Ventura - Premier Visitors Guide 2007-2008 - (Page 20) Midtown around town F Where Old Meets New Victorian farm house and living history museum reflects the life of the Dudley family and the Ventura farming community. The museum is open for tours the first Sunday of the month from 1 to 4 p.m. January–November, and the Fourth of July from 1 to 7 p.m. Bar (1067 E. Thompson Blvd., 652-1810, www.wineloversbar.com) serves premium wines by the glass, complemented by the smoky flavors of oak-fired pizza served on the patio. At The Sidecar Restaurant (3029 E. Main St., 6537433, www.thesidecarrestaurant.com), feast on upscale American cuisine in a 1910 Pullman car. or many locals, midtown Ventura serves as the epicenter of their daily lives. The neighborhood stretches along gentle hills between the downtown historic district and Mills Road to the east. It is best known for its excellent residential neighborhoods, including upscale, Spanish-Mediterranean Ventura hillsides, and easy access to the harbor and beaches. Filled with charming, historic homes designed by famous architects such as Hobson and Greene & Greene, the district also encompasses a major shopping mall and eclectic shops, boutiques and restaurants. For a peek into Ventura’s past, visit the Dudley House Historic Museum (197 N. Ashwood off Loma Vista, 6443286, www.dudleyhouse.org). This 1892 Midtown Dining Midtown favorite restaurants include a diverse offering, from California-fusion cuisine in a converted 1920s bungalow at Café Nouveau (1497 E. Thompson Blvd., 648-1422, www.cafenouveau.net) to Ferraro’s (2788 E. Main St., 6487270), voted the city’s top Italian restaurant in local polls. Yolanda’s (2753 E. Main St., 643-2700) earns the same accolades as the favorite Mexican dining spot. Wine Lovers Wine & Appetizer Midtown—Ventura’s Shopping Hub The Midtown area attracts shoppers galore. Dozens of small, locally owned specialty shops line E. Main Street and Telegraph Road. Many shoppers head to sparkling Pacific View (363 S. Mills Road at Main St., 642-0605). Anchored by Macy’s and J.C. Penney, Sears, and Target, the sparkling, recently renovated complex has grand terraces, a children’s play area, community plaza, and more than 140 specialty shops, boutiques, and cafés. The mall is open daily. For information, visit www.ShopPacificView.com. If you’re at the mall on a Wednesday, you’ll find outstanding fresh produce and other culinary delights at the Midtown Farmer’s Market (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.). k.b. Gift Store (2419 E. Main St., 6433333, www.kbcardsandgifts.com) is where locals head for all-occasion gifts, from silver jewelry to cards and specialty gifts. Dudley Bros. Top: California fusion cuisine. Right: The 1892 Dudley House typifies Ventura community life from a century ago. 20 VENTURA VISITORS GUIDE PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: MARK DOLYAK, COURTESY DUDLEY HOUSE (2), ISTOCK “Ventura is an oft-overlooked (and therefore uncrowded) beach community that retains its quirky small-town charm.” —ShermansTravel.com http://www.wineloversbar.com http://www.thesidecarrestaurant.com http://www.cafenouveau-ventura.com/ http://www.dudleyhouse.org http://ShermansTravel.com http://www.shoppacificview.com http://www.shoppacificview.com http://www.kbcardsandgifts.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.