MGOC Brunch Moss Beach, Carmel Highlands, Carmel, (a.k.a. Carmel By the Sea), Pacific Grove, Asilomar State Beach - January 2026

Before the blogs about the Cape of South Africa are completed, here’s an interlude…

Our MG Owners Club (MGOC) scheduled their annual Sunday brunch for Sunday January 18th at the Moss Beach Distillery. We thought what a nice get-a-way to attend the brunch & then continue southward along the coast to the Carmel area. We made reservations at the Tickle Pink Inn in Carmel Highlands where we last stayed in 2008. With Marty’s healing leg, this would be a perfect spot. We did not drive the MGA south; too much. Instead we drove the MINI roadster. It is British & has a MGOC decal on the windshield. My healing leg now allows me to drive a stick shift pain free.

Moss Beach Distillery. “…NOT a distillery but is a restaurant and bar.”

“During prohibition, the San Mateo County coast was an ideal spot for rum running, bootleggers and ‘speakeasies’, establishments which sold illegal booze to thirsty clients.”

“One of the most successful speakeasies of the era was Frank’s Place on the cliffs at Moss Beach. Built by Frank Torres in 1927, Frank’s Place became a popular night spot for silent film stars and politicians from the city of San Francisco. Mystery writer Dashiell Hammett frequented the place and used it as a setting for one of his detective stories.

Under cover of darkness and fog, illegal whiskey was landed on the beach, dragged up a steep cliff and loaded into waiting vehicles for transport to San Francisco. Some of the booze always found its way into the garage beneath Frank’s Place. Frank Torres used his excellent political and social connections to operate a highly successful, if illegal, business. Unlike many of the other speakeasies along the coast, Frank’s Place was never raided.”

https://mossbeachdistillery.com/history-ghost/

Sunset from our balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA.

Sunrise from our balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA.

Later that morning I immersed myself in that hot tub in the lower left of the photo. It’s a masterfully done hot tub set into the side of the inn. It is new since 2008.

Sunrise from our balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA.

From our balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA overlooking the Otter Game Refuge (we didn’t see any), Yankee Rock & exclusive Yankee Point

From our balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA overlooking the Pt. Lobos State Marine Reserve.

A gorgeous drive into Carmel Valley led us to the Corkscrew Cafe that had been recommended by a friend. We had an excellent lunch followed by this affogato.

Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel Valley, CA.

The Monterey Bay area is known for its vintage cars but most must have been stashed away for the MLK weekend. Finally we saw this vintage ca. 1950’s, Porsche 356 Speedster. There must have been a rally that day because later, we saw one abandoned roadside.

When we arrived, this sign was covered below Big Sur. Hwy 1 had been closed for over three years to repair a slide. It reopened the Friday before we came.

It was a coastal weather perfect weekend & everyone wanted to go down the coast on the reopened road. They also crowded the beaches & Point Lobos State Park. All of this created annoyingly heavy traffic to drive in, in a manual roadster.

Here’s that abandoned vintage Porsche, looks like a 356 coupe.

Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve, Sunset Drive.

I first discovered Asilomar while at a faculty retreat there in September 1974.

Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve, Sunset Drive.

I was driving my brand new Karmann Ghia roadster back then.

Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve, Sunset Drive.

Highway 1 North.

A private ranch road off Highway 1 north.

Carmel-by-the-Sea (Carmel) was founded by the Spanish as a settlement in 1771.

“No sidewalks in the residential area, no streetlights, no commercial development on the beach, preservation of the native trees, one or two stories height limitation, no chain restaurants, and no billboards. These ordinances have helped preserve Carmel's character as a village.”

As Minnesotans say, "Oh, fer cute!"

From the courtyard of The Carmel Coffee House which we had visited in the past.

The Carmel Coffee House.

Alleyway into the Carmel Coffee House.

With her two huge gold retrievers she was oblivious as she blocked our entrance to La Bicyclette. Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA.

La Bicyclette Dolores & 7th, Carmel, CA.

We returned after enjoying a meal here in the past.

The Gnocchis Parisiens - House-made spinach gnocchi baked in parmesan cream sauce was the best gnocchi ever & it was possible to have a half order. We had the bread & butter with our breakfast at the inn. The beer came with celery- salted cubed cheese & a story.

La Bicyclette Dolores & 7th, Carmel, CA.

And, the Winter Citrus salad of Assorted citrus, avocado, feta, cherries, baby mixed greens, toasted pumpkin seeds, crispy filo, yuzo-espelette vinaigrette. Was beyond compare. When we inquired, our waiter Alan asked the chef how the filo was prepared.

Next visit we’ll have to try a wood fired pizza at La Bicyclette.

Until demands of modern tech., “…businesses, cottages and houses have long had no street numbers” in Carmel-by-the-Sea .

Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA.

There was a lot of construction in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA.

Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Carmel-by-the-Sea at the beginning of Ocean View Blvd.

Ocean View Blvd.

Ocean View Blvd., Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Looks like a new home on Ocean View Blvd., Carmel-by-the-Sea.

The were a lot of contractors working on houses along Ocean View Blvd., in Carmel-by-the-Sea. This low lying area must have been hit hard by a recent storm.

Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch - Buildings on the property reflect the architectural period of the 1850s.

Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch. On our next visit we’ll have a meal here.

Carmel Mission - “Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Río Carmelo ), first built in 1797, is one of the most authentically restored Catholic mission churches in California. Located at the mouth of Carmel Valley, California, it is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.”

On the east side of Highway 1, the Carmelite Monastery of Our Lady and St. Thérèse.

Hwy 1 south. Our inn turnoff was about 2 minutes from here to the left.

I drooled when I saw the cannoli in the window of a Sicilian bakery in Carmel. When Nomi walked back to get the MINI to pick me up at the bottom of Ocean Ave, she got it for me.

From our balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA.

Sunset from our balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA.

A home across the street from the La Playa Hotel, Carmel.

The ca. 1905 La Playa Hotel, Carmel.

The La Playa Hotel, Carmel.

A friend had told us about jazz at Bud’s Bar in the La Playa Hotel, Carmel. I refrained from Tylenol for 24 hours so I could enjoy a cocktail.

BUD'S MARTINI

GIN, VODKA, LILLET An old standard if there ever was one. Bud's Martini harkens back to the Carmel of 1965 with clean flavors and a winkingly austere composition. Served straight up.

SWEET THURSDAY

RYE WHISKEY, GRAPEFRUIT, HONEY, LEMON, MARASCHINO

A tart tribute to Steinbeck's Monterey- based novel and the sequel to Cannery Row. Here's to the sweet anticipation of a day suspended between"Lousy Wednesday" and "Waiting Friday." Served on a large cube.

“Evening Sounds at Bud’s Jazz with David Morwood - Harmonizing artistry and expertise. Dr. David Morwood, Monterey's plastic surgeon and jazz drummer. Transforming lives with rhythm and precision.” We enjoyed them & David had the trio play a Keith Jarrett piece because he liked my SF JAZZ hoodie.

The bartender at Bud’s was poetry in motion.

The La Playa Hotel, Carmel.

What a nice cozy meeting room.

The La Playa Hotel, Carmel.

That’s a nice home overlooking the Pt. Lobos State Marine Reserve.

From our balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA.

Yankee Point Rock & the very exclusive Yankee Point seen from our balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA at dawn.

Breakfast balcony at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA.

I got that ankle moving at the Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA.

Goodbye Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel Highlands, CA. We’ll be back someday.

Oh boy, an MGA in Pacific Grove. I couldn’t hobble across the street fast enough to meet the driver.

That bookstore was wonderful.

Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA.

The MGA had the top up but we had the top down.

Across the street is the Passion Fish restaurant. That brought back memories as we had eaten there in the past.

Pacific Grove is known as ‘Butterfly Town USA’ for its role as an overwintering spot for monarch butterflies.

Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA.

A passerby, walking her dog saw me admiring this 1910 home & about to take a photo. She proceeded to tell me the history. “One of the most iconic Queen Anne Victorians on the Monterey Peninsula, Hart Mansion was built in 1894 in the heart of charming downtown Pacific Grove for a prominent doctor (dentist) and his family. Featuring exquisite historic detail, including original stained glass, wainscot and intricate molding, the house offers two kitchens (one commercial), a formal parlor floor that has also served as a restaurant/shop in the past, four bedrooms, a formal upstairs dining room along with an office or playroom, plus beautiful ocean views.”

Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA.

A friend told us we should try the Red House Cafe on Lighthouse Ave. in Pacific Grove for lunch.

Red House Cafe on Lighthouse Ave. in Pacific Grove. Lunch sandwiches were so good & large that we had them at home for dinner that evening.