Carmel in the Spring

This last Spring Brock's parents came into town and took us and Nana to Monterey and Carmel for a weekend. It had been raining and raining, so we were all (especially Nana) nervous about being wet the whole time. Oddly enough we got the one weekend it didn't rain! We couldn't believe our luck.

Mom and Dad Lyle flew in late on Friday and stayed with us. Our hide-a-bed is quite comfortable (we often stay on it ourselves), so we were happy to be able to share. Saturday morning we packed up, picked up the rental car, and headed to Nana's for breakfast. She had muffins and fruit-yummy! Soon we were on our way. The sun was out all day and the ocean was perfect.

On that first day we found a house in Carmel that Nana once lived in as a teenager, walked on the beach for an hour, peeked in a few shops, and then Nana found us a sweet little deli for lunch. We would never have found it without her-it was in the back of a tiny grocery store, but it was very good! Then she found a cute park for us to eat in. It's nice to bring someone who knows their way around.

After that we drove the "seventeen mile drive" (which was lovely, except where they blocked off the view to give the seals some privacy ???) and checked out a few golf courses. Nana kept exclaiming over how clear the weather was and she was right. We had a perfect day. Eventually, around five or six, we headed inland to find our hotel, the Carmel Valley Ranch. It was up in the hills and had a marvelous view.

The Carmel Valley Ranch is perfect. It's actually a collection of pretty cottages scattered around the hill and you get to your room by way of a golf-cart. Any time you want to head back to your car or the lobby, you just call ahead and they pick you up! Crazy fun! We all took an hour or so and settled in and then off to dinner!

Mom and Dad Lyle took us all to a fish restaurant in Monterey that looked old and cheap, but tasted like nothing you've ever experienced. They had such good fish! Fresh and tasty. We got there just in time too, and beat the rush. It was a tiny place, and it smelled like fish, but we had a great time! I have to take my parents there, they'll love it!

Then it was back to the hotel and we all relaxed and went to bed at our own paces. The next day we had a yummy breakfast of eggs benedict and then headed home via the scenic rout. We visited an old mission in Carmel (Mom Lyle, Brock and I wandered around it for a while) and then drove through the pretty little (some not so little) Carmel beach homes. Mom Lyle decided she would write "the next great American novel" and they would be able to retire in one of those houses. We fully endorse that idea, Mom Lyle! And we promise to visit you in your dream house!

The rest of the drive was the beautiful Monterey and Carmel coast, with one stop to play on a beach. The storms were returning, after only one perfect day, but it only added to the charm of the ocean. We didn't get rain until we got back to Palo Alto, so the overcast sky was nothing to worry about. We got back into town in time to be hungry. We had burgers at Clark Burger (you can't get a better one anywhere!) and then it was time to return the car and go home.

What a wonderful weekend!