Ventana Monthly - December 2020

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DECEMBER 2020

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CONTENTS

Step Into Fall With New Boots

ventana

VOL.14 NO. 10

DECEMBER 2020

FEA TU R ES

editor’s note

6 Magic in the Air

About Town 8 Magic Touch

Show biz and nostalgia at Magic Castle Cabaret.

Shopping 12 Local Luxuries Great gifts from Ventura County.

Profile 17 Travel Transformer Sarah Murdoch promotes tours for a post-pandemic world.

Food and Drink 28 Shaken and Stirred Celebrate with seasonal cocktails.

PHOTO BY KCRUTS

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COVER STORY: Venice at twilight, as seen through a virtual tour created by Sarah Murdoch.

Photo by Sarah Murdoch

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EDITOR’S NOTE

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MAGIC IN THE AIR

t a time when travel continues to be curtailed, it might seem odd to put a glorious photo of Venice on our cover.

We’re not trying to tease you, I promise!

This is from a live-streamed tour put together by travel professional Sarah Murdoch. The Ventura native has spent decades in the business, and had been contemplating her industry’s future long before the coronavirus wreaked havoc on her livelihood.

She and a group of like-minded tour operators have come together to create the Guide Collective. The original intent was to create smaller, more intimate travel experiences — excursions designed to put participants in tune with the culture and support the local economy.

Guide Collective members still have those kinds of tours in their sights, but in the meantime, they’ve developed a series of virtual tours that allow viewers to see the world through the eyes of those who truly know a place. While we await the opportunity to take an actual tour, we can enjoy the magic of Venice, Siena, London and more via the virtual magic of our screens and devices.

And speaking of magic . . . Did you know that there is a private club nearby that hosts some of the nation’s best magicians? The Magic Castle Cabaret (About Town) in Montecito was founded by Milt and Arlene Larsen — veteran entertainers with ties to the world-renowned Magic Castle in Hollywood — to present quality entertainment in a small, elegant and romantic setting.

It’s a great place to see singers, dancers, mimes and

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EDITOR IN CHIEF Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer

professionals from the Academy of Magical Arts. While the members-only venue hasn’t been able to offer shows since March, it’s definitely something to keep in mind when its doors open once again. In the meantime, check out the wonderful gift shop to get a sense of what the Magic Castle Cabaret is all about.

If holiday shopping is still on your to-do list, we’ve got a nifty gift guide (Shopping) that should have something for most everyone. Every item we feature this month is created by or available through a Ventura County vendor . . . because supporting local is one of the best gifts you can give to your community.

The gift you can give yourself: an amazing cocktail (Food and Drink). We asked bartenders from some of the area’s top restaurants to come up with festive and delicious libations to be enjoyed in the comfort of home.

They embraced the opportunity with verve and creativity, and offered up a few easy-to-prepare eats, too.

This holiday season, I encourage you to whip up some of these drinks (or any other favorite beverages) with your quarantine buddies, raise your glasses and toast the season as it is. I know we’re all looking forward to better days and time with much-missed loved ones. I hope, nevertheless, that you can also appreciate the good things you have in this moment.

We at Ventana Monthly wish all of our readers a beautiful holiday full of magic, merriment and peace.

– Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer nancy@ventanamonthly.com

CONTRIBUTORS Karen Lindell Mike Nelson Chris O’Neal GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Bret Hooper Nathalie Proulx ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Warren Barrett ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Barbara Kroon

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ABOUT TOWN

MAGIC TOUCH

Show biz, nostalgia and entertainment take center stage at Magic Castle Cabaret.

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BY KAREN LINDELL

nightclub filled with unique collectibles and glitzy, elegant furnishings, both vintage and new.

“We thought it would be nice to have a small club as a way to introduce magic to our friends and neighbors,” Milt said. “I love vaudeville, magic and music, and it’s a combination of all that, based on the old days of cabaret when the grand opera singers and theater people would get together after a show — entertainers entertaining each other.”

Like nearly every other live venue where people gather together indoors, the Magic Castle Cabaret, which opened in February 2019, has been temporarily closed since March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

During “normal” times, members can bring guests or offer a guest pass to friends. The performances feature professional magicians from the Academy of Magical Arts along with singers, dancers, ventriloquists, comedians, jugglers and mimes.

Magicians who performed at the venue before the coronavirus include Lance Burton, Steve Valentine, TC Tahoe, Lucy Darling, Mark Collier, Chuck Jones and Shawn McMaster.

Although the venue hasn’t returned to offering live shows, it’s been open for small private parties, and the club’s tiny but teeming gift shop, run by Arlene, is open to the public through Dec. 31 for the holidays.

ENCHANTING INTERIOR: Stained glass, posters, vintage furnishings and show biz memorabilia cast a spell over the The Larsens decorated the inteintimate nightclub. (Photo courtesy of Maureen McFadden) rior of the building, which has a view of the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge, to invoke an imaginary European “Palace of Gold” on a Spanish lake.

In 2016 the Larsens, who have a home in Santa Barbara, “Everything has a history,” Milt said. “The whole place is based bought the former Cafe del Sol restaurant, which had been turned on the idea of, wouldn’t it be fun to go back 100 years to a different into an event center, then transformed it into an old-fashioned ilt and Arlene Larsen have worked their magical touch on Montecito.

Milt, co-founder of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, and Arlene, a costume designer, have brought their love of magic, oldschool entertainment and show-biz memorabilia to a new venture in Montecito: the Magic Castle Cabaret, an intimate, members-only social club that offers classic European-style cabaret shows.

Continued on page 10

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ARLENE LARSEN in one of her fabulous masks at the Magic Castle Cabaret.

(Photo courtesy of Maureen McFadden)

time and place and celebrate the performers?”

Milt, 89, is a longtime collector of vaudeville materials that date back to the 1890s, including 78 rpm records; performers’ correspondence and personal items; scripts and comedy sketches; photographs; and theater programs and scrapbooks. It’s not junk; he’s donated part of his collection to the UC Santa Barbara Library, which makes the materials available to the public for research.

Milt co-founded the Hollywood Magic Castle, a private club that’s also home to the Academy of Magical Arts, in 1963 with his late brother, Bill Larsen Jr. The siblings are from a truly magical family. Their parents, Bill Larsen Sr. and Giselle Larsen, were both performing magicians, and founded Genii, the Conjurors’ Magazine, in 1936. The entire family once toured and performed magic at West Coast resorts.

“Staying in fancy hotels probably led to my love of creating ornate places,” said Milt, who also founded and refurbished the former Mayfair Music Hall in Santa Monica and Variety Arts Theatre in Los Angeles.

Milt’s long career includes many years as a writer of jokes and sketches for the game show Truth or Consequences. With his best friend Richard M. Sherman (part of the Sherman Brothers duo who wrote the music for Mary Poppins and other Disney ventures), he co-wrote lyrics for the satirical albums Smash Flops and Banned Barbershop Ballads, and the musical Pazzazz!, which premiered in Santa Barbara in 2008.

Milt also hosts a show on CRN Digital Talk Radio called “Hear Them Again — for the First Time” (crntalk.com/miltlarsenhearthemagain/) where he plays vintage records.

When their father died at age 48, Milt and Bill Jr. pledged to create a clubhouse for magicians. Milt, from his TV office in Hollywood, had a view of a former 1909 mansion-turned-apartment

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building on a hill that he and his brother leased, renovated and turned into the Magic Castle. It’s now known worldwide.

Milt emphasized that the Magic Castle Cabaret in Montecito is NOT a replica of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, either in size or purpose. The larger Hollywood private club has 5,000 members and truly looks like a fancy chateau or castle.

The Magic Castle Cabaret is much smaller in size and scope.

“We don’t want it to be world famous,” Arlene said. “At our age, we just had no place to go to enjoy the evening.” Santa Barbara has excellent places to dine, “but they can get crowded and loud,” she said. The Magic Castle Cabaret does offer food (including filet mignon tidbits, caviar deviled eggs and soft-serve ice cream), but Arlene said they aren’t trying to compete with local restaurants. Instead, they hope people might eat dinner at a local eatery, then visit the Magic Castle Cabaret for dessert and a show, and to talk “without being drowned out.”

Arlene loves to entertain, and said she hopes the atmosphere is “like coming to my house, but I don’t have to clean it afterward.”

Celebrity members include Steve Martin, Lance Burton, Leonard Maltin, Fred Willard, David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, Michael Feinstein, Bob Barker, Jeff Bridges, Tippi Hedren and J.J. Abrams.

Director Abrams, Arlene said, visited once with his parents, but failed to follow the venue’s strict dress code, which is “business or evening attire that is conservative, formal and elegant.”

“J.J. had a T-shirt on,” Arlene recalled. “I gave him a dicky — a shirt with a tie attached — and said, ‘‘You know better.’”

Abrams was apparently a good sport about it. “He sent us cookies afterward,” Arlene said.

That was, of course, before COVID-19 shut down the live entertainment scene.

The pandemic isn’t the only obstacle that has stalled the club during its short history. Before a scheduled grand opening in 2018, the building was closed temporarily because the Larsens didn’t realize they needed a permit to make changes to a porch they wanted to transform into a veranda. They’ve since been working closely with the city to get the proper permissions.

During the pandemic, the Larsens have been making the venue more virus-safe for when they eventually reopen. They lowered seating capacity, added invisible plastic curtains (with lace trim at the bottom) to the stage, installed air purifiers on every table and spread hand sanitizer dispensers everywhere.

The Magic Castle Cabaret gift shop has been a bright spot, able to stay open during the pandemic. The boutique is chock-full

of eclectic items including masks and face shields, candles, jewelry, holiday decorations, fancy coats and jackets, fascinators, hats, hair accessories, Milt’s books and albums, magic tricks and novelties, and leftover giveaway items from the Magic Castle in Hollywood.

Arlene embellishes the masks with rhinestones, ribbons, sequins and other trimmings.

“With all the masks everyone has to wear, we found the perfect niche,” she said.

Arlene became interested in costuming as a teenager. Her dad owned a machine shop, but she hated working there, so she knocked on the door of a local theater and offered her services.

“They hired me for every job, and I really liked doing wardrobe,” she said.

She later started her own costume company, outfitting everyone from rock musicians to TV actors in theater and TV. She met Milt while creating costumes for Truth or Consequences.

When more than just the gift shop is open again, guests can spend most of their time just admiring the venue’s memorabilia and antique furnishings.

Many of the objects are from Milt’s collection, such as Broadway posters, hats worn by celebrities, and tabletops made from old radio transcription discs. Some fixtures are salvaged from the Hollywood Magic Castle, including stained glass windows, wood paneling, drapes, a tin wall and an authentic Bavarian beer pump.

Other pieces were donated by Magic Castle Cabaret members.

“I pride myself in finding ways to use castoff materials again and again,” Milt said. “I saved old landmarks by using building materials from grand mansions and buildings that were being torn down.”

Despite its embrace of the past, the Magic Castle Cabaret, thanks to its eco-friendly furnishings, is very modern — and Santa Barbara-esque. v

Magic Castle Cabaret

30 Los Patos Way, Montecito.

805-845-0555 magiccastlecabaret.com The gift shop is open to the public through Dec. 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

DECK THE HALLS: The Magic Castle Cabaret’s gift shop is all set for holiday shoppers, with festive masks, fans, shawls, and other unique items.

(Photo courtesy of Magic Castle Cabaret)

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There’s still time to get some super gifts from these Ventura County vendors.

A L K E M I STA I N F U S I O N V E S S E L Home mixologists will love this device that allows anyone to make their own craft cocktails. The all-in-one vessel (created by Thousand Oaks-based designer Jason Carignan) includes an ultra-fine stainless steel filter to allow you to infuse any spirit with the flavors and aromas of fruit, spices, herbs and other botanicals. The 950 ml borosilicate glass vessel can also be used to serve once the filter is removed. $70.

Ethan+Ashe, ethanashe.com.

T H E J O O L E Y RO B E It doesn’t get cozier than this warm, oh-so-soft robe, fashioned from the most luxurious fleece microfiber and ethically made in San Francisco. Designed with a shawl collar, satin piping, roomy hidden side pockets and a built-in sash, it’s perfect to layer over pajamas, step into after a shower, or just wear when lounging around. Available in gray or ivory. $164. Ojai Lingerie, ojailingerie.com.

SPRITZER KIT G I F T B OX

Turn any day into a special occasion with a delicious drink designed to whip up at home. This craft cocktail kit includes everything you need to make four single-serve wine spritzers in your own bar or kitchen. A mini bottle of sparkling wine is accompanied by four gourmet mixers and a recipe card, all packed into a handsome box for gift giving. $40. Rocks and Drams, rocksanddrams.com.

H A N D C R A F T E D S I LV E R J E W E L RY

Ojai artist Penny Ann Keller Herring found inspiration for her fine silver work after living in Thailand and Pakistan. There she discovered the art of jewelry molds used by the tribal people of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to make intricately beautiful earrings, pendants and more. Herring’s own unique designs are made from recycled silver using this ancient technique, and she donates five percent from the sale of every piece to Pennies for Peace. Prices vary. Poppies Art and Gifts, poppiesartandgifts.indiemade.com.

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SHOPPING

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T I M E B E T W E E N : M Y L I F E A S A BY R D, B U R R I TO B R OT H E R , A N D B E YO N D Folk, rock and bluegrass legend (and Ventura resident!) Chris Hillman shares the story of his life in music in this riveting autobiography. From his days as a founding member of The Byrds to his work with The Flying Burrito Brothers, the Desert Rose Band and as a solo artist and producer, Hillman takes readers on an exploration of more than five decades in the Southern California music scene. A not-to-be-missed read for anyone who loves music, history and storytelling. $28. Timbre Books, bookshop.org/shop/timbrebooks.

C H A M PAG N E T R U F F L E S Festivity in every box! Toast the New Year — or any occasion — with these decadent chocolate treats handcrafted by a locally owned chocolatier. Each truffle is made from silky, rich dark chocolate ganache infused with Veuve Clicquot Champagne and encased in a crunchy sugar shell. $3-$34. Ex Voto Chocolates and Confections, www.exvotochocolates.com.

C A L I F O R N I A S OA P C O L L E C T I O N These beautiful soaps are filled with the spirit — and scents — of Ventura County!

Four bars of nourishing, gentle goat milk soap are decorated with charming and colorful labels fashioned after vintage produce crates and inspired by the heritage of Fillmore (Citrus Sage), the Ojai Valley (Lavender Oat), Santa Paula (Lemon Tea Tree) and Ventura (Lavender Mint). Handmade from the milk of French Alpine goats raised with love and care on a small family farm near Santa Paula. $36-$39. Chivas Skin Care, www.chivasskincare.com.

I S L A N D PAC K E R S E XC U R S I O N S Give the gift of adventure with a gift certificate for one of the boat concessionaire’s many trips in and around Channel Islands National Park. From full- and half-day trips to Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Miguel or Santa Rosa Islands to whale watching to birding excursions and even multi-day camping opportunities, there are so many options for exploring this unique offshore environment. Health, safety and COVID-19 compliant protocols will be in place.

Trips start at $20. Island Packers, islandpackers.com.

Photo by Doug M

angum

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PROFILE

TRAVEL TRANSFORMER Sarah Murdoch promotes tours for a post-pandemic world.

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BY MIKE NELSON ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SARAH MURDOCH

ong before the coronavirus wreaked havoc on the 2020 tourism business (and business in general), Sarah Murdoch was already thinking about the future of her industry.

Specifically, Murdoch — a Ventura-raised, Seattle-based architect-turned-travel guide, writer and impresario — had come to the realization, based on two decades of leading tours for Rick Steves Europe and her own Adventures with Sarah tour company, that tourism as many know and experience it needs to change.

“As tour operators, local guides and visionaries,” she explains, “we have the opportunity to make a conscious decision to make tourism better, more thoughtful and sensitive, and not promote the mass tourism mentality with everyone descending on the same city square all at once.”

“The Holy Grail of tour guiding,” she adds, with a broad smile, “is to create a sensation of individual travel, and to experience the delight and spontaneity of individual travel as a group.”

To that end, Murdoch and two dozen of her tour guide friends around the world — who share her “outside the box” approach to travel — have formed The Guide Collective, devoted to transforming the travel experience for those seeking something deeper, more intimate, more enriching and certainly more unique than a collection of Instagram posts.

That experience includes “virtual” livestreamed tours — a leisurely walk through Siena, perhaps, or a bike ride through a small French village — and, pending a healthier 2021, small-group “staycations” that prioritize making local connections over visiting “famous” locales.

“Of course, people want to see Big Ben,” she says. “But I would bet that for those who travel with me, Big Ben isn’t what they remember about visiting London. It’s going to that little pub, sitting with the locals and meeting the pub owner, and hearing local ghost stories.”

SARAH MURDOCH — shown visiting the Aeolian island of Lipari last September — is the founder of the Guide Collective, a group of international tour guides seeking to transform the way (and even where) we travel. (Photo credit: Alfio Di Mauro) Continued on page 18

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Especially in a post-pandemic world, a reality Murdoch experienced when, using her Irish passport, she visited Italy for five weeks in September to meet with fellow tour guides and local travel officials, and to livestream “virtual” experiences through Facebook to hundreds of followers.

For Murdoch — a graduate of Ventura’s Poinsettia Elementary and Balboa Middle Schools — her trip brought back memories of her first experiences in Rome during the 1990s, as an architecture student in the University of Washington’s study-abroad program.

Five years after earning her degree, Murdoch abandoned her architecture career for a job with Rick Steves Europe, leading tours and writing guidebooks. She later founded her aptly-named Adventures with Sarah company that takes travelers to out-of-the-way places — the kind of travel experiences that the Guide Collective, of which she is founder and executive director, will offer.

Recently, between juggling her roles as travel impresario, “Cucina Quarantena” online cooking instructor (from her home kitchen through Facebook) and home-schooling mom to sons Lucca and Nicola, Sarah Murdoch spoke by Zoom with Ventana on her experiences of and vision for travel going forward.

Ventana: What is the appeal of travel for you?

Sarah Murdoch: My first trip abroad was at age 10 with my family to see relatives in England and Ireland. We did the big grand tour of Europe, and it blew my mind. I loved the diversity, how each city was so rich in history. And in Europe, the trains can take you to see so much; in two or three hours, you can completely change culture.

A lot of people, when they travel, think, “I’ll see these things or sights.” But what about people’s experiences?

As a professional, I don’t think check-the-box, bucket-list tourism is as rewarding as people imagine it is. People get a lot more out of a trip when they step away from that need to take that Instagram photo, and go as culturally curious people, accompanied by someone who can help them understand and interact with the local culture, not just see the sights.

I led a tour several years ago in Cambodia, and of course you go to see Angkor Wat. But most memorably, we stopped in this little village in the middle of nowhere because we saw they were selling honey. We got out, talked to the locals, sat in their houses, bought honey and experienced their way of life. My son, who was 12, said, “You know, they may not have TV or electricity or what makes me happy, but they are probably happier than we are.”

And that drives the work I do now. How do I create tours and write about travel in a compelling enough way to get people to think deeper about how to approach their travel? Is it, get that photograph and say you saw the Mona Lisa, or do you want to connect with the local culture?

How did the Guide Collective come about?

That idea has been in my head for a couple of years, because I had a different vision of how travel can go. It started with Adventures with Sarah. Then, when about 30 tour guides were laid off in May from Rick Steves, I thought, let’s try something new. How do we carry on doing the work we love, in a time when we can’t do it?

I know a lot of interesting people around the world who have the

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THE AEOLIAN ISLAND OF SALINA, north of Sicily, is among the relatively “un-touristed” places Sarah Murdoch hopes to lead tours in a post-pandemic world. (Photo credit: Sarah Murdoch)

potential to connect with many more, especially through social media. I wanted to help everybody who was at loose ends, so I called a meeting in April of anyone wanting to learn how to do videos or be a travel writer.

We’re now at 20 to 25 people, some who I hardly knew before this, and our vision keeps growing. Collaboration is so powerful, and so many people in different countries have different skill sets. It’s been almost like a support group for unemployed tour guides, because it’s hard not to do what we love so much.

What kinds of virtual and in-person travel experiences will your Guide Collective members offer?

Initially, we want to have two or three live virtual events weekly as long as the pandemic lasts, depending on what the situation is. By doing virtual tours, we see a way to make it through this pandemic, make a little money, and find a new way for people to express ourselves.

In Italy, it was really cool doing live streams. A local guide in Pompeii called me to come do a virtual tour, the first one he’d done all year, and said, “It felt good to be normal again.”

As for actual tours, Guide Collective is not a tour operator, though it may become one. At the moment, it’s simply a way to promote tours that each Guide Collective member can operate, and you go online through the individual member to book tours. Some are sold out for next year, and I think we’ll do really well, because people have responded favorably to our different vision for travel. 8

What can a Guide Collective member offer that a larger company cannot?

It’s a more personal experience. You’ll book a tour directly with the person leading the tour, so you know what you’re getting. People who sign up with me are excited to travel with me because they know what to expect, they get my personality and my silly sense of humor. You know everyone in your group is on the same page, and it’s more enjoyable.

If you’re leading a larger group with a lot of people who don’t know you, you have to spend time proving you know what you’re talking about.

As an American tour leader, I’ve had people look at me like, “Who do you think you are, talking about Sicily?” and it takes time to convince them that, yes, I’ve spent a lot of time in Sicily, I do know what I’m talking about. [Murdoch co-authored Rick Steves’ 2019 Sicily guidebook.]

How large will your groups be, and how does the pandemic affect that?

My ideal is 14 or 15 at most. That means your costs may be higher on one hand with a smaller group, but as small operators without a corporate parent we also have a smaller overhead — I work from home, for example — so we can still offer competitive prices.

Travel will be changed irrevocably after this pandemic. Bus companies and museums are anticipating regulations that will limit the numbers, so you can’t pack 28 or 29 people on a bus, or 40 to 50 from a cruise ship, to visit crowded museums anymore. I don’t think anyone wants that; it’s not safe or smart.

Talk about destinations and itineraries; how will they be different?

I’ll take people to see things where there aren’t other tourists. You can find cities everywhere that people have never heard of that offer amazing things. In Italy, one of the places I’ll go to is Puglia; it’s glorious, with wonderful museums and architecture, and hardly anyone speaks English. There is plenty to see outside of the main city centers, away from crowds, where you can see culture in action.

VIRTUALLY VENICE: Visiting Italy last September, Sarah Murdoch produced a series of “virtual” tours through Facebook, including a trip through Venice, Italy.

(Photo credit: Staci Gibboni)

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Christmas

Dinner To Go

A complete holiday dinner for 6 people Choice of Soup or Salad Soup- Creamy Parsnip and Truffle Cream Salad- Baby Spring Mix with Roasted Peppers, Olives, Artichoke Hearts, Feta Cheese and White Balsamic Vinaigrette

EntrĂŠe Slow Roasted Prime Rib with Au Jus and Creamy Horseradish Roasted Herb Potatoes Green Bean Almondine Creamed Garlic Spinach

Choice of Dessert Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Pecan Pie

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Clean. Modern. Engaging.

At Frenchies you’ll find friendly professionals. A fun vibe.

Posh pampering. And a super clean, inviting space at the Ventura Harbor for manicures and pedicures!

Holiday Gift Cards

with free bonus card available Mention Ventana and get $5 off your first visit

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(805) 200-3883 1583 Spinnaker Dr #105, Ventura Harbor

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lient: Ventura Harbor Village

Looking for the perfect holiday gift?

Gift Certificates to the Channel Islands for HIKE • KAYAK • CAMP • WHALE WATCH Call for Advance Orders

We are happy to mail or email for a specific trip or amount to you or recipient

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| DECEMBER 2020

12/4/20 9:48 AM

Date: _____

Signature: _

Venice’s six districts, each with something that’s unusual and local. We want to turn people’s expectations upside down. Tourists enjoy ciccheti [appetizer] crawls in the evening, and we’d love to do that in the morning, when the locals go for a morning glass of wine and a snack.

Let’s eat and experience the city like a local.

My friends in other cities are creating similar itineraries to change the narrative in tourism. Bottom line: I want it to be a local perspective.

Before the pandemic, tourism had become increasingly popular — maybe too popular?

2019 was the busiest year ever for tourism, and it was a mess. People were everywhere, and cities all over Europe felt like they were at a breaking point. And those of us in the tour industry were losing our marbles by year-end because it was too much.

Now with the pandemic, we’re having a breather.

We know tourism will come back, but do we want it to come back to what it was?

THE VENETIAN CANALS do not need to be filled with crowded gondolas in order to enjoy the serenity of the city.

(Photo credit: Sarah Murdoch)

And I am a spontaneous person; I avoid detailed itineraries. If I see a pecorino farm by the road in Sicily, I want to pull over and talk to the guy.

With a small group, you can take people places you can’t take big groups to. It’s so lovely to share those spontaneous adventures with others.

Elaborate on the “staycation” concept.

Well, you could go to Venice for two days, stand shoulder to shoulder with thousands of people in St. Mark’s Square and think Venice is too crowded. The reality is that Venice is a beautiful little village with a relatively small population, where everybody knows everybody.

So I’m planning a seven-day staycation in Venice that focuses on

What do the locals want?

In Italy I talked with travel writers, hotel and restaurant owners, and others who have a stake in tourism. And the bottom line is that they do not want people to do 10 cities in five days because that does nothing to promote cultural understanding. They said, “We’d love to see people stay longer in one place, at least a week, go to local museums that have two visitors a day, learn our culture, eat in local restaurants, and really become part of our cities.”

And that’s everywhere, not just Italy or Europe.

People want travelers in their communities to get to know the place. The locals love this idea; it’s putting money in their local businesses in their communities, family-owned hotels and restaurants.

It’s an idea worth trying, and I think it will be the way people enjoy travel in the future. v

Guide Collective tours being offered for 2021 and 2022 (subject to local health and travel regulations) include New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Morocco, South Africa, Uganda, India, Patagonia and Peru.

For more information visit: The Guide Collective: www.guide-collective.com.

Adventures with Sarah: adventureswithsarah.net.

Facebook: adventureswithsarah Twitter: @sarahrmurdoch Instagram: @adventureswithsarahm.

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F I N E

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Bennett’s Honey Farm Home of Topanga Quality Honey 100% Pure Raw Gourmet Honey

Come Visit Our Honey Store for

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Ventura shopping at its BEST for you and your pets!

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_____________________________ VotedDate: #1 in Pet Store Signature: ________________________ 7 years in a row!

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Low-price leader in top quality pet supplies, right in your hometown! A HUGE SELECTION available for “all of your pets”.

Voted #1 Shoe Store 4 years in a row!

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980 Front St., Ventura | (805) 648-5037 Mon - Sat - 9:30 to 6:00 | Sun - 10 to 5

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Try Good2Go and receive 10% off your first order (use code: G2G-VENTANA) Order today at thegood2go.com F I N E

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Also available: Good2Go holiday meals and Goodies2Go snack boxes

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AD PROOF 673 E. Main Street, Downtown Ventura 805-643-5832 • rosieleeimports.com Ad Executive: Warren Barrett (805) 648-2244

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JOIN US FOR OUTSIDE DINING AND TAKE OUT We really appreciate you!

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FOOD AND DRINK

SHAKEN AND STIRRED Get ready to celebrate with these seasonal cocktails.

T

BY NANCY D. LACKEY SHAFFER

his is, without question, a very different kind of holiday season.

Many of us won’t be traveling or hosting visitors, and any gatherings in which we might be participating are likely to take place outside and for a short duration.

We can, nevertheless, choose to be merry — and what better way to toast the season than with an expertly prepared cocktail?

Ventana Monthly asked some of the area’s best bartenders — all top vote getters in the 2020 Best of Ventura County, recently published

by our weekly sister publication, the Ventura County Reporter — to come up with a few delicious drinks full of holiday spirit that are easy to prepare at home. As beautiful as they are tasty, with flavors of chocolate, cranberry, orange and spice, they’re perfect for sipping all season long.

So grab some ice and bar tools — it’s time to start shaking and stirring up some good cheer!

NAUGHTY OR SPICE

When he’s behind the bar at VenTiki, Josh Papuzza keeps customers satisfied with the tropical concoctions that have made Ventura’s own tiki bar famous. His Naughty or Spice, however, is more mainland than island, with cranberry, orange and cinnamon mixed with premium rum. Note that you need to mull the cranberry juice first.

- 2 ounces El Dorado 5 Year Rum - 4 ounces mulled cranberry juice (recipe follows) - 1/2 ounce cinnamon syrup (such as Torani) • Place all ingredients into a shaker filled two-thirds full of ice and shake until chilled. Pour over ice into a Collins glass, garnish as desired and serve.

M U L L E D C R A N B E R RY J U I C E An integral part of the Naughty or Spice, this rich juice is also delicious on its own or mixed with sparkling water.

- 2 gallons cranberry juice - 2 ounces mulling spice* - Peel of 1/2 an orange • Place all ingredients in a pot and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Let cool and strain into a clean jar or other container and store in the refrigerator. *Mulling spices usually include star anise, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, dried orange peel and other spices. You can create your own, but well-stocked grocery stores carry it in the spice or baking aisle.

— Courtesy of VenTiki Lounge and Lanai, 701 E. Main St., Ventura, 805.667-8887, www.ventikiloungeandlanai.com.

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Keep dreaming.

We’re ready when you are.

Travel brings joy and a lifetime of memories that grow more valuable each day.

AD PROOF

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Indoor and Outdoor Makeovers

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Jockamo Records LPs • CDs • Posters Cassettes Bought & Sold

12/4/20 11:59 AM

T-ShirTS • TurnTableS

Thank You for voTing uS one of venTura CounTY’S beST! Call For a Free Consultation General Building Contractor Owner: Eber N Canelas

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For New Homes and Remodels, Quality is Always in Season

Vetted by:

So Just Call Dana!

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• Pond Supplies • Koi • Pond Plants • Saltwater Fish • Coral • Freshwater Fish • Live Plants • Saltwater and Freshwater Invertebrates.

• Aquarium Supplies

12-20 Dana Steele Construction 1-4 pg.indd 1

Schedule an Appointment for an Aquarium or Pond Service Today!

Extreme Marine Tropical Fish and Koi

Open Monday-Saturday 11-5:30

Sunday 11-5

1495 Palma Drive, Ventura • (805) 644-FISH (3474) www.xtreme-marine.com 30

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DMD Construction Is Rebuilding Your Ventura

The Finest Sustainable Hardwood Shutters at the Lowest Prices.

Call Today for a FREE In-Home Estimate

Let Us Help!

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• Lower prices than Lowes, Home Depot, 3 Days Blinds, DMD Construction 805-625-4161 Costco, or other retail stores Proudly made in Oxnard AD PROOF General Contractors • Eco Friendly Hardwoods Client: Pacific Stoneworks Ad Executive: Warren Barrett (805) 648-2244 • New Construction • Additions • Insurance • Remodels & Finishes Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd Proofs, 1851 Holser Walk #205 www.rebuilding–ventura.com DavidRUN Dunlap Owner AD WILL AS -IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom.

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(805) 648-4098 PacificStoneworks.net 31 Peking Street, Ventura, CA

DECEMBER 2020

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Date: ______________________________

T H E G R E AT P U M P K I N P I E M A RG A R I TA Nothing says “holiday” like pumpkin pie! In this unique concoction from Pacific by NoRu bartender DeLonne Kelly, the popular dessert is transformed into a luscious margarita. Kelly recommends using locally sourced organic produce for optimal results.

- 3 tablespoon pumpkin pie puree - 1 tablespoon brown sugar - 1⁄4 lime, squeezed - 1⁄4 lemon, squeezed - 1.5-2 ounces Blanco tequila (depending on your mood) - Lime slice/wheel for garnish • In a shaker, muddle pumpkin and sugar then add ice, lime and lemon.

• Shake vigorously.

• Strain into your favorite glass (tumbler recommended) with ice.

• Garnish with lime wheel and enjoy.

G R A N D M A’S S A U C Y C R A N B E R RY S A U C E Cranberry sauce in a glass! Kelly mixes the tart with the sweet in this pretty-in-pink drink, which works equally well with gin or vodka.

- 1 dash of aromatic bitters - 6 to 10 cranberries - 1⁄4 lime, squeezed - 1⁄4 lemon, squeezed - 1⁄4 orange, squeezed - 0.75 ounces organic agave nectar - 1.5-2 ounces gin or vodka (depending on your mood) - 2 sprigs of rosemary and orange zest, for garnish • In a shaker, muddle aromatic bitters, small sprig of rosemary and cranberries.

• Then add ice, lime, lemon, orange, agave and alcohol of choice.

• Shake vigorously.

• Strain into your favorite glass (highball recommended) with ice.

• Garnish with rosemary sprig, cranberry and orange zest.

— Courtesy of Pacific by NoRu, 394 East Main Street, Ventura, 805.205.9618, pacificbynoru.com.

H O L I DAY C H O C O L AT E M A N H AT TA N Chocolate, orange and bourbon make a delicious combination, and Nikki DeWitt of Ventura Harbor seafood restaurant Brophy Bros uses all three to great effect in this sweet update to the classic Manhattan.

She recommends stirring, not shaking, to keep it crystal clear, and serving it straight up in a martini glass with an orange twist in lieu of a Maraschino cherry.

- 3 ounces bourbon - 1 ounce creme de cacao dark - 0.5 ounces triple sec - A dash of Angostura bitters • Place all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker or pitcher and gently stir until completely chilled. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

— Courtesy of Brophy Bros, 1559 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, 805.639.0865, www.brophybrosventura.com.

Photo by kcruts

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American Flags & Cutlery • • • •

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305 E. Main Street, Ventura 805-641-1941 Client: West 10:30 Coast Door Ad Executive: Warren Barrett (805) 648-2244 Mon-Thurs amSash - 6 pm,&Fri-Sat 10:30 am - 7: pm, Sun 11 am - 5 pm Pleaseflagsandcutlery@gmail.com check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd Proofs, AD WILL RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom.

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WINDOW

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DECEMBER 2020

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LO - F I A M A RO S O U R A riff on the original whiskey sour cocktail, Rocks and Drams’ Lo-Fi Amaro Sour is becoming a genuine Californian cocktail. With fresh lemon juice, an ube and purple cabbage solution, and a California Amaro straight out of Napa, the drink offers bold flavors of grapefruit, anise, and ginger, and an overall experience as striking as it looks.

- 2.5 ounces Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro - 0.75 ounces lemon juice - 0.75 ounces ube and purple cabbage syrup (recipe follows) - 1 egg white • Place all ingredients in a shaker two-thirds filled with ice and shake until well chilled and foamy. Strain into a coupe or martini glass and serve straight up.

U B E A N D P U R P L E C A B B AG E SY R U P Ube or purple yam is a vividly colored sweet potato originally from the Philippines and commonly used in desserts. Together with the purple cabbage, it helps create the sweetness and violet color essential for the Lo-Fi Amaro Sour. Ube extract can be found at stores such as Whole Foods.

Chop up some purple cabbage and place in a sauce pan with a little ube extract and equal parts sugar and water. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves; the syrup should have a bright purple color. Strain out the cabbage and store in a glass container in the refrigerator.

— Courtesy of Rocks and Drams, 14 South California Street, Ventura, 805.667.8585, www.rocksanddrams.com

NIBBLE AND NOSH

Festive bites make any celebration — even if it’s just a party of two! These dishes are a breeze to prepare, and go beautifully with our seasonal sips!

GARLIC BAKED CLAMS Stuffing: - 1 pound unsalted butter, softened - 1 tablespoon horseradish - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic - 1/4 cup sherry cooking wine - 4 ounces grated parmesan - 4 ounces shredded parmesan cheese - 2 cups bread crumbs - 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 dozen clams Chopped bacon for garnish (Photo by kcruts)

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

• Scrub clams and place in a heatproof dish.

• Mix stuffing ingredients together and distribute on top of clams.

• Bake for 16-20 minutes, until golden brown and all clams have opened (discard any that are still closed).

• Top with chopped bacon and serve.

— Courtesy of Brophy Bros, 1559 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, 805.639.0865, www.brophybrosventura.com Continued on page 36 34

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W I N T E R V E G E TA B L E A N D H E I R LO O M TO M ATO B I S Q U E For best results, select organic produce from local farmers to use in this savory, warming soup.

Winter Vegetable Mix - 2 cups butternut squash, diced fine and blanched - 2 cups Kabocha squash, diced fine and blanched - 1⁄4 cup parsley, julienned - 1 cup shaved asiago cheese - 1 tablespoon turmeric Bisque - 2 tablespoons coconut oil - 1-1⁄2 tablespoons kosher salt - 1 medium sweet onion, diced - 5 garlic cloves, minced - 1 carrot, peeled and diced - 8 heirloom tomatoes, quartered - 2 bay leaves - 2 tablespoons oregano - 5 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock - 1 cup coconut milk - 10 leaves fresh basil 1 cup pepitas, toasted (for garnish) • In a bowl, gently mix the diced and blanched winter vegetables with the turmeric, parsley and asiago cheese. Set aside.

• In a large sauce pot, saute onion in coconut oil with 1/2 tablespoon of salt until translucent. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add carrot and tomatoes and saute on medium heat for 5 minutes.

• Stir in broth, oregano and bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 10 minutes before blending. Remove the bay leaves.

• In a blender or food processor, add soup in stages to process. Now is the time to add fresh basil to soup and blend till smooth. Return to blended soup to the pot and reheat. Season with salt to taste.

• Garnish bisque with the winter vegetable mix before serving. You can use your favorite mold to create a decorative presentation, or just spoon the vegetables on top of the soup.

• Top with toasted pepitas and serve.

— Courtesy of Pacific by NoRu, 394 East Main Street, Ventura, 805.205.9618, pacificbynoru.com.

P E I R A N O ’S C H A RC U T E R I E B OA R D

It’s hard to beat an array of quality meats and cheeses for taste and simplicity. Peirano’s in Downtown Ventura has a wide selection of salami, prosciutto, mortadella, porchetta and other meats, plus cheeses from across the globe, marinated olives, pickles and more. Just order online, select a time for pickup, take home and dig in!

— Courtesy of Peirano’s Market and Delicatessen, 204 East Main Street, Ventura, 805.628.9028, peiranosmarket.com.

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| DECEMBER 2020

AVERAGE PRICE

➡

HOMES SOLD

➡

No More Bad Hair Days

VENTANA HOME SALES INDEX

+27.6%

+8.8%

NOVEMBER 2019 VS. 2020 TREND

CAMARILLO

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

OCT. ‘19

OCT. ‘20

80 $730,000

98 $765,100

12 $582,200

17 $541,200

FILLMORE

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

Before

After

31 $761,500

47 $858,800

30 $687.800

37 $823,500

Kelly Kroon At the Color BAr 418 e. MAin St. - VenturA F I N E

L I V I N G

I N

V E N T U R A

C O U N T Y

805.218.5370 CAll todAy for AMAzing hAir.

m o n t h l y

@kellycosmetix

Client: Ventura Clinical Trials

23 $414,400

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

14 $703,400

18 $527,700

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

120 $630,600

154 $710,700

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

65 $1,031,100

88 $952,600

66 $667,500

103 $846,600

560

715

VENTURA

19 $836,200

17 $1,168,700

99 $601,900

113 $672,600

OXNARD

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

24 $376,400

THOUSAND OAKS

OJAI

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

OCT. ‘20

SIMI VALLEY

MOORPARK

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

OCT. ‘19

SANTA PAULA

NEWBURY PARK

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

PORT HUENEME

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE TOTAL # OF SALES

AD PROO

Ad Executive: Warren Barrett

(805) 648-2244

Ventana Monthly Home Sales Index is presented each month as part of the real estate section.

Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, The “2nd Proof”, and “Final If wetoreceive the to 1st11/30/20. or 2nd Proofs, AD figures are sourced from Proof”. sales reported MLS for no the proof period after of 11/1/20 WILL RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box,Ventana date and signHome at theSales bottom.

DECEMBER 2020 Monthly Index © Ventana Monthly,ISSUE: 2020.

NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP

Date: _______________________________ Signature: ___________________________

12/4/20 8:10 AM

VENTANA HOME SALES INDEX AUGUST 2019 VS. 2020 TREND

www.progenabiome.com/shop

ProgenaBiome 1835 Knoll Drive Ventura, CA 93003

DECEMBER 2020

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SHORT LIST THROUGH JAN. 3

HOLIDAYS AT VENTURA HARBOR VILLAGE

ALL EVENTS SUBJECT TO CANCELLATION DUE TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC HOLIDAYS AT VENTURA HARBOR VILLAGE

Through Jan. 3 | Ventura The Ventura Harbor Village will light up the holiday season with a slew of activities and events through the end of December. Participate in SEAson’s Greetings throughout the harbor through Jan. 3 and enjoy stunning holiday decor, lights on the water, seasonal sweets, a shopping passport, and more harbor holiday traditions. On Dec. 12 (or Dec. 19, weather permitting), take a scenic one-hour paddle to the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center dressed in holiday colors and, of course, your elf or Santa hat. Private holiday light boat tours will also be available. Ventura Harbor Village, 1583 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura. For more information, visit www.venturaharborvillage.com.

HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR DRIVE-IN THEATRE

THROUGH DEC. 25

HOLIDAYS AT THE COLLECTION

Dec. 11-13 | Thousand Oaks Get ready for a festive celebration including seasonal favorites performed by an all-star cast of some of the best talent in Ventura County. This socially distant musical adventure will warm you down to your stockings with cheer and good tidings, all from the safety of your car via the magic of FM radio.

Expect all of the holiday classics from this live show featuring dozens of cast members and festive holiday decorations, but also expect the unexpected with surprises along the way.

Showtimes vary. Tickets: $20-60. Conejo Players, 351 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. For more information, visit www.conejoplayers.org.

HOLIDAYS WITH HILLCREST: STAND-UP COMEDY, FILMS AND MORE

Dec. 11-13 | Thousand Oaks Get ready for a holiday blow-out with a weekend chock full of season’s greetings beginning on Friday, Dec. 11 with a screening of Disney’s Frozen with a special appearance by the princess herself and the chance for a photo-op from the safety of your car. On Saturday, Dec. 12, Hillcrest continues its live stand-up comedy tradition with a special event for in-person drive-in or online via streaming. Producer Jason Love will choose a lineup of hilarious comedians which are guaranteed to not disappoint. To wrap up the festive weekend, four friends are putting on a Christmas show for their local theater and you’re invited to take part in this singalong holiday spectacular.

Tickets and show times vary. Hillcrest Center for the Arts, 403 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. For more information, visit www.hillcrestarts.com.

DEC. 17

BEETHOVEN’S SONATAS

HOLIDAYS AT THE COLLECTION

Through Dec. 25 | Oxnard This holiday season, The Collection at RiverPark has reimagined several of its annual holiday experiences to offer safe, festive fun for the whole family. From visits with Santa and virtual story time with Mrs. Claus and friends to live music, giveaways and more, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in the holiday cheer. Through Dec. 24, RSVP-required photos with Santa will be available (including for four-legged friends on special nights). New this year is a Virtual Santa Experience, a not-to-be-missed opportunity for kids to deliver their holiday wish list to Santa from the safety of their home. The entire month of December is filled with activities from scavenger hunts to story time, and to top it off, the Spark of Love Toy Drive will collect toys for children in need. The Collection at RiverPark, Santa’s Workshop, 540 Town Center Drive, Oxnard.

For a full schedule of events, visit www.thecollectionrp.com.

VENTURA MUSIC FESTIVAL PRESENTS: BEETHOVEN’S SONATAS Dec. 17 | ONLINE The Ventura Music Festival is celebrating 250 years of 38

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| DECEMBER 2020

Beethoven with six passionate performances of the maestro’s sonatas available to stream online. Beginning on Dec. 17 and continuing weekly, six programs dubbed “Music Connects-Beethoven” will be released alongside short video commentaries by pianist Adam Golka produced for each sonata, featuring a leading physicist, poet, artist and the like on their unique relationship to the music. There is no better way to celebrate Beethoven’s birthday than with one of his compositions. For more information, visit www.VenturaMusicFestival.org.

SANTA SAVES CHRISTMAS!

Dec. 19-20 | Ventura Gather the family together and help Santa, Mrs. Claus and their magical team of characters spread cheer this holiday season at this drive-in live performance. Just as Santa and his elves pull their sleigh into the fairgrounds, they run out of gas!

Santa and his team need to fill the tank with “holiday cheer” or Christmas will be ruined. Expect snowy surprises, singalongs and much more including dazzling lights and decorations inside of a visual light show with 360 degree viewing. Tickets: $49-219. Showtimes 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura. For more information, visit www.holidaysinyourcar.com.

THE NUTCRACKER

Dec. 19 | Ventura For the first time in its storied 22-year history, Ventura County Ballet will be taking the acclaimed holiday classic The Nutcracker where it has never been before: outdoors!

Starring Elizaveta “Leeza” Domrachev of Ballet Academy Ventura, who has danced with Russia’s prestigious Perm State Ballet, and Jack Stewart, who has danced globally with State Street Ballet, the duo will be joined by a number of other professional dancers and 50 highly talented local dance students. The show will include a visual light show, multimedia entertainment and live audio broadcast directly into your car. Tickets: $99-249. Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura. For more information, visit www.venturacountyballet.com.

ONLINE HOLIDAY MARKET

Through Dec. 23 | ONLINE Can’t get to the mall this year? Why not shop local from the comfort of your study via Vita Art Center’s online marketplace? The online and onsite Artisans Market is a place where local artisans offer carefully curated handmade and unique local products. Simply browse, click to purchase and pick up at the art center at your leisure. Items ranging from previously exhibited art to Martha Picciotti ceramics, jewelry by Carol Koch and wall art and textiles will be available to make someone’s holiday cheery and bright. For more information, visit www.vitaartcenter.com.

ON THE HORIZON 34TH ANNUAL VENTURA COUNTY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY CELEBRATION

Jan. 21 | Oxnard The day begins with a Freedom March from Plaza Park to the Oxnard PAL Gymnasium where, beginning at 9 a.m., the observance program will feature youth speakers, scripture readings, and activities in honor of the civil rights leader. March begins at 8 a.m. at Plaza Park, 5th Street and C Street, Oxnard. For more information and route, visit www.mlkventuracounty.com.

The Rutledge Results Team

From the Eastside to the Westside, And the Hillside to the Seaside

LAURIE RUTLEDGE

DEREK BERTHOLD

CalRE#01156115

CalRE#02038434

805.340.4854

805.869.8005

Laurie4Homes@aol.com

Derek@VenturaRE.com

REALTOR® / B.S. Industrial Design

REALTOR / M.B.A. ®

www.VenturaRE.com

www.LaurieRutledge.com

ST

EW

2901PIERPONT.COM

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IN

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2003 Built - 4 Bedrooms - 5 Baths - Approx. 3,016sf - 3 levels of fun - Steps to the beach!

VENTURA PIERPONT BEACH | $2,150,000 At the quiet end of Pierpont Blvd, you’ll enjoy some of the best views in all of Pierpont & the Keys from this newer construction home with old world charm! This is truly a rare and exceptional opportunity to have the best views in Pierpont with the convenience of ample guest parking and steps to the beach and Marina Park at half the price of living on the sand! Being sold fully furnished.

7021ETNA.COM

LD SO JU

IN

ST

ND PE SA LE

IN

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C

ES

685CREEKMONT.COM

W O

IN

W O

R

C ES

5501RAINIER.COM

G

1047WESTRIDGE.COM

3br+2.5ba Skyline Pool Home

Spectacular English Country House

VENTURA | $899,000 OVER ASKING! Best value on the Hillside! Newer kitchen, Awesome Pool & Spa and Nice VIEWS!

VENTURA | $1,295,000 FULL PRICE! 2019 Built stunning 4br+2.5ba in approx. 2,638sf, Vaulted ceilings, chefs kitchen, gorgeous!

244ALABAMA.COM

5606BRUBECK.COM

2651CEDAR.COM

1692REDROCK.COM

JU

ST JU

JU

ST

SO LD

LD ST

SO

SO ST JU

SO LD

4br+2.5ba Clearpoint Value VENTURA | $999,000 OVER ASKING! Great Value in Clearpoint! Kitchen/Bath upgrades, newer kitchen, Central A/C.

LD

5br+2.5ba Clearpoint Oasis VENTURA | $1,249,000 OVER ASKING! Approx. 2,465sf of Amazing! Newer roof, owned solar, total remodel. Fabulous outdoor spaces!

Gorgeous Solana Heights

Gorgeous Harmony Condo!

Close to Beaches & Downtown!

The Groves At Riverbend Ranch

VENTURA | $770,000 FULL PRICE!

VENTURA | $590,000 MULTIPLE OFFERS!

VENTURA | $760,000 JUST SOLD!

VENTURA | $820,000 JUST SOLD!

The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2020 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

ideal HOMES Ideal Homes

Your Guide To Luxury Living Throughout Ventura County

VIEWS, VIEWS, VIEWS!

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS IN PRACTICE! When EXPERIENCE Counts...

BETTER CALL BLAKE! JUST LISTED! BETTER CALL BLAKE!

WALK TO SHOPS & RESTAURANTS!

WOW! Spacious 2BR, 2BA penthouse condo with interior laundry & detached garage! Move-in ready! Granite kitchen & baths! All appliances included!

Resort-like pool & spa! Priced right! $360,000

Better Call Blake! 805-856-9350 JUST LISTED! BETTER CALL BLAKE!

Delightful 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom mid-century home with spectacular ocean views. This hillside charmer is located in the heart of Ventura and has refinished oak floors, a remodeled kitchen with custom cabinetry, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, and a corner wrap-around window filling the home with sunlight. The open living and dining areas also have an abundance of windows, a brick hearth fireplace

surrounded by beautifullypreserved knotty pine built-ins, and a quaint Dutch door that opens to the tranquil backyard.

There are two bedrooms and a large bathroom with granite counters and a soaking tub. Relax on the front porch and watch the sunset over the Channel Islands, or enjoy the private, terraced backyard with newer pergola, mature avocado tree, outdoor fireplace, and several sitting areas. Convenient attached

two-car garage with ¾ bathroom and an extra storage room, which would make a perfect wine cellar.

Close to schools, beaches, and downtown Ventura.

This beautiful oasis awaits!

Presented by Juliet Esquibias, Coldwell Banker Realty, 805-616-4040.

BEDROOMS:

2

BATHROOMS:

2

PRICE:

$859,000

ACROSS FROM MARINA PARK AND THE BEST VIEWS IN ALL OF PIERPONT!

COLLEGE AREA COSMETIC FIXER! Single-level Ranch style!

Great area & schools!

4BR, 2BA, 1586+/- sq. ft.

Price reflects condition!

SPACIOUS SINGLE-LEVEL CONDO!

WOW! Spacious, 1,200+/- SF, 1-level condo in the heart of Ventura with 2 large bedrooms, 2 full baths, interior laundry and detached garage!

PLUS, this move-in ready home offers lovely views of the HOA maintained tree-canopied courtyard and gardens! Washer, dryer, refrig. included! $365,000

$609,000. Better Call Blake!

805-856-9350

Better Call Blake! 805-856-9350

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • COMMITMENT • RESULTS

CALL TODAY!

805-856-9350

www.BlakeMashburn.com Everest

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All info deemed accurate, but not guaranteed. If your property is currently listed for sale, please disregard our active marketing. DRE# 01065624.

| DECEMBER 2020

Enjoy the views of the white sand beaches spanning across the lush lawns of Marina Park from your gourmet kitchen and great room with expansive balcony.

After a day at the beach, invigorate yourself with

a refreshing outdoor shower before enjoying a bbq and refreshments with family & friends in your serene patio garden with outdoor kitchen. Presented by Laurie Rutledge & Derek Berthold, Coldwell

Banker Global Luxury.

Visit 2901Pierpont.com today! 805.340.4854.

BEDROOMS:

4

BATHROOMS:

5

PRICE:

$2,150 ,000

Mac’s

TREE

SERVICE

& STUMP REMOVAL Locally owned & operated

No Job Too Small!

Call Today for Free Quote!

Free backfill grade chips.

Quality chips available must be ordered.

(805) 649-2782

F I N E

L I V I N G

I N

V E N T U R A

C O U N T Y

Specializing in all phases of tree trimming, AD PROO cutting &Adremovals.

Executive: Warren Frank Barrett Macarone (805) 648-2244

m o n t h l y

Client: Coastlands

Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive noCertified proof after theArborist 1st or 2nd Proofs, AD CA Lic. 809115 WILL RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom.

ISSUE: DECEMBER 2020

Change homes, Change Lives

NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP

Date: ______ NOTICE: PLEASECoastlands FAX THIS PROOF Date: _______________________________ Real Estate Group is proud to give back to our community Signature: on __ TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP Signature: ___________________________

12-20 Macs Tree Trimming 1-4 pg.indd 1

behalf of every real estate transaction.

12/2/20 2:13 PM

5886 Santa Lucia Ct, Ventura A rare opportunity to purchase a 5-bedroom + office, 4-bath 3,994 sq ft, cul-de-sac home in the sought-after Paradise Estates neighborhood.

Immaculately well cared for, properties of this caliber are hard to come by. $1,375,000

We are a local real estate group with a passion for giving back to our community.

For every home bought or sold through us, we will “give back” a portion of our commission to one of our local partner charities who are helping to change the world!

Eric & Janet Baucom

5566 Lafayette St, Ventura THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME This adorable home is nestled on a charming tree-lined street in one of Ventura’s favorite neighborhoods.Single level home perfect for family friendly living.

Open layout. 5kW owned solar, upgraded 200 amp electric panel, newer roof (2015), Nest thermostat. $629,000

DRE #01253080 / DRE #02045585

(805) 795-2001 • eric@coastlandsgroup.com • www.coastlandsgroup.com DECEMBER 2020

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Wishing all of our Past, Present and Future Clients a wonderful Holiday Season and a Healthy 2021!

Voted #1 Real Estate Team 3 years in a row!

Now is a great time to sell! Call us for a free market analysis of your home.

Bob

Tina

Albert

CalBRE 01060428

CalBRE 00953910

CalBRE 02035904

EXCELLENCE IN REAL ESTATE SC IN E

ROW

9025 Santa Margarita, Ventura Wonderful and expansive Woodside Greens home featuring 4 bedrooms including a large main bedroom with en suite and additional sitting room with fireplace. Beautiful park-like backyard. This split level home is perfect for those who want space and privacy.

4 Beds + 3 Bath

1118 Capello, Ojai Without question one of the finest remodeled homes in the neighborhood. Seller has taken great strides in making this home a beautiful showcase. Expansive kitchen with large island, large pantry, enclosed patio, and upgraded baths. A must see!

JF

D

SOL

3 Beds + 2 Bath Listed for $830,000

Listed for $749,000

Call us for a free list of homes in your area

805-351-3500

1071 S. Seaward Ave., Ventura | 2750 Park View Ct. Suite 260, Oxnard | www.CRBrealestate.com

Welcome Home

Ariel Palmieri CalDRE #01501968

Karen Stein

CalDRE #01505059

Juliet Esquibias Linda Parizo

CalDRE #01831073

CalDRE #01509547

To Our Clients, Colleagues and Friends, Thank you for your trust over the years!

We are privileged to serve as your real estate professionals.

We wish everyone the best throughout the holiday season! www.ArielandKaren.com ArielandKaren.com NEW LISTING

www.LindaParizoHomes.com www.JulietReviews.com JulietReviews.com SOLD

FOR LEASE

2123 El Jardin, Ventura

Location and views combine in this new hillside listing! Enjoy ocean, island and downtown views from the kitchen and viewing deck. This mid-century 2 bedroom charmer has a remodeled kitchen with outstanding natural light. The lot is more than 7200 SF with a terraced yard, mature avocado tree and romantic outdoor fireplace. Listed for $859,000

SOLD

2225 Bermuda Dunes, River Ridge - Oxnard

Lovely single-story home in the beautiful gated Island Villas on the River Ridge Golf Course. This 2 bedroom 2 bath home with approx. 1359 SF has been fully remodeled including the kitchen and baths. Move-in ready. Outside areas have recently been upgraded and are ready for your entertaining needs. Lovely sunset views across the golf course.

For Lease for $3,000 per month

SOLD

SOLD

1315 Seafarer Street, Ventura Keys

Around the corner from Big Beach, this Keys off-water home is spacious with 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a loft. Whether working from home, distance learning or multi-generational living, this home has something for everyone! Great plan with 3 bedrooms on the main level and 2 bedrooms upstairs. More than 2,600 SF. Sold for $1,280,000

SOLD

1327 Seafarer Street, Ventura Keys

Stunning and spacious Ventura Keys mainland home with incredible upgrades, exquisite decor, solar and a private and lush entertainers’ backyard. Two primary suites, one on the first level and one upstairs.

4 bedrooms + 3 baths – 2,642 SF Sold for $1,399,888

SOLD

5307 Driftwood Street, Mandalay Shores

Industrial chic meets sustainable modern elegance in this one of a kind townhome. Low HOA fee, no Mello Roos, and ocean views from top level. Private outdoor space including patio and balconies. Owned solar!

3 bedrooms + 3 baths – 1,400 SF Sold for $829,000

1435 Marine Way, Mandalay Shores

Fabulous ocean frontage from this stylishly-reimagined A-frame on a quiet and exclusive street. Recently remodeled interior with gorgeous views. 10,000 SF lot with 40 feet of ocean frontage on beach side.

3 bedrooms + 2 baths – 1,680 SF Sold for $2,900,000

4906 Island View Street, Mandalay Shores

Wonderful beach area home on a street with sidewalks and front yards as well as a large private courtyard between the home and garage. This 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home has a spacious living room with fireplace, an open kitchen and a downstairs bathroom. 3-car garage! Sold for $965,000

SOLD

2044 Spyglass Trail West, River Ridge

This River Ridge Golf Course 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath home is located on the 15th tee and has spectacular views from almost every room. Remodeled gourmet kitchen. HOA has pool and spa.

3 bedrooms + 2.5 baths – 2,390 SF Sold for $805,000

1950 Spyglass Trail, River Ridge

Represented the Buyer! Single story River Ridge home with an oversized backyard. 3 + 2 with approximately 2070 SF. Three-car garage for your cars and your golf cart!

Sold for $780,000

(805) 746-2070 (805) 824-2004 (805) 312-4654 (805) 616-4040 Ariel Palmieri

Karen Stein

Linda Parizo

Juliet Esquibias

50 years ore

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r cush you, ou ke it w s a h ynn’s espo ionship L , to our current b mer t How la e r e h t e se of custo venu ens becau wn on Seaward A always valued our p p a h s s e do expertise. as ucc s f h s g o f ’s s o in n e s n n d e y a in d c L g a e le be tura, nd d Five dec our humb he east end of Ven lity restorations, a f you. m o r F . r e tom use o e on t y, qua de jewelr d and thrived beca sign hous a e d m ll m e o t w s cu ive iful, ing beaut esult, we have surv by supply r As a u o Thank yo een able t b e v a h e ore, w , we jewelry st h your purchases er d e n w o y g locall throu st canc s a small, ity. This October, entura based brea a , s u h it w ,aV mun business t our com to Ribbons of Life r o p p By doing u s n. in turn 500.00 grow and d to contribute $1 upport organizatio es ew engag te n h t g a li h e t d g e r we d reatin trust in c t made from a love e h t s e h m, is nn’s cher he memorial hear restore an heirloo y L . s ie r o , or , or t our st diamond new piece al. elry tells a ’s w r e e je k h l a t u o m if t m n o Beau g Grand it’s perso it down t in s , s t e c u w je g o e r in r p im ment just a very t g. g band. E ow it’s more than hallengin c in y d ll d e ia c w e one’s en n esp we kn h has bee ontinue to stay op ic h w , r a e y to c me by past y pportunit ealthy holiday. Co cked nage this o o r e t h a t p r r o f u yo dh che eful hanks for e are grat ne of you a safe an your jewels to be w , t c e f in We give t g o nd every n. Of course, brin or the holidays. an and dis As we cle u. We wish each a le f rso yo you in pe us help you spark and serve , and let us thank t e ays free. L ello and say h d cleaned – it’s alw on an f the Seas

Best o e h t u o y us at Wishing f o l l a m Fro ry Studio l e w e J s ’ Lynn

Open 7 Days a week until Christmas Let us create new memories with you est. 1970 - Ventura, CA

4572 Telephone Road, #906, Ventura

805.642.5500

Check our website for new holiday hours www.LynnsJewelry.com

All of our custom designs have been made from 100% recycled gold for more than 40 years. Respect for the Earth is not a new idea at Lynn’s.

John Muscarella Master Jeweler