Category Archives: This ‘n’ That

The Bookmark About Libraries and Friends

by Mary Olson

November brings the culmination of Ventura County Library’s annual community reading program, One County, One Book, featuring the book Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America. Author Mayukh Sen will speak at 2 pm on Saturday, November 12 at California State University, Channel Islands’ Grand Salon. Following his talk, Sen will sign copies of his book. Copies of his book will be available for purchase at the event.

Registration for the Author Talk with Mayukh Sen is free but required.

To offset the travel and venue expenses of the free author event, the Ventura County Library Foundation is hosting Passports, a lively discussion with local food influencers on topics ranging from County food trends to local and worldwide food issues followed by small bites representative of the food cultures in Ventura County. Included will be tastes from India, Oxnard’s Mixteco community, France, China and Italy and wines donated by local vintners. Passports will begin at noon in the Grand Salon.

For more information and to register for both events, go to www.vclibraryfoundation.org. Tickets are free for the author event and $75 for Passports.

Also, in November, two lectures in the California State University Channel Islands Lecture Series will be presented in Ventura County Library branches. These lectures are free and open to the public.

Chumash Presence Past and Present

at Hill Road Library on Saturday, November 5, 11:30 am

This archaeology focused presentation covers the unique history and culture of the mitsqanaqan̓ (Ventureño) Chumash and their adaptations to the natural environment of the Santa Monica Mountains, the ocean, Mugu Lagoon, and the Oxnard Plain, including Chumash activities in Ventura County today.

For more information, contact Linda Cherry, Librarian, (805) 677-7180.

Primitive Art in Civilized Places

at Ojai Library on Saturday, November 19, 1 pm

For more information, contact the Ojai Library at 805-646-1639.

Ventura Friends of the Library will have a table at the One County One Book event at Channel Islands State University where we will have cookbooks for sale. We’ll take every opportunity to place our donated books into the hands of new readers! Please drop in to our book store in E.P. Foster Library, Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and check out our sale shelves at Hill Road Library. We are always looking for new members and volunteers to sort and price donated books and to staff the bookstore. If you are interested, stop by the bookstore or email [email protected]

Ventura Chamber ribbon cutting at Deep Sea Wine Tasting Room in Ventura Harbor Village

Just in time for Fall, the new Deep Sea Wine Tasting Room in Ventura Harbor Village is giving wine lovers a reason to toast the coast. On October 21, a Ventura Chamber ribbon cutting was held to celebrate their official opening.

Owned and operated by the Conway family of Santa Barbara/Ventura County, this modern wine tasting room is sure to be a popular spot with 15 different wines of interesting and unusual blends of reds and whites, each produced in small batch production. Along with their friendly and knowledgeable tasting room hosts, daily tastings offer a selection of both Conway and Deep Sea wines offering something for all palates.

Deep Sea Wine Tasting Room

1591 Spinnaker Drive

(805) 321-9463

Museum of Ventura County presents Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Joe Sohm

His work has been published over 100,000 times.

Author, journalist, and investigative reporter Ivor Davis, brings his series, Up Close and Personal with Ivor Davis, to the Museum for a special interview with award-winning photographer Joe Sohm on Thursday, November 3, 2022, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. Guests are encouraged to attend both virtually via Zoom and in-person at the Museum’s Ventura campus, 100 E Main Street. This event is free for members, $10 for non-members in-person, and $5 for non-members attending via Zoom. Museum members who register for this event (in-person or via Zoom), will be entered into a drawing to receive an autographed copy of Joe Sohm’s book, Visions of America: Photographing Democracy. To become a member, or register for this event, please visit: https://venturamuseum.org/event/ivor-davis-up-close-and-personal-with-joe-sohm/

Joe Sohm is one of the nation’s preeminent political photographers. His work has been published over 100,000 times throughout his career and has been featured in publications such as, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, National Geographic, and Time Magazine, as well as news outlets including, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, and PBS. Sohm’s lens knows no political bias. He has photographed various candidates and elected officials from Donald Trump to Barrack Obama, Bill Clinton to George W. Bush, and Bernie Sanders to Ted Cruz. Extending beyond portraits of those in office, Sohm has captured the raw emotion of protests, joyous displays of patriotism, and the beauty that radiates from America’s monuments and iconic locations as seen in his book, Visions of America: Photographing Democracy.

“With so much political division happening in our country at the moment, it’s refreshing to see the world through the balanced lens of Joe Sohm,” said the Museum’s Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director Elena Brokaw. “Ivor Davis has brought so many wonderful guests to the Museum and he’s done it again with Mr. Sohm. I look forward to an evening taking in historical photos and hearing Sohm’s stories of how he’s documenting our country’s political past and present.” Davis’ Up Close and Personal series has included many notable Ventura County residents including, Bob Eubanks, Chris Hillman, Malcolm McDowell, and Miriam Arichea, among others.

Vol. 16, No. 03 – Nov 2 – Nov 15, 2022 – Ojai News & Events

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.”

Norm Lewis helped raise funds for the Rubicon

The event launched the organization into its 25th year.

On October 8, under a beautiful Ventura evening, A Starry Soirée fundraiser was held for the Rubicon Theatre Company at the wonderful Ventura home of Julia Campbell. It featured the wonderful singing of Emmy, Grammy, Tony and SAG Award Nominee Norm Lewis.

The event launched the organization into its 25th year. Attendees were treated to a concert of musical theatre hits sung by Lewis, Broadway’s first African-American Phantom and one of the most acclaimed artists of stage and screen.

Along with pre-show drinks and hors d’oeuvres, silent auction (including 10 spots at an exclusive luncheon with Mr. Lewis), and a post-concert talkback with the Broadway Star, audience members provided generous philanthropic support to the Rubicon as it heads into the final year of its first quarter century.

Between his songs Lewis reflected on his music career. As a youth he wanted to be a professional tennis player until his junior high school year when his choice of electives were home economics or chorus and he chose chorus which was the beginning of his most successful stage career.

Besides starring in many many Broadway hits Norm Lewis recently starred in Spike Lee’s critically acclaimed, “Da 5 Bloods,” and in the groundbreaking FX series, Pose. Additionally, Mr. Lewis can be seen starring in ABC’s newest series, Women of The Movement, and offscreen, his voice can be heard in the latest season of Apple TV’s animated series, Central Park. He was also seen as ‘Caiaphas’ in the award-winning NBC television special, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!,” alongside John Legend, Sara Bareilles, and Alice Cooper.

805 Writers Conference returns with Book Expo

Speakers NY Times bestselling mystery author William Bernhardt, Edgar Allen Poe winner Wendelin Van Draanen, Penny Sansevieri and Desiree Duffy.

Declaring the Covid hiatus over, the 805 Writers Conference returns from hibernation on November 5 & 6 to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ventura, with in-person and virtual sessions, a Book Expo, and half-day workshops. This will be the tenth annual conference, which started in 2011.

“No more hiding behind our keyboards,” said Kathleen Kaiser, president of the Writers & Publishers Network (WPN), a national literary nonprofit based in Ojai, California, and sponsor of the conference. “By November, everyone can be boosted against Covid, a virus that is becoming the new flu. We must learn to live and thrive with Covid, and coming to a writing conference is a great way to get out and back on track.”

For book lovers, there will be a free Book Expo on both days from 10 am to 5 pm, with regional authors selling their books and various speakers available to sign their books. A author speakers will be in and out of the expo through the weekend, chatting with everyone and signing their books.

The Book Expo is free for the public to attend, making sure you can go pick up your winter TBR stack. So even if you haven’t bought a ticket to the conference—there is still a way to meet all these amazingly talented humans at the Book Expo. Register in advance for the expo and have a chance to win one of four Bags of Books worth over $100 each.

Every writer needs community, and attending writing conferences is the best place to build one by meeting other writers and learning from successful authors, agents, editors, and book marketers. Face-to-face meetings, talking during breaks, and finding like-minded people—it’s the best way to keep on track, learn new ways to market your book, finish your book, and get published.

The 805 brings together top authors from all genres to discuss their process or specific craft elements all writers need to know. In addition, book marketing experts discuss how to launch a book and understand how to sell books on Amazon. Small publishers looking for direct submissions will discuss their search for new writers and be ready to meet them at the conference. Plus, there will be literary agents, book editors, and more. And one session showcases successful indie authors from the 805 area code.

“As the conference director,” said Kaiser, “I’ve found the best experts to talk with writers of all ages. Hear how they started, the obstacles they overcame, their process, and the joy of writing, which should inspire everyone to go home and get back to work on that manuscript.”

Learn more about the conference and how to register for the Book Expo at https://805writersconference.com.

Field truck purchase advances Ventura Land Trust’s Land conservation efforts

“This truck replaces a field truck that was 20 years old.”

Ventura Land Trust purchased a 2019 Toyota Tacoma to replace a field truck lost last year in a traffic collision, bringing the number in the organization’s fleet of field trucks to two. The truck was purchased with support from community donations, corporate support, and a lead gift from Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas).

The four-wheel drive field truck is used daily to transport Ventura Land Trust staff, tools, water tanks, and other gear necessary for conservation work and preserve management. The truck is also used to haul thousands of pounds of trash from the Ventura River.

“This truck replaces a field truck that was 20 years old,” says Ventura Land Trust Executive Director Melissa Baffa. “It feels good to have a vehicle that can safely carry our staff and partners, and that is capable of meeting the demands of land stewardship.”

“We know that people will see this truck driving around town with the water tank we use to care for young plants, or piled high with trash bags from a clean-up. It’s really a moving symbol of the work we do every day to protect and preserve local open spaces. We’re pleased to have the support of the community and partners like SoCalGas, who understood the urgent need to add to our field truck fleet and came through with the support we needed to do so.”

The field truck is used in land management in Harmon Canyon Preserve, Big Rock Preserve, and Willoughby Preserve, which are open daily to public for free, as well as other properties that Ventura Land Trust owns and manages. It will be instrumental in preparing Ventura Land Trust’s newest conserved property, Mariano Rancho Preserve, to open to the public in the next two to three years.

The exterior of the truck is outfitted with an acknowledgement to SoCalGas, as well as a QR code to information about Ventura Land Trust membership. Learn more about Ventura Land Trust at www.venturalandtrust.org.

10th Annual Ventura County Farm Day

Hear the stories about our local farms.

On Saturday, November 5, more than 15 Ventura County farms, ranches and agricultural organizations will invite the public to experience a day of free agricultural activities and tours during the 10th Annual Ventura County Farm Day. This year’s theme is “Meet All The Hands That Feed You.” 

Visitors can map out their day by selecting locations from the Farm Day Trail Map at https://venturacountyfarmday.com/map. Each site offers tours and produce and other giveaways. Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Some locations require reservations. 

“Agriculture is Ventura County’s largest industry. Farm Day is the opportunity to see how fruits and vegetables are grown, harvested and then shipped to stores for sale,” says Mary Maranville, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), which puts on Ventura County Farm Day each year. “You’ll come away with an appreciation of the hard work that goes into growing each piece of produce.” 

Participating in Farm Day include Reiter Affiliated Companies (berries), Driscoll’s (strawberries), Duda Farm Fresh Foods (row crops), Alpacas At Windy Hills (Alpaca fleece), Good Farms (strawberries), Oxnard Historic Farm Park (antique farm equipment, vegetable crops, talks about the agricultural heritage of the Oxnard Plains), Prancer’s Farm (strawberries, tomatoes, avocados), Agromin (organic compost, mulch), The Abundant Table (nonprofit farm), Sow A Heart Farm (regenerative agriculture), McGrath Family Farm (organic farming), SEEAG’s Farm Lab (hands-on farm-related kids activities) and Petty Ranch (also the Farm Day hub). The Ventura County Farm Day Trail Map list of participating locations is updated daily. 

 Ventura County Farm Day sponsors include The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, Driscoll’s, Gene Haas Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Bobalu Berry Farms, Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner, The Port of Hueneme and Reiter Affiliated Companies. 

SEEAG’s mission is to help children understand the farm origins of their food through classroom agricultural and nutrition education and free farm field trips. Through this and other SEEAG programs, over 60,000 elementary school students in Central and Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey since SEEAG’s founding in 2008. 

For more information about Ventura County Farm Day, visit www.VenturaCountyFarmDay.com or call 805-901-0213.

Theatre season opens with Carmen Jones

Christopher James Hester, Desmond Newson, Fredericka Meek, Constance Jewell Lopez and Nataley Carter star in Carmen Jones.

by Sheli Ellsworth

The musical Carmen Jones, Oscar Hammerstein’s take on Bizet’s 1875 opera, opened on October 8 and will run through October 23 at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. A talented, all-African American cast detonates the operatic spirit into the launching of Ensemble Theatre Company’s 44th season.

Carmen Jones is set in an American, 1940s WWII parachute factory and chronicles a love triangle between: factory worker Carmen (Fredericka Meek) who plays the seductress; Corporal Joe (Chauncey Packer) a handsome young soldier who guards the plant; and his small-town girlfriend, the ever-true Cindy Lou (Zelda Carmen).

The ambitious Carmen is an adept social climber. She flaunts her sexuality with the shamelessness of a modern-day pop diva. After she finally convinces Joe that they belong together, he turns his back on Cindy Lou and his dying mother to be with Carmen. Joe, whose ambition is to become an airplane pilot, leaves the army and goes AWOL to be with Carmen in Chicago.

Once in Chicago, Carmen finds the champion boxer, Husky Miller (Troy D. Wallace), to be a higher rung on the social ladder and dumps Joe for the fighter. Joe’s life is destroyed against the backdrop of Miller’s success. The popular song “Stan’ Up and Fight” brings back visions of a great united country determined in its war effort to “fight like hell.”

The live musical accompaniment to this adaptation of Carmen Jones was flawless. Positioned above the stage, theatre goers were impressed not only with the talent of the musicians but their visibility during the performance. The baby grand piano appears to almost float in the air along with the music and the mellifluous arias.

Fortunately, we go to operas for the music. But Carmen Jones is more than an opera. It is part of America’s heritage and in many ways the performers made being an American feel noble again. However, every time one of the performers were positioned on the tiny stage tables, the audience teetered with them. And when the Sergeant called Corporal Joe, “boy,” I hoped that Oscar Hammerstein’s language hadn’t offended anyone. Then when the scenes of domestic violence became a theme, there were audible sighs in the audience. Should we keep these archetypal opera plots or find fresh ones? If you have ever been to the opera, you already know how it ends.

Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. There will be no performance on Saturday, October 22 at 8:00 p.m. or Sunday October 23 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets prices range from $40-$84. Visit www.etcsb.org or call 805.965.5400.

This year, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer celebrated its 30th anniversary

Photos by Patricia Schallert

Keri Bernstein and Deb Jeffers, the executive Director of American Cancer Society were part of the walkers.

On October 8, hundreds joined the campaign to celebrate survivorship and eliminate breast cancer this century at the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk for Ventura County starting at Ventura Harbor and continuing the promenade at Portside Ventura Harbor. The Harbor Village Main Lawn featured informative booths and more!

Since 1993, the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® (MSABC) campaign has united communities, companies, and individuals with a collective goal to end breast cancer as we know it. Over the past two decades, the 3- to 5-mile noncompetitive walks have collectively grown into the nation’s largest and most impactful breast cancer movement providing a supportive community for courageous breast cancer survivors and metastatic breast cancer thrivers, including caregivers, and families alike.

This year, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer celebrates its 30th anniversary and will take place in more than 150 communities nationwide.