Ojai Quarterly magazine

12/25/2025

This week on Ojai Talk of the Town, I’m joined by Tom Maloney for a thoughtful conversation about Rancho Cañada Larga—a landscape that represents far more than acreage on a map.

We talk about conservation, community responsibility, and why protecting land in the Ojai Valley is ultimately about protecting our shared future.

If you care about Ojai, open space, and thoughtful stewardship, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen here: [link]

12/11/2025

New episode ( #264) of the Ojai Podcast: Talk of the Town is live.

This week I sit down with Leslie “Lulu” Sherman, the portrait artist whose new Still Gallery has quickly become one of Ojai’s most compelling creative spaces. Lulu shares her journey from growing up in New Orleans to studying at NYU Tisch to working as a filmmaker — and how she ultimately found her true artistic home in charcoal portraiture.

We talk about capturing human presence on paper, We explore the inspiration behind her striking portraits of Joan Didion, Jane Goodall, Maya Angelou and others and the vision behind Still Gallery’s inaugural show, "How the Light Gets In," also featuring works on the theme by JoJo Alderson, Stephanie Hubbard and Emily Thomas MaHarry.

It’s an insightful, warm, and deeply creative conversation with an artist who is shaping Ojai’s cultural landscape.

Listen here: [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2d1q1gxiqy3zGI711AQdjL?si=QOO0nW3TSmW9pkSsyylr9w]

11/29/2025

Instagram Post – Winter OQ Launch

The Winter issue of Ojai Quarterly is here! ❄️📘
Our cover story spotlights filmmaker Beth Lane, whose powerful documentary UnBroken asks a daughter’s timeless, urgent question about memory, resilience, and family.
⁠
Beth also joined me on the Ojai Talk of the Town podcast to go deeper into the story behind UnBroken — listen here:
🎧 https://open.spotify.com/episode/4j0rZQ8UfXwsBkBRftwMpc?si=NBrro1QoSI2SemiF0wTwaw

⁠
Explore the full Winter issue — including features on Carrizo Plain’s rebirth, 30 years of Ojai coffee culture, Ojai’s photographers, and Sami Zahringer’s witchy mischief — all online at OjaiHub.com:
📖 https://www.ojaihub.com/

⁠
Pick up your copy around the valley, and let us know your favorite story from the issue!

Welcome to Ojai Hub. Your Central Source for Events, News & Living the Ojai life. Become an Ojai Insider with Weekly Updates Welcome to Ojai Hub. Your Central Source

11/27/2025

🎙️ NEW EPISODE — “From Punk Rock to Ojai Gardens: The Rochers at the Ranch House”

Perfecte & Alia Rocher have reimagined one of Ojai’s most iconic dining spaces — The Ranch House — with a Valencian-meets-Ojai philosophy rooted in flavor, history, and a touch of punk-rock attitude.

In this episode, we talk about:
• Perfecte’s culinary lineage from Spain’s mountains to Michelin kitchens
• His career-shaping selection as a stage from 2,000 hopefuls
• Influences from Ferran Adrià to Jonathan Gold
• Alia’s remarkable path through every corner of the restaurant world
• And the couple’s bold, deeply personal vision for The Rochers at the Ranch House

It’s a story about legacy, reinvention, love, and cooking for community.

🎧 Listen here: [insert link]
Follow them:
Follow the podcast:

11/22/2025

🔥 NEW EPISODE — Ojai Talk of the Town #259 🔥
This week we sit down with Saw & Brittany Naing, the husband-and-wife team behind Joplin’s, Ojai’s rock-and-roll BBQ roadhouse — and two of the creative forces who helped shape The Dutchess.

Saw grew up in Myanmar under military rule, fronting a heavy-metal band whose politically charged lyrics put him on the wrong side of the junta. He eventually traded stages for kitchens — Bouchon, Café Pinot, Tallula’s, The Dutchess — before becoming Ojai’s master of low-and-slow barbecue with a Burmese-Indian twist.

Brittany came through the music world too, running De La Vie TV before becoming beverage director at The Dutchess and creating Namari, the cult-favorite non-alcoholic amaro.

Together they built Joplin’s, a “food, drinks, rock & roll” haven where Texas BBQ meets Burmese & Indian flavors, local produce, and a playlist that slaps.

We talk second acts, reinvention, risk, and Saw & Brittany’s wildly creative journey from Rangoon to East Ojai Ave.

🎙️ Listen now:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6dZ7dqOQbYwuimKxQv6gZq

📍 Learn more: joplinsojai.com

11/20/2025

🎙️ VINTAGE EPISODE: Chloé Zhao in Ojai

With her acclaimed film "Hamnet" in contention for awards season, it is a great time to repost this episode with Academy Award–winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao. She joins the Ojai Podcast: Talk of the Town for a deeply personal, wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, home, resilience — and why Ojai has become such a powerful creative anchor in her life.

Fresh off Eternals and still riding the wave of Nomadland — the film that made her only the second woman ever to win Best Director and the first woman of color to win Best Picture — Zhao opens up about:

✨ How Ojai shaped her work and grounded her during career rocket-fuel
✨ Frances McDormand living in Vanguard — in Zhao’s Ojai driveway — while preparing for Fern
✨ How Ojai thrift stores helped create Fern’s look (which earned McDormand her third Oscar)
✨ Zhao’s childhood love of manga and how it prepared her for the MCU
✨ Her obsession with western landscapes across Songs My Brothers Taught Me, The Rider, and Nomadland
✨ The moment — right after the Thomas Fire — she knew Ojai was home
✨ Teasers about future projects, from Bass Reeves to Dracula to Mongolia

We did not discuss Lincoln Logs, Ukrainian air-defense systems, or taimen fishing. Maybe next time.

If you love filmmaking, creativity, Ojai stories, or just hearing brilliant people talk about what shapes them — this is a must-listen.

🎧 Listen now — https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ETdXqymSRODwx3TtWYMMY?si=rIVgDAZdSiq_P9wzF_o7qg
Follow, share, and help spread the word!

11/19/2025

🎙️ EPISODE ALERT 🎙️
We had the pleasure of sitting down with two extraordinary artists: Isaac Koren and Mikael Jorgensen (of Wilco-adjacent fame). They joined us fresh from the release of their powerful new album “Cycling”, which they premiered Saturday evening at the historic El Roblar Hotel before a packed house.

In the episode we dive deep into:
• The inspiration behind The Expandards—how they blend improvisation, collaboration, and the spirit of the American Songbook.
Mikael Jorgensen
+2
EXPANDARDS
+2

• The unique chemistry between them: Isaac’s evocative vocal delivery and Mikael’s unconventional keyboard/synth approach.
Mikael Jorgensen
+1

The Expandards sold out the show at the El Roblar Hotel, delighting the audience with their band - another keyboardist, drummer and a trio of vocal talents.
• How this record reflects themes of loss, new life, creativity, and connection.
EXPANDARDS
+1

▶️ Listen now: [Spotify link]
✨ Know someone who loves boundary-pushing music? Tag them below and share the sound.

📸

01/17/2025

Episode 221 is out! In this episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, we sit down with Jessica Thompson, owner of Green Goddess Garden, to discuss the vital steps homeowners and communities can take to protect their properties from the ever-present threat of wildfires. With recent devastation in Pacific Palisades and Los Angeles serving as a stark reminder, Jessica shares her expertise on creating defensible spaces, adopting responsible building practices, and restoring native plants to enhance resilience.

We also explore the benefits of drought-tolerant landscaping and how these practices intersect with Ojai’s thriving citrus industry, a cornerstone of our local economy. Whether you're looking to safeguard your home or support sustainable land stewardship, this episode offers practical advice and a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities facing our community in fire-prone Southern California.
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/bret-bradigan/episodes/Hot-Tips-to-Keep-Your-Property-Cool-Wildfire-Wisdom-with-Jessica-Thompson-of-Green-Goddess-Gardens-e2tjp6g
https://calearth.org/pages/our-founder

In this episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, we sit down with Jessica Thompson, owner of Green Goddess Garden, to discuss the vital steps homeowners and communities can take to protect their properties from the ever-present threat of wildfires. With recent devastation in Pacific Palisades and Los Angel...

12/20/2024

Catching up with our dear friend and one of our favorite Ojai artists, the "adventure cartoonist" Lucy Bellwood:

In this episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, we sit down with Lucy Bellwood, the adventure cartoonist behind beloved works like Demon Dialogues and Baggywrinkles. Known for her vibrant illustrations and thoughtful reflections on creativity, this Ojai-raised artist has returned after years in the Pacifi...

11/20/2024

Crazy fun talking with the Turtle Conservancy's founder Eric Goode about his latest hit documentary project, "Chimp Crazy," on HBO. Goode also talked about recent developments with Joe Exotic from "Tiger King," and his newest documentary series about the illegal exotic reptile trade.

In this podcast episode, Eric Goode, founder of the Turtle Conservancy and an acclaimed conservationist, opens up about his latest project, Chimp Crazy. Following the success of Tiger King, which helped pass the Big Cat Safety Act, Goode aims to do the same for chimpanzees. The show shines a spotlig...

01/05/2024

Fun discussion with Kit Stolz on his epic journey from Mexico to Canada along the 2,560-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail.

In this reprise edition, writer and frequent OQ contributor Kit Stolz talks about his epic walkabout, covering every one of the 2,560-miles of Pacific Crest Trail, from the deserts along the border with Mexico, to touching the fence that separates the U.S. from its northern neighbor in Washington St...

11/02/2023

Check out this wide-ranging discussion with return guest Mark Frost on the WGA strike, the future of writers in an AGI world and Ojai's exceptionalism.

Author and screenwriter Mark Frost grew up in a show business family, worked at famous Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, before heading to Hollywood to work for Steven Bochco, who revolutionized television with "Hill Street Blues," where Mark as on the writing crew with David Milch and also worked wit...