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Visitors Bureau Has Last Word in Cool

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Just in case you were wondering whether there are any cool places in Ventura, now you have an answer--there are 50 of them.

The Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau has put together a free 5-by-5-inch guide to “the 50 coolest places in Ventura.” After an advertising campaign, there have been 3,000 requests--mostly from Los Angeles.

Commercial establishments paid $195 to be listed. The bureau printed 15,000 copies, which it expects to last through midsummer.

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Some of the spots, like the Chart House (No. 11) or Sea Things (No. 40), might not drive you wild, but they meet the bureau’s criteria.

They are mainly commercial establishments--cafes, bookstores and restaurants. But they also include local landmarks like City Hall, Surfer’s Point and Channel Islands National Park.

There are no gradations of cool. Instead, the 50 coolest places are listed in alphabetical order, each accompanied by a tiny photo and a chatty blurb.

Of course, what is cool is a matter of opinion. But bureau spokeswoman Debbie Giles admitted that, although staff members prowled the city in search of cool, not a single applicant was rejected, to her knowledge.

“But then, there are so few uncool places in Ventura,” she added.

Residents interested in obtaining a guide should call the visitors bureau at 648-2075.

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