We learn so much from seeing arrangements whether it is floral or vegetable.  Here is an example of a farmer and his daughters who are very artistic when it comes to their arrangements.  Happy Wednesday! 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 breakaway brand in their marketplace.  -WATCH VIDEOS-   Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites   Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies   About Language of Lu... 10/22/2014

  It is a beautiful day here in the Santa Barbara area.  There was a little nip in the air this morning at 64 degrees and the high will be 74 degrees, with a light breeze.    We saw this beautiful  Swiss chard at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market this morning. Swiss chard is considered one of the world's healthiest food acccording the world's healthiest food foods site.  It is high in Vitamin K, A, and C.  We have tasted it on several occasions, and neither one of us would go out of our way to cook it at home.    We prefer taking pictures of it and admiring it from afar. 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 profess... 10/18/2014

Mouse Melon Cucumbers were the first thing we saw at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market this morning.  They taste like cucumbers with a touch of sourness.  They are also known as the Mexican Sour Gherkins They are easy to grow and are pest free.  They are a huge producing vine.  In Spanish, they are called "sanditas" meaning little watermelon.     They are native to Mexico and Central America, and have been a staple in their diets since Pre-Colombian times.  They can be stir-fried, they can be pickled, or eaten raw in salads or salsas.  Happy Saturday, 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... 10/11/2014

10/10/2014

Check out Santa Barbara from Gibraltar Road high in the Santa Ynez mountains on a beautiful day! 09/23/2014

The Santa Barbara Courthouse from Mark on Vimeo. 09/09/2014

The Saturday Farmers Market in Santa Barbara was awash with primary colors.  Everywhere we looked peppers of all types abounded, like this vibrant green pictured above.   Further, there were sweet peppers, known as lunch box peppers, representing yellows and orange. And here are more sweet peppers.  These are an Italian varietal.  We loved the red color. Here is a whimsical arrangement with baskets from one of our favorite stands.  We loved the escapee red pepper perched among the green. Of course, there were purple peppers! And last, but not least decorative little pepper plants.  These are hot! Enjoy your Saturday, and we wish you an abundance of Saturday Smiles, Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury ... 08/30/2014

Check out our award winning real estate websites: www.TheRealEstateConcierge.com www.TheSantaBarbaraRealEstateBlog.com Santa Barbara's Most Definitive Real Estate Web Sites 08/18/2014

Aerial Santa Barbara Real Estate videos by Mark Lomas, Kirsten Wolfe, and Wayne Klapp www.TechnoPanorama.com "Your Santa Barbara Aerial Co- Pilots!" 805.845.2888 08/18/2014

Montecito Realtors Mark Lomas and Kirsten Wolfe have teamed up with Wayne Klapp to produce high end, high definition aerial videos. Aerial videos are a game changer.  Are you ready to fly.  Aerial videos by www.TechnoPanorama.com 805.845.2888 08/18/2014

We had another lovely morning at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market!  Bursts of color were evident everywhere we looked.  It is pepper season, and the colors are magnificent with brightness and life. Eggplants and their purple hues were artfully displayed with their white cousin. Not to be outdone, were the varieties of heirloom tomatoes.  We bought about 5lbs.  We are making tabbouleh tonight for dinner, Lebanese style.  It is a simple recipe, involving a lot of chopping of tomatoes, parsley, scallions and mint.   You have to have a finely ground bulgur (made from the groats of several different wheat species or durum wheat). We buy #00 grind from a Lebanese store in LA.  The bulgur (1cup) is briefly soaked in water, well drained and placed into a bowl.  As you chop the tomatoes, (4-5 c... 08/16/2014

At the Santa Barbara Farmers Market this morning, a mass of sunflowers greeted us.  We are witnessing the peak of summer.  Everything is in abundance, and every vendor's produce beckoned us.   It is tough to make a choice, do I buy nectarines here and peaches there?  Everyone has samples.  Fantasia melons (a type of fragrant and sweet cantaloupe), watermelons and even Charentais melons (melons prized by the French for their aromatic and delicate sweet taste) are making an appearance. There are varieties of peppers (hot and mild),  and white, purple and striped eggplants!  We have so many choices for this week's meals.   Wishing you an abundance of Saturday Smiles, Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury r... 08/09/2014

We are always enchanted by our flower growers and the variety of sunflowers they produce.  These beauties are an example of nature's delightful creations. Wishing you lots of Saturday Smiles and a Great 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 expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace.  -WATCH VIDEOS-  Buzz-Worthy Luxury Real Estate Websites   Personal Branding Case Studies   Company Branding Case Studies   About Language o... 07/26/2014

Another fascinating garden at Lotusland in Santa Barbara is the Aloe Garden.  There are over 170 types of aloes planted there.  Aloes are native to Africa and Madagascar, and send out spike like flowers in red, yellow and orange. Here is an example of a mass of flowering aloes we saw on our tour of the aloe garden.  Isn't that a stunning sight?  Happy Wednesday!  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 breakaway brand in their... 07/23/2014

This magnificent staghorn fern specimen is a photo taken at the fern garden in Lotusland in Santa Barbara.  Our docent told us that one of the gardeners was about to clean the center, when a bobcat jumped out.  These ferns make great nests for birds and bobcats in this instance.  Birds, beware, this may be bobcat territory!  Happy Friday! 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 breakaway brand in their marketplace.  -WATCH VID... 07/18/2014

Time out, unplugged this morning was planned by reserving a docent tour at Lotusland in Santa Barbara.  Lotusland in Santa Barbara is the legacy of Madame Ganna Walska.  She was a Polish opera singer who bought a 37 acre parcel with a lovely Italian inspired villa and an adjacent 2 bedroom home in Santa Barbara in 1940 for $40,000.  What a deal! We were told by our neighbor to visit while the lotus were blooming.  Don't let the name fool you, there is so much more than lotus.  25 acres are planted with 18 types of gardens,  In our lives together, Ron and I have visited many gardens worldwide and nation wide, and this one left us with the conclusion that this is one of the best places on the planet, and well worth a visit.   We both subscribe to the Toril Gate concept. When you enter a ... 07/16/2014

One of our favority places to have brunch is at Lucky's restaurant in Santa Barbara/Montecito.  The street that Lucky's is located on is Coast Village Road.  According to the Santa Barbara City map, everything that is by the ocean is considered the City of Santa Barbara.  One street away and you are in Montecito...that is the way the limits are drawn around here! Lucky's has a great brunch menu, and the variety goes from eggs benedict, huevos rancheros, salads, steak tacos to ruben sandwiches. There is something for everyone.  The service is great, and they give you a complimentary Mimosa, Bellini, glass of Prosecco, or orange juice.  The food is outstanding and everytime we have been there, we have come out raving fans.  Their breads, desserts and ice cream are homemade. The atmospher... 07/13/2014

In a few hours the summer solstice will be officially here to mark the first day of summer!  Everything at the Farmer's market was glowing with summer promises, and we had to restrain ourselves so that we did not overbuy. The green and purple beans pictured above are haricots verts or French beans...They will go well with the wild red king salmon we have for dinner. We bought white peaches for dessert.  We tasted one and were blown away by its sweetness and juiciness...   The strawberries are everywhere, we took this shot for its arrangement: it has small colorful bell peppers, and yellow cherry tomatoes.  It reflects the lively colors of summer. Wishing you lots of Saturday Smiles, A Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand stra... 06/21/2014

Santa Barbara's unique Parade and Summer Solstice event kicks of June 21st, 2014 at 12 noon at State Street and Cota!    Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Web Site 2014  Get your freak on?! They expect around 75,000 people for this event - kinda like Southern California's version of Burning Man?  Enjoy the fun and madness! 06/20/2014

This article appeared in the Santa Barbara - New Press Wall Street Journal market watch section  June 1, 2014. For the whole article click here: What Home Inspectors Won't Tell YouIn this post we'll list the 10 main Talking Points of the article, and in italics respond to author Daniel Goldstein's claims.1. "The house is fine, but I could make it look bad."  This is what Realtors usually refer to as a "Buyer's Inspector" - and, someone that's trying to influence the process may not be a reputable inspector. It's also a good reason for Sellers to have their inspections up front of putting their house on the market - and, avoid any surprises - and have greater control over the negotiating process.2. "Get the house, not the inspection"  If you're caught up in a multiple offer scenario, and... 06/14/2014