First City Festival definitely deserves to be an annual event…read more As everyone pointed out in their detailed reviews - the First City Festival was just as breezy and easy as beautiful Monterey. The crowd was laid back and well behaved (I didn't encounter one jerk throughout my whole time at the festival). The location was ideal. Not only are the Monterey Fair Grounds - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey_Pop_Festival musically inspiring and historical, but they were extremely engaging for everyone. If you weren't feeling the music at any point - you could take advantage of the plethora of carnival rides and games. And though there was no in and outs - being able to drive back to your hotel or airbnb - along the inspiring Californian coastline was unbelievable unique. The music was solid. Father John Misty, Purity Ring, Neko Case, and Washed Out brought it. Though I would have appreciated a little bit more diversity in the line-up - it was on point and all of the performers were extremely gracious on stage, and they put their all into the shows. Though I would have liked more fresher healthier options as far as food - there was a decent array of food choices and you didn't have to wait too long for any of them. I also really enjoyed browsing through the clothing vendors - though I regret not grabbing any of their cards - since there's no list of them anywhere on the First City Music Festival site. Though the line to get into the festival was rather long and it would have been nice to bring in some homemade food - First City Music Festival was a mellow and hoop-worthy escape from the city. I'm hoping they put it on next year and I will be buying a ticket. Trust.

Wow, the organizers for this event did a great job!!! If this first year is any indication, this…read morefestival is going to be the go to festival for indie music lovers for many years to come. My only regret would be that I couldn't go on Saturday as well. Music: Capital Cities probably gave the most crowd pleasing and energetic performance; Generationals were great and my newest discovery; Modest Mouse were the main headliner and did a good job at ending the show with a bang and "Ocean Breathes Salty" had us all on our feet; and Purity Ring had the most visually interesting set with their improvised instruments. Cost: Aside from transportation and food costs, the price of the festival was otherwise dirt cheap. We paid just $36 for each ticket through livingsocial in addition to adding an online code. Parking was $20 with a fancy shuttle bus taking passengers back every 5 minutes ($10 with carpool discount). $15 for online unlimited ride wristbands ($25 day of show). Food: Not allowed to bring in any outside food or drinks but there were many bay area food trucks within the fair grounds. Pizza, Korean burrito truck, fast frozen dipped ice cream, were among the many options being sold. Tips: Search online for discounts, I was surprised at how many discounts were being offered online vs the actual first city website. There are charging stations everywhere so bring a portable charger for your phone. Bring in an empty bottle for water refills. Fun: I'm pretty sure we rode the ferris wheel behind one of the members of Capital Cities (it was at night and he was dressed incognito in an Oakland As hat with a media wristband) but we didn't want to bother him. LOL. A big plane flew over the fairgrounds every 10 minutes or so.

We went to Colton Hall to see the Redwoods in downtown Monterey and were surprised of the hidden…read moretreasures available to enjoy. We started with the old jail and then visited the museum upstairs. In the museum there is a lot of California history! This is the place where the state's constitution was signed. The docent was very knowledgeable and friendly pointing out fun facts along the way. For example, one of the redwood trees made a trip to the moon during the Apollo missions as a seed and will celebrate 50 years this Independence Day! What a great find!

Great history lesson from docent Lizz. Really appreciated learning about the creating and signing…read moreof California's constitution. Lovely grounds.

Review for Independent Marketplace - Take Two - May 3, 2012…read more (first Thursday every month) Cinco de Mayo theme... I only have less than an hour here and didn't buy any veggies besides a bunch if organic baby carrots so I didn't get a chance to leave them at the "veggie valet"... I kid you not. How sic! Tequila sampling by Surf & Sand from the lovely family that owns Bruno's Market in Carmel by the Sea... I got a good deal on a bottle of Jimador - Reposado that came in a gift box with a free keepsake glass (I've bough this same set before at Terrace Liquors on Seaside) just to get a free Jimador hat... I'm a sucker like that. Fun craft soda booth, Mundaka was there in full effect representing the 5th with churros served with a side of warm Mexican chocolate and some thin tortas using their popular acorn fed Jamon Iberico.. sold out within an hour. I had my old friend Dr. NiNi and her Mom meet me there since they were visiting from out of town, Oakland and Los Gatos respectively. Nicole and I attended York together over a decade ago so they are very familiar with 831 culture and they warmly surprised and happy to feel the buzz and the foodie forward revolution going down in Sand City. Oh the Vallarta Splash cocktails didn't hurt either!

Now that they're charging a $5 cover, I expect a bit more…read more The good: the hot food served outside (you can get this without paying a cover). Vendors vary from month to month, but on this visit my buddies had pork shoulder tacos ($4 each or $10 for three, I think) from Carmel Valley Ranch, which they said were incredible. My vegetarian tacos (2 for $4) made with Sweet Earth Natural Foods seitan were also very good, though they were rather messy, and the vendor had no forks. I also heard from friends that the Happy Girl Kitchen Thai food was good. The Penny Ice Creamery ice cream inside was also excellent (I had a variation on rocky road, and my friend had butterscotch.) Also, the proximity to the Post No Bills beer venue is nice. Crowds at the Marketplace seem to be less dense now that they charge to get in, which is a positive, IMHO. The not-so-good: the DJ inside, playing hip hop & dance music at a rather high volume. A few people were dancing, but I think most of us were barely tolerating it. I hope that live music returns to the Marketplace. Also, the funky penny they give you when you pay your cover charge is supposed to be good at vendor booths, but it's of very limited value. For example, you can buy two ice creams and get one free, or get $1 off some excellent but rather pricey artisanal cheese. Much of the space is devoted to kids/kids' activities, but it didn't seem to be getting used much by the time we got there (shortly after 6:00). Some additional seating space would be nice, too.

THe following is cut and pasted from the Carmel Heritage website: "The Carmel Heritage Society is a…read morenon-profit organization serving the community of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Our mission is to protect, preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the community in a way that encourages public recognition and participation so that people will have a greater knowledge and appreciation of the community of Carmel-by-the-Sea and its sphere of influence. First Murphy House is owned by the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea and maintained by the Carmel Heritage Society. Residents and visitors can enjoy historic exhibits, and our growing research library consists of video and audio tapes, books and periodicals about the history of Carmel. The First Murphy House is a unique place to meet friends and reminisce." The First Murphy House is located on Lincoln Avenue at Sixth Street (on the west side). Inside you will find interesting facts about the history of Carmel. The Society hosts annual tours of Carmel's historic homes and Inns. Definitely worth a visit!!!

I caught three of the six musical acts and was pretty impressed with this aspect of the festival…read more I'm no music expert, but I know what I like. Our Hearts Alive played some solid music that I'd describe as alternative/grunge, but I most enjoyed the last two songs they did, which were more punk, a la The Ramones. Casey Frazier's band played next--some excellent, solid Americana and rock. Finally, I caught most of the set by Soft White Sixties. I enjoyed most of what I heard--at their best I'd liken their music to 1960s electronica/psychedelic music, but with a harder edge. But when the set switched to more of a lighter, pop sound, I lost interest. I'm sorry I was unable to stay for Fire in the Hamptons and Tommy Tutone (of 867-5309/Jenny fame). As for the chocolate and other food--the complimentary bag of Lula's chocolates given to the first 500 people to enter (I never saw more than about 100 people there) was nice, but on a warm day, chocolate melts. As for the booths--there were about six (6)--Lula's, a Chocolate Factory stand with various chocolate/chocolate-covered concoctions, a jerky stand, a place selling cheese steaks and fries, and a small hot dog stand (with some awesome veggie dogs, among other options). And a stand selling adult beverages. So for a festival touting chocolate, there wasn't exactly a huge selection of cacao-oriented products. A pretty good, if small, celebration of music and sweet treats.

Best rodeo except for Cheyenne. You would have a blast. Two ring circus with alot of events…read more going on at the same time. Long wait time to get into and out of the north grandstands

This was quite literally my first rodeo so what do I know? Nothing! But we had fun! The parking…read moresituation was chaotic, but we were able to find a lot within walking distance for a $10 fee, rather than dealing with the event lot. There were plenty of vendors inside, but food options were a bit limited. We ended up choosing the Mexican food stand and my friend and I got tacos and a Chicken Quesadilla to share. The tacos were very disappointing - literally nothing on them but meat. There was a little station with free pico and salsa, but still not worth the $5/taco. The Chicken Quesadilla was much better though - easy to share too! My friend also got a Watermelon Agua Fresca and I got a Horchata, which were both massive. They were tasty enough but way too sweet to finish. The rodeo itself was a ton of fun, with two events happening at all times and lots of excitement. Would return!

What a great event this is. Always held in a very large venue over several days with plenty for…read moreeveryone. You will find caber tossing, dance competitions, Scottish bag pipers, massive marching bands, and plenty of food The facilities are always so clean and everything is so well planned out. You will find authentic clothing for sale with your families' particular plaid too.

Very sad and disappointing experience. We bough tickets online and paid for parking only to…read morediscover there was only one line to enter the event for both online ticket holders and those needing to purchase tickets at the Gate. There was only one team scanning for security. All this caused a very long line. Folks who walked to enter with online tickets had to turn around and walk back to the end of the line. Not good. I made this mistake once and paid for parking and tickets. I will not make this mistake again. Hope this review will help event planners improve next time for others.

This was an amazing bit of serendipity. We had already planned to be in Pacific Grove yesterday…read more Thursday night I received an email from Anton Schwartz, a local saxophonist, informing his mailing list that he would be at Jazz in the Woods today. Free music, free food. What could be bad? I had already checked the schedule at the Jazz and Blues Company in Carmel and found nothing sooner than October 4th, so this was a score. Canterbury Woods is a retirement community owned and operated by Episcopal Community Services. The unremarkable outside conceals lovely, manicured gardens. There were three stages. The Mission Gold Jazz Band, a trad jazz group, held forth on the main stage on the Grand Lawn. Anton Schwartz's quartet, consisting of keyboards, acoustic bass and drums, played in the Jade Garden. A singer, Hale Baskin and her trio, performed in the Bougainvillea Courtyard. Tables and chairs were set up on lawns and patios and lines of single chairs followed walls and walkways. We sat at a table on the lawn and listened to Anton Schwartz and his group. When they were on break we listened to the trad jazz band. It goes w/o saying that the music was great, although I must say I liked Anton's best. The only downside was a largely inattentive and talky audience, which seems all too common these days. Not only was there food, there was wine, beer, water and soft drinks, all free. The range of food was amazing: BBQed ribs, corn on the cob on a stick, fruit, cheese and crudite, fried calamari, nachos/chips and salsa, cookies and ice cream bars, popcorn and soft pretzels. It was a generous spread. Food was tucked away in all corners of the gardens. We saw what was available when people walked by w/ it. We had corn and ribs and calamari and chips and fruit. Alan could never get past the geriatric scrum around the cheese and crudite to get us any, but we were fine w/o it. The music went on from about 12:30 to after 3:00. The weather was sunny but cool. This is the 8th annual concert. I loved watching the lively and vital old folks enjoying the music and visiting w/ their friends. Members of the community turned out in force too. I understand there's a waiting list to get into Canterbury woods. If this is how they operate, I can see why!