Conejo Valley Days Parade Photo From 1963 Captures Relations with Cuba at the Time

Photo from 1963 Conejo Valley Days Parade

Here's a throwback photo from the 1963 Conejo Valley Days Parade in what the following year would officially become the City of Thousand Oaks. An entry with "Care Package for Castro" with a missile with the caption "Y's Men" (which I suspect is in reference to the Y's Men, a service group that helped construct the original Conejo Valley YMCA building in 1964). 

Just months prior, in October 1962, was the Cuban Missile Crisis, the confrontation between the United States and Soviet Union over the placement of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. After intense negotiations between President Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviets agreed to remove the weapons in Cuba in exchange for public declaration that the U.S. would not invade Cuba.

My how times have changed since then, with the United States in process of re-establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Family Admission to the Los Angeles Zoo Saves You Time and Money

If you and your family visit the Los Angeles Zoo at least two times a year, the Family Membership is a no brainer. Not only does it save you money for a family of four or more when you visit the zoo at least twice a year, but it saves you time by bypassing lines into the park. Los Angeles Zoo membership also saves you 10% in shops and restaurants and gets you free or discounted admission to over 170 zoos and aquariums around the country.

The current cost of a one year family membership is $134, but there's a limited opportunity to purchase it at the discounted price of just $90 at THIS LINK!

Gentle Giraffe

Restful Rhino

Reggie the Alligator

Hippos relaxing

Grinning and Bearing it

The Conejo Grade in 1970

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Conejo Grade 1970 (Photo by Frank Knight; Image courtesy of Conejo Through the Lens, Thousand Oaks Library)

Here's an aerial photo of the Conejo Grade from the Frank Knight collection in 1970, looking towards Newbury Park. Things look quite a bit different today. Click here for other historical photos of the evolution of the Conejo Grade.

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In this shot from slightly further away, you can clearly newbury park high school, which opened in 1967

California Department of Motor Vehicles Now Offers 1960s Legacy Plates

image is for illustration only. final design of the plate will differ. (Image courtesy of dmv)

State legislation introduced the California Legacy License Plate program offering car owners the chance to purchase replicas of California license plates similar to those issued in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Out of these three decades, only the 1960s plate reached the required 7,500 orders before January 1, 2015. As a result, California drivers can now relive the 1960s with a black and gold replica available for your motor vehicles.

The plates are available  at www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/legacyplates/index or by mail or at your local DMV office or auto club.

The plate costs $50 for either a sequential or a personalized plate. Renewal fees are $40.

The plates will not look EXACTLY like plates issued in the 1960s because current law requires plates to be reflectorized, but I don't think most folks will really notice the difference!

Tour Cities Throughout the U.S. in Scavenger Hunt Fashion with Urban Adventure Quest

Looking for an adventure!? Turn Southern California cities into a giant game board this summer with a fun scavenger hunt adventure from Urban Adventure Quest.  Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a two to three hour city tour.

Guided from any smart phone, teams make their way among well known and overlooked gems of the city, solving clues and completing challenges while learning local history. 

Play in Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Diego, Catalina Island, The Getty Center, Paso Robles or 30 other cities across the United States.  Available 365 days a year, sunrise to sunset.  Start when you want and play at your pace.

Interested in trying it out!? Save 20% by using Promotion Code: CVGUIDE at checkout. Only $39.20 for a team of 2-5 people (regular price is $49).

Sign up online at www.UrbanAdventureQuest.com. 

Urban Adventure Quest was created right here in Ventura County in 2011 by three local residents inspired by "The Amazing Race" combined with their love for travel.  Since then, over 62,000 people have played! Other cities include, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, New York, Washington DC, Portland, New Orleans and many more.

Who Knew That Dandelions Could Be This Funny?

English singer/songwriter Tom Fletcher and his son Buzz remind us that the simplest things in life can be the most fun. Try not to smile while watching Buzz's reaction to his father blowing the seeds off of a dandelion (Taraxacum).

Looking for a local garden club? Check out the Local Clubs listing here on CVG.

What are You Looking Forward to Doing at Conejo Valley Days? Readers Respond

The 59th Annual Conejo Valley Days is coming Thursday, May 7th though Sunday, May 10th, 2015. The event will feature a carnival, exciting rides for all ages, outhouse races, Kids' Korral stage, live musical entertainment, numerous vendors, exhibitors and community organizations and great food.

What are you looking forward to at this year's Conejo Valley Days? We recently asked CVG Facebook followers this question. Some of the responses are below.  It seems funnel cakes, Ferris wheel, food, family and fun are some of the most common responses.

• Spending a fun day with my 5 year old who enjoys getting on the same rides over and over and over again. While he does that I need to enjoy a funnel cake

• Spending the day with my son! We haven't been before!

• Looking forward to the food and trying to win a goldfish!

• Taking my boys for the first time!

• I look forward to hearing the music and rides playing at night after we get home from the fair.

• Spending some fun time with the family!

• Taking my daughter on the rides (she's finally old enough!) and of course... fair food!!

• Enjoying family time with my husband and 2 girls!

• Elephant Ears and Fried Zucchini

• Looking forward to taking my grandkids like I do every year! They love the kid friendly stuff to do!

• The ribs... I hope the Elks have their beef ribs!

• What I really look forward to this year is seeing all my family friends with our kids enjoying the great food and rides and have a big smile from cheek to cheek!

• Riding the rides!!

• Trying the chili and seeing friends

• All the super unhealthy but delicious food

• I can't wait to volunteer with the Special Kids Day event. To be a part of that makes my year!

• Seeing friends and eating junk.

• Seeing all the goodies under the tent. Eating lots of good food

• Taking my son in for the rides.

• Seeking out a funnel cake

• Eating food and seeing all of the families out enjoying the event.

• Smoked turkey legs

• Games, rides, food and a great time!!!!!!

• We look forward to watching people scream upside down

• Drooling over the food I can't have because I'm on Weight Watchers.

• We go almost every year. Always a lot of fun and good food.

• I look forward to some good ole community fun!!! Love it ALL!

• I look forward to riding the Ferris wheel again and for my younger son to participate in more rides!

• Funnel cakes and hopefully some awesome Fedora in the tent

• The Ferris wheel

• Yummy food and lively music

• Eating funnel cake and going on all the awesome rides with my daughter!????

• Chocolate covered strawberries and the goldfish game!!!!!

• Watching my kids laugh and smile.

• Going with 3 generations that have been going since the beginning…and funnel cakes.

• Taking my little man with me and watching his adorable face light up as he goes on kiddie rides and tries cotton candy for the first time!

• Looking forward to taking my 18 month old this year...our first year going as a family.

• Going on the ferris wheel with the boyfriend and his kids. Making more memories to come!

• Deep fried zucchini and winning a gold fish

• Enjoy the corn dogs!

• Every Year for 35 years! Family and Friends Getting Together!

• I have been going to CVD since I was in elementary school...in the 70's. I still love to go because the smells remind me of being a kid, and being there with my friends. Each year, I run into friends from my childhood, and I love that! I have to eat corn dogs and cotton candy, and spy on my teenage kids!

• Too many things to list but nostaligic foods like...Elks Lodge BBQ babyback ribs and roasted corn!

• Eating things that aren't meant to be fried.

• Looking forward to taking my daughter on the ferris wheel

• Spending time with my son on the same grounds I spent time with my family on

• I look forward to taking my boys to the same fair I used to go to at their age!

• Spending the day with my family and taking my little one on the rides.

• Riding the rides with my kid and all the food!! Yummmmmy funnel cake ??

• Eating chocolate covered strawberries as I watch my daughter perform on stage Mother's Day!!!

• Great event and hoping to share it with my family

• Annual funnel cake to be shared with my parents!

• Taking the kids and winning them prizes!!

• Funnel Cakes yum!

• I go with my daughter ever year - this year she is 7 and said she can't wait to try out a new ride!

• Looking forward to all the laughter and smiles from my son (and all the other kids enjoying the fair!)!

• Carnival rides for the kids and live music for me! And it never fails... Always end up running into old friends

• Cotton candy, the Zipper, and the look on my kids' faces when we pull up!

Learn more about Conejo Valley Days at www.conejovalleydays.us.