DISCOVER PEAKPEEK Music Festival’s Holiday Home Look-In N 9 O 1 V 0 OJEMBER 2 AI MONTHLY Real Estate & Visitors Guide Cover Photo Nora Davis, LIV Sotheby’s • See Page 47 ANACTOR’SLIFE DOYOUHEAR? David Taylor’s Ojai Odyssey The Story Behind the Songs Visitor Information • Hikes • Events • Activities • Lifestyle Tips & Tactics See More At OJAIHUBCOM Authentically Restored This historic Spanish Colonial Estate was originally built in 1926 by famed architect Arthur E. Harvey, creator of the Château Élysée in Los Angeles; it has incredible views and is situated on almost 8 lush acres near the edge of the Arbolada. The main house was authentically and beautifully restored with an architectural historian from the original blueprints, utilizing the nest materials by Allen Construction. The goal was to blend the old with the new and modernize this stunning estate with exquisite attention to detail. THE EL TORO ESTATE This property is truly a work of art; from the historical tiles to the arched entryways, every one of the original elements invokes a sense of appreciation. With an expansive and eclectic energy, it feels like you are standing in a modernized California Mission. The main house has 7 bedrooms, 6 baths, and the property includes a water well, a tennis court, a pool, and a 2br/2ba guest house. Ecological landscape design facilitates water retention that feeds the goji berries, guavas, bananas, gs, papayas, grapefruits, mulberries, apricots, plums, and avocados. The self-sustaining farming methodology creates an environment that has enabled the fruit trees to thrive in harsh weather conditions. 1190ElToroRdOjai.com Price Upon Request Presented PATTY by WALTCHER (805) 340-3774 pattywaltcher.com THE EL TORO ESTATE This property is truly a work of art; from the historical tiles to the arched entryways, every one of the original elements invokes a sense of appreciation. With an expansive and eclectic energy, it feels like you are standing in a modernized California Mission. The main house has 7 bedrooms, 6 baths, and the property includes a water well, a tennis court, a pool, and a 2br/2ba guest house. Ecological landscape design facilitates water retention that feeds the goji berries, guavas, bananas, gs, papayas, grapefruits, mulberries, apricots, plums, and avocados. The self-sustaining farming methodology creates an environment that has enabled the fruit trees to thrive in harsh weather conditions. 1190ElToroRdOjai.com Price Upon Request Presented PATTY by WALTCHER (805) 340-3774 pattywaltcher.com michaels + associates OJAI REAL ESTATE GROUP 6709 BREAKERS WAY Located Near a Legendary Surf Area with in the private beach community of Mussel Shoals... Great opportunity to own a beach cottage. $895,000 A SLICE OF OJAI PARADISE 2144-2150 BALDWIN ROAD OJAI This impeccably renovated 1928 East End cottage de- Private estate 85 plus acres with 6 legal parcels. signed by Austen Pierpont enjoys a most magical 1.1 acre $5,000,000 setting and unparalleled privacy for the 3 Bedroom 2.5 Bath main residence plus newer 1 Bedroom guest cot- tage. The enormous renovated kitchen with Wolfe, Miele 920 LOMA DRIVE 110 FULTON STREET & Sub-zero appliances will inspire any chef and the Enjoy Entertaining on the Spacious Deck with remodeled baths are absolutely classy! Amazing Valley Views. Custom Home built amidst been remodeled with quality materials and designed with attention to detail--from the open space liv- Relax by the Saltwater Pool or retreat to the very cool home is aprox. 2030 square feet of living space. ing area to the easy care yard, a spacious kitchen 1920's vintage stone outbuilding: a perfect hideaway for $1,199,000 including farm sink and newer stainless appliances. $695,000 your wine cellar and tastings with friends. Come enjoy the magic! 98 KUNKLE STREET 4821 GRAND AVENUE VALLEY VIEW LOT Enjoy the incredible views looking towards the Sine View lot located on Highlydead end Desired street. OjaiBuild East to suit End $3,695,000 Qua Non vineyards! Living room oers vaulted withRecent utilities Extensive and 3/4 Remodel water meter 3+3, at .90 the of st anreet acre.. ceilings and replace with deck access to the Easy commute to Santa Barbara and V$2,700,000entura. amazing views. 1.5 Bedroom guest quarters. $159,000 $1,095,000 CHAR MICHAELS (805) 620-2438 OJAIHOMES4SALE.COM DRE# 00878649 CATHY TITUS In the Real Estate Industry Since 1986 (805) 798-0960 • c [email protected] 6709 BREAKERS WAY Located Near a Legendary Surf Area with in the private beach community of Mussel Shoals... Great opportunity to own a beach cottage. $895,000 2144-2150 BALDWIN ROAD OJAI Private estate 85 plus acres with 6 legal parcels. $5,000,000 920 LOMA DRIVE 110 FULTON STREET Enjoy Entertaining on the Spacious Deck with Amazing Valley Views. Custom Home built amidst been remodeled with quality materials and designed with attention to detail--from the open space liv- home is aprox. 2030 square feet of living space. ing area to the easy care yard, a spacious kitchen $1,199,000 including farm sink and newer stainless appliances. $695,000 98 KUNKLE STREET 4821 GRAND AVENUE VALLEY VIEW LOT Enjoy the incredible views looking towards the Sine View lot located on Highlydead end Desired street. OjaiBuild East to suit End Qua Non vineyards! Living room oers vaulted withRecent utilities Extensive and 3/4 Remodel water meter 3+3, at .90 the of st anreet acre.. ceilings and replace with deck access to the Easy commute to Santa Barbara and V$2,700,000entura. amazing views. 1.5 Bedroom guest quarters. $159,000 $1,095,000 CATHY TITUS In the Real Estate Industry Since 1986 (805) 798-0960 • c athytitusojaOM — [email protected] 2019 om 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2019 7 Editor’s Note 16 14 Calendar of Events 16 Featured Event: Holiday Home Look-In 22 Featured Professional: 26 David Nelson Taylor 26 Avoiding Mortgage Insurance 30 My Garden — Feeling Grateful 33 Sold in Ojai 34 Who’s Who In Ojai 36 Stay Ojai — Hotels Guide 37 Chef Randy — Pumpkin Soup 38 Eat in Ojai — Restaurant Guide 40 Top 7 Hikes Into Ojai’s Backcountry 42 Ideal Ojai Day 44 Ojai Facts & Founders 37 42 Editor & Publisher, Bret Bradigan DISCOVER PEAK PEEK Music Festival’s Realtor/Partner, Ross Falvo Holiday Home Look-In N 9 O 1 V 0 Contact Us: OJAIEMBER 2 MONTHLY Ross Falvo, 805.207.5094 Real Estate & Visitors Guide [email protected] 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. Cover: Property represented by Nora Davis/LIV Sotheby’s Cover Photo Nora Davis, LIV Sotheby’s • See Page 47 40 AN ACTOR’S LIFE DO YOU HEAR? David Taylor’s Ojai Odyssey The Story Behind the Songs Visitor Information • Hikes • Events • Activities • Lifestyle Tips & Tactics See MoreOM —At November OJAIHUB.COM 2019 1 6 OM — November 2019 OJAIDISCOVER MONTHLY HOMEGROWING SOLUTIONS Ojai has been on the upswing since the Thomas Fire’s devastation. For those grim, ashen days at the charred end of 2017, it seemed like our world was ending. Downtown was a ghost zone, with only a few mask-clad venturers out and about. We were so busy evacuating and/or looking out for our neighbors (thank you to Travis Escalante and Trevor Quirk, among others) that we didn’t really stop to absorb the dread. When we did, we discovered that the resiliency of Ojai was a force to behold. The #OjaiStrong movement drew tens of thousands of supporters, promoting local wares and local businesses. The Inn pitched in to keep Bret Bradigan the visitors bureau operating during that key time. We at Ojai Quarterly and Ojai Monthly started the Ojai Hub, which answers weekly the common question: “What’s going on in Ojai?” So by most measures, Ojai’s economy rebounded smoothly and strongly. The fire’s fallout had a slight impact on our two primary indicators — the transient occupancy or “bed” tax and the sales tax revenues — are projected to be around $2.85 million and sales tax revenues of $1.5 milion, very close to normal. In the bigger picture, I have my doubts about pure capitalism — incentives can be skewed, inequality seems an inexorable quality, and far too many get left behind. Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia founder and perhaps the business world’s foremost philospher of sustainability, recently said in Fast Company magazine, “Ultimately, capitalism is going to lose its customers. There won’t be anybody to buy the product because everybody is going to be so poor.” Despite that, I have faith in a system that rewards innovation and hard work, if, regrettably and all too often, not equally or fairly. To paraphrase Malcolm Gladwell, “Doubt isn’t the enemy of faith. It’s its companion.” Now our downtown scene is flourishing — the foot traffic alone on a typical weekend is more than I’ve witnessed in my 20 years in Ojai. The traffic, sadly, is getting thicker. But compared to what? Just try getting across the 101- 405 interchange at any hour, or getting from one end of Santa Barbara to the other, and you’ll see worse. There are solutions, for sure, that would require will and risk and political courage and innovative spirit. Chief on that list is affordable housing. Creating more affordable housing addresses four or five problems at once — traffic, inequality, air quality, social infrastructure among them. The worst of our traffic is during commuting hours. If those people lived here — the teachers, the police, the hospital staff, the hospitality workers — traffic would diminish significantly.