Casitas Springs in Ventura County was Home to Johnny Cash in the Early 1960s

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Casitas Springs is an unincorporated community in Ventura County, located 1.2 miles east of Lake Casitas. Originally it was called Arroyo de Las Casitas (Creek of the Little Houses) in 1864. Its population is just over 1,000, located along State Route 33

All that aside, Casitas Springs is best known as the residence of Johnny Cash from 1961 to 1967. He bought a 5,000 sq ft home on Nye Road in 1961 where he lived with his wife Vivian Liberto and their four daughters. Liberto filed for divorce in 1966.

Driving Ventura Avenue north from Ventura towards Ojai, this sign near the juncture of Nye Road reminds us that the original Man in Black called Casitas Springs home.

Liberto continued to raise her daughters, Rosanne, Kathy, Tara and Cindy and moved from Casitas Springs to Ventura in 1968 after remarrying Ventura police officer Dick Distin in 1968. She passed away in 2005.

Johnny Cash passed away in 2003, four months after the passing of his second wife, June Carter Cash.

Rod Stewart's "Forever Young" Music Video is Unmistakably Filmed in Hidden Valley

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After posting a photo of crows flying over the Hidden Valley “straightaway” on Potrero Road in Hidden Valley, Mario M. pointed out that the the song “Forever Young” started playing on his radio as he was driving on Potrero Road. He then pointed out that Rod Stewart’s Forever Young video was filmed on that straightway. And he certainly was right.

I’m certainly familiar with this popular song, which reached number 12 on the 1988 Billboard Hot 100 after its release on July 3, 1988. But I was not aware of this particular video.


Here’s the photo of crows flying across the north end of the Potrero Road straightaway in Hidden Valley.

Here’s the photo of crows flying across the north end of the Potrero Road straightaway in Hidden Valley.

Here’s Rod Stewart singing to a child in the video, played by Alex Zuckerman.

Here’s Rod Stewart singing to a child in the video, played by Alex Zuckerman.

And another shot from the video, showing a car full of female teenagers not wearing seatbelts. For shame! :) We can see that the speed limit of 25 MPH has not changed since 1988.

And another shot from the video, showing a car full of female teenagers not wearing seatbelts. For shame! :) We can see that the speed limit of 25 MPH has not changed since 1988.

And….one more scene from the video.

And….one more scene from the video.

Hidden Valley is an unincorporated community in Ventura County, bordered by Newbury Park to the west and north, the Santa Monica Mountains on the south and Lake Sherwood to the east. It is not considered part of the Conejo Valley.

A key scene from the 1981 horror film, “The Hand,” starring Michael Caine, was filmed on this Potrero Road straightaway. It was THE scene of the movie, where Caine’s character’s (Jon Landsdale) hand went missing after a vehicular mishap on Potrero Road.

Summary of the California Homemade Food Act aka "Cottage Food" Bill

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In September 2012, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB1616, the California Homemade Food Act, that became effective January 1, 2013.

The law enables home food business entrepreneurs to run businesses, referred to as Cottage Food Operations, without being subject to the same level of regulation as commercial restaurants and bakeries. Before the law was passed, home cooks were required to rent part of a retail kitchen to prepare their products, among other things.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) maintains a list of certain “non-potentially hazardous” foods that can be prepared within and sold from a private home, provided certain requirements are met. County Environmental Health Divisions are responsible for overseeing Cottage Food Operation permits. To learn more about obtaining this permit in Ventura County, visit vcrma.org/en/cottage-home-food-operations.

How to Qualify as a Cottage Food Operation:

  • You prepare or package cottage food products at home.

  • Your cottage food product(s) are on the state approved list (summary below).

  • You have one or fewer full-time equivalent employees, excluding immediate family an household members.

  • Your gross annual sales of cottage food are not more than $75,000 for “Class A” foods and $150,000 for “Class B” foods. These amounts were updated effective 1/1/2022 and will be adjusted annually for inflation.

    • Class A: You only engage in direct sales of cottage foods to customers (e.g. at events, farmers’ markets, etc.).

    • Class B: You engage in both direct and indirect sales (e.g. through a third party retailer, like a restaurant or retail shop).

  • You file for proper permitting with Ventura County Environmental Health Division.

Approved Cottage Foods:

The CDPH maintains a list of food that are deemed to be non-potentially hazardous as “cottage foods.” These are foods that do not support the rapid growth of microorganisms or toxins that could make people sick when the food is held outside time and temperature control.

  • Baked goods without cream, custard or meat fillings - examples include bagels, baklava, biscuits, bread, brownies, buns, cake, churros, coconut macaroons, cookies, crackers, cupcakes, donuts, empanadas (fruit only), flatbreads, fruit, nut or seed bars, macarons (with approved buttercream), muffins, pastries, pies (fruit only), samosas (fruit only), tamales (fruit only), tarts, torillla, torts and waffles.

  • Candy and confections (too many examples)

  • Extracts containing at least 70 proof or 35% food grade for human consumption alcohol.

  • Dried, dehydrated and freeze-dried foods

  • Frostings, icings, fondants and gum pastes that do no contain eggs, cream or cream cheese

  • Honey and sorghum syrups

  • Fruit butters, jams, jellies

  • Nuts, nut mixes and nut butters

  • Powdered drink mixes made from manufactured ingredients

  • Vinegars and mustards

And there you have it. So if you’re wondering why that pie vendor at the farmers’ market is only selling fruit pies, now you know why.

Conejo Valley Guide Social Media Followers Highlight Something Fun They Did Over the Weekend

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What did I do this weekend? Spent some time the Channel Islands Harbor, enjoyed Silverstrand Beach and the CI Harbor Farmers’ Market, spent some time in Downtown Ventura, Shopped at The Oaks and the Camarillo Premium Outlets, spent some time on local trails, had a boba, ate some sushi, did errands around the house, replaced the battery in my watch….the list goes on!

We asked Conejo Valley Guide social media followers in Facebook and Instagram to tell us something they did that was fun this past warm June weekend, as part of a drawing for tickets to the 66th Annual Conejo Valley Days coming up June 16 to 26. The response was great and we thought it would be fun to share some of the responses here.

  • Attended “Summer is Here” parties

  • Baby shower

  • Baseball team party

  • Birthday parties

  • Went to a free concert in the park

  • Baby’s first trip to the beach

  • Baseball tournament

  • Beach walk and lunch at the Ventura Harbor

  • Universal Studios

  • Estate sale shopping

  • Graduation parties

  • Pool parties

  • Watched a movie (Jurassic World, Top Gun: Maverick)

  • Went on a hike

  • Dodger game

  • Got a kitten, got a puppy

  • Indulged in ice cream

  • Romantic dinner

  • Went to the park

  • Went to a splash pad

  • Day in Santa Barbara

  • Swimming and pool time (probably the most mentioned activity)

  • Family time

  • Went camping

  • Underwood Family Farms

  • Hung out with friends at a local taproom

  • America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College

  • Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm

  • Stagecoach Inn in Newbury Park

  • Mountain biking

  • Relaxed at home

  • Went to a farmers’ market

  • Lots of graduation parties

  • Annual kids and adults kickball game

  • Trip to San Diego

  • Cornell Winery

  • Went on a run in a local park or trail

  • Did some gardening

  • Bike ride with the kids

  • Water gun fun with the kids

  • Backyard movie night

  • Reagan Presidential Library

  • Went to a local beach

Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark

Comparing In-N-Out Burger to Whataburger

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Whataburger location that I visited in Birmingham, Alabama.

I was born and raised in Southern California and thus I am very familiar with the allure of an In-N-Out Burger. In-N-Out Burger originated in Baldwin Park, California in 1948 and has grown to over 350 locations in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas, Oregon, and Colorado, In-N-Out Burger is known for its fresh, delicious ingredients and simple menu. I grew up with In-N-Out Burger.

Whataburger was founded in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1950 and was family-owned until 2019, when a majority stake in the company was purchased by a private equity firm. There are currently (as of spring 2022) over 880 Whataburger locations, including over 700 in Texas. But there are no Whataburgers in California at the current time.*

On a recent trip to Birmingham, Alabama, there was a Whataburger directly across the street from my hotel. I've seen Whataburger from time to time in my travels, but never dined at one - nor did I know anything about Whataburger.

The topic of Whataburger came up with some folks I was hanging out with. They noted they were hungry the previous night, late at night, and that their hunger was resolved by a meal from Whataburger. Grandparents Bob and Gloria noted the deliciousness of their Whataburger late night snack. And thus, I decided it was time for me to try a Whataburger for the first time.

The layout of the Whataburger I ate at was very similar to the layout of an In-N-Out Burger. There multiple busy drive-through lines but there was also a large indoor dining area. The clean, bright, fairly spartan layout reminded me of the layout of In-N-Out Burger.

Simplicity of the In-N-Out Burger menu, circa Fall 2020..

Whataburger's menu is much more extensive than the simplistic In-N-Out Burger which I’ve always loved and appreciated. Whataburger’s menu was not overwhelming in size, but includes items such a chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, onion rings, breakfast items and more.

Staff was very friendly and attentive as soon as walked in. The manager was walking by and greeted me. The order taker was prompt. I decided to go with a simple Whataburger combo meal that came with fries and a drink. The burger comes with a 5" bun and beef patty, tomato, lettuce, diced onions and mustard. I also ordered some onion rings just to taste them. Oh, and I went with the sweet tea - which was very good.

I ate right there at Whataburger. They gave me a number to put on the table, and after a 5 minute wait, they brought my meal to me. Along with my meal, the employee gave me an assortment of condiments to choose from - ketchup, spicy ketchup and a few others. I went with the spicy ketchup (which was good, though not particularly spicy).

My first look at a Whataburger after opening up the package. Looked, smelled and tasted good.

The burger was delicious. Everything was hot and fresh - the burger patty was substantial, the tomato, lettuce and onions were very fresh, and the bun was toasted and tasted great.

The only big difference between a regular In-N-Out Burger and a regular Whataburger is the sauce. The Whataburger is made with mustard, while the In-N-Out Burger as we know is made with that delicious, addictive, special spread. Thinking about the taste of an In-N-Out Burger as I type this is really making me hungry.

From my vantage point, the Whataburger and In-N-Out Burger are equally delicious. If you don't like the taste of mustard, you can order the Whataburger with mayo, ketchup, honey BBQ or creamy pepper. If you prefer grilled onions to raw onions, that is also an option at both places. But if the In-N-Out Burger signature sauce is what you have a hankering for, you will be best served with an In-N-Out Burger.

Whataburger fries, with a cameo appearance by onion rings.

I'm ok with In-N-Out Burger fries, though I know some folks that are not fans of them. The Whataburger fries were very good. Cooked nice and crispy and more substantial in size than In-N-Out Burger fries, they also tasted very fresh. I'd have to give a slight nod overall to Whataburger in the fries department. The onion rings were ok to me but were not a standout.

Would I be happy to have a Whataburger in the Conejo Valley? Absolutely! As much as I enjoy In-N-Out Burger along with everyone else, I think Whataburger offers a fresh, delicious product that would do well here in Southern California.

Are there plans for Whataburger to expand to Ventura County, California? Not that I am aware of. But I would certainly welcome, now that I have tried it! Will I continue to be an In-N-Out Burger fan? Is the sky blue?

*Back in the 1970s until the mid 1980s, there were a number of Whatburgers in California, including locations in Thousand Oaks (400 Thousand Oaks Blvd - where Cho Cho San resides today), Oxnard (155 S. Oxnard Blvd - where A-Burger is today), 2250 East Main Street, Ventura (now Taco Bell), 1579 East Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley (now Jack in the Box) and 1650 E. Daily Drive, Camarillo (now Jack in the Box).

Sunset View From Tarantula Hill on a Cold February Evening, 2-22-22

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Yes, today is 2-22-22, a day that kind of reminds me of 11-11-11. It was a cold, cloudy day and while we did not see rain, we anticipate some showers tonight. In any case, enjoy these photos of tonight’s cloudy sunset from Tarantula Hill in Thousand Oaks.