Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Followers Name Their Favorite Family Eateries in the Conejo Valley

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In a recent drawing on the CVG Facebook Page, we asked followers to name off their favorite family restaurant in the Conejo Valley. There were over 300 responses in the two day drawing and of course we would love to share them with you here, in alphabetical order. Some of these eateries are not technically in the Conejo Valley, but hey, that’s ok.

Listed below are the restaurants noted, and the number of times they were noted. The most mentioned eateries were Lure Fish House, Stonefire Grill, Toppers Pizza Place and Country Harvest.

  • Agoura’s Famous Deli

  • Ali Baba’s Kitchen 3

  • All About the Burgers Simi Valley

  • Alpine Deli

  • Ameci Pizza

  • Bad Ass Tacos 2

  • Bangkok Avenue 2

  • Bandits BBQ 9

  • Brent’s Deli

  • Cactus Patch in Moorpark

  • California Pizza Kitchen

  • Carrara Pastries in Moorpark 2

  • Casa Nostra Ristorante

  • The Cheesecake Factory 5

  • Chi Chi’s Pizza Simi Valley 2

  • Chili’s

  • Cici’s Cafe 2

  • Cho Cho San 2

  • Cisco’s 2

  • Country Harvest 9

  • Cronies

  • Dave & Buster’s

  • Don Cuco Simi Valley 2

  • Draughts

  • Eggs N Things 3

  • Eloong Dumplings

  • Figueroa Mountain Brewing

  • Fusion Grill 5

  • Habanero Mexican Grill

  • Holdren’s

  • Islands 4

  • Janchi Korean BBQ

  • Jinky’s Cafe

  • Junkyard Cafe Simi Valley

  • Lakeview Garden Chinese Restaurant

  • Latigo Kid

  • Lazy Dog Cafe 5

  • Little Calf Creamery and Cafe 5

  • Los Dos Amigos 2

  • Love Pho Cafe

  • Love Sushi

  • Lure Fish House 11

  • Made in Italy

  • Marmalade Cafe 2

  • Mandarin Bistro

  • Marcello Ristorante 2

  • Mendocino Farms

  • Mika Sushi

  • Minato Sushi

  • Mission Burrito

  • Mouthful Eatery

  • Natural Cafe

  • Nonna

  • Nori Japanese Grill

  • Olive Garden 2

  • P&L Burgers

  • Plata Taqueria in Agoura Hills 2

  • Poke U and Me in Camarillo

  • Pokeland

  • Pookie’s Thai

  • Ranch Hand BBQ 2

  • Red Robin 4

  • Roma Deli

  • Sake 2 Me Sushi Simi Valley

  • Sesame Inn

  • Sharky’s 6

  • Side Street Cafe

  • Snapper Jack’s

  • Social Monk

  • Soom Soom

  • Stacked 6

  • Stella’s II

  • Stonefire Grill 10

  • Sumo Sushi 3

  • Sushi Oaks

  • Taqueria El Tapatio in Moorpark

  • Taqueria Jalisco Mexican Food in Moorpark

  • Tavern 101

  • The Habit Burger

  • The Original Pizza Cookery 5

  • Thousand Oaks Fish and Chips

  • Thousand Wok

  • Toppers Pizza Place 9

  • Vegan Thyme

  • Wood Ranch BBQ 6

Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Page Followers Share Their Father's Day Plans

Bunnies pondering their Father’s Day plans.

Bunnies pondering their Father’s Day plans.

In a recent drawing on the Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Page, we asked folks what their Father’s Day weekend plans were. The response was outstanding and of course we’re going to share some highlights of these responses right here for future reference!

CVG Facebook Fan Selected Responses:

All the ladies in my family are going to cook for the amazing dads in our family. We are going to cook a traditional dish. Of course all of us are going to enjoy.

Chores at home and spending time together ❤️

My daughters and I will spend the morning baking my husband's favorite cake 🤪😊

We are going to church in the morning and then lunch with my husband's parents. Hopefully a relaxing day.

Both our kids will be over, we have not had any quality time since Christmas as we have been so busy with work, school, fixing house up and new puppy!

Channel Islands Harbor vintage boat show!

Church and family BBQ! (BBQ and lunch was a recurring theme).

Our Fathers Day plan is to bbq and play games with family and friends who have become family. Family is what my husband loves.

My husband and I are taking a Sunday drive along Mulholland and having dinner at PF Chang’s (lettuce wraps)

We have planned a family hike through Wildwood Park and then home for waffles!
We will be spoiling my husband with Fathers Day gifts and taking him out for lunch at Cheesecake Factory, one of his favorite places to eat. Not a bad day at all.

Going to the beach😎

Finney’s with my family, and seeing my father in law after!!

Going to the Channel Islands car show in the morning followed by bbqing at home with family 💙

Dinner at Bandits tonight. Miss the crowd!

BBQ swim party with family

My three boys and I are surprising my husband by making an omelette bar (*which is huge, cause I don’t cook 😂) and then we are all going bowling! 🎳

Spending time together as a family, and letting dad sleep in!

Taking my dad to breakfast then for a walk in Oak Canyon Park!

We don’t have plans for this Sunday for Father’s Day as my daughter's father (my hubby) is serving overseas. But he will be visiting later this month...so we will celebrate then ❤️ Happy Father’s Day to all you wonderful daddies out there, near or far xoxo.

We are going to church and then out to a Fathers Day lunch at my favorite place. Then a nap 💤.

Here are some more ideas for future Father’s Day or any day for that matter plans:

OVER 50 THINGS TO DO IN THOUSAND OAKS

LOCAL AREA BEACHES

LOCAL HIKING AND TRAILS

LOCAL AREA CAMPING

BIKE PATHS IN AND AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

Cookie, Candy and Sugary Snack Food Based Cereals Seem to Be Trending

In a recent visit to the local Walmart Neighborhood Market, I walked down the cereal aisle and noticed what appears to be a new trend…numerous cereals based on other products…cookies, candy and other snack foods. While we generally don’t buy sugary cereals, the sighting of these cereals kind of brought me back to my youth and my days of Cocoa Pebbles.

And speaking of Cocoa Pebbles, I Wikipedia’d (I’m assuming Wikipedia can be used as a verb, like Google) it and learned that Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles, introduced in 1971 and based on The Flintstones, is the oldest surviving cereal based on characters from a TV series or movie. And there you have it.

Oreo O’s were originally launched in 1997 and discontinued in 2007. They were re-launched by Post Cereals in June 2017.

Oreo O’s were originally launched in 1997 and discontinued in 2007. They were re-launched by Post Cereals in June 2017.

Nilla Cereal is based on Nilla Waters, with the flavor of banana pudding. This was launched in 2018, along with Golden Oreo O’s Cereal.

Nilla Cereal is based on Nilla Waters, with the flavor of banana pudding. This was launched in 2018, along with Golden Oreo O’s Cereal.

The iconic Chips Ahoy cookies were brought to market in 1963.. Chips Ahoy Cookie Cereal came to Walmart in early 2018, along with Nutter Butter Cereal.

The iconic Chips Ahoy cookies were brought to market in 1963.. Chips Ahoy Cookie Cereal came to Walmart in early 2018, along with Nutter Butter Cereal.

And here is an example of another icon product turned cereal. Walmart started exclusively carrying both Frosted Strawberry and Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts Cereal in January 2019, fully 55 years after Pop Tarts toaster pastries were launch…

And here is an example of another icon product turned cereal. Walmart started exclusively carrying both Frosted Strawberry and Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts Cereal in January 2019, fully 55 years after Pop Tarts toaster pastries were launched.

Reese’s Puffs Cereal is made with “real Reese’s peanut butter” it says on the box. These have been around awhile though, having launched in 1994.

Reese’s Puffs Cereal is made with “real Reese’s peanut butter” it says on the box. These have been around awhile though, having launched in 1994.

Here’s a family size box of Dippin’ Dots Cereal. Launched in 2018, 30 years, if you can believe it, after Dippin’ Dots was invented.

Here’s a family size box of Dippin’ Dots Cereal. Launched in 2018, 30 years, if you can believe it, after Dippin’ Dots was invented.

And last but note least for this compilation is Hostess Donettes Cereal. Why one would prefer donut shaped cereal to an actual donut with milk is beyond me, but to each his own. Hostess Donettes Cereal as well as Hostess Honey Bun Cereal were launch…

And last but note least for this compilation is Hostess Donettes Cereal. Why one would prefer donut shaped cereal to an actual donut with milk is beyond me, but to each his own. Hostess Donettes Cereal as well as Hostess Honey Bun Cereal were launched in late 2018.


Filmed at Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark, "The Biggest Little Farm" Documentary Is a Must See

My kids had no idea what the film was about. I had heard good things about “The Biggest Little Farm,” and on a hot Sunday afternoon we headed over to the Regency Westlake Village to catch the 1 pm screening.

The Biggest Little Farm is a documentary that follows the dreams of John and Molly Chester and their dog, Todd., as they achieve their dream of creating a certified biodynamic farm. This farm happens to be Apricot Lane Farms, located right here in Moorpark (10700 Broadway Road).

Prior to pursuing the farm, Molly was a private chef and food blogger, while John was a career documentary filmmaker.

The film was truly an engaging tale of how these farmers found the inspiration to create their dream, enlist the help of many others - investors and support team - build the farm and sustain it, encounter numerous obstacles and challenges, and find creative solutions to these challenges.

It was a wonderful film to bring the kids to see. The film brought a lump to my throat many a time. The farm animals played a large part in the film and led us through emotions of joy to sadness, cheerfulness and grief. The story flowed nicely and the hour and a half brought not a dull moment.

While most of us would never entertain the thought of opening a farm, the lessons of perseverance and finding clever solutions in the film is of value to all. I’m glad I brought my teenage sons to the film.

Visit www.thebiggestlittlefarmmovie.com for showtimes at local theaters. Highly recommended!

Learn more about Apricot Lane Farms at www.apricotlanefarms.com. Their produce, meat, eggs and products are available at the Thousand Oaks Farmers’ Market and Calabasas Farmers’ Market, as well as at the Erewhon store in Calabasas.

Annual Hay Bale Sighting in Hidden Valley

Every year in the May/June time frame we are greeted by this display of hay bales on the farms lining Potrero Road in Hidden Valley. This annual sight reminds us that we are about to enter the summer months.

SWIMMING AND WATER PLAY IN VENTURA COUNTY

LOCAL AREA BEACHES IN MALIBU TO CARPINTERIA

SUMMER FAMILY MOVIES IN VENTURA COUNTY

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Katy Perry's Latest Single "Never Really Over" Filmed at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas

Katy Perry announced her new single, “Never Really Over,” yesterday at katyperry.com. Those of us that live here in the Conejo Valley and nearby areas in Ventura County may recognize the surrounding in that video.

Yes, this video was filmed at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas. This 588 acre gem in the Santa Monica Mountains is maintained by the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority. The property was owned and developed by razor blade kingpin King C. Gillette. Also located here is the Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center - believe it or not, in what was formerly the horse stable for the Gillette Mansion.

Screenshot from video shows the entrance to King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas.

Screenshot from video shows the entrance to King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas.

King Gillette Ranch entrance on a recent spring day.

King Gillette Ranch entrance on a recent spring day.

Another snapshot from the video shows the actual Gillette mansion in the background, situated on King Gillette Ranch.

Another snapshot from the video shows the actual Gillette mansion in the background, situated on King Gillette Ranch.

A similar view from the expansive, beautiful lawn at King Gillette Ranch.

A similar view from the expansive, beautiful lawn at King Gillette Ranch.

Point Mugu, Mugu Rock, Sycamore Cove Beach Featured in 2018 Russell Dickerson "Blue Tacoma" Video

It was pointed out on the CVG Facebook Page that Mugu Rock was prominently featured in the 2018 music video by country music singer Russell Dickerson “Blue Tacoma.” That indeed is the case. The song is the second single from his 2017 debut album Yours.

But there’s more than just the majestic Mugu Rock in this 3 1/2 minute video. I see the beach adjacent to Mugu Rock, Sycamore Cove Beach in the nighttime campfire scene and even Hueneme Beach Park in the eating-Chinese-food-out-of-the-cartons-on-the-beach-with-red-wine-in-plastic-blue-cups scene at 48 second into the video.

One last observation. The lyrics start with “Wheels rolling on an old Toyota. Twist top on a Sunkist soda.” For the record, the Toyota Tacoma in the video looked like a pretty late model to me. Not old at all. In the car’s cupholder appeared to be an iced coffee. No signs of a Sunkist soda.

Sycamore Cove Beach

Sycamore Cove Beach

Adjacent (southeast) to Mugu Rock.

Adjacent (southeast) to Mugu Rock.

This image was taken a number of years ago at a sand sculpture contest at the Hueneme Beach Festival, when they still held the festival.  Notice the palm trees in the background compared to the Chinese food eating on the beach scene at 48 seconds in…

This image was taken a number of years ago at a sand sculpture contest at the Hueneme Beach Festival, when they still held the festival. Notice the palm trees in the background compared to the Chinese food eating on the beach scene at 48 seconds into the video.