A quick weekend getaway and the Turkey Veggie Wrap that is my new go-to lunch.
Plus, a bit of This & That.
Ojai has always held a special place in our hearts. For years, Andre and I would stay at the Ojai Rancho Inn, enjoying long weekends by the pool, cooking dinner in our room with the little kitchenette, and taking afternoon naps in the hammocks under the trees. Still, as our family grew, the small rooms could no longer contain us, and we moved over to stay at their sister hotel, The Capri, once Bruno arrived. The hotel is great for families. The rooms were remodeled a few years ago and it has a big pool, jacuzzi, and grassy field perfect for dinner picnics, playing hide and seek, and letting kids run around and get some energy out.
This past weekend, we headed up for a quick two-day vacation, as it will probably be the last time we're in Ojai for quite some time. Our boys are very early risers, so we would grab a coffee in the hotel lobby each morning and head to Rainbow Bridge to get the multigrain pancake, a forever family favorite. Then, it was an hour hanging at Libbey Park (one of the best playgrounds) and then back to the hotel for endless swimming with the kids, a nap for Bruno, and lunch poolside.
A great lunch to enjoy by the pool is the Margheritaville Pizza and salty, soft pretzels from Pinyon, which are always delicious and easy to eat at the hotel. Dinner out with kids can definitely be challenging in Ojai. We wanted to try Rory's Place this time, as we had never been, but we would not recommend it as a place to take kids. While we enjoyed the crudo, oysters, and herb salad, it was a wild ride, with Bruno trying to destroy everything on the table and the sweltering Ojai heat pushing the other two into hysteria.
After the chaos of dinner, the delicious gelato at Sanders & Sons managed to turn everyone's mood around, and once we got back to the hotel, the kids got to run around with new friends. And, by some miracle, we all managed to be in bed by 8:30pm, which definitely felt like a win for us parents!
Before returning to Venice on Sunday afternoon, we grabbed a box of popsicles at the local market and enjoyed them on the ride home. Goodbye for now, Ojai! Until next time!
Turkey Veggie Wraps
This Turkey Veggie Wrap was one of my go-to lunches during the cleanse. Here's my favorite combination, but the variations are endless, as it's a great way to use up whatever veggies you have. For the wrap, I mainly used Soy Sesame Wraps I found at Erewhon and Coconut Wraps from Gelson’s, but feel free to play around with different ones to see what you like best.
TURKEY VEGGIE WRAPS
Makes 1 wrap
1 wrap of choice
1 teaspoon mayo (I like the Chosen Foods brand)
2-3 turkey or chicken slices
2-3 thin avocado wedges
6 small cucumber sticks
A handful of microgreens
Lemon
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Optional: drizzle leftover salad dressing on the microgreens
Place your wrap on a flat surface like a cutting board. Spread a thin layer of mayo on the left side of the wrap. Next, layer the turkey slices, avocado, and cucumbers on top of the mayo side of the wrap. Top with microgreens, a squeeze of lemon juice (or leftover salad dressing), a sprinkle of sea salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Carefully roll the wrap up to make a long roll. Cut in half and enjoy!
This & That
I'm obsessed with this Tahini Dip by Sunny Fine Foods. It's a perfect consistency and delicious on its own, mixed into salad dressings or as a spread on a sandwich or wrap. I can't get enough of it. I recently bought some at Gjusta Grocer, but it looks like they sell it at a bunch of markets and specialty food shops across LA. Here is their store locater so you can check it out.
Tongva Park in Santa Monica is a great place to take kids this time of year. It has an interactive play area with slides, a climbing wall, and a splash pad that will keep them busy for hours on a hot summer day.
My dear friend Leanne Citrone recently launched a wellness company called Udea Wellness with two products that really speak to me. The Mood Pill and The Hair Pill are science-backed formulas supporting balance and hormonal health, helping us feel our best daily. And the packaging and branding are stunning.
Our friend, Nikki, just turned us on to this album from Greek artist Stella out of Athens, and we are loving it: