Thanksgiving, our delightfully gut-busting national holiday is around the corner, and for a few, that means a terrifying experience in the kitchen. Not everyone has what it takes to prepare a large feast that tastes great and hasn’t gone cold before reaching the dinner table. That’s why a brave few choose to opt out of cooking during this Thanksgiving holiday and find a yummy turkey dinner at a local restaurant.
Not all restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, but here are a few worth mentioning:
Whole Foods: If you are staying in one of the lovely vacation rentals offered by Monterey Bay Property Management and want to have Thanksgiving Dinner within your rental, you may want to reserve a fully prepared Thanksgiving Meal from Whole Foods. It’ll be an easy solution that will allow you to celebrate Thanksgiving at “home”. Whole Foods is located in Monterey.
Asilomar Conference Grounds: Offering a Thanksgiving Package that includes Thanksgiving dinner. Asilomar is located in Pacific Grove.
Il Fornaio: The Italian eatery located at the NE Corner of Ocean and Lincoln Avenues in Carmel is offering Thanksgiving Dinner, and reservations are required.
Fresh Cream: With it’s French-inspired California cuisine, located at the NW Corner of Dolores and 8th Avenues in Carmel, just published its Thanksgiving Dinner menu. The menu makes our mouths water with their descriptions of roasted butternut squash soup, oven roasted turkey, sweet potato puree, savory bread pudding stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Wow! Make a reservation at Fresh Cream by contacting 831-250-7943 or dining@freshcream.com.
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa: Offering a 4-course Thanksgiving Dinner from 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM in their Duck Club Grill. The Duck Club Grill is in side the Monterey Plaza Hotel on Cannery Row in Monterey.
Cannery Row Brewing Company: Offering Thanksgiving Dinner and beer. They’re new, so it might be worth checking out their Thanksgiving Day efforts. Call 831-643-2722 for details.
Fandango Restaurant: Offering a special Thanksgiving Day menu. Contact them for reservations at 831-372-3456.
Chart House: Is doing something a little like Whole Foods, where they are offering a full Thanksgiving Dinner that will feed 6 – 8 people and it’s all To-Go! Or, you can eat there. Call 831-372-3362 to make your order.
Insider’s Tip: There is a little bar, tucked in the back of its row of shops in Carmel, called Ody’s Tavern, that sometimes serves up Thanksgiving dinner on the evening before Thanksgiving! It’s on San Carlos near Ocean Avenue and the building is light blue. Call them at (831) 626-6821 for directions if you get turned around.
Book a week with us to include the Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival Weekend, December 10-12, 2010, and pay only $99 per night for your weeknight accommodations! That’s right – book the weekend at the regular price, and all weeknights are only $99!
The 12th Annual Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival Weekend is December 10-12, 2010. This year we present two one-hour shows, two hour-and-a- half shows, four two-hour shows, and a Cowboy Church hour — all in one convenient comfortable venue. All this, along with a silent auction and a first-rate Christmas Art & Gear Show Sale. You can visit www.montereycowboy.org for details, then return to MontereyRentals.com to select your accommodations for this great event and to experience all that Monterey County has to offer!
Who knew there was such great boutique shopping in Pacific Grove? Well, for starters, all the attendees at the Holiday Fashion Show at the Inn at Spanish Bay! The show was an enthusiastic affirmation that there are plenty of options for style in this small, but vibrant city. The audience was treated to the fashions of Biba, Carried Away, The Clothing Store, the Golf Shop at the PG Golf Links, Marita’s Boutique and Shoes, Nest Boutique, Prim & Proper, and for the kids, Sprout and Tessuti Zoo. The models clearly conveyed the message that there is something in PG for all members of the family. Both sexes were represented, modeling trendy styles that will appeal to all ages, shapes and sizes. So why fight the parking issues at other shopping venues around the Peninsula or drive to San Jose, when there are fabulous options at our fingertips that are easily accessible? Oh, and one more reason to shop in PG – the merchants generously provided the audience with coupons for 20% off our next purchase, so I’m making downtown Pacific Grove my first stop for holiday shopping!
Tonight, Friday, November 12, 2010, we will hold the very first West Coast Swing Dance and Dine from 7:30 – 10:00 PM, for just $15.00–which includes dancing and a special menu! Here’s the story behind it:
Jose Miguel and his family own the American Burger restaurant at 738 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, between Prescott and Irving, across from Gianni’s Pizza. Locals are starting to take notice of this Little-Burger-Joint-That-Could because Jose Miguel has a knack for good marketing that matches the tastiness of his burgers.
For example, Jose Miguel loves to dance, sing, and play music, but he has little time to do it all since he’s busy running a family restaurant. The solution? Bring the dance classes, social dances and musicians to his restaurant!
You may now find Argentine Tango at American Burger on Mondays, Salsa dance classes on Wednesdays, a West Coast Swing social dance on the second Friday of each month (starting November 12), and Latin social dancing every Saturday.
Let this lesson be learned by crafty businesses owners….How can you combine your passions under one roof? Jose Miguel’s solution is this: offer a Dance and Dine package of only $15.00 per person for each night there’s dancing. That means the following: You can Dance and Dine for $15.00 each person on Mondays if you like Argentine Tango, Wednesdays if you like Salsa, Fridays for WCS, and Saturdays for Latin dancing. Brilliant!
Insider’s Tip: Call American Burger at (831) 373-7573 for dance event information and directions. Depending on the dance crowd, American Burger may stay open later if there’s a good number of dancers still on the dance floor.
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.
Because Fall offers some of our better weather, there are many festivals and outdoor events happening in and around the Monterey Peninsula during the month of October.
Pacific Grove Historic Home Tour, Sunday October 3, 2010
Visitors will have a rare opportunity to view the interiors of Pacific Grove’s finest historic homes during the 41st annual Pacific Grove Historic Home Tour. On-site docents can answer questions about the history of the buildings and how early residents of Pacific Grove lived. Self-guided tours of these historic buildings will run from 10am to 3pm. Tickets for this once-a-year event are only $20 for adults and $10 for children 6 to 18. Children 5 and under are free.
Insider’s tip: If you have always wanted to see what it’s like to live in one of these historic homes, go on this tour! It may inspire some home design ideas of your own.
Now in its tenth year, Monterey History Fest has grown into a festival that offers a variety of programs for both residents and visitors to experience Monterey’s unique cultural heritage and historic resources. Sponsored by the
City of Monterey,
Monterey State Historic Park (California State Parks) and
Monterey History and Arts Association, History Fest has developed a plentiful schedule designed to bring Monterey’s past to life during this community-wide event.
Insider’s tip: Arrive early to get the best parking spaces!
The Healing Waters Ceremony is a spiritual gathering that is one part memorial service for past loved ones (including pets), and another part healing celebration for the water itself and those animals that live within it. This event is open to the public and free, but donations will be accepted.
This ceremony is meant to bring people together to celebrate life; remember the animals, lives, and losses of the Gulf Oil Spill–because all waters are connected; and to also heal our spirits with music, dance and prayer.
Insider’s tip: Music will be provided by our very own local GRAMMY nominated singer/songwriter, Jennifer Filzen. She’ll be performing
“Sirena”, a beautiful funeral song during the flower toss portion of the ceremony. It’ll be a nice way for participants to say hello and goodbye to past loved ones.
Admission is free for folks interested in vintage airplanes and classic cars. You can get a plane ride for a fee.
Insider’s tip: Take a dream ride in an old plane and make sure you bring your video camera so you can brag about it to your Facebook friends!
View this list of places that celebrate Halloween all month long. Corn mazes and pumpkin patches make for fond Fall memories.
West Coast Swing is the California State dance and is growing in popularity, thanks to Lacey Schwimmer of “Dancing With The Stars” and Benji Schwimmer of “So You Think You Can Dance”.
West Coast Swing is a 6-count slot dance that can be danced to the blues, contemporary, pop, club, and country music, and the main age range of West Coast Swing dancers is between 30 – 70 years old.
If you’re interested in finding places to dance West Coast Swing, here are some of the places where local “Westies” hang out:
Tuesday nights–Carmel Woman’s Club at the corner of San Carlos and 9th, across from Sunset Center in Carmel. Call Jennifer at 831-324-0816 for class details.
Wednesday nights–Sly McFly’s at the corner of Cannery Row and Prescott in Monterey. It’s a small dance floor, but Westies are friendly about sharing slot space. Don’t be shy about asking a Westie to dance with you. We’ve all been beginners at some point and love bringing new people into the dance.
Thursday nights–On the 3rd Thursday of each month, join the Westie community at Clint Eastwood’s Carmel Mission Ranch off of Rio Road, right by the Carmel Mission. Dancing is located in the Barn, and the place gets packed.
Friday nights–Embassy Suites in Seaside has a lounge area where Lee Durley and Joe Indence sing oldies but goodies. If you’re in the mood for East Coast Swing, there’s music that will satisfy both dances.
Saturday nights–On the 4th Saturday of each month, the Santa Cruz Swing Club hosts a West Coast Swing dance at the Senior Center (behind 831 Bay Avenue and Woodworm Party Store) at the Bay/Porter Exit in Capitola. Class with a WCS dance pro start at 7:00 and the dancing goes until 11:00 PM.
If you’re uncertain about scheduling, contact Jennifer at 831-324-0816 and she’ll point you in the right direction, or consult the Monterey County Weekly newspaper or the Go! Calendar in the Monterey Herald.
Surprisingly, some of the area’s best burgers are not found in traditional burger joints!
This, by no means, disrespects the great burgers found at Phat Burger on Del Monte Blvd. in Seaside, R.G. Burgers in Monterey (by Trader Joe’s) and Carmel (in the Crossroads Shopping Center), or American Burger on Lighthouse Ave. in Monterey.
Side note: American Burger on Lighthouse Ave. in Monterey gets separate bonus points because they offer Argentine Tango lessons there on Monday nights.
Honestly, I was surprised myself when I discovered these three restaurants had the most amazing, mouthwatering burgers:
1. Mauricio’s on Lighthouse Avenue in Pacific Grove (by Juice ‘n’ Java). This is a family-run establishment and we love their Avocado/Bacon/Cheeseburger. Don’t forget to order Mauricio’s special spinach salad, too!
2. Fresh Cream Restaurant at the NW Corner of Dolores and 8th in Carmel (by Adobe Inn). The burger will be found on Fresh Cream’s Lounge Menu, and if you go there between 4:30 and 6:30, they offer Happy Hour price breaks. Awesome!
3. And for the all-time most expensive burger you have ever eaten, try the Ambrosia Burger at Nepenthe’s down Hwy. 1 to Big Sur. Yes, it’s a great burger, and it is served up with the view of a lifetime! Sit on the patio, overlooking the most awe-inspiring view of the Pacific Ocean to be found anywhere, so you are paying for both the burger and the view. But once in a lifetime – why not?
Who knew?
Go try the burgers and see if you agree with us locals.
The Monterey County Fair is going on now between Wednesday, Sept. 1 and Monday, Sept. 6, which is Labor Day.
A few of us staff members at Monterey Bay Property Management attended the Fair on opening day, and here were some points to ponder from a local perspective:
Parking–Parking around the Faire is extremely limited, so your best bet is to park your car over at Monterey Peninsula College and take a free shuttle. By parking at MPC and taking the shuttle, you’ll be able to spend your money on more rides and cotton candy rather than spend $25.00 for parking in a lot across the street.
Rides–Rides are what makes Fairs so cool. All the rides are safe and little-kid friendly, but the Ferris Wheel wins our hearts every time. The view is great!
Live Entertainment–We counted at least 3 stages with live entertainment that included a hypnotist (Mark Yusick, the Las Vegas-based hypnotist, is a cool guy), a KWAVE Kids Talent Show Contest, Karaoke machine, and a kid-friendly act that involved a gal with a guitar and a guy running around on stage. Ahhh, entertainment at its Fair finest!
Food–Fair food can be so wonderfully decadent! Try the funnel cakes, cotton candy, gelato, and BBQ booths to start. Don’t forget to check out the fudge booth near the Arena!
Surprise Food–If you’re into baked goods made by mom or your favorite auntie, go into the “Home Arts” building and have yourself a slice of German Chocolate Cake, Red-Velvet Cake, or Blackberry Pie made by a local. The bakers who entered the Fair’s contest are wonderful and many made extra of their award-winning desserts for the public. The German Chocolate Cake was a hit, but so was the Key Lime Pie.
Slow Walking–You know how it is…when you’re pushing a baby cart, holding hands with a 5-year-old, and strolling alongside Grandma, you tend to walk more slowly. If you’re in a hurry, remember to take a deep breath if you get stuck on the path behind a slowly ambling family. It’s the Fair, after all, and there’s plenty of time to get to the next ride or food booth.
