Before we explored outside the Mission and the town, we did the famed 17-Mile Drive around the peninsula home to Monterey and Pebble Beach. This little knob of land sticking into the Pacific is home to some of the most beautiful vistas and private homes in all our beloved land. We had a convertible, making this drive even more delightful. There are two entrances, and your $10.50 entrance fee is good for one day during daylight. Of particular note on this drive were Crocker Grove, home to Monterey Cypress, the Lone Cypress, of Pebble Beach fame, and bird rock, which up until 90 years ago was covered in feet of guano. When the excrement was harvested, the birds gave way to seals, who have resided there ever since.

Indeed, Carmel is home to one of the most interesting drives and picturesque communities in America. Each of its buildings appears to be cobbled together by hobbits and elves. Should it snow, it would be an authentic winter wonderland. The intricate architectural details and storyland-like roofs leave the visitor with feelings of entering a Tolkien, Lewis, or Dickens novel. This is a community that came alive with artists a century ago, and their artistic legacy permeates every building in the small town.

I was told by one of the storekeepers that there are no numbers on buildings in the commercial center. Buildings were intentionally left unnumbered to avoid the dangers of a computed world. Instead, it encourages the journeyer to forget of destinations and instead, like in nature, to explore unencumbered by our pragmatic systems. It certainly encouraged me to look up, and note the diminutive, hand-crafted signs. We live in a world of large and attention-grabbing signs. Perhaps we should look at the smaller signs a little more closely. Carmel was a town that forced me to the small, and in the small I found great beauty.

TulaneLSU’s Top 10 signs of Carmel, CA:

10. Carrigg’s of Carmel

Carrigg’s is one of the moderate to classier interior design stores of Monterey. I was mesmerized by its many Nutcracker-themed elements, and soon realized the store was ablaze in Advent fury. The decorations were on a level with the lobby store inside The Roosevelt. Although I was not supposed to take photos in the store, I thought it my OT duty to share with you, my friends, the beauty of the store. And I present a bonus Top 10 within a Top 10, TulaneLSU’s Top 10 Carrigg’s of Carmel Christmas decorations:

10. Glass prostrate Santa ornament

9. Flocked tree with Big Bens and toy soldiers

8. Candy Cane Charlie

7. Santa nutcracker

6. The Rat King

5. Locally painted scenes of Carmel glass ornaments ($40)

4. Sea otter glass ornament

3. Santa Claus Lane

2. Glass balls of holly, to the theme of Cosmo’s favorite Spade designs

1. Hand-painted nutcracker

It is not to the level of my Ulbricht nutcrackers, hand carved in Germany, but its colors were beautiful.

This post was edited on 10/22/20 at 4:14 pm

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Posted by TulaneLSU

Member since Aug 2003

Member since Dec 2007

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Posted on 10/22/20 at 3:46 pm to TulaneLSU

9. Carmel Dairy

The location is now Palomas Home Furnishings, which I thought sold terribly tacky wares, and I refused to enter, even when Mother asked nicely. The building never housed cows. Instead, milk was brought from the cows there and bottled in small glass jugs. The dairy opened in 1932 and the salesman, who came out to entice us inside, told us the sign was original. I have my doubts, as the paint looks too fresh, even if the painter attempted to give the impression of a patina.

8. Carmel Bakery

The Carmel Bakery opened in 1899, or was it 1904? The sign gives an earlier date while baked goods inside say 1904. When I asked the baker inside which was right, she said, “Why do you care?” I was unprepared for such rudeness, so I sulked away, not answering her question. The baked goods looked quite enticing, although I did not see any black and white cookies or chocolate chip cookies.

7. Little Napoli

I had never heard of this restaurant, but by 10:50 in the morning, my appetite was disturbing me, so I asked Mother if we could eat. Mother was in one of her shopping moods, so she responded, “It is far too early for lunch. We have much shopping to do before then.”

“But Mother, I am so hungry and I haven’t had pizza in two days. And we didn’t even get to meet with SuperSaint for pizza at Golden Boy.” SuperSaint, do know that a few days ago, I returned to that Little Italy of San Francisco to try Golden Boy, but they would not sell me pizza by the slice, so I turned away.

“I said no. Now let’s get to shopping.”

“But Mother….”

“Fine, then, why don’t you take my platinum card and eat by yourself.”

Reluctantly I did. I do not like eating without Mother in public when we travel, but my ghrelin levels were climbing to mountainous heights. I took the card, as I pitifully looked to the ground. I had to wait another few minutes before they opened. In the meantime, I walked around and saw that Carmel, like the French Quarter, has vintage Celicas:

As the clock turned, I entered Little Napoli. The hostess who did not seem Italian offered me an outdoor seat on the street or the patio. I asked to see the patio first, and seeing that it was adequately open and unpopulated, I chose the patio. It was a beautiful little space.

Breakfast at the Monterey Plaza and Hotel was less than filling, so I chose three courses. As we were less than 20 miles from the artichoke capital of the world, I started with a grilled artichoke. It was among the best artichokes I have ever had. It was grown at nearby Pezzini’s Farms, of which I had never heard, and had Mother not made a fortuitous turn at the last second, would not have visited on our way to Yosemite.

Il secondo was a Margherita pizza. I had six pizzas in California on this trip, and this one was behind only one. It baked in a wood-fired oven, that I was too fearful to ask my waitress if I could view. Had Mother been with me, I would have summoned the courage to ask to enter the kitchen. I love visiting restaurant kitchens.

Finally, with the mellow tones of Frank Sinatra overhead, I entered a chicken Parmesan with fresh egg noodles. It was simply fabulous. After a few restaurants in New York and Impastato’s, I would rank this chicken Parm.

6. Burns

You can likely guess that I do not wear cowboy hats or cowboy boots. I still appreciate a quality company’s quality sign, however. I was not sure, but I think I saw Carmel resident, Clint Eastwood, trying on a hat while we walked past the store.

5. Thomas Kinkade

Although a morally flawed individual, few can question the enormous talent Kinkade possessed. His ability to capture light in the dark of winter, especially during Christmas, gained him many fans, myself included. Most of his galleries, like this one, are now shuttered forever. It is a reminder that every dynasty, empire, and talent is eventually forgotten on this Earth. Our calling is not to build things for our name’s sake, but to build for the greater glory of God’s Kingdom. Acts of love, forgiveness, and sacrifice are the things that live on after we are gone. May we all leave legacies of virtue!

4. Olivier By the Sea

Perhaps the second greatest olive store in America after the poorly named Bodacious Olive of Pensacola’s main street. The colors on this sign earn its place. Its oddly capitalized second word, by, caught my eye.

3. Cottage of Sweets

Like so many of the buildings in this magical town, the design is nothing short of that of a fairytale. After lunch, my hunger again grew. I had not gotten any dessert, so I entered Cottage of Sweets. They advertise English desserts and candies. I love a Tunnocks teacake, so after failing to find a package of that silver wrapped marshmallow filled chocolate bullet, I asked the counterman. He had never heard of such a sweet, and it dawned on me that Tunnocks is a Scottish, not English, treat. I apologized profusely.