Home Sweet Homestead
The queen of California cool is at it again.
Inside the designer's Santa Ynez ranch house
Written by Anush J. Benliyan | Photographs by Angi Welsh
Jenni Kayne
The queen of California cool is at it again. With an ever-expanding portfolio of U.S. boutiques, a recently published second book, and a distinct voice in the fashion, beauty, entertaining, and home décor realms, Jenni Kayne shows no sign of slowing down. The lifestyle maven’s eponymous brand and its unmistakable relaxed-meets-refined aesthetic were on full display—quite literally—when she unveiled the Jenni Kayne Lake House in Lake Arrowhead in 2019 (which she since successfully sold). Now, the designer has debuted her second experiential showcase property—an idyllic retreat nestled on a hillside in Santa Ynez. Renovated and decorated to a T, the serene 20-acre Jenni Kayne Ranch will be a hub for branded and invitational events. Plus, fans can enter a forthcoming social media giveaway that will allow members of the community to stay at the abode and fully immerse themselves in the Jenni Kayne world. Pieces from the interiors collection mingle with one another in the space, while outside, horses, baby goats, and donkeys roam the landscape. “I grew up in Santa Ynez, so when picturing an escape from L.A. for my family and friends, the location felt like the perfect place to bring the growing Jenni Kayne Home brand to life,” says Kayne. The launch is just one of Kayne’s latest endeavors in the region. In August, she will open the doors to a home store in Montecito, and come fall, JK’s Oak Essentials skin-care line will take center stage at The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern spa in Los Olivos. jennikayne.com.
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Vine Tuned
Summer 2022 brings the ultimate wine experience back to Santa Barbara County
Summer 2022 brings the ultimate wine experience back to Santa Barbara County
Written by Gabe Saglie | Santa Barbara Wine Country map, courtesy of Jamie Slone Wines
After a two-year pandemic pause, the world is paying attention again to the fact that world-class wines are being crafted here. The big picture remains the same: This is an industry that is both welcoming and cooperative, and for the budding oenophile the tasting experience is extraordinary and approachable at the same time. The offerings and experiences, however, have gotten a makeover—they’re more curated, more personal, and more focused on quality that easily rivals the rest of the world.
The east-west orientation of the Santa Ynez Mountains—creating a natural corridor and a unique set of conditions in which a wide range of wine grapes thrive—sets the stage for seven AVAs, or unique growing regions: Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District, Happy Canyon, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Maria Valley, and the newest of all, Alisos Canyon. Spread across them are 70-plus grape varieties, more than 14,000 acres of grapes, and more than 250 wineries. The industry generates upward of 9,000 full-time jobs.
The pioneers who launched Santa Barbara’s wine industry some 40 years ago are, for the most part, still here, creating and collaborating with the next generation of winemakers who have brought along new practices, fresh investment, and notable innovations to the visitor experience. Today’s wine consumer is savvier and more curious than ever, and thanks to a special blend of charm and glam—and with deference to both past and future—no wine region delivers like Santa Barbara.
We celebrate this exceptional terroir and unique viniculture in our highly anticipated annual Winery Guide, available online at sbmag.wine.
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Table Talk
A new generation of restaurateurs are discovering Ojai’s network of farmers, fishermen, and ranchers
A new generation of restaurateurs are discovering Ojai’s network of farmers, fishermen, and ranchers
Written by S. Irene Virbila | Photography by Jessica Sample
At DUTCHESS, part of Santa Monica’s Rustic Canyon restaurant group, pastry chef/partner Kelsey Brito takes full advantage of Ojai’s Sunday farmers market. She turns out classic French breakfast pastries, from pain au chocolat to almond croissants filled with fragrant almonds from Fat Uncle Farms. Heading into berry and stone-fruit season, she’ll be baking lemon-blueberry scones and gluten-free and vegan apricot muffins. “I want the pastry case to show off the full bounty of what’s growing locally,” says Brito. Come dinner, chef Saw Naing steps in with an appealing California-Burmese menu. 457 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai; 805-640-7987, thedutchessojai.com.
For lunch, head to PINYON OJAI, the joint project of chef Jeremy Alben, baker Tony Montagnaro, and natural wine buff Sally Slade. Don’t let the casual ambience fool you; the food is seriously good, all made from scratch. Alben breaks down a whole lamb every week, braising the shoulder and neck for barbacoa hoagies, turning the leg into meatballs, and curing the belly pancetta style. Baker Tony Mont is a firm believer in long, slow fermentation focusing on regional whole grains, which gives Pinyon’s buns, rye sourdough bagels, and wood-fired pizza crust their flavor. A bottle shop tucked into a nook is devoted to both domestic and imported natural wines. Says Mont, “We’re using old world techniques in a new way to produce something different and delicious.” 423 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, pinyonojai.com.
For dinner there’s RORY’S PLACE from sisters Rory and Meave McAuliffe. Chef Meave has a resume that includes Gjelina in Venice, while Rory, a former film producer, manages and runs front of house. The pair’s indoor-outdoor space features custom woodwork (bar facade, banquettes) made of redwood and fallen Ojai oak, ceramic sconces handcrafted by Meave, and a live-fire hearth. The standout raw bar highlights locally harvested shellfish in a sumptuous fruits de mer seafood tower that includes rock crab, uni, and rock shrimp. Meave tops a grilled tartine with lemony sunchokes, raw ahi tuna, aioli, and capers, and pairs a roasted half chicken with wood-fire escarole. For dessert, drill into the seasonal dark-chocolate gelato with candied kumquats or the goat-milk banana cream pie, maybe with a natural wine from the list curated by Roni Ginach. 139 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, rorysplaceojai.com.
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Royal Match
Prince Harry makes his polo debut in Santa Barbara
Prince Harry makes his polo debut in Santa Barbara
Photograph by David Lominska
Prince Harry and friend, fellow polo player Nacho Figueras, lead the Los Padres Polo team in tournaments throughout the 12-goal season this summer. "We are thrilled that Harry chose to play with us this season,” says David Sigman of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. In May, Harry and his wife, Meghan, hosted a star-studded match benefiting our own local charities Heal the Ocean, Food Bank, and CALM. The SBPRC is open to the public and welcomes everyone to come enjoy and learn about the sport of polo. Check sbpolo.com for weekly schedules and special events.
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Hive of Activity
Just minutes from downtown Santa Ynez, the Shunem Bread House provides an architectural contrast to the surrounding countryside.
Written by Anna Ferguson-Sparks | Photography by Lindsey Drewes
Just minutes from downtown Santa Ynez, the Shunem Bread House provides an architectural contrast to the surrounding countryside. Owners and builders Leyla and Brad Williams, proprietors of Solvang’s Good Seed Coffee Boutique, worked with Ulrick Design on the unusual structure. It’s tied to the Williams’s nonprofit, Sky Roots, through which Leyla conducts workshops on homestead arts and Hebraic culture. Named for the biblical woman who sheltered the prophet Elisha, Shunem Bread House is a retreat for visitors and a space to meet, educate, and entertain.
The building’s cantilevered upper level has a beehive form inspired by the healing properties of honey and its importance in the Bible, while the lower level houses a metaphorical hive of activity. Upstairs are two bedrooms with organic Coyuchi bed linens and one full bath with a redwood slab counter and a Stone Forest sink with Brizo brass fixtures. The living space features a wet bar and opens to a covered patio and a sundeck with 360-degree views of mountains and vineyards.
The first floor’s dining area, library, and lounge include an antique drafting desk transformed into a Torah ark by local carpenter Matt Rogers and a table and chairs by Central Coast woodworker Ben Riddering. In the lower-level commercial kitchen—where Leyla bakes Good Seed’s heritage-grain sourdough breads—is a chandelier handcrafted by Brad from an antique threshing sledge and incorporating pendants from Alison Berger Glassworks.
In the future, Shunem Bread House plans a picnic-lunch program and pop-up culinary events. $650/night. Available through airbnb.com.
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Natural Preserve
Homeowners who build in Montecito are frequently frustrated with the county ordinance that protects old-grown oaks and complicates construction plans on many properties throughout our beautiful canyons.
Written by Charles Donelan | Photography by Sara Prince
Native plants line the sections of the "branch house" that extend among the oaks.
Homeowners who build in Montecito are frequently frustrated with the county ordinance that protects old-grown oaks and complicates construction plans on many properties throughout our beautiful canyons. When it came to replacing a modest ranch house that was edged by an oak grove on San Ysidro Creek, however, the owners embraced the legal limitations and trusted their project to an innovative plan for the one-acre site, tapping architect Peter Tolkin of TOLO, landscape designer Wade Graham, and Rich Coffin of RHC Construction for the bold project.
“The original ranch house sat at the edge of the lot; the ‘branch house’ would arise in the heart of the property, with the grove of protected oaks surrounding it.”
An unconventional site plan allowed the house to nestle within the oak grove without crossing the drip lines of the protected trees.
The team traced the outlines of the existing oaks as large circles and devised a pinwheel-shaped “branch house” that would fit into the forest like another large tree. They cantilevered the branchlike sections of the house off the ground, allowing for water and even debris to flow underneath. Then Tolkin came up with an exterior that would interact with the garden over time—a sheath of custom copper shingles that develops a rich patina and blends with the colors of the oaks.
Boulders excavated from the site reappear in the landscaping.
In designing the landscape, Graham counterbalanced the curvilinear organic volumes of the house with an imaginative site plan that introduced straight lines and hard angles. As excavation pulled boulders from the ground, Graham had them milled and fitted together to form angular benches.
The entire branch house project represents a significant advance in residential design. By living and building with the oaks rather than against them, the house reveals a path forward for Montecito’s next century. toloarchitecture.com; wadegraham.com; rhcconstructioninc.com.
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Larger Than Life
Aristides “Aris” Burton Demetrios is perhaps best known for the contemporary public sculptures he created in Northern California
Joie de Vivre, owned by Chris and Bob Emmons
Written by Charles Donelan
Aristides “Aris” Burton Demetrios is perhaps best known for the contemporary public sculptures he created in Northern California, but his work plays an equally prominent role in homes and institutions in Santa Barbara and Montecito.
Since moving here with his wife, Ilene H. Nagel, in 1998, Demetrios fulfilled more than 100 private commissions for many of the most elegant estates in the region. In a bold abstract style and with a penchant for revealing emotion through form and gesture, Demetrios gave his clients playful, humanistic works. Whether it was putting a Fiddler on the Roof for Kirk and Anne Douglas, designing a whimsical sculpture for UCSB’s Sir Anthony Cheetham, or highlighting the family feeling of friends such as Bob and Chris Emmons through a composition of ten acrobats, Demetrios used sculpture as a universal language of optimism and love.
Born in 1932 in Lincoln, Massachusetts, Demetrios came to California by way of Harvard College and the U.S. Navy and enrolled in the architecture school at UC Berkeley, where he began to make large-scale pieces. Santa Barbara residents can enjoy Demetrios’s work on the West Campus lawn of Santa Barbara City College, where his fountain, Mentors, celebrates faculty and students, and at the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, where Dance of Life embodies a positive message of peace and vitality.
Demetrios, who passed away in December 2021, is sorely missed by his many friends here and around the world. Fortunately, his work lives on in thousands of homes and public spaces, as an indicator of lives well lived and the power of an artist to bring joy to the world.
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Bookmarked
When Appleton Partners relocated its architectural offices to the 900 block of Chapala Street a couple of years ago, it embraced a chapter of Santa Barbara history.
While it is not open to the public, researchers can make special arrangements to get access to the library.
Written by Joan Tapper | Photography by Sara Prince
When Appleton Partners relocated its architectural offices to the 900 block of Chapala Street a couple of years ago, it embraced a chapter of Santa Barbara history: The two adobe buildings there had been administrative headquarters for Hollister Ranch, and one still contained an impressive vintage safe. The smaller structure—just 14 feet wide—has now been transformed into a library for the 3,000 carefully curated architecture, design, and landscape books collected by firm founder Marc Appleton, including rare and out-of-print works and volumes on Spanish Colonial style.
“The books still need cataloguing,” says Appleton, “but eventually we want to turn it into a working library accessible to the public and the design community.” appleton-architects.com.
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That Personal Touch
Antiquarian Lee Stanton has been splitting his residential time between Montecito and Los Angeles for nearly a decade, but it was only last August that he opened PRIVATE STASH
Written by Joan Tapper | Photographs by Sara Prince
Antiquarian Lee Stanton has been splitting his residential time between Montecito and Los Angeles for nearly a decade, but it was only last August that he opened PRIVATE STASH, a small shop in the Upper Village that features select pieces from Stanton’s personal collection. Like his large Los Angeles showroom—which has been a mainstay for celebrity interior designers for 20 years—the new business focuses on 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century antiques from England and Europe, but it’s a more curated, eclectic version of his elegant and refined inventory in a more relaxed setting.
“I had amassed quite a collection,” says Stanton, who wanted to downsize and also gain a better understanding of clients in this area and their taste. “I’ve brought things in stages, a few pieces at a time. And I’m finding that people enjoy coming in each week and seeing what’s new.”
In addition to designers from Los Angeles who are decorating homes in the Santa Barbara area, the business welcomes private clients. “I’m beginning to sell to end users,” Stanton says. “People now want to personalize their home—to fine-tune their décor or add a special piece that makes a statement.”
The location—a mini design enclave with neighbors like Davis & Taft and Marc Normand Gelinas—has many benefits. There’s a community feeling that reminds Stanton of the small Ohio town where he grew up.
“I love my little shop,” he adds. “It’s like a scene from an old British film. When you walk in, you feel like there’s someone who’s been a collector for years, someone you can trust and who has things you can enjoy or share.” 1482 East Valley Rd., Ste. 41, Montecito, leestanton.com.
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Enlighten Me
As a former cinematographer, Bino Marsetti is an expert on lighting.
Bino Marsetti
Written by L.D. Porter
As a former cinematographer, Bino Marsetti is an expert on lighting. So when an injury sidelined his film career, he pivoted to making handcrafted sculptural light fixtures. Working in copper, aluminum, and molded plywood—the latter a nod to midcentury designers Charles and Ray Eames—the results are breathtakingly beautiful and include indoor installations as well as outdoor lanterns and area lighting. One of his most dramatic designs, Fiocco, is a three-tiered construction of Baltic birch that commands attention while providing graceful illumination. He’s even volunteered his skills to Crane Country Day School, constructing a handsome row of hand-washing sinks for students as a COVID-19 response measure. His pieces take from one to 10 weeks to produce. binomarsetti.com.
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Mad for Mod
In love with midcentury modernism? Head to SBMIDMOD in the Funk Zone, where a treasure trove of sleek style awaits.
Owner Tracey Strobel ensures all items are in pristine condition and ready to go.
Written by L.D. Porter | Photography by Sara Prince
In love with midcentury modernism? Head to SBMIDMOD in the Funk Zone, where a treasure trove of sleek style awaits. The selection includes furniture, lighting, tableware, accessories, and art, all expertly curated by enthusiastic owner Tracey Strobel, a true aficionado of modern design. All items are in pristine condition and ready to go. “I try not to have anything that’s rundown,” Strobel says. “When people come in here, I want them to be able to take it home and enjoy it.” What started two decades ago as a personal collection eventually morphed into Stobel’s current vocation. “I think most antique dealers would say they got their start by overcollecting,” she says with a laugh. She discovered her delightful brick-walled location just one year ago, during a bike ride that included a stop at Mony’s taqueria located just steps away. “I love the Funk Zone,” Strobel says, “I love coming down here for food, there’s great stores, there’s good galleries, it’s super fun.” 223 Anacapa St., Ste. C, Santa Barbara, 805-364-2447. sbmidmod.com.
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Team Player
As head of the interior design team at Warner Group Architects, Jamie Hallows enjoys working on projects from start to finish.
Hallows darkened the silk-backed shelves in the library to set off contemporary art.
Written by Joan Tapper | Photography by Sara Prince
Jamie Hallows Warner Group Architects
As head of the interior design team at Warner Group Architects, Jamie Hallows enjoys working on projects from start to finish. “The firm has a holistic approach to design,” she says, which means she is involved from the initial space planning to choosing finishes and fun stuff like furniture and accessories. “We work collaboratively, and that gives the client a complete experience.”
A graduate of Westmont College with a BA in art, Hallows pursued interior design in Los Angeles and worked there for a decade before returning to Santa Barbara nine years ago. She joined the Warner Group in 2016, and since then she typically has 10 or 15 projects on her desk at any one time. She recently completed a large, three-story residence in Montecito. “We made some architectural modifications, but it was primarily an interior project,” she says. “The existing home had an Old World look, but the new owners’ sensibility was much more contemporary. They liked soft colors and blue tones and wanted things approachable, not stuffy, but luxe.”
She used a neutral palette overall, papered the primary bedroom with a chinoiserie mural, darkened the paneling in the library, and transformed a dark kitchen to a bright white space. The result is classic and sophisticated, an elegant backdrop for the owners’ collection of abstract expressionist art.
“One of the things I really love is when the design comes together,” says Hallows. “There’s a moment when I hear it click. That can be on paper first, and then a second time when the process is done, and the last accessory is in place. When the client is thrilled, nothing makes me happier.” wgarch.com.
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Bold Blues for 2022
Designer Christina Rottman isn't playing it safe with rich, tone-on-tone interiors
Designer Christina Rottman isn't playing it safe with rich, tone-on-tone interiors
“This room reflects our client’s deep love of nature, surf, and creative inspiration.”
TOP: Details include vintage leather campaign chairs from the Paris Marché Paul Bert Serpette and Robert Crowder wallpaper. Below: Painted in Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue, the library is filled with heirlooms and objets d’art, both found and collected. Pieces include a custom sectional by Christina Rottman Designs in a Holland & Sherry navy velvet, vintage desk lamps from Lucca Antiques, a Harbinger coffee table, an Hélène Aumont chandelier, and a Mansour hide rug. "The deepest of blue greens was our go-to color in transforming this space," says Christina Rottman.
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Home Run
Lining a wall of Heidi Merrick’s Summerland showroom is a deftly curated collection of coffee-table books, candles, and other home goods with a minimalist bent, ideal for expanding a design library or updating a bar cart.
Heidi Merrick’s Summerland showroom
Written by Elizabeth Varnell | Photography by Sara Prince
Lining a wall of Heidi Merrick’s Summerland showroom is a deftly curated collection of coffee-table books, candles, and other home goods with a minimalist bent, ideal for expanding a design library or updating a bar cart. The ready-to-wear designer decamped with her family to a plot of land between Ojai and Carpinteria during the pandemic, and she’s been exploring off-the-grid notions of housekeeping as well as more polished aspects of domesticity. Merrick’s eponymous shop stocks handblown glasses and decanters in subtle mint, peach, and onyx tones or smoky gray hues alongside asymmetrically playful Tina Frey resin bowls. Karen Mordechai’s Sunday Suppers (Clarkson Potter, $35), a recipe book with tips on offbeat entertaining, joins A Tale of Interiors (Rizzoli New York, $60), with its glimpses inside the lush yet livable houses dreamed up by Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward—of the L.A.- and Nashville-based firm Pierce & Ward—for Dakota Johnson, Lily Aldridge, and Karen Elson. By appointment only. 2272 Lillie Ave., Summerland. heidimerrick.com.
Merrick’s Summerland candle, $58.
A set of six handblown coupe glasses, $195.
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Poetry in Motion
If you have had the pleasure of stumbling upon the serene, lyrical work of Maria Trimbell—
Written by Anush J. Benliyan | Photography by Steve Ouimet
If you have had the pleasure of stumbling upon the serene, lyrical work of Maria Trimbell—be it in the pages of Santa Barbara Living (Rizzoli New York), in a café in Spain, or inside a perfectly appointed Michael Smith-designed home—there is no doubt that you have been entranced by the Ventura-born artist’s hand-painted atmospheric murals.
“I discovered decorative painting serendipitously after searching for a good fit for my artistic skills, my obsession with European art and architecture, and my desire to do something with my hands out in the world rather than sitting at a desk or easel all day,” says Trimbell, who recently moved to Los Osos with her husband, art reproduction expert Steve Ouimet.
Calling upon such age-old influences as Italian frescoes, Japanese screens, chinoiserie, verdure tapestries, and bygone French artists like Monet, Matisse, and landscape painting pioneer Claude Lorrain, Trimbell—with the help of Ouimet—begins each custom scenic mural as a loose sketch directly on site or on a wall-sized canvas. She then builds upon her chalk or watery paint base using high-quality lime paints like Color Atelier, golden acrylics, and chalky paints like Farrow & Ball, adding depth and intricate details for a “misty, layered effect,” she explains. (For works on plaster, they mix their own paints.) The resulting frescoes—which take anywhere from two weeks to two months to complete—depict romantic scenes of nature that immerse the viewer into Trimbell’s poetic world.
In addition to painted-to-order murals, Trimbell and Ouimet are now offering a new accessible line of custom-printed wallpaper murals that are hand-painted, photographed, then printed on large-format archival canvas to be installed by a paperhanger. “Our clients are creative and sophisticated,” Trimbell says, “and, above all, they appreciate living with art and beauty.” mariatrimbell.com.
Top to bottom: Artist Maria Trimbell paints grisaille trees for her Lorrain mural inspired by the work of Claude Lorrain; a sitting room features a fantasy trompe l’oeil balustrade, trees, and landscape; a detail of Trimbell's Livia mural at her studio.
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Sowing Seeds
Floral foraging with mother/daughter duo Adrienne and Haley Carerre
The mother-daughter duo.
Floral foraging with mother/daughter duo Adrienne and Haley Carerre
Written by Anush J. Benliyan | Photography by Sara Prince
Whimsical. That’s how Haley Carrere describes her childhood in Carpinteria, where she grew up in the Provençal-style home her parents built in 2000. While her father, Leon, acted as the general contractor for the build, her mother, Adrienne, was in her element outside, tapping into her landscape design profession to transform the sprawling estate into a remarkable oasis. She carved out a kitchen garden, a fountain section, a barbecue area with a veranda, and a rose arbor, all of which are surrounded by textured, California-native plantings like citrus and pepper trees, agaves, bay laurels, and nonflowering geraniums. “I planted foliage that I knew I would forage and use in the floral design area of my life,” says Adrienne, who still “floralizes” clients’ homes with lush bouquets. The greenery abounded at home, but for the blooms, “she would take me with her to all the flower fields,” Haley recalls—gerbera daisy fields, dahlia fields, parrot tulip fields. “It’s a lot of what we call ‘roadside-ia, ’” Adrienne notes. “I have clippers in my car at all times.”
“I planted foliage that I knew I would forage and use in the floral design area of my life.”
Fresh-cut blooms sit in the shade of California pepper trees.
When it comes to entertaining, it’s naturally a family affair. Adrienne handles the arrangements, of course; Leon is the cook, whipping up uncomplicated hometown food; and Haley is a master of setting the table. Her preppy, Grandmillennial style is what she calls “a little old fashioned and sweet,” featuring fresh linens in mixed patterns like floral and toile. (Think Ralph Lauren’s café in Paris.) Though the 24-year-old recently moved to Aspen, away from her parents’ Californian Eden, she’s now using her well-trained eye to pursue a career in interior design. “She grew up experiencing, watching, and helping me with these things,” says Adrienne, “and she’s far better than I am.” @adriennecarrere, @haleycarrere.
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The Gathering Place
The Santa Barbara House is ready to party
A sunken gravel courtyard with olive trees makes for romantic dinners and weddings.
The Santa Barbara House is ready to party
Written by Jennifer Blaise Kramer | Photography by Jen Huang Bogan
The Santa Barbara House.
Presiding over an Eastside corner is a stately Queen Anne that’s becoming quite the party house. The 1903 home was originally one in a row of Victorian vacation dwellings dubbed the Santa Barbara Houses for families who came in search of sunshine. “That’s why we named it the Santa Barbara House,” says Jen Huang Bogan, who took on the extensive renovation after purchasing the home in 2017 with her husband, Elihu Root Bogan.
Embarking on the project with two young children was truly a labor of love. While they briefly considered turning the dwelling into their family home, the couple quickly realized it needed to continue its multipurposed history: During Covid they opened the house for school pods; now it hosts small parties and weddings. “It’s for the right type of bride. You have to have a love for old homes and backyard weddings,” says Jen, a wedding photographer and stylist. “It has a European, villa-like feel with its own garden, and it’s downtown, so afterward you can really take the party anywhere.”
Four guest suites are furnished by RH.
With four suites (each with its own private entrance), a caterer’s kitchen, and a front lawn for ceremonies and cocktails, the home is primed for 30-person events, offering an intimate, affordable alternative to nearby hotels. The couple also launched a series of ticketed gatherings, allowing locals to experience the sunken garden for themed dinner parties and workshops, while giving back proceeds to good causes.
“The garden is meant to be shared for alfresco gatherings,” Jen says, nodding to the roses, Italian cypress, and ancient olive trees. “Outdoor living is so Santa Barbara, and this house just epitomizes that.” sb.house.
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Fresh Start
Lush Life’s author Valerie Rice serves up cocktails from her garden
Scenes from a summer cocktail hour hosted by Valerie Rice.
Lush Life’s author Valerie Rice serves up cocktails from her garden
Written by Charlotte Bryant | Photography by Sara Prince
Most of Lush Life author Valerie Rice’s cocktail recipes are inspired by her travels combined with a twist from her Santa Barbara garden. When it comes to entertaining at home, delicious drinks can be made with just a few ingredients, and the use of fresh, in-season botanicals and herbs is sure to elevate any cocktail hour. eatdrinkgarden.com.
Summer Sonics
Makes two cocktails
“I hope the Brits don't mind my suggesting half tonic and half soda water for this cocktail. It's so light and delicious and has less sugar,” explains Rice. “Rum, gin, vodka, and white port all work beautifully in a sonic, but my favorite is white port, which adds a wonderful richness and is an awesome less-alcoholic option for day drinking.”
4 ounces (½ cup) white port
2 ounces (¼ cup) chilled sparkling water
2 ounces (¼ cup) chilled tonic water
2 sprigs lemon verbena (garnish)
2 plum wedges and 2 orange wedges (garnish)
Fill two glasses with ice. Add port, sparkling water, and tonic water, dividing equally. Garnish with plum, orange wedges, and lemon verbena.
Summer Sonics and individually plated crudités with fresh seasonal offerings from the garden.
Valerie’s Sip Tips
PORTO Unlike most red ports, white ports can last after opening. I like Sandeman Porto Apitiv Reserve.SPARKLING WATER Agua de Piedra and Topo Chico have bigger bubbles, and bigger bubbles hold up when diluted with alcohol and mixers.Fun Ice Visit a specialty grocery store like Bristol Farms for “fancy ice,” or make your own with molds.See the story in our digital edition
Area of Influence
Get acquainted with the new Arts District home + design collective
Get acquainted with the new Arts District home + design collective
Written by Jennifer Blaise Kramer and Erik Torkells | Photography by Sara Prince | Illustration by Michelle Beamer
Holding Court
Lonetree's Michelle Beamer
Victoria Court is quickly becoming a design collective. Peek in on any given First Thursday evening, and the charming inner courtyard looks like a movie set with pop-up floral stands, makers, and artists painting under the trattoria lights. Anchoring the action is LONETREE, a new showroom from interior designer Michelle Beamer.
Located across from Olio Pizzeria’s patio, Lonetree is a longtime dream realized for Beamer, principle of MB Interiors and adjunct professor of interior design at Santa Barbara City College. Here customers can come in and have furniture designed to their specifications. “We can literally put a sofa in CAD here,” says Beamer, who displays two rosy-toned sofas along with new and vintage rugs, chairs, runners, books, artwork, and indoor-outdoor tables. “People come in and say, ‘You have color!’ We have lots of color!” She also encourages mixing styles, be it Spanish, traditional, modern, or beachy, as she illustrates by hanging a ropey rattan light over a polished black sideboard. Aside from her refreshing merchandise and relaxed approach to design, a big draw is the ability to touch the real thing before buying. As Beamer says: “With so much looking online these days, it’s nice to see things in scale and how it all goes together.” 1221 State St., Ste. 24, Santa Barbara, 805-892-7335, LONETREESB.COM.
Domecíl's Stephanie Payne-Campbell
Nearby, DOMECÍL is a home-goods shop from Stephanie Payne-Campbell that began as a pop-up. After she moved to Santa Barbara from Pasadena, Payne-Campbell opened a temporary outpost on Carpinteria’s Santa Claus Lane, and the experience triggered fond memories of shopping downtown. “My favorite was Dani, where everything was hearts and rainbows. I’d come in with my allowance and buy stickers,” she recalls. Though she originally had no intentions of opening a brick-and-mortar place, she found a spot in the hub of Victoria Court and jumped at the opportunity to have a smallish shop of her own. Tiny but mighty, Domecíl is filled with natural textiles, handwoven baskets, brooms, artwork, aprons and clothing (her own designs), ceramics, plants, and a kids’ corner where you might even spot a heart or a rainbow. “Santa Barbara used to be all small shops and super charming,” she says. “I thought, ‘Let’s bring it back!’” 1221 State St., Ste. 7, Santa Barbara, 805-324-4971, DOMECIL.COM.
Private Eye
“We wanted to be in an area that attracts people who understand and appreciate the material,” says Benjamin Cobb Storck, explaining why he and his husband, Jason, chose the Arts District for their GALERIE XX, formerly based in Los Angeles. The 3,000-square-foot gallery is set in a building next to the Arlington Theatre that was an I. Magnin department store in the 1920s and ’30s—an apt location for the material in question: 20th-century decorative arts and furniture by the likes of Jean Prouvé, George Nakashima, Harry Bertoia, and Jean Royère. Collectors have been gravitating to the category in recent years not just because of the elegant lines but also because it pairs so well with modern and contemporary art. “I’m an obsessive collector who has turned it into a business out of necessity,” says Cobb Storck, “and we can’t live with any of it because we have a three-year-old and a six-year-old.” 1315 State St., Santa Barbara, 805-895-2312, GALERIEXX.COM.
Jean Royère Cone Leg Table, $125,000, at Galerie XX in the newly dubbed Arts District.
Indian Pink's Tamara and JP Cajuste.
A more exuberant glamour is on display at INDIAN PINK, a few doors down. It, too, is a hobby-turned-business: Tamara Cajuste collected so much fabric while working as a flight attendant that she started making pillows; people loved them, and her husband, JP, joined the enterprise. After pop-ups here and there, the brand is putting down roots. There will be much more than pillows, including the pajamas Indian Pink launched during the pandemic and dresses, blankets, napkins, lamp shades, vintage textiles, and even furniture, all curated from around the world. The shop showcases the haute bohemian lifestyle, and what holds the collection together is a profound appreciation of color. “It has energy, and it just comes out of me,” says Cajuste. “I love everything about it!” 1307 State St., Ste. B, Santa Barbara, 805-869-2027, INDIANPINKPILLOWS.COM.
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A Long Night’s Journey into Day
A lot can happen in five years. In 2017 Jodi Goldberg, of Jodi G Designs
Written by Joan Tapper | Photography by Riley Yahr and Nancy Neil Photography.
A lot can happen in five years.
In 2017 Jodi Goldberg, of Jodi G Designs, was living in Montecito in a Balinese-inspired home she had designed. After that house was destroyed in the mudslide of January 2018, she and her husband eventually rented a home at the top of the Riviera, though Jodi always assumed it was just a temporary residence. But there were more unwelcome surprises to come.
In February 2020 Jodi suffered heart failure followed by complications and then a diagnosis of lung cancer. “That was a double whammy,” she remembers, “a progression of being traumatized and starting over.” She had surgery, watched as Covid took hold of the country, underwent chemo. . . and has recovered. And along the way she fell in love with living on the Riviera.
“Creativity is what fuels me,” she says. “It gave me a reason to get better. And I can’t say enough about the Riviera. Being there feels very nurturing and nature oriented. The birds seem to sing louder, the stars are brighter. My husband and I walk every day.”
Ultimately, they bought the house they’d been renting. Jodi stripped out its earlier heavy décor and transformed it into a light, bright, airy space. “I used raw woods; neutrals like white, cream, and black; and lots of texture,” she says. “It feels more Zen.”
The experience has also altered the way she approaches her work. “I’m more confident, less afraid to take risks. My design has gotten more organic, but I find you can do that in many, many ways. I have more freedom.
“I got lucky,” she says, “I have amazing clients, friends, and family, and I have delved into positivity.” JODIGDESIGNS.COM.