29 Oct 2020
Up to the Challenge
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria hosted its eighth annual “An Evening in Bloom” but with a different twist this year and the community “showed” up. Their bold goal was $250,000. So far they are just over $230,000 and still counting! The usually elegant affair at the Girls Inc. campus was quiet this year because of the […]
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The Facts About Measure L2020
For those of you who don’t know me, I am the Superintendent and Principal of the Cold Spring School District. I am a resident and member of the Cold Spring School Community. As of last year, I was also a parent at Cold Spring School. In all of these capacities, I have dedicated myself to […]
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Are We Becoming a Gerontocracy?
Think about it. In 2017, Donald Trump was inaugurated at the age of 70, making him the oldest person to assume the presidency. He is running this year against Joe Biden, who will be 78 if inaugurated in 2021, while Trump will be 74. In a campaign where there are massive differences between “the Donald” […]
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Concert Offers Orchestral Sampler
The Westmont Orchestra, masked up, socially distant, and with bell covers over their instruments, will perform “An Orchestral Sampler” on Friday, October 23, at 7 pm. The event, which is being recorded live outdoors, will be available for free viewing at vimeo.com/showcase/westmontmusic. Michael Shasberger, Westmont Adam’s professor of music and worship, will conduct the orchestra […]
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With Autumn, Chefs Embrace the Season’s Bounty
Fall is here, and restaurant chefs in town have begun introducing new dishes that aren’t just inspired by the traditional flavors we associate with fall – such as root vegetables and wild game – but also the bounty of area farms for their autumn-inspired dishes. The timing couldn’t be better, with COVID-19 cases slowing down […]
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People of Montecito: Brian Brunello
What’s your Montecito Story? I was born here. My dad made wine here. All varietals but he specialized in Cabernet and Zinfandel, his two favorites. My job in the operation was all of it. You pick the grapes, you wash the bottles – winemaking isn’t as glamorous as the media makes it look. It’s hard […]
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They’re Off and Running!
The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission is holding its annual fundraiser for the nineteenth time, this year titled “The Bayou Derby.” Again the Women’s Auxiliary, 70 women strong, wove their magic, only this year they were not at Rancho Dos Pueblos. This year, the party came to us. Don and I had Keith Mautino Moore and […]
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In Passing: Jon Michael Vreeland, July 13, 1979 – September 15, 2020
Jon Michael Vreeland, a poet, author, and journalist, died at the age of 41 in Santa Barbara. Jon was born in Huntington Beach on July 13, 1979 to two loving parents, his mom Alyson Vreeland and his dad Jon Vreeland. Jon is the author of The Taste of Cigarettes: A Memoir of a Heroin Addict and […]
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Santa Barbara Symphony Faces the Music
With the virulent coronavirus pandemic sweeping the nation impacting innumerable cultural programs, the orchestra, under veteran maestro Nir Kabaretti, has not been deterred in any way whatsoever and has launched a series of seven virtual concerts to sate the appetites of its many local fans. Last week I was at the cavernous Granada Theatre where […]
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Tasting Notes with Wyatt Davidson, Santa Barbara Wine Collective Manager
It is easy to get lost among the winding hills and sprawling oak trees native to Santa Barbara County, but when you do, you might happen upon a few hidden gems. Nestled into the hillsides of Ballard Canyon lies a vineyard site unique in the Central Coast wine region, The Stolpman Family Vineyards. Tom Stolpman […]
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The Great Barrington Declaration
If any sentient being has been in doubt as to which side virtually all the major media and social media companies are on, non-coverage of both the Hunter Biden laptop e-mails and the Great Barrington Declaration should be proof positive of which side they’ve taken. When presidential candidate Joe Biden tells the debate moderator (in […]
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Sex You All
You’ve all, no doubt, been eagerly waiting for me to write something about Sex – so, here it is: Has it ever occurred to you that “sex” spelled backwards is “xes,” which might be pronounced as “excess,” which, of course, means “too much.” Such considerations make me hesitate to go any further into this subject, […]
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Pop Notes: Rock and Wheels
The Beach Boys, straight off a controversial performance at President Trump’s fundraising concert in Orange County last weekend that had founders Brian Wilson and Al Jardine disavowing the appearance by the touring outfit led by former Santa Barbara resident Mike Love, return to a favorite stomping ground at the Ventura Fairgrounds on Friday, October 23. […]
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28 Oct 2020
Congressmen Carbajal Secures FEMA Funding for Randall Road Debris Basin
Congressman Salud Carbajal’s office announced today that it had secured a $13.5 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on behalf of the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District that will allow the county to purchase several properties along Randall Road in Montecito and begin construction on a new debris basin near San […]
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Join Us October 22 at 7pm
In an effort to connect the community and keep the conversation going, James Joyce III, founder of Coffee with a Black Guy, has scheduled one of his signature events over Zoom for 7 pm to 8 pm Thursday evening, October 22, three days after Dr. Kendi’s event. “It’s great that Arts & Lectures has stepped […]
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22 Oct 2020
Controversy Erupts Over Cold Spring School District’s Measure L
There’s a long history in Montecito of well-intentioned yet pricey local school bond measures that have failed to win at the ballot box. In 2012, Montecito Union School unsuccessfully sought to raise $27 million for various campus improvements, an effort that collapsed under the weight of criticism by property tax paying opponents who viewed it […]
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An Online Series with In-Person Performances
The Santa Barbara Symphony’s reimagined 2020-2021 performance season launches this weekend first as an online-only series – although the musicians are performing live in person. And while plans have already been put in place to allow audiences up to about 30 percent capacity at its home venue of the Granada Theatre starting in January, the […]
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Fall’s Outdoor Feasts and Epicurean Classes
In Santa Barbara, complying with evolving health guidelines and ensuring guests’ safety has been a challenge that restaurateurs, winemakers, and hoteliers have faced with energy and creativity. Perfecting the outdoor dining experience with new furnishings and socially distanced seating and alcoves for privacy are part of today’s operation. Outside areas, sidewalks, gardens, and parking lots […]
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First Steps to Race in Justice
Two MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellows, a Pulitzer Prize winner, an innovative winner of a Grammy for traditional folk music, and a world-famous nun who was the inspiration for an Academy Award-winning movie are all coming to town as part of an ambitious new series from UCSB Arts & Lectures called Race to Justice that launches […]
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