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Get-Away & Gateway OxnardBy Lisa Sonne
GATEWAY TO WATERWAYS
GATEWAY TO WINE COUNTRYIf you are seeking vintage pleasure, you might head north to the vineyards of Santa Barbara, to the Santa Inez reds and whites made famous in the movie Sideways, or to the grapes of delight in Paso Robles. On the other hand, you could choose to drive south to the new tasting sites in Malibu. But in either case, you can start your trip with the award-winning tastes at the Herzog Winery, an eighth generation, family-run operation.
For a culinary treat that rivals the offerings of larger cities, try the Tierra Sur, where the Chef Todd Aaron creates some memorable concoctions. One savory innovation is a BLT with lamb instead of pork, with the lamb specially cured for six hours before placed on focaccio. Oxnard is still a fertile agricultural pocket of Southern California, which is evident in the landscapes and also in some of the best cuisine. The lettuce and tomatoes of this lamb BLT are all picked locally, as are the garnishes that complete Tierra Sur’s beautiful presentation. PORTAL TO THE PAST
Heritage Square is an outdoor architectural park for lovers of Victorian and Craftsman homes. Preserved original mansions and a picturesque Church, were moved together with historically duplicated buildings for a unique community magnet. Some of the buildings are offices, and others are open for theatrical performances or tours. A vintage article framed on one wall in a great old Victorian describes how the state election results had to wait until the rest of the votes arrived by carrier pigeon! Not far away, La Dolce Vita provides a romantic spot to sit and to eat on a balcony with a Heritage view. The red and gold “Woolworth’s” sign in downtown Oxnard may conjure time warp memories for some visitors. David Feigin, a self-described “revive-ist,” wanted to make sure change still counts in more ways than one, so he restored the town’s old Woolworth Building including a unique small Woolworth’s museum with vintage five-and-dime machines that still work. A 1930’s dispenser in the ladies room lets you trade a nickel for a dollop of hand lotion. A dime will get you two tissue packs.
The Experi-Mental Café on the corner is a coffee shop done in eclectic 60s style with a counter with serves up great deli food. Feigin wanted a place to capture the good stuff he remembered from his childhood, so vintage TVs show broadcasts from back in the day, and a table is piled with free books – take ’em or leave ‘em. Even Feigin’s son has a role in the Café, where he plays in a band on weekend nights. For more information about Oxnard as a Gateway and a Get-Away destination, a great resource is the new California Visitors Center in Oxnard. It can serve as a free quasi-concierge for tourists. As one of 13 Centers in the state, it’s equipped to help your visits be more fun and fulfilling. In the racks of brochures, other Oxnard activity possibilities include horseback riding, gliding, tazer tag, a go-cart racing school, the Fisherman’s Wharf, Oxnard’s Children’s Museum and the Carnegie Fine Arts Museum. PLACES TO STAY:
THINGS TO DO: Water Taxi Information: 805.985.4677 Channel Islands National Park Web:
http://www.nps.gov/chis/ EAT & DRINK Lisa Sonne writes for magazines, television, feature documentaries, and publishes www.WorldTouristBureau.com |
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Between the travel lures of Santa Barbara and Malibu, a
lesser-known Southern California beach town offers its own temptations. With
strawberry fields almost forever, and miles of sandy stretches with names like
Hollywood and Silver Strands, Oxnard, California can be the getaway ‘get’ for
some. For others, it’s a pastoral portal to more of the California good life.
Boosters call Oxnard a Gateway to the Channel Islands National Park. If you are
driving north from Los Angeles, Oxnard is also a gateway to the Central
California wine country of “Sideways” fame, and a gateway to a nostalgic past
with modern conveniences. All these offer feelings of family traditions and
entrepreneurial enterprise.
While in Oxnard, you can take a water taxi through miles of
canals to look at homes, boats, and waterfowl. You can also sign on for a
progressive feast, with Captain Bob squiring you from appetizers at one dock,
dinner at another, and dessert at a third, with four eateries to choose from.
You can, of course, mix and match restaurants and courses in your own order.
For example, you can enjoy the marina feel of The Lobster Trap while nibbling
crab cake served with caviar, then a short cruise away relax in the family-run
atmosphere of the Seaside Grill, serving tasty Persian fare integrating local
produce. After a water jaunt beneath the stars, you can then choose between many
deserts at the friendly Whale’s Tail.
For a daytime adventure, you can jump on an Island Packers
boat and head to the closest of the beautiful offshore Islands, Anacapa. You are
likely to see porpoises, dolphins, or whales on the way to the national park,
depending on the time of year. Just an hour off the coast, the rugged island
offers hiking with stupendous views and knowledgeable guides, memorable
kayaking, and stellar diving. There’s nothing commercial on the island, so it’s
a true chance to get away to nature. The three generations of family that run
Island Packers are happy to take you to the other northern Channel Islands,
too—all part of a remarkable National Park that is half underwater.
In port, there are things for marine fans to enjoy, from
the micro to the macro. The Maritime Museum includes a collection of historic
model ships made in incredible detail. They also have displays that show the
evolution of water travel. Not far away, Michelle and Andy Volaski are putting
the homestretch touches (they hope) on their own full-size, 87-foot long,
million-dollar-plus Paddle Wheel creation called the Scarlette Belle. She is
designed to hold future weddings, reunions, and corporate parties and to handle
film shoots and charming harbor tours. Locals stop by to cheer on the
entrepreneurial spirit behind building something reminiscent of the Deep South
for the Southern California waterways. As of early summer, 2007, they are still
hoping to be ready for passengers this year, especially for Oxnard Harbor’s
celebrated boat parade of lights in December. (Check website link at the end of
this article for the latest information.
Tours behind the scenes offer lessons about corks and
barrels and kosher winemaking. If you are lucky, the winemaker himself, Joe
Hurliman, may be on hand to answer questions.
In Oxnard, some ranchers still wear big hats and silver
belt buckles, and champion surfers catch the local curls. A twice-weekly
farmers’ market often features voluptuous strawberries and sugar beets. Local
residents recognize their mayor as he walks nearby through the Central Plaza,
and they call out to him by his first name. The city and area are trying to
take some of the best of their past into the future.
Feigin loves taking people through and enthusiastically
shares what a maverick the founder of Woolworths was – revolutionizing retailing
by taking sales items out of the locked cases and giving them price tags to
spare customers the embarrassment of asking the price. Boomers can enjoy more
than one time warp when they visit Feigin’s other endeavor under the Red and
Gold iconic sign.
For the resort experience, and lots of family fare, enjoy
the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach—Hotel and Resort. It’s right on the beach
(fairly rare in Southern California) with sand dunes and bike paths, meandering
streams and waterfalls, and the Oxnard Harbor closeby.