"Clint's Place"

Beautiful Mission Ranch. One of my favorite spots in my hometown of Carmel. A charming little inn and great watering hole with a piano bar.

As a kid I rode my bike or walked past it twice a day as I went to and from school at the Carmel Mission. My friend Patty and I would usually head over there after school and buy a candy bar at the office (10 cents back then). Or go to the back window of the kitchen restaurant and buy a plate of tongue-scorching French fries for whatever change we had in our pockets from one of the Portuguese cooks who barely spoke any English. It was a great place to explore and fuel our active imaginations.

These days I always try to make a point of stopping in for a glass of wine while I'm in town. Views of the Carmel River Estuary and Point Lobos in the distance are gorgeous. Sometimes I see the owner, Mr. Eastwood, stop by. Doesn't stay long--only until too many long glances are cast his way.