Monterey in Pictures

I promised three posts last week and only got to two but HEY (!!!) that is better than none like the last 6 months. :)

Can we address the sunshine? The constant sunshine in these photos of Monterey is my favorite. Sunshine on my face and the sound of the ocean, ah. It makes me happy reminiscing and typing these words.

I have a handful of posts coming with restaurants, our lodging and what all we did but I thought pictures upon pictures were needed first. I really did fall in love with this city and the kind people. Of course, we learned a handful of lessons too.

Lessons from Monterey: California in the winter is cold. People told us this but I refused to take/keep up with a big coat so it got left behind. I was freezing anytime the sun wasn't directly shinning on me.

Health + green. Don't get me wrong. You can find clam chowder full of cream and dishes of fish soaked in butter but for the most part everyone in Monterey is a health nut. I love the influence. The night we arrived the downtown had two blocks blocked off for food trucks and a farmers market. The produce still had dirt on it and I was all jealous of fresh goodies. I was still getting over a sinus infection so I stopped by a fresh pressed juice booth and grabbed a bottle of juice full of goodness and ginger. Give me the burn and all the ginger. I seriously love ginger.

They also walk everywhere or bike. Trader Joe's is a shrine in their bustling downtown. Also no bag are sold to tote off your groceries. You paid to get a plastic sack. Everyone had their tote bags handy. Little things like that were principles in New Braunfels but not all that much in El Dorado. In fact, I used our reusable sacks at Walmart when we first moved here and had the cashier yell over to another person, point at me, point at the bags and then they both burst into laughter. Not sure the joke that I missed.

Their seafood comes from the ocean that was over your shoulder. I could stick my feet in the water while eating the food that came from it. It was perfect. We tried everything but my absolute favorite was the truffle crawfish mac' n cheese with fontina, parmesan, crawfish and white truffle oil. It was so rich and delicious and I did take one sip of R's restaurant brew, Buzzlight beer.

The Monterey Plaza Hotel Spa is first class, top of the line, perfect, never wanted to leave. R and I were very fortunate in that his business trip started our last day in Monterey. The company that was hosting the soiree scheduled massages for Rusty and I. We have both had massages from spa's to other hotels and this was hands down the best service I have ever had. I changed into a fresh robe, had fresh fruit and water, spent over an hour getting rubbed down and took the longest hot shower of my life. Their spa has a sun deck and hot tubs on the roof of their hotel that overlooked the ocean. It was magnificent and the lady who massaged R is retiring to Hot Springs (in Arkansas) soon.