Montecito Ideal
A fresh Golden Quadrangle estate features five newly fashioned structures across three sculpted acres—adding up an elegantly harmonious whole.
A fresh Golden Quadrangle estate features five newly fashioned structures across three sculpted acres—adding up an elegantly harmonious whole.
Written by Constance Dunn | Photographs by Eric Foote (aerial) and Jason Rick
“When the team first saw the property, our jaws just hit the ground,” says Riskin Partners agent Jasmine Tennis about 595 Picacho Lane. It’s a strong impression, especially when one considers the local team transacts many of the most gilded properties in the area.
The total effect, she explains, is not just due to the land—three manicured acres of green, leafy grounds. Nor the plum location—in the heart of Montecito’s Golden Quadrangle, an estate-laden part of town that’s luxurious yet leisured. “You’re walking distance to the Upper Village Shopping area,” Tennis points out. “It’s the perfect distance if you’ve got little ones at the elementary school; or if you want to get coffee at Pierre Lafond or grab dinner at Via Vai.”
It’s these—the golden-ticket address and a bounty of nature—in concert with the five, newly renovated structures that make up this sophisticated estate, brought to life by Harvester Group. At its heart is a sun-splashed main residence (5 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms) spanning around 8,000 square feet of living space—a figure that swells to approximately 9,653 square feet when other structures are factored in. The main home’s aesthetic is streamlined and refined, with exquisite details thoughtfully peppered across the floorplan. Main living spaces—including a sprawling primary suite with show-stopping bathroom—are on the main floor, arranged around a generous pool terrace with designated spaces for dining and lounging.
Not far from the main residence is a bright one-bedroom guest house, a full-fledged ADU with a separate driveway. This is a peaceful hub, around 900 square feet, with charmed details including character-rich wood floors, vaulted ceilings and white-washed beams. There’s a hearty stone fireplace to warm you on cool nights, and a covered porch where you can ponder the lush grounds, including neat rows of box hedges and old-growth trees.
“It lives like a compound,” Tennis says of the estate’s layout. “It’s cohesive, yet each structure has its own autonomy.” One can set up a child’s playroom or a retreat for painting, for instance, in the small wood studio filled with strong north-facing light. Or work peacefully in yet another haven, this one an inviting guest studio with full bath that’s poised under a secluded grove of live oaks.
Amble across the grounds to the glass-front wellness pavilion—a feel-good getaway that overlooks the pickleball court. Within it there’s a spa bathroom and a sauna, plus serene spaces for meditation and movement that are enhanced when generous glass doors slide open to let in fragrant air and views of the green landscape.
“To combine a fabulous A-plus location with over three acres of flat, usable land, and a house that’s ready to move into is really unusual,” describes Tennis. Stone steps map out multiple garden districts, and there are tidy lawns for strolling and games, including a bocce ball court. After dark, gather around the grand firepit, shrouded by stone walls built nearly a century ago, or wander among live oak and olive trees dating back to the property’s origins. The effect is an immersive one that plays up the surreal light schemes and gentle climate of Montecito—where days at this estate begin with softly glowing light rising over the vast lawns, and end with the vivid hues of sunset settling over its rich store of nature’s treasures.
“To combine a fabulous A-plus location with over three acres of flat, usable land, and a house that’s ready to move into is really unusual.”
Presented by Riskin Partners Estate Group | Village Properties
Offered at $36,500,000
Riviera Revival
A charming 1948 Spanish-Mediterranean home with vivid Santa Barbara hilltop views is faithfully renewed for the 21st century.
A charming 1948 Spanish-Mediterranean home with vivid Santa Barbara hilltop views is faithfully renewed for the 21st century.
Written by Constance Dunn
“Much of the house had quirky things going on in terms of layout,” says Nick Holman, senior superintendent at Allen Construction. “It needed a good overhaul, that’s for sure.” He’s describing the 5-bedroom Riviera residence the construction firm meticulously transformed into an ultra-comfortable modern home where sunny family spaces and epic coastal views reign in the midst of authentic postwar charm, circa 1948. And in just under 8 months.
The team—consisting of Holman, who helmed the project for Allen Construction, working with architect firm Wade Davis Designs and interior designer Joyce Downing Pickens—started at the main entrance. “We changed the entire entry staircase,” describes Holman. The whole south side of the 3,546-square-foot residence was smartly exposed to unbridled views of the city, mountains and harbor via a wall of French doors that effectively enjoined the sculpted green lawn with the main living spaces.
“It opens up the house to more of an indoor-outdoor floorplan,” Holman explains, “and takes advantage of the south-facing light the house gets throughout most of the day.” More exposure to the treasured natural environment ensued. A new deck was fashioned off the primary bedroom, creating a source of natural light to stream across newly refreshed oak floors and beckon you into fresh air and water views first thing in the morning. “It looks at the center of the harbor,” says Holman of the uplifting perspective. An additional terrace was built adjacent to the dining room, and while lounging in the living room over ocean views, you can step onto a new stone patio with pergola overhead that functions as an extension of the room itself, with clean cut flagstone floors and an earthy bamboo roof.
“Much of the house had quirky things going on in terms of layout. It needed a good overhaul, that’s for sure.”
Throughout the property, the team enhanced spaces with a flurry of refinements, always faithful to the mellow elegance that is native to the Spanish Mediterranean style home. From reconfiguring the kitchen, adding new cabinets as well as countertops made of soapstone and Calacatta Caldia marble in the process; to completely remodeling all of the bathrooms, adding a new powder room with quaint finishes to seamlessly blend with longstanding spaces. Arched openings leading from room to room were introduced, as were 13 hearty antique wood beams placed along ceilings in main living spaces.
Reclaimed and rustic, these hand-hewn beams were sourced from the Midwest. With shipping delays, they were a source of consternation given the project’s fixed completion date in September 2021, when the homeowner was scheduled to move in. “That was a big challenge for us as far as not knowing when the beams would arrive,” recounts Holman. Arriving just in time, installation of the beams took two full weeks, with the home’s resulting aesthetic more earthy and romantic than previously.
“Working with an amazing, goal-oriented team was a pleasure and allowed us to hit that date,” says Holman of the project, completed less than 8 months after its February 2021 start date. It was also Allen Construction’s 40-year streak of working on local residences, many of them well-heeled heritage homes needing careful update, responsible for its success. And yet another integral ingredient—faithfulness to the desires and objectives of client, architect and designer. It’s a chief satisfaction of any project, and neatly summed up by the supervisor of this one: “Being able to understand what their vision is and make it come true,” he reflects. “That’s very gratifying.”
“Being able to understand what their vision is and make it come true. That’s very gratifying.”
Allen Construction
(805) 884-8777 | BuildAllen.com
Market Leader
The longstanding luxury agent and his group are on a perpetual mission—to highlight the beauty of real estate and satisfy the most discerning clients in the business.
Randy Solakian Estates Group: Deanna Solakian Williams, Randy Solakian and Jessica McLernon
Randy Solakian Estates Group
The longstanding luxury agent and his group are on a perpetual mission—to highlight the beauty of real estate and satisfy the most discerning clients in the business.
Written by Constance Dunn
“From the beginning,” says real estate agent Randy Solakian, “I’ve been committed to deliver a standard of service and care not available anywhere else in the business.” The 40-plus-year veteran of luxury real estate is discussing how certain fundamentals of his business have changed over the decades—while others never will.
DID YOU KNOW?
Since entering real estate in the 1980s, Randy Solakian has represented notable estate and ranch properties, as well as architecturally significant and historic properties in the Santa Barbara area and beyond.
Eschewing accolades and industry statistics, Solakian regularly represents high-profile clientele and properties, such as the recent co-listing of Santa Barbara’s El Rancho Tajiguas, included among Architectural Digest’s “The World’s 9 Most Expensive Home Listings Currently on the Market.”
Like the knack for finding unique highlights of each listing, and keenly communicating them. “There’s beauty in every property,” Solakian points out. “There’s also history and legacy and heritage in many of the properties I represent. It's my priority to convey the special attributes of each property to the world in my marketing.” Solakian Estates Group properties tend to be focused in the hyper-exclusive realm, located in Montecito and Hope Ranch and “overflow with beauty at every turn,” he describes, “and that’s always fun. It’s an art form to sell real estate, and to reveal the distinct beauty of each property to the observer.”
Back in the day Solakian did this via selective print campaigns, which now extend to the digital universe. “The highest quality photography has always been an essential criterion for our marketing program,” states Solakian. “As the world became more digital, it was like nuclear power for communicating our materials and messaging,” he chuckles, citing the immediacy and global reach of digital platforms, which he and his team wield discerningly. “We are razor focused on our digital interface with the world,” he says. “However, I’m only interested in those tools that fit the quality, exclusivity and the dignity of the property—and of a very discerning clientele.”
A heightened sense of aesthetics, for nature and design in particular, was perhaps inborn in Solakian. Born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, the son of an architect came north to attend UCSB and afterwards, entered real estate. “I was absolutely in love with Santa Barbara and didn’t want to live anywhere else in the world,” Solakian shares. “I could leverage my background in architecture, construction and design. Also, I saw real estate as a possibility to earn the proverbial unlimited income, and I could also control my working hours. What’s not compelling about that?”
“There’s also history and legacy and heritage in many of the properties I represent. It’s my priority to convey the special attributes of each property to the world in my marketing.”
Another lure was the nature of the work itself. “Real estate,” Solakian points out, “is all about working with people. The ability to do something really meaningful for them, in terms of matching them up with a dream home or helping them optimize a sale of their home, compelled me to dive head first into the business.” It’s a reward shared by daughter Deanna Solakian Williams, who joined her father in real estate more than a decade ago. “Once she scratched the surface,” says Solakian, “the more she fell in love with it.” Santa Barbara native and agent Jessica McLernon rounds out the team. “We’re a partnership across the board,” remarks Solakian. “The three of us support our business and clientele in a powerful way that none of use could do individually.”
Constant improvement in the quality of service to clients is the central premise of the group, helmed by a man who, despite his affable, even relaxed demeanor, is perpetually focused on achieving the best. “This business has been, over many decades, my life and joy,” reflects Solakian. “And it’s also my passion.” To provide the kind of service that meets the expectations of the most scrutinizing clients in the marketplace—who, he points out, require and appreciate it—is the engine that has kept him at the top of the local real estate leaderboard for decades. “It's an essential qualifier for any and all interface with the marketplace,” he states. “It’s what sustains me.”
Randy Solakian Estates Group
805.565.2208 MontecitoEstates.com
Metamorphosis on Butterfly Lane
Meticulous design and construction deployed by a standout local team transforms this Spanish Mediterranean home into an au courant scene of Montecito dreams.
Meticulous design and construction deployed by a standout local team transforms this Spanish Mediterranean home into an au courant scene of Montecito dreams.
Written by Constance Dunn
At this freshly styled Spanish style home tucked along a quiet street in Montecito, you recline along the seamless edges of the swimming pool and ponder the day, noticing how stress evaporates as you watch leafy green palm trees wave against the sun-soaked sky. Later, as the bold hues of sunset fade behind brush-stroked mountains, a well-placed network of lights casts a romantic glow across the private scene. Reflected in the calm waters is the image of a tidy cabana, steps away, and a spacious outdoor lounge where you can gather with friends and family around a blazing fire.
This setting, rivaling the enchanted atmosphere of a best-in-class resort, is the product of a collective of local experts that, over a two-and-a-half year period, transformed a standard-issue Mediterranean home, circa the early 1980s, into a meticulously crafted haven of technology and coastal aesthetics, down to heated stone countertops and a motorized glass wall that glides open with a word, merging an elegant fireplaced living room with a super-scenic backyard.
“It really turned into quite a jewel box of construction, as opposed to a modest interior renovation,” says Derek Shue, principal, and partner at custom construction firm Giffin & Crane, describing how the homeowners wanted the residence to be a beach-friendly atmosphere of clean, modern lines that was also cutting-edge in terms of technology. “There are full control systems for everything from lighting and temperature to audio-video,” says Shue, “so the homeowner can flip a switch from anywhere in the world and turn something on or off. There’s a big brain to that house in the basement that can control everything.”
“There are full control systems for everything from lighting and temperature to audio-video, so the homeowner can flip a switch from anywhere in the world and turn something on or off.”
Among the challenges was the instruction that the overhaul take place within the existing footprint of the 3,000-square-foot home. Re-strengthening the structure became a major part of the project, notes Shue, “to make sure the home would last for the next hundred years.” The floorplan was revisioned into an airy, sun-lit flow of rooms, with the kitchen, primary suite and office facing the nature-filled backyard. All materials, from the custom furniture and white-oak cabinets to the oversized steel-framed windows and thick, geometric paving stones—cut from boulders of Santa Barbara sandstone and abundant throughout the home’s exterior spaces—were sourced locally from area artisans and suppliers.
As principal of the project’s general contracting firm, and himself a hands-on tradesman since age 14, Shue was at the job site on Butterfly Lane daily, often joined by design architect Britt Jewett, who Shue defines as “part architect, part artist.” Jordan Design Crew, a local mother-daughter interior design firm, was part of the team; so was landscape architect Bob Truskowski and lighting designer Ann Kale, who deployed a sophisticated play of lights to strategically illuminate all outdoor spaces. “It’s a pretty special place, and it was a joy to work with a team of people doing their best every day to achieve the end result,” says Shue. “It’s no one person.” Rather, it was the alchemy of skillful designers and builders pulling together in tight collaboration, backed by clients who were eager for them to do their best work. “It’s a total Zen retreat,” says Shue of the “after” home and property. “The homeowners are just so happy with it because they don’t feel they need to go on vacation to be somewhere special.”
“The homeowners are just so happy with it because they don’t feel they need to go on vacation to be somewhere special.”
Giffin & Crane
(805) 966-6401 | GiffinandCrane.com
Market Leader
Featuring Riskin Partners Estate Group: The four Riskin partners steadfastly carry on the real estate legacy of their mentor while running one of the highest sales-volume teams in the nation.
Riskin Partners Estate Group: Robert Riskin, Jasmine Tennis, Dina Landi and Sarah Hanacek
Riskin Partners Estate Group
The four Riskin partners steadfastly carry on the real estate legacy of their mentor while running one of the highest sales-volume teams in the nation.
Written by Constance Dunn
Rebecca Riskin spent 37 years in real estate, etching her name in the Montecito community by representing many of the area’s most notable properties and building up her namesake firm. After her 2018 passing, the Riskin team—which includes son Robert, along with Dina Landi, Sarah Hanacek and Jasmine Tennis—took the reins, continuing the standout legacy of their mentor not only in work but in spirit.
DID YOU KNOW?
Since its founding more than two decades ago, Riskin Partners has transacted over $3.5 billion in real estate sales—with more than $1.8 billion sold between 2018-2021 alone.
Riskin Partners currently ranks 2nd in the nation among small real estate teams by volume (RealTrends + Tom Ferry The Thousand, 2022), a position they also held in 2021.
So far this year, they’ve closed $340 million in real estate deals, and have an additional $185 million in current escrows.
“Rebecca used to say, ‘I’m actually not a very good salesperson; I just feel really passionate about what I sell. I love what I do!’” recounts Landi of Riskin Partners Estate Group, who started her career as an assistant to Ms. Riskin, along with fellow partner Sarah Hanacek. It’s a perspective shared in earnest by all four Riskin partners, who’ve done a skillful job of carrying on the most enduring aspects of the firm—established brick by brick by Ms. Riskin, who for decades stayed firmly at the top of an uber-luxury real estate niche where much is expected of one’s agent—while continuing to innovate, particularly when it comes to marketing properties.
631 Parra Grande, listed by Riskin Partners. Photo: Jim Bartsch
The success metrics of the new generation of Riskin Partners are reflected in their inclusion in a host of industry Best Of lists; notable among them is RealTrends + Tom Ferry The Thousand, featured annually in The Wall Street Journal. The prestigious ranking of real estate agents has Riskin Partners second in the nation among small teams by volume ($864 million in sales for 2021); a position they also held the previous year. “What makes our partnership unique are three things,” states Landi. “The first is that we all work together. The second is that we very rarely deviate outside of Montecito, and the third is that we have our own marketing department.”
At work the partners maintain an ongoing business dialogue, tapping their collective expertise to serve clients and sell properties (“It’s valuable to clients to have multiple perspectives,” Landi points out), while relying on a dedicated three-person marketing team that’s as focused on property specs and graphics just as much as analytics. “It allows us to curate really unique digital campaigns that actually get opened,” she remarks, noting how campaigns get further exposure via their brokerage, Village Properties, which is part of Forbes Global Properties, an exclusive network of real estate firms placed around the world.
888 Lilac Drive, listed by Riskin Partners. Photo: Jim Bartsch
“Rebecca used to say, ‘I’m actually not a very good salesperson; I just feel really passionate about what I sell. I love what I do!”
3165 Padaro Lane, listed by Riskin Partners. Photo: Eric Foote
So images of the rolling green hills on the 3,100-acre Hacienda Ranch ($45 million), which the partners currently represent, or those of the stately oceanfront estate on Padaro Lane (also listed by Riskin Partners for $65 million) can be reliably relayed to the small league of global buyers for whom such properties are a real possibility. (These listings represent the higher end of the price spectrum at Riskin Partners; the firm also represents a sizable number of properties in the $5 to $20 million range.)
Gracious is often mentioned by those describing Rebecca Riskin, although it’s a word rarely linked to the pressure-point realm of luxury real estate, where transactions are typically very high stakes and personal. But her real estate heirs—Robert Riskin, Dina Landi, Sarah Hanacek and Jasmine Tennis—are keen to maintain this quality as a central premise of their business, imbued as it is with characteristics like consideration and conscientiousness. “We’re running a business, but it also feels like a family,” muses Landi, “and whenever we have any kind of dilemma, we always ask ourselves, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’ When you have that as your constant focus, the solution, and all the rest, just falls in line.”
1547 Shoreline Drive, listed by Riskin Partners. Photo: Jason Rick
Riskin Partners Estate Group
805.565.8600 Montecito-RealEstate.com
Pure & Simple
From Copenhagen to SoCal, Simple Feast is Santa Barbara’s fresh, altruistic alternative to the doorstep-delivered meal kit.
From Copenhagen to SoCal, Simple Feast is Santa Barbara’s fresh, altruistic alternative to the doorstep-delivered meal kit
Written by Jenn Thornton
Putting more plants on plates, Scandinavian import Simple Feast—a whole-foods innovation company with big social goals—is turning the tables on the typical food model, catering to the growing local appetite for nutritious plant-based meal kits delivered to doorsteps across Santa Barbara.
Bringing its farmer-to-consumer prepped fare to the American market at a time seeing the proliferation of highly processed plant-based options in restaurants and grocery stores, Simple Feast is a return to taste, nutritional value and freshness. What does it mean for Santa Barbara palates? Plenty—all of it good, not only for vegans. Simple Feast works with celebrated chefs from acclaimed eateries like Noma and The French Laundry to craft healthy, high-taste organic fare, presenting consumers with a more digestible way to address the climate crisis. Eating more plants is “the quickest way to make an impact from a climate perspective,” says Jakob Jønck, co-founder and CEO of Simple Feast.
Some might be surprised to find that the plant-promoting Simple Feast is flexitarian. The company is not looking to force feed customers plant-based foods all the time; simply more plants, more of the time. “It’s not either/or,” says Jakob. “It’s just the more, the better.” Turns out, less is more, and completely satisfying, too. Crispy Potato Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw, Kale-Walnut Pesto Pizza, and Layered Tikka Masala, Curried Lentils, and Rice are among the company’s chef-driven selections, along with a “whole universe” of readily consumable plant-based organic foods, from a sugar-free pancake batter, to drinkables, to ready-to-heat vegan bolognaise, soups and stews.
“The point is, it’s easy,” says Jakob. No recipe, no raw vegetables, no components to configure into something requiring kitchen creativity. Simple Feast dinners arrive nearly done. “We’ll have done most of the cooking, so when you get the package, you pretty much finish the meal”—20 to 30 minutes tops for restaurant-quality fare. For Simple Feast, eating healthy means eating delectably, no compromise required. And almost no work, either. Chew on that.
Good food is not complicated, nor should it be, notes Simple Feast’s CIO, Anders Vald. “It’s very important to us to focus on relatively few ingredients, but make sure they are ripe, in season and great tasting,” he says. Partial to California citrus and the state’s “melting pot of great ingredients,” Anders believes a bounty equals a bountiful meal—enough for leftovers. “Our food is meant to be shared. That’s super important to us, and a huge part of the philosophy behind Simple Feast.”
Go ahead and toss that packaging, though; Simple Feast takes sustainable packaging as seriously as it does cutting out processing, only opting for solutions that maintain food quality and minimize negative impacts on the planet—think biodegradable and compostable materials, from trays to lids, and water-based, drain-friendly gel in cold packs.
Backed by an altruistic business model and plant-based goodness in its backyard, Simple Feast is coming to the table with new standards for the greenwashed food industry, including B-Corp and USDA organic certification, sustainability and social investments ranging from sourcing product from local farms and donating unpurchased meals to locals in need. Eating well, doing good, no work—the roots of a winning, irresistible recipe.
Dinners for three nights (two to three people), starting at $89 per week plus shipping; dinners for three nights (four to five people), starting at $149 per week plus shipping. Order until Thursday for Sunday drop-off between 8AM-5PM. simplefeast.com
The Manor Reborn
A newly revitalized expression of Spanish Colonial Revival style is a masterpiece of modern Montecito living.
A newly revitalized expression of Spanish Colonial Revival style is a masterpiece of modern Montecito living.
Written by Jenn Thornton
The gallantly named estate Las Armas straddles two eras—the indulgent, unabashedly glamorous 1920s that gave rise to lavish mansions funded by go for broke fortunes, and the casually elegant Montecito of today. Now fully restored, this radiant Spanish Colonial Revival enters the market, its ages arm in arm, a pedigreed piece of history living for the moment.
“Built in 1928, the George Washington Smith- and Lutah Maria Riggs-designed home has exceptional provenance and history with only four owners to date, including 57 years ownership by actress and model Suzy Parker and actor Bradford Dillman,” says its listing agents Dina Landi, Sarah Hanacek, Jasmine Tennis, and Robert Riskin of Riskin Partners Estate Group of Village Properties. “GWS homes are highly desirable, and are rarely available, because of their classic Santa Barbara look, incredible details, grand proportions, and charm and soul that cannot be easily replicated today.”
Las Armas is not an estate that is encased in amber. It is, however, unambiguously Montecito. Luminous, light-filled, stunningly white-facaded. “This is not a home you will find in other parts of the country,” affirm the agents, pointing to its original tiles, groin vault ceiling and wrought iron handrails as hallmarks of its iconic architectural vernacular. An extensive three-year restoration by renowned architect Marc Appleton and designer Martin Logé preserved the home’s architectural integrity while modernizing its now best-in-class systems, including Savant smart home automation. The kitchen, butler pantry, laundry room and bathrooms are all new. The roof, elevator and HVAC, too. A hidden 4,500-bottle wine cellar and dramatic, 88-foot-long pool with spa and Baja bench are new additions, with the walls hand-plastered and hardwood floors refinished throughout.
“Las Armas is not an estate that is encased in amber. It is, however, unambiguously Montecito. Luminous, light-filled, stunningly white-facaded.”
In grand Montecito fashion, Las Armas balances generously dimensioned entertaining spaces that open to manicured grounds, such as the living room (“a true great room for the ages”), with more intimate environments including a beaming breakfast nook and cozy den. “The house feels gracious but charming at the same time. Sunlight floods all of the rooms of the house. The primary suite with sitting room feels like its own oasis in the home; you have privacy from guests and your own sanctuary. The stunning pool and entertaining veranda call for afternoon and early evening cocktails and swim!”
Compounding the value of this privately tucked-away estate is its location in the heart of Montecito’s coveted Golden Quadrangle and award-winning Montecito Union School District. With privacy, space and “premier proximity to hiking trails, the villages and the beach, there’s an ease and superior quality of life that is challenging to find anywhere else!” Las Armas is as much the exception as it is exceptional. “One of a kind.”
“In grand Montecito fashion, Las Armas balances generously dimensioned entertaining spaces that open to manicured grounds.”
770 Hot Springs Road, Montecito
Presented by Riskin Partners Estate Group | Village Properties
Offered at $18,500,000
Market Leader
Featuring Gloria Easter of The Easter Team: The Santa Barbara real estate leader on sharing 35-plus years of experience with a new generation of real estate pros—and how a knack for connecting turns clients into friends.
Gloria Easter of The Easter Team.
Gloria Easter of The Easter Team
The Santa Barbara real estate leader on sharing
35-plus years of experience with a new generation of real estate pros—and how a knack for connecting turns clients into friends.
Written by Constance Dunn
Peruse the testimonials of clients who’ve worked with Gloria Easter and a recurrent theme emerges: She knows how to listen. Talk to the real estate maven herself, and one quickly realizes that listening in this case also means understanding—that is, being able to share with her candidly and, in return, receiving her direct take on things, delivered with her signature warmth. This is because being heard, Easter points out, is an essential human need—one that’s central to her 35-plus years of success in Santa Barbara real estate, plus the growth of her award-winning team.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Easter Team has two offices, one on Coast Village Road in Montecito and another on State Street in Santa Barbara.
Gloria Easter and her team have conducted over 3,000 real estate transactions, totaling over $1 billion in sales.
The Easter Team ranks in the top ½ percent of Berkshire Hathaway agents nationwide, and in 2021 ranked 21st in sales volume (small teams) across the entire Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network.
“Part of this is hearing someone’s story; listening to who they are, and what they need,” the agent explains. “From here it’s a relatively easy process to get most people into the homes they are looking for.” Testament to the positive experience of clients is that 95% of new ones come from referrals, and that it’s not unusual for her clients to become friends. This, she points out, is a particularly rich reward of her business. “I pinch myself because we work with celebrities in the entertainment industry, and we work with people who are purchasing mobile homes,” remarks Easter. “Clients turn into friends, and you’re so grateful they’ve come into your life.”
Spanish Colonial Revival designed by famed architect Wallace Neff. Home sold by The Easter Team.
Clients, friends, and community are all connected in her eyes—an approach that’s seconded by a tightly knit team that’s continuing Easter’s special brand of service into the next generation. “I truly believe there isn’t a better, dynamic group that exists right now,” she says of the collective of real estate pros located in offices in Montecito and Santa Barbara, who all share a dogged focus on supporting clients. “We want you to feel like you are in a cocoon as you go down this road, and that we’re with you,” Easter says of the team, made up of Jenny Easter, Brooke Ebner, Taylor Phillips, and Leigh Beermann. “Having our younger agents join the business definitely elevated our business,” she says, crediting the team with ushering in new tools, including an emphasis on social media, and new channels of business from their peers. “Clients love the vitality of the younger women,” the agent notes, “and they look to me for the experience.”
The Easter Team.
The team is an extension of its founder, all the way down to Easter’s well-honed negotiation savvy. (“Our motto is ‘win-win for both sides,’” she notes. “You get further that way.”) As well as her emphasis on grit—a personal quality that’s even part of their mission statement. “It’s the ability,” Easter explains, “to get back on your feet and say, ‘Let’s do this again,’ knowing that at the end of the day, everything will work out.” Trust and support are also foundational to the Easter culture; so too is fun and levity. “When people are happy at work they’ll go above and beyond,” she muses. “When you simply demand from people, they shut down.”
“We want you to feel like you are in a cocoon as you go down this road, and that we’re with you.”
Perhaps her recognition of the power of mentorship comes from having been recipient of another agent’s wisdom at the outset of her career. “I learned from the best,” says Easter, who pursued her license on recommendation of her neighbor, a local agent who was also chief investigator in the district attorney’s office. “He was ethical, a straight arrow, and his clientele were from the DA’s office, the Santa Barbara police department and the sheriff’s department,” recounts Easter. “He showed me the ropes on how to sell real estate right.” Which means, conduct your business the same way you conduct your personal life. “Always do the right thing,” she states. “Put your client’s or family’s needs before yours, and everything else will follow. It’s so simple.”
Contemporary Montecito compound sold by The Easter Team.
Gloria Easter of The Easter Team
805.570.0403 EasterTeamRealtors.com
Market Leader
Featuring Marsha Kotlyar of Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group: Delivering a uniquely elevated experience to clients with nearly 20 years in luxury Santa Barbara real estate—and a keen understanding of the meaning of home.
Marsha Kotlyar, founder of Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group.
Featuring Marsha Kotlyar of Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group
Delivering a uniquely elevated experience to clients with nearly 20 years in luxury Santa Barbara real estate—and a keen understanding of the meaning of home.
Written by Constance Dunn
“It’s one of the three biggest parts of your life,” Marsha Kotlyar says of her trade. “Your home, your love and your work.” For this luxury real estate agent, the concept of home is a poignant one, and it has a specific address: Santa Barbara. This is where she’s lived since she was a child, where she’s grown a flourishing business for nearly 20 years and, more recently, is raising a family.
DID YOU KNOW?
Marsha has lived in Santa Barbara for over 35 years.
She has transacted over 500 real estate transactions, totaling over $1.3 billion in sales.
And, she’s is in the top ½ percent of Berkshire Hathaway agents nationwide, and in 2021, her Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group ranked first in sales volume for Berkshire Hathaway, Santa Barbara County.
It was early life experiences, however, that first imprinted in Kotlyar a strong regard for real estate, which is to say, the satisfied pursuit of finding one’s home. That, and a super-charged work ethic. “I immigrated here from Russia when I was 6 years old,” she describes. “We had an incredible journey to get here.” Recounting her family’s tough life in St. Petersburg, one made even more difficult due to their Jewish faith, they settled in Santa Barbara after arriving in the States. “I don’t take anything for granted,” she exclaims, “and I’m incredibly grateful to be here.” Discovering their new home was key to that across-the-globe journey, and it continues to infuse her real estate work with meaning. “Because it was such an important part of my family’s story,” she explains, “I place great importance on the experience my clients have, and we’re so happy to help them on their quest.”
Given the ultimately personal nature of real estate, and the tight-knit enclaves Kotlyar and her team focus on, such as Montecito, there’s extra emphasis on service features like trust and uber-discretion. Skillful negotiation is another strong suit. (“Knowing how to keenly listen and hear the clients out are the most important aspects of negotiation,” Kotlyar points out.) Years of racking up leading-agent accolades offer proof of her and her team’s skill in these areas. “This isn’t one of those businesses that you immediately become successful,” the agent remarks. “It takes a lot of time to establish yourself, to get experience and gain the trust of the community.”
Historic Montecito compound sold off-market by Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group.
During the last couple of years, however, in the face of unprecedented events and Kotlyar’s leadership, (“I handle stressful, under-pressure situations well,” she admits), the team has seen their rankings climb even higher. They’re currently the no. 1 Berkshire Hathaway team in Santa Barbara County, and among the top 5 small teams nationally. Her team, she points out, is a true pull of strengths. Everyone has a unique area of expertise, yet they all focus on serving the same group of clients. “Usually, sales volume is the metric we use in real estate,” she explains, “but at the end of the day our clients’ happiness, support and contentment with how things went is really the true metric.”
“Usually, sales volume is the metric we use in real estate, but at the end of the day our clients’ happiness, support and contentment with how things went is really the true metric.”
Real estate, to Kotlyar, is a calling, one that beckoned just out of college and has captivated her ever since. “I started from the bottom, working as an assistant and stuffing envelopes,” the agent recalls. Within two months she knew she was in the right place. “I was showing a property,” she says. “I opened the door and saw the excitement of a young couple, just starting their family life, at the prospect of making [it] their home. Seeing that moment and feeling the exhilaration of being able to help them get to the finish line—it got me hooked.”
California classic Mediterranean Montecito home sold by Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group.
Marsha Kotlyar of Marsha Kotlyar Estate Group
805.565.4014 MontecitoFineEstates.com
The Art of Hospitality
In celebration of an iconic Impressionist, El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel’s “Visions of Vincent Van Gogh” package will spark your creative spirit.
In celebration of an iconic Impressionist, El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel’s “Visions of Vincent Van Gogh” package will spark your creative spirit
Written by Jenn Thornton
With its exclusive “Visions of Vincent Van Gogh” package, El Encanto, a Belmond Hotel, Santa Barbara is putting on quite an exhibition.
Set amid a picturesque canvas in the Santa Barbara Hills, and coinciding with the West Coast arrival of the traveling exhibit Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the hotel’s homage to the famed Impressionist painter begins with a luxury stay in its California Craftsmen-style bungalows, along with access to its exquisite facilities, and continues with two tickets to Through Vincent’s Eyes, complete with VIP access including to-and-from transfers to the museum, and a private, docent-led tour of the show, as well as a beautiful bouquet of flowers inspired by many a Van Gogh masterpiece.
In addition, March 30 will mark the first of three monthly transformations of El Encanto’s outdoor terrace into the “The Terrace Café at Night” series. Under a starry night sky, guests will be treated to a harmonious evening with Santa Barbara harpist Valerie Saint Martin, who will perform from 7-9PM (the series’ April 20 and May 18 performances to be announced). Finally, Painting in the Garden is an alfresco art class for guests and visitors alike. Held from 2-4PM in the lush gardens of El Encanto, classes will commence under the guidance of local artists Louise Levin Ulrich, founder of pop-up gallery MorMor (March 27); Jordan Pope, owner of Portico Fine Art Gallery Montecito (April 10); and Loree Gold, teaching artist, gallery educator and docent at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (May 15). Participants will take home a Van Gogh-inspired work of their very own making. Inspiring, indeed.
Reserve the Visions of Vincent Van Gogh package here. And, to reserve seats at The Terrace Café at Night and painting in the garden events, contact the concierge team at concierge.ele@belmond.com.
Vintage Summer
Lifestyle label Nielson Wines is a Santa Barbara County best cellar for every season.
Lifestyle label Nielson Wines is a Santa Barbara County best cellar for every season.
Written by Jenn Thornton
A return to life as it is meant to be lived means finding a vibrant wine—one that is perfect for al fresco picnics, a day by the sea or at the pool, and an impromptu road trip. To this end, Nielson will have everyone uncorking a vintage summer with ease and elegance.
Rooted in the soil of coveted Santa Barbara County wine country, and steeped in its local character, Nielson Wines is a tribute to its namesake, Uriel J. Nielson, who in planting the first commercial vineyard in Santa Barbara County in 1964, defied commonly-held opinion that the region was simply too cold to grow grapes. For this assertion, Nielson emerged as a viticulture visionary, and today the appellation he insisted would be one of the top winegrowing regions in the world has lived up to its billing with 100-plus wineries and thousands of vineyard acreage, some of that in Nielson’s camp. Located 18 miles west of the Pacific Ocean, Nielson Vineyard continues its founder’s string of firsts, as one of the inaugural vineyard sites in the valley to view the fog burn off early each morning, a phenomena that results in the label’s full-bodied Pinot Noirs and beautifully balanced Chardonnays.
Quality, uniqueness and balance of flavor are Nielson Wines signatures and its savory sips are ideal for summering (and supping) en plein air. Nielson Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir features a refined bouquet of black cherry, tea leaf, a slight caramel note, and lighter red fruit aromas, with flavors of red fruit and earth and a lasting quality. Neilson Santa Barbara Chardonnay, meanwhile, reveals aromas of citrus flower, clean linen, and a burst of pineapple. This wine is light on the palate with honey and citrus notes and a subtle salinity. Credit the exceptional taste to the small-lot winemaking techniques that Nielson employs to showcase the nuances and character of each vintage—hand pruning, block-by-block harvesting, barrel fermentations and lees stirring. The result? Complex blends that embody the culture, lifestyle and flavor of Santa Barbara County, in bottles with those ever handy screwcaps. Perhaps that is why Nielson Wines is the go-to label for the season spent with sea and sky. From sun up to night out—and endless adventures in between—Nielson’s accessibly priced wine punches way above its weight.
No tasting room? No problem. Nielson Wines is widely distributed throughout Santa Barbara County and available at boutique outlets and large retailers alike, as well as wine shops and restaurants, or wherever you are. Thankfully, this brand is tailor-made to go everywhere. Raise a glass! nielsonwines.com.
Fresh Perspective
Professionally, Realtors John Faulkner and Joshua Ramirez of The Faulkner Group—a successful, intergenerational real estate team under Compass—are creatives in real estate agent clothing.
Power duo John Faulkner and Joshua Ramirez of The Faulkner Group rethink the traditional real estate model with their modern approach.
Written by Jenn Thornton
Professionally, Realtors John Faulkner and Joshua Ramirez of The Faulkner Group—a successful, intergenerational real estate team under Compass—are creatives in real estate agent clothing. Rich in interests and engagement, and both extensively well-traveled (each has lived on several continents), they bring a thoughtful, whole world outlook to their clients in Santa Barbara and beyond.
That their clientele is heavy on architects, authors, producers and tech types is not surprising. They, too, are of a similar stripe. John is a foodie/cook and a photographer who paints and writes; Josh co-founded the creative agency Princeton North with his wife, a South African he met in Australia. Creatives have a way of finding one another, and so it is true of John and Josh. They met while working at another agency prior to joining forces as The Faulkner Group. If they have an edge—and there is a persuasive case to be made that they have many—it is creativity. Thinking originally, acting accordingly. “Usually it’s doing the things that everyone says not to do,” says John. “Our goal is to look at everything differently. We have a really nice synergy, where we’ve both been working in real estate for some time”—two decades apiece, to be exact—“but we're really opposites, which makes for a great partnership.” And an effective one.
“We bring this global perspective that really allows us to pull in way beyond what we see, and to tie it into our marketing,” says Josh, who describes The Faulkner Group alliance as a mindful merger of classic and modern, with digital meeting the touch-and-feel approach. “People want those touch points more than ever,” he adds, “but at the same time, they also need the digital more than ever. Pulling those two pieces together is essential, then elevating the marketing to the caliber of the people who are consistently moving here. It’s about creating something that’s never been before.” For this duo it’s not so much, there’s a door, let’s go through the back. More like, there’s a door but let’s build an entirely new one. The norm is simply not their style—and these are highly stylish men, and not just in the usual way. They know how to present. In intelligence, in conversation, in company.
They’re also great fun, and collaborate inside and out of the office. John, with his artistic bent, relies on Josh to help him get into his studio at least once a week. As for how Josh recharges: “Playing with Legos,” says the father of a 4-year-old son he calls “the pure joy of life” and credits for keeping him grounded. Both men have wives they cherish and vintage cars they love, and their congenial way—warm, personal, right there and the real deal—feels outside the usual these days. Having outside interests helps “bring oxygen to the room and to a deal,” says John.
Frankly they make it look easy, and that’s the point. Their barometer for a successful client relationship is how effortless the job—one that is anything but—looks to clients. Easy means they’ve shielded clients from the stress that the complexities of a transaction can cause. Trust is crucial to the equation, “probably no. 1,” says John. “I want to be able to trust clients as much as I want them to trust me, and I make that clear not only verbally, but in the way we interact. Right from the beginning. It’s not something you can conjure up. You can't just fake it. It has to be a genuine.”
No would could ever accuse The Faulkner Group of being anything other than completely authentic, even if they are making it look easy. That is, after all, the hardest work there is. “We just want to give our clients the best,” Josh notes. “We work to build trust and want our clients to enjoy the lifestyle that we experience in Santa Barbara.” Which is to say—and they do, almost at the same time—“quality of life.” faulknerramirez.com
A Date to Reinvigorate
When reviving after a season of long reprieve, taking refuge at El Encanto, the beloved Belmond-brand hotel, is more imperative than inclination.
Set an intention for transformation at
El Encanto’s Wellness Week
Written by Jenn Thornton
When reviving after a season of long reprieve, taking refuge at El Encanto, the beloved Belmond-brand hotel, is more imperative than inclination. Its lush hillside setting and low-key California glamour is always a strong siren call, but with its newest experience, Wellness Week at El Encanto, temptation has reached its apex. A program of restoration, revitalization, movement and wellbeing, this April 11-15 and May 2-6, spring awakening is a reawakening too. Mind, body, spirit—all are kindly invited.
Nestled in the hills of Santa Barbara, El Encanto embraces its serene backdrop for Wellness Week.
With its bevy of delights and refinements, and proximity to the Pacific, which looms in the distance like an old friend, El Encanto is reliably rapturous, but with Wellness Week, it’s a sanctuary, as well. This deeply curative, four-day reset featuring local fitness instructors, skilled trainers, and meditation gurus, along with interactive group classes, bespoke wellness dining and more, is the post-pandemic abundance we deserve. Mindfulness Matters founder Samara Zelniker will divulge the life-giving freedom that comes with letting go of limiting beliefs, while Mindy Sofro, owner of Barre3 Santa Barbara and a Lululemon ambassador, will inspire with her story of female entrepreneurship then keep it moving with a Barre3 class designed to help fine-tune the physique with a balanced full-body workout.
“With its bevy of delights and refinements, and proximity to the Pacific, which looms in the distance like an old friend, El Encanto is reliably rapturous, but with Wellness Week, it’s a sanctuary.”
Local recipe developer and food photographer Riley Yahr is bringing simple, healthy recipes and food styling techniques to the table, while the toque of El Encanto, Executive Chef Bruno Lopez, hosts a hands-on cooking demo—the perfect pairing for an organic mixology course. Finally, the week’s wakeup call—a light morning meditation in the warmth of sunrise, followed by a spiritual tea ceremony and teaching with Zhena Muzyka, the creator and formulator of Magic Hour Tea & Transformation and author of Life by the Cup—is proof of a new day dawning. The Spa at El Encanto plans to supply its own brand of sustenance under the guiding hands of seasoned spa therapists who will, depending on one’s preference, freshen up the façade with a signature facial, or ease muscle tension into submission with a soothing and likely much-needed deep tissue massage. The ultimate indulgence, naturally, is exquisite El Encanto itself, with its sea of extravagances segueing from sunny days and coastal views to laissez-faire afternoons poolside and related exploits. As the backdrop for one’s return to vigor, there is no lovelier chrysalis from which to emerge from winter, and no better time than now. belmond.com