Britney Spears Posts Photo of Herself and Boyfriend at Popular Thousand Oaks Trail

Yesterday around 1:30pm, Britney Spears Tweeted a photo of herself and boyfriend Sam Asghari on a popular local trail destination in the Conejo Valley. This particular location tends to get overwhelmed with traffic, which causes problems for local residents. But there are dozens and dozens of outstanding trails in the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas compiled on THIS PAGE. Britney, if you are following this site, I challenge you to post a photo of yourself on five other Conejo Valley trails, perhaps including Angel Vista Peak, Space Mountain on the Los Robles Trail, the Lang Ranch/Woodridge Open Space, Sunset Hills Trail and the Hillcrest Open Space.

Britney mentioned in her Tweet that she has been with fitness model and aspiring actor Asghari for over a year. We can almost confirm that based on her Tweet 11 months ago showing the two of them in that same overly popular local hiking area.

And Asghari posted the same photo on his Instagram page, where he currently has 519K followers.

Thousand Oaks Community Park Has Several Unique Features Worth Exploring

Thousand Oaks Community Park, located at 2525 N. Moorpark Road, just north of Thousand Oaks High School, has something for everyone. This large, park is home to the Thousand Oaks Community Center, a hub for year-round events and activities for all ages. The center has a full-size gym, several fully-enclosed racquetball courts and other great features. More info at www.crpd.org/parkfac/1koaks.

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If you have young kids, probably the most popular feature of this park is the playground and adjoining "Ant Hill." The Ant Hill is a unique, small man-made hill covered with artificial grass that is a fun play slide area for the kids. Bring a piece of cardboard and enjoy the ride.

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This nearly 36 acre park also has soccer and softball fields, four tennis courts, one sand volleyball court and plenty of picnic area. Both the park and the community center are popular for birthday parties. On the east side of the park is another unique feature you won't find in other parks, the Rabbit Flats Disc Golf Course. I connected with a group enjoying a Saturday round on this nine acre course and learned that there are specialized discs for disc golf.

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The course is free to the public. I'd recommend a walk-through first to explore. Just be mindful of flying discs!

View From Grant Park in Ventura and Serra Cross in January 1956

Panoramic view from Grant Park in Ventura in three photos taken in January 1956.

Panoramic view from Grant Park in Ventura in three photos taken in January 1956.

Here's a panoramic view from Grant Park in Ventura taken in January 1956. Shortly after Father Junipero Serra founded Mission San Buenaventura, a large wooden cross was placed on top of the hill overlooking the Mission church.

The original cross, damaged over time by the elements, was replaced in the 1860s. That cross blew down in a storm on November 5, 1875 and was not replaced for 40 years.

The cross at Grant Park / Serra Cross Park in 2015.

The cross at Grant Park / Serra Cross Park in 2015.

A new wooden cross was placed by a local women's service club on September 9, 1912. In 1918, Kenneth and Tonie Grant donated the surrounding hillside to the City of San Buenaventura. Roads to the cross were built around 1920. The circular stone pedestal and concrete pathway the cross now sits atop was built in March 1932. The cross that sits there today, a bit charred from the Thomas Fire, was replaced by the city in 1941.

The Serra Cross Conservancy is seeking donations at www.gofundme.com/serracrosshelp to help restore the cross and surrounding property.

Serra Cross in January 1956, from a private collection.

Serra Cross in January 1956, from a private collection.

Fran Pavley Meadow in the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Corridor in Agoura Hills

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In November 2016, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy announced it was purchasing the 71 acre Chesebro Meadow property in the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Corridor in Agoura Hills.

It was named the Fran Pavley Meadow, after the State Senator and former City Councilmember and Mayor of Agoura Hills.

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This property will provide key connectivity to a proposed wildlife crossing over the 101 freeway in Agoura Hills.

The 71 acres supports a mix of chaparral, coastal sage scrub, grassland and oak woodland-savannah vegetation.  It connects to the Cheeseboro Canyon open space managed by the National Park Service (and yes, we have Chesebro and we have Cheeseboro, a spelling mystery that I've never received a clear answer on!).

To get there, take Chesebro Road towards Cheeseboro Canyon and you'll see the sign on the right. Park off street or at the nearby Cheeseboro Canyon trailhead parking lot, which has plenty of spots and is adjacent to the meadow.  You can also hike into Cheeseboro Canyon but take the path south (right) at the first fork in the trail.

You can park here at the Cheeseboro Canyon trailhead parking lot and either take this path into the canyon, to the fork, the veer right towards the meadow area, or you can walk down Chesebro Road to the Fran Pavley Meadow sign, then take the trail b…

You can park here at the Cheeseboro Canyon trailhead parking lot and either take this path into the canyon, to the fork, the veer right towards the meadow area, or you can walk down Chesebro Road to the Fran Pavley Meadow sign, then take the trail back for a couple mile loop.

You say Chesebro, I say Cheeseboro. It's all good!

You say Chesebro, I say Cheeseboro. It's all good!

Photos From Janss Conejo Ranch in 1960-1961 in What is Now Wildwood Park

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In the 1930s to 1960s, a number of TV shows and movies were filmed in what is now Wildwood Park, like Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Spartacus and Wuthering Heights. Steve Dibblee of Ventura Views has provided these shots taken by his father, Walt Dibblee, of a western ranch town in Wildwood Park in 1960-1961.

You can see the same, familiar Mountclef Ridge in Wildwood Park today

You can see the same, familiar Mountclef Ridge in Wildwood Park today

Steve indicated the above photo shows The Rifleman's house and barn. It may also have been used in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."

Steve indicated the above photo shows The Rifleman's house and barn. It may also have been used in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."

And here is a bit of a depressing scene at the ranch on September 28, 1960.

And here is a bit of a depressing scene at the ranch on September 28, 1960.

View more of Walt's Ventura County area photography, including an extensive collection of aerials from the mid 1950s to the late 1960s, at VenturaViews.com.

Christmas Residential Holiday Light Display on Gemini/Waverly in Camarillo

As in many Christmas seasons past, homes on Gemini Avenue and Waverly Avenue south of Dunnigan Street in Camarillo are decked out with cartoon characters, trains, Santa, snowmen, and plenty of lights and other decorations this 2017 holiday season.

Drive the route or park and walk any night of the week. It is worth going out of your way for! From the the 101, take Arneill north past Ponderosa to Dunnigan. Turn right on Dunnigan and Gemini is the 4th street on your right. We've been stopping by this familiar display for years. 

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Fun to see during the day too!
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Citroën Exhibit at Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard to Celebrate 100 Years in Operation

The Mullin Automotive Museum will offer a one of a kind retrospective on one of France's greatest automakers featuring work from its beginning to the present day. The exhibit opened to the public on Saturday, March 11th, 2017 and is the largest Citroen exhibit ever held in the U.S.  

"Citroën: The Man, The Marque, The Mystique," features cars from the entire history of the company as well as an in-depth look at Andre Citroën. The exhibit runs through the spring of 2018.

Citroën has built a reputation over the last 98 years as being a company willing to take risks and do things differently. It has managed to continually push the boundaries of technology and styling without losing its unique Gallic charm, something which is so evident in vehicles like the DS and the 2CV. Founded in 1919 by Andre Citroën, the company was responsible for building Europe’s first affordable mass-produced car, the Citroën Type A. The company also popularized the front wheel drive layout in addition to unibody construction and four-wheel independent suspension with its revolutionary Traction Avant executive car.

“Citroën is a marque that has always appealed to me on some level,” said Peter Mullin, founder and CEO of the Mullin Automotive Museum. “The way in which the company set about designing its often odd but always stunning vehicles, packing them with wildly innovative technologies, is fascinating to me. I’m so pleased that we will soon be able to share these incredible vehicles with the public who may not have ever seen them in person and I hope we’re able to create a new legion of Citroën devotees.”

“Citroën: The Man, The Marque, The Mystique” represents the most comprehensive look at the history of the famed French automaker ever attempted in North America and honors one of the world’s greatest and quirkiest manufacturers. The exhibition features 46 of the world’s most historic and unique Citroëns including a number of vehicles bodied by French coachbuilder Chapron, a rare twin-engined 2CV Sahara, a Traction Avant Cabriolet and an iconic HY Van. Visitors can also expect to see modern Citroëns such as the 2007 C6 and the 2009 C3 Pluriel as well as several late production model 2CVs dating from the 1980s and early 1990s, none of which were ever sold in the U.S.

The museum hosts semi-private tours available on Tuesdays and Thursdays and public days on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. Tickets are encouraged to be purchased in advance through the Museum’s website. For more information, visit www.MullinAutomotiveMuseum.com or call 805.385.5400.

The Mullin Automotive Museum is located at 1421 Emerson Avenue, Oxnard. The museum is typically open to the public on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month from 10 AM to 3 PM. Tickets must be purchased in advance at www.MullinAutomotiveMuseum.com.

The first Citroën, the Type A, built in 1919.

The first Citroën, the Type A, built in 1919.

Citroën DS

Citroën DS