On May 9, about 300 supporters of UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) enjoyed a swanky affair featuring food personality, author, and raconteur Anthony Bourdain on the scenic grounds of the S.B Historical Museum. The event’s theme was celebrating Santa Barbara, but its purpose was raising funds for A&L programming and educational outreach programs. With tickets starting at $1,000 and lots of pricey sponsorships, the event enabled A&L to recover from the hole caused by the twin disasters, which impacted both donations and ticket sales, and to set aside funding for educational outreach programs.
The evening began in the lower courtyard with scrumptious hors d’oeuvres by Les Marchands chef Weston Richards, Loquita executive chef Peter Lee, and Michael’s Catering chef Michael Hutchings, with the latter preparing succulent sauteed abalone. Guests then were seated in the main courtyard, where Miller McCune Executive Director Celesta M. Billeci welcomed them and thanked lead sponsors Lynda Weinman, Bruce Heavin, and Sara Miller McCune. Sherry Villanueva, the visionary behind the event, explained how local food and wine purveyors came together to showcase what is special about Santa Barbara and show how the food and wine scene here matches the arts and culture that A&L brings to us. Guests dined on slow-cooked California lamb ribs or roasted West Coast sea bass prepared by The Lark Executive Chef Jason Paluska. More than 25 local food and beverage purveyors were featured in the evening.
In a short video, Billeci explained how a critical component of A&L is providing educational outreach opportunities. She related how the need for this is greater now than ever because university and K-12 school budgets have been significantly decreased, resulting in program cuts for the arts. Funds raised during the ask will go to A&L’s educational outreach programs.