Ojai | Randy & Claire's Northern Michigan

We had a leisurely start to the day in Pismo beach. We slept in until almost 6:30! Claire did a power walk. I did a 3 mile run along the waterfront. We continued down the coast and headed to our favorite winery, the Fess Parker Winery in Santa Barbara County. Claire and I first discovered this place about 5 years ago when we were in Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving. We were out touring the wine country when we fell in love with Fess Parker’s. The reason we pulled in the first time is because I was a HUGE Fess Parker fan as a kid. Because I was born in the sixties and not the fifties, I first got to know him as Daniel Boone, and then later learned that he was Davey Crockett before he was Daniel Boone!

The winery is rustic and elegant at the same time. It actually has the feel we are hoping to capture in the house we are building in Michigan. Claire was just here with her sister last November and joined the Fess Parker Wine Club. However, it was a pain accepting deliveries because UPS would not leave it without us being home to sign for the package. So Claire cancelled the membership. But now that we are retired, we should be home most of the time to accept the shipment, and Claire re-joined while we were there.

We of course did a wine tasting, and bought a few bottles to take to the Alexes. From there we drove to the small town of Los Olivos and had lunch at Sides Hardware and Shoes. We had their famous fried brussel sprouts, pork belly tacos, and ceviche. The sprouts were exceptional, the ceviche was extraordinary, and the tacos were just too weird.

We ended the day in Ojai where we check into the Su Nado Inn; a very cool little place that is walking distance from everything. We had tapas at the Azu that were awesome! Our final dish was a baked honey and Brie dish, covered in pecans that you spread over crusty bread. Out of this world! Good thing I got a bit of exercise today, because I am eating way too much on this trip!