The Coast Was Clear This Post-Christmas Friday in the Conejo Valley

From the Old Boney Trail in the Boney Mountain State Wilderness of Pt. Mugu State Park today, the views swept over the Oxnard Plain to the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands. Once again the temps reached 80 degrees in the Conejo Valley. Winter, where are you?

Christmas 2013 Residential Holiday Light Display on Gemini/Waverly in Camarillo

As in years past, many homes on Gemini Street and Waverly Avenue south of Dunnigan Street in Camarillo are lit up and decorated with cartoon characters, trains, Santa, snowmen, and plenty of lights and other decorations this holiday season. Drive the route or park and walk. It is worth going out of your way for! From the the 101, take Arneill north past Ponderosa to Dunnigan. Turn right on Dunnigan and Gemini is the 4th street on your right.

Here are some scenes from this display in prior years.

Thousands Enjoy Annual Christmas Tree Lane Display in Oxnard Historic District

We stopped by the 2013 Annual Christmas Tree Lane Display on F and G streets between 5th and Palm in the Oxnard Historic District and had a great time, along with thousands of other local residents. This is the biggest residential display in Ventura County and makes for a great family evening. And the music and light show at nearby Plaza Park is another thing you want to check out. More information at www.oxnardhistoricdistrict.com. Video below provides some snippets of what's in store.

Spectacular Views From Chumash Trail in Pt. Mugu State Park, Malibu

Suzy Demeter of Suzy Demeter Photography and her nephew hiked the steep Chumash Trail in Pt. Mugu State Park yesterday and captured these spectacular shots looking towards the wetlands below on the north and the great sand dune above Thornhill Broome Beach on the south. Beautiful! The Chumash Trail trailhead is accessible off of PCH at this link.

Quite an interesting perspective on the gigantic sand dune below to the south.

Bright Orange Sunset Captured Over the Pacific Ocean in Malibu Tonight

Suzy Demeter of Suzy Demeter Photography noticed this bright tangerine colored sunset over the Pacific tonight from her vantage point in Malibu. It started with a simple yellow and ended with blazing fiery red. Welcome to December in Southern California!

Channel Islands seen in the distance

Post-Thanksgiving Midnight Madness Sales Around Ventura County

After a long day of cooking, football games, eating, drinking, eating more and enjoying time with our families, most of us, well, me at least, just wants to sleep. But for others, post-Thanksgiving nighttime activities commence with Midnight Madness...looking for bargains around town while others snooze.

Here's what's going in the wee hours of the night when the leftovers are safely wrapped in the fridge at the start of the 2013 shopping season. Note that a number of stores are opening on Thanksgiving Day, while others are holding out for midnight on Black Friday.

Camarillo Premium Outlets: The Outlets are getting a jump on Midnight Madness as nearly 40 stores open at 6pm Thanksgiving Day, another 10 at 8pm, 5 more at 9pm, 4 at 10pm and the final 2 at 11pm. Then on Friday, stores will be open from midnight until 10pm. Visit www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/sales.asp?id=20 for details.

The Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks: Select stores are opening late on Thanksgiving Day, including nearly 20 stores at 8pm, including JCPenney and Macy's, then another few open at 10pm. When the clock strikes midnight on Friday morning, another 32 stores and eateries open (hey, how cool would it be to order a Hot Dog on a Stick at 3am...well, now's your chance). Then there are some stragglers, including Swimspot at 5am, another 7 stores (including Paciugo Gelato...yum!) at 6am, then not but not least Nordstrom opens at sleep-friendly 8am along with 7 other stores. Details at shoptheoaksmall.com/Events/Details/188700.

Most Toys“R”Us stores nationwide will open at 5pm on Thanksgiving Day, and will remain open until 10pm on Friday. Local area Toys"R"Us stores in Thousand Oaks (Janss Marketplace), Calabasas, Oxnard, Simi Valley (Simi Valley Town Center), Ventura and Woodland Hills.

The Pacific View Mall in Ventura follows suit on Thanksgiving Day with 18 stores opening at 8pm, including Macy's, Target, JCPenney and Sears and a handful of others at 9pm to 10pm. Then all stores open at midnight. I want to know...who's going to be chowing down at Panda Express at 9pm after a big turkey dinner!? Well, I guess the good thing is that they don't serve turkey there! More details at shoppacificview.com/events/BlackFriday_2013.

Most Macy's stores across the country open at 8pm on Thanksgiving Day until 10pm on Friday. Imagine spending 14 hours straight in a Macy's! Now's your chance! There are Macy's at The Oaks in Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley Town Center, as well as in Woodland Hills. More at www.macys.com/index.ognc.

At The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard, Century Theaters are open from 10am to 10:30pm on Thanksgiving Day and Target and ULTA open at 9pm. Then at midnight, several more stores open for business.

Best Buy Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, Woodland Hills and Simi Valley Town Center locations open at 6pm on Thanksgiving night and stay open until 10pm on Friday. The Oaks Mall Best Buy hours are 8pm on Thursday to 9pm on Friday.

Walmart has Black Friday specials starting at 6pm on Thanksgiving Day news.walmart.com/news-archive/2013/11/12/walmart-announces-plans-for-black-friday-2013.

That should be enough to start your holiday spending sprees early in the game!