I met Carlina Bjork and her husband, Jeff, after they opened OCN Culture, bringing the spirit of “aloha” to downtown San Anselmo, and a great way to begin this new year!
What do you do?
I’m the co-owner of OCN Culture. I work alongside my two partners who are my husband, Jeff, and my best friend, Shashona (aka “Sho”). OCN Culture is a beach lifestyle brand. We are especially inspired by our collaborations with artists and creatives who embody aloha.
Where do you live? San Geronimo Valley.
How long have you lived in Marin? Since 1996.
Where can we find you when you’re not at work?
At home cooking, with friends or at Fitlab in Fairfax. Or, in Hawaii as much as we can. We especially love the Gold Coast area of Oahu.
If you had to convince someone how awesome Marin is, where would you take them?
Definitely lunch at Hog Island Oyster Co. in Marshall!
What’s one thing Marin is missing? A Korean BBQ restaurant.
What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites?
Help where and when we can. There are so many volunteer opportunities here, and the impact often goes beyond what we could imagine.
If you could invite anyone to a special dinner, who would they be?
Duke Kahanamoku. Or, my husband’s grandfather who he never met, as he was killed in action in Okinawa, Japan during WWII.
What is some advice you wish you knew 20 years ago?
You can do whatever you want. Start it as a side hustle. Lead with your intuition always. It’s OK if it doesn’t turn out like you thought. Keep learning and go with it.
What is something that in 20 years from now will seem cringeworthy?
Hopefully fast food?! At least the way it’s made currently.
Big question. What is one thing you’d do to change the world?
For all humans to have aloha towards each other. I’ll leave you with a quote by Duke Kahanamoku:
“In Hawai’i we greet friends, loved ones and strangers with Aloha, which means with love. Aloha is the key word to the universal spirit of real hospitality… Try meeting or leaving people with Aloha. You’ll be surprised by their reaction.”
Keep up with Bjork at @ocnculture on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
This is fantastic. I am so proud of you, not only because I am your father, but also because of the wonderful woman you are! Dad