A Seaside Silver Jubilee

Montecito’s Friendship Center, founded in 1976 and now with a satellite location in Goleta, marked the Silver Jubilee of its annual Festival of Hearts with a seaside elegance-themed lunch at the Rosewood Miramar for 230 guests. The lunch raised around $75,000 for the nonprofit, which offers supervised and engaging activities for adults living with dementia and cognitive decline. 

As well as featuring a silent auction of hearts designed by the likes of Oscar winner Jeff Bridges, supermodel entrepreneur Kathy Ireland, and Voice magazine publisher Kerry Methner, emcee David Moorman auctioned off six gift packages. The Montecito luxe lot included a night’s stay at billionaire Rick Caruso’s tony hostelry for $2,000, a jetsetter package including two roundtrip tickets on United Airlines, a Parker Clay tote bag for $5,000, and a night’s stay at The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos for $800.

Two guest speakers were Shianne Motter, who at 24 acted as caregiver for her late father Glen, who died at the age of 73 in 2020; and Robert Antonini, 98, who has been attending the Friendship Center since 2018. Motter described the Friendship Center as “a special place between Heaven and Earth”.

Among the guests putting naughty into nautical with their sailor stripes and maritime attire were Arlene Larsen, councilmember Oscar Gutierrez, popular DJ Darla Bea – a vision in purple and a striking matching hairdo – Sue Adams, Thomas and Nancy Crawford, Sintija Kemezys Felder, Bill and Jocelyne Meeker, Katina Zaninovich, Heidi Holly, and Cynder Sinclair.