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CRISTAL’S PICKS: SANTA BARBARA EVENTS IN APRIL 2022

March 31, 2022

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The Spring Has Sprung Edition

Spring is a very special time in Santa Barbara, with our enticing outdoor adventures, delicious culinary experiences, inspiring cultural attractions, and unique Santa Barbara events in April. In fact, all the ingredients for enjoyment can be found right here in our sunny seaside paradise. At this time of year, Santa Barbara can be as relaxing or adventurous as you want.

Those who live in Santa Barbara County should take full advantage of the great outdoors, from the mountains to the sea. Clear your mind and breathe in the fresh air on a scenic hike among the wildflowers that cover our hillsides. Take a spin along our coastal bike path or get around downtown without a car by using our city’s 80 electric bike stations placed in convenient locations including State Street, the Mission, and the waterfront. This is the perfect time of year to get out on the water and surf, paddleboard, kayak, whale watch or just relax and soak up some serious beach vibes. And if all that’s not enough, here are some choice, not to miss, Santa Barbara events in April:


Special Event

Blessing of the Fleet Ceremony, Stearns Wharf, April 2, 2022

An old image of a boat with Sterns Wharf in the background to illustrate a Santa Barbara Spring event

Photo Credit: Santa Barbara Yacht Club

This year marks the 150th Anniversary of both the Santa Barbara Yacht Club and Stearns Wharf. The Santa Barbara Yacht Club would like to celebrate this milestone with an all-fleet blessing.

The Blessing of the Fleet is a tradition that began centuries ago in the fishing communities of the Mediterranean. Father Larry Gosselin, along with Father Dan Lackie of the Old Mission Santa Barbara will bless both commercial and pleasure vessels.


Theatre

Al Franken at the Lobero Theater

Photo Credit: The Lobero Theater


An Evening with Al Franken, The Lobero Theater, Friday, April 1, 2022

Lobero Live presents an evening with the only U.S. Senator who was also one of the original writers for Saturday Night Live, Franken won five Emmy® Awards for writing and producing during his fifteen seasons with SNL. He’s also the author of four #1 New York Times bestsellers and host of The Al Franken Podcast – one of the nation’s top-ten politics and public affairs podcasts.


Music

Seafood Bowl, Zaca Mesa Winery, April 2, 2022
How does savoring a mouthwatering seafood boil of shrimp and crawfish sound to you? Delicious, right? Well, our friends at Valley Piggery are pulling out all the stops for this one. Enjoy this tasty seafood buffet with your favorite TREAD Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Guests will be serenaded with live music from Jinneane Coderre, weaving her melodies as you bask in this wine country paradise.


Art

Image of a Vincent Van Gogh painting to show the virtual reality showing in santa barbara

Photo Credit: MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation


The Night Café, Van Gogh Virtual Reality Experience, Saturdays, MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, March 5 – May 21, 2022

The Night Cafe is an award-winning immersive virtual reality environment that allows users to explore the world of Vincent van Gogh as never before. Step into the vivid colors straight from his palette; enjoy his iconic sunflowers in three dimensions or walk around the chair he painted in his bedroom to see it from another angle. Exploring the environments of these paintings in 3D space allows users access to areas that can’t be seen in the original artwork. For instance, rooms behind doors, objects hidden from view, and people turned away from the viewer.


Dining

Easter Brunch
The best way to celebrate Easter Sunday, April 17 in Santa Barbara is by taking advantage of our rich culinary scene. The American Riviera overflows with epicurean surprises, fueled by passion and creativity inspired by the region’s abundant bounty. The publishers of Gayot, your guide to the good life, put together a list local spots to enjoy Easter brunch. And you can trust them. Since 1969, the publication has been sharing restaurant, wine and spirit, lifestyle, healthy living, and travel reviews written by a handpicked, worldwide team of discerning professionals. Keep in mind, reservations go quickly.


Another great way to celebrate Santa Barbara events in April is by creating your own event designed to take advantage of the Spring real estate market. If you plan to move in and around any of the Santa Barbara area communities, please give me a call at (805) 886-9378 or email me at Cristal@montecito-estate.com for a free consultation regarding selling and buying. 


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Client Reviews

“Cristal Clarke has conducted numerous real estate transactions for me beginning 13 years ago with the purchase of a Lemon Ranch. She has handled both large and small purchases and sales with equal dedication. As a negotiator, you can’t find anyone better. Her transactions are always conducted in the most appropriate and professional manner. Cristal has considerable knowledge of the Santa Barbara market.”

- S.N. Decker Ph.D.

“Living in Europe, we were to say the least, unaccustomed to the nuances of Real Estate acquisition in California and Cristal steered us through the process with absolute professionalism and personal attention to detail at every turn. Her in-depth knowledge of the market place combined with enthusiasm and drive was the only reason we secured the property of our dreams and will be forever grateful. If you are looking for personal discrete and private representation of the highest quality we suggest you look no further than Cristal Clarke.”

- Johan and Paula van den Berg

“Cristal is very straightforward, cheerful, helpful, professional and trustworthy….we felt very lucky to work with her.”

- John and Lacey Williams

“After considering our many choices, we are grateful it was Cristal Clarke of Sotheby’s International who represented the sale of our Montecito cottage. We are familiar with Cristal’s reputation of hard work and dedication to clients, but it was her attention to detail that made our experience so positive. She offered suggestions for staging the property, worked in harmony with potential buyers and was even able to secure back up offers. The sale of our cottage was completed much sooner than we expected, due in great part to Cristal’s professional skills and support. We highly recommend Cristal as a first choice for anyone needing representation with real estate.”

- Michael & Nancy Lee

“Our experience in working with Cristal Clarke resulted in the successful and discrete acquisition of a property which was not yet on the open market. Her knowledge of the Montecito/Santa Barbara area and vast expertise blended with her passion for real estate and architecture, provided us with the very highest level of professionalism and personalized services. Cristal exhibited a rare combination of excellent communications, attention to detail, creativity and patience.”

- Richard and Catherine Frinier

“Cristal really breaks the mold. She knows every nook and cranny of this real estate market, understands value, and follows up on everything, all the time. She was incredibly patient with our two year quest to find the perfect house. Every house hunting trip from across the country was well planned, and our time was never wasted. On top of her professionalism and expertise, she is delightful to spend time with. We are thrilled with the home we purchased, and grateful to Cristal for so wisely advising us through this process, right through to the close and beyond.”

- Laurie Siegel

“We met Cristal first in the course of renting a winter home (for three years), then buying a house using her as our agent. She was amazingly good at listening to our wants and showing us homes that fit our needs. Her mastery of the paperwork was perfect. Most importantly, there was never a situation where we doubted her straightforwardness or integrity. If we do another real estate transaction in Montecito (which I doubt, we’re happy with what we purchased), without question we’d use Cristal again.”

- Ken Saffir

“Susan and I just want to thank you for your efforts in the sale of our home. You are really quite amazing. Your competence, persistence, optimism and humor made the entire process effortless. Every problem that arose, you somehow fixed; any obstacle, you overcame. We have bought and sold many homes. It has never been such a painless and enjoyable process!”

- Michael & Susan Marquart

“A little something about “our” realtor, Cristal Clarke. My wife and I came to Santa Barbara about fifteen years ago looking for a seasonal home from which to enjoy the weather and amenities of the central coast. Being in the real estate business myself I was familiar with agents and brokers so entered the market with open eyes. We “flipped” a few houses in the early years, dealing with various agents and finally ended up in Montecito. That’s when good fortune put us together with Cristal. To say we were impressed is to put it mildly. Cristal really knows the market. She is familiar with the area, its history and trends. When we have questions about a particular property she either has the answers immediately or gets back to us by phone or email. There is no waiting or wondering with Cristal. She is an agent who is “on top of it.” Her recommendations as to price points, contractors, inspectors and title agents have proven to be exceptional, showing great insight and the highest professional standards. We consider ourselves exceedingly fortunate to say that Cristal Clarke is our realtor and would recommend her services to any serious buyer or seller.”

- Rob & Judi Kelch