The Home Page | Creeks to Books to Canyon Views

If the Santa Barbara rental market gets you down, it can be fun to look at listings in other places. Like, say, New York City. On the Curbed blog, one of their columns is titled “This Week’s Worth-It New York City Apartment Listings” and no, I do not look every week. But for the architecture, style, and price comparisons, it can be fun. The photo above is a studio for $4,200. Worth it? Who knows. But the bookshelves and decorative fireplace are fun, and it sure doesn’t look like it’s the most expensive option in the East Village.

Closer to home, I’m impressed with so many of the listings in our pages this week. Here’s a small sampling. On one of my favorite streets in Santa Barbara, 3816 Sunset Road, shown above, is “Villa Casa Blanca,” a 5-bedroom, 4-bath stunner. Gourmet kitchen, mountain views, and an amazing luxurious primary suite that could stand alone with its own beverage fridge, laundry, and a lounge area with a 70-inch television. I might never leave except for the huge outdoor dining area on the back deck. Listed by Mike Herbert and Adam McKaig for $3,695,000. Appropriately, it’s open for sunset today, from 4-7 p.m.

Friends ask me if there’s anything available in Santa Barbara for under a million dollars. Until this adorable condo gets scooped up, the answer is yes! This 2-bedroom, 1.5 bath end unit near Coast Village Road is light, bright, and open today for you to visit. Listed by Kit Peterson and Sue Irwin for $949,000. 25 Ocean View Avenue A2 is open today from 1-3 p.m.

This week, I learned that more than 250 silent movies were filmed on the Channel Islands from 1910 to 1930. I also learned that today, September 29, is National Silent Movie Day. These fun facts came from a certified expert, Betsy J. Green, our Great House Detective. Her latest book Silents on the Islands: Silent movies filmed on California’s Channel Islands will be available next week at a new exhibit at the Chrisman California Islands Center in Carpinteria. The exhibit features photos from silent movies filmed on Santa Catalina and Santa Cruz Islands, as well as colorful movie posters. Green, curator of the exhibit, will be on hand at the museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 5, answering questions and playing old-time movie music. (PS: Ask her about presenting on this topic for your local club or organization!)

Today is also the last day to admire the entries from the City of Goleta’s Creek Week Art Contest. 114 people participated in the contest, in categories of kids, teens, and adults. This was the third annual contest, with the theme “Goleta the Goodland: Ocean, Creeks and Watersheds.” Ronnie Gloo, shown above with her entry, was the coveted People’s Choice Award winner. Visit the exhibit today from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Goleta Valley Library, 500 N. Fairview Avenue in Goleta.

I’ve been asked for more photos from my travels in Southern Utah last week, and I’m happy to oblige. The problem is: It’s so hard to capture that enormous beauty! Above is one scene from Zion National Park. And here’s one from Bryce Canyon:

And last but definitely not least, one of the surprise highlights of our trip was Cedar Breaks National Monument. Uncrowded natural beauty with a variety of vistas from meadows to forests to unbelievable canyon views like this one, at Chessman Ridge Overlook:

Happy to be home; happy to have our Fall Arts Preview issue to leisurely read this week. No matter how you’re spending your Sunday, enjoy!