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.
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Landlords can learn a valuable lesson from White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel this month. The lesson is, “Be sure of your own plans before you lease your house to someone else.” Emanuel leased his Chicago home to Rob Halpin when he moved to Washington. The lease came due on September 1 of this year, and Emanuel renewed the lease with Halpin on that date. Six days later, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced that he would not run for re-election. Now, Emanuel wants to return to Chicago to run for mayor, and he would like to re-occupy his own home. But his tenant, Halpin, has refused to vacate, according to Michael Sneed of the Chicago Sun Times. Sneed further reported that Emanuel even asked Halpin if he could just move into the basement, but Halpin said no. So if Emanuel wants to move back to Chicago, he will have to call his property manager to find him a property to rent!
It sounds funny to read this story, but we have seen it happen many times. We consult landlords for whom we manage to confirm that it is their desire that we re-rent a vacant property or renew an existing lease. The landlord gives us the green light, we do the job we were hired to do, and before the ink is dry, the landlord has a change of plans, much like Rahm Emanuel in the example above.
We realize it is not always possible to foresee what lies ahead, and that “life is what happens when we are making other plans.” But we do urge you to think carefully about what could possibly happen that could cause you to wish that tenant (who pays his rent faithfully and on time every month) was not there. Is it at all conceivable that you might want to or need to move back into your property before a lease that we are about to execute might expire? Is it possible that you might want to sell the property? If yes, then let’s wait to rent it (or re-rent it) until you can decide for sure. Or in the case of a lease renewal, let’s do it on a month-to-month basis. You may feel that you don’t want to lose income while you decide what to do, or you may not want the insecurity of a month-to-month arrangement. But it’s difficult to have your cake and eat it, too, so to speak. You can’t have both the security of a lease AND the flexibility to have your property back at any time you want.
So think carefully, and if you need help deciding what to do at any time, call your property manager. We will help you weigh your options.
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THE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES OF PACIFIC GROVE
Every fall, thousands of monarch butterflies appear at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary. They look like brown leaves on the trees in the grove, until they begin to spread their wings and flutter in and out of the tree branches when the sun comes out. The Monarch Grove Sanctuary is studded with Monterey pines and eucalyptus trees, and the temperature remains moderate all winter, giving the butterflies reason to return year after year. We look forward to their return, as we look forward to the return of many of our loyal customers to Monterey Bay Property Management, who elect to, like the butterflies, spend the winter in a temperate climate. If you are thinking that the Monterey Peninsula would be a great place to spend the winter, you would be thinking correctly! And just as we are honored each year to host the Monarch butterflies as our guests, we are honored to have you. Bring nothing but your clothes and your groceries to a fully-furnished and equipped vacation rental home where you can not only enjoy the return of the Monarchs, but all the beauty of “the most felicitous meeting of land and sea in creation (Robert Louis Stevenson).”
WHERE TO SEE THE BUTTERFLIES
From mid-October to mid-February, you can see clusters of monarch butterflies at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary at 1073 Lighthouse Avenue. The entrance is just off Lighthouse Avenue, and the park is open from sunrise to sundown. Best of all, it is free! The best time to see the butterflies is between noon to 3:00 p.m., as that is the time when the sun is shining brightly on the trees. You should find that a docent is always on duty when the park is open.
Should you arrive on the Monterey Peninsula in early October, you can be a part of Pacific Grove’s celebration of the monarchs’ arrival. The Butterfly Parade, featuring local school children dressed in butterfly wings.
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The annual Cherry’s Jubilee, another great car weekend, will be held on the Monterey Peninsula on September 8 – 12, 2010. Venues 
include Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas, and the Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca. The event kicks off on Wednesday, September 8th, at Oldtown in Salinas, at the Passport to Cherry’s. Passport to Cherry’s is a hometown party for the whole family. It is a strolling food tasting event through charming Oldtown Salinas with over a dozen participating restaurants and great entertainment.
On Thursday and Friday, September 9th and 10th, enjoy the Monterey Waterfront. Show N’ Shine will be from 8 am to 11 pm on the wharf waterfront lot and on Alvarado Street, where spectators can come and view cherry cars and trucks. Restaurants and entertainment will just be steps away. Also on Thursday, Otis Auto Sales welcomes all to the Nostalgic Nights Show & Shine Official VIP kick off party for Cherry’s Jubilee from 9am until 9pm on the corner of Figueroa and Del Monte Avenue, with plenty of food and 
vendors, including a DJ spinning those oldies but goodies that will have you singing and dancing in the street (parking lot).
Friday night there will be a cruise through downtown Monterey and the wharf waterfront from 5:00p.m. To 9:00 p.m. The cruise will head out of the wharf parking area, south on Figueroa Street and turn right on Pearl Street; it will go right again onto Alvarado and proceed through the wharf parking lot. Spectators are free. Friday night, September 10th, you may enjoy 
dancing under the stars, as Fiesta Italia presents The Joe Sarino Band, one of the most popular dance bands in Northern California. From 7:00pm to 10:00pm at the Custom House Plaza in downtown Monterey, there is no admission charge. All of your favorite Italian foods and drinks will be sold on the plaza.
Saturday and Sunday, things heat up at Mazda Laguna Seca Recreation and Raceway. Show N’ Shine for all categories will begin each morning at 8am. For a real adrenalin rush, you may want to consider Hot Laps, on the Mazda Raceway corkscrew. For $30, Hot Laps participants are given the thrill of riding in a Porsche driven by a seasoned driver on the famous Laguna Seca track. All of the cars are safety equipped and tested for track driving and the drivers are certified. Hot Laps are Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m. Also at the Raceway will be a food court, manufacturer’s midway, car sale area, sports bar and official Cherry’s Jubilee memorabilia for sale as well.
Cherry’s Jubilee will also be in Pacific Grove for Saturday’s Show and Shine. Cherry’s Jubilee participants will cruise the shoreline and 
charming, cottage-lined streets of this Victorian-era resort town and park their pride and joy on Lighthouse Avenue in downtown PG. Local restaurants and other downtown businesses invite you to enjoy a relaxed, Saturday afternoon experience with your family and friends.
Cannery Row is Cherry’s destination on Saturday night starting at 5pm, Cherry’s cars will be parked on Cannery Row from Drake Street to David Avenue and in the El Torito parking lot. Cannery Row will be closed to all traffic beginning at 3pm. There is plenty of food, fun, music and cars on the evening’s agenda, and “Restaurant Row” has something for every car lover. The pubs and clubs will be rockin’ with live music.
An exciting way to wind up the weekend is with the Cherry’s Jubilee Pancake Breakfast. Pancakes are tossed from a flatbed truck to the hungry crowd. Diners listen to oldies played by a DJ as they gobble up pancakes tossed hot off the griddle by their servers. Eat as many as you can catch or, if you are not the “Frisbee” type, you may serve yourself, buffet style. The pancake breakfast is followed by the awards ceremony.
Monterey Bay Property Management welcomes all Cherry’s Jubilee participants and spectators. If you need an accommodation with a garage for your special vehicle, please ask the reservation agent to insure that the house or condo you book includes that amenity.
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The First Tee open returns to the Monterey Peninsula over Labor Day weekend, featuring the nation’s outstanding junior golfers and amateurs competing side-by-side with the PGA Champions Tour players. From a spectator’s point of view, it is one of the most entertaining of all golf events to observe. The skill of the senior players combined with the youthful enthusiasm of the juniors makes for a heart-warming formula, as one generation gently guides another. This enjoyable event will be played at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Del Monte Golf Course September 3rd to 5th. The First Tee is an organization dedicated to impacting the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Monterey Bay Property Management has vacation rental housing available for First Tee Open participants, their families, and spectators.
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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!
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Many tourists are in a rush and don’t get a chance to enjoy the full extent of the recreation trail that extends from Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove to Marina. Due to most foot traffic staying between the American Tin Cannery and Fisherman’s Wharf, a lot of beautiful views are overlooked.
I live in New Monterey, the neighborhood just up the hill from Cannery Row. I often walk down the hill and turn right toward Fisherman’s Wharf so I can have a nice, long walk to Del Monte Beach, which is north of the Commercial Wharf.
My favorite time of year is between April through June when the sea lion pups are newly born and they hang out by the docks and shore-lining rocks. They can be a little stinky (and what baby isn’t stinky at times?) but they’re so darned cute! Hearing them vocalize and bark is so much fun.
I love the change of scenery along the rec trail. I start my walk from the hill, where the view can extend out over the blue water all they way to Moss Landing…or on a really clear day…Santa Cruz. On cloudier days, I’m satisfied looking out over the old buildings of Cannery Row.
As I head north on the rec trail from Cannery Row, I see the grassy park and Coast Guard pier of San Carlos Beach. Sometimes I’ll walk out to the end of the pier to see the snoozing and/or barking sea lions.
I then proceed north toward Fisherman’s Wharf and enjoy the view of the fun houseboats moored out in the water, right next to the colorful buildings along Fisherman’s Wharf.
Once I hit the foot of Fisherman’s Wharf, I look over at the Custom House and think about all the history that building has seen over the centuries.
I continue north down the rec trail and hear the tourists beeping their horns as they go through the tunnel. Yes, we know you’re a tourist when you honk your horn. Only tourists do that…all summer long…and it drives some of us locals a little crazy.
After the rec trail delivers me safely around the Fisherman’s Wharf parking lot, I can then visit the Commercial Wharf. If I want to check in with the commercial fisherman, I’ll walk down the wharf and see their haul. Squid season tends to be the most spectacular time of year because the boats are out on the water all night long with their lights on to attract the squid. This gives those of us up on the hill a wonderful boat light show.
Having my fill of the Commercial Wharf, I then step onto the sand of Del Monte Beach, right by the aqua-colored Adventures By The Sea building. Once my toes hit the sand, my senses are more keen to hear the sounds of the waves and smell the sea mist. I have walked as far as the Monterey Dunes Beach Resort on days where I want to walk about 4 – 5 miles.
For those with bicycles, or longer legs, you can continue all the way down the rec trail to Marina. You can see the rec trail as you drive down Highway 1, and I love seeing folks ride their bikes or walk their dogs.
The rec trail is a Monterey Peninsula treasure, and it has made our area rank high on the “city walkability” scale. Our rec trail has consistently been a site for many marriage proposals. I, for one, was just recently proposed to by my honey after a nice walk down the rec trail where he got down on bended knee on the beach at Lover’s Point.
Imagine that…the rec trail is just as romantic as it is healthy, beautiful, dog- and family-friendly…and that’s pretty special.
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Due to budget cuts and fire safety, the City of Monterey will not be hosting its annual Independence Day Fireworks show. However, there will still be some 4th of July events being hosted on the Monterey Peninsula — by the cities of Monterey and Marina.
Live music will be seen and heard at the City of Marina’s July 4th Street Party at the Seacrest Shopping Center (This is where the Savemart grocery store is at 270 Reservation Road at Seacreast Avenue in Marina, CA.) from 4:00 – 9:00 PM, and then they’ll have “safe and sane” fireworks from 9:00 – 10:00 PM.
See you there!
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If you’re visiting the Monterey Peninsula and are looking to go out dancing, join the locals at the following dance hot spots. See you out on the dance floor!
Ballroom:
Classes:
Saturday night dance parties:
Salsa:
Classes:
Thursday night dancing:
Blue Fin Billiards — Monterey
Friday night dancing:
Swing:
Classes:
Tuesday Night West Coast Swing Classes at the Carmel Woman’s Club –Carmel
Wednesday night dancing:
Thursday night dancing:
Friday night dancing:
Saturday night dancing:
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How will you get to the US Open, once you get to the Monterey Peninsula? Here’s the scoop: Complimentary general spectator parking will be provided at California State University Monterey Bay, which is located off Route 1 in Marina, Calif. Complimentary transportation will be provided to and from the main admission gate. This shuttle bus ride should take 20-25 minutes, depending on traffic. For spectators who are staying in Seaside, Marina and Salinas, this is the most convenient way to get to the venue.
For those staying in Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel, shuttles are available for a small cost from convenient locations. The shuttle from Monterey to the U.S. Open picks up and drops off at Cannery Row and Prescott, next to Steinbeck Plaza. The shuttle will run 6am-8:30pm on Thrusday-Friday, 6am-9pm Saturday and 6am-7pm on Sunday. The shuttle leaves every 20 minutes. Tickets are $20 per person each day, free parking will be available in the Cannery Row garage. See the Cannery Row website for more information.
The Pacific Grove Shuttle to the U.S. Open picks up and drops off in front of the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. The shuttle will run 8am—5:30pm on Monday-Wednesday and 7am—7pm on Thursday-Sunday. The shuttle leaves every 30 minutes and free parking is available a block away on Ocean View Blvd. Tickets are $20 for each day, or $60 for a seven-day pass. Tickets can be purchased at the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce at Central and Forest Avenues. For more information call 831-373-3304.
Shuttles from Carmel-by-the-Sea to the U.S. Open are $20 per day, or $80 for the week, and depart from Carmel Plaza on Ocean between Junipero and Mission every 15 minutes. The shuttle will run 8am—5:30pm Monday through Wednesday, 7am—7pm Thursday and Friday and 7am—5:30pm Saturday and Sunday. Free parking is available at Vista Lobos at 3rd and Junipero. Tickets can be purchased at the Carmel Visitor Center or at the shuttle bus stop. Visit the Carmel Chamber of Commerce website for more information.
All three cities, Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Carmel, have time-limited parking in the immediate vicinity of the shuttle locations. If you find that the local garages and parking lots are full (which is highly likely!), an alternative is to drive into the residential areas and find a place to park on the street. Be sure to park legally and not to block any driveways or other accesses.
It is not recommended that you drive into Pebble Beach without a confirmed parking place. And if you do not yet have tickets, Monterey Bay Property Management has some tickets that are complete with parking inside the Pebble Beach gates.
If you are very brave and don’t mind paying a premium to park, many Pebble Beach residents within walking distance of the golf course open their driveways to parking. The prices will be hefty, though, and you will need to arrive early in the day to secure one of these unofficial parking spaces.
In any case, welcome to the Monterey Peninsula and have a great time!
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