lori anna stern | culinary and textile artist, founder of LAS granolas | ojai.
SPOTLIGHT ON OJAI | LORI ANNA STERN.
Name: Lori Anna Stern
Age: 29
Star sign: Taurus
Hometown: Ojai, CA
Where do you live now? Santa Barbara, CA
Describe yourself in 3 words or less: Creative, cool, comical.
Tell us about your business...I’m a personal chef with a focus on gluten-free, organic pastries and cakes. I have also recently started a granola company, LAS!
How often do you get to Ojai? I go to Ojai every couple of weeks. I have family and close friends that live there, so I come up with excuses to visit quite often.
What makes Ojai so special? Ojai is a really unique town. I believe the population is less than 10,000. The city really promotes local businesses, which keeps Ojai unique and quaint.
Favorite place to caffeinate? It has to be Farmer & The Cook. It has been so wonderful seeing how they have grown and expanded over the years. Best chai and scones in a 100mile radius.
Where to go for cool vintage finds? I’d recommend the thrift store across the street from the Ojai Roasting Co. on Signal Blvd.
Your ultimate Ojai weekend...brunch at an old friend’s house, a walk through the Ojai Foundation in the East end of town, a dip in the natural hot springs, a beer at the Deer Lodge, and then dinner at Farmer & The Cook, hopefully they would have some live music playing.
We want to watch the sun go down, where should we go? Hmm…there are so many places to watch the sun go down. I would recommend Meditation Mount! Or anywhere in Upper Ojai, which overlooks the valley and the sun nestles behind the glorious mountains.
Favorite hike? Just off Shelf Road, off Foothill Road. This hike is beautiful and you feel transported to somewhere completely different.
What are you listening to? Recently I’ve been rocking out to a couple of bands: She Keeps Bees, Sam Flax and the Rubies. I can never get enough of Feist, and I gotta give Gardens & Villa a shot out too.
And who is inspiring you right now? Right now I’m inspired by strong, confident and independent women business owners…go girls!
Words you live by...Be grateful for everything in your life / Always do your best / Be kind.
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