Oct 03 Friday
Based in Venice Beach, CA, an epicenter of nonconformist energy in the 1970s, Environmental Communications (EC) was a collective of architects, artists, and sociologists who championed an expanded understanding of architecture—one that encompassed not just individual buildings but the entire urban environment. To that end, the group documented defining traits of the then-booming consumerist society and the vibrant counterculture pushing back against it, primarily through photographic slides.
Challenging the architectural pedagogy of the time, which viewed architectural history as the evolution of styles through isolated buildings, EC distributed their slide sets to architecture schools and libraries across the country, offering a real-time and sweeping lens through which to teach the discipline.
Los Angeles—a crucible of market-driven ambition and anti-establishment spirit—became a central focus of EC’s visual inquiries. From smog-choked skies and sprawling suburbs to garish street art and Pop architecture, their slide sets captured the era’s cultural contradictions, evoking a sense of systemic unraveling while L.A. emerged as a beacon of radical freedom and creativity.
Including hundreds of slides, along with dozens of booklets and videos, the collective’s legacy stands as one of the most comprehensive and electrifying visual records of 1970s L.A. The presentation of EC’s materials from the Architecture and Design Collection here, following this year’s devastating fires in the Palisades and Altadena, serves not only as a poignant reminder of the city’s environmental fragility but also as a tribute to the extraordinary urban creativity that has fueled its resilience over the past five decades.
Big Bang Beat L.A. is organized by the Art, Design & Architecture Museum at UC Santa Barbara and is coordinated by Silvia Perea, curator of the Architecture and Design Collection. The exhibition is made possible thanks to the support of the AD&A Museum Council. Exhibition furniture has generously been provided by Fatboy.
Peek behind-the-scenes of our chocolate factory to get a high-level overview of the chocolate-making process, from bean to bar! This event is great for families, corporate groups, bachelorette weekends, and anyone new to chocolate or curious about where their food comes from. You’ll get to taste warm, flowing dark chocolate from our tempering machine, and you’ll get to sample our single origin 75% dark chocolate bars.
🎃 VFW Haunted Alley - Spooktacular Family Fun! 👻Location: VFW Post 1679, 3801 Market St, Ventura, CADates: October 1–4, 9–11, 16–18, 23–25, 27–30 & Halloween Night – October 31Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM nightlyAdmission:
Adults: $20Kids: $15Children 10 and younger - FREEVeterans with ID: FREEGet ready for screams, laughter, and unforgettable memories at the VFW Haunted Alley!Join us for a frightfully fun time for the whole family, featuring:🕸️ Haunted Alley – A spooky walk-through attraction with surprises around every corne🎁 Children’s Gift Bags – Free treat bags for all kids!🎨 Kids Pumpkin Painting Station – Get creative and take home your own pumpkin masterpiece!🍔 BBQ Grill Out – Enjoy hot dogs, hamburgers, snacks, and drinks at our family-friendly cookout!👻 Halloween Night Costume Contest – Show off your best costume on October 31st and win spook-tacular prizes!Support Your Local Veterans!All proceeds go to support programs for veterans and their families through VFW Post 1679.Bring the whole family for a night of thrills, chills, and community fun!🎟️ Get your tickets now – if you dare!
Attendees will enjoy a welcome drink while we give a brief introduction to our bean-to-bar, dark chocolate making process. Ingredients for decorating will abound and inspire, and you'll learn a few tidbits about how we invent flavor combinations for new delicious, sweet products at our chocolate factory. We will fill chocolate bar molds with luscious 75% dark chocolate, and you will get to decorate chocolate bars with local ingredients, like flowers, salt and fruit. While bars are setting up, we will lead a 20-30 minute chocolate tasting experience while you sip on perfectly paired wines to enhance the flavors. We are happy to provide a non-alcoholic tasting experience for anyone in the group who might require that. Your custom chocolate bars will go home with you in beautiful, resealable Twenty-Four Blackbirds pouches. Don't miss out on this delicious experience!
Start your weekend on the right note at Carr Winery! On Friday, October 3rd, from 7 – 9 PM, head to the Winery for an evening filled with live music by the Van Allen Twins Trio.
Experience the unique Blues Grass sounds of the Van Allen Twins Trio. Their sounds of bluegrass, country, and folk music are sure to get you moving. Pair the music with Buena Onda empanadas delivered right to the Winery, and make it your new Friday night tradition.
Free admission, 21+
The Ojai Film Society’s beloved outdoor film series is back at Libbey Bowl, running on select Fridays from July 25–October 3. This year’s theme, Imagine A World, invites audiences to gather under the stars for films that spark creativity, connection, and conversation.
All screenings are free and begin at 7:30 PM.Walk-ups welcome; RSVPs encouraged.
Here's the line-up:
July 25: Sally
August 8: The NeverEnding Story
August 22: The Greatest Night in Pop (with director Bao Nguyen in attendance)
September 5: 9 to 5
September 18: Speak. (with director Jennifer Tiexiera in attendance)
October 3: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
👉 Learn more & RSVP: ojaifilmsociety.org
“An alliance of Americana virtuosos.” The New York Times
“Together their sound is both ethereal and purposeful, a combination of searing musicianship and tender vocals.” The Guardian (U.K.)
I’m With Her, the acclaimed trio Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins, takes the stage with a powerful new collection of songs exploring ancestry, change and the ties that bind us. Known for their luminous harmonies and masterful storytelling, the group behind “Call My Name,” the 2020 Grammy winner for Best American Roots Song, brings a deepening sense of creative connection to their new album Wild and Clear and Blue(May 2025). With voices that intertwine in meticulous, multifaceted arrangements, they deliver a performance full of heart, harmony and soul.
Oct 04 Saturday
October 1- 31 - Join us for a month-long celebration of new vegan dishes all over Santa Barbara!
For the second year in a row, businesses across the region will showcase exciting special vegan menu items for an entire month, giving everyone the opportunity to explore creative plant-based dishes crafted by talented local chefs.
How It Works:
1- Visit participating restaurants across Santa Barbara.2- Try their exclusive vegan offerings.3- Share your experience—rate and review the dishes you try, comment, post photos of your favorite meals, and tag us at @veganchefchallengeWest.
This event is open to everyone, not just vegans! It’s about bringing our community together to celebrate incredible food and support our region's chefs.
Get Involved: Looking for ways to connect? Volunteer with us! We’re seeking passionate individuals to help with outreach, event promotion, and community building throughout the month. It's a great way to meet like-minded people and make a difference! Volunteer using this link: TinyURL.com/VOLVCC
Join us in making Santa Barbara an even more inclusive, vibrant, and compassionate community.
For details on participating businesses, menus, sponsorship opportunities, and more, visit our website at veganchefchallenge.org/SantaBarbara.
Fall under the spell of owls, bats, & spiders. See slithering snakes and lizards. Touch real skulls & bones that will rattle your bones. Gather around for spooky storytime. Make a mask. Sip Witches Brew. Enchanting music too! This event will take place on the lawn in front of the Neal Taylor Nature Center.
For additional information contact the Nature Center at 805-693-0691Admission: DonationReservations are not needed.(There is a $10 per vehicle County Park Entrance Fee)
The Neal Taylor Nature Center (NTNC) is located within Cachuma Recreational Area in a picturesque old ranch house. Developed and operated by a corps of committed volunteers, it offers exhibits on the local valley and mountain environment for all ages, emphasizing hands-on exhibits for children of all ages.
The mission of the Neal Taylor Nature Center at Cachuma Lake is to encourage public understanding, enjoyment, and protection of Cachuma Lake, the Upper Santa Ynez River, and the San Rafael Mountain Range Watershed. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs completely on donations and grants.
Nature Center & Gift Store HoursThursday through Saturday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.Sunday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.Native Plant Garden Open 24/7Admission: Donation
"Through most of our lives and work, Cedric and I have had deep commitments to collaboration, internationalism, and solidarity movements."–Elizabeth Robinson, 2024
This exhibition documents the life’s work of Cedric J. Robinson and Elizabeth Peters Robinson, placing it in the global context of the Black radical tradition. The Robinsons were renowned for their seminal scholarship and activism that had wide-ranging influence at UC Santa Barbara (UCSB), in academia, and across many public arenas. The exhibition is drawn from the Cedric J. and Elizabeth P. Robinson Archive (“Robinson Archive”) and supplemented by a variety of materials from other collections in UCSB Library’s Special Research Collections, as well as personal contributions from Elizabeth Robinson.
A deeply influential educator, Cedric Robinson (1940-2016) was a well-known scholar of racial capitalism and the Black radical tradition, and an active participant in political movements, both at home and internationally. For more than 30 years, Elizabeth Robinson has been an educator, social worker, former associate director for media at KCSB-FM radio, activist, and community media producer.
This exhibition was curated by Yolanda Blue, the Library’s Curator of American and International History, Politics, and Cultures Collections, in collaboration with New York University and UCSB Library staff.
