Tags
5th Ave Deli, baby boom generation, baby boomers, California, California State Route 1, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-Sea California, Diggidy Dog, John Harris, La Bicyclette, Monterey, Monterey California, Pilgrim's Way bookstore, Sea View Inn
In our last post, we were leaving our hearts in San Francisco and heading south along California’s Pacific State Highway 1. We had hoped to take the steam train into the redwood forests from outside Santa Cruz, but didn’t arrive in time. So we continued to Monterey to tour the Cannery Row district. We sampled some tasty local wines at one of the several tasting rooms, while watching sea otters swim in the bay. After a pleasant hour, we carried on to Carmel-by-the-sea and the Sea View Inn, our bed and breakfast accomodation for the night. Our room was on the top floor (attic) and decorated in beautiful provencal prints. The inn was just a short stroll to the town centre and our chosen restaurant for dinner, La Bicyclette. Highly recommended! After dinner, we window-shopped along the main street with its many galleries and charming shops. Carmel does not permit franchised businesses so every store and restaurant is unique – we like that! They are housed in quaint buildings in keeping with the character of the fairytale cottages and charming homes of the nearby residential area. Carmel neighbourhoods don’t have street lights, sidewalks or house numbers. Consequently, there is no door-to-door postal service – everyone collects their mail from a central post station. Carmel is also pet-friendly throughout (even in restaurants).
The next morning we awoke early and walked a few blocks to the beach and joined joggers and dog-owners on the sands. We walked as far as the Pebble Beach Golf Course and then headed back for what turned out to be a fantastic breakfast at our B&B.
After a hearty breakfast we bought a picnic lunch from the 5th Avenue Deli, some gifts from Carmel’s Diggidy Dog pet boutique and from the Pilgrim’s Way Bookstore, a nature DVD, Monterey to Big Sur by filmmaker John Harris. We began the next leg of our journey, 17-Mile Drive, from its Carmel entrance on San Antonio Avenue. And, what a drive it was – join us for our next post!
Until next time,
Your Boomer Life Partners
Disclosure: Products and services mentioned in this Boomer Life Today blog post were not paid for or solicited by companies in New Zealand or abroad.