Just after Thanksgiving, the towns on the Monterey Peninsula start getting ready for Christmas–but Pacific Grove REALLY gets into it more than the other communities.
Here are some dates to mark on your calendar if you’re lingering around Pacific Grove the weekend and week after Thanksgiving:
Pacific Grove’s Christmas Tree Lighting, Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 at 5:30 PM, at Jewell Park in Pacific Grove. For more information, call 831-648-3100
Santa’s Christmas Party, Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 at 6:00 PM, Chautauqua Hall at corner of 16th and Central in Pacific Grove.
Christmas At The Inns in Pacific Grove, Tuesday, Nov. 30 – Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010. If you love the cozy warmth of our local Bed and Breakfast Inns, you’ll love their Christmas Tour. For more information, call 831-373-3304.
The Holiday Parade of Lights happens in downtown Pacific Grove on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010 at 6:00 PM along Lighthouse Avenue.
On Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 at 7:30 PM, A Celtic Christmas Celebration will be held at the First United Methodist Church. For more information, visit their website at www.mollysrevenge.com
The famous event known as Stillwell’s Snow In The Park will happen on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010 at 10:00 AM. Though snow doesn’t happen naturally in Pacific Grove, it becomes plentiful at this event, located at Tommy Stillwell Court. For more information, call 831-373-3304.
And for those who plan to stay in Pacific Grove a little longer than the Thanksgiving holiday, there will be a Jingle Bell Run with Santa at Lovers Point Park on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010 from 8:00 – 11:00 PM. For more information, call 831-373-3304.
If these events don’t get you in the mood for Christmas, stay tuned…for there are more events coming as we get into December.
A new generation of wine enthusiasts is being drawn to Monterey County. Monterey County boasts a delightful wine region and it’s due to several factors: The distinctions of our deep underwater canyon, widely varied temperatures, specialized soil types, and wine and food pairing harmony between local fresh agriculture and sustainable seafood from the Monterey Bay, make Monterey one of the stand-out regions that wine connoisseurs and beginning wine enthusiasts are passionate to explore.
These distinctions are described as follows by the Monterey Wine Country’s website:
Blue Grand Canyon–Monterey Wine Country is home to the Blue Grand Canyon™. The Monterey Canyon begins at Moss Landing, in the middle of Monterey Bay, and extends approximately 95 miles. The canyon’s bottom is about 2 miles below the surface, making it comparable in depth to the Grand Canyon. The impact of this natural resource on the grape growing region is significant – guiding the exact location of viticulture areas, the wind pattern between the two mountain ranges in the region, the constant and predictable weather, and the varietals that are grown. Monterey Wine Country stands alone in being in such close proximity to a maritime landmark with such significance to a viticulture region.
Thermal Rainbow–The southeast end of Monterey County, during any given day in July, will approach 90 degrees before noon while the Bay will still be engulfed in fog and 60 degrees. This temperature gradation starts the daily wind that moves the air mass from the bay down the valley—the mid-valley, near the Santa Lucia Highlands and Arroyo Seco AVAs, may never reach 80 degrees. The sun adds heat to the south, while the wind moves the cool air off of the bay. From 2 until 5 the “air conditioner” moves from Gonzales to San Ardo, which produces the cooling effect through the southern end of the County for the rest of the day. This creates the vibrant Thermal Rainbow that makes Monterey unique in the world wine regions of Mediterranean climates.
8 Primary Soil Types–The eight primary viticulture soil types include:
• Lockwood Shaly Loam (28%)
• Chualar Loam (15%)
• Garey Sandy Loam (9%)
• Arroyo Seco Gravelly Sandy Loam (7%)
• Rincon Clay Loam (7%)
• Placentia Sandy Loam (6%)
• Oceano Loamy Sand 95%)
• Chamise Shaly Loam (5%)
This variety of soil types is part of what makes the expanse of Monterey County so special.
42 Varietals–Classy Chardonnay and Elegant Pinot Noir. Aromatic Riesling and Magnificent Merlot. Rich Cabernet and Syrah. From the steep slopes of Carmel Valley to the rolling hills of the Santa Lucia Highlands and Gavilan Mountain Ranges, Monterey stands alone in crafting 42 fine wine varietals of exceptional flavor, character, and balance.
The influences of the Blue Grand Canyon and the Thermal Rainbow allow for such diversity of varietals to be grown.
The leading white varietals in Monterey Wine Country are Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc.
The leading red varietals in Monterey County include Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz, and Cabernet Franc.
Other red grapes of significance include Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Barbera, Valdiguie, Aleatico, Alicante, Dolcetto, Freisa, Mourvedre, Muscat Hamburg, Nebbiolo, Souzao, Tannat, and Tempranillo
Insider’s Tip: Take a day trip along River Road, between Salinas and Soledad, where you’ll find the majority of the wineries. For those who desire to stay close to the comfort of their Cannery Row hotel, kick back and enjoy the offerings of the Scheid Vineyard’s Tasting Lounge and A Taste of Monterey.
For those who love to run and walk along our beautiful coastline, the Big Sur Half Marathon is worth checking out. This is the 8th year of the Big Sur Half Marathon and its popularity has grown!
Here’s what to expect if you participate in the half marathon:
- A gently rolling fast course that winds through historic downtown Monterey, along Cannery Row, and proceeds along Pacific Grove’s coastline with incredible views of the Monterey Bay.
- An unparalleled race destination weekend. After the race, take some time to enjoy world-class golf, a Spa afternoon, whale watching, world-class dining, shopping, wine tasting, a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and much more. Visit the Big Sur Half Marathon’s Visitor’s Guide for more options.
- A walker friendly course that welcomes Half Marathon walkers. Other weekend events include the Run Forrest Run 5K and the JUST RUN!®Just Kids 3K fun run, both held on Saturday, November 13th.
Insider’s Tip on Registration: Register early to make sure you get all your ducks in a row before the big weekend!
Insider’s Tip for Non-Participants: For those of you not interested in participating, but wish to hang out near the popular Recreation Trail and Cannery Row, keep in mind the following things: 1) It may be harder to find parking during the event. 2) The trail may be closed to non-participants during the event. 3) You may find more traffic congestion during the event.
Autumn is a fabulous time of year and October hops along with harvest festivals, pumpkin patches and corn mazes for the whole family. The climax at the end of October is, of course, Halloween, the second highest grossing holiday of the year.
Insider’s tip: Even though there are numerous crosswalk personnel, drivers be AWARE and EXTRA careful when driving along Lighthouse that Saturday!
For adults, there aren’t that many events being promoted at press time, but here’s an insider’s tip: Keep an eye out for event postings in the Monterey County Weekly and the Go! Calendar inside the Monterey Herald newspapers.
October is a terrific month to go whale watching because it’s warmer here on the Monterey Peninsula and the water tends to be calmer during Autumn.
Late spring, summer and fall are the seasons to see Humpback Whales, Blue Whales and Dolphins. We recommend every whale watching business on Fisherman’s Wharf because they’re all friendly, offer lots of education and know where to find all the whale action.
We do, however, want to give you an insider’s tip on how to get the most enjoyment out of your whale watching experience. Here are a few things to remember and/or bring with you:
- Whale watching takes 2 to 4 hours, depending on the tour, so plan for it to take up a big chunk of your day.
- Wear layers because it can get cold and wet out there on the water.
- Wear comfy shoes because high heels are less safe or fun on anything smaller than a cruise ship.
- It is very wise to bring your own sunscreen and a hat because they’re more expensive when purchased on Fisherman’s Wharf.
- Take your seasickness medication well enough in advance so your body’s ready for the boat ride. (Follow your medication’s instructions on the label.)
- If you feel ill while on the boat ride, do the following:
- NEVER go down into the boat or the boat’s bathroom because you’ll feel worse down there.
- Stay up on deck, get to the rear of the boat, downwind from where are the people are standing if you’re going to hurl.
- If you’re feeling queasy but think you can manage not throwing up, stay up on deck and look out far into the horizon. That horizontal line will give you something to look at and steady your eyes.
- If you’re feeling queasy and don’t have medication, look up to the sky and stretch your throat. This should get rid of any gagging feeling.
- The boat crew depends on tips, so bring extra cash with you and pay before you leave the boat. Let them know if they’ve done a great job!
by Jennifer Filzen
The Monterey Peninsula is a distinct wedding destination for many happy couples. If you, or someone you know is planning a wedding, we hope this blog will be helpful.
First, if you’ve not yet seen it, our very own Monterey Rentals website has a wedding page. We have found that many of the same people who are looking for a vacation rental through us are also looking for local wedding vendors. So, we got smart and developed a resource guide for our clients. We hope our wedding page proves useful for you and yours.
Second, if you’re booking a wedding here and you’re doing it during the high season–which is summer–know that room rates at B&Bs, hotels, and motels go up. Believe it or not, the most economical way to stay on the Monterey Peninsula is to stay at one of our lovely vacation rentals. If you rent a house, condo, or duplex and share the cost with others in your group, it makes it more affordable and fun. Your wedding friends and family will likely have a ball at the “party house” that they’re sharing with other guests. If they can have fun and save money at the same time, everyone wins!
Lastly, if you have questions about what to do, where to send your wedding guests, tours, etc., we have crafted our website to provide helpful information for you and yours. If you don’t find what you’re looking for on our site, try visiting the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce site or the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Have fun planning for your big day!
