Old Monterey District Blog

Portola Hotel & Spa is pleased to announce Danny Abbruzzese is our new Executive Chef. Abbruzzese looks forward to bringing his brand of healthy, organic cooking to Portola Hotel & Spa by continuing to use local, sustainable produce, meats, and fish. He also hopes to bring his own approach to the experience of food by appealing to all of the senses and focusing on dishes that highlight regional ingredients.

Abbruzzese’s experience includes serving as the Executive Chef at the Shrine Mountain Inn, Pearl Alley Bistro, and Asilomar Conference. He has overseen dining transformations at his previous places of employment and has been involved in assisting in the openings of projects such as the Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley.

“Portola has an excellent reputation and I am humbled to be joining such a wonderful team. We are truly blessed to be living in such a pristine growing region. I would like to continue highlighting the fruits of the bay, fields and orchards of the Central Coast as well as local artisans in our area.” said Abbruzzese.

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Have you tried Yippie Calle Principal at Alvarado Street Brewery? It's their new IPA brewed with a unique yeast strain formerly classified as Brettanomyces. It produces bright, fruity esters and leaves the beer with a beautiful haze. It's dry hopped with Calypso to augment the tropical notes produced during fermentation. You're wondering about the name? It's a combination of a quote from "Die Hard" and the street behind us.

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MY Museum is now hiring a Visitor Experience Associate! Are you a rock star at customer service and love kids? If so, please read on or share with someone who you think would be perfect!

The Visitor Experience Associate works throughout Monterey County Youth Museum, including all exhibits and party rooms, to ensure that each visitor has a positive museum experience. Major tasks and responsibilities are: to greet and orient visitors upon entry; stay informed on all Museum programs, events and policies; provide up-to-date information on exhibits and programs; receive and account for cash, credit cards received for sales of tickets, memberships, and store merchandise; assist visitors as needed throughout their museum visit; complete daily opening and closing procedures including re-stocking and light cleaning; and assist Directors and Floor Managers as needed.

Qualifications include strong customer service experience, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and attention to detail and follow-through capabilities. Applicants must be available to work weekdays, weekends, after-hours and holidays as needed. Hours are part time, flexible schedule. MY Museum is looking for people who can commit to at least 6-12 months. Apply via e-mail to [email protected] with a resume and availability.

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Did you know that Old Capitol Books has probably the largest selection of cookbooks this side of San Francisco? We have over 5,000 cookbooks! They range from sleek and modern to quirky and vintage. We have an extensive collection covering French and Italian cooking, local California cuisine, glossy works by celebrity chefs, vintage recipe collections containing different immigrant food traditions, and much more, and right now, all used cookbooks are 50% off! Come and down and check out our amazing selection - the sale runs now through the end of September 2016.

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Osio Theater is Now Open!

Posted on June 3rd, 2016 by Old Monterey District

The Osio Theater is now open! Monterey's only independent, locally-owned movie theater, Osio strives to bring the highest quality independent, foreign, and classic films to Monterey. Please check our website for the latest movies and showtimes. Free parking is available in the City of Monterey's West Parking Garage with movie ticket validation.

Cafe Lumiere, located inside the Osio Theater, serves coffee, tea, beer, and wine, along with homemade pastries and casual breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All of these purchases can be consumed inside the Osio Theater.

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Starting Memorial Day weekend, the Monterey Trolley will run regularly every day through Labor Day 2016! Park once and take a free ride on the trolley to all of your favorite attractions including Old Monterey, Cannery Row, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Old Fisherman's Wharf.

May 28 through July 1, hours are 10am-7pm. July 1 through September 5, hours are 10am-7pm on weekdays and 10am-8pm on weekends and holidays. Trolleys appears at stops approximately every 10-15 minutes.

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Mythic Games is now hiring staff for our Old Monterey and Presidio locations. If you're interested, please send your resume to [email protected]. Mythic Games is the premier place to play Magic: the Gathering; Warhammer; Warhammer 40,000; Dungeons and Dragons; and other games in Monterey.

Bride 'N Bride Formal by the Bay is now holding our best sale of the year to make room for new inventory! We’re offering wedding gowns, select formals, and select mother-of-the-bride dresses all at 60% off. These are beautiful quality dresses at excellent prices. Come in, take a look, and speak with our friendly, knowledgeable staff.

And don’t forget: Bride 'N Formal By the Bay also rents tuxedos! We're located at 209 Pearl Street in Old Monterey.

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Award winning Peter B’s Brewpub, located behind Portola Hotel & Spa, is pleased to announce Justin Rivard as the new Head Brewer. Rivard has been brewing beer professionally for many years, spanning from Grizzly Peak Brewing Company in Michigan to Head Brewer of Arbor Brewery Company Microbrewery.

Rivard began his career as an Assistant Brewer for three years at Jolly Pumpkin Artesian Ales and Grizzly Peak Brewing Company. Shortly after, he earned a position at Arbor Brewing Company and accelerated his position to Head Brewer after just 7 months. There he developed the skills necessary to lead a team and was able to increase overall production.

Rivard hopes to expand beyond the brews that have become so popular at Peter B’s and to push the envelope while maintaining the existing flagship styles. “I do enjoy brewing historic styles like mild’s and porters and I am excited to brew funky, off the wall Saisons while bringing unique pale ales and IPA’s from around the world into the lineup, as well as traditional German style beers.” said Rivard.

Peter B’s Brewpub’s new Head Brewer will official join the team in Monterey on June 1, 2016 and the team could not be more enthusiastic about his arrival.

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Bella's Studio, Monterey's sewing, craft, design studio, and retail shop, is now selling lightweight nylon fabrics from Japan! These are great for accessories, clothing, and other creative projects.

We invite you to stop by and check out our retail shop during open hours: Monday, 1pm-6pm; Tuesday & Wednesday, 9am-6pm; Thursday & Friday, 9am-5pm; and Saturday, 10am-4pm.

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Jacks Restaurant & Lounge: Graduation Dinner Special

Posted on May 21st, 2016 by omba

Portola Hotel & Spa invites you to enjoy 16% off your graduation dinner in May or June 2016 when you celebrate at Jacks Restaurant & Lounge! Jacks is the perfect Monterey Bay restaurant to celebrate your achievement with your family and friends. From intimate dining in our wine inspired private dining room to relaxed fireside dining on our heated patio, Jacks is the perfect location for your celebratory dinner. Call us today to start planning your graduation celebration at 831-649-7874.

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Osio Theatre Online Survey and Weekly Newsletter

Posted on May 21st, 2016 by omba

Osio Theater Fans, we are pleased to announce that Monterey City Council unanimously approved our Consent to Sublease and we've jumped our final hurdle to opening! Our Grand Opening Weekend will begin Friday, May 27 at 11am, and continue through Sunday, May 29 until closing.

As we have promised, we envision the Osio Theater being a pillar of our community and would love your input. We have created an online survey so that we can better understand the wants and needs of our community. You can also sign up for our weekly newsletter on our website. You can expect updates on upcoming films, series, and special events.

We are excited to meet you face-to-face when our theater opens! Our first line-up of films includes The Family Fang, Tale of Tales, and Dough. Newsletter subscribers will receive notice via e-mail of our final showtimes.

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Fleet Feet Sports Opens in Old Monterey

Posted on May 21st, 2016 by FleetFeet

We're happy to announce that Fleet Feet Sports has now opened in Old Monterey at 472 Alvarado Street! Locally owned and operated by Russ and Tina Coillot, the store strives to be more than a spot where you shop for shoes and apparel. It aims to be a community-centered space that's a resource for all your running, walking, and fitness needs, supporting you through setbacks and challenges and celebrating your accomplishments. We invite you to join us for our free weekly running group on Saturdays at 8:30am, meeting at our shop.

Store hours are Monday-Friday, 10am-7pm; Saturday, 10am-6pm; and Sunday, 10am-5pm. Stop by and say hello!

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Osio Theatre Now Hiring

Posted on May 6th, 2016 by omba

Osio Theatre wants to thank all our friends for your outstanding support over this difficult year as we have worked to re-open the cinema. We are happy to announce that we are now looking for five qualified and enthusiastic people who are passionate about this industry and would like to work at Osio! Please send in resumes with a brief intro of how you became interested in the industry and what you hope your employment with the Osio could provide. Please share this with your friends and family - everyone is welcome to apply. Please send email to [email protected].

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Montrio Bistro Makes Dining Green a Priority

Posted on May 6th, 2016 by Marci

Montrio Bistro was recently certified as a 2-Star Certified Green Restaurant by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), an international nonprofit organization helping restaurants become more environmentally sustainable.

Founded in 1990, the GRA has pioneered the green restaurant movement, becoming the leading voice within the industry and encouraging restaurants to green their operations using transparent, science-based certification standards.

Just the Green Facts:
* Near-zero waste operation
* Full recycling and composting
* Renewable energy credits
* Reusables for in-house
* Over 40% of food is organic

See Montrio's detailed Green Label and highlights from their GRA certification report.

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