around town BEST PLACE TO GET MARRIED Lovers Point Ocean View Boulevard and 17th Street, Pacific Grove (831) 648-3100, cityofpacificgrove.org Lovers Point Park is a long-time favorite local wedding venue, and it’s hard to imagine a more spectacular spot for your big day. Stand on the edge of the Pacific, looking out over the Monterey Bay, and embark on a new chapter. The ceremony space (maximum 100 people) can be reserved for very reasonable per-hour rates (especially if you happen to be a Pacific Grove resident), and your guests will enjoy fresh sea air and the sound of the crashing waves while you celebrate. Love is in the air—and right in the name. BEST PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY MY Museum 425 Washington St., Monterey (831) 649-6444, mymuseum.org It is said that “a party hardly ever goes the way it is planned or intended.” And the thought has some weight to it, since it was Steinbeck who pointed it out. However—and it’s a big however— the potential for chaos is muted by the right venue. MY Museum is the perfect place to host a birthday party for a youngster. For one thing, you don’t need additional decorations. And it’s versatile, in that MY Museum can host small or larger gatherings. And both kids and adults love the place. So party on, because it will go as intended. BEST PLACE TO EAVESDROP vesuvio 6th and Junipero, Carmel (831) 625-1766, chefpepe.com/restaurants/vesuvio Oh, the stories you may hear. Part of what made Steinbeck such a great writer was his ability to hear—and not just stories. He could pick up on inflections and character. That Aperol spritz says something about the couple at the next table. But here’s the problem. This is seriously good pizza and pasta, so you don’t want to be distracted by the stumbling conversation of first dates or those recounting celebrity sighting. But it is good listen. And you’ll probably want to retell the story in some way. BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE Pacific Grove Golf Links 77 Asilomar Blvd., Pacific Grove (831) 648-5775, playpacificgrove.com As John Steinbeck noted, “Pacific Grove benefits by one of those happy accidents of nature that gladden the heart, excite the imagination, and instruct the young.” We’re guessing that his observation referred to Pacific Grove Golf Links, which takes full advantage of the crashing waves and rugged dunes to create a golf experience rivaled only by the storied courses of Pebble Beach—on a Tom Joad budget. In fact, the course is often referred to as the poor person’s Pebble Beach, something Steinbeck would appreciate. And the bar to complete the 19th hole experience is pretty swell, too. BEST SURF SPOT Asilomar State Beach Along Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove (831) 646-6440, parks.ca.gov John Steinbeck was a skilled sailor attuned to the machinations of tides and swells, just like modern-day surfers. When the surf is small, Asilomar is great for learning to paddle through the whitewater and to attempt standing up. When the surf gets bigger, finding a channel to paddle through is a challenge unto itself for experienced surfers aiming to get outside to catch peaks for open-faced rides. On the biggest of big days when the beach break is closing out, the outer reef might wake up where 30- to 50-foot waves have been ridden. Even if you don’t surf, watching surfers walk on water is peak people watching. 22 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2023 mcweekly.com/bestof Book now at EscapeRoom831.com Lighthouse 599 Lighthouse Avenue, Monterey 831.241.6616 Wave Street 765 Wave Street, Suite A2, Monterey 831.324.0513 AND FROM THE MAKERS OF ESCAPE ROOM 831 ARCADE LOUNGE ESCAPE ROOMS SKEE BALL EVENTS 685 Cannery Row, 3rd Floor, Monterey 831.241.6616 OSCARSPLAYGROUND.COM NOW OPEN! THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST NEW BUSINESS We appreciate all your support! ’23 Book now at EscapeRoom831.com Lighthouse 599 Lighthouse Avenue, Monterey 831.241.6616 Wave Street 765 Wave Street, Suite A2, Monterey 831.324.0513 Looking for Fun for the Whole Family? Thank you for voting us as the Best Place for a Birthday 2 Years Straight! AND FROM THE MAKERS OF ESCAPE ROOM 831 Book now at EscapeRoom831.com Lighthouse 599 Lighthouse Avenue, Monterey 831.241.6616 Wave Street 765 Wave Street, Suite A2, Monterey 831.324.0513 Looking for Fun for the Whole Family? Thank you for voting us as the Best Place for a Birthday 2 Years Straight!
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