Ojai Valley News Blog

Dec. 11, 2012

Kari Rodems, OVN correspondent
This year’s Meiners Oaks Holiday Stroll is taking place Saturday, from 5 to 8 p.m. on El Roblar Drive in Meiners Oaks.
“The Holiday Stroll is a really mellow time — everyone comes out together and enjoys some hot chocolate and great music,” explained Meiners Oaks Business and Artist Association (MOBAA) president and co-founder Patricia Cardinali.
Attendees are invited to stroll, shop, eat and join Cardinali in caroling, starting at 7 p.m. at Cardinali Brothers Music. “There’s a great sense of community,” Cardinali added. “It’s a sweet family thing.”
MOBAA, she shared, “was formed to create community and support business and art in Meiners Oaks.”
With the Holiday Stroll, MOBAA’s 50-plus members seek not only to celebrate the holiday season but also to encourage residents to get to know Meiners Oaks a little better.
”Each year the Holiday Stroll seems to encapsulate the best of what Meiners Oaks has to offer,” Cardinali noted. “For instance, we really want for the whole community to get to experience some of the new businesses that have come into MOTown, like Bookends, the new bookstore, it is amazingly beautiful!”
Jeweler David Whipple, of David Whipple Goldsmith, said people are often surprised by all the things they find in the community. “Meiners Oaks is such a great little place,” he said. “People love coming because it’s casual.”
Whipple’s shop will host an old-fashioned cake walk, and, for a $2 buy-in, visitors will get a chance to win a number of cookies, cakes and other goodies. All proceeds will go to the Humane Society of Ventura County, which is based in Ojai. “We wanted to help the Humane Society — a couple bucks here and there, they really need all they can get,” Whipple said.
Several other merchants will be hosting activities at their shops, as well. Next to Whipple’s, the Lennon family will be performing live music on the patio at Papa Lennon’s restaurant. Further east on El Roblar Drive, Cardinali Brothers Music will also offer live music throughout the evening as well as snacks and hot chocolate, courtesy of Ben DiGregorio, owner of I Cook, You Eat.
Smart Start Child Development Center, next door to Cardinali’s, will be offering a chance to make gingerbread houses.
Living Aikido Martial Arts will play host to a visit from Santa Claus, as well as the MOTown Marketplace, which will feature locally-made items.
Oak Grove School is providing a craft table for kids to make their own holiday ornaments.
Summer’s Dawn Massage is having an open house party and will host some arts and craft vendors.
Many other Meiners Oaks businesses and groups will have events and activities as well, and a raffle is a planned and will feature several prizes. Attendees will get a sticker to add to their raffle cards for each business they visit; they’ll then turn in the card to be entered into the raffle (no purchase necessary).
Businesses will be open late, and there’s no charge for admission.
For more information, see www.meinersoaks.org, search “Meiners Oaks Annual Holiday Stroll” on Facebook, or contact event coordinator, Summer McComas at 746-6476.