Matthew and I awoke after a blissful night’s rest on a miracle mattress. We decided while it was still cool (less than 100 degrees) we would take a short hike that our hosts had recommended. We were able to walk a few blocks to the trail head and the trail was a loop that meandered through a large river bed. It was a matrix of trails and I sort of worried we were destined to be lost but Matthew used his All Trails and it turned out fine. We walked in the morning sun which was already oppressive and saw many locals walking dogs and taking them to swim in the tiny river.

After our walk we went to the Farmer and the Cook for breakfast. It was 9:00 am and the place was packed. We had avocado toast served with pickled onions and hot sauce on spelt bread. It was gorgeous.

We headed back to the Airbnb and began our holistic wellness program. We started with the sauna for 30 minutes, followed immediately by a cold plunge (I lasted 3 minutes). It turns out the tank was not at it’s coldest and after our host attended to it, he recommended we try it later in the day. He also talked about the physiological changes that our bodies would experience moving from two extreme temperature changes. Apparently this helps with the development of brown fat which is a metabolic fire starter and decreases inflammation. It also, for the record, sort of hurts.

We drove into Ojai and did a little shopping before lunch. I encouraged my husband to try a new restaurant as he always goes to the same one. We chose one across the street from his usual spot called “Little Gem”. It was an adorable restaurant with French and Mediterranean influences. We had warmed olives to start with delicious cocktails. After the warm up, Matthew chose a salad and I had a warmed cauliflower and leek vichyssoise. They were truly amazing. We looked at the rest of the menu and decided we would return for dinner. I guess Matthew isn’t the only one that prefers to play it safe when they find a good spot.

We returned to the Airbnb and started the afternoon wellness session in the oxygenated jacuzzi. It actually felt great in spite of the hot afternoon air. We transitioned to the cold plunge and I was a bit horrified by the significant drop in temperature from the morning’s session. It was essentially a barrel that you lowered yourself into until you were up to your neck. This time even after I regulated my breathing I started to feel pain. After only two minutes I scrambled out with pains in my legs and a bit of terror in my heart. Matthew confirmed that his plunge was also more painful. I guess we like a cold plunge that isn’t too cold. After a short nap we showered and regrouped for our next meal.

We went back to Little Gem and this time we sat outside in their patio area. It had cooled down to like 90 degrees so we sat in the shade and positioned ourselves so we could both people watch the main street, I had another spicy margarita (probably the best I’ve ever had) and we started with some chili spiced shrimp. It was awesome. That was followed by the steak frites and a chicken caesar salad wrap that we shared. It was really perfect. This was the end of a wonderful day marked by delicious meals, intentional wellness treatments and a whole lot of rest.