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Most film festivals run on the same hamster wheel….regardless if they’re big or small.
Let’s Talk About My Missed Diagnosis
Holy Toledo – Never taking my health for granted again! Around this time last year in April 2024 – I got sent to Cottage Hospital for a 5-day stay because I had something called ‘Giant Cell Arteritis’ – a disease of the arteries. Symptoms were a headache that lasted for 10 days or more, but I thought it was related to the teeth I was getting pulled at Dr. Pfeiffer’s. But, Nooooooooo. Leaving the doctor’s office with five less teeth the headache kinda went away but not really. (Side line: My dentist is located in Malibu and is my favorite dentist ever. Plus my good friend Maggi works as his office manager and so much more – they’ve been working together for more than 50 years now. Maggi married my dear friend from high school and he and I got a lot closer when we were both in the LA area. My ex-husband Martyn and he got along famously.)
Took an 1800 mg ibuprofen for the headache and started the drive home on PCH. It was raining lightly on and off, so when I got to the Ventura exit for Emma Wood State Beach, I took it and parked to relax and watch the storm that was coming in over the channel.
Dramatic clouds. I got out to take a shot and then the rain started – really big drops – not a lot at first, I got back in the car, and it started raining. that’s when the first symptom happened – I went blind in my left eye for about a minute. What the hell was that I thought… and was so glad I wasn’t driving. Sat at Emma Wood for about a half hour, no more blinding stuff, so I figured I could drive home. When I got there I went to the computer to check mail and biz, but the back light must’ve triggered another blinding moment. I quickly shut to laptop. Next day, I had two more blinding incidents, so I asked my son to take me to the ER. Don’t wanna screw with my eyesight. when Dr. Pfeiffer heard about this he thought it was the teeth too – never heard of GCA – and Maggi said he went down the rabbit hole to understand it. He was quite concerned so when I found out it was not the teeth, I called and let them know. They were both relieved.
Back to the hospital stay… Cottage downtown is a beautiful hospital with lovely artwork, tiled mosaics and great nurses! My son drive me downtown from the Goleta Cottage ER and I got there around 11pm. Started around 5:30 at the Goleta ER and after a few tests, The Dr said, “they have more bells and whistles downtown so I’m going to get them ready for you.” Ready they were and it was 11 pm. Got me into a room and then came back to take me down for an MRI, a CT scan and an ultra-sound. No lines that time of night so they started me on 1000 mgs of liquid steroids to reduce the swelling. Got three days of this stuff and I couldn’t sleep. Apparently steroids are a stimulant. Not a fan of those and so they were never on my recreational drug menu and didn’t know they were an ‘upper.’
After three days on the mega dosage of steroids, they let me rest a day before they took a biopsy of the artery that went awry. Wasn’t a big deal, And after the surgery Eli and I ordered dinner from the kitchen at Cottage. This place has such good food! Even with a minimal appetite, they knocked it outta the park. After dinner we were allowed to go home. I didn’t start to swell up from the steroids for about a month, but when I did – holy shit – i was very round-faced. Not a good look for me LOL. Started on 60 mgs in pill form for about a month or more – no sleep and it was beginning to really affect me. Both Dr. Cummings and Dr. Erin were concerned. Took me down to 40 mgs. was a little better. I couldn’t think straight so work was a total bust. The dr’s told me no drinking or smoking while on them. But after no good rest for more than a month, was an evening in late May, I woke up every hour on the hour btw midnight and 4am. Got up every time, and at 4am, the cats were so excited I was awake in their nocturnal playtime. At that point I said, fuck it, I’m going to roll myself a joint and take a few hits to help me sleep. Only had like 4 hits, and I was back in bed, snoozing. Also taking a break from pot, the high I got on that May evening, was very strong. Reminded me why I like this drug. LOL. Was getting more rest. Told the dr’s what I was doing. Dr. Erin chuckled and Dr. C said “…if it’s working.”
Tried getting back to my clients in June, but even then, on 30 mgs or 20 mgs of prednisone (steroid I was on) it was hard to make sense of my thoughts or create any kind of useful copy. I took my fee at Miss Daisy’s down to half. NT paid me the full month for May thru August. That was very kind. I told her thank you a hundred times. Then, around August, instead of negotiating, said I only have 500 for you. Asked me for more work than I would do for that amount and told her I had you on a contract for 1400 and I can’t give you a contract for 500. She didn’t budge off the 500. So that’s what she paid me thru December and parted ways. I was sad to see her go. Loved the NT mission.
Eulogy to my friend Lynda E. Lester Dec. 16, 2023
It’s been the strangest of Decembers for me. I’ve been quiet – that alone is a clue to my conundrum – and have been trying to process the grief I’m feeling for the loss of my dear friend of 40 f’ing years. Lynda, Lynda, Lynda…. from Ohio, born the same year, loved the same music and had cultural touchstones to share.
I didn’t know if I’d post this as it’s personal, but I know her friends and mine want to read it. I hope it helps us all realize the wonderful woman we lost this year.
This photo is from our Hearst Castle trip – Lynda was a Leo so any photo opps with a lion were always good.
Let me set the scene. It’s a beautiful home in West Hills, L.A. with striking views of the mountains. Home of the Bookbinder’s. Maybe 25 people were there, I was kinda in another space. My son along with my sister Cathy and her husband Tom, who all knew Lynda, came to the celebration of life. It was good to have their company. Lynda passed away on Dec. 11 so having the gathering so soon after and on my birthday was tough to muster, however, I did. The Lester sisters asked me to do the eulogy. Said I would be the best person to do it. Honored. Gawd, I hate deadlines. Thanks to my friend Rick Carter for suggesting to write about the good times we had, that allowed me to tell our stories, and I love to tell stories. It was my honor to share the great friendship we had. I’m going to miss her like crazy.
Eulogy Begins Here:
Even though most people call me by my nickname Mo, for Lynda, she always called me Maureen. She was my BFF, my confidante and my counsel. She was someone I could confide in about my work, knowing she would keep my secrets, while giving me advice on how to move through it.
Forty years is a long time to remain close friends and remarkably, we did. Her stalwart friendship was the source of great strength for me. Life is hard and we need help from our friends to muddle through it. She was a great friend. The best.
Often times people would ask when we were traveling if we were sisters… we’d smile and say no…then give each other that knowing look, it was as if our souls found each other, we ventured to guess we’d been through past lives together. We could talk about anything; no subject was taboo. We were destined to have found each other.
We shared so many fun experiences along the way. I’ll reveal a few and maybe they’ll stir the memories you have with her and hope you can share yours with us.
Lynda and I met at The Hollywood Reporter in 1983. I was laser focused on getting a job at the Reporter when I finally landed in LA. My first job I was executive secretary for the ad department half the day, the other half to a whacky social columnist George Christy. I always connected with the secretaries in offices where I worked since that’s how things got done back then. Lynda was executive secretary to the publisher Tichi Wilkerson Kassel. When she got hired, I went up and introduced myself. Executive suites were on the second floor.
The Reporter was on Sunset Blvd. between Highland and Vine. The building had originally been a men’s haberdashery store with a revolving door for the entrance, which was an endless source of comical references to the number of people who worked there over the years. It needed a revolving door!
This adapted office space had beautiful dark wood cabinets all around the walls of the first floor. The closets dividing editorial from advertising held the Telex machine, and teletypes for AP, UPI and City News Service. Someone had to keep an eye on the news service machines in case they ran out of paper, or a breaking story came across. I mastered the machines and that was how I leapt from advertising into editorial and never looked back.
Lynda with her kitty Romy.
As Lynda and I got to know one another over those early years, we discovered we had a lot in common. The Catholic school background…our status as ‘lapsed Catholics’…a shared SOH…we both loved our pets…had really similar taste in music… and were born the same year – 1951. Plus, being from the other side of the country – we were grateful to be out of cold winters and humid summers. Destined.
In 1984, we went to the LA Olympics to see Greg Louganis, the handsome diver to marvel at his beautiful physique and witness his gold medal 10-meter platform dives. As Lynda would say, Hubba-hubba.
In ’89 I was separating from Eli’s dad, and we moved in with my mom. She loved coming up to SB for many things, but really enjoyed getting to know my mom. She called her ‘Bachy’ like all the grandkids. Seeing them connect was so special – they were both avid readers. She met a lot of my friends, like the bartender at Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens who was from Ohio and she attended more than a few of my birthday bashes. I wanted her to feel at home in SB. She came up to parties, BBQs and dinners at my sister’s house. She loved being here.
I didn’t even talk about the 2010 Rose Parade we all went to – that’s Steve Bookbinder with Lynda and Peggy Lester is hidden behind him… what a fun day that was!
Lynda was always thinking about me. Since I was a single mom, she decided to step in and took Eli shopping for my birthday and Christmas. I still cherish a big vase he picked out for me. Another opportunity came up to do a family vacation so she & I and Eli along with Pat & Ronnie went up the CA coast to Monterey Bay and the Aquarium. Last stop at Avila Beach Spa to enjoy the hot tubs, the pool and adult beverages. This is where Lynda taught Eli the basics of swimming. He recalled how patient she was with him in the pool and another time, listening to him ramble on about Pokemon – not knowing much about it, but she listened. She was a good listener.
Here is Lynda at work, producing from 2005. I see the Santa Barbara Int’l FF which I did the PR for from 1999 – 2006. She loved coming up for the film festival. Note the Aleve and the Altoids on the desk.
Cambria was our favorite place to get away from it all. (Cambria, rhymes with ‘Ham’bria). Locals could tell you were from out of town when you called it Came-Bria! We learned that at a community show the locals did (we took note, ham/cam). We watched the small-town parades for Memorial Day and July 4th. Did an Open Studios Tour and which got us into some very cool houses. We took in three tours of Hearst Castle on one visit. It was a gift from a client I had in SB that was also a State Park. We did the Cottages & Kitchen Tour, (did someone say kitchen tour? she was there), the Upstairs Suites Tour and an Evening Tour, where docents dressed up in the fashions of the 1930s, as we strolled around them with fake cocktails – god forbid any liquid should drop in the castle.
It was such a great pleasure to share the things I could add to our trips. See, Lynda did the advance planning and found the VRBO places we stayed. I enjoyed some amazing meals at her talented hands. I did the driving, took photos, and was comic relief. She took me up a month or two after Bachy passed, and OMG it stormed like crazy – rattling the fence out back and keeping us inside for that trip. Her thoughtfulness was legendary.
Wine Tastings were always on the agenda when we went up to Cambria as was a visit to The Black Cat restaurant, olallieberry pies, the wee-small town of Harmony, and the Piedras Blancas Northern Elephant Seal rookery. There were always ground squirrels looking for hand-outs there and I was an easy mark. Lynda would often find me talking to the animals… and roll her eyes and laugh.
2017 Lynda’s birthday trip to Cambria, flashing the peace sign as always!
She got tickets for us to see Tom Jones in Vegas. He is not someone I would ordinarily go to see, and she knew that, but we loved to share our favorite things with each other. Plus, I had a friend who lived in Vegas and we could stay with her, saving us hotel costs. Boom! I suggested that since women were known to throw underpants at him, I would have to bring some. She winced. When we got to Vegas, I asked my friend where I could score some fresh new panties, and we were off to this large sprawling place with hundreds of booths. I found a corner booth with underwear and told the vendor what I was looking for – aerodynamic panties. They need to fly 15 – 20 feet I said. He shrugged and walked away. As I moved over to the thongs pile, I turned around to show her I’d found the right ones, and she was gone. She’d moved away from the booth; afraid she’d be spotted with the panty-flinging woman. At the casino for the show, I had three pair of panties in my purse and I offered her first choice. Again, she declined, unbelievable! so I went bouncing up to the side of the stage and pulled back on the thong and let ‘er rip. Three times. Coming back to the table looking like the cat that ate the canary, she just shook her head and said I was hopeless. I reminded her, that’s why she loved me.
In Cambria at The Black Cat enjoying our Beckmen Rose before dinner.
She was a key ingredient in a special surprise I was planning for my HS theatre pal Jamie Duffy. I knew June Foray; the voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel (along with thousands of other voices) and Duffy did a great Bullwinkle. We all LOVED that show! I wanted to put them together. June’s sister Geri and her husband Sam drove June over to the Lester-Marks Topanga campus and the rest is history. We had a blast. Eating, drinking, laughing and telling stories.
One visit to SB, I was taking her and my pal Rex to see a great musical show about Buddy Holly at SBCC. We went out for drinks and knosh afterwards, and the waitresses’ name was ….Pepper. Uh-oh, we all thought of the Angie Dickenson TV show ‘Police Woman’ at the same time (her character’s name was Pepper…) and without missing a beat, we all said PEPPER! together at the top of our lungs no less. This young woman had no idea who Angie Dickenson was but sure got a kick out of us laughing at our silliness. Ever since, now and then, I’d arbitrarily say ‘Pepper!’ and we’d both crack up.
Our best vacation was to Hawai’i in 2007 where we visited Maui and Oahu. This time I had friends from SB who had places on those islands so I was able to get us two places to stay for free and the friend who worked at the Hotel Hana Maui, he got us the staff rate for overnight in a cottage. She would say ‘Maureen always runs into someone she knows wherever we go’ and as we were driving around Hana, sure enough, I saw an actor I knew from SB pushing a stroller. I went past him and then realized who it was, put the car in reverse and chatted like we were in SB. She often said to friends in conversation, “Maureen’s never met a stranger.” I heard one of her sisters make the same remark about her. We were such great traveling partners. We were deeply committed to each other as friends for life. We saw some strikingly beautiful sunsets there. I’ll never forget that trip and I’ll never forget Lynda. I’ll always think of her when I see a great sunset.
Farewell my friend – I’ll see you on the other side and we can pick up where we left off.
August 2020, our last visit to Cambria. Her she is in my kitchen with Macy. Flashing the you know what.
And they all got fired by James Taylor
Went to see The Immediate Family at the Lobero Theatre April 2, 2019. Four guitars, and drums. Solid sound. What a line-up — some of my favorite guys from bands I went to see probably dozens of times. Opening the first and second set with a Warren Zevon compositions that Waddy Wachtell co-wrote with the man set the tone for the evening “Send Lawyers, Guns and Money” – and that’s where Waddy added the line “And we all got fired by James Taylor” – you can see it on the YouTube clip. I really did LOL and replayed it twice more and laughed each time. That stuff never gets old. Unlike the band and the audience – and I speak from the view of a 67 y.o. because the white and silver hair in the theatre that night was mind-blowing. (Reminded me of the time I went out for a commercial audition in NY City and part of the casting call must have been “no one over 5 feet tall” – I hover at 4’10” and so when I went up on my toes and could see over all the heads in the room, it was very disconcerting – I didn’t get the job. I think it threw me off. ) Opening the second set with the Zevon audience pleaser “Werewolves of London” and yes, we all howled at the right parts. Group experience.
Back to The Immediate Family show. The management of the theatre asked we all put our cell phones away so we could all enjoy the show. And for the first time in YEARS I didn’t see any of that screen light in the house. I did see three people way down front taking pictures but it was a very pleasant experience. Kunkel on drums and Sklar on bass would have made my night alone. They are like milk & honey. Albeit of the rock n’ roll kind. One of the great lines of the night was said by Postell, “We’re a cover band that plays originals.” Some cover band eh? Great songs from the catalogs of Henley, the Eagles, Jackson Browne, and originals by Waddy and Danny Korchmar. But no James Taylor songs were in the mix. LOL
The official 411 on the group: This group began life as a studio project, recording Danny Kortchmar’s upcoming solo CD. The CD, which will be released this spring, features guest performances by James Taylor, Jackson Browne, David Crosby & Michael McDonald. On guitar and vocals, Danny Kortchmar, who has played, produced and written for James Taylor, Don Henley, Carole King, Jackson Browne and many more. Also on guitar and vocals is Waddy Wachtel, the consummate rock guitarist who has played with many of the same artists, including many years with Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards, and the late Warren Zevon with whom he co-wrote and produced a number of hit songs. The Immediate Family also features absolutely one of the most recorded and revered rhythm sections in the world; Leland Sklar on bass and Russ Kunkel on drums. Their credits would require several more pages at least. Rounding out the band on guitar and vocals with Danny and Waddy is Steve Postell, a well seasoned touring/session musician who has worked with Jennifer Warnes, David Crosby and many others. Together, the members of The Immediate Family have played on close to 5,000 records, many of them classics in the rock n roll pantheon.
OMG, They’ve played on five-fucking-thousand records?!?!? I didn’t have that many records, but I know I had a lot of their music in my collection. If they’re playing your town or city – DO GO!
It was the Name of the Street
For more than 26 years I had a great office in the center of downtown Santa Barbara – the building called ‘El Centro’ appropriately. It was built in 1929 and had a great vibe to it. Twenty-six offices and each one occupied by an interesting person or people.
I wrote about the history of the building for the SB Trust for Hysterical Preservation, I mean Historical. (wink wink) Here’s the story, to give you an idea of the place. I knew all the people who worked there. My office was located where the old reception area was for the original law offices it was made for. People naturally gravitated to my doors to ask, do you know where suite number so and so is? I’d ask them for the person’s name – then I could tell them where they were.
I was thinking about this because , earlier this week, I read Neal Graffy’s write-up in Edhat.com about how the name of the street the El Centro was on, Canon Perdido, came to be. It translates to mean ‘the lost cannon.’ There’s a funny anecdote here told by the self-proclaimed historian of Santa Barbara – Neal Graffy. I give all kudos to him for the history and stories he has accumulated. https://www.edhat.com/news/its-stolen-cannon-day?fbclid=IwAR2sEDJojBrN2YT9SPgLMjinkVgokShQnUw8mG2J3hT9DC9SOHsAtxConC8
High Times Going Through Hard Times
Just read this incredibly good investigative piece in Politico about the slow and steady downfall of magazine High Times, not by the Feds, not by the police or informants, but by greed. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/09/04/high-times-hard-times-404419 Once upon a time I worked for the man who started it – Tom Forçade as his executive assistant. He’s rolling over (and rolling one up) in his afterlife. ‘Tis a sad state of affairs.
Anyone else thinking about “War of the Worlds”?
Never in my career have I experienced anything like the rapid shut-downs of events, places and spaces due to the COVID-19 (Corona Virus). I was amazed when UCSB shut down all its winter quarter classes this past Monday and are going online. Alright I thought – that’s a campus with more than 10,000 kids – that makes sense. A virus was doing this. Never thought of that possibility.
It was then the thought struck me – this is how HG Wells took down the Martians in ‘War of the Worlds’ with a virus. ACK ACK!
Around 12:30am Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom posted online a request for all events or gatherings of more than 250 be shut down. The NBA shut down, No March Madness either the players will play, but to no one in the house. No fans. No cheering, just the squeak of sneakers, grunts and a few names called between players. Surreal. A virus is shutting us down. A virus! Not in my lifetime.
Thursday, the gala events started dropping like tiaras from Princesses heads, as the local British gossip columnist would say, one after the other. In fact, he ran down the whole list to me while asking about an art show I was working on. ‘Could be you’ll be the only game in town. That could bode well.’ in his ever so perky Brit accent. Of course, he was jesting. Even the infamous 75th SB Orchid Show set for this weekend was cancelled and they had everything in place. My pal who works in radio said as he pulled into the parking lot at Earl Warren Showgrounds for a story, they had just decided to call the show off. Saw the KEYT TV senior reporter – John Palminteri – do a story from inside the hall with all the orchids on display. He was emcee for an auction they were due to have.
This morning around 9:30 am I got a call from my client with the film festival who said, ‘I’m telling you something now, but you can’t say anything yet. We have to postpone. We’re working on dates with the venues. I’ll get back to you soon.’ Sure enough in an hour I had an official statement and dates to announce for its reschedule in the fall. All-Access passes purchased for the film fest will be honored then. I called my pal, the radio reporter, left a message, sent a text in case. Shipped out the statement about postponement to my media list and the news was picked up as the outlets started to keep running lists of cancellations and postponed events. This I want to go viral.
Meanwhile the day is moving along. I’ve sent a couple e-mails to the art show folks. No reply. They were still holding on, hoping to let it go on, but it just was not smart. Finally, someone put their foot down, put in my need for a 5pm deadline to get the news to the media so it could be included on their outlets. I called them around 4, and said we need to get out there with at least 24 hours’ notice that the art show will not happen. (That’s to the reception not the opening time either). It was a very narrow escape. They got it, and by a little before 5, I had a statement.
Had my head down with another client’s work when I got a call back from the Radio Reporter. He’d been running all day, but thought he saw a note from me that the film festival was not happening. Yeah, I confirmed. The team feared we could screen the films and there could be a no-show effect. Roll film, to no audience. Like the NBA and college ball. People are self-deciding to not go out. And they aren’t letting the venues know. It would be awful for the artists and the beneficiary to not be able to reap the accolades and funds from this event. Grateful to the venues leaders for their willingness to find a time to re-schedule the fundraisers.
I’ve been shut down by cold & snowy weather back east. I would describe it as very serious weather. White-out weather. Nothing moving weather. Cancellations make sense for those. A virus? Never thought about it frankly.
Out in CA, the multiple day, heavy rains of the mid-to-late 90s I experienced up here shut down a show I was working on – rains! Ha, but it was no laughing matter. Glad my roof was water-tight because the velocity the rain hit with was impressive. I kept saying, rain has bumped my dance company out of a couple performances. A virus? Still never thought about it.
This one is total sci-fi – a virus. LA Times and NY Times calling it a ‘novel virus’ – novel indeed. We could be having this state of high anxiety for a few more months. That’ll get old soon. Most who get it don’t die from it unless they’re systems are already compromised – think COPD, asthma, I’m lucky to not have anything like these. The symptoms are like the flu – nausea, sore throat, coughing, aches. But it’s the older population with compromised health who are in the gravest danger. Younger people recover. That’s my single biggest take-away.
Sent a note to my friends in Italy – they live in Northern Italy, the Liguria region. Where they’ve been locked down in their homes. Did you read the Op-Ed by David Unger in today’s LA Times? https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-03-11/coronavirus-italy-quarantine-infectionShe said it was a very good example of how they are living right now.
Be careful. Wash your hands – (I can hear you, ‘oh Mo, I know’) Find the humor in this because that will get us through it. Two fucking months of this? Maybe the world needed to learn a little patience. It’s certainly dialed the rhetoric down on the political front. For that I am grateful. Can’t watch the news for very long, I get enough pings and dings on my phone about breaking news, so it’s as if I had the TV on all day.
A few days have passed since the Thursday closures started happening. Swinging back to the perennial Orchid Show – Nancy Melekian, president of the exotic flower show said in this story linkthey would take a huge hit. But they must have insurance I thought? Nope. The answer came out in this story – “We’re not covered for viruses.”
Gatherings have been brought down to 10 or less. I’m staying put at home. I can call younger friends to help if need be. I can order online where possible. I did have a month-long homebound experience a few years ago when I broke my leg. Since I have theatre background, I look at it as a rehearsal for this COVID-19 reality. A virus? I never thought about it frankly. I will now.
BTW if you haven’t seen this seven-minute video on the COVID-19 virus… Here’s the link. PBS Digital Show “It’s Okay to be Smart” hosted by Joe Hanson. Brilliant. https://www.pbs.org/video/what-this-chart-actually-means-for-covid-19-ybsbtd/
Check out the auction items for Coastal Legacy 2019
Announcing Palminteri & Green as Auctioneers for Coastal Legacy 2019 on September 21st
Gaviota Coast Conservancy’s first exclusive public fundraising event to be held at the Music Academy of the West
Live Auction has Kayaking, Camping, Audubon Field Trip, Getaways from Mendocino to Naples to Montecito, Exclusive Wine Tour in a Tesla Gull-Wing and Serious Collector’s Items from The Doors’ John Densmore & Jack Johnson
(Santa Barbara, CA) Exciting donations are coming into the Gaviota Coast Conservancy (GCC) for Coastal Legacy 2019, its’ first community-wide fundraiser on Saturday, September 21 in the afternoon at the Music Academy of the West. The Live Auction has a a lucky seven select packages to bid on. Top-shelf musicians will create a beautiful soundtrack to listen to as you peruse and bid on the more than four-dozen Silent Auction items. Lots of wonderful experiential items for nature devotees are in the mix on Live and Silent items, as well as a plethora of Patagonia gear for the outdoor enthusiasts.
“We’re very excited to announce the participation of KEYT’s John Palminteri as the live auctioneer and Geoff Green, SBCC Foundation’s CEO, for the Paddle Raise. John and Geoff will put the live portion of the auction on the map,” said Doug Kern, Executive Director of Gaviota Coast Conservancy, continuing, “Both are well-known in the community and GCC is very grateful to have their dynamic participation.”
Experiential auction items include: Kayaking with guide Tamlorn Chase (Kayaks from Paddle Sports Center) lunch included; gather a group of friends (up to 15) for a private field trip with an Audubon expert at Coal Oil Point Reserve and the new North Campus Open Space; or choose the perfect gift for a couple’s weekend in Mendocino at the Alegria Inn’s best suite overlooking the Pacific, with a kayak trip for two.
Luxury Getaways include: You and three friends will take an exclusive Santa Ynez Valley Sustainable Wine Tour in a gorgeous Tesla Gull-Wing, private tastings and lunch are included (this is not your Tasting Room tour); treat yourself to a two-night stay at Naples Ranch on the gorgeous Gaviota Coast (sleeps six).
Don’t miss rare music memorabilia from John Densmore, drummer of The Doors and singer-songwriter Jack Johnson. Densmore is donating a very rare signed Deluxe Vinyl Edition of The Doors catalogue and tops it off by including a signed Drum Head. Give that man a drum-roll! Multi-talented Johnson has given GCC a signed Ukulele, Songbook and CD to get more hearts-a-singing, and giving money, to support the watchful eye GCC provides on the Gaviota Coast. (Really, we can’t take a nap on this watch.)
Setting the scene at the auction are the talented, local painters and photographers who bring the beauty of the Gaviota Coastline to the community via their talents and this is the best way you can own a piece of the beauty. From Chris Potter, El Capitan Panorama with a gift certificate towards framing, photographer Bill Zeldis’ 24” x30” Panoramic Aerial Art Print of The Jack & Laura Dangermond Preserve also includes a gift certificate towards framing; #1 of a 100 Limited Print run of the original art for Coastal Legacy 2019, framed & signed by Daniella Manini will be a highlight of the silent auction. Her screen-prints will be for sale at the Legacy Merchandise table. KEYT’s Senior Reporter, John Palminteri’s snappy patter is sure to get you laughing and digging deep to support GCC.
We also applaud the musicians who will be making beautiful music for us before and after the main program – pianists Debbie Denke, Patrick Lindley, with banjo player Enrique Hernandez Black, guitarist Suz Corez, guitarist Chris Judge and on accordion and guitar The Dennis and Laurie Show – Dennis Russel and Laurie Hemenway.
Greeting everyone at the entrance to the Marilyn Horne House will be Buttercup, the sweet Chihuahua who won a modeling contest for Wild EarthVegan Dog Food. Get a selfie with her to post on your social media stream. Thanks to her owner Kristin Weiss for sharing her with us. Buttercup Loves the Gaviota Coast!
Silent Auction items include nearly five dozen varied and wonderful donations from restaurants, retail outlets, local artists and businesses. Patagonia gear and signed book by Yvon Chouinard as well as a collection of surfing books. There really is something for everyone with prices ranging from $25 to $450 and up. All bids going to help the GCC preserve and protect the Gaviota Coast for present and future generations.
COASTAL LEGACY 2019, Saturday, September 21 from 2 – 5 pm at the Music Academy of the West, 1070 Fairway Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108. Tickets available at legacy@gaviotacoastconservancy.orgor call (805)683-6631.
For more information visit: www.GaviotaCoastConservancy.org/2019Legacy
Gratitude to our El Capitan level and up sponsors:
SeaVees, Belmond El Encanto, Montecito Bank & Trust, The Nature Conservancy,
Santa Barbara Trust for Public Land, Santa Barbara Independent,
Rincon Broadcasting, Compass Realty,
Steve & Mary Forsell, Richard & Nina Hunt,
Kristin Kirby & Kevin Whalen and Candace White
www.gaviotacoastconservancy.org www.mcfaddenpr.com
The Gaviota Coast Conservancy mission is to protect, restore and enhance the unique natural, scenic, agricultural, recreational, educational and cultural resources of the open space lands of the Gaviota Coast for the benefit of current and future generations.
Calling All Hearts & Minds Who Love Our Gaviota Coast
Recently I was hired to work on an event for a local environmental/conservation non-profit that I have admired for many years – The Gaviota Coast Conservancy (GCC) has been doggedly protecting the last 20 miles of rural coastline in Southern California for more than 20 years. My first brush with the people who volunteer at Gaviota Coast Conservancy was through a local painters group that donated 40% of all its sales for a show dedicated to showing people the incredible landscapes we have in our backyard called “Visions of the Gaviota Coast.”
My heart beats loud and strong for environmental and conservation causes – like Audubon and the Sierra Club and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Now that last group has become a part of the fabric of Santa Barbara county with its’ stewardship of The Jack & Laura Dangermond Reserve – better know as The Bixby Ranch to most who live here. It’s a hot bed of bio-diversity. The Dangermond’s plopped down $165 million for the parcel and then donated it to TNC. Their personal story to this land is the thread that brought them back after 50 years to do something so generous and lasting. On their honeymoon they camped on the Gaviota Coast and never forgot the beauty of the land. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llZcin6AulU
Come join us at the Coastal Legacy 2019 event on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 21 at the Music Academy of the West.
Here’s the details:
You are invited to the Gaviota Coast Conservancy special event on Saturday afternoon, September 21stat Santa Barbara’s gorgeous Music Academy of the West
Gaviota Coast Conservancy(GCC) is a Santa Barbara based conservation organization that has been actively protecting 76 miles of coast stretching from Coal Oil Point Reserve to Point Conception for more than 20 years. The Gaviota Coast is a globally significant bioregion with features qualifying it as a National Seashore.
In 2017 the biggest privately-owned ranch on the Gaviota Coast was preserved in perpetuity by philanthropists Jack and Laura Dangermond. The Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve, now under the direction of Michael Bell, protects 24,500 acresof the Cojo-Jalama Ranches (aka Bixby Ranch), with spectacular, undeveloped and largely undisturbed lands. We are thrilled to be honoring these two outstanding conservation heroes at our upcoming September event with the Coastal Legacy 2019Award. Michael Bell, Director of The Dangermond Preserve, will be accepting the award in their honor.
GCC has been holding the line on Gaviota Coast development since our inception in 1996, working with farm and ranch owners to keep land in productive agriculture, and keeping the coast open for the public to explore and enjoy for generations to come.
Join us at this fabulous event to protect the last rural stretch of undeveloped SoCal coastline.
Live and Silent Auction items so far: Chris Potter original painting, “El Capitan Panorama,”;Jack Johnson personally signed Ukuleleand songbook; three nights in San Francisco Pied-a-terre; Plethora of Patagonia gear; GCC Guided Hike for eight;Dogtown-The Legend of the Z-Boysby CR Stecyk III, Glen Friedman, signed by alumni Zephyr Skate Team, donated by Team Member Peggy Oki; and more.
Follow us on Facebook to discover more auction items and other announcements as they come in.
http://www.GaviotaCoastConservancy.org/2019legacy
Abbott & Costello at Big Buy. Lou Needs a Computer…
I always got a kick out of Abbott & Costello from the movies to their infamous Who’s on First. This is an homage to that routine by someone much more clever than I am!
If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, ‘Who’s on First?’ might have turned out something like this:
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks I’m setting up an office in my den and I’m thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don’t own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don’t know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let’s just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue ‘W’.
COSTELLO: I’m going to click your blue ‘W’ if you don’t start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? Do you have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That’s right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What’s bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. At no extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you? COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on ‘START.’
If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, ‘Who’s on First?’ might have turned out something like this:
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks I’m setting up an office in my den and I’m thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don’t own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don’t know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let’s just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue ‘W’.
COSTELLO: I’m going to click your blue ‘W’ if you don’t start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? Do you have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That’s right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What’s bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. At no extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you? COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on ‘START.’
tellmemo 