22 Aug 2023
Homer is Where the Heart Is
Jonathan Fox, who left the Ensemble Theatre Company after 17 years as artistic director, has been spending the summer in Santa Barbara’s sister city Kotor, Montenegro. Jonathan has been presenting a production of An Iliad, a modern-day retelling of Homer’s classic. The opening performance was at the 18th century St. Nicholas Franciscan monastery. The production […]
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Helping Hawaii
Oprah Winfrey, who owns more than 2,000 acres on the Hawaiian island of Maui with three different properties, has been helping out at a local rescue center after the catastrophic wildfires killed nearly 100 people and destroyed hundreds of homes. The former TV talk show titan, 69, brought diapers, pillows, and bottles of shampoo to […]
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Production in Progress
Prince Harry and his actress wife Meghan Markle are planning a production of Canadian novelist Carley Fortune’s romance Meet Me at the Lake. The New York Times bestseller, Fortune’s second novel is a story about two long lost lovers whose paths cross by chance a decade after first meeting. Netflix or the Sussexes paid around […]
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Deaths in Our County Jails Reveal Serious Failures & Incompetence
This summer, the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury investigating four deaths in our jails concluded that the death of JT was not “accidental” as determined by the sheriff-coroner, but needed to be investigated by the California Attorney General as a homicide. The jury concluded: “JT died in a jail cell while suffering from a mental […]
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15 Aug 2023
The Granada Theatre
There’s no doubt that the Granada Theatre is one of the crown jewels in Santa Barbara’s enviable and outsized arts scene, one that after undergoing a mega-millions upgrade has become home to nearly all of the South County’s major presenting arts organizations. What’s more, the nonprofit continues to upgrade on a regular basis, most recently […]
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Education, Technology Join at Impact Conference
Westmont’s annual Impact Conference brings together leading thinkers in education and technology to discuss the development of better data systems for colleges and universities. Co-hosted by Salesforce and Westmont’s Center for Applied Technology (CATLab), the free event takes place on campus Thursday, August 10, from 8am – 1:30pm. To register or get more information, please […]
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Women’s Soccer Season Kicking Off
Westmont women’s soccer added seven recruits to its roster ahead of its first season in the NCAA Division II PacWest Conference. The newcomers include Angelina Garcia of Chicago; Kennah Shaffer of Buellton; Ellie Ludwig of Temecula; Katie Lannon of San Pedro; Sydney Reese of Campbell; Lauren Schwarz of Murrieta; and Mia Stuart from Newport Beach. […]
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Peaceful Paddling on the Russian River
The little North Coast town of Jenner was still asleep as I slid my kayak off the boat ramp and into the glassy waters of the Russian River, a couple hours north of the San Francisco Bay. I had a solid head start, maybe 90 minutes of paddling before sunrise would light up the tallest […]
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Coming Back
There was a time in my life – not lately – when I used to enjoy re-visiting places where I had previously lived. There were quite a few of them – towns, neighborhoods, even countries, going back to my childhood. Nowadays, when people in general are much more mobile, it’s not unusual for your family […]
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On Education: Annika Wagner
Most high schools in California require around 60 hours of community service in order to graduate. What does it mean when a student does 40 times that amount? Eighteen-year-old Annika Wagner is a 2023 graduate of Dos Pueblos High School. During her junior high and high school years, she completed more than 2,000 hours of […]
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Edward “Ed” Carty
Ed and his twin sister, Anne Carty, co-own and manage Carty & Carty Antiques in Montecito’s Upper Village, where their business serves as a resource for historical expertise. With the help of their mother’s early savviness, their establishment has become a hub of knowledge within the community. “We’ve been in Santa Barbara since 1865, came […]
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Santa Barbara Woman’s Club 93rd Annual La Merienda
The Santa Barbara Woman’s Club held its annual gala celebrating Fiesta, called La Merienda, on Wednesday, August 2, at their Mission Canyon Rockwood club. This soirée was established in 1928, and its event chair is Sue Ziliotto. The event was seriously double sold-out with ladies arriving in brightly colored flamenco dresses, and men in their […]
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‘Monica’ Explores Deep Wounds With Mother and Daughter
Monica’s mother is dying. Monica hasn’t seen her mother in years. In fact, Monica’s mother doesn’t even recognize Monica. And that’s because she hasn’t seen her daughter since she fully transitioned and was cast out from the family. It’s been a long time. And a difficult one. In Andrea Pallaoro’s latest film, Monica, Trace Lysette […]
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Ana Papakhian Appointed Executive Director of Camerata Pacifica
In announcing its 2023-24 and 34th season programming, Camerata Pacifica’s founder and Artistic Director Adrian Spence delightedly shared the appointment of Ana Papakhian as its new executive director. Papakhian is well-known in the classical music world here, and I would add nationally as well, with 27 years of experience in the field, most recently as […]
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Glass Ceilings, Glass Floors, Wine, and Hot Dogs
“Wow, what a view, huh?” my wife said. “Nice,” I said, leaning against the wall as far away from the tall glass panels that slanted outward at a disturbing angle and had a gap on either side large enough to put your arm through. A family walked by, a little kid climbed up onto the […]
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Montecito Fire Chief David Neels is Taking the Fight to the Fire
Montecito Fire Department’s (MFD) Station 91 is an understated, red-tiled building in the foothills above Montecito – at a glance more “stately hacienda” than Command Center; though the hacienda’s 30’ aerial somewhat gives the game away. Fire Chief David Neels likewise cuts an approachable figure. Soft-spoken and earnest but given to sudden grins, he is […]
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Santa Barbara: The Tragic and Unfortunate Death of “KC”
This is a story about the death of a troubled 34-year-old woman, “KC.” A death that led to a Grand Jury investigation and a scathing Grand Jury report. A difficult story that you will not read nearly enough about. Allow me to explain: Last week’s Montecito Journal did a great job digging into the recent […]
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