Ojai, pronounced oh-hiiiii, like a personal greeting recited every time the name rolls off the tongue. Ojai's charms are many, being that it is such a concentrated artists community of intentional living. Its earthy historical roots derive from a tribe of natives that once resided within the valley. The land is treated as sacred and has been so well preserved. My mom and I took a lil trip up the coast to explore Ojai and to embark on much needed leisurely mother daughter time, and ohhhhh what a time we had. I am so extremely fortunate to have a mother who is also a best friend. To have such a sweet getaway with her was a rare treat. The deep talks we had, the fits of laughter, each sweet silly cherished moment was a gift. After a special horseback trail ride through the oak shaded valley, we checked ourselves into the emerald iguana inn. We had an entire bungalow to ourselves, which seemed more like the most glorious and elegant hobbit hole to ever have existed. We felt right at home. Most of our time was spent outdoors in the seemingly never ending sunshine, the weather was pure perfection. I wish I had taken more photos, but sometimes when you are truly living in the moment you just have to put the camera down...these are the few images I managed to capture.
Ojai has a plethora of darling little privately owned shops and cafes. We managed to fit a lot into our quick trip, we enjoyed every moment, but here are some of the highlight spots I highly recommend
Agave Marias for their pixie margarita's made with local pixie clementines!
Casa Barranca's wine tasting room, organic wine from up the hill.
Regalo Olive Oil, the sweet owner offers private tastings and a tour of how olive oil is made.
Azu, the tapas are tasty and the drinks are well crafted.
Hip vegan, the food is just full of prana and glory goodness.
Soul center, I could browse this shop for hours thumbing through books and smelling candles and oil blends
Bohemian rock goddess, my favorite clothing store where I acquired the most captivating vintage gypsy robe I have ever laid my eyes on (I swear it belonged to me in another life)
