Life theArts Downtown digs

Drift Santa Barbara boutique hotel opens on State Street

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Drift Santa Barbara has opened in the heart of downtown with minimalist interiors, a café, and a Baja-inspired agave and raw bar.

The 45-key boutique hotel at 524 State St. on the site of the longtime Church of Scientology building is the first U.S. property to open under TMC Hospitality’s Drift Hotels brand, following Drift San José del Cabo’s November 2021 opening.

Drift Palm Springs is slated to also open in early 2023, followed by Drift Nashville soon after.

“We’re proud to introduce the Drift Hotels brand to our home state of California,” said Philip Bates, cofounder and CEO of Irvinebased TMC Hospitality.

Calendar

Slender bunches of green onions are readily available, with both very petite white or red bulbs attached to the base of the green tops,

I tend to utilize green onions more in raw dishes than cooked preparations. Delivering a very refreshing grassy sweet flavor with distinct notes of onion throughout, they can be diced and used to top a baked potato or potato skin, a salad, blend into dips and spreads, added to sauces or salsas, or grilled whole and served with a steak.

You can also use green opinions to top homemade pizza, add to casseroles or top a homemade chili.

They’re readily available this time of year at most weekly Santa Barbara certified farmers’ markets. Certified organic is available, and the price averages $2 per bunch.

Sam Edelman is general manager of the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Association and host of “Farm to Table,” which airs live 9 a.m. Thursdays on KZSB AM 1290.

Sam Edelman photos

“Drift is a unique hotel experience geared toward bringing travelers and the community together, and the Santa Barbara locale is an harmonious addition to the energetic State Street.”

TMC Hospitality’s vision was executed in partnership with the award-winning local architecture firm Anacapa. Modern interior design complements and contrasts the carefully preserved and restored, traditional Mediterranean architectural bones.

At the entry, a bold, minimalist aesthetic creates a relaxed ambiance reminiscent of the Drift brand’s San José del Cabo roots while paying homage to California’s breezy, coastal vibe.

Guests will notice a strong juxtaposition of old and new throughout the space with suspended floor joists salvaged from the original build featured on the first floor as well as in the Penthouse Suite.

Throughout the hotel, floor-to-ceiling windows embrace natural light and the shoreside breeze, framing views of both the bustle of State Street and the tranquility of the Santa Ynez Mountains. This uniting of interior and exterior elements includes design details made from materials including oak, concrete and brass.

Local touches such as artwork by Will Adler and Anacapa Ceramics further tie the property to Santa Barbara.

Drift Santa Barbara’s guest rooms feature neutral hues and custom handmade millwork. Room types include the Bunk, Standard (city view and mountain view), Premium (city view, mountain view and State Street view) and the Drift Penthouse. Each offers room amenities including custom-scented bath products with notes of desert marigold and sandalwood and with balconies offered in both the Premium city view guest room and the Penthouse Suite.

The Penthouse Suite is outfitted with floor-toceiling windows and an outdoor lounge and fire pit overlooking State Street, the

Santa Ynez mountain range and the Santa Barbara coast.

Drift Santa Barbara is home to two first floor eateries, Dawn and Dusk, which greet guests upon arrival. Dawn is a bright and airy café inspired by Southern California and its surf culture.

The café serves Good Citizen Coffee Co.’s products, local pastries and savory house-baked treats in a light and inviting space adorned with warm textiles, natural wood and white walls.

In contrast, Dusk is a moody Baja-inspired agave and raw bar ensconced in dark steel and raw wood.

The rotating menu features signature cocktails like the Picante Amante, made with pink peppercorn tequila blanco, mezcal, prickly pear, lime and habanero as well as an assortment of frozen cocktails, agave classics and non-alcoholic libations.

The seasonal food menu features lighter fare such as roasted corn nuts and guacamole in addition to coastal favorites like a ceviche tostada made with a daily market catch.

Both Dawn and Dusk extend into State Street’s promenade with communal tables that invite guests and locals to enjoy each other’s company.

Drift Santa Barbara sits conveniently in the heart of downtown on State Street’s expansive, 10-block pedestrian-only promenade. It is located within walking distance to city favorites such as West Beach, Alameda Park and the Funk Zone.

To provide the ultimate coastal stay, Drift Santa Barbara offers complimentary experiences for all guests including:

• Yoga Serenity: Yoga mats and yoga blocks are available for rental in the lobby.

• Surf Package: You can hit the lineup with a 9’2”

COURTESY PHOTO

“Storytelling: Native People Through the Lens of Edward S. Curtis” is on display through April 30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

The calendar appears Mondays through Saturdays in the “Life & the Arts” section. Items are welcome. Please email them a full week before the event to Managing Editor Dave Mason at dmason@newspress.com.

TODAY

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Entangled:

Responding to Environmental Crisis,” runs through March 25 at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art. The museum is open from 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It’s closed on Sundays and college holidays. For more information, call 805-565-6162 or visit westmont.edu/museum.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Storytelling: Native People Through the Lens of Edward S. Curtis” is on display through April 30 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information, visit sbnature.org.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Interlopings: Colors in the Warp and Weft of Ecological Entanglements” is an exhibit that runs through March 12 at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon Road, Santa Barbara. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The exhibit features weavings dyed with pigments from nonnative plants on Santa Cruz Island. The weavings were created by artists Helen Svensson and Lisa Jevbratt. For more information, see sbbotanicgarden.org.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Coast artist and London native Annie Hoffman’s exhibit “Seeing Ourselves in Colour” will be displayed through Feb. 28 at Gallery Los Olivos, 2920 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. For more information, visit anniehoffmann.com.

10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. “SURREAL

WOMEN: Surrealist Art by American Women” is on display through April 24 at Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery, 11 E. Anapamu St. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, www.sullivangoss.com.

Noon to 5 p.m. “Clarence Mattei: Portrait of a Community” is on view now through May at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, which is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 136 E. De la Guerra St. Admission is free. Hours are currently from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and from noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays. For more information, visit www.sbhistorical.org.

5:30 p.m. Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi

— Lewis Atterbury Stimson professor and chairman in the Department of Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical Center and surgeon-in-chief at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center — will present a public lecture titled “In the Eye of the Storm: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The free talk will take place at the Wolf Education and Training Center, 529 W. Junipero St., adjacent to RidleyTree Cancer Center in Santa Barbara. Reservations are required by March 10. To attend, contact J.V. Vallejos at 805681-7528 or jvallejo@sansumclinic.org. Masks will be required.

MARCH 18

7:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform “John Williams: A Cinematic Celebration” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to granadasb.org. For more information, visit www.thesymphony.org or call 805-898-9386.

MARCH 19 3 p.m. The Santa Barbara Symphony will perform John Williams: A Cinematic Celebration” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. To purchase tickets, go to granadasb.org. For more information, visit www.thesymphony.org or call 805898-9386.

MARCH 20 7 p.m. The Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform at The Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High School. 720 E. Cota St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $30 to $54. To purchase, go to luketheatre. org/event/glenn-miller-orchestraconcert.

MARCH 23

7:30 p.m. Opera Santa Barbara’s Chrisman Studio Artists will perform “The