"The clouds in Camarillo shimmer with a light that's so unreal." (Brazzaville, "The Clouds in Camarillo")
Camarillo's rich history in the music and film industries can be traced to the Camarillo State Mental Hospital, which operated in the area between 1936 and 1997. Because it's only a stone's throw from Hollywood and everyone trying to achieve their Hollywood dreams (and because, let's face it, famous people are nuts), many celebs found themselves in the hospital recovering from various illnesses and addictions. Musicians Charlie Parker and Frank Zappa wrote songs about the institution, describing the hospital as a sort of mix between a saving grace and a place of torment. The hospital was also featured in the movie The Ring, the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the filming location for N'Sync's music video "I Drive Myself Crazy." College kids now spend their days taking calculus and art history at the hospital, which has since been converted into the California State University, Channel Islands. The building's current staff and students try to forget the storied history, which is kind of hard given that the buildings are regularly visited by people in search of ghosts and other paranormal activity. Don't worry, we haven't experienced any weird hauntings in the area.
Being so close to Los Angeles, but out of the hustle and bustle and heavy traffic of L
