ojai summer party
my husband, his best friend whitney, and our friends paige and kelly from bash please
decided to host a big party at the ojai rancho inn for no other reason than to celebrate summer. and so the first annual flashbash barbecue was born!
other than the barbecue, my favorite time was the early morning hike to meditation mount that we took before the party began. the stillness and beauty grounded us in why we were there. throughout the beautiful garden there are statements etched in stone that in so many ways reflected the purpose of our gathering.
right human relations
the inclusive practice of loving understanding that treats all beings with respect and dignity
goodwill
a powerful and abundant energy that nourishes the greatest good for all life
group endeavor
collaborative energy that moves us to think and act purposefully together on behalf of the whole
a lot of things happened over the course of the four days that i was out there. we had a great family pool party but also had the opportunity to have late night and early morning conversations about life and raising our children. i value these conversations even more than the party itself. i can't wait for next year!
i kept hearing a lot of "i feel like i'm in someone's backyard" which to me is a huge compliment. it meant everyone felt right at home. the children were able to run around freely as we were collectively looking after each other. for me, this means everything. i don't live near my family and to know that my little ones are being looked after by their auntie or uncle friends is such a treat. some highlights below!
a big milestone for francesca - she can now wave hello!! (perfect timing ojai)
lots of silly pool time...
and water balloons...
my sweet friend cleo brought beads and leather strings to make necklaces - such a hit!
music by papa
baby francesca and sailor were definitely more than parallel playing. she wanted his toys!
movie projecting and s'mores after dark
and an evening outing to see the infamous "pink moment" and dinner at boccali's
when we returned to LA, i met up with james, denise, and jordana for some shopping on olvera st. it was so great to finally spend some time with james after knowing each other for a couple of years on social media. so happy her and the family were able to come out!
