Historian and writer Vincent Burns and professor of journalism Stephen Bates will visit the Ojai Library at 1pm on Saturday, January 14, 2023, to speak about their book Rincon Point in a presentation titled “A History of Rincon Point in Photographs.”

Rincon Point is renowned as the Queen of the Coast, one of the premier surfing spots in the world, but that is only a fragment of its rich history. Before the arrival of Europeans, it was a Chumash village called Shuku. Banditos, nudists, movie stars, long-boarders—they have all shaped Rincon Point, a place immortalized by novelists, poets, painters, photographers, and the Beach Boys.

Vincent Burns has deep roots in the area. He helped build his grandmother’s house on Rincon Point and writes regularly on surf history. An historian, he had a 30-year career in publishing, bringing tens of thousands of books into print. He has a PhD in History from the University of Wisconsin.

Stephen Bates is a professor of journalism at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the author of five books, most recently Rincon Point. His family owned the Rincon del Mar Ranch in Carpinteria for more than a century.

The book features unique photographs from the Bateses and other early settlers, pioneer surfers of the 1950s and 1960s, the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, and elsewhere. This presentation will include a slide show of historical photos, particular information on the surfing history of Rincon Point, and tips on how (and how not) to write a local history book!

Rincon Point is available for purchase through Amazon and at www.arcadiapublishing.com/.

This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146 or [email protected].

The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Avenue in Ojai, CA. Hours of service are 10am to 8pm Monday through Thursday and 12pm to 5pm Friday through Sunday.

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.

Free tutoring for adults (18 and over) wanting to learn or improve their English and learn American culture. One-to-one tutoring is arranged by the tutor and adult learner. Next tutor training in early 2023.

We have tutors available in Ventura County. Locations can be in public libraries, coffee shops, churches, outdoors, or any place convenient to the tutor and adult learner.

Tutoring is usually 60 to 90 minutes per week.

Laubach Literacy of Ventura County has been teaching English for free for over 40 years in Ventura County.

Free-For more information contact Laubach Literacy of Ventura County (805) 385-9584 Please leave a message and we will call you back. Website: [email protected].

Dec.17: The Rotary Club of Ventura is co-hosting a free Holiday Event for Ventura West End Families on Saturday, at Arise Ventura, 831 N. Olive St. Families who live in the Ventura Avenue neighborhood are welcome to participate from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., or from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The event served 300 kids last year and expects about 500 this year. Kids will receive a jacket, a toy, a pair of earrings for mom, a box of food for the family, a Chick-Fil-A breakfast entree gift card, and a photo opportunity with Santa and his Elf. Some new Van shoes for teens will be given out in limited sizes. Hosting the event are Arise Ventura, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura, Chick-fil-A, Coats for Kids, Foodshare. Rotary Club of Ventura. and a generous donation of coats from SoCalGas.

Dec. 18, at 7pm Namba Performing Arts Space and Burch Studio will present Rock and Roll High a showcase for middle school/high school kids. Since 2004, Rock and Roll High has been southern California’s premier teen band program. Students have gone on to perform at Coachella, Jimmy Kimmel, and many successful bands in the music industry. The founder of Rock and Roll High, Aaron Burch opened Burch Studio in Ventura where he teaches the course today.

Presented at Namba Performing Arts Space 47 S. Oak Street, Ventura.

Tickets: Tickets for this show are $10-$20 and may be purchased at the Namba Arts website www.nambaarts.com

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!

Ojai ACT brings you all the “trimmin’s” for a special holiday season with an intergenerational production of Elf The Musical running weekends from Friday, November 25 through Sunday, December 18. Performance times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Special Saturday matinees have been added to the schedule, November 26—December 17.

Elf The Musical is directed by Gai Laing Jones, Ojai’s preeminent theater educator, master teacher, and inspirational speaker. “No one likes putting together intergenerational shows more than Gai,” Tracey Williams Sutton, Ojai ACT’s Artistic Director, said. “And no one is better at it. We’re lucky to have her here in Ojai.”

Based on the 2003 critically and commercially successful film, Elf, starring Will Ferrell, the stage musical has become a holiday staple for both professional and community theaters nationwide. Elf follows the

Tickets are on sale now. General admission is $25, $20 for students, seniors, and Art Center members, and $10 for children age 12 and under. For Ticket information and group sales call 805-640-8797.

Events by Ana Baker

The Ventura Senior Men’s Group continues to meet for a social lunch and program at the Poinsettia Pavilion on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Men of all descriptions are always welcome to stop to sample our shenanigans. Lyle Hotzler at 805-341-9820 or Rick Follenweider at 650-520-1098 can supply details.

Do you want a Play Bridge? Join us for ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge gamesevery Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. At 12:30 p.m. 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.

Nov. 22, etc.: Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice’s free grief and bereavement program are committed to providing free bereavement services to the community in the open, accepting, confidential atmosphere. The groups provide support, connections, and validation that they are not alone. Good Grief Club, Tuesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. starting from November 22, 2022, through January 17, 2023 (RSVP required) Young Teen Groups, Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. beginning December 1, 2022, through January 19, 2023 (RSVP required). We’ve also added an in-person group for Survivors of a Suicide Loss beginning December 7. It meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. (Registration required). To register or for additional information on our wide range of grief and bereavement support, please contact Stacia Sickle, Director of the Grief Program, at (805) 389-6870 x452 or [email protected].

Nov. 25, 26, 27; Dec. 3 & 4; 10 & 11: Dudley House Holiday Boutique. The 28th annual fundraiser for the 1892 historic house museum is back. Come celebrate the spirit of holidays past, where you’ll find quality crafts, home décor, antiques and collectibles, a silent auction, and a bargain “basement.” New hours are 11 to 5 p.m. with a flea market added 8 to 4 p.m. outside on Sundays. Located at 197 N. Ashwood in Ventura. (805) 642-3345. Free.

Nov.26: Local rising star Olivia Willhite is playing an all ages show at Bombay’s from 5pm-7pm, to celebrate several important milestones. A big one is her runaway hit song Runaway Man, which is poised to surpass 6 million streams on Spotify that same week.

The singer-songwriter and musician will also be taking the opportunity at the show to thank her fans and the local surf community who have embraced her from when her career first began. She’ll also be releasing her first album in the spring–so bring your whole family–there’s a lot to celebrate!

Dec.1: A Christmas Carol previews on Thursday, December 1 at 7:30 pm, opens on Saturday, December 3 at 8 p.m., and runs through Sunday, December 18 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., with added performances on Sunday, December 4 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, December 10 at 4 p.m.

Ticket prices range from $40 – $84. Single tickets are available through the ETC box office at (805) 965-5400 or online at etcsb.org. Prices are subject to change.

Dec.11: The Compassionate Friends of West Ventura County invites you to join us in remembering and honoring the bright shining stars we love and miss so much in the 2022 Worldwide Candle Lighting from 6-8 p.m. Remembering through photos and music, creating decorations for a memorial tree sharing food and conversation with others lighting a candle for your child. All are welcome to attend. Call for location information and to RSVP Laura (914) 610-8918

Dec.10: International Human Rights Day Open House Saturday 1 to 3 p.m. Join us for a day to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to. Guest speakers include Imam Muhammed Shoayb Mehtar, Religious and Interfaith Director of the Islamic Center of Conejo Valley, Venerable Thepo Tulku Rinpoche, Co-Founder of the Tibetan Association of Southern California, Buddhist Lama, Human Rights Activists. Church of Scientology of Ventura 2151 Alessandro Dr.

Dec.11: The First Annual Holiday Parade on Wheels takes place at Ventura Community Park (Telephone & Kimball Road) Saturday at 4 p.m. Decorated bikes, and any other wheeled zero-emission mobility, will parade on the Class 1 recreation path inside. The event benefits and is hosted by Bike VC. Proceeds from Holiday Parade on Wheels contribute to Bike VC operations and programs. Registration is limited to the first 250 entries. Parade Guidelines and required registration details are available at https://bikeventura.org/holiday-parade-on-wheels-2022/ or Evenbrite.com.

Dec. 11: Patchwork Show on California & Main 11 to 5 p.m. Patchwork Show featuring 60+ local makers, crafters, junior entrepreneurs, designers, and food artisans alongside crafting stations. Family and dog-friendly, a vibrant downtown street location surrounded by shops and restaurants, and Free to attend.

Dec.18: Channel Islands PC User Group (CIPCUG) will have a discussion, tutorial, and Q&A sessions centered around computers, email, and the Internet, social media brokers such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, and Yahoo. All CIPCUG events may be attended online. Due to limited space, live attendance is reserved for members. Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Location: Online and now live at Ventura County Computers 2175 Goodyear Avenue, Unit 117 Ventura. (805) 289-3960 To receive connection instructions, please sign up on our website at: <ahref=http://www.cipcug.org>cipcug club website</a>.

Events by Ana Baker

Want to cure the Holiday Blues? Consider joining Circle of Friends, a social group for retired women. The Club is seeking new members. The group meets monthly for a business/luncheon on the first Wednesday of the month at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Road, Ventura. Various events promote friendship and fun among the members. For more information, call Loretta at 805-216-1694 or Carol at 805-340-6336. The price for a luncheon is $25, and the annual fee is $50.

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 of each month. Men of all descriptions are always welcome 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 p.m. 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.

Nov. 4-6: The Queen of the Cove is the first all-women’s longboard surf competition in Ventura and will be held at C Street. The event will feature amateur and professional divisions, is open to all ages, and will benefit More than Conquerors Surf, supporting foster youth and engaging them in surfing. There will be a special event on Sunday celebrating the legacy of Ventura surf pioneer Mondo’s Mary with a paddle out in sweaters—something Mary adopted in place of a wetsuit in the 1950s.

Nov. 6:  Open house tours of the 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum will take place on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.  Admission is free.  The museum is located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood Streets (197 N. Ashwood).  Please call (805) 642-3345 or visit the website at dudleyhouse.org.

Nov. 6: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc.

Sunday, 2 -4 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Rd.

Live Music on stage. Jamming in the Canada Room. Free Admission. Free parking and

open to the public. For more information, call 805-517-1131 or visit Facebook: OTCBGMA.

Nov. 8: Ventura Audubon Society: Ten Million Birds: A Bird Photographer’s View of Great Salt Lake. 7 – 8:30 p.m. Poinsettia Pavilion and Zoom. Join our November program featuring wildlife photographer Mary Anne Karen. Our November program will be a hybrid meeting via Zoom or in person at the Poinsettia Pavilion, Canada Larga Room, 3451 Foothill Rd. For more information and the Zoom link, go to https://www.venturaaudubon.org/monthly-speakers.

Nov.8: November 8, 2022, Tuesday, San Buenaventura Women’s Club meeting. Noon Lunch ($20) program and meeting. Poinsettia Pavilion, 3451 Foothill Road. Program: Mary O. Kerrigan, Exec. Director of Step Up Ventura. (805) 654-8370. Reservations required. Everyone welcome.

Nov. 13: Olivas Adobe Volunteer, Open House at 10 a.m., Do you like gardening, history, and planning events? See how volunteering at the Olivas Adobe can fit into your schedule. We have something for everyone to share and enjoy this historic site.

Nov. 13: Toys of Old 11- 3 p.m. Discover what toys may have been enjoyed by young and old alike at the Olivas Adobe through the ages. Croquet, dice, board games and more. Costumed docents will be on-site for tours of the Olivas property, and the gift shop will be open with unique items for purchase. Also, the Family of Distinction exhibit, with paintings by Laura J Jespersen. For more information, go to www.cityofventura.ca.gov/Olivasadobe.

Nov. 15: Livingston Webinar Series – How to Be a Grief Partner
You do not need extensive training in psychology to provide support to someone grieving. This free webinar will give you the tools to create a proper environment for the bereaved to follow their natural process to do their grief work. This webinar is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. To register, visit lmvna.org/webinars.

20: The Ventura and Santa Barbara County chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) will meet on Sunday in the Campus Student Center of Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road. The regular meeting starts at 11 a.m. There will be a mart where items will be for sale, followed by lunch. An informational meeting and a presentation on clocks or watches will start at 1 p.m. Bring a watch or clock for a free evaluation. Monthly meetings are held on the 3rd Sunday at the Ventura College location. More information about chapter 190 can be found at www.nawcc-ch190.com.

Nov 27: 10th Annual Giant Christmas Tree Lighting from 5-7 p.m. at the Orchard Community Church, 8180 Telephone Rd. Come kick off the Christmas Season as we light our Giant Christmas Tree in East Ventura. Free snacks & activities for the whole family! The lighting ceremony begins at 6:45 p.m. with selfies, photo ops, photo booths, Live Music, a Caroling Choir, Free Hot Chocolate, Popcorn, Crafts, Face Painting, Cookie Decorating, Christmas Bingo, and more.

The Ojai Film Festival returns November 3-20, 2022 for its 23rd year with both in-person and virtual events, celebrating the works of filmmakers from around the world. The official festival schedule includes 84 selected films (varying from features, shorts, documentaries, and animated films), over a dozen seminars, panels, and receptions with filmmakers, live music from local artists, and the Awards Brunch.

For the second year in a row, the festival will run in hybrid form, screening all films in person from November 4-7 at the Ojai Art Center, and virtually from November 8-20 via the Eventive.org festival hosting platform, doubling last year’s length of virtually available stream times.

This year’s festival features an expanded selection of conversations with filmmakers and creatives that delve deeper into the world of film, production and post-production, from the Emmy-nominated director and producer team, Michael Milano and Noémie Dumont  (137 Shots, Ojai Burning) to VFX Specialist, Bill Mather (Star Trek: Generations, Men in Black and Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope), and more. This year’s World Music in Film seminar, designed to raise awareness of the many world cultures that are presented to us through a variety of mediums, will focus on the music in film tracks.

Two Lifetime Achievement Awards, now known as Distinguished Artist Awards, will be presented to audio engineer Paul Massey (Moonage Daydream, Deadpool, 007: No Time to Die) and actress Jacqueline Bisset (Loren and Rose, La Ceremonie, The Deep).  For the second year in a row, there will also be two dynamic Diversity in Film panels, and a special Diversity Film Award, sponsored by Panavision.  All awards and trophies will be presented at the Awards Brunch on Sunday, November 6, to which all are invited.

The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Upper Ojai is pleased to present BeatoFest, an art fair featuring live music, tours, and demonstrations on the back patio of the Center. A wine bar and vegetarian fare will be among the offerings. The event is free to the public. On Sunday, Nov. 6, from 11am-4pm.
“Beato” is the nickname of Beatrice Wood, and the event celebrates Wood leaving her home, studio and art collection for the creation of an art center in Happy Valley, in honor of Annie Besant’s 1927 vision for the land.
Live music begins at 11 am with Francisco Leon, followed by the RubySky Music from Noon to 2 pm. Jill Martini & The Shrunken Heads take the stage from 2 – 3 pm, and singer/songwriter Kimberly Lee performs at 3 pm.
The film Special People: Beatrice Wood, directed by Gail Cottman, will be screened throughout the day, and the Center will be open for self-guided tours.
For more information, contact the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts at 805-646-3381 or [email protected].
A special event coming up at the Ojai Library. California State University Channel Islands Professor of History Rainer F. Buschmann, Ph.D. will visit the Ojai Library at 1pm on Saturday, November 19, 2022, to deliver a talk titled “Primitive Art in Civilized Places: Oceanic Art between the West and the Pacific.”

A new exhibition, Ojai Day Mandalas, opens at the Ojai Valley Museum. The pop-up exhibit will only be on view for four weeks. It runs through November 6.

The annual Ojai Day Mandala is a long-time tradition. Started by local artist River Sauvageau, she continues to lead a small group of women who plan the design and lead the community painting. The exhibition explores making the yearly Mandala through drawings, photographs, and videos provided by the self-titled Mandala Mavens.

In addition to Ojai Day Mandalas, small exhibitions on a range of topics related to the history of the valley, and a diorama of the Sespe Wilderness, are always on view at the museum.

The Ojai Film Festival spotlights filmmaking in the Ojai Valley, and surrounding areas, with the Gold Coast series which ties up the four days of in-person screenings on Monday, November 7. This year’s Bill Paxton Award goes to Travis Greer, whose narrative feature “Time Capsule” will screen that evening at 7 p.m.

Honorees, including Greer, will receive their awards at a brunch on Sunday morning, November 6, in the Ojai Art Center courtyard. Gold Coast screenings happen at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. on Monday, November 7, also at the Ojai Art Center.

The Ojai City Council declined to deal with the decision to allow up to three cannabis lounges in the city. Council members decided to hold off on the item until a new City Council is installed in January.

A cannabis lounge allows cannabis smoking, vaping or consumption of edibles on-site. Port Hueneme is expected to open the first cannabis lounge in Ventura County this fall.

Events by Ana Baker

The Ventura Senior Men’s Group continues to meet for a social lunch and program at the Poinsettia Pavilion on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Men of all descriptions are always welcome 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 Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 12:30 p.m. 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.

Oct. 22, 23: The Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra (CHICO for short) turns 20 years old this season. To commemorate that birthday, CHICO, which features some of the most talented musicians in Ventura and Santa Barbara County, will celebrate with two exciting concerts culminating in a gala celebration and a champagne reception after the second concert. The concerts will take place in Camarillo on Saturday, October 22, at 7 p.m. located at St. Mary Magdalen Church 25 N. Las Posas Road. Sunday, October 23 at 3 p.m. in Ventura, at Ventura First United Methodist Church, 1338 E. Santa Clara Street.

Oct. 22: The Ventura County Genealogical Society will host the Annual Family History and Genealogy seminar, presented virtually this year as a webinar on Zoom. Presenting:

Making Sense of the Census. An In-Depth Look at Census Records by Gena Philibert-Ortega

Learn how to search census records more effectively. Saturday, 8:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Registration fee: $30. Registration is available online.

2022 Annual Seminar

Oct. 26: The College Area Community Council will be holding a Zoom meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Council meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month and include speakers and discussion on neighborhood and community interest topics, including public safety and economic development. An invitation and link to the meeting will be sent to everyone on the CACC mailing list. CACC represents citizens in the area bounded by Mills Road on the west, Hill Road on the east, city limits on the hillsides on the north, and the 126 Freeway on the south. Visit the College Area Community Council website @ https://caccventura.com to learn more, add to the mailing list, or access a link to the Zoom meeting.

Oct. 30: Ventura Friends of the Library will hold their Annual Membership Meeting in E.P. Foster Library Topping Room 651 E Main St, from 2- 4 p.m. Keeping with the Taste Makers theme of One County One Book, we have invited Emily Tan from SpiceTopia to spice up our meeting with a flavorful tale. All are invited to attend. A brief business meeting for members will follow the presentation to receive the Treasurer’s report, elect the Officers for 2023, and vote on a bylaw change.

Nov. 2: 9:30 a.m, BCNN monthly coffee meet at the Ventura Yacht Club in Ventura Harbor. The speaker will be our own harbor area’s Connie Korenstein. Connie is known as the actress behind many recreations of Oxnard history and has written a children’s book on this. At the meeting, Connie will talk about the history of women’s hats from 1600 on. Many will be available to try on and photograph.

BCNN (Beach Cities Neighbors and Newcomers) is a group for women from Ventura, Oxnard and Port Hueneme. It has dozens of small group off shoots from sports activities, to wine tasting, bridge, games, book groups and more. Newcomers are welcome to attend gratis, to see if they like it. (www.bcnnwomensgroup.org)

Nov. 2,16: Parent grief support group. The Compassionate Friends (TCF) of West Ventura County provides free grief support for families after the death of a child. Parents, grandparents, and siblings over 16 are welcome to join us on

the first and third Wednesdays of every month from 7-8:30 p.m. via ZOOM. First-time attendees join the call at 6:45 p.m. We provide peer-led support where you can openly grieve without judgment. If interested, please contact (805) 835-9100 and leave your email address so we can forward the ZOOM link via email a few days before the scheduled call. For more information, visit TCFVentura.org. To speak with the TCF Chapter Leader in Ventura, contact Laura Lindsay at (914) 610-8918. We welcome you to this club no one ever wants to join. We understand grief and are here to help you take the next step in your healing journey.

Nov. 5&6: The Gold Coast Gem Show is coming to the Ventura County Fairgrounds featuring dealers, including demonstrators and local Gem and Mineral Societies. Diane Cook, the owner of Daisy’s Rocks and Things, has curated a variety of vendors/dealers who specialize in gems, minerals, and fossils. Show goers will find unique and quality specimens, beads, jewelry, and lapidary supplies, including demonstrations and kids activities, fun for the whole family.

The show is free and open to the public (fairground parking is additional). The show hours are Saturday, November 5, 10-5 pm, and Sunday, November 5, 10-4 pm. The Ventura County Fairgrounds is located at 10 W. Harbor Blvd.

Nov.19: Channel Islands PC User Group (CIPCUG) Online and live at our temporary location Ventura County Computers 2175 Goodyear Avenue, Unit 117 (805) 289-3960

Discussion, Tutorial, and Q&A sessions centered on Computers, email, and the Internet, social media brokers such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, and Yahoo. Events begin at 9:30 am.

All CIPCUG events can be attended online. Due to limited space, live attendance is reserved for members. Details for connecting to online events are emailed before the event.