We just passed the shoe and I was curious so thought I would google it. So glad I got my answer. Thank you for all your work.
Tad, what is your source for your assertion that Huguette Clark owned Madison Square Garden? If you Google "Huguette Clark Madison Square Garden," there's only one place on the entire internet where such a claim is made: this thread on SitelineSB.
Moreover, she did not own the entire building at 907 (*not* 905) Fifth Avenue; she owned all of the eighth floor and half of the 12th.
Also, from my (admittedly not extensive) research, Ms. Clark entered Doctors Hospital on March 26, 1991 for treatment of basal cell cancers on her face and never left until she died on May 24th, 2011, making it highly unlikely she was visiting here as recently as 2007 (most sources say she never returned to Bellosguardo after the 1950s).
Finally, while Huguette was indeed a frequent visitor to Hawaii, at least in her late teens/early twenties when she even took surfing lessons, I've been unable to locate any evidence that she ever owned a home there.
So, again, sources please?
I have always said- you could take me to Paris and I would be the one to find a hidden taco truck....there is nothing better than a plate full of tacos! For some crazy north county views and great taco reporting in the county+north county try following my pal Stephen at @eatdrink101 or www.eatdrink101.com, he'll keep you up to date on all things taco and restaurant related including lots of rumors and the homeless camps around SLO!
agreed!
"The city has a huge budget shortfall..." It doesn't even have enough to repair the damage incurred on January 5, 2023 when rains damaged that part of Gibraltar Rd within the city limits and sent water onto the properties for the next 15 months thereby causing landslides on those properties.
I live in Solvang and California Tacos is VILE. I have given them many many chances and always bad. Same can be said about Taco Roco and Tequila. Rudy's is okay. Dos Carlitos is WAY overpriced, especially for the ambiance. I 100% agree with the statement that there isn't good Mexican food here.
Thank Goodness for the much awaited return of Little Alex’s! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Full fledged gringo here who has visited all of the above spots and while I do enjoy the tortilla soup at River Grill and Don Nachos when looking for fast, casual comfort food, it's still fair to say that there is no genuinely great Mexican food in the valley. From our lack of options, maybe they just seem more appealing than they actually are. Haven't tried Highway yet but hoping it is a new gem because everyone always needs a good new taco spot!
I live just off of Sola Street and I hate it
Who approved this ridiculous plan? I don’t remember any open forums. Did I totally miss this?
The return of Little Alex's is fabulous news
Bettye you are so completely wrong dear! Huguette most certainly came every Summer up until 2007 & absolutely did own the house in Hawaii where she went every Winter. She did own Madison Square Gardens & the entire building at 905 5th Avenue. Why should you pretend to know? These are the facts. As before when Mort Zuckerman was on the McLauglin Group show Johnnasked him “who’s richest in your set?” Zuckerman replied “I would say Huguette Clark because hers is all cash.” Her Fortune was estimated at “around six Billion” by Dina Merrill. The IRS ignored her Will & confiscated most of her Estate, the lawyers pilfered much of the rest of it!
Are you serious?? We have very good Mexican food here in Santa Barbara. You must be from Buellton!
N.
Amen
The view from Franchesci Park are wonderful. The old building can go as far as I'm concerned. Why not turn the site planning over to Jeff Shelton to create a mini Park Guell (Gaudi's park in Barcelona)? It could be spectacular with some imagination.
That ranch dressing shirt definitely goes hard
Holy Guacamole
I disagree with “we don’t have good mexican here right now” in the SYV, as ridiculous- but to each their own. You aren’t saying that this is now the plate/paper lined cardboard basket which we will judge all future “mexican” fare?
It’s called Highway Tacos - explain the “mexican” part? Ole! Viva!
Now- as a taco producing & eating machine, I bet Cesar is serving delicious fare - I wish him and his business well. But a plate of tacos at Hitching Post is muy delicioso, and have you not been to California Tacos in both Solvang or Buellton? The Alisal River Grill Tortilla Soup + daily specials of lovely well prepared mexican fare? The little market tucked behind Ace Hardware in Solvang has a delicious selection of tacos and tortas daily! Don Nachos in Solvang- read the YELP love! We had 3 great plates of delicious food + a pitcher of Modelo for under $60! I’m not a fan of the food at Carlitos- but I force myself so I can enjoy their amazing cocktails! I have only scratched the surface- if you need the address of the ranch in Buellton where they line up for Sunday menudo, hit my dms!
+1 on the hangars. I'm a life long pilot of many forms, spent years hanging around airports and working on aircraft. I live in a historic structure. I care about preserving historic structures, but the only thing being pushed by the "save the hangars" crowd is nothing more than pure, unadulterated nostalgia. Nostalgia is not history. The hangars are not historic or significant beyond "stuff happened here back in the day." Being able to list the businesses that used to occupy a structure does not convert a building to historic status. Anyone who has spent time on small airports knows that the structures themselves are not unique in any way. The guy who wrote the op-ed in Edhat says that they have non-profits ready to line and fund the restoration and the creation of a museum, and that they're not looking for any money from the local govt. If that's indeed the case, let em have at it. There are, truth be told, dumber ways to light money on fire. But these people are delusional about the numbers something like this will draw, and the willingness of people to lend aircraft to a museum that sits in an area prone to flooding.
I thought the harbor restaurant had a stop work order.? I walked by there today and I witnessed people working. Do you know if they have permission to be working?
Curious Karen
Fun fact: Rincon Island is Santa's Landing Pad
Relevant around Christmas, but true any time of the year. A great thing to tell your kids as you drive up to Santa Barbara on the 101, Is that the lights from the oil platforms are Santa and his reindeer. As you drive north on the freeway, those lights get "closer" and will "land" on Rincon Island and the connecting bridge like a plane at an airport. Don't believe me? Watch the row of lights as you drive and you'll see it for yourself. Great for kids on the edge of being skeptical about Santa. :-)
What an interesting enclave - El Caserio
To be clear, these aren’t some globally renown structures we’re taking about. They’re dilapidated old buildings, of no particular historic or architectural notability. It’s pure nostalgia for a few people. These politicians have no vision, sense, or backbone.
I second that. Tear down the damn house. And the hangars. The city has a huge budget shortfall. The other parks, which are used by hundreds or thousands daily, are in disrepair. State Street is awful and needs investment from the City (they can’t or won’t even replace the ragged plants). We don’t have the luxury of being precious with horrendously expensive buildings that don’t serve a purpose. If people want to preserve them out of nostalgia, there are lots of wealthy people around here they can ask for donations.
The fact that this total insanity is even being considered makes it clear we need to replace most of our local politicians.
I used to eat at Mattei's as a kid and there was still an old feeling to the place, as though it hadn't been that long since stage coaches were rolling through there. This was also before the zootification of the downtown. I recall the flagpole in the middle of the street but not much else. Look folks, it's the hipsterfication of everything: the ubiquitous white with blacktrim, the steer hide on the floors, the vodka in the lemonade. In and of itself it's "nice" but we lose some kind of connection to the past. It's the same at the Ojai Valley Inn when the stylists got ahold of the historic Neff Lounge and made it into a hipster bar. Egad old California becomes a theme park. I'd heard talk about tearing Mattei's down and was heartened to see it still standing--certainly it's a beautiful place but as we sanitize everything we lose a piece of our soul...
It is wonderful that the City is actually doing a job within their budget, collecting for the illegal vacation rentals. Let us hope that they can continue that low cost trend collecting those still outstanding and put the remainder of that HUGE budget to good use somewhere else.
Thank you Christine. What you say is entirely true...if allowed to proceed, the turbine wind farms will be one of the most destructive developments along our coastlines (inland as well) - we will have ever witnessed in our lifetime.
Nina
