Come join us for 25 feet of brightly lit, Christmas cheer! It’s the 15th annual Cannery Row Holiday Tree Lighting, on November 27th.

The romantic oceanfront Spindrift Inn has a stunning new look! Located on McAbee’s white sand beach, just steps from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and myriad of Cannery Row attractions, restaurants and activities, the newly-renovated Spindrift Inn has been made over with new designs, furnishings and fabrics that create a soothing, romantic ambiance. Relax in beautifully designed rooms where you can feel refreshing ocean breezes. Enjoy nightly wine and cheese service in the stunning new lobby. One of the five Inns of Monterey (www.innsofmonterey.com), Spindrift Inn is the perfect destination for a romantic honeymoon or family vacation.

Heard the news about a new hotel in Monterey, California? Hotel Abrego is Monterey Peninsula’s fresh and exciting boutique hotel that reflects California’s coastal atmosphere. A short walk from Monterey beaches, shopping, nightlife and attractions, including Cannery Row and Monterey Aquarium, the newly refurbished hotel features craftsman-style “green” guestrooms, a casual lounge, stylish meeting space and an outdoor pool with calming Monterey breezes. One of the five Inns of Monterey (www.innsofmonterey.com), Hotel Abrego is the perfect destination for a romantic honeymoon, family vacation or business trip.

Barry Caine recently reviewed the Spindrift Inn and was more inspired than he could have possibly anticipated. The Inn’s romantic atmosphere persuaded him to ask his girlfriend to marry him… and she said yes.

On Saturday, November 14 join in on a Thanksgiving celebration. Toss pumpkins, jump on the hayride and search for veggies in the treasure hunt. For directions and more info, please visit www.thefarm-salinasvalley.com

Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor comes to Monterey’s Golden State Theatre for one evening – Sunday, October 25. This beloved monologist is the host and writer of A Prairie Home Companion and The Writer’s Almanac heard on public radio stations nationwide. He is also the author of more than a dozen books, including Lake Wobegon Days, The Book of Guys, Love Me and Homegrown Democrat.

Calm down - In this case, it’s okay. That’s because the painter is renowned Los Angeles-based artist Mark Licari and the walls are at the Monterey Museum of Art’s beautiful La Mirada location. In the inaugural work of a new program called In Process, Licari is painting directly on the Museum’s huge Dart gallery walls, creating a site-specific mural. For the next two weeks, Mark will use La Mirada as his vibrant laboratory where he will create an exhibition consisting of paintings, drawings, sculptures and his ephemeral mural that will weave together a fantastic, elaborate narrative. Keep up-to-date on Mark’s exciting installation on www.montereyart.org
Friday, October 9, 6-8pm is the preview. Licari will lecture and sign exhibit catalogues on Saturday, October 10 at 11:30am. Tickets are on sale at www.monteryart.org.

Recently The New York Times’ Christine Muhlke reported on the Monterey Abalone Company in the paper’s Sunday magazine, celebrating the long-awaited return of this delicious delicacy to our tables. Overfished in the 1990s, commercial abalone fishing was banned in 1997. Muhlke writes about owners Trevor Fay and Art Seavey and their successful abalone farm under Monterey’s Municipal Wharf No. 2. According to the story, they “sell more than six tons a year to walk-in customers, nearby restaurants and great chefs across the country.”

Make your reservations now for the 52nd annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 18-30. This three day jazzathon celebrates the best in jazz, with legendary artists Chick Corea, Dave Brubeck, Stanley Clarke, Wynton Marsalis, Susan Tedeschi, Pete Seeger and hundreds more. More than 500 artists appear on nine stages spread throughout the Festival’s 20 acres of magnificent grounds.

The Labor Day holiday – always the first Monday in September – turns 115 years old in 2009. Created as a day off for working citizens to celebrate the ‘strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor unions’, today it’s considered a day for relaxation, picnics and parades. And it’s also sometimes considered the symbolic end of Summer. But not in Monterey.

The Labor Day weekend means warm, sunny days and balmy evenings – perfect for a swim in the ocean, tide pool exploring (eyes only; no fingers!!), biking along the coast or kayaking with the seals and otters. Don’t forget your sunscreen.

So take a load off in beautiful Monterey – home of Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck, one of the country’s most prominent writers about labor and the human condition. Take a spin through the National Steinbeck Center in nearby Salinas – please visit www.steinbeck.org for more information.