Bret Bradigan
KALI YUGA COMES TO OJAI
In ancient Hindu cosmology, time moves in cycles — great wheels within wheels turning through vast epochs. The darkest of these is Kali Yuga, the age of disintegration and decline. Named for the goddess of destruction and rebirth, Kali Yuga is a time of discord, confusion, and forgetting. Some say it began more than 5,000 years ago with the death of Krishna; others believe we are only now entering its fullest expression.
It’s tempting to dismiss such ideas as myth and nonsense, but more and more they feel like an apt metaphor for the times we’re living through. Our civic discourse has curdled. Institutions once taken for granted now feel hollowed out. The promise of shared truth has given way to echo chambers and algorithms that feed our worst instincts. We’re losing the ability not just to agree, but to disagree in good faith.
The national scene is rife with paranoia, polarization, and a permanent state of outrage. But the symptoms aren’t confined to Capitol Hill or social media disrupters and agents provocateur. They’ve found their way into small towns like Ojai, where the mystical and the mundane have long coexisted in uneasy harmony.
Ojai has always drawn seekers — people in search of beauty, healing, meaning. But it’s also become a battleground, a place where national anxieties play out in local costume. A disagreement over zoning becomes a referendum on freedom. A gang of teens on electric bikes become a proxy war for deeper resentments. Trust in our civic institutions is frayed. Public servants — often idealistic and underpaid — are subjected to character assassination. And what once passed for a spirited debate now turns toxic in no time.
Our politics aren’t the only pressure point. Homelessness, long simmering, is now in plain sight; trauma is visible on street corners and park benches. Meanwhile, homes are flipped like poker chips, often by investors who’ve never seen a Pink Moment. Rents climb. Locals are priced out. The town's spiritual allure hasn’t dimmed, but it’s increasingly out of reach for those who gave it life.
And yet — Kali is not only a destroyer. She is also a revealer. She strips away illusion, forcing clarity. In that way, this age of unraveling may be showing us who we really are — and who we might still become.
Ojai has endured much. Fires, floods, economic shocks. It has always attracted a strong current of reinvention. Remember #OjaiStrong? Our roots are deeper than they look. But we can’t coast on charm and beauty alone. We have to choose community — deliberately, daily. That means listening even when we disagree. It means resisting the reflex to assume the worst. It means balancing the rights of newcomers with the needs of those who have always called this valley home.
If Kali Yuga is a time of forgetting, then our task is to resist by remembering — to remember our interdependence, our capacity for kindness, and our responsibility to each other. It’s all-too-easy (and, let's be honest, fun) to be cynical. But Ojai has never been about the lazy path. It’s been about choosing meaning over convenience, connection over transaction, and beauty not just in the landscape, but in how we live together upon it.
The age of strife may be upon us, but that just means it's time to show up, to build something worthy of this valley’s spirit. Not by waiting for things to get better, but by making them better — conversation by conversation, act by generous act. Let’s be the place where the wheel begins to turn again.
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.”
The Ojai Valley is known for its rural character and extraordinary views. Many elements come together to make Ojai a special place to live, work, and play: the smell of orange blossoms in the spring, the Pink Moment, miles of trails to explore, and families spending springtime at their favorite swimming holes. Protecting our natural resources protects what makes Ojai special.
TELL IT LIKE IT IS, OR HOW IT WAS
Ojai Storytelling Festival Adds Live Virtual Workshops — Learn from the Best, Laugh a Lot, and Spin a Tale Worth Telling!
To celebrate their 30th birthday, Performances To Grow On (PTGO) and The Ojai Storytelling Festival (OSF) are thrilled to announce the addition of live online workshops facilitated by award winning storytellers. Join internationally renowned storytellers Noa Baum, Leland Faulkner, Regi Carpenter, and Paul Strickland (with more to come!) for engaging and interactive workshops that will unlock your storytelling potential. A portion of the proceeds from the courses will go to PTGO’s Birthday Fund Drive.
May: “From Memory to Memoir” with Regi Carpenter
June: “Comedic Techniques in Storytelling” with Paul Strickland
CUSTOM
Dates coming: “Kinetic Connection” with Leland Faulkner For more information about the workshops and to purchase your tickets, visit www. ojaistoryfest.org/ workshops or scan the QR code.
“We are so excited to offer these online workshops with such exceptional storytellers,” said Kara Lakes, Ojai Storytelling Festival Director. “The classes provide an opportunity for participants to spend more time with storytellers who have given short workshops at the festival and to hone their skills with ongoing support.”
The Ojai Storytelling Festival is committed to fostering an inclusive storytelling community and providing access to high-quality storytelling experiences. These online workshops extend the festival’s reach, making the art of storytelling accessible to individuals around the world.
About Ojai Storytelling Festival:
The Ojai Storytelling Festival takes place annually in October celebrating the art of storytelling through performances, workshops, and community events. We are dedicated to preserving and promoting the oral tradition of storytelling and fostering a love of stories in all people and all communities.
MAY CALENDAR OF EVENTS podcast concerts events
OJAI PODCAST | THURSDAYS | OJAIVORTEX.COM
MAY 3
Ojai World Dance Festival
Date: Saturday Times: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: Libbey Park & Bowl
205 E. Ojai Avenue
Contact: City of Ojai, 805-646-5581
DanceOjai.org
A vibrant celebration of global dance traditions featuring performances, workshops, and cultural showcases.
MAY 7
Rilo Kiley Reunion Concert
Date: Wednesday
Times: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: Libbey Park & Bowl
210 South Signal Street
Contact: 805-272-3881
LibbeyBowl.org
Indie rock legends Rilo Kiley reunites for a special performance in the heart of Ojai.
MAY 24-25
48th Annual Art in the Park
Dates: Saturday & Sunday
Times: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Libbey Park 205 E. Ojai Avenue
Contact: Ojai Art Center 805-646-0117
OjaiArtCenter.org
MAY 24
Chris Isaak in Concert
Date: Saturday
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Libbey Park & Bowl
205 E. Ojai Avenue
Contact: 805-272-3881
LibbeyBowl.org
Rockabilly crooner Chris Isaak performs under the stars at this iconic outdoor venue.
MAY 26
Memorial Day Observance
Date: Saturday
Time: TBA
Location: Libbey Park & Bowl
205 E. Ojai Avenue
Contact: 805-272-3881
LibbeyBowl.org
MAY 30-31
Ojai Blues Fest
Dates: Friday & Saturday
Time: Friday, 6 to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, TBA
Location: Ojai Art Center
Contact: 805-646-0117
OjaiArtCenter.org
two-day blues festival featuring artists like Crooked Eye Tommy, Celso Salim & Darryl Carriere, Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps, and more.
— RECURRING EVENTS —
MARCH 8, 15, 22, 29
Historical Walking Tours of Ojai
Date: Every Saturday Time: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Ojai Valley Museum
130 West Ojai Avenue
Contact: 640-1390
Come see why there’s so much historical hullabaloo about this “smiling vale.”
RECURRING EVENTS
APRIL 13
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.
THURSDAYS
Ojai: Talk of the Town Podcast
New episodes come out Thursday evenings through the 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. More than 230 episodes and counting. Sign up at OjaiVortex.com for a free newsletter.
RILO KILEY REUNION CONCERT | MAY 7 | LIBBEYBOWL.ORG
OJAI WORLD DANCE FESTIVAL | MAY 3 | DANCEOJAI.ORG
JASMINE JACOBSON
STORY BY ILONA SAARI
SALUTE SANTE ... TO YOUR HEALTH!
Jasmine Jacobson & Using Food as Medicine
Old North Church, Charles River, Red Sox, baked beans, and Paul Revere, all a part of the city of Boston’s history, as are its citizens, past and present, including Jasmine Jacobson.
As a young girl, Jasmine became fascinated with food. Where did it come from? What made people eat the food they ate? Sensitive to the way healthy (healthful) foods made her feel so much better than fried, processed or fast foods, she told her mom she wanted to be a vegan. However, living in Boston at the time, pre-the-sprouting of Whole Foods and health food markets, vegan cooking wasn’t an easy task, so her mom encouraged her to help in the kitchen and experiment. She started reading cookbooks which began her lifelong journey to create her own vegan cuisine. Her mom’s kitchen became her first experimental culinary laboratory.
As she grew older, Jasmine would ride the “T” (Boston’s version of the metro) everywhere as she explored various neighborhoods and the hustle and bustle of her hometown. The “T” would then bring her back to her own
neighborhood station where she would walk the half mile home, often bundled up to her nose in freezing weather. It was on those walks when she knew she would someday move to a place a bit more “natural” and slow-paced, and definitely somewhere with more sunshine.
Jasmine took the first step toward that goal when she flew cross country to attend the University of California, San Diego, graduating with a degree in Media Production. However, her passion for a healthful culinary diet and lifestyle had become part of her DNA and she studied the way healthful eating impacts our wellness. She calls her pursuit “culinary medicine.”
Around 2010, she settled in Los Angeles and witnessed the burgeoning of the organic health food industry, fueled by the city’s exciting new health food stores, juice bars and restaurants. All of this innovation “felt electric to me,” she says, as she decided to immerse herself in LA’s health food boom while it was mushrooming. She became a certified plant-based nutritionist and raw food chef and worked for Pressed Juicery, then for renowned raw food chef, Matthew Kenny, who became her mentor.
Eventually, Jasmine became a private chef and collected her own clients who were looking for a healthier lifestyle. But, after meeting a winemaker in LA, they married and settled in Sonoma
County where she opened a juice bar, then together she and her husband opened a restaurant with many vegan options. Along the way, they started a family when son, Mir, was born.
After several years of operating the restaurant and experiencing huge life changes that included a divorce, Jasmine, now a single mom, moved with Mir back to LA and her original client base. She became the beverage director and developed recipes for Café Gratitude, the popular vegan restaurant chain.
During those years, she would retreat to Ojai “to get away from it all,” and even felt physically different when she did, she explains. “It may sound ‘woo-woo’ but many people talk about that when you drive on the 33 entering Ojai, you actually feel the density and the distractions and the anxiety cleanse away from your body, and I would always sort of romanticize about this ideal.” She wondered if she would feel like that all the time if she lived in Ojai or was she just wishing on a star? She even joked about retiring to Ojai, but that was years away. Eventually that wish upon a star came true when “...opportunities presented themselves faster than I could make the decision to move here. It was as if the decision was made for me.”
Settled in Ojai with her son, she became the general manager for the then-vegan Ojai Pub. The owner was an inventive vegan
BELOW: HER SUPERFOOD COOKIE CAN BE FOUND AT RAINBOW BRIDGE DELI
restaurateur who brought buffalo cauliflower to the world at his popular Silver Lake, California eatery, Mohawk Bend. She was excited to work alongside his team in Ojai. One night when she ran out of buns, she dashed over to the Ojai Beverage Company to borrow some. OBC’s long-time manager graciously complied and he and Jasmine started a relationship which produced a little girl, Astrid, who will turn 2 at the end of May.
Creating her own consultancy business, Jasmine Medicine, she offers health food and beverage recipe development which extends to staffing, training, marketing, social media, management and all things related
to hospitality. She consulted with the owners of Rainbow Bridge to reopen their restaurant, Sage, and is proud that although Sage is now closed, “you can still buy my beloved Superfood cookies after all these years at the Rainbow Bridge deli today! It’s vegan, gluten free and has coconut oil, mulberries, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate chunks with lots of vanilla and cinnamon (a notso secret of mine is to ALWAYS go heavy handed on the vanilla and cinnamon.”
After Sage, Jasmine joined BoKU to create and implement the menu for its superfood store-café. This allowed her not only to create vegan, gluten free dishes, “but to infuse them with superfood powders” that BoKU made and sold in the store-cafe. The café became known for its zucchini bacon BLT and the super avocado toast topped with pickled veggies (the avocado was mashed with orange zest, another culinary secret of Jasmine’s — add orange zest to everything, especially avocado and “watch your life change for the better”).
From time to time, Jasmine would run into David Berger, the new owner of The Ojai Playhouse, and learned that he wanted his food and beverage choices for the theater’s concession to have a more healthful spin on classic movie theater fare such as organic popcorn popped in coconut oil.
RIGHT: JACOBSON HELPED DEVELOP THE VEGAN BLT AT BOKU, A FAN FAVORITE
ABOVE: JACOBSON WITH ONE OF HER FAMOUS BLUE SMOOTHIES
After BoKU closed, they joined forces.
(See coming story in the Summer OQ).
“David is a creative genius and is also from Massachusetts, so we shared language that has made working together fun and effortless!” Their plan for the theater is two-fold... revitalizing the movie going experience with interesting and compelling films, and creating delicious, healthful food and drinks for the concession (even healthy candy choices) which includes vegan grilled cheese sandwiches and vegan hot dogs (as well as traditional grilled cheese and hot dogs), slushies made with fresh fruit puree, craft sodas and beer, fresh baked soft pretzels, fresh, flash-frozen pizza and a full bar. When the Playhouse is open, the bar and lounge experience is open to all, whether or not you go to the movie.
Never one to be content with one project,
Jasmine is also working with Sonia, the owner of the deep healing Lymphatic Health Institute in town to “create meal plans and juice cleanses available for pick up to assist lymphatic drainage, weight loss and optimal health.”
Not to mention that she does volunteer work for the Garden Club at her son’s elementary school, introducing the children to the joys of growing food and eating seasonal vegetables and fruits.
From experimenting in her mom’s kitchen, to developing Jasmine Medicine, designing plant-based menus, becoming a vegan chef and creating a healthful approach to movie theater treats, Jasmine’s culinary journey from Boston to Ojai is one that feeds the body and soul.
Salute Santé, indeed!
Follow Jasmine on Instagram at @ jasminemedicine or check out her website www.jasminemedicine.com
RIGHT, JACOBSON AT WORK AT A CATERING GIG
BELOW RIGHT: JASMINE WITH BABY MIR
1 SHELF ROAD 3.5mi
EASY | Elev. Gain: 200 ft | Overlooks downtown Ojai.
2
RIVER PRESERVE 0-7mi
VARIES | Elev. Gain: ≤ 520 ft Wills-Rice Loop is the longest trail.
5
HORN CANYON 5.5mi
STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 1600 ft | Goes to the Pines.
8
ROSE VALLEY 1mi
EASY | Elev. Gain: 100 ft Rose Valley Falls.
3
PRATT TRAIL 8.8mi
STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 3300 ft | Goes to Nordhoff Peak.
6
COZY DELL 2.2mi
MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 740 ft | Cozy Dell Creek & Ridge.
9
SISAR CANYON 22mi
STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 4800 ft |Topa Topa Bluffs.
4
GRIDLEY TRAIL 6-12mi
MODERATE | 3 mi to Gridley Springs (Elev. Gain: 1200 ft) 6 mi to Nordhoff Peak.
7
MATILIJA CANYON 12mi
MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 1200ft | North Fork.
10
SULPHUR MTN. 22mi
MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 2300 ft | Sulphur Mountain Road.
Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow
Seven Ways to Deter Rabbits From Your Food Garden, Naturally
I love seeing wild rabbits hop along the driveway or across the grass when I pull into a property. They are so cute when they are holding food in their front paws and making their little chewing motions. Of course, it is not quite as cute when they eat the food plants or flowers on which we have spent time and money to grow.
While bunnies will eat plants any time of the year, many of us are in the middle of getting our spring gardens going, and we all know how much rabbits like to dine on new growth in our spring gardens. So, here are seven ways to deter rabbits from gardens naturally.
1. Tall Garden Beds – My preferred solution for keeping rabbits away from my food plants is to plant my vegetables and herbs in raised garden beds. To be an effective deterrent, your garden beds will need to be at least 24 inches tall, but you might want to make them even taller to keep out more pests and make gardening easier on your body.
2. Rabbit-Proof Fencing – Putting a fence around your plants or garden beds is another way to keep rabbits away from your food plants or the flowers they love to eat. Hardware cloth, chicken wire, or other wire fencing in an effective deterrent if you bury it about six inches into the soil and have at least 36 inches above ground. You can put a fence around your entire garden or just around the individual plants you want to protect. Some folks recommend using bird netting to protect their gardens from both
By Aimee Jo Davis-Varela
rabbits and birds, but keep in mind that birds can get caught beneath the netting and become injured or die trying to get out.
3. Garden Cloches – I love using garden cloches on my new plants to deter all manner of small critters who like to eat them. The problem is, a single garden cloche can be about $25, which is cost prohibitive if you have a larger garden. Since cloches are so expensive, I like to make my own with trash cans and splatter screens from Dollar Tree. I know that might sound a bit odd, but they work! I get wire mesh trash cans and splatter screens that have the handles in the middle of the screen. I then unscrew the handles to remove them from the screens and attach them to the bottom of the trash cans. You can then use the leftover splatter screens for drying herbs.
4. Owl Decoys – I have not had success keeping any type of critter out of a garden with a fake owl, but other folks report success with them, so they are worth mentioning here. If you decide to try owl decoys to keep rabbits out of your garden, make sure
to move it around occasionally or to get a more advanced decoy that moves.
5. Repellent Sprays – You can purchase all-natural rabbit deterrent at garden centers or make your own with water, cayenne pepper, and garlic. These repellents can be effective, but they need to be reapplied regularly, especially after rain and after you water the garden. Irish Spring soap has a strong smell that rabbits (and rats and mice) do not like, so you could also try placing shavings in mesh bags around your garden.
6. Rabbit-Repellent Plants – You can also try planting rabbit-repellent plants, such as basil, mint, lavender, or marigolds, around the edge of your garden. This option can be effective, but it is definitely not foolproof. These adaptable critters may start eating plants they usually do not like or get used to the smell of plants that they once detested. So, this one might work for you, but you may have to give a few different plants a try or swap out your rabbit-repellent plants as they get used to them and they lose their effectiveness.
7. Sacrificial Plants – Planting a sacrificial garden to share with your local rabbits will not work as your only deterrent, since they will just eat the sacrificial garden, and then head over to your vegetable garden to continue enjoying the bounty. However, it can work when used with other methods and is a nice way to still provide food and get to enjoy having wild rabbits around while protecting your food garden.
Ross Falvo
Keller Williams Realty “The Ojai Real Estate Guy” RossFalvo.com 805-207-5094
Dennis Guernsey LIV Sotheby’s International Realty
805-798-1998
Nora Davis LIV Sotheby’s International Realty
OjaiValleyEstates. com 805-207-6177
Jessica McRae Ojai Valley Real Estate
221 E. Matilija St., Ste J (805) 699-8645 jessica@ojaivalleyrealestate. com
Patty Waltcher LIV Sotheby’s International Realty
Call me for your Real Estate needs. 805-340-3774
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
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
Amy Hall | Realtor® LIV Sotheby’s International Realty
Amy.Hall@SothebysRealty.com direct+1
805.444.7874
554 E Main Street | Ventura, California 93001 Cal DRE 01957427
Bob Kemper Broker, MBA Kemper Realty of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty
Bob.Kemper@ sothebysrealty.com DRE# 01356802 (805) 551-5121
Larry Wilde LIV Sotheby’s International Realty Wilde-Wilde. com 805-640-5734
Erik Wilde LIV Sotheby’s International Realty Wilde-Wilde.com 805-830-3254
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
Anne Williamson LIV Sotheby’s Anneshomesinojai.com
805-320-3314
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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
THE DUTCHESS
457 East Matilija Street (805) 640-7987 thedutchessojai.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
217 East Matilija 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
mediterranean egg muffins
This is my take on a popular recipe circulating on the Internet. These freezer-friendly egg muffins are delicious for breakfast and ideal for your next brunch. If you’re serving them for brunch, pair them with a mixed greens salad dressed with olive oil and red vinegar. Makes 12 muffins.
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.
INGREDIENTS:
12 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups fresh baby spinach (chopped)
12 grape tomatoes (cut in half)
1/2 cup red bell pepper (chopped)
6 Kalamata olives (cut in half)
2 green onions (sliced)
Feta cheese (crumbled)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
Whisk eggs, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a large mixing bowl until fluffy.
In each muffin cup, place a small handful of spinach, two halves of tomato, a bit of red bell pepper, some Kalamata olives, a sprinkle of green onions, and cheese. Fill each cup approximately 90 percent full with the egg mixture.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool until the eggs have set, then run a knife along the outer edge to remove them.
PROPERTY TAXES & YOUR HOME!
The ‘Gift’ That Keeps on Giving
Most homeowners aim to pay off their houses and become debt-free during their lifetimes, but guess what? There’s still insurance and property taxes to consider. Understanding property taxation then becomes important if you want to stay on track financially.
Myth #1 is that a refinance will increase property taxes.
There seems to be some confusion between an appraiser and an assessor. One checks the value of your home for the lender with the express purpose of determining the loan-to-value. The other is from the County Assessor’s Office and honestly, it’s rare they would ever come to your home. In fact, because of Proposition 13, the highest your property tax can go up is 2 percent a year as long as the property isn’t sold, and you haven’t done major improvements.
You might see an annual postcard issued by your county that breaks down the land separate from a structure but this in itself is not a reassessment. An appraisal is not given to the assessor’s office and on that basis, will not increase your property taxes.
However, if there is a drop in the market, you can get an appraisal done on your own and go to the County Assessor’s Office and dispute your home valuation and resulting
By Therese A. Hartmann
Therese A. Hartmann has more than 25 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.
property tax. It’s not always easy but can be done if the market declines dramatically.
How are taxes calculated? Every county has a rate they use which consists of the assessed value multiplied by the tax rate. That will be your foundational rate and then, on top, you’ll have local taxes added that might include school board fees, water fees, etc. You can actually go online to pull up your tax bill for a full breakdown. It’s eye opening!
Another concept that surprises some homeowners is the idea of “highest and best” use. Zoning can and often does impact the tax rate. This means your property might be taxed on what it could be. A small home in a rapidly developing
area might be assessed as if it were a commercial lot, as an example. Or an empty piece of land could be taxed at the value it would carry if it were developed into luxury townhomes or retail spaces. This is more common in areas where there is a lot of mixed-use zoning, but it is important to check.
So, what does this mean for you if you’re shopping for a home or land to build on? Here are my pro tips to make sure you know what you’re getting into.
• Don’t just ask about the current property tax bill – ask how it’s calculated.
• Look up how your county or city assesses and what the tax rate is. It’s surprising that some areas like Santa Barbara, might have a lower rate than Ventura County. Check!
• Consider current and future zoning, growth and location. Being within city limits might expose you to additional taxation, for example.
• Talk to someone at your local tax assessor’s office to estimate the full cost of ownership.
Property taxes don’t go away so be sure you’re in the know before purchasing a property. Having said that, investing in real estate remains one of the best ways to build wealth. Being savvy helps.
Katinka
Kleijn, cello