After spending 40 years in the real estate profession I have come to appreciate the function of reward as the result of months of effort. The nature of real estate is patience with the process, therefore you may not see the results of your hard work and efforts for many months and in some cases years. This is why I have come to appreciate the immediate return I receive from a meal prepared after the work of shopping for all of the ingredients and turning them into a homogeneous combination of gastric pleasure. It is also one of the reasons that I love living in Carmel Valley.
It’s not only that I am surrounded by unlimited sources of organic produce (Earthbound Farms, Village Market, my own organic garden) but also the excellent restaurants surrounding me and surprising plethora of good wineries.
Food wise, there is Wills Fargo, which has been around since the glaciers receded and still captures the timeless feeling of the valley; The Corkscrew, which is fairly modest on the outside but is consistently excellent in its cuisine; Café Rustica , which offers a great ambiance as well savory dishes from a creative menu; the Village Bistro which does an excellent job on breakfast, lunch and dinner; the Village Fish House which scratches the seafood itch as well as the raw oyster dept; and if you want to travel down valley there is Marinus and Wickets at Bernardus Lodge or you can dine south of the border style at Baja Cantina, upscale at the Covey at Quail Lodge or try the new digs at Carmel Valley Ranch which has just undergone an incredible metamorphosis.
These are all great alternatives to cooking after a long day but I still prefer my patio on a 70 degree evening eating bruschetta made from home grown heirloom tomatoes and basil with a nice glass of blush wine from Georis.
Speaking of wine, which I love to speak of, many of you would be surprised at the number of good wineries located in Carmel Valley. Probably one of the most familiar is Bernardus Winery which is located in Carmel Valley village. The grapes for their chardonnay are grown along Carmel Valley Rd directly in front of the well know Bernardus Lodge. Another well know label is Georis Wines which make an interesting and well finished line of wines. There are many more wineries that offer an excellent and great selection of varietals. Among these waiting to be discovered are: Joullian, Heller Estate, Chateau Sinnet, Boekenoogan, Galante’, Boete’, Joyce, Parsonage, Talbott, Chateau Julien and Silvestri. Many of these wineries have tasting rooms open to the general public however some you will have to go online and contact the winery to make an appointment.
For more information about restaurants, wineries and available properties that will open doors to the Carmel Valley lifestyle please visit us at Carmel Realty, 4 E Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel Valley, CA or call me at 831 247-6642 or 831 622-1000.
Bon Apetite’
