Local Buzz covers new businesses, restaurants, closures, local politics, goings on around town and other buzzworthy items in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County. Have a lead? Contact us. Click here for an archive of Local Buzz postings.
Local Buzz covers new restaurants, closures, local politics, goings on around town and other buzzworthy items in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County. Have a lead? Contact us. Click here for an archive of Local Buzz postings.
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Corrigan’s Steak House in Thousand Oaks closed its doors in late 2018. The building was sold and has undergone remodeling since then. Today, the signs of the new eatery went up - “Old Oaks Steakhouse.” No other details or time frame at this point. There is a website at oldoakssteakhouse.com that presumably is associated with this new eatery.
Cafe Ficelle opened on Wednesday, April 10th at 1710 Thousand Oaks Blvd, across from Denino's Pizza. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Beautiful buildout. www.cafeficelle.com
The 2024 Thousand Oaks Reads: One City, One Book (OCOB) selection is The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi! OCOB is a citywide literary event that encourages community members to collectively read and discuss the same book.
Alka Joshi’s debut novel, The Henna Artist, is set in post-Raj 1950s Jaipur and follows Lakshmi — a skilled henna artist and confidante to the upper class — as she navigates the delicate balance between her dreams of independence and the shadows of her past. Books are available in paperback, large print, eBook, and eAudiobook, and are now available at both libraries.
An Afternoon with Alka Joshi is the culminating author talk, discussion, and book signing. This program will be held on Sunday, April 28 at 2:00 pm in the Bank of America Performing Arts Center - Fred Kavli Theatre. FREE TICKETS are required for this event. Digital tickets are now available via Ticketmaster. Paper tickets will be available starting April 1 at both libraries. Friends of the Library members will enjoy priority entry 30 minutes before the event. For membership information, visit the library information desks. For more details, visit www.tolibrary.org/ocob. One City, One Book is generously sponsored by The Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library.
OCOB Kick off with Chili Beatz & Beautiful Henna with Suchita
Kick off this year’s One City, One Book with Southern California's top Bollywood band, Chili Beatz. Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of live Bollywood music. Additionally, Suchita, an experienced henna artist with more than 20 years of skill, will be offering small henna designs during the Chili Beatz concert. This program will be held on Saturday, March 30 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Grant R. Brimhall Library.
Henna 101 with Henna Me Beautiful
Learn about the history of henna, and the basics of how to create simple and beautiful design elements. Henna Me Beautiful's lead artist, Afshan Khan, is certified through ICNHA (International Certification of Natural Henna Arts). With her guidance you will learn how to create beautiful henna designs. Best suited for teens and adults. Materials and supplies provided. This program will be held on Saturday, April 6 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room. Space is limited. Registration required.
Tea Tasting with Alaya Tea
Join us to try a variety of teas! Alaya is an Indian, women-owned tea company. Their name comes from “Himalaya,” a region where some of the finest teas grow and thus, inspired the founders Esha Chhabra and Smita Satiani to build a tea company. This program will be held on Sunday, April 7 from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room. Space is limited. Registration required.
Dot Mandala Crafternoon
Transform a compact mirror into a vibrant mandala masterpiece. This program will be held from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 13 in the Newbury Park Library Art Gallery, and on Sunday, April 21 in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room. Registration required.
Kathak Dance Demo & Follow Along with Sona Lewis
Indian classical “Kathak” dance artiste and performer Sona Lewis will present Kathak dance. There will be a “follow-along” segment for anyone who wants to learn more about Kathak. No prior dance knowledge is needed. Sona Lewis is a Kathak Indian Classical Dance Instructor, Choreographer and Artiste. Sona was professionally trained in Kathak under renowned Guru Pandit Munna Shukla ji, New Delhi, India for over 15 years. For ages 11-adult. This program will be held on Sunday, April 14 from 12:15 pm to 1:30 pm in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room.
Cal Lutheran Faculty Panel Discussion
Professors explore unique perspectives and offer thoughtful responses to many of the themes and issues presented in The Henna Artist. Sponsored by University Relations. This program will be held on Wednesday, April 17 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room.
Story Slam: Inspired by The Henna Artist
Calling for submissions! Writers of all ages are invited to submit a story based on the themes of family, found family, culture, tradition, new starts, unexpected change, or independence. Eight selected stories will be read on stage by the authors on Friday, April 26th at 7:00 pm. Audience favorite will win a $50 gift card. Submission guidelines: Stories must be able to be read in under seven minutes and be between 1,000-2000 words. Story content must be library appropriate. Email to info@tolibrary.org with the subject heading “Story Slam.” Print: Submit entry in-person at the Information Desk. Entries must include your name and contact information. Submission Deadline: April 12, 2024. Selected authors will be notified on April 19, 2024. This program will be held on Friday, April 26 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room.
Paint & Sip: Elephant Art Class
Paint, snack, and socialize as you are taught step by step how to create this painting inspired by the Munnar Tea Plantations in Kerala, India. Painting will be done on a 16”x20” canvas using acrylic paints. Painting can sometimes be messy, so we recommend that you keep that in mind when selecting your outfit for the afternoon. Light refreshments will be served. This program will be held on Saturday, April 27 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the Newbury Park Library Art Gallery. Space is limited. Registration required.
Tea Kit
Experience the rich flavors of India! Each kit includes a tea bag and one of the following loose-leaf teas: Darjeeling First Flush, Darjeeling Second Flush, Masala Chai, or CTC Assam. Tea sources from The Healing Tree, a local small business with a vast selection of over 1,000 bulk exotic teas and traditional herbs from around the globe. Please check the ingredients if you have any dietary restrictions or concerns. Kits are available at both libraries starting March 30. While supplies last.
More information at www.tolibrary.org/ocob.
Looks like "La Poblana" is in the works at the former home of The Raspado House (and before that, The Healthy Place) in the Village Square Shopping Center at 540 N. Moorpark Road, just south of Wilbur. No other details at this point in time.
Today, Amy’s Drive Thru announced that it has closed its locations in Roseville and in Thousand Oaks. They indicated their disappointment, but that sometimes new locations don’t pan out as hoped in their announcement.
They opened their doors at the Best Buy Center at 400 N. Moorpark Road in a completely new and beautiful build-out on June 15, 2023. They were open for 238 days. Sorry to see them go.
“Juice & Boba” opened today at the University Shopping Center (aka Trader Joe’s Plaza) in Thousand Oaks at the northwest corner of Avenida de los Arboles and Moorpark Road.
Located in the former Subway between PJ’s Pub and Allegro Italian Restaurant, Juice & Boba offers juice, boba specialties, fresh smoothies, fruit teas, coffee, snow milk, and more.
No website but their Facebook page is at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551589307507 or call them at 805-758-5418.
Five07 opened its second location and brand-new concept at 2955 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Thousand Oaks on December 29th.
Inspired by espresso shops one might find in Rome or Venice, the revamped space near the 101 Freeway and Hampshire Road prioritizes a quick and perfect drink every time with a series of standing bars to accompany limited table seating. A slight expansion on the vision from Five07’s flagship store in the Oakbrook Shopping Center, the new space features a menu all its own with more coffee roast selections as well as grab-and-go baked goods, sandwiches and pastries.
“In the same way that our ambition with the Arboles shop is to be the best possible community and creative space, The Boulevard’s Coffee Bar has the ambition of being the same standard of coffee and tea drinks,” co-owner/co-founder Sean Rendineo said. “The type of place that’s a must visit every time one walks, bikes or drives down to T.O. Boulevard.”
Given its proximity to the 101, Five07’s boulevard location will open at 6 a.m. (Monday-Saturday; closed Sundays) to better serve commuters and early risers. Ordering is available online or through the Five07 app to make it easier for guests who want to grab and go.
“The app is a great way to order ahead, as well as to stay apprised of everything Five07 is up to. It’s amazing to be building on the success of the Turkey Day Dash and our current location,” said Kyle Jorrey, Five07’s director of operations.
The expansion is a testament to the success of the family-owned business.
Founded in 2018 by Thousand Oaks natives Sean and Amber Rendineo, Five07 has built a community following through its unwavering commitment to an exceptional coffee and food experience. Most menu items are made with organic and locally-sourced ingredients; the house roast–Coffee for Creatives–is a blend of organic beans from two Ethiopian and Brazilian farms that is roasted in collaboration with Centri Coffee in Ventura.
While the boulevard location is smaller than the shop on Arboles, it will bring the same commitment to quality and community, the owners said.
“We have such a wonderful team; getting to know some of them in a more refined space like this will build upon our efforts to highlight the importance of the ‘third space’ in a thriving society and community,” said Amber Rendineo, co-owner of the organization.
At 2955 T.O. Boulevard, Five07 Director of Coffee Haig Gevorgian will curate a constantly rotating menu of coffee beans highlighting the region’s best roasters. “Five07 Days”–all days ending in 5–will bring new farms and flavors that showcase the amazing variety and complexity of the coffee plant.
To check out the new menu, go to www.thefive07.com/blvd-menu.
For more information, visit www.TheFive07.com or follow them on Instagram (@TheFive07).
ABOUT FIVE07
FIVE07 exists to support creativity and community, representing the intersection of civic engagement, art, music, food and drink. The name symbolizes the five steps to creating something of importance–1) inspiration, 2) build-up, 3) resistance, 4) overcoming and 5) collaboration–happening seven days a week.
In a note on its Instagram page, Decker Kitchen announced it is closing its doors at its current location at 3732 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks (Paseo Market Place) after New Year’s Eve service this Sunday. They indicated having a tough time with technical issues in the new location (they relocated here in February 2022). However, they did provide a glimmer of hope “We would say goodbye, but it’s more than likely you will all hear from us again.”
Decker’s original location was at the County Line Shopping Center in Westlake Village, which has been vacant for nearly two years but recently we learned that Lava Kitchen Mediterranean Restaurant is coming soon.
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