The Facing Seaside 5 Photography Project
La Tortuga
La Tortuga Restaurant has brought Oaxacan cuisine to Seaside since 1999, and this year, it is celebrating 27 years in business. Deep-rooted in tradition and family, La Tortuga was founded by Luis and his wife Virginia Vasquez. Luis rose through the ranks of the food industry from dishwasher to head chef and when he wanted to start creating his own dishes and style, he founded La Tortuga in his hometown of Seaside. Elijah Vasquez, son of Luis, alongside his mother, Virginia, carries on the Oaxacan traditional cuisine for the community to experience. Vazquez is a strong believer in community and only purchases ingredients from local businesses and prepares everything in the restaurant to uphold the quality of taste and ingredients that his father, Luis was a strong believer in.
Elijah Vasquez - Owner of La Tortuga
Are you from Monterey County, if not where are you from?
My parents are from San Pablo Huixtepec Oaxaca Mexico.
When did you move to Seaside?
I was born in Salinas California in the year 1991 but my parents moved to Seaside in 1982.
What brought you to Seaside?
That American dream meaning a better life for them and better opportunities.
When was your business established in Seaside?
La Tortuga restaurant was established in the year 1999 in downtown Seaside.
What was the main reason / motivation to start your business?
My dad wanted a new chapter in his life: to create his own disshes, pastries and be his own boss.
Do you have an educational background that helped start up the business or are you self taught?
My dad learned everything by himself working as a dishwasher all the way to chef. He was always involved in the kitchen since he was a teenager making sweet bread back in Oaxaca Mexico. Thanks to my parents they blessed me to go to school and get my business education.
How did you learn all that you do, who were your mentors, or folks who encouraged / supported you when you decided to start your business?
My parents Mr Luis and Virgnia Vasquez started the business without knowing a lot but wanted to take that leap of faith and bring Oaxaca to Seaside.
Is this work that has been in your family for generations, or did you start this business with a vision of your own?
I’m the second generation in this business, and hopefully my kids will keep this legacy going, as I am.
Who are your inspirations? (business or otherwise)
Jesus Christ my lord and savior everything that we have is his and all the honor and glory is his. My father Luis Vasquez who started La Tortuga back in 1999 but has received his angel wings October fifth two thousand twenty three. Lastly my mother Virginia who is my motivation to not give up in life.
What would you say is your business specialty?
We started with only tortas when my dad started with the restaurant. The most popular one is the Cuban torta. I believe we have a little of everything for everyone: tacos, sopes, soups, nachos, burritos and the list goes on.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future of your business?
To keep the restaurant going for many more years and bring Oaxacan food to many more people. We are in the year 2026 and we are celebrating twenty seven years open here in Seaside.
What would be a single piece of advice that you would give someone who is thinking of starting up their own business?
There will be many obstacles but keep on going and not lose faith. You couldn't come with a solution that same day wait till the next day to figure it out.
What are your feelings about community, what does community mean to you here in Seaside? Is community important to you?
Thanks to the community for all the love and support since 1999.
How does the community influence and or engage with your business?
They let us bring delicious Oaxacan food everyday. We are grateful for all the support.
Were you thinking of setting up your business in any other location? Or was it always meant to be here in Seaside?
My parents live in Seaside and decided to have their business here.
Do you have any plans for expansion?
Yes, in two years I would love to test my luck in Monterey and Salinas.
Who is your typical customer?
Hispanics but we have many ethnicities everyday we are open.
How long have you had your business on Broadway Street?
Since 1999 but one year later my dad moved to 1257 Fremont Blvd.
What is your customer demographic, who are you trying to reach?
Everyone who loves to eat good food.
Do you have social media for your business? What platforms?
Instagram, facebook, tik tok and youtube Latortugaseaside.
Do you have a current website?
Yes its Latortugaseaside.com
How are you currently marketing to potential customers?
Social media is the new way back in the day when it was newspapers.
How does your business show up for the community?
Providing jobs and giving back whenever is possible.
Over the years, what have you seen change in Seaside? Good and/or bad.
More people, more cars, buildings, jobs and more requirements to have your own business. Making it harder to be honest.
What would you like to see more of in Seaside? (if anything)
More help to those who are starting their businesses in any way.
What sets your business apart from the other businesses in the area? What makes your business unique, desirable or in demand in 2026?
Our love for our food, our prices, and most importantly, having Jesus Christ first.
Is there anything else unique about the goods or services your business offers that you would like to mention here?
Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the light. We only purchase from local businesses, not big companies. We prepare all of our things here at our restaurant. Meaning cutting our meats, hot sauce, cakes, breads and the list goes on. Thank you very much for this opportunity.
Acme Coffee Roasting Co.
Acme Coffee Roasting Co. was founded in 2005 with the goal of offering a good, strong cup of coffee from freshly roasted small-batch specialty coffee. They craft coffee beverages from scratch, sell beans by the pound for home brewing, and offer a variety of fresh, local baked goods. Acme also sells wholesale coffee to other local small businesses. In addition to their products, they offer community support and opportunities for employment, learning a craft, and being part of a team and community. Larry Thurman, owner and head roaster, founded Acme Coffee Roasting Co. with his vision of sourcing, roasting, and serving the best coffee possible. Larry has a strong sense of community and strives to create a welcoming environment at his shop. Acme stands as one of Seaside’s most recognizable gathering spaces, where customers return ritually to jump-start their day.
Larry Thurman - Owner/Head Roaster of Acme Coffee Roasting Co.
What your business offers the community of Seaside:
Acme Coffee offers freshly roasted small-batch specialty coffee. We craft coffee beverages from scratch, we sell beans by the pound for home brewing, and we offer a variety of fresh, local baked goods. We also sell wholesale coffee to other local small businesses. In addition to our products, we offer community support and opportunities for employment, learning a craft, and being part of a team and community.
Are you from Monterey County, if not where are you from?
Yes
When was your business established in Seaside?
2005
What was the main reason/motivation to start your business?
To practice my craft of coffee roasting independently.
Do you have an educational background that helped start up the business or are you self taught?
I had an apprenticeship and worked for other coffee companies for 10 years before starting Acme.
How did you learn all that you do, who were your mentors, or folks who encouraged / supported you when you decided to start your business?
I learned to roast coffee and craft drinks at Caffe Trieste in San Francisco in the early 90’s. I was hired by Pappa Gianni Giotta who opened Caffe Trieste in 1956 and was mentored by his lead roaster, Ahmed Riad. The family, friends and professionals that encouraged me were my parents, Alex Mason, green coffee trader for Royal Coffee, Oakland, CA & Danny Vitanza, owner of Pino’s Cafe, Monterey Ca.
Is this work that has been in your family for generations, or did you start this business with a vision of your own?
I started with my own vision.
Who are your inspirations? (business or otherwise)
My business inspirations to open Acme were Caffe Trieste-San Francisco , The Toronado- San Francisco , Morgan’s Coffee & Tea-Monterey & Randy’s Sandwich shop, Monterey. My personal inspiration/motivation is rooted in Catholicism. Being an independent business owner has allowed me to maintain a grassroots level, an intentionally small shop that allows Acme to create a family environment, one in which employees' dignity is always put first.
What would you say is your business specialty?
Sourcing, roasting and serving the best coffee possible.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future of your business?
That Acme will always be sustainable in its current form and it will be around for generations to come.
What would be a single piece of advice that you would give someone who is thinking of starting up their own business?
Make sure it's something that you can see yourself doing for a long time. Surround yourself with people in that industry that can guide and direct you and be willing to work harder than everyone else around you. One of my mentors once told me that overnight success takes 10 years and he was right about that. The 10 year point for Acme was a turning point. We knew that if we kept showing up the way we do, we weren’t going anywhere.
What are your feelings about community? What does community mean to you here in Seaside? Is community important to you?
My feelings on community is that they are an extension of the family. As an extension of my family, community is the place we can find and share resources, reach out for personal and business support and when the community is strong, everyone thrives. Very important to us.
How does the community influence and or engage with your business?
Being intentionally small means that we source most of our supplies and products locally
and our customer base is overwhelmingly local. Also being locals ourselves, we have had the pleasure of watching families grow and interacting with them on personal levels as well as just being customers. We also support each other's small businesses by promoting and collaborating.
Were you thinking of setting up your business in any other location? Or was it always meant to be here in Seaside?
Always and forever one location.
Do you have any plans for expansion?
No
Who is your typical customer?
Someone who wants a good, strong cup of coffee.
How long have you had your business on Broadway Street?
Since January 2005
What is your customer demographic? Who are you trying to reach?
All people, blue collar, professionals, students, and everyone in between.
Do you have social media for your business? What platforms?
No socials, we prefer to connect at the counter. We were built by word of mouth. Old school style.
Do you have a current website?
www.acmecoffeeroasting.com
How are you currently marketing to potential customers?
Word of mouth, opening the door daily as well as the occasional local collab all while trying to provide a quality product.
What support would you be interested in for your business?
We have a very DIY mentality. However, we hope to continue to earn the support of the community by providing a well-crafted product that they feel good about spending their hard-earned money on.
Please provide an example of our community in action in relation to your business? Or when do/have you feel most supported by the community?
A few examples would be sponsoring little league baseball in the neighborhood I grew up in, providing coffee for Dorothy's Place in Salinas for the last 15+ years, as well as allowing other small businesses to utilize Acme Coffee as a place to grow their own small business for free.
Over the years, what have you seen change in Seaside? Good and/or bad.
On the political side of things, we have observed policies and personnel that show more interest in businesses from outside the community versus inside the community. i.e. large companies & event organizers from outside the community. A more positive view is that we have more home-grown businesses popping up on Broadway and that's a good thing.
What would you like to see more of in Seaside? (if anything)
Further investments in infrastructure that supports the neighborhoods and local businesses.
What sets your business apart from the other businesses in the area? What makes your business unique, desirable or in demand in 2026?
We are the only pirate ship on South Broadway :) Which basically means that we stay true to ourselves and do not let what's going on around us be something we are not.
Is there anything else unique about the goods or services your business offers that you would like to mention here?
Our mission will always be to stay small, know our customers, create quality products, serve with integrity, hire from within the community, maintain gratitude and always be charitable, quality over quantity and people before things.
The Oldemeyer Center
The Oldemeyer Center stands as one of Seaside’s most important community spaces, serving as a hub for connection, creativity, and local engagement. For the Facing Seaside V Exhibition, the Oldemeyer Center offers students a meaningful opportunity to document a place where diverse groups come together to share experiences, celebrate culture, and build community. As a multi-use facility, the Oldemeyer Center hosts a wide range of activities—from youth programs and community meetings to cultural events and exhibitions. Its flexible spaces are constantly transformed by the people who use them, making it an ideal subject for student photographers interested in capturing change, movement, and interaction. Students are encouraged to explore a range of photographic strategies while working at the Oldemeyer Center. Wide-angle compositions can capture the scale and layout of the environment, while tighter frames focus on emotion, gesture, and detail. The variety of lighting conditions—natural light from windows, indoor lighting, and event-specific setups—challenges students to adapt their technical skills while maintaining strong visual storytelling.
Seaside Recreation - The Oldemeyer Center
Are you from Monterey County, if not where are you from?
Yes.
When was your business established in Seaside?
Seaside was incorporated in 1954.
What was the main reason / motivation to start your business?
To Provide high-quality park and recreation facilities, programs, services and natural areas that meet the needs of the diverse community we serve – connecting people to place, self and others.
Who are your inspirations? (business or otherwise)
Improve the quality of life for Seaside residents through recreational programs, parks and facilities.
What would you say is your business specialty?
Quality municipal government services.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future of your business?
Equitable, inclusive and accessible programs and services.
What are your feelings about community, what does community mean to you here in Seaside? Is community important to you?
The Seaside Community is extremely important to the Recreation Department. Our mission is to Include, Innovate and Inspire through programs, parks and facilities.
How does the community influence and or engage with your business?
Community engagement is vital to the Recreation Department. Feedback allows us to improve our programs and services, understand what is impacting our residents and better serve our constituents.
Do you have any plans for expansion?
We are always considering how to improve and implement new ideas, projects and programs that benefit the Seaside community.
Who is your typical customer?
Seaside residents and visitors.
What is your customer demographic, who are you trying to reach?
We are in service to all Seaside residents.
Do you have social media for your business? What platforms?
Instagram, Facebook and X.
Do you have a current website?
ci.seaside.ca.us
How are you currently marketing to potential customers?
We utilize social media, word of mouth, partnering with local business and non-profits, hosting events.
What support would you be interested in for your business?
Continued collaboration which positively impacts Seaside residents.
Please provide an example of our community in action in relation to your business? Or when do/have you feel most supported by the community?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to work with local organizations to provide essential services to residents such as meals for older adults, produce box pick-up days, offer virtual recreation classes and provide important health updates.
How does your business show up for the community?
We provide a variety of programs and services that is inclusive, affordable and accessible.
Over the years, what have you seen change in Seaside?
We have seen Seaside change for the better. Although challenges arise, we strive to offer programs and activities that improve everyone’s quality of life.
What would you like to see more of in Seaside?
We would like to see our community thrive, which includes our youth, families, businesses, economy, education, utilities, housing, and much more.
What sets your business apart from the other businesses in the area? What makes your business unique, desirable or in demand in 2026?
We are committed to Seaside residents and will consistently seek to serve our community.