Our Ojai Story
Coming Home
Tasting Experiences That Inspire.and thirty certified Balsamics from Italy to the Ojai community.
“We create experiences that enrich everyone.”
(with rare exceptions)
The story begins in 1974. Michael Mendizza, a young filmmaker, drove his vintage Volkswagen to the Oak Grove to hear Krishnamurti. He came again the next year and discovered a video crew recording the talks. Michael introduced himself and offered his services, thus beginning a fifty-year engagement with ‘the speaker’ and his legacy; three feature documentaries, a collection of thirty theme videos on meditation, fear, the sacred and many more, a personal relationship with Krishnamurti and renown physicist David Bohm, two books, plus a global collection of over one hundred personal interviews with those closest to Krishnamurti, his schools, and his foundations.
In 2001 Michael met Z, a volunteer at the Krishnamurti Foundation, who soon became his Czech bride. The couple settled in the Pierpont Cottages on the east end of the Ojai valley, a few hundred yards from the KFA. Encouraged by Primavera Gallery, Michael and Z moved to Solvang and opened ZFolio, a gallery featuring art glass from the Czech Republic, designer jewelry and Michael’s large format floral and seascape photography. A few years later they opened a second location on Cannery Row, near the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
An olive oil and balsamic tasting room opened near the Monterey gallery and quickly became their holiday shopping destination. A few years later they opened the Solvang Olive Press. Despite COVID, to their amazement the Solvang Olive Press flourished and soon became the most popular venue in Solvang. Visitors would rave about the quality, the diversity and the unique way everyone was invited and educated as they discovered a new world of perfect-pair flavor sensations.
Wanting to share this amazing tasting adventure with their Ojai community, Michael visited the retiring owners of the Human Arts Gallery. That time is now.
It is all about the experience. The Ojai Olive Press features an international, always evolving, northern and southern hemisphere, ‘highest quality standards in the world,’ collection of Extra Virgin Olive Oils, mild to robust. Truffle and other specialty oils. Fifteen DOP certified barrel aged dark, and fifteen-barrel aged white balsamics from the province of Modena, Italy, where Balsamic originated in the 11th century. It does not get any better than that. They offer nurturing olive oil skin care, imported Italian pasta market, and art glass, wood craft and photography boutique.
Barrel Aged Balsamic in Modena, Italy
Studies from UC Davis and Europe show; 70% to 90% of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil sold in the market do not qualify for the label. Cuneiforms dating back 3,000 years document rampant fraud in olive oil production and labeling, which serves as the foundation for Ojai Olive Press ‘highest standards in the world,’ benchmark. They serve quality you can trust.
People ask, what is your favorite flavor? “It depends on what is cooking.” Far from competing with local producers, Michael and Z compliment and expand the olive oil-balsamic pairing experience of the Ojai community with unique, international selections, knowledge and diversity. With so many amazing flavors, literally hundreds of pairing possibilities, everyone needs a map. Michael researched and authored a Pairing Guide, cross referencing the best pairing flavors with whatever is on the menu.
“We love what we do. Ultimately it is all about happiness, experience and knowledge. That is the core value supporting the Ojai Olive Press. The more knowledgeable and experience clients have, the more they enjoy sharing these world class flavors with family and guests. Everybody wins. Plus, the health benefits are well known and impressive. There is no better gift than sharing health and happiness.”
Michael and Z
