••• A couple of readers have recommended the new Domecil shop toward the back of the Victoria Court complex at State and Victoria, so I popped in for a visit. The merch is lovely and tasteful—let’s have more like this downtown, please! P.S. The last syllable is pronounced like “seal.”
••• The Coast Village Association’s Ghost Village Road is back on this Halloween, with trick-or-treating from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
••• The Montecito Association is planning a Montecito Holiday Parade on December 4: “It’s going to be a night-time, lit-up, singing and musical parade that rolls through the community, ending in the Upper Village. […] We could sure use a Santa and Mrs. Claus! If you know someone in the community that would be perfect for this, we’ve already got the costumes and ‘sleigh’ for them!” Before you submit any names, you might want to make sure your candidates will find the comparison flattering….
••• “What is happening with the Best Western Plus hotel property across from La Cumbre Plaza on Upper State Street?” asked Rosemarie. I had been wondering the same thing, as it appears to have been closed for months. Sure enough, here’s a listing offering the two-acre property for $21 million. Even though the ground lease expired last May, and despite appearances to the contrary, the hotel is still operating—although at around 60 rooms, instead of the former 160.
••• Another question: “Our building has recently had the hallways renovated and new artwork installed,” emailed S., a resident of Covenant Living at the Samarkand. “It’s a floor-to-ceiling panel with backlighting, and it’s supposed to be in Santa Barbara somewhere. Being a native, people are asking me where it is, but I have no idea. It’s not the Bartlett, Pringle and Wolf building in the 1100 block of Chapala. (Quite similar though.) Knowing that you are all over town I am wondering if you might know the location or if you can keep an eye out for it.” Better yet, let’s crowdsource the answer. If you know, please comment or email [email protected]. UPDATE: BW and HT recognized it as the Santa Barbara Inn (see second photo).
••• From Mbonisi Ndimande, a former UCSB student-athlete: “I recently started a new fitness brand with a vision linked to my passion for tennis. PET (Passion, Energy & Talent) is a fitness brand which offers full-body workouts with a strong emphasis on rotational movements. The vision behind PET was inspired by a problem I noticed among a lot of developing tennis players who struggle to apply good rotation or use their body as a unit when they play, often resulting in bad form and a high chance for potential injuries. This problem is common in golf, pickleball, and other rotational sports. I teamed up with top, local fitness trainer Austin Nealon to create PET. Our goal is to help people learn the fundamentals of applying proper rotational form, improve their hip mobility and flexibility, and also improve their functional fitness foundation.” For a pass for a free class, visit the website.
••• Next time I complain about my neighbors making too much noise, remind me how much worse it could be.
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The picture in question is the Santa Barbara Inn on Cabrillo/Milpas.
Thanks again Erik. I have made a little nameplate for the artwork. Residents have been thanking me for “my” sleuthing but you get the credit!
I’ve taken the PET class and been to Mbonisi’s tennis coaching. I highly recommend them both. Mbonisi is an amazing teacher no matter your skill level or age. Austin is a terrific trainer. My tennis game and fitness have improved so much all thanks to them. The PET classes are so fun – perfect way to start a Sunday!