Thacher House (Ojai, CA)
Last week, I took a very unexpected trip to Ojai, California. It was to take my nephew and his friend to tennis camp and my niece came as well (making me the adult in charge of 3 kids, a first!) I’m relieved to say that despite a rather hectic, kid-centric week with COVID overshadowing all we did, things went well, my health held up, the teenage boys are appreciative of the opportunity, and Sara/I are safely back home! I loved my time with them and these kids give me real hope for our future.
The one and only group picture we took!
The reason I am writing this post is to feature Thacher House, the bed & breakfast/inn/working farm and garden we stayed for the week, and it’s owner Calvin Zara. When we pulled up to the property, after 5 miles of winding/cliff edge driving, we were met with a large horizontal rusty metal gate and had to get down to unlock the manual padlock to get into the property and relock it when we drove in. This was a telltale sign of what this property is about: slow, deliberate, and patient. I knew Thacher House would be right up my alley and it overwhelmingly aligned with me! What I didn’t expect was what a highlight my conversations with Cal would be (I’m a sucker for learning people’s stories) and it was fascinating to hear his journey, including becoming a hotel owner. He is a self-taught, multi-tasker extraordinaire…one minute picking fabric for bedding, the next attending to his bread dough, the next drawing architect sketches of layouts for the new cottage, the next greeting his olive oil supplier friend. Carpenter, builder, cook, baker, interior designer, house rehabber, cheese maker, photographer, gardener, livestock farmer, antique collector of linens/silverware, and in a former life, financial planner. Cal has many varied interests in life and Thacher House is a culmination and reflection of his faith, dedication, hard work, and talents. He takes the decrepit and somehow draws beauty out of it.
We bonded over our roots, his in Iraq, and how they shape us for life, whether it’s his design principles or his approach to food. Speaking of which, he has a “no shortcuts” philosophy on food and believes in nourishing ourselves with organic, local, and sustainable goods. He bakes bread fresh daily and the boys would get excited for their breakfast loaf with the crusty outside and chewy inside accompanied with the homemade jams from the plum and apricot trees on the property. There’s a transparent 1-to-1 relationship with the food he puts on the table and the source, his livestock or garden. He’s mindful about waste and his footprint on the planet. His keen attention to every detail and love of repurposing has resulted in rugged, rustic luxury. It’s awesome that he’s not into social media or marketing; it’s all word of mouth for Thacher House. Reflecting on my conversations with Cal made me appreciate that he is a man who has forged his own path in unknown territory and laid claim to his corner of the world. Thankfully for the rest of us, we are invited to get a glimpse and inevitably ponder the question, “is there anything Cal can’t do?”
Note that there is no WiFi on the property, except in the main house. Also, all sorts of creatures roam the canyon (we saw a rattlesnake on our first night and there was an unexpected guest in our room in the form of a frog.) It’s intentionally super secluded to unplug, bask in the quiet, and appreciate nature. Admittedly, ours wasn’t a typical stay (e.g. - a weekend escape from LA) between the boys tennis schedules and keeping Sara entertained because we were on the road a ton (I got pretty used to the 5 mile/15 mph cliff drive into/out of the property), however, I am grateful for the experience and our lives were enriched staying at the Thacher House.
** There is so much going on at the property (design, food, farming, nature, etc.) that make it unique and I tried to capture some of it. **
Take a moment to click on *each* row of pictures below to view a bigger photo…it’s worthwhile, I promise!!
Impeccable design elements throughout the property: the main house, the great room with 7,000 records (!), the dining area
Gnarly cacti
Sorbet made from 3 ingredients: frozen plum and cherimoya + honey
The dreamy kitchen where a lot of magic happens! That’s the view from the kitchen sink…and Cal’s handmade cabinetry
Calvin is an avid cutlery collector. These are his vintage auction finds of precious stone, Tiffany, and Christofle.
Manchego cheese made from the goats and sheep who reside on the property
Fresh eggs from the chickens (some are blue!)
Sourdough bread baked fresh daily with the 11 year old starter. Breaking bread, with your hands, is a purposeful way to enjoy the loaves.
Citrus grove with pomelos, lemons, oranges, grapefruit and more
Treats!! Chocolate chip/walnut cookies, avocado from trees on the property, and the best chocolate soufflé I’ve ever had
8:15pm (unintentional panorama) view from our cottage…the river runs in between here…peep the moon
Calvin encouraged us to go hiking from this spot on his
property to the trail that leads to spectacular waterfalls…
we
didn’t get to it this time. Hope to in the future!!