So Santa Barbara

To receive Sarah Sinclair's real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletter Admiring El Andaluz | Photo Credit: Sarah Sinclair I got to visit one of my favorite buildings in Santa Barbara this week. El Andaluz, a seven-unit building at 531 Chapala Street is one of the most distinctive Jeff Shelton creations in Santa Barbara. I know, I know, distinctive + Shelton in the same sentence is redundant. But this one is Shelton at his finest in an iconic downtown location. Built in 2009, El Andaluz units very seldom go on the market, and when they do, the realtors flock to visit and admire the artistry. 531-A Chapala is a one bedroom residence of more than 2,200 square feet with a huge living room with soaring ceilings and mountain views, a separate den with a fireplace, several patios and more. It's listed for $3,300,000 by Jason Saltoun-Ebin. Shelton's popularity does not seem to be waning. In fact, the very same day that I was strolling El Andaluz's stairways and courtyard, the Los Angeles Times extolled his designs in this travel piece by Independent assistant editor Tiana Molony, creating even more focus on Shelton, and on Santa Barbara. Teachers Fund | Photo Credit: Tiffany Bouzos Now that all the kids are back to school, it's the perfect time to shine a spotlight on the amazing work done by The Teacher's Fund, organized by our friends at Village Properties. Founded in 2002, the fund has donated over $2.5 million to public and private K-12 classrooms throughout Santa Barbara County. Teachers Fund provides grants directly to teachers, who can request funding for specific supplies or projects by visiting TeachersFund.org. This week, Village Properties' downtown courtyard was the scene of a lively thank-you party and fundraiser with music, food, photobooth, and prizes. The tireless group who puts this all together, shown above, includes co-chairs Brianna Johnson and Renee Grubb, plus committee members Angel Speier, Sheela Hunt, Natalie Grubb, Marcy Bazzani, Vince Caballero, Dianne Johnson, David Magid, and Lourika Van Tonder. Donations can be made at SupportTeachersFund.org . Beachy Dreams | Photo Credit: David Palermo One of the most dreamy beachfront homes I've discovered in a while is 5325 Dorwin Lane. Read all about it — and its dreamy ocean views — in my article in this week's issue. Since the tide didn't allow Scout and I to truly take advantage of the private beach on the day we visited, we had to hustle to Hendry's that evening to soak up the sunset full moon view. Sandy Scout | Photo Credit: Sarah Sinclair Scout takes her beach walks quite seriously, too. THIS WEEK'S COVER HOME Villa Oliva | Photo Credit: Lepere Studio Just a hop, skip, and jump from Butterfly Beach is this week's gorgeous cover home: Villa Oliva. A rare offering, this is a newly built contemporary Montecito residence offering architectural precision and exquisite craftsmanship plus advanced smart home technology that only a brand new build can attain. To take advantage of our indoor-outdoor lifestyle, limestone masonry, wide-plank oak flooring, and floor-to-ceiling glass walls dissolve the boundaries between inside and out. Located on an expansive parcel in the Montecito Union School district and framed by 90-year-old olive trees, citrus groves, and lavender borders, this home is truly unique. Villa Oliva is listed for $11,695,000 by Beth Slifirski of Village Properties. THIS WEEK'S OPEN HOUSES: Ready to go house hunting? We've gathered plenty of open houses happening around town today. Pick a few favorites and make an afternoon of it. Find them all here. THIS WEEK'S ISSUE Autumn in Santa Barbara means prime time for enjoying our homes inside and out. Whether you're prepping for the holidays with a little redecorating, or overhauling your garden plans, take a flip through this week's Fall Home & Garden issue here in the front of the paper as well as the real estate section on the back. Thanks, as always, for reading — and for making The Home Page part of your Sunday. Enjoy!