Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

Cooking classes at Spice-Topia

Chef Amy inspires you with new recipes at downtown spice store. Photo by Michael Gordon

by Jennifer Tipton

Spice-Topia is the quaint little shop downtown on Main Street where fresh spices from all over the world, a variety of teas, infused olive oils, tasty balsamic and many other items tempt your culinary curiosity. One cannot walk by without being drawn in by the inviting scents of cinnamon and assorted spices, offering an invitation to create new recipes or bump the old ones up a notch or two!

Looking for new recipes or inspiration? Cooking classes are offered at Spice-Topia by either Chef Amy or Chef Lu usually every other week in the evening 6:30-8:30. These kitchen divas attended the same culinary school, both are personal chefs and have their own catering business.

The classes are demos so that the students participate like a live studio audience with attendees from all age groups, gender and cooking experience. Complimentary herbal iced tea is served and the menus range in theme from “Gourmet Italian” to “Taco Night” with special holiday menus such as “Sweetheart Supper” and the one I recently enjoyed, “Summer with Chef Amy”. This was a celebration of summer that offered Bloody Mary Tomato Crostini’s, Sticky Balsamic Ribs, Corn Skewers with Cilantro Lime Butter, 5 Bean Salad with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette and Blueberry Peach Portable Pie – oh yes!

As the chefs demo the preparation, students learn the fundamentals of chopping an onion (without crying), peeling garlic the easy way and other tricks of the trade such as proper technique and safe food handling. These types of lessons might be useful if you are deciding to open a restaurant. Make sure that you buy all the relevant equipment before deciding what food to serve. So, why don’t you have a look for this equipment at somewhere like Nella to get you on your way.

Chef Amy teaches about the origin of certain foods and emphasizes the importance of certified organic produce, the best cuts of meat, best places to shop and don’t even get her started on GMOs … Chef Amy states, “It’s okay to disagree with me, but remember, I have knives!”

Both chefs stress the importance of checking expiration dates which prompted me to tear through my pantry only to find a can of baking powder from 1986, (maybe that’s why my cakes kept falling) and maybe that’s why everything at Spice-Topia is so fresh and aromatic.

Although the classes are demos, all items on the menu have been pre-prepared, students are served samplers of everything and sent home with the recipes. Classes are only $35.00 and everyone gets 15% off their store purchase the night of the class. Such a deal!

Check their website for details: www.spicetopia.com

Vol. 10, No. 20 – July 5 – July 18, 2017 – Person to Person

by Jennifer Tipton
What type of housing do you think Ventura needs –
affordable or executive?

Connie Colloizo
age 51
Office manager for Dr. Faulstich D.D.S.
“Affordable housing! Prices are going up and that way everyone can afford their own home.”

 

 

Sally Campbell
age 68
Business owner at Spa Warehouse
“I think we need more executive type beach houses or apartments. Ventura is known for all the upscale restaurants, attractions and (of course) the beautiful beaches – perhaps people from the movie industry or young dynamic executive families would move here.”

 

Jessica McGuire
age 27
Does billing for The Trade Desk
“I don’t think Ventura needs either, I think we have plenty of both. I don’t qualify for low income and yet I don’t make enough to own an executive home – what about the middle class?”

 

Louie Luna
age 60
Truckdriver
“I’d say the majority of people would say affordable housing, but I think they should still offer executive (expensive) homes. There is a difference between affordable and low-income housing. I think it’s a balance and I don’t think Ventura meets the balance.”

 

Bon Wakam
age 58
Business Broker
“I think we need both, but to attract a lot of big companies we need to have housing for the executives to live in and there is more of a shortage of executive housing.”

 

Dennis Stevenson
age 61
Construction Contractor
“They both have merit – low income housing allows more people to get into the housing market, but executive housing would bring wealthier people and with them they would bring commerce and jobs’”

 

Ventura County Concert Band to open Ventura Music Festival’s 23rd season

The Ventura County Concert Band, conducted by Miss Julie Judd, will open the Ventura Music Festival’s 23rd season with a free public concert on Tuesday, July 11th, from 6 to 7pm at the Mini-Park on Main Street, between Oak and Palm.

“Julie tells me the Band is excited about playing, and I know they’ll give us a rousing start to the Festival with American music favorites ranging from Gershwin to Disney and Ray Charles,” said VMF Executive Director Susan Scott.

The Festival lineup includes nine more concerts between July 13-16 and July 21-23:

Project Understanding’s 40th anniversary celebration

by Jennifer Tipton

Project Understanding, founded in July 1977 is Ventura’s own nonprofit organization providing food, housing and tutoring to our less fortunate neighbors.

This Friday July 7, Project Understanding will be celebrating their 40th anniversary at The Poinsettia Pavilion from 6-10pm. The event will highlight testimonies from some of the individuals served by Project Understanding along with past Executive Directors and volunteers sharing their inspiration.

Admission to the event is $19.77 and includes dinner.

There will also be dance performances and salsa lessons followed by an open dance floor for all to join in.

Tickets (at $19.77)are available at: www.projectunderstanding40.eventbrite.com.

Rubicon Theatre Company goes on a magical flying carpet ride

‘A Whole New World’ kicks off the summer youth program with Aladdin JR., based on the iconic animated film and featuring an Academy Award-winning score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Soar to new heights on a magical, flying carpet ride filled with romance, adventure and hilarious hijinks. When street urchin Aladdin vies for the attention of the beautiful princess, Jasmine, he uses a genie’s magic power to become a prince in order to marry her. In Agrabah, City of Enchantment, every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail. Aladdin, a kind but wily street urchin, falls in love with beautiful Princess Jasmine.

Associate Artistic Director and Director of the Education and Outreach Programs Brian McDonald describes Aladdin JR., as “a delightful one-hour version of the Disney musical that is certain to entertain the entire family. We are having so much fun putting this show together and look forward to sharing it with our audiences.”

Aladdin JR. features an uplifting, award-winning musical score, puppets, and a cast of 24 elementary and high school students ranging in ages from 9 to 14.

Rubicon Summer Education Program Sponsors are The Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Foundation, Janet and Mark L. Goldenson, Sandra and Jordan Laby, Barbara Meister, and Loretta and Mike Merewether.

LGBTQ community resource center

The dream of a community resource center here in Ventura County serving the LGBTQ community is no longer a dream but a reality. After years of hard work, DCVC (Diversity Collective Ventura County) with community partners found a 4200 square foot location in the industrial area of Ventura at 2471 Portola Road. The facility is easily accessible from the 101 freeway with public transportation nearby. It features confidential office space, a large community room, large conference room, a kitchenette, and a large suite for programs.

Diversity Collective took occupancy of the building June 1st and relocated their offices. The first of the partners to move in was the Free 2 Be Me Foundation which provides transgender and non-binary services here in the county. Rainbow Umbrella which provides youth services and support and HOPE Counseling Center also moved in on July 1st.

Diversity Collective will launch its HIV-AIDS Education and Prevention Program in partnership with the County mid-July.

Join them on August 3rd for a grand opening and ribbon cutting with the Ventura Chamber of Commerce. Free appetizers and bubbly will be provided.

Make love at the Museum and not war

Experience the Summer of Love at the Museum of Ventura County

In the summer of 1967, nearly 100,000 people including artists, activists, writers and musicians from across the country, converged on San Francisco, igniting a cultural revolution; the season became known as the Summer of Love. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this historical movement, the Museum of Ventura County is presenting a summer series of events featuring notable speakers, movies, concerts, lectures and documentaries significant to the time.

July 8: Summer of Love tent-pole event features two tribute bands, a Volkswagen car show, button-making, food and a cash bar. Admission is $10/members, $15/non-members.

July 8 through Aug. 27: A community-based pop-up exhibit, curated to showcase the Ventura County community’s connection to and reality of the Summer of Love, titled Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out:

July 22: Screening of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, which took place two years after the Summer of Love, and on the country’s opposite coast. The showing starts at 5 p.m., with doors opening at 4 p.m. Admission is $10/members, $15/non-members. No-host bar available.

July 28: Presentation of the 1967 Best Picture, In the Heat of the Night, starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. Screening at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission is $5/members, $10/non-members. No-host bar available.

Aug. 10: Drummer Fito de la Parra talks about his life in rock ‘n roll, from his start as a house drummer at the Tom Cat Club in Torrance to joining the up-and-coming blues band Canned Heat. The lecture, “Bringing the Heat,” will run from 7-9 p.m. Admission is FREE/members, $5/non-members.

Aug. 17: Ventura County Poet Laureate, Phil Taggert, will perform readings from the works of writer Charles Bukowski. The event is from 6:30-9 p.m. Admission is $10/members, $15/non-members. No-host bar available.

Aug. 26: Grateful Dead Tribute Band Cubensis will pay tribute to the era’s significance as an epoch in the evolution of popular music. 5-8 p.m doors open at 4 p.m. Admission is $15/members, $20/non-members. No-host bar available.

Museum of Ventura County, 100 E Main St. Visit venturamuseum.org for a full schedule of events and exhibits. 653.0323 for more information. Open Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.