Conejo Valley Botanic Garden - Thousand Oaks

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The Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is a 33 acre retreat of hiking trails and natural habitat adjacent to Conejo Community Park off of Lynn Road and Gainsborough. 

CVBG now offers plant sales (weather permitting) every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. featuring California native and drought tolerant plants. Reasonable prices! Enter at the Kids' Adventure Garden entrance (400 W. Gainsborough Road).

This is really a special place to bring the kids for low key hike.  There are numerous trails and a short walk/hike to the top of the mountain rewards you with sweeping views of the entire Conejo Valley, from Westlake Village to Thousand Oaks to Newbury Park.

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Here is what you'll find at the CVBG:

  • The Nature Trail is 3/4 of a mile long and meanders above the creek through oaks and willows. This is a moderate trail.

  • The Little Loop Trail leads you above the creek, through chaparral and around a meadow.

  • The Native Plant Section and Lower Meadow feature southern and northern California plants.

  • Lillian's Meadow showcases perennials, shrubs and trees that thrive with minimal water.

  • The Salvia Garden delights hummingbirds and butterflies.

  • The Butterfly Garden is a safe haven that provides nectar and food sources for butterflies and caterpillars.

  • The Nursery houses workspace for the plant propagation team and hosts plant sales.

  • The Herb Garden exhibits an extensive and unusual collection of medicinal, kitchen and aromatic herbs.

  • The Bird Habitat has a fresh water source and is planted with native plants that provide year-round food source for birds.

  • The Australian Section features collection of plants from down under.

  • The Desert Garden hilltop landscape features cacti, succulents and desert trees and provides a panoramic view of the Conejo Valley.

  • The Rare Fruit Orchard holds an extensive collection of trees.

  • The Tranquility Garden is planted in the Japanese style featuring California native plants.

  • The Oak Tree Grove has many species of North American and other oak trees.

  • The Trail of Trees exhibits 50 trees with a variety of genera.

If you have small kids, they will love the Kids' Adventure Garden and treehouse, open on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  They'll enjoy hiking through the trails and exploring the streams and bridges.

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is located at 400 West Gainsborough Road, Thousand Oaks.  For more information visit www.conejogarden.org.

Desert Garden at the top of the hill, featuring cacti, succulents, etc.

Desert Garden at the top of the hill, featuring cacti, succulents, etc.

Japanese style Tranquility Garden featuring native California plants

Japanese style Tranquility Garden featuring native California plants

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Corriganville Park in Simi Valley

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Corriganville Park is a historical 206 acre park located at 7001 Smith Road in Simi Valley that is owned and operated by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. The park has over four miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails, sandstone cliffs, an oak forest, seasonal stream, shaded picnic areas, Camp Rotary Youth Campground, picnic shelter and more.

The park is named after Ray "Crash" Corrigan, a stuntman/actor who owned the park from 1937 to 1965, when over 3,500 movies, TV shows and commercials were filmed there. In 1949, the Corrigan Movie Ranch opened as a Western-style amusement park with a train ride and stagecoach ride that in the late 1950s had greater weekend attendance than Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm.

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Bob Hope bought the property in 1965 and renamed it Hopetown, but filming stopped after a year. The ranch burned down in the 1970s and all that is left are the cement slabs and exterior rock walls of the barn. You've got to visit the Santa Susana Depot Museum around the corner from Corriganville and see the model of what Corriganville looked like in 1960, then visit the park to see the slabs and imagine what it was like back then.

There is an interpretative trail at Corriganville with 20 markers that provide information about the vegetation and surroundings as well as some of the history. Visit www.rsrpd.org/business_detail_T9_R53.php for a link to pdf brochures with information about the history and trails of the park. Or call 805.584.4400.

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The 4th Wall Acting Studio West in Agoura Hills

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The 4th Wall Acting Studio West is located at 30317 Canwood Street, Agoura Hills. The studio specializes in acting for film and television through detailed script analysis & character development. The studio was founded as a place for actors to continually build upon their craft in a safe, competitive, professional environment. Classes for adults and teens.

More information at www.the4thwallactingstudiowest.com.

Majestic Ventura Theater in Downtown Ventura

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The Majestic Ventura Theatre offers a 1920's Mission Style Architecture ambiance - you can see and feel close to the band from practically anywhere in the theater. All genres of music. 1200 capacity venue with multiple full bars, ballroom and occasional dinner shows. The theater is located at 26 S. Chestnut Ave., Ventura.  For more information, visit www.venturatheater.net or call 805.653.0721.

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New Millennium Trail in Calabasas

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The New Millennium Trail is a loop that is accessible from the Bark Park Trail in Calabasas. In total the loop is about 12 miles.

The Calabasas Bark Park is located at 4232 Las Virgenes Road. Park there and you’ll see the Bark Park Trailhead on the north side of the dog park. Take it about 1.2 miles until you reach the following fork in the trail.

The New Millennium Trail is a challenging series of switchbacks and hills on mostly single track trails. This is a popular trail with mountain bikers. If you’re a runner or hiker, to be aware that you may encounter bikers and have to your best make room for the cyclists to pass by.

The trail itself is usually quite well maintained, but be careful because the single track can be tight in sections as you make your way up the hills.

Learn more about the trail on the LA County Department of Parks and Recreation website at trails.lacounty.gov/Trail/1754/new-millenium-trail.

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Santa Paula Art Museum

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The Santa Paula Art Museum is the repository and exhibition hall for the Santa Paula Art Collection. Containing over 300 pieces, among its most famous artists are works of the Botkes, both Jessie Arms and Cornelis, who lived on their ranch and worked in their studio in a nearby secluded canyon. Some of the other represented plein air artists are Robert Clunie, Al Dempster, Ralph Holmes, Paul Lauritz, Emil Kosa, Jr., Douglas Shively and Milford Zornes.

The valuable assemblage represents the accumulation of award winning entries in the Santa Paula Art Show which began in 1937 or as gifted memorials. It remains the oldest juried show in California and the collection is recognized as one of the finest of its kind in the state.

The museum is located in the historic Limoneira Building at 117 North Tenth Street, Santa Paula. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors and FREE for students and members. First Sundays are free for all visitors.

More information at www.santapaulaartmuseum.org or 805.525.5554.

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Galactic Challenge at The Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks

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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.

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Agoura Hills Recreation and Event Center

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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.

Toastmasters Clubs in Ventura County

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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:

Medea Creek Natural Park in Oak Park

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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

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.

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.

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

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Sign at east end terminus of Tamarind StreetFitness course signs along 1.5 mile path.

Sign at east end terminus of Tamarind StreetFitness course signs along 1.5 mile path.

Opera Santa Barbara

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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.

King Trivia Live Pub Quiz Games at Locations Throughout Ventura County

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King Trivia Live Pub Quiz hosts trivia games in pubs and restaurants all around Southern California. The games are free to play at designated venues, including the following areas local to Ventura County and nearby areas:

  • Institution Ale Co. in Camarillo

  • Mouthful Eatery in Thousand Oaks

  • BL Dancehall and Saloon in Agoura Hills

  • Poseidon Brewing Company in Ventura

  • Seaward Brewing in Ventura

  • Social Tap Pub & Grill in Ventura

  • The Garage in Ventura

For more information, visit www.kingtrivia.com.