Nearby Ventura is this artist town called Ojai (pronounced Oh-Hai). It’s inland in the Northeast direction and was recommended to me during a passing conversation. We went off the highway track, and started to quarrel because she wanted to stay the beaten path. And so we did. But visit Ojai for us if you like. All I know is that Artists live there.
Then we continued east-ward, still hugging the coastline. The highway would become more clogged up with cars, and the surrounding slowly became less beautiful. At some point, Highway 101 (or Highway 1, depending) is a straight and narrow course, and doesn’t line the coast any longer. No longer do we pass cities/towns and so Thousand Oaks, Malibu and Santa Monica are just bypassed as we keep the straight and narrow.
We follow the signs toward Freeway 134 toward Pasadena as dusk settles into the dark of night, and finally arrive in Pasadena, checking into the hotel booked by our contact there.
Pasadena is a rich place. A nice new old town, with all the conveniences offered by modern civilization. We walked the entire town and ate at Mi Piace restaurant, an expensive and Italian place with good food, but I’d stay off the seafood if I were to go again.
Then, ice cream at this great place called 21 Choices. Can’t remember the name, but you have to try their original style of ice there!
