Compute This – Jeff Wing welcomes our new AI overlords with a bow to the binary and a smile fit for facial recognition, P.6
Sketch That – The SBIFF animation panel proves that these films are more than just your kids’ morning cereal companions – they’re great cinema, P.18
Giving inmates the Freedom to Choose a new future, page 20
Hear This – Tune into these soothing sound baths happening around town and embrace your inner 432Hz, P.25
January is a wrap – and boasts the largest number of sold homes in a single month in well over a year. Normally a slow month, this January may be the harbinger of a big year for the real estate market (Story starts on p.5)
Prepare to move to some Mozart, Ravel, and more this week when the London Symphony Orchestra arrives to party with the Music Academy, page 16
Get into a pinot daze with days of tastings, pairings, and workshops – it’s the World of Pinot Noir’s 25th anniversary, page 28
in the speakeasy a a
Jerrad
The Giving List – The Freedom to Choose instills in the incarcerated a self-renewing awareness and the tools for a
mind
jeanine.burford@ morganstanleypwm.com
25 Spirituality Matters – Hear that? It’s a slew of sound healing sessions resonating through town at 432Hz 26 Elizabeth’s Appraisals – A dish set tells of the English breakfast table and the many “delicacies” that filled it
Santa Barbara by the Glass – It’s World of Pinot Noir’s silver anniversary and the multi-day event is celebrating with a cork pop or two
Meeting at MA – The Biltmore timeline and plenty to say on pathways at the most recent Land Use meeting 31 State News Bytes – Updates from Assemblymember Gregg Hart on wildfire recovery and funding, plus DEI and immigration Crime in the ‘Cito
Your Westmont – Senior David Shiang heads to D.C. while Westmont athletes start off the year strong 36 Calendar of Events – A heartwarming flock of Valentine’s events, Summer Solstice posters, conversation about The State of Fire , and much more
38 Classifieds – Our own “Craigslist” of classified ads, in which sellers offer everything from summer rentals to estate sales 39 Mini Meta Crossword Puzzles
Local Business Directory – Smart business owners place business cards here so readers know where to look when they need what those businesses offer
by Mark Ashton Hunt
Well, my fellow Montecitans, the Montecito Real Estate market started 2025 off with a bang, as January brought the largest number of sold homes in one month in well over a year. January!!! A month that is normally one of the slower of the year is now the benchmark for months to come. With 25 homes selling in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), in January, this is a 20%+ jump from the past many months.
And no, these were not “fire sales” in either meaning. That is, the sales were not purchases related those displaced by the tragic fires in the Palisades, Altadena and elsewhere, and neither were these blowout sales prices. Top prices for what was on offer were paid across the board… and a whopping six homes sold over $10 million, with four of those going at or over $20M. Basically, this is unheard of in one month, especially a January. Just six years or so ago, you would only see six sales over $10M in a whole year, not in one month.
Another change in our market at the top of 2025 is an increase in available housing inventory of approximately 25% over early December of 2024. It seems many property owners are thinking this is a good time to sell and they are correct. That increased inventory, mixed with the many good opportunities that were on the market in 2024, also brings more choices for new buyers.
Whether this momentum maintains, and prices climb even higher, we will see. There are still many listings on the market that I would consider good opportunities and priced well across all price ranges. Other listings that may be stretching up into a price range above where they may belong. That said, if the right buyer sees their dream home and can afford it, they will often (as proven over and over) pay more for the good stuff, and we have seen that already this year.
One thing is for sure, the highest end of our market is strong, with many of the larger sales being to locals (as I’ve been told by top agents), either buying up or buying down or switching areas in town, etc. We are not, so far, seeing a huge sales surge in our market from those affected by the Palisades and Pasadena area fires, and we send our deepest sympathies and support to those affected. It was just seven years ago that our own community was recovering from the intense fires and floods of December 2017 and January 2018, respectively.
So, if you are still looking for your home in Montecito, here are a few that I’m surprised are still on the market, (though they may be gone by the time you read this). Happy rain days, and please remember to keep Montecito friendly. Let’s maintain Montecito as a place we can all enjoy, where neighbors communicate with respect and gratitude for living here, outside of the chaos going on outside of our historic and lovely coastal enclave.
Please remember I’m here to help with any of your Real Estate needs in town, including helping you see any of the properties featured here today that are listed with other great area agents. Until next time…
$1,495,000
This is the lowest priced listing in the Montecito Union School District, located in the heart of Montecito, elevated up above the street and set back on Coast Village Road, near all the dining, shopping and area beaches. As you step inside, you’re immediately greeted by a warm, bright and inviting atmosphere in a peaceful setting with the home oriented towards the botanical-like gardens. Maple hardwood floors, abundant recessed lighting, high ceilings and tranquil views of the lush landscaping
Real Estate Page 274
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by Jeff Wing
It takes several minutes for astronaut Bowman to lose his patience. It’s a simple thing he’s asking – he just wants back in.
“Hello, HAL, do you read me? Hello, HAL… do you read me? Do you read me, HAL?”
Eschatology – scholarship which concerns itself with the End of Humankind – is by definition a bummer. But thinking eschatologically (don’t make me type that again) can come in handy when it helps us squintingly perceive the hulking, moonlit garbage truck as it lethally barrels towards us.
“Affirmative, Dave. I read you.”
“…Open the Pod Bay doors, HAL.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Dave.”
Our damnable machines have ever been the thorn in our species’ side – your glitchy Wi-Fi signal, the ancient toaster you throw your shoulder out trying to get to, you know, MAKE TOAST. But will our machines be the end of us? Is Stanley Kubrick’s classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey a cautionary tale? Not by design. A malfunctioning machine is not the story’s core. But the film can be said to have emerged organically from that day’s concerns.
IBM’s room-sized corporate computers were a topic of public conversation. And for decades, increasingly wondrous computers had figured in sci-fi handwringing, such that 2001’s vexatious HAL9000 is said to have been so named because its letters follow IBM in the alphabet. But in the screenplay, the movie’s HAL9000 is nominally a Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer.
amusing little toy that now bestrides us like a blabbermouth colossus.
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Heuristics is a programming mode that teaches an Artificial Intelligence to problem solve not by process of exhaustive elimination – but by riffling through logical likelihoods until a narrowed solution field is arrived at. Heuristics make for shorter AI response times that quickly yield a “possibility space” from which the human operator can then deduce their way to a flesh-and-blood finish. You teach the AI to use logical shortcuts, make common-sensical leaps, and connect intuitive dots. Heuristics is about teaching a machine to “think” like a bumbling superhuman.
Open AI’s programming is heuristic, and that gave us Chat GPT– the initially
E. M. Forster – mustache-and-waistcoat author of such Edwardian fare as Passage to India, Howards End, and Room with a View – burst out with an insanely prescient short story called “The Machine Stops.” The tale features laptop computers, for instance. In the story, every aspect of the world has been given over to the Machine, a sort of coddling, omnipresent mechanical do-everything – built by humankind ages ago and now venerated through habit as a kind of sanguine, secular deity. Every apartment is furnished with a Book that describes its workings and people go to the book for succor when they feel upset or alarmed. There is nothing in the least diabolical about the Machine, but when one day it begins to show signs of malfunction, there is abject terror. In the story, we ultimately have given so much over to the Machine we are no longer whole without it, and its dissolution releases us to a variously horrifying and glorifying new world. Forster wrote The Machine Stops in 1909 When ChatGPT was flung at us in futuristic-sounding 2022, the maddened response was almost poignant. On LinkedIn, the business world went predictably bandwagonesque, folks hurriedly ironing their Business Casual and talking earnestly to the camera about what their AI can offer. The lemming-like gold rush immediately overwrote the magisterial possibilities inherent in the new wonder tech as everyone and their uncle scrambled without embarrassment to squeeze the miracle for its fiduciary juice.
Beings & Doings Page 344
by Richard Mineards
President Trump’s revelation to the New York Post that he would not deport Prince Harry if he was found to have fudged his visa application re: his drug use. Having admitted in his bestselling autobiography Spare that he partook in cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms could not have come at a better time for the Duke of Sussex.
The judge in his U.S. visa case has indicated he is open to releasing “maximum” portions of secret documents regarding the Riven Rock resident’s immigration status.
In a hearing last week in Washington, D.C. Judge Carl Nichol asked lawyers from the Department of Homeland Security to pass on details of redactions they would like to request so he could then consider making some elements public.
The case has been brought by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, after its request under the Freedom of Information Act for a copy of the royal’s visa records was rejected by the DHS.
The organization argues that King Charles III’s youngest son should not have received a U.S. visa due to his history of drug use disclosed in his book.
Judge Nichol said he wanted “maximum disclosure as long as it doesn’t violate privacy.”
But whatever the court decision and the facts it discloses, Harry will obviously not be impacted.
Trump declared “The prince has got enough problems with his wife. She is terrible.”
Presumably he will not be expecting an invitation to tea at their Rockbridge Road estate any time soon...
The Ensemble Theatre Company’s presentation of a vastly entertaining new version of the Bard’s Hamlet, one of his best-known tragedies at the New Vic directed by Margaret Shigeko Starbuck, is not to be missed.
The production is set in modern Denmark with Will Block playing the troubled titular character – with the Shakespearean text of tragedy, vengeance,
betrayal, and madness trimmed considerably and new scenes and script added.
The seven-member supporting cast with Ana Nicolle Chavez as Ophelia, Matt Foyer as Polonius, Rafael Goldstein as Laertes, Corey Jones as Claudius, Paige Lindsey White as Gertrude, Sammy Linkowski as Guildenstern, and Jono Eiland as Horatio is also excellent with the production frequently leaving the stage
Cirque Kalabanté impresses (photo by David Bazemore)
and moving to the aisles amongst the audience.
Elsinore will never be the same. The show runs through Feb. 23.
It was definitely a 90-minute production with a difference when Cirque Kalabanté
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2025, 7:30PM
Sir Antonio Pappano, Chief Conductor Janine Jansen, violin
The legendary London Symphony Orchestra returns to Santa Barbara for a special concert. Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, renowned for his profound musical insight and charismatic conducting, was Music Director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (2002–2023), and named “Conductor of the Year” at the prestigious International Opera Awards in 2023. Internationally celebrated violinist Janine Jansen joins the LSO as soloist, performing on the 1715 Shumsky-Rode Stradivarius.
BERNSTEIN: Serenade, after Plato’s Symposium, featuring Janine Jansen, violin MAHLER: Symphony No.1, “Titan”
Betsy was born on December 21, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois, to Elizabeth Sifers and George Phillips Hollingbery. Raised in Illinois, she and her family were active in the Glencoe Union Church, instilling in her a strong sense of community and service from a young age. She attended Central School Elementary in Glencoe, IL and New Trier High School, Winnetka, IL, where she developed a lifelong love of learning and the arts.
Betsy pursued her passion for art history at Pine Manor Junior College, Boston, MA, and the University of Kansas, earning a BA in Art History. During her college years, she was an active member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority, forming friendships that would last a lifetime. After graduation, she began her career at Living for Young Homemakers magazine, where she applied her talents and creativity.
In 1953, Betsy married Roy S. Edwards, Jr. from Glencoe, IL and together they embarked on a journey that took them from Chicago, IL, to San Marino CA, in 1955, then to Glencoe, IL from 1964 to 1977, back to San Marino, CA from 1977 to 1986 when Betsy and Roy retired in Santa Barbara, CA.
Betsy was a dedicated volunteer, generously giving her time and energy to numerous community projects. She was actively involved in the PTA, The Art Institute of Chicago, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts Boards, Junior League, YMCA Board of Northbrook, Little House of Glencoe Board, Historical Society of Santa Barbara, Music Academy of the West, Friends of the Santa Barbara Public Library, SBCC, SBMA and many more. Her commitment to service and her ability to bring people together made a lasting impact on her communities.
She was a loving and devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, and friend. Her family and friends remember her for her warmth, kindness, and unwavering support. She is survived by her three children, Holly Anne Edwards, John Samuel Edwards III, and Mary Elizabeth Edwards and two grandchildren, Elizabeth Sophie Edwards and Harrison Roy Edwards, her sister Debby Niethammer Roth,16 nieces and nephews; and many dear friends.
Her achievements on the golf course brought her great joy and were a source of pride for her family – a testament to her skill and dedication to the sport she loved. Betsy was particularly proud of her ten holes-in-one!!
Betsy will be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband, Roy, at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, IL. Her legacy of love, service, and community will continue to inspire all who knew her.
Donations can be made to Casa Dorinda Scholarship Fund and Santa Barbara City College Scholarship fund in her name.
Betty (Bachman) Mann Doutt passed away on January 10, 2025, in Santa Barbara, California.
Betty was born in Lewistown, Montana, on January 14, 1932. After her graduation from Fergus High in 1950 she married Peter Aycrigg and moved to Berkeley, California to attend UC Berkeley, remaining in the Bay Area until 1969.
During the 1950s, as Betty Montana she pursued a career as a country-western singer in the San Francisco Bay Area, later changing her name to Betty Mann. In the early 1960s she toured nationally as a member of the Gateway Trio, appearing in college and civic concerts,
– Betty (Bachman) Mann Doutt was an avid enthusiast of the theater, both on stage and otherwise
nightclubs, and fairs across the U.S. and Canada. The Trio recorded for Capital Records and co-starred in the MGM movie Hootenanny Hoot and ABC-TV’s Hootenanny show.
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After the Gateway Trio broke up in the 1970s, Betty moved to Hollywood, where she developed a country-western act which took her on tours of the U.S. and the Far East. Later she toured extensively in Japan with the Montie Montana Wild West Show.
She moved to Santa Barbara in 1976, and in 1979 married Richard L. Doutt, Entomologist and Environmental Attorney. For ten years Betty bred and raised almost every bird imaginable and became quite skilled at rehabbing California quail. She and her husband were also active members of the Farmers Market.
Betty loved the production side of show business almost as much as she enjoyed performing, and spent nearly half of her creative life in the public relations/promotion/marketing field. As a founding member of the Santa Barbara Songwriters Guild, she also handled their publicity. In addition to performing with the Santa Barbara Treble Clef Chorus, she handled all their press. She was a board member of the Santa Barbara Ad Club and was also a longtime member of the Parkinson’s Association and handled all their press as well.
From 1992 through 2001, Betty performed regularly with the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera, and is perhaps best remembered for her roles as Aunt Eller
in Oklahoma! and the comic maid with the crazy vacuum in No, No, Nanette She also appeared locally with many other theatrical groups and local radio and TV commercials.
Betty’s role as publicist and marketer for the Santa Barbara Songwriters Guild soon enough blossomed into yet another facet of her creativity. As she took up writing in earnest, Betty worked away on a memoir of her touring days with the Gateway Trio and spent much creative ink on her beloved birds and the animal kingdom in general – pouring her heart into a written expressionism to match her vocal chops and stagecraft. Betty overflowed with creative feeling and took immense joy in colorfully conveying her art spirit through the written word.
Betty is preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Peter Aycrigg, brother Donald, sister Mary, her second husband of 32 years Richard L. Doutt, and stepson Jeff Doutt.
She is survived by Richard “ Rick ” Doutt , four grandchildren, Jason ; Amy Carolus ( Adam ); Joseph ( Gina ); Jonathan ; four great-grandchildren, and many half brothers and sisters, as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Betty’s ashes will be buried in Lewistown, Montana. No local services are planned.
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by Joanne A Calitri
For week two of Black History Month, we bring our focus to Healing Justice SB, a nonprofit organization that will celebrate its fiveyear anniversary this May.
Founded May 2020 by Krystle Farmer Sieghart, Simone Akila Ruskamp, and Leticia Forney Resch, their mission is, “To uplift all Black African Americans to affirm that they are deserving of safety, love, equity, respect, and joy. We understand that our collective healing and liberation is essential to creating a more equitable Santa Barbara, therefore we center, uplift, and meaningfully create space that empowers ALL Black people including Black LGBTQ+ people, Black people with disabilities, undocumented Black people, underserved Black people, and Black people that speak in African American Vernacular English. In keeping with the principles of a healing justice framework, we demand that self-care be reimagined as collective investment in community care.”
They were featured here in the MJ: https://tinyurl.com/HJSBinMJ
In addition to Healing Justice SB, Ruskamp is a co-founder of Juneteenth SB.
Recently, Sieghart sent her letter of resignation to her co-founders saying, “It is with a heart full of gratitude, reflection, and love that I share my decision to step away from my role as Executive Director at HJSB.”
Ruskamp and Resch are continuing to lead the organization as co-Executive Directors. On behalf of the team and the
Board their press and social media statement said, “With love in our hearts, we move forward and are proud to continue building upon the legacy Krystle helped us create. After much consideration, Krystle shared with us her desire to step back, and we are holding all the emotions for the love, care and intention she has shared with us over the past four years.”
As a nonprofit, they have found community support with fundraising efforts in collaboration with local businesses, like Kyle’s Kitchen in January. Now, Dune Coffee is collaborating with Healing Justice SB to donate 40% of its sales for a special coffee blend – The Healing Justice Blend. This is for all purchases in person and online. 411: www.dunecoffee.com/products/healingjustice-blend
HJSB has monthly events to support families, children, and students. Coming up is their 2nd Annual Black 2 School Family Cookout, on Saturday, April 26. The event is open to all families whose children attend a school in Santa Barbara Unified School District, Goleta Union School District, and surrounding school districts. This event is meant to prioritize and meaningfully uplift and make space for Black African American Youth and their families.
411: https://tinyurl.com/B2SCook
As the team is restructuring, they decided to move their annual Black Is Beautiful Gala from this February to Fall 2025. Details TBA. Additionally, they are recruiting for Board members.
To find out how you can support, join, donate, and receive news, sign up via their website and follow them on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
411: www.hjsb.org/our-collective www.instagram.com/healingjusticesb
by Joanne A Calitri
Your Society Invites gal-Friday is pleased to share the 2025 Legacy Award Winners of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH), who were announced at a trés private soirée called the Leadership Circles of Giving Dinner held at the Fleischmann Auditorium.
This year’s honorees are UCSB Professor Emeritus Michael Glassow, PhD; geologist John Powell, MA; Peter Sawyer, MS, prior faculty in biology and ecology at the Thacher School; and Paul Wieckowski, Frank Schipper Construction Co.
They are recognized for their generosity in helping to sustain the SBMNH and its Sea Center. The Leadership Circles Members support the museum and Sea Center’s education, research, exhibits, collections, and accessibility initiatives.
Glassow is a researcher on the archaeology the Chumash ancestors, the natural world and recently the Central Coast of California. His soon to be published book is said by the SBNMH to, “…be the first of its kind in almost a century, collecting the vast body of knowledge accumulated in the field since the Museum’s first Curator of Anthropology, David Banks Rogers, published Prehistoric Man of the Santa Barbara Coast in 1929.” Glassow has contributed to the work of the SBMNH Department of Anthropology since the 1970s with archaeological literature, often made in partnership with the museum.
Stewarding the legacy of geologist Thomas W. Dibblee, Jr. in the interest of science, industry, and the general public, is Powell, who has served on the Dibblee Foundation
Board for 30 years. Powell worked with the SBMNH to publish Dibblee’s compilation of maps of the geology of over one quarter of California in digital and print formats. For the SBMNH, he also heads field trips to the Carrizo Plain National Monument, where trip participants straddle the tectonic plates on both sides of the San Andreas Fault.
A Sea Center volunteer for 16 years, Sawyer teaches visitors about the marine exhibits, following his retirement from Thacher School in 2009. He shared, “Visitors are amazed at how much information and wonder is packed into such a ‘little’ aquarium. The tide pool exhibition and the Wet Deck rival the experiences our guests would get at the most prestigious facilities.”
The final honoree of the evening, Wieckowski, was instrumental in building the Sea Center on Stearns Wharf. SBMNH Board Chair Salvatore Milazzo lauded his work saying, “Paul has gotten to know every inch of the museum and Sea Center from the inside out.”
411: www.sbnature.org/join/support/ leadership-circles
Joanne A Calitri is a professional international photographer and journalist. Contact her at: artraks@ yahoo.com
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The London Symphony Orchestra’s initial partnership with the Music Academy of the West officially came to its pandemic-paused close a couple of summers ago. But the relationship between the two classical music institutions continues with a three-event, twoday residency starting on February 17. President’s Day kicks off at 1 pm with a violin master class led by LSO principal second violin Julián Gil Rodríguez, featuring three MAW alums and a Q&A session. At 7:30 pm, four LSO musicians – violinists Clare Duckworth and Thomas Norris, violist Malcolm Johnston and cellist Salvador Bolón – are joined by MAW alums Elissa Brown (flute), Kaitlin Miller (harp) and Katelyn Waffer Poetker (clarinet), who are all LSO-MAW exchange winners, for a chamber music concert boasting works by Mozart and Ravel.
On Tuesday night, the full LSO performs at the Granada in a CAMA co-sponsored stateside debut with new Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano, the former Music Director of the Royal Opera House, who took over from Sir Simon Rattle just last year. Dutch violinist Janine Jansen joins to solo on Bernstein’s “Serenade, after Plato’s ‘Symposium’” before the ensemble plays Mahler’s “Symphony No. 1, ‘Titan;’” works by two composers long associated with the LSO.
“We’re all really looking forward to the residency,” said Duckworth, who was part of the LSO’s two most recent visits to town. “Everyone is always quite blown away by the gorgeous campus and facilities, and the students (fellows), who are really great to work with.”
Even if they can be a bit intimidating.
“These young players who are just coming out of conservatory, they’re the ones we’re terrified of because they’re at the top of their game,” said Duckworth with tongue-in-cheek, as she not only participated in similar experiences as a young player in London dreaming of and eventually joining the LSO, but has also extensively worked with youth orchestras as a professional. “They’re playing at an incredibly high level at that stage… But it’s also very exciting to see a piece or a conductor through their eyes.”
While Pappano has previously guested with the LSO, having him as music director has been an exciting shift, Duckworth said.
that same gift of breaking down music for anybody, the way Bernstein did. He’s an amazing storyteller through music with the ability to shape a story within a piece. He is always investigating, always willing to try something different or push a little further. He’s genuinely excited to see where we can go with this repertoire.”
Meanwhile, Monday’s chamber concert on campus will be a chance for Duckworth and her colleagues to shine on classics of the repertoire, but also a chance to reconnect with the MAW alums.
“Hopefully this is a connection we’re going to be able to maintain,” she said. “Because it’s been close to a lot of people’s hearts over the last few years.”
Although there are only three days left in SBIFF 40, much remains to be seen. That includes a third screening on February 14 of The New Yorker Theater: The Talbots’ Legacy. This 26-minute short is about the movie theater founded by the couple – a theater that not only became one of the most influential art house cinemas in the country, but also led to the Talbots becoming pioneers in distributing indie films from around the world, in the process changing American film culture.
Their work certainly changed the short’s director Sergio Maza, who grew up in Argentina watching the esoteric fare on a cable channel that showed independent and foreign movies 24 hours a day.
“I became obsessed, and decided that I wanted to be a filmmaker,” Maza recalled. “So I moved to New York and eventually learned about the Talbots and realized I had to make a movie about them.”
Dan passed away at 91 in 2017, but Maza was able to meet with his widow Toby to help craft his short feature, an actor portraying Dan as the narrator in the informative but charmingly lighthearted movie. The short is meant as a teaser/fundraiser for a full-length documentary.
“I believe, just as the Talbots did in the 1960s, that we need to change the way we see exhibiting in the United States and around the world – to try to better connect this amazing world of people, the directors, with audiences,” Maza said.
“His enthusiasm for the orchestra and the organization and just music in general is really infectious. Tony has
Many other highly anticipated films are still coming up, including another Film on Film entry in the U.S. premiere of
Entertainment Page 244
Three Masters and Friends in a
DoosTrio
Kayhan Kalhor, kamancheh
Wu Man, pipa
Sandeep Das, tabla
Wed, Feb 19 / 8 PM
UCSB Campbell Hall
A new collaboration that highlights the ancient traditions of Iran, China and India in a distinctly 21st century program.
MOMO
Choreography by Ohad Naharin
Tue, Feb 25 / 7:30 PM / Granada Theatre
Music by Laurie Anderson, Kronos Quartet and Philip Glass provides the slow-simmering backdrop to MOMO, a daring new work from choreographer Ohad Naharin, creator of the Gaga movement language and titan of contemporary dance.
Lead Sponsor: Jody & John Arnhold Dance Series Sponsors: Margo Cohen-Feinberg, Barbara Stupay, and Sheila Wald
Fri, Feb 28 / 7 PM / Granada Theatre
“Their tempo was blistering. For minutes at a time, Wang’s fingers moved so quickly they blurred. Ólafsson’s bass pedal notes were thunderous. It’s hard to imagine a more viscerally thrilling performance.” The Guardian (U.K.)
Two of today’s finest pianists team up on technically and emotionally complex piano works for four hands, ranging from John Adams and Arvo Pärt to Rachmaninoff’s nostalgic Symphonic Dances and Schubert’s Fantasia in F minor. Great Performances Suite Sponsors:
by Christopher Matteo Connor
People are screaming it from cinema’s rooftops: it’s been a banner year for animation — critically and at the box-office. And this year’s Oscar nominated animated features are reaffirming that animation is more than just something to keep the kids occupied as the adults do whatever adult things adults do. It always has been. Take a look at films like the infamous black comedy Fritz the Cat, the French experimental sci-fi flick Fantastic Planet, or the personal war docudrama Waltz with Bashir and you’ll quickly get a sense of the wide range of themes, topics, and styles tackled by animation.
This year’s crop of nominated films reminds us that animation has a place in the moviemaking ecosystem – they don’t just have to be family friendly, they can be intellectually stimulating, and stylistically boundary-pushing, too. To carry the cartoon mantle, four of this year’s Oscarnominated animation directors joined Roger Durling in the beautiful Arlington
theatre as a part of SBIFF’s animation panel to discuss their films, as well as the state of animation today. On the panel was: Chris Sanders for The Wild Robot, Kelsey Mann for Inside Out 2, Nick Park for Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and Gints Zilbalodis for Flow.
Entertaining as all these films are, each movie also deals with serious topics. Both The Wild Robot and Flow tackle themes of cooperation, survival, and our place in the world; Inside Out 2 wrangles with a teenager and her emotions as puberty rears its hormonal head; and Wallace & Gromit takes on the dangers of AI, manifested as a garden gnome turned evil.
In this film lover’s humble opinion, it’s Flow that takes the cake for being the most compelling of the bunch. Following a group of unlikely animals trying to survive an apocalyptic flood, director Zilbalodis manages to create a visually stunning piece of art, with a naturalism and organic quality not often seen in animated works. Choosing to mostly restrain from anthropomorphizing its computer-generated furry cast, Zilbalodis was still
able to create an incredibly moving fable that transcends its dialogue-free animal characters. It results in a piece that really resonates with something deeper. And while it’s a surprisingly existential film, it’s certainly suitable for all ages.
As Durling rightly observed, Zilbalodis and his fellow panelists have not only shown us animation’s capacity to deal with serious topics, but were also remarkably innovative. In a big win for fans of the democratization of technology and filmmaking, Flow was created on the free open-source software, Blender. And Chris Sanders implemented an immersive painterly style, while Nick Parks continued on with his old school handmade claymation. Is this a good sign of the times to come?
Chris Sanders feels hopeful: “I think the really exciting thing that’s going on right now is that I feel technologically we’ve come out of a tunnel. Everything’s possible again. I really do feel like we’ve reconnected with animation’s origins in the most amazing way possible. I think the future is really and truly thrilling. Individual styling is wide open now. Everything is possible.”
In a world that feels increasingly overrun by faceless corporations and technology with no human touch (Wallace and Gromit, care to comment?) it often feels like the art and media with which we engage all blends together and feels lifeless. With The Wild Robot’s tangible painterly quality; the handmade claymation of Wallace & Gromit; Inside Out 2’s refreshing take on a teenager’s struggle with her emotions and changing body; and finally Flow’s
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organic naturalism created on a platform free to everyone, it feels like these filmmakers are pushing the boundaries and fighting against the homogeneity that’s dominated the industry for far too long. Hopefully other animators and filmmakers are taking note.
-Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance
Most Fowl – Free Screening at Marjorie Luke Theatre on February 15th @ 10 am. Also streaming on Netflix.
-The Wild Robot – Free Screening at Marjorie Luke Theatre on February 15th @ 2 pm. Also streaming on Peacock.
-Flow – Available to rent, and coming soon to The Criterion Channel
-Inside Out 2 – Disney+ and available to rent
Christopher Matteo Connor is a writer and filmmaker. When he isn’t writing, watching movies, and working on projects, you can be sure he’s somewhere enjoying a big slice of vegan pizza.
JULY 22 ND THRU AUG 8TH CONTINUES....
HOURS:10 UNTIL 5:30 MONDAY THRU SATURDAY
by Steven Libowitz
Last Sunday night, actor Clarence Maclin spoke to a sold-out Arlington Theatre audience at SBIFF’s Virtuosos Awards about why he had spent years co-writing and then acting in Sing Sing, the feature film up for Best Picture at next month’s Academy Awards. The movie depicts his earlier life, when he was sentenced to 17 years for robbery and found an outlet and healing by participating in Sing Sing prison’s revolutionary Rehabilitation Through the Arts program.
“The message of this movie to the people on the other side of the prison’s walls is that people in prison are just that –people,” Maclin said. “They have the ability to change, to grow, to see something other than what’s in front of us inside.”
Husband-and-wife psychologists David and Bonnie Paul founded Freedom to Choose around 20 years ago (courtesy photo)
said Forrest Leichtberg, the Project’s Executive Director. “There are in-person workshops twice a year at each institution, and monthly support groups that provide participants with the opportunity to continue practicing the curriculum that focuses on working with triggers, healing from traumas and developing interpersonal communication skills.”
It’s hard to accurately measure with data the impact of Freedom to Choose programs, but there’s one yardstick that can’t be denied. Two of the seven full time employees at the organization are actually former inmates – and alumni who partook of the Freedom to Choose program while they were incarcerated.
That’s nothing new to The Freedom to Choose Project, the Santa Barbarabased nonprofit that for more than 20 years has been equipping participants in its programs – who almost exclusively are individuals incarcerated in California state prisons – with a palette of essential life skills, including conflict resolution, nonviolent communication, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, positive choice-making skills and self-awareness.
The prison program began as what was originally planned as a one-off workshop at Valley State prison, with a bare-bones curriculum developed by Santa Barbara husband-and-wife psychologists David and Bonnie Paul. Twenty years later, Freedom to Choose has led in-person programs for more than 7,200 members of the prison population, providing over 225,000 hours of in-person education, impacting rehabilitation and reintegration and reducing recidivism in every state prison across California as well as the Santa Barbara County Jail.
“We have served a lot of people who have been able to find a new way in their life by utilizing the skills to get out on parole and become contributing and productive members of society,”
Eddie Torres, now the nonprofit’s Education & Project Coordinator and part of its facilitation team, was nearly a decade into his 17-year sentence for a violent crime when he was exposed to Freedom to Choose shortly after being transferred to Valley State in 2016.
Just like a stirring scene in the movie Sing Sing, he called an inmate he recognized by his gang moniker, Lazy, when he ran into him at Valley State.
“He told me, that’s not my name anymore,” Torres recalled. “I couldn’t believe it. This guy was with me at another prison for three years and he was a knucklehead, not into rehabilitation or self-development, awareness, remorse or anything like that. But when he told me, ‘it’s true, I’m changing my life’, it sparked my curiosity.”
It was only about a week later that Torres attended the Freedom to Choose weekend workshop in the gym, and those first moments are still as fresh in his mind as the day it happened.
“There were 80 volunteers dressed in civilian clothes with huge smiles greeting everyone, which I’d never seen before,” he said. “I was very nervous, and not really ready to be very vulnerable.”
But when he spent time in his first Trio – the three-person format employed by the in-person program – he found himself softening.
Giving List Page 324
Comedian, Activist and Environmentalist Baratunde Thurston
Climate Justice and Environmental Stewardship
Thu, Feb 27 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall
Event Sponsor: Patricia Bragg Foundation
Justice for All Lead Sponsors: Marcy Carsey, Connie Frank & Evan Thompson, Eva & Yoel Haller, Dick Wolf, and Zegar Family Foundation
Celebrating 33 Years in Santa Barbara Two Nights! Two Programs!
Award-winning Business and Finance Journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin Inside the Minds of Today’s Changemakers
Sat, Mar 1 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall
Event Sponsor: Gary Bradhering & Sheraton Kalouria
Supporting Sponsors: Jennifer & Jonathan Blum and Laura & Geof Wyatt
Wed, Mar 5 & Thu, Mar 6
7 PM (note earlier start time) / Arlington Theatre
Curated and hosted by Roman Baratiak, A&L Associate Director Emeritus
Major Local Sponsor: Justin Brooks Fisher Foundation
From Executive Producers Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton Facing the Falls
Screening and Q&A with the Filmmakers
Tue, Mar 11 / 7:30 PM / UCSB Campbell Hall / FREE (registration recommended)
Justice for All Lead Sponsors: Marcy Carsey, Connie Frank & Evan Thompson, Eva & Yoel Haller, Dick Wolf, and Zegar Family Foundation
by Ashleigh Brilliant
Among the songs that Frank Sinatra made famous was one called “The Way You Look Tonight.” I have always thought that such an expression was sickeningly sentimental. Personal attraction, besides being the essence of species perpetuation, is a highly solipsistic matter. Of course it relates to gender. But it also hinges upon all five of our senses, and the degree to which they are developed in each individual. Nevertheless, to many of us it is extremely important how we look to others. And this is by no means a recent phenomenon. What has changed, and what keeps changing, however, are the rules and standards by which we judge what looks good, beautiful, or attractive. Somewhat strangely, it has been found by the people – or by the machines who analyze these things – that in terms of physical beauty, the best in structure is the average. The nose and ears are not too large or too small, the chin is not too prominent or too receding – and so on.
But to a certain extent, these standards are modified over time by a constantly changing type of judgment known as “Fashion,” for which – as is proverbially said of “Taste” – there is virtually no accounting. Why was there, historically fairly recently, a time when men wore wigs – and another era when ladies wore bustles? How did it once come about that gentlemen were known for their shapely legs, and ladies wore black spots on their cheeks?
Sometimes a change in fashion can be more clearly accounted for by the behavior of outstanding society leaders, particularly of the “Royals.” One good example goes back to the early years of the last Century, when a British King, Edward VII, was attending a sporting event, where there was a patch of ground which happened to be particularly muddy. At that time, men’s trousers were fashionably long, reaching down to the shoes. Not wishing to get his own pants muddied, the King turned up the bottoms to make “cuffs.” This started an enduring style. For decades, men’s nether garments always featured cuffs (despite the fact that this sartorial ornament created a catch-all for small bits of dirt and debris).
But with the emancipation of women, it was they who, in the cause of “beauty,” became the chief market for all kinds of substances to be applied – particularly to the eyes, lips, nails, hair, and many areas of the skin. “Cosmetics” became a huge industry. “Beauty Parlors” for women became as numerous as “Barber Shops” were for men.
One of the campfire songs I remember had a series of verses about ways you can’t get to Heaven – and one verse says:
“Oh, you can’t get to Heaven In powder and paint, ‘Cause the Lord don’t like You as you ain’t.”
Regardless of the Lord’s alleged preferences, changing your face artificially is big business in many countries around the world – especially the more prosperous ones, and especially among women. One (to me) astonishing example is the black substance called Mascara, which in various forms, and with various types of applicators is used near the eyes, supposedly to improve their appearance.
Then there are all the different kinds of lipsticks and face-powders. There must be a huge profit margin between the cost of producing these substances and the price the consumer pays. Part of the gap is filled by the many, often very creative, forms of packaging. These usually have little or no meaningful relationship to the product they house. (The same might be said about perfumes, but we’re dealing here only with looks, and not with smells.)
And of course, there is that special non-medical form of reshaping mainly facial features, known as cosmetic (or plastic) surgery, which many medical school graduates have found much more lucrative than any form of healing. Those people with time and money can afford to become discontented with the profile of their nose or the natural appearance of their lips. They can be further motivated by the words of such songs as Jerome Kern’s “They Didn’t Believe Me,” which offers a virtual catalog of features to be conscious of:
“And when I told them how beautiful you are…
“Your lips, your eyes, your cheeks, your hair, Are in a class beyond compare...”
Finally we must acknowledge the eternal connection between the food of love and the love of food – as celebrated in that immortal expression:
“Hey, Good-Lookin’, Watcha got Cookin’?”
Michel Gondry: Do It Yourself, a sly take on the life and career of the Oscardecorated filmmaker best known for writing and directing Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Also recommended: I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol, about the British “disruptor” punk band; Mistress Dispeller, where you can hire a professional to go undercover and break up a lover’s affair; and I’m Your Venus, in which the three New Jersey brothers team up to reopen the unsolved case of Venus Xtravaganza, the 23-year-old star of the 1990 voguing documentary Paris is Burning
Perhaps the timeliest film in the festival still has two screenings left, as Democracy Under Siege makes its North American premiere from February 12-14. The documentary from the Oscar-nominated filmmaker Laura Nix (Walk Run Cha-Cha; The Light in Her Eyes) connects our present-day crises with roots in American history via commentary with A-list political observers examining executive overreach, judicial ethics, and a media environment saturated with disinformation. The film –which was obviously completed before
the new administration took power in January – is spearheaded by political commentary with Pulitzer-prize winning editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes, who just left the Washington Post last month when one of her pieces was cut. The synopsis says the film uses innovative dark humor to dive into how democracy faces a renewed backlash, culminating in fears of an actual authoritarian takeover. Perhaps Nix and Telnaes, who will do post-screening Q&As following the screenings, can point to how that isn’t already happening.
Also timely are the twin entries about firefighting and wildfires, both of which will be showing over the last days of SBIFF. Incandescence and In the Red have screenings February 13 and 14. With the latter making its world premiere, a huge contingent of filmmakers as well as several of the subjects – young men who got into early trouble but turned their lives around through a program that offers rigorous training to become firefighters – will also be on hand to support and share their experiences.
And don’t forget… all of Saturday’s slots – save for the closing night film – are initially left open, to be filled by additional screenings for SBIFF’s award winners and other popular films. Check the app or boards at the theaters for updates.
Meanwhile, if you still want to see The Brutalist prior to Oscar nominated stars Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce being interviewed and honored with SBIFF’s Cinema Vanguard Award on February 13, you’ll have to scurry to Paseo Nuevo or Calle Real cinemas. SBIFF’s screening slated for that day has now been moved to the following morning at the Riviera, although Brody, still the Oscar front-runner, is sticking around town to do another Q&A at the end. The three hour-plus period epic about visionary architect László Toth just dipped from Best Picture favorite due to Anora’s stunning sweep of the DGA and PGA awards last Saturday.
Kevin Costner, perhaps Padaro Lane’s most popular performer (and director, etc.), is heading back to SBIFF, this time to premiere Beyond the Horizon, the behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of Costner’s passion project Horizon, whose sequel had its U.S. premiere last week. Costner and doc director Mark Gillard will do a Q&A after the 9 am screening on February 13…. Montecito’s own megastar Oprah Winfrey has been tapped to present the Montecito Award to Oscar nominee Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) on Valentine’s Day, which will surely be a labor of love for the longtime friends and co-stars in 2013’s The Butler and 2014’s Selma
Just three days after the film festival wraps, there’s a screening of
the latest output from The Odyssey Project at UCSB, which is sort of Santa Barbara’s version of the theatrical program in the Oscar-nominated movie Sing Sing . The incarcerated youth participants leverage storytelling and theater modalities to look at their lives through a heroic lens rather than a criminalized one –using themes from Homer’s Odyssey to explore the challenging elements in their lives and to reimagine the epic poem in their voices. The film
A Trojan Woman juxtaposes the raw, real-life narrative of Shanice D. – a young woman incarcerated at 17 for two murders and one attempt – with the ancient tale of Cassandra, the tragic heroine from Euripides’ The Trojan Women . Facing the camera, the two women – prisoner and prophet – share stories about their lives, aspirations, and regrets while reflecting on their conditions, as well as the current state of youth incarceration in the U.S. The February 18 screening will be followed by a discussion with director Luc Walpoth beside UCSB professor and Odyssey Project creator Michael Morgan about the intersection of teaching, art and activism, and about fostering community engagement in academia.
Visit www.classics.ucsb.edu/event/a-trojanwoman-screening-and-discussion Cycling Without Age , the local doc shot on the streets and bike paths of Santa Barbara, follows retired teacher John Seigel Boettner and his group of volunteers who use pedal-powered rickshaws to give rides to those who have lost the ability to pedal themselves. Through the intimate moments of these rides, the film presents a unique portrait of aging, asking audiences to consider the importance of the outdoors for those who are all too often trapped inside. A panel discussion featuring the filmmakers, Seigel Boettner, and leaders from the local community will follow its Carpinteria premiere at the Alcazar Theatre on February 19.
by Steven Libowitz
Dive into a unique Reiki-infused sound bath with guided hypnosis in Yoga Soup’s ongoing Sunday Soundscape series every third Sunday of the month (February 16; $35). The 75-minute journey with Danielle Elese focuses on harmonizing our internal waters, the element that comprises most of our bodies. Sound has a profound impact on water, affecting its behavior and structure, influencing the human body in a multitude of ways, down to the blood in our veins. Elese elicits the healing through a soundscape that combines 432Hz crystal bowls, Tibetan sound bowls, chimes, gong, percussion, vocal toning and song with a guided hypnosis visualization.
On February 23, the sound series sports a musical sensory experience with Avatara that begins with a brief science-based meditation aimed deep into the heart. This meditation can help those who are curious about adding something new to their practice that may assist in healing and manifestation goals, potentially reduce blood pressure, and allow stress to melt away. Avatara provides sacred sound, light therapy and medicinal aromatherapy via large gongs, gem-infused 432Hz crystal singing bowls, Tibetan singing bowls, native flutes, drums, rattles, drone soundscapes, vocals and more.
The next event at Yoga Soup’s Enhanced Embodiment Series – which helpfully mashes up plant medicine and movement – takes place February 15 ($35). The event combines a simple ritual based on Kanna –a heart-opening and mood-boosting South African succulent – with the more intensely physical activity of mashing, a form of barefoot massage. Kanna, which has been used for 300 years by San and Khoikhoi people living in South Africa, works to improve focus and other cognitive functions while treating anxiety, depression, and chronic pain thanks to its ability to inhibit serotonin reuptake. Participants will learn about – and then have the opportunity to experience – the gentle effects of the plant. They will then learn the techniques and engage in a session of mashing; a practice meant to create deep, relaxing and lasting effects in the body by compressing muscles and connective tissues with the strong pressure and broad surface area of the feet. Attending with a partner is recommended but not required. Yoga Soup is at 28 Parker Way in Santa Barbara. Details and registration at www.yogasoup. com/events
Alternate Friday mornings at the Summerland store, studio and gardens are set aside – for an immersive sound bath with Brandon Kaysen aimed at helping participants reach a deep state of relaxation while regenerating the body, mind and spirit. The cost is a bit steeper than at other studios, but that’s partly because each session is limited to just 10 people, with Kaysen – who has more than a dozen years of experience – at the helm. Mats, blankets and hot tea are provided. Following the sound bath, enjoy the peace and beauty of Sacred Space’s gardens.
Ten is also the limit for a Breath & Sound event ($65) with Madeleine Pizey on February 22, when the facilitator will offer a guided circular breathwork practice complete with soothing sound healing and hands-on reiki support. The combination is meant to create a swift journey to help participants disconnect from the busy mind to reconnect with the body and heart, resulting in feeling relaxed and at home in your body. (Pizey also leads weekly Yin + Sound events – gentle yoga sessions bookended by brief sound bowl experiences every Monday night back at Yoga Soup.)
Sacred Space also offers a donation-based Community Meditation –guided by Reiki healer Guille Neal at the shop’s outdoor covered workshop space. Offered on a sliding scale — pick your donation amount from $1 to whatever feels right – the goal of the event is to provide an opportunity for peacefulness, relaxation and a deeper connection with your inner guidance. Registering in advance is recommended. For more info visit www.thesacredspace.com or call (805) 565-5535
Over at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center, Jim Davis leads a 75-minute sound bath meditation on Valentine’s Day evening ($30), a deep resonance event held by candlelight. Davis provides the soothing vibrations of crystal singing bowls tuned to 432Hz, enchanting melodies from instruments like the Baglama and Ebow guitar, resonating gong, gentle tones of Koshi Chimes, ethereal sounds of the kalimba, rhythmic ocean drum, and his own harmonious vocalizing. The session
finishes with a collective meditation for peace followed by a cup of tea. Info at (805) 965-6045 or www.santabarbarayogacenter.com
Tickets remain available for the Sacred Earth-Sacred Soul evening talk and morning retreat at All Saints-by-the-Sea, in Montecito February 14-15. On that occasion, the wisdom teachings of John Philip Newell and the spiritual practices of Cami Twilling will combine to summon us to an awareness of the sacredness of Earth and of every human being; keys to transformation and healing in our lives and world.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/AllSaintsHeal for more details and registration
The Human Awareness Institute, which several years ago shortened its name to its initials, underwent a COVID-spurred transition to become a largely online enterprise. HAI – whose active communities span North America, Europe and Australia – had previously offered several in-person sessions annually to introduce its workshops on love, intimacy, communication and connection These were frequently
held in Santa Barbara and environs. Today, online is the best way to experience HAI’s Intro to Intimacy workshop, short of traveling to Michigan or beyond. Newcomers and returnees are invited to experience a taste of the transformative power of opening your heart and shedding all judgment and shame over the 150-minute workshops slated for February 22, March 8, and April 5. The safe, fun, supportive and welcoming environment is meant to help participants uncover the essential ingredients to inviting more love and connection into your life and cultivating happy, healthy and loving relationships. Or you can just dive right into an in-person Connecting in Love (Level 1) weekend event in Northern California, with workshops scheduled for February 21-23, April 21-23, or May 30-June 1. Visit www.hai.org
Steven Libowitz has covered a plethora of topics for the Journal since 1997, and now leads our extensive arts and entertainment coverage
by Elizabeth Stewart
sends me photos of two pieces of a five-piece set of covered dishes circa 1900 by Copeland Spode. Both the style and the form of the dishes – indicating the use to which they were put – point to the late 19th to early 20th century This is the British Edwardian period, so beloved of period drama shows.
The four covered dishes and one central tureen were collectively called a Canterbury, and designed to rotate on a lazy Susan positioned on the sideboard of a 1900 English country manor house’s
breakfast room. The servants would fill these dishes and set this out at 9 am along with silvered chafing dishes and other covered serving pieces. Aristocratic diners would serve themselves from that antique mahogany sideboard, dating from the 18th century from the Georgian period. A separate side table was employed to hold hot drink urns and hot dishes that required braziers. Guests of the house were expected to bring their full plates from the sideboard to the breakfast table around 9:30 am. The servants were not expected to be seen until breakfast was finished.
Breakfast was a time to discuss the events of the day to come, which typically revolved around outdoor activities such as the hunt, tennis, or croquet. For that reason, it was acceptable to show up for breakfast in sport clothes. In 1905-1912 hunting was popular on the country estates; all kinds of game were pursued and prepared in the kitchen. By the 1920s, because of the international flavor of WWI, the world became a bigger place gastronomically speaking – French omelets were added to the rich game served at breakfast.
The delicacies that each of the five pieces contained indicate a flavor of the era. The types of entrees, popular amongst the wealthy in England in 1900, represent the beginning of the famous English “fry-up,” familiar to anyone who has stayed in a bed and breakfast in England with a “full” 9-10 am breakfast.
In 1900, the Canterbury might have contained any one of these: bacon, black pudding, sausage, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, kedgeree (haddock), kippers, cold joints, potted fish, cold game or ham, veal and ham pie, game and rump steak pie, tongue, mutton chops, rump steak, broiled sheep’s kidneys, bread fried in drippings or goose fat, galantines, cold grouse, cold pheasant, cold ptarmigan, whiting fish, devilled kidneys, or fish in shells. Porridge was eaten wherever one stood. Sir Harold Nicolson, (18861968) – a member of the Edwardian aristocracy, a premier British diplomat and former member of the House of Parliament – wrote about the English Manor House breakfast in his book Small Talk: “In the archetypal country house breakfast, porridge was eaten negligently by people walking about the breakfast room and watching the rain descend upon the Italian-style garden outside the windows after the many main courses.” Insouciance comes to mind...
Recipe books were published by late Victorian females such as Isabella Beaton, and included instruction on the proper English way to entertain. Luncheon was served formally at 1 pm and it could be presented on the sideboard or served by
the staff. Tea was formal at 5 pm with sweet buns, then the gong would go off at 6:30 pm indicating it was time to dress for dinner; then cocktails at 7 pm – and a formal English style dinner at 8 pm.
Reading the list of what Edwardians ate for breakfast from the Canterbury set, I wager they were LARGE people; to eat this way at breakfast would pack on the pounds. Historians of this style of eating, however, opine that the inhabitants of the drafty ancient country homes needed to consume calories because there was NO central heating, and 1900 England was colder than it is today.
The makers of the Canterbury –Copeland Spode – established an English crockery business as far back as 1700, when the main ingredient for porcelain was discovered in Cornwall. By 1880, English ceramic factories added ground animal bones to the slurry for stronger porcelain, hence the birth of BONE China. Josiah Spode went from apprentice in 1754 to owner of a ceramic factory in 1776. He modernized his factory by introducing mechanical pottery tables and transfer printing on China (like decals; no longer was hand painted porcelain necessary). He opened a shop for the aristocratic buyer in London in 1788, employing William Copeland who – at least as enterprising as Spode –bought Spode’s business in the mid-19th century. The Canterbury was made in 1900 under both names. The value of the set is $600 because it is complete after 125 years. We don’t eat what it held in 1900, however!
Elizabeth Stewart, PhD is a veteran appraiser of fine art, furniture, glass, and other collectibles, and a cert. member of the AAA and an accr. member of the ASA. Please send any objects to be appraised to Elizabethappraisals@ gmail.com
highlight the spacious layout.
The kitchen has been thoughtfully updated with custom cabinetry, granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances and flows nicely into the open living and dining areas. Both bedrooms offer excellent privacy, generous space, built-in custom closets, updated bathrooms and serene views.
135 Pomar Lane – $5,795,000
This single-level contemporary home is tucked behind mature hedges in Montecito’s coveted Hedgerow neighborhood, just blocks to the Rosewood Miramar resort and within the Montecito Union School District. The fully remodeled 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home is on a low traffic, somewhat hidden lane resting on a level, usable parcel with mature landscaping and off street parking for guests. Inside, elevated interiors, high ceilings, a chef’s kitchen and meticulous details abound.
The front gardens offer outdoor living with an expansive patio, barbecue, sprawling lawns, and a Zen Koi pond to enchant visitors. Complete with French Oak wide plank floors, all-new interior doors and windows, and multiple skylights - each space in the open yet intimate floor plan offers understated elegance. The primary suite enjoys garden views, French doors to a private patio, and an en-suite bathroom. Step outside to discover a picturesque setting for al fresco gatherings, centered around the custom outdoor fire pit near a peaceful water fountain, all nestled beneath the shade of a soaring magnolia tree.
109 Rametto Road – $15,750,000
Reminiscent of Hollywood’s ‘‘Golden Era,’’ this magnificent 1920s Montecito estate boasts breathtaking ocean/island views and embodies a rare blend of stunning architecture and unmatched quality. Originally constructed for C.K.G. Billings
and designed by the renowned architect Carleton Winslow, this palatial property overlooks the Montecito Club and Bird Refuge. Seamlessly uniting seclusion and proximity, the property is close to world-class restaurants, upscale boutiques, and pristine beaches.
Featuring grand bedrooms, libraries, offices, living and dining spaces, with 10 fireplaces and 14 bathrooms, every facet of this residence exudes regal splendor. The pool area evokes the ambiance of both the Beverly Hills Hotel and the legendary Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle, offering sweeping Pacific Ocean/Channel Island vistas, expansive terraces, and lavish dressing rooms. Elevating entertainment to unparalleled heights, the home enjoys an envy-inducing game room, a remarkable home theater, and an exquisite wine cellar. “El Descanso” stands as a testament to luxury living from a bygone era that will endure for generations to come.
$26,000,000
Perched at the pinnacle of Montecito at the top of the Golden Quadrangle, this incredible ocean-view estate offers an epic lifestyle. Nearly 360° views of the ocean, foothills, and Channel Islands stretch from Malibu to the Santa Barbara harbor, creating a visual canvas that is sure to impress even the most discerning eye. Additionally, this A+ address is adjacent to and overlooks the beloved San Ysidro Ranch, known for its world-class dining, gardens, and spa.
The classic residence offers a flexible floor plan with open and impressive common areas and offering seven bedrooms and 12 bathrooms in approximately 14,000 square feet of living space. A two-story atrium greets guests with a dramatic sense of arrival. Gracious public spaces open up the view and foster a sense of indoor/ outdoor living. Upstairs, walls of glass in the spacious primary suite let you overlook the whole of Montecito. Outside, level grounds and multiple entertaining area destinations enjoy the sweeping collection of views. What makes this listing so incredible is the profusion of level and usable outdoor areas, an uncommon feature of estates in the hills, and all within the Montecito Union School District as well.
by Gabe Saglie
It’s going to be extra festive at this year’s World of Pinot Noir event. The annual party celebrating Burgundy’s most famous red grape – a multi-day affair that has been luring industry bigwigs and thirsty consumers alike ever since it was launched along California’s Central Coast in 2001 – turns 25 this year! Fêted across the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Bacara with myriad seminars, dinners and grand tastings, WOPN (“whopping”), as insiders call it, runs February 27 through March 1.
Pinot noir’s appeal is multi-faceted. Winegrowers love the challenge: the thin-skinned grape is finnicky, extra susceptible to things like weather and soil conditions, but always generous in the wine it delivers. Oenophiles love the results: a pervasively elegant drink defined by red fruit, earthy and spicy flavors but also buoyed by complex subtleties and intriguing nuances. Well worth celebrating indeed. And though other places on the planet, like France, Australia and Oregon, also host events in pinot’s honor, it’s WOPN that’s considered the most prestigious of them all.
More than a hundred wineries from all over the world descend on WOPN each year, creating of a lineup of consumer experiences aimed at educating, enlightening and entertaining. This year’s silver anniversary milestone adds even more buzz.
Events can be purchased as an all-weekend affair or à la carte.
Thursday’s Opening Night’s Party ($200) is always extra fun, with winemakers making their initial appearances, reconnecting with friends and setting expectations for the wine-fueled moments to come. Guests sip on free-flowing pinot noir and sparkling wines and nosh on gourmet treats by Bacara’s culinary teams.
Friday and Saturday each feature a pair of morning seminars ($175). These are a chance for pinot lovers to geek out a bit – intimate gatherings led by somms and winemakers that allow the curious consumer to delve deeper into pinot’s prowess. Friday’s options include “The Pinnacle of Pinot Noir: West Coast Grand Cru Vineyards,” a journey through the iconic brands from California and Oregon, and “California, Oregon and White Burgundy: A New World Take on a Classic,” an international tasting of pinot’s white sister, chardonnay. Saturday presents “Global Blind Taste Challenge: A World of Pinot Noir,” with guests blind-tasting 12 wines to decipher geographic distinctions, and “Sparkling Wine and Champagnes: Classic, Sophisticated and Timeless,” with a bevy of pinot-based bubblies.
Both days also feature intimate, multi-course wine luncheons ($175) featuring top-tier brands like The Hilt, Joseph Phelps and Bricoleur. And then there are the
WOPN’s Opening Night on Thursday, Feb. 27, will be an indoor/outdoor event featuring dozens of pinot producers from around the world (courtesy photo)
spectacular dinners ($275-$500), held at various Bacara settings and featuring story-driven feasting with labels like Kosta Browne and Domaine Serene. One of Friday’s big draws, the “Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Dinner,” with limited seating, will feature vintage LP champagnes not available through retail, and some stellar standouts, like the Grand Siècle Iteration No. 26, which critic James Suckling crowned the No. 1 wine of 2023. Saturday’s “Vintage Burgundy Dinner” will pop the cork on premium French pinot noirs curated by WOPN’s powerhouse sommelier team.
The luncheon options throughout WOPN offers a culinary deep-dive into pinot noir wines and their unique food-friendliness (courtesy photo)
If you’re going to do just one WOPN event, it would have to be the Grand Tasting ($175, or $300 for early entry) held both Friday and Saturday afternoons inside Bacara’s main ballroom. This is where the hundred-plus wine brands descend in full force, each pouring multiple vintages and special bottlings, and winemakers connecting one-on-one with the throng of wine fans who’ve traveled here to get up close and personal with pinot noir. This means a lot of wine. I navigate it geographically, focusing on pinots from international regions I don’t usually get to sip. And then I always end with my Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Sonoma county faves.
And in honor of 25 years, the Grand Tastings will also feature a new Bubbles Lounge, doling out sips of sparkling and dollops of caviar. Fancy. And for even more elevated moments, the VIP Private Lounge, hosted by Foley Family Wines and Sonoma’s Davis Bynum, will feature specially curated food-and-wine pairings.
There’s also a wonderful regionally inspired musical element to the three-day feast, including the blues/funk/Americana sounds of San Luis Obispo-based Moonshiner Collective, the Flamenco and jazz sounds of Spanish guitar duo Calé, and the eclectic soul, hip-hop and country vibes of Central Coast native guitarist and vocalist, Jon Millsap.
Want it all? The Weekend VIP Passport provides all-access, including the Thursday night opener and your choice of seminar, luncheon and dinner both Friday and Saturday, and early VIP access to the Grand Tastings each day. It’s priced at $2,250 per person.
Get your tickets and more info – including details on the exclusive silent auction of premium wine lots that will open for preview on February 21 – at WOPN.com. And follow updates on social – @worldofpinot.
In preparation for WOPN, and for this story, I waded through a delicious batch of pinot noir wines, all of which will be featured throughout WOPN this year. Here are a few standouts well worth seeking out when you go!
- 2019 Center of Effort Pinot Noir: A recent find for me, this Edna Valley wine is sustainably farmed and features a clean, fresh mouth feel and lovely flavors of cherry, pomegranate, and chocolate.
- 2022 El Lugar Pinot Noir: Another new one for me, the grapes for this wine come from Bien Nacido Vineyard and delivers flower aromas and tastes of red berries and earth.
- 2022 The Hilt Estate Pinot Noir: A standout wine from Santa Barbara County’s Sta. Rita Hills, this wine is deep and silky, with a savory flavor profile that’s deliciously balanced by refreshing acidity.
- 2023 Davis Bynum Russian River Pinot Noir: This top-line pinot from Sonoma County is concentrated and velvety at once, with a delicious blend of oak and cherry flavors.
- 2023 Rodney Strong Limited Tier Pinot Noir: I’m sipping this Russian River Valley wine as I write this story, and loving its juicy extraction, splashy mouth feel and delicious flavors of ripe red berries and spice.
- 2022 Chalone Vineyard Pinot Noir: A wonderfully aromatic wine that’s layered yet approachable, with tasty plum, vanilla and oak flavors.
- 2022 Talley Estate Pinot Noir: Made by Brian Talley, one of the founding winemakers of WOPN, this textured wine is supple on the tongue and teeming with cherry, berry, and leather notes.
- 2022 Four Graces Dundee Hills Reserve Pinot Noir: This elegant wine from Oregon is bright and graceful, with flavors of berries, earth, and vanilla.
- 2021 Laetitia Sparkling Brut de Noirs: This sparkler, from the beloved Central Coast bubbly producer, is brilliant and dazzling, with tart tasty citrus and red fruit notes.
- Champagne Piaff Brut Non-Vintage: A wonderfully classic French bubbly –made from equal parts pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay – is yeasty up front and delivers fresh apple and quince flavors.
See you at WOPN! Cheers!
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by Joanne A Calitri
The Montecito Association (MA) Land Use Committee (LUC) February meeting was held Tuesday, February 4, at the Montecito Library community room and on Zoom. The meeting was called to order by its Chair, Dorinne Lee Johnson . Attendees were the LUC members, Montecito residents, MA ED Houghton Hyatt , and Chip Wullbrandt of Price, Postel & Parma attorney representing Ty Warner ’s Four Seasons Biltmore; SBC Public Works Director Chris Sneddon ; Mostafa Estaji of SBC Public Works; Abe Powell of Bucket Brigade, Amy Alzina , Superintendent/Principal Cold Spring School; Aida Thau representing 1 st District SBC Supervisor Roy Lee ; Ryan Power , Montecito YMCA ED.
First up was Wullbrandt with the status of the Biltmore project. He thanked the LUC and Montecito Association, Thau, Sneddon, and his contractors. Wullbrandt adding, “We have started to dig the main larger swimming pool and have put in the proper drainpipes to secure it from the rains. Next week we can start the children’s pool, then the island and the pool shell. The rest of the project is going well. Ty has offered to pay for the repairs to the stairways that lead to Butterfly Beach from Channel Drive. We would like to get that done before summer and then work on the Hill Street project. The Coral Casino opened a temporary kitchen for members while Thomas Keller ’s restaurant is being worked on. I am privileged to work for Ty, he saw the Miramar’s swim platforms, and he wanted to have swim platforms across from the Biltmore this summer. They will look like a giant monarch butterflies which is now an endangered species. We were required by SB County (SBC) to preserve the two cottages that were moved from the parking lot across the road, to do a historic report, a second historic report, and a peer review of both of the reports. SBC requires us to preserve the cottages and recommended to keep them as close to the site as possible. Ty owns the Breakers area and will put the two cottages there – each are 2,500 square feet to equal one 5,000 square foot house. MBAR wants us to move the driveway and paths around a bit.
My personal goal to the contractors is the swimming pool be done by end of May. The challenge is the 130 employees, to get the opening date, and get everyone trained.”
Second was Sneddon who presented uninterrupted on the Montecito Paths Project. He had a slide show on the history of the paths and right-of-way. Sneddon, “There are guiding laws on transportation that we use at the SBC Public Works (PW) – ADA compliant, engineering design standards, the Montecito Community Plan (MCP), policies, etc.” He further discussed the pathway history. In 1992 Montecito Community Plan was created and in 1995 it was updated to include creating walking paths in Montecito, except no concrete paths or commercial paths. In 2005-07, the MA, Montecito Schools and stakeholders created a walk to school report and program. In 2010, MA adopted a pathways policy to accommodate safe pedestrian access. In 2011, PW made the bridge at Montecito YMCA, and the first paths on San Ysidro Road and N. Jameson to Montecito Union School. Detainments on the paths were PW’s focus on the two Montecito roundabouts, and the 2018 debris flow. In 2019 PW contracted with the Bucket Brigade – who has built two miles of paths – to do the remaining paths due to the SYR path having been very expensive. There are two main Road Right-of-Ways: Fee Owned Road Right-of-Way, where the property is owned by SBC and they pay the costs. The second is the Easement Right of Way, where the private property owner owns that area and has to pay for directives from PW. Anything in the Road Right-of-Way has to have a permit to be there. Encroachment Permits are revocable. Montecito is unique in that there are no concrete paths and there are many informal trails. If it’s a path that PW is building, it needs to be ADA compliant. The informal trails in Montecito are historic and don’t have the same requirements; it’s just about maintaining what’s there.
Sneddon concluded with clarifying why PW hired the BB saying, “Public Works working with the Bucket Brigade falls under the SBC Community Partnership roadway enhancement permits. It’s a streamline permit and you can get to work quickly. For the Montecito Neighborhood Trail, BB worked with the stakeholders on priorities. That includes lots of differ-
ent trails, but PW is working on what’s in the road right-of-way. The BB is bringing a lot of resources to the table, money and people, outreach, making the projects faster. SBC PW builds concrete paths and does the grading for the paths.”
Johnson moderated a heated Q&A from the LUC Board and residents:
Q. What is the Design Review Process going forward?
Chris Sneddon (CS). Get a plan submitted, get it reviewed to meet the standards, and SBCPW goes out in the field during construction. Paths are not as rigorous as building a bridge.
Q. What is the mechanism for public input?
CS. Because of the MCP, there is a template for that. These paths are more built area by area. We already have the design template from the SYR path, and the design standards from the SBC. We [PW and the BB] work on it neighbor by neighbor to minimize impact. At San Leandro, lots of door knocking and a public meeting was held.
Q. What is the process to determine where to build the paths?
CS. Technically we should be building them on every street. From the SBC perspective, our priority is safety, highest priority is safety for pedestrians, kids to school and senior centers, next is high volume roads and third is connectivity of roads that have pedestrian users or trail networks.
Q. Who has the responsibility of trail maintenance?
CS. Generally the BB strategic plan process is maintenance. If something happens in the future, and it falls in the roadway, PW is responsible. Call us, we will figure out who is responsible and get it fixed.
Q. Where can people find info about the responsibilities of the property owner?
CS. It’s on our website. We do struggle getting the info out, but if there is residential turnover, they may not know. We walk people through the permit process.
Q. How are you getting around ADA compliance?
CS. The paths PW builds are ADA compliant. Hot Springs, Olive Mill, SYR – those are ADA compliant. There are informal trails that are not PW projects, like trails a property owner built, so they may not be ADA compliant. The minute PW spends money on it, it is necessarily ADA compliant.
Q. What about insurance in case anyone gets hurt, and water/drainage issues? The hedgerow is there for a reason, and there is no good reason to rip it out.
CS. There’s a couple issues. We start with a basic layout. Engineers review the complete package and during construction. Sycamore Canyon needs a closer look.
Putting paths in is not a flood control project, they are pedestrian projects. It’s vastly safer to walk on the paths and not the roadway. A path project does not fix flood control in Montecito, and we look at it to not make drainage worse in Montecito. I’m not going to talk about liability – anybody can sue anybody at any time. It comes down to how can you assign risk. We maintain the public road right-of-way. If someone puts something out there, they take on the risks of encroachment. We follow our design standards and practices for infrastructure, we minimize liability and risk. There is no such thing as ‘I have no liability.’ SBC is never going to sign an agreement that you are indemnified. [Wullbrandt agreed with Sneddon.] In an ideal world from the SBC perspective, everything would be done to standard and anything interfering, or an encroachment, would be taken away. We are complaint driven – reviewing and correcting those that do not meet our standards. What I will say is none of these paths the SBC is involved with are on someone’s property. If someone does put a path on their property, they need to have that reviewed.
After Sneddon’s discussion, Powell addressed the LUC. “The important piece of history is that the MA adopted a policy that asks homeowners to clear five feet in front of their property to make room for people to walk, especially for children as part of a safe walk to school. It’s only fair to ask the question of the MA Board – are you asking people to do something with your policy that involves liability? Your pamphlet asks people to do this [he shows the MA board a pamphlet]. We, at the BB, out of the goodness of our hearts for the children and their parents, are trying to create safety for them. Please lead, follow or get out of the way for the safety of the kids.”
Next was Alzina. “There’s liability in everything. Let’s focus on what we can do, and that is to make what we currently have safe for our kids. Is it perfect? No. Will it ever be perfect? No. But we have people willing to do the work. We at Cold Spring School want to work with you.” A Crane Country Day School parent said, “My kids go to school here and we value these trails so much for safety and thank the MA for having the trails. I was on the Crane School Board when we passed a resolution in favor of the trails five years ago.”
411: www.montecitoassociation.org
by MJ Staff
As one of the most visible legislative representatives of our 37th district, Assemblymember Gregg Hart has this past week provided accurate information regarding two important issues facing California: funding efforts for recovery from the Los Angeles fires and resident’s rights regarding DEI and immigration.
Hart reports that California Legislators are continuing to support disaster preparedness statewide. On January 23, the CA Legislature approved a $2.5 billion funding package to jumpstart recovery efforts in Los Angeles. Federal Government support is needed and being counted on for state agencies and first responders. Governor Newsom issued executive orders to streamline permitting to assist with rebuilding, push back tax deadlines for affected residents and more.
Hart extended formally his appreciation to the first responders, National Guard members, relief workers, community volunteers and all people who have selflessly served the residents of Los Angeles in their time of need.
He stresses everyone sign up for Emergency Alerts on their phone. Next, review the information on the Santa
Barbara County Fire Safe Council website regarding their education and outreach safety programs. There is info on Home Evaluations, Defensible Space Assistance, Community Chipping laws, Wildfire Education, and more.
Hart further adds, “The State of California supports the work of our local agencies to prepare for fire hazards and winter storms with vegetation management by hand crews, prescribed burns, the identification of defensible space for homes and the clearing of debris basins ahead of rain events.”
411: For disaster assistance, document replacement, returning home, as well as free debris removal by March 31, 2025, visit www. ca.gov/lafires/
Hart explains the concern and California’s laws on DEI and Immigration: “The policies of the new presidential administration have instilled fear in many members of our community. The Legislature has recognized the negative consequences of heavy-handed immigration enforcement policies, especially the erosion of trust between essential services and immigrant communities. California state law provides a number of safeguards to support immigrant communities. To make sure people feel comfortable calling for emergency help when they need it, California law prohibits police officers from enforcing feder-
al immigration law or asking people about their immigration status. State law also ensures access to education and emergency medical care regardless of immigration status and protects student and patient information from federal immigration enforcement.”
M411: For the complete list of Immigration Rights in California, go to the California Attorney General’s website: https://oag.ca.gov/ immigrant/resources
Assemblymember Hart Santa Barbara Office phone: 805-564-1649; Email: Assemblymember.Hart@assembly.ca.gov
Threats / Depot Road
Wednesday January 29, at 21”12 hours
Reporting Party (RP) called to report her ex-boyfriend had verbally threatened her.
Domestic Disturbance / 1000 block Alston Road
Thursday January 30 at 2149 hours
Deputies responded to a domestic disturbance. The male was arrested and booked into SB jail.
Gun Shots / 600 block Toro Canyon Road
Friday January 31 at 2224 hours
Deputies responded to the area of Toro Canyon and spoke with a single RP who reported hearing three gunshots. RP believed the shots came from the residence to the north of his home. Deputies checked the home and spoke with two residents who stated they had also heard the gunshots but stated they had not come from their home. Origin of the gunshots remained unknown at press time.
MONTECITO WATER DISTRICT NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING ON ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE 100
Tuesday, February 25, 2025 9:30 A.M.*
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Montecito Water District (District) to be held on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 9:30 A.M., the Board will consider the adoption of Ordinance 100, an ordinance adopting an administrative remedies procedure for challenges to rates, fees, charges, and assessments.
At the meeting on February 25, 2025 the public shall have an opportunity to be heard by the Board of Directors concerning the proposed ordinance.
*The meeting will be conducted in person at the District office located at 583 San Ysidro Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Members of the public can also participate remotely. Remote participation information will be available on the meeting agenda posted at the District office, on the website www.montecitowater.com, and by calling 805-969-2271.
Published February 13, 2025 Montecito Journal
ORDINANCE NO. 25
ORDINANCE OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE MONTECITO SANITARY DISTRICT ESTABLISHING COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 20
WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code section 6489 authorizes the Board of Directors to adopt an ordinance pursuant to Water Code sections 20200 et seq. in order to compensate each director above the amount established in Section 6489; and WHEREAS, on October 13, 2022, Ordinance No. 20 established the compensation to be paid to directors; and
WHEREAS, Water Code section 20202 authorizes the Board to adopt an ordinance to increase compensation in an amount not to exceed five percent of current compensation for each calendar year after the operative date of the last adjustment; and
WHEREAS, director compensation has not increased since the adoption of Ordinance No. 20; and
WHEREAS, the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Directors requires substantial time to carry out District business; and
WHEREAS, notice of a public hearing was published pursuant to Government Code section 6066 and Water Code section 20203; and
WHEREAS, the public hearing on the adoption of this ordinance was held on January 13, 2025, as required by Water Code section 20203.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that:
1. Compensation. The standard and maximum compensation of each director of the Board shall be $254.00 per day for each day of attendance at a regular or special meeting of the Board, a meeting of a standing or ad hoc committee of the Board, or for each day’s service rendered as a Director by request of the Board, not exceeding a total of six days in any calendar month.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 27th day of January, 2025.
AYES: Directors Glaser, Johnson, Newquist, Ohlmann, and Ellwood T. Barrett II
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
Published February 13, 2025 Montecito Journal REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS SUMMARY
Proposals due at 2:00 PM on Friday, March 14, 2025 for:
INDEFINITE DELIVERY-INDEFINITE QUANTITY “AS NEEDED” CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS TESTING SERVICES – 3 YEAR CONTRACT TERM WITH COUNTY OPTION TO EXTEND ADDITIONAL 2 YEARS
Project Number(s): VARIOUS
General work description: CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS TESTING (QUALITY ASSURANCE)
Funding Source(s): State, Local
The RFP is available at https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/portal/43874/portal-home
All RFP questions are due Friday, March 7, 2025 by 2:00 PM and must be submitted via PlanetBids Confirmation of receipt will be provided. RFP questions and answers will be posted on the County PlanetBids website.
The cumulative total pages for the proposal must not exceed 30 pages (minimum 12 font size, single-spaced). Page count limit is exclusive of cover letter, blank pages or tabs, and required forms (i.e. Attachment A Agreement Cover Sheet, Attachment B Contractor Information Sheet, Resumes, etc.).
Proposals must be submitted electronically through PlanetBids by the deadline above.
The County hereby notifies all proposers that it will affirmatively insure that in any agreement entered into pursuant to this advertisement, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, or disability in consideration for an award. You are encouraged to employ craftsmen and other workers from the local labor market whenever possible to do so. Local labor market is defined as the labor market within the geographical confines of the County of Santa Barbara, State of California. This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the California DIR. Prevailing wages are required on this Proposal. The State DIR Director determines the general prevailing wage rates which can be obtained at the DIR website at https://www.dir.ca.gov/
All times are 2:00 PM unless otherwise noted. Proposals must be received prior to or on the date due. Proposals received after the due date and time or received at the wrong location are considered nonresponsive and shall be rejected.
Published February 13 & 20, 2025 Montecito Journal
“That night when I fell asleep, there was a sense of peace, a sense of something that was stirring inside of me to seek more.”
The next day was even more impactful, Torres recalled.
“It found something I had been searching for my entire life going back to being a young boy – unconditional love. No judgment, no advice, just the quiet presence of safety and compassion. I opened up and then I just broke down in tears.”
Torres was able to participate in the first cohort of the monthly program at Valley State Prison, working the exercises and moving through segments on respectful communication, confirming understanding, managing emotions and more.
“The pinnacle of the Freedom to Choose curriculum for me was working with your inner wounded child, being able to go back and talk to my little self and what he wanted or needed,” he recalled. “Being able to heal those wounds and go through all the developmental stages for me was life changing.”
More than six years after he first encountered Freedom to Choose, Torres was granted parole at his first opportunity. Shortly afterward he ran into another former inmate who was working at the nonprofit, began volunteering as an intern and was hired full time early last year.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Ride the Bark Bus, 546 Asilomar Way, Unit 104, Goleta, CA 93117. Jonathan D Eymann, 546 Asilomar Way, Unit 104, Goleta, CA 93117. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on February 5, 2025. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2025-0000326. Published February 13, 20, 27, March 6, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Fountain Square of Lompoc; Tharon Lompoc LLC, 1420 W North Ave, Lompoc, CA 93496. Tharon Lompoc LLC, 5967 W 3rd St Suite 360, Los Angeles, CA 90036. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on January 16, 2025. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2025-0000148. Published February 13, 20, 27, March 6, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: The Wine Country Cowgirls Polo Team, 606 Alamo Pintado, 351, Solvang, CA 93463. Matthew B Orr, 606 Alamo Pintado, 351, Solvang, CA 93463. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on January 31, 2025. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2025-0000295. Published February 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025
“Freedom to Choose allowed me to understand myself, to be able to dig deep and heal myself from the traumas and abuses, learn to be vulnerable and authentic and to feel safe within a community,” Torres said. “I have the strength to work on a healthy self-esteem, understand my boundaries, be able to communicate and seek help when I need it.”
So deciding to work at the organization was a no-brainer.
“Early on, there was a volunteer at Valley State who had been incarcerated there, and he was a co-facilitator who told us, ‘I used to sit in that chair where you are,’” said Torres, who is still on parole. “That instilled the hope that change is possible. I’m so grateful to be able to give back what was given to me.”
With its low overhead, the vast majority of donations to Freedom to Choose goes directly towards making a difference. But there’s always also a need for more volunteers – which over the years have numbered more than 1,000. More volunteers would allow the nonprofit to expand its work to more prisons more frequently, in addition to affording volunteers themselves the chance to experience firsthand the difference you can make.
Visit https://freedomtochooseproject.org
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: House of Brutal Power Building Gym LLC; Strength Crews; House of Brutal Power Building Gym, 865 Perry Ct, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. House of Brutal Power Building Gym LLC, 865 Perry Ct, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on January 29, 2025. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2025-0000271. Published February 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Home Cleaners Santa Barbara, 14 Romaine Drive, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. Glenda V Oliva, 14 Romaine Drive, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93105. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on January 30, 2025. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2025-0000273. Published February 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT:
The following person(s) has (have) abandoned the use of the Fictitious Business
Name(s): Dr. Greenthumb’s Orcutt, 1604 E Clark Avenue, Suite 101, Orcutt, CA, 93455 East Clark SB OPCO LLC, 4675 MacArthur Ct FL 15, Newport Beach, CA 92660. This statement was originally filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on April 8, 2022. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL), filed January 29, 2025. Original FBN No. 2022-0000936. FBN 2025-0000260. Published February 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: All Booked Up, 5659 Stinson Way, 101, Goleta, CA 93117. All Booked Up, 5659 Stinson Way, 101, Goleta, CA 93117. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on January 16, 2025. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2025-0000157. Published January 30, February 6, 13, 20, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Evoke Design Studio; Evoke Design; Evoke; Evoke Studio, 636 West Ortega Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Evoke Interiors, PO Box 1104, Santa Barbara, CA 93102. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on January 7, 2025. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2025-0000042. Published January 23, 30, February 6, 13, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT: The following person(s) is/are doing business as: Santa Barbara Senior Real Estate Planners; SB Home Prep; Santa Barbara Senior Move Manager; Your SB Rentals, 5276 Hollister Avenue, Suite 263, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Rachel A Quittner, 5276 Hollister Avenue, Suite 263, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Santa Barbara County on December 18, 2024. This statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the Office of the County Clerk. I hereby certify that this is a correct copy of the original statement on file in my office. Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk (SEAL). FBN No. 2024-0002957. Published January 23, 30, February 6, 13, 2025
by Scott Craig, photos by Brad Elliott
Aclass in international politics during his first semester at Westmont inspired David Shiang to consider a career in public service. Now a senior, he serves as student body president following a prestigious summer internship at the White House.
The son of Taiwanese immigrants, David grew up in Los Angeles and chose Westmont largely because he won a Music Guild Scholarship as a pianist. He planned to major in economics and business until the class with Katherine Bryant , assistant professor of political science, altered the course of his education.
He became Page Hall senator, the only first-year student on the Westmont College Student Association (WCSA) Council, after his peers encouraged him to join student government. “For the first time, I felt what it was like to represent my constituency,” he says.
David embraced that first foray into politics, writing biweekly updates about his team’s progress, enrolling in the Westmont Leadership Development Program, participating in academic senate committee meetings to voice student opinions, and organizing COVID care packages with Bible verses and candy for students.
When the college considered renewing the food service provider’s contract, David helped bring change to the Dining Commons. “I went to Biola and Chapman with other students to see
what people thought of their food providers,” he says. “Bon Appetit seemed to be the best, and my team pursued that option with the administration.”
He learned the value of facilitating community events, such as a session he organized to inform students about the college’s counseling and psychological services. He also spoke in chapel during National Suicide Prevention Week after a friend from home took her own life. “I want to look out for the next generation of Westmont students,” he says. “We’re all coming from different places around the globe, and it can be hard. People sometimes feel they don’t have a place here, and I wanted to check in on them and make sure they’re OK.”
He won the David K. Winter Servant Leadership Award as a sophomore. A student who nominated him said, “David actually knows everybody’s name on campus. Not just students in his grade or in his classes. David is very intentional about knowing people well.
I think he has modeled Paul’s message of hospitality in a spiritually gifted way.”
Another wrote, “David is compassionate and personable, offering support to all. [He] is extremely humble, offering his time in relatively unglamorous ways. His actions are not showy or meant to impress; rather, he is a standout person by the way he lives.”
At the end of his sophomore year, David applied for and won an internship with Congresswoman Julia Brownley, whose district includes Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
“My favorite part was talking on the phone and telling people the congresswoman cared about them,” he says. “Even if they were affiliated with a different political party, we made sure they felt seen and heard. I wrote down their information for the congresswoman to read and helped them with casework, such as expediting passport applications.
“At the end of this position, my supervisor told me to shoot for the moon
with the next chapter in my career. She encouraged me to seek an internship with the Senate or the Supreme Court.”
At his sister’s suggestion, David applied and interviewed for an internship at the White House, landing a nine-week stint with the Vice President’s Correspondence Office beginning June 10. He found a place to stay in Washington, D.C., through District Church, where Provost Kim Denu previously served as interim director. “It’s a testament to the relationships Westmont students have with faculty and staff,” David says. “We’re united by our love for this community and our love for Christ, and we help each other out.”
At his office in the mailroom, David listened to the voices of the American people, filed gifts from foreign officials and the general public, and developed draft communications conveying the priorities of the Biden-Harris administration.
He also volunteered for White House events, including the Fourth of July celebration with President Biden.
“Hearing from people from all parts of the country who love America – this place of opportunity – encouraged me,” David says. “I was part of a channel of communication informing people that the vice president hears them – that America’s government works for them regardless of party affiliation.”
As WCSA president, David strives for unity on campus regardless of political leanings. He organized a non-partisan voter registration drive and hosted a presidential debate-watch party with Michael Wear of the Center for Christianity and Public Life.
“What does it mean to be believers in Christ who love their neighbor?” he asks. “We must not ignore issues that exist. I talk to people I disagree with on multiple issues, but we’re brothers and sisters in Christ, and Americans.”
Senior guard Adrian McIntyre scored 51 points shattering a Warrior record
that had stood for 70 years and propelling Westmont to a key overtime 89-99 win against Point Loma on February 8th McIntyre’s outburst bested the 46 points of Westmont legend Tine Hardeman, who died December 2nd at age 92.
The victory keeps the Westmont men’s basketball team in the hunt for the sixth and final playoff spot in the PacWest Conference with five games remaining. McIntyre, a Sylmar native who transferred to Westmont from Ventura College in the 2023-24 season, drained 17 of 25 shots from the floor with one 3-pointer and 16 free throws.
Westmont honored Hardeman, who retired in Santa Barbara and was a fixture at the basketball games sitting in the front row behind the scorer’s table, on December 14 in Murchison Gym.
In its home opening weekend, No. 25 Westmont baseball (5-2) took all four games from San Francisco State (1-4). Catcher Shane Hofstadler hit .714 in the series to raise his overall batting average to .429, while infielder Michael Soper hit .470 in the series sweep. Local talent Jesse Di Maggio (Dos Pueblos) and Isaac Veal (Bishop) each added a home run to their season totals. Hawaii Pacific (2-3) pulls into Montecito for a four-game series beginning Saturday, February 15, at 11 am at Carr Field.
Then came the species-hobbling reflex. We realized in a jiffy that AI could compose songs, paint pictures, write plays and essays. A guy online brayed that he had AI write his girlfriend a love poem. “She never knew!” he cackled without irony. Yeah, congrats, Romeo.
The pundits (or pundints, as many are known to say – a galling mispronunciation that’ll soon be codified by the silica-enhanced Large Language Laggards) are still mostly waving aside concerns about AI breaking out of the lab and turning Keanu Reeves into a human battery –The Matrix thesis. “C’mon, people – that’s just bad science fiction,” we’re laughingly scolded. Whew! Good to know!
But the End of Everything concern is more to do with our excitedly handing AI the Keys to the City, and with very little prompting. The City is creativity. Yeah, throw all the accountants and cancer researchers and aerospace engineers out of work if you must (and the frantically excited jumping up and down seems to suggest We Must), but leave the creative space out of it. Anything composed, painted, or written by a machine is intrinsically lesser. The eons-long accidental stumbling of carbon-based animals into inexplicable artistic expression – please tap the brakes before you give away this last, tenuous hold on what makes us human. As for bidness, the usual incentives are at play. Your boss loves you, but her mandate is to grow the company and please its proximal stakeholders (if you hadn’t noticed). That’s why 250,000 workers can be summarily laid off to satisfy the fiduciary brow-furrowing of a “board.” It is our common misfortune that a machine has no spouse, no children, no need for healthcare –neither for those Wednesday all-hands lunches on the corporate lawn, where a deeply-felt esprit de corps once reliably grew the family and its shared mission, organically furthering the company’s heart-driven excellence. Buh Bye,
heart-driven excellence. AI will prove to be the workforce Grim Reaper, the dark cloak and scythe replaced with a laudably photorealistic portrayal of the CEO tearily waving goodbye. Hey, it’s just business.
H. G. Wells had a word or two in his dystopian downer The Time Machine, in which a man cast some 800,000 years into the future finds that humankind has bifurcated into two related but now utterly distinct species; the Eloi, fey idiots who lounge around in flimsy togas, eating plates of fruit and staring numbly at each other – and the Morlocks, hideously retrograde creatures who live underground, provide for, and feed on the Eloi. Wells’ novella emerged from the generally dyspeptic attitude among British intellectuals about what the Industrial Revolution portended –yes, class divisions made starker by the new industrialized ruling titans and the profound subjugation of the worker. But the novel’s keynote is a declining human species fatally nullified by technology.
As T. S. Eliot writes in concluding his happy-go-lucky poem “The Hollow Men;”
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but with a whimper.
* Not to put too fine a point on it.
Jeff Wing is a journalist, raconteur, autodidact, and polysyllable enthusiast. He has been writing about Montecito and environs since before some people were born. He can be reached at jeff@ montecitojournal.net
performed at the Lobero, part of the popular UCSB Arts & Lectures series.
The show, Afrique en Cirque, was created by Yamoussa Bangoura, a multidisciplinary artist of Guinean origin, who eventually joined his country’s Circus Baobab touring Africa and Europe.
In early 2000 he went to Canada joining Cirque Éloize, a Montreal-based company, and also performed with Cirque du Soleil and Cavalia, a circus with horses.
In 2007 he launched his own company, recruiting many of his family members including twin sisters, brothers and cousins.
A highly entertaining and true family affair...
Former ballerina and photographer Jenna Reichental hosted a Palm Royalethemed belated birthday bash thrown by her husband Avi at their Toro Canyon Jenavi Vineyards for 80 guests.
Oozing chic and elegance befitting a Palm Beach, Florida crowd, the boffo bash drew on the Apple+ TV series, starring Montecito comedienne Carol Burnett and high society in the beach resort in the ‘60s.
Among the oh-so tony crowd were Rick Oshay and Teresa Kuskey, Adam
McKaig and Melissa Borders, Robert Adams, Marsha Kotlyar, Kim Pelonis, Heather Biles, and Beth Esrey
The Breakers couldn’t have been better...
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next month, opened its first exhibition of the year – Above Your Dreams by local artist Kevin A. Short, which runs through May 11.
The colorful exhibit of more than 40 oil paintings showcases Short’s deftness at capturing fleeting beauty and the power of sunlight through vibrant impressionist brushstrokes and rich colorful palettes.
Short, who loves surfing, sailing and fishing, studied oil painting at the University of New Mexico, Pepperdine University in Malibu, and the Art Center College in Pasadena.
Emily Falke, museum curator, says, “Kevin’s work beautifully captures the essence of light in a way that evokes emotion. We know visitors will find a deep connection to the scenes, especially those familiar with the Pacific coast.”
Among the 217 guests checking out the artwork were Greg Gorga, Sigrid Toye, Pamela Lutz, Jarold and Susan Bartz, Rebecca Berkus, John and Sue Burk, Linda Buesch, Sabrina Papa, Mark Chung, Fred and Nancy Golden, Jon Jackman, and Richard and Mary Compton
Netflix has vowed to stand by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after their projects garnered disappointing ratings, particularly dire reviews of Prince Harry’s recent polo documentary. Among growing rumors the streaming giant wants to part ways with the Riven Rock duo, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria insists the company remains “excited” with the prospect of future projects with Harry and Meghan Bajaria is confident Meghan’s new lifestyle cooking series With Love, Meghan, which is scheduled to air in March, will be a hit.
every four months. “We all lead secret lives in some way or other. There is an increasing global audience. In due course we plan to do one in Chinese!”
“It is such a great take on a lifestyle show for California, Montecito and nature. It really had great takeaways. I was like ‘Oh, my God. I really want to do that pasta.’ They are really great takeaways on life,” stated Bajaria Bajaria, who was speaking at the 2025 Next at Netflix preview event in Los Angeles, also revealed Meghan is working on a screen adaptation of the bestselling romance novel Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune which remains “in development.”
What excellent timing!
The Belmond El Encanto just launched a cinematic speaker series which happily coincided with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The series featured Ojai-based scriptwriter and producer Stephen Cornwell, son of prolific spy novelist David Cornwell, who used the pseudonym John le Carré when he wrote such bestsellers as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy
Stephen, with his former venture capitalist brother Simon, founded the Ink
Factory, bringing their father’s characters to film and TV in such features as The Constant Gardener and The Night Manager “Espionage is always very compelling,” he told the 50 guests, attending the first event in the series, which will take place
estate in Portugal at the age of 88.
The vastly rich religious head of the Ismaili sect of Islam, which has as many as 15 million members, he inherited his title from his grandfather in 1957, aged just 20, and was believed by his followers to be “the bringer of life” and a direct descendant of the prophet Mohammed.
We met in Porto Cervo on Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda, a luxury resort Khan developed whose marina features berths for 700 yachts. At the time of our meeting I was sailing the Mediterranean on Aiglon – the 57-meter schooner of the late Prince Johannes von Thurn und Taxis, whose family founded the Bundespost, Germany’s postal system.
Khan had also been given the rank of His Royal Highness by the late Queen Elizabeth, who shared his love of horse racing.
I used to know the celebrated author quite well given he lived near my Cornish cottage in the village of St. Buryan and we would see each other at the local pub, The Logan Rock in Treen.
The talk was moderated by Andrew Gumbel of The Guardian , whose former editor Alan Rusbridger , I worked with at the Cambridge Evening News in the ‘70s.
A small world indeed...
Santa Barbara warbler Katy Perry was even more electrifying than usual when a transformer exploded while she was signing autographs in Hollywood last week.
Katy was about to make her 13th appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at the El Capitan Entertainment Center to publicize her 76-date The Lifetime Tour that kicks off April 23 in Mexico City when she walked over to the fan fence to sign photographs and other memorabilia.
A member of her fan base grazed her elbow against the transformer, briefly setting her coat on fire, but fortunately there were no injuries.
On a personal note, I remember Karim Aga Khan, who just died at his
His horse, Shergar, which won the Epsom Derby in the U.K. in 1981, was stolen by gunmen in Ireland in 1983 and never seen again.
When he attended Harvard, after studying at the Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland, his fellow students dubbed him “Jesus” given his religious status. When I asked him what I should call him given his lofty rank and royal title, he replied: “Please call me K.”
A charming, urbane individual whose foundation, funded by the 10% tithe his followers pledged annually, gave billions to charity over the years.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada... Orlando Bloom at the Critics’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles... Actor Josh Brolin at Pierre Lafond.
Pip! Pip!
From musings on the Royals to celebrity real estate deals, Richard Mineards is our man on the society scene and has been for more than 18 years
by Steven Libowitz
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13
SYR en Rouge – Valentine’s isn’t just a chance to romance your special someone… it’s also a moment to share with your gal pals. This Thursday, San Ysidro Ranch will be the best place to celebrate your girlfriends with a specially themed Galentine’s Afternoon Tea along with a DIY bouquet station and personalized card writing. Follow tea with some stronger libations as the Plow & Angel hosts a Galentine’s Night celebration. Double back the next night with your special someone and relish in the ambiance and a special four-course prix fixe menu at the Stonehouse Restaurant. Enjoy such delicacies as almond-crusted quail breasts and Santa Barbara spiny lobster as you prickle with passion next to your beloved. Keep the love going all month long with a special Valentine-themed menu at the intimate Speakeasy at Plow & Angel, complete with a curated selection of small bites, craft cocktails, and pours of Chateau St. Marguerite rosé. And know that the sips with your sweetheart will show love elsewhere – 14% of all proceeds from these Speakeasy favorites will be donated to support Los Angeles fire relief efforts.
WHEN: 1:30-3:30 pm Afternoon Tea, 5 pm Speakeasy; 5-8:30 pm Valentine’s Day dinner
WHERE: San Ysidro Ranch, 900 San Ysidro Ln
COST: $115 Afternoon Tea; $260 per person (+$150 for wine pairings) Valentine’s Dinner INFO: www.sanysidroranch.com/dining
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14
Valentine’s Day Sweethearts Show – SOhO’s early evening entertainment isn’t just for cozy cooing couples to cuddle up to, it’s also performed by half a dozen pairs of local musicians in their own romantic relationships. Donna Greene & Greg Loeb; Hans Betzholtz & Lisa Starr; Irene Fredricey & Jim Thomas; Jan Ingram & Henry Garrett; Michael Andrews & Jessica Bortman; and Misha Osborne & Scott Branch will sing a sumptuous set of love songs for listening and looking into each other’s eyes. The show is a benefit for Keep the Beat!, one of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation’s programs supporting music in the schools. For a more energetic evening, stick around for the late show, when local funksters Area 51 – who by the way do fine covers of some Tower of Power songs – play one of their mostly monthly gigs at the club.
WHEN: 5 & 8:30 pm
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14
Broken Hearts Revue – The surly and cynical set might want to wander into the crimson depths of Wildcat Lounge for Fishbon’s special anti-Valentine’s Day event, a variety show featuring comedy, dance, poetry, aerial act, skits, games and more all on the theme of broken hearts and meant to “metaphorically tear Cupid’s bow out of his pudgy hands and stomp it into smithereens.” There’s something for every cursed couple – from acts that can distract your date from realizing how utterly incompatible you are, to something to show your cold-hearted lover you’ve moved on. Those whose hearts have already been halved may want to come prepared with a true (under-60-seconds) tale of heartache and woe, thus competing in Broken Hearts Storytime – in which the most pitiful tale, as chosen by the audience, will be rewarded with a $50 cash prize. Or you may opt to embrace your empowerment in a competition to give the best lap dance to Fishbon’s giant stuffed teddy bear. The dress code is red, so suit up in all your sartorial splendor for Fishbon’s stylish and sensational celebration of the duplicity and fragility of the human heart. You don’t even need to bring your own tissues, as the cocktail napkins are plentiful at the bar.
WHEN: 7-10 pm
WHERE: Wildcat Lounge, 15 W. Ortega St.
COST: $20
INFO: www.fishbon.org
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15
Dickson Dishes with Glisson – Jane Dickson’s particular focus – on paintings and drawings that explore the psychogeography of American culture – was forged in the crucible of New York’s late-70s counterculture, where she participated in the artist collectives Fashion Moda, Collaborative Projects Inc., and Group Material. Working figuratively from her own photographic snapshots, especially of New York’s Times Square (where she lived for nearly 30 years), Dickson portrayed strip clubs, diners, motels, sex workers, and their seemingly straight-laced foils – suburban homes, neatly edged driveways, and gray flannel businessmen. Dickson’s approach has social realist painting colliding with postmodern feminist cultural critique, yielding paintings that are simultaneously representational and conceptual. A featured artist in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s exhibition In the Making: Contemporary Art at SBMA, Dickson discusses her work this afternoon with James Glisson, SBMA Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art. WHEN: 3:30 pm
WHERE: Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St. COST: $15 general, free for students and teachers
INFO: (805) 963-4364 or https://tickets.sbma.net
WHERE: SOhO Restaurant & Music Club, 1221 State Street
COST: $15-$20 and $15-$18 for Area 51
INFO: (805) 962-7776 or www.sohosb.com
Funk for a February Friday – The legendary Oakland-birthed band Tower of Power continues to build on its half-century-plus legacy of recording and producing some of the most enduring funk hits in history. The ensemble still features founding members Emilio Castillo and Stephen “Doc” Kupka heading a 10-member band known for their horn section and distinctive blend of funk, soul and R&B. The band’s history spans 54 years of records from East Bay Grease to last year’s holiday album It’s Christmas. For a funky Valentine’s Day concert, head up to the Chumash Casino Resort for Tower of Power’s return to the Santa Ynez showroom. WHEN: 8 pm
WHERE: Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 E. Hwy. 246, Santa Ynez
COST: $39-$79
INFO: (800) CHUMASH (248-6274) or www.chumashcasino.com
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15
Summer Solstice Posters – Take a gander at the output of artists competing for the coveted honor of creating the official poster for the upcoming 51st annual Summer Solstice celebration in June. The artists are working with the 2025 theme of Wild World and encompassing the wonder, whimsy, and fun of Solstice for the opening of the contest and artist reception tonight, appropriately, at Wylde Works. Visitors can not only view the work, but vote on their choice for the official poster. The Solstice poster artwork will be on display through the February 22 closing reception, and then be viewable online as voting continues through February 27.
WHEN: 5-10 pm
WHERE: Wylde Works, 609 State Street
COST: free
INFO: www.solsticeparade.com/event-details/poster-art-contest
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15-SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16
Going for the ‘Gold’ – The Santa Barbara Symphony celebrates the centennial of the classic Charlie Chaplin film The Gold Rush, bringing the silent film’s onscreen action to life through a perfectly synchronized live performance of the score as the film is projected on the Granada’s state-of-the-art screen. Chaplin himself composed the music for the 1942 re-release of the 1925 film, a comedic tale set during the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 19th century with Chaplin’s iconic character of the Little Tramp venturing to Alaska to seek his fortune, only to encounter the usual series of challenges and misadventures. Lucas Richman, a composer and conductor whose credits include wielding the baton for the film score soundtracks to As Good
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20
The Formidable Formosa – For two decades-plus, the Formosa Quartet has forged uncharted musical terrain in performances that one critic called “beyond the beautiful and into the territory of unexpectedly thrilling… like shots of pure espresso.” The founding members’ original interest in championing Taiwanese music (and that of other Indigenous cultures) has since expanded to include the exploration of the rich folk traditions and heritage found in America today, and mining the depths of the standard quartet literature. Tonight’s concert will feature performances of Bach’s “Four Contrapuncti” from the Art of Fugue and Schubert’s “String Quartet No. 13 in A Minor: D. 804, ‘Rosamunde,’” as well as an installment of the Formosa Quartet Set – an assortment of shorts from the ensemble’s collection of folk, pop, jazz and poetry arrangements. The set is specifically curated for each concert and is a chance for audiences to “let their hair down,” tap their toes, and enjoy the string quartet medium in somewhat less-conventional contexts.
WHEN: 7 pm
WHERE: Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St. COST: $25
INFO: (805) 963-4364 or https://tickets.sbma.net
as It Gets, Se7en and The Manchurian Candidate, serves as guest conductor for the pair of series concerts. Adding to the fun, audience members are encouraged to dress in black and white in honor of Chaplin’s style and pose for photos using the provided Chaplin-related props in the Granada lobby.
WHEN: 7:30 pm Saturday, 3 pm Sunday
WHERE: Granada Theatre, 1214 State Street
COST: $42-$192
INFO: (805) 899-2222 or www.granadasb.org
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Doos Does It – Kayhan Kalhor, Wu Man, and Sandeep Das – old friends who are each an established and enviable soloist in their individual traditions – join together in a new collaboration called the Doos Trio; a name inspired by the transliteration of the Farsi word for friend. Three-time Grammy nominee Kayhan Kalhor is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso on the kamancheh – the Iranian bowed string instrument – and has been instrumental in popularizing Persian music in the West. Fellow Silkroad Ensemble founding member Wu Man is recognized as the world’s premier pipa player and a leading ambassador of Chinese music, with her lute-like instrument and commitment to education and composing. Tabla virtuoso and Grammy winner Sandeep Das has been in demand around the world since debuting at the age of 17 with legendary sitar maestro Ravi Shankar. Together the three will perform a program that highlights the ancient traditions of Iran, China and India in a distinctly 21st century program. WHEN: 8 pm
WHERE: Campbell Hall, UCSB
COST: $32.50-$57.50 general, $15 students INFO: (805) 893-3535 or https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Why California Burns – Naturalist, illustrator, and award-winning author Obi Kaufmann discusses his latest ultra-timely book The State of Fire: Why California Burns in a presentation from the Santa Barbara Permaculture Network. The newest work by the creator of The California Field Atlas and The State of Water: Understanding California’s Most Precious Resource, Kaufmann’s book offers solutions to living with fire, while explaining that this sometimes-destructive force is essential to the state’s health and biodiversity. The focus is on stewardship, resilience and hope. The event also features a panel discussion with local author/ photographer Ray Ford and Em Johnson, CEC’s Director of Climate Programs among others, plus a reading from Santa Barbara Poet Laureate Melinda Palacio
WHEN: 6:30-8:30 pm
WHERE: Fe Bland Auditorium, SBCC West Campus, 800 Cliff Drive COST: free
INFO: (805) 962-257 or www.sbpermaculture.org
At the Earl Warren Showgrounds with FREE PARKING 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, California
Fri 11-6 , SAT 11-6, Sun 11-4 FEB 21, 22, & 23, 2025
From 17th Century to Mid-Century....
Over 60 Quality Dealers from around the country offer a wide array of furniture, paintings, jewelry, silver, china, textiles, Asian, & much more!
$8 Adults w/ this ad•$7 Senior (62+)•Child (Under 12 Free) Cash Only at the Door | Admission is good for all 3 days. For Dealer Inquiries, Contact Gae Ann McHale at 619-925-2346
Santa Barbara’s Trusted Choice for Estate Liquidation and Downsizing
As the largest estate liquidators in the Tri-County area, we provide comprehensive services through Moving Miss Daisy, including expert packing, unpacking, relocating, and ensuring your new home is beautifully set up and ready to enjoy. We also host estate sales and online auctions at our own huge consignment shop—the largest in the area, offering an unmatched selection of items. Licensed, bonded, and insured with workers’ compensation coverage, we are certified by the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) and the American Society of Estate Liquidators (ASEL). Proudly holding an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Glenn Novack, Owner 805-770-7715 | info@movingmissdaisy.com | missdaisy.org
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Recognized as the area’s Premier Estate Liquidators - Experts in the Santa Barbara Market! We are Skilled Professionals with Years of Experience in Downsizing and Estate Sales. Personalized service. Insured. Call for a complimentary consultation. Elaine (805)708-6113 Christa (805)450-8382 Email: theclearinghouseSB@cox.net Website: www.theclearinghouseSB.com
TRESOR
We Buy, Sell and Broker Important Estate Jewelry. Located in the upper village of Montecito. Graduate Gemologists with 30 years of experience. We do free evaluations and private consultation. 1470 East Valley Rd Suite V. 805-969-0888
Need help with your homework? Having trouble in Computer Science, Math (Elementary School to Algebra), or Spanish? I worked as a software consultant for an IBM company in Santa Barbara and am a proud parent of graduates from Laguna Blanca, CATE, and Stanford University. Jesús Álvarez | 805-453-5516 | mytutor29@hotmail.com
Stillwell Fitness of Santa Barbara In Home Personal Training Sessions for 65+ Help with: Strength, Flexibility, Balance Motivation, and Consistency
John Stillwell, CPT, Specialist in Senior Fitness 805-705-2014 StillwellFitness.com
CAN HELP
At OsteoStrong our proven non-drug protocol takes just ten minutes once a week to improve your bone density and aid in more energy, strength, balance and agility.
Please call for a complimentary session! Call Now (805) 453-6086
We buy Classic Cars Running or not. Foreign/Domestic Chevy/Ford/Porsche/Mercedes/Etc. We come to you. Call Steven – 805-699-0684 Website – Avantiauto.group
Montecito Electric Repairs and Inspections Licensed C10485353 805-969-1575
Local tile setter of 35 years is now doing small jobs only. Services include grout cleaning and repair, caulking, sealing, replacing damaged tiles and basic plumbing needs. Call Doug Watts at 805-729-3211 for a free estimate.
Seeking position in the greater SB Area. Errands, driving, interior design, home operations, etc.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Background of Interior Décor. Adaptable and reliable. References available. 805-295-0017
Tell Your Story
How did you get to be where you are today? What were your challenges? What is your Love Story? I can help you tell your story in an unforgettable way – with a book that will live on for many generations. The books I write are as thorough and entertaining as acclaimed biographies you’ve read. I also assist with books you write – planning, editing and publishing. David Wilk Great references. (805) 455-5980 www.BiographyDavidWilk.com
Casa L. M. Landscape hedges installed. Ficus to flowering. Disease resistant. Great privacy. Licensed & insured. Call (805) 963-6909
WATERLILIES and LOTUS since 1992 WATERGARDEN CARE
SBWGC
Do you need to get away for a weekend, week or more? I will house sit and take care of your pets, plants & mail. I have refs if needed. Call me or text me. Christine (805) 452-2385
Carpet Cleaning Since 1978 (805) 963-5304 Rafael Mendez Cell: 689-8397 or 963-3117
SALE
Making room for new models ARROW: 6200 Hollister Ave 805-964-4445
It’s simple. Charge is $3 per line, each line with 31 characters. Minimum is $10 per issue. Photo/logo/visual is an additional $20 per issue. Email Classified Ad to frontdesk@montecitojournal.net or call (805) 565-1860. All ads must be finalized by Friday at 2pm the week prior to printing. We accept Visa/MasterCard/Amex (3% surcharge)
Mature female resides exclusively in your home for overnight pet care. Household chores no problem.
Twenty years experience in dog training medical assistance dog walks with compassion and attentiveness. Originally from Marin County. Pet Nanny of Marin. References available. Contact: Tara 415.300.7667
Private Chef Eliza Restaurant quality meals in the comfort of your home small gatherings & special occasions drop off & meal-prep 805.705.3618
www.chefeliza.com
In Home. Chef Bradley Mark 50 yrs. local experience - Comfort food for two, a specialty. Shop, cook, clean up, and go! Lv. msg. with your special request. (805) 403-1769
Serve Safe Cert. #6168504
1987 Komfort Corp/Trailer for sale by El Toro Holdings, LLC located at 2509 N. Ventura Ave on account of James Armstrong. Blind Auction will be held Monday, February 16th at 12:00pm
Openings now available for Children and Adults.
Piano Lessons in our Studio or your Home. Call or Text Kary Kramer (805) 453-3481
AVAILABLE TO WORK FOR THE ELDERLY
Erik Miciano (805) 403-7712
34 Years of Homecare experience with excellent employment references
Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary Menagerie 2430 Lillie Avenue Summerland, CA 93067 (805) 969-1944
Donate to the Parrot Pantry! At SB Bird Sanctuary, backyard farmer’s bounty is our birds’ best bowl of food! The flock goes bananas for your apples, oranges & other homegrown fruits & veggies.
Volunteers
Do you have a special talent or skill? Do you need community service hours? The flock at SB Bird Sanctuary could always use some extra love and socialization. Call us and let’s talk about how you can help. (805) 969-1944
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