So many new items appeared today at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market.  These flying saucer nectarines are intriguing looking, and the taste is amazingly sweet and fragrant.  Ron and I grabbed the last basket... Then came the donut white peaches.  They also were delicious, and a bellini comes to mind, now, I have to get some champagne. The biggest surprise were these pink lemonnade blueberries.  They are sweeter than their blue ccousins and very pretty,  don't you think? Wishing you lots of Saturday Smiles, Cheers, 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 per... 06/14/2014

Thank You to Fidelity Title Company here in Santa Barbara that created this graph! 06/02/2014

Search Santa Barbara Homes For SaleSanta Barbara Homes For Sale Map of Santa Barbara Schools - with Zoomify!Map of Santa Barbara Schools Map of Goleta Schools  - with Zoomify!'Goleta School Map Santa Barbara Local Online News with NoozhawkNoozhawk More Santa Barbara Online Local News with EdHat of Santa BarbaraEdhat of Santa Barbara Special Thanks to Fidelity Title Company for some of the information for this post! 06/02/2014

We woke uo to a gorgeous morning and headed for out to the market.  As we were driving our hearts were filled with appreciation for every aspect of our lives, here in Santa Barbara.  Beauty is everwhere one looks here.  The photo above is of the parking lot, near the market trimmed with purple trumpets. As we walked into to the Farmers Market in Santa Barbara, we were amazed by the beauty and bounty of vegetables. It was like a well played symphony of sight, sound and vibration emanating from all these organic beauties. Here are the purple vikings, and they are not related to the Minnesota Viking Football Team!  A couple next to us was buying them, and told us they are great baked.  We love their jewel tones and bought. These Italian torpedo onions are egg shaped compared to the America... 05/31/2014

The Chalk Art Festival, I Madonnari, at the Santa Barbara Mission plaza is in full swing this morning. We got there early to get some good photos, and we were surprised that so many people were already there. The food concessions were getting ready for the expected crowds of people which this event draws from Southern and Central California. There is a lot of work in progress, and the above was completed, and made an impression.  The artist is a philosopher, declaring that rubber duckies bring humor and peace, wherever they go!  Roberta Nielsen, the artist of the work above, continues with her Norman Rockwell copies of the Saturday Evening Post.  We are looking forwrd to the finished version, tomorrow. We have loved this artist's work every year, as he really understand the concept of ... 05/25/2014

  Summertime and the living is easy, when you have beautiful heirloom tomatoes!  Time for ensalata caprese with freshly made burrata cheese, (made from mozarella and cream), green extra virgin Tuscan olive oil, and several thriving basil plants outside your back door! The Santa Barbara Farmers Market was crowded today with visitors marveling at the local bounty...we appreciate these folks, they remind us how wonderful it is living here! Wishing you 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 professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estat... 05/24/2014

Our favorite event of the year is here.  I Madonnari, the Italian Street Painting Festival is back again this Memorial Day Weekend at the  Santa Barbara Mission Plaza.  It begins on Saturday May 24th, and runs through the 26th.   The entire plaza is transformed with pastels on the pavement, and the photo is an example of work from 2013.  This event benefits over 50,000 children in over a 100 schools contributing to visual and performing arts workshops throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Once again, we will be sharing with you the wonderful images created by the artists.  Festival hours are 10-6, and admission is free. Happy Thursday! Cheers,  Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel- ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real... 05/22/2014

Santa Barbara Historic Homes Tour Sunday, May 18, 2014 (11am to 4pm) by Advance Reservations Featuring several of George Washington Smith's GRAND MONTECITO HOMES in the Spanish Revival Style.  Ticket Price: $60 Members $70 Non-Members For Reservations click on the link above, or call: 805.961.3938 Between 1918 and his death in 1930, George Washington Smith designed more than 60 residential structures, mostly in Santa Barbara, including a home originally designed for renowned violinist and composer Henry Eichhelm, which is included on the tour and features rarely seen frescoes created by famed Mexican muralist Alfredo Ramos Martinez.  Also on view is the Culley house, which is a departure from Smith's earlier Andalusian-influenced designs, as it's a rectangular structure with a cantilev... 05/18/2014

If you've been thinking of buying a second home, now could be a good time to take the leap.  Interest rates are still low by historic standards, and home prices are recovering from the bust but are not out of reach. SCOUTING THE MARKET Find a real estate agent who is familiar with your desired real estate market. Someone with an intimate knowledge about micro-climates, traffic considerations, and neighborhood sales.  You need an agent familiar with historical prices, and how they could play into the property's long term value. Factors such as proximity to a major metropolitan area, ease of access and availability of four-seasons amenities. GAUGING YOUR RETURN Even though everybody hopes that properties will appreciate over the course of time, you need to consider that you'll be away fro... 05/17/2014

            The Santa Barbara Real Estate Concierge At Your Service 05/17/2014

It is another beautiful Saturday morning here in Santa Barbara.  The color green, the symbol of spring is prevalent at the Farmers Market in town.  Snap peas are a favorite of ours.  Then, there are snow pea leaves.  We discoved these in an LA Chinatown and have gone out of our way to purchase them.  They are very tasty when sauteed with garlic and olive oil,  These are the leaves of the snow pea plants.  Yank Sing, our favorite dim sum place in San Francisco, make a dumpling full of chopped snow peas leaves.  They have a very high iron content. The bells of Ireland are a beautiful exotic looking flower. It represents luck in the language of flowers and is a native of Turkey and Syria. We love the different manifestations of the color green in nature.   What do you think?   Written by ... 05/03/2014

  Whenever we have errands in downtown Santa Barbara, we make a point of having lunch at the Blue Owl.  We raved about the Bahn Mi , and the amazing salads, when we first discovered the place last June.  And we have been regulars ever since, and we have never been disappointed.   We were for lunch today we now split our favorites dishes as you can see in our photo above.  We love having a place that consistently maintains its standards.  So if you find yourself in Santa Barbara at lunchtime or late at night, be sure to stop by and treat yourself to something special at the Blue Owl, 5 Canon Perdido. 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 ... 04/30/2014

It is a windy, clear, cold day in the mid 50's, however it did not deter anyone from showing up for the market.  It is fun to see familiar faces among the shoppers, the sellers, and the restaurant chefs that buy for the week. Ron is in the red windbreaker discussing the effects of fracking  in Santa Barbara.  No, we are not fans of this practice. This is the first time we have seen snow peas in these colors.  Aren't they beautiful? And the surprise of the day, Brooks and Rainier cherries!  They are just starting to harvest, and we are waiting to buy them next week as they get riper. Wishing you 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 profes... 04/26/2014

One of our favorite spring manifestations are the blooming jacaranda trees which can be found almost anywhere one looks in Santa Barbara.  Sillouhetted against an azure sky, they make a beautiful contrast.  They last through June, and they are definitely a welcome sight during gloomy days, when the marine layer takes over. There are several streets lined with jacaranda trees.  When we parked at the market today, we noticed many of the trees starting to bloom. What a glorious sight.  We wish everyone on Active Rain a great week ahead. Cheers, Ron & Alexandra 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... 04/20/2014

Quite often when we are working on a branding project, we will take pictures of nature's offerings in a certain color range.  We concentrated on the various shades of burgundy, as it is one of the hardest colors to print on paper as the hues vary, even when they are specified.  So we usually recommend it as an accent color!   Here are some of our favorite burgundy veggies!  The above is radicchio de Treviso.  It is our favorite radicchio for tre colore salads, (arugula, endive & radicchio). These are mulberries.  They are considered by Dr, Oz "as a superfood for batting diabetes, cholesterol and heart disease.  They have high levels of iron and protein." This is mizuna (Japanese mustard leaves) containing powerful antioxidants.  These leaves can be stir-fried, steamed or used raw in sa... 04/19/2014

The color purple was well represented at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market today!  There are so many varietions to this color, like the purple artichokes picture above.  They are definitely in the red spectrum of purple. We have a delightful dry lavender vendor at the market.  She makes lavender oils and soap from her lavender crop. This purple is in between red and blue, and there are lavender plants that are deeper in color like the artichokes. And then this lovely variety of campanula flower, which are delightful as edging in flower beds, or ground flowers.  Their color purple has more blue in it, particularly as the blossoms open. Happy Saturday, wishing you many smiles. Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-   ABOUT:  Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for ... 04/12/2014

It is a cold morning, 52 degrees and the marine layer is thick with fog and clouds. We are expecting a high of 57.  The Santa Barbara Farmers Market was abuzz as usual.  There were mostly locals today, too cold for the tourists that usually head up this way. Once again the offerings did not disappoint. Pictured above are little gems which are small lettuce varieties.  They are perfect for two, and one of the staples in our vegetable drawer. Zucchini is starting to show up, and looked glorious in its two color variety.  We loved the contrast of colors. We learned about atomic red carrots.  This beautiful carrot is full of licopene, which has been shown to prevent several types of cancer in studies.  It is best eaten cooked to release more lycopene.  We are told they are very flavorful. W... 04/12/2014

It is another beautiful morning here, and the Santa Barbara Farmers Market offerings are just as beautiful.  The Romaine lettuce was picked this morning, and every leaf is crispy.  Cesar salad is on the menu this week. Spring sweet onions are also a treat.  Some people pickle them, we like them sliced thinly in salads! And we could not pass without taking a picture of these beautiful cauliflower varieties.  Each color has a distinct taste! Wishing you lots of Saturday Smiles, Cheers! 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 brandin... 04/05/2014

Today at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market, celery root appeared.  It is also known as Celeriac, and is used in soups, mashed, and a salad.   Also, making a grand entrance are the giant long stemmed purple tinged artichokes. They are delicious and their hearts are creamy and yummy. Their smaller cousins also made a show, and their taste is equally good. Wishing you lots of Saturday smiles!  Cheers, Ron & Alexandra 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 hel... 03/22/2014

We woke to a beautiful morning with highs expected in the 70's...Staying true to our ritual, we headed off to the Farmer's Market.  Everything was looking great, here are few of our favorite photos from this morning.  Tulips are the perfect eye candy welcoming spring! Although we are not fans of beets in our food, we cannot deny their beautiful colors and varieties! How about these cauliflowers, each color has a distinct taste! And look at this lovely arrangement of lettuce and two tone radishes! Wishing lots of Saturday Smiles, Cheers Ron & Alexandra 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 marke... 03/15/2014