Tag archives: Gretchen Lieff

A Walk on the Wild Side
By Lynda Millner   |   June 4, 2020

The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network (WCN) is a wild and amazing place located at 1460 North Fairview in Goleta. The Spring babies are here! Wildlife doesn’t know about the pandemic. They just need to be fed and cared for. Because of the virus the Wildlife volunteer force is absent and the small staff has […]

Letters to the Editor
By Montecito Journal   |   May 14, 2020

More Gretchen, Please Last week’s article “A Man and His Dog” (by Gretchen Lieff) touched me – as so many of your articles do. I know I speak for many when I say we’d love to be able to follow more of Gretchen’s musings – and adventures – in your Journal. Sincerely Sharon Kantanen Free […]

Spring Baby Season Adds Urgency to Wildlife Rescue
By Nick Schou   |   March 26, 2020

Although for humans it might seem like life has come to a complete stop, the cycle of life and rebirth in the natural world around us continues. This pattern is never more striking than during spring, however, which to wildlife rescue experts has another name: “Baby Season,” which is when mammals produce the bulk of […]

Change of Plans
By Richard Mineards   |   March 19, 2020

Montecito animal activist Gretchen Lieff and fiancé Miles Hartfeld had their romantic vacation to the Maldives and India cut short after President Donald Trump‘s announcement about new travel measures fighting the spread of the coronavirus. “We found ourselves in the middle of the Indian Ocean on an island 200 miles north of the Equator,” says […]

Super Party
By Richard Mineards   |   February 13, 2020

Animal activist Gretchen Lieff and fiancée Miles Hartfeld opened the doors of their charming Arcady home for a Super Bowl LIV bash. As guests noshed on comestibles by caterer Elena Wagner, Miles mixed lemon drop martinis as the Kansas City Chiefs clobbered the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Miami on a Fox TV show watched […]

An Unexpected Discovery
By Nick Schou   |   January 2, 2020

The life and accomplishments of one of the most influential but least known Santa Barbara architects will be celebrated at the Lobero Theatre on January 5. LUTAH A Passion for Architecture: A Life of Design tells the story of Lutah Maria Riggs (1896-1984), a protégé of famed architect George Washington Smith, who, among other landmark local buildings […]

A Hoot and a Half
By Richard Mineards   |   November 7, 2019

The party animals were out in costumed force when the popular charity Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network threw its 31st annual benefit at the Carriage and Western Art Museum with nearly 300 guests raising around $150,000 for the Goleta-based facility and rescuing more than 3,500 animals annually. The fun fete, co-chaired by Gretchen Lieff and […]

Roof Roses
By Richard Mineards   |   October 17, 2019

It was a night on the tiles when the Santa Barbara’s Wildlife Care Network hosted a Rose on the Roof sunset soiree at the Union Bank on Anacapa Street for 60 guests. As well as quaffing the wine, donated by co-chair Gretchen Lieff, the animal lovers noshed on a variety of treats from Santa Barbara […]

Yes Way, Rosé
By Richard Mineards   |   March 14, 2019

Animal activist Gretchen Lieff and Lucky’s owner Gene Montesano have teamed up to create Montlieff Rosé, a combination of their last names. “Rosé is the fastest growing varietal along the Central Coast and we’re among a number answering the call,” says Gretchen, whose 40-acre Alamo Creek Ranch vineyard in southern San Luis Obispo County produces […]

Wild About Wildlife
By Richard Mineards   |   February 14, 2019

Montecito animal activist Gretchen Lieff and Beanie Baby billionaire Ty Warner‘s luxury beachside club, the Coral Casino, hosted a boffo bash for the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, which last year helped 3,297 animals in distress. The event, Love Our Wildlife, was a “friend raiser” to also help garner funds for the 31-year-old organization’s busiest […]

Lauding Lutah
By Richard Mineards   |   January 16, 2019

Six years after its world premiere at the Lobero, the theater she designed, animal activist Gretchen Lieff‘s award-winning documentary on Santa Barbara architect Lutah Maria Riggs, had a sold-out reprise showing as gale-force winds blew. Having attended the first event – I am even mentioned in the credits – it was nice to see such […]

Oh What Fun
By Richard Mineards   |   January 2, 2019

Montecito animal activist Gretchen Lieff and her fiancé Miles Hartfeld opened the doors of their charming home for a hopping holiday bash. Social gridlock reigned as the festive guests quaffed wine and champagne and noshed on a cornucopia of comestibles, including Brenden Twigden, Melinda Gandara, Hal and Haley Conklin, Lisa Osborne, Edie Caldwell, Laurie Ashton, […]

Wildlife Benefit
By Lynda Millner   |   November 22, 2018

For 30 years, Santa Barbara has been taking care of wildlife. In 1984, 12 people decided to share resources to care for injured and orphaned wildlife. In 1999, Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network (SBWCN) leased a small downtown center that housed songbirds and small mammals. In 1992, June Taylor opened up a seabird pond in […]

Losing It on East Valley Lane
By Montecito Journal   |   May 3, 2018

We built our house 20 years ago at the end of the most beautiful lane. It was called East Valley Lane. Now the addresses are East Valley Road. It is, with the three houses above us, part of Ennisbrook, the gated development accessed from Sheffield Drive. It is part of Ennisbrook because the stables were […]

A New Lieff, for Now
By Richard Mineards   |   March 22, 2018

Mud from the recent slides is not only killing people and destroying homes, it is also devastating trees in the community. To that end, animal activist Gretchen Lieff has founded Montecito Now, which is dedicated to the restoration, health and preservation of trees in our rarefied enclave, especially two native species, the coastal live oak […]

Crazy Sale
By Lynda Millner   |   March 8, 2018

If any of you have been to the Magic Castle in Hollywood, you probably know its owners are Milt and Arlene Larsen, who live right here in Santa Barbara. There will soon be a Magic Castle Cabaret located at the Bird Refuge. It will be a private club with 200 members and a dress code: […]

Giving Thanks
By Richard Mineards   |   December 21, 2017

On a personal note, I have a great deal to be thankful for. Great firefighters, good friends, and the kindness of Mother Nature. This is the third time I have endured a mandatory evacuation, having experienced the Tea, Jesusita ,and now the Thomas fires in my 10 years here. I fled our rarefied enclave for […]

Lieff it to Gretchen
By Richard Mineards   |   November 30, 2017

Montecito animal activist Gretchen Lieff has been exploring more liquid assets! Peripatetic Gretchen has just returned to our rarefied enclave from Tanzania after volunteering her services to H2Open Doors, an organization devoted to helping solve the global water crisis. “It focuses on third-world countries and uses special technology to turn filthy polluted water into clean, […]