Santa Barbara Hives’s New Shop Is a Keeper

••• As expected, Santa Barbara Hives has opened a shop at 516 Palm Avenue, a small industrial office park in Carpinteria, with merchandise that’s bee-related—honey, candles, soaps—and not.  I loved the mix of stuff in a surprising location; it feels like a find, and a real labor of love. Less expected is the extensive food component, which I’ll post about later.

••• The folks at Neal Feay, an aluminum company in Goleta, invited me over for a tour, and it was incredibly cool. I didn’t take any photos, or even ask, because I got the sense that their many high-end, high-profile clients wouldn’t approve. So if you’re offered the chance to see it, go. And those of you who attended Lotusland’s big party last weekend got a taste in the giant aluminum wave by Neal Feay president Alex Rasmussen, an artist in his own right. (Photo courtesy Lotusland.)

••• From the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation: “After being closed for fifteen months, we’re happy to announce that El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park has reopened to the public with new enhancements designed to support public safety and an improved visitor experience. ⁣We’ve updated our self-guided tour with a with a new brochure [and] installed new signage and protective barriers⁣.”

••• A. noticed a real steal in Ojai. If ever there was a time to offer over the asking price….

••• Commonwealth jewelry is coming to the Montecito Country Mart, likely as a pop-up.

••• I’m not sure whether this is news, but it was in bold in Caltrans’s latest update on the 101 construction, so it might be: the southbound onramp at Wallace Avenue in Summerland is anticipated to reopen November 1.

••• New at the Montecito Village strip mall: a shop called Village Needlepoint. It ought to be a real hit with the relatively young new arrivals to town.

••• Sometimes it’s better just to take the day off.

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