This week, Eye on Travel comes from the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, California. Arnie Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief at Travel Weekly, joins Peter to bring you all the latest on the Boeing 737 Max investigation and when Boeing can expect to fly its plane again. C.J. Ward, News Anchor at KEYT in Santa Barbara, comes on the show to discuss how the coastal region has changed and how it has been affected by incoming cruises. Krista Harris, Author and Founder of Edible Santa Barbara, explains how the region’s wine country pushed the now, eclectic food scene in the city. Eric Nickel, Fire Chief at the Santa Barbara Fire Department, talks about being a “Historian of the Fires” and the extreme and elongated fire season. There’s all this and more as Eye on Travel broadcasts from the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, California.

Click here to listen to the show streaming live from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 10, 2019.

Arnie Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief at Travel Weekly, joins Peter to bring you all the latest on the Boeing 737 Max investigation and when Boeing can expect to fly its plane again. It could be a while, however. He’s thinking that it might even be the second quarter of next year. Then, he dives into the latest presidential clamor that has Baltimore in the news, how it has responded and the aftermath of it all. And, you should know that Arnie likes Baltimore.

C.J. Ward, News Anchor at KEYT in Santa Barbara, joins the program to discuss the coastal region: how it’s changed, how it’s been affected by incoming cruises as well as the scenic drive up from Los Angeles. C.J. also talks about the recent fires, how the city has grown closer because of it and why it’s a perfect place to escape. He also expands on the challenges that the area faces, the Funk Zone and some of his go-to restaurants in town.

Erin Graffy, Historian and Author of Society Ladies: How to Santa Barbara Vol I, II & III, discusses some of Santa Barbara’s historic old money coming from the East Coast, discretion in the time of John F. Kennedy and movie stars, and the old-time mandate of the city. She talks about the laid-back “Santa Barbara-style”, what’s changed in the region and the creation of the Egg McMuffin – yes, it originated in Santa Barbara. But it wasn’t the only Santa Barbara invention!

Krista Harris, Author and Founder of Edible Santa Barbara, talks about her beginnings in Santa Barbara and explains how the region’s wine country pushed the now eclectic food scene into the city. She also talks about who the real celebrity chefs of Santa Barbara are. She talks about the off-the-beaten path restaurants in town, what some of her favorites are and the culinary diversity that has come to the city. Krista also reveals one of her favorite cocktails in town and where to get it.

Dr. John R. Johnson, Curator of Anthropology at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, discusses the historic eggs that the museum houses, pygmy mammoths and the human remains found dating back to over 13,000 years ago (these being the oldest remains in North America found to date) – and what this says about the humans of 13,000 years ago. He then talks about Chumash natives that lived in the area and the Jurassic exhibits at the museum.

Sara Welsh, Supervisor at the Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of The Environment and Holly Lohuis, Marine Biologist & Naturalist at the Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society and The Ritz-Carlton, Bacara’s Ambassadors of the Environment Program, discuss giving guests the emotional connection to nature and their surroundings – for both adults and kids. Holly talks about discovering some of the best hidden secrets of Southern California. They also share the diversity of species that can be found in the region’s kelp forests, the species that are making a comeback and the environmental commitment that the hotel is making to the ocean. Then, they share the sad reality of overfishing and how it’s killing a lot of marine life in the process.

Neal Graffy, Author and Historian of Historic Santa Barbara, speaks about how he ended up in Santa Barbara and an overview of the different people that inhabited the area dating back to 15,000 years ago. Neal talks about what surprises visitors, what Santa Barbara excels at and some of the challenges that the city faces.

Kathy McCabe, Producer of Dream of Italy: The Tuscan Sun Special on PBS, speaks about her new show on PBS that is all about Cortona. She speaks about the challenges she encountered while creating the show, her favorite aspects of the region and all the memories that she’s gathered. She and Peter then share some insider details on where to get olive oil and gelato.

Roger Durling, Executive Director at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, chats about his beginnings at the film festival and how it’s changed over the past 17 years as well as all of the big names that make their way to the festival each year. Roger shares a few notable names that hang around town and the staggering number of movies that the festival has every year. Then, he talks about the restored theater, the art house – and the educational element behind it – and why the film festival strives to expose kids to film from at an early age.

Eric Nickel, Fire Chief at the Santa Barbara Fire Department, talks about being a “Historian of the Fires” and the extreme and elongated fire season. The speed and intensity of the modern-day fires are becoming a norm. Nickel talks about the communities and local fire departments that are working together to make firefighting more efficient. He also talks about the lessons that have been learned and applied, what they’re doing to protect properties and lives and the revised fire codes. Plus, he explains why some codes are changing.

Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief International, speaks about the organization’s origins and what it has transformed into. He speaks about how technology has been helpful in providing aid, being able to mobilize well to respond to the world’s needs and analyzing who the most vulnerable people are to a disaster. Thomas also explains the different dimensions of giving aid and how people can get involved all over the world by doing local, in-the-community work.

Matt Murphy, Co-Founder of Presqu’ile Winery, explains why Pinot Noir brought him to Santa Barbara County and the different types of wine that thrive in the region. He then describes what people are surprised by, in terms of wine, when they visit Santa Barbara and where they’re shipping to. There are two states that are absolute no-nos. Matt then speaks about the challenges of growing and selling in the region, climate and other wineries included.

Tony France, Banquet Chef at Ritz-Carlton Bacara, talks about managing guest expectations and the psychology of menus. Is there really a food that nobody wants? He argues that there isn’t and explains why. He shares one of its signature dishes (a sloppy connotation turned refined), the cultivation of experiential dining and its ability to source locally – from both land and sea.

By Alessandra Taryn Bea for PeterGreenberg.com 

Have a travel question? Then ask Peter. E-mail him at peter@petergreenberg.com, or tweet your questions to @petersgreenberg (include #AskPeter).