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Santa Barbara Koi! Montecito street

Some gorgeous looking designs for State St. promenade! Exciting stuff. But please for the love of god can we not have bad Banksy-esque murals on the side of buildings in our town? I knew it was time to leave Williamsburg and return home to Santa Barbara when “street art walking tours” starting passing our condo on the daily. Some murals are cool, but grungy graffito does not suit our town at all. Speaking of great murals - they’ve saved the Paradise Cafe mural and painted the building a pretty, creamy white instead of grey. I’ll never get over the loss of that neon sign, though. I can’t wait for the day the HLC and ABR get some new blood on the rosters who can roll back the misguided (and historically inaccurate) prohibition on new neon signs. Neon is beautiful! Ok, that’s enough of my opinions for the day.

A coffee shop is opening a restaurant? During the pandemic? Sounds disastrous.

Low Pigeon signed a lease with Miramar group last week! Yes for more coffee and a restaurant concept!

I’m really sad to hear this. It’s an architectural loss above all. We cannot have new neon signs due to misguided local rules, and I can only assume this means a complete exterior renovation (with the grey paint that is so ill-fitting for the location) and loss of that, as well as the mural. The takeover didn’t succeed because the food and drinks were objectively bad. I went 3 times after Acme took over and was looking forward to an icon being reinvented, especially as I am such a fan of Loquita. The food was awful, as were the drinks. It wasn’t just the kitchen doing a poor job (though they were); the menu was objectively bad. Everything was rich and overwhelming, there was no nuance to flavors, and everything tasted like greasy, over-salty bar food or TGIFridays. I wasn’t sentimental about the old food - but I heard numerous locals asking where classics had gone. I actually welcomed the sale to Acme because I thought we’d get something better than what we had before. There are a zillion empty retail spots. I’m sorry they had to take this one and destroy it. That corner with its neon sign, white walls, and its huge bird of paradise will always be among one of the most iconic downtown scenes for me. Here’s to hoping somehow it’s eventually returned to what it was. Acme is a wonderful company and a local asset. I’m appreciative of what they’ve done. But their properties sometimes already feel dated when debuted, like someone hatched the idea in Brooklyn in 2009. I was sorry to see the excellent Les Marchands become a corny millennial pink bar for bachelorette parties of out-of-towners, and even The Lark itself and its menu feel dated in 2020 and have for several years. I’m brutal, I know, but I call it like I see it. I’m all for reinvention and reinvigoration, but this is a step too far and it doesn’t bode well that Acme thought its problems with the Paradise came from its white walls - which they’ll be painting grey apparently - and its eternally cool name and branding. The old menu with the watercolor on it and the delicate typeface remains light years ahead in “cool” of any graphic design and branding Acme is churning out. Goodbye, Paradise. I’ve really loved you, and I will certainly miss seeing you and your beautiful glowing neon sign.

Has anyone thought to make it into a park like setting? People could have a place to eat and rest. You really can’t get all that much parking there to make a difference. In the upper village, Pierre La Fond has a great area for resting. The trees are so nice to sit under and have your lunch and then to continue to shop across the street. The space helps with the Coronavirus issue as you can socially distance while taking a break. It is so comforting. The street is right there (East Valley Road) yet you really don’t notice all that much as the grass and trees seem to buffer that corner.

I respect your decision not to be the first to publish the owner of a particular home until it becomes public knowledge. You'll maintain your credibility that way. Good decision!

Whatever happens with Paradise, let's hope it keeps its old school charm, the fantastic mural, and that gorgeous neon sign. Paradise is iconic in SB!

You're right — I think the comparison of Sprouts between Lazy Acres and Trader Joe's is a good one. Sprouts still retains its 'health food store' vibe — but isn't. But honestly, the difference is I find Sprouts to be cheaper and sometimes better quality with produce. The fact that its so close to TJ's isn't a mistake (its this way in Goleta, and it was that way in Colorado when I lived there!). Fact is, there are some things that Trader Joe's just doesn't have, so I guess the thinking is that its easy to pop over to Sprouts and get the rest. Anyway, happy to see it open in this location!

Re: Arboleda - the area is aspirationally called Hope Ranch Annex, or Noleta.

The first pic for Las Alturas is from a house that recently closed in far west Hope Ranch. I know this because I am crazy and spend way too much time looking at real estate and it’s all stored in my brain. Love the blog! Not trying to be pedantic! I’m just a tad maniacal. Siteline rocks and I’ve told all my friends about it. :)