3 weeks, 7 hotels, 4000 km - Part 2

California Dreamin' but bring a jacket

Dec 08, 2024

After saying goodbye to Los Angeles (and surroundings), we decided to just go with the flow—or at least as much flow as one can manage when the hotels are already pre-booked.)

We were casually driving through the wine county when suddenly a windmill pops up; Some might call it hygge, but it is called Solvang - the Danish Capital of America - the juste milieu between wienerbrød and cabernet.

This is where we made the (fateful) decision to let the Michelin Guide dictate our meals. Our bellies were happy, our bank account not so much.

On the bright side, our dinner at Coast Range was so amazing we almost forgot about the financial trauma. Almost.

We had tasty breakfast and good coffee from Good Seed coffee. There was no going back to bad coffee after this, btw.

Our visit to Solvang ended with a visit to OstrichLand USA (a must on the list especially since even the Kardashians filmed an episode there). Here you get to feed giant ostriches with judgmental glints in their eyes.

Our visit to Solvang did NOT end with me walking out with a Viking hat souvenir, although I wished it did.

#2 Montetrey - the most surprising and beloved city of our vacation

Let me start by saying that all the roads in Monterey lead to the Aquarium. Admission isn’t cheap, but you see beautiful jellyfish looking very well put together. I am not a big fan of enclosed spaces for animals, but it was just something about the maps bringing you there, regardless of where you wanted to go.

After the Aquarium, we wandered down Cannery Row, an area named after John Steinbeck's famous novel Cannery Row.

“It has always seemed strange to me...The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first, they love the produce of the second.”
― John Steinbeck, Cannery Row

Did I promise myself I’d read the book? Absolutely. Did I actually follow through? Absolutely…not!

Fisherman’s Wharf is next on the agenda, because you can’t visit Monterrey without overpaying for a bougie clam chowder, while defending it from the wharf feathered pirates- the seagulls. They will snatch your fries before you can bellow a pirate warning “'Me hearties, STOP”.

On top of the cultural attraction list (in Fisherman’s Wharf) is this place - Paluca Trattoria:

What makes it so special? This:

The film was not actually filmed there but inspired by the place, the producer created Blue Blues cafe.

We, again, followed the Micheline Guide for food. This time we went to Stokes Adobe.

The place is amazing, the food is great. As one can notice, I was very happy.

For the breakfast we went (for a few days in a row) at Alta Bakery, located in downtown Monterey at the historic Cooper Molera Adobe.

I was very intrigued by the area, and I did a little research.

Cooper Molera Adobe, originally dating from 1827, is a National Trust Historic Site in Monterey’s Old Town Historic District, a National Historic Landmark. Cooper Molera represents the layered history of the families who lived in and built Monterey, from its early years as the political and commercial capital of Mexican Alta California, through the development of the State of California. Later, as Monterey became the center of a region known for both agricultural innovation and commerce, Cooper Molera’s diverse occupants—Mexican-American, Anglo-American, French-American, and Native American—all contributed to a thriving cultural landscape. The property has, from its earliest history, represented a classic tale of shared use: an intersection of individuals and families with different origins, carrying out different occupations and businesses, each contributing to a common vision that is clearly evident in today’s Monterey.

You can read more about it here.

There are more to be said about Monterey, a place I would definitely want to return to.

From Monterey, we had day trips to: Carmel by the Sea and the 17 -Mile Drive. This is the scenic route that winds through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove, showcasing basically … money and success, and a very photogenic cypress.