Sweet, Sweet Opera – It was all elegant attire and sung praises with no falsettos to be found at Opera SB’s La Dolce Vita gala, P.8
SBU by the Numbers – Following the marathon board meeting at SB Unified, what does the financial data say about the district’s effectiveness, P.10
Getting together for the Parkinson Association symposium, page 11
Illuminated Design – Shag carpet, linoleum floors, and these two incredible lamps… the ‘70s really were the height of design. Really. P.20
& a Tsar in the Garden Hershey Felder’s staged composer bios have long wowed critics. Now he tackles the strange story of Rachmaninoff, page 6
From Rivne to the Upper Village is about 6,202 miles, and Nelly Bondarenko’s adjustment period was bumpy – until a determined mentor taught her to see through his eyes what skills she possessed. (Story starts on page 5)
Cottage Hospital has a new CEO/ President. Scott Wester is here for the long haul and ready to receive the doctors’ orders, page 12
SATURDAY, APRIL 5TH
We invite you to spend time in one of the final masterpieces of the acclaimed landscape architect Bob Clark. Designed with the concept of “garden rooms,” the estate features a regionally diverse, multi-species habitat of heirloom roses, boxwood hedges, and succulents sourced from Lotusland. Your garden tour awaits!
Upcoming Open House Sunday, April 6th, 1 pm to 4 pm
M ARSHA KOTLYA R ESTATE GROUP
LUXURIOUS 9 PASSENGER, WIFI AVAILABLE FOR CHARTER
MASTERSERIES AT THE LOBERO THEATRE
SEASON SPONSOR: ESPERIA FOUNDATION
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2025, 7:30 PM
Yefim Bronfman returns to the series, performing a program of pianistic fireworks! Internationally recognized as one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, Bronfman is regularly sought by the world’s leading orchestras, recital series, and festivals. He has been recognized with the Avery Fisher Prize and a Grammy®
PROGRAM: MOZART: Sonata No. 12 in F Major, K. 332
SCHUMANN: Arabeske in C Major, Op. 13
DEBUSSY: Images, Book II
TCHAIKOVSKY: Grand Sonata in G Major, Op. 37
Sponsor: Alison & Jan Bowlus • Michele Neely Saltoun
Co-Sponsors: Beth Gates Warren & Bob Boghosian Nancy Wood, in honor of the CAMA Women’s Board
Beings & Doings – Nelly’s Upper Village shop is practically Montecito’s garment district. Her journey to this moment had a lot to do with threading the needle.
On Entertainment – Hershey Felder on Rachmaninoff, Out of the Box goes out of this world, Adam and Eve on stage, plus more
Montecito Miscellany – Opera SB has a sweet gala, the SB Channelkeepers’ Blue Water Ball, 3D drinks at the Miramar, and more miscellany
Voices – Jeff Giordano on SB Unified, its financial data, and what this portends for the future
Optimist Daily – Crafting… it’s not just good for your granny… it also helps reduce stress and focus the mind Tide
The Giving List – The Parkinson Association of SB helps those in the
Our Town – A talk with SB Cottage Hospital’s new CEO, Montecito
and MEGASHABBAT!
22 Robert’s Big Questions – What is Cost Disease? Will a Taylor Swift concert ever get cheaper?
Brilliant Thoughts – Trick, or treat? Ashleigh discusses the cultural prominence of ghosts when considering apparitions, plays, and the occasional Seder
An Independent Mind – Hot off the Independent Mind News Service presses… a new tariff announced on an American icon
Montecito Health Coach – Move on from your hesitation to exercise. This new book from a Yoga Soup class explains how.
News Bytes – RdMAP public meeting with SBC Public Works and Montecito Fire’s Chipping Program Interactive Map Crime in the ‘Cito
Calendar of Events – 1st Thursday happenings, Camerata couples, Yo-Yo Ma talking life, and more
Classifieds – Our own “Craigslist” of classified ads, in which sellers offer everything from summer rentals to estate sales
Local Business Directory – Smart business owners place business cards here so readers know where to look when they need what those businesses offer
by Jeff Wing
Today’s increasingly grey digital blandscape could be described as a bummer. Busybody machines that can paint cats, forge photos, and write crummy songs have us all hunching shoulders and shaking our little fists in excitement. Why? (etc.) The numbing Age of Machines is truly upon us and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
In this context, a woman rounding a corner with a tape measure draped around her neck may as well be a cape-wearing superhero. Nelly’s Tailoring in the Upper Village indeed blends into its surroundings like a sort of Bat Cave – the unassuming shopfront concealing an inner grotto of human-powered, artisanal creativity. Just rapping knuckles on Nelly’s halfopen Dutch door is heartening.
“Hello, Jeff!” Nelly Bondarenko emerges from another room with a smile, hand outstretched, tape measure dangling like a liturgical vestment. Her outer office is a tidy little vestibule. Recessed, neatly illuminated shelves bear a pristine collection of decorative porcelain thimbles and detailed scale models of arcane sewing contraptions – a shrine to the magic of needle and thread.
The Head of a Pin
“I’m committed to do the very, very best work,” she says firmly, but with a grin. Nelly speaks with a musical, untraceable accent. She has been at this for some 30 years and has the reputation
of a thread-wielding genie. Does she have a fairly steady clientele?
“Besides my couple hundreds of clients, I still get new ones. They hear somewhere about the quality work and labor that I deliver.” What I know about garment surgery could be neatly parked on the head of a pin, but I do know it is meticulous, close work that succeeds on painstaking attention to the minutest detail. So 200+ clients?! Nelly offers another mellow grin.
“I pleasurably do this work,” she says. Her early training in another loving life project – one familiar to many of us –helped her find balance. “I learned with raising kids that it’s patience. If I love it – and I do – I can do it.” She hasn’t always been this sanguine. “I used to be very stressed in a way like, oh my god, people need it tomorrow!” Nelly laughs lightly. “Now I’m like, life is happening every day and it’s okay.” Just like that? She thinks for a minute.
“Well, sometimes it’s in my mind throughout the night. Sometimes,” she says in a confessional tone, “I’ll wake up and make some notes on how to finish something. It brings me joy and brings me that adrenaline to make it happen. Because I did work with Nordstrom, with Saks Fifth Avenue, and quite a few designers, I’ve seen it all. From luxury brands all the way to the little things…”
L´vivs´ke Vyshche
Profesiyne Uchylyshche
Tekhnolohiy Ta Servisu
“So I finished the L’vivs’ke Vyshche Profesiyne Uchylyshche Tekhnolohiy Ta Servisu,” Nelly says. “In English the Lviv
Beings & Doings Page 334
montecito with only live music every evening
by Steven Libowitz
Pianist-actor-playwright-producer Hershey Felder has appeared on stages across the world more than 6,000 times in original works focused on a single famous composer. His works include George Gershwin Alone, Beethoven, Maestro Bernstein, Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, Our Great Tchaikovsky, and A Paris Love Story – Debussy. A few of his similar filmed creations have played virtually through the Ensemble Theatre during the pandemic. Felder was indeed at ETC in January 2024, but behind-the-scenes, directing The Pianist of Willesden Lane – his adaptation into a well-received one-woman show of Grammy-nominated pianist Mona Golabek’s book about her mother.
This month, Felder will make his live stage debut in his latest play merging music, history and storytelling. Rachmaninoff and the Tsar delves into the Russian composer’s life and career, with an emphasis on how his sense of home and family influenced his art. It’s all told through flashbacks of a fever dream, and illustrated through multiple piano performances as Felder will play excerpts from several of Rachmaninoff works, including the C# minor Prelude to his second piano concerto and his Paganini Variations. For the first time in one of his on-stage creations, Felder also appears opposite another actor, British-Italian Jonathan Silvestri, who portrays Tsar Nicholas II.
The prolific Felder offered a three-word phrase to explain his proficiency: “Very little sleep!” Indeed, the edited Q&A responses were emailed last weekend over late-night hours.
Q. You chose to focus on the time near Rachmaninoff’s death in Beverly Hills, and his memory of encounters with Russia’s last Tsar, Nicholas II, and the Tsar’s daughter, the Grand Duchess Anastasia. How does this illustrate the composer’s story?
A. When I create such a work, I have to answer three (self-imposed) questions. Who am I speaking to? When and where am I speaking to them? Why am I speaking to them? The answers guide the narrative telling of the story. In this case, we know that
Rachmaninoff was on his deathbed, full of morphine to dull the pain of his rapidly advancing melanoma, and he was hallucinating and mumbling stories about his history, music, his hands, his music. We have this from a doctor and nurse who were present. It was an effective way to tell a story of the essence of this composer.
How much research went into creating an accurate story and integrating the music? How much comes from your imagination? The historical material that you hear is all factual. I have worked hard not to make things up when it comes to attributing events and emotions to these characters. Naturally, the set-up is hyper-theatrical. But it takes place in Rachmaninoff’s Beverly Hills garden, which can be traced back to his own comments about that very garden and why he would be there.
This is the first play in which you have another character on stage where you can engage in dialogue rather than addressing the audience. Why now? And does this represent a new direction for you?
Story is driven by the narrative, and it was clear to me that Rachmaninoff can’t talk to his audience from a “fever dream” for two hours. We needed to experience him in a context. Having him face off with another character rather than play a bunch of characters myself – which would amount to showing off rather than telling a story –was a valuable discovery. It is also a little different for the audience, and reports are that they enjoy this kind of thing. It’s not really new, as I have interacted with many characters in the films, it is just somewhat new in terms of the composer-from-thestage stories. It also is an antidote to, “Too much Hershey too much of the time!”
by Richard Mineards
It was an evening of decidedly high note – not to mention a few in between – when Opera Santa Barbara hosted its annual La Dolce Vita gala for 155 guests dying to be in the right aria at the Montecito Club, raising around $150,000.
The gala committee was co-chaired by Karen Knight and Carol Vernon with Joan Rutkowski, Sandra Urquhart, Monica Williams, and Diana Wold
Singers, all OSB artists accompanied by pianist Timothy Accurso, were soprano Oriana Falla, tenor Xavier Prado, and baritone Matthew Peterson, with the finale sung by baritone Colin Ramsey with the “Toreador Song” from Bizet’s Carmen
Artistic director Kostis Protopapas led the Stand Up for Opera fundraiser.
Among the throng of supporters were Richard and Kathy Abbott, Todd and Allyson Aldrich, Minos and Tracey Athanassiadis, Derek and Kara Beaulieu, Mahri Kerley, Lynn Kirst, Ken and Nancy Beisser, Rodney Baker
Standing: Timothy Accurso, Carol Vernon, Kostis Protopapas, Karen Knight, and Nicholas Burlett; Sitting: Joan Rutkowski and Sandra Urquhart (photo by Alma Rose Middleton)
and Robert Ooley, Robert Weinman, Barbara Burger, Robert Adams and Nancy Caponi, Nina Dunbar, and Mary Dorra
A tidal wave of munificence enveloped the Santa Barbra Channelkeeeper’s
23rd annual Blue Water Ball at the Cabrillo Pavilion with 175 guests raising an impressive $180,000 for the
popular nonprofit.
The bumper bash was emceed by the ubiquitous Geoff Green and showcased Chumash leaders Art Cisneros and Mia Lopez, and featured artist Benjamin Anderson who trained in Florence, Italy, and San Francisco’s Academy of Art University.
His work was selected by Converse for a national ad campaign as their AllStar artist.
The fun evening also featured Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Howard and Michele Hall with accounts of underwater explorations highlighting the Santa Barbara Channel’s interconnectivity of species.
Among the supporters were Ted Morton, Jeff Phillips, Hiroko Benko, Annie Lovell, Mimi deGruy, Nancy
Miscellany Page 344
by Jeff Giordano
Much local ink was spilled after Santa Barbara Unified’s marathon School Board meeting, on March 11, where 85 teachers were tentatively axed. Much of the reporting touted Celeste Kafri, the Board’s newest Board Member whose focus on financial data was categorized as “a new way of thinking.” My interest was piqued, so I did a bit of talking and significantly more listening and this is what I learned:
SBU oversees12,000 students across 13 public schools with five elected school board members who are each given monthly stipends of about $350. From the outset, I think it’s important to stress that while this board has –within strict State mandated constraints – budget/oversight responsibility, truly consequential decisions are made by our well-paid (and somewhat embattled) Superintendent, Hilda Maldonado CA law suggests stipend levels, but can we demand fulltime diligence or employer-like Superintendent oversight when members are basically volunteering? Service requires diligence so I’m not giving the board a “pass,” but I do think the question needs asking. Anyway, what Ms. Kafri focused on was SBU’s audited financials that, for many education professionals, is important.
The Center for Public Education, for example, outlines eight factors that define successful school boards – including the idea that they are “accountability driven” and that they are “data savvy” such that they use data to “continuously drive improvement.” In AJ Crabill’s book Great on Their Behalf: Why School Boards Fail,
he speaks with authority about “re-alignment” advocating that boards should focus on measurable student outcomes. So, how does SBU do when looking at data and outcomes? Well (and these are just the facts), not so wonderful.
As we look across the district, we see that Average Daily Enrollment has declined by 15% from 14,035 students in 2022 to just 12,201 in 2024. During this same period, however, administrative costs increased by 24% from $13.4M in 2022 to $15.4M in 2024. Instructionrelated costs have also skyrocketed moving from $138M in 2022 to $166M in 2024. By the end of 2024, we were spending $13,600 per student, compared to $9,836 in 2022. If student outcomes had similarly increased during this period, perhaps this wouldn’t be all that problematic, but they didn’t: Overall Assessment scores have remained stagnant with 50% of the students reading below grade level and 61% testing below grade level in math.
Does data alone provide a path forward? Probably not, but it certainly allows an objective way to evaluate the quality of education, where monies should be spent and whether certain expense buckets are producing tangible results. In my informal discussion with Board Chairperson Gabe Escobedo, I asked for his thoughts, and what he said was “…absolutely, financial data is a path forward with the understanding, of course, that the devil is in the human details that account for 90% of the budget.” I for one wish the entire board success, because any dispassionate look at the numbers reveals that the status quo needs to change. Good luck!
Jeff Giordano, SB County Resident
Crafting has been enjoying a well-deserved renaissance lately. In a world full of uncertainty and stress, people are turning to creative hobbies not just for fun but as a way to cope. And the psychological benefits are very real.
“Crafting is akin to a meditative activity,” explains licensed psychotherapist Elise Robinson. “You’re engaged in it, you are really focusing on the task, which means you’re very present.” That kind of focus helps calm a stressed-out mind, quiet racing thoughts, and lower cortisol – the stress hormone.
When we’re immersed in a creative activity, our brains can shift away from anxiety and into something more grounding. Meagan Mahaffy, artist and founder of the wellness-focused creative collective Art Gurl, encourages people to use even small moments of crafting as a tool. “If instead of forcing yourself to meditate when it’s not working, you pick up a pen and do a five-minute doodle – even if it’s just scribbling – your brain is busy thinking about the movement of your pen and what you’re creating,” she says.
Beyond stress relief, crafting helps us build a sense of self-trust and accomplishment. Creating something from nothing – whether it’s a drawing, a collage, or a handmade pot – helps strengthen self-efficacy or the belief that we’re capable of making things happen.
When crafting becomes part of our routine, we start to approach life with more confidence and compassion for ourselves. Studies also suggest that creative expression improves emotional regulation and flexibility during stressful times.
Crafting is also a safe space for learning to handle mistakes. Whether it’s
April 9
April 10
trying to figure out a tricky stitch or reworking a pattern, each moment of trial-and-error builds problem-solving skills and emotional resilience.
One of the most beautiful aspects of crafting is that it connects us – not just to ourselves but to others. From community art nights to pottery classes to knitting circles, crafting has a unique way of bringing people together.
Finding a shared creative space can be especially powerful for anyone struggling to build community or feeling isolated. It offers not only social connection but a sense of purpose and belonging.
The best part? You don’t need to be an artist – or even particularly “good” at crafting – to start. Consistency is key, not skill level. Daily doodles, simple paper collages, or even coloring pages can all be part of a supportive creative routine.
Want more positive news? Sign up for our daily newsletter on optimistdaily.com and start your day off right.
Executive Editor/CEO | Gwyn Lurie gwyn@montecitojournal.net
President/COO | Timothy Lennon Buckley tim@montecitojournal.net
Managing Editor | Zach Rosen zach@montecitojournal.net
MoJo Contributing Editor | Christopher Matteo Connor
Art/Production Director | Trent Watanabe
Graphic Design/Layout | Stevie Acuña
Administrative Assistant | Kassidy Craner VP, Sales & Marketing | Leanne Wood leanne@montecitojournal.net
Account Managers | Sue Brooks Tanis Nelson, Elizabeth Scott, Jessica Sutherland, Joe DeMello
Contributing Editor | Kelly Mahan Herrick
Proofreading | Helen Buckley
Arts and Entertainment | Steven Libowitz
Contributors | Scott Craig, Ashleigh Brilliant, Chuck Graham, Mark Ashton Hunt, Dalina Michaels, Robert Bernstein, Christina Atchison, Leslie Zemeckis, Sigrid Toye, Elizabeth Stewart, Beatrice Tolan, Leana Orsua, Jeffrey Harding, Tiana Molony, Houghton Hyatt, Jeff Wing
Gossip | Richard Mineards
History | Hattie Beresford
Humor | Ernie Witham
Our Town/Society | Joanne A Calitri
Health/Wellness | Ann Brode, Deann Zampelli
Travel | Jerry Dunn, Leslie Westbrook
Food & Wine | Melissa Petitto, Gabe Saglie, Jamie Knee
Published by:
Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC
Montecito Journal is compiled, compounded, calibrated, 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: (805) 565-1860;
by Steven Libowitz
April is always a big time of year for the Parkinson Association of Santa Barbara (PASB). That’s when the very local, very grassroots nonprofit organization puts together its symposium, an annual event that’s at once a community builder, educational offering, and social gathering.
Which makes it not all that different from the ongoing activities of PASB.
The organization has been offering exercise classes, social events, educational programs – all organized locally and all geared toward improving the lives of people with Parkinson’s, their family members and other caregivers, for more than 45 years since its organic founding. That’s when Beverly Steward, who had been living with Parkinson’s since her mid20s, placed an ad in the Santa Barbara News-Press to see if others with the disease might want to get together. Having 45 people turn up to connect and talk about their situations got things going.
Now, PASB works to provide up-to-theminute information on Parkinson’s, host
or sponsor a variety of exercise programs, their Move to Music chair-based activity, golf outings, visits to a boxing gym and more – responsive to the fact that PD research has indicated that exercise is a strong factor in delaying the progression of symptoms. The organization also offers a variety of support groups to address different stages of the disease, including those who have been newly diagnosed, as well as support for partners and other caregivers and monthly speaker meetings.
It’s all part and parcel of PASB’s motto: “You may have Parkinson’s, but Parkinson’s doesn’t have you.”
“It’s indicating the importance of a positive attitude,” explained Barbara Levi, PASB’s immediate past board president. “Many people get depressed when they get diagnosed with Parkinson’s, which makes sense. But there’s so many people who go on to live a very positive and active life for years.”
Levi cited her late husband as a stellar example.
“He didn’t want to let Parkinson’s take over his life, so he continued to ride a
Giving List Page 294
The greatest professional compliment a client can give their real estate agent is to use their services again (and again...)
So far I have had:
55 clients use my services twice; 33 clients use my services three times; 16 clients use my services four times; 9 clients use my services five times; 7 clients use my services six times; 2 clients use my services seven times; 4 clients use my services eight times; 1 client use my services nine times; 2 clients use my services ten times; 1 client use my services eleven times; and
1 client use my services thirteen times!
LYNCH CONSTRUCTION, INC. P.O. BOX 20183 SANTA BARBARA, CA 93120 805-451-3459 | BLYNCHCONSTRUCTION@GMAIL.COM WWW.LYNCHCONSTRUCTIONSB.COM | LICENSE #596612
by Joanne A Calitri
Scott Wester MHA is starting his new role as the President and CEO of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital (SBCH) on April 7. He was selected from a national search by SBCH’s executive search committee chaired by Steve Zola, prior Board Chair. Wester follows Ron Werft MHA, who recently retired as SBCH President and CEO having served for 25 years in that role, and who had a total of 38 years with SBCH. Speaking on behalf of his board, SBCH Board Chair Eric Seale stated in his press release, “We’re excited to work with Scott in the coming months and years and see him transform his vision into actions that improve health in our region.”
Wester comes to our community from his most recent position as President and CEO of Memorial Healthcare System South Florida, which is said to be one of the nation’s largest public healthcare systems, with six hospitals and over 16,000 employees. Prior to that role, he served 14 years as President and CEO of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge, LA, and has a total of 30 years in health care systems. He holds an MHA from Xavier University Cincinnati, Ohio; and a B.S. Chemistry and B.A. Classical magnum cum laude from Saint Louis University Missouri. He is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. Wester will live here with his wife Nicole. They have two daughters in college, one pursuing medicine and one pursuing veterinary medicine. Due to his schedule and start date, we opted for an interview via email to dive into his strategic plans and pertinent data points as SBCH’s new President and CEO:
What is your first priority in Q2 for SBCH?
I have a responsibility to quickly gain deep knowledge of Cottage Health and the community, so while I need to hit the ground running, I really want to get to know the people and establish good working relationships and partnerships. It’s important for me to be visible to employees and the community so I can understand firsthand the unique strengths and opportunities here, and together we can continue to build on the important work already happening to improve health in our communities.
I’ll be meeting employees throughout Cottage’s campuses, visiting patient care areas and talking to patients and families to learn their perspectives. And I’ll be engaging with medical staff, board, and physician leaders to learn what’s working well in each area, and where we can focus for improvements.
As I do patient safety rounding, I ask clinical teams for insight. I want to know what we can do better and what they need to make it happen. The teams providing care are the ones who know this best. Cottage Health has exceptionally strong systems already in place, with its shared governance, to bring employees’ voices and ideas forward from every area of the organization. It makes the hospitals and clinics safer places for care, for both patients and employees.
There will be a lot of knowledge transfer during my first weeks, to ensure a smooth leadership transition of this vital community resource. I want to keep the momentum on Cottage’s strategic priorities and implement the services and new initiatives
What are your first-year goals in taking on the position, what areas of the SBCH services are you focusing on, and might there be new services offered by SBCH in any of its locations? Cottage is in the middle of executing a three-year strategic plan, so there are goals and milestones we’ll need to meet to stay on track. Focus areas include patient safety
Our Town Page 164
Part of the drama is to showcase Rachmaninoff’s genius against the backdrop of history, and the struggle of art versus power. It seems that concept might be particularly resonant at this moment in America’s history.
This has come up often in talk backs with the audience, but I composed a story in and of its time. There was quite literally no effort made to somehow juxtapose “then” with “now.” That the story might resonate with current events is a surprising thing, even for me every night on stage. It is fascinating how certain stories resonate at various times culturally and historically.
You have portrayed so many famous composers. How have you been able to adapt to take on these significantly different people? To what extent do you need to subsume yourself to identify with each of them in both the writing and performance?
Submersion in acting and performing is relative. It’s an illusion. Knowing how to create that illusion and knowing how to repeat it at the drop of a hat at an appointed time is a life’s work. It comes down to knowledge and practice and thinking while practicing. And by that, I don’t just mean practicing piano, but in fact “Practice” in the grand sense of the term. Discipline, always understanding and thinking through the process, never doing anything by rote, or more popularly never “phoning it in” –and above all: knowledge, which informs the character. Imagination then takes that knowledge and forms the illusion. Rehearsal works the illusion. Concentration and the freedom to consistently and constantly experiment and investigate eventually leads to exciting and very alive performance.
Out of the Box, the local theater company that has been producing alternative contemporary musical theater for 15 years, soars all the way up into the heavens for its next show, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 Dave Malloy’s genre-defying musical adaptation of a scandalous 70-page segment from Tolstoy‘s famed 1869 novel War and Peace is set in the opulent world of Moscow high society, focusing on the impulsive Natasha’s romance with intoxicating aristocrat Anatole and savior Pierre’s search for meaning in his life.
Director and Out of the Box founder Samantha Eve has been a fan of Great Comet
since its original run in a pop-up tent in lower Manhattan years prior to its 201617 run on Broadway, where it earned a dozen Tony nominations.
“I have been hunting down the show since then and bugged them so much to get the rights to produce it here that Dave Malloy himself actually wrote me back to tell me they couldn’t because they were trying to get the show to Broadway,” Eve explained. “He set it up as a musical theater/opera, so it’s all heightened emotion that goes right to the heart of the story and moves very quickly. It’s sort of like an intro to Tolstoy, a fascinating way into a 1,000-page book that isn’t necessarily accessible to everyone.”
Comet, which runs April 4-13 at Center Stage Theatre, has been called an electropop opera, which Eve explained includes several elements that might normally be considered a bit disparate.
“It has hints of Russian folk music, sounds in a nightclub, elements of indie rock and folk music, even a little bit of Joni Mitchell and the Beatles. It’s a real melting pot. I don’t think there’s another musical quite like it.”
What also sets Comet apart is that the actors frequently break the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience in ways not normally seen.
“There are times the characters are actually narrating their own actions,” Eve said. “For example, somebody on the stage will say, ‘Natasha’s whole body shook with noiseless convulsive sobs,’ which you’re seeing at the same time. It really allows connection with the audience in a way that doesn’t happen when you are in your own world and telling the story separate from them.”
To that end, Out of the Box is going a step beyond, adding an onstage VIP table seating area where the actors might actually augment scenes on the fly, jumping onto the chairs or pulling an audience member into the action for a dance number.
Entertainment Page 264
Installation, Service, Alarm Monitoring, and Patrol — From Our New Home in the Santa Barbara Area to Yours
and quality, expanding ambulatory care services and partnerships, and completing a collaborative community health needs assessment. We’ll be expanding services in the Santa Ynez Valley. We’ll also be evaluating a virtual nursing pilot program and opening a new medical office building for outpatient care on the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital campus.
A specific area of interest for me is how we use new technologies and AI responsibly to improve health outcomes and workflow efficiencies. This year’s goals for our new Compton Center for Medical Excellence and Innovation include recruitment of the leadership team and selecting an innovation project, a venture fund, and a UCSB capstone project to invest in – so that will be exciting work.
Our Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital continues progress toward its move to the Goleta Valley Cottage campus, so we will be working to stay on schedule with that as well, starting with some of our outpatient therapy services later this year.
What is your defining reason for deciding to take the SBCH offer to be its CEO/ President, and how long do you plan to hold that role? Your prior work shows a tenure of approximately three years for the majority of organizations you have led, with the exception of Memorial.
I’ve worked at two other health systems in the past 30+ years of my career in healthcare, building my knowledge and experience by serving in a variety of leadership roles. It was the people and the positive workplace culture that drew me to Cottage. This really is the opportunity of a lifetime. Locals may not realize how much your hometown healthcare provider – Cottage Health – is recognized as a national leader in healthcare. Other hospitals across the country see the programs Cottage develops and uses them as a model. This is a remarkable place, and I expect the time will fly as we dig in to our goals to make our organization even better for the community. To answer your question, I’m not thinking about an end. I can’t wait to begin. I’m excited for what Cottage and our community partners can achieve together.
As a top executive in health care for 35+ years, what do you do to unwind and stay healthy? I enjoy time with my family. I like to be outdoors and enjoy running and golfing. My wife and I are looking forward to becoming part of the Santa Barbara community.
Additional talking points you would like to have mentioned in this keynote news feature? I’ll just mention the people we’ve met in the community have given us such a warm welcome, and we’re grateful to be here. I’m already feeling connected to Cottage and will lead with care to protect this remarkable community asset. As you walk through any part of Cottage and meet with the people who work here, you hear common refrains that really tell the story of what makes this place special. One is Patients First. Patients are at the center of every decision, and the people at Cottage are laser-focused on doing what’s right for patients. The second is core values. Everywhere you go at Cottage, employees know and reflect these three words: excellence, integrity, compassion. Those core values are more than words, they are embodied in the work this team does every day to care for the community. Thank you for trusting us to do this work. It’s an honor to take on this role.
411: http://CottageHealth.org
The Montecito Trails Foundation (MTF) celebrated 60 years of operation in 2024 and is already doing collabs with its community partners in Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria. Dedicated to maintaining the trails and working with environmental issues, they are the BTS foundation of people and volunteers who keep nature going for us in the back country.
MTF Executive Director Ashlee Mayfield is speaking at the Summerland Citizens Association Townhall Special meeting on Thursday, April 10 starting at 5:30 pm at the Summerland Church. The meeting is open to the public. Also attending are SBC Public Works Traffic Deputy Director Mostafa Estaji, Traffic Engineer Gary Smart, Engineer Chris Doolittle, Maintenance Manager Udy Loza, and Lt. Brittingham to go over multiple projects in Summerland.
MTF Summerland Projects include:
Banner Trail – MTF will create a short realignment of the trail to the original locations because users created a steep climb to get around the tree.
Reservoir Trail – MTF is installing seasonal mud mats as used in Europe through the boggy section at the bottom to allow year-round use by equestrians, Our Town Page 284
by Scott Craig
Twelve graduating art majors will display their capstone art projects from April 3rd to May 3rd at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. A free public reception opens Twelvefold: Westmont College Graduate Exhibition 2025 on Thursday, April 3, from 4-6 pm.
The exhibition offers diverse themes focused on identity, relationships, and place. The artists include Amélie Barrero, Creed Bauman, Mia Brooke, Jaycee Felkins, Erika Harrison, Tucker Howard, Julia Jachetta, Gray Mohon, Juliana Moore, Ryan Speight, Rebekah Steele, and Laurea Wanner
The art projects range in media from charcoal drawings, oil paintings, watercolor, mixed media drawings, multimedia books, acrylic paintings on disassembled car parts, screen prints, and sculpture.
“The twelve artists included in the graduate exhibition have each been engaged in creating a body of artwork focused on living intentionally, using visual interpretations to explore
imaginative worlds, the intersection of art and science, the ephemeral nature of memories, the impact of industrialization on the land, and identity,” says Meagan Stirling, who chairs the art department and supervised the senior capstone.
Barrero created a series of mixed-media works, The Water We Swim In, which invites us to live intentionally with a deep awareness of our interconnectedness.
Bauman’s A Tension, Please features a series of seven sequential panels that reveal the development, tension and eventual integration of two separate forces of the artist’s dueling identities. “The works exist on a linear timeline; the middle five steps span the length of my life,” Bauman says.
Brooke says when someone opens a book, it momentarily transports them to another realm, leaving oppressive reality behind. Brooke’s work replicates a reader’s transcendence into narratives through visual interpretations rather than words.
Felkins’ series of screen prints, Typical, features a shooting star that explores the
tension between a subject designed for constant motion and the stifling reality of being confined. “When forced into unrealistic scenarios, shooting stars serve as an example of the abnormal and often difficult struggle of resisting our own nature,” she says.
Harrison’s Lackluster and the Wrecked is a series of acrylic paintings done on car body parts. “I use industrial materials and graffiti as an act of resistance and as a means of moving toward breaking free from societal molds,” she says.
Howard, who was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, experiences the world through a heightened sensory lens, shaping his connection to both music and art. “My paintings, prints and accompanying music are an invitation into my mind, where sound and color merge in unexpected and mesmerizing ways,” he says.
Jachetta’s A Waiting Space, is a personal exploration of desperation, hope and acceptance – a reflection of her journey toward self-forgiveness and the belief in hope beyond suffering. “I explore the fear of dying, but also the possibility of finding solace in the uncertainty of death,” she says.
Mohon uses disparate objects and metaphors in his works about the act of introspection. “I play off the subtle, ironic comedy of each piece with serious subject matter, which makes a reflective, doubled-over piece,” he says.
Moore’s Sanctuary, a large-scale replica of a Kern’s guava nectar box, serves as a metaphor for her life. “The box itself becomes a canvas for exploring my identity and themes of social justice,” she says.
By Elizabeth Stewart
sends me a matched pair of lamps. One is a table lamp, and the other a swag chandelier – both designed in a swirling compilation of many styles to create so much grandeur that they cannot be anything but the embodiment of the 1970s. Seeing the photos, I imagine these lamps’ ‘friends’ – objects that might have accompanied them in their original 1970s décor home; the carpeted bathroom, avocado green and harvest gold tile counter tops, red linoleum flooring, vertical blinds, popcorn ceilings, huge silk floral arrangements, and the Mediterranean kitchen. Be prepared, because before we know it… the ‘70s will be back. There were three separate stylistic strains trending in the 70’s: 1) late hippie plastic colorful décor; 2) artisan handmade objects with naturalistic designs (think raw-looking pottery and tree hugger furniture); and 3) classic overstated middle-class glamour. HK’s table lamp and the matching swag lamp fall into the latter category. They are vintage cast metal made to look antique, and the table lamp has a 36” shaft that culminates in a slag glass hexagonal shade of alternating brown and white glass (slag is a medium we associate with the Arts and Crafts Period in lighting). There are elements of the Gothic, elements of Renaissance and Baroque revivals, elements of Louis XV design, a smattering of Italian Baronial – various looks from decorative periods in human history that scream grandeur. The lamps are meant to evoke historical objects that are great treasures, which of course they are not – but they try, which is why I love them. The same 1970s urge that made Liberace’s mansion famous makes these lamps something to smile about.
I can still see Mrs. Martorella’s living room with her aspirations of grandeur in Deerfield, Illinois, where I grew up in the
1970s. She had that white marble coffee table which weighed 1,000 pounds. The base was a mix of Baroque angels and Classical Corinthian columns, and other non-period elements carved in wood (or was it the cheaper medium, plaster?) and painted cream. It dominated the red velvet sofa that was encased in plastic. Illinois can be a hot place in August, and her daughter Debbie and I often stuck to the sofa when we could sneak in to admire the setting, so different from my house, which was Ethan Allen. Nonetheless, we were chased out of the living room as it was for exclusive guests at cocktail hour. My mom once went to a cocktail party in that room and gushed over the amounts of silverplated hostess accoutrements. Mrs. Martorella had crystal lamp bases with silk shades purchased in 1972, and, similar to HK’s pair of lamps, a table lamp that had a faux ‘antique’ cast metal base – sprayed bright gold – topped by a fake Waterford style cut glass shade. To complete the picture, the shaft of the lamp had those little wires which supported a multitude of clear glass crystal drops on a chain. Even the ash trays weighed 15 pounds and looked Baronial.
HK’s lamps have a multi acanthus leaf design in cast metal that is painted regal gold and then ‘antiqued’ with black paint. The amusing shades are of colored glass in six sides of brown-and-white slag, under which (just to be more opulent) are hidden a six-branch candelabra with six small bulbs. Although they are a confused little presence, the lamps are trying hard to be BIG LAMPS, and if you lived through the 1970s you will recognize that a swag chandelier was always somewhere nearby in your neighborhood.
What is this style? Unfortunately, on such sites as Etsy, HK’s lamps are described as Hollywood Regency, an incorrect designation. The design term Hollywood Regency was inspired by Hollywood’s golden era, 1920 to 1950, which was influenced by the purely geometrical style of the late 1700s Neoclassical period and melded with the 1930s Art Deco (primarily French) style, also geometric. Hollywood Regency has one element in common with HK’s lamps; it was and is, a maximalist style. But distinct from HK’s lamps, true Hollywood Regency enjoyed only the best and most expensive materials. Instead of saying these lamps are Gothic Baronial, or Hollywood Regency, I call this style Middle Class Glamour of the 1970s. HK should know there is a real market for this style. Those 70s-era brass-and-crystal-studded raindrop pole lamps and table lamps, such as those he has found, are offered for $200 and up, presumably by sellers much younger than me who never heard of Liberace.
Elizabeth Stewart, PhD is a veteran appraiser of fine art, furniture, glass, and other collectibles, and a cert. member of the AAA and an accr. member of the ASA. Please send any objects to be appraised to Elizabethappraisals@ gmail.com
26,280,000 minutes
438,000 hours 18,263 days
600 months
50 years ago... ...we started our journey of creating meaningful, lasting impact with and across the Central Coast.
by Robert Bernstein
Many Americans feel that the country is headed in the wrong direction. They feel they spend more and get less. Many factors feed this sense but here I want to focus on a nearly 60-year-old idea from late economist William Baumol called “Cost Disease.”
The Food Recovery Hierarchy shows us the best ways to deal with food waste.
There was rage in this recent election about inflation. But inflation does not affect everything equally. When I was growing up, we could not afford a stereo or a color TV. Now, even a minimum wage worker can easily afford such things. Where does most of our money really go? Housing. Education. Young people are saddled with lifelong debt if they go to college. And healthcare is still the leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. Baumol explained this in the 1960s: Manufactured goods get ever cheaper due to productivity increases. But services like home building, teaching, and nursing never get more productive. We still build houses as individual works of art. Baumol called these industries economically “stagnant” because innovation has not replaced this human labor.
People also get upset that government spending keeps rising and there is little to show for it. But where does most government spending go? To “stagnant” industries: Military, policing, healthcare, and education. Government is not “wasting” money. The problem is the rising cost of human services.
Unfortunately, self-promoting demagogues like Trump and Musk distract people from this fact. They are on a rampage of smashing vital government institutions that cost very little. The entire USAID program was about 1% of the Federal budget. Investment in science and technology is being demolished. This aids our enemies and darkens our future, but saves little money.
One consequence of Cost Disease is that as productivity increases in some sectors, more money is available to spend on stagnant industries. This is true for the economy as a whole. But not for individuals who may be at the bottom of the economic pyramid.
to subsidize stagnant industries. But this leads to “Cost Disease Socialism.” The more government subsidizes student loans, for example, the more tuition rises.
Many countries surprisingly solve this “socialism” problem in healthcare with socialized medicine! Instead of subsidizing out of control private costs, the government directly employs the healthcare workers. Salaries and incentives are set to maintain good quality.
These countries also tend to redistribute income. Redistributed income allows market forces to control prices that might soar with targeted subsidies.
There is no magic solution to Cost Disease, but some improvement is possible. In the case of housing, much more mass production technology could be used. Experimental houses have already been constructed with huge 3-D printers.
In the case of healthcare, wearable measurement devices and artificial intelligence may be able to diagnose health problems. Improved vaccines and medicines can reduce disease and maybe even aging. In Japan, there is growing acceptance of robot nurses. But, for now, skilled surgeons and nurses are still essential here.
Last year I wrote about how the Khan Academy can replace some teaching with videos and software. But human teachers are still essential for mastering understanding.
If you want to see a live performance, the musicians and actors cannot increase their productivity. This will be an ever more expensive luxury.
We need to understand Cost Disease so that we understand the real causes of rising prices for essential services. We must avoid being lured by Trump/Musk non-solutions like cutting funding for international disease control, which will come back and bite us.
If we really want to cut our expenses, we actually may need government to spend more: We need government to invest in the best technology of the future. A Taylor Swift performance won’t get cheaper. But we can lower the cost of some essential services.
I just lost my latest doctor because he is switching to “concierge medicine.” Instead of having 2,000 patients, a doctor can reduce to 200 patients and charge them an annual fee of about $3,000. Every time a doctor switches to concierge medicine, 90% of patients are forced to find a new doctor. Soon there will be no doctors left.
The problem hits lower class people hardest. One solution is for government
Robert Bernstein holds degrees from Physics departments of MIT and UCSB. His passion to understand the Big Questions of life, the universe and to be a good citizen of the planet. Visit facebook. com/questionbig
“A seriously sensational spectacle: as aesthetic as it is athletic, as comedic as it is grave, and all in all, a visceral delight.”
The Conversation (Australia)
“Impressive and sophisticated contemporary New Circus at its best.” Berlin Morning Post (Germany)
Created by Yaron Lifschitz and the Circa Ensemble
Tue, Apr 8 / 7:30 PM Lobero Theatre
Two Nights! Two Programs!
Matthew Rushing, Interim Artistic Director
Tue, Apr 15 & Wed, Apr 16 7:30 PM / Granada Theatre
“There’s something generous about Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It’s there in the dancing – full of skill, passion and a charismatic warmth.” The Guardian (U.K.)
“Every American owes it to him or herself to see the Ailey company perform Revelations. It is an American phenomenon.”
– Oprah Winfrey
“GIGENIS is Khan’s most potent effort in years. The storytelling is impeccably clear.”
The New York Times
Akram Khan
GIGENIS, the generation of the Earth Akram Khan, Director and Choreographer Thu, Apr 10 / 7:30 PM / Granada Theatre
by Ashleigh Brilliant
You may know that one of the first characters to appear, in what is generally considered to be Shakespeare’s greatest play, is the Ghost of Hamlet’s Father. He has not been dead for long, and Hamlet is still fuming at the callousness of his mother for having remarried (and to his Father’s brother!) so soon after his Father’s demise. With a kind of dark humor, Hamlet explains the brevity of the interval as practicing economy, which he calls “thrift.” So brief an interval between the two events enables serving from the same cache of refreshments at both occasions. As Hamlet very sarcastically puts it, “The funeral baked meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.”
But Hamlet has not yet seen the Ghost himself. When he does, the Ghost tells of how he, the King, was murdered by his brother Claudius, who now wears his crown and is married to his wife.
Hamlet is only one of five Shakespeare plays in which a Ghost appears.
But the idea of some kind of Ghost has been popular right up to the present day. Of course, it all stems from questions regarding an afterlife. In the 19th century, when modern Medicine was in its infancy, “Spiritualism” became a widespread notion, in some quarters virtually a religion. It was very appealing to believe that it was possible, often with the help of “mediums,” to communicate with “spirits” of those who had died. There are still-unexplained stories of people who claim to have lived in previous eras and can supply details of their own earlier lives. This type of interest ranges from the religious to the at least pseudo-scientific.
The classic spiritual investigation has a group of people, including one who claims to be a medium, sitting around a table attempting to contact one or more dead persons whom they knew in life. Sometimes the messages supposedly come in the form of table-rappings. If there is an actual voice, it will probably be heard only by the medium.
Charles Dickens inserted ideas about Ghosts into many of his stories. Probably one of the best-remembered is A Christmas Carol, in which the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge
is visited by his deceased former business partner, Jacob Marley, who is evidently suffering from his own greedy practices, being condemned to dragging with him a heavy suit of chains and money-boxes, which he incurred in life.
But in modern times, some societies, especially American, have turned one old religious festival, originally based on belief in ghosts, into a time for wild fun. Supposedly honoring the memory of people who were so good when alive that they were recognized as Saints – a special day called “All Hallows” (November 1) – had, long before been dedicated to them. But the previous night – that Evening, or “E’en,” became transmogrified into “Halloween”. This was an occasion, like Mardi Gras, for letting off steam, putting on costumes, and lowering inhibitions. In our part of the world, practical jokes and a little vandalism (called “tricks”) were to some extent tolerated – but the culprits could be bought off by an offering of candy (a tolerated form of blackmail called “Trick or Treat?”)
Different religions process these concepts in different ways. Christianity is almost based on them, since there is strong belief in the resurrection of its Founder following his execution. Some sects worship what they consider a sacred Trinity – consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
I was brought up in the Jewish tradition, and I can remember only one supposed appearance of a ghost – but it was harmless, and, if anything, benevolent.
It was part of the ritual meal at Passover called the “Seder.” I didn’t learn enough to give you an explanation, but what I remember is that, no matter how many people were present at the table, there was always an unseen guest – the Prophet Elijah. A place was always left for him, and a glass of wine was poured there. I don’t know who eventually drank the wine – but I can assure you it wasn’t wasted.
Nowadays, in regular life and culture ghosts are extremely popular. An amazing number of movies have featured them, in themes ranging from comedy to horror. The audience of children has not been neglected. Even in comic books there are now characters like Casper, the Friendly Ghost.
As for my own contributions to this discussion, I will leave you with this sample:
“Don’t ask me what happens after life –I’m not even sure what happens after dinner.”
Curated For You at Rosewood
Discover
By HERSHEY FELDER
Entertainment (Continued from 14)
“We want to make it feel very immersive like it was in the tent, tell the story with the audience instead of just to the audience,” Eve said.
The audience is also helped along in deciphering the action in this staged segment of the complicated Russian novel. A prologue song introduces each of the characters and their connection to the others, complementing a family tree in the program and projected graphics for each character based on the actors – which include both OOB longtime cast members and newcomers to the company.
“It’s really helpful to piece it all together,” Eve said.
As for the comet in the title? That refers to an actual celestial event that was visible back in 1811-12 for more than 250 days, which the novel’s Pierre witnesses.
“Rather than fear, he feels a sense of hope, of change, of something positive about to happen,” Eve said. “That’s also what I hope people take away from the show.”
Rubicon Theatre Company’s New Play Development Program both sponsors and benefits from a reading of The Journals of Adam and Eve, a two-person play inspired by the biblical characters, Mark Twain’s sense of humor, and A. R. Gurney’s Love Letters. The play, written by nine-time Emmy Award-winner Ed. Weinberger (Taxi, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Cosby Show), offers a witty and charming take on creation’s original couple through their own (imagined) words, from their first date to their exile from Eden, and their role as the world’s first parents. Journals ran briefly off-Broadway last summer and at the Garry Marshall Theatre in Burbank in January. RTC’s one-night only event on Monday, April 7, stars TV icons Hal Linden (Barney Miller) and Sally Struthers (All in the Family). Visit www.rubicontheatre.org.
Singer-songwriter Janis Ian isn’t expected to pick up her guitar and sing at the Riviera Theatre on Sunday morning, April 6, but the audience will still get good glimpses in her life and songbook via a preview screening of the new documentary Janis Ian: Breaking Silence. The movie, written and directed by Varda Bar-Kar, makes note of how Ian’s career mirrored the awakening of American women in the 1960s and ‘70s as they “found their voices” and embraced their power.
Among the stories are an early life-changing moment for Ian at 16, when she had just started touring behind her Top 20 debut single “Society’s Child” in 1966. At a theater in Encino, she ran into a handful of race-baiting chanters who interrupted her performance of the song about the taboo subject of interracial romance. Ian eventually got through the show with the help of audience members and theater staff tossing out the protestorsm, and went on to have a highly influential career that includes a 1975 Top 10 single with “At Seventeen.”
Bar-Kar and Ian, who turns 74 the day following the Riviera event, will be on hand for a Q&A following the screening of the film that also features Joan Baez, Lily Tomlin, Arlo Guthrie, Jean Smart, Laurie Metcalf and others. Visit www.sbiff.org Elsewhere, Santa Barbara’s vibrant group of amateur musicians ages 40 to 90-plus – The Prime Time Band – kicks off their 30th anniversary year with a spring concert. The show will feature surprise guests and memories of past performances – symphonic band music that boasts a wide variety of pop, classics, show tunes, marches and seasonal music. For instance, the free afternoon program on April 6 at the Lobero will include pieces by Holst, Sousa, Brubeck, and the soundtrack to Top Gun. Visit www.lobero.org
The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight is a 14-strong British collective of costumed classical musicians whose concerts – bathed in an ethereal glow – transform rock and metal songs by AC/DC, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Linkin Park and others into swirling, dark symphonic rhapsodies that bridge the chasm between metal, hard rock, and classical music. Check out their Santa Barbara debut at the Granada on April 6.
Bouncer-bashful beware: You don’t have to be big, burly and buff to bound on over to Elings Park for the return of Big Bounce America, the biggest touring inflatable event in the world, featuring seven massive attractions. Everybody, even those with inflated egos, are welcome to wander through the giant array of inflatables, including a 24,000 square foot bounce house full of giant slides, ball pits, climbing towers, and basketball hoops. Also on site are a 900-foot-long obstacle course, the customized Sport Slam arena, a cosmos-themed wonderland called airSPACE, and a deep-sea foam party inflatable dubbed OctoBlast. Timed sessions over the April 4-6 residency are organized by age, ranging from tiny tots to adult-only slots, making Big Bounce America at Elings the place to skip Netflix, kick off your shoes, and let loose. Visit https://thebigbounceamerica.com/event/santa-barbara
West Coast Debut
Fri, Apr 11 / 7 PM / Hahn Hall
Alexi Kenney, violin Ayane Kozasa, viola Gabriel Cabezas, cello Paul Wiancko, cello
“A dream group.”
The New York Times
“With Owls, classical is alive and well.”
The New York Times
Performing a wide-ranging program of folk, Baroque and new music, Owls’ innovative approach to the quartet repertoire defies expectations. Owls’ all-star lineup is comprised of world renowned soloists, as well as current and former members of yMusic, Aizuri Quartet and Kronos Quartet.
Fri, Apr 25 / 8 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall
“One of jazz piano’s most brazenly virtuosic players.” The New York Times
Steeped in both the classical and jazz traditions, Hiromi is a keyboard visionary whose influences range from Chick Corea to Frank Zappa and funk fusion. Check your expectations at the door for this night of wildly adventurous music from her eclectic electric quintet.
“Larkin Poe are your next favorite performers.”
Forbes
with special guest Parker Millsap
Sun, Apr 27 / 7 PM / Arlington Theatre
With serious slide guitar chops and Southern rock swagger, Georgia-bred multi-instrumentalist sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell imbue their songs with equal parts soulful sensitivity and thrilling ferocity.
pedestrians, and bikers.
Bella Vista Trail – MTF is awaiting restoration plans due to unpermitted work redirecting the trail.
The MTF annual spring 10’ trail brushing: date TBA.
The Summerland Citizens Association shared that they lobbied for converting the Summerland Road Yard into a preserve (the Greenwell Preserve), and in 2023 formally requested a 50-year lease on that property, extended in 2024 through 2074. That property is also partnered with the MTF.
411: www.montecitotrailsfoundation.info; Insta: @montecitotrailsfoundation Email: summerlandcitizens@gmail.com
Shabbat Shalom! It’s time for the 13th Annual Mega Shabbat on Friday, April 4, at 6pm at the Chabad of UCSB’s Rohr Chabad Jewish Student Center, 779 Camino Pescadero. The event is free and open to all, but registration is required. Parking is the usual at UCSB, and the event is held outside on the building’s grassy area and adjacent parking lot areas, so dress for the weather!
The Chabad at UCSB Mega-Shabbat Committee members are Rabbi Gershon Klein, the Executive Director of Chabad at USCB, and his wife and Board President Miri Klein; Chabad at UCSB Executive Student Board Co-Presidents Sarah Feuer and Jordan Fishburn; and students Galia Broussi Raich, Gloria Kompel, Paulina Gicqueau, Talia Rapoport, Yulia Ivanytskyy, Jake Nguyen, and Sammy Javedanfar
In addition to the usual formal program (see below) Rabbi Gerson answered my interview questions for our readers:
Q. For the Annual Mega Shabbat this year, what do you want attendees to experience and walk away with?
MONTECITO’S BEST BREAKFAST
Friday, Saturday & Sunday 8:00AM - 11:30AM Lunch & Dinner 12:00PM - 9:00PM 805.969.2646
We want Mega Shabbat to be a time when people come together for something happy. A lot of times, we only gather as a community when something sad happens, like after a big tragedy or a hard time. And while it’s so powerful to support each other then, we believe it’s just as important to come together to celebrate good things too. That’s what Mega Shabbat is all about. It’s one big Shabbat dinner where Jewish students, their friends, and people from the community all join together for an evening of Jewish joy, connection, and of course good food.
We hope everyone who comes feels like they belong and experience the magic of Shabbat. We want them to leave feeling re-Jew-venated, filled with Jewish pride and/ or with a better appreciation for the Jewish community. A few years back we had a student tell us after the event that he had been part of an extreme anti-Jewish group and he came to see what it was all about. He was so impressed. He said it completely changed the way he viewed the Jewish community.
Another thing is, we all spend so much time on phones and screens, but Shabbat is a chance to put that all down and tap into our essential selves. Shabbat is a time to remember our purpose and ask ourselves why am I here. How can I best use my talents to make the world filled with more goodness and Hashemliness. (G-dliness). You know. For a lot of students, it might be their first time celebrating Shabbat. So, it’s a great way to experience something meaningful, and to experience where the whole idea of a “weekend” actually came from – Shabbat!
What are the talking points you will provide at the Mega Shabbat?
- Jewish pride: Sometimes with hate around we can be tempted to shrink away. But this is a finger in the eye of hate. We’re proud in numbers, and we’re not going to back down.
- Tapping into community, our purpose, and the bigger picture: Being part of a mega Shabbat, are all those things. Shabbat is a time to focus on all things inner.
The Mega-Shabbat is an all-ages event which served over 1,000 people last year. The program starts with an hors d’oeuvres reception. There is a photo booth and yarmulkes for men who forgot theirs. Before sunset is the candle ceremony to remind everyone to keep their light going. At sunset, all electronic devices are turned off. Women and children light the shabbat candles at each dinner table. Guests are served individual challah bread and grape juice for the meal blessings. Rabbi Gershon will lead the Kiddush blessing to sanctify the Shabbat and a blessing for the first course. Next there will be a Hamotzi blessing, everyone singing a special song at the second Our Town Page 324
bike, backpack and white-water raft. He was our board president for a while, too. You can live a fulfilling life with PD.”
That is a central theme of the annual symposium, which takes place on Saturday, April 5, at the Elk’s Lodge (150 North Kellogg Ave.) in Goleta.
The 9 am to 3 pm event offers two presentations from renowned medical experts, an afternoon panel discussion, informational exhibits featuring medical products and a variety of local services available, as well as coffee and pastries in the morning and lunch at the break.
“Seven pharmaceutical companies will be there to present their medications and/or treatments and answer questions,” said Levi, who is chairman of the symposium committee. “There are 10 more exhibits from local organizations such as Cottage Health and other physical therapy places, senior living centers and others. People can get a lot of information by visiting those tables.”
Also on site will be representatives from the Center for Successful Aging.
“They’re very important to our organization because they train all of the people who moderate our support groups,” Levi said.
The centerpiece of the symposium are the talks from the national speakers. J. Eric Ahlskog, MD, PhD Professor of Neurology – and the former director of movement disorders at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota – presents “Parkinson’s Disease Progression & Optimal Medication Treatment.”
Meanwhile, Jori Fleisher – MD, MSCE, FAAN Rush University Medical Center in Chicago – talks about “Prescriptions, Pearls, and Parkinson’s Potpourri: What Caring for the Late Stages Can Teach Us About Thriving with Parkinson’s Today”.
“Dr. Ahlskog (who stepped in when the previously announced speaker had to withdraw) is very prominent in the field,” Levi said. “We’re lucky to have him.”
PASB pays special attention at the symposium to those newly diagnosed with the disease, Levi said.
“Typically, people who just in the past year learned they had Parkinson’s are a bit shell shocked. When they register
they can self-identify, so we have them sit at tables with people who have had more experience with Parkinson’s.”
The symposium also features an exercise demonstration by Ryan Bice, DPT, and Maria Allen, PT, likely to get all in attendance trying out the movements.
The symposium is a significant gathering that, while bringing in about 225 people on site, also draws a lot of attention across the country and the globe. Last year’s lectures have drawn more than 35,000 views from around the world since they were posted online.
In fact, said Levi, even the local support groups that are held on Zoom have drawn attention from distant places.
“We have people calling in from Minnesota, Florida, all over the place, because they don’t have organizations offering this kind of group support locally,” she said.
PASB is able to add programs at the drop of a hat, often when a local provider wants to contribute, or members of the organization decide to create something.
“We’re very much a grassroots organization that doesn’t need outside approval to do something,” she said. “It’s an advantage to be able to just get the word out to people who have Parkinson’s about opportunities or programs that they might find helpful.”
Even more astounding is that PASB has never charged membership dues and offers almost everything at no or low cost, including its annual picnic in July and a holiday party in December.
“We’re virtually all-volunteer with no corporate structure and just one parttime employee, plus some independent contractors who teach the exercise classes,” said Levi.
Still, PASB is wholly reliant on generous donations from participants and the public. Every dollar donated stays in the community. But with an uptick in donations, they could offer even more programs, and get the word out to more people who have Parkinson’s or care for someone with the disease.
For more information, visit www.mypasb.org
New Home Construction, Fencing, Closets, Kitchens, Decks, Balconies, Doors, and All Types of Remodels.
www.bayconstruction1inc.com | 805-453-0983 | Bayconstructiongc@gmail.com
Breaking News
Independent Mind News Service
Dateline: April 5, 2025. 9:30 AM PDT
Montecito, California
by Jeffrey Harding
President Trump announced on Truth Social today that he is imposing a 100% tariff on imported televisions as of April 2.
Acting on a campaign promise he said, “LIBERATION DAY IN AMERICA IS COMING, SOON. FOR YEARS WE HAVE BEEN RIPPED OFF BY VIRTUALLY EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, BOTH FRIEND AND FOE. BUT THOSE DAYS ARE OVER — AMERICA FIRST!!!”
At a later press conference President Trump said, “Tariffs are a beautiful thing. We will be bringing some of the money back that has been taken from us. It will be liberation day because we will be taking in large amounts of money for our country, very large amounts like you’ve never seen, and bring lower taxes, and all other things that are good, and jobs, a lot of jobs, high paying manufacturing jobs. They have robbed American workers of high paying jobs. They’ve got to pay to do business in our beautiful country. I may give a lot of countries breaks. But I mean only if they give us some breaks that are nice for America. If they reciprocate with tariffs, I’ll fight back, maybe double the tariffs.”
Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro stated at the press conference that saving domestic production of televisions is an issue of national importance. Mr. Navarro was asked if he was aware that the USA has no domestic manufacturers of televisions. He responded that, “See! Foreign competition has crushed American manufacturers who would like to be in that business. We’ve got to protect American entrepreneurs who want to create jobs and produce products that are good, made in America products.”
The Trump Administration has said that tariffs are needed against foreign imports to protect domestic producers, address trade imbalances, and protect national interests.
This was a spoof. Apologies to those who thought it might be real. My purpose was to reveal the absurdity of President Trump’s tariff policies. Almost all of Trump’s quotes are real, slightly altered to fit my satire. The Navarro quotes were mostly made up.
By the way, no televisions are made in the U.S. We don’t have the technology or industrial capacity, and foreign companies are very, very good at it. I wonder if the Trump Administration is aware that other countries can make some things more efficiently than we do and their comparative advantage and cost efficiency allows us to make things we are very good at. And that benefits everyone.
The Trump Administration’s justifications for imposing tariffs on imported goods are false and often outright lies.
1. Trade is not a process where one country is “ripping off” another country. First of all, “countries” do not engage in trade. Only individuals or companies do that. Any exchange between parties in a transaction foreign or domestic is seen by each party as a benefit – otherwise they wouldn’t do the deal. Who is ripping us off is Trump and his tariffs.
2. Manufacturing in the U.S. is at an all-time high. The U.S. is the second largest exporter of manufactured goods in the world (after China) by dollar value. Most of our exports are high-value, technical goods. Manufacturing employment has declined worldwide because of technology and capital investment which makes workers more efficient and makes us more competitive.
3. We are at full employment. Where are all those skilled factory workers going to come from? Auto tariffs won’t help anyone except the United Auto Workers. The rest of us are punished because tariffs are ultimately paid by consumers. It’s another tax. Things were working fine before Trump (see GDP) and now tariffs will make goods more expensive and us poorer.
4. Service jobs have replaced manufacturing jobs. Perhaps you are just thinking about dish washers and ditch diggers, but you would be wrong. Service workers are doctors, lawyers, accountants, scientists, technicians, editors, authors, carpenters, caregivers, nurses, insurance clerks, financial advisers, nonprofit workers, coders, etc. They far outnumber factory workers and average wages are higher than factory work. As Steven Pinker says, “[M]any social critics have expressed nostalgia for the era of factories, mines, and mills, probably because they never worked in one.”
5. The “national defense” justification is something like Samuel Johnson’s “last refuge of a scoundrel” quote. “Gosh, if we don’t make cars, won’t that degrade our manufacturing base and harm national defense capabilities? Aren’t you patriots able to see that?” See No. 2, above. We still make autos and a lot of other things. This is absurd on its face.
6. Trump’s tariffs will disrupt long established supply chains. We don’t know how far he will go, but once things are broken it may be hard to put them back together.
7. Uncertainty is spooking the financial markets and businesses. Fears of a recession are real.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Modisette Construction, 606 Santa Barbara St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Bomo Design, 606 Santa Barbara St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on March 10, 2025. 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. 2025-0000629. Published April 3, 10, 17, 24, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: The Closing Concierge, 329
W Yanonali Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Sara M Marracino, 329 W Yanonali Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on March 19, 2025. 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. 2025-0000753. Published March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME: CASE No. 25CV01066. To all interested parties: Petitioner Douglas John Stekkinger filed a petition with Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara, for a decree changing name to Brixton
James Douglas. The Court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Filed March 12, 2025 by Gabriel Moreno. Hearing date: May 2, 2025 at 10 am in Dept. 4, 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Published March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 2025
by Deann Zampelli
“Permission to move granted.” When I read that line in, I Know I Should Exercise But, the new release by Dr. Diana Hill and Katy Bowman , I was intrigued. To find out more, I went to a workshop they were hosting at Yoga Soup, where the authors put their movement where their mouths are. The circle of attendees each started sharing a bit about their own experiences with various forms of being blocked.
One man shared that after he lost his writing partner, who was also his romantic partner, he really missed having a collaborator. These brainstorming sessions they would have usually happened while walking. Since the break-up, both his walking and his writing have stopped. Dr. Hill deftly navigated his situation by observing how these three pieces (his movement, his romantic life, and his writing) had become entangled. You could see the light bulb moment in real time as he realized the truth behind her observation.
I asked Dr. Hill what prompted them to write this book. “There are thousands of books out there on how to and why we should exercise – from 30-day plans to why movement is so good for you – but nothing on the psychological barriers to moving our bodies. If we know that exercise is so good for us and have the 30-day plan to do it. Why can’t we follow through? Only a quarter of Americans meet the CDC guidelines for exercise; there’s got to be more going on than just that we are ‘lazy.’ This book addresses the psychological and hidden barriers to
movement – things like our thoughts, our feelings, and our motivation to move.”
I am always fascinated by the power of events like the one I attended. It can take complete strangers and turn them into matcha-drinking soldiers in the same trenches of life. This battalion of blocked movers shared with one another various challenges they were having, and the camaraderie and support formed were immediate. “I used to ride my bike around town, but it got stolen,” one woman shared. And the woman next to her said, “I have an extra bike you can have.” Seriously.
As they led the participants in guided imagery, introspection, and planning for action, Bowman and Hill shared tidbits of wisdom along the way. We get caught in a loop of what movement needs to look like, they explained; the gym, running, lifting weights. Instead, they suggested, seek adventure and curiosity. Find a park nearby and go for a stroll. Rather than meeting a friend just for coffee, go for a coffee walk. If you sit at a desk for work, alternate sitting and standing every 30-minutes. Do phone calls while pacing around your office. You get the idea. It is thinking outside of the boxing gloves so to speak. It seems the two authors were destined to meet. Diana first discovered “nutritious movement” when she was raising a toddler and a baby while struggling to get to the gym. Later, she interviewed Katy on her podcast, which sparked Katy’s interest in the psychology of movement. Katy then interviewed Diana in return, and they quickly realized they were an ideal match. With Katy’s fresh approach to incorporating movement into daily life and Diana’s expertise in overcoming
psychological barriers, they formed a perfect partnership – one that blends nutritious movement principles with psychological flexibility.
In the book, they address the many reasons why people may have barriers to movement; body image issues making them feel uncomfortable working out in public, time challenges with work and family obligations, being on your feet all day so you are too tired to work out, lack of consistency, not knowing where to start – and the list goes on. The book helps you identify your resistance, and then how to apply the science-based tools for altering those maladaptive thought patterns.
Hill mentioned that a quarter of Americans are not meeting the CDC’s guidelines for movement. She is referring to the CDC’s suggestion that we get 150 minutes of moderate to intensive physical activity each week. In the 10,080 minutes of our week (yes, I Googled that), that isn’t a lot – and yet many of us struggle to reach it. Why is that? While the answers are as diverse as our population, many people agree to just not having enough time. But most people seem to find the time to watch the latest season of White Lotus? Hill and Bowman’s book may be onto something. We know we need to move more, as in our lives really depend on it. So why aren’t we?
Read the book and find out and if your personal barrier to movement isn’t in there. “Tune into Hill’s” podcast, “Wise Effort,” or Bowman’s podcast, “Nutritious Movement,” and you might unearth your own personal ‘AHA!’ moment.
I asked Hill what they want people to take away from the read. “Moving your body may just start with being more flexible in your mind. If you are struggling to get the exercise you need, it’s not because there is something wrong with you or that you are lazy. With psychological flexibility you can overcome pretty much any barrier to moving your body. The tools you learn in the book – perspective taking, cognitive flexibility, acceptance, being present, values, committed action and self-compassion – can be applied to any movement barrier you face.”
Permission to move, granted.
Health and humor in the MJ National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach trained at Duke Integrative Medicine, Deann Zampelli owns Montecito Coaching & Nutrition. She also has a Masters in Clinical Psychology and has been a resident of Montecito since 2006.
by MJ Staff
The SB County Public Works Department is holding an open public forum on Thursday, April 3rd at 6 pm for their Annual RdMAP (Road Maintenance Annual Plan). Areas covered are Toro Canyon, Mission Canyon, Summerland, Montecito, Eastern Goleta Valley, Isla Vista, and Gaviota. “The RdMAP is the means by which the Transportation Division accomplishes its mission of providing a clear path, smooth ride, and a safe trip to the traveling public.”
The workshops will cover road maintenance activities, the County’s approach to pavement preservation, current and ongoing projects, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. Input from unincorporated communities is requested. Projects proposed in this RdMAP reflect public input and requests, Board of Supervisors’ priorities, StreetSaver ® Pavement Management Program outputs, and staffs’ professional assessment of our transportation facilities and roadways.
Attendance is virtual, and registration is free.
411: Comments or questions: pwroads@cosbpw.net To Attend: https://bit.ly/SBCRdMAP
The Montecito Fire Department started its 2025 chipping and fire fuels reduction program on February 18, and continues for 10 weeks, concluding on June 23.
Our Town (Continued from 28)
course, and the Bentching, which is a grace after the meal prayer, along with a dessert buffet.
Rabbi Chaim of Chabad of Montecito is joining again this year. Recently, he initiated a mentor program for Jewish UCSB students with the Jewish community in Montecito, and those mentors will be attending the Mega Shabbat. Rabbi Chaim explains, “Many of the students attending have built meaningful relationships with community mentors right here in Montecito, and several of those mentors will be joining them at the table. It’s a powerful reflection of the intergenerational bonds that define our community: Montecito residents investing in the next generation, and students finding grounding and inspiration in those connections.”
411: Visit http://bit.ly/MEGASHABBAT25 to register
Community members may schedule a complimentary Defensible Space Survey with a member of the Montecito Fire Prevention Bureau by calling (805) 969-7762 or emailing preventionmail@montecitofire.com.
MFD has an interactive map where Montecito residents may enter their addresses to learn the dates of their respective neighborhood surveys and prepare for these visits. MFD Chief Neels , “This important fire prevention and preparedness program assists community members with increasing defensible space ahead of high wildfire season. The residential, curbside chipping program supports property owners as they create defensible space and reduce vegetation within 100 feet of their homes and along access roads. Residents may stack cut vegetation on their curb to be chipped and hauled to a recycling center by our designated contractor, Eco Tree Works.”
411: Interactive Map: https://tinyurl.com/MontecitoChippingMap
Mental Crisis / Fernald Point
Sunday, March 16, at 09:46 hours
Deputies were called when a subject experiencing a mental health crisis attempted to drive through a fence so they could park their vehicle on the train tracks. The individual was ultimately taken to the Santa Barbara Cottage Emergency Room by their family to seek medical attention. The owner of the fence did not desire prosecution for the damage.
Car Burglary / 1900 N. Jameson Rd
Sunday, March 16, at 17:19 hours
Reporting Party (RP) contacted law enforcement about a suspect that had been found in her vehicle earlier in the day and returned to the scene. Suspect was located on the freeway offramp at Sheffield and detained, he was then identified by the victim and the RP as the suspect who broke into her locked vehicle and went through her luggage. Subject was ultimately arrested for violations of 459 PC, 148.9 PC, 647(h) PC, 10852 VC, and 21960 VC.
Trespassing & Burglary / 1400 block Edgecliff Lane
Monday, March 17, at 22:49 hours
Deputies were dispatched to investigate a report of a suspicious subject knocking on windows and looking into properties. A subject matching the description was seen walking from the All Saints by the Sea church. The subject was detained and identified. Subject is transient and was found to have been in possession of a box from an address on Miramar Beach. Subject was arrested and booked into jail without incident.
Check Forgery / 1400 block East Valley Road
Tuesday, March 18, at 12:10 hours
Victim reported that her check, intended for the landlord, was intercepted and forged. The unknown suspect(s) cashed the check at a Chase Bank for $1,900 dollars and then attempted to deposit another altered check for $2,000, which was detected and denied by the bank.
E-Bike Violation & Pursuit / Randall Road and East Valley Road
Friday, March 21, at 20:00 hours
While patrolling the area of East Valley and El Bosque Road in Montecito, Senior Deputy McKarrell observed subject riding an E-bike without forward facing or rear lights in violation of 21201(d)VC. When Deputy conducted a traffic stop on subject, he originally stopped and then fled in violation of 148(a)(1) VC. Deputy McKarrell followed subject who violated several traffic laws as they attempted to elude the officer. Once on El Bosque Road, subject attempted to elude again by executing a U-turn and travel in the opposite direction. When subject passed the driver’s side door, Deputy McKarrell exited the vehicle, knocked subject off their bike and took them to the ground. Ultimately, subject was arrested for violations of 148(a)(1) PC, 69PC and 21200.5VC.
Higher Vocational School of Technologies and Service in Ukraine. Coming to the United States, of course it was a hard thing and it’s not easy with a family of nine. So my parents brought me here.” That was in 1992. “11 months later after immigration, my fiancé, my husband came here, so we got married and started our family.”
Nelly had long been musically training in a traditional Ukrainian folk instrument called the bandura, a natural outgrowth of her entire family’s devotion to music, as an art form and even in performance. But at that time a lingering Soviet persecution of Christians in the Ukraine limited her options. Obliged to go to the vocational school in Lviv – several hours by train from her hometown of Rivne – she earned a 4-year baccalau-
reate diploma in garment work and tailoring, graduating with honors. It was a high-level practical education that would later stun her American mentors. Nelly did not initially equate her education with hew new life in America.
“I had my diploma and everything,” she says of that period. “I was like, okay. Good. Great. But I didn’t find that it was my passion, not immediately.” As a new mother in need of a vocation, Nelly was in fact searching for her passion. As her family grew, she became anxious. “I thought, I don’t know what I want to do in the United States, but I cannot sit still But where would I go to school? And all of a sudden, of course, it just hit me.”
The Nelly smile lights up the room. “I’ve been to school. I pretty much had a profession in my hands!”
Nelly was initially an in-house helpmate to her mother, who was also a tailor. Word got out, as it will. “It would be just based out of our home, like a few colors of threads and a machine.”
One tradition of the family’s adoptive hometown lent itself to sewing. Lots of sewing. “I remember having this Fiesta time – humongous skirts with layers and layers of fabrics. So we kind of started with all that. Then it became more people knowing. ‘Oh there’s a Ukrainian family who does this work...’”
Her firstborn was growing, and Nelly started making inquiries. Her first gig proved consequential in ways she could never have imagined. “I was hired, invited to one of the very good designers.
He was Loutfi’s Originals at 1225 Coast Village Road.” Before bringing her in, this magnanimous gentleman, designer Shammas Loutfi, would see in Nelly an outsized talent she was at that time too preoccupied to see in herself.
“He saw how my English barrier made me shy. But he would look at my work and say, ‘Nellie, you should be in Montecito!’ I was like, okay… What is Montecito?” In time, and with Loufti’s ceaseless, gentle encouragement, Nelly would see herself through his eyes. “He was my mentor, my coach, my father. Yes, he’s the age of my father right now. It’s just amazing how much he saw in me and encouraged me.” Once at a fitting, Loufti asked Nelly to bring him some chalk to mark a garment. Chalk? Unsure, she filled both hands with everything she could carry related to a fitting. “He looked at me and smiled,” she says with some emotion. “He said, ‘we’ll learn one word at a time, right?’” Nelly pauses. “It was that very big heart of his. It was just very lovely to be acknowledged.”
When Loutfi retired, on his recommendation Nelly approached and was hired by Cuban-born designer Luis Estévez, known for his sinuous dresses, plunging necklines, and for having dressed such luminaries as Eva Gabor, Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Natalie Wood, Carol Channing. Yes, Estevez had a boutique on Coast Village Road. Nelly would later work for Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. Her time with Luis did gift her a priceless friendship, a mentor still central to Nelly’s work – and life. “At Luis I’ve met my sister in tailoring. She is Letizia , from whom I’m learning until this day.”
Nelly would go on to launch, in fits and starts, her own business; with more than a little help from her dearest – and most constant, patient friend. “Business was growing. I was like, oh my gosh, I need this machine, but I need space. Luckily with my very nice husband,” she says, smiling broadly, “each place we moved into as a house, he would make me a little space there. And it would be amazing.”
Today, Nelly’s roster of absolutely dedicated customers count on her expert, loving alterations of their prized couture – her finely wrought work tantamount to correctly faceting a diamond. Leaving Ukraine as a hesitant but educated artist, Nelly has made her own good fortune. “With the biggest support of my husband and 3 children I am here! My little home away from home! My happy place!” How to sum up her still-unfolding adventure?
“The point is learning, and wanting to be, and being. I still feel humbled that I was brought here, I was acknowledged, and I still can grow. I still grow every day.”
Montecito Ledger, April 2, 1958
Family Breakfast
Egg Hunt Sunday
AnEaster egg hunt for the kiddies will precede a joint family Easter breakfast to be held Sunday morning at 300 Hot Springs Road. According to Mrs. Fred Gillard, who is helping with the arrangements, they will not be daunted by rain but will simply move indoors in case of showers.
Among the guests will be the Charles McClintocks and their sons Jimmy and Peter, the Robert Paynes and daughter Robin, the David Merrills and children Donald and Carolyn, the Arthur Gallons and children Cheryl, Kristy and Tracey, and the Frank Kernohans and daughter Kathy.
Orville Sherwin and his son Don fared better when night intruders visited their store. Only a few sundry items were taken. Petty thieves have raided G & M Market on several occasions by either slipping under or climbing over the front gate, said Don Sherwin.
“But we fixed that by walling it up with plate glass and paneling,” he added.
Police have also redoubled their efforts to pick up the trail of the thieves who attacked Handy Food Market.
The store’s owner marveled at their brazenness. “They sure must have made a whale of a noise ripping those bars off the back of my building!” commented store owner George T. Glass.
Jeff Wing is a journalist, raconteur, autodidact, and polysyllable enthusiast. He has been writing about Montecito and environs since before some people were born. He can be reached at jeff@ montecitojournal.net
Kogevinas , Kathy Rogers , Judy Stapelmann, Trish Reynales, Susan Torrey, Ashish and Leslie Bhutani, and Rich Powell and Julie Ringler
Clearly making a splash…
To the clubby Manor Bar at Rick Caruso’s Rosewood Miramar Hotel for the launch of its new creative and colorful cocktail collection.
Tables now feature 3D miniatures, featuring small books listing cocktail ingredients and new glassware made in Italy, with the 12 spirited works including Journey to the Center of the Earth, and my favorite Lilliput; a heady concoction of Appleton Estate rum, Remy Martin V.S.O.P. cognac, ginger, banana, lemon, and miso – a fermented soya bean from Japan – served in an egg-shaped porce-
lain container next to a small map of Gulliver’s famed island nation.
Dario Bellantuono, the glassware designer, flew in from Italy for the occasion, while Justin Rhoads, head bartender, choreographed the imaginative event.
A novel idea, indeed...
Prince Harry has sensationally quit as patron of the African charity he started in honor of his late mother Princess Diana in 2006.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, said he is “disturbed” and “in shock” to step down from Sentebale, the youth-focused organization he co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, a tiny landlocked nation in South Africa.
Harry said he was forced to resign amid ongoing unrest behind closed door discussions between the board of trustees and the charity’s chairman Zimbabweanborn lawyer Dr. Sophie Chandauka
In a joint statement with Prince Seeiso, Harry said “with heavy hearts we have resigned from our roles as patrons until further notice in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees, who have
all had to do the same.”
“It is devastating the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation,” added Harry.
While specifics are unknown, it is believed King Charles’ youngest son quit over a decision to focus on fundraising in Africa.
Stay tuned…
Meghan Markle has got some friendly royal competition when it comes to her planned As Ever rosé wine.
Ladies Eliza and Amelia Spencer, nieces of the late Princess Diana, have just announced their Lala V wine launching this summer.
“It’s a rosé brand, Lala V, a play on Eliza’s childhood nickname Lala and the French word for life, vie
“We can’t wait to go on this journey together” says Lady Amelia.
When Meghan Markle landed the cover of Vanity Fair she thought it was about her charity work, not her relationship with Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, according to
Canadian Journalist Renée Suen, Karna Hughes, Rick Fidel, JessyLynn Perkins, and Elisabeth Balourdas (photo by Priscilla)
the Condé Nast glossy’s former editor Graydon Carter
Carter, who retired in 2017 after 25 years, says Meghan was on the cover directly because of her royal connection, but she thought it was for her philanthropy.
Carter eventually ran the cover under the headline: “Meghan Markle, Wild About Harry!”
As for Carter himself, he’s also well connected with the Windsors. His wife Anna’s father, Sir Kenneth Scott, was the Queen’s assistant private secretary.
Former Montecito resident Michael Douglas’ former Los Angeles condominium is up for sale for $7 million.
Michael and his Welsh wife Catherine Zeta-Jones purchased two condos and knocked them into one residence in 1990, selling the sprawling pad to Leonard Lauder, son of the late beauty empress Estée Lauder, whose late wife Evelyn was a good friend in New York. The property encompasses 2,640 square feet with three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The designer was the legendary I. M. Pei, who famously designed the glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris
Rosewood staff with guest publicists tasting The Manor Bar’s Volume IV of the “Chronicles of Cocktails” (photo by Priscilla)
Gina Carbajal, chief programs officer at the Scholarship of Santa Barbara, was one of 11 women from Santa Barbara
and Ventura counties honored by state senator Monique Limón in separate Women of the Year ceremonies.
The honorees were recognized for their efforts in support of local students, women, children, small businesses, farmers, healthcare providers, and communities in need.
“Each woman has left their mark on their industry and plays an important role in the success of her organization,” said Limón. “It is a well-earned achievement”
Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People has officially paid off its remaining mortgage on its longtime headquarters.
With a hefty balloon payment coming due on the loan, the board was debating whether to meet the obligation or attempt to raise the $114,000 that would allow PHP to own their property outright.
Former board president John Kuelbs and his wife Casey kicked off the new fund drive with a lead gift of $50,000, sparking immediate momentum.
Erica Jane Flores, PHP CEO, took swift action, reaching out to members to join the effort and within just six hours the goal for extra $64,000 was reached by the end of the day.
With the financial burden removed, the nonprofit can focus more resources on its core mission providing food, housing assistance and support services to low- and moderate-income families in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Montecito resident Keith Yeager won the live auction bidding for L.A. Lakers tickets at this year’s Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table prelude to March Madness at the Cabrillo Pavilion.
The hoops event featured local coaches breaking down the college bracket with expertise, high hopes, and good humor.
Retired coach Tim Floyd inspired the crowd with his lessons on listening well and growing through adversity.
Floyd coached the NBA Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Hornets – now Pelicans – as well as several NCAA teams, including the University of Southern California.
Farmers & Merchants Bank has named Nolan Nicholson to the newly created position as Regional Relationship Manager of the Tri-County Region encompassing Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties.
Nolan, who I encounter regularly at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, is nephew of current executive chairman Daniel Walker, a former club president, and CEO Henry Walker, current president.
He is also the great-great grandson of bank founder C. J. Walker. and continues the family tradition of Walker leadership at the 118-year-old institution.
Carpinterian and TV host Conan O’Brien receiving the Mark Twain Award for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington... Actor Ashton Kutcher and wife Mila Kunis roaming in Rome... Former TV newswoman Maria Shriver checking out Pierre Lafond.
Pip! Pip!
Speight’s oil paintings reflect the ephemeral nature of memories. “Using pixelated and simplified forms, I represent the distortion of memories in an attempt to capture fleeting moments,” he says.
Steele’s self-portraits create a space of mutual vulnerability. “Some of the faces in my paintings are intentionally left blank as a way to invite the viewer to project their own emotions and experiences onto the self-portrait,” she says.
Wanner’s Highway 395 is a series of screen prints drawn from the imagery along the iconic roadway. “The images document the impact of industrialization on the land and also offer a sense of the eternal beauty of God’s creation,” she says.
As longtime donors to the senior show, Ken and Francie Jewesson generously sponsored the exhibition.
It was a picture-perfect evening at the Santa Barbara Bowl for Westmont’s 64 th annual Spring Sing, Picture This , on March 29 th Off Campus earned bragging rights as the sweepstakes winner of the musical skit competition between students from each residence hall. Their skit, “ Champagne Problems ,” was a Montecito whodunit mystery based on the classic board game Clue with the task of “turning Westmont into its best, most bougie self.”
The long-running tradition requires each residence hall to perform their skit under eight minutes and incorporate this year’s phrase, Picture This
The Westmont Composer’s Concert premieres several original compositions and pieces by Westmont students Friday, April 4, at 7 pm in Deane Chapel. The free performance is one of the music department’s most exciting and cherished concert traditions. The entire program is student run.
This month’s public viewing of the stars has been postponed from April 18, which is Good Friday, to Friday, April 25, beginning at 7:30 pm and lasting several hours. The Westmont Observatory is generally open to the public every third Friday of the month.
From musings on the Royals to celebrity real estate deals, Richard Mineards is our man on the society scene and has been for more than 18 years
by Steven Libowitz
SATURDAY, APRIL 5
‘Reflections in Words and Music’ – Yo-Yo Ma, a longtime supporter of and visitor to UCSB Arts & Lectures venues, takes a look back at his life and career in a special evening where the cellist performs a selection of his favorite pieces and shares stories about a life dedicated to music. The program pairs repertoire from the center of Ma’s musical firmament with reflections on how it has shaped his thinking about art, human nature, and our search for meaning – his music and words coming together to ask us to consider what music is for and how it can guide us on a path towards hope.
WHEN: 7 pm
WHERE: Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St.
COST: $57-$157
INFO: (805) 963-9589/www.arlingtontheatresb.com/upcoming-events or (805) 893-3535/https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu
THURSDAY, APRIL 3
1st Thursday – Go paint a kite! The Santa Barbara Kite Festival staff provide the materials to build and color your own kite. They also share advice and answer questions about kite flying on the corner of State and Anapamu in advance of the 2025 fest slated for SBCC’s Great Meadow lawn on April 13… Book events burst into the 1st Thursday lineup this month with signings and talks at two different venues. Local psychologist and author Michael Seabaugh talks about his novel Gwendolyn & Eddie at Santa Barbara Fine Art (1321 State). The novel is a humorous yet poignant tale of a 1950s housewife taming the wildness of two alcoholics – a monkey and her husband – while holding on to her traditional values in a fast-changing culture. Also present at the event will be celebrated landscape artist/Santa Barbara Fine Art owner Richard Schloss, who will also be celebrating his 72nd birthday with cake and wine. At KAAREM (1221 State, #14) Mona Damluji celebrates the publication of her picture book I Want You to Know with a reading and conversation on how families can discuss war, displacement, migration and belonging with young people. Enjoy tahini and black sesame ice cream from palate-pleasing Creaminal to boot… Elsewhere in entertainment, Ensemble Theatre Company (33 W. Victoria) has 2-for-1 tickets to tonight’s preview of Hershey Felder’s Rachmaninoff and the Tsar… SBIFF’s Santa Barbara Filmmaker Series (916 State) screens The Kelp We Breathe, which explores why kelp matters, unveiling its connection to culture, passion and community… Poets on State (1100 block) celebrates National Poetry Month with a reprise of interactive poetry fun created on vintage typewriters by local poets, including current SB Poet Laureate Melinda Palacio and the incoming one George Yatchisin… Ladyfinger, the local twenty-something sextet that covers Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band music, amps it up on the 800 block of State… In the fine art realm, The Tea Papers, at Art & Soul (1323 State), is a collection by multidisciplinary artist Mick Victor, who blends oils, acrylics, charcoal and steeped tea bags into layered compositions that reveal an evocative interplay of fragility and permanence… Tamsen Gallery (1309 State) hosts Reminiscence, a solo exhibition of new works by Loan Chabanol, the artist’s journey through nostalgia, reflection, and personal memories… Sullivan Goss (11 E. Anapamu) is still exhibiting Hank Pitcher’s return to commissioned works of one of our most cherished beaches in The Miramar Affair while also opening In Good Company, showcasing three of the gallery’s most important artist’s estates in the work of Colin Campbell Cooper, Leon Dabo, and Lockwood de Forest.
WHEN: 5-8 pm
WHERE: Lower State Street, Historic Arts District, and side streets COST: free
INFO: (805) 962-2098 or www.downtownsb.org/events/1st-thursday
FRIDAY, APRIL 4
Camerata Couples in Concert – Camerata Pacifica adds to its adventurous, ambitious program with a concert that should double your pleasure and double your fun, as two sets of instrumental spouses perform a program of works for percussion and piano. The acclaimed piano duo Ran Dank and Soyeon Kate Lee exhibit their musical athleticism with an arrangement of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” for Piano, Four Hands, and also play Poulenc’s “Elegie for Two Pianos,” and Bach’s “Three Chorale Preludes,” arranged for piano duo by Hungarian composer György Kurtág . The keyboardist couple are then joined by Camerata Pacifica principal percussionist Ji Hye Jung and fellow percussionist/husband W. Lee Vinson , who together tackle seven different instruments (timpani, xylophone, cymbals, triangle, snare drums, bass drum and tam-tam) on Bartók’s landmark “Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.” Rhythm lovers rejoice! Just one matrimonial question: Why wasn’t this February’s Valentines’ program?
WHEN: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Hahn Hall, Music Academy campus, 1070 Fairway Road
COST: $75:
INFO: (805) 884-8410 or www.cameratapacifica.org
Club Welcomes Chamber Players – The Santa Barbara Music Club continues its renaissance of amping up the ambitiousness of its programming with a concert for woodwinds performed by the Santa Barbara Chamber Players Woodwind Quintet. Johann Trujillo (French horn), Nancy Mathison (clarinet), Simon Knight ( bassoon), Mariah Johnston (oboe and English horn) and Carol Houchens (flute) will be joined by soprano and flutist Jane Hahn and pianist Erin Bonski in performing 20th-century works that include Tres Canciones Mexicanas by Antonio Salazar, Arnold Cooke’s “Three Songs of Innocence” based on poems by William Blake, “Kristen’s Song” by Ron Nelson, “La cheminée du roi René” by Darius Milhaud and “Cumberland Suite” by Eric Ewazen.
WHEN: 3 pm
WHERE: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 4575 Auhay Dr. COST: free
INFO: or https://sbmusicclub.org
Monument-al Achievement – Santa Barbara’s legacy as the birthplace of deepwater diving will forever be fortified with the unveiling of the long-awaited Deepwater Diving Monument at the Santa Barbara waterfront. The powerful piece of public art features a professional diver heading to work circa 1982 while wearing the iconic, locally made Kirby Morgan Superlite 17 Diving Helmet, a revolutionary design that set the world standard for commercial divers. The monument, sculpted by Greg Polutanovich , serves as a testament to how local abalone divers transitioned to deepwater oxy-helium diving in the 1960s, revolutionizing commercial and military diving by enabling safe exploration of much deeper waters.
WHEN: 4:30 pm
WHERE: Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 107 Harbor Way
COST: free
INFO: www.sbmm.org
TUESDAY, APRIL 8
‘Humans 2.0’ – Between Severance, Signal chats, The Substance and so many other stretches of what it means to be alive in the world today, a cirque-dance performance from the Australian contemporary troupe Circa might be just the elixir for everyone. A symphony of acrobatics, sound and light, Circa’s Humans 2.0, created by the visionary Yaron Lifschitz , is an innovative new work full of tightly-woven choreography that is at once intimate, primal, and deeply engaged with the challenge of being human. The
SATURDAY, APRIL 5
Big Boisterous Blues Are Back – Grammy-nominated Texas native singer Sugaray Rayford, who won Blues Music Awards as B.B. King Entertainer of the Year and Soul Blues Artist of the Year, returns to town to perform for the Santa Barbara Blues Society’s (SBBS) 48th birthday – eleven years after his last show celebrating the organization’s 37th year. A singer of gospel music since he was seven, Rayford switched to funk and R&B and later deeper blues almost 20 years ago when he joined Aunt Kizzy’s Boyz. He has also been lead singer for The Mannish Boys, named after Muddy Waters’ famous song. His last show for the SBBS with a large, horns-fortified band, was a steaming, rollicking, standing room only, success. Expect more of the same, plus free birthday cake.
WHEN: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Carrillo Recreation Center, 100 E. Carrillo St. COST: $35 general, $45 VIP seating ($15 students)
INFO: (805) 722-8155 or www.sbblues.org
10 phenomenally athletic performers build and dismantle intricate human towers, leap into one another’s arms, and push their physical limits to extremes, all while bathed in an ever-changing palette of dramatic, expressive lighting and original music by Ori Lichtik
WHEN: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.
COST: $58-$108.50
INFO: (805) 963-0761/www.lobero.org or (805) 893-3535/https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
Bronfman Is Back – The widely celebrated pianist Yefim Bronfman, whose accolades include a Grammy Award and the Avery Fisher Prize, returns to CAMA’s Masterseries at the Lobero Theatre for the first time in more than a quarter-century, during which interlude his reputation as one of the greatest pianists of his generation has continue to build. The program of solo keyboard fireworks includes Mozart’s “Sonata No. 12 in F Major, K. 332;” Schumann’s “Arabeske in C Major, Op. 13;” Debussy’s “Images, Book II;” and Tchaikovsky’s “Grand Sonata in G Major, Op. 37.”
WHEN: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. COST: $58 & $68
INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.org
SATURDAY, APRIL 5
Derek Douget Downbeats – New Orleans superstar saxophonist Derek Douget , who finely mixes his Louisiana upbringing with his strong individualism and idiosyncratic voice, returns to the theater’s stage for an electrifying performance backed by a stellar band of world-renowned jazz musicians. These include Grammy-winning pianist Victor “Red” Atkins , “Trumpet Mafia” leader Ashlin Parker , current Ellis Marsalis Trio bassist Jason Stewart , and Grammy decorated drummer Adonis Rose , the artistic director of New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Ellis Marsalis-mentored Derek Douget has served as Music Director of the Lobero’s Brubeck Circle Residency since 2018, and band members spent the last week providing a dozen in-classroom jazz masterclasses for more than 350 students throughout Santa Barbara.
WHEN: 7:30 pm
WHERE: Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.
COST: $23 & $36 ($107 VIP tickets includes premier seating and a pre-show reception with drinks and hors d’oeuvres)
INFO: (805) 963-0761 or www.lobero.org
Sunday, April 13th Sunday, April 13th 4:00 PM 4:00 PM
Your Trusted Choice For Estate Sales, Liquidation & Downsizing
Moving Miss Daisy’s providing comprehensive services through Moving Miss Daisy since 2015. Expert packing, unpacking, relocating to ensure your new home is beautifully set up and ready to enjoy. Miss Daisy’s is the largest consignment store in the Tri-Counties - nearly 20K sq.ft.- always offering an unmatched selection of items. We also host online Auctions.
Glenn Novack, Owner 805-770-7715 www.missdaisy.org info@movingmissdaisy.com
TRESOR
We Buy, Sell and Broker Important Estate Jewelry. Located in the upper village of Montecito. Graduate Gemologists with 30 years of experience. We do free evaluations and private consultation. 1470 East Valley Rd Suite V. 805-969-0888
AUTOMOBILES WANTED
We buy Classic Cars Running or not. Foreign/Domestic Chevy/Ford/Porsche/Mercedes/Etc. We come to you. Call Steven - 805-699-0684 Website - Avantiauto.group
Montecito Electric Repairs and Inspections Licensed C10485353 805-969-1575
…get ‘em while they’re hop.
com
Stillwell Fitness of Santa Barbara In Home Personal Training Sessions for 65+ Help with: Strength, Flexibility, Balance Motivation, and Consistency
John Stillwell, CPT, Specialist in Senior Fitness 805-705-2014 StillwellFitness.com
GOT OSTEOPOROSIS? WE CAN HELP
At OsteoStrong our proven non-drug protocol takes just ten minutes once a week to improve your bone density and aid in more energy, strength, balance and agility. Please call for a complimentary session! Call Now (805) 453-6086
SETTING
Local tile setter of 35 years is now doing small jobs only. Services include grout cleaning and repair, caulking, sealing, replacing damaged tiles and basic plumbing needs. Call Doug Watts at 805-729-3211 for a free estimate.
Carpet Cleaning Since 1978 (805) 963-5304 Rafael Mendez Cell: 689-8397 or 963-3117
Openings now available for Children and Adults.
Piano Lessons in our Studio or your Home. Call or Text Kary Kramer (805) 453-3481
Casa L. M.
Landscape hedges installed. Ficus to flowering. Disease resistant. Great privacy. Licensed & insured. Call (805) 963-6909
WATERLILIES and LOTUS since 1992
WATERGARDEN CARE
SBWGC
Do you need to get away for a weekend, week or more? I will house sit and take care of your pets, plants & mail. I have refs if needed. Call me or text me.
Christine (805) 452-2385
Montecito Urn Garden Grave For Sale
The cemetery currently sells these for $5500. I ’m asking $4900. Please text to 805-637-5860.
Massage by Laura at The Julia 924 Anacapa Street Suite 2M 805 670 7787
I’m a retired senior who loves taking care of small dogs. Best prices in Santa Barbara! Please call Teresa (760) 968-7101
Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary Menagerie 2430 Lillie Avenue Summerland, CA 93067 (805) 969-1944
Donate to the Parrot Pantry! At SB Bird Sanctuary, backyard farmer’s bounty is our birds’ best bowl of food! The flock goes bananas for your apples, oranges & other homegrown fruits & veggies.
Volunteers
Do you have a special talent or skill? Do you need community service hours? The
$10 MINIMUM TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD
It’s simple. Charge is $3 per line, each line with 31 characters. Minimum is $10 per issue. Photo/logo/visual is an additional $20 per issue. Email Classified Ad to frontdesk@montecitojournal.net or call (805) 565-1860. All ads must be finalized by Friday at 2pm the week prior to printing. We accept Visa/MasterCard/Amex (3% surcharge)
flock at SB Bird Sanctuary could always use some extra love and socialization. Call us and let’s talk about how you can help. (805) 969-1944
K-9 PALS need volunteers to be foster parents for our dogs while they are waiting for their forever homes. For more information info@k-9pals.org or 805-570-0415
ByPeteMuller&FrankLongo
ByPeteMuller&FrankLongo
Foreachofthefirstfiveminicrosswords,oneoftheentriesalsoservesaspartofa five-wordmetaclue.Theanswertothemetaisawordorphrase(sixlettersor longer)hiddenwithinthesixthminicrossword.Thehiddenmetaanswerstartsin oneofthesquaresandsnakesthroughthegridverticallyandhorizontallyfrom there(nodiagonals!)withoutrevisitinganysquares.
Foreachofthefirstfiveminicrosswords,oneoftheentriesalsoservesaspartofa five-wordmetaclue.Theanswertothemetaisawordorphrase(sixlettersor longer)hiddenwithinthesixthminicrossword.Thehiddenmetaanswerstartsin oneofthesquaresandsnakesthroughthegridverticallyandhorizontallyfrom there(nodiagonals!)withoutrevisitinganysquares.
Across 1 Physicalsounds 4 "___LisaSmile"(2003film)
Eminem s"LoseYourself"
Across 1 Liketheyear2025 4 What sup? 7 Coldplay s"Musicofthe Spheres"andMetallica s "M72,"e.g. 8 "...thenagain,maybeI m mistaken" 9 What'sup?
Down 1 Wiseabout 2 Coupecouple 3 Likesomeonewho s poundedonetoomany, maybe 5 PartofNewYork sCapital District 6 FDR slastveep
Across 1 With6-Down, indistinguishable
4 Theyhangoutaroundthe house
MuseodeSantaTeresasite
