Thursday, Feb. 13 TWO TO TANGO Have you ever done a twirl, or locked eyes with your dance partner, with a taxidermied brown bear watching? Here’s your chance. The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History—full of informative exhibits, moonlighting as an excellent dance party venue— hosts two musicians from the Monterey Symphony to perform live tango music. Bring your dance partner and your dancing shoes, or just sit and listen in (but seriously, that sounds like less fun. We just want you to know that dance skills are not a requirement). Bonus points: This is a first partnership between the symphony and the museum, so showing up is a chance to be part of cultural history. [SR] 5pm Thursday, Feb. 13. Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. $10; $5/seniors, students. Ages 18+. 648-5716, pgmuseum.org. Friday, Feb. 14 GET DOWN You’ve been given a mission, and that is to boogie. To party hardy. To dance the night away—well, most of it, anyway. The disco ball drops at 10pm. But you’ll probably be worn out by then, because the band Scarlet pumps out the highest-energy dance songs, ranging from electronic to classic to modern pop—anything that gets people on the floor. “Mission: Boogie” kicks off a monthly series at the hidden gem of a hotel-bar-restaurant. The first one celebrates Valentine’s Day, the rest follow on the second Saturday of the month. Admission includes one cocktail to get the party started. [DF] 7-10pm Friday, Feb. 14. Carmel Mission Inn, 3665 Rio Road, Carmel. $15. 624-1841, carmelmissioninn.com. SYNCHING IN Canadian-American husband-and-wife duo Dan Frechette and Laurel Thomsen, based in the Santa Cruz Mountains, met by chance via YouTube in 2012, which proved to be the beginning of enduring friendship, fueled by their musical chemistry, that ultimately led to their marriage and musical partnership. With a roots-folk style, punctuated by extraordinary songwriting, violin and guitar playing, with even some harmonica, humor and storytelling thrown in. 24 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 13-19, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com JACKIE TORRES There is a new art exhibit at the Monterey Regional Airport, this time photography by young local artists. The Weston Collective scholarship is an annual photo competition that starts with a submission of a 10-image portfolio (print or digital photography). The winners (students from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties) get cash, and their work is exhibited. The above piece, photographed by Jackie Torres from Cabrillo College, won the Center for Photographic Art Social Commentary Category in 2024. The program fosters the traditions set-forth by Edward Weston and Ansel Adams and their philosophies. The exhibit, featuring the winning works in a range of categories, runs until mid-April and is viewable to the general public, not just ticketed passengers. [AP] 13-19 FEBRUARY HOT PICKS To see more local events, and add your own, visit calendar.montereycountynow.com JACKIE TORRES COURTESY OF NANCY DODDS VISUALS RUTH CARROLL The above work by Ruth Carroll is fittingly titled Poppies and Lupine at Figueroa Mountain. It is now viewable at Nancy Dodds Gallery (at 7th Street and San Carlos Avenue, Carmel). In the gallery, owned by painter Nancy Dodds, one can find works by a variety of Northern California artists, from plein-air paintings to sculptures to etchings. Carroll’s work captures local scenery, and the feelings that scenery evokes. “I have focused on landscape painting these past 10 years,” she wrote in an artist statement. “I approach landscape painting in much the same way as I would a portrait or even a still life. It is not about just painting what I see, but also what I feel about what I see.” Carroll is one of Dodds’ top artists, among more than 30 painters whose work is in the gallery. [AP] Celebrate the sexy spirit of Valentine’s Day unconventionally. California First Theatre in Monterey opens its door to the public for an evening of burlesque, jazz and poetry to delight the audience visually, audibly and verbally. JEM SAN PEDRO Finding Nemo is an iconic Disney/Pixar story about friendship, loss, fear and hope. Visit PacRep in Carmel to see a musical adaptation for the stage. STEPHEN MOORER
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