Galactic Challenge opened recently in the outdoor shops section of The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks. What is Galactic Challenge? It is an Airsoft BB Target Range venue. You can purchase 60 BBs for $10 and shoot them at targets. You can then earn a prize, based on how many targets you shoot down. Open 10am to 9pm daily, except 11am to 7pm on Sundays. More information at galactichallenge.com.
The Agoura Hills Recreation and Event Center is a 21,000 sq. ft. multi-purpose facility located at 29900 Ladyface Court. It opened its doors in January 2015.
The center includes a rentable 3,500 sq ft event center, kitchen, beautiful patio area with outstanding views and more.
The Center hosts a wide variety of activities throughout the year and can be rented for private functions like weddings and meetings. The facility has dedicated space for senior programs as well as a teen center, "The Garage."
Lastly, there is quite a neat little interpretative play area next to the facility with a Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area theme, including a Rattlesnake Seating Wall, Mountain Lion Climber, Bobcat Climber and Hawk Track Ride.
More information at www.agourahillscity.org/department/community-services-parks-recreation/parks-facilities/agoura-hills-recreation-and-event-center or call 818.597.7361.
Established in 1924, Toastmasters International is a world leader at helping people become more competent and comfortable in front of an audience. The nonprofit has over 280,000 members in 14,700 clubs around the world, offering a proven, fun way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills.
Most meetings are comprised of approximately 20 people who meet weekly for an hour or two. Participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian. There is no instructor; instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved.
There are over 80 local Toastmasters clubs throughout Ventura County. They meet on different days of the week in various locations, in the morning, during the day or at night.
First step is to find a local club. There is a search function at www.toastmasters.org that allows you to search for a club by zip code, by meeting day and by meeting time.
Here is just a sampling of some of the 80+ local Toastmasters clubs in Ventura County and adjacent areas:
Camarillo Evening Toastmasters (camarillo.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Tuesday evenings
Conejo Valley Toastmasters (1864.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Monday nights in Thousand Oaks on Janss Road near the 23.
Daybreakers of Westlake Toastmasters (3332.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Wednesday mornings in Westlake Village.
Rhetorical Link Toastmasters of Conejo Valley (6765.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Thursday nights in Thousand Oaks.
Ventura Toastmasters (since 1934) (www.venturatoastmasters.com) meets Monday nights.
Moorpark Toastmasters (1038927.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Wednesday nights at the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce.
Calabasas Toastmasters (9655.toastmastersclubs.org) meets alternate Monday nights.
Ventura Sunrise Toastmasters (5575.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Tuesday mornings.
Sandpiper Toastmasters (1224.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Wednesday mornings in Ventura.
ACE Toastmasters (1038926.toastmastersclubs.org) meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday nights in Newbury Park.
Speaking 101 Toastmaster’s Club (7548.toastmastersclubs.org) meets at lunch on Tuesdays at Cal Lutheran.
Thousand Oaks Toastmasters at Lunch (TOTAL) (1934.toastmastersclubs.org/) meets on Thursdays at noon at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.
Thousand Oaks Toastmasters (2847612.toastmastersclubs.org/) meets on Tuesdays at noon at the Civic Arts Plaza Oak Room.
Los Amigos Toastmasters (2224.toastmastersclubs.org) is a bilingual club that meets Thursday nights in Oxnard
Medea Creek Natural Park has hiking, biking and fitness trails that stretch from Calle Rio Vista and Oaks Hills Drive in Oak Park on the north, then south past Medea Creek Lane and Conifer Street to a cul de sac entrance to the park at the west terminus of Tamarind Street.
Nicely paved Medea Creek Trail north towards Kanan/Oak Park Library
The paved Medea Creek Trail, great for walks as well as casual bicycling, has a northern entry point at Kanan Road across from Deerhill Road (adjacent to the Oak Park Library). It crosses Sunnycrest Drive, where there is street parking, so you do need to be careful with kids when you cross.
Medea Creek runs through suburbia via this wash, where you will see some neat bird activity.
The nature loop trail is about 1.5 miles. You will likely see ducks and perhaps other birds enjoying the creek as you choose between the paved and dirt paths. There's also a fitness circuit. It is kind of interesting as you'll see multiple layers of trails; some dirt, some paved, some grassy, some in the creek.
Multiple paths and areas to explore at Medea Creek.
Medea Creek Natural Park is managed by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District www.rsrpd.org/business_detail_T9_R29.php
Sign at east end terminus of Tamarind StreetFitness course signs along 1.5 mile path.
Founded in 1994, Opera Santa Barbara brings high quality opera performances to Santa Barbara, such as La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, Aida, Don Pasquale, The Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, Pirates of Penzance, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni and other productions. There are generally three productions each year, plus other great events.
Performances take place at the Granada Theatre, 1214 State Street, Santa Barbara. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit www.operasb.org.
A local must see is the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, located at 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley. With sweeping hilltop views of the surrounding valleys, this 153,000 sq ft museum on 100 acres is educational and interesting for all ages. A wealth of memorabilia and artifacts from throughout Reagan's life is on display.
In February 2011, over 26,000 sq ft of new exhibits and dozens of interactive displays spanning Reagan's life were introduced. There are 24 galleries that pay tribute to our 40th President's life. You can act in a movie with Reagan, deliver his inaugural address with a teleprompter, set the table for a state dinner, learn about his economic policies in interactive games, read his handwritten diary, ride a horse alongside Reagan at Rancho del Cielo, and much more. There is also a full-scale Oval Office replica and a 9 1/2 foot, 6,300 lb section of the Berlin Wall on display.
Volunteer docents are very friendly, helpful and extremely knowledgeable. They are there to help guide you through your visit and answer your questions.
Exhibits include the Air Force One Pavilion, sections of the Berlin Wall, F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter, F-14 Tomcat aircraft, Reagan Memorial Site, M-1 Abrams Tank, Marine One helicopter, Oval Office and more.
In addition to the permanent exhibits discussed above, there are usually temporary exhibits on display. Check out the museum's website for details.
Dine at the Reagan Library! The Gipper’s Bar + Bistro offers panoramic views and is open and is open from 10:30am to 3pm seven days a week. You can access this eatery without entering the Library. The Ronald Reagan Pub is located inside the Air Force One Pavilion and offers drinks and prepackaged sandwiches and other items.
The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Parking is free of charge. Admission costs vary based on the special exhibit on hand.
More information at www.reaganfoundation.org.
Pacific View Mall, located at Mills Road and Main Street in Ventura, is anchored by Macy's, JC Penney and Target. Over 140 shops, restaurants and department stores in one million square feet. Sit-down restaurants include a California Pizza Kitchen, Red Robin and Wood Ranch BBQ.
More information at www.shoppacificview.com.
As of October 2022, 101 Escape Rooms has two locations in the Conejo Valley - 31139 Via Colinas #210, Westlake Village, across the street from the Four Seasons Westlake Village and on the ground level of the outdoor shops section of The Oaks shopping mall in Thousand Oaks (just opened).
Open 7 days a week. Hours vary by day. Offering interactive fun trying to escape from a room, using puzzles and clues.
Learn more at www.101escaperooms.com. Phone numbers are (747) 222-7638 (WLV) and (805) 750-2644 (T.O.).
Painting with a Twist is located at 2298 E. Ventura Boulevard in Old Town Camarillo (at the intersection of Arneill), next to the El Rey Cantina.
Painting with a Twist provides customers with paint, a canvas and brushes that lead to a fun evening with friends and a finished piece of art. And yes, you receive professional instruction to create your work of art as well as access to wine.
For updates, visit paintingwithatwist.com/camarillo.
For over a dozen different farmers' markets and local Ventura County fresh fruits, flowers, vegetables and more, check out THIS POSTING!
Rancho Camulos is a National Historic Landmark situated within an 1,800 acre working ranch, a great example of a Spanish-Mexican rancho in its original rural environment. Rancho Camulos is noted for its literary significance as the setting for Helen Hunt Jackson's novel, Ramona.
Tours detail the lives of the native Tataviam Indians, the del Valle family that established Rancho Camulos in 1853, and the Rubel family, current owners, who purchased the ranch in 1924. Visitors can see the main adobe, cocina, winery, chapel, schoolhouse and beautiful gardens featuring over 50 varieties of roses and the magnificent black walnut tree, covering 1/2 acre.
Additional features of the museum are a fish pond (built by the Rubel children as a school project in the 1930s), "Ramona's bedroom" popularized through thousands of postcards and the fountain built in 1853. Learn about the Ramona connection and view the silent movie Ramona starring Mary Pickford, filmed at Rancho Camulos in 1910.
Tours on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. and by appointment. Suggested donation currently $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. School tours available. The venue is also available for weddings and events.
Rancho Camulos is located at 5164 E. Telegraph Road, Fillmore, 2 miles east of Piru on Hwy. 126. Visit www.ranchocamulos.org or call 805.521.1501 for more information.
The Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center is located at King Gillette Ranch, 26800 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas. It opened to the public in June 2012.
The Visitor Center is jointly operated by the National Park Service, California State Parks, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.
It features exhibits and interactive displays, the work of local artists, tours of sustainable features and a native plant garden. There is a tremendously comprehensive exhibit covering things to see and do within the Santa Monica Mountains.
The Visitor Center was formerly the horse stable for the Gillette Mansion. It retains some of its original design while achieving LEED Platinum certification as the first "net zero" visitor center in the National Park Service. Cool! (literally and figuratively)
Visitor Center staff and volunteers are very friendly and helpful.
There's also gift shop in the center with a variety of items including books, handmade items, kids' items and more.
Call 805-370-2301 or visit www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/visitor-center.htm.
Open Wed though Sun, noon to 4pm. Closed Mon/Tues.
Nearby hiking is plentiful, including the Inspiration Point hike at King Gillette Ranch and across the street at Malibu Creek State Park.
The Natural History Museum (NHM) of Los Angeles County is located at 900 Exposition Blvd. in Los Angeles, near USC. It is open daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm. It was the first dedicated museum building in Los Angeles, opening its doors in 1913. The NHM has amassed one of the world’s most extensive and valuable collections of natural and cultural history—with more than 35 million objects, some as old as 4.5 billion years. The Natural History Family of Museums includes the NHM, the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles and the William S. Hart Museum in Newhall.
Sections of the museum include African Mammals, North American Mammals, Insect Zoo, Gems and Minerals, California History, Birds and much more. In July 2011, the new 14,000 sq ft Dinosaur Hall opened, featuring over 300 fossils and 20 complete mounts of dinosaurs and sea creatures. It includes a Tyrannosaurus rex growth series, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, long-necked Mamenchisaurus and much more! It is extremely impressive!
My kids were particularly wowed by the Insect Hall, where they were treated to dozens of display of live insects from around the world. In fact, I think they would have spent the entire day in there if they could have.
Insect Hall
Museum admission (as of August 2022) for NHM members and children under 3 are free; children 3-12 are $7; youth 13-17 are $12, seniors 62 + are $12; and adults are $15. Visit www.nhm.org or call 213.763.DINO for more information.
Conejo Valley Guide covers events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas.
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