The best things in life are FREE VILLAGE BEAT 8 – 15 November 2012 Vol 18 Issue 45 Speedy and forceful barrage by fire fighters makes quick work of two-acre fire above The Voice of the Village S SINCE 1995 S Cold Spring Trail, p. 12 COMMUNITY CALENDAR, P. 11 • CALENDAR OF EVENTS, P. 44 • GUIDE TO MONTECITO EATERIES, P. 38 MONTECITO ROUND-UP Citizen of the Year Bill Palladini honored, along with Nina Terzian, Paul Musgrove, and Gary and Lyn Hock, p. 13; A funny thing happened to Andrew & Ivana Firestone on their way to the New York City Marathon, p. 6 Jeff Bridges (along with Pam Lewis and Susan Parker) help Feed the Future in fedoras, p. 14; Lucky’s (and many others) hosts horribly haunted hoi polloi during Ghost Village Road Day, p. 42 Hal Holbrook has been playing Samuel Clemens for more than (gulp) fifty years; at age 87, however, he continues to vigorously mark twain, p. 21 A MODERNIST COUNTRY RETREAT Offered at $5,995,000 An architecturally significant Modernist-style country retreat on approximately 6.34 acres with ocean and mountain views, impeccably restored or rebuilt. The home features a beautiful living room, dining area, office, gourmet kitchen, a stunning master wing plus 3 family bedrooms and a 5th possible bedroom/gym/office in main house, and a 2-bedroom guest house, sprawling gardens, orchards, olives and Oaks. 2 MONTECITO JOURNAL • The Voice of the Village • 8 – 15 November 2012 FINE PROPERTIES REPRESENTED BY DANIEL ENCELL • “Top 10” Prudential Agent Worldwide - 7 consecutive years • Graduate of UCLA School of Law and former attorney (with training in Real Estate law, contracts, estate planning, and tax law) • Dedicated and highly trained full-time support team • An expert in the luxury home market REMEMBER, IT COSTS NO MORE TO W ORK WITH THE BEST (BUT IT CAN COST YOU PLENTY IF YOU DON’T) Dan Encell “The Real Estate Guy” Visit: www.DanEncell.com for market information & to search the entire MLS Call: (805) 565-4896 Email: [email protected] FANTASTIC NEW PRICE! BACK ON THE MARKET! BACK ON THE MARKET! MONTECITO ESTATE W/ OCEAN & ELEGANT & SPACIOUS SINGLE-LEVEL MORE MESA MOUNTAIN VIEWS - $5,300,000 MEDITERRANEAN - $3,650,000 MEDITERRANEAN - $1,495,000 HORSE LOVER’S DREAM EXQUISITE MEDITERRANEAN PRIME MONTECITO! GATED ESTATE ON 10 ACRES W/ VILLA W/ INCOMPARABLE & PRIVATE RESORT-LIKE VIEWS - $14,950,000 VIEWS - $7,200,000 ESTATE - $3,950,000 SANTA BARBARA CHARMING MONTECITO FANTASTIC HILLTOP .41 FOOTHILLS OASIS ON GATED HOME W/ REMODELED ACRE LOT WITH IMPRESSIVE 1 ACRE - $1,845,000 INTERIOR - $1,085,000 VIEWS - $595,000 8 – 15 November 2012 MONTECITO JOURNAL 3 INSIDE THIS ISSUE 5 Editorial Election results and notable events approaching 6 Montecito Miscellany Andrew Firestone volunteers in New York after marathon is canceled; Leslie Ridley-Tree awarded honorary UCSB degree; Brock Brower completes Fires of Faith; Girls Inc.’s Strong, Smart and Bold awards; Roger Dunham honored by Angel Flight West; Danuta Alyassin opens boutique on Coast Village; Kendall Conrad trunk show; World Odyssey branch opening; Susan Claassen stars in A Conversation With Edith Head; regulars don their Halloween best at Pierre Lafond; third annual Chowder Fest; Melissa Hawkins gives glassware pointers; sightings 8 Letters to the Editor Kathleen Sain and Greg Sain want good health, not better cell phone reception; Tariq Kadri remembers what’s important; John Perry votes for sanity; Diana Thorn wants the truth about Benghazi tragedy 11 This Week in Montecito Mara Purl signs book; MERRAG meets; New Yorker discussion group; SBHS presents The Drowsy Chaperone; Mason Brown Market; Channel City Club Luncheon; hike through Parma Park; El Montecito rummage sale; Our Lady of Mount Carmel School’s Rhinestone Roundup; MA meeting; Hoover Institution Large and small pendants promoting tolerance and peaceful Luncheon; Our Lady Mount Carmel School tour; Summerland shops hold Holiday co-existence by intertwining the familiar religious symbols for the Open House; SB Republican Women Federated dinner Tide Guide Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist/Hindu faiths, Handy guide to assist readers in determining when to take that walk or run on the using a variety of golds and jewels. beach All net proceeds will be donated to foundations dedicated to the 12 Village Beat promotion of tolerance and the improvement Brush fire breaks out near Cold Spring Trail; MA’s successful Beautification Day; El Montecito Presbyterian celebrates 125 years with weekend events of human rights worldwide. 14 Seen Around Town Pacifica Graduate Institute hosts Foodbank; 20th anniversary of the CALM www.armonitace.com Antique and Vintage Show; Maxi Decker signs copies of latest book, No Trail Untried, at Tecolote 20 Book Talk Shelly Lowenkopf examines the framed tales of Chaucer’s Middle English The Canterbury Tales Coup de Grace Grace reluctantly enters the smartphone world 21 On Entertainment Hal Holbrook’s one-man Mark Twain show; singer-songwriter Martin Sexton plays SOhO; New Noise Music Conference and Festival takes over downtown this weekend; film showings around town 22 Our Town Our Lady of Mount Carmel School’s 29th annual fundraiser, Rhinestone Roundup 23 Your Westmont Lecture probes Genesis and science; Much Ado About Nothing is a splash with audiences; Orchestra honors veterans 30 Montecito Insider This year’s Storyteller Children’s Center Gala at the Bacara was centered around the CONCIERGE Chinese Water Dragon 36 Sheriff’s Blotter AUTOMOTIVE Jewelry stolen from home on Olive Mill Road; mailbox vandalized 38 Guide to Montecito Eateries The most complete, up-to-date, comprehensive listing of all individually owned STORAGE Montecito restaurants, coffee houses, bakeries, gelaterias, and hangouts; others in Santa Barbara, Summerland, and Carpinteria too 40 Legal Advertisements 41 Movie Showtimes Latest films, times, theaters, and addresses: they’re all here, as they are every week 42 Ghost Village Road Pirates, zombies, and animals flocked to this year’s Ghost Village Road 44 Calendar of Events Asia plays Chumash; The Globe’s Hamlet at UCSB; Camerata Pacifica concert; An Evening with the Monkees; historical plays at Center Stage; UCSB Theater & Dance presents These Shining Lives; Veteran’s Day events; SB Symphony’s French concert; SBMA’s “Nine Unique Sculptures from the ‘Charm’ Series” 46 Classified Advertising Our very own “Craigslist” of classified ads, in which sellers offer everything from summer rentals to estate sales 47 Local Business Directory 805.845.5000 | [email protected] | www.hangarsb.com Smart business owners place business cards here so readers know where to look when they need what those businesses offer 4 MONTECITO JOURNAL • The Voice of the Village • 8 – 15 November 2012 Editorial by James Buckley The Election Results here is no need to recount (please excuse the term) what happened in the election that just passed. The U.S. voting public decided to go in a certain direction, or at least voted to continue on the same path it has been on for Tthe previous four years. Closer to home, voter approval for higher taxes and more Democrat representatives have effectively turned California into a one- party state. Good luck with all that. At home, the most important issues facing us were twofold: whether to expand the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors from three members to five, and who to place on that new expanded board. By a large margin (approximately 62% versus 38%), Montecito residents voted for a five- person board, which is a good thing. Montecito voters chose as their new board members John “Abe” Powell, Susan Keller, and Gene Sinser, all of whom were endorsed by this paper. They’ll join longtime board member Roy Jensen, who was re-elected, and another longtime board member, John Venable. Congratulations to all, as the voting was close and the campaign was spirited. The Military Ball The elections have held sway over our concerns for the past few weeks and we’ve been so absorbed in the various campaigns that we’ve given short shrift to some equally important upcoming events: for example, the Seventeenth Annual Military Ball of Santa Barbara, being held this Veterans Day Saturday at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort. It’s a military dress or black-tie optional event, inspired by Belgian-born All-American patriot, the late Pierre Claeyssens. This year’s keynote speaker is retired Air Force Colonel John Fer, who spent six years in North Vietnam as a prisoner of war at the now infamous Hanoi Hilton. Also on board will be two recipients of “The Greatest Generation Award 2012,” Sergeant Major Robert Forties and U.S. Army 101st Airborne NCO Arthur Petersen. It’s not too late find a seat at what is always a moving and enjoyable event. Please call 805-969-0695 or email rsvp@pierreclaeyssensveteransmuse- um.com if you’d like to attend. For other more family-oriented events, please see the Veterans Weekend ad on page 19 of this issue. The Drowsy Chaperone Building Santa Barbara High School’s drama department, under the expert guidance of Otto Layman, is offering up another of its exceptional shows, beginning this week- of end. The musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, is a 2006 Broadway show that was nomi- Peace nated for 13 Tony Awards (winning five), including for best original score and best book. The show takes place during the Roaring ‘Twenties and comes replete with a full orchestra made up mostly of SBCC and SBHS student musicians. If you’ve enjoyed such shows as Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, or even the more recent Cheri Mind Steinkellner original production of Hello My Baby! that premiered at the Lobero earlier this year, you’ll no doubt find additional joy in The Drowsy Chaperone.