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The Guide: Santa Barbara

July 1, 2005

Nurseries
Jimenez Nursery and Landscapes specializes in outfitting large estates with rare specimen trees, and is rumored to have supplied Oprah Winfrey with more than 100 live oaks for her Montecito home. If a garden of endless palms catches your eye on the drive up the 101, you can thank Rincon Gardens, the largest supplier of palms to the county. Island View nursery has two locations: a four-year-old, 10-acre garden center and a recently opened 14,000-square-foot showroom that sells imports like island colonial cabinets. Distributing exclusively to nurseries and landscape professionals, San Marcos Growers has 20 years of experience growing over 1,500 different kinds of plants befitting the area’s Mediterranean-like climate.

A Katie O’Reilly Rogers and Kadri & Associates rose garden in Montecito. (Click image to enlarge)

A Giffin and Crane estate. (Click image to enlarge)

Contractors
Megamansions require megabuilders. If your main house is in Beverly Hills, then you are probably already familiar with the upscale construction projects of McCoy Construction, whose high-profile clients like to keep a low profile in 30,000-square-foot oceanfront estates. Professional and discreet, the firm also has been known to craft 30 different washrooms out of 30 different kinds of tile for a single residence. Kadri & Associates’ attention to detail and affinity for various architectural styles and rare materials ensures repeat clients. A house built by Giffin and Crane that was recently on the market for $27.5 million required 18 caissons to support the beachside swimming pool, and extra measures were taken to protect the owner’s Ferrari collection in the subterranean garage from potential ocean storm surges.

Top photo: A metal-and-wood chair by the Zele Company; Photograph by Naru Inui. Bottom photo: Outdoor furnishings by Giati. Photograph by Nino Rakicherich. (Click images to enlarge)

Furnish    
Most of the city’s boutiques can be found on Montecito’s Coast Village Road and on Santa Barbara’s State Street, which marks the beginning of downtown and stretches for five miles, ending at the pier. Residents may shop for the bulk of their furnishings in Los Angeles, but it is the smaller shops on quieter streets like San Ysidro Road that provide the wares that give Santa Barbara homes their distinct charm. Lillie Avenue in Summerland is dotted with antique shops that offer an eclectic mix of restored French classics and shabby-chic American treasures. Patrick Aumont travels to Italy and the South of France to gather furniture and fine art. His shop, Europa Antiques, is the best place to go for architectural elements like limestone fireplaces and outdoor ­arches. Pierre Lafond dabbles in everything from bakeries to clothing boutiques and even owns a winery just outside of the city. His Montecito shop, Upstairs at Pierre Lafond, is where locals go for smaller items like glass and silver tabletop accessories and outdoor fountains. A few doors down, William Laman’s shop resembles a country cottage and sells an­tiques like 18th-century armoires as well as new teak garden planters. For lighting, stop by Santa Barbara Lights and take in the floor-to-ceiling display of Spanish-style sconces and chandeliers. Outdoor furnishings are best purchased at Giati, which has locations throughout the country but is based in Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara Designs’ durable outdoor um­brellas are priced from $1,155 and are a household essential.

Left & Center photos: Jewelry by Silverhorn; Right Photo: A stone flourish by Europa Antiques. (Click images to enlarge)


Browse
Local artisans craft the city’s best ­souvenirs. Silverhorn uses rare and unique gemstones in its jewelry collection; the craftsmen can be seen in action in the workshop adjacent to the showroom. Real’s Art Glass is known for fine handblown glass items that incorporate blends of several colors. Practicing since the age of 11, glassblower Mario Real was commissioned by George Bush Sr. to create 200 glass globes as holiday gifts for the White House staff; he also sells traditional items such as vases and light fixtures to the public. Membership to the private smoking lounge in the back of Santa Barbara Cigar & Tobacco is currently full, but handmade premium cigars can still be purchased at the front of the store (it’s the area’s only cigar shop). Most wineries are about an hour outside of the city, but the Wine Cask, in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, is a one-stop-shop for an array of both local and international wines.

Service
Hollywood players eager to escape the bustle of Los Angeles, but not the film industry itself, rely on the HiFi Club’s home theater design and installation. The 17-year-old company also wires for sound and assists with routine maintenance. The Zele Company custom-designs anything modern for the home, using wood, steel or glass. One of the few companies in the area with an on-site workshop, the studio does everything from installing hardwood floors and glass windows to designing entire houses. However, if you are lucky enough to find yourself in the position of purchasing and restoring a George Washington Smith home, Tom Schultheis is available to consult. He did the restoration on his own G.W.S. home, Robledal–which is currently listed through Harry Kolb for $21.5 million. Most of Santa Barbara’s nightlife consists of State Street’s college bars and clubs, so entertaining at home is essential. Event planner Scott Corridan can arrange every detail, from catering to centerpieces, and specializes in weddings. Or, if flowers and the occasional garden accessory are all that you need, Botanik creates some of the area’s best arrangements.

Top photo: San Ysidro Ranch. Bottom photo: The spa at Four Seasons. (Click images to enlarge)

Stay
What was once old is new again, as many of the city’s historic hotels have recently been renovated. Originally built in 1927, the Four Seasons Resort is on the verge of completing a four-year, $145-million renovation, which includes a new 10,000-square-foot spa designed by New York architect Peter Marino. While the resort’s private beach is hard to beat, the opalescent-tiled swimming pool is simply enchanting. However, if you prefer ocean views to ocean breezes, nestled in the mountains is El Encanto, which–after its purchase by Orient-Express–is currently being brought back to life with the help of local architect Henry Lenny. Also removed from the action is the timeless and low-key San Ysidro Ranch. The small hotel has been held sacred for its discretion and privacy ever since Jack and Jackie famously honeymooned there in 1953. The Simpson House Inn is the only AAA five-diamond bed-and-breakfast in North America and is favored for its convenient downtown location and outstanding hospitality, extended to guests in each of its 15 Victorian-style guest rooms. So secluded most locals don’t even know about it, the Inn of the Spanish Garden provides Frette linens and in-room spa services to all 23 of its guest rooms. Bacara, 15 miles north of the city, is a 360-room luxury resort flanked by the Sandpiper golf course and a 1,000-acre ranch.

Left photo: The Mission. Center photo: Casa del Herrero; Right photo: The Sandpiper Golf Club. (Click images to enlarge)


Top photo: The Harbor. Bottom photo: Lotusland. (Click images to enlarge)

Do
Most hotels are booked solid the first week of August, when the annual Old Spanish Days Fiesta celebrates the city’s Spanish history with five days of festivities. Guests should also plan in advance for visits to Casa del Herrero and Lotusland, as the George Washington Smith masterpiece and garden sanctuary both require reservations. As long as you are planning ahead, be sure to check out the University of California Santa Barbara Arts and Lectures series. The school frequently hosts guest lecturers such as David Sedaris and Tony Kushner, while the historic Lobero and Arlington theaters downtown feature concerts and films. The Sandpiper Golf Club, often dubbed “the public’s Pebble Beach,” charges a reasonable $130 per round of weekend golf. However, residents will likely be tempted to join the private Montecito Country Club, which is known not only for its golf, but for its tennis and swim facilities, as well. The Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, the third oldest polo facility in the nation, also requires membership. It has three lush fields and boasts the longest season in the United States (April—October). However, no membership is required to enjoy the spectacular display of fireworks launched from the downtown pier every Fourth of July.

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