Changing of the Grau

After 10 years as film commissioner for Santa Barbara, Geoff Alexander is moving on to pursue a career in real estate sales.

He is being replaced by Ryan Grau – whose title is director of film and special events – who grew up in Ventura and moved to our Eden by the Beach in 1995.

Grau has worked on small and large-scale productions for more than two decades and started a local company, Von Grau Productions.

He also worked for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival as venue manager for four years.

There’s No Place Like Rome

Santa Barbara warbler Katy Perry, who has just won a protracted lawsuit against a Los Angeles order of nuns to buy an estate in the rarefied Los Angeles enclave of Los Feliz, just met their boss.

Katy, looking decidedly demure with a pillbox hat and veil, and her English actor beau, Orlando Bloom, were attending a charity concert in Rome and spoke to Pope Francis.

“I’m here to speak on meditation,” she said on Instagram. “I’m with my momma, my darling (Orlando), and my manager, Steve. It’s a great day! I’m so excited!”

The former Dos Pueblos High student was brought up by her devoutly Christian parents, Keith and Mary Hudson.

Mobile Home

It will come as no surprise to readers of this illustrious organ that Prince Harry and his new wife, Meghan Markle, reportedly to be dubbed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are moving house.

The tony twosome will be staying at Kensington Palace, or the Aunt Heap as Harry’s father, Prince Charles, calls it because of all the royal relatives residing there, including Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and, in due course, Prince Andrew‘s daughter, Princess Eugenie.

The newly married couple will be vacating two bedroom Nottingham Cottage, just a tiara’s toss from Prince William’s sprawling 20-room pad, the former home of Queen Elizabeth‘s sister, Princess Margaret, and moving to the 21-room apartment formerly resided in by Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, the 73-year-old grandson of King George V, and his family of three children.

Multi-million-dollar renovations are currently taking place with the expansive wing currently shrouded in tarpaulin.

I first revealed the move here in my column of July 6, 2017.

Sightings: Fashion magnate Leon Max at the Santa Barbara Polo Club…Maria Shriver at the Sacred Space in Summerland…Actor Dennis Franz noshing at Tre Lune

Pip! Pip!