The Santa Barbara area has many news sources that do various things well, but none was exactly what I wanted—just the important news, along with a healthy dose of upscale lifestyle coverage (restaurants, real estate, travel, and so on). So I created Siteline.
Having grown up in Orange County and moved to New York City after college, I never thought I’d return to California. But when my husband, Adam, and I visited Santa Barbara a few years ago, I realized that the area is everything I love about the state, without all the stuff I don’t. At the start of 2019, I sold my hyperlocal website, Tribeca Citizen, and we moved here. (Before Tribeca Citizen, I was a magazine editor: Budget Travel, Fortune, Travel + Leisure, Town & Country.)
There’s no zealot like the recently converted, as the saying goes, and for a while, I’ll undoubtedly have more enthusiasm than expertise. I will get excited about things that you’ve known about for years, and I will make mistakes. Feel free to correct or contradict me; we know more collectively than any of us can on our own. If you have a vested interest in whatever you’re commenting about, however, I insist that you make the connection public.
And editorial and advertising will always be entirely separate.
Please reach out with any questions, concerns, tips, or even compliments. The best way to follow Siteline is by subscribing to the email newsletter. And if you know someone who might be interested in this site, please pass it along.
Erik Torkells
Founder
917-209-6473
[email protected]
















Recent Comments
The proposed second train track location would be better situated between the SB station and the Goleta Station. More room. Less tree removal. Could be… — Joe S.
This is inaccurate, Dennis. While there are Eucs that were planted over 100 years ago along Padaro, they are not the majority of trees. There… — DW
A little correction anyone can verify by walking the Lane. There are very few euchs along Padaro Lane. The most abundant species on the west… — Suzanne Duca
The people making the environmentalist argument just flew in from Aspen on private jets. — A
Wow, great list. For a small town, we have a lot to offer. Lotusland is my favorite place on earth and the Music Academy is… — Jilt
You beat me to it! — StanThompson
El Paseo walkway near the restaurant lobby? — StanThompson
This is a skylight in the hallway on the way to the historic El Paseo restaurant. — Paul
I find the architecture and hardscaping very boring. It looks like it belongs in LA or Orange County. Why can’t we keep more of the… — Lisa Champion
Saturday Fisherman's Market on the pier (by Brophys), every Saturday 6-11a. Meet your fishermen and get the freshest local seafood available, sooo good! — Mac