District Blog

Play Full Ground is celebrating its 5th anniversary! In 2017, Play Full Ground was born as a single event consisting of an interactive art exhibit and social event with food, drinks, and live music. It was also a collaborative project for which Play Full Ground founder Mai Ryuno formed a collective with creative members of the Monterey artistic and business community.

At the time, Mai was missing a sense of community as an artist and as an individual and was striving to create that for herself and others. After its brick-and-mortar business opened at 550 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, Play Full Ground was a lively, creative place that hosted numerous workshops and events. But it has been quiet for the past 2+ years as a result of the pandemic. During that time, she knows many of us have had to communicate virtually and have limited in-person, face-to-face interaction.

To help us move out of that isolation, Mai is now working on ideas for a gathering to start building a community again at Play Full Ground and beyond. She would like to listen to and learn your stories, have a series of dialogues, and brainstorm ideas for the creation of a joyful, supportive, and connected community.

Please let her know if you are interested in creating such a community together - just visit this page and fill out the short form. She's planning to send an invitation to a gathering this summer for those who care.

On The Beach Surf Shop has new swimwear in the store! Stop by and check out our bikinis from L*Space, Billabong, Roxy, Body Glove, and Volcom. Locally owned and operated, you can find us at 693 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

The Lighthouse District would like to give a belated welcome to I Heart You Candles and Gifts, which opened at 329 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey this past winter.

All candles are hand poured by shop owner Sherry Devine using Golden soy wax and cotton wicks and feature beautiful flowers, inspirational charms, and amazing scents. They contain no zinc, iron, or lead.

There are always a variety of candles on hand at the shop (both decorated and plain), but if you're looking for something specific you're welcome to design your own candle - Sherry is happy to make one just for you. She also creates custom wedding favors and special gifts for events such as birthdays, baptisms, and bridal showers.

I Heart You Candles and Gifts is open: Monday, 10am-7pm; Tuesday, 10am-2pm; and by appointment - please call 831-574-9446. You can also find Sherry at her booth at the Old Monterey Farmers' Market on Alvarado Street on Tuesdays, 4pm-8pm.

Mission 19 Taqueria, located at 598 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, offers catering for all types of events. Whether it's a wedding, anniversary celebration, office event, or graduation party, give us a call at 831-717-4843 for a free estimate.

It’s dress season, and Plato's Closet Monterey wants to pay you cash for your gently worn dresses. We love mini, midi, and maxi dresses from brands like Urban Outfitters, PacSun, Free People, H&M, Forever21, Wild Fable, and more.

Plato's Closet is located at 402 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. We buy every day until 1 hour before closing. Our hours are Monday - Saturday, 10am-9pm⁠, and Sunday, 11am-6pm⁠.

Sahara Sun Tanning, located at 585 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, is now offering a Diamond Club Special through May 16, 2022. This special offer includes unlimited, all-inclusive tanning for one month for $89.95 with no contract and no setup fees (usually, there is a $20 service fee and a 3-month minimum contract).

Sahara Sun's Diamond Club services include all Level 1 tanning beds, mid-pressure tanning, high-pressure tanning, and unlimited Versa Pro tanning. For more information and to sign up, please phone us at 831-375-9584.

The Coastal Roots Hospitality Group - including Tarpy’s Roadhouse, Rio Grill, and Montrio restaurants - has designated the Lighthouse District's own Monterey County Film Commission as the nonprofit recipient of its Pick It Up - Pay It Forward Program for the months of May and June.

What does this mean? When you order takeout food from Tarpy's Roadhouse, Rio Grill, or Montrio, 10% of your order will automatically be donated to the Film Commission. (Please note: this offer does not apply to delivery orders.)

The nonprofit Monterey County Film Commission works to bring an economic boost throughout the county from the film industry. In the 35 years since the film commission was established, more than $123 million has come into local communities through on-location film production. It provides free assistance and markets county-wide locations for film productions ranging from feature films and commercials to music videos and TV series.

Welcome to Lighthouse District in the News, an occasional post featuring recent news articles on Monterey's Lighthouse District. Please click the link below to read the article.

New European Mini Market in Monterey May Be Small, but It Covers a Lot of Territory
[Malinka European Mini Market]
by Dave Faries
Monterey County Weekly, 05/05/22

Cypress Boutique Monterey has new spring and summer men's shirts available in solid colors and vibrant detailed florals. These are so much fun and very comfortable. We also carry the softest t-shirts - stop by and check out our styles for men at 800 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite C in Monterey. Locally owned, we're always happy to help you look your best.

Did you know that Escape Room 831 in Monterey offers mobile games? We bring the fun to you! Escape boredom and crack the code with us.

Our mobile escape room is perfect for school festivals, corporate team-building events, fundraisers, holiday celebrations, birthday parties, summer camps, and much more. If you have a group of 20-60 people, we'll bring our escape room to your location.

If you’re looking for a thrilling, bonding activity for people of all ages, this is it. Our mobile escape room provides 60-minutes of challenges, during which you and your team will face puzzles, track down clues, and discover the answers you need to solve a mystery. Plus, we handle the setup and cleanup, leaving you free to focus on other activities.

Escape Room 831's mobile escape rooms serve Monterey, Salinas, Hollister, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Santa Cruz, and the San Jose area. For more information, please visit our website and give us a call at 831-241-6616.

A bath allows oneself to break, to breathe, and to be. Lilify's six signature bubble baths are made in small, thoughtful, exquisite batches. Created in collaboration with and made locally by Connie Mardon and Kaelyn Chapman, our bubble baths are herby, earthy, and unique with careful, aromatic pairings created to relax and uplift.

Our bubble baths make a beautiful gift to yourself, or a generous offering to those you love. Available online and in our shop at 281 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

Poppleton's Fine Furnishings now has the Sit Tight Sectional and the Bubble Swivel Chair by Thayer Coggin in house. Come and see these beautiful pieces for yourself at 299 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

Thayer Coggin furniture is proudly handcrafted in High Point, North Carolina. Since 1953, the company has been carving out a unique identity in the home furnishings market through a commitment to classic modern design.

Welcome to Lighthouse District in the News, an occasional post featuring recent news articles on Monterey's Lighthouse District. Please click the link below to read the article.

A Local Business Offers “Destruction Therapy,” a Place Where Breaking an Object Is a Moment of Joy
[The Break Room]
by Celia Jimenez
Monterey County Weekly, 04/14/22

The New Monterey Business Association welcomes Mission 19 Taqueria to the Lighthouse District!

Located at 598 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, this Baja style Mexican restaurant serves up a delicious variety of tacos, birria, tortas, quesadillas, quesaburros, and mulitas. Their tortillas are made by hand every day.

Mission 19 Taqueria is open 6 days a week, 11am-9pm (closed Monday). Want to learn more? There's a great article in Monterey County Weekly by Dave Faries.

Welcome to Lighthouse District in the News, an occasional post featuring recent news articles on Monterey's Lighthouse District. Please click the link below to read the article.

New Taqueria in New Monterey Is on a Mission
[Mission 19 Taqueria]
by Dave Faries
Monterey County Weekly, 03/18/22