ojai blog - news and events in the Ojai community

The Ojai Post

in case you haven't noticed... i'm doing all of my blogging over at The Ojai Post...

Social Justice Action Convening

press release...

Social Justice Action Convening

United States Congressional Representative Lois Capps will be the featured speaker as the Ventura County Working People's Alliance, a coalition of labor, community, and faith-based organizations, hosts a series of speakers on various social and economic justice issues at their 2nd Annual Action Convening.

This free event will be held on Saturday, May 19th, 2007, from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm at the North Oxnard United Methodist Church, 2300 West Gonzales Road, Oxnard.  Lunch will be provided.  For more information, call 805-385-4487 or email laborfoundation@aol.com.

Viral Marketing

My long-time buddy Jon Cooper has an interesting blog entitled Viralsphere, focusing on viral marketing news and campaigns.  Check it out if you're into that sort of thing.

Now back to the Ojai channel...

Ojai Tailor

this just in from a reader...

Jacques the Tailor at Ourovoros Gallery in Ojai

Ojai resident Jacques Malkhassian is now offering his expert tailoring services for men and women at Ourovoros Jewelry + Art gallery, located at 323 E. Matilija St. #112 in Ojai.

Trained in Paris, Jacques has over 50 years of experience as a professional tailor and he has custom made suits for many celebrities, including Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, Magic Johnson and Charles Aznavour.

Stop by the gallery to see this world-class tailor at work. Jacques has a selection of suits which can be fit to your size or he can custom design clothing, suits, dresses, anything you would like. You may also bring him clothing for alterations.

Ourovoros is open Monday through Saturday from 10 to 6, and Sundays from 10 to 3. For more information, please call 805-640-3700.

Ourovoros

Ourovoros says:

We're having a huge sale at Ourovoros Gallery & the Bali Trading Co. in Ojai, 30 to 50 % off on all the furniture and sculpture!!

Come check it out at 323 E. Matilija St. #112. For more info, please call (805) 640-3700.

Couple new jobs in town

Check out OjaiJobs.com for a couple interesting new positions at the Ojai Music Festival...

The Reason For The Season

This holiday season celebrate in good fun and lively spirit with Ojai’s Merry Merchants   in Downtown Ojai. The Merchants Committee of the Ojai Valley Chamber Commerce is planning something special for you every Saturday in December before Christmas.  Many stores and restaurants will be open til 9 p.m.  The Poppy Fountain in the Arcade Plaza is the gathering spot for the following events -

At 4 p.m. Saturday, December 2nd multi-cultural seasonal tales will be told to delight and enthrall children of all ages.  Bring a blanket to sit on the lawn and listen to Julie Tumamait, Ron Rowe, Buddy Wilds, and Ricki Horne telling Native American, Christmas and Hannukah stories. At 5 p.m enjoy the official lighting up of the arcade plaza’s inner courtyard.

On Saturday, December 9th, the activities will feature our furry friends with a dog parade and contest sponsored by Noah's Apothecary at 3:00 p.m. Judges will award prizes for Best of Show, cutest, funniest, and most festive.  And at 4:00 p.m. you are invited to romp with your special Bowser on an agility course complete with professional instruction.

Don¹t miss a Community Sing-a-long on Saturday December 16th at 4 p.m. Bring your voice and the Ojai Valley News will provide the songbooks with familiar carols.  Sing with members of the Nordhoff High School Chorus, Youth Symphony, and Community Chorus.  Kids from Jewish Community of the Oaks will join in with Hanukkah songs and a menorah lighting to follow.

It¹s to be a party scene on the last Saturday before Christmas, December 23rd.  Cruise downtown to see and be seen, shop, snack, and schmooze with the Merry Merchants of Ojai.

Some of the December highlights among our participating merchants:

• Rains Department Store plans some great specials during December.

• The Lavender Inn on Matilija Street plans a cookie exchange party on Dec. 16th

- bring 4 dozen homemade cookies, and go home with a different selection

  after enjoying hors d’oevres, cranberry martinis and eggnog.

• At Around the Corner/Plush Surroundings on South Signal Street, a different artist will be featured at receptions each Saturday.

• Next door, Firehouse Pottery's Clay School will host a student pottery sale on Saturday, December 2.

• Donate money to buy a goat, cow, camel, or sheep for an African Nomad family

and receive a print of a Leslie Clark painting at Nomad Gallery.

• Visit Ojai House, and Soul Centered on North Montgomery for refreshments and in store specials.

• Stop in and see what¹s happening at Kava Gifts, Tottenham Court, and finish

with a nightcap and live music at Movino.

• Have a chair massage at Busy Babes, watch hair demos, and get into the act with real retro fun at the “Eyelash Party” on Saturday the 9th.

• Also on December 9^th, at Firehouse Pottery you can make pinch pots with Dusti Pelow and watercolor note cards with Patty Van Dyke in a Holiday Workshop from 3p.m. to 6p.m.

• The Feast Bistro will take 10% off your dinner check if you show them your

receipt from anything you¹ve purchased at Busy Babes.

• Get a free jewelers polishing cloth from Human Arts Gallery when you show a
  receipt from your purchase at Human Arts Home.

Stay in Ojai this holiday season, keep your sanity, and support all your favorite shops.  Remember the “Reason for the Season” - Enjoy the symbolism and meaning behind our traditions, create memories, celebrate the things we have in common as well as our differences; participate in our very special community.

For more details call the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce 646-8126 or contact individual shops and restaurants.

******

Visit Firehouse Pottery's Clay School first annual students' holiday sale on Dec. 2nd and make pinch pots with Dusti Pelow and watercolor note cards with Patty Van Dyke in a Holiday Workshop from 3p.m. to 6p.m. on Dec. 9th

Rabble Rousers

this just in from a reader...

Please be in attendance at the Tuesday August 22 city council meeting - addressing the O-Hi Frostie item, where Jimmy Stewart im his hopefully last act, will be scolding the city council and threatening to take his case to Washington D.C.  Please come and speak with Jimmy and the council personally!

O-Hi Frostie - swan song?

Interesting article on O-Hi Frostie (previous ojaiblog post here) in the VC Reporter.  An excerpt:   

“We want Frostie to be able to stay there until March,” Leary says. “The city would gain revenue and the third party involved, the owner, would be given rent.”

City Manager Jere A. Kersnar, however, stated that the eviction was a private issue between the property owner and his lessee.

“Having said that, we’ve been talking to the operator of the O-Hi Frostie business — assuming he can’t stay where he is — [about] whether there are other places in town where he might be able to relocate, but that’s really up to him.”

But Leary argues, “When people make the statement that if an owner owns a certain piece of property he can do whatever he wants with it, that needs to be qualified.” He continues, “The city can make a public statement that would carry a certain moral and persuasive power … [The city council] have the power to write and to also interpret the rules [which] have to be balanced with public good rights.”

Bart's Books on the wires

Nice little Bart's Books press release posing as news story on the wires... makes me want to walk on down and pick out a couple books.

Once called an "intellectual haven" by The New York Times, Bart's Books is an iconic fixture in Ojai located halfway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. David and Andrea Grant have loved the bookstore, known for its after hours honor system, since they first discovered it on a trip to Ojai in the '70s. Two years ago the couple bought it. Together they have begun to restore it to its original Bohemian glory including Friday night poetry readings and the honor system program.