The Perfect Day: Road Trip to Ojai, June 2009
Steve Reich "Music for 18 Musicians", Santa Paula
 Sunday.
I woke up leisurely and drove, camera in hand, to Ojai, taking the beautiful backroads through farmland, mountains, trees, ranches, winding through on the 23, 126, and the 150. I stopped to walk around historic downtown Santa Paula on the way (left photo). It took two and and a half hours to get to my destination.
|
 Ojai.
Lovely Ojai Valley. Sunny. The day was perfect. I love the view of the
Valley as I'm descending into it. The exact same view of the Valley that was
the view of the verdant Shangri-La in "The Lost Horizon". Paradise.
|
 Panaderia
La Michoacana on Main Street, historic downtown Santa Paula. |
 Santa
Paula. |
 Fire
truck in Santa Paula. |
 I
continued through the winding country roads, passing gorgeous vistas and
rolling hills and ranchland and trees.
I hadn't planned on taking two and a half hours to get to to Ojai. I ran over. A concert was about to start. Someone shouted, "One minute until the performance! Take your seats!" I was at Libbey Bowl for the Ojai Music Festival. Outside. Gorgeous. I greeted my friend Chris and sat down. The notes began. Steve Reich "Music For 18 Musicians". This is some of my favorite music.
Ever. So magical. I sat transfixed for the entire performance, occasionally
taking photos. |
 We
went to Ojai Cafe Emporium, eating the Topa Topa Salad, which has delicious
and has Fritos in it, washing it down with Ojai Golden Road Ale. Awesome.
I said goodbye to my friend and went back the same way in reverse, stopping to walk, gawk, and take photos. |
 Black
Mountain Ranch, Ojai, slowly driving back through the 150 heading east. |
 Two
trees in the fields of Black Mountain Ranch, Ojai. |
 I
took photos of Thomas Aquinas College, perched against the dramatic backdrop
of the Padres National Forest, the large mountain chain towering behind it.
I stopped in charming Santa Paula to photograph its historic downtown.
I wove through the windy roads, windows down, sun shining, Indian music playing, singing at the top of my lungs, camera at my side, a smile on my face. The day was absolutely gorgeous. |
 I
stopped by Santa Paula briefly, just to walk and look around. |
 I
took the 150, then headed south on the windy Route 23 north of Moorpark. |
 I
got back just in time to greet my girlfriend, who had made homemade falafel
with a delicious lemon tahini dressing.
We switched on the TV. Beautiful large-screen TV that I purchased for a song from my friend. I had arrived just in time for Game 5 of the Lakers. We drank Stella Artois and watched. The Lakers won, beating the Orlando
Magic decisively. Kobe leapt around. I leapt around. I hooted and hollered.
The Lakers had won the NBA Championship! And this week was gonna get even better. Jimmy Page. That's right. Later this week, I was going to meet Jimmy Page. |
The Perfect Day: Road Trip to Ojai, June 2009
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