oh my, ojai!

Ventura County’s

cutest little town

Ojai was the perfect way to slow down after a long week

We took a slow, easy drive out from Los Angeles in the early afternoon, sun doing its ‘thang’. I had my indie folk playlist going - fully committed, and I’m hoping my co-pilot was genuinely into it and not just protecting my feelings… hard to say, but we’ll go with it.

Checked into Capri Hotel on arrival. It used to be a 1960s roadside motel, but now it’s been re imagined into this really thoughtful, design forward stay. Everything is light, calm, and minimal without feeling cold (definitely not KimK/Kanye Minimalistic Home kinda vibes).

The rooms are simple in that intentional way, and the whole property wraps around a palm-lined pool and hottub with fire pits and open space that makes you want to linger a little longer:)

It’s also walking distance to town, which makes the whole trip feel easy… no rushing, no over-planning.

That first night, we went to Sea Fresh Seafood for dinner, mainly because we were chasing Ojai’s “pink moment” - though we missed it. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s this soft blush glow that hits the Topa Topa Mountains right at sunset, the mountains literally turn pink for a few minutes. Sounds cute and kind of magical I’d imagine.

The next morning we ended up at The Dutchess for breakfast, it’s cozy, a little rustic, and quietly cool - surprisingly hadn’t come up on Google Maps during our search but happy to have walked by it the night before. I wanted every pastry displayed at the counter but traveling with your crush has a funny way of turning you into someone with impeccable portion control.

After that, we spent the day walking through Ojai. It’s small, no big chains, just independent shops, vintage stores, and little home goods spaces. There’s a creative slightly earthy energy to the town you feel it as you walk around.

We made our way to Bart's Books, which is actually the largest outdoor bookstore in the world. Such a good little spot if you love books - it’s easy to wander and lose track of time. They’ve got a few seats too if you feel like sitting down for a bit, reading and just enjoying being outside surrounded by it all.

That’s kind of the rhythm of Ojai. Nothing feels rushed. Nothing feels forced.

It’s the kind of place you go when you want things to feel a little softer, a little quieter and still beautiful in a very understated way.

And if you catch that pink moment, even better — it’s like the town’s little reminder to slow down and look up for a second.