Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Carmel


Earlier in the week I posted about a wedding of friends that we attended in Pebble Beach. Black tie dress on the lawn of the 18th hole--perfect setting for a couple who love golf.



One of the bonuses of going to Pebble Beach was a chance to stay with friends from London who now live part time in Carmel-by-the-Sea. I fell in love with their home seen here.

A



Walking the streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea, you find "cottages" of all styles,

B



including several that look like they could be straight out of the Cotswolds in the English countryside.

C



Fascinating to me was the regulation that the trees can not be cut down when there is any home construction. Isn't this tree amazing?

D



This house is called The Bark Tree by the locals.

E



This was one of the favorites from the outside, beautifully landscaped and actually for sale now, and we lucked into a Sunday afternoon open house.

F



For $2,395,000 million dollars, it can be yours. Three bedroom, 2 bath, 1600 square feet. Take a peek here.



The gardens of many of the homes were spectacular.

G



Love this one,

H



especially the front gate.



Trimmed in blue, this house stood out.

I



And this is the house that faces our friends' house. If you could pick one for yourself, which one would it be? I've labeled them with letters.

J



Clint Eastwood, former mayor of Carmel, has opened this restaurant and inn, Mission Ranch,



with a beautiful vista out the back patio. Formerly an 1800's ranch and dairy, it was rescued from being developed into condos by the former mayor.



Shops in the area ooze with charm,



and tempt visitors and locals alike.



And did I mention, they LOVE their dogs there?  The famous Cypress Inn, partly owned by Doris Day, is probably the most pet friendly hotel in town, as well as the beaches where dogs run free, and many restaurants which are happy to have your furry friends as guests along with you.
We fell in love with the casual, welcoming spirit of this city of artisans and Pacific breezes. Did you spot a place where you might want to live?

11 comments:

  1. I used to always go to Carmel for breakfast on the weekends and stroll thru town and on the beach - isn't that beach pretty!

    I love all the gorgeous cottages - my picks from your photos would be A,C,G.

    Wonderful post! xxoo :)

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  2. Beautiful homes and area, but I'm not sure I could downsize to 1600 square feet. Even at that marvelous price!

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  3. Jenny's brother, Matt, and his fiancee, are being married in Carmel on October 16th. I am even more eager to spend time there than I already was. Thanks for the beautiful pictures.

    Hope you are in town on the Sun. before Labor Day. We are babysitting and will be there.

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  4. Hi Debi,

    So that is why you were in PB. Did you wave to the girls as you drove by?
    I love that area. Years ago, when i lived in LA, we would drive to Carmel for a long weekend. The entire vibe is fantastic.

    The wedding looked beautiful.

    big hugs,
    Barb

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  5. Good evening Debi, a large number of dwellings is difficult to choose between which are elegantly beautiful!

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  6. Great pictures! I definitely would like to go there sometime after seeing these amazing homes. Makes me wonder what kind of project my decorator has going out there!

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  7. J, yes I think that looks just like the right size vacation cottage to have. However, if any one of them overlook the beach, that's the one I want, regardless of size - too big or too little.
    When I was in Carmel with friends I think we ate, shopped, ate shopped our way from one end to the other. The village is about as pretty and charming as anyplace I have ever been.

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  8. Hi Debi, thank you for stopping in to see me today. I am a Houstonian also, so wonderful! Love Carmel, but love the more Northern California coast more. Carmel is a wonderful special place to see and we have been there many times, this year even to Pebble Beach for the PGA tour. I really enjoyed this post of yours. Delightful life you have here ladybug.
    xx's

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  9. Strangely, I would choose H or I... and I would never choose blue for a trim color, but for some reason these two house fascinate me. Maybe because my husband and I want to downsize.

    Great post. Never knew what Carmel looked like :)

    I can't believe we are going to miss you in Paris by ONE WEEKEND! If your plans happen to change... let me know!!!! We will be in Paris Sept 24-Oct. 2. If you're in London during that time... I'll take the train... LOL.

    Otherwise, maybe next year!

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  10. What a delightful post.

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  11. Wonderful pictures. Captures the fairytale-like atmosphere of Carmel. A place to grow old there, idyllic!

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