Iconic Ed Lawrence Photo on Display at the New Mendocino Farms Westlake Village

Mendocino Farms Sandwich Market opened on Monday, February 2nd in The Westlake Plaza at 966 S. Westlake Boulevard.

This is the 9th location of Mendocino Farms and its first in Ventura County. They have certainly made a special effort to capture the heart of the Conejo Valley crowd in several ways.

Photographer Ed Lawrence with his iconic 1965 photo of Moorpark Road at Thousand Oaks Blvd

A iconic photo taken by well known Conejo Valley photographer Ed Lawrence is prominently displayed on the back wall of the restaurant. Look up as you walk in the door and you can't miss this 1965 shot of a flock of sheep crossing Moorpark Road near Thousand Oaks Boulevard.

Mendocino Farms is located in the former home of Jack's Deli, which opened in 1977 and operated for over 30 years before closing its doors on November 20, 2011. 

An oak tree that fell ill was used as a prominent table in the eatery, adding another nice localized touch.

The restaurant is open and airy, uniquely appointed and fun. There's a kids area that has a Foosball table (I lost the game to a 9 year old) and coloring table.  The kids menu had $3.95 pricing on it, which looked pretty good to me too. And, oh yes, the food that I sampled was outstanding. There's also a nice outdoor seating area.

Views From Angel Vista Peak on This Sunny Winter Day in the Conejo Valley

Today is January 17, 2015 and we are not quite one third of the way into the winter season. But winter weather has taken a break for a bit. Skies are blue and visibility is outstanding today, as can be seen here from Angel Vista Peak in Newbury Park. Santa Cruz and Anacapa Islands can clearly be seen past the Oxnard Plain on the beautiful day.

Angel Vista Peak can be accessed via the Rosewood Trail off of Lynn Road (just west of Regal Oak Ct) or the Los Robles Trail (either the Thousand Oaks side accessible at South Moorpark Road and Greenmeadow Ave or Newbury Park side off of Potrero Road).

The. Most. Awesome. Holiday. Light. Show. You. Will. Ever. See. In. Thousand. Oaks!

2016 Update: The Higgins family moved and thus no more display. Plenty of other awesome displays in and around Ventura County though at THIS LINK.

UPDATE FALL 2014: The display is back again this year, longer than ever!

Located at 1566 El Dorado Drive in Thousand Oaks. Take Janss Road east off the 23 Freeway, turn right on El Monte Drive (past the Thousand Oaks Library), then left on El Dorado. Be mindful of the neighbors!

The Higgins family of Thousand Oaks may have the most entertaining and fun residential holiday light show in the Conejo Valley.

Photo of the Higgins' holiday light show in 2012.According to Ed Higgins, this amazing display was constructed with over 150,000 lights, over 3 1/2 MILES of hard wire extension cords, 192 digital channels and over 1,000 feet of Cat 5 cable in the "Old Oaks" section of Thousand Oaks at 1566 El Dorado Drive.

Higgins admits "we're nuts" but they obviously have a passion and talent for this. And the neighbors are great about it they say. Ed and his wife Valerie are often out on Friday/Saturday nights with tables of cocoa and whipped cream, cookies, cider and cinammon twists!

Below is footage of the display in 2012. This short video does not do it justice. Go check it out!

Upcoming Free Programs at Satwiwa Native American Indian Cultural Center in Newbury Park

The Satwiwa Native American Indian Cultural Center is located in the Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa hiking area in Point Mugu State Park. 

The Center hosts year-round cultural workshops and programs every other Sunday, including arts and crafts, music, storytelling and much more.  Visit www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/rsvsatwiwa.htm for more information.

Treated to a Rainbow in the Conejo This First Saturday of November 2014

After a night of moderate rains (about 1/4 of an inch) in the Conejo Valley, a spectacular rainbow was seen this morning around 8 a.m. What a great start to the month of November!

Rainbow seen from Lynn Road in Newbury ParkA stunning shot of the rainbow from above by Darts Promoter L. David Irete.

And a shot from Malibu by Suzy Demeter of Suzy Demeter Photography.

Views From the Old Boney Trail in Pt. Mugu State Park on Last Sunday of October

October is almost done and Halloween is this coming Friday. And today is another sunny day, blue skies, with temperatures in the mid 70s, making this yet another nice day for a hike. If you're looking for a bit of a strenuous hike in the Boney Mountain State Wilderness, the Old Boney Trail is something to consider. Accessible from Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa in Newbury Park, plan on half a day of hiking for panoramic views covering Boney Mountain, the Oxnard Plain, Conejo Valley and Hidden Valley.

New Farm Motif Playground at Borchard Community Park in Newbury Park

Borchard Community Park is located at Reino Road and Borchard Road in Newbury Park. Recently a new play area was completed in this cool barnyard motif. Based on initial response on the CVG Facebook page, this new playground is already a big hit!

This nicely appointed park and community center also has softball/soccer fields, restrooms, tennis courts, a labyrinth and fitness area, skate park, basketball courts and more. Visit crpd.org for more information.