Santa Barbara Magazine

Benjamin Millepied and Jennifer Smith celebrated their visionary new initiative with dinner and performances set at the oceanside estate Written by Elizabeth Varnell The sprawling grounds of Bellosguardo and the Pacific Ocean beyond were the setting for a gala launch of The Santa Barbara Fund for New Choreography founded by Benjamin Millepied and Jennifer Smith on Thursday, July 16.

Botanical Splendor is everywhere at Lotusland Celebrates 2026 Written by Joan Tapper It’s always a pleasure to visit Ganna Walska Lotusland, the world-renowned 37-acre nonprofit that has welcomed visitors for more than three decades.

Written by Jessica Ritz After years of operating her boutique in Summerland, fashion designer Heidi Merrick remains eager to nurture local connections. THE APOTHECARY AT HEIDI MERRICK “is a great way to bring people together and build community,” she says. Merrick is partnering with a wide circle of female entrepreneurs for her new venture, including Meredith Markworth-Pollack of Palma Colectiva and photographer and herbalist Blue Gabor of Creature Soleil.

Encircling the oval cabana pool, these spacious poolside accommodations have room to host up to six people. Written by Caitlin White The RITZ-CARLTON BACARA is celebrating its 25th birthday with a multimillion-dollar renovation, including zero-edge saline pools outfitted with generous state-of-the-art cabanas. Pack your gear in a limited-edition hand-woven straw basket, a collaboration with Kilometre Paris ($582).

Jessie Homer French is a fiercely spirited 86-year-old visual artist who paints landscapes celebrating natural wonder while pointing to the spoils of human intervention. She usually includes a system of layers revealing both the seen and unseen—what one finds beneath the surface. Fire, wildlife, stealth bombers, wind farms, cemeteries, and symbols of nuclear power feature prominently in the work.

Inside Rincon Hill Farm’s regenerative approach to farming and food The regenerative Rincon Hill Farm sits between the foothills and coastline of Carpinteria. Written by Hana-Lee Sedgwick Photographs by Danielle Rubi In a region where farmers markets are part of daily life and eating local is second nature, Rincon Hill Farm feels right at home.

The cheerful sign on Coast Village Road Written by Caitlin White Photography by Jack Dahlia Taking its place in the old Peabody’s venue, MONTE’S from chef Daniel Kim is already primed to become the new darling of Montecito. Barely two months in, the restaurant has already been added to the Michelin Guide. Rooted in the regenerative agriculture of Rincon Hill Farm in Carpinteria (see page 120), nearly every ingredient on the menu is sourced from that property.

Written by Joan Tapper Photography by Jeff Kruthers The HOLLISTER RANCH BEACH SHACKS, haphazard structures of driftwood and other salvaged materials, were hardly things of beauty, but they do represent a bygone era of Santa Barbara surf history that began with the legendary waves that broke along eight miles of shore on the 14,400 acres owned by the Hollister family.

Emma West Roldan in her new space in Sevilla Square Written by Hana-Lee Sedgwick Photography by Erren Franklin Drawing on her culinary background and community-minded perspective, Emma West Roldan—former chef and cofounder of Satellite—has opened her newest venture, BODEGA FLOWER GIRL. The neighborhood market and mini eatery is a welcome addition to Sevilla Square, just off lower State Street.

Picturesque souvenirs aren’t only for tourists—local photogs offer keepsakes of Santa Barbara spots See the story in our digital edition