Views Abound at the Zev Yaroslavsky Las Virgenes Highlands Park in Calabasas

In greener times (April 2018).

The Zev Yaroslavsky Las Virgenes Highlands Park is located on Las Virgenes Road, just south of Mureau Road and north of Highway 101 in Calabasas.

In greener times (April 2018).

This is not a park in the traditional sense, with grass, a playground and BBQs. This park is nearly 200 acres of grasslands dotted with oak trees facing drivers on the 101 as they reach the bottom of the Calabasas Grade.

A steep trail takes you to peaks that offer panoramic views towards the Santa Monica Mountains, Agoura Hills, Calabasas,  Simi Hills and beyond.

View from near the top facing south.

These photos were taken in November 2015, after four years of drought. After the winter rains, these hills green up quite nicely.

The land is also known as "Firehouse Hill" as it is situated next to Los Angeles County Fire Station 125 on Las Virgenes Road.

To access the park from the 101 coming east, you go north on Las Virgenes and there's a small, dirt parking lot on the left. Problem is, there's no left hand turn lane to the lot and there are "No U Turn" signs for like a mile. So you could make right on Mureau Road and turn around and make a left turn back onto Las Virgenes to get to the parking area. Or you can drive half a mile north and do a U turn at Thousand Oaks Blvd.

This land was acquired by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) for $6.25 million in 2010. It was previously owned by Fred Sands and at one point was owned by Bob Hope. 

The park was named in honor of former long-time L.A. County Supervisor and City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who retired from office in 2014. Zev worked with a coalition of parties to make this preservation of land happen.

About MRCA: MRCA is a local government public entity established in 1985. It is a local partnership between state agency Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. The MRCA is dedicated to the preservation and management of local open space and parkland, watershed lands, trails, and wildlife habitat. MRCA manages and provides ranger services for almost 72,000 acres of public lands and parks that it owns and that are owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy or other agencies and provides comprehensive education and interpretation programs for the public.

The Annex at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard Features Eateries and Boutiques

If you haven't already checked it out, The Annex, located within The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard, is worth a visit.

This 16,000 square foot is home to a dozen micro shops, artisan boutiques and craft food and beverage eateries. Tenants as of April 2024 include the following:

• Bottle & Pint

• Burnin’ Mouth Nashville Hot Chicken

• Burrata House

• Love Pho Cafe

• PizzaMan Dan’s

• Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters

• Silverlake Ramen

• Sueño Jewelry Studio - handmade and custom jewelry

• The Blend Superfood Bar

• Tow Hands Corn Dogs

• Mong Q Mongolian BBQ (coming soon)

The Collection at RiverPark has become quite an incredible destination within Ventura County in recent years, with so many great eateries all in one place as well as The Container Store, a fantastic Whole Foods Market, REI, Target store, movie theaters, Levity Live Comedy Club and more. Quite impressive what they have done over there off the 101, Oxnard Boulevard exit. thecollectionrp.com

Building Pacific Coast Highway Around Point Mugu in 1923-1924

Point Mugu before and after creation of a narrow road around it in 1924.

According to the California Highway Commission in the October 1924 issue of “California Highways,” perhaps the most dangerous and difficult piece of construction work on the California state highway system at that time was the 3800 feet of grading AROUND Point Mugu.

For those driving Pacific Coast Highway in Ventura County past Mugu Rock, there are clear signs of this old route that took automobiles on a precarious route around Point Mugu.

Peaking through the fence towards the old road around Mugu Rock.

The new and still existing route was created by blasting a massive hole through Point Mugu to create Mugu Rock in 1937 to 1940.

The work to complete this section of the Oxnard to San Juan Capistrano PCH route was authorized by a bond issue in 1919.

The project averaged 60 workers who moved 108,000 cubic yards or rock at a total cost of $108,500 (heck, that would be the cost of a pool addition and new kitchen remodel today). The cut around Point Mugu ranged from 40 feet on the ocean side to 115 feet on the high side in creating the narrow, short-lived roadway.

The California Highway Commission ended its article by stating “…along this piece of rugged coast line the Old Pacific is recognized as an arch enemy to whom we must trust as little as possible of our costly highway.” Sheesh, that was not a particularly optimistic statement!

Wildwood Tract Thousand Oaks Ad From 1969

The year was 1969. Ten minutes ago, they got home from school, had a glass of milk and cookies...then went out to play. Wildwood in Thousand Oaks. Exciting new homes that have been designed to capture the natural beauty of their spectacular outdoors setting. "Begin an executive life as a 'country gentleman family.'" Starting from $31,950 for 3 to five bedrooms.

Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Followers Recall Their Favorite Childhood Memories

Since July 22nd, we’ve been raising funds from Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Page followers and using these funds to purchase gift cards at local Conejo Valley eateries. Each day since then, we’ve run a drawing to give away a gift card, Through November 6th, we’ve given away over $5,000 worth of gift cards at 111 local eateries!

One of these drawings asked folks to recall their favorite childhood memories. Let’s share some of them here.

• Spending time with sisters

• Summer trips to…Michigan

• Summer campouts with the family

• Going to….Disneyland

• Skateboarding in the streets with friends

• Beach house in…Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Catalina

• Going to the drive-in theater in Newbury Park

• Playing dress-up and pretending to play double dare at a slumber party

• Visiting relatives in…San Francisco

• When it snowed in Thousand Oaks

• Grandparents surprising the kids at Christmas

• Riding down a big hill on my bike

• Dad taking me to see Led Zeppelin in 1977

• Playing with the neighborhood kids

• Dad winning a stuffed animal for me at the county fair

• Conejo Valley Days parade down Thousand Oaks Boulevard

• Cruise to the Mexican Riviera with family

• Fishing with dad

• Learning to ride a bike in Agoura

• Beach days at Zuma

• Special birthday dinners with family

• Going on family road trips in the “big blue van”

• Summer trips to Big Bear

• Christmas morning brunch at my grandparents’ house

• Tent camping with the family

• Dodger baseball games

• Playing tag outside with my sisters in the yard

• Riding bikes all over the neighborhood for hours on end

• Ice cream trucks

• Drive-in movies with the family

• Boating on the lake

• Building treehouses

• Making mud pies

• Going to the Ventura County Fair

• Raking leaves with grandpa

• Staying up late on Christmas Eve on Santa lookout

• Sunday mass, followed by family breakfast

• Summer camp

• Riding my Big Wheel down the sidewalk and spinning out into my driveway

• Piling into the station wagon and driving to Ventura Beach

• Yosemite, Sequoia

• Barbecues in our backyard and roller skating down our driveway

• Getting ice cream cones at the local Thrifty Drug Store

• Going to Farrell’s with the family

• Family ski trips

• Swimming in the pool all summer long

• Getting my first puppy at Christmas

• Friday night dinners out with the family

• Dairy Queen after church

• Drive-in movies in the back of a truck with dad getting everyone KFC

• Roller skating around the neighborhood

Twenty Years of the Same Expression in an Eight MInute Video - Noah Kalina

Noah Kalina has taken a selfie of himself every day for the last 20 years, or 7,263 days, beginning January 11, 2000 to January 11, 2020 (and it is a work in process). Takes a lot of persistence to do something like this!

Noah was 19 years old when he started this endeavor. And he hasn't stopped! The project is called “Everyday.” Check out more of his work at noahkalina.com.