The Conejo Valley Guide "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, highlights of local things to do, compilations and other items. Focus is on information relevant to Ventura County and surrounding areas, including Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Malibu, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Somis, Fillmore, Santa Paula, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Barbara and Moorpark.
The Conejo Valley Guide® "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, local things to do, holiday event compilations, announcements and more.
After a brief late-February heatwave, today it is noticeably cooler, with the clouds coming in. Was a great morning to make my way to Boney Peak.
Looking down on Newbury Park from Boney Peak
Clear view of the Channel Islands from Boney Peak
I was joined by these experienced hikers on Boney Peak
Hidden Valley is not so hidden when you're looking down from Boney Peak
Click this link to find out how to get up there!
Make Meaning opened at The Oaks Shopping Mall on Monday, February 2013. Located in the outdoor shops area of the mall, upper level, south side, first store outside of the mall, Make Meaning offers seven creative experiences, including customized soap, candles, paper, ceramics, glass, jewelry and cake decorating.
This is quite a large store, open, light and airy, with an upbeat atmosphere. We stopped by over the weekend and checked it out. My son picked out a froggy piggy bank and the store was buzzing with others busy creating their own items.
The staff are called Associate Creativity Enthusiasts (ACE's), there to help you through the process. And that they were. I was able to just walk in and they kind of took over with my son while enjoyed watching him in his creative efforts. And they took care of the prep and the mess.
My son's froggy piggy bank masterpiece in it final stages. Make Meaning glazes it and fires it, then you pick it up in 4 days.
Neat selection of supplies to individualize your cake!
Ventura photographer’s art has painterly quality in new gallery show
J.D. Wolff, a Ventura photographer who caught the shutter bug in the early 1970s, will exhibit recent images and a few favorites from his files in a February 26 to March 23 solo show at the Buenaventura Art Association’s downtown Ventura gallery called “Day Dreams in Color.”
"Beach Town USA" Photo by JD Wolff
Landscapes are a focus for Wolff, who often adjusts color and contrast on computer to create the large-scale images he frames. Though his portfolio includes images from all over the United States, Canada and Western Europe, he said this show features primarily landscapes shot in and around Ventura County.
“I prefer printing my photography on canvas, as I often manipulate my images to make them look somewhat like paintings,” he said. “Printing on canvas gives it that extra texture and effect, which I feel most always improves the final product.”
Wolff plans to be on hand to greet visitors 5-8 p.m. March 1 for the First Fridays Ventura Gallery Crawl and some of his local musician friends will provide live music 4-8 p.m., Saturday, March 2 for his artist’s reception. Wolff is also a
Caught a partial rainbow in this shot from Lynn Road in Newbury Park this morning. Would have loved to see where the rainbow ended. Perhaps Camarillo.
No rain yet but the clouds are coming in for a brief appearance. Looking for things to do with the kids when the rain actually makes an appearance? Check out this list of Things to Do in Ventura County When It's Wet Outside!
Or perhaps this list of Movie Theaters Throughout Ventura County will come in handy.
Ventura Art Group Awards Open Competition Prizes
The Buenaventura Art Association has announced the winners of its 27th annual Open Competition. Their works were chosen by juror Katrina McElroy, a Moorpark College art instructor, from entries submitted by artists from throughout Central and Southern California.
The two- and three-dimensional pieces are on exhibit through Jan. 26 at the organization’s Buenaventura Gallery, 700 E. Santa Clara Street in downtown Ventura, which is adding Sunday, Jan. 20, 12-5pm to its schedule to allow more people to see this show. More than $1,500 in cash prizes and BAA membership benefits were awarded at a Jan. 12 reception and ceremony.
“Transcendence,” an oil painting on canvas by Erika Craig, was judged Best of Show and earned top prize of $400 for the young artist, an Honorable Mention winner in the nonprofit association’s 2012 Emerging Artist Cup student competition.
“Transcendence,” an oil painting on canvas by Erika Craig, judged Best of Show
First place among the two-dimensional entries was “Glance,” a digital print by Julia Bagdasaryan, who earned a Merit Award in last year’s student competition. Second went to “Bonsai Paradise” by Erik Abel, who used acrylic paints and mixed media on a wooden panel.
Third place in 2D was awarded to Patti Post for a charcoal on paper drawing titled “Entering Elysian Fields” and Honorab
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.
The month of January is rapidly coming to an end. I am in hopes most of you have been able to maintain the New Year resolutions you set for yourself. Although difficult, I am sure with a little push we can all accomplish what we set out to do.
In light of the recent shooting at the school in Connecticut and other schools throughout the country, the Thousand Oaks Police Department has been committed to working with the all of the schools in our community to prepare for any such incident. Our priority has always been the safety of the community as we strive to develop a plan to ensure the residents are kept safe during a catastrophic event like a school shooting.
Community Event
Parents, do you want to know what goes on at underage parties? Straight Up Ventura County in collaboration with the Conejo Unified School District, Breakthrough, Engage Recovery and the Thousand Oaks Police Department is going to expose parents to underage binge drinking and the drug culture.
Many adults feel drinking and partying is a rite of passage and think teen parties are the same as when they were young. Parents need to face the current realities and learn why and how adults need to help change these dangerous norms.
The participants will tour a local home set up to portray a teen party with youth actors. The event is open to the public (adults only) and it is FREE. If you are interested you must register online at www.straightupvc.org/register or call 805 647-4622.
On the Crime Front:
A victim recently informed me someone claiming to be with the Social Security Office contacted her. They had her name and address. The caller told her they needed to send out a new Medicare card, but before they do they needed to verify the bank where her deposits go. The victim questioned the reasons for inquiring about the banking information
We've been going to Juan Bautista de Anza Park in Calabasas from time to time for years. The park is well maintained, has decent play areas, plenty of flat walkways for scootering and more. But before this sunny Martin Luther King Day holiday we never made the trek up the steep little trail directly behind the picnic table area on the right hand side of the park.
Steep, but it isn't that far. Views are outstanding. There was filming taking place at the very top. But the stars of the show are the ancient oaks that dot the path.
Do you see eyes in the shadows? I do...but it certainly wasn't planned!
The sun, just slightly older than these oaks on the hill, smiles down on all of us this warm MLK Day.
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.
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