Let’s Go Truckin’! Just in case you haven’t heard, Food Trucks are in.
In, in, in… yes, mobile munchies are the latest rage, and on May 12, the first ever “Monterey Street Food Fest” will take place at the Fairgrounds from noon to 6pm.
From cupcakes to Cuban cuisine, there’ll be something for every palate. But if the thought of yummy gourmet and international street food isn’t enough to get you to the Monterey Fairgrounds… go for the music.
Because “The Money Band” will play from noon to 2pm, followed by “Triple Threat” until 6pm. (The Money Band has a fair number of groupies at Monterey Bay Property Management, and they guarantee that from “Love Shack” to “What I Say?”—this band will get the crowd rocking.)
The Fairgrounds are located at 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. Admission to the Street Food Fest is free.
Just doin' our job! Photo by Interface Visual
Like Woodstock, it was held in a field. And like Woodstock, there were rockstars.
But in this case, the rockers were the stars of the cooking world—and the attendees were a joyous throng of food and wine aficionados under a giant white tent at the Pebble Beach Food & Wine’s “Grand Tasting” on April 15th.
The culmination of the four-day epicurean extravaganza, the Sunday afternoon event featured the culinary creations of celebrity chefs along with wine, beer and spirits from over 200 purveyors.
And I will testify: a fine time was had by all.
Since we were in a brunch kind of mood, we started with spicy chicken hash and a perfectly poached egg atop a sweet corn cake courtesy of the godfather of Nuevo Latino cuisine, superchef Douglas Rodriquez.
From there on it was a delicious blur of tasty bites in a sea of champagne and Chardonnays… until we graduated to the Pinots and Cabernets, that is.
Photos courtesy of Interface Visual
Belvedere Vodka poured tempting summery cocktails, while in the Stella Artois corner, many raised the chalice in praise of their excellent brews (including our snap-and-sip photographer Wayne Capili of Interface Visual, who happily reported that Stella comes in not one, but THREE flavors).
The Patron lounge beckoned like a dangerous daydream—but knowing that someone had to drive—I resisted. (Friends reported sampling a silver tequila steeped in fresh cucumber that was to die for, though.)
Our last “main” course was fried arancini with lamb bolognese created by the chefs of REDD, the Yountville restaurant everyone’s talking about. No wonder.
And then we dove recklessly into as many mini-desserts as we could sample, like a dreamy chocolate mousse/coconut pudding/chewy almondy-roca concoction that made us want to wear disguises so we could grab a second one.
But the winner: a small-but-deadly square of exquisite chocolate ganache served on a thin cracker by Ethan Howard of Sausalito’s Murray Circle. Washed down with a velvety swish of 2006 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon, I submit: does it get any better than this?
Guess we’ll have to wait till next year to find out.
It was wet and it was muddy.
In fact, it was extra wet and muddy. Because this year’s annual Big Sur Mud Run was held—appropriately enough—in the pouring rain.
Our intrepid reservationist Ashley Magallanes can attest to the fact: she was one of the 3,000 hearty (masochistic?) souls who showed up at Fort Ord March 24 for the five-mile gauntlet through wind and weather, mud pits, five foot-high climbing walls—and exercise stations manned by real life drill sergeants.
Individual runners showed up in tutus, tiaras, Hawaiian shirts (and in the case of one portly participant—a loin cloth over Speedos and a red cape), while teams wore tee shirts emblazoned with slogans like “Good Girls Like It Dirty” and “The Mud Studs.”
The winner made it through the crud and mud in just over 34 minutes.
Our Ashley clocked in at one hour and 19 minutes. And she cleaned up real good. The Presidio of Monterey fire truck provided cold showers after the race, and all proceeds went to support community athletic programs.
Another cool new exhibit is opening at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
The magical world of jellies—”graceful, dancing drifters that pulse and glow, flash colorful lights and often pack a powerful sting”—will come alive in a blaze of psychedelic glory when “The Jellies Experience” opens March 31.
The exhibit promises to envelop visitors in a sensory extravaganza: from a room that immerses you in a living moon jelly swarm to exhibits of jellies that pulse like living rainbows.
This 7,000 square foot, $3.5 million exhibit focuses on animals that have “no heads, hearts, brains, bones or true eyes”— yet have survived for hundreds of millions of years (and are considered among the ocean’s major predators).
“The Jellies Experience” is included with aquarium admission: $34.95 adult; $29.95 senior (over 65) and student (full-time college, with I.D.); $19.95 children and the disabled; under 3 free.
The Aquarium is open every day except Christmas, and it’s located on historic Cannery Row in Monterey, right behind our office. Stop by and say hi!
It’s the most luscious event of the year: a weekend extravaganza of wine and food tastings, cooking demos, luxurious luncheons, decadent dinners (and golf!).
The fifth annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine celebration kicks off on April 12 with The Celebrity Chef and Winemaker Golf Tournament, followed by the Lexus Opening Night Reception and after hours party.
On Friday, April 13, the choices are gastronomical. Here’s just a taste:
- Jacques Pepin: “Six Decades of Culinary Magic”
- Todd English: “Cooking in Everyday English”
- “Pairing Cheese and Wine with the First Lady of Fromage” (Laurie Werlin)
(And we haven’t even mentioned “Cooking Beyond Fusion” with Roy Yamaguchi, “Cult Cabs in the New Millennium,” “Farewell to Foie Gras,” and “Vineyard, Farm & Sea” – a celebration of Monterey’s bounty with Restaurant 1833.)
And then there’s the Belgian Beer Lunch. Yikes. Sounds like a nap might be in order.
Because that evening there’s an Iron Chef Dinner, plus tributes to winemaker Jess Jackson and chef Thomas Keller – followed by another after hours party.
On Saturday you’ll have to choose between “Cook Like a Rockstar!” with Anne Burrell and the “Ultimate Indulgence: Chocolate & Wine.” Learn how the pros hunt for wine treasures, and watch top sommeliers do a blind tasting of white wines.
The Lexus Grand Tasting, featuring celeb chef Guy Fieri, will be under the big tent from noon to 3 pm. Fieri’s dinner that night is sold out, but you can still get tickets to Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chefs” Alumni dinner or “The Grand Finale” dinner sponsored by Dom Perignon.
(We like anything sponsored by Dom Perignon.)
Sunday morning Tyler Florence presents “Ultimate Dining” while Veuve Cliquot pours champagne. Or you can sip sparkling rose’s from around the world at “Pretty in Pink” … either way you’ll be ready for another Grand Tasting by Lexus from noon to 3 pm.
Packages start at $995 and tickets to individual events are available.
We have a very tasty family home available in Pebble Beach over this special weekend.
It’s close to the ocean, in the Country Club area: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a carpeted converted garage with a big leather sofa and a 60″ flat screen TV… a great place to host your “own little food and wine event” (or recuperate from the big one.)
Contact Debra@MontereyRentals.com
We like any excuse to celebrate, and one of the “big ones” is right around the corner. (No, we don’t know who the guy is in the photo; we just like his hair.)
Now, there are plenty ‘o pubs in Monterey, and since it’s St. Patrick’s Day we’ll overlook the fact that many of them are British. Toast the Blarney Stone at the Britannia Arms, the Crown & Anchor, the Mucky Duck, Bullwacker’s, or Duffy’s Tavern.
If you’re in Carmel, Flanagan’s Pub in the Barnyard will surely have the spirit (starting at 9am), not to mention Guinness on tap. (As a matter of fact, Flanagan’s is hosting a “St. Practice Day,” on the 16th.)
One of our favorite restaurants—Tarpy’s Roadhouse—will serve corned beef and cabbage for lunch and dinner (washed down with green beer, of course). For a truly elegant Irish meal, head to Edgar’s at Quail Lodge: smoked salmon potato cake, Guinness & onion soup, corned beef and cabbage, apple oatmeal crisp for dessert trouve ici. Served from 5-8pm, the four course prix fixe menu is $28 per person acheter levitra.
If you’re in the mood for some rock ’em, sock ’em entertainment, the Monterey Bay Derby Dames—specifically the “Babes of Wrath” and the “Steinwreckers“—will battle it out at 7:30pm at the Water City Sports Center, 2800 2nd Ave. in Marina. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door (kids 5 and under are free.)
And finally, for some Irish music with a tie-dye twist, check out “A Celtic Tribute to the Grateful Dead” by the WAKE THE DEAD band (rock grooves to hot Irish reels). The venue—the Turf Club at the Monterey Fairgrounds—has a huge stone fireplace and an open patio with heaters. They’re promising St. Patrick’s Day drinks (and surprises) at this benefit for the Monterey County Fair Heritage Foundation. It starts at 7pm and admission is $20/adult and $15/military, students over 21, seniors 60#.
