In Praise of Priscilla

My trusty shutterbug, Priscilla, who just celebrated a major birthday, was lauded at the historic Santa Barbara Club when Maria McCall, founder of Montecito Bank and Trust’s MClub, recounted Priscilla’s most impressive career – including being chosen as Saint Barbara during Fiesta celebrations and, as a licensed pilot, ferrying vital medical aid between the U.S. and Mexico.

The occasion was a lecture by historian Neal Graffy, who is currently working on a book about the club. Graffy was speaking on the establishment of the two-mile prime oceanside estate known as East Beach, which runs from the Andree Clark Bird Refuge – donated in 1928 by her sister Huguette Clark, former resident of nearby historic estate Bellosguardo – to the Cabrillo Pavilion, and ending at Stearns Wharf. The Pavilion cost $200,000 when it was built by philanthropist David Gray in 1926, whose family were early investors in the Ford Motor Company. 

Among supporters turning out were Peter and Gerd Jordano, Sue Adams, Anne Luther, Gary Simpson, Suzi Schomer, Brenda Blalock, Hiroko Benko, and Erin Graffy.