The Home Page | Behind the scenes of Home & Garden

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on Spetember 15, 2024. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletter

It’s a busy season at the Santa Barbara Independent. Elections are heating up, Best of Santa Barbara™ is right around the corner, Burrito Week starts on Thursday, and we published our first ever Fall Home & Garden issue this week. Home & Garden has been a standard Indy publication every spring. This year we decided to dish out another H&G in the fall: The seasons are shifting and it’s the best time of year to plant. Here’s a copy of the issue if you haven’t seen it yet.

I got to know the home on the cover — and Brent, Zenitra, and Luke, the family within — in an up-close and personal manner that was super special. Brent and I walked through the rooms and discussed their design decisions. I got to peek in their closets and ask Zen about their budget. All the while three-year-old Luke was running in and outside, eating a gigantic cinnamon pastry. I saw how they really live. There was no worry about footprints or crumbs or keeping doors closed. We said “Hi” to neighbors. Their cat marched around like he owned the place. They invited me to come back anytime. And I will.

Another fun part of the experience was working with photographer Nick Kvistad. Nick is a local guy turned entrepreneur, and the first time we met was when we walked up Palisades towards the house that day. I don’t know if Nick enjoys himself this much on every shoot, but he was smiling all afternoon. Of course, we all were. We had Luke to keep us entertained. How Nick caught still shots of Luke, I’ll never know.

Mr. Fred the cat — hiding in “his” garden, above — is a feral-turned-playful addition to my friend Austin Lampson’s menagerie. Austin and her husband Kai have been gently nurturing Mr. Fred over the past three years. Mr. Fred apparently agrees that it’s a good season for the garden. Or for guarding. Or both.

You won’t be surprised that “home” and “garden” and everything they entail — neighborhoods, design, architecture, style, digging in the dirt, hanging pictures on the wall, a cozy place to snuggle on a rainy day, and so much more — are a few of my favorite things. Scout’s too. I know that they’re yours, too. Or you wouldn’t be here.

I’ll be traveling this week, road tripping to explore Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. I’ll share pictures here next Sunday. Follow me on instagram if you can’t wait til then! While you’re at it, follow Independent real estate, too.

Here’s this week’s issue, front and back. Enjoy your Sunday!