But the event is more than a quenching sip
for Carpinteria curiosity or a lesson in interior decorating and gardening; the tour is indisputably fun. One house hosts refreshments – the famous sesame butter cookies and the secret-recipe lemonade – and everyone stops by multiple times to fuel up and chat about what’s been seen and what’s to come. The atmosphere of the tour is casual and positive, Carpinteria to the core. “I didn’t know what to expect,” remembers Over-
bach, the owner of 2005’s “little gem.” “But that was the most amazing day. I was overwhelmed by everyone being so nice.” “The biggest goal is to showcase Carpinteria to
Carpinterians and to enhance their pride,” says Nair. “(The homeowners and attendees) feel a stronger connection to Carpinteria after the tour.” The homeowners and committee members get
a treat on the night before the tour. An exclusive pre-tour is held, allowing views of all the homes that are impossible for the owners on the day of the tour. After caravanning to each property, the group celebrates with a dinner at the Weinbergs’ house feasting on a meal designed by committee member Margaret Churchill, who studied cooking in France. “When I saw the other homes the night before
the tour, I thought, ‘No way, they’re not coming over here,’” Overbach says. “We always have to assure the homeowners
that people will love their house,” Nair says. But when the tour is finished, most homeowners thank Carpinteria Beautiful for including them, and many ask to be included again in the future. “You can ask anyone who has ever had a house on the tour. They’ve all said, ‘This is so much fun. We loved doing it.’” “By and large the people who came to the house
all day were very thankful and appreciative that we’d opened our home. It was a really positive, neat experience,” said David Fishman, owner of 2007’s Shepard Mesa home. The pride that grows in Carpinterians after
finishing the tour is further enhanced by the knowledge that the funds raised are contributed right back into the aesthetics of the community. Carpinteria Beautiful uses tour-generated income to finance projects such as the tile murals near the seal fountain on Linden Avenue, the graffiti removal hotline and the Adopt-a-Spot volunteer trash pick-up program. “Everything we do is to make Carpinteria clean, green and beautiful,” Nair emphasizes. ¢
20 CARPINTERIAMAGAZINE
HAuXWELL
DAYKA
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