Ventana June 2022

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FEA TU R ES Editor’s Note

6 Outside Chance

Conversation 14 Bates Road, Memory Lane Discussing family history and the Central Coast with Stephen Bates.

Travel 20 Into the Woods Los Padres National Forest

Shopping 28 By Land and By Sea Essential items for outdoor adventures

Cover Story 36 Strolling Through History The Chumash Indian Museum of Thousand Oaks

STEPHEN BATES AND DAUGHTER CLARA ON THE RINCON RANCH. PHOTO BY VINCE BURNS

The Water

CONTENTS

Don’t Fear

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VOL.16 NO. 5

DEPARTMENTS COMMUNITY 8 Casa Pacifica Angels Wine, Food and Brew Festival; BBSVC Golf Classic

518 E. Santa Clara St., Downtown Ventura (805) 643-7043 4

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SHORT LIST 46

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A preview of coming attractions

COVER STORY: Chumash Elder Beverly Folkes under the sacred oak trees near the Chumash Indian Museum.

Photo by Viktor Budnik

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EDITOR’S NOTE

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EDITOR IN CHIEF Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer

Photo by Viktor Budnik

H

OUTSIDE CHANCE

appy Solstice, Ventana Monthly readers!

Yes, it’s June, and that means another beautiful Central Coast summer is upon us.

We celebrate the season and our local environs with an issue devoted to our outdoor spaces and the people that have shaped it into the very distinctive paradise it has become.

It makes sense to begin at the beginning, which is why the wonderful Beverly Folkes of Thousand Oaks is on our cover. Folkes is a Chumash Elder and member of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians who has spent her life and career supporting and advocating for her Native California Tribal community. One of her major accomplishments was co-founding, with other tribal members, the Chumash Indian Museum. Located in Lang Ranch Parkway near the site of a former Chumash village, this museum is a repository for art, artifacts, educational resources and more that tell the story of the Indigenous people of Ventura County and their enduring legacy. The museum is also adjacent to 400 acres of oak woodland, a beautiful and serene space that on its own makes for a wonderful respite from hectic city life. It also connects with many of the trails that traverse the open spaces of Conejo Valley. We delve into the many natural and historical wonders of the Chumash Indian Museum in our cover story.

History of another kind inspired this month’s

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Conversation. We had the great privilege of interviewing journalism and law professor Stephen Bates, a descendant of the people for whom Bates Road in Carpinteria is named, and who once called Rincon Point home. The Bates family is intimately tied to the history and development of the Central Coast, from Santa Barbara to Ventura, particularly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and Stephen Bates is currently writing a book about the area. He shared some of what he’s uncovered about his family in a fascinating Q&A. You can’t talk about the Ventura County environment without mentioning the vast and diverse Los Padres National Forest. Dramatically damaged by the Thomas Fire in December 2017, it has continued to recover and evolve, and despite everything remains a splendid wilderness waiting to be explored by hikers, campers and backpackers alike. We discuss the status of the forest today, some of the best hiking trails and the volunteers who have helped restore them in Travel.

Living on the Central Coast, anytime is a good time to get outdoors . . . but summer’s long days and sunshine make that an especially appealing prospect. We hope you have a chance this season to visit the wild spaces and historical places all around us. We are lucky enough to live in an area with so much natural beauty and culture; why not embrace it?

– Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer nancy@ventanamonthly.com

CONTRIBUTORS Viktor Budnik Vince Burns GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Nathalie Proulx ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Warren Barrett ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Barbara Kroon

C O N TA C T U S ADVERTISING sales@ventanamonthly.com EDITORIAL nancy@ventanamonthly.com PHONE 805.648.2244 Ventana Magazine is direct mailed to 14,000 homes in the city of Ventura.

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CASA PACIFICA ANGELS WINE, FOOD AND BREW FESTIVAL

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Photos by Cynthia Bullard and Marie Gregorio-Oviedo

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asa Pacifica hosted its annual Angels Wine, Food and Brew Festival on Sunday, June 5, with dozens of food and beverage exhibitors offering up delicious samples to eat and drink.

DJ Bruce Barrios emceed the event, with live music provided by Benise’s Band of Gypsies and Wes Quave Live 61, while Sound Effect kept guests entertained in the VIP Lounge.

But the highlight of the festival is always the Yummie Culinary Competition, hosted this year by Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere. For the first time in the contest’s 13 years, the same chef took home first-place honors in both the Savory and Sweet categories. Chef Alex Montoya, of Water’s Edge and Waterside restaurants, Tastes and Tales Catering and Honey Cup Coffeehouse and Creamery, won with his Ahi Poke Ceviche (citrus Szechuan ponzu, avocado mousse, blue corn tostada, soy sauce pearls and micro cilantro) and Peaches and Cream Mojito (peaches and cream ice cream, Finger Lime caviar, micro mint).

The second-place winner in the Savory category was Chef Damian Giliberti of Ox and Ocean, while The Happy Place Eatery’s Joshua “Biggjay” Gonzales and Sky Sunner took third. Chef Amanda Pritchett and Kristy Carr of Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters and Chef Julia San Bartolome of Sweet Arleen’s placed second and third, respectively, in Sweet.

The festival raises critical funds for Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families. More information at www.casapacifica.org and www.cpwinefoodbrewfest.com.

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1. Spanish guitarist and entertainer Benise Photo by M. Gregorio-Oviedo 2. 2022 Yummie Culinary Competition Winners.

From left: Tami Chu; Sky Sunner, Happy Place Eatery; Chef Damien Giliberti, Ox and Ocean; Chef Keven Lee, CKL Events; Joshua “Biggjay” Gonzalez, Happy Place Eatery; Denise Boutté; Chef Alex Montoya, Water’s Edge and Honey Cup; Executive Chef Eric Kopelaw; Sarah Pritchett, and Chef Kristy Carr, Ragamuffin; Chef Julia San Bartolome, Sweet Arleen’s; and Chef Michelle Hernandez of Chefs on a Mission. Photo by C. Bullard 3. Curtis Taylor and Genevieve Evans Taylor Photo by M. Gregorio-Oviedo 4. Oksana Zussman, Hugh Cassar, Susan Burgos Photo by M. Gregorio-Oviedo

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Guests enjoyed a day of golf, which included a tee hosted by Wheelhouse Cannabis Dispensary in Port Hueneme. Wheelhouse co-founder Zahur Lalji and Nicky Navarro personally welcomed every BBSVC tournament golfer that played through, while co-founder Sergio Burga played in a foursome with Lee Ruttenberg, Eric Theise and Al Jones.

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The day also included a dinner and silent auction, with Los Angeles Kings Sportscaster Bob Miller acting as celebrity host. The tournament raised over $165,000, which will go to support programs that help change the trajectory of youth facing adversity in Ventura County. bbsvc.org 1. Lee Ruttenberg, Sergio Burga, Eric Theise, Al Jones. Photo by Kelly Dooley 2.

Karyn Hagy and Marcie Valencia, Big & Little of The Year 2022 For Ventura County and California Statewide. Photo by Susan Oransky 3. James Clark, Ken Vick, Omead Jafroodi and John Edney. Photo by Jesse Govea 4. Robert Washington, Telesoma Ene, Joe Labreche and Geoffrey Madeja. Photo by Jake Garcia 5. Rand Elkins, Bob Miller and Dan Rogers (Golf Pro from Foreward). Photo by Jake Garcia

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BATES ROAD, MEM Discussing family history and the Central Coast with Stephen Bates.

S

BY NANCY D. LACKEY SHAFFER

tephen Bates is perhaps best known as an expert on free speech, censorship and media politics. The graduate of Harvard Law School is a professor of journalism and media studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where his research focuses on the First Amendment and, in particular, issues related to privacy, freedom of speech and of the press, the U.S. Constitution and First Amendment Law. But when he’s not in Las Vegas, he can be found in Carpinteria, a place near and dear to his heart – and not just because of its beaches, beautiful weather and laid-back culture. His family history is intimately connected to the area; so much so that Bates Road is named after one of his relatives.

These days, Bates is taking a brief detour from his law studies to explore his family history and the role played by several generations of Bateses in the development of the Central Coast. He’s also working on a book (with local historian and Ventana Monthly contributor Vince Burns) about the history of Rincon Point.

Ventana Monthly caught up with Bates to talk to him about his illustrious relations, crossing paths with Ernest Hemingway, the history of Rincon Point and more.

You’re currently a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, but you spend a lot of time on the Central

Coast. Did you grow up here?

I spent many summers at Rincon Point as a boy, but I was born in San Luis Obispo when my father was attending Cal Poly.

How are related to the Bates family of Rincon Point and Bates Road?

Robert Wentworth Bates, my grandfather, developed Rincon Point and ran the family’s Rincon del Mar Ranch from the 1920s to the 1970s. He had three daughters and one son who grew up there.

The son was Robert W. Bates Jr., known in the family as Bobby. He was my father.

Do you still have relatives in the area?

The Rincon ranch is no longer in the family, but I have a few cousins nearby. Across the country, there are dozens of descendants of Josiah Bates, who came to the United States from England before the Civil War, but they have different surnames. My daughter Clara and I are the last of the blood descendants named Bates.

My understanding is that your great-grandfather, Dr. Charles Bell Bates, was an early doctor in Santa Barbara County. What brought him here?

His father, Josiah, was a London stockbroker who came to California in the late 1850s to oversee a troubled investment, a water company in the gold fields. In 1860, he summoned 18-yearold Charles to join him. Charles left his civilized life as a student at University College London for Gold Rush California, where he lived in a mountain shack and ate what he could kill.

After the water company failed, Charles went to medical school in San Francisco. He was eager to buy and sell real estate, and my impression is that medicine was simply a way to build capital. Supposedly he traveled down the coast and tried to figure out where Californians of the future would want to live. He thought the metropolis would be on the Central Coast, not in Southern California. He settled in Santa Barbara in 1869, practiced medicine, and invested in land. He was also president of the company that developed Montecito. 8

BOBBY BATES (right), his cousin Harry Meryman (left), and two unidentified companions try to push a Model T through the surf between Carpinteria and Rincon Point in the 1930s. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Meryman

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CONVERSATION

MORY LANE How did Rincon Point come into the family?

Dr. Bates practiced medicine in Santa Barbara with Mateo H. Biggs, a self-taught physician from Peru. Dr. Biggs was also keen to make money in real estate. He owned Rancho El Rincon, which extended along the coast from Carpinteria Creek in Carpinteria almost to Faria Beach — nearly 4,500 acres in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. He sold about half of it piecemeal. Then in 1885, he sold the rest of it to Dr. Bates in partnership with Santa Barbara’s first pharmacist, Benigno Gutierrez.

They each paid $5,000.

Gutierrez died in 1902, and his heirs sued to dissolve the partnership, possibly because they wanted to mortgage their share. Three court-appointed experts divided the ranch into two parcels of equal value. Dr. Bates got about 755 acres extending to the shore. The Gutierrez family got a bigger tract, 1,233 acres, in a more mountainous and remote area.

Dr. Bates, incidentally, seems to have had no sentimental attachment to the ranch. Before he died in 1911, he tried to sell it. He was putting his money into a Boston company that sold pianos on the installment plan.

But nobody was willing to pay his price for the ranch, $25,000, so it stayed in the family.

What was it like to be a doctor at that time?

One day, a butcher on State Street slipped and fell onto his meat hook. Dr. Bates found the man lying on the ground, his intestines spilling out in the sawdust. He got a bowl of warm water, washed the intestines, poked them back into the abdomen, sewed the wound shut, and sent him home to die. When the butcher survived, nobody was more surprised than the doctor.

Dr. Bates was a fastidious English gentleman who liked to bicycle.

He was a familiar sight riding through Santa Barbara on his bike, wearing a dark suit and a bowler, his shoes freshly shined, seated with ramrod-straight posture. When a little boy in town asked his mother where babies come from, she said Dr. Bates brings them in his bicycle basket.

R.W. Bates, the son of Dr. Bates, drove an ambulance during WWI — alongside Ernest Hemingway! Did the two men know each other?

R. W. Bates, my grandfather, ran the Red Cross ambulance service in Italy, and Hemingway was one of his subordinates. Hemingway served on active duty for only a month before getting wounded. Captain Bates told him that the wounds were fairly minor, so he expected to see him back at the front soon. That may have irritated Hemingway. In any event, he

STEPHEN BATES, coauthor of the forthcoming book Rincon Point, is a professor of journalism who divides his time between Las Vegas and Carpinteria.

Photo by Martha Stewart Photography

Continued on page 36

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never came back. He later reminisced in a letter about “what a sh*t Capt.

Bates was,” but he also named one of his cats Bates, so maybe there was a modicum of affection.

Did the war affect R.W.?

Yes, deeply. He graduated from Harvard in 1911 and went to work for a piano company in Boston (the one his father had invested in). He planned to spend his life in New England. But he liked adventure, so he volunteered for the ambulance service. He found war horrifying yet invigorating. He felt that he lived more deeply during that time than during all his other years combined.

After the war, he decided he’d had enough of Boston and pianos.

He married a French nurse named Juliette Marchand, who had treated him for appendicitis in Paris, and they came to Rincon Point and built a beach house.

He became a farmer on the Rincon ranch. Was he successful?

No — I think it turned out to be harder than he expected. He nearly went broke trying to dry farm lima beans and hay. To make enough money to feed his family, he cured bacon and sold it door to door in Santa Barbara and Ventura. He finally got a job in Santa Paula selling real estate.

He turned the farming over to a Japanese sharecropper named Kijuro Ota, whose crops were much more successful.

How did the name Bates Road come about?

In 1931, my grandfather built a ranch house on the mesa overlooking Rincon Point and moved his family there. His road intersected with the highway. In 1944, Ventura County put up a sign at the intersection, “Tubbs Road,” named after a judge who had farmed nearby.

My grandfather didn’t want to live on Tubbs Road. Whether he disliked Judge Tubbs or the sound of the word, I don’t know, but he didn’t want it to be his address. He called a Ventura County official and complained that it was a dreadful name. The official asked if he would prefer Bates Road. My grandfather said yes, that sounded much better.

I understand that you are writing a book about Rincon Point.

What inspired you to take on that project?

I heard that a local writer, Vince Burns, was working on a photographic history of Rincon Point. I asked if he could use a coauthor, and he said yes. It has been a great opportunity to dig into the history of the area.

What surprised you in your research?

One minor thing resonates with me. Starting in 1912, people drove on wooden causeways near Rincon Point and La Conchita, with the waves breaking below. There’s a famous photo of Studebakers on one of the causeways.

In the mid-1920s, the county replaced the causeways with a regular road on fill, protected by a seawall. When the new construction was finished in 1927, the Ventura

THIS PORTRAIT of Robert W. Bates in his World War I uniform was painted in about 1919.

Image courtesy of the Bates family

County Star said that it would soon be possible to drive from Ventura to Santa Barbara without any detours or construction delays — for the first time in two and a half years. Sound familiar?

Your book will be published soon. What other projects do you have planned for the future?

I’ve been on sabbatical this year from UNLV. I’ll return to campus in August and get back to teaching and writing about journalism and law.

I hope to continue writing about the history of the Central Coast on the side, for local publications as well as scholarly journals.

You split your time between Carpinteria and Las Vegas. What do you like about living on the Central Coast?

The area may have been just a money-making opportunity for Charles Bell Bates, but many of his descendants have seen it as much more. My grandfather found the place extraordinarily beautiful, and he considered himself lucky to live here. I agree.

Arcadia’s Images of America series will publish Rincon Point, by Vincent Burns and Stephen Bates, later this year. It can be pre-ordered on Amazon and elsewhere.

For more information on Stephen Bates, visit www.unlv.edu/news/expert/stephen-bates.

DR. CHARLES BELL BATES poses ca. 1889 with son Harold and family dog Nero. Photo courtesy of the Bates family

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INTO THE WO M Despite fire and drought, Los Padres National Forest remains a beautiful location for outdoor adventures.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY VINCE BURNS

More than four years after the Thomas Fire, it’s time to assess its lingering effects on our Los Padres National Forest. The giant fire was officially “contained” in January 2018 after wiping out hundreds of homes in Ventura and elsewhere, scorching 281,000 acres, and fouling the county’s air for weeks. We interviewed local experts to understand the current state of our local wilderness and to get recommendations for great hiking this summer. How well has the

forest recovered? Are all of our favorite trails and campsites open?

In many cases, that answer is yes, and while the fire’s impacts do linger somewhat, this summer is a great time to get out there and explore our local wilderness areas.

The fire was a particular disaster for the city of Ventura because of the large number of homes lost (504). Further south the fallout was even worse, as a deadly flood ravaged Montecito.

In addition to the devastation in urban and suburban areas, the Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) also suffered. More than half of the fire’s massive footprint was on U.S. Forest Service land, and losses to flora and fauna were staggering. For example, the entire Matilija Wilderness, an isolated tract of chaparral and woods west of Highway 33, was turned overnight into an ashy moonscape.

It was grim, but the dust (and ash) has long since settled, and the Los Padres has healed its wounds, returned to its natural beauty, and opened up for hiking, biking, camping, picnicking and everything else we like to do in the woods.

ARE TRAILS OPEN? Yes, the Los Padres is open for business after the fire. According to a Forest Service spokesman, “all trails in the Thomas Fire scar are open to the public.”

This good news comes with a relatively large asterisk. An “open” trail to the Forest Service doesn’t necessarily mean a passable (or even recognizable) trail in all cases.

According to LPNF information officer Andrew Madsen, “the Forest Service mitigates tree hazards in and around campgrounds and roads, but hikers should be aware of their surroundings when entering recently burned areas of the forest outside of developed sites.” Translation: Post-fire regrowth of chaparral and trees have in some cases obscured or even hidden once-familiar trails.

Although this is surprising given our seemingly unending drought, 2020 was a fairly normal year in terms of rain, meaning that formerly water- and space-starved plant life exploded that year.

This led to overgrown trails, just as housebound hikers headed to the forest to escape the lockdown.

In the case of the heavily burned Matilija Wilderness, for example, this meant that during the worst of COVID, cabin-feverish backpackers and hikers making their way down the Middle Fork of 8

ROSE VALLEY FALLS in March 2019.

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TRAVEL

OODS BACKPACKERS on the Gene Marshall-Piedra Blanca Trail.

the Matilija Creek were met in 2020 by nearly impenetrable regrowth as they tried to reach the main Matilija Canyon Road trailhead. Some had to turn back. In LPNF parlance, the trail was “open” but for the average hiker or backpacker, the going was extremely tough.

LO C A L G RO U P S ST E P U P TO O P E N F I R E - DA M AG E D T R A I L S To the rescue came the Los Padres Forest Association and other private groups that work closely with the LPNF to keep trails open and viable. Several groups came together after the fire to repair, restore and reopen trails. As a consequence, many local trails have been restored, not by the Forest Service itself but by trail groups using volunteers.

According to Los Padres Forest Association Executive Director Bryan Conant, most Los Padres trails are now in good shape with only a few spots still needing attention. This massive post-fire effort has been a resounding success.

As Conant explains, “the trails have responded well; everyone [the various trail groups] worked together and chipped away. Working to restore our trails together was a great experience to be part of.”

If you’re wondering about the large role of nonprofits in maintaining National Forest trails, the process has been ongoing for years. The LP Forest Association, for example, occasionally does contract trail work for the Forest Service but more often uses grants from nonprofits and, especially,

volunteer labor. Trail work in the Matilija area was a volunteer effort, Conant noted.

O J A I VA L L E Y L A N D C O N S E RVA N C Y Although many backcountry hikers in the 805 will end up in the Los Padres, it isn’t the only option in terms of hiking. The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) maintains several trails in our area including Ventura River and Signal Road (Ojai) sections.

The Ventura River area is particularly popular for hikers who do not have the time or inclination to drive deep into the Los Padres on Highway 33 but nevertheless want quick access to the outdoors.

In the aftermath of the fire, hikers at the land conservancy’s Oso trailhead were unable to access the popular Kennedy Ridge Trail because a wooden bridge across the cement canal had been lost in the fire. Happily, that bridge is now rebuilt.

“The worst of the trail damage from the Thomas Fire is now behind us,” reports Brendan Taylor of OVLC.

ST R E S S E D W I L D L I F E That said, Taylor was concerned about a collection of picturesque oak trees in the popular Wills Canyon Trail area of the OVLC’s Ventura River Preserve.

“The fire stressed these trees, they were licked by flame, and dam-

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REYES PEAK offers stunning views. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service KENNEDY RIDGE TRAIL with a scorched picnic table shortly after the Thomas Fire in December 2017. Many of these areas have been restored since then.

aged,” he explains. “Post-fire we had arborists examine them.”

This concern was borne out when a windstorm in the early spring took down several of the oaks. Although a crew has since cleared the blocked trails, the loss of the oaks is a warning that fires like Thomas can weaken many species, setting trees and other flora up for loss the next time conditions get tough. In normal conditions, damage from fires or dry or windy years is often repairable, but the ongoing drought has piled on further stress. Three of the four “rain years” following the Thomas Fire have been below average.

U . S . F O R E ST S E RV I C E R E B O OT S Along with its forests, the division that manages the Los Padres National Forest has been in transition. Ever larger and more frequent fires have increased the percentage of the Forest Service budget that goes toward fire suppression. Partly as a consequence, the days when a hiker

might run across a forest service crew maintaining a trail in the backcountry are mostly gone, as private and volunteer groups like the Los Padres Forest Association pick up the slack.

In addition, several key Forest Service staff retired in the years since the Thomas Fire, and recently there were no backcountry rangers for either the Ojai or Santa Barbara ranger districts. Backcountry rangers — with their troves of lore and knowledge of local trail and backcountry conditions — are especially useful to hikers and backpackers. Their disappearance from the local backcountry may impact the Forest Service’s ability to give advice and information on the availability of water, status of trails, and advisability of backcountry plans.

As LPNF Public Affairs officer Andrew Madsen put it earlier this spring, “Los Padres has a number of vacancies on our Recreation staff area. We’re aiming to fill those jobs when funding opportunities arise.”

So (hopefully) reinforcements may be on the way. The Forest Service is also reviewing its management of the Los Padres and other forests in light of increased fire and drought. According to Madsen, “the Forest Service recently embarked on a 10-year wildfire strategy that emphasizes more prescribed burns and fuels reduction work. Funding to address this effort was contained in the Infrastructure Law passed by Congress last year and signed by the President.”

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REYES PEAK TRAIL Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service

Wheeler Gorge Nature Trail Just a little over half a mile, this is great for children learning to appreciate the wilderness as they hike through riparian and chaparral habitats. Enter at the campground.

As we are always told, fires in the Los Padres are normal. That said, according to Madsen, only 10% of forest fires are “natural” fires, usually caused by lightning. Even as it adds more controlled burns to its arsenal, the Forest Service is still committed to putting most fires out.

“The Forest Service ‘management philosophy’ is to prevent destructive wildfires with a full suppression,” says Madsen.

It remains to be seen if this tweaked philosophy will spare our local forests from another terrible fire like Thomas.

Luci’s-Foothill-Fox Canyon Loop On the Valley View Preserve of the OVLC. From the nearest trailhead, it’s about a 3.25-mile hike with some quick elevation gain. Wonderful views of the city of Ojai.

Allan Jacobs Trail 1.4 miles on the Ventura River Preserve. Reach it via the OVLC’s Riverview Trailhead, making for a 5.6-mile loop in all. Featuring a dense riparian habitat on the south side, and then a ridgeline walk through the chaparral with great views of the entire Ojai Valley. v

B E ST T R A I L S T H I S S U M M E R Our drought and the arrival of summer have left us with limited water to enjoy in the backcountry. The bed of the Ventura River is already bone dry in Ojai, but the hills and mountains behind it still have some flowering plants and the hiking can be very good, thanks to the work of Conant’s groups and others. Here’s a curated list of hikes suggested by our local wilderness experts quoted in this story. Be sure to try a few out this summer as you check out how well our mountains have recovered from the Thomas Fire.

Just remember: Bring lots of water, maps, proper clothing, etc. and note that fire season is upon us.

Lion Canyon Trail A 6 mile out-and-back hike. Trailhead is Middle Lion Campground off of the Rose Valley Road.

Potrero John Trail 5 mile out-and-back with the trailhead near the 32-mile marker on Highway 33. At the end of May there was still some water in the waterfall.

Gene Marshall - Piedra Blanca Trail This one is for experienced and strong hikers with a full summer day to spend on the 18-mile hike (or via a one- or two-night backpacking trip). It’s point-to-point so you need to shuttle: Start at Reyes Creek Campground and end at the Piedra Blanca Trailhead. If you don’t have time or endurance for the full 18 miles, any portion of the Reyes Peak Trail is great in summer. Because of its forest, there is good shade from the canopy, making for pleasant hiking. The USFS reminds visitors that it is “high and dry,” so bring plenty of water and sunscreen.

Cherry Creek Road Hike An 11.6 mile out-and-back that starts at Cherry Creek Road on Highway 33.

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SLUMBER UNDER THE OAKS Backpackers bedding down in Maple Backcountry Camp, Matilija Wilderness, in 2020.

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STROLLING THRO Taking in culture and environment at the Chumash Indian Museum.

T

BY NANCY D. LACKEY SHAFFER | PHOTOS BY VIKTOR BUDNIK

housand Oaks might be better known for its numerous shopping centers, posh suburban enclaves, top-notch performing arts center and proximity to Hollywood (with more than a few famous names making a home here). But it also holds some of the finest hiking trails in the county, with wide-open spaces, beautiful views and, in some areas, rich stands of oak trees that gave the city its name.

Northeast of the city, in Oakbrook Regional Park, is one of the area’s most precious cultural resources: the Chumash Indian Museum.

F RO M L A N G R A N C H TO L A N D M A R K

The area on which the museum now sits was once part of Lang Ranch.

Sometime after the Lang family sold the property, archeologists discovered grinding holes, beads, pictographs and other evidence of Chumash

habitation, going back over 10,000 years. At that time, the area was owned and managed by Ventura County, and it was designated an archeological zone in 1971 and Ventura County Historical Landmark #90 in 1983. In 2003, the area came under the jurisdiction of the Conejo Recreation and Park District.

In the 1990s, the museum building and grounds were given to the nonprofit Oakbrook Park Chumash Indian Corp., which also received grant money from the state of California and Lake Sherwood to start a museum.

The Chumash Indian Museum (CIM) was officially founded in 1994.

“To tell you the truth . . . it was all very simple,” recalls Beverly Folkes, a Chumash Elder and member of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians who serves on the museum’s board of directors. “There was a group of original Chumash working with Ventura County . . . and then we started having meetings to pick board members.”

She and the other founders — all of Chumash descent — did their own research to put together displays that showed the “lifestyle of the Chumash” prior to European contact (pre-1542). The museum now includes tools, jewelry, currency, musical instruments (“a big part of their lifestyle,” Folkes says) and more.

“We wanted to make it as authentic as we could,” Folkes explains, noting that there were a few dozen people involved in the work: researching; donating time, knowledge and artifacts; sharing ideas. “We knew nothing about putting a museum together. We just knew we had this opportunity.”

One thing the founders did first was hire an artist, Brian Butler, to paint murals depicting aspects of Chumash life. While Butler looked through books and photos, Folkes also remembers him “taking photos of us.”

There was a reason for that: Butler’s murals represented the pre-mission era, but the figures that populated his scenes had the faces of modern Chumash individuals — the very same people who were instrumental in bringing the museum about. Folkes laughs about the time an acquaintance called her up after visiting the CIM, excited to say “I saw you on the walls!”

“It was surprising,” she admits. “But I also felt very honored.”

And, as anthropologist and CIM Museum Education Specialist Vivian Steindal likes to point out, those depictions are a helpful reminder that “Chumash are still here with us today.”

C U LT U R E O N D I S P L AY The museum property (about 30 acres total) is currently only open 8

CHUMASH ELDER and museum co-founder Beverly Folkes with Visitor Services and Collection Manager Coordinator Dayle Bingham.

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COVER STORY

OUGH HISTORY

SACRED OAK TREES provide shade, habitat and beauty on the trails that lead from the Chumash Indian Museum.

on weekends. Pre-pandemic, CIM was kept busy with school tour groups nearly every weekday. Those were curtailed in March 2020, but everyone is optimistic that tours will resume in the fall. In addition, private tours can be booked — although availability is limited, so be sure to contact the museum at visit@chumashmuseum.org. Tours are extremely informative — there’s so much anthropology, history and ecology to learn from expert guides — but the museum is well organized with lots of interpretive signs

and the like. Exploring independently is an enjoyable and worthwhile endeavor, leaving one with greater knowledge of the Indigenous cultures of this area.

The grounds immediately surrounding the interpretive center are largely devoted to CIM’s ethnobotany gardens — thoughtfully planted sections that tell the story of traditional Chumash life through the plants they used.

The Riparian/Basketry Garden, for example, features giant wild rye, basket rush, deergrash, horsetail and other fibrous plants used for basket weaving. In the Fruits and Flowers Garden there are plants that were consumed (bladderpod, gooseberry and yerba buena), applied topically (woolly bluecurls, creek clematis, hummingbird sage) or fashioned into various implements (island ironwood for harpoons and paddles, snowberry to make brooms and brushes). Many of the species growing in the Walkway Garden are of the medicinal variety: California wild rose for

ARTSY ENTRANCE The metal gate at the entrance to the museum depicts scenes from Chumash life.

Continued on page 41

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colic, buckwheat for rheumatism and yerba santa for colds and fevers.

The interpretive center holds glass display cases with tools, jewelry, shell beads used as currency and other artifacts, accompanied by informative displays.

There’s also a reproduction of a traditional tomol, a plank-built boat used by the Chumash to travel between the mainland and the Channel Islands, and for fishing in the ocean. It’s not quite a life-size replica — these seaworthy vessels were close to 30 feet long and four feet high — but it is an excellent rendering of one of the most honored and valuable objects in Chumash culture.

ST E P P I N G I N TO H I STO RY Outside the museum’s own 30 acres are over 400 acres of oak woodland, which are open daily, from sunrise to sunset, free of charge. A wide, gentle trail winds through this for about 1.5 miles — not too long or strenuous, perfect for a family hike. In this quiet and serene space you can contemplate the native peoples that lived in and walked these same grounds while you appreciate the native vegetation and wildlife. REPLICA OF AN ’AP or traditional Chumash home, built a short walk away from the Chumash Indian Museum.

But there are reasons beyond natural beauty to come here. Photo by N. Lackey Shaffer Just a quarter mile from the museum, you will see a replica of a game field, or malamtepupi. As the interpretive plaque will tell you, every Chumash village had one, and it was a place where villagshelters in the area. ers would compete in games of skill and chance (often with other tribes).

“Rock art sites are sacred,” Folkes emphasizes, and vulnerable to damA little farther on you’ll come to the two ’ap replicas — dome-shaped age by humans. Thus, they are not open to the public. shelters made from willow branches and tule reeds. Several benches set up in the shade of the trees make this a comfortable spot for a water break and a snack.

These two ’aps are fairly recent; they were rebuilt after the original Taking the trail from the museum and back again will have you village exhibit was wiped out by the Woolsey Fire in 2018. Burn scars traveling an easy three miles roundtrip. In the mood for something remain, but vegetation is returning. longer or more strenuous? No problem — Oakbrook Regional Park is What can’t be seen from this trail are the pictographs found in rock part of the Lang Ranch/Woodridge Open Space Trail System, managed by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) and encompassing over 1,000 acres. There are more than 10 miles of trails in this system, some of which offer views of the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains.

These trails also connect to 8,000 acres of additional open space, including the Simi Valley Open Space system and the Palo Comado and Cheeseboro sections of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Meadows, creeks, oak

G AT E WAY TO O P E N S PAC E

Continued on page 43

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ABALONE SHELL held by Beverly Folkes. The Chumash used the mollusk for food, tools, jewelry and more.

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THE ETHNOBOTANY GARDEN is filled with native plants used by the Chumash for food, medicine, ceremonies and more.

groves and panoramic views await the adventurous and hardy.

About 0.75 miles past the Chumash ’ap replicas, you can access the Albertson Motorway, a fire road and public trail that in turn leads to other trails: Palo Comado, China Flat, Simi Peak, Autumn Ridge and more.

There are several other trails in this system, and not all start (or end) at CIM. The Conejo Open Space Foundation, which raises funds for COSCA programs, has detailed maps and descriptions for all the trails in the Lang Ranch/Woodridge Open Space Trail System. Visit the foundation’s website for more information. v

Chumash Indian Museum

3290 Lang Ranch Parkway, Thousand Oaks 805.492.8076 www.chumashmuseum.org The museum is open to the public on Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sundays, 12-4 p.m. The trail is open daily, sunrise to sunset.

Conejo Open Space Foundation

P.O. Box 2113, Thousand Oaks info@cosf.org cosf.org.

CULTURAL ARTIFACTS like abalone shell, shell beads and a grindstone are among the museum’s valuable holdings, many of which were donated by Chumash tribal members living in the area today.

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Change homes, Change Lives Turnkey Casa Marina Home in gated community. This charming 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom home is move in ready, with many recent upgrades. The remodeled and updated kitchen boasts beautiful quartz counter tops with white shaker style cabinets and new, stainless steel appliances. All new vinyl plank flooring throughout complements the space.. Truly a great starter home, a must see!

D

OL TS

JUS

Coastlands Real Estate Group is proud to give back to our community on behalf of every real estate transaction.

865 S. B St, Q1, Oxnard

T JUS

D

SOL

Four bedroom, two bath 1561 square foot home in one of Ventura’s favorite neighborhoods. Original owners. Cosmetic fixer – needs updating and TLC. Close to shopping, dining, and walking distance to Camino Real Park.

433 Westminster, Ventura

Listed at $540,000 7255 La Cumbre Circle, Ventura

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!

Spectacular Clearpoint Lot. Build your own custom ocean and valley view home in the desirable community of Clearpoint. This lot is situated at the end of a small quiet cul-de-sac with views of the Oxnard plain through to the Conejo Grade from the back as well as views of the snow on the Topa Topa’s in winter. Overlooks the popular Harmon Canyon recreational area. Enjoy partial ocean views and beautiful sunsets from the front of the lot. One of the few lots left in Clearpoint. Build your dream home!

Eric & Janet Baucom DRE #01253080 / DRE #02045585

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

Help Support The Humanitarian Effort For The People Of Ukraine The war in Ukraine has displaced millions of Ukrainian families who have fled to surrounding countries in order to escape the violence put upon them. Some of you have families, including some of our own, that have been directly affected by this horrible atrocity.

With that said, the COMDEN|RIDGWAY|BAROSSO GROUP will donate a portion of each real estate sale, to be distributed to the World Central Kitchen. The WCK has been instrumental in feeding countless refugees from many different humanitarian events, including the support of the families that were displaced during the Thomas Fire.

VING OUR ER

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S

If you have been thinking now is the time to buy or sell a home, or if you would like a FREE Market Analysis on your home, please give us a call. We hope you will join us in this great cause!

CalDRE# 01060428

Tina Comden 805-218-5926

Bob Ridgway 805-320-1811

805.351.3500 Albert Barasso

*Some limitations may apply. Purchase or sale must close escrow by December 31, 2022.

805-901-3654

HOMES SOLD

AVERAGE PRICE

➡

➡

VENTANA HOME SALES INDEX

-14.3%

+14.4%

SOLD & WE CAN SELL YOURS TOO!!!

SOLD & WE CAN SELL YOURS, TOO!

JUST LISTED!

MAY 2021 VS. 2022 8 CALLE CATALUNA , CAMARILLO CAMARILLO

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

2021

2022

110 $884,800

85 $1,049,700

9 $582,200

13 $722,600

51 $901,500

46 $1,110,200

638 VIA ARROYO VENTURA

4 BED | 4 BATH | 2369 SQFT

4 BED | 3 BATH | 2110 SQFT

SOLD AT $940,000

OFFERED AT $1,395,000

SOLD & WE CAN SELL YOURS, TOO!

IN ESCROW!

FILLMORE

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE NEWBURY PARK

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

2405 GRAPEVINE DR. OXNARD

5 BED | 5 BATH | 4062 SQFT

4 BED | 3 BATH | 2362 SQFT

SOLD & WE CAN SELL YOURS, TOO!

JUST LISTED!

SOLD at $1,575,000

MOORPARK

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

2934 DOVE CANYON DRIVE, OXNARD

50 $900,200

35 $1,014,800

25 $1,567,600

17 $1,484,700

123 $729,500

100 $915,100

27 $491,900

29 $566,300

19 $620,400

24 $786,400

176 $725,000

149 $832,800

90 $1,044,200

92 $1,255,100

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

95 $861,000

74 $915,900

TOTAL # OF SALES

775

664

Offered at $875,000

OJAI

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE OXNARD

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

5725 BAYS ST. VENTURA 3 BED | 2 BATH | 1138 SQFT

SIMI VALLEY

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE THOUSAND OAKS

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

Offered at $1,450,000

Your Home Advertised Here!

SANTA PAULA

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

3 BED | 2 BATH | 1118 SQFT

SOLD at $875,000

PORT HUENEME

# HOMES SOLD AVERAGE PRICE

8242 CAMP CHAFFEE ROAD, VENTURA

CALL NOW!

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • COMMITMENT • RESULTS

VENTURA

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

The figures are sourced from sales reported to MLS for the period of 05/01-05/30/22.

Ventana Monthly Home Sales Index © Ventana Monthly, 2022.

CALL TODAY!

805-856-9350

www.BlakeMashburn.com DRE# 01065624

Everest

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

805-836-4321

www.BuyandSellwithZell.com DRE# 01995643

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SHORT LIST INSIDE OUTSIDE: OBJECTS OF MY ATTENTION THROUGH JUNE 29

THE ROOMMATE

Through June 26 | Santa Paula The Odd Couple meets Breaking Bad meets Thelma and Louise in this wickedly funny dark comedy by Jen Silverman. With a recent divorce and her son living across the country, 50-something Midwesterner Sharon posts a listing for a roommate to fill the empty space of her Iowa home. Enter Brooklyn native Robyn, a fascinating woman who needs a place to hide and the chance to start over. When Sharon begins to uncover Robyn’s secrets, she taps into a deep-seated desire to abandon her comfort zone and live a life of danger and adventure. The Roommate cleverly navigates the rocky roads of change when you re-route your life and hilariously examines what happens when the wheels come off. $22-$24. 125 South Seventh Street, Santa Paula, 805.525.4645, www.santapaulatheatercenter.org.

LONESOME TRAVELER: GENERATIONS Through June 26 | Ventura Multiple generations of artists come together in this joyous musical event celebrating the unifying power of song. This concert features Lifetime Grammy Award-winners George Grove (formerly with The Kingston Trio), Rick Dougherty (formerly with both The Kingston Trio and The Limeliters) and Jerry Siggins (best known as the lead singer of The Diamonds). These legendary performers are joined onstage by favorite folk and gospel singers/musicians and fresh young artists new to Rubicon audiences. Lift your voice and sing along! $30-$59.50. Masks required. Rubicon Theatre Company, 1006 East Main Street, Ventura, 805.667.2900, www.rubicontheatre.org.

INSIDE OUTSIDE: OBJECTS OF MY ATTENTION

ECHOES OF NATURE: WORKS BY CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ARTISTS THROUGH JULY 30

Through June 29 | Ojai Caroline Allen presents work made during the pandemic that took her attention away from the news, the isolation and loneliness during the shutdowns. Sheltering in place meant painting the inside of her house, her garden and driveway, and later the deserted campgrounds of Lake Casitas and Ojai Land Conservancy Meadows. “I grew so comfortable in these natural sanctuaries, they became second homes . . . I was painting inside outside.” See these colorful works at Ojai Art Center, 113 South Montgomery Street, Ojai, 805.646.0117, www.ojaiartcenter.org.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Through July 3 | Moorpark The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical.

Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Every Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music won the hearts of audiences worldwide, earning five Tony Awards and five Oscars. The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp, follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain Von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire Von Trapp family must make a moral decision. $23-$25. High Street Arts Center, 45 East High Street, Moorpark, 805.529.8700, highstreetartscenter.com.

ECHOES OF NATURE: WORKS BY CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ARTISTS

Through July 30 | Camarillo Chinese figurative and landscape art has a long tradition, especially in ink painting, sculpture and ceramics. During the 20th century, oil painting, watercolor and new drawing media were introduced, enabling a unique fusion of Western artistic technique and Chinese cultural themes. Today, many Chinese artists are influenced by Western studio practice, adapting its rich tradition of theory and artistic principles to shape new styles that blend classical and contemporary elements. This exhibit provides a cultural platform for audiences to experience contemporary Chinese art. Instead of relying on stereotypical preconceptions it gives viewers a fresh idea of what is really happening in Chinese painting today. 2222 East Ventura Boulevard, Camarillo, 805.383.1368, studiochannelislands.org.

“Dream of Butterfly,” Mian Situ.

MOSTLY KOSHER JUNE 24

RUSSELL CROTTY: NOCTURNES: REFRAINS FROM THE BACKCOUNTRY

Through Aug. 1 | Ojai Russell Crotty’s practice chronicles an idiosyncratic commentary on astronomy, landscape and the natural and manmade world, resulting in an extensive oeuvre of drawings, collages, paintings, large-scale books and drawings on paper-coated suspended globes. Installations of these works create a decidedly calm and optimistic spatial experience with universal appeal across borders and cultures. Their grand presence creates a circular space in which one feels they can look into another world – an invitation to take a journey into the western landscape and our local universe. Porch Gallery, 310 East Matilija Street, Ojai, 805.620.7589, porchgalleryojai.com.

GEOMORPHIC: A LIVING EARTH

Through Sept. 11 | Santa Paula Having found her true voice in abstract art, Ventura artist Kay Zetlmaier presents her newest works in oil and cold wax, inspired by the natural world and humanity’s place in it. Also on display through July 10 is an exhibition featuring three decades of work from two artists: Lynn Hanson, whose connection to the natural world informs all of her work, and her partner, John Robertson, a self-taught artist. The museum is open Wednesdays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12-4 p.m.

Santa Paula Art Museum, 117 North 10th Street, Santa Paula, 805.525.5554, www.santapaulaartmuseum.org.

MOSTLY KOSHER June 24 | Thousand Oaks The Pop Up Arts and Music Festival presented by TOArts continues with an exciting performance by the acclaimed klezmer gypsy-rock band, known for its radical reconstruction of Judaic and American cultural music through ravenous klezmer beats and arresting Yiddish refrains. Mostly Kosher concerts explode with a mix of jazz, Latin, rock and folk. Free. Thousand Oaks Community Park, 2525 Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks, 805.449.2787, bapacthousandoaks.com.

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HOMES Ideal Homes ideal

7255 LA CUMBRE CIRCLE, VENTURA

Spectacular Clearpoint Lot. Build your own custom ocean and valley view home in the desirable community of Clearpoint.

This lot is situated at the end of a small quiet culde-sac with views of the Oxnard plain through to the Conejo Grade from the back as well as views of the

snow on the Topa Topa’s in winter. Overlooks the popular Harmon Canyon recreational area. Enjoy partial ocean views and beautiful sunsets from the front of the lot. One of the few lots left in Clearpoint.

Build your dream home!

Contact Eric & Janet Baucom with Coastlands

Group at 805-795-2001 BEDROOMS:

Any

BATHROOMS:

Any

SQ FT:

Any

PRICE:

$540,000

with separate dual vanities, walk in shower, and a luxury air bathtub! Presented by Derek Berthold & Laurie Rutledge, Coldwell Banker Realty. Visit VenturaRE.com today!

805.869.8005.

2027 SHADOW CREEK DRIVE, VICTORIA ESTATES - OXNARD

Resort-style living in this golf course view home in Victoria Estates.

Original owners have meticulously upgraded and maintained the executive-style property. Offering incredible views of the River Ridge Golf Club’s Victoria Lakes course, this delightful home offers a completely detached casita, which makes a terrific guest suite, in-law quarters, or home gym. The outdoor fireplace in the central courtyard between the home and casita is a striking feature - a conversation place to relax for fireside chats, coffee or happy hour. The gourmet-style kitchen has features for any home chef, including a warming, proofing and roasting drawer and many newer appliances. A ‘butler’s pantry’ with wine fridge leads to the dining room, which is beside the formal living room. The kitchen and large family room with fireplace over-

look the pretty backyard and golf course. Downstairs, there is also a bedroom used as a home office, and a full bathroom. Up the beautiful ironwork staircase is a large loft, which could be an upstairs family room, the primary suite, and two additional bedrooms that share a bath. Sweeping views of the golf course can be seen from throughout the upstairs on the west side of the home. The detached casita has an en suite bath. Both the main residence and the casita have air-conditioning. Custom window treatments are present throughout the home.

A large garage has room for two vehicles side-by-side, plus a third tandem area for an additional vehicle or storage. Victoria Estates is a guard-gated community with amenities including a sparkling pool and spa overlooking the golf course, a fitness center, and parks. Beautifully

maintained grounds make neighborhood walks a pleasure. The central location of the community is incredible for access to multiple golf courses and beaches, two harbors, retail, dining and entertainment at The Collection, and the hiking, art, music and culinary offerings of Ventura. All of these destinations are within 10 miles from the home (some as close as 2 miles). Move in today, entertain tonight!

Contact Ariel Palmieri, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury 805-746-2070

BEDROOMS:

4

BATHROOMS:

3

DETACHED CASITA: 1+1 PRICE:

$1,300,000

8242 CAMP CHAFFEE ROAD, VENTURA

9437 SANTA MARIA ST, VENTURA

RESORT STYLE LIVING IN VENTURA’S BANANA BELT! Wow! This rare open layout with a custom kitchen and a large principal en-suite bedroom featuring a sitting area, dual closets and a spa bath

Your Guide To Luxury Living Throughout Ventura County

BEDROOMS:

2

BATHROOMS:

2

SQ FT:

1,854

PRICE:

$895,000

“Escape the crowds to this rural, countryside retreat and enjoy the nearby, natural surroundings of Foster Park, Coyote Creek, Lake Casitas and the beautiful Ojai Valley, whilst being but an hour’s drive (+/-) from Los Angeles, 45 minutes (+/-) to Santa Barbara, a quick 10 minutes (+/-) to The Village of Ojai or happenin’ Downtown Ventura and the beach!

Exuding a Laurel Canyon, Silverlake vibe, this hilltop retreat is truly a magical sanctuary, bringing peace and tranquility to all that enter. Perfect as an artist’s retreat, weekend get-away, vacation rental property or full-time residence. Nestled on a private, almost 1/2 acre lot, comprised of two parcels, this most unique home boasts 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms, with some 1,118 square feet of living space, all on one floor. Features include a cozy living room with vaulted ceil-

ings, gleaming hardwood floors and a pot-belly wood-burning stove, a formal dining room with 50’s retro lighting, a recently refreshed kitchen, and two playfully decorated bathrooms! There’s one out-building that doubles as a laundry/storage room, whilst a 2nd out-building doubles nicely as an extra sleeping room for guests! Enjoy spectacular, panoramic mountain, valley and sunset views from most every room in the house! And in the evenings, once night has fallen, pull up a comfy chair on one of two viewing decks or one of two screenedin porches and enjoy sparkling views of the night-time stars, not generally visible from most of the rest of our world! Pleasure in watching the of myriad birds play in the trees right in front of you!

Listen to soothing sounds of the bubbling fountain. Meditate on the massive boulders that bring

positive energy to this nature enthusiast’s sanctuary. Professionally, eclectically & playfully landscaped, this amazing property offers privacy, peace & quiet, all too rare and quite frankly, PRICELESS in today’s hectic world. Relax...Enjoy... Your piece of paradise awaits...!”

BETTER CALL BLAKE! BLAKE MASHBURN, 805-368-0202.

BEDROOMS:

3

BATHROOMS:

2

SQ FT:

1,118

PRICE:

$1,450,000

SHORT LIST VENTURA COUNTY GREEK FESTIVAL

VENTURA COUNTY GREEK FESTIVAL

June 24-26 | Camarillo Opa! The 43rd Annual Ventura County Greek Festival begins at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 24, with a Greek Happier Hour and dancing 9 p.m.-midnight. The giant food tent will feature Yia Yia’s Kitchen selling moussaka, lamb chops, souvlaki, vegetarian dishes, baklava and other Greek specialties. Wash it all down with Greek beer, wine, ouzo and metaxa. Live music from The Olympians will have all attendees going Greek on the dance floor, while experienced dancers will entertain with their fancy footwork. Shop the Greek Agora Marketplace for unique goods. In addition to all this, enjoy kids activities, seminars, a Greek Orthodox service at 10 a.m. on Sunday and so much more. Friday, June 24, 5 p.m.-12 p.m.; Saturday, June 25, 11 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sunday, June 26, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. $5; free for kids 12 and under and active-duty military. Camarillo Airport Freedom Park, Camarillo, 805.482.1273, VCGreekFestival.org.

JUNE 24-26

THE MUSIC MAN

June 24 – July 24 | Ojai A con man shows up in a small Midwestern town with band instruments and uniforms for sale, promising to train a new band. His plan to make a quick buck and skip town gets disrupted, however, by his burgeoning love for the local librarian.

This beloved musical classic is brought skillfully to the stage by Ojai ACT. 0-$30. Ojai Art Center, 113 South Montgomery Street, Ojai, 805.640.8797, ojaiact.org.

BOB EUBANKS: BACKSTAGE WITH THE BEATLES June 25 | Agoura Hills In 1964, Bob Eubanks borrowed $25,000 on his house and presented the Beatles to Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl.

In 1965 he produced two shows at the Hollywood Bowl and one in 1966 at Dodger Stadium. After that 1966 concert, there would only be one more. The Beatles would never tour again. Bob has fascinating and hilarious never-heard-before stories about his experiences with the Beatles, their manager Brian Epstein, and the screaming throngs of fans who attended the concerts. He has put together an entertaining one-of-a-kind show that will appeal to all audiences. Backstage with the Beatles combines seldom heard stories about the Fab Four, photos of Bob and the band, and classic Beatles songs sung live onstage by the talented Ticket to Ride. Doors at 6 p.m.; headliner at 8 p.m. $48-$78. The Canyon at Agoura Hills, 28912 Roadside Drive, Agoural Hills, 888.645.5006, wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com.

KINGSMEN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL JULY 1 – AUG. 7

DEDICATION TO HANS OTTSEN June 25 | Ventura Adam Clark Ensemble featuring Rachel Flowers will perform a special show dedicated to their late band mate Hans Ottsen. Hans was originally booked for this night, but tragically he is now gone. The rest of the band will carry on, celebrating his memory in a heartfelt cascade of beautiful music. $20. NAMBA Performing Arts Space, 47 South Oak Street, Ventura, www.nambaarts.com.

IVOR DAVIS: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH STEVE BINDER

Photo by Brian Stethem

TEQUILA AND TACO MUSIC FESTIVAL JULY 9-10

June 30 | Ventura Steve Binder is paramount in the history of music on television, as one of the founding creative minds behind music programs with racially and ethnically diverse casts, showcasing a variety of musical styles. He worked directly with the biggest names in show business; Elvis, Liza Minnelli, Chevy Chase, Patti LaBelle, Barry Manilow and many others. Most recently, Binder is portrayed by Dacre Montgomery in Elvis directed by Baz Luhrmann. In person and virtual. Free for members, $10 for non-members in-person, $5 for non-members on Zoom. Museum of Ventura County 100 East Main Street, Ventura.

RSVP required; venturamuseum.org/event/ivor-davis-up-close-and-personal-with-steve-binder/.

KINGSMEN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL July 1 – Aug. 7 | Thousand Oaks The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company celebrates its 25th season with two of the Bard’s most popular works. For comedy lovers, there’s As You Like It (July 1-17), a witty farce full of gender-bending disguises, mistaken identity, love and mischief . . . all set in the mystical Forest of Arden. The tone darkens with the tragedy of Macbeth aka The Scottish Play, a work of ambition, treachery and madness taking place July 23-Aug. 7. Both productions will be staged outside in Kingsmen Park at California Lutheran University. $15-$110. 60 West Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks, www.kingsmenshakespeare.org.

ON THE HORIZON LOBBY HERO

July 9 – Aug. 7 | Ventura When Jeff, a charming young security guard, is drawn into a local murder investigation, loyalties are strained to the breaking point. Jeff’s tightly wound supervisor is called to bear witness in a criminal trial involving his troubled brother.

Meanwhile, an attractive rookie cop finds she must stand up to her seasoned but morally suspect partner. Truth, honor and duty becomes elusive, and justice proves costly in this comedic and insightful drama. $10-$20. The Elite Theatre Company, 2731 Victoria Avenue, Oxnard, www.theelite.org.

TEQUILA AND TACO MUSIC FESTIVAL July 9-10 | Oxnard Tequila. Tacos. Tunes. That’s what it’s all about! Enjoy two afternoons sipping on an assortment of margaritas and eating delicious tacos, while listening to a great lineup of live music. Try exceptional spirits during the tequila sampling (separate ticket required). Headliners include Sugar Ray, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Sambada. Plus food vendors, craft beer booths and more! Rain or shine event; no refunds. Saturday, July 9, 1-9 p.m. and Sunday, July 10, 12-6 p.m. Tickets $35-$1,500. Parking: $20-$40. Surfer’s Point Live at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 West Harbor Blvd., Ventura, www.surferspointlive.com.

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Rutledge Results

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

895,000

HO M E

$

PO O L

NE W

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www.9437SantaMaria.com | Ventura |

Enjoy Resort-Style living in a spacious single level home on a quiet street in the heart of Ventura’s Banana Belt! The spacious open layout is immediately evident as you pass through the double door entry from the patio garden with skylight. 2br/2ba in approx. 1,854 SF.

ENJOY UNOBSTRUCTED VIEWS OF THE OCEAN, ISLANDS AND CITY LIGHTS

PROPERTY TAX BREAK With the passage of Proposition 19, qualified homeowners can transfer the current taxable value of their primary residence to a replacement residence anywhere in California...

• Regardless of replacement residence value

CL OS E

D

2844 Sailor Avenue ST

THINKING ABOUT RELOCATING? You might be eligible for a

JU

IN

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C

RO W

721HighPoint.com

VENTURA KEYS

(with adjustment if “greater” in value).

• Within 2 years of the sale.

• Up to 3 times.

In order to qualify, a homeowner must be age 55 or older, severly disabled, or must be a victim of wildfire/natural disasters.

Well maintained 4+2 Clearpoint Home!

Impeccably maintained with newer windows, furnace, A/C, ducting, insulation and water heater!!

721 HIGH POINT DR, VENTURA $ 1,299,000

This tax break is also extended to Californians inheriting property from a parent/grandparent as long as the property is used as a primary residence.

Call us for details about this opportunity!

Represented the Lucky Buyers on this very desirable single story dock home located on the ‘’Island’’ in the Beautiful Ventura Keys!

2844 SAILOR AVE, VENTURA $ 2,270,000

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. ©2022 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.

Uncompromising standards in service.

High service standards aren’t just a philosophy — they are non-negotiable, define who we are, and how we fulfill our greater purpose.

We welcome your visit or call villagesite.com | 805.969.8900 | DRE 01206734 All information provided is deemed reliable but has not been verified and we do not guarantee it.

We recommend that buyers make their own inquiries.

Exclusive Member of

Welcome Home Exceptional Real Estate within Ventura, Santa Barbara & Los Angeles counties!

Juliet Esquibias Ariel Palmieri ArielandKaren.com CalDRE #01831073

Karen Stein

CalDRE #01501968

FOR SALE

CalDRE #01505059

Sara Carlson SearchVChomes.com JulietReviews.com CalDRE #02177285

FOR SALE

2027 Shadow Creek, Victoria Estates, Oxnard Gated community! Executive-style home on the golf course with stunning views and a detached 1+1 casita. More than 3000 total square feet between the 4+3 main residence and the casita. Outdoor fireplace in courtyard. Open gourmet-style kitchen. Oversized garage. Community features pool, spa and gym.

Listed for $1,300,000. HOA $160/month.

FOR SALE

380 N. Brent Street, Ventura Sought-after Midtown location between Loma Vista and Poli. 1920s Spanish-style bungalow. Interior features include hardwood floors, coved ceilings, built-ins, a lovely fireplace and an updated kitchen.

There are 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and approximately 1,100 sq ft of living space. The large backyard is home to the detached garage and an additional shed perfect for an office, art studio, or reading nook.

Listed for $929,000.

SALE PENDING

SALE PENDING

1142 Norwood Court, Scandia Pines, Ventura Single-story and fully-detached home in Scandia Pines development.

Incredible and spacious yard offers room to garden, play and plenty of privacy. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms plus an oversized bonus room with its own access to yard. Garden home with two-car garage.

Community features pool, spa and tennis!

Listed for $675,000. HOA fee $380/month

SALE PENDING

3700 Dean Drive, #1305, Ventura - In Escrow Renovated single-story ground floor unit with no steps. 2+2 with spacious patio garden and beautiful wood-like flooring throughout.

Newer cabinets, stone counters, updated kitchen and baths, newer windows, smooth ceilings and newer stainless kitchen appliances too. Stackable washer/dryer. Serene color scheme provides a neutral palette for a variety of decorating styles. The community has lush gardens and a beautiful pool area. 2+2 with approx. 1169 sq ft.

Listed for $475,000.

SOLD

SOLD

3757 Ocean Drive, Hollywood Beach Represented the Buyers!

More than 3900 SF oceanfront modern beach home built in 2007.

Three levels with incredible ocean frontage. 4 bedrooms and 4 baths.

Spectacular views of the ocean, Channel Islands and sunsets.

Listed for $4,795,000. Sold for $4,700,000

5540 W. 5th Street, Space 76 All-ages community with pool, spa and coastal access. This 1995built spacious manufactured home has high ceilings, an oversized kitchen with a breakfast bar and an expanded primary bedroom.

This home features newer appliances in the kitchen and laundry, all drywall interior, a recently-painted exterior, a low-maintenance perimeter yard, 2 storage buildings, an approx. 10-year-old-roof, and newer awnings on both sides. Approx. 1560 sq ft.

Listed for $495,000.

Please contact us for details about monthly space rent fees.

79 Hackberry Drive, Ventura Turn-key home in West Ventura’s Magnolia Mobile and Manufactured Home Park. Open floorplan has high ceilings, an abundance of light, stylish flooring, and plenty of space to entertain.

With approximately 1,512 sq ft of living space, the home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The chef’s kitchen has a large island, newer stainless-steel appliances, a generous pantry, 2-vehicle carport and drought-tolerant turf.

Listed for $369,000.

SOLD

1369 Beachmont Street, Ventura Keys Art Deco custom waterfront home with both harbor and ocean views, as well as views of the Topa Topas. Incredible design by Ventura architect Larry Rasmussen, who worked in collaboration with the owner to create an Art Deco masterpiece. The boat dock can accommodate a sailboat or other water toys.

Listed for $3,200,000. Sold for $3,725,000.

2327 Martinique Lane, The Colony, Oxnard Single-story condo with ATTACHED direct-access garage.

Approximately 1,369 SF. 2+2 + den with open concept kitchen, dining and family room. Community includes pools, spas, gym, racquetball, tennis, pickleball...all across the road from the beach.

Listed and sold for $795,000.

(805) 616-4040 • (805) 746-2070 • (805) 824-2004 • (805) 695-3340

Juliet Esquibias

Ariel Palmieri

Karen Stein

Sara Carlson

REFRESH. REFURBISH. RESTORE.

before and after oil

Re-Polish. Re-Facet. Re-Engrave.

Gorgeous Heirloom Restoration

4572 Telephone Road, #906, Ventura Lynnsjewelry.com

805.642.5500

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