A Syllable Short of Home: Weekending in "O-jai"

If we’ve learned anything in the two and a half years we’ve lived in California, it’s that a break from the sirens, construction, and traffic is never too far away. Recently, we had one of the most relaxing and productive weekends away from Pasadena, just an hour and a half northwest, further into the mountains.

Ojai Meadows Preserve

Ready to be out in the fresh air, we stretched our legs at the Ojai Meadows Preserve. Different from the dry, dusty hikes around Pasadena, this short and winding path opened up into large fields and surprisingly green oak, sycamore, and cottonwood trees.

Like everything else in L.A., it had a steep incline (especially if you somehow managed to get lost in the loops). We didn’t come during the right time to see blooming meadows, but it was still a breathtaking view of the restored wetland environment and sprawling Ojai valley.

Bart’s Books

Continuing to thaw out in the warm sun, we headed closer to town for an outdoor, booklover's dream. Bart’s Books combined the fresh air with that classic, musty smell of once-loved novels to create a one-of-a kind book-shopping experience. Mazes of book cases stood under hanging plants, and reading nooks were arranged in the shade for those that wanted to read a few chapters before making their purchases. I lost Noah for quite a while as we scanned separate genres, but we both ended up with a few good finds to carry us through the rest of the weekend.

Ojai Coffee Roasters

Books and laptops in hand, we searched for a place to read, write, and snack. Walking downtown, we popped in and out of a few shops before settling for an iced chai at Ojai Coffee Roasters. Although I’ve become accustomed to the sugar and cream-filled "chais" of Starbucks, Ojai Coffee Roasters offered a rich and not-so-sweet blend of spices that paired perfectly with a slice of their carrot cake. It also made for the perfect combination with grad school assignments...or at least an attempt at one final paper for the semester. Time flew by as we snacked and worked, watching people come and go from our cozy seat in the back.

Boccali’s Pizza and Pasta

A little too late to call it lunch, but too early to call it dinner, we stopped at Boccali’s Pizza and Pasta for our first real meal of the day. Live music from their vineyard was audible as we ordered our drinks (go with their local wine!), garlic bread, and delicious pizza. Too stuffed for dessert (the carrot cake didn't count), we decided to check in to our room and continue soaking up the sun on our private patio at the Hummingbird Inn.

Hummingbird Inn

Although currently under construction, Hummingbird Inn had a spotless room, minutes from downtown Ojai. The patio had the perfect amount of space for our game night, and the twinkling lights added to the tranquility once the sun began to set. We decided we were still stuffed from Boccali's, but after catching a few episodes of The Great British Baking Show, we figured there's always room for dessert...

Ojai Ice Cream

Looking for a sweet end to the night, we roamed downtown until we realized that most of the shops were already closed. We were aimlessly walking around, all alone in the dark. But nothing would deter me from the dessert I had earned (I wrote a few pages of that paper, remember?). Established in 1979 and open until 6pm was our saving grace: Ojai Ice Cream. With flavors like valley lavender and Ojai orange, it was difficult to choose how to spend my two scoops. But the coconut toffee ended up being a unanimous favorite...we ate it too quickly to take a picture!

Ojai Farmers’ Market

Our sugar coma made it easy to sleep in until the blinding sun rose over the mountains. With only a few hours left of our visit, we decided to see what the Ojai Farmers’ Market had to offer.

Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure we’ve managed to hit a Farmers’ Market in almost every place we’ve visited. Even though I always want to leave with fresh produce, decor, and skin care products, this was probably the first time we’ve actually made a purchase. While Noah sampled hot sauces (by themselves...ew), I continued to look around, settling on Persimmon Cardamom and Peach Lavender jams. Don't worry, Noah left with multiple Char Man sauces. But after the all-natural, organic sampling we had done, we left in search of a classic, fattening, homestyle breakfast.

Bonnie Lu’s Country Cafe

Judging not only by our quick Google search, but also by the line forming outside the door, we found the perfect place for our last meal in Ojai. Bonnie Lu’s Country Cafe was bustling, and offered "good fixins" like biscuits and gravy and chicken-fried steak. Getting closer to lunch than breakfast, I ordered a chicken salad sandwich, which came with potato salad so close to my Mamaw’s it almost made me homesick. Stretching our legs one final time, and mentally preparing ourselves for the traffic that lay ahead, we tested out our new books at Libbey Park.

Libbey Park

Named after Ojai’s Greatest Benefactor, Edward Libbey, of Toledo, Ohio (we're everywhere), Libbey Park is filled with places to kickback, relax, and listen to screaming children.

Okay, in all seriousness, this was a spacious, inviting place to enjoy the fresh air of Ojai in between shops, hikes, and iced chais.

Until next time, Ojai.