<p>The dogs don’t enjoy the cocktails. They are interesting to see though, lounging around the hotel.</p>
<p>Thanks Alumother & Sluggbugg I took both your recommendations and now have a reservation at the Rosedale Inn. It sounds perfect.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth: I suppose everyone should see Hearst Castle, which has a very beatiful setting, but I for one found it ludicrous, from the catsup bottles proudly displayed in the baronial dining hall to the omnipresent statuary, which unites elements of ancient design with elements of Hollywood cheesecake, suggesting a technicolor screen epic by Cecil B. DeMille. The rooms, purchased in old Europe, crated, and set up in the concrete (earthquake-proof) castle-cum-italian church are laid out to dazzle the Hollywood starlets and movie moguls that Hearst would bring out to complete the illusion. The pools are lovely, unique, and suggest an Esther Williams spectacular. A few fine tapestries, but the paintings third-rate at best. All presented by guides who speak of the power of the owner in low tones of reverence and awe. The power he wielded to, among other things, create the Spanish-American war, that unjustified excercise in American imperialism, in order to sell more newspapers.</p>
<p>patient, thank you for the link about Nepenthe. 
We discussed it here on the forum a few months ago, although I can’t remember what the thread was about. My H and I visited it many years ago when it still had sort of a hippie/commune feel to it. Then years later, with two kids in tow, and it had turned into this tony cafe/boutique with expensive gifts. The food was still good, however, although a little more elaborate. It’s a fun place to stop on the drive down the coast highway or just to visit while staying in Carmel. We’ve stayed in Carmel several times and love the town. It’s much nicer in February/March than in the summer, though, in terms of weather. That marine layer that moves in in July isn’t pleasant. </p>
<p>I recommend that people definitely make time for the 17 mile drive and expect to spend 3-4 hours. We usually time it so that we can have lunch at the little clubhouse/restaurant at Spyglass Hill Golf Course. There are usually deer wandering around on the course, you’ll see them at many spots on the drive. Take your camera for sure! The stops along the water are beautiful, too. We have stayed at Pebble Beach and also at The Inn at Spanish Bay but actually enjoyed staying in the town of Carmel even more. Then you don’t have to worry about parking which is a huge problem in town. Our favorite in-town hotel is the Cypress Inn. The Adobe Inn is also very nice. A visit to the Tuck Box for breakfast should be a part of every visit. :)</p>
<p>A trip to the aquarium in Monterey is a must. It’s a beautiful facility and probably the most interesting aquarium I’ve visited. There’s a great restaurant in Pacific Grove whose name escapes me but perhaps someone else here will know it. It’s near the butterfly park and across the street from the ocean on the drive from Pebble Beach to Monterrey (if you take the water route and not the highway). I’ll have to search through my travel journals and see if I can find it. It was very good. All this talk of Carmel is making me want to jump on a plane!</p>
<p>Idler, TheMom refers to Hearst Castle as a colossal monument to bad taste but it still is an extremely interesting social and cultural snapshot and we’ve gone up there every year for years…part of it is, we really love Cambria. </p>
<p>In one of the libaries there is, scattered around, a collection of Greek pottery that is one of the best in this country…I’ll rank the Met and Boston’s MFA ahead of it and probably the Getty…but the Getty’s stuff came from Hearst when Hearst needed to sell of some assets for cash.</p>
<p>Yeah, when I’m looking at Greek pottery I wonder who is minding the stoa.</p>
<p>TheDad, I loved Cambria, too, the one time I was there, and agree with you that Hearst Castle an interesting cultural snapshot, or whatever, a grand monument to illusion which reflects one of the golden ages of illusion. Missed the Greek pots. Still, I’m with TheMom, and had a great time deploring the place when we visited.</p>
<p>Idler, we’ve been to Hearst Castle tours often enough that we grade the tour guides. Fwiw, if you get back there, our consensus from over the years is that tour #2 is the best but you get more context for it if you also take tour #1. I think the Greek pots and stuff are only in #2. The last time we took #3 we turned to each other and said something to the effect of, “Well, there’s a reason we do it only once every five or six years.” You have to be a garden afficianado at the right time of year to enjoy #4. </p>
<p>If you’re ever there in their late November-early January holiday season, take the night time tour. They have docents dressed up in period costume as guests in the castle, playing period games, listening to period records, etc. Lots of fun.</p>
<p>But as to the overall effect, it reinforces the household mantra that having lots of money is no guarantee of good taste.</p>
<p>Or, as my wife said while admiring a new mega-house that’s gone up in our neighborhood, “it’s amazing you can spend that much money and have it come out so well.”</p>
<p>idler are you from the SF Bay Area? Land o’mega-houses that go up in neighborhoods? No obligation to reveal, of course.</p>
<p>Alumother, nope, from suburbs west of Philly. We’re trying to catch up.</p>
<p>My husband and I have stayed in Carmel Highlands at the Tickle Pink Inn a number of times. It is very near Point Lobos and is a 100 yard walk to the Highlands Inn which has two nice restaurants - Pacific’s Edge and the (more casual) California Market. </p>
<p>If you go to the Tickle Pink with another couple or with kids there is a little house called the Senator’s Cottage that you can rent. We always go in March when things are quiet. I have heard that the area is hopping in the summertime. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.ticklepinkinn.com/[/url]”>http://www.ticklepinkinn.com/</a></p>
<p>This is a great thread. I am printing it out for future reference.</p>
<p>idler, I am from your area and am amazed at the size of some of the new homes going up…and the price that some people have paid for a “knock down”.</p>
<p>CARMEL REPORT!
I am just back from our trip to Carmel! We LOVED it! What an interesting area. Thank you to everyone who offered advice to us. My favorite things we did:
hot stone massage at Le Spa
breakfast at the Tuck Box English Tea Room in Carmel (every day!)
17-mile drive
highway 1 to Big Sur–took two hikes to beaches
Nepenthe restaurant on the coast for lunch</p>
<p>We enjoyed the visit so much and hope to go back every spring. It was a great time to be there–lovely weather and not too crowded. I can’t wait to go back!</p>
<p>Oh, bookiemom, I’m so glad you enjoyed your trip! Many of your favorite things are also our favorites when we visit! I’m craving a walk along the beach at Carmel right this minute.</p>
<p>Thanks, alwaysamom. I’m sort of in culture shock returning to reality here…what, I have to cook dinner myself?!? We hope to make an April trip to Carmel an annual tradition.</p>
<p>Yes glad you came out to California and had a good time and good weather. Guess what? Today it started raining again! And it’s May. What is up with that! So your timing was perfect.</p>