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Lighthouse District in the News, 12/30/25

Posted on December 30th, 2025 by lighthouseave

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

Found Treasure: Paprika Cafe
by Mark C. Anderson
Edible Monterey Bay, 12/20/25

Recycled Records in Monterey celebrates what is believed to be 50 years in business
by Sloan Campi
Monterey County NOW, 12/18/25

On Target: Birria Bomb [Mission 19 Taqueria]
by Jacqueline Weizel
Monterey County NOW, 12/18/25

After a tumultuous year for the scuba diving community, enthusiasts and leaders regroup
by Sloan Campi
Monterey County NOW, 11/27/25

A spritz at Oystertown proves that beauty can be more than skin deep
by Dave Faries
Monterey County NOW, 11/20/25

Holiday Hangover! Up to 70% off at Ador Fashion!

Posted on December 26th, 2025 by ADOR

New Year, new look! Not only for you but our boutique!

Help us liquidate our overstock so we can bring you more of what you want! Just flash this post and get a free gift!

Offer good through January 18, 2026.

The Old Monterey Business Association announces the 2025 Downtown Business Awards!

Old Monterey's MVP
Diego Quevedo of Teeth Whitening Monterey

Most Unique Business
Slowfiber

Best Renovation
Peter B's

Good Neighbor Award
Esteban Restaurant

New Kids on the Block Award
Monterey Touring Vehicles

Downtown Street Beat Award
Golden State Theatre

Best Historic Project Award
Cooper-Molera Adobe Museum

Downtown Anchor Award
Trader Joe's

The Old Monterey Business Association (OMBA) is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing and promoting the economic vitality and community spirit of Old Monterey. We strive to enhance and promote the economic vitality and community spirit of Old Monterey as well as maintaining the Downtown as a unique retail, entertainment, and commercial center for both residents and visitors of Old Monterey.

Awards photos by Erin Burd, See Monterey

Rosebuds' Holiday Sale is here! Enjoy 30% off all holiday items, December 16-23, 2025 (excludes vintage items). There's still a lot of cute stuff left! Visit us at 535 Foam Street in Monterey.

About Rosebuds Kids Co.

Rosebuds Kids Co. is a children's resale shop chock full of clothing, toys, and accessories. Operated by the owner, Greta, a mom and veteran, the boutique is built from equal parts love, practicality, and community. Don't worry if you have kids and a stroller in tow - our building has dedicated parking.

The New Monterey Business Association congratulates the winners of our 2025 Lighthouse District Holiday Display Contest. We had so many good entries this year that we awarded a winner and runner-up in each category!

**Best Holiday Display with Lighting**
InSight Eyewear
490 Lighthouse Ave

Honorable Mention
Carpets & Floors, Inc.
471 Lighthouse Ave

**Best Holiday Display, Minimally Lit**
On The Beach Surf Shop
693 Lighthouse Ave

Honorable Mention
The Leather Company
638 Lighthouse Ave

We encourage residents and visitors to come down to Lighthouse Avenue in New Monterey and view the many creative, amusing, and beautiful holiday displays in the windows of shops and restaurants. See some photos here.

Freedom Bakery is offering Yule Log Cake for the holidays! This traditional Christmas treat, shaped like a wooden log, is made with our melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chiffon cake rolled with a layer whipped cream, iced with chocolate truffle, and decorated with a bright red frosting poinsettia.

Dessert Board

Want to go a step further for a larger gathering? Order our Yule Log Dessert Board! On an exquisite 14x19 inch bamboo board, we surround our delicious Yule Log Cake with zesty lemon cream puffs, rich chocolate cream puffs, fudgy Belgian chocolate brownies, flavorful snickerdoodle blondies, chocolate-dipped shortbreads, red velvet cupcakes, pistachio macarons, and fresh berries.

Ordering

Please place your order for the Yule Log Cake or Yule Log Dessert Board on Freedom Bakery's website for pick up Tue-Sun, 10am-1pm, in our Monterey boutique at 305 Webster Street. Please note: we'll be closed Dec. 24, 2025 - Jan. 1, 2026. We'll reopen January 2.

Cypress Boutique now carries all-natural spa products made by Tabetha's Healthy Spa, a small, local business operated by a mother and daughter team.

Come and check out Tabetha's moisturizing oil, salve, deodorant, bar soap, lip glosses, eye shadows, and more. Everything is made in small batches using natural scents and they make great stocking stuffers. Cypress Boutique is located at 800 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite C in Monterey.

Play Full Ground microschool is launching new part-time programs on January 26, 2026! In addition to our full-time microschool offerings, there will be part-time options for high-school aged students to participate in specific classes, independent study time, or afterschool programs at the studio. This is great for homeschoolers and for students enrolled full-time in public or private school.

From 2D & 3D art and design to storytelling projects and AI × Creativity, Play Full Ground's programs are designed to spark creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning. There's something for every learner.

Schedule Highlights

Daily, 9am-12pm
Independent Study / Learning Studio
self-directed projects and exploration

Daily, 1pm-3pm
Afternoon Art & Creativity Classes

Monday: 2D Art & Design
Tuesday: 3D Art & Community Projects
Wednesday: Lens-Based / Digital Storytelling
Thursday: AI × Creativity
Friday: Community Share / Open Critique

Daily, 3pm-5pm
Afterschool Collaborative Art Studio
conduct student-led, socially engaged projects that connect creativity with community impact

About Play Full Ground

Play Full Ground, located at 550 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite E, is led by artist and educator Mai Ryuno, who brings more than 15 years of experience as a community-based artist and creative educator to this initiative.

Scoops Ice Cream Parlor, a fun new dessert spot for all ages, has opened at 595 Munras Avenue in Downtown Old Monterey. An independent, family-owned business, they know how to do sweet treats right!

Creative Ice Cream Treats

Exclusively using Marianne's ice cream, the shop serves up everything from simple scoops and shakes to mouthwatering flights of fancy involving ice cream and freshly-spun cotton candy (cotton candy burrito, cotton candy cloud), concha bread ice cream sandwiches, and more.

Hot Chocolate

Looking for something warm? Scoops also serves delicious hot chocolate with or without toasted marshmallow. Enjoy it seated at one of the tables in the spacious indoor parlor or take it to-go.

About Scoops

Owners Wil and Zillah have traveled the world to come up with wildly creative ideas to bring sweet joy to Monterey, and they've created a great indoor hangout for families, friends, and youth in our community. Stop by and say hello!

Scoops Ice Cream Parlor is located across the street from Trader Joe's at 595 Munras Avenue in Monterey.

Parker-Lusseau Pastries and Cafe, located at 539 Hartnell Street in Downtown Old Monterey, has fresh stollen on our shelves from now until Christmas. This holiday favorite is so popular you should probably place your order in advance just to make sure it's there when you want it, 831-641-9188.

About Stollen

Stollen is a traditional German fruit bread with candied orange rind, raisins, and sliced almonds macerated in rum...plus it features the amazing flavors of cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and a hint of tellicherry pepper.

Slice it, toast it, smother it with butter, eat it...Repeat! Bonus feature: it makes your house smell like Christmas.

It's cold outside, and Bobalicious and Bites has the answer: hot drinks made to order by our master drink maker, Klair, at 474 Tyler Street in Downtown Old Monterey.

We're now offering 8 different hot drinks (tea and more) to tempt your taste buds. Stop by the shop and try: Tiger Spiced Chai, Hot Matcha, Hot Taro, Hot Chocolate Charm, Dubai Hot Chocolate, Hot Lavender Milk, Bangkok Place Hot Thai Tea, or Horchata.

Each of these drinks can be made with or without dairy - just tell us when you place your order.

Johnny Wicks Candle Studio invites you to join us in our fifth annual holiday gift drive for foster children, the Foster's Fosters Christmas Experience. The mission of this project, organized by Johnny Wicks founder, Johnny Foster, is to bring joy, laughter, and a sense of belonging to those children who, for various reasons, don't have the opportunity to experience the magic of Christmas like most of us do.

Whether it's a warm coat, a special gift, or a memorable Christmas experience, every dollar you donate brings us one step closer to making their dreams come true. Every contribution counts, no matter how big or small. Together, we can ensure that these children have a wonderful, heartwarming, and unforgettable Christmas.

We welcome donations of gifts and gift cards dropped off by appointment at our candle studio on Franklin Street (call 831-224-0269) or you can make a financial donation online here.

Crepes of Brittany is celebrating its 15th anniversary! In December 2025 and January 2026, guests are invited to enjoy a free Lemon Sugar Dessert Crepe with the purchase of any crepe and they mention the "Flavors of France" anniversary special. It's a sweet treat to celebrate a special anniversary!

Crepes of Brittany, located at 211 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey, offers an extensive menu of sweet and savory French favorites prepared with imported dough that adds a distinctively delicious flavor to their breads and pastries.

About Crepes of Brittany

Owned by Thierry Crocquet and Daniel Peron, both natives of northern France, Crepes of Brittany was founded on a shared commitment to authenticity, craftsmanship, and hospitality. Traditional techniques and carefully sourced ingredients deliver a truly regional French experience.

Thierry and Daniel, united by their culinary philosophy and heritage, selected Monterey as the home for an authentic French creperie, which they originally opened in 2010 on Old Fisherman's Wharf with just a handful of tables. In 2016, with strong community support, they moved the restaurant to Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey, where the restaurant now sits, offering 45 seats inside and 40 seats al fresco.

The Old Monterey Business Association is excited to announce we have hired a new Executive Director, Sabrina Hiltunen! Sabrina has now settled into the OMBA's office at 98 Del Monte Avenue in Downtown Old Monterey.

Sabrina brings to this position substantial skills in marketing and small business management and a passion for her hometown, Monterey. We warmly welcome her leadership, and look forward to all the possibilities of the new year.

About Sabrina Hiltunen

A Monterey native, Sabrina Hiltunen holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in communication and anthropology. To date, her career has included marketing, small business management, public speaking, and education.

Prior to joining the OMBA, Sabrina was a Direct Support Professional and Career Coordinator at College Living Experience, a supported living program for young adults with cognitive and intellectual disabilities. She has also been a feature writer for Monterey Bay Parent Magazine specializing in articles pertaining to disability rights, supportive services, and advocacy.

Sabrina is a mother of an elementary-aged son, an avid reader, and enjoys Zumba at the Monterey Sports Center. She is committed to enhancing the economic vitality, community spirit, and rich history of her hometown, the city of Monterey.

About the OMBA

The Old Monterey Business Association (OMBA) is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing and promoting the economic vitality and community spirit of Old Monterey.

A certified member of the National Main Street program since 1992, the OMBA produces an online dining guide, event listing, and business directory, as well as organizes and supports multiple events throughout the year.

The association is committed to maintaining the Downtown as a unique retail, entertainment, and commercial center for both residents and visitors of Old Monterey.

How to Protect Your Hardwood Flooring from Christmas Trees

Posted on December 4th, 2025 by slaughterbeck

Christmas trees can damage your hardwood floor with unsightly scratches, sap stains and water spots!

Follow these handy tips to make sure you don’t have to hire Slaughterbeck Floors to sand and refinish your floor for the New Year!

Santa Clause worried Christmas Trees damaging hardwood flooring.

Prep Hardwood Floor for Christmas Tree

What to Put Under the Christmas Tree to Protect Your Floor:

Put an old folded sheet or blanket in the space the tree will go to protect the floor. It’s also a good idea to vacuum the space beforehand. Then, place plastic (such as a cheap plastic tablecloth) over the old sheet or blanket to protect it from water damage. A large waterproof mat would also work great here. Finally place the tree stand on top of the plastic barrier. Ensure the tree stand is large enough to hold the size of the tree you have or you risk the tree tipping over.

All of this is best to do before you even leave the house to buy or cut the tree down!

Tips to Bring a Christmas Tree into a Home with Hardwood Floors

  1. Shake it: Before bringing the tree into your home shake it, gently, to help get rid of some of the loose needles that could be stepped on, causing scratching.
  2. Slide it: Place the tree on an upside-down bathmat to drag along the floor as opposed to carrying it through your home to its final resting place to further minimize needles dropping onto the floor. A sheet of plastic can be placed on top of the bathmat to capture some of the pine needles that may still fall.
  3. Place it: Once the tree is where it will be displayed, place it into the tree stand.

After getting the tree set up, water it daily to ensure it stays hydrated. Dehydrated trees will shed needles more frequently. Of course, immediately blot up any spilled water to ensure it doesn’t soak into your floors. Fallen needles will still occur, naturally. Use a vacuum cleaner without a brush beater to clean them up regularly. A broom is not recommended as the needles can scratch the floor.

Once the holidays pass, wrap the tree in the plastic skirt and reverse the process used to bring it in, dragging it back out on the flipped over bathmat.

Christmas Tree in Home with Hardwood Flooring

Even when the best precautions are taken, accidents can still happen! If you need to fix any hardwood...Read More

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