From piano bar to reggae, the club-music scene in Monterey County is varied. Some acts are regulars, but others change each week. Some clubs have music regularly, others do special-occasion acts. For up-to-date listings, call the venue or see Go! magazine every Thursday in The Monterey County Herald.   READ MORE

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/Contra Costa Times

He spoke as if lecturing a college class. Except he was in a hot tub. Although his muscles were enjoying the warmth after a workout, his mind was completely engaged in a conversation both casual and comprehensive about wine.   READ MORE

River Road winds along the base of the Santa Lucia Range, connecting Salinas to Soledad. For generations this road cut a swath between a rich, fertile valley — the world's salad bowl — and the rural, largely uninhabited highlands above.   READ MORE

DAVID ROYAL/The Herald

Midway through his cooking demonstration Saturday at the Pebble Beach Food & Wine festival, celebrated chef Masaharu Morimoto was grating wasabi for a sushi dish. "This is a lot of work," he said after a few seconds of labor. Then he turned to one of his sous chefs. "You do.   READ MORE