Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice » Lifestyle / Things to Do

The Exclusive Valley Club of Montecito – Private Golf Course Montecito CA 93108

kevinschmidtchen — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:39:01 +0000

Why is The Valley Club here in Montecito CA ranked on the top 100 list? Simple… Alister MacKenzie. The Valley Club was designed in 1929 by Alister MacKenzie who was then at the height of his career, having completed Augusta National the same year and Cypress Point the previous year.

Some of the defining characteristics of The Valley Club are the high quality small greens, subtle breaks due to the mountain/ocean effect, peaceful setting with mtn. backdrops, as well as MacKenzie-designed bunkers which works into the course with a ‘camouflage’ effect.

The 18-hole “Valley Club” course at the Valley Club of Montecito facility is located in the heart of Montecito CA. The course features 6,612 yards of golf from the tips for a par of 72 . The course rating is 72.1 and it has a slope rating of 133 on Rye grass.

The course is often referred to as one of the best conditioned courses that often has only a half-dozen groups on the course at one time. With roughly only 225 members, The Valley Club is fairly exclusive and does not get a lot of play.

Santa Barbara is routinely referenced as “among the wealthiest communities in the U.S.” According to Forbes Magazine, Montecito is consistently one of the top 20 wealthiest zip codes in the United States.

View: Current Montecito Homes for Sale up to $7.5 Million

View: Current Montecito Homes for Sale $7.5 Million and Above

Further Reading:

For information on Real Estate here in Santa Barbara, Montecito and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don’t hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby’s Int’l Realty.

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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25th Santa Barbara Film Festival (Silver Anniversary) February 4 – 14th, 2010

kevinschmidtchen — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:14:32 +0000

Welcome once again to…Santa Barbara, CA. Celebrating its Silver Anniversary, The Santa Barbara International Film Festival presents a wonderful line-up for 2010 featuring 200 films that include World Premieres, U.S. Premieres and numerous films representing countries around the world.

The Festival chosen motto for this year is ‘11 Amazing Days, 10 Starry Nights.’

The excitement starts this Thursday, February 4th.

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

Ty Warner’s Major Renovation of Montecito Country Club – Jack Nicklaus Design

kevinschmidtchen — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:59:04 +0000

For golf fans here in the Montecito and Santa Barbara CA. area, a treat is on the horizon. Local billionaire developer, Ty Warner is adding to his portfolio of revamping major luxury properties here in Santa Barbara and Montecito.

Having in the last few years already “done up” The San Ysidro Ranch, The Biltmore and The Coral Casino, Mr. Warner has now set his sites on golf in the form of Montecito Country Club. Mr Warner has already received approval of the project and to everyone’s delight is working with Jack Nicklaus on the new course design.

Estimated dates of completion are still not known for sure, but I would not expect anything until late 2010 at least.

View: (provided by The Santa Barbara Independent) A more visual detailed look at what is in store

Further Reading:

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Things to Do in Santa Barbara, California – Carpinteria, Hikes, Beaches, Golf

kevinschmidtchen — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:06:03 +0000

Whether you are a local, in town visiting family and/or friends, or here on vacation in Santa Barbara, California, there is never a lack of activities and things to do in our wonderful seaside resort community. Here below is the fifth installment in a series of articles that point out some of Santa Barbara’s most prominent local attractions. Some of these will be cultural, some dining, some active pursuits and some I am still deciding on. This fifth installment will be focusing on…

Carpinteria, Day Hikes, Beaches and Golf:

Carpinteria is a small beach town a few minutes south of Montecito and Summerland. The local claim to fame is that it is “the world’s safest beach.” As it is an extremely safe beach as far as waves and tides go, visitors and locals flock to the area to simply stroll, read, visit the tidepools and relax. Above the Carpinteria Beach you will find hikers and bird watchers strolling the Carpinteria Bluffs, a magnificent spot protected by the local community that was able to raise enough funds to purchase the property in 1998 and thereby keep it open usable and protected area. Just south of Carpinteria is the famed surf spot Rincon.

Hikes – Throughout the Santa Barbara area you will find numerous enjoyable hikes of varying levels and feel. We are blessed to have a wide variety of beach hikes, front and back country hikes to wilderness hikes. Santa Barbara Hikes does a great job in listing all the different options.

Beaches – The Santa Barbara coastline has a huge variety of beaches from wide open tourist spots, to secluded coves filled with mainly locals, to active minded beaches as well as long private stretches where you can truly get away from it all. Here is a great Article that highlights the major beaches in our area.

Golf – Looking for a great golf experience here in the Santa Barbara, Montecito, Goleta and surrounding areas. The golfing scene here in Santa Barbara is excellent with a range of prices and choices to suit every level. Because of the superb weather here in Santa Barbara, golf is played year-round. View all the Golf Courses in and around Santa Barbara.

Further Reading:

For information on Santa Barbara Real Estate, Montecito Real Estate and/or our surrounding areas, as well as any other aspects of life in our area, please don’t hesitate to contact Kevin Schmidtchen at Sotheby’s Int’l Realty.

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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Things to Do in Santa Barbara, California – Montecito and Shopping

kevinschmidtchen — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:55:30 +0000

Whether you are a local, in town visiting family and/or friends, or here on vacation in Santa Barbara, California, there is never a lack of activities and things to do in our wonderful seaside resort community. Here below is the fourth installment in a series of articles that point out some of Santa Barbara’s most prominent local attractions. Some of these will be cultural, some dining, some active pursuits and some I am still deciding on. This fourth installment will be focusing on…

The Montecito Area and Shopping:

Montecito has taken a huge accent into the high-end luxury real estate world in the last 10 years. This lush area filled with mature landcape, great estates and an abundance of mature nature is a true paradise. The rise of Montecito started in the 1920’s and 30’s when the rich and famous from all over came to relax and ended up staying and building large estates and ranches.

Casa del Herrero: This wonderful historic home was designed by one of Santa Barbara’s most famous architects, George Washington Smith. The home has still remained almost unchanges and offers a peak look into life in Montecito during the 1930’s. The gardens span 11 acres and is one of Santa Barbara’s prime examples of Spanish Colonial Revival Architecture.

Lotusland: Lotusland is a truly unique estate and botanic garden set at the base of the foothills in Montecito, CA. Spread out over 37 acres, the gardens were created by Ganna Walska who owned the property until her death in 1984. Treat yourself to a wonderful half-day or day visit to this peaceful themed property.

Shopping:

Some of the most enjoyable things to do are simply stroll the streets of Santa Barbara, Montecito, Summerland and beyond and enjoy all the local stores and offerings. Filled with pleasurable architecture, small plazas and cafes, some of the most prominent shopping areas are…

1) La Cumbre Plaza 2) Paseo Nuevo 3) Coast Village Road – Montecito 4) State Street – Santa Barbara

Further Reading:

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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Things to Do in Santa Barbara, California – Solvang, Santa Ynez, Lake Cachuma, Wine Tours

kevinschmidtchen — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:17:23 +0000

Whether you are a local, in town visiting family and/or friends, or here on vacation in Santa Barbara, California, there is never a lack of activities and things to do in our wonderful seaside resort community. Here below is the sixth installment in a series of articles that point out some of Santa Barbara’s most prominent local attractions. Some of these will be cultural, some dining, some active pursuits and some I am still deciding on. This sixth installment will be focusing on…

Solvang, Santa Ynez, Lake Cachuma and Wine Tours:

Solvang is the biggest “city” in the Santa Ynez Valley and is the “Danish Capital” of America. Many of the local residents have roots in Denmark and the town is filled with Danish shops, bakeries, eating establishments and gift shops. Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and Ballard are all very charming towns and world renowned for their vineyards, art galleries and equestrian culture.

Old Mission Santa Ines – The Santa Ynez Mission is one of the 21 missions built in California from 1769 to 1836. It also marks the first European settlement in The Santa Ynez Valley.

Lake Cachuma- The Lake Cachuma area is a picturesque recreationarea set gently in the Santa Ynez Mountain range. With numerous campsites and only 35 minutes from Santa Barbara, Lake Cachuma is a terrific day or overnight trip to go boating, fishing or simply relax. From the Lake Cachuma area you can also organize guided nature trips throughout the region.

Wine Tours – The Santa Ynez Valley offers a variety of wonderful vineyard tours and events. Here are a few sites of interest for both tours and the wineries themselves. Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association, Sustainable Vine, Wine Adventures of Santa Barbara, Wine Tours Santa Ynez

Further Reading: Lifestyle/Things to Do Articles in Santa Barbara, California, Things to Do in Santa Barbara, California – The Downtown Area, Things to Do in Santa Barbara – The Mission District, Things to Do in Santa Barbara – The Waterfront, Golf Courses in the Santa Barbara Area

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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Things to Do in Santa Barbara, California – The Waterfront

kevinschmidtchen — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 21:56:20 +0000

Whether you are a local, in town visiting family and/or friends, or here on vacation in Santa Barbara, California, there is never a lack of activities and things to do in our wonderful seaside resort community. Here below is the third installment in a series of articles that point out some of Santa Barbara’s most prominent local attractions. Some of these will be cultural, some dining, some active pursuits and some I am still deciding on. This third installment will be focusing on…

Santa Barbara Waterfront:

The Waterfront runs along the coastline from Leadbetter Beach to Buttefly Beach. This scenic area is a natural fit for outdoor pursuits including walking, running, rollerblading, kitesurfing, fishing, boating etc. Most weekends there is a Sunday Arts and Crafts Show along East Beach starting at Stearns Wharf. Chase Palm Park is also a great area to explore and relax.

Andree Clark Bird Refuge – This peaceful lagoon and garden sits north of East Beach and lies adjacent to The Santa Barbara Zoo. For many it is a great starting/ending point for biking, jogging and skating. The trails and footpaths, punctuated by signs identifying native and migratory birds, skirt the lagoon.

Santa Barbara Harbor and Breakwater - Santa Barbara’s Harbor is a quaint and picturesque working harbor. Always busy with tourists and locals, it is a great place to walk, eat, purchase fresh fish and take in wonderful views of the coastline and local mountains. An institution here in Santa Barbara, Brophy Brother’s Restaurant is a fabulous place to enjoy the sea-breeze and view of The Harbor and Mountains. Today there are roughly 1200 boats in The Harbor with a decent waiting list for the larger slips.

Maritime Museum - Located in the scenic Santa Barbara Harbor, The Maritime Museum presents the region’s rich local maritime history and offers a wide range of educational programs, tours and summer camps. There is an audio-visual seagoing experience for all, a special section for children as well as a permanent exhibit showcasing Santa Barbara’s surf culture.

Stearns Wharf and Ty Warner Sea Center - An icon here in Santa Barbara, Stearns Wharf provides a fabulous ocean experience for all. While you are taking in the gorgeous local views back towards the city or out to see, you will see plenty of locals and tourists casting a line, eating at several establishments including The Harbor Restaurant, Moby Dick Restaurant and The Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, shopping or just strolling around. The Ty Warner Sea Center is situated on Stearns Wharf and is an engaging, fun and interactive marine education facility.

Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show - Established in 1965 by local artists, The Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show was inspired by the sidewalk art shows of Europe and the prestigious “Jardin del Arte” in Mexico City. Sponsored by the City Parks and Recreation Department since 1966, the show is now the only continuous, non-juried arts festival of original drawings, paintings, graphics, sculpture, crafts and photography in the world.

Santa Barbara Zoo – The Zoo is situated on 30 acres of lush gardens spread across a knoll overlooking the Pacific Ocean and our coastline here in Santa Barbara, adjacent to the Bird Refuge and East Beach. The Santa Barbara Zoo is a terrific visually entertaining spot.

Whale Watching - The rich Santa Barbara Channel offer a variety of amazing marine life that draws people from throughout the world. One of the great experiences is to take in the migrating whales that include grays, humpbacks, minke, fin, sperm and the largest on earth, the blue whales. Along the trip you are also almost guaranteed to see dolphin and porpoises jumping around the ship in true delight. Coastal trips take place from February through April, while Island whale watching trips take place from May through December.

Further Reading: Lifestyle/Things to Do Articles in Santa Barbara, California, Things to Do in Santa Barbara, California – The Downtown Area, Things to Do in Santa Barbara – The Mission District, The Oceanfront Areas, Summer Arts, Festivals and Culture in Santa Barbara CA

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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The Premier Gated Golfing Community of Birnam Wood Country Club, Montecito CA.

kevinschmidtchen — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:28:08 +0000

Birnam Wood is located in the heart of Montecito CA., and is considered the premier gated golfing community within Santa Barbara. Birnam Wood first started development in the early 1970’s and is made up of only single family homes and estates and consists of a total of 142 unique homes with currently 2-3 vacant lots left to build on.

Most of the homes in Birnam Wood are very private feeling and line the golf course. All homes primarily sit on 1 acre parcels (although the net land of these parcels is less as easements often extend into the golf course and/or road). All homes must be single level with a footprint of 3,000 to 6,000 sqft. There are no true restrictions on styles of homes within Birnam Wood and you will find a large variety consisting of French Normandy, Cottage, Ranch, Contemporary etc. Most of the estates within Birnam Wood also enjoy wonderful views of the local Santa Ynez Mountains.

When purchasing a home within Birnam Wood, you are also required to purchase a corporate membership to the club which currently stands at $85,000, with monthly dues of $545 for the membership and $285 for the Home Owner’s Association.

Real estate prices within Birnam Wood range from a starting point of around $3 Million and go up to about $8 Million.

The course itself is very challenging because of its numerous small, fast, and potentially deceiving greens. Several water hazards are spotted throughout the course while well placed sand bunkers protect the fairways and greens. The course is 5,890 yards from the longest tees and is a par 70. The course rating is 68.7 with a slope rating of 121. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the course opened for play in 1968. There are also 4 hard court tennis courts at the club as well as two clay court surfaces.

View: Map of Birnam Wood

View: Current Homes for Sale in Birnam Wood

View: Current Montecito Homes for Sale up to $7.5 Million

View: Current Montecito Homes for Sale $7.5 Million and Above

Further Reading:

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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Santa Barbara Golf Courses – Public and Private

kevinschmidtchen — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:11:20 +0000

Looking for a great golf experience here in the Santa Barbara, Montecito, Goleta and surrounding areas. The golfing scene here in Santa Barbara is excellent with a range of prices and choices to suit every level. Because of the superb weather here in Santa Barbara, golf is played year-round.

Below I have outlined a list of all the local and private courses in our area.

Public 18 Hole Golf Courses

Sandpiper: Sitting on a wonderful perch directly along the coastline, Sandpiper is one of the most picturesque golf courses around. Sandpiper is a memorable experience for anyone with a true combination of challenge and beauty. It has been rated by Golf Digest as one of the top 25 public courses in the country. If you play from the tips it is a long 7000+ yards. Many professional level tournaments have been hosted here. The facilities include a putting green, a wonderful scenic driving range, golf shop and restaurant.

Santa Barbara Golf Club: Don’t let the city course distinction fool you…this coures is a wonderful place to play. It is centrally located here in Santa Barbara and has wonderful views of the mountains and some ocean peaks. The staff is great and they try and move play along at a decent pace. The course itself is challenging and is taken care of very well. With the combination of lower green fees and location, it is the most popular course in town. The facilities include a putting green, driving range, golf shop and restaurant.

Rancho San Marcos: If you are looking for sun and scenery, this is the place. Set “over the hill” towards The Santa Ynez Valley, Rancho San Marcos is a challenging Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed course and is considered by many the premier course in the area. Located about a 20 minute drive from Downtown Santa Barbara, the course has wonderful meandering topography, a seasonal stream, ancient oaks and often local wildlife running around. The facilities include a putting green, a scenic driving range, golf shop and restaurant.

Glenn Annie: Glenn Annie offers big ocean views and lots of undulating greens and topography. Golf cart is included in the green fees and is mandatory. Set in the hills of Goleta, the natural beauty of the location is also the setting for three different habitats. The facilities include a putting green, driving range, golf shop and a restaurant that is also popular for events because of the views and quality.

La Purisima Golf Course: Located about 45 minutes from Santa Barbara, La Purisima offers as hard of a challenge as any of the courses. Often locals will make early tee times as wind can sometimes become an issue later on. At just over 7100+ yard, the course is set beautifully in its natural surroundings. The facilities include a putting green, driving range, golf shop and restaurant.

River Course at Alisal: The River Course is a great destination and often combined with visitors heading to the Wine Country. This course was featured in the 2004 movie, Sideways. Great views of the Santa Ynez Mountains, a laid back feel and plenty of sunshine. The facilities include a putting green, driving range, golf shop and restaurant.

Public 9 Hole Golf Courses

Twin Lakes: This course is generally geared towards golf education, golf practice and the driving range. Generally the course has numerous “learners” so be patient if you go. The facilities include a putting green, driving range and golf shop.

Ocean Meadows: Ocean Meadows is located out close to UCSB and is a good choice if you want to drive the ball, but don’t have too much time. A friendly staff is there at all times. Often during your round you will see numerous cranes, herons and egrets flying around. The facilities include a putting green, driving range and snack shop.

Hidden Oaks: Hidden Oaks has a good variety of par 3 holes and is set amongst a small housing community. Some decent mountain views and a price point that fits all. The facilities include a putting green and the course is often ranked the best par 3 in town.

Private Courses

Birnam Wood: Set in the lush high-end community of Montecito, Birnam Wood takes accuracy. It is a gorgeous course, but has several expensive homes lining the fairways so take your “A” game.

La Cumbre Golf and Country Club: Set in the lush high-end community of Hope Ranch, La Cumbre is a jewel with a great setting. Well taken care of and a wonderful challenging course makes for a terrific experience.

Montecito Country Club: Set on the perimeter of Montecito, this course has good ocean views. Owned by Ty Warner, this course is set to be completely redesigned in the coming years to take better advantage of its great location.

The Valley Club of Montecito: Probably the most private kept course here in Montecito, The Valley Club is an older traditional course with well kept facilities.

Practice Center

Tee Time Practice Center: Friendly practice area within easy access to Carpinteria, Montecito and Santa Barbara.

Further Reading:

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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Things to Do in Santa Barbara, California – The Mission District

kevinschmidtchen — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:33:41 +0000

Whether you are a local, in town visiting family and/or friends, or here on vacation in Santa Barbara, California, there is never a lack of activities and things to do in our wonderful seaside resort community. Here below is the second installment in a series of articles that point out some of Santa Barbara’s most prominent local attractions. Some of these will be cultural, some dining, some active pursuits and some I am still deciding on. This second installment will be focusing on…

Santa Barbara Mission District:

The Mission District is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Santa Barbara and is home to the neighborhoods of The Upper East and Mission Canyon. Many of the older homes in Santa Barbara can be found in these areas with larger lots, mature growth, numerous sandstone walls, boulders and seasonal creeks.

The Botanic Garden - Set on 78 acres and with over 5 miles of walking trails, this wonderful outing provides you with a look into our state’s rare and indigenous plants. A peaceful day exploring will also be rewarded with sweeping Channel Island views as well as numerous mountain top views. The Botanic Garden is an educational and scientific institution and fosters stewardship of the natural world through inspired learning, rigorous scholarship, and premier displays.

The Santa Barbara Mission – It would be hard to visit Santa Barbara and not go to The Mission. Known in California as the “Queen of the Missions”, it is the only one of California’s 21 Missions to be continuously occupied by the Franciscans. It still functions as a church to this day with self-guided tours daily.

Museum of Natural History – Set on eleven oak-shaded acres in the historic Mission Canyon area, The Museum of Natural History features eleven exhibit halls, focusing primarily on regional natural history, including birds, insects, mammals, marine life, paleontology, Native Americans and the Chumash Indians. The Museum houses the largest collection of Chumash Indian artifacts outside the Smithsonian.

Further Reading:

Thank you for reading. I hope you find Santa Barbara Real Estate Voice informative. Please feel free to contact me or comment below with any thoughts.

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