We headed to Moss Landing for a week to tour old hang-outs and spend some time with Jennifer, my BESTEST friend since 7th grade and her husband Steve. We arrived early and so we set out to explore from Santa Cruz to Carmel Valley. Watching the surfers jump off the rocks in Santa Cruz to catch the wave of the day brought back lots of memories. I went to college with Jennifer in Sant Cruz and we laughed about how we missed a lot of classes due to good weather and beautiful beaches. Oh yeah, and boyfriends that surfed.
Lutz and I decided that the best way to see the coast was to bike it! Parking at the pier in Monterey, we rode our collapsable bikes all the way to Pebble Beach in Carmel…well almost. We could see the golf course from the other side of the small bay! I’ve only seen this color of ocean once before in my life and that is on the floor of my daughters kitchen. She has tiles that are remarkably the same color as the water in Carmel. Then it was back to Monterey Pier for a bite. Oh so good…bacon wrapped scollops as a snack…yes, I will be experimenting with this little dish very soon!
I'm Melinda Stevens and living the life of a beach bum was inevitable since my father was a lifeguard for the city of Los Angeles. My memories of growing up on John Street in Manhattan Beach, California were filled with joy, excitement and adventures; until my world, as I knew it, fell apart when we moved to Del Mar, California. My father was offered the position as Captain of the lifeguards and we started the slow migration to the small deserted stretch of beach in 1963. At twelve years old, this seemed like the end of my life. Remember, I’m writing with clear hindsight now, ok somewhat clearer… Little did I know this would be the beginning of a new journey and give a bit more clarity to many of the events that led me to this new cooking adventure.