'Tis The Season for Santa Barbara Filmmaker's "Roadside Santa" Documentary

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My kids and I always wave at Santa Claus facing the 101 freeway as we drive north through Camarillo and Oxnard. Since 2003 this 20 foot Santa has resided in the unincorporated area of Nyeland Acres, bringing smiles to the faces of passersby.

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Constructed in 1947, near the community of Carpinteria, Santa Claus was part of a roadside attraction known as Santa Claus Lane, a two-lane roadway that paralleled the south side of U.S. Highway 101, just west of the City of Carpinteria.  Between the late 1940s and the mid-1960s, Santa Claus Lane featured a thriving array of stores restaurants, motels, and a post office, as well as attractions, including a child’s train, small zoo, and pony rides, that catered both to travelers and nearby communities.

For over six years, Santa Barbara filmmaker Jody Nelson has chronicled the history of this popular Santa that will be made into a full-length film, "Roadside Santa." Through melding stories of community residents, interviews with scholars and activists, archival footage and stills, the documentary explores themes of cultural transition in California as experienced in the disparate communities that Santa has called home. “Roadside Santa” illuminates how the residents of Nyeland Acres have welcomed Santa to their neighborhood and reinvented him as a potent and positive symbol of community identity, demonstrating the adaptive capacities of new immigrant communities and American culture alike.

UPDATE Nov 2015: It does not appear that this film has been finalized as an fyi.

The video below highlights some some of the scenes, stories and interviews, as well as the popular annual Santa to the Sea Half Marathon that supports a toy drive for local underprivileged kids. Watch it! You'll learn about our own Ventura County Roadside Santa and how he brings joy to the local community.

Nelson is nearly finished with the film but is still interested in Santa Claus Lane photos, film footage and memorabilia from the 1940s to present day, Santa Claus Lane stories from people who lived/worked there and the whereabouts of the miniature train and carousel that used to reside there. She also seeks additional funding to help finalize the film and bring it to film festivals and perhaps TV.

Learn more by visiting www.nelsonfilms.com or at this Facebook page or calling Jody at 805.403.0602. She can also be reached at jgirlsb1@gmail.com.

Some Great Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes, Turkey Tips and More!!

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Thanksgiving is upon us!! Here's some great, practical advice on cooking some DELICIOUS side dishes that will make you the star of the dining room! Check out the video below and read on. For more free videos and cooking tips from Master Chef, Kirk Leins, visit www.notimetocook.com.

Thanksgiving is almost the perfect holiday. Unlike many celebrations, the emphasis is less about the material aspects, and more about the day itself.

Simply put, Thanksgiving is about reconnecting with loved ones, eating great food, and watching a few football games. The one blemish, however, is the pressure we feel to flawlessly execute a great Thanksgiving dinner.

Your Bird

It’s no secret that your turkey will be the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table. It’s also no secret that the quality of the turkey is the primary measurement by which

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Incredible Murmuration of Starlings on the River Shannon in Ireland

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Liberty Smith and Sophie Windor Clive were canoeing on the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, when they came across this "murmuration," or flock of starlings. There looks to be thousands of them. Pretty unbelievable footage. Must have been breathtaking in person. Visit islandsandrivers.co.uk for more information.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

In Memory of Steve Jobs: His 2005 Stanford University Commencement Speech

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Steve Jobs as we know passed away yesterday at the much too young age of 56, after nearly a decade of battling health problems. Every one of us owning an Apple computer, iPod, iPhone, iPad and other products hold his vision and brilliance in our hands. Though Jobs dropped out of college to pursue his passions that ultimately benefited us all, he was asked to give this memorable commencement speech at Stanford University's 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005. He will be missed but well remembered.

4th Annual Ride to the Flags Passing Through Westlake Village on September 11, 2011

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Ride to the Flags is an annual event that started in 1998 that takes hundreds of bikers on a ride to the 9/11 Flag Display Memorial Service at Pepperdine University's Alumni Park.  The event is an all-volunteer charity ride that donates 100% of proceeds to charity. This year's event raised over $25,000.

This year's 4th annual event started at Naval Base Ventura County and rode through Potrero Road through Hidden Valley on its way to Malibu.  We were able to watch the display of over 800 bikes at the intersection of Potrero Road and Westlake Boulevard as they made their way over to Kanan Road. Was a lot of fun seeing the different bikes and waving to the riders!  For more information about the event and to make donations, visit www.ridetotheflags.com.