Easter Sunday-(part 1)
So my new cook has been working out quite well and I'm comfortable leaving the restaurant in Simon's hand as well. While we closed for Easter Sunday, I decided I was also going to take Monday off for myself also, so that I could go away for a break for couple of days.
Sunday morning, I decided to drive down to Carmel, hoping to walk around some galleries and check out some restaurants. I drove off from the main street: Ocean Ave and found a hotel nearby that's walking distance to everything including the beach. It was just nice!
While most of the galleries were closed, there were still a few remaind opened, and were what I liked too, the modern abstract and the contemporary. Learned about a new artist: Inis. However not until I came home to do some research, to find out Inis is just his pseudonym. His real name is Francesco Gallo. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find that piece that I really like online, he used a lot of red and orange, it was like his "I Tre Tori" but the background was all hot orange like in a burning canyon. 
Made me feel like it can just bring out all my fire from within. If I remember correctly, that piece is called "Torris". Another unfortunate is of course that's no where close to what I can afford at this stage. I was offered a big discount though... hmmm from the price of $9000... I didn't ask. ("Somedays..." I told myself. Just like my restaurant, if I'm determined enough. I can make that happen. I know I will!)
Then I walked into a store called Carmel Bay Company. Met a lady, Sally(I wonder if she's part owner?) She's so nice and gave me a few pointers as to where to dine and hang out. First I went to Cypress Inn, which is owned by Doris Day and Dennis LeVett. It's a total dog friendly hotel, where you'd find dogs all over. I first sat outside at the patio with Monte of course, had a drink but moved inside shortly. Forgot about Carmel is a tourist place after all, where many tourist from other states are more smokers friendly ;) As I moved inside to the bar & lounge, then I found out almost everybody has a dog sitting next to them. Monte found his love right away, another yorkie, but she totally ignored him. That was just cute...until he started barking. I hurried down my food and my drinks and got out. I wonder if I left soon enough before people started hating me :( (I can't believe I've got a barking dog now!)
For dinner, Sally suggested a few places. I walked to all of them and checked out their menus and decided to dine at Casa Nova. There I met their Maitre D', Marcello De Laurentis. He was so nice to show me their private cellar, the Van Gogh's table and I also met most of their staff, including the sou chef, who was kind enough to come out from the kitchen at a busy night to introduce himself to me.
Marcello was so kind to join me at a nearby pub where we shared our restaurant experiences, he also gave me a few of their past private dinner menus that they hosted at the Van Gogh's table. He also walked me around town a little to show me where to have breakfast and lunch the next day. It was like Montepulciano revisit, where I had the Royal treatment from the Relais, and everybody was just nice and sincere, and wouldn't mind going out of their way to show a stranger their ways.
I had a great day and same as the little exhausted Monte!