Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

June 29, 2025, will mark 100 years since the great Santa Barbara earthquake of 1925. Recently, members of various community organizations in Santa Barabara came together and formed the EQ25 Alliance, a community wide effort to promote the commemoration of this epic event in Santa Barbara’s history. The new EQ25.org website is an important step towards the EQ25 Alliance’s goal of promoting informative and entertaining programs, events, exhibitions, and community gatherings. EQ25.org serves as a clearinghouse for information about events related to the centennial of the earthquake and will be updated regularly. In addition, EQ25.org includes a collection of historic photographs and resources for those interested in the history of the earthquake and its aftermath. EQ25.org also includes a Mission Statement and list of Participants in the EQ25 Alliance, as well as contact information. A separate page acknowledges to contributions of local sponsors.

The 1925 earthquake and its aftermath transformed Santa Barbara. After the 1925 earthquake, Santa Barbarans rolled up their sleeves and rebuilt this City in ways that endowed it with a unique urban and architectural character. The civic effort involved in rebuilding Santa Barbara is inspirational and merits celebration. The EQ25.org website is designed to support this community wide effort.

The EQ25 Alliance was created to promote informative and entertaining programs, events, exhibitions, and community gatherings. The EQ25 Alliance believes that a greater understanding of the history of Santa Barbara is an effective way to increase awareness of present conditions and opportunities and to prepare for future challenges.

The Ferrari 288 GTO owned by Keke Rosberg is the Best in Show at the Monterey Motorsports Festival. Over 6,000 people for an unprecedented success.

The second edition of the Monterey Motorsports Festival, the event that celebrates cars, motorbikes, people, closed last night. And above all that entertains, young and old.

The ASI award goes to the 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT from the Alpha Luxe Collection.

Shiv Sikand and Dean Drako's Ferrari 288 GTO wins the Best in Show Award at the Monterey Motorsports Festival 2024. Produced in 1985, the supercar is number 199 of 200 and was awarded by Enzo Ferrari to Keke Rosberg, the 1982 Formula One world champion. Rosberg later sold the GTO to Joseph Galdi in Arizona who kept it for 30 years until 2014 when it was acquired by the current owners.

The ASI award, patron of the event, went to the 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT L from the Alpha Luxe Collection. The special feature of this car, which carries the ASI gold plate, is that it was a test model for the five-bolt wheels, a novelty compared to the first single-bolt version.

Now in its second year, the Monterey Motorsports Festival attracted an audience of over 6,000 people who were able to admire 300 cars, motorbikes and electric bikes, special vehicles and even a Robinson helicopter.

Dynamism is the transversal characteristic of the event. From the flight of the imposing US Coast Guard helicopter to the roaring KTM laps, from the parade of ten Pininfarina Battista and other supercars to the animation of the VIP lounge, at the MMF everything moves.

Even Valentino Balboni couldn't resist getting behind the wheel of a Diablo GTR and making the powerful V12 roar.

Patron Paolo Manca was very satisfied: “I thank the whole team, the local and international partners, the manufacturers, the collectors, the clubs, the wonderful audience. The festival was a great celebration where everyone made an important contribution. The appointment is for August 2025 for the third edition.”

1. Best in Show Award to the 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO of Shiv Sikand and Dean Drako.

2. ASI Award to the 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT L series of the Alpha Luxe Collection.

8. People's Choice Award to the Totem GT collected by Totem CEO Riccardo Quaggio

10. Special Custom Mention to the 1965 Buick Wildcat of Debbie Tigerina Martin aka Queen Artichok.

Carnival Cruise Line is beginning to reveal its 2026/2027 deployment plans and today announced the first wave of sailings for summer 2026, including cruises to some of summertime’s most sought after destinations in Europe and Alaska, as well as the first time Carnival guests can take part in a special solar eclipse cruise. Reservations for these new summer 2026 Europe and Alaska sailings open today.

For the first time, Carnival is introducing a special 11-day Carnival Journeys Eclipse cruise featuring stops in Spain, Portugal and France on Carnival Legend departing from Dover, England on August 9, 2026. The total solar eclipse will take place on Aug. 12, 2026, when the ship is at sea, providing guests with a prime viewing vantage point for this rare celestial occurrence. Ports of call on this bucket list voyage include: Le Havre (Paris), France; St. Peter Port, Guernsey; Vigo, Spain; Lisbon and Leixões (Porto), Portugal; Le Verdon (Bordeaux), France; and Zeebrugge (Brussels), Belgium.

“The chance to see a total solar eclipse while having fun exploring the cultural richness of Spain, Portugal and France aboard Carnival Legend, is a truly special opportunity – among a lineup of many phenomenal cruises,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “And as the popularity of Carnival Legend’s 2024 Europe sailings prove, it’s never too soon for our loyal guests to start planning their next summer vacation.”

Carnival Legend’s summer 2026 season in Europe begins with a 14-day transatlantic voyage that departs Miami on May 24, 2026, and visits Liverpool, England; Holyhead, Wales; and Dun Laoghaire (Dublin), Ireland before arriving in Dover (London), England. While homeporting in Europe, Carnival Legend will sail nine cruises from Dover, with varied itineraries that span 9-12 days, and six cruises of either nine- or 12-day itineraries from Civitavecchia (Rome).

From Dover, Northern Europe sailings showcase destinations such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam. The ship will also cruise the British Isles, with several stops in ports across Ireland, England and Scotland, in addition to one cruise with four stops in Iceland. Scandinavia and Baltic cruises offer visits to Germany, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium while Western Europe ports include those in Portugal, Spain and France.

From Civitavecchia, nine-day and 12-day sailings will bring guests to popular destinations across Italy, the Greek Isles, Turkey and Croatia. Ports of call from Civitavecchia include Istanbul and Kusadasi (Ephesus) in Turkey; Piraeus (Athens) and Mykonos in Greece; and Naples (Amalfi/Pompeii), Italy; Split and Dubrovnik, Croatia. The ship’s final cruise from Europe in 2026 will be a 14-day Carnival Journeys voyage departing Nov. 1, 2026, from Civitavecchia to Tampa, Fla., with visits to Cartagena and Malaga, Spain; Gibraltar; and Bermuda.

Carnival Miracle will join Carnival Spirit sailing from Seattle to Alaska in summer 2026. The itineraries available today are Seattle embarkations only. Carnival will once again offer Alaska itineraries from San Francisco in 2026, and those itineraries will be available this Fall.

Seven-day Alaska sailings departing every Thursday on Carnival Miracle begin on May 7, 2026. Carnival Miracle will cruise Tracy Arm Fjord and visit Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska, as well as Victoria, British Columbia. Also available are two special Carnival Journeys sailings aboard Carnival Miracle. A nine-day cruise adds more time aboard the ship as guests explore the natural wonder of the region’s Inside Passage and an added visit to Sitka, Alaska. A similar 10-day Carnival Journeys cruise to the Inside Passage also visits Icy Strait Point, Alaska.

Alaska sailings on Carnival Spirit also offer cruising of Tracy Arm Fjord and stops in Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska, as well as Victoria, British Columbia. The sailings begin April 28, 2026, and continue through Sept. 15, 2026. When Carnival Spirit returns to Seattle on Sept. 23, 2026, the ship will embark guests on a 15-day round-trip Carnival Journeys cruise to Hawaii, with stops in Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; Kahului, Maui and Hilo, Hawaii; as well as a visit to Victoria, British Columbia in Canada.

Also new are four Carnival Journeys cruises that transit the Panama Canal to reposition Carnival Miracle and Carnival Spirit before and after the summer in Alaska. The cruises feature visits to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Cartagena, Colombia. Carnival Spirit’s 16-day Carnival Journeys cruises take the ship to Seattle from its Mobile, Ala. homeport on April 12, 2026 then back to Mobile with an Oct. 8, 2026 departure. These are the first Carnival cruises connecting the two cities of Seattle and Mobile. Carnival Miracle will reposition with guests on board from Tampa, Fla. on April 11, 2026 and depart Seattle Sept. 26, 2026 on 16-day Carnival Journeys Panama Canal repositioning cruise ending in Galveston, Tex

Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is the first cruise line to sail over 100 million guests and is proud to be known as America's Cruise Line, for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival operates from 14 U.S. and two Australian homeports, as well as seasonally from Europe and employs more than 48,000 team members representing 120 nationalities.

Carnival’s fleet of 27 ships reflects an exciting period of growth that continues with the addition of seven ships through 2033: two ships joining in February 2025 when P&O Cruises Australia integrates into Carnival; a fourth and fifth Excel class ship scheduled for 2027 and 2028 respectively; followed by three additional new ships from an innovative new class currently under development. Carnival’s next new guest offering will be the all-new exclusive destination, Celebration Key, set to debut on Grand Bahama next summer.