organic Sumatra

I don't usually buy my coffee from Trader Joe's, but lately when I do it looks like this.

Longitude

I finally got to watch the 2000 film "Longitude" about race to build a device that could measure longitude at sea. I had read the book many years ago and it was very interesting. The made-for-television film is over three hours, so I watched it in two parts. Seen here, Bill Nighy as the Earl of Sandwich and Ian Hart as William Harrison.

Ojai Meadows in June

D.I.Y. salad

A typical D.I.Y. salad of the time period. This one may have as few as four ingredients: arugula, sliced almonds, grilled olives and a creamy dressing.

beautiful plume moth

This moth seems to appear in June and in one particular area of our house. Beautiful or not, it goes by the name beautiful plume moth, or Amblyptilia acanthadactyla if you prefer.

mocktails of Finney's

Aflame

The new Pico Iyer book, seen from two slightly different angles.

CA Buckeye fest 2025

More bike path botany.

 

Bananagrams revival

Two different rounds of Bananagrams on two different days in June.

Om Thai 2025

As the saying goes, "When in Oak View..." (This time around we had khao soi in what I believe is the very place that we were first introduced to it).

more açai bowls

A repeat of the açai bowls at Cajé Coffee.

Grevillea fest 2025

Next to the Catalpa fest in Foster Park.

Counter Culture Coffee

Sometimes while shopping in Target I notice that the more interesting and independent brands of coffee are discounted (probably because fewer people buy them) and I buy them to try them. This Bay Area brand was new to me. Interestingly almost exactly a month after I took this picture I learned that my sister-in-law likes it and buys it at a coffee house in Greenport, NY (see three different kinds on shelves below).

Izakaya Full Moon

We were curious about the Japanese restaurant that occupies the old Hip Vgn location. Izakaya defined: "a casual Japanese pub that serves small plates, similar to tapas, alongside drinks."

Carpinteria boathouse

Hadn't seen this boathouse in some time, nor had I seen the very nice mural on it.

Corazon Cocina Carpinteria

Sometimes while checking out the newly-opened Linden Square on a delightfully uncrowded Tuesday, you try Corazon Cocina - a local chain offering healthy and creative Mexican fare.

Linden Square

Sometimes you check out the new Linden Square in downtown Carpinteria and you confirm with your own eyes that it's a pleasant, smartly-designed space and a nice addition to the popular beach town.

Wild Flowers of California

Sometimes you go through the botany guides you inherited from your aunt and decide that one may have resale value at a local used bookstore. For fun you post a photo of it on a social media page dedicated to California native plants and hundreds upon hundreds of people gush over it as though it were a rare Gutenberg Bible. You pause, realizing that not only does it have resale value, but maybe you should keep it for a while.

Nerve Net

 

This one never gets old. 1992 was five minutes ago. Benmont Tench plays percussion on track 5 ("My Squelchy Life") and track 8 ("Ali Click") never fails to give me energy. So there you have it.

Catalpa fest 2025

Highly Likely

Our first time at the new Highly Likely in Ojai. Looking the menu it appears that we had the Levantine Sando with their version of a caesar salad (which has humorously large croutons). But then again the crispy halloumi also comes as a side, so maybe we had that. In any case it was good, and afterwards we graduated to having coffees on the patio.

açai bowl

It's hard to argue with the açai bowls at Cajé Coffee.

t.s. ?

 A homemade concoction, probably tuna salad expertly prepared by Mrs.