Category Archives: Lifestyle

Ecosmarts: Dressing for the Great Outdoors

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Ecosmarts, originally published in the March 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.With time on her hands during the
pandemic stay-at-home orders, 12-year-old Santa Barbara tween Reese Large
launched Real Life (wearreallife.com), a
clothing company devoted to spotlighting
nonprofit groups that support activities
she cares about.

“When choosing nonprofits, I thought about things that I missed doing during the coronavirus pandemic,” says Large. “A lot of that had to do with outdoor activities.”

Her line of sustainable, sweatshop-free hoodies, sweatshirts, and tees supports outdoor-oriented organizations such as the National Park Foundation; the American Eagle Foundation, which protects various birds of prey; and Project Aware, which is dedicated to shark conservation and the elimination of marine litter.

Click here to see this story as it originally appeared in the March 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

An Uncommonly Common Kitchen

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An Uncommonly Common Kitchen originally was published in 805 Living Magazine in March 2021.The restaurant industry has become one of the latest to adopt the shared workspace concept, and a prime example is set to open in Santa Barbara later this year. Kitchen 530 (kitchen530.com), a communal food-production facility, public market, and culinary incubator in the works at 530 State Street, is what Chris Chiarappa,
one of the project developers, describes as “a bit of a Swiss Army
knife for the food world.”

The brainchild of Chiarappa, a partner in Mesa Burger restaurants, and Diana H. Pereira, founder of Kiva Cowork shared workspace in downtown Santa Barbara, Kitchen 530 will have 10 hot-preparation facilities, 10 cold-preparation facilities, two baking stations, a show kitchen and event space, a retail market, and a public restaurant.
Diners will be able to enjoy food from multiple tenants but order in one place. A full bar and coffee shop are also planned along with special event space for tenant use.

Click here to see this story as it originally appeared in the March 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

Cheetos are Hot!

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Cheetos are Hot! originally appeared in the March 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine. Photo by Gary Moss.

Cheetos are Hot! originally appeared in the March 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine. Photo by Gary Moss.

An old snack food, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, is having a new culinary moment, and local food pros are making good on the trend.

In Port Hueneme, Carnitas El Brother (carnitaselbrother.com) dishes up the Hot Cheetos Taco: a handmade Flamin’ Hot Cheetos tortilla filled with carnitas and melted cheese and topped with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. “It has to be one of the most popular items on our menu,” says co-owner Maria Reyes.

In Santa Barbara and Goleta, Dave’s Dogs Grill (davesdogs805.com) uses the spicy crisps to enhance menu items like the Hot Cheetos & Cream Cheese hot dog.

Michoacanita Ice Cream Company (michoacanitaicecream.com) in Oxnard crumbles Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to make a coating for cobs of corn and to top its Flamin’ Eloté, Mexican street corn made with fresh-off-the-cob corn, mayonnaise, melted butter, cheese, and spices.

Click here to see this story as it originally appeared in the March 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

Style Domicile

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Purveyor of designer fashions Elyse Walker opens her newest store in Calabasas. Courtesy photo.

A new women’s fashion hub opens at The Commons at Calabasas this month. Set among luxe velvet furnishings with chandeliers and marble accents, the 2,343-square-foot ElyseWalker (elysewalker.com) showroom features collections from iconic brands such as Celine, Chloé, Dior, and Givenchy as well as emerging designers like Anna Quan, Isabel Marant Étoile, Moussy, Staud, and Ulla Johnson.

The establishment is the third location of the globally recognized brand, which also has stores in Pacific Palisades and Newport Beach.

Founder and CEO Elyse Walker says she has always loved the Calabasas neighborhood and is “excited to introduce the Elyse Walker point-of-view to the community.”

 

Click here to see this story as it originally appeared in the March 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

A Cut Above

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Photo courtesy Messermeister. Originally published in 805 Living, March 2021.

Photo courtesy Messermeister. Originally published in 805 Living, March 2021.

Amid all of the recent cooking at home, upgraded kitchen equipment has become an especially welcome commodity, and no tool eases food preparation more than an exquisite knife. “A high-quality, handcrafted knife is razor sharp, balanced, comfortable to use, and easy to sharpen,” says Kirsten Dressler Wilson, vice president of the Ojai-based
Messermeister (messermeister.com) cutlery company. “It makes it so much easier to chop ingredients fast. The first time you use a great knife, you finally realize how bad your old knives really were.”

Wilson, who runs the family-owned business with her sister Chelcea Dressler-Crowley and their mother Debra Dressler, should know. Her father, a German native, brought his passion for the premium, hand-forged cutlery of his homeland to the U.S. in 1981 and established the Messermeister (translation: knife master) line in 1985. Four decades
later, the brand encompasses a wide array of professional-quality chef knives, kitchen cutlery, and cooking tools, all of which can be purchased online and at selected retailers.

Click here to see this story as it originally appeared in the March 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

Efficiency Begets Quality Time

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The Efficiency Project, from 805 Living Magazine's Pulse section, winter 2021.

The Efficiency Project, from 805 Living Magazine’s Pulse section, winter 2021.

Founded by sisters Alia Glasgow, an event producer, and Casey Geeb, an interior designer, The Efficiency Project (theefficiencyprojectsb.com) helps families create time-saving interiors that free up more precious moments to do the things they enjoy the most.

Creating a drop zone for keys near the entry to a home, for example, can save time spent
looking for them.

“Design and organization really do go hand in hand,” says Glasgow, who specializes in the organizing side of the business, “and the fact that we can support and brainstorm with each other on both means Casey’s design is stronger. I help her with the functional [aspects], and she makes it look really great.”

They also offer help for those moving from one home to another and enhancing the appeal of a home to live in or to sell.

Click here to see this story as it originally appeared in the Winter 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

Going With the Flow

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From 805 Living Magazine's Pulse section, winter 2021.

From 805 Living Magazine’s Pulse section, winter 2021.

Firestone Walker Brewing Company (firestonebeer.com) ventures into new territory with Flow State, a monthly video series (youtu.be/Invvcsi2P24) hosted by adventurer Dylan Efron, who grew up on the Central Coast and honed his thirst for pushing the limits as a professional triathlete before becoming a producer and star of the Netflix show Down To Earth and launching the Off the Grid YouTube series with his brother, actor Zac Efron.

Flow State challenges world-class athletes and performers with outdoor exploits that are unfamiliar to them. For example, in one episode Brazilian professional skateboarder Leticia Bufoni learns to rock climb despite her fear of heights, and, in another, beach volleyball
superstar brothers Riley and Maddison McKibbin go off-roading.

“Outdoor adventure is a way of life around here, and it’s something we’re passionate about,” says Firestone Walker cofounder David Walker. “The Central Coast has been our home for 25 years, and as a local, Dylan is the perfect friend and partner to help us tell these stories.”

Click here to see this story as it originally appeared in the Winter 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

A Tip of the Hat

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From 805 Living Magazine's Pulse section, winter 2021.

From 805 Living Magazine’s Pulse section, winter 2021.

Launching a retail business during a global pandemic is surely an act of faith, which fits right in with Desert Rose Hat Co. (desertrosehats.com) owner Marlene Taylor’s mission to
make “quality goods for a higher purpose.” The cozy space in downtown Santa Barbara’s
historic La Arcada Plaza is tailor-made for her handcrafted hats—which are inspired by her father’s western wear and her own bohemian style and made using century old techniques—and her curated collection of clothes and accessories.

As for the higher purpose: 5 percent of hat sales benefit two Santa Barbara nonprofit organizations, Domestic Violence Solutions and CALM (Child Abuse Listening and Mediation).

“It was important to me that this brand be more than just a brand,” says Taylor. “My
hope for this company is to create ripples of change in my own community.”

Click here to see this story as it originally appeared in the Winter 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

Latte on the Spot

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Photos by Melissa Alves, courtesy of Clevr Blends. Originally published in 805 Living Magazine, Winter 2021.

Photos by Melissa Alves, courtesy of Clevr Blends. Originally published in 805 Living Magazine, Winter 2021.

Instant superlattes—chai, matcha, golden turmeric, and coffee flavors combined with adaptogens, probiotics, and plant-based milk—are now available to make at home thanks to Clevr Blends (clevrblends.com), a Santa Barbara–based business that started as a pop-up latte bar.

“The transition to making a DIY product really happened once we realized that, despite
our drinks making people feel amazing, they were difficult for most folks to recreate in their
daily lives,” says CEO Hannah Mendoza. “At that point, we knew we needed a more accessible way to bring the plant magic into people’s homes.”

Clevr Blends are available online and the company donates one percent of revenues to organizations that further food justice. “As a food brand with a mission to help people feel better through easy, accessible wellness products rooted in ethics and sustainability, it is extremely important to us that we ensure we apply the same values close to home,” says Mendoza.

Click here to see this story as it originally appeared in the Winter 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

Dancing With Myself

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Dancing with Myself, originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent Self-Care issue, January 7, 2021.

Dancing with Myself, originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent Self-Care issue, January 7, 2021.

A combination of yoga, martial arts, and dance, Nia was introduced to me by my friend Meg Miller, who’s been an instructor at the Montecito YMCA for more than a decade. When the pandemic torpedoed indoor classes,
Miller started an online “Nia Together-Apart” group, sending videos for people to dance from home “with her” every Saturday at 11:15 a.m., her normal class time.

As Queen of the Procrastinators, I left the link in my inbox, red flagged and scolding me for a week before I finally decided to try Nia. I intended to do it at 11:15 a.m., but it was more like 5:15 p.m., when rolled-back clocks made it too dark for my regular walk.

“In Nia everything is based on 52 moves,” explained Miller. “In addition to what is generally known — that moving to music is
good for us — Nia uses findings from neuroscience to create a holistic experience
through dance. I know this sounds a little woo-woo, but plenty of people do Nia purely as a physical fitness experience.”

I cranked up the video in the privacy of my bedroom, figuring I’d come for the cardio and slip in some metaphysics if the spirit moved
me. The last time I danced was in the early COVID days: a TikTok challenge from my son and his girlfriend. After a bit, I started to let loose. Rather than following the leader,
the idea is to listen to your body and enjoy every movement. So I freestyled instead of doing the floor-play, which looked too much
like pushups for my taste.

Although Nia is meant to be danced communally, my freestyle was definitely more “free” in my bedroom than it would have been at the YMCA. Even Miller, who loves the community aspect of Nia, said, “I’ve found a lot more freedom and self-expression doing it without
an audience of any kind.”

My heart rate was definitely elevated, and my spirit did get a little lift. I’ll try Nia again, maybe even next Saturday at 11:15 a.m.

For more information, visit nianow.com.
Santa Barbara Independent Cover, Self-Care, January 7, 2021.

Originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent on January 7, 2021. To see this story as it appeared in print, please click here.