We have lots of rocks. Rocky coast…pebbled beaches…granite hillsides…etc. All this stone has lent itself to a crafty use of stonework on houses. If you’re a fan of looking at houses, take a walk around Carmel and notice all of the stonework.
There are also stone paths, stone walls, stone steps, stone sidewalks all throughout Carmel. The main local stones quarried around Monterey County are limestone and sandstone, and they are mostly quarried within 150 miles of the county.
If you’re interested in seeing some of the fine masonry work, take a walk down any of the following Carmel streets: Dolores, 10th, the red brick house near 2nd and Carpenter, and the beach step path near the intersection of Scenic Road and 8th.
However, the crown jewel of stonework is the Tor House, where you can arrange for a tour. The Tor House is the home of lauded poet, Robinson Jeffers, and it is a “can’t miss” if you’re visiting Carmel. The Tor House is situated on Carmel Point at 26304 Ocean View Avenue, just to the south of Carmel Village. Here is a link to the Tor House Foundation if you’d like to arrange for a tour.
If you decide to do some stonework yourself on your home, there is a local masonry consultant who sells his own “how-to” videos that are remarkably helpful. If you’re interested, check out Steven Kelley’s videos at Bricks And Mortar USA.
The Monterey County Fair is going on now between Wednesday, Sept. 1 and Monday, Sept. 6, which is Labor Day.
A few of us staff members at Monterey Bay Property Management attended the Fair on opening day, and here were some points to ponder from a local perspective:
Parking–Parking around the Faire is extremely limited, so your best bet is to park your car over at Monterey Peninsula College and take a free shuttle. By parking at MPC and taking the shuttle, you’ll be able to spend your money on more rides and cotton candy rather than spend $25.00 for parking in a lot across the street.
Rides–Rides are what makes Fairs so cool. All the rides are safe and little-kid friendly, but the Ferris Wheel wins our hearts every time. The view is great!
Live Entertainment–We counted at least 3 stages with live entertainment that included a hypnotist (Mark Yusick, the Las Vegas-based hypnotist, is a cool guy), a KWAVE Kids Talent Show Contest, Karaoke machine, and a kid-friendly act that involved a gal with a guitar and a guy running around on stage. Ahhh, entertainment at its Fair finest!
Food–Fair food can be so wonderfully decadent! Try the funnel cakes, cotton candy, gelato, and BBQ booths to start. Don’t forget to check out the fudge booth near the Arena!
Surprise Food–If you’re into baked goods made by mom or your favorite auntie, go into the “Home Arts” building and have yourself a slice of German Chocolate Cake, Red-Velvet Cake, or Blackberry Pie made by a local. The bakers who entered the Fair’s contest are wonderful and many made extra of their award-winning desserts for the public. The German Chocolate Cake was a hit, but so was the Key Lime Pie.
Slow Walking–You know how it is…when you’re pushing a baby cart, holding hands with a 5-year-old, and strolling alongside Grandma, you tend to walk more slowly. If you’re in a hurry, remember to take a deep breath if you get stuck on the path behind a slowly ambling family. It’s the Fair, after all, and there’s plenty of time to get to the next ride or food booth.
There are many treasures that locals know about that many tourists overlook. If you’re lucky enough to stay awhile and see more than the “must sees”, here are a few places to check out or things to do:
1. Kayak the Elkhorn Slough during the full moon.
2. Visit Tassajara in Carmel Valley.
3. Rent a kayak or bike down the rec trail right by the Monterey Plaza Hotel.
4. Visit Big Sur Bakery, grab a few pastries and drive 1/4 mile North up Hwy. 1 and turn left to go to Pfeiffer State Beach.
5. Visit Esalen south of Big Sur…but make sure you have a reservation!
Obviously there are more off-the-beaten-path places, but these should get you started for now. If you have a cool place to share, let us know and we’ll add it.
Many visitors comment on how cool it is here on the Monterey Peninsula. Like Mark Twain is reported to have said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco,” and since San Francisco is close by, the same can be said of our area.
Our weather is cool during the summer for several reasons:
1. Our ocean currents run from the Arctic Circle and (North to South) and our water temperature tends to be around 49 degrees to 55 degrees Farenheit.
In contrast, the Eastern seaboard of the United States experiences water currents flowing North from the Equator (South to North) with an added bonus of the warm water originating from the Gulf of Mexico known as the Gulf Stream.
2. We have a deep underwater canyon that begins in the Monterey Bay (at Moss Landing and Carmel) and there is a lot more water depth than eyes on land can see.
To compare, the Eastern seaboard tends to be shallower and can heat up from the sun more quickly.
3. Water currents and wind churn the water up from the depths to the surface, which causes cooler water to circulate up. This makes for very happy marine life because the upwellings bring food closer to the surface.
Now you know why you don’t see Sea Lions and Otters frolicking on Florida beaches.
4. The water’s cool water temperature and wind from the ocean makes the air cooler and creates a marine layer/low cloud ceiling. When that cooler air blends with the warmer air temperature over land, fog is created. Our marine layer usually evaporates from the sun after noon.
We hope this helps explain why our air is cool and why we rarely need air conditioning. It also explains why you should always keep a jacket or sweater handy when you’re visiting the Monterey Peninsula.
We have one of the most gorgeous coastlines in the world. Our Monterey Bay is home to spectacular sea life and unsurpassed beauty. However, our rugged coastline can be dangerous to those unfamiliar with the power of the Pacific Ocean, so here are a few tips to keep our visitors safe from rogue waves.
Several people have climbed out onto the rocks of Lover’s Point and have been swept off those rocks by rogue waves. The same can be said for visitors who get too close to the the waterline at Monastery Beach, nicknamed Mortuary Beach due to its dangerous riptides.
To keep yourself safe and away from harm, follow these general guidelines:
1. Never turn your back to the ocean.
2. Make sure you watch the wave patterns before venturing into the water. If the water is calm and there is plenty of flat beach, chances are you can wade in the water without any issues. If, however, the water is rough and/or you see big waves crash ashore, that’s Mother Nature’s signal to stay clear, because she’s far more powerful than you. Also, if no one else is in the water nearby, there’s probably a good reason why.
3. If you are at Monastery Beach, in particular, stay several yards away from the wave break portion of the beach. Most visitors are unaware that they are at the foot of an enormous underwater canyon and when waves crash onshore, there is a steep precipice that can literally sweep you off your feet and out into the deep water. DO NOT go for a swim or get close to shore at Monastery Beach…and if you’re a scuba diver, exercise EXTREME caution.
4. If you are swept out in a riptide, swim along parallel to shore until you feel the current subside, and then swim into shore. Riptides are swift currents running perpendicular away from shore, and if you try to swim into the riptide going back toward shore, you’ll get tired very quickly. So, if you’re swept out, remain calm, swim along side the shore until you feel you are safely out of the rip current, then swim back toward shore. If you get tired, float and rest until you can start swimming again.
5. If you are at the beach and see someone get swept out to sea, dial 911 and alert the rescue teams of your exact location. The Fire Department, Coast Guard, and Parks Service are all trained in water rescue, so act quickly if you see a distressed swimmer.
Water safety is a life skill, and we hope you find these tips useful. These guidelines are not intended to scare you away from enjoying the water. Instead, these guidelines are meant to help keep you safe when visiting our beautiful and powerful Pacific Ocean.
Many who love to celebrate the automobile equally love to attend the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach every year in August.
This year’s event will be held on August 15, 2010. “First conducted in 1950, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is often said to be the world’s premier celebration of the automobile. Only the most beautiful and rare automobiles are invited to appear on the famed eighteenth fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links each year, and connoisseurs of art and technology congregate to see them.’
‘The annual affair, which has raised over $12 million for charity, includes a series of related events, such as the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex, Pebble Beach RetroAuto, Pebble Beach Motoring Classic and the Pebble Beach Auction presented by Gooding & Company.” What makes a Concours car? “A concours d’elegance is, quite literally, an automotive contest of elegance.’
‘To contend in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, an automobile must be a well preserved or accurately restored vehicle still quite capable of doing what it was meant to do—be driven. It will almost certainly have some historic value—perhaps in its day it served to debut new technology or new styling trends or it has an amazing racing record. And it will be rare—possibly a singular example of a special chassis bearing a respected coachbuilder’s art.’
‘After these criteria have been met, a concours car must be one thing more. Above all, it must be elegant. And elegance is a matter of the eye and the heart.”
Here are some famous quotes regarding the Concours d’Elegance:
“There is no such thing as a score sheet for elegance. It’s largely a matter of taste, recognition of design advantages, and knowledge of the performance and quality of the total architectural concept.”– Strother MacMinn, Renowned Automotive Designer and Former Chief Honorary Judge at Pebble Beach
“From a strictly personal point of view, my definition of an elegant car would be ‘the kind of car I would like to be buried in.’” – Ansel Adams, Photographer and former Honorary Judge at Pebble Beach
We locals love hosting the Concours d’Elegance, and we are delighted to share this event with our visitors. Welcome!
