Throwback to 1987 When May Co., The Broadway and Robinson's Anchored The Oaks Mall

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Throwback to 1987 and this Thousand Oaks postcard, when May Co., The Broadway and Robinson's anchored The Oaks mall.

May Co. was founded by David May in 1877. JW Robinson's was founded in 1883 by Joseph Winchester Robinson. May Co. merged with Robinson's in 1993 to form Robinsons-May. In 2005, Robinsons-May was acquired by Federated Department Stores and became Macy's, which still has two anchor stores at The Oaks.

The Broadway was founded in 1896 by Arthur Lettis, Sr. In 1996, 100 years later, The Broadway was acquired by Federated.

The Oaks mall turned 40 in April 2018. Happy birthday! Anchor stores when it opened in 1978 were The Broadway, May Co., J.W. Robinsons and J.C. Penney. Bullocks opened in 1980.

Anchor stores today are Macy's/Women, Macy's/Men's/Home/Children's, J.C. Penney and Nordstrom.

Speaking of malls, HERE'S A COMPILATION of kids' activities at shopping malls throughout Ventura County.

Looking for an Inexpensive Date in Ventura County? Here are Some Ideas!

"Perfect Match" by Local Artist Chuck Trunks

"Perfect Match" by Local Artist Chuck Trunks

Yes, most of us know that, living in the Conejo Valley and it seems most of Ventura County, many places seem to close by 10 pm.  So why not get to bed early and check out some of these great daytime activities around the area!  Most of these make for a great "cheap" date!  Others are not so inexpensive but worth checking out!

Boats, Bikes, Biplanes and Other Speedy Activities

Landmarks and Local History

Theater, Music and Art Activities

Comedy and Improv

More Music as Well as Fine Arts and Dance Groups

Museums

Outdoor Fun

Bowling

A Grab Bag of Other Fun Activities (Indoor Rock Climbing, Fencing, Kayaking, etc.)

Local Movie Theaters

Go Running or Cycling

Have Fun With Some of These Local Hobby/Social Clubs

The of course there's all sorts of upcoming events in the area! Check the Events Calendar or check out upcoming events by "type" by CLICKING HERE.

HERE'S A COMPILATION OF LOCAL VENUES WITH LIVE MUSIC AND OTHER ACTIVITIES

This covers many, but not all things to do in Ventura County!  Explore the site for more ideas and LET US KNOW if we're missing something you think should be in here!  We're always adding new stuff to do!!  Now go out and HAVE SOME FUN!!

"Newbury Park Rocks" Group Proves to Be Quite Popular on CVG Facebook Page

I didn't think much of it when a Facebook Page called "Newbury Park Rocks" contacted us to share a little about but what they do. 

So what do they do? Well, apparently this is becoming "a thing" throughout the country. The group paints, hides and finds decorative, painted rocks in the Newbury Park area.

Grab a rock and paint something whimsical, funny, inspirational and/or uplifting on it. After it dries, place it somewhere, partially hidden, such that someone will discover and enjoy that rock.

Well that certainly is a fun idea! So I thought, OK, I'll make mention of it on a Monday late morning, on the Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Page and I'm sure a few folks will find it interesting.

Well on one count, I was right. Some folks did indeed find it interesting. But I was wrong on "a few," as over 160 people have clicked the "Like" button and the interest has been very strong. I'm certain other rock hiding groups will pop up throughout Ventura County.

Cute idea!

2016 Ends With a Beautiful Double Rainbow in the Conejo Valley and Surrounding Areas

As soon as I stepped outside just after 4pm today, I noticed the sun shining amid the clouds and I uttered out loud, "This is rainbow weather!" 

Sure enough, I was right. We drove a block and noticed the beautiful, massive rainbow in Thousand Oaks, but we missed the double rainbow that wowed local residents after an entire day of cloud cover, cold and rain.

Here are some of my favorites from THIS FACEBOOK POST.

Taken from Newbury Park

Taken from Newbury Park

"Girl From Conejo Valley" by M. Ward

Matthew Stephen Ward (known as M. Ward) is a singer-songwriter and guitarist from Portland, Oregon. He records "Indie Folk" and blues type music as a solo artist and with other artists. Ward has released a number of albums over the years, including his latest, More Rain, in March 2016.

I came upon M. Ward at random on eBay, of all things, when I noticed someone selling a copy of the single, "Girl From Conejo Valley." After the initial amusement, I listened to the song several times and started really enjoying it. So, but of course we must share this song here on Conejo Valley Guide.

This is a fun, catchy song. I found it a bit bizarre, but entertaining, both the lyrics and the video. What I didn't see in the video is footage of Conejo Valley. While I tried to convince myself that some of the aerial footage could be from the Western Plateau section of the Conejo Open Space, I don't think it is. But do take a look and add a comment as to what you think.

Learn more about M. Ward at mwardmusic.com.

Five New Sports to Be Added to the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020

Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee approved the addition of baseball/softball, karate, skateboarding, sports climbing and surfing to the 2020 Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo.

This will mark the first appearance of these sports at the Olympics, except for baseball/softball which was last on the Olympic program at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The additional sports will not be binding on future Olympic games and will not impact existing Olympic sports. In total, inclusion of the new sports will add 18 events and 474 athletes. These new sports are anticipated to attract a younger generation of athletes to the Olympics.

Without knowing these five sports were to be added to the next Olympics, we ran a local restaurant drawing on the CVG Facebook Page, asking entrants to indicate what additional sport they would like to see at the next summer Olympics. Here's the interesting assortment of responses we received:

  • Softball, surfing and karate all received a number of mentions
  • Hula hooping
  • Dodgeball
  • Auto racing
  • Ukelele playing
  • Donut eating
  • Handball
  • Pickleball
  • Wake boarding
  • Yo Yo-ing
  • Netball
  • MMA
  • Shuffleboard
  • Shopping
  • Bowling
  • Extreme video gaming
  • Lacrosse
  • Football
  • Billiards
  • Hopscotch
  • Juggling
  • Tiddly winks
  • Belly flopping
  • Pokemon Go
  • Disc golf
  • Jousting
  • Competitive eating
  • BMX racing
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Roller Derby
  • Cheerleading
  • Mini golf
  • Synchronized juggling
  • Speed knitting
  • Ballroom dancing

A clever group of folks we have on our Facebook page.

Survey of Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Followers' Favorite Cheeses

According to an entry on Wikipedia, Cheese is a food derived from milk that is produced in a wide range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, the milk is usually acidified, and adding the enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into final form. Some cheeses have molds on the rind or throughout. Uh, sounds delicious, eh?

In a recent drawing on the Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Page for a gift certificate to The Melting Pot in Thousand Oaks, entrants were asked to mention their favorite cheese. I discovered that 1) people are not shy about their love for cheese, as there were over 850 responses in just eight hours; and 2) there are a lot of cheeses I've never heard of.

So here is a tabulation of responses to this drawing that may strike a fancy with some of you. I am certainly tempted to try out some new cheeses this weekend!

The Top 15 Cheeses (as surveyed):

  1. Cheddar* was voted most popular cheese overall, with 138 votes
  2. Gouda received 108 votes
  3. Brie: 86 votes
  4. Havarti: 45 votes
  5. Gruyere: 43 votes
  6. Swiss: 41 votes
  7. Pepper Jack: 38 votes
  8. Mozzarella: 34 votes
  9. Goat: 32 votes
  10. Blue: 31 votes
  11. Manchego: 24 votes
  12. Feta: 20 votes
  13. Muenster: 19 votes
  14. Provolone: 14 votes
  15. Gorgonzola: 13 votes
  16. Dubliner: 10 votes

*Includes all types - sharp, mild, white, smoked, English, etc.

Cheddar, Gouda and Brie were the clear top three most popular cheeses named in this survey. Havarti, Gruyere and Swiss duked it out for the next three spots. Pepper Jack had quite a strong showing also.

Other notable cheeses receiving 3 or more votes included Monterey Jack (7 votes), Fontina (7), Parmesan (7), Jalapeno/Habanero Jack (7), Asiago (6), Port Wine (6),

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