What month is it? The month that Hula's Island Grill starts getting the best organic rhubarb and strawberries to top their Brioche Bread Pudding! Life is looking up.
Hula's is now open for take-out and outdoor patio dining at 622 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. Please call for a reservation if you want to dine there, 831-655-4852.
Want to support small, locally-owned food establishments? All restaurants in Monterey's Lighthouse District are now offering take-out and/or no-contact curbside pick-up, many are working with delivery services to bring their delicious cuisine straight to you, and a few are now offering outdoor dining!
Al fresco dining experiences are now available at American Burger, Bon Ton L'Roy's, El Cantaro, Hula's Island Grill, and at newly-opened Tutto Buono Eataliano. Learn more about all your dining options at the Lighthouse District Dining Guide.
The New Monterey Business Association would like to thank the City of Monterey for making outdoor dining possible and quickly processing business applications for sidewalk dining.
New regulators have arrived at Bamboo Reef Dive Shop! We are loving these new NEX regulators. NEX Underwater Products was created by divers, for divers, and their regs are assembled right here in Monterey. We're ecstatic to be supporting our neighbors!
Curious to test them out on a dive? All of our rental regulators are now NEX regulators, so swing in and take them for a test dive. Bamboo Reef is located at 614 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
Gracie Jiu-JItsu Monterey invites you to join us for our Women Empowered Class, taught every Wednesday at 6pm and Friday at 8am on Zoom. Learn essential Jiu-Jitsu techniques in the safety of your living room. No mats and no partners are necessary. If you're interested in trying out a class, please contact Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
In this 15-lesson program, we'll teach you how to neutralize the 20 most common attacks ranging from having your hair grabbed to being pinned to the ground by a weapon-bearing assailant. Each one-hour Women Empowered lesson addresses two techniques. You can start the program at any time and participate in any class without previous experience. The techniques in the Women Empowered program employ leverage, technique, and timing, so anyone, regardless of age or athletic ability, can make them work against larger opponents.
Did you know that locally-owned Mattress Nation carries bedroom, dining room, and living room furniture in addition to mattresses? Whether you recently moved, need to update, or are ready for a change, you can view their selection of furniture on their website.
Mattress Nation is located at 296 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
Current Comics is happy to announce that The Walking Dead comics will be re-released in color! If you still haven’t read The Walking Dead series, or want to experience them again in color, get them when they’re on our shelves this October. Issue #1 will be available for pre-order on July 30 at the shop and on our website.
This new deluxe series, featuring the masterful work of colorist Dave McCaig, will NOT be collected into trade paperback any time soon, so fans and new readers should not wait. Issue #1 will be available on October 7, 2020. Each following month, two issues will be released.
Current Comics is located at 400 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
Are you a cook, dishwasher, or sous chef who has lost your job because of a restaurant closure during the coronavirus pandemic? You can apply for assistance here from the Covid-19 Relief Fund from the Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. You must show proof that you were employed in Monterey County for at least 6 months. Relief can be provided to your PayPal account or by check to ensure that you have access to basic necessities (food, housing, transportation, etc.).
Want to donate to the Covid-19 Relief Fund? Please click here. The Monterey Bay Chapter of the ACF is donating a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $6,000.
The Monterey County Film Commission board of directors has elected officers for the 2020-21 fiscal year. Gary Bolen will serve as president, with Cheryl Savage as vice president, Julia Avery-Shapiro as secretary, and Sandi Austin, treasurer. Former board president Garland Thompson will serve as the board chairperson.
Bolen, a SAG actor and the retired chair of the Monterey Peninsula College Theater Department, has been a board member for more than three years, and previously served as vice president. He lives in Oak Hills in north Monterey County.
The film commission, which has an office in New Monterey's Lighthouse District, works to boost the economy throughout Monterey County by attracting and assisting on-location film production, handling inquiries and making referrals to crew and local goods and services. Each year an average of $4 million in revenue comes to local communities from more than 100 productions filming throughout the county.
The board is seeking additional volunteer board members with nonprofit or business experience from all parts of Monterey County, especially the Salinas Valley area. For more information, visit our website or call 831-646-0910.
Attention parents of school-aged children: the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District has voted to begin the 2020-21 school year entirely with distance learning.
Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh writes: "This decision was difficult to make as we know that the best place for students is at school. However, starting out in Distance Learning is necessary given the skyrocketing infection rates across Monterey County and the lack of on-demand testing available to our school community. The health and safety of our students, staff and community is our highest priority and we simply cannot physically reopen schools safely under these conditions."
Please read Superintendent Diffenbaugh's full letter to the community (in English and in Spanish) here. MPUSD and the Superintendent have committed to several steps to support students, parents, and teachers, which is detailed in the letter.
At Bamboo Reef Dive Shop, it's out with the old, in with the new! We're swapping out our rental regulators for new setups. You can score a rental regulator for only $150, which includes a first stage, second stage, and an octo. (We're also selling a handful of setups for $200.) All of our rental regulators were overhauled earlier this year.
This offer is limited to quantity on hand. Regulators are pre-packaged and ready to go, and chosen at random. They're going fast! They're available for purchase online here. Please note: dive computer/gauge is not included.
Bamboo Reef Dive Shop is located at 614 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
Your friendly neighborhood bar, Pearl Hour, is now a mobile bottle shop and cocktail kit delivery service again, Thursday - Sunday. (We also sell non-alcoholic drink mixes.) Let us know what we can put together for you! There's no minimum for delivery - to order, just text us at 831-229-4132, message us on Instagram, or use our online order form and it will be delivered the next day.
Thank you for supporting and loving our new business during the first closure and launch as a bottle delivery service, during our 3 days back open as a neighborhood bar during a pandemic, and from now until we're permitted to open the doors of the bar again at 214 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
Play Full Ground has received multiple inquiries about our sardine pillows (#happymontereysardines) lately, so here are some answers to your questions, my friends!
Do you sell the sardine pillows?
Yes! They come in 3 sizes: small ($30), medium ($50), and large ($80). Please visit the Support page on our website for more information.
Do you ship?
Yes! We ship within the U.S. (unless you are willing to pay for the expensive international shipping or secret inexpensive global shipping...please let us know!)
For the U.S. shipping, we use USPS 1-2 day flat rate for the small/medium pillows. For the large pillows, we use other carriers and it takes 3-7 days. (It’s not so cheap as sardines are bulky and we are a small business without a lot of shipping, so we don't get a big discount. Sorry! If you have any inexpensive shipping tips, please share them with us - we love to learn.)
Can I pick up my sardines?
Yes. Play Full Ground is currently closed for walk-in business, but we can arrange your pickup at the studio at 550 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite. E, in Monterey.
Do you deliver?
Maybe...depending on the place! If it's somewhere between Pacific Grove and Marina (and Carmel...maybe Carmel Valley)...the answer is yes and it's free.
Which types of payment do you take?
We accept payment by credit card on our website. We also have accounts with PayPal ([email protected]) and Venmo (@playfullground) if these are more convenient for you. Also, you can pay with cash or check upon your pick up at Play Full Ground.
Can I have a sardine pillow right now?
I, Play Full Ground owner Mai Ryuno, make your sardines to order to share happiness, joy, and creativity with you! Please allow me a few days to make your sardine pillows before sending them to you.
How can I contact you?
Please feel free to email me if you have questions that are not answered here. Thank you all for your love and support!
Current Comics now carries these cool new Justice League figures based on the Justice League animated series. They're $28 each. We have all 8 figures at our store, located at 400 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. Come check them out and be a hero, too - wear a face mask.
Did you know that Cypress Boutique Monterey has a large selection of men’s clothing and accessories? You can find everything from casual, laid-back tops and bottoms to styles for an evening out in sizes Small - 3XL. Plus, their great customer service will make your shopping experience a breeze.
Cypress Boutique Monterey is open Tuesday - Sunday, 11:30am-6:30pm. We're located at 800 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
On July 13, 2020, the State of California ordered the following businesses to close indoor operations in Monterey County:
Hair Salons and Barbershops
Personal Care Services (i.e., nail and skin care, tattoo parlors)
Fitness Centers
Offices for Non-Critical Sectors
Malls
Places of Worship
For more information, read:
California State Health Officer's Order of July 13
CA Dept. of Public Health's Guidance on Order of July 13...Read More
Grace Jiu-Jitsu, located at 636 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, is happy to announce we reopened our studio on July 1, 2020. Our decision follows the county’s announcement that gyms that adhere to strict health and safety guidelines are allowed to open for business.
Before July 1, we launched a full Zoom program with classes six days a week for all of our programs, and it’s been going great! Now it’s time to begin Phase 2 by reopening our school for in-person, non-partnered classes, while we continue to offer classes on Zoom.
During Phase 2 in the studio we are implementing modified procedures, on and off the mat, in accordance with the recommendations made by the CDC and the California Department of Public Health. To ensure safe distancing, the number of students per class is limited and no spectators are allowed.
Students who wish to take Zoom classes or in-person classes need to pre-register for each class using our Online Reservation System in order to save your spot. Curious about our studio? Learn more about Gracie Jiu-Jitsu on our website.
Check out these new Previews Exclusive Funko POP! vinyl figures coming on August 19 to Current Comics:
POP MARVEL HEROES ABSOLUTE CARNAGE PX DELUXE VINYL FIGURE, $28.99
HCF 2020 POP MARVEL INFAMOUS IRON MAN PX FIGURE, $12.99
Current Comics has to place final orders for Carnage by July 20 and for Infamous Iron Man by July 27. These will be limited so place your orders in with us ASAP if you want one. Subscribers can order on our website; non-subscribers, please call us at 831-333-1085 or visit the store at 400 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
Stark yet striking, this handleless pitcher now at Lilify is perfectly suited to pour your favorite summer refreshments (think pink lemonade) or to display your favorite summer flowers (think pink hydrangeas). Made from high fire stoneware clay, it's food-safe and free of lead and cadmium.
Designed by Lilify and Alex Marshall, it's handmade in California by Alex Marshall Studios. Part of Lilify's Ritual Collection, it's now available online and at the shop at 281 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
Looking for a whimsical addition to your outfit? Try these vintage Scottish Terrier button covers from the 1980s, now available at Cat's Meow! You can purchase these cuties online, or stop by the shop at 601 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.
Monterey Bay Aquarium is so excited to reopen and to welcome back visitors. . . unfortunately, that day won't come as soon as we had hoped. A new public health order effective July 8, 2020 requires indoor museums and zoos in Monterey County — including the Aquarium — to close for a minimum of three weeks. This means the Aquarium will not be reopening on July 13 and will not reopen until it is deemed safe by our county and state officials. Unfortunately, we have no further details we can share at this time.
We know you might be disappointed, and we are, too. But the safety of guests, staff, volunteers and animals remains our highest priority. We hope to sea you soon!
While we are closed to the public, we are still providing the highest level of care for our animals and living exhibits — and we need your help. Please make a donation or become a member today to sustain all that you love about the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
