A Tour of Carmel - Caraccioli Cellars & Basil Restaurant

Elizabeth Bergesen October 8, 2012

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a town known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history, and I have heard some people describe it as "a village in a forest overlooking a white sand beach". I will admit that this has been my favorite city that I have lived in (other than my home town of Seattle), and I try to take every opportunity possible to walk into town to experience the culture. Here are two of our (new) favorite places that we have discovered – and both are a must visit the next time you happen to be in Carmel!

Caraccioli Cellars Tasting Room

This place is kind of hidden, but worth finding in downtown Carmel. In fact, I really, really love this place. Caraccioli serves old-world style wines, in a classic cellar with a contemporary twist. As far as prices in Carmel compare, I find the tasting fees here are very reasonable. This is a family run establishment founded in 2006, and they are well known for their Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and Brut Rose. We always plan a visit to this tasting room every time we eat in town.

Basil Restaurant

Basil is a wonderful little restaurant! It’s small and quaint and dining is available either inside or on their patio. The restaurant is casual yet elegant, with just a little bit of trendy-ness added to it. Their emphasis is on fresh, organic, and local ingredients and the portion sizes are perfect.

David had perfectly cooked Venison which was served over a beet puree, with roasted root vegetables, and German Spaetzle . I had a wonderfully cooked Salmon which was served over a celery root puree, with roasted root vegetables and mushrooms. The service was fantastic and the food was excellent. There was no rush to get out of there which made for a very pleasant time, and sitting outside on the patio was a nice treat!

David's \u200Bperfectly cooked Venison","engine":"wysiwyg","html":"

David's \u200Bperfectly cooked Venison

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David's perfectly cooked Venison

My wonderfully cooked Salmon

Prost to Oktoberfest!

Elizabeth Bergesen September 16, 2012

\u200BBratwurst, Bavarian Chicken, Pretzels and beer\u2026 ah, what's better than a great big stein of Spaten Lager or Spaten special Oktoberfest brew, imported all the way from Germany? Okay, maybe actually being in Germany, but this was certainly fun enough.","engine":"visual"}" data-block-type="2" id="block-9493c100b44a20c9e084">

Bratwurst, Bavarian Chicken, Pretzels and beer… ah, what's better than a great big stein of Spaten Lager or Spaten special Oktoberfest brew, imported all the way from Germany? Okay, maybe actually being in Germany, but this was certainly fun enough.

My Family's Visit to Carmel, CA

Elizabeth Bergesen August 9, 2012

My family's visit to Carmel this past week was very entertaining. Living away from family always makes you appreciate the time you do get to spend with them. Besides all the social time, we were able to give my nephew Ben his first haircut, which was a big deal for my sister. It's not like she was going to take Ben somewhere else to receive his first haircut when she has two stylist in the family. While I felt privileged to have the opportunity to cut his hair, I gladly handed the shears to my mother as I did feel a little rusty - having been away from the trade for a few months. Plus, it gave me the\nopportunity to take a lot of photos of Ben's first experience with someone other\nthan his mom messing around with his head.","wysiwyg":{"source":""}}" data-block-type="2" id="block-37c1061a2a5333d82d93">

My family's visit to Carmel this past week was very entertaining. Living away from family always makes you appreciate the time you do get to spend with them. Besides all the social time, we were able to give my nephew Ben his first haircut, which was a big deal for my sister. It's not like she was going to take Ben somewhere else to receive his first haircut when she has two stylist in the family. While I felt privileged to have the opportunity to cut his hair, I gladly handed the shears to my mother as I did feel a little rusty - having been away from the trade for a few months. Plus, it gave me the opportunity to take a lot of photos of Ben's first experience with someone other than his mom messing around with his head.

Ben with a mini Faux-Hawk!

Saturday was spent walking around town and visiting Fisherman Wharf. The Wharf, which includes restaurants, gift and candy shops, a theater, an aquarium, snack bars, and fish markets, is always a must-see when you visit Monterey.

Sunday was beach day, and we spent the afternoon basking in the sun and watching Ben kick his little legs in the surf. My sister did mention that Ben loves the water, but the degree to which he wanted to constantly be swallowed up by the waves was quite comical.

It was incredibly gratifying to see Ben's fascination with\nLuna, and even more importantly, her patience with him. \u200BEvery opportunity Ben got, he would wander over to our couch-bound dog and squeal, slap, pinch and hug Luna\u2019s\nface; and like the good Golden she is, Luna would just lie there and accept Ben's\naffection. Luna always managed to reciprocate\nwith a big lick on his face - which in return, made Ben squeal even louder.","engine":"visual"}" data-block-type="2" id="block-dde742bf8ecd0c5f0d1f">

It was incredibly gratifying to see Ben's fascination with Luna, and even more importantly, her patience with him. Every opportunity Ben got, he would wander over to our couch-bound dog and squeal, slap, pinch and hug Luna’s face; and like the good Golden she is, Luna would just lie there and accept Ben's affection. Luna always managed to reciprocate with a big lick on his face - which in return, made Ben squeal even louder.

I am sorry to see my family and Ben leave, but I am very thankful that everyone was able to come and visit. Next week we will be expecting D’s parents to pay us a visit, and hopefully I will get to do this all over again!

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