At Home With Ted Hoehn and Matt Clermont

Ted Hoehn and one-year-old son Monty greet me with cheery smiles at the gate of their Spanish-style home in Rancho Santa Fe. Both are all dressed up for the holidays, Ted in a plaid blazer from the Ascot Shop, and Monty in a red onesie. Together they show me the festive entrance courtyard, where the archway, festooned with garland, is flanked by a nutcracker toy soldier and a whimsical, roly-poly Santa, both much bigger than Monty, who giggles with delight at the sight. We are soon joined by Matt Clermont, Ted’s partner, for a tour of their home. The doorway frames a tall Christmas tree in the living room decorated with shiny Christopher Radko ornaments and handmade family mementos from Christmases past. “We both absolutely love the holidays,” says Ted. Adds Matt, “Our Christmas decorations are basically a series of collections that Ted has gotten carried away with.”

In the adjoining kitchen, a cabinet displays wooden Christmas figurines whittled by Matt’s grandfather. In the dining room, the fireplace mantel is lined with an ever-growing collection of nutcrackers — Matt gives one to Ted each year — and topped with Ted’s blown-glass art installation (he studied the craft for years, and also paints). But perhaps the centerpiece of the space is a shiny red ride-on Mercedes-Benz on the dining room table with Santa at the wheel. Monty, we are told, can’t wait to take it for a spin. The toy car bears a license plate that reads “Hoehn” for good reason.

Ted, vice president of Hoehn Motors, comes from a long line of car dealers, beginning with his great grandfather Theodore W. Hoehn in Memphis, Tennessee, during the 1920s. Theodore’s son, also named Theodore, expanded the business, later moving to La Jolla for what turned out to be a short-lived retirement. He bought a dealership in Carlsbad, followed by many more. Bill Hoehn, Ted’s dad, and his uncle Bob eventually took over the company, which now includes seven dealerships in Carlsbad and one in Temecula. A fourth generation of Hoehns, including Ted’s sister, Adrienne, and their cousins Jo Hannah and Susanah, all work in the family business.

Matt grew up in in Encinitas, graduating from La Costa Canyon High School and later, from University of California, Berkeley, where he was a history major. Since then, he has had a successful career as a consulting services director for health care systems before taking time off to care for Monty. 

“We met online about eight years ago, which is ironic because we lived ten minutes away from each other!” exclaims Ted, who graduated from Northwestern University, majoring in communication studies, and later earned an MBA from the University of San Diego. “But who knows, we may never have crossed paths otherwise.”

The couple married beneath the home’s entrance arches and later decided to start a family. “We wanted to be part of that beautiful human experience of having kids of our own, to create a legacy and contribute to the next generation,” explains Ted, adding that they also wanted to share their lives and experiences with a child “who would take it with him on his own journey,” and fill their home with “more joy and life.” 

Both men learned about giving back to the community from their families. Ted, his sister, and cousins head up a family foundation in honor of their late grandmother and give annually to children’s charities. As a couple, Ted and Matt are continuing the tradition by supporting local charities they are passionate about including Plant with Purpose, the San Diego LGBTQ Community Center, Boys & Girls Club, and Wildcoast. They are also involved with The San Diego Museum of Art, the La Jolla Music Society, Mainly Mozart, and the San Diego Automotive Museum, where Ted serves on the board and has been involved with Party in the Park, an annual fundraiser to support impoverished youth.

Matt loves to cook. Spaghetti and homemade meatballs are the couple’s favorite, along with seafood jambalaya, “salmon Sundays,” and big salads. Their go-to restaurants include Red Tracton’s, Healthy Creations for lunch, and Tony’s Jacal for a Mexican food fix. Matt likes to swim and both men keep in shape with hot yoga several times a week. They also enjoy walking the trails in Rancho Santa Fe.

The couple are looking forward to celebrating Christmas with their extended families. “Being North County boys, we are grateful and appreciate having both our families right down the street, so we get to stay home for the holidays,’’ says Ted. They also appreciate tradition and decoration. “The holidays are our time to light up the house with Christmas spirit, dress up in our finest, and eat good food while enjoying merriment with loved ones,” he adds. Special, too, are quiet nights at home with Christmas music playing and lights twinkling on the tree.

On Christmas Eve, the couple will invite family over to their house to enjoy the decorations followed by a service at their local church and a festive dinner at a local restaurant. On Christmas morning, they will gather around the fireplace with Monty and their two family-friendly dogs, both bulldog-beagle mixes known as “Beabulls.” Christmas Day will include a family brunch and gift exchange with Ted’s parents, Susan and Bill, and dinner with Matt’s family. No doubt that this season will be especially merry now that Ted and Matt have their own family.