|
Even Better! Don and I dined at Nepenthe 40 years ago. We finally made it back and it was better than I remembered! High Above the Sea Don and I revisited Nepenthe while traveling the California coast, last fall. The drive along scenic Highway 1 in Big Sur, was our favorite. I kept my eyes glued to the west, so I could spot the iconic Nepenthe restaurant. In my photo, you actually have to look above the more obvious building, which holds Nepenthe's newer cafe and shop. The original restaurant sits even higher, perfectly perched on the hillside, 800 feet above the sea, It's been sitting there since the 1940's. First... A Log House This is the log house that originally occupied the same spot. It was built in 1925. (I was excited to find a photo display near the restaurant's restroom!) In 1944, Orson Welles and his wife Rita Hayworth, discovered the cabin while stopping to picnic. They purchased the cabin with hopes of making it into a romantic retreat. But they divorced and sold the cabin to the Fassett Family, before they had a chance to enjoy it. Hiking Up I'm assuming there were no stairs, when Rita and Orson explored this area nearly 80 years ago. When Don and I arrived last October, there was an impressive set of steps, winding upward through the lush growth. I'm guessing that Lolly and Bill Fassett put in the stairs at some point, after they bought the property. The rocks and railing looked like they'd been there a long time. The Fassetts Lolly and Bill bought the 3-bedroom cabin with surrounding 12 acres, in 1947. They moved in with their 5 kids, but soon realized the setting was too beautiful to be enjoyed by just one family. They hired Rowen Maiden (once a student of Frank Lloyd Wright) to build a structure surrounding the cabin. They called the finished creation Nepenthe, which comes from the Greek word for no sorrow. In 1949, about 500 guests attended the opening. The combination home/restaurant soon became a gathering place for travelers and locals. A place where guests could forget their sorrows and worries. To the Top I was excited to once again experience this magical place of no worries. We headed up the winding walkway and passed an old red phone booth, with a man actually talking on the phone. There's very little cell service in the Big Sur area. As we neared the top we could see blue skies and colorful umbrellas and an interesting bird sculpture. Phoenix The curious Phoenix was created by an artist, from the trunk of a coastal live oak that once stood at the end of terrace. Looking past the sculpture, you can see the spread out seating on the terrace and the slanted roof of the restaurant structure. Little has changed over time. Decades Ago This vintage photo shows the oak tree before it died in 1972. The image captures the modern glass and wood structure, that housed the restaurant. The Fassett's lived in the connected, original cabin. It's just out of the photo, above the stair-step seating on the right. Big Sur was not a huge tourist attraction, when Nepenthe opened 73 years ago. But the oasis above the sea, attracted some interesting, bohemian characters. The open air pavilion was designed to encourage gatherings. The stadium seating (think Greek amphitheater) gave guests a good view of the terrace happenings... dancing, music, poetry readings... The round adobe fire pit kept guests warm after the sun went down. The Terrace Today During our visit, I didn't spot any belly dancing or bongo drums, not even a beatnik beard. But there were people sitting on colorful cushions above the terrace and there was a wonderfully calm vibe. It was nice to see people looking at each other or studying the view... not their phones. Today there are plastic chairs instead of director's chairs. They still have the have the fire pit, but they've also added standing heaters. I wondered about this mosaic table and who created it. So many artists contributed their work to Nepenthe. Lolly even made some of the adobe bricks that were used in the construction. Sadly the old log exterior is now hidden behind an updated exterior. It's fun to look at those windows and know that the Fassett's children and grandchildren often watched the parties and patio activity, from above. The View My memories from our visit years ago are very vague. I honestly don't remember the view being this stunning. Maybe the weather was foggy on that day in 1983. It was perfectly clear on October 5, 2022. Crowd-free Nepenthe takes no reservations and no food is served between 4:30 and 5. So we arrived at 4:30 to avoid crowds and get our name on a wait list for dinner. Don headed inside to get us drinks, since the bar remained open. In the summer, I'm sure it would have been packed inside. It was nice to look around without crowds and see all the curves and angles... glass and redwood beams! I can't imagine what it must have been like for the Fassett kids, growing up in this setting. They helped with chores from cleaning wax off candlesticks to chopping vegetables. Was this space their playground, when the restaurant was closed? Special Celebration Once we had our drinks, we found some seats and made a toast to more than the view. It was Don's birthday! This guy really deserved a special birthday outing. Don's birthday adventure the year before, had been to the hospital for open heart surgery. What a beautiful spot for toasting to Don's birthday and good health! Time to Dine! After only a few minutes of enjoying the view, we were called to our table. The inside dining room was fun with enormous windows and retro brass candle sticks... clean of candle wax! The original fireplace had a welcoming mid-century vibe. But we could hardly pull ourselves away from our view. We said we were in no hurry and would wait for an outside table. Table for Two There were a few tables set up along a walkway, leading back to a (closed off) patio. We got the table at the very end, beneath an umbrella! This may have been a temporary set up, so I'm not sure we'll ever dine at this spot again. It was lovely! I think we had the best table that night! Eddy Takes Our Pic And I'm also quite sure we had the very best waiter. Eddy, was knowledgable and comfortable and enthused about his work. When I asked if he would snap a photo of us, he had us stand up to get the view behind us. He couldn't have been nicer. Menu We ordered a bottle of local wine and took our time with the menu. You have to love this phoenix, with his crown and curly feathers! "Forget your worldly cares at Nepenthe's gay pavilion Where the Phoenix bird repairs..." I'm pretty sure we did just that! At least I forgot my worldly cares! Golden Hour As we sipped our wine, the light grew more golden. We enjoyed the view and then enjoyed some conversation... with the people behind us. It began when the man stood to take a photo. We shared enthusiasm about the view, then ended up swapping travel stories. The California couple said we were invited to their vineyards anytime, for a wine tasting. They were much more Bohemian than us, so I'm pretty sure we had a proper Nepenthe Experience, with our enjoyable socializing. The Fassetts would be pleased. Food The food was quite amazing, from the bread basket and salads, to our entrees. Don ordered Diver Scallops, pan-seared with polenta cakes and sautéed asparagus. He was happy! Lolly's Roast Chicken Dinner I placed my order with Eddy, telling him, "I'm ordering the roast chicken! I'm sure I can trust Lolly's old recipe!" He sort of laughed, but then seemed pleased that I had an interest in the restaurant's past. But actually I really liked the idea comfort food in such a comfortable setting! Roast chicken, served on a bed of sage stuffing! Gravy and cranberry sauce or course! It was just right! Sneaking a Peek The deck area that was closed off for renovation, was just behind Don. I couldn't help myself and popped up when the coast was clear. I dipped under the caution tape and snapped a photo. The quiet deck looked so appealing and retro, with the glowing lanterns. I could picture Ernest Hemingway enjoying a drink with this view. He was one of the many famous past guests. As the sun lowered, the scenery became more and more dramatic. The sky grew darker and we suddenly had some added entertainment, when an owl began hooting nearby. I got extra giddy when I saw the glow of the nearly full moon, reflected in the water. I don't think we were the only guests, sighing over the view. Surprise By the time our meal was done, the air was cool and our jackets came on. I insisted Don order dessert. He made a good chocolate-y choice. Then suddenly Eddy delivered a wrapped box, with an attached lit candle! We hadn't even mentioned Don's birthday, but Eddy overheard us talking to the California couple. What a fun surprise. A blue Nepenthe coffee mug gift, for the birthday boy! Thanks! We gave Eddy huge thanks. He had made our evening extra special. Nepenthe's has a history of memorable staff and again, Lolly and Bill would be glad to know he did a great job. I wish I could have thanked Lolly and Bill in person, for creating this wonderful place. I obviously couldn't do that, but as it turns out, their grandson ( I believe) runs the restaurant now. I should have left him a thank you note! Dream-like As we headed off, I snapped some photos of the lit patio and the huge fire pit. They are blurred, so I almost deleted them. There's a nostalgic, dream-like quality to these patio pics. They remind me of the blurred photos from my childhood, in family albums. Those photo seem magical, too. 1960's Movie The photos below are also blurry. I took these pics of our TV last night, when we watched the movie The Sandpiper, from 1965. This film was shot on location, in Big Sur. I studied this scene eagerly pointing, out the guitar, the fire pit... and some dancing! And of course Richard Burton and Liz Taylor having drinks on Nepenthe's terrace. The movie was not their best, but what a hoot to see the setting! Heading Off We ended up spending a total of 4 hours at Nepenthe. I enjoyed every minute. I was glad we only had a 5 minute drive to our cabin at Ripplewood Resort, which has been around longer than Nepenthe. Cafe Kevah and Phoenix Shop We detoured partway down the stairs to peek at the buildings that hold the cafe and gift shop, which were added years after Nepenthe was built. Both were closed, but I heard they are very much worth a visit. Next time! Sharing Pics On the stairs, we paused to chat with a young man who was smiling at his phone. No he wasn't on Instagram, since there was no cell coverage. He was admiring a photo he'd just taken of the moon. He shared it with us and we talked a while. I started to share the moon picture, that I'd just taken. The moon seemed to float above the Phoenix. But I just listened instead. The young guy was so happy, explaining how he'd propped the phone still... It was a sweet encounter.
Maybe that was a Nepenthe Moment... a positive encounter at Nepenthe. I just made that up, but surely those nice shared moments happen more often here. A beautiful and friendly setting, where phones are only good for taking photos! As I write this post months later, I'm feeling eager to go back! We won't wait 40 years this time. I might not be able to do those stairs at 105!
0 Comments
Shake's Old Fisherman's Grotto When choosing between lunch options, I always lean towards a place with a good sign. I was pretty excited when I spotted this neon sign, jammed with swirly letters. Shake's? What was that? We would find out. Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey While traveling down the California coast last fall, Don and I wound up in Monterey around lunchtime. Cannery Row? Fisherman's Wharf? Both sounded touristy, but curious. I pushed for the Wharf. Monterey's history goes way back. There was a stone pier here, in the 1840's, then a commercial fishing wharf, in the early 1900's. Pink and Yellow We headed down the colorful wharf in search of lunch. There was something a little Disneyland-ish about the pastel buildings, with the playful rooflines. But I kind of loved the bubble gum pink, of Carousel Fine Candies. The yellow of Old Grotto building, reminded me of banana taffy... or was that a mustard yellow. I was hungry! Welcoming Characters There was something inviting about this whole exterior. First I spotted a carved fisherman character, wearing a yellow slicker and holding a fish. He stood beside an open market, displaying foods on ice. No one was welcoming us on this day, with samples of clam chowder, but evidently that's a thing at OFG! Further down, beneath the black and white awning, I spotted another character. He was of the human kind. Wearing a black vest and tie and a white apron, he welcomed passersby. Maybe he just ran out of chowder. Or maybe that tradition stopped with Covid. Another Greeter Just past the entrance there was another, statue-type greeter. He wore a white suit and hat and held an OPEN sign. The statue stood near a quite impressive display of food and wine. Don and I continued on, since we had planned on a light, informal lunch. We weren't dressed for a classy meal. Back Again But after exploring a while, we didn't find anything nearly as interesting as this old place. We wandered back to take a closer look and saw the red sign. "Voted Best Clam Chowder 15 years in a Row". A Less Welcoming Sign We headed over to get our name on a wait list. Then I took better notice of the statue of the man in the hat. This was actually a statue of Sabu Shake, Sr., the original owner of the restaurant. His smile was welcoming, but the sign near his feet was not. Just days before, Don and I had vacationed (and dined out) with our 20 month old grandchild. Our sweet memories were so fresh, that the strict Kid Policy made me frown. That seemed pretty bold in this day and age of acceptance. But we were hungry and didn't boycott the restaurant... which is just what many did about 7 years ago, when someone posted a photo of the sign on social media. Suddenly the media, from Fox News to the New York Times, took notice. Even though quiet children (without strollers or highchairs) are welcome, the place stays pretty kid free. Which I guess is a plus to some customers, because they sure weren't hurting for business. In We Go When our table was ready, I tried not to overthink the kid rules. Don and I embraced our old age and child-free status and went on in.. determined to behave ourselves. The wood and leather interior made it feel like we were stepping into a the 1950's, when Sabu and his wife Isabella first opened this restauran, as The Chowder House. They raised their 6 sons while they ran the restaurant in Monterey. Cozy Throw Back We could have gotten on a waiting list for a table overlooking Monterey Bay Harbor. But all the tables and booths look comfy with their tufted leather and glowing lamps. There was even a little Frank Sinatra playing. Upstairs I took a quick peek upstairs, when I checked out the restroom. There were plenty of booths with views up there. Lots of wine bottles, too. I imagine you need a reservation to grab one of these tables on the weekend. Framed History Near the restrooms I found some framed photos. This one intrigued me. Why was this old newspaper about the Titanic, displayed? I read later that Pakistan-born, Sabu Shake, lost most of his family in the 1930's, on a sinking ship. It couldn't have been the Titanic, in the thirties. I wonder about the connection. Shake Family I took a photo of this framed portrait of the Shake family. It must have been taken before the 6th son was born. I read up on their history and learned that Sabu emigrated (with nothing) in the 1950's, to Sacramento. He met Isabella, an Italian Catholic. They married, then moved to Monterey. Sabu found work as a dishwasher on Fisherman's Wharf. Sabu's hard work paid off as he moved up the ladder, working at various restaurants on the Wharf. In the late '50's the Shakes bought the restaurant that is now, Old Fisherman's Grotto. Over the years all the boys worked in the restaurant. The oldest son, Chris, is the owner now. Down I Go I headed down the rather grand stairway, to fill Don in on what I saw and learned. Poor Don is used to me getting sidetracked, on restroom visits. Lunch Feast It was time to order and absorb some flavor along with the restaurant history. I couldn't resist the Pear and Gorgonzola Salad with candied walnuts. I knew it was silly to not order seafood, but I went for the fall special of sweet potato soup. The thick soup with swirls of sauce and crispy sweet potato, was just right! Chowder and More While Don sampled the award winning, (creamy-clam-packed) chowder, I snooped on the table behind him. There was a man with dark hair and white dress shirt, who chatted frequently with staff. VIP? Now as I look back at the photo of the host's desk, I zoom in and wonder if this dapper man sitting behind us, could have been owner, Chris Shake. Classic Bar After enjoying our little lunch feast, we took a peek at the bar. There were no guests enjoying the cozy-classic space, but there were lots of pineapples. Hmmm? Lots of Photos There were also tons of framed photos! I eagerly searched the walls for pictures of celebrities, that I might recognize. I spotted no familiar faces, but I learned later that Mother Theresa and Jim Carrey have both been guests. Very different kinds of guests. All the images appeared to include Sabu Shake Sr and/ Chris Shake, with guests. I assume this is Sabu and Chris, but I have no clue who the woman is. Now that I've read a little more, I'm a lot more curious about the Shake family and their restaurant. Chris evidently started working in the kitchen at 11. He dropped out of school after 7th grade, to work and train for the family biz. He owns OFG, but he and his brother own hundreds of food businesses in Monterey. That's pretty wild. The Whole Wharf Experience Old Fisherman's Grotto has been a part of the Wharf scene, for over 60 years. I felt like our whole lunch outing was a fun combination. Sitting and dining in a classic seafood restaurant AND Strolling and exploring the Wharf and nearby historic buildings. That was sort of a perfect package and we almost passed it up, because we thought it might be too formal. What Will I Remember? Our visit was pretty quick, because we were on the road. But even then our meal was delicious and relaxing. I loved learning some little tidbits of Shake Family history. It was intriguing. I have a lot of respect for hardworking families. But I'm afraid I'll always have a bit of a nagging guilt that we dined in a restaurant that tries to keep kids away. We trained our kids to dine politely in restaurants, by taking them to restaurants. It makes me sad to think that we would have been frowned upon, if we'd had our sweet granddaughter with us.
A Welcoming Lumberjack How could we pass up the opportunity to dine at a place with a giant lumberjack in front? The lumberjack lured us, but so did the banner. "Dining Room Now Open!" Our Summer of 2021 Pandemic Travels, made for some tricky, on-the-road-eating. A year before, we had done only drive through and picnics. But last July, we were vaccinated and appreciative of safe dining rooms. Willits, CA Don and I found the restaurant with the giant log cutter, while driving through the town of Willits. I was mighty impressed by the grand arch! "Gateway to the Redwoods". Familiar? I thought the sign seemed little familiar. I'm not sure how many arched signs Reno has had over the years. But evidently, the Biggest Little City, donated one of their old signs to Willits. Al's Redwood Room While driving down the main drag in Willits, I spotted another fine sign. This is really where I wanted to eat! That's a nifty neon sign, worthy of old Reno! I love the martini on top and I love knowing it opened in 1901! But it was closed. Possibly closed down. Saws and Logs So after our drive through town, we turned around and headed back to Lumberjacks. If we couldn't have martinis at Al's Redwood Room, I was happy to enjoy a Saw and Log Theme, at Lumberjacks. Cozy Booths There were lots of open tables, in the two dining rooms. I was glad to see lots of wood. If you're going to eat in a Lumberjack themed restaurant, you want to see some wood. Ladies Room I've seen some fine artwork in restaurant bathrooms, over the years. This lumberjack mural was quite a hoot and worthy of a photo. At first, I thought this was a Lady Lumberjack, swishing along with her long skirt and axe. I'm actually not sure about the gender, but I'm pretty sure that this lumberjack has some very defined glute muscles. I'm guessing axe swinging must help with that. "Where the Big Boys Eat" The dated tagline on the restaurant's sign, made me think this restaurant might have started up 50 years ago. But, in truth this is a fairly new biz. It opened in 2004. Since I'm not a Big Boy, I decided to go with a Dainty Dinner Salad. (not the real name) I was pleasantly surprised that this little "$5.99 salad was so tasty! Crispy croutons, bacon and cucumbers... fresh tomato, onion and thick thousand island on the side. Honestly, this was a treat! My Lumberjack with a Biscuit! When I first met Don over 40 years ago, he had a beard and wore flannel shirts a lot. He could have passed for a lumberjack. In 2021, Don was not intimidated by the macho decor or slogan. He happily ordered a $9.99 "Senior Breakfast" and it was pretty darn good. Don's omelet and potatoes were hearty enough for any aging lumberjack. But the most memorable goodie, was the biscuit! That fluffy hot biscuit was big enough to feed the big statue in front! Worthy of a Write Up Ordinarily the old blog posts are about odd or old, cafes and diners. A chain restaurant that's less than 20 years old, doesn't usually make the cut. But I have to give a place some credit when it does well with it's theme. Plus the food and prices were worthy! I should have gone for some homemade pie, after my dainty salad. The pies looked mighty good. Posing Of course I had to pose, before we headed to the car. Next time I come, I'll wear a plaid shirt. Maybe I'll ask if the lumberjack has a name. I'm guessing the staff has a few stories to tell about this big guy.
Not Your Typical Napa Experience! People don't visit Napa to eat at shopping centers. But Don and I did just that. I read about Squeeze Inn and wanted to give it a try. Heaters and Art We arrived early before the lunch rush. Along one wall, there was a lineup of tables. There were also a few outdoor heaters. Hmm? There were lots of burger and beer and sport related posters. Charlie Chaplin didn't quite fit in. The Counter and Grill The only customer, was seated at the counter having a beer. There were lots of available stools and lots of available catsup bottles! Squeezeburger with Cheese We ordered at the end of the counter. It was the Squeezeburger we'd heard about. But I figured we also needed to try a deep fried hotdog, while we were being incredibly unhealthy. Eye on the Grill The lone customer finished his beer and was suddenly on his way. Yay! We moved up to the counter and enjoyed the show. Nothing quite like watching a cook, when they really know what they're doing at the grill. Making a Squeezeburger So we watched the guy toss a pile of cheddar onto the grill. The burger then landed on top. Then he covered the burger with the metal hood, while he fried up my hotdog. I think the bun was heated on top of the hood actually. ?? Voila! And this is how it looked! We took our tray of decadence and headed for the patio. Yum! This is our lunch feast and I am not ashamed. Don's burger had the perfect "cheese skirt". My fried hotdog was healthy, because it had tomatoes and pickles. How to Eat? In these photos, you can see even better how ridiculous our meal was. Don actually cut away at the cheese skirt. I tried to wrap some of the cheese around some of our fries. Interesting. My hotdog was surprisingly tasty. I've never had tomatoes on a hotdog and I've never had a fried dog. So how did we do? We sampled each others and secretly threw away over half. It was good! We just stopped before we were miserable. A Question for This Guy Before leaving, we headed back inside to let our cook know that we enjoyed our first Squeezburger Experience. Then I had to ask. "I read that your ceiling is covered with toothpicks." I asked him why I didn't see any. He laughed and said they had issues with the fire marshal and that little tradition of shooting toothpicks through a straw, into the ceiling had to end.
Oh well, we sampled our first Squeezeburger. Good enough! Festive Sign This past summer, Don and I had breakfast at this cute diner, across from our motel. The sign was very entertaining. The letters in Fisherman, were hidden in flags at the top. Restaurant was written with driftwood. And what about that lil mermaid with her dolphin and Paul Bunyan and his ox! Who can resist a restaurant with a sign like that? Crescent City? Our breakfast at Fisherman's, tied in nicely with our Crescent City Experience. We've passed through this little "city" before, but it has always felt gloomy, socked in with fog. After 20 hours in C City, I left with some fond memories of the place. We got to see it in sunshine! We also learned about the struggles this community has overcome, dealing with multiple Tsunamis. Curly Redwood Lodge This is the fine motel where Don and I stayed. It's been sitting here on the Redwood Highway since 1957. The quirky little motel has some history. Plus, it was right across the street from Fisherman's! https://www.thebethlists.com/90-notable-nights Open on Thursday! We'd been so disappointed to find the restaurant closed on Wednesday, when we checked into our inn. But luckily, the restaurant opened at 6 am on Thursday! They were doing a pretty good business by the time we headed over at 8. Seat with a View During our pandemic summer travels of 2021, Don and I learned to expect a wait, or possibly a stressed staff. But we were greeted by a friendly staff and a couple Good Mornings, when we entered. We took a window booth, with a view. I was sort of amused to have this view, with our motel across the street. Even the parking lot was a bit entertaining. At one point a big pickup with "Redneck" written on the windshield, parked near the BMW and MINI Cooper. What an odd assortment of cars. And then there was that fog that rolled in and out. A common thing in Crescent City. Patriotic Nautical From our table, I looked around and took in the decor. There seemed to be 2 themes. There were lots of patriotic banners. Tying into the nautical theme, I spotted lots of lighthouses. Crescent City does have a very picturesque lighthouse. Short Walk Away The restaurant was a convenient walk from our motel. But the diner also had a nice location for wandering to the harbor. Just a short walk from the restaurant, we found this scene. We could hear the sea lions from our motel! We could also hear the eerie sound of the foghorn, (I'm guessing from the lighthouse) continuously. Breakfast! Our upbeat server Susan, brought our coffee right away. I commented on her good mood and she laughed that she'd already been working for a couple hours. I ordered a simple bagel and cream cheese, since I knew I'd be helping Don with his feast. Don's sushi shirt did not go well with his omelet and hash browns and pancake. We worked together and almost finished! Shopping Before taking off, we could have shopped a bit for some souvenirs. If they'd sold Hawaiian shirts, maybe I would have bought one. I noticed that all the staff flowered shirts. Maybe that's why they were in such good moods. Or maybe they were in good spirits because they'd all had a day off the day before. Or maybe you have to enjoy your work, when your owner/manager is the kind of person who suggests flowered shirts for uniforms. Good-Bye Don and I left with full stomachs and we left in good moods. There was nothing spectacular about the food or the interior of Fisherman's. But I think this little restaurant was probably the friendliest of all the food stops on our summer road trip of 2021.
|
The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
April 2024
Categories
All
|