Old Monterey District Blog

The Coastal Roots Hospitality Group - including Montrio restaurant at 414 Calle Principal in Downtown Old Monterey - has designated MY Museum as the nonprofit recipient of its Pick It Up - Pay It Forward Program for July and August 2023.

What does this mean? When you order takeout food from Montrio, 10% of your order will automatically be donated to this nonprofit children's museum in Downtown Old Monterey where curiosity and creativity flourish and both children and adults can discover the thrill of lifelong learning. (Please note: this offer does not apply to delivery orders.)

Venture Gallery presents the paintings of Edi Matsumoto, our featured artist for July. Her exhibit, entitled In Full Bloom, is a celebration of life featuring beautiful flowers and people.

We are finally coming out of three years of confinement and restriction due to COVID. We realize the fragility of our lives and, therefore, we should treasure the ephemeral yet abundant beauty, colors, lives, love, and light all around us. Edi's collection includes portraits of Hollywood actresses and others plus paintings of colorful flowers in full bloom.

Edi Matsumoto is known for her realistic portraits, figures, and still-life paintings. Her work has won many awards and has been shown at galleries and museums locally and nationally. She was named an A.R.C. Living Artist and an American Women Artists Member with Distinction.

Venture Gallery is now open 10am-6pm six days a week and 2pm-6pm on Tuesdays. Edi Matsumoto's artwork will be featured through July 2023. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Old Monterey Book Co. has re-opened its doors as The Rose Books & Obscurities. The Rose Books & Obscurities, specializing in rare and used books, has had an established online following since its advent in 2019. Owned and operated by husband and wife Ernest and Yasmine Rodriguez, the shop is now operating under regular business hours at 136 Bonifacio Place.

The Rose Books offers a diverse selection of second hand, collectible, and rare books in a variety of subjects. With an emphasis on classic titles, the in-store experience attempts to preserve the essence of antiquarian bookshops of the past both in aesthetic and selection.

Hours of operation: Monday, closed; Tuesday, 1pm-6pm; Wednesday, closed; Thursday - Sunday, 12pm-5pm

Rosine's Restaurant is excited to announce new menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

A few new breakfast items include avocado toast, biscuits and gravy, waffles, and new eggs benedict creations. For lunch, more main entrées, new salads, pastas, and an already popular grilled vegetable sandwich. For dinner, new items include porcini mushroom truffle ravioli, short ribs, and chicken piccata.

And good news for vegetarians and the gluten intolerant! Rosine's now offers plant-based menu items such as the new garden bistro burger as well as gluten-free pasta and breads.

Want to share a drink with friends? John has created a new signature craft cocktail menu featuring a strawberry basil refresher, coconut martini, the classic Rosine's old fashioned, his special 'Vesper', fruit mojitos, and brand new mocktails.

Curious? View all our menus on our website, then visit us at 434 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey for dine-in service or take-out.

Workhorse Bicycles is very excited to announce the newest bike bag company at the shop, Swift Industries! Swift, based in Seattle, is woman-owned and the bags are made from recycled materials.

Our staff really likes Swift Industries' Sidekick stem pouch that can hold a Nalgene bottle or your cell phone and some snacks. Most other companies' “small feed bags” can feel lacking in room at times, forcing you to upsize to a bigger, more expensive bag, but the Sidekick is a great handlebar bag.

Workhorse staff is also fond of the cylindrical Bandito bag, which can hold a lot of stuff including tools, a windbreaker, and your hopes and dreams. It'll be perfectly at home on your handlebars or under the saddle.

We invite you to stop by the shop at 486 Washington Street in Downtown Old Monterey and check out all the Swift Industries bags we have in stock!

Board and Brush Monterey is having a sale on pre-made wooden signs throughout June 2023. Come check out all the great samples we have on our walls and help us make room for new stock. We're offering large signs for $45, medium signs for $30, and small signs for $20.

Board and Brush is located at 458 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Are you craving pizza? Melville Tavern, located at 484 Washington Street in Downtown Old Monterey, offers some great wood-fired pizzas.

Try our Tavern Pizza (pictured here) which includes housemade sausage, pepperoni, cremini mushrooms, mozzarella, red onions, and tomato. Or try our Mediterranean Pizza, featuring kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, tomato, red onion, and feta cheese.

We have many pizza options on our menu in addition to all the great entrees, sandwiches, burgers, and salads.

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

Are you interested in becoming a Board Member of Monterey Public Library Friends and Foundation? The MPL F&F Board is looking to fill multiple board seats for next year, with particular skills needed in social media and communications, fund development and partnerships, graphic design, photography, and event coordination.

To apply, please fill out the application here by June 23, 2023. For further questions, please email MPL F&F.

For the second summer in a row, Monterey State Historic Park is hosting the Los Exploradores de Monterey Summer Day Camp for children entering 3rd grade to those entering 6th grade. During the ten-day sessions, camp attendees learn about Monterey’s rich cultural history and natural spaces through fun activities including period games, nature observation and interactive guided tours.

Highlights include whale watching, hands-on historic candle making, and a session where children pilot a remote-controlled submersible vehicle in Monterey Harbor. The programs take place in Monterey State Historic Park’s historic adobes and scenic gardens along with field trips to Colton Hall and the Cooper Molera Adobe complex, and a whale watching expedition.

Three separate sessions of the camp will be offered this summer. Ten-day sessions run June 5-16 and July 17-28. Please register online here. For more information, please call 831-717-8125.

Sponsored by the Monterey State Historic Park Association and led by California State Park staff, the camp days begin at 9am and end at 2pm. Prices are $400 for the 10-day sessions and $240 for the five-day session. Please join us this summer in historic Monterey!

Venture Gallery presents the work of Barbara Lee Furbush, our featured artist for June. Her exhibit, entitled Ephemeral Evolutions, invites engagement with the protean dance between sky and water.

A printmaker by training, Barbara's images are atmospheric - she chases the ephemeral with ink veils layered on paper to create her original prints. Barbara writes, "Printmaking allows me liberation, freedom...as I move through the creative process...My prints [are] mostly an intuitive and experiential process."

Venture Gallery is now open 10am-6pm six days a week and 2pm-6pm on Tuesdays. Barbara Lee Furbush's artwork will be featured through June 2023. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Manasiri's Crepes and Sandwiches invites you to dive into the enchanting flavors of our freshly brewed Moroccan tea, where honey and mint intertwine to create a captivating blend. Sip, savor, and let the aroma transport you from Downtown Old Monterey to the vibrant streets of Morocco.

Family owned and operated, Manasiri's is located at 321 Alvarado Street, open Sun-Thu, 8am-7pm, and Fri-Sat, 8am-10pm.