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.
Post other items directly to the Community Announcements section of the site.
Marco's Pizza is coming to the space formerly occupied by Ma Dukes Artisan Pizzas at 30651 Thousand Oaks Boulevard (at Lake Lindero), a few doors down from Cookie Cafe. There are other Marco's Pizza locations in Simi Valley and Oxnard. www.marcos.com
HiHo Cheeseburger, the only burger restaurant exclusively serving 100% grass-fed and grass-finished Wagyu beef, is set to open this Friday, April 24th, at The Commons at Calabasas.
HiHo’s Wagyu comes exclusively from New Zealand’s First Light Farms, selected for its exceptional flavor, nutritional profile, and regenerative farming practices. Naturally lower in saturated fat and higher in Omega-3s, vitamins, and antioxidants, the beef is non-GMO, certified humane, free of antibiotics and raised without mRNA vaccines.
Burgers are served on an artisanal bun custom-made for HiHo by a local baker. The fries are hand-cut, using only three ingredients: potatoes, oil, and salt. In addition, the Calabasas location will offer house-made desserts like Banana Cream Pie N’ a Go-Cup, as well as milkshakes made from scratch using just six clean ingredients. The menu will also feature fried chicken favorites created in collaboration with James Beard Award-winning Willie Mae’s Scotch House.
HiHo will share a space with Cheesesteaks by Matū (opening at a later date), which offers an elevated take on the cheesesteak. Each restaurant will feature its own walk-up ordering window, with a casual, open-air layout and shared seating.
Learn more at www.hiho.la. Hours 11:30am to 10pm daily.
Froyo & Fido is opening its doors at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 10th, in the Wood Ranch Shopping Center, 599B Country Club Drive in Simi Valley, next to the Starbucks.
Froyo & Fido will offer frozen yogurt and dog accessories in a fun, community setting.
Learn more at https://froyoandfido.com or on Instagram at @froyo_and_fido
UPDATE: Yar on the Lake announced they will be opening for dinner service on Tuesday, April 14th. More info at yaronthelake.com.
Zin Bistro Americana at The Landing at Westlake Lake in Westlake Village announced on Tuesday that it is currently undergoing renovations through March in preparation for reopening this spring as Yār on the Lake.
The word yār is Persian for friend. “Rooted in Persian hospitality. Inspired by Mediterranean gathering. Built for connection.
More details TBA soon. www.zinwestlake.com
The Pacific View Mall in Ventura announced today that Round1 Bowling & Arcade is under construction in the former Sears building and, along with YUU Japanese Food Hall, is expected to open their doors sometime in first half of 2026.
The 55,000 square food entertainment destination will feature 12 cosmic-lit bowling lanes, professional-grade billiards, private karaoke party rooms, and a large arcade showcasing both American and Japanese games.
YUU is a new Japanese food hall destination that will spotlight a collection of eateries and a variety of regional cuisines, including specialty pizzas, ramen and udon, and other Japanese street foods like Okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) and Takoyaki (battered octupus bites), as well as gelato.
Learn more at www.round1usa.com and www.shoppacificview.com.
The Subway at the Westlake Commons (Village Glen between Townsgate and Agoura Road) has permanently closed.
For a compilation of sandwich shops in and around the Conejo Valley click THIS LINK.
Paris Baguette is "coming soon" to the former Fatburger location at 650-658 N. Moorpark Road in the Whole Foods Plaza in Thousand Oaks. This bakery cafe serves pastries, wraps, cakes, sandwiches, salads, and more. Visit www.parisbaguette.com for updates.
They move like living question marks, anchoring themselves with delicate tails while their eyes swivel independently to scan the water around them. They are the only animals on Earth in which the male carries and gives birth to the young. And after a years-long absence, they are back, nine strong, at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center on Stearns Wharf.
The Sea Center announces the return of live Giant Pacific Seahorses (Hippocampus ingens) to its Dive In: Our Changing Channel exhibit. The species is the largest seahorse in the world and native to California’s own coastline. Visitors can now observe the full group of nine seahorses up close, seven days a week, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
A Local Species on the Front Lines of Climate Change
The Giant Pacific Seahorse’s typical northern range ends around San Diego and Los Angeles. But as ocean temperatures rise and warm southern currents push increasingly into the Santa Barbara Channel, these animals, along with many other southern species, can be found farther north than ever before. The Sea Center has intentionally incorporated the seahorse display into its climate change education, as these captivating animals can help visitors explore the real and measurable effects of climate change on local marine ecosystems.
The Sea Center first welcomed six Giant Pacific Seahorses in 2019, received from the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro. With a natural lifespan of three to five years, the original seahorses passed away in 2024, and the habitat was temporarily reimagined as an urchin barren display, depicting the disruption seen in kelp forests when Purple Urchins proliferate unchecked. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted operations at zoos and aquariums that exchange animals to preserve genetic diversity, putting a new generation of seahorses out of the Sea Center’s reach for several years.
In late 2025, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium successfully established a new breeding pair, and the Sea Center received four seahorses to restart its display. In February 2026, five more arrived, bringing the current population to nine. The two institutions have been invaluable partners, sharing knowledge and resources to provide the best care for these animals beloved by Santa Barbara visitors.
The World’s Most Surprising Father
Part of what makes seahorses so compelling is their remarkable biology. It is the male seahorse who becomes pregnant. The female deposits her eggs directly into the male’s brood pouch, where he fertilizes and carries them for roughly two weeks before giving birth to fully independent young. A single male can carry up to 2,000 eggs at once. Newborns emerge at just 9 millimeters in length, smaller than a fingernail. As in most species that create so many young, most of the young do not survive.
In the wild, Giant Pacific Seahorses are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Populations have declined by an estimated 50 to 90 percent in many areas, driven by incidental capture in shrimp trawl fisheries and demand for traditional medicine. Seeing these animals thriving in person is a rare and meaningful experience.
Come Meet Them
The nine Giant Pacific Seahorses are on display now in the Dive In exhibit at the Sea Center on Stearns Wharf, open every day from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
No reservations are required. For more information please visit sbnature.org/seacenter.
The Sea Center is located at 211 Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara.
Join in on the grand opening of the newest Slime Kitchen location at The Oaks shopping mall in Thousand Oaks on Saturday, March 7th.
Slime Kitchen, a premier slime-making experience, is celebrating the opening of its newest location at The Oaks in Thousand Oaks.
Join them for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and candy bar, then take part in an interactive, step-by-step DIY slime experience, where guests can create their own personalized slime. DIY experiences are available for purchase during the event.
The first 50 guests who complete a DIY experience will receive a complimentary special slime surprise at checkout.
Slime Kitchen’s immersive ten-step process guides customers as they select their base, choose scents, add colors, and incorporate mix-ins to create custom slimes as unique as their imaginations. Designed to ignite creativity and promote sensory learning, the experience transforms slime-making into a journey of connection and discovery.
RSVPs are appreciated, but not required, at www.eventbrite.com/e/slime-kitchen-thousand-oaks-grand-opening-tickets-1983911537815
Conejo Valley Guide covers events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas.
Conejo Valley Guide® covers thousands of events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County, California and surrounding areas.
Conejo Valley Guide is a participant in certain affiliate programs. These affiliate advertising programs are designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to the respective websites. Some links on the site may be affiliate links. We get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these links on our site. Learn more at paidforadvertising.com.
