Downtown Merced

Chuco Moreno, a renowned Chicano artist and tattoo specialist, led an artist talk with an audience of fans recently as part of a series of art exhibitions, classes, and talks at the art studio of Kreepy Kawaii in downtown Merced. At the evening event, the small studio quickly became packed with residents eager to learn more about…

Frank Ayala remembers a time when he was practically waving his artwork out at passing cars and people on the sidewalks on Main Street in Merced.…

The most recent featured artist at The Tioga in downtown Merced is none other than local artist Eddie O. Rodriguez. The Times has covered…

Have you been to Duanes? It’s the “realest restaurant’ in town, according to social media. The restaurant is located downtown, “near the Merced Theatre … near Bob Hart Square … and right by the Partisan.” Duanes promises: “Great Prices, Great Service and Great Food!” That’s an awesome deal for an eatery that is completely…

The streets of downtown Merced were lined with families and fans of bike racing as the annual Merced Centurion Bike Race made its return to the…

For Quentin Garcia, these are the days to remember — a time when years of research and craftsmanship begin to render the kind of sweet euphoria that builds…

Stephanie Atkinson, who has been Office Manager at Playhouse Merced since last September, feels she is working at the new and improved Playhouse because the theater is doing things that haven’t been done before, and everyone is excited. She told the Times, “Part of the reason I feel this way is we have a new Artistic Director and new Education…

Rainbird, a new dining experience in El Capitan, which is part of the JdV by Hyatt brand, is set to make its opening debut on…

The Branding Iron Restaurant, the oldest and most famous fine-dining venue in Merced, was sold by owners Greg and Kara Parle effective Jan. 1. The…

Opening soon, Rainbird is a new upscale restaurant located in the historic El Capitan Hotel in Merced. Helmed by Executive Chef Quentin Garcia, Rainbird will embody California’s Central Valley with a vegetable-forward, five-course tasting menu celebrating the very best of seasonal harvest, rooted in Chef Quentin’s deep relationships with the…