Phase II of the City of Calabasas Plastic Bag Ban Is Now In Effect

On February 9, 2011, the Calabasas City Council passed Ordinance No. 2011-282 to ban the use of single-use carryout plastic bags.

Phase I: As of July 1, 2011, shoppers no longer received disposable plastic bags while shopping at Calabasas supermarkets Albertsons, Gelson’s, Maddy’s Market Ralphs and Rite Aid.

Phase II: As of January 1, 2012, smaller drug stores, convenience food stores, smaller retail stores and grocers will stop offering disposable plastic bags.

Shoppers are encouraged to use reusable shopping bags whenever possible. Note that small plastic bags will still be available in stores for fruits and vegetables.

Under the terms of the new law, stores will have reusable bags available for sale and will also offer recyclable paper bags for 10 cents each in lieu of customers bringing their reusable bags or simply carrying items purchased without a bag. The fees collected from bag sales will only go towards helping stores comply with the new law.

For more information about the bag ban and information about the impact of the use of plastic baqs on our environment, visit www.cityofcalabasas.com/bags.html.

The Community Roots Garden is a Non-Profit Volunteer Opportunity in Oxnard

The Community Roots Garden is a non-profit community garden open to the public to come and volunteer, learn, and share food together. We are a ministry of, and are located, at the North Oxnard United Methodist Church, 2300 West Gonzales Road, Oxnard.

Farming an acre with volunteers is no small feat. Many hands are needed, and we welcome yours! We invite you to come dig, weed, learn, teach, ask questions, take a shift on irrigation, bring food for potlucks, share your ideas, or donate materials or funding. You can help in whatever way you’d like. It is a rewarding project because it is tangible—you can watch it grow!—and for the simple satisfaction of working with others on something meaningful.  Working in the garden is also a fun way to complete needed community service hours.  No experience necessary. Children welcome. Se habla español.

Please bring a sunhat, sunblock, and sturdy shoes. Tools and water provided.  For more information on volunteering, call Katerina at 805-616-2326.  Visit our website at www.communityrootsgarden.org or find us on Facebook.

Play Days:  Saturdays from 9am-12pm (free meal prepared by Youth using garden harvest)  Sundays from 1-4pm (community potluck). Call for tours and info on upcoming workshops!

Umami Burger is Coming to The Lakes at Thousand Oaks

Today we sadly learned that another local deli in Thousand Oaks closed its doors.

But the good news is that a brand new restaurant is coming soon to The Lakes!!! Something completely different!

Update 3/23/12: No update on timing of Umami opening at The Lakes. Stay tuned though...

Umami Burger is coming to The Lakes! Umami (I think it is pronounced "Eww Mommy") according to their website "is a Japanese word describing the pleasant and savory taste imparted by glutamate, a type of amino acid, and ribonucleotides that occur naturally in foods. Umami as a taste is subtle but it blends with other tastes well to expand your experience while eating."

While eating glutamate and ribonucleotides doesn't sound particularly appetizing, this Umami Burger has received rave reviews, including this December 2010 "Burger of the Year" article in GQ Magazine. In that article, the author notes the savory umami sauce is the "fifth taste," after the basics of sweet, sour, bitter and salty.

Obviously I have not eaten a Umami Burger but I'm looking forward to trying one! Currently Umami Burger has locations in Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, La Brea, Los Feliz, Studio City and San Francisco. Welcome to Ventura County, Umami Burger!

Check out the menu and you will find some interesting items, including a dozen or so Japanese inspired burgers, side dishes and draft beer. I see a truffle burger with truffle cheese and truffle glaze. OK my mouth is watering now. I also see turkey, ahi tuna and veggie burger options on the menu for those not inclined to eat red meat. Check out the Studio City menu here.

Giada De Laurentiis, of Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, likes Umami Burger in Hollywood for their unique burger combinations. Heck, I'll eat anything Giada tells me to eat!!

No information on opening date at this time. Read more about Umami Burger at www.umamiburger.com.

Nate 'n Al Deli in Thousand Oaks Closed Its Doors at Lunchtime Today

Sad news. Nate 'n Al Deli at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks closed its doors at lunchtime today. Nate 'n Al, a legendary deli that has run a successful location in Beverly Hills since 1945, opened this Thousand Oaks location in November 2009 in the space previously occupied by a sushi restaurant. Recently, under new management, Nate 'n Al ran a popular Sunday brunch.

Sorry to see you close your doors, Nate 'n Al Thousand Oaks. And to your staff, best wishes in finding new local jobs. In fact, click here for some recent new restaurant openings around the county.

Local Author Publishes New Adventure Novel Geared Towards Teens and Launches Book Caches in Local Mountains

Local author David Smith has written a new young adult action adventure novel about a boy named Kief whose life is thrown into a grand adventure when his dead grandfather leaves him a mysterious map on his birthday.  Beyond his action adventure novel for teens, David is offering his readers something more than a great story – the opportunity to go on their own personal adventure.

In the mountains surrounding the Conejo Valley from the Simi Hills to the Santa Monica Mountains, David has hidden copies of his book in old-style treasure boxes.  He calls it “Book Cache Adventures” and you can learn more about it at his website www.fundautum.com.

After hiding the treasure boxes, he posts the GPS coordinates of their locations on his website and his Facebook page The Dark Eagles.  Young adventurers, along with their parents, can print maps using a link he’s provided on his website that will help guide them to the location.

The book and treasure box are the prize to the first person who finds them.  David hopes his story, and subsequent stories in the series to come, will inspire young people to get out and explore the world around them, and to never stop dreaming about their own possibilities.

His “Book Cache Adventures” are a small way he’s trying to encourage adventure in young people. “When we are kids, we dream and believe in all kinds of things.  Somehow as adults, we lose that spirit.  I hope to encourage and instill that adventuresome nature in kids so that they don’t lose it when they grow up,” David says.

Learn more about David’s action adventure novel The Dark Eagles – First Flight at his website www.fundautum.com .

Sears Holdings Announces it Will Close 100 to 120 Stores - Will Ventura County Stores Be Impacted?

Sears Holdings Corporation on Tuesday, December 27th announced that it will be closing 100 to 120 of its stores (including Sears and Kmart stores). In Ventura County there are Sears stores at the Pacific View Mall in Ventura and adjacent to the Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks. There are Kmart stores in Camarillo and Santa Paula.

Will these four stores be impacted?

Well today Sears announced the first 80 of these 100 to 120 store closings and...(drum roll)...whew, so far we are safe in Ventura County.  The list at www.searsmedia.com includes 39 Kmart closings and 41 Sears/Grand and Essentials stores on this initial list. Only 3 California stores were on the list, including El Monte and two in San Diego.

So, local Sears and Kmart fans, you can keep shopping for the time being.

Cell Phone Safety for Children Message from the Moorpark Police Department

During this year’s holiday gift giving, many parents have decided to give their children cellular telephones. Most new phones fall under a Smartphone category, which means they are capable of performing many tasks other than just being a telephone. The commonly used tasks by kids are texting, sending photos, social networking, downloading music, watching videos, playing games and then of course using it as a telephone.

Cell phones can be a great safety feature for your children, and a lifeline. However, it is important that your child is mature enough to understand the hazards of cell phone use. With more advancement in cellular technology, comes the responsibility for parents to manage cell phone use by our children. Sending pictures over the Internet is something that is common for children to do these days. Photo messaging on cell phones is no different. Children need to be aware that not all pictures are appropriate to send and receive. They also need to know that if they receive a message or image that makes them uncomfortable, they should immediately tell you or another trusted adult. Not deleting the inappropriate material before showing an adult is best, so the adult can better assess the issue and present the problem to law enforcement authorities if necessary.

Moorpark Police Cell Phone Quick List of Do’s and Do not’s

1. Send appropriate text, email, or picture messages only.
2. Do not give out your address or other personal information on a phone call, text, or email to
3. people you don’t know, or if others can hear you.
4. Do not respond to an email, text, picture, or voice message from someone you don’t know.
5. Tell an adult you trust if you receive anything on your phone—a call, a text message, an email, a picture, or voicemail message—that makes you uncomfortable.
6. Be aware of your surroundings and understand when talking or texting is appropriate and when it is not.

Finally, for those who can drive, never ever talk or text while driving.