Ahandful of trees are so ubiquitous in the California landscape that it seems as if they have always been here. Eucalyptuses and palms are two such groups and one, Schinus molle, even goes by the common name California pepper tree, although its home is in the Andes Mountains in Per°. One other adaptable and common tree from Europe (probably the Middle East) is the olive (Olea europea).
A strange thing happened this morning when I ambled into the office kitchen for my first (okay, fourth) caffeine fix of the day: I noticed a rather large, definitely prominently displayed, sprig of mistletoe dangling from the doorjamb. I stopped for a moment, gazed at the foliage-hanging there so innocently, blissfully unaware of the drama that might take place at its bequest-and wondered. Encouraging coworkers to engage in a workplace smooch: wildly inappropriate or harmless yuletide fun?
A GOOD BLUFF: An amazing sunset shot taken this fall, near the Carpinteria Bluffs. Photo courtesy of Jesse Strigler, Brooks Institute.
“Imagine you’re coming to a Christmas party with very unusual music,” said Phil Kline, the New York sound artist whose traveling urban soundscape, Unsilent Night, makes its first-ever Santa Barbara stop on Thursday, December 21. “It’s definitely an event where you’re supposed to have fun.”
When Stephanie Nugent dances, she’s doing it autobiographically.
The Ballad of Billy Lee helps the title character shine, even in George Washington’s considerable shadow.
The king of high-profile real estate deals sets his sights on the Cojo Ranch.
For this week’s Curioser and Curioser, Martha Sadler sat down for a chat with Stephen Aizenstat, the founder and president of Pacifica Graduate Institute, a co-founder of Earth Day, and an internationally respected expert on dreams.
When the Montecito Association screws up on their annual December elections, J’Amy is there to tell us how and why and what will happen next. Also, learn about the tactics of The Voices of Montecito, a new watchdog group, and why the MA might eliminate its long-standing Land Use Committee.
No, that’s not a bunch of hashish. That’s piloncillo, the hard Mexican sugar used in recipes throughout the Christmas season. Read on to learn more about how to use it and where to buy it.
