area newsletter APRIL 2019 • CONEJO VALLEY
20 19
Community News The Mountain is now slightly cheaper
With the asking price now reduced by an amount that a typical buyer could never hope to afford, the property known as The Mountain is now available for purchase for only $650 million. Located atop the highest peak in Beverly Hills, the 157-acre parcel of undeveloped land was once owned by Princess Shams of Iran and legendary TV producer Merv Griffin, and was placed on the market last summer with an eye-popping price tag of $1 billion. Despite boasting 360 degree views, from downtown to Catalina, the owners were forced to drop a digit from their latest demand in hopes of finding a deep-pockets investor interested in developing the property. Experts indicate that a further reduction will likely be required.
Metro announces four options for Sepulveda Pass train line
LA Metro has revealed 4 initial options for the train line that is proposed for the Sepulveda Pass. The project would connect the San Fernando Valley to the westside of Los Angeles, beginning at the Van Nuys Metrolink station and ending at the Expo Line stations near the 405 and 10 freeways. Long term plans call for this line to later be extended further, ending at LAX. Two of Metro’s current options, designated HRT 1 and 2, call for a heavy train that would run underground, following the path of Van Nuys Blvd. or Sepulveda Blvd, respectively. A third heavy rail option, HRT 3, would travel above the Orange Line path, run at-grade along Sepulveda in the Valley, then go underground after passing Ventura Blvd. A forth option calls for a monorail system that follows the same path as HRT 3. All four options end at the Expo/Bundy and Expo/Sepulveda Stations in West LA. Among the pros and cons discussed in the Metro proposal are that the underground trains would require the most challenging construction but would allow for the fastest service and highest capacity. Likewise, a monorail would be the least expensive option, but with slower service and fewer passengers.
Community News Calabasas office park sells for $78m
the construction of a 390-unit gated community, including 26 unit designated for affordable housing, and also calls for the widening of Casey Road near the project. The project was recommended unanimously by the planning commission, with final approval pending before the Moorpark city council.
Sinatra’s former Chatsworth pad listed for sale
Calabasas Park Centre, a three-building office park near the 101 freeway at Parkway Calabasas, recently sold for $78 million, at a rate of $347 per square foot. The property was purchased by Cruzan, a Solana Beach-based firm, and Related Fund Management, the New York company that just began construction on Frank Gehry’s Grand Ave. project in downtown LA. Calabasas Park Centre was originally built in 2001 and was 96% leased when the deal was closed.
Two senior living projects planned for Conejo Valley The cities of Camarillo and Moorpark may soon be home to new senior living projects. The Camarillo development, which will include the construction on 281 units, will be located near St. John’s Seminary off of Upland Road. The project will include 175 single family residences, 106 duplexes, a 4,900 square foot recreational center, and a private bikepath. The Camarillo city council approved the plan, which exceeded the number of residences allowed to be built in the city in a given year. The second, unrelated project in Moorpark has been proposed for a 50 acre lot west of Walnut Canyon Road, south of Meridian Hills. This development would entail
The seven-acre estate in Chatsworth, which was leased for several years by legendary singer/actor Frank Sinatra, has recently been listed for $12.5 million. Located at 9361 Farralone Ave., the hilltop property has been a popular filming location for years with credits such as the TV show “Mad Men” and the movie “Dreamgirls,” but is best known as a Rat Packera party pad for Ol’ Blue Eyes, who also sublet the guesthouse to actress Marilyn Monroe. Originally built in 1951 for Chase Manhattan heir Dora Hutchinson, the 10,000 square foot main house features 4 bedrooms, 5½ baths, 16-foot ceilings, and large, external glass walls. The guesthouse, which features its own pool, was the location for one of Monroe’s final photo shoots and is rumored to be the site of a tryst she had with President John F. Kennedy.
Restaurant
Spotlight
Barton’s Steak & Seafood
Boccaccio’s
Sabor Cocina Mexicana
1627 E. Los Angeles Avenue Simi Valley
32123 Lindero Cyn Road Westlake Village
2200 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard Thousand Oaks
Barton’s is a traditional steakhouse, offering excellent cuts of beef as well as rack of lamb, chicken Monterey, and a bacon-wrapped filet mignon. Their seafood dishes include fresh salmon, Chilean sea bass, and Alaskan halibut. Barton’s dining room is well known for its attractive atmosphere and is a local favorite for romantic dinners. Barton’s opens daily at 5pm, serving dinner until 9pm during the week and 10pm Friday-Saturday.
Located on the picturesque shores of Westlake Lake, Boccaccio’s serves high-end European cuisine, specializing in fine Italian dishes such as linguini and clams and ziti alfredo chicken. The restaurant is known for their weekend brunch, during which they serve traditional breakfast staples as well as modern omelette options. Boccaccio’s is open seven days a week, serving lunch until 2:30pm during the week and 3:00pm on weekends. Dinner is served 5pm – 10pm.
For tasty Mexican food in Thousand Oaks, check out Sabor Cocina Mexicana at The Lakes. Sabor puts a modern spin on traditional Mexican dishes, with options such as Portobello mushroom tacos or enchiladas stuffed with fresh, wild caught seafood. Their full bar serves wonderful margaritas as well as a selection of tequilas and mezcals. Sabor opens daily at 11am.
SIGHTS & SOUNDS in LOS ANGELES
LACMA
Petersen Automotive Museum
5905 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036
6060 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036
J. Paul Getty Museum 1200 Getty Center Drive Los Angeles, CA 90049
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
Charles White: A Retrospective February 17 – June 9, 2019
Auto-Didactic: The Juxtapoz School September 29, 2018 - June 2019
Eighteenth-Century Pastel Portraits August 28, 2018 – October 13, 2019
Charles White was an artist whose work depicted African American people in a dignified and heroic light, mirroring his activism on behalf of civil rights during the mid-20th century. A noted teacher at what was then the Otis Institute of Art, White influenced later generations of African American artists such as Alonzo Davis, David Hammons, and Kerry James Marshall. This exhibit was organized in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Modern Art and includes 100 drawings, prints and paintings.
Juxtapoz Magazine, known for featuring “lowbrow” and pop surrealist artists that would otherwise be considered as outside of the mainstream art world, has teamed with the Petersen Auto Museum to create a group show of artists whose work is often inspired by hot rod culture. The exhibit features many car-centric paintings and sculptures, as well as a number of vehicles that converted into moving works of work. The exhibit includes work by Robert Crumb, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Robert Williams.
Celebrating a medium that is often overlooked in other time periods, this exhibit delves into the favored form of portraiture in late 18th century Europe. Pastels allowed the artist to create classically beautiful works without the arduous process that oil painting often requires. This flexibility coincided with the growing class of people who patronized portrait artists, creating a unique body of work that represented both an evolving craft and an evolving society.
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