Summer Days Drift Away. Back-to-School Blues.

Summer Nights, Music, and Fresh Air

Summer time in Southern California is the perfect opportunity to get outdoors. It’s your reward for long months spent locked in a classroom for hours a day. We need little encouragement to spend the warm nights outside when the heat of the day dissipates and the sun stays up until nearly 9.

Many cities offer outdoor concerts throughout the summer, and those in and around the Simi and Conejo Valleys are no different. Outdoor concerts go on all summer at local parks, as well as the Janss Marketplace, Simi Town Center, Westlake Promenade, and Camarillo Ranch.

Catch the Last Songs of Summer

Summer ConcertAs summer draws to a close, though, so do the concerts in the park. Over the next two weeks, these venues will be winding up the summer concert season, but there are still a few left before school starts. Don’t miss the last concerts before you go back to school.

  • August 16th: Swing Night with Frank Sinatra at the Janss Marketplace.
  • August 19th: Mirage-Visions of Fleetwood Mac at Rancho Simi Community Park.
  • August 20th: Ghost in the Machine, a Police tribute band at Chumash Park.
  • August 23rd: Live from Earth, A tribute to Pat Benetar at the Janss Marketplace.
  • August 26th: Hollywood U2, a U2 tribute band at Berniece Bennet Park in Westlake Village.
  • September 4th: Jerry Garcia Band at Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks.

More Than Just Concerts

Concerts aren’t the only place we can enjoy our summer nights. CLU hosts the Kingsman Shakespeare Company which has been putting on two shows every summer for the last 21 years. And Hollywood Forever isn’t the only place to watch a movie under the stars. Simi*, Woodland Hills*, and Camarillo* all give you that Hollywood feel without the commute.

Fall and Winter Events

Fortunately, the end of summer doesn’t mean all outdoor events come to an end. Simi Valley Days runs from September 14th-17th. The annual event features a parade where the Royal and Simi High School bands get to show off all their hard work to the community. The music festival runs September 15th-17th with a different musical genre each day.

Moorpark’s Country Days features their annual parade and carnival on October 7th.

Let’s not forget Underwood Farms’ annual Harvest Festival which takes place every weekend from September 30th to October 29th. Click the link for the weekly themes and events.

Be sure to check out the Conejo Valley Events Calendar for more fun events and even a few educational ones. The list includes events throughout Ventura County as well as a few in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles through the end of 2017.

* Where to Find Movies Under the Stars

Simi: Rancho Simi Community Park, 1765 Royal Ave., Simi Valley, CA 93065
Camarillo: Constitution Park, 1313-1437 Paseo Camarillo, Camarillo, CA 93010
Woodland Hills: Warner Ranch Park, 5800 Topanga Canyon Bl., Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Expanding Your French Language Repertoire

Would you like help learning French? Contact me here or text me at 323-203-2616 for more information.

Photo courtesy of COD Newsroom via Flikr

Celebrating French Culture in Santa Barbara

Heather Hewes

French In Our Daily Lives

The French language is so deeply intertwined into the English we speak that we hardly realize it’s there.

You and your fiancé send out wedding invitations asking the recipients to R.S.V.P. We go to a restaurant and order an hors d’oeuvre and a salad without thinking twice about the origin of the words.

French culture, too, has woven its way into our daily life. We see its influence in our food, fashion, art, music, and dance. Now in its 29th year, Santa Barbara’s annual French Festival celebrates this beautiful and multi-faceted culture in a tree-filled park. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the French countryside.

Bringing French Culture to Life

The two-day event coincides with Bastille Day. It offers visitors a small taste of the arts and cuisine of France. Proceeds support theater and literacy programs in Santa Barbara.

French cultureStepping through the gates, you stroll past the booths where local artisans display their wares. You climb the stairs to the Moulin Rouge Stage. There, you’ll see dancers demonstrating everything from the elegant minuet seen in the salons of the 1800’s to the enthusiastic and sometimes bawdy can-can. Be prepared to join in when James and Cynthia from the Historical Ballroom Dance Club at UCLA teach the one-step, a simple dance which lets you express the best of yourself.

Traveling to France Without the Plane Fare

Wandering past replicas of the Mona Lisa (where you can take a selfie with French Languageyour face in the painting) and a miniature Eiffel tower, you reach a tree-shaded expanse. Amidst booths offering food, drink, and factoids about the Festival, Chef Josette’s Café Normandie takes pride of place. She offers an amazing assortment of salads, sandwiches, quiches, breads, and pastries. Grab a snack or an entire meal to enjoy while experiencing a melange of musical entertainment at the Eiffel Tower Stage.

French tutorTravel back in time to the French Renaissance. Then meander back to the 21st century by way of a 1930’s cabaret and the Hot Club of France. Artists perform tributes to Classic French music and artists but share some of their original work, and a bit of Cajun and Quebecois.

Medieval Knights Fight for Glory

A safe distance from the idyllic picnic atmosphere, gallant knights don armor to defend their castle’s honor. Armed with mace, axe, and sword, they beat each other into submission for the honor of being named the victor. But with that honor comes another battle. Others are anxious to unseat the current champion. The battles rage throughout the afternoon with the banner changing hands often. The competition is reminiscent of battles enacted today where honor is defended on the fields of football and soccer.

Expanding Your French Language Repertoire

Would you like help learning French? Contact me here or text me at 323-203-2616 for more information.

Feature photo used by permission. Courtesy of Heather Hewes