A not-so-hidden gem in the heart of Ventura's midtown district, The Grape is a "House of Jazz and Spirits" that features live music five nights a week in a warm, welcoming and, some may say, spiritual space. On any given evening, owner and operator Adam Randall can be seen tending bar, adjusting sound equipment, or appearing on stage to remind the crowd that jazz is about love and community, and that they shouldn't forget the tip jar. In this conversation, Adam joins me to tell The Grape's story, from a small winery in Camarillo with no music to the jazz mecca it is today.

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Lisa McKinnon, aka "805 Foodie" on Instagram, has been covering food and culture in Ventura County for many years, bringing good vibes and amazing restaurant recommendations to our corner of Southern California. In this conversation, we talk about her history as a journalist, the pleasures and pains of being an online food influencer, and the amazing evolution of Ventura's food culture from the 1980s to 2025.

In a Southern California landscape overflowing with craft breweries, Ventura's own Topa Topa Brewing Company has carved out an impressive name and reputation since first opening on Thompson Boulevard in 2015. In this conversation, I talk with Topa Topa co-founder Jack Dyer about the ideas and values that drew him to the brewery business, and how a relatively small project quickly grew into something he never imagined. From its earth-conscious ethos and deeply local vibes to the unquestionable craftsmanship of the beer itself, Topa Topa plays a key part in shaping Ventura's rapidly evolving business community and cultural scene.

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