where to — ojai

healing in ojai + the last $10 glass of wine in la

May 13, 2025

∙ Paid

i’ve always found ojai to be the right amount of crunchy and cool. easily my favorite of the california roadtrip towns (sry joshua tree, you’re a close second!). just under two hours from la if you time it right, and the perfect mix of crunchy and charming. some of my favorite restaurants, shops, and hikes live here. if it’s your first ojai, i’d give it a full two nights. if you’ve been before, a one-nighter can still do the trick. go on a thursday morning: cheaper rates, less crowds, and you’ll get to experience ojai’s thursday farmers’ market!

many a stay at ojai rancho inn spent poolside

where to — ojai:

stay at the capri or ojai rancho inn (both owned by shelter social club, both with dreamy pools). coffee, breakfast + pastry at my current obsession rory’s other place, a picturesque hike at valley view preserve, then bike to an afternoon glass at chief’s peak pool bar. shop for a new ‘fit at ali golden, wander said farmers market, pizza + natural wine at pinyon, and catch the iconic pink moment™ at ojai roots patio.

pinyon, oslo at capri a while back, bart's books, farmer and the cook, rory's place, ojai roots, new ojai outpost of highly likely all are musts while in ojai

wake up with coffee at highly likely’s beaut new ojai outpost, bike to my favorite hippie cafe farmer and the cook, and stop to browse summer camp and bart’s (outdoor!) books along the way. hit a few balls at libbey courts, then either stay another night and have dinner at rory’s place (actual restaurant!) or the dutchess, orrrr head back to la and split up the drive with a pitstop dinner at anajak thai. paid subscribers, i’ll drop the full ojai guide with google map bookmarks below.

rory’s other place kumquat olive oil cake, capp and lucky numbers really hit

healing in ojai (+ la):

my mom and i had a night in ojai on the calendar for a while, just a night away like we’ve done many times before. but this time was different. i’d just had a miscarriage a few days prior. so i was allowed to go to ojai if i agreed to actually chill (if you know me on a trip, easier said than done!), and i’ll have you know i actually followed the rules! we stayed in an airstream, ate at rory’s other place more than once, basked in the sun, read in bed. it felt truly nourishing, in that way that ojai always does. the hospital prescribed a week of bed rest, but my version of bed rest was letting my mom and bryan drive me around eating all of la’s comfort food, forcing myself to sit still + become a puzzle person, my much needed ojai getaway and having my very bittersweet first glass of wine in a biiit: a chilled lewandowski at sam’s place.

my heart is really fucking heavy — for b and me, and for the many women (+ their partners) who’ve been through this. the physical and emotional toll is real, and more intense than i could’ve imagined. my eyes won’t stop leaking for little baby sesame (long story but we called them sesame as a placeholder). the love, kind words and little treats friends + fam have shared with us have really gone a long way. there’s a sense of comfort in not feeling so alone in this unfortunately really common (big t!) trauma that people are still unfortunately a little skittish about. sending extra love to everyone who has been there <333 … anyway, we’ll get back to the lighter stuff lol… newness in la!

la openings + happenings:

villa's tacos #3 - the pescetarian in me loves the newest seafood spin off in highland park from the best (dodger blue!) corn tortillas in la

tried a bunch but the baja shrimp taco was the winner over at villa's tacos #3

baby bistro - permanent home in the cute little courtyard on the edge of chinatown and echo park. order a bottle of l’absurde + the pinen ut rhubarb dessert cookies