Old Monterey District Blog

Learn how to be to be self-sufficient and support others in a disaster until help can arrive! The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program provides community members with important skills that are essential in an emergency such as an earthquake.

Skills You'll Learn

The CERT program is a nationally-recognized program with a well-defined curriculum. Learn: emergency first-aid, disaster preparedness, shutting off your utilities, rescue techniques, use of a fire extinguisher, communications when phones fail, assessing your home or workplace after an earthquake or storm, neighborhood search, and working as part of a team.

When Is CERT Training?

The next CERT training is scheduled 8am-5:30pm on the following Saturdays: 9/21, 9/28, & 10/5 in Downtown Old Monterey. Training is free and open to all Monterey residents! Attendance at all 3 sessions is necessary to complete the training and graduate. To enroll, please email CERT.

Community Service Credit for Students

CERT provides 24 hours of community service credit to students. (Students under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.)

Webster Street Art Gallery presents an exhibit of paintings by Monterey artist Cyndy Davis. The collection, consisting primarily of paintings from her travels and the people, animals, and scenery she's encountered, will be on display through September 2024 at 188 Webster Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

About Cyndy Davis

Cyndy Davis's love of travel began as a child - by the time she was 18 she had lived on 4 continents. Travel, learning, and exploring are her passion. She taught art in the public schools for apx. 37 years in places such as Oklahoma, California, and Queensland, Australia. She is now retired and lives in Monterey.

About the Travel Series

Cyndy writes: "My Travel Series began with travel journals that included drawings of places I visited. The drawings evolved into picture composites to help me remember and understand where I was visiting. This travel series was inspired by those black and white drawings. People I meet impress themselves into my memory while the landscape flows through design. One painting often takes many months to work out - they are not random, but thoughtfully composted to tell my story of a place."

About the Animal Series

Cyndy writes: "My series of animal paintings is entitled the Defaunaion Series. The definition of 'defaunation' is the depletion and extinction of animal species due to human population growth. I've had personal experience and contact with each of these animals. In the paintings, you will notice the human figures in the negative space. I have pieced the canvases together in a patchwork fashion to symbolize out worldwide social and legal efforts in wildlife conservation."

Venture Gallery presents the paintings of Deborah Russell, our featured local artist for August and September. Her latest exhibit, Tangled Treasures, highlights her unique and colorful style.

Deborah's paintings reflect the beauty of nature and the symbiotic relationship between plant life and the insect and animal worlds. Hidden among the branches, vines, and florals, you'll find avian, reptilian, and other wild beauties. Come into the gallery and experience the wonders of this visual garden of tangled delights!

Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily. Deborah Russell's artwork will be featured through September 2024. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Johnny Wicks Candle Studio's founder, Johnny Foster, is holding a School Supply Drive for local foster kids through August 10, 2024. All donations will go directly to children who need them, ensuring they have the tools and confidence to start the school year off right.

School Supplies Needed

We are now seeking donations of: backpacks, notebooks, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, binders, folders, new clothing (all sizes), shoes and socks, personal hygiene products, and lunch pails. Or you can make a financial donation here.

Donation Drop-Off

Donations can be dropped off 12pm-5pm daily through August 10 at Johnny Wicks Candle Studio, 499 Calle Principal, Suite H in Downtown Old Monterey. For more information, please visit the webpage for our Foster's Fosters project or call Johnny Foster at 831-224-0269.

Spa on the Plaza, located at 201 Alvarado Street, is offering summer specials including a Brightening Facial (60 min., $170) and a Spa Renewal Massage (80 min., $195). To learn more and make an appointment, please phone us at 831-647-9000.

Summer Specials 2024

Brightening Facial
$170 for 60 minutes
This anti-aging brightening facial is designed to revitalize, hydrate, and repair your skin. The products we use are packed with antioxidants to prevent aging and protect your skin barrier, leaving you with a beautiful, healthy glow.

Spa Renewal Massage
$195 for 80 minutes
The luxurious package includes an aromatherapy massage with back treatment that gives your back a deep cleanse and glow. Invigorating scents will leave you feeling grounded and relaxed.

High Scores Arcade has Laserdisc games on the floor ready to play at 459 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey!

What's a Laserdisc Game?

A Laserdisc game is basically an interactive movie. These games are pretty challenging because you have to execute perfect timing to move the story forward. The buttons on the control panel are simple, it's the timing that makes them complex.

Laserdisc Games at High Scores Arcade

At High Scores Arcade, we have an instruction card on top of each Laserdisc game to help you better understand how to play it. And our pricing allows you to play an unlimited number of games within a given amount of time, so you can improve your skills with repeated tries.

Hours & Pricing

Price is $10 for 1 hour of unlimited gaming, or $22 for a full day of unlimited gaming with in-and-out privileges. Summer hours are Sun-Thu, 12:30pm-10pm, and Fri-Sat, 12:30pm-11pm.

About High Scores Arcade

We're a family-owned business focused primarily on the golden age of arcade gaming, mostly featuring games from the early to mid 1980s. Our collection of classic arcade games is much bigger than our physical arcade; of 170+ games, we feature apx. 40 on the floor at any one time. If you're itching to play one particular title, give us a call to see if it's currently being showcased, 609-468-3083.

Haute Beauty Guide Skin Care Studio has introduced our latest service - Hydrafacial Keravive scalp treatment. This treatment is designed to target dry scalp, oiliness, and clogged follicles, leaving your scalp feeling rejuvenated and healthy.

About Hydrafacial Keravive Treatment

This is a three step treatment which deeply exfoliates the scalp and applies nourishing serums. It stimulates the scalp, exfoliates to remove dead skin, dirt, and buildup; and promotes a healthy hair growing environment. Even better, there's no discomfort or downtime.

Appointments

Book your appointment today to experience the ultimate scalp pampering with esthetician Doran at the Haute Beauty Guide Skin Care Studio, 71 Pearl Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

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 $46,150).

MY Museum has been given 1,500 tickets to sell for $100 per ticket. All funds raised will be used for MY Museum's educational programs and will provide subsidized museum visits for schools and families in challenging circumstances.

The drawing will be held on August 18, 2024 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.

Big news, Monterey food lovers! Nacho Bizness, located at 470 Alvarado Street in Monterey, has changed ownership.

After 8 years of very hard work, the brilliant duo behind the creation of all your favorite Nacho Bizness recipes, Steb Montez and Brittani Reid, have made the decision to sell the restaurant to another very hard-working, talented team, the Manasiri family. Does the name sound familiar? It's the same friendly family that's been serving up fantastic, mouth-watering dishes at Manasiri's Crepes and Sandwiches down at 321 Alvarado Street for years.

You'll find that Nacho Bizness still has the same delicious menu and fun atmosphere. Come on down and show the new owners some love! It won't be hard to do once you take a bite of the nachos...or the burritos...or the mac and cheese...

Nacho Bizness is now open Sun-Thu, 11am-9pm, and Fri-Sat, 11am-10pm.

Luminata Books and Gifts now carries high-quality, raw, unfiltered wildflower honey from Big Sur Honey Co. Come find it at our shop, located at 631 Cass Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

About the Honey

Sourced from hives located on the south coast of Big Sur, the honey retains natural enzymes, pollen, and antioxidants, offering a distinct taste reflective of the area's diverse flora, including wildflowers, sage, and eucalyptus.

About Big Sur Honey Co.

Big Sur Honey Co, a small family business, practices sustainable beekeeping, avoiding chemicals and pesticides to protect both bees and the environment. All the hives originated from feral Big Sur stock, collected over time from rock crevices, oak knotholes, and farmhouse attics.

Venture Gallery presents the paintings of Dorothy Stonely, our featured local artist for July. In her latest exhibit, A Painted Symphony, her vibrant abstract work revels in the joy of bright colors.

Dorothy has fond memories of her first box of crayons. “The colors were so exciting!” she says. “My young mind reasoned that if I broke them all in half there would be even more color.” At the age of eighteen, Dorothy moved from a traditional New England environment to the California Coast, where she felt the freedom to create non-traditional art in a supportive setting.

Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily. Dorothy Stonely's artwork will be featured through July 2024. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

There's no place like NOT home! At The Pearl Works coworking space, we know that sometimes you just need to get out of the play zone and into work mode. We have shared and private spaces designed for you to have a peaceful and productive work day.

Join The Pearl Works as a full time member in June or July 2024 and receive 15% off your first three months. Savings start at $112! Make an appointment for a tour. We're located at 288 Pearl Street in Downtown Old Monterey

About The Pearl Works

The Pearl Works offers community coworking with purpose; we serve remote professionals, entrepreneurs, and students with our flexible workspace options. We have dedicated desks, work spaces at open tables and in lounge areas, a limited number of private offices, conference rooms to rent, and virtual mail services that give you a professional business address in Old Monterey.

Cha-Ya Monterey Teahouse Boutique, reopened in March under owner Ariel Wolansky, has a new tea menu! We invite you to try our collection of Japanese, Chinese, and herbal teas at 118 Webster Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Cha-Ya is a retail store offering fine teas, elegant tea pots and tea cups, artisan chocolate, and home decor. We are also a tea shop serving tea here and to-go and conducting tea ceremonies. We're open Tue-Thu, 11am-3pm, and Fri-Sat, 11am-4pm.