••• Montecito Natural Health has opened in the Upper Village, directly across from the Montecito Village Grocery. The name has been been changed from Montecito Natural Foods to reflect the shift to supplements.
••• From the Santa Barbara Historical Museum: “As the hundredth anniversary of Old Spanish Days approaches, the Santa Barbara Historical Museum celebrates the festive annual celebration with 99 photographs spanning 99 years in the exhibit Project Fiesta: 99 Years. The exhibit is on view through November 12, 2024. Drawn from the Museum’s Gledhill Library Archive, the photographs capture the spirit of the celebration, which began in 1924 to celebrate the reopening of the Lobero Theatre, and the pageantry and spirit of the event as it grew over the years.” This is your reminder that Fiesta is coming up (August 2-6). And start digging through those photo albums: “‘We also want to inspire people to share their own memories with us as we near the centennial,’ said [museum director Dacia] Harwood. ‘We plan to go all-out for a major exhibition next year, and though our collection is vast, there are some gaps.’ Those interested in helping add to the collection should contact the Museum’s library at [email protected].” Pictured: El Desfile Histórico in 1960, from the museum’s collection.
••• The other day, I got stuck in a city parking lot behind a driver who doesn’t have a credit card, and because the booth is unstaffed, the only way for me to get out was to pay his $3 fee. A strong suggestion for the city: the signs at the entrance should say “NO CASH” (instead of “credit card only”), in very large type, and they should really be in more than one language.
••• Lotus Cabinetry confirmed (by putting signage in the window) that it still plans on opening a showroom in the former Victor the Florist space at Santa Barbara Street and E. Anapamu.
••• Do you like Jeff Shelton’s work as much as this guy?
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••• “Is San Marcos Golf Course re-opening?” asked Tim, so I reached out to the agent for the buyer (the property sold for $8.75 million a year ago), who said, “The new owner of Rancho San Marcos is working to solve the water issue and plans to open some or all of the golf course in spring of ’24. They hope to get a website published soon which will have more details and updates.” A friend who golfs says the word on the green is that it’ll be a combination wine-and-golf experience.
••• Up through August 27 at My Pet Ram: Hoist Up the John B. Sail, with new work by Brian Scott Campbell and Michael McGregor. Below: Campbell’s “Skip.”
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San Marcos Golf Course was sold to the company that does amusement parks correct?
Any idea when Hidden Oaks golf course is opening up and if it will still be open to the public?
The buyer is RSM Resort LLC, which leads to an address in Irvine that is also linked to Battaglia Inc., a developer of theme parks. But Battaglia Inc.’s website is copyright 2004, so I wouldn’t assume that a theme park is imminent—instead, this is likely the same owner with golf-related plans. And no news about Hidden Oaks.
I have a connection to Battaglia. Locals can rest assured there is no theme park in the works.
Outside of an extremely wealthy benefactor willing to spend upwards of 10 million to rebuild the course, there will be no new development at the Rancho San Marcos golf course site. And certainly not a hotel or an amusement park… The County and zoning will never allow it.
The course itself went farrow, leaving the overtly expensive prospect of replacing the entire course – greens, irrigation, pumps, etc. The fact that Warner shuttered it during the biggest golf boom in history, shows what an awful business man he actually is. As it turns, luck is not smarts… The course was viable at the time of listing but was listed far above its value, so it was left to go farrow… Once again poor understanding of the market and straight up greed by real estate agents ruined a great thing.
Water was and remains an issue back there, but with the rains of this last winter, the river and the wells are once again flowing. It’s a sad loss for the golf community as it was truly a special place. But it was by every measure, poorly managed.
Santa Barbara is one of the most underserved areas in the country for golf and will remain that way for eternity as the powers that be, (and the clueless hippies), will never allow another course to be built in our area. It was a big loss and most certainly highlights the mistakes made by the agents who thought they knew the market but instead missed it by 30% and 16 months.
To be helpful:
A farrow is a litter of pigs.
I am sure you meant fallow
TY Christine-
With all the rain they’ll be plenty of acorns for all the “farrowed” little piggies- let’s hope the un-fallowing of RSM is more than a rumor – was one of the best golf courses anywhere (although the walk from 12 to 13 in the summer was a bit like the Bataan Death March) – thankfully out of the completely inept hands of TW – hopefully he sells Sandpiper next.
I honestly love that tattoo.
The groundskeeper at Rancho San Marcos told me that they are planning to open 9 holes. That looks right when you see the holes they’re fixing up and the holes that they’ve “let go” to nature.