Everything’s Coming up Roses in Fillmore

Otto and Sons Nursery is the go-to spot for roses and all things garden

Story and photos by Adam Nuñez

Just a few miles outside of downtown Fillmore you’ll find the largest selection of roses this side of the Rocky Mountains. This is Otto and Sons, a nursery specializing in all sorts of roses – more than 800 varieties, in fact. Two acres are open to the public for perusing, and 36 additional acres are for growing a variety of fruit trees, perennial flowers, and of course, roses. Founded in 1975 by Otto and Jeanne Klittich in Chatsworth and relocated to Fillmore 3 years later, this is a true family-run business. Scott Klittich began working here in high school, and he and his family still diligently operate the nursery.Read More

Mystical Ojai and its crystal shops

Ojai is renowned for its special energy and spiritual undertones. Many stories have been told about the healing energy that Ojai and its famous vortex exude. But this is not yet another story about Ojai. Instead, we focus on three local women — Aleta Parrish, owner of Sorenity Rocks, Kara Bauer, owner of The Crystal Corner, and Meg Goodwin, owner of Nutmeg’s Ojai House — and their crystal shops. It is interesting that Ojai is known for its feminine energy, and that all of these shops are owned by women. All of them believe, as many ancient peoples did, that crystals are a sacred and powerful tool for healing from deep within Mother Earth.Read More

Light at Sensorio

Bruce Munro’s solar-powered light show is 15-acres of jaw-dropping joy in Paso Robles

By Misty Hall

Paso Robles: Land of gently rolling hillsides, dotted with oak trees, and blanketed in vineyards. During the daytime, it is a playground for wine lovers, with more than 200 wineries taking advantage of the many microclimates this topography affords. In the evening, there’s a totally different way to experience this landscape: Sensorio. With well over 100,000 color-changing lights spread across 15 acres of rural hills, this awe-inspiring spectacle has attracted world-wide attention in its four years of existence.Read More

The Piers of the Central Coast

Story and photos by Katherine McMahon

If you visit a beach on the Central Coast this summer, you may find yourself strolling out over the water on a wooden pier. Today, these structures are popular tourist destinations, but most were built for a very different reason. Back in the 1800s — long before Highway 101 was built — ships were the main suppliers of goods to this quickly-growing region. Piers allowed ships to offload their passengers and cargo much faster (and safer) than using the small barges of the past. These piers quite literally helped build the cities they belonged to. Once the railways and highways were built, the piers weren’t needed like before. Several of them fell into disrepair and were removed, but some were repurposed and have become beloved recreational features in their beach communities.Read More