The Journal

September in Santa Barbara is the peak of our summer. August, September and October are much less foggy than the early summer months in our central coast zone. The trees aren’t so much changing color yet as wilting under the relentless sun. It is a time of year that reminds me that California has always been a cultural and geographic extension of Mexico. Growing up in the Beachtown Bohemia of Santa Cruz, several hours north along the California coast, I was raised to see these late summer/early autumn months as suited to Mexican cooking: cilantro and lime, an abundance of late season avocados mashed into a tangy guacamole, and shrimp tacos doused in MexiCali hot sauce. I wanted the next Slow Supper to celebrate this sexy, hazy, slightly overheated beachtown bohemian feeling with a meal and a caftan silhouette to embody this feeling.

A group of local friends gathered in my gravel side garden to drink Mezcal and Pacificos and tuck into my guacamole (recipe from a friend from Mexico City: no tomatoes, extra cilantro.) In a nod to Californiana, the table was set with prints of my gouache illustrations of taco sauces accompanied by prose such as, “True luxury is a homemade corn tortilla,” and “The energy was William Blake meets Las Palmas Taco Bar.” A a true celebration of our low key coastal culture. 

My kindred spirit creative friend, Kelly Hatchett of @laveredasb, who was raised in Santa Barbara, wore the evening’s featured caftan, the Inez dress. Hewn of a slinky lightweight matte woven fabric, the dress is a classic Moroccan caftan shape, but features a deep front center slit that allows for movement, and three-quarter length sleeves that make it suitable for cooking. The vertical stripe of the dress calls to mind the pinky-burnt red of bougainvillea.

We dined outside with Mexican beer and simple homemade tacos and fresh guacamole (I like it with spice) to a playlist masterfully curated by Niklas Odman, whom I met during our family's travels to Sweden (Niklas is the head sommelier at Ett Hem and also curate's the hotel's phenomenal music that wafts around the lobby, nooks and restaurant.) We wrapped the Slow Supper marveling at the simple childlike pleasure of an It’s-It ice cream sandwich (a Northern California institution.) When everyone left, the patio bricks still warm from the day’s heat, and I picked up beer bottles in a happy post-party afterglow.

Comrades in Beachtown Bohemia:

Kelly and Che Hatchett @laveredasb
Justin Carpenter @elranchocarpintero
Isa Hendry Eaton @isabirddesign
Blakeney Sanford @blakeneysanford
Maj and Frederik Henriques www.creativenotes.dk
Jesse and Brian DeLowe @jessiedelowe @briandelowe

 

Playlist

The Olivia Joffrey Experience by Niklas Odman - Mexico meets California, soul and salsa and guitarra and Latin-inflected chic. Like the urbane mothers from Mexico City whom I remember admiring poolside as a child: black string bikini, gold bracelets, sleek chignon and dark tan.

Limited-edition

Inez Dress in Bougainvillea Stripe. 

Hot Sauce Prints – limited-edition print of a gouache illustration - series of 6, signed and numbered, and can be customized with prose. 8.5 x 5” archival cotton paper

Credits 

All photography and video by my brilliant comrade Danielle Rubi @Danielle_rubi-productions.