The Home Page | A View from the Top, Plus Pups and Pops

Credit: Robin Elander

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on June 16, 2024. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

The entrance to the Balboa Building sits behind an unassuming doorway next to Banana Republic on the 700 block of State Street. The building boasts the coolest elevator doors in Santa Barbara — gleaming, brass, deco-style — and six floors of office space as well as its first floor retail tenants. I smile each time I enter that elevator on my way to the monthly Downtown Santa Barbara association board meeting. After our meeting this week, fellow board member Ron Robertson, Jr. — whose family owns and manages the building — invited us to join him on a “field trip” up to the building’s rooftop to check out the view.

Gazing up and down State Street, and from the mountains to the ocean, this perspective did not disappoint, proving once again that our town is pretty dazzling, even when the sun is hiding.

Located just a few blocks up State Street, the fences around the downtown library plaza construction project will come down in a few months. In the meantime, come take a peek at the lower plaza area today for a free Juneteenth celebration from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., featuring a performance by Santa Barbara Ring Shout Project. Ring Shout is a spiritual a capella call and response song and dance style that was brought to the United States by enslaved Africans. Santa Barbara Ring Shout Project aims to preserve this tradition through education and performance. This free, family-friendly event is presented by the Santa Barbara Public Library.

In honor of Father’s Day, here’s a tale that made me smile. It’s written by Les, who is Jess’ dad over on the Emily Henderson blog. His list of favorite father’s day gifts is part gift list, part tribute to why he loves being a pop. As expected from a design blog, Les’ list is kinda gadget- and tool-heavy with items like lug wrenches and air compressors. It’s also laced with nostalgia and his love of helping his “kids” at every age. Installing the high chair seat at his dining room table, shown above, took him down memory lane. His list also gives us a good dose of Les’ personality. While considering a Stetson hat he shares “I swear I’m almost good-looking in a cowboy hat”. We love Les.

Some houses photograph so well that the real thing can be a disappointment. Others are hard to capture with pictures, hence the adage that “you have to see it in person to appreciate it”. That’s exactly what I said when I visited Kit Peterson at her new listing at 116 W. Los Olivos Street. It’s so much cuter in person! The sweet cottage, surrounded by a hedge and a garden dotted with rose bushes, is down a quiet lane situated in the center of town. I could tell you about the fireplace, big windows, beautiful cherrywood kitchen cabinets, and romantic upstairs bedroom suite. But truly — you have to see it in person to appreciate it! Lucky for you, Kit and Sue will have it open today from 1to 4 p.m. Don’t miss it.

Speaking of open houses, make sure to catch my article in this week’s issue about the gorgeous estate at 1800 Jelinda Drive. What was NOT in the article was that Scout was at the open house, too. She did not go inside, of course, but admired the home from afar, looking altogether unimpressed. Here’s wishing you an impressive Sunday. However you spend it, take the Indy along to help keep you informed and entertained. Enjoy!