Carmel Beach. White sand, mile-long stretch, dog friendly but, oh! so chilly on that day. I was really surprised at how chilly it can get on the coast, even in July. That was not the California Summer I had in mind!
Carmel-by-the-Sea
July 10th, 2017
*Recent Resident Posting* on the bulletin board of my building’s website:
Hi! My name is [….], and I live with my mother in apt […]. I’m looking to see if anyone is in need of dog sitting/walking. I’ve had experience sitting dogs, and cats for a good amount of time. (If you need a reference, I have […..] from apt 23). I’m reaching out because I love pets, especially dogs, and would love to sit or walk them as a means to work and to pay my tuition in school. I’m also a after school teacher/Head counselor, so if you need me to take care of your child, I’m available to speak about it at anytime after 6:30pm, which is the time I get out of work. If you need someone to dog/cat sit or babysit call me at […-…-….]. Thank you.
July 10th, 2017
Once upon a time, there lived a man named Hugh. He was a good man who liked to build things with his hands. One day, it was the leap year 1924, Hugh came to Carmel to visit his sister. As his good fortune would have it, he met a woman named Mayotta. She was a good woman who liked to make things with her hands. Their lives met, their souls touched and, a year later, Hugh Comstock and Mayotta Browne become husband and wife.
Mayotta was an artist who made little felt dolls she called the ”Otsy-Totsys”. She made more and more and then a few more, until there was no space left for the growing family in their home. Mayotta then asked her husband if he would build a doll house for her Otsy-Totsys. And so, Mayotta and Hugh, who were no architects nor designers but loved to make things with their hands, built the first wood cottage and named it Hansel. A little later, came Gretel and the rest followed in their gravel path.
Now, do you believe in fairy tales?
You can look for the real-life fairy tale cottages of Carmel on the Hugh Comstock Historical Hill District. Read more about them on this blog by Lynn Momboisse, who even went into the trouble of sketching a map, so you won’t miss even one!
And, if chasing fairy houses makes you hungry, Patisserie Boissiere is a mere magic wand’s flick away. The tale continues inside.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
July 10th, 2017
#for_mankind
#windswept
#current_mood
West Coast, California
July 10th, 2017
#iconic
#marvels_of_engineering
#mind_the_gap
The plan was to cross the Bixby bridge and continue to explore the magnificent Big Sur. Alas, it was not to be – a giant landslide had claimed a large part of the highway and access had been cut off, since May 2017. It took 14 months and $ 1 billion dollars worth of repairs, to finally re-open the highway in July 2018!
The Bixby bridge was still open, however, so we did cross it… for a mile or so and then we had to turn back. From here on, we would have to drive inland on 101, bypassing Big Sur until San Luis Obispo.
But, before that, there were other wonders to be discovered in the area around Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea, so let’s enjoy the breathtaking view from here, a little while longer. 
July 10th, 2017
Scroll down ⇓
Look closer ⇓
For your jaw-droppingly tantalizingly brightest yellowy wtf moment of the day, look no further. Just ask yourself: why…?
Santa Cruz
July 9th, 2017
A bit over 30′ drive south of Half Moon Bay on the scenic coastal Cabrillo Highway, we found Año Nuevo State Park where thousands of elephant seals gather every winter to breed, transforming the beach into a crowded centre buzzing with activity.
But July is part of the molting season, when elephant seals come ashore to shed their skin and fur. This summer-long lazy process lasts between four to six weeks, during which visitors may observe the seals by obtaining a free Visitor Permit from the park’s entrance. From there, it is a 4 mile hike to the viewing area and back (or between 2,5 to 3 hours walk). It is a wonderful world out there and so exciting to observe the seals in their natural habitat. 
Check the Año Nuevo State Park website for opening hours and directions.
July 9th, 2017
Our rambles around San Francisco might have come to an end, but the adventure was far from over. For we were now ready to embark on our first ever road trip along the West Coast.
Rental car picked up (costs a fortune and a half if the return place is different than the pick up, which was our case – but totally worth it, I promise), its condition tested on a San Francisco steep and we were off.
First stop at Half Moon Bay Feed & Fuel for no special reason other than curiosity (and that striking pink facade). We stepped inside not really knowing what to expect.
It turns out this is the ”everything” shop, an institution South of San Francisco. There are farm and building supplies, saddles and other equestrian material, food supplements and treatments for animals – and even vaccines, toiletries for grooming but also clothes and accessories, kitchenware… I don’t know, you name it! And let’s not forget the hatchery at the back: chicks and ducklings and rabbits… a rural wonderland.
A shop teeming with life but he still had to wait outside. Not fair…!
Half Moon Bay
July 9th, 2017
After five wonderful days full of new impressions, it was time to bid farewell to San Francisco, in the best way possible – by walking the Bridge.
It took us a bit more than 1,5 hours to cross from Fort Point to Lime Point and back with all the stops – but it’s impossible not to stop, at least a dozen times, and watch the whales swim by or catch this glorious sunset painting the city in warm pastel colours. A truly unforgettable experience.
Walking the Golden Gate Bridge
July 8th, 2017
Celebrating the life and work of the man whose dream, ambition and perseverance made countless young lives happier, the Walt Disney Family Museum will warm you up and brighten your day, and it will bring back memories you thought were long forgotten.
Walt and Ruth Disney on the front of 1249 Tripp Avenue, Chicago before leaving for Marceline, Missouri ca. 1906
Walt ca. 1919
In 1917, the United States had ended its policy of neutrality and joined the Allies in the war. By mid-1918, war fever had swept the nation. Although Walt was anxious to take part in this patriotic effort, he was too young to join the military. That summer, he learned about the American Ambulance Corps, a division of the Red Cross that needed drivers and had a lower age requirement. He went down to the office and enlisted, but quickly learned he needed a birth certificate in order to obtain a passport. Official birth certificates in those days were not regularly issued. Walt needed a notarized affidavit confirming his birthdate with signatures of both parents. Elias -his father- refused to sign the form declaring it a ”death warrant for his son”. Flora conceded, preferring to ”know where Walt was than having him run off”. With the signed and notarized affidavit, Walt still had one hurdle: the minimum age for the ambulance corps was 17 and he was only 16. As soon as Flora signed the paper, Walt grabbed the pen and changed his birthdate from 1901 to 1900, and with that he was finally on his way to France.
Walt in his Red Cross uniform, ca. 1919
Margaret Winkler
By contracting for the Alice Comedies in 1923, Ms. Winkler gave Walt his first national distribution.
The Disney family in front of the studio
Toasting their 41 years of marriage, July 13, 1966.
July 8th, 2018
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