Ojai Valley Inn & Spa

Floating in a pool of weightlessness, staring into the vast expanse of mid-summer's starry night sky, while attempting to make out the faint constellations of corona borealis and virgo in the distance, I recalled the joys of an enchanting weekend spent at Ojai's Valley Inn and Spa.

Saturday
Taking a leisurely afternoon drive up Southern California's 101 Highway, the sleepy ranch town of Ojai, California was just a short 2 hour drive away, and a relaxing weekend of golf and massage treatments with my parents awaited. The quiet town tucked secretly into a secluded valley, promptly brought to mind visions of James Hilton's Shangri-la in the Lost Horizon. Passing numerous ranches and stables, we made the turn up the driveway, past the tennis courts and bike trails leading up to the Inn. The service provided by the valet, bellmen, concierge and other attendants was impeccable and soon we were checked in to our beautiful suite adjacent to hole #16 on the course, equipped with a remote control fireplace, fully stocked minibar and a well designed sedona-themed interior.

After settled in and feeling quite famished, we prepared ourselves for the short trek up to the Maravilla for our wonderful dining experience that evening that consisted of various amuses and:

1999 Niebaum-Coppola Rubicon - Rutherford (WS94)

salad
organic baby lettuce & micro greens
young fennel, pixie tangerines red hawk cheese crouton

appetizer
yellowtail & ahi tuna carpaccio
meyer lemon radish salad, sevruga caviar

main course
roasted nebraska corn-fed filet mignon
sonoma foie gras, fingerling potatoes in a petite syrah reduction

Sunday
more to follow...


http://www.ojairesort.com/