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Category Archives: This ‘n’ That
Ventura Chamber Ribbon Cutting for Bright Spark Brewing
photo by Michael Gordon
Bright Spark Brewing located 4561 Market St.
Founded by husband and wife team Tim Harbage and Linzy Mahoney, Bright Spark Brewing is years in the making. Although it felt like a pipe dream in the early years of their relationship, a decade (and many business plan iterations) later, the dream has been realized.
The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends
by Mary Olson
Hill Road Library celebrates its fifth birthday on Saturday, December 3rd, at 10:30 am! The celebrations begins with a Decorate Your Own Party Hat craft activity at 10:30 am. Then, at 11:00 am, welcome the fabulous magician Zany Zoe. Zoe has performed magic and illusion arts for over 15 years in the Los Angeles area and brings unrivaled energy and comedy to her family-friendly performance. All ages are welcome!
Every Tuesday in December at 3:00 pm, Hill Road Library will host a Winter Wonderland simple craft and seasonal movie! The first event on December 6th, will be creating a star ornament. The movie selection will be Abominable: A story about a teenager and her friends who go on a quest to reunite a Yeti with his family.
On December 13th, make your own Christmas card. The movie selection will be The Nightmare Before Christmas. On December 20th, create your own wrapping paper. The movie selection will be The Polar Express. The fourth and final event on December 27th, will be creating Pom Pom Party Poppers. The movie selection will be High School Musical.
At 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31, you and your little ones are invited to a special New Year’s Eve
event at Hill Road Library – a “Noon Year’s Eve” countdown party! Enjoy storytime, crafts, and
countdown fun as we ring in the New Year at noon.
All events are free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Linda Cherry, Librarian, at 805-677-7180.
The Hill Road Library is located at 1070 S. Hill Road, Ventura. Hours of service are Monday through
Wednesday 10 am to 6 pm, Thursday 2 pm to 6 pm, Friday through Sunday 10 am to 2 pm.
Whenever you visit Hill Road Library, be sure to take a look at the Ventura Friends of the Library sales shelves. The shelves have been restocked with holiday selections! Meet some Friends of the Library at the birthday celebration — we’ll bring along more children’s and craft books to sell.
The Friends Bookstore in E.P. Foster Library will be open for some extra shifts in December.
The store will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. AND, the store will be open
Sundays, 1:30 to 4:00 pm.
We also invite you to visit our online bookstore for local sales https://venturafol107753.square.site/s/shop. When you make a purchase there, you will receive an email letting you know when your order will be ready for pickup at the bookstore in E.P. Foster. You can also join or renew your membership to Ventura Friends of the Library for 2023 through the online store.
Ventura’s HighTide Robotics team competed at Ventura Fairgrounds
On October 3, at the Ventura Fairgrounds Ventura’s HighTide Robotics team participated in the exciting competition. Founded is 2018 it provides opportunities for high school students from all around Ventura County to participate in a competitive and meaningful way through the FIRST robotics competition. Students learn career-oriented skills in engineering, design, mathematics, computer science, and are inspired by industry professional mentors and FRC alumni dedicated to helping foster a competitive FRC team and educating team members.
Each year high school students create a globally competitive robot with the support of industry and FIRST professional mentors.
FIRST, which means “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” is a non-profit organization for high school students. The intent of FIRST is “to create a world where science and technology are celebrated… where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes” stated Dean Kamen (Founder of FIRST).
For more information http://www.team4414.com .
Ventura Robotics
Vol. 16, No. 05 – Nov 30 – Dec 6, 2022 – Community Events
The Ventura Senior Men’s Group continues to meet for a social lunch and program at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura on the first and third Tuesday each month. Men of all descriptions are always welcomed to stop in to sample our shenanigans. Lyle Hotzler at 805-341-9820 or Rick Follenweider at 650-520-1098 can supply details.
Wanna Play Bridge? Join us for ACBL sanctioned duplicate bridge games
every Tues., Wed., and Thurs. at 12:30. All levels of play and we
will guarantee to have a partner for you if you need one. Lessons are
available. Contact: Richard 805-850-8011 or Rose 805-659-9223 or
[email protected]. All Welcome.
Dec. 3 & 4; 10 & 11: Dudley House Holiday Boutique. The 28th annual fundraiser for the 1892 historic house museum continues into December on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Come celebrate the spirit of holidays past where you’ll find quality crafts, home décor, antiques and collectibles plus a silent auction and bargain “basement”. An outdoor flea market is added on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located at 197 N. Ashwood in Ventura. (805) 642-3345. Free.
Dec. 3: Sespe Fly Fishers of Ventura will be conducting our monthly “First Saturday” introductory Fly Rod Casting and Intro to Fly Fishing clinic. In December. There is no charge and all are welcome. Whether you are an experienced fly fisher or a complete novice we want to help you improve your casting and learn to enjoy this great sport. If you don’t yet have a fly rod, don’t worry, just come and use one of ours.
Chumash Park, Petit and Waco, 9:00 to 11:00 am, in East Ventura, off Telephone
For more information: Casting Program Coordinator Thomas Hall
(805) 377-5249 www.sespeflyfishers.org
Dec. 3: Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice’s 38th Annual “Light Up a Life” event will take place in in Camarillo. This celebration provides comfort, solace and an opportunity for those who have lost someone to honor their loved one’s memory. The event is free, and everyone is welcome to attend. Up event is Saturday,from 4:30 pm – 5:30pm at Constitution Park, 1287 Paseo Camarillo, Camarillo.
Livingston invites all residents of Ventura County to support this year’s Light Up campaign. Memory stars can be reserved online at www.lmvna.org/LightUpALife for $25 each or by calling 805-642-0239, x 639.
Dec. 4: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc.
Sunday, 2 :00-4:00 pm
Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd.
Live Music on stage. Jamming in the Canada Room. Free Admission. Free parking. Open to the Public. For more information
call 805-517-1131 or visit Facebook: OTCBGMA
Dec. 10: Saturday, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Museum of Ventura County – Sip ‘n Shop Holiday Market –you can buy the perfect gift at our first annual Sip ‘n Shop. Drink some champagne, purchase from local artists – and have your gift wrapping done here for you. Shop local!
Hydro Theory
A vision of Dr. Anna Cho and Rex Regal.
by Patricia Schallert
Hydro Theory is a vision of Dr. Anna Cho and Rex Regal. They believe in “The Theory that ocean experiences, when mindfully facilitated, brings about integration within the self, others, skillsets, and the community verb ‘To just Add Water’ in the life process to enhance healing and growth”.
Rex Regal Founder and Ocean Communities Advisor is a former US Navy SEAL battling over three decades of post traumatic special warfare. As the visionaries of Hydro Theory’s mission, Rex brings an integrated lens to sustaining healing from the water. His professional journey led him to help communities and agencies build their infrastructure, expand their market reach, and enhance their potential. Regal combines his soulful presence and intense passion for healing ocean concepts, to move individuals and communities towards enriching their own lives. He serves Hydro Theory by envisioning creative and practical avenues to help the community reach their potential and break through any barriers that hinder their progress.
Anna is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Art Therapist and serves as Clinical Supervisor for the new practicum site and training ground through Hydro Theory. She prefers to ride her longboard most of the time but will be grateful for whatever is rideable.
“I want Hydro Theory to provide a training hub for interns, coaches, and the community to raise awareness in mental health issues intersecting into our professions.”
They are a Veteran-run non-profit agency that promotes safe access to the ocean and have been approved as a graduate and doctoral level university training site (practicum). This also includes a team of philanthropic soul surfers who train on land, ocean and virtually to support emotional, physical, and professional development.
As avid surfers and sailors, their vision is to have an inclusive community space that serves as a platform for holistic coaches and teachers, therapists, and volunteer surfers to gather and to collectively share their gifts and talents, as well as share the challenges they try to overcome in their own lives while healing in the ocean.
Their program recently launched “Waves of Grief in partnership with Waves of Grief Collective” at Solimar Beach every second Sunday of the month. Their main offering is to provide solace and a safe space to heal together their losses from the pandemic and to provide help as they opened their Ocean Clinic to not only help in surf skills but to integrate their experience on land.
For Anna, yearning for the ocean is deeply connected to her childhood. It was a conflicting idea for her and so she patiently waited and dedicated a portion of her time attempting to visit the ocean when she could. It became her healing place once her day was complete, or before it had begun.
“I learned that I am an expert learner with the right teacher, and I supplemented the worries and fears around me by cleansing, sometimes tumbling from the ocean.”
What she noticed quickly was that not only was her endurance growing, but the supplement of water quickly became a necessity in survival, and she could not experience it alone.
Other surfers wondered how she came out so much to surf, and all she could think was, ‘How could I not? “This is where I cry, where I get nurtured, where I pray for those I love and lost, while continuing to paddle forward.”
As Anna observed and connected with other surfers, she noticed that everyone has a story to tell, pain they try to paddle away from, and ultimately what everyone ends up with, at the end of the sunset is “Ultimate Stokedness”.
As a mental health clinician experiencing the healing powers of the ocean, Anna and Rex both felt that to be able to sustain healing, it became an important need to be “shared with the community.” The circle of life does not end with pure joy and “feeling stoked”. “It ends with sharing, resonating, transpiring experiences that infect one another.”
The stories in Hydro Theory are generated by the Hydro Community, those who recognize the privilege we have on this coast, to help encourage the community to “Just Add Water” to the mix… and to stir it up with us!
Hydro email: [email protected] 805-8503726
Vol. 16, No. 05 – Nov 30 – Dec 6, 2022 – As I See It
by Sheldon
To clarify a little confusion, I am still the publisher-editor of the Ventura Breeze. Just not writing my long column, but I have decided to write As I See It, which won’t take nearly as much time. This is the first one. Maybe won’t run in all issues.
Congratulations to our new (one re-elected) city council members:
Liz Campos, Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios, Bill McReynolds and Jim Duran.
President Biden has turned 80, making him the first octogenarian in the Oval Office. Big deal – I’m the first octogenarian publisher-editor of the Ventura Breeze.
According to a recent study, men with higher IQs are more inclined to bet on horse races. They were shown to be more likely to partake in skill-based gambling, such as horse racing, choose more complicated betting options, and spend more money (and I assume lose more money). Don’t misinterpret this – all men who bet on horses do not have a high IQ.
Recently, I cooked a frozen dinner. It said to cook for 16 minutes and 10 seconds. I took a chance and just cooked it for 16 minutes and it was fine. Sometimes in life you just need to take a chance.
Recently a couple was married at a McDonalds. They spared no expense in deciding on McDonalds over In-N-Out.
I purchased range free mayonnaise. Feel good about it, hate to think of mayonnaise cooped up in a little cage.
A 16-year-old recently graduated from Harvard. Big deal, he couldn’t even drive to class. “Mommy, will you drive me to school today. I have 5 physics classes?” It is rumored that he still believes in Santa but also understands how reindeers can fly.
The Anacapa Brewing Company who opened in 2000 – has closed. Like many businesses (especially restaurants), Anacapa faced tough times since the start of COVID. The closing of Main St. to traffic and adding outdoor seating has helped many businesses, but it has become tough for too many.
In cowboy movies the doctor is always an alcoholic and near the end of the movie needs to remove a bullet from the hero. He says, “I can’t do it my hands are shaking.” “You can do it doc.” “I’ll try just give me one more drink.” He finally removes the bullet from John Wayne and is a hero.
Traditional Toy Show at Olivas
Traditional Toy Show at Olivas
Photos by Patricia Schallert
On Sunday, November 13, visitors discovered what toys may have been enjoyed by all who lived at the Olivas Adobe through the ages. Docents dressed in costume provided tours of the Olivas property, and the gift shop was open with unique items for purchase.
A surf inspired gala celebration supporting foster youth and families
Guests enjoyed fine food, entertainment and inspiring speeches. Photos by Yana Khiyod
Kids & Families Together hosted their 4th Annual November Fundraising Event Fostering the Next Wave 2022, held on Saturday, November 5th, at the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach, was a surf inspired fundraising celebration supporting Ventura County foster youth and families. The event raised funds for Kids & Families Together (K&FT) and More Than Conquerors Surf (MTC Surf).
More than 150 guests joined us for this fun and successful event! Guests enjoyed surf inspired music and films during Happy Hour, along with a silent auction filled with a wide variety of items up for bid. The evening’s program included inspiring testimonial speakers and messages from two Ventura County political leaders and a local professional surfer!
Speakers for the event included: an opening and welcome from Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere; Sharon Watts Woolley, K&FT’s Board Chair; David & Faith Friedlander, K&FT’s Co-Founders; and Elle Miller, Founder of MTC Surf. Kids & Families Together presented the 4th Annual Founders’ Award to CA State Assemblymember Steve Bennett for his continued support of programs benefitting Ventura County foster youth.
Testimonial speakers included: Dr. Barbara Morris Jensen, adoptive parent supported by K&FT; Gwendolyn Herrera, Assistant Vice President/Branch Manager Union Bank and kinship caregiver supported by K&FT;
Lea Martinez, Ventura County foster/resource parent supported by K&FT and an “MTC Surf family” participating in their monthly surf events; and John Villela, Board Member of MTC Surf.
Featured guest speaker was professional surfer, long board champion and Ventura local, Mary Osborne. We want to thank Mary for stepping in at the last minute to join us. The event closed with a fantastic hula performance by Hula Anyone from Santa Barbara. https://www.hulaanyone.com/ Our event emcee was, Matthew Graczyk. Our event DJ was, Logan Graczyk. https://djmajestic.com/
We gratefully acknowledge our event sponsors! Sponsorship levels were surf themed, recognizing the top big wave surf spots in California and our local favorites here along the Ventura County coast!
Top Level “Maverick Sponsor” at $5,000 was Union Bank. “Rincon, Queen of the Coast Sponsors” at $2,500 were, Assured Partners and Aqua-Flo Supply. “C-Street Sponsors” at $1,000 included, Mission Produce, Gold Coast Health Plan, The Partnership for Safe Families & Communities of Ventura County, Pacific Western Bank, Liz Donnelly Group Re/MAX, Gold Coast Health Plan, Ventura Townehouse, Community Memorial Health System, Sharon Watts Woolley, John Woolley, Marianne Bloom and the Kearney Family Fund. “Mondos Sponsors” at $500 were, Rick & Sheri Ashleman, Dorn & Dr. Kathleen Van Antwerp, the Mullett Family, Robert & Jean Bonar, Lu Setnicka, Kyle & Crystal Cummings, Controlled Elements Heating & A/C, and the Ventura Breeze.
Founded in January 2000, Kids & Families Together serves foster, adoptive, kinship, and birth families throughout Ventura County. For over two decades K&FT has become the leader in providing critical services and support to children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, loss, and multiple placements. K&FT is unique in that we provide counseling services, education, support and strategies to connect caregivers and parents to the children in their care. We wrap our arms around the entire family to help them raise healthy, nurtured children that thrive. To learn more visit – https://www.kidsandfamilies.org/
More Than Conquerors Surf, founded in 2020, serves foster youth in Ventura County by providing them with the opportunity to experience freedom, joy, and confidence through the gift of surfing. MTC Surf’s mission is to provide foster youth with the ultimate surf experience in a safe and fun environment while encouraging personal growth, community, and faith. MTC Surf desires that every child and teen that surfs with them would know that they are fully loved and capable of conquering any current and future challenges they may face. To learn more visit – https://www.mtcsurf.org/
We thank everyone that came out to support this event! Thank You!!!
Missed the event? You can still support by texting the word “Fostering” to 91999 to donate.
A video recap of the event can be viewed on Kids & Families Together’s YouTube Channel … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvTYSC241Kc
New surfing royalty
Competitor nose riding during the Queen of the Cove competition. Photo by Kaili Reynolds
by Amy Brown
With three days of sun, smiles and shredding, professional and amateur surfers came together recently at the Queen of the Cove, the first all-women’s longboard competition held at C Street. Pro surfer Sally Cohen finished first in the pro division with a $6000 purse, and a range of talented women were crowned in age divisions ranging from 50s to 10 and under.
Amateur surfers had the chance to compete against some of their idols in different divisions and hone their skills, according to 18-year-old Olivia Willhite, who has been surfing in competitions for years. “I surfed against Rylin Baker (who won the 17-19 division) yesterday, and she’s really good, and definitely someone to look at as a mentor in surfing,” she said, “I like being part of an all-women’s surf event, I think that’s really cool,” said Willhite, who is also a popular local singer songwriter gaining international acclaim with her Indie beach rock style.
Elieah Boyd shared that while this was only her second surf competition, she had placed second in the 20s division the day before. “I follow most of these girls that are professional surfers on Instagram, and I got to surf with them, it was a crazy experience. It feels like they’re there to support you just as much as you’re there to support them,” she said.
Many competitors had to overcome nervousness before being able to relax into the spirit of the event. “I’m new to competitions, and yesterday the nerves got the best of me. I fell on a lot of waves and I got really frustrated with myself,” said 21 year old Sierra Cameron. “But then I realized, I’m just going to go out and really surf in my next heat, because I love this sport. So I did that, and I got second in my heat!”
Ashley Heath made it to the finals on Sunday and placed fifth in the 14-16 division. “It was really fun, it’s been amazing, and I feel like it’s also a little piece of history, as there aren’t that many women’s competitions around, and I love being part of this one,” she said. “I look up to all the pro girls here, they’re really empowering, and I’ve made some great friends along the way.”
The event was organized by Carla Zamora, who had initially founded a Queen of the Cove event in Malibu. She was thrilled with the success of the Ventura competition and says it will be an annual event. “It was spectacular. Perfect weather conditions, it was so beautiful and sunny, the wind didn’t come up and all the things just fell into alignment,” said Zamora. “We wanted an opportunity to both offer the pros a platform and money and bring the amateurs in to see what they could have in the future.”
The event concluded with a paddle out in sweaters to honor the late great Ventura surfing pioneer Mary Monks, who famously surfed Ventura County breaks in the 1950s in a wool sweater in lieu of a wetsuit, and whose photo adorns the Ventura pier.