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.
UPDATE: NOW OPEN AS OF EARLY MARCH 2023.
Culichi Town Mexican Style Food is coming soon to the former Brendan's Pub in Camarillo (1755 E. Daily Drive). Culichi Town offers authentic Mexican cuisine combined with live music and cocktails. Dedicated to typical dishes of the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. There’s a location in Sylmar if you’re looking to check it out. culichitown.com/en
Country Harvest opened its 3rd location today at the former Jessica's Cafe, 596 Mobil Ave, Camarillo (at Pickwick Drive, south of Ponderosa Dr.).
This follows the opening of its 2nd location this past summer in Moorpark.
And of course, its venerable Newbury Park location on Kimber Road has served the Conejo Valley for nearly 20 years. www.countryharvest.restaurant
All locations open daily at 7:30 a.m. Closed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday/Monday.
UPDATE 11/9/21: Loru’s Cafe is now open. Located near Crocs.
Loru's Cafe is "coming soon" to the Camarillo Premium Outlets, next to Pink's Hot Dogs, in the space formerly occupied by Los Arroyos (closed in 2019).
Loru originates from the last names of the owners' family: Lopez/Rubalcava and said family has over 30 years' experience in the restaurant industry. Loru’s will be offering an array of American and Mexican favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Details at www.loruscafe.com
The City of Camarillo is pleased to announce the modified reopening of the Camarillo Public Library (4101 Las Posas Road, Camarillo) on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.
The Camarillo Public Library, which has been closed since March 14, 2020, due to the state of emergency arising from the spread of COVID-19, will reopen to the community beginning Tuesday, April 27, 2021. The hours will be Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Curbside service will continue with modified hours, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., which is consistent with the current peak use of curbside service.
Visitors will be allowed to browse bookstacks and check out physical materials from all areas of the library including the fiction, non-fiction, young adults, and children sections. In addition, each area will have pre-selected book bundles available for quick access and checkout. Books and other physical materials returned or handled by the public will be held in quarantine for 48-hours before being returned to shelves, consistent with state guidelines.
Both visitors and staff will be required to wear masks. Physical distancing protocols will be enforced, and furniture and chairs will be rearranged to ensure proper distancing. The use of plexiglass barriers will be used in areas where person-to-person interaction is likely to occur.
Cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing will be conducted throughout the day. The number of available library computers has been reduced to provide for proper distancing, and a time restriction of one hour per user per day will be imposed. Access to printers, copy machines, and Wi-Fi will be available.
In-person library programming and private events remain unavailable at this time and will be evaluaed and expanded as conditions improve. The literacy program and Russell Fischer Business Collection will continue to be offered as virtual services, and a virtual summer reading program will be added to encourage students in maintaining reading and comprehension skills during their summer break. For more information on services and programs offered at the Camarillo Public Library, visit camarillolibrary.org.
Batchoyan Ilonggo Restaurant opened last October (somehow I missed it - I’ll just blame it on the pandemic) at 1775 E. Daily Drive in Camarillo, in the former home of Cafe India.
Batchoyan Ilonggo serves authentic Filipino food, including Batchoy, a hearty noodle soup that originated in the district of La Paz, Iloilo City in the Philippines, made with pork offal, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles.
They also serve a whole host of Filipino dishes I'm mostly unfamiliar with, such as pancit, lumpia, pancit molo, lechon kawali, halo halo, leche flan and egg pie. That said, I’m looking forward to familiarizing myself with them soon.
Harley’s announced today that it will be reopening its Harley’s Valley Bowl (east Simi Valley) and Harley’s Camarillo Bowl locations as “training and fitness” facilities per CDPH guidelines starting March 24th. The Harley’s Simi Bowl location will not be operating at this time.
Guidelines announced include:
Reservations must be made in advance at harleysbowl.com
Bookings are for practice/training bowling sessions.
Masks must be worn at all times.
Outside food and beverages are prohibited (water bottles available for purchase).
All bowling sessions are for 1 1/2 hours at $30 per lane, including shoes,if needed, for up to 4 people per lane.
Ubatuba Acai opened a new location at the Camarillo Premium Outlets several months ago in the former Yogurtland location. Somehow I missed this.
Ubatuba offers acai bowls, empanadas (including one with Beyond Meat) and drinks. The Thousand Oaks Ubatuba has been open since spring 2015.
Otherwise at the Outlets, gone are Los Arroyos, Smashburger and PizzaRev.
Delicious looking Fatburgers
Fatburger & Buffalo’s Express recently opened a 2nd Ventura County location; this one at the Camarillo Premium Outlets, 740 E. Ventura Blvd, #220 in Camarillo. locations.fatburger.com/united-states/ca/camarillo
Fatburger was founded by Lovie Yancey in the neighborhood of Exposition Park in Los Angeles in 1947. It was originally named "Mr. Fatburger" (on behalf of Yancey's boyfriend), until the "Mr." was removed by Yancey in 1952. At that time, she bought out her start-up partners and retained sole ownership of the Fatburger brand until 1990, keeping and operating the original store on Western Avenue along with the La Cienega Boulevard store (La Cienega/San Vicente).
At select Fatburger locations (including both of our Ventura County locations), you’ll find authentic buffalo-style wings from Buffalo’s Cafe, called Buffalo’s Express
Buffalo Wings are offered either bone-in or boneless, in quantities of 6, 10, 16 or 24. Wings are served with celery, carrots & your choice of bleu cheese, ranch or honey mustard.
Fatburgers come in four sizes: Medium (Original) (1/3 lb), Large (Kingburger) (1/2 lb), XXL (Double Kingburger) (1 lb) and XXXL (Triple Kingburger) (1.5 lbs).
More information at fatburger.com.
The Thousand Oaks Fatburger on Moorpark Road opened in June 2018.
The California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees has appointed Erika D. Beck, Ph.D., to serve as president of California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Beck currently serves as president of California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI).
“From the robust academic programs to inspirational athletic competition to the expansive opportunities for arts and culture, I am inspired by the impact that CSUN has in shaping the face of the San Fernando Valley and beyond,” said Beck. “While it is bittersweet to leave CSU Channel Islands where working together with faculty, staff, students and community we have made significant progress, I am thankful for this opportunity to join the talented CSUN faculty, staff and students to ensure that all Matadors rise.”
While president of CSUCI, Beck championed the campus’ vision to become a national leader in providing equitable, affordable and transformative education. CSUCI placed at the top of many recent national rankings including those issued by U.S. News & World Report, Money and Washington Monthly. The campus’ four-year graduation rate for first-year students has also reached an all-time high and last year was recognized as one of nine institutions in the nation with the prestigious Seal of Excelencia for its accomplishments in facilitating LatinX student success. Beck was appointed to the CSUCI presidency in 2016.
“In a short period of time, Dr. Beck has quickly steered CSUCI to unprecedented heights,” said CSU Trustee Debra Farar, chair of the CSUN search committee. “Her extensive knowledge of the CSU and California ensures that she will build on the successful work of outgoing CSUN President Dianne Harrison.”
Prior to her time at CSUCI, Beck served as the provost and executive vice president of Nevada State College (NSC) in Henderson, Nevada. Before her tenure as provost and executive vice president, she served as the dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, a faculty member in the psychology department, and chair of the Faculty Senate. Prior to her service at NSC, she served as a faculty fellow at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and a research associate at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
Beck earned a bachelor’s in psychology and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of California, San Diego. She is also “made in the CSU,” having earned her master’s in psychology from San Diego State University.
Beck will assume her new role at CSUN on January 11, 2021.
Following consultation with stakeholders at CSUCI and with board chair Lillian Kimbell, CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White will soon announce an interim appointment who will serve as campus president beginning early next year. The Board of Trustees anticipates launching a national search in the new year for Beck's successor at CSUCI.
Beck has served as president of CSUCI since March 2016.
About the California State University
The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 53,000 faculty and staff and 486,000 students. Half of the CSU's students transfer from California community colleges. Created in 1960, the mission of the CSU is to provide high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity, and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards nearly than 129,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 3.8 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
Conejo Valley Guide covers events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas.
