short road trip

Fried artichoke hearts ~ not like Rome, Italy

Lunch in Gilroy ~ not gourmet

Great long walk and stay in Monterey

We are heading to Santa Barbara for a couple of days and stopped one
night here in Monterey where we have so many, many lovely memories.
You remember that we were married at the Highlands Inn, do you not?
The top photo is from Archie's where we had dinner after two very
nice coastal walks. We often end up at assorted Black Bear Diners and
I don't know why, other than we've never had food poisoning in any
of them. So we stopped there in Gilroy for lunch and our salads were
almost acceptable. We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express and we
both slept well and are looking forward to Cinnamon Rolls in the
lobby with our fellow travelers whom we will ignore if possible.

Cody update ~ the Blogmaid reports that he was non-stop kitten the
entire day and was back in his own room at midnight when she emailed
me and the blog. Cat introductions seem to be going well, except for
Josie who was miffed. Dorf went back to his heating pad to think for awhile.
Ah, all that boundless energy...

photo memories

Monday night dinner at Montrio Bistro in Monterey ~ salads and artichokes.

We always have at least one meal here.

More of our favorite walk from Monterey to Pacific Grove.

Sea lion sand potatoes. Phewwwwwww.

Cannery Row ~ part of The Walk.

The famous Ambrosia burger at Nepenthe.

More Nepenthe.

Carmel beauty.

Tuesday night street market in Monterey ~ busy!

German chocolate cake at Rosaline's ~ only $6.00.
Tuesday night dinner. We're are missing about 7 of our
minimum daily requirement of fruits and veggies.

ambrosiaburgers and sunshine

This is my 2nd favorite walk (after Crissy Field) ~ it goes all along
the coastside from Monterey to Pacific Grove. Yesterday was a perfect
day for it and at a later time I'll show you the lazy ass seals sleeping
on one of the beaches. Ewwwwww, they do smell. We walked through
Cannery Row and passed the Aquarium that was packed with
children, so we didn't go in. Surprised?
Here is Nepenthe. We sat outside and enjoyed our burgers and
reminisced about the past because this restaurant was so important
to us when love was new. Yesterday they were busy and the parking
lot was filled with Harley Davidsons, mostly from Wisconsin. It
was a delightful time. Then we drove into Carmel and poked around
the stores, walked down to the beach and didn't get back to the
Marriott until 5pm or so. One full day, but glorious.

Breakfast AND dinner at Rosaline's. Wait until you see the "slice" of
German chocolate cake ~ most of which is sitting in Ken's trunk
right now. Time to go home today to see if the endless leak in the
bathroom has caused the ceiling to cave in. Lots o' fun when one
owns a home that is cozy, yet old.

It is interesting, though, isn't it, that when couples get outside
the home (cozy or not) we are given time and the incentive to
talk about important things that somehow get passed over in
the everyday living of "what's for dinner?" and "are we out of
Kleenex®?" We need to plan the next trip!

there's a large hotel

Today ~ view from our room

And here was yesterday. Rain, hail, ick. But we're off soon for a
long walk in the sunshine, in fact Husbando is ready to go and
I had better scamper. Thanks to the generosity of our friends
we are at the Marriott in Monterey (a wedding anniversary gift
certificate) and enjoying everything immensely. I don't have
time to write or straighten the photos from our hotel balcony,
but I know you'll be impressed by the dramatic difference and
I will write more when there is time. (Do not have sand dabs at
Rappa's on the Wharf, much better in Frisco. )