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FREE business/organization listing. Submit your promotional statement (pictures). Your business will be featured for FREE [more]
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Blog, Business, History, Info, Forum, Classified, Photo Album FREE business/organization listing. Submit your promotional statement (pictures). Your business will be featured for FREE [more] |
Ventura County, remove your junk without lifting a finger! JUST GET IT DONE IN 3 EASY STEPS. Business Category
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Chuy's is a fun place. My co-workers and I went for a lunch today. I had a 1/4 pound tri-tip plate.
I like their chips and salsa bar. I really like that seasoned salt they have. I don't know why other (Mexican) restaurants don't carry that salt.
There are always some fun "Stories" going on at Chuy's.
Chuy's Camarillo
311 Carmen Dr Camarillo, CA 93010
(805) 383-2705
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Not much story here.
It was sitting on the roof-top (sky-light)
I had a quick photography sessioin at the beach in Point Mugu park.
Finally, we had a lot of rain. Old Town Camarillo was empty around 2pm during the weekday.
I had an engagement photography session at Conejo Valley Botanic Garden. North side parking lot was very quiet. I shot a quick 360 degree shot.
Carl Karcher, the founder of Carl's Jr passed away on January 11, 2008.
I haven't gone to Carl's Jr for a year or so. Today, as soon as I heard the new on Carl's passing, I went to Carl's Jr for dinner. I thought I should pay proper respect. The man knew burgers. God bless Carl Karcher.
I have a lot of high school memories at Carl's Jr. Back then going to Carl's Jr was a big treat. I only went to Carl's Jr. during the weekend with my girlfrien as a big treat.
This photograph was taken April 1, 2006. I often take snap shots like this as I drive around Ventura county. I don't normally trash boring images, because they may become valuable material later on. Below picture of old Oxnard strreet seems boring but there are interesting stories.
This intersection is located 101 freeway (North Bound) off ramp at Santa Clara/Rice Avenue. I get off freeway here to go to Costco & Fry's.
As of December 2007, this entire area is being cleared off so they can start building a brand new freeway interchange. Soon, this area will go through a major makeover that we will not remember how it was before.
Le Town Market / Oxnard mini market is now demolished. The market was fenced off for several months. Then it was taken down.
Next, about these palm trees.
These are historic markers. These trees mark the spots where big houses were located. If you drive through farmland between Oxnard and Saticoy, you will see palm trees standing in this pattern. In fact there are number of places like this. These trees outline driveway to a big antique house. It doesn't show on below picture, but in most cases, there are big pine trees in front of those houses just like the one in front of the Camarillo Ranch House.
I know for fact that there was an old house at the end of these palm trees. The house is not there anymore.
I think the City of Oxnard will cut down these threes. The trees look very old and tired. If these trees can talk...
Oxnard Plaza Park: 5th Street and B Street Oxnard, California
Ventura County's tallest Christmas Tree is located here in Oxnard Plaza Park.
This is Fifty-Seventh year to light Christmas Tree at Oxnard Plaza Park.
Back by popular demand, the City of Oxnard presents "Winter Fantasy Music & Light Show". The Plaza Park Pagoda is decorated with beautiful lights and decoration. Every 15 minutes they display Christmas music and light show from the Pagoda. This is their second annual event.
Besides the Plaza Park, City of Oxnard has more Christmas events you might want to check out.
The tallest Christmas tree in Ventura County is in Oxnard
Oxnard Plaza Park Pagoda (AKA Bandstand)
Click here for History of Plaza Pagoda
46th annual Camarillo Christmas Parade 2007 (Dec 8) There is what appears to be an official Camarillo Christmas Parade website but that website is totally not updated. It's still accepting application for 2006 parade (www.camarillochristmasparade.com). If you have any old and new pictures of Camarillo Christmas Parade please let me know. Below images are courtesy of www.e-vlad.net where you can find travel pictures & tips. Thank you very much.
Mayor of Camarillo, Charlotte Craven
Click below for backside of postcard)
Chumash Indians
Rafael, a Chumash who shared cultural knowledge with Anthropologists in the 1800s
The Chumash are a Native American tribe who historically inhabit mainly the southern coastal regions of California, in the vicinity of what is now Santa Barbara and Ventura, extending as far south as Malibu. They also occupied three of the Channel Islands Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel, the smaller island of Anacapa was unihabited. Modern place names with Chumash origins include Malibu, Lompoc, Ojai, Point Mugu, Piru, Lake Castaic, and Simi Valley.
Population
Estimates for the pre-contact populations of most native groups in California have varied substantially. Alfred L. Kroeber thought that the 1770 population of the Chumash might have been about 10,000. Alan K. Brown concluded that the population was not over 15,000. Sherburne F. Cook at various times estimated the aboriginal Chumash as 8,000, 13,650, 20,400, and 18,500.
By 1900, their numbers had declined to just 200. According to some reports, there are now some 5,000 people who identify themselves as Chumash.
Lifestyle
The Chumash were hunter-gatherers and were adept at fishing. They are one of the relatively few New World peoples who regularly navigated the ocean (the other was the Tongva, a neighboring tribe located to the South). Some settlements built plank boats called tomols, which facilitated the distribution of goods, and could even be used for whaling. Remains of a developed Chumash culture, including rock paintings (petroglyphs) apparently depicting the Chumash cosmology, can still be seen.
Artifacts
Anthropologists eagerly sought Chumash baskets as prime examples of the craft, and two of the finest collections are at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and the Musée de l’Homme (Museum of Mankind) in Paris, France. The Museum of Natural History at Santa Barbara is believed to have the largest collection of Chumash baskets.
Possible pre-Columbian contact with Polynesians
The maritime orientation of the Chumash has long fueled speculations about a relationship between them and the prehistoric Polynesians. The idea has recently been revived by archaeologist Terry L. Jones and linguist Kathryn A. Klar (2005, 2006; Klar and Jones 2005). They argue that the characteristics of Chumash sewn-plank canoes, curved compound fish hooks, and possible items of borrowed vocabulary all point to a trans-Pacific connection sometime between A.D. 400 and 800. Critics have countered that the traits of shared technology are not sufficiently distinctive and that the chronology of Polynesian settlement and seacraft make the hypothesis implausible (Anderson 2006).
Languages
The Chumash spoke approximately six closely related Chumashan languages which can not be connected to any other language family. For a while, it was assumed the Chumash family was part of the Hokan language phylum, but this was based solely on a few easily borrowed words, such as that for shell-bead money.
The Chumashan languages are divided into two subgroups, Northern Chumash and Southern Chumash. Northern Chumash consists solely of Obispeño, spoken around what is now San Luis Obispo, and the most divergent Chumashan language. Southern Chumash in turn consists of Central and Island Chumash. Island Chumash, sometimes called Ysleño, consisted of two dialects: Cruzeño, spoken on Santa Cruz Island, and the poorly-documented Roseño, spoken on Santa Rosa Island. Central Chumash consists of all the remaining languages, including Purisimeño, spoken around the Purisima mission, Ineseño, centered around the Santa Ynez mission, Barbareño, spoken in coastal Santa Barbara County, and Ventureño, spoken in Ventura County.
Ineseño and Barbareño were very similar, and may have been dialects; Ventureño contained several different subdialects; Purisimeño is very poorly documented, and it is not clear how different it was from neighboring Central Chumashan languages. Mention is sometimes made of a possible Cuyama Chumash dialect, spoken in the interior mountains of Santa Barbara County, but no documentation of any such dialect has survived, and its existence is basically hypothetical.
The name Chumash is loosely taken from the Santa Barbara dialect of the Chumash language and refers to The Chumash people from Limu (Santa Cruz Island). Chumash is said to mean "makers of shell bead money". When outsiders came, this name came to be applied to all people within the "Chumash" language family. The Chumash people (including Liz Dominguez, desendant of Maria Solares, who was a Chumash informant to John Peabody Harrington) are working to resuscitate the languages, and have developed a fixed orthography as of November 15, 2005.
Modern times
The first modern Tomol was launched in 1976 as a result of a joint venture between Chumash descendants from The Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation and The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. The Tomol was named Helek, the Chumash word for Falcon. The descendants reformed The Brotherhood of the Tomol, paddled around the Santa Barbara Channel Islands on a ten day journey, stopping on each island. The second Tomol the Elye'wun ("swordfish") was launched in 1997. On September 9, 2001 by The Chumash Maritime Association. Several Chumash bands and decendants came together to paddle from the mainland to Santa Cruz Island in the Elye'wun. The Elye'wun was reported to have been circled by a pod of at least 30 dolphins during part of their voyage.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash run a casino on their reservation in Santa Ynez, California.
External links
Personal research by John Park, VenturaWeekly.com
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Thomas R. Bard is knows as Father of Port Hueneme. He was a California Senator. He was a wealthy businessman. There was a rumor about him having psychic experiences. His house is located in Naval base in Port Hueneme. His house is now a officers' club house and a popular wedding spot. Bard Mansion is also known to have ghost activities.
Biography
Thomas Bard's ancestors emigrated from Ireland's in 1741 and settled in Pennsylvania. He was born on December 8, 1841 in Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He studied law then worked for Pennsylvania Railroad Company under Thomas Scott. Thomas Scott was one of the first Americans to own a big portion of Ventura County. It is my guess that Thomas Scott and Tomas Bard got along very well. One reason is that they had a same name. I can only guess how they might have joked about their name.
During the Civil War, he was a volunteer Union scout for the Confederates. He transported supplies to Union troops. After the Civil War, people from East started come to California. In 1865 Thomas Bard was sent to Ventura to take care of Thomas Scott's property.
He was a member of the board of supervisors of Santa Barbara county between 1868-1872. He got married on April 23, 1876 to Mary 'Mollie' Beatrice Gerberding at San Francisco. He had total eight children. Thomas Bard was a California Senator (Republican) from Feb 7, 1900 to March 3, 1905. To put this in perspective, Senator Dianne Feinstein (Democrat) comes in as his 12th successor. He was a successful businessman. Thomas Bard was one of the creators of the Union Oil company and was a president.
 A July 4, 1874 celebration in Ventura, California. Marshall of the parade was Thomas R. Bard. |
Thomas Bard was a key figure during the reformation of California in the early 1900s. Since the Civil War, Southern Pacific Railroad became so big, they were running the entire state of California. Bard was the key figure to revolt against Southern Pacific. At that time Southern Pacific was pushing Colonel Daniel M. Burns to become a Senator. Thomas Bard, with enough support, took the seat at Unite States Senate.
He campaigned to expend the city of Port Hueneme. Afterwards, Bard's children would put his plan to work. Because of Thomas Bard, Port Hueneme has the only deep water port in this area. He died on March 5, 1915. He died in his home in Berylwood, Hueneme.
His son Archibald Philip Bard was a physiologist, a part of the team who came up with "Cannon-Bard theory" ("people feel emotions first, and then act upon them")
Bard Mansion - Ghost Story
Constructed in 1912, the mansion is known as "Berylwood" to the family. The house is located inside the Naval Base. The house has the area of 4,717 square feet. It has 7 bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths. Bard Mansion officially became a historic place by National Register on September 17, 1977.
I went to Bard Mansion twice to photograph weddings. You must show your ID to armed guards in order to enter the base. They randomly search your car for security. The house was beautiful. There were a lot of photographs and memorabilia on the wall. The second story had a Sun-room where you can sip coffee and read books. There was a big ballroom in the first floor where they can hold parties. On the side of Bard Mansion, there was a big grassy area with gazebo in the far side. This was a main area for weddings.
There is a ghost story related to this house. Even a daytime TV talk show Maury Povich covered Bard Mansion. They showed a ghostly image of the Senator's wife. They said the house was build on the site where a clinic used be be. There are reported ghost encounters of Senator Bard, his wife, servants, and soldiers. And there are stories about persisting whispering sounds.
Thomas R. Bard's House - AKA Bard Mansion
Personal research by John Park, VenturaWeekly.com
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Old Town Camarillo kick started Christmas Season on the last day of November with carriage ride, appearance of Santa Claus, free hot Chocolate, tree lighting ceremony, and more.
The event was organized by Camarillo Chamber of Commerce and Dynamite Booster club (dynamitesgymnastics.com).
It was a heaven for the little ones and entertaining for the grown ups as well. Mr. Santa Claus himself was here. He took pictures with the kids at Camarillo Chamber of Commerce.
Palermo Coffee provided free hot chocolate.
Tonight's event was scheduled for 5pm - 9pm
The carriages and horses in Old Town Camarillo looked amazing. These white horses were unusually big and they made a lot of clip clop sounds. Kids loved it.
I was too cold and tired to stick around and document the whole event. I missed out on Santa Claus and tree lighting ceremony. 
Santa has a lot more places to visit just in Camarillo alone; such as Fast Foto and Camarillo Community Center. Camarillo is a lucky city.
You can click below thumbnails to view the flier for today's Camarillo Holiday Celebration.
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Camarillo Holiday Celebration Flier
Related story: Black Friday in Ventura County 2007 Part 1
Location: Kohl's in Ventura
Opening Time: 4 AM
I arrived at Ventura Kohl's 3:50am. Kohl's was scheduled to open at 4am. Kohl's was one of very few department stores in Ventura County opened so early. There was a long line reaching Barns and Noble. There were easily over a thousand people in the line. The line was long. The first person in the line must have waited for hours.
At 3:59AM I saw some people coming out from their cars and headed straight to the door (instead of going back of the line). One lady standing in the line shouted to them "The line starts back there. Don't think about cutting line!"
The door opened on time and the line started to move. Two gentlemen from Kohl's held the door open for them and gave greetings.
As soon as the line started to move more people came out from the cars and approached to the door. (below) One guy managed to blend in at 4:01am.
At 4:02am there was a huge group of people trying to cut in line. It was a scary scene. They took little baby steps toward the door... Inch by Inch. A few people started to cut in line by this time.
Below image was taken 4:05AM. It's a big mess. They were all pushing their way to the door.
You cannot see from this picture, but there were hundreds of people still in the line, behind the view.
It took about 7 minutes to have everyone in the line to get inside. All the line cutters made to the store before the last person in the line got in.
Summary:
I had a lot of fun this morning. I spent many hours tonight, and I didn't buy anything.
See you next year... Christmas here we come!
Photography by: VenturaPhoto.com Please do not copy anything from this page. Feel free to link to this page.
Related Story: Black Friday in Ventura County 2007 Part 2
Black Friday in Ventura County 2007, Pt 1
The Black Friday starts early Thanksgiving Day morning with a delivery of your newspaper.
This paper contains a lot of fliers and coupons from local businesses.
If you are planning for Black Friday bargain hunting, Thanksgiving Day's newspaper is a must. Since my last episode with LA Times, I subscribe Ventura County Star now. (LA Times still owes me $25.00)
Ventura County business opening hours
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Staples - 6am Circuit City - 5am
Michaels - 6am Office Max - 7am
Radio Shack - 6am Walmart - 5am
Office Depot - 6am Kohl's - 4am
Sears - 5am K-mart - 6am
Best Buy - 5am Sports Authority - 5:30am
Toys R Us - 5am Mervins - 4am
Target 6am Linens'n Things - 5am
First stop - Moorpark Market Place (12:00AM)
At 12:08am, Kohl's and Linens'n Things at Moorpark were totally empty. There was absolutely no car in the parking lot, and there was nobody in front of the door. I was a little disappointed to see virtually no action considering Kohl's would open in 4 hours.
Kohl's & Linens'n Things Parking Lot - Moorpark Market Place
At Target, on the other side of the Market Place, there were about 10 people sitting in the line. Three people were playing football.
Target 12:08am - Moorpark Market Place
I was out for less than one hour but I was already getting sleepy. It was also very cold. So we picked up some donuts and went back home for a retreat.
Donut Queen, Camarillo, 12:38am
We left home for the second time at 2am. As we drove by Camarillo Factory Outlet on 101 fwy, we saw hundreds of cars trying to get into Factory Outlet. Traffic was so thick that entire Ventura Blvd around Camarillo Factory Outlet was a big parking space.
Next Stop Fry's at Oxnard - 2:15am
Fry's at 2:15am was unreal. There were a lot of people waiting in line. The line was reaching outside of the parking lot. Parking lot was busier than what you can see during the normal business hours.
Parking Lot at Fry's (Oxnard) - 2:22am
Fry's, Oxnard - 2:30am
Compared to Fry's, Office Depot was pretty slow. There was only one person with three chairs. I guessed some family members were resting in the car.
Office Depot, Oxnard 2:30am
Shopping at Rose, Oxnard - 2:50am
I crossed 101 Freeway to Best Buy at Shopping at Rose. I knew this would be the highlight of the Black Friday. Unlike any other stores, I saw a lot of tents at Best Buy, indicating that they have been there for many hours. At 3am the line was in the backside of the store. Parking lot was full and there were people walking around everywhere. Best Buy had a courtesy to provide a porta-potty at the side of the building.
Best Buy, Oxanrd - 2:50am
Behind Best Buy, Oxnard - 2:50am
Walmart (Oxnard) was interesting. They had a huge police vehicle parked in front of the building. Walmart at Oxnard has two entrances. They were two lines forming for each door.
Walmart, Oxnard. line for North side entrance - 3:02am
Walmart, Oxnard. line for South side entrance - 3:12am
Circuit City at Oxnard Promenade - 3:37am
At 3:30am, Circuit City's line was very long
Kohl's, Ventura 3:55am - 5 minutes before opening
Pacific View Mall, Ventura - 4:22am
The night was cold and the Moon was bright. I met a lot of people. Everyone out there was happy. People didn't just come out to save money, but they came out to have fun.
A lot of people waved at me and wanted to crack jokes with me. Some people wanted their pictures taken. A group of youngsters with loud music pulled up next to me and started to dance. The entire Ventura County was in the party mood.
Some people talk about Christmas being too commercialized that we forgot about the meaning of Christmas. As long as people can have fun and share love for the community I think it's all good.
Look at these happy people. It's beautiful. God bless them all.
Some of the folks I spoke to, Fry's & Circuit City, Oxnard (2:30am - 3:30am)
Moon over Oxnard
Black Friday in Ventura County Part 1 ends here
Related Story: Black Friday in Ventura County 2007 Part 2
Photography by: VenturaPhoto.com Please do not copy anything from this page. Feel free to link to this page.
Evangelical Free Church of Camarillo
2315 Ventura Blvd Camarillo, CA 93010 (805) 482-1200
Website www.evfreecam.org
Evangelical Free Church is also a wedding spot. They have a small courtyard for formal photography as well (see below).
Church Building History: Pleasant Valley Baptist Church gave away burial spots to those who made donations to construct this church building. A huge donation came from Juan Camarillo. Later, the building was sold to Evangelical Free Church in 1980. Peasant Valley Baptist Church moved to a new building, still in Camarillo (corner of Ponderosa & Lantana). During the Summer time, I see youngsters washing cars to raise money. I WILL wash my car from them next time I see them.
The church building was constructed in 1891. At that time it was Pleasant Valley Baptist Church. Pleasant Valley Baptist Church used to own Camarillo Cemetery also (now Dizdar Park).
Photography by: VenturaPhoto.com
Photography taken on the day of wedding.
I used to go to Ventura College. I took some courses and transferred credit for to my AA & BS degrees at Moorpark College and Cal. Lutheral University.
I had a wedding photography gig at Ventura College (Nov 4, 2007). I took these photographs after the reception. It was very cold.
Glen Tavern Inn, Santa Paula
The historic Glen Tavern Inn is located in Old Town Santa Paula. Glen Tavern Inn is a popular wedding location for locals.
When I first started taking pictures of Glen Tavern Inn, someone said "Take pictures of a ghost". I didn't think much of that remark. I just smiled.
Later, a group of family members walked by. They were curious about what I was doing. I said "Hi" and we talked for a while. Again, they told me about the ghost. According to the local stories, room 302 is haunted 
. The lady pointed out the exact room that's supposed to be haunted.
Now, I was scared.
Suddenly, I heard a train coming from the other side. I ran over there with my camera & tripod.
Santa Paula Train Station.
This classic train is being used as an Entertainment facility, not as a transportation device (I think).
Train & Gazebo
Photographed October 14, 2007 11:30pm
I had a wedding photography job at Lost Canyon Golf Club in Simi Valley.
Lost Canyon Golf Club, Simi Valley
3301 Lost Canyon Dr, Simi Valley, CA 93063
http://www.lostcanyons.com/ (805) 522-4653
Heritage Square Weddings and Events
715 S a St Oxnard, CA 93030
(805) 483-7960
I didn't have a wedding this weekend. So I went to Port Hueneme (Oxnard) beach to test my new equipment.
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