••• Iris Galerie, which has locations all over Europe and North America, is opening at 4 W. De La Guerra Street (inside the 801 State Street building): “Our state-of-the-art technology captures every nuance of your iris in great detail in a matter of seconds.” The photo then gets “optimized” and you can buy a print, have it made into jewelry, etc.
••• Jerry Seinfeld will play the Arlington Theatre on October 9.
••• Spangler: A Santa Barbara Artist is a new book honoring late artist Dennis Spangler. “The 120-page hardback volume, lovingly compiled by children’s book author Penelope (Penny) Paine, highlights Spangler’s dynamic artistic journey—from his vibrant hand-painted fabrics and Solstice parade banners to upholstery commissions for celebrities such as Mick Jagger, Cher, and Farrah Fawcett.” On August 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a launch party at the Sacred Space with “original fabric pieces and handmade items for sale (bags, bookmarks, pillows, shirts, and more).”
••• From the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association: “Beginning this September, DSBIA will launch a comprehensive suite of enhanced janitorial, pressure washing, and landscaping services throughout the district. Alongside this rollout, a new Vacant Window Beautification Program will activate empty storefronts with local art and enliven downtown while attracting new businesses.”
••• According to the August 5 city council agenda, the city of Santa Barbara has…
identified an opportunity to purchase a property located at 1633 La Coronilla Drive, that could address multiple objectives. Local housing costs have made it extremely difficult for staff to secure local housing. This is particularly challenging for Water Resources when the City’s operations require staff to on site as soon as possible to respond to after-hours water emergencies, such as water main breaks. To protect public health and property, we strive to have water operators respond to emergencies within 15 minutes or less, which requires out-of-town operators to have access to a rest area nearby.
Water Resources currently provides resting quarters at a local hotel. […] Securing a dedicated local property would allow the City to ensure a consistent, reliable place for its emergency service workers and standby operators to respond quickly to emergencies and the ability to obtain necessary rest. In addition, the property could also be made available for other emergency service workers. This would also meet a neighborhood request to increase site security and surveillance during the Vic Trace Reservoir Project.
The budget request is for $2.185 million; the property was most recently listed for sale in 2022 for $1.995 million.
••• From the Ritz-Carlton Bacara: “We have relaunched our local’s spa promotion through October 31. 50-minute relaxation massage, 50-minute stress relief, or 50-minute custom facial: $202; signature manicure and signature pedicure package: $243.” It’s valid Sunday through Thursday.
••• Two exhibits of note have opened at Sullivan Goss: Paintings by Robin Gowen (including “Cloud Haze,” below), and The Fateful Eight, a group show of “heavy-hitting pieces by some of the gallery’s most coveted artists of past and present,” including Alex Rasmussen’s “‘Round Midnight” (further below).
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What a waste of taxpayers money !
Why don’t you just put people up in hotels on a as need basis, unless the city has an extra two million to just throw around, we have to question some of the ideas that some these people come up with..
I had the opposite reaction: this seems brilliant. The home in question is right near the water treatment plant and various on-call staff can use this as a base versus driving home to Oxnard, Lompoc, etc. On-call maintenance staff can’t afford living in SB. Hotels are not alway available, especially in a major evacuation. So cops, etc. could use this place, too.
It seems like Sullivan Goss gets a lot of coverage in your newsletter. Are they the only legitimate gallery in town? Or do they just have an effective outreach/PR team? I’m genuinely curious—have stopped by a few of their shows because of Siteline and would love to learn about more high quality gallery events around town!
I mention gallery shows when I think they sound interesting, and yes, in my opinion, Sullivan Goss tends to have more along those lines. (It’s also much more proactive about getting the word out.) But I’ve certainly mentioned shows at many other galleries (in recent months, Caldwell Snyder, Seimandi & Leprieur, Tamsen Gallery, Art & Soul…). Your best bet is to sign up for updates from the galleries themselves (or follow on Instagram), so you can decide for yourself what you think is worth a visit.