The Books of 2023

So many books, so little time—part 17.

My son started keeping a reading list in third grade, so I did too. This is the 17th year we’ve done this.

Work and well, life in general kept me pretty busy, but I still managed to read a LOT, and listened to a number of audiobooks as well.

This is How it Always is by Laurie Frankel

My favorite books this year were Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett (a beautiful story about a mother telling her daughters the story of a long ago summer romance), Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (a futuristic novel that brings in elements of AI and its possible role in our futures), Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (a moving story about the bonds of family), Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (a book club pick about a widow and an octopus that I was sure I’d hate, but ended up loving), Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage by Heather Havilresky (the only nonfiction pick on my list of favorites, this is a series of essays about, you guessed, marriage),

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Yellowface. by R.F. Kuang (a really compelling novel about the world of literature and who gets to tell what stories in the age of cultural appropriation), The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (a page turner till the bitter end), Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson ( a very original story full of weirdly compelling characters, including a pair of twins who light on fire when they get angry), and This is How it Always is by Laurie Frankel ( a really well done and eye opening story about a family with a transgender child).

I’d love to hear what everyone else enjoyed. Here’s my 2023 list:

Love on the Brain Ali Hazelwood
Less Andrew Sean Greer
The Vibrant Years Sonali Dev
The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles
Rules of Civility Amor Towles
The Half Known Life Pico Iyer
Amanda Wakes Up Alisyn Camerota
When in Rome Sarah Adams
Like a Rolling Stone Jann S. Wenner
Incense and Sensibility Sonali Dev
Perfect Tunes Emily Gould
The Second Season Emily Adrian
The Matzah Ball Jean Meltzer
When Sparks Fly Helena Hunting
A Holly Jolly Diwali Sonya Lalli
Black Girls Must BE Magic Jayne Allen
Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt
The Sound of Gravel Ruth Wariner
Look Alive Out There Sloane Crosley
The Unspeakable Meghan Daum
Have I Told You This Already? Lauren Graham
Keya Das’s Second Act Sopan Deb
Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors Sonali Dev
Yours Cheerfully A.J. Pearce
The Invitation Lucy Foley
The Candid Life of Meena Dave Namrata Patel
The Power Naomi Alderman
Dear Mrs. Bird AJ Pearce
The Flatshare Beth O’Leary
Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro
The People We Keep Alison Larkin
This is How it Always Is Laurie Frankel
What’s the Matter with Mary Jane? Candas Jane Dorsey
Cult Classic Sloane Crosley
Crying in H Mart Michelle Zaunder
Something She’s Not Telling Us Darcey Bell
Spare Prince Harry
Forget Me Not Ellie Terry
Nothing to See Here Kevin Wilson
Big Magic Elizabeth Gilbert
Unmarriageable Soniah Kamal
The Four Winds Kristin Hannah
Serena Singh Flips the Script Sonya Lalli
The Last Bookshop in London Madeline Martin
Mika in Real Life Emiko Jean
The Ex Hex Erin Sterling
Little Lovely Things Maureen Joyce Connolly
The Younger Wife Sally Hepworth
The Good Girl Complex Elle Kennedy
Tokyo Ever After Emiko Jean
Commitment Mona Simpson
The Suite Spot Trish Doller
Dear Edward Ann Napolitano
I’ll Be You Janelle Brown
Romantic Comedy Curtis Sittenfeld
The Book of the Most Precious Substance Sara Gran
Really Good, Actually Monica Heisey
The Golden Couple Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Cassandra in Reverse Holly Smale
The Storyteller Dave Grohl
Yellowface R.F. Kuang
Fathers and Sons Ivan Turgenev
Where you See Yourself Claire Forrest
The Off Limits Rule Sarah Adams
For Her Consideration Amy Spalding
If He Had Been With Me Laura Nowlin
The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle Matt Cain
This Story Will Change Elizabeth Crane
The Birthday Girls Pauline Lawless
Hot to Trot M.C. Beaton
After I Do Taylor Jenkins Reid
Bookish People Susan Coll
On the Rooftop Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
The Swimmers Julie Otsuka
Wahala Nikki May
Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage Heather Havilresky
More Than You’ll Ever Know Katie Gutierrez
Unfortunately Yours Tessa Bailey
For Girls Who Walk Through Fire Kim DeRose
The Diamond Eye Kate Quinn
Early Morning Riser Katherine Heiny
Tom Lake Ann Patchett
The Princess Trap Talia Hibbert
The Incendiaries R.O. Kwon
Hello Beautiful Ann Napolitano
Year of the Monkey Patti Smith
I Have Lost My Way Gayle Forman
The It Girl Ruth Ware
Lucy by the Sea Elizabeth Strout
The Death of Mrs. Westaway Ruth Ware
A Killer App Linda Lovely
The Littlest Library Poppy Alexander
Someone Else’s Shoes JoJo Moyes
Any Other Family Eleanor Brown
High Strung: A Humorous Cozy Mystery (Glass Bead Mystery Series Book 1) Janice Peacock
Pest Elizabeth Foscue
The Wedding Setup Sonali Dev
The Rachel Incident Caroline O’Donoghue
The Woman in Cabin 10 Ruth Ware
I Could Live Here Forever Hanna Halperin
The Arc Tory Henwood Hoen
One by One Ruth Ware
Sadie on a Plate Amanda Ellliot
Maybe Next Time Cesca Major
A Very Inconvenient Scandal Jacquelyn Mitchard

Previous Book Lists

The Books of 2022

The Books of 2021

The Books of 2020

The Books of 2019

The Books of 2018

The Books of 2017

The Books of 2016

The Books of 2015

The Books of 2014

The Books of 2013

The Books of 2012

The Books of 2011

The Books of 2010

The Books of 2009

The Books of 2008

The Books of 2007

A Memoriam for Andrea

When words are the currency you live by, there’s a lot of pressure to find the right ones — and I’ve been trying to string these particular vowels and consonants into just the right order for two and half weeks. In some ways it feels like forever.

 

I still don’t really have the right words to say how much this loss has crushed my heart, but I’m committing them to the page anyway, in the hopes it might make me — or one of her other loved ones — feel a tiny bit better.

Andrea Lofthus Peterson

What can I say about Andrea Lofthus Peterson?

 

I think Andrea and I were 10 or 11 when we met. Our moms set us up to play tennis. I had just taken my first few lessons and Andrea was already a demon on the court. Even though she wiped the floor with me, we still became fast friends. We were both tall for our age (for any age, really), and immediately bonded over what it was like to grow up as the coach’s daughter (a mixed bag of older boys knowing who you were and being told to act like they didn’t). We both had very strong mothers with high expectations and younger sisters who unknowingly put additional pressure on us to be the mature ones.

A lifetime of memories with Andrea

We bonded over a lot of things over the years, from Big Gulps at the mini-mart and listening to her parents’ record (yep, it was vinyl) of The Joy of Sex, to crushes on boys (so many boys), managing high school girl dynamics, with an amazing graduation trip to Hawaii that I’ll never forget. Then the years of balancing college classes with sorority life and boyfriends, first jobs, second jobs, real jobs … falling in love, falling in real love, young married life, being boy moms, balancing work and our families, finding our first gray hairs, dealing with aging bodies, aging parents, aging children, aging husbands, not to mention both of our moms (and sister in her case) surviving breast cancer, and worrying about them and what that meant for ourselves.

Leslie & Andrea

 

There have a been a lot of people sharing a lot of memories about Andrea in the past couple of weeks — I’ve been pouring over all of them obsessively, with each and every one bringing me a laugh or a tear, or often both — but the Andrea that I knew, the one who was one of my closest friends for almost 50 years, doesn’t quite match up with the Andrea that everyone else is talking about.

 

My Andrea, far more than any of the other qualities that people have ascribed to her, was fierce. She did everything, and I mean everything, with an iron will, her eyes straight ahead, focused on the prize, putting her whole heart into life in a way that made you love and admire her. Whether it was making the perfect “Sunday sauce,” cheering her kids’ teams on, running Sunshine Sales with Sandy, or laughing with the people she loved, Andrea put her whole self into it. There was no holding back with Andrea, like it or not, she told you and she showed you how she felt.

Easter with the kids

 

From the moment I met her on that tennis court, she was a force to be reckoned with. For me, as someone who has always felt the unavoidable need to look at everything from every possible angle, and is constantly in danger of woulda coulda shoulda-ing my life away, Andrea’s ability to quickly decide exactly what she wanted and go for it without a moment’s hesitation or doubt was a pure thing of beauty. It was one of the reasons why we stayed friends for all of these years (and why she continued to easily kick my ass on the tennis court for decades).

Janelle’s birthday

 

It was also why — still, to this day — anytime I feel shy or nervous about something, part of my pep talk mantra is always to “channel my inner Andrea,” and then proceed confidently and full speed ahead the way she always did.

 

Not to say she didn’t work hard or wasn’t prepared. Quite the opposite. She was always prepared, the ultimate team mom: snacks, drinks, sunscreen, advice, toys, floss sticks, recipes, playlists, more advice, oh so much advice, extra sweatshirts, socks, hats, Carmex lip stuff, every possible type of sports equipment you could want — whatever you could possibly need, she had it in her magic Mary Poppins trunk and was ready to share it without being asked.

 

Like I said, she was always prepared, even for her own death. Much more so than the rest of us.

My mom’s 80th

Almost a year ago, she already had me helping her write letters to be given to her sons on special days. Meanwhile, over the past couple of weeks (and really ever since I learned of her fatal diagnosis) I’ve been trying and miserably failing to come up with the right words to say how much Andrea has meant to me, how much she still means to me. How much she’ll always mean to me.

 

She was a mama bear way before she was a mama, taking charge and mothering all us right to the very end. As I watched my beautiful fierce friend work so hard to stay strong for all of the people she loved so forcefully and so well, and to ultimately see her lose her battle against the horrible monster of a disease that is ALS, I know that if there is any possible way that she can be watching us down from on high, she’ll find it. And she’ll be smiling down on us and wanting us to remember all the good times we had together. So many good times.

 

Whether she’s literally up there watching, as some believe, or whether she’s simply, deeply, profoundly and forever embedded in our hearts, as seems more likely to me, I know my inner Andrea will be with me, and deeply loved forever.

 

Video I made for Andrea’s 60th birthday: https://youtu.be/q0YTFcTFUN4

Video Andrea made for my mom’s 80th birthday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5JUsjIp2To

 

BottleRock Music Festival 2023

Napa Valley’s Three-Day Event Sets the Stage Ablaze with Great Music

To paraphrase Smashing Pumpkins’ frontman Billy Corrigan, BottleRock is most definitely a top-shelf music festival. Yes, the crowds at this annual Memorial Day weekend extravaganza are massive — more than 40,000 people per day invaded the Napa Valley Expo May 26-28 (that’s close to half the population of Santa Barbara to give you some scale) — but the talent on stage is equally massive.

Here’s a recap.

Lizzo | Photo: Nicolita Bradley for BottleRock Napa Valley

Day 1

The first day’s headliners included the aforementioned Corrigan and the Smashing Pumpkins, who gave a full throttle, pedal-to-the-metal, balls-to-the-wall, pulse-quickening performance that most 50-somethings can only dream of pulling off, featuring a playlist of mostly old favorites like “1979,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” and “Silverfuck,” as well as newer songs like “Empires,” from the 2022 album ATUM-Act I & II. One of many highlights: an amusing cover of the Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime” that sounded nothing like David Byrne.  

Also on the bill that same night (and unfortunately at the same time) was Post Malone, who my friend Misty (and many others) ranked as one of the top shows of the weekend. Sadly I missed out on Posty, but the Pumpkins were worth it in my book.

Smashing Pumpkins | Quinn Tucker for BottleRock Napa Valley

Another highlight from day one was Bastille, an indie British band whose strong lead vocalist Dan Smith added the beautiful voice of backing vocalist Bim Amoako to the mix for extra oomph. They made an excellent pair, and she even took on lead vocal duties on a cheeky cover of TLC’s “No Scrubs” — quite a departure from Bastille’s sad/happy songs like “Good Grief,” Pompeii,” and “Things We Lost in the Fire.”

BottleRock 2016 | Credit: Wikipedia Commons

I also really enjoyed a set by Jean Dawson, who brought a super random juxtaposition of sweetness and scary to the stage. He looked like a full gangsta-rapper-style dude with a grill, bandana, etc., and then played in front of videos of Teletubbies. He even pulled a little girl (maybe 12 years old) up on stage with him to sing along and play the maracas for a while. This is the kind of thing you (or at I) only get at festivals, and it’s so much fun to see what surprises are in store from stage to stage.

There were 22 bands in all that day, including S.B. Bowl favorite Billy Strings, Thievery Corporation, Peter Cat Recording Co., The Airborne Toxic Event, Phantogram, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, War, and The Stone Foxes, among others.

Day 2

As I wrote earlier, they had me at Lizzo. She’s an incredible performer and her show was the absolute highlight of BottleRock for me. She owned that crowd from the moment she strutted on stage in her black leather catsuit with the curve-emphasizing green lace-up accents — joined by a fabulous five-piece, all-female band, three backup vocalists, and nine backup dancers she calls the Big Grrrls — she performed her long list of hits, including “About Damn Time,” “Juice,” and “Truth Hurts,” along with a terrific cover of Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman.” I heard she played Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” a couple days before in Phoenix, so I was hoping she would do a repeat of the song in honor of the late performer, but sadly she didn’t, which was probably my only disappointment in a truly stellar evening.

Lizzo | Michael Drummond for BottleRock Napa Valley

Lizzo is such a natural born superstar — she oozes so much charisma and talent, but is also so authentically herself — not to mention her unapologetic self love and sex positivity, that her joyful performance was something that truly transcended her show into a completely different realm than a typical concert. I got a little teary watching a trans teenager and their two moms dancing it out to Lizzo’s show together. She’s just that kind of an amazing performer, and it was just that kind of a night.

That day wasn’t too shabby either. While we missed Duran Duran playing on a competing stage (there were 27 bands playing that day), I was able to catch Leon Bridges, Lupe Fiasco, and Carly Rae Jepson on Saturday. I also saw Dogstar, Keanu Reeves and his band of buddies who were adorable and sounded like, well, Keanu Reeves and his band of buddies.

Paris Jackson | Mila Birtcher for BottleRock Napa Valley

Among my other highlights of Saturday was an opportunity to hang out at the JaMPad, a special club-like venue from JaM Cellars, the winery who is the main sponsor of the event. I sat about six feet away from singer Paris Jackson (daughter of Michael Jackson), who did a short, angsty, coffeehouse-girl-and-her-guitar set, and then was completely blown away by Mac Saturn, a Detroit-based band with some 70s Rolling Stones meets Greta Van Fleet vibes. They are currently opening on tour for the Struts (who had a fun mainstage set on Sunday) but I wouldn’t be surprised if we start hearing about Mac Saturn headlining shows on their own soon. I was tempted to text Moss Jacobs myself, but I figured they’re probably already on his radar.

Day 3

Keanu Reeves in Dogstar | Photo: Priscilla Rodriguez for BottleRock Napa Valley

Another embarrassment of riches. In terms of the headliners, I recently saw Los Lobos at the Lobero, so although I love the wolves, I decided to check out the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and damned if they aren’t still smoking! I’m always a little worried they won’t live up to their past glory when I see my old favorite bands from my younger days, but the Chili Peppers are still one of the most exciting live bands that I’ve ever seen, running and bouncing all over the stage like guys half their age.

Anthony Kiedis looked a little like Spock with short black hair and a day-glow green tunic top, but his voice, enthusiasm and pure star quality were just as sexy and appealing as ever. And Flea, on bass, is still an acrobatic wildman up there, backed by Chad Smith on drums and John Frusciante as fabulous as ever on the guitar. They did an awesome set that included “Around the World,” “Snow (Hey Oh),” “Black Summer,” “Californication,” “Give it Away,” and my personal favorite, “Under the Bridge.”

Welcome to BottleRock | Photo: Zak Klobucher

Because of the time conflict with the Chili Peppers, I was only able to catch a few Lil’ Nas X songs, but boy does he make a sassy, spicy, show-stopping first impression. Between the sexy, scantily clad costumes and dancers, and the fun meshing of hip-hop, pop, and country music, he’s definitely a performer I want to see again.

Other day three highlights for me were Sheryl Crow, whose well-earned Wonder Woman t-shirt got a workout as the tiny dynamo with the big pipes sang and strummed her way through almost all of her classics, including “Strong Enough,” “All I Wanna Do,” “My Favorite Mistake,” and “Soak Up the Sun.”

With 74 bands in total to choose from over the three-day weekend, I could have easily created a completely different and still enjoyable playlist, as I’m sure many others did. There were so many aura delights to be found that despite listening to music from noon until after 10 p.m. each day, I still barely scratched the surface.

The Spa at BottleRock | Photo: Zak Klobucher

The Rest of the Fest

That being said, I would be remiss in not reporting at least a little about the bounty of food and drink at BottleRock. We were in Napa Valley after all, and the many fabulous wineries pouring included title sponsor JaM Cellars, as well as Caymus Vineyards, The Duckhorn Portfolio, Miner Family Winery, Emmolo Wines, Schramsberg Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards, Mumm Napa, Robledo Family Winery, ACUMEN, Anarchist Wine Co., Oberon Wines and Art House Wines. There were also more than 40 different beers on tap, and loads of artisanal cocktails made with top-shelf spirits including Ketel One Vodka, Don Julio Tequila, Hendrick’s Gin, Aperol, Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whisky, Bulleit Bourbon, Captain Morgan, and Baileys Irish Cream — all of whom had cleverly themed and sometimes quite elaborate booths to visit. On the non-alcoholic side, Liquid Death (a hip canned water brand) had its own club, complete with a D.J. and dance floor, Tarot Card readings, tattoos, and other fun accouterments.

Soaking up the sun with Sheryl Crow at BottleRock Napa | Photo: Zak Klobucher

The food itself was also really good, with big name restaurants like Morimoto Asia, La Toque, Goose & Gander, Nash & Proper, and about 40 more serving up incredible fare.

Another highlight for me was the Williams Sonoma Culinary stage, which brought out celebrity chefs and celebrities together to cook on the spot. Cooking bigwigs like José Andrés, Giada De Laurentiis, Aarón Sánchez, and the Voltaggio Brothers  were joined by musicians Lil Nas X, John Taylor & Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, Wu-Tang Clan, Sammy Hagar, Bastille, Tré Cool of Green Day, Dogstar featuring Bret Domrose, Robert Mailhouse & Keanu Reeves, and Dancer Derek Hough, among others. If the music itself wasn’t so tasty, I definitely would have spent a lot more time at the culinary stage.

The Wrap

BottleRock music festival was a sensory feast of sights and sounds, fun and festivities. It’s truly an adrenaline-fueled rush of entertainment of the highest order. The crowds were friendly and mostly very well behaved — there was grass all over the place rather than the dusty fields of many festivals — and the food and the wine were top notch. It really is a first class festival experience. That being said, the whole event was still tempered by the unavoidable inconveniences of being surrounded by so much humanity.

Keanu Reeves in Dogstar | Photo: Nicolita Bradley for BottleRock Napa Valley

Am I too old for this stuff was a question I asked both before, during, and after the festival. My conclusion: not quite. Being able to watch so many incredible artists in one place in just a few days is worth all of the inconveniences — but I definitely had to hang up my tiara in order to really enjoy it all to the fullest!

Tickets are now on pre-sale for next year’s BottleRock, which takes place May 24-26, 2024. Click here to access the information.

This story originally appeared in the Santa Barbara Independent on June 3, 2023.

The Books of 2022

The Plot

So many books, so little time—part 16.

My son started keeping a reading list in third grade, so I did too. This is the 16th year we’ve done this.

Even though I was pretty busy this year, I read a LOT and audiobooks are definitely a big part of my routine these days as well.

Lessons in Chemistry

My favorite books this year were The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz (a twisty tale about the dark side of being a writer), Beartown by Fredrik Backman (one of those books that tons of people recommended to me for years, with sports parents as one of the scariest and realistic elements of a complex story), and Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (a funny, feminist tale that made me laugh out loud several times). I also really liked Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister, which is one of Reese Witherspoon’s recent picks; The Candy House by Jennifer Egan; Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin; Apeirogon by

The Heart’s Invisible Furies

Colum McCann; and The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne.

I’d love to hear what else people loved.

Here’s the 2022 list:

The Wife Stalker Liv Constantine
The Startup Wife Tahmima Aham
The Cavendon Women Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Plot Jean Hanff Korelitz
The Fever Megan Abbott
One Day in December Josie Silver
Anxious People Fredrik Backman
The Book of Two Ways Jodi Picoult
Three Last First Dates: A Sweet Romantic Comedy of Love, Friendship and Even More Cake Kate O’Keefe
The Unhoneymooners Christina Lauren
The Guilt Trip Sandie Jones
Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography Laurie Woolever
State of Terror Hillary Rodham Clinton & Louise Penny
The Starless Sea Erin Morgenstern
Cavendon Hall Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler Kelly Harms
The Cavendon Luck Barbara Taylor Bradford
Tell the Wolves I’m Home Carol Rifka Brunt
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird Josie Silver
If the Fates Allow Rainbow Rowell
You Can Thank Me Later Kelly Harms
Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? Lorrie Moore
The Night She Disappeared Lisa Jewell
That’s What Frenemies Are For Sophie Littlefield and Lauren Gershell
99 Percent Mine Sally Thorne
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman
Five Tuesdays in Winter Lily King
Tweet Cute Emma Lord
Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life Sutton Foster
Only Mostly Devastated Sophie Gonzales
A Sweet Mess Jayci Lee
Evvie Drake Starts Over Linda Holmes
The Book of Form and Emptiness Ruth Ozeki
We are Inevitable Gayle Forman
The Playground Jane Shemilt
I Was Here Gayle Forman
Where She Went Gayle Forman
The Reading List Sara Nisha Adams
The Story of the Lost Child Elena Ferrante
Music is History Questlove
My Name is Lucy Barton Elizabeth Strout
Lessons in Chemistry Bonnie Garmus
High Stakes Danielle Steel
Going There Katie Couric
The Unsinkable Greta James Jennifer E. Smith
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care Ashley Herring Blake
Vivian Rising Daniella J. Brodsky
The Summer Place Jennifer Weiner
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead Elle Cosimano
Oh William! Elizabeth Strout
Honey Girl Morgan Rogers
Love Her or Lose Her Tessa Bailey
A Man Called Ove Fredrik Backman
Lorna Mott Comes Home Diane Johnson
Meant to Be Emily Giffin
No Words Meg Cabot
Ulysses James Joyce
Good Rich People Eliza Jane Brazier
Beartown Fredrik Backman
Old Filth Jane Gardam
Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting Clare Pooley
Tracy Flick Can’t Win Tom Perotta
The Messy Lives of Book People Phaedra Patrick
Carry On Rainbow Rowell
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry Gabrielle Zevin
Wayward Son Rainbow Rowell
No One Asked For This Cazzie David
Any Way the Wind Blows Rainbow Rowell
I Kissed Shara Wheeler Casey McQuiston
Apeirogon Colum McCann
Nora Goes Off Script Annabel Monaghan
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Gabrielle Zevin
When No One Is Watching Alyssa Cole
Fix Her Up Tessa Bailey
Heartstopper Alice Oseman
By the Book Jasmine Guillory
It Happened One Summer Tessa Bailey
The Roughest Draft Austin Siegemund-Broka
You’ll Grow Out of It Jessi Klein
Cover Story Susan Rigetti
Kiss Me Now Melanie Jacobson
Counterfeit Kristen Chen
Second First Impressions Sally Thorne
Hook, Line and Sinker Tessa Bailey
About Grace Anthony Doerr
Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words Annika Sharma
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches Sangu Mandanna
Yes & I Love You Roni Loren
Marrying the Ketchups Jennifer Close
Carrie Soto is Back Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham: Home Runs, Bad Calls, Crazy Fights, Bit Swings, and a Hit Ron Shelton
The Heart’s Invisible Furies John Boyne
The Nickel Boys Colson Whitehead
The Candy House Jennifer Egan
Heard it in a Love Song Tracy Garvis Graves
Anna K Jenny Lee
Luster Raven Leilani
Dava Shastri’s Last Day Kirthana Ramisetti
Uncharted Waters Sally Hepworth
Dear Reader Mary O’Connell
Dating Dr. Dil Nisha Sharma
The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard Robert Bryndza
When You Get the Chance Emma Lord
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing Matthew Perry
Southern Lady Code Helen Ellis
Solitaire Alice Oseman
Our Missing Hearts Celeste Ng
The Emma Project Sonali Dev
As It Turns Out: Thinking About Edie and Andy Alice Sedgwick Wohl
Something Wilder Christina Lauren
The Last Chance Library Freya Sampson
Mid Night Victoria Shorr
Wrong Place, Wrong Time Gillian McAllister
Drunk on Love Jasmine Guillory
The One True Me and You Remi K. England
The Heartbreak Bakery A.R. Capetta
Recipe for Persuasion Sonali Dev
When You Were Mine Rebecca Searle

Previous Book Lists

The Books of 2021

The Books of 2020

The Books of 2019

The Books of 2018

The Books of 2017

The Books of 2016

The Books of 2015

The Books of 2014

The Books of 2013

The Books of 2012

The Books of 2011

The Books of 2010

The Books of 2009

The Books of 2008

The Books of 2007

Schools of Thought: Our Annual Education Guide 2022

I had the pleasure of writing the Santa Barbara Independent special “Schools of Thought Issue once again in fall of 2022. To read the entire issue online, click hereI

2022 Best of Santa Barbara

From Santa Barbara Independent, Best of issue cover, October 20, 2022

I had the honor of writing the Santa Barbara Independent‘s Best of Santa Barbara winners once again in 2022. It’s always a fun project and it’s always a huge amount of work — but  a little every time I do it.  People are always so excited to hear they won, so that part is definitely fun. You can read the whole thing by clicking here, or on the images below.

Introduction

Introduction

Eating

Drinking

Out and About

Sporting Life

Looking Good

Living Well

Romance

Little CreaturesHousing

Driving

Media

Arts Life: A Look at Upcoming Theater from PCPA and ETC, Michelle Yeoh Really is Everywhere, A& L’s Speaking withe Pico Series

Originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent in August, 2022.

These stories were originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent in August 2022.

On with the Show: A Look at Upcoming Theater From PCPA and ETC

Michelle Yeoh Really is Everywhere

A&L’s Speaking with Pico Series

854_05_26_22

Our Home & Garden Special Issue 2022

Our Annual Edition Dedicated to Ideas and Design, Both Indoor and Out

Credit: ©Lotusland by Rizzoli, New York, 2022. Image ©Lisa Romerein

Welcome to our annual Home & Garden special issue, the edition run each spring where we explore ideas and designs for indoors and out.

In this year’s collection, we feature a new book all about that most iconic of Montecito gardens, Lotusland, and explain how you can create your own sustainable garden in the backyard. Then we turn to a new Home & Design Collective in the downtown Arts District, head to the library to find free decor resources, and take a look at what it takes, and why, to electrify your house.

Happy designing!

The Lowdown on Lotusland

Gardening for the Greater Good

Destination Downtown for Design: New Santa Barbara Arts District Home & Design Collective Brings Biz to State Street

Vintage Vogue at Indian Pink on State Street

Divine Design at Lonetree in Victoria Court

Home Design Inspiration for All: Free Resources Galore from the Santa Barbara Library

Electrifying Your Home in Santa Barbara: How to Flip the Switch Away From Natural Gas

Santa Barbara Independent, May 19-25, 2002. ON THE COVER: Madame Ganna Walska, taken c. 1958. Photo by J.R. Eyerman/Lotusland Archives. Design by Ava Talehakimi.

Originally published in the May 19-25 issue issue of the Santa Barbara Independent. To see the story as it originally appeared click here.

Gardening for the Greater Good

Sustainable Gardening and Agricultural Best Practices from Santa Barbara’s CEC and Lotusland

Originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent. Credit: Neslihan Gunaydin / Unsplash

The benefits of sustainable gardening and regenerative agriculture took the spotlight at a recent sustainability salon featuring Community Environmental Council (CEC) climate resilience program director Sharyn Main and Lotusland sustainability manager Corey Welles. Here are some of the nuggets they shared at the gathering in Belle Hahn’s beautiful garden on the Upper Eastside.

1) Change Can Happen:  After 32 years at Lotusland, Welles certainly has the dirt on the esteemed garden’s best practices in plant healthcare. “Lotusland wasn’t always a perfectly organic operation,” he admitted. “In the very beginning, it was completely conventional, and they used pesticides. If you were an organic farmer walking in, you would have been horrified.” But the will to become more environmentally sound was there, and they worked to find the way.

“We literally cracked the code; we stopped listening to the conventional minds and started listening to biologists,” he said. “Fertilizers caused 80 percent of the diseases at Lotusland. Once we got the pesticides and chemical fertilizers out of there, we never went back. It was a moment of taking responsibility ​— ​if something’s wrong, you take responsibility for it.” And it worked. The first year, they had a 70 percent reduction in pests, and it increased from there.

2) More than No Pesticides:  A sustainable garden involves more than just getting rid of chemical pesticides. Other key principles include using natural materials such as alfalfa meal, sea kelps, and organic nitrogen sources to feed plants and the soil.

Building up insect ecology is also important. While it may seem counterintuitive, Welles shared that increasing the number and variety of insects in the landscape and providing a habitat for beneficial insects helps control invasions of plant pests. Native plants are especially good for this.

The other key sustainable practice at Lotusland is recycling all of the plant material removed from the garden back in the form of compost teas and mulches that are reused in the garden.

Originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent. Credit: Courtesy

3) Demonstrate the Way:  Lotusland wasn’t yet open to the public when Main was a teenager in the 1970s, but she confided that it didn’t stop her from sneaking in to explore. As one of the first wave of environmentalists working for CEC, Main and her colleagues had an organic demonstration garden at the organization’s first offices on the Mesa in one of the earliest green buildings in the country. They had composting toilets (“the cutting edge for energy efficiency”) and a green rooftop with plantings to help cool the building, and they taught people about organic agriculture and gardening while discouraging the use of pesticides. She even co-wrote a book called BUGS (“Beneficial Urban Garden Strategies”), which was published in both English and Spanish.

“That garden was super important to our program,” said Main. “We talked a lot about the value of using native plants to protect biodiversity and improve soil health as part of an organic food garden.”

4) Regenerative Ag:  One of the ways CEC is working to reverse the climate threat today is by encouraging regenerative, climate-smart agriculture. “These practices ​— ​like applying compost on working lands and planting native plants along edges of fields ​— ​can actually help sequester carbon from the atmosphere. By restoring a natural balance in this way, plants respond by pulling more carbon from the air (through photosynthesis) into the ground, where it’s beneficial to the soil and plants,” said Main.

Carbon farming, a land-based, natural solution to climate change, is a way to transfer excess carbon out of the atmosphere ​— ​where it is causing a lot of harm ​— ​and store it in the soil, where it does a lot of good.

CEC is actively working with ranchers and large landowners, said Main. “If we can apply compost to just 10 percent of our agricultural lands, we could offset the emissions of the entire agriculture sector in Santa Barbara County. So this is doable. This is actually a reasonable thing we can achieve.”

5) Everyone Can Compost:  One of the simplest ways for people to help at home is by making and using compost, said Main. Mow or trim weeds instead of pulling them out at their roots, and compost instead of landfilling yard waste and food scraps.

6) Watch Your Water:  Last but not least on the path to sustainable gardening is the importance of carefully managing water use, a key factor that was mentioned by both Welles and Main. Water conservation is made much easier when pests are under control through the promotion of pollinators and beneficial insects, natural materials are used to feed plants and soil, plant materials removed from the garden are recycled into compost or mulch, and native species are primarily what is planted.

Following sustainable practices includes avoiding polluting chemicals, preserving natural resources, and reducing waste whenever possible. Sustainable gardening is not just about growing plants and maintaining a garden; it’s also about growing a greener future. As Welles said, “You don’t have to sacrifice beautiful, breathtaking gardens to be responsible.”

Originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent. Credit: Courtesy

Santa Barbara Independent, May 19-25, 2002. ON THE COVER: Madame Ganna Walska, taken c. 1958. Photo by J.R. Eyerman/Lotus- land Archives. Design by Ava Talehakimi.

Originally published in the May 19-25 issue issue of the Santa Barbara Independent. To see the story as it originally appeared click here.

The Lowdown on Lotusland

Montecito’s Eccentric Garden Paradise Comes to Life in New Book

Underneath the canopy of towering dragon trees (Dracaena draco) is a large, candelabrum-shaped Isolatocereus dumortieri as well as eye-catching clusters of golden barrels (Echinocactus grusonii), which were some of Madame Ganna Walska’s favorite cacti. | Credit: ©Lotusland by Rizzoli, New York, 2022. Image ©Lisa Romerein

Show business ran deep through the veins of Madame Ganna Walska, so when the time finally came to showcase her legendary garden in book form, the pressure was on.

And like the creation of Montecito’s extraordinary 37-acre public garden extravaganza, it took a whole cast of characters to bring the new, 288-page coffee table book Lotusland: Eccentric Garden Paradise (Rizzoli, 2022) — stunningly photographed by Lisa Romerein — to life.

Architect Marc Appleton, a longtime supporter and former trustee of Ganna Walska Lotusland, had unsuccessfully tried to drum up support for a book project for years, but the stars never quite aligned until 2019, when the “Book Committee” — comprised of Appleton, current trustee Dorothy Gardner and former trustees Suzanne Mathews and Alex Morse — was formed.

Lotusland is sited on a gently sloping hill and spans 37 acres. With the area’s coastal Mediterranean climate — and almost 300 days of sunshine per year — the property has been a testing ground for experimenting with new types of tropical and subtropical plants since 1882. | Credit: ©Lotusland by Rizzoli, New York, 2022. Illustrated by Janice Blair

The county permit limits the number of visitors to the garden to just 15,000 people a year, so it’s always a challenge to share Lotusland with as many people as possible

“We raised independent funds from subscribers to establish a publication budget, and we were off and running,” said Appleton. 

“Everyone said yes, which is kind of remarkable and a testament to their relationships. It really was volunteer driven and that’s important to appreciate and highlight,particularly in this town where so many volunteers do so much,” said Executive Director Rebecca Anderson.” 

Curator Paul Mills, Historian Rose Thomas, Jeff Chemnick, Mike Furner, Corey Welles, Founding Trustee Arthur Gaudi, Eric Nagelmann (who designed the cactus garden) and Madame Walska’s niece Hania Tallmadge (who recently passed away) were but a few of the many people involved in this team effort.

The book has a lot of ground to cover — and it does. Anderson explained, “while it’s meant to focus on the garden today and our future, it’s meant to be a garden book. It’s not meant to be a retrospective of how the garden began. But I really appreciate that we were able to get in there the people who created this place because without a little bit of that it’s not a complete story.”

Indeed the dramatic flair and inimitable spirit of of Madame Walska is woven throughout the book and the world-renowned horticultural showplace, which is home to more than 3,400 types of plants, including at least 35,000 individual specimens, 

Another important factor Anderson emphasized is “making sure that people not only have takeaways about inspiration and ideas for design or knowledge of particular plants in that index in the back but also that they understand that this is all done with

organic materials and sustainable practices.” 

With such a large scope of the gardens to be documented, Curator Paul Mills worked with photographer Lisa Romerein and her assistant Dean Courtois to shoot over the span of a year, “to try to catch as many moods and happenings in the garden as possible.” Mills said, “Lotusland really is not a ‘flowery’ garden, it’s more about bold and dramatic presentation of plants. But each season does present different opportunities to capture and I would help guide them to these.”

Madame Ganna Walska picks fruit from the lemon arbor, c. 1958 | Credit: J. R. Eyerman, Ganna Walska. Lotusland Archives

He continued, “Every plant on the property has a story, but I would try to lead them to the ones that are more intriguing for one reason or another – a cycad that is now extinct in the wild and only exists in gardens like Lotusland, a dragon tree that dates back to the 1880’s when Kinton Stevens had his nursery on the property, a cactus that is endemic to the Galapagos Islands and rarely seen in botanical collections. The first shoot was in summer, so the main goal was to catch our namesake plant, the sacred lotus, in all its glory. Winter had to focus on the Aloe garden because that is when those plants light up with their torch-like inflorescences and also on the Japanese garden which really shows that season with the golden carpet of Ginkgo leaves and shapely, dormant maples. I would scout the garden before their arrival but so many times we would just happen across things – a flowering bromeliad, a fern leaf unfurling or the perfect lighting for an overall shot.” 

With 19 distinct gardens to spotlight, choosing a favorite is like choosing a favorite child, but when asked which section of the book he’s most proud of, Mills confided, “I would have to say the chapter on the Dunlap cactus garden. It’s my favorite garden on the property, not only because I was so involved in moving the collection to Lotusland and helping to oversee its installation, but because of the story behind it. Lisa was also very drawn to this garden so it got a lot of attention and amazing photos in the book.”

He continued, “We’d often be on the cart heading to a different garden, passing by the Dunlap garden, and Lisa would shout, ‘Stop!’ because she saw something looking just right. This garden was installed after Madame Ganna Walska had passed away, but the project actually started in 1966, when Merritt ‘Sigs’ Dunlap wrote to her wanting to bequeath his cactus collection to Lotusland. She saw this as something great and accepted. Luckily Sigs turned it into a donation and we moved the collection in 2001 and built the garden in 2003 where he celebrated his 97th birthday. We know Madame Ganna Walska would approve of this garden – she loved cacti and dramatic landscapes and its completion signified the fulfillment of her and Sigs’ wish.”

Credit: ©Lotusland by Rizzoli, New York, 2022

“Making the book happen in the right way was challenging, and there were ultimately a lot of interests to entertain along the way, ” said Appleton, who worked on a somewhat similar project with Rizzoli for Casa Del Herrero in 2009, and wrote the introduction to Lotusland. “But I think the book will have a long life as a fairly comprehensive presentation of Lotusland and  why it is such a special garden. Lisa’s photos are amazing, and capture its magic.”

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Limited spots are available for a Luncheon on the Lawn to celebrate Lotusland: Eccentric Garden Paradise on Saturday, May 21 at 11:30 a.m.  

In addition,Lotusland’s 2022 season is now open to reservations through August. Admission is $50 for adults and $25 for children ages 3 to 17. For more information and reservations, visit lotusland.org.

Lotusland: Eccentric Garden Paradise is available at local retailers as well as through the onsite gift shop and online at lotuslandshop.org

Santa Barbara Independent, May 19-25, 2002. ON THE COVER: Madame Ganna Walska, taken c. 1958. Photo by J.R. Eyerman/Lotus- land Archives. Design by Ava Talehakimi.

Originally published in the May 19-25 issue issue of the Santa Barbara Independent. To see the story as it originally appeared click here.