'Twas the Night Before Christmas in Conejo Valley - An Ode to 2011

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"A Visit From St. Nicholas," more popularly known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," was first published in 1823. This poem was used as a basis to remind us of many of changes we have seen here in the Conejo Valley and other parts of Ventura County in 2011.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, in Conejo Valley

Not a person was stirring, not one Hooters rally;

Roxy’s and Jack’s Delis closed down this past year,

Yet new restaurants have been quick to appear.


In August Red Robin came to The Oaks Mall,

Two weeks ago Red Lobster opened for all;

Buddha’s Belly Asian food in October,

And Olive Garden next month. Let’s stay sober!

 

But wait, not so fast, have a beer, hold your knees,

There’s Tipsy Goat, Ladyface Ale and Cr

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'Tis The Season for Santa Barbara Filmmaker's "Roadside Santa" Documentary

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My kids and I always wave at Santa Claus facing the 101 freeway as we drive north through Camarillo and Oxnard. Since 2003 this 20 foot Santa has resided in the unincorporated area of Nyeland Acres, bringing smiles to the faces of passersby.

SantaPresentsNyeland.JPG

Constructed in 1947, near the community of Carpinteria, Santa Claus was part of a roadside attraction known as Santa Claus Lane, a two-lane roadway that paralleled the south side of U.S. Highway 101, just west of the City of Carpinteria.  Between the late 1940s and the mid-1960s, Santa Claus Lane featured a thriving array of stores restaurants, motels, and a post office, as well as attractions, including a child’s train, small zoo, and pony rides, that catered both to travelers and nearby communities.

For over six years, Santa Barbara filmmaker Jody Nelson has chronicled the history of this popular Santa that will be made into a full-length film, "Roadside Santa." Through melding stories of community residents, interviews with scholars and activists, archival footage and stills, the documentary explores themes of cultural transition in California as experienced in the disparate communities that Santa has called home. “Roadside Santa” illuminates how the residents of Nyeland Acres have welcomed Santa to their neighborhood and reinvented him as a potent and positive symbol of community identity, demonstrating the adaptive capacities of new immigrant communities and American culture alike.

UPDATE Nov 2015: It does not appear that this film has been finalized as an fyi.

The video below highlights some some of the scenes, stories and interviews, as well as the popular annual Santa to the Sea Half Marathon that supports a toy drive for local underprivileged kids. Watch it! You'll learn about our own Ventura County Roadside Santa and how he brings joy to the local community.

Nelson is nearly finished with the film but is still interested in Santa Claus Lane photos, film footage and memorabilia from the 1940s to present day, Santa Claus Lane stories from people who lived/worked there and the whereabouts of the miniature train and carousel that used to reside there. She also seeks additional funding to help finalize the film and bring it to film festivals and perhaps TV.

Learn more by visiting www.nelsonfilms.com or at this Facebook page or calling Jody at 805.403.0602. She can also be reached at jgirlsb1@gmail.com.

11/11/11 Facts, Figures and Fun - Celebrate!

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The day is HERE! 11/11/11! And of course 2 times today, the clock will strike 11:11:11. Time for some celebration on this once-in-a lifetime day!


Purchase a one-of-a-kind 11/11/11 art piece created by Camarillo Artist Chuck Trunks! This unique piece was hand designed by Chuck solely for 11/11/11! Visit www.printfection.com/celebrate-111111 and check out how cool it looks on shirts, mugs, Christmas ornaments, coasters and more!

Coupon Code: NoLines2011

Discount: $20 off all orders over $50.00

Dates: November 16 -21

Disclaimer: Please enter coupon code NoLines2011 before completing checkout. Discount is applied to the base price and does not include tax
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'Twas the Night Before Halloween in the Conejo Valley

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Twas the night before Halloween and all through the sky,

In Conejo Valley, the clouds stopped by.

While witches were not seen as sunset arrived,

Tomorrow's the big day, we won't be deprived.

Of ghosts and gobblins and skeleton costumes,

Mummies, vampires, creepy dark, lost tombs.

We look forward to young trick or treaters at night,

As the Kit Kats and Snickers and SweeTarts delight.

If the trend continues from Halloweens past,

Our candy supply at night's end will be vast.

Which is good considering I have a sweet tooth,

Reese's are my weakness to tell you the truth.

So as the clock ticks towards this favorite day,

There is just one thing more I want to say.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Conejo Valley Namesake - The Rabbit

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Yes indeed, there are a LOT of rabbits in the Conejo Valley, or Valley of the Rabbits! This little guy was seen at Cheeseboro Canyon in Agoura Hills. Looking for some great hiking, running and cycling? You'll find plenty of it there!

Rabbits like to run. How about training for an upcoming 5K or 10K? Great way to stay fit while enjoying the camaraderie of a local group run. CLICK HERE for upcoming local races!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...But Sometimes Can Be Deceiving

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From looking at this picture of 19 month old Paxton Ferry of Camarillo, you'd never know that he was actually having a blast and giggling away down the slide at Arneill Ranch Park. But, according to his mommy, Margot, that's exactly what he was doing. Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes it doesn't tell the whole story. Great pic, Margot!

Need help planning what to pack for school, camp or picnics in the park? Margot's Facebook page, Little Lunches, will give you some great ideas.

Click here for hundreds of fun kid activities around Ventura County!

Throwing a birthday party? Here are 90 or so local venues.

Interesting and Amazing Facts and Tidbits About LEGO® Blocks

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My kids are LEGO® fanatics and I'm constantly being nagged for new LEGO sets. Our house must have thousands of dollars of them. So recently we visited the only LEGO store within an hour range of the Conejo Valley, at the Glendale Galleria. To make it a full day, we stopped by the Los Angeles Zoo and Griffith Park for mini-train rides. Needless to say, they loved the LEGO store and we spent quite a bit of time exploring.

Some amazing facts about LEGO bricks and products (Source: Lego.com):

  • There are over 915 million ways to combine 6 8-stud LEGO bricks. Go try it for yourself! The exact number of combinations is 915,103,765.
  • The LEGO Group made over 31 billion LEGO elements in 2010, or 1,000 per second.
  • There are over 3,900 LEGO elements and 58 different LEGO colors.
  • Over 400 million children and adults will play with LEGO bricks this year.
  • Laid end to end, the LEGO bricks sold in one year would circle the earth 10 times.
  • With over 300 million tires produced each year, LEGO is the world's largest tire maker.
  • Nearly half a TRILLION LEGO elements have been manufactured over the years.
  • Over the years, an estimated 4 BILLION LEGO minifigures have been produced, making them the world's largest population group!
  • There are 4 LEGOLAND® parks in the world, including Denmark, England, California and Germany. A new LEGOLAND, the largest ever, will open in Florida (midway between Tampa and Orlando) in mid-October 2011! A 6th park is planned in Malaysia in 2012.
  • Our "local" LEGOLAND here in Carlsbad, California opened in 1999 using 35 million LEGO brocks in the park's 15,000 LEGO models.

The name LEGO originated in 1934 when Ole Kirk Kristiansen took the Danish words LEG GODT "play well" and created the name that has become a household word. The LEGO Group is very protective of its brand...they require the following:

  • LEGO should always be written in capital letters.
  • LEGO must not be used as a generic term or in the plural (e.g. LEGOs).
  • When used as part of a noun, LEGO must not appear on its own (e.g. LEGO bricks).

ROCK ON, LEGO!

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