Carmel By The Sea

Less than two hours south of San Francisco lies the beautiful town of Carmel (officially, Carmel-By-The-Sea,) just below Monterey and nestled in the hills along the majestic California coastline. Wife and I and a good friend spent a day there recently, soaking in its quaint charm and sunshine.

Shops along Ocean Avenue.

Carmel has long been an art colony: after the San Francisco earthquake in 1906 the city became home to many artists and writers who moved south to start anew. We decided to honor that history by perusing the many art galleries that front Ocean Avenue and other streets adjacent to it, such as Lincoln, Dolores, and San Carlos. Hundreds of artists exhibit in Carmel, and we spent a good part of the afternoon in front of an impressive array of paintings, drawings, and sculpture. In fact, we felt that much of the art was of such quality that it made a trip into San Francisco for an art fix unnecessary.

After a nice lunch in an outdoor café, some good conversation, we were refreshed and ready for more sightseeing. While known for its galleries, Carmel offers more than art, and a vibrant street scene filled with shoppers is a constant sight along Ocean Avenue. High end retailers sit alongside candle shops and cafes, jewelry stores and bake shops. In a two level sunlit mall we found The Cheese Shop, and sampled creamy Gorgonzolas and an especially good Canadian White Cheddar.

Time spent in Carmel is incomplete without a stroll along its pristine white beach, which is found at the end of the long downward slope of Ocean Avenue.  Parking is minimal near the beach, parking karma came into play.  We took off our shoes and found  the fine white sand warm to our bare feet.  A refreshing ocean breeze blew as the surf met the shore in a constant crescendo as we walked, enjoying the sights of children romping in the water and dogs diving for sticks thrown into the cool green ocean.

Later, desserts of tiramisu, Bailey’s Irish Crème, and berry cobbler at a small bar in Da Giovanni’s Italian restaurant served as coda to a delightful day.

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