Gema Restaurant Now Open at The Village at Dos Vientos in Newbury Park

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The new eatery at the former The Local Table in Dos Vientos is called Gema. Open daily from 4:30 to 10pm. While there's no menu on their website yet at www.gemarestaurants.com, there's a menu posted on Yelp that includes pastas, pizzas, several entrees, and other items. Also on Instagram at @gemanewbury. The address is 360 Via Las Brisas #110, Newbury Park.

Earlier this month, The Local Table announced its last day of operation would be August 6th, after a 10 year run that began on February 4, 2014. Their other restaurants are www.OlivaRestaurant.com in Sherman Oaks and www.PecorinoRestaurant.com in Brentwood.

"The Commons Lane" Proposal Submitted to the City of Calabasas by Caruso in May 2023

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Rendering of the proposed “The Commons Lane” renovations proposed by Caruso

In May, Caruso Affiliated submitted its “The Commons Lane” plan to the City of Calabasas to make enhancements to the 25 year old The Commons at Calabasas.

According to information on The Commons Lane website at thecommonslane.com, most of The Commons will remain the same. The plan “will enhance a small portion of the west side of the center” and includes new shops and restaurants with ample space for outdoor dining. The new area will also include pedestrian walking areas and new apartment homes.

The proposal includes up to 119 residential units. Most of the units will replace the Regency movie theater at The Commons. Ten percent of the units will be reserved for residents who meet certain income requirements.

The plan also includes hundreds of new parking spaces and separates residential parking from the surface parking area used by the community.

Timing at this point is to be determined and is contingent on review by the City of Calabasas.

Twisted Meats is Opening on September 20th at the Walmart/Walgreens Center in Newbury Park

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ANOTHER UPDATE: Opening date has been changed to Wednesday, September 20th.

UPDATE: Twisted Meats grand opening is Wednesday, September 6th, as announced on its Facebook page on August 30th.

Kira K sent over this photo showing Twisted Meats is coming soon to the Walmart/Walgreens center at 520 N. Ventu Park Road in Newbury Park. It will be located in the former home of Peebee & Jay's. According to its website at twisted-meats.com, Twisted Meats will offer doner kebab dishes.

Chocolatine French Cafe Announces It Will Be Closing on Sunday, August 27th

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In an Instagram post on Friday evening, the owners of Chocolatine French Cafe in Thousand Oaks announced that its last day of operation will be Sunday, August 27th. After 19 years in business, nine years under current ownership, the owners indicated they were not able to come to terms on a new lease and that a new business is already slated to occupy their space at 2955 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard. Sad news for the Conejo Valley for this small, family-owned business. www.chocolatinefrenchcafe.com

Chocolatine after close of business in August 27, 2023

Axolotl Traditional Mexican Food Now Open in Camarillo

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UPDATE: Axolotl opened briefly after this was posted.

Axolotl Traditional Mexican Food is coming soon to the former, extraordinarily short-lived home of Culichi Town Mexican Food at 1755 E. Daily Drive in Camarillo. Culichi Town opened this past March. See www.axolotlrestaurant.com and follow their Facebook page for updates.

City of Thousand Oaks Concludes Districting Process and Adopts Five-District Map

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The Thousand Oaks City Council adopted an ordinance establishing the City’s first City Council district map and district-based elections.

Starting with the November 2024 election cycle, residents of Thousand Oaks will vote for one City Councilmember to represent the district they live in. Districts 4 and 5 are up for election in 2024, and Districts 1, 2, and 3 are up for election in 2026.

On March 15, the City received a letter challenging the City’s at-large election system and asserting that the system violated the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). The City of Thousand Oaks began the districting process in April 2023 to protect itself from financial and legal risks and hired National Demographics Corporation as the demographers and Tripepi Smith to assist with community outreach efforts.

The City launched the process by creating a dedicated districting website, maptoaks.org, which provided background information about districting, a schedule of upcoming meetings, a form to submit communities of interest, mapping tools, draft maps submitted throughout the process, and answers to frequently asked questions. The website was regularly updated with new and relevant information throughout the process.

To gather public input and feedback on the district formation process, the City of Thousand Oaks held five public hearings and four community workshops:

  •     May 9, 2023 - First public hearing

  •     May 11, 2023 - Virtual community workshop

  •     May 16, 2023 - Second public hearing

  •     June 3, 2023 - In-person community workshop

  •     June 20, 2023 - Third public hearing

  •     June 22, 2023 - Virtual community workshop

  •     June 24, 2023 - In-person community workshop

  •     July 11, 2023 - Fourth public hearing and first reading of the ordinance

  •     July 18, 2023 - Fifth public hearing and second reading of the ordinance

The community workshops gave residents an opportunity to learn more about why the City was pursuing a move to district-based elections and share input on communities of interest, and draft maps once they were available. The City’s demographer also demonstrated how to use the mapping tools made available for the public to create maps.

In addition to community workshops, the City encouraged Thousand Oaks residents to get involved in the process through regular outreach emails, phone calls to community-based organizations, social media posts, flyers, and pop-up events.

At the public hearings, City Council received an overview of the process, reviewed public comments, and examined draft maps submitted by the public and created by the demographer. After extensive public feedback and engagement in the process, the Council selected Map 106 B for adoption at the July 11 City Council meeting. Map 106 B divides the City into five districts and follows the legal criteria set forth in the CVRA.

    District 1 encompasses Newbury Park up to Ventu Park Road and follows the 101 Freeway as the northern border.

    District 2 includes the area surrounding Wildwood Regional Park, California Lutheran University and Los Robles Hospital. The district follows Moorpark Road on the northeast and includes Conejo Creek Equestrian Park. The southern region of the district follows Janss Road, down Lynn Road and goes west along the 101 Freeway.

    District 3 includes the communities east of Moorpark Road and follows Avenida de Las Flores as the southern edge. This district includes Lang Ranch Park and its surrounding open space.

    District 4 includes the Westlake Village area and the eastern side of Newbury Park from Ventu Park Road, containing the surrounding residential and commercial areas.

    District 5 includes the core of Thousand Oaks and takes in the business areas along Moorpark Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard up to Westlake Boulevard. The western region of the district includes the California Botanical Garden.

For more information regarding the districting process and to see the district in which you reside, visit maptoaks.org.