May 2014 Celebrated Living - page 54

TOPLEFT: HOLGERLEUE/GETTY IMAGES; RISOTTODISH: SARAREMINGTON; LONECYPRESS:MICHAELHOWELL/GETTY IMAGES
TRAVEL
ONTHEROADAGAIN:
FROM TOP LEFT: Nepenthe’smuch-talked-about view; anaerial viewof
Carmel ValleyRanch; risottowithpeasand favabeans fromBigSurBakery&Restaurant;
Carmel-by-the-Sea; Restaurant 1833’sdelectable ricotta ravioli
BIGSUR, CARMEL, ANDMONTEREY
Afterafewdays inwinecountry,we’reon
theroadagaintowhat’sarguablythemost
photographed90-milestretchofthecoast,
fromSanSimeonthroughBigSurto
Carmel-by-the-SeaandMonterey.Asour
carclimbssteepclisandridges,passing
secretcovesofbluish-greenwaters,Inotice
eventhewispyfoghere isbeautiful.We
maketherequisitestopat Nepenthe to
checkoutthemuch-talked-aboutviewfrom
itsperch,butdine justuptheroadatthe
BigSurBakery&Restaurant instead.
Themeal isunfussy,buteverybitdelicious
andthoughtful.Wood-firedbreadserved
withsalt-fleckedbutter.Risottowithpeas
andfavabeans.Carrotcakewithginger ice
cream.Wemakeourwaytothe500-acre
CarmelValleyRanch ,wherewildturkeys
anddeergreetus.Ourcozycottage-size
room isoutfittedwithafireplace,balcony,
andsprawlingbath.Thenextmorning,we
finally leavetheroomtotourtheproperty’s
garden,wherefeedingthechickensbe-
comesourdaughter’snewfavoritepastime.
Amidtherowsofkaleandsunflowersand
herbssitsatinysalthouse.Later,I’msuited
upattheapiary,wherebeekeeperJohn
Russotellsusaboutthesecret livesofhon-
eybeesastheybuzzaroundourbodies.
Ourfarmtourcontinuesthenextdayat
EarthboundFarm,wherewe’reenthralled
byscarletrunnerbeansandraspberries.
Weconsiderpopping into localwineries
suchas Bernardus and Boete,butheadto-
wardthecharmingtownofCarmel-by-the-
Sea,with itscypresstree-studdedbeach
andcoeeshop-linedstreets.Weamble
awaytheafternoon,strollingpastquaint
Victorian-lookingcottagesandcount-
lessgalleries; thetownhasbeenanartist
colonysincetheearly20thcentury,having
attractedauthors likeJackLondonand
modern-daystars likeClintEastwood.For
dinner,wedrivetoMontereyto Restau-
rant1833,set inaheritagebuildingthat’s
servedasthemayor’smansion, theo“ceof
acharlatandoctor,andseeminglyevery-
thing inbetweensince1833.The libations,
including15varietiesofabsinthe,suitthe
speakeasyvibeandarefollowedbycheddar
biscuits,beetsalad,roastedcauliflower,
ricottaravioli,andbourbonpudding.
SANTABARBARA
SamaSamaKitchen
samasamakitchen.com
ScarlettBegonia
scarlettbegonia.net
BelmondEl Encanto
Rooms from$525, elencanto.com
Four SeasonsBiltmore
Rooms from$395,
fourseasons.com/santabarbara
SantaBarbaraZoo sbzoo.org
CAYUCOS
CassHouse
casshouseinn.com
BrownButterCookieCompany
brownbuttercookies.com
PASOROBLES
HammerSkyVineyards& Inn
hammersky.com
TablasCreek tablascreek.com
Denner dennervineyards.com
Daou daouvineyards.com
ThomasHillOrganics
thomashillorganics.com
General StorePasoRobles
generalstorepr.com
Re:Find refinddistillery.com
Negranti Creamery
negrantidairy.com
BIGSUR, CARMEL, ANDMONTEREY
Nepenthe nepenthebigsur.com
BigSurBakery&Restaurant
bigsurbakery.com
Carmel ValleyRanch
carmelvalleyranch.com
EarthboundFarm
ebfarm.com
Bernardus bernardus.com
Boete boetewinery.com
Restaurant 1833
restaurant1833.com
GETTINGTHERE
SantaBarbara isabouta two-hourdrive
fromLosAngeles InternationalAirport.
AmericanoŠersdirectflightsoperated
byUSAirways fromPhoenix toSanta
Barbara.Rentacar to takeyouup the
coastbeforecatchingyour returnflight
fromMontereyRegionalAirport.
SUMMER AA.COM CELEBRATEDLIVING
52