Ojai Monthly - March 2023

This adorable, 3br/2ba downtown, mid-century modern has been recently updated. It has beautiful tile floors, wood beam/plank ceilings, large windows, and a unique fireplace. The kitchen is spacious and open to the living/dining area; the bathrooms are fresh and clean. The grounds include a fenced front yard, a spacious back patio, raised beds, citrus trees, roses and a mature oak. A separate, enclosed carport has hookups for washer/dryer.

711DrownAveOjai.com

Offered at $1,285,000

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

Bret Bradigan

YIELD OF DREAMS

Looking for an interesting way to spend a half day and get great outdoor exercise that has a higher purpose? Volunteer on trail work for the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. This year especially the trails took a pummeling from the hard rains and many were closed until crews could get in there and shore them up. On one Saturday morning, I was curious why some of the drainage channels and culverts ended up petering out onto the flatter areas. "Why aren't we cutting channels so the water doesn't back up and erode the trail?" A more experienced volunteer, who was assessing what switchbacks needed what work, told me "We're creating swales."

Swales? Of course! The goal isn't to create another Los Angeles River, a concrete channel designed to whisk away the water as quickly as possible. It is to slow the water down, so that it recharges the groundwater. So that is put to use as naturally as possible. The goal is to replenish, not expedite.

The Ventura River watershed covers an area of 235 square miles, enclosed by the western Tranverse Ranges (the only major east-west major mountain range in the continental United States, which gives us our famous eastwest valley. This year we're looking to top out at more than 30 inches of rain, perhaps as much as 60 inches in the headwaters of the drainage in Matilija Canyon. That's well more than double last year's continuation of our persistent and perplexing drought.

How much rain is that for the Ojai Valley? Let's do a simple calculation to translate those rainfall totals into acre-feet. There's 640 acres in a square mile, so the total for the watershed is 150,400 acres. Now, if it rained 12 inches, which is pretty close to last year's totals, the yield would be 150,400 acre-feet. This year, however, we're already at 2.5 times that, or 376,000 acre feet. That's enough to provide water for 752,000 thrifty households for a year. Casitas Lake's capacity is 253,000 acre feet, so if we captured every drop we'd fill up the lake to the brim with 123,000 acre feet to spare.

Of course this calculation takes in a lot of assumptions. Rainfall varies widely; as noted above, Matilija Canyon typically gets twice as much as downtown Ojai. And big portions of the drainage, all of San Antonio Creek for example, are outside the Robles Diversion that supplies the lake.

But it gives you the big picture of the big problem. It's a problem of storage, not supply.

The drought-created urgency for conservation, for long-term sustainability, is already starting to ease up. That's not good. We humans are short-term thinkers. It's the proximity problem. It's going to take long-term thinking to ease us through the inevitably drier years ahead. After all, according to the aforementioned OVLC, Ventura County is heating up faster than any other county in the continental United States. We need to continue conservation measures and figure out ways to hold as much water in the basin as possible. Swales are a necessary component of permaculture, and we need more of that kind of thinking. It's a permacrisis that requires permasolutions.

"Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it." — Lao Tzu

Photo by Stephe Johnsom

MARCH CALENDAR OF EVENTS

annual events stage

MARCH 4-29

“H2O Show” — Opening Reception

March 4, 5-8 p.m.

Location: Ojai Art Center

113 South Montgomery Street

Times: Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, 12 noon to 4 p.m.

Contact: 805-646-0117

OjaiArtCenter.org

Show by the Pastel Society of the Gold Coast will feature 32 paintings exclusively of Ojai vistas and animals. Proceeds benefit the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy.

MARCH 19

Liz Queler & Seth Farber with son Joey with “The Edna Project”

Location: Beatrice Wood Center

8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Road

Time: 3 p.m.

Contact: BeatriceWoodCenter.com

Two-time Grammy-nominated artists will be performing music from their “The Edna Project” which puts Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poetry to music.

THROUGH APRIL

“Tomatomania!”

Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Location: Wachter’s Hay & Grain, 114 South Montgomery Street

Contact: tomatomania.com

Get expert advice, find rare heirlooms, classic hybrids and all you need for a successful season.

Ojai Pixie Month

Locations: Restaurants and shops around town.

Contact: Ojai Chamber of Commerce 805-646-8126

OjaiChamber.org

Looks for the pixie stickers on windows of restaurants and shops around town for a selection of Ojai’s very delicious and versatile tangerine. From food to beverages to products, the town celebrates its homegrown fruit.

APRIL 16

Rotary Club of Ojai’s “Taste of Ojai”

Times: 2 to 5:30 p.m.

Location: Libbey Park

Contact: 805-620-7589

tasteofojai.com

Taste of Ojai, the region’s finest food-related event, is back with a different approach this year; a walking tour of Ojai’s amazing restaurants and art venues.

APRIL 26-30 2024

The 121st “The Ojai”

Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament

Times: Varies

Location: Libbey Park & Elsewhere

Contact: 805-646-7421

theojai.net

The country’s oldest amateur tournament, going back to 1896, returns with the PAC-12 championships and many other top matchups. Founded in 1977 to give artists a place to sell their work during Memorial Day Weekend.

RECURRING EVENTS

Historical Walking Tours of Ojai

Date: Every Saturday

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

Location: Departs from the Ojai Valley Museum, 130 West Ojai Avenue.

Contact: 640-1390

Meet Becky, a middle-aged woman in a middle-aged marriage with a humdrum job and a humdrum adult son living at home. She meets a mixed-up millionaire who makes her an offer she can’t refuse. Or can she? The audience becomes her new best friends on this quirky comic adventure. It’s definitely worth the ride.

MARCH 12

“Ojai Cars & Coffee”

Time: 8 to 10 a.m.

Location: Westridge Midtown Market 131 West Ojai Avenue

Ojai Cars & Coffee events take place in the parking lot of the Westridge Midtown Market. The public is welcome to enjoy the mix of vintage classics, old muscle cars and luxury vehicles, and to talk with the proud owners.

THURSDAYS

“Ojai: Talk of the Town” Podcast

New episodes come out Thursday evenings through OjaiHub.com newsletter. Sign up at OjaiHub.com

COLLEEN MCDOUGAL

BY SARAH HOWERY HART

BEHIND THE BRUSH WITH CARTOONIST, ARTIST

When People Think Ojai and Cartoons, They Inevitably Think 'Colleen

Ojai artist Colleen McDougal says of her long-time Ojai experience, “My grown children used to roll their eyes as kids whenever I was stopped at the grocery store by acquaintances who wanted to chat, and the kids would ask, ‘Is that someone else you went to high school with?’ If you live long enough in one small town, you end up with a reputation whether you were reputation-worthy or not.”

All would agree that McDougal is reputation-worthy. Her talents are many, and she reviews her many faces. First, “Illustrator for hire, and I’m currently considering a collaboration with Ojai Museum to illustrate a memoir book that they are considering re-publishing about a turn-of-lastcentury Ojai founding family.”

She continues. “Caricaturist — I work private parties

McDougal' but there is much more to it than that

occasionally and caricature commissions.”

And, she paints. “I am currently building my body of work for a November 2017 gallery show at Ojai Community Bank. I will have paintings in acrylic and watercolor and maybe a wall of humor from my 25+ years of opinion page cartoons from the Ojai Valley News. Maybe some sculpture, too.”

Regarding cartoons, she calls first using that talent to entertain elementary school friends, then, after cartooning in college journalism classes, she began contributing locally. “My Ojai Valley News contribution was my conscious plan to give back to the village that raised me,” McDougal says.

She also gave back through Enchanted Prints, her screen printing business. “We did logo design, print ads and signage, and even offered youth group tours to allow each child to print their own T-shirt.”

McDougal’s repertoire includes metalworking, too. “I was privileged to learn the metalworking trade at my father’s bench: Carl McDougal of Pyramid Manufacturing in Ojai.” There, she became skilled at jewelry die-making and hand engraving. Her expertise led to a commission to create the coins for the film “Batman.” “The Batman movie coin design was in the days before such concepts were developed and rounded out in cyberspace,” she says, “when actual coins had to be minted for use in the movie scene where Two Face tossed Gotham coins on the ground.”

McDougal’s father had other lessons too. “My father explained that I’d never be bored if I kept on learning. So, learning new things has always been my passion.” That passion led her to Ventura College for some classes in the 1970s, but soon she went to work. “I went to work in an ad

agency as an artist, and my OJT (on-the-job training) was the best education I ever had.”

Eventually, she did take classes at CSUCI, including animation, which she says has allowed her to introduce the simpler animation concepts to the Ojai Valley children she teaches at the Ojai Recreation Department.

Over the years, McDougal has developed a philosophy. “I have struggled my entire life with understanding the WORTH of being able to produce art — of ‘being an Artist.’ I have never thought of ‘when did I become an artist’? Because I was born bent this way. There was no ‘becoming’ … but there was a disconnect for me trying to understand what’s the big deal? It’s just who I am.”

Being who she is has led to McDougal’s reputation as not just an artist, but as a caring member of the community. “Some nice person will recognize me on the street and start a conversation recalling that my home was the ‘cool house’ where this person spent many hours and overnights as a youth, or they may have come to my screen print business as a kid to print their own T-shirt, and now they are adults.”

It could be said that if you live long enough in one small town, that town can end up with a reputation for you too, and that seems to be the case for McDougal. “I appreciate that Ojai is a place where people seem to loosen up and actually interact with other people. Maybe it is the Energy Lay Lines that some gurus speak of, but I do feel there is an energy that opens up communications here. Ojai is a special place.”

Portions of this interview were reprinted from the November 2016 issue. Here’s an update:

McDougal continues to exercise her creative muscles. “When the shutdown happened in 2020, the timing coincided with my decision to retire from teaching. I had spent five years enjoying teaching art at Montessori School of Ojai and teaching Basic Animation through classes at Ojai Recreation Department and at Valley Oak Charter School. I had already retired myself from drawing a weekly cartoon for our local newspaper. I felt that my “body of work” was 25 years of opinion page cartoons and I had dismissed myself so that new talent might step up.”

The isolation year of 202021 led to plenty of time for selfintrospection.”What was my worth now? How can I continue to stay relevant? Ultimately, I gave myself

permission to be an ARTIST with no limits. I would say YES to projects that were presented to me for collaboration and I would say YES to artistic flights of fancy. As art therapy, it has been healthy! I’ve drawn cartoons that were completely personal to help me to remember moments in isolation when earwig bugs invaded my house and when lonely moments helped me to see how happy my coffee machine routine made the inanimate object friends that welcomed me each morning. Perhaps it was to convince myself that I wasn’t really going crazy from the lack of human interaction. I drew cartoons to prove that it happened.”

She drew cartoons, and collaborated with others on their projects that required illustration, and sculpted, too.

And she painted. “The painting time allows me to escape while standing in my makeshift studio that used to be a dining room. I figured it might be a few years before I’d be hosting family or friends around a dinner table, so set up your easel and have at it.”

“My favorite painting so far is “Coming Home Again” which depicts downtown Ojai in an early morning light on a wintry day, with snow on the Topa Topas. There is a single vehicle on Ojai Avenue. How many years has it been since I’ve seen that? This painting resonates with old folks my age and even with newer residents. I feel privileged to have had that inspiration flood me, and to have developed the skills to download it though my brush and acrylic paint., Thank you, Universe.”

MCDOUGAL’S FAVORITE OF HER PAINTINGS: “COMING HOME AGAIN.”

”What was my worth now? How can I continue to stay relevant? Ultimately, I gave myself permission to be an ARTIST with no limits. I would say YES to projects that were presented to me for collaboration and I would say YES to artistic flights of fancy. As art therapy, it has been healthy!”

$3,550,000

ABOUT THE PROPERTY

Welcome to a rare find in Ojai. Located behind private gates, this lovely four-bedroom, three-bath home has vaulted ceilings and a spacious open floor plan. 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 with two offices upstairs. Perfect blend of indoor/outdoor living as there are many 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. 4

GATED PROPERTY

805.798.0516

donna4remax@aol.com

www.donnasallen.com

$4,920,000

ITALIAN VILLA

$3,875,000

donna4remax@aol.com

Perfectly situated on just under four acres lies the historic Casa de la Luna compound. More than 8,000 sf with 11 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms, this magnificent estate is likely the best value anywhere in California. With limestone and hand-scraped floors, wrought-iron doors and a new gourmet kitchen.

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, formal dining, formal living room, open kitchen with large fireplace, overlooks the huge covered deck. Marble and hardwood floors.

DOWNTOWN HACIENDA, INCOME PRODUCING POSSIBILITIES

$1,790,000

Two Houses; One Lot! Income Producing Possibilities!

Welcome to this lovely Spanish Style Hacienda home located right downtown Ojai and sitting on just shy of half an acre. This home, enlarged in 1997 and fully remodeled in 2007, (including electric and plumbing) has a flexible floor plan allowing for extended family or separate guest quarters — plenty of room for everyone. You enter into the living room which is open to the dining room on one side and large den on the other. The cook’s dream kitchen, with stainless appliances, granite countertops, wine refrigerator and breakfast bar, is big enough for family gatherings or just a cozy time with your morning coffee. The guest quarters, 1 bedroom, 1 1/2 bathroom is attached to the main house, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom.

Advancing Care Enhancing Community

When a healthcare need arises, we rise to the occasion. A well-funded hospital is the heart of a healthy community. The Ojai Valley Hospital Foundation is here to anticipate your needs and ensure that Community Memorial Hospital – Ojai and its Continuing Care Center have the resources to meet them. We raise funds to make facility improvements, purchase advanced medical technologies, and launch new programs and services. And we make sure to keep you informed about the healthcare offerings and enhancements we help fund. Because when it comes to staying healthy, staying connected is key.

Learn more at mycmh.org/giving or call 805-948-2317.

mycmh.org

Its Time For The Spring Cleaning Checklist

By Aimee Jo Davis-Varela

It is that time of year again when we bring out the serious cleaning supplies and give our homes a good scrub down. While we are hunting down dust bunnies and cleaning ceiling fans, we tend to focus primarily on the interior of our homes. But, for those of us who enjoy spending plenty of time on the deck or around the fire pit, our outdoor living areas are just as important.

If you would like to make this the year that you add your backyard to your annual spring cleaning routine, here is a handy checklist to get you started.

1. Clean your outdoor kitchen. Indoor kitchens get lots of attention during spring cleaning, but it is probably time to give your patio refrigerator and grill a good cleaning as well. Toss expired food, wipe up spills and get organized for easier entertaining.

2. Clean your eaves, fascia and gutters.

Now is the perfect time to catch up on clearing your gutters, removing cobwebs and cleaning your home’s fascia and trim.

While you are doing this, keep an eye out for dry rot, evidence of termites or other damage, since it might also be time for some routine home maintenance or a termite inspection.

3. Declutter your yards. It is amazing how quickly our backyards can collect dog toys, flowerpots, pool toys or children’s toys. Take this opportunity to thin out your container garden, invest in a deck box for storing toys and move your gardening tools into your shed.

4. Organize your shed.

Speaking of your shed, you probably should add that to your spring cleaning list as well. Now is the perfect time to clear out the cobwebs, get rid of unused items and get organized. Clearing out and organizing your shed just might free up some space for those extra flowerpots sitting on your patio, and it will definitely make your life easier when you need to find your rake or potting soil.

5. Scrub your trash and recycling bins.

These receptacles can get very dirty very quickly, and this is one job that most of us take great pains to avoid. But dirty bins can be unsightly and may give off an odor. That is not the first thing you want your guests to smell when they step onto your patio, so give them a good scrubbing this spring.

6. Clean your fire features.

Patio fireplaces and fire pits tend to get a lot of use during winter around here, which means now is the perfect time for a good cleaning and safety check before the next entertaining season begins.

7. Clean patio furniture, cushions and dog beds.

It just wouldn’t be spring cleaning if we didn’t address our textiles. Take this opportunity to launder cushion covers and dog beds or to splurge on new ones if your current ones are a bit worse for wear. Keep an eye out for patio furniture that might need a good cleaning or a new coat of paint as well.

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

Nora Davis LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

OjaiValleyEstates. com

805-207-6177

Kristen Currier LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

805-798-3757 thehoffgroup. com

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.

Donna Sallen Remax Gold Coast Realtors

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

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

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

Vivienne Moody LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

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

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

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

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

Web: Rooney-Stanworth.com

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

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

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

Anne Williamson LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

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

seafreshseafood.com

ZAIDEE’S BAR & GRILL

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

soulepark.com

CHEF RANDY’S LIFE OF SPICE

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.

minty lime salad

This vegan salad includes a fantastic combination of flavors and textures. It is perfect for a spring lunch or as a side salad at dinner. We are lucky to have locally grown kiwis that are in season in California from October through May.

INGREDIENTS:

Dressing

2 teaspoons lime zest

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons agave syrup

2 tablespoons fresh mint (minced)

Salad Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups strawberries (sliced)

1 cup mango (peeled and diced)

1 cup kiwi (peeled and diced)

2 cups seedless grapes (cut in half)

1 cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

Dressing:

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl. Stir until well combined.

Salad:

In a large bowl, combine all of the fruit ingredients. Stir to combine. Drizzle with mint dressing and stir to coat. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Healthy Quick + Easy Spring Vegan

Identify Those Energy Vampires Saving Money With Simple Measures

By Therese A. Hartmann

I grew up in Ojai along with five brothers who seemed to me to be partwild, part-rascal but always fun!

We were outside much of the time, running free on the 10-acre ranch my father bought from my handsome, thrifty German grandfather. During Winter and Summer, we sought refuge from cold and heat inside the walls of that dear old house.

The home was built in the late 1800s when there was no such thing as energyefficient windows, insulation, appliances. You can imagine, heating such a structure on a school teacher’s salary was always going to be daunting, at the very least. I learned to curl up into a ball to sleep during the cold of winter, knowing the turning on of the wind machines down the street meant that we were at freezing. It wouldn’t last more than a few nights. In the Summer, we brought sleeping bags outside to drift off under a blanket of stars and to avoid the stuffy heat inside. We were reminded to shut off the lights when leaving a room, to share bathwater (I had no idea everyone didn’t do this), let ALL the boys pee before flushing the

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toilet and to stand near our one heater to get warmed up if we were really, really cold.

I found washing dishes to be one of my favorite chores in the Winter, the hot water breaking the bone-chilling cold that often blasted through the house. I’m not complaining as it was a most pleasant existence and a reminder to me today, in this time of high energy costs, that we can do with less. Doing so means we can keep our expenses in check and also to do our part in conserving.

You all might have noticed last month’s gas bills increased by triple or more this last month. I know I did!

My first reaction was “how dare they do this,” until I found out that it is a global issue. The German government has been offsetting the costs through

stipends and we might see that here but, in the meantime, there is a lot each of us can do. It’s a perfect time to do an energy assessment whether that means doing a personal inventory or having a professional from the gas or electric company come out and do an audit for you. They are generally free of charge.

My second response, and probably the better one, was to research where the most energy is used, identifying energy vampires and power sucks, as they are referred to. Audits show that most of us waste 35 percent of energy used in our homes, needlessly! I’m sharing some areas you might want to investigate to stop the bleed:

• Heating & Cooling: Combined, this one area of energy use represents 47 percent of our overall costs, in general. Be sure to adjust your thermostat down in Winter and up in Summer as much as you, your family and pets can tolerate.

Check to make sure windows and doors are sealed properly. Replace filters regularly. Shut the heater off, or down, at night and pile on blankets in cold

months.

During hot weather, open the windows at night and keep a fan going rather than turning on the A.C. I survived a summer in India in one of the hottest regions by wetting a sari and placing it over the window while the fan was going. It created an evaporative cooler situation and was bearable without the need for air conditioning. Generations of villagers have used this trick and it works!

Water Heater: Using 14 percent of total overall energy, the fixes on this would be to put an insulation blanket around your water heater. They have them at the local hardware store. Additionally, turning the thermostat down and avoid taking too many baths/ showers will move the needle in your favor. Or try filling a bath with 1/3 water (it rises when you get in) and limit your time when showering.

Washer/Dryer: These appliances make up about 13 percent of our energy bills, generally speaking. Here, you’ll want to do full loads or, if you have a

smaller load and the clothes aren’t too bad, use the shorter cycle setting. It’s estimated that about 90 percent of the energy your washing machine uses is to warm the water up. It turns out cold water works just fine and is often the better choice to preserve your clothing. There are cold-water detergents just for the purpose!

Lighting: Yep, I can hear my father calling out “shut the lights off when you leave a room.” It was like a mantra in our home. To be fair, I much enjoy lighting tea lights at night. The ambiance it creates is wonderful and the savings in electricity is equally invigorating. Lighting represents 12 percent of our energy use.

Oven & Refrigerator: A little lower on the list but still responsible for around 8 percent of our total energy bills, are kitchen appliances. Check gaskets on your refrigerator to make sure the seal is solid and then be careful not to leave the refrigerator/freezer doors standing open. Additionally, set the temperature to 40

degrees for the refrigerator and 5 degrees for the freezer. With cooking, sometimes it makes most sense to use a toaster oven or microwave rather than the oven. Another tip would be to batch cook food all at once and then warm the individual meal up. This works best for singles, of course.

Other areas to conserve would be to unplug energy “vampires” like computers, televisions and other appliances when you’re not using them. And, if you can afford it, trade your old appliance in for an energy-star rated model. Finally, be sure to shut the doors fully when entering and exiting your home. If you don’t, you might hear the echoes of my father’s voice reasoning with us “shut the door, you weren’t born in a barn, were you?” It was always a gentle chiding and we’d have a good laugh.

In the end, it’s always the little things, small fixes, that add up to something. This applies to saving on your energy bill and I hope you will implement at least one of two of the tips I’ve shared.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Create an off-grid, country retreat on 40 acres with mountain views, trails, and a natural spring in Rose Valley in the Los Padres National Forest $1,200,000

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