Maybe it’s sipping a latte from a real china cup. Or the tall terracotta pots spilling with brilliant flowers, or the bubbling fountain that reminds me of a Roman piazza.
Maybe it’s the way the sea rushes right under the pilings, swirling shades of emerald and jade.
Maybe it’s the large patio with tables and umbrellas overlooking Monterey Bay and the whole coastline.
Some people still swear by Starbucks, but Cafe La Strada at 400 Cannery Row is hands down my favorite place for coffee on the Peninsula. They brew Peet’s coffee, the service is great, and they have a good selection of panini, pastries, quiche and salads.
The cozy interior makes it a great place to hang out when it’s cold outside. But on a good day…. it’s all about the sea and the sunlight. Soak in the sunshine, listen to the waves crash: it doesn’t get any better than this.
Believe me, you don’t even have to drink coffee to love Cafe La Strada.
L-R: Jonathan Roberts (The Pig Wizard), Mary Font (Mrs. Delish), Luciano Pellegrini (Valentino). Photo courtesy of Interface Visual
Nothing like drinking for a cause, I always say.
I can’t believe I said that! But seriously, there are charity events and there are Charity Events.
Clambake for a Cure is definitely the latter.
I may have been lured by the possibility of seeing celebs (though I wouldn’t recognize a PGA Pro if bopped on the head with a putter), but I did meet a ballerina-turned-yogini, a documentary filmmaker, marketing mavens Leslie McClure and Wendy Brickman, “Chef Whisperer” Dorothy Maras-Ildiz, and Susan Curtis of Jocelyn Lonen Winery, the event founder.
Curtis, who lost her husband to a brain tumor in 2004, has transmuted some of her grief into the Golf & Grapes Foundation and this lovely annual event, which raises money for research.
The setting: Gilbert’s on Fisherman’s Wharf, overlooking the bay, the boats, and twinkling city lights. Celebrity chefs showed off their stuff, and numerous wineries poured their special vintages.
Photo Courtesy of Interface Visual
While the intrepid Wayne Capili of Interface Visual snapped photos, I joined newfound friends on the deck, where—in between awesome appetizers—we tried to decide which we preferred: Scheid’s sparkling “Isabelle” (a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes) or Gruet’s Extra Dry Brut (aromatic notes of peach and marzipan, with a hint of honeysuckle).
We tried one, and then we tried the other. Both were fabulous. And then we had to try the first one again, to compare it with the second. And then we had to… well, needless to say, we never did get around to sampling the many other fine wines represented.
We capped off the evening with bonbons and delectable mini-chocolate cupcakes with Bailey’s Irish Cream frosting (courtesy of Mrs. Delish), washed down with—well, what else?—more champagne.
Was it the Scheid or the Gruet? Not exactly sure… but I will happily return next year to find out.
“Beyond Ballet” is their tag line, and they’ve been called “sexy, fun, warm, and awe-inspiring.”
The ever-popular, ever-daring Smuin Ballet performs at Carmel’s Sunset Center March 2 at 8pm and March 3 at 2pm.
The program features a world premiere by choreographer Ma Cong of the Tulsa Ballet, whose French Twist was a smash success in the company’s 2009-2010 season, and three pieces choreographed by Michael Smuin:
• Tango Palace: a seductive fantasy of passion, possession, jealousy, loss, and love. A feverish vision of desire through dance, Tango Palace examines both the complexities of the human heart, and the inventiveness of tango itself.
• The Eternal Idol: in this sensuous pas de deux set to Chopin’s lush Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Rodin’s famous sculpture of a nude couple locked in an embrace comes to life on stage.
• Stabat Mater: an eloquent expression of grief and loss set to Dvorak’s choral work, this ballet was Michael Smuin’s response to September 11th. It has been called “a powerful response to a national tragedy,” and one of the most beautiful ballets in his remarkable career.
Don't Fence Me In
Cowboy songs and poetry, yodeling, western swing fiddle, Tex-Mex polkas, Northern Plains pow-wow drum and song… get ready for a very lively evening at California State University Monterey Bay on Wednesday, February 29.
Featuring the music and oral culture of the American West, the event is part of a national tour sponsored by the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the nation’s oldest folk arts organization. The acts include:
- Wylie & the Wild West: cowboy songs and High Plains yodeling
- Paul Zarzyski: rodeo poet
- Los Texmaniacs: Tex-Mex Conjunto
- The Quebe Sisters Band: Western swing and Texas fiddling
- North Bear: Pow-Wow drum and song
Tickets start at just $10 (CSUMB students and children under 12) and are available online and at the World Theater box office.
P.S. If you’re looking for a vacation rental in Monterey, don’t fiddle around. Call Ashley, our country music loving receptionist, at (831) 233-7970.
