Old Monterey District Blog

Esteban Restaurant, located at 700 Munras Avenue in Downtown Old Monterey, proudly announces the reopening of our outdoor patio. Newly remodeled, the lush Mediterranean garden landscape, fire pits, and stone fireplace give al fresco dining a festive vibe.

Esteban's patio boasts three distinct dining spaces, all stitched together seamlessly to create a lovely Mediterranean sanctuary. The focal point is a prominent stone fireplace surrounded by abundant seating for guests to sit and relax. Above it, an upper deck area features several bar-height tables and a terrific vantage point to enjoy the scene. Five hammered copper firepit tables, each encircled with four comfy chairs, are cozy spots to gather, sip, and nibble.

In celebration of the patio’s reopening, Esteban Restaurant is introducing a new and expanded tapas menu served during our daily Happy Hour, 4:30pm-6pm. Drinks include house-made sangria, Spanish margaritas, Spanish house wines, well cocktails, and draft beer.

The patio is open for dinner Sunday - Thursday, 4:30pm-8:30pm, and Friday - Saturday, 4:30pm-9pm. For reservations, please phone 831-375-0176.

Om Studios is holding an End of Summer Sale through August 28, 2023. Get 5 yoga and barre class cards for $75 (normally $105) or 5 Reformer Pilates class cards for $160 (normally $189). Please note: these have a 90-day expiration. Purchase here.

Plus, we have specials for new members! Get 20% off your first 2 months of a recurring membership at Om Studios. Or get 3 weeks of unlimited yoga or barre classes for $59 or 3 Pilates classes for $59. Please email us to join and claim these great deals.

Om Studios is located at 631 Cass Street, Suite B in Downtown Old Monterey.

Are you looking to add some personality to your home? Why not add a beautiful noren from Cha-ya Japanese Tea and Things?

Noren are traditional Japanese fabric dividers hung between rooms, on walls, in doorways, or in windows. They usually have one or more vertical slits cut from the bottom to nearly the top of the fabric, allowing for easier passage or viewing. They look perfect in homes or in businesses.

We have some elegant designs to choose from, so come by and pick one out! Cha-ya is located at 118 Webster Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Cella presents a new exhibit by artist Bernard Trainor opening July 26 at the restaurant, located at 525 Polk Street in Downtown Old Monterey. We invite you to make a reservation to dine at Cella and enjoy Trainor's extraordinary work.

Trainor's new installation, titled EMERGE, is an expression of the seasons and the dynamic change happening outside Cella's protective walls. The interplay between inside and outside creates a beautiful tension.

Bernard Trainor arrived in Northern California from Australia twenty-five years ago. He is the founding principal of Ground Studio, a landscape architecture practice with studios in Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Napa. He approaches his art and design through a very personal lens, interpreting wild and built landscapes into abstract forms on large canvas and board.

Esthetician Shelley Bennett has developed new skincare products, now available for pick-up at her spa at 588 Houston Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Please call 831-324-4611 to place an order.

The 2-in-1 Cleansing & Hydrating Oil is made with organic hemp, jojoba, and sunflower oils. This product smells and feels like some much needed sunshine.

The new 1.5% Retinol Fluid is gentle and effective for anti-aging, brightening and smoothing out the skin. You’ll not believe the results!

And the soft and silky feel of Shelley Bennett's lip tints, which now come in an expanded number of shades, are perfect for anytime use. Formulated with coconut, jojoba, and peppermint oils, the buildable colors come in Nude, Pink, Red, and Plum.

After receiving her esthetics credentials, Shelley Bennett worked for many luxury spas including The Spa at Pebble Beach, The Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, and Le Merigot Hotel and Spa in Santa Monica. She trained at Hotel George V in Paris, France.

The owner of Slowfiber, Jaki Caterbury, has recently returned from a trip to England and she brought back with her some beautiful new sustainable fabrics from Merchant & Mills. You can check them out on the Slowfiber website or visit the shop at 517A Hartnell Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Sustainable cloth and fabric is more than the fiber content or production process. Merchant & Mills ensures that the textile mills they work with prioritize ethical business practices and that their employees have a safe and positive working environment.

Do you have extra frames at home? Here's your chance to clean out your closet and support Youth Arts Collective's art shows!

Every year, YAC gets more and more pieces with each show that we open. If you have extra frames that are looking for a new home, we are accepting donations of frames to help us best display all of the YACster artwork.

Please email Jesse Juarez if you have frames of the following sizes that you'd like to donate, and we can coordinate a drop off time: 8 x 10, 9 x 12, 11 x 14.

If you don't have frames but you would still like to support YAC, our 2023 Summer Show, and the YACsters, we accept financial donations here.

Thank you for your support! Youth Arts Collective, a nonprofit, after school art studio and mentorship program for high school and college artists, is located at 472 Calle Principal in Downtown Old Monterey.

The Pearl Works, located at 288 Pearl Street in Downtown Old Monterey, is seeking local artists to submit pieces for their next art show, Symbiosis. This show will be a juried exhibition of emerging artists from around Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties whose various forms of art address the theme of symbiosis: mutually beneficial relationships between two groups or organisms.

This interdisciplinary selection of 2D visual art will create a conversation about the reciprocal relationships necessary for community development. Growth is only achieved through cooperation, support, and partnership.

Get more information and submit your art here by Saturday, August 5, 2023.

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Mercedes-Benz have chosen Monterey County Youth Museum as one of the local nonprofit organizations to benefit from their annual car drawing. The winner of the drawing will receive a beautiful new Compact Luxury Mercedes-Benz SUV GLA 250 (MSRP $40,695).

MY Museum has been given 2,000 tickets to sell for $100 per ticket. All funds raised will be used for MY Museum's educational programs and exhibits and will support our commitment to providing subsidized museum visits for schools and families in challenging circumstances.

The drawing will be held on August 20, 2023 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance (you need not to be present to win). Tickets can be purchased in person at MY Museum, over the phone at 831-649-6444, or by reserving tickets online - we will call you for payment. Once payment is made we will mail you your tickets and receipt.

Help us bring joy and learning through play to children! Be assured that every time someone buys a ticket (or two or three) for the car drawing, MY Museum staff do the happy dance in the office.

Please note: winner of the car will be responsible for all applicable taxes, licensing, and transfer fees. Delivery is limited to within the USA only.

Alta Bakery and Cafe is happy to announce our July drink of the month, a bay laurel latte. Come and try it - we're located at 502 Munras Avenue in Downtown Old Monterey.

Monterey History and Art at Stanton Center's newest exhibit is a tribute to the 177th anniversary of Sloat's Landing.

Journey through time and relive the pivotal moment of Sloat's Landing with an extraordinary exhibit and captivating documentary that unveil the significance and impact of this historic event in Monterey's history. A display of paintings and other items is on exhibit at the Stanton Center through July 31.

Immerse yourself in the rich history of Sloat's Landing in Monterey with a captivating 20-minute documentary featuring Thom Diggins that chronicles the pivotal event on July 7, 1846, transporting you back in time to witness the monumental landing and its profound impact on the region.

On July 7, 1846, commanded by Commodore John D. Sloat, the frigate Savannah and the sloops Cyane and Levant of the United States sailed into Monterey Bay to claim Alta California in the name of the United States. Captain William Mervine of the Cyane came ashore with a small party from the Savannah. At 7:30 a.m., Captain Mervine sought the surrender of the port. Mexican commandant, Capt. Mariano Silva said that he was "not authorized to surrender the place”. 225 sailors and marines from Sloat's three ships landed and gathered before the Custom House. Purser Rodman M. Price read Sloat's proclamation and posted it in English and Spanish, declaring that a state of war existed between the United States and Mexico and that "henceforth California would be a portion of the United States." The group then raised the flag of the United States at the Custom House. Each of the three ships fired a 21-gun salute to celebrate.

The Stanton Center is open Saturday through Thursday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The Sloat Landing Exhibit and Documentary is free to visitors.

Construction will take place in front of Monterey Public Library, July 6-13, 2023, replacing the sidewalk along Pacific Street.

During that time, the library will only be accessible through the back entrance. the Library's back parking lot will be closed to vehicles, and the book return on Pacific Street will be temporarily moved to the driveway.

Need a place to park when you visit the library? Parking Lot C, next to Colton Inn, will be open.

If you have questions or need to renew a book, please call library staff at (831) 646-3933.