is prone to a weather condition we have come to know as “sundowners.” Rich Thompson served as the incident meteorologist at the Alisal Fire and works at the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles/Oxnard office. “Sundowners are a localized weather pattern in Santa Barbara County. They are similar to Southern California’s Santa Ana winds,” Thompson said. Thompson explains that sundowners occur when heated air from the Santa

Hot Topics Page 264

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College Bound by Mentors 4 College

Riding the Rollercoaster That Is College Admissions Trends

on’t you wish there was a cute, little dog like Toto who could just pull back a curtain and reveal the secret to how this confusing, murky college admissions process works? So you could see that the smoke and mirrors and prestidigitations involved weren’t so scary and intimidating after all. That lurking behind the collegiate curtain was not some vast conveyor belt machinery that slapped your kid’s angst-filled application through their impersonal cogs but was rather a kindly old man, a wizard if you will, who was standing there, reading every single word of your kid’s essay with an appreciative eye, a kind heart, and an eagerness to admit them to their dream school. Wouldn’t that be nice? And hey, wouldn’t it be nice to win the lottery and find a parking spot anywhere near the doors of Costco? But we all know those are pipe dreams. I park at Costco then Uber to the front door. Because that’s just life’s reality — and because some of us have absolutely no “parking karma” whatsoever. There is some good news, however. There is information out there that will help you understand what goes on behind that collegiate admissions curtain, even if you can’t really look behind it. Knowing about the current admissions trends can help you understand what colleges are looking for in their applicant class, they can help you make smarter application decisions, and help guide you in your curriculum and college road map planning. So, what are those latest admissions trends and what do they mean? Here’s what we know about admissions trends from last year: — Highly selective schools saw huge increases in their applications. But it wasn’t more students applying, they just applied to more schools. This translates to lower acceptance rates than in previous years. (Here’s a small sampling: Colgate was up 103%, MIT 66%, Columbia 42%.) — Some schools continue to admit large portions of their freshmen class through their early admissions programs, making regular admissions even more competitive. Boston University, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, and Middlebury, for example, admitted 40% or more of their freshmen class through their early decision program. — Highly selective schools admitted more students who submitted test scores than those who did not. In schools with acceptance rates below 30%, statistics show if you have a strong

“Good men must not obey the laws too well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

test score it will only help you stand out. (Keep in mind those who submit test scores tend to submit high scores.) — Many smaller, less selective schools were down in applications. Many of these schools tend to give merit aid. — For the UCs, applications grew 18% and admission rates for CA residents fell from 71% to 66%. Out-of-state and international demand continued to rise. Berkeley and UCLA remained the two most “popular” and difficult schools to gain acceptance into as applications soared and acceptances declined. So, what does this mean in terms of your college application? — Build a balanced college list. It’s more important than ever to find “good fit” schools — academically, socially, and financially. Be realistic about your student’s chances and have realistic expectations. Have strong “safety” and “target” schools as you can expect applications to still trend high at elite (“reach”) universities. — Be strategic with application timetables. Evaluate carefully if Early Action or Early Decision works for your student and family. — Make a smart, individualized testing plan. If your student is a strong test taker and is interested in attending a highly selective college, taking the ACT or SAT, and scoring well, can only help them in the admissions process. — Character counts. The “holistic” admissions process has never been more important with schools going test optional. Some schools are even hiring psychologists to advise admissions reps how to read applications to discern strong “character traits” through essays, recommendations, and extracurricular activities. Highlight your traits and values (resilience, determination, compassion, etc.) throughout your application. — Know your UCs. The UCs will remain test blind. The expectations are that interest will remain high and admissions will continue to be selective. Be informed about which campuses you apply to. Last year the admit rate for California students (vs. out-of-state) remained a bit higher at Santa Cruz, Riverside, and UCLA. It was lower at Irvine and San Diego. The overall admission rate at Davis rose from 47% to 49%. Do your research, be informed. Let us help you understand the trends and navigate the admissions process… for free. You can reach us at mentors4col lege.org — you won’t even need to •MJ find a parking spot. 21 – 28 October 2021

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Monte ito Miscellany

Canby’s voice. “I love research, and this was an immersion,” adds David. “It seemed that every sentence required more.”

What a Wild Night

by Richard Mineards

Richard covered the Royal Family for Britain’s Daily Mirror and Daily Mail, and was an editor on New York Magazine. He was also a national anchor on CBS, a commentator on ABC Network News, gossip on The Joan Rivers Show and Geraldo Rivera, host on E! TV, a correspondent on the syndicated show Extra, a commentator on the KTLA Morning News and Entertainment Tonight. He moved to Montecito 14 years ago.

That Montecito Scent . . .

ur rarefied enclave now comes in a bottle! Bling king Erik Laykin, scion of the founder of the 90-year-old Los Angeles jewelry company Laykin et Cie, which is opening a branch at the Rosewood Miramar next month, is launching an exclusive perfume called “Montecito” to coincide with its new presence in our Eden by the Beach. He worked for two years in France to create a fragrance that would represent a perfect balance of our beautiful coast and “our magnificent joie de vivre.” “It is a clean and unadulterated beauty in the form of scent!” he declares. Ingredients include cedar, citrus, and bergamot notes, along with exquisite hyacinth and a few “mystery flowers.” “It is arguably a most entrancing perfume that is not overbearing but is clearly with you every step of the way,” says Erik, who used master perfumers from four continents to create the limited edition of 500 bottles, which retails for $285 for the Eau de Parfum 100 ml spray and $75 for the Eau de Perfume 20 ml roller ball application. Putting on the spritz just in time for Christmas.

Montecito author David Gersh’s latest book, The Whisper of a Distant God

Staying Civil

Jeweler Erik Laykin launches Montecito

What Can’t She Do?

Singer Katy Perry is trying her hand at being a TV talk show host. The former Dos Pueblos High student is fronting an upcoming episode of fellow Montecito resident Ellen DeGeneres’ show on her 37th birthday. Katy, currently a judge on ABC’s American idol, will be interviewing fellow judge Luke Bryan and Michael J. Woodard, a former contestant on the popular show.

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Former corporate attorney and Harvard Law School graduate David Gersh has published his seventh book, The Whisper of a Distant God, an historical fiction of the Civil War. “It explores a little-known battle in that war and the struggle with duty, honor, and compassion by the Union commander’s wife, Louisa Canby, which made her the Angel of Santa Fe to the Confederate troops and a traitor to the Union,” says David. “As a Civil War buff, I felt compelled to chronicle this largely undocumented piece of history. I thought I knew the Civil War, which killed more Americans than all our other wars combined. “But I was stunned to learn of a Confederate campaign to occupy New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, and California. I knew I had to research and write about the battle of Glorieta Pass, New Mexico, the scene of which my wife Anne and I visited.” It took David six years to complete his latest book project, including a year spent reading the diaries and letters of Confederate and Union women before, as he puts it, he found Louisa

The party animals were out en masse when Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network hosted its annual Wild Night Out at the Carousel House at Chase Palm Park with 200 guests raising more than $150,000 for the popular group. The boffo bash, co-chaired by Gretchen Lieff and Connie Pearcy, had decided Hawaiian overtones with dancers from the Santa Barbara group Hula Anyone showing off their talents, while serving Mai Tais to accompany the fare of burritos, paella, and fresh Morro Bay oysters. “It feels so good to be back in the flesh after two years,” declared Ariana Katovich, executive director of the Goleta-based charity, which is just completing building a $6 million, 5,400-square-foot, two-story hospital complex and intensive care unit, scheduled to open in December after nearly two years of construction.

Miscellany Page 344

“Hula Anyone” founder Angelita Eller and Katherine Sandler performing (Photo by Priscilla)

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On Entertainment (Continued from page 10 10))

CaliAmericana was produced by Santa Barbara Records

Theater is Thriving

Santa Barbara Records has eight artists on its initial label

Santa Barbara Records Debuts

When CaliAmericana becomes available online and in record stores on October 21, it won’t just mark another album release from a local musician on their own indie imprint. Instead, the compilation CD heralds the launch of Santa Barbara Records, the first independent label in the area that actually signs outside artists as its major thrust in, well, ever, and perhaps signifying a shift in perspective for the music business in town. Why would anyone want to start a record label more than two decades after Napster laid waste to the industry’s business model that was completely decimated by more modern streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora — and during a pandemic? The answer has to do with coming up with a concept that redefines what a label is, expanding beyond making money off the backs of artists to instead grow the local economy by partnering with recording studios, rehearsal facilities, videographers, photographers, venues, graphic designers, web developers, printers, and others, said Billy O’Connell, the music industry veteran who serves as Santa Barbara Records’ general manager, in a statement. The former label manager at Sire Records was involved with the Ramones, Lou Reed, Talking Heads, and others, and later managed the Pixies, Kristin Hersh, and Throwing Muses as well as Santa Barbara’s own Alan Parsons. O’Connell is part of a team that includes musicians Erland Wanberg and Marko Srdanov, lifelong music aficionado and businessman John Lucchetti and investor Davis Fansler, who bonded over creating something after seeing the documentary Muscle Shoals. Whether Santa Barbara has its own sound akin to the Alabama city’s R&Bbased soul is debatable, but to Tariqh Akoni, the Santa Barbara native who heads the new company’s A&R

18 MONTECITO JOURNAL

The pandemic is still with us, although the fourth wave is finally department, it’s more about values fading even as flu season approaches. and approach than a signature sound. But it almost seems like we’re fully “The artists I’m looking for tend back to normal with stages springing towards roots, Americana, sing- into action all over Santa Barbara, er-songwriter music, or more spe- albeit with masking and vaccination cifically are dedicated to authen- or testing protocols in place. Take a tic artistry,” explained Akoni, who look at the entertainment calendar: springboarded from San Marcos High There are six different theatrical proSchool to a world-traveling career as ductions to choose from this weekmusic director for such artists as Josh end, including three of the town’s Groban before returning to town a major houses. In addition to the lavfew years ago and enmeshing him- ish Kismet musical at the Granada, self into the local scene. “That means there’s a final long weekend of persomeone who has a unique take or formances for Ensemble Theatre perspective or story to tell, someone Company’s two-hander Tenderly, the who is a genuine talent developing Rosemary Clooney Musical, which has been drawing rave reviews at the into an artist, or already there.” Those attributes certainly apply to New Vic (https://etcsb.org), while the label’s initial batch of eight artists SBCC Theatre Group’s presentation — Mendeleyev, Tina Schlieske, Jessie of Ripcord, David Lindsay-Abaire’s Payo, Danny McGaw, Hannah Siglin, comedy-drama battle of wits and Omar Velasco, Montecito-raised Hana wills, is in the middle of its threeAluna, and label co-founder Wanberg week run at the Garvin (www.the — who are each represented by two atregroupsbcc.com.). Also, Center Stage Theater is songs on CaliAmericana. While the octet’s experience level readying The Shot, with the great varies, it’s that development part that SAG award-winning actress Sharon most attracted Akoni, who put his Lawrence (of TV’s NYPD Blue and own Red Wagon Music educational/ so much more) starring in Robin development endeavor on hold to Gerber’s one-woman drama of Katharine Graham, the late publisher accept the A&R job. “We can help musicians hone their of The Washington Post. The playapproach, guide them into a broad- wright’s piece, which was due to er reach, help them with engaging premiere in Los Angeles the night the venues, which can be hard in California shut down for the panthis town — all things that are big demic in March 2019, was sparked passions of mine,” he said. “And we by the author’s concern that her own can provide relationships with radio, biography of Graham had been “too digital distribution, digital marketing glib about her subject’s emotional — those things that when an indepen- life” following the suicide of her abudent artist tries to take on for them- sive husband, an incident that gave selves leaves no space for art. And our the work its title. The playwright record deals, like Billy says, are ones created The Shot to explore Graham’s we would sign ourselves, limited to joys and inner conflicts, fears, confujust two albums and splitting the prof- sion, and remarkable determination, its equally. It’s very different from the and to serve as a composite of othold archetype where the record labels ers who have endured, or are still made everything off the backs of the enduring, domestic violence. CST filmed the play for virtual screenings musicians.” The label officially launches with last spring and made it available for a private, invite-only party tonight, benefit screenings for both theaters but the real fruits of the efforts — the and organizations fighting against CaliAmericana album — is available domestic abuse. A week of rehearsfor all to hear now. Visit https://sant als and further development of the script culminates in the first live perabarbararecords.com. “Science does not know its debt to imagination.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

formances of The Shot as a workshop production — which falls somewhere between a staged reading and a full premiere — at Center Stage from October 22-24. Visit https://center stagetheater.org. Down in Carpinteria, the Art Deco gem known as the Alcazar Theatre goes “legit” with Burton Bumgarner’s No Body Like Jimmy, a fast-paced farce that some have compared to the movie Weekend at Bernie’s because the story involves a dead body and two people running around trying to convince everyone else that the person is still alive. In this case, the former college roommate of a Congressional candidate’s husband shows up at their front door just as they’re about to host a small gathering for potential donors. The problem? He’s got a dead body that he’s been driving around in his van and needs a solution. Politics and party personas predominate in the comedy starring a cast of locals directed by Carp’s own Jim Sirianni, the longtime local radio personality who helms five performances spanning October 21-24. Tickets and info at www.thealcazar.org.

Focus on Film: Skaters and SBIFF

Skeptics might call Amateur Skaters just another skateboarding documentary, a genre that dates back at least to 1978’s Skateboard Kings and includes such classics as Dogtown and Z Boys (2001) and The Man Who Souled the World (2007). Optimists on the other hand might note that Amateur Skaters director Shemsu J. Lefevre wasn’t even born when those movies were released, as the fervent Santa Barbara native filmmaker is just 13 years old. Shot around the county, Lefevre explores the world of Skateboarding through the lens of four young skater friends who endure both physical and emotional obstacles and grow as both skaters and human beings. Lefevre and the subject will walk a red carpet at 6 pm on October 22 at the Lobero Theatre before the film’s world premiere at 7 pm. Park your boards at your own peril. SBIFF’s latest FilmTalk episode stays local on October 21 with mighty Montecito married couple Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall joining Roger Durling for a discussion of their life-driven 2012 short film Picture Paris in which the actress and director contemplate empty-nest syndrome… SBIFF’s Cinema Society screens Luca, Pixar’s latest computer-animated effort, a coming-of-age fantasy film set on the Italian Riviera and co-written and directed by Enrico Casarosa in his feature-length debut. Casarosa and Durling do a Q&A session following the free screening at 10:30 am at the Riviera Theatre on October 23. •MJ 21 – 28 October 2021

Robert’s Big Questions

by Robert Bernstein

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

Person vs. Human Life?

he recent ban on abortions in Texas is just the latest round in this endless culture war. I had thought nothing new could be said on the topic. But an article in Free Inquiry magazine about a dozen years ago raised a new point for me. The point? That a human life is not the same thing as a person. In science fiction stories like Star Trek, explorers travel to other planets and find intelligent, interesting life. Are these human lives? No. Humans by definition are Homo sapiens unique to Earth. However, these life forms are “persons” or “people.” They have the ability for complex thoughts, feelings, and emotions. We can communicate with them and we can learn from each other. In contrast, trillions of cells in your body are human cells. (There are trillions more in your gut that are not human cells.) In a very literal sense, every one of these cells is a human life. It has the full genome of a human being. It is likely we could clone you from any one of your trillions of cells if there were not a ban on this. Yet, no sane person would say that any of these cells is a person. We routinely do things that kill this “human life.” From drinking alcohol and getting a suntan to undergoing surgeries. Also, most potential persons never exist even without abortion. Most eggs and sperm are never

used, and even most fertilized eggs naturally fail to come to term. On the other hand, we do allow killing Earth beings that clearly are capable of some level of thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Notably, the animals we raise for food. Are these beings persons? It is a matter of arbitrary definition. Clearly, a cow suffers when its calf is taken away. And clearly there is suffering in the process of slaughtering an animal. And factory farm conditions are so horrific that agribusiness corporations have made it illegal to reveal what goes on in them. Those who frantically try to ban killing human embryos seem very sure that they are preventing “murder.” Most are religious, but not all. Interestingly, this fervor is historically very recent. The Catholic Church did not oppose abortion until 1869. The Old Testament does not count personhood until a breath has been taken. Meaning, birth. There had been other intermediate definitions of personhood that started with “the quickening.” That is the time when the mother feels the movements of the fetus. Some religions believe in an immortal soul. There is talk of “ensoulment” as the moment when the soul enters the body. Since no scientific evidence exists for a soul, there is no way to prove when this purported event occurs. Hindus believe in

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reincarnation, and some take it to occur at conception. But the Garbha Upanishad says the fetus comes to life in the seventh month. As a Humanist, I take the view of reducing suffering. A young woman starting a promising career as a neurosurgeon has an early abortion to stay on track with her career. To me, the ethics are clear. The suffering of the embryo is small in comparison to the suffering of the person whose life would be greatly disrupted. Not to mention the suffering she will relieve as a neurosurgeon. But I would not require the person to be a neurosurgeon. A woman cleaning houses also has a right to control her life. And to prevent a child from growing up in poverty without a father. Suffering is all a matter of degree. Which means any law will be arbitrary. In Roe v Wade, the Court arbitrarily divided pregnancy into three trimesters. A fair compromise. It is important to consider the practical effect of abortion laws. Guttmacher Institute data shows that abortion rates are highest in countries that ban abortions. These countries also tend to restrict access to age-appropriate sex and relationship education and to birth control. The best way to reduce abortions is through these latter means, as seen in countries like France and Sweden. I would argue that abortion is largely a wedge issue used for political gain to achieve another agenda. Those who favor tax cuts and deregulation have opposed abortion rights to get votes for their real agenda. Notably, Dan Quayle when the vice president wanted a total ban on abortion. Yet he said that he would support his daughter if she chose to have an abortion. That is the pro•MJ Choice position.

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from partisan politics as usual. There seems to be general agreement that the three biggest problems currently facing city council are (1) State Street vacancies and general shabbiness (2) an increasing homeless population wandering mostly downtown, and (3) the endless delays in getting any kind of permit through the city departments like Planning and Building. I am personally familiar with this having waited 16 months for a permit to repair my State Street office building which caught fire in March 2019, even though virtually all the damage was to the interior, not the structure. I was fortunate to have good Loss of Income coverage in the interval. Many policies are limited to only 12 months which can result in businesses never reopening. When Randy Rowse was on city council, I felt he was often the lone voice of common sense and non-partisan decision making. Randy ran a business downtown for 37 years. He certainly has more familiarity with what downtown businesses need, and with how the homeless make it hard to have a clean downtown attractive to local and tourist shoppers alike, and how the cumbersome permit process makes it difficult for businesses to adapt to things like changing COVID restrictions, or even just opening a business in one of the many vacant stores. I think Randy as Mayor is the person most likely to see that things actually get done. My clear and vigorous choice for Mayor would be Randy Rowse! •MJ Calvin Marble

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Our Town

David Litschel, Rod Rolle, Mary Harris, and Mayor Cathy Murillo (Photo by Joanne A Calitri)

by Joanne A. Calitri

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

Rod Rolle’s ‘Spirit of Community’ Exhibit Opens in Santa Barbara

od Rolle’s commissioned works in a public exhibit entitled “Spirit of Community” at the Santa Barbara County Administration Building Garden Atrium opened on October 15. Rolle is a professional news and public relations photographer with SIPA USA and jazz drummer in his band, The Stiff Pickle Orchestra. This exhibit is commissioned by Sarah York Rubin, the executive director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture, to recapture Rolle’s work with famed Los Angeles-based social commentary muralist Judy Baca for the Guadalupe Mural Project, and showcases 23 for-sale exquisite black-and-white framed photographs hand printed by Rolle. “The Arts Commission jumped at the opportunity to travel Rod Rolle’s work from the Betteravia Gallery to Santa Barbara,” York Rubin said. “This opens up Rod’s exhibition and portrait of Guadalupe to new audiences, and it is a heartening reminder of the beauty of community during these difficult times. “It is exciting to exhibit Rod’s photography in his hometown, where people may recognize him as a musician or a neighbor; though his photography is published internationally, there is nothing quite like sharing his talent in this community where he lives. He is also so humble about his achievements that this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate him.” For the background on this time capsule, Founding Arts Commissioner Patrick Davis explained, “Rod’s access and courageous vision elevates these documentary photographs artistically and preserves the record of partnership between two county agencies and the community of Guadalupe.” According to Davis, the murals came about because of the passion of legendary County Parks Director Mike Pahos’ collaborative spirit and genius for working with communities. Maria de Herrera, Director of Public Art for the Arts Commission, challenged Pahos to sponsor a state grant to develop parks in underserved communities using public art as the catalyst. Judy Baca was selected to tell Guadalupe’s story in murals to be installed in a renovated community building in Leroy Park. Rolle was commissioned to document the story of “Guadalupe Today.” The Guadalupe murals were a collaboration with the County Parks Department that included a suite of projects: Lloyd Hamrol’s “Sea Look Out” piece in Isla Vista; a Bailey Oaks play structure in Tuckers Grove; Doug and Regula Campbells’ Carpinteria Bluff “Lightening Gates”; and Michael McMillian’s “Time Compass at Lookout Park in Summerland.”

Rolle explained how he landed on the West Coast and got the opportunity to document it all. “I first discovered Guadalupe after moving to Santa Barbara in 1982 to attend Brooks Institute of Photography. Coming from the East Coast I was fascinated by stories about Highway 1 in California. So, one day I decided to go on an adventure and drive Highway 1. Let me just say this road did not disappoint; when I drove through Guadalupe my jaw dropped,” Rolle said. “It was like I found The Guadalupe Treasure at the end of a rainbow. Tucked away in the northwest corner of Santa Barbara County, a farming community, that was a town with an incredible history. Little did I know that one day I would return to photograph the richness that is Guadalupe.” VIP attendees included Mary Harris, the vice chair of the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission; Kenji Jacklio Fukudome, a fine art and portrait photographer; former Provost of Brooks Institute of Photography David Litschel, with artist wife, Martha Shilliday; Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History President and CEO Luke Swetland; publisher Bonnie Carroll; Santa Barbara County Supervisors Joan Hartmann, Gregg Hart, and Das Williams with daughter, Khaya; Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo who presented flowers to Rolle; and Rolle’s wife, Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, an African American poet and playwright, peacemaker, community activist, and television producer. Rolle also thanked Maria de Herrera, Mike Pahos, Patrick Davis, Ginny Brush, Rita Ferri, Judy Baca, Sarah York Rubin, Julia Rutherford Daly, Hannah Rubalcava, Arturo Heredia Soto, El Comité Cinco Mexicano, the City of Guadalupe, the Guadalupe Chamber of Commerce, the People of Guadalupe, his wife and the Rolle family of Marjorie, Ezekiel, and Erroyl. •MJ 411 Websites: rodrolle.photoshelter.com, sparcinla.org/murals-of-guadalupe Facebook/Instagram: @rodrollephoto

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

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

The Real “Right to Life”

Manchin’s Fear of an “Entitlement Society”

oe v. Wade appears to be on its last legs. The current, radical Supreme Court sits poised to riddle Roe with Texas-sized exceptions or to overturn it all together. Ever since Roe was handed down on January 22, 1973, the press has been full of, and our national politics traumatized by, charges and countercharges concerning the “right to life.” What is at stake in this current Supreme Court term is whether a woman has a right to control her own body in consultation with her private physician, or whether women will lose that right and be forced to act as baby machines because external political forces are allowed to impose their narrow view of morality on the rest of us. Unfortunately, however, even that tragic confrontation isn’t the “real” right to life issue. The October 5 execution of Earnest L. Johnson, a man so mentally incapacitated he could not possibly possess the adequate intelligence to understand the nature of his act, such that even Pope Francis attempted to intervene in his execution, was unconstitutional under U.S. law as well as international law. Where was his “Right to Life?” And yet, even that political “crime” fails to examine the deeper issues that any conversation about the “right to life” ought to address. Last week Senator Joe Manchin, a “Blue Dog Democrat” if ever there was one (and a guy who continues to make millions every year off the coal industry!), suggested that he would only allow one of three programs intended to help the poor amongst us deal with childcare and the financial burdens of raising a family. Why? Because Manchin believes in a Puritan Work Ethic that says, “if you want to eat you have to work.” And, adds a corollary, that the harder you work in a conventional way, the more you are allowed to eat (i.e., the greater percentage of total wealth you are allowed to accumulate). It makes no sense that now, at a time where robotization is eliminating massive numbers of jobs (look at what is about to happen to the longhaul trucking business as companies purchase autonomously driven 18 wheelers), we are worried about how hard a person works. The French have already gone to an official 35-hour workweek so they can accommodate

22 MONTECITO JOURNAL

more employees in the workforce. That is a very smart idea — but doesn’t go far enough. And that’s precisely what Manchin is afraid of. Manchin was castigated in a recent New York Times editorial for railing against what he calls “an entitlement society,” which quoted him making the embarrassing statement, “I don’t believe that we should turn our society into an entitlement society.” What does he mean by that? Could he possibly be so cruel that he feels no societal collective responsibility for America’s 1.38 million homeless children? Aren’t they entitled to live in an adequate “home,” so they might have a chance at a full life? Does Manchin mean that everyone should struggle and work hard or otherwise be left in the gutter in a Dickensonian return to the desperate conditions of the David Copperfield “workhouse?” What kind of a society is that? Do we really want more unsheltered people on our streets when the evidence is overwhelming that it only costs half as much to provide free housing as it does to handle people who live rough on the street? Who doesn’t want to save 50% of what we are spending and get a more humane result? Everyone except those who cling to an obscure Puritan Work Ethic morality proposition: you work, or you starve. If that ethic was ever effective for the Puritans, it certainly isn’t true today. Why do we choose to harness untold numbers of people to a grindstone they’d just as soon leave behind? Particularly if we understood that their leaving that grindstone behind would leave the rest of us better off for the transition. There is no moral justification for homelessness or hunger in our country. We are capable of feeding and housing every human being in our society. Isn’t it time we started seeing those who, for whatever reason, would prefer to not harness themselves to the grindstone (or find it impossible to do so) of “traditional work life” as fully human rather than some sort of undeserving sub-species? Those people struggling on our streets are, after all, human. Doesn’t that mean something? Don’t we see that our inability to relate to their inability or unwillingness to do what we all do every day is not only devoid of compassion, but also of reason? And that’s not

Compost and Fish Poop

Why fish poop is more important than we realize

new UCLA study published in Science Advances has some news for the scientific community: We should be paying more attention to fish poop. While not a glamorous subject, the study finds that fish and their feces play an underappreciated role in ocean ecosystems. Phytoplankton in the ocean absorbs carbon from the water and air around them. These creatures are then eaten by fish, moving the carbon up the food chain. Fish then release this carbon in their poop back down to the seafloor. Fish excrement pellets are dense, so they sink to the seafloor quickly. This carbon is stored for longer (roughly 600 years), making it an especially efficient sequestration method. The researchers looked at ocean conditions from the 19th century, before the rise of industrial fishing, as well as high catch conditions at the turn of the 20th century. Looking at data from tuna and cod, they estimate that these species alone took up 940 million metric tons of carbon per year before industrialization. That’s 2% of all biomasses produced by phytoplankton. Unfortunately, following industrialization, the amount of sequestration by fish dropped to just one percent of phytoplankton biomass, meaning today’s fish are taking up half the CO2 they once did.

California Opens Its First Solar-Powered Composting Facility

Starting in 2022, most homes and businesses in California will be required to recycle all food and yard waste in their yard debris cans. The effort is part of new state regulation (SB 1383) which aims to divert 75 percent of organic waste from landfills below 2014 levels by 2025. In response to increased composting interest, waste collection company Republic Services has spent the past three years building the Otay Compost Facility — the state’s first composting facility to run solely on solar power. The facility has a capacity to process 100 tons of waste from Chula Vista and nearby San Diego communities into nutrient-rich compost. For their part, residents and businesses will have to place food scraps and organic material into their yard waste bin instead of tossing them into the garbage. According to experts, about 40% of landfill mass is made up of food waste. The food debris will be trucked to the facility, where it will be turned into compost. The compost will be returned to the neighborhoods and public spaces in the same community the organic waste came from. •MJ even counting all the people who accidentally fall through “the cracks” in society and need temporary extra support from our fabulous food banks and other social institutions that shore up those who need a temporary, or permanent, extra helping hand. Manchin is blocking universal healthcare. He’s blocking universal childcare so that parents can work even as toddlers gain a better first step on the rung of life despite the economic situation of their parents. He’s blocking a permanent reduction in drug costs. He’s blocking better transportation options, and he’s blocking the elimination of fossil fuels in better transportation systems. Yet, we all are entitled to such things. Is that what Manchin means by an Ebenezer Scrooge-like disdain for an “entitlement society”? If so, we should all strongly demand creating one. Creating an entitlement society that provides for its less fortunate members, so they don’t starve or go

“If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

homeless. In addition, all humans should be entitled to receive adequate education, and adequate medical attention, and adequate clothing. It is the minimum we should all expect of each other in a caring society. Our fellow humans are entitled to these basic human necessities. The real “right to life” is that we won’t let you starve in our streets, or freeze unsheltered in our night air, nor will we deny education to all children regardless of the financial position of their parents. That is not who we are. It isn’t about “them.” It’s about us, and the standard we want to hold ourselves to as moral human beings. The real right to life argument needs to go like this: the fact you live here entitles you to actually be able to live. It enriches our lives to know that we compassionately care for each and every human being despite whatever life choices, good or “bad,” that they have made. That caring defines who we are — not how “they” are lacking .•MJ 21 – 28 October 2021

Brilliant Thoughts

Montecito on the Move (Continued from page 9)

by Ashleigh Brilliant Born London, 1933. Mother Canadian. Father a British civil servant. World War II childhood spent mostly in Toronto and Washington, D.C. Berkeley PhD. in American History, 1964. Living in Santa Barbara since 1973. No children. Best-known for his illustrated epigrams, called “Pot-Shots”, now a series of 10,000. Email ashleigh@west.net or visit www.ashleighbrilliant.com

Good Taste

urely it can’t be merely coincidence that, in our language, “taste” has two separate meanings which however are somehow in sync with each other. One kind of taste relates to the tongue and the palate. The other, on an entirely different level, has to do with culture, esthetics, and educated appreciation. But they are both highly individual and idiosyncratic. In fact, it’s a deeply engrained maxim of our folk wisdom that, “there’s no accounting for taste.” There is however one exception, at least as far as the first meaning is concerned. That exception is sweet. Compared with the other major flavors — sour, salt, and bitter — sweetness would win any popularity contest. Nature is aware of this (wise old Mother Nature!) and uses it, for example, as an attractant in the process of reproducing flowers. When it comes to a wide range of critters, including us, “Candy is dandy,” as Ogden Nash put it (never mind liquor being quicker). But it wasn’t until recent times that sweetness, in such forms as sugar and molasses, became a large-scale commercial commodity, greatly contributing, I’m sorry to say, to the importance of the slave trade, which supplied the labor needed for cultivation and harvesting of the sugar cane. Ironically, today one of the world’s favorite forms of sweetness — chocolate — is derived from a plant called cacao, whose beans are as bitter as those of the coffee plant. And it’s only sugar, and other forms of sweetener, which make chocolate palatable for most of us chocoholics.

Compared with the other major flavors — sour, salt, and bitter — sweetness would win any popularity contest. But long before the sugar cane and sugar beet became firmly affixed to the world’s sweet tooth (to the universal profit of the dental industry), the standard source of sweetness, since ancient times, has been honey. As if to attest to this antiquity, the British firm of Tate & Lyle, one of the largest producers of sweetness products in the world, has, since 1881, used as its logo a picture which illustrates a somewhat bizarre story taken directly from the Old Testament. On every can of Tate & Lyle’s Golden Syrup, you will see what appears to be a reclining lion, surrounded by a crowd of black dots. What is going on here? Believe it or not, that lion is not resting or sleeping, but dead. And the “black dots” are a swarm of bees! It all goes back to the “Book of Judges,” in which Samson, the Hebrew hero, has a fight with a lion, which, we are told, he kills with his bare hands. Then, sometime later, he notices that a swarm of bees have made their home inside the lion’s carcass — from which Samson is able to extract some honey. This gives him the idea for a riddle, which he asks at a wedding. The last line of the riddle says, “Out of the strong came forth sweetness.” Of course, nobody can explain it, and this leads to all kinds of complications. But, for us, the point is that Abram Lyle, the founder of what became Tate & Lyle, (which is now the world’s oldest brand name) was a very religious man, knew his Bible, and decided to put the lion, the bees, and those final words of the riddle, on his product, where they are all now still to be seen. But next to sweetness in our flavor preferences must surely come salt. Nowadays we hear a lot about the dangers of too much salt, but the other danger is of not getting enough. In any case, most of us feel the need for seasoning, to enhance the flavor of our food, and, despite the appeal of exotic herbs and spices, good old table salt is probably the cheapest and most readily available. But what about sour and bitter? Why do they have such an unsavory reputation? Surely it relates at least partly to the flavors associated with the unripe or over-ripe conditions of many foods. But they too have their place in the culinary catalog. Where would we be without sourdough bread or bittersweet chocolate – to say nothing of Angostura Bitters? And when it comes to the other kind of good taste, I’m not sure where we would be without Emily Post, Amy Vanderbilt, Miss Manners, and all their subsequent socially sagacious sisters. As for my own standards, I’ve never been accused of excessive, or even adequate, good taste — but, as somebody said of •MJ pornography, I know it when I see it. 21 – 28 October 2021

the street from Randall Road, Glen Oaks, suffered huge losses in the debris flow. Curtis worked with Tom Fayram of Santa Barbara County Flood Control to get the land purchased, and that involved FEMA grants and the assistance of U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal and then-California Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson. The excavation is happening now, though one property owner does not want to contribute their property to the basin. That’s heading to court, and this has been a long process, requiring incredible stamina on the part of Skene. The Randall Road Debris Basin will be natural and shielded with plants when complete, and protect downstream neighbors from debris flows and flooding, a huge relief. Staying with infrastructure, the Montecito Water and Sanitary Districts are partnering up to pursue recycled water. This is major. California just recorded the driest year in a century, and a severe drought has been declared by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Every drop literally counts. California is likely to mandate the end of ocean discharge of treated sewage water in the near future. Getting ahead of that order would be a great move for Montecito. We currently discharge 500,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater a day into the ocean. The city of Santa Barbara discharges 6,000,000 gallons per day. Recycled water could be used for landscaping, which helps reduce our fire danger. Our Montecito Fire Department pursued Cal Fire grants to hire sheep to eat up high in our canyons to reduce danger of wildfire. They’ll also come visit your property and help you identify how to better fireproof your home. The city of Santa Barbara was not able to do this, despite intense interest and effort. Our fire chief Kevin Taylor tried to assist, but their permitting

Real Estate Appraiser Greg Brashears California Certified General Appraiser Serving Santa Barbara County and beyond for 30 years V 805-650-9340 EM gb@gregbrashears.com

• The Voice of the Village •

process was too onerous. At the Montecito Association, we pioneered Hands Across Montecito, a project made up of volunteers and partner agencies that outreach to people experiencing homelessness in our community and moves them indoors. We reunite people with their families when appropriate. We have placed two individuals into permanent housing here and have three more who’ve received housing vouchers. One of our graduates, Andrew, started Earthcomb, to pick up litter, and hire people experiencing homelessness. He’s worked for Heal The Ocean and will be heading up a Beautification Day project to clear abandoned camps in Montecito. We’re really excited about this project. After we started the Hands project, the county and city created similar models with our partner agency CityNet. One reason Hands has been so successful is a team of committed Montecito volunteers who go on outreach, know the individuals we work with, and identify people we need to approach. It’s amazing what a community can do! Then there’s traffic congestion, and we’re going to pull together a major effort on it. With freeway accidents that required shutting down lanes or the entire 101, we’ve experienced complete gridlock in Montecito. That’s dangerous heading into winter, where we could face an emergency evacuation. We’re going to bring Caltrans, CHP, County Public Works, the 101 Project team, sheriffs, and more together on November 3 to figure out how we can stage construction projects to leave arterial roadways open, and how we will handle an event like a freeway closure in combination with an emergency situation. The meeting will be on Zoom and open to the public, so you’re welcome to attend. For more info, email info@montecitoassociation. •MJ org.

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Seen Around Town

in Oakland and the Santa Barbara School of Arts. We had an art school here at one time. Peake worked as an apprentice by Lynda Millner at the Casa from 1933 to 1934. He was only at the Casa for one year but added greatly to the aesthetic of Steedman’s George Washington Smith home. Most especially in the foyer where he did an entry mural to blend Casa del Herrero executive director Jessica in with the ages old ceiling from a Tade with Cheri Peake monastery in Spain. The other twoat the opening of the thirds of the ceiling is in the master Peake exhibit bedroom at Hearst Castle. Peake wanted to study mural painting, so he left the Casa for Mexico where he worked with the famous Diego Rivera. He did mural work when he returned to Santa Barbara. Peake fell in love with Mexico, its people and culture and returned many times often visiting with his friend and fellow artist Rufino Tamayo. Peake was also friends with Pablo Picasso and Françoise Gilot. Many of his drawings from these trips are in Peake of never-before-seen working the exhibit. Fifty percent of the prodrawings made by Peake during his ceeds go to the Casa. Peake died in time in Mexico in the mid-1930s and Santa Barbara in 1989. To celebrate the opening of the exhibit beyond. The show is on view in rooms never open to the public and some the Casa had wines provided by Peake Ranch and tapas. Channing’s widow drawings are available for purchase. Peake was born in 1910 in Boulder, Cheri was the guest of honor. If you’d Colorado, but moved to California as a like to see the house filled with all the child. He received scholarships to the original furniture from the 15th, 16th, California College of Arts and Crafts and 17th century, call (805) 565-5653.

A Peake at Something Special

“C

hanning Peake – To Mexico and Beyond” is the latest event going on at Casa del Herrero. The Casa is that National Historic Landmark house in Montecito built by George Steedman in the1920s. It’s open to the public by reservation, but right now there is an extra treat. It’s an exhibit of the internationally celebrated California artist Channing

Part of the Peake collection at the Casa

Visiting the Reagan Library

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley was the destination of our bus filled with members of the Channel City Club. In between visits I always forget how spectacular it is – especially Air Force One. This flying White House is dramatically displayed in the 90,000-square-foot pavilion, along with a Marine One helicopter. No other presidential library has a plane. This day we would sit under its wings in front of the wall of glass and be served lunch before listening to the keynote speaker. His name was Bobby Chacon, a former FBI agent who spent 27 years in that job and was assigned to posts around the world. He worked the Mafia war in NYC

Seen Page 394

Re-elect

KRISTEN SNEDDON for SANTA BARBARA CITY COUNCIL Steady & Experienced Leadership! A proven voting record of:

KRISTEN SNEDDON for CITY COUNCIL

• Ensuring public health & safety — led efforts to update and fund Community Wildfire Protection Plan • Funding increased repair & replacement of roads and water/sewer lines • Planning for water security • Protecting open space, parks & important views • Preserving neighborhoods from over-development • Supporting economic rejuvenation & leading efforts to revitalize State Street • Alleviating homelessness by working with social services, law enforcement, & housing providers Re-Elect Kristen Sneddon — for Santa Barbara’s Future.

Election Day is November 2nd

24 MONTECITO JOURNAL

“Kristen Sneddon led efforts to update and fund the Community Wildfire Protection Plan and fought for funding for improved dispatch and roadway improvements to help us keep you safe. SHE EARNED THE SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS.” — Justin Kiel, Santa Barbara City Firefighters Association

Your ballot must be postmarked or returned by Nov 2.

Vote-by-Mail between Oct. 4 and Nov. 2!

“Kristen Sneddon was most certainly and effectively AN ADVOCATE AND FRIEND FOR OUR COMMUNITY in the aftermath of the debris flow. The city is better functioning as a result of her service, without question, Kristen has been thoughtful and responsive. I am grateful for her service.“ — Bob Ludwick

Paid for by Kristen Sneddon for City Council 2021, PO Box 20153, Santa Barbara, CA 93120

21 – 28 October 2021

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21 – 28 October 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Hot Topics (Continued from page 12)

The Montecito Fire Department was called upon to aid in fighting the Alisal Fire (Courtesy of Montecito Fire Department) The Alisal Fire had to be fought on the ground and in the air (Courtesy of Montecito Fire Department)

Ynez Valley spills over the Santa Ynez ridgetops, causing the air flow to race down the south-oriented canyons of the South Coast. These conditions produce warm, gusty northly winds, typically peaking during the afternoon and early evening, hence the name “sundowner.” Wind speeds remained extreme throughout the first 48 hours of the Alisal Fire, causing the footprint to rapidly increase from 500 to 8,000 acres in that timeframe. Another crucial factor in the Alisal Fire’s quick growth: fuels. Montecito Fire’s Wildland Fire Specialist Nic Elmquist was called in to serve as a division group supervisor managing a section of the Alisal Fire, and, to provide a fire behavior forecast. Elmquist is a qualified and seasoned fire behavior analyst. “Fire behavior is determined by three things: fuels, weather, and topography,” Elmquist said. With little rain this past year, Elmquist says the South Coast’s vegetation is bone dry. Local fire officials take periodic measurements of the moisture in chamise, one of the most common species found in our local chaparral ecosystems. “Peak fuel moisture is usually in March or April. Depending on the rain year, the chamise’s fuel moisture will be around 120%,” Elmquist said. “Where the Alisal Fire started, the fuel moisture readings were at 50%, a level rarely seen. Anything below 60% is considered critically dry.” Patrick Doyle traveled the South Coast to serve as the fire behavior analyst for the Alisal Fire. “Critically dry fuels burn with the same ferocity as dead vegetation. That’s what happened here,” Doyle said. Elmquist and Doyle agree that the autumn sundowner season is particularly dangerous because when fires occur in the fall, the fuels are at their driest period of the year. “The combination of the complexity of the passes and canyons of the front county, plus the strong sundowners and the critically low fuel moistures, resulted in very extreme fire behavior those first two nights,” Elmquist said. At the time of filing this article, four homes and two outbuildings were docu-

mented as total losses from the fire. They burned during those first two nights of howling winds. While the Alisal Fire was a considerable distance from Montecito, meteorologist Rich Thompson says those same sundowner winds often travel down the coastline to Montecito. Once in our front country, the air flow has potential to pick up again, producing gale force winds coupled with warm temperatures and amidst dry vegetation. It’s a recipe for fire danger conditions. “Foothill communities like Montecito need to be ready,” Thompson said. “The Alisal Fire exploded the first night with the winds blowing. That proves how quickly fire can progress in the foothills when we have high winds and dry fuels.” Doyle echoed Thompson. “Fall fires move very fast and you have very little time to get your things and go,” Doyle said. In addition to having a “go-bag,” Doyle advises everyone to prepare their home before a wildfire occurs. “Definitely prepare your structure for fire encroachment. With winds like sundowners, ember wash becomes a threat. Look for anything near your home where embers could get established and burn, like in dry grass and leaves. Also, block off openings to the structure to avoid ember intrusion through vents and eaves,” Doyle said. Montecito Fire offers complimentary Defensible Space Surveys and a Home Hardening Assistance Grant to retrofit vents in your home with ember-resistant materials. Call (805) 969-7762 to speak with a wildland fire specialist about the best options for your home. With cooler weather and the holiday season approaching, it may feel as though fire season has ended. However, we cannot let our guard down. The Alisal Fire is a poignant reminder of the South Coast’s secondary sundowner season and the need to prepare for future wildfires. Please visit mon tecitofire.com to access the Ready! Set! Go! wildfire action plan and to share it with your family, friends, and neighbors. •MJ

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• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

The Giving List by Steven Libowitz

Looking to Create ‘Positive Change’ More than 60 executive directors have participated in the year-long professional development program via Leading From Within.

n its short 13-year history, Leading From Within — which was founded in 2008 as the Courage to Lead program that was created to offer renewal to experienced nonprofit executive leaders while also offering leadership development — has already had quite an impact in town. More than 60 executive directors have participated in the year-long professional development program, with tangible results in their respective nonprofits’ growth and success. That’s a small number, relatively speaking, but those 60 have tentacles that multiply rapidly when they become more effective at their individual organizations, and while supporting or training leaders doesn’t produce the same sort of direct result as, say, treating drug addicts or housing the homeless, the indirect impact can be exponentially greater. “We support the people who do the work in the [nonprofit] sector, which maybe isn’t the same thing as supporting children who are going through social services or people with issues with alcohol, but it’s helping those leaders who sustain those organizations who are doing that work over the long haul,” explained Ed France, Leading From Within’s executive director, who joined the organization in 2020 after experiencing reinvigoration for his previous nonprofit first-hand when he completed Courage to Lead. But that 60-leader number also represents barely 10% of the number of community leaders who are still connected with the organization that has expanded to add three other programs in the last eight years, with its “Emerging Leaders” developing the next generation of professional nonprofit execs, another working with volunteer leaders and a third focusing on North County nonprofits. Now LFW boasts a community of more than 550 alumni who share knowledge and ideas, provide mutual support, and collaborate outside the confines of the specific programs. “We’re wanting to leverage the ability to create positive change,” France

explained. “That means moving beyond the silos of an individual nonprofit to ask, what is our capacity as a community to take on big issues such as the environment or homelessness, addiction, education, or the achievement gap? How can the community work together as a whole?” The question matters even more in Santa Barbara, France said, not only because of the high number of nonprofits per capita, but also because the area’s high cost of living combined with nonprofits’ comparatively low pay means a shorter window of opportunity to leverage effective leaders. “Often we only have people for a short amount of time in their career, maybe five or 10 years or perhaps a lot less before they move on,” he said. “Turnover is a real problem. So, it becomes even more important to invest in the talented people who are committed to these causes so that they have the tools and support to be at their best and get them connected with each other so they can be more effective, and raise the capacity to take on some of these larger, more complicated collective problems.” Santa Barbara’s glut of social services and other nonprofit organizations also often results in overlap and inefficiency, France said. “The reality is that there are many different nonprofits that have slightly different focuses but intersect over large areas. For example, there’s a number of organizations that work on homeless services, which is about housing but also mental health and addiction. Each has a different niche within that sector. Are they feeding people? Are they providing workplace training? Is there counseling? Sometimes there are so many different elements that it can get tricky for someone who is experiencing homelessness. There might be 15 different nonprofit organizations that could have services for you. Where do you go?” That’s among the reasons why collaborations are the name of the game for tackling and solving those collective problems, or at least streamlining things to a greater extent, France said. Which is why fostering those relationships are a growing part of Leading From Within’s mission. Response to the COVID pandemic also benefitted from nonprofit leaders who had gone through LFW’s programs, he said, pointing to the rapid results that came from the relationship between Santa Barbara Unified School District and the Santa Barbara Education Foundation, a constructive connection that might normally take years to build. “But both the new superintendent and the executive director of SBEF happened to be alumni of Courage to Lead. So, they were able to get to work without skipping a beat and jump right to get things done without worrying about who’s getting credit and the structure.” SBEF was able to quickly get computers and other technology into kids’ hands, and then, when school first reopened in winter with having to have the doors open for fresh air, providing jackets to keep the children warm. “The idea is to build high trust environments where people can work beyond typical silos as a way to not only leverage their talents but also leverage the number of various resources that are available in this community to solve some of these complicated problems,” France said. “After 10 years of developing our four different social impact sector leadership programs, we now have those 500plus alumni who are supported and coordinated in a way where we can really leverage the value of having this type of network to start to approach collective problems differently. What it comes down to is growing Santa Barbara’s community leadership capacity.” All of which means that while your donation to Leading From Within won’t go straight to an underprivileged kid’s lunch or put up a disabled veteran for the night, in time it might just help solve the underlying issues. Contact Leading From Within’s Executive Director Ed France at (805) 2036940 or online at www.leading-from-within.org. •MJ

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21 – 28 October 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

MONTECITO JOURNAL

CALENDAR OF Note to readers: This entertainment calendar is a subjective sampling of arts and other events taking place in the Santa Barbara area for the next week. It is by no means comprehensive. Be sure to read feature stories in each issue that complement the calendar. In order to be considered for inclusion in this calendar, information must be submitted no later than noon on the Wednesday eight days prior to publication date. Please send all news releases and digital artwork to slibowitz@yahoo.com)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21 Darlapalooza! — OK, we’ll admit it: we’re devoted to Darla Bea. Even though there are dozens upon dozens of DJs in this party-happy town, we just can’t get enough of the darling Darla. Maybe it’s because she’s one of the more versatile tune-spinner we’ve ever come across, one who’s able to read a room and get the right record rolling, or just that she’s always got a smile on her face so contagious it’s impossible not to get into the spirit. Tonight, that will be something that smells like teen spirit as the DJ is sharing the stage with Flannel 101, who bill themselves as the premier 1990s alt-rock tribute band in the Tri-County, in the sound garden known as Mosaic Locale, aka the courtyard in the recessed space at 1129-A State St. framed by Crush Bar & Tap and CorePower Yoga, The Throwback Thursday also carries a flannel-theme — the wearing of said shirts is encouraged — which seems much more hospitable in late October when temps dip into the 50s in the evening rather than during the dog days of August. It should be a pearl of a jam. WHEN: 9 pm-midnight WHERE: 1129-A State St. COST: $10 INFO: www.nightout.com/events/dar lapalooza-90s-night-with-flannel-101dj-darla-bea/tickets

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24 Haunt at the Showgrounds — A special Halloween-themed weekend converts the Earl Warren Showgrounds — which normally hosts such events as the ultra-family friendly Santa Barbara Fair & Expo and daylight-hours-only horse shows and competitions — into an experience that surely isn’t for the faint of heart. Four separate haunted housestyle attractions are available, with each offering successive scares and surprises that should have your heart jumping into your throat. The frightful haunts include The Tunnel, Spirit Hall, The Barn, and The Crawl — none of which sound especially inviting if you’re seeking a calm and placid place to be. Not that we want to scare anyone away, but promoters suggest that the show is recommended for folks ages 13 or older unless accompanied by an adult — and no costume or costume masks are allowed, although COVID-19 repelling face covering must be worn indoors. Live music, food and drinks, and a dozen carnival rides — including the Zipper, which for some of us is more frightening than encountering Frankenstein – round out the fun, if that’s your word for being scared out of your wits. WHEN: 6 pm-midnight tonight & tomorrow, 6-10 pm Sunday WHERE: Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 N. Calle Real COST: Free entry; haunt admission is

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22 There is a Season — The Westmont College Music Department was one of the early adopters of the virtual format during the lockdown days of the pandemic, mostly choosing to shoot live events on video to stream online, including an ambitious early concert with its orchestra that was shot outside. Now the WCO is finally throwing open its doors to live in-person performances, returning to an indoor public stage for its first such concert since February 2020. Michael Shasberger, Adams professor of music and the ensemble’s conductor since its founding in 2005, has announced that he will hang up his baton and retire this May. But first, he leads the program that kicks off this year’s theme of “A Season of Seasons” that will include, naturally, a movement from “The Four Seasons” by Vivaldi or Piazzolla at each of the concerts. Also on the program: Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony,” Copland’s “Suite from The Tender Land,” and the “English Folk Song Suite” by Vaughan Williams. WHEN: 7 pm tonight, 3 pm Sunday WHERE: Hahn Hall at Music Academy of the West, 1070 Fairway Rd. COST: $10 general, students free INFO: (805) 565-6040 or www.westmont.edu/music

30 MONTECITO JOURNAL

EVENTS by Steven Libowitz

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24 A Schiff in Perspective — Halloween is just 10 days away, but for Congressman Adam Schiff, the entire last year in Washington, D.C., has been a far scarier time than visiting any haunted house or ghoulish graveyard. In his new book, Midnight in Washington: How We Almost Lost Our Democracy and Still Could, Schiff, the chair the House Intelligence Committee, begins his memoir with scenes of the January 6 insurrection when members were told to prepare to don gas masks, if necessary, before being shuffled off to a secure location. But Schiff, who led the first impeachment of former President Donald Trump, argues that the violence against the Capitol was not the only offensive against the American experiment of democracy, with a far greater threat coming from his colleagues who voted to challenge the electors both before and after the insurrection. The representative of California’s 28th Congressional District will discuss the book and sign copies in Chaucer’s Books’ first in-person public event since the start of the pandemic this afternoon in a plaza just off State Street. WHEN: 2 pm WHERE: Crush Bar & Tap, 1129-A State St. COST: Admission by book purchase receipt ($32.63) in advance at the store or at the door INFO: (805) 682-6787 or www.chaucersbooks.com/event $15 each or $55 for all four INFO: (805) 687-0766 or http://earlwarren.com/the-haunt SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23 Climate Change Takes SCAPE — Southern California Artists Painting for the Environment (SCAPE), which has often geared its exhibitions toward helping preserve the Gaviota Coast, is thinking bigger with this weekend’s show when the artist collective joins with the Climate Reality Project (CRP) for a two-day event benefitting the Community Environmental Council (CEC) and the Los Padres Chapter of Sierra Club. More than 130 works reflecting the climate theme will be shown in a large hall at the Community Arts Workshop with up to 75 of the artists and jurist Holli Harmon on site throughout the exhibit, while the Climate Realty Project, CEC, and Sierra Club will host Information tables, speakers, and panel discussions — including a very timely one on wildfires moderated by Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor — plus screenings of short films in the Shed Room at CAW. A full 40% of proceeds from art sales will benefit the CEC and local Sierra Club. Note: Online preview/sales takes place through October 22 at https://cli mate-art-change.square.site/s/shop. WHEN: Exhibit open 1-8 pm today, 10 am-5 pm tomorrow: artists’ recep-

“The sum of wisdom is that time is never lost that is devoted to work.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

tion with wine, music, food bites, and award presentation is 5-8 pm today WHERE: Community Arts Workshop, 631 Garden St. COST: Free INFO: https://scape.wildapricot.org WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29 Haunted Pumpkin Patch — Lucidity Festival has had to cancel two successive signature events at Live Oak in concession to COVID concerns, but its imaginative and immersive sense of showmanship and theatrics will be on view in a special Halloween event in Isla Vista. Costumed performers will lead visitors through a series of 10 unique environments featuring Lucidity’s signature state-of-the-art light projections, aerial acrobatics, bamboo sculptures and more to relate the homespun tale of the Pumpkin King’s folly and the Pumpkin Queen’s quest to save her kin and “set the spirit of Halloween free.” Each group of visitors to the safe and family-friendly Halloween theatrical experience co-sponsored by Isla Vista Recreation and Park District receives a souvenir pumpkin to take home. WHEN: 7-11 pm today-Friday WHERE: Estero Park, 889 Camino del Sur, Goleta COST: Free INFO: (805) 968-2017 or www.face book.com/events/1215991278878811 •MJ 21 – 28 October 2021

Vijay Gupta

Warrior Women

The Healing Power of Music in Conversation with Pico Iyer

Featuring Madonna Thunder Hawk and Marcella Gilbert

Thu, Oct 28 / 7:30 PM UCSB Campbell Hall

Wed, Nov 3 / 7:30 PM UCSB Campbell Hall

Violinist, speaker and citizen artist Vijay Gupta is the founder of Street Symphony, an L.A.-based nonprofit that brings music to homeless and incarcerated communities, and co-founder of the Skid Row Arts Alliance. Presented in association with the UCSB Department of Music

This documentary screening and conversation chronicles the work of a Lakota mother and daughter whose fight for Indigenous rights began in the late 1960s and continues to this day.

Presented in association with the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee

Speaking with Pico Series Sponsors: Dori Pierson Carter & Chris Carter, and Laura & Kevin O’Connor

Justice for All Lead Sponsors: Marcy Carsey, Connie Frank & Evan Thompson, Zegar Family Foundation, and Anonymous

Michael Steele

Annette Gordon-Reed

How to Win Elections and Lose the Country

On Juneteenth: ‘Freedom Day’ and Its Importance to American History

Thu, Nov 4 / 7:30 PM UCSB Campbell Hall MSNBC political analyst and former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele examines our political parties and the systems they create in the fight for electoral success.

Wed, Nov 10 / 7:30 PM UCSB Campbell Hall

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed weaves together history and heartfelt memoir to tell the sweeping story of Juneteenth and the larger fight for equality.

Justice for All Lead Sponsors: Marcy Carsey, Connie Frank & Evan Thompson, Zegar Family Foundation, and Anonymous

(805) 893-3535 www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu 21 – 28 October 2021

• The Voice of the Village •

Special Thanks:

MONTECITO JOURNAL

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Kim’s Jiffy Mart, 1002 North H Street, Lompoc, CA 93436. D&G Stores INC, 1002 North H Street, Lompoc, CA 93436. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on October 15, 2021. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2021-0002904. Published October 20, 27, November 3, 10, 2021. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PARKJUNKY.COM, 3857 Pemm Place, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. Louis N Shalhoob, 3857 Pemm Place, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on October 13, 2021. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2021-0002882. Published October 20, 27, November 3, 10, 2021. FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Unison Financial Group, 2264 Lillie Ave, Unit C, Summerland, CA 93067. John Entezari Inc., 2264 Lillie Ave, Unit C, Summerland, CA 93067. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on September 30, 2021. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2021-0002775. Published October 13, 20, 27, November 3, 2021.

32 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Your Westmont

by Scott Craig (photography by Brad Elliott) Scott Craig is manager of media relations at Westmont College

‘Kitty Hawk’ Ushers a Return to Live Theater

The poster supporting Kitty Hawk or Kill Devil by Hailey Otto

Alumna Diana Small directs Kitty Hawk or Kill Devil

he Westmont Festival Theatre returns for the first time since March 2020 to stage a new play, Kitty Hawk or Kill Devil, which explores what it means to live in proximity to greatness, October 22-23, 28- 29, 30 at 7:30 pm, and Saturday, October 30 at 2 pm, all in Westmont’s Porter Theater. Tickets, which cost $15 general admission and $10 for students, are available online at westmont.edu/boxof fice. The play contains passionate language by Ohioans about Ohio. Suitable for ages 13 and up. The theater is requiring evidence of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of the show for all patrons who are not current students, faculty, or staff. All guests will be required to wear masks at all times when inside campus buildings. All performers will be unmasked for the performance and are taking part in approved county-mandated vaccination and testing protocols for the performance. Hannah Kenah wrote the new play, a comedic foray into the history of flight, featuring the Wright Brothers, the crew of Apollo 11, and a semi-fictional multi-generational family from Ohio where aviation was born. Diana Small, Westmont adjunct professor of theater, directs the production. Small was in the audience when Kenah read a portion of Kitty Hawk or Kill Devil at her graduation from the Michener Center for Writers (MCW) at the University of Texas, Austin, in 2019. “She’s an incredible actor and

director as well as a writer,” Small says. “She silenced the room with her reading of a speech by astronaut Michael Collins. She filled the room with the sadness that comes from honest hope because to hope in something incredible will require loss. We must leave behind some things each time we forge ahead. We’re all always forging ahead, and we’ve all felt that especially during this global pandemic.”

“Every student has had the opportunity to stretch themselves and take ownership of the work. It has been a buffet of opportunities to explore the range of human experience: love, betrayal, curiosity, loyalty, rejection, compassion, and courage.” — Diana Small When Collins died in April, Small introduced the play to her students at Westmont in her Writing for Performance class. “I invited my students to read a scene in honor of this great astronaut,” Small says. “It then became clear how many of the themes in this play speak to our present moment and would be the

“There is creative reading as well as creative writing.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

richest opportunity to welcome our students and audiences back into this theater.” Small, who graduated from Westmont in 2009, earned a Master of Fine Arts in playwriting from the MCW and a Master of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She is a company member of Salvage Vanguard Theater (SVT) in Austin and served as an interim artistic director from 2017 to 2019. During the 2018-19 SVT season, she directed the world premiere of Tryouts by Adara Meyers and the regional premiere of Anne Carson’s Antigonick, which earned six Austin Critics Table Award nominations. Her new play Oh, Thank You was developed at Berkeley Rep’s The Ground Floor in 2017 and premiered in Santa Barbara in September 2021. The play features student cast members Emiliana Brewer, Megan Bowman, Bella Chiolero, Alaina Dean, Annika Hauser, Rachel Herriges, Landon Moir, Maegan Randolph, Luke Spicer, and Ashley Vanyo. “Every student has had the opportunity to stretch themselves and take ownership of the work,” Small says. “It has been a buffet of opportunities to explore the range of human experience: love, betrayal, curiosity, loyalty, rejection, compassion, and courage.” Kenah, a playwright, performer, director, and devised theater artist, has been developing original theatrical performance for two decades, primarily with Rude Mechs and Salvage Vanguard Theater. She wrote Field Guide, which premiered at Yale Repertory Theatre, and Now Now Oh Now, which toured nationally. She performed in the national and international tours of The Method Gun. Many of her plays have been finalists and semifinalists for national and regional awards. 21 – 28 October 2021

In the Know (Continued from page 5)

The 2021-22 Westmont College Orchestra

She graduated from Dartmouth College, earned an MFA from MCW and a certificate of physical theater from Dell’Arte International.

Orchestra Returns Live for ‘Four Seasons’

The Westmont College Orchestra returns to the stage for live, in-person performances of the Fall Orchestra Concert on Friday, Oct. 22, at 7 pm and Sunday, Oct. 24, at 3 pm in Hahn Hall at Music Academy of the West. Tickets, which cost $10 for general admission (students are free), may be purchased at westmont.edu/music or at the door. For more information, please contact the music department at (805) 565-6040 or email music@westmont.edu.

“We’re very excited to offer this to the community. Video presentations were important to do during the last year, but nothing compares to making live music to a live audience!” — Michael Shasberger The Music Academy of the West requires all guests to provide proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours before the concert. Santa Barbara County also requires everyone to wear masks at the indoor event. Michael Shasberger, conductor and Adams professor of music and worship, looks forward to the live concert, the orchestra’s first since February 2020. “We’re very excited to offer this to the community,” he says. “Video presentations were 21 – 28 October 2021

important to do during the last year, but nothing compares to making live music to a live audience!” Following this year’s theme, A Season of Seasons, the orchestra will feature music of “The Four Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi or Astor Piazzolla at each of our orchestral concerts. They will also perform Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony,” Copland’s “Suite from The Tender Land,” and the “English Folk Song Suite” by Vaughan Williams. Five violin soloists, Sofia Chan, Daniel Macy, Anasara Lysaker, Elizabeth Callahan and Isaac Siebelink (viola), will each perform a movement or two of “Autumn” and “Winter.” Shasberger, who arrived at Westmont in 2005 and has directed the Westmont Orchestra since its formal founding in 2006, including appearances at the Kennedy Center and on tour to China, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Scotland, and England, has announced he will retire in May.

Night Walk Detects Bat Echolocation

With Halloween fast approaching, Westmont hosts Bat Night Out with biology professor Amanda Sparkman on Friday, October 22, from 6:45-8:15 pm. Sparkman will share her knowledge about nocturnal wildlife on Westmont’s campus in general and explore our dark-winged night-time neighbors in particular. “We’ll use the biology department’s bat echometer to detect bat echolocation signals and identify bat species,” she says. “There’s no guarantees the bats will be out — some fall nights we detect dozens, other nights they are scarce — but there will be a moon and stars and crickets and plenty to ponder.” Families are welcome. Space is limited. Please RSVP to Sparkman at sparkman@westmont.edu to learn the starting location. •MJ

community — and it “needs” more medical options. “It comes down to our area hospital wants to open a facility in our community, we aren’t going to get in the way of that,” Grubb said. Traffic and parking are immediate logistical issues that will need to be addressed, although Price says he already has roughly 28 parking spaces that can accommodate the urgent care’s needs. Kristen Sneddon, the District 4 representative on the Santa Barbara City Council whose district includes Coast Village Road, says that this news comes with mixed emotions — particularly with a roundabout on the horizon for the intersection of Coast Village and Olive Mill roads, which will disrupt traffic considerably until the project is complete. “I’m worried about the impacts to businesses and residents in the area,” Sneddon said. “People may not realize how many people live on Coast Village Road, and then you think about the roundabout, it’s going to be a lot for residents. Don’t get me wrong, I think an urgent care is a good idea, I think the area needs it, but there are definitely logistical issues we will need to address.” The Cottage Urgent Care does address a need for Montecito, as the closest urgent care to Coast Village Road is more than 10 minutes away on Chapala Street in Santa Barbara, while the nearest Cottage facility is the hospital on Pueblo Street, even further away. That has given Price a sense of pride in filling that need, while also inheriting an entity he believes will be a long-term tenant. “I can take that lease, throw it in a drawer, and forget about it,” Price said. “It’s the most prestigious corner in Montecito, and I’m excited to have Cottage there.”

A Bit of Grace, With Some ‘Power’

Grace Fisher is a typical music aficionado, daydreaming of developing the score for a Disney smash hit, still inspired by the music from animated hits such as A Bugs Life, Up and the Incredibles — none known for their mainstream melodies but left a lasting impression on the 23-year-old. “Disney does a great job of just capturing a moment in time,” said Fisher, in her last year at UCSB. “I think there’s so many ways to be able to help create a little world.” What Grace hasn’t realized quite yet is that she has already created one — and it encompasses countless people that are inspired by her choice of positivity in the face of adversity, as during her senior year of high school, she was diagnosed with Acute Flaccid Myelitis. The disease left her paralyzed from

• The Voice of the Village •

Grace Fisher stars in I Am My Power.

the neck down — but she’s determined to let her smile do the talking, not her disability. “I think you have to consider new possibilities; even though my life is much different than I thought it was going be like — different doesn’t mean any worse, it just means I have to look for inspiration in other areas of my life,” Grace said. “I think if you’re just willing to change the possibilities of your outcome, I think there are so many things out there for you; you just have to be open minded.” Grace’s story inspired the 2020 documentary, Amazing Grace, a precursor to her new starring role in I Am My Power, an original film from the Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation set to premiere on October 21 at 7 pm at the West Wind Drive-In in Goleta. Grace stars alongside three other motivational figures in Danny Gomez, David Francisco, and Wesley Hamilton — all survivors of spinal cord injuries. “I’ve been in Santa Barbara pretty much my entire life, and after coming home from the Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, it really was a place where I felt at home,” Grace said. Prior to that recovery, Grace was set to go to the Berklee College of Music, as she is an accomplished musician, including playing the piano, cello, and guitar. Her passion for the medium didn’t wane after her diagnosis, being introduced to music therapy and adaptive art as rehab therapies — all of which have helped Grace strengthen her neck, as well as her mind and soul. While she continues to adapt to new ways of playing music, Grace has also had her music played by the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony, Santa Barbara Strings, and the Solstice Chamber Orchestra. For Grace, her community is what gives her needed strength. “I think there’s a lot of things that contribute to my power and I think there’s my community and my family — I think they are as much a force that helps me as my power within myself,” Grace said.“I’m living my life as best that I can, and I think if people are able to draw inspiration from that, then I am very honored to have the opportunity to be that person.” •MJ MONTECITO JOURNAL

Miscellany (Continued from page 16)

Julie Parker, Lira Bergman, Connie Pearcy, Ariana Katovich, Gretchen Lieff, Mindy Denson, Sabrina Skelly, and sitting are Violet Coto and Lauren Gonzales (Photo by Priscilla)

ing the mad social whirl were Mindy Denson, Miles Hartfeld, Ginni Dreier, Penny Bianchi, Brendan Twigden, Kristi Newton, Rick Oshay, and Beno and Kandy Budgor.

Coming Up Roses

Curt Menefee with Ariana Katovich at Wild Night Out (Photo by Priscilla)

Curt Menefee, who anchors Fox NFL Sunday and hosts A&E’s newest series America’s Top Dog, emceed the fun fête, and conducted the auction that included a South African safari, and staycations on Catalina and in a Summerland beach house. Among the animal lovers support-

Kourtney Kardashian and rocker Travis Barker are engaged after just a year of dating. The 45-year-old Blink 182 drummer proposed to Kardashian at the Rosewood Miramar at the weekend, complete with a $1 million diamond ring. Kourtney shared images of the magic moment on Instagram as they embraced amid a cascade of red roses on the beach. The marriage will be Kourtney’s first, his third.

Always Impressive

To the Rockwood Woman’s Club to see the multi-talented Danish String Quartet for the sixth time, part of

UCSB’s popular Arts & Lectures program. The Fab Four from Copenhagen only managed to get their visas organized just five days before the event, but it was certainly worth the effort as they launched Seeing Double: The Doppelgänger Project, a four-year program, supported by Arts & Lectures and a variety of international partners. It pairs world premieres from four renowned composers with chamber music masterpieces by Franz Schubert. The Southern California premiere featured Schubert’s “String Quartet in G Major.” The musicians will complete the project over the next three years. I can’t wait...

Tender Loving Care

Santa Barbara’s Ensemble Theatre Company has launched its new season at the New Vic with an absolute gem. Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, directed by Jenny Sullivan, with music direction by George Friedenthal, is a revealing and poignant bio-musical of the legendary singer – also actor George Clooney’s aunt. Linda Purl does a remarkable job as the tortured Clooney with David Engel playing a multitude of characters including priest, psychiatrist, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Jose Ferrer, and even Clooney’s sister. A three-piece on-stage band performs many of her popular songs, including “Come On-A My House,” “Hey There,” and “Tenderly.” “We are thrilled to begin performing live again on the New Vic’s stage,” says artistic director Jonathan Fox. “This is one of our most ambitious seasons ever. With an iconic songbook that is deeply woven into the fabric of this country, this musical is the perfect way to reopen our doors and invite audiences to ‘Come On-A Our House’ again for a season of theatrical magic.” Welcome back...

In Need of a Distraction?

Prince Harry, 37, as well as practicing his equestrian skills at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, as I exclusively revealed here, has been stick and balling at the private estate of hotel magnate Pat Nesbitt. The Duke of Sussex has been to Bella Vista in Summerland several times to keep up his polo skills, I am reliably informed. In the meantime, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson and wife, Meghan Markle, have become “impact partners” at Ethic, a New York-based company, worth around $1.3 billion. The tony twosome, who experts believe are well on the way to establishing a $1 billion brand in the U.S., also have deals with Netflix and Spotify worth in excess of $120 million, while Harry has also signed a $20 million deal with Penguin Random House for his memoirs. For the price it will be interesting to see what he reveals.

So Long, Wayne

Montecito’s Rob Lowe, 57, is mourning the loss of his family dog, Wayne. The 9-1-1: Lone Star actor revealed on Instagram his pet pooch had passed away at 14 as he heaped praise on the “curious and adventurous” canine. “He loved playing chase, stealing snacks, and swimming,” he wrote alongside a photo of his pet. Paws for thought...

Birnam Birthday Bash

It was social gridlock at the Birnam Wood Club when real estate investor and inventor Ray Winn, 87, hosted a birthday bash for his partner of 33 years Peter Kevoian, who was celebrating the 15th anniversary of his half century. Ray did an excellent job in pulling the event together in a short time after a stay at the Cleveland Clinic. The dynamic duo, who split their time between homes in Birnam

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34 MONTECITO JOURNAL

Morrie and Irma Jurkowitz with Jimmy Searcy (Photo by Priscilla)

“A good indignation brings out all one’s powers.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

21 – 28 October 2021

Celebrating Peter are Fred and Linda Gluck (Photo by Priscilla)

Ray Winn surprising partner Peter Kevoian for his birthday at Birnam Wood Club’s restaurant (Photo by Priscilla)

Wood and Las Vegas, invited 42 guests to share in the moment on a perfect summer night. Among those joining in the celebration were Leslie Ridley-Tree, Hiroko Benko, Robert and Robin Fell, Morrie and Irma Jurkowitz, Fannie Flagg, Sally Jordan, and Jim Garcia and Erin Graffy.

has joined the board of directors of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology at UC Berkeley, she worked in project and product management at three Bay Area firms before becoming director of product management at Santa Barbara-based software company Visterra. Miller currently serves as chief marketing officer at AppFolio, where she leads corporate and product line

Welcome Aboard

Marketing executive Aimee Miller

Mini Meta

PUZZLE #1 2

On a personal note, I remember the delightful Rochelle Rose, society writer for Noozhawk, who has died at the age of 71. We would meet frequently covering the mad social whirl that is our Eden by the Beach and became good friends. Rochelle worked with myriad organizations, including the United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara, People’s Self Help Housing, and,

V E T S

T I A R A

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VIRAL

C G R A U H E L

V I D E O

S T S I O L S L

VIDEO

TW WO A N S T

I N D R A

G A S U P

APP

S T O M P

Actor Orlando Bloom and warbler Katy Perry noshing at Tre Lune... Reese Witherspoon checking out Merci Montecito... Singer Beyonce shopping at Paseo Nuevo. Pip! Pip! Be safe – wear a mask when needed and get vaccinated. •MJ

T A S F O R C O P E R R A N A Z A P

PUZZLE #4 1

Down 1 Platform where a train may stop? 2 Singer Smith who was nominated for the 2018 Best New Artist Grammy 3 Sayonara, in Seville 4 Raises (or rises) 6 "The Walking Dead" channel

1 6

Across 1 Hindu honorific 5 "Beverly Hills Cop" theme tune (remixed in 2005 by Crazy Frog) 7 Odyssean enchantress 8 Peninsula crossed by the 38th parallel 9 Trendy technological descriptor

N O T I

S K E E

I M A N

L I C I T

L A T K E

S M O K E

I R I S

TIKTOK

Down 1 Bottom row key 2 Nod off, with "out" 3 Queries 4 Bottom row key (and the acclaimed debut album of 1-Across) 5 Cry to a matey

META PUZZLE

Down 1 Their ads have included a talking camel and a caveman 2 Dark-horse victory 3 Fuel additive brand 4 What can be a lot for some people 5 With 7-Across, tire-squealing competition

Z E S T S

Across 1 R&B singer on the 2021 summer hit "Kiss Me More" 4 Family men? 6 Acceptance speech word 7 Tends to, as a cradle 8 Soapmaker's supply

PUZZLE #5 3

Z E T A S

TEENS

1 4

Across 1 Cracked open just a bit 5 Vein of ore 6 Chambers of the heart 7 Collegian's concentration 8 Lacking tact

Z T I L E

PUZZLE #3

Down 1 Omega's position in the Greek alphabet 2 Menzel who played Maureen in "Rent" 3 Merely scratched the surface? 4 Flashy 5 Approximately 143 stone

K E A T S

FOR

Across 1 Gloomy guy 4 Proficient one 6 Like some fall days 7 See 5-Down 8 Acronym for a coveted award tetrad

Sightings

Across 1 Alpha's position in the Greek alphabet 6 The Gem State (although it's known for its potatoes) 7 Japanese camera company 8 With a clean slate 9 "___ Madonna" (Beatles track)

21 – 28 October 2021

Remembering Rochelle

PUZZLE #2 5

more recently, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. A charming community minded individual who will be much missed.

Last Week’s Solution:

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

marketing strategy and execution.

Down 1 Some dresses don't have them 2 Basic principle 3 Yogi who said "I really didn't say everything I said" 4 Bad gut feeling? 6 Impressive accomplishment

• The Voice of the Village •

Across 1 Not joking, in texts 4 Hit high in the air 6 Arizona's ___ National Forest 7 Produce beef? 8 Cousins of convertibles

3 5

Down 1 Hybrid Wimbledon garment 2 Fab Four first name 3 Sting operation 4 ICU PDQ 5 "The Fox (What ___ the Fox Say?)"

MONTECITO JOURNAL

Mixing It Up by Ian Wickman

A Sidecar Infused With Eucalyptus The Montecito Sidecar is all about the eucalyptus

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36 MONTECITO JOURNAL

ello and welcome to Mixing It Up! My name is Ian Wickman. I will be your host in this column about all things cocktail. I am lucky to be a fellow Montecito resident and have lived here with my wife and two daughters for the last eight years. I am a cocktail creator and cook, a student of flavor, a seeker of stories, a host of parties, and a lover of beautiful ingredients. I want to inspire and enable you to sip and savor, gather with friends, and fill your cup with small moments. The beauty of cocktails is that they bring us together. The intimacy of sitting and being present with another human is something that we all need more. We get to talk, laugh, and look each other in the eyes. All that communication creates a connection. That is the reason I do this. In the coming weeks, I will be going through tools, techniques, ingredients, exquisite recipes, and a bit of history. Hopefully, removing barriers so that you can fall in love with making craft cocktails as I have. Learning the ground rules for making cocktails allows you to use them to your advantage. It will help you to create or adjust cocktails precisely the way you and your friends like them.

Mixing Page 374

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To that point, and my first rule, the best cocktail is the one that tastes the best to you. We are all different, which is what makes it fun. I only ask you to keep an open mind, stay curious, and seek out what makes you happy. I have two goals for any cocktail I make: To be more than the sum of its parts and for it to have a story. Whether that story is the inspiration for the cocktail, the ingredients, the people who produced them, or the one you make while sharing it with friends. I will always gravitate towards a simple cocktail made with beautiful ingredients from the surrounding area. It imparts that intangible notion of time and place, of terroir, the flavor of the land. Here, in Montecito, we are surrounded by inspiration from the sea to the mountains. We are also fortunate enough to have some of the best farmers and produce found anywhere. It’s what makes this community so vibrant. So, for our first shared cocktail, I want to mix something inspired locally that imparts a sense of the incredible place we live. Hiking the hills that we nestle up

D’ANGELO BREAD

“Let us be silent, that we may hear the whispers of the gods.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Village Beat (Continued from page 6)

Mixing (Continued from page 36)

need to do this project now, rather than wait until we have all the money,” he explained, adding that the cost of inflation on labor and materials is greater than the interest on a bridge loan. “Not to mention that we spend thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, each year to repair the aging infrastructure. We are only going to spend more money if we wait.” The project includes all infrastructure and accessibility in Buildings D (more than 100 years old) and Building E (more than 70 years old). Because the campus is eclectic, the topography includes multiple levels, which mean multiple sets of stairs and non-compliance with ADA regulations. Two elevators will be added to the main building; new bathrooms will be added and existing ones will be brought up to code; thresholds will be modified to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers; truncated domes will be added where necessary for the visually impaired; ADA signage will be added; new builtins will be installed where old ones are torn out during construction; and new equipment and some furniture will be purchased. Both buildings will also be outfitted with air conditioning, which the rest of the campus already enjoys. Newly installed solar panels will generate the power necessary for the new HVAC systems. “We feel that it’s our obligation to pay for this. We are a well-funded school district, and it’s important that we fund it using the money we have without asking for more,” Ranii said, adding that enrollment is currently at 376, which is well below the roughly 500-student historic high about 10 years ago. “We have room to grow if our enrollment surges. If we need more classrooms to accommodate more kids, we have them.” During construction, kindergarten,

against, I am constantly bumping into things that spark ideas. Sometimes literally. If you’ve ever brushed up against eucalyptus, you understand. The aroma released is the scent of our mountains. I’ve also been loving cognac, a spirit that brings lovely layers of dried fruits, apricot, and brown sugar that are nearly irresistible. Combining these, with fresh citrus from my backyard, in a classic template evokes everything that I love about Montecito. The fresh scent of eucalyptus, lemon, and orange oils mingle with the beautiful depth of cognac. A sip. A smile. The Montecito Sidecar is to be savored, ice cold to the touch, exquisite notes weaving throughout, and more complexity unleashed with each taste. Cheers Montecito. Now, let’s mix it up!

21 – 28 October 2021

A cafeteria was once part of MUS’s expansion project; instead, students are fed hot lunches via a mobile cafeteria that drives on campus each day. “We are living within our means,” Superintendent Anthony Ranii says.

first grade, and fourth grade classrooms will be displaced. There will be temporary portable classrooms built on the lower terrace to house kindergarten; the rest of the impacted classes will use other spaces during the 14-to-15-month process. “We hope to go out to bid for the project in December and January, and then the financing piece will be finalized, so we hope to have the funds by May.” Construction is expected to start the first start of summer vacation in June. It will take all summer, the entire 2022-2023 school year, and through the summer of 2023. “These buildings are not just historic, they are gorgeous, and we need to make them last for the next generation of students,” Ranii said. “This work is long overdue.” For more information, visit www. montecitou.org. The campus is located •MJ at 385 San Ysidro Road. (Editor’s Note: Next week we’ll feature the plans that Cold Spring School has to upgrade their campus following a failed bond measure last year.)

Montecito Sidecar

— 2 oz VSOP cognac (Park Cognac Borderies Single Vineyard) — 1 oz fresh lemon juice — 3/4 oz eucalyptus simple syrup (see below) — 1 dash Eucalyptus Bitters (The Bitter Queens) — Garnish: 1 piece each of lemon peel, orange peel, and a sprig of fresh eucalyptus

• The Voice of the Village •

Directions

Add all ingredients except citrus peels and garnish to a shaking tin filled with ice. Shake about 10 to 15 seconds to chill and dilute. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a chilled coupe. Gently squeeze the lemon and orange peels over the drink to express the oils. Lightly smack the sprig of eucalyptus against the back of your hand and garnish your drink with it to incorporate the fresh aroma.

Simple Syrup Directions

Mix eight ounces of boiling water with four eucalyptus tea bags. Let them steep for about 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and mix with an equal volume of sugar, about a cup. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Not to worry if this is all foreign right now. I will be going through all of the nuances in future articles. Please reach out if you have any questions. Also, I’ve been chatting with Brian and Jason at The Liquor and Wine Grotto and they’re working on getting the i ngredients and would be happy to help! •MJ Follow Ian on Instagram (@idealist foods), visit his website at https://idealist foods.com, and you can email him at ian@ idealistfoods.com

MONTECITO JOURNAL

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Seen (Continued from page 24 24)) AIHS helpers Judith McDermott, Bridget Colleary, Mary Louise Days, and Viviana Marsano

Air Force One at the Presidential Library

during the John Gotti days, the drug wars of the late 1980s, and was present in NYC on 9/11. He was deployed to Iraq twice on FBI operations. He also created and led the FBI Dive Teams in NYC and Los Angeles. His first post FBI job was as a technical advisor for Gary Sinise on Criminal Minds Beyond Borders. Bobby now writes for television and film and has played an FBI agent on TV shows and feature films. Then it was time to tour the FBI exhibit. It was titled “From Al Capone to Al Qaeda.” The hit of the day had to be the real Bonnie and Clyde car complete with bullet holes. I never tire of visiting the Oval Office with its jar of jellybeans. I 21 – 28 October 2021

ended the day with a favorite quote from President Reagan’s January 11, 1989, farewell address to the nation. “Once you begin a great movement, there’s no telling where it will end. We meant to change a nation, and instead we changed the world.”

‘Irish Above All’

For all you Irishmen and women out there, the American Irish Historical Society would be of interest. They recently held their first get together since the pandemic and are right now the only working chapter in the United States. But it is an international society. The meeting was held at President Frank McGinity’s unique home. It

was once part of the McCormick estate, and his house was the movie theater. Recent fame has come from the royal duo moving in next door. That would be Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. The guest speaker was to be there live, but sadly came down with a case of shingles, so the presentation was virtual instead. She has spoken to the group three times in the last 10 years, to rave reviews. With a name like Mary Pat Kelly, who would doubt her heritage? Her topic for the evening was “Real Irish Women,” and centered around stories about Mrs. Ronald Reagan and what Ireland meant to her. Mary Pat’s stories show the strong roles Irish women played in Irish history. There were many connections to Chicago and mayor Ed Kelly. Mary Pat

• The Voice of the Village •

American Irish Historical Society (AIHS) president Frank McGinity and treasurer Phil Conran

has written three acclaimed historical novels on Irish subjects, Galway Bay, The Blue Tattoo, and Irish Above All. Vice presidents of the group are Bridget B. Colleary and Judith McDermott with Philip J. Conran as treasurer. •MJ MONTECITO JOURNAL

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985 PARK LN, MONTECITO UPPER 6BD/7BA • $12,875,000 Cristal Clarke, 805.886.9378 LIC# 00968247

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400 HOT SPRINGS RD, MONTECITO 4BD/6BA • $5,795,000 Cristal Clarke, 805.886.9378 LIC# 00968247

513 CROCKER SPERRY DR, MONTECITO UPPER 4BD/5BA • $5,795,000 Nancy Kogevinas, 805.450.6233 LIC# 01209514

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1040 LADERA LN, MONTECITO 3BD/2BA; ±5.04 acres • $3,850,000 Daniel Encell, 805.565.4896 LIC# 00976141

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130 VIA ALICIA, MONTECITO 2BD/3BA • $2,850,000 Daniel Encell, 805.565.4896 LIC# 00976141

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