Two Popular Restaurants Are Temporarily Closed Because of Covid-19

More food news: Ways to help local restaurants; ordering bread from Riviera Bread, Bree'osh, and Bossie's Kitchen; Bettina's English pea pizza; new chef at Pico in Los Alamos; a bit of help from GrubHub.

Newsletter: March 16

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First Confirmed Case of Covid-19 in San Luis Obispo County

Other local news: A running tally of tests given here and cases by state and country; Santa Barbara schools close indefinitely; UCSB suggests students leave campus; farmers' market stays open, for now; social-distancing guidelines for restaurants; Mammoth and Big Bear shut down.

Palm Springs Style on a Montecito Golf Course

The week's other top price reductions: Adorable 1911 cottage off East Beach (↓$400K); hilltop castle (↓$105K); sweet seclusion where Diana Road meets Diana Lane (↓$100K); two-week price-chop on Conejo Road modern (↓$200K).

The Inaugural Santa Barbara Culinary Experience Has Been Postponed

More food news: Foster's Freeze said to be on its last legs; Chick-fil-A's lame response to its traffic issue; chef-owned Lemon & Coriander in Goleta; dormant plaza in Montecito's Upper Village; non-alcoholic cocktail mixologists; three home winemakers.

Social Distancing Comes to Santa Barbara

The Riviera Theatre is limiting audience size; the public library is canceling events; Slightly Stoopid is coming to the Santa Barbara Bowl; MarBorg will soon rent hand-sanitizer stations; Cottage Hospital has COVID-19 test kits; toilet-paper hoarding continues; a free house.

California Is Discouraging Gatherings of 250 or More People

Other local news: UC Santa Barbara has moved to online classes through April at least; Santa Barbara City College has switched some classes to online; second COVID-19 case in Ventura County; Earth Day event postponed; SLO farmer's market canceled; gang members convicted of post–debris flow crimes, including a Montecito home invasion; bad behavior on the rise in area schools.

What Are Those Poles in the Ocean Near the Ritz-Carlton Bacara?

"During lunch at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, I spotted these four columns just offshore. I only recently moved here, and maybe this is obvious to people who've lived here longer, but what are they?" —A. 2

Newsletter: March 12

The twice-weekly Siteline newsletter is the best way to follow the website. To subscribe, click the link at the bottom of this post. And you can unsubscribe at any time.

Cielito Spec Renovation Mostly Done Right

Highlights of this weekend's open-house lineup: French-inspired architecture in Montecito's Golden Quadrangle; widescreen mountain views off San Antonio Creek Road; and two old gems that are a hoot to explore.