December 2008 by Ventana Monthly Magazine

S EE F RED S ELL , H E S ELLS W ELL ! Exquisite Ventura Ocean Front Home. Hard to find wide sandy beach located at desirable Mussel Shoals. 3 BR, 2 BA with open floor plan. Upper level features open wood beam ceilings, kitchen with breakfast bar, FR with corner fireplace and 3 sets of slider doors to viewing deck, MBR and bath with spa tub and steam shower. Lower level has 2 BR and 1 BA with direct access to exterior. Large wood deck with add’l lower level patio. One of a kind property. OFFERED AT $3,250,000 – See V ir tual Tour on Websit e

Brand New Ventura Ocean View Home. Panoramic views of the ocean, islands, mountains and city lights. Owner spared no expense using top of the line materials. Loads of granite and custom stone work. Three levels with 4 BR, 3 BA and approx. 4,800 sq. ft. per builder. Fireplace in living room. Entire 3rd level is master suite with fireplace and huge walk-in closet. Large lot approx. 12,030 sq. ft. Lower level bonus room with potential for expansion. Large viewing decks on two levels. 3 car garage. Too many features to list. OFFERED AT $1,795,000 – V i si t w w w.5340foothill.com

R e d u c e d ! E l e g a n t C u s t o m Ve n t u r a H o m e . 5 BR, 5 BA with approx. 4,500 sq. ft. per seller. Custom kitchen with 2 islands, granite counters, walk-in and butler's pantry. 4 fireplaces, 2 family rooms, and exceptional master suite. Magnificent yard with pool, spa, built-in BBQ, fire pit, and putting green. OFFERED AT $ 1 ,5 8 9, 0 0 0 – S e e V ir t ua l Tou r on We b s i t e

REDUCED! FANTASTIC BUY! Ventura Ocean View Mediterranean Villa. Hillside 3 level 4 BR, 3.5 BA home with approx. 3,476 sq. ft. per tax records. Limestone look tile entry with stone fountain on entry landing. Open floor plan with huge family/game room. Gourmet kitchen with granite counters and butler’s pantry. Master BR with Jacuzzi tub and Roman shower with pass through fireplace. African mahogany floors in living & dining rooms. Possible lower level guest quarters with separate entrance. Security system, expansive viewing decks, and private backyard with arched patio. Must see! OFFERED AT $1,499,000 – Vi sit w w w.1166buenavista.com

Ar chit ect’s P e rs ona l H ome a n d M a st er p ie ce . Spectacular panoramic Santa Paula view home. Unobstructed 210 degree views of the ocean, islands, mountains and valley. Built in 1996 with approx. 4,800 sq. ft. per seller. 3 BR, 3.5 BA plus separate entrance guest quarters. Huge game room and family room. Energy efficient designed home with 5000 watts of electric energy production. This very unique contemporary home could not be replaced for the list price. FANTASTIC BUY AT $1,299,000 – See Vir tual Tour on Website

CAMARILLO HEIGHTS ALTAMONT RIDGE GATED COMMUNI TY. Highly upgraded Mediterranean home with views of the ocean, city, and mountains. Approx. 3,500 sq. ft. per seller with 4 BR, 5 BA plus office on over one acre. Upgrades include granite counters, travertine flooring, custom wood shutters, 2 fireplaces, and high ceilings with custom crown molding. Nicely landscaped yard with built-in BBQ, fruit trees and garden area. 3 car garage. OFFERED AT $1,299,000 – Vis i t w ww.altamontridge.com

Downtown Ventura Early 1900’s Restored Craftsman. Large 2 story bungalow with oriental influence. One of a kind! Home has been meticulously restored to its’ original grandeur. Approx. 2,550 sq. ft. per assessor with 4 BR and 2.5 BA. Incredible gourmet kitchen, wood work, crown moldings, hardwood floors, and tile inlay fireplace. Green and natural materials have been utilized for this environmentally friendly house. Drought tolerant native California landscaping. Some ocean views from upper level. Walking distance to beach, downtown, restaurants and shops. Mills Act designation for substantial tax benefits. Possible lease with option to purchase to qualified buyer. OFFERED AT $1,099,000 – Visit www.VenturaHistoricHomes.com

Downtown Ventura New Custom Ocean & Island View Home. 3BR, 2.5BA with approx. 2,100 sq. ft. per builder. 8 ft. sliding doors off kitchen to backyard. Master suite with large walk-in closet, spa tub, and hand crafted vanity in dressing area. Milgard Wood Clad Low E custom windows throughout. The many features include wrought iron stair railing, granite, travertine, stone, custom wood work, French doors, and skylights. Smart Box the living room and MBR, which runs all electrical in the house, is prewired for cable and surround sound. Close to downtown, restaurants, shopping and beach. OFFERED AT $1,150,000

Gated Sterling Hills Golf Course View Home. 5 BR, 3.5 BA with one bedroom currently used as an office. Built in 1999 with approx. 3,770 sq. ft. per assessor. Huge family room with fireplace. Additional game room with space enough for pool table. Approx. 270 sq. ft. titled garage. Lower level bedroom and bath. Large upstairs master suite with balcony with views of the golf course, beautiful sunsets and lovely ocean breezes. Upgraded gourmet kitchen with granite counters, tumbled travertine floors, and new stainless steel appliances. Upgraded stone flooring and plush carpeting. Two zoned heat and air conditioning. Lushly landscaped with spectacular views of the 13th fairway and close to the green. OFFERED AT $1,150,000 – Visit www.golfsterlinghills.com

Char mi ng Con t empo rar y Oce an V i e w H ome i n Ve n t u ra ' s Prestigious Hobson Heights. Spectacular postcard ocean views from every room of this tastefully remodeled 2+2 coastal retreat. Channel Islands and Ventura Harbor are a stunning backdrop for a beautifully landscaped yard with reflection pool and waterfall. Relax on the sundeck off the master bedroom, family room and office area or let the Pacific breeze keep you cool on the covered view patio off the living room and dining areas. This is a rare opportunity to find a view home in historic Hobson Heights that has it all. NEW PRICE! $1,099,900 – Vi si t ww w.1688marisol.com

Builder Close Out! Only One Left! Was $1,139,900 - Now Only $1,099,000. Prestigious Oxnard Shores Semi Custom Home. This Craftsman style beach house has the ultimate in casual living. Approx. 2,947 sq. ft. per builder with 3 BR, 2.5 BA and a great room that truly is great! Chef's kitchen with stainless steel Viking appliances including a 48” refrigerator & Bosch dishwasher, beach style cabinets and granite counters. Gorgeous master suite with walk-in shower and large custom walkin closet. Additional features include crown molding, designer cabinetry, Koehler fixtures, marble, and wainscoting. Pre-wired for security, cat5, and surround sound including rear yard & rooftop deck. Private rear gate opens to a walkway to the ocean. Visit www.fredsbeachbuy.com

Ventura Ondulando Estates Contemporar y V iew Home. Spectacular views of the mountains, city and ocean on large lot approx. 16,250 sq. ft. Remodeled in and out with 4 BR, 3 BA and approx. 3,012 sq. ft. per assessor. Family room with fireplace. Large master suite with sitting area, large walk-in shower, spa tub, and deck with sweeping views. Additional lower level viewing deck with built-in spa. Terraced back yard with fruit trees. 3 car garage, RV parking, and basketball court. OFFERED AT $999,000 – V is i t w w w.989viacielito.com

Fabulous Ventura 1920s Spanish Ocean V iew Home. 3 BR, 3 BA, approx. 1,883 sq. ft. on a large lot, approx. 8,950 sq. ft. per assessor. Light and spacious living room with vintage tiled fireplace. Arched doorways, charming breakfast room, open kitchen, then step down to the open-beamed dining area and family room with 2nd fireplace. Spacious deck overlooks your private backyard. Lovely upstairs master with more ocean views, charming seating area and nicely tiled bath. Great location close to schools and downtown. OFFERED AT $949,000 – V is it w w w.MidtownHillsideHomes.com

JUST LISTED! 180 Degree Panoramic Coastline Ocean V iew Home. Overlooking central Ventura above the county medical center. Extensively remodeled with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths on large useable lot approx. 9,800 sq. ft. Kitchen features new maple cabinets, granite counters, and LG stainless steel appliances. Refinished white oak hardwood floors and new limestone flooring in kitchen and baths. Freshly painted interior and exterior with new dual pane windows. Upper terraced flat yard with tremendous potential for additional viewing large deck or garden. Several fruit trees. ALL THIS FOR ONLY $784,500

Ventura Brock Hills Beauty. Largest floor plan with swimming pool and spa. 4 BR, 2.5 BA with approx. 1,776 sq. ft. per assessor. Family room with fireplace. Large private lot with long driveway with room for up to 8 cars. Mountain and valley views. Won’t last long. FANTASTIC BUY ONLY $499,900 – See Vir tual Tour on Website

JUST LISTED! Ventura Cape Weston Regatta. Centrally located near the Barnes & Noble shopping Center. Tri level with 2 BR, 2.5 BA. The many features include hardwood floors, wood burning fireplace, cathedral ceilings, plantation shutters, AC, and freshly painted exterior. Formal dining room, den, and kitchen with newer appliances including Bosch dishwasher and refrigerator. 2 car attached garage. Low HOA dues include pool and spa. ONLY 319,900

FRED EVANS SELLS... VENTURA COUNTY TO THE WORLD! The Fred Evans Team

SEE OUR VIRTUAL TOURS AT WWW.FREDEVANS.COM Email: fred@fredevans.com

(805) 339-3502 1500 Palma Dr., Ste. 160, Ventura, CA Se Habla Español (805) 339-3542, (805) 339-3528

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CONTENTS

VOL.3 NO.7

EDITOR’S NOTE

DEC 2008

8 Reality Check

F E AT U R E S PERSONALITY

41 Searching for Cloud 10 Larry Hagman finds Heaven in Ojai

NESTING

33 Home for the Holidays Dismantling the archetypical holiday party

TRAVEL

25 Tickling Ivory Southern China’s Piano Island

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Big Discounts on Watches this Holiday Season For all your watch needs 4255-19 E. Main St. • Ventura

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• ORIS • LONGINES • MONTBLANC • MOVADO • GUCCI • HAMILTON •

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D E PA R T M E N T S TABLE TALK

19 Prime Time A carnivorous dream comes to life

COMMUNITY

10 Montecito Bank & Trust Community Dividends Luncheon

SHOPPING

12 Holiday Gifts for Her & Him

SHORT LIST

50 Local Events A selective preview of happenings countywide

COV E R: 54 years of marital bliss. Larry and Maj Hagman at home in “Heaven,” Ojai, CA. Photograph by Michael Robinson Chavez.

ADVERTISING SECTIONS: Gifts, 13. Dining Showcase, 22. Health & Beauty, 28. Your Home Your Castle, 36.Ventura City Pages, 45. Oxnard City Page, 48. Ojai City Page, 49. Marketplace, 51. Ideal Homes, 52.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Reality Check Tragedy is a great equalizer. Mansions burn just like cardboard shacks, and a fat cat CEO grieves the same as any corporate underling as he sifts through the ashes of his fallen house of cards. If there is any upside to the recent fire in Santa Barbara—and it’s a stretch to find one— it’s that it serves as a poignant reminder of what is truly valuable: family, friends, health, home, community. Shortly before press time we shifted gears and swapped out the photos we had lined up for our Community section (p. 10), replacing them with images from Montecito Bank & Trust’s Annual Community Dividends luncheon at the Four Seasons Biltmore hotel. County lines blur in times like these; the perception of community extends, and the ten miles between The Biltmore and Rincon Point (the coastal dividing line between SB and Ventura counties) seemed trifling compared to the million dollars being awarded to a hundred and forty nonprofits, including a number of Ventura County organizations. Priorities shift in the face of tragedy—call it a mandatory reality check. And in that respect, an occasional shake-up does some good. That which seemed terribly important yesterday may be insignificant tomorrow. Like the Hollywood star who plummets from A-list to reality show hack in fifteen illusory minutes. Lifestyle magazines generally thrive on celebri-

ty features. Unfortunately, a lot of the pretty faces that sell magazines don’t have much to say. For fans of the irreverent (count me in), therein lies the real entertainment value: “I get to go to lots of overseas places,” Britney Spears tells Blender magazine, “like Canada.” Of course we don’t have to sell Ventana; it’s free. Which means you get a 77-year-old actor and his wife on the cover rather than a Mouseketeer Gone Wild. Ojai resident Larry Hagman (p. 41) was everything we’d hoped for: quirky, sassy, full of great stories. His house—a solar-powered palace he calls Heaven—was to be the focus of the article, but writer Ivor Davis also managed to squeeze out some telling personal anecdotes, not to mention a tidbit of uniquely Hagman-esque wisdom about his and her bathrooms. Eccentricity is underrated. Some people even consider it a character flaw. Those folks probably wouldn’t appreciate Hagman’s theory on politicians and LSD, or the way he led us around the house with a bell like a Tibetan lama leading his students to prayer. Thousand Oaks-based artist and clinical psychologist Darlene Graeser (p. 33) would get along fabulously with Larry. This is a woman who proudly splatters her idiosyncrasies over life’s canvas, a suburban Jackson Pollock whose selfanalysis reveals a “hyperactive adult who until recently found little need for sleep.” The Graeser house is a reflection of that fireball of creative energy—and Darlene fully realizes it’s “either astounding or embarrassing, depending on your point of view.” Since mid-summer I’d been fishing for an editorial hook, something sharp enough fit Darlene’s peculiar character, a story angle beyond your typical profile of a local artist or a local home. Turns out that for nearly forty years the Graesers have thrown a holiday party. But of course, it’s not your typical holiday party. Which is precisely why it’s in the magazine this month. Happy December! See you in 2009.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, ON THE JOB: (LEFT TO RIGHT) PIERRE SILVA, MAXINE HURT, GARY SILVA; PAGE 43 PAGE 33 EXPRESSION: CREATIVE

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DECEMBER 2008

ventana EDITOR IN CHIEF Matt Katz ART DIRECTOR Christy Sisneros ASSISTANT EDITOR Maxine Hurt CIRCULATION Teresa Wann-Davis HUMAN RESOURCES Andrea Baker ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Warren Barrett Peter Burgi Marni Howe Diane Newman Sarah Wilcox SALES TEAM LEADER Kelly-marie Tracy CONTRIBUTORS Michael Robinson Chavez Kate Crawford Ivor Davis Kathy Chin Leong Gary and Pierre Silva GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Bret Hooper Lindsay Worden VP OF FINANCE Michael Nagami BUSINESS MANAGER Angela Wang ACCOUNTING Tracy Lowe PUBLISHER David Comden

CONTACT US ADVERTISING publisher@ventanamonthly.com EDITORIAL editor@ventanamonthly.com PHONE (805) 648-2244 FAX (805) 648-2245 MAILING ADDRESS 700 East Main Street Ventura, CA 93001 VentanaMonthly.com

MATT KATZ, EDITOR MattK@VentanaMonthly.com

SWEET COUTURE: PAGE 20

COMMUNITY

6TH A N N UA L M O N T E C I TO BA N K & T RUS T CO M M U N I T Y D I V I D E N D S AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y

On November 24 at the Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara, Montecito Bank & Trust awa rded a million dollars to nonprofit organizations f rom Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Initiated six years ago by the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founder and Chairman of the Board, Michael Towbes, the Community Dividends program is designed to give back to local nonprofits that play an important role in our community. This year's recipients from Ventura County include Big Brothers Big Sisters; The Boys & Girls Club; Casa Pacifica; Habitat for Humanity; Hospice of the Conejo; Manna Conejo Village Food Bank; Many Mansions; Miracle House, Inc. ; the Museum of Ventura County; Senior Concerns, Inc. ; The Wellness Community; Turning Point Foundation; and the Ventura County Community Foundation. Right: Janet Garufis, CEO/President Montecito Bank & Trust with Michael Towbes, Founder/Chairman of the Board. Clockwise from below: Sal Sandoval, Westlake Branch Manager of Montecito Bank & Trust, with Vicki Murphy, Director of Development & Operations at Casa Pacifica; Clyde Reynolds, Turning Point Foundation, Tim Schiffer, Museum of Ventura County, Hugh Ralston, Ventura County Community Foundation, Marni Brook, Community President of Montecito Bank & Trust, Ventura; Representatives of Ventura County nonprofit organizations; Shari Bridges, Gi rl Scouts of CA's Central Coast, Suzanne Drace, The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura, Debbie Puente, Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank.

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DECEMBER 2008

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Gifts for Her & Him Let’s be honest.Not many of us look forward to holiday shopping (unless, of course, we’re planning to snag a few

SHOPPING

items for ourselves).But since it’s a necessary part of the festive season, we’ve put together some tips and suggestions.Tip #1: Decide who gets what before you leave the house and go wandering around the county.This will save you time and spare you some cliché holiday aggravation. And don’t forget about traditional gifts such as perfume and jewelry.There’s good reason why they consistently make the list. BY MAXINE HURT PHOTOS BY GARY AND PIERRE SILVA

1. Juicy Couture lock “Free Style”hand bag in purple, $395 3. Hype “Leonardo Clutch”in black, $155 4. Hobo International “Belinda”(double frame, patent leather, clutch/wallet) in mar, $110

Siany, 968 Westlake Blvd. , Westlake Village, 805.557.1881 5. Sula “Sun-kissed Citrus”perfume, $32

Ulta Cosmetics, 431 West Esplanade, Ox nard, 805.988.9220 6. 14k gold peridot dangle earrings, $149; Sterling silver & oval amethyst dangle earrings, $149; 18k gold diamond antique style earrings, $750

Fox Fine Jewelry, 210 E. Main Street, Ventura , 805.652.1800

FOR HER

2. Deux Lux wallet in slate, $38

GIFTS FOR HIM ON PAGE 14 12

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DECEMBER 2008

H O L I D AY S H O P P I N G : G I F T S + M O R E

The 2009 SoCalendar of Citrus Labels is the perfect gift for friends, family and business associates. Retail Price is $12 each, plus tax, and available for purchase at the following locations throughout Ventura County: Ca m a r i l l o: Las Posas Emporium Fi l l m o re : Rotary Club of Fillmore (524-5099) M o o rp a rk : Underwood Family Farms (Tierra Rejada) O j a i: Ojai Valley Community Hospital Ox n a rd: California Welcome Center & Oxnard Visitor & Convention Bureau S a nt a Pa u l a: The Depot and John Nichol’s Gallery S a ticoy : Highway 126 Restaurant S o m i s: Underwood Family Farms (Hwy. 118) T h o us a n d O a k s: New West Symphony office in the Civic Arts Plaza Vent u ra: Calico Cat, Coastal Postal, Community Memorial Hospital, The Dudley House, Green Market, Museum of Ventura County, Steve’s Plumbing and Stock Building Supply, Ventura Visitor & Convention Bureau

All proceeds support Rotary Club of Ventura’s contributions to organizations providing health and social services which ensure our quality of life in Ventura County. For information on bulk purchase prices, or to buy direct from Rotary, please contact Betsy Chess at newwester@sbcglobal.net

See our Rotary Calendar booth at the Ventura Holiday Street Fair on Sunday, December 7th. Look for us at Main Street and Palm!

1. Stetson “Wagon Wheel”hat in sahara, $179 2. Brown leather belt with Western design, $26.95 3. Leather “Burma”belt in black/brown, $53 4. Los Altos Boots Collection “Stingray”wallet in black, $69.95.. The Whar f, 980 Front Street, Ventura , 805.648.5037 5. 18k “Ocean Waters, Norwegian Deep”Mokume band with 14k white gold sheath with Palladium white gold and “snow gold”in Mokume Gane band by Michael Daniels, $2,299. Fox Fine Jewelr y, 210 E. Main Street, Ventura , 805.652.1800

7. Kenneth Cole R.S.V.P. aftershave balm, $48. Ulta Cosmetics, 431 West Esplanade, Oxnard, 8 0 5 .9 8 8 .9 2 2 0

1 5

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DECEMBER 2008

FOR HIM

SHOPPING

6. Gift Certificate to make your own wine includes personalizing the bottles and labels. Process takes 4-8 weeks. Price varies. Approximately $7 per bottle with minimum purchase of 30 bottles. Price includes all ingredients, corks, shrink tops, and labels. Squashed Grapes, 2475 E. Ventura Bouleva rd, Camarillo, 805.384.9721

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H O L I D AY S H O P P I N G : G I F T S + M O R E

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Prime Time

Stepping into the rich interior of Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar was like entering an exclusive gentleman’s club where snooker, cigars, and single malt were the order of the day. The black leather tufted chairs and booths, crisp white tablecloths, and forged iron light fixtures felt grounded and masculine. But deco-inspired details of sculpted gold leaves and low sable-hued velvet couches with leopard throw pillows uncovered the secret to the curved elegance behind the restaurant. The owner of Prime is not some saddle-worn, slowcadenced Texas cattleman but rather a petite, rapid-talking brunette named Jan who loves two things most of all: design and high-end steakhouses. As Jan Copeland spoke, her kohlrimmed eyes surveyed the landscape of her Ventura restaurant. We met before five o’clock in the evening, but customers were already arriving and being seated early. She more hovered over her seat like a hummingbird than sat, and got up several times during our interview to attend to nuances. Prime has been open for about a year and already has a regular crowd. “At first I was worried about not being Downtown, but customers are happy we’re here,” said Copeland. “They walk down from the hill, or from their homes in Midtown. They are relieved not to have to drive.” The building on the corner of Thompson and Anacapa (formerly Tony’s Steak & Seafood) was not the first location Copeland pursued. Over the span of seven years she had been in negotiation for at least three other venues, but every other deal fell through. “It wasn’t meant to be,” Copeland told herself when they tanked. “When it was right, I knew it would happen.” She now feels that each failure was a “blessing in disguise” that ultimately prepared her for this opportunity. Copeland’s dream of owning a steakhouse was conceived in Kansas City, Missouri when, at the age of fifteen, she began waiting tables. She fell in love with the industry, and with the fervor of a young bride dreaming about her wedding, started to visualize the steakhouse she would one day own.

While most girls dream of lacy frills, restaurateur Jan Copeland had visions of that quintessentially masculine retreat: the classic American steakhouse.

BY KATE CRAWFORD PHOTOS BY GARY AND PIERRE SILVA

DECEMBER 2008

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The owner of Prime is not some saddle-worn, slow-cadenced Texas cattleman but rather a petite, rapidtalking brunette named Jan.

Owner Jan Copeland (left) worked with a designer friend to create a “comfort dining” atmosphere. The main room’s black leather chairs and forged iron light fixtures (below) have the distinctly masculine feel of a classic steakhouse.

Along the way, her career path took many twists and turns (including selling electronics and other equipment out of the trunk of her car, which incidentally evolved into a successful company), but still she clung to her dream. “I always loved being in high-end steakhouses, the likes of Maestros or House of Prime Rib in San Francisco,” she said. “I love Old World charm, where men are men and ladies are ladies.” She wanted to create a supper-club vibe, with live music and dancing after dinner. Copeland worked with a designer friend from Chicago to fashion an atmosphere she describes as “upscale without attitude. … It’s comfort food, comfort dining— that’s what Ventura’s about.” Though the dinner menu is monolithic, its selections are concise. “We kept it simple so we could specialize,” she explained. They serve mussels and tuna tartar, and an impressive double-boned pork chop. But the house specialty, as stated in the restaurant’s name, is prime rib. Prime features slow-cooked Midwestern beef. The twist that makes their approach unique comes when they sear the prime rib on the grill before serving. “It changes the texture a little bit,” said Copeland. “It’s not for everyone, but about ninety percent love it.” She also stretched the menu with some creative and less costly prime rib options such as prime rib tacos, nachos, and sandwiches. The restaurant’s motto is, “There’s always something going on at Prime.” Copeland has a long call list of clients she keeps apprised of the ever-evolving schedule: Tequila Tuesdays, Monday night football specials, debate dinners, and Thirsty Thursdays that showcase a jazz band and small plates menu with nothing priced over seven dollars. Copeland’s formula seems to appeal to local diners, as Prime was voted “Best New Restaurant” this fall in the Ventura County Reporter. The determination that kept her fighting until she finally got to open the restaurant of her dreams is the same moxie that keeps her hustling for new customers. “You’re foolish if you think that when you open your doors people will come rushing in; you have to stay on top of it,” she said as she walked off to greet more customers. v

Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 209 E.Thompson Blvd.,Ventura, 805.652.1055

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AD PROOF (805) 648-2244

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nd indicate all corrections clearly. You willPlease have check a “1st this Proof”, “2nd and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof afterhave the a1st or Proof”, 2nd proof overProof”, carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will “1st “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we re 677 E. Main St., Ventura check oof meets your approval on the 1st proof,Proofs, off PROOF box, dateyour andapproval sign at the ISSUE: DEC. 2008 PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at AD“FINAL WILL RUN AS (APPROVED)” IS. If this proof meets on bottom. the 1st proof, check off “FINAL

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NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS TO Date: _______________________________ NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO Date: _____ FINALPROOF PROOF (APPROVED) This proofASAP is to check for accuracy andSignature: is not ___________________________ (805) 648-2245 Signature: _ (805) 648-2245 ASAP Wine Bar & Pub !" Dancing !" Fine Art intended to show quality of reproduction. Italian flourishes meet Irish hospitality Visit www.myspace.com/caffebella for Live Music Calendar Open Tuesday - Saturday

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SPECIAL DINING ADVERTISING SECTION

Fine Foods, Creative Cuisine DeNoce’s Catering & Café offers dishes to die for that won’t break the bank At DeNoce's Catering & Cafe you get a delicious gourmet meal for around $10.00 with a choice of gourmet soup, fresh salad, or sweet potato fries with a honey mustard dipping sauce, a drink, and a gourmet sandwich or wrap that will absolutely delight your senses. All of the soups are addicting and so delicious that you want to lick the bowl clean. Buy a cup or a bowl of soup and it comes with a sourdough roll. The meatball sandwich is an old world family recipe from Italy that won't disapoint you. If you are looking for something uniquely different, try one of the specialt y Chicken Caprese, Panini, or Italian sandwiches. If you have a big appetite, try the turkey club. The vegetarian sandwich is delicious and beautifully presented with an Italian f lare. The portions are large for the money and you will not leave hungry. Are you in a hurry for lunch? You can call or fax in your order ahead of time. DeNoce's Catering & Cafe lunches are gourmet right down to the dishes they are served on. Even the to go containers spell class. There is no st yrofoam in this restaurant, but the extra cost is not passed on to the customer. St yrofoam free is just something the owner strongly believes in for the environment. When you have lunch at this restaurant, you see that not only should the food taste great, but the presentation of your meal is just as important. DeNoce's Catering & Cafe offers full service catering for all occasions and no event is too small. For more information on catering services, please contact the owner, Michelle DeNoce, or visit them at www.denocescatering.com.

Client: JJ Brewskys

AD PROOF Ad Executive: Warren

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Please check this Catering proof over and indicate corrections clearly. will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd DeNoce’s & carefully Cafe is located at 5777all Olivas Park Drive, SuiteYou T, Ventura, Proofs, WILLCall RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom. ISSUE: OCT. 2008 CAAD 93003. 805-654-1101, Fax 805-654-1141 or approval visit www.denocescatering.com.

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ALLOW BROOKS TO BE YOUR HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS! CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER • 5 Course Special Holiday Menu created by Chef Andy Brooks. $65 for dinner or $95 with wine pairings.

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Perfect for Holiday Gatherings! Children’s Menu available for 12 and under, $25. Menus available on website. All prices are per person, not including tax and tip.

AD PROOF Executive: Marni Howe Client: O-SabiAd Japanese Restaurant

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ly and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have Please a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, “Finaland Proof”. If we no proof after the 1sthave or 2nd check this proof over and carefully indicate all receive corrections clearly. You will a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If s proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check Proofs, off “FINAL (APPROVED)” box,proof date meets and sign at approval the bottom. ISSUE: DEC. 2008 AD PROOF WILL RUN AS IS. If this your on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and si 545 East Thompson Blvd. | Ventura | www.restaurantbrooks.com | 805.652.7070

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Year’s Eve infoPLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO NOTICE: & reservations! _______________________________ This proof is to check for accuracy is not NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO and Date: (805) 648-2245 ASAP intended to show quality of reproduction. Signature: ___________________________ (805) 648-2245 ASAP

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Ventura Harbor Village Holidays PHOTOS BY DAN HARDING

Dining • Fashion • Fa mily Fun • Lifest yle shopping • Adventure MILANO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

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style — Dance 8pm til 1am — enjoy fabulous gourmet dinner — Belly dance show — enjoy Aris' table dance and double wine dance. 1583 Spinnaker Dr., #101. www.greekventuraharbor.com. Guaranteed reservations only, call Lynn at (805) 650-5350.

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Holiday Shopping/ To-Do List:

Ventura ✓ Shop for unique gifts at Harbor Village stores! h Ride ✓ Buy tix-California Sleig (via Ventura Boat Rentals) Island ✓ Book Caroling Cruise w/ Packers overlooking ✓ Treat self to restaurant the boats! g trip? ✓ Boat ride, dive or fishin or to ✓ Show off Ventura Harb family & friends!

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You Be The Judge… SPINNAKER SEAFOOD BROILER a local favorite. Mesquite Grilled Seafood, Steaks, Chicken & Ribs or Famous Hot Crab Dip, Buffalo Shrimp or Oyster Pesto. Experience Warm & Friendly Service & Delicious Entrees. 1583 Spinnaker Drive, call (805) 658-6220.

Friday, December 19 & Saturday, December 20 5 pm Carnival & Festivities 7 pm Parade & Fireworks

Discover affordable original art in wrap-able sizes! HARBOR VILLAGE GALLERY & ARTISAN STORE has unique one-of-akind gift items for everyone on your list from some of Ventura County’s most loved artists! Noon–5 daily, closed Tuesday, next to the Main Lawn. 1591 Spinnaker Dr. (805) 644-2750. www.HarborVillageGallery.com

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T R AV E L

Tickling Ivory

Southern China’s Fujian province holds some of the world’s most beautiful natural scenery, including the Wuyi Mountains (above left) on the mainland east of Piano Island.

Southern China’s “Piano Island” attracts hoards of tourists, but off-season —from December to May—you can solo to your heart’s content.

BY KATHY CHIN LEONG

The moment I stepped off the ferry I fell into the embrace of Chopin. And that was no coincidence: Southern China’s Gulangyu Island, known for more pianos per capita than anywhere in the world, is nicknamed Piano Island. The spotless sidewalks and ticket booths, however, led me to suspect that Disney Island would be an equally fitting description. (The piano music, I later discovered, was piped in through artificial rock speakers.) This was my maiden voyage to the country of 1.3 billion Chinese, and I came to this bucolic enclave to experience the land of my ancestors. The stereotypes I’d grown up with—the filth, the crime, the unrelenting crowds—were upended as I glanced about. It was March. Only a few tourists were fondling the pearl necklaces at the souvenir shops, and I spied a handful of residents sweeping their front porches, attending to the duties of daily life. Since it was off-season, I practically had the entire island to myself. This is a popular vacation spot for Chinese on holiday; during the summer, tour groups led by megaphone-wielding guides come in herds. The island becomes so jammed that the guides literally bump into each other. Thankfully, Gulangyu is a pedestrian-only island. That’s right: no cars are allowed, except for a handful of small emergency road vehicles. Everyone walks or rides bicycles, even vendors toting

10-foot bundles of sugar cane. I had no real agenda when I came Gulangyu; my only goal was to explore as much of the island as I could in two days. It wouldn’t be as hard as it sounds. Measuring less than one square mile, this tranquil islet in the southern Fujian province—home to some of China’s most beautiful natural scenery, including the Wuyi Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage site—is but a speck on the China map. In the mid-1800s it was a foreign outpost for European trade and Protestant missionaries introduced the piano, hand carrying them up the hills to play in their churches. The Chinese got hooked on the instrument, and in the early 1900s music academies sprang up, eventually producing world-class pianists. Meanwhile, elite Chinese erected mansions, and the Americans, Dutch, and British built grand consulates that lend the island a unique international style of architecture. These days, the population hovers around 15,000, with an estimated 350 to 500 pianos among the residents. As I zigzagged through town, I heard the plink-plinking of chopsticks coming from a small window. Just around the corner, someone else pounded out a Beethoven concerto. Since 2000, Gulangyu has been home to China’s largest Piano Museum, which boasts a collection of more than 70 antique pianos from Europe, Australia, and the United States. One is shaped like a barrel, DECEMBER 2008

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Top: The Piano Museum on Gulangyu Island; middle: Chinese landscape design, filtered through centuries of Confucianism, Taoism, and later Buddhism, seeks to create a haven where man and nature exist in perfect accord; bottom: Walking on the pedestrian-only island of Gulangyu.

I heard the plinkplinking of chopsticks coming from a small window.Just around the corner, someone else pounded out a Beethoven concerto. 26

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DECEMBER 2008

another has a V-shaped keyboard, yet another features a hand crank that plays the keys when you turn it. Unfortunately, the pianos are roped off and I was only able to observe them from a distance. When I reached for my camera, an attendant tapped my shoulder and shook his head disapprovingly. Gulangyu is a wicked maze of intricate streets that intersect here and there and every which way like an ant farm. I’d found the Piano Museum easily enough, and I could handle the geometric complexities while strolling around shopping for pearls and loose-leaf teas, never straying far from my hotel. I saw inner Gulangyu with its bloody meat markets and stalls of cheap garish slippers and metal teakettles. I saw fishermen squatting indefinitely at the water’s edge, displaying their morning catch in plastic bins. But when it came time to hike to Sunlight Rock—at 300 feet, the highest peak on the island—I needed help. You’ll find “official” guides, with their neon yellow vests, stationed throughout Gulangyu, and I was warned to avoid “unofficial” guides who may try to charge exorbitant prices or switch rates later on. 30-year-old Shaio Biao was one of those unofficial guides. But I was desperate to get to the mountain before dark, so we haggled and agreed upon a price of five dollars. Smiling because she’d snagged a tourist, the pony-tailed Shaio turned me around and flew up the hill. I was panting, trying to catch up. We passed the former consulates, statues dedicated to Chinese medicine doctors, rows of ancient poetry etched in granite… When we were near the pinnacle, we paused to take photos at the vividly painted Riguang Monastery, and she stopped to burn incense to honor her ancestors. At the peak, there was only enough room for five people at a time. My eyes swallowed up the vistas: the old section where the fishermen lived, the shopping districts, the prestigious music academies. I trudged back down, this time without my guide. I figured I was smart enough to backtrack, but wound up getting lost again. After an hour, I miraculously bumbled my way to a youth hostel where I met an English doctor named Christine. She told me this was her second visit. She’d come earlier for a medical conference and couldn’t wait to return. Piano Island with its choppy streets and quirky attractions was growing on me too. Before I left for the ferry the next morning, I met an Australian accountant who was staying at my hotel. He’d become unabashedly addicted to Gulangyu. Every six months, he told me, he gives himself a sabbatical and winds up here: on a tiny island in Southern China, playing Chopsticks of a different kind. “As far as China goes,” he said, “this is as good as it gets.” v

Timeless Transportation: Cormorants hitch a ride on bamboo rafts, drying their wings while Southern Chinese villagers make their way home. With the exception of the bow-mounted lanterns, this modern scene could have taken place thousands of years ago.

DECEMBER 2008

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and indicate all corrections clearly. Santa You willBarbara have a “1st Proof”, “2ndGroup, Proof”, “Final If weapproval receive no thecheck 1st oroff 2nd Medical Inc. Proofs, AD WILL RUN AS IS. Ifand this proofProof”. meets your on proof the 1stafter proof, “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and s proof meets your approval on the 1st off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom. ISSUE: DEC. 2008 Howard Elkin, M.D., FACC &proof, Skincheck Essentials

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NESTING

Home for the Holidays

‘Tis the season to dismantle the arche typical holiday par ty. Welcome to the peculiar home—and mind—of Darlene Graeser, where chaos is an illusion and flowers blo om in winter. BY MAXINE HURT PHOTOS BY GARY AND PIERRE SILVA

If the contents of D arlene Graeser ’s mind were on display, they’d probably resemble the chaotic mélange of art that fills her three thousand square foot home. Not in the anatomical sense, of course, but on a spiritual, artistic, and intellectual level—where everything means something else and imagination mingles with the human condition. This is more than a house; it’s a complex world that reflects the inner landscape of a complex individual. An artist and clinical psychologist, Graeser lives in a quiet, tree-shaded neighborhood of Thousand Oaks. In her front yard one finds the usual clusters of suburban shrubbery and a circular driveway. But normalcy ends there. A winding stream of mosaic tiles leads past a metal dragon to a door watched over by angels dressed in modern garb. Darlene greets me wearing kid-sized gold ballet slippers and black parachute pants that proclaim, “An Attraction to Uteness.” She tells me she

crossed out the letter C. I don’t ask why. Darlene and her husband, John, an Oxnard dentist, have lived here for thirty-eight years. Despite the chaos and extreme flights of fancy that characterize the Graeser home, Darlene explains there’s actually a good amount of rhyme and reason. “Everything is about integrating parts and bringing things together,” she says, “which is some incredible passion of mine, probably because I’m a psychologist. Everything has to have some sort of meaning to me.” She discusses these meanings with a thoughtful psycho-speak that I could listen to until the dragon decided to breath fire and flap its metallic wings. “I’m really into mythology,” she says. “You’ll see symbols all over the place: the masculine, the feminine, the integration of disparate parts.” She explains how the orbs are a symbol of wholeness and the self. And the dragon is our ego—our image DECEMBER 2008

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This is more than a house; it’s a complex world that reflects the inner landscape of a complex individual.

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| DECEMBER 2008

of our self, with which we are in constant conflict. I contemplate my own ego as we walk through the angel doors, but don’t get very far; there’s just too much going on to focus clearly. Darlene looks at me grinning as if she knows exactly what I’m thinking. “Look, I raised two daughters here. I understand. People down the street used to say, ‘You cannot play with Dr. Graeser’s kids because I don’t think she’s okay.’” Which is unfortunate, considering this home could occupy a kid for days without the lure of sugar. Art is everywhere. Darlene designed and hand-laid over four thousand square feet of mosaic tiling on the property. Color reverberates from every corner in dramatic tones. Paintings don’t have frames, and frames don’t have paintings. One of the floors is a twenty-by-twenty mosaic depicting a monopoly board. A sink in a downstairs bathrooms features male and female genitalia. A naked mosaic angel decorates the floor in another bathroom; her clothing is depicted on the glass doors leading into the closet. Nothing in the Graeser home is expected—which is part of what makes the holiday season such a special time here. For nearly forty years, Darlene has thrown a pre-holiday bash on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It’s not your typical plain vanilla holiday party, though. She creates a theme, sets an elaborate table for her guests, and organizes a unique group activity designed to bond the extroverts and introverts. “I’m a psychologist,” she explains, “I always have people do something that they don’t want to do.” This year the theme was flowers. Guests arrived with illuminated pink Afro wigs dotted with sunflowers, elaborate floral headdresses, crinoline skirts with flower detailing, and hippy couture complete with fringe and moccasins. First-time guest and family friend

Brandy Paris called her husband during the party to tell him it was as if she’d “taken mushrooms and forgotten that [she’d] taken them.” That’s just the sort of response the Graeser home provokes, and Darlene thrives on it. “I love when people [flinch],” she says, reflecting on the way people react to art in general. “The moment they do that, they are accepting that there is something more to life than meets the eye.” While the house and most of Darlene’s paintings are clearly mechanisms to provoke, they also depict elements of Darlene’s passions and what she calls the “residue from a day at work.” One painting shows a group of angels dressed for a night of un-angelic activities looking down on what appears to be hordes of suffering humans on Earth. The caption reads, “Night Shift.” “I did a lot of work with death and dying for the first twenty years I was in practice,” she explains. “I worked with the AIDS population and the families of people who were dying. It was an obsession.” She laughs and tells me that her late mother used to say she learned to read by reading obituaries. Which perhaps explains why angels have taken up residence in so many of Darlene’s paintings. But it’s not only paintings that adorn her space. Darlene has also created sculptures, rugs, and furniture that bear her personal stamp. The gallery features a couch that Darlene painted by hand. A fan of Lewis Carroll, Darlene wrote “Jabberwocky” on the back of the couch as if it were being viewed in a mirror. “Because I’m dyslexic and A.D.D., I actually wrote it backwards,” she says. It’s like I’m sitting in the dunk tank at a carnival and Darlene’s aim is exceptional. With little wind-up, she manages to submerge me yet again. “I’m hyper-focused; when I get into something I can’t pull away from it,” she says. “I only do one thing at a time.” And then, of course, it’s on to the next thing. v

(clockwise from opposite bottom) 4,000 square feet of mosaic tiling doesn’t exclude bathrooms; the Graeser’s eldest daughter, Shannon, with her husband,Tim Rudko, and their kids, Cassidy and Ruby; rocking the pink sunflower Afro; Darlene and John Graeser; Darlene’s in-house art studio; Graeser’s boundless creativity is not limited to paint and canvas.

For more on Darlene Graeser’s artwork, visit her website at darlenegraeser.com. P TE EMMBBE ERR 2 0 0 8 DS E C

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Wallpaper is back and D a n d y W a l l s , a new store in Historic Old Town Camarillo, has it. Time Magazine says wallpaper is “hip” and the “latest passion” of interior designers. Today’s wallpaper is fashionable and unique. In addition to striking and bold patterns and colorways, flocking, beads, sand, crystals, and natural textures are in vogue and offer a new dimension to the wallpaper we remember from years past. Dandy Walls offers both in-stock and custom-order wallpaper. Design consulting services are available. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10-5. We are located next to J.J. Brewsky’s at 2465 E. Ventura

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M a l i n o w s k i & T o d d is celebrating their anniversary. Bringing style and elegance to midtown , we’ll mark the occasion by offering discounts of 10 to 50% off throughout the store. As the premiere retailer for local artist Elain Thompson, we offer the largest selection of her original oils and giclee prints. .In addition, Malinowski & Todd offers a unique collection of fine furniture, home and outdoor décor, iron garden accessories and eco-friendly products. Malinowski & Todd, established in 2004, is located at 1725 Main St. in Midtown Ventura. (805) 643-2002.

AD PROOF Client: Ojai Solar, Inc. Ad Executive: Marn Ad Executive: Marni Howe (805) 648-2244 Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”

ully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will haveProofs, a “1stAD Proof”, “Final Proof”. If weapproval receive no after thecheck 1st oroff 2nd“FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date an WILL“2nd RUNProof”, AS IS. and If this proof meets your onproof the 1st proof, is proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom. ISSUE: DEC. 2008

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Over the rainbow and above the clouds: the home of Larry and Maj Hagman, Sulphur Mountain, Ojai.

Searching for Cloud 10

Celestial views and solar p ower are par t and parcel of H eaven— Larry H agman’s aptly named home in the mountains of Ojai.

BY IVOR DAVIS PHOTOS BY MICHAEL ROBINSON CHAVEZ

Lar ry H agman is in H eaven. No, you didn’t miss the obit. We are happy to confirm that Mr. Hagman, 77, is alive and well, living expansively and having his usual fun in Ojai. He has always seemed to enjoy life more than the average Joe. But now he’s living almost literally on Cloud 9—actually above the clouds in a house called Heaven, a spectacular 25,000-square-foot mountaintop aerie designed and built by his wife of 54 years, Maj (pronounced Mai), a Swedish-born fashion designer. And Hagman, who came close to checking out not so long ago before getting a lifesaving liver transplant, is still irreverent, funny, and at times as outrageous as J.R. Ewing, the Machiavellian oil baron he portrayed on the TV show Dallas when it was must viewing for millions around the world. After winding our way up into Big Sky Ojai country, past a collection of massive solar panels, we found the entertaining star at the house that Maj built. At the front door, classical music played over the intercom as we drank in the 360-degree view.

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Solar panels (left) dropped Hagman’s annual electric bill to just $13.“I soon won’t be paying anything,” he says. (opposite, top to bottom) Views southeast toward the Santa Monica Mountains of Ventura County; the son of Broadway star Mary Martin, Hagman has spent his life in the entertainment industry; an eclectic blend of Hollywood memorabilia, antiques, and art fill the home.

The home is crammed with an eclectic mélange of antiques and art that the Hagmans have accumulated over a lifetime. They range from family photos (“Not a pecker in the bunch,” Hagman jokes, naming off their two daughters, Kristina Mary and Preston, and five granddaughters) to an incredible assortment of furnishings and precious mementos. Photos of the Dallas days are everywhere. There’s a dazzling silver embossed saddle and a six-foot-tall rack laden with Stetsons, oil paintings of Larry’s mother—the late, great Broadway star Mary Martin—and paintings and sculpture by such Hagman pals as Henry Fonda, Anthony Hopkins, and Janet Gaynor. Despite his history of life threatening ailments, Larry looks remarkably fit on this warm fall afternoon, wearing a crisp, navy short-sleeved shirt with white slacks and blue clogs. He’s definitely the boss of this particular plantation, and has the wide-brimmed straw hat to fit the part. Maj, the quiet power behind the Hagman throne, looks cool in a white blouse, blue jeans, matching clogs, and a white floppy hat. We sat outside under a cooling fan, admiring the sensational vistas stretching below, nibbling salad and sipping sparking water as Larry talked about his passions. Not so much his life in the movies or “Who Shot J.R.?”— the most cliffhanging episode in TV history—but about recycling and turning a home green. He talks about America’s dependence on oil, why more people should donate organs, and his support of the National Kidney Foundation. And of course, there’s the question of what it’s really like in Heaven.

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DECEMBER 2008

H ow did you f in d this id y lli c s p o t? Lar r y : When the kids were younger, and we were young and broke, we used to bring them up to camp in this area. Maj: We dragged our kids with us all over the country. They got used to living in tents. Lar r y : I am glad they learned that skill … because they might have to be doing some real economizing real soon. H o w d i d y o u c o m e u p w i t h y o u r h o u s e ’s n a m e ? Lar r y : It’s as close as I’m ever gonna get to heaven. Maj: From the beginning Larry said, ‘I don’t think we should call it anything but Heaven. That’s it.’ T h e b u i l d i n g p r o ce s s w a s r a t h e r e l a b o r a t e . D i d y o u e v e r t h i n k p e r h a p s y o u ’d t a k e n i t t o o f a r ? Maj: I don’t think we can use the word ‘we’; it was me. L ar r y : She did at times have second thoughts, while I was working so much. Hell, she was up here every day for like four years. She had 40 guys working for her. I’m not handy; I can’t even put a nail in a board with a hammer. Maj would come up here and sit in the worst weather to see where the sun rises and sets so she could see where the light falls.

D i d y ou r D a l l a s m o n e y b eg et H e a v e n ? Larry: I don’t know. We lived in Malibu for 26 years. Then our old friends started dying off and it wasn’t the same crowd anymore. There were a lot of younger producers and lots of changes. People were tearing down a $10 million house and building a new one for $20 million. It was bizarre. One day we went to Mary Crosby’s house in Malibu. She had a little farm nestled on Decker Canyon, with a clear shot of the ocean. Afterwards I said, ‘Maj, would you go out and find something like that for us? Find us a mountaintop overlooking the ocean.’ H ow l on g d i d i t t a k e h e r ? Larry: Next day Maj showed me a picture of this rundown old house on the land. To tell you the truth, I didn’t see very much in it. But I saw the look of lust in my wife’s eye, and because she’s a builder I couldn’t refuse. Do you use a helico p te r, or ma in ly d r i ve b a c k a n d f o r t h b e t we e n O j a i a n d L . A . ? Larry : We have a helipad, but we use it maybe once a year. … [It] is available to local firefighters. … We have a condo in Santa Monica. In fact, I just got back from Germany, and I drove myself from L.A. in my Prius. There are five Priuses in our family. And we have an electric car and two electric bicycles. You’r e big on b ein g gre e n . Tell us ab o u t y o u r s o l a r p a n e l s. Larry: The grid acts as my battery system … otherwise I’ve got to buy $100,000 worth of batteries, which only last about seven years. I figure in seven years they won’t be making batteries. Or they better be making a lot of them. I s s o l ar e n e rg y wo r k in g fo r yo u ? Larry: I put it in three years ago. I had to give them $750,000, but the electric company, by law, had to pay me back $310,000. That put me out of pocket $440,000. My electric bill for the year 2005 was $37,000. A year later it was $13. I soon won’t be paying anything for electricity, while everybody else will probably be paying two or three times what they pay now. I t ’s gen erous of you to ma ke H e av en av a i l a b l e t o l o ca l n o n p r o f i t s . Maj: People love to come here. Let’s face it: We live on a mountaintop, with a great Great Room and an ocean view. How many people have that? So you should share it. W h e n y o u g o o u t , w h a t d o p e o p l e r ec o g n i z e y o u fo r ? Larry: ‘Who shot J.R.?’ Or some ask, ‘Who killed you?’ Maybe something was lost in the translation overseas because J.R. wasn’t killed.

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Wh e re’s th e most re mo te place you’ v e b een r eco gn i zed ? Larry: I once visited my mother in Brazil. We were riding horses in a remote area where they don’t have electricity, about 100 miles off the grid. Somebody saw us and recognized my mother—as J.R.’s mother. People suddenly started coming out of the hills. In minutes, there were 300 people surrounding us in a place with no electricity … just a bunch of people who carried knives and guns. They must have had battery operated TVs. That was real weird. A r e y o u m o r e f a m o u s t h a n yo u r m o t h e r ? Larry: Let me tell you a funny story. We once flew to Vegas to see Joel Grey perform and there was only one taxi. Mom tried to climb in first but the driver looked at me and told her, ‘No, not you, this cab is for him.’ I said, ‘Sorry mom, that’s show business.’ During the show, Joel introduced us … then said, ‘And please welcome Larry’s mother, Peter Pan.’ People jumped up, stood on the table, and gave her a 5-minute ovation—and she turned to me and said, ‘Darlin’, that’s show business.’ A s a n o rg a n re c i pi e n t, b o o s t in g o rg a n d o n a t i o n s h a s b ec o m e o n e o f y o u r m o s t p a s s i o n a t e c a u s e s. Larry: Some 82,000 people are on the national organ transplant waiting list. Every day, 18 people die waiting for a transplant to give them what I was able to get: a second chance at life. H ow ’s you r he a lth ? Larry: I feel good. I’m on a new food regimen that has helped me lose 12 pounds. After 14 years of insulin, I haven’t had a shot for over a month, which is really good because it attacks your kidneys. I work out three or four times a week with a lady I call the Princess of Pain.

Top: Pounding on an antique organ, Hagman channels the Phantom of the Opera; middle: A tour of Heaven includes a rooftop stroll; bottom: Happily married for 54 years, Larry and Maj Hagman in the entry hall of their Ojai home.

W h a t a d v i c e w o u l d y o u g i ve t o c o u p l e s w h o wa n t t o s t a y m a r r i e d a s l o n g a s y o u h av e ? Larry: Tell ‘em, Maj. Maj: Two bathrooms! Larry: It’s very important when you wake up in the morning that you don’t have to struggle or wait. B ut s e ri o u s l y, w h at are the most imp o r t a nt t hi n g s i n li f e fo r yo u ? Larry: My mother used to say there are only three things you have to do when you do a show: You gotta hang up your clothes, know your lines, and be reasonably sober. I never hung up my clothes—stars don’t have to do that. And I did one of the others. (laughs) But you must laugh at life, because it’s so short. Have a good time, try to make people happy. Don’t worry. Feel good. Be Happy. As boring as it is, that’s my motto. v Visit Larry Hagman online at larryhagman.com, where you can read more about his work and the charities that matter most to him and his wife, Maj. Solar panels installed by Ojai Solar Inc. 805.798.1094, ojaisolar.com

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DECEMBER 2008

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D i v a "the passion boutique" is your fun, elegant, lingerie and adult gift shopping experience. We provide a comfortable, boutique atmosphere with a uniquely appointed interior, artful displays and gallery style lighting. Diva's large selection of beautiful Lingerie from many different manufacturers in sizes small-3x , covers the gamut from sweet and sexy to unabashedly seductive...and in a variety of fabrics and price ranges to suit a range of tastes and budgets. B l u e M o o n is a very unique boutique for women of all ages! What makes us so special is our amazing selection of clothes and accessories at even more amazing prices. One look inside our store and you will see that we carry many of the brands and styles that other stores have for a fraction of the cost. Every week we receive a new shipment full of clothes, jewelry, shoes, hats, stockings, make-up, purses, accessories and more. Its like a new store every week! No wonder our customers keep coming back! There is always something for everyone at Blue Moon! Come and see for yourself at 600 E. Main St, Ventura.

P r i me S t e a k h o u s e boasts a comfortable atmosphere in a fine dining setting. The service is impeccable and the menu is delightful! We offer 1st Proof 2nd Proof live Music & Dancing every Thursday through Sunday, featurFINAL PROOF (APPROVED) ing great oldies from Top 40, to Jazz This proof is to check for accuracy and is not and R&B! Our fully stocked bar intended to show quality of reproduction. features the finest wines available, 4 COURSE DINNER and an extensive selection of draft ONLY $29 PER PERSON: beer including Newcastle, Stella 1ST COURSE: Artois and Pyramid. We are open for Lusty black mussels, tuna tartare, dinner daily from 5:00pm and look or large gulf shrimp forward to serving you soon! Call 2ND COURSE: Caesar salad, prime house salad 805-652-1055 for reservations. or steakhouse wedge 3RD COURSE: Here at Je we l r y U n l i m i t e d, we Prime Rib, Flat Iron Steak, or Stuffed Salmon or Stuffed Chicken are certified professional jewelers. 4TH COURSE: Our many years of custom design Any of our 10 made from scratch sides and expertise ensure that your jewelBring in this ad and receive the ry will be of the finest quality avail"Best of Prime.” able, expertly detailed and beautifulNo corkage allowed with this offer. ly crafted. We pride ourselves on perGood through January 5, 2009. sonal service and professional results. Our specialty is custom Jewelry Design - 'You Dream It... We Create It's A Party • Live Music • Special Menu It' The pieces shown on this page are • Nothing over $12 Drink Special • Pumpkin Martini's just a small example of our dedicated • Anejo Margarita's • Rum Splash efforts to our clients. Let us show you • Egg Nog and many more only $5 how affordable custom design jewelBOOK YOUR ry can be. The designs shown are all H O L I D AY one-of-a-kind custom designs. Once PA RT I E S N O W an item is sold it is never replicated. GIFT We welcome you to visit our store, in C E RT I F I C AT E S the Mervyn's Shopping Center S T E A K H O U S E & W I N E B A R AVA I L A B L E ! (Riviera Plaza), at 4738 - 1 Telephone Road, Ventura, CA.

SPEND THE HOLIDAYS AT PRIME STEAKHOUSE!

"THE BEST OF PRIME"

NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP

OPEN DECEMBER 25TH 5-10 PM

2009 E THOMPSON VENTURA

805.652.1055

Available exclusively at

Date: ______

Signature: __

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Client: Ventura Psychic

VENTURA

Ad Executive: Warren

Pu re Pi lates At East En d strives to bring exciting new elements to the Pilates experience through the use of state-of-theart equipment, highly qualified and passionate instructors, and by providing a fully rounded course curriculum that will meet or exceed expectations at all fitness levels. We are committed to our clients and work hard to help each individual achieve his or her own personal well-being. Call us today at 805 672-2888 to be provided with Unity, Restoration and Enrichment! Call Ventura’s number one psychic as voted by the VC Reporter readers. K a t h e r i n e is pleased to offer you one free question by phone for a limited time. If you are spiritually lost and need answers Katherine can help you learn what your future holds. Katherine also specializes in private parties. Conveniently located at 1474 E. Main Street in Downtown Ventura, we accept Visa and MasterCard. Call Katherine at 805-6432500. For a longer life on your paint brushes. Wet the brush before the paint. This 1st Proof dipping into 2nd Proof keeps the paint from drying up FINAL PROOF (APPROVED) into the head of your brush This proof is to checkwhile for accuracy is notand you are and painting intended to show quality makes of thereproduction. brush easier to clean. Cott ontail Cr eations A rt C e n t e r is a family owned and operated midtown business, located at 1744 E. Main St, Ventura. Located in the heart of midtown Ventura, K . B . R o b e r t s and C a s a C a l i f o r n i a are your onestop shop for card and gifts for any occasion. Come visit us now at K.B. Roberts for our 23rd Anniversary 23% off Jewelry Sale including such lines as our autumn at the Beach Collection! At Casa California, you will find a Casa Exclusive – the soughtafter Two Trees Pottery by Gorky Gonzales. Available now are new shapes and designs hand decorated with Ventura County's Two Trees as depicted by reknowned artisan Gorky Gonzales from San Miguel de Allende! Also available is our New Shipment of Guatemalan Textiles including Placemat Sets, Table Runners, Rebozos & More!

NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP

Date: ______

Signature: __

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

VENTURA

Client: Silva & Silva

Ad Executive:

Get Lit Early & Often!

The only smoking lounge in Ventura County west of the Smokers' Conejo grade, C a s t l e offers a large selection of hand made imported cigars; pipes, tobacco and smoking accessories. Voted Best Cigar store in 2008 by the VCReporter readers. Open 7 days a week from noon to 6:00 p.m. Gift certificates available and we honor VISA, MasterCard and debit cards. Ample parking in back of store, located at 1824 E. Main Street at Pacific Avenue in midtown Ventura.

Ventura’s # Cigar Store

• Cigar Lounge • Flat Screen TV • Lite Beverages • Humidor

• Hand Rolled Cigars

Smokers’ Castle

Open Daily 12 - 6pm

1824 E. Main St., Ventura • 805.643.7894

Silva & Silva Ph ot ogra ph y – Ventura’s premiere wedding photography performed by Gary & Pierre Silva, husband & wife team. The Silva’s shoot beautiful and artistic wedding images with ease and professionalism. Their success comes from setting a relaxed mood for the bride & groom from spontaneous moments to the formal shots. They capture every loving & special moment with gorgeous lighting and perfection that bring your photographs to life and last forever! All budgets welcome.

C h i C h i A n g e l s A p p a r e l is Ventura’s hot spot for the latest celebrity favorites and unique lines not found anywhere else in 1st Proof 2nd Proof the county. We carry LTB, Silver Dagger, Ed Hardy, Traffic People, FINAL PROOF (APPROVED) Boy Meets Girl, Miss Me, Sang This proof is to check for is notTarina Real,accuracy Rock and Revival, intended to show quality of reproduction. Tarantino and more. With $25 shirts to $400 dresses, we cater to all budgets and can help you find that perfect gift! Our LTB line is worn by such stars as Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Garner and Katie Holmes, and has been called “The Affordable Celebrity Line.” Treat yourself to luxury and style. Stand in the Spotlight.

NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" ... A brilliant statement by a prolific man, Gandhi. Let us at C e n t e r S a l o n inspire change in you- one as simple as adding fringe to frame your eyes or as exciting as change of color and texture, or reshaping the foundation of your hair cut to balance facial features and body type. Celebrate the incentive to change. Cultivating change is the seed of growth. Embrace change. Blossom with Center Salon. We listen, we communicate, we perform. Our Goal is exceeding your expectations. Call today at 805-643-2711 for a consultation at no charge.

Date: ______

Signature: __

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Client: La Dolce Vita

Ad Executive: Kelly Trac

OXNARD

Thank you for making Fresh & Fabulous a “Best of Ventura County” Lunch and Catering destination.

Fresh & Fabulous CAFÉ • BAKERY

BRUNCH ~ LUNCH ~ APPETIZERS ~ DESSERTS We cater to all your party and business event needs: Specializing in corporate and small business/office catering

Join us for Saturday Tea Service Now through the Holidays: Specialty Pies. Order Now

212 West 4th Street in THE WOOLWORTH Building in Oxnard

805.486.4547

Learn more about our café and services at www.myfreshandfabulous.com

F r e s h & Fa b u l o u s C a f e, voted a "Best of Ventura County" lunch and catering destination, is a warm and welcoming cafe with a Mediterranean flair. An oasis, according to our customers, in which you will find some of the best sandwiches and panini in the area. Try our fresh salads and homemade quiche and you won't be disappointed. More specialties include tabbouleh, hummus, and bruschetta. Choose from our rotating assortment of cookies, cakes, muffins, dessert bars and more. Need catering for a party or business meeting? You have come to the right place. View our catering menu online at www.myfreshandfabulous.com. Join us Saturdays for a casual yet elegant Tea Service with reservations taken from 10:00 am until 1:30 pm. Private tea parties are also available. Now through the Holidays: Order your specialty pies. Our pumpkin pie keeps customers coming back year after year. Call 805.486.4547 for more information and to make reservations. Nestled in the heart of Historic Downtown Oxnard, at Heritage Square, L a D o l c e V i t a offers the best in fine Italian cuisine. As a family owned and operated restaurant, our staff is dedicated to providing you with a combination of exquisite food and impeccable service to create the perfect dining experience. Add to that, a Wine Bar, full Cocktail Lounge and Excellent Cigar Selection, La Dolce Vita truly is “The Sweet Life.”

Enjoy The Sweet Life! Authentic Italian and Mediterranean fusion cuisine in a casual, but elegant atmosphere Music: December 5th Rachel Sedacca • December 12th Beach City Sound • December 19th Generation Gap Band • Karaoke Thurs and Sat. Join us for New Years Eve!

Book your holiday dinners at La Dolce Vita for a truly Victorian Christmas. Join us for dinner then jump on the trolley just outside our door for a holiday to remember. Holly Trolley Tours available Dec. 12th and 13th.Visit historic F and G St. Christmas tree lane in an old fashioned trolley, complete with cookies and hot cocoa. Call for more info.

Heritage Square Tours 10 to 4pm Dec. 13,14, and 20th Call 483-7960 for more info or reservations.

Ristorante • Cocktail Lounge • Wine Bar • Heritage Square

740 South B Street ~ McGrath House ~ Downtown Oxnard 805.486.6878 ~ www.theldv.com ~ www.ladolcevitadimare.com

Experience all the Proof adrenaline of 2nd wheel-to-wheel racing condensed into 160-lb. hyper-performing karts. FINAL PROOF (APPROVED) No wings. No suspension. Nothing This proof is to check but forthe accuracy andof isendorphins. not pure rush We're of America's most renowned intended to show quality reproduction. karting school. At our state-of-theart facility in Oxnard, we teach aspiring racers, recreational thrill-seekers and corporate groups the skills and focus that define the world's best racers. Come see why "MOTOR TREND" magazine chose us as one of the "49 cool car things to do before you die. We offer classes for the novice or expert, with half-day to 3day programs in 100cc Sprint karts and 125cc Touch-And-Go karts. www.JimHallKartRacing.com 805654-1329.

1st Proof

NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP

In line with the setting sun and facing the ocean is Silver Strand Beach's newest establishment, T h e Y o g a C h a n n e l at Silver Strand Beach. Director Maribeth Hammond R.Y.T opened the doors in May 2002, bringing a wide variety of yoga classes to our community. The Yoga Channel at Silver Strand Beach has a class for everyone and every level, from beginning to experienced intermediate, seven days a week, mornings, afternoons and evenings. The Yoga Channel at Silver Strand Beach's instructors are highly qualified, attending to the individual needs of each student. In addition to group classes, Maribeth is available for PRIVATE SESSIONS.

Date: ______

Signature: __

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

OJAI

Holiday Sale!

Designs of the heart

Gems of the Earth

ALL JEWELRY 10-60% OFF! • Custom Jewelry • Original Designs • Expert Repair & Restoration • Watch Batteries • We Buy Gold and Diamonds

G e m Q u e s t J e w e l e r s : “We love repairing jewelry almost as much as making it. We take personal care with every piece we work on. We have been designing and making custom jewelry for thousands of customers in the Ojai and Ventura area for over 30 years. Our customer service has been a defining factor of our success. Bring your jewelry in for a cleaning, have a friendly expert check your precious stones, and be confident that you are receiving the finest care.

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E c o l o g i c L i f e in Ojai is your Resource Center for eco-friendly interior building products that enable you to create healthy and sustainable interior environments. For most, our homes represent the biggest investment we ever make; they are a life-long focus of concern and should be a source of well being. Our homes can pollute the air we breathe and the water we drink, AD PROOF without our knowledge. The simple steps of creating a 108-B N. Signal St., Ojai • (805) 646-3836 Ad Executive: Diane Newman 648-2244 healthy and home indicate are some ofallthecorrections(805) Please check this proof over carefully clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final P Open Tuesday thru Saturday and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and easiest “Finalways Proof”. we no proof after the 1st or 2nd we can If also be receive “ecoProofs, AD WILL RUN AS IS. If this proofand meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, d Closed Sunday & Monday proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)”friendly” box, date sign at the bottom. ISSUE: DEC. 2008 to the earth.

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GEM QUEST JEWELERS

Client: Footworks Youth

HELP US MAKE CHRISTMAS WISHES COME TRUE! CSFCU is teaming up with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to collect New, Unwrapped Toys for Children of All Ages. Members receive one Christmas Raffle Entry Blank for each new toy donated to win a Giant Stocking filled with toys and goodies. Collection ends Dec. 12. Just one more way CSFCU tells all of Ventura County, "WELCOME HOME!"

(805) 644-4657

www.csfcu.org

Ventura County’s ONLY Education Credit Union!

Swing on over to 4591 Market Street in Ventura.

“Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.”

Ad Executive: D

DEC 4-28

SHORT LIST

A WONDERFUL LIFE – THE MUSICAL Through December 21 | Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center Frank Capra’s classic holiday tale has been brought to vibrant theatrical life in this Ventura County Premiere musical presented by Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi. George Bailey, Bedford Falls, and the bumbling Clarence the angel will help you kick off your holiday season in style. Tickets for all performances are $20 Adults, $16 seniors & students, and $14 for children 12 & under. Fri. & Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. 3050 Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley. Fo r t i c ke t s a n d m or e i n f o r m a ti o n c a l l 8 0 5 . 5 8 3 . 7 9 0 0 o r v i s i t s i m i - a r ts . o r g.

CHRISTMAS BELLES

A RUBICON FAMILY CHRISTMAS December 4 – 28 | Rubicon Theatre Rubicon Theatre Company presents the musical “A Rubicon Family Christmas.” The audience will enjoy complimentary warm cider and sweet treats as a stellar cast of Broadway performers and a choir serenades them with renditions of traditional Christmas classics and holiday songs such as “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays,” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” $39 - $75. 1006 E. Main St., Ventura. Fo r t i c ke t s a n d m or e i n f o r m a ti o n c a l l 8 0 5 . 6 6 7 . 2 9 0 0 o r v i s i t r u b i c o n t h e a t r e. o r g.

ALPACA RANCH OPEN HOUSE, HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE AND ALPACA SALE December 6 | Alpacas and Beyond Ranch, Somis Hosted by Alpacas & Beyond, As You Like It Alpacas, 50

ventana

DECEMBER 2008

THE CHRISTMAS ROSE December 6 | Matilija Auditorium, Ojai Acclaimed musician and storyteller Patrick Ball will perform the “Christmas Rose,” a holiday piece featuring the Irish harp combined with tales such as “A Child’s Christmas in Wales, The Wind in the Willows,” and passages from Shakespeare, William Butler Yeats, and Thomas Hardy. The evening will include a blend of seasonal music and stories that capture the holiday spirit. $18 in advance, $20 at the door. 7:30 p.m. Matilija Junior High School, 703 El Paseo Rd., Ojai. For mo r e i n fo rm a t io n c a l l 8 0 5 . 6 4 6 . 8 9 0 7 o r v is i t p t go . o r g .

VENTURA FILM FESTIVAL LAUNCH PARTY & BENEFIT AUCTION December 7 | Candlelight Kitchen & Bar, Ventura The first annual Ventura Film Festival is slated for March 27 29, 2009 and will feature international narrative, documentary, animation, and video art & performance. It will also include talent from Brooks Institute and local residents. The Festival’s goal is to create a cross-cultural dialogue that will contribute to Ventura’s arts and cultural evolution. The upcoming launch party will be held to celebrate the future event and raise funds. $20 donation suggested. 5 p.m. 211 E. Santa Clara St., Ventura. For mo r e i nf or m ati o n and t o b ec om e s up p o r t e r s a nd c om m u ni t y sp o ns o r s o f t he Ventu r a F ilm F es ti val c a l l 8 0 5 . 6 4 1 . 3 8 4 5 o r v i s i t v e ntu r a f i l m f e s t .c o m.

HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS FUNDRAISER December 7 | Various Homes in Camarillo The Meadowlark Service League is presenting its 30th Annual Holiday Home Tour fundraiser, which features tours of four homes decorated for the holidays, drawings, and complimentary refreshments. One of the homes is a unique ranch with European flair that features 200-year-old French doors, an eclectic kitchen replete with butler’s pantry, and a walk-in closet off the master bedroom designed to replicate a French boutique. Antiques throughout the home provide intriguing accents amid grass cloth wall coverings and Mexican pavers. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. 1 - 5 p.m. For more information ca l l 805.320.6553 or visit meadowlarkser viceleague.com.

DEC 6

43RD ANNUAL PARADE OF LIGHTS December 13 | Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard Channel Islands Harbor will illuminate the sky during the 43rd Annual Parade of Lights.The event includes daytime and evening activities for the entire family.The afternoon includes snow-play for the kids (10 a.m.), musical entertainment, horsedrawn carriages with sleigh bells, arts & crafts, and much more (12 p.m.).The evening boat parade begins at 7 p.m. Spectators can watch from all points of the Harbor as brightly decorated boats parade along the water’s edge. For more detailed information including various event locations and times visit channelislandsharbor.org or call 805.985.4852

DEC 19 & 20 P H OTO B Y D A N H A R D I N G

Through December 21 | Santa Paula Theater Center “Christmas Belles” by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten is a hilarious romp that takes the audience through small-town Fayro, Texas during the holidays. A church Christmas program spins hilariously out of control in this Southern farce about squabbling sisters, family secrets, a surly Santa, a vengeful sheep, and a reluctant Elvis impersonator. $18 Adults, $15 Seniors & Students, $12 Children 12 & under. Fri. & Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2:30 pm. 125 South Seventh St., Santa Paula. Fo r t i c ke t s a n d m or e i n f o r m a ti o n c a l l 8 0 5 . 5 2 5 . 4 6 4 5 o r v i s i t s a n t a p a u l a t h e a t e r ce n t e r . o r g

Buenaventura Alpacas, and others, this unique event is for the entire family. Kids can pet the animals, parents can shop for the holidays, and everyone can learn more about owning alpacas and the business opportunities they offer. The hosting breeders will be available to sell weanlings, maidens, pregnant females, and males. There will be discounts on purchases and breeding, plus gift certificates towards future alpaca purchases and related items. Additional items include alpaca clothing, blankets and yarn, alpaca fur teddy bears, and an assortment of unusual gifts. 12 - 5 p.m. 5837 Los Angeles Ave., Somis. For mo r e in fo r m ati o n e ma il c l a u d i a @ a s y o u l i k e i t a l p a c a s .c o m .

HOLIDAY PARADE OF LIGHTS December 19 & 20 | Ventura Harbor This two-day celebration marks the 32nd anniversary of a local tradition.Themed "FantaSEA," this event features boats adorned with Christmas lights and decorations and a family carnival where kids can meet Santa and get pony, train, and carousel rides. Guests can get a head start on holiday shopping or experience fine cuisine at one of ten Harbor restaurants. Festivities begin 5 p.m. each day. Parade of Lights Carnival hours: Friday 5 - 10 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. The Ventura Harbor Parade of Lights is at 7 p.m. with fireworks following. Free admission and parking. A free shuttle bus is available at the Parking Lot on Harbor Blvd. and Schooner Dr. For more information cal l 877.89.HARBOR or visit ventura harbor village.com.

ON THE HORIZON SANTA BARBARA FILM FESTIVAL January 22 – February 1 | Santa Barbara Given its knack for predicting Academy Award winners, proximity to Los Angeles, and fortuitous timing (close to the big event), the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) has earned a reputation for being the preeminent Oscar film festival. The Festival consistently attracts stellar luminaries and features exceptional programming, making it one of the Tri-Counties’ best annual events. This year there will be over 250 film screenings, informative industry panels, Red Carpet celebrity tributes, a free Children’s Festival (AppleBox), and more. Fo r tick ets and mo r e inf or ma ti on c all 80 5.96 3.00 2 3 or vis i t s b f il mf es tiv al.or g.

Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all Executive: corrections clearly. You Newman will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd648-2244 Proof”, and “ Ad Diane (805) Proofs, AD WILL RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” b Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd Proofs, AD WILL RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom. ISSUE: NOV. 2008

Client: Acupuncture For Pets

THE

MARKETPLACE Acupuncture For Pets

Call me today for the attention you deserve.

HOUSE CALLS

(805) 649 6090

For Dogs & Cats

(805) 262-2408

JILL OLIVARES

AD PROOF Insurance Agent

378 N VENTURA AVE

Liz Fernandez, DVMBarrett OAK VIEW Ad Executive: Warren (805) 648-2244 jillolivares@allstate.com “The Healing Energy Client: Neighbor Labor You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd

Ad Executive: Warren Barr

te all corrections clearly. CA Lic: 0728682 of Loveclearly. isISSUE: Within” Please check this (APPROVED)” proof over carefully andand indicate all the corrections You have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we rec s your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF box, date sign at bottom. E. will 2008 Proofs, AD WILL RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at t

Serving All of Ventura County liz@acupuncture4pets.net www.acupuncture4pets.net

PSYCHIC P A L M & TA R O T C A R D R E A D I N G

Advice in all life matters

Specializing in love relationships. Find out what he/she is thinking PS YCHIC PALM & T AROT E A D I N GTHIS C O M B O PROOF about : PLEASE RFAX TO you!Date: _______________________________ AD PROOF f o r $20! Reg. $75 1st Proof 2nd Proof Over 20 Years 1st Proof 2nd Proof Signature: ___________________________ (805) 648-2245 ASAP of Experience Client: Mark Johnson Law Ad Executive: Sarah Wilcox (805)Ad 648-2244 Client: Aloha Dog Grooming Executive:

DECEMBER special

AD PROOF

Executive: (805)Ad 648-2244

Sarah Wilcox

NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO Date: _______________________________ NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP

FINAL PROOF (APPROVED) Please this proof over carefully and indicate corrections clearly.Proof”. You will have a “1stno Proof”, and2nd “Fina ll corrections clearly. You will have a “1st and Proof”, “2ndall Proof”, andcheck “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd Please check this proof over carefully indicate clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2ndall Proof”, and “Final If we receive proof “2nd after Proof”, the 1st or D Phone Readings Available &corrections FINAL PROOF (APPROVED) This proof AD is check for accuracy and is notmeets Proofs, AD WILL RUN IS.atIfthe thisbottom. proof meets your approval on thedate 1st proof, check off bottom. “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” ur approval ontothe 1stRUN proof, check “FINAL PROOFyour (APPROVED)” box, andAS sign Proofs, WILL AS IS. Ifoff this proof approval on thedate 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, and sign at the ISSUE: DEC. 2008 ISSUE: DEC. 2008box, Signature: ___________________________ This proof is to check for accuracy and is not Available For Parties Too! intended toAlso show quality of reproduction. S intended to show quality of reproduction.

Call for Appointment

(805) 648-2245 ASAP

805-521-0555 805-223-5253

Comfort Zone Massage & Health Awareness Holiday Special: $ 1 Hour Massage 60

Attorney

. Johnson, ESQ A k r a MHistory of Success

• Criminal Ask about the new patented Anti-Age Technology • DUI 1st Proof 2nd Proof Date: _______________________________ NOTICE:“ With PLEASE FAX ITHIS PROOF 18 years of experience have successfully helped TO NOTICE: PLEASE FAX •THIS PROOF TO Date: _________ Tickets FINAL with PROOF (APPROVED) thousands of clients manage pain associated Signature: ___________________________ (805) 648-2245 ASAP This proof is to check muscle tension and have developed techniques and for accuracy and is not (805) 648-2245 ASAPHarassmentSignature: _____ • Sexual intended to show a sense of touch that targets problem areas.” quality of reproduction. by Supervisor GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE (Reg. $75)

1122-A S. Seaward Ave, Ventura cell: (805) 798-3908 spa: (805) 641-1900

888-253-3022

DECEMBER 2008

ventana

1 9 2 0 S S PA N I S H - S T Y L E H O M E

OCEAN VIEW 3 BR, 3 BA,approx.1,883 sq.ft.on a large lot, approx. 8,950 sq. ft. per assessor. Light and spacious living room with vintage tiled fireplace. Arched doorways, charming breakfast room, open kitchen, then step down to the open-beamed dining area and family room with 2nd fireplace. Spacious deck overlooks your private backyard. Lovely upstairs master with more ocean views, charming seating

C LO S E TO N AT U R E

AN AMAZING PROPERT Y The huge half acre lot provides for a fabulous home complete with nice pool, slide, spa, BBQ and beautifully landscaped yard. This two story 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home has wood floors in large living room, breakfast room, & dining

area and is nestled in a very quiet cul-de-sac, The home w/ 3 car garage sits on a large lot which provides for the utmost in privacy. Come and see quiet serenity at its finest. Contact Larry Krogh at General Pacific Properties, 805-312â&#x20AC;&#x201C;0512. To

www.GeneralPacificProperties.com

L E G AC Y PA R K

ENTERTAINERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DREAM Wonderfully maintained 4 bedroom home in the much sought after Legacy Park neighborhood. Perfect residence for those looking for space for entertaining. Stepping into the 52

ventana

spacious living room you will be greeted with vaulted ceilings, a large dining room, and custom lighting. At the rear of the home is the full gourmet island kitchen with GE appliances and

DECEMBER 2008

area and nicely tiled bath. Great location close to schools and downtown. Contact Fred Evans at 805-339-0502. Visit www.MidtownHillsideHomes .com

BEDROOMS:

BATHROOMS:

PRICE:

$949,000

view virtual tour, go to: www.630CountryCrt.com.

BEDROOMS:

BATHROOMS:

2.5

PRICE:

$699,000

granite tile counters, tile floors, and family room with fireplace. Upstairs you will find the 4 spacious bedrooms, 2 full baths, and an indoor laundry room. There is also a loft area that is perfect as an office or library retreat. Outside there is a nice patio, an above ground spa, and beautiful gardens. This property is without question one of the best buys available with this size and location. Contact Bob Ridgway at RE/MAX Gold Coast, 805-339-3585 ext. 2 or visit www.614walcott.com.

BEDROOMS: BATHROOMS: PRICE:

4 2.5 $619,000

V I C TO R I A E S TAT E S P R I VAC Y

G AT E D CO M M U N I T Y O N T H E G O L F CO U R S E Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 baths with an upstairs loft plus 1 bedroom, 1 bath Casita located. The kitchen has granite countertops & stone flooring. All bathrooms are upgraded. The upstairs master suite features a master bath and views of the golf course. The separate, detached 1 bedroom, 1 bath Casitas is great for guests or in-law quarters. This house has a great floor plan. There is a 3 car tandem garage.

Victoria Estates is a gated community located on a golf course offering a clubhouse, exercise room, pools and spa, playgrounds, and a basketball court. Call Mignonne Hubina Alliance Realty 805444-0100

BEDROOMS:

4+1

BATHROOMS:

3+1

PRICE:

$575,000

www.GeneralPacificProperties.com

A Real Estate Broker Who Believes Your Integrity Defines You!

Larry Krogh 805.312.0512 larry@generalpacific.net

WALK TO THE BEACH, SHOPPING & RESTAURANTS Beach Duplex located less than a block to the beach! Both units have 3BR + 1.75BA. Downstairs is completely remodeled. The upstairs is well-maintained with a large living room, & a nice outdoor sundeck. Plenty of parking of site, including a garage, plus new landscaping in the backyard, including fruit trees. $899,000

1139 VENTURA AVENUE Commercial Property. Great income 5,000.00 monthly. 6.0 Cap Rate. Call Agent for details. $ 749,900

SUPER CLEAN CALIFORNIA HERITAGE HOME Close to schools, shopping and freeway access. Living room has fireplace, custom mantle and cathedral ceilings. Beautiful, wood laminate floors in dining & kitchen. Upstairs features Master bedroom w/attached bath, & 2 more bedrooms. Backyard w/ Koi pond is immaculate. Yard is reminiscent of an English Tea garden. A Must See!

Offered at $509,000

THIS PROPERTY IS AMAZING & CLOSE TO NATURE

COMPLETLEY REMODELED HOME

This property is amazing and close to nature. Huge 1/2 lot provides for an anazing pool home complete with spa and completely finshed landscape. This 3 BR, 2.5 BA home is nestled in a very quite culdesac. 3 car garage with RV parking. To view virtual tour, go to

This beautiful 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with pool is located on a large corner lot in a desirable neighborhood. Custom made for entertaining and fun. Vaulted ceilings in living room w/fireplace, great family room w/fireplace, Hardwood floors, French doors, and granite counters. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss it, come & see! $539,000

www.630CountryCrt.com

$699,000

CLOSE TO SHOPPING, RESTAURANTS, SCHOOLS This 4 bedroom, 2 bath house has been updated and has new paint throughout. Natural hardwood floors, can lighting, new hardware, new sprinkler system in large front and back yards. Situated on a beautiful corner lot in midtown, this house is splendid! $449,000

COMPLETELY UPGRADED CONDO 2 bed+1bath condo, w/ pergo dark walnut wood floors in living, dining, & hallway. Granite counters in kitchen w/all new appliances. Travertine flooring in kitchen & bathroom. Recessed lighting, ceiling fans, smooth ceilings, vaulted in living room. New carpet in both bedrooms. Beautiful view of Green belt, close to laundry, pool, & parking. A Must see! $ 238,000

To View These Properties & More Go To www.GeneralPacificProperties.com Call for a free Ventura county bank owned & short sale list. General Pacific now offers Property Management on your residential or commercial rental.

Pleaseoff check thisPROOF proof over carefully and all sign corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we r oof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check “FINAL (APPROVED)” box,indicate date and at the bottom. ISSUE: NOV. 2008 Proofs, AD WILL RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign a

The Dream of Home Ownership is Alive & Well! If If you you need need to to sell sell or or are are interested interested in in buying, buying,

BLUE RIBBON SPECIAL! You'll find this highly upgraded three bedroom, two bath home on upper Palomares. Property features over 100k (per seller) in upgrades including new kitchen, windows, shutters, front door, gates, landscaping refinished wood floors, rear patio cover, detached oversized two car garage with new garage door. Located in one of Ventura's most desirable neighborhoods! Don't miss out! Offered at $749,000.

Call MIGNONNE HUBINA, and she can help you realize your dream today. Ad Executive: Diane Newman

805-444-0100

AD PROOF (805) 648-2244

nd indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd Glen Ad of meets your approval on the 1st proof, Client: check offUniversity “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom. ISSUE: DEC. 2008

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Executive: Marni H

We’re the Best of1stHillside, Coastal & Proof 2nd Proof _______________________________ NOTICE: PLEASE THIS PROOF TO inDate: NOTICE: Estate homeFAX sales andPROOF purchases PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO FINAL (APPROVED) Signature: ___________________________ (805) 648-2245 ASAP This proof is to check for accuracy and is not West Ventura intended County... Find out why! (805) 648-2245 ASAP to show quality of reproduction.

Date: _______

Signature: ___

Premier Adult Living

Located in Camarillo's best secured retirement living neighborhood, this 2 bedroom Capri home is what you have been waiting for. Newly painted and carpeted with new granite counter tops in kitchen accent the spaciousness this model offers. This is a must-see in a very popular retirement community. Reduced to $268,000

Enrique Montaño

Tina Comden

Judy Fairchild

Bob Ridgway

Fairchild& Ridgway

The

Group

805.339.3585

w w w . V e n t u r a C o a s t a l H o m e s . c o m 54

ventana

DECEMBER 2008

1st Proof

2nd Proof

FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)

NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO

Date: _____

18K Diamond ring set with a 2.25 carat round diamond in the center, and 0.63 carat of small diamonds on the side. Ideal for that Christmas engagement, or just because . . . This diamond came from a client at well below wholesale - set in this new ring, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only $16,000!! Because of the pricing on the main diamond, the price of this ring can not be duplicated. So, if you want it, please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate. We have other great designs to choose from, so please come by.