Mar y Cel Sold!

Santa Barbara residents Eric, former head of Google, and Wendy Schmidt’s family foundation has purchased the 350-acre parcel of land known as Mar y Cel, the largest contiguous undeveloped property in Montecito.

In keeping with their philanthropic focus on the environment and in recognition of the value of Mar y Cel to the community and to the region, the Schmidts’ plan to protect these historic and important lands as open space and will spend the coming months seeing how to best to do that.

The foundation, which launched in 2006, purchased the property from the estate of Dr. Keith Schofield and wife Kay Robinson Schofield, stewards of the property for the past 24 years.

Through their philanthropy, the dynamic duo are working toward a heathy, resilient, secure world for all.

Local TV Program Airs

Meghan Markle’s new Netflix culinary series – With Love, Meghan – which launched last week, has been commented on by critics worldwide.

The series, shot at the 4,500 square foot local estate of Tom and Sherrie Cipolla, has, despite uncouth reviews, been renewed using footage already shot.

London’s Daily Mail reported it was “watched by more people aged between 45 to 54 than any other age group.” Also noting the docuseries Harry & Meghan attracted more viewers.

The eight-episode lifestyle series debuted at No. 6 in the Netflix rankings but has dropped since then.

Stay tuned…

Local Mom Understandably Stressed During Wildfires

Montecito actress Gwyneth Paltrow has admitted she turned to alcohol during the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles in January. 

The Oscar winner, 52, got candid in her Goop podcast revealing she drank “every night.” 

“I was in the thick of it, all over the place. But now I’ve noticed my symptoms are pretty well under control.

I think I drank every night. I was medicating. Now I don’t drink a lot at all.” 

Carol on Carol

Carol Leifer, a TV writer who has worked for Saturday Night Live and the Oscars, has high praise for Montecito comedic legend Carol Burnett, who penned the foreword for Leifer’s new book How to Write a Funny Speech for A Wedding, Bar Mitzvah, Graduation, and Every Event You Didn’t Want to Go to in the First Place.

“She is one of the most down-to-earth, kindest, and delightful people I’ve ever worked with,” says the Emmy winner, 68, who met Burnett when she worked on her 50th anniversary show and a CBS special in 2017 about Carol, 91.

I couldn’t agree more…

Conan Must Stay

Carpinteria TV talk show host Conan O’Brien – who did such a great job hosting the 97th Oscars for the first time – has been asked to reprise his role.

O’Brien, a Harvard graduate, took total control of the L.A. event watched by one billion viewers worldwide.

The Conan O’Brien Must Go host was clearly in his element.

Top Disney executive Rob Mills praised O’Brien, saying: “We would love to have him back. It was a joy and a privilege.”

I’ll take that as a given…

Remembering Tom Parker

On a personal note, I remember philanthropist Tom Parker, who died of brain cancer, aged 77.

Tom was head of the Hutton Parker Foundation for more than 25 years and I often sailed with him on his 70-foot yacht Taxi Dancer on the Santa Barbara Yacht Club’s Wet Wednesdays.

Five years ago he was named Man of the Year by the Santa Barbara Foundation, and he worked with myriad organizations including the SB Maritime Museum, the SB Museum of Natural History and the SB Neighborhood Clinics.

A delightful, hard-working individual…

Sightings

Meghan Markle and tennis ace Serena Williams noshing at Tre Lune… Warbler Katy Perry and fiancé Orlando Bloom at the Vanity Fair Oscars party… Oprah Winfrey and her former The Color Purple co-star Whoopi Goldberg co-hosting at the Academy Awards.

Pip! Pip!