Posts from — April 2010

This weekend, triathletes will flood the Salinas Valley’s Lake San Antonio Recreation Area for the Wildflower Triathlon, known by many as the Woodstock of triathlons.

Meanwhile, Big Sur becomes a music lover’s epicenter as Yo La Tengo play a sold-out show at the Henry Miller Library on Friday night and the Mother Hips headline the Hipnic II music festival all weekend long at Fernwood Resort.

Friday

Today’s lineup at Hipnic II includes Sparrow’s Gate, Nick Bluhm, Little Wings, Skinny Singers, Dawes and Mother Hips. The show starts at 4pm and goes until the wee hours at Fernwood Resort on Highway One in Big Sur. Call Fernwood Resort at 831-667-2422 for tickets.

Jose’s Lounge presents an interesting lineup tonight, with fourth-wave world-ska band Fishbear and moody indie locals 1 < 12. 9pm, 638 Wave St. Monterey, $5.

Saturday

Get a glimpse into your future at the 28th Spring Rota Psychic Fair and Festival, where you’ll have over 35 psychics, healers and readers to choose from. 10am-6pm, Monterey Room at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. $10 admission, $20 per reading.

Today’s lineup at Hipnic II includes Red Cortez, Parson Redheads, Elisa Randazzo, Neal Casal, Farmer Dave, Dawes, Jackie Green and Mother Hips. Acoustic acts start at 11am, and the music continues until 1:30am at Fernwood Resort on Highway One in Big Sur. Call Fernwood Resort at 831-667-2422 for tickets.

Saturday should have perfect weather for the River Road Wine Trail’s 16th annual SpringFest, which is invariably a great party. Try barrel samples and new releases and enjoy food and live entertainment. 11am-4pm, down River Road through the Salinas Valley.

Everyone knows that Monterey County’s beaches are one of the best spots anywhere for kite flying. And the coolest kites around are stunt kites, which can do turns, twists and other maneuvers. Skilled stunt kite flyers even compete solo and in teams, in competitions likened to figure skating. Learn basic stunt kite skills Saturday on one of Monterey’s beaches during the workshop “Catching Air: Stunt Kites,” offered by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. (They frequently have cool activities, but this may be one of the coolest they’ve ever put on.) 2pm-4pm, $10 ($11 for non-residents). Register online under Family Discoveries, and call 831-659-6065 for directions to the beach.

Jose’s Underground Lounge has an intriguing slate of indie Latin bands tonight, including San Jose electro-rockers Kavarzee, the laid-back indie Los Tiliches, fierce punk act EverResistant, and Salinas rockers Electric Narcotic. 9pm, 638 Wave St., $5.

Sunday

The 28th Spring Rota Psychic Fair and Festival continues, with over 35 psychics, healers and readers. 10am-6pm, Monterey Room at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. $10 admission, $20 per reading.

Spring has sprung, and so has the weekly Sunday Afternoon Music party at the Big Sur River Inn. This Sunday, local jazz act Paige Too performs. 1pm-5pm, Highway One in Big Sur, no cover.

Explore the work and the home of poet Robinson Jeffers at the Tor House Spring Garden Party. There will be poetry, live music, plein air painters, tea and snacks. It’s also the one day a year that photos are permitted at Tor House and Hawk Tower. 2-5pm, 26304 Ocean View Avenue Carmel, $15.

Three of the top 10 bike rides on our list of the Top 10 Bike Rides in Monterey County take place on Fort Ord Public Lands. It’s also got some of the best hiking in the area.

Despite the raves, however, a visit to Fort Ord Public Lands can feel almost like a solitary excursion, as if you and a select few others have the entire space to yourselves. Could it be that Fort Ord Public Lands is one of Monterey County’s best-kept secrets?

It could be that many visitors confuse it with the oceanside Fort Ord Dunes State Park. While Fort Ord Dunes State Park has its own magnificence, only one trail runs through it, and it’s but four miles long. Fort Ord Public Lands also has ocean views, but they require quite a climb.

Fort Ord also has some phenomenal, scrub-lined canyons and cliffs. This is a distant view; take a hike at Fort Ord to get a better view.

Want to see more photos of Fort Ord Public Space? Take a look at our Flickr set. Then go out and take some shots of your own!

Sunday was the 25th running of the Big Sur International Marathon. Our intrepid photographer headed out to take a few photos. (For many more photos, see our Big Sur International Marathon Flickr set.

Great scenery

Yes, that’s Pebble Beach in the far background.

Pace runners at the Big Sur International Marathon carry a stick with several balloons on it labeled with the time they are on pace for. This pace runner, shown here near Point Lobos, went the extra mile (no pun intended), exhorting all of the racers around her to push just a little harder.

Big Sur International Marathon’s great outfits

Many racers dress up for the Big Sur International Marathon in fun costumes. Here were some of our favorites.

Yes, that’s a Na’vi on the right-hand side of the photo.

Team Spirit

Many friends band together in unofficial teams for the Big Sur International Marathon.

Willis & Willis racing team.

Team FML took their name from a popular Internet meme whose full name can’t be spoken on a family blog.

Cheerleaders

Many people stand along the road to cheer the racers on.

Runners also come back after they’ve completed the race to exhort other runners on to the finish line.

After he completed his own marathon, this man walked along the course for at least two hours cheering on other runners. He always had one more person he was waiting to bring in.

The mile markers

The joy of victory

Did all those photos leave you with the urge to get out and run one of your own? You don’t have to wait until next year! The Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay takes place on November 14, 2010, starting in Monterey and going along the coastline through Pacific Grove. Register today on the Big Sur Half Marathon website, and on November 14 you could get a medallion of your own!

Hold onto your hats and don’t try to drive Highway One south of Carmel on Sunday…the Big Sur International Marathon is in town this weekend! Expect to see even more athletically toned individuals along the sidewalks of Monterey County this weekend. If you’re a race participant and looking for somewhere to carbo-load (or if you just like carbohydrates), see our article on Monterey County’s Best Places to Carbo Load. And if you can’t make it to the Marathon, you can still download one of these gorgeous Big Sur International Marathon wallpapers and get a virtual taste of the experience.

Friday

Amazingly, Kronos Quartet’s performance at the Sunset Center still hasn’t sold out. The legendary quartet performs “Black Angels” by George Crumb. 8pm, San Carlos at Ninth Avenue, Carmel. Tickets are $42, $48 and $57 and can be purchased on the Sunset Center website.

Seattle rockers The Taphandles play solid, acoustic-leaning rock. They’re joined at Jose’s by Dead-influenced Santa Cruz rockers Birdhouse, Celtic metallers Bog Iron, as well as locals Finkle is Einhorn and Serpico. 8pm, 638 Wave St. Monterey, $5.

Saturday

The City of Seaside hosts the art show Tour, Taste and Talent, featuring the works of 16 artists (as well as music and refreshments) at five locations throughout the city, including the Oldemeyer Center at 986 Hilby Street. There will also be an art drawing at the Oldemeyer Center. 10am-5pm, free. Print the PDF flyer and map here.

The Salinas Asian Festival celebrates the Chinese, Filipino and Japanese communities in Salinas. Events include historic tours of the neighborhood, food, tai chi demonstrations, Filipino folk dancing, taiko drumming, a bonsai display, traditional Japanese flower arranging, and more. 11am-4pm, free. Chinatown is in the area bordered by N. Main Street, E. Rossi St., Sherwood Dr. and E. Market St.

It’s a very metal evening at Jose’s tonight with locals Counter Clockwise, Sacramento’s Sexciety and Sour Diesel, and South Bay rockers Dimidium. 8pm, 638 Wave St. Monterey, $5.

The Monterey Symphony performs several choral works, including Schubert’s Gesang der Geister über den Wassern; one of Brahms’ earliest works, Serenade No. 2 in A major; and Faure’s Requiem, movement IV of which is famously known as “the only Pie Jesu.” See the final rehearsal at 2pm for $15 or the performance at 7pm for $20 or $39 at Sherwood Hall, 940 N. Main Street, Salinas. Tickets can be purchased online at the Monterey Symphony website.

Sunday

The Monterey Bay Aqarium hosts their annual Día del Niño event. The event includes bilingual feeding programs in English and Spanish, Mariachi performances featuring Gabriela Sepulveda of the TV show “Sábado Gigante,” arts and crafts, a prize wheel, performances by El Teatro Campesino, and more. 10am-6pm, 886 Cannery Row Monterey, all events included in the price of admission.

Children and adults can learn “The Ebb and Flow of Tidepooling” in an outing for families led by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District. The class takes place on the Pacific Grove coast; call 831-372-3196 x3 for more information. 1pm-3pm; $10/person or $33 for a group of 4 ($1 add-on per person for out-of-district residents). Register online under “Family Discoveries.”

Eva Lothar’s films “Street of the Sardine” and “Yesterday’s Shore Tomorrow’s Morning” show what Cannery Row and Moss Landing were like in the early 1970s. She shows them both today at Moss Landing’s Haute Enchilada Art Cafe. 2pm-4pm, Moss Landing Village.

The Monterey Symphony brings its program of Schubert’s Gesang der Geister über den Wassern, Brahms’ Serenade No. 2 in A major and Faure’s Requiem to the Sunset Center. 3pm, 8th and San Carlos in Carmel. Tickets are $48, $55, $65 and $69 and can be purchased online at the Monterey Symphony website.

People keep calling to ask — is it wildflower season in Monterey County yet?

Yup.

The Sea Otter Classic is one of the top events in the country for cycling fans of all types. For every perfectly-toned specimen of athleticism, there were plenty of regular folks out there who just love biking. There’s plenty of fun at the Sea Otter Classic for both the fiercely competitive cyclist and the family that just wants to hop on their bikes and have a great ride. These photos will give you a feel for what the Sea Otter Classic is all about.

Here’s some shots from the Professional Women’s Circuit Race.

Cyclists zoom down the first curve of the Corkscrew at incredibly high speeds.

Coming out of the bottom of the Corkscrew.

They’re fast!

All the fun wasn’t on the track though — not by a long shot. Many riders spent their day exploring the wild trails of the Fort Ord Public Lands.

A cyclist (the small black speck in the center of the trail) comes down an enormous hill.

Just one of the many views.

A group of cyclists explore together.

Mountain bikers tackle the trails at Fort Ord Public Lands…

…and those trails just keep on going.

There were, of course, more races for cyclists to take part in.

A cyclist watches the women’s road race.

The final lap of the Women’s Short Track mountain biking event.

Warming up for the men’s short track.

Warming up for the men’s short track.

The Sea Otter Classic was also loaded with activities for all.

A stunt in the Dual Stunt Arena.

Kids bike in the Dual Stunt Arena.

Children watch the cyclists in the Dual Stunt Arena.

There’s plenty more photos where those came from! See our Sea Otter Classic Flickr set for the rest.

Cyclists have come from all over the world this weekend to bike at the Sea Otter Classic, which takes place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Fort Ord, and at roads around town. If you’re driving in the area, don’t be surprised if you see a pack of bicyclists on the road – and if you like biking, head over and check it out!

Friday

See gorgeous horses in action and professional riders compete at the FASH Springfest Horse Show at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. 2004 Fairgrounds Road, Monterey. Performances are at 2pm.

The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History hosts The 49th Annual Wildflower Show, the largest wildflower show in the Northern and Western Hemisphere. Over 600 species and varieties of Central Coast wildflowers will be on display. (If you’re susceptible to hay fever, take your antihistamines before you go.) Visitors can also view the new Native Plant Garden. For a $20 fee, you can take the John Muir Laws Wildflower Illustration Class at 2pm. 10am-5pm, 165 Forest Ave, Pacific Grove. $3.

Soak up great art at the Pacific Grove Art Walk. 6-9pm, free, throughout downtown Pacific Grove. Pick up maps at the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce at 584 Central Avenue.

Jose’s Lounge Underground hosts an all-ages punk show featuring locals Set Aside, The Young and the Dead, The Kings Kids and Hate for State. Mom and Dad can enjoy margaritas in the restaurant upstairs as the kids rock out downstairs. 7pm, 638 Wave Street Monterey, $5.

Budding marine biologists must visit the Moss Landing Marine Labs 2010 Open House. Kids and adults can get hands-on lessons in how marine scientists study the ocean. There are ocean creature touch tanks, fish printing, native dune tours, a scavenger hunt, educational seminars, and the ever-present more. 9am-5pm, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA.

Learn about the artwork of Roland Petersen with a tour of the Monterey Museum of Art exhibit “Roland Petersen: Fifty Years of Painting” led by curator Marcelle Polednik. 3pm, 720 Via Mirada Monterey, included in admission fee.

The San Francisco-based Cypress String Quartet are known throughout the country for their powerful performances. Tonight, they perform at the Sunset Center in Carmel-by-the Sea. The program includes Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in A minor, Kevin Puts’ Lento assai for string quartet and Beethoven’s String Quartet in F major. 8pm, San Carlos Street at 9th Avenue Carmel, tickets are $29, $34, $39 and $52 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Bay Area rockers Sweet Psychosis have been compared to Jane’s Addiction, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and early Rolling Stones. They play Jose’s tonight alongside San Francisco metal act Mudface and From the Fog. 9pm, 638 Wave Street Monterey, $5.

Sunday

The 49th Annual Wildflower Show at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History wraps up today. See 600 species and varieties of Central Coast wildflowers and visit the new Native Plant Garden. At noon, take a free Native Plant Garden tour and learn more about the plants of our area. For a $20 fee, you can take the John Muir Laws Wildflower Illustration Class at 2pm. 10am-5pm, 165 Forest Ave, Pacific Grove. $3.

The Moss Landing Marine Labs 2010 Open House continues with hands-on lessons in how marine scientists study the ocean. 9am-5pm, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA.

It’s a hard-rocking evening at Jose’s with Prize Country, Granted Earth and Razorhoof. 9pm, 638 Wave Street Monterey, $5.

Whether you’re running the Big Sur International Marathon on April 25 or just dreaming of running it in the future, you’ll want to check out this great video. Narrator Tom Rolander has run the Big Sur International Marathon for 24 years and knows all kinds of insider tricks, tips and advice. Plus, the scenery is gorgeous!

And if you’re looking for somewhere to stay during the Big Sur International Marathon, check out our special offers!

Monterey County’s heating up, with four – count ‘em, four – big weekend events in the county.

Foodies are flocking to Pebble Beach Food and Wine, which starts Thursday, to taste food from 60 celebrity chefs and wines from 250 wineries. There’s 22 dedicated wine tastings; demonstrations from celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Keller, Jacques Pépin, Ming Tsai, Charlie Trotter, Michael Chiarello, Laura Werlin, Michael Symon, and Tyler Florence; lunches and dinners; grand tastings and more.

Just down the road, the Pacific Grove Good Old Days Festival has a parade, family activities like pony rides and miniature golf, over 25 bands, theatrical performances, a crafts show, the famous Dunk Tank, a classic car show, historic walking tours, and the Firefighter’s Muster competition. New for this year is Sunday’s Lady Gaga Look-a-like contest. The events take place Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 5pm on Lighthouse and surrounding areas; download a PDF of the full Good Old Days schedule here.

And just a little further along the coast, you can catch up-and-coming jazz musicians at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Festival, which runs Friday through Sunday. See middle school, high school and college big bands, combos and jazz ensembles as they perform and compete. Some of the musicians will go on to play this year’s Monterey Jazz Festival, both in their own bands and as part of the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. Performances, clinics, workshops and jam sessions take place at the Monterey Conference Center, the Portola Hotel and Spa, Fisherman’s Wharf, Cannery Row and other venues. Download a PDF with the full performance schedule here.

If you’re a Mazda Miata fan, head inland for Miatas at Mazda Raceway, a weekend-long celebration of the fun little sports car. If you drive a Miata, you can sign up as a driver and take your car on the track. There’s also a Miata car show, a vendor alley, and more. It’s $250 for drivers who want to take their cars on the track and $35 for participants who want to ride as passengers on the track. Just want to be surrounded by hundreds of Miatas and check out the vendor area? That part is free.

Friday

Award-winning flute and guitar duo AlmaNova recently released “Classical Giuliani,” an album of their interpretations of Italian guitarist Giuliani’s work. Their previous album of original works, “Debut,” was loaded with influences from guitarist Almer Imamovic’s homeland, Bosnia. Of note to geeks is the fact that flautist Jessica Pierce covered the song “The Inner Light” from Star Trek: The Next Generation. (You remember, the one where an alien probe makes Picard hallucinate that he’s a man on a dying planet who likes to play the flute? That one.) They perform tonight at the Monterey Maritime and History Museum, Custom House Plaza. 7:30pm, $20.

The Santa Cruz Weekly described San Francisco indie band Monsters Are not Myths as a mix of “Modest Mouse, Queens of the Stone Age and Barenaked Ladies.” San Diego’s Jon Ji plays a Jack Johnson-esque blend of jazz, folk and blues. The two acts hit Monterey’s Jose’s Underground Lounge tonight on their way to the Southland. Seaside singer-songwriter Bernadette Conant and ethereal local folkie James Meder. 9pm, 638 Wave Street. $5.

Saturday