November 9, 2023
Odds & Ends
First Look Inside Carpinteria’s New Bookstore
Plus: Farewell to Montecito's "welcome tree"; Jeff Shelton–designed T-shirts; Coast Village Week is coming up; two new biographies of Pearl Chase; Loud Flower Art Co. has opened on E. Haley Street; Padaro Lane beach access and "road closed" signage; a meeting about changes to Cliff Drive; the Santa Claus Lane Bikeway is officially done. 5
November 5, 2023
Lookout Park Has Expanded
Plus: Hotel deals for locals and their guests; Light + Home's downtown pop-up; left-turn lane in the works for State and Mission; Google paid $16.8 million for Goleta land; another hotel changed hands; Ojai house tour; flamenco in a historic adobe; talk by the James Webb Space Telescope's lead project scientist. 1
October 30, 2023
October 23, 2023
October 19, 2023
October 16, 2023
October 11, 2023
Palma Colectiva Is Opening a Dedicated Retail Shop
Plus: The State Street pianos are back and a "performance progressive" is coming up; first look at Providence School's plan for the former Girls Inc. building; a trio of contemporary dance performances; Mad Fitness's hiatus appears to be permanent; please don't use fake spider webs outside. 10
October 6, 2023
The Miramar Resort Wants to Add 15 Apartments and 12 More Shops
Plus: A menswear store is coming to the Montecito Country Mart; interior design firm opening shop/studio on State Street; Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum building is on the market; distinctive Funk Zone building for sale; Neal Feay's fabulous London project revealed. 4
September 28, 2023
September 25, 2023
Studio X’s Second Pilates Studio Opens This Week
Plus: Update on Sonoma Fit's downtown gym; local hotel occupancy and rates dipped in August; Asher Market has expanded to Santa Ynez; Belong Church leased a State Street space; Cabrillo Boulevard improvements; John Gibson paintings at Caldwell Snyder. 6
Burning Questions
- Why Are the Railroad Tracks Being Expanded Along Padaro Lane?
- Will You Explain the Plan to Adapt the Waterfront for Climate Change?
- Why Did the Rosewood Miramar Beach Install Gates?
- How Long Will This Big Pipe Be at East Beach?
- Is Cabrillo Boulevard Going to Be Widened Under Highway 101?
- Was There a Fisherman Inn in Downtown Santa Barbara?
- What Are Those Old Buildings at the Corner of Castillo and Montecito Streets?
Recent Comments
It is kind of complex to tease out who bears the risks and benefits in these projects that have public and private parties involved. I… — SBradley
Very interesting. If Yardi is paying anywhere near $120M + $35M + $5.7M for almost 250k empty square feet, this is going to take a… — NuemanJ
I think some folks who would consider this is a windfall for Yardi may be overlooking two things: 1)The cost to Yardi to buyout AB's… — StanThompson
Just realizing I did not address your first point. The buildings on the property have been up for sale, and their value is also depressed… — SBradley
I think that the city's representation of this land as having ‘zero value’ is confusing because it sums together the value of 2 distinct things… — SBradley
No idea whether this is a good deal for Yardi or not. Paseo Nuevo has been available for sale since 2020 with no buyers -… — NuemanJ
I wish this same logic worked for Thrifty ice cream! According to the BLS inflation calculator, something that cost 5 cents in 1970 should cost… — Doug B
I'm unclear how bike lanes are related to maga. For that matter please explain how freeways and rail lines are remotely maga in a state… — Bettye Jones
Worth knowing about the Paseo Nuevo deal: the city is skipping the required competitive bidding process for this public land transfer by using the state-approved… — SBradley
This write up is such a biased take that sides with a handful of people. I imagine the people groaning about this project have a… — Yesenia G.