Tag archives: Montecito

Kristen d’Offay: Fashion That Is Functional and Fabulous
By Dalina Michaels   |   August 15, 2023

Kristen d’Offay grew up loving all things sparkly. She was raised in Houston with a grandmother who was a fashion designer and who loved sequins and dresses. But the idea to do something with fashion stayed locked up in a closet for years – while she worked! After years in corporate recruiting and raising three […]

The New York TMZ: Reports of Montecito Being Exclusive to the Newly Wed and Nearly Dead Turn Out to Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
By Gwyn Lurie   |   August 15, 2023

Last week I wrote about the long demise of the Santa Barbara News-Press and the poignance that the final chapter of its tortured story turned out to be Chapter 7. And I touched on the irreplaceable role local news plays in a robust, functioning democracy.  A recent piece in the notably not-local New York Times […]

From Page to Stage
By Richard Mineards   |   May 23, 2023

Local literature lover and attorney Steven Gilbar was busy promoting his latest work, The Little Book of Montecito Actors at Tecolote in the upper village. The 207-page book spotlights the stars of stage and screen who have lived in our rarefied enclave over the years, including Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell to more […]

Dear Mr. Cox and Cox Communications
By Montecito Journal   |   February 21, 2023

We feel so lucky to live in Montecito, a beautiful community with great neighbors and friendly dogs. And you owe me $30,000. This is what I was forced to spend on legal and engineering fees trying to stop your company from ripping out our landscaping and killing our trees in order to put a large, […]

In Response to the MPC Removal
By Montecito Journal   |   February 14, 2023

I feel I must reply to the Journal’s article (“The MPC Shuffle”) of Jan. 26 regarding my removal from the Montecito Planning Commission, as it contained several errors. Additionally, there were important issues that I raised at the hearing before the Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors to which they did not respond, and which the Journal […]

Governor Gavin Newsom Visits the Randall Road Debris Basin
By Joanne A Calitri and Zach Rosen   |   January 24, 2023

Governor Gavin Newsom toured the flood damage statewide on Friday, January 13 and stopped in Montecito in the late afternoon to visit the Randall Road Debris Basin, where over 80 California National Guard were deployed and working around the clock to do environmental remedial improvements that would ensure the safety of the area, and direct […]

Governor Newsom Visits Randall Road Debris Basin
By Joanne A Calitri   |   January 13, 2023

California Governor Gavin Newsom visited the Randall Road Debris Basin on Friday, January 13. The visit from Governor Newsom comes after a National Guard unit was deployed from Chico, CA, on January 12, 2023, to assist in clearing out rubble from the Randall Road Debris Basin in preparation for the upcoming storm. As a special […]

We have 8,000 Reasons to Be Grateful in This Week of Giving Thanks
By Sharon Byrne   |   November 29, 2022

It’s the height of autumn now, with cold nights, falling leaves, pumpkins everywhere, and the most heartwarming of holidays this week. As we look back over this past year, we have a tremendous amount to be grateful for here in Montecito. Yes, the weather and scenery are lovely, and it’s fun to visit the villages […]

Beautification Day: When Montecito Takes to the Streets, With Love
By Sharon Byrne   |   October 18, 2022

The days are getting shorter and cooler. Fog is drifting in, and it feels like spooky season is rolling in with it. Everyone is craving pumpkin spice, and dreams of the Great Pumpkin lighting up Halloween steal into our children’s blissful sleep.  All of this can only mean one thing… Yes, it’s time for Beautification […]

The Montecito Association Wants YOU Do you care about your Montecito village community? We’d love to have you on our team!
By Sharon Byrne   |   September 20, 2022

Whether you’re new to Montecito, or have been here for decades, you probably adore the bucolic scenery, laid-back vibe, and rural feel here.  Well, that didn’t just happen all by itself. A heck of a lot of people who cared deeply spent decades shaping the community we experience in Montecito today. The Montecito Association was, […]

Key Santa Barbara County Contacts: A One-Stop Shop for Key Contacts within Santa Barbara County
By Montecito Journal   |   August 9, 2022

New to the area? Experiencing an ongoing issue at your home or in your neighborhood? There are people for that. The County of Santa Barbara has more than 4,000 employees that can help with everything from behavioral wellness to tax collection to County Fire and Sheriff’s operations. But knowing who to call for what can […]

Ins and Outs: Montecito and Her Many Special Neighborhoods
By Mark Ashton Hunt   |   August 9, 2022

Montecito is a small town with a big presence, and it’s not just our famous residents… it’s this place. Just a mile or few from the ocean to the highest home on the hill. Nature all around. Creeks and hiking trails, small chic shops, and amazing restaurants, a reputation warranted and earned over the last […]

Mid-Year Market Update
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   August 9, 2022

January through June statistics are in, and the Santa Barbara South Coast real estate market is showing a stabilization, marked by increased inventory, fewer sales, a higher number of days on market, and fewer multiple offer situations. Median sales price remains high: $2.2M for the month of June, which is a slight bump from May’s […]

Review of Montecito by Michael Cox
By Montecito Journal   |   August 9, 2022

Montecito – home to such luminaries as Oprah and Stedman, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, and, of course, Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex. The glitterati of the world. Every inhabitant a multi-zillionaire. Well… maybe… but not if your name is Hollis Crawford and you’ve just been fired from your third […]

Growing Up in Neverland
By Stella Haffner   |   August 2, 2022

When I started this column, I knew essentially what I wanted to do.  For new endeavors, what you want to do is largely defined by what you can do. And for me, that meant speaking to, about, and for Montecito’s young alumni.  Along the way, I learned that good newspapers strike a balance between the […]

The Little Book
By Lynda Millner   |   April 12, 2022

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 […]

Building a Greater Sense of Place
By Reeve Woolpert   |   April 12, 2022

Not long ago, saying “I live in Summerland” would trigger a puzzled “where?” Then someone would mention the Big Yellow House. Had the restaurant then been empty and a shade of white as it is today, the landmark might have been the enormous LIQUOR sign looming over town. The next place to dog Summerland just […]

Love Letter to Montecito
By Richard Mineards   |   February 8, 2022

Montecito-based artist and Grammy winning producer Rich Jacques has written a “love letter” to our rarefied enclave. Rich has had more than 300 placements in film and TV such as Grey’s Anatomy and The Breakup, and his songs have been heard in many major commercials including Honda and Xbox. At the beginning of the pandemic […]

The Man in the Miramar
By Gwyn Lurie   |   December 13, 2021

In the movie version of this story, we open on a shot of Invictus, a sleek 215-foot yacht with sophisticated, timeless maritime beauty – all six decks of it – replete with a swimming pool, a gym, a theater, nine bedrooms, and an elevator. Of course.  We pull out further to reveal Rick Caruso, the […]

That Montecito Scent…
By Richard Mineards   |   October 26, 2021

Our rarefied enclave now comes in a bottle! Bling king Erik Laykin, scion of the founder of the 90-year-old Los Angeles jewelry company Laykin et Cie, which is opening a branch at the Rosewood Miramar next month, is launching an exclusive perfume called “Montecito” to coincide with its new presence in our Eden by the […]