Blog

Christmas comes but once a year, and so do European holiday treats! Malinka Mini Market has a wealth of sweet delights on our shelves, including stollen, gingerbread, marzipan, fruit cake, and chocolates.

Our selection of European sweets for the holidays features Lubeck marzipan, Klett chocolate, gluten-free gingerbread, Niederegger marzipan torte, British fruit cake, Dr. Quendt dominosteine, Kindly's candies, and a variety of imported stollen.

Visit Malinka European Mini Market at 484 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

Malinka European Mini Market has a beautiful selection of wooden tree ornaments and holiday decorations from Germany.

This includes an assortment of colorful tree ornaments, handcrafted gnomes from Christian Ulbricht, rustic nativity scenes, and Weihnachtspyramide, traditional German Christmas pyramids that bring gentle light and cheer to the home. These are Christmas decorations, secular and sacred, that are built to be enjoyed for years to come.

Visit us at 484 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey to view our entire selection.

Come on in to Mattress Nation for our biggest sale of the year! We've got excellent deals on great brands like Stearns & Foster, Tempur-Pedic, and Sealy Posturepedic during our Black Friday Sale, running now through December 3, 2024 at our showroom at 296 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. We're open daily, 10am-6pm.

At Mattress Nation's Black Friday Sale, save up to $800 on select Stearns and Foster adjustable mattress sets, up to $500 on select Tempur-Pedic adjustable mattress sets, and up to $400 on select Sealy adjustable mattress sets. Take advantage of our last big sale of 2024.

Mattress Nation is a locally-owned business where you'll get top-rated customer service and great deals...plus you'll be supporting people in your community.

The Carol of Lights is coming on December 7th this year and we need more volunteers to help us make our annual holiday event a festive one for the Campbell area community.

We'll need people for 3 hour shifts to run our popcorn booths, direct traffic at the kiddie rides, and be safety monitors among other things. If any of these sounds like something you can help us out with, please register as a volunteer for Downtown Campbell and we'll reach out to you once we have our volunteer positions fully worked out.

Thank you in advance. We couldn't do events like the Carol of Lights without a network of willing hands to help us run them.

Choose Your Treasure second hand store is celebrating our sixth anniversary in business! November 26 - December 31, 2024, we're offering 50% off everything in the store. Come in and find a great deal. We're open Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm.

Choose Your Treasure has something for everyone! We carry new and used clothing and shoes for the entire family plus furniture, kitchenware, home decor, books, movies, and even a few bicycles. We're located at 211 Pearl Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Scholze Park Community Center is organizing bus trips to San Luis Obispo and San Francisco in Spring 2025. Sign up now and leave the planning and driving up to them.

For more information, please call Scholze Park Center at 831-646-3878. The center is located at 280 Dickman Avenue in Monterey.

Spring 2025 Trips

Day in San Luis Obispo
Saturday, March 15
Price: $85 per person
Registration Deadline: February 13

Ferry Building Farmer's Market
Saturday, May 3
Price: 80 per person
Registration deadline: April 2

Downtown Old Monterey has a wealth of locally-owned artisan bakeries, and they're ready to bring you the very best desserts, breads, and rolls for your Thanksgiving table.

Handmade with love from tried and true recipes with unique twists, these will be the perfect flourish for any gathering. Menu highlights and pre-order deadlines are below.

Menu Highlights & Order Deadlines

Ad Astra Bread Co.
479 Alvarado Street
Offering mouthwatering sourdough breads, rolls, pies, cheesecake, and cinnamon rolls. Order online soon before we sell out and indicate pick up for Nov. 26 or 27.

Alta Bakery
502 Munras Avenue
Baking delicious apple galettes, pecan pies, and pumpkin pies. Pre-order by Nov. 21 online. Pick-up on Nov. 26 or 27 (specify when ordering).

Freedom Bakery Boutique
305 Webster Street
Preparing beautifully decorated cakes plus an assortment of cream pies (pumpkin, banana, coconut, and more). Order on our website for pick up at our Monterey boutique on Nov. 24, 10am-1pm, or for pick-up at our Watsonville bakery on Nov. 27, 10am-2pm.

Paris Bakery
271 Bonifacio Place
Selling a variety of delectable breads, rolls, pies, cakes, cupcakes, and decorated cookies all made in-house. Place your order by Nov. 24 for pick-up on Nov. 27. Order in person or call 831-646-1620.

Parker-Lusseau Pastries and Cafe
539 Hartnell Street
Creating delicious pumpkin apple cinnamon cakes, baked pear and quince tarts, and pumpkin 'n' cream individual cream puffs for Thanksgiving. Orders must be placed and prepaid by Nov. 25 either in person or by phone at 831-641-9188. Pick-up on Nov. 27.

Shear Addiction Barbershop and Hair Studio has moved...but not too far. We are now located just steps away at 141 Webster Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Come see our bright new shop with a lot more space!

We're now next to Siamese Bay Restaurant and directly across the street from OM Studios. Street parking is still available.

Make your appointment here. Our barbers and stylists - Bea, Andersen, Elmer, Fred, Hector, and Mervyn - will be happy to see you.

Now that's a Good Salad!

Posted on November 9th, 2024 by The Good Salad

Have you heard about the new salad spot in Downtown Campbell? The story goes that they wanted to call it "The Best Forkin' Salad You've Ever Had," but the name was too long. They settled on "The Good Salad", which quite frankly is the perfect name for the restaurant because when you're done, it'll be very hard not to say out loud "now that was a good salad!"

When Sanad Al Souz set out to open a salad restaurant, he wanted his salads to be more than just a healthy food option. He wanted them to be salads you'd crave and look forward to and these salads are indeed delicious! The ingredients are all natural and prepared daily for the freshest flavor. Nearly everything is made in-house from the highest quality ingredients. All of their dressings are homemade and with the exception of their sesame dressing, no seed oils are used. They only use extra virgin olive oil.

The Good Salad has six signature salads on their menu with each one a chef-crafted delicacy to match a different flavor profile. You can customize each one to your heart's content or build your own salad from scratch. Even better, you can build it online and dash in and out if you don't have time to sit down.

The Downtown Campbell location of The Good Salad is the 4th location in the Bay Area. You might recognize their location as the previous home of the much beloved Brown Chicken Brown Cow. Downtown Campbell may be The Good Salad's fourth location, but it's their first one where they have a proper dining room of their own. Two of their other locations only offer pick-up window service only and the third one is part of a food court.

The Good Salad is located at 397 E Campbell Ave and they're currently open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. They're located across from Rad & Co Salon behind Bestie's Boutique.

Spa on the Plaza, located at 201 Alvarado Street, is offering specials in November including a Warming Vanilla Chai Massage & Gift (60 min., $185) and a Pumpkin Radiance Facial (60 min., $160). To learn more and make an appointment, please phone us at 831-647-9000.

November Specials 2024

Warming Vanilla Chai Massage & Gift
$185 for 60 minutes
This luxurious treatment combines the soothing scents of vanilla and chai to create a truly comforting experience. Let the warming massage melt away your stress and the aromatic vanilla chai embrace your senses. As a gift, take home a Tara Spa Chai neck pillow, perfect for extending your relaxation beyond the spa.

Pumpkin Radiance Facial
$160 for 60 minutes
Indulge in the ultimate autumn luxury with our exclusive Pumpkin Radiance Facial. Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, the pumpkin enzyme masque gently exfoliates and works to reveal a radiant, youthful glow. To enhance your experience, we include a Warming Vanilla Chai hand treatment to hydrate and soothe your hands during the colder season.

Fall Spanish Classes for Adults

Posted on November 5th, 2024 by Vive La Experiencia

Join us this fall in learning a new language! We are offering 3 different courses especially for adults this fall.

Starting Monday's November 18th

Adult Conversation 2 - 7:00pm-8:00pm in person

This course is great for those who have some experience with the language and want to focus on building their vocabulary and speaking skills.

Adult Beginners 1A - 5:30pm-7:00pm in person

This course is perfect for adults ready to take their first step in starting to learn this beautiful language.

Starting Thursday's November 21st

Adult Upper Beginner 2A 6:00pm-7:30pm in person

This course is great for those who have some experience with the language, know the basics and feel comfortable using the present tense.

Please contact us for more information and to register!

Monterey Museum of Art is seeking submissions of compelling and innovative artwork for its juried 2025 Biennial Exhibition, which will celebrate the diversity of Central California art. Submit your work November 19, 2024 - January 12, 2025.

Eligibility

The exhibition is open to artists age 18 and up who reside in Monterey, Fresno, Kern, Kings, San Benito, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo Counties.

Submissions are welcome November 19 - January 12 in the following categories: painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, mixed media, and sculpture. (Please note: New Media, time-based, installation, and Artificial Intelligence [AI] artwork will not be considered.)

There is no submission fee. For more details, please read the Exhibition Prospectus.

Exhibition Theme

The theme for the 2025 Biennial Exhibition is Resonance and Reflection. This theme seeks submissions that explore how art resonates with cultural, social, and personal contexts and reflections of both interior and exterior worlds.

The Monterey Museum of Art is delighted to announce its upcoming Biennial Exhibition, scheduled to run May 15 - August 31, 2025.

The Museum is seeking submissions of compelling and innovative artwork for the juried exhibition, which will celebrate the diversity of California art. Submit your work November 19, 2024 - January 12, 2025.

Eligibility

The exhibition is open to artists age 18 and up who reside in Monterey, Fresno, Kern, Kings, San Benito, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Obispo Counties.

Submissions are welcome November 19 - January 12 in the following categories: painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, mixed media, and sculpture. (Please note: New Media, time-based, installation, and Artificial Intelligence [AI] artwork will not be considered.)

There is no submission fee. For more details, please read the Exhibition Prospectus.

Exhibition Theme

The theme for the 2025 Biennial Exhibition is Resonance and Reflection. This theme seeks submissions that explore how art resonates with cultural, social, and personal contexts and reflections of both interior and exterior worlds.

The theme encourages a wide range of interpretations, allowing artists from across the region to contribute diverse creative perspectives and spark public dialogue about contemporary California art.

Beginning November 5, Om Studios is offering a new class entitled Pilates Reformer for Active Aging on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30pm-4:20pm at 631 Cass Street, Suite B in Downtown Old Monterey. Please register on the Om Studios website.

Join us for a nurturing Pilates Reformer class designed specifically for ages 50 and up, beginning Pilates students, and anyone seeking a gentler approach to fitness or recovering from an injury. This class focuses on mindful movement emphasizing core strength, flexibility, and overall body awareness in a supportive environment.

Instructor Margy Spector will guide students in exploring fundamental Pilates principles using the reformer to enhance stability and alignment. Each session incorporates modifications to accommodate various fitness levels and ensure a safe experience.

Expect a balanced workout that promotes healing, improves mobility, and builds strength without strain. Whether you’re new to Pilates or returning after an injury, this class will empower you on your wellness journey. Come ready to move, breathe, and rejuvenate!

Venture Gallery presents the paintings of Maria Poroy and Carole Klein, our featured local artists for November. Their joint exhibit, Double Vision, features their dramatically colorful abstract work.

Maria Poroy and Carole Klein often create work that is different but often feels in sync - not like identical twins, but perhaps fraternal. Maria noticed how, over the years, she and Carole would bring in works that just seemed to belong together - they love to use the full range of blues, rich reds, acrylic paint, and mixed media. So the idea was hatched: why not do a joint exhibit? And just to make it more fun, they set a few guidelines on color and format for the show, but they won't see each other's work until it's on the wall at the gallery.

Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily. Maria Poroy and Carole Klein's artwork will be featured through November 2024. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

Calling all holiday helpers! We're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join us for Storytime with Santa at the Campbell Community Center on December 6th and December 8th! If you're 13 years or older and ready to bring some festive cheer, we’d love for you to join our team and help make this magical event unforgettable.

From assisting with craft activities to greeting families and capturing those priceless Santa moments, volunteers will play an essential role in spreading holiday joy. Don’t miss the chance to be a part of this heartwarming tradition—sign up today and help us create a memorable holiday experience for our community!

For more information and to sign up, visit https://bit.ly/santavolunteer24

Pages