When The Stars Align

“Positive Thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will ” – Zig Ziglar

Hello Neighbors,

Thank you for joining us this week. I apologize for jinxing all of the coastal residents of the county. I spoke the summertime gloom back into existence. 🙃 The good news is things are heating up! It’s supposed to be a shorts and tank-top type of weekend. America’s Team (The Dallas Cowboys) is less than two weeks from beginning training camp in Oxnard. The 2024 Summer Olympics are around the corner, and with every passing day, you’re a little bit closer to sending your pesky kids back to school 🤗

Neighbors, this week’s edition of the wave will highlight: 🌊

• Dane Haye of Orange Theory

• Real Estate News & New Developments

• Upcoming events

• Sports

• Local News

• Whats your sign? (editorial)

• Weather

In partnership with Orange Theory Camarillo & Ventura

This week I sat down with Dane Haye, the owner of two Orange Theory franchises in Ventura County (Ventura & Camarillo) Dane and I met about 4 years ago in Camarillo. Dane was a fixture in the community; it felt like everyone in Cam knew and loved him. He was a huge supporter of my previous business and a genuinely great dude. Dane’s enthusiasm for life, exercise, and interpersonal communication radiate from his body. He’s the only person I’ve interviewed that would answer a question and then excitingly say “That was good; what else you got? Hit me with another one” 😂

Over the course of a couple of hours, Dane and I spoke about our childhoods, our first jobs, our love for Jean Claude Van Dam, and the tight-knit community of Camarillo, 

One look at Dane, and you can tell he’s a fitness enthusiast. Rumor has it that Stevie Wonder looked at him and knew he was jacked. Another thing I learned about Dane is that he loves a good dad joke, so I had to throw one in. Dane wasn’t born shaped like a Greek sculpture; he had to work incredibly hard for his bod. Dane’s first few years in high school weren’t his best. He referred to himself as short and chubby; he didn’t particularly love class. He was getting into trouble regularly. He could have been a cast member of Freaks & Geeks. 

Senior year of high school was pivotal to Dane’s fitness journey, and later career success. With a little forced external motivation from his parents, Dane dedicated his senior year to fitness. It changed everything for him. He became more disciplined, confident, happier, and a better student. Those positive attributes remained with him in adulthood. 

You can tell he loves what he does because he's unabashedly proud when talking about it. “I 100% love what I do. I wake up at 3:30 am one day a week just to see my 5 am crew. There aren't a lot of Orange Theory owners who coach, but I love the coaching side of it. There will never be a time that I don’t coach.  There's nothing better than earning a living where you get to see that you’re actually helping people.” Speaking with Dane is incredibly motivating. There were several moments during our conversation where I had the urge to jump out of my seat and rep out 20 push-ups. 

One thing I was dying to know about Orange Theory is why it attracts so many women. Dane thinks that Orange Theory has undersold itself to the male audience. “There is a stronghold on the female audience, so men perceive it as a female-oriented brand. A lot of times it takes husbands noticing how incredibly fit their wives are getting, and then wanting to check it out themselves. I love this place because it’s the only place where members sell memberships to other members.”

Dane is such a positive person that I felt the need to ask about a negative experience he had in business. He took a few seconds to think about it, so I followed up with, “Were there any unforeseen challenges that you can share with me?” That question elicited a quick and forceful response. “Covid!” I laughed because it affected my business in a similarly negative way. “Name a state that it had worse than us regarding restrictions for restaurants and gyms?” The question felt rhetorical. I was in my 11th month of restaurant operation at the start of the state-mandated lockdowns, and I am not nearly as positive a person as Dane, so it felt like the world was closing in on me. Being in similar situations, we pivoted quickly and made the best of the bleak situation.

When the county gave him the green light, Dane set up an outdoor tent equipped with lights and electricity and worked seven days a week to provide a healthy outlet for his community. He even began hosting free workouts at a local park, one of which attracted a whopping 80 guests. That huge turnout of support shows the power of community and humans' desire for in-person connection. It is crystal clear that Dane loves what he does for a living, and I’m genuinely excited for anyone who comes into his orbit because the positivity radiates from him. If you’re fortunate enough to hang out with him, be sure to catch a little bit of it. 

Whether you are an experienced tri-athlete or a serial procrastinator looking for a way to get healthier, Orange Theory will make you feel welcome and encourage you to release those endorphins. Please check out their class schedule at the link below and sign up for a free class:

Your local real estate report is brought to you by
V is for Ventura 

• A 385-unit apartment complex has broken ground in Camarillo. While no above-ground work has been started, a 14-building plan with three—to four-story structures on the 14-acre site is set to be developed. The development is located on the corner of Verdugo Way and Camino Ruiz. One—and two-bedroom apartments are currently being advertised as set to open in 2025.
  

• The master-planned community known as Wagon Wheel in Oxnard, has units for sale in Oxford Flats, and Park Place, as well as rental units in 3 neighboring communities. Oxford Flats is a community of single-story condominiums, while Park Place features 3 story town-homes with large California rooms. Floor plans in both communities are up to 4 bedrooms.

• A grassroots group is suing the city of Camarillo and Costco Wholesale in an attempt to block the construction of the approved Costco on Ventura Blvd., near the Home Depot. Ventura County Citizens against Mega Gas filed the lawsuit. The suit alleges that a complete environmental report was required but never conducted and asks that the city prepare it now. A spokesperson for the city of Camarillo has stated that they will not comment on pending litigation.

Local Events

Thousand Oaks:

Saturday, August 10th, & Sunday the 11th

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/socal-etsy-guild-market-thousand-oaks-tickets-27666848288

July 22 and 24: Summer Movie Camp
AMC Dine-In Thousand Oaks 14 and other AMC theatres are hosting $3 movies on Mondays and Wednesdays at 11 am and 2 pm for their Summer Movie Camp, which runs through August 14, 2024. The movie this week is: The Secret Life of Pets
More info at www.amctheatres.com/events/summer-movie-camp.

July 24 & July 31, 6-8pm. Janss Marketplace Summer Concert Series will take place every Wednesday Night through July. Tickets are free, but they do ask that you RSVP. https://janssmarketplace.com/events/

Oxnard:

July 19th, doors @ 6pm Micro Mania Presents Midget Wrestling at The Canyon @ Oxnard PACC https://visitoxnard.com/events/micromania-presents-midget-wrestling-at-the-canyon-at-oxnard-pacc/

July 19th, 6 pm The Vinyl Gypsies Concert at Heritage Square. https://heritagesquareoxnard.com/concerts/

July 20th, 4-6pm Concerts by the Sea w/ Brandon Ragan Project. Harbor View Park at Channel Islands Harbor

July 21th, 7pm Pauly Shore at Levity Live. https://levitylive.com/oxnard/comic/pauly+shore/

Santa Paula:

Sunday July 21st, 10 am -12 pm. “Art & Sound” Class will begin with Yoga, followed by a hands-on art project, and end with a Tibetan sound bath. This event is age-restricted to 16+. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.santapaulaartmuseum.org/craft-workshops-1/2024-art-sound-3

Ventura:

July 18th, 5:30-9 pm Totally Local VC Farm to Fork Dinner Series (Dinner at Mission Orchard) Mission Park Downtown Ventura (This event has sold out, however, we are eagerly anticipating the release of their next date)

July 19th 8-10pm Movie Night Under The Stars @ Portside Ventura Harbor https://visitventuraca.com/event/movie-night-under-the-stars-luca/

July 31- August 11 “Fair-ever Young” ⬅️ They came up with that cheesy theme, not us 😬 The 150th annual Ventura County Fair will be open from 12 pm - 12 am. To view this year’s concert lineup and all other fair promotions please visit the site here: https://venturacountyfair.org/

Camarillo:

July 24, 6-7pm Summer Reading Adventure @ The Camarillo Public Library Learn about all of the exhibits at the Camarillo Air Museum (Spaces are limited) You can register here: https://camarillolibrary.libcal.com/event/12304208

Ojai

Saturday July 20th, 7-10pm Fleetwood Mac Tribute by Mirage @ The Libbey Bowl. Tickets can be purchased at the link below:

libbeybowl.org

Simi Valley

Saturday July 20th 6:30pm Free Concerts in the Park with The Fooz Fighters, a tribute to the Foo Fighters. Guests can bring blankets and chairs. Rancho Simi Community Park 1765 Royal Ave. Simi Valley CA

Moorpark

Sunday July 21 3-6pm Eve’s @ Enegren. Enjoy live music at Enegren Brewery. 444 Zachary Street. Suite 120 Moorpark CA 93021

The hit Broadway musical “Jesus Christ Superstar,” will be performed at Moorpark College from July 18 - August 4th. For tickets and showtimes please check out the link below:

Summer Sports & The 2024 Paris Olympics

⚽️ Spain took the European Cup Championship home, beating England in a thrilling 2-1 matchup. Nico Williams scored the opening goal, and was named player of the match.

⚽️ Argentina successfully defended their Copa America title against Colombia, making them back-to-back champions. This match went into extra time, tied at 0-0. Lionel Messi, one of the top players in the world, rolled his ankle and had to exit the match early.

⚾️ The Dodgers lost 5 out of 7 games leading up to the All Star Break, but Dodger slugger Teoscar Hernandez did win the home run derby. Perhaps a bit of a silver lining.

🏆 Recent Camarillo High School Graduate Boston Bateman will remain a so-cal resident, as he was drafted 52nd overall by the San Diego Padres

🥇 The 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony is scheduled for July 26, 2024. Ventura County has produced dozens of Olympic athletes over the decades, and this year's games are no exception. Amanda Longan (Moorpark) will represent Team USA in Woman’s Water Polo. Ben Hallock (Westlake Village) will represent team USA in Men’s Water Polo. Nico Young (Newbury Park High) will compete in track & field. 🇺🇸

Congratulations to Boston Bateman, Amanda Longan, Ben Hallock, Nico Young, and everyone who trained with them, supported them or competed against them. It’s an incredible feat. We’ll be rooting for you. 💪

Local Ventura County News

Ventura County Beaches ranked among the cleanest in the state

Heal the Bay’s annual report card grades beaches from A to F on their bacteria levels and safety to swim. An A or B is considered safe to swim; locally, all but one beach scored an A or B grade- higher than approximately 90% of the rest of the state.

County Line beach, near the Ventura-LA County border, one of 500 monitored beaches, received an A+ grade. The beach is one of a dozen to receive the high mark. All of the beaches I recommended last week received at least an A grade 🤗

♈️ What’s your sign? 🌌

Odds are you’ve been asked this question at least once in your life. The odds also state you know the answer to this question. Statistically, more Americans do not know how to swim than those who do not know their Astrological sign. Whether you subscribe to the notion that your personality is pre-determined by the stars or think it’s “Mumbo Jumbo” could be tied to your gender, faith, or societal cynicism.

Modern humans spend far less time outdoors than our ancestors. If you live in a major city, light pollution may limit your ability to see stars or planets 🪐 altogether. This disconnection from the Cosmos has caused most of society to turn inwards. Constantly worried about ourselves, our jobs, bills, and where we want to eat this weekend, we have lost our intrinsic ties to the universe.

Archaeological records indicate that astronomy was one of the first natural sciences developed by early civilizations. The most commonly accepted theory states that the Babylonians were the first to study and document astrological patterns in writing around 1000 BCE. Controversial theories like the one Graham Hancock presents in “Fingerprints of the Gods” suggest a significantly earlier civilization that pre-dates Mesopotamia by 10-12,000 years. Without picking a side or creating an even larger debate amongst the archaeological community, I believe it is fair to say that we have been studying the solar system for thousands of years.

In modern times, our best opportunity to stargaze is when camping. The handful of times I’ve witnessed the spectacular display that is the Milky Way galaxy is when I’m being torn apart by mosquitoes and walking around a barren camp site searching for cell service. Something about looking up at the stars makes you feel tiny and insignificant. That sensation can be fleeting, as it is often juxtaposed against the feeling of being connected to everything in the universe, past and present.

The astrological calendar and zodiac signs that we are all familiar with date back to the Hellenistic period. Greek philosophers believed that stars and planets could influence Earth in the same way that the sun affected life and the moon affected tides. Astrology was even incorporated into ancient Greek Medicine and philosophy, as it was theorized that the planets had physical and metaphysical impacts on our bodies and psyches.

Our desire to connect, understand, and make sense of the world around us explains our willingness to adopt such theories. I cannot determine whether you dislike having your ideas challenged because you are an Aquarius or due to undiscovered childhood trauma, nor do I want to. Throughout our lifetimes, we will be presented with more mysteries and questions than answers, but that shouldn’t stop our quest for knowledge and truth. There is a “magic” to our universe that is beyond our comprehension and something that links all living creatures together. Call it energy, stardust, or a soul; the description is less important than the connection. Now get your ass outside and look up at the stars. ⭐️

-MV

Get that nu-nu. Manna Tea is infused with adaptogens & nu-tropics to improve your overall health. Create a new ritual for yourself, and enjoy Maana Tea.

Weather

Oxnard

Ventura

Camarillo

Thousand Oaks

Santa Paula

Simi Valley

Message from the authors:

Thank you for reading The Neighborly Wave. If you are a Taurus, don’t be stubborn; share this newsletter with 4 of your friends.