••• You know that adorable historic cottage on Anacapa Street, just north of Gala restaurant? Kate McMahon (of fashion line Covet) and Elizabeth Vallino (of home design line Cherval Studio) are jointly opening a shop there on May 4. Shoes appear to be optional.
••• “Looks like the Milpas car wash will re-open under new ownership,” says M. “There has been a lot of activity/cleaning/car wash personnel the last week or so. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s open again in the very near future.”
••• Westward General is among the vendors in Ventura’s Findings Flea vintage market, which opens May 1.
••• Changes are afoot at the Field Trip shop at La Arcada Plaza: it’s “throwing a big ol’ anniversary/customer appreciation sale! From now through May 6, everything is 25% off! As of May 6 the shop will be closed thru the 20th for some reflection, restructuring and field tripping of my own. […] It’s time to, as Rilke put it, live some questions. Field Trip will have a presence here in this space most certainly, but the nature of it might shift a bit.”
••• An update on Franceschi House, the languishing historic house in Franceschi Park:
The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department is seeking public input for a future project at the site of Franceschi House within Franceschi Park. After multiple attempts to restore the building since 1971, the City Council voted unanimously in 2018 to replace Franceschi House with an open-air structure that would honor the legacy of the building and its previous owners, botanist Francesco Franceschi and philanthropist Alden Freeman, while providing access to the public.
Four potential design concepts have been created based on community feedback from an in-person workshop held in February and 696 responses to a public survey. Some key takeaways from the survey responses included: 1) 91% of respondents said they visit the park for the views; 2) Terraces (62% of respondents) and stone retaining walls (55% of respondents) were selected as the most valued site elements. 46% of respondents valued the commemorative medallions and stained glass windows of Franceschi House. 3) Views (84% of respondents) and landscape/horticultural legacy (73% of respondents) were selected as the most important considerations for the design of a future project.
The Department aims to select one design concept for further development through a second community workshop and survey.
There will be a community workshop at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, at the Riviera Ridge School (911 Tremonto Road).
The workshop will present key takeaways from community feedback before explaining each design concept. Attendees will be invited to share their input and preferred designs. […]
A brief survey will be available online for community members to share their preferences for a future project design [from May 11-27]
The preferred design concept will be refined and presented to the Historic Landmarks Commission for review. The Commission’s feedback will be used to refine the concept further and advance design plans. The design and planning phase of the project is expected to be an extensive, multi-year process, including ongoing public outreach and a comprehensive environmental review process.
••• A Bottega Veneta boutique is coming to the Rosewood Miramar Beach mall. It’s right next to the hotel gym.
••• Speaking of the Miramar resort, a reader wrote in with concerns that the hotel is not living up to its promises regarding beach access, public restrooms, and signage. He/she sent this verbiage, provenance unknown:
So I went over for a look. On the west side of the property, the signage is pretty wacky; I followed one into a parking lot (perhaps it was meant to direct people to Eucalyptus Lane), and another was, well, like this….
On the east side of the property, there are many signs directing people along the fire lane, but then they stop when you reach the train tracks. According to the verbiage above, you’re apparently supposed to go to the beach bar, but I went down by the private club.
I wasn’t here for the negotiations about public access through the resort, but I would’ve thought the concern was more making it porous for the public, rather than guests getting from the hotel to the beach. (The wording above struck me as unclear.) Whether there’s “beach access” signage or not, all of the gates on the west side of the property—and there are quite a few—are self-locking, so you can only go from the hotel to the beach (unless you have long arms, in which case you can reach through and let yourself in).
As for the restrooms, the one by Caruso’s is quite nice, although there’s no signage to indicate it’s meant to be shared by the public. In fact, only when you enter that unmarked doorway do you get any indication of what’s inside.
And there’s another shower on the side of the private club, which I would assume is for the public, too, or there would surely be indication otherwise.
UPDATE: Rick Fidel, the resort’s managing director, emailed a repsonse:
Ensuring public beach access is a priority for The Miramar. For us, this goes beyond compliance. It is part of our overall commitment to the local community.
The Miramar team regularly monitors public access points to make sure they are well-marked. We can attest that the public pathways, as well as the restroom and shower area, are well-used on a regular basis.
On the rare occasion that a sign is disturbed, we quickly fix it. The one you photographed is back up and easily visible to the public.
To underscore The Miramar’s ongoing commitment to public beach access, we are excited to bring back the Swim Raft to Miramar Beach this summer, which will be open for the public to enjoy.
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E, you continue to do such a great job in your newsletters…thanks. For ex-pat Santa Barbarans like us (now posting up in Bend, OR), your fresh insights and honest questions keep the SB vibe alive.
I can use the bathrooms at the Miramar while at the beach? Game changer!
And Bottega Veneta… I can’t lie… very nice. My BV French wallet from 2005 is still going strong. Glad to see the brand back on track aesthetically in the last few years after a rough decade of hideous gunmetal hardware on everything.
As for Franceschi, tear it down. It’s a dump. I’m a preservationist but that house is not worth dumping money into. Turn it into a garden of rare specimens honoring the late Franceschi’s botanical pursuits. That would serve the public and taxpayers much better.
agreed!
I second that. Tear down the damn house. And the hangars. The city has a huge budget shortfall. The other parks, which are used by hundreds or thousands daily, are in disrepair. State Street is awful and needs investment from the City (they can’t or won’t even replace the ragged plants). We don’t have the luxury of being precious with horrendously expensive buildings that don’t serve a purpose. If people want to preserve them out of nostalgia, there are lots of wealthy people around here they can ask for donations.
The fact that this total insanity is even being considered makes it clear we need to replace most of our local politicians.
To be clear, these aren’t some globally renown structures we’re taking about. They’re dilapidated old buildings, of no particular historic or architectural notability. It’s pure nostalgia for a few people. These politicians have no vision, sense, or backbone.
+1 on the hangars. I’m a life long pilot of many forms, spent years hanging around airports and working on aircraft. I live in a historic structure. I care about preserving historic structures, but the only thing being pushed by the “save the hangars” crowd is nothing more than pure, unadulterated nostalgia. Nostalgia is not history. The hangars are not historic or significant beyond “stuff happened here back in the day.” Being able to list the businesses that used to occupy a structure does not convert a building to historic status. Anyone who has spent time on small airports knows that the structures themselves are not unique in any way. The guy who wrote the op-ed in Edhat says that they have non-profits ready to line and fund the restoration and the creation of a museum, and that they’re not looking for any money from the local govt. If that’s indeed the case, let em have at it. There are, truth be told, dumber ways to light money on fire. But these people are delusional about the numbers something like this will draw, and the willingness of people to lend aircraft to a museum that sits in an area prone to flooding.
Amen
“The city has a huge budget shortfall…” It doesn’t even have enough to repair the damage incurred on January 5, 2023 when rains damaged that part of Gibraltar Rd within the city limits and sent water onto the properties for the next 15 months thereby causing landslides on those properties.
The view from Franchesci Park are wonderful. The old building can go as far as I’m concerned. Why not turn the site planning over to Jeff Shelton to create a mini Park Guell (Gaudi’s park in Barcelona)? It could be spectacular with some imagination.
Love that idea. Have been to Park Guell in Barcelona and it was lovely.
If Laguna Beach Newsletter has magnified text with a finger-spread, why can’t siteline?
Please email me ([email protected]) which phone and browser you’re using and I’ll look into it. Because with Safari on an iPhone, I can magnify text just fine.