Monthly Archives: August 2007

The Secret Is Out – Warm Weather Arrives In The Fall

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(Christian Science Monitor)

The fog rolled in during Memorial Day weekend. It was right on schedule. My wife and I looked gloomily at each other and sighed. We weren’t ready for summer yet; at least not our type of foggy summer. That fog can really put a chill in you.

Weather forecasters call a marine layer. Well, I call it a marine invasion. Fog by any other name is just as gray.

Ah, but then Labor Day arrives. The fog lifts, our spirits lift, and everything reappears in glorious profusion. Those magnificent Monterey pines stand out clearly etched against sand, sea, and sky.

The Secret Is Out – Warm Weather Arrives In The Fall

TripAdvisor Rates P.G.’s Top 13 Hotel/Motels

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TripAdvisor is an online availability & booking website that lets customers leave reviews. What they write is sometimes amazing.

Ranks #1 of 15
Butterfly Grove Inn
1073 Lighthouse Ave
The continental breakfast consisted of cold cereal, muffins cut in quarters, juice and coffee. The owner stood guard at the desk watching who took what.

Ranks #2 of 15
Deer Haven Suites
740 Crocker Ave
had asked Housekeeping to change the linens, and when the Housekeeper came to the room she threw thew the clean towels and linens on the FLOOR, near the entrance to the suite

Ranks #3 of 15
Pacific Grove Plaza
620 Lighthouse Ave
Even the underground garage has been brightened with original murals by the resident artist/handyman.

Ranks #4 of 15
Rosedale Inn Executive Suite
775 Asilomar Blvd
called the front desk for extra pillows and were given a sheet to fold up and use instead.

Ranks #5 of 15
The Borg’s Motel
635 Ocean View Boulevard
The bathroom…it’s small. The shower is tiny. The closet for some reason is huge.

Ranks #6 of 15
Lighthouse Lodge & Suites
1150 & 1249 Lighthouse Avenue
I did stay in a room overlooking the cemetery a bit smelly, though, not sure what that was, like a sewage smell

Ranks #7 of 15
Asilomar Conference Grounds
800 Asilomar Ave
It’s a ‘No Fun Zone.’ Allow for an audible cork pop on that extremely expensive bottle of Chataueneuf de Pape and then watch the fun police (aka Security) materialize from aforementioned fog and pour it on the ground!

Ranks #8 of 15
Lover’s Point Inn
625 Ocean View Boulevard
The bed however was one of the worst beds I have slept on in my life. It felt like a solid wood plank on VERY LOUD RUSTY springs. You could not breathe too hard or SQUUUEEEEAKKK!

Ranks #9 of 15
Sunset Inn
133 Asilomar Blvd.
when I pulled back the comforter, I was greeted by a fairly large spider scurrying away. I heard the constant sound of buzzing, like a lawn mower starting up. Later I found that this sound was caused whenever someone turned on the water.

Ranks #10 of 15
Howard Johnson Express Pacific Grove
660 Dennett Street
the inside hallway leading to our room smelled very bad, like curry. the managers apartment was right below our room. well, the manager and friends partied until after 2am

Ranks #11 of 15
The Wilkie’s Inn (Clarion Collection)
1038 Lighthouse Ave
a fairly grotty place, despite the impression of being recently renovated. I got the feeling that it was all done cheaply and without much attention to detail. The bed linen, while clean, looked like it had had an interesting history given the pattern of stains and rips.

Ranks #12 of 15
Sea Breeze Lodge
204 Grove Acre Avenue
The room did have a problem with ants. They were tiny, but I had dispatched and lined up a dozen while I was shaving. Court yard was a parking lot with a little green grass over on the side. I have stayed in better motels out in the middle of the dessert.

Ranks #13 of 15
Best Western Monarch Resort
1111 Lighthouse Avenue
dark and smells like grannie’s house after it has been shut up for two months. It cost me $162.00 plus tax not to stay there and was worth every penny. stained furnishings and a belligerent owner/manager. Wine tasted like juice and cheese was the cheapest they could find.

TripAdvisor Rates PG’s Top 13 Hotel/Motels

P.G. Mayor Takes The Side Of The Amorous Bugs

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Mib Alien

Pacific Grove Mayor Dan Cort supports the city of Monterey’s efforts to delay by 30 days spraying of pheromones to curb mating of the light brown apple moth, the city said today.

The planned aerial spraying is intended to prevent invasive light brown apple moths from breeding.

Maybe the Mayor is not all what he appears to be . .

Mib

P.G. Mayor Takes The Side Of The Amorous Bugs

Spinach Poisoning People Again, Gets Recalled

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popeye spinach

A Salinas Valley spinach grower issued a voluntary recall late Tuesday for bagged spinach after lab tests confirmed the presence of salmonella. The recall involves 8,118 cases of bagged spinach distributed by Metz Fresh LLC of King City and processed by a contract facility in Watsonville.

Sold under the Metz Fresh label, the spinach was sold to retail outlets and food service providers across the United States and Canada in 10-ounce and 16-ounce bags, as well as in 4-pound cartons and in 2.5-pound four-pack cartons, with tracking codes 12208114, 12208214 and 12208314.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, salmonella bacteria live in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals, including birds. Undercooked eggs, poultry or meat are the most common sources of salmonellosis in humans, although other foods, such as vegetables, may be contaminated.

WHAT? AGAIN? After all that money the Sam “the Sham” Farr took from taxpayers to ensure safe veggies?? Where did that money go anyway?

Farr Piggy

Spinach Poisoning People Again, Gets Recalled

Aquarium Puts Great White Shark On Display – What Timing!

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Great White Shark

The Monterey Bay Aquarium announced Tuesday that it placed a young white shark on public display, and a spokesman said it was “an unfortunate coincidence” the news came the same day a surfer was mauled by a white shark off Marina State Beach.

“We make our decision on when we move the animals, depending on how the animals are doing,” aquarium spokesman Ken Peterson said. “The timing is unfortunate.”

The young shark was brought to Monterey 24 days after it was caught accidentally in commercial fishing gear off Southern California.

Aquarium Puts Great White Shark On Display – What Timing!

Safeway Parking Lot Robber Convicted

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How he will fare with the gangs in prison for his prior experience?

 

A man who once walked away from the Nuestra Familia gang was convicted Tuesday of the 2005 armed robbery of a Pacific Grove shopper.

Pablo Castaneda, who has been the target of repeated slaying attempts since he dropped out of the gang in 1997, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on Oct. 12.

In addition to the robbery charge, the jury convicted Castaeda of being a felon in possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property and commercial burglary, the latter two charges in relation to his use of a cell phone and gift cards that were inside the victim’s purse.

After a separate hearing, the panel also found that Castaneda was previously convicted of possession of cocaine for sale and voluntary manslaughter, and that in each case less than five years elapsed between his release from prison and his next felony conviction.

Safeway Parking Lot Robber Convicted

Shark Attack Closes Beaches

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Beachgoers along the southern edge of Monterey Bay have been warned to stay out of the water after a 24-year-old surfer was attacked by a great white shark Tuesday morning off Marina.

Todd Endris, a home aquarium designer, was sitting on his board between waves when the 12-foot-long shark emerged from the water and bit him and his surfboard, dragging him beneath the surface. The incident was reported shortly after 10:30 a.m.

He was reported in fair condition Tuesday evening in Valley Medical Center in San Jose. Officials said he suffered from cuts to his torso and right thigh.

Shark Warning

Spearfisher at Lovers Point reported trading stares with a great white . .

lan Boomershine said he is having second thoughts about returning to Monterey Bay waters.

Boomershine, an experienced diver from San Jose who spearfishes in Monterey Bay several times a year, called The Herald on Monday to report that he had a brush with a shark — which may have been the same shark that attacked the surfer off Marina the next day.

Boomershine said he and his dive partner, Ryan Floyd, were spear fishing northwest of Lovers Point on Saturday when a great white shark sped by.

Shark Attack Closes Beaches

P.G.’s Idol Contestant Misses The Cut

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Katie Hazdovac, the 17-year-old Pacific Grove High School senior who won the Central Coast Idol competition earlier this month, did not make it to the second round of American Idol tryouts held Monday in Philadelphia.

Hazdovac was given a special audition with show producers, but was not chosen to go to the next round of tryouts. Hazdovac traveled with her mother Mary Hazdovac to Philadelphia. She was scheduled to return home today.

P.G.’s Idol Contestant Misses The Cut

TripAdvisor Rates PG’s Top 25 Restaurants

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TripAdvisor’s restaurant popularity ranks restaurants based on evaluations in guide books, articles and user opinions. The things people write are often amazing.

First Awakenings
Restaurant popularity: #1
entertaining bird population on the outside patio (unless you choose to use the squirt bottles)

Red House Cafe
Restaurant popularity: #2
Been here a few times… wait’s always long

Peppers Mexicali Cafe
Restaurant popularity: #3
that’s how they modify Mexican food for the gringos? And I never found the host particularly friendly.

Joe Rombi’s La MIA Cucina
Restaurant popularity: #4
We especially like the rice ball appetizers

Thai Bistro
Restaurant popularity: #5
The ambiance could be more authentic but we go there for the food.

Passionfish
Restaurant popularity: #6
Well, I guess the chef just loved it and so he figured we all must love it as well?

Tillie Gort’s
Restaurant popularity: #7
customers seem to be locals. There isn’t anything fancy about their food

Petra Restaurant
Restaurant popularity: #8
They bill themselves as serving mediterranean dishes, but I think of them as Greek.

Fifi’s Cafe & Bakery
Restaurant popularity: #9
Given the wealth of excellent restaurants in the area, I hope that the evening staff finds a way to make its patrons feel more welcome.

Taste Cafe & Bistro
Restaurant popularity: #10
parking can be tight, but there’s plenty of space across the street in the Safeway parking lot.

Fishwife at Asilomar Beach
Restaurant popularity: #11
served our entrees before we received our appetizer and our daughter received her entree 5-8 minutes after we did.

Fandango Restaurant
Restaurant popularity: #12
We immediately sensed a snootiness about them: They did not acknowledge our presence for quite awhile and then they finally gave us the worst seat in the house!

Savoirfare
Restaurant popularity: #13

Vitos
Restaurant popularity: #14
Wonderful staff – all related

Aliotti’s Victorian Corner
Restaurant popularity: #15
We were walking through charming downtown Pacific Grove, and entered one restaurant, where we were promptly ignored for 10 minutes–while other tables were greeted with cheers!

Zocalo
Restaurant popularity: #16
much more authentic than the silly, over-rated poseur place, Peppers

Central Avenue Bakery
Restaurant popularity: #17
vegan chocolate, pastries, cheese made from coconut milk.

Archie’s American Diner
Restaurant popularity: #18
my fish-n-chips were overcooked. But that didn’t bother me as much as the flies.

Toasties Cafe
Restaurant popularity: #19
after I “got rid of” the crab cakes I started to recover.. I told her that I wasn’t trying to accuse her of anything but I just didn’t want anybody else to get hurt- especially a child. She was extremely defensive and didn’t listen.

Grove Bistro
Restaurant popularity: #20
If you don’t like alcohol, you might still like the food.

Cellar Door Chop Shoppe
Restaurant popularity: #21
Hand embroidered flavors, really.

Melange
Restaurant popularity: #22
beet & goat cheese salad,

Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant popularity: #23
They serve huge burritos with the best tasting beans I’ve had in a long time

Favaloro’s Big Night Bistro
Restaurant popularity: #24
owner came running out of the kitchen shouting that the certificates were fake. I heard the owner say to his wife as I was leaving that “he might have made a mistake”… still, no apology, and I would never recommend the place to anyone.

Lattitudes at Lover’s Point
Restaurant popularity: #25
The food is just ordinary but carries extraordinary prices. You’d be better off going to KFC and carrying a bucket of chicken to the park across the street (Lover’s Point) to take in the view.

TripAdvisor Rates PG’s Top 25 Restaurants

Summer Reading Offers

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Murder On Lighthouse Av

Detective Lisa Spurlock has a problem. It’s 1972, and she’s working to solve the murder of a teacher of Russian in the small coastal community of Pacific Grove, California, while at the same time coping with the chauvinistic viewpoints of some of her male cohorts. In the course of her investigation, Lisa learns a few things about Russians and their language, about her fellow police officers, and about surviving as a woman in a traditionally masculine domain.

Summer Reading Offers