Old Monterey District Blog

Be inspired by poetry as you begin the new year. The Rose Books and Obscurities has a beautifully curated collection of poetry books available at our shop at 136 Bonifacio Place in Downtown Monterey and online.

We have assembled a wide-ranging group of poets, from early twentieth-century voices to contemporary writers. Authors represented include Edgar Allan Poe, Alfred Tennyson, Philip Levine, Robert Pinsky, Derek Walcott, Pablo Neruda, T. S. Eliot, Thom Gunn, and many more.

Signed Editions

A highlight of the catalog is a two-line autograph poetic inscription, signed by Robert Frost, in this 1934 edition of Selected Poems. The lines - adapted from “Spring Pools” -appear in Frost’s hand, supported by strong, well-documented provenance.

Other signed works in the catalog include: The Crooked Lines of God by Brother Antoninus, Omeros by Derek Walcott, a limited edition of only one hundred copies of Thistles by Philip Levine, and An Exploration of America.

Hours of Operation

The Rose Books and Obscurities is open Tuesday, 1pm-6pm, and Thursday through Sunday, 12pm -5pm. Closed Monday and Wednesday.

If you pick up a copy of Monterey Bay Parent magazine in January 2026, you'll notice that Downtown Monterey is featured, both on the cover and in an article on page 23! View the magazine here.

The Cover

The cover of Monterey Bay Parent magazine for January 2026 features a photo of Hazel and Chloe Lama, whose parents own and run East Village Cafe and New June boutique in Downtown Monterey. Hazel and Chloe are perched on the California grizzly bear statues, placed on the lawn in front of Colton Hall, which is a great spot for families.

The Article

On page 23, you'll find a full article devoted to ways families can explore and enjoy Downtown Monterey together. There are lots of good ideas, including a visit to Colton Hall, Monterey State Historic Park, the Tuesday Farmers Market on Alvarado Street, and kid-friendly spots such as MY Museum, High Scores Arcade, Revival Ice Cream, Scoops Ice Cream Parlor, and The Hot Spot Studios.

If you're looking for regular classes and workshops for children, Wendi Kirby Music and Monterey Martial Arts provide great opportunities.

The Old Monterey Business Association announces the 2025 Downtown Business Awards!

Old Monterey's MVP
Diego Quevedo of Teeth Whitening Monterey

Most Unique Business
Slowfiber

Best Renovation
Peter B's

Good Neighbor Award
Esteban Restaurant

New Kids on the Block Award
Monterey Touring Vehicles

Downtown Street Beat Award
Golden State Theatre

Best Historic Project Award
Cooper-Molera Adobe Museum

Downtown Anchor Award
Trader Joe's

The Old Monterey Business Association (OMBA) is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing and promoting the economic vitality and community spirit of Old Monterey. We strive to enhance and promote the economic vitality and community spirit of Old Monterey as well as maintaining the Downtown as a unique retail, entertainment, and commercial center for both residents and visitors of Old Monterey.

Awards photos by Erin Burd, See Monterey

Freedom Bakery is offering Yule Log Cake for the holidays! This traditional Christmas treat, shaped like a wooden log, is made with our melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chiffon cake rolled with a layer whipped cream, iced with chocolate truffle, and decorated with a bright red frosting poinsettia.

Dessert Board

Want to go a step further for a larger gathering? Order our Yule Log Dessert Board! On an exquisite 14x19 inch bamboo board, we surround our delicious Yule Log Cake with zesty lemon cream puffs, rich chocolate cream puffs, fudgy Belgian chocolate brownies, flavorful snickerdoodle blondies, chocolate-dipped shortbreads, red velvet cupcakes, pistachio macarons, and fresh berries.

Ordering

Please place your order for the Yule Log Cake or Yule Log Dessert Board on Freedom Bakery's website for pick up Tue-Sun, 10am-1pm, in our Monterey boutique at 305 Webster Street. Please note: we'll be closed Dec. 24, 2025 - Jan. 1, 2026. We'll reopen January 2.

Parker-Lusseau Pastries and Cafe, located at 539 Hartnell Street in Downtown Old Monterey, has fresh stollen on our shelves from now until Christmas. This holiday favorite is so popular you should probably place your order in advance just to make sure it's there when you want it, 831-641-9188.

About Stollen

Stollen is a traditional German fruit bread with candied orange rind, raisins, and sliced almonds macerated in rum...plus it features the amazing flavors of cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and a hint of tellicherry pepper.

Slice it, toast it, smother it with butter, eat it...Repeat! Bonus feature: it makes your house smell like Christmas.

Johnny Wicks Candle Studio invites you to join us in our fifth annual holiday gift drive for foster children, the Foster's Fosters Christmas Experience. The mission of this project, organized by Johnny Wicks founder, Johnny Foster, is to bring joy, laughter, and a sense of belonging to those children who, for various reasons, don't have the opportunity to experience the magic of Christmas like most of us do.

Whether it's a warm coat, a special gift, or a memorable Christmas experience, every dollar you donate brings us one step closer to making their dreams come true. Every contribution counts, no matter how big or small. Together, we can ensure that these children have a wonderful, heartwarming, and unforgettable Christmas.

We welcome donations of gifts and gift cards dropped off by appointment at our candle studio on Franklin Street (call 831-224-0269) or you can make a financial donation online here.

Slowfiber presents our annual Holiday Craft Bazaar opening Friday, November 28 and running through December 20. Featuring locally handmade fiber arts, accessories, and jewelry by 13 artisans, it's perfect for holiday shopping.

Slowfiber is located at 517A Hartnell Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Our Holiday Craft Bazaar will be open Wednesday - Friday, 11:30am-5pm, and Saturday, 12:30pm-5pm.

Participating makers include:
Moby Gifts
Where the Crow Flies
Baubles and Buttons
Cara Borkes
Patti Wells
Jennifer Valdez
Sahar Jabr
Marci Greenberg
One Woman Two Fires
Alice Gutierrez
Becky Coon
Nina Parris
Roxanne Gibson

Venture Gallery presents a group show entitled Winter Musings. Come enjoy a diverse array of interpretations of the season by the gallery's talented local artists.

About the Exhibit

Winter is...wild weather and cozy moments, bare trees, sun angles, stillness and quiet, preparation and activities, birds, fruits and berries...and much more in the creative minds of our artists. All paintings in this exhibit are smaller works, priced reasonably for holiday gift giving. We also have an array of beautiful handmade jewelry.

About Venture Gallery

Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily. Winter Musings will be featured through January 2026. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Monterey Firefighters and Pacific Grove Kiwanis are teaming up to provide presents to families in need this holiday season and they need your help! They are seeking donations of new, unwrapped toys. You can make your donation at Fire Stations #11-15, including the fire station located at 600 Pacific Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Donations will be accepted through Thursday, December 18, 2025.

I & I Healing Arts, an independent, locally-owned studio offering nutrition and lifestyle coaching and integrative bodywork, is now offering a special on massage therapy.

Now through November 30, 2025, when you buy 2 integrative massage therapy sessions, get 25% off the regular price. (Offer good for up to four total sessions.)

I & I Healing Arts is located at 530 Abrego Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Please call Elexia at 831-277-8552 to purchase and make your first appointment.

This autumn, The Rose Books and Obscurities has started assembling a diverse group of philosophical works, ranging from early classical texts to modern meditations on culture and existence.

Our in-store shelves hold a broad selection of philosophy titles at more accessible prices, while most of the books featured on our website are collectible or first editions. We invite you to stop by the store at 136 Bonifacio Place in Downtown Old Monterey or visit us online to explore!

Highlights of the Philosophy Catalog

Highlights of the catalogue include an early Oxford edition of Aristotle’s Constitution of Athens (1891), F. A. Paley’s Philebus of Plato (1873), and Lucretius’s De Rerum Natura (1903). We also have Eastern perspectives such as The Wisdom of Confucius (1909) and Max Müller’s foundational work Texts of Confucianism from his Sacred Books of the East series (1899). Modern philosophical thought is represented in Octavio Paz’s Labyrinth of Solitude, Rosalie Colie’s Paradoxia Epidemica, and Remy de Gourmont’s Natural Philosophy of Love, translated by Ezra Pound.