Hot Picks 12.16.21

Salinas Block Party

The holiday spirit is coming to downtown Salinas with a block party featuring live music, performances by local artists and high school students, fun activities, pop-up shops and goods available from local vendors. You’ll also be able to buy gifts from local businesses, learn about local nonprofits and the new pro Monterey Bay FC soccer team and purchase food. Oh, and there’s free hot chocolate. [CJ]

3-7pm Thursday, Dec. 16. Oldtown Salinas, South Main Street between Central Avenue and East Alisal Street. bit.ly/SalinasChristmasBlockParty.

Homecoming: Benny Bassett

After two years of struggling through the pandemic, singer/songwriter Benny Bassett returns to his roots to bring new music to the area, with two shows to choose from. Born in Seaside, Bassett is the grandson of Seaside’s A to Z Rental Center founders and has been performing music all over the world for the past six years. “I have so many Monterey Peninsula memories which include birthday parties, playing baseball as a Seaside All-Star, the thickest fog that hung over Pacific Grove and Carmel, and the smell of saltwater wherever I went,” says Basset, now based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “But my fondest memories are of my family. My grandparents owned and operated A to Z Rental Center and I can recall spending many days with my Grandpa down at Red’s Donuts or driving down the coast to Big Sur. I have always loved the Peninsula and I make sure all of my tours take me through my first home.” [AP]

2pm Saturday, Dec. 18 at Puma Road Winery, 32071 River Road, Soledad; and 3pm Sunday, Dec. 19 at De Tierra Winery, Mission Street and 5th Avenue, Carmel. Free. facebook.com/bennybassettmusic.

Ho Ho Ho, Yo!

Santas, your time of year has come, and the Santa signal is illuminated in the night sky – and it’s being sent out from Sand City. On Saturday, Dec. 18, Santas will convene at the Sand City Art Park to spread good cheer and, before the holiday hustle, have a not-so-little Santa party: the 2021 Monterey County SantaCon. But there’s a catch: The organizers of the event don’t want any half-ass Santa costumes, like showing up with just a Santa hat. They only want Santas that are ready to commit and to don the full costume and get creative. This year’s event has a disco theme – there will be a DJ, full bar and food trucks at the party – though Santas can put whatever spin they want on their costume, some sparkle would be most welcome. Also, another important rule: All attendees should address others as Santa, because that’s who they are. [DS]

2-8pm Saturday, Dec. 18. Sand City Art Park, 525 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. $10/pre-sale, $20/at the door. bit.ly/SantaConSandCity.

Bohemian Knights

You have two options here – a free open rehearsal (partial concert) on Dec. 18 or the whole deal for $35 on Dec. 19. Be prepared to understand the concept of Bohemian Knights broadly because in addition to two Czech composers, Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644-1704) and Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904), the organizers generously included a Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly (1862-1967). Founded with a grant from the Arts Council for Monterey County, the project includes a group of California-based musicians: violinists Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu and Liana Berube, violist David Samuel, bassist William Everett and cellist Michelle Djokic. The rehearsal will focus on passages of the Dvorak’s String Quintet in G major, Opus 77. The Sunday program will additionally include Fidicinium Sacro Profanum, Sonata No.9 in G major by Biber and Intermezzo for String trio by Kodaly. [AP]

7pm Saturday, Dec. 18 open rehearsal (free) and 4pm Sunday, Dec. 19 ($35). SandBox, 440 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. sandboxsandcity.com.

Lights on Bikes

’Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the town, bicyclists were riding, and finding new routes. OK, not a real Christmas rhyme, but this is the kind of family-friendly, come-as-you-are bicycling gathering that welcomes anyone and everyone, regardless of bad rhymes. For 23 years, cyclists of all skill levels have been converging for a festive holiday ride – bring lights, and then some more lights, to decorate yourself and your bike and your neighbor’s bike. This Critical Christmas ride (so named because Critical Mass refers to throngs of cyclists taking over the streets, but this is decidedly more chill) starts out by heading from Custom House Plaza on the Rec Trail to Cannery Row, then takes a lap of Fisherman’s Wharf followed by a tour of downtown Monterey and ends back at Custom House Plaza. Join for any or all segments, as long as you bring holiday cheer and yes, some holiday bling. [SR]

5:45pm meeting; 6pm ride starts on Sunday, Dec. 19. Start and end at Custom House Plaza, Monterey. May be canceled for rain. Free. facebook.com/CriticalChristmasBicycleRide.

Mistletoe Mandolin

The holiday season brings celebrations of all kinds: Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Festivus, New Year’s. But the Dave Holodiloff Band is ensuring one other is not left out: the winter solstice. The band welcomes Elijah McCullar, known as the “Santa Cruz fiddle wiz kid,” and pianist Michael Martinez for the ninth annual Enchanted Winter Solstice Holiday Concert at Bon Ton L’Roy’s Lighthouse Smokehouse. The acoustic set will feature holiday classics in a range of styles, from bluegrass to Bach. [CN]

2-4pm Sunday, Dec. 19. Bon Ton L’Roys Lighthouse Smokehouse, 794 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. $20. 373-6958, daveholodiloff@gmail.com.

Zoom into Mindfulness

Say you want to live in the moment but don’t quite know how. What you need is practice, but where do you find a good coach? The Monterey Public Library, of course. And you don’t even have to go there. On Wednesdays the library offers a free and “gently guided” – in other words, your old high school football coach is not the one making you aware of your surroundings – mindfulness meditation practice via Zoom or on your phone. That’s right, you can phone it in. The practice is led by experienced mindfulness instructors, but participants can be at any level. The sessions are followed by a discussion where you can ask questions and check on your progress – although, since mindfulness is all about the present and about avoiding judgement, maybe checking on progress is not the right approach. (See why you need mindfulness coaching?) Zoom accounts are not required, although Zoom 5.0 or higher is. It’s a good idea to upgrade, since mindfulness is the first step on the path to enlightenment. Register in advance; only 97 “seats” are available. [DF]

12:15-12:45pm Wednesday, Dec. 22. Free. 646-3933, monterey.org/library.

Hot Picks by Tajha Chappellet-Lanier, Dave Faries, Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Christopher Neely, Agata Pope˛da, David Schmalz and Sara Rubin.