Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital’s Children’s Department and Trauma Services Department joins with the County of Santa Barbara Fire Department and Emergency Management Services, the County of San Luis Obispo, Car Seat Concierge, Car Seat 101, and Safe Kids Santa Barbara County to host a free Child Car Seat and Booster Check Event on Saturday, April 13, from 10 am to 1:30 pm.  No registration required. Inspections will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested participants are required to bring their vehicle, child, and car seat for assessment. Just drive up at the parkin ..read more

Organist Steve Hodson will play for three days straight Over a 60-hour period before finals, the Weller Organ in Deane Chapel, controlled by Professor Steve Hodson, will be playing “ORGAN2/ASLSP (As Slow as Possible)” by John Cage (1912-1992). This 1987 work explores how slowly a piece of music might unfold. Westmont’s performance will begin at 8 am on April 26 (with a rest) and end at 8 pm on April 28.  “Stop by anytime to hear a chord; if you’re lucky, you may get to hear a note change,” Hodson says.   There is a 639-year performance of the piece underway in Halberstadt, Germany. I ..read more

Susan and Palmer Jackson, Jr. of the Ann Jackson Family Foundation have announced they are the co-chairs of Casa del Herrero’s $18 million capital campaign.  The capital campaign, titled, “Preserving our Past, Protecting Our Future,” is the first comprehensive capital campaign in the 30-year history of Casa del Herrero as a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. In speaking with the Jacksons this week, they stated:  “We are thrilled to co-chair the Casa Del Herrero’s first ever Capital Campaign. As long-time supporters of this important piece of Montecito and Santa Barbara history, we are p ..read more

Students represented Solomon Islands and Thailand at the National Model United Nations (photo by Brad Elliott) Nearly 20 Westmont political science students joined Professor Katherine Bryant to serve on the National Model United Nations from March 24-28 in New York. The students, who represented the delegations from Solomon Islands and Thailand, discussed pressing global issues and stepped into the shoes of diplomats, using the art of negotiation to learn how to make a difference in the world.  The Thailand delegation was recognized with an Honorable Mention award, a great accomplishment ..read more

A floral portrait of Westmont alumnus Paul Eskildsen (‘81), who died in 2017, appeared in the 2024 Rose Parade on the OneLegacy Donate Life float, Woven Together: The Dance of Life. Paul was passionate about serving others even in death. As a registered donor and in excellent health at the age of 59, he gave his heart, liver, kidneys and lungs to save the lives of four people, and his eye and tissue donation improved the lives of 66 others. April is National Donate Life Month, a nationwide initiative highlighting the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation. A spontaneous and unexpect ..read more

About 15 years ago, Broadway actress Anne Torsiglieri, who over her career has appeared in Miss Saigon, Top Girls, Parade, and Blood Brothers as well as the official national tour of Les Miserables, found herself totally unprepared for a role.  She’d won awards for her portrayal of Catherine Sloper in The Heiress at Berkeley Rep, landed guest shots on Law & Order, and played dozens of parts in regional shows across the country. But it wasn’t another acting gig that caused the anxiety. It was a diagnosis of autism for one of her young twin boys.  “We were totally unprepared about ..read more

One piece of advice I’ve given myself (after some unhappy experiences) is this: “Try to avoid situations in which all you have is a good legal case.” Of course, it’s desirable to have the Law on your side – but it’s even better to be able to negotiate an “out of court settlement,” sometimes through the process called Arbitration, which doesn’t need lawyers, courts, or judges. This usually requires some flexibility from all parties. But the fact that it’s invariably faster and cheaper is a powerful inducement.  Nevertheless, throughout human history, there have been disputes which could on ..read more

After a three-day wellness program visit to Sensei Porcupine Creek in Rancho Mirage, California, I can honestly say that the bar for health retreats was set incredibly high. I’ve visited many stellar “health retreats/spas” over the years (Rancho La Puerta is a favorite that comes to mind), and this one is right up there in the stratosphere. Owner Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle and the fifth richest human on the planet (according to Forbes magazine), really got it right, as he has done elsewhere. To begin with, the team of folks who work here are beyond stellar. You will be coddled – a ..read more

This week I am showcasing the insanely delicious dried dates at Flying Disc Farms. These things taste like candy and yet they have so many health benefits! This fruit from the date palm tree is awesome both fresh and dried. These sweet fruits are high in fiber, providing 7 grams in a 3.5 ounce serving. We all know how necessary fiber is in our diets, from digestive health to blood sugar control. Studies have shown that including dates in one’s daily diet improves bowel movements and prevents constipation. Dates contain flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants that may help reduce inflammati ..read more

I admit it. I am an obit reader. I look at the photo first to see if I know them and then almost reflexively at their age. 89? Not bad. 76? Too early. 56. Damn. Too close to home. Of course, I then have to know how they died and if the cause of death isn’t mentioned I immediately expect foul play. I am not proud of this, but I can’t help it. The older I get the more obsessive I become about longevity and how it will play out for me and those I love. And I am not alone in my musings. Recently I had a client who came to see me because she wanted to live the next chapter of her life on her o ..read more