Odds & Ends

April 13, 2023

Improvements Are Underway at Parma Park

Plus: Warehouse sale of staging decor; The Dirty Dog Wash & Goods is coming to De La Vina; the musical "Once" opens this week; Ojai's Porch Gallery has closed; the Santa Barbara Kite Festival is this Sunday; county survey about emergency preparedness; Figueroa Mountain wildflower tour. 2

April 6, 2023

A New Chapter for the Sacred Space in Summerland

Plus: No nonstop flights between Santa Barbara and Chicago this summer; update on the Santa Ynez Valley zipline park; Goop rumored to be expanding in Montecito; office building/chapel on Chapala sells; story poles are up for the 250-room hotel in the Funk Zone; Robert Cray Band to play the Lobero; answer to last week's "Where in Santa Barbara...?" 2

April 3, 2023

Drybar Is Opening in Montecito

Plus: Weddings could be returning to the Music Academy; city survey about a new Highway 101 pedestrian bridge; Palma Colectiva's opening party; the Patti Smith Trio to play the Lobero Theatre; three more Santa Barbara Bowl shows; Butterfly Beach water contact closure lifted. 6

March 27, 2023

New Building to Include Cantwell’s Market

Plus: The Beads shop reopens this weekend with a new name; the owners of Skin Deep salon/shop are retiring by June; local businesses are planning a "vintage crawl" on Saturday; a chance to see classic films on the big screen; paintings by Betty Lane and Christopher Noxon at Sullivan Goss. 3

March 23, 2023

A New Fitness Studio Is Opening Downtown

Plus: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi actually took a loss on that Hedgerow house; yet another Santa Barbara hotel has been sold; Italian Pottery Outlet is celebrating its 40th anniversary; the Santa Ynez Inn has changed its name; Brad Paisley to play the Santa Barbara Bowl; Mark Morris Dance Group is coming to town.

March 20, 2023

The Return of the Two-Hotel Funk Zone Development

Plus: The Biltmore is reducing its number of guest rooms; Hozier to play the Bowl; a visit to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden's fun Backcountry area; presale memberships to the Pad climbing gym; the Santa Barbara Surf Film Festival will include a block party; answer to last week's "Where in Santa Barbara...?" 16

March 14, 2023

Another Shop Is Leaving State Street

Plus: Most frontcountry trails have reopened; Parker Clay's warehouse sale is this Saturday; two more Santa Barbara Bowl shows; San Ysidro Road northbound onramp to close for nearly two years; current-day photos added to the recent post of old buildings. 1

March 9, 2023

Big Carpinteria Development Lands Its First Retail Tenant

Plus: A State Street bank is closing; the Nesbitt mansion is back on the market; more reasoning for MarBorg's non-curbside rate hike; construction on Highway 217 starts in April; Jazz at the Ballroom returns to the Lobero Theatre; amusing construction sign. 5

March 6, 2023

A New Menswear Store in the Funk Zone

Plus: Music Academy president Scott Reed is leaving the organization; another new apartment building is in the works downtown; two Highway 101 ramps to reopen this week; the Lumineers and Kelsea Ballerini to play the Santa Barbara Bowl; reader question about a nice-smelling plant; paintings by Arty Grimm at Caldwell Snyder. 1

March 2, 2023

Why Were Cameras Installed at the Montecito Hot Springs?

Plus: The latest plans for the De La Guerra Plaza revamp; Little Rainbow Foot Spa closed for remodeling; a new explanation from MarBorg for its non-curbside rate hike; Union Bank is becoming U.S. Bank; East Beach water-contact closure lifted; free firewood from the State Street Axe Club; potential public use of Santa Barbara High School's track and football field. 12