Posts from — January 2010

Whether you’re a music-lover looking to catch some up and coming bands before they hit SXSW, a foodie jonesin’ for a couple of palate-pleasing events, or an art fan between paychecks looking for a free event, this weekend’s got something for you.

Friday

Some say the perfect Valentine’s Day gift is chocolate; others say it’s a handmade present. Attend the Lula’s Truffle Class at Scheid Vineyards Wine Lounge on Cannery Row, and you’ll learn to make a gift that fills both recommendations. You’ll also get to sample truffles that are perfectly paired with Scheid wines, and you’ll take home a box of truffles and truffle recipes. Sounds like date night to us! (Not that we’re hinting.) 751 Cannery Row, 6:30pm, $40/members, $50/non-members, RSVP at 831-455-9990.

‘Tis the season for winemaker dinners in Monterey County. Much lauded Carmel-by-the-Sea restaurant Aubergine holds the Kosta Browne wine dinner hosted by winemaker Dan Kosta. The dinner pairs Kosta Browne’s intense wines with a four-course menu by Executive Chef Christophe Grosjean. Monte Verde and 7th, reception at 6:30, dinner at 7pm. $190/person, plus tax and gratuity. Call 831-624-8578 to reserve.

Shake your booty to outrageous Latin-electro-funk act Trip Delight Fantastic at Bullwacker’s at 653 Cannery Row. Remember, no matter how wild your outfit is, they’ll outdo you. 8:30pm, no cover.

Jose’s in Monterey continues its track record of edgy bookings with the SXSW-bound Weekend (think My Bloody Valentine on speed), LA’s shoegazey Speculator (think My Bloody Valentine teaming up with the Charlatans UK circa 1993), Young Prisms (think My Bloody Valentine gone super-low-fi) and Santa Cruz locals Green Flash (who are not at all like My Bloody Valentine). 638 Wave Street, 21+, 9pm, $5.

Saturday

It’s community day at the Pacific Street location of the Monterey Museum of Art. Translation: free admission for locals and visitors! True art fans can get insight into artist Pam Carroll’s painting process as she discusses her work with Chief Curator Marcelle Polednik. Museum open 11am-5pm; discussion with Pam Carroll and Marcelle Polednik at 3pm. Free.

The Annual Valley of the World Wine & Food Festival, held at the National Steinbeck Center Museum in Salinas, may be one of Monterey County’s best-kept secrets. Try food and wines from more than 70 wineries, chefs and restaurants, participate in the $10,000 grand prize reverse draw, and bid for vacation and golf packages, jewelry and more in the epic silent auction. And your money goes to fund the Rotary Club of Salinas’ charitable ventures, so you can feel virtuous while you indulge. 6-9pm, $75 per person or $140/couple. Buy tickets at the Steinbeck Center Museum Store or online.

Monterey Bay’s favorite local reggae band Jonah and the Whalewatchers bring the party to Bullwacker’s at 653 Cannery Row. 8:30pm, no cover.

It’s another pre-SXSW showcase tonight at Jose’s on Wave Street. Local rockers The Mystery Lights (imagine a low-fi Eric Burdon and the Animals with a punk edge) and Oakland garage rockers Bare Wires (imagine Shonen Knife, but male and singing in English) are touring California and Nevada together in March, and then moving on to SXSW. They’re playing Jose’s tonight with Seattle big beat rockers Branden Daniel and the Chics and locals No Lights. 638 Wave Street, 9pm, $5.

The Darktown Rounders return to Fernwood Tavern in Big Sur with their funny, saucy, fun roots music. Highway One, 9pm, no cover.

Sunday

Fungophiles, rejoice! Wild mushroom expert Phil Carpenter and Marina mayor Bruce Delgado take wannabe mushroom-hunters on an expedition across the Fort Ord Public Lands, finding edible wild mushrooms wherever they lie (hopefully not beneath the tire of a mountain biker). 9am-12:30pm, free, meet at the Fort Ord Thrift Shop parking lot on Lightfighter Drive.

The American Institute of Wine and Food hosts its annual Champagne and Caviar event at The Lodge at Pebble Beach. Three champagnes and three California sparkling wines go head-to-head in a taste-off, accompanied by caviar, pâté, and a number of other tasty treats. 3pm-5:30pm, $65 for members, $140 for guests (includes AIWF membership fee). Call 831-626-9369 to reserve.

The Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa hosts the Rancho Cielo Culinary Roundup, a culinary gala for a good cause. The event benefits Rancho Cielo, a campus for at-risk youths. The Sardine Factory’s Bert Cutino chairs the event, which features guest chef Jeff Henderson from the famed Bellagio in Las Vegas. In addition to the great food, there’s a raffle, a small live auction, and live music from Eight Second Rodeo. 5-8pm, $125/person, call 831-444-3533 to reserve.

The Spirit of Uganda (above video) is a Ugandan children’s performing arts group. They’re touring the United States, both promoting awareness of the challenges that Uganda, with both the AIDS crisis and a civil war, faces, while simultaneously showing off the vibrant musical and dance culture of the country. They perform tonight at the Sunset Center in Carmel-by-the-Sea. 7pm, tickets are $37, $44 and $51 and can be purchased online.

According to the weather reports, the sun will show its face just in time for this January weekend! Get out and enjoy the good weather with these events.

Friday

Taste unique Italian wines from winemaker Luciano Landi, who also acts as guest sommelier at Cantinetta Luca in Carmel-by-the-Sea tonight. Call 831-625-6500 to reserve.

Yuji Tojo backs his ethereally romantic voice with flamenco-influenced guitar. Al James is known throughout the area for his funky, soulful singing. Can’t imagine what the two would sound like together? Head over to Bullwacker’s on Cannery Row, as the two blend their styles for a whole that’s way more than the sum of its parts. 8:30pm, no cover.

Local speed metal band Blood Print hold their big CD release party tonight at Jose’s on Wave Street in Monterey. Sacramento’s Sexciety, VX36 and San Jose’s 3Lunas join them for a show so loud it’ll probably wake up the penguins at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. 21+, 9pm, $5 cover.

Saturday

Icelandic violnist Judith Ingolfsson (shown above performing Beethoven Sonata No. 10 in G Major) made her solo orchestral debut when she was only eight. She performs with the Monterey Symphony this weekend in Salinas and Carmel. The program includes Barber’s Violin Concerto, Rossini’s La Scala di Seta Overture, and Beethoven’s First Symphony. Today, watch the final rehearsal at Sherwood Hall in Salinas at 2pm for only $15, or see the first performance at 7pm – tickets are $20 and $39.

Head to the Big Sur River Inn for a night of deeply emotional acoustic folk from singer-songwriter Rose Merrill. 7-10pm, no cover.

85-year-old classical pianist Menahem Pressler performs at Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Sunset Center tonight with the American String Quartet (shown in video above, playing Beethoven String Quartet op. 130). The program includes Beethoven’s Quartet in G Major, Op 18, No. 2; Prokofiev’s Quartet No. 2 in F Major, Op. 92, and Dvorák’s Quintet in A Major for piano and strings, Op. 81. 8pm; tickets are $30, $47, $57 and $61.

Shake your booty in Big Sur with Santa Cruz Afro-funksters Danjuma and Onola at Fernwood Tavern. 9pm, no cover.

Santa Barbara’s Fighting Chance sound like Sublime might have if they’d been fronted by Greg Graffin of Bad Religion. San Francisco’s Monsters Are Not Myths sound like a low-fi blend of Wilco and the Old 97′s. Together they fight crime rock Jose’s on Wave Street in Monterey tonight. Salinas indie act Bon Vivant opens. 9pm, $5.

Sunday

Judith Ingolfsson and the Monterey Symphony bring their great program of Barber’s Violin Concerto, Rossini’s La Scala di Seta Overture, and Beethoven’s First Symphony to the Sunset Center in Carmel for a 3pm performance. Tickets are $48, $55, $65 and $69; buy them at the Monterey Symphony website.

This weekend, with Martin Luther King Day on Monday, is the second three-day weekend of the year for many people. Here’s our top picks for the weekend, plus a Day of Service option for Monday.

Friday

Monterey Swingfest kicks off at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa today. There’s two free workshops: Beginning West Coast Swing from 10am to noon, and Beginning Hustle from noon to 2pm. Serious swing dancers can attend intensive West Coast Swing workshops, participate in the Jack & Jill and Strictly Swing contests, and cut a rug until dawn at the Open Dancing event. Friday-only attendance is $75; it’s $139 for the full weekend. Spectator non-dancers can attend for $50 for the weekend or $25 for Friday only.

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Lee Durley and pianist Joe Indence play beautiful jazz that is easy to listen to without falling into the dreaded “easy listening” category. They play the Pacifica Cafe at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Seaside tonight. 6:30-9:30pm, free.

Break out the leather jacket and prepare to bang your head at Jose’s on Wave Street in Monterey tonight with local metal acts Razorhoof, Gorphyryac, Granted Earth and Psally Blue. All ages show from 7-10pm; 21+ from 10pm-close. $10.

Saturday

Monterey Swingfest continues at the Hyatt Regency Monterey. Attend a free Beginning West Coast Swing class from 10am to noon, or the free Beginning Hustle class from noon to 2pm. Intensive workshops begin at 9am and run until 4pm. Dance contests begin at noon and run until 11pm. Open dancing begins at noon and runs until dawn. Saturday-only attendance is $80; it’s $139 for the full weekend. Spectator non-dancers can attend for $50 for the weekend or $25 for Saturday only.

Get a sneak preview of exceptional wines at Chateau Julien Wine Estate’s Barrel Tasting and Futures Open House. 11am-4pm, free for members, $10 for the rest of us.

The Borromeo String Quartet is one of the most notable string quartets in the United States. Richard Stoltzman is a two-time Grammy Award winning clarinet player. The quintet appeared in a private performance in Boston last month that was described as “exceptional” by the Boston Musical Intelligencer. They perform together at Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Sunset Center in what is currently the only announced Stoltzman/Borromeo performance of 2010. The program includes Hindemith’s Clarinet Quintet, Op. 30, Schumann’s String Quartet #1, Op. 41 in A minor and Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A, K. 581. 8pm; tickets are $39 to $62 and can be purchased online or by calling 831-625-2212. Here’s a clip of the Borromeo String Quartet performing in 2009:

If Ladytron and The Postal Service teamed up, they’d probably sound like Santa Cruz band Harlequin Baby. They team up with “feminist electro” act Xyphl tonight at Jose’s on Wave Street. 9pm, $5.

James Henry of the Hands on Fire Band brings his passionate Afro-beat-rooted funk to Fernwood in Big Sur tonight. 9pm, no cover.

Sunday

The Fort Ord Foray is a 10K and 5K race across the paved and dirt trails of Fort Ord Public Lands to benefit Monterey County Police Activities League, which provides endangered youth with leadership training and life skills. $40/individual, $125/team. On-site registration starts at 7:30am at 8th Avenue and Gigling Road in Seaside; race begins at 9am.

Monterey Swingfest continues at the Hyatt Regency Monterey. Intensive workshops run from 9am to 2pm, dance contests run from noon to 5:30pm, and open dancing starts at noon and runs late. Sunday-only attendance is $70. Spectator non-dancers can attend for $50 for the weekend or $25 for Sunday only.

If you’re planning a wedding in Monterey County or considering planning one, head over to the Monterey Conference Center for the A Day to Remember Bridal Show. 11am-4pm, $10.

The city of Marina hosts a Martin Luther King Parade and Celebration. The parade begins at noon at Crescent and Reservation Road and ends at the Marina Certified Farmers’ Market at Vista Del Camino and Reservation Road. Traditional Filipino, Korean & Native American dancing begins at 1pm. Free.

Monday

Americans across the nation will volunteer their time on Monday for Martin Luther King Day. In honor of Reverend King, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District hosts a Living Fabric Restoration at Marina Dunes Preserve, adding native plant cover to insulate the dunes from erosion. Register on their website; just click on the Community Alive! tab. 10am-1pm, free.

Suffering from post-New Year’s letdown? Get out and have some fun with this weekend’s top events.

Friday

Fuse Lounge at the Carmel Mission Inn on Rio Road hosts an evening of live music and belly dancing for charity. There’s also a silent auction, appetizers and a no host bar. 7-11pm, $25, cash or checks only.

Saturday

Compete for a good cause at the Soledad Renovation 5K Walk/10K Run. The 10K run and 5K walk start at 8:30am at the Rotary Park at 570 Walker Drive; the Just Run Kids Fun Run is at 11am. All proceeds benefit the Soledad-Mission Recreation District’s efforts to renovate the Soledad Pool. Arrive at 7:30am to check in. $25/adults, $15/children.

The No-GMO Film Festival at the Cannery Row IMAX Monterey features four recent films about food production: The Future of Food (11am-12:30pm), Food Inc (12:45pm-2:15pm), The Power of Community (2:30pm-3:30pm) and The World According to Monsanto (4pm-6pm). The event wraps up with a panel discussion that includes author Eric Schlosser and Assemblyman Bill Monning. Tickets are $6/film; the panel discussion is free.

The Monterey Library hosts its annual sale today. It’s a great way to build a little library of your own. 10am-4pm.

If Nine Inch Nails and Robbie Williams ever decided to join forces for an album, it might sound like San Francisco’s Forrest Day. They play Fernwood in Big Sur tonight alongside the very strange Battlehooch, who sound a little like a more modern Residents, a little like Firewater, and a lot like something truly bizarre. 8pm, $10 cover.

Los Angeles roots indie act Mississippi Man, as their name implies, have a blues/country edge to their music. The Silent Comedy are a little vaudeville, a little Deep Purple, and a little Arcade-Fire-fronted-by-Rob-Thomas. They’re joined by San Francisco up-and-comers Worker Bee tonight at Jose’s on Wave Street in Monterey. 9pm, $5.

Sunday

The Monterey Library sale continues. Today, each shopping bag of books is only $5! 1pm-4pm.

The West Coast Roots Reggae Tour lands tonight at Fernwood in Big Sur. Virgin Islands reggae act Army headlines. Woven Roots, who describe themselves as “rich Island Roots Reggae and Dub styles with a Humboldt County twist,” open. DJ Supa Mario, last seen locally wowing the crowds at Monterey Bay Reggae Fest, hosts and keeps the music going between acts. 9:30pm, $8 cover.