So much fun dancing the way the Greeks do And so much good…read morefood, especially the baklava. Lots of interesting music. Lots of fun people. Plenty of booths selling so many unique items. A great way to spend the day

This was the 28th Annual Monterey Bay Greek Festival. It runs for the 3 day Labor day weekend here…read morein Monterey at the Custom House Plaza. We came on Monday at about noon. They were just getting started so there weren't alot of people there. They specialize in all foods and drinks that are Greek. They also had jewelry, pottery, wooden bowls, clothes and hat booths. Another plus is they are dog friendly. They have live Greek music and dancing. Lots or tables to sit at and tons of paid parking by the wharf.

My bf and I spent our last night of the year at First Night Monterey, and it was the perfect way to…read morering in 2026. This annual event is a celebration of music and the arts, a full day of musical ensembles performing at several different venues in downtown Monterey. There was a bit of rain earlier in the afternoon, so several performances were cancelled, such as the twilight procession, fire show, and drum circle. However, by 6pm the rain had subsided, and the festival atmosphere turned out to be an amazing experience. There was so much live entertainment to choose from, with bands playing a wonderful variety of musical genres. We enjoyed indie folk-rock by Grumbling Ginger, sounds of jazz by the Stu Reynold Saxtet on the guitar, bass, sax, and oboe, a lively set filled with rock tunes by Bad Machine, great country songs by SouthBound 101, awesome celtic music by Black Irish (my fave of the evening), an exciting performance of party hits by Everyday People, and our finale band of choice, Wrockinfoose, playing mostly rock and original pieces as they entertained the crowd till just after midnight. FNM also featured karaoke, light-up merchandise (we purchased twinkling "happy new year" crown headbands), a small food court with vendors selling tacos, hot dogs, wood-fired pizza, and beignets, along with some venues selling snacks like peanut butter cookies and pastries. We were also able to take advantage of the free shuttle bus from Del Monte mall where our hotel was located. Overall, we had a good time and appreciated how well-organized this event was, allowing attendees to have a positive and memorable experience.

This was our first time to attend this event, so I have nothing to compare it to. It did rain most…read moreof the evening, which I'm sure impacted the event due to some cancellations of the parade and participating vendors. Pros.: great variety of music, plenty of parking, festive environment, family friendly, indoor venues if you purchased the button and medium size crowd of all ages.. cons: ran by volunteers who were not able to answer basic questions, felt a little disorganized, not very many food options and not very many of the downtown vendors participating. Overall, we had a great time and would attend again next year if we're in the area.

Third Thursday at MMA La Mirada: Open until 8:00 pm the third Thursday of the month…read more So here I am, fresh from a four hour drive across our beautiful state, fresh from checking into my hotel, ready to spend a little time looking at some beautiful local arts n culture. Now, pay careful attention to your GPS, folks, because I totally missed the drive the first time. I arrived, but was afraid I had arrived at someone very fancy's personal estate. It was dark, oh so dark. But there must have been 30 cars, so I parked with all the others and walked toward the building. I guess first I walked around the building. There were two places I could see light coming from, and I picked the one on the left. Folks, go for the one on the right. I walked around back and into the rose garden. I was still a little afraid the master of the house would set his royal guard dogs on me for prowling. Back to my car. I'm hustling. I'm thinking, "there was a sister museum that was also advertised to be open late, maybe I should go there!" (apparently that was wrong anyway, cause it;s First Friday at MMA Pacific Street not Third Thursday, but in retrospect I was pretty confused all around). But first I try the other place where light beckoned. It is an adorable, old fashioned door. And all of a sudden, I'm on the other side and inside this beautiful land of art, curated by beautiful people and enchanting enclosed within a historic estate (see, eg., chandeliers, dainty little bathrooms, gift shop in what feels like a dining room). Almost everyone was already in a lecture about art restoration, so I slowly wandered through the collection without having to navigate a crowd. It was super enjoyable. The kids area/library was a place I'd like to spend more time, and the gift shop was well priced. I'd definitely like to go back and see the outdoor area. It was, as hinted at above, almost pitch black at night.

Words cannot describe how lovely La Mirada is! I was married there May 18, 2013, and it was…read moreeverything I had dreamed of and more. The setting of the estate is intimate, comfortable, warm, and the roses add amazing color. For our May wedding, the roses were in their first bloom. They were gorgeous and the scent during the ceremony was heavenly. The guests enjoyed having cocktail hour in the rose garden; they were snapping photos of the blooms and it made for a beautiful back drop. Reading some of the other reviews; it makes me sad to think people picked this place apart! My husband, family, and I had a wonderful experience from start to finish. Our events coordinator was Mel Cota. She is FANTASTIC! This gal does not skip a beat! Not only is she kind, detailed oriented, compassionate, and communicative; she was able to turn my vision and my wants into a perfect wedding day. The day of flowed effortlessly and was seamless, all thanks to Mel. Having recently received my wedding photos from Michele Beckwith Photography; I am so thankful we went with La Mirada. The grounds of the venue came out amazing in the photos. Classy and elegant! Being able to take photo's upstairs in Elizabeth Taylor's room with my groom was such a treat! This place truly is a five! Thank you La Mirada! - Alixandra

We try to visit the Elks Lodge wherever we go. This one did not disappoint. Jackson was our…read morebartender fantastic. The food was great had appetizers which Danis(probably spelled that wrong) prepared. Great people and fun time. Thank you!! From Atwater

Very nice Elks Lodge. We were given a personal tour by an Elk. Spacious renovated space…read more Bar area is very nice. Heated pool, sauna, bocce ball and full gym with modern machines.

Michele and her team are amazing! We had a personalized, unique experience for our group of four…read more They think of every detail to make your vacation a true experience, one you and your guests will always remember. From the welcome cards to the personalized wine tours with complete VIP treatment with the winery owners and wine makers, combined with a helicopter tour and fantastic recommendations for the rest of your stay. We had a fabulous weekend and will definitely be calling Wine Flights VIP again. Thank you so much for a great trip and memorable journey.

Michele and Shane at Wine Flights VIP are AMAZING! My wife and I have been to Carmel many times, so…read moreduring our most recent visit we wanted to find a truly unique experience. The Wine Flights team surpassed all expectations. On short notice, they crafted an unforgettable memory! We had a secluded, intimate, on-vineyard tasting and catered meal with panoramic views of the Carmel Valley hosted by the vineyard owner. The food and wine were impeccable, and so were our hosts. We received the highest level of service and loved getting to know the team. They showed us a part of Carmel that we'd never experienced and made us feel like family. We highly recommend this tour for food, wine and travel connoisseurs. The quality of experience rivals and surpasses those we've experienced in Napa and Sonoma. On a scale of 1-10, we give this tour a 15.

Plenty of vendors and things to see that may capture the imagination and attention of the attendees…read morethe food was a little lack luster for a carnival type of celebration. The music and vibe was rock music with splash of Tex Mexican band.the crowd was mellow and vendors seemed friendly and welcoming many wanted to answer questions and see if there was something they could help with from a venue of a good selling technique. There were 3 to 6 blocks in a rectangular walkway plaza that seem to be a backyard of a business industry park for the industrial business crowd.

We love the West End celebration with all the diverse artists and craftsmen. You can find all sorts…read moreof handmade items here. Great for early Christmas shopping. There were 3 bands playing some awesome music at 3 different locations. All at the same time so when your wondering around you'll walk into some funky music. I didn't see a lot of people in costumes this year which was a disappointment. But you can surely pick up items for that here. Lots of food and drink options too. Beer, wine and artisan root beer. Hand dipped ice cream, shaved ice. Things can be pretty pricey here but you can find some bargains. Found some nice t shirts for 5 bucks. Not alot of shade here, I'd bring an umbrella and a mister, it can get hot. And it's dog friendly, big plus! The only bad thing is parking. You either have to park on the street nearby if lucky enough to find a spot or far from the festival and hike in. They do offer a trolley shuttle from the Save Mart parking lot. This year I found a paid parking lot at 114 Ortiz Ave which is only a few feet from the festival. 10.00 a day and 5.00 for Seniors. I think it should be free for Seniors.

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.

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.