Raise a toast and put on the party hats, it’s time to celebrate the city of Monterey’s 249th Birthday. On Friday, May 31, 2019, Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa and Estéban Restaurant commemorate the establishment of Monterey by offering an exceptional Chef’s tasting menu and three signature cocktails. To further honor this special city, 10% of all food sales will be donated to the Old Monterey Foundation for the fourth year in a row. Parking is complimentary for guests. To make reservations, please call (831) 375-0176.
Casa Munras and Estéban Restaurant share the Old Monterey Foundation’s mission to maintain, protect and share the deep-rooted history of Monterey. Executive Chef Gus Trejo shows his support through the creation of a bespoke menu for the birthday celebration. Dishes with the freshest and finest ingredients available from local farmers and artisans are served and three signature cocktails have been created to toast this festive evening, including Spanish Heiress, Estéban Love Potion, and Spanish Paradise.
From its founding on June 3, 1770, Monterey’s Spanish heritage is experienced today through the diverse architectural styles throughout Downtown Monterey Heritage District. Casa Munras, originally constructed in 1824 by Spanish diplomat Don Estéban Munras, continues to pay homage to its roots. A part of the original residence remains intact in the hotel’s Marbella Meeting Room. It serves as a touchstone to the past and an inspiration to share the utmost hospitality to visitors.
Old Monterey Foundation’s mission is to promote, support and enhance the artistic, cultural and historic environment of downtown Monterey.
Estéban Restaurant is located at 700 Munras Avenue adjacent to the Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa in Monterey, CA and features Spanish cuisine with California flair.
It’s Monterey’s 248th Birthday and Estéban Restaurant wants to celebrate. Located at historic Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa, Estéban will donate 10% of all food sales on Saturday, June 2 from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. to the Old Monterey Foundation for the third year in a row. Founded with the mission to promote, support, and enhance the artistic, cultural, and historic environment of historic Downtown Monterey, the Old Monterey Foundation along with Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa share an affinity for maintaining, protecting, and sharing the deep-rooted history of Monterey.
From its establishment on June 3, 1770, Monterey’s Spanish heritage can be experienced today through the diverse architectural styles found throughout Downtown Monterey Heritage District. Casa Munras, originally constructed in 1824 by Spanish Diplomat Don Estéban Munras, pays homage to its roots through a commitment to maintain high hospitality standards for which the Munras family was known. A part of the original residence constructed with handmade 32-inch adobe bricks remains and serves as a touchstone to the past in the walls of the Marbella Meeting Room.
Estéban Restaurant serves traditional Spanish-inspired cuisine with a California twist. Relax, sip, savor, and share by the warmth of the fireplace or in the relaxing outdoor patio at Estéban Restaurant. For reservations, call (831) 375-0176.
The Old Monterey Foundation is pleased to announce that Estéban Restaurant at Historic Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa is celebrating Monterey’s 246th Birthday and benefiting Old Monterey Foundation. Dine at the outstanding Esteban Restaurant on Friday, June 3rd between 5 pm – 10 pm and 10% of the food sales will go toward Old Monterey Foundation! .
In honor of Monterey’s 246th Birthday, Estéban Restaurant located at historic Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa will be donating 10% of all food sales to the Old Monterey Foundation. Founded with the mission to promote, support, and enhance the artistic, cultural, and historic environment of historic Downtown Monterey, the Old Monterey Foundation along with Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa both encompass an affinity for maintaining, protecting, and sharing the deep-rooted history of Monterey.
From its founding on June 3, 1770 Monterey’s Spanish heritage can be experienced today through the diverse architectural styles found throughout historic Downtown Monterey. Casa Munras originally constructed in 1824 by Spanish Diplomat Don Estéban Munras continues to pay homage to its roots by preserving the history of the Munras family and the original residence constructed with handmade 32-inch adobe bricks. A portion of the original structure is still standing, encompassed in the walls of the Marbella Meeting Room.
Estéban Restaurant located at historic Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa is the heart of authentic Monterey dining, offering a unique culinary experience. Serving traditional Spanish-inspired cuisine with a pinch of adventure, Estéban Restaurant invites you to sip, savor, and share by the warmth of the fireplace or in the relaxing outdoor patio. In the process, your entertainment dollars will help to fund the operations of Old Monterey Foundation and the development of the Lower Presidio Historic Park.
The Old Monterey Foundation is pleased to announce that the Rotary Club of Monterey has agreed to become a major sponsor of the Lower Presidio Historic Park with a significant grant to fund the construction and installation of the custom signs on site.
The first of many presentations by the Board of the Old Monterey Foundation was given to the membership of the Club on January 7, 2016 and received an enthusiastic response. The presentation was followed by a tour of the Park so that the members could see firsthand the beauty and potential of the Park to become the jewel of the Monterey Park system. After threatened rain, the afternoon turned out to be sunny and dry, and a good time was had by all with wine provided by the Club.
After several meetings with the Rotary Club Board, it was agreed that development of Phase I (and possibly Phase II) of the Master Plan would be an ideal Legacy Project for the Club. We tailored a package of custom designed signs to funded by the Rotary grant of $50,000, which include the Entrance Sign (as above) that will for the first time proclaim that the site is an Historic Park and that the public is WELCOME!
We are most grateful to the Rotary Club of Monterey for its generous grant and look forward to seeing the Entrance Sign erected in September, 2016, thanks to the Club’s donation.
“Friends of the Lower Presidio” Campaign Launched to Raise Private Funds to Restore the Beautiful 25.3-Acre Historic Park Overlooking the Monterey Bay
February 22, 2016. Monterey, CA. The Lower Presidio Historic Park, described as “The Most Historically Significant Site on the West Coast” and “One of the Most Beautiful Places in Monterey” is on its way to becoming a true historic public park to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Old Monterey Foundation, in cooperation with the City of Monterey and the Department of the Army, has raised initial funds to complete Phase One of the project to enhance and restore this historic 25.3-acre site and is now seeking public donations to help complete Phase One of the $680,000 project. Old Monterey Foundation invites everyone to become members of “Friends of the Lower Presidio” and make tax-deductible donations to more quickly restore the park. Our goal is to obtain private donations of $50,000 or more, to combine with funds already received or anticipated to compete the initial phase of the Plan by the end of 2016.
The Lower Presidio Historic Park is one of the least-visited historic parks in the area due to some confusion about whether the public is allowed in the area. Situated in a “hidden in plain sight” location, the Park can be found on Corporal Ewing Drive above Pacific Street at the Lighthouse Curve in Downtown Monterey. The park features spectacular views of the Monterey Bay and Harbor and will become a jewel of the City of Monterey’s park system.
To become a member of “Friends of the Lower Presidio”, individuals and businesses can donate at www.oldmontereyfoundation.org or call (831) 521-2313 for more information. Donations to “Friends of Lower Presidio” can be accessed from a pull down menu at the upper right of the site, and donations can be made by any major credit card or PayPal. These donations will help Old Monterey Foundation to complete the immediate goal of completing Phase One of the project in 2016, and allow progress toward completing Phases Two and Three in time for the 200th Anniversary of the Bouchard Raid in 1818 and Monterey’s 250th birthday in June 2020.
Checks may also be sent to: Old Monterey Foundation, 98 Del Monte Avenue, Monterey, CA 93940.
Note: All donations are tax-deductible. Federal Tax ID#45- 1343649, Old Monterey Foundation. For additional information, call (831) 521-2313. Individuals can choose to give anonymously or receive recognition as described below.
Get Recognized! Become a Donor or Sponsor of the Lower Presidio
$50 Donation – Friend
Receives Lower Presidio Historic Park Quarterly Newsletter
Invitation to all LPHP events.
$100 and more – Founding Friend
Receives Commemorative Pin
Friends Pin
Lower Presidio Historic Park Quarterly Newsletter
Invitation to all LPHP events
With confirmation of interest, donor receives a mention on the website, and mention on Facebook.
$500 – Sebastian Viscaino Sponsor
Company or Name included in Opening Event Thank You Ad
Private Tour of Lower Presidio Historic Park
Company or Name listing in Quarterly Newsletter
Commemorative Pin
$1000 – Gaspar de Portola Sponsor
Receives all of the above benefits plus…
Permanent acknowledgement and Company logo on Old Monterey Foundation website
Acknowledgement at Grand Opening event
2 VIP invitations to Grand Opening event
$2500 – Ft. Mervine Sponsor
Receives all of the above benefits plus…
Logo Opportunity in Official Park Map
Permanent Company or Name listed on Recognition Wall
Company listing in Lower Presidio Historic Park press releases
Permanent Acknowledgement and Company logo on Old Monterey Foundation website
Company or Name included in Opening Event Thank You Ad
$5000 – Commodore Sloat Sponsor
Receives all of the above benefits plus…
Logo Opportunity in Official Park Brochure
Company Banner display at Grand Opening event (5’ banner)
4 VIP invitations to Grand Opening event
VIP invitations to other Old Monterey Foundation events
$10,000 – El Castillo Sponsor
Receives all of the above benefits plus…
• Introduction/Opportunity to Speak (2-3 mins) at Grand Opening event
With the help of donations and grants, Phase One of the project will give the Lower Presidio Historic Park the look and feel of an historic public park, including improved way-finding and identification entry signs to assist the public in accessing the site and highlighting several of the important historic periods at the Presidio; development of pathways, benches and interpretive signs and monuments on the site; replacement of the old cyclone perimeter fence with a wood-appearing historically accurate fence, minimal branch/tree removal where necessary to assure views of the Monterey Harbor and restore it to the way it was seen historically; and development of an ADA approved path leading to the Sloat Monument, the highest point of the site. Old Monterey Foundation is now also seeking funds to restore the Father Serra statue that was recently vandalized.
So far, $365,000 has been raised of an anticipated $680,000 cost for Phase One, including $215,000 from Monterey’s Neighborhood Improvement Program, $50,000 from The Community Foundation for Monterey County for the Park’s new fence, and $20,000 from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation for a public relations fund and signs. The Monterey Regional Park District has donated $2,500, while the Monterey County Gives! Campaign contributed $4,000. Most recently, the Rotary Club of Monterey has graciously adopted the Park improvements as its “legacy project” and has committed $50,000 to the final design, construction and installation of unique signs into and around the Park.
Proposed entrance Sign at Artillery GateAll Signs
Old Monterey Foundation continues to work with many other stakeholder groups, including City of Monterey, Old Monterey Business Association, Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, State of California and more. They look forward to collaborating with the public and other organizations locally and throughout the world.
Eric Palmer and Anne McGrath of the City of Monterey Outreach Office recently completed an informative short video about the Lower Presidio Historic Park and its significance to California and American history: https://youtu.be/Lg7X0spnC4k
The Old Monterey Foundation is pleased to announce that it has been selected as one of 144 non-profit organizations to participate in the annual Monterey County Gives! charitable fundraiser conducted by The Monterey County Weekly. Last year, MCGives! raised more than $1.3 million for charity and the goal this year is $2 million.
The essence of MC Gives! is to give worthy non-profits exposure and a platform to raise money for a “Big Idea.” Our Big Idea is the implementation of the Lower Presidio Historic Park according to the 2002 Master Plan, which will turn a largely unknown Park into the popular recreational attraction it should be. When we have completed Phase I of the implementation, the Park will look like and feel like a historic park to used by residents and visitors alike in the heart of downtown Monterey.
Contributions made to MC Gives!, designated for the benefit of OMF will come to us for use only on the Lower Presidio Historic Park. If the donation is made as a “challenge grant,” MC Gives! will add some amount from the challenge grant fund of $325,000 to our gift, depending on how much we raise in the total fundraiser. So the more you give, the more we will receive as your contribution will be leveraged.
$925.00 has been donated as a challenge grant to OMF, as of November 24. To donate, please go to the Monterey County Gives! website:
Hit the “Donate” button and you will receive instructions as to how you can make your donation by credit card, PayPal, or by check. Be sure to designate the beneficiary as Old Monterey Foundation and the Lower Presidio Historic Park.
In honor of Monterey’s 246th Birthday, Estéban Restaurant located at historic Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa will be donating 10% of all food sales to 
agreed to become a major sponsor of the Lower Presidio Historic Park with a significant grant to fund the construction and installation of the custom signs on site.
and received an enthusiastic response. The presentation was followed by a tour of the Park so that the members could see firsthand the beauty and potential of the Park to become the jewel of the Monterey Park system. 
After threatened rain, the afternoon turned out to be sunny and dry, and a good time was had by all with wine provided by the Club.
Old Monterey Foundation is now also seeking funds to restore the Father Serra statue that was recently vandalized.
The Old Monterey Foundation is pleased to announce that it has been selected as one of 144 non-profit organizations to participate in the annual Monterey County Gives! charitable fundraiser conducted by The Monterey County Weekly. Last year, MCGives! raised more than $1.3 million for charity and the goal this year is $2 million.
Old Monterey Foundation 