Ventura County Memories (Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley: oceanfront, house, theater)

[Cyanna]

Have a memory to share of a Ventura County city or town?

I remember the roller rink in Simi Valley which was owned and operated by Herb and Cathy Wright. For us Simi Valley kids it was the best thing since sliced bread as it meant we no longer had to make the trip over to Reseda to roller skate in a rink.

School field trips to Zuma beach were always fun, too.

[Roma]

I lived 28 years in Ventura County.

Thousand Oaks
Simi Valley
Newbury Park
and last but not least..oceanfront in Oxnard

Let's see..

I remember when I was young always going to Conejo Valley Days. As I grew into a teenager we used to hang out with the carnies and try and get free rides (70's to early 80's).

I remember riding our bikes to the Oaks Mall while it was being built and we couldn't wait for it to open (young teenager then).

I loved going to the lake in Westlake and sitting under a willow tree with my then high school boyfriend and feeding the ducks and relaxing.

I remember Jacks Deli in Westlake and going there often for lunch.

I remember Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Thousand Oaks and going there for dinner often back in the late 70'-80's.

I remember when there wasn't a Westlake High School. My sister went there the first year it opened.

I remember always going to the beach (always). We would go to Zuma. Sometimes even hitchhike if you can believe that as teenagers. It again was back in the late 70' and early 80's but times were different then. I still can't believe I did that. It was normal back then and surfers and other beach goers would pick us up. Crazy I know.

For Oxnard, we lived oceanfront. I have only fond memories of the beach there. We saved dolphins, seals, baby lobsters and birds. Constantly something needed to be saved or helped out. We would see whales just swimming and hanging out while we were inside our home eating dinner. It was magical to say the least.

[SHNYROQ]

The Ventura Drive-In was the site of many, many childhood and teenage memories for me - wife and I had our first date there.

[Roma]

Oh yes Drive-Ins...I remember always going to the Simi Valley Drive-In.

[Cyanna]

Oh yeah! The Simi Valley Drive-In was THE place to be. I'm sure most of us remember sneaking in by hiding in the trunk of the car at least once in our lives, LOL!

I used to love to go to the Oaks Mall with my boyfriend to see "Rocky Horror Picture Show."

[Roma]

Originally Posted by Cyanna

Oh yeah! The Simi Valley Drive-In was THE place to be. I'm sure most of us remember sneaking in by hiding in the truck of the car at least once in our lives, LOL!

I used to love to go to the Oaks Mall with my boyfriend to see "Rocky Horror Picture Show."

How funny. We used to always try and "sneak in" to the Simi Valley Drive-In. That is too funny!!!!

My older sister would always go to the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Oaks Mall. She and her friends would dress up like the characters in the movie and bring rice to throw and stuff.

They also would play "Dawn of the Dead" at the Oaks Mall. We would go to that one too all the time.

Oh, and remember "Grease" when it first opened. We probably went to the Oaks mall at least 10 times to see that movie.

People would dress up like all these characters when going to see these movies.

[Cyanna]

Originally Posted by Roma

How funny. We used to always try and "sneak in" to the Simi Valley Drive-In. That is too funny!!!!

My older sister would always go to the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Oaks Mall. She and her friends would dress up like the characters in the movie and bring rice to throw and stuff.

They also would play "Dawn of the Dead" at the Oaks Mall. We would go to that one too all the time.

Oh, and remember "Grease" when it first opened. We probably went to the Oaks mall at least 10 times to see that movie.

People would dress up like all these characters when going to see these movies.

Yep, I remember raiding the house for rolls of toilet paper, rice, hotdogs and newspapers to take to Rocky Horror, LOL!

"Grease" is one of my all-time favorite movies since it brings back such wonderful memories of going to the Larwin Square theater. Another fave from that era is "Saturday Night Fever." I own both movies

[SoCalMomma]

Originally Posted by Roma

I lived 28 years in Ventura County.

Thousand Oaks
Simi Valley
Newbury Park
and last but not least..oceanfront in Oxnard

Let's see..

I remember when I was young always going to Conejo Valley Days. As I grew into a teenager we used to hang out with the carnies and try and get free rides (70's to early 80's).

I remember riding our bikes to the Oaks Mall while it was being built and we couldn't wait for it to open (young teenager then).

I loved going to the lake in Westlake and sitting under a willow tree with my then high school boyfriend and feeding the ducks and relaxing.

I remember Jacks Deli in Westlake and going there often for lunch.

I remember Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Thousand Oaks and going there for dinner often back in the late 70'-80's.

I remember when there wasn't a Westlake High School. My sister went there the first year it opened.

I remember always going to the beach (always). We would go to Zuma. Sometimes even hitchhike if you can believe that as teenagers. It again was back in the late 70' and early 80's but times were different then. I still can't believe I did that. It was normal back then and surfers and other beach goers would pick us up. Crazy I know.

I wonder if we know each other I remember all those same things - except for Oxnard, never lived there...

We also hitchhiked to the beach which was so stupid!!!! I had a car! LOL We did it for thrills.

We use to go to Zuma zero (to the left of the regular Zuma). We'd get there early and stay ALL DAY...

Also went to county line a lot, usually at night. Neptunes Net was a great hang out across the street.

I went to T.O. High. Started that same year that Westlake opened, which I heard was a great thing. T.O. was still really crowded, couldnt imagine having those extra students still there.

Conejo Valley Days was great! We'd flirt with the carnies to get extra rides, or prizes from the games. We would go every single night that carnival was in town. Remember you never had to pay to get in, but had to pay for the rodeo. Now you pay just to get in, plus for everything that you do inside. They use to have one family night, with the bracelet that allowed you on everything - it was a big deal. Now they have that bracelet every night so its packed solid with teens! My kids love it They keep threatening to not have the parade, but the last couple years its been saved by an outside source ($$$ donated).

Other high school era memories: Going to jungleland parking lot to see where the 'parties' were. We'd hang out in the Jack in the Box parking lot, too. We'd go 4 wheeling up in the hills that is now North Ranch. We'd go to the mall alot to see friends, and even to the boring Janss Mall. Remember how it was? Wow, its changed! There was a place called Brown Bag Deli that I loved, however.

I use to also go sit by Westlake Lake with my boyfriend and feed the ducks. I later took my kids when they were little to the lake to feed the ducks. I haven't been over there in years, I should go see if there are even any more ducks left -lol

Lupes is still there and still feels the same. They have the black velvet paintings on the walls, even! The food is decent, but we don't go there very often for some reason. Still that little house right behind it, too.

Do you remember Fortune Cookie? Lots of 'kids' went there. It was on TO Blvd. near the now Civic Arts Plaza.

Wow .. thanks for the memories

Thousand Oaks is still a great place to live ...

[SoCalMomma]

Originally Posted by Cyanna

Oh yeah! The Simi Valley Drive-In was THE place to be. I'm sure most of us remember sneaking in by hiding in the trunk of the car at least once in our lives, LOL!

I used to love to go to the Oaks Mall with my boyfriend to see "Rocky Horror Picture Show."

We use to go see that, too. Then we started to go down to Hollywood to see the even WILDER Rocky Horror Picture Show

[SoCalMomma]

Originally Posted by Roma

Oh yes Drive-Ins...I remember always going to the Simi Valley Drive-In.

We use to go to the Drive in in Newbury Park

And then to the swap meet at the Simi Drive in.