Special offer

Santa Barbara, CA Real Estate News

By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
This morning the Santa Barbara Farmers' Market was buzzing.  It seemed like everyone was at the market eager to fill their refrigerators and pantries with the various offerings of Spring!  The picture above is of an edible Chrysantemum, known as Shingiku, Tung Ho.  Popular in Asian cuisine, it has a spicy taste, and is used for flavoring soups and stir fry. The carrots of many colors were looking great this morning much to the delight of all the human bunnies in Santa Barbara.  And those human are going to share it with their rabbits and horses, we are sure of that! Cabbage varieties and fennel abounded.  The conehead cabbage has become one of our favorites, it tastes creamy and crunchy.  We use it for a Mediterranean style coleslaw(shredded cabbage, thinly sliced sweet Hawaiian onion,...
Comments 21
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
This afternoon, we took a break from our work, and headed to downtown Santa Barbara to explore and to take care of some details.  On our walk, we noticed Salt.  An enterprising soul created 2 underground salt caves using 45 tons of 250 million year old pure Himalayan crystal salt.   Salt offers various spa treatments, as well as cave treatments.  In a quiet zone, you sit in a zero gravity chair with relaxation music.  Your task is to breathe, "while the air is saturated with micro particles of salt that can be easily absorbed through the skin and deep into the lungs." Research has concluded that  "Himalayan Salt is considered to be the most pure form of whole salt on the planet. Having never been exposed to impurities, and protected deep within the Himalayans for millions and millions ...
Comments 17
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
Our herb specialist at the Santa Barbara Farmer's Market had glorious bunches of organically grown chamomile today.  They lit up this semi foggy day. Chamomile is related to the daisy family and looks like a mini version of the daisy.  However, it is known as having great health benefits such as: Insomnia, Anxiety and Panic Attacks, Stomach problems, etc, you can read more at Home Remedies Web. We enjoy an occasional cup of chamomile tea for its soothing and calming qualities. It is an easy to grow herb.  We had it in our herb  garden in Los Angeles, because it spread easily and made a great contrast with the rock wall that supported it. Wishing you Saturday Smiles, Cheers, Ron & Alexandra  Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in bran...
Comments 13
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
This morning at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market, every strawberry variety was lighting up each table on this partially sunny day, and perfuming the air!  Each type tasted good and looked good, this photo is of the smaller Gaviota variety.  They are lower in acid and delicious. They are locally grown and certified organic.  We came home with a 3 pack and our favorite farmer usually tops our selection with extra strawberries.  These pictured above came home with us. Wishing you all Saturday Smiles, and a delightful weekend. Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an experti...
Comments 17
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
We have a relatively new area in Santa Barbara called the Funk Zone. Situated in what is mostly an industrial area near the train tracks (the wrong side or right side, all depends on how you view it), has now developed into an area worth visiting. It has a sophisticated urban feel mixed with the slow lifestyle of a beach city resulting in an enticing experience.  Several wonderful restaurants are serving local and sustainable foods. Among the new businesses in the area are unique art galleries, catering businesses with lunch served to the public, food truck kitchens as well as local wineries' tasting rooms.   Yesterday morning, on our way to the Santa Barbara Farmers' Market, we stopped at the 6 month old Lucky Penny.  It is a tiny casual place with outdoor seating specializing as per ...
Comments 15
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
One of our favorite types of Radicchio is the Radiocchio di Treviso which comes from the Veneto Region.  The first time we tasted was grilled on a pizza in Treviso.  I bought seeds and grew it in my garden in Los Angeles...now, we have a constant source from our Farmers Market. It has a milder taste than its round shaped cousin (behind the Treviso in the photo) is delicious raw in a tre colore salad (radicchio, arugula & endive), as well as grilled!  Wishing you all a very happy Saturday with lots of smiles. Cheers, Ron & Alexandra Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With a...
Comments 17
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
The City of Santa Barbara is known as the American Riviera ®.  Given that the Cannes Film Festival takes place on the French Riviera, it is fitting to have a festival here.  The Festival began on January 30th and ends on February 9th, 2014. With the close proximity to Los Angeles, it is an ideal venue for the 29th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival, began yesterday evening  with an opening party and the World premiere screening of Mission Blue, a feature documentary.  This film highlights the work of Sylvia Earle an oceanographer,who has spent more than 6,000 hours underwater. Preparations for the opening party, yesterday afternoon, at the El Paseo Shopping Center Among the celebrities expected to appear are those that the SBFilm Festival is honoring, such as Bruce Dern, ...
Comments 15
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
Once again, our Santa Barbara Saturday Farmers Market had something new to delight us.  We just learned about Conehead cabbage, an heirloom cabbage from Fidler, Germany.  According to my research, conehead cabbage is easy to shred, easy to grow in large quantities in small gardens (because of its shape), and is a favorite of German gardeners.   Wishing you lots of Saturday Smiles. Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry.  They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breaka...
Comments 16
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
We were up very early this morning, finished a lot of projects by lunch time. and decided to go out for lunch at one of the best Thai Restaurants, Your Place, in Santa Barbara. Located in a small home on Milpas, a semi industrial street, next to a nursery, they serve authentic Thai food.  Their specials today were culinary feats, we ordered the crispy panang shrimp and the seafood curry with freshly caught Santa Barbara fish.  Be sure to try it out, next time you are here! The Santa Anna winds (originally known as Santana winds (devil winds)) were blowing warm air, on an overcast day, and at one point the temps were above the mid 70's.  By the time we got to the car wash,after lunch, the winds stopped and the temperature dropped to 60 degrees...We were shivering in our shorts while wai...
Comments 15
By Mark Lomas, Experience You Can Count On!
(Santa Barbara Real Estate)
Where art and real estate collide! Jeff Shelton's whimsical Art House on the 500 Block of Santa Barbara Street! A possible tribute to the once House of a Thousand Paintings? Sometimes controversial but always visually interesting noted local multi medium artist Jeff Shelton's wonderful new twist on an old classic.   Quote from Edhat.com comments: "Jeff Shelton has been a welcome breath of architectural fresh air in a city of Spanish colonial design by committee. His work is a delightful blend of Gaudi, Hundertwasser, and Dr. Seus. It is such a joy to see buildings that are fun to look at, and carry ones imagination to far off places.
Comments 0
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
This morning at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market, we noticed that Roots Farm, one our favorites, was selling Puntarella.  Puntarella in Italian means "pointy thing", is related to the chicory family and originates in the Lazio Region of Italy (Rome is in the Lazio region).   They are best eaten young in the aptly named Puntarella salad. The salad is prepared by stripping the leaves and soaking them in cold water until they curl.  They are then tossed with a smooth garlic anchovy vinaigrette. Wishing lots of Saturday Smiles, Cheers, Ron & Alexandra Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- -WATCH VIDEOS-  Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites   Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies   About Language of Luxury  - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -   GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!   L...
Comments 6
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
This shot of cayenne peppers was taken at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market this morning.  I loved that the former had lined the container with yellow fabric as it made a nice contrast.  Most of us associate cayenne with being a very hot pepper nor the latest Porsche SUV model.   Besides being a very hot pepper with a rating of 30,000-50,000 Scoville units is caused by its high concentration of capcaicin. It is high in vitamin A, B-6, E, C, ribolflavin,Beta- carotene and manganese. It  also dilates blood vessels and speeds up metabolism due to thigh amounts of capsaicin.  Capcaisin is known to reduce inflammation and is helpful in treating arthiritis.  It has many other medical benefits, and to find read more, check out, the world's healthiest foods. Wishing everyone a great Sunday, che...
Comments 14
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
These beautiful chayotes were one of the highlights of the Santa Barbara Farmers Market this lovely sunny Saturday morning...according to simply recipes.com, "Chayotes, also known as “vegetable pears”, are related to zucchini, cucumber, and melons, and in a way, taste like a combination of all three. They are a staple of Mexico and Costa Rica, are high in vitamin C, low in calories, and are a good source of fiber. They can be eaten raw, or cooked, and like zucchini, fried, baked, broiled, sautéed, steamed, or mashed. " If you are interested, there is also a recipe for it on the site.  We were intrigued with the thorns on it, which are not that prickly and the color.  Since we have dinner plans this week, we did not buy any, maybe next week.  Have you tried them? Wishing you Saturday sm...
Comments 17
By Tiffany Haller
(Village Properties)
YES! Long has been the theory that Spring is the best and "ripest" month to sell a home.  So not the case with our current market in Santa Barbara right now and really, most of California real estate.  If you remember Micro Economics 101 from college, you can identify the theory at play here....Supply and Demand.Representing buyers at almost every price point from Carpinteria to Goleta, I find myself turning over every rock in my networking, trying to find out about neighbors wanting to sell their homes and reassuring my clients that homes will be arriving shortly.  In this journey, one glaring realization has presented itself... sellers would like to sell but need to find a suitable replacement property first, in order to even consider selling!To that point, most people that move from ...
Comments 0
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
This morning besides the usual superb certified organic produce at the Saturday Farmers Market in Santa Barbara, we loved the Fennel or Finocchio in Italian.  It is one of our favorites in salads, and they are also great grilled with a touch of olive and sea salt. Alice Waters, ( the first to promote the importance of farm to fork, way back when)chef of Chez Panisse in Berkeley makes a salad with thinly sliced fennel, mushrooms, and parsley tossed in a dressing of olive oil and lemon and topped with shavings of aged Parmigiano Reggiano.  Try it, it is worth the time. This photo is of mustard greens considered to be one of the world's heathiest food is a favorite of Southern American chefs, as well as Asian chefs.  They are purported to be on par with kale in terms of antioxidants and c...
Comments 17
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
The Santa Barbara Farmers Market this morning was missing a few of the regulars, who no doubt wanted to take advantage of the beautiful weather we are experiencing.  However, we still managed to fill our bags with all kinds of wonderful vegetables and freshly caught ridgeback shrimp.  We still are seeing beautiful heirloom tomatoes in this last weekend of 2013. And here is one of our favorites, romanesco broccoli, which we love roasted with olive oil, sea salt and garlic. You can also steam the florets, then saute briefly in olive oil, add crushed red pepper flakes and toss it with fettucine pasta,  and geneously grate parmesan over it.   It is sweet and mild tasting, and its originates from Italy's Lazio Region (Rome is in the Lazio region).  Italians say that romanesco lifts their sp...
Comments 12
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
It was so good to get back into our Saturday routine.  Ron, just reminded me that last Saturday, we were at the airport waiting for a flight that had been delayed in Chicago due to weather.  The Santa Barbara Saturday Farmers Market bustled with holiday energy and music.  The roots ruled today.  We loved the many colors of carrots pictured above. The two varieties of radishes in multicolors flanked by birds of paradise made for a great shot of color. Beets, Japanese turnips and bright orange carrots completed the roots department at the Farmers market. Wishing you Saturday smiles,  Cheers, Ron & Alexandra Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- -WATCH VIDEOS-  Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites   Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies   About Language of Luxury ...
Comments 25
It was this past Sunday morning, Dec. 15, 2013 and the flood gates (no pun intended) opened.  Clients calling, all of us Realtors emailing each other and homeowners in a frenzy about an article reported in the Santa Barbara Newspress regarding a new law going into effect come January 2014.  Wait, what is this?  Why did we as Realtors not hear about this? Is this true? Well...The News Press facts were not accurate, surprised???While yes, there are some things happening come January, this ONLY pertains to homes built before January 1, 1994 that are seeking a building PERMIT. The city/county will require these upgrades of low flow plumbing fixtures as a part of the PERMITTING process, so in other words, if you plan to remodel or need a permit for something in Santa Barbara, you will need t...
Comments 0
By Ron and Alexandra Seigel, Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy
(Napa Consultants)
Since our office orchid was done blooming, it was time to go to Westerlay orchids in Carpinteria for a replacement.  It was also time to see their Christmas tree which is annually decorated with cymbidium blossoms. And here is our new office blooming cymbidium orchid.  It has four spikes, and we loved the color.  Wishing everyone a delightful Thursday, Cheers, Ron & Alexandra Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- -WATCH VIDEOS-  Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites   Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies   About Language of Luxury  - JOIN THE LOL COMMUNTIY -   GET FLUENT. GET AFFLUENT!   Linked In, Facebook, Active Rain Follow Us on Twitter: LuxuryMarketing
Comments 14
By Tiffany Haller
(Village Properties)
Every holiday season, unfortunately we are reminded through personal tragedies that we must slow down, enjoy our families every second and embrace the simple gifts in life.  In the flurry of hectic holiday shopping like Black Friday (now renamed Big Business Brown Thursday), Cyber Monday and prep work in hosting family gatherings, it's sometimes a challenge to slow down, stop, pause, disconnect and take a minute to reflect on how short life can be.  The Santa Barbara community and our tight knit neighborhood of the Mesa was reminded of this on Saturday with the loss of celebrity and fellow Santa Barbarian, Paul Walker at the early age of 40.The holidays in Santa Barbara are extra special with our arts, trolley tours of lights, special events, the Parade of Lights in the Santa Barbara Ha...
Comments 0