Making Scents

Santa Barbara Polo Club player and Ralph Lauren Polo model Nacho Figueras has praised his good friend Prince Harry for his “realness” and says Queen Elizabeth‘s 35-year-old grandson is “serious about improving life for kids” who’ve not had the same advantages in life.

Argentinian Nacho, 42, tells Town & Country magazine: “What I like most about him is how real he is and how serious he is about improving life for kids that haven’t had the same blessings we’ve had.”

He recently launched a new perfume named after the Duke of Sussex’s home “Windsor,” with a portion of proceeds donated to Harry’s African charity Sentebale.

It is one of six fragrances he launched in November.

In Hot Water

Montecito art and car collector Michael Hammer‘s actor son Armie has found himself in a major controversy involving Saudi Arabia.

Armie joined other celebrities, including Ryan Phillipe, Sofia Richie, Olivia Culpo, and Irina Shayk, attending the MDL Beat Music Festival in Riyadh.

They are being accused of being “shameless” and accepting six figure sums to help rehabilitate the country’s image with its controversial human rights record, including the slaying of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year.

Fashion industry watchdog Diet Prada named and shamed some of the celebrities present, accusing them of allegedly accepting hefty sums for attending and geo-tagging posts to improve the Arab country’s image.

Start Local

Santa Barbara warbler Katy Perry wants to streamline her life and “create continual balance.”

“There’s a lot of wonderful, personal things coming up in the future which are exciting,” the former Dos Pueblos High student tells People. “Like creating an ideal family.

“I think sometimes we feel overwhelmed about how to contribute and give back because there are so many choices. It’s all about simplifying by starting in your local community. It’s about starting with your family first, your friends, and your community, and keeping it local because that’s where you can create the most change and cause the most ripple effect.”

Worth a Shot

Montecito actress Gwyneth Paltrow knows how to start a series on the right foot – and with the right drink.

The 47-year-old Oscar winner invited fellow actress and longtime friend Kate Hudson to appear on the first episode of her new web series Goop Your Bar Cart, which airs on her lifestyle site Goop.com

The beautiful blondes bond as they work together to conjure up artichoke hearts and cocoa espresso martinis – featuring Hudson’s new drinks line, King St. Vodka, made from GMO-free corn and alkaline water.

Remembering Jerry

On a personal note, I remember Tony Award winning composer Jerry Herman, who has died at the age of 88 in Miami, Florida.

Herman, who wrote the cheerful, good natured music and lyrics for such classic shows as La Cage aux Folles, Mame, and Hello Dolly, created ten shows for the Great White Way and contributed to several more.

He also won two Grammys for the Mame cast album and “Hello Dolly” as song of the year.

I was lucky to see him perform a number of times when I lived in New York. A helluva composer. A helluva nice guy.

Sightings: Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman at the Rosewood Miramar… Montecito actress Gwyneth Paltrow and ex-husband rocker Chris Martin skiing in Aspen… Actor Billy Baldwin noshing at Merci Montecito

Pip! Pip!

Readers with tips, sightings and amusing items for Richard’s column should email him at richardmineards@verizon.net or send invitations and other correspondence to the Journal.

To reach Priscilla, email her at priscilla@santabarbaraseen.com or call 805-969-3301.