As CAMA’s (Community Arts Music Association) women’s board chair Deborah Bertling said, “After two years, we finally get to have an event: Spring Sunset by the Sea.” It was a full house at the new Cabrillo Pavilion with everyone enjoying the view, silent auction, cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres. The Pavilion is truly beautiful and a […]
The Santa Barbara Club held one of its monthly distinguished speakers lunches and talks. This time the speaker was David Bolton, executive director of the California Missions Foundation (CMF). The Foundation began in 1998, to help restore these magnificent treasures – the 21 missions. David is a walking history book about the missions in California […]
The Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA) gave its 11th Annual Gratitude Luncheon, this time at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. We were outside in the Rotunda under a tent. The occasion was to shed light on the Mentor Program, where an adult volunteers to mentor a young person, usually once a week, […]
Casa del Herrero has had an extra treat during their tours the last couple of months: They have opened the servants’ quarters to the public for the first time. The reason is an exhibit of internationally celebrated California artist, the late Channing Peake. The show takes place in the three servants’ rooms. Carrie and George […]
The Santa Barbara Historical Museum (SBHM) has been a busy place lately with not one but two exhibits. One is copper heiress Huguette Clark’s work, not shown for 80 years and the other is Lockwood de Forest. Huguette’s collection is on view in collaboration with the Bellosguardo Foundation. There’s even a recently discovered personal photo […]
Spain’s Ministry of Culture department paid a visit to Santa Barbara recently headed up by the Counsel General of Spain Juan Carlos Sanchez Alonso. They were here by the Mission steps along with our Fiesta Spirit Ysabella Yturralde and a tapas truck with loads of Spanish ham. Spirit Ysabella just returned from Jerez, Spain. The […]
Ganna Walska Lotusland held its annual meeting in a different place this year: Instead of being indoors, we were in the Theatre Garden enjoying the beauty and then unto the lawn for a picnic lunch. Board president Lesley Cunningham welcomed all. Thanks were given to departing Trustees Suzanne Mathews and Alexandra Morse and welcome to […]
Writers and friends gathered at Tecolote recently to celebrate Steven Gilbar’s latest tome, having published over 20 books. This one is titled The Little Book of Montecito Writers and includes over 50 names. This doesn’t count journalists or memoirists. No garrets or starving poets here, with the median home costing about $5 million. Gilbar thinks […]
Fairy tales really can come true, at least according to Deborah Richards. She says, “Cinderella found her prince,” and we were invited to celebrate her marriage to John M. Hillis at the Montecito Club. Only princes and princesses needed to RSVP. We were to wear ball gowns and tiaras, princely attire for the guys, and […]
Who doesn’t like magicians and their tricks? The Lobero Theatre was recently filled with curious kids and their parents waiting for the curtain to rise to reveal the curiosities of six magicians. They didn’t disappoint – what with sawing people in two, cutting ropes that wouldn’t stay cut, tearing up paper that wouldn’t stay torn, […]
The other day I was invited to a breakfast in Carpinteria at 7:30 am. Really! I’m so glad I went because I learned about Carpinteria Children’s Project (CCP). It began in 2009 when only 15% of kindergarteners in Carpinteria were rated ready for school. Last year, 49% were ready, with another 37% close to ready. […]
In the heart of Santa Barbara’s ARTS District there’s a new contemporary art gallery – Maune Contemporary – at 1309 State Street, next door to the Arlington Theatre. This is the second location for founders Ramsey and Heidi Maune. Their first being in the Miami Circle Design District in Atlanta, Georgia in 2019. Heidi said, […]
If you visit the Zoo and blink your eyes, you may think you’re “down under” in Australia. Our Santa Barbara Zoo has some new critters in the new Australian Walkabout Habitat: Bennett’s wallabies, western gray kangaroos, and emus. The grand opening was in January, 2022 and the exhibit is 15,000 square feet where you can […]
Wow! The old 1912 post office never looked better since its $50 million makeover into one of the finest art museums on the West Coast. And what could be more exciting than a Vincent van Gogh exhibit, Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources, with 20 of his works mounted right here in our […]
George Washington Smith was the architect of the Santa Barbara chapel along with Lutah Maria Riggs. It was one of his few public buildings along with the Lobero, the Little Town Club, and the News-Press building (Daily News) because he usually built homes or businesses. The concrete chapel dome is Tunisian and wasn’t painted or […]
One of my favorite places to walk is the Santa Barbara Cemetery. It’s green with gorgeous views and lots of history. It’s the “The Best Last Place” according to David Petry, who wrote an everything you want to know book about the Santa Barbara Cemetery. Many prominent folks and movie stars think so too. Even […]
“The Queen of the Coast”is an art exhibit held in conjunction with the Rincon Classic surf event. The surfing show has been around for 44 years. The art show, not so long. The Rincon Classic is over, but the art will be around until Sunday, February 20. The show features artists from Carpinteria, Rincon area, […]
“Whales are Superheroes” according to the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM). The museum invited all artists in grades K-6 to submit ocean-related art for a unique exhibit. The artists gave their interpretation of a whale, a whale’s activities, or anything ocean related like kelp, starfish, dolphins, or other sea creatures. Crayons, colored pencils, or markers […]
I’ve known Hillary Hauser for years as the executive director of Heal The Ocean (HTO), but I never knew she was so many other things, including an artist. An invitation arrived announcing an HTO Holiday Open House at Lobster Town U.S.A. Gallery on Santa Claus Lane. The feature would be Hillary and her “Fantastic Fishes” […]
UCSB Arts & Lectures invited its Producer Circle members to a holiday party in the Arlington Courtyard. There were cozy firepots and signature holiday cocktails along with DJ Darla Bea. United Way of Santa Barbara was also there to promote their seasonal toy drive for kids. After the reception there was a line outside the […]
The Glen Annie Golf Club was the venue for the Santa Barbara Courthouse docents’ annual holiday luncheon. This was one of the first times they have met together since the pandemic when all the courthouse doors were locked. I had just completed a docent training course and passed the final when eight other students and […]
This was an all-things Irish Christmas party in a lovely downtown venue. You don’t have to be Irish to belong, but most members have some connection. It began with an Irish Christmas toast by Frank McGinity of the American Irish Historical Society. “May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your […]
The Lobero Associates, led by President Mindy Denson, held their annual Christmas Tea during holiday time, but instead of the usual Biltmore it was at an unusual place – the stage of the Lobero Theatre. The theatre looked stunning with giant snowflakes projected over the auditorium walls. The grand piano, which was a gift from […]
The Santa Barbara Historical Museum (SBHM) held a member appreciation soiree over the holidays. The courtyard looked so festive with all the tables decked out in sparkly gold tablecloths. The tapa table people were busy making tacos and pizza and we were busy eating them. There was a band playing and no COVID worries since […]
Once upon a time, Carrie and George Steedman journeyed from their town of St. Louis with his diabetic brother to Santa Barbara. They brought him to see Dr. Sansum because in the early 1920s, he was the only doctor who had insulin in the whole United States. Carrie and George fell in love with Santa […]
The American Institute of Architects Santa Barbara (AIA) hosted their Design Awards Gala for 2021 in December. It honored the achievements of local architects and architecture. The annual event provides a showcase of the members’ contribution to the architectural legacy of Santa Barbara and the value of well-designed work. The group recognizes design excellence in […]
“A library outranks any other thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never-failing spring in the desert.” – Andrew Carnegie In case you think libraries are not exciting or boring, wrong. A group of donors and patrons recently gathered in the Faulkner Gallery for cocktails, moving on to the Santa […]
Ganna Walska Lotusland recently collaborated with the Lutah Maria Riggs Society for a screening at the Lobero of the award-winning documentary film, Lutah—A Passion for Architecture: A Life in Design. There was a patrons’ reception in the tent prior to the filming. As Lotusland executive director Rebecca Anderson said, “When we dig into the Lotusland […]
The Santa Barbara Woman’s Club (SBWC) recently held its annual fall fashion show with styles from Mandana in the Upper Village of Montecito. Seven, mostly member models, strutted the stage and the dining tables. Those twirling were Janet Patton, Kris Proksch, Jama Scarlett-Lancaster, Mandana Mir, Simar Gulati, Salli Peterson, Kohanya Groff, and yours truly, while […]
Waterhouse Gallery is celebrating its 37th year of fine art for us to buy and enjoy in La Arcada Court. To celebrate, Ralph and Diane Waterhouse invited four artists to set up easels in the courtyard and paint so we all could watch. They were Thomas Van Stein, Derek Harrison, Craig Nelson, and Wyllis Heaton. […]
Philanthropist Pierre Claeyssens (1908-2003) believed that “to be killed in wars is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen. To be forgotten is the worst.” In order to pay tribute to all the U.S. Armed Forces, past and present in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, he […]
One of our local luminaries, Mary Tonetti Dorra, has just published another book. I first met Mary on a Santa Barbara Museum of Art trip to New Zealand where she had entrée to the American Ambassador’s home and particularly the gardens. The Santa Barbara gang got to come along. Since then, she’s been a busy […]
Father Larry Gosselin O.F.M. is not only a priest at the Santa Barbara Mission, but also a troubadour with his guitar and now an author. His latest tome is titled Landscapes, Ballad of a Franciscan Troubadour. This book chronicles his life through the world travels he has taken. As his longtime friend Brother Bill Short […]
Violinist Vijay Gupta has been all about music since the early age of eight when he started performing. At 11, he made his solo debut with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta. He then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology and his master’s in music at Yale. When Gupta joined […]
Allison Marcillac, the executive director of Center for Successful Aging, opened her home to the group for a wine and bites gathering. This nonprofit is a busy place dedicated to helping Santa Barbara seniors in need. They provide services to homeless seniors, and are there for seniors with mental health needs. They deliver hot meals […]
The Montecito Club was the venue for the 13th annual luncheon of Domestic Violence Solutions (DVS). The guests gathered around scattered tables and sofas on the lawn overlooking Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean. As we sat sipping mimosas, it was hard to imagine the other lives we were here to honor. Tucked in the […]
Plans are being laid out for Old Spanish Days to have a full and safe Fiesta in 2022. La Presidenta Maria Cabrera will lead the organization into its 98th year. She has been a community volunteer for many years. “As we come out of restrictions and a new changing community, we look forward to meeting […]
Instead of polo ponies, the polo fields in Carpinteria were recently covered with classic cars — more than 200 worth in excess of $400 million. Founder Dolores Johnson was expecting 4,000 car lovers to attend the ninth annual Montecito Motor Classic (MMC) and I think they did. It began 10 years ago on Coast Village […]
Birnam Wood Country Club was the gorgeous venue for Social on the Green, the annual gala — this year celebrating the merger of the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County and the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara. It took many years of negotiating, but at last the county is united. […]
Small Town Big Art Book, 100 Artists of Carpinteria was showcased at the Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center, with it reminiscent of “The Little Engine That Could.” I have a friend who was involved with the Art Center in its early days back in 2006. They really had nothing except the will to succeed and […]