FROM OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR

Although we all may be operating our businesses and our personal lives somewhat differently these days, there still appears to be an air of freshness and excitement ahead.

We at the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa are very sensitive to the changing times and understand the need now, more than ever, for all of us to stop and take a breath, spend quality time with friends, family and loved ones while being cautious yet optimistic about what lies ahead.

In this light, we have designed several opportunities for you to take advantage of a quick getaway, whenever your time alllows.

Our children seem to grow up so fast around us, that every moment you have to spend together as a family, seems precious. Perhaps our family golf package would be of interest, whereby your second room is complimentary, maybe a mother-daughter spa experience, or a family art class, a custom blending session, an afternoon of horseback riding in the Sespe Mountains, a surf lesson, mountain biking or just plain doing nothing at all!

The possibilities to relax, unwind, enjoy or retreat are a way of life in Ojai.

Please let us know if we can assist you in anyway.

Happy February and remember to enjoy each day!

Sincerely,

Janis Clapoff
Managing Director

ARTS & LEISURE

It just doesn't seem possible; January has come and gone and we are into February, celebrating "the month of chocolate"!

Last month we were thrilled to have welcomed Peter Greenberg as our first celebrity speaker at our Arts and Leisure Series. Peter spoke for 45 minutes on his newest book, "Don't Go There!", followed by a 30 minute question and answer period.

We are all looking forward to our February events featuring Susana Trilling, Oaxcan Chef and owner of the Seasons of My Heart Cooking School in Oaxca Mexico. Susana will be preparing a chocolate infused Dinner with our own Executive Chef, Jamie West on February 10th. Everyone will receive a signed copy of Susana's newest cookbook.

On February 27-28, we welcome Dave Romanelli, author, storyteller and yoga teacher extraordinaire. Dave, of "Yeah Dave Yoga"will take us through a two day event of Yoga and Chocolate.

In March we will welcome eco-fashion model, spokesperson for Natioanl Geographic Eco-TV and eco-fashion designer, spokesperson and author, Summer Rayne Oakes, who will speak about her newly launched book, "Style: Naturally".

We are anxious to share our world with you, so please do not hesitate to call anyone at the Inn for further information on our most current happenings.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Anna Olson
General Manager

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OUR NEW WEBSITE

We are thrilled to announce that our new website will go live this February. It will not only be easier to navigate through the various pages, but will offer the opportunity to visualize every room, the entire property, all of the various food and beverage facilities and all of the public space, you'll also be able to reserve a room in ten different languages. Technology is so amazing these days..there is a plethora of information and footage available to us all with the click of a button! Please take a virtual tour of our rooms, suites and the amazing Casa Elar.

You can almost smell the lavender on-line...

Please come visit us this month and share some chocolate with your Ojai Valley Inn friends.

Thank you for your support and patronage.

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DINING AT OJAI

Exciting things are happening in our outlets as well. Our Four Diamond Maravilla Restaurant is now available exclusively for Resort Signature Events as well as Group Dining and Catering functions. We will have seasonal Signature Events like those outlined above, coming on the heels of our successful Vintner and Mixology Dinners the last two months. Extensive international wine offerings are available from our “Best of Award of Excellence” Wine Spectator Cellar List.

The Oak Café features daily breakfasts with an expansive buffet weekend mornings. We feature regional fresh fruits and berries, smoked salmon, house made granola and made to order organic eggs, omelets and waffles.

The new menu at the steak and seafood themed Oak Grill features Prime steaks, chops and the freshest seafood available. We are very excited about the newly installed radiant heat flooring in the Oak Grill Terrace. This will give us year round comfort on the Terrace overlooking our award winning golf course and the amazing vistas across the valley to the Topa Topa mountains.

Jimmy’s Pub is always fun and we will be looking forward to televising the Super Bowl, NCAA basketball, pro hockey and all major sporting events on our 62” HD plasma screens in our classic and casual Pub environment. The Pub features award winning handcrafted California micro-brewed beers, signature margaritas, brick oven made to order pizzas and the best Angus burger in the Valley!

We are thrilled to announce that starting in February, our Neff Lounge will have live entertainment from 8pm - 12am, Wednesdays through Saturdays, commencing with grammy nominee, Kate McGarry on Friday February 6.

Keep tuned for some exciting changes forthcoming with the Spa Café and other venues on property.

Kevin McDonough
Director of Food and Beverage

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CHEF'S NOTES
From our Executive Chef: Jamie West

February is a new beginning here in the Ojai Valley.

It is cool outside and there is a sense of a new beginning in the air. We start the Month of February off with a celebration of Chocolate. As part of our Ojai Gourmand Series we present: A Mexican style chocolate dinner with Oaxacan Executive Chef, Susana Trilling, February 10th at 6PM in the Maravilla ($85.00).

We welcome Susana as she is the director of Seasons of My Heart Cooking School in Oaxaca, Mexico into our kitchen to prepare this interesting dinner including using her own Oaxacan chocolate. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to taste Authentic Flavors of Oaxaca and Mole’s.

It is always exciting to have a guest in the kitchen as it brings a new energy and a welcomed sense of camaraderie and education for all of us. It brings us inspiration as we move toward spring and all of the late winter foods into the kitchen.

We are also offering a  special Valentines menu to our guests in the Oak Grill and Maravilla. It is aspecial four-course dinner offered for the evening including oysters, surf and turf and strawberry passion for dessert. Call restaurant reservations at 1.805.646.1111 to save your seat now.

Our Organic Chef’s Garden has been planted for the spring with arugula, French breakfast radishes, Swiss chard, mustard greens, assorted varieties of baby lettuce along with basil, tarragon and chervil. We look forward to harvesting these items in early spring.

Please come visit us for dinner between the hours of 5:00pm - 6:30pm any Sunday through Thursday to enjoy our sunset dinner featuring a $40.00 all inclusive 3 course dinner.

We all look forward to welcoming you to any and all of our restaurants so you may have the opportunity to experience all that the Ojai Valley has to offer.

See you soon,

Jamie West
Chef

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GREEN INITIATIVES
“The Greening of Ojai..tips – tested and true..”

In 2004 when our main pool was constructed, solar energy and other green initiatives were already on our radar.

Given that the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa is located in Southern California, where the sun shines almost every day of the year, we opted to try the idea of the tried and tested radiant heating system, but with a twist.

Since swimming pool decks can become hot beds that sear your feet in Ojai, we decided to run poly tubing through the pool deck, in areas not normally inhabited by chaise lounges and tables.

A small pump runs pool water through this series of tubing imbedded in the concrete deck and back into the pool. Heat from the deck is absorbed into the water and that heat is expelled into the swimming pool. The benefit is two fold, the pool gets heated and the deck gets cooled.

During the summer months, our 2 pool heaters do not need to run at all to keep the pool a comfortable 82 degrees.

This very simple technology will be installed in our even larger new pool in the new Herb Garden pool facility this spring.

Brian Skaggs
Director of Engineering

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