I recently got a quick tour of the new music school that opened up in downtown Monterey. Owner and…read moreInstructor Dennis Murphy, a friendly jack of all trades with an upbeat personality, has transformed this space (formerly People's Mortgage Banc next to Ocean Sushi Deli) into an amazing space including class rooms, a stage with state of the art acoustic panels that are not only great to look at but help with sound control, a recording studio and more. The space is welcoming, comfortable and provides a great atmosphere to grow to your potential in the realm of music. I myself haven't picked up an instrument (clarinet only because I had a crush on the guy playing the French Horn, silly me) since Jr. High School and unfortunately stopped playing the piano in grade school but I am thinking about taking vocal lessons for my own ears sake. Dennis Murphy School of Music offers the following for those ages 7 to Adult: *Private Lessons and Music Clinics *Vocal (glee, choir, gospel) *Band Programs ( rock, jazz, blues, classical) *Recording & Production *Private Instruction for All Instruments Come check it out and he will be hosting a Grand Opening Party very soon! For more information about DMSM you can contact Paula at 831-920-1310or email her at paula@dennismurphy.org

Recently performed at a fundraiser were he was doing the sound for the entertainers…read more He was extremely rude from the beginning, we were just there to perform for the fundraising event, and were very sad that he turned what should have been a great event into a really bad experience!

You know that feeling of walking into a store not knowing what to expect only to have your jaw…read moredrop? That happened to me today. I thought, "guitar store, huh?" Yeah, guitar store. Nationals, Martins, Guilds, banjos, mandos, some incredibly gorgeous hand-carved thing from Bali... all packed into a compact shop. Then Bernie starts talking and it's like the bookseller who's read every damned book in his store. A luthier with endless knowledge and experience running a guitar store. What a concept. And what a gift for local pickers.

Today I picked up my Randy Roads V, I had a new nut and a set up done on it and it plays…read morefantastic. They did a great job. Steve G

Great service! They were there on time. The kids really enjoyed the experience. We had a party on…read morethe hottest day of the year and the truck was air conditioned! I would definitely recommend this business.

I am leaving another review as we hired EZPZ for the second year in a row. I stand by my original…read morereview. Amazing and honest company and owner that I plan on hiring every year for any event that involves kids. EZPZ will make any of your parties really stand out and Sean is beyond amazing. He is professional and courteous and you can definitely count on him being there to make sure the kids have a fun AND a safe time! All the kids raved about the game truck for a few weeks and they all had a great time. We are making this a tradition for us at this point and if you're reading this, YOU SHOULD TOO! If you're hiring for any form of entertainment, hire SEAN!!! Thank me later! Thank you Sean, see you for our next event!!!!!!

Justin was awesome! Very professional. Highly recommend for…read moreany event. Great at ready the crowd.

Omg!!!!! Having this gentleman host our party was one of the best experiences. He's professional,…read moreprompt, fun And did a fantastic job. I will look no further anytime we need music. HIGHLY recommended. And his pricing does not break your bank account. Thank u.

Working with Steven was such an easy decision for us! Steven was responsive from the very start of…read morewedding planning, even jumping on a call with us late on a Sunday to go over our questions and review his pricing and packages. His experience filming at our venue was a huge plus for us, but it was his confidence, his easygoing manner, and friendliness that sealed the deal. Leading up to the wedding, Steven was helpful in answering questions and was even gracious enough to accept a last-minute addition to our package which would result in more work for him. He was easy to communicate with and always responsive. The day of the wedding, Steven and his team were on time and extremely professional. They worked well with our photographers. Steven and his team helped coordinate our first look, a special moment that they captured perfectly. My husband (!!) and I are not that comfortable in front of the camera, but with Steven's friendly directions and artistic vision, it was really a painfree process! Through the ceremony, Steven and his team were discreet but always in the corner of my eye, filming and documenting the day. After the day was done, Steven called us to wish us well and gave us some awesome recommendations for restaurants in the area as well. The cinematic video edit is perfect, and to be able to relive the day with a dynamic and kinetic video in addition to our photos was truly a great decision. The transitions in both the cinematic edit and family films are fantastic - nothing is choppy or clunky. From a technical aspect (from a non-technical person) - the videos are beautifully made, using drone shots, well-lit even during our nighttime dancing, with great, clear audio. It's a truly professional production. I know people have differing opinions on whether or not a video is worth it, but I assure you, you won't regret having a videographer, ESPECIALLY if you make the very wise decision of working with Steven. He captured the joy, the celebration, and the voices of our loved ones that we'll get to cherish for life. I can't put a price on being able to share these videos with our loved ones who couldn't make it to the wedding and I'll always be eternally grateful to Steven for working so hard to document one of the best days of my life.

We hired Steven to film our wedding ceremony late in the game, giving him only 3 weeks of advance…read morenotice. We were incredibly fortunate that he was able to squeeze us into his packed summer wedding schedule. Steven was professional, responsive and very accommodating. We watched the video he created for us and were both in awe of how beautifully he captured the ceremony. It's a memory that we'll treasure forever. Thank you Steven for being a joy to work with, from start to finish, and for capturing the magic of our big day.

Beautiful course and a little challenging! The back had great views. Everyone was so nice and…read moreaccommodating!

This golf course clubhouse is an exceptional wedding venue, offering stunning views of the Monterey…read moreValley mountains and a serene, picturesque backdrop that feels tailor-made for elegant celebrations. It's the kind of place where every corner looks like it belongs in a wedding album. . One of the unique perks for couples is the chance for the groom and his groomsmen to enjoy a morning round of golf before the festivities begin -- a tradition many wedding parties absolutely love. And depending on the day, you might even catch the sound of sports cars racing around the neighboring Laguna Seca track, adding a fun bit of local character to the atmosphere. . The weather is typically mild, but as with most coastal spots, the fog can roll in and bring cooler temperatures, especially later in the afternoon. It only adds to the romantic vibe, but it's worth keeping a light layer handy. . The bridal suite is truly impressive -- spacious, comfortable, and perfectly designed for a full hair-and-makeup setup. There's plenty of room for the bridal party to relax, get ready, and enjoy the morning without feeling crowded or rushed. . What really elevates this venue, though, is the staff. They create an incredibly professional and welcoming environment, handling every detail with ease and making the entire experience feel top-notch from start to finish. . A beautiful location, thoughtful amenities, and outstanding service -- this clubhouse is a standout choice for couples dreaming of a refined, scenic Monterey wedding.

Last night was our first visit to the forest theater. We have wondered about it for years, and we…read morefinally bought tickets to A Mid Summer Night's Dream. It was magical. The theater was lovely, and the play was the best version of the Shakespeare comedy I've ever seen. Very creative. We will be back!

A wonderful outdoor theater experience. Nestled just a few blocks from the sleepy town of Carmel…read moreby the Sea. This event space livens up for a few hours to local performances to movie nights. Though, parking is a challenge if you don't get there early. I recommend parking near downtown and stretch those legs for a short hike to the venue. There is on-site concessions that serves snacks and soft drinks, wine and beer. Check out Pacific Repertory for a schedule of performances or the Forest Theater website for this own list of events. NOTE: Some shows sell out so buy them online to insure you will get in the door.

If you are considering Holly Farm as the venue for your wedding, and you just want the tl;dr, then…read morehere are my three most important suggestions for you: 1) You should absolutely go with Holly Farm. 2) You should accept every piece of advice Erin, Ryan, and the rest of the incredible team have for you along the way. 3) You should start getting excited right now about La Creme because their food is out of this world. Picking Holly Farm as our venue was the first choice we made in our wedding planning process, and trust me when I say that it was by far the best one. The pictures speak for themselves, and yes, it's as amazing as it looks (though if you haven't visited, you should take the excuse - it's truly stunning in person), but the real game changer is the team. The Holly Farm fam has been at this for decades, and it SHOWS. They cater to your needs and your vision, whether you want to be super hands on and into the nitty gritty on everything, or whether you want somebody to completely take the reins for you. We were so so appreciative for Erin's help during the planning process; any time we were stuck on something, she had a recommendation ready that was never just "off the shelf". We didn't want to be totally consumed by wedding planning all the time, and even though Erin had a big list of vendors ready to go, we were more than happy to listen every time she said "here's the 2 who I think you guys would love". It's really really telling to me that every single vendor we spoke to - without exception, including the ones we didn't end up choosing - all said some version of the same thing: "oh man I LOVE doing weddings at Holly Farm". Here's what I'll say about the weekend itself - it truly feels like you are staying at a luxury resort where you and your friends are the only guests. The entire staff is so attentive, so friendly, and they take care of all the details and logistics so that your only job really is to just enjoy the weekend and stay relaxed. We cooked a huge friends and family dinner in the Adobe and they cleaned the entire kitchen for us! Anytime we were hanging out in the evenings they rolled the portable heaters up without us asking! They moved our rental equipment around to make cool outdoor spaces for us so that we could get more use out of it than just the wedding itself! And nothing felt so satisfying as passing by Ryan on a path and hearing "hey I just lit your fireplace for you!". Of everything we loved about our wedding, the thing we loved most was getting to have this full weekend experience with our closest friends and family in one place, made truly special by the care the entire Holly Farm team put into making us feel at ease and at home. And one final thing - lest I leave you with the impression that this is only about good vibes - the operations for the wedding itself were incredible. Every vendor knows the team and knows the venue, everything works like clockwork without you having to supervise anything, and Erin, Ryan, and their staff have things so tightly coordinated that we didn't have to stress about logistics at all once the weekend got started. I can't emphasize enough how big a difference that made to us compared to some horror stories we'd heard from other weddings. Here are some final quick hits on other things you might be wondering about - but seriously, pick Holly Farm: - I didn't write an entire review for Tamie and La Creme, because it would be just as long, but they do amazing work. This is straight up excellent food, not excellent "wedding" food. - The rooms and buildings are very cool and very comfortable. - Yes, the Paraiso suite is "open air". Yes, it really does stay warm. Having a roaring fire in there, plus a heated blanket on the bed....A+. - The optional River House for extra space is definitely walkable (~3 mins), but it's nice to have flashlights at night. - Having the flexibility to use the space however you want for the entire weekend is a highly highly underrated perk. We had people hanging out on Thursday and Friday and it was a ton of fun. Highly recommend making plans that utilize the space every day. - We were nervous about the higher cost at first, but asking friends and family who stayed on site to pay for rooms turned out to not be a very big deal, and what we charged them was still way less than area hotels. - The music has to switch from DJ's speakers to house speakers at 9:30pm, but the house speakers can stay on all night if you want. We had just as much fun after the switchover. - No curfew is also a huge perk not to overlook. Erin and Ryan if you're reading this THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN YOU GUYS ARE ROCK STARS!!

As my husband and I drive up the central coast to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary, we…read morethought this was the perfect time to share a little bit about our insanely incredible experience getting married at Holly Farm. Our wedding was an absolute dream come true. The love we had for each other and for our family and friends that traveled from across the country to celebrate with us was reflected in the beauty and spirit of Holly Farm and all of the wonderful folks that work there. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the warmth and charm of the space. It was as if every inch of the venue was designed to make us and our guests feel at home, while still capturing an elevated, magical atmosphere that was simply unforgettable. Everyone at Holly Farm went above and beyond to ensure each detail of our wedding weekend was flawless. Their attention to detail was extraordinary, and it was clear they genuinely cared about making our day perfect. Ryan and Erin were so caring and attentive, and they made us feel like family. They were there for every little detail and made us feel completely at ease. The food, catered by La Creme, was nothing short of five star restaurant quality. We've received countless compliments from our guests about how delicious everything was! This was a big deal, especially coming from our families who are used to extravagant New Jersey weddings with an abundance of food. They all told us it was the best wedding food they'd ever had, which is about the highest praise you can get from a family who knows food! Everything about The Holly Farm was perfect--from the gorgeous, tropical setting that felt like a hidden paradise against the coastal backdrop of Carmel to the impeccable service and food. We couldn't have imagined a more beautiful, heartfelt, and memorable experience, and our friends and family STILL haven't stopped raving about it! Our wedding weekend was made even more special thanks to the onsite haciendas where we, along with some of our close friends, stayed. The houses were cozy yet luxurious, and perfectly appointed with a level of service that truly felt five-star. Each detail was perfect, from the unbelievably comfortable beds to the wood burning fires that were lit by hand each night and the wonderful house staff that made everyone feel at home the moment they arrived. Getting to spend the whole weekend in such an enchanting space made the whole wedding feel so much more special, a truly immersive experience vs a single-day event. We loved discovering the countless nooks and crannies throughout the property where our friends and family could relax, chat, and soak in the surroundings. It created a sense of intimacy and closeness that made the entire experience feel so special. When the weekend was over, we genuinely didn't want to leave. Heck, we may even crash the wedding that's probably getting ready to kick off this weekend! The Holly Farm made every moment magical, and we will forever cherish our time spent there with the people we love most.