Every neighborhood has it’s Claim to Fame. Our old Portland neighborhood was famous for Beverly Cleary(Children’s Author), Sheryl Strayed(Wild Author), and Joey Harrington(NFL QB).
The Buena neighborhood in Ventura where Arne’s rental house is has it’s Claim to Fame. Kevin Kostner of Bull Durham fame was a star baseball player at Buena High School-Go Bulldogs! He still comes around with his band, Modern West, and plays at local events.
Another lesser known musician lived in the very house we just remodeled- Arne’s rental. This corner house was once the home of George Hawkins Jr. He too was a Buena Bulldog and may have played in the marching band. He’s also known for playing with bands like Fleetwood Mac, Kenny Loggins, and The Monkees.
From the get-go, there was evidence in the house that a musician once lived here. The carpet in the living room had a lasting imprint of a piano. There were 70’s styled speaker wires running from one room to the other. A neighbor came by one day, an old friend of George, and told us George hung his three Gold Records on the wall in the back paneled room.
George himself left some lasting graffiti on the walls in the garage. One was a semi-decipherable Christmas poem to his high school girlfriend Kathy.
I’m wondering if Kathy B. is still in the neighborhood? Also wondering if George Jr. ever plays gigs alongside Kevin Kostner? Find out at the 2015 Ventura County Fair featuring Modern West.
Hopefully, MY new neighborhood will have its own Claim to Fame. Perhaps another famous author?
