Old Monterey District Blog

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.

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.