January 6, 2026
Odds & Ends
December 24, 2025
December 16, 2025
Another Small Hotel Proposed for Downtown Santa Barbara
Plus: An effort to reduce freeway noise; new vintage shop in the Oreña Adobe; farewell to a beautiful overpass; give directly rather than to charity muggers; more changes to the Biltmore; new volunteer opportunity at Bellosguardo; the big apartment complex under construction on E. Haley Street. 3
December 10, 2025
First Look at the Music Academy of the West’s Downtown Venue
Plus: The Funk Zone lost two dozen free parking spaces; Iris Galerie has opened; new tenant for the cute space on De La Guerra Plaza; permanent conservation of 587 acres in the Los Alamos Valley; Preservation Hall Jazz Band in concert; Anacapa Architecture's handsome office on State Street. 1
December 9, 2025
November 30, 2025
November 25, 2025
November 16, 2025
Two More New Fitness Studios
Plus: Veronica Beard is open on Coast Village Road; firsthand report from a friend whose house was burgled; the inaugural Santa Barbara Literary Festival will be this spring; the Los Patos Bridge interpretive display; Train and Barenaked Ladies to play the Santa Barbara Bowl. 5
November 10, 2025
A Better Look at the Plans to Redevelop the Sears Part of La Cumbre Plaza
Plus: Bucatini pop-up at The Post; Santa Barbara Rock Gym to close; University of California bought another building downtown; more improvements at Plaza del Mar park; Yellow Pages update; Jack Johnson to play the Santa Barbara Bowl; new Rubenstein Chan show. 7
November 3, 2025
Montecito Is Getting a Public Pickleball Court
Plus: Landscape designs for the Coast Village Road medians; new gym in the Funk Zone; 100 trees to be removed for the reconfiguration of the Los Patos Way off-ramp; Vandenberg Space Force Base's launch alerts are no longer useful; how to opt out of receiving the Yellow Pages; Rainbow Kitten Surprise returns to the Santa Barbara Bowl. 11
Burning Questions
- 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?
- When Will the Coast Village Road Medians Be Completed?
- What’s This Scaffold Structure on Las Positas Road?
- Why Does Street Striping Take So Long to Happen?
Recent Comments
Is there info on how long the intersection will be closed to apply this decoration? — Christine!
I think the street art looks cool and it’s not like the grant money could be used for other purposes. I’m grateful for whoever organized… — Sean
one more comment,, that space always screamed beer garden to me. or Big Star Taco in Wicker Park. more open space to enjoy ocean breeze...… — Dean Carter
Good start. Nice homage to the roof and flower shop... not that either of those were architectural standouts on CVR. More seating/stucture moved to front/parking… — Dean Carter
Agreed, this building does not cohesively fit on the street. It may be bold and striking, but also completely out of place for Coast Village… — Marc
I like the addition. I believe when it's built, he should invite The Bottle Shop to open a space below. That would be the only… — Taylor Hunt
Agree 100%. Attractive in itself but not plonked down on CVR. Does not fit in at all with the local-and-cozy-but-sophisticated look of the other retail… — Dana
Where's the "it's not in Montecito" comments? For looks really good in these photos! — Don
Loving this for Montecito! Net Zero and LEED Gold (plus-plus) aside, the design is striking, well-thought-out, and a nice departure from the same-same outdated architecture… — Vince
I've provided input to the CV Road for nearly 50 years working with developers as a Designer/Broker. We do have an assortment of styles and… — Maryanne Brillhart