Locals Talk
Wendy Brodie
Central Coast
My
favorite activities include:
Cooking, exercise, watching movies, reading, being with my husband and our
little dog, interacting with people
I
was born and raised in:
I was born in San Francisco and raised there
until I was of school age, then we moved down to Palo Alto and I entered the public school
system.
I
currently live in:
The Carmel Highlands which has a similar feeling to Big
Sur
What
I do to make a buck:
I am a chef that earns money by catering, teaching cooking classes, writing
articles and being on our TV show Art of Food. I am currently writing a
cookbook.
5
things I love about the Big Sur area:
The areas creative spirit is manifested in -
1. The accommodations:
- Ventana Inn, because my husband introduced me to its magic of place and people
- Deetjen’s, where I had my first Big Sur date with my husband and many anniversary returns
- Post Ranch, restaurant and tree house
2. The restaurants:
- Of course Ventana, Cielo and lobbies
- Sierra Mar at Post Ranch
- Deetjen’s
- Nepenthe
- Big Sur Road House
- Big Sur Bakery
- River Inn with the music on Sunday’s
3.
The stores and galleries:
- Phoenix Store
- Hawthorne Gallery
- Heartbeat
- Ventana
- Coast Gallery
- Henry Miller Library and the movies
4.
Nature’s bounty of beaches and trails throughout the area
My
favorite local treasure:
The acquisitions side of me would have to say the Phoenix store because all of my needs and
senses are satisfied. The memories of decades gone by (60’s), artifacts and
musical instruments from far away places, as well current thinking with great
book selections, always something for the home and garden, personal
rejuvenation, creative clothing and jewelry, even toys for the kids as well as
self discovery artistic blank journals. Always a helpful
smile from the staff and viewing benches to the ocean for those that can’t shop
any more. My all time favorite store that ever existed outside of Homescapes and Brinton’s in Carmel.
My
perfect day in the Big Sur Area:
Big Sur is such a magical and spiritual area
that just hearing the words induces special memories for me. My first Big Sur date with my friend of 19 years and now husband
of 8 years started with a stay at the famed Ventana Inn which was the beginning
to a lasting love affair with the area, discovering a world within a world of
creative, dedicated and hospitable people along with nature’s incredible and
breathtaking landscapes.
My perfect day would have to last at least 24 hours to get everything in. I
would start early with the exercise room, hot tubs and saunas at Ventana. Walk
to the lobby for breakfast with its memorable granola topped with yogurt,
berries and honey. Then a sampling of all the tempting
house made pastries. A hike around the property or down to
one of the beaches for an infusion of nature. Working up an appetite so
I could have a second breakfast/brunch at Deetjen’s,
for their cozy romantic atmosphere. More hiking maybe up towards the Coast
Ridge road behind Ventana or Molera State
Park, making room for lunch at Nepenthe and
SHOPPING at the Phoenix Store. Then a wander across
the street HWY 1 to Hawthorne Gallery for inspiration. Drive down to
Coast Gallery and back up to Heartbeat for a little more shopping and if it
were Sunday a stop for a drink at River Inn to hear the live jazz on the lawn.
A drive to Big Sur Bakery for a re-energizing latte and a bite of one of their baked goods while touring the shops and gardens next door. Then back to Ventana for a spa treatment. Over to the lobby for cheese and wine, a walk to the restaurant hoping I have burned enough calories to indulge in a wonderful sunset dinner. Back to the room for a fire, movie and hot tub letting nature take its course from there on in. Of course this perfect day is shared with my loving and terrific husband.
