No matter which way you get there, via ocean trail or valley highway, Ojai is an oasis of hip. It has always been the artist’s quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of the big, overwhelming city to the south. For us, emphasis on the quiet.
But what’s beneath the simmering, slow-paced exterior of this little bungalow town just north of Los Angeles? We took a late Summer trip on a free weekend to see what we’d always been missing, and Ojai did not disappoint.
Read MorePortland has recently gotten a bad rap. In the aftermath of the COVID crisis and the George Floyd riots to follow, most of the city’s shops and restaurants had boarded up their windows and prepared for the absolute desolation of a previously vibrant downtown. During our early ‘21 visit to PDX, we found a lot of this to be true. But the pieces were beginning to be picked up, and most of the timeless pillars remained as strong as ever, refusing to shut their doors. We have always loved the Pacific Northwest, and “The City of Roses” has always been one of its crown jewels. Portland, Oregon offers one of the most vibrant food culture scenes in the world and one of the most unique and interesting populations of any urban area in the country. So much remains to be experienced in Portland, and we walked the streets for a few free days to get the lowdown on exactly where the heart of The Rose remains stronger than ever.
Read MoreFor contextual purposes, we’ll tell you that we were only slated to be in town due to James’ heel screws removal going down on the middle day of a 2.5 day stay. We really only spent the first day and last half day bumbling around Denver - fortunately armed with plenty of recommendations from friends and acquaintances who’ve spent much more time here. We would have loved to squeeze it all in, but the time restraints we were up against only allowed us 18 hours or so to truly experience this city on four fully functioning legs.
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