This Week on the Central Coast…
Take-out that supports nonprofits, wine and beer at Third Thursday, support for farmworker housing, and a return of the Fungus Fair.
Monterey
Order from Montrio, Help a Non-profit
Throughout January and February, when you order take-out from Montrio Bistro, ten-percent of your order will be donated to the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center. The center aims to provide help and healing to victims of sexual crimes. They also offer a 24-hour helpline and free online workshops.
But it’s not just Montrio. All three of Coastal Roots Hospitality Group’s restaurants, Montrio Bistro, Rio Grill, and Tarpy’s Roadhouse, will be participating in the effort.
Please note that the donation does not apply to delivery; it is only applied to take-out orders.
Carmel Votes to Allow Alcohol at Third Thursdays
Third Thursday has always been a unique event celebrated in Carmel every third Thursday of the month from April to October. Now, a new proposed ordinance will allow alcohol sales at the monthly event.
Support for the new rule mostly came from Carmel’s booming food and wine community, believing it will enhance the overall experience for visitors and participating businesses.
Those against it argue that including alcohol will tarnish the family-friendly atmosphere of Third Thursday.
In the end, however, the new rule passed 3-2. The council concluded that since alcohol is not the focus of the event, it would not make a significant difference. The start of Third Thursday is on April 20.
CSUMB Partners with Pebble Beach Co. to Create a New Hospitality Partnership
CSUMB and The Pebble Beach Company agreed to partner on a new program that will allow students to learn from industry experts at one of the world’s top resorts. The program provides financial support in the form of $5,000 per year for up to four years for each of the students. This money can be used to pay for tuition, books, and other costs. It also ensures that students get continued housing even during academic breaks so that they can maintain a relationship with Pebble Beach and the area in general.
The program builds on the existing relationship between The Pebble Beach Company and CSU Monterey Bay’s Sustainable Hospitality Management Program where they have helped more than 60 students complete internships since 2019.
The first group of students will start in the fall of this year.
Salinas
Salinas Supports Farmworker Housing Project
The Gabilan Housing Project proposes a 45-unit initiative, sponsored by Bengard Ranch (a local and private ranch). The project would accommodate up to 360 people, significantly helping the thirty-percent of Monterey County farmworkers who have trouble finding any form of housing.
The project will be located along the outskirts of Salinas, at the corner of Alisal Road and Sconberg Parkway, which will allow for “easy access to essential services for residents without transportation.” It was approved by the Monterey County Planning Commission last December and is expected to take a year to complete. Farmworkers can expect a move-in date of March 2025.
Santa Cruz
Fungus Fair Returns for its 50th Production
For decades, Santa Cruz has been celebrating the diversity of mushrooms and fungi found on the Central Coast. After a couple years away, the Fungus Fair made its 50th return this past weekend. In addition to two rooms of mushrooms on display and a kids room, the fair also featured “a variety of lectures and workshops on such subjects as mushroom cooking techniques, recent discoveries in the mushroom world, how to cultivate mushrooms, identifying dangerous or toxic fungi, and the world of “magic” mushrooms, or psilocybin”.
The fair was organized by The Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.