The Bachelor

I got a telephone call today from the casting director for ABC’s The Bachelor. She wants Coastal Woman to help her find the next bachelor, explaining she is looking for someone from Southern Califfornia who is handsome, single, charismatic and successful.

I thought about suggesting Wendy McCaw’s very own Arthur von Weisenburger because, after all, he is technically single and sans children, as far as I know.

Then I remembered she said she wanted someone handsome, single, charismatic and successful. Maybe they could make the show into a comedy with Wendy flinging lawsuits at each of the women as they fawn all over Nipper for a rose?

Barbara Lanz-Mateo
Publisher of Coastal Woman

P.S. If you do know an eligible bachelor or two, send them my way. While I am happily married, I am looking for bachelors for our next bachelor auction at the end of September. That’s where we raise money for Women’s Economic Ventures. Let me know! barbara@coastalwoman.com

Where to Shop?

In the last few years, as the one-of-a-kind boutiques on State Street downtown have gone the way of the stoplight on the 101, shopping has become almost impossible for me here in Santa Barbara. At age fiftymumblemumble, I’m not wearing something with the word “Juicy” on my butt, and I’m not going to pay several hundred dollars for a pair of jeans. But I find my options are narrowing. Betsey Johnson? Not for me! Becca:Christian? Three hundred dollars for a shirt? Old Navy? I can afford it but I won’t wear cheap clothes made for teenagers.

I live up by LaCumbre Mall, which has undergone such a radical transformation I have to slap myself to make certain I’m not in Sherman Oaks. Tiffany. I love Tiffany. My husband will never shop there. He thinks earrings made by Liz Claiborn are special … Louis Vuitton is on its way in, too.  If I come home with a purse from LV, I will have to use the paddles to shock my husband back to life.

I hear Neiman Marcus is scheduled to make an appearance, replacing one of the two Macy’s. I don’t know if that’s true or not, so don’t quote me. Remember when Nordstrom used to be the expensive place in town? Now it’s becoming the most reasonable place to shop.

I don’t know if this bothers anyone else or not. Shopping in Ventura, especially on Main Street, is really fun. Lots of boutiques and unusual treasures.

Just like downtown Santa Barbara used to be.

Where do you shop?  Let’s make a list of great places left to shop in Santa Barbara that are unique. Downtown: Socorro. Bloom. Diani. On upper State Street: Chique Boutique and Just a Little Something.

What else?

Barbara Lanz-Mateo
Publisher, Coastal Woman

The Great(?) Debate

Did you watch the Democratic presidential “debate” on ABC this week? ABC moderators George Stephanopoulos and Charlie Gibson spent the first hour insulting voters by never asking a single question about the economy, health care, the war, or any other number of pressing issues facing this country. Instead, they assumed we would rather know the answer to the question as to why Obama doesn’t wear a lapel pin with the American flag on it and that we want to hear more rant about the pastor of his church.

As a journalist-by-training, I am ashamed of the media and its assumption that we viewers and voters are too ignorant to grasp anything more than a sound-bite and gossip.

Gosh it’s hard to be an informed voter these days. And it couldn’t be a more important time to actually be informed!

Barbara Lanz-Mateo,
Publisher, Coastal Woman

Mr. Santa Barbara

I just had lunch today with Larry Crandell. I know it sounds like hyperbole, but Larry really is one of the gems of our city’s crown jewels.

I first met Larry back in 2002 or so. It was at the opening of one of the first Curves for Women locations. He introduced himself to me and my husband, then he said to my husband: “Your mother is beautiful”—meaning ME. He thought my husband was my son. I wasn’t sure how much I liked the old fart that day. Talk about an ego deflation …

Since that day, I have had the pleasure of working with Larry on the board of directors for the Santa Barbara Education Foundation and of talking with him at various functions around town. The old fart has really grown on me. After we ran a story about Larry and his mother in one of last year’s issues, he invited me to lunch at Harry’s. There he lost the moniker of “old fart” and became, instead, lovely Larry.

We meet periodically for lunch, during which Larry and I try to out-wit each other with one-liners. He always wins, but I am happy to report I can hold my own with him.

We are so fortunate to have the wit, generosity and class of this octogenarian (he turned 85 on April 5), and I am so fortunate to know him. I wish I’d met him before I did (in 2002) because I really enjoy his company.

If you every have the opportunity to chat with Larry, do. I’m lucky to do so periodically myself.

Barbara Lanz-Mateo
Publisher