It’s a process that stretches from the kitchen to the bagging stations to the doorstep of a client in need of food and comfort. And each time it happens, it brings Food from the Heart one step closer to completing its mission of serving every needy resident in the Santa Barbara region.  Food from the […]

On a recent afternoon I received a random phone call from a senior woman who lived in Hope Ranch. She introduced herself as Vibeke Einhorn. She said she had a box of cookbooks, and that she was moving into an assisted care facility, and would I want them. Her kind, dignified voice and fondness for […]

Last week marked 10 years since Rori’s Artisanal Creamery opened their first scoop shop at the Montecito Country Mart.  Owner Rori Trovato has been creating her beloved ice cream from a commercial kitchen in Carpinteria since 2010; the shop at the Mart was the first retail shop followed by locations in Santa Barbara (at the […]

The signature restaurant at the Rosewood Miramar Beach, Caruso’s, has earned a Michelin Guide one-star and Michelin Green Star designation in California’s 2022 rankings. The distinguished honor places Caruso’s as a fine dining destination among Michelin’s esteemed list of 89 restaurants in California, all rated according to the guide’s rigorous standards, and one of only […]

I, like so many others, have childhood memories of burgers, the beach, and that larger than life bearded, jolly man looming over Santa Claus Lane. Growing up on the road with traveling artists as parents, we stopped at countless little, quirky resting points along the way, but something about Santa Claus Lane sticks in the […]

Regenerative agriculture has the potential to provide meaningful work and living wages to farmers while feeding millions of people, sequestering large amounts of atmospheric carbon into the soil, building our freshwater resources, and improving wildlife habitat. Despite launching its tiny, 12-acre farm as a proving ground and site for community demonstration, learning, and teaching about […]

Step inside AMA Sushi, Rosewood Miramar’s new upscale dining room, and experience an homage to Edomae – a centuries-old Japanese culinary tradition that has resurfaced in recent years. Named for women who ventured into the ocean to collect seafood for their village, “ama” means “women of the sea.”  The team at this beachside resort is […]

I’ll be spending this coming weekend in Solvang, acting as emcee for a few of the events on the calendar for the 85th Danish Days festival, including the Danish Days Parade at 2:30 pm on Saturday afternoon. The three-day fête, Friday through Sunday, celebrates Santa Barbara County’s famous Scandinavian town, founded in 1911 by Danish […]

On a recent afternoon, on the rolling grounds of Eastside Knoll Vineyard in Sonoma, falcons are on alert. With the 2022 harvest finally underway, and with the pinot noir grapes here quickly maturing toward optimum ripeness, the birds of prey have been employed as an eco-friendly alternative to netting to keep hungry starlings away. “It’s […]

In April, Montecito restaurateur Gene Montesano – with the help of general manager Leslee Russell – took over a Coast Village Road staple: Montecito Deli. The new-and-improved “Montesano Deli” has brought fresh changes to the space and the menu, and this weekend, the market next door is set to open.  The duo of businesses, Montesano […]