Old Monterey District Blog

It is with great joy that Youth Arts Collective presents our 2022 Holiday Art Show online! You can view all the artwork on our website. Now, as ever, YAC is a great place to shop for holiday gifts, as artwork featured in the show is for sale.

In addition to exhibiting their art, we've asked each of the young, local artists represented in this show to produce a short "meet the artist" video for the website, and we think you'll find the videos are as varied and engaging as they are.

YAC is a nonprofit, after school art studio and mentorship program for high school and college artists located at 472 Calle Principal in Downtown Old Monterey. Our students are brilliant and struggling, confident and fringe, multi-ethnic, multi-tempered, and over 30% financially challenged. They learn art, job, and life skills, and gain a healthy dose of self-esteem and gratitude along the way. Please consider supporting Youth Arts Collective with a tax deductible donation.

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

Parker-Lusseau Pastries and Cafe is now offering five flavors of Buche de Noel (Yule Log), including several gluten-free options! Please place your orders early as Christmas is a crazy time for bakeries. Visit us at 539 Hartnell Street in Downtown Old Monterey or phone us at 831-641-9188.

Buche de Noel Flavors

Chocolate and Spice
ginger spice cake with chocolate mousse, cinnamon Bavarian and candied citrus

Chocolate-Espresso (gluten free)
chocolate mousse and espresso mousse with caramelized hazelnuts

Triple Chocolate (gluten free)
chocolate mousse, chocolate creme brulee, and flourless chocolate cake

Chocolate, Passion Fruit & Coconut (gluten free)
chocolate mousse with passion fruit cream and coconut dacquoise

Chocolate Raspberry
chocolate mousse with raspberries and pistachio cake

In the month of December, Venture Gallery presents a group exhibit, Holidays in Full Color. Visitors will find beautiful 10x10 and 5x5 miniature canvas paintings - great sizes for holiday gifts!

Items in the gallery are well-priced, costing no more than $200 for a 10x10 and under $50 for a 5x5. And 100% of the sales from our 5x5 miniatures will go to a range of community services through the Monterey County Gives Campaign, which supports local nonprofit organizations.

Bring joy to a loved one and support the arts and local nonprofits by purchasing paintings, jewelry, wood, and glass creations handmade by local artists. Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily (except Tuesday), and open Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, 10am-2pm. We are located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

During this season of giving, Monterey Police Department is collecting food donations for Food Bank Monterey County, November 14 - December 21, 2022. The collection bin is located inside the lobby of the Monterey Police Department, located at 351 Madison Street, near the corner of Madison at Pacific streets in Downtown Old Monterey.

Perfectly Pressed Juice welcomes back spiced apple cider to our menu. But it's returning for a limited time only, so come in soon and sample some of this delicious holiday cheer. We're located at 491 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

This Thanksgiving, Paris Bakery is offering a beautiful selection of pies - pumpkin, pecan, apple, blueberry, cherry, key lime, and lemon meringue - in addition to special themed cookies and a full assortment of fresh breads and baked goods.

Preorder your Thanksgiving delights by Sunday, Nov. 20 for pick-up on Wednesday, Nov. 23 - call us at 831-646-1620. A family-owned business, we're located at 271 Bonifacio Place in Downtown Old Monterey.

To show our appreciation for all enlisted service members and their families, MY Museum is offering $10 off a Family Plus Membership when purchased November 1-6, 2022. This offer can be used toward any new or renewed memberships with military ID. Please click here for more information and to register and use code MIL22 at checkout.

MY Museum's Family Plus Membership (reg. $125) includes unlimited general admission for up to 4 immediate family members at MY Museum for 1 year, 6 single-use guest passes, 10% discount at the MY Museum gift shop, and a discount on birthday parties, summer camps, and special programming.

Monterey County Youth Museum is located at 425 Washington Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Did you know that Fleet Feet now carries Pickleball Shoes for women and men? That's right! Diadora Trofeo AG pickleball training shoes are now in the shop at 472 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Providing cushion and flexibility, these are one of the best shoes for beginners and experienced players alike. The wear-resistant Duratech 5000 rubber compound outsole offers abrasion resistance in high-wear areas and increases traction on court surfaces, while the upper is made with Superlltech and Air Mesh, allowing you to stay cool and comfortable.

Blues Zones Project Monterey County has a job opening for the role of Engagement Lead. The Engagement Lead is responsible for the execution of the local event and marketing plans in Blue Zones Project Monterey County - Peninsula Cities project through a wide range of marketing strategies. This role works with the local community to maximize participation and engagement of individuals and organizations with Blue Zones Project while representing stakeholder brands in a positive light.

This person will coordinate the delivery of collateral and promotional activities (on- line/off-line) to drive program participation through an engagement strategy developed by the Blue Zones Project Monterey County team. Please note: this is an on-site position and will require a Covid-19 vaccination.

For more information and to apply, please click here. The office of Blue Zones Project Monterey County is located at 451 Washington Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

It's pie time! Come to Alta Bakery and Cafe and preorder pies for your Thanksgiving festivities. We have 3 delicious options: classic pumpkin pie ($29), pecan-honey pie ($32), and apple galette ($30). Visit us at 502 Munras Avenue in Downtown Old Monterey and fill out a form to order yours or e-mail us. Pickups available on Tuesday, November 22, and Wednesday, November 23.

Venture Gallery presents the work of Cheryl Kampe, our featured artist for November. Her exhibit, entitled Tapestries, digs deep into her family's heritage as weavers from Chimayo, New Mexico. They worked in wool, while she renders beauty from oil paint and cold wax.

Venture Gallery invites you to meet the artist in person on Saturday, November 5, 2pm-6pm.

Venture Gallery is now open six days a week, 10am-6pm (closed on Tuesday). Cheryl Kampe's artwork will be featured through November 2022. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Stokes Adobe is now open for lunch on weekends, Friday-Sunday, 12pm-2:30pm. Recognized in the 2022 edition of the Michelin Guide and voted Best New Restaurant in Monterey County Weekly's 2022 readers' poll, don't miss a chance to try this great neighborhood spot at 500 Hartnell Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Make your reservations online.

Perfectly Pressed now offers coconut yogurt from The Coconut Cult! It has zero added sugar and is loaded with probiotics and prebiotics. Plus it's vegan, organic, and free of dairy, soy, and gluten. We now have original flavor and chocolate mousse flavor in stock. Visit us at 491 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey to try it.