Matt Ritter, professor of botany at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and author of the new book California Plants, for a visual tour and celebration of California’s iconic native flora.

There are more than 5,000 native species in California. One in five is now rare or endangered, and Ritter's richly illustrated field guide to those spectacular natives seeks to raise awareness of the unique beauty that’s at risk. Former California Governor Jerry Brown writes in the book’s foreword, “Matt Ritter teaches us to better understand how our future is linked to that of all other living things: our soil, our microbiota, and our wonderful and indomitable native plants.”

Matt will use his beautiful photographs, insight and humor to share the natural history of California's fascinating plants. A book signing will follow the presentation.

Dr. Matt Ritter grew up in rural Mendocino County. After earning a bachelor's degree in microbiology from UC Santa Barbara, he attended UC San Diego for a PhD in plant biology. He’s the author of several books, including the funniest and best-selling guide to California’s urban forest, A Californian’s Guide to the Trees among Us (Heyday, 2011). He gave an entertaining lecture to the Horticultural Society about that book at the time.

Matt has also authored many scientific papers, writes a regular column about tree diversity for Pacific Horticulture and won the Cal Poly Excellence in Teaching Award and the Western Chapter International Society of Arboriculture Award for Excellence in Education. He's an avid woodworker, mason and gardener.

Great Wines (and lots more) for a Good Cause!

In the Roman period the tendency to individualize or “personalize” the Egyptian mummy (or its case), which had to some extent always existed in Pharaonic culture, became much more pronounced. The process culminated in the creation of the “portrait mummy”, or “portrait shroud” which carried a vividly painted representation of the deceased, and showed him or her in contemporary clothing. What were the aims or goals of this “personalization” of the mummy? In this lecture a number of different interpretations of the Roman portrait mummy will be considered, with the aim of arriving at a fuller and more nuanced understanding of the evidence.

Image: "Portrait of a girl with a large hairpin," ca. 100 AD (detail). Encaustic on wood. Trier, Städtisches Museum, Simeonstift, inv. III 640.

In the Roman period the tendency to individualize or “personalize” the Egyptian mummy (or its case), which had to some extent always existed in Pharaonic culture, became much more pronounced. The process culminated in the creation of the “portrait mummy”, or “portrait shroud” which carried a vividly painted representation of the deceased, and showed him or her in contemporary clothing. What were the aims or goals of this “personalization” of the mummy? In this lecture a number of different interpretations of the Roman portrait mummy will be considered, with the aim of arriving at a fuller and more nuanced understanding of the evidence.

Image: "Portrait of a girl with a large hairpin," ca. 100 AD (detail). Encaustic on wood. Trier, Städtisches Museum, Simeonstift, inv. III 640.

Enjoy collectively created music and performances by avant-garde and traditional musicians, new age practitioners, and surprise guest artists on a handmade carillon. Image: "Commonfield Clay," Performance by Chris Kallmyer, Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St. Louis, MO, 2015. Photograph by Carly Ann Faye.

Join us for this colorful show of new work by Sheryl Schroeder!

Aug 8, 15, 22, 29, Sept 5 Thurs 7 – 9 PM “Discover the Five Wisdoms” with Resident Teacher, Dawa Tarchin Phillips Dawa’s 5 Week Course

Multi-platinum award-winning singer, songwriter and global superstar Josh Groban will perform at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Sept 5th.

The new weekly local radio show, “Solutions News Radio,” hosted by Rinaldo Brutoco, president and founder of the World Business Academy, will air live this Friday from 5-6 p.m. on KZSB 1290AM radio. There will be replay broadcasts Friday from 11 p.m.– 12 a.m., Saturday from 5-6 p.m., and again on Sunday from 9-10 a.m. The show is also available on demand as a podcast on Apple podcasts, SoundCloud, or Solutionsnews.org.

The new weekly local radio show, “Solutions News Radio,” hosted by Rinaldo Brutoco, president and founder of the World Business Academy, will air live this Friday from 5-6 p.m. on KZSB 1290AM radio. There will be replay broadcasts Friday from 11 p.m.– 12 a.m., Saturday from 5-6 p.m., and again on Sunday from 9-10 a.m. The show is also available on demand as a podcast on Apple podcasts, SoundCloud, or Solutionsnews.org.

DANCEworks welcomes award-winning choreographer and director Doug Varone and his New York City-based company, Doug Varone and Dancers, for the 2019 residency. Award-winning choreographer and director Doug Varone works in dance, theater, opera, film, and fashion. His New York City-based Doug Varone and Dancers has been commissioned and presented to critical acclaim by leading international

  Be prepared for a medical emergency or an unexpected event! Pepperdine Law School and OneJustice’s Justice Bus Project® are partnering to provide FREE legal assistance to individuals of all ages interested in estate planning. During the clinic, participants will meet one-on-one with volunteers to complete simple wills, advanced healthcare directives and power of attorney.   Clinic Details: FREE Estate Planning Legal Clinic Date: Friday, September