Well, readers, it’s still cold outside and a nourishing soup is on my mind. This week, I was pondering the white vegetables in the farmers market and their often overlooked brilliance. These vegetables, which are lacking in pigment, have a phytonutrient, or plant chemical, known as anthoxanthin.  Vegetables such as garlic, onion, fennel, potato, turnip, […]

When life throws you curveballs, what does the owner of the vegan joint Rascal’s do? In short, Dalan Moreno gets to work and gets things done!  After a sudden and unexpected notice to vacate his downtown residency on Cota Street on November 4, 2022, Dalan was left in a moment of uncertainty. But if 17 […]

Walking through the Santa Barbara farmers market this week, I keep coming back to the carrot. This often-overlooked vegetable is one that when at its peak, is so utterly sweet and delicious that it can be eaten without adornment.  I love the colors of the heirloom carrots – bright purple with an orange center, radiant […]

One of the most memorable aspects of dining out is a well-made dessert that sets the tone for a night on the town.  On the heels of the awards season, the world’s fashion designers are preparing to roll out their latest luxury creations. Similarly, local pastry chefs have added to their menus a smörgåsbord of […]

Little did I know that my life would take the turn from young ballerina to celebrity personal chef in NYC or later that I would end up as Executive Chef and partner in a meal delivery start up in Santa Barbara. And now, I get to write to you, the readers of the Montecito Journal, […]

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 […]

From area farms to the sea, celebrate the season with simple, homemade dishes that make the most of its best and brightest produce and pair them with fresh selections from our local fish markets.  Let’s start with a vegan/paleo butternut squash soup with roasted poblano chiles, which are mild in flavor but occasionally and unpredictably […]

A four-carat Colombian emerald set in platinum with diamonds accenting the emerald cut. Silverhorn Design Studio1235 Coast Village RoadMontecito, CA 93108805.969.0442https://www.silverhorn.com/ Unique and luxe Dakota Wine and Picnic Tote, quality made in the U.S. out of cork from Portugal. Paula Parisottohttps://paulaparisotto.com/ Proenza Schouler Dia day bag in leopard print Italian calf-hair with a detachable strap […]

Blue skies, swaying palm trees, and warm weather make our city the perfect setting for California Dreamin’, but diners can still find hearty winter dishes on the menus of many of Santa Barbara’s best eateries.  Game birds, root vegetables, chestnuts, truffles, and other seasonal ingredients are among the rich cornucopia of flavors awaiting diners. “You […]

Come see “An Evening with Nigella Lawson” on Saturday, November 12 at 7:30 pm at the Granada Theatre, as the global food icon converses with KCRW’s Evan Kleiman about her new cookbook and the meals, people, and experiences that shaped her life. I had the chance to recently chat with Kleiman about the upcoming event […]