“It was a happy accident,” Oliver Welch recalls. It was June of 2022, his first summer out of college on the gloomy east coast; he’s on Maui to surf, dive, throw pottery, and hopefully find a farming gig to support the whole thing before going home to Santa Barbara. “I’m at dinner with my dad’s […]

Bridget Mitchell is a Montecito native living in Los Angeles pursuing a creative career in costume design. From backstage show repairs for recognizable characters to behind-the-scenes Hulu sets to cruise ship performances at sea, there have been diverse adventures in her craft. Mitchell’s achievements speak for themselves in her over decade-long pursuit towards her craft. […]

Truck racing superstar Dan Chamlee, founder of The Factory Racing, Inc.has officially won the Class 7 Title at the 2024 Baja 1000 race on November 15-16. This is the 9th Baja 1000 win for Factory Racing, Inc.  On Dan’s team this year were his wife Laurie as Crew Chief. Riding in the truck with him […]

Vistas Lifelong Learning organization held its annual Margerum Distinguished Speaker Program featuring Dr. Joel Rothman, at the Music Academy, Montecito, on Thursday, November 21. The event co-chairs were Leslie White and Jill Breedon.  The program, entitled “Extending Healthy Lifespan: Promises and Societal Challenges of Longevity Science,” was sold out at standing room only. Rothman has […]

My brother Benjamin Tolan – and you can ask anyone who went to MUS, Crane or Laguna Blanca High School – is best known for his uncanny excellence in whatever he pursues. He can pick up any tune on the flute, saxophone, or piano in just a few listens and dominate in any video game […]

Get up and out of your bunk at 4 am. Make coffee and a bagel… it’s burnt. Equip your waders, boots, headlamp, backpack, and lots of surveying equipment. Wade in the river and hike the woods for 12 hours, being cautious not to run into the man who lives in the shack made of bones. […]

Legendary Decorator, beloved villager, and Charlie Munger muse Penny Bianchi is herself a striking figure – a living, breathing design element in her own right. The indescribable Bianchi casually radiates charm, wit, joy – and the fauvist Je ne sais quoi one experiences when falling into a painting by Chagall. To madly understate it, there […]

As a Santa Barbara wine expert, I’ve learned that the finest vintages are best enjoyed with inspiring company—and that’s exactly what I found with the Association for Women in Communications, Santa Barbara. Serving on the board has been an absolute delight, immersing me in a vibrant community of brilliant women who are as passionate about […]

Ariel Leira is a multidisciplinary visual artist and writer who grew up amongst the trees of Montecito, documenting her TRAVELS through glowing, abstract photography and heartfelt poetry. She was a lifer at Crane Country Day School – where we met in fifth grade – and graduated from Santa Barbara High School.  Leira’s artistic proclivities began […]

Westmont President Gayle D. Beebe has been serving as a delegate at the Fourth Lausanne Congress for World Evangelization on Sept. 22-28 in Incheon, South Korea. He has served as a college president for more than 25 years (18 at Westmont) and received his invitation through the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities. Beebe joins […]