Thousand Oaks, CA

Looking for something fun to do in Ventura County this weekend? Why not see an award winning show called "Avenue Q?"

The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plazais featuring Avenue Q from January 19th-24th.

Avenue Q is a comedy musical with live people and puppets. It is the story of a college grad who goes to New York City with a very limited budget. He discovers the only place he can afford to live is "Avenue Q." The story weaves its way around the neighbors who live on Avenue Q and deals with real life issues.

The content in some of the scenes deals with sex, drinking and searching the web for porn. Therefore, this show is probably not appropriate for young children. There is also a disclaimer that some of the puppets are "nude."

Now you're ready to go, right? Click the picture below to see a YouTube clip of Avenue Q.

The show times are as follows:

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 8:00 PM
Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 8:00 PM
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM
Sunday, January 24th, 2010 at 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM

For tickets and more information click here.

Thousand Oaks Ca - The Year in Review 2009

2009 was a rough year for many in the nation, and it definitely hit home in Thousand Oaks Ca. The Thousand Oaks Acorn listed several facts in detail. Here are some of the city highlights of 2009.

• 17 city employees took early retirement.
• The city manager, city attorney and assistant city manager didn't accept pay raises.
• At our famous Auto Mall.... Courtesy Chevrolet and Westoaks Chrysler closed their doors in February.
• In the Janss Marketplace... Mervyn's Pavilion's Shoes and Linens & Things closed their doors.
• Restaurants that closed ... Borderline, Applebee's, Marie Callendars, Allessio's... to name a few.
• Water rates increased.
• New restaurants opened... Famous Dave's BBQ, Fox Bar & Grill. Fiamme and Nate 'n Al's Deli.
• Amgen.... is expecting approval of a new drug to help cure osteoporosis... this could be a huge plus for our community.
• Nicole Johnson of Thousand Oaks will represent the state as Miss California USA at the Miss USA competition next year.
• Zack Sunderland of Thousand Oaks became the youngest person to complete a solo sailing trip around the world.

Thousand Oaks Ca, Ronald Reagan Library and Museum will be featuring the White House in miniature form starting on March 15, 2010.

This authentic recreation of the White House measures 60 feet long and 20 feet wide: a one-foot-to-one-inch scale. Taking over 600,000 hours of labor to create, the miniature is an amazing replica, showing visitors an intimate look into the White House - from the Lincoln bedroom to the Oval Office to tiny, working televisions to hand-carved chairs, tables and crystal chandeliers.

Built and updated by John and Jan Zweifel, this exact miniaturized replica is a wonder to behold. Modernized for each presidency and for each White House room renovation, visitors to The Reagan Library will be awed by this marvelous, intimate look into The White House.

The Zweifels and a group of close friends and family spent more than 500,000 hours building this 60 foot replica of the White House (one foot per inch). For the record, every single piece of furniture is hand carved, every rug hand stitched, and yes, every wall is hand painted. And it took 38 years! The Zweifels actually keep up with the trends of the White House decor and update the model to reflect the changes made during each administration.

Regular Museum admission applies to visit the exhibit. More info at www.reaganlibrary.com or call 805.577.4000.

Several years ago when George Bush Sr. was President the White House Miniature was on display at the Reagan Library. I had the privilege of going on a field trip with my son's class. It was absolutely amazing to view! So realistic! I am looking forward to seeing the updated version.

Thousand Oaks Ca, Keep fireplaces safe during the holidays!

In the cold winter months... yes, even in Southern California, a fire in the fireplace gives us a reason to stay inside and get cozy and comfy, but these fires can also pose safety risks, reduce lung function, aggravate heart and lung diseases and trigger asthma.

A recent article in the Thousand Oaks Ca Acorn gives some terrific tips for keeping those fireplaces safe:

1. Use a gas log. Never burn wood in a fireplace designed for a gas log.
2. If burning wood, use dry, seasoned wood.
3. Don't burn trash.
4. Clean the chimney. A dirty chimney full of creosote is a chimney fire waiting to happen.
5. Do not treat artificial logs the same as real logs.
6. Never use gasoline, charcoal lighter or other fuel to light or relight a fire-the vapors can explode.
7. Keep children away from the fire.
8. Never leave a fire unattended.
9. Have basic fire safety equipment on hand. Keep a type ABC fire extinguisher near the fireplace.
10. Be sure no flammable materials hang down from the mantel.
11. Never close the damper with hot ashes in the fireplace.
12. Make sure there is good ventilation.
13. Save the fireplace or wood stove for special occasions.
14. Be sure all ashes have cooled before disposing of them.

Have a safe and happy New Year's celebration!

Thousand Oaks Ca, the Werewolves will be happy on New Year's Eve 2010 because it has been stated that there is going to be a beautiful FULL MOON! The sky is going to be exceptionally bright this New Year's Eve thanks to our closest celestial neighbor.

It only happens about every 19 years on New Year's Eve. The New Year's Eve full moon will be visible in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Africa. For partygoers in Australia and Asia, the full moon does not show up until New Year's Day.

"If you're in Times Square, you'll see the full moon right above you. It's going to be that brilliant,"said Jack Horkheimer, director emeritus of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium and host of a weekly astronomy TV show. However, the Eastern Hemisphere can celebrate with a partial lunar eclipse on New Year's Eve when part of the moon enters the Earth's shadow. The eclipse will not be visible in the Americas.

So enjoy the fireworks and the beautiful and bright full moon! Let this be a sign to us that 2010 is going to be bright and beautiful!