Ojai Monthly - June 2023

TWIN PALMS: RANCHO MATILIJA LUXURY

On a private, park-like lot in Rancho Matilija, this Mediterranean-style home boasts mountain views, refined design, and high-quality materials. The light-filled 5br/4.5ba main home has high ceilings, a chef’s kitchen, and a luxurious primary bedroom suite with two walk-in closets, a spa-like bathroom, a sitting area, and French doors that open to a private patio. Includes pool house/guest house with studio, kitchen, fireplace, bathroom, and an outdoor kitchen/dining area.

1000ShokatDrOjai.com

Offered at $5,100,000

Over 25 years of experience matching people and property in the Ojai Valley

A MOMENT OF FIVE-STAR LUXURY.

Once again, we are overjoyed to be named a Five-Star Recommended Spa in Forbes Travel Guide’s prestigious 2023 Star Awards—making Spa Ojai one of only 119 spas in the world to obtain this designation. Our iconic 31,000-square-foot oasis features two pools, a state-of-the-art fitness facility, Mind & Body classes, Spa Boutique, and Spa Café, offering serene, signature indulgences. We invite you to celebrate your wellness journey amidst an inspired natural setting of oak trees, fresh lavender, and idyllic vistas. Make a reservation today to escape in a moment as transformational as our mountain surrounds.

(855) 600-9479 OjaiValleyInn.com

WHO STAYS, WHO LEAVES

"We have all known the long loneliness, and we have found that the answer is community." — Dorothy

Day

June is a strange time in Ojai; our schizoid weather is on full blast. It's often chill and foggy in the mornings, then blazing hot in the afternoons as the marine layer burns off. Our streets are quiet and friendly with dog walkers and errand-runners during the week, then thronged with rubbernecking visitors during the weekends, and the older people who dominate the rest of the year give way to skateboarding and bicycling youth as school lets out.

Something feels different these past couple of years though. For me, it's the unfamiliar faces.

There's been a lot of turnaround in our population. It used to be that I'd recognize more than half of the people I'd see in former Starr Market, now Westridge, and about half of the shoppers in Vons. Now, it's maybe 20 percent and 25 percent respectively. While this is far from scientific, an accumulation of anecdote does become its own aggregration of data. My observations have been verified by many people I know. There's a lot of strangers in town.

It's pandemic-related; people quarantined in those early days of Spring 2020 to cities longed for the wideopen spaces and village life that we've been enjoying for decades. It was a nationwide phenomenon. In August 2020, hedge-fund manager, author and futurist James Altucher published the viral essay, "NYC is Dead Forever. Here's Why." He said the things that brought people to New York in the first place; commercial real estate, restaurants and culture, were never going to rebound as they had in the past. The fundamentals had changed too much, especially that people wouldn't be going back to work in their downtown droves, which, in turn, drove the rest of the cultural economy from nightlife to lunch spots. Many made the same arguments about Los Angeles.

It turned out not to be true, or at least premature. Real estate prices did drop 20 percent in Manhattan through the omicron outbreak, but are now heading upward, if slowly. In Los Angeles, leasing sales went down 40 percent through the pandemic, but home prices continued to climb slowly and only recently softened. For both LA and NYC, that's because of mortgage rates going up, and not demand going down. In fact, rents continue to outpace real estate prices in the Big Apple. Here in "The Little Orange" prices and rents continue to rise. When you are talking about such a small market, and one that is so well-known and widely sought after, it's no surprise that the demand for Ojai outstrips the supply. It's always been that way, at least since railroad baron Tom Scott hired Thomas Bard to subdivide and sell his 350,000 acres in the area.

Two things happen with every infusion of new people to Ojai. They either adapt or they leave.

The best among them bring a sense of curiosity and wonder about this place. They want to know why it's so amazing, to understand the locals who helped make it and keep it so. They are typically joiners; there are more than 190 nonprofit groups in Ojai for good reason. The cultural landscape in Ojai is so rich and the social infrastructure is so sturdy because of these people.

The leavers often find us out-of-step with the times. We are also less than enamored of their brilliant ideas to rescue us from our backwardness. Our local motto might as well be "We don't care what you know, until we know that you care." These newcomers tend not to last long. Either are welcome though; the former for contributing their time and talent, the latter for reminding us that Ojai is not for everyone.

Bret Bradigan

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JUNE CALENDAR OF EVENTS

annual events podcasts wine festival

JUNE 3

OVLC Hosts National Trails Day

Date: Saturday

Times: Multiple Events

Locations: Ojai Art Center

113 South Montgomery Street

Contact: OjaiArtCenter.org

The Shawn Jones Band and many others will get deep into this American art form.

JUNE 8-11

Ojai Music Festival with Rhiannon

Giddens

Dates: Thursday through Sunday

Times: All Day

Locations: Libbey Bowl and various local venues.

Rhiannon Giddens returns to Ojai, this year as the Music Director. An integral part of the immersive Ojai Festival experience are the free community activities that occur in the Libbey Park and throughout Ojai. This will include Morning Meditations, Music Pop-Ups, and a Family Concert.

JUNE 17

The 35th Annual Ojai Wine Festival

Time: 12 noon to 4 p.m.

Location: Lake Casitas Recreational Area

11093 Santa Ana Road

Contact: OjaiWineFestival.org

Overlooking scenic Lake Casitas, the Ojai Wine Festival is an idyllic venue to taste award winning wines, amazing craft beers, ciders, seltzers and fine spirits. Purchase a

meal. The Ojai Wine Festival is organized by Ojai Rotary-West and supports their many charitable projects.

TO JUNE 11

Alfred Wallis Exhibit

Dates: Thursdays through Sundays

Time: Noon to 5 p.m.

Location: 311 N. Montgomery Contact: 805-798-9301

info@canvasandpaper.org

JULY 1

The Gin Blossoms

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Libbey Bowl, 210 South Signal Street Contact: 805-272-3881

The platinum-selling Grammynominated alternative are back on the road, stopping by Ojai for a Saturday evening. Doors open at 5 p.m.

JULY 4

Ojai Independence Day Celebration

Times: Parade at 10 a.m.

Fireworks at Dark

Locations: Parade on Ojai Avenue

Fireworks at Nordhoff High School

Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Includes one of America’s most charming small town parades and fireworks event with live music, food booths and fun for the whole family.

Contact: 4thofJulyinOjai.com

“

RECURRING EVENTS

JUNE 3, 10, 17 &24

Historical Walking Tours of Ojai

Date: Every Saturday

Time: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Location: canvas & paper gallery Museum, 130 West Ojai Avenue. Contact: 640-1390

JUNE 11

Coffee & Cars

Dates: Second Sundays of the month

Times: 8 to 10 a.m.

Location: Westridge Market parking lot Come check out classic and luxury cars from the area’s proudest collectors. Have a chance to learn from the owners about the history and importance of some of the world’s most incredible automobiles.

THURSDAYS

Ojai: Talk of the Town” Podcast New episodes come out Thursday evenings through OjaiHub.com newsletter. Guests have included Malcolm McDowell on the 50th anniversary of “A Clockwork Orange,” and Sergio Aragonés on his 60 years as a cartoonist at Mad Magazine. With more than 150 hour-long episodes, the Ojai podcast is an important part of our community’s collective wisdom and insight. Learn about this place from our most fascinating residents. Sign up at OjaiHub.com for a free newsletter of Ojai events, news, arts, entertainment, history and culture.

LAUREL CRARY

BY ILONA SAARI

a design for life

Laurel Crary was raised on the Crary Ranch on the edge of the Rocky Mountain Front in Choteau, Montana … Big Sky country. Her grandfather, a local doctor, brought Laurel and her older sister, Robyn and younger brother, Dusty, into the world. While living life to its fullest, father, Doug Crary, and mom, Bonnie, often fighting the wind and weather, worked hard and unpredictable hours to turn it into a successful cattle ranch. “It was not unusual to come down for breakfast and find a calf or lamb in front of the kitchen furnace being warmed after being born in a blizzard… I can still feel the eager pull of those hungry babies on the large 7-Up bottle filled with instant milk,” Laurel remembers.

With acres to roam and play in, Laurel’s adventures were endless… building forts, climbing trees, wading in irrigation ditches, swimming in beaver ponds and sneaking over to her

great grandmother’s log cabin for marshmallows, always on hand for campfires. “The cabin is still one of my favorite places on this earth,” she says. Another favorite place was the playhouse her father built for her and Robyn which they decorated and redecorated many times. She also became an avid skier when her father, along with other fathers of family friends, started a ski resort in the mountains above Crary Ranch.

Between her junior and senior years at Choteau High, which had an enrollment of 230 students (38 in her class), Laurel had a life-changing experience when she was chosen to represent her high school on a co-ed bus trip across Canada and the U.S. with other kids from western states and Canadian provinces. The exposure to the other students from other places, other religions, political views and lifestyles provided a life-changing view. “It opened my mind and my life. I don’t think I would have ever

Little did she know that decorating, and redecorating, her childhood playhouse would lead to a career in design

considered moving to L.A. without that experience…”

Laurel wanted to go to the University of Montana in Missoula to study journalism or acting, but her mother put her foot down. She was “not going to that hippie college with all the drugs,” said Mom. So, it was off to Bozeman College in Bozeman, Montana, the “cowboy school,” where she earned a degree in speech communication. Only 20 minutes from Bridger Bowl, she continued to hit the slopes while getting her higher education. “Oh, and Mom, cowboys do drugs, too!” she says with a smile.

Denver was Laurel’s next destination where she spent five years complaining that the slopes were an hour away as she tried her luck “at advertising, restaurant hostess and department store retail,” the latter of which was the beginning of a 20-year career. At a Denver department store she became the assistant to the manager of the designer/ couture department, eventually moving up to be the buying officer for robes and loungewear. Working a couple of fashion charity events in the restored gold rush opera house in Central City, Laurel was thrilled to meet Bill Blass and Geoffrey Bean, two fashion icons. She loved it all — the fittings, the line-ups, the accessories, et al.

Then, devastated by a plane crash which claimed the lives of Montana friends and neighbors, she needed a change — N.Y.C. or LA.? She decided on the shorter drive to L.A. with her cat “that sounded like his tail had been slammed in the car door the majority of the trip” as her only passenger and landed a job at Robinson’s department store.

Laurel fell in love with the city — the architecture, the history, the ocean “and the melting pot of cultures.” She heard different languages, went to museums, and to the Hollywood Bowl. “Sunshine without wind is the best,” she

Above: Laurel and sister Robyn with an orphan lamb.

Below: Laurel with daughter Shelby.

Left: Laurel with the Ojai Festival Women's Committee.

Above: Laurel at the window display of Victoria's Secret.

reflects. She left Robinson’s and entered retail management for major retailers such as Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Victoria’s Secret.

When she met Ken Globus, the boy next door, it could have been a scene from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Literally… (Audrey Hepburn’s cat, named “Cat,” brought her character, Holly Golightly and George Peppard’s character together). Laurel’s cat kept playing matchmaker as it kept wandering into Ken’s apartment. A year or so later, they got engaged, then married, and the cat now had two parents. Laurel and Ken’s marriage blessed them with a daughter, Shelby, although the marriage only last a baker’s dozen in years. “It seems Ken and I were better suited to be friends and became closer after our divorce.” Sadly, Shelby was only 13 when her father passed away from cancer. Laurel’s sister, Robyn, also lost her battle with cancer, and along with their parents, she is buried on a hill overlooking the ranch with a view of the mountains. Laurel’s brother has told her that he will bury her up there “whether I like it or not.” She instructed Shelby to “make sure they find a place out of the wind but still with a view.”

When Shelby was still a baby, Laurel was offered the position of Assistant Manager of the Beverly Center, an L.A premier shopping mall. A few years later, she became the general manager of a shopping center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but returned to L.A, nine months later when she was offered

the GM job at the Beverly Center, a job she held for eight years. There, she experienced high-speed chases, bomb threats, fashion shows, plus blacktie and other and special events that allowed her to rub elbows with the famous and infamous. Never a dull moment.

After leaving the Beverly Center, Laurel had a short stint in property management, then, in her 50s, she decided to change course and register at UCLA’s Extension School of Interior Design. She had come full circle ... from designing houses for squirrels as a little girl and decorating her playhouse and teenage bedroom “to the design of feel good, look great, happy homes and gathering places,” starting with an internship with Joe Nye, formerly with Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House in L.A. She continued to work with him until his death in 2013. Laurel also worked with designer Karen Tandy of Design Details as part of her design team and participated in the design collaboration for the Guest Suite sitting room in the 2013 Pasadena Showcase House.

Now an empty nester, Laurel sold her Valley Village home in the San Fernando Valley and, after a couple of rentals, she began looking for a guest house situation. She found the perfect place in Ojai and made plans to move to a new valley. “There are a lot of similar stories with Ojai. It’s as if the vortex just pulls us in and we know we are home,” she explains. Once settled in Ojai, and exploring

volunteer opportunities, she discovered the Ojai Festival Women’s Committee’s yearly Holiday Home Tour fundraiser, which raises money for the Ojai Music Festival, and the BRAVO Musical Education Program for Ojai’s public schools. It wasn’t long before she was assisting in staging a home on the tour, as well as assisting with the decoration of the Home Tour’s Market Place, open to the public for holiday gift shopping. When Laurel was asked to become the co-chair of the Holiday Home Tour, she hesitated, but after sharing a bottle of wine, she accepted. “As daunting a task as it has been at times, it’s been the best decision I made since moving to Ojai.”

When the pandemic hit the next year (2020), the Committee became creative and offered an online virtual tour of three beautiful homes. Although not a match in fund-raising as was the traditional Holiday Home Tour, it did generate dollars for future programs thanks to terrific floral designers and a devoted film crew.

“Being a member of the Ojai Festival Women’s Committee has been a gift I keep unwrapping. The experiences, the events, the opportunities and the wonderful friends are gifts beyond measure.” Laurel moved to Ojai six years ago and embraced the valley filled with natural beauty, beautiful architecture and a welcoming haven for artists, “but it is the people that make Ojai such a wonderful home. I am grateful to call Ojai home.”

As general manager of the Beverly Center, Crary helped organize and run many charity events featuring celebrities like Kelsey Grammer, left, and Darren Starr and Kristin Davis of "Sex & The City."

Photo by Stephe Johnsom

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

OJAI COMPOUND $4,250,000 FOR SALE

Perfectly situated on just under four acres lies the historic and unique Casa de La Luna compound. Comprised of over 8,000 sq. ft, with 11 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms, this magnificent estate is likely the best value estate compound available anywhere in California. The approximate 5,000 sq. ft. main house has 3 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, with limestone and hand-scraped wood floors, magnificent wrought iron doors, huge new gourmet kitchen, and numerous other upgrades. Guests and visitors can stay in the 2-bedroom, 2-bath guest house or any of the four other residences making this property perfect for a large family or an individual with an entourage. Massive outdoor patios and cooking areas, two large fountains, indoor pool with gym and recreation center make this property feel like a mini Hearst Castle. Private and gated.

ITALIAN VILLA

$3,200,000 FOR SALE

Nestled on over an acre of land, this Italian Villa inspired estate is just minutes from downtown Ojai. This impressive family home is perfect for entertaining with the formal dining opening to the light-filled formal living room with an elegant marble fireplace. The kitchen is open to the den with a large fireplace and overlooks the huge covered deck for relaxing. A charm-filled master suite is warmed with a corner fireplace and lots of windows. With a huge pool, a cook’s dream outdoor kitchen, nanny’s quarters, a treehouse, (not just for the kids), and a variety of fruit trees and majestic oaks this home has something to offer all your friends and family.

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

$3,550,000 FOR SALE

Welcome to a rare find in Ojai. This lovely four-bedroom, three-bath home has vaulted ceilings and a spacious open floor plan. The seller’s built the home in 1992 and it was designed well before it’s time as some of the features are just what most people are looking for. There is a fireplace in the living room which is open to the kitchen and dining room with French doors leading to magical gardens. A large library is off the living room and two offices upstairs. Lots of windows and plenty of light. There is a 2-bedroom,1-bath guest house and an artist studio on the property as well. All of this is sitting on 7.5 flat usable acres with some of the most incredible views of the majestic mountains. Pathways will take you to fruit trees, vegetable gardens, chicken coop and a beautiful Koi pond. Several places to sit and take in the views or just enjoy the land. Fully fenced, gated, and private.

Seven Steps to Maximize Rental Income

By Aimee Jo Davis-Varela

Rental properties can be a profitable investment but only when managed properly.This is particularly true in areas with higher property values where it is even more important to maximize rental income by reducing expenses, increasing your property’s appeal, and limiting turnover.

Whether you have just purchased your first investment property or are an experienced landlord with a full portfolio, there is almost always something you can do to increase your profit margins.

Here are seven tips to get you started:

1. Replace carpet with LVT: There are two reasons to replace the carpet in your rental with luxury vinyl tile (LVT) or a similar product.

The first is that people just do not like carpet anymore.Having carpet in your rental automatically shrinks your pool of potential renters.The more folks interested in renting your house, the more likely you are to find a great, long-term renter at your asking price.

The second reason is that LVT is an easycare, durable option that holds up well to traffic, pets, and kids and is far less likely to need to be replaced between tenants.

2. Complete simple updates: You may not have the budget for major renovations, but there are plenty of simple updates you can do to increase your rental’s appeal and function. If cabinet hardware, sink faucets, ceiling fans, switch plate covers, doorknobs, or light fixtures are dated or have just seen better days,

consider replacing them with modestly priced upgrades.

3. Improve outdoor living areas: Good outdoor living areas are appealing to renters and will make your property stand out, particularly in areas like Ojai and Oak View where the weather allows for year-round outdoor entertaining. If a paving stone or stamped concrete patio is not in the budget, create a more affordable option with gravel.

You should also consider paying for ongoing landscape maintenance. Paying for maintenance allows you to select the gardeners and helps ensure that your investment is properly maintained. You can offset this expense by considering it when setting the monthly rent.

4. Install low-maintenance, drought-resistant landscaping: While we are on the topic of landscaping, you should also consider replacing high-water or high-maintenance plants, natural grass, and other features with low-maintenance, drought-resistant options that will lower your maintenance costs and your water bill.

You can also help protect your invest-

ment by choosing fire-resistant plants, hardscapes, and other landscaping features.

5. Maximize tax deductions: Work with your accountant or tax preparation professional to make sure you are maximizing your possible deductions, including travel and home office expenses, depreciation, repair costs, and your mortgage interest.

6. Vet your applicants: If you are not using a property management company to do this for you, do not forgo this important part of the tenant selection process. It is well worth the money and time to run credit and background checks and to call previous landlords to inquire about their experience with the applicants. While there is no guarantee that this is going to result in amazing renters, it is going to improve your chances. Avoiding lost rent and eviction expenses is an important part of maximizing rental income.

7. Be a good landlord: When you get good renters, you want to keep them. Reducing turnover reduces the cost of marketing and vetting applicants and results in fewer vacancies. One way to reduce turnover is to be a good landlord. For some, the best way to do this is to hire a property manager who will handle everything for you. If you choose to manage your property yourself, respond quickly to maintenance requests, make sure you are easy to reach when issues arise, and stay updated on local and state laws.

FOUNDING FATHERS & MOTHERS

While Edward Drummond Libbey is rightfully regarded among Ojai’s chief benefactors — having been behind the building of such Ojai landmarks as the Ojai Valley Inn, St. Thomas Aquinas Church (now the Museum), Post Office Tower and the Arcade — others have been very influential in shaping Ojai’s identity. Here’s a few:

Annie Besant. Free-thinker, feminist and noted Theosophist. Though she only spent a few days in Ojai, she brought Krishnamurti to Ojai, and helped buy hundreds of acres of property in Ojai, (now the sites of Besant Hill School and, along with A.P. Warrington, the Krotona Center) which she called “the smiling vale.” She is considered one of the pioneers of introducing Eastern mystical thought to the West, and was an early advocate of India’s independence. and the labor movement.

Jiddhu Krishnamurti. The spiritual teacher and writer, came to Ojai in 1922, sponsored by the Theosophical Society, though he later broke with that group (“The Leaderless Path.”) He gave talks to many thousands of people each year, in the Star Camps in the oak groves west of Ojai (now the site of Oak Grove School. He once held the Guinness Book of World Records for having spoken to the greatest number of people.

Weather in Ojai

Beatrice Wood. The famed ceramicist’s (“The Mama of Dada”) greatest work of art may well have been her life. The irreverent, avant-garde Wood lived and worked in Ojai for decades until her death in 1998 at age 105. She inspired two classic movies, Francois Truffaut’s “Jules et Jim,” and James Cameron’s “Titanic.” She attributed her longevity to “chocolate and young men.” Her autobiography was appropriately titled, “I Shock Myself.” Many of her distinctive, whimsical, luminous luster-glazed pieces are on display at her former home, now the Beatrice Wood Center, in upper Ojai.

Sherman Day Thacher . After coming West to farm and care for an ailing brother, the Yale-educated Thacher realized that he was going to need another source of income. So he founded The Thacher School in 1887. Now one of the most prestigious preparatory academies in the country, its founding creed was “teach a boy to ride, shoot and tell the truth.” Also, in 1896, his brother William founded “The Ojai,” the country’s oldest amateur tennis tournament. Among Thacher’s more illustrious students were industrialist, aviator and film producer Howard Hughes and three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and novelist Thornton Wilder, who wrote his first play while a Thacher student.

OJAI QUICK FACTS:

The name “Ojai” is believed to be derived from the Ventureño Chumash word ‘awhaý, meaning “moon.” In 1837, Fernando Tico received a land grant and established a cattle ranch. Thomas A. Scott, who had financial success with oil and railroads, bought the Ojai Valley in 1864 for oil exploration. By 1868, Scott, through his agent Thomas Bard, began selling properties to homesteaders. By 1874, R.G. Surdam plotted out the town he would call Nordhoff, renamed Ojai in 1917.

Ojai is about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 30 miles east of Santa Barbara. The valley is about 10 miles long by 3 miles wide, surrounded by hills and mountains; the rare east-west orientation with a slight southward tilt gives the valley an extraordinary sun exposure; Ojai’s citrus and avocado crops are highly prized. This orientation also gives rise to Ojai as a spiritual destination.

It was due to the resources and organizing energy of Ohio glass manufacturer Edward Drummond Libbey that Nordhoff was rebuilt and renamed Ojai, inspired by the City Beautiful Movement. By 1917, with the construction of the Arcade and Post Office Tower, the town took its present shape.

The city’s self-styled nickname is “Shangri-La,” based on the story that Ojai was the backdrop (later left on the editing room floor) from the 1937 movie as the mystical sanctuary of James Hilton’s novel “Lost Horizon.”

Ross Falvo Keller Williams Realty

“The Ojai Real Estate Guy” RossFalvo.com 805-207-5094

WHO’S WHO IN OJAI REAL ESTATE?

Dennis Guernsey LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

805-798-1998

Logan Hall Logan Hall Photography 805-798-0337 loganhallphotos. com

Clinton Haugan LIV | Sotheby’s International Realty 727 W. Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA 93023 C: (805) 760-2092 O: (805) 646-7288 chaugan@livsothebysrealtyca.com DRE# 02019604

Nora Davis LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

OjaiValleyEstates. com

805-207-6177

Therese A. Hartmann is a local loan consultant affiliated with C2 Financial Corporation, and is a Licensed Broker, California BRE #01048403. NMLS # 298291. Call Therese today at (805) 798-2158.

Vivienne Moody LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

805-798-1099 vmoody10@ sbcglobal.net OjaiLifestyle.net

Larry Wilde LIV Sotheby’s International Realty Wilde-Wilde. com 805-640-5734

Kristen Currier LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

805-798-3757 thehoffgroup. com

Donna Sallen Remax Gold Coast Realtors

Donna4Remax@aol.com DonnaSallen. com 805-798-0516

Amanda Stanworth LIV Sotheby’s International Realty Phone: 805-2188117 • E-mail: amandastanworth77@gmail. com

Web: Rooney-Stanworth.com

Erik Wilde LIV Sotheby’s International Realty Wilde-Wilde.com 805-830-3254

Patty Waltcher LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

Call me for your Real Estate needs. 805-340-3774

Team Deckert Keller Williams Realty

Ray Deckert, Broker Associate ContactUs@ TeamDeckert. com

805-272-5218

Dale Hanson Ojai Valley Real Estate 211 E. Matilija Street, Ste. J, 206 E. Ojai Ave. 805-646-7229 dale@ovhl.com

Kirk Ellison LIV Sotheby’s International Realty KirkEllison@ me.com 805-340-5905

Anne Williamson LIV Sotheby’s Anneshomesinojai.com 805-320-3314

Hildegard Tallent CalBRE# 02047013 Keller Williams Realty, 109 N. Blanche Street Tel: 805-7981872 email: hildegard.tallent@ kw.com

Kathy Hoff LIV Sotheby’s International Realty (805) 290-6907 thehoffgroup.com

Marsha Kaye Home Mortgage Consultant Phone: 805640-0654 Cell: 805-7469055 marsha.kaye@ homebridge. com

Joe Davis Full service property management, residential • Commercial • Industrial JoeTheRentalGuy.com. 805-574-9774

AGAVE MARIA

Fresh, wholesome Mexican food & drink

106 South Montgomery Street (805) 646-6353 agavemarias.com

AJ’S EXPRESS CHINESE EXPRESS

Gourmet Chinese food to eat in or to go

11566 North Ventura Avenue (805) 646-1177 ajchinesecuisine.com

BOCCALI’S

Pizza & Pasta, from our farm to our tables 3277 Ojai-Santa Paula Road (805) 646-6116 boccalis.com

BONNIE LU’S COUNTRY CAFE

Traditional American breakfast & brunch

328 East Ojai Avenue (805) 646-0207

THE DEER LODGE

An Ojai legend since 1932

2261 Maricopa Highway (805) 646-4256 deerlodgeojai.com

FARMER & THE COOK

The best of organic Ojai

339 West El Roblar Drive (805) 640-9608 farmerandcook.com

YUME JAPANESE BURGER

254 East Ojai Avenue (Arcade) (805) 646-1700

JIM & ROB’S FRESH GRILL

Mexican-American & regional favorites

214 West Ojai Avenue #100 (805) 640-1301 jimandrobsojai.com

HIP VGN

Vegan sandwiches, salads & bowls

201 North Montgomery Street

hipvegancafe.com (805) 669-6363

HOME KITCHEN OF OJAI

Breakfast and lunch in a warm space

1103 Maricopa Highway (805) 646-5346

HomeKitchenofOjai.com

MANDALA

Pan-Asian Cuisine

11400 North Ventura Road (805) 613-3048

THE NEST

401 East Ojai Avenue (805) 798-9035 thenestojai.com

LO>E SOCIAL CAFE

205 North Signal Street (805) 646-1540 nosovita.com

OAK GRILL @ THE INN

Al fresco dining under vine-covered pergola 905 Country Club Road (805) 646-1111 ojairesort.com

OJAI COFFEE ROASTING COMPANY

Salads, sandwiches & superb service 337 East Ojai Avenue (805) 646-4478

OJAI PIZZA COMPANY 331 Ojai Avenue (Downtown Ojai) 545-7878

TheOnlyGoodPizza.com

OJAI PIZZA COMPANY (Oak View)

The go-to place for food & sports 820 North Ventura Avenue

OJAI ROTIE

Rotisserie, sourdough, winebox

469 East Ojai Avenue (805) 798-9227

ojairotie.com

OSTERIA MONTE GRAPPA

Rustic menu of Northern Italian fare & seafood dishes. 242 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023 (805) 640-6767

omgojai.com

PAPA LENNON’S

Family owned, original & traditional Italian cuisine

515 West El Roblar Drive (805) 640-7388 papalennons.com

RAINBOW BRIDGE

A community gathering place 211 East Matilija Street (805) 646-6623 rainbowbridgeojai.com

THE RANCH HOUSE

An Ojai culinary destination for more than 60 years 102 Besant Road (805) 646-2360 theranchhouse.com

SAKURA OJAI

A locals’ favorite for Japanese food 219 East Matilija Street (805) 646-8777

sakuraojai.wix.com

SEA FRESH

Serving Ojai for 30 years 533 East Ojai Avenue (805) 646-7747

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ZAIDEE’S BAR & GRILL

Patio & indoor dining with Ojai’s most tranquil views 1033 East Ojai Avenue (805) 646-5685

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CHEF RANDY’S LIFE OF SPICE

FRESH ARUGULA PESTO

Arugula is available year-round and, with its peppery taste, is a nice changeup for an early fall salad. I like baby arugula because it is less bitter and more tender. If you can’t find baby arugula at your favorite store, try looking for it at a farmer’s market. It makes a difference.

Randy Graham is a noted chef and writer and has been a lactoovo vegetarian for over 38 years. Chef Randy has written and published a series of seven cookbooks with original recipes developed over the period 1975 through 2020. He writes for the Ojai Quarterly, the Ojai Monthly, and the California 101 Travelers Guide. His vegetarian recipes are published in newspapers throughout Central California under the header, Chef Randy. He and his wife, Robin, live in Ojai, California, with their dog Cooper. Robin and Cooper are not vegetarians.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups baby arugula

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup toasted walnut pieces (divided)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 ounces farfalle pasta

3/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

1/2 cup golden raisins

DIRECTIONS:

Whirl together arugula, zest, garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, the oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor until blended, scraping inside of bowl as needed.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving a scant 1/4 cup of the water — return pasta to pot and add pesto, stirring to coat. Stir in the remaining walnuts, cheese, raisins, and reserved pasta water.

Tip: for a vegan salad, leave out the cheese.

1 SHELF ROAD 3.5mi

EASY | Elev. Gain: 200 ft | Overlooks downtown Ojai.

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.

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.

ROSE VALLEY 1mi

EASY | Elev. Gain: 100 ft

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

PRATT TRAIL 8.8mi

STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 3,300 ft | Trailhead off North Signal Street. Goes to Nordhoff Peak. Clear day? See forever.

GRIDLEY TRAIL 6-12mi

MODERATE | 3 mi to Gridley Springs (Elev. Gain: 1,200 ft) 6 mi to Nordhoff Peak. Trailhead at north end of Gridley Road.

COZY DELL 2.2mi

MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 740 ft | Trailhead 8 miles north of Ojai on Maricopa Highway. Short, intense hike that also connects to trail network.

SISAR CANYON 22mi

STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 4,800 ft to Topa Topa Bluffs. Trailhead at end of Sisar Road. Only for experienced, fit hikers.

MATILIJA CANYON 12mi

MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 1,200 ft | Middle Fork. Trailhead at end of Matilija Road. First 1.5 miles of trail well-maintained, the rest a scramble.

SULPHUR MTN. 22mi

MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 2,300 ft | Trailhead on eastern side of Sulphur Mountain Road. Views are unsurpassed.

Five Bedrooms, Media Room, Wine Cellar, Tasting Room, Gym/Massage Room, Pool & Spa, Indoor an Outdoor Putting Greens, Well, Six-Car Garages, Bocce Court, Views, and So Much More RoyalOaksRanchOjai.com

$1,395,000

This centrally located commercial property features main street frontage, a welcoming façade, and a private parking lot making it an ideal setting for a small business, wellness services, boutique, studio, or live-work space. Features include a large meeting or group office space, three separate offices, kitchen, two bathrooms, and large windows for natural light.

Seven-Bedroom Main House on Approximately 10 Acres with Pool House, Pool, Spa, Outdoor Kitchen, Three-Car Garage, Two-Car Garage, Artist’s Loft, Lighted Tennis Court, Family Orchard, and Horse Facilities RocaVistaRanchOjai.com