mango curry

Another successful meal at Himalaya. I had forgotten how much I liked their mango curry, and how much a bit of garlic naan bread completes the meal - more so than the rice. The tandoori paneer was a nice sideshow. 

The Pirate Hunter

To make a 400-page story short, Captain Kidd was not a pirate but a privateer who was dealt the worst fate possible. For the most part he executed his commission from the king and other high-ranking backers honorably, but the legal apparatus of the British Admiralty - for whatever reasons - had him hanged from the start. Given everything wrong with that system, we now know that he would have been better off going into hiding with his wife and child.

best hotel soap of 2025

A fragrance so intoxicating that it moves the soul and prompts the soul to obtain more. 

picturesque & unusual

The kinds of picturesque and unusual foods available from Buena Bodega. The potato chips with Indian spices were perhaps the most unusual - and distinctive - potato chips I've ever had.

take me to the river

A bike ride to that point in Casitas Springs where the levee and the bike path converge. This is always a good spot to stop and check out the river.

Vegan Chef Challenge

As part of the annual Vegan Chef Challenge, we tried Paradise Pantry's Maitake Banh Mi and Roots & Greens Garden Soup. The Banh Mi was top-notch and delicious. The soup - despite the fact that this place consistently makes great soup - had a peculiar spice or flavor that was a bit too floral for me. That flavor aside, it was good.

a winning combo

A winning combo: broccoli stir fry and pineapple curry at Moons Thai. Thankfully both winning choices are available as lunch specials.

January starfish

Another trip the jetties at low tide. Above photo taken by my wife, who is the starfish whisperer in our relationship. Unfortunately I think my feet got wet on this particular outing.

Taormina

It was good to encounter this sign and get the full story behind Taormina, the Theosophical retirement community founded in 1965. It's funny to think of something built between the 60s and the 80s as historic, but there you have it. The original Taormina is a resort town in Sicily founded in 734 BC.

Buena Bodega

First time checking out this interesting new food and beverage venue.

bike path 2026

It was good to check out the bike path and the effects of all the heavy rain.

The Dutchess 2026

Coffee on the back patio of The Dutchess, which paired well with Mrs' new shirt.

the cookie that Mrs. liked

Singing Sun patio

The patio at the new Singing Sun works this time of year.

sunlight and shadow

The play of sunlight and shadow is free, and one of the best things in life.

a memorable bisque

I picked this one on an intuition at Sprouts and the hunch proved to be correct.

insects of the Ojai Valley

We popped into the Ojai Valley Museum and I was impressed with this comprehensive display of the insects of the Ojai Valley. Some were familiar; many were not. 

New Year's stroll

A failed attempt to visit the botanical garden (it closed early due to the holiday) was a blessing in disguise, as we went for a stroll on the promenade instead and enjoyed these precious views. I believe there was a full moon / king tide thing going on.

Javi New Year!

Not only did Javi express interest in staying up till midnight, but he wanted to sample the non-alcoholic champagne to see what all the shouting was about. Not sure what he thought.

dramatic vistas, part 2

dramatic vistas

On account of the dramatic skies and seas that day, I headed up to the Botanical Gardens for a better look at the dramatic vistas.

Coffee Connection

It had been a long time since we had coffee at the Coffee Connection in Meiners Oaks. It's a small space, but I like the quiet, sunny back patio. They also serve bulletproof coffee, which is increasingly hard to find.

memorable "fish" tacos

The Farmer and the Cook being so close, we had an early dinner there. It was a blessing since we stumbled upon their "fish" tacos, actually made with shitake mushrooms and impressively delicious. I wonder why they don't just call them shitake tacos. In any case, in this case, this local organic restaurant hit a home run.

Ojai Retreat strolls

The grounds of the Ojai Retreat are surrounded by the Ojai Meadows open space, which I know well. The trails of both properties are well integrated. This piece of Ojai is a wonderful piece of terrain with a lot of local history.