Quick Bites: Chef movements, storied restaurant in escrow and more.

Former Pacific’s Edge/California Market Exec Chef Matt Bolton starts at C Restaurant + Bar in the Intercontinental on Cannery Row this week.

“Fresh and seasonal is really what it's about in the end,” he says. “You don’t have to get crazy, you just want to present everything in a balanced way with bright flavors and great texture.”

It'll be fun for the tastebuds and imagination to see what he does now that he can focus on dinner service and not juggle two restaurants and banquet service.

"Any restaurant or hotel will take as much as you give it," he says. "It helps to have a few more players and less responsibilities."

And it's fun to think about how few chefs have enjoyed properties as scenic as these two back to back.

"There's a lot of inspiration being so close to ocean on the cliffs," he says. "You get a lot of that at the Intercontintal as well. Any time tensions are running high or it's before a busy night, or you're writing menus, you can step outside and clear your head."

His first day is Aug. 4.

More notes from the local world of wine and food follow:

• Holman Ranch chief Nick Elliot reports the winery/destination is in escrow for Wills Fargo Dining House and Saloon (659-2774).

• Happy Girl Kitchen’s adorable parklet opens Sunday afternoon (Aug. 3) with live music, food and drinks noon-5pm. The Kickstarter campaign to make it happen raised $11,936.

• The Wharf Marketplace’s loss is Pebble Beach Company’s gain: The gifted Owen Appelt is now running the kitchen at Spyglass Hill, which means another standout spot at a golf course—along with Quail Lodge, Poppy Hills and Carmel Valley Ranch. (Pebble proper, with The Bench, too.)

• Saturday, Aug, 2, John Russo of Carmel Lavender and Janna Jo Williams of Earthbound Farm lead a stroll through fields of lavender and lemon verbena, and a workshop on distilling the intense herbs into essential oils ($50), at the Farm Stand. www.carmellavender.com for tix.

• Red Brick Pizza (899-4566) in Del Rey Oaks’ Stonecreek Village will shutter soon.

• Rio Grill (625-5436) hosts its inaugural sustainable winemakers dinner Thursday, Aug. 7, with four courses from Cy Yontz like corn-crusted day boat scallops and Durham Ranch bison tenderloin paired with McIntyre Vineyards and Heller Estate wines ($85).

• Little Napoli's (626-6335) takes its turn on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Friday, Aug. 1, on the Food Network Channel, with house specialties like spicy seafood cioppino and tri-colore cannelloni ($18-$26) starring along Rich Pepe.

• Chili cook off and salsa competition at the Prunedale Shopping Center originally scheduled for for Sunday, Aug. 3. is moving to Sept. 14. 633-2465 for more info and sign-up.

• The Lopez Brothers put on Salinas Tequila & Mezcal 5-9pm Saturday, Aug. 2, pouring more than five dozen spirits at Fox Theater on Main Street ($40, 869-2752).

• Sunday, Aug. 3, is National Watermelon Day. Juicy.