The Simply Smashing Clearance Sale continues for our bargain-hunting fashionistas!

Simply Smashing Boutique's New Year Clearance Sale was a success, but the savings aren't quite over yet... Take a gander at our fully loaded $59 Sale Rack (original prices up to $300+) now through Wednesday, January 21, 2014.

And, while you're in the neighborhood, check out our 50% off sale on select clothing and 20% off sale on select jewelry, handbags, hats and scarves!

Happy New Year from Cha-ya Japanese Tea and Things! In celebration of you, our customers, and as a means of clearing out our inventory and making room for new items, we will be having a One Week Only January Sale! January 16 - January 22, 2015, we will be offering 10%-30% off many selected items. We look forward to seeing you!

2014 has marked yet another banner year for craft beer. While year-end industry data won’t be released until spring, mid-year growth of the craft segment showed production up 18% over 2013, with craft brewers producing 10.6 million barrels (according to the Brewer’s Association). This double digit growth is truly impressive, and reflects how inventive craft brewers are, and how committed they are to putting out a quality product. Both quality and innovation are paramount to success in an ever competitive industry – the number of craft brewers has surged from 1,625 in 2010 to 3,040 in 2014! While overall beer sales dipped to -1.9% in 2013, craft beer sales hit a record high 17.2% growth over the previous year. Craft is still just a speck on the map when it comes to market share of the overall beer industry, but has steadily climbed to nearly 8% of all beer sales in 2013 – this number will surely creep up to 10% and well beyond within the next 5 years. So enough with the mind boggling statistics - what will be some new (or should I say, ongoing) craft beer trends for 2015? Here are a few that I think will see some momentum this coming year:

THE CONTINUED RISE OF IPA: STYLE SPINOFFS, “TROPICAL, DANK” HOPS
There’s never been a better time to be a hophead. Almost every craft brewery has a staple session IPA, regular IPA, double IPA, and several seasonal IPA’s. You can find White IPA’s, Black IPA’s, Brown IPA’s, Red IPA’s, Belgian IPA’s, Oatmeal IPA’s, India Pale Lager’s, Imperial India Pale Lager’s, the list goes on and on. No one is tired of hops yet. The “lupulin threshold shift”, coined by Vinnie Cilurzo (considered the pioneer of the west coast style, characterized by heavy dry hop rates) is here in full force: “When a once extraordinarily hoppy beer now seems pedestrian”, and “the long term exposure to extremely hoppy beers [will create an] excessive or prolonged, habitual dependence on hops.” That’s right. The traditional C-hops that were initially responsible for the style’s popularity (Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, etc) certainly seem pedestrian in 2015. Not to say IPA’s with these hops aren’t great (believe me, they are!), they’ve just been relegated to “traditional” at this point. A growing number of hop heads are craving dank, tropical hops with pungent aromatics that include everything from guava and passion fruit, to diesel fuel and garlic. Some newer varieties lean more towards the tropical end, and some towards the oniony side, but the fact of the matter is – these new varieties are in as high of a demand as ever, and the craft beer consumer will likely remember 2015 as “Year of the Dank” when it comes to IPA.

Note: “Dank” hops have been in for awhile, and many breweries have IPA’s that heavily employ new, experimental varieties. I feel their popularity is going to surge even further this year.

SOUR ALES: EMBRACING WILD YEAST AND BACTERIA...Read More

Clearance Sale at Simply Smashing Boutique now through January 11, 2014. Deep discounts on all clothing - even new arrivals - up to 60% off! Visit us at 241-B E. Campbell Avenue.

Please note: Can not be combined with other offers. Standard Simply Smashing Sale policies apply.

In honor of the 2014 Christmas and New Year's holidays, Purple Pinzz, personalized alterations and costumier design, is now offering $5 off alterations for all party frocks, etc. Get ready for your big night out by making sure your clothes fit you to a T.

Purple Pinzz is conveniently located inside Cat’s Meow at 601 Lighthouse Ave! Please phone Karen, proprietress and seamstress extraordinaire, for more information, 831-521-0234.

Bella's Studio, Old Monterey's sewing, craft, and design studio, now offers Youth Sewist Sessions for young stitchers with some sewing experience. Each 90-minute session is semi-private (limited to two students), with individualized instruction for each student. Sessions can be scheduled after school on weekdays or on Saturdays.

You can purchase a studio punch card for either four or six Youth Sewist Sessions. Four 90-minute sessions cost $100, plus a $45 materials fee for three projects. Six 90-minute sessions cost $140, plus a $45 materials fee for three projects.

The Olive Bar is hosting our big Christmas Sale, December 17-24, 2014. Now through Christmas Eve, we're offering 25% off all Michel Design Works soaps, candles, and lotions; 15% off all oils and balsamics when you buy 12 or more; and 10% off all gift sets. Hurry down to our shop at 232 East Campbell Avenue.

Current Comics at 400 Lighthouse Avenue is pleased to announce our Amazing Holiday Sale taking place Wednesday, December 17, 2014 through Sunday, January 4, 2015.

We'll be offering:
40% of all "Wall" comics (1 week - 1 year old)
20% off all action figures
20% off Magic, Pokemon, and YuGiOh cards
20% off bags, boards, card supplies
20% trade paperbacks and hardcovers
and...
Boxed back issues for only 50 cents!

Please note, this sale does not apply to pre-orders, pull items, or new-this-week comics.

With the start of the new year underway, football season is almost over! With that in mind, Characters Sports Bar & Grill at Monterey Marriott will be altering its weekend hours beginning Saturday, January 3, 2015, when we’ll return to opening at 11am on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning to serve lunch at 11:30am.

But just because the NFL season is almost over, it doesn’t mean the fun ends at Characters! We still have 11 HDTVs and are capable of showing all NBA and NHL games, as well as most MBL games. We also offer free wireless access, Wii Games, Happy Hour on weekdays, and a menu stacked with great appetizers, salads, sandwiches, entrees, and desserts! For more information, please phone us at 831-647-4023.

Pixels Graphic Design, Print & Copy in Monterey now offers t-shirt print and press transfers. Have your photo, logo, or message pressed right on to your clothing! Send in or drop off your photo and/or any message you'd like to add. Either have it ready to press or we can design something awesome for you.

Print & Press Transfers:
Standard (8" x 10.5"): $10 each
Large (10.5" x 16.5"): $15 each

Please allow 2-3 business days from acceptance to completion (more lead time may be needed as we approach Christmas). For more information, please email Pixels or phone us at 831-333-0174.

Celebrate the holidays along the scenic coastline at Ice Skating by the Bay’s seasonal ice skating rink, November 22 - January 4. At Custom House Plaza, located behind Portola Hotel & Spa in Old Monterey, skaters can spend the day in a winter wonderland by the Bay.

Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under; skate rental fee is $3. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 11am-11pm and Sunday, 12pm-8pm. Special holiday hours on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day, 11am-10pm.

It’s the most wonderful of the year, especially if you like spiced beer. Personally, those aren’t my favorite to drink, but there’s a time and a place ANY beer is enjoyable, right? Rather than focus on the gamut of peppermint spiked stouts and nutmeg infused amber hybrids, let’s talk about some traditional craft beer styles that are synonymous with colder temperatures, shorter days, and the occasional California rain shower. Here are a few of my favorite styles to drink this time of year, in no particular order:

RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
Yes – IMPERIAL Stout, which signifies a higher alcohol content, and RIS (for short) is no exception. It usually ranges between 8 - 12% alcohol by volume, which adds considerable body to the beer – a heaviness on the palate and also a “warming” sensation. Be it known, examples that reek of alcohol are exhibiting a problem with fermentation – the better RIS will hide any traces of “booze” relatively well as it melds within the layered, rich dark chocolate, burnt caramel, and vanilla that all but characterize this thick, chewy, darkest of ales. Why Russian? The style was brewed primarily for export due to its popularity within the Royal court of the 18th Century Russian monarchy (i.e. Catherine the Great). Some popular examples are Stone’s Imperial Russian Stout, AleSmith Speedway Stout, North Coast Old Rasputin, and Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout, among MANY others.

Note: Many of these imperial stouts are treated to year long stays in bourbon barrels, so keep an eye out for the barrel aged versions – the oak accentuates notes of vanilla, and darker spirits will always complement the roasty, smokey, cocoa-infused malt character of the stout family.

BELGIAN DUBBEL
Often lost in a sea of Trappist ales (namely, Singel, Tripel, & Quadruple), the often 6 – 8% Dubbel is one that harmonizes rich malt character with the traditional Belgian yeast esters of white pepper, clove, honey, and an array of floral notes. No need to add spices to this style! The yeast takes care of that (as long as fermentation temperatures are allowed to get a little crazy). The best Belgian Dubbels will almost taste like fruit cake – literally. Biscuity, pie-crust-like malt notes will seamlessly blend with the fruity, spicy tones of the yeast to create quite the holiday sensation of beer drinking experiences. Like I said, no spices needed. Some of my favorites include Ommegang Abbey Ale, Rochefort 6, and Chimay Red.

Note: Belgian Dubbels are extremely versatile when it comes to pairing with food. On the lighter side – anything sauteed; the maillard browning effect of caramelization is virtually the same as the kilning of specialty malts found in the Belgian Dubbel style. Heartier dishes like barbequed pork ribs, grilled steak, and braised lamb shank pair well, as Belgian styles of beer are typically higher in carbonation...Read More

Campbell Showroom is pleased to have decorated the dining room of Campbell’s historic Ainsley House for the holidays!

The dining room decor was inspired by the Ainsley's love of entertaining. At each place setting of elegant gold rimmed service for six. Large bronze deer flank the buffet and rest under the tree. A spectacular hydrangea-inspired wreath beckons from the front window. Kelly Loughran of The Garden's Consultant handcrafted the hydrangea wreath and the arrangements on the dining table, sideboard, and buffet.

View the San Jose Mercury News article about the decorations this year here.

Tours of Ainsley House, decorated in its holiday finest, are held Thursday-Sunday, 12pm-4pm, December 3-18. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $4.50 for youth ages 7-17; admission for children and museum members is free.