The Home Page: Mansions, Mesa, and Sweet Stuff Galore

Sweet Babies and Sweetie’s, Baby!

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on July 17, 2022. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

SWEET & SOUR

I had the sweetest phone call last week, but unfortunately, it was tinged with a serious note. Randy Freed called me the day after his first granddaughter was born, and the excitement in his voice brought a tear to my eye. Here’s adorable Talia Ruth Freed with her proud grandpa. However, Randy wasn’t calling just to share the happy news. He alerted me to a Craigslist rental ad for my home — which is neither for sale or rent! — complete with my address, description, and five-year-old MLS photos. Eagle-eyed Randy noticed it, I flagged it, and the ad was soon taken down. Make sure to remind clients and friends that this hectic rental market can bring out predatory tactics; never send money to anyone or share personal info. If something seems suspicious, it probably is. Thank you for your help, Randy … and congratulations!

BETWEEN THE LINES

*Credit: Salty Shutters / Sotheby’s International Realty*

I’ve always been drawn to charming, older homes where nothing quite matches and anything spilled on the floor invariably rolls to the same side of the living room because the floor isn’t level. But I can certainly appreciate the sleek, exacting lines of modern design. Built in 1960, the mid-century modern home shown above was just purchased by renowned sculptor Charles Ray. It sits on a sloped hillside in the Mandeville Canyon area of Brentwood, on a 3.4-acre lot that backs up to a wilderness park. Constructed almost entirely of glass and steel, this house has 4,400 square feet of living space, and the cantilevered decks provide treetop views. With a price tag of $4.4 million, it feels like this was a pretty sweet deal.

SPEAKING OF SWEET

The Mesa is one of Santa Barbara’s distinct neighborhoods with its own personality, its own microclimate, and lots of great shops and restaurants. Along the strip of Cliff Drive that holds Rose Café and The Mesa Bookstore, a brand-new ice cream spot just opened up. Sweetie’s offers friendly service, cute decor, and McConnell’s ice cream. They even have dairy-free options that earn my seal of approval — passionfruit-lemon swirl, anyone? Sweet!

QUIET ON THE SET

What local area can double as a tropical island, Ancient Rome, or 16th-century France? More than 60 silent movies were made in Montecito from 1911 through 1928, representing these locales and more. Betsy J. Green, our Great House Detective, introduces us to some of these films in her brand-new book, Movies & Million-Dollar Mansions: Silent Movies Made in Montecito. With more than 450 images in its 245 pages, the book details the studios and settings behind these filmmaking endeavors. Signed copies of her book are available at Chaucer’s Books and The Mesa Bookstore — shown above and conveniently located right near Sweetie’s!

Enjoy the sunshine, and whether you prefer print or digital, you’ll want to check out this week’s Independent — thank you for reading!

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