California Kettle Corn Retail Store Recently Opened in Newbury Park

California Kettle Corn recently opened what I believe is the only kettle corn retail shop in the area. Located at the Wendy/Kimber Plaza at 3321 Kimber Drive in Newbury Park (directly adjacent to the tantalizing N' Awlinz Bistro). I stopped by on a recent visit to Tony's Pizza and purchased several of the ten or so different flavors for my family's crunching pleasure. Needless to say, I didn't get to try any because my wife and kids devoured it.

Kettle corn flavors currently offered by California Kettle Corn includes bacon and cheddar, cheddar, chocolate, caramel, chocolate/caramel, hot jalapeno, grape, blue rasberry, pink strawberry and sweet corn. In addition, they serve specialty lemonades and shaved ice.

Learn more at cakettlecorn.com or call 805.715.1500.

Grand Opening of Freedom Park Baseball Complex in Camarillo on February 2nd

The 34 acre Freedom Park is located adjacent to the Camarillo Airport. The new Freedom Park Baseball Complex features lighted baseball fields - 4 youth and 1 adult. Also at the park is the Freedom Park BMX Raceway, a dirt track open for BMX racing and practice. For those who like to race remote control cars there are dirt and asphalt tracks available at the Freedom Park R/C Track. The Freedom Park In-Line Hockey Rink is the place to be if roller hockey is your thing. Lastly, Freedom Park has picnic tables, BBQ grills, horseshoe pits, a playground, and restrooms.

On Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 10am, Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District is hosting a grand opening events form the new baseball complex. To learn more, visit www.pvrpd.org/parks/active/freedom.asp or call 805.482.1996.

New Jersey Mike's Set to Open at Pacific View Mall on Wednesday, January 30th

Another Ventura County Jersey Mike's Subs is opening on Wednesday, January 30th at the Pacific View Mall, 3101-1 E. Main St, Ventura. Located outside next to CPK. That brings us to around 14 or so Jersey Mikes in and adjacent to Ventura County. By the way, try a tuna sub "Mike's Way" at Jersey Mike's. Delish. Just don't try to kiss anyone afterwards. Visit www.jerseymikes.com.

Village Fish Market and Restaurant to Open Soon at The Summit at Calabasas

Subsequent Update: Village Fish Market closed in the September 2013 time frame. Ouch, that wasn't very long.

Update 1/14/13: Village Fish Market and Restaurant has been open now for about a week!

Published 11/30/12: In April 2012 The Summit at Calabasas announced that Village Fish Market and Restaurant signed a lease to occupy a 5,455 sq ft space later this year. The Market/Restaurant will feature fresh fish items, sandwiches, salads and oysters.

The Summit at Calabasas is located at the corner of Lost Hills Road and Agoura Road. Visit The Summit at Calabasas Facebook page HERE. Village Fish Market is located at the southwest corner of The Summit, just west of Wolf Creek Brewing Co.

Fit 2b Thai Restaurant in Thousand Oaks Recently Closed Its Doors

Many years ago I used to enjoy Olga's Kitchen, located at 593 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks, between Baja Fresh and El Pollo Loco. To my disappointment, Olga's closed, and subsquently Fit 2b Thai restaurant opened in its place.

My wife and kids enjoyed Fit 2b Thai. The food was ok to me but I just could never get over the use of the number 2 and b in place of "To Be" in the name of the place. Something unsettling about it to someone as obsessive over words as me (not that I'm God's gift to spelling or anything).

To be honest though, I'm a fan of pretty much any Thai food. So Fit 2b Thai was all right in my book.

But I digress. All this is a moot point now, because Fit 2b Thai closed its doors sometime apparently in the last part of December 2012 or very early 2013 time frame. Yes, the space is for lease again.

Olga's, are you reading this? There are no Olga's outside of Michigan and Illinois at the moment. Come back out here!

Farewell to Newbury Park and Agoura Hills Golden Spoon Locations

Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt has operated stores in five locations in recent years, including two in Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Newbury Park and Agoura Hills, giving it significant presence among the 80 or so frozen yogurt, ice cream, gelato and other frozen treat establishments in Ventura County. With disappointment however we note that the Agoura Hills location on Kanan Road closed on January 1st and the Newbury Park location on Wendy Drive closed today, January 15th. Visit www.goldenspoon.com/golden-spoon-stores for other Golden Spoon locations.

Speaking of frozen yogurt in Newbury Park, Swirl Frozen Yogurt Bar at The Village at Dos Vientos Ranch is anticipated to open sometime soon.

Farewell Newbury Park Golden Spoon

Del Prado Playfield in the Dos Vientos Section of Newbury Park is Now Open

The newest park in the Conejo Valley is the Del Prado Playfield, located on, most logically, on Calle del Prado between Via Rio and Via Las Brisas in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park. The park is located around the corner from Sycamore Canyon School and The Village at Dos Vientos, and within walking distance, about a half a mile, of Cypress Elementary via Kimber Drive/Via Rio.

This is a 26 acre park with a nice variety of things to do, including a unique playground area, 3 lighted softball fields with plenty of soccer space, basketball court, tennis court, two pickleball courts, plenty of walkways and, the holy grail of local parks, clean restrooms! There is also lots of available parking, well over 100 spots. Visit the Conejo Recreation and Park District website at www.crpd.org/parkfac/parklisting.asp for more information.

One of the more unique looking playgrounds around town. Never quite figured out what those green thingys are overhead but cool to look at!Like many local parks, Del Prado has a separate play area geared towards 5 and under.Pickleball. Yes, pickleball. Apparently one of the fastest growing sports in the country. I don't have a clue how to play just yet but a couple in what I'd estimate were in their 50s were playing on one of the 2 pickleball courts when I stopped by. Rackets looked like handball rackets and the ball looked somewhat like a whiffle ball that bounces on the court (which is roughly half the size of a tennis court). That's all I got for now on Pickleball but my interest is sparked and may have to actually learn how to play now.The grassy areas were quite brown on the large expanse of fields but I suspect they will be greening up a bit as we get towards Spring/Summer 2013.