From Solvang to Beijing

Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers being interviewed after playing the AVP Long Beach Open Volleyball event, two weeks before the Olympics.

It’s no surprise that the physical beauty of the Santa Ynez Valley attracts celebrities looking to escape the limelight. They often find the accoutrerments of fame and fortune—superficiality, social hierarchy, snobbery—are surprisingly absent here, as if the Valley enfolds residents so protectively they are free to be themselves. If they gain local recognition, it’s normally [...]

Creation Station

This quilt, made by 16-year-old Lauren Hicks of Santa Barbara, was one of  many quilts made by individuals for this year’s Shop Challenge. All quilt entries referred in some way to Creation Station’s superhero theme.

After successful careers in the medical field, Patrick and Dawn Farrier took the unlikely step of filling a converted, ’70s-era bowling alley in Buellton with an array of goodies for people who love to sew. Initially driven by a simple desire to make new friends, they launched a creative revolution that reaches well beyond the boundaries [...]

Chef Maili Halme Brocke

Above Maili leads a cooking class for home-schooled children. Below, Melissa takes a stab during a Twelfth Night performance, checks out a hands-on exhibit at the Exploratorium.

From the one-room schoolhouse in Ballard to the patios and parlors of Montecito’s glitterati, Maili Halme Brocke has traveled a winding road of hard work and well-deserved opportunities. Today, she channels her culinary talents into a prosperous catering business, while deftly cultivating her children’s well-being and future success through the simple magic of home-schooling. “My [...]