Arts + Culture

Legendary Local: Sal Rodriguez

The man behind one of Goleta’s great youth basketball traditions Article by Matt DeMarcus | Photography by Provided Every community has people whose impact is difficult to measure. They are not always the loudest names in the room, but they are the ones who show up, year after year, helping a place feel more connected and more like home. Our new Legendary Local feature is dedicated to those people. For our first installment, it only feels right to begin with Sal Rodriguez. For more than 50...

Education

Is Your Child...

The signs are there. Most parents just don't know it. Article by Grace Galloway | Photography by Provided Your child snores. They wake up exhausted. They can't sit still in class, and no one has been able to tell you why. You've asked. You've been told it's a phase. You're starting to wonder if you're the only one who thinks something isn't right. You're not. And you're not overthinking it. Mouth breathing, snoring, chronic fatigue, bed-wetting, teeth grinding, dark circles, difficulty...

Life + Culture

Where Every Dog Has Its Day

A day in the life of Santa Barbara's happiest dogs. Article by Matt DeMarcus | Photography by Provided Most dog owners have played the game. The tail starts wagging so fast someone inevitably asks: "What do you think is going through his head right now?" The answers are usually some version of: Treats. Squirrels. The beach. A ball. But on certain mornings, for a particular group of Santa Barbara dogs, the answer might be something else entirely. Is that the van? It is. It has to be...

Arts + Culture

Known Here

Four Santa Barbara families. Four different paths. One thing they all found. Article by Grace Galloway | Photography by Provided Ethan Morales was the only student in his graduating 8th-grade class. He was quiet and creative and had never set foot in a traditional high school. He didn't know a single person who would be at Bishop García Diego. When he walked onto campus for his tour, students who weren't even assigned to him fell into step beside him. His mother, Gigi, still remembers what he...

Life + Culture

Four Legs, Full Hearts

Pets, families, and the love that needs no explanation. Article by Lena Ibarra | Photography by Lena Britt Photography Some bonds don't need an introduction. They simply exist, and they exist unconditionally. In the way a dog curls at the feet of a sleeping newborn, in the way a child reaches up without looking to find a familiar paw, in the way a whole family leans together for a photo, and someone in the frame has four legs and absolutely no idea they're stealing the shot. I've spent more...

Life + Culture

The Architecture of Health

Three Santa Barbara spots that teach more than any lesson plan. Article by Josh Nissan | Photography by N/A August belongs to kids and their pets. Anyone who's watched a child sprint toward the water with a Lab at their heels already knows everything this column is going to say. Something happens to a child around an animal. The pace changes. The voice drops. The nervous system, that frantic, overstimulated thing, finds a different gear. Most parents aren't looking for a parenting strategy...

Food + Beverage

Best Ways to Use Marianello Lucca Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Finishing Oil (Drizzling)Salads – Use as a dressing base with vinegar or lemon juice.Grilled vegetables or meats – Adds richness and aroma.Soups and stews – A drizzle on top adds depth and a fresh finish.Pasta – Especially good on simple dishes like aglio e olio or with fresh herbs.2. DippingWith bread – Mix EVOO with balsamic vinegar, herbs, or a pinch of salt.With crudités – Use as a base for a Mediterranean-style dip or vinaigrette.3. Cooking (Low to Medium Heat)Sautéing vegetables or...

Life + Culture

Santa Barbara Unfiltered

Why Santa Barbara’s beauty runs deeper than the postcard Article and Photography by Ari Kirk Walking down Anapamu past the iconic Santa Barbara courthouse on a warm, breezy afternoon, traffic whizzes by, e-bikes buzz past, and the bells of the clock tower chime… except, wait. They aren't real bells at all! It's a high-quality recording of some from UCSB's Storke Tower. Why? Because the courthouse went way over-budget and was never really finished. Quirks like these add to a place's beauty in...

Professional Services

Pressure Tested

The hidden local history behind one of the world’s most important diving innovations Article by Matt DeMarcus | Photography by Provided Along the Central Coast, where rocket launches from Vandenberg regularly streak across the night sky, exploration often feels pointed upward. But some of the region’s most important breakthroughs happened in the cold, dark waters just offshore. Long before modern commercial diving became possible, the Santa Barbara Channel posed a nearly impossible challenge...

Life + Culture

One More Glass Before Dinner

Why the best afternoons usually begin with cancelled plans Article by Sara DeMarcus | Photography by Kathy DeNinno Photography Some of the best afternoons begin unexpectedly. A meeting moves. Plans fall through. The calendar opens in a way it normally doesn’t, and for a few rare hours, there’s nowhere specific to be. The instinct, especially here, is usually to fill the space immediately. Another errand. Another workout. Another carefully timed reservation squeezed between obligations. But...