Anyone who has looked at the cost of a house or the rent for an apartment in Carpinteria (or anywhere else in the region) knows that housing is incredibly expensive (if anything is even available). A year ago, this column concluded a multi-part series on the theme of “My kids won’t be able t…
Most of my clients have very specific goals.
In a now-famous article on Fred Rogers (aka Mr. Rogers), journalist Tom Junod recalls when Mr. Rogers asked him whether he had any special friends growing up. By “special friends,” Mr. Rogers didn’t mean any person – he meant, like, a stuffed animal, or a blanket or something. Mr. Rogers tho…
It can be argued that age is really just a state of mind. With a positive attitude, love of life and confidence, you can accomplish anything, no matter how old you are! Feeling good and being joyful from the inside out is so important. Sound mind, sound body. Starting your day in a healthy a…
Recently I was invited to advise on a large local resort renovation project concerning the use of technology in all guest rooms and – as with much of what I write – it inspired this month’s column. It also reminded me of a meeting I had with MGM Resorts in Las Vegas to discuss planning for t…
From my trusty blue kayak, I sat 15 feet below a massive rock outcropping cloaked in thick seabird guano and sparse vegetation. I was hoping for an adult black oystercatcher to arrive. I wasn’t the only one patiently waiting.
I’ve noticed the term gaslighting being brought up more by clients and in conversations with friends. As happens with newer, popular phrases, it is sometimes misunderstood and misused. This article is a brief explanation of what it looks like and some ideas of what to do if you think you are…
I am, among many other things, a fallible and flawed human being. “A disaster,” as my wife informed me the other day. But I am not a machine, thanks be to God.
My stomach was in knots, my palms started to sweat and my chest felt like it was crushing me. I’d felt like this almost every day for months. Some days, my anxiety was so crippling that I’d wake up in a panic, sob uncontrollably and struggle to breathe. It got to the point where my husband a…
I can’t remember a more beautiful spring. The aftermath of the rain is a gift – as if the earth is celebrating. The colors of the spring bloom, which have been captured by NASA satellite images from space, are drawing flower gazers to California from all over the world.
The very first “The Lay of the Land” column in 2013 discussed the expression “You can’t fight City Hall.” It asked: who exactly is city hall? It noted that we and our neighbors, along with all the other residents of the city, create government. We control it. It answers to nobody but us. It …
From afar, the Temblor Range in the Carrizo Plain National Monument was swept in different shades of yellow. Huge swaths of rancher’s fireweed, goldfields and hillside daisies brightened the arid mountain biome. From where I stood at the base of the Caliente Mountains looking east toward the…
I’ve been experiencing a flare-up of tendonitis in both elbows for the past eight months. This is not the first time I’ve had it, nor will it probably be the last, as tendonitis is typically an overuse/repetitive movement injury, and I am someone who definitely uses (and sometimes abuses) he…
There must be something in the water here in Carpinteria.
The Carpinteria Unified School District will add security cameras to all elementary school sites following an incident on April 13, when two men climbed over a neighbor’s fence onto the district office property while looking for an exit.
More than a billion people around the world joined forces this past Saturday, April 22, to mark Earth Day. The annual event raises awareness of the need to protect our planet and highlights ways to do so. This was the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day and it got me thinking how technology impact…
At the beginning of the pandemic, I received a Facebook invite to join a group that was created with the following premise in mind: “The concept is simple – spread kindness/cheer through whatever means you like within guidelines of being safe and appropriate. Some examples: a cup of coffee, …
Although I’ve enjoyed sipping hot tea under blankets during the previous storms, I’m happy the sun is returning. Something about spring makes it feel like I’m getting a fresh start. More so than at the beginning of the year in January. With all the rain we’ve had, it feels like it’s washed a…
My family and I are just back from two-and-a-half weeks in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. We’re now tempted to sell the house and everything we own to get back down there permanently. Of course, we wouldn’t be the first Californians to do so, with George Greenough laying down the…
I like John Wick. I feel like I shouldn’t. But I do.
Elementary students throughout Carpinteria Unified School District partake in Earth Day celebrations during the months of April and May, which included an all-district third-grade trip to the Carpinteria Bluffs on Wednesday, April 5.
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring, necessary substance that circulates in the body through cells and blood. It creates cell membranes, hormones and Vitamin D. Cholesterol also aids digestion, as it is a component in bile production.
I’ve been watching March Madness all month, and anybody who’s been paying attention knows there is one player dominating the college basketball scene right now, scoring at will and breaking records with the first-ever 40-point triple-double in the NCAA tournament.
As we warm up from our chilly winter and dry out from our surprising – but welcome – rainstorms, we will start having pleasant spring evenings that are perfect for stepping outside and taking a few minutes to notice the stars in the sky.
For those who menstruate, it can be daunting to navigate the period care market for reliably safe, chemical-free and sustainable products. Designer and Founder of Kind Cup, Christine Brown, is committed to quality and sustainability – period.
A question I am asked continually is: “What is AI?”
They appeared as if they had a well-designed plan. Strolling across the footbridge on Oso Flaco Lake in San Luis Obispo County, I was mesmerized by the cooperative herding attempted by several American white pelicans.
The Carpinteria Unified School District has seen an overall decline in enrollment since 2013, with the student population decreasing by about 200 over the past 10 years.
2023 is off, running and wet! We have been checking the rain totals all too often. Enough about rain – we are ready for some sun, and hopefully this is the last storm. Now, here is the latest Santa Barbara real estate market news.
Each morning I eagerly watch for the American Kestrel, a small, cinnamon colored falcon, that hunts from the perch in our avocado orchard. Like me, with my daily patterns – yoga, a short meditation, then coffee – the Kestrel has patterns too. He arrives early to start his daily routine – hu…
It’s a full house! Beautiful centerpieces on every table, smiles and laughter throughout the room, and the smell of coffee and huevos a la Mexicana in the air. All in for Carp Kids is underway, and I feel excitement, nervousness and anticipation.
The last couple of months I have had conversations with both clients and loved ones which have had me pondering more around the topic of isolation and solitude. Isolation is usually unhealthier in nature whereas solitude is more of self-care and tends to be healthy. Looking at various defini…
January 16, 1893: the Hawaiian monarchy is overthrown by a provisional government organized by American businessmen and backed by a contingent of United States Marines. Population-decimating diseases and evangelism had already altered Hawaiians’ traditional cultural structures.
Sometimes, with a title, you know exactly what you’re going to get – Wendy’s “Baconator,” for example, or 1980s comics superhero, “Arm-Fall-Off Boy.” In the cinematic realm, you might think, “Snakes on a Plane.”
In simple terms, the word resilient means “built to last.” In order to serve our customers, the Carpinteria Sanitary District (CSD) must be resilient; our infrastructure and wastewater management systems must be built to last. And they are! Weathering the January storms was a big test and te…
We all know it is incredibly expensive to buy or rent housing in Carpinteria or anywhere nearby. People often settle for a home that is smaller than they would like or not located where they prefer. However, as you explore the price range of different housing options, you find even the lowes…
Read Across America is an annual event celebrated on or near March 2, which is the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss. It is a nationwide reading celebration that was created by the National Education Association (NEA) in 1997 to promote literacy and encourage a love of reading among ch…
For the last few months, I’ve been focusing on what makes up foods (macros: fats, proteins and carbs) and how to evaluate the foods you buy via the nutrition facts label.
When I was a senior in high school, I volunteered as an umpire for little league baseball.
David “Dave” and Rachel Roberts coasted into Carpinteria in 2018, equipped with industrious attitudes and hearts for youth outreach. The pair linked up with Pro Deo Foundation to run Coastland, a gift shop on 5036 Carpinteria Ave. that sells student-made products. All profits go back to loca…
In my last column (CVN Vol. 29, No. 20) I wrote about how Tek has impacted churches. In line with this, a recent personal shift in my morning routine has inspired me to look at technology from another perspective.
February is when many of us have extra thoughts on all kinds of love – love for a partner, a child, a pet, a friend. However, many of us forget to include ourselves on the list of people to give love to. Like the emergency procedure on an airplane, it’s important we first “breathe in” the ox…
This January, Carpinteria received over nine inches of rain over the course of several winter storms. On Jan. 10 alone, we received over three inches.
The Carpinteria Unified School District (CUSD) Mental Health Team is planning for the second year of the Signs of Suicide Depression Screening for seventh and ninth grade students, held in early March. The purpose of the screening is to create a safety network in our school community by iden…
February is the month of love – the Superbowl too if you’re a football fan – but mostly love. This year, I want to send some of that love to our amazing Promotores from the Carpinteria Children’s Project (CCP). This group of nine local Latinos(as) show their love for their community by shari…
Dear Amy O,
Amongst all the foot traffic, squawking western gulls, northwest winds and cooing pigeons, we could hear the distinct, precious mewing of a baby southern sea otter calling out while resting on the tummy of its doting mother.
What happened in real estate in 2022? 2022 was the tale of two markets. It started out with extreme buyer demands, rapid price appreciations and low – we mean really low – inventory like we have not seen before.
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