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Old Monterey Market Place
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- Accepts Credit Cards:
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- Wheelchair Accessible:
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10 reviews for Old Monterey Market Place
Date Night on the Monterey Peninsula
Ok, Fellas, let's gather 'round. Let's figure this thing out.
What do we think about more than anything else? Food? Yes. Well, no. Not food. Baseball? Only at the end of the season, and only if our team is still in contention for a playoff spot. The answer should be fairly obvious. It doesn't matter if we're straight or gay, conservative or liberal, young or old. If we're not in a committed relationship, then we're looking for a Love Jones.
http://www.urbandictio...
The difficulty is that there's no manual or master blueprint for helping a fella figure out how to maneuver through the maze and haze that shrouds the social labyrinthine landscape in which we interact with others. It's pretty much a trial and error process. Over time, hopefully, we get better at it. If we don't, we are doomed to end up alone, a Prufrock-like character, a "pair of ragged claws scuttling across the floors of silent seas."
So, what do you do when you meet someone for the first time and sparks fly, or are just starting to get to know someone, and you want to go somewhere on the Monterey Peninsula to pursue the relationship further? I'd recommend going to the Old Monterey Farmer's Market on Tuesday late afternoon or early evening. Alvarado Street in downtown Monterey is closed down and the street is lined with food purveyors and vendors selling everything from baskets to fresh produce to flowers to honey, nuts, dates and chocolates, preserves, skin care products and candles, herbs and spices, incense, clothing, arts and crafts, snow cones and ice cream, jewelry, seafood, olives. They even have fresh goats milk there.
Most days in summer are sunny and bright. The market is full of people, couples walking arm-in-arm oblivious to the world, moms with young kids in tow, there's an international feeling to the diverse crowd. It's festive and fun and romantic walking though Old Monterey in the warm, late afternoon sunshine.
You can offer your date all kinds of food and soak in the surroundings, walking and talking, relaxing and taking it all in. It's completely casual and a fun way to spend time getting to know someone who may eventually become your Love Jones....
Food purveyors offer Vietnamese Spring Rolls, crepes, churros, cup cakes, tamales, French baked goods, falafels, rice bowls, bratwurst, bar b que chicken and ribs, fried calamari, sushi, and so on. There are booths that serve Indian, Japanese, Korean, Mediterranean, and Mexican foods.
After the market, downtown Monterey offers a number of nightlife options. The Osio Cinema features European, Asian, and indy flicks and Tuesday discounts all day and night. Restaurants and bars abound. If you want to chill and just talk, you can grab coffee at the Café Noir or Plumes Coffee or Starbucks up the street. The Crown and Anchor pub offers over 20 international beers on tap and a full menu that's served until midnight. The Mucky Duck, for a younger crowd, and Cibo's, for an older crowd, both have popular bar scenes that run late into the evening. Or, you can get a foot massage at Happy Foot Massage - it's only $25.00 for a hour's worth...
Good luck, Fellas...let me know how things go on date night on the Monterey Peninsula....I'm pulling for ya and hoping for good results....
The best Farmer's Market i have ever been to.
the best produce from all over the area. i would walk away with lots of fresh fruits and veggies and then return the next week for more. you'll find that their items are reasonably priced compared to the grocery store prices. and i walk away feeling good that i supported our local farmers. none of the produce i have purchased is weighed down with heavy pesticides.
the local grown flowers are a great deal. i loved having fresh cut florals around the house. and so long as you kept the stems trimmed they would last for about two weeks.
one week i picked up a gorgeous woven basket for $20. i bought it for toting my market wares home. this basket has been well loved and it still looks as good as the day i bought it. i'm constantly getting compliments. i have friends and family that wish they had one too. i wish i could have purchased one for each of them.
the bakery aisle was another stop along the way, pick up some fresh baked loaves. and a loaf of olallieberry bread for my boyfriend. you would think he would have gotten sick of it.
even if you are not planning on buying anything it is still fun to get out of the house, head down for some live entertainment and sample the local wares. great community spirit.
I've been coming here a couple years now and as other reviewers say, it really is great. I just wanted to point out that even though most vendors are "cash only", some vendors now accept major credit cards.
This is a must-do on Tuesday evenings when the weather is nice.
There's always tons of great fruits and vegi's to pick from at very reasonable prices.
Plus food carts, I find myself always grabbing dinner to go. Let me recommend the nan wraps for the Indian food place or fresh churros. Mmmmmmmmm
There's also people there selling stuff. Most of those tables are filled with crappy swap-meet type stuff, but make sure to keep your eyes open because there are a few with cute jewelery and other handmade goods.
It can be tricky to find parking, but there's usually enough people coming and going that you can snag a spot after only doing a couple circles.
Sidenote: they don't allow dogs, but I always see people with them anyway. I'm not sure if anybody enforces the signs.
We came down to Old Monterey for a late lunch/early dinner. I had read about the farmer's market on Tuesdays but I thought it was only opened til the end of October. What a pleasant surprise. We had finished eating about 3ish so we walked the street watching them set up. There was a variety of things people were selling...fresh produce, scarves, hats, Christmas items, beads and baubles. I also noticed all of them had lanterns with them. It darned on me that they are opened until just a wee after it gets dark. I saw some interesting food stalls. Too bad we had already eaten. There was Indian, Mediterranean, BBQ, pastries, cheeses, honey and jams. Too bad we were staying another night in Monterey. If we were headed home I would have bought some of their locally grown produce.
Fun just to take a peak at everything.
Every Tuesday night, three blocks on Alvarado street is jammed pack with vendors, artists and local farmers. I love the fresh produce, especially the sweet strawberries sold on the corner of Alvarado and Franklin. I also love how there are samples of fruits, dips, salsas and bread! It's really a great way to just have an early evening snack before dinnertime! Seriously though, get the strawberries!
An absolutely FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC market! Gorgeous fresh fruits and vegetables, arts and crafts, random crap, and even STREET MUSICIANS! If you don't do anything else in Monterey, you MUST stay over for the market on Tuesday.
This is a great farmers' market that happens every Tuesday along Alvarado Street between 4-7 pm in the winter months and 4-8 pm during the summer months. Huge variety of produce and other goods. Fresh farmers' market fruit is so much more superior than grocery store fruit, and usually cheaper. There are also a large variety of food stands representing some of the most popular and unique Monterey area restaurants.
The farmers market is just a few blocks from where I live and work so we have gone often. The selection of produce and fresh flowers is great; while we have never partaken in anything from the hot food stands, it sure smells great. There are several booths selling cheap wares including jewelry and Bob Marley paraphernalia - I would save your money as far as these go. I highly recommend checking it out - but be aware that parking options are very limited and if you make the mistake of parking on Alvarado prior to the start of the market your car will be towed.
Three blocks long farmer's market. First block is prepared food stands. Second is produce. Third is clothes and miscellaneous stuff. Fruit and produce is great. For example, can get big box of organic strawberries for $3. And tasty too. Almost too much different produce to even mention. Only fault is that it is only Tuesday night!
