Tag archives: Montecito
When I arrived at the Montecito Journal, I received some push back for writing about affairs outside of Montecito. But I felt strongly then, and still do, that many aspects of life in greater Santa Barbara are integral to the lives of Montecitans. That goes for healthcare, social impact work, the development of downtown, the […]
Among the unexpected silver linings of the pandemic? The fact that the appeal of living in Santa Barbara’s South Coast has surged, and surged in a big way. An enclave like Montecito is not all that far from the urban sprawl of Los Angeles, where a pandemic-inspired exodus continues. But, as so many residents and […]
Over the past 18 months, the world has been put on its axis, not knowing which way it would spin due to a health crisis that is not only deadly, but unpredictable. But it has done one thing — it’s emphasized the importance of having a place to call home. Whether it be a studio […]
Erroneously translated as “little mountain,” the name El Montecito is an archaic use of the Spanish word meaning woodland or countryside. It was being used to designate the eastern part of the Pueblo Lands of Santa Barbara as early as the 1780s. Considered a wilderness, it only became populated when retiring soldiers of the Presidio, […]
Montecito is having its moment. In the past year, many people bought homes here and either moved in, or began spending time here while also residing elsewhere. Welcome to our little piece of paradise! It’s a fabulous community, a wonderful place to live. No doubt you’ve discovered its magic and charm, but please allow us […]
The real estate market in Santa Barbara and surrounding areas continues to be stronger than ever, with the first quarter statistics confirming that sellers currently have the advantage over buyers. With staggeringly low inventory, and an influx of out-of-town buyers adding to our already strong local buyer pool, home prices are at an all-time high. […]
We’ve heard from a variety of different perspectives in this column, giving us a sense of how each person’s relationship with their hometown changed after heading off into the bigger world. We’ve heard from Clay Rodgers, whose relationship with Montecito and his music career was complicated by natural disasters. We’ve heard from Julia Kupiec, who […]
I started at UC Santa Barbara in 1976, almost on a whim. I thought I would attend UC San Diego, but my high school girlfriend had her heart set on UC Santa Barbara, and though she was a junior, my romantic ass decided to head north and wait for her. When she finally arrived at […]
What is Your Earliest Memory of Montecito? I’m 15 and I was adopted from India. I moved to Montecito with my wonderful family when I was two and a half. I couldn’t speak English. I spoke Hindi. And I was with my new parents, so it was a little frightening. You know, not being in […]
What’s your favorite memory of growing up here? “One of my favorite memories of growing up in Montecito is walking with friends to the Upper Village from Montecito Union School and getting a sandwich from the Village Cheese & Wine Shop. It was just the most incredible sandwich you ever had. Just cheese and meat […]
Where Have You Lived in Montecito? “My husband and I were fortunate to live at El Mirador, the old Armour estate, on Coast Village Road. The owners had been there since 1916. In fact the grand dame, Lolita Armour, just passed away a couple years ago. You would go in on a Friday after work, close […]
This month, roughly 4,600 households in Montecito and Summerland received a special insert along with their monthly water bill. “WATER RATE UPDATE!” the flyer declared in urgent all caps, adding that the “Montecito Water District has Plans for Delivering a Secure Water Future.” Stating that its customers “want their drinking water to come from local, […]
It has been more than 25 years since the formal adoption of the Montecito Community Plan, crafted by concerned citizens, who were charged with protecting and preserving the special, small town, semi-rural residential character of our community. Back in 1995, semi-rural meant the lack of sidewalks and traffic lights, narrow winding roads, subtle road signage, […]
By all accounts, Monday night’s candidate debate at Hahn Hall was a rousing success. Over 300 of Montecito’s finest showed up and packed the house to hear First District Supervisor Das Williams and challenger Laura Capps respond to questions from community leaders and to hear the candidates make their case why he or she should […]
Over the decades since he became a highly successful architect, Robert Easton has constructed custom design homes for a litany of celebrities – everyone from Barbara Streisand, Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas and Michael J. Fox to Joe Cocker, Barry Manilow, Mike Love and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys – even Charo of “Cuchi-Cuchi” and […]
Last Thursday, January 16, Coast Village Association held its annual mixer, bringing business owners on Coast Village Road together at Ty Lounge at the Four Seasons Resort the Biltmore. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the best Holiday Window Decorating Awards, which is an annual contest held by the Association. The third-place […]
Nearly two years after the closure of Silverhorn in the iconic building at 1155 Coast Village Road, a new clothing, home, and accessory boutique, called Marcus, has opened its doors in the space following an extensive remodel. Owned and operated by celebrity entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis, and his wife, Bobbi Lemonis, the Montecito location is the […]
If you’ve been up in the foothills of Montecito the last few weeks, you may have seen crews of men clearing out brush from our local hillsides as part of the Montecito Fire Protection District’s vegetation management program. For the last several years, the crews used to perform the work have been inmate fire crews […]
Sarah McLean leads a meditation immersion/mini-retreat at Montecito Meditation from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, January 25, that serves as an opportunity to unplug from the bombardment of sound, take a respite from technology, put aside to-do lists and dive deeply into your interior. Offerings include silent meditations, a walking meditation, a guided […]
Last Sunday, January 12, Montecito’s Cold Spring Trail was officially reopened following a two-year long closure after the 1/9 debris flow. First District Supervisor Das Williams hosted the ribbon cutting and celebration at the Cold Spring Trailhead on East Mountain Drive in Montecito. Other key people included Ashlee Mayfield, President of Montecito Trails Foundation, and […]
