Over my two decades of visiting Ojai , which lies about 80 miles north of my home in Los Angeles, much has changed, but never the light. I was roaming the main drag, wondering when East Ojai Avenue, which I usually think of as low-key and bohemian, got so fancy. As I stood in front of Ali Golden , a hyper-curated boutique that sells cute dresses and ceramics, the late-afternoon light hit. The sun dipped behind the Topatopa Mountains, and the street was bathed in an ethereal glow of fuchsia and purple known by locals as the “pink moment.” Instantly, I was reminded of what makes this town feel so magical. That evening, I met my friend Sarah for dinner at the Dutchess . By day it’s a bakery known for its cakes and pastries, but at night, it transforms into a Burmese-Californian restaurant where chef Saw Naing serves dishes inspired by his Indian grandmother. We ordered rum-coconut-passionfruit cocktails, followed by a hearty lamb curry with naan and a tea-leaf salad. The tasting pergola at Walson Holland.…