Feature

Getting the flavor of...The om of Ojai

Seated at the bottom of the Topatopa Mountains, Ojai is a haven for philosophers, artists, and anyone seeking a little relaxation.

The om of Ojai
In the little California town of Ojai, “serenity prevails,” said Madeline King Porter in the Los Angeles Times. Seated at the bottom of the Topatopa Mountains, this town just north of Ventura is a haven for philosophers, artists, and anyone seeking a little relaxation. My “home base” for the weekend, Pepper Tree Retreat, was originally the guesthouse of Jiddu Krishnamurti, the Indian teacher and philosopher. Welcomed with a hug, I could feel the “peace and harmony” immediately. I stayed in that “lovely frame of mind” as I set off to meet local artists and visit their studios. Ojai hosts an annual Studio Artists Tour, but most artists welcome visitors year-round. I walked among Sandy Wolk’s “primitive, soothing” sculptures, admired Leslie Clark’s “startlingly beautiful scenes” of Saharan nomadic life, and visited the Beatrice Wood arts center to observe the work of Ojai’s “best-known artist,” who died in 1998. “Ah, the serenity”—found in just one afternoon. (Contact: ojaivisitors.com)

Buffing up on a Florida beach
My trips to Florida usually entail “sipping cocktails and reading trashy magazines on the beach,” said Nancy Trejos in The Washington Post. Not this time. I was taking a “deprivation vacation,” subjecting myself to a trend that has turned stays at some fitness camps into stiff tests of willpower. Upon enrolling in Core Fitness Solution, a fitness boot camp in Madeira Beach, I swore off caffeine, carbs, sweets, and alcohol, and promised to wake up at 6:30 a.m. each day. And for three days, I did. I sweated through four to seven fitness classes a day, ate chef-prepared low-calorie meals, and met with a nutritionist and a life coach to learn healthful habits. Each night, I went to bed in pain. One morning, I made a quick escape to grab a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. Yet, when the weekend was over, I had not only lost a few pounds, I also walked away with a new plan for a healthy lifestyle. “We’re not looking for perfection,” I was told. “We’re looking for better.” (Contact: corefitnesssolution.com)

Recommended

The Check-In: Celebrating Juneteenth in D.C.
The Washington Monument behind the "Stone of Hope" statue
Feature

The Check-In: Celebrating Juneteenth in D.C.

Regions around the world are adapting to climate change in real time
Flooded cemetery in Jakarta
In depth

Regions around the world are adapting to climate change in real time

Ukraine says Kahkovka dam destruction won't derail counteroffensive
Flooding in Kherson after dam failure
A wash

Ukraine says Kahkovka dam destruction won't derail counteroffensive

The rise of airplane near collisions
Plane flying past control tower
Briefing

The rise of airplane near collisions

Most Popular

Ban the Bible?
Holy Bible.
Briefing

Ban the Bible?

Apple fixes its 'ducking' autocorrect problem
Girl looking down at iPhone.
duck yeah

Apple fixes its 'ducking' autocorrect problem

DOJ reportedly tells Trump he's a target of criminal investigation
Donald Trump
Famous Firsts

DOJ reportedly tells Trump he's a target of criminal investigation