Fitness

The Architecture of Health

Hormonal Balance, Strength, and Midlife Metabolism Article by Josh Nissan | Photography by N/A For many women, midlife is not a decline — it is a recalibration. The hormonal transitions of perimenopause and menopause influence far more than reproduction. Shifts in estrogen and progesterone affect muscle mass, bone density, metabolic efficiency, sleep architecture, and mood. Layer modern professional and family demands onto that physiology, and the need for a strategic approach becomes clear. ...

Wellness

Midlife, Reconsidered

After decades in obstetrics, Dr. Susanne Ramos is helping women navigate the challenges of midlife with an individualized, evidence-based approach. Article by Sara DeMarcus | Photography by Provided Dr. Susanne Ramos has a rare perspective on time. On any given day, she may sit across from a patient she first met decades ago. Years earlier, the conversation may have centered on a due date, an ultrasound, and the anticipation of welcoming a new baby. Today, it may focus on sleep that no longer...

Arts + Culture

Coastal Home Cookin'

These cookbooks by local chefs belong in your kitchen Article by Anna Maria Stump | Photography by Provided Investment Nurturing your biological health with simple, joyful daily habits. Here in beautiful Santa Barbara, we know that true wealth is simply feeling wonderful every single day. The most rewarding investment you can make is in your own vibrant health! By gently supporting your body, you naturally boost your heart and brain, giving you the joyful energy to love life. Protocol 1...

Arts + Culture

From Hillsides to Coastlines

Spring wildflowers paint ever winding mile Article by Matt DeMarcus | Photography by N/A April along the Santa Barbara Coast feels like nature’s standing ovation. Along Figueroa Mountain, California poppies blaze across sunlit slopes, joined by clusters of lupine and bright black-eyed Susans swaying in the breeze. Shaded canyons and higher elevations reveal delicate columbine and nodding shooting stars, while buttercups dot open meadows in cheerful gold. From vineyard-lined roads near Los...

Home + Design

Starting at the Top

Why a well-built roof remains one of the smartest long-term investments in your home. Article by Sara DeMarcus | Photography by Lena Ibarra/Lena Britt Photography Late at night, many local residents share the same quiet ritual. One last glance at KEYT before bed. A storm forming on the Doppler. A brief mental checklist follows—gutters, outdoor furniture, the direction of the wind. Eventually, the house settles. Lights go out. Sleep arrives. Until it doesn’t. Drip. Drip. Drip. The sound...

Arts + Culture

Sweet Summerland

Spiritualist mecca. Offshore oil pioneer. Comfort food town. Article by Meaghan Clark Tiernan | Photography by Josh Greutzmacher, Provided Summerland has been called many things. From its perch on Ortega Hill, residents and guests often linger over a near-perfect snapshot of the Pacific. The city was founded in 1889 by Henry Lafayette Williams and named for the Spiritualist community he led. Less than a decade later, the town’s interest turned to oil when natural gas was discovered and the...

Arts + Culture

A Home Away From Home

Article by Collin Harmon | Photography by Ingrid Bostrom, Chad Jones From the moment you step into Linden Square in Carpinteria, there's a sense you’ve arrived somewhere familiar, even if it’s your first visit. The open-air public market doesn’t feel rushed or transactional. Instead, it invites you to slow down, look around, settle in. Though relatively new, Linden Square carries the ease of a place that feels established, shaped by thoughtful design and, more importantly, by the people who...

Home + Design

Nontoxic Home Shopping Guide

Natural Haven's Karen Bloom shows us how to live cleaner Article by Karen Bloom | Photography by Michelle Lee, Sara Prince, Celadon House As a non-toxic living consultant, consumer protection attorney, and a mom who recovered from mold toxicity and Lyme disease, I’m constantly searching for products that are safe for my home and worth recommending to my clients.  The typical home contains many hidden toxins emanating from everyday products. We’re exposed through touch, breath, and ingestion...

Arts + Culture

Our Great Outdoors

Article by Samantha Durbin | Photography by Caitlin Atkinson, Jessica Bortman, Ingrid Bostrom, Pat Brodie “Landscape architecture has the power to connect people to place, expressing the identity of a building, region, or environment through thoughtful design, materiality, and planting.” ~ Courtney Jane Miller (CJM::LA) Local landscape designers are some of the most influential champions of what we grow in our gardens and public spaces. Seasoned professional and Seaside Garden contributor...

Home + Design

Let The Sunshine In

Why more Santa Barbara homeowners are choosing solar roofs Article by Tanner Walker | Photography by Provided What if your electric bill could actually build you something—like a brand-new roof and a powerful solar energy system? With SolaRoof from August Roofing & Solar, that’s exactly what happens. Instead of throwing money away on rising utility costs, SolaRoof replaces your outdated electric bill with one predictable monthly payment, covering both a new roof and a custom-designed solar...