Ventura County has numerous opportunities for residents to get out and walk.  From downtown walking tours to hiking trails, there is something for almost everyone.  The Los Padres National Forest, which covers a good portion of northern Ventura County, has many trail heads that start close to  Highway 33.  Whether you want an easy day hike or a more strenuous backpacking adventure, Foster Library can help you find your way.

Another great cookbook for the “Dish” to run through his vigorous test and evaluation, the title is “The Passionate Vegetable”, by Suzanne Landry. The great thing about this book is that I have met the author and she will be at the Topping Room for a book signing, Saturday June 1st, at 5:00 pm. I met Suzanne just before Christmas of last year, I was very impressed with her book and she seemed interested in doing a book signing at E.P. Foster library. We decided to get the event together when I got back from England.
 
Well now it’s almost June and I have tried out one of Suzanne’s healthy and delicious recipes. Let me backtrack about the book a bit. The book is gorgeous, the photography is top notch, and it is packed with recipes and nutritional information. The beginning of the book has a note to Suzanne’s readers; it is a gentle way of encouraging her readers to give a healthier diet a chance. Quite frankly this book is a bit of a wakeup call for me, let’s face it I’ve been heavy on the chocolate and light on the vegetables of late. I will purchase a signed copy from Suzanne at the book signing, this you can be assured of.

Now to the recipe I prepared and the reason I prepared it. The Melt-in-Your-Mouth-Granola was the recipe I prepared, after two days hiking in the Eastern Sierra and eating some of the yuckiest store bought trail snacks, I decided it was high time the “Dish” made some yummy healthy trail snacks of his own, and that’s what I did. The granola was a breeze to make and the taste is out of this world, some baggies of this stuff are going on my next hike in June. This book has so much care and love put into it and valuable nutritional information it would be a great loss not to have “The Passionate Vegetable” on your kitchen bookshelf. See you June 1st!!

****** David’s Dish

Check out the book at Foster Library, or put a hold on it - we will send it to you!

If there are any cookbooks in Foster Library’s collection that you would like me to try out, please leave the title on our Facebook page and I’ll get cooking.

As was decided per City of Simi Valley Ordinance Number 1182, Simi Valley Library has withdrawn from Ventura County Library and will be soon transitioning to a Municipal City Library run by a subcontractor, Library Systems & Services LLC (LSSI). Simi Valley Library will be CLOSED for the transition from June 15 - 30, 2013.

For patrons with Simi Valley as their home library: to keep your Ventura County Library services smooth during this transition, the first step is to change your home location to another Ventura County Library location.

Up through June 14, 2013, you may make this change at Simi Valley Library or any other Ventura County Library location (excluding the Museum of Ventura County's Research Library). If you are not able to make the change during this time, on June 15, 2013, your account will be assigned to Oak Park Library.

Your Ventura County Library card will still be good at all Ventura County Libraries; this includes our website, Library Catalog and eLibrary.

Please watch this webpage for further developments. We have enjoyed a long relationship with the City and community of Simi Valley and want to make this transition as smooth as possible for our patrons!

The City of Simi Valley's FAQ regarding Library Services

If you’re looking for something unique in your comics, look no further than Leo Geo and his miraculous journey through the center of the earth by Jon Chad. This is not your average graphic novel and its not read in the usual way. Trust me when I say you have to read it to believe it.

It’s the story of Leo, who travels through the center of the earth, and then some, encountering strange creatures and teaching the reader about geology along the way. Now, I’m pretty sure there are no temples built in the inner core of the earth, nor are there any alien beings plotting to come to the surface to attack us (unless, of course, you’re a fan of Doctor Who), but Leo Geo certainly makes it look like a possibility. It’s a fun adventure, and you just might learn a thing or two.

So, if you’re ready for that trip to the center of the earth, Leo Geo is waiting for you.

Heather, the Graphic Novel Goddess