District Blog

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.

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.

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.

PG&E's California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program provides income-qualified households with discounts on their energy bills. It's been in place since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March and served tens of thousands of customers so far.

Qualified customers can apply for CARE online. The process is easy and only takes about five minutes. Eligible customers will begin receiving the CARE program discount during their next billing cycle, and those who recently applied for unemployment benefits are likely now eligible.

Learn more about the CARE program here.

Meet the owners of International Market and Deli, Gloria & Adil Altamimi, and their assistant, Robert. If you want to know why this little grocery and Mediterranean deli is such a warm, inviting space, look no further. Gloria and Adil offer extraordinary hospitality and customer service with a big-hearted community spirit that can't be beat.

The grocery store is small but mighty, offering a wide selection of food and essentials, including Halal meat and hard-to-find items from around the world. As for the deli...let us sing praises of their take-out falafel, shawarma, hummus, and baklava.

Gloria and Adil value the safety of their customers and are offering hand sanitizer and gloves to everyone who enters. They also offer curbside pick-up for everyone and local delivery to seniors, families with children, and those with disabilities.

International Market and Deli is located at 580 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. Please protect Gloria, Adil,and Robert by wearing your face covering when you visit. Be local heroes just like they are!