Beyond The Acorn's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Beyond The Acorn
Little Man only knew his grandfather after Pops had had a stroke and needed to use a wheelchair, but that never stopped the pair from doing all the little things families do together—and it never stopped them from having a special bond. Better known as Levi, Little Man “had this understanding that my dad (Pops) needed a different kind of attention,” says Nikki G. Stahl of her nephew. “And my dad got such a kick out of him. He’d always ask, ‘Where is Little Man?’” In 2021, Nikki wrote a children’s book, “Pops on Wheels,” inspired by the relationship between...
Article Link
Nicole Thieme’s 5-year-old son loves trash trucks and everything to do with them, including the family’s big blue trash bin. Nicole, a Moorpark resident, physiologist and self-proclaimed germaphobe, didn’t want to squash his curiosity about waste collection services but also didn’t want him near their bacteria-laden bins. She and her husband, both Conejo Valley natives, started looking into the best ways to keep their cans clean—and learned some pretty grimy facts in the process. Armed with the knowledge that rinsing the bins out with a hose does little but waste water and washing with chemicals only harms animals and...
Article Link
Like many parents during the pandemic, Taylor Coggins found herself with two youngsters, ages 1 and 3, to entertain while stuck at home 24/7. But this Newbury Park resident not only survived quarantine with toddlers, her relationship with her family thrived— thanks in part to sensory play bins she created based on some of the family’s favorite children’s books. With degrees in early childhood and elementary education as well as a master’s in reading and a preliminary administrative credential, it was a natural fit for the former educator to start a business aimed at helping children learn. The 33-year-old stay-at-home...
Article Link
With wide-open eyes and minds, Koreyanna Barney and Paloma Salcido lay in the middle of the campground, staring at the stars. Surrounded by the majestic Santa Monica Mountains as they learned about constellations and meteors, the 15-year-olds fell in love with nature. Koreyanna and Paloma were among the 35 Los Angeles Unified School District students who participated in Girls Outside, a new National Park Service program that introduces young women to the Santa Monica Mountains. “The girls were able to discover something completely foreign to them—the wilderness—and start to feel more comfortable in this new world,” says Ana Beatriz Cholo,...
Article Link
This vintage, late-1940s postcard provides a glimpse of Agoura Road when it was part of the main route from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara long before the 101 Freeway was built. The tall “Agoura” sign—possibly dating back to the 1920s—welcomed travelers to the little hamlet where they could grab gas and food. But it was more than that. Known now as the Historic Quarter of Agoura Hills, the area south of the 101 Freeway off the Chesebro Road exit along Agoura Road, can also be thought of as the closest thing to a downtown the city has ever had. “That’s...
Article Link
“Yes chef!” “No chef!” Shouts from line cook Kirby Shaw reverberate over the sound of blaring hip-hop music inside a small commercial kitchen in a nondescript strip mall on Simi Valley’s east end. The setting may not scream culinary excellence, but the chef barking orders has a resume worthy of any 0-a-plate, white tablecloth establishment. While the location is inconspicuous, Logan Sandoval is hard to miss. Covered head to toe in tattoos and piercings, sporting a bun, bulging biceps and scruffy beard, Logan doesn’t look the part of a chef-if such a look exists-and he likes it that way. “I...
Article Link
Furikake Buns 1 cup lukewarm water 2 Tbsp. butter, room temperature 1 large egg 1 large egg, separated 3½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup granulated sugar 1¼ tsp, kosher salt 1 Tbsp. instant yeast 5 Tbsp. furikake In a stand-up mixer, gently whisk together sugar, salt, yeast and water on the lowest setting and let yeast bloom for 5-8 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except for 1 egg white. Knead with dough hook until smooth. Cover dough and let rise for 1½ hours or until it has doubled. Gently deflate dough down and divide into 8 equal pieces (roughly 80g per...
Article Link
Through Sept. 12 Galleria at Hillcrest Center The Arts Council of the Conejo Valley presents the “Summer Open Show Art Competition.” Galleria at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts, Thousand Oaks Through Sept. 24 Studio Channel Islands Through Sept. 24: “The Next Big Thing” (bold new work by local artists) and “View Points” (works depicting water, air and light by Pat Richards Dodds, Cecilia Ortiz and Andy Lepe). Studio Channel Islands, Camarillo Through Sept. 25 “Uncle Vanya” Irish playwright Conor McPherson has received acclaim for breathing new life into Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece, which explores the tumultuous frustration, dark humor and...
Article Link
Through Aug. 7 “Lobby Hero” Truth, honor and duty become elusive, and justice proves costly, in Kenneth Lonergan’s comedic drama. Elite Theatre Company, Oxnard Through Aug. 14 Topanga Canyon Gallery John S. Couch’s large-scale paintings, featuring abstract compositions done on canvas with Japanese polymer, are on display in “Chuushin” “(The Center).” Created during the height of the pandemic, many of the works feature “a square at the center with dynamic calligraphic brushwork and vibrant colors.” Topanga Canyon Gallery, Topanga Through Aug. 21 Paranormal Cirque The scariest show on Earth takes elements of circus, theater and cabaret and twists them into...
Article Link
Fermented Plum and Pink Peppercorn Cordial Serves 4 to 6 5 pounds pitted and juiced Satsuma plums, unstrained (about 1 quart juice) 2 Tbsp. mild raw honey 1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. pink peppercorns, crushed in a mortar and pestle 1-2 quarts chilled sparkling water, to taste 3-6 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, to taste 6-8 thick slices of 1 lime, for garnish 4-6 sprigs mint or edible flowers, for garnish In a 1-quart mason jar, combine the plum juice, raw honey and peppercorns. Mix with a spoon until the honey is fully dissolved. Clean the rim of the...
Article Link
Through July 24 Topanga Canyon Gallery Through July 3: Solo works by Kit Plumridge are on display. July 8-24: Solo shows by Idelle Okman Tyzbir and June Kim. Topanga Canyon Gallery, Topanga Through July 30 Studio Channel Islands Contemporary Chinese artists blend classical and contemporary elements in “Echoes of Nature.” Spotlighted are figurative realist paintings by such artists as Xu Weixin and Victor Wang; landscapes by Mao Qingyun; historical paintings by Mian Situ; and the socially engaged work by educators Nan Liu and Yu Ji. Studio Channel Islands, Camarillo Through Aug. 22 Maritime Museum “71%: Honoring Vital Waters” features abstract,...
Article Link
Most restaurant patrons expect to find the restrooms in a clean state. But expectations weren’t always meeting reality for Westlake Village dad Michael Gamble. Tired of seeing filthy restrooms when he dined out, Michael, a mortgage banker, decided to create Pristine Potty, a mobile application that allows customers to rate the cleanliness of restaurant restrooms. Pristine Potty first launched in the Apple app store in 2020. Beyond recently spoke with Michael about his app's mission to elevate restaurant standards. Beyond: How did you come up with the idea for Pristine Potty? Michael: As an engaged dad you find yourself in...
Article Link
Perfectly Brined Pastured Pork Chops with PB&J Sauce Serves 4 Brine 1 cup apple juice 2 Tbsp. mild raw honey 2 tsp. minced ginger (¾" knob) 2 tsp. minced garlic (2 cloves) 3 Tbsp. fine sea salt 4 boneless 1"-thick pork chops (3¾ pounds) Sauce 2 Tbsp. unrefined avocado oil 1 Tbsp. minced ginger (1" x 1" knob) 1 Tbsp. minced garlic (3 cloves) 2 Tbsp. minced shallot (1 small shallot) 1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries ¼ cup creamy unsweetened natural peanut butter 2 Tbsp. mild raw honey 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar 1½ Tbsp. fresh lime juice...
Article Link
Almond Avocado Oil Cake with Meyer Lemon Curd Makes 1 loaf Cake 2 cups blanched almond flour ½ cup coconut flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder ½ cup unsweetened almond milk ½ cup Lavender-Infused Honey* ½ cup unrefined avocado oil 3 large eggs, room temperature 1 tsp. Meyer lemon zest (½ medium Meyer lemon) 1 Tbsp. fresh Meyer lemon juice (1 medium Meyer lemon) 2 tsp. vanilla extract Curd 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened . cup creamed raw honey 6 large egg yolks, room temperature 1 Tbsp. Meyer lemon zest (1½ medium Meyer lemons) . cup Meyer...
Article Link
Spring Snap Pea Salad with Spinach-Pistachio Pesto and Crème Fraiche Serves 2 Spinach-Pistachio Pesto 3 cups chopped spinach (3 oz.) ½ cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves ½ cup cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup pistachios ½ tsp. fine sea salt 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (½ medium lime) Seasoned Peas 3½ cups sugar snap peas, stemmed and sliced (8 oz.) A handful of young pea tendrils 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced shallot (1 shallot) 2 Tbsp....
Article Link
The christening of a ship was a festive occasion in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with the honor often going to a young woman from a prominent local family. Such was the fanfare surrounding the launch of the S.S. Topa Topa, a massive merchant steamship commissioned by the U.S. government after World War I. The ship, owned by Waterman Steamship Corp. in Mobile, Ala., was named for the Ventura County mountain range north of Santa Paula, and the moniker was a nod to the county, whose residents had purchased a higher percentage of Liberty war bond subscriptions to support...
Article Link
Rainbow scales glimmer beneath the crystalline waters before a mermaid tail emerges from the depths, balances upright for a moment and then submerges beneath the salty surface. It’s not a sailor’s dream, it’s the L.A. Mermaid School. Virginia Hankins, a professionally certified diver and Red Cross lifeguard instructor, sits on the edge of a saltwater backyard pool in Camarillo on a recent Sunday afternoon, giving instructions to two teen swimmers who are each wearing a multicolored mermaid tail that secures their feet into a single fin. Virginia coaches the girls on all the mermaid essentials, including how to propel...
Article Link
Molly Chester has come full circle. The chef-turned-farmer has now turned her focus back to the kitchen, and she’s doing it with a cookbook. As told in the widely circulated documentary “The Biggest Little Farm,” in 2011 Molly and her filmmaker husband, John, left the world they knew—including their small Los Angeles- area apartment—and bought 200 acres of land in Moorpark to start a farm. The impetus came from Molly, a personal chef who was struggling to locate some of the foods she wanted to cook with. “I couldn’t find great eggs,” she says. “So we talked about, ‘Should we...
Article Link
Kendra and Garrick Moss watched nervously from the Malibu shore as a man put their son Blakey in a life vest and paddled the boy out to sea on a tandem board. As the two approached a wave, the man lifted Blakey into the air. Born with a rare genetic condition, the 6-year-old could not speak, swallow or stand. But he could surf. “Blakey had the biggest smile on his face,” says Kendra, a Santa Clarita resident. “It was the most incredible thing. I still get emotional thinking about it.” The impossible was made possible with THERAsurf, a Malibu-based nonprofit...
Article Link
When best friends and former USC roommates Evan Quinn and George Youmans both saw family members hospitalized due to alcohol use in 2019, the pair began questioning why alcohol plays such a dominant role in social activities and why someone who prefers to stay sober can’t easily find a beverage that gives them a feel-good buzz without the alcohol high. The friends set out to create a nonalcoholic, cannabis-free tonic that wasn’t laden with sugars and syrups, but instead filled with flavorful adaptogens, which reduce stress, and botanicals, which offer health benefits. George and Evan brought their friend Cygne Cooper...
Article Link
Kevin Brannon recalls when he would take his three children out fishing and the neighbor kids in Port Hueneme would tell him that they wished they had someone to take them fishing, too. There were always more kids than he had space for in his car. Then he hit on an idea: Why not provide all of these kids an opportunity to go fishing, too? “I saw the need for something positive in the area that I grew up in, and it was kind of a no-brainer to offer more kids the experience,” says Kevin, who hosts the “Reel Anglers...
Article Link
Through June 19 Museum of Ventura County The Ventura Unified School District Art Show, featuring more than 50 works by high school, middle school and elementary school students is on view now. Opening June 16: “All That Glitters Is Not Gold” reflects on Ventura County in the 1920s, a time not only of excess but repression and exclusion. Museum of Ventura County, Ventura Through June 26 “The Roommate” “The Odd Couple” meets “Breaking Bad” in Jen Silverman’s dark comedy. Santa Paula Theater Center, Santa Paula Through June 26 Camarillo Art Center “Phil Zubiate Pencil Art Show” opens with a reception...
Article Link
Through May 2 Galleria Eight local artists with a shared love for nature exhibit their work in “Spring Fever.” Galleria at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts, Thousand Oaks Through May 8 Bridges StoryWalk As families stroll along an outdoor path, they can pause and read laminated pages of a children’s picture book. This year’s StoryWalk features “Sophie’s Squash,” the story of a girl who forms a strong attachment with a squash she takes home from the local farmers market. After drawing on a face and giving it a name (Bernice), Sophie brings the squash everywhere, despite her parents’ protests...
Article Link
Farmers Max Becher and Mike Roberts have found the perfect recipe to build a company combining organic produce and high tech. The Ventura County natives met working at farmers markets, but the business they own now, Farmivore, puts a modern spin on the concept. Customers use their phone or computer to select locally grown produce from about 20 nearby farms and have the freshest possible food delivered right to their door. Mike’s 21-acre Baby Root Farm near the 101 Freeway and Central Avenue in Camarillo is one of five in the McGrath Family Farmers collaborative. Mike oversees workers assembling Farmivore’s...
Article Link
Serves 4-6 1 cup orzo pasta 2 cups spinach (or other greens),chopped 1 medium cucumber, chopped ½ cup carrots, sliced ¼ cup chopped green onion ½ cup crumbled feta cheese ¼ cup any combination chopped fresh parsley, basil, dill, cilantro Dressing: ¼ cup olive oil Juice of 2 lemons (about 3-4 Tbsp.) Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tsp.) 2 garlic cloves, minced Salt and pepper, to taste Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain. In a large bowl, add the dressing inAbove, and mix until well combined. Add the cooked orzo, spinach, cucumber, carrots,...
Article Link
Thomas Cussins envisioned a Ventura where live music was integral to the community. He envisioned a vibrant Ventura where locals ride their bikes after work to intimate concerts, enjoying the renowned artists who used to drive right past the coastal city on their tours. In March, his vision became a reality with the opening of the Ventura Music Hall. A collaboration between Oakland-based music company Ineffable Music, where Thomas is president, and local music executives, the venue opened March 22 with a performance by G. Love and The Juice. “Being able to come together and participate in a shared...
Article Link
Tess Zufolo leans over to move a pair of boxes out of the way inside the front room of Open Door Studio. Early morning sunshine pours into the gift shop crowded with all types of colorful artwork, created by the studio’s resident artists. The light washes over Tess, the nonprofit’s director of operations and co-founder, as she rearranges the boxes stuffed with art supplies. “This is from the weekend,” says the 37-year-old on a recent Monday morning. “We were painting the mural outside.” The colorful mural on a nearby wall, its paint still drying, offers those passing by a hint...
Article Link
The stately historic landmark pictured above in 1930 and enjoyed today as the vibrant Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center has played many important roles in the community, beginning with its construction in 1924 by a Methodist congregation. The neoclassical-style church was designed by prominent architect Arthur G. Lindley and built at the corner of Los Angeles Avenue and the aptly named Church Street, anchoring a new development that became known as the Community Center. The grand structure rose up amid the surrounding farmland and quickly became the hub for worship, community meetings and leisure activities, as few other public buildings...
Article Link
Visitors to Ventura County Area Agency on Aging’s Senior Nutrition Garden are not only struck by its beauty, but also by the large bounty of colorful fruits and vegetables grown on about 1.5 acres of land. What visitors may not realize is that this relatively small, but growing, garden tucked away behind an industrial area in Oxnard has a very large, important task. Each year, the garden produces nearly 40,000 pounds of nutritious fruits and vegetables for the county’s older adults. It features an impressive lineup of crops, including squash, broccoli, potatoes, kale, tomatoes, peas, lettuce, asparagus and citrus. “The...
Article Link
With the long-awaited return of in-person experiences, it’s time to shine a spotlight on local art museums–here’s what’s new, what’s changed and what to look forward to in the local art scene this summer. Santa Paula Art Museum santapaulaartmuseum.org | N. 10th St., Santa Paula Opened in 2010 in Santa Paula’s historic Limoneira building, this nonprofit museum’s mantra is “art creates community.” Santa Paula Art Museum recently started welcoming students back for in-person art classes next door in its Cole Creativity Center, which launched in 2018. Not to miss: “Geomorphic: The Living Earth, A Solo Exhibition by Kay Zetlmaier.” Open...
Article Link
Serves 6 1 cup sliced strawberries 2 oranges, peeled and cut intochunks 1 cup seedless grapes, halved 1 cup blueberries 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt In a large bowl, mix fruit together. Gently fold yogurt into fruit. Chill until cold.
Article Link
Simi Valley Summer Day Camps Games, sports, crafts, special guests, thematic activities, safe environment. CPR/first aid- certified staff. Multiple locations. JK/TK through sixth grade. Simi Valley (805) 584-4400 info@rsrpd.us rsrpd.org California Dance Theatre Leap into summer with an unforgettable summer dance experience! Join us for an array of children's dance camps, ballet intensives, budding ballerina workshops and classes for moms too. Westlake Village (818) 707-3267 www.californiadancetheatre.com caldancetheatre@gmail.com Young Artists Playground Six-week theater camp at Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. Campers will experience writing, producing and performing an original musical. Ages 5 to 17 Simi Valley (805) 583-7905 www.simi-arts.org...
Article Link
In Lisa Casoni’s wedding vows to her wife, Heather Stobo, she wrote about living an “artful life” together. It’s been 11 years now, and their vows still ring true, conveying their positive momentum in love, life and even business. Lisa and Heather, who met 22 years ago, live and work in the John Montgomery House, one of Ojai’s oldest buildings. Built in 1874 and standing by one of the city’s oldest trees, the house is wrapped with a splendid porch and is the perfect spot for their Porch Gallery, which features work by renowned artists and members of Ojai’s creative...
Article Link
Through April 3 "The Gin Game" JoBeth Williams (“The Big Chill,” “Poltergeist”) and Joe Spano (“Hill Street Blues) star in this dramatic comedy, which uses the card game as a metaphor for life. Rubicon Theatre, Ventura Through April 8 "Common Ground: Artists Reimagining Community" Through experimental film, music, comics, paintings, photography, graphic novels and more, local artists question the concept of community. William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks Through April 10 "Steel Magnolias" Hanging out together in the beauty parlor, tightknit friends share gossip and confront life’s unforeseen tragedies. Ojai Art Center Theater, Ojai...
Article Link
Through March 2 Conejo Valley Art Museum “Moments in Time” features pieces from the museum’s archives. Conejo Valley Art Museum at Janss Marketplace, Thousand Oaks Through March 6 Santa Paula Art Museum “Art About Agriculture” features more than 50 artists exploring everything from workers and water to fields and the food that goes on our plates. Santa Paula Art Museum, Santa Paula March 12-26 Mermaid Month Dive into the undersea world of mermaids and mermen during Ventura Harbor Village’s seventh annual salute to the mystical aquatic creature. Take seaside selfies in large mermaid shells; go on a scavenger hunt; buy...
Article Link
To say that Cathy Rogers of Malibu is passionate about food and cooking would be an understatement. The philanthropist and longtime cooking instructor is driven to share her passion in many ways, including two intense, fun-filled, recipe-packed cookbooks. Both called “Malibu’s Cooking Again,” each book was created after one of the many fires that devastated another love in her life—the town where she’s grateful to have been living since 1972. The first book came out in 1995, two years after the Malibu/ Old Topanga blaze that burned thousands of acres, destroyed at least 300 homes and killed three people....
Article Link
Serves 8 to 12 Braised Beef: 5 short ribs Sea salt to taste 1 tsp. dry mustard ¼ tsp. paprika Pepper, to taste 1 onion, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 5 whole garlic cloves 5 stalks thyme . cup extra virgin olive oil Cones: ¼ cup sugar 1½ Tbsp. sweet butter 1 Tbsp. honey 1½ Tbsp. heavy cream ½ tsp. vanilla extract 1 Tbsp. flour Filling: 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 green onions, finely chopped . cup red pepper, finely chopped 2 braised short ribs, cooked 3 garlic cloves, minced S ea salt, to...
Article Link
Makes 50 pieces Butter for pan 1 tsp. sweet butter 8 oz. milk chocolate 8 oz. semisweet chocolate 1 tsp. vanilla 20 large marshmallows, quartered, or 80 small marshmallows 3½ cups walnuts, chopped 6 oz. Wilton yellow chocolate, melted 3 oz. Wilton red chocolate, melted 1 oz. Wilton black chocolate, melted Chocolate shoe mold Purchase at lifeofthepartymolds.com. Butter 8" square pan. Melt chocolate and butter in 175° oven for 10 minutes. Add vanilla, marshmallows and nuts. Stir until blended. Spread in pan and chill. Cut into squares before mixture gets too hard. For shoe, pour yellow chocolate into shoe mold,...
Article Link
Destini Mejia is one of those people who leaves a mark on the places she goes—literally. The budding muralist with a background in street art has painted on walls in Nicaragua, where her family is from; Oxnard, where she grew up; and Camarillo, where she lives now.Most recently, the 22-year-old left her mark at Cal State Channel Islands, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in December. It had originally been part of a class group project her junior year, but when the COVID shutdown of March 2020 came about, the group could no longer work side by side and...
Article Link
Oscar Sepulveda III of Camarillo shares his favorite spring vacation memory: staying at the Santa Cruz Redwoods RV resort in Felton with his wife, Leslie, and daughter, Madison. " We had already stayed near the Redwood National Park, and when we arrived here it felt like we never left," he says. Camarillo resident Britney Taing and her family take in the breathtaking mountain views during a spring break trip to Zion National Park in Utah. With the Golden Gate Bridge behind him, Christopher Heathcoat reenacts Jay Blakesberg’s iconic photo of Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar leaping above...
Article Link
Today’s luxury wellness retreats in the Santa Monica Mountains and Malibu may owe their heritage to Seminole Hot Springs, which drew thousands every weekend in its heyday a century ago. Tucked away off what is now Mulholland Highway in the Cornell area southeast of Agoura Hills, the Seminole Hot Springs health resort came to life after speculative oil drilling instead revealed 116-degree mineral water rivaling that of European spas. The exact details of the founding of Seminole Hot Springs resort are unknown. A 1922 advertisement offered the opportunity to stay in new, furnished cabins for to per week...
Article Link
If anyone can thank his dentist for a good set of teeth, it’s Eddy Goldfarb. Not the choppers behind the University Village Thousand Oaks centenarian’s million-dollar smile. Rather, the Yakity Yak Talking Teeth, the wind-up, chattery gag gift invented by Eddy back in the 1940s. The teeth that launched a million laughs—and an equal number of knockoffs—were fashioned after a pair of teeth Eddy’s dentist gave to him all those decades ago. They were the first of more than 800 toys and other contraptions he has invented and 280 patents he’s been granted over the years. In addition to the...
Article Link
Makes 1 pizza Dough: 1 package dry yeast 1¼ cups warm water 1 Tbsp. agave nectar, sugar or honey 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. salt 9 cups organic bread flour Filling: ½ cup mascarpone cheese 1½ cups Parmesan cheese 2 Tbsp. truffle oil ½ tsp. truffle salt Topping: ¼ lb. jack cheese, thinly sliced ¼ lb. Muenster cheese, thinly sliced ¼ lb. mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced ¼ lb. brie cheese or truffle cheese, hard crust removed, thinly sliced ¼ oz. Alba white truffle, thinly sliced (optional) 2 Tbsp. truffle honey Makes 10 pizzas. Always make the dough for the...
Article Link
Five years ago, Ventura County natives Amy Seder and Brandon Burkley realized they were working to travel, so instead, they decided to travel for work. In creating Away Lands, a commercial photography and film business, the now 34-year-old Santa Monica residents were able to reclaim their lives and see the world through a new lens. “Some people think travel is unnecessary or selfish when really it is such a vital part of what makes life worth living,” Amy says. “To be with people and be creative and be in beautiful places—that part of it makes the rest of it all...
Article Link
Keep these handy guides in your phone library for unique dining experiences, luxury leisure activities and one-of-a-kind excursions. Hipcamp Find unique places to settle in under the stars with this app, where you can reserve campsites, glampsites and cabins on both public and privately owned lands that include beaches, farms, forests and middle-of-nowhere escapes in the desert. GetYourGuide Download this user-friendly app to find tours, excursions and tourist attractions. It also offers city guides and recommendations. EatWith It’s been said that the best way to see a new place is through your stomach. And who better...
Article Link
In matters of life and death, 51-year-old Michele Neff Hernandez has become somewhat of an expert. In 2005, she lost her husband in a cycling accident. Phillip Hernandez was killed when he was hit by a car and, in that instant, Michele’s life was forever changed. Widowed at 35, Michele says that although she had a support system of people who wanted to help her, no one knew how to handle her grief. “People meant well but they couldn’t understand what I was going through,” she says. “It requires emotional work of separating physically from a spouse. I was surprised...
Article Link
Through Jan. 2 Circus Caballero The family circus celebrates the holidays under the big top with its “Christmas Spectacular” show featuring high-wire acts, acrobats and clowns. Simi Valley Town Center, Simi Valley Through Jan. 2 Snow N Glow Holiday Festival Go snow tubing, play in real snow, eat s’mores, drink hot chocolate and bask in the glow of 1 million lights. You can even rent a private igloo. Ventura County Fairgrounds, Ventura Through Jan. 9 Reagan Library Two exhibits are on view. “FBI: From Al Capone to Al-Qaeda,” which explores the history of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, features key...
Article Link
Longtime friends Carrie Mapes and Patty Pappas walked into a Los Angeles marijuana dispensary for the first time together in the summer of 2018. Both in their early 50s, Carrie, a mom of two, and Patty, a mom of three, wanted to explore different ways to relieve their symptoms of menopause—like their quality of sleep, mood and energy. They didn’t find a single product marketed for women their age, but they left the dispensary with an idea: What if there was a nonpsychoactive cannabis product that could help women experiencing menopause feel like themselves again? Their idea came to fruition...
Article Link
In matters of life and death, 51-year-old Michele Neff Hernandez has become somewhat of an expert. In 2005, she lost her husband in a cycling accident. Phillip Hernandez was killed when he was hit by a car and, in that instant, Michele’s life was forever changed. Widowed at 35, Michele says that although she had a support system of people who wanted to help her, no one knew how to handle her grief. “People meant well but they couldn’t understand what I was going through,” she says. “It requires emotional work of separating physically from a spouse. I was surprised...
Article Link
For over 100 years, sunny Southern California has been known around the world for its fresh, juicy oranges, and Simi Valley is no exception. The favorable climate and rich, alluvial soil along the northern foothills of what was then Santa Susana proved to be ideal for citrus, and an agricultural development known as the Tapo District was born. In 1915, the Tapo Mutual Water Company formed to supply reliable irrigated water for farming in the area, which stretched north of Alamo Street from Sycamore Drive to Tapo Street—14,400 acres in all. Parcels mainly planted with citrus were offered for sale...
Article Link
Wild Black Sage + Turkey Tail Mushroom Tonic Handful of dried black sage leaves 1 cup milk (I use macadamia nut milk) 1 Tbsp cacao powder 1 tsp. concentrated turkey tail mushroom powdered extract Sweetener of choice (my choice isa few drops of stevia extract) Combine the sage leaves and milk in a pot and simmer on medium low for 5-10 minutes, not allowing it to come to a boil. Strain the leaves from the milk and compost. Combine warm infused milk with remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy! Recipe from “Mushroom Wanderland: A Forager’s Guide...
Article Link
Extra chromosomes are celebrated at Mulberry Lane Farm. The 6-acre farm in Somis is named after its resident black mulberry tree, which sits along the gravel driveway. Karen Meier and her husband, Ronald, moved to the farm 18 months ago with their two youngest sons, Steve, 25, and Tom, 23. Steve and Tom both have Down syndrome, which is caused by an extra chromosome. Shortly after moving to Somis, Karen and her sons sought shade under the mulberry tree after a long, hot morning of picking fruit on the farm. Sitting under the tree, Karen researched the tree species and...
Article Link
They’re ugly. They’re beautiful. They’re harmless. They’re harmful. They’re tasty. They’re tasteless. Mushrooms have a way of sparking heated conversation between those who like them and those who don’t. Thousand Oaks resident Jess Starwood is in the first camp— a master forager, plant-based chef, nature photographer and clinical herbalist who holds mushrooms in high regard, cherishing the hunt for and relishing the utility of the inhabitants of the fungi kingdom. Her recently published first book, the 208-page “Mushroom Wanderland: A Forager’s Guide to Finding, Identifying, and Using More Than 25 Wild Fungi,” is the 38-year-old’s way of sharing her “passion...
Article Link
Tom Kha Soup with Chicken of the Woods Mushroom Ingredients 1 Tbsp. coconut oil ½ onion, sliced 2 garlic cloves, chopped A few Thai chiles, halved 3 quarter-inch slices of galangal root or ginger 1 lemongrass stalk pounded with the side of a knife and cut into 2-inch- long pieces 2 tsp. red Thai curry paste 4 cups vegetable broth* 4 cups canned coconut milk 10 oz. chicken of the woods mushrooms (or substitute commercial maitake mushrooms) 1-2 Tbsp. coconut sugar 1½-2 Tbsp. soy sauce 2-3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 2-3 green onions, sliced thin Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish...
Article Link
“Vast and majestic, mountains embrace your shadow; broad and deep, rivers harbor your voice." T’ao Ch’ien’s words echo in Vic Thasiah’s mind as his feet hit the ground. It is almost as if his favorite lines of Chinese poetry were meant to describe one of his favorite places to run and protect—the Ventura River Preserve. Through his Ventura County-based nonprofit, Runners for Public Lands, the executive director works to defend, and ensure all runners have access to, places as peaceful as the preserve. “It seemed to make sense to protect the very things that make running possible and enjoyable,” Vic...
Article Link
Through Dec. 2 Winter Wonderland of Wreaths Bid on hand-decorated holiday wreaths that are up for auction online. Through Dec. 4 Festival of Trees Ooh and ahh at the beautifully decorated trees, vote for your favorite and buy one for a family in need or a homebound senior who could use some holiday cheer at this sixth annual event presented by Hospice of the Conejo. The Oaks mall, outdoor shopping area on the second floor next to Sleep Number, Thousand Oaks Through Dec. 13 Letters to Santa Write a letter to Santa Claus, drop it in the big red mailbox...
Article Link