Meet Your New Neighbors

Ryan Ashley Rosenthal arrived in Tehachapi over the summer when her family moved to Bear Valley from Santa Clarita. They felt it was time to get away from the city.

Ryan was born in Mission Hills, California but said that she lived in Missouri, Mississippi, Texas and Nevada during her first four years of life. This was due to her father’s work in food distribution. She said that she enjoys all outdoor activities; however, it is singing that is a real passion for Ryan. In high school she was involved with both show choir and theater. She was asked to perform Taylor Swift’s “Long Live” at her high school graduation.

Ryan has worked in food service since she was 16. In Santa Clarita she worked for Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor and here in Tehachapi she can be found at Big Papa’s Steakhouse.

Ryan said that she has always loved animals. She has a bird named Henry, two cats, two turtles and a Banana Python named Valentine. While she was living in Santa Clarita, Ryan volunteered for the Gentile Barn Rescue where she had the chance to work with horses. She said that she plans to become a large animal vet and has begun her journey at Bakersfield Community College where she is currently studying biology.

Welcome to Tehachapi, Ryan.

When Jan Caloff finally sold what had been her mother’s house in Granada Hills, California she followed the recommendation of friend from work and looked at Tehachapi as a place where she and her animals could be comfortable in retirement.

Jan was born in Los Angeles and is her parents’ only child. She was raised in Claremont where she attended elementary school. She went to college in nearby LaVerne and earned her Masters of Science degree from Cal Poly. Jan taught middle school in the Los Angeles Unified School District but eventually went on to school in Davenport, Iowa to get a degree in chiropractic. She returned to California to practice in the San Fernando Valley. She has one son, Joseph, who lives in Tarzana and works at The Lake House restaurant at Woodley Lakes Golf Course.

Now retired, Jan has arrived in Tehachapi with her animals. For many years Jan has raised and rescued Pugs and she currently has eight as well as one Golden Retriever. She has two cats, Lucy and Blue, a 30 year old parrot named Paco, who she acquired at the age of six months. She rides an Arabian horse she calls Tex but whose registered name is Khody’s Dandy. (For Arabian horse lovers, he is a double Khemosabi grandson). Jan told me that she has had Arabian horses for over 40 years.

Shortly after her move to Tehachapi, Jan broke her foot and was laid up at the time of our visit. She said she was very thankful for the help of her landlady and friends. By now she should be up and horsing around again. Welcome, Jan. Tehachapi is delighted you chose to move here.

Last fall, Debra and Hugh Meadows moved to Tehachapi after a short time in Palmdale. They had moved there from the Los Angeles area. Debra is semi-retired from many years in the film industry where she worked as a make-up artist and hairdresser. She said that she still works once in a while when she’s needed. Hugh is not yet retired and is a supervisory electrician. It was primarily Tehachapi’s natural surroundings as well as the room for all their animals that drew them away from the desert.

Debra was born in Boston and grew up in Rhode Island, the youngest of six children. It was the California weather that originally brought her to Los Angeles where she worked at her craft. It was on a trip to Florida to visit her sister that she met Hugh. Although he was born in Florida, he also was living in Hollywood.

Debra and Hugh are both accomplished horseback riders and carriage drivers. They have two miniature horses that are trained to pull carts. They also have two gorgeous Great Danes who are actually bigger than the horses. Debra keeps three alpacas who supply her with fiber which she uses for her spinning and weaving activities; a hobby she is really looking forward to continuing in Tehachapi. Once you add the family chickens, the Meadows have a full back yard.

A big “Tehachapi Welcome” to Debra, Hugh and family.

If you have moved to the Greater Tehachapi Area within the last six months and would like to know more about your new community, call 661-822-8188. We will be happy to make an appointment for a hostess to come by and give you lots of helpful information, some valuable coupons, gifts and much more. Many families and individuals who come to the area are pleasantly surprised with the amount of knowledge they gather about their new home. Publishing your welcome article is completely voluntary and is not a requirement of being welcomed.