Thursday, December 31, 2015

“Pasta, Pizza and Professionals Lecture, Dinner & Networking Series” to Launch at Cibo Restaurant on Monday, January 11, 2016

Save the date! Don’t miss the first ever “Pasta, Pizza and Professionals Lecture, Dinner & Networking Series” on Monday, January 11, 2016 at Cibo Ristorante Italiano, located at 301 Alvarado in Downtown Monterey.

Monterey, CA, January 01, 2016 - Save the date! Don’t miss the first ever “Pasta, Pizza and Professionals Lecture, Dinner & Networking Series” on Monday, January 11, 2016 at Cibo Ristorante Italiano, located at 301 Alvarado in Downtown Monterey. Parking is available in the adjacent garage.The first event will feature multi-award-winning video producer, Jules Hart, with a presentation about "Insider Tips to Video Production for Business, Education and Fun!"

These days, video is so accessible and important in our lives. Learning the basic approach to planning and implementing your video project can make it easier and more effective when hiring a professional or producing it yourself. A well-produced video can better communicate your business goals for audience presentations, on television or on the web. Jules will also provide some tips for creating a great family or event video.

The lecture will take place from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. and the cost is $10 at the door (fee goes to the speaker). After the lecture, there will be a No Host Dinner and Informal Conversation with the Filmmaker, Jules Hart for those who are interested.

Cibo is offering attendees a special 3-course “Pasta, Pizza and Professionals” Dinner price of $24.95 (including a choice of Local Field Greens or Tuscan Bean Soup, a choice of Pizza Margherita, Rigatoni Di Giovanni Pasta, Salmon or Chicken) and dessert will feature Tiramisu. Event attendees can also order anything off of the menu described on www.cibo.com. Cibo has a $3 Happy Hour which will be available to attendees of this event in the seminar area. RSVPs are appreciated by Friday, January 8th for the seminar and/or dinner. Please contact Wendy Brickman at (831) 594-1500 or email brickman@brickmanmarketing.com.

According to Wendy Brickman, owner of Brickman Marketing and founder of Pasta, Pizza and Professionals, “I have had the pleasure of coordinating the one-hour Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Brown Bag Seminars for over 25 years and I love doing so! It’s a great way to learn relevant information for our businesses and network with the community. However, I was also looking for a more relaxed venue for learning that features a great ambiance, food and service so I “cooked” up this concept. I know that Cibo Ristorante Italiano in Downtown Monterey is just the perfect place! Scheduling these learning events with community experts in the evening around dinner will also allow us to better “digest” what we learn, mix and mingle, and ask questions one-on-one of the expert speaker.”

About Jules Hart
Award-winning film producer and director Jules Hart is the founder of Eye Goddess Films.Her work has aired on PBS and screened at a number of festival venues including Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival; Carmel Art & Film Festival; the Ojai Film Festival; and the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College in New York City. Hart picked up Best Female Filmmaker at the Action On Film Festival in Pasadena, CA, and an Emerging Artist Award at the Beloit International Film Festival in 2011.

Through her work, Hart has explored such diverse topics as storefront churches, Latina healers, drumming as a spiritual practice, and art as a vehicle for healing.Her documentaries have won several awards including Best Documentary at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival and Best Faith Based Film at the AOF International Film Festival. Other venues where her documentaries have screened are the United Nations Commission For the Status of Women in New York and at Michael Moore's State Theatre in Traverse City, Michigan.

Hart transitioned from a 20-year career in front of the camera as an international fashion model, to her present role behind the camera after creating a short film as a homework assignment for a Film and Folklore class at UCLA.It was at that point she realized her true calling.As a filmmaker, Hart taps into her own feminism and dedication to women’s rights to tell compelling stories about other women’s struggles, challenges and victories.

Another passion of Ms. Hart’s is working with local business owners, entrepreneurs, and artists to create effective marketing videos to help them reach a larger audience, whether for television or the web.

Jules Hart has lectured at Antioch University, Whittier College and UCLA, her alma mater, on topics such as Film and Folklore, Women in the Arts, and Women and Religion.

About Cibo Restaurant
Cibo Ristorante Italiano (www.cibo.com) offers Italian cuisine, gourmet pizzas, cocktails, fine wines, cordials, and more. Cibo (pronounced chee-bo) means food in Italian, but it’s more of a feast for the senses. This beautiful, spacious and comfortable restaurant features an intimate yet vibrant atmosphere which is accentuated with expressive art in the form of photography, paintings, sculpture, hand-blown glass and live jazz. Fusing the best of old and new world Italian cuisine, Cibo offers an eclectic menu ranging from gourmet pizzas to multi-course dinners. Families are welcome and there is a special children’s menu. Cibo has been a favorite of locals and visitors alike since 1990.

Cibo is open every evening with dinner served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Cibo Bar is open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and is a popular “pre-event” and “after-party” destination. The bar features a $3 Happy Hour with special appetizers daily from 4 p.m.– 7 p.m. They offer an extensive high quality local and international wine and beer list, cordials, microbrews, rare and small batch Bourbons, Scotches, Ports, Grappa and liqueurs, as well as espresso, coffee drinks and a full menu of cocktails.

Cibo also presents live music 6 nights a week. On Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the cool sound of Jazz accompanies dinner from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. The restaurant features a lively and fun atmosphere with Reggae, R&B, Rock or Salsa dance music on Friday and Saturday nights from 9:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. with no cover charge.There is also the popular "Happy Hour Jazz Jam" from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. every first and third Sunday of the month which includes Happy Hour food and drink specials. Cibo is now “wired” with free Internet service.

With 150 seats, including intimate booths for dining , and room for over 50 people in the attractive bar area, Cibo also accommodates large groups for business functions, wedding rehearsals and receptions, special group dining events, and customized private parties.NEW! Outdoor heating seating along Alvarado Street is coming soon!

Cibo Restaurant is the winner of numerous awards including California Writers Association Recommended Dining, Monterey Herald Readers' Choice Local Favorite, Best Place to Meet Singles in Their 30's and 40's, Gold Key Award for Interior Design, Best Place to Enjoy a Martini,Best Place for Live Jazz,Best Italian Restaurant,Best Place to Dance,Best Martini and one of the Top 10 Happy Hours in Monterey.

For more information, go to www.cibo.com or call (831) 649-8151.

Contact:
Wendy Brickman
Brickman Marketing
395 Del Monte Center #250
Monterey, CA 93940
831-633-4444
http://www.cibo.com

35th Steinbeck Festival May 6 – 8, 2016. Speakers, tours, authors, musicians & an Old Town Salinas Craft Beer Festival on Saturday

“From Salinas to Sea of Cortez: Steinbeck on Land and Sea”

Salinas, CA, December 31, 2015 – The 35th annual Steinbeck Festival takes place May 6 – 8, 2016 at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. This year’s festival features speakers, tours, musicians throughout the weekend, with a craft beer Festival on Saturday and an educators' panel on Sunday. The theme is "From Salinas to Sea of Cortez: Steinbeck on Land and Sea," honoring the 75th anniversary of Sea of Cortez, published in 1941.

Tickets will be on sale January 30th at www.Steinbeck.org, or by calling the National Steinbeck Center store at 831-775-4721. Click the Festival link on the homepage for more information.

Highlights for the 2015 festival include:

Speakers: Robert DeMott, "Steinbeck on Fishing"; William Souder on writing biographies; Sergio Chavez on braceros in the Tijuana/San Diego borderlands; John Gregg on restoring the purse seiner, "The Western Flyer"--and more!

Tours: The Red Pony Ranch, Salinas Valley fields, Wine tour along River Road, Monterey Bay, and Ed Ricketts's Lab on Cannery Row.

Events: Craft beer festival on Saturday in Old Town Salinas and education workshops on Sunday--integrating local history into the curriculum, Steinbeck and gaming, and integrating literature and science.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Hyatt Carmel Highlands Celebrates 100 Years with a Centenial Facelift

Enhancements to include renovations to Pacific's Edge restaurant and hotel guestrooms

Carmel Highlands, CA, December 28, 2015 - The renowned Hyatt Carmel Highlands, which overlooks the Big Sur Coast and features 48 luxuriously appointed guestrooms, prepares for its centennial anniversary with one of the most exciting transformations in its history.

The hotel's award-winning restaurant, Pacific's Edge http://www.pacificsedge.com, along with the guestrooms, bar and lobby area will undergo a series of upscale enhancements inspired by the property's refined charm and classic seaside setting.


Beginning in the new year, renovations will feature upgrades to Pacific's Edge, including refreshed décor and a new 40-seat, 1,200-square-foot outdoor patio. The heated open-air space will allow patrons to enjoy al fresco dining and dramatic ocean vistas year round. Once the refurbishments are complete, Pacific's Edge will merge with the hotel's casual bistro, California Market, to become one restaurant. Chef Minton and executive sous chef Alvaro Dalmau are devising a new menu that will offer the most popular items from both restaurants. The 50-page wine list at Pacific's Edge will also be updated with more emphasis on the many excellent vintages from Monterey County. The new venue is scheduled to open during the second quarter of 2016.

"We are thrilled to offer our patrons these improvements," said Mel Bettcher, managing director of the Hyatt Carmel Highlands. "This luxurious refresh will offer some new design elements, while maintaining the unique and authentic feel that has made visiting this property such a memorable experience for so many during the last century."

In addition to the restaurant, guests will enjoy new furnishings, décor, color schemes, heating and air conditioning in the hotel's 48 rooms inclusive of its 10 suites. The guestrooms' refreshed look will draw upon the hotel's upscale coastal ambience. The existing bar, Sunset Lounge, will be reconfigured to showcase the views of the Pacific coastline. New furnishings and living room style components will be added to the hotel's lobby area, which will be outfitted to accommodate private parties of more than 100 guests.

HYATT CARMEL HIGHLANDS CELEBRATES 100 YEARS WITH A CENTENNIAL -

During the restaurant upgrades, the hotel's casual bistro California Market will offer a lively new menu along with brunch seven days per week. In addition, it will offer creative dinner selections from Pacific's Edge. Highlights of the new California Market menu include chicken sofrito empanadas, local daily catch ceviche, Baja fish tacos, ahi quinoa salad, confit chicken torta and grilled cheese sandwich with braised short ribs.

For updates and a sneak peek of the exciting new menu, visit the hotel website http://highlandsinn.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html, call (831) 620-1234, follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hyattcarmelhighlands/ or sign up for the monthly e-newsletter on the website. Hyatt Carmel Highlands is located at 120 Highlands Drive, Carmel, California, USA, 93923.

About Hyatt Carmel Highlands
Perched on the hillside of the Carmel Highlands with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, Hyatt Carmel Highlands combines true Carmel luxury with an approachable and sophisticated spirit. A haven for artists and discerning travelers since its opening in 1917, Hyatt Carmel Highlands features 48 luxurious guestrooms, including 10 suites, 33 Ocean View rooms and 5 Garden View rooms. In addition, Hyatt Carmel Highlands offers spectacular dining at the award-winning Pacific's Edge restaurant and California Market, 4,800 square feet of meeting space, in-room spa services, heated outdoor swimming pool, three spa tubs and a StayFit fitness facility. Situated only four miles from downtown Carmel, Hyatt Carmel Highlands' idyllic setting and personalized service has attracted families, weddings, honeymooners and privileged travelers for nearly a century. Hyatt Carmel Highlands has been recognized among the world's finest hotels as part of Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List and Travel + Leisure's "T+L 500" World's Best Hotels.  http://www.hyattcarmelhighlands.com/.

About Hyatt
Hyatt hotels are smaller-sized properties conveniently located in diverse business and leisure areas. With hotels typically ranging from 150 to 350 rooms, Hyatt hotels offer guests the opportunity to experience our hospitality in a vibrant environment. Customers include individual business and leisure travelers, and Hyatt hotels can accommodate smaller scale business meetings and social gatherings.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Hyatt Carmel Highlands
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.hyattcarmelhighlands.com/

Friday, December 25, 2015

Hofsas House Launches Pin It To Win It Contest

Tell the Hofsas House where you’d love to visit and why and you could win a 2 night stay!

Salinas, CA, December 25, 2015 - So many of us add “travel more” to our list of yearly resolutions! Whether it is somewhere close by, a beautiful beach or international destination, tell the Hofsas House where you’d love to visit and why? Post pictures of your ideal destination on a Pinterest board and our favorite board with win a 2-night stay at the Hofsas House hotel!

To enter the contest simply:

Pin It To Win It!!

· Follow us on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/hofsashouse/

· Create A Board Titled: Time to Travel!

· Add a minimum of 5 pictures of your favorite quotes with the hashtag #HofsasHouseGetaways

· Email a link your board to: marci@chatterboxpublicrelations.com

· One lucky winner will win a 2-night stay at our hotel!

· Enter to win between January 1st and January 30th. Winner announced on February 5th.

· Includes Hotel stay only- airfare, transportation, meals and other amenities not included

Hofsas House Background:

Owned and operated by the Theis Family, Hofsas House Hotel is within walking distance of everything Carmel has to offer, including a stunning beach, fine restaurants and shops, and wine tasting. It provides peaceful respite and European charm just minutes from Monterey , Pebble Beach, Big Sur and Pacific Grove . The Hofsas House’s 38 spacious, one-of-a-kind rooms boast European comfort and lovely views, not to mention amenities like fireplaces, private balconies, wet bars, kitchens and patios. Large suites provide the perfect stay for newlyweds and everyone else seeking an extra special getaway. Dutch doors in every room allow guests to welcome in the ocean air, and free WiFi enables them to stay connected — if they want to.

The Hofsas House Hotel family works to ensure every visitor's experience is special, striving to offer the highest quality personal services. Consider the continental breakfast, abundant with fresh French Roast coffee, tea, juice, fruit and pastries from a neighborhood bakery, or the personalized concierge services for guests and their families, including their four-legged family members, who are welcome, as well.

For large groups — wedding parties, company meetings, family reunions and others — Hofsas House Hotel offers a spacious room equipped with a fireplace and full kitchen that can comfortably accommodate 40 people. A heated pool, dry saunas, decks with views and off-street parking are on offer as well.

Hofsas House Hotel is located on San Carlos Street, north of Fourth Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea. For more information, call (831) 624-2745 or visit www.hofsashouse.com. Like us on Facebook.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.hofsashouse.com

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa Announces January Pinterest Contest

The Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa, located at 1 Old Golf Course Road in Monterey, announces their new Pinterest Contest!

Monterey, CA, December 24, 2015 The Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa, located at 1 Old Golf Course Road in Monterey, announces their new Pinterest Contest!

Pin It To Win It! The beginning of the year is a great time to start planning the details of your wedding day and Pinterest is the perfect place to check out the latest trends from wedding activities to finding your something blue! The team at Hyatt Regency Monterey is here to make your dreams come true…pin your favorites for a chance to win! Happy Posting!

Simply:

· Follow us on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/montereyhyatt

· Create a board titled: Dream Wedding

· Pin your favorite wedding images from trends to beautiful photos (Minimum 5 pins)

· Use the hashtag #WeddingsInAHyattWorld on all the pins

· Email a link to your board to marci@chatterboxpublicrelations.com

· One lucky winner will receive a two-night stay at Hyatt Regency Monterey as well as a romantic dinner at #TusCA with wine pairings!

· Contest runs January 1st-January 30th. Winner announced February 5th.

About Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa on Del Monte Golf Course:
Nestled in 22 acres of soaring Monterey Pines, the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa on Del Monte Golf Course is a destination resort providing the discerning traveler the quintessential Monterey experience. Its location offers guests close proximity to downtown Monterey and Monterey Airport and easy access to some of the Peninsula’s most well-known attractions. With its warm, contemporary ambiance, elegant furnishings and convenient amenities, the hotel offers both leisure and business travelers a Northern California respite of unmatched serenity and comfort. Features include 550 guestrooms including 32 suites, and the President’s house, TusCA Ristorante, Knuckles Sports Bar, Fireplace Lounge, a 2,000 square foot fitness facility, tennis courts, pools and whirlpools, and 12,000 square foot full service spa. The hotel is located at 1 Old Golf Course Road in Monterey, California. For information call (831) 372-1234 or visit www.hyattregencymonterey.com.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.hyattregencymonterey.com

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Hofsas House Hotel Offers Poolside Meeting Facility in Carmel-By-The-Sea

Family Celebrates Over 60 Years of European Hospitality

Carmel by the Sea, CA, December 22, 2015 - Meeting your needs, the Hofsas House in
Carmel-By-The-Sea
, offers the perfect European retreat for family reunions, business team or leadership meetings, sewing or quilting conferences, and small wedding receptions. The hotel offers the only poolside meeting facility in Carmel-By-The-Sea.

The signature poolside meeting room has a fireplace, full kitchen and can accommodate a sit down dinner for 30, a stand up reception for up to 40 or a boardroom setting with classroom seating for up to 24. The meeting room is ideal for private personal dining parties. Guests can even bring their own chefs or work with the Hofsas House preferred vendors Wild Thyme Deli or Aqua Terra Culinary. The hotel can also arrange to have the hotel guests complimentary continental breakfast delivered to the meeting room for early morning meetings

From bridal or two bedroom suites to rooms with private lanais or sun decks overlooking the pines, the Hofsas House offers the perfect accommodation for any group large or small. A heated pool, dry saunas, decks with views and off-street parking are on offer as well. Hofsas House Owner and General Manager, Carrie Theis, personally helps you with information regarding the meeting area, including recommendations for local caterers. The dimensions of room are 19’ by 26’, not including the kitchen area.

Background on the Hotel:

In Carmel-by-the-Sea, the Theis family is celebrating six decades of European hospitality at its beautiful Bavarian-inspired Hofsas House Hotel, which is as charming as the town itself. With firm roots in the past, the family is looking toward the future by keeping abreast of guests’ every need.

Owned and operated by the Theis Family, Hofsas House Hotel is within walking distance of everything Carmel has to offer, including a stunning beach, fine restaurants and shops, and wine tasting. It provides peaceful respite and European charm just minutes from Monterey, Pebble Beach, Big Sur and Pacific Grove. The Hofsas House’s 38 spacious, one-of-a-kind rooms boast European comfort and lovely views, not to mention amenities like fireplaces, private balconies, wet bars, kitchens and patios. Large suites provide the perfect stay for newlyweds and everyone else seeking an extra special getaway. Dutch doors in every room allow guests to welcome in the ocean air, and free WiFi enables them to stay connected — if they want to.

The Hofsas House Hotel family works to ensure every visitor's experience is special, striving to offer the highest quality personal services. Consider the continental breakfast including yogurt, abundant with fresh French Roast coffee, tea, juice, fruit and pastries from a neighborhood bakery, or the personalized concierge services for guests and their families, including their four-legged family members, who are welcome, as well.

Hofsas House Hotel is located on San Carlos Street, north of Fourth Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea. For more information, call (831) 624-2745 or visit www.hofsashouse.com. Like us on Facebook.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.hofsashouse.com

Friday, December 11, 2015

Holiday Contest At Hyatt Regency Monterey!

We all have wonderful memories from the holidays - from something funny to something heartwarming! Share one of your favorite holiday memories on our Facebook Page

Monterey, CA, December 11, 2015 - We all have wonderful memories from the holidays - from something funny to something heartwarming! Share one of your favorite holiday memories on our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/hyattregencymonterey and our favorite post will win a one-night stay at Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa along with dinner at TusCA! Entries accepted December10th -December 20thth …winner announced on Christmas Day! What better holiday gift than to find out you won a free hotel stay?! #HappyHolidays #HyattHolidays

About Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel& Spa on Del Monte Golf Course

Nestled in 22 acres of soaring Monterey Pines, the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa on Del Monte Golf Course is a destination resort providing the discerning traveler the quintessential Monterey experience. Its location offers guests close proximity to downtown Monterey and Monterey Airport and easy access to some of the Peninsula’s most well known attractions. With its warm, contemporary ambiance, elegant furnishings and convenient amenities, the hotel offers both leisure and business travelers a Northern California respite of unmatched serenity and comfort. Features include 550 guestrooms including 32 suites, and the President’s house, TusCA Ristorante, Knuckles Sports Bar, Fireplace Lounge, a 2,000 square foot fitness facility, tennis courts, pools and whirlpools, and 12,000 square foot full service spa. The hotel is located at 1 Old Golf Course Road in Monterey, California. For information call (831) 372-1234 or visit http://www.hyattregencymonterey.com/.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.hyattregencymonterey.com/