A Smile A Day

Conejo Valley Days 2009 is Here!

The Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors attended a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, May 6th to help celebrate the opening of Conejo Valley Days 2009. The carnival is located at the soccer fields off Janss Rd. and the 23 fwy. It will be open through Sunday, May 10th. Mothers get FREE admission on Sunday for Mother's Day! Some of the new food choices are cinnamon buns and gellato. And of course, the Elks will be there with their famous BBQ tri-tip! I counted three ferris wheels, oodles of kiddie rides, a Temple of Doom maze and go carts. It's guaranteed fun for the entire family!

Need your real estate questions answered? Cheryl Clayton is an experienced real estate professional with Troop Real Estate in Westlake Village. You can contact her at cclayton@troop.com or give her a call 805-570-8896. Experienced in the challenges of today's real estate market.

Chamber Ribbon Cutting for Easy Credit Relief, Inc.

The Thousand Oaks/ Westlake Village Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors attended a ribbon cutting for Easy Credit Relief, Inc. Doug Minor, Owner and Credit Counselor, answered many questions regarding credit repair.Easy Credit Relief, Inc. uses proven methods to raise your credit scores quickly and effectively.

 

 

 

Give Doug Minor a call today if you would like to discuss your credit concerns with him. You can reach him at 800-679-1505.

 

If you need real estate assistance, Cheryl Clayton with Troop Real Estate is a full-time real estate professional with knowledge and first-hand experience in the challenges of this real estate market. Give her a call today with your questions. You can reach Cheryl Clayton at 805-750-8896.

 

 

NAR March 2009 Real Estate Report

NAR Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun, reports on existing home sales in March 2009.

California Pizza Kitchen's outdoor patio is perfect for "girl time."

Every once in a while Realtors need a break too! That's when we grab a colleague and go out to enjoy the beautiful scenery, have lunch, chat it up and bask in the aura our fabulous Conejo Valley offers.

Last week my colleague, Marie Nagler and I spent a lovely afternoon at California Pizza Kitchen at the Lakes in Thousand Oaks. We ordered their delicious Waldorf salad and raspberry lemon drops. If you have never sat out on their patio you've got to do it next time if the weather permits, of course. The gorgeous yellow-pink roses are in full bloom right now and are hedged in a luscious line around the outside of the patio. In the distance you can watch children playing in the sand box, shoppers browsing, and you can hear the slight hustle and bustle of Thousand Oaks Blvd.

While we were enjoying our lunch the lovely General Manager, Sheila Fundaburk, stopped by to chat with us. Sheila said that business is good at CPK. Sheila is also very involved with the Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village Chamber of Commerce and in community efforts. Sheila stated that her involvement with the Chamber and in the community has played a big part in the continued success of CPK at The Lakes.

CPK is sponsoring a "Don't Open It" Thank You Card promotion right now. When  you come in to dine you will receive a promotion card. The catch is.... you can't open it! Bring it back the next time you dine at CPK and the Manager will come by and open it to see what you have won. Every card is a winner. Some of the prizes are $50,000 and $25,000 cash, a trip for two to Cancun, a stay at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel.... and the smaller prizes range from 10% - 50% off your next meal at CPK. This promotion ends June 30, 2009.

In fact, I have one of those "Don't Open It' cards in my purse... so I know where I'm going the next time I want to enjoy beautiful scenery, good food and catch up with a girlfriend.

Always remember this, if you need a real estate professional, give me a call at 805-750-8896. I would love to speak with you about your real estate needs. Troop Real Estate is the largest Independent real estate company in Ventura County. I am experienced with short sales, bank owned properties, corporate relocation, leasing. This is a great time for first-time buyers to get into the market. Call me if you would like to discuss your home buying or selling goals.

Click here to view the video of our "girl time" at CPK.

The Grill on the Alley Chamber Ribbon Cutting

The Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village Chamber Ambassadors attended a Ribbon Cutting held at The Grill on the Alley in the Westlake Village Promenade. This new and fabulous eatery is under the leadership of President and CEO of Grill Concepts, Philip Gay. During the ceremony Philip Gay spoke about The Grill in Westlake and introduced his local team, Oded Mazor, General Manager; Everardo Moreno, Chef; Arthur Meola, Area Director & Corporate Beverage Director; and Terri Henry, Vice President of Marketing.

 

Philip spoke about the restaurant's rule that the answer to every question is "yes." They will modify a dish to anyone's specifications and they treat everyone special and emphasize an attitude of friendliness and warmth. General Manager, Oded Mazor also spoke during the ceremony. His passion for what he does and excitement for the restaurant spilled out onto everyone attending.

 

After the traditional ribbon cutting and picture the Ambassadors participated in a toast and lavished in some very tasty hors d'oeuvres. Among the Ambassadors attending were Paul Dryman, Informed Decision; Yousra AlMadani, Thousand Oaks Inn; Michael Ballas, VR Business Brokers; Cheryl Clayton, Troop Real Estate; Jenny Hezzel, Computer Power Unltd.; Joan Pappas, Ace Capital Group; Lesley Pilkington, Xango; Daniel Quisenberry, Quisenberry, Ridley & Shiffman Law Offices; Jeff Sommer, Now Messenger & Attorney Service; Marie White, Money Mailer of Conejo; Nicole Winner, Winner Quotes Insurance Services. Ed Albrecht, Metlife Financial Services; Marcia Goldstein, Name Dropper; John LaRocca, Sage Bank Card; and Remy Renault, Xerox.

 

 

Modeled after the great grills of New York and San Francisco, The Grill on the Alley is one of Westlake Village's hottest new restaurants offering a dignified atmosphere, friendly and attentive service and a first-rate menu.

 

View the video of the Ribbon Cutting.

Chamber Ribbon Cutting for Tony's Dog Training

  The Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village Chamber Ambassadors celebrated a Ribbon Cutting for Tony's Dog Training.

Owner and Trainer, Tony Cortez brought along his wife, two darling daughters and three dogs to the ribbon cutting. Max, Shiloh and Chica. The Ambassadors who arrived early had the opportunity to watch the dogs do tricks.

Tony's Dog Training offers services such as dog training classes, behavioral issues, people training, dog walking and pet sitting.

The ribbon cutting was well attended by friends and Ambassadors. Chamber Ambassadors in attendance were Paul Dryman, Informed Decision; Yousra AlMadani, Thousand Oaks Inn; Michael Ballas, VR Business Brokers; Cheryl Clayton, Troop Real Estate; Robert Crusoe, Nu Skin; Robert Fisher, PR4Biz; Jenny Hezzel, Computer Power Unltd.; Joan Pappas, Ace Capital Group; Lesley Pilkington, Xango; Daniel Quisenberry, Quisenberry, Ridley & Shiffman Law Offices; Deborah Saier, East County Job and Career Center; Jeff Sommer, Now Messenger & Attorney Service; Kevin Suber, Suber Financial Services; Kathy Travis, AFLAC; Marie White, Money Mailer of Conejo; Nicole Winner, Winner Quotes Insurance Services.

Also attending from the Chamber were Wayne Smith, Sales Representative, Jan Smith, Staff and Jill Lederer, President and CEO.

Watch the video of the Ribbon Cutting. Tony gives a brief explanation of his services and answers some terrific questions. 

If you would like more information about joining the Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village Chamber of Commerce don't hesitate to call or email me anytime. I am also available to service your real estate needs in the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas...experienced in short sales, foreclosures, bank owned properties, corporate relocations, firt-time buyers and well-versed in the challenges of this current real estate market. Visit my website at www.cherylclayton.com for more information.

Piatti Ristorante Hosts Chamber Mixer

The Westlake Village/Thousand Oaks Chamber of Commerce held their monthly Mixer yesterday evening which was graciously hosted by Piatti Ristorante in Westlake Village at 101 South Westlake Blvd. There was a fabulous turnout of business professionals taking time out of their Wednesday to network and enjoy delicious drinks and hors d'oeurves. Some of the "tasties" such as deep fried risotto, chicken meatballs, bruschetta and eggplant wrapped greens in balsamic drizzle, were created under the direction of Chef Ismael Ortiz, whom I had the pleasure of meeting. In speaking with Chef Ismael Ortiz and General Manager, Brian Strasburger, it is very clear that they are eager to please their clients and their new management style and menu selection will make Piatti Ristorante in Westlake Village a consumer favorite for family dining, business lunches and party events.

Attendees of the Chamber Mixer were entertained by the TrekforTroops a cappella trio. Paul Rosen, Matt Walker and Scott Williams are three amazing young men on a mission to raise awareness for veterans of the Iraqi and Afghanistan conflicts returning home with a need for healing and housing. Many of these veterans are unable to have their own homes due to their injuries and finances. Paul, Matt and Scott will soon be starting a hike beginning at the southern border of California and ending in Canada. They will be holding concerts along their path to bring awareness of the housing needs of veterans across the nation.

Among the business professionals I networked with at the mixer were Steve Weiss with Kirk Jewelers, Robert Crusoe with Nu Skin Enterprises, Marisa Gonzalez, President of Exlcusive Business Concierge, Lee Lubrano with Tupperware, Michael Landolfi with CityLights Financial, Wendy Bjurstrom, Co-Founder of CareNow Foundation, Nathan Rhoads, Studio 513, Roger Sands, Vice President and Manager of First Federal Bank, Abe Breene with Breene Graphics, and Fred Gallegos, owner of Conejo Closet Designs.

If you would like information about the Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village Chamber don't hesitate to call me at 805-750-8896.