by Blake Mashburn | Jul 17, 2017 | News
There is always something fun happening in Ventura and this weekend is no exception! What better way to celebrate summer in this beach town than with delicious food, refreshing libations, great live music, and good cheer at the Tequila & Taco Music Festival!!! Head to Plaza Park in beautiful downtown Ventura on Saturday, July 22nd and Sunday, July 23rd, from 11:30 am to 6:00 pm (daily) for a celebration of tequila and mezcal, award winning margaritas, gourmet street tacos, arts and crafts, live music, and so much more! Here is all the information you need to make the most of your time at California’s Largest Traveling Tequila & Taco Music Festival!
8776163 – three tacos with different kinds of stuffing and a tequila shot
Tequila & Tacos
The showcase of this festival is truly the food and drink! Saturday showcases top-shelf Tequilas! Check out the exclusive tequila sampling this day only from 11:30 am until 3:30 pm. Although there will be no sampling on Sunday, this day is Mas Margaritas! Find a wide variety of margaritas available for purchase on this day. And, of course, incredible gourmet tacos will be available to dine on both days!
Food Vendors
- Gios Tacos & Burritos
- Pink Taco
Music Lineup
Saturday, July 22nd
Sunday, July 23rd
Ticket Information
General Admission (Saturday or Sunday)
- $10 per person
- FREE for kids 12 and under
- Includes access to Food Vendors, Craft Beer, Margarita Booths, and Live Music
Premiere Two Day Pass (Saturday AND Sunday)
- $60 per person | Must be 21 years of age or older with valid ID
- Includes access to all of the above PLUS Food/Tacos!
Saturday Tequila Sampling
- $40 per person | Must be 21 years of age or older with valid ID
Purchase tickets in advance HERE!
The Blake Mashburn Group hopes everyone has a great weekend in Ventura at the Taco & Tequila Music Festival!
by Blake Mashburn | Jul 10, 2017 | News
Ventura is filled with incredible art and tasty treats! Come discover all that this community has to offer this Saturday, July 15th, in beautiful downtown Ventura for Arts & Eats! From 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, enjoy special art exhibits and meet with the artists at local galleries and dine on delicious, complimentary bites at area restaurants. Spend the evening strolling the streets of downtown during this fun, free community event!
ARTS (Venues/Exhibits)
Pop Up Yoga | 83 South Palm Street
Latitudes Fine Art Gallery | 401 East Main Street
Grapes & Hops | 454 East Main Street
Plum & MidiQueen | 420 East Main Street
Namba Performing Arts | 47 South Oak Street
D.A. Davidson & Co. | 60 South California Street #301
Very Ventura Gift Shop & Gallery | 540 East Main Street
Fox Fine Jewelry | 560 East Main Street
Buenaventura Gallery | 700 East Santa Clara Street
VinTura Tasting Room | 14 South California Street
EATS (Tasty Samples)
Vom Fass | 451 East Main Street
Saloon BBQ Co. | 456 East Main Street
SpiceTopia | 576 East Main Street
Jimmy’s Slice | 586 East Main Street
Arts & Eats is just one of many incredible community events that make Ventura an incredible place to live. If you are interested in calling this beautiful beach community home, check out Current Homes for Sale. Give The Blake Mashburn Group a call today or visit our website at https://blakemashburn.com/.
by Blake Mashburn | Jul 3, 2017 | News
Mark your calendars for the 10th Annual Surf Rodeo Music & Surf Festival!! Celebrate summertime fun in the sun on Saturday, June 15th, and Sunday, June 16th, from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm daily in Pierpont Beach. This festival is fun for all ages! Enjoy days of dancing away to the 35+ bands performing on 3 stages. Check out the Rodeo Style Surf Contest, World’s Largest Cornhole Tounament on the Beach, and more fun competitions. Dine on grub from the best food trucks and grab an ice cold beer from the Beer Gardens on the Sand. Pick up some unique items from the 70+ vendors. Take a turn on the mechanical bull, try the beach activities, and swing by the Rodeo Town family area!
General admission tickets are between $25 and $45 per person. Children 10 and under are FREE! Purchase tickets HERE!
Music Lineups
| Saturday, July 15th | Sunday, July 16th |
| Mariachi El Bronx | Super Duper Kyle |
| Tijuana Panthers | The Aggrolites |
| Hub Cap Stealers | Rey Fresco |
| The Rouse | Beebs And Her Money Makers |
| Chugboat | Raging Arb And The Redheads |
| The Velveteen Band | The Regrettes |
| Honey Owl | Thee Commons |
| Herbal Rootz | Nucklehead |
| Bird Brain | All A Blur |
| Sweet Reaper | Stoneflys |
| Hayley and the Crushers | Three Imaginary Boys |
| Rital Movement | Ashe Blanco |
| Zuhg | The Vonettes |
| 50 Sticks of Dynamite | Aunt Jane’s Pancakes |
| Pancho and the Wizards | The Collective |
| After The Smoke | Zepp Heads |
| Strange Weather | Beach Buzz |
| Cydeways | 418 |
| Wordsauce | Curran McCrory |
*More bands will be added to the lineup and a schedule of times for each performance will be released closer to the date!
The Blake Mashburn Group hopes everyone in Ventura County has a rockin’ good time at the 10th Annual Surf Rodeo Music & Surf Festival!
Image Credit: 10th Annual Surf Rodeo Music & Surf Festival
by Blake Mashburn | Jun 21, 2017 | News
With beautiful beaches, endless recreational facilities, world class dining and shopping, and so much more, the fun never stops in Ventura County. One of the best things about living in Ventura County? The fantastic community events that occur throughout the year. And this weekend is no exception! Check out one or all of these 3 fun Ventura County events taking place this weekend!
39th Annual Ventura County Greek Festival
Dates: Friday, June 23rd – Sunday, June 25th
Times: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm (Friday) | 11:00 am – 10:00 pm (Saturday) | 11:00 am – 7:00 pm (Sunday)
Location: Camarillo Freedom Park (480 Skyway Drive, Camarillo)
Cost: $3 per person | FREE for children under 12
Cheer Opa! Enjoy live greek music, folk dancing, imported goods, and kids games & rides. The star of this festival, however, is truly the food! Dine on gyros, saganaki, barbecued lambchops, baklava, open face apple pies, and so much more!
14th Annual Ojai Valley Lavender Festival
Date: Saturday, June 24th
Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Libbey Park (210 South Signal Street, Ojai)
Cost: FREE!
Stop and smell the lavender in Ojai! Enjoy all things lavender, including plants, jewelry, clothing, food, and lemonade, from 100 vendors! There will also be entertainment and informative speakers throughout the day. Do not miss the noon presentation by chef Robin Goldstein or the 1:30 pm panel discussion with Carole Wade of Earth Island Herbs, Grace Malloy of Poco Farm, and Nicole Ulibarri of Morris Honey Co.
Barrel Tasting Weekend Pass – Ventura County Wineries
Dates: Saturday, June 24th – Sunday, June 25th
Times: See Below
Location: Various Ventura County Wineries
Cost: $30 per person
Purchase tickets HERE or at the participating locations.
Fill your passport as you travel between some of Ventura County’s best wineries! 7 local wineries will be opening their wine barrels for this special yearly event. Meet with the winemakers in the barrel rooms to experience the taste of wine as it develops! Here is a list of all the participating wines and hours they will be open:
Back Patio Cellars (930 Flynn Road Suite F, Camarillo) | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Cantara Cellars (126 North Wood Road Suite 104, Camarillo) | 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Four Brix Winery (2290 Eastman Avenue Suite 109, Ventura) | 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Magnavino Cellars (961 Rice Avenue Suite 5, Oxnard) | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Plan B Wine Cellars (3520 Arundell Circle Suite 107, Ventura) | 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
San Vicente Cellars (537 Constitution Avenue Suite D, Camarillo) | 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Strey Cellars (951 Rice Avenue, Oxnard) | 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
The Blake Mashburn Group hopes everyone has a fun weekend throughout Ventura County!
Image Credit: Ventura County Greek Festival
by Blake Mashburn | Jun 12, 2017 | News
39565441 – happy fathers day wooden letters on a rustic wood background with tools and ties frame
Father’s Day is here! Celebrate your’s and all the dads in Ventura County this weekend! Give your dad a Father’s Day he will never forget by treating him to one of these unique events!
Father’s Day Warbird Rides
Dates: Saturday, June 17th & Sunday, June 18th
Time: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: CAFSoCal Museum (455 Aviation Drive, Camarillo)
Treat dad to a flight amongst the clouds in a AT6 Texan/SNJ or B-25/PBJ Mitchell bomber. Click on the link above for specific flight times and costs.
Father’s Day 5k/10k
Date: Sunday, June 18th
Time: 8:00 am
Location: Foster Park (438 Casitas Vista Road, Ventura)
Get active this Father’s Day and celebrate dad in the “Kids Fun Run”, 5K, or 10K. Fantastic prizes will be awarded to the fastest father and child and grandfather and grandchildren teams! Stick around after the race for a fun post-race party! Register online HERE!
Father’s Day Brunch
Date: Sunday, June 18th
Time: 9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Location: Discovery Ventura (1888 East Thompson Boulevard, Ventura)
Fill your bellies with a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet, complete with omelette station, carving station, oysters, children’s fare, and so much more! There will also be a bloody mary bar and bottomless mimosas. The cost is $29.99 for adults and $12.99 for children. Reserve your family a spot online Reservations: HERE or by calling (805) 856-2695.
11th Annual Father’s Day Car Show
Date: Sunday, June 18th
Time: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Channel Islands Harbor (Harbor Boulevard, Oxnard)
Check out the most spectacular antique, vintage, and contemporary cars made domestically and abroad at this favorite annual car show. Enjoy time spent at the beautiful Channel Islands Harbor as you marvel at the vehicles with your dad.
The Blake Mashburn Group wishes all the dads in the Ventura County a very Happy Father’s Day!
by Blake Mashburn | Jun 5, 2017 | News
Don’t miss the 31st Annual Ojai Wine Festival this Sunday, June 11th! This favorite Ventura County event allows you to try the most delicious wine and beer available in the beautiful setting of Lake Casitas Recreation Area (11093 Santa Ana Road)! Make sure your calendar is cleared off between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm for this incredible annual festival.
The highlight of this festival is truly the beverages! Enjoy over 250 different selections of wine from 60 award-winning Wineries! Looking for something different? Great Breweries will be offering 30 different craft beers and microbrews at the event.
Along with delectable libations, there are plenty of other reasons you need to come to the Ojai Wine Festival. Delicious local restaurants will be on hand serving your favorite dishes. Dance the day away to live music by Santa Barbara’s Area 51! Take a relaxing ride on the Rotary Boat. Bid on some great items in the silent auction. And, simply enjoy the perfect summer weather with family and friends.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online HERE or at one of the local Box Office Locations.
Ticket Information
General Admission
- $55 per person (by June 9th)
- $60 per person (day of)
- *includes entry into festival, unlimited wine and beer tastings, keepsake crystal wine glass
Designated Driver/Non-Drink Admission
VIP Admission
- $120 per person (by June 9th)
- $150 per person (day of)
- *includes early entry into festival at 11:30 am, exclusive use of VIP lounge
VIP Designated Driver Admission
- $60 per person (by June 9th)
- $75 per person (day of)
Image Credit: Ojai Wine Festival
by Blake Mashburn | May 22, 2017 | News
Memorial Day Weekend is here! This unofficial start of summer means plenty of opportunities to spend time with family and friends, grill up some delicious food, enjoy outdoor recreation, and attend fun community events. At the same time, it is important to remember the real reason why we celebrate Memorial Day….to honor those brave men and women who have served in our nation’s armed forces. We need to remember and celebrate our veterans who sacrificed so much to protect the freedoms that we hold dear in the United States.
Memorial Day Celebration
Date: Monday, May 29th
Time: 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Location: Port Hueneme City Hall (250 North Ventura Road, Port Hueneme)
Join the City of Port Hueneme and the Port Hueneme Historical Society Museum for their 2017 Memorial Day Celebration. The ceremony will feature many great guest speakers. The keynote speaker is Captain Chris D. Janke (Commanding Officer Naval Base Ventura County). Other speakers include retired US Navy combat aviator Captain Bill Hodge, Ventura County Supervisor Kelly Long, and Oxnard Harbor District Board Secretary Jess Herrera.
Memorial Day Hike
Date: Monday, May 29th
Time: 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
Location: Ventura River Preserve (370 Baldwin Road, Ojai)
Cost: $25 per adult | $20 per senior | $15 per student (ages 13-18) | Free children 12 and under
Learn more about the plant habitats native to our area during this 5 mile hike around the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Ventura River Preserve. In honor of the holiday, lunch will be spend as a time to discuss and reflect on the importance of Memorial Day. Please meet at the Maricopa Plaza parking lot at 9:00 am to carpool.
The Blake Mashburn Group extends a sincere THANK YOU to all veterans and active service members! We wish everyone a Happy & Safe Memorial Day!
by Blake Mashburn | May 2, 2017 | News
May is Bike to Work Month! Biking as a means of transportation helps promote healthy living and protects the environment that we hold so dear here in Ventura. The city of Ventura is dedicated to providing its citizens with excellent bike routes throughout town and encourages all in the community to get their bikes (and helmets!) ready to ride to work every day this month!
Do not miss out on all the activities planned for the City of Ventura Bike to Work Week 2017 taking place May 15th through May 19th! Fill out the Pledge to bike to work or school during this week and be entered to win some great prizes from the Ventura County Transportation Commission.
Monday, May 15th | Bike ‘n’ Ride with Ventura County Fire Department
Take a fun 10-mile recreational Monday morning bike ride with the VCFD. The ride will kick off at 9:00 am from Giant Bicycle (3587 Old Conejo Road, Newbury Park) and end at the VCFD Lake Sherwood Fire Station (33 Lake Sherwood Drive). Stick around for the unveiling of Ventura County’s first public bicycle repair stand at 10:00 am. This repair station is the first of 16 planned for around the county. Register for this fun, FREE event HERE!
Tuesday, May 16th | Bike Train
Join the Bike Train from Ventura’s East End to Downtown. Click HERE for a map of the route.
Wednesday, May 17th | Bike Maintenance Luncheon Class
Head down to City Hall to learn more from BikeVentura about how to properly maintain your bicycle. The class begins at noon in the Santa Cruz Conference Room.
Thursday, May 18th | City of Ventura Bicycle “Pit Stop”
On your way to work, swing by the corner of California and Santa Clara Streets for a morning of bike fun. Enjoy refreshments, bicycle information and tune ups, and a raffle between 6:00 am and 9:00 am.
Friday, May 19th | Celebratory Bike Ride
Join BikeVentura as we end a successful 2017 Bike to Work Week as a community.
Have fun exploring Ventura on two wheels and getting active during the beautiful month of May!
by Blake Mashburn | Apr 13, 2013 | News
Foreclosures in Ventura County and California are slowing rapidly, according to the latest figures from RealtyTrac.
In February, for the first time since December 2006, California was not among the states with the 10 highest foreclosure rates. Overall foreclosure activity in California dropped year over year for the 15th straight month, ranking 13th in the nation.
There were 18,003 filings in California in February, a decline of almost 63 percent from February 2012 and a rate of one in 757 homes. Bank repossessions in the state fell 49 percent from last year.
In Ventura County, the number of foreclosure-related filings, such as notices of default and bank repossessions, rose slightly from January to February. But the number dropped 65 percent from a year earlier — from 1,037 in February 2012 to 362 this February. RealtyTrac, an Irvine-based online marketplace for foreclosure properties and real estate data, reported foreclosure filings in the county totaled 354 in January.
Mark Schniepp, director of the California Economic Forecast in Santa Barbara, said the new data matched his expectations.
“We forecast 50 to 60,000 foreclosures this year in California, compared with 96,000 last year, and it may even be more than that,” Schniepp said. “Ventura County is keeping in line with the state.”
“As home prices rise and banks are more willing to work out short sales, it curtails the number of bank repossessions,” he said. ‘The main issue now is not distressed properties but a lack of inventory, but as prices rise, that will get cured.”
U.S. foreclosure filings dropped 25 percent year over year, with a total of 154,281 filings in February. That’s one in 849 housing units.
However, the number of homes entering the foreclosure process nationwide rose 10 percent after three consecutive monthly decreases.
Foreclosure starts increased from the previous month in 32 states and rose from a year earlier in 16 states, including Nevada (up 334 percent), Maryland (up 319 percent), Washington (up 172 percent), New York (up 139 percent) and New Jersey (up 70 percent).
“At a high level, the U.S. foreclosure inferno has been effectively contained and should be reduced to a slow burn in the next two years,” said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac.
“But dangerous foreclosure flare-ups are still popping up in states where foreclosures have been delayed by a lengthy court process or by new legislation making it more difficult to foreclose outside of the court system. Foreclosure starts have been steadily building in those states over the last several months and likely will end up as bank repossessions or short sales later this year.”
Florida posted the nation’s highest state foreclosure rate for the sixth consecutive month in February, reporting one in 282 housing units had a foreclosure filing during the month.
Florida cities accounted for seven of the nation’s 10 highest metro foreclosure rates in February, led by the Miami, Orlando, Ocala, Tampa and Palm Bay metro areas.
The number of Nevada homes going into the foreclosure process in February increased 334 percent from a year ago to a 17-month high, keeping the state’s foreclosure rate the second-highest nationwide for the fifth month in a row. One in 320 Nevada housing units had a foreclosure filing in February, more than twice the national average.
Illinois, Ohio, Washington, Maryland, Arizona, Georgia, Utah and Michigan round out the top 10 states.
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/mar/13/forcelosure-rates-continue-to-slow-in-california/#ixzz2QNxzueTV
– vcstar.com
by Blake Mashburn | Nov 16, 2012 | News
In 2007, the Mortgage Debt Relief Act was passed in an attempt to help the millions of homeowners who, due to the housing crisis and economic crash, suddenly found themselves in danger of losing their home to foreclosure.
The act has helped many distressed homeowners find solutions to avoid foreclosure and opened up options to them that were previously unavailable.
However, the Mortgage Debt Relief Act was always intended to be a temporary solution and it is now set to expire at the end of 2012. For distressed homeowners, this means that time is running out for you to take advantage of this program.
As a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), I am uniquely qualified to help determine your eligibility and answer any questions about the settlement. Visit my website www.VCShortSaleTeam.com for a copy of the report entitled “Time is Running Out: How the Mortgage Debt Relief Act can save you!”
Then, contact me for a free, confidential consultation.
Sincerely,
Blake Mashburn
Troop Real Estate, Inc.
(805) 368-0202
39th Annual Ventura County Greek Festival
Do not miss out on all the activities planned for the City of Ventura Bike to Work Week 2017 taking place May 15th through May 19th! Fill out the 
