Ready for a little getaway that’s just under an hour away from LA? Pop up to Ventura, a sweet seaside city with great eateries, wineries, a super walkable downtown complete with a Fine Arts Museum, an Historic California Mission and a thriving live music scene. There’s lots to do for the whole family, but we’ll save that for another trip tip. This adventure was decidedly – grown ups only – with wine tasting, fine dining, champagne, oysters at the ocean and did I mention wine tasting?

I have to tell you. I’ve never been a fan of oysters. I’ve obligingly tried them once or twice over the years, after all, my husband is from New Orleans where raw oysters are a point of local pride, Mawmaw puts them in Thanksgiving stuffing and locals regularly eat them in sandwiches called Po’Boys.

And clams. Gak! I tried those exactly once – deep fried, at a little shack by the ocean in Half Moon Bay. Not my thing. Prepare yourself for the zeal only a convert can wield! These are my new favorite foods!!!!! Oysters and clams, clams and oysters! Before our visit to The Jolly Oyster in Ventura I rate my interest: Oysters 3. Clams -7. An introduction to Mark Reynolds and his brand of locally born and bread Oysters and Clams and I’m +10 on both and can’t stop thinking about getting back to the beach for another batch! I warned you. It’s my new obsession.

Watch the video to see for yourself what great finds await you in Ventura, California. There’s more of Ventura coming up on our calendar, too, so stay tuned. Click here for a list of our picks to print out and toss in the glove box for your next California lifestyle trip to Ventura (or, if you’re a planner, like my friend Bxxxx, you can use it at your desk to plot your Ventura adventure in advance.)