Summer Solstice

TOGETHER WITH

“Summer, summer, summertime (Summertime). Time to sit back and unwind” - The Fresh Prince, Summertime

Ventura County, Happy Summer Solstice! Thank you for re-joining us to read the second edition of The Neighborly Wave! Without further ado, let’s catch this week’s wave! 🌊 

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

• Jamie O’Neal, founder of The Mom Walk Collective

• Real estate snapshot brought to you by V is for Ventura

• Local Events

• Ventura County Fair News

• Sports

• Local Politics - New California Laws taking effect on July 1

• The Perfect Summer Day

• Weather

This week's feature interview is with Jamie O’ Neal; founder of The Mom Walk Collective. Jamie is a former co-worker turned friend. I’ve always been impressed by Jamie’s perspective on life, her positive spirit, and her maturity level (she’s much younger than I am.)

The Mom Walk Collective has an interesting origin story that combines post-partum depression, social media, and the amazing power of community. 

In the summer of 2022, Jamie was 3 months post-partum and in desperate need of mom friends. So she did what any reasonable millennial would do, and posted a video to her TikTok inviting other local moms out for a walk. Two moms ended up showing up to walk with Jamie & baby Lincoln. Jamie was so excited that she decided to create a recap video of the walk with her two new friends and posted it to her TikTok page, inviting other local moms out for their next walk.  As luck would have it, the recap video went viral, and 50 mothers showed up to the second mom walk! The positive support she received from the group of mothers inspired her to turn her desperate cry for help into a nationwide community supporting mothers. The Mom Walk Collective had officially become a viral movement. Traditional media outlets and talk shows caught wind of Jamie’s recent virality and invited her to share her story. Jamie was featured on Good Morning America, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and The Today Show.

Since its inception in 2022 to the present time, Jamie has launched the collective in over 350 cities with more than 500 ambassadors hosting mom walks across the United States, The Caribbean, Canada, & South Africa. Despite the perception of “immediate success, " a lot goes on behind the scenes. Jamie must wear the hats of a single mother, an executive, a daughter, a role model, and a coach. She states that the positive feedback and testimonials received from other mothers with relatable situations make it all worthwhile. 

When I asked Jamie what she wanted our readers to take away from this story, she emphatically said, “I want them to know about the power of community! That they can find empathetic women (& men) looking to make real connections.” To which I replied, “Heck Ya!” because it fits in with the ethos of what we here at The Neighborly Wave are attempting to cultivate. One final quote from our discussion: “Don’t be afraid to post the silly little videos, because you never know….”

If you would like to learn more about The Mom Walk Collective, are interested in joining a local walk, or want to inquire about becoming a Ventura County Ambassador, please check the links below.

https://www.themomwalkcollective.com/

https://www.themomwalkcollective.com/ambassador

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

Local Events & Ventura County Fair News

Oxnard

June 20th, 9am - 1:30pm (Downtown Oxnard Certified Farmers Market) @ Plaza Park

June 21 (Heritage Square Summer Concert Series) “Brandon Ragan Project” Admission is FREE Concert starts at 6pm

June 22- 7-10pm @ Strey Cellars. Saturday Night with Adrian Floy and the Hearing colors. 951 North Rice Ave. Admission is FREE

June 21-23 Comedian Cristela Alonza @ Levity Live. One show Friday & Sunday, two shows Saturday. Click the link below for more information. https://improv.com/oxnard/comic/cristela+alonzo/

Camarillo:

June 21-22 @ 5-8 pm 🌞 Summer Palooza at Community Center Park 
(Live Music, Food Trucks, Vendors, Movie night)  
Camarillo Community Center
1605 Burnley St. Camarillo, CA 93010

June 29 @ 7-9pm 🎶 Summer Concert Series with SMITH @ Constitution Park 1287 Paseo Camarillo. Camarillo, CA 93010. This is a FREE EVENT

Ventura

June 21 @ 6-7:30 pm  ☀️ Summer Solstice drum circle 
Location: 7511 Foothill Rd. Ventura CA 93003 (Tickets available here) ⬇️https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-drum-circle-for-harmon-canyon-preserve-tickets-905156616807

June 22 @ 10am-5pm 🧸 Ventura County Toy Con @The Majestic Ventura Theater More info here: https://www.venturatheater.net/

June 28-30 🛹 X Games Ventura @ Ventura County Fair Grounds  More info here: https://www.xgames.com/events/x-games-ventura-2024

Thousand Oaks

June 20-30 Conejo Valley Days. Conejo Creek Park South will come alive with carnival rides, live music, and food. 1400 Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. https://conejovalleydays.us/

June 25-30 🎭 To Kill A Mockingbird (Off-Broadway rendition) @
Bank of America Civic Arts Plaza

August 17 from 7-10pm Comedian Mark Normand @ Fred Cavli Theater. https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0B006089FF6127D0 

Ojai

June 28- 12-7pm A Day of Jazz. Ojai Retreat & Inn.
160 Besant Rd. Ojai CA 93023

Moorpark:

June 22- 5-7pm Open Mic Night at Moorpark Public Library.
699 Moorpark Ave. Moorpark CA 93021

Simi Valley

June 21- 11am-3:30pm Simi Valley Farmers Market.
2757 Tapo Canyon Rd. Simi Valley

Reagan Library & Museum- Star Wars and SDI: Defending America and the Galaxy. (Exhibit runs until September)

Tickets can be purchased here: https://reagan.systemtickets.org/

Ventura County Fair News

The Ventura County Fair has announced one of its two surprise concert guests, and it’s not a musician.
Comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias will perform on Monday, August 5th.
The artist performing on Sunday, August 4th, is still TBD.

The fair is open from 12pm-midnight from July 31-August 11th

For more info go to: https://venturacountyfair.org/

NFL Training Camps In SoCal; Leaving Thousand Oaks 😢

The Los Angeles Rams held this year’s minicamp at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, but are moving their training camp to a temporary facility at Loyola Marymount University while they await their new, permanent facility in Woodland Hills. They had previously held camp at Cal Lu since 2016. The new facility will be located at the corner of West Oxnard Street and Canoga Avenue, part of the nearly 100-acres in Woodland Hills acquired in 2022 by the Rams.

That leaves the Dallas Cowboys as the lone NFL team having a training camp in Ventura County. They will resume their training camp run in Oxnard on July 24 at the Marriot Residence Inn.

Here’s a list of all the teams hosting in Southern California:

Summer Sports

⚽️ Group play in The Copa America Tournament kicks off on June 20th ⚽️

The opening match of the tournament is between 🇨🇦 Canada & 🇦🇷 Argentina. Argentina is heavily favored to win this contest. The match starts at 5pm PST on Thursday, June 20th. It can be viewed on FS1

🇯🇲 Jamaica hosts 🇲🇽 Mexico on Saturday June 22nd, at 6pm on FS1. Mexico is favored in this matchup. Mexico has either tied or won their last 6 matches against Jamaica.

🇺🇸 The US Mens National Team will be playing The Bolivian Mens Team 🇧🇴 at At&T Stadium on Sunday, June 23rd at 2 pm PST. The US is favored in this matchup, having beat Bolivia the last two times they played.

For Copa America tickets or scheduling, please check out the link below: https://copaamerica.com/en

-🛣 The “Freeway Rivalry” between the Dodgers and Angels will take place at Dodger Stadium June 21-22

For the latest Dodgers News or tickets, visit: https://www.mlb.com/dodgers

Did you sign up for a potluck and forget that you don’t know how to cook? Don’t worry! Carnitas el Rey will save the day! Whether you’re looking for a solo meal or for a group of 20, they have you covered. Their Michoacan-style carnitas are consistently juicy and packed full of flavor.

Carnitas el Rey has 3 locations in the county to serve you:

Oxnard: 124 East 5th Street (805) 290-8794
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9:30-6 pm Saturday & Sunday 7:30-6 pm

Ventura: 2437 East Main St. (805) 561-6282.
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:30-6:30 Saturday & Sunday 7:30-6 pm

Santa Paula: 650 West Harvard Blvd. (805) 229-7433.
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9:30-6 pm Saturday & Sunday 7:30-6 pm

Local ‘Tics (Politics)

There are new Laws going into effect on July 1st, 2024, that will affect all residents of California. Those laws are listed below

Drug testing kits in bars (AB 1013)
Bars and nightclubs where beer, spirits, and wine are sold must now sell drug testing kits and post notices about their availability. This law is an effort to address drink spiking. This will not apply to places where food is required. Chili’s will not sell you drug testing kit.

Gun tax (AB 28)
This law adds 11% tax on guns and ammo starting July 1, 2024. This is estimated to bring in $160 million a year to help fund violence prevention programs.

Hidden fees (SB 478)
The goal of this law is to prevent companies from adding surprise “junk fees” to purchases. The law will require that displayed or advertised prices include all fees and charges.
This will largely target Airbnb and restaurants. Restaurants will have to factor in surcharge fees into the menu prices. They can no longer be tagged to the bottom of the receipt with a note that reads, “Surprise!” at the end of the bill.

Keep students in school (SB 274)
This bill eliminates suspension of K-12 students for “disruption or willful defiance.” Teachers can remove students from classrooms if they’re being disruptive but students will not automatically get a vacation day..er suspension. It will now be up to administrators to determine appropriate in-school interventions or student support.

Menstrual products in schools (AB 367)
Schools will have to provide free menstrual products in restrooms for grades 3-12, community colleges, and the Cal State University system.

Right to Repair (SB 244)
If you’ve spent over $50 on electronics or appliances, including cellphones and laptops, in California on or after July 1, 2021, that manufacturer is required to make documentation or spare parts and tools for repair.
For products over $100, those parts and documentation must be available for seven years after the product was last manufactured.

Security deposits cap (AB 12)
Renters will no longer be allowed to ask you for first and last month’s rent upon moving in! Security deposits will now be limited to one month’s rent.

Workplace violence prevention (SB 553)
Employers in California must create and maintain a “Workplace Violence Prevention Plan” that includes preventing employee retaliation, responding to reports of workplace violence, and emergency response.

My perfect summer day

Today, June 20th, 2024, marks the Summer Solstice, making it the longest day of the year. Summer never quite feels the same when you’re out of school; however, it provides us with more excuses to BBQ, take fashion risks, and use up our PTO. The following is a glimpse of my perfect summer day:

Let’s start with a couple of caveats: We’re going to assume that I slept at least 7 hours the night before, woke up without back pain, traffic is surprisingly light, and that I have a personal driver. My perfect summer day starts off with a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood. This serves two purposes, 1. It gets my two dogs the exercise they need to slow down the pace of their inevitable backyard destruction, and 2. It gets me warmed up for my next activity. For activity number two. I’m driving up the Conejo grade for a morning basketball run at Dos Vientos Community Center in Newbury Park. Dos Vientos offers a free open basketball gym. They also have outdoor ball fields, a pool, and several other activities for children and adults alike. 

An hour of basketball wears me out at this point in my life, so it’s time for a caffeine boost. The next stop is Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters in Newbury Park for a drink called a Chagaccino. A Chagaccino is a latte with Chaga mushroom powder and cinnamon that will change your life. It gives me more mental clarity than coffee alone and tastes great. Now that I have mental clarity, it's only fitting that I make unhealthy dietary decisions. We are headed to Fluid State Beer Garden in Ventura for our next stop. Fluid State uses a killer sourdough recipe to make their pizzas, and the beer options seem endless as they’re constantly being rotated. The outdoor seating is plentiful, and pups are welcome. I’ve been impressed by the freshness of their salads and the incredibly crispy texture of their chicken wings. Fluid State is on the southern side of Main St., about a 10-minute walk to Mission San Buenaventura, which is where we are headed next. Main St. is still closed to auto traffic, allowing for leisurely strolls downtown. Main St. has changed quite a bit since I was a child; however, some staples remain. The Busy Bee cafe was my favorite place to stop for a chocolate malted milkshake as a child, now it’s any place that serves craft cocktails. Main St. and some of its off-shoots have fantastic options for unique cocktails. Rock’s & Drams, Rumfish y Vino, Strange Beast, and Cocktail Trust are some of my personal favorites.

A trip to Ventura would feel dull and empty without dipping my toes in the Pacific, so off to the pier we go. The Ventura Pier is currently under construction; it took a beating during the El Niño storms this past Winter. The Ventura pier was built in 1872 for $45,000, and it is the oldest pier in the state of California. It has been reconstructed 6 times from then until now, with the most recent reconstruction occurring in the year 2000. The price tag for that project came in at a whopping 2.2 mil. I could spend the next hour sharing pier facts with you, but we’re here for a beer. The MadeWest Brewing company operates a tap room on the second floor at the base of the pier. It is a great spot to meet with friends, people-watch and enjoy the ocean breeze. After a beer, it's time to get grounded and feel the cold power of the Pacific Ocean. For those of you who don’t like sand or driftwood, there is a paved path that you can walk on, but I prefer to walk on the sand. On a clear day you can see the Channel Islands to the west, Surfers riding the Surfers Point break to the north, and the Ventura Harbor to the south. 

We have one more stop to make before calling it a night. The Amendment Speakeasy in Camarillo. The Amendment is a prohibition-themed bar with dark wood accents, an expansive liquor list, and my favorite cocktail in Ventura County. It’s the type of place you would expect to find in The Arts District of Downtown LA, or Brooklyn, and not in sleepy Camarillo. Their featured cocktail list is quite large and displayed in a distinguished leather menu book. After trying half of the cocktails on the menu (not all in one sitting), I found the “Drops of Juniper” at the top of my list. It is a botanical Gin-based cocktail shaken and served with 3 dried juniper seeds. I affectionately call it “dangerously drinkable.” The owner and mastermind behind the cocktail menu is there most nights. He is pretty easy to spot, as he rotates back and forth between his two personas; chef & mixologist. If you happen to see a gentleman in a black chef coat and backward hat, or someone that looks like an extra in Peaky Blinders, be sure to say hello and thank him. -MV

Weather

Oxnard

Ventura

Camarillo

Thousand Oaks

Simi Valley

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