Gallery Tour of Monterey and Pacific Grove 

Monterey 

"A magnificent collage of land, sea and sky, Monterey was begun in 1770 with the founding of Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Monterey." California's first capitol with the signing of the constitution taking place in Monterey on October 13, 1849 in Colton Hall.”

"More Mexican-era adobes have been preserved in Monterey than any other City in California. The downtown is a National Historic Landmark District.” 

Pacific Grove 

"Founded in 1875 as a Methodist Church Summer Retreat, Pacific Grove was incorporated as a City on July 16, 1869 and became a Chartered City on April 22, 1927."

"Located at the tip of the Monterey Peninsula, Pacific Grove is famously known as Butterfly Town, USA.” 

Avalar Estates of Monterey County
MONTEREY, CA 

As a local resident, Monterey and its surrounding communities have left an indelible imprint on my heart and soul much like the feeling of d’javu. I can only imagine that this is not a unique experience for me alone, but rather the essence of history, beauty and nature reaching out to embrace the unified spirit of life within all of us. 

Through this site we will be traveling together along an historical trail exuberant with beauty and information. Please bookmark this site as you will want to return to savor certain pages more than once. As your local resident and Number1Expert in Monterey real estate, I look forward to being your guide through the history pages, the art museums and your professional advocate through the escrow process in the sale or purchase of your home in Monterey.  

Location
A luminescent corundum of the California Central Coast, Monterey is situated on Highway 1, approximately 100 miles south of San Francisco and 320 miles north of Los Angeles. The Monterey Bay and Peninsula can be also be accessed from the east-west highways of 68 from Salinas and 156 from highway 101 through Castroville.  

One can also fly into the Monterey Peninsula airport from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Orange County with connections to all domestic and foreign locations. The airport is served by Alaska Airlines, American/American Eagle, British Airways, Northwest, Skywest/Delta, United Airlines/United Express and US air.  

Imbued in breathtaking natural beauty, history, art and culture, Monterey, has been nicknamed “The Cradle of History” as California’s “First City.”
Fishing, Fisherman’s Warf and Cannery Row
In 1870 the Pacific Coast Steamship Company constructed a wharf at Monterey for regular passenger and freight service, with ships arriving four times per week.  

Growth of the sardine industry and the need to keep the Wharf in better repair prompted the City Council to assume ownership of the pier in the early 1900’s. At some time during this period it became knows as “Fisherman’s Wharf”. 

By 1916 the City had purchased the Wharf and immediately began to expand it, providing more services to the fishing fleet and to the freight business. By 1920 the Wharf served as location for warehouses, nearly 20 wholesale and retail fish outlets, a marine service station and an abalone shell grinding business.  

In 1925 City officials started a drive for the construction of a new cargo Wharf to meet increasing commercial fishing demands and to relieve congestion on Fisherman’s Wharf. Bonds were voted in and a new Municipal Wharf was completed in 1926.  

In 1929 Congress appropriated funds for the construction of the present breakwater. The breakwater and its 400-foot extension were completed in 1934. 

During the 1950’s the demand for a small craft harbor became increasingly urgent. Construction for this began in 1959 and upon completion in 1960, the Marina provided 367 berths. A protective sea wall extended from Wharf II to the Marina entrance to Fisherman’s Wharf. The Monterey Municipal Marina was dedicated on September 11, 1960. The launching ramps were added in 1962. 

In October of 1996, a $5,000,000 Marina reconstruction project was completed with new, wider concrete docks and a handicapped accessible ramp. The City of Monterey plans to continue to improve services to customers and public access to Monterey Bay.  

From the 1940’s – 1950’s the sardines began to disappear. With the ebbing tide of the local fishery business, historic Cannery Row transformed into a bustling successful tourist site with restaurants, galleries, shops and hotels including the elegant Five Star Diamond Monterey Bay Plaza and Spa that luxuriates in lingering sunsets stretched across the bay. 

What was once a rowdy and raucous industrial strip known for the sardine canning and author of the 1954 novel by Steinbeck of the same name, Cannery Row is a well earned number one tourist attraction. A stroll along “America’s Most Famous Street” with its thirty clubs, pubs, restaurants and hundreds of shops and attractions invites the tourist in to experience a warm ambiance of history as well as fun. For the physical person who wants more than a healthy stroll, there are the beaches, tide pools and kayaking on the Monterey Bay.  

One of my favorites on Cannery Row is Sly McFly’s Refueling Station because of the story of Sly McFly as well as the great entertainment, food and atmosphere. 

Sly was the son of Maggie McFly, a madam of a Nob Hill Saloon in San Francisco. An introverted loner, Sly left home at the age of 17 to join the racing circuits in Europe. His love of the smell of burning rubber, racing petrol and the checkered flag led him to England to learn the tricks of motor racing. However, his eye was on the French Grand Prix. His favorite car to drive was the tiny 1929 Ulster which once was displayed in the main dining room over the fireplace at Sly McFly’s. 

Sly entered the Le Mans Grand Prix of Endurance, the Belgium Grand Prix, the Italian Grand Price and the Grand Prix de L’Overture at Monterey. Placing only second at the Trophy Race, he sadly watched roses and champagne with kisses be presented to the winner by the beautiful Isadore Duncan. After witnessing this he became not only obsessed with winning a race or two, he also pined for the admiration of Isadore Duncan. 

During a race at Millie Miglia Sly swerved to avoid hitting spectators and his car overturned and burned. Fortunately, Sly escaped unscathed. To his incredible surprise, Isadora rushed to his side after seeing this spectacle. What followed became history as their courtship buzzed through the country sides of England and France. Tragically one sunny afternoon Isadora’s scarf became intertwined in the spokes of the Ulster’s left wheel causing her to die. and Sly to go into depression.  

After one year of mourning, Sly once again raced after much encouragement from his fellow drivers. He did take second place at Le Mans. However, the ever illusive first place with roses and champagne caused Sly to buy his own bottles of champagne that he couldn’t just couldn’t win. His love of champagne became as well known as his love of racing.  

During a race in Monte Carlo Sly, on his last lap with checkered flag, champagne and roses in sight, lost control on an oil slick and crashed through the guardrails into the Mediterranean Sea, never to be found.  

The whispers of Sly McFly live on at the world renowned Cannery Row. If you should be visiting Sly McFly’s and notice a bouquet of roses, a bottle of champagne and a glass at the end of the bar toasting the victory that Sly still pursues, be sure to raise your glass in honor of him and his ever illusive dream as you listen to the cool jazz, rock and other outstanding entertainment. 

Today luxury cruise ships visit our Port in Monterey Bay on their travels between Mexico and Alaska. 

Monterey and the Cannery Row area are also famous for its abundant sea habitat including sea lions, sea otters and kelp seaweed forests. In fact, just a few short miles offshore lays a spectacular natural 2-mile-deep underwater canyon. The result of the cold and nutrient-rich water upwelling from the ocean depths via the Monterey Canyon creates a biologic diversity and density that is seen in Monterey Bay. Just north of the Monterey Bay, at the head of the submarine Monterey Canyon, is the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) located in Moss Landing.  

Monterey Bay is located within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), a Federally-protected marine area, which is the equivalent of a saltwater national park.  

At least equal to the overall opulence of the Monterey Bay is its precious crown jewel, the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Located in a former sardine cannery and a former brewery on Cannery Row, this breathtaking aquarium is one of the largest in the world holding 35,000 plants and 623 species. The 33-foot high aquarium glass for viewing California coastal marine life features one of the largest windows in the world and holds one million gallons of seawater.  

To support the fragile and beautifully graceful sea jellies, MBA developed a circular aquarium called a Kreisel.  

It is at the Monterey Bay Aquarium that the first ever successfully-grown-in-captivity kelp forest is exhibited in a multi-story tank at the center of the building, open to the elements at the surface. It is because of this design that visitors are able to inspect the creatures of the kelp forest at several levels in the building. 

The aquarium’s original building, designed by the architectural firm, EHDD (Esherick Homsey Dodge and Davis), opened on October 20, 1984. The aquarium’s initial financial backing was provided by the late David Packard, Co-founder of Hewlett Packard. Packard, an avid blacksmith, personally created several exhibits for the aquarium at his forge in Big Sur including the gears and pulleys of a simulated tide machine. Marine biologist and daughter of David Packard, Julie Packard, is currently the CEO of the aquarium. 

In January 1996, the Outer Bay wing was opened to provide exhibits covering the open-water ecology of Monterey’s Outer Bay. A new exhibit includes a school of 3000 anchovies swimming against the endless current of a toroidal tank.  

The Monterey Bay Aquarium also maintains a close relationship with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss Landing.  

The Mission Statement of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is to “stimulate interest, increase knowledge and promote stewardship of Monterey Bay and the world’s ocean environment through innovative exhibits, public education and scientific research.”  

Aquarium Trivia: In 1986 the Aquarium appeared in the film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, where it appeared as the ‘Cetacean Institute of Biology’ in Sausalito. The main Aquarium was designed to appear as the tank home of two humpback whales by being overlaid with special effects.  

Cultural History
Monterey, its bay and its port are steeped in rich history. Although the port of Monterey had been visited and charted a century and a half earlier by the Spanish explorer, Sebastian Vizcaino, it wasn’t until 1770 that the time became ripe for colonization and fortification as Spain moved to occupy this portion of the American west coast. Captain Gaspar de Portola led an expedition that officially took possession on behalf of Spain and ordered that a fort be built to occupy and defend the port of Monterey against the Russians who were about to invade.  

The Royal Presidio of San Carlos de Monterey, was the first of four presidios to be built.  

Over time the fortunes of the Presidio of Monterey rose and fell. It has been moved, abandoned and reactivated many times under the flags of Spain, Mexico and ultimately America, commanded by Commodore John D. Sloat of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Squadron. It was during this time of War with Mexico in 1846 that Commodore Sloat landed in Monterey unopposed and claimed the territory and the Presidio for the United States. 

Three years later, the Constitutional Convention met at Colton Hall to consider the political issues of the day. Would this be a free state? What would be the geographic boundaries? Six weeks later the foundation for the 31st state was laid. On October 13, 1849, Monterey became California’s first capital. 

A protected District, the downtown Monterey of today was the original Presidio comprised of a square of adobe buildings. In fact, Monterey has conserved more Mexican-era adobes than any other City in California.  

The plethora of historical attractions are too numerous to mention on these pages. More information can be found in any number of archives including the Monterey History & Art Association, the Carmel Heritage Society, Old Monterey Preservation Society, Historic Monterey and the Monterey County Historical Society. This is to invite you to visit our home on Monterey Bay and experience the multitude of cultural and fascinating people and attractions. 

Education
Choices for higher education in the Monterey area complement the rich diversity of history, culture and the arts.  

Monterey: the Language Capital of the World
The Defense Language Institute, located on a vast bluff that is the site of the original Spanish landings of 1602 and 1770, is the largest language institution in the world. In November of 1941, it began as a secret language school at Crissy Field on the Presidio of San Francisco to teach Japanese to U.S. soldiers, most of whom were of Japanese ancestry. At this period of time, the school was called the Military Intelligence Service Language School. During WWII, the school was moved to Camp Savage, Minnesota and then to Fort Snelling, Minnesota. After World War II, it was relocated to the Presidio of Monterey and renamed the Army Language School. During the mid 1970’s it became the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.  

Today enrollment is about 2,500, nearly all from the four military services. Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the DLI pays a key role in providing skilled linguists for the military, other Department of Defense agencies and to the FBI, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Border Patrol.  

The languages d’jour taught at the Defense Language Institute reflect world affairs. Their mission “is to provide foreign language instruction in support of national security requirements; to support and evaluate command language programs worldwide; to conduct academic research into the language learning process; and to administer a worldwide, standard test and evaluation system.” 

The Monterey Institute of International Studies has developed an international reputation for the cross cultural emphasis of its instruction, the high level of personal interaction among its international student body and its multinational faculty.  

The graduate school of the Institute is the only school in the Western Hemisphere offering a master’s degree program in conference interpretation and in translation. Offered also is a master’s degree in translation and interpretation between English-Chinese, English-Japanese and English-Korean. During a recent international summit conference in Miami, faculty members interpreted for former First Lady Hillary Clinton.  

The United Nations, the Department of State and European Union attend the Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation exams every spring for the purpose of recruiting graduates to help meet their need for superior professionals.  

On December 2, 2005, an Affiliation of Middlebury College, Vt., and Monterey Institute of International Studies was finalized. These two colleges are leaders in the field of international education, language teaching and cultural studies. It is expected that ,”combined, their experience, knowledge, programs and vision will have a noticeable impact on our ability to develop informed leaders, better prepared to tackle the challenges of the 21st Century.” 

California State University of Monterey Bay campus, recognized in the U.S. News and World Report magazine 2006 edition of Americans Colleges for the second consecutive year for its service learning program. 

Several community organizations partner with the university to provide service-learning opportunities for its students such as the Boys and Girls Club, the American Red Cross, California Conservation Corps, California State Parks, Carmel Mission and dozens of public schools. 

Intel Corporation, in conjunction with the Center for digital education, conducted a survey wherein CSUMB ranked among the top wireless campuses in the nation. According to a recent publication of U.S. News & World Report, the university is ranked 12th among the top 50 and is one of only four schools in California to make the list and is the only public university to make the list.  

California State University of Monterey Bay made this year’s rankings not only because it has implemented wireless access through the campus, but also because it is in the forefront of exploring innovative ways to use the new technology through the Wireless Education and Technology Center campus.  

Other local colleges include Monterey Peninsula College, Chapman University, Golden Gate University and Monterey College of law. For the service industry in Monterey, the Culinary Center of Monterey is available for degree and certificate programs including Nutritional Expert classes for Home and Institutional cooking.

Though not in Monterey County, prestigious UC Santa Cruz, is a short drive north on Highway 1 and have the UCMBEST facility in Marina. 

Museums and Art Galleries
The canvas of Monterey and its surrounding areas including, Ventana and Big Sur, draw upon the desiring artiste within to capture and translate the myriad expressions of exquisite beauty found in the sea, the sunsets, the trees and reflected all-around in Mother Earth.  

There are numerous opportunities to feast your eyes and soothe the soul for as briefly or as long as you wish to linger. Besides the famous John Steinbeck Cannery Row and National Steinbeck Museum and House in nearby Salinas, there is the Ansel Adams Gallery in the Fireside Lobby of the Highlands Inn, Carmel Highlands. South of Carmel is the Henry Miller Library on Highway 1 just a short walk or drive south of Nepenthe. Save 25% on all book purchases from the Henry Miller Library with proof of having come down the coast by bus. The library can also be used for weddings, concerts and parties as well.  

While planning a day trip on Highway 1 to Big Sur, be sure to visit also the Ventana Gallery, the Coast Gallery and one of my absolute favorites, The Hawthorne Gallery. Gregory Hawthorne came to Big Sur with his family in 1982. Together with his wife Susan Hawthorne and his assistant Michael Breen, Gregory’s long-cherished dream of opening the Gallery became a reality in May of 1995.The Hawthorne Gallery encompasses outstanding art form from the moment you arrive in the parking lot. The distinctive architectural design is the result of a collaboration with the famed Post Ranch Inn architect, Mickey Muennig. The unique and graceful lines of the gallery building and surrounding grounds with larger-than-life sculptures let you know that your trip was well worth while. The Greg Hawthorne family/gallery is known worldwide for their outstanding and unique art.  

Throughout Monterey and Carmel are numerous art galleries. Of particular interest is Carmel’s oldest gallery, the Carmel Art Association, located at Dolores & 6th in Carmel. Founded in 1927 the gallery has been and is dedicated to presenting only the finest work of more than 120 professional local artists living on the Monterey Peninsula.  

Golfing
As the #1 Golfing Destination in the World, Monterey without the mention of golf, well, would not be Monterey any more than it could be without the history, art, education or architecture. After all, there is a ‘golf culture’ as well as other forms of culture.  

My husband and I don’t agree on whether it is the art or the golf that makes Monterey the heaven that it is because, after all, the scenic beauty just IS with or without any of the art or golf. My personal guided tour through the golfing experience in Monterey is more of a cursory nature than the visceral sharing of the other components of this site, but I hope you find it helpful. 

Say ‘golf’, and immediately Pebble Beach comes to mind. Interestingly, Pebble Beach is not a city or town. This small private coastal community, though designated by the census as Del Monte Forest, is officially owned as the Pebble Beach Corporation and run as a ‘town.’  

Famed worldwide for golf, Pebble Beach Corporation has seven public and private courses including Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill, Poppy Hills, and the Pebble Beach Golf Links where the annual AT&T Pro Am is held each winter. Yes, these are pricey… and well worth the overall experience. Although I do not golf, I do recognize and appreciate the overall “package” or experience of location, beauty, hobnobbing and the challenge these courses offer the golfer.  

According to a February 2003 article in the San Francisco Chronicle by Susan Formoff, there are golf bargains with the full benefit of the overall beauty of Monterey to be had.  

In addition to the prestigious and challenging courses in the world, the Junior Golfers are also an important part of this world-famous golf community.  

The AT&T Pebble Beach Junior Golf Association is a local non-profit organization created in 1988 to introduce the game of golf to young people between the ages of 7 and 17 who live and attend school on the Monterey Peninsula 

Other Cultural Events known far and wide
For years people have come from around the world to enjoy the annual the Monterey Jazz and Monterey Blues Festivals.

Auto enthusiasts enjoy the annual Cherries Jubilee and Concours D’Eleganceheld in Monterey. Nearby Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca hosts several events including the Red Bull US Grand Prix, US Sports Car Invitational, Monterey Sports Car Championship, MOTOGP and Monterey Historic Automobile Races.  

Medical
Known for its outstanding treatment of cancer, the Community Hospital of Monterey County (CHOMP) is conveniently located in Monterey with satellite centers in Ryan Ranch and Salinas. This, combined with the Salinas Memorial Hospital, acknowledged for its treatment of heart disease, offers a strong presence of quality medical care for the residents of the City of Monterey, the Monterey Peninsula, Salinas and communities of the Salinas Valley.  

Housing
Whether you prefer the charm of adobe homes, the convenience of condominium lifestyles or the unique estate type homes near or along the pacific coast we believe you will agree that these are much of what creates Monterey’s coveted unique and beautiful charm.  

If a more planned or subdivision lifestyle is your preference, we can help you locate a home just minutes from downtown at Seaside Highlands. In addition there are many choices of planned neighborhoods ranging from European Cottage styles to custom designed and built homes in Pasadera, Las Palmas and Indian Springs which has an onsite equestrian center. All are just a short drive from downtown Monterey. 

If, after joining me on this tour you would like to become a permanent resident of the City of Monterey or the surrounding Monterey area, allow me, as a local resident and your Number1Expert, help you find the perfect location and home to call yours. If you are selling, our outstanding resources for marketing can help find the perfect buyer for your home.

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