Life Can Be A Picnic: Vista Murrieta Teen Leads The Way

MURRIETA, CA — In November, 15-year-old Ava "Hoku" Dittmar was on a San Diego beach to celebrate her mom's birthday. The intimate family get-together was a Bohemian-styled picnic — everyone sitting on pillows, sharing delicacies and the art of conversation. It wasn't an expensive outing, more like an enchanting BoHo fantasy being lived out with loved ones on the Southern California sand.

The soiree got Ava thinking about starting a luxury picnic business.

"That really sparked my interest in event planning," the Vista Murrieta High School sophomore explained of the excursion. "While on the way back to our home, I started brainstorming ideas that we could implement if we had a luxury picnic business and people wanted to celebrate like we did."

Ava's had a little extra time on her hands to hash out the particulars of starting a business venture. In the "normal" world, she's a competitive swimmer. She surfs and snowboards. She plays the bassoon with her school's wind ensemble and the mellophone in the VMHS marching band — her musical talents have landed her in national competition alongside other Broncos' musicians. She is the VMHS Class of 2023 vice president, she serves in the school's Senate Leadership, and she maintains a 4.11 GPA while studying advanced coursework.

But when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Ava went from seeing about 4,000 students each school week to almost none. Vista Murrieta was shuttered, her school activities came to a screeching halt, and her face-to-face interactions with peers were limited to Zoom and Facetime.

"During the pandemic, all of my extracurriculars were canceled and I suddenly could not see any of my friends," Ava said. "In the prime of my teenage years, everything felt like it was crumbling down because I didn’t have anything to do anymore other than homework. I tried multiple different activities over the quarantine like mountain biking or skating, however, I didn't have a passion for any of those things."

The slowdown concerned Ava's stepmom, Shelley Talboom.

"We started to get worried as we saw our intelligent, athletic, happy girl turn into a lethargic, quiet, and lonely teen. It broke our hearts, until one day we talked to her about investing in herself and starting to think about her future," Talboom explained. "With that thought, she was filled with ideas of how to invest in herself."

Then there was the beach day.

"Ava decided that she could start a picnic business as a safe way to get families to spend time together, outside of the house, doing something different and fun," Talboom said. "With that, she was off to the races and from that day she has been planning, developing, and implementing her little business."

On Jan. 12, Ava launched Hoku Hospitality, a luxury picnic business offering the complete package: delivery, setup, decoration, and clean-up services. Clients can choose a picnic theme — Ava has some ready to go, or picnickers can create a custom event.

Ava's two moms and her 12-year-old brother are her backup squad.

"We can set the picnics up at a variety of locations, such as parks or someone’s back yard," Ava explained. "We have multiple add-ons, such as games and charcuterie boards if someone wants those added to their picnics as well. After the clients leave, I come back and clean up the picnic table and decorations so they don’t have to lift a finger.

"Customers can book online or call and we also are implementing safety protocols due to COVID-19," Ava continued.

Hoku Hospitality now has a website, social media accounts, service agreements, and everything that goes into a business.

The launch has helped Ava navigate a difficult school year, and she's hopeful other teens might be inspired during these challenging times.

"The best part of going through this business process is actually a combination of things: I love getting to spend time with my two moms. I love learning about how to run a business and all the steps I must take. I love that I am investing in my future, and I love doing something other than school all day," Ava said. "I love expressing my creativity through picnics because it also results in other people having a good time."

The Vista Murrieta teen has yet to book her first paid picnic, but she said some are in the works. Her greatest picnics are undoubtedly ahead.

To learn more about Hoku Hospitality, including rates and services, visit Hoku Hospitality.

This article originally appeared on the Murrieta Patch