Progress on the Red Shoe Mystery

••• We’re getting a bit closer to solving the red shoe mystery. Two folks on Instagram said that the shoe had previously been seen on Toro Canyon Road (“put out with the trash […] and someone nabbed it”). And then J. followed up with this: “I can confirm that this red shoe was put out with the trash at 326 Toro Canyon Rd. I took this photo that night in mid-February with this mystery dog owner sitting in the shoe. What I don’t know is who took it from that driveway and put it in the field where it sits now. That part remains a mystery to be solved….” Anyone know anything? Email [email protected] or call/text 917-209-6473. (P.S. Thanks again for the photo, J.! It makes me smile—and a little jealous—every time I see it.) UPDATE: “It seems like there is maybe a homemade sign up next to the shoe now too,” said @mego_roboto. “I can never read it as I’m driving by though.” I drove down (yet again) and was only able to read the first line: “This is your”; the second line was either scribbled over or poorly designed in the first place. I didn’t turn back for another look because (a) you have to overshoot the shoe by quite a bit and I as tried of driving; and (b) I wasn’t convinced that whoever put the shoe there also put the sign. If you’re heading north on the 101, please keep your eyes open after you leave Ventura. UPDATE 5/30: The mystery has been solved.

••• From a county press release: “On Wednesday, May 26, C.A.R.E.4Paws and Santa Barbara County Animal Services join forces with five other nonprofit partners to open two new Pet Resource Centers at the County Animal shelters in Lompoc and Santa Barbara. No pet owner should ever have to make the tough decision between paying a bill and buying pet food or providing medical treatment for a four-legged family member. […] Pet Resource Centers are locations where community members can pick up dog and cat food and other supplies, as well as sign up for critical pet wellness services and veterinary care in C.A.R.E.4Paws’ mobile clinic and the SBCAS clinic at the Santa Maria Animal Center.”

••• Opening today at Sullivan Goss: Sight Lines, Robin Gowen’s 11th solo show with the gallery: “This new crop of paintings finds that she has set her sights on vistas both near and far. The ocean, both here and on the East coast, makes a rare and welcome appearance for one. Prone to a hot color palette, Robin’s ocean paintings bring a misting of coastal coolness to the group. Meanwhile, a rich trove of ribbony paintings of the area’s hills in this new exhibition will give seasoned lovers of Gowen’s art plenty of reasons to celebrate.”

••• Robert Roger Daltrey is playing the Santa Barbara Bowl on August 27. (Update 6/1: See comments. Not sure how that error happened, as I know very well who Roger Daltrey is.)

••• From the Los Padres Forest Association: “The Los Padres National Forest announced an increase in fire restrictions which prohibit campfires outside of designated Campfire Use Sites. Check out the entire Forest Order along with the list of designated Campfire Use Sites. Cooking stoves are still permitted across the forest with a valid California Campfire Permit but BACKCOUNTRY CAMPFIRES ARE NOW PROHIBITED.”

••• Handlebar Coffee Roasters emailed about a neat opportunity:

Family owned and operated since 1965, EF Education First has coordinated language education programs from their US Headquarters on Chapala Street since 1985. Now, with over 600 offices and schools around the world, their language programs impact the lives of thousands of students each year from around the world. Combining language training with cultural exchange, academic achievement and educational travel EF delivers courses and programs that transform dreams into international opportunites.

As Santa Barbara opens up again after a challenging time of the pandemic students can once again travel to Santa Barbara and EF is now looking for families that would like to host a student for three weeks this summer and are offering a $150 hosting gift in addition to their regular pay rate if you sign up to host a student.

I suggested to my husband that we do it, and he reminded me that we essentially have a one-bedroom house, which could be awkward.

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