Old Monterey District Blog

Now through Sunday, February 28, all orders over $50 at Shelley Bennett Skincare's online store will automatically be entered to win a goodie bag worth over $300! Now’s the time to stock up on your favorite skincare products.

Shelley Bennett's retail shop features her own line of skincare products as well as Caudalie's full line of products and Image Skincare's clinical line. In addition, the online store carries skin care tools such as jade rollers, organic cotton washcloths, and jewelry.

Fieldwork Brewing Company is now accepting reservations at our Monterey Beer Garden located at 560 Munras Avenue in Downtown Old Monterey. Reservations are a good way to ensure you and your party have a table when you arrive. We're open daily for outdoor dining, 12pm-9pm.

Reservations for parties up to 8 people can be made up to 10 days in advance on our website (click the "Reservations" link, located under our address). Walk-ups are always welcome, too!

We are committed to the health and safety of our guests and staff. As always, everyone is required to wear a mask or face covering at all times, except when seated and enjoying beer and food.

Montage Health invites you to join Dr. Martha Blum, infectious disease specialist, as she discusses the Covid-19 vaccine and answers questions from the community in a free online forum on Wednesday, February 24, 5:30pm-6:30pm.

Dr. Blum will discuss vaccine benefits, side effects, and who is eligible to get the vaccine in the early stages. This free online presentation will be available to a limited number of people through WebEx and also available to everyone to view live on CHOMP's Facebook page.

If you wish to join the forum via WebEx, please register online in advance. You will be able to type questions for Dr. Blum during the registration process.

Please note: if you are unable to attend on February 24, the presentation will be recorded. We recommend checking CHOMP's Facebook page after the event.

Sovino Wine Bar and Merchant is hosting an online painting class with local artist Bunny Paivine on Saturday, February 27 at 6pm. Learn how to paint this picture from the comfort of your own home! Fee is $30 per person and includes paint, supplies, and their delivery; $10 for class without supplies. (You can order wine from us, too!)

Purchase your tickets here. Class details will be sent to you following your purchase. If you need supplies, please purchase your tickets by Thursday night, February 25, to ensure delivery.

Middlebury Institute for International Studies presents the WorldViews Speaker Series online on March 3 and April 7, discussing today's vexing world problems. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, this series will be held entirely on Zoom. All are welcome. Please register in advance here - log in details will be provided after you register.

Wednesday, March 3, 12:30pm
Covid-19 as a Prism to Reexamine the Past and Imagine a New Future
Discussing Covid-19 as a prism to critically view the past and the future with an eye to leadership, higher education and pedagogy, media, and public discourse.
Speakers: Prof. Netta Avineri and Prof. Mahabat Baimyrzaeva

Wednesday, April 7, 4pm-5pm
Freedom and the U.S. Economy: From Trump to Biden
How is the U.S. economy performing? What changes can we expect under the Biden administration? We’ll look at America’s freedom and challenges in the post-pandemic economy.
Speakers: VP for Academic Affairs Jeff Dayton-Johnson

Register for any of these online lectures today.

Monterey Public Library Friends & Foundation presents the 16th Annual Chocolate & Wine Fundraiser, held online on Saturday, February 27 at 7pm. Celebrate with chocolate, wine, and savories from the comfort of your home! Visit the library virtually, see what's cooking with an expert chef, discover online learning opportunities, and much more.

Tickets range $40-$100 and all proceeds benefit Monterey Public Library. Learn more and make your reservation here. You may pick-up your gift bag on Saturday, February 27, 1pm-3pm in the Pacific Street parking lot next to Monterey Public Library or pay an extra $10 for special delivery to your Monterey Peninsula home.

Ticket Options

$40 - Event registration only, no gift bag

$75 - Event registration with basic chocolate and wine gift bag
includes wine, chocolates, savories, printed program

$100 - Event registration with premium chocolate and wine gift bag
includes wine, chocolates, savories, printed program, commemorative wine glasses, face mask

Monterey Marriott Hotel invites you to leave the cooking to Chef Josh Silva-Arias and order our Valentine's Day Dinner To-Go, available February 13 and 14.

Our take-out Valentine's dinner menu includes: salad with lettuce, heart of palm, and sprouts; a surf and turf combination plate featuring Maine lobster tail and grilled New York steak; and mascapone cheesecake. View full menu here.

Price is $60 per plate plus 9.25% tax. No pre-ordering is necessary. Available for take-out on February 13 and 14, 4:30pm-9pm at Monterey Marriott, 350 Calle Principal in Downtown Old Monterey. For more information, please call 831-649-4234.

As a gift to the community, Youth Arts Collective has started an online Art Workshop Series consisting of projects that can be done at home or in the classroom and are appropriate for all ages.

The first in the series is the Magazine Collage Workshop, led by Marcia Perry and Raven Cook. The video, which lasts approximately 20 minutes, includes finished examples, instructions, and demonstrations for collage making to create your own personal expressions, compositions, and journals using recycled magazines and calendars.

Watch for the next art video coming to YAC's YouTube channel in two weeks: “All Hearts!” in which we'll create ribbon, paper and yarn heart mobiles. YAC's mentors wish all of you happy art making!

Youth Arts Collective is based at 472 Calle Principal in Downtown Old Monterey. Do art. Be kind.

In response to the COVID-19 emergency, the County of Monterey is seeking healthcare professionals and other healthy adults to meet the County's continued resource demands in critical areas of the COVID-19 emergency response efforts.

If you would like to learn more about volunteering opportunities for healthcare volunteers and general volunteers, please click here. There, you can read more information about volunteering and complete an Emergency Volunteer Form.

Please note that becoming an Emergency Volunteer is a lengthy and involved process and should only be undertaken if you can fully commit to a minimum of 16 hours per week for at least three consecutive weeks.

As one of Monterey's mainstays of the community, Epsilon Fine Greek Restaurant is trying to reopen its doors at 422 Tyler Street in Downtown Old Monterey. After 30 years of serving the community authentic homemade Greek food, combined with an incredible dining experience so many have come to love, Epsilon was forced to close its doors in early November due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

To assist with our reopening efforts, we have launched a GoFundMe page to ask the community for your support. Please make a donation if you are able.

Once we raise enough funds to help with our reopening, we'll host an appreciation dinner for all our friends who supported us with donations and we'll resume serving our take-out menu. Then, when Covid restrictions are lifted, Epsilon will return to its full amazing menu and dining experience.

We thank you for your tremendous support all these years and thank you in advance for your help in getting our 30-year-old restaurant back open to serve you once again.

Christos Hix
Owner, Epsilon Fine Greek Restaurant