Local Buzz covers new businesses, restaurants, closures, local politics, goings on around town and other buzzworthy items in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County. Have a lead? Contact us. Click here for an archive of Local Buzz postings.
Local Buzz covers new restaurants, closures, local politics, goings on around town and other buzzworthy items in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County. Have a lead? Contact us. Click here for an archive of Local Buzz postings.
Post other items directly to the Community Announcements section of the site.
Two Doughs Pizza Co is now open at the former home of Numero Uno Pizza at 28860 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills. They serve wood-fired pizzas, salads, pastas and more.
Learn more at twodoughs.com or on their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Today, the National Park Service released a new 13-minute film called To Right a Wrong: The Story of Ballard Mountain, which documents a community effort to change the name of a local peak in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA).
Previously known as a racial slur, the mountain was renamed in 2010 to honor the first black family to homestead in the Santa Monica Mountains. View the film below.
The short documentary details the efforts of area residents and historians to remove the offensive name from a local mountain, located south of the cities of Thousand Oaks and Agoura Hills, California. Their actions reverberated across the region and ended up reaching the modern-day Ballard family, descendants of John Ballard whom the mountain was eventually named for. The inspirational, heart-wrenching film chronicles the resiliency of a family who overcame incredible hardships.
"So often people will give attention to something because it's media worthy, but this was something that a group of folks thought was worthwhile," said great, great grandson Ryan Ballard referring to the renaming effort. Ryan’s father, 96-year-old Reggie Ballard, was also extensively interviewed for the film.
Local historian and Moorpark College history professor Patty Colman and residents Paul and Leah Culberg were instrumental in making the name change happen. They chronicle their recollections in the film, along with SMMNRA park superintendent David Szymanski.
"Ballard Mountain is the untold story of an African American family’s experiences in the Santa Monica Mountains and the City of Los Angeles,” Szymanski said. “It is important because it reminds us of the unrecognized people who passed our cities and parks down to us.”
Funding for the project was provided by the Santa Monica Mountains Fund and the National Park Service. The film was directed and filmed by Darius Dawson and edited by Austin Rourke, both alums of the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. It was written and narrated by Ana Beatriz Cholo, the public affairs officer for SMMNRA. Additional photography was provided by Kayla McCraren, the park's visual information specialist.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is the largest urban national park in the country, encompassing more than 150,000 acres of mountains and coastline in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. A unit of the National Park Service, it comprises a seamless network of local, state, and federal parks interwoven with private lands and communities. As one of only five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, SMMNRA preserves the rich biological diversity of more than 450 animal species and 26 distinct plant communities. For more information, visit nps.gov/samo.
UPDATE: Ox Bone Ramen opened in mid-April. See www.oxboneramen.com.
Ox Bone Ramen is "coming soon" to the North Ranch Gateway at 30689 Thousand Oaks Boulevard (cross street Lindero Canyon Road) in Westlake Village, near Domino's Pizza, Baja Fresh and Dunkin Donuts. Over the last five years, this space has been occupied by Milad's Kitchen (recently closed), West Village Cafe and Tekos Brazilian Grill. No other info at this point. Stay tuned.
Lucas C gave us the heads up via Instagram today that The Stand Westlake Village opened today, just four months after the original “coming soon” announcement. Located in the former Pitfire Pizza at the Westlake Plaza (on the Gelsons side). The Stand serves burgers, sandwiches, salads and much more.
Learn more about The Stand at www.thestand.com.
Pitfire Pizza closed at the beginning of the pandemic. It opened its doors on August 2, 2015.
The former Basil & Prawn that closed last fall in Thousand Oaks has opened in “soft opening” mode as Roast & Rice Kitchen at 30990 Russell Ranch Road, Westlake Village, in the former Barone’s Pizzeria space across from Lure Fish House and adjacent to Cici’s.
Roast & Rice is an “Asian Fusion” eatery that serves rice and noodle dishes, sushi and more.
Check their Instagram page for updates at www.instagram.com/roastandricekitchen.
The Simi Valley Town Center is bringing back a farmers’ market on Fridays from 4-8pm, beginning March 11, 2022. Will feature food from local farms and vendors, entertainment, beer/wine/cider tasting and crafts.
Simi Valley also has a farmers’ market from 11am to 3:30pm on Fridays at the Simi Valley Civic Center Plaza at 2757 Tapo Canyon Road.
More on local area farmers’ markets throughout Ventura County and nearby areas at THIS LINK.
UPDATE: Now open in “soft opening” mode. Official “grand opening” is still Feb 27th.
Hummus Lali is opening later this month at The Shoppes at Westlake Village in the spot previously occupied by Urban Vejjie and Greens Up, serving quick-serve Mediterranean food, including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Their Instagram page indicates a grand opening date of Sunday, February 27th. www.instagram.com/hummuslali
shoppesatwestlakevillage.com/restaurant/hummus-lali-coming-soon
Rikugo Japanese BBQ is in "soft opening" mode at the former Fierce BBQ and The Natural Cafe space at 1714 Newbury Rd, Newbury Park. www.rikugojapanesebbq.com
UPDATE: Zankou Chicken Thousand Oaks opened February 10, 2023.
CVG Facebook Page follower Nick A sent over this photo of Zankou Chicken “coming soon!” to the space previously occupied by Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (closed in June 2020) at 487 North Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks. Zankou Chicken serves rotisserie chicken, tri tip shawerma, Chicken Tarna (similar to shawarma) kabobs and more.
This will be the first Ventura County location of Zankou Chicken. Zankou opened its first location in Hollywood in 1984, followed by Glendale in 1992 and Burbank in 2005. More information at www.zankouchicken.la/locations.php.
Conejo Valley Guide covers events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas.
