Ojai Quarterly - Fall 2021 by Ojai Quarterly

SOUNDS LIKE HOME

Giddens, Adams & The Ojai Festival’s Return

THE INTERRUPTED LIFE Artist’s WWII Internment Ordeal BY THE PEOPLE’S DESIGN

Sandhaus’ Archive For Graphic Arts

Donna Sallen

Enter through the gates of Rancho Matilija and instantly feel the majestic beauty of the area. Surrounded by the Los Padres National Forest, Rancho Matilija is one of the best-hidden secrets in all of Ojai. This neighborhood features estate homes that appeal to those who appreciate the tranquility and privacy of a secluded, gated community, in a country setting. Sitting perfectly on over two acres with gardens, meandering walkways and mature trees. Once inside you will be delighted with the open, spacious floor plan, vaulted ceilings, three fireplaces, cooks dream kitchen all the while showcasing views from every room. This home features five bedrooms and a separate guest quarters. Cool off in the pool surrounded by nature. The gardens produce an abundance of fruits and vegetables; all watered with your own private well.

There’s no place like home ... Let me find yours.

Welcome to downtown Ojai. Nestled in the hills, yet within walking distance to shops, restaurants, and Libbey Park; this home blends the perfect mix of indoor/outdoor living. As you enter through the courtyard you are welcomed into the home with lovely glass doors and windows which lure you to the outside. It has an open floor plan with vaulted and beamed ceilings, large windows and three fireplaces. This spacious home still feels cozy as it is surrounded by trees and has a nearly 1,000 square-foot veranda for outdoor living. There are five bedrooms, a nanny quarters, amazingly large garages and parking — all gated and private. The land is just over an acre with mature trees, majestic oaks, and a variety of fruit trees. Once you are here you won’t want to leave. You will love the grown-up tree house for those hot summer nights. Don’t miss this home!

Donna Sallen

805-798-0516

w w w. D o n n a S a l l e n . c o m D o n n a 4 re m a x @ a o l .c o m

Service that’s as elevated as your standards. Visit OjaiForSale.com

Clinton Haugan and Tyler Brousseau | Top Producing Ojai Natives “ Tyler and Clint were able to find us the perfect house in a very difficult market with little inventory. We found that they were extremely knowledgeable about the market and were able to get us access to homes before they hit the market, including the home that we ultimately purchased. Tyler and Clint provided great service throughout the entire process. They were very detail oriented, incredibly responsive and dedicated to finding the perfect home for us. We highly recommend Tyler and Clint for buying or selling a home!” - The Quick Family NEW LISTINGS

502 Crestview Drive, Ojai

740 Tico Road, Ojai CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMLAND

3 BD | 1.5 BA | 1,333 SQFT

2.43 ACRES

OFFERED AT $985,000

OFFERED AT $1,245,000

TYLER BROUSSEAU

CLINTON HAUGAN

805.760.2213 Cal DRE 01916136 tyler.brousseau@sothebysrealty.com

805.760.2092 Cal DRE 02019604 clinton.haugan@sothebysrealty.com

© 2021 LIV Sotheby’s International Realty. All rights reserved. All data, including all measurements and calculations are obtained from various sources and has not and will not be verified by Broker. All information shall be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. LIV Sotheby’s International Realty is independently owned and operated and supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

GAB R I E LA C E S E Ñ A THE NEXT LEVEL OF REAL ESTATE SERVICES Realtor | Luxury Specialist Berkshire Hathaway

Unwavering commitment to my clients’ satisfaction. Driven by passion for the work I do 805.236.3814 | gabrielacesena@bhhscal.com CAL DRE# 01983530 Gabrielacesena.bhhscalifornia.com

810 Foothill Road | $2,730,000 |1 Acre | Classic Ojai Sanctuary A bold & refined Ojai hideaway, blending the beauty of nature w/everyday living! Framed by ancient oaks and stone accents, you’re welcomed to nearly 1-acre of vibrant grounds emphasizing tranquility, wellness and wholeness, convenience, and luxury, in one of the most distinguished downtown, yet

private, neighborhoods in Ojai! This single-level property features a 3br-2ba main house, plus an attached, lovely 1bd-1ba studio, totaling 3,234 sqft. Explore the lovely gardens, sparkling pool, enormous Oak Tree canopies, citrus trees, vegetable & flower gardens plus greenhouse

2249 McNell Road | $2,900,000 | 2 Homes | 1.5 Bt | Desirable Neighborhood Ultra-private exceptional 2-acre Ojai Retreat featuring TWO HOMES! Located in one of Ojai’s most priced, tranquil neighborhoods, set against a backdrop of majestic Topa Topa mountain views, this exceptional property embodies the essence of Ojai w/unrivaled tranquility & natural beauty! Explosive, dra-

matic mountain & valley views will take your breath away. This just under 3,000-sqft California Farmhouse is flooded with natural light and happy vibes. This property makes the California lifestyle easy. Upstairs are 3-bd/2-ba with stunning views.

Your Own 5-star Resort

Vacation every day of your life at this Rancho Matilija estate. Five bedrooms, six baths, two-story great room, chef’s kitchen, lighted tennis court, entertainment pavilion with kitchen and ﬁreplace, swim-up bar, putting green, sand trap, and jaw-dropping views make living in Ojai the dream you’ve always imagined. Call for details. 12576 Macdonald Drive.

Live The Ojai Dream. OjaiDream.com 805-766-7889 • Each ofﬁce is independently owned and operated

• Sharon MaHarry, Broker Associate BRE #01438966

FALL 2021

Adventures in Fashion

O P E N DA I LY 1 1 - 5 : 3 0 | 3 2 1 E AS T O J A I AV E N U E | 8 05 . 6 4 6 . 1 92 7 Fo l l ow M e O n I n s ta g r a M @ d a n s k I b l u e 8

OQ / FALL 2021

Est. 1914

R AINS

A Specialty Department Store

Over 100 years of exceptional quality and good value.

RAINS

805-646-1441 | www.rainsofojai.com | 218 E. Ojai Ave. OQ / FALL 2021

OJAI QUARTERLY

p.32

FROM THE ASHES Ojai Valley School Rises with Architect’s Vision Story By Hannah Little

p.52

p.100

SONGS OF HOME

Life, interrupted

Ojai Music Festival’s Return Set for Sept. 16-19 Story by Bret Bradigan

Ojai Artist’s Harrowing Account of WWII Internment Story by Karen Lewis

OQ / FALL 2021

FEATURES BITTER CREEK CHRONICLES Ojai Backcountry Site for Soar Eyes By Chuck Graham

131

p.116

Cover

Santa Fé adventures

Rhiannon Giddens & The Sounds of America Photo by Ebru Yildiz

Getting Back Out Into the World Story By Jerry Dunn

OQ / FALL 2021

THE TRUSTED NAME IN REAL ESTATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS

SOLD

Chic & stylish property with views of the Topas and a sparkling pool, too! $1.295m

SOLD

Wake up to the ocean as your front yard with world-class surfing at Pitas Point $3.995m

ILiveInOjai.com

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A Hidden Gem in Ojai’s Montana Circle $1.7M

It Checks all of the Boxes $879K

Oh-So-Sweet Bungalow $839K

Tonya Peralta

Serena Handley

Rachelle Guiliani

Ashley Ramsey

Steven Sharp

Brooke Stancil

BROKER ASSOCIATE 805.794.7458

TEAM REALTOR 805.302.4175

LEAD REALTOR 805.798.1286

TEAM REALTOR 805.223.5315

TEAM REALTOR 805.746.5188

MARKETING & OPERATIONS MANAGER

805.794.7262

ESCAPE IN A MOMENT

Share magical moments with loved ones at The Oak, Ojai’s beloved indoor/outdoor restaurant. Delight in creative, valley-to-table cuisine featuring locally sourced ingredients, many of which come from our resort gardens. Our serene mountain valley welcomes you to escape in a moment with dramatic views of centuries-old oak trees and our championship golf course. To savor Ojai’s freshest flavors, reserve your table today.

844.585.0304 OjaiValleyInn.com

OQ | DEPARTMENTS p.29

Ojai Notes

OJAI LIFE:

The Longest Song Title & Podcasts By Bret Bradigan

p.25

p.66

Editor’s Note

Where Ojai Gets Its Purpose

p.26

Artists & Galleries Contributors

p.72

Food & Drink

p.29 Ojai Notes

Can’t Argue With Experience By Ilona Saari

p.66 Artists & Galleries

p.79

Chef Randy Bring Color to Your Pasta By Randy Graham

p.69 Food & Drink Section

p.110 p.58

Real Time World Dealing With Quickening Change By Kit Stolz

p.142

Nocturnal Submissions Our Wellness Recovery Group By Sami Zahringer

Beyond the Arcade Map

p.122 Top Hikes of Ojai

p.127 Healers of Ojai

p.137 Calendar of Events

THE NEW CONTINUING CARE CENTER AT OJAI VALLEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Thanks to the generosity of countless individuals and businesses across the Ojai Valley, the Ojai Valley Community Hospital Foundation and Guild were able to raise $6.7 million locally to help fund construction of the $21 million Continuing Care Center. For more information on the Ojai ovchfoundation.org. Valley Community Hospital Foundation, please visit ovchfoundation.org

The Continuing Care Center is a patient/resident oriented facility for both short-term and long-term placement, providing daily skilled nursing and rehabilitation services.

Promoting healthy living in the tranquil setting of the beautiful Ojai Valley. • 75 bed, state-of-the-art skilled nursing facility • Seamless access to hospital care if needed • Private and semi-private rooms • Private bathrooms with showers in each room • Hair salon, chapel and library on site • Outdoor gardens and courtyards

The New

Continuing Care Center

1306 Maricopa Hwy., Ojai 805/948-2000 cmhshealth.org/ccc

OQ / FALL 2021

OJAI QUARTERLY Living the Ojai Life

FALL 2021 Editor & Publisher

Bret Bradigan Sales Manager David Taylor Director of Publications Ross Falvo Creative Director Uta Ritke Social Media Director Elizabeth Spiller Ojai Hub Administrator Jessie Rose Ryan Contributing Editors Mark Lewis Jerry Camarillo Dunn Jr. Jesse Phelps Columnists Chuck Graham Ilona Saari Kit Stolz Sami Zahringer Circulation Target Media Partners

CONTACT US: Editorial & Advertising, 805.798.0177 editor@ojaiquarterly.com David@ojaiquarterly.com The contents of the Ojai Quarterly may not be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written consent of the publisher. SUBSCRIPTIONS: To subscribe to the OQ, visit ojaiquarterly.com or write to 1129 Maricopa Highway, B186 Ojai, CA 93023. Subscriptions are $24.95 per year.

#OJAI IG: @ojaivalleylandconservancy

Photo courtesy of Nathan Wickstrum

OQ / FALL 2021

96 E. Short Street, Oak View - $699,000 Recently renovated and move-in ready, this home is centrally located in Oak View, only 10 miles to the beach and 6 miles to downtown Ojai. Upgrades to this cozy home include a gorgeous remodeled kitchen and bathroom, flooring, and paint inside and out. Many of the costlier projects have been tackled as well; HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. The large lot features precious outdoor space, including plum and apricot trees, room for gardening or a pool, and it even includes RV parking complete with hookups. The icing on the cake is the attached bonus room, perfect for a studio, office, or playroom!

607 N. Mill Street, Santa Paula - $825,000

5 bed/4 bath, 2,030 sq. ft. on .48 acres with pool! Claim your own slice of paradise with this lovely hillside home, located in one of Santa Paula's coveted neighborhoods. Spend days soaking in the sunshine by the swimming pool or sitting under the shade of the beautiful oak tree. The sizable patio is perfect for indoor-outdoor entertaining, enjoying meals al fresco, or simply relaxing and taking in the expansive views of the Santa Paula valley and mountains. Once inside you'll enjoy the warmth and character of this lovingly cared for home. Unique and appealing architectural details include corner windows, a claw foot tub, travertine floors, and vintage lighting fixtures. This home was clearly loved and is now ready for you to make it your own!

Sale pending

Sold for $805,000

Sold for $925,000

P: 805.272.5218 E: ContactUs@TeamDeckert.com VenturaAndSantaBarbaraHomes.com

DRE# 01761150, 01859199

OQ / FALL 2021

Derby & Derby

IS NOW

DURING THE PAST 40 YEARS Derby & Derby became known for their sound financial advice, stellar customer service, and active participation in and support of the Ojai Community. In 2019 they partnered with an independent wealth management firm in Ventura - Wagner Financial. Together they formed INTEGRITY WEALTH ADVISORS. With over 150-years of combined experience, you can put trust in the experienced team of financial professionals at IWA.

HUBof SERVICES An old adage states that there is accomplishment through many advisors. Today’s complex and ever-changing financial planning and investment management world requires a process that is overseen by a team of experienced professionals. As fiduciaries we are bound both legally and ethically to act in our client’s best interest with a duty to preserve good faith and trust.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT • Asset Allocation & Rebalancing • Evaluating Portfolio Performance • Risk Management & Assessment • Portfolio Stress Testing • ESG & Socially Responsible Investing • Stock Valuation & Analysis

PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING • Cash Flow Analysis • Retirement Income Planning • Social Security Analysis • Income Tax Planning • Probability of Success Analysis • Account Aggregation Software

ESTATE PLANNING • Charitable Giving Strategies • Trust Planning • Trust Administration Services • Ownership & Transfer of Property • Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Strategies • Beneficiary & Guardianship Planning

MEET THE TEAM The entire Integrity Wealth Advisors STEPHEN WAGNER team is committed to Investment Advisor, CFP®, CPFA helping individuals, families, and businesses grow, preserve, and distribute wealth. We hold ourselves to the highest levels of integrity and accountability to ensure that we are doing our absolute best for each and every one of our clients.

VICTORIA BREEN

MARGARET MARAPAO

CHRIS WAGNER

Investment Advisor & Financial Planner

Certified Financial Planner®

Investment Advisor & Financial Planner, CPFA

BOB CHEATHAM

DOUG ECKER

LAINE MILLER

Investment Advisor & Financial Planner, CRPS®

Investment Advisor & Financial Planner

BUSINESS PLANNING • Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan Administration & Analysis • Business Valuations • Succession Planning • Buy-Sell Agreements & Funding • Executive Compensation Planning • Employee Retention Planning

SHARON MEDINA

DONNA LLOYD

JESSAMYN LIM

FPQP®, Ventura Branch Operations Manager

FPQP®, Ojai Branch Operations Manager

Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional

JESSICA HAWLEY

MADISON WIGG

CINDY RODARTE

Financial Paraplanner Qualified Professional

Client Service Assistant Ojai Branch

FAMILY SERVICES • Planning for Marriage, Divorce, and Births • Multi-Generational Goal Tracking • Education & College Planning • Risk Analysis & Planning • Planning for Incapacity

Integrity Wealth Advisors is a Registered Investment Adviser. This material is solely for informational purposes. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Integrity Wealth Advisors and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital. No advice may be rendered by Integrity Wealth Advisors unless a client service agreement is in place.

OQ | E D ITO R’ S N OTE

FALLING AHEAD “Always remember you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” — Margaret Mead Ojai will not be the same town coming out of the pandemic as it was going into it. I think it will be better. There’s a new energy on the streets, dousing the ashen dread that lingered long after the Thomas Fire. Between the new businesses, new construction, resumption of favorite festivals, the post-pandemic high (providing we pass the delta variant challenge) and the growing view of Ojai as a healing place for the ills of modern life, it feels like we are on the verge of a new age. For our closest example, putting out an issue of Ojai’s magazine is a very social, optimistic endeavor. It is full of lively conversations and anxious moments, keeping an eye toward a future that we all strive to define and design through our efforts. We are especially proud that we kept our covenant with our readers and advertisers during the pandemic — we did not miss a deadline despite the rippling dread. We trusted what Ojai needed was some sign that underneath it all we would get through it, that what we needed during this time was to share the stories around which we define our community. It was the perfect time to start our Ojai podcast as well, now nearly 100 one-hour episodes in with tens of thousands of hours of listening and learning from each other. Which brings us to this issue. The Ojai Music Festival’s featured performer, Rhiannon Giddens, adorns both our cover and a recent episode of the podcast, talking about the joys of resuming this celebration of contemporary music under the baton of the inimitable John Adams. This is what I mean when I say Ojai is getting better. Check out Hannah Little’s story about Ojai Valley School’s new campus, designed by Fred Fisher, one of America’s leading architects, for proof of Ojai’s resilience after the devastation of the Thomas Fire and through the global pandemic. It takes an artist to know one, as evidenced by Cassandra Jones’ story about Louise Sandhaus, the graphic design teacher and author who is organizing the People’s Graphic Design Archive, to preserve what is among the most democratic of art forms. It is heartening to read Nao Braverman’s account of Ojai businesses that opened during a pandemic, proving that the future belongs to those who did not flinch. It is fitting that we feature in this issue Karen Lewis’ harrowing and inspiring account of her three years’ captivity in the Santo Tomas internment camp in the Philippines, liberated by among others the 380th Bombardment Group — the famous “Flying Circus.” To add another Ojai link to the story, Pete Conforti, perhaps Ojai’s final World War II veteran, died recently. He was an infantryman who landed on Luzon in early 1945, helping complete Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s promised return and set free those 3,000 Santo Tomas internees. Another Ojai connection, tucked away in my mother’s extensive collection of costume jewelry, was a drawer of my father’s medals — his two purple hearts, Distinguished Unit Citation and Meritorious Service Medal among them, if I recall correctly — earned during his tours of duty as a bombardier on a B-24 Liberator from the spring of 1942 to his mustering out in 1949, just weeks before North Korea’s invasion below the 38th Parallel. One of those medals tucked away in that baize-covered drawer was the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. I imagine my father flying high above the fray, dodging Japanese anti-aircraft flak and the hornet-like Zeroes as he lined up his gunsights, setting in motion the liberation of Karen and her fellow internees, whose brilliant career as an artist has given the world so much value. While certainly not on the same scale, we think this issue of the Ojai Quarterly will also provide value for our community, value that we may never even know for many years.

OQ / FALL 2021

OQ | C O N TRI BU TO R S SERGIO ARAGONÉS

began drawing for Mad Magazine in 1963 and he has drawn tens of thousands of cartoons since. He is regarded as among the world’s most distinctive and prolific cartoonists.

CHUCK GRAHAM’S work

has appeared in Outdoor Photographer, Canoe & Kayak, Trail Runner, Men’s Journal, The Surfer’s Journal and Backpacker.

HANNAH LITTLE serves this year as the youngest-ever Editorin-Chief of On The Hill, the award-winning newspaper and website at Ojai Valley School, where she is a junior. She also is a talented equestrian, a gifted ceramicist and a devotee of all things outdoors.

ILONA SAARI is a writer who’s worked in TV/film, rock’n’roll and political press, and as an op-ed columnist, mystery novelist and consultant for HGTV. She blogs for food: mydinnerswithrichard. blogspot.com.

NAO BRAVERMAN

BRANDI CROCKETT is an

is a writer and a dabbler. When she’s not writing you can find her hosting imaginary tea parties for her small children in the Meadow Preserve. Naobraverman@gmail. com

Ojai pixie tangerine peelin’ native and an editorial and destination wedding photographer. Check out her work at fancyfreephotography.com

CASSANDRA JONES

MARK LEWIS is a writer and editor based in Ojai. He can be contacted at mark lewis1898@gmail.com.

is an artist and writer living in the Ojai Valley. Follow her on Instagram @jpegmountain.

DR. BETH PRINZ

UTA CULEMANNRITKE

has lived and worked as a doctor in New York, London and locally. If she were president, she’d make fruits and vegetables free for everyone, and end chronic disease. Until then, she hopes to persuade with words. askdrbeth@ ojaiquarterly.com

is an independent artist, designer and curator. She is a member of Ojai Studio Artists and runs utaculemann.design.

KIT STOLZ is an award-winning journalist who has written for newspapers, magazines, literary journals, and online sites. He lives in Upper Ojai and blogs at achangeinthewind.com.

SAMI ZAHRINGER is

an Ojai writer and award-winning breeder of domestic American long-haired children. She has more forcedmeat recipes than you.

OQ / FALL 2021

In the Arcade 302 East Ojai Ave, Ojai 93023 www.cercanaojai.com, Phone: 805 272 8870

OQ / FALL 2021

what does it mean to be educated?

oakgroveschool.org/begin

OQ | OJAI NOTES Ojai’s identity as an artist enclave took shape before and after World War II with resident painters like Gui Ignon and Liam O’Gallagher, sculptor Alice DeCreeft, as well as the ceramicist Beatrice Wood, the “Mama of Dada.”

IN BRIEF: OJAI: TALK OF THE TOWN PODCASTS CALENDAR PROJECT FOR 12 GOOD MEN LOCAL BATH BOX & BEYOND PROJECT

Karen Banfield got through the pandemic through “discovering the goodness around me.” She’s been performing a one-woman show and teaching storytelling classes, but “not being able to gather together left me without a creative outlet,” she said. With “Naked Gardening Day (May 7) approaching, it occurred to her to publish a calendar of naked men gardening. When they said, “Not just No! But hell no!,” she said it was time to refocus.

Lauren Nichols chose an auspicious time to launch Local Bath Box, a subscription-based beauty and bath products line from her Ojai home. It was the same day that her daughter, her second child, was born. Nichols merged her interests in healthy households, supporting local artisans and self care into this project. Check out her website at localbathbox.com or her interview on “Ojai: Talk of the Town” wherever you get your podcasts.

From that seed grew the 2022 “Good Guys, A Celebration of Men Living Heart-Centered Lives” calendar. “The calendar features photos of local men, both known and unknown, who show kindness in their lives and livelihood. Then I added text that speaks to their values and contributions, ” Banfield said. “(There’s) so many men doing small, often unnoticed things, that made me smile and just as often brought me to tears. It occured to me that I should feature each person with a story next to their photo, but not just information, I longed to know what motivated their generosity of spirit.”

MASTERING THE ART OF CARTOON Another recent episode of “Ojai: Talk of the Town” featured the legendary Sergio Aragonés, who graced the pages of Mad Magazine for 60 years, and who created the picaresque “Groo the Wanderer” comic book series. Aragonés talks about his brilliant career, fleeing the Spanish Civil War, and his love of America and Ojai, as well as future projects. This master artist is busier than ever as he drops hints about what’s next.

WORLD’S LONGEST SONG TITLE & OJAI

The calendars are $20 plus shipping and available at the the Ojai Valley Museum and Poppies Art & Gift. They can also be purchased by emailing Karen at Banfield11@gmail.com. She expects to have a purchase link soon. A portion of the proceeds will benefit a safe house for sex-trafficked children.

2 OJAI

TWO DEGREES

OF SEPARATION

ONE: Hoagy Carmichael’s “I’m a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank in the Streets of Yokohama With My Honolulu Mama Doing Those Beato-O Beat-O Flat-On-My-Seat-O Hirohito Blues” entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s longest song title. The song, released in 1942, was made famous by “Der Bingel” Bing Crosby.

Johnny Mercer for “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening” in 1952’s “Here Comes the Groom.” Carmichael frequented the Ojai Valley Inn in the post-World War II years, where he made a favorable impression on many people, including Rose Boggs, who was quoted in the Fall 2011 OQ, “He would sit down at the piano and we would sing.” Boggs remembered “slipping out of Ojai one evening to go on a double date with Carmichael and another couple. The foursome drove to Santa Barbara for filet mignon at the Pink Cricket” according to the Mark Lewis-bylined story.

TWO: Carmichael, one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the first half of the 20th century, composed “Georgia On My Mind” and “Stardust,” and won an Academy Award with

BETWEEN

OQ / FALL 2021

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Escape the Ordinary

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Boutique Hotels & Vacation Homes

Providing the Highest Quality Custom Residential & Commercial Architectural Design and Construction Services.

Whitman Architectural Design

75 years of

monicaros.org

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805.646.8485 www.whitman-architect.com

Blending academic fundamentals with the richness of the visual arts, drama, and music. Preserving the magic of childhood in Ojai’s beautiful East End. Pre-K - 3rd Grade • Toddler Program • Summer Camp 805.646.8184 783 McNell Rd. Ojai, CA 93023 monicaros.org

OQ / FALL 2021

blanchesylvia o j a i c a l i f o r n i a 212 a east ojai avenue

instagram: @blanchesylviaojai

a n O j a i , C A f a m i l y b u s i n e s s

M a t t

OQ / FALL 2021

J e s s

PHOTO BY MICHELE FLOYD

OVS’S SCI TECH BUILDING BURNED DECEMBER 5, 2017

STORY BY HANNAH LITTLE

OQ / FALL 2021

OJAI VALLEY SCHOOL’S NEW BUILDINGS AT TWILIGHT — THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS AFTER THE THOMAS FIRE.

PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE BY LOGAN HALL

THE

THOMAS FIRE AFTERMATH — SCITECH, SPRING 2018

new Littlefield Student Commons looms large at the edge of the Upper Campus of Ojai Valley School, overlooking the valley below. Head of School Craig Floyd stands on the second floor reading porch, OQ / FALL 2021

GROUNDBREAKING: STEVE MCGILLIVRAY, MICHAEL HALL MOUNSEY AND FRED FISHER, JUNE 2019

PHOTO BY MISTY HALL

his shoulders pushed back by gusts of air sweeping up the hillside. The Commons is the centerpiece of the most ambitious building project in school history, an architectural masterpiece that even a year ago, when it was nothing but exposed wood and freshly mounted glass, spoke of new opportunities literally borne out of the ashes. “It has been three long years of waiting for the rebuild,” said Floyd, leading a tour of the Commons and the other new buildings at the highest point on the hill. “I am extremely excited to see the buildings approach completion. We’re dedicated to making this part of the campus a top-notch facility.” The $16.5-million project is largely aimed at replacing buildings lost in the December 2017 Thomas Fire, which at the time was the biggest wildfire in modern California history. Both the old girls’ dorm and science building burned to the ground in the fire; several other buildings were damaged, as well. Despite those losses, students returned to campus and moved into temporary dorms and classroom spaces while Los Angeles architect Fred Fisher, an OVS parent, began laying the groundwork for the rebuilding effort. Fisher’s design includes the Commons, as well as a new and expanded Grace Hobson Smith House dormitory and the Aramont Science and Technology Center — which among its many amenities will feature new classrooms, science and media labs, and a makerspace for engineering and robotics. Run on solar power, the project’s many green features are expected to earn a LEED Gold designation. The brand new Commons, a two-story dining hall, library, and student center will, for the first time, provide a place for the entire student body to gather for meals and special events. The new facilities were completed in August for the start of the 2021-22 school year. “From an admissions standpoint, the new buildings coming 34

online will be an extraordinary game changer,” said Tracy Wilson, the school’s director of admissions and advancement. “But beyond that, this project is going to enhance the student experience at Ojai Valley School.” Between the Thomas Fire, and more recently the COVID pandemic, it has been a surreal student experience for the past 3½ years. The seniors who graduated this past June felt the full force of that one-two punch, starting just a few months into their freshman year. The Thomas Fire began to burn out of control the evening of Dec. 4, 2017 from its ignition point near Santa Paula, sending up a giant cloud of gray-red smoke that rapidly made its way over the hills toward the Upper Campus. Pushed by Santa Ana wind gusts of up to 80 mph, the fire swept west into Upper Ojai and along Highway 150. Boarding students and faculty were evacuated in the early evening, leaving with the clothes on their backs and whatever they could carry, and settling safely at the Lower Campus. By 10 p.m., the 31 horses that made their home at the Upper Campus had also been trailered and relocated to the Lower Campus and nearby barns.

At 4 a.m. the next morning, Floyd was the only one left on campus. He stood on the hill of the old girls’ dorm, watching as the flames began to pour over the hill like a fiery FREDERICK FISHER & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS N river. He was the DAVID ROSS STAND ON THE BALCONY OF THE last school official to vacate the campus, leaving it in the hands of firefighters to defend. Given the conditions, they didn’t stand a chance. Angry red ember showers streaked the night sky, sparking more OQ / FALL 2021

fires wherever they touched down — often miles ahead of the main blaze. The firestorm tore through the Upper Campus, destroying the science center and the nearby dorm, as well as a ceramics studio, and badly damaging several other buildings. “The past 72 hours have been an unbelievable experience,” Floyd wrote in a Facebook post days later. “At times I have been overcome with emotion due to the loss and overcome with emotion due to the outpouring of support from students, parents, alumni, family, friends and extended community. I bleed OVS Green and am more determined as ever to lead the Upper Campus in its rebirth.” OVS wasted no time launching the rebuilding process. There was a meeting with architect Fisher just 48 hours after the fire burned the campus. Fisher designed the temporary girls’ dorm and classroom configuration, then pivoted to the rebuild effort with his team at Frederick Fisher and Partners. At the same time, workers from McGillivray Construction — founded and operated by former OVS parent Steve McGillivray — were already on-hand completing a boys’ dorm renovation, and

arrived, and the rebuild began in earnest. “In the footprint of the fire destruction, Fred and his team envisioned an ensemble of buildings to meet the academic and residential needs of the community, and we are now seeing that come to fruition,” said OVS President/CEO Michael Hall-Mounsey. “These buildings will be more attractive, more environmentally sustainable, and more fire resistant than anything we had before, and we are grateful to the families and individuals whose support has made it possible.” From a distance, those living and learning at the Upper Campus have been able to watch the project slowly but surely take shape, but few were allowed to venture beyond the chain link fence during construction. Luckily, Floyd allowed an occasional sneak peek. Walking up to the construction site, the first building is dedicated to the sciences. The Aramont Science and Technology Center includes a seminar room, three science classrooms, a computer lab and the Makerspace. The Aramont Foundation, with the encour-

PHOTO BY LOGAN HALL

NORA LEON, JENNIFER GILMAN AND E GRACE HOBSON SMITH DORM.

OVS STUDENTS CHECK OUT THE VIEWS FROM THE NEW BUILDINGS.

they were pulled in to help establish the temporary housing. Months later, McGillivray Construction would be named lead contractor on the rebuild project. In November 2019, after a mountain of debris was cleared and architectural plans were made, the first pieces of heavy equipment

agement of alumna Lucila Arango, was the first to step up with a major $1 million contribution after the fire and inspired others to give. Donors included numerous alumni, parents, grandparents and friends of the school. Floyd steps eagerly into one of the classrooms next to the Carol

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PHOTO BY MISTY HALL

A FULL MOON RISES OVER THE HILLS BEHIND THE MCCARTHEY FAMILY MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM,

Burnett Digital and Media Arts Lab, donated by the legendary comedian (an OVS grandparent), and her husband Brian Miller. Like all the rooms in this building, some of the most striking features are the high ceilings and tall rectangular windows that flood the learning space with natural light. Across from the Media Lab stands the new Stanley Black Family Foundation Makerspace, a dedicated classroom for robotics with a large roll-up door and outdoor patio. The door will allow resources to be driven straight into the lab, while the patio will give students the opportunity to work outside. Just west of the Makerspace and across from a new faculty meeting room is the McCarthey Family Multipurpose Room, an epicenter of performing arts that can be used for play rehearsals, instrument storage, and garage band practices and performances. The room has accordion doors along one wall that open to an outdoor seating area. As designed, it will be a grand space where students will be able to come together and enjoy movies, music, and each other. 36

From the science building to the new girls’ dorm is a short zig-zag path leading to the front entrance of the dorm. The one-story building is laid out like a square picture frame; four wings of single, double and triple rooms surround a private and homey courtyard. “One of my favorite features is the courtyard of the girls’ dorm,” said Fisher. “Its sense of enclosure contrasts with the wide open space of the hilltop.” The girls’ lounge is in the southwest corner. Its expansive glass windows run the length of the wall to expose the gorgeous valley views. Close by is the two-story Littlefield Student Commons, named for alumnus Ed Littlefield, whose foundation contributed OQ / FALL 2021

$2 million to the project. The Commons will serve multiple roles, from housing the new cafeteria to offering students places to lounge and relax before classes. Up until now, there has been no indoor space on campus in which all students, faculty and staff could gather, but that will no longer be the case. When entering through the large glass doors of the Commons, there is an elevator directly to the left, part of an effort to make the building accessible to all. A staircase that leads to the second floor spills directly into a lounge and seating area, which overlooks the large screens and cafeteria. Adjacent to the seating area is the wind-swept reading porch, and past that lies the new J.B. Close Library — named for former English teacher J.B. Close — which is much more spacious than the former library. Attached to the library are a set of rooms that will house the College Counseling office and Learning Center. Back on the first floor is a spacious new kitchen and servery, which was toured during construction by one of the most important constituent groups that will make use of the Commons: the kitchen staff. After years of working in the cramped confines of the former kitchen, the new space was a revelation to the OVS cooks. The new kitchen’s pantry, walk-in refrigeration, and dishwashing spaces are many times bigger than what is presently available. All the appliances will be electric, taking advantage of the school’s ample solar power. “The whole (old) kitchen can fit in the walk-in,” said longtime cook Moises Ferrell, poking his head into all the areas that will soon be his domain. NEW GIRLS’ DORM ROOM

Bordering the kitchen is a large serving area where the food line will form. Students will then be funneled into Boswell Hall, a spacious dining area that fits up to 190 people. Both the dining area and mezzanine take full advantage of the floor-to-ceiling windows on either side of the building. Students will also have the opportunity to sit outside on an oak-shaded terrace right outside of the building. The far wall of the dining hall will feature a nine-panel video wall to beam sports games, news broadcasts, and other programs. Students will be able to tap into these screens through their phones, and can watch and listen through headphones. With a maximum occupancy of 300, the space is also perfect for larger events, such as screenings of student films or presentations by guest lecturers. Less visible is the way in which all three fire-hardened buildings will protect the environment and provide reliable, renewable energy for the entire campus. This includes a battery storage system that will store electricity generated by the existing solar array, dramatically eliminating CO2 emissions and ensuring the campus can function in the event of power outages. Additional green-building features are expected to meet the standards for LEED Gold certification, demonstrating they are sustainable and safe for students and staff. “For years, OVS has been a leader in the independent school community when it comes to outdoor education and green initiatives,” said Wilson, the admissions director. “This project is our best demonstration yet that we are living our philosophy and advancing our sustainability goals, and it also shows that we can do more than just recover after a tragedy — we can rebuild better than before. ”

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OQ | A RTS & L I T ER ATURE

42 THE People’s Graphic Design

Author, Professor and Her Project to Elevate A Democratic Art Form By Cassandra Jones

Festival’s Featured Artists

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STORY BY CASSANDRA C JONES

LOUISE SANDHAUS

AUTHOR, LOUISE SANDHAUS

In 2014, Louise Sandhaus, an Ojai resident, graphic designer, and professor at California Institute of the Arts, published a book entitled “Earthquakes, Mudslides, Fires & Riots: California and Graphic Design, 1936-1986.” It was a project that took ten years of gathering, research, and curating to realize. Published by

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ARCHIVE SCREENSHOT: CREDIT: THE PEOPLE’S DESIGN ARCHIVE

Metropolis Books, the text garnered critical acclaim and became a landmark study.

One of Sandhaus’s takeaways from working on the project was that there was far too much material to cover. Maxing out at 415 pages, the effort to encompass all that could potentially represent California Graphic Design in a survey spanning 50 years was herculean. By her own admission, what made it to the final printing was “a crumb, of a crumb, of a crumb,” and that nagged at her.

With a sincere desire to rectify her own limitations as a historian, Sandhaus conceived of a virtual, online design archive that would be crowd-sourced. She wanted to challenge the status quo, where traditionally, what ended up in the narrow halls of history was vetted by a select few. This platform would foster a more equitable overview of Graphic Design and widen the representation of marginalized designers, particularly women, people of color, and those from other cultures. It would also invite diverse viewpoints by asking the public-at-large to scour their personal collections and upload whatever examples of Graphic Design that felt relevant and valuable to them. By participating, each contributor would take part in deciding what was worthy of preservation. The repository would then become an invaluable resource for educators, scholars, students, and enthusiasts.

Shortly after the three teamed up, the Peoples Graphic Design Archive began its transition from concept to creation.

Since 2019 Sandhaus has been part of “Design History Fridays,” an association of graphic designers, historians, curators, and educators. Every few weeks, the group convenes to discuss their work and big ideas about the future of Graphic Design history. Within that cohort, she connected with Briar Levit, an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Portland State University, and Brockett Horne, the chair of Graphic Design at Maryland Institute College of Art. They both offered enthusiasm and the relevant expertise to realize Sandhaus’ vision.

With the tag line “A virtual archive, built by everyone, about everyone, and for everyone,” the three collaborators launched a beta version of the project in July 2020. Constructed in Notion, a wiki-like database software, the current platform is a living prototype, helping them learn how people interact with the site and improve user experience and reach. A permanent website with a more robust database and upgraded functions is in the works, and they hope to have it live by the end of 2021. In the meantime, the call is out for contributors, and anyone and

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are under the canopy, but what about children’s book illustrations or the motion graphics in a music video? How about objects the were “designed” by people who are not designers, like an exhibition postcard, a handdrawn protest sign, or a self-published zine made by an angsty teenager on a xerox machine before everyone had personal computers? What if I think it’s “design” and it isn’t? What if, after years of experience working as a creative professional, I still don’t have enough expertise to make the call?

When I admit my hesitancy to Sandhaus, she assures me that I can’t mess this up. She also sends me their definition of Graphic Design which is “the powerful everyday art of our culture. It is the expressive use of words, images, movement, and behaviors used to inform, to protest, and to educate, as well as to delight and inspire. Graphic design includes everything from information graphics, political posters, publications, signage, flyers, album covers, logos, as well as film & television titles and so much more, in media that ranges from print to digital and every form of screen. Graphic design is everywhere!”

Perusing the contributions of others on the Archive also puts me at ease. Under the category “Ephemera,” there are colorful Chinese firecracker labels with names like The Wizard, Super Charged Gorilla, and Flying Dragon UFO Fireworks. I also found a protest sticker from the Stonewall Riots, a paper trick-or-treat bag from the 1950s, a xeroxed women’s dance party flyer from 1988, German wrapping paper, and an instant ramen noodle package from Korea. In this one category alone, the range is delightfully broad.

everyone is welcome to submit.

I have been a professional artist for almost 20 years and a design lover for as long as I can remember. I have a framed, embroidered Kanye West tweet on my wall that reads, “I get emotional over fonts,” because I genuinely share that sentiment.

My husband, Mikael Jorgensen, has been the keyboardist for the band Wilco since 2002, and we have a stack of their concert posters under our mattress to keep them flat. Band posters easily fall under the definition of Graphic Design, and contributing one seems like an apt place to start.

When I heard about the Archive, I immediately saw its potential and was giddy about contributing, but I quickly second-guessed myself. How do I personally define Graphic Design? I know book covers, soda can labels, and movie titles

Fun fact: Wilco commissions a poster for almost every gig they play, a tradition I have marveled at over the years. Not only does this employ a host of artists, designers, and print shops, but the posters are seductive objects. The designs are usually hand

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A PANEL OF IMAGES FROM THE “DUNGEON MAJESTY,” A CABLE ACCESS TV SHOW THAT AIRED IN LOS ANGELES FROM 2004-200

screen-printed with solid colors, overlapping elements, and bold fonts. The tactile handmade quality of ink squeegeed onto stiff paper makes for a keepsake that feels nostalgic and timeless all at once. Made with an analog process, each one is also slightly unique. With a red background and black ink applied with multiple shades and sheens, a stand-out in our poster collection is by a design group called Heads of State. Commissioned for Wilco’s first show at Radio City Music Hall in 2004, it is one of my favorites.

WILCO COMMISSIONS NEW POSTERS FOR MOST OF THEIR SHOWS.

Once I upload the poster, it takes a few days to appear on the Archive because the team is still adding submissions by hand, which will be automated when the new platform goes live. But it shows up next to a spacey blue electronic-music album cover by a group called Forgemasters and a purple “WARP” logo from 1989. It fits right in, and I like the prospect of other people seeing it and wanting to add their own favorite concert poster. I upload my next item with even more affection, only because it brings back memories OQ / FALL 2021

07. IT ATTAINED CULT STATUS FOR ITS LO-FI EFFECTS AND ARTSY ANTICS.

of my youth and the entertaining antics of my artsy friends. It is an enamel pin designed to promote Dungeon Majesty, a Cable Access TV show based in Los Angeles that aired between 2004-2007. Produced by Telefantasy Studios, four ladies, Christine Adolph, Sarah Low, Liza Cardinale, and JJ Stratford, played Dungeons and Dragons on air with a male Dungeon Master, Riley Swift. Written, created, and edited by the cast, their D&D personas would act out the various battle scenes, in full costume, with lo-fi green-screen effects. Imagine the players in a spooky cave with lightning bolts shooting out of their hands to fight giant monsters that were, in reality, tiny plastic toys. The result was often cheesy but charming and gained them some cult status and minor notoriety.

MTV2 commissioned them to do “sharts,” short video clips that served as network IDs and aired between music videos. Liza, my dear friend from high school and college roommate, played the character “La Tiza,” the Sorceress on the show. And if memory serves, she handed me that enamel pin at a Dungeon Majesty screening, in LA, at the Vine Theatre in 2006.

Five minutes after it pops up on the website, I get a text from Sandhaus that reads, “Loved seeing the Dungeon Majesty pin in the Archive!! The funniest thing is that Riley Swift was my student way back when. Did you submit one of their videos as well?!”

I call her up, eager to ask, “Would the show itself be considered Graphic Design”? She gives me a hearty “YES,” and we have a lively conversation about how the Dungeon Majesty videos are laden with collaged graphic elements, text, and hand-drawn fonts. Our discussion reminds me that Sandhaus has often championed video as a sector of Graphic Design. After I upload Dungeon Majesty’s first episode, I spend a fascinating hour diving into the “Motion Graphics” section of the Archive. There, I discover everything from the title sequence cards of Jeopardy to the wildly experimental animations of Jules Engel, who also worked on commercial films like Fantasia and Bambi.

My next task is to go through and upload something even more personal. I have stacks of old art exhibition postcards, and of course, zines my friends and I made as angsty teenagers on xerox machines before we all got personal computers and became creative professionals.

I encourage you, too, to dig deep, find artifacts that mean something to you, and help expand the history of Graphic Design.

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STORY BY BRET BRADIGAN

A lot has happened since Barbara Hannigan’s conducting baton waved the 2019 Ojai Music Festival to a close in a program featuring the music of Igor Stravinsky, Haydn and Gershwin. But the idea of Ojai as a place where three such disparate composers can be combined into a harmonious whole lived on through the pandemic. John Adams — who himself turns 75 early next year — returns as Music Director to curate this year’s 75th annual Ojai Music Festival. It’s been 28 years since his first appearance as music director. For this auspicious anniversary, he has deliberately sought out

RHIANNON GIDDENS, PHOTO BY EBRU YILDIZ

Giddens & Th , s m eF a d e A

of Home ext Gener N s ’ l at i a v it on s

younger composers, performers and musicians who can give audiences insight into what’s coming next for contemporary music. Libbey Bowl is a stage steeped in such forward-looking performances. Adams made his own reputation by turning from formalism and academic modernism and opening it up to a more human, expressive language that reflects a wide variety of influences, much like the best of America itself.

JOHN ADAMS, MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE 75TH ANNUAL OJAI MUSIC

Adams has mentored an entire generation of composers — Gabriela Ortiz, Gabriella Smith, Timo Andres and Carlos Simon among them. While he’s bringing attention to this vanguard of new composers, festival artistic director Ara Guzelimian convinced him that the festival goers — many of whom have been listening to Adams’ explorations of musical styles for decades — would love to hear some of his own important compositions.

FESTIVAL

The theme of “coming home” for the 75th Ojai Music Festival harmonizespecially with featured performer Rhiannon Giddens. She and partner Francesco Turrisi recently released “They’re Calling Me Home,” a pandemic-era project that covers several centuries music, all about home — whether finding it, losing appreciating it.

“They’re

al ling

Making their Ojai debuts, and perhaps finding a new home, will be violinist Miranda Cuckson, Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson and the Grammy-Award winning Attacca Quartet. Closing out the festival will be Adams conducting the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, with Giddens singing, Vîkingur Ølafsson on the piano and a world premiere work by Gabriela Ortiz, as well as works by Mozart, Carlos Simon and Adams himself.

Adams, who won the Pulitzer Prize for music with his 2003 work, “On the Transmigration of Souls,” commemorating the victims of the 9-11 tragedy, came of age during the strict modernism of Pierre Boulez, but found himself liberated by the free-form explorations of John Cage and Steve Reich, and has collaborated with the dynamic director Peter Sellars on his major operas, first with “Nixon in China,” and “Doctor Atomic” about nuclear physicist Robert J. Oppenheimer. All of these composers have shared or been heard from the Ojai stage at one time or another.

Ho m e

” 54

es her Me of it, or

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The theme of “coming home” for the 75th Ojai Music Festival harmonizes especially with featured performer Rhiannon Giddens. The festival opens Thursday, Sept. 16 with an evening concert featuring Miranda Cuckson on violin joining the Attaca Quartet on Stravinsky’s “Elegie.” The Attaca Quartet returns the next morning with Rhiannon Giddens with a selection of works by Adams’ “Book of Alleged Dances.” The repertoire also includes Giddens’ original songs, such as the haunting “At the Purchasers’ Option,” inspired by a newspaper advertisement in which a 19-year-old woman was sold, but with her nine-month-old daughter at the purchaser’s option. John Adams takes up the conductor’s baton Friday evening to conduct the Ojai Festival Orchestra in a repertoire of festival favorites including Debussy, past music director Esa-Pekka Salonen, and a work by rising star Timo Andres, called “Running Theme.” Someone else keeping busy during the festival will be Chumash elder and Ojai community leader Julie Tumamait-Stenslie, who will be sharing native stories Friday morning, and blessing performances at Libbey Bowl throughout the festival. This year’s festival was postponed three months to allow in-person performances with lower risk of spreading coronavirus, though the festival kept faith with its usual second-weekend of June schedule

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VIKINGUR OLAFSSON, MIRANDA CUCKSON ANGELES ORCHESTRA

FORMERS

CHAMBER

AND THE LOS

R U ED P T A E F

with a series of pop-up performances around town. While the world hit the giant pause button these past pandemic months, many artists used the time productively.

Dublin, Ireland. “He’s been such an important part of my journey as an artist, when he said, ‘Would you consider this festival,’ I said, ‘Sure.’ There’s not much I wouldn’t do for David.”

Known for her pure, clear voice and virtuosity on the banjo (as well as her acting chops on the hit show “Nashville”), Giddens wouldn’t seem at first glance an obvious choice to sign on as a featured performer for the world’s leading festival of contemporary and classical music. But David Bither, the head of Nonesuch Records, had a different idea.

His predecessor at Nonesuch, David Hurwitz, an accomplished amateur pianist and Ojai Festival enthusiast, will be the inspiration for the Sunday morning concert, with Timo Andres playing pieces by artists whose careers Hurwitz has advocated, including Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Laurie Anderson, Louis Andriesson and Donnacha Dennehy, as well as Adams and Andres themselves.

“If David asks me to do something, I will do it,” said Giddens, interviewed on the Ojai podcast via phone from her home in 56

Though Giddens has never yet been to Ojai, she’s indirectly OQ / FALL 2021

experienced the area through her popular Aria Code podcast, where she calls upon her past as an opera singer to tell the stories behind the great arias. One recent episode included her analysis of Stravinsky’s “Rake’s Progress,” which was performed at the festival in 2019. Stravinsky is considered by many to be the festival’s guiding spirit. She drew parallels between Ann Trulove’s “No Word From Tom” and Johnny Cash’s road romance with June Carter Cash, while his wife at the time, Vivian Liberto Cash, lamented his absence from her home high on the hill above Casitas Springs. The Festival finale brings together Adams conducting the prestigious Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Olafsson on the piano, Giddens singing for a program spanning centuries of works by Mozart, Carlos Simon, Gabriela Ortiz, and Adams himself.

For more information on the festival and Rhiannon Giddens, check out Ojai: Talk of the Town episode 70. A few excerpts: Giddens on the Ojai Festival: It’s right up my alley — the breadth of it, the ability to do all these things in one place, it’s a no-brainer for me. I love festivals that have different things all around in the same sort of atmosphere, like Big Ears (Festival) in Knoxville. I really wish there were more festivals like that.

Coming Out of the Pandemic: After year-and-a-half, I’m ready to relinquish all the engineering and all of it and start collaborating. It’s been rough this pandemic doing it all ourselves, I can’t wait to get back together working with a team.

Wilmington, North Carolina in 1898, Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921 & “The Violently Unremembered:”

There’s always been pushback about telling the truth of history. (There’s people that) they just don’t want them to know. That’s the threat of black economic prosperity — it’s too much for a certain segment of white America. We’ve been shown that time and again, that it must be destroyed by whatever means necessary. We can’t tell the story of America without telling all the pieces. Anyone surprised by what’s happened at the Capitol (on January 6) hasn’t read enough history.”

The Black Influence on Country Music: The Carter family? They weren’t self-taught — a large influence (on them) was Leslie Riddle. He went around with AC Carter and broke down the songs … he imparted some of the way he played the guitar. The whitest of the white? That style is held up as white Appalachia, but there’s a black thread runs through that becomes forgotten. So many places in country music, where it’s invisible — we wouldn’t have the Carter sound without Lesley Riddle. How we get erased, it never stops to astound me.

Her Introduction to Music: I got into music through dancing — contra dancing. Those English country dances, I became a big fan. (When I went) back home to North Carolina, I heard lot of old time music, banjo and fiddle — and learned of the African connection as a living link to Frank Johnson (a famous, unjustly neglected string band leader of the 19th century). I learned how huge the black string bands were — how instrumental to entertainment they were — and how little they were remembered. You got to win the war of words, or you lose a whole generation.

On Winning a MacArthur Fellow ‘Genius’ Grant: Definitely was, a time when I was like “Oh my God, what am I doing? I’m not like doing Kendrick Lamar. I was feeling the drain of trying to keep a band out there and do all these appearances and have a mission to what I’m doing. So when I got that phone call — the money was amazing — but what hit me was the validation, it allowed me to do it in ways where I’m not having to struggle so much, to do projects that were more … well, I’ve never taken projects just for the money, but could never afford to do. Like the opera — (“Omar” — written about Omar Bin Said, an enslaved Muslim man whose 1831 autobiography was written in Arabic), that’s something that became possible.

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OQ | OF F T HE S HEL F

STORY BY KIT STOLZ

Many people talk about the idea of change: Jim Selman, an Ojai author and consultant, has a successful career of “implementing change.” He has worked extensively overseas, using innovative techniques in language to enable corporations and individuals to rethink prior beliefs and revamp their operations. Even though he has taken jobs for some of the largest corporations in the world — helping to orchestrate the merger of Chevron and Texaco in 2000, to give one example — Selman believes that the world is changing so rapidly that traditional ways of thinking, regardless of their origin, no longer serve us well. Like a bullet fired straight at us, the future, he thinks, is already upon us, and we are not ready. But he offers techniques to open our minds to the possibilities we may not have considered, possibilities that might open the door to a liveable future. In his 2019 book “Living in a Real-Time World: 6 Capabilities to Prepare Us for an Unimaginable Future,” Selman lightly touches on the prospect of societal collapse or a personal inability to rethink our prior beliefs as we age, stressing instead the promise of transformation. “We are now living in what I call ‘a real-time world’,” a world in which we can no longer trust our past to inform us about what will happen in the future,” he writes. “The most compelling aspects of life today are accelerating change, increasing complexity, unpredictability and uncertainty. The scope, scale and speed with which our new reality is unfolding is beyond anything we’ve ever faced. We used to say, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Today it is more accurate to say that the more things change, the faster everything changes.” In conversation Selman offers a shocking example, comparing 58

the myopic weakness of our society today to the tragic dilemma faced by the Crow Indians towards the end of the 19th century, when the slaughter of the bison by the white man brought an end to the world that the Crow knew (as described in the book “Radical Hope” by historian Jonathan Lear). “Effectively it’s a story of how the entire reality of the Crow was organized around the buffalo. And when the buffalo died, their world died. It didn’t mean that they physically died, but the world in which they lived was anchored in their relationship to the buffalo,” Selman said. “That’s why the Crow took on other roles, why they became guides for the Army and tried to learn to be farmers and took a proactive stance towards integration with the West,” he added. “I have the view that our buffalo are dying and what we’re dealing with here is a collapse of our world.” Selman isn’t sure what in 21st century America compares to the demise of the buffalo for the Crow — possibly oil — but he argues that in order to survive, we need to stop expecting that someone or something will be coming to save us. For this reason he doubts the usefulness of hope, which he thinks can become a kind of crutch to avoid taking action in the face of accelerating climate change, among other dire possibilities. Years ago, Selman and a collaborator, attorney and sustainability expert Gene Dunaway, were invited to present the case for a sustainable future to an oil company called Trans Alpha in Calgary. Selman and Dunaway decided to begin by arguing the converse, that our way of life today was unsustainable in many different realms, from climate to biodiversity to aridification. They set out to frame the presentation as a mock trial. OQ / FALL 2021

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JIM SELMAN

SELMAN’S MOST RECENT BOOK

“Trans Alpha was already interested in sustainability,” said Dunaway in a phone conversation. “So were a lot of companies in Canada. I think they had already started to see some of the limits to growth, including the overharvesting of the forest. So in prosecuting the case in this mock trial, I argued that we had no future and that life as we knew it today was over. If there’s no future this way, your job is now to create a future. Many in the audience were engineers, and I gave them an assignment: How do you re-engineer your company to create a sustainable future?” Selman notes that despite their best efforts, they were not invited back, and likely did not move the oil industry much toward sustainability. But he insists that fundamental change is not possible, for the oil industry or for individuals, as long as the participant’s thinking stays within a paradigm — or narrative — that the participants themselves do not see.

self-righteousness. It’s all the same. It’s the same construct, it’s the way paradigms work.” How does Selman help people become aware of the paradigms they’re stuck living in, or, as he puts it more plainly, their “blindspots?” He begins with the idea that we are all in the process of becoming, as individuals and as communities, quoting George Bernard Shaw: “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” As part of his work, Selman looks closely at the commitments — spoken or unspoken — made by an individual or an organization. As an example of how a commitment to a shared goal in the future can change a present-day reality, Selman mentions President Kennedy’s famous pledge to put a man on the moon.

When pressed for an example, Selman cites an alcoholic’s confidence — or even his hope — that he can single-handedly bring his drinking under control. As long as an alcoholic believes that he can do that by himself, he will not be able to take the steps necessary to actually stop drinking. For Selman, who says he was influenced by time spent in AA years ago, this is a psychological truth that extends far beyond alcohol, into the paradigms by which we live our lives.

“What people don’t realize is, at the time, that about 75 percent of the scientific community said, basically, that [the moonshot] was impossible.” Selman argues. “What I teach when I’m using this example is that because the vision was the driver, and because people were committed to the possibility — not the probability — of it happening, that the resistance to the change helped create the conditions that had to be addressed in order to fulfill the vision.”

“The point is that when you’re living in a self-referential construct, you’re trapped,” he said. “There is no hope of getting out. That’s why I came to appreciate that recovery is not about drinking. What you’re recovering is your choice, your ability to choose. If you are able to get outside of your self-referential bubble and make choices and handle it “one day at a time” then you’re likely to get through life without drinking, but the point here is that it’s any “ism” — whether it’s alcohol or drugs or gambling or

He points to a number of engineering solutions that NASA had to find to make the spaceflight possible, such as the extreme miniaturization of electronic components, that the naysayers had cited as examples of the mission’s impossibility. When it comes to clean energy, Selman today points to a number of new designs for solar power installations by Land Art Generator that are so different from the solar power norm that they aren’t even recognized as energy sources.

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Along these lines, Selman argues that, because culture is in effect “a collective belief system, and in many respects we effectively are living in a state of denial,” he tells organizations he works with, when he introduces the possibility of a profound change, his goal is not “understanding” but for the participant to “see something you cannot see.”

he does frequently reference the famous line from “Star Trek,” saying that “the world is going where we never have before.” And when it comes to climate, Selman hopes that beyond the recommendations from the Climate Emergency Mobilization Committee’s report that the sustainability conversation in Ojai can inspire new thinking.

After living for many years in Vancouver and in Northern California, in recent years Selman moved with his wife to Ojai, in part to be closer to their grown children living in Los Angeles, but also, Selman says, out of a real admiration for the uniqueness and beauty of Ojai. In 2019, at the request of Ojai City Councilmember Randy Harvey, Selman joined the Ojai Climate Emergency Mobilization Committee. The committee looked at climate risks, and in a report released in June of 2020 called for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, with incentives to support electric cars and charging, as well as a city ban on gas-powered lawn and garden equipment. In October of last year, the City Council approved a new measure, the first in the County, requiring new buildings to use electric, rather than gas, appliances.

“I hope that climate is a sufficiently transcendent issue that it can become an opportunity for co-creative conversations,” he said. “But it’s not about solving climate like a problem, it’s about generating a relationship among members of the community capable of dealing with those things that nobody can predict.”

Although Selman doesn’t foresee a climate-disrupted future that looks like “something out of an Arnold Schwarzenneger movie,”

Again and again, Selman returns to the idea that because the future is unknowable, we must come together as a community to meet its challenges. “We need to appreciate that most of the answers to our questions [about the future] don’t exist,” Selman argues. “I could say, well, Ojai is such a small drop in the bucket that there’s not much that we’re ever going to do that is going to make the slightest difference to the climate. But, together, we are trying to position the community to really see its power and leverage its example for other communities.”

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The Ojai Trolley Service, established in 1989, is owned and operated by the City of Ojai. The Trolley provides daily fixed-route transportation to approximately 9,000 riders per month throughout Ojai, Meiners Oaks, and Mira Monte. The Trolley is a well-known feature in the Ojai Valley, and in addition to the daily fixed-route services, participates in many local community events, fund raising activities, community service, and educational functions.

The Ojai Trolley Service ADA and Medicare Card Holders .75¢, Seniors 65 and up .75¢, Children under 45” tall FREE

From and to: For Just $1.50!

We’llOjai,get you there! Meiners Oaks and Mira Monte

We know Ojai.

2020 Remodel on 17 acres with gated entry, lighted tennis court, approximately 15 acres of avocado orchards, multiple outdoor living areas, outdoor kitchen, 3,000-square-foot shop, two fireplaces, multi-room master suite, amazing views, and much more. www.2871MaricopaHwy.com $5,900,000

Corral Canyon Ranch in Cuyama Valley is a 277+ acre ranch with five recently renovated houses, equestrian facilities, pastures, hay fields, beautiful views set against the stunning Sierra Madres Mountains. www.29443hwy33.com Price Upon Request

ESCROW 2 BR + 1 BA private mountain retreat on approximately one acre with fireplace, vaulted ceilings and views just minutes from downtown Ojai. $529,500

Rare investment opportunity — downtown Ojai triplex with three two-bedroom units. Close to shops, restaurants and parks. $1,199,000

The Davis Group ojaivalleyestates.com

Nora Davis

BRE License #01046067

805.207.6177

nora@ojaivalleyestates.com

We’re lifelong residents.

Marc Whitman design on approximately 7 acres with two master suites, five fireplaces, pool, outdoor kitchen, avocado orchard, RV parking, amazing views, and much more. www.1911MeinersRoad.com $3,199,000

33+ acre retreat in Wheeler Canyon with amazing views, private pond, fruit trees, chicken coop, multiple outdoor living areas, jetted soaking tub, stone fireplace, and vaulted, exposed-beam ceilings. $2,495,000

Alviria Oaks - Three-bedroom, two-bathroom Oak West Estates home with office, detached garage, workshop, great outdoor living, patio kitchen, and mountain views. $879,000

Kellye Lynn

BRE License #01962469

805.798.0322

"Best little art and gift store in Ojai" c SE S

modern vintage gypsy rock fashion 323 E. Matilija Street . Ojai, California OPEN DAILY 11AM - 5:30PM poppiesartandgifts.com 805-798-0033

64 Sanctum Ojai.indd 1

310 EAST OJAI AVENUE 805.640.8884 SOULTONIC@ME.COM

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Ethically crafted clothing made by artisan tailors in India. Natural fabrics cotton, linen, silk & bamboo. Sustainable, Fair trade. • BOOKS

• LEGO

• SCIENCE TOYS

• PLAYMOBIL

• MUSICAL TOYS

• PUZZLES

• KITES

• ART TOYS

• PLANES FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 1979 221 E. Matilija Street in Downtown Ojai (805) 646-2585

ALSO: OJAI TIE DYE, LOCAL JEWELRY & GIFTS

Ojai’s most unique Boutique

Open Monday - Saturday, 10 - 5:30 Sundays from 10 - 3

305 E. MATILIJA , SUITE G, OJAI 805 252 5882 WWW.THEMUDLOTUS.COM

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OQ | VIS UAL ARTI STS Perhaps it was potter and “the Mama of Dada” Beatrice Wood’s influence, going back nearly 90 years. Maybe it even goes back further, to the Chumash people’s ingenious and astounding artistry with basketry. It’s clear that Ojai has long been a haven for artists. The natural beauty

RICHARD AMEND

Mysterious equations of abstraction, nature, architecture, and illumination rolled into the stillness and clarity of singular, psychological moments. “Thought Form #1: Clearing.” Oil on canvas, 48” x 36.” Contact: amend@pobox.com or visit RichardAmend.net. 323-806-7995

PATRISH KUEBLER

is an artist who expresses herself in two strikingly different mediums: soft pastel and rich encaustic. 805-649-3050 PatrishKueblerFineArt.com

MARC WHITMAN

Original Landscape, Figure & Portrait Paintings in Oil. Ojai Design Center Gallery. 111 W Topa Topa Street. marc@whitman-architect. com. Open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

JOYCE HUNTINGTON

Intuitive, visionary artist, inspired by her dreams and meditations. It is “all about the Light.” Her work may be seen at Frameworks of Ojai, 236 West Ojai Ave, where she has her studio. 805-6403601 JoyceHuntingtonArt.com

framed so well by the long arc and lush light of an east-west valley lends itself to artistic pursuits, as does the leisurely pace of life, the sturdy social fabric of a vibrant community and the abundant affection and respect for artists and their acts of creation.

SUSAN STINSMUEHLEN AMEND Paints on

CINDY PITOU BURTON

Photojournalist and editorial photographer, specializing in portraits, western landscapes and travel. 805-646-6263 798-1026 cell OjaiStudioArtists.org

clear glass with kilnfired enamels, mapping unpredictable rhythms of thought. Custom commissions for art & architecture welcome. SusanAmend@pobox. com She is also on Facebook.

DUANE EELLS

KAREN K. LEWIS

Eells searches for beauty in his work. His paintings are about energy, empathy and connections. Bold strokes with classical drawing principles drive his work. Studio visits by appointment. Collect online at eells.com 805-633-0055

On a road trip to our new home in 1964, my children kept asking, “Are we there yet?” Our new town was integrating its schools.Reviewing these diverse faces in 2021, I ask myself, “Are we there yet?” KarenKLewis.com

ELAINE UNZICKER

ROY P. GRILLO

Creating life-like highly detailed drawings and oil paintings of ballerinas, pet and people protraits. 805-450-3329 Roygrillo.com

Inspired by medieval chain mail — stainless jewelry, scarves, purses, belts and wearable metal clothing. UnzickerDesign.com 805-646-4877

LISA SKYHEART MARSHALL

TOM HARDCASTLE

Rich oils and lush pastel paintings from Nationally awarded local artist. 805-895-9642

An Ojai valley artist making original watercolor+ink paintings with plants and flowers, birds and insects. SkyheartArt.com

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FIRESTICK GALLERY Firestick Pottery provides classes, studio/kiln space and a gallery abundant with fine ceramics. 1804 East Ojai Avenue. Open from 10 am to 6 pm every day. Gallery Open to the Public. FirestickPottery.com 805-272-8760

NUTMEG’S OJAI HOUSE

Featuring local artists, including William Prosser and Ted Campos. American-made gifts and cards, crystals, and metaphysical goods. 304 North Montgomery nutmegsojaihouse.com 805-640-1656

PORCH GALLERY

Contemporary Art in a Historic House. 310 East Matilija Avenue PorchGalleryOjai.com 805-620-7589 IG: PorchGalleryOjai

CHIRON HOUSE

Working with reclaimed, organic, local materials such as bones, clay and drawing on fabric and newsprint. “Datura / Kanye” (2019) bettynguyen.carbonmade.com

OVA ARTS

You haven’t seen Ojai until you visit us! Local art of all types, unusual gifts, Ojai goods! Open daily 10-6. Closed Tues. 323 Matilija Street

DAN SCHULTZ FINE ART

Plein air landscapes, figures and portraits in oil by nationally-acclaimed artist Dan Schultz. 106 North Signal Street | 805-317-9634 DanSchultzFineArt.com

CANVAS AND PAPER

40+ LOCAL artists with a unique selection of contemporary fine arts, jewelry and crafts. 238 East Ojai Ave 805-646-5682 Daily 10 am – 6 pm OjaiValleyArtists.com

POPPIES ART & GIFTS

A non-profit exhibition space showing paintings and drawings from the 20th century and earlier in thematic and single artist exhibits. Hours: Thursday – Sunday noon – 5pm 311 North Montgomery Street canvasandpaper.org

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illage marketplace

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72 ojai’s legacy restaurants The Survivors & Their Secrets By Ilona Saari

CHEF RANDY

Ojai Wine Map

Colorful Salad ala Tortellini By Chef Randy Graham

Wineries, Breweries & More

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CRAFTED IN OJAI SPROUTED SNACKS, SPREADS & GRANOLA

www.larkellenfarm.com

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Celebrating 32 Years Breakfast

•

Lunch

•

Dinner

Open Daily 8 am to 10 pm (Call for summer hours) Home of the $2.50 Mimosas and $4 Bloody Marys and Margaritas. All Day, Everyday.

Sea FreSh SeaFood

Restaurant, Sushi Bar and Fresh Fish Market

805-646-7747

• 533 E. Ojai Avenue, Ojai

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PHOTO BY NO NAME

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STORY BY ILONA SAARI

Restaurants… here today, gone tomorrow. Well, actually the average lifespan of an eatery is five to eight years. Not enough time to properly season a cast iron pan, let alone build a legacy.

PHOTO BY NO NAME

THE OJAI DEER LODGE

Ojai Legacy SALAD BY THE OJAI RANCH HOUSE

PHOTO BY NO NAME

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THE OJAI RANCH HOUSE

PHOTO BY DEVI PUSPITA AMARTHA

Restaurants PHOTO BY BRUNA BRANCO

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But, in this quixotic business, some restaurants earn the “legacy” title. Mom and Pop restaurants handed down from one generation to another? Of course. But, also, restaurants that have survived for years, holding onto history while growing and changing with the times, bequeathing a legacy of memorable dining experiences. So, for this food columnist’s opinion, any restaurant that is still firing up the stove after 20 years is a restaurant worth the legacy designation. And, Ojai is blessed with quite a few.

In 2014 Conde Nast named The Ranch House one of the most romantic restaurants in the country. It boasts an enchanting world of gardens with exotic plants, flowers and herbs that suffuse the air with aromatic scents that waft through tall bamboo stalks and over a koi pond. All part of the legacy left to Ojai by Founded in 1949, first as a boarding house where Alan cooked farm-to-table vegetarian meals for his boarders (mostly devotees of Ojai resident, Jiddhu Krishnamurti), it became a restaurant in 1950 by popular demand. Through ups and downs and a change of venue, Alan, a precursor to the legendary Alice Waters, continued to be a pioneer of California cuisine, developing award-winning recipes.

THE RANCH HOUSE

NOW, DECADES LATER, THE RANCH HOUSE HAS FED A LIST OF DINERS THAT INCLUDES ALDOUS HUXLEY, PAUL NEWMAN, JOHN & YOKO, AND REESE WITHERSPOON.

THE RANCH HOUSE ENTREES

When Steve Edelson bought The Ranch House in 2014, he and his fiancée, Italian artist/ designer Maria Angela Edelson, had a dream to fuse old-world Ojai with new world sensibility. They married on the restaurant’s beautiful grounds and, in true romance-novel fashion, Steve’s wedding present to her was ownership of The Ranch House. To help fulfill their dream, Russ Brunelli was brought in as general manager. The prix fixe menu is fresh and contemporary, but still serves selections from Alan Hooker’s cook book, including his famous Old World paté with cognac to complement its contemporary farm-to-table fare.

No matter where you go in the restaurant, there’s something that pleases the eye, from the Martha Moran rock sculptures in the garden, to Beatrice Woods’ broken china monolith to the whimsical art in the lounge.

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PHOTO BY KARI HUNT

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FARMER & THE COOK, VEGAN FRUIT & BERRY TARTS SWISS CHARD ENCHILADA

THE FARMER & THE COOK Here’s another “restaurant” love story (and who doesn’t love a love story?) Farmer Steve Sprinkel is an organic food activist, and Olivia Chase is an enthusiastic cook with a Masters in nutrition. Their romance includes a story of passion, perseverance and hard work. They first met in Carpinteria in the late ‘80s when cook Olivia bought organic veggies from farmer Steve, but it wasn’t till a decade later, when they reconnected at the Ojai Farmers Market, that they fell in love and dreamed of opening an all-organic restaurant, market and bakery. Their organic farm where Steve grows the produce for the café/market is located down Rice Road, two miles from their restaurant/market/bakery in Meiners Oaks.

The first nine years were a struggle. But, their all-organic menu, inspired by Mexican cuisine (most of their cooks are Mexican and Olivia is Colombian), reflects the culture and geography of both California and Mexico and became a hit with the townsfolk, who began shopping more often in the market and bakery. One of the restaurant’s signature dishes is the Swiss Chard Enchilada which is offered with organic cheese or vegan

cashew cheese. Also, check out the burritos and tacos, pizzas and salads, plus the veggie burger. Sidle up to the smoothie bar or wander in the bakery filled with pastries and daily breads. Steve and Olivia’s dedication and devotion to organic healthy eating have been our valley’s good fortune.

CAULIFLOWER FROM THE FARMER & THE COOK

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DEER LODGE - FRIED CHICKEN

SEA FRESH - GRILLED AHI

DEER LODGE Ojai’s historic Deer Lodge started in 1932 as a grocery store/gas station for locals and wayward travelers and, over the decades, morphed into the iconic saloon/restaurant it is today. The new, young owner, Sophia Miles, has preserved the restaurant’s rich flavor of a bygone era, while the kitchen creates new farm-to-table flavors for “today.”

BONNIE LU’S - PASTRAMI MELT

Garcia, opened Sea Fresh, a fish market/restaurant serving up the freshest fish in town. Mayra runs the office operation, Gus heads the daily market/restaurant operation and Bill supplies most of the fish. After Bill and Mayra married in 1977, they launched The Aurelia, their 42-foot fishing boat. Bill has been fishing ever since and, weather permitting, supplies the fish market and restaurant with the freshest, locally caught seafood. Today his only crew member is daughter, Janelle, and they concentrate on catching swordfish.

Popular dishes include its fried chicken entrée, the barbecue tri-tip sandwich, and its buffalo burger … and you must try the bacon jam made with onions and bacon, reduced in chicken stock with a blend of secret spices. It’s the perfect complement to any of the burger, steak or chicken dishes.

Oysters on the half-shell, seared Ahi tuna sandwiches, fish & chips, grilled or sautéed swordfish and a variety of delicious fish entrees and seafood salads — all that and more are at Sea Fresh.

The Deer Lodge also features local craft beers and spirits. The wines primarily come from the Santa Ynez region, keeping the environmental footprint in baby shoes.

BONNIE LU’S

And, yes, the Lodge is again hosting live entertainment frequently throughout each month. Tickets are sold online, with a limited availability at the door. However, the kitchen will not be open during performances.

When you walk through the red front door into Bonnie Lu’s Country Café, Jenny Newell and her staff greet you as if you’re an old friend, even if you’ve never been there before. The café, with its retro ‘50s décor and outdoor patio, is a happy place. In fact, as the menu tells you, there’s a $5 charge for whining!

SEA FRESH In 1985, Bill & Mayra Sutton, along with Mayra’s brother Gus 76

Jenny, who started as a dishwasher in town and worked her way up in the restaurant business, opened Bonnie Lu’s (named for her mother) more than 20 years ago (that’s Jenny with her mom on the cover of the menu) and has been making delicious comfort food ever since. Its menu offers “pancakes & more” such as “biscuits & gravy” and an array of breakfast choices. Don’t want OQ / FALL 2021

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BOCCALI’S - PIZZA

JIM & ROB’S - GARDEN BURRITO

breakfast? Try the café’s soups or salads, or one of the hot or cold sandwiches. Three “hot” favorites of mine: the amazing pastrami melt on toasted marbled, dark/light rye, the corned beef Reuben, and the delicious three-cheese grilled cheese.

BOCCALI’S In 1898 DeWayne Boccali’s grandfather immigrated to Santa Barbara from Lucca, Italy, bringing along his family’s recipes. In 1986, inspired by these concoctions, DeWayne brought them to life at his family’s restaurant, Boccali’s Pizza and Pasta. Located just two miles east of downtown, the restaurant offers inside dining, and al fresco dining on the patio, or on the large oak-shaded lawn area, where the customers can enjoy the stunning vistas. Ojai’s West End (Oak View) features a second Boccali’s with the same good food and wine from the family’s own vineyard located in the Upper Ojai Valley. Savor a hand-tossed pizza or freshly prepared pasta as you sip the wine, or try a variety of salads, but save room for its famous seasonal dessert of home-style strawberry shortcake.

JIM & ROB’S I love burgers, so when I heard that Jim & Rob’s Fresh Grill restaurant made one with grass-fed Angus beef from our own local Ojai Valley Watkins Ranch, I had to check it out. While

CASA DE LAGO - CHEESE ENCHILADA

burger munching, I marveled at the menu board that boasted a variety of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, salads, soups and sandwiches. Jim & Bob’s motto: “… where we don’t serve fast food — but healthy food as fast as we can.” Rob Tucker was in high school when Jim Gresham hired him to work in his grocery store. After college, Jim called Rob to ask if he wanted to partner in a new restaurant in Ojai. Thus was born Jim & Rob’s Fresh Grill, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner for more than 20 years. Did I mention that they have a full bar … and an adjacent cantina?! So, if you want a burger and beer, or a taco salad with a martini in a fun, no fuss, casual atmosphere, drop by, take a table inside or out and enjoy.

CASA DE LAGO Nineteen eighty five must have been a good year because Casa de Lago has also been feeding Ojaians delicious homemade Mexican food since then, too. Owners Joel, Gabriel and Sandra Hernandez are proud of their restaurant in Oak View. Sit on the patio and enjoy the night air while dining on a tostada grande chicken entrée or the meltiest, cheesiest enchilada evah! Or try one of the house specialties such as beef or chicken fajitas for two, or shrimp rancheros. Tried and true, each of these wonderful restaurants definitely has a legacy to stand on.

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COME SAY HI AND TRY SOME OF OUR OJAI PIXIE ORANGE VALLEY LEMONADE! SEE YOU SOON! KODI BERG (KITCHEN! NORDHOFF CLASS OF 2000)

HANDMADE FUDGE, VALLEY LAVENDER, TOPA TOPA TOFFEE FOR THIS MONTH'S FLAVOR OF THE MONTH!

WWW.OJAIICECREAM.COM @OJAIICECREAM

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PUBLISHED IN CALIFORNIA

OJAI IS PURE MAGIC! I GREW UP HERE BUT LEFT TO PURSUE MY DREAMS. WHEN THE CHANCE CAME TO RETURN HOME AND SERVE UP SCOOPS AND SMILES, AS I DID IN HIGH SCHOOL, MY FAMILY AND I JUMPED RIGHT IN!

C H E F R A N DY

MULTI-COLORED TORTELLINI SALAD PREP 15 MIN

COOK 15 MIN

SERVES 4

EASY

Pasta salad does not date back centuries, like many foods, but is a more modern creation thought to have appeared in the early-to-mid 20th century. My 21stcentury version calls for a balsamic vinaigrette dressing and fresh vegetables. Is pasta salad an entrée or a side dish, you may ask? It can be en entire meal, but I prefer to serve it as a side dish.

INGREDIENTS: 20-ounce package Buitoni Mixed Cheese Tortellini

DIRECTIONS:

tomatoes (sliced in half lengthwise)

2 carrots (round thin diagonal slices)

8 ounces mozzarella cheese (cut into ¾-inch cubes)

2 green onions (sliced thin)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh basil (chopped)

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

n 14-ounce can artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)

2 teaspoons capers (in vinegar)

6-ounce can pitted black olives (sliced in half lengthwise) ½ cup grape

Cook the tortellini according to package instructions, drain and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, combine tortellini, carrots, onions, basil, artichoke hearts, olives, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. Whisk together olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Add capers. Pour over salad. Toss gently to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. To serve, garnish each serving of salad with a pinch of dried oregano. Note: Use any kind of tortellini that you like. I like Buitoni because it is fresh. Their Mixed Cheese Tortellini is multi-colored, tasty, and perfect for this recipe.

Salt and pepper to taste Dried (garnish)

oregano

OQ / FALL 2021

OQ | OJA I W I NE MA P CASA BARRANCA ORGANIC WINERY & TASTING ROOM Historic Downtown Arcade. Stop by and relax in Casa Barranca’s Craftsman style-designed tasting room. Taste our award-winning wines made with organically grown grapes, also our USDA certified wines containing no added sulfites! Join our Wine Club!. 208 East Ojai Avenue, 805-640-1255. OPEN DAILY: Sunday — Thursday 1 to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday until 1-7 p.m. CasaBarranca.com or facebook.com/casabarranca.

VENTURA SPIRITS Ventura Spirits is a California Craft Distillery specializing in distilled spirits inspired by the native and cultivated flora of California’s Central Coast. We offer distillery tours and tastings of our award winning spirits in our new onsite tasting room. For more information or to contact us please visit: venturaspirits.com, email to: info@ venturaspirits.com or call us at: (805) 232-4313

TOPA MOUNTAIN WINERY Topa Mountain Winery offers handcrafted wines made from grapes grown on its estate in upper Ojai and sourced from other premium vineyards in the region. Located on two acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, Topa Mountain Winery has been voted Ventura County’s best Tasting Room two years in a row, is family and dog friendly and offers live music every Saturday and Sunday. TopaMountainWinery.com

OJAI OLIVE OIL Ojai’s no. 1 rated visitor experience, our Olive Mill & Tasting Room is open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for free tastings and shopping. We also offer free guided tours on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Visit an organic family permaculture farm and learn everything about extra virgin oil. We also have balsamic vinegars, olive trees, skin care products and more. No reservations required, pets welcome. 1811 Ladera Road , Ojaioliveoil.com, 805-646-5964.

BOCCALI VINEYARDS & WINERY is a family-owned and operated winery located in the scenic Upper Ojai Valley. Father and son winemakers DeWayne and Joe Boccali are the driving forces behind the label. Boccali Vineyards produces 100 percent estate wines; grown, produced and bottled at Boccali Ranch. Visit us in Ojai’s East End on weekends for a tasting at 3277 East Ojai Avenue in Ojai. Visit us on the web at BoccaliVineyards.com.

OLD CREEK RANCH WINERY Old Creek Ranch Winery is Ventura County’s only rural winery situated on an 850-acre ranch in the Ojai Valley. A tasting room as well as lawns and guest areas with handcrafted chairs and couches, surrounded by lush landscaping, have been designed for relaxing and enjoying fine wines. Pack a picnic, gather up the kids and dog, and head to the Ranch! A selection of 25+ red and white varietals are available for wine tastings and purchase. Check oldcreekranch.com for a schedule of live music and food trucks. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Located at 10024 Old Creek Road, Ventura, CA 93001. 805-649-4132. OldCreekRanch.com OQ / FALL 2021

MAJESTIC OAK VINEYARD Hidden in the stunning Ojai Valley, the Majestic Oak Vineyard is deeply rooted on land our family has held for decades. As fifth generation Ojai-ans, we had a dream of bringing you the quintessential Ojai experience — something as beautiful and unique as the Valley itself. We believe a great bottle of wine represents the hard work that goes into it. From the land, to our hands, to your table, we are proud to offer you our labor of love. We invite you to be part of our legacy. 321 East Ojai Avenue (downstairs), 805-794-0272, MajesticOakVineyard.com.

OQ / FALL 2021

OJAI ALISAL’S handcrafted wines are made only with grapes we grow in Upper Ojai. We grow Syrah, Grenache, Malbec and Viognier in our beautiful vineyards dotted with California walnuts and sycamores (or Alisal in Spanish), bringing the spirit of the Rhone region to California. Please visit our Weekend Tasting Room at Azu Restaurant, 457 East Ojai Ave, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12 noon to 5 p.m.. For more information 805-640-7987 or online at OjaiAlisal.com and AzuOjai.com.

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OQ / FALL 2021

805–798–9227

OQ | YEST ER DAY & TODAY

100 84 Ojai’s QUEEN BEES Return of the Arcade’s Lady Bosses By Jesse Phelps

100 Life, interrupted Surviving Japanese Internment By Karen Lewis

110-111 BEYOND THE ARCADE MAP Street Map & Landmark Businesses

OQ / FALL 2021

STORY BY JESSE PHELPS PHOTOS BY BRANDI CROCKETT

UEEN BEES

THREE girlhood friends left town, then came back to open new businesses that define its spirit. They found a new compadre along the way. You can take the girl out of Ojai, but you can’t take Ojai out of the girl. And, eventually, as it seems to do with those who belong to it, Ojai might just call you 84

OQ / FALL 2021

IN THIS PHOTO: CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT, LACHELLE BOUVIER, BRANDI CROCKETT, KODI BERG, AMARA BESSA AND JODY CHAPMAN. PHOTO TAKEN BY SARAH ECKERSLEY

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back home to create new and special things. For Lachelle Bouvier, Amara Bessa and Kodi Berg, that calling meant continuing the respected Ojai tradition of opening woman-owned businesses that expand the town’s dynamics while respecting its roots. Bessa, Bouvier and Berg (can we call them the Queen Bees?) all grew up in Ojai, attending Nordhoff together before going away into the great, big world to learn their crafts, expand their families, and grow to become the boss trio they now are. Eventually, their business visions coalesced, all three returned to the valley to open shop. Bouvier brought her home and lifestyle design firm, Lachelle Bouvier Designs. And Bessa housed her boutique, Kariella, in the Arcade — just two doors down from Berg, who, with husband Jonathan, took over Ojai Ice Cream from its original owners. Ready to build their businesses, they met a fourth member of the crew, Jody Chapman, who helped them tell their stories and amplify their reach. The nature of their friendship — and the way the various personalities reflect their work, blending and uplifting one another — is evident from the moment they sit down together. Rather than conducting separate sessions, they’ve invited a rogue reporter to a get-together on the veranda of the Bouviers’ enchanting property adjacent to the Ojai Valley Inn, with views of Chief Peak and the Topa Topas. With everyone gathered in one place, they can share reminiscences and finish one another’s sentences. Well, everybody but Berg, anyway. (She’s a little late. Eventually there’s a laughing entrance across the back lawn. Clad in green silk with bare feet, she, like everyone here, is so perfectly Ojai at a glance.)

vide the people that live here with high-quality, affordable goods and services. The need to respect the local business, cultural and natural landscapes is a second theme. And, of course, some discussion of family, kids and Ojai living, generation to generation, is mandatory. They open up about their visions — what it means to have been raised in Ojai and how the town’s traditions inform their processes — and about the friendship, about watching one another become the powerhouse people they are today. Later, there will be more togetherness, a dinner where some of the group find additional time to laugh and trade advice over tasty late night eats and a brilliant chardonnay at Jimmy’s Tavern. Part of what makes them good together is the diversity of life experience, which, of course, informs their individual communication styles, their aesthetics, and their business choices. Bouvier for instance, has a vibe that’s cosmopolitan and very Type A, but simultaneously comfortable and welcoming. Through her business, Lachelle Bouvier Design (online at lachellebouvier.com), she focuses on bringing homes and spaces an artistic aesthetic inspired by nature and her Ojai upbringing, though she’d been designing for 10 years, mainly in Barbados and Montreal, before opening her business here in 2017. She said she works with a wide spectrum of clients, and she urges those who engage with her to choose quality over the simple fix for homes they’ll love to live in. “I say, put in the good stuff,” she says. “I don’t like to see people paint it white and flip it. I would rather see people put in things that have historic value, that are going to elevate the property.”

Also in attendance at this joyful gathering are two other longtime friends and successful businesswomen: local photography whiz Brandi Crockett and Sarah Eckersley, who keeps the vibe fun and helpfully assists moving furniture, grabbing drinks, and snapping extra photos to get Crockett into some shots.

Her aesthetic is informed by her degree in painting and printmaking. At one point, she thought she’d go into textiles, but had an epiphany around an experience putting rare tile — her inspiration came from Hearst Castle — in a pool at a house down south, near Encinitas. When the house sold at a record price, she knew she was onto something.

It’s an impressive crew and a great conversation. Three related themes infuse much of the talk. Ojai’s sometimes tenuous relationship to the tourism industry that largely supports it is one. It’s essential to simultaneously cater well to visitors and also pro-

She says style is often best when it’s adapted to make use of readily available resources. In Ojai, people might literally find inspiration in the earth. “All you have to do is blow on the dirt a little bit, and you’ll get beautiful rocks,” she says. So, rather than

OQ / FALL 2021

“Bend, much like Ojai, is a place of community, so I was very lucky to have a huge community of support there — especially since I didn’t know a single person when I moved up there,” she says. Seven years later, a visit to Ojai inspired her. While many locals seem to take pleasure in lamenting the changing face of Ojai, Bessa had a different take. “It had finally blossomed into a town I felt would embrace my talents,” she says. “I also missed family and friends, and so did my kids. So we packed up and made the move back!”

STORY BY

She already had stores in Bend and Ventura, and soon opened her Ojai location. These days, she’s back to a pair, downtown Ventura on Main St. and her roomy Ojai shop — which she took the bold step of expanding during the height of the pandemic.

JESSE PHELPS

She describes her selection as “bohemian, classic Ojai,” and she would know since you could say she’s got Arcade retail in herv

OQ / FALL 2021

As Ojai bids farewell to Diane Jaffe’s Design, one of the town’s business and retire just yet.

landmark shop, Contempo Hair beauty matriarchs isn’t ready to

That same desire to translate Ojai’s past into pretty things of the present can be found at Kariella (kariella.com), the arcade women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories boutique Bessa named after her daughter. Bessa says she left Ojai when her child was two years old for Bend, Oregon. A year later, she started a shop in her garage.

Contempo, which was located for many years on North Signal, moved south across from the back entrance to Libbey Bowl when Jaffe bought the building many years hence. Throughout its storied history, it’s been a place where you might likely run into your neighbor getting a cut — or a celebrity. it’s employed an impressive host of local hair and

Her home, for instance, has beautiful, classy things everywhere, wood furniture working harmoniously with the structure designed by Montecito architect Bob Easton. The house is built completely of Durisol block. It’s “a living greenhouse material. So if you see the stucco, it’s all cracked. You can never repair it,” she says. “The house breathes, and it’s sustainable.”

For 40 years, Diane Jaffe worked at Contempo Hair Design to make Ojai heads beautiful. And while she may have closed her beloved shop — a relaxing, Aveda-infused constant of Signal Street and the downtown area — on August 15, she’s already preparing for her next adventure. But it’s not what you might think. Rather than traveling the world or easing into retirement, she’s preparing to … keep doing what she loves: cutting hair in Ojai. After all, hairdressing is her chosen artform. “We paint and sculpt people,” she says.

“You use what’s there. I think, now that I’m in Ojai, I tend toward early California, Mission Revival, historic Ojai,” she says. “There are a lot of different styles coming through, and they’re nice, but I like to see people embrace how this town was founded.”

She says she’s always looked forward to seeing who’s on the books for a given day, each name an opportunity to catch up, to delve into the bountiful colors of life together for a few minutes. Some of her client relationships span generations. “Before they had kids, I was doing their hair,” she says. “And now I’m doing their children’s children.”

But it’s more than even just that. “I’ve studied psychology, art and business. I get to use all three in my work. The building is selling now, but I still love what I do. I love my clients.”

spending money to remove them from your property, you build a beautiful rock wall.

eins. Bessa grew up running around in another landmark of our downtown’s beautiful walking mall, where her mother worked — the Kindred Spirit. “People always come in and say, ‘Your store is so Ojai!’” she says. “But I grew up here, so it makes sense. Ojai has been known as a little hippie town, and that bohemian aesthetic has already been here for a very long time.” Take note: If you’re enjoying a hot, sunny Ojai summer or autumn day and need a pool or beach break, Kariella’s got you covered. According to Bessa, it’s the place in town for women to grab a swimsuit — and maybe even a stylish wrap, too. Or, perhaps you just need to cool off with an ice cream cone? That’s where Berg comes in. Walk a few steps from Kariella and you come upon a tried and true Ojai classic. Ojai Ice Cream (ojaiicecream.com) is located toward the western end of the arcade. Open for nearly 30 years and run until this one by original owners, it’s been a frequent stop for generations of locals and tourists on Ojai’s hot summer days and a tasty treat year-round. (They’re even open pretty late, especially for a shop in sleepy Ojai, famous for shutting down seemingly before dinner time.) Berg, now mother to three, remembers enjoying scoops at Ojai Ice Cream growing up and working for three years there in high school. Now, she owns the place, and she says she loves training up a new generation of kids in one of Ojai’s famous first jobs — including her two eldest. But don’t be confused. This is not free labor. “They’re like, you still owe me $30,” she says with a laugh. “My 13-year-old’s like, ‘I saw something at Kariella, so I need my money.” Berg’s Ojai roots are the real deal; in the course of conversation, we even realize my dad worked for her dad for many years at Island Packers, the Ventura tour boat company that ferries joyful nature lovers to greet whales and experience the islands in the Santa Barbara Channel. (I give my condolences to Berg regarding this year’s passing of Lil Connally, her Lakers-loving grandmother and an indomitable, joyful spirit who was matriarch to generations of salty sea captains.) While Berg still has another business selling exercise equipment — the others present interject to laud her for starting that one — she’s often focused on making sure Ojai’s people of today always have the same access to tasty sweet treats that she loved so much when she was younger. “My kids actually came up with this: 88

We’re serving scoops and smiles,” she said. All three of the Queen Bees have worked with Chapman to build their brands online. Chapman’s business, Niche Design Consulting (nichedesignconsulting.com) was founded in 2019 and is described by Chapman as a full service design consulting agency specializing in branding, brand strategy, graphic and website design, marketing and social media. Bessa was her very first client, and the rest is history. She’s had an interesting journey to where she is now. While Chapman may not have grown up in town, she was raised in Ventura and married an Ojai boy. “I’m not Ojai, Ojai,” she laughs, “I snuck in.” Years ago, she moved to Los Angeles, where she launched a successful career designing apparel collections for retailers like Forever 21, Target, Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, and Macy’s. Eventually, feeling burned out, she decided to quit her job and travel for a year through Southeast Asia and South America. “Leaving my job was the best thing I ever did because I was able to re-evaluate everything and put my life back together the way I wanted to,” she said. Upon returning to the states Jody and her husband moved to Ojai and bought a house in Meiners Oaks, just before Covid hit. “I remember telling my husband I was so nervous about moving from LA, because I had no idea what I would do in Ojai. After doing some soul searching, I came up with the idea to start a design consulting agency to help local businesses in town and Niche Design Consulting was born.” Unsurprisingly, uplifting local business in one way or another is something everyone gathered together at Bouvier’s house feels strongly about. Bouvier says, for instance, that if you’re remodeling your home, you should hire a local designer, contractor, landscaper, etc. Even if you’re a weekender, hiring and shopping local is one essential way to integrate into the fabric of the town. “At the end of the day, I really want to see more people support local,” she says. OQ / FALL 2021

ART 2 “A

CUT ABOVE”

AMARA BESSA AND JODY CHAPMAN

And when Ojai’s local women are supported, they create amazing things. On that note, for the next generation coming into their own in the valley, Bessa has a message. “I think it’s important the young women growing up in Ojai know that with drive, passion, community support and perseverance, they can accomplish anything they set their mind to — even if they’re told otherwise, like I was,” she says. But now? “I feel so grateful to be living out my dreams!”

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Bottom line: though Diane Jaffe is closing her shop after four decades of service to the community, she won’t stop doing what she loves. There’s one more reason for that, too. “I feel like everything in life should be art,“ Jaffe says. “I feel like my purpose in life is to make the world prettier.”

In her time helming Contempo, Jaffe has played the role of female entrepreneur role model — a full-time part of the gig since she took over the shop’s operations in 1985 — and conscientious community citizen, whether that meant hosting makeovers for abused women or taking Covid protocols and protections seriously.

It was all an evolution begun at the tender age of 15, doing wigs and hair in Culver City. She would eventually move to Ojai in 1976 and begin working at the shop a couple years later. The rest, as they say, is history.

She said she — and the rest of Contempo’s stylists — will all keep working in town, and all clients will be notified so they can keep the relationships growing and the good cuts coming.

Jaffe said she loved the opportunity to work with her daughter, who’s also a talented painter. “Frankly, it never entered my mind she’d do hair. She’s a really gifted artist. When she came to me and said she wanted to do it, I was surprised,” says Jaffe. “She’s ended up being really good at it. I’m proud of her. She’s very professional, and she’s very creative.”

She’s grateful she found her home here. “Working in Ojai has been the greatest gift,” Jaffe says. “To drive through the Ojai Valley to go work —— God bless me. It’s because of this community that I’ve been so blessed.”

DIANE JAFFE, CONTEMPO

beauty artists, including Debbie Marshall for 40 years, Wendy Carlson for 30 years and, for the past few, Jaffe’s daughter, Naomi Thornhill.

KODI BERG

OQ / FALL 2021

STORY BY NAO BRAVERMAN

THE BOHEME TEAM

GUNAY SHOP

OJAI’S ENTREPRENEURIAL OPTIMISM IN THE AGE OF COVID -19

JEN KEELER, OWNER OF BOHEME

March last year, most of us found ourselves put unexpectedly on hold in the strangest of ways, mom-and-pop shops included. As a town of small businesses for the most part, this was not a fun time to own one as dread spread faster than the virus.

GUNAY’S SHOP RUGS & KILIM

SANDERS & SONS GELATO

JEREMY HAFFNER, OJAI VALLEY BREWERY

YUYA & ASAKA UENO, IZAKAYA FULL MOON

OJAI VALLEY BREWERY, MIXED CHOICE CASE

SANDERS & SONS GELATO

OQ / FALL 2021

However, as the news reported the shuttering of famous restaurants and bars in big cities around the country, quite a few Ojai businesses took the leap and opened new storefronts anyway, with no regrets. Here’s a closer look at just a few of these brave entrepreneurs and their stories.

BOHEME In the beginning of 2020, the salon space Jen Keeler had dreamed of owning fell into her lap. After spending her early adulthood in Los Angeles, in world-class salons and styling the hair of Hollywood elites, she brought her practice, and her family back to Ojai, the town where she was raised. But years passed by before the salon she had been eyeing since her return became available. It was just the right size, with five chairs, originally owned by a husband-and-wife team, the barbershop in front and beauty salon in back, just off the beaten path. The timing was perfect. Keeler had brought her steady clientele from Los Angeles and built on that base with Ojai residents. After spending years in a local salon, and opening another with a partner, it was her turn to set out on her own. Two weeks before lockdown she started negotiations, and in a month — as the world shuttered to a halt — she jumped in and signed a lease. “At the time I had no idea how long lockdown would last,” said Keeler. “None of us did.” But she decided to trust her plan.

1st, it was with a limited capacity and face masks. In practice, required protections were a bit of a shock. “What I’ve found over the years is that so much of my business is about connection with other human beings and so little about hair,” she said. For the first time her salon is open with no face masks for the vaccinated, as state restrictions loosened (restrictions may be reinstated as the delta variant spreads). Business has been thriving and Keeler is elated. “When we started, I welcomed new clients without ever seeing their entire face. It’s wild to greet a regular client and see their smile for the first time,” she said. “I’m so glad I did this.” Boheme: 312 North Signal Street, 805-798-9220, bohemeojai.com

IZAKAYA BLUE MOON The first restaurant Yuya Ueno worked at in the U.S. was at Izakaya, serving a type of cuisine comprised of small plates in succession, often with sake; a Japanese version of tapas style dining. Things finally came full circle for him when he opened his own Izakaya in Ojai, working in the kitchen with his wife Asaka as server. Izakaya Blue Moon is named after their third son Yuzuki (evening moon in Japanese).

It was equal parts stress and excitement for Keeler. There was no telling when she would be allowed to open for business. And yet lockdown gave her time to focus on the remodel, collaborating with a close childhood friend, interior designer Lilly Walton, and to make finishing touches. The space now has a light airy feel, with natural wood and modern furniture. Keeler named it Bohème, a nod to her French heritage.

Yuya, chopping fish in a pink beanie and loose t-shirt, is casual and earnest. Twelve years ago he traveled to the west coast of the U.S to surf, and stayed. He spent years working in sushi and ramen shops from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara (Sawtelle’s ever-popular Tsujita among them). Eventually the Uenos settled in the Ojai Valley, close enough to the stellar surf spots along the Ventura coast, with their two sons and a third on the way. Asaka, youthful and energetic with a bright smile, has a knack for connecting with customers. Five years ago, the couple opened their first hit restaurant, Kagami Ramen, in Camarillo. But their Ojai friends and acquaintances begged them to open something closer to home.

When the governor finally allowed Bohème to open on June

In the spring of 2019, they found a cozy spot, tucked away on

“I’ve always had ultimate faith in my business and my clientele,” she said. Ojai is one of those tight-knit communities where the true customer base is almost like family. You can count on them, she said.

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the East End of Ojai Avenue, that previously housed the original Hip Vegan. They began transforming the space, so that stepping into the Izakaya is akin to walking into a small café in Kyoto. The menu is simple and authentic — fresh fish, Japanese vegetables (no dragon or rainbow rolls in case that’s what you’re looking for.) They had just demolished the take-out counter and put in a low sushi bar with wooden stools, when the stay-at-home order was announced. “At first I thought we wouldn’t be able to open,” said Asaka. “But we had signed a lease and put so much work into it, the only choice was to keep moving.” Fortunately the space was equipped with a patio, which was half the small restaurant’s entire seating. The Uenos had a community of locals and friends eagerly waiting for them, which helped ease the uncertainty caused by the Covid outbreak, said Asaka. “Despite all that was going on, those people became our regular customers.” “Then, when vacationers from Los Angeles wanted to get out of the city, Ojai became a popular spot. The Covid numbers in Ojai were low, and there are so many beautiful outdoor spaces to explore. So we were even busier than we expected we would be.” Izakaya Full Moon: 805-633-9109, fullmoonojai.com

OJAI VALLEY BREWERY Jeremy Haffner and Griffin Davis of the Ojai Valley Brewery have been working on opening a tap room for years. Now, amid the worldwide pandemic, their plans are finally coming to fruition. To conform the current conditions, the seating for their brewery was moved almost entirely to a patio out in front of their brewing space on Bryant Street. It is sleek, simple and inviting. A few wooden picnic tables are spread out with ample space between them, with outdoor heaters and lights strung up for the evening hours. “We could have squeezed a lot more tables in, but I’m getting

ready for the next round of social distancing,” said Haffner. “It’s beautiful weather here, I think any reasonable business person is going to be angling towards outdoor seating now. It’s what we all love about Europe and Mexico, and I think that’s where it’s all headed in the U.S. now.” Haffner, once a front man for the rock band Oedipus, started working in kitchens and hospitality so he could move away from touring in Europe, and spend time at home with his family. The Brewery, which served its first beer out of his family’s restaurant — Azu — in 2017, is a true local endeavor. Their brews are flavored with drought-resistant herbs and fruits native to the hills in the Ojai Valley: White Sage, Black Sage, Sugar Sumac, Yerba Santa and prickly pears and pixie oranges. Hops, he explains, are usually shipped in from other states and countries. So they stick to herbal-flavored beers. That keeps the entire operation more sustainable and closer to home. As with many other food and beverage services, the pandemic forced them to think of creative ways to keep their business alive. They began to sell subscriptions, a beer version of a wine club, which suited many of their clientele, and added online ordering, pick up and delivery (ojaivalleybrewery.com). Now, in collaboration with Davis, and new partner Jason Maynard (who grew up in Ojai) they’ll finally be able to serve at their brewery. He also lists as partners his mother-in-law, Laurel Moore, and wife Elizabeth Haffner, who successfully ran Azu for years before selling the business in July. “It’s been a long process,” said Haffner. “There’s a lot of excitement now that people are finally able to go out again.” Ojai Valley Brewery: 307 Bryant Street, ojaivalleybrewery.com

Also opened during the pandemic were Sanders & Sons Gelato, 334 East Ojai Avenue (between the Arcade’s east side and the Chevron Station, featured in the Spring 2020 OQ, and Gunay’s Shop Rugs & Kilim, 246 East Ojai Avenue in the Arcade, which will be featured in the October issue of Ojai Monthly.

OQ / FALL 2021

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STORY BY KAREN KERNS LEWIS

THIS PHOTO OF ME AND MY MOTHER WAS TAKEN IN 1942 BY A JAPANESE SOLDIER DURING OUR INTERNMENT. IN 1945, AN AMERICAN G.I. TOOK IT FROM THE DEAD BODY OF THAT JAPANESE SOL-

DIER. MY MOTHER BY CHANCE ENCOUNTERED THE G.I AF TER OUR LIBERATION, BUT HE REFUSED TO GIVE UP HIS SOUVENIR. MY SON MARK FOUND THE PHOTO IN A MANILA ARCHIVE IN 2006.

OJAI ARTIST Karen K. Lewis passed much of her childhood in the Philippines, where she was caught up in the horrors of war. This reminiscence was adapted by 100

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KAREN K. LEWIS IN HER OJAI STUDIO / PHOTO CREDIT CINDY PITOU BURTON

Karen’s son, Ojai Quarterly Contributing Editor Mark Lewis, from a longer memoir that she wrote for the book

“Interrupted Lives: Four Women’s Stories of Internment During World War II in the Philippines.”

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EIGHTY YEARS AGO this fall, President Franklin Roosevelt declared Dec. 7, 1941 “a day that will live in infamy” — the memorable Sunday morning the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and plunged America into World War II. But from my perspective, FDR got the date wrong. At the time, I was living in the Philippines, on the other side of the International Dateline, where it was Monday, Dec. 8 — a school day. I remember this so clearly because my mother came into my room before dawn, as I was awakening, to say that she was keeping me home from school that morning, having decided that it would not be safe to leave our home in the Balatoc mining camp and go into Baguio City.

Mother had been up early and had heard the news about Pearl Harbor on the radio. Always right, and a little psychic, she knew immediately that Japanese bombers would be on their way to the Philippines to destroy the U.S. Army facility next to my school in Baguio. So that morning I stayed home and did not join my school chums on the bus ride from our mining community to the Brent School in Baguio. I was not with my friends and teachers as they huddled in prayer under the chapel seats while the Japanese bombed Camp John Hay next door. For the moment, I was safe. I was 9 years old.

Mother, Dad and I had moved from L.A. to the Philippines in 1937. The Philippines at the time was a U.S. territory, which is why the Japanese targeted it in 1941 – and not just with a hitand-run raid like at Pearl Harbor, but with a full-fledged invasion. Two weeks after the air raid on Baguio, the Japanese Army landed at Lingayen Gulf, not far away. Late one night, our mining camp got the word for the American women and children to evacuate immediately, with only one suitcase each. My mother

took me to a closet to reveal my hidden Christmas presents, and I choose two to bring with me. They were a small silver comband-brush set and tiny framed photographs of my favorite dolls; all were accessories for the beautiful doll house my mother had designed for me, which I was never to see.

Since we were going to Manila, Mother packed an evening gown and her tennis racket. Within an hour, in the middle of the night, we were on a bus heading south to Manila with the other women and children, fleeing for our lives from the advancing Japanese. We honestly thought we would be coming back after Christmas.

Our escape went slowly. There were convoys of buses heading south to escape the invaders; convoys of U.S. Army vehicles heading north to fight them; and hordes of people on foot going in both directions. Our passage was interrupted often by sudden stops to take cover from the high-flying bombers or road-strafing fighters with bright, orange-red spots under their wings. “Fried eggs” is what we named the Japanese symbol of the rising sun and conquest. During one of our plunges for cover under camouflage netting, we were startled nearly out of our skins by a barrage of return fire from anti-aircraft guns sharing our camouflage! It was definitely going to be safer in Manila. Manila, the Philippine capital, was filling up with refugees from the suburbs and provinces. Mother and I eventually landed at the apartment of some friends, and wondered whether we would ever see my father again. We did on Christmas Day, after his three-day trek down from the mountains. The men had stayed behind to destroy the mining operation and bury the gold. Having done this, they walked the 100 kilometers to Manila. Led by Igorot guides along their native mountain trails, Dad and his companions had barely stayed ahead of the Japanese soldiers advancing along the winding roads. At the edge of the mountains, the Igorots bade them farewell, and left them on their own

to make their way across the plains and rice paddies to Manila. In the twinkling of an eye, we had left behind a life of privilege and possessions, a life filled with parties, clubs and servants. We had been pampered, isolated American colonials abroad. Things were about to change.

Manila, defenseless, was declared an open city by the American commander, General Douglas MacArthur, as he withdrew his U.S. and Filipino troops across Manila Bay to the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island. Many civilians, including my mother (a crack secretary) volunteered to help close down the military offices and operations in Manila. Meanwhile we were bombed and strafed as we hid in basement air-raid shelters, rationed our food, and wondered what was to become of us. The bombing finally stopped, and a nerve-wracking silence took its place. Occasionally we would see a busload of Japanese soldiers traveling the streets in front of the apartment house. Afraid to go out, we could only wonder, and wait for the knock on the door. It finally came in early January, 1942. The door-to-door roundup of the Allied civilian population of refugee-swollen Manila had begun. Each of us carrying one suitcase, Mother, Dad and I were sent to Santo Tomas University, a Dominican-run school hastily converted into an internment camp. It would be our home for the next three years.

THE SANTO TOMAS campus was surrounded by a high wall, with access controlled through the main gate. There were two large buildings and two smaller ones, filled with classrooms that could be converted into crowded dormitories to house the thousands of Allied civilians being rounded up for internment. Arriving at the university in the back of a truck, we drove

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through the main gate and down a tree-lined drive to the large plaza in front of the elegantly Baroque Main Building, where we joined a crowd of Manila Americans camped out on the lobby floor. Mother scanned the crowd for familiar faces and spotted some friends, and we squeezed in beside them. Hungry, tired and thirsty, we awaited the assignment of classrooms, prisoners all. Eventually, we were separated from Dad, and Mother and I were given a blanket and assigned to a room, which we shared with about 30 other internees. These Santo Tomas classrooms were our new home, and our education was just beginning.

As we settled into our new lives as prisoners, the Japanese continued their relentless march to victory in the Philippines. Realizing that MacArthur’s situation was hopeless, Roosevelt ordered him to evacuate to Australia and begin organizing America’s eventual counter-offensive. MacArthur escaped from Corregidor in the dead of the night via PT Boat and eventually made his way to Darwin, where he issued his famous vow: “I shall return.” At the time, it appeared to be an empty boast. Bataan surrendered on April 9, and thousands of Filipino and American POWs perished on a brutal forced march to prison camps north of Manila – the infamous Bataan Death March. Then the Japanese landed on Corregidor, which surrendered on May 6. American rule in the Philippines was over, at least for now. Meanwhile, we Manila Americans were getting ourselves organized. The Japanese set up several civilian prison camps in 104

the Philippines, but ours was by far the biggest: Santo Tomas Internment Camp, or STIC for short. Women, children and old men occupied the Main Building; the rest of the men and the older boys bedded down in the gym, or in the upper floors of the Education Building. We were separated each night at curfew, and reunited the next morning in the breakfast line, after roll call. Eventually the size of STIC’s internee population stabilized at about 3,000, and a rich and varied camp life evolved amidst the confining daily routine. This was due in great part to a few American and British businessmen and their efforts to impose the rule of the Geneva Convention upon the civilian Japanese commandant running the camp. As a child, I had no idea what these rules from Geneva were, but they were constantly being invoked. We had an attitude. It was framed by “They can’t do OQ / FALL 2021

DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY INTERN-

EES GREET THEIR LIBERATOR,

GENERAL MACARTHUR, IN THE

LOBBY OF THE MAIN BUILDING ON FEB. 7, 1945. MY FATHER IS

CIRCLED IN THE LOWER LEF T

CORNER. LATER THAT DAY, THE JAPANESE SHELLED THE CAMP

AND MANY OF THE NEWLY LIBERATED AMERICANS WERE KILLED.

Sanitation was a top priority. Engineers and plumbers rigged the pipes in the latrines to create cold showers. Toilet paper was rationed, and everyone over the age of 12 had regular bathroom monitor duty. We stood in line to get our breakfast and our dinner from a communal kitchen staffed by internees, and we stood in lines to wash our own tin dishes and cups in communal water that had been boiled in cooking vats. I remember trying to wash my dishes in cold, greasy, soapy water. We did everything for ourselves. Everyone had a camp duty according to their talent or desire, in addition to KP and bathroom-monitor duties.

this to us!” and “We’ll be out next year.” In no time at all, the incredible pool of human resources from the pre-war Manila ex-pat population, now contained in Santo Tomas, was pumped into massive communal action to create a daily life that almost seemed normal. Our Japanese camp commandant seemed relieved that we were solving our own problems.

The interned doctors and nurses set up a hospital and passed out the disinfectant and Mercurochrome, determined to prevent outbreaks of tropical diseases. Children were set upon the flies, armed with glass jars sealed with waxed paper and rubber bands. I remember that prizes were awarded to the winning flycatchers, but not being one, I don’t know what they were.

There were the talents of doctors, nurses, businessmen, ministers, teachers, entertainers, musicians, writers, artists, college professors, gardeners, cooks, engineers, builders, housewives, hobbyists, whores and opportunists of all sorts. Some of those contributions perhaps gave the ministers a bit more to pray about, and the committee a little more to mediate. My mother’s love of books and her office skills contributed to her job as a camp librarian, while my father, an accountant by trade, landed a job in the garbage detail!

THIS PORTRAIT OF 12-YEAR-OLD ME WAS CREATED IN CAMP IN 1944 BY A FELLOW INTERNEE, LOUISE K. COOKINGHAM.

Camp life was hard on the adults, but it seemed almost normal for us kids. The interned teachers set up a school for us, kindergarten through 12th grade. As an only child, before the war I had been relatively isolated from other kids, but being in Santo Tomas changed all that. It was kids’ time all day long, from morning roll call to evening curfew to bedtime roll call. It was like being in a sleepaway summer camp, but having Mom there to tuck you in at night. It was fun! Loss of dignity, hope, spirit and health were things for grownups to worry about. For the first time in my life, I was choosing my own friends, making my own plans, even arranging my own play dates. I was in prison, but I was truly free. one as slowly as possible.

EVENTUALLY, we began to notice that the winds of war had changed. Care packages and exchanges with friends on the outside ceased. Evening entertainments stopped. Food rations were reduced. Our civilian commandant was replaced with an Army officer, and groups of soldiers were more noticeable. It was now 1944, the year I turned 12. MacArthur was fighting his way back to the Philippines. The Japanese knew he was coming, so they brought in more troops and built up their defenses. Food was becoming scarce, and they had a lot of soldiers to feed. Keeping their American prisoners adequately fed was not a priority.

We subsisted on a native diet of rice, yams and green talinum leaves, occasionally augmented with dried fish and soybeans. Our bodies, minds and spirit began to adapt to slow and steady starvation. Our food supplies steadily dwindled, to the point where we were lining up twice a day for watery gruel. A soybean was now a rare treat. I remember, towards the end, holding soybeans in my mouth one by one, savoring them until I could no longer resist the need to chew. Then I would swallow each 106

By the time I was in seventh grade, I had become too weak to climb the stairs to the top floor of the Main Building, where our classes were now being held. I managed to convince my mother that I was too weak to go to school, and she let me withdraw. I never finished seventh grade; I don’t think I even completed half of it. I was tired, weak and lonely, and I spent a lot of time in bed. My mother worried constantly about me and stayed nearby. I liked that. She was still my best friend.

One day in September, a new sound drew our eyes skyward. It was a steady droning unlike the sound of the Japanese fighters we were used to seeing. We scanned the skies for its source. Shouts and cries burst from our throats as the tiny speck was located. It was a bomber! Ours! The end of our trial was in sight. Surely we’d be freed soon! But it was only a raid on Manila by a U.S. Navy task force, probing the Japanese defenses. The aircraft carriers steamed away after the raid, and no other American planes came, and the Japanese cut our rations again. We prayed and waited. This was the worst we had experienced so far, the waiting and the starvation. Our bodies were so malnourOQ / FALL 2021

“I SHALL RETURN.” MACARTHUR WADES ASHORE AT LEYTE ON OCT. 20, 1944 (LEFT); AND AGAIN AT LINGAYEN GULF ON JAN. 9, 1945. THREE WEEKS LATER, HIS TROOPS LIBERATED SANTO TOMAS INTERNMENT CAMP.

ished by this point that there was real doubt that we could hold on until we were liberated. It was the rumors that kept us going. One day, we heard that MacArthur had landed on the island of Leyte, in the central part of the Philippines. “Better Leyte than never,” our camp announcer quipped the next morning over the P.A. As if on cue, the whole camp erupted in laughter.

The rumor was true. On October 20, MacArthur had fulfilled his vow to return to the Philippines. We didn’t see the iconic photograph of the general wading ashore at Leyte, but the rest of the world did. And on January 9, 1945, he waded ashore again, this time at Lingayen Gulf — the very same place where the Japanese had landed three years earlier and turned our world upside down. Now it was the U.S. Sixth Army that came ashore and began its drive south toward Manila. But it didn’t move fast enough to suit MacArthur. He ordered the commander of the First Cavalry Division to create a flying column of tanks and trucks that could slip behind enemy lines and race ahead to free the starving internees of Santo Tomas.

THERE WASN’T MUCH to do anymore at night in Santo Tomas, what with the sunset curfew, blackouts and hunger pains, so everybody in our room, which was on the second floor of the Main Building, had retired early on that evening of February 3, 1945. About 9 o’clock, there was a terrible clatter down by the camp’s main gate. It grew slowly louder, sounding like a motor approaching, but rather loud and rumbling. We were peering out our windows, curious about the commotion. As it got closer, we caught a glimpse of its long, armored shape, and with one voice we cried out, “It’s a tank!” In the very next second, we knew it was ours, and that at last the Americans had come to save us. Mother and I were among the first to rush out of the Main Building, yelling joyously, to hug and kiss with abandon the emerging G.I. Joes. But Dad was not with us — his room was in the nearby Education Building, which is where the camp’s Japanese guards had holed up. A firefight erupted between the guards and our rescuers, and Dad had to dodge a few bullets, but he escaped unhurt, and the guards eventually surrendered. Now, all 3,000 or so internees could safely celebrate our liberation, after three years and one month in captivity. We were so thrilled

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and excited to be free that we didn’t notice the horror in the soldiers’ eyes as they beheld us — emaciated beyond belief. We looked like human skeletons to them. On February 7, MacArthur himself paid us a visit, and congratulated us for hanging on until his return. But our party turned out to be premature, for the Japanese still held most of Manila.

trance to the Main Building in the plaza, waiting to board the bus that would take us to the plane. It was a sunny late afternoon, but the sun was still high enough for me to see the bright orange glow of burning fires, which defined the western horizon. I could hear a distant thunder of cannon and gunfire.

I had been a shy, protected 9-year-old, an only child in an isolated mining community that was an outpost of American colonialism. MANY STARVING INTERNEES IN SANTO TOMAS DIED OF BERIBERI An hour after Now I was AND OTHER MALNOURISHMENT-INDUCED DISEASES. MacArthur left 12-and-aSanto Tomas, half, and they began shellhad just ing the camp, and 16 internees were killed. It’s hard to reflect on completed three years of tough training camp: Santo Tomas how so many who made it through three years of concentration Internment Camp. I had experienced the rough and tumble of camp lost their lives or were seriously injured in those first hours ghetto living, the sharing and love of communal life, and the of freedom. Obviously, the war wasn’t over yet. toughening of body, and of spirit and resolve, that starvation and poverty can sometimes provide. I had learned to live in a In fact, the terrible Battle of Manila was just beginning. But fishbowl and respect the code of privacy. And I had learned most Mother, Dad and I did not stick around to watch it unfold. Geteffectively that life provides exciting adventures, and that good ting out of Manila was not an easy thing to do in February 1945, always wins in the end. but my mother was determined. She wanted to get home – not to Baguio, not even to Los Angeles, but to Stevensville, Montana, where her parents lived. So, she wangled and she fussed, Weeks later, as we were sailing into San Francisco Bay, my parand somehow we were picked in the first lottery to determine ents believed that their greatest trial was behind them. I believed who would be sent home on the first boat back to the States. mine was yet to come – that of adopting to a society of AmeriAn Army transport plane would carry us away from war-torn can teenagers. My training had been good. I was ready. Manila and set us down at Tacloban in Leyte, where we would board a liberty ship bound for the Golden Gate. (For further information about Karen Lewis’ ordeal, check out episode 69 of the Ojai: Talk of the Town podcast.) My last memory of Santo Tomas was being just outside the en-

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1. Azu Restaurant & Ojai Valley Brewery 457 East Ojai Ave. 640-7987 2. Bart’s Books 302 W. Matilija Street - corner of Cañada Street. 646-3755 3. Besant Hill School 8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Road 646-4343

The Ranch House

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5. Boccali’s Restaurant 3277 Ojai-Santa Paula Road 646-6116 6. Emerald Iguana Inn Located at north end of Blanche Street 646-5276 7. Genesis of Ojai 305 East Matilija Street 746-2058

8. OVA Arts 238 East Ojai Avenue 646-5682 18

9. Ojai Rotie 469 East Ojai Ave. 805-798-9227

14 8

10. Ojai Art Center 113 South Montgomery Street 646-0117

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11. Nutmeg’s Ojai House 304 North Montgomery St. 640-1656 12. Ojai Café Emporium 108 South Montgomery Street 646-2723

e Oliv Ojai 20

13. Next Home Pacific Coast 307-A East Matilija Street 646-6768 14. Ojai Valley Museum 130 West Ojai Avenue 640-1390 15. Ranch House 102 Besant Road 640-2360

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19. Porch Gallery 310 East Matilija St. 213-321-3919 20. Ojai Olive Oil 1811 Ladera Ridge Road (off Hermitage) 646-5964

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THE SANTE Fé WAY

calendar

A Tour Through Next Mexico’s Capital By Jerry Dunn

127 Healers of Ojai

131 DAYS OF THE CONDOR Bitter Creek, Site for Soar Eyes By Chuck Graham

Practitioners Healers & Helpers

Ojai Music Festival, Storytelling Festival Returning

142 nocturnal submissions Ojai’s Wellness Recovery Group By Sami Zahringer

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STORY BY JERRY CAMARILLO DUNN, JR

I walked across the Plaza in this historic New Mexico town, all 6’7” of me, carrying in my arms a tiny black dog with button eyes. “One side! Look out!” I cried. “I’m packing a poodle!” Thankfully, people in the throng waved us through with a laugh. Something about Santa Fe inspires people to step out and take a chance — and for 400 years the Plaza has been center stage. Dusty cowboys stride past, old hippies play guitars, tourists show off their new hats and boots, little boys put each other in headlocks, grandmas gather on benches under the trees to gossip and watch the passing parade.

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SANTA FE PLAZA

Along the shady portal of the adobe Palace of the Governors, Pueblo Indians sit in a row. Onto blankets they spill out handmade earrings, necklaces, and rings, a sparkling stream of turquoise sparked with flashes of silver. Shoppers make their way down the line, admiring and chatting. The Plaza has been pretty much like this since the 1800s, when the old Santa Fe Trail reached its end here. Yankee traders and settlers drove their wagons 900 miles over a highway of dirt that began in Missouri and ran across plains, mountains, and deserts. Travelers risked everything from starvation to rattlesnakes, lightning storms, and raiding Comanches. Arriving drivers made a reckless circuit around the Plaza, whooping and cracking their whips, then unloaded bolts of calico cloth, buttons, mirrors, and other goods rare in this isolated outpost. The Anasazi and later Pueblo Indians had long lived in the region, of course, followed by Spaniards who founded the town in 1610. (Santa Fe is our oldest state capital.) Next came Anglos, and in the classic western manner, the late 1800s were rough and rowdy. By the 1920s, the cowboys-and-Indians mythology of Santa Fe, together with the dazzling light and landscape of New Mexico, had attracted artists from back East. Like other Santa Feans, they built houses dirt cheap – literally, using adobe bricks of mud and straw. Today the town’s old adobe houses appear to have risen out of the earth, their thick walls 118

SANTA FE PLAZA IN THE EARLY 1900S

softened by seasons of sun and snow. Squint as you walk up Canyon Road and you might think you’re in Morocco or Peru. Yet Santa Fe also has a modern, sophisticated American side. This is the country’s third-largest art market, with more than 250 galleries and dealers. Museums showcase everything from international folk art to Georgia O’Keeffe paintings. Visitors can enjoy a famous outdoor opera and world-class cuisine. All the citified pleasures — without the big city. Santa Fe even has its own style of dress, and visitors aren’t immune to its appeal: A New Yorker strolls out of the La Fonda hotel in normal street clothes, and by the time she’s made a circuit of the Plaza, she’s gone native: bent double under turquoise necklaces, arms jangling with silver OQ / FALL 2021

ADOBE AND WEATHERED WOOD

MARGARITAS AND SOUTHWEST CUISINE

FARMERS MARKET, RED AND GREEN CHILIS

MUSEUM OF INDIAN ARTS & CULTURE

KIOWA BEADED MOCCASINS

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TSANKAWI LADDER

CAVE

bracelets, swathed in the handwoven shawls and earth tones of the “Santa Fe look.” Oscar Wilde observed, “One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.” In Santa Fe, that’s easy. The town also boasts its own distinctive Southwestern cuisine based on local ingredients, notably red and green chiles. Santa Fe earned a gold star on the culinary map decades ago, with dozens of notable restaurants. But my humble favorite is the Plaza Café (located, um, on the Plaza), an egalitarian eatery popular with everyone from local families to visiting movie stars. All enjoy the 1950s diner decor and Southwestern, American, and Greek (!) food. (Recommended: cashew molé chicken enchiladas, washed down with cool agua de tamarindo and topped off with a sopaipilla drizzled with honey.) After eating I sometimes stroll around the Plaza, peeking into upscale shops that stock everything from a pair of 1880 Lakota Sioux beaded moccasins to a 1,000-pound meteorite to a casual cotton flowered blouse priced at a modest $1,185. (Did I mention “upscale”?) My tip: Drop by the old Five & Dime store, a last vestige of humbler days, for kitschy Wild West souvenirs.

AFTER YOU’VE BEEN in Santa Fe a while, you might look up from your plate of bluecorn enchiladas or gaze out the door of a gallery and wonder: What’s that strange force I feel, drawing me outdoors? Mesmeric rays from the luminous Southwest sky? Some deep power arising from the land itself ? As you head out of town on an autumn morning, the smoky plumes of piñon-wood fires rise against a pale blue heaven. On summer afternoons, thunderclouds darken a biblical firmament shot with lightning. You are passing through a place of ancient ways and raw power. 120

POTSHERDS

I decided to drive to Bandelier National Monument, where stone houses and cliff dwellings once were home to the mysterious Anasazi, the “ancient ones.” But I wasn’t going to the main visitor center. Instead I headed twelve miles north, searching for a small gap in the fence along the narrow state highway. This would let me into Tsankawi, the site of a village where the Anasazi lived in the 1400s. Unlike the rest of Bandelier, this detached area remains unexcavated, in its natural state. Setting off up the trail, the only visitor in sight, I walked alone into the past. For centuries the residents of Tsankawi moved between their fields of beans, corn, and squash and the mesa-top village. Their woven yucca sandals wore a groove in the soft yellow stone of the trail, much the same way that water slowly carves a channel in bedrock. In some spots the rut is two feet deep. Climbing a log ladder up the cliff face, I made it to the top of the mesa, with its scrubby terrain of rabbitbrush and mountain mahogany. What I at first thought were simply scattered rocks turned out to be blocks of cut stone from ruined houses, lying where they had tumbled centuries ago. I stood at the center of the lost village of Tsankawi. When the ancient ones lived here, 275 rooms surrounded a courtyard. Inside protective walls, daily life unfolded: men flaking obsidian arrowheads, women making pottery, children playing. On the ground I spied pieces of broken pots painted with black and red lines. No one had taken these ancient fragments, a welcome sign of respect from visitors. As the foot trail dropped below the mesa top, I passed petroglyphs – symbols pecked into the rock – whose ancient meanings run deep. Today’s descendants in nearby San Ildefonso Pueblo still understand their significance and keep the old knowledge alive, honoring the vanished ancestors of Tsankawi.

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the kind you’d see at Disneyland. There were carved griffins and shingles shaped like dragon’s scales – perhaps a nod to Martin’s fantasy fiction. A full moon cast soft light, windows glowed. I stepped inside. The resident family appeared to have departed hastily, leaving a TV show playing in the living room and food in the kitchen. I began to sense something not quite right, something skewed, something . . . off. That’s when I happened to open the refrigerator door. (Visitors are encouraged to explore.) Before me stretched a passageway dazzling with white light. (Imagine a scene from a Spielberg movie.) I walked through and entered a parallel dimension, another world.

AUTHOR AT MEOW WOLF

I should say many worlds. More than a hundred local artists, builders, and computer whizzes had created a phantasmagoria of set pieces where I could wander as if in a wacky but delightful dream.

MEOW WOLF TREE HOUSE

THE BEAUTY OF SANTA FE extends to the world of art. Back in town I headed for the House of Eternal Return, a vast installation created in a former bowling alley by an artists’ collective called Meow Wolf and underwritten by author and local resident George R.R. Martin. (He earns $15 million a year from Game of Thrones and the novels they’re based on, but drives an old Mazda and lives in a modest house.) Is the House of Eternal Return a playland for kids? An art space for sophisticated adults? The creators designed it to be whatever you want it to be. Inside the enormous venue stood a full-size Victorian house,

I climbed into a tree house in a forest festooned with glowing vines. My eyes popped in a room decorated like a Cubist painting, all angles and colors. I sidled up to a luminous green mastodon skeleton with Day-Glo pink teeth and played his ribs like a xylophone. I threaded my way among laser beams surrounding a radiant pyramid. Wandering from one strange, enchanting space to the next, I grew pleasantly lost and time melted away. I figured I might as well just surrender and enjoy whatever came next. There’s no “right” way to explore here. Around every corner you find an imaginative surprise or a transcendent wonder. And when you finally step out of the house and return to everyday reality, you grasp a simple truth: You could just keep looking at the world this way. In a sense, the experience captures the essence of a visit to Santa Fe. No matter where you look — at an adobe wall lined with glowing paper lanterns, a hanging ristra of drying red chiles, a bracelet of Indian silver and turquoise, the radiant sky above – your eyes open and your spirit soars.

GOOD TO KNOW IF YOU GO

VISITOR INFORMATION: www.santafe.org. This excellent site details things to see and do and lists hotels, restaurants, outdoor activities, and shopping. WEATHER: Temperatures are moderate, with highs averaging 86°F in July and lows near 17°F in January.

HIGH ALTITUDE: Santa Fe lies at 7,199 feet, so the air is thinner and you might feel temporarily tired or short of breath; it usually takes 48 hours to adjust. Go easy, stay hydrated, use sunscreen, and wear a hat. Watch your alcohol intake, too; one drink has about the same effect as three at sea level.

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OQ | HI K I NG MAP SHELF ROAD 3.5mi EASY | Elev. Gain: 200 ft | Overlooks downtown Ojai.

2 VENTURA RIVER PRESERVE | 7mi EASY TO MODERATE | Elev. Gain:

520 ft (Wills-Rice). Trailheads at end of Meyer Road, South Rice Road and Baldwin Road. Great for birding.

5 HORN CANYON 5.5mi STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 1,600 ft.

Trailhead near Thacher School’s gymkhana field. Goes to shady stand of 80-foot tall pines.

8 ROSE VALLEY 1mi EASY | Elev. Gain: 100 ft

Trailhead at Rose Valley Campground. Leads to a spectacular 300-foot, two-tiered fall. 122

PRATT TRAIL 8.8mi STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 3,300

GRIDLEY TRAIL 6-12mi MODERATE | 3 mi to Gridley Springs

COZY DELL 2.2mi MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 740 ft |

MATILIJA CANYON 12mi MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 1,200 ft |

ft | Trailhead off North Signal Street. Goes to Nordhoff Peak. Clear day? See forever.

(Elev. Gain: 1,200 ft) 6 mi to Nordhoff Peak. Trailhead at north end of Gridley Road.

Trailhead 8 miles north of Ojai on Maricopa Highway. Short, intense hike that also connects to trail network.

Middle Fork. Trailhead at end of Matilija Road. First 1.5 miles of trail well-maintained, the rest a scramble.

SISAR CANYON 22mi STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 4,800 ft to

SULPHUR MTN. 22mi MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 2,300 ft |

Topa Topa Bluffs. Trailhead at end of Sisar Road. Trailhead on eastern side of Sulphur Mountain Road. Only for experienced, f it hikers. Views are unsurpassed. OQ / FALL 2021

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CALIFORNIA CONDOR

THERE wasn’t much going on at the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). I was lying in the grassy, rolling hills of this California condor sanctuary, and I was waiting for some130

thing to stir. It was mid-afternoon and thermals were just beginning to waft skyward when a solitary condor rose above the refuge like a fighter jet off an aircraft carrier. OQ / FALL 2021

CALIFORNIA CONDORS

STORY BY CHUCK GRAHAM

BITTER CREEK CHRONICLES, OR SITES FOR SOAR EYES I sat straight up holding my 300mm lens in my lap thoroughly thrilled to see North America’s largest flying land bird soaring above, and quickly joined by another condor. They circled overhead making several passes, their pinkish/orange heads standing out against their impressive velvety black 9-foot-plus wingspans, their wingtips extending outward like giant fingers on an outstretched hand.

Even more impressive was when the condors were up, soaring over their historic habitat, they never tipped back and forth while inflight. Instead, they soared effortlessly, their flight pattern never wavering as they foraged across Bitter Creek and beyond. Over the years release sites like Bitter Creek have expanded

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throughout the condor’s historic range. There are currently five other sites besides Bitter Creek that serve as sanctuaries and release stations. Those include nearby Hopper Mountain, Ventana Wilderness along the Big Sur Coast, Pinnacles National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Baja California. The wild population is augmented with captive-bred birds. Their flight pens help garner condor behavior. The recovery program has been doing this since the early 1990s. And although the wild population is growing and old territories are reestablished, it’s getting increasingly more challenging to track their whereabouts. Condors average around 150 miles per day in the air. “It’s a sign of their recovery that they are expanding,” said Arianna Punzalan, supervisory wildlife biologist for the USFWS, who has worked with condors since 2012. “It’s a good thing and a bad thing because how do we continue to monitor these birds?”

BITTER CREEK Nestled within the Transverse Ranges, between the Carrizo Plain National Monument and the Sespe Wilderness, Bitter Creek NWR is a haven and another launching pad for releasing endangered California condors. Once a long-time cattle ranch, the Hudson Ranch eventually was to be subdivided making those rolling hills uninhabitable for condors and a whole host of other endangered species like the giant kangaroo rat and San Joaquin kit fox. In 1985, multiple conservations groups rallied together, and under the Endangered Species Act, with Land and Water Conservation funding, 800 acres of the Hudson Ranch and adjoining properties were acquired. More lands were purchased in 1987, with 11,944 acres of the Hudson and Hoag Ranches coming under control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Today, Bitter Creek encompasses 14,097 acres enhancing foraging, roosting and now breeding and nesting habitat for these Pleistocene Era raptors. 132

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CALIFORNIA CONDORS

CALIFORNIA CONDOR

PIT TRAP REMNANT

WELCOME TO THE BITTER CREEK NWR

ORCHARD DRAW After walking beneath an old, green-leafed, apple orchard on what was then part of the Hudson Ranch, we hiked a short distance north to an exposed ridgeline overlooking the open book-shaped Orchard Draw. The narrow, nondescript canyon was choked in scrubby chaparral, but at the bottom of the draw was a gritty sandstone monolith. Two biologists, myself, Chris Morgan from the podcast The Wild, and his producer Matthew Martin, peered through spotting scopes and binoculars anticipating something to happen down below. For a good 30 minutes there wasn’t any activity, and then finally there was some movement. The sandstone rock outcropping possessed a few cavities, and emerging from the shadows of a shadowy alcove was an adult male condor, known as Condor 328. There was one egg in the cave and the doting parents swap out on parenting duties, which means they share responsibilities on incubating. The female is known as Condor 216. They’ve been together for 10 years, and in 2019 they reared a chick.

Condors produce a chick every other year. The chick fledges after six months in the cave nest. Condors are monogamous, and if the pair survives they will return to the same nest site. Currently, there are 300 California condors in the wild. “I got super lucky and saw the egg the day after it was laid,” said 134

PHOTO BY CHUCK GRAHAM

Laura McMahon, wildlife biologist for the USFWS. “It’s pretty easy spotting a nest when a condor is standing in front of it.”

PIT TRAP California condors are Ice Age birds. Fossil records indicate they once soared all over North America. However, as megafauna died off so, too did the condor’s range. Fast forward to the 1800s, their range had shrunk to the point where California became their last stronghold, but it was shrinking quickly. Predators were killed off, either shot or poisoned. Egg collecting and selling condor feathers were common practices. By the 1980s, there were only 22 condors left in the wild. It was now or never for these iconic raptors. Captive breeding was the only option, so an aggressive plan was put in motion to save the condor. OQ / FALL 2021

PHOTO BY CHUCK GAHAM

CONDOR FLIGHT PEN OVERLOOK

CONDOR CROSSING

PHOTO BY CHUCK GAHAM

condors to land on top of them. All they would have with them was some food, water and pee bottle. When a condor would land they would grab it. Stories of black widows and rattlesnakes visiting the pit trap while the two biologists hid beneath were part of Pit Trap lore, but anything for these exemplary birds.

GETTING THE LEAD OUT Besides habitat loss, the biggest challenge for the survival of the California condor is use of lead bullets in their habitat. There are alternatives out there for hunters to use, but change can be slow.

FLIGHT PEN

There was one thing that stood out on the barren knoll overlooking the southwest portion of Bitter Creek. It was an old horse carcass lying among some vibrant California poppies. It marked the site of an ambitious effort to capture the last remaining California condors. Wildlife biologists Peter Bloom and Dave Clendenon created their pit trap in 1987. The two biologists dug a shallow grave partially burying themselves with organic debris and a stillborn calf carcass lying across the top. Sometimes the two would conceal themselves from sunrise to sunset, waiting patiently for one of the last remaining

Condors are scavengers. They are the cleaners of the forest. With incredible eyesight, condors locate carcasses and feed mightily. Lead fragments are soft and break down easily within the condor’s food source. However, those lead fragments get in the condors’ bloodstream, attacking their nervous system. “If we remove lead from the environment condors can be self-sustaining,” said Punzalan. “Change is hard, but lead is more of a challenge. Partners are invaluable about getting the word out. Hopefully in my lifetime, the condor will be delisted.”

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OQ | EV ENTS CA L ENDA R September - October - November galleries

CANVAS AND PAPER | THU-SUN | info@canvasandpaper.org

SEPTEMBER 16 to 19 75th Annual Ojai Music Festival Times: Varies Location: Libbey Bowl and other Ojai venues Music Director John Adams is hosting a program that puts the spotlight on young composers. Artists include Samuel Carl Adams, Timo Andres, Dylan Mattingly, Gabriela Ortiz, Rhiannon Giddens, Carlos Simon, and Gabriella Smith. Artists making their Ojai debuts include Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi, pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, Attacca Quartet, violinist Miranda Cuckson, and recorder player Anna Margules. Contact: 805-646-2094 Email: info@ojaifestival.org SEPTEMBER 23 to 26 Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s “2021 MountainFilm Tour” Times: 5:15 to 9:30 p.m. Location: Under the Open Sky event will take place Friday, September 24 at the Ventura River Steelhead Preserve. Contact: ovlc.org, 805-649-6852 The tour is back this year but it will be different. MountainFilm screenings will be offered Thursday through Saturday. Friday’s Under the Open Sky will feature a farm-to-table dinner and select films. You must be fully vaccinated to attend.

events

OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL | SEPT. 16-19 | LIBBEY BOWL

OCTOBER 28-31 20th Ojai Storytelling Festival Times: Varies Location: Libbey Bowl and other Ojai venues Many of the nation’s most talented storytellers will be in Ojai. The lineup is as follows: Donald Davis, Bil Lepp, Robert B. Jones, Diane Macklin, Regi Carpenter, Bill Harley, Kim Weitkamp, and special guests, Kimberly Ford and the Dreamland Band’s tribute to Joni Mitchell and Debra Ehrhardt from Jamaica will be at Naughty Tales. Contact: ojaistoryfest.org Phone: 310-890-1439 TO SEPTEMBER 20 “John Millei - Works on Paper” at Porch Gallery Time: Thursday, Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: 310 E. Matilija Street Contact: Porchgalleryojai.com 805-620-7589 Millei has exhibited at galleries both nationally and internationally and been featured in many leading publications. TO OCTOBER 3 “Drawings by Henri Matisse” at canvas and paper gallery Time: Noon to 5 p.m., Thursday to Sunday OQ / FALL 2021

OJAI STORYTELLING FESTIVAL | OCT. 28-31 | LIBBEY BOWL

Location: 311 North Montgomery Street Contact: canvasandpaper.org canvas and paper is a non-profit exhibition space showing paintings and drawings from the 20th century and earlier in thematic and single artist exhibits. Admission is free. OCTOBER 9 to 11 Ojai Studio Artists Tour Times: Noon to 5 p.m., Thursday to Sunday Location: Varies, check in and opening reception at Ojai Valley Museum, 130 West Ojai Avenue. Contact: ojaistudioartists.org The Ojai Studio Artist Tour will be free this year. The opening reception “kick off party” will take place on Friday, October 8. You will be able to meet with the artists — more than 60 artists are members — as well as see work from the exhibit “Finding the Light.” NOVEMBER 4-14 Ojai Film Festival Times: Varies Locations: Varies. Contact: ojaifilmfestival.com The Ojai Film Festival returns in-person on November 4 with a free screening at Libbey Bowl. From November 5 to 8 will be the screenings and festival programs. Then November 9 to 14, all festival films will be available online through video on demand. 137

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 JOIN US FOR OUR 7TH ANNUAL MOVIE NIGHT UNDER THE STARS AT OVS

When you support our Wild About Ojai partners, you give back to local businesses and to Ojai’s open spaces! Please consider supporting our partners during this difficult time. A Taste of Ojai Alojai Creations BeCalm of Ojai Chamber on the Mountain Char Man Brand Hot Sauce Dogs Fly Design

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U N IQU E PRO GR A M S

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E V E N T R E N TA L S OQ / FALL 2021

W W W. F L O U R I S H O J A I . C O M CENTER FOR INSPIRED LIVING

L I V E S T R E A M & A .V. 139

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Attacca Quartet

Timo Andres

Samuel Adams

Miranda Cuckson

Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi

Dylan Mattingly

Víkingur Ólafsson

Gabriela Ortiz Carlos Simon

Gabriella Smith

LA Phil New Music Group

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

“A Musical Utopia”– New

York Times

OjaiFestival.org

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| 805 646 2053 141

OQ | N O C TU R NA L S U B MI S S I ONS

THE WELLNESS RECOVERY GROUP A Housewife’s Log

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, AMONG OTHERS HAS BEEN REPORTING RECENTLY ON THE STRANGE RISE OF Q-ANON CONSPIRACY THEORIES IN BY SAMI ZAHRINGER

THE VAST AND LUCRATIVE WELLNESS INDUSTRY. SOME HAVE MANAGED TO ESCAPE THE NARRATIVE AND, IN OJAI, THEY HAVE FORMED

(DON’T JUDGE THEM ON THE TWEEKLY THING. THEY’VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT AND MANY ARE STILL IN DIFFERENT DEGREES OF DENIAL AND CAPTIVITY IN

A TWICE WEEKLY — OR “TWEEKLY” AS THEY CALL IT — SUPPORT GROUP FOR ESCAPEES AND THEIR ALLIES. IT’S CALLED THE WELLNESS RECOVERY GROUP.

BIG WELLNESS.) One of our reporters, Hami Xahringer, is also a recoverer from Big Wellness so the OQ sent her in to find out more about the dark underbelly of Wellness. Hami studied Political Science with an emphasis on autocratic regimes but veered suddenly away from that following a polyamorous affair with a Spiritual Warrior called Trey Mandrake; squandered whatever small chance journalists have to make it any more; and, with quiet sorrow, is now writing articles like “Is The UK A Taurus? Here are their stories. All names have been changed.

HAMI’S STORY. Because I am an active participant in the group I’m reporting on, it’s only fair I begin with my story. Hi, I am Hami and I am a 142

recovering Well person. While I cannot blame Trey for everything, there is no question he brought me into the life. He wears a lot of leather and apex-predator fur, has piercing eyes and the kind of jaw that could chew a tunnel through a mountain. He says things like “You and I are adventurers of the dreamtime!” and “We exist as supercharged quantum waveforms!” and “Could you pay for this, darling, because I despise money.” He convinced me across several bouts of sweaty, stare-y peyote sex that, in losing myself (with him) I would find my authentic self. He told me not to mind the other flax-wearing, shiny-eyed women in the house, eyeing each other warily and marking their territories with “Manifest” pebbles and Burt’s Bees products because he was helping them, too and I wouldn’t be so selfish as to think I should be the only one getting his help, would I? Anyway, to make a long story short, one day three years later, I found myself at Rose Valley Falls prostrate on the rocks clutching a possum skull with no idea how I got there. OQ / FALL 2021

PHOTO BY CRINA PARASCA

PHOTO BY ALEXANDER KRIVITSKIY

“I think the essential point about intersectionalism and believing that the Rothschilds caused the fires in the West with lasers from Outer Space,” I remember saying to a Pileated Woodpecker as I bled out in a small pond … “Is that as an engagement strategy it does not speak to where I am in my life right now. But I’ve been getting really into realms and dimensions lately and what that’s taught me is that this Disney watch my grandma gave me the Christmas she died represents the corporate chains of late-stage capitalism and what I should really do is go to Anaheim and assassinate Goofy.” But I don’t think the Pileated Woodpecker heard me. A passing outdoors-person did instead and he took me to the hospital where I received many services for the body and the mind and, over the course of three days, grew to love Western medicine again. In short, in finding myself, I went and lost myself up my own ass which is a frightening place to wake up and find oneself. I called Trey and told him I needed to be unWell again and he was very sweet. “I understand,” he said. “Some people just aren’t strong enough to live at the highest vibrational planes. It’s too

spiritually and sexually intense, ya know? But you must NOT feel bad about yourself, Hami! Listen to me! You are still an absolutely OK person! Go now. I release you with love.”

got into his Tesla and screeched away.

About an hour later I videoed him scratching “Die, Whore!” onto my car hood, looking furtively about him. He regarded his work, thought a minute, and with a monstrous grimace and straining noises, added another furious “!” Then, smoothing his hair back and adjusting his wolf-fur wristlets, he

The last I heard of Trey was that he accidentally overdosed on an injection of orca testosterone. They found him in the woods a few days later, apparently having gnawed several trees down. It took them 13 hours to remove the splinters and he caught Dutch Elm Disease. Now he is resting under observation at the Santa Barbara Hospital for the Botanically Insane.

So, anyway. That’s me! Gerard, (not his real name) what about you? You are an ally of someone who is still Well, aren’t you? How’s it going?

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GERARD’S STORY

actually pick up a chopstick with mine!

“Yes,” said Gerard. “My wife, Marie (not her real name). Not so well. She still is really very Well indeed. She doesn’t even entirely believe in electricity any more. She suspects copper is just haunted by powerful ghosts. I had to ban her from using crystals because it was making her sacred vagina aura so strong it messed with the wifi. She’s fallen under the spiritual influence of a self-described Sigma Male or “lone wolf.” In another time he would have been called a vain and handsome mediocrity but now he is called Vox and he has a whole socio-sexual masculinity subculture of his own. Marie has always identified as a Hufflepuff but Vox has convinced her that Voldemort wasn’t really evil, he was just neurodivergent and operated outside of the system.

“More worrying is that Vox has convinced Marie to cash in her retirement to invest in Chakra futures. She pushed back against this a bit after some rare genuinely independent thought and told him “I am not a series of assets to be monetized!”

Marie wants me to be more like Vox and I wanted to try and understand so I got into “Sigma Nation,” a chatroom of men exploring Sigma masculinity, and had some interesting conversations. One guy who had been in the group for a while but was largely silent asked. “Right, so isn’t sigma masculinity a grift that reinforces misogynistic pseudoscience and when it fails, those who bought into it blame women and become incels, further reinforcing the underlying beliefs? Have I got that right? And isn’t it therefore just another ideology that can justify oppressive hierarchies and reduce people to empty stereotypes and which is used to confirm poisonous perspectives and exaggerate pre-existing insecurities?” He was summarily thrown out to “keep the space safe for men fed up with feminist bullshit.”

I also listened closely to what makes one a sigma. I learnt they are quieter than “Alpha” males, they are self-contained, self-reliant loners who operate outside of perceived social structures. They often elicit fascination in others. I genuinely thought hard about people I know like this but I too got thrown out when I asked if Mr. Bean was a Sigma. “Anyway, Vox told Maria that her sacral chakra was leaky — he’d never seen one so leaky — but he has a sacred instrument that works “essentially as a caulking gun for the chakra. The sacral chakra in particular.” Well, I didn’t like the sound of that so I convinced her to try something else instead. Now we spend half an hour each morning cross-legged on the kitchen floor doing Kegels with our Third Eyes. It’s not unpleasant and now I can 144

“He said, Well, I manifested really hard and your chakras are up 7 percent this quarter” and that was that. She has become even more Well. I’m terribly worried.”

JANINE’S STORY Next to share was Janine (nhrn) whose partner Polly (nhrn) (Now Windchilde — not her real not-name) has been getting radicalized at her 9th dimension yoga class. They are tackling beginner fascism as far as Janine can see, but Polly says that the instructor, Ayn Randsoul, is teaching them astral projection which is literal trans-dimensional travel and what she has learnt is that some are weak and some are strong and that is Nature’s way and we should always let Nature take its course. She has a long way to go until she becomes a full-blown body-fascist but already she’s saying things like pea oil cured her friend’s AIDS. She doesn’t even have a friend with AIDS. Windchilde has split from many of her friends on Randsoul’s say so. She is scornful now of Janine. Randsoul says Janine’s pineal gland is horrifying and toxic and looks like a bit of ceiling plaster above the reactor at Chernobyl and that Windchilde risks spiritual contamination of the most catastrophic sort. TALON’S STORY. Talon (obviously not his real name) spoke next. He is a follower of Xyneigh Warrior, a light worker and talented “Earthbard” who is a pretty big deal in New Age circles. He’s kind of the Brian May of the nose-flute. Talon is a hypochondriac and worrier who finds it hard to commit to even the most mild conspiracy theories. He is halfway out of Wellness but lingers yet. “I have a very sensitive antecubutal fossa” said Talon “and Xyneigh told me that it might even be a very rare 115th hyperchakra. What if that’s true? I don’t think I should immunize it. It could have dire consequences for hyperchakras 79 through 114 and I don’t even know what some of these do yet.” OQ / FALL 2021

PHOTO BY CALL ME FRED HC-6EDTGIRE

“What is a Light Worker exactly?” I asked. “Well as far as I can tell, being a Light Worker is an attempt to explain divine consciousness and energy flow in such a way as to justify the existence of light workers,” said Talon, apparently oblivious to the implications of that. The reason Talon is half out of Wellness is that he is involved in a civil lawsuit against self-described “Mountain Witch,” and convicted murderer, Georgiana Dragonsblood. Apparently she was selling vials of a calming blue tincture of foxglove which turned out to be over 90 percent Windex. There is empirically more tuna in a Subway tuna melt than there was foxglove in her tincture. Unfortunately, Talon and several others ingested the tincture. Some became so calm as to become dead and Talon is now on the waiting list for a new kidney. Beside Talon in the circle is a young African-American woman called Sarah (not her real name) . SARAH’S STORY “Hi, I’m Sarah, and I wasn’t seeking anything. I was just walking my dog in the meadow one day when a man in white pajamas came out from behind a tree, grasped me by the shoulders, looked me right in my eyes and said “I don’t see color. I just see auras. I sense you have a very strong blue aura but that you don’t yet know its power. I can help you with that for as little as $40 a week AND you get my CD for free.” “Well I didn’t know what to think but, just then, from behind another tree, came a man dressed all in turquoise who said “Don’t listen to that guy! He’s a total fake! He doesn’t even have any deep-seated religious trauma!” Then I believe he said “Phthoo!” before going on to explain that he was a practitioner of many ancient and sacred rites, including physiognomic diagnosis and trepanning. “Let’s talk about my process,” he said, putting his arm around me and leading me away from white pajama man. “Wait!” called white pajama man, yanking me away from allin-turquoise man. “Come eat ancient grains with me tomorrow morning! I will introduce you to many seekers. And afterwards, wouldn’t our skin look great together if we both wore white to the Farmer’s Market?

My dog started barking at a bush just as I was about to say “But I thought you didn’t see color?” and from out of it tumbled a man, naked but for a sort of loin garment made all of fur. “Oh God, here we go.” said all-in-turquoise man and took out his phone to make a call. “You people!” cried fur-loin man, wild-eyed and frothing at the mouth ‘I am the CAUSE! You are just the EFFECT! All of you! I caused you, with MY consciousness! You have no individual existence” he roared. “You are all figments of my mind and if I stop thinking about you you will die! Go on! Mathematically prove your existence! Go on! I’ll wait!” Cackling horribly he looked at his watch theatrically. “I’ve got time!” But he didn’t. He didn’t have time, for from the nearby Ojai Valley Hospital came a posse of weary, but determined-looking nurses. “Come on, Colin,” (not his real name) said one plunging a needle into Colin’s buttock. “‘You are not here!’ screamed Colin, purpley. “‘As soon as I go to sleep, you will die ahahahahahahahaha!’ The sedative, percolating from his buttocks into the rest of his furious body, started its dreamy business and very soon the horrible cackling turned silent.” There was silence in the room as everybody absorbed Sarah’s story. “What happened next?” I asked. “Well” said Sarah. “He used to inject himself with northern sportive lemur spinal fluid but he overdosed one night and clawed his way atop the tree canopy. It took 14 hours to remove the splinters from his mouth and he caught Chestnut Blight. He is being studied at UCSB School of Botany as we speak.” Hami’s Postscript: It is easy to scoff at The Well but we’re all prey to different madnesses. I believe that there are places in this valley where 2 + 2 does not equal 4. Skeptical uprights might sneer “ Yeah, the places where the wild mushrooms grow, har har.” But skeptical uprights don’t know everything and sometimes appear to be missing that part of the brain that can learn where anything wild grows at all. I prefer a skepticism that queries rather than condemns. Math is beautiful. But so is unmath — magic.

OQ / FALL 2021

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