Seven Gables Inn California Garden Room?
 

Has anyone stayed at the Seven Gables Inn in the room w/stained glass window; it is called the garden room. Is it small? Does it get a lot of traffic? I want to stay there in April. Is 2 nights enough to see the sights? Thank you



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Just for clarification, this is in Pacific Grove, correct? ***kim*** ((l))

yes, in Pacific Grove. I would like to reserve the room but I want to know if it was too small; it is the least expensive room. I appreciate any help; thanks.

I haven't stayed at the Seven Gables, but have seen the property many times. It's gorgeous, I would go for it! What do you want to see in the area? :)

We've taken many trips to this area for two nights and see a lot. Carmel, Monterey, Big Sur are all worth checking out. For a nice dinner try Robert Kincaid's White House. Very, very good! ***kim*** ((*))

Thank you. That helps. I guess I can call the inn to see if what they think about the room size. The inn's pictures do look pretty.

Nix on Kincaid's-his food is nothing
you cannot get in the midwest.
For the true spirit of Monterey/Pacific Grove
cuisine do try Passionfish-you'll see it #1 at tripadvisor-great, inventive cuisine. We also like Fandango when we visit.Both are in PG.
R5

To each his own, but we won't be returning to Passionfish. I was so disappointed with this place. We went last April (unless it's improved since then) were seated in the very back, service was terribly spotty, when the waitress finally showed up she was very distracted. :)

Hubby's entree had to be returned to the kitchen and re-heated, my $24 lobster entree was tough and I tired of it after a few bites. The Prix Fixe menu at the White House is around $30 for three courses, excluding desserts (which are amazing, btw,) We didn't have dessert and went back to our Room at the Plaza and had some truffles we had picked up in town earlier. :)

I know this was just one experience, but I have no desire to return there. I think the attraction here is the wine list is retail, website states they can do this since they have no sommelier and the stemware of course is not Riedel. :(

Ambiance is non-existent, far from romantic and the restaurant is on the corner of town next to a gas station. Views of the parking lot and street were a huge turn-off. :(

Might be OK with a group of girlfriends but definitely not a romantic date place if that's what you have in mind. (I do, especially when it's just the two of us and not a large group.) ***kim*** ((f))

Do you guys like Roy's? What is the cost there for their price fix? Any breakfast suggestions? Where can we get great seafood and good prices?
Thanks:-)

Roy's in Pebble Beach? Yes, it's one of my favorite places in the area. Go at sunset and hear the bagpiper play! :D Very nice place, the kind of place you like to linger around. Enjoy! ***kim*** ((#))

okay, I need your help. I am going back and forth on what to do. We have a trip planned for California in April and we have a room booked for 2 nights in Santa Barbara and then that afternoon we drive up to San Simeon and stay there 1 night.
The next morning I want to do the Hearst Castle tour and then drive up to Carmel/Pacific Grove/Monterey and spend 2 nights and leave early to get home.

Will 2 nights be enough in Monterey Peninsula? Or should I make Santa Barbara 1 night and 3 in Monterey Peninsula? Also, where can we get the best seafood in Santa Barbara and Monterey? We like causual places. I like a nice dinner once in a while but since we are doing a lot of driving I want to be comfortable. Plus, we don't get good seafood out here in the SW so my husband and I want to get our seafood fix while we can;-)

What to do in Santa Barbara? Ride bikes? Where to rent them? The mission?
I appreciate any suggestions:-)

keith, we spent three days in SB in December for our anniversary trip and loved the SB Shellfish Co, located at the end of Stearns' Wharf. The lobster bisque and the lobster dinners were heavenly and very moderately priced! :D

Yes, we rented bikes and rode them all over SB, you can rent them right around the cornere from the Harbor View Inn (where we stayed). I would highly recommend Harbor View, we loved our stay there. www.harborviewsb.com ((l))

Lastly, in Monterey we like Domenico's or Cafe Fina for casual meals with decent seafood. I would avoid Rappa's at the end of the wharf there. I enjoy the Monterey sand sabs while in the area. Have a wonderful trip and happy planning! ***kim*** ((#))

I too have been a big fan of Robert Kincaids food over the years,all the way back to when he owned and operated Fresh Cream in Monterey.To say his food nothing different than one can find in the midwest is a bit of an overstatement.He has however been raising his prices rather aggressively lately,a couple of years ago his three course prix-fixe was $19.00 now I see its gone up to $37.00.

http://www.robertswhitehouse.com/menu.htm

That's not really too outrageous for the area. Last night we dined at the Vintage Steakhouse at the Chukchansi Gold Resort and our app of escargot was $12/salad $8/entree $25/dessert $8. :D

RK also makes a dessert that I loved called "the chocolate sac" which consists of a chocolate milkshake in a block of dark, rich chocolate, served with two straws. ((y)) to the White House in Pacific Grove! ***kim*** ((l))

Hi, thank you kimamom and everyone else. I am excited to have a nice little road trip out to CA. I am excited to eat at Tarpy's, Roy's, and Monterey Fish house. I can't wait to see the aquarium (my husband and I spent 3 hrs one day in the aquarium in New Orleans), shopping, the Carmel Mission and strolling the beach. Can't wait:-)

If you're in Carmel around lunch time, Casanova is very, very good! They also serve the local Georis wines that are very nice. Enjoy the area! ***kim*** ((f))

I'm also not a big White House fan(either in Pacific Grove or DC). I agree that Passionfish is very good for seafood. I also really like the Monterey Fish House which is casual but a wonderful locals hangout.

The Seven Gables location is fabulous. You will be just above the shorepath which is a lovely way to walk between Pacific Grove and the Aquarium. You will see all osrts of wildlife on your walk.

I think 2 days (two full days) is ok since you do want to include Santa Barbara. To do only one day in Santa Barbara would be a mistake I think.


When you are in the Monterey area, I do recommend you check out Point Lobos. The walks here are very easy and very worth your time. It's a state park for I think the entrance fee is about $3 a car. Wear walking shoes and prepare to see the coastline and all its wonder.

I agree, one day for SB is not enough. We had three full days and I wished we had longer in the area. :D

Pt. Lobos is gorgeous and is actually in the Carmel area, in the Carmel Highlands. The coastline in this area is some of the most scenic on the enitre CA coast. ***kim*** ((#))

uuhhhh kim........ maybe if you hadn't spent so much time "by their pool...visited the spa...soak in the jacuzzi then relaxed on the balcony...off to the Rivera Theater for a showing of Sideways...another jacuzzi soak and relaxing in our room", you'd have had more time to see the sights...

I know kim has been down on Passionfish and has been very vocal in her dislike, but count me as another fan. Kim is right however, that it is not a romantic diner for two place and it is not in a location that first time visitors would appreicate. That being said it is a big hit with us frequent visitors and with locals because the local seafood is very good and because of the wine list. When we went to the White House the weekend before last we didn't have the best dining experience there i.e. seated in a very bad location, moved to another less desirable location, inattentive server and one entree not to my liking. I would however still recommend it. Other than my entree, the food was very good, it is a lovely Victorian, I have had more pleasant experiences there before and others have a high opinion of it. BTW it is now $37 prix fixe.

Actually, we'll be in the Monterey/Carmel area this month for a couple of days. I'm considering giving PF another try. :D

Definitely not ordering the lobster again, tho. :( I may try their crabcakes if they have them, and sample some of their wines, since they are so much less expensive than other places. I'd also like to sample some of their desserts. Can anything top the chocolate "sac" at the White House? We'll see! ***kim*** ((l)) BTW, are they open for lunch?

They had a crabcake appetizers two weekends ago. As far a desserts , I can't comment, I have given them up in order to be able to drink wine. BTW if you are not happy with anything this time, kim, talk to Cindy (co owner with her husband Ted) if she is there or Janae the manager, they really care about the restuarant and would want to know if you are unhappy.

You got it, SAB! ((y)) Have you tried the Kathryn Kennedy wines there, that's what I'm interested in, also! ***kim*** ((l))

Skippy~you might consider a sunset drink at Pacific Edge. Find out sunset time and get a table by the window.

SFPam,
Thank you so much for helping me with how long we should stay in SB and PG. It looks like rooms book fast so it is good to get the reservations in order; we are all set now.

I have us for 2 nights in SB, one night in San Simeon (I know there is only the Hearst Castle but leave SB late afternoon, tour the Castle early morning and then hit the road and head up to Big Sur) and then 2 nights in PG. We are excited to stay at the Seven Gables; when we reserved the room they said they have tea at 5, milk and Cookies at 8 and breakfast the next morning. I thought those things sounded cute!

Thanks for the sunset drink tip and we do want to eat at Roy's at sunset one evening too. In May I will post my trip. Thanks again for all your help!

Sounds perfect, skippyW! BTW, we've hd dinner at Pacific's Edge to celebrate a wedding anniversary, it was wonderful! Enjoy the area! Where have you decided to stay in SB? ***kim*** ((*))

Your trip sounds really well-planned. Here's a Santa Barbara tip. If you want a real beach experience, go north of the city center along Cliff Drive to Arroyo Burro Beach - only 10 - 15 minutes away. All the locals will be there with kids and dogs. There's a cafe on the beach called Brown Pelican, food is nothing special but you can grab a bite. And the nearby intersection called Four Corners, where Lazy Acres (organic market) is, has a really good Japanese restaurant for dinner who's name I cannot remember. If you really need a good seafood recommendation, just reply on the board here and I will give my mother a call who lives there and loves to eat out.

We stayed at the Seven Gables Inn in the Garden Room and loved it! It is a reasonably sized room with plenty of space for two. The bathroom is spacious though - I think that is where the stained glass window is.

The room is decorated in a very pleasing style - not the formal, overdone, ornate Victorian of the common rooms. The colors are pleasant and appealing. The room is directly on a path from one building to another, but we did not mind it at all. It has a large picture window with a view of the ocean from the room. None of the rooms have TVs - we missed the news each day but it was fine.

We walked to the center of PG a few times from this location and drove to Monterey and Carmel. We had dinner at Fandango's in PG and really enjoyed it. We loved the area and the inn.

Have a great time!

SkippyW, my husband just reminded me that we walked to Monterey as well as PG. The Inn has a great location which I'm sure you will enjoy.

OK. Talked to Mom. Here are her recommendations for seafood in SB.

Brophy Brothers
Bay Cafe
CrabShack on wharf

Fancy: Downey's, Biltmore, Palace Grill for Cajun style esp. popcorn shrimp.

I've heard mixed reviews on Brophy Bros. What does she think of the SB Shellfish Co. at the end of the wharf? :D
For fine dining, we loved Olie e Limone and the Wine Cask. We had lunch at the Biltmore (The Patio) and yes, it is very, very good and the setting is gorgeous. ***kim*** ((r))

Skippy: My husband and I did a very similar trip in Dec. Ate at Brophy Bros, which we liked. We felt it was a little pricey for what we had, but it's and expensive area so it goes with the territory. We ate outside and had a terrific view of the marina and the fishing boats unloading the catch. We also ate at one of the places at the pier, but not the one Kim mentioned. Can't remember the name of the indoor room - we ate outside on the sundeck at Longboards (i think). Unless you are very tolerant of pigeons I would recommend against that place. They (pigeons)are everywhere and the tables are not bussed promptly, so its a pigeon buffet. Almost more than I could handle and I'm pretty tolerant. Kinda hard to eat when you aren't sure how sanitary the place is. I had the wait person bring a cloth and clean our spot even tho it looked clean, then got an extra napkins for the flatware to rest upon. We had already placed our order before we realized the extent of our dining companions or we would have gone somewhere else.

babs, next time try the SB Shellfish Co. I usually steer clear of wharf places, especially the Santa Cruz one (I've had horrible experiences there) but we really enjoyed this SB place. ***kim*** ((#))

One last question, how do people dress? We will be there end of April. Capri's? Shorts?
If we go to dinner at Roy's in Pebble Beach can we dress casual or a little more dressy? Thanks for your help; every little bit helps:-)

Turns out the SB Shellfish company is the same as what my mom calls the Crab Shack. After the wharf burned down it changed names. V. good oysters shipped in from Washington, also live lobsters and crabs you can pick out yourself...

Now, about clothes. There is a California look that prevails in Northern California and even much of Santa Barbara. For men, khakis or jeans plus a polo shirt and bring a jacket just in case. Not kelly green or pink jackets north of SB. I don't know of anywhere ties are required, but maybe some really fancy places in SB, LA, SF. For women, linen or cotton pants, maybe a black skirt, with some sort of fairly nice shirt with detailing, and jewelry and nice shoes. The fancier you get, the nicer the shoes, the higher the heels, the more expensive the jewelry, the more the shirt is apt to be silk and lower cut.

People do wear dresses, but mostly at charity functions, or parties, or business events. At restaurants not so much.

I can't speak to LA. In SF, however, the look is more like New York - not quite so much black, but a lot, and Marc Jacobs handsbags are everywhere. Women who are very "social" even wear hats. Shawls are still prevalent. Banana Republic would be the default look, but if you go too preppy you will stand out as a tourist, which is OK too:)I was just in the city today, walking around the Financial District, and the women dress fairly classically, but with a touch of hippy, or Asian, or arty, or "ladies who lunch" just to have some style. Comfort is paramount.

Thanks that helps. I have been to SF many times and LA but not South of SF nor North of Malibu. This will be fun! I am excited to try the Shellfish Co.; I went to their website and everything looks yummy and priced right! I love crab legs; I hope those are good. I love all seafood; here in the SW we don't get any good seafood so whenever we go either coast we make sure to get our fix! Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

I am also glad to know what the Garden room sounds like. My husband liked it because he said it was the least grandma like (hee hee). We are in our early 30's so he likes hip places and I like cozy place. I think he will like the room; especially the cookies at 8pm. I can't wait to bike ride around too! Any bike rental shops anyone suggests in SB or Carmel/Monterey? Thanks again for everyones help; you guys are the best!

For Monterey and Pacifc Grove the end of April-I wouldn't recommend shorts. You could probably get away with capris. It is pretty casual I must say.
If you are going to the Fish House you can wear just about anything. It's very casual.

If you eat at Fandango, Passionfish or the White House, dress could be a bit more upscale but still casual.

Your husband will not need a jacket or tie at any of those places.

I wear alot of linen and am usually well into it come the end of April here in the SF Bay area. I'm also of woman in her 50's who has been known to run"hot" at this point in my life. At any of the places listed to possibly dine, a nice linen pants outfit would be just fine.

A pashima shawl is always a good thing to bring. Once the sun goes down in Monterey it might get a wee bit chilly.



Santa Barbara will have to be addressed by others. I still think it's pretty casual but depends on where you plan to dine.