Monterey Peninsula Tidbits & FAQs
	What to do and where to go in an emergency: If life, limb, or property are in jeopardy, call 911, just like you would back home. There are a few emergency phones near the beaches in Pacific Grove and Carmel, but they are few and far between. However, use them if they are availalable because, unlike with cell phones, the dispatchers can pinpoint your location immediately. The hospital is just off of Highway 1 at the Pacific Grove exit between Monterey and Carmel. Locals call it CHOMP, for Community Hospital Of the Monterey Peninsula. There are a few walk-in clinics scattered around the peninsula, too. There's one on Del Monte Boulevard by the entrance to Fisherman's Wharf, another on Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, one on North Fremont in Monterey, and one near the intersection of Canyon Del Rey and Highway 68. Check the Yellow Pages and call for exact locations, as they tend to move from time to time. Christian Science Practitioners are listed in the Yellow Pages and the Christian Science Journal. Who to see if you have car trouble: Tom's Monterey Auto Repair is Mr. Toy's first choice. Tom and his employees are honest, hardworking, and will do the job right the first time. (No, Tom is not a relative of Mr. Toy.) The place is also AAA approved. Tom's is located in Monterey on Abrego Street between El Dorado and Fremont, across from Jack-In-The-Box. If you're stuck in Carmel and can't make it to Tom's try the Chevron station on Junipero and 4th. In Pacific Grove Forest Hill Auto Service is also a good bet. It's near the top of the hill on Forest Avenue between David and Prescott. If you need warranty service from a dealership, go to the Auto Center in Seaside. It's located between Del Monte and Fremont Boulevards. Nearly all of the dealerships are there except Saab, Lexus, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, and Infiniti, which are right on the other side of Del Monte Boulevard. The Mercedes dealer is located in Monterey on the corner of Fremont and Abrego. Alas, we recently lost our VW dealership, so the nearest one is in Salinas. Ditto with Dodge, but the Chrysler dealer in Seaside should be able to do the job. And unfortunately, there's no Saturn dealership anywhere near here. Where are the restrooms, NOW?!? Fortunately public restrooms are more prevalent than they were a few years ago. Their quality and cleanliness vary greatly. The facilities near the beaches are generally disgusting. Those in Pacific Grove are even worse. Here's a partial list: Monterey: Fisherman's Wharf has a fairly decent set near the end between the theatre and Rappa's. The Municipal Wharf has two. One by the beach, which has flies, and one about half-way out towards the end. There's some by by the Coast Guard Pier between the pier and the boat ramp. These have flies, too. It also has cold showers for divers and the prematurely amorous. San Carlos Beach park, just north of the Coast Guard Pier has one at the bottom of Reeside Street. Cannery Row has some at the base of the parking garage. More can be found on Hovdon Way, a public pedestrian walkway between the aquarium's buildings. You'll also find some nice ones in the lower lobby of the Monterey Plaza Hotel. Downtown, you can go to the Marriott or Doubletree hotel lobbies. Those are nice and clean. There's some ugly ones in the city parking garage with access from Alvarado Street between Round Table Pizza and Taco Bell. Stick with the aforementioned hotel lobbies instead. There are also some in the rear gardens at the Cooper-Molera adobe at the south end of Alvarado Street. The Maritime Museum has 'em too at the Custom House Plaza. Lake El Estero has three. One at the entrance to Dennis the Menace playground; one at the picnic area behind the ballpark; and one along Camino El Estero next to the visitor's center. Pacific Grove: Lover's Point. These are not particluarly well maintained. Point Piņos has one, recommended only for the worst emergencies. Its on Ocean View Boulevard in the cypress trees (no, it is not the trees themselves) adjacent to the golf course near the lighthouse. Carmel: Devendorf Park, Junipero and 6th. These are cleaner on some days than others. Lincoln and 6th, next to the First Murphy house. Same note as above. Piccadilly Park, on Dolores between Ocean and 7th. These actually belong to the adjacent restaurant, but they are open to the public through the park, too. Carmel Plaza, in the top southeast corner of the complex, by the elevator. Carmel Beach at the foot of Ocean Avenue, usually filthy. Carmel River Beach has one by the parking lot. One of the best beachside facilities on The Peninsula. Monastery Beach, on Highway 1 just north of Point Lobos. These are at the south end of a long beach, a fiar distance from the parking area. Since these are not very heavily used you may find them to be in fairly good shape when you need them. Where is Clint Eastwood's house? No self-respecting Carmelite will answer this question. Clint values his privacy, and we respect it. So should you. Is 17 Mile Drive worth the price of admission? It depends on your interests and wallet thickness. It costs a bit more than entering a state park, contains comparable natural wonders, and includes a look at how the wealthiest among us live. On the other hand, the sights of Carmel and Pacific Grove are just as interesting, and free. Your gate admission can be applied to meals at the restaurants in Pebble Beach. Just take your admission receipt and show it to your server. So why do we have to pay to see Pebble Beach? Because the roads, picnic areas, and other facilities are privately owned by the Pebble Beach Company. The gate fee pays for their upkeep. No tax money is involved. Is the aquarium worth the price of admission? Definitely. Although it is fairly expensive, you will come away with a valuable education, and have lots of fun in the process. Tip: go mid-afternoon when the crowds begin to thin out. You'll be able to see more then. Allow at least 3 hours to see it all. What do you call those trees that look like broccoli? They're Monterey Pines. They're very rare. The Monterey Peninsula has the largest natural Monterey Pine forest in the world, and there are only two others (one is north of Santa Cruz at Ano Nuevo, the other is down near Cambria). As they grow older, they lose their lower branches, giving them their distinctive appearance. What are those twisted trees along the shoreline? They're Monterey Cypress trees. The only other place in the world where they grow naturally is Tibet. Legend has it that Tibetan monks brought the seeds here from their temple a thousand years ago while on a journey through the Aleutians, and down the coast of North America. Was Monterey Jack Cheese invented here? Yes. Some say it was named after David Jacks, who owned most of the land here at one time and produced the cheese. Other's say it was named after the press, also called a jack, used in the manufacturing process.
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