CARMEL
California
Some people live their life stories far better than they can be written. The same might be said of Carmel --- no words, even the best ones, seem adequate in describing life here.
Suffice it to say, for those who've experienced life here, no words are necessary. For those who haven't, no words seem possible.
Perhaps that is why literary types like Henry Miller, John Steinbeck, Jack London and Robinson Jeffers made their homes here. The absence of pressure to describe the place allowed them to pursue other fruitful pursuits.
Carmel is charming, yes. With its winding tree-lined streets, flower boxes hanging from windowsills, outdoor cafes and intimate bistros, Carmel can't help but beckon such an adjective.
But to call Carmel charming underestimates its spiritual value. There is something about the place that is exalting and sobering at the same time. The dramatic encounter between restless sea and listing sand provides endless harmonics that inspire and humble.
"Carmel puts you in your place," Miller once wrote. "How can you misbehave in God's country?"
Carmel was founded by artists seeking life after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Advertisements after the event encouraged the flow of "brainworkers" to Carmel, as refugees took shelter and decided to stay.
These Bohemians built houses to fulfill their romantic dreams, and Carmel's "Fairytale Tudor" homes and shops are famous to this day.
Perhaps one of Carmel's greatest artistic treasures is the former home of Robinson Jeffers, the poet who was greatly inspired by the natural beauty of the area, particularly rugged Big Sur. Jeffers built his unique home, Tor House, in 1919. After completing the stone farmhouse where he and his family lived, he began work on Hawk Tower, a granite retreat for his wife and sons. Tours are offered by reservation Friday and Saturday,
from 10am-3pm.
Walking tours led by docents with the Carmel Heritage Society and other local guides stroll past Carmel's points of architectural interest, including "Hansel" and "Gretel," designed and owned by the greatest of the "fairytale" architects, Hugh Comstock. Visitors can also take tea in The Tuck Box and feel like hobbits, buy handmade chocolates at the Cottage of Sweets, and gaze at the rustic Golden Bough Theater's gilt signboard.
At the end of Ocean Avenue, Carmel's main thoroughfare, is Carmel Beach, known for its beautiful, finely textured white sand. To the south is Carmel River State Beach, a mile-long beach featuring a lagoon and bird sanctuary.
Long before artists discovered Carmel, it was home to the second of the 21 California missions. The mission was actually built in 1770, at the Presidio of Monterey. It was moved a year later to its present site at Rio Road off Highway 1. Today, the mission is known as Basilica of Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelone of two basilicas on the West Coast. Its lovely gardens and museum are open 9:30am-4:30pm, Monday through Saturday, and 10:30am-4:30pm on Sunday.
Visitors will find accommodations ranging from a hotel dating from the turn of the century to one adorned with sculptures and tiles designed by Jo Mora, the artist who created the awe-inspiring memorial to Father Junipero Serra at Carmel Mission Basilica.
Carmel Chamber of Commerce
831-624-2522
For more information, contact Jeff Burghardt at
(831) 646-9200
