09 22 DISCOVER MONTHLY OJAI Real Estate & Visitors Guide Visitor Information Events Activities Lifestyle Tips & Tactics. See more at the OJAIHUB.COM FEATURED PRO: JENNY PHELPS NILES BACKYARD BACK-TO-SCHOOL PARTIES SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I SELL? Cover Photo: Patty Waltcher, LIV Sotheby’s Realty, 805-340-3774, pattywaltcher.com (see listing on page 2)
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PATTYWALTCHER
Offered at $4,050,000 This lovely 5br/4.5ba home in the prestigious Persimmon Hill community is situated on 3.5 acres and surrounded by spectacular mountain views. An over 4,000 square foot main home boasts sprawling great rooms, soaring ceilings, a formal dining room, a temperature controlled wine closet and a massive stone fireplace. The grounds include a spacious guest house and a gorgeous rock pool/spa surrounded by lush gardens and views the mountains. Viking appliances adorn a large, open kitchen, and there are owned solar panels and a water filtration system. This very private property affords the perfect mix of country living and the benefits of town, being mere minutes from all the amenities of Ojai.
25 years matching people and property in the Ojai Valley
PERSIMMON HILL LUXURY
420SaddleLnOjai.com
WALTCHERPATTY (805) pattywaltcher.com340-3774 natural beauty of Ojai. The park-like setting cradles the living space and large windows allow interior and exterior to blend, drawing the gaze outdoors and bringing in the light. The 4br/4ba home includes a formal dining room, a cottage style sunroom and a gym/office. Two primary bedroom suites feature fireplaces and luxurious bathrooms. The large kitchen has granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Crown molding and floors of wood and tile create warmth and charm. An expansive front porch along with an outdoor BBQ and a stone seating area in back offer many opportunities to entertain while enjoying the beauty and serenity of the lushly landscaped nearly 1 acre lot. Offered at $2,475,0001464FoothillRdOjai.com
6 OM — September 2022 Editor & Publisher / Bret Bradigan Uta Ritke / Creative Director David Taylor / Sales Manager Ross Falvo / Distribution Manager Cover: Patty Waltcher, LIV Sotheby’s Realty 805-340-5774 Contact Us: editor@ojaiquarterly.com805.798.0177 The contents of the Ojai Monthly may not be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written consent of the publisher. TABLE CONTENTSOF 7 Editor’s Note 11 Calendar of Events 12 Featured Pro: Jenny Phelps: Ojai’s Librarian, Mother 20 Seven Ways to Make it in the Shade 21 Ojai Founding Fathers & Mothers 22 Who’s Who in Real Estate 24 Dine Ojai — Restaurant Guide 25 Chef Randy: Presto Pesto: Arugala 27 Sold In Ojai 27 Should I Buy or Should I Sell? 29 Ojai’s Top Ten Hikes 25 21 09 22 DISCOVER MONTHLY OJAI Real Estate Visitors Guide Visitor Information Events Activities Lifestyle Tips Tactics. See more at the OJAIHUB.COM FEATURED PRO: JENNY PHELPS NILES BACKYARD BACK-TO-SCHOOL PARTIES SHOULD STAY OR SHOULD SELL? Cover Photo: Patty Waltcher, LIV Sotheby’s Realty, 805-340-3774, pattywaltcher.com (see listing on page 2) SEPTEMBER 2022 29 12
Keith Nightingale, another Ojai youth who Chemo took under his wing, said, “I’m afraid Ojai is so large and economically segregated that a ‘Chemo’-type person could not work the magic now that he did then … the best we can hope for is that we find several Chummos working their constituency, recognizing that if one person can be made better, we are all better.”
It's interesting to hear the people who accuse others of being divisive and polarizing, especially around election time. As is well-known among therapists, every accusation is a confession. Consider the sources. Though we are guaranteed to have a lot of new faces occupying city council and school board seats, we do not seem to have the leadership yet to bring us together, either as a nation or as a city.
France would speak fondly of his days as the town's rowdy, drinking and instigating various forms of adolescent mayhem. "He would pick me up in a squad car and ride me around until I sobered up, then take me home."
It wasn't always this way. Back in the day, there was one city cop (when the city had its own police force) named Anselmo "Chemo" Quijada, (pronounced Chummo) who was a one-man gang task force. He knew everyone and he was everywhere, from 1955 until his retirement in 1980. I loved hearing the old-timers talk about Chemo, how he could instantly size up a wayward youth to determine if they were a good kid doing a bad thing, or a bad kid doing bad things. He didn't believe in one-size-fits-all policing. I've written about him before, at a time that feels very similar to now. Sometimes we could all use some reminders that the past is never really past.
Vince France, who was Ojai's police chief in the 1970s and who served for decades on the school board, said "He kept a lot of guys out of trouble by handling things personally. I probably wouldn't have been a police officer except for the fact that Chemo took a personal interest in me. He treated me almost like a son. I could easily have gone the other way."
"A great many people think that they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices," — William James
I remember another Chemo story about kids smoking marijuana in the Matilija Junior High School parking lot in the late 1970s. A source said "Quijada made us discard the baggie, then ordered (us) the kids to tell our parents we’d been smoking pot, and said he would call our parents later to make sure his orders had been followed. He did and we had." Names have been withheld to protect the guilty.
Nightingale remembers that Quijada provided for Ojai boys a productive outlet for their aggression. “He was acutely aware that Ojai had nothing much for boys, so he directed a boys’ athletic club where Ojai Coffee Roasting is now." Founded by Chief J.D. Alcorn, "it got a pretty big clientele and he staged fights Friday night and Saturday afternoon between boys so they would stay positively engaged.”
A quiet beat cop who rarely drew attention to himself, nearly 1,000 people turned out for a benefit for Quijada when he was suffering from the cancer that claimed his life in 1985. “It was the damnedest thing you ever saw,” said France. “All these politicians and movers and shakers right next to the crooks that Chemo had arrested. I think we raised more than $20,000.”
We are all role models, whether we like it or not. It is good for us in Ojai to remember we have such a rich legacy of role models on which to pattern ourselves. For Ojai to live up to its promise, we have to carry a little of Chemo Quijada’s spirit within each of us.
OM — September 2022 7 DISCOVER OJAI MONTHLY CHEMO-THERAPY, OJAI STYLE Bret Bradigan
The residence incorporates 4 bedroom suites, a kitchen, butler’s pantry, living room, dining room and den. Every room has views and direct access to the outside via tall glass sliding doors, except the living room which adjoins the din ing room that opens to the ocean view and the atrium and pool opposite. The master bedroom suite includes a fire place, luxurious large bath, dressing room, 2 cedar walk-in closets and a kitchenette. One suite has its own living room with kitchenette. The 4-car carport is attached. Across from the residence is a 3,300 sf. accessory building/showroom/ garage that lends itself to multiple uses. It includes a workshop, kitchenette, laundry, 2 baths and ample storage space.
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8 OM — September 2022
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Ladd & Kelsey, Architects - The Von Hagen Residence, 1975 22035 Saddle Peak Road, Topanga, CA 90290
Beyond the steel gated entry, a long private drive gracefully ascends through park-like grounds to a broad plateau atop the mountain summit. Like the adobes at Acoma pueblo, living and working spaces hug the ground, and flow natural ly across the landscape. From this 13 acre site, the vistas can honestly be characterized as nothing less than exhilarat ing. From above Malibu, views sweep over the Santa Monica Bay, Catalina, Palos Verdes, Long Beach and downtown LA, and continue to the San Fernando Valley, across the Simi Hills and far beyond to the San Bernardino mountains.
OM — September 2022 9 Crosby Doe Associates, Inc. 8645 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069 DRE# 01844144 310.275.2222 First Offering: Of the many reasons this ingenious structure won Architectural Record ’s Record House of the Year, perhaps the most important in terms of its gifts to living is its consciously elemental nature. The honesty of simple raw construction materials, now weathered like driftwood, and its glassy openness, enhance the occupant’s direct connection to the power ful natural forces and elements of the beach environment. To quote Donlyn Lyndon in Buildings in the Landscape : “Bill’s ap proach to the landscape was not one of emulation, but of cultivation. The land, the family, the acts of building, the joys of in habiting, all merged in Bill’s mind into homes for the imagination. They are buildings that honor human presence in the land.” 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1,830 s.f., .29 acres $6,000,000 Crosby Doe 310.428.6755 Ilana Gafni 310.779.7497 tatumbeachhouse.com William Turnbull Jr., FAIA - The Tatum Beach House, 1972 12 Potbelly Beach Road, Aptos, CA 95003
OCTOBER 15 Ojai Day Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location: Libbey Park Contact: OjaiDay.com Ojai comes together to celebrate itself with events, music, vendors, exhibits, food and more.
Contact: libbeybowl.org George Lopez’s multi-faceted career encom passes television, film, standup comedy, and late-night television. Lopez can be seen in his Netflix original comedy special “We’ll Do It For Half” which premiered globally last summer.
Contact: libbeybowl.org Rock and Roll and Blues Hall of Famer Elvin Bishop first hit the scene with the Paul But terfield Blues Band back in 1965, playing raw, eye-popping blues, and penning the evergreen radio hit “Fooled Around Fell In Love.” Mus selwhite cut his musical teeth alongside Mud dy Waters, Howling Wolf and everyone on the South side of Chicago in the early 1960s.
Ojai Studio Artists Tour Times: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Varied.
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite
The 38th annual tour will feature a rare look at more than 70-plus artists in their natural habi tat. The Museum will host OSA artists in their exhibit "Perception & Persistence." The tour is free, prior online registration requested.
Location: Surfers’s Point Shoreline Drive, Ventura Times: Thealoha@alohabeachfestival.usContact:Varies805-200-8674funandfantasticfestival returns after its pandemic hiatus workshop. Described as “surfing contest, frisbee contest and music festival” the Aloha Beach Festival is the cre ation Chipper “Bro” Bell, Patagonia’s goodwill ambassador.
SEPTEMBER 24 George Lopez Time: 5 Location:p.m.Libbey Bowl 210 South Signal Street
SEPTEMBER 30
OM — September 2022 11 SEPTEMBER CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SEPTEMBER 16-17 “Mountain Film on Tour” Time: Gates open at 5 p.m. Location: Ojai Valley School, 723 El Paseo Road Contact: ovlc.org, 805-649-6852
EPTEMBER 3-4
Aloha Beach Festival
SEPTEMBER 25 "The Great Art Theft Gala" Time: 12 to 4 p.m. Locations: Varies, most in Libbey Bowl. Ojai Art Center Theater 113 South Montgomery Street Contact: OjaiAct.org, 805-640-8797
The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy brings back the Telluride Mountain Film on Tour, featuring the finest adventure and outdoor films, live music, food trucks, beer and wine. Friday is the special farm-to-table dinner and screening, Saturday the main event.
The annual Great Art Theft is a key fund raising event for the Art Center, in which participants purchase $100 tickets to enter into a drawing for original art donated by Ojai artists. Tickets are available now through the date of the gala.
Contact: ojaistudioartists.org
Time: 5 Location:p.m.Libbey Bowl 210 South Signal Street
THURSDAYS “Ojai: Talk of the Town” Podcast New episodes come out Thursday evenings through OjaiHub.com newsletter. Sign up at OjaiHub.com artlibbey bowl festivals
JENNY PHELPSDESCRIPTIONNILES
12 OM — September 2022 BY ILONA SAARI
From Brooklyn to Bayside, Jenny Phelps Niles (nee Levy) was raised a New York girl. Born in Brooklyn, Jenny lived in a largely Jewish neighborhood, her grandparents a few blocks away, and various aunts and uncles nearby. She loved roller skating in the ‘hood, went to public elementary school, and “shuffle, ball, changed” in a kids’ tap dancing class. At the end of first grade, however, the family switched boroughs to Bayside, Queens.
Jenny’s mother, Bess Barouch Levy, always wanted a ca reer, something rarely “allowed” to married women with children back then. Frustrated, she became proficient in crafts, including crocheting, knitting, sewing, and paint
OM — September 2022 13
JENNY PHELPS NILES
Father, Morris Levy, was in the garment business. He owned a store in a Brooklyn, Puerto Rican neighborhood and spoke fluent Spanish. He was also a “jobber” – buying odd lots from clothing manufacturers that he would ped dle to stores in New York City and to clients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. When his store and jobbing got to be too much, Morris worked for a coat manufacturer in the garment center in Manhattan. Later, he became an abstract artist and poet. “He was a soulful guy,” Jenny remembers.
In 1967, after she quit teaching and got a job in Manhat tan, Jenny moved out of her parents’ house and rented a studio apartment in Greenwich Village. She loved the Village, where she met Chet Phelps, who soon moved in with her. Her parents “freaked out,” as she tells it. “He was not Jewish and I was living in sin! And he was not a doctor or professional, only working a menial job at Barnes and Noble. They insisted we marry.” Manhat tan’s City Hall soon officiated. Chet had been born in England but grew up in America after his family moved to California when he was 12 so he could undergo open heart surgery at Stanford Uni versity. Now, he wanted to reconnect with his roots, so in 1969, the still newlyweds headed to Europe. With backpacks and sleeping bags, he and Jenny start ed in England, but soon became hippie backpack ers as they “toured” Europe, hitchhiking through France where they harvested grapes for room and board. After Jenny badly cut her finger, she worked as an au pair, but soon it was off to Spain and Ibiza. Exploring the middle of nowhere on the island, Jenny broke her leg in a serious Vespa accident — a triple spiral fracture.
JENNY PHELPS NILES WITH STUDENTS RAISING MONEY FOR THE
Growing up, Jenny took piano and ballet les sons and acted in Youth Theater. At Bayside High School, she excelled in academics, making the hon or roll and Arista (for academically gifted students), and sang in the school’s concert chorus. After graduating, Jenny enrolled in Queens College where she majored in elementary education and minored in social science, but she had dreamed of being a music or theater major.
LIBRARY
14 OM — September 2022 ing. Besides the multiple-colored sweaters she knitted for Jenny, “she sewed my Jr. High grad uation dress and made costumes for me when I was in any kind of show,” of which there were many. Eventually, Bess insisted on pursuing a career and worked in the secretarial pool for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in Manhattan, but when she realized it was a dead-end position, she quit, and never worked outside the home again.
“From the time I was very young, I wanted to be on the stage or a singer,” she says. After years of dance lessons, including modern dance, and performing in many the ater musicals, she knew singing was her strong suit. “In high school,” she remembers, “the big thrill for me was being accepted to the New York All City Chorus which has a rigorous audition process and included people from high schools all over the city. Their conductor was the famous Peter J. Wilhousky and the chorus was cho sen to sing in Carnegie Hall. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. And Jenny did, singing in choruses and musicals throughout childhood. But she listened to her parents’ advice and chose a “safer” career for a woman: teacher. “I thought I did not have the ambition or sin gle-mindedness required to be a successful actress and wanted a more well-rounded life,” she explains.
A kind van driver took them to a nearby clinic which began her long “broken leg” saga. From Ibiza they ferried to a maternity clinic in Valencia where a doctor “with a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth” x-rayed and set her leg, then placed it in a thigh-high cast. With Jenny on crutches, she and Chet returned to Ibiza and rented a Finca with friends for $30 a month, among an olive grove, carob trees and moun tains, while Jenny healed. When the cast was cut down, her leg was still swollen so, after a long and arduous trip to Germany, a doctor informed her that her leg hadn’t set properly and would need to be re-broken, reset and recast. ince Chet held a British citizenship, they decided to avail themselves of England’s National Health system, but the doctor there told her all she needed was “bangs of exercise.” Unsatisfied, they returned to America where she was advised merely to just wear a walking cast and it would heal on its own. It did, thus ending Jenny’s multi ple country, broken leg ordeal. It was time to hit the road again. With “Ventura Highway” as their soundtrack, they
drove across country in a truck they named “Toulouse Le Truck,” eventually ending up in Ventura County’s Ojai Valley where Chet’s parents lived.
In 1976, having worked in education and in educational publishing (children’s books) as an editorial assistant at University Society, Reviews Editor at Scholastic Teach er’s Magazine in New York and, as a lover of libraries, Jenny embarked on a career as a librarian, first as a volunteer at the Ojai Library, then as a paid part-time library assistant which morphed into a full-time job as the children’s librarian. She learned puppetry, raised funds for what became a “secret garden” behind the li brary that was used for story times (which she conduct ed), and special programs, but was not paid as a full-li brarian as she did not have a Master’s in Library Science. She worked there until 1991 when she became the chil
OM — September 2022 15
Over the years, Jenny was an original board member with Citizens to Preserve Ojai, an early Ojai environ mental organization, a board member at the Montessori School, and a volunteer for the Ojai Music Festival. She continues to get involved in non-profits in Ojai and nev er stops exploring all the wonders that this valley has to offer. For this multi-faceted librarian, her life is an open book. We love you madly, madly, madam librarian
In love with Ojai’s beauty and bounty, they settled into a cheap 2-bedroom rental amid avocado and fruit trees. Still embracing a “hippie lifestyle,” Chet found work as a deckhand on a tour boat to the Channel Islands and eventually earned his Captain’s license. Jenny briefly worked as a galley girl then became a “farmerette.” She sold her chickens’ eggs, and raised ducks and rabbits for food and tanned hides. They even had a goat she milked to make cheese to sell. Chet brought home, not the bacon, but the fish. “I became a fishmonger before there was an Ideal or Sea Fresh in Ojai and had a stable of people who were my customers,” Jenny says. “We hosted the valley’s first food co-op out of our garage. Friends brought homegrown vegetables, and we exchanged and sold them our eggs and cheese,” while their son, Jesse, who’d been born in 1973, played with the other children. By the time Jesse was three, they moved from their little rental to a house in Meiners Oaks where Jesse became one of the first kids in Ojai’s new Montessori school, and grew up to be an accomplished musician and writer.
JENNY & RICHARD
LEFT: JESSE & JENNY PHELPS NILES
dren’s librarian at the Wright Library in Ventura where she could qualify for that category’s full-pay without an MLS, through an equivalency program. After Wright closed, Jenny transferred to the Foster Library where she helped raise funds to build a second story on part of the library which was largely devoted to children’s literature, pre-K to 12th grade, fiction and non-fiction. In 2009, after 33 years, Jenny retired from the library system as a full-fledged librarian with a pension. Meanwhile, in 1980, Jenny and Chet’s marriage ended, but they remained good friends. That same year, Jenny met Tony Neuron whom she married in 1986 and divorced in 1989. It was time to start anew, concentrating on her library career, raising Jesse, and enjoying life in the valley she loved. Then Richard Niles danced into her life… lit erally. Though they had been acquaintances for years, it wasn’t until they danced the night away at “Danceaway” at Santa Barbara’s Unitarian Church that they began to grow closer. Eventually, Richard relocated to Ojai and moved in with Jenny. For years, Richard worked as an oncology nursing assistant at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, but as an art major in college, he also pursued his talent as a painter and other mediums, and has exhibited at the Ojai Art Center and the Oaks, among others, and was part of the Art Detour before it disbanded. After twenty-four years of sharing a love of the arts (he also plays piano and ukulele), travel, politics, et al, they decid ed to walk down the aisle and say “I do.”
ABOUT THE PROPERTY Welcome to this lovely Spanish Style Hacienda home located right down town 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. The cook-centric 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) so it can be made part of the house, in-law apartment, or separate space for producing income. Rustic beamed ceilings, Saltillo tiles, 3 fireplaces, and many more.
PROPERTY DETAIL 2 BEDROOMS 2 BATHROOMS GUEST HOUSE www.donnasallen.com donna4remax@aol.com
HACIENDADOWNTOWN FOR SALE $1,971,000 DONNA 805.798.0516SALLEN
MATILIJARANCHO
$3,765,000
GUEST
There's no place like home. Let me find yours.
donna4remax@aol.com FOR SALE GATED PROPERTY
ABOUT THE PROPERTY
Located behind the private gates of Rancho Matilija in Ojai, on over 2 acres, sits a Mediterranean Estate. This 5 bedroom, 5.5 bathroom home has a perfect blend of indoor/outdoor living. Wonderful vaulted ceilings throughout, distressed wood and terrazzo stone flooring, lovely granite countertops and hand-painted tiles. As you enter into the home, you are greeted with an impressive grand foyer, a handsome library/den, formal living room and dining room. The great room is magnificent with beamed ceilings, massive fireplace and open to the cook’s dream kitchen. The butler’s pantry, wine cellar and wet bar are perfect for entertaining. Each bedroom has its own en suite bathroom. Large guest quarters; per fect for friends, guests, or extended family. There is a refreshing pool, gentleman’s orchard, owned solar with Tesla Battery back-up, and large outdoor cabana.
PROPERTY DETAIL 5 BEDROOMS 5.5 BATHROOMSwww.donnasallen.comHOUSE
18 OM — September 2022 PLANOPENDOWNTOWNFLOOR FOR SALE $1,650,000 DONNA 805.798.0516SALLEN ABOUT THE PROPERTY You will love your downtown Ojai home with an open spacious floor plan, vaulted ceilings and gleaming wood floors. The kitchen has a large island and is open to the dining and great room. The living room is light-filled and has a beautiful rock fireplace. All the bedrooms are generous in size and the bathrooms have been remodeled. You will love the great room looking out into the very private back yard. Bring your finishing touches to the unfinished building in the back and create a dream space for your guests to come stay and/or Art Studio. Don’t miss this one! PROPERTY DETAIL 3 BEDROOMS 3 BATHROOMSATTACHED www.donnasallen.comGARAGE donna4remax@aol.com
OM — September 2022 19 There's no place like home. Let me find yours. 805 272 POTTERYGALLERYwww.firestickpottery.com87601804EastOjaiAvenueWORKSHOPSPARTIESFREETOURSCREATIVESPACEOPENTOTHEPUBLICOpenDaily10-6GalleryOpentothePublic
Back-to-school parties are a great way for kids to get to know other students outside of school and for you to get to know other parents. Aside from everyone making new friends, they are also a fun way to mark the transition between the end of summer and the start of the school year and are just a good excuse to throw a theme party. Since COVID continues to spread at a steady pace around here, it is still a good idea to do social gatherings outdoors. So, let’s go over a few tips and ideas to make sure your backyard back-to-school party is a hit.
Other activities you might consider in clude craft projects like decorating water bottles or bookmarks, hosting a school supply swap, renting a photo booth with school-themed props, or organizing sim ple games with school supplies as prizes.
If you opted for mini chalkboards to use as place cards, you might also want to use them to label dishes and list ingredients to help out folks with dietary restrictions.
Every party needs party favors, and this is an easy way to make sure kids that don’t win prizes won’t go home empty handed. The perfect party favors for a back-to-school party are inexpensive, age-appropriate school supplies. Kids can always use more notebook paper, pens, pencils, markers, crayons, or other items that are on their classroom’s supply list.
By Aimee Jo Davis-Varela
Consider using mini chalkboards as place cards and swapping out tablecloths for butcher paper. Choosing butcher paper to cover tables and scattering around some crayons or markers makes cleanup easy while offering a quiet activity for kids who might need a break from the excitement.
It is never too early for kids to begin learning about giving back to the com munity, so one more thing to consider for your party is including a note in the invi tation inviting your guests to bring school supplies or books to donate to organiza tions that assist students in need.
Basics for Backyard Back-to-School Parties
20 OM — September 2022
You might also consider water bottles, stickers, or small mason jars filled with school supplies and candy.
Let’s start with decorations. You can check out Ben Franklin or Ojai Creates for themed party supplies, order them online from a small business on Etsy, or hit up Party City or one of the dollar stores in Ventura to find inexpensive plates, cups, napkins, and centerpieces. Alternatively, you can use school supplies to create your own decorations, such as making crayon bouquets or filling mason jars with col ored pencils or erasers.
You might want to put together some fun party favors for the parents too, such as a home spa gift basket to help them include a little self-care in the busy days to come.
Simple is usually better when it comes to food for an outdoor party for kids. Order pizzas, grill hotdogs and burgers, or set out finger foods they can grab be tween activities. For something a bit more fun, consider a DIY ice cream sundae bar with lots of options for toppings, cookies for them to decorate before devouring, or having an ice cream truck on site offering sweet treats.
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. FACTS:
OM — September 2022 21
FOUNDING FATHERS & MOTHERS
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.
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.
Population: 7,461 Valley: (est.) 21,300 Households:: 3,176 Elevation: 745 Ave. High (°F) Ave. Low Precip. Jan 67 36 5.04 Feb 67 38 5.24 March 70 41 3.35 April 74 43 1.22 May 78 48 .47 June 83 51 .12 July 89 56 .04 Aug. 91 55 .005 Sept. 87 53 .2 Oct. 80 47 .98 Nov. 73 40 1.69 Dec. 66 35 2.95 Average Annual Rainfall: 21.3 Weather in Ojai
OJAI QUICK
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.”
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.
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.
Record High Year 115° 2018 Record Low Year 16° 1990
22 OM — September 2022 DavisNora LIV comOjaiValleyEstates.RealtyInternationalSotheby’s 805-207-6177 Team Deckert Keller Williams 805-272-5218comTeamDeckert.ContactUs@BrokerRayRealtyDeckert,Associate Therese HartmannA. is a local (805)Therese298291.NMLS#01048403.CaliforniaLicensedration,FinancialfiliatedconsultantloanafwithC2CorpoandisaBroker,BRE#Calltodayat798-2158. HansonDale Ojai Valley Real Estate 211 E. Matilija Street, Ste. J, 206 E. Ojai Ave. 805-646-7229 dale@ovhl.com Don & EdwardsCheree LivinginOjai.comSellingOjai’sGoldRE/MAXCoastTopTeam 805.350.7575805.340.3192 GuernseyDennis LIV RealtyInternationalSotheby’s 805-798-1998 FalvoRoss Keller Williams “TheRealtyOjai Real Estate RossFalvo.comGuy” 805-207-5094 MoodyVivienne LIV RealtyInternationalSotheby’s 805-798-1099 OjaiLifestyle.netsbcglobal.netvmoody10@ SallenDonna Remax Gold Coast comDonnaSallen.max@aol.comDonna4ReRealtors 805-798-0516 HallLogan Logan PhotographyHall 805-798-0337 comloganhallphotos. WaltcherPatty LIV needs.yourCallRealtyInternationalSotheby’smeforRealEstate CurrierKristen805-340-3774 LIV RealtyInternationalSotheby’s 805-798-3757 comthehoffgroup. WildeErik LIV Wilde-Wilde.comRealtyInternationalSotheby’s 805-830-3254LarryWilde LIV comWilde-Wilde.RealtyInternationalSotheby’s 805-640-5734 WHO’S WHO IN OJAI REAL ESTATE? StanworthAmanda LIV Sotheby’s Inter national Realty Phone: 805-2188117 • worth.comWeb:comworth77@gmail.amandastanE-mail:Rooney-Stan TO BE LISTED HERE, PLEASE CALL BRET @ 805-798-0177 Clinton Haugan LIV | DRE#bysrealtyca.comchaugan@livsotheO:C:Ojai,727RealtyInternationalSotheby’sW.OjaiAve.CA93023(805)760-2092(805)646-728802019604
OM — September 2022 23 Ojai’s lOcally lOwned Ocally and andOperated magazines. magazines By BnatiOnally award-winning writers writersand phOtOgraphers. phOtOgraphers 08 22 DISCOVER MONTHLY OJAI Real Estate & Visitors Guide Cover: Aloha Beach Festival, September 3-4, AlohaBeachFestival.us Visitor Information Events Activities Lifestyle Tips & Tactics. See more at the OJAIHUB.COM ALOHA BEACH FESTIVAL IS BACK! OJAI COUPLE’S LIVING TREASURES JOURNEY SEVEN WAYS TO GET MADE IN THE SHADE OjaiHub.com 805.798.0177 02047013CalBRE#TallentHildegard Keller BlancheRealty,Williams109N.Street Tel: kw.comgard.tallent@email:1872805-798-hilde EllisonKirk LIV me.comKirkEllison@RealtyInternationalSotheby’s 805-340-5905 HoffKathy LIV InternationalSotheby’s Realty (805) 290-6907 thehoffgroup.com KayeMarsha Home Mortgage Con sultant Phone: 805-640-0654 Cell: 805-746-9055 bridge.commarsha.kaye@home
24 OM — September 2022 AGAVE MARIA Fresh, wholesome Mexican food & drink 106 South Montgomery Street (805) agavemarias.com646-6353 AJ’S EXPRESS CHINESE EXPRESS Gourmet Chinese food to eat in or to go 11566 North Ventura Avenue (805) ajchinesecuisine.com646-1177 BOCCALI’S Pizza & Pasta, from our farm to our tables 3277 Ojai-Santa Paula Road (805) boccalis.com646-6116 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) deerlodgeojai.com646-4256 FARMER & THE COOK The best of organic Ojai 339 West El Roblar Drive (805) farmerandcook.com640-9608 YUME JAPANESE BURGER 254 East Ojai Avenue (Arcade) (805) 646-1700 JIM & ROB’S FRESH GRILL 214&Mexican-AmericanregionalfavoritesWestOjaiAvenue #100 (805) jimandrobsojai.com640-1301 HIP VGN Vegan sandwiches, salads & bowls 201 North Montgomery Street (805)hipvegancafe.com669-6363 HOME KITCHEN OF OJAI Breakfast and lunch in a warm space 1103 Maricopa Highway (805) HomeKitchenofOjai.com646-5346 MANDALA Pan-Asian Cuisine 11400 North Ventura Road (805) 613-3048 THE NEST 401 East Ojai Avenue (805) thenestojai.com798-9035 LO>E SOCIAL CAFE 205 North Signal Street (805) nosovita.com646-1540 OAK GRILL @ THE INN Al fresco dining under vine-covered pergola 905 Country Club Road (805) ojairesort.com646-1111 OJAI COFFEE ROASTING COMPANY Salads, sandwiches & superb service 337 East Ojai Avenue (805) 646-4478 OJAI PIZZA COMPANY 331 Ojai Avenue (Downtown Ojai) TheOnlyGoodPizza.com545-7878 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) ojairotie.com798-9227 OSTERIA MONTE GRAPPA Rustic menu of Northern Italian fare & seafood dishes.242E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023 (805) omgojai.com640-6767 PAPA LENNON’S Family owned, original & traditional Italian 515cuisineWest El Roblar Drive (805) papalennons.com640-7388 RAINBOW BRIDGE A community gathering place 211 East Matilija Street (805) rainbowbridgeojai.com646-6623 THE RANCH HOUSE An Ojai culinary destination for more than 60 102yearsBesant Road (805) theranchhouse.com646-2360 SAKURA OJAI A locals’ favorite for Japanese food 219 East Matilija Street (805) sakuraojai.wix.com646-8777 SEA FRESH Serving Ojai for 30 years 533 East Ojai Avenue (805) seafreshseafood.com646-7747 ZAIDEE’S BAR & GRILL Patio & indoor dining with Ojai’s most tranquil 1033views East Ojai Avenue (805) soulepark.com646-5685
Quick + Easy VegetarianFall
OM — September 2022 25 SALAD INGREDIENTS 2 cups baby 111 tablespoon lemonarugulazesttablespoon mincedgarliccup toastedwalnutpieces (divided) 3 tablespoons olive 3/4-cup12 ounces farfalle1/4-teaspoon pepper1/2-teaspoon kosheroilsaltpastacrumbledgorgonzola cheese 1/2-cup golden raisins INSTRUCTIONS 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 Cookneeded.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 Tip:water.for a vegan salad, leave out the cheese.
Randy Graham is a noted chef and writer and has been a lacto-ovo 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.
CHEF RANDY’S LIFE OF SPICE arugula-walnut pesto salad
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.
26 OM — September 2022 Call me for your real estate needs. Residential, commercial, or business opportunity. Dale Hanson Ojai Valley Real Estate dale@ojaivalleyrealestate.com(805)646-7229 B.R.E.Notary01229522Public Great location for commercial business or restaurant. Large parking in back. The building is updated and very clean. Forced air and heat ing, 3 private offices. A bath room and small wet kitchen. Separate attached unit with 3/4 bath and private entrance and address. $775,000
OM — September 2022 27 Whitman Architectural Design Providing the highest quality custom residential & commercial Architectural Design and Constructionwww.whitman-architect.comServices. “We Shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” Winston Churchill 805-646-8485 THERESE HARTMANN more!andmortgagesreverseOfferingsomuch (805) 798-2158 | HEARTLOANS@SBCGLOBAL.NET | HEARTLOANS.COM 236 W. OJAI AVE., SUITE 105, OJAI CA 93023 This licensee is performing acts for which a real estate license is required. C2 Financial Corporation is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate, Broker # 01821025; NMLS # 135622. Loan approval is not guaranteed and is subject to lender review of information. All loan approvals are conditional and all conditions must be met by borrower. Loan is only approved when lender has issued approval in writing and is subject to the Lender conditions. Specified rates may not be available for all borrowers. Rate subject to change with market conditions. C2 Financial Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Mortgage Broker/Lender. BRE #01048403 NMLS #298981 C2 FINANCIAL CORPORATION IS THE # 1 BROKER IN THE NATION! MORTGAGE EXECUTIVEMAGAZINEApril 2019 PROVIDING HOME LOANS FOR OVER 25 YEARS! Homes Sold Last Month 206 South Ventura Street #B, 2 bed, 2 bath, 902 sf, $530,000 27 Olive Street, Oak View, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,198 sf, $755,000 112 Summer Street, Oak View, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,368 sf, $835,000 80 Watkins Way, Oak View, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,296 sf, $875,000 311 Canada Street, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,261 sf, $910,000 98 Portal Street, Oak View, 1,746 sf, $912,000 2364 Burnham Road, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,824 sf, $949,900 711 Drown Avenue, 3 bed, 2 bath, 8,318 sf, $1,100,000 818 Grandview Avenue, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,274, $1,230,000 159 Burnham Road, Oak View, 3 bed, 2 bath, 1,774, $1,289,000 883 Moreno Drive, 3 bed, 2.5 bath, 2,623 sf, $1,320,000 33 Reposo Drive, Oak View, 5 bed, 2.5 bath, 2,262 sf, $1,525,000 9650 Old Creek Road, Oak View, 3 bed, 2 bath, 2,539 sf, $1,690,000 539 Del Oro Drive, 3 bed, 2.75 bath, 3,234 sf, $2,350,000 545 Del Oro Drive, 4 bed, 4 bath, 3,944 sf, $2,575,000 12717 Blue Heron, 4 bed, 2.75 bath, 3,742 sf, $3,850,000 723 Oak Grove Court, 4 bed, 4.5 bath, 5,300 sf, $3,850,000 A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RECENT HOME SALES SOLD IN OJAI
A client called me today about co-signing on a loan for her son to purchase a first home down in San Diego. Wanting to protect this retiree, I mentioned that the son might want to hold off a little bit as San Diego is one of those areas where a crash is being predicted. Unlike Ojai, with its limited housing and pristine neighborhoods (that folks from more metropolitan areas drool over), San Diego is only beginning to head towards an eventual bottom. For that area, it could be time to pause for now. Have you ever heard the phrase “fire sale”? It originated in Ancient Rome. When a building caught fire, the politician/entrepreneur Marcus Licinius Crassas would show up along with a bag of money and his slave army of firemen. Homeowners had two options, they could sell their home for that bag of money or watch their wealth burn to the ground. This is an early example of capitulation and why good old Marcus ended up being the second richest man in the Ancient Roman CapitulationEmpire!doesn’t happen often but it does happen. It’s also referred to as “panic selling” and is marked by a more than 10 percent decline in home value in a short time — generally a month. You see panic selling in larger cities with a lot of tract housing, and not so much in areas with unique homes. A crash, in contrast, is designated such when the home price index falls by more than 10 percent but over a 52-week period. It’s typically accompanied by strong declines in the economic macro during a recession. These crashes can and do affect specific areas and cities but generally, you’ll see areas like Ojai remain more immune.
28 OM — September 2022 should I stay or I should I sell now? Fire Sales, Capitulations & The Corrections
By Therese A. Hartmann
Therese A. Hartmann has more than 20 years’ lending experience. She is a Licensed Broker, California Dept. of Real Estate #01048403, NMLS # 298291, affiliated with C2 Financial Corporation. For a free consultation, call Therese today at (805) 798-2158.
Thishappening.isnotto say there will be motivated sellers who are willing to drop their prices right here, right now so this is reflective only of the general temperature of the current market. So, when you hear reports coming out about a coming real estate crash, I hope this article will have helped you get clear on what that means.
But could we see a correction? The definition of a correction is a gentler drop in the market that shows less than a 10 percent drop within a year. These corrections happen more often than you might believe and are natural to the real estate cycle, which occurs approximately every 12 years. These are typically predicated by rising interest rates, poor economic conditions and less demand. Now, to offset that, we would also need to consider the current low inventory, almost zero vacancy rates (it’s impossible to find rentals right now) and the more vetted mortgages that could prevent massive foreclosures from
I have no doubt there will be areas in the United States where you will see crashes and even capitulations which is why it is very, very important to take a good look at the area you plan to invest in. Do your homework and take your time with investigating areas. And oh yes, be sure to get pre-qualified first to understand the total monthly outlay and the impact buying a home will have on your financial future. It’s THAT important.
OM — September 2022 29 OQ | HIKING MAP 5 482 396 107 1 SHELF ROAD 3.5mi EASY | Elev. Gain: 200 ft | Overlooks downtown Ojai. 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. VENTURA PRESERVERIVER|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.
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.
Nora Davis BRE License nora@ojaivalleyestates.com805.207.6177#01046067
5 gated, private acres close to downtown with wrap-around porch, 5 bedrooms, media room, wine cellar with tasting room, library, gym/massage room, 4 fireplaces, pool and spa, sauna, family orchard, olive tree orchard with approximately 30 trees, Bocce court, putting green, volleyball court, chessboard, gazebos, pasture, private well, 150-year copper roof, copper gutters, RV parking with hookups, six-car garage and workshop, and more.
We know Ojai.
Magnolia Cottage - Remodeled three bedroom, three bathroom with large backyard, RV parking, fruit trees, enclosed carport, outdoor living areas, and mountain views close to bike trail, schools, shopping, restaurants. $825,000
Price Upon Request | RoyalOaksRanchOjai.com
Montana Circle Retreat - 1961 ranch-style home close to town with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, remodeled kitchen, separate art stu dio, covered patio, stone fireplace, and mountain views. $1,695,000
Just a few blocks from downtown, Gabbert Haus is a beautiful example of Streamline Moderne architecture and was thoughtfully remodeled to incorporate modern amenities without losing its original charm. Just some of its features include four bedrooms, wood and travertine floors, and quartz counters, vanities, and fireplace hearth, as well as outdoor kitchen and living areas. $1,995,000 GabbertHaus.com
We’re lifelong residents.
Enjoy resort-style living at this luxurious, private, 10-acre estate in Upper Ojai boasting gated entries, seven-bedroom main house with two guest wings and three fireplaces, pool house, swimming pool with beach entrance and wading pool, spa, gym, artist’s loft, lighted tennis court, horse facilities, outdoor kitchen with pizza oven, patio fireplace, family orchard, three-car garage + two-car garage, and spectacular mountain views.
$5,595,000 RocaVistaRanchOjai.com
withstu
The Davis Group ojaivalleyestates.com
32 OM — September 2022 Unwavering commitment to my clients’ satisfaction. DRIVEN BY PASSION FOR THE WORK I DO! 805.236.3814 | gabrielacesena@bhhscal.com LIC# Gabrielacesena.bhhscalifornia.com01983530 Gabriela Ceseña THE NEXT LEVEL OF REAL ESTATE SERVICES Realtor® | Luxury Specialist © 2020 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC.
