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After extensive renovations and a menu refresh, Lallapalooza has now reopened as Palooza! Come on down to 474 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey for take-out and outdoor dining. It's open Sunday - Thursday, 4pm-10pm, and Friday - Saturday, 4pm-11pm.

Executive Chef Joshua Kinzer has designed an approachable, crave-worthy menu with classic and contemporary dishes that are seasonally influenced. It includes shared small plates, pizzas, burgers, and main dishes such as dry-aged steak. Many vegetarian and gluten-free options are available.

Likewise, Palooza's beverage program has been refreshed to feature not only cocktails but also a variety of natural wines, with an emphasis on artisan wines by small producers,

The museum at Cooper Molera Adobe is still closed, but we are holding plant sales every Saturday, 11am-4pm. We're featuring propagated plants from our garden including salvias, scented geraniums, hard to find francoas, and more at our front desk at 506 Munras Avenue in Downtown Old Monterey. Cash and checks only.

When you come to the plant sale, please wear a face mask, follow our 6-foot social distancing protocols, and use hand sanitizer. We are working hard to ensure the health and well being of our visitors, residents, and employees.

Baby Yoda Bags at Casual Island

Posted on August 10th, 2020 by The Feral Market

The Child has arrived at Casual Island! We now have these Baby Yoda bags available at the shop. But don't wait too long - these are sure to fly off the shelves. (We also carry women's fashion, a wide variety of face masks, and a bunch of fun novelty items). We're located at 261 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

Cooper-Molera Adobe will present our annual History Hunt in Old Monterey on Saturday, August 22, 12pm-3pm, carrying on despite whatever smoke and ash may blow in from Monterey County fires. The event is free for participants of all ages and is designed for individuals and household groups. Learn about local history, visit important historic sights, and view architectural treasures and public art.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, our rules for participation have changed. Groups of up to six people from the same household will be allowed. Participants are required to wear face coverings, be socially distanced from others outside their household, and use hand sanitizer.

The History Hunt begins at 12pm. Pick up your packets at the Cooper-Molera Adobe Gardens, 506 Munras Avenue, 11:45am-12pm (enter through the historic gates). Your packet will include a list of 25 items to find or learn about, a map of the historic Monterey district, and the rules for the hunt. The first three participants with the most correct answers will win surprise awards.

For more information, please phone the Cooper Adobe Museum at 831-223-0172, ext. 7776.

Survival Project August 2020: Retail Extra Bonus Round

Posted on August 8th, 2020 by sheldon

We want you to enjoy the additional space we've made for you to shop in Downtown Campbell by giving you some extra rewards for doing some socially distanced shopping at our retail stores or for ordering from them online through our Sip Mall.

Here are the prizes on tap for the August 2020 round of our monthly prize giveaways:

Purchases must be made between Aug 8th and Sept 7th to qualify.

Special Retail Bonus for August 2020

Every purchase you make from that's over $25 from any business listed in the Retail category of our business directory is worth double points. You will get FOUR entries into the prize drawings for retail purchases made online or at the store. (Purchases under $25 are worth single entries.)

More Ways to Enter

There are additional ways to enter. Please see the Downtown Campbell Survival Project Page for full details about our monthly contests and learn more about how you can enter by sharing our social media or doing other things.

August 2020 Drive Thru Produce Distribution in Monterey

Posted on August 7th, 2020 by omba

Need food assistance? Reservations are now available for the August 2020 Drive Thru Produce Distribution for Families and Seniors offered by the City of Monterey Recreation and the Monterey County Food Bank. This is now a contact-free drive-thru program and reservations are required.

In August, there's extra room in the schedule to accommodate more families. Pick-up times are on Mondays - August 10, 17, 24 and 31, 10am-1pm - by appointment only at Dennis the Menace Parking Lot, 777 Pearl Street in Monterey.

All produce is pre-packaged and the same for everyone. Please read the official flyer which contains all the details.Questions? Please call 831.646.3866 or e-mail Monterey Recreation.

August 2020 Drive Thru Produce Distribution in Monterey

Posted on August 7th, 2020 by lighthouseave

Need food assistance? Reservations are now available for the August 2020 Drive Thru Produce Distribution for Families and Seniors offered by the City of Monterey Recreation and the Monterey County Food Bank. This is now a contact-free drive-thru program and reservations are required.

In August, there's extra room in the schedule to accommodate more families. Pick-up times are on Mondays - August 10, 17, 24 and 31, 10am-1pm - by appointment only at Dennis the Menace Parking Lot, 777 Pearl Street in Monterey.

All produce is pre-packaged and the same for everyone. Please read the official flyer which contains all the details. Questions? Please call 831.646.3866 or e-mail Monterey Recreation.

Your friendly neighborhood bar, Pearl Hour, has now reopened as a coffee shop for those age 21 and over! Yes, we're doing this, people: same ownership, same staff, same Pearl Hour, new menu. Come enjoy a sober but pleasant time with us while we wait out the pandemic together at 214 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

Pearl Hour is now open Wednesday - Sunday, 7am-3pm. Enter down the side alley through the blue gate, walk to the back of the building, and sit in our courtyard and enjoy espresso drinks, single origin pour over coffee, house made herbal elixirs, tea, soda, and pastries. Cash only.

And we're still offering mobile bottle and cocktail kit delivery service, Thursday - Sunday. Visit our website for details.

Take the 2020 U.S. Census Today!

Posted on August 5th, 2020 by omba

Every 10 years, people across the country fill out the Census in order to have an accurate count of all people in the United States. Californians can complete the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail (paper forms are being mailed to households that have not yet responded to the census). A Census ID is not required in order to respond. Be counted and help secure critical resources for your community today!

Census data determines funding allocations for schools, child care programs, road maintenance projects, and social assistance programs. Census data informs where new hospitals are built, improves health programs, and increases jobs and business opportunities. The Census also determines California’s federal funding for important community services that help support our families and gives us a fair share of representation in California and Washington, D.C.

Information collected during the 2020 Census can’t be shared or used against you in any way. Your information is only used to generate statistics. Do it today! It only takes a few moments.

Take the 2020 U.S. Census - It's Important!

Posted on August 5th, 2020 by lighthouseave

Every 10 years, people across the country fill out the Census in order to have an accurate count of all people in the United States. Californians can complete the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail (paper forms are being mailed to households that have not yet responded to the census). A Census ID is not required in order to respond. Be counted and help secure critical resources for your community today!

Census data determines funding allocations for schools, child care programs, road maintenance projects, and social assistance programs. Census data informs where new hospitals are built, improves health programs, and increases jobs and business opportunities. The Census also determines California’s federal funding for important community services that help support our families and gives us a fair share of representation in California and Washington, D.C.

Information collected during the 2020 Census can’t be shared or used against you in any way. Your information is only used to generate statistics. Do it today! It only takes a few moments.

Meet the owners of Pamir Rugs and Kilims, Ali Rahmati and Hamid Rezai. With over 25 years of experience in the business, these friendly, knowledgeable men can help you pick the best quality rug for your home. They also offer rug cleaning, repairing, and appraising.

In addition to new and antique Oriental rugs of all sizes from around the world, Ali and Hamid carry their own line of rugs made by craftsmen in Kabul, Afghanistan from 100% natural vegetable dye and handspun wool - each rug is unique. They also make their own pillows in-house from pieces of antique rugs - a beautiful touch of decor for any room.

Ali and Hamid welcome you to Pamir Rugs and Kilims, which is now open for in-store shopping at 237 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. They ask that, following Monterey City guidelines, you wear a face mask when you visit. (Be a hero!)

Looking for a fun way to challenge the whole family this weekend? Try EXIT: The Sinister Mansion, one of the many board games now available for purchase at Escape Room 831.

In this game, you've been invited to a palatial mansion for a party but wind up sucked into a macabre game. Can you solve your way out in a race against the clock before it's too late?

Play time for this game is 1-2 hours and the difficulty level is 3 out of 5. Price is $14.95, and games are available for curbside pick-up and local delivery. Buy yours today. Escape Room 831 is located at 599 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

You know we love to decorate our windows at Cat's Meow and we haven't stopped because of the pandemic. In fact, even our mannequins are now social distancing and wearing masks. Battle on, kind people of Monterey!

You can stop by anytime and check out the Cat's Meow windows and store at 601 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. Staying close to home? Shop our online store here.

Pre-Order Your Lilify Sourdough Loaf

Posted on August 4th, 2020 by Lilify

The new Lilify Loaf, made fresh every Friday by Ad Astra Bread Co. in Seaside, has been a hit at Lilify! This delicious sourdough bread contains seasonal herbs harvested from our garden including rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme, and is only available one day a week at our store.

To ensure that we have a loaf waiting for you, feel free to pre-purchase your Lilify Loaf online by Thursday at midnight and we will hold your loaf on Friday for pickup from 11am until closing at our shop, 281 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

Another local favorite is on the rise, but really, really quietly... Sazon Express now serves their classic burrito (with any meat option) smothered in chile verde sauce! Be forewarned: it's not on the menu, but you can ask for it when you order. Delicious.

Sazon Express, now open for take-out, no-contact curbside pick-up, delivery, and outdoor dining, is located at 431 Tyler Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

It’s heating up, why not cool off with Puma Road's Summer Chardonnay Blowout! It comes in a glass bottle. There's a complimentary cork with every purchase. You can serve it cold or hot (if you're feeling crazy). And the prices are so low you'll say: "Gosh darn it, those prices are low!" Stop by the wine tasting room at 281 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey and stock up today.

Puma Road's 2015 Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay is now priced at $20 per bottle (reg. $35), and $200 per case. Puma Road's 2016 Pedregal de Paicines Chardonnay is now priced at $14 per bottle (reg. $25) and $140 per case.

Union Yoga is offering a 5-day mini immersion class series in breathwork and meditation online. Classes are 20 minutes long, 8:15am-8:35am, Monday, August 17 through Friday, August 21. We'll gather on Zoom for a short lesson then a shared breathwork and meditation session followed by an optional Q&A.

Led by Union Yoga owner Kelli Gray, this is a beginner's course and open to all to learn or simply to sit in and be guided through a mini-session. By the end of the week, you'll have the skills and information to practice on your own. Fee is $30 for the week. For more information and to register, please e-mail Kelli at Union Yoga.

Union Yoga is located at 244 Pearl Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

A City of Monterey sister city since 1984, Tainan, Taiwan, reached out to the City of Monterey with concern over the significant spread of the coronavirus in the United States and graciously donated 2,900 medical masks and 300 medical goggles. The supplies arrived at Monterey City Hall on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. They will be added to inventory in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), shared with City first responders including police and fire and other staff, and may also be shared with other community first responders as needed.

“We are so grateful for the kindness and generosity of our sister city, Tainan,” said Mayor Clyde Roberson. “This worldwide pandemic shows that we are all in this together, and it is heartwarming to see how people are helping each other, even across the seas. These are the times that truly bring the meaning of sister cities to light. Just as the sign on the boxes reads - Together, Stronger.”

Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che said, ”Friendship with people is to treat each other sincerely, and the fundamental way of urban diplomacy is the same. The rapid spread of the epidemic in the United States in the past few months shows the need, and we should stand up at this moment and take the initiative to share the surplus materials with international family and friends.” Thank you, Mayor Huang!

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