Quite an Ad-Ventura

I spent the last week in Ventura, covering the Dallas Cowboys training camp in nearby Oxnard.
Ventura is a nice little town about 60 miles north of Los Angeles. The city is kind of three towns in one.


The view from city hall.

There’s the normal, everyday town with businesses, fast-food joints and the local neighborhoods.
There’s also the beach town. Ventura sits right on the coast and, in fact, my hotel was just a few yards from the beach. There’s a state park and a harbor as well as the beachside restaurants.


Lots'o palms.

Then, there’s downtown Ventura; a stretch of maybe five blocks on Main St. that’s a nice mix of shopping, fine dining and entertainment.


Main Street, downtown Ventura.

It seems Ventura is going through a renaissance of sorts, as there wasn’t nearly this amount of activity the last time I was here. Because of this, there’s an eclectic mix. You’ll see a nice restaurant next to a dive bar. Or a thrift store next to an antique store next to a fine furnishings store. During my stay, Kevin Costner, who grew up in Ventura, had his new movie’s premier at the Ventura Theater. I didn’t go, cause I was eating at Dukes on the beach.
It’s pretty cool. Especially the fine dining I referred to. In my short week there, I ate Thai, Peruvian, Indian and Persian food. I also ate lots of seafood. And In-n-Out Burger. It was all very tasty and moderately priced.


Greetings at "A Good Thai and Peruvian Restaurant." Yes, that's what it's called.


When in Rome...A shot of wheat grass juice after lunch.

Oh, yeah…In case you’re wondering: The earthquake that hit L.A. was felt in Ventura — but not by me. I was in the shower.