>>Around Town

REASON TO GET A BIG SUR P.O. BOX  Residents’ Special at Esalen

45 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, Big Sur | 667-3047

…On one of those picturesque Big Sur cliffs, natural hot springs flow from the ground at 119 degrees and 80 gallons per minute—healing waters that have been flowing for centuries. There are individual and group tubs for relaxing, all offered to the public at the reasonable rate of $20 every night from 1-3am. Even better, Big Sur residents can get tranquil for $5, 8-10pm Sunday through Thursday. (CB)

CHEAP THRILL  Ice Blocking

Any golf course in Monterey County

…If kids can get their kicks ice blocking in a small Oregon town with relatively few golf courses, just imagine the fun to be had in Monterey County, where golf courses almost outnumber Starbucks. Grab a block of ice, place it at a high point on the fairway, sit on top of the ice and go. Just don’t forget to wear decent running shoes for when the cops show up. Dark clothing and face paint help, too. (JL)

GOLF HOLE NOBODY GETS TO PLAY  16th at Cypress Point

17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach

…The PGA tour stopped coming here in 1990. Most of the time, only a few of its 250 or so members are around to play, so the course sits like a Rembrandt alone in a private gallery only God can view. Yet stories leak about the majestic 16th, a 220-yard mandatory carry over one of those singular Monterey Peninsula coves, where playful sea otters await poorly struck orbs launched by awestruck hackers vainly attempting Bing’s reported hole-in-one years ago. His whistling ghost must hover somewhere above that very cove, maintaining an angel’s thread to the flagstick marking the greatest golf hole he always got to play but few others ever will. (RN)

SOUTH COAST PLAYGROUND  Sand Dollar Beach

60 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, Big Sur

…Way past the Big Sur Valley, where RVs often clog the highway, is Big Sur’s longest strand of sand: Sand Dollar Beach. Above the half-moon-shaped shoreline, paragliders take flight above beachcombers, surfers and fisherman. For water lovers, the ocean here is almost always clear enough to give your favorite tropical isle a run for its money. Also, the adventurous can swim out to a shark fin-shaped rock in the beach’s massive cove, which is home to a cave with a pool of vibrantly colored anemones. (ST)

PLACE TO BE EATEN ALIVE BY AN APEX PREDATOR  Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Course

77 Asilomar Ave, Pacific Grove | 648-5777

…Traditionally this award has gone to the murky but wave-rich waters near the Salinas rivermouth, but thanks to repeated appearances by a certain feline, this year our experts have decided that the best place to be eaten alive by an apex predator would be on the exceptionally scenic and well-kept fairways of Pacific Grove’s “Poor Man’s Pebble.” Here kitty, kitty. (RM)

PLACE TO CAMP IN THE RAIN  Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

26 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, Big Sur | (800) 444-7275

…Camping in the rain in the shadows of mighty redwood trees is a little slice of heaven. The rain will scare away the weak ones. There’ll be camp sites galore and plenty of solitude, just you and the pitter-patter of the raindrops on your tent. Check the weather, pack a raincoat and start thinking about what you’re going to do once you finally have Big Sur all to yourself. (RV)

OBJECT GOLF AFTER DARK  Recreation Trail and Custom House Plaza, Monterey

…Poor fancy disc golfers. Burdened by their deluxe 20-disc carrying cases, the need to aim at steel baskets on courses designed by someone else and tight daylight time restrictions, most will never know what they’re missing. But here’s all you need for DWI fun: a still Monterey night with a worthy opponent, a pair of standard 180-ounce frisbees, and your own creativity, with the entire glowing Rec Trail and Custom House Plaza providing ramps and walls, trashcans and flagpoles, rolling lawns and twisting trees for targets. (MCA)

SECRET AMUSEMENT SPOT  Balcony Above Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Outer Bay Exhibit

…At the end of the day, when the Aquarium has pretty well emptied out, the shadowy recesses of the balcony above the Outer Bay exhibit’s million-gallon tank make a dark, secluded and magical spot for a little quality time. Bathed in the electric blue light, with only sharks, turtles and tuna as witnesses, the benches and railing make a perfect stage for grownup fun. (RM)

BULLETIN BOARD  Morgan’s Coffee & Tea

498 Washington St, Monterey | 373-5601

…The best way to truly take the pulse of a town is to find a community bulletin board. There you can discover what people do on Saturday nights (do they attend punk rock shows or quilting bees?), what services are offered in the area and what the cost of living is. For the Monterey area, Morgan’s Coffee & Tea has the mother of all bulletin boards (it’s actually three) advertising rooms for rent, tutors, sea kayaks for sale and a lecture about how to communicate with your animal via sign language, all in addition to information about art openings, local music performances and theater openings. (ST)

PLACE TO BATHE IN THE MOONLIGHT  Hurricane Point

14 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, Big Sur

…Through the ages, people have planted crops and acted out rituals in accordance with the phases of the moon. It has symbolized many things, like balancing spiritual and physical desires or cleansing negativity. Whatever the connection, soak up the moon’s rays on one of the Pacific Coast Highway’s perfect cliffs. Besides what Mother Nature provides, a man-made door on the ground provides a smooth place to lie down, and a large drainage pipe provides a perch from which to dangle your legs. It’s best to go between 10pm-2am on a full or new moon. (CB)

PLACE TO FEEL ALIVE  Marina State Beach

…Gentle waves of sand roll under the blue horizon of water, and if you catch the sun at just the right moment, when it’s down and draping the sky maroon and waxy orange, and a cold stiff wind squeezes tears from your eyes, you’ll know from the approaching darkness behind you the terror and beauty of being alive. These sand dunes isolate you awfully fast, and they’ll do that as long as you go there. (RV)

SEXIEST MAN EVER  Clint Eastwood

…Clint won this category year in and year out, and so the Weekly, as in the big leagues, retired his uniform. Proof of his sexiness: When he won Sexiest Man a few years ago, a writer here made fun of readers for picking a 60-year-old as the top hottie. At the time, Clint was 70. That was before Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby, which goes to show: sometimes, older equals better. Or best. (PL)

>>Arts and Entertainment

ESCAPE FROM TOURISTS ON CANNERY ROW  Friday Nights at Kalisa’s La Ida Cafe

851 Cannery Row, Monterey | 644-9316

…On any given Friday night, follow the sounds of Middle Eastern beats and shrill zaghareet yells and you’ll find Kalisa’s. It’s one of the few authentic places left from the old Cannery Row, but most tourists will walk on by the yellow building without ever knowing what they’re missing. Owner Kalisa Moore knew John Steinbeck and Doc Ricketts, and she keeps the bohemian spirit of old Monterey alive inside her cafe. Every Friday night, musicians and bellydancers shake, shimmy and drum upstairs against a backdrop of life-size paintings depicting dancers in some faraway, exotic land. (JL)

PLACE TO GET A FILM EDUCATION  Golden State Theatre

417 Alvarado St, Monterey | 372-4555

…It’s official: Film has overtaken the novel as the world’s most popular storytelling medium. In the past, when the novel was king, it was necessary to have knowledge of previous literary works to fully understand monumental fiction like James Joyce’s Ulysses, which makes reference to Homer’s Odyssey, among other works. Likewise, it is necessary to know the classics in film to really get the most out of modern movies. (For instance, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction alludes to Psycho and On the Waterfront.) Luckily, Monterey’s ornate Golden State Theatre is just the place to catch up on the classics; over the last year, it has screened Citizen Kane, Casablanca and modern favorites like Raiders of the Lost Ark. (ST)

PLACE TO WEAR LEATHER AND HIT ON A BAD BOY  Moss Landing Inn

Highway 1 and Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing | 633-3038

…Nothing’s sexier to a good girl than a down-and-dirty bad boy. Not filthy, just raunchy. Long hair, leathers, a Harley, and a beer bottle permanently jammed between his fingers. You might not meet Mr. Right here. But the vibe in this place—with its biker-chic décor, thumping live music, and fearless cocktails—is raw. Sexy. And that makes the clientele all the more stuck-in-the-‘80s hip. Sure, going home to your golfer guy is sweet—he loves your mother and tolerates your cat. But the bad boys here? They’re the ones who can make you want to sneak across to the harbor for a little bit of freaky. (MC)

PLACE TO START THE REVOLUTION  Rubber Chicken Open Mic

Wednesday nights at Morgan’s Coffee & Tea | 498 Washington St, Monterey | 373-5601

…The Revolution will not be televised, but construction on its foundation is well underway at this unadulterated celebration of the two most evolved art forms, poetry and music. All vital signs of the progressive movement are thriving at this free-thinkers’ destination: diversity, social consciousness, creativity, individuality and, most importantly, communal love. With a lively, interactive crowd and hungry performers eager to share their unique perspectives on the microphone, Rubber Chicken is evidence that grassroots are keeping the underground culture growing. (JK)

ART THEFT  Painting in the Women’s Restroom at Rio Grill

101 Crossroads Blvd, Carmel | 625-5436

…No art theft is good, but if an art theft were to be judged by its successful execution before the eyes of 100 people, then this one is the best. I noticed it was missing about two years ago, but didn’t ask management what happened to it until last summer. Few men have seen it, but many women know it well. It was a framed print in a stall of the women’s restroom at Rio Grill. In my case, it was always viewed through the slight fog of wine, a Rio Rita, or both, and I remember the first time I saw it. “Am I projecting?” I thought. “No, it’s unmistakable. What else could her hand be doing between her bare legs, under her nightgown, while she’s reclining in bed? That woman is masturbating.” The tasteful, even elegant print was at least three feet by two feet. Not something one could slip under one’s coat and sneak through the dining room, past wait staff, past hostesses, within view of bartenders, past a crowd of canny regulars. But gone it is. Hostess/server Alexis Thomas said she and Rio’s owner, Tony Tollner, didn’t notice anything unusual about the print when they purchased it. Even after many women commented, snuck men in to see it, offered to buy it, and even removed and rehung it face to the wall—and even after a customer ultimately stole it—they’re sticking to their interpretation that the subject’s hand was in the folds of her gown, not beneath it. Such sweet innocence. (JH)

PLACE TO GET ON THE GOODFOOT  Sly McFly’s

700-A Cannery Row, Monterey | 372-3225

…If you’ve only heard the lyrics “One nation under a groove, gettin’ down just for the funk of it” and never actually seen such a phenomenon take place, there’s no doubt that you’ll be able to witness it at Sly’s. The dance floor there is intimate, classy yet unpretentious and irresistible even when packed from wall to wall. Thursdays through Saturdays are the best nights to shake your derriére because that’s when some of the most soulful R&B and blues bands on the Left Coast summon the boogie from within and funk it up old-school style. (JK)

PERFORMANCE FEATURING LEATHER, FIRE AND OTHER SEXY MEDIEVAL STUFF  Ms. Byrne and Her Firedancers

…If you were at the Henry Miller Library Benefit concert last June, you saw it. As darkness fell they emerged like Road Warrior priestesses from the forest with bowls of flammable liquid and a variety of instruments that resembled sex toys for Orcs. Then the driving, Egyptian house music and—kaboom!—it was Flame On. The entire place was collectively mesmerized and aroused by an inferno of fluid movement, dangerous sexuality and dark mystery—like the whole place was going to spontaneously combust. (RM)

FREE MUSIC  Hyatt Regency Jazz on the Weekends

1 Old Golf Course Rd, Monterey | 372-1234

…Don’t have a lot of money but need a little escape? Head over to the Hyatt Regency Resort, where some the best jazz musicians in the country seem to wind up anytime they’re in the area. Even when nobody famous is dropping in it’s a great place. The show’s free, the seats are comfy, the drinks are delicious and when the weather’s chilly, the fireplace is always crackling. It’s the hottest cheap date in town. (SD)

>>Restaurants

BEST-KEPT RESTAURANT SECRET  Edgar’s Restaurant

8000 Valley Greens Dr, Carmel | 620-8910

…It isn’t hip, it isn’t lively, and it isn’t the hole-in-the-wall of the moment. But whenever you don’t feel like cooking and don’t feel like making a big deal out of going out to dinner either, Edgar’s strikes a balance for hungry hunters of a good meal in mid-Carmel Valley. It’s officially a bar/restaurant that exists to serve golfers and provide room service for guests at Quail Lodge, and it poses several contrasting elements that make it especially desirable even if you are neither golfer nor guest. The menu has great bar food for snacking as well as sophisticated dishes for real dining, so it’s easy to match your diet, your mood and your wallet. Ten large plasma TVs broadcast sports at a volume that’s easy on the soul while tempering the formality of beautiful room that otherwise might feel almost too elegant for a casual meal. (JH)

CHEESE AND VEGGIE COMBO  Wild Plum Café & Bakery

731C Munras Ave, Monterey | 646-3109

…Sorry, vegans. The melted provolone in Wild Plum’s Mediterranean on focaccia is what makes this hot sandwich delectable. Picture slow-roasted eggplant, onions, and red peppers over baby spinach and covered with that luscious layer of provolone cheese. Then—if you’re not salivating enough yet—imagine these ingredients nestled between moist focaccia bread slathered with pesto and garlic aioli. All the elements of this animal-friendly California cuisine concoction blend together superbly to form a wholesome, hearty and affordable delight. (JK)

CHILE RELLENO  La Villa Taqueria

766 Broadway Ave, Seaside | 899-7710

…Let’s start with the pool of creamy, smoky refried beans sprinkled with white queso fresca and the pile of fluffy rice that anchor every steaming, delicious dish at La Villa Taqueria. These alone put your lunch or dinner in another league than many competitors, but there is so much more to a meal at La Villa. At this point some people would order the tidy al pastor soft taco or maybe a chicken enchilada, and they would be glad they did. But the wise ones would ask for the relleno, a mild, medium-sized dark green poblano chile stuffed with cheese, dipped in egg batter and fried, then laid on the plate and ladled over with a light, exquisite tomato-based sauce that carries a hint of garlic. And they would be exceptionally glad that they did. (PL)

HOUSE SALAD  Bistro 211

211 Crossroads Blvd, Carmel | 625-3030

…Virtually all Monterey Peninsula restaurants offer a basic house salad that is almost always made from fresh, locally grown lettuces and other little tidbits, then dressed with a perfectly fine vinaigrette. At 211, the house salad with basil vinaigrette is a work of art. Crunchy, fresh, delicate lettuce, shaved carrots, olives…all kinds of wonderful things that don’t fully translate when written about. You just have to experience it for yourself. It also may be ordered in a big bowl for two or more (that’s when the fun really starts). Another treat: the amazing homemade basil vinaigrette is available to take home. (RN)

WAY TO BEAT THE SYSTEM  California Market

120 Highlands Dr, Carmel (at the Highlands Inn) | 622-5450

…Let’s say you forgot to become a tycoon and so you can’t go to Pacific’s Edge this week to enjoy world-class California cuisine with a sweeping view of the Pacific Ocean. Weep not, for tucked just behind the famous dining room is California Market, a restaurant that enjoys the same DNA as its flashy neighbor at a quarter of the price. Sure, the view is limited by comparison, but you still have a nice wedge of ocean view to gawk at, and the food is superb. Airy fried calamari served with a zippy citrusy dipping sauce and creative salads and sandwiches will have you feeling smug about getting a taste of the famous Highlands Inn experience without having to break the piggy bank. (PL)

EGGS BENEDICT  The Breakfast Club

1130 Fremont Blvd, Seaside | 394-3238

…It’s the best way to start a morning—crunchy English muffins, sweet, succulent ham and soft poached eggs stacked high and topped off with a light, lemony hollandaise sauce. The Traditional Eggs Benedict is always a sure-fire hit, but if you’re feeling zany, try one of the Breakfast Club’s other unique varieties of benedict, which include the Veggie (tomato and sautéed mushrooms), Club (turkey, bacon and tomato), Country (sausage patty), Nova Scotia (smoked salmon and spinach), Turkey Avocado or Crab Cake and Avocado. (SD)

COMFORT FOOD  Chicken Scratch Flats

1 Main St, Salinas | 775-4738

…Any place that gives diners a choice of sauces for their perfectly tender, crispy-skinned half rotisserie chicken is serious about comfort food. At Chicken Scratch Flats in Oldtown Salinas, the choice is between barbecue sauce, citrus vinaigrette, cheesy garlic fondue and black pepper pan gravy. Couple your chicken or thick-cut pork chop with smashed potatoes, chicken hash, green beans or steak fries and the result is pure down-home comfort and joy. (PL)

GILDING OF THE LILY   Jamaica Margarita at The Whole Enchilada

Highway 1 and Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing | 633-3038

…It may take a little more time to get out to Moss Landing, but for this margarita no drive is too far. Blended or on the rocks, with a little salt on the rim, it’s the next best thing to a mini-vacation in Mexico. Jamaica, the juice from the hibiscus flower, is sweet and fruity without being overpowering. The Whole Enchiladas’ other flavored margaritas, from peach to pomegranate, are equally enticing. (SD)

ADDITION TO THE ETHNIC FOOD SCENE  Amir’s Kabob House

794 Lighthouse Ave, Monterey | 642-0231

…We do pretty well here in Monterey County when it comes to ethnic food. We have the cuisines of Mexico, Peru, Lebanon, Greece, Thailand, Korea, India and the Republic of California to choose from, plus many more. But there’s something special about the Afghan cuisine at the newly opened Amir’s. The herbs and spices create novel flavor constellations, and the food manages to be at once rustic and exquisitely elegant. The lamb kabob is fork-tender and the chicken moist. How do they do it? We don’t know. We just want to go back. (PL)

>>Specialty Foods

FRENCH FRIES  Animal-Style Fries at In-N-Out Burger

151 Kern St, Salinas | (800) 786-1000

…So they wash their potatoes by hand, peel ‘em, cook ‘em in cottonseed oil and dice ‘em fresh every day, all while wearing paper hats and uncanny smiles. No surprises there. But they can and will add deliciously obscene amounts of cheese, special sauce and grilled onions to the fries. All you have to do is ask. (MCA)

PLACE TO EXERCISE YOUR CARB CREATIVITY  & Everything Nice

8 West Gabilan St, Salinas | 754-BAKE

…Want an apple tart with vanilla pastry cream and delicate slices of spiced apples, dusted with the tiniest shake of cinnamon? How about a princess cake for a little angel, topped with its very own tiara? Maybe you just want to sulk on a random Tuesday—just you, your thoughts, and a New York cheesecake. Whatever your whim, this new bakery in Oldtown will bake it into reality, whether it’s on the menu or not. And you won’t find any frozen dough in this tiny shop. That’s for the other guys. Everything here is made fresh. Every day. It’s about time. (MC)

MOST OUTRAGEOUS MUFFIN-SIZED BAKED GOOD  Black Bottom Cupcakes at Tillie Gort’s

111 Central Ave, Pacific Grove | 373-0335

…Here’s a little science experiment for you. Head over to Pacific Grove’s vegetarian (and carnivore) eatery Tillie Gort’s. Order one black bottom cupcake to go. Bring home and heat in microwave for 26 seconds. Why does this jiggling cupcake give the appearance that it might buckle under its own weight after being warmed up a tad? It’s the same thing that makes this little bomb the most outrageous muffin-sized baked good around town: its luscious filling of cream cheese and chocolate chips. (ST)

ASIAGO BREAD  Big Sur Bakery

Highway 1, Big Sur | 667-0520

…Ingredients: Giusto’s organic flour, sourdough starter, salt and asiago cheese. What: the kind mouthwatering flavor- and cheese-packed bread for which you call ahead. The precious asiago cheese chunks, jewels you find two slices into the loaf, are placed in the dough while shaping. Then more asiago is grated over the top and the dough is baked in a wood-fired oven for 45 minutes or so, producing this coveted carbohydrate treat. (CB)

TREATMENT OF A PEAR  Pear Tart at Parker-Lusseau Pastries

731 Munras Ave, Monterey  643-0300 | 539 Hartnell St, Monterey  641-9188

…Pity the pear, the Blanche duBois of fruits. Delicately flavored, easily bruised, difficult to pick out at the store and get safely home, it’s often dismissed for hardier, bolder fruits. So it’s nice to find someone who understands the pear like the folks at Parker-Lusseau do. Every three-inch pear tart ($3.75), whether layered with dark chocolate or almond over its thick, crumbly butter crust, lets the cool, mellow-toned slices of perfect Bartlett pear fanned out on top have all the glory, all the fame. It’s a triumph of subtlety and good taste. (TH)

USE OF A COW  Bírria at Jose’s Mexican Food

638 Wave St, Monterey | 655-4419

…Traditional roast beef just got smoked. Bírria is shredded beef that’s slathered in a transcendent red chile sauce, slow-smoked for five hours, and best accompanied by a homemade tomatillo salsa. It’s not on Jose’s menu (yet), but those in the know always ask: “Hay bírria?” (MCA)

COOLEST CONVERTED GARAGE SPACE  Acme Coffee Roasting Company

85-B Palm Ave, Seaside | 393-9113

…Here in an alley in Seaside, behind an old motorcycle garage’s pull-down door, lies a vortex of cool stuff: a massive stainless steel coffee roaster, pictures of the owners’ 1960 Ford panel truck, and glass jars filled with beans plucked from locales ranging from Sumatra to Guatemala. At the center of the vortex stand Jacki and Larry Thurman, brewing hot joe from those freshly-roasted, just-ground beans a cup at a time. The coffee’s so good they could probably sell it on cardboard boxes in front of the bus station. It’s just cooler that they sell it here. (MCA)

>>Shopping and Services

ADDITION TO OLDTOWN SALINAS  The Swim

242 1/2 Main St, Salinas | 753-7946

…Oldtown Salinas is finally coming into its own. It’s got a brewery, chic restaurants, a day spa, clothing and shoe boutiques, and now (finally!) with the addition of The Swim, a really cool vintage store that buys and sells men’s and women’s vintage and second-hand clothing. That includes jewelry, shoes, furs, ‘50s cocktail dresses—and that’s just the roundup from the most recent paddle over to The Swim. The clothing and accessories are reasonably priced, and there’s the added bonus of wearing a truly one-of-a-kind piece that can’t be found anywhere else. (JL)

APPLES  Fujis from Prevedelli Farm

(in front of Rosine’s every Tuesday  at the Monterey Farmers Market)

…The waxed, mushy, Red “Delicious” apple many of us grew up with has probably done more to harm Americans’ health than any other food. It deserves every ounce of bad PR it has received, for it propelled generations of kids away from fruit snacks and straight into the arms of Ho-Hos. Many adults still think they hate apples, but that’s only because they haven’t bitten into a crisp Fuji from Prevedelli. Sweet and crunchy, redolent of mango and pineapple, this is a spectacular apple, an apple to change dietary habits, maybe even an apple to change the world. Come this fall, get your three dollars ready and find out just how good a bag of fresh, pesticide-free apples can be. (TH)

PERMANENT MAKEUP ARTIST  Mindy Pereira at Beleza Skin Care

Fifth and Junipero, Carmel | 624-4282

…Tired of driving to work with coffee in one hand while applying your eyeliner with the other and steering with your knees? You no longer have to. Mindy Pereira specializes in permanent makeup, the hottest thing to hit women’s fashion since the little black dress. Place yourself in Mindy’s gifted hands and never worry about eyebrows, eyeliner or lip coloring again. Just think of what you can do with all that extra time. (RN)

PLACE TO CASH IN YOUR EGO CHIPS  Sweet Thursday Salon

212 Main St, Salinas | 759-2200

…Some people will pay for just any hairstylist. Smart people hold out for far more: baby trim, winter lowlights and compliments. Okay, it sounds shameless. It’s not. Too often, practitioners in this business trip over themselves pointing out flaws you could pay them to fix. Here, the mantra seems to be that you already are perfect—they’re just fluffing the edges. So go ahead, indulge. Besides, these gals are in the business of beauty. They get that that means from the inside out. (MC)

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY SHOP  Backscatter

225 Cannery Row, Monterey | 645-1082

…Located a stone’s throw from the Coast Guard breakwater, Berkeley White’s internationally-known shop caters to image makers devoted to the highly technical, highly specialized, highly expensive craft of underwater photography. Littered with still and video cameras, some of which are worth tens of thousands of dollars, Backscatter is overflowing with some of the most amazing photos, footage and stories in the world. (RM)

PLACE TO BUY ROASTED SEAWEED  Marina’s Endless Supply of Korean Markets

…They’re practically on every other block in Marina—Korean-run markets brimming with exotic and delicious delicacies that only the über-hip and super-smart visit with any regularity. Above all, these markets offer a spectacular variety of roasted seaweed sheets. Some are really salty, others not. Some are roasted with ginger, some with other tasty seasonings. You can’t go wrong with this stuff! (RV)

PLACE TO REKINDLE YOUR ROMANCE WITH AGE  Old Post Office Antiques

7902 Moss Landing Rd, Moss Landing | 633-5004

…Maybe it’s the two dainty white chandeliers hanging in the big picture windows. Or it could be that each section of the tiny shop is decorated as if it was its own little niche in a charming B&B on the Cape. There are frilly lamps, beautifully refinished boudoir pieces, tables, jewelry, dining sets and bakers’ racks, all displayed in clean and cozy comfort with classical music fluttering in the background. This gem isn’t your grandmother’s storage shed. Unless, of course, she was the Princess of All Things Beautiful. (MC)

PLACE TO GET GREAT BREAD  Big Sur Bakery

Highway 1, Big Sur | 667-0520

…If bread is the staff of life, Big Sur Bakery is the staff of bread. This legendary local landmark packs so much punch into its diverse and profound loaves that folks travel from miles around to load up. Of course, great homemade cookies and other treats complement the rich, delicious breads. While there, the uninitiated discover BSB is also a great spot for an artfully prepared lunch and dinner made with only the freshest sustainable ingredients. (RN)

BAG OF SPINACH  Earthbound Farm Organic

…In 1984, two city kids from Manhattan began working the land of their two and a half acre backyard farm in Carmel Valley. They sold their first crops—baby lettuces, herbs and raspberries—at a roadside stand. Then they were the first to successfully market pre-washed salad in a bag for retail sale. Today their more than 100 certified organic salads, fruits and vegetables are grown on 20,000 acres and are available in more than 70 percent of America’s supermarkets. At $2.50 for a 10-ozunce bag or $4.95 for the 16-ounce size, they’re also one of the cheapest ways to get your Popeye on. Oh yeah, and it’s organic. (CB)

DEAL ON A HOOKAH  Glass Roots

765 Lighthouse Ave, Monterey | 645-9021

…It doesn’t receive nearly as much publicity as its neighbor Mary Jane’z, but Glass Roots is home to Monterey County’s most affordable selection of blown glass and water pipes. It also features an impressive collection of T-shirts, posters, and trippy artwork. If you’re looking for a laid-back, interesting spot where you can browse a little and find reasonably priced smoking apparatus, hit up Glass Roots. (JK)

COPY SHOP  Monterey Copy Center

730 Lighthouse Ave, Monterey | 333-0174

…What is this, Mayberry? A living tableau from the Saturday Evening Post? We’ve come to make some photocopies and Steven Hardy, the owner of this copying/faxing emporium, is talking and laughing with customers. As if he is enjoying himself! As if they are regulars who have been coming to his store to print their newsletters and business cards since it opened six years ago! Well, many of them have, and it’s easy to see why. Recently Hardy, deep in a gabfest, waved us away from the cash register. “What did you make, two copies?” he asked. “Don’t worry about it. Pay me double next time.” You won’t find that at the other copy store, and you won’t find us there, either. (TH)