Monica Garske headshot

Monica Garske

Senior Content Strategist

Monica is based in San Diego, California. She was previously a senior digital media producer and podcast host at NBC 7 San Diego + The Scene, and has been in the news biz since 2005. She loves hiking, the beach, and family days with her husband and two kids.

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The exterior of The Brit Pub + Grill, which includes a red awning and a replica of a British phone booth.
Restaurants
Touchdown: Where to watch Super Bowl LIX in San Jose
From Taylor Swift-themed bingo to food + drink deals, go big or go home on game day, San Jose.
February 7, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
A couple poses under a neon sign that reads "Stay Classy San Diego."
Play
25 date night ideas in San Diego
Got a hot new fling? Hoping to spice things up with your longtime partner? We’re here to help plan your next date in America’s Finest City.
February 6, 2025
 · 
Michael Beausoleil
A white arched trellis frames a concrete walkway into a rose garden in Sacramento. There is a tiered, stone water fountain in the center that is surrounded by bright red rose blooms, and two towering palm trees in the background.
Play
Love this: Date nights for every type of Sacramentan
Got a hot new fling? Hoping to spice things up with your longtime partner? We’re here to help plan your next date in the City of Trees.
February 6, 2025
 · 
Madeline Ewing
A young fan awaits an autograph from a Sacramento Republic FC players while at the team's Fan Fest.
Sports
Score: Republic FC FanFest returns to Sacramento
The fan-forward festival goes down at Heart Health Park on Saturday, Feb. 22 and will help kick off Republic FC’s 2025 season.
January 28, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
A capybara named Donatello sits in his new habitat at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San Jose, CA.
Travel and Outdoors
‘Donatello’ the capybara joins San Jose’s Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
The 1-year-old capy hails from the Sacramento Zoo (oh hey, SACtoday), where he made his mark as a social media star.
January 28, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
A giant pink inflatable art installation known as "Mr. Pink" hangs from a tree at Boston's Post Office Square.
Arts
See it: Free outdoor art experience ‘Winteractive’ returns to downtown Boston
Here’s where to find some of the public art installations turning heads between buildings, clinging to trees, and lighting up areas of downtown Boston.
January 27, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
Lion dancers at the San Diego Tet Festival celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
Events
Lunar New Year celebrations in San Diego
From downtown San Diego and Balboa Park to City Heights and Mira Mesa — there are many fun community celebrations of the Lunar New Year in 2025.
January 24, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
IMG_0329.jpg
Live
Where to eat pizza in San Diego
Dig into San Diego’s must-try pizza shops including unexpected combos, fancy offerings, and gluten-free options.
January 24, 2025
 · 
Michael Beausoleil
Boston skyline with sun rising
Events
Save the Dates: Big events coming to Boston in 2025
Whew, it’s going to be a busy, eventful year in Boston.
January 21, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
Mannequin on blue couch in antique shop.
Culture
Shop, swap, sell, and save in Greenville
Here’s the deal — the vintage shopping scene is stellar in Greenville.
January 17, 2025
 · 
Kyle Steadings
dallas-skyline-at-dusk (1).jpg
City
How Dallasites can help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires
To LA, with love — here’s how Dallas can help victims of the devastating January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles.
January 15, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
A man holds his hands up in the air in the shape of a heart during sunset golden hour. The sun is peeking through the heart.
Nonprofits
How San Joseans can help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires
To LA, with love — here’s how San Jose can help victims of the devastating January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles.
January 13, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
A man holds his hands up in the air in the shape of a heart during sunset golden hour. The sun is peeking through the heart.
Nonprofits
How Sacramentans can help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires
To LA, with love — here’s how Sac can help victims of the devastating January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles.
January 13, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
An overhead view of a packed Gillette Stadium, with players on the sides of the football field on a clear day.
Sports
Touchdown: Verizon FanFest Super Bowl experience heads to Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is among 30 venues nationwide chosen to host a FanFest event on Super Bowl Sunday — Feb. 9, 2025.
January 10, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
A man holds his hands up in the air in the shape of a heart during sunset golden hour. The sun is peeking through the heart.
Nonprofits
How San Diegans can help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires
To LA, with love — here’s how SD can help victims of the devastating January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles.
January 10, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
A view of the San Diego Air and Space Museum with an airplane flying above in Balboa Park
Play
Live and learn: Museums in San Diego
Whether you’re a history buff, art aficionado, or science fan, these 27 museums in San Diego have it all.
January 9, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
SAC Dine Downtown Brasserie du Monde
Restaurants
Let’s Eat: Dine Downtown returns to Sacramento’s food scene
Participating restaurants will offer prix fixe, three-course meals for $45, so it’s a great time to try a new spot in Sac.
January 7, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
The Green Stage and and crowd at Boston Calling in 2022.
Events
This rocks: Boston Calling releases 2025 lineup
Luke Combs, Fall Out Boy, and Dave Matthews Band are a few of the headliners taking over the Harvard Athletic Complex on Friday, May 23-Sunday, May 25.
January 6, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
SD Mission Trails Regional Park San Diego
Culture
Meet your New Year’s resolutions in San Diego
The biggest step in completing your New Year’s resolution? Show up.
January 2, 2025
 · 
Monica Garske
Ocean Beach Christmas Tree 2022
Culture
“A Coastal Christmas Romance": A San Diego Hallmark-style movie, as told by ChatGPT
December Nights, the OB Christmas tree, holiday lights, and ice skating? We’d watch the heck out of this fictional, AI-generated holiday movie set in America’s Finest City.
December 16, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
SD Restored Botanical Building Balboa Park
City
See it: Balboa Park’s restored Botanical Building reopens
The iconic, highly-photographed structure closed in January 2022 for a $26.45 million renovation project, but reopened to the public in December 2024.
December 13, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
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City
Tampa Bay restaurants you miss the most
TBAYtoday readers shared which local restaurants + meals they miss the most — and we think you’ll agree.
December 13, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
A dragon statue at Cal Expo's Imaginarium
Culture
“A Light of Love in Sacramento": A Hallmark-style holiday movie, as told by ChatGPT
A boutique family shop in Old Sac, Theatre of Lights, the 60-ft Christmas tree, and Imaginarium? Yep, we’d watch this AI-generated holiday flick about our city, no doubt.
December 11, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
A holiday light display in Willow Glen: a brightly lit two-story home, with a white star over the doorway, "Merry Christmas" in red lights, white light deer, a white light angel, multi-colored light gifts, and a brightly lit dancefloor.
Culture
“Christmas in the Park": A San Jose Hallmark-style holiday movie, as told by ChatGPT
Christmas in the Park, holiday pop-up bars, twinkling lights, and ice skating under the stars? We’d watch the heck out of this fictional, AI-generated holiday movie set in the great 408.
December 11, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
The "Ames Room" exhibit at Museum of Illusions Boston features a grey slanted floor. In this photo, two women on the left appear very tiny, while a man on the right appears like a giant; it's all part of the exhibit's optical illusion.
Arts
This is not a mirage: Museum of Illusions Boston now open
The new museum at 200 State St. — adjacent to Faneuil Hall — is open daily.
December 10, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
San Diego Bay Parade of Lights SD
Culture
How to Watch the 2024 San Diego Bay Parade of Lights
The 54-year tradition returns to downtown San Diego’s waterfront on Sunday, Dec. 8 + Sunday, Dec. 15.
December 5, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
Starlight Circle 2022 SD
Culture
Where to see holiday lights in San Diego County in 2024
We’ve mapped out 12 jolly, local displays that truly dazzle.
December 4, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
SJ SJPL top titles of 2024
City
Fully booked: San Jose Public Library’s most checked-out titles of 2024
San Joseans kept it diverse at the library check-out line, that’s for sure.
December 4, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
Low clouds hang over Sacramento's downtown buildings and Old Sacramento's waterfront in the foreground. The sky and water of the river are gray.
Live
Winter 2024-2025 weather trends in Sacramento
Prepare for winter in the City of Trees with these seasonal temperature and precipitation outlooks.
December 2, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
SD Over the Top Lounge Hyatt San Diego
Food
Fa-la-la-libations: Holiday pop-up bars in San Diego
We’ve rounded up fun, festive places to drink and be merry.
November 29, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
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