To plan for the future, it is helpful to recall the past. Montecito’s relationship with the 101 highway dates back 92 years to 1927 when residents approached the State Division of Highways asking them to pave the two dirt lanes through Montecito. John Jameson led a crusade to design America’s first scenic parkway, using planted […]
Lea másQ. I read the previous column about Jonathan Gartner and his excitement about impact investing. Isn’t philanthropy the best way to help people? I have heard that impact investing yields a low financial return. Why should I be interested in it? – Sam in Montecito Certainly, philanthropy is vitally important to our welfare at the […]
Lea másIt has always seemed puzzling to me that in some situations we have great respect for the dead, while in others we couldn’t care less. In general, the determining factor seems to be time. The more recently dead you are, the more you can expect to be handled with care, and referred to with some […]
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Ocean activist Hillary Hauser has published a new book based on a manuscript written by her mother, Mabel Hauser. The Truth About Santa Claus was originally written and illustrated in 1949, by Mabel and her sister Avalo. Hillary says she was doing “a spring cleaning” of her house and uncovered an old black and white […]
Lea másMontecito resident Christie Jenkins has produced 200 boxes of special holiday cards, the sale of which will go to support the Montecito Firefighters Charitable Foundation. Jenkins, like many Montecito residents, was evacuated from her home during the Thomas Fire, just months after moving to the area after closing her fine photography gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Jenkins […]
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The Montecito Association is hosting a new event this Saturday, December 15: Holiday Magic in Montecito Village. The first annual event will offer family friendly fun and activities, with upper village merchants offering special treats and shopping incentives. “We’re excited that we can bring some holiday cheer to our community, and encourage everyone to come […]
Lea másAfter eight years of service, Montecito Union School Board president Gwyn Lurie opened her final board meeting on Tuesday, December 11. “It’s been a privilege to serve this school and this community, but now it’s time to let other capable people lead,” Lurie told us during an interview last week. Lurie joined the school board in the […]
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Montecito beautification elves, along with Montecito firefighters, Manning Park ranger Doug Norton, and school kids from Montecito Union School, spent the afternoon of Monday, December 10, decorating the Hathaway Family Tree – also known as the Montecito Community Tree – near the Manning Park tennis courts on San Ysidro Road. The tradition of decorating the […]
Lea másThis Sunday, December 15, volunteers will be going door-to-door in Montecito to talk to residents living in the debris flow risk zone. Last week, the Office of Emergency Management announced that the interactive map designating areas at risk from a debris flow below the Thomas, Whittier, and Sherpa burn areas in Santa Barbara County has […]
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You always know when the Christmas season is here when the Channel City Club has its annual Christmas luncheon and program at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. It began with Gil Rosas playing the piano followed by the Montecito Union School choir conducted by Pam Herzog singing all sorts of Christmas and Hanukkah music. […]
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If you like to honor all who served in the military, the place to go on Veterans Day is the Santa Barbara Cemetery just off of Channel Drive. This year was especially poignant because it marked the end of WWI one hundred years ago. The ceremony is put on by the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation, […]
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As Casa del Herrero executive director Jessica Tade said, “This is my favorite night of the year!” She was talking about the annual Christmas party at the Casa. This architect George Washington Smith house built in the early 20s for Carrie and George Steedman from St. Louis, Missouri is decked out in it’s finest “attire” […]
Lea másSullivan Goss [SG] opens its doors annually in December with its 100 Grand Exhibit specifically to show works from only local artists, comprised of veteran professional locals and newbies. The concept is to price the art for $1,000 or less and keep the overall size minimalist, in a mission to encourage people with lesser budgets […]
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Laura Botzong [Laura Leyl], a professional bellydancerin the Los Angeles area, and protégé of the legendary international dancer Alexandra King, returned to her alma mater, UCSB, on December 1, to perform with the Middle East Ensemble [MEE] Orchestra, un der the direction of Dr. Scott Marcus. No stranger to the stage, she performed in Ms […]
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On Saturday, December 8, Montecito was treated to an outdoor live music performance from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel [OLMC], Montecito Union [MUS], and Cold Spring School [CSS] students. The area in front of Giovanni’s on Coast Village Road was transformed into a festival holiday center, with white chairs in the roped off parking area, […]
Lea másOn a personal note, I mark the passing of Gene Sinser, a former director of the Montecito Fire District, at the age of 86. Born and educated in Germany, coming to the U.S. in 1953, Gene and his wife, Patty DeDominic, moved to Solvang two years ago after nearly two decades in our rarefied enclave, […]
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After inviting Montecito firefighters to her home a year ago during the Thomas Fire, former Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres followed up by having them come to her Burbank based studio for her popular eponymous TV talk show. “It was quite a day,” says local realtor Diana MacFarlane, whose son, Dan is pictured third from the […]
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After 33 years as controller at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, Debby Bernal is riding off into the sunset. Debby, who is being replaced by Susie Banda-Avila, was presented with an undisclosed check to be used for her forthcoming world travels by club manager, David Sigman, at the recent Fire and Ice gala. Storied Pasts […]
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Veteran music director JoAnne Wasserman was clearly in her element when the Santa Barbara Choral Society staged its sixth annual Hallelujah Project at the Lobero. The concert, which of course included Handel’s uplifting Hallelujah Chorus, was a glorious Yuletide miscellany of seasonal cheer featuring the Goleta Valley Junior High Chorus, with Sound of Music actress […]
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Community leaders gathered at the Hilton for the annual Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara lunch. The 56-year-old organization, which started giving $100 awards, this year awarded $8.32 million in scholarships to 2,260 students from across the county, bringing the total to a handsome $108 million to more than 50,000 college-bound youngsters over the past five […]
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