by Richard Newsham

Find out for yourself why the young Calidore String Quartet, from L.A.’s Colburn School of Music, has won the decade’s most prestigious honors for chamber music as it’s traversed the globe’s top venues, delighting audiences at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, BBC Proms, Berlin Konzerthaus—and now the Ventura College Performing Arts Center on Sunday, July 14, at 3 p.m., as the ensemble concludes the first weekend of the Ventura Music Festival’s 25th season.

The two violinists, violist and cellist will engage listeners with Beethoven’s inward spiraling Opus 127, as the composer moved from struggle to a Hindu-inspired inner peace, complete with playful “leapfrog” games among the strings. Next comes the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Gen X-er composer Caroline Shaw whose Three Essays are inspired by Marilynne Robinson’s essential essays, The Givenness of Things, the “echo” chamber of today’s social media, and the elegant Japanese programming language Ruby. Calidore concludes with Mendelssohn’s final work, Opus 80, a poignant cry for and celebration of his beloved and recently-deceased sister Fanny.

The string quartet with its intimate, complex, interwoven fabric of sound “is an amazing way to converse musically with others,” says Shaw—a kind of music “that will be contemporary forever,” added Stravinsky—“a strange composite being” of four individuals who share communal decisions yet do things spontaneously, requiring the other players to respond in real time. It’s “a zone of magic” for every audience to witness–don’t miss “the Calidore experience!”

Richard Newsham is a Ventura Music Festival consultant

CAPS Medias’ ever-expanding community wide services include ongoing collaborations with Community Councils throughout Ventura. CAPS records, broadcasts and streams the local meetings, and provides the councils with the recorded event for their use. CAPS recorded the East Ventura Community Council meetings in April and May and will cover the EVCC meeting in June. CAPS also recorded the Westside Community Council meeting in June and will cover the Midtown Community Council meeting in July. Every meeting is broadcast on CAPS Channel 6 and streamed on capsmedia.org the week following the meeting and the councils post the events on their websites and social media. Other community councils interested in having CAPS Media record their meeting should contact CAPS at [email protected] or call 805-658-0500.

A CAPS Congratulations to all the college, high school, middle school and elementary school graduates in Ventura. And congratulations to this year’s Mayor for a Moment honorees who are all headed to middle school in the fall. The Mayor for a Moment student recognition program is a collaboration with the City of Ventura, the Ventura Unified School District and CAPS Media. Each month an outstanding 5th grader is selected by the individual elementary schools. CAPS Media produces video profiles on the young mayors and their schools which are shown when the outstanding students are recognized at City Council meetings and VUSD School Board Meetings. The Mayor for a Moment Class of 2018-2019 are Tyleigh Matheson (Loma Vista), Jazzmn Viot-Preciado (ATLAS), Alexa Swanson (E.P. Foster), Darby Mussehl (Blanche Reynolds). Ammar Atiah (Elmhurst), Joey Becerra (Junipero Serra), Ella Dritz (Mound) and Lily Sheldon (Pierpont).

CAPS is always eager to provide the public with tours of the CAPS Media Center. In the past few weeks CAPS Media has welcomed numerous community leaders and members of the public for individual tours including Deputy Mayor Sofia Rubalcava, Councilmember Jim Friedman, City Manager Alex McIntyre, Deputy City Manager Barry Fisher, Ventura Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Roger Rice and others. The tours of the facility include the video studio and control room, radio station, video equipment, editing stations, production truck and more, providing the opportunity to see first-hand the extensive resources and services provided by CAPS Media to the community.

Everyone is welcome at CAPS. Tours of the CAPS Media Center can be arranged for any community group including nonprofit and faith based organizations, youth groups, service clubs and more. In addition, the CAPS Media Center conference room is available to nonprofit and educational groups for community meetings. The conference room accommodates up to 30 people. Those interested in scheduling a tour or a meeting at the CAPS Media Center should contact CAPS at [email protected] or call 805-658-0500.

All of the resources and training at the CAPS Media Center are available to the entire Ventura community. To find out more go to capsmedia.org/events, sign up for the next orientation class on the first Thursday of the month and discover that for a low annual membership fee members can receive hands-on instruction in videography, video editing, radio production (additional fee required) and more. All Member/Producers have access to CAPS Media’s state-of-the-art facilities including video cameras, editing systems, the fully equipped television and radio studios and more. All of the information is online at capsmedia.org, or you can call 805-658-0500 to get complete information.

On July 1, 2019, Ventura County’s iconic Danny’s Deli & Grill located in mid-town Ventura will be celebrating 20 years of serving our community. Owners’ Wendy Collings and son Alex Everhart will be hosting a celebration at the restaurant on Sunday, June 30^th and Monday, July 1^st, 2019.

To both commemorate this wonderful milestone and to honor our beautiful city, award winning local artist, MB Hanrahan, will have completed her 85 foot mural on the exterior wall of the restaurant. The mural will feature images representing Ventura’s rich history and beautiful surroundings. Danny’s Deli is proud to support this public art project as a gift to our community.

With a large selection of traditional homemade deli options and an expanding menu that includes many new vegetarian/vegan entrees, Danny’s is sure to have something delightful for everyone.

Danny’s Deli & Grill is a family owned and operated restaurant with a dedicated staff, many of who have been with the restaurant since its opening day. Many customers are long time regulars who have become part of Danny’s Deli’s extended families. With a friendly and comfortable atmosphere, Danny’s has always been a location for singles, friends, families, businesses and groups to meet, as well as a place you can go to feel completely welcome.

Danny’s Deli & Grill

3263 Telegraph Road

(805) 289-9200

Isabella Kress is a recent Culinary Arts and English Education graduate from Cerritos College. She will be continuing her educational journey as an English Education major with emphasis in Creative Writing at California State University, Long Beach Fall 2019. She recently placed as the 1st place winner of Cerritos College’s 15th Annual “Falcons Out Loud” Poetry Competition in 2018. When not writing poetry, Isabella enjoys cooking, traveling, singing, salsa dancing, and visiting family and friends in her hometown, Ventura. What started as only one poem for a creative writing class inspired her to create a collection of real, raw poetry that is Moonlight Reflections.

With one’s darkness, also comes light. Moonlight Reflections is a series of short poems split into two sections (Engulfed in the Darkness and Embracing the Light) that discuss the often dark struggles of poisonous relationships, loneliness and self-acceptance, and illuminate the triumph of overcoming hardships, finding inner peace, and learning to love again. Moonlight Reflections is for those who have loved and have lost, who have faced hardship, but are still moving forward, and those who are broken, but ready to begin healing. May this short, yet powerful collection bring you comfort and a sense of peace as you find your light within life’s darkness.

Moonlight is now available for purchase on Amazon.com.

Isabella is the daughter of Ventura Breeze Assistant to the Publisher Ana Baker

Lavender magic returns for the 16th year as Ojai festoons herself in fragrant, purple glory to celebrate an especially bountiful and breathtakingly beautiful season of local lavender. While drought and fire affected last year’s crop, Mother Nature has been most tender with temps and generous with rain in 2019 to produce a banner year for the versatile herb.

Always held the last Saturday in June to coincide with Ojai’s peak lavender bloom Festival will be Saturday, June 29th, 10am-5pm at Libbey Park. The festival draws thousands annually to Ojai for a family-friendly day of art, music, food, games, speakers, prizes and over 100 vendors offering a wide array of lavender and lavender-inspired products, including oils, vinegars, honey, aromatherapy and beauty products, culinary items, candles and of course plenty of freshly cut, dried and potted lavender. Local shops, restaurants, wineries, breweries, java cafes and overnight accommodations love to participate in the lavender celebration, too, and many feature unique lavender items and sales specials.

The sober side to this exciting event is that 2019 will be the final festival, at least as of the moment of this writing. The Ojai Valley Lavender Festival (OVLF) committee – tiny but fierce – has produced this incredible event for 16 years. The all-volunteer team lead by Executive Director Neil Friedrichsen, President Cindy Mullins and Vice President Joy Brown, is ready to retire. Yes, it’s a lot of work but it brings so much joy to so many. Hopefully another group or organization will step up and assume the lavender mantel to carry the festival into the future. Interested? Please contact Cindy Mullins at www.ojaivalleylavenderfestival.org to learn more.

Start with a 10:00 am performance by musician Richard Kaller on Libbey Park’s front patio. The all-day music lineup at the gazebo will feature the Old Time Fiddlers, District 8 at 10:00 am; Hal Waite and the Gaddis Boys at 11:15 pm; Lynn Mullins and Coyote Creek at 12:30 pm; Smitty and Julija at 1:45 pm, Cindy Kalmenson and the Lucky Ducks at 2:45 pm; and Jon Gindick at 3:45 p.m.

The festival speakers’ tent will present Renee Roth at 12:00 pm with “Greywater Reclamation,” and Amanda Mullins at 2:00 pm with “Make Your Favorite Foods Nutritious and Delicious.”

Art, including entries in the 2019 Ojai Valley Lavender Festival Art Contest, will be on display and for sale in the festival’s art pavilion.

OVLF’s popular Passport Game will offer fun, adventure and plenty of chances to win great prizes donated by festival vendors.

Another favorite, local Frog Creek Lavender Farm will again join the festivities, offering farm visits with U-pick lavender at its Upper Ojai farm 10:00 am- 5:00 pm on festival day, June 29th, and 10:00 am-3:00 pm weekends through July. www.frogcreekfarmojai.com for directions and details.

As a nonprofit organization, the Ojai Valley Lavender Festival has long supported the community through scholarship awards and community grants. This year’s $2,500 OLVF David Mason Scholarship Award goes to Claire Hankins. Additional $2,000 OVLF Scholarship recipients are Karen Romero Sanchez, Angela Zirpolo, Aliyah Zweig and Giovanni Torres.

The free event offers free parking managed by Chief Peak 4-H, with complimentary parking shuttles run by HELP of Ojai. OVLF warmly thanks these organizations, as well as Ojai/Ventura Teen Challenge, Von’s, Ojai City Council, and OVLF’s many new and returning volunteers, vendors and festival guests, for helping to make the Ojai Valley Lavender Festival a joyful, memorable, and successful community event year after year. It’s been a really great romp through the lavender. Learn more at www.ojaivalleylavenderfestival.org

Rallies protesting bans and restrictions on abortion in Alabama and other states were held recently at the Ventura County Government Center The event was organized by the Planned Parenthood Central Coast Action Fund.

by Sheldon Brown

Recently I had lunch with Breezy Gledhill at the Mad Rose Italian Mediterranean Restaurant located in Downtown.

We were served by owner Kelly Tyburski who was very pleasant and accommodating.

It has a very nicely designed interior with an enclosed patio facing Main and a small sit down bar.

We were first served excellent warm rolls.

Breezy had a salad that she added shrimp to. I thought that it was a little small but Breezy said that it was excellent.

I had Milano (salmon in lemon cream sauce with cherry tomatoes and maui). It was also excellent with large chunks of salmon. I drank water because I am determined to start drinking water which I very seldom do.

The Mad Rose offers a globe-trotting mix of dishes representing such Mediterranean countries as Spain, France, Argentina, Greece and, of course, Italy! They serve all of the usual Italian dishes, salads, hot antipasti, choice of 11 pastas dishes, house specialties ,entrees (Cioppino-Lasgna) all moderately priced for the good food and ambience.

I will certainly eat there again.

www.themadrose.com 543 E. Main. 805-628-3985

Opens at 11:30 Tue.-Fri. and Sat.-Sun. at 2:30.

Avenue Library

Summer Reading Events

Christopher T. Magician
7/3 Wednesday @ 3-4pm
Children love him! His audiences are as much a part of the show as he is, shouting, helping, and participating.

Joe Gandelman – Ventriloquist
7/10 Wednesday @ 3-4pm

Each show features a variety of puppets in comedic skits that children and family audiences have laugh out loud fun.
Ojai Raptor Center
7/17 Wednesday @ 3-4pm
They will educate children about the work that they do to rehabilitate and take care of wild animals in our community.
Inlakech Cultural Arts
7/24 Wednesday @ 3-4pm
For nearly five decades, Inlakech has worked to empower at-risk youth through the cultural arts. Show will feature artists, musicians, singers and dancers!

Jessica Vang
7/31 Wednesday @ 3-4pm
Miss Jessica is a local early literacy and youth guitar/singer who sings a variety of fun and engaging songs.

E.P. Foster Library

Children’s Summer Reading Shows

7/5 Humane Society Thursday @ 11am

The Humane Society will bring in one of their furry friends and teach children about pet etiquette, resources for animals, and more.

7/12 – David Cousin Friday @ 11am

David Cousin is a holder of 5 world records in juggling and has performed professional family-oriented comedy juggling shows throughout the world.

7/18 Alane Adams Author Thursday @ 11am

Alane Adams is a social entrepreneur, philanthropist, professor, award-winning author and an avid literacy advocate.

7/18 Craig Newton Thursday @ 12pm

Get ready for foot stomping, hand clapping, sing-along fun as musician Craig Newton brings TEN different instruments to your library. Entertaining and educational!

7/25 Ojai Raptor Center Thursday @11am

The Ojai Raptor Center will educate children about the work that they do to rehabilitate and take care of wild animals in our community.

Hill Road Library

Summer Reading Events
Humane Society
7/2 Tuesday@ 5pm
The Humane Society will bring in one of their furry friends and teach children about pet etiquette, resources for animals, and more.

Ojai Raptor Center
7/16 Tuesday @ 4pm

They will educate children about the work that they do to rehabilitate and take care of wild animals in our community.

Abbit the Average, Magician
7/23 Tuesday @ 4pm

Comedic magician Abbit the Average will be here entertaining children of all ages.

Bilingual Musician/Singer Nathalia

7/30 Tuesday @ 4pm

Nathalia is a wonderful performer who will sing in both Spanish and English for children of all ages.

Saticoy Library
Summer Reading Events

Humane Society
7/1 Monday @ 3pm
The Humane Society will bring in one of their furry friends and teach children about pet etiquette, resources for animals, and more.

Ojai Raptor Center
7/8 Tuesday @ 3pm

They will educate children about the work that they do to rehabilitate and take care of wild animals in our community.

Christopher T. Magician

7/15 Monday @ 3-4pm
Children love him! His audiences are as much a part of the show as he is, shouting, helping, and participating.

Craig Newton Musician

7/22 Monday @ 3pm

Get ready for foot stomping, hand clapping, sing-along fun as musician Craig Newton brings TEN different instruments to your library. Entertaining and educational!

Inlakech Cultural Arts

7/29 Monday @ 3-4pm

For nearly five decades, Inlakech has worked to empower at-risk youth through the cultural arts. Show will feature artists, musicians, singers and dancers!

Kona Ice

7/25 Thursdsay @ 1pm

Come enjoy a sweet treat from Kona Ice truck!

Closures this Month

July 4th—Independence Day

Villanova Preparatory School held its ninety-second commencement on June 1, 2019 at the campus grotto. The ceremony hosted parents, alumni, and other specials guests, and was live streamed on the school website.

Head of School Nancy O’Sullivan, along with Very Reverend Gary E. Sanders, O.S.A., Prior Provincial, Province of St. Augustine in California, conferred diplomas to a diverse group of fifty-eight graduates. The class of 2019 featured day and resident students from Argentina, China, the Philippines, Turkey, Vietnam, and the United States. Seventeen students graduated as International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme candidates, the largest cohort at Villanova to date. Villanova became an IB World School in 2015 and continues to see steady growth in both the certificate and full diploma programs.

Villanova Assistant Head of School for Academics, Brian Grisin, served as Master of Ceremonies, introducing several key speakers and musical performances.

Keynote Speaker and Villanova alum, Wyatt Oroke ’09, returned to his alma mater from Baltimore, MD, where he serves as an inner-city educator and advocate of social justice and literacy. Oroke delivered a powerful and emotive speech.

Speaking directly to the graduates, Oroke said, “We have been given an incredible gift today but also an incredible power. So my question to you is this: What are you are you going to do with that power? How will you use the lessons you have learned here to open doors for others, lift others up, and challenge the structures and systems of oppression that hold people back?”

Since its founding by the Augustinian Order in 1924, Villanova has flourished into one of the finest Catholic college preparatory day and boarding schools in the nation. The school seeks to instill the Augustinian values of Truth, Unity and Love into all aspects of student life. Villanova is the only boarding school in California that offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, part of the strong foundation that provides acceptance to selective colleges and universities, contributing to each student’s future success.