12-19-03news3

Castaway contestant
featured at reception
By Jesse Phelps

Ojai's own "Survivor" contestant, Christa Hastie, is back in town after her month-long ordeal in the Pearl Islands.

After the challenge of competing in the latest "Survivor" season on an island off the Central American coast, Christa has returned to her roots in Southern California.

Andi Bloom, who runs Tottenham Court, a tea and gift shop in the Arcade, said it was "Christa's good nature and pleasant personality" that landed her the opportunity to be a part of television history.

She survived many weeks of harsh conditions and cutthroat competitions, which she discussed with the Ojai Valley News in Wednesday's edition. Throughout these events, Christa conducted herself with what Bloom termed "strength and intelligence."

Now Bloom will host a welcome home reception, where Ojai residents can meet Hastie, on Sunday Dec. 21, at the shop. Tottenham Court is located at 242 East Ojai Avenue and the reception will start at 12 p.m. and conclude around 4 p.m.

Hastie worked at Tottenham Court during her high school years, before she moved away to attend college at U.C. Irvine.

Bloom said interested people should bring their cameras and their questions. Also, people will have the opportunity to enter a free drawing for a chance to win "Survivor" items that Hastie brought back with her from the show.

"There's a T-shirt, maybe more than one, a backpack, a scarf, which is part of her dress that she cut up for everybody" and other items, said Bloom.

"She's going to talk to people," said Bloom. "She's a nice girl. She's very open and everyone can have her pictures taken with her. I'll figure out what kind of things we'll serve, but we won't serve spiders (in the tradition of Survivor)," Bloom said.

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