Lunch & Learn in Santa Ynez

Montecito Bank & Trust (MClub) Lunch & Learn gang traveled to Santa Ynez Valley to meet with the former and pioneer pop news pundit Rona Barrett at her Golden Inn & Village.

Rona’s life changed when she left Hollywood and came to the Valley to have a lavender farm. Her father came too, and she became his caregiver. The day he didn’t recognize her, she knew she needed to do something and so began the Rona Barrett Foundation. Twelve years later with much “blood, sweat, and tears,” the bricks and mortar became a reality. It’s a lovely yellow and white building on 7 ½ acres called The Golden Inn & Village, the first affordable senior housing in the Valley.

The first day that folks could apply there were 900 applications for 80 spaces. The County Housing Authority handles that part. The tenants pay 30% of whatever income they have – usually between $800 and $1,000. Except for rent there are no expenses. There is even a free beauty shop. As Rona said, “I get loved so much that I don’t come every day.” The Planning Commission says, “This project is one of the best projects the County has seen in years…”

Planning and development is now underway for the Golden Inn & Village’s Phase II: construction of 60 affordable and critically needed Assisted Living and Memory Care units. At present there are no federal programs to help with the prohibitive costs. Rona envisions scholarship-funded/below market rate Phase II units as a “what works” model, to be replicated across the nation.

The busload of us had a tour of the facility and Rona passed out individually signed copies of her book, Gray Matters. Then we were off to Trattoria Grappolo in their private air conditioned (It was 100 degrees out) party room surrounded by cases of wine for a family style lunch. My son was born in Napoli (Naples), so I always have nostalgia with Italian food. This was authentic and deelicious. My favorite was the Rollino Veneto (rolled pizza with smoked mozzarella and radicchio).

During lunch I asked Rona how she began her career as a pop reporter on television. She told me she was born with a disability and couldn’t lift her leg. Her mother took her to many doctors who finally diagnosed a rare form of muscular dystrophy. As a result of her disability she was bullied in school and couldn’t participate in all the activities. She and her mom went to the Catskills one summer when she was about 11. She saw this cute boy singer and became infatuated. Back home she saw him on TV. It was Eddie Fisher.

Rona was determined to meet him. She was only 13 and couldn’t go up stairs but somehow she managed the New York subway and went to the office of Eddie’s managers. The telephone operator introduced her to one of the managers. He asked her to start an Eddie Fisher fan club. Long story short – she did and ended up with members all over the world. She doesn’t know where this introverted little girl got the nerve, but she did. This gutsy girl led a life of great glamour on TV for 38 years but she thinks, “This level of life is my best.”

Then we traveled to Lompoc with Dana Newquist leading the way. He is a member of the American Antique Automobile Club of America. He took us to his good friend Donald Nichols’ private home and museum. As Donald said, “It’s not really a museum. We live here among our stuff.” He and his wife could open up an antique store any minute. Everywhere you looked was memorabilia, 50 years worth. The highlight was his car collection. I especially liked the 1918 Hudson. Plenty of room for big hats. Remember bumper cars – there was one of those too.

Donald was with NASA for 23 years and was a big part of transferring NASA space shuttle systems from Kennedy Space Center to the Air Force at Vandenberg. He did much more and was the recipient of a Kennedy Space Center Commendation, NASA Sustained Superior Performance Award and NASA Exceptional Service Medal.

The MClub is under the direction of Maria McCall at the Montecito Bank & Trust. For information call 805.564.7362.