Santa Barbara Sentinel by Montecito Journal

IT’S CRIME TIME

SKINNY BANDANA-WEARING BICYCLIST IN TINY SHORTS VENTS AT SBPD, P. 12

WEEKLY CAPITALIST

IF PRINTING MONEY WERE KEY TO PROSPERITY, ZIMBABWE WOULD BE FINANCIAL CENTER OF WORLD, P. 20

THE DISH

MAGGIE’S TOULOUSE-BORN CHEF GUILLAUME SABBADIN MAY STEAL YOUR HEART AWAY AT FORMER STATE & A, P. 8

SANTA BARBARA

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IN THE GARDEN . . . . . . with Mr. GREENJEANS Q. Can I, a humble household gardener of little talent and no experience, produce “armloads of beautiful roses” in my pathetic plot? A. Absobloominlutely you can, and you should begin today. (story on page 23)

SBVIEW.com PAGE 10

PRESIDIOSPORTS PAGE 16

PLAN B PAGE 28

LOVEMIKANA.com PAGE 29

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MAZZA’S MISSIVE

ONTENTS

by Matt Mazza

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azza’s Missive – Editor-in-Chief Matt Mazza is tired and cranky M like a little baby. But a few cocktails and some grub at The Hungry Cat sets him straight while he reminisces about 2012 and looks forward to 2013. Oh, and Lisa Volpe is a cool art chick at SBMA (and a highly educated and articulate one, too… no disrespect, Lisa), and her program for younger(ish) art enthusiasts, FOCUS, is sure to be a hit in the New Year.

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L etters to the Editor – The phallus in Paseo Nuevo begets more comments (probably deserved), and so does Crime Time (probably not deserved). And the recent atrocity in Connecticut hits home and re-energizes the gun control lobby. S entinel’s Take – “Off with its Head!” The aforementioned phallus in Paseo Nuevo is circumcised – witness the power of the press or just some common sense by mall operators? Also 2013 is the Year of the Snake (good luck soon-to-be parents) and a happy New Year from all of us to all of you. T he Dish – Wendy Jenson hits Maggie’s at State and Anapamu – and the bottom line is that the place is impressive. Owners Margaret and Barry Shulman have done an excellent job, and Executive Chef Guillaume Sabbadin from southern France knows what to do in the kitchen, creating a California French fusion that makes our mouths water. (We’ll be in for dinner soon.) And Pierre Lafond’s Sherry Wine Cake is delicious, so go get some before it’s gone.

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S anta Barbara View – Sharon Byrne talks Milpas/Eastside coffee shops (people shouldn’t call themselves “locals” if they don’t know about Muddy Waters, Sharon, it’s a great spot and you’re too kind). She also brings news of Rick Feldman and the Eyeglass Factory’s Kids Health Day. (Thanks Rick for a great day and huge contribution to the kiddies and community at-large.)

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I t’s Crime Time – Sometimes just sitting in SBPD’s Figueroa station is the best part of putting Crime Time together. This week, we were treated to an unreasonably irate cyclist who wanted to call in the National Guard to chase down a van that bumped him on the street – he was fine, not a scratch on him or the bike. But he was mad. Real mad. There was also that pill popper from Pasadena and that Latino man named Stephanie. And stop stealing from Tri-County Produce. Seriously. P residio Sports – John Dvorak puts out Presidio Sports’ first-ever all-city football team. Who made the cut? (Spoiler alert: DP’s Nico Bornand and Bishop’s Anthony Carter are defensive and offensive players of the year, respectively.)

Man About Town – Mark Leisure likes his fun time, and generally had a blast this holiday season. Mark smokes cigars, occasionally, too, and recently had a good one at La Aroma de Havana on State. Go pick up a couple smokes and say hi to Mo and Sam in 2013. T he Weekly Capitalist – Jeff Harding is concerned – really concerned – about the future of the Republic, and 2012 did little to ease his mind. But, like he says, the sun shines in Santa Barbara, so why worry? (We must get a drink sometime soon, Jeff, love the column.)

I n the Garden with Mr. Greenjeans – Another new columnist – for the Sentinel, anyway – Randy Arnowitz does his thing in the garden. This week, it’s roses and Jennifer Aniston; next week, who knows? (We’re really excited about this, Randy, thanks for coming in and happy New Year!)

Bah Humbug

don’t write well tired. (I don’t write well angry, either, but that’s another story.) Cranky and lethargic just don’t fit my “style;” my prose lacks inspiration and humor and pop. And who wants to read something uninspiring and boring, something that causes bitches and moans more than it begets pleasures and groans? Not me. Not now. It’s the New Year for Cripe’s sake. This should be the happiest damned column of the year, right? So what the heck is wrong with me? That’s a rhetorical question. I know what it is. It’s this godforsaken holiday season. It just plain wore me out this time around. For the past six or eight (or was it sixty-eight?) weeks, I’ve been hustling from meeting to elementary school performance to conference call to mall to party to event to death. (Note that “to bed” never really came up in that last runon.) It was just too much, man, seriously. I mean, I think my wife and kids enjoyed it all…but I’m beat.

You think I’m joking, right? I’m not – this is my spread at The Hungry Cat. It’s my happy place.

Truth be told, it took a lot for me just to sit down to write this column. In fact, it took the lure of a delightful afternoon at one of my favorite haunts in town, The Hungry Cat, to spur me to action. I couldn’t spend another moment in the office and was in real need of a significant change in scenery…

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Goleta Girl – Jana Mackin hits the road to her beloved Butte, Montana…and can’t help but notice a few similarities between it and the Good Land. Get home soon, Jana, and travel safely. (But have one for us at Pisser’s Palace first.)

Y ou Have Your Hands Full – Mara Peters made her way out of a French crevasse a number of years ago and found Alpha. Now she’s climbing out of another crevasse – but this one’s in Santa Barbara and it is less clear what may be waiting at the top. Pick, pick, pick, Mara, it’s sunny up here!

Plan B – Time is all we’ve got so make it count in 2013, says Briana Westmacott. She – like many others around town – is inspired by friend Tara Haaland-Ford’s strength and determination in her fight against cancer. (We’re all with you, Tara, so FC.) At the end of the day, YOLO (You Only Live Once) and IYL (It’s Your Life), so live it well.

P.29

LOVEmikana – Wine & Dine bird Kim Wiseley brings us a new addition to SB’s health food scene, The Juice Ranch, and Municipal Winemakers’ Aussie-inspired Fizz is just in time for the New Year; Style File bird Briana Westmacott sits down with local gal Stephanie Sanders and talks about her latest venture, Shindig, a very new, very cool event planning and design business that will make you look good at your next shindig. And the Weekend Guide takes us beyond this weekend and into 2013. (Thanks LOVEmikana, you guys are great and we appreciate all the work in 2012. Now let’s do it all again in 2013!)

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R esidential Real Estate – Mike Calcagno wraps up 2012 (most of it, anyway) and looks forward to a stronger housing market in 2013. Will it be the year of the buyer? Time will tell…

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That’s me and my daughter Kate after a long day at some waterfall in the middle of Laos early last year.

and body chemistry. It was time to get a bit of that blood out of the old alcohol stream, as an old wine-maker friend used to say gleefully, while pouring a divine drop from an ancient bottle in his extensive collection. And so here I sit in a familiar seat looking across a busy dining room lengthwise toward Anapamu, heavy bags under my sleep-deprived eyes, a half-dozen assorted oysters – beautiful Mexican Bahia Falsas and Virginian Misty Points from the southern Chesapeake Bay – and cold peeled tiger shrimp spread out before me, trusty concoction of whiskey, lime, OJ and mint (my second) close at hand. Slowly, surely, the cobwebs fall by my sides. Slowly, surely, I come back to the living. So bear with me. I’m working my way into this one.

Forget It, I Love the Holidays Thirty minutes have passed, my oysters and shrimp are resting happily in a pool of Old Times Whiskey in my round belly – it shakes when I laugh like a bowl full of jelly! – and I’m lighter, more excited for the year that lies ahead. Ready to meet the challenges and hurdle the obstacles that surely will come. Ready to savor the occasional victory, play with the kids around the house, enjoy time with my wife. Et cetera. And suddenly the holiday season past doesn’t seem nearly as painful as described above. We had fun, lots of fun even, with family and friends new and old. It was a happy time, as it always seems to be, one that I personally look forward to every year. Yeah, it may be stressful and tiring and result in the occasional headache, but it’s a special time, one that all of us, young and old, can really sink our collective teeth into and appreciate, no matter how frequently we act like jerks the rest of the year. Terrific. I take back everything I said above. It was a great six or eight (or sixtyeight) weeks, and I’d do it all again starting tomorrow if the clock struck December 1 (or November 22) again. But, alas, it won’t, and so on we push into 2013. There’s much to look forward to, of course, getting back into shape (again) and

eating better and treating people fairer and laughing more (again and again and again, respectively). But before moving on to all the good that’s sure to come in the New Year, I always like to look back, even if just for a moment, to consider what happened in the year gone by. Most of what I see in the old rearview mirror is good this time, too.

From Southeast Asia to the Santa Barbara Sentinel My family and I started 2012 off in Luang Prabang as we neared the end of a long trip around the world together. (Some of you may have read our blog at www. towheadtravel.com.) We spent a couple weeks wandering the city, sitting in tiny cafés, exploring the Lao countryside – we found an unbelievable waterfall and swam a day away, I remember it quite well – and riding bikes near the confluence of the Mekong and Khan Rivers. It was idyllic, truly, something my (adventurous) wife and I would do again and again with the girls if we had the wherewithal. That aforementioned blog became reasonably widely read (a surprise, really) and led to a weekly column in a local newspaper, then to a new friendship, and ultimately to the very words you’re reading now in this paper. (The story of how this all came to be, of how a boring lawyer came to travel around the world and help start a newspaper, is a fun one, and I’d be happy to tell it over a beer or glass of wine someday.) One of the principles upon which the Sentinel was founded was that we want to do good for the community we love so much. And I personally believe that we have started reasonably well in that regard. We told a few stories and supported a few causes that really matter – the IV Food Coop (almost there!), the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, Washington School fundraising (we still need to do something with that vacation rental we won), and the Milpas lights movement all come to mind, but there are more – and I like to believe that we may have even helped get the word out. We had a nice dialogue on the state ...continued p.14

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Letters

Although you might not believe it, we actually want to hear from you. So if you have something you think we should know about or you see something we've said that you think is cretinous (or perspicacious, to be fair), then let us know. There's no limit on words or subject matter, so go ahead and let it rip to: Santa Barbara Sentinel, Letters to the Editor, 133 East De La Guerra Street, No. 182, Santa Barbara, California 93101. You can also leap into the 21st century and email us at letters@santabarbarasentinel.com.

Off With Its Head!

hank you for addressing “the thing” in the rotunda at Paseo Nuevo head on. We too were literally stopped in our tracks, speechless when our eyes first beheld the curiously large and rather erect object. We agree; what the hell is it? Did someone put it up in the dead of night and under the cover of darkness after bar hopping and forgot where they left it? Was the City Council in on the joke, er, we mean… the cultural addition to one of our busiest downtown pedestrian thoroughfares? Are we stuck with it? Will we all get a $50 check from the city for just closing our eyes and enjoying the experience? What do you say to your child when they ask – and they most certainly will – “Daddy, Mommy, what is that thing?” We sure don’t know, maybe some ivy will help? Bruce and Suzanne McDonald Santa Barbara (Editor’s Note: Thanks Bruce and Suzanne, your letter had all of us around here laughing. Unfortunately – or fortunately, I suppose – it seems that at least some of your questions will never be answered; the tip of “the thing” has been removed without comment, leaving only some rebar and painful memories in its place.

Check out A Misguided Missile Maybe? in this week’s Sentinel’s Take for some photos and reflections. We’d love to think that our previous piece, New Construction Causes Conversation (Vol. 1 Issue 11), coupled with the power of the press had something to do with the beheading but can’t be sure. Either way, though, note that the answer to the kids when they ask about the new addition (now minus the pink tip) is welcomingly simple: “It’s a beautiful Greek column, children, and although we have no idea how it fits into our Spanish colonial feel here in Santa Barbara, trust us, the alternative was, ah, less attractive.” And who knows, you could still have a point – maybe some ivy will help. Happy New Year, and thanks again.–MSM)

More Crime Time Grime I understand “It’s Crime Time” is meant to be humorous, and it often is. However, your blurb on the homeless man “passed out in a puddle of his own urine” was insensitive and offensive. Poking fun at dim-witted criminals is one thing, but must we belittle the most vulnerable members of our community? Our social safety net

is constantly under siege at both the state and federal level, which means that people on the street not only have to worry about not having shelter, but struggle with access to food, medical care, and mental health services. Must they also endure mockery? Living on the street drives people nuts, and when it goes so far they can’t control their bodily functions, the last thing we should be doing is laughing at them. We should be helping them. And instead of encouraging our kids to laugh at them, we should be educating our kids about the inequalities that exist in our society. Andrew Dunn Santa Barbara (Editor’s Note: This one is tough for me, Andrew. The phrase “passed out in a puddle of his own urine” was lifted directly from a police report, as was the fact that the man’s pants were around his thighs. He was also highly intoxicated. If we can’t recount a factual situation – with some colorful commentary, admittedly – then what can we do? The fact is that this grown man was found passed out on a sidewalk, mid-morning, in front of a popular local restaurant, in Santa Barbara. Not San Francisco. Not Seattle. Santa Barbara. This is indeed an indictment of our increasingly ineffective social safety net (whether local, state or federal, private or public, profit or non) and a serious problem not only for people living on the street, but also for business owners and their patrons, the police, first-responders, taxpayers, passersby and others forced to begin their morning with a man’s genitals in their collective faces. I’m not laughing, even despite a humorous perspective on the situation, and I don’t think many are. This is a problem, we all agree on that. So how do we fix it? By not talking about

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it? I sincerely doubt that’s the answer, and my own feeling is that, while it certainly isn’t perfect, Crime Time gets these issues in front of people and starts a conversation. As for educating children about the “inequalities that exist in our society,” I agree wholeheartedly that compassion and understanding are key to the debate, but I don’t think that being forced to talk about inequality over an exposed, urine-soaked grown man on the sidewalk is the best way to start the conversation with a seven-year old. This is an incredibly big and tremendously difficult problem. Maybe humor isn’t the best way to get the issue out there, but it is a way. And people are talking. Isn’t that a good thing? Thanks, Andrew, I appreciate the perspective.– MSM)

Gun Fight at the School Corral? Oh, how far we have come. When I was in grammar school, all I had to worry about were fires, earthquakes, floods and atomic attacks. The present generation of school children, however, has to not only worry about the aforementioned, but also being shot to pieces by mentally ill players of violent video games who possess guns capable of mass destruction. Support Senator Dianne Feinstein’s proposed gun legislation. Support the end of violent video games and movies that feature unconscionable and gratuitous violence and death. Reject the moronic solution to arm teachers, the “gun fight at the school corral” concept. H. Thomas Santa Barbara (Editor’s Note: Great letter. I agree with much of it – the NRA’s proposal of armed guards is just bizarre and frankly way, way out of touch. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the purported “rationale,” but just can’t imagine sending my daughters to schools with guys with guns walking around all the time (nice learning environment, nice social environment, etc.). I mean, what does that say about our society? Guys with guns solve problems and the rest of you be damned? Lunacy. Period. With that said, I don’t think we can lay the blame for these types of atrocities solely at the feet of violent video games or any other single construct. For me, and I’ve certainly been wrong before, I see this type of savagery as broader social commentary. For me, the question inevitably becomes something along the lines of wondering what has been the social catalyst that has resulted in such incredibly deviant and violent behavior. How did we get here? And what do we do to find a better way forward? For me, that starts at home, with love and affection and tolerance and sympathy and empathy and…well, you get the idea. Thanks for the letter.–MSM)

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A Misguided Missile Maybe?

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ou’re joking, right? Just a couple weeks ago we wrote about the aggressively unrecumbent “fountain” recently erected in Paseo Nuevo. We thought long and hard about the giant pinktipped construction that stood out like a sore, ah…thumb in our beloved open-air rotunda. We likened its skin-colored shaft to long-forgotten sculptures of both St. Francis of Assisi in San Francisco and King Carlos III right here in good old Santa Barbara, or even a Prince of a different sort (if you know what we mean). We giggled. We joked. We had fun. We guessed that the giant phallus would meet the same fate as those other misguided attempts to adorn Santa Barbara have met. And this week, we were proven right. Rejoice, Santa Barbarians; the pink-tipped crown of the smooth shaft of Paseo Nuevo has been erased – circumcised, if you will – from our collective field of vision. And, even though the contracted Mohel was called in a little early (the Feast of the Circumcision is set to take place on January 2), no longer will we have to shield our children’s eyes from obscenity on our skyline, no longer will there be awkward pauses over cups of Karamel Sutra or Chubby Hubby at Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. (Yes, those are real flavors.) But it will linger in our memories forever, or at least for a good long time. How could we ever forget it? We still just can’t believe that the artist and those supervising his or her work didn’t see all this coming. From even the most objective standpoint, the pre-Bris fountain was incredibly phallic. And the tip at the top really put it over the edge of all things decent. We hear that the column will soon be topped – despite some stiff resistance – with a winged angel or something of that nature, and are really looking forward to seeing the finished product. For now, though, we’ll live far easier with the exposed rebar, taking comfort from the fact that – while we’re not seeing perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing unfinished product at present – we’re now able to safely brave the shops of Paseo Nuevo without the risk of being drawn into a talk about the birds and the bees by an innocent seven-year-old gazing up at a giant, well, um…forget it, you get the idea. Big kudos to whoever it was out there that made the call, “Off with its head!” Thanks for stepping up and doing the right thing. ...continued p.11

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by Wendy Jenson A former magazine editor, Wendy worked at

Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, and Us Weekly in NYC, before moving west with Santa Barbara Magazine. Currently a public relations consultant, she relishes being out and about working on this column. photos by Wendy Jenson

At State and Anapamu

Maggie’s pretty gallery dining room is good for private parties.

Maggie’s dessert cart tempts guests as they enter the restaurant. Doppelgangers Barry Shulman (co-owner Maggie’s) and David Reardon (executive chef at Bacara) have similar personalities. They’re both always on their feet and quick to joke.

rom the outside, the restaurant formerly known as State and A Bar and Grill looks pretty much the same – with the benefit of a good painting. Inside, Maggie’s resembles a European castle with chandeliers, tapestries, gold-framed mirrors, stone walls and kingly, green leather chairs. Silver haired co-owners Margaret and Barry Shulman are a handsome couple, married for 37 years with two no doubt lovely daughters. The couple was previously in the wholesale clothing business. Extrovert Barry works out front, greeting guests and the like. Told he looks like Bacara Chef David Reardon, he responds, “Do you know how many times I’ve heard that?” You be the judge, photos of both appear above. Barry attended UCSB and Margaret is a homegrown girl. She manages the behind the scenes details, knowledgably overseeing the gluten-free options. Margaret has a Doctorate in Oriental Medicine. The menu is the domain of Executive Chef Guillaume Sabbadin, who hails from Toulouse in southern France. In the states for over 12 years now, his menu blends California and French fusion. He came to California in search of new ingredients. Apparently, it was hard to get cilantro and chilies in France. Maggie’s is a sprawling restaurant with 160 seats. “We’re cleared for 207, but we don’t want to squeeze people in,” says Barry. Many granite-topped tables fill three distinct dining areas. The ambiance is pleasing. The bar opens onto a large patio, covered and heated at this time of year. “It’s fine dining but not stuffy,” says Margaret of Maggie’s. Asked if there’s a dress code, she smiles and says, “We draw the line at bare feet with sand on them.” Pastas are house made including Lobster Ravioli with Baby Carrots, Capers and Sage in a Brown Butter Sauce, $26. Gourmet

Delicious Pan Seared Sea Scallops are wrapped in pancetta and served atop risotto croquettes with cauliflower mousseline and port reduction sauce, and garnished with micro greens; $28.

Maggie’s French-born Executive Chef Guillaume Sabbadin is from Toulouse.

Burgers here are a Half Pound of CharGrilled Wagyu Beef served with Rosemary Garlic Fries, Caesar or Garden Salad, from $16 to $18. According to Wikipedia, Wagyu, Japanese for cow, refers to several breeds of cattle, the most famous of which is genetically predisposed to intense marbling characteristics and quality. Wagyu cattle’s genetic predisposition yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than typical beef. The increased marbling also improves the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats. Back to the menu, Chilean Sea Bass is served with Wild Enoki Mushroom Risotto, Shaved Parmesan Cheese, Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, and Fried Parsley Garnish, $34. Parmentier of Braised Oxtail is served

with Truffle Mashed Potatoes with a Truffle Crust, Baby Carrots and Au Jus; $25. French “parmentier” means containing or garnished with potatoes. Sides for sharing include Wild Porcini, Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms with Garlic Butter Parsley Sauce, $12. On New Year’s Eve (a Monday night this year), a four-course, prix fixe menu will be served from 5pm to 10pm. Celebrants start with a glass of House Wine and determine what comes next: Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup or Lobster Bisque, Pear and Endive Salad or Goat Cheese Salad, Braised Short Ribs and Mini Tarts; $45. Dining is to the accompaniment of Little Al and the Infidels jazz. There’s a complimentary Champagne toast at you know what time (midnight). Limousine service for parties

of 6 is also complimentary, from point A to point B (aka Maggie’s) and back. Maggie’s is open for lunch from 11:30am to 4:15pm, dinner from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Maggie’s will be closed for the holidays from Tuesday, January 1 to Thursday, January 3; 1201 State Street at Anapamu Street; 805770-2700; maggiesatstateanda.com.

Let Them Eat Wine Cake What’s the point of a cake without frosting? Pierre Lafond’s Wine Cake is so moist and full of flavor that frosting – as scrumptious as it is – isn’t necessary. It would only get in the way. At State Street Wine Bistro, Sherry Wine Cake is served warm from the oven with Crème Anglaise and a slight dusting of powdered sugar, $7.

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Sherry Wine Cake at Pierre Lafond is served warm with Crème Anglaise and a light dusting of powdered sugar; $7.

French for English cream, Crème Anglaise is a light and delicious custard dessert sauce. The cake is sweet but not overly so. It’s a very fine wine cake indeed. “The recipe is a closely guarded secret. Our baker has been making the cake for the last fifteen years,” says Don Hull, Wine Bistro Manager and Sommelier. Asked about wine pairings, Don recommends a Late Harvest Riesling or Spanish Amontillado Sherry. Happy Hour here is served at the bar and throughout the restaurant, Monday to Friday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. Portions remain the same and prices are discounted on select appetizers from the California Bistro menu. For example, Steamed Mussels with Chorizo or simply steamed with White Wine are $10 versus $18 regularly. Spicy Soppressata and Roasted

Get On Our Wish List

Garlic White Bean Purée Flatbread is $9 rather than $12. Santa Barbara wines are $5 per glass. For some, New Year’s Eve is a high pressure holiday. The pressure to have fun is exhausting. For those looking for a simpler evening, there’s a special menu but no countdown at the Montecito Wine Bistro, 516 San Ysidro Road. The nearby Montecito Market sells wine cake to go. Small and large loafs are about $7 per pound. State Street Wine Bistro is open Monday to Friday from 11:00am to 10:30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am to 10:00pm, 516 State Street, 805-962-1455. Eagerly awaiting tips, tips, tips: If you have any restaurant information, please contact me at wendy@santabarbarasentinel. com.

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1273 COAST VILLAGE ROAD 805.845.0055 1306 MOnTAnA AVE. SAnTA MOnICA 310.907.5883 MON - SAT 10-6 • SUN 11-5

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W W W. S A N TA B A R B A R A S E N T I N E L .CO M

Opinion, stories, events, and people that shape Santa Barbara

sbview.com

Milpas on the Move

Sharon Byrne

by Sharon Byrne

and acts like an owner himself. An upcoming creation is the YOLO – You Only Live Once – a buttermilk biscuit topped with gravy. I was born in the South, but got here as fast as I could. I don’t miss much about where I came from, but real buttermilk biscuits are a treat not to be missed. I’ll have to try theirs on a future stop. Why YOLO? Chris likes to serve healthy, gourmet diner food. It’s convenient, but quality. Biscuits and gravy will certainly not be healthy, but then again, you only live once. Prices are reasonable, and my taste test was superb. The Shop is open 7am to 4 pm Monday through Saturday, and 8am to 4pm Sunday.

Hyper-Local Coffee and Holiday Happenings

ou won’t find a Starbucks or Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on Milpas Street or on the Eastside. But the coffee shops we do have are strictly local, wonderfully authentic, and eclectic.

Jack’s Bistro

nchoring South Milpas, Ami serves up loaded bagels, croissants, amazingly good lattes, fresh smoothies, and more at Jack’s Bistro. Here’s where you can get a cup of Peet’s coffee, fresh-squeezed juices, and freshbaked goods. She’s totally local, with a son at

Ami of Jack’s Bistro is always ready with a smile, a hot latte, and incredible paninis.

Recently opened café The Shop serves Green Star Coffee and healthy, gourmet diner food.

Muddy Waters

ome locals don’t even know about this place – a well-beloved semi-secret haunt on E. Haley. Eclectic art, brews from Centry coffee, and tasty eats, with friendly conversations with owners Bill and Dave (brothers) will keep you coming back. My favorite is their oatmeal – brown sugar, raisins, coconut and good!

Newly opened: The Shop (Milpas at De La Guerra)

stopped in for breakfast and a latte, and a chat with the owners. Chris and Amy Vigilante opened The Shop last Thursday, just in time for the Milpas Holiday Parade. They live on the Eastside, and recognized a dearth of coffee houses, and nurtured a dream of opening their own. A spot opened up on N. Milpas and they moved in quickly,

sbview.com Kids Health Day

ell, we’ve done up the holidays on Milpas in style this year: getting the holiday lights up, holding a tree-lighting ceremony, and pulling off the big Holiday Parade last weekend. But the most heartwarming event took place on Sunday, December 23. Rick Feldman exhibited his special brand of holiday magic, and pulled in dignitaries, doctors, clinics, Santa, and John Dixon of Tri-County Produce, Mayor Helene Schneider and 1st District County Supervisor Salud Carbajal award bikes to lucky kids on Kids Health Day at the Eyeglass Factory.

The Rolex at The Shop in the 700 block of N Milpas.

Santa Barbara High, and her place is always hopping for breakfast and lunch. Must try: the Milpas Panini – an insanely good tri-tip sandwich, hand-roasted and sliced to order, loaded with avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, and chipotle mayo on a home-made roll.

Sharon Byrne is executive director for the Milpas Community Association, and currently serves on the Advisory Boards for the Salvation Army Hospitality House and Santa Barbara County Alcohol and Drug Problems.

more for the kids of this city. It was Kids Health Day, an 18-year tradition in the area, held at the Eyeglass Factory on Milpas. Each year, hundreds of kids come from all over to get free eye exams, health screenings, dental care, and more. Rick gives out loads of free eyeglasses to all the kids, and the event is his enormous gift to our region. He’s taking it national this year, with SEE International, and hopes to bring the gift of sight to children worldwide. This is but one of the reasons we love Rick. Happy New Year!

renovating the place themselves. I enjoyed the Rolex, a delicious wrap of eggs, bacon, and a sumptuous, spicy, roasted tomato sauce on house-made flatbread that was crepe-like in texture. Coldplay floated out of the speakers, and a frothy latte rounded out a very pleasing meal. The Shop serves Green Star Coffee (from Goleta). I got an Americano to go, and I have to say the strong brew was particularly satisfying. Chris and Amy, with fellow owners Dudley Michael and Scott Manser, have worked hard to launch this little venture. The chef, Ricky Maxwell, turns out tantalizing creations,

Rick Feldman (center, in plaid scarf and sunglasses) in a place he loves to be: surrounded by the children that come to Kids Health Day.

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2013 – The Year of the Snake Yep, that’s right, 2013 is the year of the snake. And for all of you lucky enough to be giving birth in the next twelve months, you’ll be blessed with a child of the snake, who is likely to bear at least some of the following characteristics: Malevolence Cattiness Jealousy Mysteriousness Great. At least one of us here at the Sentinel is having a kid this year, and another will have a new nephew or niece. Wonderful. There’s more to it than that, though, mercifully. Kids born in the year of the snake also tend to be quite bright, possessing great wisdom and communicative ability (though they typically say little). They have tremendous sympathy for others – perception and empathy are strengths – and often help their peers and others. Determined, children of the snake often accomplish much in their lives – but they truly loathe failure. And although they typically look calm on the surface, they are intense and passionate, with a rich internal source of inspiration, self-awareness and understanding. Sounds pretty good, actually. (Hey single guys looking for Ms. Right: We hear that women born under the sign of the snake are “great at housework but tend to be quite irritable.” Tough call for any potential partners born in 1978 or 1990. Although if you were born in 1990 and are considering getting married, you might give yourself a few years. We’re just saying.) Best of all for you joyfully expectant happy people out there, kids born in the year of the snake are usually financially secure and independent. Jackpot baby! (Anecdotally, who’d have thunk it? A snake doing well in our capitalist system – we thought it was only rats who can win the rat race. Wrong again. Snakes compete well too.)

Happy New Year Everybody 2012 was quite a ride for all of us here at the paper. We spent a few months planning the project, and it has now been a few months of actually executing those plans. We’ve made our mistakes, to be sure, but we think we’ve gotten a few things right too. Our readership has grown quickly and we are looking at boosting production and distribution as early as January; we are healthy, strong even, heading into the New Year; and we have lots of ideas and new content to bring as we grow. 2013 is gonna be fun. Please keep reading – we will definitely keep writing. Peace. Love. Health. Happiness. And Happy New Year to everybody.

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W W W. S A N TA B A R B A R A S E N T I N E L .CO M

It'sCrimetime...

...with the SBPD

A variety of crimes are committed every day in Santa Barbara; most of these crimes are petty but they do offer a window into if not the soul of the perpetrator, at least his or her thought process. Our following (and totally unsolicited) thoughts, observations, and comments are put forth for your consideration.

Just Doing Their Job

lmost every story we’ve told comes from reports taken from the media stack at the SBPD on Figueroa Street downtown. It can take some time to get through dozens and dozens of reports each week, though, and sometimes the best part about spending a couple hours sifting through everything is simply sitting in the station and observing. Watching. Listening. People act differently around cops. It’s true. There’s the happy-go-lucky types that come in and act all friendly, laughing – a bit too loudly, a bit too hard – the whole time they’re paying $1,000 of outstanding parking tickets. There are the people who want to fight everything, angry about a fix-it ticket they got from a meter maid (is it still ok to call them that or was that offensive?) for expired tags, berating every SBPD-employed person they come across. We’ve seen spoiled college girls incensed that a Mexican man – “he probably doesn’t even have a license!” they laughed right in front of the poor guy – backed into daddy’s Mercedes at 0.5 miles per hour in a parking lot. We’ve even seen an apparently wealthy drunk yelling that the cops stole his cell phone while searching his car, only to find it moments later in his hipster bike-messenger bag before storming out, mad at the world. Pretty classic. Cops really bring out the worst in people. And they’re just doing their job.

An Unreasonably Irate Cyclist Even with all we’ve seen, though, this past week may have taken the cake. We were sitting in the waiting area, reading through report after report, when we heard someone storm into the station. It sounded like he was wearing tap shoes. So we peaked around the corner. He was an angry little guy, dressed from head to toe in road bike gear. Tight black and red jersey, tight biking shorts, tiny little socks and road shoes. He wore a little bandana tightly around his head. We are quite certain everything was designed for aero-dynamics and wicking moisture from his shaved body. His bike – probably worth a few thousand dollars – was parked out front. The guy was so mad he could hardly hold a conversation, but we were eventually able to gather that he had been hit by a white van that had not stopped to check his well-being. Instead, it drove off. Now, at least one of us around here has done a fair amount of riding. Most of it has been on trails, granted, but we respect the road guys. Some are amazing athletes, about the fittest damn people around. And the outfits are indeed necessary for long rides. We get it, and we are definitely not poking fun at the whole scene. (Okay, now that we’ve covered ourselves, we can get to the meat of this. Hell, we love Handlebar Coffee Roasters, and they are former bike pros who attract lots of riders. Cool with them. Straight up.) But here’s the thing. It’s almost impossible to take an angry guy in that outfit seriously. And the cops in the station were doing their best. But we saw cracks in their stoic façade. We saw fissures.

Editor-in-Chief • Matt Mazza Design/Production • Trent Watanabe Advertising/Sales • Tanis Nelson • Sue Brooks Contributing Partners Opinion • sbview.com • Sports • Presidiosports.com Santa Barbara Skinny • LoveMikana.com Columnists Goleta Girl • Jana Mackin • She Has Her Hands Full • Mara Peters Plan B • Briana Westmacott • The Dish • Wendy Jenson Journal Jim • James Buckley • Real Estate • Michael Calcagno Commercial Corner • Austin Herlihy • The Weekly Capitalist • Jeff Harding Man About Town • Mark Leisure • In The Garden • Randy Arnowitz Published by SB Sentinel, LLC, Tim Buckley, Publisher PRINTED BY NPCP INC., SANTA BARBARA, CA Santa Barbara Sentinel is compiled every Friday 133 EAST DE LA GUERRA STREET, #182, Santa Barbara 93101 How to reach us: 805.845.1673 E-MAIL: matt@santabarbarasentinel.com

“I don’t want to file some report,” the little man hissed, “I want this guy tracked down and arrested. I know there’s ways of finding people. And I want this guy found.” And the cops are just staring at him – probably thinking how difficult it is to take the absolutely seething furious guy in a skintight outfit seriously and wondering what got under his skin. Here’s another thing. Like we said above, we’ve ridden quite a bit. In fact, one of us once commuted on an old cycle-cross bike from Marin County, across the Golden Gate Bridge and into the Financial District three days a week. Sometimes you get bumped. Sometimes you get jostled. Knocked down. That’s part of the deal with riding, and you have to be cool with that. Anybody who has logged a few miles understands this simple truth and – while nobody wants to get hit or injured – generally gets it and accepts it. And then there’s our friend in the police station. He’s totally fine, not a knick on him. And he’s just furious. Veins at capacity. Steam pouring from his ears. Finally, the cops tell him they’ve called an officer down to the station to help him out. And here is the guy’s response, said tersely, rudely: “Well, can’t I just make an appointment or something? I really just want to finish my ride.” There’s nothing wrong with the guy. There’s nothing wrong with his bike – he got on it and rode away, happily clicking through his gears. Let’s put it this way: I’m not sure what the SBPD thought of the guy after he walked out, but we chuckled and rolled our eyes. Mellow out dude. You ride on the streets and you too have to share with the cars just like they have to share with you. It ain’t all yours, man, and you need to understand the way it works. Maybe this was just an accident. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back on the bike and enjoy your ride. Better yet, go ride Tunnel Trail on a mountain bike and see how much less you care next time you get knocked off your roadie. You’re giving your cyclist brethren a bad name. Anyway, real crimes were committed this past week. Here’s a few for your holiday read.

My Mother Calls Me Stephanie CRIME: A Santa Barbara hombre was detained for loitering in a lower State Street parking lot.

He initially told SBPD that he had no identification, but eventually handed an officer a debit card – with the name Stephanie on it. When SBPD asked him about the seemingly inapplicable name, he looked right at them and told them in no uncertain terms, “My mother calls me Stephanie. She puts money on the card every month for me to use.”

OBSERVATION: Wow. That’s so absurd it’s almost believable. Unfortunately, when officers asked him the PIN code, he told them that it was “45612398347295…” Nobody has a fourteen digit code for a bank card. Not even grown men named Stephanie. He should’ve just told them that he couldn’t disclose if for fear that they would use it at the bars. COMMENT: Gender profiling aside, we think it’s pretty safe to say that most hombres – especially those over the age of forty – are not named Stephanie. But we admit we could be wrong. And SBPD needs to be pretty careful making any generalizations these days. So nice report guys, don’t assume anything.

Pasadena Pill Popper CRIME: A Pasadena woman was walking around in traffic on Milpas before laying on the

sidewalk and taking a nap. When SBPD approached her, she urinated and drooled all over herself. (Fairly common reaction, frankly.) Then she admitted taking “two” alprazolams – typically used for anxiety disorders.

OBSERVATION: More like two hundred alprazolams. When SBPD searched the lady’s blue and white Coach purse, they found 1 suboxone (a semi-synthetic opioid), 19 klonopin (a benzodiazepine used for seizure and panic disorders), 20 lithium (used for manic depression), 63 clozapine (an antipsychotic medication), 26 seroquel (used for bipolar disorder) and 2 buspirone (used for anxiety disorders). She told officers that she was “holding the pills for friends.” COMMENT: She must have some seriously disturbed friends. We had no idea what most of those pills even are, and had to look them up. And that’s saying something. Seriously. Look, we can understand the occasional Xanax after a tough day. But this is ridiculous. This woman was effectively a mobile pharmacy for any anti-anxiety type pill on the planet. Sober up and get some help – back in Pasadena. We’ve got plenty to deal with here already.

Stop Stealing From Tri-County Produce CRIME: A Santa Barbara mansient stole a bottle of Santa Barbara Winery Grenache from Tri County. Good choice. Bad call. OBSERVATION: The shoplifter took off and hid but was eventually discovered after a mailman found him lying in a small alleyway in a nearby apartment complex. COMMENT: The folks at Tri County are sick of pilfering. Stop stealing from them. You won’t get away with it and they will prosecute you. And hey, they are good people. So leave them alone. 2013 is upon us, folks, everybody has a second chance at being well-behaved, law-abiding citizens. Make it a resolution. Be good out there this year.

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W W W. S A N TA B A R B A R A S E N T I N E L .CO M

...continued from 5

sold 25 W. Anapamu St.

Listing Price: $3,625,000 | 10,499 SF

And that’s me and my daughter Lily riding the streets of Luang Prabang just before New Year’s Day, 2012.

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Jackie Blackwell, Lisa Biernot, Brady Charrette, Holly Parker, Tracy Stoll, Lisa McCollum, Nicole Herlihy and Tamara Wallop at the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation benefit at Duo Catering in December. The ladies raised well-over $10,000 for GSF… and had a pretty good time doing it. (Congrats to all involved.)

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Type to enter text

New Year’s Eve at Maggie’s Brian Congdon hosted the GSF event at his Duo Catering & Events; Brian Charrette helped cook (and clean).

Live Urban Jazz with Little Al and the Infidels 9pm-midnight

Complimentary Champagne Toast at Midnight New Year’s Prix Fixe $45 5-10pm

Hey Lisa, how did I do on this one?

and local propositions and measures. We worked hard to put out a paper each week. And people are reading it. Yeah, 2012 was an interesting year, a good one. The type that you could have never seen coming, filled with new experiences and surprises and happiness. Just the type of year I like. 2013 holds much of the same promise of surprise and experience. (Yes, that’s partially because I’m still learning about the paper business and media world – an interesting animal for sure, trust me – but I’m making progress, slowly.) There is indeed much to look forward to and much for the paper to cover, already. We’re being inundated with stories. There’s that wonderful new therapeutic yoga and Pilates studio opening on Calle César Chavez that I’m sure will be a hit and can’t wait to talk about (soon, Emily, right?), and there will be a bunch of great stuff from the non-profit world that will certainly resonate (thanks for the opportunity, Ken), and lots of other local plots unfolding. (Maybe we’ll even hear from the City Council in response to our open letter last week.) I’m excited for what’s to come in the New Year. For sure. So stay tuned.

Some Art Chicks Are Cool There is one thing that I can share now, come to think of it. I met a particularly bright, vibrant young woman a few weeks ago from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. And she’s heading up a very interesting program that gets started in January 2013. Lisa Volpe is a Curatorial Assistant in the Photography Department at SBMA, and has a BA in Art History from Dartmouth,

a Master’s degree from Case Western (where she was awarded a prestigious fellowship at the Cleveland Museum of Art photography department) and a doctorate degree in the history of photography at UCSB. She is a force. And her enthusiasm for the arts is infectious. “Art is a platform for conversation,” Lisa told me, smiling widely over a cappuccino at Jeanine’s Restaurant and Bakery on Figueroa, “you should tell me what you see, not the other way around, why you like a given piece. I don’t like labels, art should be an approachable subject for everybody to enjoy.” Well that’s refreshing, I thought. My experience has generally been that “art appreciation” was reserved for edgy guys in black turtle necks looking down their noses through wire-rimmed spectacles at the unenlightened masses. Maybe Lisa is on to something here. I sipped my coffee and settled into my chair. It turns out that Lisa is bringing her vision of art appreciation to…everybody. She’ll be heading up FOCUS, SBMA’s new support group for emerging art appreciators and collectors in their twenties and thirties and forties. (Don’t worry, they aren’t checking IDs or anything.) The idea is to take a younger(ish) group that would like not only to connect to the local art scene but also learn a thing or two about building an art collection of their own. Participants will be given the opportunity to meet and mingle with art dealers and collectors, develop relationships with up-and-coming artists, enjoy guided tours of a variety of southern California museums (in addition to private ...continued p.22

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W W W. S A N TA B A R B A R A S E N T I N E L .CO M Dos Pueblos’ AllCity selections Anthony Spiritosanto (27), Nico Bornand (18), and Jason Schwartz (64) line up side by side for a special teams snap.

www.presidiosports.com Presidio Sports is a provider of local sports news and information for the Santa Barbara community. Founded in 2008, the small team at Presidio has covered hundreds of local sporting events and published thousands of articles connected to Santa Barbara’s athletic community. Please visit their website for more local sports news and information.

Presidio Sports’ First Ever All-City Football Team

Bishop Diego All-City selection Aidan Williams, seen here rushing the passer, and the Cardinals defense held opponents to under 12 points per game for the entire season.

By John Dvorak

ico Bornand made one of the most memorable plays of the local high school football season. In a critical game at Ventura, Dos Pueblos was clinging to a six-point lead and Ventura had the ball, facing a fourth-and-goal from the 6-yard line with 58 seconds left. Everyone was anticipating a pass play, but the Cougars elected to run the ball. Bornand, DP’s senior middle linebacker, saw the play develop and “Nico’d” it. He filled the hole, swallowed up the running back and threw him to the ground, securing a 27-21 road victory that would help the Chargers gain a share of the Channel League title. At Bishop Diego, it seemed like whenever the Cardinals needed a big play, Anthony Carter would step up and make one. Whether it was a quick dash behind the guards, a quarterback draw, a run around the end or a long pass, AC drove opposing defenses crazy with his slick ball handling, speed, shiftiness, guts and savvy. His play was a big reason Bishop Diego experienced a record 12-1 season. Presidio Sports is pleased to recognize Bornand and Carter as the Defensive and Offensive Players of the Year on its first AllCity Football Team. The All-City team is selected from the schools Presidio Sports covers. In football, it’s Dos Pueblos, San Marcos, Santa Barbara, Bishop Diego, Carpinteria, Cate and Laguna Blanca. The players named to the team were chosen with the help of the football coaches. The MVPs were picked by the Presidio Sports staff. The All-City Football team will be recognized in person at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon at Harry’s Plaza Cafe on Monday, January 7th. The public is welcome to attend the lunch. Bornand is one of those special players a coach can always count on to get the job done. “I don’t think there was one single player in this county that meant as much to us as he did,” DP coach Nate Mendoza said. The 6-2, 230-pound Bornand was a force on defense. He amassed 120 total tackles, 58 solo tackles and 16 tackles for a loss. He had three interceptions and forced two fumbles. He also was a weapon as a kicker and receiver. He averaged 40 yards gross on punts, booted eight field goals, including a 48-yarder, and missed only one extra point all season. As a tight end, he caught 18 passes for 426 yards and four touchdowns. He scored a total of 80

Dos Pueblos’ Nico Bornand will be honored as Presidio Sports’ Defensive Player of the Year.

Anthony Carter, Presidio Sports’ selection for Offensive Player of the Year.

points for the Chargers. “I just think he is so rare, because he is really good at doing five things in football: punting, kicking, linebacker, receiving and blocking at the tight end,” Mendoza said. “How many times do you see a star middle linebacker also lead a team in points scored? And he was a really good punter. Pretty rare. “And, the most amazing thing about Nico is that he is so humble. He always put his teammates first and served as a tremendous leader.” Carter was seldom seen off the field at Bishop Diego games. If the junior wasn’t making plays at quarterback, he was doing it as a running back or wide receiver. He played safety on defense and was on special teams as the punter or punt returner. “Anthony provided us a combination of athleticism, versatility and leadership which is essential for any type of success,” Bishop coach Tom Crawford said. “His ability to make big plays and the occasional ‘something out of nothing’ made him a threat every time he touched the ball. And he responded to the pressure and physical demands of tough games with perhaps his best performances.

It’s great to see that type of success from a guy who works so hard and is as humble as AC is.” As a quarterback, Carter completed 57 percent of his passes and threw for seven touchdowns, including two game winners at the end of games. He gained 784 yards on 100 carries as a ball carrier. On defense, he made 43 tackles, recovered three fumbles, had one interception and four pass deflections from his safety spot. He averaged 37.3 yards per punt and his punt return average was 17.8 yards with one touchdown. One of Carter’s best games was against Nordhoff for the Tri-Valley League title. He withstood a lot of hard hits and saw more action on both sides of the ball in the second half due to an injury to fellow QB and safety Gabe Molina. In the end, he stepped up and threw the gamewinning touchdown pass, a 26-yarder to BJ Murillo. The following week against an undefeated Mission Prep team, he again threw the gamewinning touchdown pass, giving Bishop a perfect 10-0 regular-season record.

Running Backs

Paul Cortez, Senior, Carpinteria: The Warriors’ team MVP and team captain. The durable back rushed for six touchdowns and caught a TD pass. Anthony Spiritosanto, Senior, Dos Pueblos: A punishing runner that was the backbone of the DP offense. He rushed for 936 yards and scored 10 touchdowns, both team bests.

Quarterback

Kyle Mayfield, Senior, Cate: Mayfield played 8-man football, but his skill-set and athleticism would have made him an impact player on any team in the city. He passed

for 1,205 yards and 20 touchdowns in seven games and ran for 898 yards and 15 scores.

Receivers

James Stevens, Senior, Santa Barbara: The Dons’ deep threat. His speed put fear in many defensive backs. He caught 25 passes for 657 yards and six touchdowns, Nolan Tooley, Senior, Bishop Diego: A surehanded, big play receiver for the Cardinals. He caught 15 passes, five for touchdowns, with an average of 17.5 yards per catch. Emilio Gonzalez, Senior, Santa Barbara: When he was on the field he made things happen with clutch, acrobatic catches. He caught 31 passes for 432 yards and seven touchdowns.

Utility

Aidan Williams, Junior, Bishop Diego: The lead blocker on 90 percent of Bishop Diego’s running plays, Williams picked up big yardage when he got the chance to carry the ball. He gained 375 yards on 37 carries and scored five touchdowns, also caught 18 passes for 212 yards and two TDs.

Offensive Line

Jose Del Campo, Senior, Bishop Diego: Sweeps don’t go anywhere without Del Campo leading the way. Coach Tom Crawford called him team’s best offensive lineman. Jesse Alcantar, Senior, Santa Barbara: Played at several positions on the line due to injuries and played them well. He provided good pass protection and was a steady performer all season. Alec Marmo, Senior, Dos Pueblos: The leader of the offensive line and a huge reason Chargers rushed for 2,300 yards this season, said coach Nate Mendoza.

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Santa Barbara High’s Jason Jimenez scored three touchdowns against Rio Mesa on September 14th, including a 47-yard interception return that helped lead the Dons to a 26-17 victory.

Bishop Diego’s defense, led by All-City selections Justin Brosnan (2), Troy Skinner (3), Christian Pearson (34), and Nolan Tooley (2), held opposing teams to a points per game average under 12 for the entire season.

John Samson, Junior, Bishop Diego: Opened the holes for Carter and other running backs and provided solid pass blocking. Xavier De Alba, Senior, Carpinteria: Coach Ben Hallock called him the team’s best offensive lineman.

Kicker

Matt Medina, Senior, Santa Barbara: Kicked eight field goals, including a schoolrecord 51-yarder, and converted on 34 PATs for 58 points.

Defensive Line

Jason Schwartz, Senior, Dos Pueblos: Coach Nate Mendoza called the three-year starter and captain the team’s overall best lineman. He had 52 tackles, 12 for losses, eight sacks and six pass breakups Mitchell Barrett, Senior, Santa Barbara: Barrett developed into a force at end for the Dons. He had 20 solo tackles, 57 total tackles and three sacks. Justin Brosnan, Senior, Bishop Diego: Led the Cardinals in sacks (16), tackles for loss, hurries and total tackles with 92. He also recovered two fumbles. Duncan Gordan, Junior, Carpinteria: Recorded a team-best 10 sacks and six deliver sacks to go along with 53 tackles, three deflected passes and two fumble recoveries.

Linebackers

Jason Jimenez, Senior, Santa Barbara: A big hitter and leader on defense for the Dons. He had 14 solo tackles and 37 total tackles. Christian Pearson, Junior, Bishop Diego: A big-time playmaker at inside linebacker for the Cardinals. He led the

team in tackles with 126, had three sacks and three interceptions, one returned for touchdown, five caused fumbles and two pass deflections. Rudy Corrales, Senior, Santa Barbara: Small in stature, but a big hitter and sure tackler. He recorded 24 solo tackles and 69 total tackles.

Secondary

Efren Sanchez, Senior, Santa Barbara: A heady player who was a leader in the Dons’ defensive backfield. He picked off three passes and knocked away several. Jordan Degraffinreid, Senior, Dos Pueblos: A hard-hitting, athletic safety, Jordan had 51 tackles, including 13 solo and tied for the team lead with 13 interceptions. Troy Skinner, Senior, Bishop Diego: Always in the right place at the right time, Troy was the shut-down corner for the Cardinals, said coach Tom Crawford. He had five interceptions, 61 tackles and two quarterback sacks. Gabe Molina, Junior, Bishop Diego: A fine quarterback on offense and a director in the secondary for the Cardinals, Gabe was in on 55 tackles and had one interception from the safety position.

Special Teams – Utility

BJ Murillo, Junior, Bishop Diego: BJ was an impact player as a defensive back, receiver and special teams player. He had a teambest six interceptions with one returned for touchdown, seven pass deflections and a fumble recovery. On offense, he caught 17 passes, four for touchdowns, and had an 18.4-yard average per catch. He rushed for two TDs and returned nine kicks for 329 yards.

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with Mark Leisure

Mark spends much of his time wandering Santa Barbara and environs, enjoying the simple things that come his way. A show here, a benefit there, he is generally out and about and typically has a good time. He says that he writes “when he feels the urge” and doesn’t want his identity known for fear of an experience that is “less than authentic.” So he remains at large, roaming the town, having fun. Be warned.

Party Hopper, Trolley Stopper, Smoke Shopper

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Eastside resident Mike Desamato – who estimates that he hits the lounge three times a week – inhales…and exhales. (Attaboy Mike!)

Local film production and editing guru Paul Westmacott (foreground) just can’t get enough tobacco in between his weekly basketball games at Crane School – and fellow hoopster Louis Rojas (background) feels just the same.

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ou can say a lot about me, man, and there’s no doubt that people have. Maybe I’m out a little too often, maybe I sometimes have one too many. Maybe I don’t work quite as hard as I might; maybe I surf more often than I should. Maybe I get a little loud or talk too close to people after a drink or two. Maybe I’m not always available for lunch with a friend or to talk on the phone for an hour. Maybe I’m not always the greatest friend. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Yeah, you can say a lot about me, man. But you can’t say I’m lazy. As a matter of fact, I’m the opposite of lazy. I’m industrious. And in the past few weeks, I’ve been downright indefatigable. I had a blast guzzling spicy margaritas and gobbling churros at Tinsel & Tamales – some holiday parties apparently have names these days – and got down at a few swanky shindigs in Montecito. I was up in Goleta with friends (a couple times) and down in Summerland at a wild party that had more to do with pagan rituals (I think) than the holiday season. (I love Summerland, always have.) I hit a museum party or two and had a wholesome good time at the Ridley-Tree House near Alice Keck Park. I rode a trolley

for what seemed like hours but the holiday lights on the Westside and the Eastside and everywhere in-between made it worthwhile. (So did the fact that a good friend actually jumped off the trolley while it was moving and was eventually left for dead somewhere on the lower Eastside despite sprinting mightily to catch back up with an excited group that was really rooting for him to reboard. Fun times.) It has been a fun-filled holiday season, friends, and I’ve had my share of figgy pudding. Now it’s time to ring in the New Year and move on with 2013, another year that’s sure to be a good one. (They’re all good ones for me, what can I say?)

Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em Come to think of it, there was one experience I had recently that really resonates for the New Year celebration. In the middle of all the previously mentioned merrymaking, I actually went to a cigar tasting. Right here in SB. And it was great. La Aroma de Havana Cigar Lounge on lower State (411 State, to be exact) is fantastic if you like to enjoy an occasional smoke. Proprietors Moises Medina and

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r e s t a u r a n t unique mexican dining experience

Proprietors Moises Medina (left) and Sam Atalah in the humidor – place looks great guys, thanks.

unique

The back lounge at La Aroma de Havana fills up quick for game time.

Shervin Fazeliaref is the California sales rep for Alec Bradley and knows his product well. “Santa Barbara is my number one party town in the state,” he told me. Guess he knows SB well, too.

Sam Atalah – Sam owns Cigar Empire on upper State, too – have put together a great little shop and environment, and it’s worth cruising by. There are a few large flat screens and the chairs are comfortable, especially in the back lounge. (Great place to go watch a game, seriously.) We were smoking 2011 cigar of the year Alec Bradley Prensados, robustos, but were treated to a tour of the humidor and found that the selection of cigars is fantastic and growing – Ashton, Partagas, Arturo Fuente, Fonseca, Padrón, Macanudo, Dunhill, AF Hemingway, Oliva, Don Carlos, Cuesta, Romeo y Julieta, Toraño and more, in a variety of formats. It’s a pretty cool spot, and it attracts a bunch of people – not just men – who want to sit down, slow down and burn one down over a conversation and a sporting event. Not bad. Good, even. So head down and pick a few turds for the humidor – Moises and Sam are knowledgeable and excited about the whole thing, just ask a few questions and you’ll get a smoke you’ll be able to enjoy. Better yet, get a few smokes to share with a few friends you’ve unintentionally neglected this past year. Spend some time together and kick off 2013 the right way: With a bloke, a joke and a toke on a smoke. Happy 2013 everybody.

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The Weekly Capitalist by Jeff Harding

Jeff Harding publishes The Daily Capitalist, a blog on economics and finance. He is the president of Montecito Analytics, LLC, and is a real estate investor who lives in Montecito.

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The Capitalist’s Look at 2012

eaders of the Sentinel know that I, as a purveyor of unconventional economic wisdom, have a different take on … well, (almost) everything. I have some thoughts on the past year, a retrospective, if you will, of what happened in 2012. Bear with me.

The Recovery That Never Came This is probably the real top economic story of 2012 because it led to a number of policies and events (below). Despite massive public spending (Keynesian fiscal stimulus) and unprecedented money “printing” by the Fed (monetary stimulus), the economy stagnates and unemployment remains high. One may wish to ask why these KeynesianMonetarist nostrums have failed their task. I have a quick answer: they have never worked to revive any economy from a depression, ever. Our GDP has been in the doldrums all year, except for a recent blip which was entirely a figment of new money, not any underlying real, organic growth. And there is nothing out there that will revive our stagnating economy in the near future.

QE 2.5, QE3, and QE4 (Money Printing) The Fed has been pumping a massive amount of “money” into the “economy.” The fancy word for it is quantitative easing, but it is no different than had they just printed more banknotes and distributed them to their cronies. If you look at the measure of this, the Fed’s balance sheet is at historic highs. Since November, 2008 the Fed has “printed” about $2 trillion in money created out of thin air. Now they have announced what is, in essence, QE Infinity. That is, they intend to print more money until they see unemployment come down. Again, one may wish to ask why the five preceding QE’s failed to achieve the Fed’s goals, and since they did fail, why do we need more of the same? The quick answer here is that we don’t need more; it doesn’t work, and it destroys real wealth which leads to further stagnation. If printing money were the key to wealth and prosperity, there would certainly be a lot less poverty (see: Zimbabwe).

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Worldwide Economic Decline While we are fixed on the events in Greece it should be noted that the entire world is in economic decline, and that includes China. While the juggernaut is growing, its growth has declined substantially (from

11.9% in Q1 2010 to 7.4% in Q3 2012). China merely reflects the status of its major trading partners: the U.S. and the EU. The EU countries have been slowing as well and for some time. Yes, this includes Germany. Is this a coincidence? Well it could be that world’s economies are tied together in trade, but the main reason is that almost all these countries follow the same unsuccessful economic policies that we here in the USA practice.

“Politicians and the Media focus on how much we can tax ourselves to pay for the spending. No one focuses on the real problem, which is out-of-control government spending.”

The Constitutionality of Obamacare “You are free to not eat broccoli, but if you don’t the government will imp.ose a penalty on you. This penalty is really just a tax and since the government has the power to tax for all sorts of reasons, they can tax you if you don’t eat broccoli.” This is the logic of Justice Roberts argument in the Obamacare case that was handed down in June. This should not surprise us because the Constitution is whatever the Supreme Court Justices wish it to be. Now they have handed the government another mandate to regulate our behavior. As we know, they can and do regulate our behavior already. For example, if you smoke, they will tax your habit heavily. It is not a giant leap in this line of thinking to force you to do something they want you to do by penalizing you for not doing it. According to the Court’s ruling, there is nothing in the Constitution preventing them from doing this. The Constitution has been gutted by the Supreme Court, and their butchers’ work continues. The Founders’ fear of a powerful central government has been betrayed by the Court. Our original Constitutional limitations on federal power have been ground down by redefining the Constitution to suit government goals. A Court can now find Constitutional power for almost anything the government wishes to do. This is the legacy of the “living constitution” philosophy.

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The Economic Impact of Obamacare Once an entitlement takes hold it is nearly impossible to get rid of it because it creates its own constituency of voters who will seek to perpetuate their benefits. Once it is fully implemented it will create a further drag on the economy. Why? Can anyone name any government program that has not wildly exceeded its initial cost and/or benefits? The answer is no, of course. As it fails to meet consumer needs, the power of government’s regulation on the entire health care economy will grow and eventually costs will be capped and service will be rationed. There is not one national health care system in the world that is not going broke and failing to deliver the quality of health care that we have now. Eventually the burden on the private economy will be so great that permanently high unemployment and economic stagnation will result. It cannot be sustained.

The Fallout of the 2012 Election Cycle The Republicans continue to run bad candidates. That nice fella, Mitt Romney, tried to be everything to everybody and his policy inconsistencies failed to inspire voters. I dislike Mr. Obama’s Progressive policies, but I know exactly where he stands and what he’ll do. Voters liked his vision. The only candidate that made any sense was Ron Paul, and while you may say that his run was quixotic, his candidacy did more to raise the consciousness of many people about the proper role of government and the flaws in our economic policies. What is significant about the election is the rise of the “47% percent.” As was pointed out by liberal commentator Jonathan Chait in a New York magazine article, “We Just Had a Class War (And One Side Won).” What was obvious, he said, is that the 47% is now the 51%. I hope he is wrong, but I believe he might be right. Is this the time in history when we Americans become a majority of takers, rather than producers? Is this the tipping point that so many other countries reached whereupon their social welfare programs led them into economic stagnation and eventual bankruptcy? I think we have reached that tipping point. We have only to argue the timing of failure.

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The real difference between us and our European friends is that we have a stronger entrepreneurial system that is almost cultural in its nature. Our system consists of a vast capital base provided by venture capitalists and a financial reward system that inspires and drives entrepreneurs to succeed. So far, there is nothing like it elsewhere in the world. That entrepreneurial system drives our economy. Let us hope it doesn’t stop.

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Excuse my language, but what a crock the Fiscal Cliff is. All I hear from the media is doom and gloom because taxes will go up and government spending will go down. They posit a solution: how much can we tax ourselves to pay for the spending? No one focuses on the real problem which is out-of-control government spending. The Administration puts out phony number on spending cuts and insists on raising taxes on “the rich” even though such taxes are a literal drop in the fiscal bucket and do nothing to solve the real problem. And we have a real problem. No one in Washington – Democrat or Republican – has proposed any serious spending cuts. The reformers just talk in terms of reducing the rate of spending increases. Based on the entitlements the government has promised, plus our current national debt, we have unfunded liabilities that are estimated to be between $78 trillion and $128 trillion. There is not enough money in the universe to pay for it. The economics of all this is that the more the government spends the worse the economy will do. Nothing it does with the money it spends leads to prosperity. Only we, the private sector, create wealth for the government to spend. Eventually government spending will consume so much of GDP that the economy will falter and then the well dries up. This is not hysteria; it is happening all over the world – Greece is just one of the more “advanced” examples. Don’t expect that politicians will do any meaningful spending reform. It won’t happen. They have promised and promised over the years yet spending keeps climbing. I think falling off the Fiscal Cliff is probably a good idea. The automatic spending cuts they are arguing about are only about $100 billion a year, but at least it’s a start. Meanwhile, we have rain here in Santa Barbara. And then the sun shines. Why worry?

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...continued from 15

and genuinely excited about art education. Lisa’s also pretty damn cool, to boot; I enjoyed my coffee with her quite a bit. Give her a call at 805.884.6462, or shoot her a note at lvolpe@sbma.net. And go learn something before you burn too much dough on that next piece for the living room.

Stuff I Like We here at the Sentinel are taking next week off to enjoy some time with our families and ring in the New Year the right way – with a bit a rest and relaxation (and maybe a juice cleanse or even some surfing, who knows?). But there is much happening in the coming weeks and we don’t want to leave you hanging, so here are a few things going down in the new year that are sure to be fun. Plan ahead and go check one or more of them out.

And was $1000 too much for this one? (I’m kidding. Guess who painted it.)

tours of SBMA led by curators themselves), get exclusive invitations and access to gallery openings and art fairs (maybe even a private collection or two) and generally interact with lots of local collectors, dealers and artists – all with the benefit of having somebody like Lisa there to answer questions and discuss points of interest the whole time. The idea is to keep the whole thing fun, interactive and social (and educational, of course); to provide the basic building blocks that enable people to be more knowledgeable and confident as they move forward with their own collections. Pretty cool. FOCUS will have at least eight events

in 2013, though there will undoubtedly be lots of less-structured opportunities to hit galleries or museums or sit down with artists or whatever. The program ain’t particularly cheap – $250 per couple, $190 if you’re a current SBMA member (partially tax deductible!) – but it includes a membership and all of the aforementioned stuff, and a portion of the dues go towards the acquisition of works of art for SBMA’s collection. Not bad. And no turtle neck required. So do something new in 2013 – support SBMA and learn a lot about appreciation and collection from a real up-and-coming curator who is both highly knowledgeable

First, I like William Shatner. (I mean, come on, who doesn’t? The guy did everything from Star Trek to TJ Hooker for God’s sake.) UCSB Arts & Lectures is bringing us the Santa Barbara premiere of his one-man Broadway show, Shatner’s World: We Just Live In It, on January 18, 2013, at the world-famous Arlington Theatre. There is a pre-show Star Trek Costume Contest (with prizes!), and lots of other cool stuff. Tickets and information at www.artsandlectures.ucsb.edu or www. thearlingtontheatre.com, or you can call 805.893.3535 or 805.963.4408, respectively. Beam me up, Scotty. Second, I like Latino dancing. Lucky

for me, Viva El Arte de Santa Barbara! is presenting Ballet Hispanico, New York’s premier Latino dance ensemble. They’re coming to SB for a weeklong residence. (More UCSB Arts & Lectures stuff – what a great program, seriously – in collaboration with the Marjorie Luke Theatre, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts & Education Center, IV School and many others.) There are free shows at IV School, (January 11 at 7pm), Guadalupe City Hall (January 12 at 7:30pm) and the Marjorie Luke Theater (January 13 at 7pm). There are also free dance classes all over the place so go to http://www.facebook.com/ VivaelArteSB to lock down a few dates and time. Third, I like 1st Thursday, and there is a good one coming up on January 3, 2013. More than twenty cultural art venues will be showing off new exhibits, hosting artist receptions and generally having a blast. There is way too much going on to write here, so check out www. santabarbaradowntown.com for details on what’s happening where and when. See you there. Fourth and finally, I like Cadiz, and Michael DeRose and the gang are putting on quite a New Year’s bash. Executive Chef John Pettitt is knocking out a prix fixe menu and mixologist Sean Sepulveda is knocking out new libations behind the bar. Should be swanky. 509 State Street. Have fun. Happy New Year everybody, here’s to an exciting 2013. Now…where did I put that cocktail?

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In the Garden with

Mr. Greenjeans

by Randy Arnowitz “Mr. Greenjeans” as he is known around Santa

Barbara, is a gardener, horticulturist and writer. He particularly enjoys working with roses, orchids and sharing the day with his golden retriever Peaches, who faithfully accompanies him in the field.

An Introduction Most repeat bloomers will give you flowers from March until pruning time in January

ust so you know, you will now be seeing my mug in this newspaper every other week or so. Some of you may already know me or my writing or perhaps have gardened or pruned or planted with me here in Santa Barbara within the past say, uh, thirty-one years. You same folks probably also know that I am still passionate about gardening (especially roses, orchids and flowers), my dog Peaches, my nutty little parrot Dibblee, cookies and Rori’s ice cream. If you’d be so kind, I’d love to share my unsolicited thoughts and random observations on gardening with you and would be grateful for any garden related

questions, thoughts, jokes, poems or comments that you would like to share. I will also accept your inquiries into automotive maintenance, cooking, architecture and bowling – however I know nothing about any of those things except that you’re not supposed to put the new oil in the hole with the dipstick but rather the other, larger hole and definitely not the one that goes into the radiator. Also, I am told that once I broke a hundred at Zodo’s.

Rose Time Again You know how at this time of the year when another romantic comedy comes out and the

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Rosa ‘Joseph’s Coat’, a small climber or tall floribunda has been a favorite since its introduction in 1964

The second week of January is the perfect time for major rose pruning

trailer shows Jennifer Aniston and maybe Owen Wilson or another Wilson or lots of puppies in little puppy Santa hats in a snowy, heartwarming montage of crazy, madcap hijinks and that one voiceover guy that does all the movie trailers says in that voice, “This holiday season, fall in love all over again...”? Well, that ‘s how I feel about roses. Sometimes, in spite of pruning them in my own special way that yields armloads of flowers, feeding them a blend of nutritious and organic ingredients and deadheading them to encourage a repeat bloom with virtually little or no downtime I become discouraged. The weather will turn foggy, drippy and overcast and the new bronze leaves will be plagued with black spot, mildew or rust – sometimes all three at once. Other times the little green worms move in leaving their little telltale poops on the leaves as insult to their injury. Rabbits may finish up the job by munching down the tender new canes or by stripping the fresh leaves from older, established ones. And after one of those dismal rose seasons when I’m weary from battling the weather and the disease and the critters, I tell my ‘Double Delight,’ my ‘Just Joey’ and ‘Mr. Lincoln’: “No more. We’re through. I’m done. I need to see other plants.” But then I think about most years when the weather cooperates and is kind

and the rabbits are instead preoccupied with the vegetable garden and the roses flourish. After pruning, the fresh bronze leaves emerge and then turn deep green. Plump flower buds form and soon open to reveal perfect blooms – sometimes with an equally perfect fragrance. At this time it seems that I’ve been given a second chance and almost anything is possible. Well, okay this may be pushing it a bit, but regardless, roses still rock my world. You’re probably wondering what any of this has to do with Jennifer Aniston. Absolutely nothing except to say that every January, immediately after I do my pruning, I do indeed fall in love all over again – with roses. To contact Randy, write to greenjeansmr@gmail.com

Randy’s Quick Pick

xperience the charm and magic of the UCSB Labyrinth. From Santa Barbara, go north on the 101 to route 217 to UCSB. Exit the roundabout on Campus Road toward the ocean. Continue to Lot 6 on your left, buy a parking pass and park. Walk down toward the ocean, and up to the other side of the lagoon and you’ll see. For more info, look here http://wellness. sa.ucsb.edu/Labyrinth.aspx

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by Jana Mackin

A journalist and a poet, Jana has lived everywhere from New Orleans and Butte, Montana to Saudi Arabia, where she taught English to children. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications, including The Washington Post and San Francisco Examiner. She now lives in Goleta.

A Tale of Two Cities

hat does the land of fruit and nuts have in common with wide-open spaces of survivalist cowboys gone wild? Quite a bit, it turns out, as I consider my love for polar opposites that I see as personal paradises: Good Land Goleta and Mile High, Mile Deep Butte, Montana. As a gypsy, I’ve traveled the world but these cherished places are my summer and winter, the yin and yang of my Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde personalities. And I need them both. Why else would I drive more than 1,200 miles north to Butte in the heart of a bittercold winter for the holidays? Who in their right mind would leave sun-drenched, beach blanket bikinis for being bundled up like the Michelin man? Butte – that great, tawdry whore from the glory days of Venus Alley – beckons me back to her wide-open, hell-raising mining history that is far richer than any copper vein mined on what was once the “Richest Hill on Earth.” Ah yes, Butte – she’s known as Butte, America, not Butte, Montana. She bathes in her tap’er light joie de vivre. (For those Buttefolk, “tap’er light” is a local greeting taken from when the miners knew to tap in their explosives lightly or risk blowing themselves to smithereens.) Yet still, despite a real love affair with Montana’s fairest city, I’m also drawn to Old Town Goleta – los rancheros, fiesta, the Mercury Lounge. Like Butte, she’s worn around the edges but filled with that rancher, good ole boy, aging hippiesurfer joie de vivre as well. Notwithstanding the geographical extremes of the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific, the stereotypes of yee-haw cowboys and hang-ten surfers, loggers and tree-huggers, rabid meat eaters and vegetarians, something about Big Sky and Old Town ferments in your soul, seeps into your blood until you can’t get forget the people or place. I certainly can’t.

A “Rough” Comparison Perhaps what Butte and Old Town share are those old time cultural, historical, familial and small town values of self reliance, rugged individualism, community and down home friendliness that transcend their geographical differences. Both eschew big city superficiality and any nanny state trappings that hold hostage the new California. You ever wonder why everyone’s so polite in Montana? It’s that Old West ethos of you’d better be polite or else because everyone’s packing. Besides, you mess with someone the wrong way and it’s all but guaranteed that his or her brothers or cousins will come and beat the hell out

Surfer boy gone Butte Fire Captain Malcolm Gustafson is, like Goleta Girl, sometimes torn between the mountains and open spaces in Montana and the ocean and beaches (and waves) of Goleta.

greed by blowing up their union hall and staging strikes, on the one hand, and students and activists standing up to The Man and burning down the Bank of America in 1970, on the other? Not much, I say.

Small Town Values Pisser’s Palace pleases plenty up in Walkerville.

of you. Likewise, Butte cops, despite their shortcomings, still enforce a little more charity and spirit of the law instead of their sometimes more anal retentive California brethren. There are still times when you are driving drunk, they stop you and, given the circumstance, they just might drive you home instead of nailing you with a DUI and slamming you behind bars. It may not be exactly the same in Goleta, but the spirit is there. I’m just saying. Anyway, what’s certain is that Montanans sure as hell don’t want Big Sky to be cityfied – they call Bozeman “Boze-angeles.” And similarly, Goletans don’t want any part of La La Land contaminating Old Town. Butte followed the trajectory of mining camp to, at its height, the “Richest Hill on Earth,” then back to hard times when the mines closed. It now focuses on tourism, historical preservation and environmental cleanup (at least two of the three are true for present-day Goleta). In true Butte style, the Berkeley Pit – four miles in circumference, more than 1,000 foot-deep and filled with 40 billion gallons lake of polluted water – is now a tourist attraction. Visible from space, this glory hole and super-fund site of what was a copper mine is contaminated with such metals and chemicals as arsenic, sulfuric acid, zinc, copper and cadmium and pyrite. It’s been said that the water at times is as drinkable as battery acid. Butte’s mining history is legendary, known as “the Gibraltar of Unionism,” with organizations like Butte Miner’s Union Local Number 1 of the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) in the late 19th century. In the early 20th century, Butte was important to the Industrial Workers of the World (aka IWW or the Wobblies). Labor strikes and clashes with the Anaconda Company

Paula Gustafson has southern roots and connections to Goleta – thanks for the coffee, Paula!

took on the stuff of legend. In 1917, IWW executive board officer and labor organizer Frank Little was lynched. On Butte’s Main Street, a monument commemorates where, on June 23, 1914, miners using more than twenty dynamite blasts leveled the Butte Miners’ Union Hall in a divided miner’s union where IWW miners sought to wrest control from the WFM. Butte was also known for its red light district with such houses of ill repute as the infamous Dumas Brother. Goleta’s cowboy, can-do individualism with Mexican land grants and early cattle ranching magnates and rancheros led the area to be quite a notorious stretch of California for many years. Eventually, however, the ne’er-do-wells gave way to the development of farms, dairies, and ranches around the 1940s. Goleta also saw the development of the railroads and aviation industry at the airport and establishment of the Marine’s Flying Leatherneck base during World War II. (There had to be a lot of hell raising going on in Goleta with Marine aviators.) Then, with the development of UCSB, aerospace companies, high tech research and urban development, Goleta incorporated in 2002. But Old Town has resisted this developmental face lift that the rest of Goleta has experienced. And so you tell me: What difference is there between miners fighting corporate

“The people are more old fashioned, more friendly, not distant,” said Olivia Welch, 18, from Rohnert Park working as a Starbucks barista in Butte. Growing up, she spent every summer in Butte and is now a freshman at Montana Tech. “Butte’s not so modern. The architecture is older and so is the feel. Everyone takes their time. No one’s in a rush. I think smaller towns try to stay true to what they were. They want to keep it the way it is, historic. They want to keep the familiarity between people.” “Nobody here is trying to have a California front.” Pretty damned profound – especially from an 18-year-old barista. Up in Walkerville, a town in Silver Bow County and a suburb of Butte where I own a $25,000 old miner’s house with a million dollar view, we don’t tolerate fronts, period. Heck, we barely tolerate Butte folks. Walkerville is a mile up Main Street and, at 6,000 feet, about a thousand feet higher than historic Butte. Walkerville has her own identity. We have no zoning, no state tax, no politically correct, no nonsense, mind your own business but chat and gossip across alleys and backyards. Besides the fire department, there is a post office and Pisser’s Palace, the only Walkerville bar. In fact Pisser’s makes Butte’s Silver Dollar Saloon (another favorite place) look like the Ritz. But we’re all big family up in the Butte area. Our hospitality is legendary and so are our fists. Dirt poor and rich in humanity. The land lives the mining legacy with gallows frames dotting the hill, glowing red at night with neon lights. Our Christmas trees are those steel head frames used to lower and raise the miners into the mines. While Old Town is just a tad more than sea level, it’s also is a historic community rich in ranchos, farming, blue collars and others. Perhaps it’s that old ranchero cowboy ethos that runs deep but, like Butte, you

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Serene and friendly Butte, Montana.

in your daily activities, you are guaranteed to encounter someone with a smile to share with you.” “A lot of small towns are very pleasant, very friendly,” Malcolm continued. “Most people are friendlier in small towns because in the bigger ones, people are afraid. They are afraid to talk to one another. I’m just not a city person. I like smaller amounts of

people.” Malcolm’s father was an Oxnard fire chief. As a teenager, he was in Isla Vista when the Bank of America burned down. He grew up a die-hard surfer. “I do miss surfing. I used to surf every day,” he reminisced. Hey Malcolm, I know of this small town just north of Santa Barbara…

Goleta Girl’s Picks

hether you want to party, hack some computers or bless our beautiful Pacific, Goleta abounds with interesting events that are sure to appeal to any and all.

Party Like It’s 1999 – this New Year’s Eve party will have you dancing through the decades before the clock strikes twelve with retro hits from the 1980s and 1990s spun by DJ Darla Bea at the Mercury Lounge, 5871 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, from 9 pm – close. SB Hackerspace hosts a general meeting every Saturday at noon in the hackerspace located at 158 Aero Camino, Suite A in Goleta (near the Santa Barbara Airport). Depending on the week, they may also offer Microcontroller Monday, Telephony Tuesday, WebTech Wednesday, and 3D printer Thursday, each of which meet at 6pm on their respective days. For more information see go to www.sbhackerspace.posterous.com. “The Blessing of the Waters” will be hosted by St. Athanasius Orthodox Christian Church. All are invited to participate in this ancient Christian Ceremony practiced throughout the world. The ultimate Green Celebration! God is asked to bless the waters, sanctifying them and thus representing the redemption of all creation. The Holy Cross is then thrown into the ocean and any who wish to brave the chilly water can try to be the first to retrieve it. The blessing will be held at Goleta Beach Park, Sandspit Road, on Sunday, January 6, 2013, from 12:30 – 1:30 pm. Cost is free. Phone 805-685-5400. Olivia Welch works at the only Starbucks in Butte and is a great example of the California/Montana connection – she grew up in Northern Cal and spent her summers in Butte. Now she’s a freshman at Montana Tech.

still can take a person at their word. And God help you if you screw anyone because, also like Butte, it’s guaranteed some brother or cousin will come a looking for you for messing with the family. Likewise, I believe ull color Butte and Old Town share a kind of cussed independence among old hippies, activists, grommets miners,included blue collar folk or even surfers and cowboys who share some of the same values.

are definitely southern.” It just so happens that Paula is also married to Malcolm Gustafson, a ButteSilver Bow Fire Department Captain who is also a life-long longboard surfer from Oxnard that spent much time in Goleta and environs as a kid. “The mountains of Montana have full color my heart, yet the ocean and Southern California stir my soul while giving me solace... interesting combination that must hemming & grommets included be explored!” Malcolm exclaimed with a smile. “I really don’t know about the similarities between cowboys and surfers, “I was born in Butte,” Paula Gustafson, but would imagine both would be respectful 48, told me. She works at Florence Coffee 375 of what nature Ave provides and also be stewards Pine #20 Company in uptown Butte. Her parents of the land and water. What I love the most CA were from Alabama. “My roots and values Goleta, about Butte... when93117 you are out and about

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You Have Your Hands Full by Mara Peters Former editor for the fashion/lifestyle section of the New York

Post, Mara moved to London and worked as a contributing editor for the Daily Mail’s You Magazine, freelancing for Look Magazine, NY Post and the Style Magazine for The Sunday Times. To remain sane during diaper years she writes a mommy blog, You Have Your Hands Full – www.handsfullsb.com.

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A view from the top in the Alps – looks pretty good up here in the light.

t was cold down there. The ice around me was a magical clear blue. Ice blue. I was a few hundred feet below the surface of the earth, trying hard to make my way up to the daylight. My arms burned; my body broke into sweat soaking my t-shirt under my down jacket and fleece. “You alright down there?” Alpha called but I could barely hear him. I was too intent on the climb to the top, methodically carving steps with the ice pick, gripping with my crampons. “Don’t lose my hat! I love that hat!” he joked as I swiped it off my sweating head, letting it fall away. He waved goodbye as

he watched it slide into the crack of the glacier and out of sight. Served him right, taking a New York journalist to his very own stomping grounds in the French Alps. He was testing me, I could tell. We’d only been dating a month. But I knew he was wondering, from his perch above me, if I had the strength and tenacity to make it on my own, without his help, with only the ropes attached to my body. That was the moment when we both decided. This was the guy I wanted to marry and the guy who wanted to marry me. The unemployed mountain climber who couldn’t take another day working in

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’m not really one of those Martha Stewart types. I’m kind of proud of that. Unfortunately, my nine-yearold daughter Olivia is Martha Jr. in the making. From pursemaking to doll outfits to knitting, she has a handle on crafty. She drags me around the thriving underbelly of creativity in Santa Barbara from Arts from Scrap to the Rembrandts shop on Victoria Street looking for the next best piece of fabric. The real treat outing, however, is Olivia Peters loves getting crafty with Josie Flores at Cardigan. Cardigans, the cozy knitting shop on Upper State Street. On any typical day there are several stitch and bitchers sitting around a large table working on their latest masterpieces as the owner, Josie Flores, makes extra time to take Olivia’s hand to peruse fabulous yarn. It is one special place, even for those who are craft-challenged like myself. Cardigans, 3030 State Street, 805-569-0531.

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the City of London; the one who found his soul filled and his life purpose in these very mountains. Later he told me, “Looking down at you, watching you climb, I knew instantly you were the girl.” He patiently let me struggle and fight with the ice until, finally, I crested the top, victorious on the glacier to join him. I think about climbing out of that crevasse a lot.

A Crevasse of a Different Color In that instant, we committed to climb life’s challenges together. We grew a family of four, moved to three cities, and held five jobs between us. Just recently we were at a Christmas party talking about how we met, how it all started. It was a long time ago. Twelve years, in fact. But as I told the story of my arms feeling like they were going to fall off and my thighs burning like I was getting a Charlie horse, I described the incident like it was yesterday. I’m starting to remember those days more clearly. You see, I’ve just climbed out of another crack and am feeling the sunshine on my face. For ten years, I’ve been scratching and clawing my way through a huge crevasse called parenthood. As Alpha built his career, I mastered naptimes and meals. We would go out with friends and I’d be too tired to brush my hair. In a way, I was relieved to not have much to say – my days were about ABCs and Elmo. Adult conversation was foreign, awkward and uncomfortable. But deep down there, in that dark place of detachment, I began to pick upwards for the sunshine. I started my blog You Have Your Hands Full and, during naptime, worked on a book about my life in New York. Pick. Pick. Pick. The climb had been slow and I was very much alone, especially compared to the

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New York Post newsroom, a busy place filled with incessant 24-hour deadlines and hardworking peers, friends who acted as sounding boards and confidants. It had been incredibly satisfying. But still, even with the blog and the book projects, I was isolated; still deep down in the crevasse, climbing and looking up periodically in search of daylight.

A Tug on the Rope Then, I got a tug on the rope. Matt Mazza called me and asked me to write a column. I had long forgotten that person who cranked out copy; he reminded me that I was still there. He was positive and encouraging – the cheerleader that I needed to start producing again. With newfound strength I began to climb faster, with more confidence, feeling the top closer than ever before. The months passed, and I had purpose outside of my children. I started to see life as I used to: an interesting story. No longer was it a grind but, instead, that same treasure hunt where I’d once searched for nuggets and found them easily. And there’s been a subtle change going on in our house. The kids are growing to respect my time, “I’m on deadline here, if you want a snack gotta get it yourself!” They’d scramble to read what I had written about them (always taking note of who has had the most photos). More importantly, I’m no longer just a service provider but a role model: Olivia recently wrote in her school essay that she wants to be a writer in New York City. So as the year closes and I emerge standing, no longer dependent on ropes, I am very grateful to the Sentinel for giving me the chance to write again, and you, the reader, for supporting this very long journey back into life. And for those in their own crevasses, remember your strength, pull hard, watch for a tug and know that 2013 looks a whole lot better in sunshine.

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Plan B by Briana Westmacott Hailing from NorCal, Briana has lived in Santa Bar-

bara for the past fifteen years. While she is indeed an adjunct faculty member at SBCC and has contributed to LOVEmikana, Wake & Wander and Entrée Magazine, much of her time is spent multi-tasking her way through days as a mother, wife, sister, wantto-be chef and travel junky. Writing is an outlet that ensures mental stability… usually.

Make It Count Tara with her family at her surprise 40th birthday party this year. That really sums it all up.

t stands still when you fall in love, yet it speeds by like a freight train as you watch children grow. It is precious, of the essence, unstoppable, constant and eternal. It is said to heal all things. It is time. And we hope we can count on it. Now, as we move forward and finish yet another year, highlighting the heroes, the events that were most memorable, the music, movies and people that will forever define 2012, we collectively look around and realize just how fleeting time is. We frantically rush about, racing hither and yon while juggling as many things as possible – kids, jobs, school, soccer, husbands, wives, friends… – and our thoughts and attention spans grow shorter and shorter. Our interactions terser, more abrupt. And the next thing you know we don’t even speak, we just fire off abbreviated text messages to describe that we are laughing or crying or happy or sad or whatever.

Those empty little acronyms annoy me. Most of them, while colorful, convey little about what is really happening on a more personal level. But recently I came across a few I actually like. Acronyms that actually mean something. And the more I considered it, the more I realized that there are a few abbreviations by which all of us could lead a pretty good life in 2013. There are three of them, in fact.

YOLO (You Only Live Once) While it is indeed my job to provide writing students at SBCC with a plethora of priceless knowledge in a sixteen-week semester, I am constantly astounded by what they end up teaching me over the same period. They bare their souls in their prose and from those words and stories I gain a greater understanding of what is clearly a

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very wild world. They also keep me up to date on some of the trending business that is “generationally” not a part of my day-to-day world– like YOLO-ing. One of my students explained that YOLOing is term used to give yourself an excuse for doing something stupid or irresponsible or risky– a 21st century carpe diem of sorts. I don’t think I did much YOLO-ing this year; I didn’t get anything pierced or tattooed and I can’t say I did anything extreme like, say, skydiving. But my YOLO list for 2013 is growing with visions of things I need to accomplish and conquer. So thanks, Vaqueros, for helping this aging mother of two remember to strike out, even if only from time to time; you do indeed only live once and it’s neither irresponsible nor stupid to take the occasional risk. Quite to the contrary, actually, it’s invigorating and inspiring. In a word, it’s living.

TSFC (Tara Says F#@* Cancer) Tara Haaland-Ford, whom I know to be quite real, quite lovely, and quite strong, has been diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. She faces a challenging New Year with determination, grace and, most importantly, with a warrior-like vision to win her battle against cancer. Tara is a 40-year-old mother of two young girls. She is married to a local firefighter. She’s also a practicing attorney and a member of the Washington Elementary School Board (just to name a few of her many accomplishments). The Haaland-Ford family is a pillar in our community; they truly shine wherever they go. 2012 brought cancer to Tara and shock to all who know her. There were questions and tears, and

then Tara stood up tall and rallied with a community of friends and family in a display of power that I have never witnessed before. When Tara went public with her diagnosis, she made a post to all her friends that straight-up declared “F#@* Cancer.” One of Tara’s close allies then took her words and came up with the acronym, TSFC – Tara Says F#@* Cancer. TSFC is now being worn on t-shirts and written all over town as a show of support and

solidarity. In a matter of days, the Haaland-Ford family saw their lives drastically altered yet they continue to exhibit resilience and determination that is inspiring to all who know them. There has been an intense outpouring of communal support from the people of our fair city. Hundreds (possibly thousands) of people have stepped in to provide help; there are food trains, child care lists, bracelets being worn, organized prayers at specific weekly times, yard work volunteers, Girl Scout troops doing Christmas decorating, a “Trek for Tara” fundraiser/run being planned, and more. And that is just what’s happening at the far edge of the circle surrounding this family. On the inside, I’m quite certain there is much more. Cancer is not going to be an easy beast to beat, but I know Tara well and she is going to kill this thing in 2013. Their family holiday card read “We Believe” and I can’t think of a better message to follow Team Tara (along with TSFC) into the New Year. I believe too. You Only Live Once. So F#@*! Cancer.

IYL (It’s Your Life) There are some sinister things in this vast world, for sure, but there is so much beauty here too. As we go forward, make a point to savor the moments, big and small. Because we never truly know when life may take a turn that is unexpected and our time or place on this earth may be redirected. IYL – It’s Your Life. So live it well. Hug tightly. Appreciate others. Take care of yourself, but take chances too. Dance to that song. Run up that hill. Have ice cream for breakfast. Make a difference. Be strong. Be heard. Inspire. It’s time.

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hile I have not jumped out of a plane in SB (I did jump out of one in Norcal 20 years ago), I have a friend who has jumped with Skydive Santa Barbara not only once, but twice… and walked away with a big smile on his face. You only live once, why not try flying? www.skydivesantabarbara.com

TSFC

eam Tara has set up an online community at www.lotsahelpinghands.com. Join Tara’s supporters on the Lotsa site and you can follow her journey – and volunteer to help along the way – as she conquers cancer. TSFC!

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WINE & DINE

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weekend guide

• LOVE IS FREE What: The Zone 3-D (presented by The Arts Fund) Where: 205 C Santa Barbara Street When: The art exhibit is showing thru January 12, 2013, Wednesday through Friday from 1pm to 5pm, and Saturday from 11am to 5pm. Why: See an eclectic array of three-dimensional works of art by Santa Barbara artists Donald Davis, Blake Rankin, Ro Snell, Xarene Eskandar, Skye Gwilliam and Tom Long. How: Get in the (funk) zone.

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Pressing Matters

by Kim Wiseley

old off the press! Locals Erin Gomez and Scott Walker have created The Juice Ranch – a 100% organic, coldpressed, raw juicery. And, on Wednesday, January 2, 2013, the couple will officially open the doors of their fresh and nutritious new space. You’ll be impressed with their 10+ seasonal sips that taste as good as they are healthy. Just about every ingredient is sourced from local, organic farms and is then cold-pressed daily for your juicing pleasure. They even package their juices in retro-reusable glass milk bottles. Is it bad that we want one as a collector’s item? Head in and empower your mind, body and soul with unique concoctions like the “Holy Kale” (kale, cucumber, apple, lemon and pineapple), the “Almond Joy” (sprouted almonds, dates, vanilla bean, cinnamon, Himalayan salt and filtered water), and the “14 Carrot” (carrot, coconut, ginger and lime), to name a few. We’re pretty sure you’ll feel recharged, revitalized and reinvigorated. And Gomez and Walker are here to do more than just juice – they hope to educate all of us on the progressive juicing culture. From liquid nutrition, food health and the environment, they are happy to help you understand why pressing really matters. So head into the New Year fruit (and vegetable) forward. The Juice Ranch is located at 33 Parker Way and will be open daily from 8am-5pm. Juice away!

What’ll It Cost Me: Free!

• LOOSE CHANGE What: Do Cocktails Where: Cadiz, 509 State Street When: Tuesday – Sunday, 4pm – close Why: They recently updated their cocktail menu… and you simply must try the Sevilla (jalepenos and mint, ginger liquor, lemon and tequila). How: Sit back, relax and sip responsibly. What’ll It Cost Me: Approximately $10… per cocktail.

• HEY BIG SPENDER What: Holiday Brunch Where: San Ysidro Ranch – 900 San Ysidro Lane, Montecito When: Sundays from 10am – 2pm Why: Peanut Butter Crunch French Toast, Fried Chicken & Waffles, Huevos Rancheros and fresh homemade breads are just a few of the selections you can savor on Sundays. How: Treat yourself to a cozy holiday brunch with your favorite bunch.

What’ll It Cost Me: $54 per person (includes unlimited Mimosas, Bellinis and Prosecco)

STYLE FILE

The Hostess with the Mostess by Briana Westmacott

ey! What’s your next soirée? Are you going to be a bride? Honoring a big birthday? Or maybe just hosting a rustic backyard dinner? Whatever affair, event, get-together or pow-wow you may be looking to host, we have something that will make your planning painless and the memories magical. Local gal Stephanie Sanders – with her keen eye for style and talent for décor – is following her dreams with the launch of Shindig, a full-service event planning and design boutique that handles everything from crafting, sourcing, paper design, florals, vendor curation and decor sourcing to logistical management and organization (and beyond). Always infusing elements of art and nature, Shindig creates a hip environment without feeling contrived or constructed. It’s simple and stylistic and sweet. And Stephanie and her team are set to handle all the planning, sourcing, details and design to make your gathering exactly what you envision. Your mood will guide the design process and be brought to life with Shindig’s exquisite tools. There is a connection with every piece of the party planning that makes the puzzle complete. Stephanie always uses handmade items and local artistry to add dimension, texture and flair to your event, and describes her process as “dressing your party from head to toe.” So let Stephanie and her team dress your next bash for success… it’s certain to be a hit. Go to www.shindigsb.com for details.

The Fizz will be Flowing by Kim Wiseley

t’s the most wonderful time of the year! With the kids jinglebelling and everyone telling you that Fizz is here... What, exactly, is Fizz you ask? It’s a one-of-a-kind, purpleberry-colored, sparkling Shiraz that originated in Australia. Lucky for us Yanks, however, Fizz has been recreated (or restomped) right here in Santa Barbara by Dave Potter of Municipal Winemakers (22 Anacapa Street). The bubbles will leave you with a burst of wine bliss and a zing to sing about. We suggest serving it lightly chilled and with good friends. It’s available for purchase on New Year’s Eve, so make your way down to the Funk Zone and join the Fizz culture. Hurry, this liquid perfection sells out fast!

Bubbly Bonus: On Saturday, December 29, 2012, Municipal Winemakers will be showing off the tricks of their trade with live champagne making from 12 – 3pm. If you’re around, pop in for some fun.

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Year End Wrap Up

600"

ell… it’s official. We and the rest of planet Earth800"survived the end of the Mayan calendar, in much the same way we survived the great Y2K panic at the turn of 706 the 21st century. Without a scratch. That’s pretty much the way the Santa Barbara housing market survived 2012, too. I 600" suppose one could even argue that some of the scratches (and even deeper wounds) of years past began to heal. And since I’ve been making a few of my own predictions over the last few months, I figured the very least I could do at this point in the year would be to wrap up 2012 with all the numbers through November. (December numbers will come out in 400" January 2013 and I will update and close the proverbial books on 2012 when they become available.) The good news is that homes sales have risen considerably in the last year; in 2011 we moved 852 properties, and in 2012 there were 1,153 sales through November. Keep in mind that in 2008, there were only 706 sales in the same period. 200" Pending sales – those in which a contract has been signed and a closing date set – also rose considerably: from 922 in 2011 to 1,229 in 2012 (again, only through November). This is a considerable rise from 2008 when pending sales were just 715, and provides at least some insight as to where we could be once December 2012 has passed. (There has been quite a bit 0" of activity this past month, too.) 2008new listings; Finally, new listings are actually down slightly: in 2012 there were 1,579 there were 1,683 new listings in the comparable period in 2011. There were 1,569 new listings by this time in 2008. So what do all these numbers mean? As I have written in previous articles, the numbers seem to show a recovering market. I know, I know, this is exactly what everybody says all real estate agents say no matter what the market is like, but the numbers speak for themselves. Fewer or similar listings and more actual and pending sales. Prices are not what they once were, to be sure, but there is movement in the market, and that is good. And looking forward, consider that generally, if there is a low supply and a high demand, prices will increase. (In contrast, the greater the supply and the lower the demand, the lower the price will be…but that is not what we are presently seeing.) The numbers in Santa Barbara reflect a (much) greater demand for purchasing homes, due in equal part to low interest rates, low home prices and a continuously shrinking inventory. (There are other macro-economic influences at work here too.) If interest rates and inventory continue to stay low, then 2013 should prove to be an even better year than 2012. Who knows? We might even see those prices start to creep back up! What can I say? I’m a glass half-full type of a guy… Happy New Year everybody. Here’s to a happy, healthy and prosperous real estate market in 2013.

HE/PU&New&Listings&Jan2Nov.&200822012

852

815

400"

743

200"

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

‘Prices are not what they once were, to be sure, but there is movement in the market, and that is good.” He/PU&Pending&Listings&Jan0Nov.&200802012 1,400

2009

2010

2011

1,229

1,200

1,000

800

813

839

2009

2010

922

715

600

400

200

2008

1,750

2011

2012

HE/PU&Median&Sales&Price&Jan3Nov.&200832012 $1,200,000

1,698

1,700

$1,055,000

1,683

$1,000,000

1,650

$849,700

$855,000

2009

2010

$800,000

$793,750

$790,000

2011

2012

$600,000

1,600

1,568

1,579

1,575

$400,000

1,550 $200,000

1,500

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2008

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