Coats For Kids ~ Cool Project that will Warm Your Heart Too! This worthy and much needed and appreciated project is underway again this year. You can help by donating a coat that will keep a needy child warm this season. The Rotary Club of Ventura, Four Seasons Cleaners and several other Rotary clubs are conducting the annual Coats for Kids project.Rotary plans to collect, clean and distribute thousands of coats and jackets of all sizes by Dec. 31, to keep children and adults warm this winter.The groups hope to collect 10,000 coats this year. Collection boxes will be distributed to businesses, schools, government centers and public parks in Ventura County. The cleaned coats will be delivered to service organizations and schools in the community such as Sheridan Way Elementary, Salvation... 12/07/2011

The only way to see all of the Ventura harbors holiday lights is on the water!  Hop on board the good ship Dreamer for a holiday sleigh ride - California style!  Sail the waters of the Ventura Keys and Ventura harbor and enjoy the sparkling Christmas lights adorning shoreline homes and casting picturesque reflections in the nighttime waters.Each cruise offers a full bar, sodas and seasonal concoctions such as "reindeer milk" (an adult beverage with a secret recipe), hot chocolate and cookies.  Reservations are required and private charters with bar & food programs are also available.When:       Nightly (all month) from 6pm – 7:30pm & 8pm – 9:30pmWhere:      Ventura HarborTickets:     Adults - $20, children - $10 (cash only)For more info contact Ventura Boat Rentals at 805.6427753 or vis... 12/03/2011

Take a step back in time with a free candlelight tour of Ventura's historic Olivas Adobe.  From 5:30pm to 7:30pm on Sunday, December 11, 2011, you can see how Christmas was celebrated in the Old California Rancho tradition by taking a guided candlelight tour at the Olivas Adobe (4200 Olivas Park Dr).  Each tour will be headed by a volunteer guide from the Olivas Adobe Historical Interpreters, a local non-profit group who champions the preservation of Southern California's only remaining Monterey-style adobe home from the Gold Rush times. Every room of Ventura's Olivas Adobe home will be decorated in a unique holiday style celebrating traditions from the past.  In addition to the free guided tour, all visitors will see skits depicting the Old California lifestyle performed by the Olivas ... 12/01/2011

  Ventura Winter Wine Walk Don't miss this social event of the year.  Come and spend the whole day in Downtown Ventura.The annual Holiday Street Fair takes place on Main Street from 11am to 8pm with very creative gifts made by very talented artists.  There will be live entertainment and lots of food! The Winter Wine Walk starts at 4pm to 8pm. This event lets you taste World Class Wines in your favorite Ventura Downtown Stores and Restaurants. You will need to purchase tickets for the Winter Wine Walk The Ventura Street Fair is free. 11/28/2011

One can step back in time when visiting the restored 1847 Adobe home of Raymundo Olivas.  It stands as a monument to the rancho period of California’s history. You will learn that Raymundo Olivas was born in 1809, seventh child of a poor family in Los Angeles. Raymundo went on to marry Theodora Lopez in Santa Barbara. They were married on November 6, 1831 and together they had 21 children – 8 girls and 13 boys! Olivas built the adobe home in 1841, and expanded it in 1849 to two stories, making it the only such building in the area. He and wife and their 21 children lived here until 1899. It later became part of Max Fleischman's holdings (of yeast and margarine fame), and it was he who donated the land and the house to the City of Ventura. The adobe is rumored to be haunted by a woman g... 11/17/2011

Nothing remains of Ventura's Chinatown (called Sui Mon Gong by its residents) that began in 1866 and grew to house over 200 Chinese until 1923.   But in 2004, Ventura's Chinese American Historical Society commissioned respected Chinese artist Qi Pang and his wife Guo Song Yun to create China Alley Memorial Mural to depict the simple wooden buildings that made up a completely self-contained community with its own shops, businesses, rooming houses, and a Taoist Temple that non-Chinese called "The Joss House". In the early 1880’s, a flourishing Chinese settlement made up of merchants, laborers, and families settled in an area along Figueroa Street between Main and Santa Clara Streets. The largest concentration of activity was in an area known as China Alley,which ran perpendicular to Figu... 11/15/2011

Ventura Harbor Ventura Harbor is the largest squid port on the west coast and one of the top 10 fish offloading harbors in the nation. Much of the harbor life centers around charming Ventura Harbor Village on Spinnaker Drive.  At this location, you can board a ship for a half day or full-day tour to the Channel Islands, go whale watching, take sailing lessons or a narrated harbor cruise, rent a paddle boat or kayak, or shop, dine and play. Ventura Harbor Village Strolling through the Harbor Village shopping area, look for the vibrant colors and intricate details of Ventura Harbor Tile Murals.  Local artists Michel Petersen created 29 separate murals, which depict local history and the marine environment, by hand, using more than 50,000 pounds of raw stoneware clay.  There are other loca... 11/12/2011

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event in Ventura If you live in Ventura, then you can drop off for FREE, these hazardous waste materials Aerosol Cans Auto & Household Batteries Fluorescent Light Tubes & CFL's Gasoline Household Cleaners Motor Oil/Filters, other auto fluids Paint, Polishes & Varnishes Pesticides This event will take place Saturday, November 19 between 9am-2pm at Gold Coast Recycling 5275 Colt Street in Ventura RESERVATIONS REQUIRED Call 652-4525 Monday - Thursday 8am to 5pm for Appointment or go to City of Ventura Environmental Services 11/10/2011

This month one of the events held at the Ventura County Musuem is the recreation of  favorite frightening tales of unexplained and mysterious events.  This is recreated by local artists. Sounds very intriguing! The Museum first opened in 1913 in the newly built Ventura County Courthouse, which is now the Ventura City Hall.   Known as the Pioneer Museum, its collections of artifacts and curios were the legacy of Dr. Cephas Bard, a Pennsylvania doctor who came to Ventura after the Civil War. A compassionate man with wide-ranging interests, Dr. Bard accepted historical objects in lieu of cash payment for his services. Priceless Chumash, Spanish and Mexican-American objects from his collection are on display in the galleries today. In 1977, the Museum moved to its 15,000 square foot buildin... 11/08/2011

Marina Park in Ventura CA This is by no means a large park in Ventura, but it what it lacks in size it delivers with great views and access to the beach. In addition to beach access and great views of the marina and beyond, visitors will find a number of picnic tables and grills and a children's play area. One of the most unique features of this park is a cement and wooden ship called the San Salvador . While it may not get far out to sea, it does provide a fabulous theatre for active imaginations! Sailing lessons are offered nearby in the marina and fishermen can drop a line from the park's fishing dock. There are also sand volleyball courts, a hand-launch boat dock, and restrooms.   Directions: From the 101 take the Seaward Avenue exit and turn towards the ocean. Drive until you reach... 10/28/2011

The call of the Pacific Ocean beckons thousands of people from all around the world to visit the City of Ventura every year.  Many are so drawn to this gorgeous town that they end up buying a home and setting down roots.  However, to really get a feel for how amazing a place this fair city of ours is, you should take an evening cruise of Ventura Harbor.  Island Packers, a local Ventura business, offers two evening harbor cruises that you really shouldn't miss.  Their one hour "Taste of Ventura Harbor" cruise offers live music, appetizers from local restaurants such as Spinnaker Steak & Seafood Broiler, Andres Wine & Tapas Bar, The Greek and Milano's Italian Restaurant.  The next cruise leaves the Ventura Harbor (1691 Spinnaker Dr) on October 15, 2011 at 6:30pm.  The live entertainment f... 10/06/2011

California Street Offramp to be closed in Ventura If you plan to come to Ventura this weekend, please note that the ever so popular California offramp will be closed for 55 hours.  Caltrans will be shutting down the offramp on Friday, September 30th at 11pm and will be open Monday, October 3 at 6am. The alternative offramp will be Seaward Avenue and from that offramp, you can navigate to the ocean, downtown area or any of the Ventura City areas. Thompson Blvd and Main Street will both take you into Downtown Ventura. Caltrans will be doing maintenance work, this work is part of the $52 million project replacing concrete slabs and repaving ramps on Highway 101 between Santa Rosa Road in Camarillo and Padre Juan Canyon Road north of Ventura, officials said.                             I’m ... 09/29/2011

One of the most recognizable landmarks in Ventura is our beautiful pier.  Keeping it maintained in all its glory is a continual process.  The Pier Into the Future foundation will be sponsoring a Ventura Pier Under the Stars event on Saturday, October 1st from 5-8pm at the Beachfront Promenade near the Ventura Pier.  This food and wine tasting event will help raise money to continue routine maintenance and necessary repairs in the future to keep our historic Ventura Pier looking its best for generations to come. Included in every $60 General Admission ticket will be free parking, tasting opportunities of food, wine and other beverages from local restaurants and wineries and a beautiful Pier wine glass to commemorate your evening.  For the cost of a $100 VIP ticket, you will be allowed ea... 09/29/2011

This Saturday, September 17, 2011, join up with the Volunteer Ventura! program to help with Coastal Cleanup Day in Ventura.  For the 27th year in a row, Volunteer Ventura! will be hosting beach cleanup sessions from 9am to 12pm at five local Ventura beaches: Beachfront Promenade (check-in will be located next to the Crown Plaza Hotel at 450 E Harbor Blvd) Harbor Cove (in the Ventura Marina) Marina Park (at the end of Pierpont) San Buenaventura State Beach (on San Pedro St, off Hwy 101) Seaward Beach (at the end of Seaward Ave) Last year alone, more than 80,000 volunteers helped remove over a million pounds of trash (including recyclable items) from local beaches, waterways and lakes throughout California.  Keeping our Ventura County beaches clean is important, not only to the people who... 09/15/2011

This is a Free Event held tomorrow, Thursday, September 15, 5-9 pm. Win a 3 or 6 hour Sail Aboard the Bill of Rights Tall Ship. To enter, visit a minimum of 10 artists throughout the Village. Sponsored by Island Packers for 2 adults. I think this is a great idea, for more information visit Ventura Harbor Village. This Ventura County Realtor is going for sure, I hope I win a sailing trip! Originally published at www.venturacountyrealestate.com I’m Kathy Stoltman – Your Ventura County Realtor – You can reach me anytime at (805)-746-1793 Or via email at kathyst@kathyst.com   I look forward to hearing from you   Search for Ventura Homes for Sale Search for Oxnard Homes for Sale Search for Port Hueneme Homes for Sale Search for Camarillo Homes for Sale Search for Ojai/Oak View Homes for Sal... 09/14/2011

It's almost hard to believe that it's been 10 years since our country was rocked to its foundation by the events that unfolded on September 11th, 2001.  I know we at the Z Team will definitely never forget what happened that day and neither will millions of others.  Next Sunday, September 11, 2011, there will be a 10th Anniversary of September 11 Memorial Ceremony held in Ventura at the Ventura County Government Center located at 800 S Victoria Avenue.  The public is invited to come pay their respects for those men, women and children who perished as a direct result of the terrorist attacks as well as the brave men and women firefighters, policemen and women and military personnel involved.  The memorial will held from 11am to noon between the Law Enforcement, Firefighter's and Veteran'... 09/01/2011

Great family fun Labor Day Weekend at Ventura Harbor Village! Events: Labor Day Weekend at the Ventura Harbor Village Event WHEN:Sat., Sept. 3, - Monday, Sept. 5, 2011 DETAILS: Visit the Ventura Harbor Village for Labor Day Weekend fun in the sun! The weekend activities include:Saturday, Sept.3Trash to Treasure 10 am startVillage Main LawnSaturday, Sept. 3Relax with Gentle Yoga by the water's edge from 11 - 11:30 AM at the Village Main Lawn, Cost $5Saturday, Sept. 3Enjoy music by the Justin Claveria Combo at the Carousel Stage from 1 - 4 PM!Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 3-4Bring the family out for face paintings by Happy Rainbow Face Painting from 1 - 4 PM located on the promenade.Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 3-4 Visit the Kinetic Sculpture Race Vehicle Booth from Noon - 3 PM on the Village Main... 08/28/2011

Mark your calender for the weekend of September 10-11th for the fantastic Aloha Beach Festival in Ventura!   08/28/2011

    Friday Night Lights for Ventura HS, Buena High School, St. Bonaventure High SchoolNothing says Back to School and Autumn better than you your local high school's football games. Not only are the games entertaining, it is where the kids can meet safely, booster clubs can raise money for their local athletics and the community can show their support.You don't have to have a current high schooler to go out and support your local team. Try it! You might really enjoy it!I have compiled the varsity  schedules for these schools:  Oxnard High School, Pacifica High School, Rio Mesa H.S, Camarillo H.S., Hueneme HS, Channel Islands HS, Ventura, Buena, and St. Bonaventure H.S. If you are interested in learning more about Ventura County Real Estate and are looking for an Oxnard Real Estate Agent... 08/27/2011

  A new California law will further protect homeowners pursuing short sales by barring first and second lien holders from going after sellers for money owed after the short sales close.   As of July 15, 2011 Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 458.   A short sale is a transaction in which the homeowner owes more on the loan than the property is worth. To sell the home, the lien holder or lien holders must approve the sale because the amount owed to the lien holder will be “short” or less than of what is currently owed by the borrower.   The new law builds on the protections offered by a previous law, SB 931, which required the first lien holder in a short sale to accept an agreed-upon payment as the full payment for the outstanding loan balance. SB 931 did not address junior lien holder... 08/25/2011