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A Little Bit of Soledad's Soul, By Way of Pinnacles and Funky Food Spots

Imagine a place with...

Don Julio on tap.

Large flat-screens with the Warriors on.

Stretchy cheese and loaded signature combination pizza from next-door Cheezers, served to your barstool, with red pepper and parmesan.

A pole in the center of the dance floor.

Franzia Chablis that goes into the chavelas ($9), along with Modelo Especial, Clamato tomato juice, Tapatio and Worcestershire with a spicy salt-rimmed glass accented with no fewer than four shrimp, celery and carrot stalks, slices of salami, pepperoni, orange, lemon and lime, and a jalapeño stuffed olive.

A photo booth—in the adjoining bowling alley. I repeat: In the adjoining bowling alley.

Air hockey.

Microwaveable pork rinds ($2).

Video games.

It's The Watering Trough (678-1726) in Soledad.

Or, as I call it, beautiful.

•••

Now imagine a place with...

Stop-and-stare rock formations and talus caves forged from earthquakes and eruption.

Lichen colors that dazzle with yellow, burnt orange and electric green.

Purple larkspurs and elegant clarkia and California buckeye.

Chiseled-out footholds near the top of the aptly named “steep and narrow” section of High Peaks Trail.

Full 360-degree views and wheeling condors near Hawkins Peak (at 2,720).

It's Pinnacles National Park in Soledad.

Or, as I call it, beautiful.

•••

It was a wrong turn led me to heaven.

I was looking for Frankie's Grill (678-3499), took a right when I should've gone left, spotted The Watering Trough sign and fell into its tumbleweed tractor beam.

I intended to find Pinnacles, the newly minted national park that merits a mandatory visit for Monterey County residents and outdoor enthusiasts and rock climbers from just about anywhere.

The nice thing: The two spots are only five miles apart, and help round out Soledad's unique South County character.

Frankie's has something to do with that as well, what with its crooked staircase, chipped paint, big menu (half authentic Mexican, half good American grilled meats), sincere service, cheap beer and homemade salsas and tortillas.

Look for more on all three places in this week's Monterey County Weekly, out tonight.