Celebrate Conejo Recreation & Park District's 50th in 2013 with the Play Conejo Challenge!

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The Conejo Recreation & Park District turns 50 in 2013! To celebrate, CRPD presents the Play Conejo Challenge! The Play Conejo Challenge entails completing activities and attending events throughout the year, accumulating at least 50 points and receiving a cool "PLAY CONEJO CHALLENGE CHAMPION - 50 FOR THE 50TH" t-shirt for your efforts!

Visit www.crpd.org/playlist to download the Play Conejo Challenge activity list, find things to do, and start accumulating points. Then either have a CRPD staff member write in the completion date or keep track yourself by writing down an observation. You have the entire year to acccumulate points!

This is about more than getting a free t-shirt! This is about having fun and celebrating along with CRPD! There are over 100 activities to choose from and as many as 151 points achievable. Activities and events on the list include the following CRPD locations and available points:

  • Conejo Valley parks (up to 5 points)
  • Borchard Community Center (up to 11 points)
  • Conejo Community Center (up to 11 points)
  • Thousand Oaks Community Center (up to 14 points)
  • Dos Vientos Community Center (up to 7 points)
  • Goebel Senior Adult Center (up to 12 points)
  • Alex Fiore Teen Center (up to 13 points)
  • Hillcrest Center for the Arts (up to 14 points)
  • Therapeutic Recreation Unit (up to 8 points)
  • Aquatics (up to 7 points)
  • Districtwide/General Activities (up to 33 points)
  • CRPD Partner Events (up to 16 points)

Have fun with the Play Conejo Challenge!

Cold, Clear Saturday Makes For Wonderful Conejo Valley Views From Angel Vista

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The temperatures have been particularly cold these last several days, with nighttime temps in the low 30s and highs only in the mid 50s in the Conejo Valley.  With barely a cloud in the sky, these conditions make for optimal hiking around town! This morning I took the Rosewood Trail up to Angel Vista in Newbury Park. Here are some of the views I took in.

Angel Vista has panoramic views stretching from Camarillo/Newbury Park to Thousand Oaks, Hidden Valley and beyond. And a bench and picnic table to boot. It can be accessed via the Rosewood Trail off of Lynn Road (just west of Regal Oak Ct) or the Los Robles Trail. The Conejo Open Space Foundation provides a useful map at www.cosf.org/website/html/los-robles-angel-vista.html. Other trails and hiking options at THIS LINK here on CVG.

Looking to do something fun around Ventura County and adjacent areas but don't like the cold weather outside? No worries...check out one of over 40 museums around town.

Cool, Blustery New Year's Day 2013 in the Conejo Valley

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Today was a beautiful, dry New Year's Day in the Conejo Valley, with cool temperatures, partly cloudy skies and plenty of wind. We were out and about around town  and plenty of people were enjoying the outdoors, appropriately dressed!

If one of your new year's resolutions is to become more active, you are in the right place! Here are some great activities to look into in 2013:

Trails and hiking around Ventura County

Hiking groups around Ventura County

Hundreds of community parks around Ventura County

Fish and fishing options around Ventura County

Golf courses and tennis courts around Ventura County

Horseback riding options around Ventura County

Running and cycling groups throughout Ventura County

Some Great Residential Holiday Light Displays Around Ventura County

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One of our favorite winter holiday activities is driving around and looking at the light displays around town. There are colorful lights all over the place but these four really stand out! If you are aware of other neat residential Christmas light displays around Ventura County, please let us know!

The holiday light display by the Higgins family at 1566 El Dorado Drive in Thousand Oaks is a 20 minute display synchronized with music and over 150,000 lights. We're talking Disneyland in the Conejo Valley here. Spectacular!

The Fuchs residence on Via Patricia (near Via Ricardo intersection) in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park is back again this year wiith another 50,000+ light display synchronized with music. Outstanding!

A great destination each year is the neighborhood in the vicinity of Gemini Street and Waverly Avenue south of Dunnigan Street in Camarillo each year. Numerous homes are lit up and decorated with cartoon characters, trains, Santas, snowmen, and plenty of lights and othe

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November 2012 Thousand Oaks Police Department City Watch Update

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Here is the latest "City Watch" alert from Senior Deputy Tim Lohman of the Thousand Oaks Police Department. If you would like these updates directly from via email, click here for more information.

November kicks off the busiest shopping season of the year. During this time, many people feel rushed and stressed to get much accomplished.  Do not become complacent giving thieves an open invitation to make your home or vehicle a big gift box this holiday season.

When you park your vehicle at your home or out, make sure you roll up the windows, lock your vehicle, take the keys, and insure your valuables are concealed or removed.

While out shopping, be aware of your surroundings; scan the area from time to time. Avoid concentrating so hard on shopping that you fail to keep track of your surroundings, others near you, or your personal property.

Shop with friends or a relative if possible there is safety in numbers. As you

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King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas Features The Biggest Loser and Much More!

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Recently I visited the King Gillette Ranch, off of Las Virgenes Road and Mulholland Drive in Calabasas. While parking my car, noticed a group of about 10 pretty large people on a walk. I didn't think too much of it, until a few minutes later, when I came across The Biggest Loser building on the King Gillette property shown below.

Since I've never watched The Biggest Loser, I had no idea it was filmed in our backyard here in the Santa Monica Mountains. An hour later while driving back to Mulholland Drive, I passed a group of The Biggest Loser participants who were walking and jogging. Several of them waved and smiled at me. Apparently they are now in the midst of taping Season 14, which will begin airing in January 2013. I did not see Jillian Michaels, who is coming back to the show this season.

But there's much more in store at King Gillette Ranch and it is well worth going out of your way for! The recently opened Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center features a wealth of information about our Santa Monica Mountains and has an array of interesting and interactive exhibits for all ages. The staff is really nice and eager to help visitors out. Parking is covered and free for two hours, as is admission into the Center.

Anthony C. Beilenson Visitor CenterThe 588 acre King Gillette property is also home to numerous interpretative programs year round. Learn more at lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=670. A short hike up the hill adjacent to the Gillette Mansion and The Biggest Loser set gets you to Inspiration Point, where you will be treated to some fantastic views of the surrounding Las Virgenes mountains. Go check it out and have fun!

View of King Gillette complex from Inspiration Point