Shave It Camarillo Opened to the Public on Saturday, July 13th

As previously indicated in April, the new Camarillo Shave It location opened this past Saturday, July 13th. This location is at 455 Carmen Drive, in the Carmen Plaza, conveniently and perhaps appropriately located next door to the 24 Hour Fitness! Their phone number is 805.445.4423 (4ICE).

Owner Arla tipped us off that this coming Saturday, July 20th, they will be hosting a grand opening event featuring the Chainsaw Chicks, as featured on America's Got Talent. Everyone is invited and the Ice Queen and her court will be performing 4 afternoon shows - at 1, 3, 5 and 7. The Chicks expertly carve giant blocks of ice with their chainsaws. Now this looks quite interesting!

Sunland Vintage Winery Tasting Room Recently Opened in Thousand Oaks

Sunland Vintage Winery Tasting Room opened its doors in the Northstar Plaza, 1321 East Thousand Oaks Blvd., #108, Thousand Oaks on June 27th.

Sunland Vintage is a boutique winery featuring Giovinazzo Wines, a taste of old Italy. Featured wines include Barbera, Nebbiolo, Tre Ragazzi, Dolcetto, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Pinot Grigio and Muscat Canelli. I'll have to ask my Italian wife what all these mean...or better yet, check them out at www.sunlandvintagewinery.com.

The tasting room is open Thursday and Friday from 6-9pm, Saturday from 1-6pm and Sunday from 1-5pm. Learn more on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SunlandVintageWineryTastingRoom. And according to that page they are hosting a grand opening celebration on August 3rd and 4th.

Thanks to The Wandering Wino for pointing this place out! Visit him and his local wine blog at wandering-wino.com.

Whole Foods Market at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard to Open on June 19th

The Collection at RiverPark announces grand opening of Whole Foods Market on June 19

Whole Foods Market will bring locally grown, healthy and natural food to the communities of West Ventura County. Their mission is to sell the highest quality natural and organic products available, while caring about communities and environment, and promoting health through healthy eating education.

"We are thrilled to have Whole Foods as part of The Collection at RiverPark," said Peter Houck, General Manager of The Collection. "They have a wide selection of delicious, healthy prepared foods and a large variety of fresh produce, meats and seafoods that are locally sourced from right here in Ventura County and surrounding areas. Their brand is a perfect fit for what we want to offer our customers at The Collection and is emblematic of the Southern California lifestyle."

There is only one other Whole Foods Market in Ventura County, but no other Whole Food Market looks quite the same as the one at The Collection. Artist Susan Stinsmuehlen-Amend's glass and tile mural "The Shopping List" adorns the facade of Whole Foods:

About The Collection
The Collection at RiverPark is a 650,000 square foot, open-air, specialty retail center located in the heart of West Ventura County. Inspired by the beauty of the California coast, The Collection reflects the unique atmosphere of the surrounding seaside communities. The Collection is built around a town grid of retail streets that host a carefully crafted assortment of established and contemporary designer shops, distinctive dining options, signature entertainment venues, and a comprehensive public art program. Anchors include Target, Century RiverPark 16, REI, Whole Foods Market, and H&M. For more information, visit us on the web at TheCollectionRP.com  or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest at TheCollectionRP.

Simply Healthy Smoothies and Nutrition in Newbury Park Opened Saturday, April 27th

As alluded to in this previous post, "Simply Healthy"opened its doors this past Saturday, April 27th. I stopped by the first time last night and ordered up a chocolate peanut butter smoothie, which came with an iced tea and shot of aloe juice which had me zipping along with renewed energy. Tasted great. They have several dozen flavors to choose from, but of course I had to go with the chocolate.

I was too busy chatting with co-owner Randy, pictured below, to even jot down their phone number or ask about their hours. But I do know they are located at the former Golden Spoon location at 796 North Wendy Drive, Newbury Park, just southwest of the 101 freeway.

These shakes have Herbalife products in them and are considered meal replacement drinks. But if you still have room afterwards, you can visit the McDonald's or Newbury Donuts flanking Simply Healthy. Or ignore my advice and listen to theirs as they do provide nutritional programs and advice!

Simply Healthy, Donuts or Better Yet, Simply Healthy Donuts in Newbury Park!

In the space previously occupied by the Newbury Park Golden Spoon, a new sign came up yesterday called Simply Healthy.  In a rush, I snapped a shot of this new business to share. Though I have a guess as to what the business is, I will keep that to myself until it is confirmed.

But in taking another look at the photo, the irony became apparent. Simply Healthy...Donuts. Yes, people were amused when it was posted to the CVG Facebook Page: "Finally! I've been waiting for a simply healthy donut!" "I'll take a dozen" "Dream come true!" "I'm off to get my healthy donuts!"

If anyone is reading this and knows how to make healthy donuts, consider a location in the Conejo Valley. There appears to be high demand for them!

REI Grand Opening Event at The Collection at Riverpark in Oxnard on March 22-24

REI invites the public to its grand opening celebration at its new store at The Collection at Riverpark on March 22–24!

REI Oxnard will provide Ventura County area outdoor enthusiasts with top-brand gear and clothing for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, paddling and more. The store will also include a bike shop, alone with a full range of services to cyclists. The store will also offer a wide selection of outdoor rental equipment.

The Grand Opening Celebration is set to include the following:

Free Continental Breakfast
Get fueled up before the activities begin! A light breakfast will be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting one hour before the store opens. (Doors open at 10am Friday and Saturday, and 11am Sunday.)

Shop Early, Get a Gift! The first 200 people (age 12 and older) through the door on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will receive a limited-edition CamelBak water bottle with a $10, $25, $50 or $100 REI gift card inside.

Free Limited-Edition Member T-Shirt
Get a free limited-edition REI Sport Tech T-Shirt when you purchase an REI membership ($20 one-time fee) during Grand Opening Weekend. Offer good while supplies last.

REI Oxnard Sweepstakes* Enter to win great prizes, March 22–24, at the Oxnard store only. One sweepstakes per day. *No purchase necessary to win. See www.rei.com/stores/oxnard.html for details and official rules.

Roller Skates to Cheapskates...a New 99¢ Only Store Opens in Thousand Oaks

As previously mentioned last December, there is a new 99¢ Only Store now open at North Oaks Plaza, 950 Avenida De Los Arboles in Thousand Oaks. Looked pretty busy yesterday!

Roller Dome, you are gone (over two years ago in fact), but not forgotten. Perhaps some day we will find a pair of 99¢ roller skates in this store.

New Creative Destination "Make Meaning" Coming Soon to The Oaks Mall

A not good update 2/4/16: Make Meaning announced they will be closing this location 2/7/15.

UPDATE 2/18/13: Make Meaning Thousand Oaks opened its doors on Monday, February 17th. They are located on the upper level of the outdoor shops section of The Oaks mall. If you are coming from inside The Oaks, Make Meaning is the first door on the right. Their phone is 805.852.1107.

Posted 1/30/13: Make Meaning is coming soon to The Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks. Make Meaning is a place where both kids and adults can walk in and have creative fun with one of seven "Creative Experiences" including cake decorating, ceramics painting, candle making, glass design, jewelry making, soap making and paper crafting.

Thousand Oaks will be the fourth Make Meaning location. Other locations currently operate in New York, Dedham, Massachussetts and Scottsdale, Arizona.

As one example, Make Meaning offers pre-baked four, six or eight inch cakes that are covered in fondant icing that serve as the blank canvas for dozens of dazzling decorations...from fondant based shapes, edible glitter, disco dust, and more! Cakes will take a spin on a motorized turntable to create the color motif of your dessert dreams.