Montecito’s Magic Castle, after five years as a club, is closing its doors. Dynamic duo Milt and Arlene Larsen, who bought the former Cafe del Sol eatery owned by Jack and Emilie Sears, a tiara’s toss from the 42-acre Andree Clark Bird Refuge, in 2016 hosted a farewell bash with 130 club members and friends […]
Lea másPatricia Westley, daughter of the Santa Barbara Polo Club’s John Westley, who used to manage the polo training school, had just scored the experience of a lifetime two months before Russia invaded Ukraine. The Kiwi-American opera singer had won an Atkins Foundation fellowship to work at the historic Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, finding an […]
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We were all clearly in the right aria when the Music Academy staged Tchaikovsky’s classic Eugene Onegin at the Granada, directed by Peter Kazaras, head of Opera UCLA. With the orchestra under Slovenian-born conductor Daniela Candillari, Yale-educated baritone Samuel Kidd as Onegin, and soprano Johanna Will as his lover, they were absolutely superb in the […]
Lea másSanta Barbara’s Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation has elected Erin Bonski-Evans to its board. A prolific pianist and collaborative artist, serving on the faculties of Westmont College and Santa Barbara City College, Erin is the resident coach and répétiteur for Ensemble Theatre Company and assistant conductor for the Santa Barbara Master Chorale. She frequently works with […]
Lea másOn a personal note, I remember Ivana Trump, a friend of many years and a former Upper Eastside neighbor, when I lived in Manhattan. Ivana, who died at her East 64th Street townhouse, opposite the home of the late Italian designer Gianni Versace, at the age of 73 was a partner at many social events, […]
Lea másPaul Wilt, Westmont professor emeritus of history, died June 23 at the age of 93. A memorial service will be held at Shoreline Community Church on Saturday, July 16, at 10 am. He is survived by his wife, Doris, and their four children: Tom, Marilyn (’74), Janet (’76), and Daniel (’84). Paul taught mostly U.S. […]
Lea másThe pandemic might have been a cause for pause for most of us, but Claudia Hoag McGarry took a different path. Not only did the screenwriter-turned-playwright take up watercolor painting – she’s created more than 575 pieces in 27 months, several hundred of which have sold online or, more recently, at Kathryne Designs in Montecito […]
Lea másThe summer reading series from UCSB’s laudable Launch Pad program – which pairs playwrights’ new or underproduced works with professional directors and student performers – is an enviable experiential environment for professionals and students to participate in the creative process as it takes shape. In addition to acting, students get to explore stage management and […]
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John Daly was in his mid-60s and had already enjoyed a highly successful career as an international event producer who advised his Fortune 100 corporate clients on proper protocols at the Olympics and World Cup and other such events around the world. But his awareness that the overwhelming need for more civility and social skills […]
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Large numbers of women are still processing the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn almost 50 years of legal precedent and strike down Roe vs. Wade. Even though most knew the decision was coming, that didn’t ease the shock, grief, and outrage felt by those who believe that the demise of Roe […]
Lea másWho remembers that cookbook How It All Vegan by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer? If you do, congrats, you’re older than you think. If you don’t, well, who can blame you? It was a vegan cookbook published in 2002. Before vegan burgers started popping up at fast food chains, before walls were packed with specialty […]
Lea másThis past 4th of July, America celebrated her 246th birthday. Almost two and a half centuries ago, a press release announcing a radical experiment in self-government signed by 56 radicals created a new nation. These political upstarts alerted the old nation of their radical intentions with what to this day remains arguably the most radical […]
Lea másWilliam (Bill) Joseph Jones, a longtime resident of Montecito who enjoyed his family, fishing, and sailing, passed away peacefully in his sleep at age 89. Bill is remembered for his wide warm smile, strong core values, sense of humor, and passion for helping others. Anyone who dealt with him knew that his handshake was a […]
Lea másAmong many notable features of the SoCal dogma is our cultural stake in sustainability. We see this move to more eco-friendly choices manifest in everything from earthy aesthetics in new-age coffee houses to school-based programs. At MUS alone, I remember the birth of the Green Team, who provided every kid at school with a reusable […]
Lea másLet’s get something straight: just because the Supreme Court comes up with a clearly wrong opinion doesn’t mean it is correct, or that it won’t be eventually thrown out as bad jurisprudence. Here’s a notorious example: The Supreme Court led by Justice Roger B. Taney (who, until John Roberts, was viewed as the worst Chief […]
Lea másIn 1913, a show of “Modern Art” was held at the 69th Regimental Armory in New York City. One of the most controversial exhibits was by French artist, Marcel Duchamp, and was entitled Nude Descending a Staircase. To many viewers, this piece was quite shocking. In view of the title, you might think that the […]
Lea másIn 2022, Elvis has once again become a larger-than-life phenomenon, crowned thus via a June 24th release of Baz Luhrmann’s film, Elvis, a biopic movie focusing on that illusive twist of fate: Elvis’s relationship with his business manager Col. Tom Parker. Luhrmann knew better than to do the film without consulting the actual people who […]
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For over 100 years the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club (SBPRC), situated beautifully in the Carpinteria foothills between the Santa Ynez mountains and the Pacific Ocean, has drawn polo players and spectators from all over the world. This year the buzz about Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and world-renowned Argentine polo champion, Nacho […]
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It was a scene of blue skies surrounded by the fire-red roof tiles and off-white walls that color our area’s distinctive architecture while on the rooftop of the MOXI. A crowd was gathering around appetizers and drinks to wait for the official announcement – professional soccer is coming to town. Welcome to the Santa Barbara […]
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It is a warm summer afternoon in 1950, and you are resting in the shadow of the Courthouse Clock Tower. Your gaze lights upon two well-dressed young ladies as they follow a docent into the cool entry of the Grand Archway. Intrigued by the history lesson unfolding, you mount the staircase and join the group […]
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