| 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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