area newsletter DECEMBER 2017 • CONEJO VALLEY
20 17
Community News State moving to expand Board of Supervisors
Juvenile puma found in Santa Monica Mountains
A bill pending in the California state legislature would realign how citizens are represented in local government. If passed, the resolution would place a constitutional amendment on the 2018 state ballot that would require counties with 2,000,000 or more residents to be served by a board of supervisors of 7 members. Currently, the LA County Board of Supervisors has 5 members, representing a constituency of 10,000,000 people and controlling an annual budget of $30 billion. The number of supervisors has remained unchanged since 1850, when the county only had 30,000 residents. A coauthor of the bill, State Sen. Scott Wilk of Santa Clarita, notes that citizens in outlying areas of the county often feel “shortchanged” by county government, and that decreasing each supervisor’s constituency from 2 million people to 1.4 million people will be a step in the right direction. Current members of the board, however, are opposed to the amendment, noting that voters in other counties should not be determining how Los Angeles County is governed
New drama has surfaced in the local mountain lion community as officials recently announced the discovery of a new puma in the Santa Monica Mountains and the loss of an animal that had been tracked since 2013. The National Park Service announced that a juvenile mountain lion, named P-61, has been identified in the east end of the mountain range. The male cat is believed to be approximately 1½ years old and tissue studies are underway to determine his parentage. This follows the discovery of two baby pumas in August, named P-59 and P-60, bringing the estimated mountain lion population in the area to 17 cats. The NPS also announced the death of P-27, a male puma that had been dominant in the area for years. He was estimated to be 10 years old. A cause of death was not determined.
Community News Uber plans to bring flying taxis to LA
Rams have positive impact on local economy
Ride sharing pioneer Uber recently announced plans to bring a fly-on-demand rideshare service to the Los Angeles area by 2020. Named UberAir, the service would utilize electrical vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL’s) that would allow passengers to beat ground traffic by flying above it, travelling in four passenger vehicles that will take off and land at 20 rooftop bases around the city. With their proposed vehicles capable of flying 200 mph, the company estimates that a 1½ hour commute could be reduced to 30 minutes, for a cost similar what would be charged by an UberX car for the same distance. Proponents of the project claim that short-distance aircraft will reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as offer customers a transportation option that will reduce time spent on the road.
Local officials estimate that the return of the Los Angeles Rams has had a beneficial impact on the local Conejo Valley economy, particularly in the retail and real estate sectors. The Rams, who have a training facility in Thousand Oaks and corporate offices in Agoura Hills, moved back to Southern California in 2016, after spending over 20 years in St. Louis. An NFL team roster consists of 90 players at the beginning of training camp, before being narrowed down to 53 at the start of the season. With a minimum salary of $450,000, these new residents are certain to inject cash into the local economy, even if only during football season. Players and officials who make the Conejo Valley their permanent home also have a direct impact on the housing market, where the average home sells for $787,000. Experts indicate that the impact of an organization the size of the Rams is difficult to measure, but anecdotal evidence from local businesses reflect a positive influence on their bottom lines.
Restaurant
Spotlight
Little Calf Creamery
Tuscany il Ristorante
Café Firenze
652 East Janss Road Thousand Oaks
968 South Westlake Boulevard Westlake Village
563 West Los Angeles Avenue Moorpark
Little Calf Creamery and Café is a family restaurant serving artisan ice cream, sorbets and delicious salads, sandwiches, soups and burgers. Owners Scott and Jen Levin combined forces into a concept that would allow for families to enjoy a meal together with a sweet ending. The pair focuses on making ice cream from California happy, healthy cows. They serve 14 year-round flavors and approximately four seasonal/ rotational flavors. Little Calf Creamery Café is open Monday Sunday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
This family-run restaurant caters to those searching for a true dining experience. The polished Italian trattoria has a true upscale menu with flavors that linger on your palette, bringing you back for more. Popular entrees on the menu: baked polenta with mushrooms; spaghetti in cartoccio with seafood; and dry-aged New York strip. Whether you are interested in a quiet celebration or a business meeting, Tuscany’s versatile menu and award winning wine list can meet your needs. Tuscany il Ristorante is open Monday – Friday 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., 5 – 10 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday from 5 – 10:30 p.m.
Moorpark’s Café Firenze has got Top Chef fame, amazing ravioli, wines and about everything else Italian under the sun. The upscale casual dining restaurant and martini lounge serves northern Italian style cuisine. When you walk into the restaurant you will experience the ambiance of a true Italian Villa with a large hearth fireplace and full leather sofas and booths. Its perfect location serves local Moorpark, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Ventura and other nearby communities. Moorpark Café is generally open Tuesday – Saturday from 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Sundays from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 5 – 9 p.m. The restaurant also has wine tastings on Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m.– 8:30 p.m.
SIGHTS & SOUNDS in LOS ANGELES
MOCA Grand Avenue
LACMA
152 N Central Ave Los Angeles, CA 90012
5905 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
Anna Maria Maiolino August 4, 2017 - January 22, 2018
Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage July 31, 2017 - January 7, 2018
Anna Maria Maiolino is a contemporary Italian-Brazilian artist whose work takes many forms, from drawings and woodblock prints, to sculpture and perfor¬mance. This exhibition represents the first major museum retrospective of Maiolino’s career and is part of the Pacific Standard Time LA/ LA initiative taking place through¬out southland art institutions.
This exhibition focuses on the work Marc Chagall created for the stage, as well as iconic paintings depicting musicians and lyrical scenes. Of particular note are Chagall’s set and costume designs that haven’t been exhibited since they were originally seen on stage. The exhibition also includes the screening of documentary footage of the original performances.
Annenberg Space for Photography 2000 Avenue of the Stars #10, Los Angeles, CA 90067 CURRENT EXHIBITION: Cuba Is September 9, 2017 – March 4, 2018 Cuba has long held the fascination of many Americans, and even as travel restrictions have decreased in recent years, few have seen what life is actually like on the island. This exhibit features over 120 photos depicting a wide range of Cuban subjects, as well as an original film documenting how the photographers captured the images.
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