Rebecca Horrigan

Writer at Santa Barbara Independent

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Articles

Cooking with Heart

2 weeks ago | independent.com | Rebecca Horrigan

It was a busy day at the Riviera Ridge School. I’d just taught my two morning blocks of 6th- and 7th-grade English, rushed to recess duty, and barely remembered to finish my coffee, let alone find a snack. I stumbled into the teachers’ lounge, hoping to possibly grab a leftover doughnut from a kid’s birthday, but instead, I feasted my eyes on a platter of Rice Krispies Treats.
First 5 Santa Barbara County Strengthens Home Visiting Services

2 weeks ago | independent.com | Rebecca Horrigan

As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and First 5 Santa Barbara County is stepping in to support families every day, setting children on paths toward their brightest possible futures. First 5 prepares children for kindergarten through a variety of services that help families grow strong and resilient, in areas such as, health, education, nutrition, family planning, and more.
Coming Up Roses at Montecito’s San Ysidro Ranch

3 weeks ago | independent.com | Rebecca Horrigan

Anyone who has dined at the San Ysidro Ranch’s Stonehouse knows that the experience is just as much about a great meal as it is about enjoying a pre- or post-dinner walk around their stunning gardens tucked into the green foothills of Montecito. The property hosts 38 vine-covered cottages that feel as if you have entered a storybook paradise. No visit is complete without ogling the citrus groves, olive trees, lily pond magnolias, jasmine, and the pride of springtime — the Rose Garden.
Business Is Blooming at MaBelle’s Garden

1 month ago | independent.com | Rebecca Horrigan

Eileen Cavanaugh of MaBelle’s Garden | Photo: Courtesy“It’s like painting with flowers,” Eileen Cavanaugh said of her artistic approach to designing floral arrangements for MaBelle’s Garden, the Ojai-based business she owns and where she collaborates with her daughter Ruby Haber.
Montessori Center School Now Offers Spanish Immersion Program

2 months ago | independent.com | Rebecca Horrigan

With outdoor learning opportunities, a strong commitment to nurturing the “whole child,” and a new one-of-a-kind Spanish Immersion Program, a Montessori Center School (“MCS”) education offers a multitude of benefits for any young student. The Spanish Immersion Program, which launched this fall, has taken off with families who want their children to expand their global awareness, linguistic adaptability, and cultural appreciation in an environment that is designed for exploratory learning.
The Learningden Preschool Teaches and Nurtures the Whole Child

2 months ago | independent.com | Rebecca Horrigan

The Learningden Preschool offers students an enriching education full of meaningful moments of individualized learning through plenty of outdoor play and thoughtful teaching. Children from 18 months to 5 years old can experience Learningden’s beautiful campus and robust features, including a STEAM lab, library, art room, and kids’ kitchen. Music, dance, and close social bonds are championed at this school, which aims to educate the whole child.
La Paloma’s New Chef John Parker Brings a Fresh Farmer Focus to Menu

2 months ago | independent.com | Rebecca Horrigan

The classic Victorian building on the corner of Anacapa and Ortega streets, with a sprawling patio bathed in bougainvillea, has been home to a few different concepts, but key aspects remain. Since opening in 1940 as Jenny’s Paloma Café, it’s sparkled with charm and comforting meals, and when it was Paradise Café, it slung my favorite margaritas in town. The well-loved space continues to stride vibrantly into its foodie future with Chef John Parker taking the reins as executive chef.
Organic Oren Meal Service Serves Up Tasty and Nourishing Eats

2 months ago | edhat.com | Rebecca Horrigan

Organic Oren Meal Service Serves Up Tasty and Nourishing Eats by Rebecca Horrigan April 17, 2025, 9:07 am 13 Views Photo Credit: Organic Oren Opening a fresh order from LA-based meal service Organic Oren feels like receiving the most beautiful, tasty, healthy, and nourishing lunch packed by your very stylish mother (or someone who loves you a whole awful lot). Sinking a colorful, zesty and crunchy homemade veggie chip into their silky green Guacamole with Charred Poblano Crema, I felt as if I...
Ty Warner Tasting Collective

2 months ago | edhat.com | Rebecca Horrigan

The first time I visited San Ysidro Ranch’s Stonehouse for dinner, it was love at first sight. The sprawling patio with twinkly lights, impeccably maintained gardens bursting with bougainvillea and bright yellow lemons, not to mention their impeccable service, had me enraptured before even trying a bite of food. I could see immediately why John and Jackie Kennedy, Winston Churchill, and Audrey Hepburn frequented these sweet little cottages nestled in the hills of Montecito.
Review | What the World Needs Now Is More Burt Bacharach

Mar 28, 2025 | independent.com | Rebecca Horrigan

Audience members at the charming and centrally located Ventura Majestic Theater on Saturday night were put in a time machine back to the 1960s and ’70s for the thoroughly bedazzled Burt Bacharach Songbook in Concert. Led by musical director Rob Shirakbari, who was Bacharach’s musical director for most of his career, Todd Rundgren, Wendy Moten, and a nine-piece multi-instrumentalist ensemble packed the nearly three-hour show with stellar versions of Bacharach’s slew of hits.